Kubrick
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Last Active 01-19-14 2:46 am
Joined 01-21-10

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 Lists
02.16.16 Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind02.01.14 2012: A Music Odyssey
01.07.12 2011: A Music Odyssey11.04.11 Got Into Med School Today!
03.18.11 Top 5 Kubrick Films

Top 5 Kubrick Films

My favorite films by a director whose genius needs no introduction.
12001: A Space Odyssey

If you've read any of the excessive praise above, it probably doesn't come as a surprise that my favorite Kubrick film is also my favorite movie of all time. To me, 2001: A Space Odyssey is the pinnacle of what cinema can accomplish and is the perfect example of what can be achieved when a vision is translated directly to the screen. The soundtrack is iconic, the set pieces are visionary (it's mind boggling to think that man hadn't even been to the moon yet when this film was released), the cinematography and shot composition are painstakingly precise and visually arresting, and it's challenging. Man, is it challenging. Everything from the concept, to the amorphous progression of the film, to the mind-bending final moments is entirely original, thought-provoking, and visionary. The clearest indication of the quality of this film is its timelessness. It's been 43 years since the film was released and not only does it still visually impress, but its significance has only grown in relevance and is still extremely influential. This film is the ideal example of the distinction between cinema as not only a medium of entertainment, but as art. Favorite scene: Jupiter and Beyond the Infinite.
2The Shining

I love horror films, but I'm not disillusioned to the state of the genre. I know better than anyone that it is saturated with awful films to the point where the genre is basically a parody of itself. I don't love horror because of the volume of great horror films, but for the potential that horror films have. I believe that a good horror film is the most powerful kind of film, and the experience of viewing one can be something that potentially stays with you for the rest of your life. The Shining is my favorite horror film of all time and it is truly depressing that Stan didn't make more. His filming technique, the setting, the music, and the acting all come together to create an atmosphere that is truly unforgettable and that not only works as a horror film, but works as a contemplation on human nature (seeing a common theme?). Favorite scene: This is so hard because there are so many iconic scenes ("Come play with us Danny", Room 237, All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy) but I would have to choose "Here's Johnny!"
3A Clockwork Orange

Is it better to be a moral person who lacks the ability to freely choose to do wrong, or to be an immoral person with the ability of choosing to do good? This is the question at the heart of A Clockwork Orange, which portrays a bleak, future dystopia where people have become entirely desensitized to violence. In an attempt to "correct" this problem, the main character undergoes a radical treatment to "resensitize" him, which ironically prevents him from enjoying the one pure and innocent thing that he loved: music. Still as provocative, shocking, and relevant as the day it was released. Favorite scene: The infamous home invasion and the chilling realization that occurs later in the film in the very same room (yeah, I realize I just cheated two scenes in there haha).
4Full Metal Jacket

A dichotomous film that first examines the transformation from human being to soldier, and then explores the devastating effects of such a transformation. This film is filled to the brim with insight into the duality of human nature and how that duality can be manipulated to create beings who can simultaneously work as a tight brotherhood while, at the same time, have no compassion or regard for human life. Favorite scene: Finale of the boot camp portion of the film. "Leonard, if Hartman comes in here and catches us, we'll both be in a world of shit.".. "I am in a world of shit."
5Eyes Wide Shut

You know a director is truly brilliant when a film like Eyes Wide Shut doesn't even crack his top four. A solemn examination of the instability of love and the psychological dangers of infidelity, this film asks the question: is there a difference between desire and action? The film plays as a deliberate juxtaposition between the infidelities of Kidman's and Cruise's characters. As Kidman experiences her fantasies and desires entirely within her mind through dreams and lust, Cruise walks among his in reality and is physically tempted by them. Neither of them ever act on their desires, and yet the very foundation of their relationship is nearly obliterated by their sudden awareness and understanding of each other's capability for infidelity. This film, although quite ironically framed with colorful and bright Christmas lights, is dark, unsettling, and most importantly, emotionally resonant. Favorite scene: The unmasking of Cruise's character at the "party" (if the piano didn't send chills down your spine you had your TV on mute).
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