An Appreciation
An Appreciation – Rashomon
Rashomon (1950) has left such an indelible cultural impact that its very name has taken a life of its own. The film was made early in the career of director Akira Kurosawa, introducing him and Japanese cinema to the world stage. It has been referenced by generations…
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An Appreciation – Cléo from 5 to 7
Of the French New Wave filmmakers, Agnès Varda stands on a pillar of her own. Although her name may not be the first mentioned – shamefully – along the likes of Jean-Luc Godard or François Truffaut, Varda’s contributions to the movement are just as important, if not more so. Her…
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An Appreciation – Five Easy Pieces
Whenever we talk about Five Easy Pieces (1970), the conversation almost always comes back to the infamous diner scene. Oil rigger Bobby Dupea (Jack Nicholson) tries to get a specific food order, to which the waitress sternly declines. After a heated back and forth, Bobby coolly stands…
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An Appreciation – The Thing
From the late 1970s through the ‘80s, John Carpenter directed a string of good to great films. Working primarily in the action and horror genres, Carpenter exhibited a keen sense for style – generating atmosphere and building tension. This ability was not only due to…
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An Appreciation – Monsoon Wedding
Director Mira Nair has long been fascinated with the contrast between the traditions of the past and the ambitions of modern youth. Characters divided by age and generation either clash or come together with their differing beliefs. Nair was born in India and was educated…
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An Appreciation – 8½
All art – at a certain level – is a reflection of ego. Film might be the most powerful example of this idea. Through image and sound, we see an artist’s thoughts, feelings, fears, desires, and hidden secrets illuminated on the screen. We see the…
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An Appreciation – The Age of Innocence
“The most violent film I ever made” That’s a bold statement coming from Martin Scorsese, given that much of his work involves characters committing extremely violent acts. But in The Age of Innocence (1993), the violence he references is not of a physical nature. You…
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An Appreciation – The Night of the Hunter
When The Night of the Hunter (1955) was first released, it was a financial and critical failure. But like many great films, it endured beyond its initial reception to become an embraced classic. Part of the reason why we remember it over a half century…
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