La passion Van Gogh

This is one-of-a-kind movie and definitely a must for lovers of Van Gogh. I studied art, therefore I was very interested in seeing how they managed to produce new paintings using his technique. The result is visually striking. You can actually experience some of Van Gogh's paintings coming to life, which is in itself pretty amazing.

However, a movie must also have a strong script, a good story to go with the visual. The plot is about Armand Roulin, son of Joseph Roulin - two frequent subjects of Van Gogh's portraits. In fact, the whole Roulin family, inclusive of mum Augustine and her other two children were painted several times by Van Gogh, while in Arles.

Joseph was Van Gogh's postman and in the movie he entrusts Armand to deliver his last letter to brother Theo. Vincent and Theo's letters were published at the beginning of the last century, shedding light on their affectionate relationship, but not about Vincent's demise.

Therefore, Armand sets out to investigate Vincent's last days. The tone is somber and melancholic, somehow clashing with the beautiful visuals. Van Gogh comes across as an enigmatic man who could be sweet and full joy one moment and despondent the next - maybe suffering from bi-polar disorder, but we'll never know.

The plot develops a bit slowly in the end we do not know much more of what we knew at the beginning, but for sure we can retain the memory of this fantastic pictorial voyage.

Absolutely beautiful, a total sensory experience! Over the years I have seen various movies about Vincent and read about his close relationship with his brother Theo. What I found amazing about this movie was the imaginative approach that was taken to unravel his life and work. So many details were revealed that I had no idea of, and put into such interesting context. The choice of actors was brilliant and we see how close they resemble the actual people during the credit roll at the end of the film - also highly imaginative. I love the rich colours, the Cerulean blue and bright yellows. Truly a starry night! Don't miss.

It's my first review for a movie, and I'll keep it short. The movie is heart warming, exquisitely done and, if you stay for the ending soundtrack, you will be treated to a wonderful song which summarizes the movie through music. His story is dramatic and a very good reminder of how we, as humans, don't know how to appreciate valuable people during their lifetime. This movie will enrich your life.

Every frame of this film is a painting. Think about that! They employed 100 artists to create 65,000+ frames to make this film. I loved the idea that the audience is looking through the eyes of an artist--how an artist might see. If that kind of thing interests you, you should go see this film in the theater. It is stunning.

As for the narrative? Well, now, if you know anything about the history of Van Gogh's life, you know it wasn't terribly happy. There is a lot of drinking and smoking and despair to go around. They employ a plot device involving a letter, and it works. Do not go in thinking there will be thundering revelations about the life of the artist. But it offers some quiet insights about some of the subjects of his paintings, and I really loved this.

If you are familiar with Van Gogh's works and appreciate his aesthetics, you owe it to yourself to go. A totally unique cinematic experience.

I saw the film at the Tellride Film Festival and was blown away. I knew that the film would be gorgeous, but the trailer doesn't do the projected feature justice. The oil paintings are mesmerizing on their own, but combined they create a transfixing animation that is completely unique and never gets tiring. The film is worth seeing, and will be forever remembered, for these visuals by themselves. Its only stumble comes from a script that has difficulty in reaching its conclusion, and the use of formulated black-and-white flashbacks to show Vincent's life leave something to be desired (especially when considering the film's other creative achievements.) Even so, the film is an immense triumph that every human being with eyes will love.