#jules: threads

[891movies]

Top 25 films (of the second 250 I watched for this project)

Around two years ago I posted a top 25 list of the first 250 films I watched for this project. Since I have now watched another 250 films and discovered many new favorites, the time has come for a second top 25!

Without further ado, I present them in chronological order (because if I actually had to rank them this list would never get out of the editing stage):

The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938, dir. Michael Curtiz, William Keighley)

This movie is a storybook adventure come to life, charming, entertaining and beautiful to look at (I miss you, technicolor!). Errol Flynn has an unmatched energy as the titular character and Olivia de Havilland is the picture perfect leading lady, with the exact right mixture of grace and fire. This is may not be a particularly complex or groundbreaking film but it does what it does perfectly and taps into that childlike sense of wonder that few films manage so well.

A Matter of Life and Death (1946, dir. Emeric Pressburger, Michael Powell)

One of my most delightful discoveries since starting this project have been the films of Powell and Pressburger - I'm not sure what other directors could boast releasing three of the greatest films of all time in three consecutive years (those being A Matter of Life and Death, Black Narcissus and The Red Shoes). This film mixes a deeply moving love story with a metaphysical court room drama to great success and this strange mixture is mirrored in the film's form, with some experimental but mostly conventional cinematography.

Ace in the Hole (1951, dir. Billy Wilder)

As grim and cynical as it is sharp, this movie plays out like a feverish nightmare. I was honestly shocked at how dark this movie got, considering the time and place in which it was made, but that is absolutely what the story needed and I'm glad Wilder got to tell it this way.

A Star Is Born (1954, dir. George Cukor)

Has there ever been another star to reach the heights of emotional intensity that Judy Garland did in her time? I was lucky enough to see this movie on the big screen and I can't imagine watching it at home, because Garland is so larger than life, I can't see how a smaller screen could contain her. That's not to take anything away from James Mason, who gives a tragic and intense performance for the ages.

Johnny Guitar (1954, dir. Nicholas Ray)

Joan Crawford in your butch black shirt save me! Save me, Joan Crawford in your butch black shirt!

Bigger Than Life (1956, dir. Nicholas Ray)

Surprise, it's another Nicholas Ray melodrama! Ray had this habit of creating highly emotional stories that hid some sharp social commentary, but the commentary is barely hidden this time and it is shockingly subversive. Mason gives another intense performance but here it tilts fully into unhinged territory and he is terrifying to watch. The ending feels a little slapped on but it also feels like the only way Ray could get away with everything that came before.

Mon Oncle (1958, dir. Jacques Tati)

This movie feels like a precursor to Playtime, one of my all-time favorite films (incredibly novel opinion, I know). The sets are meticulously designed and a delight to behold, and Tati's performance as Monsieur Hulot (the titular uncle) is charming as always. I especially adore the contrast between the traditional and modern Paris, as well as the unconventional sound mixing that refuses to privilege dialogue, leaning into cinema's strengths as a visual medium.

Jules and Jim (1962, dir. François Truffaut)

This is by far my most recent watch on this list and it's still kind of percolating in my head but I loved it when I watched it and my fondness for it has been growing daily. It has that charming, youthful irreverence that the French New Wave is so known for, as well as one of the most complex depictions of a female character I've seen in french cinema.

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962, dir. Robert Aldrich)

Bette Davis is one of my all time favorite actresses and this is one of my all time favorite performances. She puts everything into this role and the rest of the film compliments her perfectly; it's funny and dark, tragic and absolutely unhinged. And Joan Crawford is good too, I guess.

Tokyo Olympiad (1965, dir. Kon Ichikawa)

This blew my mind when I first watched it, seeing what incredible feats documentary filmmakers were capable of so early on in the genre's history. It is also the perfect counterpoint to Riefenstahl's earlier documentaries about the Olympic games; where she emphasized nationalism and feats of strength, Tokyo Olympiad focuses on the humanity of it and the power this event has to bring us together. Probably my favorite section of the film focuses on an athlete who was the sole representative of his newly independent country and who did not qualify for the finals in his field (unfortunately I don't remember the country or the sport). But just the fact that he made it to the Olympics, that he got to represent his country on the world stage, is an incredible feat in and of itself, and the film recognizes this.

The Wild Bunch (1969, dir. Sam Peckinpah)

This movie is everything a western should be - exciting, violent, and deeply critical of the ugly history it is depicting. The characters are not good people but they are compelling and incredibly fun to watch.

