Jem Cohen's 'Museum Hours' has all the hallmarks of a typical indie 'art-house' production: slow-paced, intellectual and attempting to draw that important connection between life and art.
The plot is perhaps the film's weakest link. The protagonist is 'Anne' who doesn't have much of a back story. What we do find out is that Anne is Canadian and needs to borrow money from a friend so she can visit a long-lost cousin in Vienna, who is dying from a terminal illness.
The cousin never wakes up from the coma she's in and we find out nothing about her at all. Anne's desire to visit her cousin is basically a device to move her to Vienna where she visits the Kunsthistorisches Art Museum and meets a kindly tour guide, Johann.
Johann ends up serving as the film's narrator, commenting on the various paintings and other works of art in the museum. He also shows Anne around Vienna and comforts her when her cousin passes away.
A good part of the film focuses on the paintings of Pieter Bruegel the Elder, which are housed in the Kunsthistorisches Art Museum. In fact, approximately one third of the surviving paintings of Bruegel, can be found in that museum. There is a very interesting lecture presented by a lecturer at the museum concerning Bruegel which is featured around the film's midpoint. This is perhaps the highlight of the entire film.
The rest of the film focuses on Johann's observations regarding the multitude of people who visit the museum everyday. Of particular interest, are the reactions of teenage visitors, who seem to be most collectively interested in the paintings that feature people who have had their heads chopped off.
Director Cohen also attempts to draw a parallel between everyday scenes of life in Vienna to the subjects that can be seen of the people from long ago, in the paintings we view at the museum.
'Museum Hours' is interesting when it focuses on the paintings and works of art at the museum as well as the observations of its visitors. Johann also is an interesting character whose commentary throughout the film, pulls one in. But Anne is too much of a sad sack and the narrative regarding the dying cousin, is significantly devoid of conflict.
It's hard to get really excited about 'Museum Hours' due to the weak plot. But there's a great deal of interesting information here about Bruegel's paintings that is worth a look. For those who are particularly enamored with art-house flicks, this film will be probably be high up on your list.
The plot is perhaps the film's weakest link. The protagonist is 'Anne' who doesn't have much of a back story. What we do find out is that Anne is Canadian and needs to borrow money from a friend so she can visit a long-lost cousin in Vienna, who is dying from a terminal illness.
The cousin never wakes up from the coma she's in and we find out nothing about her at all. Anne's desire to visit her cousin is basically a device to move her to Vienna where she visits the Kunsthistorisches Art Museum and meets a kindly tour guide, Johann.
Johann ends up serving as the film's narrator, commenting on the various paintings and other works of art in the museum. He also shows Anne around Vienna and comforts her when her cousin passes away.
A good part of the film focuses on the paintings of Pieter Bruegel the Elder, which are housed in the Kunsthistorisches Art Museum. In fact, approximately one third of the surviving paintings of Bruegel, can be found in that museum. There is a very interesting lecture presented by a lecturer at the museum concerning Bruegel which is featured around the film's midpoint. This is perhaps the highlight of the entire film.
The rest of the film focuses on Johann's observations regarding the multitude of people who visit the museum everyday. Of particular interest, are the reactions of teenage visitors, who seem to be most collectively interested in the paintings that feature people who have had their heads chopped off.
Director Cohen also attempts to draw a parallel between everyday scenes of life in Vienna to the subjects that can be seen of the people from long ago, in the paintings we view at the museum.
'Museum Hours' is interesting when it focuses on the paintings and works of art at the museum as well as the observations of its visitors. Johann also is an interesting character whose commentary throughout the film, pulls one in. But Anne is too much of a sad sack and the narrative regarding the dying cousin, is significantly devoid of conflict.
It's hard to get really excited about 'Museum Hours' due to the weak plot. But there's a great deal of interesting information here about Bruegel's paintings that is worth a look. For those who are particularly enamored with art-house flicks, this film will be probably be high up on your list.