Un 32 août sur terre

I enjoy chronologically moving up the filmographies of directors I admire. I watched this about 5 or 6 years ago (when I was 17) and didn't think too much of it then but watched it again on a whim now and I feel as if certainly grown in the meantime to appreciate more than the boring superficialities I had unconciously learned through so many years of popular media consumption. I now change my rating from 5 to 9 stars, because for me, now, the definition of a good film is this magical creation of a mood and atmosphere where you can occupy the space with the characters. The story doesn't always matter. You crash your car, perhaps you die, perhaps you go into a coma or perhaps you really break your window and escape from your car, there's no telling. Perhaps it's all a dream and why not since it's August 32nd from the time after the crash (well at least until it's suddenly 5th september after 36th August sometime near the end of the film; could that be a hint towards a reality?). Who knows, really? Charred body of a stranger in the desert, a swindler cabbie who cheats you and gives you a nosebleed (just like when you got a nosebleed sometime after your crash) and more evil men who randomly drive up to people and beat them to coma in the middle of the night...it's certainly a strange and difficult world. A vast and white desert, a claustrophobic and white room for the night, will the characters ever mate with each other? Did anyone else notice how the shot of the cab driving into the road leading to the white desert had this very phallic imagery? Hah not sure how much I'm reading into it. The strange nature of these observations and hints dropped throughout the film will resurface later in Villeneuve's Enemy (which is brilliant imo). There is a quiet, realistic humour throughout which is mostly missing from Villeneuve's other works but works well here to sustain the "mood". It's a film about nothing which "hints" towards a "something". Perhaps the hint is based on nothing really...perhaps the director himself does not know...it doesn't matter. Would recommend, it's always good to watch stuff which makes you think...even about nothing.

I'm here just to say it's qualified to be among the best ones, deserves watching more than once,and the director is very promising, for it's his debut.

The reality is so ridiculous and unreasonable, we have to accept it as it is.Fortunately, we still have love to warm us and protect us from the coldness and cruelty.

which needs to be added,the leading actress Pascale is nearly perfect,I also got a glimpse of her in Five Senses.I hope I can see her in When Night is Falling someday.

That's one weird looking desert.

Denis Villeneuve's first debut featured film. When the main character confessed her intention to her best friend, I honestly thought this movie was a comedy, because of the absurdity of the situation. Still, as the drama started to show, the characters became the carrying aspect of the movie.

The theme of existential crisis was explored in a decent way. The weirdness of the way the characters trying to find meanings in their lives was reflected through the bizarre title of the movie. I think this aspect was quite clever, and later on as the date changes this theme became clearer.

The biggest problem was for sure the pacing. The movie was very slow and sometimes meandering despite the runtime not reaching the one hour and 30 minutes mark.

Overall, a decent debut from Villeneuve. 6/10.

This film was one of three movies at the Hyderabad Film Festival in January 1999 that caught my eye.

For a first feature film by a director, this effort is commendable. No doubt this Canadian was helped with the choice of a stunning actress, a good editor, and above average cinematography. The weakest point was the script.

I look forward to seeing more films by this director and the lead actress Pascale Bussières. Denis Villeneuve has talent, it only needs to be developed further through experience.

Not too shabby for a debut feature, August 32nd on Earth brings its whacky premise to cinematic life in a simple, amusing fashion, and is a well crafted, wonderfully photographed & finely performed dramedy that commences Denis Villeneuve's filmmaking journey on a promising note, if not a memorable one.