Is there a movie that you could watch again and again? One that you watch when you are feeling down? A film that changed your life?
What is one of your favorite movies? What makes it a favorite? Is there a scene that you could describe and analyze that demonstrates its emotional or intellectual chops?
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One of my favorite movies to watch over and over again is Fight Club. A lot of people find this movie to be overrated, but I think its a classic movie. What I like about it is when you watch it the first time you don't catch everything about it. There are little things through out the film that are hard to catch the first time. Also, the ending of Fight Club is not as predictable as some recent films.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite scenes in the movie is when Brad Pitts charachter fist comes in to the movie. He seems to be what the main chracter is looking for, a friend, a better version of himself, which seems to help him, for awhile. This ties nicely in with the end of the film, when what he realizes is that finding himself is what he needed.
Note: Copying this here to get it off the main page.
ReplyDelete-------
Terry Gilliam's "Brazil" -- Has anybody else seen it?
It's a fantastic dystopian sci-fi black comedy out of the 1980s. The main character is this timid, lonely type named Sam Lowry who has a boring desk job in a nightmarish bureaucratic society but escapes through flying dreams that revolve around a mysterious beautiful woman. He sees a woman whom he is convinced is the woman from his dreams and everything starts to fall to pieces. Terry Gilliam directed it--the guy who did all the weird animations for Monty Python and who directed 12 Monkeys and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and The Fisher King...It's really funny, it's eye candy visually, it has a fun score from Michael Kamen based on the catchy traditional song "Brazil" (and Kate Bush singing, I just now found out! Coincidentally, I've recently been getting into her), and it has an ending that left me staring blankly at the screen for a full five minutes after the credits stopped rolling.
Oh, and there's also a shot of a vacuum rolling down a flight of stairs that is supposed to be an homage to the baby carriage from Potemkin. Hence, we should watch it in class.
It's one of my absolute favorites and has been since I first saw it, and I recommend it to pretty much everyone, especially those who like dystopian sci-fi or appreciate dark, British humor. (It's been described as Orwell meets Monty Python. Picture a terrorist Robert De Niro killing a pair of obnoxious government employees by connecting the pipes feeding air into their contaminant-proof suits to sewage, and watching as they fill up with human feces until they explode. If that sounds like it might have made reading 1984 more entertaining, give Brazil a try.)
I'll mention a favorite scene while I'm at it.
ReplyDeleteInvestigating this elusive woman, Sam finds himself outside a mysterious office in the government headquarters where he works. He sees a dark spot on the white floor; his toe smears it and reveals it to be blood. When he enters, a smiling woman, your stereotypical old-fashioned receptionist, nods at him from behind her desk. She has headphones on and is dictating something on a typewriter. Sam hears screams emanating from the headphones, but doesn't react (you could call him Stone Face like Buster Keaton). He subtly bends in to examine the typewriter. On the typewriter:
"AHHHH, OH GOD.....NO, DON'T....AIIEEEE. WHAT ARE YOU PUTTING ON MY HEAD?...PLEASE, STOP"
...and the woman keeps on smiling cheerfully. The officer Sam is looking for finishes his torture job and she ushers Sam into his office. Sam approaches the officer from behind, who doesn't notice him. Sam touches the officer who is startled and turns around--unexpectedly, it is Sam's close friend, Jack. Jack smiles dumbly and hands Sam a Christmas present; he has bloody handprints on the front of his white coat. Suddenly, a striped ball hits Jack from behind, and he tells his toddler-aged daughter to be careful.
So you have this charming traditional sort of scene, a working professional bringing his young daughter to work, with a smiling administrative assistant, except behind some closed door he has just been torturing some poor soul mercilessly for an evil bureaucratic government. It makes for awkward conversation between Sam and Jack to say the least.
A movie that I could watch over and over again is... wait for it... Legally Blonde. I got a lot of laughs on the first day of class when I claimed this to be one of my favorite movies. What makes me continue to enjoy this movie besides its funny dialogue is the fact that it actually has a redeeming message at the end. Elle first starts off as a pretty girl in her element, a sorority, never having to be smart. When she is forced to prove to herself and others that she can be more than just a pretty face.
ReplyDeleteWhile this isn't the best movie i've ever seen, it's certainly an enjoyable one.
