Here is my backlog of films. Some have thoughts because I put them down at the time of watching. If anyone wants more thoughts or a discussion on any of the films feel free to reply!
The Homesman (Tommy Lee Jones, 2014)
Hiroshima Mon Amour (Alain Resnais, 1959)
David Bowie Is Dead (Mark Jenkin, 2018) [Short]
The Blood of a Poet (Jean Cocteau, 1932)
Eva (Joseph Losey, 1962)
The Testament of Orpehus (Jean Cocteau, 1960)
Night Moves (Kelly Reichardt, 20130
The Go-Between (Joseph Losey, 1971)
Le Corbeau (Henri-Georges Clouzot, 1953)
Woman in Chains (Henri-Georges Clouzot, 1968)
Quai des Orfèvres (Henri-Georges Clouzot, 1947)
La Bête humaine (Jean Renoir, 1938)
Beauty and the Beast (Jean Cocteau, René Clément, 1946)
Orpheus (Jean Cocteau, 1950)
Wings of Desire (Wim Wenders, 1987)
Umberto D. (Vittorio De Sica, 1952)
Fitzcarraldo (Werner Herzog, 1982)
A Quiet Place (John Krasinski, 2018)
Some of the best horror movies are based on how groups can survive by adapting their lifestyles around the strengths/weaknesses of their enemies (Dawn of the Dead, The Thing) but here the plot’s absurdities and characters’ stupidity becomes unbearable. Instead of using the unique premise to craft creative memorable cinematic sequences we get unnecessary exposition, empty and confused characters, and cliché scenes.
The Cat Returns (Hiroyuki Morita, 2002)
Far less ambitious than its Ghibli counterparts, the film has a strange fantasy plot exploring the world of cats with the Studio’s usual strong feminine message. Whilst it’s enjoyable enough, it lacks much complexity or emotional power. The result is an often bizarre combination of odd characters and terrible puns, with a mixture of humour for both kids and adults. A very minimal plot is stretched to 75 minutes.
The Wind Rises (Hayao Miyazaki, 2013)
Often beautiful to look at as we have come to expect from the animation of Miyazaki with some superb sequences but the film feels uneven overall. Jiro’s motivation and craftsmanship are assumed but are reduced to being demonstrated through expository dialogue. The political implications and exploration of human attitudes in Japan pre-WWII are glanced over briefly in favour of romance in a way that feels uncertain.
Christine (John Carpenter, 1983)
Unlike many Eighties films reminiscing over school life where oddball characters would find their purpose and be celebrated, Christine focuses on the misery and horror found in an environment shackling our bullied teen with frustrating expectations. Like Carrie, revenge is forthcoming as our lead character becomes consumed by his desires, given life through the stunning colours and compositions created by Carpenter.
When Harry Met Sally (Rob Reiner, 1989)
Although often since emulated, there is nothing particularly spectacular or cinematic about this comedy which relies largely on its witty dialogue and the delivery of its comic moments through its actors - who do manage to conjure up some enjoyable chemistry. Everything is else is where you would expect it to be, without much surprise or innovation as I have too often found to be the case for Reiner post Spinal Tap.
Mr. Klein (Joseph Losey, 1976)
The always assured Alain Delon becomes increasingly frustrated and frightened as his life becomes upended by false allegations of being a Jew. His performance, paired with the methodical compositions of Joseph Losey that linger with horror, create a feeling of impending doom, a terrifying nightmare closing in. Has unease and fear ever been captured so well? A damning indictment of moral cowardice and indifference.
The Hunt (Thomas Vinterberg, 2012)
An exercise in cinematic suffering. Misery piled upon more misery. Once the film’s anti-mob message becomes clear (almost immediately) there is no attempt to explore characters or actions further, along with no effort to convey the story in any cinematic way. The images, captured mainly in the style of a handheld camera, are largely bland and uninventive, matching the pessimistic numbness that can be seen on Mikkelsen’s face.
Whisky Galore (Alexander Mackendrick, 1949)
This classic British Ealing comedy might have one of their simplest plots but certainly has a lot of warmth to make up for it. In basing the story on the tale of washed-up cases of whisky off the shore of a remote Scottish island, the film is able to focus on the community spirit on the people living there, taking a look at the spirit of the Scottish people who see themselves fighting against the English home guard.
Midnight Special (Jeff Nichols, 2016)
In attempting to progress further than his previous films, Nichols chooses the Sci-Fi genre with all its conventions as the setting for this film but struggles to handle the usual tropes in a way that feels innovative or exciting on a certain level. Despite this, what still manages to shine through is his human warmth, once again showcasing his strong ability to capture relationships between adults and children.
Ema (Pablo Larraín, 2019)
Ema is a frustratingly vacuous film, lacking cohesion and meaning beyond the desire to provoke us with its gratuitous content. It's barely cohesive and has numerous contrived scenes that serve no purpose other than being visually striking. It seems to be too often the case that vibrant visuals and shocking content will now pass for a good film, rewarded simply for being ambitious and breaking away from the norm.
