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entertainment1d ago
Onlookers review – snapshots of a south-east Asian country shaped by tourism
- The documentary offers a restrained, observational look at Laos and its tourism dynamics.
- It contrasts glimmering tourist imagery with locals’ everyday life to reveal disruption caused by visitors.
- The review notes tension between static camera work and the movements within the frame.
- Some juxtapositions echo binaries between east and west, the regional and the global.
- Most tourists in the film are white, while Laos’ tourist base is diverse in reality, the review notes.
- The film prompts questions about the relationship between tourism and cinema without offering strong new insights.
- The review situates the film within a tradition of observing consumerist experiences in travel.
- The film visually minimizes movement, focusing on static compositions and everyday scenes.
- The Guardian’s review was published December 1, 2025, highlighting the film's reception.
- Overall verdict suggests the film invites reflection but offers limited deep analysis.
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