Akira Kurosawa’s superlative Rashômon might just be one of the greatest motion pictures ever made. The miraculous work of a filmmaker whose standing as one of cinema’s great visionaries is unquestionable, this beautiful ode to silent film gorgeously translates the key elements of that era (the close-up facial shots especially) while covering new ground, recently revisited with lumbering effect by the mediocre Vantage Point. The film has inspired countless subsequent ones, its expertly-utilised multi-narrative tactics and wavering between characters’ points of view divisive when originally released to Japanese audiences and critics, yet exactly the sort of style that has made Kurosawa’s gorgeous masterpiece as adored as it is in the modern day. This is filmic poetry.

In the history of cinema, Lawrence of Arabia is a landmark film by director David lean. This film popularized the story of T.E Lawrence who in the First World War led the Arab revolt against the Ottoman Empire (turkey) for the liberation of Arabia. Since the story is based on historic fact, what makes this film great is that it combines great acting by its cast along with stunning direction by Lean and cinematography by Freddie Young. This movie which has stood the test of time since its release in 1962 is a must watch and was made to be seen on the big screen.

Blanc (”White” in English) is easily the film lacking layers in Kieślowski’s Trois Couleurs trilogy. Though interestingly it is the film having the most rich storyline out of the three. Both Bleu and Rouge have stories that are simple if you consider a story by the number of events that happen and the number of twists that the tale takes. Yet, both are exceedingly rich in metaphors, in cinematic challenges achieved, in the psychological depths that they enter into through their characters and of their characters, and both are extremely thought-provoking.

Aranyer Din Ratri, (Days and Nights in the Forest), the 1969 masterpiece by Satyajit Ray, looks at the vagaries and vicissitudes of the “new generation” then, in a way, perhaps no other film of its time could. Forty years down, it seems to reflect the complexities of the 21st century generation, in an astonishing close-up.

The story unfolds around a group of four friends, quite unlike each other and yet bonded together deeply. They set out for the tribal Palamau, in Bihar, to tear themselves away from their regulated city life.

[ May 30, 2008; 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. ] The best thing about Krzysztof Kieślowski’s A Short Film About Love is probably that it shows an aspect of love which is very, very less understood, and is able to demonstrate that love has myriad forms, takes myriad sentiments as its ways of outpouring, including those banned by society to be even thought of: cases in point being incest, voyeurism, lust itself (and not as something distinct) and a sadistic desire and search for pain.

No serious film connoisseur can resist the seduction of La Dolce Vita (meaning, the sweet life). A scandalous box office hit in Italy and internationally as well as a huge critical success, La Dolce Vita remains one of the most influential films of all time, since its release in 1960. The film gave birth to the word paparazzi. Genius filmmaker (and my personal film god) Federico Fellini’s masterpiece is a caustic critique of modern Rome, but is pertinent to all modern society as well. [..]

The film takes grip of you with the beginning itself. The window shutters clash on a stormy night, but oblivious to it all a girl, a young desirable girl, is sleeping comfortably. And then the beautiful morning, with the superb background score of the film, a man, a tall, handsome-ish man stepping out in his car to the new frontiers. The film takes hold of you immediately.

Salvatore would never leave his first loves throughout his life. A film that opens the magic of first loves, of a persona that develops when you go with your first loves, when you have the courage to do it instead of joining a rat race; the film that “teaches” you love, is the film Nuovo […]