Movies To See

[Dr. Sean Neville]

This is a thread to discuss movies you want to recommend to other players. I see a fair number of movies both in theaters and then on DVD or TCM, so expect a fair mix from me. But everyone is welcome to post here.

To start the thread:

I cannot recommend Beasts of the Southern Wild highly enough. I've seen several movies this year (close to twenty, I think in theaters), but this is easily my favorite of 2012. This is an emotional movie, somewhere in the realm of magical realism, about life in a Southern Delta area known as "The Bathtub" before, during, and after a storm that washes much of it away. It focuses on a six-year-old girl named Hushpuppy and her father; the actress deserves an Oscar nomination at the very least, as does the actor playing her father.

It's a very real movie, and evocative of raw human emotion. I want to put a warning since it is so raw and beautiful.

Unfortunately, it was put in limited release and might only play at more artsy theaters. If you can find it, see it. If you can't find it, wait until it's either in a Redbox or on Netflix and see it.

[Brendan James]

I know I've talked about this movie, especially this past weekend, a lot in c-box, but I thought I'd perhaps explain why I think it's such a great movie.

Man on Fire.

It stars Denzel Washington as an ex Marine and CIA operative, named John Creasy, who tries to escape the demons of his past through drinking. He's hired to be the bodyguard to a young girl nicknamed Pita, played by Dakota Fanning, who lives in Mexico City. It follows the relationship between the two, beginning with Creasy being gruff towards the girl, along with events that happen to the girl and Creasy's desire to protect her.

Aside from the story line, I truly enjoy how the movie was shot. I am not, by any means, a film student. However, the way the film was put together, shots overlying each other from different angles seemed to only add to the intensity of some moments, while making other moments all the sweeter.

As for the actors themselves, I've only seen a small number of works they've done and truly enjoyed an even smaller amount. However, in this movie, I believe they both portrayed their roles wonderfully.

I will make note here that at certain points, it can be rather violent. But I'll also say it's not out of a sadistic nature, but are the acts of 'vigilante'.

[Cobalt Weaver]

None of these movies will surprise anyone.

Watchmen

Told you.

But no seriously, this movie is bomb. The characters are all wonderful horrific creatures who are terrible to each other but all try to be superheroes. The story deals with what it means to be a hero in the face of a world that doesn't want heroes anymore. It's an alternate universe 1980s New York and deals not only with moral themes, but the sociopolitical movements of that time. Warning: it is incredibly gory, there is full-front nudity, there is one pretty explicit (hilariously awkward) sex scene. It is also three hours and forty-seven minutes long. So. Make a day of it. Because it's a long as hell movie, but really moving.

Avengers

Seriously if you haven't seen this movie yet, then I don't want to know you. There is not one single moment that I didn't enjoy from this movie. Everyone was precious and they were full of dweeby family love. Seriously, Joss Whedon code-named the script of this movie "Group Hug". That sort of shows you what kind of movie this is. I could go on, but it's hilarious the two superhero movies I have up here are really different. But I like the Avengers because it...man, it's just a good old-fashioned superhero movie. It doesn't try to be Batman, or grimdark or antihero. It's just a group of men and women doing their best. And that is awesome! I miss that from my superhero movies.

Also everyone is hot just saying.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Wooo~! This movie was really rad. It's based on a series of novels that I want to read someday if I can find them. It's full of intrigue! And spies! And shooting! And...actually a lot of tragedy. It's sort of a really sad movie, and I felt sad while I was watching this movie. The cast is full of old British dudes and it was frankly awesome for me. Gary Oldman is in it, I am just saying. And I guess Benedict Cumberbatch. I hear you kids like that guy. The script is really clever and really involved. It's sort of a heavy movie, and you have to pay attention the whole time to understand what is going on. I had to put the captions on because wow I didn't want to miss a thing. It's a movie that could very easily confuse you, but the ending pays off really well emotionally and it's quite a lovely movie.

Ok I'm done I promise this thread is just totally my thing I love movies aahhh

[Ebeneezer Obey]

Oh man, with a thread like this, I just can't help myself.

This is a very short list, mind you. I will be forgetting amazing movies at this time, I know I won't be able to remember all the movies I want you to see. But here's what I have for you now

Judgement at Nuremberg (Kramer, 1961)

This is my favorite film, and that's not easy for me to say. The acting is breathtaking, and the dialog is incredible. It does not dazzle the audience with special effects or action scene, this is a trial movie, and like other trial movies, has long drawn out periods of dialog as testimony. This is about the characters, this is a film of character actors. Much of my writing style is inspired by the characters in this film. I will never forget “ever since that day, I've been half I've ever been.”

Ten (Kiarostami, 2002)

This is a film about people. It's always hard to be told about people, their culture, their way of life, their condition. You have to experience it. I cannot experience it, but with a film like this, I feel as I'm closer to understanding. This is a film about women's rights in Iran after in the early 21st century, and the role they play in a society slowly turning to the modern age in gender equality, told at a microlevel, not in a documentary form, but in the lives of a few women. Again, like Nuremberg, this is all about the actors. Long conversations, tell a story without actually telling you the story.

Departures (Takita, 2008)

This is a film about funerals. This is probably my favorite Japanese film, with the next film as the other contender. It's a more modern film, but still follows the Japanese tradition in film, its beauty in scenery is unmatched. Above all else this is a well done movie, in all respects. It's well shot, well edited, with great costume design, lighting, and acting. Most of all, I think this a film anyone can see. For a film about death, it brings out the best in all of us.

Throne of Blood (Kurosawa, 1957)

This is the best version of Macbeth ever told. See it. See it for the costume design. See it for Lady Macbeth blow-away performance, she steals the whole movie, even from Washizu (Toshiro Mifune) whose acting is not only so extravagant it's hard to describe, its also a clear homage to the traditional Japanese woodcut samurai. This whole movie is a homage to the pre-modern culture of japan, and a darn fine period piece if I've ever seen one.

I wish I had time to tell you about all these films, but for now I'll just have to name them off

Paradise Now (Abu-Assad, 2005)
Pather Panchali (Ray, 1955)
Hour of the Wolf (Bergman, 1968)
Battle of Algiers (Pontecorvo, 1966)