Ramblin’ man
Founder of The Film Society at Illinois State
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Close-Up 1990
The realities of delusion, the influence of cinema, and the beauty of forgiveness.
Close Up's premise as a film both confused and intrigued me as I read its summary. A man is on trial for impersonating a famous Iranian director, and this film captures both real time moments involving the case and stylistic interpretations of what took place. What of this could be genuine and could be staged? I found myself asking the same questions as I watched, shocked that…Translated from by
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Pather Panchali 1955
Family bonds can only take you so far when neither nature nor nurture are on your side.
Pather Panchali is a beautiful movie based on a famous book from the same region it is set and filmed in. It is surprising the amount of stunning cinematography and gripping performances that are packed into this thing considering that most of the cast and crew had never made a movie before. This is a stunning directorial debut from Satyajit Ray that both…Translated from by -
Godland 2022
Hlynur Pálmason's Thë Ljîghthøuse.
I was excited to watch Godland in preparation for my summer Iceland trip. If modern Iceland was like this, I would probably reconsider. This is a dark and heavy story of Lucas: A Danish priest on a journey to establish Iceland's first church. He hires a crew of Nordic men of which the only means of communication he has to converse with them lies in a lone translator, who quickly leaves the picture. Along the way…Translated from by
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The Quiet Girl 2022
Never have I so badly wanted to enter a fictional world to save a character more than I did for Cáit. This touches on the topics of abuse, neglect, and even implied SA from a child’s perspective, and in a way that is so delicately put yet doesn’t shy away from harsh realities. But don’t get it twisted, this is a story about love. The tenderness of the two relatives was so heartwarming. Films like these can easily be fumbled…
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Blow Out 1981
What are a few innocent lives lost when you live in a country where violence is committed on a daily basis that is at worst sensationalized for mass consumption, and at best ignored? Brian De Palma captures this stance between glamorization and disregard with Amazing Grace.
We constantly aren’t given the full picture, both literally and metaphorically. Some scenes play out before our eyes; some scenes are implied. Some motives are clear and concise, others are muddy and interpretative. We…
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