Live Cargo

Live Cargo is timeless. Loved this moody and mythic film. Although it is a tragedy, there is something very sexy about Live Cargo. The film seems to be layered in symbols and metaphors. It just as much a movie as it is a poem. That is not to say it was not thrilling. Their is some intriguing noir like elements embedded in the film. Some brilliant foreshadowing is trickled through out, but that is all that I will say in regards to that. Stunned to see that this was Logan Sandler (director + co-writer) first film. Wow, okay. Cinema is not dead! This new director could be become the bad boy of tropic cinema. Cinematographer Daniella Nowitz is surely on this rise after this. Loved Dree Hemingway as Nadine. Have not seen her in this big of a role since Starlet. She is ready for something major! I will say that this film feels a bit under the radar and with this type of vision, I would say that it is shamefully underrated / unknown. If you love cinema, then this will be a great viewing experience. This film is a lesson in thoughtful movie-making!

One of the boldest debut films in recent memory. Caught this gem in VOD. Live Cargo played on the festival circuit for the last year since it's Tribeca Film Festival premiere in 2016. I have not seen such an artful movie come out of the Caribbean region in years. I would compare it in many ways to the 60s classic "I Am Cuba." Mainly, due to it's artistic merit and the black and white photography. This film is heavy on style, as it seemingly transported me to it's own unique cinematic realm. The visuals are beautiful, but so is the score and source music. The editing is flawless and I was pulled into the story so deeply that I forgot I was watching a movie. I was totally hooked. The director does a great job with the actors. I cannot recall a moment that felt false or poorly acted. Stanfield is great here. I have read the director Sandler and actor Stanfield have worked together prior. I would love to see them hopefully work again. Also, the most unforgettable performance in my opinion was the mysterious Myron played by relative newcomer Sam Dillon. He has such a haunting look and is able to get across his emotions with a subtle glance. The film is very mysterious and leaves some things open to interpretation, but with that I never once felt short on details or left confused - it was always clear what was really happening. That is what makes the film special and unique. There is a real sense of style with how the narrative reveals itself to the audience. I was never spoon fed, Sandler seems to respect his audience's intelligence. Seek this film out.

A bit too artsy for me I have to say.

If you are a fan of excellent cinematography then this is well worth checking out. It is a very well made film in this area.

However, the story is limited. The characters are limited. The dialogue is limited. The acting is good but there isn't enough meat there for them to work with.

It is filmed in black and white. That disappointed me because I was looking forward to all the beauty of the islands. All the colours. The black and white detracted from that most of the time. Although sometimes it definitely added to landscapes and to the film in general.

Again, if you are a big fan of interesting & high quality cinematography, then this film is well worth checking out.

If you need more to enjoy a film, then I'd give this one a miss.

I've watched live cargo twice! The film reminded me of Bela Tarr's work and the Art-house films of Gus Van Sant. There is not much dialogue. Moody, rhythmic and effectively hypnotic. By the half way point I felt like the images put me in a trance. The actors do a great job, especially the lesser known actors and what seem to be local non actors. What I like most about this movie is that it balances a surreal vibe within a world that is captured in a neo-realism fashion. The structure is unique and boldly refreshing, the last 30 minutes are very thrilling. The execution is mostly flawless, it certainly feels like the work of an auteur with a seasoned crew. Surprised to see that this is the directors first movie.

For IMDb, 6.8 should portray a film that will be entertaining and a quality watch. This film just is not that. The black and white is a positive and I agree that there are some great visuals. But this movie is just bland and boring. The characters are not developed at all, the story line has no real backbone to it and you are left wondering what is is that you're actually watching. Not until the last 20 minutes of the movie do you see what is going on. It completely missed the mark and did not hold my attention at all.