Visual art collection
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New York City layabout Willie and his dopey sidekick, Eddie, get by on TV dinners and beer financed by haphazard card-sharking. Willie gets an unwelcome visit from his Hungarian teen cousin, Eva, but, just as he warms to her, she ditches him for her aunt in Cleveland. Impulsively, Willie and Eddie take a road trip to pick up Eva, after which they head out to find fortune and paradise in Florida -- or at least alleviation from their constant boredom.
It's not about what happens in the movie, it's about what doesn't. The beauty of it is in what’s missing. A negative approach to cinema. Every scene feels like a missed opportunity for connection. People talk, but don’t connect. Scenes play out, but nothing changes. It perfectly captures the feeling of loneliness and boredom. Even in the way it’s shot, wide, lingering shots, filmed in black and white. You spend the whole time waiting for something to happen, and by the end, you realize that's the whole point. Nothing Happens.
Available on: Max, Hulu, Prime, & more
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Jacek climbs into the taxi driven by Waldemar, tells him to drive to a remote location, then brutally strangles him, seemingly without motive. He's soon arrested and turned over to the state, with his only ally his idealist defense attorney, Piotr. Defending his client, Piotr throws himself into the trial, but the outcome is never in doubt. Jacek is found guilty and sentenced to be executed, a death just as brutal as that suffered by his victim.
Two brutal, deeply uncomfortable depictions of killing. A very dark film, both metaphorically and literally. The film itself looks poisoned, drenched in a sickly yellow and layered with filters upon filters that almost destroy the image. The first killing is chaotic, messy, and impulsive. The second is calm, cold, and calculated, but they end in the same silence.
Available on: The Internet Archive, Daily Motion
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Angel's Egg is a Japanese art film original video animation written and directed by Mamoru Oshii. Released by Tokuma Shoten on 15 December 1985, the film was a collaboration between artist Yoshitaka Amano and Oshii.
It’s hard to say exactly what the film is about. It feels like a dream you can’t quite remember, just out of reach. It’s filled with symbolism and has strong religious undertones, specifically Christianity. The girl treats the egg like a sacred object, guarding it with tenderness and devotion. She cares for it day after day, without ever knowing what’s inside, or if there’s anything inside at all. The boy, however, seems to have lost faith. He questions the egg, her devotion, the purpose of carrying something unknown.
Available on: The Criterion Channel, The Internet Archive
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