273 of 1001 Movies: La Dolce Vita (1960)

I would compare La Dolce Vita to how I feel when I watch Mad Men. Sometimes entertained by the acts of a philanderer. Federico Fellini though isn't one of my favorite Italian directors, and he has brought to the screen some of my least favorite Italian movies I've seen, which is odd considering I've loved most everything I've seen that is Italian made. La Dolce Vita adheres to no plot, which is fine, but with a string of painful characters it makes the movie sometimes unlikable, unless you just want to see Nico make a pop up appearance.

Summary: Marcello has many women in his life, and all these women add a bit of drama he wouldn't otherwise have. Marcello seems to like drama though as he also seeks it out as a journalist, mostly of entertainers. His fiance is suicidal, and he seems like he could care less, and he has another lover, Maddalena, who has a nature who allows him to come and go. He even crosses paths with famed actress, Sylvia, who he eyes, but doesn't take seriously with her very overbearing boyfriend always near her.

11 of 1001 Books: Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird

There probably is no other more beautifully written book, by a one-time author, than To Kill a Mockingbird. Published in 1960, I'm sure it was controversial and a welcome from those hoping to see American make the progressions it would in the 60's in overpowering the huge racial barrier we had to over come, on top of that there are many other things that Harper Lee brings to light that doesn't get discussed much including the idea of what a woman is, the class system in the south, and how growing up means in some of losing your innocent view of the world as Scout Finch has to.

Summary: Scout Finch is a young girl just beginning school in Alabama. She is looked after by her father Atticus, and the house helper, Cal. She also takes company with her brother, Jem. They spend most their summers wondering and trying to get a peek into the Radley house, who they believe harbors a dangerous man, Boo, who only stalks the world at night. There are things though that begin to become real horrors of the world, and distract them from their childhood games, such as the accusations from a troublesome white family, The Ewells thrown against a black man, Tom Robinson, for raping a woman. The kids witness a world were justice doesn't always prevail and real violence is beyond what the mind can imagine.

153 of 1001 Movies: Breathless (1960)

French New Wave! Breathless was Jean Luc-Godard first full length film, and one of the first to embark in the new wave genre in France. There are some good bits, and some boring bits though, and for those who have never heard of jump cuts, particularly in a day where we mostly use digital, the jilted frames will confuse you. What is likable though is all the fashion and some of the eye catching scenes. The characters are very so-so though.

Summary: Michel is a small time criminal who tries to live his life according to the persona of Humphrey Bogart. After getting into a police chase, he ends up shooting a policemen and becoming the subject of a man hunt. He returns to Paris to hide with his American girlfriend, Patricia, who sales the New York Herald Tribune on the streets. He tries to seduce her, and even convince her to runaway to Paris with him, but Patricia's aloof nature resists, and also keeps him in Paris under the weight of his want for her.

112 of 1001 Movies: Black Sunday (1960)

If the thought of holes being punctured into your face is terrifying then the movie succeeds in the first few scenes. There is something a lot more fun about classic horror though up until about the 90s. It seems it didn't take itself as seriously, and somehow this does make things oddly more eerie, which is how Black Sunday works. Mario Bavo himself is a classic director even credited with inspiring Tim Burton's work, and getting mention from Martin Scorsese. With Black Sunday it is easy to see why he has become such a legendary director.

Princess Asa is discovered to be a witch, and along with her accomplice, Prince Vajda, they are both burned at the stake. Two centuries later though two travelers discover her grave, and decide to tamper with it by pulling off the mask of Satan that was drove into her face, and taking an inscription. Not long after Princess Asa begins raising herself from the dead, by taking blood from the descendants of those that killed her. Her ultimate goal is to take the body of her look-alike, Katia Vajda.