Cleo From 5 to 7 (1962)

Director: Agnès Varda
Stars: Corinne Marchand, Antoine Bourseiller, Dominique Davray
Runtime: 90 minutes

Performances: 8/10
Screenplay: 9/10
Special Effects: N.A.
Costumes/Makeup: 7/10
Editing: 5/10
Cinematography: 8/10
Score/Soundtrack: 9/10

Verdict: A lesson in storytelling. Very much like Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's "Birdman", "Cleo From 5 to 7" is told in real time and follows Cleo, a worried singer who's waiting for her test results to see if she has cancer in 1960s Paris. The movie is divided into chapters, with each one happening for a few minutes only and showing her interactions with different members of her surroundings. Agnès Varda truly made a masterpiece that is not talked about enough today. The dialogue the characters have is riveting, and Corinne Marchand's performance makes us care about Cleo, and worry with her. Varda even rewards the audience with a small cameo-filled silent film near the middle of the classic that made me smile all through it. "Cleo From 5 to 7" also deals with major themes like mortality and existentialism beautifully, and can very much be considered a philosophical film as well. The only nitpick I have is the fact that the editing was a bit rough at times, but that is completely understandable since editing techniques in 1962 were not as developed as they are today. I honestly can't recommend this film enough, especially for people who enjoyed "Birdman" and don't have a problem watching black and white pictures. 

Final Grade: 9/10