The Congress

This sounds like exactly the type of thing that I love. It's only because of my expectations that I found it somewhat disappointing. Still, it's worth taking a trip into. Wright has recently proved to be in full force (House of Cards) and this is no exception. She's brilliant, and even does wonderful things in the animation section of the film, along with Jon Hamm, who uses his smooth, sexy voice to bring some true wonders to his limited screen time. Overall, the animation section did sort of lose me a bit, especially because I wanted it to go to even better places, but as it is, this is very much worth seeing. Definitely seek it out, even if it's not in Waltz With Bashir's

It's a great allegory about the avatars of ourselves, on the social networks, on the smartphones and ipads. while, in the real world, people are getting poorer each day, wars are declared, people don't have water to survive. But this is mostly about identity. we sell it really easily, we want to be someone else, and someone can profit from that. Robin wright character is very well built, all her pain, her realization of being "old" for the job, the love for the kids.

The problem is that the dialogues are too expositive sometimes, at certain parts it can get confusing it's truth. but it talks about today, it wants to amaze us visually , and makes us think about all the virtual networking we're having now a days. we are selling ourselves each minute on the internet,

Really good stuff, highly recommended.

THE CONGRESS (2014). Director Ari Folman's THE CONGRESS not only uses lead actress Robin Wright's persona, but, in the film her whole acting being is taken over by Hollywood. Director Folman, who made the stunning WALTZ WITH BASHIR (an Oscar nominee), adapts Stanislaw Lem's (Solaris) novel The Futurological Congress by making it fully contemporary. The central idea is that an actor's image can be 'bought out' by Hollywood by digitally scanning them and then do what they want by incorporating that image in any movie or TV show they wish. The actors themselves then are free to "retire". For well over a decade we've seen CGI versions of dead actors placed into movies, TV and commercials - so this isn't so much sci-fi as near-future - or, even, Today what with the de-aging of DeNiro in THE IRISHMAN and Harrison Ford in the current Indy 5.

The key for most viewers is how they view the largely animated second half of the movie where Wright lives out her artificially created being in an advanced hallucinatory Virtual Reality world. I went with it all the way, but Folman's animation style may not be for everyone (as it was with WALTZ). The movie was much better received in Europe than stateside where it was barely released (the reviews were decent). Robin Wright is terrific and brilliant in a similar way to how John Malkovich was in BEING JOHN MALKOVICH - themselves, but, not quite. The supporting cast including Harvey Keitel, Paul Giamatti, Danny Huston and the voice of Jon Hamm is solid. Max Richter's terrific score abets the visuals.

THE CONGRESS is a film which grows in impact as the years roll on, as evidenced now by the twin SAG and WGA strikes where AI has become a sticking point in the negotiations. Reportedly, the Studios asked for permission to allow background actors to work for one day and be scanned for permanent re-use without additional pay or permission. Nine years ago THE CONGRESS was sci-fi, now....????

The Congress, Ari Folman's film based on the novel by Stanislaw Lem (The Futurological Congress) - follows five years after Folman's equally inventive and thought provoking Waltz with Bashir. Like Waltz... The Congress also combines animation with live action footage to great dramatic effect, propelling the viewer into an increasingly psychedelic other-world that presents huge challenges to Robin Wright's state of mind. She is playing an alternate univers-ion of herself, and is surrounded by a very fine cast including Harvey Keitel; Paul Giamatti; Jon Hamm; and Danny Huston (a stand out) who are joined by Kodi Smit-McPhee (still to cast off the ineffectuality of Let Me In) and Sami Gayle. The Congress is a bold attempt to visualise what clearly must be a challenging novel. There is a lot to admire in the attempt, including some good performances, grand animation and an effective score, again by contemporary composer Max Richter. It's a pity that The Congress did not find a bigger audience, since Folman is a very interesting filmmaker, clearly not afraid to take on what must be difficult projects. His next film should be eagerly awaited.

It's two movies really the first part where you feel the impending doom set upon Robin Wright as she is caught between either professionally die off soon or make a deal that takes it all.

It so vividly explores the fine line between choice and the illusion of having one. The second part has a strong resemblance to Waking Life in it's psychedelic execution more than Waltz with Bashir. Existentialism, morality, Corporatocracy and the beautiful animation make this the most marvellous yet terrifying Sci-fi I have seen in ages. Watch Harvey Keitels monologue in the first half, it is outstanding. Robin Wright is as always amazing and gets extra kudos for playing herself in an alternate universe where her career has failed. It is all together a masterpiece.