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La Dolce Vita (1960)

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  Federico Fellini's "La Dolce Vita" The famed Italian poet and director Pier Paolo Pasolini once said that Federico Fellini's 1960 masterpiece " La Dolce Vita " was too important to be discussed in the usual way one discusses a film. I absolutely agree. " La Dolce Vita " is not only a monolith in cinematic history - it set a new precedent for how films could be constructed. Its DNA lies in the very components of modern cinematic convention. The themes and narrative beats remain as relevant today as they were in 1960, lending the film a remarkable sense of timelessness. To call " La Dolce Vita " a masterpiece almost feels like an understatement.  The film departs from traditional narrative structure, unfolding instead through a series of interconnected episodes. Marcello Mastroianni stars as Marcello Rubini, a tabloid journalist who aspires to write literature. Navigating the glamorous yet hollow world of Rome's café society, he spend...
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Oliver Twist (1948)

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  David Lean's "Oliver Twist" After the success of David Lean's 1946 adaption of Charles Dickens classic 1861 novel " Great Expectations ," Lean decided once again to adapt a classic work by Dickens. This time, his focus was on the 1837 novel, " Oliver Twist ." His 1948 adaptation once again proved that Lean was able to take Dicken's classic work and visualize it for the big screen.  Centering on a young orphan boy in 19th century England, " Oliver Twist " details the boy's plight as he is hired out as an apprentice after asking a cruel taskmaster for a second serving of gruel. Falling in with a street urchin and a criminal, the boy's fate between wealth and poverty hangs in the balance when his kindly benefactor decides to take him in. From all of the Charles Dickens adaptations I have seen, I have come to the conclusion that I am not a fan of Dicken's work. I know, blasphemous. From " Great Expectations " to ...
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Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto (1954)

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  Hiroshi Inagaki's "Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto" Hiroshi Inagaki's 1954 film " Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto " is the first of a three film trilogy centering on the iconic 17th century samurai Musashi Miyamoto. Although Inagaki takes liberties with the true events of Musashi, the film brings to life the conditions for which the legendary samurai would rise to fame. It was one of the few films to be released in Japan to feature color. It was only the second Toho film production in color and the first in the Eastman Color process.  In this first episodic film, Takezo - who would eventually become the titular samurai - joins the battle of Sekigahara in the year 1600. Rather than achieving a grand victory and glory, Takezo finds himself on the losing side. He is eventually hunted down as a fugitive. The remainder of the film details the attempts to capture him, until he ultimately is by a patient and headstrong monk. By the end of the film, Takezo has spent years...
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