Some Southern Waters (2020) User Reviews

Lynch wannabe

[Erwin-6 · 5/10 · 24 January 2021]

Like some other reviewers stated the film is very beautifully shot.

A shame that apart from that it's a rather incompetent mix of various surreal movies (of which David Lynch is the most prominent). Acting is also very amateurish.

Beautifully shot film

[mich1elle · 6/10 · 12 December 2020]

Loved the black and white. Beautifully shot and well acted.

Shallow, turbulent waters.

[writtenllewellyn · 5/10 · 29 January 2021]

The film is a shuffle of the best and the worst of a young film maker.

Hyper stylised black and white, dealing with loss and zeitgeistian pressure of inadequacy.

Film moves effortless, with conscience even, between multiple genres to deliver an ultimately confusing and undefined ending. Takes pleasure in noir genre and greaser aesthetic.

Truthfully it is the organic technique of the cinematographer, with notes of accidental success, where the film is enjoyed most. Scenes of the Carnival Conflict or at the Rock Club table argument is where our interest is most pinned. The meandering of our heartthrob in rescuing the damsel at his car and the strafing of the camera is the most altruistic perspective from the lens.

The rest of the film relapses out of entertainment with the shoving of purpose and perplexing self-interest of a monologuing tenor.

Utterly Fantastic!

[scottyknows81 · 7 December 2020]

This is art. Funny, terrifying, light, intense... and most of all honest. This is an Indie Flick in the truest and best sense of the phrase. It may not be for everyone, but if you appreciate film as art, or art as film, you'll love this one!

Oh, and LOVE the black and white... everything here just works!!

What is this?

[teodoramonika · 1/10 · 12 September 2021]

1/10.

Boring, the dialogues are stupid, and the film is completely vague and unexplained. Maybe it has some deeper message or explanation but I didn't understand anything and I don't see anything worth looking at here. Totally pointless.

Mind bending film

[NZfilmfinder · 9/10 · 15 December 2020]

Some Southern Waters is a trip, it's hard to describe the films plot as it is often difficult to know what exactly is real and what is not. The film follows Jon a musician who after the death of his girlfriend is haunted by his memories and surreal moments and experiences that echo back to that traumatic event. The film will not give you straight answers, it challenges you to interpret it the way you see fit. The film is shot in beautiful black and white and to say the cinematography is stunning would be a huge understatement. In fact the look of this film is worth the price of admission alone. Absolutely this is a Lynchian style film and I was reminded of that Directors best work while watching this, but also Hitchcock and Jim Jarmusch. Truly a unique experience which for me is the definition of what cinema should be. A reminder that cinema can and should be an art form.

just what I needed

[crazycloud-91418 · 9/10 · 27 January 2021]

Wow. found this film by chance, this film had so much going on. brought me back to the old 90's joy of finding a masterpiece on IFC at 2 in the morning... the lead actress was fascinating, the lead actor relatable, and the story simple and so surreal, chasing mermaids, and of course one of my favorite Sea Shanty's . that alone is enough for me to come back for another round. a fine no budget indie film.

The mind bending triumph of a young cinematic genius

[mitch-50955 · 10/10 · 17 December 2020]

Where to start. That this film makes no conventional sense is beside the point. It's a film that celebrates the by-passing of sense in favour of the synaptic firings of wild imagination and a profound affection for the power of imagery. Julian Baner has written and directed a beautiful calling card announcing his arrival as a serious auteur. Viewers looking for the usual pablum of rom-com or horror formulas won't find what they want here. But cineastes would do well to relax and enter into his puzzling but gorgeous world, safe in the knowledge that they are in the hands of a director who knows what he's doing. Shot in black and white, with DOP Karim Dakkon giving a masterclass in film photography, this is a feast for the eyes. The camera moves and tracking shots are straight out of the Hitchcock playbook and his meticulous approach to shot design is a reminder that the job of the camera is to photograph light, not furniture. The soundtrack is formidable, all the performances, led by the compelling Bry Reid, are brimming with authenticity, and the whole collaborative result left this viewer with enormous gratitude that we have here a filmmaker unafraid to make a serious cinematic statement - and succeeding with an apparently effortless grace and natural authority. To say that his signature is reminiscent of David Lynch or Jim Jarmusch misses the point. Julian Baner is an original. I can't wait to see what he comes up with next. Highly recommended.

Terrific Indie Film

[craigahrens · 9/10 · 7 December 2020]

This is one heck of a terrific film! I loved the story and the film's look! Visually it was really good! The actors were wonderful! They were very solid, all of them! The ending surprised me! Normally I do a good job jumping ahead but not this time. Well done folks, great job!! A thumbs up from me on this one!!

Filmmaker to Watch!

[againstthenight · 10/10 · 20 December 2020]

What a gorgeous and surreal movie! Very inspiring work with bold choices! The story was compelling and well crafted and it was visually astounding. Excellent performances and a fantastic score as well. The filmmakers have a bright future ahead of them and can't wait to see what they do next!

Often brilliant, always intriguing

[directortim2012 · 9/10 · 7 December 2020]

A movie, a dream, a surreal dance. A really well done, beautifully shot and acted film. Strange, fun, suspenseful, poetic. It made me think a little of David Lynch. And you know if I compare something to David Lynch I must really love it! Watch this. You won't soon forget it.

Smart, cinematic, clever

[NUDavis859-1 · 9/10 · 10 December 2020]

This is truly what good art is about. The director makes great use of lighting in this stylish black and white movie. The dialogue is smart and witty. The characters are compelling. And the mystery of what is happening really pulls you into the story. An all around great movie.

SSW is a homage to great cinema with a unique twist!

[savannahtann · 9/10 · 2 January 2021]

This is a film that will heighten your imagination and curiosity. I started watching it trying to guess ahead the purpose of the character's actions or even the filmmaker's decisions on how to express their actions. Then as the actions grew more ambiguous, open ended, and more difficult to guess, I realised it was an experience made not to entirely shut down expectations, but loosen them by offering a more open reasoning. A surreal form of logic took over the movie and it grew more metaphorical until the entire film became it's own dynamic character, a character that shares similarities with the mysterious "puppeteer" that is life. It was also fun! Some of my favorite parts were the comedic parts. All around enjoyable movie. Well done to everyone who worked on it.

A fun pallet of genres.

[williamgway · 9/10 · 6 December 2020]

This film takes you a wild ride of genres and storylines. Well scripted and acted, the black and white genre should not keep you for giving this film a watch. It is a compelling and very watchable film for those who like and interesting and diverse film. I recommend.

This movie is a real author's movie making.

[wojciechtadeuszl · 10/10 · 11 January 2021]

This is a wonderful surrealistic, mysterious thriller. This movie job should be a model for independent cinema. Each unit production is at the highest level for indie movie. The director and screenwriter of the film is gifted with talent and intuition. This is the true future of American cinematography. You can feel a lot of inspiration from other film works in the film. These inspirations, in my opinion, are the works of Jim Jarmusch, Luis Buñuel, Federico Fellini, Alfred Hitchcock's film Vertigo and in particular David Lynch.

This is a great movie. I am counting on the success of its creator.