THE CINEMA THAT INSPIRES ME THE MOST: Not just an ordinary list of movies! - PART I
Cinematic gems that inspire me the most. Can a "deep" movie change your life? What about many of them? Warning: Not just an ordinary list of movies!
I've always been a film geek. I don't know how or when it ever started but the urge of watching quality movies have always been part of my life. Movies that not only entertain (or sometimes not even close to it) but have something to teach you. Life is too short to experience everything yourself, but benefiting from others' experiences can be an absolute time-saver. I think "watching the right movie" is one of the best ways to do that!
So, these are the movies that save time...
IMPORTANT NOTE #1..:
Of course, "The Movie Is In The Eye Of The Beholder".
One movie fan's heaven can be another's hell or vice versa. These are just my thoughts and reflect my own taste. I hope this list serves you well and you find some of the movies I mentioned here worthy of bookmarking to watch them later. Please never hesitate to share your own thoughts about ANY MOVIE in the comments' area. You're always welcome to do that whether the movies listed here are your type or not. It's all about exchanging our opinions!
IMPORTANT NOTE #2..:
DEAR MOVIE INDUSTRY, what is the purpose of a "MOVIE TRAILER" that contains many SPOILERS? To ruin our precious movie-moments?
As you might be guessing, there are many movie trailers that mostly include "Spoilers". So, instead of using movie trailers in this post, I just used images to protect you from any kind of spoilers (For those who haven't watched them yet... In most of the time there will be NO SPOILERS here. I may talk about the storyline but NOT to the extent of a spoiler. I NEVER DO THAT). I don't know why are "they" including spoilers in movie trailers but it seems that it's almost a tradition now (ABSURD, right? - Unbelievable).
DRUMROLL, Please...
"ONDSKAN" (2003)
(a.k.a. "EVIL" - Directed By Mikael Håfström)
Please don't let the name "EVIL" misguide you. This is not a movie about exorcism (or, is it?) - This is simply one of the most impressive "DEALING WITH BULLIES" movies I have ever seen, if not the most impressive one. It's adapted from the autobiographical book "Ondskan" by Jan Guillou.
Ondskan is an attempt to remind us that how "Privilege Systems" are inclined to exploitation, violence, and crime. It's a problem of group behavior. If you're a member of a privileged group, the group will protect you by all means. But if you're not "lucky" enough to be a member, it comes with a price. Because the moral rules (if there are any of them) apply only to group members and NEVER apply to outsiders.
The question of "what is the biggest obstacle to education" has a wide variety of answers, but my vote would go to "peer bullying", especially when it comes in younger ages (but of course "bullying" targets any age group and causes a lot of trauma no matter how old the victims are)... Each individual is different, i.e. some of us are tougher than the rest, some of us are more sensitive, etc... Being a victim of "bullying" can cause lifelong trauma for victims and affect many aspects of their daily lives including their relationships and economic status.
Erik Ponti is a member of a middle-class Swedish family. He's continuously beaten and abused by his stepfather. As expected, Erik behaves the same way to his peers. After a fight, he gets expelled from school, and by help of his mother's efforts moves to a new boarding school which is known for discipline and its loyalty to its traditions.
His new "friends" welcome him, they look polite and civilized on the surface. But Erik will soon realize that they are no different than his stepfather.
Definitely not an easy movie to watch (but "a must watch" in my humble opinion); "Ondskan" has intense scenes and shows no mercy, so you have been warned. The intensity of these scenes doesn't come from the violence itself but it's the "ordinariness" of violence that shocks viewer the most. Some violence scenes were even conceived as "abuse" by some viewers but I'm not one of them. These things (violence against non-members) happen countless times and I don't think Mikael Håfström's intention was to benefit from Homo-Sapiens' bloodthirsty nature.
A relatively unknown cinematic gem from Sweden.
