Neil Mccaluley’s Older Brother’s list is fantastic. I extensively enjoy almost every one of selections.
In no order except for number 1:
“Ulysses” by James Joyce
“The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle” by Haruki Murakami
“A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man” by James Joyce
“The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka
“Factotum” by Charles Bukowski
“Kafka on the Shore” by Haruki Murakami
“The Insulted and Humiliated” by Fyodor Dostoevsky
“One Hundred Years of Solitude”by Gabriel García Márquez
“Timequake” by Kurt Vonnegut
“House of Leaves” by Mark Danielewski
Standard. I always feel like hipster garbage when I put House of Leaves in there. it’s the only work of his I can stand and I’m not even sure why I like it so much. I also must admit to having my nostalgia glasses on when I chose Timequake; it’s one of the first novels I had ever seriously read outside of school curriculum and it made me appreciate a lot of literary devices.
As I look over this list I’m noticing a steady theme of abandonment.. That is unintentional.
The whole bit of dialogue from end of “Paris, Texas.” It’s immensely powerful and it was probably the closest I’ve ever come to tearing up during a film; the bitter catharsis just got to me so well. I’d post it here, but it’s entirely too long and omitting anything from that scene would ruin it completely. If you’ve seen the film and share my opinion on that scene in even a small way, then I suggest you listen to the song “From California To Houston By Lightspeed” by The Six Parts Seven, as it samples the sequence and uses it incredibly. Seriously, it should’ve been in the actual score of the film if it were only written about 20 years earlier.
And although it’s very trite at this point in the topic, everything Dennis Hopper says in Blue Velvet.
I was rushing into this topic getting ready to say “Lux Aeterna”, but I knew someone would beat me to it,
I’m going to say “Your Hand in Mine” by Explosions in the Sky, though it’s not really a negative thing to me. They’re one of my favorite bands, and I honestly have to admit that any trailer using their music immediately sparks my interest and creates an immense bias for any film the trailer is advertising. When I heard “The Only Moment We Were Alone” in the trailer for Australia, I immediately flipped out and was totally into it. Too bad I enjoyed myself ten times more with the trailer than I did with the film itself. I try my hardest to be objective, but if an Explosions in the Sky track was used in a trailer for a uwe boll film I would probably want to see it.
A film adaption of “The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle” by any decent or talented director. Seriously, there is so much incredible potential for a film adaption of that novel that it really shocks me it hasn’t happened yet.
Something about its surrealism and oddity always made me think that Lynch would make a fine adaption of it, but at the same time I’m not too confident with that choice as it seems too mundane compared to the rest of his work. I think Arnofsky would make an incredible adaption of it as well; now that I think about it, he’s probably my number one choice. Maybe Paul Thomas Anderson as well, he seems like someone who would embark on a project similar to the novel’s subject matter.
I only chose living directors because I’m not much of a fan of those “pick any director living or dead” charades as I could never make up my mind.
This is straying from the topic quite a bit, but if you’re a fan of Murakami’s work, then it should please you to know there’s a film adaption of “Norwegian Wood” in the works. Let’s hope you didn’t a screenplay for that as well, eh?
To whoever said the Pokemon movie: if you watched the special features (like I did when I was about 11), then you’d know that Mewtwo was one seriously fucked up dude, err.. cat-thing with a tube spinal cord.
Forest of the Gods is a Lithuanian film, and as I’m sure most of you know, it is slightly rare for that reason alone. I’m almost entirely ignorant of Lithuanian cinema apart from a handful of articles and lists I’ve read, so I don’t know how accessible or broad the country’s cinema is. I managed to screen the film online when it was released a few years back, but I wasn’t too much of a cinephile then and consequently didn’t have too much of a grasp on the artistic and intellectual properties of the film—I’m a later bloomer, I suppose. Despite my ignorance, I was stunned; the film was absolutely breathtaking.
I’ve been meaning to watch the film again, but I’ve been unable to locate wherever I watched it online. Apart from that, I’d love to purchase it, but that endeavor has also proved difficult seeing as how it is only available in PAL format on foreign websites. If anyone has any information where to find this film, please let me know!
On a more conversational level, I’d love to hear what you all think of the film and so on!
Wow, they really added a ton of great stuff today. Well, they were supposed to add them anyway. I was able to stream Yojimbo (and any movie that was supposed to go live 12/21/09, for that matter) earlier today, but for some reason I can’t stream it now. I’m going to guess it’s just an error or process lag or something. Is this a problem for anyone else?
