Wings of Desire (1987)

'Wings of Desire' by Wim Wenders, set in Berlin towards the end of the Cold War, follows Damiel, an angel (played by Bruno Ganz) as he and fellow angel Cassiel (Otto Sander) observe humankind. Unseen by all except for children, the angels can hear peoples' thoughts, fears and desires but otherwise have no physical power in their one-sided interactions with humans. Damiel tires of his endless, immortal existence and upon becoming human marvels at his new experiences - he bleeds, sees colors, drinks coffee and warms his hands by rubbing them back and forth. As an angel he had fallen in love with a trapeze artist, Marion, and in his newfound experience as a mortal, seeks to find her. The film is also a series of ruminations on Berlin's past, its current state and what is in store for it in the future, which felt like what Andrezj Wajda did with Poland for Ashes and Diamonds . Said thoughts are profound and overall the film is dreamy and beautiful, and no surprise, for the director of photography was Henri Alekan (who was responsible for the groundbreaking camera work in Jean Cocteau's La Belle et la Bête). Peter Falk (The Princess Bride!) stars as himself, in a nice twist of a role which grounds the film in its fantasy land. The first 2/3 of the film feels mostly expository, as we move around the city and watch characters, whereas in the last part we see how Damiel deals with being human. An interesting film.

Man Bites Dog (1992)

A brilliant documentary-style satire in which a film crew follows a charismatic, knowledgeable, well-liked and sophisticated man who also happens to be a vicious serial killer. The ultra-violence of the film protagonist's/antagonist's murders forces the viewer to wonder 'Why am I still watching this?' and true to cinema verité, makes apparent that the film crew members are conflicted with the need to intervene in the crimes or to keep rolling to preserve the reality of the situation. The film is a commentary on the media's effect on violence in society - how people cannot resist the initial horror of a tragedy or gruesome death, but when they feel they should look away, it is far too late.

Fists in the Pocket (1965)

Dark, melodramatic, disturbing, magnetic. A dysfunctional family at its worst, and the measures one member takes to 'solve' the problem.

Black Orpheus (1959)

Ashes and Diamonds (1958)

Domicile Conjugal (Bed and Board) 1970

The fourth film by Francois Truffaut featuring the character Antoine Doinel. I don't want to say anything other than Truffaut = perfection. Wow.

Tystnaden (The Silence) 1963

For me, the most relate-able of Bergman's "Trilogy of Faith."

Nattvardsgästerna (Winter Light) 1962

I have yet to really get into a chunk of Bergman's work, but I think it's safe to say that this one is an incredibly bleak and harsh outlook on the existence of God. Tomas's struggle with his faith and his disheartening realization that God is silent made me feel sorry for him, and his indifference and ultimate cruelty to Marta, who loves him blindly, just made me feel horrible. I usually feel a sense of optimism in the face of reality from Bergman, but his trilogy of faith is really jarring, raw, and a slap to the face. Not so sure what to think. Maybe once I watch The Silence I will be able to formulate a stronger opinion.

Såsom i en spegel (Through a Glass Darkly) 1961

Smultronstället (Wild Strawberries) 1957

The sweet things in life grow wild; it'll be your secret.