Top 10 Movies
Wings of desire
My number one is Wings of desire (Der Himmel über Berlin), from Wim Wenders. How the black and white angels hear and feel the city, take their share of the humans burden, and sometimes… fall in love. I can watch it again and again and feel the same thrill.
If you happen to think a remake of this was released, see the original!
Orphée
Orphée is a black and white movie from Jean Cocteau. Telling the story of Orpheus, set in 1950s French Quartier Latin. The late Jean Marais and Maria Casarès play "The Poet" and a beautiful Death leading him through the looking-glass.
It’s hard to choose between Orphée and La Belle et La Bête, another Jean Cocteau movie retelling the Beauty and the Beast story in wonderful settings and magic lighting, created by Henri Alekan (who also lit Wings of desire).
Trust me
My favourite Hal Hartley movie, in which a teenager girl and a young man wrestle with themselves and each other. I like this director’s wit and cynism, and his depiction of the US.
Martin Donovan is also one of my favourite actors, and has often worked with Hartley.
The pillow book
The pillow book is a movie from Peter Greenaway, starring Ewan McGregor, about a Japanese girl who calligraphies on her lovers’ bodies.
I like the story and the inventiveness of the framing and insertions of images, and the fact that Greenaway came back to a territory easier to understand after The tempest and The Baby of Macon (which I hated). I also could have chosen The cook, the thief, his wife and her lover, which I love.
Until the end of the world
Until the end of the world, from Wim Wenders starts with “1999 is the year the indian satellite went crazy…” Now you know who my favourite director is, I guess.
This movie is like two movies linked together, it takes you and doesn’t let you go, the music is perfectly fitting and 1999 is imagined in a very interesting way. I saw it again in 1999 and it’s not outdated.
Torch song trilogy
Torch song trilogy is such a funny and moving movie…
Harvey Fierstein wrote the scenario, and plays the main character, an homosexual whose mother is Jewish and who sings torch songs in a gay club. "Ooooops!"
Blade Runner
Blade Runner is my favourite science-fiction movie. The Philip K. Dick novel is put to the screen with a slightly different scenario. The “Director’s cut” version is the most interesting.
The settings and story are magnificent. Harrisson Ford has his best role as far as I’m concerned, and it leaves you with questions unanswered.
Hana-Bi (Fireworks)
Hana-bi is a movie from Takeshi Kitano, also known as Fireworks. It is a very beautiful and moving film about a cop who does what he can to care for his sick wife.
I’ve seen a few of Kitano’s movies, Sonatine is very interesting too, I’ve also added Zatoichi to my discoveries.
Strange days
Strange days is another movie I love which is set in 1999… It’s directed by Kathryn Bigelow, with a James Cameron scenario.
It depicts a harsh and violent society, but it rings true to me. Ralph Fiennes and Angela Bassett are really good, one weak and drifting, the other strong and focused. The soundtrack is excellent, mixing rock and rap.
The Big Lebowski
The Big Lebowski, from the Coen brothers, is so full of style and laughs I can watch it again and again, or just view one of the best scenes once in a while.
Jeff Bridges gets another excellent part, John Goodman is “enormous”, Steve Buscemi dies again, and… John Turturro IS Jesus (the one “nobody fucks with”).