Directed by Robert Altman I had to turn on the subtitles for Gosford Park. Robert Altman loves to show you a roomful of people talking right over each other. It feels realistic, documentary-like and with all the sharp, royal accents here I had trouble picking up individual lines. But that's part of the point. It's usually … Continue reading Gosford Park (2001)
murder
Clean, Shaven (1993)
Directed by Lodge Kerrigan Oh boy, this was tough to watch. Clean, Shaven puts you firmly inside the mind of a schizophrenic, someone who thinks he has micro chips embedded in his head and who decides to do something about it. Peter Winter (Peter Greene) is said schizophrenic. It's only a minute or two after … Continue reading Clean, Shaven (1993)
Insomnia (2002)
Directed by Christopher Nolan Will Dormer (Al Pacino) walks the plank in Insomnia. He's an aging LA cop, sent deep into Alaska for a murder that doubles as a form of exile, like sending Napoleon to the island of Saint Helena. Will's recent backstory isn't shown, but it's hinted at, discussed and picked apart throughout the … Continue reading Insomnia (2002)
Spellbound (1945)
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock Spellbound is a Hitchcock thriller about psychoanalysis, the first mainstream Hollywood movie to tackle such a topic. That being said the psychoanalysis angle is just the way into this thriller. As Hitchcock himself said the film was "just another manhunt wrapped up in pseudo-psychoanalysis." It's a love story between Dr. Constance Petersen … Continue reading Spellbound (1945)
On Dangerous Ground (1951)
Directed by Nicholas Ray The first third of On Dangerous Ground is a film noir. Filmed almost exclusively at night on the slick, sparsely-populated streets of New York, the story follows three detectives led by our unsympathetic antihero Jim Wilson (Robert Ryan). The black and white film is harsh all over. Jim acts more like a … Continue reading On Dangerous Ground (1951)
River’s Edge (1986)
Directed by Tim Hunter River's Edge is the intersection between David Lynch and Gus Van Sant. Released before Twin Peaks and most of Van Sant's work, River's Edge precedes films that must have been inspired by this one. It might just be longhaired Keanu Reeves (as seen in My Own Private Idaho) or Dennis Hopper (who played a big role … Continue reading River’s Edge (1986)
Birdman of Alcatraz (1962)
Directed by John Frankenheimer Birdman of Alcatraz is a little too long. That's my first thought. I can only listen to the soothing musings of Burt Lancaster for so long, and with this movie I started to tune him out at around the 100 minute mark. Lancaster plays Robert Stroud, a murderer quick to anger. … Continue reading Birdman of Alcatraz (1962)
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