EO

Thinly drawn and emotionally manipulative but at least it's well shot and they get a lot of mileage out of how cute this donkey is

I got more than I expected from this film. The Animal abuse shots were hard to watch. I know they weren't real, but animal abuse is always a "trigger" for me. This movie is sweet at times, hard to watch at times, and never boring. The pacing and length of the film are great. It also stuck with me through the night and while I was trying to go to sleep. I think I understand the ending, but I'm not sure. I won't say much because it is a spoiler if I do.

You'd have to be heartless not to feel for the donkey EO. Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski's art film EO (2022) is a breathtaking achievement in empathizing with the joys and pains animals enjoy or suffer at the hands of humans. Jerzy demonstrates a sheer love of nature's beauty from donkeys, foxes, owls, horses, to streams and forests. His total empathy as director shows a maturity and a clarity of vision. EO should be seen for its artful craft and tender consideration for how animals have no agency in a world where nature is dominated by humanity. Jerzy makes every donkey look like it's acting with purposeful close-up shots of EO's eyes or face. It's something to behold. Jerzy Skolimowski's direction is formidable and heartfelt. EO takes the perspective of the donkey on his perilous journey through from cruel circus conditions, his loving lady owner, a quiet donkey farm, vicious soccer fanatics, disquieting forests full of hunters, a scenic Italian villa, to a disturbing slaughterhouse. Jerzy lets us look at the cute donkey plenty, but interestingly shows us the world through his eyes. Whether someone is petting, feeding, or hitting him. I am in awe of Jerzy's scope as director. The intimate scenes of EO's lady caretaker gently nurturing the donkey to the sudden green lasers of unseen hunters taking aim at our donkey hero EO. I am stunned by EO. Writers Jerzy Skolimowski and Ewa Piaskowska find inventive ways to keep EO engrossing even with a silent protagonist donkey like EO. Characters will go from Polish, English, to Italian or just be animals nuzzling up to one another. Every bray of the donkey EO feels like an outcry of pain or declaration of freedom. Freedom is the key as EO simply wants to see his beloved owner lady once more, but he's held in captivity or made to work so hard. Humanity never considers the suffering of donkeys. From having them pull carts to not washing them carefully like the horses or hurting them for sport or meat. Donkeys always get the worst of humanity. Casting directors Jorgelina Depetris Pochintesta and Paulina Krajnik got amazing Polish talent among a legend like Isabelle Huppert for EO's wonderful cast. Polish actress Sandra Drzymalska is the sweetest angel as EO's loving caretaker Kasandra, while he's captive in the circus. EO seems happy in the tender embrace of Kasandra. Drzymalska is the most gorgeous actress you've ever seen with flowing hair, kind eyes, and devastation after losing EO. She comes across as genuinely nurturing towards EO. She delivers a magnificent performance in EO with kindness and affection for her beloved donkey EO. Italian actor Lorenzo Zurzolo is very handsome and cool as the kindly priest Vito, who takes in EO in his hour of need. I liked him a lot. Iconic French actress Isabelle Huppert is excellent as the Italian Countess returning to France. Her cold demeanor, dismissal of Vito's mass, and seeming seduction of her step-son priest is perverted in an entertaining way. Polish actor Mateusz Kościukiewicz is amazing as the amiable metalhead trucker Mateo. The six donkeys portraying EO are all adorable and sweet. Their cute names are Ettore, Hola, Marietta, Mela, Rocco, and Tako. Editor Agnieszka Glińska's art house cuts are captivating. I kept thinking how creative EO is cut together with sudden dreamy imagery of nature or donkey perspectives. Cinematographer Michał Dymek should feel so proud of the jaw dropping wide shots of EO on his odyssey. The intimate close-ups of EO are so pretty and endearing. I love the sweeping style and innovative shots. The camera pans smoothly or will spin around. There's an unforgettable shot in every scene of EO. Composer Paweł Mykietyn's amorous film score can feel romantic, hopeful, or haunting. The swirling symphonic music is absolutely amazing. It's like we can know and feel how EO does as the music cues shift. The electronic and metal songs for the dance party and trucker drive are awesome too. EO's score is a miracle of subtle storytelling. Sound designers Marcin Matlak, Radoslaw Ochnio, Suraj Bardia, Pawel Jazwiecki, Azzurra Stirpe, Olivier Chane, Pandiyan R., and Marta Weronska captures crisp donkey hooves stepping on stone or grass. The cute sounds of EO chomping on carrots or straw fizzle in your ears. Costume designer Katarzyna Lewińska makes a lovely red dress, farmer gear, model designer clothes, metalhead outfits, and soccer uniforms. Makeup artists Aleksandra Dutkiewicz and Weronika Zielińska give each girl the prettiest wavy hairstyles. In short, EO is a wonderful film that is moving, intriguing, cute, funny, sorrowful, and devastating. At 88 minutes with a fast pace, how can you not want to see the adorable and empathetic feature EO?

A neat Polish feature film with very little dialogue about a donkey. It is charming, but can be watched in 2X speed and you will get the gist. There isn't a page of dialogue and this isn't for little kids, and maybe not even for young teens. Then, an entire different movie pops up which comes from another universe that seemed like a short film. It worked for me, but your milage may vary. Final Score: 7.2/10

A totally unique and brilliantly creative film. Told from animals points of view. So clever and shot stylistically. Unforgettable.

With a minimum of dialogue, it is an ingenious and stimulating metaphor about the importance of animal rights to life. As a curiosity, it never hurts to see it.

I generally tend to side with the critics, but this one I just can't get there. Perhaps the director's name is clouding their vision... Multiple moments in the film reached for depth, but missed so completely that I found unable to stifle my laugher in a sold out theater. The one and half stars are for the donkey.

A melancholic story of a donkey who is trying to reunite with his loving owner. Mostly from the donkey's point of view, it's a bit weird and a bit arty with colored sequences and classical music. The donkey's journey is very eventful with a good representation of the use and abuse of animals in today's modern world, but I didn't find it that emotionally profound or entertaining – maybe donkey's mean more in Polish culture? There's some humour, the donkey's cute enough and his soulful eyes showed a sense of understanding, but it wasn't really for me.

Interesting but also troubling and hard to watch at times. Visually stunning!

Inspired by Robert Bresson's 1966 film Au Hasard Balthazar, Jerzy Skolimowski lenses his Oscar-nominated international feature about a derelict donkey changing hands in a rural Polish landscape with nightmarish imaginariness and mournful beauty to accent our cruelty to animals and to one another through the sad eyes of the eponymous burro.