The Criterion Channel and HBO Max have similar film collections, but HBO Max has a much more impressive selection of Kurosawa. Akira Kurosawa’s Death Note, based on the Tolstoy novella, is a film you should not miss. It is a beautiful, heartbreaking and moving movie, and you need to watch it ASAP.
Agnes Varda’s film trilogy
Varda was born in Brussels in 1928, but she didn’t take up a camera until she released her first film, La Pointe Courte, in 1955. The film is considered a precursor to the French New Wave movement. Its documentary-like style was influenced by Alain Resnais, who would go on to make Hiroshima, Mon Amour, and The Last Year at Marienbad.One of Varda’s most challenging films, the film mixes documentary and drama styles. It follows the story of a fictional young woman through France’s wine country, interspersed with interviews of other characters. It was named one of TIME’s best films of 1986.
Denis Villeneuve’s Dune
The adaptation of Frank Herbert’s novel has had a long and difficult road. After several unsuccessful attempts to get the film made, the novel was adapted into a TV miniseries. It was also cancelled because of budget issues, and many felt the novel was too dense to make a film. However, Villeneuve is confident that Dune: Part Two will happen.Although production has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the movie is now scheduled for release on October 22, 2021. HBO Max will also have it for streaming on October 22.
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Stanley Kubrick’s 2001
Kubrick is a master of using elements of genre in his films, occupying them one at a time. His films were deliberately constructed to advance the filmic vocabulary. In addition to using disparate environments, they were designed with a malicious intelligence.The first film in the 2001 film series explores the origins of humanity. Kubrick and Clarke had a vision of how mankind would develop, and the story is based on that. While Kubrick emphasized the importance of special effects, he also wanted to give the audience a realistic view of how mankind evolves and survives.
Meg Ryan’s A Star Is Born
This romantic comedy features Meg Ryan as the first female fight promoter. She purchases the contract of a struggling boxer, and tries to make him a star. The movie also stars Kerry Washington, Omar Epps, Tim Daly, and Tony Shalhoub. Charles S. Dutton, a former journalist, directs and co-wrote the biopic, which is now streaming on HBO Max.
Jack Nicholson’s Chinatown
The story revolves around Jake, a private eye whose ethical dilemmas lead him to operate in Chinatown. The Chinese characters are a large part of the main coverup in the movie, and when Jake helps Katherine and Evelyn escape from the city, they participate in the criminal activity.