Aguirre is undoubtedly a masterpiece but I can't be the only person who feels like Aguirre's tyranny proportionally occupies too little of the film. The amazing final shot, deservedly canonised, feels like the long-delayed arrival of the film we were waiting for not a perfect summation of what we've seen.

Unfortunately this film's imitators have overshadowed it significantly and I engaged with it way more in terms of influence than actual engagement. Still a great film but after Serial, The Friedman's, The Jinx etc. it's hard to hold up to expectations.

I don't know if I believe in cinema anymore.

Like so many other great films, High & Low takes the rudimentary template of a thriller and stretches the genre to something great,

If you ever wanted to know what restrained virtuosity looks like, look here.