My entries have been spaced out of late, as I have not had very much time to post. I’m almost finished watching Manda Bala, so I’ll have a review of that posted soon.
3. 2001: A Space Odyssey/Dr. Strangelove
I don’t think I’m alone in proposing that these are a couple of the greatest films ever made. I’ll begin with the first.
From the opening sequences of “the dawn of man”, to the final climactic warp scene, everything about the film is haunting and entrancing. So many moods and so many different styles are experimented with in this film, and every single one of them works (my favorite being the space-shuttle nutcracker scene in the beginning). No other movie has taken me to a higher level of thinking than this film, which I thought about and tried to sort out in my mind for weeks after watching it. It is one of the greatest film experiences I have ever had.
Dr. Strangelove is my second favorite Kubrick movie, which puts it right at the top of my list. I first saw this movie when I was about 10, and found it hilarious then, and watching it again years later, I find it funny as ever. The offbeat humor is perfect, as is the bitingly satirical mood of the entire film. Peter Sellers is completely brilliant, as is George C. Scott, but I would say the greatest character (next to Strangelove himself) is Sterling Hayden as General Jack D. Ripper. Some of his lines are hilariously insane, and he pulls them off with incredible ease. This film, like 2001, tries a lot of different things with the film and with the humor, and every single one is great, especially the opening title sequence, which I just recalled after seeing it discussed in one of the forums.
I am ashamed to say that I have not seen A Clockwork Orange, which I’m pretty sure, based on my taste in movies, will be near the top of my list whenever I get around to it.
4. Brazil
I mention this movie a lot, both in my life and in anything that I write on Spout (or any other movie site). This was actually the movie that got me so interested in film and the art of film-making itself. It is without a doubt Gilliam’s greatest achievement. The strange, dark, twisted world that Gilliam builds in most of his later films began with his vision of a totalitarian future society, posing as a beacon of perfection, when in reality, nothing actually works. From the technology to the actual system of the society, nothing actually achieves its function, which is so fitting to our current society and its faulty technology (and society…).
This film is a surrealist masterpiece. The dream sequences that perfectly mirror Sam Lowry’s life and give us a portal into his mind are exceptional; nothing has given me faith in the magic of film more than this film.
“Don’t fight it, son. Confess quickly! If you hold out too long you could jeopardize your credit rating.”
5. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
I found this film to be completely brilliant. It manages to pull of a romantic vibe, while still retaining a sense of wonderment and philosophical importance. Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet both give revelatory performances in the two leads, and everyone else in the cast is extremely solid. Never have I seen reality and the goings-on of the mind mixed so well, with the dreams becoming part of the narrative structure, revealing just enough about Carrey’s and Winslet’s relationship to make the ending both tragic yet somewhat hopeful. Kaufman’s writing and Gondry’s direction meshes outstandingly.