Thursday, August 13, 2009
#12- The Godfather Saga
When first watched the Godfather, it was the first two movies, edited together in chronological order. And this is how I still prefer it. But no matter how it is spliced, this is a tremendous epic, wonderful in execution, terrible in it's consequences. A moral tragedy, but two of the most powerful films ever.
#13- Synecdoche, New York
Kind of the extreme of gazing at one's own navel. But marvelous for all that, a magificant film. Yet one necessary to watch again and again.
#14- Lawrence of Arabia
Peter O'Toole is this great hero of the Arabian peninsula. Everything that an epic should have, and nothing that it shouldn't.
#16- Adaptation
This is a movie about writing a movie about a book. The book, The Orchid Thief, has little to do with the movie. It is about the creative process, and the attempt to make a movie that might be good and sell. Great stuff. Meryl Streep. Nick Cage. Charlie Kauffman.
#17- American Splendor
A very real film about very real people. Although it is a documentary about a comic book with actors and the real people, but the comic book is autobiographical, and the actors are acting it out, but also the actors and the real folks are commenting on the comic and the acting... okay, anyway. It works. Really well.
#18- AI: Artificial Intelligence
The mood keeps shifting in this movie, but this makes sense because it is an odyssey-- seeking the love that one experienced when young. How unusual is that? But this search takes our young robotic friend to very strange places, meeting unique friends. Always something unexpected, excellent acting.
#19- Dead Man Walking
I am religious and I love movies that are about bringing people to a spiritual height. For an unrepentant murderer, Matthew has got a long way to go before he is ready to be spiritual at all. A powerful movie about sacrifice and persistence.
#20- Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
Miyazaki is, I believe, my favorite filmmaker, and this is the foundation of his philosophy and an introduction to this themes: the relationship between humanity and nature, flying machines, strange creatures, enemies that are sympathetic. This is just a snapshot of a fully developed world, but this snapshot is marvelous.
#21- Seven Samurai
There are parts of this movie I truly disliked. Events that happened that seemed unnecessary. Then, I realized, that I was upset at these events because I was so involved in the characters and the events surrounding them, that I was upset that I couldn't participate in them. That is a sign of a truly great movie-- to be so involved for three and a half hours that you can't get yourself out of the world. Unbelievable.
#23- Before Sunset
Okay, I have to say that this movie really wouldn't be as good if you haven't seen the first one, Before Sunrise. But both together are sparkling-- two days in a relationship. It is about love, but it goes deeply into emotions and expectations and promises and... well, it's really about these lives. Sure, it's all talking, no action, but isn't that what a lot of our lives are about?
#24- Three Colors: White
The second in the Three Colors trilogy, and the best, in my opinion. Excellent plot, can't wait to find out what happens next. The cinemantography is fantastic, as in the whole trilogy.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)