Victoria

It's impossible to talk about Victoria without first addressing its cinematography. Easily the most impressive aspect of this film was the fact that it was shot in one take. And no, it's not like 1917 or Birdman whose editing makes it feel as a single continuous take; Victoria was actually shot in a single, unbroken take for the entirety of its two hour and twenty minute runtime. And of course stage theater productions have to deal with this every night but toss in camerawork, the coordination of multiple different locations, and the overwhelming pressure on the actors to not screw up and you have the stressful but ultimately successful production of Victoria. Director Sebastian Schipper has my respect for somehow pulling it off.

Okay, but let's look past the shining packaging of this film. Does it still hold up as a work of art without its main selling point of the continuous unbroken shot? The answer is a resounding yes. Victoria managed to tell an engaging story with each scene more suspenseful than the last. The realism of each character and the connection Victoria and Sonne form throughout the two hours seem genuine despite the fact that we see their entire relationship unfold in front of us over the course of only two hours. Schipper's direction to rely on improvisation not only was a necessity given the filming constraints but worked to endear us to each character because of their apparent authenticity.

The main criticisms that exist for Victoria consist of opinions firstly that the one-shot technique is gimmicky (already addressed as a bold and well-executed directorial choice) and secondly that the plot was unrealistic. I find this second criticism less applicable than the first. While perhaps it does require a slight stretching of one's imagination, it has the effect of convincingly making you feel like you would commit a dangerous crime under the right circumstances. Any film that promotes a re-examining of oneself in this manner is quite compelling in my book.

It's rare that I come across a new film that I would call an experience. Seeing The Grand Budapest Hotel or The Room for the first time were times where I would easily assign that classification. I think that Victoria has earned that title as well. It was bold, new, authentic, and impressive–four adjectives I don't always attribute to new films I watch and reminded me of the creativity the medium of film has the potential to exhibit.