Stranger Than Paradise

Spoilers herein. The connection between films and reality is slight. Films make their own reality which we then play against real life. Each film paints on a canvas in our minds that has already been covered by previous films. Unless you have a white spot, a relatively unpainted space, you'll go crazy. This film is your white space. Its not minimalism in the traditional sense -- that involves abstraction. This is a deliberate emptiness that provides as close to non-cinema as one can get. Watching it raises the level of other films you may like, and not because it is bad. White space.

'Stranger than Paradise' is a minimalist treasure. Though quiet and lacking action (so to say), the film still proves to be oddly deep in its depiction of loneliness. The characters all deal with the emptiness of life. They look for a greater meaning and affection from others. It is certainly a relatable pursuit and search for something you never seem to find. The beautiful cinematography and black and white images contribute to the stark emptiness and void in the characters' lives. The directing is made up of many scenes consisting of a single long take—unique to only a select group of movies. This independent film touched me, but it could easily not hit the mark with the masses. Its minimalism won't appeal to everyone. Nonetheless, 'Stranger than Paradise' proves itself to be a notable independent film.

Reading over the comments so far, it seems that most people think this film is great, with a rare few criticizing it for being a boring 'student-film'. People, this is for sure not a film for those who've been brutalized by too much Hollywood cinema - it's a quiet movie that you absorb slowly. It's very well done and quite absorbing. Sure it makes me think of so-called student-films (my brother is in film school), but that's not to say it's not a damn good one. There's something to be said for beautiful photography (the black and white images go so well with the feelings of emptiness and coldness) and the search for a meaning in life. These people are desperately in need of meaning and affection, none of which they seem to be able to find - or give. This is a movie about that desperate search. And it's well worth seeing - for those with a bit of patience and artistic sensibility. It's a movie about emptiness for sure, but is by no means 'boring'. I'd give it 4/5 stars.

Odd and inspiring. This film rings true with rich detail in its depictions of utter loneliness. Smoking many Chesterfields, watching television, playing solitaire, visiting Aunt Lottie, sightseeing at Lake Erie (for God's sake). It alters from tragic to comic from almost moment to moment, and often has a foot in both pools. Jarmusch is minimalist to the core with this one, and yet manages to pull off a solid story. A small black and white gem that deserves a larger audience.