Sight & Sound Challenge: Paris, Texas (1984)

Film: Paris, Texas (64/250) 

Critics Poll: 183rd 

First Time/Rewatch: First Time

Okay, this film is ridiculously good. So good, in fact, that I'm appalled I hadn't seen it sooner. It's definitely my favorite Wim Wenders film I've seen so far. It's a story of a lost man, a man picking up the pieces of his lost life, somewhat reluctantly at first. It's a story that seems simple enough, but once you start peeling back the layers you find a complexity that's as compelling as it is tragic. One thing that absolutely must be said about this film is that it's beautiful to look at. Cloudy skies, neon lights, the whole thing is lit to perfection. As I've been working my way through this challenge, one thing that I've learned about myself is that I react very strongly to visuals, not just in film but in everyday life. Paris, Texas provides a lot to chew on in that respect. And the story is just so good. I felt like I knew these characters, and my heart ached for them. It's beautifully acted by everyone in the cast, especially Harry Dean Stanton who's got to be one of the most underrated actors ever. It's slowly-paced but I was so invested in the story and so mesmerized by Stanton's face that I didn't notice or mind. I just let the film carry me along, like a car on a lonely desert road...