tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60181229492563257592024-02-02T10:40:00.420-05:00FilmMatticFilm Views . Film Reviews . Film NewsFilmMattichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15567287349203493671noreply@blogger.comBlogger157125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6018122949256325759.post-36563977986205946152014-01-17T01:08:00.000-05:002019-04-16T23:48:46.355-04:00Top 10 Movies of 2013<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Auteur-ior Motives</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Editorial note: I wanted to put this list together sooner, so as not to compromise its already dwindling relevance -- but a few important films remained unseen and I felt that their exclusion would render my own personal recollections of the past year incomplete.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> It was for me a milestone year in cinema. Perhaps more than any previous year, I devoted significant time to the art form. Buoyed by intense curiosity and passion, I've undergone what I believe is my own loosely attentive film school. In my quest to achieve wider cinematic erudition, there was really no limit to what I could do: Studying filmmakers obsessively, seeking out any literature I could get my hands on, attempting to quantify the quintessence of filmmaking, in the hopes of reducing it to a concept that I could more sufficiently understand; I mean who does this stuff? </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> But all of this deep stimulation is secondary to the real reason you've come here—which is to find out what movies made my list of favorites. Because I lack the necessary skills to moderate my passion effectively, I've elected to categorize all the movies I've seen from this past year. What follows then is a glimpse into the soul of a movie junkie. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> 2013 added credence to the notion of the primacy of the auteur, an authoritative belief (see Andrew Sarris) that the essence of a film derives from decisions the filmmaker makes; the idea that movies are imbued with their creators' own personal stamp, or what Ebert liked referring to as "maker's mark." It is a paradigm that has barely missed a step in over 60 years of taking steps. We know film is personal and the best cinema intimate. We also know—from demands the career impose upon its maker—that the person tasked with directing instinctively operates from a place of selfish ego. These are individuals who must constantly problem solve to advance the production; where their own ideologies take precedence, and in which trade offs are inevitable. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The decision-making process, having been infused with diminishing returns, necessitates a form of de facto creative control. Yes, there are plenty of exceptions, in which studio interference or production influence is insurmountable. And yes, filmmaking is a deeply collaborative process; any nuanced investigation could yield a less insular latticework to explain a film's manifold creation. Moreover, it's not odd to assume that the cinematographer, the composer, the editor or an involved, highly influential producer may be chiefly responsible for the final look and sound of a film. But the central perception remains unchanged: the images you see on the screen primarily emanate from decisions the filmmaker makes. Knowing these rudimentary components of auteur theory gives us some insight into the larger picture. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Spectacles garnered the most attention and 2013 had plenty to occupy ours. Baz Luhrmann, Martin Scorsese, Paolo Sorrentino, David O. Russell, Guillermo del Toro, Shane Black, Peter Jackson were just a few of the many directors who contributed to this concept of showmanship. It was another convincing reminder that the undercurrents of a film, no matter how baroque its waters beat, remain connected to the captain steering the ship.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> But brash ambition and ornamental indulgence wasn't the only key takeaway. There were intimate stories dealing with the human condition in various stages of duress - a precept that gained prominence during the Italian neorealist movement. Films that successfully explored the fragile human condition included <i>Short Term 12, Frances Ha, Prince Avalanche, Beyond the Hills, </i>and a Bong Joon-ho host of others. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Tales of survival also weaved their way into the fabric of 2013. <i>Gravity, 12 Years a Slave, All is Lost </i>and <i>Rush </i>represented a handful of some of these heroic tales; man or woman pitted against the harsh, cruel, unforgiving environments that nature subjects us to.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Ruminations of romance, the nature of love and coming of age stories also entered the fray. <i>An Oversimplification of Her Beauty, Before Midnight, Her, The Grandmaster, Ain't Them Bodies Saints, Like Someone in Love, Blues is the Warmest Color, The Spectacular Now </i>all dovetailed from a basic conceit: That a verisimilitude in human relationships stems from the currents of change. Are we equipped to deal with deteriorating effects that a corrosive relationship imposes on us? Love thought to be impenetrable must penetrate emotional fatigue; how can we cope with this dissatisfaction or mend the fracture? How does one adapt their notions of love to unconventional forms? What about the implications of unrequited love? Surely these are all fascinating questions that fascinating filmmakers deemed essential to their stories in 2013. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The continued assault on hackneyed genre exercises ratcheted up, as Refn's <i>Only God Forgives, </i>Korine's <i>Spring Breakers </i>and Wingard's<i> You're Next</i> found inventive ways to challenge preconceptions<i>. </i>The nature of what a film ought to be about and what its actual intentions reveal are different. What a filmmaker cares about need not be constrained by a generic formula. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i> </i>World cinema blossomed, producing magnificent pictures from world class directors like Thomas Vinterberg (<i>The Hunt), </i>Alexander Sokurov (<i>Faust), </i>Johnnie To (<i>Drug War), </i>Haifaa al-Mansour (<i>Wadjda), </i>Park Chan-wook (<i>Stoker)</i>, and Ben Wheatley (<i>Sightseers</i>), to name only a few. And American cinema saw releases from a crowd of esteemed filmmakers I've neglected to mention sooner such as Terrence Malick (<i>To The Wonder),</i> Sofia Coppola (<i>The Bling Ring)</i>, Steven Soderbergh (<i>Side Effects, Behind the Candelabra), </i>and maturing talents like Jeff Nichols (<i>Mud</i>) and Derek Cianfrance (<i>The Place Beyond the Pines</i>).<i> </i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> All of this contemplation leaves us in the throes of a new year. As we recollect and nourish our cinematic appetites, we also ready ourselves to embrace another exciting year. But in the meantime, I shall unveil my 10 favorite films of 2013. A smorgasbord of other lists, which apportion my gratitude for this fantastic year in film, also follows. </span><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">10). Only God Forgives</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> The cinematic landscape of 2013 boasted one of my favorite contemporary filmmakers, Nicolas Winding Refn. I went into his film expecting to love it unconditionally. Something strange happened, though. Elation, which was the sensation I felt after watching <i>Drive, </i>eluded me. What I did feel was bemusement. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> There was plenty to admire about Refn's devious undressing of the revenge thriller. But some aspects left me underwhelmed. I knew I had to revisit the movie to justify such a middling impression. Refn's a provocative filmmaker. I had to examine it more vigorously without succumbing to those initial jolts of shock or awe that generally populate his films; I had to cultivate a purely unadulterated experience. That decision was the reason <i>Only God Forgives</i>, which has been a polarizing force in much of the film community, made my list. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Refn furnished an aesthetic so brazen, obsessive and intricately fine-tuned that it felt like remnants from an abandoned Werner Herzog project. What levels of abuse can the human psyche endure before surrendering to defeat? What pushes us, how far can we be pushed and where does that leave us? Are we tattered, fragmented, ashamed composites of our former selves? </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> These are primordial questions about the human experience, exquisitely extracted from Refn's sleek, minimalist approach. The direction he took was deranged and twisted (something you'd expect in a South Korean crime film), but supremely beautiful (also applies to South Korean crime films). My final reading tilts to an impression that posits there's no revenge for this kind of visceral attack on masculinity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">9). <i>Spring Breakers</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Sleazy, exploitative, ironic, but also artistically and culturally resonant—like Refn's <i>Only God Forgives,</i> <i>Spring Breakers </i>pulled no punches as it waged war on the artificiality of the youth experience that has been so often misrepresented by mainstream cinema. For those who have never seen a Harmony Korine film (<i>Gummo </i>and <i>Julien Donkey-Boy </i>are must-watches; also scripted Larry Clarke's <i>Kids</i>), this kind of abrasive and perverse takedown can be jarring and problematic. Well, I didn't give a fuck. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for movie gravity" class="rg_ic rg_i" data-atf="1" height="265" id="dLRKbpEfy_ZlMM:" jsaction="load:str.tbn" 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" 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<span style="font-size: x-large;">8). </span><i style="font-size: xx-large;">Gravity</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i> Gravity </i>is a towering technological breakthrough that speaks to the ebullience of spectacle. A gifted technical filmmaker, Cuaron understands visceral engagement. His film functions as an immersive and propulsive visual extravaganza. Demanding the attention of all your sensory inputs, <i>Gravity</i> rewards you for making the effort. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> It was also an incredible story of survival from an incredible storyteller. Scripted by his son, Jonas, <i>Gravity </i>achieved pathos without having to resort to emotional gimmicks. It's as though the creative brilliance of the Cuaron brothers converged; the resulting synergy produced an unforgettable ride in an environment quite literally out of this world.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-WPrbXOHr3iZzccIk0o0LSdMgQjrUKerGqWii5zSm-eyVBvqUtysxf8z19pVP8EJYIXHpT77bFprJvPPAo1BBkWNUuZMwttcyhM6tsPWbl2_isrEZeySX8-RyRNlghymdyjLWQ17DAs/s1600/before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-WPrbXOHr3iZzccIk0o0LSdMgQjrUKerGqWii5zSm-eyVBvqUtysxf8z19pVP8EJYIXHpT77bFprJvPPAo1BBkWNUuZMwttcyhM6tsPWbl2_isrEZeySX8-RyRNlghymdyjLWQ17DAs/s640/before.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">7). <i>Before Midnight</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> One of the quintessential love stories of our time, capping a trilogy so entrenched in our conceptions of love, which have become so malleable, <i>Before Midnight</i> gracefully pushes forth a devastatingly accurate reality of honest companionship. Richard Linklater unveils a mural of tenderness, passion, whimsy, despair and disillusionment. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Although it seemed to have originated out of a fairy tale, Jessie and Celine's relationship is a harsh reminder that unions must confront hardship —even the most pollyannic couples are burdened by domestic pressures. Existential yearnings or personal inadequacies are a function of any real world relationship. But difficulties do not foretell doom; though weariness and uncertainty may ignite some discontent or lead to resentment, concrete connections can be broached. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Linklater, Hawke and Delpy were like forensic scientists of romance. They trusted their words as much as they understood the feelings of their characters. <i>Before Midnight </i>felt like a documentary, a snapshot of a living, breathing couple.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for movie her 2013" class="irc_mi" data-iml="1555472795813" height="282" src="https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w500_and_h282_face/4f4tWe6uhwtuKMygfIAytR2W0pj.jpg" style="margin-top: 151px;" width="500" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">6). <i>Her</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Copious literature has already been devoted to exploring the romantic and philosophical prisms that one evaluates <i>Her </i>through.<i> </i>There's a simplicity in Jonze's strange enactment of ephemeral love: romance, metaphysical engagement and a palpable sense of loneliness all cohere wonderfully. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> A vital force in modern cinema, Jonze recognized abiding love where others found only practical utility. His unusual well of life experience burnished an oft-kilter love story that touched upon the connections fostered between man and machine. It's probably the clearest evidence we have to explain how the exceptionally talented, equally strange Charlie Kaufman found professional commune with Jonze in earlier projects (<i>Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, Synecdoche New York; </i>Jonze produced). An uneasy synchronicity unites their neurotic abstractions of life, in which the various characters procure acceptance and understanding through their unorthodox perceptions of the world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/51bf191decad04d079000013/15-outrageous-scenes-in-martin-scorseses-wolf-of-wall-street-we-cant-wait-to-see.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">5). <i>The Wolf of Wall Street</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Scorsese has invested his livelihood attempting to understand everything there is to know about making movies. And even in the later stages of his remarkably fruitful career, he's still managing to infiltrate our cultural obsessions. His subject is the unfettered male experience and his kinetic camera probes deeply. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i> The Wolf of Wall Street </i>is an autobiographical tour de force; an effective, concentrated study of an opportunistic sociopath whose sordid ambitions just so happened to comply with the aggrandizing excesses and cultural decadence of Wall Street unchained. This is a world governed by an ethos boasting "greed is good." Jordan Belfort and Gordon Gecko carved their own Mount Rushmore, trading Washington and Jefferson for personal excess and illicit theft. Like a pirate's treasure, capitalism was pilfered, plundered and excavated for the sole purpose of enriching the personal lives of corporate criminals. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> As much a character study as an examination of an avaricious culture, Scorsese made a calculated decision not to hold our hands; instead imploring the viewer to evaluate the moral ramifications of this debased world. The last shot in the film involves Scorsese's omniscient camera staring directly at an audience, which is all-too eager to have the answers supplied for them; quite blatantly implicating us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">4). <i>The Grandmaster</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> This is not first-rate Wong Kar-wai, but even second-rate Wong is better than pretty much first-rate everybody else. Like Marty, he's one of my favorite filmmakers. He's been a bastion of world cinema; in fact, a movie like <i>The Grandmaster</i> can only exist in the assured hands of a true visionary. It's composition is beautifully conceived; it breathes like a serene meditation. But it seeks not spiritual enlightenment. Encompassing the kinetic spirit of martial-arts and kung fu, <i>The Grandmaster </i>desires cultural authenticity. Cinematographer Philippe Le Sourd brandishes an elegant sheen as he balances sumptuous art and feverish action. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The two central performances from Tony Leung Chiu-Wai and Zhang Ziyi anchor the film splendidly, allowing these balletic action sequences to spring to life. Their work engenders a dignified tone, capturing the somber lulls of unrequited love. Very few directors achieve resonance while fixating on loneliness and despair. Wong Kar-wai fashions it into thrilling iconography. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><img src="http://cineuropa.org/imgCache/2013/08/29/1377765749925_0560x0342_1377765861103.jpg" height="390" width="640" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">3). <i>The Act of Killing</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> The charm of some movies is dangerous. Most liberate our minds from the burdens of real life. But sometimes a movie comes along and it holds you captive to a way of life your nightmares can't reproduce. These movies expose you to a world of unconscionable carnage, in which an inhumanity is breached. I can't remember the last time I went to the theater and had my expectations shattered. By the time the end credits rolled for <i>The Act of Killing</i>, I was an emotional wreck. Moved to such contemplation, I attempted to process what I'd just watched. <i>The Act of Killing </i>ignites that kind of visceral charge. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> It is an invigorating, illuminating, mesmerizing portrait of an indefatigable creed of men who unleashed unspeakable acts of terror against their fellow countrymen. Joshua Oppenheimer employed a unique framework to understand the humanity of this inhumanity. Through various Hollywood style reenactments, Oppenheimer coaxed some fascinating nuggets about the human condition; about memory, how we contextualize it, recolor our past to align with present desires and our needs for rationale. Without question, <i>The Act of Killing</i> is the most compelling film you will see from last year. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><img src="http://static.rogerebert.com/redactor_assets/pictures/52613e9d6688b06e04000008/twelve-years-a-slave-michael-fassbender.jpg" height="479" width="640" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">2). <i>12 Years A Slave</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> The real contender for Best Picture is anchored by a trio of riveting performances: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender and Lupita Nyong'o. <i>12 Years a Slave </i>provided substantial dramatic heft to a bloody history seeped in sorrow and sin. Painstaking attention to detail is supplied by McQueen's keen visual eye, which has a knack for unearthing small details that speak vigorously about the environment his frame occupies. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> With painterly care, scholarly interest and supreme confidence in his abilities, McQueen curates a world of heartbreak. The realities these characters have to face are harrowing even for the most hardened, well-equipped comers. Their journeys precipitate the brutal tour of a reprehensible history; the cruelest manifesto of mankind is slavery. It was an injustice that persisted because a country failed to understand fundamental humanity. McQueen's unique direction, his singular voice, made him the perfect candidate to conduct this critical interrogation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">1). <i>The Great Beauty (La Grande Bellezza)</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Reminiscent of a time when the very foundation of film was rocked to its core, <i>The Great Beauty </i>gives us a modern and contextualized glimpse into the epicenter of that quake. The grammar and language of Paolo Sorrentino's filmmaking owes its elasticity to Fellini and the movement he contributed to. Fellini's vast talents propelled that movement—ignited by Italian Neorealists like Rossellini, De Sica and Visconti—to magnificent heights. An artistic buffet of surreal, ethereal, moral and philosophical constructs had formed. Sorrentino's <i>The Great Beauty </i>expands these stylistic indulgences to accommodate modern times. Though the surrounding milieu has undergone dramatic change, the mechanisms for examining that change have remained largely intact. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Sensational lead acting from Toni Servillo allowed Sorrentino to investigate the human condition through the lens of cultural malaise. For some of its native inhabitants, particularly the very artistically inclined, Rome is not the perpetual haven of creative inspiration we always like to believe. This realization emboldens <i>The Great Beauty </i>in dynamic ways; the viewer is able to reflect on the regional zeitgeist as much as the uncertain aspirations of Toni's character. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Precisely and with bold resolve owing to his local influences,<i> </i>Sorrentino burrowed into the mind of an artist. An awareness linking past, present and future was discovered. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The next 25 (in alphabetical order): <i>Ain't Them Bodies Saints, American Hustle, Beyond the Hills, Blackfish, Blue is the Warmest Color, Blue Jasmine, Captain Phillips, Dallas Buyers Club, Drug War, Faust, Frances Ha, The Hunt, Inequality for All, Museum Hours, An Oversimplification of Her Beauty, The Place Beyond the Pines, Rush, Short Term 12, The Spectacular Now, Stoker, This is the End, To The Wonder, Upstream Color, Wadjda, The World's End</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Next tier (honorable mention): <i>42, All is Lost, Bad Grandpa, The Bling Ring, Blue Caprice, Bullet to the Head, The Butler, Computer Chess, The Conjuring, The Dirties, Dirty Wars, Don Jon, Enough Said, Frozen, Fruitvale Station, In a World, La Sirga, The Last Stand, Leviathan, Mike Birbiglia: My Girlfriend's Boyfriend, Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth, Much Ado About Nothing, Mud, On the Job, Our Nixon, Out of the Furnace, Pacific Rim, Pain and Gain, Prince Avalanche, Prisoners, Room 237, The Selfish Giant, Side Effects, Sightseers, Stories We Tell, Tommy and Frank, The Way Way Back, You're Next, Zero Charisma</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Final tier (adequate): <i>2 Guns, A.C.O.D, August: Osage County, Oblivion, Behind the Candelabra, The Best Offer, The Canyons, Clear History, The Croods, Despicable Me 2, Drinking Buddies, Escape Plan, Europa Report, Evil Dead, Fast and Furious 6, The Great Gatsby, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Iron Man 3, The Kings of Summer, Linsanity, Man of Steel, Monsters University, Rewind This, Saving Mr. Banks, We're the Millers, The Wolverine, World War Z</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Duds: <i>Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, Elysium, Epic, Gangster Squad, A Good Day to Die Hard, The Hangover: Part 3, The Heat, Kick-Ass 2, Now You See Me, Olympus Has Fallen, Planes, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Star Trek Into Darkness, Trance, Turbo, Warm Bodies, White House Down </i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />Failed to see but desperately wanted to: <i>At Berkeley, Inside Llewyn Davis, Nebraska, The Past, A Touch of Sin, The Wind Rises</i></span></div>
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FilmMattichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15567287349203493671noreply@blogger.com50tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6018122949256325759.post-78400916592274118952013-10-28T17:20:00.000-04:002019-04-29T17:40:50.351-04:00The Disconnect Between Gambling Films & Modern Gambling <div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Guest Post</i></span><img alt="Image result for rounders movie" class="irc_mi" data-iml="1556574025273" height="425" src="https://crookedmarquee.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/rounders-750x500.jpg" style="margin-top: 42px;" width="640" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the parlance of strange and passionate people and their strange and passionate affairs, gambling films always seem to gather "cult followings" - which generally means their success in the box office is mediocre, but they're still seen as popular films with niche audiences. Indeed, the basic themes presented in these films - risk, reward, getting into and sometimes out of trouble, and hedonistic atmospheres - are certainly appealing windows into a more gratifying form of entertainment. The attraction, an </span>instinctual<span style="font-family: inherit;"> desire to test the limits of your personal success, is not too hard to understand after all. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"> But have you ever noticed that nearly every </span><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.themoviemind.com/2013/04/17/the-best-gambling-movies-of-all-time">popular gambling film</a> portrays gambling as not only risky, but flat out dangerous? Consider the following examples:</span></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Rounders</span></i><span style="font-size: large;"> - A pantheon gambling film and many people's favorite, "Rounders" is essentially about the dangers of high stakes, underground poker. Ed Norton's character, Worm, is portrayed as a self-destructive, troublemaking addict who can't help but ruin himself through gambling, and Matt Damon's Mike can clearly only succeed in life when he distances himself from the tables. It's entertaining, but really pretty bleak.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">21</span></i><span style="font-size: large;"> - Blackjack, baby! It's a sexy and actually fairly intelligent thriller based on the true story of a group of M.I.T. students who organized a card-counting operation in Vegas on weekends. Yet the film's main character, Ben (Jim Sturgess), nearly loses his money, education, shot at a future, and life in one fell swoop. Yikes!</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Heat</span></i><span style="font-size: large;"> - The 1986 film - not the 90's action thriller - depicts Burt Reynolds as a skilled and enjoyable bodyguard/gun for hire who yearns to leave Vegas and start a new life abroad. But, alas, an unwieldy gambling addiction keeps him from achieving this dream. Incidentally, </span><a href="http://screenrant.com/jason-statham-brian-de-palma-heat-sandy-150145" style="font-size: x-large;">Screenrant</a><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">tells us a remake with Jason Statham is on the way.</span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> Just a few examples, but you get the idea. "Casino Royale," noted for a particularly memorable sequence, is a prominent exception, as it makes gambling - at least in Daniel Craig's capable hands - look sexy, thrilling, and fruitful. But generally speaking, I'm always struck by how thoroughly the film industry's portrayal of gambling and the actual modern hobby of casino activity seem to clash. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> Of course, there is always risk in gambling, and addiction is a very real problem. But for the most part today, we view gambling as entertainment more than as a harmful vice. For example, playing <a href="https://poker1.betfair.com/">poker at Betfair</a> online, an Internet casino user might simply be honing his game, gambling relatively small amounts of cash in live tournaments or video poker rooms simply for entertainment value. At the same site, a user can enjoy cartoonish arcade games and slot machine options, to the point that it almost seems more like an arcade gaming site than a casino! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> Again, gambling and risk can never be separated. But options like Internet casinos, in addition to basic entertainment - watching the World Series of Poker on <a href="http://espn.go.com/">ESPN</a>, downloading silly poker and blackjack apps, etc. - have led to a lighter, simpler perception of gambling for the average person. And, ultimately, this may have something to do with why those old school gambling films teeming with trouble just don't seem relatable anymore.</span></div>
FilmMattichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15567287349203493671noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6018122949256325759.post-25495484234886476892013-04-03T06:00:00.000-04:002019-04-16T23:44:21.524-04:00Random Rumination<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Looking at Art From The Outsider's POV</span></i><img alt="Image result for movie the outsider nicholas jarecki" class="irc_mi" data-iml="1555472625929" height="410" src="https://cps-static.rovicorp.com/2/Open/AMG_EU_644/Program/5721412/_3by4/_derived_jpg_q90_410x410_m0/5721412_PA_The%20Outsider.jpg?partner=allrovi.com" style="margin-top: 87px;" width="308" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="font-size: large;">I watched an interesting documentary the other day called </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="font-family: inherit;">The Outsider </i></span><span style="font-size: large;">(available on Netflix Instant watch). </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Driven by my </span><span style="font-size: large;">curiosity to</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> understand everything there is to know about making movies, I started watching it expecting to be educated on a couple of </span><span style="font-size: large;">things</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">, a proposition increasingly difficult to satisfy as the more inscrutable, utilitarian aspects of filmmaking can only be learned through the practice of actually making movies. But knowledge is power and I'm not averse to expanding my intellectual capital in the event that I do enter the discipline full-throttle. The downside is a hellacious misuse of my free time, but the upside is </span><span style="font-size: large;">incalculable</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> in ways that keep my capacity to dream big alive.</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> Directed by Nicholas Jarecki, who recently made </span><i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">Arbitrage</i><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">, a compelling dissection of modern capitalism and the polluting ambitions it creates in men to ascend the endless mountain of money, </span><i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">The Outsider</i><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">, navigating much different terrain,</span><i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"> </i><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">follows the idiosyncratic movements of maverick indie-filmmaker, James Toback (<i>Fingers, Tyson, </i>screenwriter for <i>Bugsy</i>). Toback is the kind of man whose genius is engineered to excess through problematic personal indiscretions; a high-stakes gambling addiction only breaches the surface. Jarecki's </span><span style="font-size: large;">curiosity</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> in Toback is more of an enchantment stemming from the </span>psychological faculties<span style="font-family: inherit;"> with which it becomes necessary to sustain a vital career in the thrust of such manic, extremist preoccupations. We can deduce from the stark juxtapositions comprising the dramatic arc of Toback's professional life that his incessant intellectual fervor and behavioral curiosity is tethered to his personal misgivings.</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> For a man who has seen and done it all, who has lived life precariously to maximum pleasure and pain, who has exhibited insatiable thirst for discovery, what can possibly motivate him to the set? A set where he commands unflinching authority, patiently directing actors, dictating millions of decisions instinctively with regards to lighting, camera placement, lens choice, and communicating the film's conceptual functions upon which every frame, scene, and sequence depend?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> The answer is actually pretty simple to fathom. That inexorable willpower Toback harnesses in his personal life to achieve pertinence, material or otherwise, fuels his quest to find artistic meaning in life. Only difference is the guise of cinema as opposed to a perverse personal enrichment. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> The question more compelling than what is why. An artist can always summon the creative juices to propel their next project. But organizing and augmenting these </span>creative flourishes<span style="font-family: inherit;"> in ways that trigger a more primordial emphasis is the true challenge. And even more challenging still is finding an acceptable intersection of ideas, which aligns these passions and convictions to the chasms of an evolving, even mercurial marketplace. Will anybody be interested in what you have to say? What purpose does your art serve if not </span>cultural?<span style="font-family: inherit;"> What value can be ascribed to art if there is no audience to digest it? These are primal questions that have intrigued minds since the dawn of time. No finite answer will ever close the discussion.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> But Jarecki and Toback have ventured that metaphysical journey nonetheless, and through their impassioned inquisition I felt compelled to write this piece. This act alone is a testament to the work they have put forth. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> Roger Ebert appears in the documentary during a few key moments to offer some well-reasoned insights. One particular idea he posits that is worth reflecting on is this notion: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> "all the great directors are self-indulgent...if you're not going to indulge yourself, then who? The audience? Then you're not a director at all, you're a caterer." </span></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> While this insight seems quite inflammatory, bemoaning any director who seeks to furnish a work that encapsulates best the public's demand, it is actually a pretty inevitable conclusion to draw. Art is entirely a function of self. Good art enhances self in a manner that is </span>agreeable.<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Great art transforms self and becomes universal. And the greatest of art often shocks and penetrates our </span>sensibilities, <span style="font-family: inherit;">requiring new parameters to evaluate its primacy. Stanley Kubrick, considered by many among cinema's greatest visual artists, purposely imbued his films with layered meanings to encourage multivalent explanations. Exploitation film by its very design is meant to provoke outrage. What critic in the 1970s was not morally </span>appalled<span style="font-family: inherit;"> by Michael Winner's </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">Death Wish</i><span style="font-family: inherit;">, a film whose reputation has grown more favorably with each successive generation?</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> The New French Extremity movement is principled on the belief that subjecting an unwitting audience member to unconscionable depravity is a source of visceral enlightenment. The tides of posterity will be the true determinants of which films warrant exultant praise and those that wade eternally in the murky waters of mediocrity.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> The spirit of this idea speaks intimately to the philosophy of Toback. He is an artist first and foremost. His canvas is a stock of film. Visual images are his brush strokes. The viability of an artistic idea should not derive from its commercial solvency. Fecundity is the operative word that ought to be used. To what extent a creation achieves a kind of intellectual or creative vibrancy is the proper currency from which to define its merit. Not a dollar sign. If the merits of film, which I strongly believe to be consistent with all avenues of artistic expression, are ultimately valued based upon how much money it can make, how palatable its commercial prospects are, then it ceases being a film. It is, as Toback comically quips, "no different than a shoe," or any other facet of merchandise meant purely to satisfy the masses at the most digestible economic level. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Art is deeply personal. The creative and imaginative power it provisions is diluted if the driving force is commercial. But, if art succeeds the test of honest design, if it is cultivated through the proper organic channels and manages to reach a massive audience, then it's accomplishment is magnificent. In that instance I can truly bow for the outsider has been welcomed into the community of commerce. </span></span>FilmMattichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15567287349203493671noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6018122949256325759.post-68632925256652179002013-03-27T06:00:00.000-04:002013-03-27T06:00:16.367-04:00Movie Review: Swingers<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Show Me The You're So Money, Baby</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Imagine the year is 1996. Los Del Rio's <i>Macarena </i>and Blackstreet's <i>No Diggity </i>are dominating the music charts. The Spice Girls are infuriating every teenage boy who is just beginning to experiment with the opposite sex. <i>Independence Day </i>annihilates the Summer Box Office and convinces me that being dropped off six hours before it screens is an ingenious way to spend six hours. Everyone is "being showed the money!" in inappropriate outbursts to flex their obnoxious <i>Jerry Maguire </i>muscle. The Summer Olympics are being held in Atlanta. Ebay has just launched. Sadly, Ask Jeeves follows suit. No one knows who the hell Justin Bieber is.</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;"> Now, I suggest you purge all this pop culture data from your consciousness to reflect on another more discreet and lesser-known formative development. </span><span style="font-size: large;">That touchstone of pop culture cool, ingrained deep in the minds of every male from the age of 17 to "I'm not that old" arrives in limited theaters poised to educate all partygoers on what clubs may or may not be "dead anyway:" </span><span style="font-size: large;">The debut of </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Swingers </i><span style="font-size: large;">o</span><span style="font-size: large;">r what nostalgic folk recognize as a fitting love letter to the 90s. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Wingmen are cool if they embrace their proper social role i.e. distract her friend and move on. Wannabe actors not gainfully employed by the Hollywood system have to realize the life of a hustling thespian ain't so glamorous. Spontaneous relationships are formed and deformed in the aftermath of Mike's (Jon Favreau) and Michelle's (Whichever women voiced her) off-screen breakup. Spastically calling a woman the same night you meet her is a big NO! NO!, and possibly the gateway to becoming a stalker. Heather Graham's casting in </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Boogie Nights </i><span style="font-size: large;">makes a whole lot more sense. Trips to Vegas are encouraged and discouraged in equal measure. Doubling down is a mandate far greater than anything Congress could levy. Trents "all around the world" (sing it as Sugar Ray did the following year) are emancipated from their cultural stigma and allowed to accept their vulgar importance in the male unit. NHLPA Hockey '93 is still consuming every ounce of blood from gamers. Woman you may think are strangely flirting with you are actually performing their maternal function. Brandishing guns ain't necessary unless you're a Blood, a Crip, or an extra in a music video. The quintessence of cool, of male camaraderie, of smoothing out life's complications with chicken and waffles, is crystallized in one catchall title. </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Swingers. </i><span style="font-size: large;">Tom Haverford of </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Parks and Recreation </i><span style="font-size: large;">could not lease that much swag.</span><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">(1)</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> <i>Swingers </i>is about the lives of single, unemployed actors besieged by the enchantment of Hollywood's uncertain spell during the '90s swing revival. Mike, an East Coast, New York convert, has recently terminated a six-year relationship with his long-time girlfriend (six months have elapsed), and is experiencing considerable difficulties adjusting to single life. His friends, Trent (Vince Vaughn), Rob (Ron Livingtston), Charles (Alex Desert), and Sue (Patrick Van Horn), each beset by their own career or personal struggles, coach Mike on the rules of bachelorhood, attempting to assuage insecurities he's succumbed to from self-perceived professional and romantic shortcomings.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Directed by Doug Liman and his desperate imperative to forge something palatable after an abomination of a first-feature, <i>Swingers </i>represents a miracle of artistic design. The $200,000 budget forbade any instinct to conceptualize big, lavish environs as production sets had to abide economically. Capturing the extravagant neon artifice that is Vegas and the alluring charms of a Los Angeles consumed by its predatory zeal requires flush pockets, but Liman and crew demonstrate that a maverick spirit, penchant for guerrilla filmmaking, and dialogue-centric script could offset any budgetary constraints. A lack of permits can be creatively negotiated, too, if one is willing to risk a date with the penitentiary. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Stylistically the film is quite simple. That's not a bad thing. The great Japanese filmmakers, namely Yasujiro Ozu bequeathed the lesson of simplicity, preaching simplification of image and delicacy of tone. Configuring these lessons coherently and with grace demands the conviction of a disciplined artist. As earmarks to a purer form of art, tonal deviations have to be dispensed only when the narrative commands it. And while I do not think that Liman is sufficiently channeling the formal austerity of Ozu or even intimately familiar with it, it is clear that he has, to a discernible degree, conjured its spirit in ways that conform to a modern narrative. The focus on dialogue from which the film's dramatic power pivots coheres seamlessly with this uncomplicated approach.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> To be sure, there are moments of aesthetic indulgence, divorcing the narrative from a total unobtrusive gaze. Liman and the cast recreate Tarantino's famous <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qBWc8FCEEM">slow motion title sequence</a> from <i>Reservoir Dogs </i>and a less ambitious, less vibrant duplication of Scorsese's Steadicam sequence from <i>Goodfellas </i>(<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCYwcObxl78">Copacabana Club</a>)<i>. </i>These scenes emphasize the vitality of movement, marrying music with image in a kinetic procession. The expressive burst of energy is mesmerizing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Career uncertainty is a consistent theme circling the lives of these swingers. Mike is initially subjected to the vapid pretensions of an aspiring performer who must perform in a land controlled by capricious interests. His character's arc is not only a referendum on the needless existential guilt that befalls all indecisive lovers, but a well-camouflaged assault on the callousness of a profession in which success slavishly relies on rejection. His friend, Rob, is also victimized by the carnival of conceit that Hollywood revels in. The fact that Favreau's script and Liman's direction satirizes this dysfunction so tactfully is a testament to their combined talent. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Beyond the occasional visual embellishment and the tonal consistency, the most spectacular element propelling <i>Swingers </i>fate into the immortalized wing of the comedic canon is the exceptional acting from everyone involved. Jon Favreau inhabits Mike with such unrelenting angst and pathos that you harbor simultaneous dislike and like for him in the same sentence. His whiny disposition does not endorse an empathetic plea until you realize how sincere and well-meaning his character's intentions are. Then the floodgate of emotion is unleashed and it is unstoppable. Vince Vaughn's natural charisma and steely good looks imbue his playboy-hipster-swinger character with surplus flair. Despite his obsession with the words "baby" and "money," Trent's aggressively jovial attitude is impossible to dismiss. Ron Livingston gives a restrained performance that foreshadows <i>Office Space. </i>And Heather Graham is a perfect embodiment of the very woman all romantically troubled men yearn for when pleasure is sought. You're a lucky man, Mike. What ex were you talking about, again? </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Launching the careers of Doug Liman, Jon Favreau, Vince Vaughn, and Ron Livingston is the defining legacy of <i>Swingers </i>most worthy of culminating this nostalgic piece. <i>The Bourne Identity </i>benefits from Liman's tonal expertise. I can't imagine a world without <i>Iron Man</i>, Mr. Favreau. <i>Old School, Wedding Crashers, </i>and <i>Dodgeball </i>confirm the comedic importance of Vince Vaughn. <i>Into the Wild </i>is a damn fine movie, too. And work without <i>Office Space </i>is not work. Having observed and appreciated the careers of <i>Swingers'</i> integral players justifies its cultural importance in ways more exulting than mere words could furnish. To close the book on the '90s for my own edification and in honor of a recent re-watch, I had to emphasize the brilliance of that little film that could make you feel so money, baby. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">9 out of 10</span></b></div>
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<b><i>1: Shout-out to Rent-A-Swag. My love for Parks and Recreation deserves mention as well. </i></b></div>
