Hertzfeldt has wondrous respect for his audience. The whole film strikes emotional chords with such shocking resonance, again and again, by evoking deeply felt—and, often, awakening long buried—instinctive responses to moments and experiences that we can't quite put into words. Somehow, Hertzfeldt manages to visually convey a mesmerizing stream of consciousness that, really, shouldn't be transferable to cinema. It says so, so much in so little time, and does so with a dual scope—the intimate tale of Bill and his chaotic life…
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Out of the Past 1947
When the script is so damn good, it doesn't need to be overly reliant on the score. But, aside from that, this is near-perfect noir in every respect. Absolutely flawless structurally (flashbacks and the past returning to haunt you simply cannot be done, or blended, any better); endlessly crackling dialogue; a fierce femme fatale; double crosses; looming presences; a weary anti-hero; cigarettes and booze; murder; and, of course, Tourneur's unmistakable formal prowess, with constant shadowy compositions that give any other…
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The Social Network 2010
Fifth or sixth viewing (watched it once, prior to activity logging), no change in response. My previously lengthy and more comprehensive review here (centers considerably on the visual imagery, score, editing, performance, etc).
Already hailed as a film that defines a generation, this is a film that justifies such a claim because it truly understands its subject matter. The jargon and tone are spot-on, perfectly capturing the online narcissism that is so prevalent today. It is all of that and more. However,…
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Schindler's List 1993
Schindler's List tells the true story of Oskar Schindler, a German Catholic factory owner whose heroic efforts rescued over 1100 Jews from certain death in the gas chambers. Although he has a tree on the "Avenue of the Righteous", he was not your picture-book hero or your idealistic saint.
The quality of the itself is outstanding. Spielberg purposely used black and white, with a few key highlights in color, and the clarity of the picture is spectacular. He chooses to have…
