The only one among these three films I've seen is 'Mikey and Nicky', which I caught on the American cable channel Turner Classic Movies (TCM) just a few years ago. It's an estimable work, with both Falk and Cassavetes delivering fine performances, and with the theme of friendship torn by the contradictory motives of loyalty and betrayal effectively explored, but I don't regard it as a personal favorite. I prefer 'A New Leaf', May's first directorial effort, among this talented but relatively neglected filmmaker's body of work. I would say that 'Mikey and Nicky' is exemplary of the kind of gritty, realistic drama that flourished in the Seventies, in my estimation the single greatest decade in American cinema.
@@barrymoore4470 thanks Barry. I prefer a new leaf too and I wish the heartbreak kid would get a Blu-ray release too. I agree on the 70s. Amazing films from the big studios. Not happening now.
Hi Ronin - I have 955 and 957 & 958 but not 956. I love Duvivier’s Panique and Leconte’s Monsieur Hire because both offer unique interpretations of Simenon’s story, showcasing the distinct cinematic styles and sensibilities of their directors. Duvivier presents a traditional, noir-infused adaptation that critiques societal flaws and highlights the destructive power of mob rule. In contrast, Leconte’s version is more modern and introspective, delving deeply into the protagonist’s psychology for a nuanced and empathetic portrayal.
These videos are good for encouraging talk about less discussed Criterions. I really want to watch more Iranian films. I've only seen a handful. I have The White Balloon, which Kiarostami co-wrote. I completely understand if you've not bought #958 but its well worth watching once.
@steve4films Thanks, Steve. It's a great way of talking about them without doing full reviews. Yes, I've only watched 2 kiarostami films . Call myself a film fan.
My own exposure to Iranian cinema has been quite limited, but of those films I've seen, my favorite remains 'Sib' ('The Apple'), from 1998, the first effort by Samira Makhmalbaf, who was a mere teenager when she directed this ambitious and unusual feature. The film is part documentary, part dramatic recreation of a disturbing circumstance whereby a highly traditionalist man was discovered to be hiding his young daughters from the world, with the authorities intervening and ordering the two little girls to go to public school and become integrated into the larger society. The family members plays themselves, and it's both fascinating and dismaying to see these children and their mother (also woefully cloistered from the larger world), stunted in their emotional and intellectual development, begin to grapple with the complexities of the larger human society from which they had been hidden.
The only one among these three films I've seen is 'Mikey and Nicky', which I caught on the American cable channel Turner Classic Movies (TCM) just a few years ago. It's an estimable work, with both Falk and Cassavetes delivering fine performances, and with the theme of friendship torn by the contradictory motives of loyalty and betrayal effectively explored, but I don't regard it as a personal favorite. I prefer 'A New Leaf', May's first directorial effort, among this talented but relatively neglected filmmaker's body of work. I would say that 'Mikey and Nicky' is exemplary of the kind of gritty, realistic drama that flourished in the Seventies, in my estimation the single greatest decade in American cinema.
@@barrymoore4470 thanks Barry. I prefer a new leaf too and I wish the heartbreak kid would get a Blu-ray release too. I agree on the 70s. Amazing films from the big studios. Not happening now.
Hi Ronin - I have 955 and 957 & 958 but not 956. I love Duvivier’s Panique and Leconte’s Monsieur Hire because both offer unique interpretations of Simenon’s story, showcasing the distinct cinematic styles and sensibilities of their directors. Duvivier presents a traditional, noir-infused adaptation that critiques societal flaws and highlights the destructive power of mob rule. In contrast, Leconte’s version is more modern and introspective, delving deeply into the protagonist’s psychology for a nuanced and empathetic portrayal.
@benvanasse3397 thanks Ben. It's an interesting trio of films. I wouldn't say that 24 frames is essential but certainly worth a look.
These videos are good for encouraging talk about less discussed Criterions. I really want to watch more Iranian films. I've only seen a handful. I have The White Balloon, which Kiarostami co-wrote.
I completely understand if you've not bought #958 but its well worth watching once.
@steve4films Thanks, Steve. It's a great way of talking about them without doing full reviews. Yes, I've only watched 2 kiarostami films . Call myself a film fan.
My own exposure to Iranian cinema has been quite limited, but of those films I've seen, my favorite remains 'Sib' ('The Apple'), from 1998, the first effort by Samira Makhmalbaf, who was a mere teenager when she directed this ambitious and unusual feature. The film is part documentary, part dramatic recreation of a disturbing circumstance whereby a highly traditionalist man was discovered to be hiding his young daughters from the world, with the authorities intervening and ordering the two little girls to go to public school and become integrated into the larger society. The family members plays themselves, and it's both fascinating and dismaying to see these children and their mother (also woefully cloistered from the larger world), stunted in their emotional and intellectual development, begin to grapple with the complexities of the larger human society from which they had been hidden.
@@barrymoore4470Added to my ‘to see’ list 👍🙏
@@barrymoore4470 thanks Barry. I’ll have to track that one down. I have so many blindspots in my viewing.