'Masculin Feminin' (1966) directed by Jean-Luc Godard

I found myself drifting off in this film. Not because it was boring, but because it was a bit hypnotic. There were elements that I really liked, although as a whole I didn't connect very strongly with it. I have found this to be the case with quite a few Godard films that I've seen, the exception probably being 'A bout de Souffle'. My impression was that this film was something of an intellectual exercise, an act of narrative experimentation, and there's nothing wrong with that. It's a little bit difficult to assess this film as a whole, given it's somewhat disjointed structure, though I was struck by the compelling still interview sequencs and the random acts of violence that occur throughout the film.

'The Box' (2009) directed by Richard Kelly

This is a pretty eerie film. It features a nice slow build up to what is essentially a science-fiction mystery film, with strong elements of the noir genre. I really liked the story elements that appeared crucial to the plot, although it was never exactly clear why. By the end of the film, I was left with a lot of questions and only a few answers. I left the cinema thinking about the film, that's for sure, but beneath that I wondered if it was all really as clever as it appeared to be. It didn't feel anywhere near as tight or controlled as Kelly's first film 'Donnie Darko'. I guess I felt that the film had a compelling first act, before becoming a bit too wild and unrestrained as more and more ideas were introduced. There were quite a few loose ends and unexplained sequences. Also, I noticed in the credits that the film was based on a short story by Richard Matheson (writer of 'I Am Legend') so I might have to check that out.