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The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)
With each successive scene building on previously established motifs and ideas, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie develops a rigorous theme and variation structure that serves to bolster Luis Buñuel’s acidic attack on Europe’s wealthy ruling classes.
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Duck Soup (1933)
By applying their knack for satire to the incompetent, narcissistic political leaders of the western world in Duck Soup, the Marx Brothers hit on comedy gold.
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Groundhog Day (1993)
With its tremendous narrative form in repetition as the basis for a rich character arc, Groundhog Day just keeps allowing for more surprising revelations on each rewatch, giving it, quite ironically, a “timeless” quality.
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Nosferatu (1922)
Gaunt-faced, wide-eyed, hunched over, the mere profile of Count Orlok strikes a terrifying image that has persisted in our collective consciousness for almost a century, and yet through F.W. Murnau’s sharp, expressionist lighting, Nosferatu still holds up as being more than just one remarkable performance.
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Pride and Prejudice (2005)
Joe Wright’s cinematic interpretation of Jane Austen’s novel brings a stylistic and formal flair to Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy’s swooning romance that we haven’t seen before, efficiently constructing the world of 19th century England in long takes that soar through lavish ballrooms, hallways, and mansions.
