Aikenstyles

Daily Diva - Bette Davis

2009-02-18T08:52:00.008-06:00

Reasons to love Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis: bitchiness, ballsiness, of human bondageness, fifth warner brotherness, getting it on with william wyler and howard hughesness, willingness to play unsympathetic characters, gorgeousness, fabulousness, jezebelness, four times marriedness, once widowedness, thrice divorcedness, single parentness, and especially all about eve-ness.

Firsts: first female president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, first actress to receive 10 Academy Award nominations, first woman to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Film Institute

Trivia: changed the spelling of her name to "Bette" after Honoré de Balzac's "La Cousine Bette"

Cassandra's Dream

2008-09-15T21:13:00.006-05:00

So I watched this great episode of Coronation Street tonight. Strangely it was an hour and a half long. An omnibus perhaps? Also the characters were much more attractive than usual and the plot moved a bit faster than the average episode of the show.

Hmm sort of strange I guess, but hey it was surprisingly good!

Active Metaphors

2008-07-09T11:34:00.003-05:00

Experimental fiction is the art of telling a story in which certain aspects of reality have been exaggerated or distorted in such a way as to put the reader off the story and make him go watch a television show.
- George Saunders (Harper's Magazine, Aug 2008)

Le Ballon Rouge

2008-07-08T22:36:00.001-05:00

Company of Wolves

2008-07-08T12:15:00.001-05:00

Va Savoir

2008-07-08T12:13:00.000-05:00

Metal Heart

2008-06-30T00:42:00.004-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4XqTl0ACoY

Innocence

2008-06-29T21:18:00.010-05:00

I watched this film for some visual ideas and was completely charmed by it. This is a surreal and strange voyage into childhood. I highly recommend watching it.

by brakhage

2008-06-20T01:08:00.002-05:00

jane 'the champion' campion

2008-06-15T21:11:00.005-05:00

yikes! campion, slow down with the sexiness! you are the champ, we know. so anyways, if you want a brief vacation to sizzle town, please rent 'in the cut'. sexy!

(meg ryan is making a really strange face in this photo, watch the film and you get to see her knockers.)

safe

2008-06-15T21:04:00.004-05:00

i feel alienated and confused. i don't know what is happening, but i feel a bit sick to my stomach. oh yes, i just watched todd haynes' brilliant film 'safe'.

julianne moore is fab in most instances, but she really hits it out of the park with this one. when she makes that birthday speech you may want to start choking in a fit of awkwardness. but everyone knows you can't spell success without some of the same letters that are in 'awkwardness'.

nostalgia

2008-06-13T13:54:00.004-05:00

family photo of my grandpa and auntie doris

special thanks to family archivist norlaine

gondry

2008-06-12T21:11:00.001-05:00

i still
love you
even after
be kind rewind
just look how cute!

Iron & Wine

2008-06-12T20:59:00.002-05:00

Also this rules

Julie Doiron sings sad and beautiful songs

2008-06-12T18:15:00.003-05:00

http://www.juliedoiron.com/

brazil

2008-06-12T18:04:00.003-05:00

man with a movie camera

2008-06-12T16:51:00.001-05:00

freaks and geeks vs my so-called life

2008-06-12T14:22:00.004-05:00

which one best captures my adolescence?

sans jordan catalano or james franco of course...

juliette binoche, hyperbole! but true!

2008-06-10T23:13:00.001-05:00

haneke is my main man

2008-06-10T23:00:00.008-05:00

oh haneke, the tension, the drama, the way you make me want to gnaw off my own limbs. it is like a storybook romance!

i love you sushi, so very much

2008-06-10T22:58:00.003-05:00

mrs miller, junkie whore with a heart of gold

2008-06-10T22:54:00.002-05:00

jane campion and why she is completely underrated...

2008-06-10T22:51:00.002-05:00

sweetie
sweetie
sweetie
sweetie
sweetie
sweetie
sweetie
sweetie

tie me up, tie me down!

2008-06-10T22:44:00.004-05:00

Best coffee in Toronto - says me

2008-05-16T01:01:00.006-05:00

#1 Cherry Bomb. Delicious and close to my house.

#2 The Common. Best Lattes. Just like old school BI.

#3 Ideal. Sometimes I make a good latte. For myself.

wayward cloud

2008-04-01T18:15:00.000-05:00

morvern callar

2008-03-09T18:51:00.002-05:00

if you are in my film club, don't watch this one quite yet...

a man escaped

2008-03-09T17:57:00.002-05:00

a man escaped.

technicolor!

