23rd MoFo Hall of Fame

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Al-Mummia: The Night of Counting the Years
(1969)
Directed by Shadi Abdel Salam
Nominated by @jiraffejustin

First off, I want to say, I enjoyed this Egyptian film. I love ancient Egypt, mummies and many things that go with it. However, I never would agree with looting tombs of the dead.

It was refreshing but moving. I can understand how Wannis would feel. Torn between his clan and what was right. Egyptian artifacts are part of Egypt's history and not to be sold to the highest bidder. I understand the tombs were previously looted for their gold and these were minor artifacts that they were selling. I wish I would have had a cleaner copy of the film to watch but Im not sure if that would be available due to the age.

Thanks JJ, you touched on a subject I highly enjoy, I have studied Ancient Egypt and mummies at least half of my life.



I wish I would have had a cleaner copy of the film to watch but Im not sure if that would be available due to the age.
Apparently, there's a proper restoration but it's never been published on a disc. It's been shown at some festivals, though. It's made several years ago, I'd remember, so it's weird that Criterion or some other publisher hasn't made a release yet.
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There is only criminal murder, criminal bombing, and criminal violence. There will be no political status - Margaret Thatcher


Hunger
(2008)
Directed by Steve McQueen
Nominated by @MovieGal

Hunger is a beautiful, intense, emotional, quiet, brutal piece of cinema. There is very little dialog throughout most of the film except the conversation of the hunger strike between Robert "Bobby" Sands and Father Dominic Moran. There are three things we learn through this film, 1) the life of a Maze prison guard, who must be on the weary that someone doesn't take his life. 2) the life of a Provisional IRA prisoner, whose day to day life in the cell is of constant beatings by guards on one end to the loneliness of playing with a fly on the windowsill and 3) the determination to make things more humane by participating in a "no wash" protest, a blanket protest and leading up to the hunger strike. Bobby Sands' hunger strike only lasted 66 days. Nine other prisoners died during the hunger strike before it ended.

For the people who don't know me that well, I am a fan of IRA films. My love started with Jim Sheridan's "In the Name of the Father" about the Guilford Four. I have seen several films since then. When I first watched Hunger, I was amazed and shocked at the same time. There are scenes that continue to play over in my mind when I think of the film.

@Citizen Rules, this film is supposed to be intense as it should be remembered. It shows the cruelty of Human Nature. The beatings didn't happen yearly, monthly or weekly, they happened daily. These men endured this every day. Maze prison, where the story takes place, is an English prison, on Irish soil. Those guards were probably Irish working there. But they were working under English rule and was told to treat the prisoners in that manner.

There are two other films that would go along with this. "Maze" from 2017 and a documentary called "Bobby Sands: 66 Days".



Women will be your undoing, Pépé



Banshun (Late Spring)

This is my second (official) Yasujirô Ozu film. Officially meaning that I think I may have seen one other at some point in time but I have no frickin clue what it may have been. The first was in the recent Japanese HoF, A Hen in the Wind where I actually paused in mid viewing to do some light research on the man himself. Garnering an inner peek into the artist and the man. Appreciating the technical aspect of his film making. The use of static shots and inanimate objects during very emotional shots.
This time around I found myself delving into the story telling aspect in what I conceive as a "slice of life" film. And from what I've read on IMDb; "It is the first installment of Ozu's so-called "Noriko trilogy". The others are Early Summer (Bakushu, 1951) and Tokyo Story (Tokyo Monogatari, 1953)".
And I must say it has me intrigued to follow through the following two films.

This is a very beautiful story of a father and daughter. The gentle pace of the film gives a peaceful sensation that one gets from resting beside a creek or river.
Both leads, Chishû Ryû and Setsuko Hara do splendid jobs and the ending held a sublime tear jerking moment as the father sits alone in his home for the first time. Hence the reason I chose the above image.

I wish I could express more regarding my experience with this film but words seem to be infringement on the stillness, the quiet serenity I am adrift within and contemplate simply taking a photo of a relaxed, at ease me and post it.
That is how i feel about my experience watching Banshun.

And so, my thanks must be double fold. Once again to @rauldc14 for his initial nomination and my initiation into Ozu and now, to @ahwell for giving me cause and reason to drift outward into this new discovery.
Thank you! Both of you!
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The thing isolated becomes incomprehensible
La Piel que habito (2011)

This is a level of crazy that is only reached by Almodovar. He has a way of building the most insane plots, twisting the morality of each character, and yet never looking out of control. That's what I love the most about this film, one that I consider top-tier Almodovar, and I've seen all his major ones.
Banderas does a terrific job, being the obvious attraction of the whole cast, but the rest of the actors are also very very good.
And of course, the soundtrack... Perhaps the most underrated of all the soundtrack composers is Alberto Iglesias and here he delivers another one his masterpieces (check Hable con Ella if you liked the music here).

