CINEMANIA:

Fanny and Alexander (Sweden, 1982, Ingmar Bergman)

Wherein Ben and I gush over the crowning achievement in a peerless cinematic career.

Ben Begins:

I know this Zen aphorism. Before you study Zen, a bowl of rice is a bowl and rice. While you study Zen, a bowl of rice is not a bowl and not rice. After you study Zen, a bowl of rice is a bowl and rice. The search for knowledge the marks the departure from childhood truth is an unavoidable quest that comes to the mature recognition of childhood truth. Likes Matt's masthead says, a long, strange journey towards a retrospectively inevitable destination. F&A is not just the work of a great artist. It is the work of a mature human being.

Bridge on the River Kwai (Britain, 1957, David Lean)

Wherein Ben and I, whenever we feel afraid, we whistle a happy tune. And could there be a more misleading movie poster?

Ben Begins:

Another title from Jacob's to-see list derived from his must-see book. A nice change for me because this is the first such selection that was new for me. I am betting that you have had occasion to watch TBOTRK but even if you have not, the film is so famous, I cannot think that you are unfamiliar with the plot.

Screen Cap Quizzical'

All right, so here I am, back in your grill daring you to show me up by identifying two wildly disparate films chosen randomly from my DVD collection. If you can correctly identify BOTH films, you will win this week's Grand Prize, an autographed copy of Douglas Coupland's screenwriting debut, Everything's Gone Green. All right, so the autograph is mine and not Coupland's. What of it?

And, as always, don't cheat. You'll just feel dirty in the morning.

The Bicycle Thief--or for you purists Bicycle Thieves (1948, Italy, Vittorio de Sica)

Wherein Ben and I take turns slavering praise upon this, The Most Important Film of a Generation. Or All Time. Let the hyperbole begin!

Ben Begins:

This may or may not be listed in Jacob's book. I couldn't care less. When I was at Pic-a-Flic grabbing Easy Rider and Bridge on the River Kwai, I wanted to ensure that something educational was included... something educational, goddamn right.

Here are some links to a bunch of reviews I did for Apollo Guide

The best of the lot: Al Pacino's Looking For Richard which--don't let the Shakespearean milieu frighten you off--is a helluva lotta fun to watch.

I also reviewed a boxed set of lesser-known Jimmy Stewart films.

Screen Cap Quiz of the Week

And But So the beat goes on. Culled from my DVD collection, I have stolen some moments from a couple of dvd's and will now attempt to blow your mind by getting you to guess what they are. This week's two films could not be more unalike, but if you manage to be the first person to figure out their identity, you could win a Great Big Prize. Last week, Will H.