Synecdoche, New York: the story of life (Charlie Kaufman style!)

A lost masterpiece.

Told through the eyes of Caden Cotard (a brilliant Philip Seymour Hoffman), we learn of his tragedy. Life. Life is his tragedy thus it becomes his play. Re-creating life in a warehouse for his new play, after winning the MacArthur Genius Grant, Cotard enables us to see how life really is.

Boasting a stellar cast (look out for Keener and Williams in this too), this definitely takes dedication, and threatens on loosing the audience on first viewing (its difficult to totally immerse yourself in the 'oddisies' of Kaufman's script), but the result is more than worth the wait. Definitely weird, but 110% wonderful. This is a brilliant film, so underrated.

That's the thing. No awards, varied reviews, low rankings on imdb and rotten tomatoes. What is the world coming to!? That's the main reason for this post. Not to just rant about my opinion (though that's never stopped me before),  but to give this film its more than due credit. If this was mentioned in the same breath as 2001 or Raging Bull, I would not question it. A truly amazing film, that should be admired for decades to come.

Ebert compares Kaufman to auteur's like Bergman (see below) and after this, you can't help but agree. A true masterpiece, not to be missed.

the Seventh Seal (1957)

Just watched this tonight. Great classic by Ingmar Bergman. As confused as its director about the ideas of faith and religion.



The many contradictions (faith/atheism, light/dark, hope/despair, comedy/tragedy) and lack of answers merely add to the provoking questions the director is demanding from viewers. Not only that but Bergman utlises all resources of the medium (lighting, camera framing, setting etc.) so we can see the conflict in every way.

One contradiction I can't get my head around though is the idea that God does not exist (at least to the title character of the knight), but there is a still strong feeling of retribution to those who die of plague that embodies the film. I dunno. Nevertheless, this merely shows its brilliance (the fact I am asking this kinda question shows how thought provoking it is) rather than highlighting a flaw.

So yeh, bassically just wanted to say that this is a true masterpiece. And for god's sake (excuse the pun), watch it!!!

Best scene: the confession of the knights torment about loosing his faith. Lighting is stunning, the setting of an enclosed space with bars behind is brilliant, and von Sydow knails the monologue (which so clearly reflects the directors own thoughts). Utter, utter brilliance.

Watch it!!!



Director Ingmar Bergman: one of the major directors that defined cinema