In my book, Buñuel’s absolute best work has to be The Golden Age, Las Hurdes, Forgotten (Los Olvidados), and the discrete charm of the bourgeoisie.
And as for that whole plagiarism debate? Please. Everyone was lifting ideas from Eisenstein back then. As for claiming Buñuel actually caused some kind of "surrealism crisis"—where exactly was he during this supposed crisis? Total nonsense.
Samuel Scott54 said:You could honestly argue that Wilder belongs in the top five American directors. I’m not counting those who worked in Hollywood but weren't actually born in the States—you know, guys like Kazan, Hitchcock, or Lang.
I just want to single out Ace in the Hole. Honestly, it’s almost like he didn't even direct it. To me, Wilder was always the director of glamour and all that high-society atmosphere. Even his more serious stuff tends to come off as a bit comedic to my taste. For instance, I think Sunset Boulevard is massively overrated.
I’m with you on this one—it’s easily one of the best vampire flicks out there. It’s just so Atmosferican, a really cool blend of eras and vibes, mixing the Old World (Europe) with the New World (USA). Of course, the whole thing is based on that book by Anna Rice. Now, look, I usually can't stand him as a person or an actor, but I have to tip my hat to Tom Cruise here; he was incredible, maybe even the best he’s ever been. And Stephen Rea was great too, even if he didn't have much screen time. As for Brad Pitt and Antonio Banderas, I don't have much to say—they were fine, I guess. I haven't actually read the novel, but apparently, it's loaded with homoerotic undertones. Lestat and Armand are basically portrayed as former lovers.
Really solid movie, though that ending hits you like a ton of bricks. It’s pretty wild, by the way—Kassovitz actually has a cameo in it. He plays that skinhead who gets jumped.
On the Waterfront. The Fugitive Kind. Just thinking about it. It’s one of those movies that sticks in your throat. Not in a bad way, necessarily, just... heavy. You know? It’s got that gritty, restless energy that makes you feel like you’re breathing dust. Some people don't get it. They want everything wrapped up in a neat little bow, but life doesn't work like that. Especially not in the movies that actually matter. It’s raw. It’s messy. It’s real. Just like everything else. A Streetcar Named Desire. That's the one. It stays with you, doesn't it? Just a heavy, suffocating weight that won't let go. You watch it and you feel like you're trapped in that cramped New Orleans apartment right along with them. It’s messy, it’s brutal, and it’s unapologetically raw. Honestly, I don't know how anyone walks away from a story like this feeling particularly upbeat. It just leaves you staring at the screen, wondering where it all went wrong. Last Tango in Paris
These movies are really how I remember everything.
His career path is honestly pretty wild. Right out of the gate, he was always hanging out with the right crowd. Sure, most of his roles were just background noise, but hey, at least they were in great movies. You’d think all that exposure would have helped him evolve into a heavy-hitting, authentic actor, but somehow it didn't quite stick. That's not to say I'm just being a hater, though—his performance in Regarding Henry actually blew me away.
Mickey Rourke belongs right at the top tier of modern American actors. The guy was born with the raw talent and the look required to make it, but unfortunately, he never quite escaped the grit of the streets. Especially during his heyday, he seemed obsessed with proving he hadn't forgotten his roots. He could have channeled that pride into something actually productive, instead of, say, jumping into pro boxing back in the early nineties. I can't tell if Rourke just had a massive problem with authority or if he simply viewed the whole "acting" thing as an overrated profession, but he reminds me so much of Sterling Hayden, who also spent his life thumbing his nose at Hollywood. According to him, being an actor wasn't even a serious job.
My colleague analogpanther55 clearly sees things differently, but personally, I think his role in Harry is his absolute peak. It just blew me away—he played it with such natural ease, it was like watching him play himself. Honestly, I don't think anyone else could capture that specific brand of authentic, washed-up, hard-boiled detective energy like Rourke did.
His career might have been relatively brief, but thanks to these films, he’s cemented himself in history: Angel Heart, Year of the Dragon, Barfly (a mediocre flick, but a genius performance by Rourke), Johnny Handsome, 9 1/2 Weeks, and The Pope of Greenwich Village.
Nancy Nelson2 said:Look, Tomislav, you don't get how awkward this is. Telling a doctor straight to their face that you have hemorrhoids? It’s uncomfortable. I've never really dealt with this stuff before. But lately, things have been getting pretty stressful, and now this just popped up out of nowhere. It’s not like it’s an emergency where I need to sprint to the doctor or one of those fancy private clinics right this second. They aren't exactly nearby, and then there's the drive, the cost, having to take a day off work... it's a lot. Thanks for the advice, really, but for now, I'd rather try something else before I have to sit there and admit my backside is acting up. I was just wondering what I should actually look for. There are all these creams and ointments, but from what I've read, you really need to fix the root cause through diet, not just mask the pain with some topical junk. I noticed that this Hemosens stuff has ingredients that help with digestion, plus you get a gel for immediate relief.
I don't know where you're coming from here. By your logic, the doctor should be the embarrassed one since they spend all day staring at people's butts. I had my first bout with hemorrhoids about six months ago. My doctor was a female surgeon, probably over 60 years old. Imagine how awkward that felt for me. 🤣 But she was a total professional, and I'm grateful for her. Seriously, go now while it's still in the early stages. Don't wait until the pain is so bad you're looking at surgery. Hemorrhoids are basically swollen veins, and most creams won't do squat without actual medical treatment.
