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zacharyduresky
Reviews
Les perruches (2013)
A Funny, Enthusiastic and Beautiful Work of Art
I received the rare privilege of meeting the actual filmmaker of this gem. She screened it for my college and I got to see it and ask questions. It was an unforgettable experience. But what really made it worthwhile was getting to see this once in a lifetime film. This film goes through an interesting arc by starting out moody and depressed, then the next 11 minutes are silly, whacky, and screamingly funny. I love films that effectively mix different moods, and make you feel different emotions. It also has a powerful moral at the very end. What really makes it work is that the moral is not shoved in your face. It's very subtle and delivered in such a playful and fun loving way, that you barely notice you were being taught something. Films like this don't come around very often. Not many films I've seen lately have made me laugh so much, or put me in such a good mood. It's a fine, French festival of fun, and I recommend to anyone who can read this to see it as soon as they can.
Carrie (1976)
A Magical Melodrama!
Carrie is a film that makes you feel so many different emotions. Scenes like the infamous "period" scene will make you feel disgusted. The gym detention scene will make you laugh. The dance between Carrie and Tommy will touch you're heart. The climactic scene where Carrie unleashes her powers and kills everyone will have haunt your nightmares. There's drama, romance, suspense, comedy, eroticism and horror, everything you cold possibly want. But at its core, this film is a melodrama.
This is a melodrama about an abused and taunted teenage girl who just wants love and acceptance. Then she discovers she can move things with her mind. At first she does nothing evil with it, and still tries to get accepted, and manages to do so. But then after a cruel prank involving pig blood, she's now out for human blood. Everyone dies, and this evil she finally unleashes leads to her demise, just like any other tragic character.
This is easily my favorite film by director Brian De Palma, and my favorite film based on a Stephen King story. This melodramatic piece of genius never stops satisfying me, and just gets better and better every time I watch it. I highly recommend this to all who are unfortunate enough to have not seen it.
Cat People (1942)
My Favorite Movie!
This film hits me on the most personal level of any film I've ever seen. This tale about a young, beautiful, Serbian immigrant named Irena, who marries a man named Oliver, but can't have sex with him because she believes she'll kill him, is a movie that speaks to me every time I watch it. I see so much of myself in the character of Irena, and I connect so much with her tortured psyche. The way she is afraid of hurting those she cares about, the way no one can understand her, and the way she's her own other worldly being are aspects that I can identify with, and make me look at Irena as a kindred spirit for me. But aside from relating to the lead character, I also adore Jacque Tourneur's artistic direction, the story, the lighting, the music, the dialogue, and the overall poetic, and darkly romantic feel to this movie. This film is a true work of art, I've watched it millions of times, and I'm still not done with it. Val Lewton, I love you!