lancing-97415 I went along with partner as it was his date idea ( we take it in in turns) so trusted it might be OK and wanted to be surprised so didn't read the synopsis (last time I do this), We are birdwatchers so knew it wasn't a documentary however, didn't expect it to become so warped with 45 mins. In my daily work, I listen to people's stories and however, the characters we meet ie the two clueless Christian? Chinese girls just doesn't ring true. The elaborate knots they tie the Portuguese ornithologist in, seems highly unlikely as they are lost and walk around in a beautiful fresh air forest with masks on???? really??? what's wrong with fresh air, you're in nature. After an hour and a suggestion they would casterate him the next day, that was it for me, I left the theatre. Honestly, don't waste ur time and money. what a waste of film.

Jesse Ung When I came out of The Ornithologist I was totally perplexed and unsure of what I had just seen. At one point I thought it was a film about one man's descent into madness, at another I thought it was a tale of the mystery and spirituality of nature and the unknown, a film about loneliness and despair, then I thought maybe it was a character study of queerness and male sexuality. For all I know this film could be all of these things or none of them whatsoever.Because I don't want to spoil anything - and because I can't describe what happens in this film without sounding like a lunatic, I'll say this: the film follows a solitary Ornithologist who gets lost in the forest and the increasingly strange things that happen to him as he tries to find his way home.Funnily enough, The Ornithologist plays almost like a parody of an art-house film - and like most art-house, this is not a film for everyone. Consider yourself warned. In terms of its structure, the unfolding of its narrative as well as the way it uses images and sounds to unnerve and to hypnotize you - this is either going to infuriate or bewitch viewers. I can happily say that I was completely bewitched. I fell under its spell, it got under my skin in a way that I cannot describe and I couldn't stop thinking about it after I saw it. I am under no illusion that I understand most of what I saw, but watching it I could tell that this is exactly the film that director João Pedro Rodrigues wanted to make - it makes no compromises for anybody.The Ornithologist is daring and strange - there are so many unanswered questions, and I couldn't possibly explain to you what it's about or what happens without sounding certifiably insane, but I am so fine with that - I was completely mesmerized. Give it a chance; you might hate it with every fiber of your being or you might love it and be as enchanted by it as I was.

cdcrb this is a portugese film. I don't see many. I didn't realize just how different portugese is from Spanish. now I understand why they can't understand one another. anyway, Fernando is a bird watcher in the wilds of Portugal. again, who knew. after an accident he is found half dead by two Chinese women, who nurse him back to life. this does not work out so well for him. he later runs into a deaf mute goat herder, and that turns into a disaster. I am not sure if we are dealing in allegory, mysticism, metaphysics or what. the portugese forests are beautiful, as is the movie. there is full frontal male nudity and frontal female as well. there is a brief scene with two men kissing and rolling around on the ground. which might disturb some. nothing happens. the scenery reminded me of brazil, which I guess is appropriate. not sure if it's for everyone, but I liked it. in a way it's one man vs. the elements with religion thrown in. peace.l

euroGary Set in the spectacular scenery of the Douro region along the Portuguese/Spanish border, 'The Ornithologist' follows Fernando, who is on a bird-watching trip when his canoe gets caught in the rapids. He is rescued by two Chinese pilgrims and it seems his troubles are over - until he wakes up the next morning to find the pilgrims have stripped him to his pristine white underpants and tied him to a tree. Thus begin his troubles - or had they already begun?Escaping, Fernando stumbles through the forest and encounters strange dancers, a mute goatherd and topless huntresses on horseback. Other strange happenings abound and there's a white dove following him. He seems scared, but does not try to attract the attention of a helicopter when it flies overhead. Does he not want to be rescued?Although other characters drift in and out, this is primarily a single-hander. So it is a shame that although Paul Hamy, as Fernando, looks appropriately puzzled or scared, he delivers his lines with all the animation of a granite slab. Still, he is attractive in a rugged way which certainly makes the amount of screen time he is allocated nice to look at.Director and co-writer João Pedro Rodrigues - who also awards himself a small but very important role in the film - seems to want the viewer to make up his own mind about what is going on. I find that slightly annoying - I prefer films to have a beginning, middle and end, and this only has a beginning, middle and more of the middle. But, although you will definitely feel its two-hour running time, the film is engrossing and I will watch it again.Oh, and if you have ever wanted to see a grown man suckling direct from a goat's teat, this is your film!