Annie Hall, 1977 dir. Woody Allen

I've mentioned how I feel towards films. I like anything but I like nothing. I sometimes feel that maybe it's because of specifics; like the small details of a film that draw me in. I rarely say I dislike a specific genre of movie, even if I only like two movies and absolutely loathe anything else.
Now, I should say that these types of movies I talk about are the kinds of films I get inspiration from or are factors for what I'd call the "pure moment of cinema".

Word of the century(if you've known me longer than two days): Postmodernism.

I am absolutely, over-the-top, obsessed with postmodernism. Whether it be literary, architectural, philosophical or cinematic. There's something captivating about (great) postmodern films. It has a different level of intimacy. For me, films are an escape of the real world, and surreal and absurd films are the best because they show an impossibility that you crave but can't have and that's exciting. Why watch a film that you can relate to and think, "oh wow this could happen" when instead you can think "oh wow this couldn't happen...or could it?"

Taxi Driver, 1976 dir. Martin Scorsese

What makes postmodern films "intimate" is that you're part of the movie. If you've ever watched "Taxi Driver" (Dir. Martin Scorsese, 1976), the opening sequence involves several shots of New York on a rainy night, Bernard Herrmann's "Thank God For the Rain" playing in the background of Travis Brickle's monologue submerges you in the setting. You can't help falling into the mind of another person, in another place. You're hearing all the thoughts this character, you're in their head. Even with a real life human being, you can never experience the same intimacy as you do with a character in a film.

Mulholland Dr. , 2001 dir. David Lynch

Of course postmodernism would never be complete with some level of surrealism or absurdism. One of my favorite quotes of all time is by none other than David Lynch. It goes:

"Absurdism is what I like most in life, and there's humor in struggling in ignorance. If you saw a man repeatedly running into a wall until he was a bloody pulp, after a while it would make you laugh because it becomes absurd."

Realism is too boring. You live it. I'm not saying life is boring but why would you pay a certain sum of money (don't illegally download, it's illegal) to witness something that's normal, that you could experience? When someone tells me they didn't like a movie because it was too unreal I just stand there in shock. I mean it would be easier if you just eavesdropped on someones conversation. I've used this idea already but I feel pretty passionate towards nonsense.

Absurdism and surrealism tie in second after postmodernism. Though arguably it could be said that most postmodern films are absurdist films and most absurdist films are postmodern films however for the sake of the watchlist here I'll make them non-mutually exclusive.

So, enough with the blabbing, here's Sarah's top 10 postmodern/absurd films:

1. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (dir. Terry Gillian & Terry Jones 1975) 
2. Blue Velvet (dir. David Lynch 1986)
3. Annie Hall (dir. Woody Allen 1977)
4. Pulp Fiction (dir. Quentin Tarantino 1994)
5. The Grand Budapest Hotel (dir. Wes Anderson 2014)
6. Mulholland Dr. (dir. David Lynch 2001)
7. Love and Death (dir. Woody Allen 1975)
8. Belle de Jour (dir. Luis Buñuel 1967)
9. Pierrot le Fou (dir. Jean-Luc Goddard 1965)
10. Taxi Driver (dir. Martin Scorsese 1976)

What're your favorite films?