“I love the movies… they entertain us, they offer us hope, they give us dramas, they can take us places we’ve never been and just even for a few moments they can take us away when you wanna get away... Movies inspire us, they challenge us and despite our differences, they are the common link that touches the humanity in all of us.” Jack Nicholson, 2008 Oscars.
The cinema is a means of escape. Film can briefly transport us into the introspective minds of the visionaries who make them come alive. They offer us alternative perspectives, challenge our opinions and give us the laugh we need to keep us from crying.
Everyone loves a good blockbuster, a real Leonardo DiCaprio gripping epic. But the real films that crawl under your skin and walk with you out of the theatre, are the less commercial, often foreign classics showcased at select theatres or in various film festivals. I’ve learned to find a real story, you sometimes have to b-line Cineplex and Google your way to a real film experience.
Choice finds:
Taste of Cherry (1997)
Through story telling and minimalism, Taste of Cherry is able to explore the concept of suicide, existence, control of ones’ life and human condition. We ride alongside Mr.Badii as he drives through Tehran in search of a sympathetic man who will accept the task to bury his body. Winding through dirt roads and dust filled air, we meet significant characters who, through simple discussions, give in-depth looks into the complicated subjects surrounding this film. Director Kiarostami develops a beautiful film, shedding unusual light on a taboo subject from an unbiased opinion. Gripping the audience through relatable human emotions, through quiet grace this story reflects your inner conflicts and shines a light on unexplored personal terrain. Leaves you thinking, has you asking questions, mirrors your own personal journey through the ups and downs of life.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Michael Gondrys’ psychological-drama, takes a bad break up to the next level. Through a fictional non-surgical procedure of erasing memories, Joel and Clementine have the opportunity to delete their relationship from their minds. Throughout, we watch as Joel battles trying to reverse the ongoing process and the film presents various creative elements in cinematography. If you delete your memories, could you fall in love again? Could you repeat the same mistakes? Wildly imaginative, Eternal Sunshine is an interesting concept to contemplate. We all have those experiences we wish to erase, ones that even the copious amounts of JD can’t suppress, but can we part with them? Memories are the backbone to our existence, playing cruel jokes on our mind, sometimes bringing us to our knees in anguish- but this is being human. A poetic film worth-seeing, brings into focus the realisms and of ones life, the moments that makes us individuals and our willingness to part with them.
Fish Tank (2009)
Andrea Arnold’s exceptional drama uses an untrained lead actor, and interesting ways of progression. Each actor involved was given the script a week before shooting, so the characters would remain authentic and the reactions sincere. The result: A realistic depiction of a strong willed teen finding her way in the midst of a difficult upbringing. The only thing that brings Mia any source of peace is dance, and her mother’s newest love interest. Brilliant filming style give Fish Tank a documentary feel and successfully takes you into the home life of an unforgettable 15 year old girl. Toying with various themes from mother-daughter estrangement, teenage love, passions and heartbreak, Fish Tank tears open your heart to an unlikely heroine, keeping a realistic undertone of urban life, while failing to provide your generic happy ending. You will find yourself with a new found appreciation for the tough lives of modern day teenagers forced into unfortunate situations.
Hunger (2008)
Steve McQueen’s first feature film of the Republican Protests in 1980, troubles in Northern Ireland and the last days of Bobby Sands. Actor Michael Fassbender (also in Fish Tank) starved himself for 10 weeks to get into the character of Bobby Sands who died as a result of a hunger strike. Moving images that need no spoken word; draw you into the story of a man who had no other alternative than to use his body as his last means for protest. Inspiring, Hunger shows the determination of the human spirit in a mixture of horrific realities and historical events. Hunger is a painful jolt into the undeniable fortitude of one mans’ struggle to fight for his beliefs. His use of the body as the last means of protest is beyond inspiring; this story reminds us the strength of the human spirit, that one person can make a difference on grand scales and the lengths one will go for the passion of personal beliefs.
There are a thousand of films to choose from. There are never ending lists of must-sees. I offer you but a few to sift through, ingest and explore for your own meanings. Try next time to skip past “Romance”, “Thriller”, “New Release” sections, and create your own category based on your personal intrigues, topics of choice and themes to explore.
These are some from me to you. On a sunny afternoon hop over to Queen Street’s obscure Black Dog Video, Suspect Video or Queen Video for a film sure to provide you with unforgettable stories, unbelievable performances and deliver a real piece of art. Don’t know where to begin? Start with my recommends.
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