Monsters – 2010 – dir. Gareth Edwards
Monsters is the story of Sam (Whitney Able), the daughter of the wealthy man who has pressed Andrew (Scoot McNairy), a photographer, into escorting her back to the United States from Mexico. This Mexico, it needs to be said, is a Mexico whose northern half is “the Infected Zone,” where giant aliens have roamed since they came to Earth six years ago.
There Will Be Blood – 2007 – dir. Paul Thomas Anderson
A film such as There Will Be Blood only comes around every decade or so. It is a picture that transcends the contemporary (and often times, overemphasized) allusions to current issues, eventually revealing the true heroics of man. Usually, films such as these relish in the battle of man with the world around him. This time, Paul Thomas Anderson has taken a step back, graciously inviting his audience to participate in his fantastic allusion. There Will be Blood is our modern American epic. Already resonating with films such as Citizen Kane, the personal psychology has an intrinsic connection with today’s audience. All corporate evil aside, this is film is about competition. To go even farther, There Will Be Blood is an objective look at the driving force of ambition, and the right of man to climb to the top, however he may get there. It all starts with Daniel Plainview.
By William Benker
The Hidden Fortress – 1958 – dir. Akira Kurosawa
Akira Kurosawa’s Hidden Fortress stands apart from most of his feudal Japan films, primarily due to the near complete absence of war and swordplay. While the usual mix of steel, flames and water are still present within the film, Hidden Fortress carefully selects the elements Kurosawa wishes to focus on. The common element that reveals its importance in scene after scene, portrayed in various forms, is wood. On a quest to smuggle a princess outside enemy lines, samurai general Makabe (Toshiro Mifune) must drag along two greedy peasants to help carry the bounty meant to rebuild the remains of their fallen country.
By William Benker
Throne of Blood – 1957 – dir. Akira Kurosawa
The power of prophecy and influence drives Akira Kurosawa’s revitalized Macbeth in Throne of Blood. In the midst of feudal Japan, Washizu (played by Kurosawa regular, Toshiro Mifune) bears witness to the complete corruption and dissection of himself by his own hand. Kurosawa’s grim look at the sheer power of outside influence strikes at the heart of Throne of Blood, truly expressing what is sacrificed when one loses himself in another’s foreboding. The intricate maze of self-deception, paranoia and selfishness leaves little to wonder at beside the rigid forest that guards Spider Web Castle.