Nona. If They Soak Me, I'll Burn Them (Camila José Donoso, 2019)
Combining sharp images and crisp sound design, the film starts off with a playful introduction of Nona, a mysterious pyromaniac who recounts different experiences of her anarchistic life. Switching between wide-screen shots and more grainy film footage, instead of stitching these together into a rich cinematic tapestry the result feels disjointed and repetitive, a single idea unnecessarily stretched to a full film.
Extraction (Sam Hargrave, 2020)
The latter sections of both halves of the film feature some impressive stunt work and editing to put together some entertaining fight scenes. Unfortunately the rest of the film’s story is lazy, large sections of the plot don’t make sense and the villains are violent caricatures. The effort to give Chris Hemsworth’s character some sort of backstory to give the plot some emotional reasoning seems an afterthought.
The Whalebone Box (Andrew Kötting, 2019)
Blending together various images and sounds, fiction and non-fiction, the past with the present, the film plays around with structure without being able to convincingly convey anything profound or meaningful. More interesting is the blend of unique characters that are presented throughout the film, captured in unusual ways. The Whalebone Box works best as an affectionate celebration of a ragtag band of artists.
A Russian Youth (Alexander Zolotukhin, 2019)
Once again we have a modern filmmaker attempting to make something fresh and interesting by experimenting with different stylistic choices, here the decision to shoot WWI scenes on grainy film and also to combine the narrative with a modern orchestra. In doing the former, Zolotukhin forgoes any effort to build a cinematic language of his own through mise-en-scene and the latter strangely undercuts the film's drama.
Ponyo (Hayao Miyazaki, 2008)
Whilst enjoyable the film lacks the compelling emotional power of Miyazaki's best work My Neighbour Totoro, or the well-constructed commentary of Princess Mononoke, landing somewhere in the middle with a simple tale of a young boy who finds a goldfish who has transformed into a young girl. The hand-drawn visuals help give the film charm but the latter stages of the film seem unsure how to conclude the film's ideas.
A.K. (Chris Marker, 1985)
Chris Marker studies the work of Akira Kurosawa from a distance, watching as we would as a person filled with admiration and in awe of the man's methods. He captures the epic scale of the film's production and looks at the recurring themes and images throughout Kurosawa's work. He is an observer, sharing his insights on what he witnesses without trying to weave his own narrative. An advert for auteur theory.
Burden of Dreams (Les Blank, 1982)
A fascinating look at the troubled production of Fitzcarraldo, a film which does itself feel heavily flawed. Herzog's desire to complete the film seems to be nothing more than his own personal desire to experience the madness of such a journey, something he pretty much admits. It's amazing to see such commitment to a vision, and such unconventional filmmaking techniques, it's no surprise Robards and Jagger soon left.
An Autumn Afternoon (Yasujirō Ozu, 1962)
Ozu's final film is almost a remake of Late Spring, again exploring themes of cultural transition and family. This familiarity with the content through his exploration of it has given him a level of mastery and this film feels like a culmination of all his ideas. Ryū is incredible in his gentle lead role, the subtle emotional narratives are handled perfectly, and there are plenty of hilarious moments too. Incredible.
Borrowed Pasture (John Ormond, 1960)
This forgotten BBC made-for-TV film follows the lives of two post-war Polish immigrants on a Welsh farm. Narrated by Richard Burton, the film is incredibly cinematic, using its editing to demonstrate the relationship between the men and their environment, focussing on their hands, their belongings, the processes involved in their of labour, their faith and family, often evocative of Ford in how their lives are shown.
Vertical Shapes in a Horizontal Landscape (Mark Jenkin, 2018) [Short]
Repulsion (Roman Polanski, 1965)
The Green Ray (Éric Rohmer, 1986)
Pauline at the Beach (Éric Rohmer, 1983)
Belle de Jour (Luis Buñuel, 1967)
Fire/Pozar (David Lynch, 2015) [Short]
Little Big Man (Arthur Penn, 1970)
Thunder Road (Jim Cummings, 2018)
Monos (Alejandro Landes, 2019)
Dear Marianne (Mark Jenkin, 2016) [Short]
Passion (Brian De Palma, 2012)
Suspicion (Alfred Hitchcock, 1941)
Carlito's Way (Brian De Palma, 1993)
Broken Flowers (Jim Jarmusch, 2005)
The Limits of Control (Jim Jarmusch, 2009)
Angel Face (Otto Preminger, 1953)
Hereditary (Ari Aster, 2018)
Venom (Ruben Fleischer, 2018)
Femme Fatale (Brian De Palma, 2002)
Miller's Crossing (Coen Brothers, 1990) [Rewatch]
Inside Llewyn Davis (Coen Brothers, 2013) [Rewatch]
Mission: Impossible (Brian De Palma, 1996)
The Mule (Clint Eastwood, 2018)
Mission: Impossible II (John Woo, 2000)
Have to write a comment here about how it's unbelievable that this was written by Robert Towne. Has to be one of the most sexist films that I have seen in the way the characters talk about/treat women.
Mission: Impossible III (J.J. Abrams, 2006)
Snake Eyes (Brian De Palma, 1998)
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