2008-03-01T12:12:00.005-06:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technicolor

Technicolor was a bulky, expensive and technically tricky format but the incredible colour and vibrant effect of the technicolor films won over hollywood and became a staple in filmmaking for over 30 years. Such an interesting look at hollywood process and behind the scenes wheeling and dealing. The company was formed by Herbert Kalmus and on set colour supervision was performed by his wife Natalie. Hollywood was finally won over despite super high costs in film and equipment by the popular and financial success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937).

sirk!

2008-02-29T18:45:00.002-06:00

woman. gardener. scandal!
all that heaven allows.
(although this is a scene with her son, not her lover. oedipal!)

fassbinder!

2008-02-29T18:39:00.002-06:00

martha, you don't need that phone do you? i mean you don't need to talk to anyone but me right? and why would you leave the house? i think you should just stay inside all the time waiting for me to come home and reading this book about concrete and listening to the music i choose for you. and be a doll, don't smoke in the house...

Legwarmers!

2008-02-14T22:20:00.005-06:00

Do you like these?

Well, I made them and I also made the pattern!

Please send all congratulatory cards or trophies to my Toronto address...
:)

winnipeg = cold

2008-02-13T14:45:00.001-06:00

that's all. it just does.

And some Michel Gondry for dessert

2008-01-17T10:32:00.001-06:00

Have your own experimental film night

2008-01-15T21:28:00.000-06:00

Why not program your own experimental film night with your friends? Here is a ready made program assembled by avante-garde film expert eli horwatt!

Experimental Film Night Program:
Oskar Fischinger - Motion Painting #1(1947) Abstract moving painting
James Broughton - Hermes Bird (1979)
AKA "Erection Film"
Jan Svankmajer - Darkness/Light/Darkness (1989) A human figure is assembled
Martin Arnold - Alone: Life Wastes Andy Hardy (1998) Andy Hardy is given the Oedipus treatment
Brothers Quay - Street of Crocodiles (1986) Based on writings by Bruno Schulz, an experimental stop motion space.
The Way Things Go - Fischli and Weiss (1987) A demonic Rube Goldberg machine.
Santiago Alvarez - NOW! (1965) Agit-prop found footage on the civil rights movement.
Jordan Belson - Samadhi (1967) A beautiful symphony of organic shapes made with animation and optical printer.

Laban: A true innovator

2008-01-14T17:48:00.000-06:00

Stalker

2008-01-12T16:43:00.000-06:00

cute cats make me very happy

2008-01-11T12:13:00.000-06:00

and yet i am still very punk rock
i warn you, this is very cute
and this is just brilliant

2008!

2008-01-01T14:09:00.000-06:00

december of love

2007-12-30T19:14:00.000-06:00

egg party

2007-12-30T15:14:00.000-06:00

eight crazy nights

2007-12-28T18:09:00.000-06:00

Winnipeg fashion trends

2007-12-19T12:52:00.001-06:00

on the set for common area

2007-12-02T13:59:00.000-06:00

hal hartley

2007-11-25T10:16:00.000-06:00

i think i may not like hal hartley's movies, but i want to watch more of them

the 5 obstructions

2007-11-23T02:00:00.000-06:00

lars von trier's pal jorgen leth made a film. it was about the perfect human. then lars is all, lets see you make this film again, this time with a few wrenches in the works. i love this shit. they are all talking films and their methods of creating films and are so wonderfully close to pulling it off unpretentiously. so very close. but the dialogue and self-awareness in the film are true joy.

Shortbus

2007-11-21T12:53:00.000-06:00

You know how sometimes you end up watching Shortbus and Secretary in the same night. I know! Me too! Sexy!
ps. sook-yin, you are so hot!

the awful truth about the wednesday club...

2007-11-15T11:18:00.000-06:00

...is that it is completely out of hand!

the awful truth

2007-11-14T12:12:00.001-06:00

welcome to the dollhouse

2007-11-14T12:10:00.001-06:00

far from heaven

2007-11-14T12:06:00.000-06:00

oh the nineteen fifties ideals, and the nineteen fourties patter...

