However, there are a few movies that I thought powerful, thought-provoking, and exceptionally well made.
One test is whether I would willingly watch a movie a second time, a test that - to my mind - these movies meet.
In no particular order, herewith some of the movies that have impressed me, along with my (naturally, subjective) thoughts on what made them special, or singling out as worth viewing.
@arkitect (and others) will note the paucity of US movies on my (initial and any subsequent) list, or lists, and my preference for British and European movies.
The Third Man:
A superb British movie with terrific cinematography, a gripping narrative - written by Graham Greene - a superb cast, script, haunting soundtrack, and a stunning setting - postwar Vienna, where the movie was actually shot on location; a movie that understands nuance, and acknowledges a world of grubby and sordid choices and exchanges, made by morally compromised people who struggle with simply surviving while keeping body and soul intact.
Above all, I love the courage of the downbeat ending, an example of the triumph of the bitter sweet integrity of art, a movie where Harry died, and Holly Didn't Get The Girl.
Jesus of Montreal:
An exceptionally intelligent, gripping, and thought-provoking telling of the Passion; this is an outstanding Canadian movie, (it is in French, with sub-titles), with a terrific cast, setting, script, story, and soundtrack, which manages the "Hamlet" trick (no mean feat) of telling a further play, or story, within the main narrative, in itself a spell-binding and compelling take on the Passion. I loved it.
Au Revoir, Les Enfants:
A movie that stunned me when I first saw it. Again, a superb - and haunting - tale (based on a true story) set in a French boarding school (it is in French, with sub-titles) during the German Occupation of France during the second world war. Terrific cast, story, script, setting, a powerful and compelling and unforgettable story.
The Life of Brian:
Monty Python's masterpiece; hilarious, brilliant, original, inventive, and extraordinarily intelligent movie. George Harrison (who financed it) appears fleetingly, and the fact that the movie was shot on location in north Africa meant that the lighting was authentically searing; elements of the humour was so accurately and sharply observed that some of the expressions have passed into everyday speech ("what did the Romans ever do for us?")
Lone Star:
An exceedingly rare (to my mind, at least) example of an American movie that I regard as nuanced, intelligent, interesting, thought-provoking, subtle, with a wonderfully complex story that spans around half a century, a story that features at least four different interracial couples, (and the interracial couples differ from one another, appearing naturally in the story as it unfolds, including two different Caucasian/Latino couples, an African American/Indian couple, Caucasian/African American couple, etc, as well as Latino couples, African American couples etc), an excellent cast, a terrific soundtrack (which I ordered as a CD from the sort of wonderful small, independent bricks'n'mortar music store that specialised in rare and unusual music that easily existed in our worlds around a quarter of a century ago), a story that addresses narrative, memory, and differing and contested histories.
Indochine:
A stunning French movie (yes, it is in French and can be watched with sub-titles), another story that spans more than half a century, set (mostly) in French Indochina (modern Vietnam); a superb cast, complex and interesting and intelligent story, brilliant cinematography.
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp:
An original, intelligent, generous, subtle, thought-provoking (and moving, in part) British movie dating from the second world war. Terrific story, cast, script, and cinematography (in difficult circumstances).
Kind Hearts and Coronets:
The best, darkest, driest and most witty of the classic Ealing comedies. Outstanding (and - to my mind, - hilarious) story, incredible script, superb cast, and wonderful cinematography. Probably best known nowadays for the many roles played (superbly) by Sir Alec Guinness, but, to my mind, without the exquisite Dennis Price, and the excellence of both Valerie Hobson, and Joan Greenwood, the movie wouldn't have been anywhere near the classic it is.
I daresay that more movies may occur to me, but, for now, I will content myself with posting this (initial) list of some of my favourite movies.
One test is whether I would willingly watch a movie a second time, a test that - to my mind - these movies meet.
In no particular order, herewith some of the movies that have impressed me, along with my (naturally, subjective) thoughts on what made them special, or singling out as worth viewing.
@arkitect (and others) will note the paucity of US movies on my (initial and any subsequent) list, or lists, and my preference for British and European movies.
The Third Man:
A superb British movie with terrific cinematography, a gripping narrative - written by Graham Greene - a superb cast, script, haunting soundtrack, and a stunning setting - postwar Vienna, where the movie was actually shot on location; a movie that understands nuance, and acknowledges a world of grubby and sordid choices and exchanges, made by morally compromised people who struggle with simply surviving while keeping body and soul intact.
Above all, I love the courage of the downbeat ending, an example of the triumph of the bitter sweet integrity of art, a movie where Harry died, and Holly Didn't Get The Girl.
Jesus of Montreal:
An exceptionally intelligent, gripping, and thought-provoking telling of the Passion; this is an outstanding Canadian movie, (it is in French, with sub-titles), with a terrific cast, setting, script, story, and soundtrack, which manages the "Hamlet" trick (no mean feat) of telling a further play, or story, within the main narrative, in itself a spell-binding and compelling take on the Passion. I loved it.
Au Revoir, Les Enfants:
A movie that stunned me when I first saw it. Again, a superb - and haunting - tale (based on a true story) set in a French boarding school (it is in French, with sub-titles) during the German Occupation of France during the second world war. Terrific cast, story, script, setting, a powerful and compelling and unforgettable story.
The Life of Brian:
Monty Python's masterpiece; hilarious, brilliant, original, inventive, and extraordinarily intelligent movie. George Harrison (who financed it) appears fleetingly, and the fact that the movie was shot on location in north Africa meant that the lighting was authentically searing; elements of the humour was so accurately and sharply observed that some of the expressions have passed into everyday speech ("what did the Romans ever do for us?")
Lone Star:
An exceedingly rare (to my mind, at least) example of an American movie that I regard as nuanced, intelligent, interesting, thought-provoking, subtle, with a wonderfully complex story that spans around half a century, a story that features at least four different interracial couples, (and the interracial couples differ from one another, appearing naturally in the story as it unfolds, including two different Caucasian/Latino couples, an African American/Indian couple, Caucasian/African American couple, etc, as well as Latino couples, African American couples etc), an excellent cast, a terrific soundtrack (which I ordered as a CD from the sort of wonderful small, independent bricks'n'mortar music store that specialised in rare and unusual music that easily existed in our worlds around a quarter of a century ago), a story that addresses narrative, memory, and differing and contested histories.
Indochine:
A stunning French movie (yes, it is in French and can be watched with sub-titles), another story that spans more than half a century, set (mostly) in French Indochina (modern Vietnam); a superb cast, complex and interesting and intelligent story, brilliant cinematography.
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp:
An original, intelligent, generous, subtle, thought-provoking (and moving, in part) British movie dating from the second world war. Terrific story, cast, script, and cinematography (in difficult circumstances).
Kind Hearts and Coronets:
The best, darkest, driest and most witty of the classic Ealing comedies. Outstanding (and - to my mind, - hilarious) story, incredible script, superb cast, and wonderful cinematography. Probably best known nowadays for the many roles played (superbly) by Sir Alec Guinness, but, to my mind, without the exquisite Dennis Price, and the excellence of both Valerie Hobson, and Joan Greenwood, the movie wouldn't have been anywhere near the classic it is.
I daresay that more movies may occur to me, but, for now, I will content myself with posting this (initial) list of some of my favourite movies.
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