Rumours

Buñuel's movies might be lacking some zombies (at least I don't recall their presence). But IMHO they're much more to the point when it comes to avant-garde surrealism infused with political commentary. For artful, unconventional, surrealist and political satirical films, Buñuel is probably still the bench mark.

I'd strongly suggest that rather spending your time and money on the quite boring 'Rumours', you try to get your hands on VHS or Disc copy of Buñuel's first movie 'Un Chien Andalou' (The Andalusian Dog) from 1929, an unprecedented collaboration with Salvador Dalí. Or enjoy some of his classics such as 'The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie' (1972) or 'That Obscure Object of Desire' (1977).

Giving this an 6/10 rating

So bizarre is this film, six of us were in the screen when I watched it, and three walked out about 40 minutes into it, and too be fair, I can understand, this film is horror, comedy, satire and political drama, you get all of that, thanks to Evan Johnson, Galen Johnson and Guy Maddin. All three writing and directing this madness.

This is Guy Maddin, all over, so I expected it weird and arthouse, not making any real sense neither, well ,some kid of plot, which is there, thanks to the acting of Cate Blanchett, Charles Dance, and others with Alicia Vikander doing a some very odd work here. The cast had some real work to do in this, and with the most strangest dialogue and situations this year, it was not a total loss, not one to walk out on, if you knew what to expect, as I did.

Not in the worst film this year, that goes too 'The Crow', not sure if this is one that really will pull in much crowds, which is why it has such a limited showing. Had to travel a bit for this one and find good time as well, was not doing the 9pm slots that most cinemas are showing it.

I was really looking forward to watching Rumours since the premise seemed original and the trailer looked fun without giving away too much. I still enjoy zombie movies, even though there are countless examples in the genre, because with some talent and unique ideas, they can still be great.

In this film, the leaders of the seven wealthiest liberal democracies are having their annual G7 meeting in a gazebo, while something strange begins happening in the world, with zombie-like creatures appearing in the woods. The movie is a satire and heavily dialogue-driven, which I didn't mind, and the bits of humor sprinkled throughout felt like a fitting touch.

However, as the movie progresses, nothing significant really happens. The characters interact and speculate about what might be going on, but there's no real climax. It's mostly talking and walking through dark woods with little action. Occasionally, the zombies or "Bog People Dancers" as they are credited appear in the distance, but they don't pose any real threat.

I understand what the movie is trying to achieve, but it's simply not entertaining and definitely doesn't warrant a 104-minute runtime. The acting was fine, though the inconsistent accents were noticeable but not overly distracting, but still worth mentioning.

Overall, I was pretty disappointed. While there might be a small niche audience that enjoys Rumours, the majority likely won't find it engaging. [4,7/10]

I for one quite enjoyed it. Did not understand it completely, honestly could not pick out all of the symbolism, allegory etc, but it was interesting and fun to try. There are no laugh out loud moments, but smirks aplenty as connections and parallels are suggested and at times blatantly stated.

The cast, the script, the dialogue were convincing and never overplayed, these were serious politicians acting like real people in a surreal situation. The choice of subdued lighting in red tones, and a off kilter soundtrack kept everything suitably unreal. Direction and editing could not be faulted.

Would/could a film like this be made in an authoritarian country? Undoubtedly not.

Its a fun film that can be taken seriously.

Rumours is a surreal, unsettling film that explores the impact of misinformation and societal control filled with dark metaphors, reflects on how power and propaganda can manipulate society, leaving people disoriented and distrustful.

Rumours is a dark, witty political satire with a sharp edge, leaning more into social commentary than typical horror or zombie fare.

It's a twisted comedy that highlights the darker side of our reality -where the "zombies" are actually us, the mindless followers.

Unlike the predictable Hollywood comedy, Rumours delivers biting humor through simple clever dialogue and surreal moments.

Lines like: "You see his pen*s has been severed and hung around his neck.

Sounds like a man to me."

"- Germany caught up into Dramatics. We've seen this before."

"- who is the best swimmer?

Italy: i only can go backwards."

The Huge Brain: symbolizes control over collective knowledge.

The giant brain is a central metaphor representing the source of societal knowledge and collective consciousness. It symbolizes the institutions or entities that control information-potentially a government, media conglomerate, or collective societal mindset. The brain serves as both a keeper of "truth" and a gatekeeper that decides what information reaches the public, emphasizing the idea that whoever controls information holds significant power over people's beliefs and actions.

Where Celestine's connection with the brain leads to an ambiguous fate, symbolizes the dangers and consequences of challenging established systems. Celestine's unique ability to communicate with the brain represents an individual's search for truth in a world clouded by lies, Her fate implies that those who dare to confront the powerful structures behind misinformation or societal manipulation may face suppression or retaliation.

Zombie-like Figures act as eerie representations of the manipulated public,Theys represent society's suppressed or marginalized voices, mindlessly manipulated by higher powers. They are symbolic of how people can be controlled or made to act against their own interests through fear or manipulation.

Rumours can be difficult to watch due to its heavy-handed symbolism and disorienting scenes.

Ending raises important questions about if exposing the truth can truly liberate society or if it merely makes the individual more vulnerable to those in control and how society interprets information and who controls that narrative.