Velvet Goldmine

2007-11-07T15:43:00.000-06:00

Hey we should watch a movie while we build this box. Yes, how about a musical to play in the background while we hammer and saw things. What should we get? Well something that is not too distracting. Hey, how about this "Velvet Goldmine" everyone is talking about. The one by Todd Haynes. Ok.
...and then it was the best movie ever and they wanted to watch it again right away.
the end

david lynch, master of everything strange and beautiful

2007-10-29T12:01:00.000-05:00

so yesterday i watched inland empire, shot on entirely on digital format, no film. now this shit looks pretty good. seriously. and then i was all, who is the cinematographer on this. who is it? oh, david lynch himself. oh, just going to come up with the most mid-blowing ideas, direct some of the best performances ever seen, and maybe i will just take over as cinematographer too. yeah, i am david lynch and i am the most amazing human on earth (and beyond). i also have the best hair ever. i am david lynch, master of everything strange and beautiful.

Inland Empire kept me up all night

2007-10-29T11:55:00.000-05:00

Dear Laura Dern,
You are the greatest actress of all time.
Best,
Coral.

And just one more shot with Wes Anderson

2007-10-19T21:18:00.000-05:00

Come on! It's Wes Anderson!

Coral and so many famous people

2007-10-19T21:13:00.000-05:00

Marcia Connolly, Jason Schwartzman

Coral and some famous people part three

2007-10-19T15:18:00.000-05:00

Mary Ellen Mark...

Coral with some famous people part two

2007-10-19T15:13:00.000-05:00

and Michel Brault...

Coral and some famous people

2007-10-19T12:47:00.000-05:00

part one, wes anderson...

Some progress on my newest project...

2007-10-09T22:19:00.001-05:00

Video Games

2007-10-08T13:34:00.000-05:00

RACHEL: I'm gonna shoot your brains our with my bazooka. Whammo-blammo!

CORAL: Oh my!

RACHEL: What does this button do? Whoops, I'm climbing a wall.

CORAL: I can't stop turning in circles! What's this? A gun?

RACHEL: Bam-bam!

CORAL: Eeeep!

Rachel: Zoing!

Coral: Teach me how to do a somersault! Awesome.

Rachel: Where did you go? It that a wall?

Coral: I'm gonna somersault over to you! Wowza! It worked!

(Rachel and Coral high five each other)

Lewton night at Cameron's

2007-10-04T09:59:00.000-05:00

The Beaver Trilogy

2007-10-03T15:42:00.000-05:00

Are there any words to describe the Beaver Trilogy? I think you should just find it and watch it. I feel that it is the most amazing piece of documentary fiction of all time. And you have your Sean Penn and your Crispin Glover. Playing the same guy. I doubt such a profound level of character study even exists outside of this film.

Super 8 Club

2007-09-26T17:27:00.001-05:00

Autumn for the Piano Man

2007-09-25T19:44:00.000-05:00

The photo essay is an assignment that deals with the reading of Roland Barthes' famous essay on photography 'Camera Lucida'. The book focuses on the relationship of the observer to the image and the special details that make one image stand out where another does not. Just to totally simplify a very complicated work. But whateves. Anyways, I approached the assignment by exploring texture, and light. I came up with a thematic group of images that deal with aging, dignity, pride and renewal. Any comments would be very welcome!

Photo Essay

2007-09-25T19:15:00.000-05:00

Autumn in Piano Land

2007-09-22T17:36:00.000-05:00

here is sneak preview of my first film assignment...

Wholphin

2007-09-16T10:59:00.000-05:00

What is Wholphin?

Why it is a super-rad DVD magazine put out by the geniuses behind McSweeneys.

What is McSweeneys?

Well, don't you know anything? No.

Well, there is nothing else I can do for you then.

High Falls

2007-09-16T10:46:00.000-05:00

Maggie Gyllenhall, Peter Sarsgaaaaard. They have some secrets and they live in a big giant house in the woods. If you subscribe to Wholphin, as I do, you can see some dramatic set-ups like this, and more!

Vermin

2007-09-14T13:57:00.000-05:00

The scene is this...

The final days of Galaxy Skateland, a marauding gang sets up shop at the rink. This collective can only be described as Vermin.

Vermin

Starring. J. Bevan, G. Hall, M. Mills, R. Offman, S. Offman, A. Robson (does not appear) and T. Hotel

Music. Chicks on Speed
Director/Camera. C. Aiken

Small Gauge Revolution! 2007.

I mean Seriously, come on Arcand!