The most recently released U.S. DVD of Lost Highway looked twenty times better on my laptop as opposed to my television. Obviously, the picture quality on that specific DVD release is abysmal either way you watch it, but it was much less noticeable on my laptop. Maybe the reason was because I didn’t get a feeling similar to vertigo when I viewed it on a smaller screen.
I know you specifically mentioned film in your title—and maybe I’m an idiot for bringing this up—but I think that most television shows are fine to watch on a laptop or computer. Not that some television show don’t have the same artistic merit that many great films have; I just grew very accustomed to “burning through” television episodes faster on a computer.
I’m totally shocked that we’re like ~11 posts deep into this thread and nobody has suggested Salo yet.
Obvious candidates—already mentioned in the thread, actually—are definitely any of Lars von Trier’s films. I feel like anything Vincent Gallo directs would fall under this category as well, with Brown Bunny being the most notable.
This one is pretty standard, but I’ve also noticed that opinions on The Silence seem really divisive, at least among Bergman fans anyway. I can only imagine how audiences reacted to the film in 1961.
Judging by the divided opinions on The Tree of Life, how do all of you think this film will be received in a few years/decades?
I came in here ready to spam, “2000 FUCKING SUCKED,” but after checking out some of these lists I’m pretty sure that 2002 was one of the worst years for cinema ever.
I totally agree with most of your sentiments, though I should have been more clear as to which type of audience I was referring to. Divided opinions on The Tree of Life seem prevalent among people who didn’t expect a conventional picture as well, which is why I raised the question. I feel like many people who are just starting out on the path to cinephilia gravitate toward Malick’s work, so I see where some of the division comes from. For the people who have seen The Tree of Life and aren’t quite “into” cinema yet, I feel as if it’s a film they may dislike at first but then begin to appreciate as their tastes mature. Maybe I say this because I had a similar experience with Days of Heaven as a young idiot, though.
For me personally, I see the film holding up quite well because of the beautiful timelessness of the images and subject matter. I can see 2050-me kind of cringing at the dinosaur scene, but maybe I can chalk that up to what the technology of the time will be like. To be honest, I remember thinking, “I don’t think that shot is going to age well” when I first saw it.
Obviously The Bicycle Thieves is almost essential viewing for one exploring Italian culture through film. Most of the neorealist staples (Rome: Open City, Ossessione, Shoeshine, etc.) would be pretty standard faire. Gomorrah and Il Divo would also be fairly integral to understanding contemporary Italian social issues and politics, though I feel like some background knowledge on each of the subjects these films deal with is also necessary.
This story isn’t necessarily show-stoppingly annoying or anything, but I caught a screening of Andrei Rublev last night, and some guy was continuously cackling at dialogue that was somewhat ironic but definitely not hysterical—he wanted to let the audience know that he “gets it.” I mean, I can list a handful of legitimately funny parts in the film, but to geekily—and loudly—laugh at every bit of existential irony or obscure historical reference begs me to think that he was just being self-aggrandizing. The fact that he was laughing didn’t bother me, though; what was irritating was he annoyingly seemed to be trying to let us know that he can appreciate the less-than-intended humor.
This kind of thing annoys the hell out of me, but it also can create a memory or trigger of a film. From now on, when I hear a story like this or even think back to it, I’ll trigger some fond memories of seeing the film on the big screen. It’s all part of the cinematic experience—for better, for worse, and sometimes both.
Hell, what do I know? I pick my nose in the theatre all the time.
TheAuteurs List of the Week 4/26/09: Your 10 Favorite Books about 3 years ago
Neil Mccaluley’s Older Brother’s list is fantastic. I extensively enjoy almost every one of selections.
In no order except for number 1:
“Ulysses” by James Joyce
“The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle” by Haruki Murakami
“A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man” by James Joyce
“The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka
“Factotum” by Charles Bukowski
“Kafka on the Shore” by Haruki Murakami
“The Insulted and Humiliated” by Fyodor Dostoevsky
“One Hundred Years of Solitude”by Gabriel García Márquez
“Timequake” by Kurt Vonnegut
“House of Leaves” by Mark Danielewski
Standard. I always feel like hipster garbage when I put House of Leaves in there. it’s the only work of his I can stand and I’m not even sure why I like it so much. I also must admit to having my nostalgia glasses on when I chose Timequake; it’s one of the first novels I had ever seriously read outside of school curriculum and it made me appreciate a lot of literary devices.
As I look over this list I’m noticing a steady theme of abandonment.. That is unintentional.
