Love doesn’t bloom the way you’d expect it to via a Nicholas Sparks novel, however I don’t think the masses have fully realized that yet. In response to a semi-recent deluge of Sparks-inspired sap, I’ve decided to propose my undying love for witnessing the crumbling of couples’ relationships in film, more specifically within the realm of the overblown or melodramatic (to varying degrees). Some of the titles in this list are agreeably superior to others, but I’ve ordered them based on how authentic the narrative is from an emotionally resonant standpoint in addition to the quality of the film as a whole. It wasn’t easy to narrow the list down to ten, so consider these very personal favorites of the highest regard. Hopefully this isn’t too much of a downer, but be wary as THERE ARE MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD! [Read more...]
Reel Time Film Journal: April 2012
It’s that time again; time for us here at Reel Time to concoct a list of our favorite first-time viewings from the month of April in an attempt to broaden our tastes as well as yours. As always, feel free to comment or ask a question or two pertaining to any and all titles listed, and above all, enjoy!
Ty Landis
5. Polisse (Maïwenn, 2011)
4. Trust (Hal Hartley, 1990)
3. Outside Satan (Bruno Dumont, 2011)
2. Hadewijch (Bruno Dumont, 2009)
1. Femme Fatale (Brian De Palma, 2002)
Depending on how you look at it, De Palma’s Femme Fatale can play as either the guiltiest of cinematic pleasures or a highly inventive throwback to film noir and the likes of Hitchcock. Either way, De Palma’s highly underrated crime picture is endlessly rich and playful in the way that it never fails to intrigue. It’s a parallel universe thriller that focuses it lens on glimpses of cinematic truth juxtaposed with an alluring and sexy narrative. The film is also one giant culmination for De Palma and his aesthetic, as each of his directorial flourishes are furiously exercised. Sexy, ludicrous, and ultimately brilliant, Femme Fatale is a prime example of a director on the top of his game. [Read more...]
Reel Time Film Journal: March 2012
It’s that time again; time for us here at Reel Time to concoct a list of our favorite first-time viewings from the month of March in an attempt to broaden our tastes as well as yours. As always, feel free to comment or ask a question or two pertaining to any and all titles listed, and above all, enjoy!
Ty Landis
5. Alien (Ridley Scott, 1979)
4. Alps (Giorgos Lanthimos, 2011)
3. Climates (Nuri Bilge Ceylan, 2006)
2. Oslo, August 31st (Joachim Trier, 2011)
1. Japón (Carlos Reygadas, 2002)
Carlos Reygadas’ Japón casts a meditative and sensual spell from the onset. It’s a film that revels in long takes and ruggedly arresting visuals. Reygadas is a man who takes time telling his stories, as the pacing of Japón is no picnic; but if you’re not in a hurry, it can quietly leave a lasting impression on you. The film’s ruminations on life and death are endlessly palpable as the film follows its unnamed lead and his quest for serenity. If one didn’t know any better, they’d think this was Reygadas deep into his career. Quite the contrary, Japón would be his debut film, an obscure work that would put Reygadas on the map as one of the most interesting filmmakers working today. He would follow Japón with Battle in Heaven and Silent Light, both excellent in their own right, but Japón would be the one to appropriately set the table. [Read more...]
Top 10: Technical Achievements in Tim Burton’s Filmography
This week, after months of anticipation, the trailer for Tim Burton’s upcoming Dark Shadows was revealed, so I felt a list in his honor was more than appropriate. I initially tossed around the idea of compiling a list of the best performances by the actors in his films, but when I realized that Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter would take about 8 of the spots, I decided against it. Since people always talk about how he’s all style and no substance, it seemed appropriate to list his top 10 more recognizable technical achievements as a director. It was hard to narrow it down, because I didn’t want everything to be either a set design or something contributed by Danny Elfman (who still ended up filling three spots on the list). In the end, I think I was pleased with what I came up with, and I have no regrets in leaving some great things off. [Read more...]
Reel Time Film Journal: February 2012
It’s that time again; time for us here at Reel Time to concoct a list of our favorite first-time viewings from the month of February in an attempt to broaden our tastes as well as yours. As always, feel free to comment or ask a question or two pertaining to any and all titles listed, and above all, enjoy!
Ty Landis
5. Tiny Furniture (Lena Dunham, 2010)
4. Le Havre (Aki Kaurismaki, 2011)
3. Gummo (Harmony Korine, 1997)
2. Wuthering Heights (Andrea Arnold, 2011)
1. Goodbye, Dragon Inn (Tsai Ming-liang, 2003)
There’s a certain aura to the film, an elusive, solitary display of alienation mixed with humor. The use of static shots is primarily dominant throughout, capturing the almost otherworldly slowness to this certain night. The camera also serves as spectator, as we look in on the most rudimentary actions of theater employees and audience members alike. As the night goes on, a feeling of loss begins to intrude upon the film’s physical setting. Tsai Ming-liang is commenting on the death of cinema, in its purest, most skeletal state. Whether or not this notion is true, the director has made a memorable ode to subjective truths and the trance-like quality of intimacy in the dark, one that will no doubt have a lingering affect as time goes on. [Full Review] [Read more...]