2007-09-14T13:56:00.000-05:00

Jesus of Montreal

2007-09-14T13:49:00.000-05:00

Dear Denys Arcand,
I can't BELIEVE I have missed out on seeing this incredible film until now. Why is it so? Well, I can tell you this I won't miss anymore. Ever again, I promise. This is such an elaborate vista of imagery, I can't begin to describe it. I started to watch the film at around 11pm and as my friends can tell you, it is no minor feat to keep me riveted until well after midnight. I am very honoured to have heard you speak at the TIFF doc talks last night, despite some awkward academic mediation that hindered our listening to your brilliance. Anyways, gotta go order my books for Cine 1. You rule. Take care,
Ciao. C

Michel Brault is a god

2007-09-13T22:32:00.000-05:00

Tonight I attended a screening of 'Les Ordres' a highly potent film about the victims of the War Measures Act imposed during the FLQ crisis of 1970. Filmmaker Michel Brault spoke with 50 men and women who were imprisoned during this time, and composed an incredible drama from their true stories. Brault is being recognized at the Toronto Film Festival this year with a retrospective of his ground breaking films, and it is much deserved. This film is a powerful study of humanitarian violations, and is especially resonant as it occured in Canada. An episode in our country's history that governments are quick to ignore.

In the Q & A afterward, Brault answered questions about the film's reception at the time of its initial release. He responded that audiences then had the same reaction as this audience today. This film is as relevant today as thirty years ago with its timeless investigation of the abuse of power, and the effects of these violations on ordinary people.

once more into the breach

2007-09-13T11:08:00.001-05:00

i was recently thrown into the middle of my new graduate program, with a bang (day one) and a whimper (me). at the opening day meet and greet amidst conversations about nihilism (not me) and obscure horror films (also not me), i was asked to provide a personal manifesto. well, you know what. here it is. for now...

My manifesto is this... To work at the art of filmmaking, to innovate the use of materials, subject matter, process and concept. To challenge the hierarchic structure of filmmaking. To use my hands to create. To make interesting, relevant and meaningful art. To participate in my community, to work for change and progress.

Aasta, who I met in Scotland, who is now in New Zealand's picks

2007-08-13T17:20:00.000-05:00

Aasta says...

"Ah, I see...

Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai"

Fritz Lang's "Metropolis" -major influence to virtually all sci fi films
following, like "Blade Runner" etc

Isao Takahata's "Grave of the Fireflies" Japanese 2nd World War story about
two children surviving the atomic bomb.

Kubric's "2001 a Space Odessy"

Woody Alle's "Zelig"

Top of my head, innit :)

More from Cinematheque's bad boy barber

2007-08-12T09:51:00.001-05:00

"Here's my five:

"Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story By Todd Haynes (Not easy to find - now
a bootleg)
Anything By Mike Maryniuk
The Blues According to Lightning Hopkins By Les Blank
21/87 By Arthur Lipsett
The Comb By the Brothers Quay

"dave
- late as always - enjoy yrself in Toronto"

Top Five Films

2007-08-10T19:08:00.000-05:00

I will need a very strict schedule to watch all of these as I leave for school in exactly two weeks and haven't seen at least 80% of these amazing choices.

Thanks for the wicked cool suggestions, you are some seriously rad cinephiles.
xo