Go to Comment
Film quotes you love almost 3 years ago
The whole bit of dialogue from end of “Paris, Texas.” It’s immensely powerful and it was probably the closest I’ve ever come to tearing up during a film; the bitter catharsis just got to me so well. I’d post it here, but it’s entirely too long and omitting anything from that scene would ruin it completely. If you’ve seen the film and share my opinion on that scene in even a small way, then I suggest you listen to the song “From California To Houston By Lightspeed” by The Six Parts Seven, as it samples the sequence and uses it incredibly. Seriously, it should’ve been in the actual score of the film if it were only written about 20 years earlier.
And although it’s very trite at this point in the topic, everything Dennis Hopper says in Blue Velvet.
Go to Comment
Overused movie trailer music almost 3 years ago
I was rushing into this topic getting ready to say “Lux Aeterna”, but I knew someone would beat me to it,
I’m going to say “Your Hand in Mine” by Explosions in the Sky, though it’s not really a negative thing to me. They’re one of my favorite bands, and I honestly have to admit that any trailer using their music immediately sparks my interest and creates an immense bias for any film the trailer is advertising. When I heard “The Only Moment We Were Alone” in the trailer for Australia, I immediately flipped out and was totally into it. Too bad I enjoyed myself ten times more with the trailer than I did with the film itself. I try my hardest to be objective, but if an Explosions in the Sky track was used in a trailer for a uwe boll film I would probably want to see it.
Go to Comment
What is your Dream Project? almost 3 years ago
A film adaption of “The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle” by any decent or talented director. Seriously, there is so much incredible potential for a film adaption of that novel that it really shocks me it hasn’t happened yet.
Something about its surrealism and oddity always made me think that Lynch would make a fine adaption of it, but at the same time I’m not too confident with that choice as it seems too mundane compared to the rest of his work. I think Arnofsky would make an incredible adaption of it as well; now that I think about it, he’s probably my number one choice. Maybe Paul Thomas Anderson as well, he seems like someone who would embark on a project similar to the novel’s subject matter.
I only chose living directors because I’m not much of a fan of those “pick any director living or dead” charades as I could never make up my mind.
Go to Comment
Overused movie trailer music almost 3 years ago
Travis— you are correct. I hate posting youtube links, but I might as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKLpJtvzlEI
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great song, just overused.
Go to Comment
What is your Dream Project? almost 3 years ago
Whoaa. Deckard, do you still have that (partial) screenplay? I would absolutely love to read it if you were interested in sharing.
Go to Comment
What is your Dream Project? almost 3 years ago
Haha, I hear you. Message sent.
This is straying from the topic quite a bit, but if you’re a fan of Murakami’s work, then it should please you to know there’s a film adaption of “Norwegian Wood” in the works. Let’s hope you didn’t a screenplay for that as well, eh?
Go to Comment
Best, Guilty Pleasure Film. almost 3 years ago
To whoever said the Pokemon movie: if you watched the special features (like I did when I was about 11), then you’d know that Mewtwo was one seriously fucked up dude, err.. cat-thing with a tube spinal cord.
Go to Comment
Forest of the Gods over 2 years ago
Has anyone seen this film?
Forest of the Gods is a Lithuanian film, and as I’m sure most of you know, it is slightly rare for that reason alone. I’m almost entirely ignorant of Lithuanian cinema apart from a handful of articles and lists I’ve read, so I don’t know how accessible or broad the country’s cinema is. I managed to screen the film online when it was released a few years back, but I wasn’t too much of a cinephile then and consequently didn’t have too much of a grasp on the artistic and intellectual properties of the film—I’m a later bloomer, I suppose. Despite my ignorance, I was stunned; the film was absolutely breathtaking.
I’ve been meaning to watch the film again, but I’ve been unable to locate wherever I watched it online. Apart from that, I’d love to purchase it, but that endeavor has also proved difficult seeing as how it is only available in PAL format on foreign websites. If anyone has any information where to find this film, please let me know!
On a more conversational level, I’d love to hear what you all think of the film and so on!
Go to Comment
List of Criterion Titles available on Netflix "Watch Instantly" over 2 years ago
Wow, they really added a ton of great stuff today. Well, they were supposed to add them anyway. I was able to stream Yojimbo (and any movie that was supposed to go live 12/21/09, for that matter) earlier today, but for some reason I can’t stream it now. I’m going to guess it’s just an error or process lag or something. Is this a problem for anyone else?
haha @ the spam posts.
