Gareth’s Picks Satantango (1994) Got 7 and 1/2 hours to spare?  Good.  Watch Bela Tarr's epic film.  It is "slow cinema" at its finest. Set in a post-apocalyptic, post-communism Hungary, Tarr traces the machinations of humanity.  By the way, it is fun to put a space in between the title words to get Satan Tango, with the structure of the film mirroring an actual tango dance. Available to stream on Kanopy […]

Gareth’s Picks Three Minutes: A Lengthening (2021)  An extremely powerful documentary about a town in Poland that was wiped off the map by the Nazis.  All that remains is this three minutes of home video footage.  Bianca Stigter does an admirable job exploring the footage and interviewing relatives of those in the film.  Heartbreaking but important. Available to stream on Kanopy     Housekeeping (1987) The great Scottish director Bill Forsyth's first […]

Gareth’s Picks The Impossible (2012) A based-on-a true-story film that actually delivers.  Starring Ewan McGregor, Naomi Watts, and a young Tom Holland, it shows the horrific aftermath of the 2004 tsunami that decimated Thailand.  Expertly directed by J.A. Bayona, it effectively uses CGI while connecting us to the devastation. Available to stream on TUBI   Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003) Get ready for Napoleon by […]

Gareth’s Picks Helvetica (2007) The documentary you didn't think was needed but is an absolutely fascinating history of the font and the world of typeface art.  Learn why you are so affected by the fonts in your life. Available on Kanopy     Detour (1945) One of the all time best film noirs ever made.  Edgar Ulmer had a tiny budget but makes the absolute best use of it as […]

Gareth’s Picks A Girls Walks Home Alone at Night (2014) Sensational debut film from Ana Lily Amirpour.  A mix of genres, shot in beautiful black and white, this confident story of a vampire in Iran is still powerful nearly a decade later. The music is cool and she rides a skateboard.  Enough said. Available on Kanopy for free!   The Blackcoat's Daughter (2017) Another debut feature this time from Osgood Perkins,yes, the […]

Gareth's Picks Mikey and Nicky (1976) Elaine May's fantastic film about two friends trying to survive a night in New York and each other.  It stars the always entertaining Peter Faulk and and astonishing performance by John Cassevetes.  Elaine May's direction is note perfect. Available to stream on Kanopy       Russian Ark (2002) 1 hour and 39 minutes.  One single shot.  It is an experiment in format but […]

Gareth's Picks A Dark Song (2016) wildly underrated folk horror from 2016.  Written and directed by Liam Gavin, this is a slow building but greatly rewarding experience.  It stars the amazing Catherine Walker and Steve Oram in essentially a film with just the two actors.  A film about grief, pain, and release. Available on Kanopy       Kit Kitteridge An American Girl- that's right, An American Girl.  I have […]

Gareth's Picks Un Flic (1972) Jean-Pierre Melville final classic crime heist. Cool as cool can be.  Endlessly imitated, never repeated. It stars Catherine Deneuve,  Alain Delon, and ... Richard Crenna.  What more could you want? Available to stream on Kanopy for free       The Colors of the Mountain (2010) Heartbreaking film from Columbia that shows the effects of the drug trade on a remote village and the young children […]

Gareth's Picks Big Fan (2009)  indie film starring comedian Patton Oswalt in a dramatic role as a huge New York Giants football fan whose world is shattered when his favorite player beats him up.  It does a wonderful job digging into the way we identify with sports or anything else that can become our identity. Available to stream on Kanopy     Ganja & Hess (1973) Start off October with this […]