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Since no one was able to make the discussion yesterday, I thought I’d do things a little differently this week. While I still think the best way to tackle a movie is through live discussion, there’s something to be said for the written word as well, and thanks to blogs and comments, the discussion can still happen here!

In the video above, I shared some of the questions I had prepared for the discussion so you’d still have something to think about. I’m going to attempt my own answers below, and I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

1) What does this film tell us about our need for love? Even if love and relationships harm the characters enough for them to wish to remove their memories, they continue to seek it.

Posted on May 12, 2013 In Film Discussion Charlie Kaufman, Elijah Wood, Ellen Kuras, Film Discussions, Gerry Robert Byrne, Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Mark Ruffalo, Michel Gondry

Shawshank Redemption Discussion 4/7

March 25, 2013 — Leave a comment

Thanks for bearing with me through a foreign film last week, so now I’ll indulge you in what’s sure to be a favorite and one you’ve probably seen plenty of times before: The Shawshank Redemption.

It’s definitely a favorite of mine and I don’t mind watching it again, and hopefully you don’t either. While I’ve watched it several times, I haven’t spent serious time talking about it and I think there’s plenty in there to discuss. So cozy up, watch it again, and get ready to talk about it!

In Film Discussion

It wasn’t an easy film to watch or necessarily fully understand, but I feel like we were able to make some great headway this morning and hopefully understand a little better what Bresson was trying to get us to experience in his film, Au Hasard Balthazar. This movie is still working its way through my brain and I think I’ll be mulling over it for a few weeks more. Hopefully you were able to get something out of this film as well as I’m starting to agree with many of the reviewers that this is a movie worth watching and a masterpiece of the cinema.

Thanks to Nick and Irene for helping me grasp this film. I’ve included the show notes below with some of the quotes we talked about, videos we mentioned, as well as some helpful related content for those of you who didn’t get a chance to discuss it with us. Hope to see you next time!

Posted on March 23, 2013 In Film Discussion Anne Wiazemsky, Film Discussions, François Lafarge, François Sullerot, Jean Remignard, Jean-Claude Guilbert, Marie-Claire Fremont, Nathalie Joyaut, Philippe Asselin, Pierre Klossowski, Robert Bresson, Walter Green

1 Comment

Au Hasard Balthazar Discussion 3/23

March 14, 2013 — Leave a comment

We’ve now done our first documentary as well as our first “old” film, so now it’s time to do our first foreign film! The plan is the watch the classic Au Hasard Balthazar, Robert Bresson’s 1966 French film telling the tale of a donkey and a girl as they traverse through life. As we come upon the Easter season, it should offer a great reflection on what it means to be a suffering servant, and what it means to watch those you love suffer for bad choices they make.

This is a bit of a hard one to find, but thankfully Hulu Plus has it, so grab a free 2-week trial if you don’t have an account and check it out! It’s supplied by the Criterion Collection, so it’s a great digital remaster and stunningly captures the essence of this film.

In Film Discussion

At first I was a little worried that we might not have enough to talk about in this film because it was “simpler,” but I think I had too little faith in this movie! We covered a lot, including Dorothy’s desire for and journey home, why each character was seeking what they thought they lacked, and how each character related to each other in the group. We even compared Dorothy to the Wizard!

Thanks to Josh and Alishia for joining and helping us dig deeper into this film. It was a lot of fun, and now I’m really excited to see what they do with this new movie and how it fits into the world of Oz.

Below are the show notes. I’ve included some interesting quotes related to some of the ideas we touched on as well as some quick clips of how this movie has influenced others. Thanks for watching!

Posted on March 9, 2013 In Film Discussion Bert Lahr, Edgar Allan Woolf, Film Discussions, Florence Ryerson, Irving Brecher, Jack Haley, Judy Garland, King Vidor, L. Frank Baum, Margaret Hamilton, Mervyn LeRoy, Noel Langley, Ray Bolger, Victor Fleming

1 Comment

A great film and a great discussion. We covered topics in Man on Wire such as an artist’s relation to death, why wire walking is so beautiful and inspiring, how this event really was once in a lifetime and more. I feel like Nick, Irene and I barely scratched the surface of these topics, especially the worth of an artist’s endeavor, so I’d love to hear what you think about this film and our discussion!

Below I’ve included some of the videos and films we touched on, as well as some related quotations I found doing research for tonight’s discussion. Hope they’re helpful!

And don’t forget to join us on Saturday, March 9 at 10am PST to discuss The Wizard of Oz. See you there!

Posted on February 28, 2013 In Film Discussion Annie Allix, Film Discussions, James Marsh, Jean-Louis Blondeau, Philippe Petit, Simon Chinn

1 Comment

The Wizard of Oz Discussion 3/9

February 26, 2013 — 1 Comment

Once again, we haven’t gotten to our Man on Wire discussion yet because we had to push it back, but to at least give you about two weeks to watch the next one I wanted to announce that our next film we’ll be discussing is The Wizard of Oz!

So head over to the Google+ Event and RSVP for our discussion on March 9 at 10am PST via Google+ Hangout.

In Film Discussion

Man on Wire Discussion 2/28

February 11, 2013 — 1 Comment

As some of you already know, there’s been a change of plans. I had originally scheduled our fourth discussion on Apocalypse Now, but after reflecting on the movies I’d assigned so far, I realized how graphically violent they all have been. I feel responsible for the images I ask you to place in front of your eyes every couple of weeks, and I don’t want to take that responsibility lightly.

So to keep you from being immersed in intense violence for two straight months, we’ll discuss Man on Wire instead and give you a break. It will still be a fun experiment because it’s a documentary instead of the usual narrative fare, and should provoke a slightly different type of discussion. It has won many awards, and even has 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, so I’m hoping you’ll enjoy it!

The discussion will still be at the same time I had originally planned: Feb 28th at 8:30pm PST via Google+ Hangout.

In Film Discussion