Beautiful films?

[Yojimbo]

Has anyone seen any film made in the past 5 years that you would consider visually stunning or truly beautiful? If not, what about a film that is beautiful in it's essence?

I am really starting to believe we are losing touch with both our humanity and nature within the film medium.

My wife, who has worked in film as a producer, has started to feel the same. She finds me a little too cynical but also doesn't have my extensive familiarity with a variety of films. So, referencing something such a Ozu's 'Floating Weeds' ('59 and not '34) as an example, well, it does me no good.

So, what do you cats have for me?

[Neon Maniac]

I'm with you on it. I think video has become cheap now days and now the generation that grew up with video being everywhere and on everything has no idea how to actually use it beyond a utilitarian effort and don't understand/appreciate it as an art form.

[Yojimbo]

Wow! I am so glad someone agrees. I was afraid I was becoming a celluloid curmudgeon.

I think your point is pretty valid Neon. Due to the fact that filmaking is cheaper and more accessible, I think the talent pool is starting to dilute a bit. This appears to be affecting television as well.

Fortunately, I get to interact with film professors and acting teachers and they all agree the students they are getting are more in love with the idea of film than with the art of film. Most of these kids have no knowledge of film whatsoever and more and more are starting to write-off most films made before the 80s. I have also had far too many conversations with those young people who poo-poo black and white film altogether. For them, it's all "cheese" and "worthless".

Are they are really going to write Todd Browning and Frank Capra off?!!! Even John Ford is about 15-20 years away from becoming a mere footnote!

What gets real disconcerting is that the very same thing is happening in literature. The kids don't really read much of anything of substance and we know there are very few decent writers who weren't avid readers of solid literature. Of course, this will bleed over more and more into screenwriting. To some degree, it has! It's already ruined comic books. I can barely read a comic anymore without becoming an editor and critic.

Yeah, I don't want to be "that guy". You know, the one who sits around sipping my tea in a coffee shop and murmurs how film started to suck after 2000 whenever I hear younger people discussing movies but, I am really starting to hear the Earl Grey calling me!!!

[Neon Maniac]

I'm with you on the rest too. Journalism is essentially gone now. At best, a story is soundbite and filler. As far as books go, also not a fan of most popular modern books. They're dumbed down, the writing is poor, and there is very little copy editing done on most. I've had books where it was obvious that instead of being copy edited it was run through a spell check and grammar check. Seriously you're/your and there/their errors through out.

[Alien Redrum]

I'm with you on the rest too. Journalism is essentially gone now. At best, a story is soundbite and filler. As far as books go, also not a fan of most popular modern books. They're dumbed down, the writing is poor, and there is very little copy editing done on most. I've had books where it was obvious that instead of being copy edited it was run through a spell check and grammar check. Seriously you're/your and there/their errors through out.

I recommend you start looking into small press. They are destroying it right now. DarkFuse, Sinister Grin Press, Crystal Lake Publishing, Lazy Fascist Press, Raw Dog Screaming Press, Dark Regions, Crossroad Publications, Inkshares and a bunch more I'm forgetting. Some of the best stuff I've read in my life I've read the past few years.

What's hurting is these self-publishing jackholes doing exactly what you are rightfully complaining about; simply running it through a spell and grammar check.

[New Wave Shamrock]

Has anyone seen any film made in the past 5 years that you would consider visually stunning or truly beautiful? If not, what about a film that is beautiful in it's essence?

Sadly, the most beautiful thing I have seen is one of the ABC's of Death. Which, of course as we know, is an anthology of short films made by a host of filmmakers from around the world and as one packaged film, its quality varies wildly.

But, Orgasm was the Letter that was a perfect example of a beautiful recent film.

Unsurprisingly, it was from the Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani husband and wife team who made Amer and The Strange Color of Your Body's Tears. Of those films, I've only seen the latter. But I would also nominate that film under the category of film I hope you're looking for.

