Hitchcock

This clever imagining of Hitchcock film posters is by Matt Needle. Bold and memorable work, (almost) to rival Saul Bass.

Wes

Just spotted this graphic project for Wes Anderson's Film Festival this year. Some of it is a little self-consciously whimsical (much like his films, actually), but there are some really fun ideas in there. Find it referred to at Behance, here.

The Auteurs

Lovefilm is my rental service of choice, having supplied me with nearly 400 films over the last 5 years. New to the scene (to me at least) is The Auteurs, which focuses on the obscure and the cult, streamed online. Each is £3.00, though there seems to be only a limited selection of about 20 movies at any given time. It certainly seems worth a try - if only for those moments when there is nothing on TV, but there is an urgent need for some quality viewing.

It can be found here.

Cinema

The Rio by 1:2:3 and Kristoffer Sundin consists of simple well-chosen materials assembled to create an intimate, distinctive space. Cleverly, the way they are put together - and in particular, the lighting - still seem to say 'cinema' without resorting to cliche. I loved this shot of the entrance in the rain.

Conveyor

"A film is never really any good unless the camera is an eye in the head of a poet." (Orson Welles)

I liked the everyday simplicity of this video - a couple of bored diners send their camera round a sushi carousel with a wistful song laid over the top.

Micro-knitting

I've been following news of the new movie of Coraline, not least via twitter and Neil Gaiman's account of the relentless press junket itinerary for him and Director Henry Selick. It looks amazing.

On something of a tangent, but a fascinating one, is the work of Athea Crome for the film. Her extraordinary skill is micro-knitting, and a short film of her talking about it is featured here.

The International

'The movie also looks at the role of architecture in our lives and how much it influences emotions. Expensive modern architecture has changed the landscape of so many big cities. It's fascinating architecture: it seems driven by a desire to exude clarity with its lines, yet at the same time it is hard to read.' (from Sight & Sound)

A visual artist's observation on international modernism, as Tom Tykwer describes the key role of architecture in his new film 'The
International'. Looking forward to it - and seeing the always watchable Clive Owen in action.

Stalker

As one of the most impressive pieces of cinema I've ever seen, it was great to see reflections on Stalker by critic Geoff Dyer. The Guardian article touches on what provides its enduring quality, concluding that enigma and ambiguity reward re-viewing. For me, the Tarkovsky's themes of yearning and redemption are palpable, played out as a journey into a forbidden zone, prompting parallels with the Christian worldview.

Time for another viewing, I think.