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  • With the wealth of member's knowledge on the Personal-View forum it might be a nice idea for people to share some knowledge on films, shows, directors, cinematographers, editors, documentaries and content that they have learned from. There are huge opportunities to develop bigger brains and skills by watching content provided by Netflicks, Lovefilm, Mubi and similar providers, but a big hurdle, particulally for beginners in movie making is to find good recommendations.

    Your recommendation might just be for a great film that you think others would appreciate in which case a short description of the film followed by a subjective score would be helpful to others (eg. enjoyment 8.5/10)

    You may feel that the film helped you in specific ways, or you feel compelled to break down your own opinion into other categories that you feel are significant (eg. cinematography/editing/story/innovation/technical expertise/humor/ use of CGI/etc...)

    Whilst developing a list of helpful resources for all members to use for their own benefits, there are obviously going to be differences of opinion expressed. Rather than trying to undermine somebody elses subjective score on a particular resource it would benifit everyone if you just add your own opinion next to your own entry, this will allow others to develop an understanding of everyone's "Personal-View". Leading to opinions that we will value based on who's subjective opinion we value, rather than the thread ending up as a flame war on this very subjective subject.

    Thank you :)

  • 92 Replies sorted by
  • Thought I'd add something to get the ball rolling :)

    Wild Blue Yonder (2005)

    Directed by Werner Herzog. A documentary styled science fantasy. The world is dying, a project to find another habitable planet is narrated by a creature not of this Earth, using found footage from science documentary programs of the Antarctic Ocean alongside a haunting soundtrack and original NASA footage Herzog creates a bizarre visual plea for planet Earth. I enjoyed this very much, I have a penchant for science documentary work, and the way the footage is woven into the fictional tale is refreshing to watch, can be a bit slow moving at times, but ultimately I found it very satisfying.

    Innovative Story 9/10 Humour 7.5/10 Editing 8/10 Enjoyment 9/10

  • Tokyo –Ga (1985)

    Director – Wim Wenders. Documentary following Wim Wenders as he travels to Japan in search of the country seen in the films of Yasujiro Ozu. It is apparent that this is Wenders first visit to Japan, and although some of his thoughts are insightful an equal amount of his discussion is obvious. A couple of interesting interviews with one of Ozu’s primary actors Chishu Ryu and cameraman Yuharu Atsuta give some interesting insights to Ozu’s film making. Essentially Wenders search for the Japan of Ozu’s films struggles to see past the Americanisation of the post war era, there is some beautiful night footage of the city, and some delightful observations on documenting footage in the modern age (of the 80’s). I found the documentary interesting, although Chris Markers “Sans Soleil” (1982) might be a better introduction to Japan, the interviews give some good insights to Yasujiro Ozu’s camera placement and directing style.

    Directing style 7/10 Enjoyment 6/10

  • Such a lovely idea, swallowed by oblivion @matthere =)
    +1 for The Wild Blue Yonder, big Herzog fan (mostly his first epoque: Fata Morgana, EDSS, Aguirre, Kaspar Hauser, Stroszeck, Nosferatu and Fitzcarraldo, all docs before them)
     
     
    Gett by Ronit Elkabetz (2014) Israel // for LARGE grabs here's a PV link //
    Not much to say, deux bonnes heures, bonheur pour les yeux :P

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    tiny changes made time sculptures, beauty
     
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  •  
    Advantegeous by Jennifer Phang (2015) USA // for LARGE grabs here's a link //
    Great flick - as previous - also done by a woman director. Sci-fi at its best... an underrated gem =)
     
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    what makes a mother?
     
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  • Thanks @maxr I will look out for your recommendations :)

    Black Sun (2005) Documentary by Gary Tarn USA (Alfonso Cuarón - executive producer).
    An unconventional visual exploration of artist Hugues de Montalembert. The film opens on a brutal attack in 1978 in which the artist looses his sight. The film looks at how the artist coped with this imposed disability, combining audio interview with experimental images to explore the way the world is perceived and how images are made both in the camera and in our heads.