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FilmMattichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15567287349203493671noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6018122949256325759.post-83245787025616521792013-03-21T06:00:00.000-04:002018-07-30T17:36:27.017-04:00Movie Review: Rust and Bone<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Bone Hugs-N-Disharmony</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">RUST [rust] v. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> 1. To deteriorate or degenerate through inactivity or neglect. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> 2. To impair or spoil, as by misuse or inactivity. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Free Dictionary: By Farlex</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Jacques Audiard dangerously conforms to a sociological latticework that breeds dysfunction and chaos. He is not interested in exploring the complications of life through rose-colored glasses. Materialistic goons spawned from the next incarnation of <i>The Queen of Versailles </i>are not his concern<i>. </i>Disharmony is his unifying force. People who operate desperately on the fringes of society are his focus.</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;"> Discovering </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Rust and Bone</i><span style="font-size: large;">, which marks the splendid succession of four consecutive critical triumphs for Jacques Audiard, all expressing the coarseness of human behavior, of men and women imperiled by disorder, has amplified my central belief in his work. This belief stands as more of a preconception, which is motivated by Audiard's curiosity in the devolution of flawed men. These are brutish figures subjugated to an ethos of potent masculinity that requires confronting harsh, unforgiving terrains and exposing equally harsh realities. This cinematic conceit, of the fractured masculine ideal, is juxtaposed with the delicate and subdued yearning to reach spiritual fulfillment. Tethered to this humanistic posturing is a terrifying conclusion. That redemption is indiscriminate. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The deterioration of our physical states, of our conscious minds, is propelled by fate. It will happen. This certainty represents the "rust" of life. The "bone" is how we respond to that impairment. If you idle by under the ineffectual pretensions of a weak nature, Audiard suggests you'll crumble. But if underlying your troubles is a kind of resiliency and strength, then you'll rise from the adversity stronger and emotionally complete. <i>Rust and Bone </i>depicts modern troubles through the microcosm of young, assertive, physically contented adults. How they respond to their troubles is ultimately what emboldens Jacques Audiard's narrative thrust.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Based on Craig Davidson's short story collection of the same name, <i>Rust and Bone </i>tells the story of Alain (Matthias Schoenaerts), an unemployed father and aspiring professional fighter, who develops sporadic romantic feelings for a killer whale trainer, Stephanie (Marion Cottillard), who suffers a tragic accident. Since I'm staunchly against all manner of spoilers, I will not reveal any further details specific to the plot except to underscore certain points later in my review. I will offer this last bit of promotion. One of the most gut-wrenching moments to occur in any recent film that I can remember is central to the dramatic arc of this film and it is handled with the utmost care from a dignified master of melodrama.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I like to think of Marion Cotillard as a French, dark-haired version of Naomi Watts. Feelings and emotions radiate from her face without resorting to cheap emotive tactics or succumbing to exuberant theatricality. Her approach is a testament to the power of restraint, of intimating ideas through honest expression. The convenience of mechanical contrivance offers no boon. Her performance is strong, subtle, and beautifully nuanced. The benefactor of her depressed physical needs is a real life Hulk. Matthias Schoenaerts's uncanny summons of sensitivity in the face of gargantuan physique is tremendous. Some keen reviewers note a similarity to the early method work of Marlon Brando (<i>Streetcar Named Desire </i>would make a terrific double-feature). Schoenaert's cinematic genealogy presumes an adeptness for configuring this type of muscle-bound man who is stubbornly prone to failure. Michael R. Roskam's <i>Bullhead </i>is an exceptional character study and it showcases a riveting performance from Mr. Schoenaerts that is emotionally consistent with his character here. The traumas he endures in <i>Bullhead </i>present a compelling corollary to the parental dysfunctions he displays in <i>Rust and Bone. </i>Procuring meager profits by subjecting your body to insane physical punishment is no way to go through life. But Audiard's chief interest is probing the perils of men who are victimized by unwieldy pain. The symbiosis that is fostered between Stephanie and Alain is a by-product of their enslavement to an uncomfortable, hostile living environment. The culmination of their journey can only be reached if they bleed the rust from their shattered bones. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Alain remains estranged from the safety net that emotion supplies while Stephanie is divorced from the outward physicality upon which Alain's preoccupation with fighting brutally relies. Focusing only on his most visceral physical needs has been an unstable course. What triggers Alain's resolution in the heart-wrenching climax is his submission to raw emotion, retreating finally to that reservoir from which authentic feelings originate. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"> The story relentlessly penetrates its bleak surroundings. Experiencing grief is an instrumental step in life's discordant journey. <i>Rust and Bone </i>ends optimistically even though the candle of optimism is burnished by an uncertain polish. </span><span style="font-size: large;">"You're stronger at the broken places." The fractured parts become the impetus for change. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Audiard's character-centric method invites empathy. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Downtrodden souls deserve our understanding as much as they warrant an unvarnished cinematic gaze.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Audiard permits—in fact implores y</span><span style="font-size: large;">ou to root for his characters despite our moral protests. It is a rare gift that recalls Martin Scorsese whom I champion enough times to motivate an intervention.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">One look at Audiard's three central works preceding <i>Rust and Bone </i>confirms this assessment. Romain Duris had to absorb a life of disrepute in <i>The Beat That My Heart Skipped, </i>his retreat to the patriarchal rule of his father an unavoidable circumstance. His desire to become a concert pianist was squelched by persistent familial expectation. Vincent Cassel's capacity for skulduggery in <i>Read My Lips </i>was emboldened by the arrival of an earnest woman with a hearing deficiency, their fates intertwined by a shared compulsion to be heard and recognized. <i>A Prophet </i>followed the cruel trajectory of a man who was supremely comfortable in treading life's innocent path, but an instinct for self-preservation forced him to resort to violence, his dovetail into a life of crime complete. These were flawed men whose fates were interlocked by an unrelenting push to commit crime and dispense vicious force, whose gentle, softer natures remained latent and limp. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Peering over the cineliterate prose of Roger Ebert, I'm drawn to one particular statement. "Jacques Audiard is interested in what remains of people after something has been lost."<b>(1) </b>A surface glance suggests that <i>Rust and Bone</i> only explores the emotional beats of disability. But such an approach is limited. Audiard eschews sentimentality employed by other films that address this delicate subject, pivoting instead off a more hardened and callous gaze. Alain's line to Stephanie when he's looking for sex, "Are you OP?" (which we learn means "operational" i.e. poised for sex) offers a glimpse into the psychological proclivities of his protagonists. It expands upon the notion that these two characters are functioning on a visceral level, in which complex emotional needs are replaced by the immediate comfort of physical gratification. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> That <i>Rust and Bone </i>bathes in bleak waters yet a beautifully composed payoff still surfaces is a testament to Audiard's tonal skill. A restrained approach and his penchant for slow Steadicam shots, fixating on the backs of characters' heads— emblematic of the Dardenne Brothers, a comparison worth its weight in gold—is the reason. The balletic choreography that informs his fighting sequences, triggering memories of Gavin O'Connor's <i>Warrior</i>, is consistent with Audiard's poetic tact. It reinforces my belief that the French equivalent to Martin Scorsese does walk this Earth.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Jacques Audiard imbues all his movies with that most irresistible aesthetic, the "French cool" popularized by Jean-Paul Belmondo in <i>Breathless </i>and Alain Delon in <i>Le Samourai.</i> His sleek, subversive narratives are contextualized by an abiding faith in Hollywood values i.e. treating entertainment as religion. What results is an unconventional take on an otherwise conventional story. Style and substance miraculously converge. Neither mechanism overshadows the other. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Audiard considers cinema entertainment. Music and literature are the true bastions of art. The creative flourishes in his films that impart meaning—close-ups carefully attuned to emotion, medium shots that dance to the rhythm of pop or the drama of opera, wide shots that illuminate geography and identify purpose—underscore his aesthetic doctrine. Music and story coexist in perfect harmony. The spell so feverish it functions on its own accord, beholden to its own style. Reflecting on France's long and fertile history with film, of the Lumiere Brothers, Jean Vigo, Jean Renoir, Jean Cocteau, Marcel Carne, Claude Chabrol, Godard, Truffaut, Tati, Melville, Resnais, and Rohmer (and many other greats that succinctness will not allow me to spotlight), you start to realize the enormity of the honor hoisted upon Jacques Audiard when I declare that his legacy is now firmly linked to that immortal class of French filmmakers. Four straight cinematic gems thus entitles thee. </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">9 out of 10</span></b><br />
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<i>Citation <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(1)</span>: http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2013/02/_they_are_two_people.html</i></div>
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FilmMattichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15567287349203493671noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6018122949256325759.post-45530598772901037742013-03-18T00:00:00.001-04:002013-03-18T00:00:19.402-04:00Blogfest: Top Ten Favorite Movies of All-Time<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">It's Not The Final Countdown</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Formulating a list that by its very proclamation boasts of "My Ten Favorite Films" requires a mindset I've never been truly ready to embrace. To exclude so many films that I love is to commit an almost homicidal act upon works that to me are endowed with such everlasting appeal, my affinity for them incontrovertible. What follows, therefore, is merely an attempt. </span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;"> This most unenviable of tasks has been levied upon yours truly and it explicitly stipulates the construction of a list that has as a definite endpoint ten. This means I must confront that very impossibility, ascend the Everest of movie fandom, and experience the visual awes of the Seven Wonders. Well, metaphorically speaking, anyway. This is a feat I feel ill-equipped to address. But I must soldier on. Critical complacency is not welcome in the dominion of cinephilia. The unpleasantness of choice is a rite of passage. The business of making lists demands impassivity. For someone whose affection for film and passion for particular films rivals a songwriter's lust for lyrics, parting with loves is the name of the game. There can be only ten.</span><br />
<a href="http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/" style="font-size: x-large;">Alex Cavanaugh</a><span style="font-size: large;"> is a man with whom talent and passion blissfully coincide. As an exceptional blogger and proprietor of the "</span><a href="http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/2013/02/overcoming-adversity-blogfest-ninja.html" style="font-size: x-large;">Top Ten Movie Countdown Blogfest</a><span style="font-size: large;">,</span><span style="font-size: large;">" Alex's shoulders must, first, be imposing. The enormous responsibility he carries makes The Rock look frail by comparison. But his reliable presence in the blogosphere, his dedication to maintaining a cheerful community, is indicative of his commitment to content. Content that enhances, expands, and augments the cultural currency from which </span><span style="font-size: large;">blogging faithfully relies. To you Alex I express my gratitude. Thank you for hosting this wonderful blogathon! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">For a representative list to be formed exacting standards have to be met. My list attempts to be representative. It is not designed to be the most accurate reflection of my ten favorite films, but more of an illustration of ten films that I deeply, profoundly love at this very moment. These films encompass the full gamut of my ongoing cinematic education, tracing film's glorious long history. If I had to come up with a list of my ten favorites tomorrow, or next week, there's a good chance different films would be featured. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The more thought that I devote to this list's creation, the more I realize how entirely arbitrary and cumbersome it is to settle at ten. For someone ensconced in film and sufficiently versed on the careers of hundreds of revered filmmakers, it is unbecoming, under the guise of objective criticism, to not include so many other cherished films. The film I consider the greatest of all-time, for instance, does not make the cut. Is it because critics almost unanimously agree with that particular film's peerless merits? What cultural benefit can I muster if I champion only the films that constantly receive the lion's share of praise? </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The answer is I can include any film that I feel a deep connection to; a film that strives for aesthetic perfection; that demands endless interpretation; that illuminates aspects of life that I've never confronted or refused to grasp; a film that is compositionally impeccable, visually breathtaking, narratively enthralling. The criteria I exercised is specially and deliberately diverse. So, to belabor the point once more, this list is meant more as a crystallization of my personal history with film. Films considered universally great will invariably be excluded. Now let's get to that list, shall we....</span></div>
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<u><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Here's a list spotlighting many of the films I considered:</span></b></u> <span style="font-size: large;"><i>The Godfather, The Godfather: Part II, The Searchers, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, High Noon, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, Once Upon A Time in the West, The Third Man, The Long Goodbye, Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars: Episode V - The Empires Strikes Back, The Thin Red Line, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, The Earrings of Madame D, The Double Life of Veronique, Sullivan's Travels, Seven Samurai, Sansho the Bailiff, Rules of the Game, Rocco and His Brothers, Rashomon, Playtime, Platoon, Atlantic City, Au revoir les enfants, Pierrot le fou, Pickpocket, Dr. Strangelove, Paisa, Le Mepris, L'Atalante, Children of Paradise, L'Avventura, La Notte, Blow Up, Mean Streets, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, Lawrence of Arabia, Tokyo Story, La Grande Illusion, Chungking Express, Ikiru, Stray Dog, Yojimbo, Once Upon A Time in America, Yi Yi, City of Sadness, From Here to Eternity, Duck Soup, Dog Day Afternoon, 12 Angry Men, Do The Right Thing, Die Hard, Cool Hand Luke, Chinatown, Alien, Aliens, Blade Runner, Terminator 2, Back to the Future, Jaws, Memento, Children of Men, The Bittersweet Life, The Man From Nowhere, There Will Be Blood, No Country for Old Men, Casablanca, The Shop Around the Corner, The Big Heat, The Maltese Falcon, The Apartment, Ace In The Hole, Sunset Boulevard, Double Indemnity, M, Cache, Breathless, Cabaret, 400 Blows, Barry Lyndon, Mulholland Drive, The Son, The Child, Manhattan, Annie Hall, Bicycle Thieves, Blow Out, Army of Shadows, Mon oncle d'Amerique, Vertigo, Rear Window, Notorious, Shadow of a Doubt, Psycho, Apocalypse Now, Andrei Rublev, American Graffiti, Amelie, All The President's Men, Airplane!, Aguirre, the Wrath of God, Fitzcarraldo, A Bittersweet Life, Pather Panchali, Boogie Nights, Magnolia, Fight Club, Seven, L.A. Confidential, Heat, To Live and Die In L.A., Les Diaboliques, Requiem For A Dream, Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, Jackie Brown, </i>and so, so many others<i>.</i></span> <span style="font-size: large;">I could have easily reeled off another 100-plus movies. This was the antithesis of easy. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">10). <i>Le Samouraï</i></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Cinema's ascendance to the high arts has always been a matter of debate. Unbridled creation is the enemy of commerce despite the inherent boon it affords a master visual stylist. Jean Renoir never bought the notion because he never thought a director could furnish a singular vision unto himself. The crystallization of art represented only one voice in his mind. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Someone like Jean-Pierre Melville, a virtuoso of image, composition, mood, and sound, would ultimately prove the great master wrong. Melville commanded a vision without affectation. Minimalist flourishes stretched to their maximum effect in <i>Le Samourai</i>, exemplified his stylistic creed. Action is character. Attitude, behavior, disposition imbue images with meaning and purpose. And that handsomest of International movie stars Alain Delon, made hitmen cool. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> What was so great about the French New Wave, and what emboldened its rebellious flair, was not so much a reinvention of the essential language underlying filmmaking, but more of an updated calibration of the grammar. From horse and buggy to Thunderbirds, Corvettes, Eldorados. From <i>The Birth of a Nation </i>and <i>Intolerance </i>to <i>Bob le flambeur </i>and <i>Le Samourai.</i> </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">9).</span><i><span style="font-size: x-large;"> His Girl Friday</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Any top ten list that has my name on it has to fulfill one contractual obligation, which asserts the inclusion of at least one comedy. And few comedies springing from Hollywood's Golden Era were funnier, upbeat, more subversive, chaotic, and charming than Howard Hawks' <i>His Girl Friday. </i>This is the apex of screwball comedy, sharing a place alongside the peerless works of Preston Sturges (<i>The Lady Eve, Sullivan's Travels, Hail the Conquering Hero, The Miracle of Morgan's Creek</i>). </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Chemistry is an indispensable ally of comic fare and Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell invigorated their absurd proceedings with the sturdy romanticism of an Ernst Lubitsch adventure (think <i>Ninotchka, </i><i>To Be or Not To Be, Trouble in Paradise, The Shop Around the Corner</i>). If I'm ever suffering from a downbeat mood, I'll throw this picture on and immediately feel uplifted. The Lubitsch Touch ain't got nothing on <i>His Girl Friday, </i>and that's a heck of a bold statement because I love Mr. Lubitsch's films.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>8). <i>The Treasure of the Sierra Madre</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> I have a great fondness for John Huston's films. Residing somewhere in the deep recesses of my consciousnesses, where image is processed and sound echoed, is <i>The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. </i>It's the film </span><span style="font-size: large;">I always find myself retreating to in times demanding inspiration. T</span><span style="font-size: large;">he reasons are innumerable. The three central performances by Humphrey Bogart, Tim Holt, and Walter Huston illustrate a certain benchmark for what constitutes effective acting; that is to say, acting without bravado, without submitting to hierarchy or bowing down to those incessant calls to ham it up. A real synergy binds their work. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> And John Huston's efficient direction, focusing on the psychology of the characters and the ominous pretensions of the sprawling landscapes they traverse, is a masterstroke. It remains resolutely one of the great, enduring outdoor pictures on par with the groundbreaking work of John Ford, Akira Kurosawa, Anthony Mann, Sergio Leone, John Sturges, and other masters of landscape and the countless successors they birthed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>7). <i>The Red Shoes</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Michael Powell's and Emeric Pressburger's work fuses together like a matrimonial bond. There's never been a directorial tandem more impressively conjoined. The balletic gestures in this film, the grace and rhythm with which they merge, is of a scope I've never quite seen duplicated. The sumptuous photography, characteristic of all the Archers' pictures, and the wild and fantastical reverberations of music and movement, inject an artistic buoyancy that engulfs your every sense. Beholding the affectionate grandiloquence makes you an active participant. Many of us aspire to be the best. But for what reason? If it is vanity and hubris that propels our quest, then we are doomed. I think that is part of the lasting message of this film. Vibrant, poetic, and profound are just glimpses into the effusive catalog of adjectives with which it is necessary to describe <i>The Red Shoes. </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>6). <i>Late Spring</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Witnessing an Ozu picture is an experience I find almost impossible to mimic. There are few contemporary directors blessed with the confidence, patience, discipline, and visual repertoire required to make a film as beautifully composed and austere as <i>Late Spring. </i>Hou Hsiao-Hsien, Edward Yang, and Theo Angelopoulos are just three modern exemplars who embody the sublime rigid formalism of Yasujiro Ozu. All of his master works are interchangeable in terms of their brilliance because they disarm you in much the same way, though each time it conjures a different quality. Rest asssured that what you are watching reflects the core philosophy of the filmmaker who made it. That it underwent his most exhaustive efforts. That it enlivened his passion as much as yours. Any of ten Ozu films could have taken the place of <i>Late Spring. </i>But for me <i>Late Spring </i>has always triggered an arresting emotional connectivity that I find impossible to deny or dilute with excess verbiage. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>5). <i>Three Colors: Red </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Krzysztof Kieslowski is one of the treasured gifts that film has given us. <i>The Decalogue, Three Colors Trilogy</i>, and <i>The Double Life of Veronique </i>are some of the most important works of the last twenty-five years. Striving to navigate the moral and spiritual chasms of everyday life, Kieslowski's films have achieved an extraordinary, almost sublime permanence. Educating without being didactic. Imparting meaning without being polemic. Embodying art without being pretentious. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> What his film's represent is the sophisticated balance between pictorialism, distilled from artistic flourishes at their most ethereal, and emotional solvency upon which real human engagement depends. Relationships are explored with compassion, empathy, understanding. The images project an incandescence not because Kieslowski seeks to flaunt his unmatched visual luster, fulfilling some cheap ultimately hollow indulgence, but because the rules of composition apply and he knows precisely how to apply them. Passion and humility glide along the same wavelength, occupying the deepest points of human exploration. This is an impassioned filmmaker who has an miraculous grasp of the medium's enormous potential. See this film if what you desire is the path of enlightenment. </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">4).</span><i><span style="font-size: x-large;"> High and Low</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"> I've written about this film ebulliently in the past, so I find it especially expedient to revive my prior assessment in verbatim. In </span><i style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left;">High and Low</i><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">, Kurosawa demonstrates a flair for the police procedural, juxtaposing the functions of law enforcement with the dualities of good and evil, hero and perpetrator. His compositional expertise, born from years working with a paint brush, frames the story in an exquisite morality dance. Small details illuminate character motivations. </span><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">Ultimately, what transcends </span><i style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left;">High and Low </i><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">from the regimented patter that befalls most films of this genre is Kurosawa's vision. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"> Eschewing convention and the traditional posturing of bad guy, good guy morality tales, Kurosawa places the focal point not on one man's drama but an entire state mired in ethical crisis. The narrative coheres seamlessly through a labyrinth of themes including wealth and poverty, hope and sorrow, honor and dishonor. A synergy is fostered between these psychical polarities, painting an elaborate picture of a society submerged in conscientious extremes. Life is not as simple as we like to think. Real power exists beyond the imprisonment of material wealth and political patronage. We just have to seize it when the moment arises</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>3). <i>Goodfellas</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> There's never been a point in my blogging tenure when I celebrated a gangster picture without recognizing <i>The Godfather. </i>There's never been a time when I put <i>Goodfellas </i>above it. But today is the day where I break with tradition. As much as I adore Francis Ford Coppola's films, and will continue to as long as I walk on this Earth, <i>Goodfellas, </i>endowed with such pitch-perfect entertainment value, deserves a chance to revel in the same sort of luminous glow that befits its spiritual predecessor. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Certainly Martin Scorsese's prodigious talent is the reason. Bravura tracking shots, kinetic pacing, freeze frames that leave indelible marks, hypnotic slow motion sequences, there are just infinite dramatic weapons awaiting deployment from Marty's arsenal and they're all unleashed in this film. None of these dynamic elements, including the mesmeric screenplay written by Nicholas Pileggi, are extraneous or superfluous. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> And then there are the magnificent performances to cherish. Ray Liotta is not often regarded as one of his generation's most gifted actors, but if you consider his electrifying turn in Jonathan Demme's <i>Something Wild </i>and his tour de force performance here, it becomes impossible to characterize his work as anything other than earth-shattering. Joe Pesci and Lorraine Bracco also enchant the screen with a kind of sleazeball vitality, supplying such venal charm in what is quite frankly one of the most aggressively sordid mafia tales. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Captivating as he so often does, Robert DeNiro, among the greatest actors to transform a character, delivers spectacular moments of lucidity, his gestures hypnotizing to witness. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i> Goodfellas </i>sits atop the Rushmore of gangster films, existing on a plane in which Scorsese's stylistic exuberance incriminates the dysfunctions of an ethos bathed in squalor. The contemptible denizens of society must submit to retributive punishment warranted from a life of despicable crime. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>2). <i>A Man Escaped</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> I just knew that the great minimalist Robert Bresson, was going to inhabit prime real estate on my list. <i>Pickpocket, Au Hasard Balthazar, Diary of a Country Priest, </i>and <i>Mouchette </i>could easily have replaced <i>A Man Escaped. </i>I revere this man's inimitable talent that much. His films defy time and place. They function as universal treatises on human behavior comprised from the most elegant compass of understanding. Revisiting his work is an open invitation to cry my heart out. To engender emotion and penetrate the canvas of the human heart is a rare skill even among cinema's most gifted auteurs. Robert Bresson is the progenitor. His stylistic rigor, pushing the boundaries of filmmaking, choosing non-professional actors, professing deep curiosity in the relationships of his characters, experimenting with genres, tones, environments, and commanding all the tools of an accomplished artist, are simply the marks of preternatural authorship. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> While I would agree that <i>A Man Escaped </i>is not Bresson's best work (<i>Pickpocket </i>or <i>Au Hasard Balthazar </i>would earn that honor), it is the film that resonates with me most arrestingly. The spellbinding climax exhibits an almost Hitchcockian flair for suspense. And the total effect of <i>A Man Escaped</i> is even more of an unflinching sensory assault, leaving you with that rare feeling of completeness. But in this case that catharsis triggers an insatiable thirst for inquiry, precisely the stimulant from which your second viewing will demand immediacy. There's no doubt you'll be coming back for more. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>1). <i>La Dolce Vita</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"> Federico Fellini is among my favorite directors of all-time. I've seen all his most celebrated works and some of his lesser-known gems; <i>Nights of Cabiria, Juliet of the Spirits, I Vitelloni, 8</i></span><span style="text-align: left; vertical-align: super;"><i>1/2</i></span><span style="text-align: left;">, </span><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"><i>La Strada, </i>and <i>Amarcord</i>. Of all these veritable classics, <i>La Dolce Vita </i>captures my cinematic sensibilities strongest. It may not be his most profound or provocative work, but it is an unmistakable Fellini picture guided by that same hallucinatory vigor. The ornate scale that has become his visual trademark, where movement is relentless and life evocative, is on full baroque display. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"> Taking events from his life and transforming them onto screen is the Fellini mark, an autobiographical compulsion with which to enrich his artistic impulses. In <i>La Dolce Vita </i>this interior approach is a revelation. So authentically does Fellini capture the essence of living, transcribing the universal into the personal, that he invigorates familiar settings with almost-surreal qualities. </span><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">Reality intersects with fantasy. </span><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">Irreverent episodes become iconic touchstones. Unnerving images that highlight a society in crisis are interpolated with the normalcy of everyday life. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"> Functioning enigmatically like so many Fellini pictures, <i>La Dolce Vita </i>advances through what I can only categorize somewhat obscurely as a moving gallery encompassing existential and spiritual angst. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"> The</span><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"> rhythms of dance dominate the screen. Images supersede ideas and movements prevent visual stagnation. Roger Ebert famously observed, "few directors make better use of space." It is this awareness of spatial extravagance that highlights an important quality of <i>La Dolce Vita. </i>It is less the concentrated synergy of ideas than</span><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"> a procession where emotions march whimsically to the symphony of tragic happenstance. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"> D</span><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">irecting with complete control and confidence, with a curious existential gaze, Fellini probes the motivations of his many composite performers, conjuring up an atmosphere where divergent tones run the course. Visual elegance and exuberant performance unite in perfect harmony.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Feel compelled to besmirch my tastes, question my choices, harangue my name or sing my praises? Then by all means leave a comment. Interaction is what I treasure most about blogging. And t</span><span style="font-size: large;">hanks for stopping by! I sincerely hope you all enjoyed your stay :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>*All the amazing participants of the Top Ten Movie Countdown Blogfest can be found <a href="http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/2013/02/overcoming-adversity-blogfest-ninja.html">HERE!</a></b></span></div>
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FilmMattichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15567287349203493671noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6018122949256325759.post-90253080688652697232013-03-15T01:12:00.001-04:002018-07-30T17:38:17.226-04:00Movie Review: The Trial<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Sentenced to Write</span></i></div>
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<i><b>Editor's Note:</b> Realizing that this is a site dedicated to film and is meant to foster discussion therein, I shamefully admit that I have been derelict in my aficionado duties. Which is the business of reviewing films. So, starting now, I will be fulfilling my ardent obligation and writing a review. I hope this will be a reemergence back into regular blogging and reviewing, and that I will not fall victim to malaise. FilmMattic reviews shall persist in perpetuity as far as I'm concerned...</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Perhaps the hypnotic gestures of fate energized my inner-critic because here I reflect on a movie spawned from the prodigious creative might of Orson Welles. That movie is <i>The Trial. </i>And as I reflect and yield to the calm solace of introspection, I am alarmed to discover that I have not written a satisfactory review in an eternity and a day. </span><span style="font-size: large;">This blog has not, as its inception dictates, appropriately performed its primary function. Reviewing films is the fuel of FilmMattic and somehow, through sheer happenstance I suppose, I've been lead astray from that purpose. </span><span style="font-size: large;">In this period of infrequent content and in this internal trial of conscience, I am compelled to impose a sentence. The regularity of my film blogging has been disgustingly insubstantial. This is a crime that cannot be condoned. I'm thinking that in my judiciary capacity 1-2 posts (or reviews) per week is a manageable goal (or in keeping with this asinine legal theme, punishment). Now shall we discuss an actual trial? Well, the veracity of even that statement is dubious, so let's just get to my review of <i>The Trial. </i></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;"> Made with limited resources, parsimonious financial support, the complete absence of conventional sets (an abandoned Parisian railway station), within the auspices of multiple European countries (Yugoslavia, France, Italy, Croatia), and under the intense gloom following banishment from Hollywood, </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">The Trial </i><span style="font-size: large;">prospers against all odds, surviving as an artistic miracle. Orson Welles' mercurial nature and reputation as an overbearing auteur necessitated little interest from men whose lifeblood depended upon manageable commercial ventures. The American New Wave was still a half-decade away from bursting into prominence and the more daring and cerebral films that emerged from that period were almost uniformly extinct at this time, too risky to satisfy the surefire bet upon which most studio executives made their living exploiting. But Orson Welles uncompromisingly ambitious vision found an eager suitor in the name of Alexander Salkind who would fund the venture and, most important, grant Welles complete artistic freedom. The nexus of their collective ambition materialized in the form of an adaptation of Franz Kafka's novel, </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">The Trial. </i><span style="font-size: large;">An unmistakable genius found his next inspiration in the essential work of another brilliant, confounding man, and an unblemished masterpiece emerged.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">For those intimately familiar with the novel, something I can relate to (it was required reading back in High School), I will provide an abbreviated synopsis. Welles, having been in total command of his discursive talents, took some liberty with the material, but remained wholesomely faithful for the most part. One particularly controversial deviation, of which I am ambivalent, concerned Welles decision to merge the positions of the solicitor and priest aka The Advocate (played in a calculatingly cold disposition by Orson Welles). </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Like the novel, the story pivots rather dramatically off the accusal and "open" arrest of a man named Josef K (played with manic angst and understated grace by Anthony Perkins aka Norman Bates) for a crime that he is neither cognizant of nor formally briefed on. This conceit is truly the worst nightmare imaginable, a complete disavowal of liberty and justice. Ultimately, Welles conjures the dour quintessence of Kafka's novel, particularly in the inconclusive ending, expanding upon the morose work and transforming its harrowing parade of paranoia into something visually tangible. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Welles' adaptation shimmers with the gusto of a supreme craftsman in full control of his arsenal. The industrial putrefaction that permeated Kafka's imagination, of social, cultural, and political disintegration in a modern totalitarian state, is rendered maddening through Orson's meticulous attention to detail. Landscapes that have been marred by civil abuses serve as brazen markers of Welles baroque visual style, capturing the crippling fear of a world where law antagonizes innocent men. This is a tonal assault that pinpoints the psychological infirmities of men who are subservient to corrupt law, to its cruelties which penetrate every strata of society. Like Kafka, Welles denounces this thrust of hierarchical power, providing visual cues which extend from spiraling staircases that signal dizzying heights of terror to claustrophobic pits of despair. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Camera movement and placement is used to maximum effect. The dramatic pathos is underscored by Welles' painstaking composition. A heightened cinematographic focus recalls Alain Resnai's <i>Last Year at Marienbad, </i>which preceded <i>The Trail</i> by one year. Stylistic allusions to Bernardo Bertolucci's <i>The Conformist, </i>succeeding <i>The Trial</i> by nearly a decade, further demonstrate that this<i> </i>is a work of dynamic and kinetic visual design. Hallucinatory set pieces, surrealistic descents into dream worlds, and an ornate visual palette intimate an acute awareness of Federico Fellini and Luis Bunuel. Jacques Tati-styled modernistic office spaces, emboldened by their symmetrical architectural embrace and rows of desks and typists seemingly stretched to infinity, also spring to mind. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Inventive lighting techniques that bathe in contrast and shadows recall film noir, and Welles' earlier work </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">The Stranger. </i><span style="font-size: large;">Black-and-white photography and a deep love of shadows stand as hallmarks of Welles' dark visual style, </span><span style="font-size: large;">punctuated by spectacular verbal exchanges, which emanate directly from Kafka's treatise on fear. </span><span style="font-size: large;">The opening bedroom scene tantalizes because of its mysterious tonal flourish, which is deliberately dreamy. But Welles' shows restraint, never straining for abstraction. The bizarre angles and frenetic camera movements assure us that we are in the most confident, adept hands. That what follows will captivate us as much as it terrorize us, towing the line between fascination and torment. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">What does this hellish nightmare portend beyond extreme anguish? How does Welles expand upon the prophetic incandescence of Kafka? Kafka's sociological imprint remains intact, that's how. The dissolution of the individual, preoccupied with self (i.e. solipsism), leads to what is an inevitable downfall. This cold indifference parallels the atrocities that were propagated by the Nazis and the legion of followers who claimed "to know nothing about it." It's a chilling revelation. Kafka's paranoia intimated in a pre-Nazi world proved prophetic, and Welles repurposed the narrative to reflect the Final Solution, Bureaucracy torn asunder, individuals persecuted for being themselves, rebellion and dissent thwarted with extreme prejudice; what remains of this spiritual and cultural degradation is a desolate world abandoned by God.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The utility of film is multifaceted. Cinema capitalizes on literature's capacity to tell stories, but it also evokes the poeticism of life, theater, painting, and music. So distinctive is this approach that it furnishes insights more immediately digestible, and if assembled cohesively, can be extraordinarily enlightening. Our eyes, our minds, and our senses experience the material simultaneously whereas literature sublimates a kind of indefinite elucidation. Our imaginations may flow into whatever streams of consciousness they so desire. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Welles is intuitively aware of this teleological response. <i>The Trial</i> boldly exudes that inherent power of expression, exploiting our instincts to be subjective while asserting truths that can be objectively defended. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Both subtlety and nuance, artistically pure concepts, contend with the coarseness of emotion and austerity of form to create an distinctive, visceral experience, harnessed from an astonishing visual framework. </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">The Trial </i><span style="font-size: large;">is a complete Welles masterpiece. It is free from interference, a not-so-trivial fact that can only be definitively remarked of one other prominent Welles' film. That would be </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Citizen Kane. </i><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">10 out of 10</span></b></div>
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FilmMattichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15567287349203493671noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6018122949256325759.post-63414265457841579732013-02-24T20:17:00.000-05:002013-02-25T00:09:12.899-05:00Oscars 2013: Live Blogging the Show! <div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Oscar Guy </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The best film has to offer us is mere moments away. I should rephrase that as the best film has to offer its members. Awards shows bestow neither social nor artistic benefits. They do not make me feel more culturally enlightened. Viewing them does not constitute a deduction on my tax burden. The luster of the show is simply an acknowledgement of hierarchy. The opportunity for us non-entertaining folk, at least those of us not recognized for being entertaining, to be immersed in the expensive pageantry of stars celebrating other stars. Ultimately the Oscars are more a promotional tool than some kind of finite declaration of enduring appeal. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> To maintain this spirit of affectation, I have decided to live blog the event. The splendid witticisms of Melissa Bradley of <a href="http://melissasimaginarium.blogspot.com/">Melissa's Imaginarium</a> have been enlisted. Providing exciting commentary is her expertise. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Without further ado, a continuous onslaught of Oscars' shenanigans await. Feel free to join the party and break a few things! </span><br />
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="550px" scrolling="no" src="http://www.coveritlive.com/index2.php/option=com_altcaster/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=4daa6a3d87/height=550/width=470" width="470px"><a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=4daa6a3d87" >FilmMattic's 2013 Oscars Live Blog</a></iframe>FilmMattichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15567287349203493671noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6018122949256325759.post-43659611449088604432013-02-20T22:47:00.001-05:002013-02-21T13:47:30.496-05:00My 100 Favorite Directors - UPDATED!<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">White Men Can't Jump, But Women Can Make Movies</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Tangential thoughts should never be the subject of a blogpost's title, garnering a spotlight that for such cognitive foibles is unbecoming. How dare they project their dubious presence in a textual world greater than that supplied by 12 font, max. But inspiration strikes us in abnormal ways. Our minds tend to process that abnormality through some sort of systematic deconstruction. What materializes is an idea, an insight, some measure of understanding that our discordant and chaotic synapses illuminate. Yes. I realize the caption, which I suspect has fueled your impetus to continue reading, suggests a relationship between two extreme phenomena; phenomena that is purely meant to be jarring because of its bizarre juxtaposition. But hyperbole is a valuable tool of provocation. Strange observations trigger strange curiosities, and, according to the logic immortalized in Tarantino's <i>Django Unchained</i>, if your curiosity is piqued, your attention will surely follow.</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;"> Now that I've managed to string together a succession of seemingly random thoughts (randomness rules the blogosphere, right!?), deforming the utility of a proper introduction in the process, it is imperative to identify why I've made some additions in my ongoing "Favorite Filmmakers" series. A series that began modestly, serving only to encapsulate my 100 favorite directors has now ballooned to 170. Wow! </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> One thing I've learned in my nascent blogging career is that lists invariably take on lives of their own. </span><span style="font-size: large;">The notion of ten is a creative albatross. </span><span style="font-size: large;">The scriptures become irrelevant. Mythologizing ten no longer suffices and its apparent cachet is dwarfed by the potential discoveries underlying more encompassing affairs; like bests of 100, 111, 154, 170! To what lengths these lists grow, though, is a complete and utter mystery. But the journey to that point, if film has ensnared your romantic impulses as feverishly as it has mine, is exhilarating. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The genesis of this edition is in no small part owed to the accommodating spirit of Melissa Bradley, bastion of femininity, goddess of charity, curator of wit, and owner of <a href="http://melissasimaginarium.blogspot.com/">Melissa's Imaginarium.</a> She deserves the lion's share of credit for encouraging me, in measures both relentless and heartfelt, to seek out the substantial work of many gifted female directors, with whom to an uncultured point prior I woefully neglected. Because of her tenacity seven new terrific women directors now occupy a spot in my "Favorite Filmmakers List," joining the brilliant Chantal Akerman. And while five percent representation is meager, nothing to write home about, it does signal, perhaps, a more egalitarian actualization of the standards required to achieve prominence in filmmaking. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Most of the noted publications that I consulted in my fervent pursuit of these essential filmmakers were the result of careful research, and sadly among those noted publications, women were almost unanimously overlooked. The popular <a href="http://www.theyshootpictures.com/index.htm">They Shoot The Pictures</a> website, for instance, only recognized 6 women in its celebration of the Top 250 directors. So, while I'm far from rectifying the egregious imbalance, I'm not quite as prohibitive as TSTP, which essentially functions as a quantitative breakdown culled from the myriad lists that circulate the Interwebs. It's not their fault, either. The resulting calculus, as you can see, is pretty unsettling. And it needs to change. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> One woman who is almost destined to grace a future incarnation is the burgeoning talent, Samira Makhmalbaf, who has at the tender age of 33 already demonstrated an almost preternatural command of cinematic language. But the movement towards stark equality, and not some timid cosmetic artifice designed to acquiesce the comfortable cultural masses, is essential if film is to evolve to the point where it has become a truly representative artistic medium. And by film of course I'm referring to the robust stewardship afforded to a director whose work harnesses the medium's real expressive power. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Though film is a collaborative process, exemplifying the creative competencies of extraordinarily diverse professionals, the director is the key figure. He or she imbues the final product with his or her vision. Unless, as circumstances often dictate, certain directors have proven incapable of solidifying the multitudinous components into a cohesive whole, or distilling their proclivities of passion into a tangibly coherent narrative, or calibrating the film's spiritual essence into something visually palatable. Or perhaps it's just a case of obscene producer interference. I guess the one certainty that underlines film production is there's always someone else to blame. But I'm of the ardent belief that forging the artistic merits of a film or concocting its entertainment value is the director's chief responsibility. The bulk of blame or praise that follows is mostly theirs to absorb. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Without further ado, my 16 newest additions are awaiting your feedback.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> *Also, here's my initial post of "<a href="http://www.filmmattic.com/2012/06/my-100-favorite-directors.html">My 100 Favorite Directors</a>"</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> **Here's my first updated post of "<a href="http://www.filmmattic.com/2012/10/my-100-favorite-directors-updated.html#more">These Go To 11 Favorite Directors</a>" (i.e. #s 101-111)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> ***And here's my last updated post of "<a href="http://www.filmmattic.com/2013/01/my-100-favorite-directors-updated-again.html">My 100 Favorite Directors</a>" (#s 112-154)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> P.S. I really need to consider consolidating all of these posts. A gigantic, orgiastic collection that houses all my favorite directors may be the logical course of action...</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Agnès </span>Varda</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">La Pointe Courte, Cleo from 5-7, Le bonheur, Vagabond</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Claire Denis</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Beau travail, The Intruder, 35 Shots of Rum, White Material</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Edwin S. Porter</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Life of An American Fireman, The Great Train Robbery, Jack and the Beanstalk, Dreams of a Rarebit Fiend</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">Gaspar Noé</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Carne, I Stand Alone, Irreversible, Enter the Void</i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">Georges Méliès</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">A Trip to the Moon, An Impossible Voyage, Infernal Cake Walk, The Eclipse, Black Imp</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Jane Campion</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">An Angel at My Table, The Piano, The Portrait of a Lady, Bright Star</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Jonathan Demme</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Melvin and Howard, Stop Making Sense, Swimming to Cambodia, Something Wild, Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia, Neil Young: Heart of Gold</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Kathryn Bigelow</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Point Break, Strange Days, The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Leni Riefenstahl</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Blue Light, Triumph of the Will, Olympia: Part I - Festival of Nations, Olympia: Part II - Festival of Beauty </span></i><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Lynne Ramsay</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Ratcatcher, Morvern Callar, We Need To Talk About Kevin, Swimmer</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Maya Deren</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Witch's Cradle, Meshes of the Afternoon, At Land, A Study in Choreography for Camera, Ritual in Transfigured Time</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Richard Brooks</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Elmer Gantry, In Cold Blood, The Professionals</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Sergei Parajanov</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors, The Color of Pomegranates, The Legend of Suram Fortress, Ashik Kerib</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Stan Brakhage</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>By Brakhage: An Anthology, Volume One </i>(consists of over 36 shorts)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Stanley Donen</span><br />
