Posts

Showing posts with the label Akira Kurosawa

Top Five Things I Learned From The Movies

Image
The Intersection of Film and Life: Part II       This is Part II of my "Top Five Things I Learned From The Movies." Part I can be found here . 

The Great Alphabet of Films—Y is For

Image
Yojimbo or Y Tu Mamá También       I'm going to be a little playful now that the blogging challenge finish line is only inches away. All you need to know is that the italicized titles are actual films (that I didn't pick), and the following transcript is a fictional back-and-forth between two unnamed characters. Let's begin, shall we?   " Your Highness ," Mr. Nameless said . "No, I won't address you with such cordial grace. It's The Year of Living Dangerously and I'm just a Youth in Revolt . There's no Yankee Doodle Dandy in 2011, which is to say, no one's gonna be mistaken for James Cagney. If you want Yesterday 's version of raucous, vulgar entertainment, and that oh-so wonderful slice of Americana, you'll have to tune into 2004's Young, Beautiful and Screwed Up ... what we know today as, Jersey Shore," Mr. Anonymous replied. " You Must Be Joking ? " "What, You Talkin' to Me ?" "W...

The Great Alphabet of Films—S is For

Image
Some Like It Hot, Seven Samurai, Seven, Saving Private Ryan, Scarface, Spider-Man 2, Snatch,  Superman (1978), Serpico, Solaris (1972)       I mistakenly thought the glutton of great films ended at "R"... Big mistake. Yet again, I must cull as aggressively and shrewdly as I can. For starters, I'm purposely avoiding any titles that start with "The" because it would be virtually impossible otherwise (if you don't believe me, see the contenders above). I do realize I broke this rule a few times already, but those were three very special and extenuating cases for three absolute film classics. I've already awarded Star Wars Episode V: The E mpire Strikes Back, so my pick's not coming from a galaxy far, far away. I love classic westerns—what can be better than the film that launched John Wayne's career—but sadly, Stagecoach doesn't earn my spot. And Some Like It Hot is a timeless comedy from the versatile mind of Billy Wilder, but it has been so l...