Abbas Kiarostami (Contemporary Film Directors)

Rating:
Summary: Great book for any Kiarostami or wannabe fan...
Review: I've had a rather difficult relationship with Kiarostami's films over the years. I first saw "Taste of Cherry" and "The Wind Will Carry Us" back to back when I was younger and didn't like either. I didn't hate them, but I was confused by the overwhelming critical praise he was getting, and as the years passed and I became a more sophisticated movie-goer, Kiarostami's name kept coming up. I began to read Jonathan Rosenbaum's reviews in the Chicago Reader and he quickly became my favorite critic. It was his writing in particular that got me interested in filmmakers like Hsiao-hsien Hou and eventually Kiarostami again. I developed a new appreciation and interest in his work, and now "Life and Nothing More" and "Close Up" are 2 of my all-time fav films. Rosenbaum is a terrific film critic who can analyze and read a film in a very scholarly and informed way, without being too esoteric or high-fallutin. I recommend this book for any Kiarostami fans or people who have a divided or novice interest in his work.

Rating:
Summary: Great book for any Kiarostami or wannabe fan...
Review: I've had a rather difficult relationship with Kiarostami's films over the years. I first saw "Taste of Cherry" and "The Wind Will Carry Us" back to back when I was younger and didn't like either. I didn't hate them, but I was confused by the overwhelming critical praise he was getting, and as the years passed and I became a more sophisticated movie-goer, Kiarostami's name kept coming up. I began to read Jonathan Rosenbaum's reviews in the Chicago Reader and he quickly became my favorite critic. It was his writing in particular that got me interested in filmmakers like Hsiao-hsien Hou and eventually Kiarostami again. I developed a new appreciation and interest in his work, and now "Life and Nothing More" and "Close Up" are 2 of my all-time fav films. Rosenbaum is a terrific film critic who can analyze and read a film in a very scholarly and informed way, without being too esoteric or high-fallutin. I recommend this book for any Kiarostami fans or people who have a divided or novice interest in his work.