2000’s Cinema

R.I.P. Gena Rowlands (1930-2024)

by John Charet

Last Wednesday, one of the most extraordinary actresses to have ever lived passed away at the age of 94. The actress was Gena Rowlands. The cause of death was complications of Alzheimer’s disease (read here and here). According to her son Nick Cassavetes (read here), Rowlands had been living with Alzheimer’s for the past five years. And yes, Nick is the son of the late great actor/director/writer John Cassavetes. Rowlands had been married to John from 1954 until his death in 1989. To commemorate her career, I will list my favorite films of hers where she serves as a standout below (all * * * * out of * * * *).

  1. Faces (1968) (Dir: John Cassavetes) Click here to view the film’s original theatrical trailer
  2. Minnie and Moskowitz (1971) (Dir: John Cassavetes) Click here to view the film’s original theatrical trailer
  3. A Woman Under the Influence (1974) (Dir: John Cassavetes) Click here to view the film’s original theatrical trailer
  4. Opening Night (1977) (Dir: John Cassavetes) Click here to view the film’s original theatrical trailer
  5. Gloria (1980) (Dir: John Cassavetes) Click here to view the film’s original theatrical trailer
  6. Love Streams (1984) (Dir: John Cassavetes) Click here to view the film’s original theatrical trailer
  7. The Notebook (2004) (Dir: Nick Cassavetes) Click here to view the film’s original theatrical trailer

I would like to end this blog entry with a question for my dear readers below

What is your favorite Gena Rowlands film?

My Favorite Bernardo Bertolucci Films (2024 Edition)

by John Charet

I have not seen 2012’s Me and You yet because it is not available on Blu-Ray/DVD here in the United States nor can I watch it online.

* * * * (Out of * * * *)

  1. The Conformist (1970)
  2. Besieged (1998)
  3. Tragedy of a Ridiculous Man (1981)
  4. The Dreamers (2003)
  5. The Spider’s Stratagem (1970)
    (Italian Television)
  6. Before the Revolution (1964)
  7. Last Tango in Paris (1972)
  8. La Luna (1979)
  9. 1900 (1976)
  10. Stealing Beauty (1996)
  11. The Last Emperor (1987)
  12. The Sheltering Sky (1990)
  13. Partner (1968)
  14. Little Buddha (1993)
  15. The Grim Reaper (1962)
  16. Ten Minutes Older: The Cello (2002)
    Segment: Histoire d’eaux
  17. Il canale (1966)
    (Documentary)
    (Short)
  18. Love and Anger (1969)
    Segment: Agonia

My Favorite Ingmar Bergman Films (2024 Edition)

by John Charet

Some of these I watched online. I saw just about all of Bergman’s films, but not every single one of them.

* * * * (Out of * * * *)