<img height="394" src="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRQCrHJLEuFH6-sNr29vzW7KLYnEhbVEnOG5v0MGZ549LU-bHZZ" width="400" /><br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">On The Town, Singin' in the Rain, Charade, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Stephen Frears</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Hit, The Grifters, High Fidelity, The Queen </span></i></div>
FilmMattichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15567287349203493671noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6018122949256325759.post-61973686589901369512013-02-06T19:31:00.001-05:002013-02-06T19:31:11.223-05:00Random Rumination<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Choosing My Cinematic Religion</span></i></div>
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<img alt="Don't get me started on Batman!" height="216" src="http://theunderfold.com/comics/2011-02-09-Suspension-of-Disbelief.png" width="640" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I always suspected the Force could drive me towards the unknown. Obi-Wan Kenobi communicating some inscrutable power with such conviction. It's intoxicating. Omniscience inhabiting that purest of manhood is impossible to deny. The possibilities of extraordinary reflex, manipulation, healing all within my arsenal is just too amazing a possibility to compute coherently. And knowing all along that Alec Guinnes is Ben Kenobi, well, please indoctrinate me into the cult of believing right now. Like Tom Cruise and Scientology, pull the rug of common sense from under me and I'll still follow. I'm a ride-or-die disciple. Paul Thomas Anderson, you are my Master. Accept me as your stowaway and allow Phillip Seymour Hoffman to teach me the process.</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;"> Rob a bank? Sure. I've seen </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. </i><span style="font-size: large;">How about diving into a body of water? And not just any dive. I'm talking a leap so ominous birds don't fly that high. Harrison Ford did it in </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">The Fugitive. </i><span style="font-size: large;">Or that's what I was lead to believe. Maybe it was a dummy and it's gone. How about pretending to be a kid again? That innocent temple of awareness where the vastness of one's imagination is the only limitation to believing, exploring, discovering? Yep. That's </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Star Wars </i><span style="font-size: large;">for ya! </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> I believe what lies ahead for the franchise has the <i>potential </i>to be miraculous. If the end result involves youths once again believing in the power of the mind, the impulse to be creative, imagining scenarios that complement and contradict their lives; if what we collectively witness enhances our purpose, then <i>Star Wars: Episode VII </i>has not succeeded. It has metamorphosed into this portal of enchantment, opening eyes to the ethereal wonders of a fantasy world. It has transformed success the same way <i>A New Hope </i>awakened generations to channels of thought that outstretched our physical self. How many professionals working in the film industry are products of the <i>Star Wars </i>phenomenon, their inspirations sowed from that opening text crawl?<i> </i>We need look no further than the director of <i>Episode VII.</i> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> J.J. Abrams, my good sir, you have willingly accepted the mantle of monumental expectation and here's to hoping you don't fuck it up.</span><br />
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<i>Image coutesy of <a href="http://www.blastr.com/2013-2-1/image-day-why-jj-abrams-really-decided-direct-star-wars">Blastr</a></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> The critic burrowing deep inside me has an aversion to cynicism despite evidence to the contrary suggesting cynicism is simply an appropriate response to some cold reality. In this instance, delusional may be the accurate diagnosis. Perhaps. But this unflinchingly positive part of me refuses to accept the OBVIOUS reality that what we call a Jedi Mind Trick is in fact a mountain of money nesting inside a vault somewhere in J.J. Abrams' home. Science fiction movies, the worlds that breathe air outside our own, do not abide by or fall victim to these regimented notions of distrust. Even dystopian realms offer some form of spiritual solace. I choose to believe in the power of possibility so long as I'll continue to believe in the Force. Harrison Ford should have died when he leapt off that dam. The laws of physics assert their force. But movies reside in an ulterior consciousnesses not bound by the physical laws of the universe: Suspension of disbelief, folks. It's stronger than the Force. It IS the force. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">P.S. I do fear that the impending oversaturation of <i>Star Wars-</i>centric content (i.e. standalone movies, likely TV series, etc.) will delude the impact otherwise harnessed from a thrilling and exceptionally well-made <i>Episode VII. </i>But so be it. The model of consumption has already changed drastically since the first <i>Star Wars </i>film erupted on Hollywood. Ubiquity of content is the new evolution. Again. I'm disavowing of that needling dose of cynicism that admonishes this kind of buoyant optimism. I guess that just means I want to be a kid again, experiencing for the first time the magic of cinema. The best centers of inspiration emerge from the material we consume and movies have always been fertile ground. </span>FilmMattichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15567287349203493671noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6018122949256325759.post-52245943627513213462013-02-03T23:24:00.001-05:002013-03-01T17:07:34.436-05:00My Top 13 Most Anticipated Films of 2013<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Lucky Number 13</span></i></div>
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<i><a href="http://screenrant.com/most-anticipated-movies-2013/">Image courtesy of ScreenRant</a></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Forget the Super Bowl. When your team's not represented, it's a tawdry affair. A massive marketing bonanza. Lest we forget that all the so-called "great" commercials can be viewed online on our time, at our convenience. Forget football. Let's talk movies. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> 2013's movie schedule is truly astonishing to behold. How foolish I must have been to think 2012 was the anomaly, an indicator of how conditioned our myopic thought-processes have become. How we're taught to believe that bearing witness to such excellence month after month is an elusive desire. But the outlier I thought I discovered may in fact have been the primal markings of an exciting new trend in which first-rate craftsmanship is the standard currency. 2013 promises a cornucopia of original stories, science fiction forays, major superhero films, unexpected sequels, classic adaptations, exciting prequels, and so, so much more. I'm positively ecstatic. </span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;"> The line-up is tantalizing. Expectations, however, are a fickle matter. Execution is where excellence unveils its true self. A cinephillia's anticipation is irrelevant when the matter of quality is discussed. Merit is the real dollar sign of art. Only time will tell if the exchange between moviegoer and moviemaker is satisfactory. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The crux of any anticipated list is that rarely can our impressions of these films be tangibly informed. The only way to mitigate the "informed" part, though, is by plunging into the list a month late. Which is what I did. Hello, February. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Surveying the populated landscape can be accomplished more successfully by employing a little more time, caution, and scruple. Some of these films have released trailers, others merely unveiled images; a tactic that invariably fails to elicit my curiosity. Some have yet to offer even a minor glimpse of what's to come. I'm looking at you, <i>Rover. </i>But honestly I prefer it this way. I avoid trailers like the plague. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Each moviegoing experience presents an opportunity to be awed, surprised, thrilled. They are canvasses of discovery unfolding, almost always, at 24 frames per second. What the film is actually about is of no interest to me once I've put my trust in the hands of the director and his collaborators. They are my shepherds of sensory fulfillment. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> I'm a firm believer in the auteur theory. I believe strongly that a director is primarily responsible for the final look of a film. Screenplay is an indispensable asset, too, and a good number of the directors whose work I'm eagerly anticipating are writer-director filmmakers. They have proven in their careers a high competency in delivering sound scripts. It was Kurosawa who famously said an average director can make a passable film out of a good script, but not even a great director can make a good film out of a terrible script. Thankfully, all of these directors have demonstrated proficiency in the written word or exhibited, through the writings of another, an awareness of what constitutes effective screenwriting.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">The concepts, stories, and actors are a vital component of my consideration as well. Injecting excitement into the scrutinizing process is the coalescence of all these multitudinous elements. The final</span><span style="font-size: large;"> integral factor in my decision-making process is instinct. I may hopelessly cringe at some of my imprudent predictions when I look back on this list at year's end, but the blame will fall squarely on my shoulders. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> What's intoxicating about a new crop of movies isn't any one specific title, but the countless new opportunities they offer to revitalize our capacities for invigoration, awe, shock, and exhilaration. There's no doubt many of these films will feature prominently in my year-end Top Ten list. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">13). <i>The Rover </i>(David Michod)</span></div>
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<i> </i><span style="font-size: large;">An idiosyncratic choice only by artifice. The mysterious elements surrounding an Abrams film are plain in terms of what David Michod's film offers for inspection. Or perhaps we're convening at an infant stage in the film's production (according to IMDB, it's still filming) and not much can be divulged. I suppose any credentials I may have thought belonged exclusively to private detectives actually now belong exclusively to private detectives. Philip Marlowe I am not. Well, at least Chandler's and Hawkes' version. Robert Altman might have considered my attributes vital. What I can discern about <i>The Rover </i>is that it is<i> </i>a futuristic western set in the Australian desert. Beyond the fact that David Michod is directing, and that Robert Pattinson, Guy Pearce, and Scoot McNairy are all starring, not much else is known. But those factors are more than enough to inflate my intrigue and whet my appetite. I loved Michod's first-feature <i>Animal Kingdom, </i>as it earned a spot on my Top 10 of 2010 list. Why should I expect anything different from his sophomore effort? Squashed are my prospects of procuring detective work. Thriving, however, are my predictive powers. Allow me to flex my prognosticative muscle. <i>The Rover</i> is going to wow. <b>Release date: Late 2013 (hopeful assumption)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">12).<i> Twelve Years a Slave </i>(Steve McQueen)</span></div>
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<i> </i><span style="font-size: large;">Steve McQueen is two for two in the director's chair and I fully expect him to make it three in a row. <i>Hunger </i>and <i>Shame </i>are exceptional character dramas with tour de force performances from the irresistible, statuesque Michael Fassbender. A performance of similar depth and emotion can be expected from Mr. Fassbender in <i>Twelve Years a Slave, </i>which also flaunts as co-stars Brad Pitt, Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Paul Dano, Paul Giamatti, Michael Kenneth Williams, and Sarah Paulson. Amazing, right!? I suppose it is natural to expect comparisons between this film and Tarantino's <i>Django Unchained </i>given the subject matter. But the comparisons will be utterly pointless. The narrative and aesthetic intentions of both directors could not be more discordant. And that's a good thing because they're both tremendously skilled in their particular brand of world building. McQueen's film will have the critics foaming at the mouth with glee. What I'm anticipating from the bold British artist is another gritty, psychologically harrowing, meticulously composed film. Sophisticated, rugged art cinema is his niche. <b>Release date: September 6 (Brazil)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">11).<i> Before Midnight </i>(Richard Linklater)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Richard Linklater's films are feats of character concentration. Interior epics of mood, sentiment, emotion, wit. <i>Before Sunrise </i>is the de facto litmus test of modern romanticism. A perfectly ambiguous ending to <i>Before Sunset </i>triggered discussions among faithful or faithless romantics about what may have happened to Celine (Julie Delphy) and Jesse (Ethan Hawke). What you felt mattered and it extended beyond the physical limitations of the screen. Important, too, is Linklater's approach to dialogue. It is poetic in speech; assonance, rhyme, meter, syntax all cohere beautifully. His characters are vessels of emotion. Witnessing their interactions is magical. And the whole matter of that ambiguous ending is a masterstroke of narrative design, and I can't begin to conjecture whether Jesse caught that plane. Whatever's happened in the nine years since that moment, I harbor the utmost faith that <i>Before Midnight </i>will be every bit as romantic, effectual, and poetic as its predecessors. <b>Release date: January 20 (Sundance)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">10). <i>Kick-Ass 2 </i>(Jeff Wadlow)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Kick-Ass </i>was one of my favorite movies of 2010. It delivered everything I could have expected and then unleashed an ass kicking of so much more. It was an experience as brutal, hilarious, and exciting as I could have hoped, packaging everything I love about movies into an incendiary, audacious box of Crash! Bang! Beep! Buzz! What I'm expecting from <i>Kick-Ass 2 </i>is, therefore, pretty predictable. More brutality, hilarity, and excitement. And more onomatopoeia. The original cast reprise their roles in addition to welcoming some promising newcomers, chief among them being one of my favorite comedians, Jim Carrey. YEPPPPPPPPPPP! <b>Release date: June 28</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">9). <i>Inside Llewyn Davis </i>(Joel and Ethan Coen)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Coen Brothers make movies fairly regularly. I love every movie they make and I love them for their prolific output. Well, prolific if you consider the output of the man at the forefront of obscurity, Terrence Malick (though it seems he is planning to spoil us over the next few years with an increasingly timely pace). Frankly, wherever the Coen Brothers go, I'm eager to follow. That <i>Inside Llewyn Davis</i> revolves around the blossoming folk scene of '60s New York has me reveling. That the film showcases the enormously talented, and quite underutilized Oscar Issac, who may finally have found the role that fulfills his first name legacy, has me doing backflips. And I'm not the kind of person who should be doing backflips. From all presumptive and explanatory accounts, <i>Inside Llewyn Davis</i> will ebb and flow to music, which is a hypnotic staple of the Coen Brothers' experience (thank you, Carter Burwell!) and a vital tool in their robust arsenal. <b>Release date: December 4 (Belgium)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">8). <i>Elysium </i>(Neill Blomkamp)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>District 9 </i>is all the evidence I need to confirm the prodigious talent of Neill Blomkamp. His short film <i>Alive in Joburg, </i>which preceded <i>District 9, </i>simply reaffirmed this confirmation. Blomkamp's ability to tantalize viewers is on par with Michael Jordan. <i>Elysium </i>is his sophomore effort and I'm hoping the MJ comparison is not premature. Matt Damon is one of my favorite actors (look at my banner, folks!) and in <i>Elysium </i>he plays a cyborg tasked with a grave responsibility, imperiling the very existence of those he is fighting desperately to protect. Preservation of an entire race is at stake. Damon's character must infiltrate a space utopia run by an imposing Jodie Foster. Yep. This film fits all the requirements of dark and daring intrigue. I'm confident the execution will match the conception. <b>Release date: August 9</b>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">7). <i>Pacific Rim </i>(Guillermo del Toro)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> I'll just rely on the bewitching talents of Guillermo del Toro to entice your curiosity. Here's the official synopsis courtesy of IMDB: <i>When an alien attack threatens the Earth's existence, giant robots piloted by humans are deployed to fight off the menace.</i> Let me be the first to say WOW! Here's a tried-and-true concept that few filmmakers can successfully navigate. James Cameron is an example of someone who can. Michael Bay is not. Guillermo del Toro may be the best equipped of the bunch. He is a maximalist magician with an expansive imagination that accommodates enormous flights of fancy. Watch <i>Pans Labyrinth </i>and you'll be singing the same effusive music. Let there be no mincing of words. This is a fanboy's wet dream. And the passionate del Toro is precisely the guy capable of transforming that dream into reality. <b>Release date: July 12</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">6).<i>Star Trek Into Darkness </i>(J.J. Abrams)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Refusing an avenue to comic chicanery, which has by publication of recent news morphed into a galactic convergence of astronomical proportions, Mr. Star J.J. Abrams is soldiering ahead with what most everyone who has seen <i>Star Trek </i>(2009) expects to be an even bolder and more marveling visual achievement. Abram's predisposition to all things cosmic presumes an acuity of design that mere mortals like us dare only dream. His first trek into space demonstrated perfectly what confident, shrewd blockbuster filmmaking entails. Bet high on visual delight. Then implant an enriched character universe. Joss Whedon took heed of this message with the magnificently pleasing <i>Avengers, </i>and I have no doubt that Mr. Abrams will succeed again in his second go-round. I'm expecting <i>Star Trek Into Darkness </i>to be another fanciful exploration into the majestic and the mundane, teetering delicately along that artistic balance between effective visual flamboyance and dimensional character building. <b>Release date: May 17 </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">5). <i>The Wolf of Wall Street </i>(Martin Scorsese)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It's Martin Scorsese. My love for this man knows no bounds. Inevitable is <i>The Wolf of Wall Street</i>'s lofty placement on my list. Capitalizing on the cultural zeitgeist—the undulating shocks perpetrated by a Wall Street banker unfettered in his dealings. This is a topical matter worthy of Scorsese's psychodramatic dissection. And those who frequent my blog know that my other favorite area of interest is high finance. It catapults me into fits of fascination like a Wall Street banker who has too much money at his disposal and no scruples to guide his fiscal fury. Bolstered by a terrific cast that includes an Oscar starved (or snubbed) Leonardo DiCaprio, a resurgent Matthew McConaughey, a fit Jonah Hill, an Oscar-winning Jean Dujardin, and an extremely likable Kyle Chandler, who has become Hollywood's go-to bureaucrat (<i>Argo, Zero Dark Thirty</i>), <i>The Wolf of Wall Street </i>meets all the prerequisites of another exhilarating Scorsese experience. <b>Release date: Late 2013 (purely an assumption)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">4). <i>Gravity </i>(Alfonso Cuaron)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Dogged and foreboding but deeply humane, Alfonso Cuaron's <i>Children of Men </i>is one of the singular science fiction achievements to explode on screen in recent years, a potent display of deft visual skill, narrative economy, emotional strength, and restraint i.e. he knows exactly when to unleash an invigorating long take, opening us up to dream-like environs, or when to impart subtle, clarifying moments that breed character reflection. Advance buzz suggests that <i>Gravity </i>may be even more breathtaking, boasting a career-defining performance by Sandra Bullock. One thing I know for certain. Alfonso Cuaron is if nothing a man of extraordinary ambition. Whatever we are ultimately subjected to, it will be profound. <b>Release date: October 4</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">3). <i>The World's End </i>(Edgar Wright)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As a feature-film director, Edgar Wright's batting a thousand. <i>The World's End </i>completes his informal "blood and ice cream" trilogy<i> </i>that includes <i>Shaun of the Dead</i> and <i>Hot Fuzz</i>, two films that sharply embody self-referential, subversive, character-centric filmmaking. Comprised of relatable characters, synergistic casting, trenchant humor, and anchored by riveting stories, all of Wright's prior films reflect a deep reverence for the experience of watching movies, rewarding viewers with visual feats only a supreme showman could mastermind. He honors the sacrosanct covenant between moviegoer and moviemaker. His astonishing mastery of the language of cinema emboldens him to sculpt experiences that are emancipated from excess style, and instead focus on discovery. His films are passages into altered realities and states of mind we rarely confront. All I can be is grateful for his almost divine command of cinema, and the dynamic, artistic flourishes it affords. <b>Release date: October 25</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">2). <i>Only God Forgives </i>(Nicolas Winding Refn)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A little movie by the name of <i>Drive </i>just so happened to be my favorite of 2011. The two men primarily responsible for my enjoyment of that film, Nicolas Winding Refn and Ryan Gosling, are reuniting here for another exciting crime thriller—also my favorite genre. Mike Tyson's uppercut would intimidate me from engaging in just about anything, but it could not scare me away from seeing this film. With such mastery of tone and atmosphere, and a remarkable filmography that features the <i>Pusher Trilogy, Bronson, </i>and<i> Valhalla Rising, </i>Refn has proven himself to be an exceptional visual stylist. He has discovered the key that unlocks the alluring mystery between balance and precision, style and substance, art and commerce, violence and profundity. And Ryan Gosling is perhaps one of maybe two or three men on this planet who could convince me, despite my staunch heterosexuality, to experiment. The guy is an adonis whose sole purpose for being put on this planet is to seduce men and women. His arresting charm, striking good looks, and galactic talent, captured through the lens of a Refn film, is impossible to resist. <b>Release date: May 23 (Denmark)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">1). <i>The Grandmaster </i>(Wong Kar-wai)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The fact that Wong-Kar wai is directing should be
motivation enough. This is a man who has an an undeniable reverence and compassion for human life. It seeps through every frame of his films. It's safe to say that a similar compulsion drives me to his work, one borne from his meticulous management of mood, emotion, and energy. Four visually polished, sumptuous films, which I consider modern exemplars (</span><i style="font-family: inherit;">Days
of Being Wild, Chungking Express, In the Mood for Love, 2046</i><span style="font-family: inherit;">) and a few
others that I absolutely adore (</span><i style="font-family: inherit;">Fallen
Angels, Happy Together</i><span style="font-family: inherit;">), comprise his marvelous catalog. Then, too, I realize that the narrative thrust of </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">The Grandmaster</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> pivots on the rich legend of martial arts master Yip man, whom </span>I've<span style="font-family: inherit;"> learned from Wilson Yip’s titular film </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">Ip
Man</i><span style="font-family: inherit;">, is an immensely fascinating figure. Throw in the fact that Bruce Lee
is one of Yip's signature disciples and I’m thoroughly hooked. One of my all-time favorite actors Tony Leung Chiu Wai is tasked with the plum role, which means a mesmerizing performance is certain to unfold. If there is only one film you watch all year, let it be this one. <b>Release date: January 8 (debuted in China)</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Honorable Mentions:</u> <i>Anchorman: The Legend Continues, The Counselor, Ender's Game, Fruitvale, The Great Gatsby, Man of Steel, Monsters University, Much Ado About Nothing, Mud, Nymphomaniac, Oldboy, The Place Beyond the Pines, Side Effects, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, Snowpiercer, To The Wonder, Trance, Upstream Color, The Zero Theorem </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Firmly On My Radar:</u> <i>A Good Day to Die Hard, Fast 6, The Heat, Her, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Iron Man 3, Like Someone in Love, The Monuments Men, A Most Wanted Man, Oz: The Great and the Powerful, Stoker, This Is The End, Thor: The Dark World </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Anything on my list that peaks your interest, captures your taste, motivates your viewing? How about the numerous films not on my list(s)? Feel free to share your thoughts and anticipations for the year in film. </span></div>
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FilmMattichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15567287349203493671noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6018122949256325759.post-10253906308258144892013-01-29T01:30:00.000-05:002013-08-10T17:12:44.713-04:00My 100 Favorite Directors - UPDATED AGAIN! <div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">43 Reasons Movies Are Vital</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Commercial aggrandizement is the creed of Hollywood. So entrenched is the impetus for profit that vehicles like <i>Movie 43</i>, indicative of a certain creative malignancy,<i> </i>enjoy the buoyancy of a wide release. Well, power resides in the populace. The public recognized the near fraud perpetrated on their senses and allowed <i>Movie 43 </i>to harshly experience the reality of an inferior product. It sunk.</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;"> While I acknowledge that the impulse to decry Hollywood's next befuddling incarnation is dramatic and ultimately not emblematic of some sweeping declaration of cultural degradation, I'll admit still such instances are perplexing.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> And lampooning blatant offenders is amusing. So few are opportunities emboldening our impulse to be cynical. Well, that can't be true, but I digress.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Though the worthless dysfunction</span><span style="font-size: large;"> calling itself</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Movie 43</i><span style="font-size: large;"> will escape my eyes so long as I maintain a will to resist said worthless dysfunction, it does not require the critical longevity of, say Roger Ebert, to discern the creative filth simmering before you. In fact, much of the </span><a href="http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Why-Guilt-Tripped-Stars-Won-t-Promote-Movie-43-35270.html" style="font-size: x-large;">"guilt-tripped stars"</a><span style="font-size: large;"> refuse to even promote the movie, which I'm sure explains why in the hell it took four years to make. Corralling top-talent under false or duplicitous</span><span style="font-size: large;"> pretenses is not a tactic any self-respecting person should condone. But such is the fraudulent road that led to </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Movie 43.</i><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> One question still demands an answer, though. How can films that would not have slipped through the cracks under even the most clement of artistic methodologies be given opportunities to flourish? That films of this decrepit ilk proliferate our marketplace and metastasize an institution of merit is troubling. That the march for merchandise is steeped in such avarice is despicable. But show is nothing without the business. While these films engender our disgust, they also ensure the preservation of more ennobling aesthetic fare. These are films that sustain our disparate tastes, trigger our creative pursuits. These are films worth championing. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Renewing our faith in cinema's potential for amazement are forty-three directors, so aptly named, who embrace our collective yearnings for entertainment, art, philosophy, spiritual fulfillment, and intellectual stimulation. Here are forty-three directors that I am now adding to my ongoing list of favorites, which for those anathema to arithmetic now equates to an oddly numbered 154. </span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">These directors are culled from an extensive history with cinema, a relationship spent rejoicing in the toils of many a great filmmaker. They reflect my passion for what I feel demonstrates its inherent beauty. The ability to visually and narratively astound is what I consider the hallmark of film; to stretch our imaginations to heights seldom seen, to invigorate our senses, to broaden or challenge our world views. The objective behind every production that necessitates an alliance between movie and moviegoer, the very social contract that sustains the enterprise, should never be dealt with narrow consideration. There's no question that the filmmakers I've added to my favorites, a diverse and representative mix, affirm this dynamic. And since I've expended enough words denouncing a film that degrades the appeal, it's only fair that I supply an equal share illustrating my abiding affection. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> As my immersion into the vastness of film intensifies, as my education persists and I'm exposed to the pivotal works of so many great filmmakers, my understanding of what actually constitutes "great" no longer strains credulity. Distinguishing between a deserving work that demands a keen understanding of the medium and something insubstantial or pretentious is the bedrock of criticism. A sufficient grasp of the language of cinema, of composition, movement, lighting, lenses, color, performance and its rhythms, reveal a commitment to the craft. It arms viewers with insight necessary to discover or rediscover salient moviemaking, replenishing our thirst to be awed. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The directors I've listed are all exceptional custodians of the cinematic experience. And as I've discovered more of their work in the last six months, I'm finally able to appreciate what enduring impact their mark on the medium has had. They quite simply harness an awareness of what greatness in cinema means and what our conception of that awareness is despite the soul-crushing creative devastation wrought by movies like <i>Movie 43. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Cinema is and will always be an enterprise of discovery, artistic or otherwise. When it strives to be something beyond a venture purely for profit, it reaches altitudes that accommodate limitless creative discovery. Whether the purpose of the filmmaker (or producers, etc.) is to demonstrate, entertain, educate, engage, reflect, or incite, a connection to our consciousness is sparked. And if no connection is triggered, the filmmaker has failed. Because I choose to cherish positive sentiments and because I refuse to strengthen the reactionary calls of acrimony, proclaiming <i>Movie 43 </i>to be the "death of cinema," I've listed forty-three amazing filmmakers whose careers I've examined sufficiently enough (I had to have seen at least four of their films) to confer recommendation. These directors reflect the vitality of cinema and are indisputable evidence that film nourishes our senses visually, intellectually, artistically, spiritually, and emotionally.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">*Here's my initial post of </span><a href="http://www.filmmattic.com/2012/06/my-100-favorite-directors.html" style="font-size: x-large;">"My 100 Favorite Directors"</a><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> *And here's my updated </span><a href="http://www.filmmattic.com/2012/10/my-100-favorite-directors-updated.html#more" style="font-size: x-large;">"These Go To 11 Favorite Directors"</a><span style="font-size: large;"> (i.e. #'s 101-111)</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Abbas Kiarostami</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Abbas Kiarostami Picture" height="320" src="http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTgxNjA1Mjg5MF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwMjc3NzEz._V1._SY314_CR16,0,214,314_.jpg" width="218" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Where is the Friend's Home, Close-Up, Life, and Nothing More..., Taste of Cherry, The Wind Will Carry Us, Certified Copy</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Alain Resnais</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="320" src="http://i2.listal.com/image/909417/936full-alain-resnais.jpg" width="248" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Night and Fog, Hiroshima mon amour, Last Year at Marienbad, Mon oncle d'Amerique</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Alan J. Pakula</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="File:Alan J. Pakula.jpg" height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a1/Alan_J._Pakula.jpg/457px-Alan_J._Pakula.jpg" width="244" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Klute, The Parallax View, All The President's Men, Sophie's Choice</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu Director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu arrives at the 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards held at The Beverly Hilton hotel on January 16, 2011 in Beverly Hills, California." height="320" src="http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Alejandro+Gonzalez+Inarritu+68th+Annual+Golden+KjecLkeqMQpl.jpg" width="229" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Amores Perros, 21 Grams, Babel, Biutiful</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Aleksandr Sokurov</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Aleksandr Sokurov Picture" height="320" src="http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTcwMTM4MzYzMV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNTczNjIyOA@@._V1._SX214_CR0,0,214,314_.jpg" width="218" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Mother and Son, Russian Ark, The Sun, Faust</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Anthony Mann</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Anthony Mann" height="320" src="http://www.latimes.com/includes/projects/hollywood/portraits/anthony_mann.jpg" width="256" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">T-Men, Raw Deal, Winchester 73, The Naked Spur, Bend of the River, The Man From Laramie, Man of The West</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Apichatpong Weerasethakul</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bb/Apichatpong.jpg/220px-Apichatpong.jpg" width="240" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Blissfully Yours, Tropical Malady, Syndromes and a Century, Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Carl Theodor Dreyer</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="320" src="http://focusontofilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/600full-carl-theodor-dreyer.jpg" width="240" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Passion of Joan of Arc, Vampyr, Ordet, Gertrud</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Carol Reed</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Carol Reed" height="320" src="http://www.britmovie.co.uk/wp-content/images/people/138-Carol-Reed.jpg" width="217" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Odd Man, The Fallen Idol, The Third Man, Oliver!</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">David O. Russell</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="320" src="http://thefilmstage.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/David+O+Russell+2011+Palm+Springs+International+VQUHefcsPXJl.jpg" width="220" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Three Kings, I Heart Huckabees, The Fighter, Silver Linings Playbook</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Don Siegel</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="File:DonSiegel.jpg" height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/15/DonSiegel.jpg" width="234" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Coogan's Bluff, Dirty Harry, The Shootist, Two Mules for Sister Sara, Escape From Alcatraz</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Douglas Sirk</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="sirkiansomeone.jpg" height="320" src="http://moviecitynews.com/archived/mcnblogs/mcindie/archives/images/sirkiansomeone.jpg" width="277" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Magnificent Obsession, All That Heaven Allows, Written on the Wind, Imitation of Life</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">George Roy Hill</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="George Roy Hill" height="320" src="http://www.nndb.com/people/783/000032687/grh1.jpg" width="279" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting, Slap Shot, The World According to Garp</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Jacques Audiard</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="320" src="http://www.hdwallpapersarena.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jacques-audiard-01.jpg" width="235" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Read My Lips, The Beat That My Heart Skipped, A Prophet, Rust and Bone</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Jacques Becker</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Original" height="320" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/auteurs_production/images/cast_member/7391/original.jpg" width="269" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Paris Frills, Casque d'Or, Touchez Pas au Grisbi, Le trou</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Joseph L. Mankiewicz</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="File:Joseph L. Mankiewicz.jpg" height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c7/Joseph_L._Mankiewicz.jpg" width="253" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">All About Eve, Julius Caesar, Guys and Dolls, Sleuth</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Jules Dassin</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="320" src="http://content8.flixster.com/photo/10/86/16/10861610_ori.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Brute Force, The Naked City, Thieves' Highway, Night and the City, Rififi, Topkapi</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Ken Loach</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Ken Loach" height="320" src="http://www.contactmusic.com/pics/mb/cff_looking_for_eric_red_carpet_7_180509/ken_loach_2422780.jpg" width="238" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Kes, Land and Freedom, My Name Is Joe, The Wind That Shakes the Barley</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Ki-duk Kim</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Ki-duk Kim" height="320" src="http://i2.listal.com/image/689781/600full-ki--duk-kim.jpg" width="239" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Isle, Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...and Spring, 3-Iron, Pieta</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Mike Leigh</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="File:Mike Leigh (2008).jpg" height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d9/Mike_Leigh_%282008%29.jpg/518px-Mike_Leigh_%282008%29.jpg" width="276" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Nuts in May, Life is Sweet, Naked, Secrets and Lies, Topsy-Turvy, Vera Drake, Happy Go Lucky</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Milos Forman</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Milos Forman Picture" height="320" src="http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BNDY5NDAyODM2Nl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMzgzNzg3OA@@._V1._SY314_CR12,0,214,314_.jpg" width="218" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Fireman's Ball, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Ragtime, Amadeus, The People vs. Larry Flynt, Man on the Moon</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Norman Jewison</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Norman Jewison" height="320" src="http://movi.ca/im/dir/normanjewisonweb20081.jpg" width="239" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Cincinatti Kid, In the Heat of the Night, The Thomas Crown Affair, Fiddler on the Roof, Moonstruck, The Hurricane</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Nuri Bilge Ceylan</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/Nuribilgeceylan.jpg/200px-Nuribilgeceylan.jpg" width="278" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Distant, Climates, Three Monkeys, Once Upon a Time in Anatolia</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Otto Preminger</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/Otto_Preminger_Allan_Warren.jpg/220px-Otto_Preminger_Allan_Warren.jpg" width="237" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Laura, Fallen Angel, Where The Sidewalk Ends, Angel Face, Anatomy of a Murder</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Paul Verhoeven</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="320" src="http://content8.flixster.com/photo/11/77/27/11772706_ori.jpg" width="213" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Soldier of Orange, RoboCop, Total Recall, Basic Instinct, Starship Troopers</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Peter Bogdanovich</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Peter Bogdanovich Picture" height="320" src="http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTgxNzQ3NzAxMl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwODQ5NDM5MQ@@._V1._SY314_CR18,0,214,314_.jpg" width="218" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Last Picture Show, Directed By John Ford, What's Up, Doc?, Paper Moon, </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Rainer Werner Fassbinder</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Rainer Werner Fassbinder Picture" height="320" src="http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMjA1MjU4MTcxOF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNjMwODMyNQ@@._V1._SX214_CR0,0,214,314_.jpg" width="218" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Merchant of Four Seasons, The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant, Ali: Fear Eats the Soul, The Marriage of Maria Braun, Berlin Alexanderplatz</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Raoul Walsh</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Raoul Walsh" height="320" src="http://www.moviemoviesite.com/People/W/walsh_raoul/raoulwalsh2.jpg" width="255" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Thief of Bagdad, The Roaring Twenties, High Sierra, They Drive By Night, White Heat</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Robert Aldrich</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzh_lB-fEdQT_2x9DutnVaC0IdAndDNnivm5ckE-cmNZyCd3MxZhjSoFVXA3ypoOFRyiLcBzlP-SgpZtzeX7mgvPhE4NeuLW0bJLJTbTzj_jOaad0uTcAW8BWjtwZWxwCTDgxl2Q3fLDTb/s320/RobertAldrich.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Kiss Me Deadly, Vera Cruz, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, The Flight of the Phoenix, The Dirty Dozen, The Longest Yard</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Robert J. Flaherty</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Robert J. Flaherty" height="320" src="http://www.britmovie.co.uk/wp-content/images/people/60-Robert-J.-Flaherty.jpg" width="244" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Nanook of the North, Moana, Man of Aran, Louisiana Story</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Robert Siodmak</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/9c/RobertSiodmak.jpg/220px-RobertSiodmak.jpg" width="253" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Phantom Lady, The Spiral Staircase, The Killers, Criss Cross</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Samuel Fuller</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="320" src="http://www.geraldpeary.com/interviews/def/fuller.jpg" width="271" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Pickup on South Street, Forty Guns, Shock Corridor, The Naked Kiss, The Big Red One</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Sam Mendes</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Sam Mendes Picture" height="320" src="http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BNTgzODMyMDUwNF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNzEyMjAyMg@@._V1._SX214_CR0,0,214,314_.jpg" width="218" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">American Beauty, Road to Perdition, Jarhead, Revolutionary Road, Skyfall</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Satyajit Ray</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Satyajit Ray Picture" height="320" src="http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTQ4MDA1ODIzMF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNDU0OTkxOA@@._V1._SY314_CR97,0,214,314_.jpg" width="218" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Pather Panchali, Aparajito, The Music Room, The World of Apu, Charaluta: The Lonely Wife</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Stanley Kramer</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/Stanley_Kramer.JPG/220px-Stanley_Kramer.JPG" width="269" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Inherit the Wind, Judgment at Nuremberg, It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Takeshi Kitano</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f5/TakesiKitano.jpg/220px-TakesiKitano.jpg" width="247" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Sonatine, Fireworks, Kikujiro, The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Terence Davies</span></div>
