1. The Conformist (1970) - This is perhaps the most beautifully shot film I have ever seen. There are countless images that stick in my head, all of which have the wispy texture of a vivid dream. I've actually only seen it once, which shows you how powerful it is, and I'm almost afraid to see it again, for fear of ruining the perfect image I have of it.
2. Brazil (1985) - Gotta love the Gilliam. I have a soft spot for dystopian visions (crosses fingers) and this one has the lovably quirky bite of a very long snake. A little comedy goes a long way with me, and this is as funny a vision of a crumbling future as you'll get. And on an somewhat unrelated note, I seriously wish they'd make a respectable adaptation of Brave New World, as that's one of my favorite books and I really enjoy turning it sideways.
3. Blue Velvet (1986) - I don't always warm to David Lynch films (I fell asleep during Inland Empire) but I always have respect for what he does. I think a little too often he drifts off into masturbatory weirdom, but when he manages to stay on the narrative track I am genuinely amazed by what he can do. Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive are two sides of the same coin to me, and I think both are masterpieces.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
My Top 4 Movie Fairytales
I hesitated to use Fairytales in the title, as I'm not sure if Fairy Tales is actually correct . Anyway, here's the rough list, in no particular order:
1. The Wizard of Oz (1939) - All-time classic, not much to say here. So perfectly concise in both story and execution. The songs are fun, catchy and timeless. It's scary, funny, and, above all, enormously entertaining.
2. Beauty and the Beast (1991) - By far the best Disney film in my opinion, it feels like a classic Hollywood romance with the "Children's Movie" shell simply built around it. Amazingly good songs, realistic performances, and it's actually quite tense in places.
3. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) - Vibrant colors, picaresque street corners, and Catherine Deneuve being extraordinarily beautiful. The recitative dialogue is at worst quirky and at best absolutely enrapturing.
4. The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988) - Every time I come back to this I'm amazed at the level of creativeness and technical brilliance on display. Brazil may be more substantial, but it's not nearly as much fun.
1. The Wizard of Oz (1939) - All-time classic, not much to say here. So perfectly concise in both story and execution. The songs are fun, catchy and timeless. It's scary, funny, and, above all, enormously entertaining.
2. Beauty and the Beast (1991) - By far the best Disney film in my opinion, it feels like a classic Hollywood romance with the "Children's Movie" shell simply built around it. Amazingly good songs, realistic performances, and it's actually quite tense in places.
3. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) - Vibrant colors, picaresque street corners, and Catherine Deneuve being extraordinarily beautiful. The recitative dialogue is at worst quirky and at best absolutely enrapturing.
4. The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988) - Every time I come back to this I'm amazed at the level of creativeness and technical brilliance on display. Brazil may be more substantial, but it's not nearly as much fun.
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