Nothing can really do justice within the normal vocabulary to describe this in any constructive way. Just watch it and marvel at what is possible within animation, and how a story can be told without a single moment wasted in dullness. There is really no beginning, no ending and no middle, the structure is left completely open and without any real story telling, just moments unfolding for a period in time and then closing credits when they should not really be. This can be watched again and again, and always something else appears as if put there , when last time it was hidden. Some language here and there, but not too offensive. I think that aside, even a child could possibly be captured by the weirdness of every scene and complete randomness of the persons features. Go watch it and come back and tell us all what you think.....
40 Reviews
interesting animation
SnoopyStyle30 June 2019
It's 2012 Paris. Cat burglar Mimi steals Cleopatra's fan. The original target is the Regent Diamond but she gets distracted by the fan. Her employer is not happy. She contacts famed art therapist Ruben Brandt who is treating a group of troubled criminals. She recruits the group to steal with her. Meanwhile, Ruben is being haunted by art-based nightmares. He asks Mimi to steal the 13 art works that are haunting him.
The animation style is modern art. I'm sure more sophisticated eyes would recognize the style and name the influences. The art works being shown are beyond my education. It doesn't diminish my admiration. It's compelling. I do wish the story has more energy to it. I would have concentrated on one art work and make this more a caper movie. The different skills of the group suggest that is in play but it doesn't make it a priority. I really like the style and I would like more from the story.
The animation style is modern art. I'm sure more sophisticated eyes would recognize the style and name the influences. The art works being shown are beyond my education. It doesn't diminish my admiration. It's compelling. I do wish the story has more energy to it. I would have concentrated on one art work and make this more a caper movie. The different skills of the group suggest that is in play but it doesn't make it a priority. I really like the style and I would like more from the story.
Surreal but also simplistic
datautisticgamer-748539 March 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Upon seeing that this was playing at the Music Box, I had enough curiosity to go view it with my father. I was totally unprepared for what I was about to watch.
The story is apparently attempting to be very stylish as to fit with its artsy theme, and it does deliver quite a bit on its action and development of its devices. From Ruben's relationship with each painting to the paintings themselves, it does play into the titular character's insanity quite well. At the end of the day, though, I really felt like something big was missing from it. As for the characters, Ruben experiences virtually all the strange things in this movie as part of his psychiatric journey into personal exorcism, the main focus of the plot. We have his henchmen (including Mimi), who provide great action and sometimes humor but are relatively hollow otherwise. They happen to be the principal characters, and the others aren't really worth mentioning as to not spoil your experience with this movie. Easily the best aspect of this movie is its animation; the unique design for its characters and the twists it employs on real art really do bring out Milorad's intent to make this movie as surreal as possible. The character animation makes the action engaging and makes it seem like there are legitimate stakes. The backgrounds capture the necessary feel of each location, from the calm of art museums to the secluded alleys of Paris.
This is a bewildering film, but it's not for families on account of its violence, language, and nudity. For those who love art, this movie will probably be one you would enjoy, but I wouldn't be surprised if you left with some level of disappointment. I really felt, again, like something big was missing from it. So while I don't think this movie is overall even close to bad, I wouldn't recommend it to the common film viewer.
The story is apparently attempting to be very stylish as to fit with its artsy theme, and it does deliver quite a bit on its action and development of its devices. From Ruben's relationship with each painting to the paintings themselves, it does play into the titular character's insanity quite well. At the end of the day, though, I really felt like something big was missing from it. As for the characters, Ruben experiences virtually all the strange things in this movie as part of his psychiatric journey into personal exorcism, the main focus of the plot. We have his henchmen (including Mimi), who provide great action and sometimes humor but are relatively hollow otherwise. They happen to be the principal characters, and the others aren't really worth mentioning as to not spoil your experience with this movie. Easily the best aspect of this movie is its animation; the unique design for its characters and the twists it employs on real art really do bring out Milorad's intent to make this movie as surreal as possible. The character animation makes the action engaging and makes it seem like there are legitimate stakes. The backgrounds capture the necessary feel of each location, from the calm of art museums to the secluded alleys of Paris.
This is a bewildering film, but it's not for families on account of its violence, language, and nudity. For those who love art, this movie will probably be one you would enjoy, but I wouldn't be surprised if you left with some level of disappointment. I really felt, again, like something big was missing from it. So while I don't think this movie is overall even close to bad, I wouldn't recommend it to the common film viewer.
A Great Surprise - one of the best movies I've seen in awhile!
zdilay3 December 2018
First of all I haven't write a review for a long time but this movie definitely deserves more than one review, since it was artistically perfect, maybe your style or not but it was done right, worth to check it out if it is shown anywhere near you.