There is only one word for people like you, and that is "evil"
"THE MAN FROM EARTH" (2007)
(Directed By Richard Schenkman)
Are you into philosophy, mystery, and Science Fiction?
Just put your favorite tea (of course, it's your decision) into your movie cup and enjoy. The screenplay comes from the legendary writer, Jerome Bixby.
Without giving any spoilers it would be very hard to talk about this wonderful movie, but I will give it a try..: A very successful, bright college professor decides to leave his school and gathers with a group of colleagues one last time to say an unforgettable "goodbye".
This is, fortunately, one of those movies that remains always "new" and you can watch over and over again thanks to wonderful, thought-provoking script. If your movie is all set in one room (for 87 minutes), then you better have a deep, clever script and that's exactly what we have here. As Roger Ebert (famous film critic, R.I.P.) suggests, the best way to decide if a movie is "good" or "bad" is too see if you're checking the time frequently. That never happens while watching "The Man From Earth". It's just the opposite, actually. You want more and more of it when the main protagonist begins to reveal his secrets one by one and shocks you even more each time (and without a doubt, there couldn't be a better choice than Beethoven's "7th Symphony 2nd Movement" as a background music while our protagonist does all of that).
What a great pleasure to see when a movie is concerned more about the script than eye-catchy (and I dare to say, "distracting") special effects or nonsense action scenes (surely they have their own place when they needed but there are only a few exceptions where all of that come together in a positive way).
I can't wait to see the sequel, "The Man From Earth: Holocene" from the same director. The movie is already released in U.S.A. and the viewers' reviews are very encouraging especially when you think that this is a sequel and those viewers are already aware of the original "story".
"And that's what I taught, but a talking snake made a lady eat an apple, so we're screwed."
"I can give you the ten commandments in ten words: Don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't!"
"I, DANIEL BLAKE" (2016) (Directed By Ken Loach)
You can't go wrong with Ken Loach (director). Just pick any movie directed by Ken Loach and watch it without any hesitation, to learn more about the true nature of life (there is no doubt that the best way to learn is by doing, but no one has that much time). "I, Daniel Blake" has already reached CULT status with its crystal clear-criticism of our so-called "civilization".
Ken Loach takes the ambrosian fruit of "civilization", peels it honestly and reveals what lies beneath..: The absolute ugliness, exploitation, dismissiveness and imperiousness.
Your country cares about you if only you're beneficial to it... If you're paying your taxes (a more acceptable word than "racketeering"), if you're a "good" consumer which mostly means buying things you don't need, if you're killing (or dying) because your country says so ; you're beneficial to "them" and they seem they care. When a chance to take advantage comes, your country will never miss the chance.
But when you're no longer beneficial to "them", you start to see the true colors of the flag.
Daniel Blake, a carpenter from Newcastle, has medical problems associated with heart disease, and he's not able to work. In order to receive E.S.A ("Employment and Support Allowance") he must deal with enormous stress caused by the cruel bureaucratic system. Heart disease, stress, financial problems, and a never-ending bureaucracy. Looks like a civilized system, right?
Ken Loach won Cannes Palme D'Or 2016 with "I, DANIEL BLAKE" [Photo Source]
While the "system" INTENTIONALLY ignores the problems of the citizens when they are not beneficial to the "state" anymore, Daniel Blake never shuts his eyes to others' problems and cares about them deeply, despite his own dire straits. During his struggle against the system, he becomes friends with a lonely and desperate mother of two, Katie, and treats her like his own kin, like a father, and tries to help her with all he has got.
"My inspiration comes from those who cannot find food and work in one of the richest countries in the world", says Mr. Loach (+ The reason those countries got so rich so quick is also another story) - If there are any heroes in this planet, Ken Loach believes that they are the ordinary people like Daniel Blake.
Just watch it, you won't regret it.
