Last Year at Marienbad (1961)

Bitel finds the film an elegant, chillingly constructed enigma that remains perplexing and elusive. He praises Sacha Vierny’s fluid cinematography and the screenplay’s dizzying, maze-like construction.

Parkinson calls the film a triumph and a complex cinematic riddle. He praises its camera movement, symbolic décor, abstract structure and stylised performances.

The critic finds the film beautiful, compelling, and ultimately life-affirming. He singles out its dreamlike atmosphere and exploration of memory and romantic longing.

Bradshaw calls the film a profoundly mysterious, disturbing masterpiece that looks more brilliant with age. He praises its eerie atmosphere and enduring capacity to generate competing interpretations.

Parkinson finds the film compelling and baffling, ultimately judging it a uniquely beautiful and mesmerising artwork. He praises its stylised imagery and non-linear form for making viewers active participants in interpreting it.

Wilkins praises the film as a gorgeous, haunting study of memory, persuasion, and obsession. He singles out its sumptuous monochromatic cinematography and baroque production design.

The 4/5 rating indicates a positive verdict. The available description singles out the brainteasing conceit of playing a game one knows one will lose.

Murray finds the film divisive: its formalist approach can be stunning for viewers attuned to it, but empty and exhausting for others. He singles out Resnais’s elegant camera moves and inventive editing for praise.

The URL identifies this as a Great Movies review, but the page content is inaccessible. The critic’s verdict and specific praise or criticism cannot be verified.

The critic finds the film remarkable, though its dreamlike ambiguity may mesmerise some viewers and bore others. They praise Sacha Vierny’s eloquent camerawork through the château and gardens.

The page identifies this as Brendan Gill’s review of the film, but does not reveal his verdict. The review’s specific praise or criticism is unavailable in the subscriber-only text.

The page's text is unavailable, so the critic's verdict cannot be established. No praise or complaint can be verified from the accessible material.

The review describes the film as daring but demanding considerable patience. It praises the fluid editing and exemplary cinematography.

The review finds the film an enduring, mesmerizing puzzle, though its form may feel stilted or pretentious. It praises the elegant visual compositions and tracking shots, which make the setting feel like a precisely working machine.