    Visual experimentation 8/10, Emotive engagement 9/10

    BlackSun_poster.png
    300 x 433 - 199K
  • @matthere put Black Sun in watchlist, thanks buddIO =)

     
    Fiting article, with videos What It Takes to Be a Great Director on PB

     
    2 good jail flicks (where not only main character shines) with 2 Mr. musicians

    • Robert M. Young's Short Eyes from 1977 with Curtis Mayfield - popcorn has it image
     
    • John Hillcoat's first feature Ghosts... of the Civil Dead with Nick Cave - probably one of the best films treating the subject of... confinement and its institutions
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    Steve Buscemi's Animal Factory also has nice OST by the great John Lurie, but he's not acting in it :-(
    He's doubling with Tom Waits in Jarmush's Dawn by Law though, but IMO we cannot consider this pearl a film about prison

    Other recent (last decade) very good ones but without musicians, (orderd by my personal taste) :P A prophet, Hunger, Dog Pound, Bronson, Starred Up and Cell 2011 (we always need a spaniard) and as I think it I'll say it: Shashank is one of the most overated films of all time. Wrapping up with my 5 list (might have forgotten some):

    Un Condamné à Mort S'est Échappé ou Le Vent Souffle Où Il Veut - on the individual's will power
    Ghosts... of the Civil Dead - on the institution, madness
    Un Prophet - how do you "make" a prophet? Prison!!!
    Papillon - on friendship // Carandiru - SA
    Cool Hand Luke - on spirit // Runaway Train (this last one would need long explaining; prison goes on outside)

  • personally ...I think you can skip everyone before eisenstein...then M and citizen kane...then early kurosawa, bergman, satyajit ray ...then italian neo realism of fellini, de sica, rosselini, antonioni , and last ...french new wave

    my current modern cinema best list - cassavettes- chinese bookie and a woman under the influence/ wenders - an american friend and paris texas / herzog- kaspar hauser ( which originally was title every man for himself and god against all) and Aguirre/ kubrick - the shining and barry lyndon/ fellini- amarcord and city of women / roeg - performance, don't look now/ greenaway - a zed and two noughts and belly of an architect/

    ...and if I kept going , the list would have about 800 films , more or less ....coppola, gilliam, altman, cronenberg, jodorowsky, bunuel., jarman ...the list is almost endless

    I first studied film history in the 70's. That's when I saw all of bergman's films. I was blown away . I also was blown away by early video. peter campus up to bill viola, as well as experimental cinema esp cocteau, maya deren , brakhage, kenneth anger up to the quay bros.

    definitely read youngbloods expanded cinema as well as eisenstein's film form and film sense.

    ps@maxr......runaway train was adapted from kurosawa scipt

    pss. I love lists like this because I always find something I haven't seen !

  • @kurth
    Cannot believe you jumped over either Bresson, Ozu, Pasolinni or/and Tarkovsky :P
    There's so much I don't know that I should be ashamed... well with time. Despite that I mirror myself in much of your comment.
    Bill Viola works (earlier ones) is something every soul making video should see, i.e. The passing and I do not know what it is I look like... big influenciators. Some of his image installations are also breathtaking. Zen to it.

    As a side note I really don't know if Runaway Train is a great flick or not... we go a long way so I lost perspective... or should I said gained a subjective relationship instead? Anyway just a personal jail flick list.

    I believe - and have big chance of being wrong - that if thread is to be saved from ego-shoping-list and end with mine is bigger BS, it is better to focus on less is more; guess I might sound hypocritical, I made mine and now I'm saying it's wrong (WTF SOB?!!)... but that list works in the context of my 2 proposals.

    personally ...I think you can skip everyone before eisenstein...

    Amongst the candy-mud there is pretty good cinema being done today.
    What can we learn/extract/permeate/surprise ourselves with?

     
    I'll give U an example. I was absolutely taken away by Glass Chin. I didn't expect much and surely the film has holes and strange decisions, but the dialogs, the boxer relationship with the buddhist girl, acting and particularities of each character, some scenes and general concept behind first action layer were so refreshing... inspirational. The shower scene and the dialog in bed (in despite of all that's going on) are very touching without being cliché, reasuring, mature. That is a presence of mind that I greatly appreciate in a work, being a masterpiece or not ,-)

     
    PS
    Didn't know Kuro wrote original script, that makes it even cooler, thanks bro =) image

  • ...well, I said the list was infinite. Tarkovsky imho....is kinda of like philip k dick....incredible concepts....lacking in equally perfect execution. My favorite film of his ...andrei rublev.

    Yes ...viola's the passing is one of my all time favorites. Got it on laserdisk !