Top 10: Television Opening Credit Sequences
Less prevalent than they once were thanks to a variety of reasons, except for on cable where they are as strong as ever, the great television opening credit sequence holds a fabled history. Not only about merely introducing a potentially iconic theme song, in one minute or less an opening credit sequence has the ability to set the tone of the series, introduce the cast, and leave you humming as the episode begins. Each year the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (Emmy Awards) selects a trophy in this field, but the presentation never airs as part of the regular broadcast. The following ten selections represent the best that I feel television series have had to offer in this particular and under-appreciated art form: [Read more...]
Top 10: John Williams Soundtrack Themes
This year Williams reached two milestones: becoming the person with the second-highest number of Oscar nominations (only behind Walt Disney), and most importantly, he reached his 80th birthday. With that in mind, I thought it would be appropriate to dedicate one of our Top 10 lists to him by listing the top 10 themes he’s composed since they always tend to take on a life of their own and can sometimes outdo the films he’s written them for (such as The Phantom Menace). So, here I present my picks for the top 10 John Williams music themes. [Read more...]
Top 10: Woody Allen Films
The New York born and raised Woody Allen (1935 – ) is an unlikely legend in the film history world and a hero to many neurotics, comedians and writers across the globe (myself included). He broke into show-business in his late teens writing comedy for entertainers and talk shows, before making the jump into stand-up in his mid 20s. Only a few hours of recordings exist of his stand-up performances throughout the 1960s, but the combination of his nonsensical and absurd storytelling with his self-deprecating presence has cemented his status as one of the most influential stand-up comedians.
After his success in television and stand-up and a short stint as a playwright, Allen directed his attention to film in 1965 with What’s New, Pussycat?, which he wrote and acted in. The production saw many conflicts arise between its stars, and taught Allen early on the importance of maintaining creative control over his work. To better preserve the quality of treatment of his scripts, he made the full-transition from writer to writer-director in 1969 and has been releasing an average of one film per year ever since. 42 feature-length films later, Woody Allen is one of the most respected filmmakers of all time, and arguably the most legendary of directors still active today. His 43rd film, Nero Fiddled, is expected to be released later this year.
Constructing a Top 10 of Allen’s feature films seems almost sacrilegious, when one could easily have completed a Top 20 or 25 of his wonderful movies. [Read more...]
Reel Time Film Journal: January 2012
Well folks, it’s one-twelfth of the way through 2012 and we here at Reel Time have decided to chronicle our monthly viewing habits in an earnest attempt to spread the word about above average cinema both past and present. Each contributor has been kind enough to provide their top five films of the past month along with a brief blurb about the one they loved the most and why. We hope to continue this in the coming months, so keep an eye out for the latest updates!
Ty Landis (Founder/Editor-In-Chief)
5. Attenberg (Athina Rachel Tsangari, 2010)
4. Haywire (Steven Soderbergh, 2011)
3. The Adventures of Tintin (Steven Spielberg, 2011)
2. Tuesday, After Christmas (Radu Muntean, 2010)
1. Once Upon a Time in Anatolia (Nuri Bilge Ceylan, 2011)
Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s Turkish existential play starts as a police procedural, but morphs slowly into much more as the film and its pieces slowly come out of the shadows. Shot masterfully, Once Upon a Time in Anatolia bestows upon its viewer a well earned mythology that defines a country. It’s a dense and methodical journey into what makes us human. For those willing to succumb to all of the subtle hints and gestures, Anatolia is as rewarding as it is ambiguous. [Read more...]
Top 10: Marvel Films
May 4th, 2012. We are less than four months away until the biggest-superhero-movie-that-has-ever-existed hits cinemas. It was a big risk, but Marvel stepped up. The Avengers will bring together the heroes seen in Iron Man 1 & 2, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, and Captain America. Considering the large box office numbers brought in by all these other movies, it looks like The Avengers will be a sure fire hit. With Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, Serenity, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along-Blog, Dollhouse) as writer-director, many people are anticipating what has the potential to be one of the most entertaining movies of the summer 2012 season.
Marvel’s name on a movie has never been a mark of guaranteed quality, but considering the speed at which they release films (it’s averaging two-or-three a year since the early 2000s), it’s not a surprise that quite a few of these have turned out to be enjoyable. Not all 10 of the following movies are necessarily great – or even good – but it is this writer’s opinion that in the case of #10, #9 and #8, the good qualities do outweigh the bad. [Read more...]