day 18 - a movie that you wish more people would’ve seen
Oh, there are so, so many, but if I needed to choose one, I'd go with...
City of God
When I mention this, people usually say, "Is that the one with Patrick Swayze and lepers?" No, that's City of Joy (which I've never seen, hehe...). City of God (Cidade de Deus) is a film out of Brazil about kids growing up in the slums of Rio, and pardon my Portuguese, but holy. fucking. shit. It is an amazing film.
Brian and I braced ourselves for this one much the way we did for Requiem for a Dream, but unlike Requiem, I'd be willing to watch this one again. Yes, there's violence, and some of the situations the children faced made me want to crawl into a hole, but it is as brilliant (and even triumphant) as it is intense. It's based on a real place and a true story to boot.
This film doesn't just make my top 20 of all time. It's in the top 5.
=====
And I can't resist some honorable mentions...
The Sweet Hereafter. Another one we dreaded. ("Yay! Let's watch a movie about a small town school bus crash that wipes out all the kids!") It is possibly one of the most perfect films I've ever seen though. I also loved the book.
The Straight Story. I loved this film so, so much. It's based on the true story of Alvin Straight, an old man who hears that his estranged brother has had a stroke. Alvin can barely walk and can't see well enough to drive a car, so he drives his lawn mower more than 200 miles to bury the hatchet. I won't lie: it's a film that takes it time, but David Lynch (directing a rated G film?!) makes the most of every second of film. Even the smallest of side characters shine and he makes this old man's travels across the American countryside seem epic.
Children of Men. I think I held my breath for the last hour of this film.
The Lives of Others. (With winks at jesshelga.) Just as with The Sweet Hereafter, as the credits rolled, Brian and I looked at one another and just said, "Perfect." But, again, the subject matter makes it a tough sell. Those that lived under the Stasi (or studied them) have likened this film to fantasy, but it is a great piece of cinema nonetheless.
Kung Fu Hustle. Just so you don't think I'm only about the dramas! This is a stylish send-up of the martial arts flicks, lovingly assembled by Stephen Chow. As much as I love subtle irony-based humor, nothing makes me laugh harder than really good slapstick. (The first time I saw it, the knife throwing scene completely wrecked me.) This movie also has some very clever and stylish fight sequences to play around some of the tropes of the genre. I've seen it several times and it's always a little more violent than I remember, but most of it is fairly cartoony.
City of God
When I mention this, people usually say, "Is that the one with Patrick Swayze and lepers?" No, that's City of Joy (which I've never seen, hehe...). City of God (Cidade de Deus) is a film out of Brazil about kids growing up in the slums of Rio, and pardon my Portuguese, but holy. fucking. shit. It is an amazing film.
Brian and I braced ourselves for this one much the way we did for Requiem for a Dream, but unlike Requiem, I'd be willing to watch this one again. Yes, there's violence, and some of the situations the children faced made me want to crawl into a hole, but it is as brilliant (and even triumphant) as it is intense. It's based on a real place and a true story to boot.
Click to viewThis film doesn't just make my top 20 of all time. It's in the top 5.
=====
And I can't resist some honorable mentions...
The Sweet Hereafter. Another one we dreaded. ("Yay! Let's watch a movie about a small town school bus crash that wipes out all the kids!") It is possibly one of the most perfect films I've ever seen though. I also loved the book.
The Straight Story. I loved this film so, so much. It's based on the true story of Alvin Straight, an old man who hears that his estranged brother has had a stroke. Alvin can barely walk and can't see well enough to drive a car, so he drives his lawn mower more than 200 miles to bury the hatchet. I won't lie: it's a film that takes it time, but David Lynch (directing a rated G film?!) makes the most of every second of film. Even the smallest of side characters shine and he makes this old man's travels across the American countryside seem epic.
Children of Men. I think I held my breath for the last hour of this film.
The Lives of Others. (With winks at jesshelga.) Just as with The Sweet Hereafter, as the credits rolled, Brian and I looked at one another and just said, "Perfect." But, again, the subject matter makes it a tough sell. Those that lived under the Stasi (or studied them) have likened this film to fantasy, but it is a great piece of cinema nonetheless.
Kung Fu Hustle. Just so you don't think I'm only about the dramas! This is a stylish send-up of the martial arts flicks, lovingly assembled by Stephen Chow. As much as I love subtle irony-based humor, nothing makes me laugh harder than really good slapstick. (The first time I saw it, the knife throwing scene completely wrecked me.) This movie also has some very clever and stylish fight sequences to play around some of the tropes of the genre. I've seen it several times and it's always a little more violent than I remember, but most of it is fairly cartoony.