Xavier Pillai
Assistant Curator
UK
Voted for
| Film | Year | Director |
|---|---|---|
| North by Northwest | 1959 | Alfred Hitchcock |
| Yi Yi | 1999 | Edward Yang |
| Le Samouraï | 1967 | Jean-Pierre Melville |
| Close-up | 1989 | Abbas Kiarostami |
| Paris Is Burning | 1990 | Jennie Livingston |
| No Regret (Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien) | 1993 | Marlon Riggs |
| The Watermelon Woman | 1997 | Cheryl Dunye |
| Once upon a Time in the West | 1968 | Sergio Leone |
| Perfect Blue | 1998 | Satoshi Kon |
| The French Connection | 1971 | William Friedkin |
Comments
North by Northwest
An adventure of great heights with ineffable charm and steeped in tension.
Yi Yi
A tender family tale that transmits and opens a space for deep empathy with the characters and cultures you experience.
Le Samouraï
Brilliantly moody, chromatic blues with deafeningly tense silent moments. Experience becoming part of the scenery within the world of the film as the mysterious tale unfolds.
Close-up
Blended perfection, pacy yet introspective.
Paris Is Burning
Since the '90s, the influence of this film has encroached on culture. While questions of its ethics and the rights of who should tell a story remain, the subculture it revealed to the mainstream world is a gift for broader global cultures. Ballroom's prominence results from this film's cast and existence, which currently emanates to the fore of our cultural programming.
No Regret (Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien)
The poetic and rhythmic elements are artfully cultivated, a vivid expression of defiant grief. This film exists perfectly at the confluence of different artistic techniques. It can be shown in a gallery as quickly as within the walls of a cinema.
The Watermelon Woman
Video store culture and the politics of interpersonal relationships and dating are carefully examined in this "slacker" classic.
Once upon a Time in the West
Brilliantly edited and scored, an exemplary epic and defining film of a genre.
Perfect Blue
Dizzying anime, which on countless watches leaves the viewer with a real sense of loss and dislocation, its influence is extensive and sometimes uncredited.
The French Connection
Through cinematic techniques, the film establishes a preternatural connection with the viewer. It leads you through the sequences with an unerring immersive quality that leaves you entirely predisposed to the turns and twists of the story.