Brazil (1985)

Terry Gilliam's brilliant take on a 1984-ish world, wrought with stunning visuals, excellent themes and wonderful acting.

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

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Hotel Chevalier (2007)

Absolutely lovely. I loved Jason Schwartzman's masked nonchalance as Jack, and Natalie Portman wasn't bad as the wounded-but-feigning-otherwise character as Jack's ex-girlfriend. So Andersonian. Really of the essence. And a great prelude to The Darjeeling Limited.

Smultronstället (Wild Strawberries) 1957

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

Det Sjunde Inseglet (The Seventh Seal) 1957

Jeux d'enfants (Love Me if You Dare) 2003

This film initially reminded me of Jean-Pierre Jeunet's Amélie, with the vibrant color scheme, whimsical fantasy-infused cinematography and quirky characters, but as the movie progressed I immediately noticed it was a much darker, twisted story about love. Guillaume Canet and Marion Cotillard star as Julien and Sophie, who, since childhood have played a game of dares, started when they were children by Julien presenting Sophie with a gift of a tin merry-go-round and, upon asking if she'll lend it back to him, her demanding him to do something crazy to show he really wants it back. The game continues up to their adult years, always erratic and crazy and deepening the strange bond they have, even if on the surface their relationship is dysfunctional and destructive. I enjoyed how in their childhood the visuals were high contrast, with crazy bright colors. As they get older the visuals become more harsh, the colors settle down as their era of playtime is ending and the real world of adulthood sets in. Another thing to note is the growth of Julien and Sophie of the tyrant and the creme puff, which are what they declared they would grow up to be, as children hiding under a banquet table at Sophie's sisters wedding. All throughout several renditions of the song La Vie en Rose plays throughout, giving the film a simple, yet meaningful backdrop. And of course this gives an ironic twist, as Marion Cotillard goes on to play Edith Piaf in La Vie en Rose (which I still have not watched). In all, I loved this film, because it told a story about love in a fresh, atypical view. Love hurts, and it can be so twisted, yet in the end it prevails.