2020 is now guaranteed to have, at least, one great movie released in its calendar. Kino Lorber has bought the North American rights to Cannes jury prize winner “Bacurau,” which was directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho and Juliano Dornelles.
A perplexing mix of magical surrealism and grindhouse, “Bacurau” caught me off-guard in its first 20 minutes, but then transported me into a cinematic adventure Iike no other. It’s a thriller, but one filled with indelible artistry and breathtaking cinematic luxury.
Concluding paragraph of my 5.16.19 Cannes review:
“We are indeed hooked by what is transpiring, very much in the same way that, say, one would be by grindhouse fare such as "I Spit in Your Grave" and "Hostel." But, of course, the filmmaking in "Bacurau" is much more beautiful, not to mention artful, than those aforementioned titles. It sings with blossoming camerawork and the kind of spiritual elegance a token midnight-er would surely lack.”