I watched this movie during Festival on the wheels in Ankara, and fell in love with it right away from the start, but I have to tell it is a bit of an acquired taste, it takes a while to get used to the esthetics and physical appearances of the characters. The story is solid and interesting, it starts fast and pulls you in right away. The director balanced everything just fine, a little bit of fun here and there, sometimes a smile and other times a good chuckle. There are scary, creepy elements in this too, so definitely not for the faint hearted.
Without giving any spoilers, it is a very internationally culture references packed animation, lots of art, lots of cities with a nice background music. Overall I don't want to spoil any bit of it, since it takes whatever you know and recreates in its own universe. I salute the director for creating such a good piece of art himself by melting known art in his own pot. Good job!
I watched this movie during Festival on the wheels in Ankara, and fell in love with it right away from the start, but I have to tell it is a bit of an acquired taste, it takes a while to get used to the esthetics and physical appearances of the characters. The story is solid and interesting, it starts fast and pulls you in right away. The director balanced everything just fine, a little bit of fun here and there, sometimes a smile and other times a good chuckle. There are scary, creepy elements in this too, so definitely not for the faint hearted.
Without giving any spoilers, it is a very internationally culture references packed animation, lots of art, lots of cities with a nice background music. Overall I don't want to spoil any bit of it, since it takes whatever you know and recreates in its own universe. I salute the director for creating such a good piece of art himself by melting known art in his own pot. Good job!
Animation as a form of art
galdagabor2 January 2019
Ruben Brandt, collector has many levels of depth.
As I watched the first few shots of the movie (introduced with a quote by one of my fav authors - Karinthy Frigyes), I was sure that it is going to be visually spectacular. It was - the way it is animated, the unique style of graphics and the genius way of incorporating and "repainting" paintings from the real world was quite eye-catching and immersive.
Then, the plot starts. The movie references other classicals, like Bond-movies with the robbery-plot and action scenes, psychological thrillers with hallucinations and surreal events, and a big pile of ART, any way imaginable, in every shot of the movie. Thanks to these combinations, we end up with a totally unusual plot worth to experience.
As the plot evolves, many things get uncovered. Psychological, emotional issues and conditions start to emerge as we dig deeper in Ruben's head. The main anagnorisis - when Ruben discovers what makes him hallucinate - was absolutely unexpected and a brilliant point of plot.
Finally, the ending raises a lot of questions, for it leaves the plot kind of open with a twist. Personally, I would have liked it to be a bit more specific, a bit more self-exlpanatory. At least it gives another reason to re-watch this piece.
p.s. I am really glad, because it is the product of my country, Hungary. We were highly in the need of (great) movies like this, and I am geniunely proud of the crew, thank you!
p.s. I am really glad, because it is the product of my country, Hungary. We were highly in the need of (great) movies like this, and I am geniunely proud of the crew, thank you!
A good start, but...
Irena_Spa26 February 2019
It was a very good and attractive start, then it moved us to a boring middle of something after which we started rhythmically to fall down through one spiral to the end, which did not tell us what a conclusion of the story is. Interesting is the choice and combination of the songs and thanks to Tibor Cári's music, it gives us enjoying in the art. :)
Superb, stunning, spectacular
wwlynxa22 December 2018
It is hard to say anything negative about this animation movie.
It is a visual orgy with unique and surprising ideas, dreamy visions, and fast paced actions.
The story grabs you from the very beginning, and does not let you go until it gradually unveils by the end.
Details are precisely designed and highly elaborated, and music selection will make you fall into the special universe of the movie - forgetting about your everyday environment.
More like this, please.
MAMI Review: Ruben Brandt, Collector (6 Stars)
nairtejas28 October 2018
It is obvious that director Milorad Krstic likes to pay extra attention to details, loves animating the underside of cars, locomotives, and motorcycles, and has a weird penchant for absurdity for his Ruben Brandt, Collector would not have been a mixture of all these things and some more. Narrating the ingenious story of a loner psychotherapist who involuntarily hires a group of four criminals to steal popular paintings from around the world so that he can finally stop having those ugly nightmares that ARE about those paintings, director Krstic starts his animated drama with bang, bang, and nothing but bang. It starts at something and frequently digresses to a frame or a character that has absolutely no relation to the main plot, and that is exactly how the film pulls you in. With beautiful, beautiful things to look at and pop culture references about everything from Radiohead's "Creep" to Francis Ford Coppola's gangster epic The Godfather (1972) to Edward Hopper's 1942 painting Nighthawks, Rubern Brandt, Collector is a whirlpool of random events, dark comedy, and quotable general moments that you will find yourself so immersed in that you will stop having issues with how the characters look. Absurd, abnormal, and abominable - it is from these three elements that director Krstic churns out this epic adventure of a film, which, despite its overlong and ridiculous story arcs, makes for a great watch, at least from a perspective where it improves your pop culture knowledge by some great extent. It is nothing like you have seen in the animation or non-animation territory before. But don't take your kids along. TN.