    @maxr....what's your ozu,bresson picks ? ....Pasolini ...well, I didn't mention fassbinder either !

    ps....adapted from a kurosawa script

  • @kurth How you dare infidel?!!! {monkey threatening with plastic wrench} Chaos/destruction is perfection too :P
    Ozu... I need to see more, despite I have almost all his films... it is so damn good that takes very long for me to digest/process them (there's also a time for ceratin stuff, if I had watched Tôkyô Monogatari before the death of my father... I wouldn't have grasp half of it, strong grounded soul-materia Ozu produced) and as if that wasn't enough I promised myself that some flicks I would first watch projected onto a big canvas, in a room full of people... well, some people at least ,-) Bresson is all good, B&W and his 1.66 Eastmancolors too, he really is and as he didn't make so many. Just to pick one... Une femme douce... As a footnote, some years ago I had flu and don't know why went on and edited all UFD's dialogs out, you would not believe how much meaning those few words have and yet how crazy (good) looked the film without them, have to upload that shit one of these dias.

    Now, you tell one flick (extra points if from last decade) you liked it and want to share with us, yes?

     
    PS
    That's what I said, Kurosawa built the train with his bare hands :P

  • well....current picks....I liked winter sleep, under the skin, dance of reality....tetro....and julia with tilda swinton

    I just got a pigeon sitting on a branch and watched the first few minutes and it blew me away !

    ps....if I see one film a year.....

    oh yeah...borgman, aswell

  • +1 for N.B. Ceylan
    A pigeon sitting on a branch...?, some people are lucky +)

    PS
    C'won you could at least see one each season, to honor Ozu
    Ok @kurth , here's one picked just 4 U, think you may appreciate the humorous irony: Force Majeure

  • @maxr, aqui lo tienes, lo vi y esta de puta madre, mejor sesión a la tarde http://cinecartaz.publico.pt/Filme/348870_um-pombo-pousou-num-ramo-a-reflectir-na-existencia

  • @eyefi Ese aifi, no fit, comoê to chulo, que paza tío?!!! Ahí no más papito, mírome tu recomendasión personalisada y me busco otra servesita que esta ya se me vaca bar, gra A sias ,-)

  • just to had to the list, the house from Sharunas Bartas, Le bassin de J.W. from João César Monteiro.

  • Acá madrid 40 grados, no birra, destilando sudor. all of Víctor Erice.

  • @kurth +1 borgman -)

    @eyefi good ones, but you're bad man or going crazy, deepfrying like that in madrid conneXion and NO BIRRRRAAA??!!!! Max Ophuls and Visconti gay marriage, Rocco di Ronde and Il GatoMontès are borned. Sol used to be populated with chinese puestecitos selling beer and sometimes baby sandwitchesenses made out of gomaespuma and good will :P

  • Far from sol, pozuelo nightmare, Grey Gardens for the greasy summer

  • Permanent vacation-Jarmusch; La belle noiseuse-Rivette; Spring Breakers-Korine; New York, N.Y.-Raymond Depardon.

  • Uff, the suburb drama. I wish you the best mon ami and as hard as it is for me to say, you gotta jump to the Ninth Configuration ASAP

  • That's what happens when you've get Out of Paradise instead... for leaving the Quiet Earth one needs Mike Leigh and steel balls, some Woody Allen, some big tittttttties and Andrey Zvyagintsev's little boat full of Pythoms

  • @maxr....saw tokyo story but i'll have to give it another shot....saw force as well - how'bout....the white dawn p kaufman ....kusturica underground ..... m leigh's naked ....alain tanner Les années lumière

  • Lord of the Rings sagas.

    Visually great. I kinda thought that 60fps thing was just for publicity. Maybe somebody can explain why that was necessary, or at least what it was trying to achieve. If something beyond that, I mean hearing about it made me think about framerates (as, yes I am an amateur filmmaker-sort-a-wanna-be).

    I saw the green screen-making-ofs somebody posted on this forum. Really well-done results; use of depth of field makes it look really convincing.

    Two Towers pacing really dragged at the end. Kinda sabotaged the climactic battle at Helm's Deep.

    Full disclosure: I didn't see the last 2 Hobbit movies. 1st one only.

    I heard about the changed ending. I read the Hobbit book so long ago: I only realized the significance of it recently. It's relation to technological convergence is especially significant now with all these dang smart phones and potential self-learning AI.

    Not that I dig the aquarian hippie movement.

    Side-note: don't know if anyone saw this on youtube:

  • Forty-three Werner Herzog films ( watch online )

    a list of forty-three movies, TV episodes, and short subjects by Werner Herzog, all of which can be streamed.

    http://www.metafilter.com/138832/Forty-three-Werner-Herzog-films-that-can-be-streamed