Woodstock (1970, dir. Michael Wadleigh)

Another mindblowing documentary that pushes the ability of the medium to its limits. It captures a unique moment in time, a spirit of rebellion and hope for the future that unfortunately feels worlds away from our current cultural landscape. It is also an incredible display of the emotional power of music. I cried during Janis Joplin's performance and it felt impossible to match, but then it is immediately followed by Jimi Hendrix and I could feel my soul descend to a higher plane of existence. It is my life's goal to see this film in the theater.

In the Realm of the Senses (1976, dir. Nagisa Ōshima)

Everything is sex, except sex, which is love and beauty and death all intertwined and impossible to separate.

Atlantic City (1980, dir. Louis Malle)

Rarely has a setting felt so integral to a film. Everything from the story, to themes, to the characters revolves around and is subservient to the setting of a declining Atlantic City whose glory days are far behind it. It is also a microcosm of American society at large, at least as people were experiencing it in 1980 (although it's pretty relevant today, I would say).

Gallipoli (1981, dir. Peter Weir)

This is the movie that definitively convinced me that anti-war films are indeed possible to make, just not in Hollywood (Come and See had me thinking this, but Gallipoli proved to me that it wasn't a unique feat of just one film). We barely see the war in this movie but it is all about the incredible tragedy of it.

Koyaanisqatsi (1982, dir. Godfrey Reggio)

I was completely expecting this movie to put me to sleep and instead, it was one of the most viscerally intense and haunting viewing experiences of my life. It is hypnotic in the very best way and somehow captures the ennui of modern life without a single word being spoken.

Paris, Texas (1984, dir. Wim Wenders)

This film is an intoxicating mixture of tenderness and brutality, and a deeply moving depiction of our longing to reach out and connect to one another. This is the other film on the list I got to see in the theater and the cinematography was absolutely breathtaking on the big screen.

Trust (1990, dir. Hal Hartley)

This is such a delightfully strange film, almost but not quite set in our reality. The strangeness makes the gentleness of the love story all the more touching; this is one of those movies that makes me happy to be alive.

Safe (1995, dir. Todd Haynes)

I have been kind of obsessed with this movie since I saw it, so much so that it will actually be a focal point in my master's thesis. Everything in the film, from the cinematography to the soundtrack to, especially, Julianne Moore's performance, builds to this overwhelming sense of anxiety and dread, and Haynes' refusal to give an easy answer (or any answers at all) makes it all the more unsettling.

Scream (1996, dir. Wes Craven)

I do like scary movies, yes. I especially like movies that are scary, funny, and feature a bloody final girl and (more than) a touch of homoeroticism.

The Blair Witch Project (1999, dir. Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sánchez)

Look at that, another scary movie! I am probably more susceptible to this movie's attempts at scares than most viewers, because I've only very recently started to build any kind of tolerance for horror, but it got me so good. The simplicity just makes it better; it may only do one thing but it does it very, very well.

Dancer in the Dark (2000, dir. Lars von Trier)

I'm always kind of hoping when I watch a new Lars von Trier movie that maybe I won't like this one, because I don't know what it says about me that I enjoy his films so much but I know that it can't be good. But this movie belongs just as much to Björk, who gives an incredible acting performance and an all-time great vocal performance. I was left a sobbing wreck; to this day, just humming 'The next to last song' to myself brings a tear to my eye.

Volver (2006, dir. Pedro Almodóvar)

Penélope Cruz is a revolution in this movie, my god. She brings the emotional sincerity that the film needs to keep its elaborate plot grounded. As always, I appreciate Almodóvar's clear love for strong and complicated women, as well as the often messy relationships between them.

Phantom Thread (2017, dir. Paul Thomas Anderson)

I love a good twisted love story and it is beautifully told here. Form also compliments function to a tee; a story about an obsessive compulsion to create perfect art is mirrored in the absolutely meticulous cinematography and costuming. Daniel Day-Lewis gives the performance of a lifetime here and while I do miss seeing him in the theater, what a film to end on!

Roma (2018, dir. Alfonso Cuarón)

This is one of those movies where nothing happens, in that there isn't a traditional plot (events still take place, obviously), because it's about life, man. It's a type of film that needs a deft hand and a filmmaker with something to say, and Cuarón has both in spades. Funnily enough, this movie reminds me a lot of Paris, Texas; it has that same mix of tenderness and harshness that compliment each other.