After all, we are all Daniel Blake! [Photo Source]
"It's a monumental farce, isn't it? You sitting there with your friendly name tag on your chest, Ann, opposite a sick man looking for nonexistent jobs, that I can't take anyway. Wasting my time, employers' time, your time. And all it does is humiliate me, grind me down. Or is that the point, to get my name off those computers? Well, I'm not doing it any more. I've had enough. I want my date for my appointment for my appeal for Employment and Support."
"I'm not a client, a customer or a service user… I'm not a national insurance number or a blip on a screen. I, Daniel Blake, am a citizen! Nothing more, nothing less!"
"YOU DON'T KNOW JACK" (2010)
(Directed By Barry Levinson)
"This man thinks you deserve to die in peace"
"Doctor Death"? Well, I would say, far from it!
(AL PACINO plays the role of Dr. Jack Kevorkian, and as always he's a pleasure to watch. We see JOHN GOODMAN playing Mr. Kevorkian's close friend, Neal Nicol!)
Have you ever heard about the extraordinary story of Jack Kevorkian, the most known figure of "physician-assisted voluntary death"?
His family was from Historical Armenia, and his parents were survivors of The Armenian Genocide. In his last interview, four months prior to his death, Mr. Kevorkian told about the story of his mother to Bared Maronian who was in the process of shooting a documentary about The Armenian Genocide, named "Orphans of Genocide"... The story of Mr. Kevorkian's mother makes it easier to understand why he was chosen the profession of pathology and medicine in general, and "death" as a common theme in his paintings (besides that, he was also a Jazz Musician!).
"Special Death Counseling By Appointment Only"
Being in the shoes of Jack Kevorkian and his patients (is it ever possible?)...
His journey as a "physician-assisted death practitioner" began with the case of Janet Atkins, a patient of Alzheimer's Disease. Kevorkian assisted her in her suicide (this was also depicted in the movie) and ended her pain by her own will. In the following years, Jack Kevorkian assisted at least 130 terminally ill patients to their death. The final decision was always in the hands of his patients thanks to his "death machines". The patients were just pushing a button, and Kevorkian was there to help them to end their unbearable pain.
This is not an easy debate for sure, but I think Kevorkian was right in his approach to DEATH when it comes to his terminally ill patients' last wishes (by the way, just to clarify..: They were not actually his patients. He was just there to help them to realize their decision).
If "life" is a RIGHT for us, as individuals, it is OUR life and OUR own right. We (should) also have a right to bring it to an end on our own, if the pain is unbearable and there is nothing else left to do. The decision is nobody's business but just ours. If Jack Kevorkian helps an individual to do that, I would say a big "YES" to Mr. Kevorkian... I wouldn't call him a "criminal" but instead, a wise man who led by a strong urge for justice and human rights.
Pacino, and Kevorkian Himself [Photo Source]
Today, there are institutions that LEGALLY help terminally ill patients to die with dignity, like DIGNITAS in Germany and Switzerland... It's not a fun subject to talk, but it's still "good" to see that there are people like Jack Kevorkian who respect the will of their terminally ill patients. This should be acknowledged as one of the most basic human rights.
"It's emotionalism. You know, when heart transplants first started... there was the same prevalent feeling, I mean, even among doctors... that it was wrong, it was contrary to God's will, contrary to nature. Isn't it ghoulish to rip a person's chest open and take out a heart? Or a bypass operation? Ether is the same thing. You have ether, been around for centuries, it wasn't used. Not till 1846. It was discovered in 1543... and before that, everybody was being operated on while they were awake. Surgeons were cutting them open while they were awake. Did you know that, Geoff? -And you know why it was banned? Because of religious dogma. Because of the foolish notion... that there's a God Almighty who wills us to suffer."
"PAN'S LABYRINTH" (2006)
("El Laberinto Del Fauno" - Directed By Guillermo Del Toro)
WARNING: The movie is rated as "R" ("Restricted"), so please beware.
Intense gore scenes, not an easy watch.
