This play arrived in my life during one of its most desolate chapters. Years later, I still returned to the theater three times to relive it. While Jonny Donahoe cast a spell over New York audiences with his singular brilliance, the production in my country was anchored by Bora Akkaş — an actor of extraordinary depth. A haunting symmetry binds their stories: his performance, too, unfolded under a personal shadow, serendipitously aligned with the loss of a dear friend.

From the play’s indelible list, Item 45 remains pinned above my desk: “45. Hugging.”

I once exchanged letters with Duncan Macmillan, the playwright — a man so analog, he eschews email entirely. Our correspondence unfolded through his British publisher, a relic of an older literary world.

It wasn’t until years later that I learned HBO had resurrected the New York iteration. Discovering it on Max felt like unearthing a forgotten photograph, its edges still sharp with meaning.

Certain works — like certain souls — emerge precisely when the universe demands witness. This play is such a creation. Even its soundtrack hums with the same uncanny resonance.

Watched on Tuesday April 15, 2025.

Watched on Tuesday April 15, 2025.

Watched on Sunday April 13, 2025.

Watched on Sunday April 13, 2025.

Watched on Sunday April 13, 2025.

Watched on Sunday April 13, 2025.

Criterion Collection

A 1997 Norwegian film.

Skjoldbjærg's 1997 entry, which snagged a Golden Camera nomination at Cannes, boasts a screenplay penned by Nikolaj Frobenius and Skjoldbjærg, with a score by Geir Jenssen.

Here's a detail that makes this film noteworthy:

Once the movie hit theaters and started making the rounds at festivals, American producers got the itch to do a remake and knocked on Steven Soderbergh's door. Initially, Jonathan Demme was eyed to direct, and they were looking at Harrison Ford for the Will Dormer role. But Soderbergh had another play in mind. He told the studio he'd found a very young director for them, and after catching Memento (2000), he knew he'd found the perfect helmer for the job.

Christopher Nolan was hip to the original Norwegian film even before his directorial debut, Following, dropped, and after a few more viewings, he signed on to the project – even though it wasn't really his usual bag.

Anyway, let's get to the movie itself.

Erik Skjoldbjærg, whom I later encountered with Prozac Nation (2001), a film he'd make for American audiences, is a singular filmmaker. In fact, watching the opening scene of this movie, it's hard not to think that Se7en might have cribbed a few things from it.

Skjoldbjærg's greatest strength lies in his camerawork; and as a Nolan fan, I gotta it, Nolan's take looks bush league next to this.

And it's not just me saying this; the late Roger Ebert, over at the Chicago Sun-Times, drew a line between the film and Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment. Can't really argue with that.

The way Skjoldbjærg flips the script on film noir conventions is pretty impressive and confident. Instead of burying the terrifying cat-and-mouse chase in darkness, he has his protagonists stumble through fog and the shimmering twilight of the midnight sun, which really pulls the viewer into the thick of it.

Skjoldbjærg's version is so layered, unpretentious, cold, and rich in both its visuals and the psychology of its characters that after dissecting this thriller, you'll be scratching your head for a long time trying to figure out why a remake was even necessary. But then again, Americans do this kind of thing all the time, even going so far as to have Michael Haneke direct a shot-for-shot redo of his own film once.

Christopher Nolan, despite being half-English, leans heavily into his American DNA and copies numerous scenes verbatim in his film, which can't even touch the atmospheric intensity of the Norwegian original. While Nolan's film devolves into a clichéd Hollywood showdown towards the end, the original's closest companion is silence... and this deafening silence gives the film an epic feel.

By the way, it would be a major oversight not to mention Stellan Skarsgård, who is a phenomenal actor. Just one viewing of this version is enough to see what Al Pacino couldn't quite pull off in the remake.

The only plausible reason this absurd film managed to collect so many awards seems to lie in Europe’s intellectual elite and their insatiable appetite for Orientalism.

A t production between and Austria, the film follows a group of people fleeing Iraq, attempting to cross into Europe via Turkey.

And yet, the Iran depicted on screen bears no resemblance to the actual Iran, nor does the portrayal of Turkey — despite the fact that almost the entire film was shot there — have any authentic connection to the real country.

The depiction of two ethnic groups, Kurds and Persians, who have lived side by side in Iran for centuries, as if they were incapable of understanding one another; the portrayal of Ankara, the Turkish capital, as though it were some African ghetto; and the way every European reference is inevitably linked to hope and modernity — all this forms nothing short of a parade of nonsense.

Especially so, considering Europe's well-documented enthusiasm for mowing down refugees approaching its borders with gunfire.

A 2012 film that begins in Istanbul, moves through Oslo, Helsinki, and Berlin, and chronicles the love between two Scandinavians who meet while vacationing in Istanbul... And this movie was filmed on my very street. In the fall of 2012, I was in Ukraine, and this crew came and shot a film on my street; talk about a stroke of bad luck!