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<img alt="Terence Davies Director Terence Davies poses during the 'Deep Blue Sea' portrait session at the 55th BFI London Film Festival at the Vue West End on October 27, 2011 in London, England." height="320" src="http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Terence+Davies+BFI+London+Film+Festival+Closing+RbtMyy43Prvl.jpg" width="213" /></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Distant Voices, Still Lives, The Long Day Closes, Of Time and the City, The Deep Blue Sea</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Theo Angelopoulos</span></div>
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<img alt="Theo Angelopoulos won the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 1998 for his film Eternity and a Day." height="192" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Film/Pix/pictures/2012/1/25/1327487462979/Theo-Angelopoulos-won-the-007.jpg" width="320" /></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Travelling Players, Landscape in the Mist, Ulysses' Gaze, Eternity and a Day</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Victor Fleming</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Treasure Island, Captains Courageous, The Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Vincente Minnelli</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Meet Me in St. Louis, Lust for Life, An American In Paris, The Bad and the Beautiful, The Band Wagon</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Vsevolod Pudovkin</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Mother, The End of St. Petersburg, Storm Over Asia, Life Is Beautiful </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Walter Hill</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Hard Times, The Driver, The Warriors, 48 Hrs., Streets of Fire</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Wim Wenders</span></div>
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<img alt="Wim Wenders Picture" height="320" src="http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTYzNTgyNzQ1MV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwMTQwMjc1._V1._SY314_CR5,0,214,314_.jpg" width="218" /></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Alice in the Cities, Kings of the Road, The American Friend, Paris, Texas, Wings of Desire</span></i></div>
FilmMattichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15567287349203493671noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6018122949256325759.post-56422464904290343612013-01-17T05:20:00.000-05:002013-02-03T01:40:06.580-05:00Top 10 Movies of 2012<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Looks Like I've Made It</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> It is important to maintain a semblance of tradition despite the jarring reality that my blog has exhibited reclusive tendencies more severe than Henry David Thoreau during his Walden Pond stint. While receding quietly into the distance, a compulsion to maintain some blogging consistency, even if remote, propels me forward. And what represents forward at the present moment is my annual edition of the "Best Films of the Past Year;" substitute 2012 for past year.</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;"> My interrogation of the year in film indicates that there is a fissure among the legions of critics who champion their work online. Some bemoan the year that was, denouncing the sterility of Hollywood while simultaneously proclaiming a regression in the routinely-flourishing labors of World Cinema. The other critical faction of which I proudly reside, considers 2012 a terrific year. Certainly any year represents a mixed bag, generally classified by middling fare in the first-quarter, exciting blockbuster spectacles during the summer, and Award's contenders in the latter half of the year. 2012 reinforced this convenient rubric. But not convincingly as many exceptions awakened us to the pleasures of year-round cinematic cheer. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The early months ushered in the releases of <i>Haywire, The Grey, Chronicle, 21 Jump Street, </i>and <i>The Cabin in the Woods, </i>all terrific films that signaled 2012 was ahead of the curve. <i>Moonrise Kingdom, Amour, Beasts of the Southern Wild </i>and other festival favorites whetted our appetites for more artistic flare. The summer season kicked off in rousing fashion with the titanic emergence of Joss Whedon's <i>The Avengers</i>, which single-handedly prevented <i>the Dark Knight </i>from <i>Rising </i>and <i>Spider-Man </i>from being <i>Amazing. </i>And other enjoyable flicks sprinkled in the mix during the long summer months kept us cinematically sane; <i>Looper </i>springs to mind. But the second-half of 2012 resoundingly upped the ante. <i>The Master, Argo, Holy Motors, </i>and myriad other celebrated works confirmed the excellence of 2012. And Award's season carried the momentum forward as stalwart veterans like Tarantino, Bigelow, and Spielberg guided us to the glorious finish line.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> So here we are, ready to jump aboard the moving train to witness first-hand another stellar year of movie magic. I can't wait. But in the meantime, allow me to unveil my "Top 10 Films of 2012" as well as a smattering of other lists to bookend a fantastic year in film. </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">10). Beasts of the Southern Wild</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> A rare case it is when a young filmmaker arrives without fanfare and unburdened by heedless expectation. But in his feature-film debut Benh Zeitlin emblazons an original mark on the staid formalities of feature-filmmaking, obliterating the notion that talent comes solely from pedigree. What Mr. Zeitlin adroitly dispenses is a wellspring of imagination and creative power precariously absent in mainstream films, an endangered Hollywood species so to speak. </span><span style="font-size: large;">That a child's perception of the world informs this neo-realist landscape, befallen by tragedy and deprivation, is all the more remarkable. Astounding, too, is the lucidity with which Zeitlin wields the mysticism of his magical impulses, transforming psychic remnants of anguish and despair into ebullient revelations. Optimism overtakes tragedy and what a sight it is to behold. M</span><span style="font-size: large;">ore success stories forged by pictures like </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Beasts of the Southern Wild </i><span style="font-size: large;">and the allure of bold and artistic filmmaking can surely become commercially viable. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>9). Nameless Gangster</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Think <i>Goodfellas </i>of the Far East. Well, that isn't even remotely true, but it does reveal a certain cachet, does it not? Let's face it, few films are capable of conjuring up comparisons to an unblemished masterpiece, and while <i>Nameless Gangster </i>exudes bravado, it falls short of such venerable esteem. Matching the potency of Scorsese's unflinching assault on the gangster picture is predictably impossible. Successfully attempting to match its ambition; however, is a significant feat. Because Yoon Jong-bin reaches for such prodigious heights, I am compelled to bestow my highest praise. Also, South Korea has a virtual monopoly on modern crime films and this is among the best I've seen. I would also recommend <i>The Man From Nowhere, The Dirty Carnival, Memories of Murder, The Chaser, </i>and Kim Ki-duk's <i>Pieta, </i>which contended for a Best Foreign Film nomination (it failed to make the short list). The pleasures I experience from watching a truly remarkable crime film, which still ranks as my favorite genre, are unassailable. If you're bitten by the same corruptible bug—i.e. an attraction to cinematic displays of objectionable moral behavior, <i>Nameless Gangster </i>is a terrific antidote to relieve that attraction. </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">8). The Raid: Redemption</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Kinetic filmmaking taken to an anabolic extreme is the best encapsulation of Gareth Evans' most effective work. If it were possible to transpose artistically onto the screen the visual poetry of tennis' greatest pro, Roger Federer doing Roger Federer things, I'm convinced <i>The Raid: Redemption </i>would be the image assaulting our senses. A great tennis match showcases balletic movement, aggression, and impossible skill. This film accomplishes much the same albeit with relentless violence. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The bible of all action films, <i>Die Hard, </i>succeeds in no small consequence because of its exceptional pacing. Well, Evans heeds McTiernan's message (and thankfully not his legal counsel) because <i>The Raid</i> benefits from very much the same measure of astute pacing. One gripping action sequence follows another and the familiarity is neither tedious nor tiresome. While <i>The Raid</i> does not transcend the genre, say in the way Kurosawa's <i>Seven Samurai</i> transformed action adventures, nor does it contextualize violence in dramatic, new ways ala Sam Peckinpah's <i>The Wild Bunch,</i> what <i>The Raid</i> does is elevate the appeal of martial arts-centered action flicks (which have suffered a grim fate of late, though Johnnie To's <i>Throw Down </i>is an exception). In a very Tarantino, <i>Reservoir Dogs </i>fashion, <i>The Raid: Redemption </i>challenges the conventional aesthetic commonly found in these types of films by adhering to a more ultra-violent, lyrical, hyper-aggressive framework. The choreography is sublime, the action breakneck, and the violence raw and unhinged. In the final tally, I suspect not one soul could watch this film without exulting at least once because the visual energy is that sensational. And by the way, Iko Uwais has now inherited the crown of the "Most Badass Motha-----" on screen.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">7). Searching For Sugar Man</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">2012 has been a fantastic year for documentaries and of all those I've seen, <i>Searching For Sugar Man </i>is the one earning my most ardent recommendation. Capturing the rhythm of real life is complicated business. Any filmmaker worth their salt seeks, in some circuitous or fragmented way, a modicum of truth. At the very least directors pursue an agenda, which invariably reflects their personal experience; experience itself that mirrors life. Documentaries have always been fertile ground for this kind of purposeful cinema. And Malik Bendjelloul's exploration of one man's extraordinary life aligns favorably with this appeal for enlightenment. While I would never concede that there is a right or wrong way to advance cinema, there certainly exists an inspired way. And what Bendjelloul so fluently demonstrates in what I consider the year's best documentary is the peripheral reverberation of that very inspiration.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">6). Django Unchained</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Simply put: The most fun I've had at the theater all year! Tarantino's brilliance as a filmmaker reveals not so much an acumen for visual flourish, though he has matured a great deal, so much as an undeniable grasp of narrative fulfillment. He knows precisely what makes movies work and what makes them fun. A master of ceremonies disguised as a director should follow any announcement of his name. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Characteristic of any Tarantino picture are a litany of trademarks. His dialogue is a weapon of pop-provocation. The performances he shepherds are minutely textured to facilitate nuance, which he mines for comic or dramatic effect. The characters themselves are stretched to such daring comedic and emotional heights that the tightrope between genres has to be massaged ever so delicately. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> It is easy to dismiss his work as mindless pastiche meant purely for shock value; the image as a weapon of mass defilement if you will. But an accusation of this class ignores one crucial detail. Tarantino is conscious of those who have influenced him. He neither hides nor embellishes them. Instead, he masterminds inventive ways to transform these spheres of influence into a new light, under a suffocating glare, employing a more microscopic lens. The end result of this very deliberate dissection is an amalgam tethered infinitely to the power of film. The vitality and passion that breathes from his work cannot be faked. </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">5). Holy Motors</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My favorite sequence present in any film this year occurs at what I suppose is the intermission of <i>Holy Motors, </i>when lead character, played calculatingly chameleonic by Denis Lavant, shuttles windingly through an old cathedral accompanied by a motley band of feverish accordion players. The strange and exhilarating sequence is emblematic of Leos Carax's entire film, which eschews the normative comforts of linearity and logic. Narrative incoherence is Carax's intention, and the meandering, raucous energy supplied by that engrossing tracking shot through the cathedral affirms his aims completely. The experience of watching this film is liberating not simply because it strives to be different, but because Carax infuses every frame with an unadulterated passion for cinema. The bewildering narrative may be challenging or disconcerting for some viewers, but I found it absolutely invigorating. Carax's bold artistic picture should be applauded because it dares to be distinct. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>4). Oslo, August 31st</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Joachim Trier reminds me so much of Nicolas Winding Refn. Those who frequent my blog know Mr. Refn is one of my favorite directors working today. Trier's Norwegian ancestry and Danish roots ought to explain the similarities. But beyond a regional recollection of Refn, Mr. Trier illustrates sophisticated command of the language of cinema. So much of <i>Oslo's </i>appeal is conveyed entirely through image. Dialogue is sparse. Action is used sparingly and only to advance the dramatic flow. None of Trier's visual flourishes are turgid or exploited for artistic sake. They cohere to the tonal rhythms of his story, which is almost completely reflected in the acting of Anders Danielsen Lie, evincing powerful emotional dichotomies. A character whose compulsion is drugs certainly presents a dramatic latticework, and it is Anders quietly turbulent, affecting recall of these delinquent realities that harnesses the picture's real charm. Trier presents a confidence that is seldom seen and to think that this is only his second feature is astounding. He is unmistakably an original voice, and I am ecstatic to see what trajectory his career takes as he has gained a lifelong fan. </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">3). Once Upon A Time In Anatolia</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Nuri Bilge Ceylan has quickly become one of my favorite contemporary filmmakers. <i>Distant </i>and <i>Climates </i>are in my estimation two masterpieces of the past decade, and I consider it a crime that it took as long as it did for me to discover his work. Ceylan is a curator of vivid compositions and knows precisely what to emphasize. Like his chief cinematic influences, which deducing from his work are luminaries like Tarkovsky and Angelopoulos, Mr. Ceylan values the primacy of the image. Compositions that reflect consummate, studious attention to detail are the norm, in which it is clear objects placed before the camera (i.e. mise-en-scene) have undergone advanced considerations. When Ceylan's camera moves, it is not accidental or impulsive, or symptomatic of Hollywood showmanship, but calibrated to underscore some pertinence in the image. Dialogue is not remotely as important as gesture. I even somewhat recognize glimpses of Ozu in his work, though he does not cohere as steadfastly as some other modern mavericks like Hou Hsiao-Hsien or the late Edward Yang. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Burrowing deep into the psychology of a country, into the cavities of desperation, the wide-open expanses of exploration, and the interior complexities of human nature, Ceylan constructs deeply introspective character portraits. The conventions of police procedurals or Hollywood thrillers are eschewed in favor of a meditation about memory, romantic trauma, the fragile impermanence of memory, and the spectral rhythms of night. Anatolia, as Ceylan envisions it, is a small, simple, country-like town punctuated by incandescent flashes of isolated phenomena; people and places. The barren, foreboding hillsides emphasize this pathology. It </span><span style="font-size: large;">is an inscrutable, elusive picture that contextualizes the psychology of characters who are both physically and emotionally distant. Integrating mood and environment is indispensable, and the poetic ambiance Ceylan enforces drives viewers headfirst into an examination of the core faculties of human nature. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Ceylan once famously said he likes to bore his viewers because, in a very Brechtian fashion, it frees them from the safeguards of escapism. What this daring approach ultimately accomplishes is miraculous. It nourishes the retrospective synapse deep in our minds, allowing us to think critically and become active participants. Deep reflection is sought. Mr. Ceylan hopes revelation follows. Well, <i>Once Upon A Time In Anatolia </i>is a magnificent revelation. </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">2). Zero Dark Thirty</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This film is the only reason <i>Argo </i>is not among my ten favorites even though I consider Affleck's harrowing thriller to be an exceptionally well-made, poignant love letter to classical cinema. This begs the important question: What pedigree of film presents credentials that justifies snubbing Mr. Affleck, much in the same shameless way the Academy demonstrated last week? Well, the prodigiously talented Kathryn Bigelow, far removed from the mediocrity of the fallow, "adolescent period of her career" (<i>Point Break </i>being the true exception) unleashes the same verve and dynamism that garnered her last film, <i>The Hurt Locker, </i>a<i> </i>Best Picture and Director win. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Bigelow is one of the few modern gurus of action, a title that Michael Bay dismally aspires to. She choreographs intense, elaborate set-pieces with gusto and extraordinary flair. She does so without resorting to cheap payoffs, without bludgeoning our sensory receptors and without degrading the stars on screen. She is in one sense a successor to Hitchcock, evidenced by her masterful command of viewer suspense, and on the other hand, a modern progenitor, employing the socio-political ambiguities of a new danger—that being terrorism and guerrilla warfare. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Beyond Bigelow's inspired direction, what also elevates <i>Zero Dark Thirty</i> to spectacular heights is the incredible, emotionally complex performance of Jessica Chastain, who always reminds me what great acting entails. In a role that any other director would have turned into another derivative masculine ideal, Bigelow and Chastain transform into a heroic, unsentimental bastion of femininity that espouses a woman is every bit a man's equal—if not their superior. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> There is no question: <i>Zero Dark Thirty </i>is the definitive post-9/11 film. The climate of fear and hysteria propagating modern times is shrewdly mined by Bigelow to forge exhilarating, provocative cinema. One final caveat: I find it inconsolable that the paltry temperature of today's media could allow this magnificent film to be brazenly reduced to, "Oh, that torture movie." It's despicable. Please: Do not let the pitiable vicissitudes of media conglomerates dictate your viewing habits. See this move. Your capacity to be astounded will increase, and you'll thank me later. If not, subject me to torture because one controversy begets another. </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">1). The Master</span></i><br />
<i> </i><span style="font-size: large;">Succinctly conveyed are five words that underline every motive to see this film: Paul Thomas Anderson made it. All of Mr. Anderson's films are euphoric odysseys into the human condition. From his luminous debut <i>Hard Eight</i> and declaration of Kubrickian genius <i>Boogie Nights</i>,<i> </i>to his<i> </i>sprawling, emotionally grandiose <i>Magnolia, </i>to his intimate, singularly obsessive <i>Punch Drunk Love, </i>and magnum opus <i>There Will Be Blood, </i>Anderson's filmography is a rare artifice of sublime creation. <i>The Master </i>continues his meteoric trajectory. Caught amid the propulsion of a NASA space shuttle, PTA has evolved through the annals of auteurism, demonstrating uncanny spurts of creative versatility and a superlative grasp of all the numerous tools at a filmmaker's disposal. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> As Kurosawa's famous maxim dictates, it begins with the screenplay. Anderson is a consummate writer-director who obsesses over the relationships between his characters, as opposed to following some formulaic, three-act structure that drains the story of real, emotional power. In the vein of Max Ophuls and other peerless visual stylists, Anderson relies on the spatial psychology of his camera, in a kind of voyeuristic dynamism, to insinuate feeling, emotion, and purpose. His perfectionist approach to mise-en-scene harmonizes beautifully with this kind of contemplative camerawork (note his famous tracking shot in <i>Boogie Nights</i>). But that which separates Anderson from other adept practitioners of robust cinematography is his immaculate work with actors. He has that Elia Kazan, Sidney Lumet rapport that inspires the most luminous of performances. Combine all these facets with his meticulous approach to sound, music, and editing, and what materializes is a fascinating tour de force of inimitable visual splendor. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Like Stanley Kubrick, PTA appreciates the multivalence that ambiguity prescribes. It enlivens the work, supplying vast interpretive meanings. Some find this "artistic" method challenging, pretentious, or incomplete. I deeply admire it. The profundities of meaning that flow from a well-crafted film, always the case when stewarded by Mr. Anderson, supplant the generic, color-by-number exercises provided by far too many Hollywood productions. While I reserve respect for someone who disapproves of Anderson's abstract approach, I exult emphatically in the discovery of an Anderson disciple. And I know the latter comprises a greater majority of the dueling factions. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> On a final, dour note, Anderson was crudely snubbed by the Academy, suffering the same ignoble fate as Ben Affleck and Kathryn Bigelow, though I was pleased to learn the performances in <i>The Master </i>were celebrated with requisite adoration. And I suspect, many of you readers will, too. </span><br />
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<u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Honorable Mentions or The Next Best (How 'bout a Top 40!?):</span></u> <i><span style="font-size: large;">21 Jump Street, Amour, Argo, The Avengers, Bernie, The Cabin in the Woods, Chronicle, Cloud Atlas, Dredd, End of Watch, Flight, Goon, The Grey, Haywire, The Imposter, The Intouchables, Killer Joe, Killing Them Softly, Lincoln, Looper, The Lucky One, Magic Mike, Moonrise Kingdom, Pieta, Safety Not Guaranteed, Seven Psychopaths, Silver Linings Playbook, Skyfall, Sleepwalk With Me, The Queen of Versailles, Ted</span></i><br />
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<u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Neither Great Nor Terrible, But Perfectly Commendable:</span></u><span style="font-size: large;"> <i>Arbitrage, The Expendables 2, Frankenweenie, </i><i>The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey</i></span><i style="font-size: x-large;">, Jack Reacher, Jeff Who Lives At Home, John Carter, Lawless, ParaNorman, Wreck-it Ralph</i><br />
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<u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Disappointing (some significantly more than others):</span></u><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">The Amazing Spider-Man, Brave, Bourne Legacy, The Dark Knight Rises, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Hunger Games, John Carter, Les Miserables, Men In Black III, Prometheus, Safe House, Savages, This Is 40 </i><br />
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<u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Duds or Plain Irrefutable Garbage:</span></u><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Act of Valor, American Reunion, Battleship, Premium Rush, Project X, Snow White and the Huntsman, Taken 2, This Means War</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Still Unseen But Would Likely Garner "Best of" Consideration:</u> </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">A Royal Affair, The Color Wheel, Footnote, The Gatekeepers, How To Survive A Plague, Life of Pi, Polisse, Rust and Bone, The Sessions, This Is Not A Film, The Turin Horse, Wuthering Heights</i></div>
FilmMattichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15567287349203493671noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6018122949256325759.post-57604944876204453182012-10-31T02:29:00.000-04:002012-11-03T05:17:27.241-04:00Film News<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Creative Coup d'etat...Maybe?</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Like all great, or once-great properties that have come before it, <i>Star Wars </i>has been seized by the mechanisms of commerce and vicissitudes of time. Disney, the ubiquitous merchant of magic, which for some is now an unbecoming title—well, the magic part at least—is the new owner of that cherished timespace. While its current profile inspires neither uniform applause nor outright derision, Disney's capacity for magnificence is uncontested. With a catalog of films that stretches as far back as <i>Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs</i>, the first full-length traditional animated feature in motion picture history, Disney has demonstrated time-and-again an ability to sustain feelings of wonder and awe, and a primal adeptness in the management of story and fantasy. These statements spotlight a reputation that is owed primarily to its founder, Walt Disney, a brilliant visionary who carved a lineage that is steeped in fantastical ambition. Well, what is more fantastical and ambitious than a continuation of the original <i>Star Wars Trilogy</i>? How about an <i>actual</i> continuation of the <i>Star Wars Trilogy</i>!?</span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;"> In an swift, calculated motion, Disney has purchased Lucasfilm, doling out a reported $4,050,000,000 (that's $4 billion folks, which, for dramatic effect, I wrote numerically to underline the fact that this is an enormous expenditure). For those keeping count, Marvel, Pixar, the Muppets Studio, and now Lucasfilm all seek capital refuge under the corporate umbrella of the media industry's largest conglomerate. Do I really need to illuminate its other holdings?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This sudden acquisition surprises virtually everyone. Lucasfilm's co-chair Kathleen Kennedy, who some may recognize as a frequent producer on Spielberg's many blockbusters (<i>Jurassic Park </i>for instance), will transition as President of Lucasfilm, surprising no one. She has been Lucas' heir apparent for quite some time. The biggest surprise; however, is reserved for the company's flagship property. Yep, <i>Star Wars. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> According to most media accounts, including The Hollywood Reporter and Slashfilm, preparations for a <i>Star Wars: Episode VII</i> have begun in earnest with a slated release date for 2015. Holy Han Solo that's some exciting news! Ms. Kennedy is identified as an executive producer while the pinata of fanboy derision himself, George Lucas, will be relegated perhaps wittingly to a "creative" consultancy role. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> The depths of indignation that have surrounded Mr. Lucas in the second-half of his career will likely never dissipate. And while I would argue that the degree of antipathy of which his name has been associated has been in many cases mere irrational contempt, just another instance of an important figure of yesteryear unduly maligned, the root of criticism directed at him has been perfectly warranted; the prequels were an abomination, almost uniformly terrible in fact, and poorly executed changes to the original trilogy have justifiably sustained fans' appetites for Lucas' head on a platter. The revelation, therefore, that Lucas' role in the sequels will sufficiently disintegrate is extreme cause for celebration. But what form this celebration takes and to what degree it grows is subject to the next stage of development. Who dares direct this holy grail of cinematic properties? One thing is certain: Whoever carries the mantle will inherit untold mountains of expectations, but even Lucas himself can acknowledge that a trajectory keenly less reliant upon his megalomania is most advantageous for the franchise: <a href="http://www.slashfilm.com/disney-buys-lucasfilm-new-star-wars-film-2015/">"It's now time for me [Lucas] to pass <i>Star Wars </i>on to a new generation of filmmakers."</a> I agree. Yes, I emphatically agree, sir. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">From what I've been able to divulge in my preliminary investigation, Disney has actually acquired "extensive treatments for the next three movies (<i>Episodes VII-IX</i>)." The deal also includes every morsel of <i>Star Wars-</i>related content from comic books to novels. Now no one outside the hierarchical sphere of Disney can attest to what direction <i>Episode VII </i>ultimately takes. I doubt even Disney's corporate brain trust even knows at this point. Deductive reasoning though does allow us to pinpoint a chronology that commences some time after<i> Return of the Jedi</i>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> The Internet has erupted with extensive discussions concerning this most scrutinized of acquisitions. But obligations have curtailed my participation. Details that I have been able to grasp suggest a timeline for <i>Episode VII </i>that continues a few decades after the climactic events of <i>Return of the Jedi</i>. This route preserves a recognizable continuity to the original story. My presumption is that one need not consume every infinitesimal parcel of <i>Star Wars </i>paraphernalia or be an aficionado to understand the rudimentary functions of the universe. Every man, woman, and child has likely seen the original trilogy. If not, off with your heads.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Within this logistical framework, the reconstruction phase in the post-Empire world has undergone its course. The Jedis have reassimilated; the wisdom of the central characters having been successfully imparted onto the successive generation. Luke, it is widely presumed, morphs into an Obi-Wan-like figure, which is Lucas vernacular for a premier Jedi knight. Han's leadership capacity, we suspect, grows more significant while the fates of R2-D2 and C-3PO likely resume unperturbed. Conflict almost invariably necessitates moral and philosophical disputes. As underpinnings of any dramatic narrative, I expect these dimensions to be integrated shrewdly. With most principle actors still enjoying the fruits of mortality, character reprisals can also be expected. The mythology of Darth Vader must persist in some fashion. And I for one can never diminish the likelihood of a love interest. Romance is a frequent dramatic catalyst even within the galactic confines of a space opera. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Star Wars Episode VII, </i>now finally usurped from the waning creative grip of Mr. Lucas, is an enterprise I can wholly endorse. But I have one major directive aimed squarely at the creators. Forgo an unseemly reliance upon CGI and exorbitant, tertiary special effects, which has effectively bankrupt the creative potency of the franchise and instead steer a commitment to good old-fashioned storytelling. Eschewing CGI altogether is not smart, but prudence is a virtue. The galaxy I fell in love with as a kid depicted an environment that was enchanting, visceral, and above all, flawed. Digital perfection dilutes some of this primordial appeal<i>. </i>If nothing else the godawful prequels affirm this message. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> I hold strongly to a belief that I realize is entirely impractical. Executives and their handsome investments which galvanize the film industry are not exclusively beholden to the bottom-line—of course commerce dictates they ought to be, but to individuals across the world whose imaginations are nurtured, and in many cases derived from the creative bursts of inspiration that George Lucas himself once harnessed in the making of <i>Star Wars</i> during a time, long, long ago. And apparently, in a galaxy, far, far away. Yep, that's a pedestrian way of saying that the corporate, automaton Lucas-of-today is a shell of the scruffy Lucas-of-1970's lore. Cinema is art. Lucas once championed this notion. If commercial solvency is the only objective nourishing the industry, what hope is there for the next generation of young moviegoers who desperately yearn for their own seminal <i>Star Wars </i>experience? Well, that time is now firmly affixed on the calendar and the opportunity for magic once again within reach. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Finally, plans call for <i>Episodes VIII </i>and <i>IX</i> as well as new incarnations to be completed every two-to-three years. In other words, this could be the beginning of a beautiful new relationship, motivated by shared pleasures and responsibilities, or it could be a tainted reminder of a terrible ex, stifled by selfish needs. Don't fuck it up, Mouse Men. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">P.S. For the sanctity of the original trilogy and for proof that the corporate world is still capable of good, please I urge those in the influential channels of power at Disney to release<i>, </i>unedited and devoid of unnecessary cosmetic enhancement, the original <i>Trilogy</i>. Hooray for common sense if Disney makes this happen! </span></div>
FilmMattichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15567287349203493671noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6018122949256325759.post-61968124236828542632012-10-12T06:03:00.003-04:002013-08-12T14:46:07.139-04:00My 100 Favorite Directors - UPDATED! <div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>These Go To Eleven...111!</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Those who frequent my blog may wonder where in the hell have I been. But I like to maintain mystery in the digital world. I am not Amish; not that there's anything wrong with that (is it not a coincidence that Peter Weir's <i>Witness </i>features in this edition...). And I don't practice the Thoreau method. What I do is rigorously follow the wisdom of Wooderson from <i>Dazed and Confused</i>. "Living man, L-I-V-I-N!" Such an answer is perfunctory, I know. I am quite the cyber obscurest. All you need to know is that I am having fun and working hard. It is my social networking duty, first and foremost, to keep that perpetually curious aura alive. </span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;"> As you stumble upon my blog, which I now dust off, and you begin to navigate the predominantly filmic terrain, a few things become abundantly clear. I love film. </span><span style="font-size: large;">I love lists. I love filmmakers. I love making lists of my favorite filmmakers. So what impetus, therefore, could possibly drive me back to the blogging business if not an extravagant list? How about the extravagance of eleven. Yep, here's eleven more paramount directors whose films I've recently explored under a more critical gaze.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Why eleven and why is such a number so extravagant? Well, pretty much anyone who has ever watched a movie can immediately recognize the significance. <i>This Is Spinal Tap</i>! Nigel, enlivened by the inimitable Christopher Guest with an energy seldom seen, gives us moviegoers a tantalizing image of performance excellence both brazen and brilliant. The mere prospect of even referencing this chestnut of musical, moviegoing magic intimidates me. But because my posts and general engagement with you readers—my irreplaceable, stellar blogging community—has been, to put it quite mildly, sparse, I feel an obligation to mark my reemergence by referencing the magnificence of Nigel Tufnel. Also, I realize after counting these new directorial additions that the total reaches eleven plus I save tons of money on my car insurance daily. In all sincerity, there exists no more inappropriately awesome overture of "Hey, look at me" than Nigel's spellbinding defense of his very special guitar amplifier. Ostentatious and unnecessary, yes. But that which is not necessary is often most fruitful. And nothing is more attention-grabbing than the exploitation of the extreme.<i> </i></span><br />
<i> </i><span style="font-size: large;">The verdict I have reached is straightforward. These auteurs, a title often invoked but routinely undeserved, are new inductees into what I realize has become an ultimately self-aggrandizing compendium of one-hundred-plus directors, who are united solely by my increasingly elastic definition of favorite. Bringing my burgeoning count to 111, these filmmakers I consider essential custodians of cinema. Their frequent flirts with genius divulge a true awareness of the medium, which I contend is expressly made to bolster and safeguard the transformative power of an image. Look no further than last year's <i>Tree of Life </i>or this year's <i>Looper </i>to understand the raw power of a moving image and what transformation precisely means. And I apologize for this somewhat abstract assessment. Studying the films of World Cinema will really empower your senses in a way you've never thought capable. Just look at some of these guys I've added. </span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">*Here's my initial post of "<a href="http://www.filmmattic.com/2012/06/my-100-favorite-directors.html">My 100 Favorite Directors</a>." </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">**My Favorite Directors: 101-111:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Lars von Trier</i></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">The Element of Crime, Europa, Breaking the Waves, Dancer in the Dark, Dogville, The Five Obstructions, Melancholia</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Hou Hsiao-Hsien</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">A Time to Live and A Time to Die, A City of Sadness, The Puppetmaster, Flowers of Shanghai, Millennium Mambo, Cafe Lumiere</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Louis Malle</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">The Fire Within, Atlantic City, My Dinner with Andre, Au revoir, les enfants, Vanya on 42nd Street</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Peter Weir</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Picnic at Hanging Rock, Witness, Dead Poets Society, The Truman Show, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Jacques Tati</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Mr. Hulot's Holiday, Mon Oncle, Playtime, Trafic</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Michael Haneke</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Benny's Video, Funny Games, The Piano Teacher, Code Unknown: Incomplete Tales of Several Journeys, Cache, The White Ribbon, Amour</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Jim Jarmusch</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Stranger Than Paradise, Down By Law, Mystery Train, Night on Earth, Dead Man, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, Broken Flowers</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Richard Linklater</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Slacker, Dazed and Confused, Tape, Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, Waking Life, The School of Rock, A Scanner Darkly, Bernie, Before Midnight</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Jason Reitman</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Thank You For Smoking, Juno, Up in the Air, Young Adult</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Johnnie To</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">The Heroic Trio, Mad Detective, Throw Down, Election, Triad Election, Exiled, Vengeance, Life Without Principle, Drug War</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Tim Burton</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Beetlejuice, Batman, Batman Returns, Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood, Big Fish, Frankenweenie</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">***Perhaps the future will involve a sweeping elucidation on the selection of these directors beyond simply listing what I consider to be their finest works (at least of their films I've actually seen). But studiously articulating on the inclusion of 111 directors is admittedly cumbersome. If the audience fervently demands it and my inclination grows vigorous, such a feature shall follow.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">****Thanks for stopping by and for continuing to patronize my blog. I do greatly appreciate all the supportive readership. Without an audience my cyber imprint, and more importantly, my written word means nothing. So thanks to the eleventh degree.****</span><br />