"The Devil's Backbone" and "Pan's Labyrinth"...
Del Toro at his best!
Get ready to see one of the most charismatic antagonists in cinema history..: Captain Vidal! (Sergi Lopez is magnificent in the role)... What a bloodthirsty goddamn fascist he is!
(I hate fascists - You too, right?)...
The film is set in post civil-war Franco Spain where anti-Franco guerilla resistance continues to fight against Franco Government (just a tiny note here..: It's beyond the scope of this post but just letting you know, guerilla forces had their own sins too).
This is a deep movie that allows for many different readings, and every single scene is there for a reason (the same goes with any movie? I don't think so). Are these things really happening, OR, are they just illusions representing an escape from the harsh realities of our world? Are there two different coins, OR, are the "realities" we see in the movie just different sides of the SAME coin? What is "REALITY" anyway? This reminds me a quote from Philip Kindred Dick (the writer of "Blade Runner", he's a legend in Sci-Fi story writing)..: "Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away".
One of the things I like the most about this masterpiece is the representation of women in general. Pan's Labyrinth is NOT dominated by male characters ; we have our Ofelia and Mercedes here... Ofelia is already our main Protagonist, but Mercedes also has her own enormous presence when we see her in a scene. First of all, these female characters do NOT obey! Actually, the "positive disobedience" is one the main themes of the movie. It's all about the choices made by the characters. There are tests as always and the rules to be obeyed ; but these strong female characters also have their own will and power to give their own decisions! (unfortunately, there are many, many problems with the representation of women in Cinema, and not only that, we have a serious "gender apartheid" problem in general.)
It's great to see (or hear?) characters speaking in their native language... I think this approach adds much quality and consistency to the movie. I would feel distracted to see NAZIs speaking in perfect English in a movie set in World War 2, for example. When a character speaks a non-native language (unless for a purpose), that's an absolute sign of trouble with the consistency of the movie.
Ofelia doesn't know it yet, but the man you see in the image is pure evil in human form.
You will never forget Captain Vidal. HINT! The "rabbit scene" will shock you to the core! [Photo Source]
My "Pan's Labyrinth" Special Edition Set...
A very special piece of my collection!
This is a priceless treasure of cinema, friends, and Guillermo Del Toro has made many sacrifices to make this movie real without compromising the original ideas he had in his mind in the first place... As a movie fan, I am grateful to Guillermo Del Toro for such an unforgettable experience! You CAN'T miss it. Don't let the greedy movie studios make you forget the true meaning of Cinema.
Pan's Labyrinth is what Cinema is all about.
"Many, many years ago in a sad, faraway land, there was an enormous mountain made of rough, black stone. At sunset, on top of that mountain, a magic rose blossomed every night that made whoever plucked it immortal. But no one dared go near it because its thorns were full of poison. Men talked amongst themselves about their fear of death, and pain, but never about the promise of eternal life. And every day, the rose wilted, unable to bequeath its gift to anyone... forgotten and lost at the top of that cold, dark mountain, forever alone, until the end of time."
"ORCA: THE KILLER WHALE" (1977)
(Directed by Michael Anderson)
This is my favorite REVENGE story in motion picture, and Ennio Morricone's FANTASTIC composition certainly has its role to play!
(This ranks among Ennio Morricone's best work IMHO)..:
VIDEO: "Orca: The Killer Whale" Soundtrack (Ennio Morricone)
Animals have as much right to live as human beings...
Is there a "thin red line" between an animal and a human being that one side of the line (human beings) you automatically have a sacred right to live while on the other side LIFE automatically has no value? Who's drawing that line by the way, how, and why?
What is it that makes a human's life more valuable than other living beings? Because we can build complex architectural structures, we are intelligent, we have feelings, or, we are self-aware?
Then, for example, would it be a "right" for superior architects to exterminate people that are considered to be a shame for their profession? A man would have the right to kill others for not being as intelligent as he is?
