Title

Diva

Year

1981

Director

Jean-Jacques Beineix

Cast

Frédéric Andréi, Richard Bohringer, Roland Bertin, Wilhelmenia Fernandez, Thuy An Luu, Chantal Deruaz, Anny Romand, Dominique Pinon, Brigitte Lahaie, Gérard Darmon, Jacques Fabbri, Patrick Floersheim, Jean-Jacques Moreau, Tania Zabaloieff, Robyn Bernard, Marthe Moudiki-Moreau, Isabelle Mergault.

I've loved this forever. So chic, so menacing. The music, the way Gorodish slices a baguette, the Citroën Traction Avant, the Mobylette. It all seems so impossibly cool.

Title

Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai

Year

1999

Director

Jim Jarmusch

Cast

Forest Whitaker, John Tormey, Cliff Gorman, Frank Minucci, Richard Portnow, Tricia Vessey, Henry Silva, Gene Ruffini, Frank Adonis, Victor Argo, Isaach de Bankolé, Camille Winbush, Damon Whitaker, Vince Viverito, Chuck Jeffreys, Dennis Liu, Kenny Guay, Gano Grills, Touché Cornel, Jamie Hector, Yan Ming Shi, Vinny Vella, Joseph Rigano, Roberto Lopez, Salvatore Alagna, Jerry Todisco, Dreddy Kruger, Timbo King, Clay Da Raider, Dead and Stinking, Deflon Sallahr, Gary Farmer, Clebert Ford, José Rabelo, Jerry Sturiano, Tony Rigo, Alfred Nittoli, Angel Caban, Luz Valentin, Renee Bluestone, Jordan Peck, Jonathan Teague Cook, Tracy Howe, Harry Shearer, Vanessa Hollingshead, Sharon Angela, RZA, Scott Bryce, Paul Diomede.

I was hooked as soon as I saw this and I've seen it many times since. The music and Ghost Dog's stare are hypnotic. I love the way the pigeons fly to the music like it's a dance. The readings from Hagakure work perfectly. Then there is the friendship with Raymond with no common language and complete understanding. I can't say enough about this film.

Title

Night on Earth

Year

1991

Director

Jim Jarmusch

Cast

Winona Ryder, Gena Rowlands, Giancarlo Esposito, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Rosie Perez, Isaach de Bankolé, Béatrice Dalle, Roberto Benigni, Paolo Bonacelli, Matti Pellonpää, Kari Väänänen, Sakari Kuosmanen, Tomi Salmela, Lisanne Falk, Alan Randolph Scott, Anthony Portillo, Richard Boes, Pascal N'Zonzi, Emile Abossolo M'bo, Noel Kaufmann, Stéphane Boucher, Gianni Schettini, Antonio Ragusa, Nicola Facondo, Camilla Begnoni, Romolo Di Biasi, Donatella Servadio, Eija Vilpas, Jaakko Talaskivi, Klaus Heydemann.

Five vignettes across LA, New York, Paris, Rome and Helsinki — all told from five different taxis. Tom Waite's soundtrack is a common thread and you can't have too much Tom Waites. It's hard to pick a favourite but maybe I'll go with Roberto Benigni and his one-sided conversation with the priest. Or perhaps Isaach de Bankolé and Béatrice Dalle in Paris. I only recently realised that Giancarlo Esposito played both YoYo here and Gus Fring in Breaking Bad.

Title

Woman at War

Year

2018

Director

Benedikt Erlingsson

Cast

Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir, Jóhann Sigurðarson, Davíð Þór Jónsson, Magnús Trygvason Eliassen, Ómar Guðjónsson, Iryna Danyleiko, Galyna Goncharenko, Susanna Kurpenko, Jörundur Ragnarsson, Juan Camillo Roman Estrada, Charlotte Bøving, Björn Thors, Hilmir Snær Guðnason, Jon Johanson, Þorsteinn Guðmundsson, Helga Braga Jónsdóttir, Jón Gnarr, Vala Kristín Eiríkssdóttir, Hjörleifur Hjartarsson, Albert Halldórsson, Eiríkur Stephensen, Olena Lavrenyuk, Margaryta Hilska, Ragnheiður Steindórsdóttir, Sólveig Arnarsdóttir, Þórhildur Ingunn, Dominique Sigrúnardóttir, Arnfinnur Daníelsson, Haraldur Ari Stefánsson, Lísa Kristjánsdóttir, Högni Egilsson, Saga Garðarsdóttir, Hallgrimur Olafsson, Ari Eldjárn, Halldór Halldórsson, Erpur Eyvindarson, Sylvia Dögg Halldórsdóttir.

Not sure what it is about this film that captures my heart but it's very special. Is it an Icelandic thing? I certainly loved Of Horses and Men as well. The incongruous musicians that photo-bomb (sound-bomb?) the scenes just work: a brass band here and a Ukranian trio there.

Title

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Year

2019

Director

Céline Sciamma

Cast

Noémie Merlant, Adèle Haenel, Luàna Bajrami, Valeria Golino, Christel Baras, Armande Boulanger, Guy Delamarche, Clément Bouyssou.

So powerful. The scene where Marianne starts the first few strokes of the portrait of Héloïse is beautiful. The visceral sound of the charcoal against the blank canvas. The enormity of the ocean in the beach scenes. This film is like a painting itself.