[fadinglights]

“i’m  not  the  one  you  want.  it’s  okay,  it’s  fine,  i’ll  get  over  it,  you  know,  eventually.” / @ameliiorate

the  cool  night  breeze  caresses  their  faces  as  jules  and  seonho  find  a  moment  of  respite  away  from  the  chaos  unfolding  on  the  rooftop.  below,  the  city's  lights  dance  and  twinkle  while  her  heart  paces  anxiously.  jules  has  contemplated  breaking  the  weighted  silence  first,  but  he  has  beaten  her  to  it.  "no  —  it's  not  like  that."  her  heart  aches  at  the  guilt  and  distress  etched  on  his  face,  a  consequence  of  the  hurt  she  has  inadvertently  caused  him.  taking  a  deep,  steadying  breath,  jules  allows  her  words  to  tumble  out,  even  if  they  are  far  from  polished.  "the  truth  is,  i'm  acting  distant  because  i  like  you  too  much."  she  admits,  a  dry  chuckle  escaping  her  as  her  fingers  fidget  on  the  cool,  stony  surface  beneath  them.  "i  know  it  sounds  weird,  but  it's  something  i  do.  it's  scary  to  me...  getting  attached  to  people."  and  he  has  already  caught  a  glimpse  of  how  she  never  quite  had  the  best  luck  when  it  comes  to  love.

[onismstrikes]

@wishingonstcrs

The hospital room was too quiet. Machines hummed steadily in the background, punctuated every now and then by the soft beeping of the heart monitor. Jules had memorized every sound, every sterile smell. The chair by Mika’s bedside had molded to her shape over the days—or was it weeks now? Time had started to blur.

She sat with her elbows on her knees, fingers loosely tangled, staring at the still hand resting on the blanket. Mika looked peaceful in a way that twisted Jules’ chest. It wasn't right. Not like this.

Her eyes flicked to the bruises on Mika’s temple, to the gauze, to the too-pale skin. Jules had whispered everything she could think to say already—jokes, stories, apologies.

nything to fill the silence. Anything to remind Mika that she wasn't alone.

And now? Now she just waited.

When Jules finally noticed the faintest flutter of Mika’s fingers, her breath caught in her throat. Her heart slammed against her ribs as Mika’s lashes twitched.

“Mika?” Her voice came out raw, barely above a whisper. She leaned forward, close, afraid to hope and too full of it at the same time. “Hey. Hey, I’m here."

[youllalwaysbemyporcelain]

@wvsteria

Derek was on his way to work for the day. He'd decided to stop for coffee, like he does most mornings. He had gotten his regular and a pastry. He was walking out when he accidentally bumped into someone. "Oh. I am so sorry. I didn't see you."

[wishingonstcrs]

closed for jules @onismstrikes

It had been a few weeks since Mika was let out of the hospital. A few weeks since they buried her sister, a few weeks since she was last at work. Maybe it was early to be pushing herself by being back at work, but she figured it could be a distraction. Much to her dismay, the real distraction was realizing that she was back in the very place she'd lost her sister in. She got through part of the shift before she found herself in a room with Jules, kissing her softly before tugging at the hem of her shirt, asking for more than just kissing. "Please," Mika whispered, placing a few kisses on her neck before leaning her forehead against hers. "I just want to feel normal. Please."

[witheredflowxrs]

hang out ( for @neutralcha0tic )

hearing that the jinhae cherry blossom festival would have sanrio-related activites, hana immediately knew she needed to find someone to come with her. both to help ease her own anxiety about being around fans while not exactly ‘working’, and to have someone who was interested in viewing all the festival had to offer. the last thing she felt like having to do was drag someone around who’d rather be anywhere else than stuck by her side for an entire day.

that person came to her easily as haute pink’s kim jules. despite the uncomfortable hate drawn towards haute pink and girl code by their respective fans (with no help from the comparisons being drawn between the groups, thanks to midas), hana felt lucky to be fairly close with her. with their relationship developing so far as jules going out of her way to dote on hana, plus her being a huge fan of sanrio as well, she thought it would be a nice gesture to invite her to come along with her. not only could she return the favor, it also fits within the ‘internal little task’ hana’s given herself of trying to branch out more (as difficult as it is for her.) what better way to attempt that than to ask someone to hang out with you first?