I’m still convinced this whole thing is just one massive practical joke played by a few wealthy guys who dumped some cash into a project just for the hell of it, effectively manufacturing their own little myth. Honestly, it isn't even a bad movie; it's a movie that was intentionally shot poorly.
silentfalcon3 said:The best example of this is how they handle juvenile violence. They just keep chanting "education, education, education" like a broken record, completely indifferent to the kids who are being beaten or, tragically, killed... They stubbornly ignore actual experts and act like any deviation from their specific curriculum is the end of the world...
Also, if you haven't seen them yet, I'd suggest watching the Latvian documentary "The Soviet Story" and, if you have a strong stomach, the Russian film "Chekist"
It's stupidity like that dull Baltic film. A salon leftist isn't the same thing as a real leftist, though half the time it’s not even clear what being a leftist actually means anymore. To me, a salon leftist is someone who mourns some idealized version of social democracy—someone who still believes in "capitalism with a human face." That’s where their "radicalism" and criticism hit a wall. Their whole plea boils down to "let's change everything just so nothing actually changes." They just can't admit that trying to crawl back to the era of social liberalism is a lost cause. Capitalism has reached its limits; it exists solely as an obstacle to human progress. That's why their propaganda machine feels so aggressive and vulgar—it's just a desperate hunt for new markets through global terror.
The salon intellectual is just someone who talks big but never actually does anything. Their whole media persona exists for one reason: to offer shallow social critiques while making sure people don't actually take matters into their own hands. The underlying message is always the same: "Yeah, the rich have totally screwed us over, but just stay patient—they'll eventually save us." They're nothing more than paid shills and pathetic followers of Koch.
Larry Thompson85 said:This Fassbinder's work absolutely wrecked me. For the first thirty minutes, I was convinced I was watching the most boring movie ever made. But once I finally "settled in" to his rhythm—that subtle, almost abrasive Fassbinder direction and the gritty, realistic design—it hit me. It's a straight-up masterpiece. Honestly, though? It’s definitely not for everyone.
Larry Thompson85 said:If you’re actually into Jean-Pierre Melville and Jules Dassin, you should probably check out Claude Sautet's Class... assuming you haven't already.
Not yet. Thanks for the recommendation.
Michael Lopez2 Asks: Honestly, I don't think Dodes'ka-den is really an adaptation of that play at all. If you're looking for that connection, you have to look at The Lower Depths (1957)—which might just be the most underrated Kurosawa-esque film out there.
I’m definitely signing off on those recommendations for Diabolique and Samurai Rebellion. But honestly, I have to wonder what's actually driving people to sit through The human Condition... I just looked up the runtime and I already feel like I need a nap. 😁
It took me a few months just to work my way through the entire trilogy. 😁 I remember watching the first one and then waiting like three or four months before even touching the second. Honestly? Seeing the total runtime actually made me feel a little sick to my stomach. But yeah, it's worth it.
I’ve chewed through a decent chunk of their DVD collection over the last few years. Honestly, if Slavoj Žižek can do it, I guess I can too. Here are my top 10 : The human Condition:
top 10 : The human Condition
We're talking about Masaki Kobayashi’s anti-war trilogy here. Honestly? It's some of the most devastating, gut-wrenching cinema I've ever had the misfortune of watching. Truly heavy stuff.
Army of Shadows.
Classic Jean-Pierre Melville. Atmospheric, zero fluff, and featuring an incredible performance by Lino Ventur. This might have been the role of his life.
Samurai Rebellion
Another Masaki Kobayashi flick. Honestly, I think this might be Toshiro Mifune's absolute best performance.
The Wages of Fear good. Just... wow. It’s heavy. It’s tense. It’s everything. You watch it and you just feel that knot tightening in your stomach. It’s pure, unadulterated cinematic pressure. Truly something else.
That good old French pessimism. 😁
Paths of Glory advice.
Everyone knows this one.
Bicycle Thieves
A solid introduction to Italian Neorealism.
The Lower Depths extremely bitter.
Based on Maxim Gorky. This version was edited by Jean Renoir. Kurosawa actually went and filmed two different versions after the war.
Diabolique
One of the best endings ever. It’s so damn perfect that you can really only watch this movie once. 😁
Rififi. Pure noir perfection. Honestly, I don't think anything else quite hits that level of tension. It’s just masterfully done.
I’ve always had a soft spot for noir, and for the longest time, I considered Jules Dassin to be the absolute king of the genre. I used to swear that The Naked City was his crowning achievement, but honestly? Rififi completely changed my mind. It’s just on another level. Because of the anti-communist witch hunts back then, Dassin actually had to flee the USA, which is why he ended up making this masterpiece in France.
Grand Illusion again Renoir.
It’s Grand Illusion again Renoir. A classic anti-war movie where the real conflict isn't even about the tension between the German and the Frenchman—it's all about those crushing class divides among the POWs.
The movies and the soundtrack are absolute masterpieces, but man, the plot? It’s not exactly hitting the historical mark. They paint the Jesuits as these noble protectors of the Guarana Native Americans who end up fighting them at the end, which is just flat-out wrong. The Guarana resisted on their own terms. Honestly, the weirdest part for me was that scene where they debate whether the Native Americans are actually humans or just animals—you know, the whole logic used by the Spaniards and the Portuguese to justify hunting them down. The ending is a total gut-punch, but historically speaking, it’s a mess.
Solid movie. Sadly, though, the quality of the series starts its massive nose dive right around then. If I recall correctly, that was during the fifth season's run.
