As a film, Bowling for Columbine is more than a little scattered, hopping between tangentially related ideas without a strong overarching framework, but in doing so it accurately depicts the complex, systemic, intersectional nature of the problems that plague the American way of life. What is clear is that Michael Moore is eminently talented at crafting powerful rhetoric via the documentary medium.
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Jeanne Dielman, 23, Quai du Commerce 1080 Bruxelles 1975
Surprisingly engaging. Minimalism can be hit or miss to me, but Akerman shows just how powerful the less-is-more approach can be. With wide, extended, static shots, the focus is placed on patterns of behaviour. Small character beats are littered throughout Jeanne Dielman that an attentive viewer can pick up on, details that reveal a great deal about the titular Jeanne and her son. Jeanne's routine is also so well established, that when she breaks her pattern in the smallest of…
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Seconds 1966
Dark, haunting, and startlingly modern. Like an extended Twilight Zone episode, with questions that probe deep into the metaphysics of Western society. Where it loses points in its uneven pacing, it makes up for it through stellar presentation, from the innovative angles, to the experimental editing, and the chilling score. Also, maybe my new favourite Saul Bass title sequence.
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Paddington 2014
An infectiously sweet movie, of course, but I think Paddington is also significant as a showcase of truly inventive and thoughtful filmmaking for younger audiences. This is an extremely well shot film, from the camera moves, to the tasteful handheld shots, to the variety of lenses used. Colour, set design, time lapses, jump cuts, visual gags, all tools that are put to great use in an intelligent, but accessible way. A film that inspires awe in me, both as an aspiring filmmaker and child at heart.
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Secrets & Lies 1996
Exceptional performances and directing. Modern TV shows have desensitized viewers to expect an obscene amount of coverage and constant cutting in dialogue, and so it is truly thrilling to see extended scenes with multiple characters moving and interacting in single, unbroken wide shots. Mike Leigh understands that watching human behaviour is just as engaging as any dialogue.
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