'Chetyre' (= Russian for 'four') deals with an issue everybody feels uneasy about: the artificial, factory-like, duplication of humans.It makes 'Chetyre' a watch that will burden you. By telling simultaneous fragments of its three leads' lives, this film breathes doubt & uncertainty all the way down. The two males both end up tragically, the girl was already a tragedy at the start.All this is magnificently acted out. For instance by a talk between the three of them, accidentally meeting in a bar. It is clear they don't believe each other's stories, but don't admit so for the sake of their company in a lonely night. The barkeeper misses out on it all anyway.Another strong scene is provided by the girl, visiting a village where dolls are produced. Although a serious production problem has arisen lately, the villagers do no more than indulge themselves in a eating & drinking party.'Chetyre' is a very Russian film. Beautifully shot, with a pretty slow pace, and lots of dialogs. Taking plenty of time to make its point, its pessimistic mood will penetrate you thoroughly. Its message makes a logic extension of its subject: humanity is unable to control its own destiny.

If you have ever heard the phrase, "And now for something entirely different"..., this fits 4 to an absolute T. You will get nowhere if you try to over-analyze, or try to figure what is meant by it. It works best if you let it wash over you. In its own perverse way, it really has a lasting effect. It begins bright and shining, and ends wet, muddy, drunken, and haggard. Is it a metaphor for the New Russia, a critique on the possibility of secret cloning experiments, or a celebration of drunken crones? I don't know, but I do know that this is truly like none other. If you are in a mood for A Walk On The Wild Side of Independent Cinema, give this film a look. The only films that are even remotely close to this, are the movies of Chicago director, James Fotopoulos.

A science fiction film that harbors few images of the new or the possible but remarks on the failures of the old. This film begins with the destruction of a street, while four large claw like machines tear the street up which makes four dogs run away from a store window with four manikins in it. Wait this movie is about the number four and how it relates to the everything and creates a common theme that everything relates to...right? If this movie was the movie 23 then possibly, but eastern European cinema generally deals with its thriller or science fiction films in a much more mature, less contrived fashion. The movie begins with very long shots of people sitting in a bar. They continue to fabricate elaborate stories of themselves to contradict the otherwise miserable banal existence the world outside has created for them. We see the lives of three individuals(not four) deal with their pasts, in which they tried very hard to conceal. Their past like much of this movie remains an enigma. We see these individuals move in and out their bizarre universes of government conspiracies, rustic women communes and unruly meat packing plants. Personally this film contains some of the most bizarre images in any film I have viewed. The composition of the shots explores a cautionary tale of the old Soviet era world decaying around the lives of the people who have bought into a very idealistic way of living.

An extraordinary work that was written by an amazing Russian writer, Vladimir Sorokin, and directed by a young talented Russian director, Ilya Khrzhanovsky. This film is a real trip that starts of with being a funny story, but by the time it ends, leave the viewer shocked among the other feelings! The great directing and sound directing creates an astonishing atmosphere and visual beauty thought the whole film, making it a very "acid" experience. These combined with Sorokins madness, creates a real different trip, for the people who likes good/surreal/different cinema as much as I do. I watched this film many times, but i still didn't get enough. I hope non Russian speakers will enjoy it, and understand the symbolism of some things in it...the dogs, the tractors.....I rated it 10, and for me it is the best Russian film since quiet a while...Check it out, you wont regret!!!