32/32
These Eyes, written by Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings, presented by The Guess Who
Story
An absurd triptych of seemingly unrelated stories finds a mysterious intersection in this story, set somewhere between Winnipeg and Tehran. Canada’s official nomination for the ‘Best International Feature Film’ category at the 97th Academy Awards in 2025. From its cinematography and its usual search for symmetry, static or traveling shots, and the pleasant aesthetic of the dreamlike atmosphere that contributes to the universality of the settings, to its story that revolves around several characters, how their lives intersect and enliven the dialogue, sometimes polite, sometimes not.
A freelance tour guide with strange options for his trip, etc
so much so that the impression of Wes Anderson surpasses that of Matthew Rankin from beginning to end. As with Anderson’s films, Rankin is interested in exploring the reality of his film, a reality full of peculiarities that serve as fertile ground for comedy. An angry teacher yells at students, one of whom claims a turkey stole his glasses; another is dressed as Groucho Marx because he wants to be a comedian; another as a fashionista.
Rankin’s dexterity manages to evoke a surrealist and dreamlike fairy tale, but also the melancholy of an obvious introspection
Une langue universelle manages to be hilarious whenever it wants, with a comedy that consists of cheeky, dark and somber humor. Its events often border on the absurd or the surreal, which enhances the comedy in which it bathes, but never detracts from its goal of thought-provoking depth. Elements and emotions that come together and give life to a special experience between places and times, reality and dreams.
Framing and movement as in a color palette, there is a constant desire to live in the spaces where the characters are
For example, in the reality of the film, even though we are in Canada, French, let alone English, seems to be a second language, replaced by Farsi. Everyone is talking about it, and it’s written on posters and billboards, resulting in something close and yet distant, known and unknown, merging into a new culturally and demographically blind reality. The camera sometimes remains static at a distance, observing their movement and how it affects the environment, rather than focusing on their faces and expressions in close-ups.
And although we may know these cities by name, within the context of the film and its demographic profile, unparalleled by our knowledge, it might be worth delving deeper into these spaces
It’s as if the place is as important to telling the story as the characters, and Rankin wants to make sure that we immerse ourselves in it like a tourist in a foreign land.
