365 Films- first post

A Pigeon Sits on a Branch Reflecting on Existence (2015)

For this first week of my 365 film challenge, I will be catching up my blogging with my viewing schedule. At this moment I've seen 26 films this year. Tonight I will discuss the first five, and will discuss several more each night until I am completely caught up by Sunday. 

First, a little background on this challenge: 

As a filmmaker and an artist, I think it is important to keep exposing myself to great films and pieces of art. They give a sense of history, they inspire, and they inform. I have seen hundreds of films in my lifetime, but there are many more that I either haven't seen, or have seen so long ago that little has remained in my memory. This is a way that I can expand my horizons, while making myself into a more informed artist and patron. 

Now onto tonight's films:

1. The Wolfpack
2. The Blues According to Lightning Hopkins
3. Switchblade Sisters
4. A Pigeon Sat On a Branch Reflecting On Existence
5. Mystery Train

The Wolfpack (2015)

My viewing begins with The Wolfpack. One of the best reviewed films from last year, and an intriguing doc subject, I felt like this would be a great starting point for my quest. I was not disappointed. Sold as a film about the transformative power of film, I was surprised to find that the movie is a much deeper discussion of freedom, identity, and the limits and power of family bonds. The exploration of how the boys eventually left the apartment (the one they had been trapped in all of their lives) was especially powerful. 

Standout moment: When the Mother calls her own mother for the first time in decades. It was really incredible to see how the boys' desire to break free reminded the Mother of what she gave up in order to please their dad. 

The Blues Accordin' to Lightnin' Hopkins (1968)

Another doc, The Blues... is by the late, great Les Blanc. His films have a deep sense of what it means to be human, and this one is no exception. A combination of stories and music, the film takes a meandering look at a little seen part of America. While exploring the life of the bluesman Lightnin' Hopkins, he lets us in on the origins of the blues. 

Standout Moment: Not really a single moment, but the music in the film is amazing. I could listen to these old Bluesmen tell stories and play the blues for hours. 

Switchblade Sisters (1975)

Switchblade Sisters is a prime example of 70's exploitation cinema. It is a stylized look at a city taken over by teenage gangs. Disguised as a look at alternative youth culture, it reads more like a Mad Max style near-apocolypse. Things have taken a definite turn for the worst, and there is no hope of them getting much better. There are some real cringe-worthy moments early on, but any travesties are made up for by a riveting and over-the-top climax. 

Standout Moment: The final knife battle is one of the craziest fight sequences I have ever seen and the monologue that follows ramps up the insanity even further. 

A Pigeon Sat On a Branch Reflecting On Existence (2015)

How can I describe this film? It was my favorite of this first bunch, but it is hard to give it justice through explanation. Formally, it is feat in artistry. The entire film is comprised of short scenes-- all of them filmed with a wide lens. This gives the film a distant, painterly look. It is like watching a Neo-Classical period painting come to life. The story is dark and bizarre, while subtle and affirming. Like I said, it's hard to describe. I found myself laughing and thinking about my own existence quite a bit throughout the course of the film. See it. It's great.

Standout Moment: I don't want to ruin the moment with specifics, but there is scene in the middle of the film where the two novelty salesmen get lost and walk into a bar for directions. From this moment onward, the absurdity of the film becomes more and more prevalent. It is ridiculous and wonderful. 

The Exterminating Angel (1962)

Classic Buñuel. This film is both terrifying and hilarious. The beauty of this film is that it never attempts to explain the stranger elements of the story. A group of upper class people all inexplicable get stuck in a room together after a party. The doors are open, but no one can leave. Absurd and funny, this was a fun watch.

Standout Moment: The final scene, on top of being great comedy, perfectly sums up the film.  

That's it for this crop of films. I 'll post about the next five tomorrow night. 
--Josh D.--