Go to Comment
great films that should be seen on a big screen vs. great films where it does not make a difference whether you watch on a laptop or in a movie theater over 2 years ago
The most recently released U.S. DVD of Lost Highway looked twenty times better on my laptop as opposed to my television. Obviously, the picture quality on that specific DVD release is abysmal either way you watch it, but it was much less noticeable on my laptop. Maybe the reason was because I didn’t get a feeling similar to vertigo when I viewed it on a smaller screen.
I know you specifically mentioned film in your title—and maybe I’m an idiot for bringing this up—but I think that most television shows are fine to watch on a laptop or computer. Not that some television show don’t have the same artistic merit that many great films have; I just grew very accustomed to “burning through” television episodes faster on a computer.
Go to Comment
Childhood Films That You Still Love over 2 years ago
The Super Mario Brothers Movie
I’m a a horrible, horrible person.
Go to Comment
The Most Divisive Films on All Time 2 months ago
I’m totally shocked that we’re like ~11 posts deep into this thread and nobody has suggested Salo yet.
Obvious candidates—already mentioned in the thread, actually—are definitely any of Lars von Trier’s films. I feel like anything Vincent Gallo directs would fall under this category as well, with Brown Bunny being the most notable.
This one is pretty standard, but I’ve also noticed that opinions on The Silence seem really divisive, at least among Bergman fans anyway. I can only imagine how audiences reacted to the film in 1961.
Judging by the divided opinions on The Tree of Life, how do all of you think this film will be received in a few years/decades?
Go to Comment
The Most Divisive Films on All Time 2 months ago
“We all love Salo here.”
I will definitely admit that I’ve seen many adoring posts, but hate follows that film anywhere.
Go to Comment
Cinema of the 2000s - Rate each year 2 months ago
I came in here ready to spam, “2000 FUCKING SUCKED,” but after checking out some of these lists I’m pretty sure that 2002 was one of the worst years for cinema ever.
Go to Comment
The Most Divisive Films on All Time 2 months ago
@Jazz
I totally agree with most of your sentiments, though I should have been more clear as to which type of audience I was referring to. Divided opinions on The Tree of Life seem prevalent among people who didn’t expect a conventional picture as well, which is why I raised the question. I feel like many people who are just starting out on the path to cinephilia gravitate toward Malick’s work, so I see where some of the division comes from. For the people who have seen The Tree of Life and aren’t quite “into” cinema yet, I feel as if it’s a film they may dislike at first but then begin to appreciate as their tastes mature. Maybe I say this because I had a similar experience with Days of Heaven as a young idiot, though.
For me personally, I see the film holding up quite well because of the beautiful timelessness of the images and subject matter. I can see 2050-me kind of cringing at the dinosaur scene, but maybe I can chalk that up to what the technology of the time will be like. To be honest, I remember thinking, “I don’t think that shot is going to age well” when I first saw it.
Go to Comment
Cinema of the 2000s - Rate each year 2 months ago
I have movies too, Axel; I only post on forums to talk about which movies I hate. I mean, doesn’t everybody?
Go to Comment
What films are essential viewing for anyone who wishes to understand their native culture? about 1 month ago
Obviously The Bicycle Thieves is almost essential viewing for one exploring Italian culture through film. Most of the neorealist staples (Rome: Open City, Ossessione, Shoeshine, etc.) would be pretty standard faire. Gomorrah and Il Divo would also be fairly integral to understanding contemporary Italian social issues and politics, though I feel like some background knowledge on each of the subjects these films deal with is also necessary.
Go to Comment
Importance of Seeing a Film in Theatres? about 1 month ago
This story isn’t necessarily show-stoppingly annoying or anything, but I caught a screening of Andrei Rublev last night, and some guy was continuously cackling at dialogue that was somewhat ironic but definitely not hysterical—he wanted to let the audience know that he “gets it.” I mean, I can list a handful of legitimately funny parts in the film, but to geekily—and loudly—laugh at every bit of existential irony or obscure historical reference begs me to think that he was just being self-aggrandizing. The fact that he was laughing didn’t bother me, though; what was irritating was he annoyingly seemed to be trying to let us know that he can appreciate the less-than-intended humor.
This kind of thing annoys the hell out of me, but it also can create a memory or trigger of a film. From now on, when I hear a story like this or even think back to it, I’ll trigger some fond memories of seeing the film on the big screen. It’s all part of the cinematic experience—for better, for worse, and sometimes both.
Hell, what do I know? I pick my nose in the theatre all the time.
Go to Comment