Top Five Films

1. Smultronstallet (Wild Strawberries) 1957 Ingmar Bergman
2. The Wicker Man 1973
3. Emperor of the North Pole 1973
4. Notorious 1946
5. Panelkapcsolat (Prefab People) 1982
6. Hana-bi (Fireworks) 1997
7. Repulsion 1965 Polanski
8. The Man With a Movie Camera 1929 Vertov
9. Conspirators of Pleasure 1996
10. M 1931 Fritz Lang
11. Last Laugh* (F.W. Murnau)
12. Sunrise (Also by Murnau)
13. Battleship Potemkin (Sergei Eisenstein)
14. Napoleon (Abel Gance)
15. The Passion of Joan of Arc* (Carl Dreyer)
16. The Blue Angel* (Joseph von Sternberg)
17. Nights of Cabriria*** (Fedrico Fellini
18. Ashes and Diamonds (Andre Wayda)
19. Salesman (Albert and David Maysles)
20. A Woman Under the Influence (John Cassavettes)
21. Sherlock Jr. (Buster Keaton)
22. L'Atlante (Jean Vigo)
23. Spirit of the Beehive (Victor Erice)
24. The Gleaners and I (Agnes Varda)
25. In the Mood for Love (Wong Kar Wai)
26. Old Boy - Chan Park-Wook
27. Tide Land - Terry Gilliam
28. Host - Bong Joon-ho
29. Darkon – meyer/neel
30. How to eat your watermelon in White Company (and Enjoy it too)
31. sunrise (murnau)
32. night of the hunter (laughton)
33. l'avventura (antonioni)
34. by brakhage (criterion compilation)
35. the best music video ever: "pass this on" by The Knife
36. Rodrigo D: No Futuro (1990)
37. Visions of Light (1992)
38. Baraka (1992)
39. Calle 54 (2000)
40. The Heart of the World - Guy Maddin
41. Battleship Potemkin - Segei Eisenstein
42. Spirit of the Beehive - Victor Erice
43. 400 Blows - Francois Truffaut
44. Sherlock Jr. - Buster Keaton
45. American Astronaut - Cory McAbee
46. Eraserhead - David Lynch
47. The Heart of the World - Guy Maddin
48. Band of Outsiders - Jean-Luc Goddard
49. La Puce - Emmanuelle Bercot
50. and the ship sails on-fellini l
51. e cercle rouge-melville
52. a woman is a woman-godard
53. police academy
54. children of paradise-carné (barrault, decroux)
55. dumbo
56. Red
57. Kalendar
58. Antonia's Line
59. The Hours
60. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
61. Suspiria
62. Tales from the Gimli Hospital
63. Bride of Frankenstein
64. Blood feast
65. Planet of the vampires
66. Hiroshima Mon Amour (Alain Resnais)
67. Touch of Evil (Orson Welles)
68. The films of Maya Deren (the recent dvd collection)
69. Breathless or Pierrot le Fou (Godard)
70. Nanook of the North (Robert Flaherty))

Shana of my new hometown's list

2007-08-05T21:05:00.000-05:00

The incredible Shana writes this...

"Hello Miss Coral!

"My list is late as I am away and in the wilderness - so not much time for
technology!

"Here are my suggestions:

Hiroshima Mon Amour (Alain Resnais)
Touch of Evil (Orson Welles)
The films of Maya Deren (the recent dvd collection)
Breathless or Pierrot le Fou (Godard)
Nanook of the North (Robert Flaherty)

"Additionally I would suggest films by Brakhage (there is also a dvd collection),
anything by Ingmar Bergman (my fave is Hour of the Wolf), some neo-realist stuff
(like Rome, Open City or Bicycle Theif), Jean Renoir (esp. les regle du jeu),
anything by Douglas Sirk (my fave again is Imitation of Life) other good
melodrama would be Stella Dallas and of course Ozu's Tokyo Story.

dr klaw of seattle's list

2007-07-26T12:40:00.000-05:00

the zombie-loving dr klaw has this to add:

"hey, great to hear from you Coral. It's nearly impossible for me to narrow
down my extensive and impressive list of cinematic gems, but here's what I
arbitrarily picked just now:

Suspiria

Tales from the Gimli Hospital

Bride of Frankenstein

Blood feast

Planet of the vampires

"for honorable mention I'll pick something a little outside of my standard
aesthetic, but one that should definitely impress film students and
teachers. plus the director (Lodge Kerrigan) shared a piece of Key Lime Pie
with myself and John Waters, so this has to be mentioned:

Clean, Shaven

good luck in school & best regards, Dr.K"

And after further consideration...

2007-07-25T14:38:00.001-05:00

petkau recants...

"okay, and here's some of my fave's, for real this time:

Red
Kalendar
Antonia's Line
The Hours
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari"

Petkau's first thoughts

2007-07-25T14:37:00.001-05:00

"I firmly believe that Revenge Of The Nerds III is the apex of filmmaking in the 20th century. The 21st dearly wishes it could produce such wondrous shaping of the human condition."

M

Mr Hall: the second draft

2007-07-24T22:42:00.000-05:00

glenn caves under the pressure with this real list

re: ok, ok, my reel pics

"in no particular order mind you:

.and the ship sails on-fellini (set on a ship, filmed entirely on set)
.le cercle rouge-melville (what a gangster film)
.a woman is a woman-godard (ahhh arguing through books, my favourite kind)
.police academy (seriously, i know it's not a good movie, but boy is it bad--3/4 of the narrative is spent introducing the characters. all the film nerds will admit they love it after a few drinks.)
.children of paradise-carné (barrault, decroux)

g"

Stella part deux

2007-07-24T22:40:00.001-05:00

Danielle adds this, with the following subject line...

re: This is almost a cruel thing to ask of film makers/lovers..
"Okay here goes...