While I have many favorite films, one of my favorites is "About a Boy". In About a Boy, an irresponsible man is forced to become friends with a nerdy preteen plagued by a suicidally depressed mother. After pretending to have a child so that he could go to a singles counseling session filled with needy women,Will goes on a date with one of the single mothers. Little did Will know that this date would also be with the woman's two year old and her depressed friend's son. After the date, Will takes the young boy to his home, where they discover that the boy's mom had attempted to kill herself. The needy boy becomes emotionally attached to and stalks Will so that he has a friend. What makes me like this movie so much is how such a depressing concept can become so entertaining. For example, Will gives Marcus (the teenager) a CD player and a rap CD for Christmas. The boy does not fully understand the meaning of the explicit music and starts singing it in the halls at school where he is then confronted by a much older, scary looking girl. Overall, Will and Marcus, go from the extremes of irresponsiblity and neediness to normal people and good friends.
ReplyDeleteOne movie that I have seen alot, which is sad seeing as it is an extremly long movie is Bicentenial Man. Starring Robin Williams it is a movie about an android who has do deal with the hardships of life while struggling to attain his own humanity. Sounds cheesy I know, but the movie is really well done and as the viewer you can watch it purely for the emotional ride or you can delve deeper and really get a feel for the human condition. The question is what makes you human? a heart, blood, a brain? or is it something deeper; love, aspiration, passion, curiosity? The answer is left to the viewer in the end.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite movies that isnt LotR is Into the Wild. This movie is a true story about a guy who, after graduating college, decides to completely abandon his life and just rough it, planning to eventually wander to the Alaskan wilderness. *major Spoiler Alert ahead* He cuts up all his identification cards, donates the 25000 dollars he has saved to charity, and starts hitchhiking around the country in search of answers. Some of his questions are personal, because of childhood issues with his parents, but others are questions which plague us all: questions of the nature of life and happiness.
ReplyDeleteAfter two years of hitchhiking he finally makes his way up to Alaska, where he hikes off into the wilderness with very little in the way of supplies. He lives the next few months in an abandoned transit bus that has randomly made its way to the woods. You'd have to see the movie to truly understand, but long story short he eventually he runs out of food, he gets stranded by flooded rivers, and in his desperation for food he eats a plant that he thought was edible but in the end turns out to be poisonous. Not long after, he dies, alone in the in wild, but not before finding the answers that he was searching for all along. I would attempt to explain, but I really couldnt do it justice at all.
The reason I love this movie is because at the ending you feel the most crazy mix of emotions ever. He dies, and you come to love the character over the course of the movie, so its incredibly sad. But at the same time, he finds the answers that he was desperately searches for, and he dies with a smile on his face, and you feel completely overjoyed for him. While a tear rolls down your face you cant help but to crack a smile.
simply put: a truly moving movie
Im sorry if I ruined the movie for you, but its definitely worth watching
^^^ I saw Into the Wild at The Mountain School. We projected it onto a giant screen in the loft of the cow barn the evening we got back from our three-day solo.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite movie of all-time is V for Vendetta. When most people hear this, they automatically think it's just a movie about anarchy and destroying the government, but that isn't what the movie is about. V for Vendetta is the story of a women named Evey Hammond and how her life is changed by the masked terrorist V, a vigilante whose goal is to start a revolution and overthrow the fascist British government. It takes place in a future where Britain has undergone a period of Reclamation following the fall of the United States' government. In order to restore order, a fascist government is formed, but the government's real goal isn't to protect the citizens, but control them. As V attempts to start a revolution, Evey Hammond accidentally becomes involved in V's plan after V saves her life.
ReplyDeleteI love every second of this movie because it's so well done. The story is literally the best I've ever seen in a movie and it draws you in from start to finish. There isn't a single slow moment. This would be an excellent movie to show in class because it makes use of a variety of camera techniques. I also love this movie because the music is phenomenal since it fits every scene perfectly.
V for Vendetta is one of three movies that I would score a 10/10. (The other two are The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and The Shawshank Redemption.)
I have to say that a really good movie, that I had forgotten about until recently, is Finding Forrester (2000). Basic plot (I'll try not to say too much)- Jamal, A 16 year old growing up in the Bronx catches the attention of a prestigious prep school in Manhattan because of his standardized test scores, and his skills on the basketball court don't hurt either. Meanwhile he happens to be befriending a recluse, Pulitzer prize winning, author. Jamal has been writing since his father left, and is very gifted, but he hides his abilities in order to fit in with his friends. Jamal faces many challenges at the new school because of his abilities as a writer, and his skin color. Although the movie is about overcoming these hurdles, it is also a beautiful commentary of life, what we learn, how we deal with it, and our effect on others. The movie is funny but also very moving and beautiful.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to do this movie justice in a short synopsis, but I think it is a wonderful movie because it digs deep into the human spirt and brings up issues that people have to face everyday. It does a really good job of blending the humor with the serious message of the film, as well as utilizing many different camera angles and cuts.