  1. Persona (1966)
  2. Wild Strawberries (1957)
  3. Cries and Whispers (1972)
  4. Saraband (2003)
    (Swedish/Italian/German/Finnish/Danish/Austrian Television)
  5. Fanny and Alexander (1982)
    (Miniseries)
    (Swedish/French/West German Television)
  6. The Silence (1963)
  7. Smiles of a Summer Night (1955)
  8. Winter Light (1963)
  9. Sawdust and Tinsel (1953)
  10. Through a Glass Darkly (1961)
  11. Summer with Monika (1953)
  12. Hour of the Wolf (1968)
  13. Summer Interlude (1951)
  14. Scenes from a Marriage (1973)
    (Miniseries)
    (Swedish Television)
  15. The Seventh Seal (1957)
  16. Shame (1968)
  17. The Magician (1958)
  18. The Virgin Spring (1960)
  19. After the Rehearsal (1984)
    (Swedish Television)
  20. Autumn Sonata (1978)
  21. Face to Face (1976)
  22. The Magic Flute (1975)
  23. From the Life of the Marionettes (1980)
    (Swedish/West German Television)
  24. The Rite (1969)
    (Swedish Television)
  25. The Passion of Anna (1969)
  26. Brink of Life (1958)
  27. Dreams (1955)
  28. A Lesson in Love (1954)
  29. Secrets of Women (1952)
  30. The Devil’s Eye (1960)
  31. A Dream Play (1963)
    (Swedish Television)
  32. To Joy (1950)
  33. In the Presence of a Clown (1997)
    (Swedish/Danish/Norwegian/Italian/German Television)
  34. Faro Document 1979 (1979)
    (Documentary)
    (Television)
  35. Faro Document (1970)
    (Documentary)
    (Television)
  36. The Making of Fanny and Alexander (1984)
    (Documentary)
  37. The Making of Autumn Sonata (1978)
    (Documentary)
  38. Madame de Sade (1992)
    (Swedish Television)
  39. Prison (1949)
  40. Port of Call (1948)
  41. It Rains on Our Love (1946)
  42. The Serpent’s Egg (1977)
  43. Karin’s Face (1986)
    (Documentary)
    (Short)
  44. Thirst (1949)
  45. The Image Makers (2000)
    (Swedish/Danish/Finnish Television)
  46. The Misanthrope (1974)
    (Danish Television)
  47. Music in Darkness (1948)
  48. A Ship Bound for India (1947)
  49. Crisis (1946)
  50. The Blessed Ones (1986)
    (Swedish Television)
  51. The Touch (1971)
  52. Mr. Sleeman Is Coming (1957)
    (Swedish Television)
  53. Ovader (1960)
    (Swedish Television)
  54. The Last Gasp (1995)
    (Swedish Television)
  55. Backanterna (1993)
    (Swedish Television)
  56. Hustruskolan (1983)
    (Swedish Television)
  57. Rabies (1958)
    (Swedish Television)
  58. Stimulantia (1967)
    Segment: Daniel
  59. All These Women (1964)
  60. The Venetian (1958)
    (Swedish Television)
  61. Harald & Harald (1996)
    (Short)
    (Television)
  62. On Set Home Movies (2008)
    (Documentary)
    (Short)
  63. Ingmar Bergman: Making Commercials (1951)
    (Commercials)
    (Short)
    (Swedish Television)
  64. This Can’t Happen Here (1950)

My Favorite Noah Baumbach (2024 Edition)

by John Charet

* * * * (Out of * * * *)

  1. Marriage Story (2019)
  2. Margot at the Wedding (2007)
  3. White Noise (2022)
  4. The Meyerowitz Stories (2017)
  5. Frances Ha (2012)
  6. The Squid and the Whale (2005)
  7. MIstress America (2015)
  8. While We’re Young (2014)
  9. Greenberg (2010)
  10. De Palma (2015)
    (co-directed with Jake Paltrow)
    (Documentary)
  11. Mr. Jealousy (1997)
  12. Kicking and Screaming (1995)
    (no relation to the 2005 comedy)
  13. Conrad & Butler Take a Vacation (2000)
    (Short)

My Favorite Sean Baker Films (2024 Edition)

by John Charet

Some of these films I saw on either old DVD’s or online.

* * * * (Out of * * * *)

  1. Tangerine (2015)
  2. Take Out (2004)
    (co-directed with Shih-Ching Tsou)
  3. The Florida Project (2017)
  4. Starlet (2012)
  5. Red Rocket (2021)
  6. Prince of Broadway (2008)
  7. Warren the Ape – Season 1 (2010)
    Episode: It Girl
    Episode: Crash Course
    Episode: Bad Po-Fo
    Episode: Anger Management
    (Cable/Television)
  8. Fur on the Asphalt: The Greg the Bunny Reunion Show (2010)
    (Short)
  9. Greg the Bunny – Season 1 (2005)
    Episode: Martian Serum 7 from Mars
    (Cable/Television)
  10. Snowbird (2016)
    (Short)
  11. Khaite FW21 (2021)
    (Short)
  12. Taco Bell: Fry Again (2022)
    (Commercial)
    (Short)
  13. Four Letter Words (2000)

My Favorite Ari Aster Films (2024 Edition)

by John Charet

I watched all of his short films online.

