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films - a list by quitepeculiar
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About this list:
A selection of films I'm fond of, some of which I own, while others are ones I've just seen.
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Viewing 1-7 of 7 Items
Control (2007) DVD
4 people recommended this item
Description
This could have been a mess, easily. In many ways, Ian Curtis' short life is a rock n roll cliche - a massively talented singer and songwriter commits suicide - and the sketchy details of his story has become legend among Joy Division fans and music fans.
But it's not. And it's sad, but not depressing. Brilliantly acted by Sam Riley, directed by photographer/video director Anton Corbijn and shot entirely in black & white, Control has a depth and intimacy that's unexpected. Based on the biography written by Curtis' wife Deborah, it's an unsentimental yet loving look at one man's truly tragic end. No wonder he's a legend.
Updated Aug 21, 2008
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Aaltra
First to recommend
Description
Film Movement comes out with some interesting films every now and then, and this one is pretty hilarious in a very subtle way. Per the website:
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Rural neighbors who hate each other come to blows one day on a farm and get tangled up in an agricultural tractor, leaving them both paralyzed, wheelchair-bound, and simmering with spite. But rather than feel sorry for themselves, the embittered paraplegics decide to seek revenge against the tractor's manufacturer. They take to the road, redirecting their frustrations with their plights towards the people they meet on the way to Helsinki.
--
My friend Frankie let me borrow this DVD, and I couldn't help laughing out loud, even when there really wasn't any action. The way the editing was done--how one minute the men would be on the beach, and the next, the tide had come in and they were surrounded by water--was brilliant, and the ending has a funny surprise.
Updated May 18, 2008
Last Life in the Universe
2 people recommended this item
Description
This is a wonderful story, showcasing both the lovely direction of Thai director Pen-Ek Ratanaruang and the talented cinematography of Christopher Doyle, who is also known to work with Wong Kar-Wai on his films.
The characters are both interesting, and their interactions with each other--the awkwardness of men-women relations coupled with language and culture barriers--are fun to watch. It was a unique treat for me, being a fan of both Thai and Japanese cultures.
Updated Apr 19, 2008
Harakiri by Masaki Kobayashi (The Criterion Collection)
First to recommend
Description
This film is so good, it's out of control. One of my favourite samurai films, it deals with, and challenges, the myth of honour among samurai. Masaki Kobayashi, who also directed the amazing film of a similar motif, <i>Samurai Rebellion</i>, gives us some amazing scenes in this film, using camera angles to convey the twists and turns in the story into a visual form.
And it has one of the best fight scenes in Japanese cinema. The end.
Updated Apr 17, 2008
The 400 Blows by François Truffaut (The Criterion Collection edition)
First to recommend
Description
The 400 Blows by François Truffaut was truly a film that opened my eyes to French New Wave and foreign films in general. I had happened upon it while flipping channels years back and it was on television, possibly on Turner Classic Movies, late at night.
The film is amazing, truly a bright star amid the constellation of films. Although set in France, the character Antoine is easy to relate to in his rebelliousness and disinterest in school. He isn't a bad kid, per se, but perhaps all too human, with the faults and foibles that come with being one. The same could be said for many of the film's characters, and in showing the human struggles of ordinary people, Truffaut helped spawn a film movement we continue to talk about today.
Updated Apr 17, 2008
Yi Yi, one of the greatest movies of all time
2 people recommended this item
Description
I saw this film in a Chinese Cinema class I was taking in college, and although I didn't write the title of "Yi Yi, one of the greatest movies of all time" (that was written by another user), I won't argue with that person because this really is a great film.
It may be a bit slow-paced for some folks, but for those of you used to Asian cinema that reveals itself slowly, like a flower gently opening from bud to bloom, this is a treasure. It touches on one of my most favourite topics: the alienation of people, especially loved ones--in this case, family members.
I want to own this film, as it's utterly amazing, and I recommend watching it whenever you get the chance.
Updated Apr 16, 2008
In the Mood for Love - Wong Kar-wai -Criterion Collection
4 people recommended this item
Description
Wong Kar-Wai is a director I hold close to my heart, and if you need a reason, this is why. Elegant, gorgeous and filled with the loneliness and longing of two people groping their way through circumstances and emotions. It burns like incense onto your screen.
Updated Apr 19, 2008
Viewing 1-7 of 7 Items
quitepeculiar
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