Pretty Good

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Michael Winterbottom is one of the most important and challenging filmmakers around. Over the past couple of decades, he has directed a prolific stream of interesting features across a variety of genres, refusing to settle on a particular style and seemingly always working on a minuscule budget. But no filmmaker is immune to producing a stinker, and after a successful 2002 which saw the release of the excellent double-header of 24 Hour Party People and In This World, Winterbottom hit a grey patch with Code 46 and 9 Songs. He would push the boundaries of what could be tolerated in terms of cinematic violence in 2010 with the divisive The Killer Inside Me, but 6 years earlier he would test the BBFC's waters with 9 Songs, a film that may still be the most sexually explicit film ever to be released in British theatres.It tells the story of two lovers: Matt (Kieran O'Brien), a British scientist, and Lisa (Margo Stilley), an American exchange student. As the film opens, the couple have broken up and Matt is heading to Antarctica to conduct research and reflect on their doomed relationship. He remembers their time together through the sex they had, and they had a lot of it. 9 Songs quickly falls into a pattern: Sex scene, concert scene, and then a trip back to desolate mountains of Antarctica. They met at Brixton Academy and share a love of live music, so between the sex we get to experience the various gigs they go to - the 9 songs of the title - shot guerrilla-style from afar over the heads of the audience, which is pretty much how most of us experience a concert. The sex is passionate, spontaneous and exciting, but love is much harder. As it becomes clear to both of them that they won't be together forever, they employ blindfolds and handcuffs to spice things up, but nothing can mask the distance opening between them.Winterbottom doesn't shy away from explicitness. We get to see full penetration, oral sex and even a money shot - pretty much everything you would expect from a cheeky browse on Pornhub. But what separates 9 Songs from pornography is the complete lack of sensationalism. There is absolutely nothing arousing about the sex, despite the attractiveness of the two leads, and this is likely what convinced the BBFC to pass it uncut (it's 'art'). The problem with 9 Songs is that the idea is infinitely more interesting than the execution. This is an incredibly dull and repetitive film, made all the more of a chore to sit through by the two thinly-realised and rather annoying characters at the forefront. Winterbottom seems to be trying to say something profound by occasionally switching the action to the South Pole, but it comes across as allegory on the level of a student-film. The concert footage is filmed with the same grungy energy as 24 Hour Party People - one of my favourite Winterbottom films - so there's some relief to be found in performances by the likes of Primal Scream, Franz Ferdinand and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, if you're into that sort of thing.

Having met at a rock concert and shared an intimate night together, two youths decide to continue having sexual encounters after concerts in this Michael Winterbottom movie. The film sparked controversy upon release due to its graphic depictions of sexual activity, and with little occurring in between the rock and copulation scenes, the film has been called everything from 'boring' to 'pornography' over the years. And yet, while it is true that the unconventional structure of the movie makes it hard to get immersed in the characters and story at first, the film eventually takes some interesting turns as we learn that the lovers actually share a deep love and emotional connection beyond what we have otherwise been shown. This in turn renders '9 Songs' a refreshingly different take on a romantic relationship, with only the guy's most striking memories (the sex and the music) played before our eyes. His philosophical quips about Anarctica are of interest too - "Antarctica is the planet's memory before there was people" - and it resonates strongly as he comments "5000 people in a room and you can still feel alone" after attending a concert without his lover. Sure, Winterbottom's approach here is frustrating in that we hardly get to know the characters as individuals, but with all that considered, it is pretty remarkable how strongly Winterbottom captures their emotional connection.

I understand the religion preaching about movies like this. After all, intimacy has the "in" to highlight that some parts of our adult lives should happen INsice 4 walls, a closed door, don't forget the shades in the window and mostly important...it must have a roof above you too (skylight should be OK if helicopters are not crossing your roof). Then you are all set for your sexual activity, which like I just described seems like you're going to kill someone. And maybe this movie is trying to say it out loud: "sex isn't a mortal crime and you're not going to rotten in hell and having your genitals pierced and speared by sadistic demons forever". That's how a Korean girl pictured it on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRzFIBXIUg8) because you had sex, lost of it. But, the thing is, sex can really be a passport to heaven or hell mostly in your mind than on your body and I mean it in a not religious context. Irresponsible sex can also screw you and your partner in a non pleasant way, physically!! Let's remind people that STD like AIDS has not stopped. In addition, it is very likely that a couple, especially married couple, will have issues in their relationship if the sex life is dull. We can look at it in many angles other than just preaching about what you see. Funny that "how you SEE it" makes the whole difference because a blind person would never that judgmental approach!! Anyway, try to be open to what that really means even if you just watch the trailer. have your own opinion and think that sex for sex, without love, will always be just sex, and that is usually dull over time.

for some it may be pornography but for me it is the best erotic movie of all times, because pornography is totally faked but this is real and that too vary artistic.If you wanna make an erotic adult movie this is the way to make it and if you wanna watch one this is where you should go. Absolutely sincere effort and totally focused, the film deals with the intense sexual affair picturised with great detail between both the lead characters and they were simply splendid in portreying there roles.However the 9 live concert songs should have been more better. Anyway i will give 7-8 points out of 10 to this one.