Jasmim Talks Cinema

A Streetcar Named Desire: (Directed by Elia Kazan; Written by Tennessee Williams and Oscar Saul; Starring Vivien Leigh, Marlon Brando, Kim Hunter and Karl Malden; 1951) The line I most associate with this film: "I have always depended on the kindness of strangers." This list starts with a classic from the good ole days of the Old Hollywood, and what a better way to start. This majestic and dazzling Elia Kazan masterpiece will always be close to my heart. From the intoxicating atmosphere of this film, about a disturbed woman who has lost her touch with reality (played so brilliantly by Vivien Leigh), to, well, Marlon Brando (need I say more?), this classic is, in my opinion, a must-watch for anyone who loves cinema. With an amazing cinematography and one of the most captivating and interesting stories of all time (it's Tennessee Williams after all!), this isn't a movie easy to forget. It stays with us. Especially that classic scene with Brando in the rain, with...

Jasmim's Choice 2009: Best Film:  Winner: Inglorious Basterds A Prophet A Serious Man About Elly Antichrist Bright Star Enter the Void  Fantastic Mr. Fox Fish Tank Mary and Max Precious The Secret in Their Eyes The White Ribbon Thirst White Material Best Director: Winner: Quentin Tarantino, Inglorious Basterds Jacques Audiard, A Prophet Asghar Farhadi, About Elly Lars Von Trier, Antichrist Jane Campion, Bright Star Gaspar Noé, Enter the Void Wes Anderson, Fantastic Mr. Fox Andrea Arnold, Fish Tank Lee Daniels, Precious Claudia Llosa, The Milk of Sorrow Juan José Campanella, The Secret in Their Eyes Michael Haneke, The White Ribbon Park Chan-Wook, Thirst Nicolas Winding Refn, Valhalla Rising Claire Denis, White Material Best Actor: Winner: Tahar Rahim, A Prophet Michael Stuhlbarg, A Serious Man Colin Firth, A Single Man Willem Dafoe, Antichrist Luis Tosar, Cell 211 Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart Mor...

Jasmim's Choice 2010: Best Film: Winner: Biutiful Black Swan Blue Valentine Certified Copy Dogtooth Elite Squad: The Enemy Within Heartbeats I Saw the Devil In a Better World Incendies Inception Never Let Me Go Of Gods and Men Shutter Island Somewhere Submarine True Grit The Kids Are All Right The Social Network Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives Best Director: Winner: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Biutiful Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan Derek Cianfrance, Blue Valentine Abbas Kiarostami, Certified Copy Yorgos Lanthimos, Dogtooth Xavier Dolan, Heartbeats Denis Villeneuve, Incendies Christopher Nolan, Inception Mark Romanek, Never Let Me Go Lee Chang-dong, Poetry Martin Scorsese, Shutter Island Sofia Coppola, Somewhere David Fincher, The Social Network Joel and Ethan Coen, True Grit Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives Best Actor: Winners: Javier Bardem, Biutiful; Ryan Gosl...

Parts of Me   This time for something different. I won't write about a film in particular. I will write about the film characters with which I identify the most and therefore had the biggest impact on me and my self-understanding, so far. These characters helped me figure out myself and understand that I am not alone in this world in the way I feel and think and am. These are the characters that helped me grow and be more confident to expose my thoughts to the world. This article could be seen as a self-introspection. In fact, that's what I am interested in doing in this present moment. Sometimes, it's helpful to be a bit self-centered and think about yourself in order to understand what goes on in your head and what happens in your life. These characters are parts of me.   Frances:  The first character I want to talk about is from one of the films closest to my heart. This character is the awkward and undateable Frances, from Frances Ha  (directed by Noah Bau...