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FilmMattichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15567287349203493671noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6018122949256325759.post-84314805740768326462012-07-12T05:01:00.000-04:002012-07-15T23:39:44.903-04:00Top 10 Least Favorite Movie CHARACTERS: Part II<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Best of the Worst</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Part I of my <a href="http://www.filmmattic.com/2012/07/top-10-least-favorite-movie-characters.html">"Top 10 Least Favorite Movie CHARACTERS"</a> can be found by clicking the above link. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> I suppose I'll have to choose my words carefully. Chuck Norris is watching. I'll oblige only because Bruce Lee's reincarnated-self is not here to protect me. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> These characters are the vermin of cinema. But they are the best vermin, contaminating the world, charmingly, one evil at a time. They are simply too good at being bad. While their actions, behavior, and generally their outlook on life is morally objectionable and admittedly terrifying, their determination and affinity for destruction is captivating. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Evil is not the prerequisite, but its very existence is crucial to my ultimate aversion to these characters. </span><span style="font-size: large;">So, I urge you to tread cautiously. Trading glances with individuals so miserably appalling is known to be the predominant cause of nightmares. As we all know, fear leads to madness. Do not let fear transform you into a revolting character of cinema. I never want to see any of you lovely readers creepily decorating one of my future "Love to Hate" installments. I for one harbor no such fear. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">5). Jane Greer's Kathy Moffat, <i>Out of the Past </i>(Jacques Tourneur, 1947)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">How can outward beauty that rivals Aphrodite be the subject of my disgust? How a woman whose elegance and raw physicality, proof that ethereal perfection exists, could be identified in such notorious light is confounding? Or perhaps it's not so mysterious. It's because internally there is darkness. What triggers her beating heart is the dank residue of conceit, where evil pulsates with indiscriminate force, its warpath unrelenting to those tragic few caught in its violent throws. Like the bloom of a plant. Ms. Moffat is the carnal embodiment of attraction. But her inflorescence betrays humility. A flower so superficial simply wilts under sunlight, the perception of goodness stymied by a garden of deception. She is the kind of woman with a conniving nature who uses her looks not simply to manipulate admiring men—courting materialism her primary pursuit—but for malicious, destructive ends. Moffat's final betrayal elicits near-total indignation. Though I must subside somewhat at the point of complete detest because her rotten presence propels one of the greatest line deliveries in the history of cinema, originating from that man whose talent, if measured by distance, could fill every crevice of the Grand Canyon, Robert Mitchum. His genius never more evident than in his flawless command of this magnificent dagger, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=H6RBd1L8RQ4">"Look, just get out, will you? I have to sleep in this room."</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">4). Tom Berenger's Sergeant Barnes, <i>Platoon </i>(Oliver Stone, 1986)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Elias was my dude and Barnes fucked with him. He fucked with him on a scale far worse than Gny. Sgt. Hartman fucked with Gomer Pyle in <i>Full Metal Jacket</i>. I will concede that Oliver Stone portrays war itself as the primary villain of <i>Platoon. </i>Unhinged military conflict unleashes monsters in certain men, desensitizing them to war's real horrors. But Sergeant Barnes kills Elias and to say that it is unforgivable is a gross understatement. Beyond his psychotic talent for which murdering is his chief export—and I would put him up against virtually all violent movie characters—Barnes is an awful leader, a man whose affinity for violence obliterates morale and disrupts unity. Nepotism, recklessness, barbaric posturing, extreme amorality, unnecessary antagonism; these are not the traits championed by a hero, but characteristics of a ruthless guerrilla mindset. That he murders a subordinate should be something of a clue that Barnes does a terrible job of leading his platoon. His detachment from humanity predicts certain doom and his subversion of discipline necessitates a schism within his unit that leads to irreparable fractures. Battlefield cliques compete for macho dominance. Subjecting your men to unnecessary dangers, men whose very existence depends delicately upon the winds of your direction, is disgraceful. And for what reason? To justify a falsely defined manhood? The madness talked about in the great climax of <i>The Bridge on the River Kwai, </i>and reminiscent of Marlon Brando's Col. Kurtz in <i>Apocalypse Now, </i>are harbingers of Barnes' psychological descent, one whose destination is total insanity.<i> </i>Joseph Conrad's "Hearts of Darkness" aptly anticipates men of Barnes' faculty. But his wretched nature, which is unmistakably corrupted by the inhumanity of the Vietnam War and the chaos of the American effort (which was largely precipitated by poor strategic planning from the home front), leads to one of the great, enduring death scenes. Those who've not seen the film I will not spoil it. Just know that there are traces of cinematic perfection to be gleamed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">3). </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Louise Fletcher's Nurse Ratched, </span><i style="font-size: xx-large;">One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest </i><span style="font-size: x-large;">(Milos Forman, 1975)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Nurse Ratched is synonymous with terror of the psychological breed. Her uncolored appearance and suppressed sexuality belies an inaccessible cruelty. Buoyed by the circus of vulnerable patients who are incapacitated by the static authority of being institutionalized, she abuses her dictatorial house of disorder, exposing them to routine torment. She manipulates behind a face of chilling dispassion, under protocols that accentuate the anxieties of her patients. The one man who poses any real challenge to her authoritative carnage is lobotomized. McMurphy, who is our hero because Jack Nicholson's charisma is that infectious (oh, yeah, the author intended it this way, too), dresses with dignity and radiates gusto for living and breathing that is palpable. This is precisely the behavior seen as disposable and unnecessary to the evil Nurse Ratched. McMurphy teaches these traits to his ineffectual inmates. And while McMurphy is far from perfect, his zest and outlook on life helps inspire in his brethren a fervor for living. Ratched despises this development and makes him pay the dearest price. Instead of building up the patients under her care, imparting some kind of meaningful lesson, or approximating the potential for life beyond those claustrophobic walls, she seeks to methodically break them down, dehumanization her choice tactic. She waves her callous power like a magic wand (i.e. taking away their cigarettes, which they use to gamble with). Degrading therapy sessions are her idea of exercising efficient control. Packaging the insecurities of the inmates into a compartment of fear is her chief aim. It decorates her tyrannic regime with a heartless and disgraceful blight. She deludes herself into thinking that she is assisting these patients, yet her passive-aggressive temperament proves otherwise, as she breaks the covenant of "primum non nocere." It is as if she derives some sort of seductive pleasure from controlling these men; h</span><span style="font-size: large;">er </span><span style="font-size: large;">rigid aura personifies this troubling methodology. </span><span style="font-size: large;">She deals with McMurphy's usurpation of her authority terribly. But his co-existential conquest triumphs. His enlightening impact on his fellow inmates is best understood through the actions of Chief, who embraces the freedom that McMurphy embodies (in his own equally quirky way). <i>One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest </i>is ultimately a firm critique of the poor way institutions deal with mental illness. Lambasting Nurse Ratched's totalitarian tics is the key determinant</span><span style="font-size: large;">. Her patronizing, possessive, manipulative nature enhances her own inhumanity, marginalizing the lives of those in her care. But the criminality of her ways is handcuffed by the joie de vivre of Randle McMurphy. I doubt such enjoyment and happiness could be expressed from Ratched if it were painted on her face.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">2). </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Strother Martin's Captain, </span><i style="font-size: xx-large;">Cool Hand Luke </i><span style="font-size: x-large;">(Stuart Rosenberg, 1967)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I suppose it's not a coincidence that both <i>One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest </i>and <i>Cool Hand Luke </i>feature prominently in my list as they are two films I deeply admire. McMurphy and Luke, the central protagonists in both films respectively, champion a common existentialism. They refuse to be broken down or corrupted by anything or anyone, and never succumb to conformity; virtues worth admiring. Captain, however, is the furthest from this ideal. As the prison warden of an inhumane work camp, he retains his power by oppressing others; his brutal reign responsible for the death of one of my all-time favorite characters (the aforementioned Luke). Is Captain a sadist? I think so. Subjugating Luke to the "box" on the convenient presumption that he "might run" because his mother dies is the pinnacle of cruelty. And it is only after this event that Luke truly embraces his rebellious nature. Luke is a man so consumed by the widespread wickedness of the world that he challenges his mortality. Captain is the symbol of that wickedness, and therefore, Luke's archenemy. In some sense, Cool Hand Luke is a Christ figure, a martyr, a man who consciously seeks punishment to force humanity to reflect on the ways of the world. And with this theoretical reading, it can be logically argued that Captain is the principal embodiment of all that is systematically wrong with the world. Some choose not to view Captain as a wholesale villain, just a man doing his job with the fierce markings of a perfectionist. But that is precisely why I perceive him as one of cinema's most memorable villains. The very job he fearlessly protects—the sanctimonious morality of imprisoning "criminals"—positions him in a self-righteous light as an arbiter of good and evil, the core dualism of the world on full display. But his actions, in my estimation, never align properly with this apparent morality, provoking a startling disconnect. The nature of his job, like a random avenue of the world, is corrupt. The world is not impervious to corruption and Captain is its most corruptible. This paradoxical thinking makes for a provocative juxtaposition. But what I refuse to concede is the artifice of good in Strother Martin's Captain, who it should be noted plays him, in demeanor, speech, and mannerism, flawlessly. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">1). Eitaro Shindo's Sansho, <i>Sansho the Bailiff</i> (Kenji Mizoguchi, 1954)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Sansho the Bailiff is only the most disreputable incarnation of evil ever committed to screen. If someone oozes villainy from their pores so completely and effortlessly, commits atrocities with such casual conviction, then they deserve unfailing contempt. This bristly-bearded slavemaster is as merciless and inhuman a man as I could imagine. The image he projects to the world is vicious. He governs a barbaric prison camp, where he fulfills both his fantasies of bully and sadist with exacting resolve. The men who surround him, save for his only son, yield to his every harsh whim. He fosters an environment of servitude, intimidating those he has imprisoned into a hopeless life of fear. Devastating images of depravity encircle his rotten holding. Branded on the foreheads of prisoners who attempt escape are scars, which simply serve as the permanent reminders of his dictatorship. He is a tyrant in every sense of the word. Some men are born without a capacity for compassion or potential for mercy. They impose on others a debilitating fear, in which living justly is impossible. Social tyranny and divine sacrifice, consequently, serve as the thematic backbone of Mizoguchi's harrowing saga. An aristocratic family is forced to contemplate their life and unite through redemption and love. Sansho conditions in the children of this family a persistent stain of misery. Suffering is the currency of wisdom and causing it the seal of Sansho's reign, which speaks to the corruptible influence of power. And perhaps this is why Mizoguchi's melancholic story resonates so powerfully. Tragedy befalls an unsuspecting family for no good reason. Their coerced descent into hell is cultivated gradually, forcing them (and the audience) to drown in the sorrows of their misfortune while the natural progression of life unfolds before them (an unforgettable depiction of pain and suffering, and the dichotomy of life and death). The years advance, days grow longer, faces wearier, their capacity for heartbreak more severe, but nothing peaceful emerges to comfort this family's journey. Or does it? I refuse to spoil the brilliance of this film, so I won't expound further. But it is important to state that while this family's precipitous fall into hell is revealed with a deliberate, dawdling, painterly touch, their ultimate fate is expressed somewhat dispassionately, the virtues of enduring souls extolled. Sansho is no enduring soul except in the annals of infamy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Final thoughts: If Twilight were one character and not the bastardized cinematic equivalent of mucus, it'd be my number one aversion. No question. But a crap movie was not eligible. Ralph Fiennes' Amon Goeth from <i>Schindler's List</i>, John Huston's Noah Cross from <i>Chinatown,</i></span><i> </i><span style="font-size: large;">Dennis Hopper's Frank from <i>Blue Velvet</i>, and Imelda Staunton's Dolores Umbridge from <i>Harry Potter,</i> were also strongly considered.</span><i> </i></div>
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</i>FilmMattichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15567287349203493671noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6018122949256325759.post-3966156942680618852012-07-05T07:34:00.002-04:002012-07-12T16:49:59.445-04:00Top 10 Least Favorite Movie CHARACTERS: Part I<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Love to Hate</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Let's face it. We are wired to dislike certain people. Human nature assures us there's a line to be crossed between that which we deem admirable and that which we deride gleefully. Movies are no different. The characters who inhabit these tantalizing worlds solidify our diametric ideological curiosities. And I'm most curious about the disreputable. Therefore, in this post, I will identify my "Top 10 Least Favorite Movie Characters." </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Common themes you may discover are the false representation of power, the willful subjugation of powerless figures, betrayal, cowardice, fraudulent ethics, deception, malfeasance, and of no less importance, obnoxious personalities. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">These characters are despicable. The actors are not. In no way is it my objective to denigrate the work of these performers. In fact only great performances qualify for my list. It's not the performances or the actors I'm begrudging, but the detestable characters they portray so effectively. Their inclusion is actually an endorsement of the quality of their work. An actor's placement on this list is a celebration of their trenchant embrace of villainy, or in some cases their insufferable expression (think obnoxious voices, folks). </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Some choices will be obvious, some more surprising. I made a concerted effort to avoid selecting only familiar "villains." A task too easy is little fun. Did I succeed? </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> One final caveat: I refused to select loathsome characters from godawful movies. Logic being that movies that are awful do not deserve publicity. Additionally, if the movie is bad, it is likely the characters are, too. No need to dwell in the vapid sewers of mediocrity, right? Thus, only movies I deem worthy of praise are to be culled. Let's begin shall we...</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">10). Annette Bening's Carolyn, <i>American Beauty </i>(Sam Mendes, 1999)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It's a testament to Bening's peerless performance that I loath her character with such unmitigated force. The antipathy I feel for her is drawn from the relentless superficiality her character fearlessly flaunts, the image of corporate propriety she foolishly obsesses over. According to Mendes, I'm supposed to be morally repulsed by her facile ambition. The film in a very rudimentary sense serves as a caustic satire of the American middle class, especially society's canonization of beauty and personal satisfaction. This is not the type of satisfaction prescribed by Kerouac and the Beatniks, who forged a peculiar hedonism based on the complete disavowal of materialistic desires. While I do not endorse the Beatniks particular brand of living, least of which is owed to its stark impracticality, satisfaction of their ilk is to be admired. Carolyn's is to be despised. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Bening's character also fucked with the ultimate chameleon and the man we love to love, Kevin Spacey, who took home the Oscar for Best Actor. His charismatic portrayal of the middle-aged man, mired in an turbulent midlife crisis, was extraordinary. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Bening on the other hand furnished a voice so grating, a persona so artificial, that she reminded me of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eiiD4Qzk0w">The Heckler</a> from Seinfeld, a devious blowhard lionized in the annals of TV's Hall of Fame of Annoying Characters. Ultimately, Carolyn does redeem herself somewhat during the denouement, preventing her from a more reprehensible position amongst this class of wretched beings, her final revelation comforting. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">9). </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Tyrone Power's Leonard Vole, </span><i style="font-size: xx-large;">Witness for the Prosecution</i><span style="font-size: x-large;"> (Billy Wilder, 1957)</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Leave it to the best-selling novelist of all-time, Agatha Christie, and one of cinema's greatest storytellers, Billy Wilder, to produce one of the most intrinsically vile characters in film history. This is a man whose duplicitous nature wreaked havoc upon all that is holy in the land; insinuated himself into an older woman's life with the sole intention of earning the lion's share of her will; committed, in the hyper-realistic world of cinema, an unnecessary murder (that's a novel concept); conspired to make a mockery of law and not for any pursuit of justice, but for callous, Gordon Gecko-level greed; betrayed the woman who sacrificed so much to deliver his innocence, the woman who so faultlessly loved him; and impugned the honest work of an aging, sickly lawyer by circumventing his trust, abolishing his faith. That final act, a culmination of multiple twists that would make even M. Night Shyamalan cower in abject fear, ensured that order was achieved. This wretched man finally confronted a woman's scorn, hell hath no fury like it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">8). James Cromwell's Captain Dudley Smith, <i>L.A. Confidential </i>(Curtis Hanson, 1997)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Captain Smith's arc, and specifically our discovery of his true nature, is cultivated slowly and methodically. This is a man equipped with a calm disposition that belies a maleficent intention, a man whose distrust of ethics is deeply unsettling. <span style="font-size: large;">He's an enabler of corruption, of the denigration of law and order, who'd happily tell a man to "hush" just before he unloads his pistol in their back. James Cromwell has carefully constructed an image of decency; the characters he plays seldom cross the tenuous intersection of morality<span style="font-size: large;"> (remember the sage farmer in Babe?). But actors who channel an unforeseen and uncharacteristic aggression that contradicts their temperament, famously achieved by Henry Fonda's villainous turn in Sergio Leone's <i>Once Upon a Time in the West</i>, are far more powerful, their revelations evocative and disconcerting. Inquisitive directors can mine these malleable sculptures of benevolence for evil purposes. And that is exactly what Curtis Hanson does with Mr. Cromwell. In a land populated by criminals, a land ensnared in the corruptible net of money, power and influence, Captain Dudley Smith is the Hannibal Lecter figure. He ceaselessly promotes brutality within the ranks of his police force. Compromising one's integrity, one's exalted duty to serve and protect, is of no consequence under his ruthless jurisdiction. Seriously. This is a man whose moral compass is never pointed away from hell. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">7). </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Anne Baxter's Eve Harrington, </span><i style="font-size: xx-large;">All About Eve </i><span style="font-size: x-large;">(Joseph L. Mankiewicz, 1950)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Bosley Crowther of the New York Times famously wrote, "Eve would make a black widow spider look like a ladybug." Played by the sumptuous Anne Baxter, Eve Harrington provides <i>All About Eve's </i>maniacal core. Cunning, wide-eyed, parasitic, agonizingly slavish, Ms. Harrington cruelly interjects her way into the lives of Broadway starlet Margo Channing (the indubitable Bette Davis), accomplished playwright Lloyd Richards, and dutiful director Bill Sampson. Abetted by professional character assassin, Addison DeWitt, a columnist and self-proclaimed sophisticate of infinite culture, Eve forges a persona built upon a house of lies, a facade so savagely transparent she ceases to supply one redeeming human quality (beyond her pretty face). The diabolical Eve, aided by a corrosive tact, goes from Margo Channing's sycophantic assistant whom she "idolizes" to Margo Channing's bitter rival whom she now demonizes, illustrating convincingly that she's nothing more than a hollow heart driven by soulless ambition. Eve's rise to stardom reveals a two-faced goddess of deceit, a woman whose devious methods reflect only a hardened megalomania. Megalomaniacs deserve no sympathy.
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">6). Jeremy Davies' Timothy E. Upham, <i>Saving Private Ryan </i>(Steven Spielberg, 1998)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Some men view the movements of war as balletic. Those men did not see real carnage. Buoyed fatalistically by the widespread devastation wrought by the Great War, World War II introduced a battlefield of torturous combat. Few enemies expressed a capacity for pacifism; the very gruesome nature of WWII precluded any rational suspension of violence. But the theater of war, despite its psychological torment, its complex dehumanization, its unfettered ferocity, never rubber-stamps cowardice. Willing inaction that leads to the death of a comrade is the pinnacle of cowardice. Timothy E. Upham is guilty of such inaction. John Wayne would disown him in a heartbeat, then dispose of his latent masculinity in the most efficiently rugged way possible. Col. Jessup would stuff a poisonous rag down his throat. The wartime ideal of masculinity, of the very basic rules of combat, is something the movies exult lustfully, something we viewers cherish. Upham is the furthest from this base, heroic ideal. His passivity in the face of danger, his timorous neglect of his fellow men, reveals unconscionable weakness. And that is inexcusable. In <i>Saving Private Ryan, </i>the Ranger Company's search for the eponymous Private Ryan ends at Ramelle. As they valiantly repel the German attack, Upham finds himself paralyzed with fear, derelict of his duties. Upham's weak-kneed nature undergoes a drastic change, though when he witnesses a familiar German soldier (the same one the squad had set free days earlier), fatally wound Captain Miller. As Allied forces begin to flood Ramelle, </span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Upham advances on the German position,</span><span style="font-size: large;"> shooting the former prisoner, betrayal undoubtedly the impetus for his first violent attack. What this crystallizes for me is a man who not only succumbs to the brutality of war, becoming a war criminal in the process, but more poignantly a man unwilling to shepherd the protection of his men (it's too late). While the psychological toll of warfare is incalculable and particularly detrimental to young, fragile minds of which Upham is the poster child, his cowardly actions are unforgivable. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">*Part II of my "<a href="http://www.filmmattic.com/2012/07/top-10-least-favorite-movie-characters_12.html">Top 10 Least Favorite Movie CHARACTERS</a>" can be found by clicking the above link. </span></div>
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</div>FilmMattichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15567287349203493671noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6018122949256325759.post-89615554379656155422012-06-30T23:20:00.001-04:002014-01-24T01:20:51.907-05:00My 100 Favorite Directors<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Because 99 Is Too Few and 101 Is Too Many</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'm jubilant. The idea that I can even cultivate a list of 100 directors, stretching from the silent era to present-day, from pioneers to pop-culture pragmatists, brings me great elation. These are directors whose work nourishes my cinematic education, whose talents I've increasingly come to admire. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> I'm a fairly disciplined and autonomous thinker. I've been told routinely that I'm a champion of vim and vigor, of which my ethic is tethered inextricably. The reason, I suppose, is that I tend to excel only in areas where my interests lie aggressively and most authentically; a rather simple principle to guide one's ambitions, correct? Well, film is my cornerstone passion. It has been for as long as I can remember. In the last two-to-three years, coinciding with the genesis of this very blog, my indoctrination has grown even more radically—an inexorable pursuit that is nothing less than obsessive. This impending list is definitive proof. </span><br />
<a name='more'></a> <span style="font-size: large;"> I'm proud my little cinematic-centric space has fostered some engaging relationships. Many of us, I've learned, are bound by a common filmic enthusiasm. My primitive journey into the blogosphere, transpiring amid my deeper ascension into film, has crystallized two things: 1). Unblinking love for film. 2). Developing penchant for writing. A tangible by-product of my film-torn mind, you see, is the realization that I also harbor a fondness for language. This blog harnesses that fondness; fledgling forays into the language craft, if you will.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Writing is something I've done casually throughout my life. The transmission of a thought from mind to printed matter is exhilarating. I was a voracious reader for a long stretch of my life, an activity that has devolved into the oasis of "Not Enough Time" as I've grown older. But this blog has invigorated that which I deem to be germane to my passions and for a period too long was sadly vacant. And so I'm grateful. This journey, cinematic and literary, shall continue unperturbed. I've no regrets. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Now please excuse my digression. Let's get back to the more pivotal matter at hand. At some point in the future I would like to expound on these choices. Identifying one's pristine esteem for 100 directors is a lot to wrestle with mentally. But for now, as this post involves already a great deal of deliberation, consuming enough bandwidth to run NASA, I'm going to have to preemptively excise any snippets that would otherwise serve to elucidate my choices. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The construction of this list is primarily borne from a selfish calculus. I want to have tangible proof of what I've seen, what needs to be seen still, and what deserves my strongest temporal devotion. This compendium will ideally serve to carefully illuminate the directors whose work I've familiarized myself with most favorably as well as reminder of the filmmakers whose filmographies I still need to explore. This is by no means comprehensive, but it is pretty damn close. There are films and directors I did not include, but that does not belie interest. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The criterion is simple: My enjoyment of these films, particularly the director's distinct craftsmanship, is without reproach. The essential condition garnering the list's creation is that I had to have seen at least four of the director's films, which I contend is a reasonable representation of their oeuvre. That means I must resist the urge to include Ramin Bahrani and Edgar Wright. Bahrani has made, in my estimation, three masterpieces (<i>Man Push Cart, Chop Shop, Goodbye Solo</i>). But three films does not four make. Bahrani's eligibility is thusly precluded. Wright has made three features which I deem exemplars of modern pop-innovation (<i>Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World</i>). But alas, <i>A Fistful of Fingers</i> does not constitute a viable fourth option. Therefore, I'll have to wait until <i>The World's End</i> before I can authorize Wright to grace my Top 100.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> *It should be noted that I made this list without consideration to the number of directors I would ultimately highlight. I figured the directors I've studied and enjoyed most appreciably would resonate upon inception. That is exactly what happened. After enumerating the key works of these master auteurs, I tallied the numbers. There were 98 directors! Astonishing. But 98 is such a strange number to unify a post of this magnitude. So, I decided to exercise my brain a little more rigorously. After consulting with Robin Williams, the Therapist, not the Comedian, I derived two more names. And while the order of this list was arbitrary, the final two directors who gained entry were, fittingly, numbers 99 and 100 (i.e. that was the only portion of the order that was NOT arbitrary). Thus, this final anecdote qualifies my list as a legitimate psychoanalysis tool.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> **Films listed below director's pictures are those I've seen and recommend unequivocally. </span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Martin Scorsese</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://www.martin-scorsese.com/scorsese.jpg" height="400" width="373" />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Mean Streets, Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The King of Comedy, After Hours, The Last Temptation of Christ, The Color of Money, Goodfellas, Cape Fear, The Age of Innocence, Casino, Kundun, Bringing Out the Dead, Gangs of New York, The Aviator, The Departed, Shutter Island, Hugo</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Federico Fellini</i></span></div>
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<img alt="Federico Fellini" src="http://www.bestvideo.com/v/vspfiles/assets/images/fellini_f.jpg" height="400" width="336" />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">I Vitelloni, La Strada, Nights of Cabiria, La Dolce Vita, 8 1/2, Amarcord, Juliet of the Spirits</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Akira Kurosawa</span></i></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://www.biography.com/imported/images/Biography/Images/Profiles/K/Akira-Kurosawa-9370236-1-402.jpg" height="400" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>One Wonderful Sunday, Drunken Angel, Stray Dog, Rashomon, Ikiru, Seven Samurai, Throne of Blood, The Hidden Fortress, Yojimbo, Sanjuro, High and Low, Red Beard, Kagemusha, Ran</i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Stanley Kubrick</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://www.amsterdamartstation.com/amsterdam/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Stanley.jpg" height="400" width="264" />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Killer's Kiss, The Killing, Paths of Glory, Spartacus, Lolita, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon, The Shining, Full Metal Jacket, Eyes Wide Shut</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Wong Kar-wai</i></span></div>
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<img src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/auteurs_production/images/cast_member/1700/original.jpg" height="400" width="336" />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">As Tears Go By, Days of Being Wild, Chungking Express, Ashes of Time, Fallen Angels, Happy Together, In the Mood for Love, 2046</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger</i></span></div>
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<img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_JUCZqflkm8/TwCGnQqLnJI/AAAAAAAAGjo/RCBn8Xa6YN4/s400/michael+powell+emeric+pressburger+2.jpg" height="400" width="399" />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>The Thief of Bagdad </i>(co-director)<i>, 49th Parallel, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, A Matter of Life and Death, Black Narcissus, The Red Shoes, The Tales of Hoffman, Peeping Tom</i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Jean Pierre-Melville</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMbM1t4MHf6sH_gLMrEvxO5E39_V_KVpTE-5YY1MbYg9S3tEwU0UtzTL_QZ6WTXZDAMaCKt7_z55U6vjoJ_JvqAn2yRhspeQUACkCPlDXyGXqUafkthyRR0qtljjhupalxCJZSEaxdlVWt/s400/jean+pierre+melville.jpg" height="308" width="400" />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Bob le flambeur, Le Doulos, Le Samourai, Army of Shadows, Le Cercle Rouge, Un Flic</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Preston Sturges</i></span></div>
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<img alt="Preston Sturges" src="http://i2.listal.com/image/29006/600full-preston-sturges.jpg" height="400" width="346" />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">The Lady Eve, Sullivan's Travels, The Palm Beach Story, The Miracle of Morgan's Creek, Hail the Conquering Hero, Unfaithfully Yours</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Charlie Chaplin</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Charlie Chaplin" src="http://greenobles.com/data_images/charlie-chaplin/charlie-chaplin-08.jpg" height="400" width="320" />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Charlie Chaplin Short Film Collection (includes over 30 shorts), </span></i><i><span style="font-size: large;">The Kid, The Gold Rush, The Circus, City Lights, Modern Times, The Great Dictator</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Buster Keaton</i></span></div>
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<img src="http://www.smirk.com/jim/bkpics/bk-cfobk.jpg" height="400" width="302" />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">One Week, Cops, Our Hospitality, Three Ages, The Navigator, Go West, Seven Chances, Battling Butler, Sherlock Jr., The General, College, Steamboat Bill, Jr., The Cameraman</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>William Wyler</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://www.palzoo.net/file/pic/user/William-Wyler.jpg" height="400" width="315" />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Dodsworth, Wuthering Heights, The Best Years of Our Lives, Roman Holiday, The Big Country, Ben-Hur</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Billy Wilder</i></span></div>
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<img src="http://www.latimes.com/includes/projects/hollywood/portraits/billy_wilder.jpg" height="400" width="320" />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Double Indemnity, The Lost Weekend, Sunset Boulevard, Sabrina, Ace in the Hole, Stalag 17, Witness For The Prosecution, One Two Three, Some Like It Hot, The Apartment</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Vittorio De Sica</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://i2.listal.com/image/37845/600full-vittorio-de-sica.jpg" height="400" width="259" />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Shoeshine, The Bicycle Thief, Umberto D., Miracle in Milan</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Michelangelo Antonioni</i></span></div>
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<img src="http://nekropole.info/img/uploads/2011/09/070731OBITantonioniEX.jpg" height="400" width="279" />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">La Notte, L'avventura, L'Eclisse, Blow-Up</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Paul Thomas Anderson</i></span></div>
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<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/eb/Paul_Thomas_Anderson_2007_crop.jpg/225px-Paul_Thomas_Anderson_2007_crop.jpg" height="400" width="309" />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Cigarettes and Coffee, Hard Eight, Boogie Nights, Magnolia, Punch-Drunk Love, There Will Be Blood, The Master</i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Steven Spielberg</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://topnews.in/files/Steven-Spielberg_2.jpg" height="400" width="266" />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Duel, The Sugarland Express, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T: The Extraterrestrial, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Empire of the Sun, Schindler's List, Jurassic Park, Saving Private Ryan, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Minority Report, Catch Me If You Can, War of the Worlds, Munich, War Horse, Lincoln</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Luc Dardenne Luc Dardenne and Jean-Pierre Dardenne attends the Dardennes Brothers Cinema Masterclass held at the Salle Bunuel, Palais Des Festivals during the 62nd International Cannes Film Festival on May 19, 2009 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Luc Dardenne;Jean-Pierre Dardenne" src="http://www3.pictures.gi.zimbio.com/Dardennes+Brothers+Cinema+Masterclass+2009+2ykHZPPPY3al.jpg" height="262" width="400" />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Rosetta, Le Fils (The Son), L'Enfant (The Child), The Kid with a Bike</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Yasujiro Ozu</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/criterion-production/explore_images/19/312_004_w.jpg?1328128307" height="225" width="400" />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">I Was Born, But..., An Inn In Tokyo, Good Morning, Late Spring, The Only Son, Early Summer, Tokyo Story, Floating Weeds, An Autumn Afternoon</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>David Lynch</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://images.nymag.com/images/2/daily/2010/12/09_dlynch_560x375.jpg" height="267" width="400" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Eraserhead, The Elephant Man, Blue Velvet, Wild at Heart, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, The Straight Story, Lost Highway, Mulholland Dr., Inland Empire</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>David Fincher</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/67/David_Fincher_(2012)_3.jpg/200px-David_Fincher_(2012)_3.jpg" height="400" width="281" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Seven, The Game, Fight Club, Panic Room, Zodiac, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Social Network, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Nicolas Winding Refn</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://thefilmstage.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Nicolas-Winding-Refn.jpg" height="400" width="317" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Pusher, Pusher II: With Blood on my Hands, Pusher III: I'm the Angel of Death, Bronson, Valhalla Rising, Drive</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Joel and Ethan Coen</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbbZsgPmsxtZvUZBOb6wncyGm7dNN16vWjv_WGjzEX1wJHti8JnQ-TA84oJDSAlCGVtcKUV0XDLOIzJ_xEE1FqpYF2CHFYey7WoYe0tHK6ByWEHNWQfLa8KnVNUUJTsOa01XM2Q_BOEqk/s400/The+Coen+Brothers.jpg" height="260" width="400" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Blood Simple, Raising Arizona, Miller's Crossing, Barton Fink, The Hudsucker Proxy, Fargo, The Big Lebowski, O Brother, Where Art Thou, The Man Who Wasn't There, No Country for Old Men, Burn After Reading, A Serious Man, True Grit</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Quentin Tarantino</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://hitchcock.tv/people/img/tarantinop2.jpg" height="400" width="322" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Kill Bill: Vol. 1, Kill Bill: Vol. 2, Death Proof, Inglourious Basterds </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Francis Ford Coppola</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/05/Francis_Ford_Coppola_2011_CC.jpg/250px-Francis_Ford_Coppola_2011_CC.jpg" height="376" width="400" />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">The Godfather, The Godfather: Part II, The Conversation, Apocalypse Now, The Outsiders, Rumble Fish, Peggy Sue Got Married</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Sergei Eisenstein</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lfhs31MdzV1qzn0deo1_500.jpg" height="400" width="283" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Strike, The Battleship Potemkin, October, Alexander Nevsky, Ivan the Terrible Part I, Ivan the Terrible Part II</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>F.W. Murnau</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://www.revistabula.com/imagens/gerenciador/materias/7/images/murnau.jpg" height="400" width="312" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens, Last Laugh, Faust, Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>D.W. Griffith</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQmEOI9CsvnNzLwTA6-vR3a74rw-7cULBkn6bBazzV0IoE1zce6CGoJsHFR" height="400" width="311" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">The Lonedale Operator, A Corner in Wheat, The Birth of a Nation, Intolerance, True Heart Susie, Broken Blossoms, Way Down East</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Francois Truffaut</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/auteurs_production/images/cast_member/1187/original.png" height="400" width="336" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">The 400 Blows, Shoot the Piano Player, Jules et Jim, The Wild Child, Day for Night</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Jean-Luc Godard</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r68/giancarletto/FILM/GODARD/500/500jean_luc.jpg" height="400" width="264" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Breathless, </span></i><i><span style="font-size: large;">Vivre sa vie, A Woman Is A Woman, </span></i><i><span style="font-size: large;">Contempt, Pierrot le fou, Band a part, Masculine-Feminine, Alphaville, Week-End</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Jean Renoir</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://www.biography.com/imported/images/Biography/Images/Profiles/R/Jean-Renoir-9455625-1-402.jpg" height="400" width="400" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">La Chienne, Partie de campagne, Boudu Saved from Drowning, La Grande Illusion, The Rules of the Game, The River, The Golden Coach, French Cancan</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Ernst Lubitsch</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Ernst_Lubitsch_01.jpg/180px-Ernst_Lubitsch_01.jpg" height="400" width="300" />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Trouble in Paradise, Ninotchka, The Shop Around the Corner, To Be or Not to Be</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>William Wellman</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lpw13otYUv1qbhnrvo1_500.jpg" height="400" width="316" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Wings, The Public Enemy, A Star is Born, Nothing Sacred, Yellow Sky</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Michael Curtiz</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/22/MichaelCurtiz.jpg" height="400" width="346" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">The Adventures of Robin Hood, Casablanca, Yankee Doodle Dandy, White Christmas</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Kenji Mizoguchi</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://battleshippretension.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/mizoguchi.jpg" height="400" width="316" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">The Story of the Late Chrysanthemums, The Life of Oharu, Ugetsu, Sansho the Bailiff</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>George Cukor</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Ey389xQqC9DQyODfwSbX_1xh1Aa26oQrjT0881dmnF5i-cwpvoReTg4URq2gagemfrouzC9lFkhvTBz77f7_2z0Wte2Lajo_8VaGmwKMaU39gezCRB6p4TXe9oH4Lx1zzb_KS3oppmA/s660/GEORGE+CUKOR.jpg" height="400" width="276" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">The Philadelphia Story, Gaslight, Adam's Rib, My Fair Lady</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Robert Altman</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Director Robert Altman" src="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/section/movies/filmography/2/WireImage_295153.jpg" height="400" width="270" />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">MASH, McCabe and Mrs. Miller, Nashville, The Long Goodbye, 3 Women, Secret Honor, The Player, Short Cuts, Gosford Park, Prairie Home Companion</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">George Stevens</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQeYDQOGdaYI5C9dr-6PYIpjj0D_hbA0zDUBke7jzFWob13o7DMTFMaynstig" height="400" width="336" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Swing Time, A Place in the Sun, Shane, Giant</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Nicholas Ray</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://www.sensesofcinema.com/wp-content/uploads/images/directors/02/21/ray2.jpg" height="400" width="344" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">They Live by Night, In a Lonely Place, Johnny Guitar, Rebel Without a Cause, Bigger Than Life, Party Girl</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Frank Capra</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://www.nndb.com/people/459/000032363/frank-capra-2.jpg" height="400" width="342" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">It Happened One Night, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, It's a Wonderful Life</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Elia Kazan</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/42/Kazan-interviews.jpg/220px-Kazan-interviews.jpg" height="400" width="354" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">On the Waterfront, A Streetcar Named Desire, East of Eden, A Face in the Crowd</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Jee-woon Kim</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Kim Ji-Woon" src="http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Saw+Devil+Premiere+2010+Toronto+International+fZOsQS5xOZNl.jpg" height="400" width="275" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">A Tale of Two Sisters, A Bittersweet Life, The Good, the Bad, the Weird, I Saw the Devil</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>David Cronenberg</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0f/David_Cronenberg_2012-03-08.jpg/220px-David_Cronenberg_2012-03-08.jpg" height="400" width="300" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Videodrome, The Dead Zone, Dead Ringers, Crash, eXistenZ, A History of Violence, Eastern Promises, Cosmopolis</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Park Chan-wook</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://www.slickdevilmoviehouse.com/Colonelscrypt%20Interview%20Archives/Park%20Chan-wook/Park%20Chan-wook.JPG" height="400" width="301" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Judgment, Joint Security Area, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Oldboy, Sympathy for Lady Vengeance, Thirst</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Ang Lee</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://collider.com/wp-content/image-base/People/A/Ang_Lee/ang_lee_image.jpg" height="400" width="337" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">The Wedding Banquet, Sense and Sensibility, The Ice Storm, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Hulk, Brokeback Mountain, Life of Pi</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Roberto Rossellini</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://www.influx.co.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/69d567ba476a5b4c_large1.jpeg" height="400" width="311" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Rome, Open City, Paisan, German Year Zero, Journey to Italy</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Bernardo Bertolucci</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Bernardo Bertolucci" src="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/sites/default/files/2011/04/96081313_a_p.jpg" height="400" width="299" />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">The Conformist, Last Tango in Paris, 1900, The Last Emperor</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Luchino Visconti</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://i2.listal.com/image/473736/600full-luchino-visconti.jpg" height="400" width="285" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Ossessione, The Leopard, Rocco and His Brothers, Death in Venice</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Fritz Lang</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://www.leninimports.com/fritzlang.jpg" height="400" width="289" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Metropolis, M, Spies, Fury, You Only Live Once, Scarlet Street, The Big Heat, The Woman in the Window</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Brian De Palma</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/48/Brian_De_Palma_%28Venice_2007%29.jpg/220px-Brian_De_Palma_%28Venice_2007%29.jpg" height="400" width="265" />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Hi, Mom, Carrie, Obsession, Blow Out, Dressed to Kill, Scarface, Body Double, The Untouchables, Casualties of War, Carlito's Way, Mission Impossible</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Michael Mann</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://thefilmstage.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/0177867855085-197x300.jpg" height="400" width="262" />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Thief, Manhunter, The Last of the Mohicans, Heat, The Insider, Ali, Collateral</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>William Friedkin</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://images.zap2it.com/images/celeb-71583/william-friedkin-1.jpg" height="400" width="300" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">The French Connection, The Exorcist, Sorcerer, To Live and Die in L.A., Blue Chips</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>John Sturges</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="John Sturges" src="http://www.latimes.com/includes/projects/hollywood/portraits/john_sturges.jpg" height="400" width="320" />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Bad Day at Black Rock, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, The Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>John Woo</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b9/John-Woo-Cannes.jpg/220px-John-Woo-Cannes.jpg" height="400" width="346" />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">A Better Tomorrow, A Better Tomorrow 2, The Killer, Bullet in the Head, Hard Boiled, Face/Off, Red Cliff, Red Cliff II</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Zhang Yimou</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://puntoyalarte.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/zhang20yimou.jpg" height="400" width="270" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Ju Dou, Raise the Red Lantern, To Live, Shanghai Triad, Hero, House of Flying Daggers</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Ingmar Bergman</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/Ingmar_86135a.jpg" height="400" width="275" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">The Virgin Spring, The Seventh Seal, Wild Strawberries, Smiles of a Summer Night, Through a Glass Darkly, Winter Light, The Silence, Hour of the Wolf, Persona, Cries and Whispers, Fanny and Alexander</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Robert Bresson</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://i2.listal.com/image/313497/600full-robert-bresson.jpg" height="400" width="318" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Diary of a Country Priest, A Man Escaped, Pickpocket, Au Hasard Balthazar, Mouchette </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Chantal Akerman</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://www.viennashorts.com/uploads/pics/Chantal_Akerman__1__GIF_10.gif" height="400" width="266" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce 1080 Bruxelles, A Couch in New York, From the Other Side, Tomorrow We Move</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Alfred Hitchcock</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://foolforcinema.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/annex-hitchcock-alfred_05.jpg" height="400" width="304" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934), 39 Steps, Young and Innocent, The Lady Vanishes, Rebecca, Shadow of a Doubt, Notorious, Strangers on a Train, Lifeboat, Rope, Dial M for Murder, The Wrong Man, Marnie, Rear Window, To Catch a Thief, Vertigo, North by Northwest, Psycho, The Birds</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Woody Allen</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Still of Woody Allen in Annie Hall.
