The other day Jeremy and I were watching a half-hour show entirely composed of movie trailers. They showed some awesome trailers for some absoutely outstanding movies, including No Country for Old Men, Atonement, and the soon to be released Australia. All very good movies, with wonderful trailers. In the midst of all these "popular" films, they showed a trailer for what I consider to be one of the best film's I've seen in a long time. It may even be one of the best film's I've ever seen - The Diving Bell and The Butterfly. You may remember that I mentioned it before here. Seeing that trailer prompted me to think of some other films I have recently seen that really are wonderful, and that deserve just as much credit as some of the big box office hits. Most of you will probably have never heard of some of these films, which is why I feel that it is my duty to tell you all to go out and watch them. Immediately. Here they are, in no particular order...
1. The Diving Bell and The Butterfly (Le Scaphandre et el papillon)
Released in 2007, nominated for 4 Oscars
Watch the trailer!
One word: INCREDIBLE.
Seriously. This film is one of the most incredible pieces of art that I have ever seen. Yes, it is indeed a work of art. The film is entirely in French (with subtitles), and is filmed from the first-person point of view of Jean-Dominique Bauby, editor-in-chief of French Elle magazine. At age 43, Bauby suffered a major stroke that left him completely paralyzed, except for his left eye. The film is based on his memoir, Le Schaphandre et el papillon, that was dictated by Bauby himself using only his left eye to spell out words by blinking. His story at times is darkly humorous and you get the impression that Bauby might have been a fun kind of guy to be around. Mostly, however, you almost feel pity for him, that he might have put having fun and living the high life before that which is clearly most important to him - his family. At the end of the film, I was somewhat ambivalent - do I like him, or do I not? Do I feel sad for what he's lost? Or do I just think he screwed up? Either way, his honesty brought tears to my eyes, and the film left me speechless. The cinematography is some of the most beautiful I've ever seen. Jean-Dominique Bauby's story is truly a heart wrenching one, and the film really captures the emotion of it.
Watch it. Even if you don't like subtitles. You won't be disappointed.
2. God Grew Tired of Us
Released in 2006
Winner of the Sundance Film Festival Audience Award & Grand Jury Prize
Watch the trailer here!
If you only watch one documentary in this year, I highly recommend God Grew Tired of Us. This is a National Geographic documentary about the "Lost Boys of Sudan" - the tens of thousands of boys who fled their homes during the wars in Sudan back in the 80's. The film focuses on 3 young men who move to the United States in hopes of a better life. You follow them on their journey as they adapt to an entirely new way of life - moving into their own apartment, their search for work and their quest to help make the lives of their friends and family back home just a little better. The "boys" sense of wonder and naivety are so endearing that I just wanted to scoop them up and hug them until they couldn't breathe. The film makes you truly grateful for all the little luxuries and opportunities that are afforded us. I laughed and I cried. The film really opened my eyes to the obstacles the boys, and likely all refugees, face - being told by police that they can't walk around in groups anymore because other residents are afraid of them, the measly wages they earn that are usually immediately sent back to help out people at home, how overwhelmed they are by simple things like showering or grocery shopping.
I've always thought that John Cusack was an excellent actor. From One Crazy Summer, to Con Air, to High Fidelity, he's always good for a laugh and a quick one-liner. Grace is Gone takes my love for John Cusack to an entirely new level as he truly shows what a multi-dimensional actor he is. Cusack plays a husband whose wife is killed while serving in Iraq. Overwhelmed and unable to tell his young daughters that their mother is dead, he whisks them away on an impromptu roadtrip to an amusement park. Gracie Bednarczyk offers a charming performance as the youngest daughter - I'm guessing that we'll be seeing a lot more of her in future years. The movie is incredibly touching, but I suggest you save it for a day when you really need to bawl - it's a sad one!
Other honorable mentions:
It's heartwarming, charming, enlightening and humbling. Wonderful.
3. Grace is Gone
Release in 2007
Winner of the Sundance Film Festival Audience Award & Screenwriting Award
Watch the trailer here
I've always thought that John Cusack was an excellent actor. From One Crazy Summer, to Con Air, to High Fidelity, he's always good for a laugh and a quick one-liner. Grace is Gone takes my love for John Cusack to an entirely new level as he truly shows what a multi-dimensional actor he is. Cusack plays a husband whose wife is killed while serving in Iraq. Overwhelmed and unable to tell his young daughters that their mother is dead, he whisks them away on an impromptu roadtrip to an amusement park. Gracie Bednarczyk offers a charming performance as the youngest daughter - I'm guessing that we'll be seeing a lot more of her in future years. The movie is incredibly touching, but I suggest you save it for a day when you really need to bawl - it's a sad one!
Other honorable mentions:
- Gone Baby Gone (trailer) - dirty cops, missing kids and the wonderful Casey Affleck
- The Savages (trailer) - because Philip Seymour Hoffman is one of the greatest actors of this generation
- Bobby (trailer) - the line-up is the reason to rent this (Anthony Hopkins, Demi Moore, Emilio Esteves, Helen Hunt, William H. Macy, Sharon Stone, Elijah Wood, Laurence Fishburne...the list goes on), the depth of the characters and the phenomenal acting is the reason to watch it.
- La Vie en Rose (trailer) - which you probably know because Marion Cotillard won Best Actress at this year's Oscars. Another French film with subtitles, it's tells a tragic true story. If you didn't see it after all the Oscar hype, you should definitely see it now.
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