Though if this topic truly believes they don't make beautiful films anymore... Wow. I hated Terrence Malick's To the Wonder (which is the only product of his recent return-to-directing boom I've seen; of the millennium) but that's as beautiful a film as you're likely to see.

As was Under the Skin.

As was Spring Breakers.

I'd even argue Michael Bay's Pain & Gain qualifies, though it made my brain hurt because I hated the story, the characters, and the b.s. macho political garbage. (Three Kings this was not.)

I don't get a chance to watch many art films considering that I'm only really buying comparatively classic films (usually horror; I don't have all that much money) but I see advertisements every day for films that make my eyeballs nearly explode, to say nothing of the Slant Magazine class of film critics who will sell you a dozen solid art films per year, any year that keep the beautifying objective of filmmaking alive.

How much are we looking for these films to penetrate the mainstream? (And is that the greater issue?)

[Neon Maniac]

You seem to believe that mostly 'art' films are beautiful films, I'd have to disagree with that.

[Yojimbo]

Neon, I assume you directed your statement at me---I think? Actually, and I wouldn't expect anyone to remember but, years ago, I wrote about how beautiful TALE OF TWO SISTERS was when I first watched it. Actually, it was so well shot that it's cinematoraphy was actually a distraction. I had to immediately watch it again because I missed so much of the story. I think that was also the consensus of many others who watched it as well.

Of course, as NWS appears to prove, beauty can be in the eye of the beholder. I'll give a few of those they mentioned a shot. However, there are few films that are universally recognized for their moments of beauty. Even some that we would not expect. A good example is Yimou's HERO. Even though it is a martial arts film, there moments of beauty one would not expect in such a film. Of course, he had lots of practice with his classic films TO LIVE and RAISE THE RED LANTERN. Both are beautiful films.

[New Wave Shamrock]

You seem to believe that mostly 'art' films are beautiful films, I'd have to disagree with that.

I was suggested the movies I mentioned before I found this thread. (Except for Pain & Gain, I simply noticed all the intelligent, gorgeous shots which stood out.) So... I already thought they were "beautiful" films anyway. I didn't list them merely because they were also art films.

And, nice to see you credit Michael Bay's non-franchise thing as an art film. It totally was.

[Alien Redrum]

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2000-whatever) had some beautiful shots. High Tension had some as well.

And I agree about AToTS and Hero, but beautiful films. There's another one that the title escapes me, but there was a battle in the snow, and a lot of arrows were involved. There was also a battle in a bamboo forest.

OH, and Lady Snowblood!

[DJBenz]

The Neon Demon (No relation to our own Neon Maniac, I'm sure) always gets props for being a beautiful film. I haven't seen it myself, but it's one of the strongest accolades the film gets. Similarly, Winding-Refn's other work is also hailed as visually sumptuous.

[Alien Redrum]

The Neon Demon is quite beautiful. And not really memorable.

[Neon Maniac]

When I think of a "beautiful film" I think more of consistent, spectacular cinematography than I do a single scene. A hack can make a movie with a single 'beautiful' scene or framing, its' like a broken clock being right twice a day. There are very few films I've seen that are top to bottom visual feasts.

[Alien Redrum]

When I think of a "beautiful film" I think more of consistent, spectacular cinematography than I do a single scene. A hack can make a movie with a single 'beautiful' scene or framing, its' like a broken clock being right twice a day. There are very few films I've seen that are top to bottom visual feasts.

A lot of Argento's more popular stuff is like that.

Too bad the movies are so hacky.

[Neon Maniac]

When I think of a "beautiful film" I think more of consistent, spectacular cinematography than I do a single scene. A hack can make a movie with a single 'beautiful' scene or framing, its' like a broken clock being right twice a day. There are very few films I've seen that are top to bottom visual feasts.

A lot of Argento's more popular stuff is like that.

Too bad the movies are so hacky.

Yeah, you're right. That is one of the reasons his films drive me crazy.