“thank you again for coming with me…” hana shoves her hands inside the pockets of her hoodie, trying to ignore the shyness building up in her stomach. it’s not like she’d never spent time with jules before; maybe it’s because she never quite hung out with people like this often prior to becoming an idol?

she’s not exactly sure what the reason was, but either way she was having a hard time looking directly at her for too long. “i really do appreciate it. but also, if you buy me anything, just know i'll buy you something back too.”

“since i asked you to come with me, what did you want to do first?” she peers over at the mascots wandering around after speaking, taking pictures with the other guests. she'd be lying if she said she didn't want to take a picture with cinnamoroll as soon as possible… but she put the ball in jules' court first. “… would you take a picture of me with the mascots? whenever you want to get to it, i mean.” even then, she's still staring towards them in the most obvious fashion. ryu hana, once a spoiled brat, always a spoiled brat.

[atesbrn]

JULES ( @julessbr ) ha dicho , cerca del RESTAURANTE : ' debieron dar dinero como premio, pero como a ellos no les hace falta... '

' ni que lo digas, ' externa sin mucho tapujo, con el sonidito quejumbroso de siempre, llevandose uno de los bocaditos que daban en la barra. ' ¿los trofeos serán de algun material especial? ' dice sin prisa, con la mirada sobre su hermano que parece decir mas que sus palabras. claro que quiere decir, vendible. ya no sabe si bromea o no, pero con jules, simplemente es divertido & facil de ser lengua floja. ' de todas maneras, quizá si sirva ganarles a algunos. solo para ver sus caras. '

[scftlightz]

 ┇ ⠀⠀⠀↺  / closed  starter for @blvckswcn . ♡

“   alright,  is  there  anything  else  we  have  to  do  before  they  arrive ?   ”

[mar-rivera]

@ the ann arbor public library

with @buckleyjules

There was something so comforting about the smell of an aging book. Mar looked from side to side down the aisle, checking to make sure no one was looking before she cracked open the historical fiction novel and brought it up to take a whiff. That's the stuff, she thought, before closing it and taking another look at the cover before ultimately deciding it wasn't for her. After everything happened, Mar had struggled with brain fog for months, and no longer could she speed through a book on a Saturday afternoon. It had been frustrating, and taken almost three times as long to finish a novel, but with time came clarity and Mar was finally feeling up to a trek to the library.

Only. Only ... what to read? Nothing really struck her fancy. There were too many options and none felt like the right one.

As she turned a corner into the next aisle, a flash of red hair caught her eye, and Mar paused, wondering why, exactly, the figure looked so familiar. She racked her brain, going through the mental rolodex of everyone she'd ever met, and after a brief moment it clicked into place. "Mrs. Buckley?" called out softly, the memories of her first year of teaching flooding her mind. She mouth quirked upward and she broke out a small smile. "How funny to see you here. How are you?"

[neutralcha0tic]

i'm too bad/sad with @mymontage set sometime in december 2023

this was mildly put nerve wrecking to say the least. despite being friends with yuchan for a while now, yes, jules could actually use the word friend in its proper term, and yuchan had worked with haute pink before, it felt a bit surreal to have to ask him to come to one of the studios of the company. no actual reason no nothing, a simple text message of 'can you drop by studio 801 please?? pretty please???' and so yuchan does eventually drop by and they are now sat in silence because jules has no clue how to even approach this topic.

she is set to debut solo, everything has been promised and set, she has seen the songs, done the choreographies, started shooting and stuff. everything is in motion, but they couldn't find a feature for one of the songs on her album. how does she explain that to yuchan? for someone that doesn't shut up, jules is pretty speechless about the whole situation. she really jumped into this no plan in sight no nothing. typical, she thinks as she smiles brightly at yuchan.

"so.. can you tell me what you think about this?" and she hits play without waiting for an answer. the music starts and eventually her voice rings loud and clear through the speakers. its nothing like what haute pink has released and jules loves it, but it doesn't take long before she stops signing and there is a huge chunk of emptiness in it. which is exactly when she turns to look at yuchan with a raised brow, a bit more expectant than usual. its a new situation, the only other time they have been in a studio like this was when as a group, haute pink worked as a group for peter pan with yuchan. now it was jules herself approaching him with a request of some sort, unsure if he would understand. she feels less awkward when the song finishes, but it starts playing again and she scrambles to stop it. she isn't an awkward person, but the company hadn't been exactly helpful in finding someone to be a feature on this song, so she had to take matters into her own hands.

she srarts moving her hands, a bit of way to gather her thoughts before she speaks but also to invite her friend if he had any thoughts on it. jules was very much aware that she was making it way more awkward than she should but she's never done this before!! you can't blame her! "so.. what do you think?" she asks again, same question, different set of words and finally turns to look at yuchan, hands falling in her lap as she nervously pick at her jeans.

