Badlands (1973)

Badlands is the first feature-film of one of my favorite directors: Terrence Malick. He wrote some scripts for features before but they were never shot the way he had in mind. With Badlands he directed his own script in a brilliantly way, the same he would do with his next three features.

The story was inspired on the Starkweather-Fugate incident in the late '50's. The 18-year old Starkweather ran away with his 14-year old girlfriend and they let a trail of murders behind. Starkweather was deeply intrigued by the 'Rebel without a Cause' image of James Dean, and wanted to look and act like him.

Certainly Malick made a good choice with Martin Sheen, who's got the James Dean look all the way. A movie for the true vintage denim fans, Martin Sheen wears his white tee with double denim: Levi's 501xx jeans and a Levi's 507xx denim jacket (which is priceless these days). Another great detail is the voice-o-graph booth, where you can record your song or text that is immediately pressed on a 7" vinyl record.

What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1992)

The real rural American life depicted in this movie is pretty poignant, set in a simple small village setting and brings to us social difficulties that can be universally extended. Gilbert tries to escape this environment in where he has to deal with his handicapped brother (played by a superb young DiCaprio) and his mother struggling with overweight.

I had some dilemma about whether I could appoint What's Eating Gilbert Grape to a whole post or not. The problem is that there isn't so much to see in the movie except for the character of Johnny Depp, whose style is simply exquisite during all of the movie. He rocks his brown trucker jacket all day long, with different longsleeves or striped shirts underneath it, accompanied by his light-blue Levi's 501 denim and his pair of Red Wing 8181 shoes. I love it. Although there's the handyman played by John C. Reilly, dressed up as a the typically truckdriver, who's pretty cool here: trucker cap, worn out Levi's jacket and another pair of Red Wings.

The Limits of Control (2009)

I have to apologize for the low number of stills lately, due to visits to Berlin where celebrating the new year and last week my visit to the International Film Festival Rotterdam. The five days Rotterdam where great even though the city hasn't that much to offer apart from the film festival, the world-famous Boijmans van Beuningen museum and some stores. From the movies I've seen I would strongly recommend Essential Killing, The King of Devil's Island, Black Swan and 13 Assassins. Okay back to another film by Jarmusch.

In the Limits of Control Jarmusch brings coolness to a higher level, partially due to the efforts of probably the greatest cinematographer alive right now; Christoper Doyle. His sense for composition, color, focus and depth is incredible. So combine the sense for style, items and details from Jarmusch with the superb cinematography by Doyle, there only lacks some substance in the form of very interesting dialogues about the subjectivity of art. Once again Isaach de Bankolé is present in this Jarmusch flick in the role of the secret agent. His mission is to destroy the bureaucrats that know what it takes to make art and how to explain it. He communicates with his fellow agents by codes hidden in fantastic 'Le Boxeur - Fabriqué au Cameroun' matchboxes. The Limits of Control is subjective to the bone and asks a little effort from your own imagination, as any good movie should.

The Endless Summer (1966)

If you love the seashore and if you're fond of surfing you will definitely like Bruce Brown's documentary, one of the first ever shot on surf culture. Still if you don't like surfing or even the seashore its very likely you'll love it. It's not just the ultimate surfer movie, actually I didn't select one single shot in which there's actually someone riding the waves. This is one of these documentaries that covers so much more than just the main-subject; it's about unknown cultures, a cool lifestyle, traveling, beautiful sceneries, silly and good humor but most of all about some cool dudes that know how to enjoy life. And of course the endless shots of some guys and girls floating on the waves are breathtaking, wave after wave.

From Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, South-Africa, Australia, New-Zeeland, Tahiti to Hawai the two surfers, Michael Hynson and Robert August, are searching for the best spots to practice their skills and to discover the surroundings. Persol sunglasses, fisherman knits, slick haircuts, khaki chino's, waterproof watches, Vans sneakers, Fiat 500's, Volkswagen Beetles, suits and naturally the oldskool surfboards are all present. Bruce Brown really knows how to cover a certain subculture.

If you liked 'The Endless Summer' you should make sure you get to see 'On Any Sunday' real soon too. The second documentary by Brown covers motorcycling and dirt-bike riding and features Steve McQueen (as a professional driver) among others and has the typical Bruce Brown elements added to it.

A River Runs Through It (1992)

Movies that cover the places in nature where human presence is not an everyday occurrence always get a hold of my attention. Whether it's 'Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter.. and Spring' from Korean's best Ki-duk Kim or the beautiful shots of nature Terrence Malick manages to capture in all of his oeuvre. Robert Redford chose the landscape around Missoula, Montana for a peaceful depiction of the story about two brothers sharing a passion for fly-fishing inherited from their father. I tried fishing with my brother when we were young in the urban environment we lived in and never really could understood the thrill about it. But when having these fly fishing rods and a fast-flowing river nearby I can imagine.

One of the best roles I know of from an innocent Brad Pitt presents some classic Americana outfits; out fishing with his suspenders khakis and Red Wing Irish Setters. And other old-fashioned wear from the American countryside like round collars on the flannel check shirts, an overload of hatstyles and the funnel used by the deaf to improve his hearing.