Loving Vincent

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.

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.

Cinema has always been a gloried artwork and we have much more authentic proof in astounding Loving Vincent.

An animated construction entirely brought to life by oil paintings, is  quintessential proof that cinema has still barely scratched the surface of its reaches. Loving Vincent is landmark event for animation and even biographical storytelling through its majestic vision at the last days of Vincent Van Gogh.

Set a after the death of fabled painter, Armand Roulin (Douglas Booth) is possessed with a letter from Van Gogh to his brother Theo before his death, and begins the journey to deliver it. While on call, Roulin encounters all the people close to Vincent before is death gradually trying to put the pieces of what cause his sudden suicide. From this we are taken back to key moments of Van Gogh's life mesmerizingly displayed through the living oil paintings.

Generated by 65,000 paintings by over a 100 artist, Loving Vincent is living work of art. First shot as a live action depiction then adapted into paintings, the immersive gallery of scenes is a first in new format of animation. Directors: Dorota Kobiela, and Hugh Welchman take Van Gogh's own artistry into his own biography (almost), from Citizen Kane style narrative, assessing and celebrating the life of one of the worlds if not the most famous painter. From this production becomes transporting cinema experience into the world of Van Gogh and an enchanting watch of magnificent painting and animation.

Of course what is the fundamental strength of Loving Vincent is its captivating artwork which for every moment is spectacular, and then you have the real narrative of Van Gogh's last days which on its own is an affectionate journey. Even if you don't not much about the life of Van Gogh this is an enthralling experience.

The monumental presence of the paintings is consistently exceptional with wonderful detail and creation put into it. One of the sensational efforts for the film is its sketch of the real actors, making them instantly recognisable on screen, bringing their performance into the art. Although our eyes are set on visual presence, Clint Mansell's score is also a tear-jerking atmosphere throughout the film, capturing the melancholy as well as joy of Van Gogh.

Loving Vincent is a visual sensation, proving the amazing talent that animation brings to the screen. This is by far one of the most significant films of the year and is must see experience, especially for art students.

As a Van Gogh fan, I was waiting for so long to see this movie. I thought it would be about his life but it came out to be something different. A postman was asking his son, Armand, to deliver the last letter of Van Gogh written to his brother, Theo. As first I thought it was a piece of the ending such as a flashforward and the story would recommence but it didn't. During the movie I discovered how the death of Van Gogh is as exciting as his life. Although I knew how unfortunate his life was, I didn't know the real reason behind his suicide. We were told he was just a crazy artist. I felt utterly sad to learn that he cared much about his brother and vice versa. The movie, at the beginning, comes very strange as it was taken using paintings of his own impressionist style. However the story comes attractive and you find yourself questioning his death. I would like to congratulate all the artists who contributed to this movie. Great piece of art and nice ending song!