Planeta Solitário

Is there a reason to like this movie? I can't find one and am surprised by those who do. What is pictured is two young characters who like to walk through rugged terrain, play word games, have sex in the dark, and stay trim. Do I have a reason to like either character? No. What I heard was inane dialog, heavy music as if something was going to happen and doesn't, very little sound of any sort to engage my ears. Was I amused by the word games, liked the music, or understood the inane dialog and stories the players tell? No. I was shown photography of some rugged terrain in the Georgia mountains, a place that few have seen. Was I supposed to be impressed by the beauty and awe of this natural setting? The answer is that it wasn't something I'd seen better done in other movies. The movie seems to suggest that relationships can change radically because of an insignificant happening. But never tell us if they change. I'm still waiting to think of a reason for liking this picture.

Amazing movie. I had absolutely no expectations going in yesterday at the NYC Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall. Even felt disheartened when the director before the start of the movie said " I will see you all after the movie ... If you all are still here".

Long story short at the end of the movie I couldn't help it but had to clap and it was involuntary. I have seen an amazing powerful piece with excellent performances by the whole cast. I do not know how to spell the name of the actress, "Jani" sounds like "Honey". She is amazing.

Please give this movie a shot. I haven't seen any movies lately which touched upon the dynamics between a couple so well.

Bravo to the whole team. Sure I will hear more about this movie in the news and hopefully at the awards.

PS: It is rare for me to post on IMDb, but I had to share :)

The movie has a documentary look--high on visual and aural detail, where the graphic realism turns the viewer into a bit of a voyeur. The acting is brilliant, natural.

I saw the film in Mexico in an excellent theater. The pivotal and somewhat tragic scene at the midpoint (described in critic reviews) got a laugh from the largely Hispanic audience.

From the midpoint on, the lack of dialog is unsettling, and there's not much resolution to the film at the end. Yet another celebration of dysfunctional relationships, but the film is so well crafted, we can overlook its flaws.

A good travel flick, overall.

Gael García Bernal and Hani Furstenberg are an engaged couple backpacking in Georgia along with their local guide. Along the way, they meet up with some locals and one incident causes a major rift between the couple. It is not really spoken of but yet it surely existed. The question then becomes can they heal the rift and reconnect.

I understand the need for this to be understated. That's what's so important here. We don't want some drag out screaming match. But understated doesn't have to mean grindingly slow. At times, there's too many no-talking-slow-walking-long-distance-extended scenes. Those aren't all necessary. Cut those down and insert more dialog.

We all love to see places that seem alien and completely bereft of modernity. The lush mountains, the historic villages that seemingly have no electricity or running water and just the rustic appeal of the supposed third world. Every now and then we have that little itch to explore these places, and that is where the film The Loneliest Planet excels in. Other than that, it doesn't excel at much else.

I guess the problem comes from the trailer, which made this sound like a major issue was going to form between the protagonists Alex and Nica. They seem very much in love and quite comfortable, but it is revealed late in the movie they may have some trust issues. While this is typical of these type of movies where stresses create relationship cracks, it wasn't anything too earth rattling. Even the major moment where the marital bliss is challenged doesn't illustrate this. Another reviewer on this page suggested this would have been a better short film. I would have to agree.

I will say the scenery of the Caucasus Mountains is extraordinary, making me wish I had the means to go out there and experience it for myself. Other than that, a well shot and composed film with little else to really offer.