Why so much hype?

The Age of Commercialism

Just perfect...

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

Although it appears to be a simple collection of short stories, it is actually well considered and designed by the director. Like the rest of his work, Jim Jarmusch's thoughts come from the trivial of everyday life. The seemingly unrelated chapters slowly but effectively make up the emotional of the film, culminating in a wise and memorable ending. The meaninglessness of communication and the human self - camouflage are expressed correctly and wonderfully in the film. At last, the world ended in stains of coffee and ash of cigarette, however, Jim jarmusch seemed to need only a one-and-a-half minute nap.

Not good at all, drab and boring, which life really isn't. I thought it sounded like a nice simple idea, which would probably either be warm and life affirming or darkly funny (or possibly a bit of both), and definitely topped off with a healthy sprinkling of insight. Needless to say I was a bit disappointed.Before watching this I'd always assumed it would be pretty hard to go wrong with dialogue. There are plenty of films in existence with less than great dialogue, but in the past I'd always been able to accept that it had been neglected in favour of other things, like car chases (where I guess chatting isn't really conducive anyway). Oh well, I guess writing a decent chin wag must be harder than it looks.

Jim Jarmusch's "Coffee & Cigarettes" is a black & white series of vignettes between people meeting for caffeine & nicotine. And that's exactly how the movie plays... like an afternoon spent with a friend yakking about nothing... or everything. And just like those afternoons, some segments are better than others.The shorts are a mix of styles... some are more glossy Hollywood with a scripted narrative, some feel more improvised or indie-style, and some have a distinctly New York vibe. I'm not sure the film hangs together... I'm not sure it's supposed to. Other reviewers here seem to dislike the movie for not being uniform in tone or coalescing into a grand theme or plot line. But be fair: Jarmusch never promised a wrapped package with interweaving story lines... this isn't a "Seinfeld." The joy of an anthology like this is that one chapter can be broad and comedic, and the next can go in a completely different direction. Perhaps some folks would have liked to see a cliff-hanging, on-again/off-again, will-they-or-won't-they love triangle, or maybe even a talking dog with a gangster attitude. They're in the wrong theater.This is a movie I could picture adding to my DVD collection and enjoying in a different way every time I watch it... one day I might love one segment, a year later it's my least favorite. Contemplation is not a bad thing.Neither is black & white... it helps to set the movie's tone of honesty, but unfortunately most people associate B&W with film noir- they think it means a movie is "dark." I think it just makes a movie more visceral... the tragedy is more heart-breaking, the comedy more crisp. In the oddball scene featuring Iggy Pop & Tom Waits I just enjoyed watching these two men sitting still in relative quiet in shades of black & white... it emphasizes the lines on Iggy's face from a lifetime of rock living and the furrowed brow on Tom Waits from his years of music/medicine. The slow pace also lets the actors b r e a t h e, so their dialogue is conversation, not characters spitting out exposition to set up the next plot point.My highlights:Strange To Meet You: Steven Wright's deadpan genius meets Roberto Benigni's electric comedian. One of the best in the film.Somewhere In California: Tom Waits and Iggy Pop as unlikely "chums" who fail to hit it off...Cousins: Cate Blanchett in a dual role as herself and her bitter Australian cousin. Brilliant...Cousins?: Watching the worm turn can be so satisfying...In conclusion I would not recommend this if you don't like offbeat films. But if you are feeling adventurous this is the perfect film to sample... especially on DVD. You can try a chapter, and if it doesn't engage you, CLICK- you can move directly to the next. You'll find something worth watching, at least...Now where is that damn waiter with my coffee? GRADE: B

Seriously, every reviewer on IMDb has crud for brains. It's a complete piece of bile tripe.The entire thing is shot in black and white, the acting is supremely sub-par, the camera work is crap. Forgivable in 99% of the indie films out there that are carried by a story. Or even engaging dialog. This movie has *NONE* of it.The vignettes are standalone (although the bit with the RZA, GZA and Bill Murray was referential), pointless and trying too hard to capture absurdist humor.The use of Black and White does not provide deep arty scenes, or work as an illustrative device. The only reason to opt for black & white is so that Art House snobs will accept it as "brilliant".I am a fan of deadpan absurdist comedy, I really am. In fact one of the biggest selling points was Steven Wright.This is not a comedy. There are half-hearted attempts (Chick who is looking at handguns, Bill Murray "hiding out" drinking a pot of coffee straight, etc), but it falls short. Waaaaaay Short.Look, I revel in "bad" films. I forced a friend to go and see "Slither" in the theaters. I have a collection of zombie movies that, if moved to a physical medium, would crush a small child. I enjoy the likes of Kafka, HS Thompson, the Vandals, Monty Python, Firesign Theater, Hedberg, etc et al.This movie is a failure, epic and tragic.