#movie frames

In heaven, everything is fine.

In a recent interview, Spielberg said the most powerful shot in cinema is the close-up. Given the pyrotechnics of his films, you might think he'd be more interested in the technical side of filmmaking. But Spielberg grew up on the films of the 1950s and 1960s, when the close-up was still one of the most important tools in a filmmaker's arsenal.

Here is this close-up from West Side Story, one of my favorite shots of his. You see Ariana DeBose as Anita expressing her pain, anguish, and anger after nearly being sexually assaulted. I honestly think moments like this won DeBose her Oscar.

This movie is an old (non-guilty) aesthetic pleasure of mine

I remember that when I first watched it, my 13-year-old punk self was immediately bedazzled by the dreamy imagery and also deeply infatuated with the grimy vibes of the film, it's been on my shelf rotation ever since.

But besides being a great influence on my taste in films, it was also one of the first pieces of media that really had a conscious effect on my general taste and style.

I always felt like the best flicks, when it comes to aesthetics, are the ones you can not only watch but also wear, listen to, and taste. And this one is definitely one of those.

Oh, and it’s also a pretty good explanation of why I’m a lover of all things - and especially, films - at least slightly or even quite disturbed (but in a good way!).

The beauty of Dead Poets Society, 1989