The Criterion Collection

Solves the one problem Godard has attempted to solve without success: the problem of how to use cinematic form in order to to theorize the politics of heterosexuality.

Heart of Darkness rewritten as a romantic comedy. Also my two favorite things are cats and records, and L'Atalante features plenty of both.

In a perfect world, this would be the only movie.

Bresson shows you a world too fallen to care about and then forces you to care about it anyway. This film is proof that the craft of acting belongs to the stage, and that "screen acting" is little more than a myth. That donkey gives the most psychologically nuanced performance in screen history just by letting himself be used as a prop.

Probably the only film ever to capture the real world's horrible lack of color. Antonioni seems to have been the first person to realize that even the most austere black and white photography would just make the world seem more vibrant and livable than it really is.

Total silliness as political theory.

If this had been made in 2005 it would have to be reclassified as a documentary.

Another movie about heterosexuality. Cocteau has a shockingly keen understanding of straight masculinity. He sees something about it most people don't seem to see - that its death drive has a whole erotic fantasy life of its own.

Parts of this are too gross to watch, but the first half is pretty much the coolest thing I've ever seen.

Like Mouchette and A Hard Day's Night had a baby and it was directed by Ozu.