One of my favorite parts is when Jamal asks Forrester two questions, Forrester refuses to answer the second at first because it is 'not a question' (he gives his definition of a question and why it is not a question) this scene is referred to throughout the movie when either character will say, "thats not a soup question". Okay so I am obviously unable to shed light on the beauty of this scene but I promise it makes more sense and is more poetic than I am able to explain.
Also, I agree with Charles, V for Vendetta is a very good movie.
One of my all time favorite movies besides Fight Club like Alex mentioned, is Rounders. This movie stars Edward Norton and Matt Damon. Yeah I know Matt Damon's in it but give it a chance ha. Its about two poker players in New York City. One of which (Matt Damon) looses his whole bank role to KGB (Russian mob) in a high stakes poker game. He the gives up playing cards and goes to law school while driving a delivery truck trying to make an honest living. All is going well until he is reunited with an old school mate (Edward Norton) who has just been released form prison. They soon get back to their old ways of running tables all over the city using less than fair tactics in order to pay back the mob. Once they have enough money to pay KGB back Matt Damon decides to put it all on the line in a final game, a rematch with KGB.
ReplyDeleteThis movie is full of life lessons and shows the struggle that comes along with owing the mob. I wont go into specific examples so i don't ruin the movie so i suggest you see this movie if you get a chance.
My favorite movie is Rat Race. I could watch it everyday for the rest of my life. No doubt. It is about a group of average people who race to find a bag of tons of money in Silver City, New Mexico. This is my favorite film ever because it is filled with nonstop comedy. Every single scene is guaranteed to make the audience laugh. What I like the most about the movie is the simplicity of it. There are not many special effects, and the plot is definitely straight forward and easy to understand. It is an awesome movie and I recommend it.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite movie is Meet the Parents (2000). I saw this movie when it first came out and completely fell in love with it. Some people might think it's corny, but I think it's the funniest movie ever--I have lost track of how many times I have seen it. This movie stars Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller.
ReplyDeleteBasic Plot: Greg Focker (Stiller) is a male nurse who is completely in love with his girlfriend Pam. He wants to propose to her and views their upcoming visit to meet Pam's family (for Pam's sister's wedding) as the perfect oppurtunity to pop the question. Unfortunately, the visit starts as a downward spiral the moment Greg meets Pam's parents, especially her dad, Jack (De Niro), who takes an instant dislike in Greg. From then on, everything that could possibly go wrong for Focker, does. And I'm not giving anymore of the plot away or it won't be as funny when/if you watch it!
My favorite scene in the movie is a scene at the dinner table. In an attempt to impress Jack, Greg makes up some story about living on a farm and milking his cat. After hearing that, Jack asks Greg if it is even possible to milk a cat. Greg respons with saying "You can milk just about anything with nipples". Jack looks at him for a second and says "I have nipples Greg, could you milk me?" Ok it doesn't sound that funny when you read it, but it is HILARIOUS so you have to watch the movie to see it.
one of the best comedies in my opinion is Dodgeball. It started a saga of many comedies based on non-mainstream sports to come over the following years. The movie focuses on a group of misfits who belong to a poor gym. they enter a dodgeball tournament to raise enough money so their rival gym, the world class globo gym, doesn't buy them out. they end up encountering the globo gym purple cobras in the tournament and it becomes a great story of heroism, bravery, constant humor
ReplyDeleteOne of my personal favorites is Radio. Its a movie about a mentally impaired man in a small football town. He gains the nickname 'Radio' because he carries around a radio inside of his shopping cart when he goes through town. He gradually gets more and more involved with the team until he is idolized by not only his teammates, but most of the community within the town. He goes through a series of emotionally traumatic events that he sometimes doesn't really understand; but with the help of his best friend, the coach of the football team, he gets through even the toughest of times.
ReplyDeleteThe movie is full of great scenes, but one of the best is when Radio is about to travel to his first away game with the football team. He arrives at the bus ready to leave with the team, but the head of the school decides that Radio is too much of a liability for the team to take on the road. While everyone else goes to the game, Radio stays at the school listening to the game on his radio. It is pouring rain and he is just having the best time reenacting the plays with himself, and screaming with glee.