Im curious to know, from people who enjoy these types of films(those of brutal self honesty or psycho/sexual analysis),what are some of your favorite books and/or films?
a few of mine are:
books- 'The Confessions' by rousseau. 'On the Road'. 'The Black Dahlia'
movies- 2001 A Space Oddessy. Lawrence of Arabia. Capturing the Freidmans. Easy Rider. Rashomon.
Music: Anything by Lou Reed (especially the album, "Magic and Loss", which is the most depressing album Lou Reed has done (even though many consider "Berlin" to be his most depressing, unspairng work). and Pink Floyd's "The Wall."
Films: Anything by Director Todd Solondz (who I strongly recommend for those who enjoyed the excellent documentary, Crumb). Click on my name and check out my posters which say, "More Movies that fans of Todd Solondz ought not to miss" and "Is Todd Solondz realistic or abstract realism?," which both lists movies that fans of Crumb and Todd Solondz will enjoy, so check it out.
I love Crumb, it is the best documentary I have ever seen by far. I also recommend the excellect, doc. "Grizzly Man." But I disagree with you, I did not like "Capturing the Freidmans" at all--for a documentary it was entertaining, but I found it mean and pointless. The movie about the Freidmans did not explain why he did what he did or if he did what he did; the documentary did not try to understand him and show why he would molest kids; it just had interviews with the victims and relatives to hear what they know. I felt that "Capturing the Freidmans" was pointless. It did not make any attempt to understand the subjects, just judge him like the news did. So I disagree with "Capturing the Freidman" as brutally self honest, rather I felt it was a pointless (though still somewhat entertaing) documentary which did not open my eyes in any way. If the film is supposed to teach me that it is wrong to molest children, I do not need a film to tell me that, I already know that. Rather, I would have liked to see a documentary about maybe the pedaphile's family life and social life when he was a kid, instead of just portraying him in a one-sided spot light. But that it just my opinion, and what do I know.
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i couldnt agree more about 'grizzly man' its an amazing and disturbing film. its been a while since ive seen 'capturing the friedmans' but what i remember finding fascinating was the interaction of the family members and they're relationship with one another, especially with the mother which was particularly bizzare. i have to admit that i havent seen any of solondz's films, though 'happiness' and 'palindromes' has been on my movies to see list for quite some time. i will also take your advice on 'seven beauties' and 'swept away'. another movie that comes to mind is 'the son' ('le fils' is the french title) an off the wall movie for off the wall people.
shareThanks for my reply. You should definatly cheack out those Todd Solondz movies, esp. Happiness, but in my opinion, I would replace Storytelling with Palindromes since Storytelling is a better movie, and Palindromes is really only goog for his fans, and not as a place to start for people who want to discover the director. I would also add that I just saw the amazing honest movies: 1)Mysterious Skin 2)In a Glass Cage (worst of the bunch but still good and worth seeing. And of course I forgot to mention Requiem for a Dream.
shareI think this is among my Top 10 favorite films.
I don't know if I can tell you everything I enjoyed in this sort of category, but in some abstract way I could name LOVE AND DEATH (Woody Allen film), BEFORE SUNRISE and BEFORE SUNSET (Richard Linklater, director), PULP FICTION, THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH (w/David Bowie), LIGHT SLEEPER (w/Willem Dafoe). Oh, I really can't try to list what you are asking for...to big a job to try to tackle without hours to ruminate over it~! One of my favorite books is AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A YOGI by Paramahansa Yogananda, also OBEDIENCE TO AUTHORITY by Stanley Milgram.
Oh, and definitely WAKING LIFE (another Linklater film). I can't wait until A SCANNER DARKLY comes out this July...! They have a really cool interactive website up already: http://wip.warnerbros.com/ascannerdarkly/
(This is a film based on a Phillip K. Dick novel and which his daughters say will be the first film that stays true to the author's story.)
i loved 'before sunset' and 'before sunrise' i dont think its a coincidence that you mention 'pulp fiction' in that same group. i bet most fans of 'pulp fiction' would enjoy the 'before' films (dialog fans). both books you mentioned sound right up my alley. im reading a book called 'ladies man' its by richard price who wrote the book 'clockers'. one reviewer called it the 'catcher in the rye' for the 21st century. its a narration of urban isolation/lonliness and sexual frustration.
shareAmerican Splendor
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