The PG Cooper List Thread: Gamer Days

And what the hell is wrong with Jaws 3???

There's something different about the way that the jump scares are shot in The Ring that sets them apart from standard nu-horror fare. The camera lingers a few seconds too long here and there and really utilizes suspense, or shock horror on the opposite end, to its fullest.

The two shots that spring to mind are the lingering at the beginning of the first shot of the ghost coming out of the well, and at the end of Amber Tamblyn in the closet.

It's a shame that Ring 2 couldn't pull it's few good things together into a cohesive movie.

And, to much (read: no) anticipation, my top ten first time viewings in 2016.


10. The Last Detail (Watched June 20th)



We don’t talk about him much anymore, but Hal Ashby was a prominent filmmaker in the 1970s and thus far my favourite of his films is The Last Detail, which has a sense of rebellion without it ever being clear what exactly is being rebelled against. The film also spots an electric performance from a young Jack Nicholson, who brings a simmering rage to his role as a young sailor who, along with his partner, must escort a disgraced sailor to prison for a petty crime. The screenplay, written by Robert Towne, is perhaps most defined by the sheer vulgarity of the dialogue. Shocking stuff for a Hollywood movie of the early 70s, but even without the shock factor, the dialogue works purely for being clever and authentic. The film on the whole is an absorbing watch and a gem of New Hollywood cinema.

“Why does all of this make me feel so fucking bad?”

9. Days of Wine and Roses (Watched June 4th)



Movies about addiction often run the risk of being incredibly corny and I would not have expected Blake Edwards (a man most known for comedies) to so skillfully navigate these potential pitfalls. Granted, Days of Wine and Roses does dip into preachiness from time to time, but for the most part the film is an honest exploration of alcoholism and the toll it takes. The addicts in question are married couple Joe and Kirsten (Jack Lemmon and Lee Remick). Interestingly, one the two first meet, Kirsten does not drink, but her relationship with Joe gradually brings the addict out of her. What makes the film work are the performances from Lemmon and Remick, both of which are excellent. Not only do you feel their struggles, but you also like both and want them to come through okay. Consequently, the film is an emotional journey and the final scene is a gut punch.

“Well, anything worth having is worth suffering for.”

8. Winter Sleep (Watched August 22nd)



If the description, “three hour and fifteen-minute intimate Turkish drama” doesn’t really sound like your bag I can’t blame you. Indeed, Winter Sleep does not sound like an accessible film but it’s a staggering work all the same. Set in a Turkish village, the film follows wealthy hotel owner Aydin and explores his interactions within the community and with his own family. On one level, the film is an ensemble piece about a collection of really well-defined and complex characters. Every character can justify their own actions articulately, but the film is also aware of the possible hypocrisies and self-interest lying beneath the surface. On another level, Winter Sleep is really about class conflict and it explores these themes in a very novel way. The fact that Aydin is not truly a 1 percenter says a lot about how matters of wealth are relative, but more than anything what stands out is the fact that the antagonism between classes is more understated than anything. All of this is presented in a beautifully shot film which makes great use of its mountain location and features a handful of really solid performances.

“Philanthropy isn’t tossing a bone to a hungry dog, it’s sharing when you are just as hungry.”

7. Black Narcissus (Watched May 3rd)



In 2015, I started to really “get” the Archers and my enthusiasm continued into 2016 with Black Narcissus. The film looks at a group of nuns running a convent in the Himalayas. Clearly, the story touches on colonialism, but to some extent Powell and Pressburger approach the story apolitically. There’s definitely some observation about the effects of forced cross-cultural communications, but the film is more interested in the repressed desires of the nuns. This comes through in Deborah Kerr’s powerful performance, but the Archers also emphasize it visually through use of gaze. As one would expect from the Archers, Black Narcissus is shot in some gorgeous colour, but the filmmakers throw a curve ball in the third act which almost becomes a horror movie. It’s exhilarating stuff, and further proof that Powell and Pressburger were among their generations best.

“The superior of all is the servant of all.”

6. The Cameraman (Watched July 15th)



Buster Keaton is a great silent comedian best known for being a daredevil who pulled off some of the most amazing stunts in film history. Interestingly, The Cameraman features less of the amazing stunts one might expect. Instead, the focus is on the love story between the socially awkward cameraman (Keaton) and an MGM secretary (Marceline Day). It’s a simple, charming little story and both characters are endearing. The film also delivers hard as far as silent comedy goes. A lack of stunts shouldn’t imply a lack of set-pieces as The Cameraman is full of great, often very funny bits. The battle in Chinatown in particular is all kinds of fun.

“Within an hour he was photographing everything from soup to nuts… mostly the nuts.”

5. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (Watched April 11th)



Most of the French New Wave’s most famous films are either realist dramas or incorporate some sort of crime element. How curious then, is The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, a musical love story. Specifically, the film is a recitative musical (that means all dialogue is sung) that tells of two young lovers who are separated by circumstances and the choices they make. The music here is wonderful, perfectly echoing the kind of bitter-sweet feelings of the story and the film is also beautiful to look at. The vivid colour is clearly meant to evoke the technicolor of Hollywood musicals, but there’s a reality here that many of those films lack. It might be the film’s sober analysis of relationships and human nature. Jacques Demy certainly embraces youthful romance, but he also isn’t blind to the sobering realities of aging. The film ends perfectly, with a scene that is both small but says everything it needs to.