I think the way we treat animals says much about ourselves and the way we treat other human beings. There is a strong connection. History of the mankind is the history of Genocides... After all, we have Herero-Namaqua Genocide, Armenian Genocide, The Holocaust, War Crimes Of Imperial Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Iraq, Bosnia, Rwanda, And Sudan. Ten Genocides in a century alone!.
IMDB rating of the movie is 5.6, but I don't care about neither IMDB ratings nor the awards a movie receives. "ORCA: The Killer Whale" is one of the best "ANIMALS VERSUS HUMANS" movies ever made, especially for emphasizing ORCAs' social behavior, intelligence, and FEELINGS towards their LOVED ones. ORCA is the main PROTAGONIST here (IMHO), not the ANTAGONIST. That's very rare in Cinema.
What would you do if you were in ORCA's place?
(You will understand what I mean in the first quarter of the movie)
And by the way, Charlotte Rampling... What an extraordinary beauty she is!
"It is known that they have great memory and even after many years they will always remember the human being who has tried to harm them."
- "Can you commit a sin against an animal?"
- "Why, you can commit a sin against a blade of grass. Sins are really against oneself."
"AN INSPECTOR CALLS" (2015) (Directed By Aisling Walsh)
A movie that is open for MANY interpretations, this is absolutely not one of those usual "inspector / detective" stories. It's much, much more than that. It's about POWER and its effects on people who don't have IT, and mankind's lack of empathy in general. This is a movie that takes sides, and does it responsibly.
"HOMO HOMINI LUPUS" ("A human is a wolf to another human"), they say...
What if one of the sides has the absolute power when compared to the other? Consequences would be dire for the "weak", in a world where justice is only a dream and MONEY is the ultimate POWER.
The world doesn't turn around us. We are responsible for our actions and their (possibly horrible) consequences towards ourselves and others. When a butterfly flaps its wings in one part of the planet it can cause a hurricane elsewhere. While watching the movie, replace the word "hurricane" with "social inequality", "class divisions", "depression", "male privilage", "exploitation" (of labour, situation, gender), "hunger", and "injustice".
"An Inspector Calls" is one of the most staged plays (by John Boynton Priestley) in theatre history, and that's for a reason. I prefer Aisling Walsh's movie adaptation (2015) over Guy Hamilton's version (1954). The mystery created around the character "Inspector Goole" (David Thewlis) works very well with the story.
[Photo Source]
What you see is a group of horrible people around the table of a wealthy family...
We are in England (it could be almost anywhere), and the year is 1912, two years prior to World War One. They are celebrating the daughter's engagement.
Then, they hear the doorbell...
Edna, the parlourmaid, enters the dining room, and says..:
"Please, sir, an inspector's called"
The rest is a masterpiece, full of unforgettable moments. I wish many other movies longer than 120+ minutes were able to achieve what "An inspector calls" achieves in just 87 minutes.
-"Do you believe in God?"
-"Yes."
-"How can you?"
-"I can't believe in people. I have to believe in something or i'd fall. fall down through the cracks and never stop falling"
"We don't live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other. And I tell you that the time will come when if men will not learn that lesson, they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish"
"I ORIGINS" (2014) (Directed By Mike Cahill)
-"Eyes are the window to the soul"
You will either love "I ORIGINS" or hate it. Guess which side I am on?
This is human eye, zoomed in (Photography By Suren Manvelyan) - Magnificent, isn't it?
Imagine a group of creatures in a sunny planet (a little blue one like ours, maybe? - Please don't worry, these are NOT spoilers by any means). Let's assume that those creatures are very "smart", but they have no sight, thus they don't know about the light despite being surrounded by sunshine. The "light" is everywhere, but for those creatures it doesn't exist. In their perception, there is no such thing as "light".