* * * * (Out of * * * *)

  1. Beau Is Afraid (2023)
  2. Midsommar (2019)
  3. Hereditary (2018)
  4. The Strange Thing About the Johnsons (2011)
    (Short)
  5. Munchausen (2013)
    (Short)
  6. C’est La Vie (2016)
    (Short)
  7. Basically (2014)
    (Short)
  8. The Turtle’s Head (2014)
    (Short)
  9. Beau (2011)
    (Short)
  10. Herman’s Cure-All Tonic (2008)
    (Short)
  11. TDF Really Works (2011)
    (Short)

My Favorite Olivier Assayas Films (2024 Edition)

by John Charet

Some of these titles I watched online. For the record, there may be a title or two missing because I have not seen it yet. I also can’t find them online.

* * * * (Out of * * * *)

  1. Irma Vep (2022)
    (Miniseries)
    (Cable/Television)
  2. Irma Vep (1996)
  3. Carlos (2010)
    (Miniseries)
    (French/German Television)
  4. Summer Hours (2008)
  5. Clouds of Sils Maria (2014)
  6. Personal Shopper (2016)
  7. Clean (2004)
  8. Demonlover (2002)
  9. Sentimental Destinies (2000)
  10. Late August, Early September (1998)
  11. Non-Fiction (2018)
  12. Something in the Air (2012)
  13. Cold Water (1994)
  14. Boarding Gate (2007)
  15. Cinema, de notre temps (1996)
    Episode: HHH, portrait de Hou Hsiao-hsien
    (Documentary)
    (French Television)
  16. Paris, I Love You (2006)
    Segment: Quartier des Enfants Rouges
  17. Paris Awakens (1991)
  18. Disorder (1986)
  19. Winter’s Child (1989)
  20. Wasp Network (2019)
  21. Noise (2006)
    (Documentary)
  22. Winston tong en studio (1984)
    (Documentary)
    (Short)
  23. Rectangle – Deux chansons de Janco (1980)
    (Short)
  24. To Each His Own Cinema (2007)
    Segment: Recrudescence

My Favorite Darren Aronofsky Films (2024 Edition)

by John Charet

* * * * (Out of * * * *)

  1. Mother! (2017)
  2. Black Swan (2010)
  3. The Fountain (2006)
  4. The Wrestler (2008)
  5. Noah (2014)
  6. Requiem for a Dream (2000)
  7. Pi (1998)
  8. The Whale (2022)

My Favorite Andrea Arnold Films (2024 Edition)

by John Charet

* * * * (Out of * * * *)

  1. Fish Tank (2009)
  2. American Honey (2016)
  3. Cow (2021)
    (Documentary)
  4. Wuthering Heights (2011)
  5. Red Road (2006)
  6. Wasp (2003)
    (Short)
  7. Dog (2001)
    (Short)
  8. Milk (1998)
    (Short)
  9. Big Little Lies – Season 2 (2019)
    Episode: What Have They Done?
    Episode: Tell-Tale Hearts
    Episode: The End of the World
    Episode: She Knows
    Episode: Kill Me
    Episode: The Bad Mother
    Episode: I Want to Know
    (Cable/Television)
  10. Transparent – Season 3 (2016)
    Episode: If I Were a Bell
    (Streaming/Television)
  11. Transparent – Season 2 (2015)
    Episode: Oscillate
    Episode: Grey Green Brown & Copper
    (Streaming/Television)
  12. Transparent – Season 4 (2017)
    Episode: Desert Eagle
    (Streaming/Television)
  13. I Love Dick – Season 1 (2017)
    Episode: Scenes from a Marriage
    Episode: Ilinx
    Episode: The Barter Economy
    Episode: Cowboys and Nomads
    (Streaming/Television)