Perfect Days (2023)
This movie is similar to Coffee and cigarettes. It's simple and there is more to it. It makes you stop and appreciate.
To be honest, it was difficult for me to watch it, because my brain was so desperate for stimulation. And that's the point of the movie. Today I saw this video essay talking about the movie's philosophy.
The video raises an interesting point. With ambition we place the future over the present. In a way hope helps us to overcome the struggles. That reminded me of "struggle" as a meaning of life mentioned by Viktor E. Frankl in Man's Search for Meaning.
Now is now, later is later.
Titanic (1997)
27 years since it's release I finally watched Titanic (1997) movie. I can't say it's dated much and it's still enjoyable to watch. Good romantic story, great action and acting.
Life of Pi (2012)
Great movie. It resonated with me and allowed me to see religion from a different perspective. However religion is not a main theme there. I couldn't find the quote, but I remember the phrase "if I can choose to live in a world where nobody or somebody loves me, I'll choose to believe and live in the world where somebody loves me".
Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
This is another amazing piece of art that I saw this week. Movies like this demonstrate how skills are more important than budget. The movie has an interesting story, great acting, visuals, intrigue and lessons.
After watching the movie, I recommend to watch analysis of Waymond Wang.
What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
This is a low budget and not very popular movie from one of my favourite directors Taika Waititi. I love how creative, unusual and funny this movie is.
Edgar Wright
Edgar is a talented filmmaker, whose work I admire. I saw his movie Baby Driver in the past and it didn't resonate with me. It's fun and entertaining but I didn't think much of it. It's only after I've learnt how to watch his work that it finally clicked. I opened a new world of art to myself. Unless you know what you are looking for you will miss it as well.
You can start with
One of the biggest discoveries last year was the realisation that we need to educate ourselves to better understand art forms like movies.
I can recommend these two youtube channels to start learning about movies:
My favourite Edgar's movies:
- Shaun of the Dead (2004)
- Hot Fuzz (2007)
- Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)
- The World's End (2013)
- Baby Driver (2017)
- Last night in Soho (2021)
To give you an example this is a good analysis of the movie and how subtle the details are (Spoilers).
Jojo Rabbit (2019)
This is a great satire movie. It's warm, funny and educational. And yet that's not all. It has many famous actors, great acting and beautiful style. It's hard not to love it. It reminded me of Life Is Beautiful (1997) movie.
1917 (2019)
OMG, the cinematography in this movie is just a masterpiece. Such movies should be displayed in the museums to admire the work and the beauty.
The Sheltering Sky (1990)
- Are you lost?
- Yes
Because we don't know when we will die, we get to think of life as an inexhaustible well. Yet everything happens only a certain number of times and a small number, really.
How many more times will you remember a certain
afternoon of your childhood... some afternoon so deeply a part of your being so that you can't conceive your life without it?Perhaps four or five times more. Perhaps not even that.
How many more times will you watch the full moon rise?
Perhaps 20.And yet it all seems limitless...
The Romanovs / Романовы (2013)
This is one the best documentary series.
The Romanov dynasty played a hugely important role in world history, and the series highlights the life stories and characters of the tsars, recounting their rise to power and their contribution to the dynasty, their merits and their faults, their achievements and mistakes, their victories and defeats in war.
The series also examines the Russian form of 'Caesarism' as a system of state administration - its advantages and drawbacks and how the Russian state changed under the Romanov's rule.
THE ROMANOVS is told in eight epic one-hour episodes using a unique combination of magnificent CGI animation and dramatic reconstruction with careful and accurate attention paid to each period.
The great thing it's available for free in russian and english. Subtitles are also available, which is a great way to learn russian/english language.
American Beauty
Today is the first day of the rest of your life
Remember those posters that said... "Today is the first day of the rest of your life"?
Well, that's true with every day except one the day you die.
-- Lester Burnham.
Last words of Lester Burnham
I had always heard your entire life flashes... in front of your eyes the second before you die. First of all, that one second... isn't a second at all. It stretches on forever, like an ocean of time. For me, it was lying on my back... at Boy Scout camp, watching falling stars. And yellow leaves from the maple trees... that lined our street. Or my grandmother's hands and the way her skin... seemed like paper. And the first time I saw my cousin Tony's... brand-new Firebird. And Janie. And Janie. And... Carolyn.
I guess I could be pretty pissed off about what happened to me, but it's hard to stay mad when there's so much beauty in the world. Sometimes I feel like I'm seeing it all at once and it's too much. My heart fills up like a balloon that's about to burst.
And then I remember to relax... and stop trying to hold on to it. And then it flows through me like rain, and I can't feel anything but gratitude... for every single moment... of my stupid little life.
You have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm sure.
But don't worry.
You will someday.
-- Last words of Lester Burnham.
Alfie (2004)
i don't depend on nobody, nobody depends on me, my life's my own ...
yeah, i used to think i'm the best end of the deal ... what have i got? really .. some money in my pocket, some nice threads, fancy car at my disposal and .. i'm single, unattached, free as a bird
i don't depend on nobody, nobody depends on me, my life's my own .... but i don't have a peace of mind .... and if you don't have that you've got nothing ... so.. what's the answer? that's what i keep asking myself .... what's it all about? .... you know what i mean?
-- Alfie
Matrix (1999)
That is the first movie I've watch on the first day on my first computer. That movie had a major influence over my life.