Film Persona

  Roman Polanski's "Cul-de-sac" I have to admit: the first half of Roman Polanski's 1966 film " Cul-de-sac " left me worried that I was watching something that lacked any aim or purpose. While that still may be true, the second half of the film (although not so dramatically different than the first) left me enjoyingly confounded. Wow, what a bizarre film.  The film centers on an American gangster named Dickey who takes up an impromptu temporary residence at the castle of wealthy Englishman, George, and his French wife, Teresa, after a botched bank robbery. Dickey is gruff and aggressive, bullying the cowardly George. When friends come to visit George, the group must not reveal the true state of their situation. I don't even know where to start with this film. Me describing the loose plot doesn't accurately portray the absurdity of both the situation and the tone that Polanski instills. It makes me recall Polanski's debut, 1962's " Knife ...

  Yasujiro Ozu's "Late Autumn" It's safe to say that Yasujiro Ozu is one of the finest artists to ever make films. Because for a film like " Late Autumn " to be as good as it is and not getting near the greatness of his other works is really saying something about Ozu's mastery. While Ozu often makes films of a similar ilk, style, and cadence, there is always such new life in each one. " Late Autumn " is no different. The film centers on three older men trying to help the widow of their late friend by marrying off her daughter. While the daughter is adamant that she does not want to marry, the friends believe that marrying off her mother will make the daughter feel better about leaving her. However, the situation gets complicated, as the mother and daughter begin to form a misunderstanding. One of the things that really stands out in the film are the discussions of love and marriage - and how those two things are not mutually exclusive. Typical...

  Gillo Pontecorvo's "Kapo" I think Gillo Pontecorvo's 1960 film " Kapo " is one of the very first films to really demonstrate the horrific specificities of the Holocaust and concentration camps in implicit detail. Obviously, films on the Holocaust were aplenty from 1945 to 1960. However, there is a level of detail and intimacy that is brought forth in " Kapo " that illustrates the true horror of what some of the civilian prisoners had to endure.  The film centers on a 14-year-old French Jew who is separated from her parents and taken to a concentration camp. There, beyond the unimaginable cruelty she endures (along with having to witness it), she does everything possible to survive. Adopting the alias Nicole, she sells her body to Nazi soldiers and, after years, becomes a Kapo - someone who is put in charge of the prisoners. She hardens and thereby alienates herself from the other women. One day, she is tasked with choosing between risking herself...

  Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather" There's nothing that I could ever write that would contribute in any way to the infinitely abundant commentary that Francis Ford Coppola's " The Godfather " has already collected. It's one of the most lauded and spoken about films in all of film history. It has been analyzed and over-analyzed throughout the last five decades. So, I will simply illustrate my relationship with the film and how it has grown and evolved over the last (almost) two decades of watching it.  At what point does one suddenly become interested in 'film' as a concept? Certainly, I was enthralled with cinema since childhood. I loved films like " Star Wars " and " The Wizard of Oz " because they grabbed my attention and never let go. However, as a teenager, there was a moment in which I felt the pull towards, not just a specific film that excited me, but the concept of cinema. That moment was when I saw the eyes ...

  William Friedkin's "The French Connection" Going into " The French Connection ," I wasn't sure what 'kind' of film to expect. Obviously, it's a police thriller of sorts. But, because of how lauded it is, how critically praised it was at the time of its release, and the number of Academy Awards it won (5), I was curious as to how people were so affected. After watching the film, I came to my own conclusion. " The French Connection " is a good film, not a great one. To me, William Friedkin's 1971 crime drama contains some of the most stereotypical 'police' stories one would expect from the genre's format. Its story, its pacing, and its basic scenario of 'finding a global drug kingpin' all make it something not so different from a TV cop show. That being said, fitted within this standard framework lies Friedkin's kinetic energy, his stylized execution, and his ability to pull the viewer into 'the chase....

  Francois Truffaut's "Love on the Run" Francois Truffaut's 1979 film " Love on the Run " is the third and final installment in a series that focuses on his iconic fictional character, Antoine Doniel. Many were wondering if Truffaut would continue with his character for decades to come (had Truffaut not tragically passed away 5 years later). However, Truffaut felt he could not properly evolve the character on his own. He felt like a parent watching over their child. To Truffaut, the child could not properly grow up with his continued influence. In " Love on the Run ," Antoine is now 30 and getting a divorce from Christine. While they are both sharing in parenting responsibilities, Antoine is dating a woman named Sabine. Collette, a former girlfriend of Antoine, sees Antoine at the courthouse and decides to pick up his autobiographical novel at a bookstore owned by a love interest. After reading some less-than-factual things about her, she tells Ant...