I hadn't seen any of Eirik Svensson's previous work until this picture. I tip my hat to him because he's helmed one of the better films shot in Turkey by a non-Turkish crew. Eschewing Orientalism and any jingoistic sentiment, he's captured some beautiful scenes, making good use of Istanbul's colors and sounds.

However, the film hits a snag with its pacing once it leaves Istanbul. So much so that even the camera angles and music become uneven.

The film is middling fare, and in that regard, it delivers on what it promises to its audience.

Watched on Saturday April 12, 2025.

Watched on Saturday April 12, 2025.

Watched on Friday April 11, 2025.

Iveta Grófová, a filmmaker of my own vintage who also penned the screenplay, presents a detail that resonates with particular force. Adapted from the work of the late Slovak author Peter Krištúfek, who tragically died young, this film first ed on my cinematic radar following its screening at the Miami Jewish Film Festival.

While the film has faced criticisms from domestic audiences regarding its perceived lack of depth, it has garnered considerable acclaim in festivals across the globe.

My own assessment finds Grófová adept at captivating her audience through both her screenplay and her narrative skill. However, for those removed from the cultural wellspring of the story, it may indeed as merely a film. Yet, these are narratives rooted in lived experience.

It is also imperative to acknowledge the luminous performance of the exceptionally talented Alexandra Borbély, as well as the noteworthy contributions of cinematographer Martin Štrba.

Watched on Thursday April 10, 2025.

Watched on Monday April 7, 2025.

Watched on Monday April 7, 2025.

Watched on Sunday April 6, 2025.

British filmmaker Scott Chambers revisits J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan in the third installment of his long-gestating The Twisted Childhood Universe (TCU).

This aspect of re-adaptation warrants particular attention. While the mention of Peter Pan might first conjure the cartoonish iterations popularized by Disney, the character originally conceived in 1902 by the Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie is, in fact, quite steeped in the gore tradition.

(Peter Pan, the book, has frequently faced accusations of racism due to its often barbaric depiction of Native Americans. However, some researchers and writers have argued that the book should be evaluated within the context of the era in which it was written. This issue is largely absent from contemporary versions of the book and its cinematic adaptations.)

Those who follow the young filmmaker Scott Chambers, barely past his thirtieth birthday, will already be familiar with his characterizations and color palettes, and this film maintains a consistency that should satisfy his established audience.

Martin Portlock delivers a quite satisfactory performance as an actor who appears to have thoroughly internalized the narrative.

Another name to note in the film is Peter DeSouza-Feighoney. Having already accrued credits in numerous gore productions at a young age, one hopes that DeSouza-Feighoney will emerge as a significant actor in the genre's future.

Watched on Sunday April 6, 2025.

Do you read Sutter Cane?

Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil Sam Neil

Watched on Saturday April 5, 2025.

My initial viewing of Willow and Wind (1999) prompted me to declare it a masterpiece, a sentiment only amplified by subsequent viewings, leading to a profound affection for the film.

It appears that the filmography of Mohammadali Talebi is replete with masterworks, and this particular picture is decidedly among them.

To begin with, the very fact that this is a Japanese-Iranian co-production renders it inherently compelling; indeed, the opening moments treat the viewer to distinct Japanese melodies.

Beyond the sheer brilliance of the cinematography, the hallmarks of Iranian cinema – those naturalistic performances – are among the details that elevate this film to a singular status.

The screenplay, penned by Houshang Moradi Kermani, whose name had previously eluded my attention, coupled with the exceptional directorial acumen of Mohammadali Talebi, swiftly secured this film a place among my most cherished.

Watched on Saturday April 5, 2025.

Watched on Saturday April 5, 2025.

Legacy (fan) edition... 143 min

Watched on Friday April 4, 2025.

Watched on Wednesday April 2, 2025.

Watched on Wednesday April 2, 2025.

Watched on Wednesday April 2, 2025.

Watched on Wednesday April 2, 2025.

Watched on Tuesday April 1, 2025.

Watched on Tuesday April 1, 2025.

Watched on Tuesday April 1, 2025.

+ her gün şeftali yesen bıkmaz mısın?

(call me by your name referansı)

Ouro Sobre Azul - Short Film | Making Of (2019) ; www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlA9h2Qnmsc

In the opinion of the great Cosmo Kramer, this is the best movie of the series.

Watched on Sunday March 30, 2025.

Though Robert Wise is a filmmaker I greatly ire, some of his films needlessly prolong their runtime with excessive details. Despite the 4K Ultra HD release of Star Trek: The Motion Picture – The Director's Edition by Paramount+, some 44 years after its initial production, this issue persists.

To meet the December 7, 1979 release date, the production rushed to completion, with many of the visual effects needing to be finalized by Douglas Trumbull—who had stepped in to replace the previous VFX supervisor—at the very last moment. Director Robert Wise, in fact, practically abandoned work on the film and had the first available print flown to its Washington, D.C. premiere. Consequently, the film became known as one of Hollywood’s most famous 'unfinished' films. Clearly, the problem lies elsewhere, and Paramount+ still hasn't managed to resolve it.