For us humans, the dominating species of the planet earth, it's out of discussion. We know there is "light" because we can see it. We have the sense of sight. Meaning that we have an EXTRA sense (or maybe even more) when compared to the "creatures" of the other planet. We are better (hopefully) perceivers than them.
But, does it even mean that we are able to "see" everything there is to see? How we can be so sure about the accuracy of our "precious" sight? And not only that, we humans (let's say, most of us) are limited by only five senses to perceive all we have around ("sight", "hearing", "smell", "taste", and "touch")... What about other sensory abilities? The Sixth Sense? The Seventh Sense? Where is the limit? Is there one?
[Photo Source]
We have the sense of sight, right?
Would you trust your sight?
"Square A" AND "Square B" are the SAME COLOR!
VIDEO: A must watch. What the "bleep" do we know anyway? I really like the way people like Carl Sagan (R.I.P.), Neil DeGrasse Tyson and Bill Nye bring the science to life and popularize it among the younger generation.
Have you read the book, "FLATLAND" (it's already a FREE public domain book!)?
If not, you should consider to read because IT'S JUST AMAZING! And by the way, the book in question was published for the first time in 1884! I was truly fascinated with the ideas presented there, and it seems so was Mike Cahill, the director of "I ORIGINS". The book explores the concepts of "perception" and "perception of other dimensions"... The main purpose of the book was to criticize the class inequalities of the era, but it also leaves room for different interpretations and readings, so does the movie "I ORIGINS".
How a "two-dimensional Square" would perceive the world of a "three-dimensional Sphere"? Is it ever possible?
There is an ongoing debate between Science and Spirituality in the movie, but one can clearly see that the director cared about scientific reliability where it's needed [to some extent for sure, this is not a PhD paper :)]. Maybe, the concepts we associate with spirituality are in fact the ordinary mechanisms of nature, who knows?
Once you watched it, you'll exactly know why I used these images of big EYEs and I hope you'll like the movie as much as I do. And finally, just letting you know..: At the end of the movie, after the end credits, there is final a scene!
- "Reality. You have a bed, you have books, um, a desk, a chair, lamps. Logic. But in this room, you have a door... to the other side. See? Light comes through. It's open just a tiny bit, but it is open. You keep trying to close that door because you're scared. But you won't always be scared"
- "What's behind the door? Besides my dirty laundry"
- "You have to go in to find out. You know what I'm talking about"
- "I have no idea" - "You will."
"THE WAY" (2010) (Directed By Emilio Estevez)
Do you WALK?
Besides its physical health benefits, it also promotes mental health.
It's just a form of meditation for me, I walk a lot as you may have already noticed from my earlier post about "HEALTH, EXERCISE and SUPPLEMENTS".
But, as you know, there might be a more personal reason behind the motivation to walk a long route, particularly if the route is at least 900 miles long. "THE WAY" is all about these reasons and it's a deeply personal journey into one's heart along with the magnificent scenery of "El camino de Santiago"!
[Photo Source] The Map you see shows one of the most popular routes of "El camino de Santiago"... "Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port" (North-West France) is a popular starting point but you don't have to start from there! In my humble opinion, if you have the time and sources, the most appropriate way of doing this would be starting from the doorsteps of your own house! It's easier to said than done, but in the old times, Pilgrims had not been seeking comfort; they had already been expecting discouragements and hardships. This is the true spirit of being a pilgrim. Booking flights and taking taxis? It's not the spirit, I think.
"El camino de Santiago" ("The Way Of Saint James"), is a Christian Pilgrimage route, but of course you don't necessarily need to be a Christian to complete the track! It's your personal adventure whether you're Christian, Buddhist, Atheist, Theist, Pagan, Muslim, Jewish, Jedi, OR a follower of any other cultural system or religion in the world.
VIDEO: From "THE WAY" - SOUNDTRACK, Alanis Morissette, "Thank You"
I consider this movie to be one of my favorite "walks" in Cinema along with the film "Into The Wild". "THE WAY" is a movie that may inspire you to think about the purpose of life.
