The final film from Abbas Kiarostami is a collection of 24 seemingly still images, with each segment running roughly 4.5 minutes and featuring small random flurries of animation. It works in practice. Honest. The late filmmaker was never exactly one to rest on his laurels, with moments like the infamous ending scene of Taste of Cherry revealing a disarming willingness to deconstruct his own achievements. (Said scene somehow makes the film feel even more perfect, but that’s for another review.) Here, he creates a state of zen where even small movements within the frame feel thrilling. Long before the 24th magnificent image, a gestalt has been achieved that makes this weird, wonderful experiment feel like a suitable epitaph. Consider it a last playful gift from a master director, who always trusted his audience enough to let them fill in the blanks. Blinking is discouraged.
For more information about 24 Frames and other films screening this weekend, visit Movie Times.