Sometimes the Scariest Things Come from Within
Among iconic, memorable film moments, a baby alien bursting from John Hurt’s chest is close to the top of the list. And yet, yesterday morning, I hadn’t seen anything before or after that scene. Why would someone do that to such an acclaimed British actor? I would wonder. Did they put it in his food? Does that make him a father? Mazel tov, John Hurt! Last night, I decided the ignorance had to stop. As a film buff, I had to watch this classic sci-fi that has garnered so many fans and remakes.
It’s not that I avoided watching Chinatown, as I have with other ‘Film Buff’ fodder like Lawrence of Arabia or Doctor Zhivago. I just never got around to it, but last week, I finally bit the bullet. I didn’t really know what to expect -- some people had told me it was awesome; others had said it was good, but disturbing. So, I pressed play apprehensively. As it turns out, that was the perfect attitude, as I remained impressed and nervous for the next 130 minutes.
All's fair when love is war.
I have always been a Wes Anderson fan. Ever since I was exposed to his stunning cinematography and beyond-quirky characters in The Royal Tennebaums, I have been on the Wes Anderson bandwagon. However, there have been and still are some notable gaps in my knowledge. Although I have seen and very much enjoyed Moonrise Kingdom, The Darjeerling Limited, and, my personal favorite, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, I have yet to see Bottle Rocket or Steve Zissou.
Watching Dr. Strangelove was a big step for me. Never having seen Lolita or 2001, I am way behind on my Kubrick. Not only that, but I must also confess that this was my very first Peter Sellers film! Never had I experienced his Inspector Clouseau, his 007, his slapstick-y outrageous character creations – until now.
Of course, I have heard nothing but great things about Peter Sellers. My film-buff friends recall The Pink Panther as among their favorite movies and Dr. Strangelove as pure genius.
Blue Valentine may not be a classic like Casablanca or Star Wars, but when it came out three years ago, it set the indie film world a flutter with news of a festival darling that pleased critics and audiences alike. I just wasn’t in any of those audiences, not even when it screened in the 19th Annual Philadelphia Film Festival. Consequently, I have had to hush up whenever people around me discussed the brilliance of the film. For the next three years, I kept meaning to watch it, but was never quite in the mood to be depressed.
[b]Introducing the return of And You Call Yourself a Film Buff…! This series was started a couple of years ago by a former PFS intern in response to repeatedly hearing “You’ve never seen this movie?! And you call yourself a film buff!” In an effort to rectify the situation, we are scouring ‘best movies’ lists everywhere and watching the essentials. If you have also recently seen some previously overlooked must-sees, let us know what you think!
Even before ever seeing the film, if I had been asked what I thought the most beloved movie of all time is, I would have said Casablanca. I may be ignorant for never having seen it, but I bet a lot of people would agree with my answer. Others might argue Citizen Kane. It is considered the greatest movie of all time by the American Film Institute, after all. However, I would argue that Casablanca’s themes of love and letting love go are what make the film timeless.
For being released in 1967, it’s pretty impressive how relevant The Graduate still is in 2011. I graduated in December 2009 with a degree in film and television media studies and soon discovered that my studies in school were very different from the jobs available in the “real world,” whatever that actually means. After nearly two years after graduation, I still have no idea what I really want to do. Fortunately, this is a feeling most recent college grads can relate to, including Dustin Hoffman’s Benjamin Braddock!
By Eileen Sheehan
This week I feel especially accomplished, for I have finally seen the movie that everyone on Earth has seen but me: The Godfather. No, I haven't seen The Godfather Part II yet, but the DVD is sitting right next to me as I type this. I promise that I will watch it as soon as possible. Give me a break.
Anyway, I'll confess I'd been putting off watching The Godfather for a while. Obviously I've been putting it off for 23 years, but more specifically I've been putting it off for the last week or so.