" src="http://www.slate.com/content/dam/slate/archive/2011/03/1_123125_2288929_2289178_2289179_2289180_110329_complete_woody_tn.jpg" height="400" width="265" />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Take the Money and Run, Bananas, Sleeper, Love and Death, Interiors, Annie Hall, Manhattan, Stardust Memories, Zelig, Crimes and Misdemeanors, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Hannah and Her Sisters, Broadway Danny Rose, Bullets Over Broadway, Radio Days, Husbands and Wives, Deconstructing Harry, Anything Else, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Match Point, Midnight in Paris</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">John Ford</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/John_Ford_1946.jpg/220px-John_Ford_1946.jpg" height="400" width="333" />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Stagecoach, The Informer, How Green Was My Valley, Young Mr. Lincoln, The Grapes of Wrath, My Darling Clementine, The Quiet Man, The Searchers, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Howard Hawks</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://movi.ca/im/dio/qhhawks.jpg" height="400" width="342" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Scarface: The Shame of a Nation, Bringing Up Baby, Only Angels Have Wings, His Girl Friday, Sergeant York, The Big Sleep, Red River, The Thing From Another World, Rio Bravo</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Orson Welles</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://dinamico2.unibg.it/fa/imgs/welles.jpg" height="400" width="372" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Citizen Kane, The Stranger, The Lady from Shanghai, The Magnificent Ambersons, Touch of Evil, The Trial, Chimes at Midnight, Othello, F For Fake</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Luis Bunuel</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://www.apartment48.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/luis-bunuel2.jpg" height="400" width="342" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Un Chien Andalou, L'Age d'Or, Land Without Bread, Los Olvidados, The Young One, Viridiana, The Exterminating Angel, Belle de jour, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, That Obscure Object of Desire</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>John Huston</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/11/JohnHuston.jpg/220px-JohnHuston.jpg" height="400" width="334" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">The Maltese Falcon, Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Key Largo, The Asphalt Jungle, Beat the Devil, The African Queen, The Man Who Would Be King, Prizzi's Honor</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Roman Polanski</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<img alt="roman-polanski.jpg" src="http://awards.hell.ca/images/roman-polanski.jpg" height="400" width="275" />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Repulsion, Rosemary's Baby, Chinatown, Frantic, The Pianist, The Ghost Writer</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Sergio Leone</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://i2.listal.com/image/226807/500full.jpg" height="400" width="311" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly, Once Upon a Time in the West, Once Upon a Time in America</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Ridley Scott</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/Ridley_Scott_by_Gage_Skidmore.jpg/220px-Ridley_Scott_by_Gage_Skidmore.jpg" height="400" width="305" />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Alien, Blade Runner, Thelma & Louise, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, American Gangster</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">James Cameron</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://images.zap2it.com/images/celeb-263/james-cameron-1.jpg" height="400" width="300" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">The Terminator, Aliens, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, True Lies, Titanic, Avatar</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Clint Eastwood</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://images.askmen.com/galleries/men/clint-eastwood/pictures/clint-eastwood-picture-5.jpg" height="400" width="306" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">The Outlaw Josey Wales, Unforgiven, Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, Letters From Iwo Jima, Gran Torino</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Hayao Miyazaki</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Ficheiro:Hayao Miyazaki.jpg" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/Hayao_Miyazaki.jpg" />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Lupin the Third: Castle of Cagliostro, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Castle in the Sky, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, Porco Rosso, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, Ponyo</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Brad Bird</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://collider.com/uploads/imageGallery/Brad_Bird/brad_bird.jpg" height="400" width="279" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>John Lasseter</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/JohnLasseterOct2011.jpg/220px-JohnLasseterOct2011.jpg" height="400" width="341" />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Toy Story 2, Cars</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Sidney Lumet</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/39/Lumet-1950s-cropped.jpg/220px-Lumet-1950s-cropped.jpg" height="400" width="332" />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">12 Angry Men, Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, Network, Prince of the City, The Verdict, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Christopher Nolan</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/01/Christopher_nolan.jpg/220px-Christopher_nolan.jpg" height="400" width="293" />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Following, Memento, Insomnia, Batman Begins, The Prestige, The Dark Knight, Inception</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Krzystof Kieslowski</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCotqU-0roky8pcgmVtHBqWCEcDfTnEaOgmyRcopkBzTiO3bqlhVNSSNmq8Bk3yadjjZxrfM3N6T1Uuqmc3Kz5pINK7ofl8rQozvxw1E27r2JsdDgVPFoOOuwZN9dKEA_R4-1L9z2Y_I0/s400/kieslowski.jpg" height="348" width="400" />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;"> The Decalogue, </span></i><i><span style="font-size: large;">A Short Film About Killing, A Short Film About Love, </span></i><i><span style="font-size: large;">The Double Life of Veronique, Three Colors: Blue, Three Colors: White, Three Colors: Red</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Terry Gilliam</i></span></div>
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<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f6/Terry_Gilliam.jpg/220px-Terry_Gilliam.jpg" height="400" width="265" />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Monty Python: Meaning of Life, Time Bandits, Brazil,The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, 12 Monkeys, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Terrence Malick</i></span></div>
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<img alt="Terrence Malick" src="http://www.slate.com/content/dam/slate/blogs/browbeat/2012/06/14/TerrenceMalick.jpg.CROP.article250-medium.jpg" height="400" width="327" />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Badlands, Days of Heaven, The Thin Red Line, The New World, Tree of Life</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Pedro Almodvar</i></span></div>
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<img src="http://greenobles.com/data_images/pedro-almodovar/pedro-almodovar-10.jpg" height="400" width="342" />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, All About My Mother, Talk To Her, Volver</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Werner Herzog</i></span></div>
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<img alt="Werner Herzog" src="http://greenobles.com/data_images/werner-herzog/werner-herzog-02.jpg" height="400" width="392" />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Aguirre, The Wrath of God, The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser, Nosferatu: Phantom of the Night, Stroszek, Fitzcarraldo, Heart of Glass, Little Dieter Needs to Fly, Grizzly Man, Cave of Forgotten Dreams, Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, Into the Abyss </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Danny Boyle</i></span></div>
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<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/55/DannyBoyle08.jpg/220px-DannyBoyle08.jpg" height="400" width="229" />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Shallow Grave, Trainspotting, 28 Days Later, Millions, Sunshine, Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Darren Aronofsky</i></span></div>
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<img alt="Darren Aronofsky Gallery" src="http://images.askmen.com/galleries/men/darren-aronosfsky/pictures/darren-aronosfsky-picture-4.jpg" height="400" width="306" />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Pi, Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain, The Wrestler, Black Swan</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Sam Peckinpah</i></span></div>
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<img src="http://images.tribe.net/tribe/upload/photo/11a/03c/11a03c91-f13d-4391-9f9c-35b8e2132b04" height="400" width="291" />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Ride the High Country, The Wild Bunch, Straw Dogs, Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia, Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Rob Reiner</i></span></div>
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<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d0/Rob_Reiner.0843.jpg/220px-Rob_Reiner.0843.jpg" height="400" width="300" />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">This Is Spinal Tap, Stand by Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Misery, A Few Good Men</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Robert Wise</span></i></div>
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<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/70/Robert_wise_1990.jpg/150px-Robert_wise_1990.jpg" height="400" width="303" />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Born to Kill, The Set-Up, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Odds Against Tomorrow, The Sand Pebbles, West Side Story, The Sound of Music</span></i></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Alfonso Cuaron</i></span></div>
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<img src="http://i2.listal.com/image/426084/600full-alfonso-cuaron.jpg" height="400" width="327" />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">A Little Princess, Y Tu Mama Tambien, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Children of Men</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Gus Van Sant</i></span></div>
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<img alt="Gus Van Sant" src="http://images.askmen.com/celebs/men/entertainment/gus-van-sant/large_image-1.jpg" height="400" width="306" />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Drugstore Cowboy, My Own Private Idaho, To Die For, Good Will Hunting, Finding Forrester, Milk</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Hal Ashby</i></span></div>
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<img src="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRiCnIk6nhvpDlPwhYjzoI7uh6ZQUH6MD1RZHuWJN0UxDFVBdI4c0VxyrO1" height="400" width="339" />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Harold and Maude, The Last Detail, Coming Home, Being There</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Wes Anderson</i></span></div>
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvKZ1n98yqXZadQdBxxl0vCn2Mx7fg5KZp3HrmWaNs1Lj4EuFgPgWS5dMNkmiVB0pogQVIwn8GySk5_K4oEvf8UbYbj-Ispr5bicFru470hhioHKeD8ueGZDypXjy74EikQYdwa5GKhf8/s400/Wes-Anderson-001.jpg" height="338" width="400" />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, The Royal Tenebaums, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Moonrise Kingdom</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">John Carpenter</span></i></div>
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<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/JohnCarpenter2010.jpg/220px-JohnCarpenter2010.jpg" height="305" width="400" />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Assault on Precinct 13, Halloween, Escape from New York, The Thing, Big Trouble in Little China, They Live</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Guillermo Del Toro</i></span></div>
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<img src="http://content9.flixster.com/rtactor/39/63/39639_pro.jpg" height="355" width="400" />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Cronos, Blade II, Hellboy, Pan's Labyrinth</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>David Lean</i></span></div>
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<img src="http://notesonafilm.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/david-lean-629920l.jpeg" height="400" width="310" />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Brief Encounter, Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, The Bridge on the River Kwai, Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Spike Lee</i></span></div>
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<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fc/Spike_Lee_%282012%29.jpg/220px-Spike_Lee_%282012%29.jpg" height="290" width="400" />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">School Daze, Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, Clockers, He Got Game, 25th Hour, Inside Man</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Alexander Payne</span></i></div>
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<img src="http://www.nypost.com/rw/nypost/2012/01/16/pagesix/web_photos/alexander_payne--300x300.jpg" height="400" width="398" />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Citizen Ruth, Election, About Schmidt, Sideways, The Descendants </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">John Hughes</span></i></div>
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<img src="http://www-deadline-com.vimg.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/john-hughes.jpg" height="400" width="300" />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Uncle Buck</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Sam Raimi</span></i></div>
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<img src="http://www.buzzinefilm.com/sites/all/libraries/kcfinder/upload/images/sam_raimi_20090525.jpg" height="400" width="266" />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">The Evil Dead, Evil Dead II, A Simple Plan, Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2, Drag Me to Hell</span></i></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Steven Soderbergh</i></span></div>
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<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/74/Soderbergh_cropped_2009.jpg/200px-Soderbergh_cropped_2009.jpg" height="400" width="303" />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Sex, Lies, and Videotape, King of the Hill, Gray's Anatomy, Out of Sight, The Limey, Erin Brockovich, Traffic, Ocean's Eleven, Ocean's Twelve, Bubble, The Informant!, And Everything Is Going Fine, Contagion, Haywire</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Andrei Tarkovsky</span></i></div>
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<img src="http://www.sensesofcinema.com/wp-content/uploads/images/directors/02/tark2.jpg" height="400" width="333" />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Ivan's Childhood, Andrei Rublev, Solaris, The Mirror, Stalker, Nostalghia</span></i></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Fred Zinnemann</i></span></div>
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<img src="http://www.aeiou.at/aeiou.encyclop.data.image.z/z602510a.jpg" height="400" width="289" />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">High Noon, From Here to Eternity, A Man for All Seasons, The Day of the Jackal, Julia</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Oliver Stone</i></span></div>
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<img alt="oliver_stone__1_.jpg" src="http://collider.com/wp-content/image-base/People/O/Oliver_Stone/oliver_stone__1_.jpg" height="400" width="251" />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Platoon, Wall Street, Born on the Fourth of July, The Doors, JFK, Any Given Sunday</i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Mel Brooks</span></i></div>
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<img src="http://thefreegeorge.com/thefreegeorge/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/mel_brooks.jpg" height="400" width="320" />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">The Producers, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, Spaceballs, Robin Hood: Men in Tights </span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">IMPORTANT DIRECTORS WHOSE WORK I STILL NEED TO EXPLORE FULLY BEFORE A CONCRETE DETERMINATION CAN BE MADE (the films whose titles are italicized in parenthesis are the few from these directors I've actually seen...off the top of my head): </span><span style="font-size: large;">John Cassavetes (<i>Shadows, A Woman Under the Influence, The Killing of a Chinese Bookie</i>), Lars Von Trier (<i>Breaking the Waves, Dancer in the Dark, Dogville</i>), Ramin </span><span style="font-size: large;">Bahrani (</span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Man Push Cart, Chop Shop, Goodbye Solo</i><span style="font-size: large;">), Chris Marker (<i>La Jetee</i>), Edgar Wright (</span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World</i><span style="font-size: large;">), Jia Zhangke (<i>The Pickpocket, The World, Still Life</i>), Jason Reitman (</span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Thank You For Smoking, Juno, Up In The Air, Young Adult</i><span style="font-size: large;">), </span><span style="font-size: large;">Errol Morris (<i>Gates of Heaven, The Thin Blue Line, The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara</i>), Georges Melies (<i>The Haunted Castle, A Trip to the Moon, The Impossible Voyage</i>), Edwin S. Porter (<i>The Great Train Robbery, Life of an American Fireman</i>), Vsevolod Pudovkin (<i>Mother, The End of St. Petersburg, Storm Over Asia</i>), Carl Theodor Dreyer (</span><i style="font-size: x-large;">The Passion of Joan of Arc, Ordet</i><span style="font-size: large;">), Dziga Vertov (</span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Man with a Movie Camera</i><span style="font-size: large;">), Mikhail Kalatozov (<i>I Am Cuba, The Cranes Are Flying</i>), Lynne Ramsay, Takeshi Kitano (<i>Sonatine, Hana-bi, The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi</i>), Bob Fosse (</span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Cabaret, All That Jazz</i><span style="font-size: large;">), Louis Malle (</span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Atlantic City, My Dinner with Andre, Au revoir, les enfants, Vanya on 42nd Street</i><span style="font-size: large;">), </span><span style="font-size: large;">Max Ophuls (<i>Lola Montes, Le Plaisir, The Earrings of Madame D</i>), Alain Resnais (<i>Night and Fog, Hiroshima Mon Amour, Last Year at Marienbad</i>), Terence Davies (<i>Distant Voices, Still Lives, The Long Day Closes, The Deep Blue Sea</i>), Werner Rainer Fassbinder (<i>Ali: Fear Eats the Soul, The Marriage of Maria Braun</i>), Jean Cocteau (<i>The Blood of a Poet, Beauty and the Beast, Orpheus</i>), Leni Riefenstahl (<i>Triumph of the Will</i>), Wim Wenders (<i>The American Friend, Paris, Texas, Wings of Desire</i>), Jacques Rivette (<i>La Belle Nouiseuse</i>), Jacques Demy, </span><span style="font-size: large;">Jonathan Demme (<i>Melvin and Howard, </i></span><i style="font-size: x-large;">The Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia</i><span style="font-size: large;">), Budd Boetticher (<i>The Tall T, Ride Lonesome</i>), Thomas Vinterberg (<i>Festen, Submarino, The Hunt</i>), Andrea Arnold (<i>Wasp, Fish Tank, Wuthering Heights</i>), </span><span style="font-size: large;">Abbas Kiarostami (</span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Close-Up, Taste of Cherry, Certified Copy</i><span style="font-size: large;">), Carol Reed (<i>Odd Man Out, </i></span><i style="font-size: x-large;">The Third Man</i><span style="font-size: large;">), Lee Chang-dong (<i>Peppermint Candy, Oasis</i>), Claire Denis (<i>White Material, Beau Travail, 35 Shots of Rum</i>), Pier Paola Pasolini (<i>The Gospel According to St. Matthew, Mamma Roma, The Decameron</i>), King Vidor, Leo McCarey (<i>Duck Soup, Make Way for Tomorrow</i>), Douglas Sirk (<i>Written on the Wind, All That Heaven Allows, Imitation of Life</i>), Claude Chabrol (<i>Le Boucher</i>), Robert Aldrich (<i>Vera Cruz, Kiss Me Deadly, The Dirty Dozen</i>), Delmer Daves (<i>Dark Passage, Broken Arrow, Jabal</i>), Paul Verhoeven (<i>Soldier of Orange, Robocop, Starship Troopers</i>), Kelly Reichardt (<i>Old Joy, Wendy and Lucy, Meek's Cutoff</i>), Harmony Korine (<i>Gummo, Julien Donkey-Boy</i>), Jacques Audiard (<i>Read My Lips, The Beat That My Heart Skipped, A Prophet</i>), Henri-Georges Clouzot (<i>The Wages of Fear, Les Diaboliques</i>), Marcel Carne (<i>Children of Paradise, Daybreak</i>), Jacques Tati (<i>Mr. Hulot's Holiday, Mon Oncle, Playtime</i>), Jacques Becker (<i>Touchez Pas au Grisbi, Le Trou</i>), Satyajit Ray (<i>Pather Panchali, Aparajito, The World of Apu</i>), Robert Siodmak (<i>The Killers, The Spiral Staircase, Criss Cross</i>), Anthony Mann (<i>Raw Deal, The Naked Spur, The Man From Laramie</i>), Bong Joon-ho (<i>Memories of Murder, The Host, Mother</i>), Ki-duk Kim (<i>Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...and Spring, 3-Iron, Pieta</i>), Atom Egoyan (<i>Calendar, Exotica, The Sweet Hereafter</i>), Alejandro Jodorowsky (<i>El Topo, The Holy Mountain, Santa Sangre</i>), Stan Brakhage (<i>By Brakhage: An Anthology, Vol 1: Dog Star Man: Prelude - Part IV, The Stars Are Beautiful, Desistfilm, Wedlock House; An Intercourse, LoveSong, Mothlight, EyeMyth, The Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes, Window Water Baby Moving, Crack Glass Eulogy, Cat's Cradle I...Dreaming, The Dante Quartet, Delicacies of Molten Horror Synapse</i>), Richard Brooks (<i>Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, In Cold Blood</i>), </span><span style="font-size: large;">Richard Linklater (</span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Dazed and Confused, Before Sunrise, Before Sunset</i><span style="font-size: large;">), </span><span style="font-size: large;">Jim Jarmusch (<i>Stranger Than Paradise, Dead Man, </i></span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Ghost Dog; The Way of the Samurai</i><span style="font-size: large;">), Josef Von Sternberg (</span><i style="font-size: x-large;">The Blue Angel, The Scarlet Empress</i><span style="font-size: large;">), Jacques Tourneur (<i>Cat People, </i></span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Out of the Past</i><span style="font-size: large;">), Jules Dassin (<i>Night and the City, </i></span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Rififi, </i><i style="font-size: x-large;">The Naked City</i><span style="font-size: large;">), Edward G. Ulmer (</span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Detour</i><span style="font-size: large;">), Aki Kaurismaki (<i>The Match Stick Girl</i>), Robert Rossen (</span><i style="font-size: x-large;">The Hustler</i><span style="font-size: large;">), Sofia Coppola (</span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Lost in Translation</i><span style="font-size: large;">), Rene Clair, Robert Flaherty (</span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Nanook of the North</i><span style="font-size: large;">), Victor Fleming (</span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Gone With The Wind, Captains Courageous, The Wizard of the Oz</i><span style="font-size: large;">), Milos Forman (<i>Firemen's Ball, </i></span><i style="font-size: x-large;">One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, Amadeus, The People vs. Larry Flint</i><span style="font-size: large;">), Gillo Pontecorvo (</span><i style="font-size: x-large;">The Battle of Algiers</i><span style="font-size: large;">), Michel Gondry (</span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind</i><span style="font-size: large;">), Eric Rohmer (<i>La Collectionneuse, A Tale of Winter</i>), </span><span style="font-size: large;">Nuri Bilge Ceylan (</span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Distant, Climates, Once Upon a Time in Anatolia</i><span style="font-size: large;">), Masaki</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Kobayashi (<i>Harakiri, Samurai Rebellion</i>), Michael Haneke (<i>The Piano Teacher, </i></span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Cache, The White Ribbon</i><span style="font-size: large;">), Peter Jackson (</span><i style="font-size: x-large;">LOTR Trilogy</i><span style="font-size: large;">), George Romero (</span><i style="font-size: x-large;">The Night of the Living Dead, Day of the Dead, Dawn of the Dead</i><span style="font-size: large;">), Giuseppe Tornatore (</span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Cinema Paradiso</i><span style="font-size: large;">), John Frankenheimer (</span><i style="font-size: x-large;">The Manchurian Candidate, Ronin</i><span style="font-size: large;">), Edward Yang (<i>Yi Yi</i>), Emir Kusturica, Larry Clark (<i>Kids, Bully</i>), James Gray (<i>Little Odessa, We Own The Night, Two Lovers</i>), Peter Weir (</span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Dead Poets Society, The Truman Show, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World</i><span style="font-size: large;">), Andrze Wajda (<i>Ashes and Diamonds, Kanal</i>), Jean Vigo (<i>Zero for Conduct, L'Atalante</i>), Erich von Stroheim, Bela Tarr, Olivier Assayas, Aleksandr Sokurov (<i>Mother and Son, Russian Ark, The Sun</i>), Nicolas Roeg (<i>Walkabout, Don't Look Now</i>), Alex Gibney, Sam Mendes (</span><i style="font-size: x-large;">American Beauty, Road to Perdition, Jarhead</i><span style="font-size: large;">), Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (<i>Amores Perros, 21 Grams, Babel</i>), Hsiao-Hsien Hou (</span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Flowers of Shanghai</i><span style="font-size: large;">), Peter Bogdanovich (</span><i style="font-size: x-large;">The Last Picture Show, Paper Moon</i><span style="font-size: large;">), Dario Argento (<i>Suspiria</i>), G.W. Pabst (<i>Pandora's Box, Diary of a Lost Girl</i>), Otto Preminger (</span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Laura, Angel Face, Anatomy of a Murder</i><span style="font-size: large;">), Ken Loach (<i>Kes, Land and Freedom, My Name Is Joe</i>), Apichatpong Weerasethakul (<i>Uncle Boonme Who Can Recall His Past Lives, Tropical Malady, Syndromes and a Century</i>), Takashi Miike (</span><i style="font-size: x-large;">13 Assassins</i><span style="font-size: large;">), Gaspar Noe (<i>I Stand Alone, Irreversible, </i></span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Enter the Void</i><span style="font-size: large;">), Abel Gance, Jean-Pierre Jeunet (<i>Delicatessen, </i></span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Amelie</i><span style="font-size: large;">), and Theo Angelopoulos (<i>The Travelling Players, Landscape in the Mist, Eternity and A Day)</i>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">SPECIAL CASES I.E. DIRECTORS WHO HAVE MADE FILMS I DEEPLY ADMIRED/ENJOYED BUT WHO HAVE NOT (YET?) CARVED A CAREER THAT WARRANTS INCLUSION IN MY FAVORITE 100: </span><span style="font-size: large;">Charles Laughton made only one film, which I absolutely adore (<i>The Night of the Hunter</i>), Robert Wiene (<i>The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari</i>), Dimitri Kirsanoff (<i>Menilmontant</i>), Alan Crosland (<i>The Jazz Singer</i>), James Whale (<i>Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, The Invisible Man</i>), Joseph Mankiewicz (<i>All About Eve, Sleuth</i>), Sam Wood (<i>A Night At The Opera</i>), Judd Apatow (<i>The 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up</i>), John Boorman (<i>Point Blank, Deliverance, Excalibur</i>), Norman Jewison (<i>In The Heat of the Night, Moonstruck, The Hurricane</i>),<i> </i>Steve James (<i>Hoop Dreams, The Interrupters</i>), Edward Cline (<i>One Week, Cop, The Bank Dick</i>), Franklin J. Schaffner (<i>Planet of the Apes, Patton, Papillon), </i>Juzo Itami (<i>Tampopo</i>), Mike Hodges (<i>Get Carter</i>), Robert Hamer (<i>Kind Hearts and Coronets</i>), Katsuhiro Ohtomo (<i>Akira</i>), Mathieu Kassovitz (<i>La Haine</i>), Martin Donovan (<i>Apartment Zero</i>), Tony Kaye (<i>American History X</i>), Curtis Hanson (<i>LA Confidential, Too Big To Fail</i>), Guy Ritchie (<i>Snatch, Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels</i>), Stephen Frears (<i>The Hit, High Fidelity</i>), Andrew Stanton (<i>A Bug's Life, Finding Nemo, Wall E</i>), David O. Russell (<i>Three Kings, The Fighter</i>), John Schlesinger (<i>Midnight Cowboy</i>), Amy Heckerling (<i>Fast Times at Ridgemont High, European Vacation</i>), Michael Ritchie (<i>The Bad News Bears, Fletch</i>), Gene Saks (<i>The Odd Couple</i>), Bryan Singer (<i>The Usual Suspects, X-Men</i>), Isao Takahata (<i>Grave of the Fireflies</i>), Kathryn Bigelow (<i>Point Break, The Hurt Locker</i>), Peter Yates (<i>Bullitt, The Friends of Eddie Coyle</i>), Richard Kelly (<i>Donnie Darko</i>), George Roy Hill (<i>Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting, Slap Shot</i>), Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly (<i>On The Town, Singing in the Rain</i>), Andy and Larry Wachowski (<i>The Matrix</i>), Luc Besson (<i>Leon: The Professional</i>), Patty Jenkins (<i>Monster</i>), Paul Haggis (<i>Crash</i>), John Landis (<i>Animal House, Trading Places</i>), Harold Ramis (<i>Caddyshack, Groundhog Day</i>), Gore Verbinski (<i>The Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Rango</i>), James Marsh (<i>Man on Wire</i>), Andrew Niccol (<i>Gattaca</i>), Mamoru Oshii (<i>Ghost in the Shell</i>), J.J. Abrams (<i>Star Trek, Super 8), </i>Pete Doctor (<i>Monsters, Inc., Up</i>), George Miller (<i>Mad Max, Mad Max: The Road Warrior</i>), Robert Mulligan (<i>To Kill a Mockingbird</i>), Joseph Sargent (original<i> Taking of Pelham One Two Three</i>), Ron Howard (<i>Splash, Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind</i>), Spike Jonze (<i>Being John Malkovich, Adaptation</i>), John Mackenzie (<i>The Long Good Friday</i>), Joss Whedon (<i>Serenity, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, The Avengers</i>), Ron Shelton (<i>Bull Durham, White Men Can't Jump</i>)<i>, </i>Jose Padilha (<i>Elite Squad, Elite Squad: The Enemy Within</i>),<i> </i>David Anspaugh (<i>Hoosiers, Rudy</i>), Mike Nichols (<i>Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, The Graduate</i>), Roland Emmerich (<i>Independence Day, The Patriot</i>), Fernando Meirelles (<i>City of God</i>), Robert Zemeckis (<i>Used Cars, Back to the Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Forrest Gump, Contact</i>), Vincente Minnelli (<i>An American In Paris, The Bad and The Beautiful</i>), John Singleton (<i>Boyz in the Hood</i>), Stanley Kramer (<i>Inherit the Wind, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World</i>), Michael Moore (<i>Bowling For Columbine</i>), George Lucas (<i>American Graffiti, Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope</i>), Zucker, Abrahams, Zucker (<i>Airplane!</i>), Barry Sonnenfeld (<i>Men In Black, Get Shorty</i>), Tim Burton (<i>Beetlejuice, Batman, Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood, Big Fish</i>), Frank Darabont (<i>The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile</i>), Michael Cimino (<i>Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, The Deer Hunter, Year of the Dragon</i>), Baz Luhrmann (<i>Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge!</i>), Stuart Rosenberg (<i>Cool Hand Luke</i>), John McTiernan (<i>Die Hard, Predator, The Hunt for Red October</i>), Lewis Milestone (<i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i>), Tom Tykwer (<i>Run Lola Run</i>), Alan Pakula (<i>The Parallax View, All The President's Men, Sophie's Choice)</i>, Terry George (<i>Hotel Rwanda</i>), Penny Marshall (<i>Big, A League of Their Own</i>), Tod Browning (<i>Dracula</i>), Paul Leni (<i>The Man Who Laughs</i>), Abraham Polonsky (<i>Force of Evil</i>), Jean Epstein (<i>The Fall of the House of Usher</i>), Paul Greengrass (<i>The Bourne Ultimatum, United 93</i>), Gavin O'Connor (<i>Warrior</i>), Blake Edwards (<i>Breakfast at Tiffany's, The Party</i>), Michel Hazanavicius (<i>The Artist</i>), Michael Bay (<i>The Rock, Transformers</i>), Kevin Costner (<i>Dances with Wolves</i>), Giovanni Pastrone (<i>Cabiria</i>), Elem Klimov (<i>Come and See</i>), John G. Avildsen (<i>Rocky, The Karate Kid</i>), Dennis Hopper (<i>Easy Rider</i>), Samuel Fuller (<i>Pickup on South Street, The Big Red One, The Naked Kiss</i>), Walter Hill (<i>The Driver, The Warriors, 48 Hrs.</i>),<i> </i>Arthur Penn (<i>Bonnie and Clyde, Night Moves</i>), Sean Penn (<i>Into the Wild</i>), Wolfgang Peterson (<i>Das Boot, The NeverEnding Story, Troy, The Perfect Storm</i>), Mary Harron (<i>American Psycho</i>), John Hillcoat (<i>The Proposition, Lawless</i>), Jean-Francois Richet (<i>Mesrine Part I: Killer Instinct, Mesrine Part 2: Public Enemy #1</i>), Alexander Mackendrick (<i>The Ladykillers, The Man in the White Suit, Sweet Smell of Success</i>), Abel Ferrara (<i>King of New York, Bad Lieutenant</i>), Barry Levinson (<i>The Natural, Good Morning, Vietnam, Rain Man, Bugsy, Wag the Dog</i>), Kim Sang-jin (<i>Attack the Gas Station</i>), Mike Figgis (<i>Leaving Las Vegas</i>), James L. Brooks (<i>Broadcast News, As Good As It Gets</i>), Don Siegel (<i>Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Dirty Harry, Escape from Alcatraz), </i>Hong-jin Na (<i>The Chaser</i>), Je-kyu Kang (<i>Tae Kug Gi</i>), Phil Alden Robinson ( <i>Field of Dreams, Sneakers</i>), Stanley Tong (<i>Police Story 3: Supercop</i>), Yuen Woo-ping (<i>Drunken Master</i>), Bob Rafelson (<i>Head, Five Easy Pieces</i>), Lau Kar-Leung (<i>Drunken Master II</i>), David Mamet (<i>House of Games</i>), Bong Joon-ho (<i>Memories of Murder, The Host</i>), Alex Cox (<i>Repo Man, Sid and Nancy</i>), Mike Judge (<i>Office Space</i>), Ivan Reitman (<i>Stripes, Ghostbusters</i>), Sydney Pollack (<i>Three Days of the Condor, Tootsie</i>), Richard Sarafian (<i>Vanishing Point</i>), Monte Hellman (<i>Two-Lane Blacktop</i>), George Sluzier (<i>Spoorloos</i>), Shane Meadows (<i>Dead Man's Shoes, This Is England</i>), Thomas McCarthy (<i>The Station Agent, Win, Win</i>), Terry Zwigoff (<i>Crumb, Ghost World</i>), Neil Jordan (<i>The Crying Game</i>), Peter and Bobby Farrelly (<i>Dumb and Dumber, Kingpin, There's Something About Mary</i>), Noah Baumbach (<i>The Squid and the Whale</i>), Kevin Smith (<i>Clerks, Chasing Amy, Dogma</i>), Seijun Suzuki (<i>Tokyo Drifter, Branded to Kill</i>), Johnnie To <i>(Throw Down, Election, Vengeance</i>), Alex Proyas (<i>The Crow, Dark City</i>), Robert Rodriguez (<i>Desperado, From Dusk till Dawn, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Sin City</i>), Cameron Crowe (<i>Say Anything, Jerry Maguire, Almost Famous</i>).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">THE JURY IS STILL OUT ON THE MERITS OF THESE DIRECTORS, MANY OF WHOM ARE JUST BEGINNING THEIR CAREERS:</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Bennett Miller (<i>Capote, Moneyball</i>), Matthew Vaughn (<i>Layer Cake, Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class</i>), Michael R. Roskam (<i>Bullhead</i>), Asghar Farhadi (<i>A Separation</i>), Neill Blomkamp (<i>District 9</i>), Florian Henckel von Donnnersmarck (<i>The Lives of Others</i>), Joachim Trier (<i>Oslo, August 31st</i>), Gareth Evans (<i>The Raid: Redemption</i>), Jeong-beom Lee (<i>The Man from Nowhere</i>), Drew Goddard (<i>The Cabin in the Woods</i>), Andrew Dominik (<i>Chopper, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford</i>), Jeff Nichols (<i>Shotgun Stories, Take Shelter</i>), David Michod (<i>Animal Kingdom</i>), Ryan Fleck (<i>Half Nelson</i>), Charlie Kaufman (<i>Synecdoche, New York</i>), Marc Webb (<i>500 Days of Summer</i>), Daniel Espinosa (<i>Easy Money</i>), Joe Cornish (<i>Attack the Block</i>), Shane Carruth (<i>Primer</i>), Tony Gilroy (<i>Michael Clayton</i>), Rian Johnson (<i>Brick, The Brothers Bloom</i>), Tom Hooper (<i>The King's Speech</i>), Ruben Fleischer (<i>Zombieland</i>), Martin McDonagh (<i>In Bruges</i>), John McDonagh (<i>The Guard</i>), Josh Trank (<i>Chronicle</i>), Duncan Jones (<i>Moon, Source Code</i>), Ben Affleck (<i>Gone Baby Gone The Town</i>), Steve McQueen (<i>Hunger, Shame</i>).</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">***If you have not guessed, I've seen the films whose titles are italicized in parenthesis. I did not include every film from the aforementioned directors, merely the ones that I found to be exceptional or memorable. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">*****Closing Thoughts*****</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"> What saddens me, as I reflect briefly on my 100 Favorite Directors, is the glaring—many may consider jarring—absence of female directors save for Chantel Akerman, the lone female directorial voice I've burnished. One reason for my specific omission, I suspect, is the simple fact that I still need to see the films of Claire Denis, Jane Campion, Mira Nair, women who are frequently bathed in a brightening glow by critics everywhere. I love Nora Ephron, the writer, may she rest in peace. Not so much do I love the director. </span><i style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left;">Sleepless in Seattle </i><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">and </span><i style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left;">You've Got Mail </i><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">are worthy experiences, though. I do, too, enjoy the work of Kathryn Bigelow who could arguably make this list in the foreseeable future, as she is proving to be a formidable bastion of femininity in the male-dominated filmmaking world. Amy Heckerling has made some films I immensely enjoy. Patty Jenkins has not made anything compelling since </span><i style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left;">Monster</i><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">, such a promising start. And I've yet to witness the purported beauty of a Lynne Ramsay picture, but that will most certainly change. </span>
