Style_is_Substance

While almost entirely abandoning the meta qualities from the play of the same name, Delaney's thought-provoking subtext still remains strong. Just like the source material, this film is both a product of its time and ahead of its time, one that reflects western society and politics of different eras successfully through its progressive themes that many other writers and directors shied away from. One will be fascinated to discover this textual work was initially written by a woman of eighteen years of age, but that is not be taken as any form of a backhanded compliment as such an age only adds to textual analysis of this work.

A Taste of Honey covers themes and focuses on characters not commonly seen in films of the era. The film features an alcoholic semi-prostitute almost mothered by her own daughter, an independent pregnant teen, a gay man, gender issues, race issues... and it tackles them naturally and with a loving heart but also a mind aware of the ugliness of the hardships within society.

What can really be said about Rubber? Those calling this film ironically good, so bad it's good, or a B-movie, are completely mistaken. While very different films, Rubber is to the 2010's what Monty Python and the Holy Grail is to the 1970's. Part of the humor is found within Rubber is through self-aware meta jokes designed to troll the audience while making both subtle and obvious commentary on both cinema and the audience -- that is both the average moviegoers and those who criticize them, both appealing and criticizing the sensibilities of western society in the 21st century.

Despite being a film that has a sentient killer tire as its protagonist, the tire is simultaneously irrelevant and relevant to the film's themes and focus, as it plays into the flawed concept established in the beginning monologue about "no reason." Rather than the tire being the most important character, it is the spectators and the Sheriff orchestrating the "movie." These sequences criticize the way a film is constructed and then how it is perceived by different people, all of which seem to have their own view of how a film should play out, despite for the most part subscribing to group think and guzzling whatever is before them; there is a scene where they all gobble up a poisoned turkey symbolic of audiences eating up whatever they see so long as they are mildly amused.

The man with the glasses and tie surely represents the business side of the film industry, the side that will make any type of film so long as it turns a profit and appeals to the shallow general public; there is a scene where he even literally steals money from them as they are sleeping. The opening monologue is extremely flawed which plays into the subtext of the film; to emphasize his philosophy, the sheriff brings up the worst examples to validate his points, for example, he indirectly states a Jewish pianist has no reason to hide as a bum while his city is occupied by Nazis like in The Pianist, there is no reason behind it. Perhaps this monologue represents people applying their own close-minded philosophy to art, rejecting the author's intentions, and making up fallacy driven arguments.

The wrap it up on the social commentary the film even ends with a direct statement against Hollywood as if they are to blame for films today. Despite the subtext, the film works quite well on its own, an absurdist and surreal story of spectators watching a film within a film play out from afar. But is any of this good? Yes, and largely it is due to its humor, which will vary depending on who you are.

This is definitely among the best films of 2016, a rather strong year for cinema. It is a prodigious thought knowing that such a powerful film as Sleep Has Her House was shot on an iPhone. The darkly beautiful cinematography is complemented by harmonious score and ethereal images. Perhaps every last shot of the film could serve as its poster. Sleep combines the best elements of experimental films like The Hart of London, The Turin Horse, and Visions of Meditation to form an ineffable cinematic experience. The film is thoroughly engaging and beautifully shot and edited. Despite being considered a "slow movie", Sleep Has Her House moves forward fairly quickly, never focusing on one shot for too long, balancing its themes quite well.

Perhaps Barley's greatest achievement with this film is portraying a dream-like state, channeling the likes of Tarkovsky and Deren. The film's length matches the time of an average sleep cycle, and the film itself carries the viewer through such a dream and its different stages.

The first part of the film depicts a sense of ambivalence within a dream found in the confines of nature. The remainder of the film appears as a gradual descent into nature's acceptance of the world's end, the true inevitable nightmare. This is accomplished with Barley's impressive form and leaves this writer with a sense of awe, similar to the emotional response gained from Fricke and Reggio's films, although through different subject matter.

This viewer expects a gradual increase of attention and appreciation for Barley's work by cinephiles in the near future. It is great. Watch it for yourself.