Here is my non-NYU-list list:

American Astronaut - Cory McAbee
Eraserhead - David Lynch
The Heart of the World - Guy Maddin
Band of Outsiders - Jean-Luc Goddard
La Puce - Emmanuelle Bercot

"Katherine's list (Though she claims to know nothing about film):

The Heart of the World - Guy Maddin
Battleship Potemkin - Segei Eisenstein
Spirit of the Beehive - Victor Erice
400 Blows - Francois Truffaut
Sherlock Jr. - Buster Keaton
with honorable mentions to Jamie Babitt, Harmony Korrine, Maysles
Brothers, Greg Araki...oh, and Charlie Chaplin

PS Oh no, Katherine is writhing on the ground wailing, "Oh no...what
about Buffalo 66?!! Should I take off the 400 Blows? No! You can't
make me take off the 400 Blows! FIVE?? AGH!!!""

The other Franco from Halifax's list

2007-07-24T18:39:00.000-05:00

Filmmaker Raphael writes:

"My dearest Coral. Here’s the short list of films and the reasons why they will make you get a separate mailbox... just for party invitations.

Rodrigo D: No Futuro (1990)
Colombian production that dared to show the realities of one of the worst times for young people in Medellin: The aftermath of the drug-laden 80’s. It was shot on location, dodging the same dangers that the story was about. It was my first encounter with underground cinema and since then, I was hooked.

Visions of Light (1992)
Documentary about Directors of Photography and their craft. Features all the hot shots of the early nineties and it was actually quite educational at the time. A bit outdated now and more of a piece of history than actual applicable information... But yet, quite a magnificent look at cinematographic history and semi contemporary basics, nonetheless.

Baraka (1992)
The Koyaanisqatsi of the 90’s and perhaps one of the better pieces of strictly visual narrative I’ve seen. We took many a good trips on this film. I mean, with this film. I mean...

Calle 54 (2000)
A film for Latin Jazz lovers and alternative documentary narrative. It follows quite a delightful structure, in which the story gives way to the full performance of the music... Literally. Watch this film standing up, because you’ll want to move.

The Job (2001)
Probably one of the best examples of the worst filmmaking ever. This film is truly educational and entertaining in that very “I’m glad I wasn’t there” sense. It also features the amazing talents of yours truly, not only as un-credited director’s assistant, but also un-credited drug dealer. I’ll mail you a loonie if you catch my close-up.

Love,
-Raff."

Double votes for top films

2007-07-24T17:49:00.001-05:00

In the running with double votes are Murnau's Sunrise and an circus exploitation movie called Dumbo.

Paul Hall McCaul weighs in with his list

2007-07-24T17:29:00.000-05:00

Mr Hall is my least favorite New Yorker for obvious reasons:

"ok.

one.
police academy 1 to about 5 (6 if you're feeling frisky)
two.
dumbo. (ray makes good sense)
three.
beverly hills cop (bananas are always funny)
four.
fanny & alexander (it's long, therefore smart, and ingrid bergman is hot)
five.
gene wilder and richard pryor (it's like having a beer full of comedy while someone rubs your ass).

g"

Ali is a stand up comedian in Vancouver and this is her list

2007-07-24T16:36:00.001-05:00

Ali who has obviously been spending too much time with Ray, offers this...

"i heard there's this really great trilogy, i think it's called 'star war' or something like that. you might want to check it out.
xo"

Eve the film noir queen's List

2007-07-24T16:33:00.000-05:00

The marvelously talented Eve's recommendations

"ok here are the very best things i have seen since i got here to montreal:

1 sunrise (murnau)
2 night of the hunter (laughton)
3 l'avventura (antonioni)
4 by brakhage (criterion compilation)
5 and the best music video ever: "pass this on" by The Knife (got to watch it on youtube or order it from sweden): click here for youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Y33pYz8Pxo

"i want a list back! you give me a list now! i too am trying to seem smart for school. there are so many smarty pants in film school.

xo
eve"

ps, i watched the knife video and it lives up to the compliment

Park Theatre Video Gin Party's List

2007-07-24T16:30:00.000-05:00

My nemesis/hero Erick's list...

