Winterschlaf

This movie feels like you're peeking into the lives of these characters, and it can be very awkward.

The story is, basically, a conflict between a landlord and a tenant. The main landlord is kind of an asshole. He's snobbish and condescending, but the tenant isn't the most likeable either.

These characters feel like people. Flawed and conflicted. Their story is more fascinating to watch that it would seem at first.

The film is very long and very slow, but instead of being boring, it's relaxing, despite how unrelaxed the characters may be (they spend a lot of the time arguing). It's also really tense. Tense and relaxing. Oddly nostalgic.

If I were to compare it to a more recent movie, that would be Hu Bo's An Elephant Sitting Still.

Ceylan's film is a film about the inherently destructive aspects of 'pride', tired old traditions, antiquated thinking, dishonesty (or at least being intentionally disingenuous), and letting your bitterness and resentment fester until it eats away too much of you and leaves you at odds with those closest to you, if not everyone.

I read some reviews below and ı am surprised. people say that conversations are meanless and long etc... This kind of criticism and comments make no sense. This is not a Hollywood movie which characters say everything directly just because films like these are making for teenage minded people. I mean sometimes you can not say what you want to. sometimes you use long path to home... moreover dialogs are serving the philosophy of movie. This movie is the best of Nuri Bilge's, about ego and contrasts between arrogance-virtue. You can also thing about your attitudes, this film makes you to do so. Main characters's (Aydin) last words are impressive, with these words film having a emotional and touching side. A good movie for people who like thinking about themselves

All the movie scenes shooted in winter but somehow the movie gives incredible warmth, discussing delicate points like religion, poverty, honor, justice and love in magnificent way.

A long theatrical play of dialogue and moods, thoughts and reflections, the absence of love or purpose, mixed with unchallenged and unsolved social inequalities, all placed into beautiful shots amid an astonishing natural environment. Very well played, with an almost unbearable iceberg of surpressed emotions and intellectually justified lack of action. Thought-provoking and emotionally touching, even if in a disturbing way.