“People only die of love in movies.”

4. The Virgin Spring (Watched May 3rd)



A sharp turn from The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, The Virgin Spring is from the great Swedish auteur Ingmar Bergman classic is incredibly bleak and harrowing. The film is set in medieval Sweden and focuses on a young girl who is raped and killed, and whose assailants come to stay with the girl’s family. It’s a simple story, but Bergman injects a lot more depth than one might expect. All told, the film is really about the continuing hardships this family has faced and the ways in which they feel they’ve been abandoned by their God. It’s a classic Bergman theme, one that is explored in a particularly simple and primal fashion here. On a more emotional level, Bergman takes his time in the first act to develop all of his characters and as a result you genuinely care about their struggles. Additionally, as one would expect from Bergman, the film is shot in exquisite black and white and holds a somber tone. Not exactly easy, but certainly insightful viewing.

“You see it, God, you see it. The innocent child’s death and my revenge. You allowed it. I don’t understand you. Yet now I beg your forgiveness. I know no other way to be reconciled with my own hands. I know no other way to live.”

3. The Last Emperor (Watched May 2nd)



Any film buff who has endeavoured to see every Best Picture winner will tell you it’s a mixed experience. You have to sit through a lot of bullshit, but there are also a lot of good movies, and even a few that deliver on what you’d expect from a film labelled “Best Picture”. The Last Emperor was the last Best Picture winner I had to see and its also among the upper echelons of winners. Its status as a historical biopic may bore some, but Bernardo Bertolucci’s film soars. What it comes down to is that the subject in question genuinely led a fascinating life. Puyi’s path from child emperor, to political exile, to traitor, to criminal, and finally to just a man is a massive journey, one which is rendered brilliantly. The film also spots infamously striking production value, being among the first shoot in the Forbidden City in Beijing. There’s a sense of grandness to all of this, which is enhanced by Vittorio Storaro’s breathtaking cinematography and the film’s amazing score.

“The Emperor has been a prisoner in his own palace since the day that he was crowned, and has remained a prisoner since he abdicated. But now he’s growing up, he may wonder why he’s the only person in China who may not walk out of his own front door.”

2. The Last Picture Show (Watched September 28th)



We’re certainly not starved of coming of age movies in American cinema, but when one can rise above the crop and deliver something powerful the results can be very special. The Last Picture Show is such a movie. Set in a desolate West Texas town in the 1950s, the film follows a collection of teenagers (as well as a few adults) struggling with their identity and their future in a dead-end town. These are some great characters and they’re brought to life by an interesting collection of actors, from soon to be huge stars (Jeff Bridges, Ellen Burstyn, Cybil Shepherd) to Hollywood veterans (Cloris Leachman, Ben Johnson). The film also explores sex in a really stark and uncompromising way. There’s a lot of bravado, but the actual sex scenes range from awkward to full-on disturbing. The film is fairly episodic, but all does build to something and by the end it feels like the characters have gone through something profound even if they can’t quite articulate it.

“Y’see? You shouldn’t have come here. I’m around that corner now. You’ve ruined it and it’s lost completely. Just your needing me won’t make it come back.”

1. Wild Strawberries (Watched May 3rd)



Though he’d been making movies for years, it was in 1957 that Ingmar Bergman declared himself to be one of the great directors. His most famous film is undoubtedly The Seventh Seal, but right behind it is Wild Strawberries, a smaller, but nonetheless challenging and profound film. The film is about Isak Borg (Victor Sjöström), an elderly professor driving to accept a lifetime achievement award. During his drive, Isak looks back on his own life and contemplates whether he lived a good and full life. That’s the kind of simple existential question that drives much of Bergman and what’s great is Wild Strawberries never falls on an easy answer. Some masterful flashbacks illuminate Isak’s life as do his many conversations, but the film doesn’t tell the audience how to feel. Just as Isak is left to continue and contemplate his life’s worth, so too is the audience. Isak is played by Victor Sjöström, himself a film director, and a major influence on Bergman. That’s certainly interesting, but even without those connections he gives a great performance. The film also has some excellent scenes, particularly the opening dream sequence which is a master stroke of surreal filmmaking. It might forever be viewed as Bergman’s “other” masterpiece from 1957, but it’s still a masterpiece.

“All along the line, there’s nothing but cold and death and loneliness.”

Yeah, Bergman! Watched A LOT of Bergman in 2016, seen nearly 40 of his films now.

What exactly is "European Narrative" supposed to mean?  That's kind of a big continent with a million different ideas about what a narrative film is supposed to be.  

Call it what it is: 60's New Wave. European Narrative should include a little bit of everything. Europe's filmmaking history is just as long and varied as ours.

Nice, I think 50s Bergman is the best introduction to him.  It's when he comes into his own as an artist and is probably at his most approachable.  If you like those films, then definitely watch Persona from 1966 and Fanny and Alexander from 1982, which I consider his ultimate masterpieces. 

You have no culture.

Spoiler alert: #1 is Yoga Hosers

Your lack of support for Canadian filmmakers is well documented.

The Godfather is a perfect movie. The Witch is no Godfather.

Until another movie comes along and proves you wrong.