I've watched this for the first time many years ago and I didn't remember much so the twist still worked even if I was only half surprised.



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Al-Mummia (1969)

So, this was a hard watch. I never saw anything egyptian so I was curious about this. First, I adored the landscapes and the tone of the film! What didn't quite worked for me was the politics which is kinda surprising because I usually love this type of film. But I think the film kept me in the dark for so long that I just lost interest midway and then it was hard to get into it. I mean, the whole conflict of cultures is obvious but it's like we're thrown into a story that has been happening for a long time and nobody cares to explain anything.
My copy wasn't exactly great so that might have hurted the experience also.

I'm still glad I watched this, even for its historical importance.

+



The trick is not minding
For those who have enjoyed The Nght of Counting the Years, another older Egyptian film is available on Netflix. Cairo Station (1958)*
I highly recommend it.



Women will be your undoing, Pépé
I'm at 13 minutes now. Keep getting interrupted.
so. . . by Sunday you might get about halfway? lol

I'll be checking out Christine tonight and THANKS cricket for the initial link. That name for the site STILL makes me chuckle. I wonder what your Movies Watched percentage is on that one



so. . . by Sunday you might get about halfway? lol

I'll be checking out Christine tonight and THANKS cricket for the initial link. That name for the site STILL makes me chuckle. I wonder what your Movies Watched percentage is on that one
Hey there's another link hold on



Let the night air cool you off
For those who have enjoyed The Nght of Counting the Years, another older Egyptian film is available on Netflix. Cairo Station (1958)*
I highly recommend it.
And even if you didn't like it, I'd still say you should check out Cairo Station. If you are a fan of film noir, you should probably check it out.



The trick is not minding
And even if you didn't like it, I'd still say you should check out Cairo Station. If you are a fan of film noir, you should probably check it out.
Yes! Mix of noir and Italian Neorealism



2022 Mofo Fantasy Football Champ
so. . . by Sunday you might get about halfway? lol

I'll be checking out Christine tonight and THANKS cricket for the initial link. That name for the site STILL makes me chuckle. I wonder what your Movies Watched percentage is on that one
Sunday halfway would be a good goal! Lol

I've seen it before but I'll probably have to watch it in increments this time. Not ideal but oh well





La Samourai
(1967)
Directed by Jean-Pierre Melville
Nominated by @Siddon

Jef, a hitman, is on the run from the police after he murdered the owner of a nightclub. He uses every method to escape the police until he is paid to do another hit. This time, it is a piano player in the nightclub of the deceased owner and the police will be waiting.

I don't have much to say about this film as it is not my type of film. I have only seen one other neo-noir and it was french as well. It wasn't a terrible film but it was not my type of film and I was easily distracted. Not sure if I would be interested in seeing another neo-noir film.

It wasn't the worst film out of the HOF but still not a huge favorite.

@Miss Vicky I will have you my list in the next few days.



Women will be your undoing, Pépé
you are on a roll, my friend!!

Using the new link from cricket and starting up Christine


just finished Christiane and I think I need a night to ponder over it before writing up a review



The Night of Counting the Years


Now these are the types of nominations I like: films that I have never heard of before that I would not have ever discovered if it weren't for the fact that they were nominated. It's also good to explore a part of cinema that I'm not familiar with at all, in this case a film made in Egypt.
I think the part about the film that strikes me the most is the atmosphere: The constant sound of the wind combined with the creepy ambient music gives the film a tense vibe. This doesn't make the film outright scary or anything, it's just a lingering emotion of uneasiness that becomes justified by scenes of violence later in the film. The acting in the film is also quite great, especially considering I can't find much about the actors in the film after Googling them (so they were probably non-professionals). It's also very well shot; the dark corridors and the contrast of the black clothing on the yellow desert is visually appealing.
Unlike most films set in the desert where it's depicted as completely beautiful like in Lawrence of Arabia, or outright evil in Woman in the Dunes, there's a middle ground in the film. The desert is just an average environment where negative emotions and violence break out. I guess that's one of the benefits of watching films by different countries; you can see a new perspective on everything due to different cultural and geographical contexts.

Good film @jiraffejustin, would not have seen it if it weren't for you.