A young man gets off a boat in a harbor. Moments later, he witnesses a young woman jump off the harbor into the water in obvious despair. They don't meet, but he just watches as someone closer jumps into the water and fishes her out, leaving the young woman crying on the pavement. Thus starts… Continue reading Port of Call
Month: July 2019
The Maze Runner
Oh, the early to mid 2010s, when men were men, women were women, and teenagers were constantly being pitted against an all-oppressive state with absurd contraptions and concepts that fostered some kind of twisted growth. They were more innocent times, really. So, the king of these films (really, the queen) was The Hunger Games a… Continue reading The Maze Runner
Thirst
The early Bergman films are interesting in how they portray an artist evolving with increased experience. They're not always successful artistic endeavors overall, but they show how a studio system can foster and hone talent through experience. Thirst tells the story of a young married couple on their way back from a vacation in Italy.… Continue reading Thirst
Persona
#3 in my Ranking of Bergman's Best Films. Four-fifths of the way into my second viewing of Persona within a week, I placed my hands on my head and exclaimed, "I got it!" Out of all the Ingmar Bergman films I've seen, Persona is easily the most difficult. Others have difficult subject matters or portray… Continue reading Persona
Big Trouble in Little China
Jack Burton has all the makings of a side character. He's showy, loud, inept, and funny. He's the kind of character that relieves tension from moments while the real hero stays steely eyed and focused on the task at hand. But John Carpenter made him the main character of Big Trouble in Little China, and… Continue reading Big Trouble in Little China