-
WOMAN IN THE DUNES (1964)
WOMAN IN THE DUNES (1964) Time Out – 100 to watch IMDB’s rate: 8.5 by 13,000 voters which puts it in the Top 50 films (but which is not reflected in the Top 250 List) A Few Observations by Philip Powers, 8 March 2018 Story: A man is forced to share his existence with a woman who…
-
BLADE RUNNER (1982)
IT’S NOT GENOCIDE – IT’S RETIREMENT A Few Observations by Philip Powers, 17 November 2017 Introduction #69/100 2012 Sight & Sound Critics List #67/100 2012 Sight & Sound Directors List The film is based on a Philip K. Dick story called Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? It has a deeper philosophical and theological significance…
-
JEAN RENOIR’S CAMERA
An Observation by Philip Powers Jean Renoir sees film as just one thing: a film. Not in its components. Of course, it has the components, but it all works together to create a finished film just as words work together to make a complete sentence. If you can’t find the right word in a sentence…
-
WHEN WATCHNIG MOVIE5 BECOMES A DISORD3R
A Few Observations by Philip Powers A New Disorder – OCFD When film watching becomes a disorder or neurosis – obsessive compulsive film disorder. Unexpected Consequences In fifty days, I’ve seen, on the 100 Best Films list as polled by critics/academics and historians and directors, only 8 of the 100 greatest films ever [100 Greatest Films Ever {Philip…
-
TAXI DRIVER (1976)
A Few Observations by Philip Powers Background A lot has been read into Paul Schrader’s creation, Travis Bickle. The words psychotic and psychopath are used in reviews to explain his psyche and the behaviour that follows. I don’t believe, though, he is psychotic when the film starts. I think the film shows Bickle is in…
-
MOTHER!
A Few Observations by Philip Powers Introduction: The Entire Bible – Genesis to Revelation – in 121 minutes Introduction Space. The final frontier. These are the voyages of the film director Darren Aronofsky, in his ongoing mission, to seek out new life and boldly go where no one has gone before. Having paraphrased a famous…
-
KINGSMAN: ONE AND TWO
The first film was a hoot. This one was more of a shoot. As long as you’re fine with the fact that violence is a big fat joke, and Colin Firth’s recovery from violence isn’t a big fat joke, you won’t be offended by installment one or two. The first was understated – to a…
-
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY – THE VISION
A Few Observations by Philip Powers 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) I watched the film. I thought about it for two weeks and then I started writing. Today was just a day of writing and writing. 7 hours straight, just writing, followed by another day of writing more, followed by another day – another 8…
-
![AU HASARD BALTHAZAR [1966]](https://philippowers.com.au/wp-content/uploads/balthazar.png)
AU HASARD BALTHAZAR [1966]
AU HASARD BALTHAZAR [1966] General Regard – 2012 Academics: #16 Ever – All-Films 2012 Directors: #21 Ever – All-Films 2002 Academics: #19 Ever – All-Films 2002 Directors: Doesn’t feature – All-Films EMPIRE MAGAZINE World 100: Doesn’t feature in Best Foreign Language Film Features on Top 10 Film Lists Andrey Konchalovsky (Runaway Train, Romance for Lovers,…
-
IL CONFORMISTA 1970
BERTOLUCCI’S NON-CONFORMIST FILMMAKING A Few Observations by Philip Powers General Regard – 2012 Academics: #102 Ever – All-Films 2012 Directors: #59 Ever – All-Films 2002 Academics: Top 100 Ever – All-Films 2002 Directors: #42 Ever – All-Films EMPIRE MAGAZINE World 100: #85 in Best Foreign Language Film Features on Top 10 Film Lists P.J. Hogan (My Best Friend’s Wedding) Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull,…
-
L’ATALANTE 1934
IT’S A BARGE A Few Observations by Philip Powers General Regard – 2012 Academics: #12 Ever – All-Films 2012 Directors: #22 Ever – All-Films 2002 Academics: #16 Ever – All-Films 1992 Academics: #6 Ever – All-Films 1962 Academics: #10 Ever – All-Films 1958 Cahiers du cinema: Top Ten – All-Films Background – Largely forgotten until restored As is my custom, I didn’t read anything about this…
-
THE DEMISE OF FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA’S ZOETROPE STUDIOS
A few observations by Philip Powers Coppola the studio chief, the auteur and the collaborationist After reading – in July and August 2017 – many books quoting interviews, and newspaper articles, I came to have some quite strong opinions on Francis Ford Coppola. Opinions of him as a writer, a director, a visionary, a man,…
-
WINTER LIGHT (1963)
A Few Observations by Philip Powers Background Winter Light (1963) is the second film in Ingmar Bergman’s three consecutive films which became known as the ‘Faith trilogy’; or the “Silence of God” trilogy. Even though Hopscotch (and Criterion) released the three films on DVD in packaging called Essential Bergman The Faith Trilogy, I have read…
-
INSIDE ‘THE OUTSIDERS’
Inside ‘The Outsiders’ -S.E. Hinton and Francis Ford Coppola – The Miracle of Creation Another few observations by Philip Powers In Hollywood, The Insiders have the clout and The Outsiders are the filmmakers. The Outsiders are hired and fired by The Insiders who have both the money and power. Far more scripts are written than made. Several…
-
THE GODFATHER (1972)
Does The Godfather Live Up to it’s Reputation? I watched The Godfather one night, then my wife went to bed and I picked up my remote control, pressed ENTER, and watched it again, all 2 hours and 55 minutes. Like with The General and Fanny and Alexander, and Cries and Whispers, I didn’t completely get…
-
VERTIGO 1958
A PATCH OF RED A Few Observations by Philip Powers General Regard – 2012 Critics/Academics: #1 Ever – All-Films 2012 Directors: #6 Ever – All-Films 2002 Critics/Academics: #2 Ever – All-Films 2002 Directors: #6 Ever – All-Films 1992 Academics: #4 Ever – All-Films 1992 Directors: #6 Ever – All-Films 1972 Academics: #12 Ever – All-Films…