(Watched and reviewed at its India premiere at the 20th MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.)
(Watched and reviewed at its India premiere at the 20th MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.)
Mesmerizing
cgearheart20 March 2019
I was a little sleepy during the middle of the film but I thoroughly enjoyed it in all its entirety. It's rare to see an art film blend surrealism and artistic flare so well with Hollywood style action and dynamically awesome characters.
A
A
I love it !
Kirpianuscus9 November 2019
I tis almost risky to say why I love it. Maybe, because it gives to the viewer the feeling to be part of the story. Maybe for generous cultural references and for the courageous perspective about childhood experiences. Maybe for the lovely end and for the portrait of a special relation between a medic and his patiets. For the paintings, off course, for splendid - provocative- seductive Mia and, not the last, for the great Ruben Brandt. And for the imagination strong expressions. A film like a personal adventure and experience. Great, provocative, fresh scene by scene. So, I love it ! And that remains the only significant thing to say about it.
Interesting one
igeorge198227 January 2019
I feel, like I have put a new masterpiece into my collection with this movie
imdbcom-132164 January 2019
This is simply good to see. Pleasant to watch, good to follow the story.
The difference between a typical family movie and this one, is like the difference between only doing cardio training on the treadmill, or doing a crossfit training, which makes your whole body move. However it is not an overcomplicated thriller, you can be immersed in it (in the references and in the eye-catching visual world) as much as you like. However it is a spectacular and new, unique visual experience, it is also familiar and pleasant.
I am very glad that I have seen this movie. Actually, it would have been a huge mistake to miss it.
I would like to see it again tomorrow.
This film is like a unicorn. Have a look at it, appreciate it, then let it go.
evi_markopoulou7 November 2020
This is one of the most original films I've ever seen. If you're into the arts and want to feel inspired I definitely recommend it. The animation and style are unique, and each character is literally a piece of art. The idea behind the plot is extremely interesting as well. However I think that the execution of that idea has some downsides. One of them is the rhythm and the chaotic storyline which is too surreal to follow sometimes, similar to the general film style. I found myself lost at times, which isn't necessarily bad but it's a bit frustrating for a 90 minute long film. Also, it seems to me that this is an "Art for the art" piece of work. In other words, the film doesn't really bother itself with the rules of mainstream cinematography, as it exists simply because it has to, as an homage to all the great masterpieces featured. All in all, i probably wouldn't watch it again but I'm definitely happy I came across it because this film is like a unicorn. Have a look at it, appreciate it, then let it go.
Disappointing mess
tszula12 April 2019
The story is uninteresting and also a chaos. The design is very artistic and nice as well as the animation. However the characters look ugly in my opinion. No caharactesr to like or get connected.
Actually if somebody is into computer games not even the graphics are so extraordinary. Too many boring, too long action scenes. All together a mess. Disappointing.
excellent work
elmasbasakgoren28 January 2020
Warning: Spoilers
As we begin to watch the film, we think the film is about independent subjects. We might even think that the only connection is in the same world. but later on, the film connects these two subjects in a very nice way, and we can see that, combined with the aesthetics of the film, it's a tremendous job. In addition, the end of the film is left to the viewer to want to finish the film. The first alternative is that Ruben gets rid of all his fears when he gets them, and the last thing he fears is the shaking of the hyphen. He reads his art book in peace. The second alternative is that Ruben actually falls asleep reading the art book and has a long dream about what he saw in the art book and wakes up. In short, it was all a dream.
The thing when we heard at the beginning of the film "In my dream I was two cats and I was playing with each other" is actually a summary of the movie.
The thing when we heard at the beginning of the film "In my dream I was two cats and I was playing with each other" is actually a summary of the movie.
Poetic, too good to be true
jethronom11 December 2019
I'm personally fan of Hayao Miyazake and I had some doubts about this movie. I thought "they can never do an animation as Miyazake did".
But I was wrong.
Soundtracks, artwork and everything was in order. 93 minutes of joy.
I loved it.
But I was wrong.
Soundtracks, artwork and everything was in order. 93 minutes of joy.
I loved it.
