Is it shameful to admit I've never been much of an Ella fan? I've heard some of her stuff, but I only like it when Louis accompanies her. Maybe I'll have to dig a little more. As far as vocal jazz goes Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan and Nina Simone are more my thing. And Helen Merrill's Anything Goes made me fall a little bit in love with her.
I haven't seen that, thanks for the recommendation. Angelopoulos is a filmmaker whose catalog I've mostly neglected, and I definitely need to fix that.
I've, regrettably, seen a total of zero films this year; Tintin tomorrow will be number one. Hopefully I'll be able to get back into my viewing habits. I just got my hands on a number of filmmakers I haven't touched (ie. Gillian Armstrong, Sean Penn, Ken Loach) so hopefully those and an Angelopoulos film will motivate and ease me back into my routine.
Also I'm glad to see you're sticking with your Weekly log for yet another year, I continue to read it regularly. Nice to read that you're seeing some of my favorites (Late Spring, Syndromes and a Century, Sansho and Army of Shadows).
I stumbled across a tape in a used record store. To be completely honest, I can't even say if it's her. It just has her name and Puccini written on it, sounds like a recording of a recording. I didn't realize that there is no actual release of her rendition of La Boheme, which makes me all the more suspicious of what exactly it is I have.
I love Puccini, though. La Boheme, Tosca, and--above and beyond all--Madame Butterfly. Experiencing Callas' "Un Bel Di" is one of the greatest musical "moments" I've ever had. Him and Verdi are without a doubt my favorite opera composers. I haven't heard Macbeth though! I only have her studio recordings, I'll have to look into that ASAP. Vocal jazz and Duke Ellington has been taking over my life... this is really incredible.
Have you heard Linda Ronstadt's La Boheme? It was named by You-know-who (Voldemort) as one of the most profound artistic experiences he ever gone through and, having listening to it (just once), I can't say I get it. The only other rendition I've heard is Maria Callas' (which I love), and I just don't see how Ronstadt's compares. I have no problem admitting a lack of opera experience / a reverence of Callas / etc is affecting my judgement. Any thoughts? Which is the interpretation you're familiar with?
This list reminds me that I don't watch movies =(. Where does the time gooooo.
I've discovered Chaucer is cool though! I've also learned in a class that I'm taking that literary theory is as useless as Carney says. Unfortunately we don't read original texts, which I think would be a lot more interesting regardless of how bad a writer Derrida is.
Check out Michael Haneke's The Seventh Continent. Watching it was one of the most uncomfortable experiences I've ever had. It was incredible. Your best bet is to evade anything that gives away even the most trivial detail of the plot. I don't know if it fits exactly under the list title, but Sleepaway Camp also came to mind.
Good call on Possession, Inland Empire and Repulsion.
Ha, that reminds me that I need to see Gone with the Wind. I know it's not fair to judge something based on snippets, but I've seen very small pieces of the movie and can't fathom sitting through four hours of it. A 7 hour Bela Tarr film? No problem, but this might test my patience.
It'd be cool if somehow this and AfterHours poll were on the front page so that they'd get a lot more attention. Listology admin (dgieser, heyrocker), is that possible? Of course, if Zach/AH want their lists to be there.
You need some Ming-liang Tsai in your life, easily my favorite director of the 2000's. I Don't Want to Sleep Alone, Goodbye Dragon Inn and What Time is it There? are masterpieces, and The Wayward Cloud has one of the most crushing cinematic moments I've witnessed.
I like your list! I'm surprised to see a film like Hero on it, and I haven't seen Taxidermia or The Duchess (really need to get on this one). Good stuff--but feel free to give Synecdoche a skip. Overrated.
After browsing there website I was reminded they have two different lists: one for directors and one for critics. Is there, out of the two, one that you place more stock in? It seems just four films that were on the critics list didn't show up on the director's.
My Brilliant Career should be seen ASAP.
Is it shameful to admit I've never been much of an Ella fan? I've heard some of her stuff, but I only like it when Louis accompanies her. Maybe I'll have to dig a little more. As far as vocal jazz goes Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan and Nina Simone are more my thing. And Helen Merrill's Anything Goes made me fall a little bit in love with her.
This essay on Wings of Desire may interest you.
I haven't seen that, thanks for the recommendation. Angelopoulos is a filmmaker whose catalog I've mostly neglected, and I definitely need to fix that.
