Bonnie and Clyde (Arthur Penn, 1967)
A film that can be admired for a number of reasons, the story and characters are interesting (Warren Beatty is particularly great) and the story is told with great style - the cinematography, direction and screenplay make for a very enjoyable energetic crime film, however a few slight problems prevent it from getting another half star or more, how on Earth did Estelle Parsons win best supporting actress?
Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (Sam Peckinpah, 1974)
+
My type of film, it's gritty feel, excessive violence and its rather pessimistic story will not be for everyone, but I loved it. And even if you don't like it, I don't know how people once considered this one of the worst films ever made, I actually prefer this to
The Wild Bunch, the only over Peckinpah I have seen. Warren Oates is superb as a man who is desperate, he plays an empty character who is losing everything he has, and finds himself in a situation far too big for him to get out of.
Blood Simple. (Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, 1984)
I had been meaning to watch the Coen Brothers' debut film for a while, and recent viewings by a couple of members on here finally gave me the inspiration to do so. It might not be a fantastic film, but for a first feature the Coens deserve a lot of credit for how professional and assured the whole thing feels, it's directed with such confidence and style, with the Coen Brothers 100% trusting their off beat style. The story itself is quite straightforward, but told in a way that will keep you on the edge of your seat, with a number of slimy characters who motivations keep you guessing until the end. There's a great dark humour to this film, something now associated with the Coens, the final scene/line in particular I loved, and when contrasted with the music that plays in the end credits, you can't help but smile at this twisted but great little film.
Jules and Jim (François Truffaut, 1962)
I'm not really sure if my rating here is too generous or too harsh, which probably means it is about right. From a technical perspective, it's one of the most beautifully shot films that I have ever scene, with great black and white cinematography, and the soundtrack is brilliant too. My main problems lie with the actual story which I was never quite convinced by, the performances are good, but what happens in the film leaves you frustrated. Maybe it's something about foreign films and subtitles that make films about characters more difficult to understand, which may be aided by repeat viewings, but I just felt there was something missing to make the story more believable and enjoyable.
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