Electroma

If anything, Electroma should be taken just like any other experimental, art-house cinema film. This is borderline impossible when it's not just Electroma, but "Daft Punk's" Electroma, the tag line is "It's a Daft Punk vision" and you've got the Daft Punk logo emblazoned on the back of the two protagonists' jackets. For this, I feel like the film falters from a bit of ego, but just think how much worse it would've been if they'd used their own music.

That being said, as a so-called art-house picture, Electroma is okay. There isn't much plot to follow and the "HUMAN" license plate is about as trite as calling this an interpretation of the difficulties of fitting into society, but in terms of something to look at, it's really really gorgeous. Considering Bangalter had little to no experience in cinematography prior to this, he's done a fantastic job. Each shot is quite beautiful in its own way, aesthetically speaking, particularly the final one.

What I'm trying to say is, don't go into Electroma expecting brilliance, because it isn't. Take it for what it is: a mildly pretentious if not borderline dull, yet visually stunning piece of celluloid. It's ripe for interpretation (or none at all) which will grant it some sort of cult following. Hopefully a midnight-film of sorts.

P.S. The soundtrack they did choose complements the film perfectly. And if "the" notorious desert close-up scene doesn't get this passed around film circles for years to come, I don't know what will.

I saw Daft Punk's Electroma late last night at the Stockholm Filmfestival. This was right after seeing Gondry's "The Science of Sleep" which was brilliant! This evening turned out to be a great french evening.. Even though I have always been a big fan of Daft Punk's music, especially their live performances, I didn't really think that I would enjoy Electroma that much, but I was wrong! I was really touched by this story of two Robots (the members in daft punk) trying to become human. The theme is similar to that of their latest album "Human After All". It reminded me of Kubrick/Spielberg's "A.I", but Electroma is much more symbolical and humans play a less important role. The movie depicts the robots desire to be unique and human, and just like "Stalker" and other Tarkovsky movies the scenes are very long and for the most part there is no music just background noise, this made me really get into the movie. The whole movie is fantastic but the high rating is mostly due to the ending which is crazy good! I don't know if Daft Punk's robot-era is over after this movie, but I'm looking forward to seeing more stuff from them.

This is probably a movie that many people might find boring because it is a very silent and slow movie (heard a guy in front of me snoring..) but give it a chance... The french are not as stupid as the look!

oh and the music is not daft punk, but I heard some Brian Eno and Curtis Mayfield, overall the music choices were excellent! Merci;)

Electroma was probably the most screwed-up movie I've ever seen.

It was a brilliant movie though. The cinematography was just superb. I loved the slowness, it didn't bore me at all. I was able to enjoy the ambiance, the details, the minimalism, the originality. It really touched me and took me to another level.

But at the same time, this movie got me quite some philosophical nightmare. It made me feel, more than ever before, like we're just robots, and everything we do has been programmed. The determinism theory. Anyone else felt this? I mean, I felt really, really horrible.

But as I said, simply brilliant movie, for the pleasure and for the pain it caused me.

A bit pretentious, a bit obvious, overlong, even at 74 minutes (this would have been a brilliant 40 minute short), but still full of arresting images and surprisingly emotional moments.

Influenced heavily by Kubrick, Antonioni and most of the great 60s and 70s visualists, this is a wordless film about two robots who want to become human. The action is minimal. The opening drive through the desert alone takes a good 15 minutes.

But it's wonderfully shot, and the use of eclectic source music as score (Brian Eno, Curtis Mayfield, etc) is interesting, if sometimes a little too self-conscious or intrusive.

I doubt there are more layers to be found on repeated viewings, I think it is what it is: an experimental film more full of image than story or ideas. A 74 minute, interesting rock video.

But every time I'd head toward terminally bored, an image or feeling would reel me back in...

I think there is a lot to be said about experimental film. I saw the film on the beach at Cannes, and for all I know, the guys could have been sitting next to me. In a search for a human existence, two robots wander somewhat endlessly until they finally find a way to end it all. The film is making a remarkable statement on today's world. It raises so many great questions, and the only problem is that sitting through two hours of wandering characters takes an audiences expectations to another level. Fellini was able to allow his characters to roam, but in that wandering so much happened, and his characters were intellectually credible. In the case of Electroma, the lack of events is very anti-film. Everything which they have done with this film leaves the audience questioning, why? We love films because of what happens in them, not because of what doesn't happen. I think that Daft Punk's attempt to find something else in this medium is quite brilliant, yet it falls short of entertainment. The visual means in which they reached certain points was incredible, but finding a way through the monotony was difficult for some. The ending was fantastic though, and I wish they push the limits even more in their next take on film.

We are all robots who sculpt our own plastic faces. We are all wandering robots with no place to fit in. Maybe I am analyzing too much, but to go to such realms with out symbolism in some higher meaning would be a waste. Perhaps that is what they were out to do. Perhaps they were just creating a (beautiful) moving painting. Maybe just messing with our heads. Regardless, they were up to something, and we will just have to see what comes next to see whether or not they're full of it.

I do give them credit for the silence. It spoke louder than any music they've ever written.