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FilmMattichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15567287349203493671noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6018122949256325759.post-60580686920374788262012-06-15T07:25:00.002-04:002012-06-18T16:02:55.432-04:00Ten Best Actors of All-Time Relay Race<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Ain't No Monty High Enough</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i> "</i>The Ten Best Actors of All-Time Relay Race" rivals the Summer Olympics, exceeds the popularity of the NBA Finals, and portends this year's Presidential Election results. Where else could man venture to achieve such prestige? What institution has a greater collection of talent? The answer is nowhere unless nowhere is code for <a href="http://myfilmviews.com/2012/06/10/the-ten-best-of-all-time-relay-races-update/#more-6047">My Film Views</a>, the mastermind of said blog-a-thon. Or the lovely <a href="http://melissasimaginarium.blogspot.com/2012/06/wtf-mel-you-disappeared-again-and-blog.html">Melissa Bradley</a>, whose willingness to enlist the tenuous wisdom of yours truly is responsible for my participation.</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;"> Actual relay races look like pompous amateur assemblies in comparison. And <a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&sa=X&biw=1920&bih=979&tbm=isch&prmd=imvnso&tbnid=CtMqYVbYO75M1M:&imgrefurl=http://gamessling.com/2012/01/21/just-dance-3-wallpaper-pictures-id-592022/&docid=g9Z0Vfgt8B3-sM&imgurl=http://gamessling.com/wp-content/uploads/wallpaper-del-film-juno-67890-4f1b3ca5668df.jpg&w=1280&h=960&ei=r_vaT5miLKnf0gHqxJnBCg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=403&vpy=151&dur=1594&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=147&ty=97&sig=102329516196715976698&page=2&tbnh=150&tbnw=200&start=53&ndsp=58&ved=1t:429,r:10,s:53,i:273">this guy</a>, who will never remind anyone of grace, speed or agility, is your primary competition. Now that I've triggered "Mr. Righteous Mode," effectively eliminating any shroud of rational judgment, I'll quickly review the rules. Or better yet, let's get the rundown from the brainchild himself. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Nostra's (curator of My Film Views) precise instructions: </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>"So what’s the idea behind the relay? I’ve created a list of what I think are the best actors. At the end of the post I, just like in a real relay race, hand over the baton to another blogger who will write his own post. This blogger will have to remove one actor (that is an obligation) and add his own choice and describe why he/she did this. At the end the blogger chooses another blogger to do the same. The idea is to make this a long race, so that enough bloggers get a chance to remove and add an actor. We will end up with a list (not ranked in order) which represents a common agreement of the best actors. It will also mean that those who follow this relay race will get to know new blogs as well!"</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> The methodology is </span><span style="font-size: large;">simple. Scan the list of ten actors, chosen by the previous sea of participants, and find one actor to replace. As the formation of the list has largely been constructed beyond my doing, my job is modest. While the rules are straightforward, the impending inquiry of which I exhausted many hours deliberating is no facile matter. As you all know, I am a relentless student of film. Selecting one actor to fulfill a void is a real mental doozy. There are far too many actors whose work I admire. But as rules and <i>Highlander </i>dictate, there can be only one.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> Listed below, in chronological order, are the terrific participants. Their modifications and extraordinary tastes are responsible for the current crop of Ten Best Actors:</span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://myfilmviews.com/2012/03/13/the-ten-best-all-time-actors-relay-race/">My Film Views</a> (created the original list: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Daniel Day-Lewis, Samuel L. Jackson, Charlie Chaplin, Gary Oldman, Anthony Hopkins, Philip Seymour Hoffman, <a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168012569830110">Marlon Brando</a>, Robert Duvall)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thefocusedfilmographer.com/2012/03/17/the-ten-best-all-time-actors-relay-race/">The Focused Filmographer</a> (Removed Hopkins, added Christian Bale)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thefocusedfilmographer.com/2012/03/17/the-ten-best-all-time-actors-relay-race/">Front Room Cinema</a> (Removed Pacino, added Paul Giammati)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thefocusedfilmographer.com/2012/03/17/the-ten-best-all-time-actors-relay-race/">I Love That Film</a> (Removed Jackson, added Edward Norton)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thefocusedfilmographer.com/2012/03/17/the-ten-best-all-time-actors-relay-race/">Flixchatter</a> (Removed Giammati, added Gregory Peck)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thefocusedfilmographer.com/2012/03/17/the-ten-best-all-time-actors-relay-race/">All Eyes on Screen</a> (Removed Norton, added Tom Hanks)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thefocusedfilmographer.com/2012/03/17/the-ten-best-all-time-actors-relay-race/">Time Well Spent</a> (Removed Hoffman, added Leonardo DiCaprio)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thefocusedfilmographer.com/2012/03/17/the-ten-best-all-time-actors-relay-race/">The Warning Sign</a> (Removed Hanks, added Paul Newman)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thefocusedfilmographer.com/2012/03/17/the-ten-best-all-time-actors-relay-race/">Movies and Songs 365</a> (Removed Duvall, re-added Anthony Hopkins)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thefocusedfilmographer.com/2012/03/17/the-ten-best-all-time-actors-relay-race/">And So It Begins</a> (Removed DiCaprio, added Max von Sydow)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thefocusedfilmographer.com/2012/03/17/the-ten-best-all-time-actors-relay-race/">Cinematic Corner</a> (Removed Bale, added Ralph Fiennes)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thefocusedfilmographer.com/2012/03/17/the-ten-best-all-time-actors-relay-race/">The Film Emporium</a> (Re-removed Hopkins, added Jack Nicholson)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thefocusedfilmographer.com/2012/03/17/the-ten-best-all-time-actors-relay-race/">Duke & the Movies</a> (Removed Oldman, added Humphrey Bogart)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thefocusedfilmographer.com/2012/03/17/the-ten-best-all-time-actors-relay-race/">Southern Vision</a> (Removed Fiennes, added Harry Dean Stanton)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thefocusedfilmographer.com/2012/03/17/the-ten-best-all-time-actors-relay-race/">Defiant Success</a> (Removed Stanton, added Jack Lemmon)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thefocusedfilmographer.com/2012/03/17/the-ten-best-all-time-actors-relay-race/">Cinematic Paradox</a> (Removed von Sydow, re-added Ralph Fiennes)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thefocusedfilmographer.com/2012/03/17/the-ten-best-all-time-actors-relay-race/">Encore’s World of TV & Film</a> (Removed Peck, added Richard Burton)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thefocusedfilmographer.com/2012/03/17/the-ten-best-all-time-actors-relay-race/">Okinawa Assault</a> (Removed Lemmon, added Bruce Greenwood)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thefocusedfilmographer.com/2012/03/17/the-ten-best-all-time-actors-relay-race/">Amiresque</a> (Removed Greenwood, added Peter Sellers)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thefocusedfilmographer.com/2012/03/17/the-ten-best-all-time-actors-relay-race/">Flickers</a> (Removed Chaplin, added Jeff Bridges)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thefocusedfilmographer.com/2012/03/17/the-ten-best-all-time-actors-relay-race/">Aziza’s Picks</a> (Removed Sellers, re-added Gary Oldman)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thefocusedfilmographer.com/2012/03/17/the-ten-best-all-time-actors-relay-race/">…let’s be splendid about this…</a> (Removed Burton, added James Stewart)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thefocusedfilmographer.com/2012/03/17/the-ten-best-all-time-actors-relay-race/">Being Norma Jeane</a> (Removed Bridges, added Johnny Depp)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thefocusedfilmographer.com/2012/03/17/the-ten-best-all-time-actors-relay-race/">U, Me, and Films</a> (Re-removed Fiennes, re-added Tom Hanks)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thefocusedfilmographer.com/2012/03/17/the-ten-best-all-time-actors-relay-race/">Eternity of Dream</a> (Re-removed Hanks, re-added Leonardo DiCaprio)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thefocusedfilmographer.com/2012/03/17/the-ten-best-all-time-actors-relay-race/">Lime Reviews and Strawberry Confessions</a> (Re-removed Oldman, added Amitabh Bachchan)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thefocusedfilmographer.com/2012/03/17/the-ten-best-all-time-actors-relay-race/">Surrender to the Void</a> (Removed Bachchan, added Gene Hackman)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thefocusedfilmographer.com/2012/03/17/the-ten-best-all-time-actors-relay-race/">Taste of Cinema</a> (Removed Depp, added Marcello Mastroianni)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thefocusedfilmographer.com/2012/03/17/the-ten-best-all-time-actors-relay-race/">1001 Plus</a> (Removed Brando, added Cary Grant)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thefocusedfilmographer.com/2012/03/17/the-ten-best-all-time-actors-relay-race/">Public Transportation Snob</a> (Removed DiCaprio, re-added Charlie Chaplin)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thefocusedfilmographer.com/2012/03/17/the-ten-best-all-time-actors-relay-race/">1:37 Exactly</a> (Removed Peter O'Toole and added Kevin Spacey)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://melissasimaginarium.blogspot.com/2012/06/wtf-mel-you-disappeared-again-and-blog.html">Melissa's Imaginarium</a> (Removed Marcello Mastroianni and added John Cazale) </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Here are the Ten Actors Chosen:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Humphrey Bogart</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="400" src="http://137exactly.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/humphrey-bogart1.jpg" width="400" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Daniel Day Lewis</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="400" src="http://137exactly.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/daniel-day-lewis1.jpg" width="320" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Robert De Niro</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="400" src="http://137exactly.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Robert-De-Niro_1.jpg" width="370" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Paul Newman</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="400" src="http://137exactly.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/paul-newman1.jpg" width="320" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Jack Nicholson</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="400" src="http://137exactly.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jack-nicholson1.jpg" width="278" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">James Stewart</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://137exactly.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/james-stewart1.jpg" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Cary Grant</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="400" src="http://137exactly.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/cary-grant1.jpg" width="302" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Charlie Chaplin</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="400" src="http://137exactly.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/charlie-chaplin1.jpg" width="273" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Kevin Spacey </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="400" src="http://137exactly.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Kevin-Spacey1.jpg" width="318" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">John Cazale</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="John Cazale" height="400" src="http://i2.listal.com/image/2451856/600full-john-cazale.jpg" width="268" />
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> So which immaculate slice of this legendary pie am I going to remove, perhaps impermanently? And who is the venerable replacement?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> Bye-bye, Kevin Spacey.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="400" src="http://colouredlights.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/kevinspacey.jpg" width="267" />
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> Welcome, Montgomery Clift.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="400" src="http://www.latimes.com/includes/projects/hollywood/portraits/montgomery_clift.jpg" width="320" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> I send my condolences to my comrade, <a href="http://137exactly.com/">Russel from 1:37 exactly</a>. Generally the game of buzzkill is not my business. Your selection of Kevin Spacey, I can reasonably presume, was a product of considerable thought. </span><span style="font-size: large;">The truth is I am an enormous Spacey fan. His versatility, not to mention his </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKKDKAKNH-k" style="font-size: x-large;">virtuous impersonations</a>, <span style="font-size: large;">make him a brilliant choice. </span><span style="font-size: large;">If righteous </span><span style="font-size: large;">indignation</span><span style="font-size: large;"> is your pastime, you have my blessing to unleash a pre-divine-intervention, Jules Winnfield on my apologetic ass, square retribution for this sort of Internet crime. I'm prepared to enter the void, Russ, if you proceed with vengeance. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> As every participant can faithfully attest, this decision was incredibly difficult. Culling from a list featuring some of the greatest actors and cinematic icons is virtually inconceivable. It's like trying to pick between Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. Aha, but I've already disastrously broached that <a href="http://www.filmmattic.com/2011/06/robert-de-niro-vs-al-pacino.html">sensitive subject</a>. The one stipulation, removing and replacing one actor from the increasingly representative list, conjures up similar indecision. But this is not the Relay Race of Flimsy Convictions. It is the Mount Everest of Blog-A-Thons. I vow to ascend it. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> A resolute choice has to be made. I feel like picking Pacino would be too easy. My readers would suspect it. I do not want to reward the presumptuous. So who do I choose to exalt if not Mr. Hoo-ah!? How 'bout Montgomery Clift!? </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Monty earns my everlasting admiration because he is the embodiment of screen acting. His brooding, emotionally textured translation of the "Method" laid the foundation for modern performance. Clift's contemporary and chief rival, Marlon Brando, even lionized him. The mercurial Marlon conferred upon Clift the title of true acting genius. Such praise cannot be undervalued or diminished as mere flattery. The </span><span style="font-size: large;">late 1940's, early1950's, their primordial playground for establishing the Method, was historically rich for actors, past and present. A real creative boon. Clift was the predominant enabler. The period ought to be demarcated with a "Before Clift" and "After Clift" designation. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Acting of course exploded in the 1960's. Emboldened by the experimental bravura of Monty, it became more synonymous with art. A talented performer could impose his or her will on their character, freeing the craft from convention and evolving into something beyond pure physicality. Mood, disposition, and attitude would become new talent markers. None, however, could mark their territory with greater sustained charisma than Clift.<i> The Search, Red River, A Place in the Sun, </i>and <i>From Here to Eternity </i>demonstrated his preternatural ability most favorably.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i> </i>The abolishment of the antiquated Production code and the emergence of America's New Wave, which took the baton from France and Italian Neorealism, led to auteurism, independent film, and more broadly, daring cinema. Acting benefited immensely, too. But if not for Montgomery Clift's living, breathing, acting manual, antiheroes, disaffected youths, marginalized characters and other assorted fringe players would never have the prototype from which their sensibilities could evolve. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The only legitimate criticism one could levy against Monty is his limp longevity. Unfortunately, his personal life interfered with his professional life. After suffering a tragic car accident, while filming <i>Raintree County</i>, Clift's career devolved into a sad E! True Hollywood Story. Emotionally and physically he was taxed. His performances undoubtedly deteriorated (though to what extent is largely unknown as he still commanded important roles and delivered memorable performances). One of his great roles, <i>Judgment At Nuremberg, </i>in fact followed his downward spiral. He would receive his fourth and final Academy Award nomination. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Despite a fragile mental state, punctuated by extreme mental anguish and erratic behavior, Monty could still deliver an iconic performance. Transposing the torments of his life into later roles would become his final gift to audiences. Achievements within this troubling context, therefore, warrant even greater praise. What more impressive measure of praise can man bestow except to emblazon an immortal talent in the "Ten Best Actors of All-Time Relay Race?"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>*Other actors I strongly considered: Immediate runner-up was Robert Mitchum followed by Toshiro Mifune, Marlon Brando, Katharine Hepburn, Al Pacino, Gregory Peck, Buster Keaton, James Cagney, Elizabeth Taylor, Gary Cooper, Alain Delon, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Henry Fonda, Gary Oldman, Spencer Tracy, Gene Hackman, Orson Welles, Dustin Hoffman, and Ingrid Bergman. If pressed for a truly contemporary pick, I'd lean towards Edward Norton (though he needs to PICK IT UP!) or Philip Seymour Hoffman. I like the promising trajectory of that Ryan Gosling fella, too. JGL also electrifies the screen. And I think it's only fair I mention Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> Who is the recipient of my sweat-soaked baton—sweat accrued from the mammoth mental anguish my mind endured trying to remove and replace an iconic actor? Sorry, Craig of </span><a href="http://craiglgooh.blogspot.com/" style="font-size: x-large;">Let's Get Out Of Here!</a><span style="font-size: large;"> fame</span><span style="font-size: large;">, but misfortune of this class befits a man accustomed to gruesome affairs. I'm looking at you, Mr. "</span><a href="http://craiglgooh.blogspot.com/2012/06/crazy-movie-weekend-fridayfreddy-30.html" style="font-size: x-large;">30 Years of Dead Teens</a><span style="font-size: large;">" Marathon. Do you choose to accept my mission? If not, I'll text Usain Bolt. I hear he's quite fast on his feet. Oh, wait, that's the wrong kind of race...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> In all honesty, it is my humble pleasure to pass the baton onto you, Sir. And </span><span style="font-size: large;">I'm anticipating an impressive selection borne from an expert mind of cinema....plus substantial monetary remuneration (Check your e-mail for my PayPal info). </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Now go check him out, folks!</span></div>FilmMattichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15567287349203493671noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6018122949256325759.post-63687512238429605312012-06-12T05:17:00.000-04:002012-06-12T17:17:55.335-04:00Top Five Things I Learned From The Movies<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Intersection of Film and Life: Part II</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<img src="http://davethenovelist.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/goodbye-solo.jpg" />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i style="font-size: xx-large;"> </i><span style="font-size: large;">This is Part II of my "Top Five Things I Learned From The Movies." Part I can be found <a href="http://www.filmmattic.com/2012/06/top-five-things-i-learned-from-movies.html">here</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Ramin Bahrani's <i>Goodbye Solo</i></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">What is the message/lesson? Ramin Bahrani's chief motivation concerns one simple question: How do you live in this world? And his theme: What kind of crisis would spur you to action? Would you be ready and willing to come to the aid of a man diseased by a stubbornness to end his own life? I'd like to think, in the face of such grueling hardship, I would answer affirmatively. The truth is I do not know. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Ramin Bahrani is a director whose imprint on film warrants immense praise. <i>Chop Shop </i>and <i>Man Push Cart </i>are the works of a genius craftsmen with a deep affection for the people inhabiting his films, men who wander in realities he is acutely familiar with; characters who are furnished not with artificial humanity, but the cognitive residue learned and experienced from actual living—the closest facsimiles of life this side of walking out your front door. They breathe, sweat, laugh, and cry with an unmistakable humanism that reverberates, to some degree, the events of Bahrani's own life. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> His stories, like any consummate documentary, unfold organically, illustrating the beauty of cinema. And <i>Goodbye Solo</i>, his third and most recent feature, is perhaps his greatest work for of all these reasons. No longer a formative force, Bahrani has adroitly carved his "maker's mark." </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Mr. Bahrani accomplishes this docu-realism, purposely reminiscent of the Italian Neorealism movement spearheaded by Roberto Rossellini and Vittoria De Sica, by placing nonprofessional actors in real-world settings and enclosing them in intimate, powerful stories—apportioning a richly textured sense of life. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The story is set in Bahrani's real-life hometown of Winstom-Salem, N.C. Bahrani's lucid existentialism is coaxed into motion at the very outset as William, an elderly man pinned to the mat by his fragile mortality, enters the taxi of an African immigrant, Solo, a man who embraces life with infectious joie de vivre. Solo is played by Souleymane Sy Savane, a flight attendant for Air Afrique (studying for such a job in the film). William is played by Red West, Elvis Pressley's former bodyguard and an original member of his "Memphis Mafia."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">William offers Solo an ominous deal. For an upfront payment of $1000, he wants to be driven in 10 days to the top of a mountain in Blowing Rock National Park, a place more famous for its violent and erratic gusts of wind than its picturesque charm. Here's the obvious twist: William deliberately avoids mention of a return trip. Solo accepts the money because that is the nature of his job, but he is disheartened about this fare, puzzled by this old man's bizarre stipulation. He asks some pertinent questions, but is told to keep his prying mouth shut. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> As a man of buoyant determination, Solo gradually insinuates himself into William's life, fulfilling virtually every conceivable role short of becoming his personal masseuse. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">It is obvious William's intention is to end his own life, but neither he nor Solo ever broaches the subject directly. It hovers in the air between them like an overzealous mosquito if the person in the room with said mosquito is <i>Barton Fink</i>. The film is not about William and Solo so much as it is about how they undergo change, which is how a movie becomes transformative, rising above mechanical plot functions. These two lives have experienced the full breadth of human interaction. Their characters effectuate a hardened honesty, their relationships augmented in deep, meaningful ways. Rare is the film that impresses upon you a real earnest affection for the characters. But Bahrani is infinitely curious about people, which makes us curious about the people he's curious about. Are you curious? </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> His crucial question, "How do you live in this world?" provides the lucid patterning for a truly transformative work of fiction. A film is best rendered when it responds faithfully to its characters and the world they inhabit. <i>Goodbye Solo </i>is if nothing else faithful. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> What is the message/lesson? The journey has not begun until you've left. Fellini places a mirror to his own youth, painting a portrait, strokes both delicate and harsh, of the formative artist who has yet to live the life his ambition requires. The semblance of a life Fellini envisions can be found in the film's final sequence, particularly in the actions and reactions of the two characters who draw the curtain. Man must leave behind the comfortable structures of his past and strive forward, undaunted by an uncertain future. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Fellini is among my favorite directors of all-time. And if you were to poll every film critic, his legacy would position him among the greatest. I've seen all his most celebrated works; <i>8</i></span><span style="vertical-align: super;"><i>1/2</i></span>, <span style="font-size: large;"><i>La Dolce Vita, La Strada, Amarcord</i>. But this film has always struck me on a more visceral level, resonating with even greater emotion. It's neither his most profound nor provocative work, but it is a Fellini picture. His trademark flourishes engulf the entire canvas, as the film boasts an ornate scale where movement is primal and the banality of life evocative.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> <i>I Vitelloni </i>deals with the adventures and misadventures of five friends at turning points in their life. Fellini infiltrates his standard dramatic context, a postwar seaside town, which is considered to be modeled after his hometown of Rimini. The pleasures and frustrations of growing up in a provincial town become crucial psychological enablers. Taking events from his life and transforming them on screen is a Fellini trademark, reflecting the curious spirit of the Italian Neorealism movement. So authentically does Fellini capture the essence of living, encapsulating the universal into the personal, that he invigorates this familiar setting with an almost-surreal quality, interpolating episodes of life with a moving gallery of everyday living; the Priests walking along the beach, the gilded angel statue, and, of central importance, interweaving stories of multiple characters and granting each a distinct personality.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Now let us address that remarkable coda I alluded to in the opening paragraph. This final scene is a harbinger of opportunity, unbridled and uncultivated. It reminds me of a pivotal life lesson: the journey has not begun until you've left. Up until this point in the film, Fellini's lead protagonist, Moraldo Rubini has been effectively immobilized and disillusioned by the ineffectual affairs of his compatriots. He's grown despondent about his place in this universe. His life trajectory will whittle away in a plume of regret if he fails to face the fundamental opportunism of life and make something of himself, a selfishness that I and anyone should favorably endorse. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Moraldo's life in this provincial town has been shaped by his experiences with his buddies (who, as "Vitelloni," which is a form of Italian slang, are layabouts; the slackers of yesteryear). The city that he loves and has known his whole life cannot possibly satiate his desires. Inaction will trap him in a dead-end life, the one his friends are destined for. All of this deliberation and introspection leads us to that iconic final image, which buttresses Moraldo's psychic rejuvenation, but also accedes his sudden qualms: the early morning train slowly departs from the station and Moraldo, bathed in a melancholic stare, pensively waves to his young friend, who walks in the opposite direction balancing on one rail as if walking a tightrope. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Battling the urge to stay while also contemplating the future that awaits, Moraldo's face reads like a map of extraordinary emotion. And he chooses. No longer held captive by a mask of doubt, his hands, surging with anticipation, reach for the transparent cloth that conceals his face, giving birth to a voice suppressed by circumstance. Moraldo has followed the path of his creator, Federico Fellini. An enterprising spirit now pulsates across his brow. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Intercut with images of each of the other <i>vitelloni </i>still asleep in their beds, the final scene reveals a man who has simultaneously said goodbye to his past and hello to his future. Moraldo knows all-too well that life in his small hometown will advance incrementally, ravaged by contented souls, while he, a man of vigorous spirit, adventures to a new life far beyond the confines of complacency.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Akira Kurosawa's <i>High and Low</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">What is the message/lesson? How confident are you in your ability to do the right thing? What are your basic values? How much are you willing to sacrifice to save the life of another man's child?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I am going to state the obvious. Akira Kurosawa is one of cinema's greatest filmmakers. I've seen only 40 percent of his complete work (12 of his 30 films), but from those viewings I've gained an enormous admiration for his auteurism. Viewing his films is as close to a religious experience as, for those armed with unrelenting spirituality, attending church except Kurosawa is transcribing an unforgettable cinematic experience. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> If you love the crime genre—it is perhaps my favorite—you can watch this film or <i>Stray Dog</i>, which marked the beginning of the Toshiro Mifune, Kurosawa pairing, one of cinema's most enduring collaborations. If you enjoy action flicks, westerns, samurai showdowns, or the mythology of the masculine ideal, watch<i> Seven Samurai </i>(the most important action film ever made), <i>Yojimbo</i>, <i>Sanjuro, </i>and <i>Kagemusha</i><i> </i>among many others. If Greek tragedy is your favored brand, invest your time with <i>Throne of Blood </i>and <i>Ran.</i> If you are prone to epic drama and have been known to shed an honest tear, then devote ample time to <i>Ikiru </i>and <i>Red Beard</i>. <i>Rashomon (</i>along with <i>Seven Samurai </i>his most important film) will satisfy any moviegoer of any generation. <i>Star Wars </i>before George Lucas<i> </i>is known as <i>The Hidden Fortress </i>(the similarities are uncanny, as are the laughs). My point: Kurosawa is one of the most versatile directors and his accomplishments, many listed above, speak to a talent born from a mind entrenched in the business of telling stories about humanity.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">In </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">High and Low</i><span style="font-size: large;">, Kurosawa demonstrates a flair for the police procedural, juxtaposing the functions of law enforcement with the dualities of good and evil, hero and perpetrator. His compositional expertise, born from years working with a paint brush, frames the story in an exquisite morality dance. Small details illuminate character motivations.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Toshiro Mifune plays Gondo, a successful businessman who is forced into a nightmare scenario that awakens his deepest beliefs. Charged with appraising his basic values, Gondo must act swiftly and resolutely. An unknown criminal, perceived to be very dangerous, has kidnapped his chauffeur's son. Gondo's call to ethical arms? Extortion.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">The tension of Gondo's decision to do or not do the right thing is illustrated by</span><span style="font-size: large;"> the film's claustrophobic first hour. His core ethics are put to the crucible. But once his morality is dispensed for a good cause, the story opens up. Kurosawa subjects us to a wider array of terror, providing a whole new context for moral instruction. </span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Gondo is enraged about what will </span><span style="font-size: large;">happen</span><span style="font-size: large;"> with his money, but his moral code supersedes his business affairs. Meanwhile, the cops dispatched to the case are not bland caricatures of cruelty hellbent on </span><span style="font-size: large;">justice</span><span style="font-size: large;">, but professionals trying to unearth a mystery. And when the sordid underbelly of the city merges with the opulence afforded by Mr. Gondo's wealth, the police, the criminal, and the victim, in the eyes of a humane Kurosawa, all </span><span style="font-size: large;">maneuver</span><span style="font-size: large;"> with purpose. Drama is not harnessed for </span><span style="font-size: large;">sentimentality</span><span style="font-size: large;"> nor is it falsely </span><span style="font-size: large;">embellished</span><span style="font-size: large;">. The </span><span style="font-size: large;">violence</span><span style="font-size: large;"> is held at a low boil. The </span><span style="font-size: large;">denouement</span><span style="font-size: large;"> furnishes an </span><span style="font-size: large;">existentialism</span><span style="font-size: large;"> that blurs the lines between good and evil, as a carefully conceived prison glass window both separates and intertwines the fates of kidnapper and </span><span style="font-size: large;">hero. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Ultimately, what transcends <i>High and Low </i>from the regimented patter that befalls most films of this genre is Kurosawa's vision. Eschewing convention and the traditional posturing of bad guy, good guy morality tales, Kurosawa places the focal point not on one man's drama but an entire state mired in ethical crisis. The narrative coheres seamlessly through a labyrinth of themes including wealth and poverty, hope and sorrow, honor and dishonor. A synergy is fostered between these psychical polarities, painting an elaborate picture of a society submerged in conscientious extremes. Life is not as simple as we like to think. Real power exists beyond the imprisonment of material wealth and political patronage. We just have to seize it when the moment arises. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">*A wide array of films narrowly earned a spot in my Top Five. Rather than just listing them, I'll reveal many of the director's whose work I strongly considered. Preston Sturges, John Ford, Howard Hawks, Francois Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard, Yasujiro Ozu, Fritz Lang, David Lean, Billy Wilder, Jean Pierre-Melville, George Cukor, Alfred Hitchcock, Vittorio De Sica, Luchino Visconti, Quentin Tarantino, Terence Malick, Pedro Almodovar, Christopher Nolan, Sidney Lumet, Frank Capra, Elia Kazan, Ingmar Bergman, Dardenne Brothers, Coen Brothers, Kim Ji-Woon, Kenji Mizoguchi, Paul Thomas Anderson, Ernst Lubitsch, and others...remarkable competition, right!?</span></div>
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*<span style="font-size: large;">And if my list has inspired some ponderings which you feel inclined to share, then please share: What are the "Top Five Things You Learned from the Movies?" </span></div>
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />FilmMattichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15567287349203493671noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6018122949256325759.post-86423054127543691172012-06-10T06:38:00.001-04:002012-06-12T05:17:24.063-04:00Top Five Things I Learned From The Movies<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Intersection of Film and Life: Part I</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Any Top Five that invokes the "Things I Learned" refrain has to at least mention Stanley Kubrick. Without Mr. K, future generations of Americans would never know how to cease worrying about the "bomb." In all seriousness though, "The Top Five Things I Learned From The Movies" is one of my more intimate ruminations, focusing squarely on the cinematic landscape...of course!</span><br />
<a name='more'></a> <span style="font-size: large;">I'd be remiss if I did not first acknowledge one of my favorite movie podcasts, </span><a href="http://www.filmspotting.net/" style="font-size: x-large;">Filmspotting</a><span style="font-size: large;">. Their compelling, and equally cogent take on their own personal "Five Things Learned From The Movies" provided the proper impetus for this post. For those uncultured about the online movie-sphere, let me first encourage you to swim over to Filmspotting's waters of enlightenment. They are one of the oldest and most revered movie podcasts on the internet (and also broadcast on WBEZ in Chicago). The show is hosted by Adam Kempenaar and Josh Larsen, an entertaining tandem of cinephiles whose abiding love for cinema, underscored by knowledge, humor, and eloquence, inspired this top five. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">A representative top five of this intimate magnitude forces you to contemplate your own history with film, a history that may encompass epiphanies, behavioral changes, enhanced perspectives or broader world views. I suppose all avenues of thought are within reach, right? But an erudite, introspective route does not discount the exhilarating sensory experience afforded by a movie like <i>The Raid: Redemption. </i>The traditional Indonesian martial art of Pencak Silat, demonstrated with aplomb by Iko Uwais in Gareth Evan's aforementioned ass-kicking extravaganza, will serve me extremely well if I ever find myself trapped in an impoverished, drug-ridden housing complex in Jakarta, inhabited by a cabal of the most dangerous murderers and gangsters, who, one trivial detail worth noting, are maddeningly dead set on my singular destruction. What this experience suggests is that a list of this ilk is very difficult to create because it forces you to look deep and burrow through those cobwebs of introspection. Or, on the contrary, embrace those breathtaking moments skillfully on display in movies like <i>The Raid: Redemption</i>, which purposely and effectively avoid the more cognitive, philosophical realm. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> My list, I like to think, is not a hollow collection of inane revelations nor is it a compilation of truly profound or pithy observations. It is simply my resolute attempt to illustrate a map of my filmic sensibilities. The five films listed not only nourish my peculiar cinematic interests, but also challenge, to some extent, my core perspective on human psychology. And lastly I want to state that these five choices are in no way emblazoned in my pantheon as the most provocative or evocative works, but merely films whose style and sensibility I vividly recall being arrested by. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Alfonso Cuarón's <i>Y Tu Mamá También</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">What is the message/lesson? Cherish your freedoms. Live life with an unfettered, </span><span style="font-size: large;">undaunted</span><span style="font-size: large;"> passion. Express yourself and your desires without guilt or shame. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Films that affect you viscerally on this kind of humanistic level are a rarity. Kurosawa's <i>Ikiru, </i>most of Robert Bresson's films, and frankly any of Yasujiro</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Ozu's films immediately spring to mind as memorable conjurers, shaped by an authentic emotional strength. But the tides of modernity swayed me. This is not to say that films from eras</span><span style="font-size: large;"> I do not presently inhabit are barred from inclusion or that contemporary fare is a </span><span style="font-size: large;">prerequisite</span><span style="font-size: large;">.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> The experience is the key. And what's fervently and realistically depicted in Alfonso Cuar</span><span style="font-size: large;">ón's </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Y Tu Mamá También</i><span style="font-size: large;"> is more immediate and identifiable. Plus, I </span><span style="font-size: large;">recently came across</span><span style="font-size: large;"> this modern masterpiece for a third time. The core thematic weight, for my mind's sake, still lingers prominently.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Cuar</span><span style="font-size: large;">ón is one of modern cinema's great auteurs. He has a distinct visual style with a lens consisting of bravura long shots, intimate close-ups, and sprawling wide shots. His narratives advance with striking originality, galvanized by courage. A true master of long takes, his landscapes, aided by the virtuous cinematographer, Emmanuel Lubezki (who also worked with Malick on <i>Tree of Life</i>), are imbued with exquisite depth. And above all, his films propel forward with an unshakable emotional energy. Covering such powerful themes as love, sexuality, death, and politics, Cuar</span><span style="font-size: large;">ó</span><span style="font-size: large;">n's first masterpiece, </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Y Tu Mamá También, </i><span style="font-size: large;">illuminates all of these</span><span style="font-size: large;"> tremendous gifts. Exceptional voice-over narration, to posit the proverbial cherry on top, </span><span style="font-size: large;">counsel the proceedings. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The mark of a great film is one that has the power to enhance your world view. <i>YTMT </i>passes this pivotal test. As a work of art, it deftly empowers my conscience, urging me to undertake pursuits beyond the predictable realities and provincial qualms of daily life, a life grounded in the hubbub of the Northeast. As Robin Williams' character in <i>Good Will Hunting </i>intimates, "the peccadilloes...and imperfections" are what constitute the essence of living. <i>YTMT, </i>e</span><span style="font-size: large;">nlivened by life's complexities, </span><span style="font-size: large;">exemplifies this </span><span style="font-size: large;">philosophy. Cuar</span><span style="font-size: large;">ón's</span><span style="font-size: large;"> probing lens, a lens so relentless and so fixated on the rigors of life, </span><span style="font-size: large;">is capable of snapping you out of the stupor of manipulative fiction. You need not be of Mexican descent, or from Mexico to </span><span style="font-size: large;">appreciate</span><span style="font-size: large;"> the message, for the film glides with universal grace. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i> </i>Films can be abstract, artistically vibrant, but great directors, auteurs if you will, provoke an emotional and psychological reaction that elevates the experience. They touch on what it means to be human. Cuarón is of this ilk.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> You can find more of my thoughts on <i>Y Tu Mamá También </i>in my <a href="http://www.filmmattic.com/2011/04/great-alphabet-of-filmsy-is-for.html">Great Alphabet of Films</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Wong Kar-wai's <i>Chungking Express</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">What is the message/lesson? Wong Kar-wai demonstrates both how and why cinema is beautiful. And in terms of message, he addresses human nature's primal yearning for companionship, and the need to relinquish the past. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> <i>Chungking Express </i>is sort of an unconventional pick in terms of its distance from life (the antithesis of <i>Y Tu Mamá También) </i>and affinity for style, as it resides more objectively in the "Film Functions Primarily As Art" arena. Carving out a profound life lesson is not Wong Kar-wai's intention. But I absolutely adore this film and WKW's entire filmography. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Kar-wai really awakened my eyes to the art of filmmaking. If you love film itself, <i>Chungking Express</i> is precisely the film that will captivate you. The structural elements that tend to bind a film's disparate elements—those little elements we identify as story—are merely tertiary in this instance. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">There are really two distinct stories being told in <i>CE. </i>But the stories themselves, while they intersect in nuanced ways, only serve as amplifiers for Kar-wai's stylistic gravitas. He is chiefly concerned with the remnants of a story. Seeking to dispense his visual dynamism, Kar-wai is aggressively vigilant of framing, composition, and juxtaposition. This does not mean he is some kind of shallow vessel of style without substance. Quite the contrary. He cultivates and executes his style in a way that magnifies and complements the narrative. The plot is purposely unconventional, but if you're attentive to style, you'll follow it easily. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> I, for one, love Kar-wai's approach. Not only is his mise-en-scene and camerawork refreshing, but the entire experience of witnessing the film is invigorating. This is a movie about a journey, not the destination. That is the fundamental crux. The experience is largely cerebral. As Roger Ebert opines in his review, "You'll enjoy it because of what you know about film, not because of what it knows about life." </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The themes mainly revolve around a life unfulfilled. </span><span style="font-size: large;">A humanistic and comic touch, punctuated by buoyancy and hopefulness, is Kar-wai's chief </span><span style="font-size: large;">enlightening</span><span style="font-size: large;"> instrument. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Delving into the heart of human despair and loneliness, </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Chungking Express</i><span style="font-size: large;"> examines the fractured psyche.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> It is the kind of film that sympathizes with the characters, celebrates their existence (a very Fellini esque tendency), embraces them, focuses on their idiosyncrasies, hoists them up. Yes, sadness and desolation are embedded in the natural cycle of life. But man must always forge through the dark cellars of despair to achieve peace. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> While most films subject you to a prolonged state of passivity, requiring only facile effort, <i>Chungking Express</i> is the polar opposite. Kar-wai, with the free-spirited, whimsical abandon of the French New Wave (like Godard and Truffaut), requires you to think and to feel. But his approach, sustained by confessional monologues, is forcefully optimistic and pleasant. He advises us all to put the past to bed. Move forward. Embrace spontaneity and fortuity. The impetus for our action is present in the beauty surrounding us, everyday, and everyone. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> After viewing this film, "California Dreamin" by the Mamas and Papas, will never ring quite the same way again. And for me, re-watching this film has reinforced my love for Wong Kar-wai (I've seen all but two of his films), and intensified my desire to see his upcoming film, <i>The Grandmasters</i>, which is my number one anticipated film of 2012. Logic dictates that it is right ahead of Paul Thomas Anderson's <i>The Master. </i>Hmmm? I would surmise something telepathic about these two forces of nature, what with the invocation of "Master" in their titles. Is it serendipity? Or is some type of concurrent genius the rationale for their titular compatibility? </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Oh! It must also be said that Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, the star of <i>Chungking Express, </i>is one of my favorite actors, period. I'd love to see him headline a PTA film... California Dreamin' ...</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">*I am getting carried away with this post, as usual, so I am going to divide it into two parts. My last intention would be to overwhelm any readers. Brevity is your friend...and apparently my enemy ;) </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">*****Stay Tuned For Part II: Numbers Three-Five*****</span></div>
