In honor of the Golden Globes cancelling their award ceremony because of the Writers Guild of America strike, I thought I'd regale you with a little cinema post. I don't consider myself a true film buff; I watch a lot of movies and watch a wide variety of movies, but I'm not well-versed in the classics or the technical aspects of film making. I am, however, a reasonably intelligent man, and I know what I like. Because of this, I feel fairly comfortable setting forth my list of Movies Every Film Geek (or Person Considering Himself or Herself an Intelligent Movie Viewer) Must See. The acronym for that is MEFG(PCHHIMV)MS in case you're wondering. Since the loyal core of my readership here is pretty well versed in modern cinema (at least compared to the average consumer), I'm going to limit my selections to movies you're unlikely to have seen. So for once in your life you're going to get a list of the world's greatest films without seeing Citizen Kane mentioned once. Of course this makes my title misleading, but it is the primary season and you should be comfortable with misleading soundbites and quotes by now.
You'll also notice that much of my list consists of foreign films. Yes, I know that means you'll have to sit through a movie that you have to read. (Please tell me you don't listen to the dubbed version!) I know that's not always what you're watching a movie for, and I'll even admit that I'll pass over a movie at times because I don't feel like reading subtitles, but I think your movie-watching life is incomplete unless you've watched a few foreign language films.
Plus, Mandarin is just an awesome language to listen to.
• Kolya. You know what? I'm not even going to bother linking this one. Look at the previous correction, click the link and there's more than you ever wanted to know about it.
• Hedwig and the Angry Inch. This satisfies a whole bunch of requirements for me. It's the sole American-made film on the list and it's the sole musical. Musicals usually suck, but this one is just too bizarre to fall into the old Hollywood musical traps. It's silly, surreal, a bit shocking at times, but actually deals with some really serious themes in a mature way underneath all the makeup and wigs. I think a lot of you have seen this one, but if you haven't, it's worth it.
• This is the first of my Mandarin-language selections, and it actually deals with some similar themes as Hedwig, although in a much less flamboyant way. Set during a 50-year period that emcompasses most of the major events in China's history in the 20th century, Farewell My Concubine tells the story of a child born into poverty but who finds fame and fortune by playing female roles in the Chinese opera. A beautiful film, as subtle as Hedwig is in your face.
• The Battle of Algiers is surprising not for its subject matter, many films have dealt with the duality of human nature, but for the fact that it dealt with the issue so early. Released in 1967, the film details the beginning of the revolution that led to Algeria gaining independence from France. The film is French and you'd expect for the film to carry a French nationalist bias, but the Algerian freedom fighters, who are often little more than terrorists, are humanized and the reasons for their actions is explained within the film. I love stories than can deftly show how good and evil can coexist within the same human vessel and this movie is a surprisingly early example of that feat of storytelling. It's true that the more personal nature of Munich might make that much more recent film the more powerful example overall, but that doesn't detract from the sad grace of the older movie.
• One of the features of serious Chinese cinema (as opposed to the cheesy kung fu movies) is the nearly overwhelming visual beauty of the movies, and Zhang Yimou is one of the best at creating that beauty. Of his movies, my favorite is The Road Home. Two stories interweave to form a surprisingly beautiful love story. The black and white scenes are set in the present as a son, back in the rural village he grew up in from the city, arranges the traditional funeral ceremonies for his recently deceased father in order to help his mother say goodbye. The color scenes are set at the time that the parents first met and details their courtship. This isn't the standard love story and manages to portray great passion with very little romantic expression. This is one of the three DVDs I gave K on our wedding day because I've never watched another movie capture love quite as purely and without exploitation.
• Akira Kurosawa is probably one of the most respected names in the history of Japanese film making. He's probably most famous for The Seven Samurai, but I much preferred Throne of Blood, in which he told the story of Shakespeare's Macbeth with a decidedly Japanese twist.
• City of God. I actually have to admit that I like the sound of the Brazilian Portuguese spoken in this film almost as much as I like the sound of Mandarin, but that's a very small part of the reason to watch this film. This is a gangster film of a very different sort. It'll feel familiar enough to reel you in but the vivid depiction of life in the favelas will be shocking.
• Assisted suicide isn't quite the hot topic it was back in the days with Dr. Kevorkian was the coolest cat on the block, but this film is a very interesting study of the topic. Based on the true story of a Spanish quadriplegic, The Sea Inside details his attempts be allowed to end his own life. Both sides of the issue are expressed poignantly, but you end sympathizing with Sampedro's longing for death the most. Javier Bardem's portrayal of Sampedro is one of the best acting performances I've ever seen.
6 comments:
You lost me at "movies you're unlikely to have seen." You should have added "or are unlikely to ever see."
Did anyone see Transformers? It was awesome.
I've actually seen Hedwig and really liked it. I was bizarre but pleasantly refreshing to see something so odd. I saw it at Ryan's house, in case you were wondering. He, too, would have a list of movies we've never seen before.
I remember watching The Road Home at your recommendation, and it was quite pretty. I don't think I loved it as much as you did, but it was good.
You forgot Breakin' II: Electric Boogaloo.
Yeah, Meaghan, I meant to add in that many of you may have seen Hedwig because of Ryan, but that part was forgotten between 10 a.m. when I thought of it and 5 p.m. when I actually wrote it.
And Mickey, you're a pansy. You've got a Netflix membership, don't you? You're now aware of these movies so you have no excuse except for being a tool.
Courtney, that's not even his prettiest film. He's got several others, especially the House of Flying Daggers, that are visual masterpieces that make The Road Home Look plain jane, but I don't think they match the story of Road Home.
Chinese cinema takes a bit of adjustment. The stories flow at a slower pace and tend to be more understated. It starts off seeming slow, but it gives you time to appreciate everything else about the movie.
The Road Home sounds right up my alley (whatever that means). I'll have to watch that sometime.
Speaking of beautiful scenery, my recent favorite movie is "Waking Ned Devine." Meaghan had never seen it, so we rented it a few weeks ago. The shots of the Irish countryside and the village are beautiful, and the story is funny and touching -- and also a little bit twisted at the end. You've probably all seen it, though.
Saw Waking Ned Devine in the theatre. Eat that, fuckers.
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