Le Quattro Volte (2011) - Michelangelo Frammartino

Set in a small village in Italy's mountainous region of Calabria, Le Quattro Volte is a film that examines the circular nature of life. Through finely detailed visual design the film chronicles these events in four specific parts. This is a dialogue-free experiment which follows Pythagoras' lesser-known theorem that humans are made up of the rational, the animal, the vegetable and the mineral. Although the film can be hypnotic with it's imagery to the point of it being almost meditative, Le Quattro Volte suffers from a pace that is so slow that I did find it hard to get through at times, particularly the 2nd part of the film where we follow a goat. The film has some magical moments that really capture the beauty of our existence in nature, with one of the more interesting aspects being the structurally aspect of nature.  This is the type of film that I really believe would have been a masterpiece if it was about half the length or perhaps even created in a short film forum, as the film becomes redundant during long stretches of its running time.  Michelangelo Frammartino's Le Quattro Volte is a fascinating film but it's also a film that I will probably never have interest in watching again.  It's certainly an acquired taste, as some will find Le Quattro Volte profound and enriching while others will be bored out of their minds. 

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