I am currently taking a screenwriting class that has rejuvenated my love of film. The extremely hot weather recently has made me a homebody, and has encouraged my copious film watching habits. What follows are some of my favorite films I have seen in the past few months:
A Face in the Crowd- Sadly, when one hears the name Andy Griffith, he/she either thinks of the one dimensional bumpkin sheriff he played or, worse, Matlock. However, Griffith is far more talented than either of these roles suggests. The peak of his acting career and what he will be remembered for one hundred years from now, is the role he plays in this 1957 Eilia Kazan masterpiece about a charismatic drifter who gets a local radio show that becomes nationally popular.
The movie is a character study of fame and power and how one's populist intentions can easily be corrupted once large amounts of money and power come into play. Watch here a scene where Griffith's character explains how he will help sale an aspirin called Vitajex. He is charming, evil, and explosive in equal measures. One of the great acting performances I have ever seen on screen.
7th Continent- The Austrian director Michael Haneke is a household name to those who keep up with European art films, but sadly unknown the public at large, which is just as well as Haneke's films are extreme, cruel, and often violent. The 7th Continent, is Haneke's first film from 1989 and is based on the true story of a Austrian couple who killed themselves and their little girl for no apparent reason.
Rather than provide an explanation for their suicide, Haneke focuses on the dull, routine tasks we undertake each day that are mundane and can lead to alienation. The movie is sublte, powerful, and unforgettable, though not for the faint of heart. No movie better captures the suburban malaise and alienation of modern life. In this scene the family decides to systematically destroy all their possessions. What could have been a scene of defiance and liberation, is instead a scene of surrender and joyless action.
Pacific UV on iLike - Add iLike to your MySpace
