Movies that stay with you

This was such a sweet movie.  I had read that it was good, but only knew a sketch of the plot which didn't really prepare me for what the movie was about--which to me was about using fictions in a way that helps people change in positive ways, and about how a community might handle difference, well differently :-).

Lars and the Real Girl

One thing I like about Danny Boyle's movies is that he really uses movie-making to tell a story.  It's not just a story that's being filmed--the film-making process is integral to the story.

I didn't like this as much as Millions or Sunshine but I still thought it was very good.  My biggest complaint was probably about the ending, but if I explain more than that I'll give something away I think.

It was very good I thought at portraying the way in which the poor live in India--I know of some people who thought it was very depressing for that reason, but I didn't find it so myself.  It had things in common thematically with Millions, and like Millions it had a lot to do with how the stories we're raised with influence the way we see the world.

There is violence directed against children as well as sexual violence in the film.  It's not a movie I would take children to, but OK for most teens I would think.   (I took my 14 year old.)

This might have been mentioned before...I forget...but I saw it the other afternoon and it was really good.  A little like ET but I liked the stuff they threw in about mandalas and how mimzies have visited at other times.

The Last Mimzy

Iron Jawed Angels

Happened upon this movie this morning while doing laundry--I've seen it before  but quite a while ago.  It's about aspiring actresses living together in a boarding house--and the cast includes a number of aspiring actresses as well (though the two leads--Katherine Hepburn and Ginger Rogers were full fledged stars).  Besides those two there's also Eve Arden, Lucille Ball and Ann Miller.  The scenes in which the women banter and wise-crack are great.  The plot does have a huge dose of melodrama, but it's great to see so many strong female characters portrayed by so many amazing actresses--all in the same movie.  The other thing is the focus is so completely on the relationships among the women--in a way it makes sense to think of the whole thing as a love story between the two leads--not in a kind of read-between-the-lines sort of way--but in that the movie centers on conflict between the two of them, the changes in their relationship, and the fact that they are the most important people in each others' lives (that and the theeeetuh!).  Also makes me wish that Ginger Rogers did more films in which her delivery of dialogue rather than her dancing was emphasized.

"Stage Door"

I'm a big fan of Samurai movies and anime, but I actually wanted to post first about one of my favorite movies that doesn't really fit in either of those genres, despite the title. It's called "The Twilight Samurai"--it's much more of a meditation on the heroism of dealing with hardships in life than it is about heroic swordplay. The main character is a man recently widowed, with two children, and supporting his elderly and senile mother who lives with him. He is a samurai--but low-level--and supports himself through a combination of day work as an accountant and living off his small farm. The main moral conflict arises out of his poverty and responsibilities on the one hand and his desire not to reenter the samurai life on the other. The film is good at showing what the effects of historical change (like the Shogunate and the decline of the whole Samurai/Feudal Lord relation) were on ordinary people, and I really like the details of day to day life and the very rounded portrayals of the main characters. The family life, the relation between the man and his children, and the way in which his mother is shown are all really great.

OK :-) So here are my recommendations in those other categories. Samurai movies--Yojimbo, Seven Samurai, Rashomon, The Blind Swordsman Zatoichi (I've only seen the most recent one-2003-which I liked, but I understand the older ones are supposed to be better.)

Anime: all the Miyazaki films, Steamboy, Metropolis, Ghost in the Shell (esp.1), Tokyo Godfathers, Cowboy BeBop the Movie (though I'd actually recommend the series over the film)

A great great film. Here's the review from Rotten Tomatoes.

About a group of missionaries who traveled to the Ecuadorian jungle who were ultimately killed by indigenous Waodani tribesmen - the missionaries families set out to the jungle to find the truth about the murderers of their families in hopes to bring peace, love and forgiveness to the savage tribe.

This is one of my favorite all time movies. It's set in the world of the French theatre (Commedia del Arte) in the 19th century.

Here's the opening and a scene shortly after:

Opening

The Actor's Introduction to the Theatre

(aka "Stairway to Heaven"--where the song title came from? dunno)

Something brought this movie to mind this morning. I haven't seen it, but several years ago I heard a film teacher at Mt. Holyoke say that it's one of the best movies ever made (and I had never heard of it before).

It's a 1946 British Film directed by Michael Powell and starring David Niven. Without giving too much away, the plot centers on a trial taking place in heaven with Niven the defendant. These scenes may or may not be real (they may be visions that Niven's character is having)--the "visionary" scenes are in black and white, while Niven's real life goes on in technicolor. The main theme of the movie is love vs. the law--and though Niven's character is specifically the one on trial--it's really about humanity generally giving voice on that conflict.

I had looked for the movie when I first heard about it and couldn't find it available to watch in an American format. Still having trouble--for anyone with access to a Region Two DVD player--it's availalbe in that format. I did find scenes on YouTube though and it may be possible to watch the whole film that way. Anyway, here's a scene between Niven and "Conductor 71" (a character who conducts people to the afterlife) on the "Stairway to Heaven" discussing who might be Niven's best bet as a defense attorney. (By the way, I think this scene is alluded to in the Bill and Ted movie.)

ETA started watching it on YouTube and it's amazine (though not the best way to watch). Linking to the first clips here. The scene between David Niven and Kim Novak in the second clip is just incredible.

A Matter of Life and Death One

A Matter of Life and Death Two

ETA2--So after watching it:-) I would say it's very good but probably not as good as advertised.

But it has reminded me to post about one of my favorite movies which I think is one of the best ever--will do above ^

It's only 4 and a half minutes long...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ah6VfP6QZ8

Curious as to what you think of this...

**"I can always dream."**

Got to see lots of films on my two recent 6 hour plane flights.

Two to recommend besides "Young at Heart" which I talked about below:

"Be Kind Rewind"--hilarious movie about a local video store being threatened by a big blockbuster DVD chain--and the videos all get accientallly erased.  The people who run the store try to "remake" the films.  Eventually the community gets involved in the remakes.  And there's this whole subplot about Fats Waller.  In general the movie is about the difference between factual accuracy and truth, and the importance of stories.

"Iron Man"--saw it for a second time on the plane.  As a film on the origins of a hero it may be the best one I've seen.  I think I like it even better than "Batman Begins"--Thought Robert Downey Jr. gave a great performance.  And I liked the relationship between him and the Gwyneth Paltrow character.  The villain in the movie was cheesey though.

I highly recommend the movie Simon Birch!

Very moving film!

Read an article in the paper today examining the intense reaction crowds are having to "The Dark Knight."  I disagreed with most of what the author was saying except for this: that it meets an "unspoken need for something in this crass tinsel culture to mean something."  I think my central disagreement is in the author's underlying assumption found in his conclusion: "Why do we rally around a movie rather than the things that actually do matter?"  Movies and stories do matter.  They are not just an escape from caring about the real world and its ills.  I took 3 thirteen year old boys to this film, and they had an intense conversation about ethics on the ride home.  One of them made an analogy between a scene in the film and the way in which people in the United States hand over their power/responsibility to their elected officials.  Enough said.

'Knight' that shook the world

(Heh, as some of you know, I'm off on vacation for a few weeks so don't worry if you don't see any posts from me for a bit.  But I woke up early and thought I'd get one last one in before I hit the road.)

In honor of April Fool's Day:

From "The Court Jester":

The Jester Song

The Pellet with the Poison

Happy April Fool's Day my Motley Crewmates!

In honor of the occasion, I'd like to put out a documentary that I saw recently:

Paris was a Woman

I love the way the subject matter was handled.  It's not an "in your face" treatment - just coverage of some important events that happened in Paris where the incredible people involved just happen to be women.