Hotel by the River

Hong Sang-soo was the most reliable auteur of the decade...

It's an explosive, soul-baring display from a filmmaker who hasn't lost - and indeed, may be rediscovering - his capacity for surprise.

For all its solemn beauty, Hotel by the River is lax and under-imagined compared to Hong's masterpieces.

Be they lover, family, or friend, Hong composes his films as a series of moments between the characters that while not often reaching a finality, linger in the mind days later.

Hong's free style isn't showy; there's a stillness holding the film together at all times.

Shot in wintry black-and-white, Hotel by the River folds Hong's usual concerns into a structure that's more complex than usual.

Both of this year’s productions are in black-and-white, always a reliable indicator that Hong’s in a heavy mood; I don’t necessarily mind that, but Hotel by the River struck me as lugubrious.

Episode 41: Best of 2019 So Far

I start to watch Hong Sang-soo's latest film and I am immediately moved when he relates, with an almost poetic look, things related to love, family and death. [Full review in Spanish]

Hotel by the River is a masterwork in fostering relationships between its characters. It is a testament to the beauty of the bond between not only parents and their children, but the bond between friends.