Radio Days [1987]
1. A brown and yellow zigzag curtain. The camera pans and dollies backwards to reveal a studio, a broadcast in progress. Wallace Shawn as the Masked Avenger. I don’t know why, but I’ve always considered this one of the most beautiful shots.
2. "What a world. It would be such a wonderful place if it weren’t for certain people."
3. Diane Keaton in a snood. Whatever happened to snoods?
Angel [2007]
1. Angel is holding a small green bottle. There’s a knock on her bedroom door. She takes a quick swig from the bottle, then goes over to a sidetable and fills up the bottle with water from a pitcher. “Come in,” she says. Nora enters, and Angel presents her with the bottle, telling her that it’s water from the spring of Delphi, meant to provide inspiration to artists.
2. He asks her who her favorite authors are, what books she likes to read. “I simply haven’t the time to read,” she replies.
3. He undresses, his back to the camera. Completely naked. He hops over to the bed and gets in; we see the stump where his leg used to be.
I can’t wait to write more about this movie. Ozon has really made a wonderful movie. It’s not 100% successful, but even its failures are interesting.
Fermat’s Room [2007]
1. Opening lines: "Do you know what prime numbers are? If you don’t, there’s no point in going on."
2. He scatters the pages into the lake. She smiles.
3. "You’re not leaving here without paying." He stares down the gas station attendant. His look could mean anything, but because the movie has led us in a certain direction we take it to mean only one thing.
Puffball [2007]
1. She swings on the fence, the half-empty bottle in her hand, and barks at the dog. It looks back at her quizzically.
2. Miranda Richardson starts crying and the cows instinctively back away.
3. Sex in the hay, including literal bodice-ripping.
The Sun’s Burial [1960]
1. Takeshi’s beige terrycloth shirt. It’s somehow dated and sexy at the same time.
2. He stuffs her mouth with dirt and grass. Using his shoe he flips open her skirt. The scene cuts away as he rapes her.
3. The tiny room is crammed with men and women in various states of undress. It’s so hot that all they can do is lie around and smoke and drink beer.
Twitterpated.
I Heart Huckabees [2004]
1. The chalk patterns on the back of his sportcoat.
2. Lily Tomlin dives into the garbage container.
3. Tippi Hedren: "Fuck him."
The Class [2008]
1. A clear plexiglass cube is passed around the table and each person drops his vote through a slot on the top.
2. Esmerelda surprises Francois when she reveals that she read Plato’s Republic.
3. Souleymane translates his tattoo.
