Live Cargo

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.

Live Cargo dances to the beat of it's own drum. The film has a revolutionary approach toward cinema. Can't wait for the next film of this auteur. The sights and sounds of this film are beyond words. This film is required viewing for lovers of cinema. I very much wish I could have caught this film on the big screen, but needless to say the digital download looked spectacular on my TV at home.

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.

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.

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.