melahndoestherobot

Jan Svankmager's "Dimensions of Dialogue" is a collection of short films made up of stop-motion photography, live action, and animation. In the first act, Exhaustive Discussion, two heads made of all sorts of food and utensils are reduced to chunks and pieces through unique stop-motion animation. The heads devour and regurgitate each other into new forms over and over in a apologue of Evolution until we have clay heads continuously devouring and regurgitating. In the second act, Passionate Discourse, the two heads have become male and female, fall in love, and have sensual sex where they blend together. When they revert back to man and women there exists a needy lump of clay in between them, seemingly their child. Neither wants to care for the child and they begin to throw the lump back and forth at one another. The fight continues to escalate until they have virtually destroy one another. In the final act, Factual Conversation, two new heads appear-those of middle-aged men-and they begin spitting out and sucking back into their mouths various objects, interacting with one another through physical use of their tongues to manipulate the various objects for their dual benefit. Their exchanges become increasingly irrational, finally ending in destruction. Through use of human forms which are dismantled, scattered, merged and then weirdly constructed, "Dimensions of Dialogue" serves as a visually entertaining pessimistic study about the types of dialogue people have with one another, and the way that these dialogues can go horribly wrong. Some feel that it is Svankmajer's greatest film, and one of the most astounding animated shorts ever made. Whether that's true or not, his films have had a huge influence on modern avant-garde and stop-motion animators, as well as influencing the likes of Tim Burton and the Brothers Quay, and it is a film well worth watching.

"Time of the Gypsies" (a.k.a. "Home for Hanging) is a 1988 Yugoslav film by Emir Kusturica revolving around the charming Perhan, a Gypsy teenager with telekinetic powers, who is fighting to win the love of the beautiful Azra, despite protests from her overbearing and materialistic mother. We follow Perhan's poetic and intense journey as he engages in a world of petty crime and hustling, while he struggles to do better for himself and his family. An emotional and beautifully directed film (with an amazing soundtrack), "Time of the Gypsies" is a terrific film filled with magic realism, where joy and pain go hand in hand.

Elem Klimov's "Come and See" is one of the most horrifying war movies you will ever see, and it is a film that will affect you emotionally and physically in a way that few movies ever will. The film follows 12-year-old Florya (executed brilliantly by newcomer Alexei Kravchenko), who anxiously awaits life as a soldier for the Russian Army in 1943 Byelorussia. However his fantasy rapidly comes to an end as he comes face to face with the brutal realities of war and bears witness to some of the most terrible atrocities imaginable. The film relies heavily around haunting images and sound, and Klimov so vividly portrays Florya's descent into madness that by the end of the film we ourselves feel as though we have lost our minds. Though emotionally draining, it is a very moving and powerful film well worth seeing, that will without a doubt stay with you for years to come.