Subliminal, Surreal and Abstract - Genius
allie-donkova4 December 2019
This is a masterpiece of film art for many reasons. Firstly the film is packed with details and references to political, cultural and social phenomenons. Secondly the technique used is one of craftsmanship especially for a long-production animation film. Thirdly it explores the subconscious - the subliminal mind - something very abstract and hard to produce in cinema. It deals with problems of the subliminal mind - the solution to which hides in art - mirrored very abstractly and will be known only to a viewer with a wide range of knowledge and intelligence due to the symbolism of the movie. The characters and sets are surreal - just as if they would surface from a dream ! Which is the point of the movie - it is perfectly composed - with characters and backgrounds, music and composition that perfectly fit the subject - and also not to mention the plot - which is not complicated in the events and line of action - but is one of very deep research into the depths of human psychology and how humans deal with trauma and issues. Great masterpiece. Unique point of view. Stunning in every way.
Great movie, fresh and smart.
tiptophip11 April 2019
Finally, an animated movie with an interesting plot and great visuals. I loved the design of characters and environment. There are lots of hidden jokes and gems in this movie. Its refreshing to see a different approach to story telling and animation.
A stylish film that abounds in reference to the artsy world
HLX19922 May 2019
I was literally fascinated by the unique style of this film. However, without a deep knowledge of Western art history and connoisseurship of renouned paintings, I doubt that quite a few meaningful details were neglected while I was watching it. The entire picture was so engrossing that I was glued to the seat from start to end, in fear of missing any scene in it. It is at the same time humourous and significative.
great visuals and sound but weak story
NWAcademic27 August 2019
The animation is beautiful. The music and sound is great. The characters are interesting and well developed. Some of the characters were too much caricature and too derivative. The action sequences were unnecessarily long. I found these sequences difficult to follow and tiresome; the viewer can skip those parts without losing much. The film includes many clever visual twists and puns. The pacing is erratic.
Other reviewers describe this film as demonstrating attention to detail. Indeed, some of the details are delightful. However, I found some details misplaced. For example, the light switch in Gerhard's U.S. house (featured in a closeup) was a rocker switch that is almost never used in the U.S.
The film didn't come together for me. The dialogue wasn't compelling. The story wasn't compelling. The story was often compromised in favor of visual effects.
Other reviewers describe this film as demonstrating attention to detail. Indeed, some of the details are delightful. However, I found some details misplaced. For example, the light switch in Gerhard's U.S. house (featured in a closeup) was a rocker switch that is almost never used in the U.S.
The film didn't come together for me. The dialogue wasn't compelling. The story wasn't compelling. The story was often compromised in favor of visual effects.
Surrealist...
yusufpiskin17 March 2021
An incredible, mesmerisingly captivating & fun movie, Ruben Brandt, Collector has this charming tone presented within its smooth transitions. Abstract animation in a movie about paintings works so well and really adds to this amazing thriller.
It's not every animated arthouse film that opens with a breathless 10-minute chase scene that rivals the best of what live action has to offer and visually references everything from Speed to The Matrix to Jason Bourne to James Bond to Michael Bay. This is a statement of intent to the audience - that this is the rare cerebral, surrealist film, one with a lot to say about about art and how we consume it and how we use that consumption, that's also interested in being a blast to watch.
Into the Spider-Verse is one of the best films of the last decade, and the impact of its innovative visual style will (deservedly) be felt for years to come. But this film, which was quietly dropped in the same timeframe, deserves to be in that same discussion. It's an aesthetic that clearly draws from the abstract works of all mediums across the last century yet is wholly its own.
It's a story I've never heard before, in a style I've never seen before. Like a Great Film is supposed to be. Go see it.
Into the Spider-Verse is one of the best films of the last decade, and the impact of its innovative visual style will (deservedly) be felt for years to come. But this film, which was quietly dropped in the same timeframe, deserves to be in that same discussion. It's an aesthetic that clearly draws from the abstract works of all mediums across the last century yet is wholly its own.
It's a story I've never heard before, in a style I've never seen before. Like a Great Film is supposed to be. Go see it.
Yes
lengyelbelabarnabas30 July 2021
One of the best anime ever made
ccrc2811 August 2019
Amazing movie with so beautiful graphic art, original style, every character in an unique art design and temper. Very interesting roles full of sarcasm. Quite hectic movie, never boring a minute. Astounding soundtracks and sound environment.
I´ll watch this movie again very soon.
Unique experience.
dan-ilya14 April 2019
I don't like modernism / avant-grade animation, but surprisingly I liked this one. It was both simple and complex. The story is basic but not disappointing. It has many Communism / Socialism links that will probably be understood only by people who lived in USSR and related countries at that era.
Overall it was fresh and unique experience.
See also
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