I've, regrettably, seen a total of zero films this year; Tintin tomorrow will be number one. Hopefully I'll be able to get back into my viewing habits. I just got my hands on a number of filmmakers I haven't touched (ie. Gillian Armstrong, Sean Penn, Ken Loach) so hopefully those and an Angelopoulos film will motivate and ease me back into my routine.
Also I'm glad to see you're sticking with your Weekly log for yet another year, I continue to read it regularly. Nice to read that you're seeing some of my favorites (Late Spring, Syndromes and a Century, Sansho and Army of Shadows).
I stumbled across a tape in a used record store. To be completely honest, I can't even say if it's her. It just has her name and Puccini written on it, sounds like a recording of a recording. I didn't realize that there is no actual release of her rendition of La Boheme, which makes me all the more suspicious of what exactly it is I have.
I love Puccini, though. La Boheme, Tosca, and--above and beyond all--Madame Butterfly. Experiencing Callas' "Un Bel Di" is one of the greatest musical "moments" I've ever had. Him and Verdi are without a doubt my favorite opera composers. I haven't heard Macbeth though! I only have her studio recordings, I'll have to look into that ASAP. Vocal jazz and Duke Ellington has been taking over my life... this is really incredible.
PS: dinner would be great =).
My gift to you, maybe it'll make up for some of those classes:
Making the Most of a Mess by Raymond Carney
<3
Have you heard Linda Ronstadt's La Boheme? It was named by You-know-who (Voldemort) as one of the most profound artistic experiences he ever gone through and, having listening to it (just once), I can't say I get it. The only other rendition I've heard is Maria Callas' (which I love), and I just don't see how Ronstadt's compares. I have no problem admitting a lack of opera experience / a reverence of Callas / etc is affecting my judgement. Any thoughts? Which is the interpretation you're familiar with?
This list reminds me that I don't watch movies =(. Where does the time gooooo.
I've discovered Chaucer is cool though! I've also learned in a class that I'm taking that literary theory is as useless as Carney says. Unfortunately we don't read original texts, which I think would be a lot more interesting regardless of how bad a writer Derrida is.
Check out Michael Haneke's The Seventh Continent. Watching it was one of the most uncomfortable experiences I've ever had. It was incredible. Your best bet is to evade anything that gives away even the most trivial detail of the plot. I don't know if it fits exactly under the list title, but Sleepaway Camp also came to mind.
Good call on Possession, Inland Empire and Repulsion.
Ha, that reminds me that I need to see Gone with the Wind. I know it's not fair to judge something based on snippets, but I've seen very small pieces of the movie and can't fathom sitting through four hours of it. A 7 hour Bela Tarr film? No problem, but this might test my patience.
One of these days!
It'd be cool if somehow this and AfterHours poll were on the front page so that they'd get a lot more attention. Listology admin (dgieser, heyrocker), is that possible? Of course, if Zach/AH want their lists to be there.
You called?
Favorite Directors
1. Andrei Tarkovsky (Russia, 1932-1986)
2. Robert Bresson (France, 1901-1999)
3. Yasujirō Ozu (Japan, 1903-1963)
4. Abbas Kiarostami (Iran, 1940)
5. John Cassavetes (United States of America, 1929-1989)
6. Rainer Werner Fassbinder (Germany, 1945-1982)
7. Carl Dreyer (Denmark, 1889-1968)
8. Ming-liang Tsai (Taiwan, 1957)
9. Charlie Chaplin (Britain, 1889-1977)
10. Kenji Mizoguchi (Japan, 1898-1956)
You need some Ming-liang Tsai in your life, easily my favorite director of the 2000's. I Don't Want to Sleep Alone, Goodbye Dragon Inn and What Time is it There? are masterpieces, and The Wayward Cloud has one of the most crushing cinematic moments I've witnessed.
I like your list! I'm surprised to see a film like Hero on it, and I haven't seen Taxidermia or The Duchess (really need to get on this one). Good stuff--but feel free to give Synecdoche a skip. Overrated.
B-b-but Velliquette had The Tree of Life and Blow-Up on his list how could he possibly be #1!?!
I suspect there's some bias going on... but I can't prove it.
After browsing there website I was reminded they have two different lists: one for directors and one for critics. Is there, out of the two, one that you place more stock in? It seems just four films that were on the critics list didn't show up on the director's.