Change Your Image
MrNoahTall
Reviews
Le violon rouge (1998)
Violin as continuity of a dream
The value of a violin. What is it?
I was ready for a mildly interesting art flick, and came away very pleased. I loved the way the crafters of this film kept binding the whole together with the cords from start of the story. What is the value of a violin? The film follows the maker, Busotti, in 17th century Italy as he finishes his greatest work. As it turns out, it is his final creation. In it, he and the people he loved the most find a sort of immortality.
What is the value of a violin? What is the value of mankind?
Fearless (1993)
More intimate than sex is sharing the moment of death
Someone told me once that this film was supposed to be about post-traumatic stress syndrome. That's like saying that 2001 was about how to eat in space.
This is a movie about the most intimate moment a person can ever share with others: The moment of his death. The character Max (played by Bridges) is confronted with it, and his experience is ours.
This movie, for me, is best viewed alone, with no distractions whatsoever. One of the more powerful sublime moments in the film for me is when Max is merely sitting next to his rental car in the desert, making mud from his own spit. He sees it in a new way. And thus he sees the world. To a degree, so did I.
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984)
It changed my life. Or something.
I can just about be guaranteed that every time I meet another person who dug Buckaroo Banzai (Episode One), we briefly exchange a moment or two of silent odd comraderie. This movie is a special part of a latter-day cinematic freemasonry.
I've watched my copy of the video (which took me forever to find seven or eight years ago) about a dozen times, and enjoyed the experience deeply every time. I gave up trying to share it with people. Most folks were polite enough, but the glazed eyes were a dead giveaway. Hey, High Art isn't for everyone.
Hey, as Buckaroo himself might say, "This will change your life. Or not."
Gallipoli (1981)
Two runners become friends during World War One.
This is a great, early Peter Weir classic. Two runners become friends in Australia early this century. Archy loves family, god and country, and yearns to serve his country in the Great War. Frank covers his painful youth with love of self, yet finds himself following Archy to war. A great tale of honor and sacrifice set in the context of one of Australia's great and tragic campaigns of the first World War. A must-see for any serious movie aficionado.