Wonderful post that expands on what you did and the conversation that ensued as we discussed art. Thank you for being my guest writer and for the chat that followed. And, a little P.S.: I love Tarantino and Terrence Malick, notably from Malick _The Tree of Life_ with a beautiful rendition of motherhood and the ethereal, in this flick, Jessica Chastain. Sean Penn and Brad Pitt gave extraordinary performances as well. Big xo to you, Mary
Both E.T. and Back to the Future are hugely significant films in my life.
There are two very similar recurring themes in my life which I think about all the time: the need to not be lost, and the need to find my way home. Similar, yes, but different.
Back to the Future is a WONDERFUL treatment of finding the way home - more so than E.T., but perhaps that’s why - or because - it’s the better film. I cry buckets at the theme tune of E.T., because it reminds me of a time I got very lost, but Back to the Future - a film I’ve seen a heap of times - still makes me wonder every time I see it whether Marty IS going to find his way home. That cable-connecting scene makes me bawl like a child.
It almost seems, sometimes, that there is a disconnect between the films that professional critics see as "great" and the films that you rightly categorize as "great" based on their message and ability to provoke thought in the viewers' minds. I'm thinking specifically of Terrence Malick. His films are widely praised by critics but I can't find anything of persistent value in them. They seem to ramble around and go nowhere; they are technically breathtaking but have no end goal, purpose, or point to make. Perhaps, though, this is okay? Perhaps there is another category of great films, the tour-de-force films, which exist only to broaden the limits of art and to push the envelope of what is possible? Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey would fall into this category, as would Hitchcock's Psycho.
Then there are the films which are inexplicably popular with film buffs. I have no idea why Quentin Tarantino or Wes Anderson are popular. But that's just my personal preference, and I haven't seen very many films by either director. Perhaps if I were more familiar with their style I might have a clearer view of how they are communicating.
Wonderful post that expands on what you did and the conversation that ensued as we discussed art. Thank you for being my guest writer and for the chat that followed. And, a little P.S.: I love Tarantino and Terrence Malick, notably from Malick _The Tree of Life_ with a beautiful rendition of motherhood and the ethereal, in this flick, Jessica Chastain. Sean Penn and Brad Pitt gave extraordinary performances as well. Big xo to you, Mary
A great read, thank you!
Both E.T. and Back to the Future are hugely significant films in my life.
There are two very similar recurring themes in my life which I think about all the time: the need to not be lost, and the need to find my way home. Similar, yes, but different.
Back to the Future is a WONDERFUL treatment of finding the way home - more so than E.T., but perhaps that’s why - or because - it’s the better film. I cry buckets at the theme tune of E.T., because it reminds me of a time I got very lost, but Back to the Future - a film I’ve seen a heap of times - still makes me wonder every time I see it whether Marty IS going to find his way home. That cable-connecting scene makes me bawl like a child.
It almost seems, sometimes, that there is a disconnect between the films that professional critics see as "great" and the films that you rightly categorize as "great" based on their message and ability to provoke thought in the viewers' minds. I'm thinking specifically of Terrence Malick. His films are widely praised by critics but I can't find anything of persistent value in them. They seem to ramble around and go nowhere; they are technically breathtaking but have no end goal, purpose, or point to make. Perhaps, though, this is okay? Perhaps there is another category of great films, the tour-de-force films, which exist only to broaden the limits of art and to push the envelope of what is possible? Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey would fall into this category, as would Hitchcock's Psycho.
Then there are the films which are inexplicably popular with film buffs. I have no idea why Quentin Tarantino or Wes Anderson are popular. But that's just my personal preference, and I haven't seen very many films by either director. Perhaps if I were more familiar with their style I might have a clearer view of how they are communicating.
We are in 93% agreement. What do you think of "Seven" (1995)?