Daydreamscape

EAST BRUNSWICK, N.J. - Hey readers---I've contributed a new article to the film/TV blog The House Next Door!

Essentially, it's a discussion-starter in which I list five movies that have a particular effect on me personally: these films are ones that are so powerful as filmmaking, and speak to me on such a personal level, that I find moods and images from them invading my head at random moments---moods and images that get me to reflect on how I wish those moods and images would be a part of my own life, instead of merely being a part of some movie.

Originally, the piece was supposed to be about one movie---Pen-ek Ratanaruang's exquisite 2003 Thai film Last Life in the Universe, a new favorite of mine (although the last act admittedly goes a bit overboard with the time- and space-bending, making it muddier and more confusing than it perhaps needed to be---a possible fault that nevertheless doesn't break its singular spell one bit, as far as I'm concerned). But, as I started writing the piece, I realized that, in trying to explain why it affected me so personally, there was a broader direction that it could go. Thus the article posted on the blog right now.

By all means, go ahead. Discuss!