"When is the Gin Party?

1 - Old Boy - Just to see the emerging trend of Korean films, imagery and
its influence on North American fare, as well the fact its being remade,
etc. It will be this years departed.

2 - Tide Land - Terry Gilliam 'nuff said

3 - Host

4 - Darkon

5 - How to eat your watermelon with White People and Enjoy it

My Hilarious Boyfriend's List

2007-07-24T16:28:00.000-05:00

My hilarious boyfriend (who is very supportive of my decision to go to school in another city) writes...

"I recommend "Dumbo"

"It is delectable film that delves into the psyche of a young elephant as he
deals with the confusion of his adolescence and the fact that he is both in
a circus and a talking elephant.
The acting pulls you through an emotional rollercoaster as Dumbo overcomes
all odds in becoming the star of the circus.
Completing this masterpiece, the director’s vision demonstrates the true
spirit of a flying elephant.

"Do not go to film school without this film in your repertoire."

Blacklisted at Movie Village

2007-07-24T14:26:00.000-05:00

Hey Ladies,
I may have to wait on some of those great lists as I have been blacklisted from the only alternative video store in Winnipeg. Sad but true.
C

Stella Z Dynamite's NYC List

2007-07-24T14:18:00.000-05:00

My favorite New Yorker's list...

"Only FIVE! Oh fuck. That's hard. I'm attaching the list I got from
school. I watched almost all of them before school started. (There are
50!) I've been trying to figure out what I think the 5 best are from
this list. And then maybe I can send you my own list.
So here's what I've come up with as the top five highlights of the NYU list...
These are the films that I hadn't seen before that blew my mind and
inspired me. These are the ones I consider "must-see" films for
filmmakers. And I think you'd LOVE them (though you've probably seen
them already)."

Sherlock Jr. (Buster Keaton)
L'Atlante (Jean Vigo)
Spirit of the Beehive (Victor Erice)
The Gleaners and I (Agnes Varda)
In the Mood for Love (Wong Kar Wai)

"Ones that you should see to make you look smart (that I also LOVED and
had a hard time cutting out of the list of five, especially*)"

Last Laugh* (F.W. Murnau) And I've heard that Sunrise (Also by Murnau)
might be the best film ever made, but I've only seen clips.
Battleship Potemkin (Sergei Eisenstein)
Napoleon (Abel Gance)
The Passion of Joan of Arc* (Carl Dreyer)
The Blue Angel* (Joseph von Sternberg)
Nights of Cabriria*** (Fedrico Fellini) I think you'd LOVE this!! Let
me know if you've seen it, or see it!
Ashes and Diamonds (Andre Wayda)
Salesman (Albert and David Maysles)
A Woman Under the Influence (John Cassavettes)

"I hope these would make you seem wicked cool to others. they would to
me because I love them, but then again, you ALREADY seem SUPER WICKED
COOL to me!!"

xoxo
-d

Rachel's Faxed From Halifax List

2007-07-24T14:13:00.000-05:00

The following is Rachel's response to the Five Film Request...

"Whoops, I thought you wanted 10. Oh well. These are a few of my faves,
with Conspirators of Pleasure on there simply as eye-candy and a good laugh."

Smultronstallet (Wild Strawberries) 1957 Ingmar Bergman
The Wicker Man 1973
Emperor of the North Pole 1973
Notorious 1946
Panelkapcsolat (Prefab People) 1982
Hana-bi (Fireworks) 1997
Repulsion 1965 Polanski
The Man With a Movie Camera 1929 Vertov
Conspirators of Pleasure 1996
M 1931 Fritz Lang

Five Films for the Ages

2007-07-24T14:02:00.000-05:00

I have a request for my talented filmmaking pals. I am looking for a list of five marvellous, craft-inspiring films that exemplify/shape/blow-away the art of film. I am also interested in seeming cool at artsy parties by having watched said films.

In the past hour, I have already received four responses. One personal affirmation of my greatness (thank you andrew), one auto-reply from someone on vacation, and two lists that both exceeded my expectations and the five film maximum.

I will be posting any entries that make it my way.

C.

Super 8

2007-06-24T12:20:00.000-05:00

this is a super 8 camera.

super 8 is a small format film preferred by experimental filmmakers for it's ease, flexibility and low cost.

in this blog i plan on discussing the concerns of the modern day small gauge filmmaker.

c.