The Act of Killing
8 1/2
Persona
Breathless
It's rare that I have a week like this one: Three tour de force viewings in a row. I was previously apprehensive about entering into classic cinema, but now I'm on course to to go full criterion. I'm undoubtedly going to watch significantly more of Bergman, Tarkovsky, maybe more Fellaini, and perhaps even Kurosawa. I also hope to continue with von Trier, Vinterberg and more Dogme-type realism.
But my most profound discovery of the week was Godard, specifically the pleasure of the French New Wave style. I expected to respect the film, but I was in no way prepared for the emotional firestorm that it is. My preconceptions about my favorite "type" of film have been shaken. I've never loved something with this level of satire. The archetype of the strictly dark melodramas has been shattered. This moment seems to almost signify a rite of passage for me. I feel like I'm beginning to understand what makes films great.
I'd love to reach this point in books. It'll take some time, but I'd like to begin completing a book every two weeks or so. If I could do this while watching 2-3 movies a week, there could be balance, which is ultimately what I strive for.
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