3.5 von 4 Sternen! Welch Ehre!
The film is relentless in its presentation, but actually not too relentless. It’s just rare these days to have a film filled with ideas that you actually have to pay attention to and images that actually mean something. You actually have to stop playing that damn video game long enough to fully immerse yourself in Glossary of Broken Dreams if you really want to get something from it.
Otherwise? You’re going to be lost.
I’m pretty sure that even Grenzfurthner would embrace the idea that his views and his films aren’t for everyone. A self-described Leftist and atheist, Grenzfurthner is as relentlessly charismatic as he is relentlessly well informed. It’s apparent from his films that he’s also a listener, though a listener who’s willing to engage you in your ideas. If you’re a fool, you’re going to feel like a fool in a chat with Grenzfurthner. On the flip side, even if you’re a lesser intellectual with an authentic curiosity and honest, cohesive position one gets the sense that Grenzfurthner will embrace you.
The simple truth is I loved every moment of Glossary of Broken Dreams, a tighter and more thematically connected work than Traceroute, a film that I also loved but found a touch more confusing in subject and presentation. Glossary of Broken Dreams is a nerdgasm of creative consciousness meets good intentions and abundant doses of intellectually informed human compassion. It’ll fuck with your mind. Then laugh.