[fadinglights]

crowded, heated kisses in the backseat of a car. [ jules/seonho ]

kiss & tell meme, accepting! / @ameliiorate

jules never thought that one day she'd be dating her brother's best friend. it's too messy, she thinks — her fingertips absently tracing patterns on her coffee mug's warm ceramic surface as seonho, her brother and her mother engage in an animated conversation over the events of the week. in fact, she usually prefers dating someone far removed from her existing circles, so that the break up would be a clean slate that doesn't interfere with her life. because that's how she thinks it'll always end, in heartache, bitterness and misery, so she's always planning escape routes as she goes, even when she dares venturing into something beyond a fleeting fling.

but it's different with seonho. a good kind of different, she thinks, now that she has defeated her urge to self sabotage (for now). somehow, when she's with him, there's a groundedness that assures her that maybe for once, everything won't fall apart. still, the secrecy lingers a month into their relationship. they just had dinner at her brother's café, the air thick with the mingling aromas of her mother's diner-made homely korean dishes — fragrant kimchi and steaming bowls of doenjang jjigae — and the buttery sweetness of joonho's tantalising cheesecakes. after volunteering and completing the dishes, the warm water still lingering on her hands, the pair excuses themselves — an emergency stop to the makeup store for something she needs for work tomorrow, she claims while waving a quick goodbye to her family.

the culmination of the evening's suppressed urges has led to this — the duo locking lips in a passionate kiss in the backseat of his car, the leather seats cool against the back of her thighs. the casually brushing knuckles that send electricity through her skin, the sneaky hand over the thigh exposed under her fluttering silk skirt when no one is watching, the stolen peck when her family is busy handling the dishes — she could lie and say that they have no effect on her, but they do.

slender arms tug the back of his neck, needing him closer as her fingers tangle in his dark, silky strands. she leans back only slightly when he leaves a trail of kisses down the curve of her jaw to the soft, sensitive skin over her neck while his hand slides along the warm skin of her thighs. a breathy protest escapes when he sucks a little too hard, almost enough to leave a mark that would undoubtedly raise questions, but it's quickly followed by a soft giggle that fills the quiet car interior. ah, she's in big trouble, isn't she? she's in love. so achingly, irrevocably in love. "you're killing me." she whispers as she bites, gentle and teasing at his bottom lip, but all her body is demanding is more as she captures his lips again, mouth curling into a grin radiating happiness, her heart drumming wildly and freely against her ribs.

[onismstrikes]

@wishingonstcrs

It had been the longest day. A rewarding one after the surgery that she'd just been in with Ndugu. Their job didn't always end on the best of notes, but god was it exhilarating when it did. She'd just changed out of her scrubs, walking through the hospital towards the main doors when a certain fellow intern caught her eye. An immediate smile formed on her lips and she stepped up next to Yasuda where she was leaning against the wall. "Hey, you."

[youllalwaysbemyporcelain]

@wvsteria

Sailor stops when she notices the other person, who looks pretty much just like her. "Whoa. This is extremely weird. We could almost be twins."

[vonlipvig]

me who got spoiled on the fact that cyrus kills david like months ago and simply pretended not to know seeing cyrus killing david

[letters2fiction]

Captain Barbossa!

You have a new member in your crew: Lupita Medina, 16 years old and from Mexico. Just keep an eye on her, she tends to get into trouble very quickly. She may be clumsy but she really wants to be a great pirate, she admires you a lot. 🫣😅

Jules 🍏🏴‍☠️

Jules!

I am always happy to have new crew onboard. Just make sure she does what she is told, and I'll have no problems with her. There is always extra space on my ship.

-- Captain Barbossa

[v4vile]

—⠀⠀‘i swear to fuckin god jules,⠀i don't know the dude.⠀he just gave me the bag and hightailed it.’

ONE-LINER 4 @heartsbreaking <3