</div>FilmMattichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15567287349203493671noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6018122949256325759.post-27913395200683746072012-06-07T05:43:00.001-04:002012-10-22T16:22:34.372-04:00AFI Part IV of IV (25-1)<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>The Apex of AFI</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The time to anoint the twenty-five best films in <i>MY</i> AFI 100 has finally arrived. So anticipated was this final unveil that the Silent Chorus of Expectations can now rejoice. This, the culmination of extensive Amazon purchases, was not ill-advised. With one-hundred and twenty-three titles vying for inclusion, there was no shortage of deliberation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Keen readers will observe some audacious reshuffling. But this is a personal list, one that reflects the depths of my idiosyncratic tastes. I am if nothing else an eclectic purveyor of film and these twenty-five films fiercely reflect that sentiment.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> I will not hesitate to summon the Hulk if disagreements emerge. I'm being cheeky of course. I encourage debate. Now, please enjoy!</span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">*P.S. I expect to revisit these posts in the future, intermittently I presume, with the intention of contributing some minutia of wisdom for ALL of my selections. Yes, there is a lot left unsaid.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">25). <i>Apocalypse Now</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">24).<i> Pulp Fiction</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> <a href="http://www.filmmattic.com/2011/04/great-alphabet-of-filmsp-is-for.html">Included in my Great Alphabet of Films.</a> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">23). <i>On The Waterfront</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">22). <i>The Maltese Falcon</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">21). <i>Goodfellas</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">20). <i>The Wizard of Oz</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">19). <i>All About Eve</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">18). <i>The Apartment</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">17). <i>Double Indemnity</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">16). <i>Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">15). <i>Gone With The Wind</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">14). <i>Dr. Strangelove</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">13). <i>Taxi Driver</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">12). <i>The Treasure of the Sierra Madre</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">11). <i>Lawrence of Arabia</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.filmmattic.com/2011/04/great-alphabet-of-filmsl-is-for.html">Another staggering achievement from a director whose work routinely leaves me mesmerized. Unsurprisingly, <i>LOA </i>can be found in my Great Alphabet.</a> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">10). <i>The Godfather: Part II</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">9). <i>Sunset Boulevard</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">8). <i>The Third Man</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">7).<i> The Searchers</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">6). <i>Casablanca</i></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.filmmattic.com/2011/04/great-alphabet-of-filmsc-is-for.html"><span style="font-size: large;">A staple of my Great Alphabet of Classic Films.</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">5). <i>2001: A Space Odyssey</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">4). <i>Chinatown</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">3). <i>Raging Bull</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> <a href="http://www.filmmattic.com/2011/04/great-alphabet-of-filmsr-is-for.html">Here are my detailed thoughts on Martin Scorsese's masterpiece.</a> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">2). <i>Citizen Kane</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Orson </span><span style="font-size: large;">Welles gave birth to a more vibrant and versatile cinematic language. His technical acumen prescribed new </span><span style="font-size: large;">practices, his capacity for robust visuals intimated an artistic awareness seldom seen. And his </span><span style="font-size: large;">narrative command, specifically nonlinear storytelling, opened up a playground of possibilities.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The legacy of Welles' seminal work, the most important American film ever made, has discharged plumes of admiration so ubiquitous, even those anathema to film could still muster an obliging anecdote. Scholars have scaled Mount Everest appraising it. There's not one illuminating insight left to unearth. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The bottomline is that <i>Citizen Kane</i> is deserving not only of its eminent place among the pantheon, but it is indispensable to one's recognition of film as more than just story, entertainment and escapism. Film is art, too. And yes, this is a concept contemporaries embrace. But Welles, the paradigm of the modern auteur, is chiefly responsible for the shift. </span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Cinema, for Mr. Welles, was the endpoint of calculated creative control. Deep focus, complex lighting, inventive camera angles, were uncharted territories until he emblazoned the trail. <i>Citizen Kane </i>celebrated his journey to these newfound artistic heights, a testament to the power of film. As Welles ascertained, the camera, with its luring lens and universal glare, could be man's best friend. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">1).<i> The Godfather</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Perfection is illusory. But man's very pursuit of an impossible ideal can yield extraordinary results. Francis Ford Coppola's <i>The Godfather </i>is an embodiment of this pursuit, of a relentless craft unperturbed by circumstance, a vision so momentous it serves as cinema's catchall for greatness. Of the 123 films that comprise the AFI's two editions, <i>The Godfather </i>is the closest—perhaps the very incarnation—to perfection. Who am I to dethrone Mr. Perfect? </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> More of my enthusiastic musings on Coppola's magnum opus <a href="http://www.filmmattic.com/2011/04/great-alphabet-of-filmsg-is-for.html">can be found here in my Great Alphabet.</a> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>*AFI Films Absent From My Rankings:</b><i> Amadeus, An American in Paris, A Night at the Opera, Annie Hall, The Birth of a Nation, Dances With Wolves, Doctor Zhivago, Fantasia, Forrest Gump, Frankenstein, Modern Times, Rebel Without a Cause, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Sophie's Choice, Swing Time, The Gold Rush, The Jazz Singer, The Mutiny on the Bounty, The Sixth Sense, The Sound of Music, Tootsie, Wuthering Heights, Yankee Doodle Dandy</i></span></div>
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />FilmMattichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15567287349203493671noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6018122949256325759.post-60912874704938892692012-06-01T05:39:00.001-04:002012-10-22T16:22:16.895-04:00AFI Part III of IV (48-26)<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">A Network of Classics</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Keep on, Keepin' on!~ And just as a brief reminder, I'm planning to update these posts intermittently as I expand my blog. Please do not be alarmed by the lack of written content for the majority of my selections. My only real intention at this point is to display without illustration or demonstration which films in the two-AFI 100 editions comprise my own. Eventually, and perhaps sporadically, I'll elucidate on why I chose <i>this</i> film and why <i>said</i> film is ranked where it is. Remember, twenty-three films missed the cut and I've undergone quite extensive revisionism to produce my list.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">48). <i>From Here to Eternity</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i> From Here to Eternity </i>is the quintessential period drama and it just so happens to unfold in the epicenter of 20th Century American History. It is the film that Michael Bay's <i>Pearl Harbor </i>desperately sought to recreate, woefully falling short. Not only does Fred Zinnemann capture that iconic moment in history, the day Japan "awakened a sleeping giant," but he also evokes, through the most elegant lens, fierce humanism. It is not a postcard of a time and place ruptured by the travails of war, but a painting which conflates the harsh realities of life with the quiet yet surging moralities of battered men and women. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The cast is stunning. Montgomery Clift, Burt Lancaster, Donna Reed, Frank Sinatra, Deborah Kerr, Ernest Borgnine, and Jack Warden are all put to incredible use, and their performances, enhanced by Zinnemann's textured atmosphere, project off the screen a </span><span style="font-size: large;">poignant romanticism. Zinnemann and company</span><span style="font-size: large;">, without being superficial or sentimental, delve unflinchingly into the burdens of manhood. And while the proceedings are colored by tragedy and the events exploited, <i>FHTE</i> still bursts with resolute purpose. It is the rare film that simultaneously strains optimistic souls, tunneling through caves of despair, while warming the coldest of hearts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">47). <i>Blade Runner</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Ridley Scott's <i>Prometheus </i>is so close I can taste it. And my anticipation, hovering at ungodly heights, can be justified by two films whose impact, necessitated by a primal journey to a "galaxy far, far away," </span><span style="font-size: large;">(Thank you, Lucas) </span><span style="font-size: large;">fostered an unshakable lust for science fiction. My cinematic love affair, now </span><span style="font-size: large;">indestructible</span><span style="font-size: large;">, was cultivated by filmmakers who were bound by an limitless imagination and an arsenal of visual craft both grandiose and intimate. My cerebral cortex, at the height of </span><span style="font-size: large;">adolescence</span><span style="font-size: large;">, was nourished by their dynamic flourishes into the cosmos. Men like Ridley Scott, Phillip K. Dick, David Peoples, and Hampton Fancher, chaperoned these forays into fascinating but uncertain worlds. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Despite Scott's blemished track record, he is still chiefly responsible for two landmark science fiction films. </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Blade Runner </i><span style="font-size: large;">is perhaps the clearest example of his visionary talent. </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Alien </i><span style="font-size: large;">is probably his most celebrated work. Both films are testaments to Scott's flair for prodigious composition, and specifically, his meticulous harvest of a concentrated mood and atmosphere. </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Prometheus</i><span style="font-size: large;">, marking a certain return to science fiction for the master, is once again so close I can taste it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">46). <i>12 Angry Men</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Sidney Lumet's feature-film debut stands as one of the most accomplished. With an uncompromisingly simplistic set-up—the majority of the film occurs in one tiny Jury Room—Lumet excavates colossal artifacts of humanity, of what it means to be human, from one of the most impressively acted films in cinema history. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Lumet's tactful approach gleams insights into the dynamics of lenses, the principles of composition, and the importance of camera angles. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Lessons are to be learned not only of the character </span><span style="font-size: large;">variety</span><span style="font-size: large;">, but the art of </span><span style="font-size: large;">filmmaking</span><span style="font-size: large;"> itself. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Lumet is a treasure of cinema, but his idea of a bounty consisted not of material gain, but an understanding of hardship. He was often provoked by angst, controversy, inner-turmoil. And in <i>12 Angry Men, </i>he ascends the mountains of humanity by rigorously examining man's identity. The film mirrors the fabric of New York City unapologetically without false sentiment. An ethnic minefield of personalities color his careful lenses, breathing life into a courtroom drama whose very premise is deliberately claustrophobic. This is a film that demands attention from every conscious moviegoer in every corner of the world. The egalitarianism Lumet's message breathlessly ruminates deserves warmth from every blanket of civilization. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">45). <i>Unforgiven</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> I've already sufficiently extolled the virtues of Clint Eastwood's masterwork. <a href="http://www.filmmattic.com/2011/04/great-alphabet-of-filmsu-is-for.html">My effusive thoughts can be found here. </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">44). <i>The Silence of the Lambs</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">One celebrated work, decorated by the Academy with the "Big Five" Awards (Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, Screenplay) has already garnered my sincere praise. There are however three films which enjoy this unprecedented achievement. Jonathan Demme's <i>The Silence of the Lambs </i>is lucky number three. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> My first and most immediate recollection of Demme's exhilarating union of horror and crime is Anthony Hopkins, who</span><span style="font-size: large;"> impregnates Hannibal Lecter w</span><span style="font-size: large;">ith such forceful antipathy that he</span><span style="font-size: large;"> becomes, i</span><span style="font-size: large;">n my most flamboyant, a</span><span style="font-size: large;">lliterative display yet, a maddening maestro of malevolence. Invigorated by</span><span style="font-size: large;"> such grim charisma and aided by Sir</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Hopkins' unrelenting, magnetizing performance, Lecter functions </span><span style="font-size: large;">as a kind of unmatched wily mutant</span><span style="font-size: large;"> of evil. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Despite the horror he </span><span style="font-size: large;">wreaks</span><span style="font-size: large;"> upon humanity, it is impossible to look away. And Jodie Foster, the rare feminine protagonist who evinces a steely, unbroken resolve, is exceptional. Their scenes together are less chilling and frightening (Buffalo Bill's lurid depravity always scared me more as a kid particularly in the final act) than they are simply riveting. It's </span><span style="font-size: large;">psychological</span><span style="font-size: large;"> warfare at its best, and Demme, like any great commander of men and women, knows precisely which buttons to push. For the</span><span style="font-size: large;"> versatile Hopkins, Demme simply pushes the "Revile" button. Foster, as the foil, imbues Clarice Starling with hardened determination and intelligence. Demme; therefore, need only push the "Ellen Ripley" button.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">43). <i>Vertigo</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">42). <i>Bonnie and Clyde</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">41). <i>Patton</i></span></div>
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<img height="252" src="http://www.robokopp.de/images/clockwork_orange/a_clockwork_orange_11.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">40). <i>A Clockwork Orange</i></span></div>
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<img height="282" src="http://manilovefilms.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/philadelphia2.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">39). <i>The Philadelphia Story</i></span></div>
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<img height="300" src="http://wondersinthedark.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/duck-soup-2-copy.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">38). <i>Duck Soup</i></span></div>
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<img height="279" src="http://www.pariscine.com/sites/default/files/photos_films/ben_hur_0.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">37). <i>Ben-Hur</i></span></div>
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<img height="222" src="http://www.movieparliament.com/uploads/4/6/6/0/4660014/7041084_orig.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">36). <i>Network</i></span></div>
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<img height="300" src="http://garendaly.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/image0043.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">35). <i>Rear Window</i></span></div>
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<img height="287" src="http://blogs.dailyprincetonian.com/intersections/files/2011/10/citylights2.gif" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">34). <i>City Lights</i></span></div>
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<img height="266" src="http://i2.listal.com/image/1730410/600full-platoon-screenshot.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">33). <i>Platoon</i></span></div>
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<img height="300" src="http://www.jonathanrosenbaum.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/bestyearsofourllives2.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">32). <i>The Best Years of Our Lives</i></span></div>
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<img height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhan9yyeKZXg0F7RZi92G6gyN-06Xl-1CIrWrMuZTpFrDVaqx4RNOPHLN8CbNOR3Mpe_Q2q9P7BlFVS1v1OC5v5ly-aJjkmFuDBlo4ExdNSCjO63LUqqMe93mU7O_C8tHhI_n2SdCQ42DU/s400/one-flew-over-the-cuckoos-nest.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">31). <i>One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest</i></span></div>
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<img height="259" src="http://barelyawakeinfrogpajamas.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/jaws2.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">30). <i>Jaws</i></span></div>
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<img height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgahIULQAyE6w7Ln7hLFhGsyYp7pb0imMhGWlfU7vj8ynKWmz0Crs5rdY0zjjke5tTRX_5Zx4QivzD_ejr7MlHgUX7bksH4zD2PjNofXsGpmcCBS5GmC570Awx8WReqFJEm_WQ54Ifa5T8/s400/marion+ravenwood+indiana+jones.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">29).<i><b> </b>Raiders of the Lost Ark</i></span></div>
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<img height="260" src="http://www.supamov.net/imgsc/6905/6905_1.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">28). <i>Cabaret</i></span></div>
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<img height="224" src="http://www.film4.com/images/the-manchurian-candidate-1962-01.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">27). <i>The Manchurian Candidate</i></span></div>
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<img height="300" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2380/3534746648_1a3c5d2f8f.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">26). <i>Singing in the Rain</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">*****STAY TUNED FOR PART IV: 25-1*****</span></div>
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FilmMattichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15567287349203493671noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6018122949256325759.post-79526943995294267722012-05-29T05:09:00.001-04:002012-10-22T16:22:01.942-04:00Sneak Peak: AFI Part III of IV (50 & 49)<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Greatness Lies Ahead</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Stellar terrain is within grasp. We're moving from <i>A New Hope</i> to <i>Empire Strikes Back, </i>from Magic to MJ, from greatness to extreme greatness. We have officially touched down in the "Mere Mortals Do Not Reside Here" district, so take a good look at your neighbors, all fifty of 'em, and feel free to engage your inner Mr. Curious.</span><br />
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<img height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7NsbaPZ9q5eQN92Xgoj9dh-pFvvr_fgUM6GhBY6g58ucnQlo1sEqoPg0UR3DavejxOUKioZwwXhv_0wK69OKjPpTfhz3oG6u7RkZrjDwve3wxNapdyjLkKZmJ87Qp-Jr1qRPNiqes3Ak/s400/bridge_river_kwai_a.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">50). <i>The Bridge on the River Kwai</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> David Lean is a master of detail, his imprint visible to those whose interests in film extend beyond simple entertainment. Though his films perpetually reside in the highbrow hotel, they also project, unapologetically, an affinity for emotional honesty, affairs neither lightweight nor overtly abstract. <i>The Bridge on the River Kwai </i>is a biting testament with one scene in particular solidifying this critique. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Lieutenant Col. Nicholson, played by the brilliant disappearing act, Alec Guinness (<i>Kind Hearts and Coronets</i>, anyone<i>?</i>), meets with Col. Saito (Sessue Hayakawa who is, according to Ebert, "Hollywood's first important Asian star") atop the completed bridge. Framed by the bridge's meticulous architecture and the setting sun, these two vessels of obsession share a poignant moment, which is highlighted by Nicholson's deep stare into the soul of his life's work: "But there are times suddenly you realize you're nearer the end than the beginning. And you wonder, you ask yourself, what the sum total of your life represents." </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Nicholson is a man whose abiding faith rests not in a higher power, but a purpose. Achievement and the order of human progress are, in his world, the measure of men. If what man achieves impedes the cause of the men and the very country he represents, so be it. What's remarkable about this scene is not Nicholson's ideology. The gravity of his reflection, his studied expression, is what is most impressive. Lean harnesses this dramatic energy, allowing the sequence to unfold organically without obstructing the tonal or narrative flow. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Saito casually acknowledges the "Beautiful!" scenery, but Nicholson interprets his remark as an appraisal of the bridge itself. So, in this quiet moment of achievement, surrounded by the sun's glare and mountains' husk, Nicholson is lulled into a deep reflection encompassing the breadth of his service. Lean's painterly composition supplies the emotional depth, evoking real power; symbolism simmers beneath the surface as the dialogue, delivered by Guinness with his back to the camera, ratchets up and then concludes rather abruptly with a close-up of Hayakawa, whose face tells us all we need to know. In this instant, Nicholson becomes human again. Saito, once a bitter foe, is also overcome with humanity. The moment is fleeting, but Lean's direction makes it impossible to forget. </span><br />
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<img height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEveW6Pq_YnQQdNCefewvx24EyLTNn6koswwMhLpZnjQO99JvvvsWq9L8y01o3F7H4BCAKKhiBSc1s7s9JqElUo6Yk98ZltFuIa7hFLYFaPC-3eh10Q5wjt3OHyhefiNCnyBpmKN8yU88/s400/The-Deer-Hunter-010.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">49). <i>The Deer Hunter</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> There are films that occupy a reality so desperate, hardships so unbearable, you find it impossible to shake the experience. Michael Cimino's <i>The Deer Hunter </i>is one of those films. It embodies what's most extraordinary about film. One scene, depicted with an arresting visual energy, best demonstrates this principle. I'm referring of course to the Russian Roulette sequence. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Projecting the heart of human despair, Cimino transplants this insufferably tragic moment from celluloid to consciousness, imbuing it with sorrow and melancholy imaginable, I would suspect, only to those who lived the nightmare of Vietnam. Film moves to the rhythms of the director.</span> <span style="font-size: large;">Therefore, the world our minds inhabit, how we decipher and process what we see on screen, is a calculated distillation of the director's doing. And Mr. Cimino distinguishes himself as a striking visual stylist.<i> </i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> But the Cimino story, </span><span style="font-size: large;">once hailed as the "Second Coming," would end disastrously</span><span style="font-size: large;">. The dedicated visionary responsible for such a masterpiece would parlay his meteoric rise into his greatest failure, <i>Heaven's Gate. </i>The erosion of his oeuvre marked by the greatest excess of his career, creative powers afforded to a man of his stature ruptured virtually overnight. It is a cautionary tale of<i> </i>cinematic obsession, which for Cimino would further devolve into creative malaise. Contemporaries may recognize a similar trajectory in M. Night Shyamalan's career. The recognition of genius is so immediate, it gradually evaporates into a vortex of self-indulgence. While I do not subscribe to the notion that <i>Heaven's Gate </i>expunges the genius of <i>TDH, </i>I do acknowledge that the former did trigger genuine criticisms concerning the ability of a man so enamored by his own style to tell a story.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">*****Stay Tuned for Part III: 48-26*****</span></div>
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FilmMattichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15567287349203493671noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6018122949256325759.post-21855377884728847632012-05-25T05:38:00.003-04:002012-10-22T16:21:41.684-04:00AFI Part II of IV (75-51)<div style="text-align: center;">
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Keep On Filin', The Whole World's Filin' At You </span></i></div>
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<img height="177" src="http://www.bohemiancinema.com/assets/images/articles/do-the-right-thing-two-fists-one-body.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: large;">And so my reconstruction of the AFI 100 continues with numbers 75-51 ... </span><br />
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<img height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwbyei5LrC7bYXhlFvFUqJtAeq1rqaI6faoRmOSMaG2rX1_BVZ1xA2WwRZP501mPMTJbsDmYSw1Hj9t1Emc76mlNA1TcFNcDAMbVErF6roYIVwVYgFeSNXf4P5nTqneB9jd33FbzPCGnk/s400/giant_l.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">75). <i>Giant</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">George Stevens is a director whose work functions according to the principles of human drama, imparting, even if inconsequential, a glimpse of humanity. His lens maneuvers through the intimate and grandiose, the minutia and majestic, dissecting the frame and unearthing traces of humanity. Rock Hudson's metamorphosis, rejecting his myopic, racist past, comes at an honest moment where the dramatic tension—and subsequent renewal of faith—is earned; not manufactured to provide an unwarranted moral lesson, a common toxin of most human dramas. It's no coincidence that three of Stevens' most revered films occupy a place in my AFI 100. Wow! I discussed a film starring J---- D--- without mentioning J---- D---. By the way, he who shall not be named delivers a spellbinding performance. </span><br />
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<img height="319" src="http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/movies/it-happened-one-night.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">74). <i>It Happened One Night</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">There are three films in all the history of the Academy that swept the five major categories (Actor, Actress, Screenplay, Director, and Picture). Frank Capra's <i>It Happened One Night </i>is one of them. Capra distinguishes himself as a voice of optimism. In the aftermath of the Great Depression, where unemployment is widespread and pessimism runs roughshod, a picture extolling the virtues of kindness and determination is sorely needed. Capra proves to be a most adept tactician, instilling in the bleak reality outside the picture encompassing this period of discontent, a glimmer of hope....in the form of laughter. Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert, two of the enduring icons of the Golden Age, are mined for comedic use. And their exploits lay the groundwork not only for screwball comedy, but virtually every subsequent romantic comedy to follow. Together with Capra, Gable and Colbert confirm that entertainment can be the Great Distraction. </span><br />
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<img height="216" src="http://www.follow-me-now.de/assets/images/Saving_Private_Ryan-2.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">73). <i>Saving Private Ryan</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Where to begin? With a stab of pathos harboring in a Spielbergian facade of realism, <i>Saving Private Ryan—</i></span><span style="font-size: large;">flanked by the words EPIC and WAR—</span><span style="font-size: large;">flourishes as a thunderous, heroic, and violent spectacle. A company of soldiers, surrounded by blood blankets and themselves arrested by war's brutal grips, forge ahead in what is essentially a suicide mission, persisting against routine gunfire barrages and the looming, ominous smell of death. Why? Because a soldier's conduct otherwise would be unbecoming. Spielberg stages the action in such a meticulous, engrossing way that the soldiers' plight seems all-too real. And that's the point. World War II happened. These violent engagements, while depicted with a photographic gravitas, did, in fact, happen. The very human and heroic—some would contend, jingoistic—through-line that characterizes Spielberg's theater of war is, for me, the "maker's mark," a phrase famously coined by Mr. Ebert. </span><br />
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<img height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpTDIVbFhSmKOMpAgLHe0Cw6LjRl0P6XaoE097yvGnUAZ7ysFdst0NIBGfgxgLLISe1Kem-HT5q29OhiTmkALo9WjNJD6kBhckGbkfCnGS-8rDQMPIkl2fOwsSH2xmmHaNRxpMAvi2jVYM/s400/fishtank-katiejarvis-photo-film-3.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">72). <i>Shane</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">George Stevens once again finds himself in prime, AFI real estate. Well, that's because I'm the proprietor. SPOILER! I'm that guy who re-watched the ending of <i>Shane </i>myriad times to ferret out some tangible visual cue that could confirm to me whether or not Shane lived or died, as he rode off into the fading sunset...hmmm, perhaps I just answered my own question. On that superfluous note, I'll end my mini-discussion with one of my favorite quotes from the classic western: </span><span style="font-size: large;">"A gun is as good or as bad as the man using it. Remember that."</span></div>
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<img height="221" src="http://blogs.amctv.com/future-of-classic/theGraduate3.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">71). <i>The Graduate</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My first reminiscence of <i>The Graduate</i>, Mike Nichols' tour de force comedy-drama, is always the music; specifically, Simon and Garfunkel and their dual hits, functioning as leitmotifs, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiYRurC-TUE&feature=related">Mrs. Robinson</a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLEmyeQlS5M">Sound of Silence</a>. My next remembrance is the performance of a relative newcomer, Dustin Hoffman. His faces (yes, he is a contortionist), mannerisms, inflections, are like a map of neurosis, a young man who is clearly bemused by the world he inhabits, uncertain of his future. His actions in the beginning reflect a certain whimsy, but as the story unfolds and his world view expands, he begins to act with more self-assurance. That final sequence is a study in mood, atmosphere, and psychology. For those yet to see it, I will not spoil the magic. Just trust in the hands of Nichols, an accomplished playwright, who at the time had already captivated cinema with his feature-film debut, <i>Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.</i></span><br />
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<img height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpfcEMmQoE8AYtG6jTH8T4UEyzu1sWwMbf0P3MGx2Cs9R3dBa7Wfc1l7r4BLDfBZEA6rXbfYJYe7X2AutI1D2_6zSYkyjZDTQErPqvXOymyEJ8bjeMbNtmQl5zz-NOgBj4trLNm0LC-pW/s400/stagecoach+12.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">70). <i>Stagecoach</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">John Wayne is a cinematic icon, a folk hero, a man whose presence and stature paint a picture of a time and place that is indubitably American. The Western, along with the classic Gangster picture, are two of the most successful creations of American cinema. They represent, quite simply, a breed of masculinity that consists of men sporting guns; from this central totem stems all the associated conventions, particularly posturing, in which visual and emotional elements converge to form a thematic whole. Of course these two genres have undergone transformations. But John Ford is responsible for planting the formative seed. He is, to parlay the two genres, the Godfather of the Western. With <i>Stagecoach, </i>Mr. Ford uncovers a gold mine of narrative possibilities in the herculean form of a rugged stalwart, the aforementioned John Wayne. Wayne's famous introduction to the silver screen, wielding a rifle and a saddle, standing serenely against a desert backdrop of Fordian elegance with the buttes of Monument Valley lurking in the distance, culminates in an unforgettable close-up. Wayne and Ford would flourish together and in the ensuing decade produce what is still my favorite Western of All-Time, <i>Searchers. Stagecoach </i>may not be my favorite Ford picture, a rung below <i>Searchers, </i>but it will forever hold a fond place in my heart.</span><br />
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<img height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh1MTWzDW4lcwjJ7m6fCIFteaILSScrC5RQ0Kw2w8PvWLY3XrZZgARVIzdtHA6aJkMz_Ho1GXmoy_7Mu29G8CH8bAzfMRRC1aQaf9lTouIg5R39BznX-SssFH6SzdC22Hkle9-gzQJ3q9_/s400/in+the+heat+of+the+night.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">69). <i>In the Heat of the Night</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Norman Jewison's film has an energy that I find simply irresistible. For my money, it's the fledgling bromance between Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger that seals the deal. Predating Riggs and Murtaugh <i>(Lethal Weapon</i>) by exactly thirty years, Poitier and Steiger, at first bitter enemies at polar ends of the racial spectrum, gradually develop a rapport. Their bond culminates with a magnificent departure reminiscent of the farewell in <i>Plains, Trains & Automobiles. </i>In other news, I just won the "Who Can Reference Two 1987 Movies In A Post About A Movie Made Thirty Years Prior" game. </span><br />
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<img height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1kYKa9L2DmQvgRs0CiQxhPxit0AvbSrFuifT3lMxPo3o_gXockLE2_EDeqv3rIS7ItpAHLNIIKthz_qYlbu5oroCDLMGx4IIuo6JE-dKFa57JaiNSLi2uGv7FtN7-r6ZygUD2h6okX5U/s400/Psycho+1960+Alfred+Hitchcock+Anthony+Perkins+pic+4.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">68). <i>Psycho</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Hitchcock, Perkins, Shower. Not 'nuff said. Alfred Hitchcock, as has been mentioned innumerable times, is the chieftain of suspense. <i>Psycho </i>demonstrates that he's also the de facto provocateur of violence and sexuality, precursors of the New Hollywood that would emerge later in the decade. I still recall vividly my first experience being subjected to Hitchcock's arsenal of psychological terror. And Anthony Perkins, I can safely declare, is chiefly responsible. His portrayal of Norman Bates, a man sprung from a fiery cannon of duplicitous impulse, is sensational. I suspect Hitchcock's more lurid proclivities invigorated the capable Perkins, who, largely because of this film, canonized a new kind of villain. Horror fans everywhere can rejoice immemorial. </span><br />
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<img height="300" src="http://redtreetimes.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/spartacus_xl_01-film-a.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">67). <i>Spartacus</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Stanley Kubrick's signature is on this film, but as most Kubrick enthusiasts could attest (I'm among the ardent group), it doesn't quite match the Kubrick oeuvre. I suppose the reasons for the artistic disconnect are numerous. 1). An uncharacteristic lack of creative control; as we know, Kubrick's a perfectionist. 2). Kubrick did not write the script. 3). Difficulties and creative differences between Kubrick and cinematographer Russell Metty interfered with Stan The Man's vision (many scholars contend Kubrick is mostly responsible for the cinematography having effectively superseded the authority of Metty, though I cannot say for certain). Despite what can be viewed as creative shortcomings, <i>Spartacus </i>is still a damn good film. And immensely fun. Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier, and Peter Ustinov (who took home an Oscar) give towering performances. I'd feel remiss if I did not mention Charles Laughton as well. His quirky charisma carves an indelible mark into the film's narrative. "<i>I'm Spartacus!" </i>is a line as famous as the historical figure. Once you allocate the three hours necessary, you'll know exactly why. </span><br />
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<img height="314" src="http://i2.listal.com/image/3644685/600full-who's-afraid-of-virginia-woolf%3F-screenshot.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">66). <i>Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Coupled with Mike Nichols' theatrical direction—his feature-film debut—Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton breathe vigorous life into characters whose movement, accommodated by only a handful of set pieces (adapted from the famous play), was largely static. <i>WAOVW?, </i>therefore, distinguishes itself as<i> </i>a crown jewel of acting. Taylor's and Burton's dynamism provide the impetus while Nichols' deft hand, unquestionably the mark of a playwright, probes into psychological depths that, at first glance, would seem impenetrable. Sandy Dennis and George Segal also animate character's whose sociological affairs are generally perfunctory. The high praise of Edward Norton, naming it one of his five favorite films, lured me in. But what corralled my undivided attention, captivating me from the first line of dialogue, was the quartet of Taylor, Burton, Dennis, and Segal. You'd be hard pressed to find a film featuring a more superlative acting display. </span><br />
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<img height="386" src="http://hutnyk.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/some-like-it-hot-marilyn-monroe.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">65). <i>Some Like It Hot</i></span></div>
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<img height="300" src="http://cinemasights.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/sunrise-torment.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">64). <i>Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans</i></span></div>
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<img height="276" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/af/Gene_Hackman_in_%22The_French_Connection%22_(screenshot).jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">63). <i>The French Connection</i></span></div>
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<img height="300" src="http://robsmovievault.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/sullivans-travels1.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">62). <i>Sullivan's Travels</i></span></div>
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<img height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjwSDF98e9l9EZ1swGjmxqVTRFAgwdxfnnxqUl7iQeohC5yA51NUWX0KmEnC5KRLRL9qTGpKgnBOKt-JWQq68StgM7UoS_1aXqoswj6tMmsc7LoUnGY88Y39dlHqyxC5rOVFpBVeA8Iihe/s400/all+quiet+on+the+western+front.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">61). <i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i></span></div>
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<img height="300" src="http://1morefilmblog.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/closeencounters1.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">60). <i>Close Encounters of the Third Kind</i></span></div>
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<img height="281" src="http://www.doyoulikemoviesaboutgladiators.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/011809mrsmith.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">59). <i>Mr. Smith Goes to Washington</i></span></div>
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<img height="219" src="http://www.fandor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Last-Picture-Show-pic-2.jpeg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">58). <i>The Last Picture Show</i></span></div>
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<img height="301" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SfiMjVMoBrc/TlPiB8gkRFI/AAAAAAAAEKI/W0RAfqglm1k/s400/Buster.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">57). <i>The General</i></span></div>
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<img height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFw21D3hh2C_1xBeNDUgUABaOOHz0Hy23zERjK6eZf1_ziyuY62To-3eRH4syEzrGcg3cedkGxLuj68KuyaIu38z5v_a-6CHkEzbW28l9AQkMoWhPcNNUUa-vzvtLLuqJ33Li-XFTCFh8/s400/all-the-presidents-men.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">56). <i>All the President's Men</i></span></div>
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<img height="266" src="http://www.jonathanrosenbaum.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/dtrt-greekchorus.png" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">55). <i>Do the Right Thing</i></span></div>
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<img height="291" src="http://parallax-view.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/african_queen_1.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">54). <i>The African Queen</i></span></div>
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<img height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQKDCqwftYeoR25A6VIqNuJ_E2GSHhFF2PH9J9IpfyOtQ84Sc6yMLa-aofdat9gLH4Ro2uQU9GKsbtLyy0VG5VjjQI8DI0nyi09AbDcLEdDr4j-qlrJBkdLWamgl2xnFb9MAuk1E5c8Kg/s400/1999-fargo.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">53). <i>Fargo</i></span></div>
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<img height="318" src="http://www.themoviemind.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/rocky-training.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">52). <i>Rocky</i></span></div>
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<img height="216" src="http://twscritic.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/to-kill-a-mockingbird.jpg" width="400" />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">51). <i>To Kill A Mockingbird</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">*As my inaugural segment demonstrates, I'm only giving insights for the first ten films listed. As soon as I divulge the complete 100 Films, I will revisit those earlier entries. My purpose at that point will be to elucidate those selections with other random observations. That's the plan. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">*****STAY TUNED FOR PART III: 50-26*****</span></div>
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FilmMattichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15567287349203493671noreply@blogger.com7