The worse thing about love is not the pain that comes when it is lost. It is the realization that the opportunity for love was present, but we let it slip through our fingers. The lingering regret it causes can be downright unbearable at times. This is something that circus strongman Zampanò (Anthony Quinn) tragically […]
Tag Archives: Blind Spot
July
29
Blind Spot: La Jetée
posted by Courtney Small
In Chris Marker’s brilliant 1962 short film La Jetée, the narrator states that “nothing tells memories from ordinary moments. Only afterwards do they claim remembrance on the account of scars.” For the central protagonist, an unnamed man (Davos Hanich), it is the scar of memory that has haunted him for years. A traumatic childhood memory, […]
June
10
Blind Spot: Rope
posted by Courtney Small
“I wonder what Alfred Hitchcock would have thought of Donald Trump?” A strange thought, I know, but this is what crossed my mind while watching May’s Blind Spot selection Rope. Though the narrative of the film focuses on two killers there is something more disturbing at play. The most chilling thing in the film is […]
April
25
Blind Spot: Withnail and I
posted by Courtney Small
Oh, those drunken moments in our lives. The times that, depending on one’s recollection of the events, can either result in lively revelry, inflated confidence, embarrassment or self-doubt just to name a few. While most of us have fond memories of particular times when we were at the mercy of an alcohol fueled haze, we […]
March
29
Blind Spot: The Big Sleep
posted by Courtney Small
In the forty or so films that I have watched as part of this series, The Big Sleep might be the first one that I completely adored despite being baffled by its plot more than once. Frankly, it got to the point where, after attempting to unravel the tangled connections between the characters, I simply […]
February
20
Blind Spot: Daughters of the Dust
posted by Courtney Small
How does one unpack the poetic beauty of Julie Dash’s Daughters of the Dust? It is a film that promotes the importance of the past, while simultaneously debunking some of the myths that come with viewing things through a nostalgic lens. The film floats on a wave of memories, and at times contradictions, which makes […]
January
26
Blind Spot: Incendies
posted by Courtney Small
Denis Villeneuve’s 2011 Oscar nominated film Incendies is a stunning piece of storytelling. It is a thriller in which the journey towards uncovering the central mystery is as shocking as the revelations at the end of the quest. Depicting the senseless nature of religion based conflict, and the complex family bonds that emerge from within […]
December
24
2016 Blind Spot Series
posted by Courtney Small
As the year quickly comes to a close, it is time to start thinking about next year’s Blind Spot Series. Created four years ago by James McNally, and championed by Ryan McNeil, the series is designed to encourage film lovers to catch up on films that they have been procrastinating on seeing for some reason […]
October
27
Blind Spot: Hiroshima Mon Amour
posted by Courtney Small
I guess it is fitting, in my own morbid way, that I would imprint a recent memory of my own on a film all about memory. Alain Resnais’ Hiroshima Mon Amour will always have a unique place in my heart, but not for the reasons you may think. While no doubt a picture that is […]
September
28
Blind Spot: The Monster Squad
posted by Courtney Small
Childhood nostalgia is such a personal thing that debating the merits of that which brought us so much joy in our youth seems like a pointless endeavor. Similar to the never ending Coke versus Pepsi debate, there can never be a right answer. It all boils down to personal taste. Of course that has not […]
August
24
Blind Spot: Rififi
posted by Courtney Small
It is a testament to Jules Dassin’s direction that Rififi can still knock one’s socks off. In an era where the tropes of the heist genre are being repurposed for everything from Marvel films to spy thrillers, the fact that this film still feels innovative speaks to the brilliance of its construction. While most modern […]
August
12
Blind Spot: Paris, Texas
posted by Courtney Small
One would think that winning the Palme D’Or and sitting at a perfect 100% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes would afford a film a certain amount of swagger. The strange thing is that, despite its critical acclaim, Wim Wenders’ riveting tale Paris, Texas still feels woefully underappreciated. Outside of hardcore cinephiles and Criterion collection disciples, […]
June
29
Blind Spot: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
posted by Courtney Small
Julian Schnabel is no stranger to telling tales about the real-life struggles of artists, but what he achieves with The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is quite remarkable. In previous works he focused on individuals – a painter and a playwright – who managed to create compelling works in the face of personal adversity. He […]
May
25
Blind Spot: My Dinner with Andre
posted by Courtney Small
Films have a funny way of entering one’s life at just the right time. Take Louis Malle’s 1981 gem, My Dinner with Andre, for example. This film’s inclusion on this year’s Blind Spot list has more to do with a pop culture reference than the critical praise heaped on the film. If I am to […]
March
30
Blind Spot: 3 Idiots
posted by Courtney Small
There is something pleasantly deceptive about the way Rajkumar Hirani’s 3 Idiots unfolds. Upon first glance the film appears to be nothing more than a Bollywood version of a traditional American teen comedy. Complete with its own Ferris Bueller style rebel, Ranchoddas “Rancho” Shamaldas Chanchad (Aamir Khan), to disrupt the balance of the world by […]
February
23
Blind Spot: The Conformist
posted by Courtney Small
After Marcello Clerici (Jean-Louis Trintignant) confesses a harrowing tale of childhood sexual abuse, the priest in the booth on the other side of the pew only responds with curiosity and not shock. “Now you must tell me the details” states the priest, as if savoring every salacious detail. It is a strange response to which […]
January
27
Blind Spot: Spellbound
posted by Courtney Small
By all accounts Spellbound features the ingredients needed to make a tasty Hitchcockian stew. There is a central murder mystery, a turbulent romance, iconic visuals and characters hiding dangerous secrets. Unfortunately, despite some inventive moments of spice, the combination of this dish is both overcooked and surprisingly bland. The film often feels at odds with […]
December
19
Blind Spot: Close-Up
posted by Courtney Small
A few months ago while watching F for Fake, another Blind Spot selection, for the first time, I found myself intoxicated by the way Orson Welles playfully blurred the lines between fiction and reality. Welles used the notion of truth, and the film’s apparent reliance on it, as a ruse to manipulate the viewer’s notions […]
November
25
Blind Spot: Ikiru
posted by Courtney Small
In Akira Kurosawa’s Ikiru there is a fate much worse than death. It is the realization of never truly living. Kurosawa’s film may not be subtle with its message but, as Ikiru deftly shows, life is far too short for restraint. Despite its measured pacing, there is a sense of urgency that flows throughout the […]
November
04
2015 Blind Spot Series
posted by Courtney Small
Now that we are in the final two months of 2014, it is time to start thinking about next year’s Blind Spot Series. Created three years ago by James McNally, and championed by Ryan McNeil, the series is designed to encourage film lovers to catch up on films that they have been procrastinating on seeing […]
