I think, as a movie buff, it’s important not just to get caught up in American-made movies, but rather watch films from other countries despite there being a language barrier. Yes, that means you will have to spend most of the time reading subtitles, but you will find that your brain passively reads them for you. I believe that too many times people get scared away by the thought that you will have to read subtitles the whole movie and that just limits you from seeing different countries takes on stories, cinematography, and acting. Trust me when I say that nothing is more captivating than being engaged in an Actor’s monologue even when in a different language.
La Chimera, made in 2023, follows the story of a happy-go-lucky band of grave robbers who go around Italy unearthing different tombs and trafficking them to an auctioneer named Spartico. Their unique way of discovering and unearthing these tombs and ancient gravesites is made possible by the members of their group, and our protagonist, Arthur. Arthur is an English archeologist who lost his true love, Beniamina, and gets caught up in the artifact trafficking business. He has a special ability to sense artifacts and treasures under the ground, allowing them to dig them up and sell them for profit. Arthur however, struggles with the morality and ethics of digging up and defacing the grave sights and shrines he finds. This becomes very apparent after he uncovers a shrine with an intact statue of a goddess, he deems this statue “too beautiful for human eyes” and contemplates his actions as a grave robber.
This film has some of the most interesting cinematic choices I’ve ever seen in a movie. With the camera doing things that I’ve never seen before in a movie. I loved the characters and their personalities and seeing Arthur struggle with his lifestyle that he since became trapped in. Overall I loved this movie and I certainly want to watch it again to try to pick up on any added details I may have missed in my first watch. This is a must watch for any long time foreign film watcher or those just trying to get into it.
