Stroszek is arguably the finest portrait of America ever captured by a foreign director. While Wenders’ American Friend is certainly a top-tier depiction of the States, I still find myself gravitating toward Herzog; he remains my personal favorite among that circle of filmmakers once labeled the New German Cinema.
I was thinking more in terms of how the film focuses on the downtrodden, much like *Matewan*. De Palma’s work feels more like a modernist mason's manifesto—bordering on a meta-cinematic prank in many respects.
Michael Cimin's "Heaven's Gate" is likely the most significant leftist film in American cinema, perhaps alongside Sayles's "Matewan" as the only other work of its kind.
If there is one thing you can count on from Nicolas Winding Refn, it’s his sense of style. I don't see why Starry Eyes would be any different in that regard.
This is underwhelming. Spielberg is a literate director, but that isn't reflected in this film. It’s pure off-the-rack fare—not even particularly high-quality off-the-rack at that.
I haven't sat down with anything by Ferrara yet, though I’d say Kaufman's work is quite impressive.
"The Last House on the Left," this American flick, actually holds a certain charm for me. It isn't trying to be some grand epic—it knows what it is—but if you look past the sinister undertones of how it reimagines Godard's classic, it’s a rather underrated piece of cinema.
Karen Smith9 said:Look, even Godard's classic Breathless doesn't lean on technology; it's all about that unique stylistic expression—yet some hacks still turned it into garbage with Richard Gere. Or look at Dean Siegel's Body Snatchers... there are endless examples. Tarantino isn't some special case here—forget about anyone's specific "status"... crappy Hollywood studios just do whatever they want...
The remake of Godard's little film isn't garbage at all, and honestly, neither is Kaufman's Body Snatchers.
I often find Antonioni's use of metaphor to be a bit strained, yet his directorial technique is almost invariably masterful. He certainly knows his craft.
I have an affinity for "L'Eclisse," though I've never quite connected with "L'avventura"; toward the end, it tends to sink into an all-encompassing boredom.
As far as I'm concerned, "Blow-up" doesn't entirely live up to its massive reputation.
"Professione: reporter" is a cinematic triumph and the first film that comes to mind whenever Antonioni is mentioned.
"Zabriskie Point" is largely a mess, but it does manage to contain a few memorable sequences.
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Searchers, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, Stagecoach, Two Riders... in that exact order.
Ford is often cited—sometimes even broadly—as the most essential filmmaker of classic Hollywood; the New Wave directors practically worshipped his work, and later, so did Scorsese, Bogdanovich, and Milius.
For me personally, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance firmly secures a spot in my top ten favorite films.
I’ll admit, I can find some slight sentimentality and an occasional tendency toward melodrama in Ford's work, but any serious, deep dive into his filmography only confirms what we already know: he was a master.
An exceptional piece of filmmaking; it seems Mike Leigh simply doesn't miss. The character studies are brilliant, offering a much-needed reprieve from the stylistic gymnastics that seem to plague most modern cinema.