Maybe, they'll get it right by the 100th anniversary

Watched on Sunday March 30, 2025.

Watched on Sunday March 30, 2025.

Watched on Sunday March 30, 2025.

Watched on Saturday March 29, 2025.

A Russian short film chronicling a day in the life of a Georgian family. Directed by an Azerbaijani, starring Armenian and Georgian actors, performed entirely in Russian. I watched it with German subtitles, am writing this review in English, and—to top it off—it’s 5:22 a.m., and I’m three sheets to the wind...

Watched on Friday March 28, 2025.

Watched on Thursday March 27, 2025.

Watched on Thursday January 24, 2013.

Watched on Saturday February 2, 2013.

List of films set in the city of Istanbul

İstanbul'da geçen, İstanbul'dan geçen ya da seti istanbul olan filmler.

• Constantinople, panorama des rives du Bosphore
• The Demolition of the Russian Monument at St Stephen
• The Woman Worth Millions
• The Night of the Great Love
• Stamboul Quest
• Abdul the Damned
• The Crouching Beast
• Ninotchka
• Background to Danger
• The Mask of Dimitrios

...plus 78 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

My Favorite Movies

• Lost Christmas
• Hedwig and the Angry Inch
• The Man Without a Face
• Fried Green Tomatoes
• Driving Miss Daisy
• The English Patient
• *batteries not included
• When the Whales Came
• The Majestic
• The War

...plus 323 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

My Physical Media Collection
4K Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray, Dvd, VHS

• Caught in a Cabaret
• The Birth of a Nation
• Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages
• Broken Blossoms
• Nosferatu
• All Quiet on the Western Front
• L'Âge d'or
• Dracula
• The Skin Game
• Frankenstein

...plus 2614 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

My Apple Tv Movie Collection

• Five Nights at Freddy's
• The Nun II
• All of Us Strangers
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
• Oppenheimer
• Insidious: The Red Door
• Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning
• Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
• Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
• Asteroid City

...plus 716 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Başka Sinema DVD Koleksiyonum

• Young & Beautiful
• Inside Llewyn Davis
• The Great Beauty
• The Broken Circle Breakdown
• Blue Is the Warmest Color
• The Impeccables
• The Square
• Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas
• Joe
• A Thousand Times Good Night

...plus 74 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

My VHS Collection

• Shall We Dance
• Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
• Fosforlu Cevriyem
• Arım Balım Peteğim
• 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
• Who Framed Roger Rabbit
• Mac and Me
• Don't Let Them Shoot the Kite
• Road House
• Blackout Night

...plus 43 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk'ün İzlediği Bazı Filmlerin Listesi
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kaynak;

Olkan Özyurt
Ali Nihat Eken
Gazi’nin Sineması (Tadımlık)
Atatürk'ün Sinema Anlayışı (Sayfa 12)
Performing Modernity: Atatürk on Film (1919-1938)
Atatürk ne zaman "Hayatımda hiç bu kadar gülmedim" dedi?
Atatürk o filmi izleyince... "Hiç bu kadar gülmemiştim"
Türkiye'de Sinemanın İlk Yılları ve Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Almanya'da Gösterimi Yasaklanan "Garp Cephesinde Yeni Bir Şey Yok" Filmi Türkiye'de

• The Adventurer
• All Quiet on the Western Front
• The Cocoanuts
• Midnight Prince
• Весенние дни
• Shame
• Golden Mountains
• I by Day, You by Night
• Tell England
• Say It with Songs

...plus 17 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

The Greatest Films Nobody Knows

• Birds, Orphans and Fools
• The Company of Strangers
• The Hypothesis of the Stolen Painting
• The Man Who Stole the Sun
• Kisapmata
• Twilight
• Death of Yazdgerd
• Ashes and Snow
• The Time to Live and the Time to Die
• The Wagoner

...plus 20 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

#HerGünBirFilm

Cem Altınsaray'ın Twitter'i aktif kullandı dönemde takipçilerine önerdiği filmler... (Kendi dizdiği sıra ile)

• A Face in the Crowd
• Lady in a Cage
• Rififi
• Woman in the Dunes
• Lone Star
• Raise the Red Lantern
• Blind Chance
• Sholay
• Bad Day at Black Rock
• When a Stranger Calls

...plus 790 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

In 2012, Fast Company published an extensive interview with Scorsese in which he talked about his 85 movies “you need to see to know anything about film.” Meanwhile, in 2006, a young filmmaker named Colin Levy wrote to the filmmaker, asking for recommendations on where to start an education on foreign films. Scorsese responded with a list of almost 40 suggestions. And, of course, Scorsese shared even more of his favorite films with Sight & Sound magazine.

1. Breathless
2. Stagecoach
3. Gilda
4. The 400 Blows
5. 2001: A Space Odyssey
6. All That Heaven Allows
7. 8½
8. It Happened One Night
9. Nosferatu
10. Jason and the Argonauts

...plus 115 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.