There is a quote that says, "The longer you confine yourself to a place the more it imprisons you". Most of us have a tendency to confine ourselves into ONE life. In other words, we mostly prefer safety over freedom, thus we work in soul-killing jobs that suck our life energy out of us (after all, most of our lives are spent at work, right?).
But, what if money was no object?
Who are we anyway?
VIDEO: A must watch - "What if money was no object?"
Would you still be doing what you are doing now?
Maybe, the answer lies in the words of Daniel (played by Emilio Estevez) to his Dad (Martin Sheen) shortly before his trip to "The Way Of Saint James"..:
"You don't choose a life, dad. You live one"
- "Have you ever walked the Camino, senora?"
- "Never. When I was young, I was too busy. And now that I'm older, I'm too tired."
"ROCKY" (1976) (Directed By John Guilbert Avildsen)
[Photo Source]
Where is he looking at?
Where are the hopes and dreams of the kid in the photo now?
The sadness you feel in this scene will never leave you until the end of the movie.
"ROCKY" should be considered as the only Rocky movie, and it's hard to believe that "Rocky V" was also directed by the same person, John G. Avildsen... What a pity...
"ROCKY" is a masterpiece by any means, and other movies in the series are not even close to "ROCKY"'s peak. This is a realistic movie, and the film's depressing tone clearly distinguishes it from the other cheesy Rocky films (please let me say that "Rocky Balboa" would be the closest thing to an exception but it's still far from what "ROCKY" had successfully achieved)
The disposition of the movie is crystal clear even in the opening scene..: A stringent realism! First, we see Jesus, then, the camera keeps moving down, and what we see looks like a street fight rather than a boxing match. Jesus is there, but the "rules" are not! It seems that the only rule here is that there are no rules other than keeping your head as far as possible from the ground of the ring.
VIDEO: ROCKY, Opening Scene..:
Jesus, and the "street fight" (My gut tells me that you have already watched ROCKY at least once... So this doesn't count as a spoiler, does it?)
Rocky is heedless, and he looks like he doesn't even care about the fight until his opponent "headbutts" him (it almost never happens in a boxing match, but that's not what's happening here, isn't it?).
He is all alone in his world. Two litte turtles and a tiny fish are the only friends he has. He walks the streets alone with a tiny rubber ball in his hands, he uses street language, wastes his time in bars, and from time to time even collects the debts for Gazzo (a pawnbroker) for an extra income. Rocky is definitely NOT a stargazer. He's just an ordinary guy who has humble expectations.
And we clearly feel his vulnerability in one of his heated discussions with Mickey. We discover that these characters have wounds that don't heal...
As the movie proceeds, we start to care about the characters..: Adrian, Rocky, and Mickey. These characters have their own wounds, and they fill the space in their own hearts by supporting each other, whether it be of Adrian's love or Mickey's experience in boxing. And we have ill-tempered, jealous, nerve-bracking yet harmless Paulie... After all, he is from the family too.
[Photo Source] - Chuck Wepner challenges Muhammad Ali... Seems familiar? It should ;)
This is the event that inspired Stallone to write "ROCKY"
Rocky's main objective is to prove himself to everyone, he wants to prove that he's not a LOSER. Even his trainer calls him a "bummer" in the opening scene... Everyone calls him a "bum", except Adrian. Mickey calls him a bum. Paulie calls him a "bum". Even a 12 year old girl calls Rocky a "bum". He doesn't even care about winning or losing the fight against Apollo Creed, he just wants to have everyone know that he is not a "bummer" and he has what it takes to be a "winner".
At the final scene, he is still on his feet after 15 rounds, and the only thing he cares about is Adrian. Rocky is not alone anymore... This the true story of Rocky.
NOTE: I would also suggest FAT CITY (Jeff Bridges, Stacy Keach, Susan Tyrrell) and Anthony Quinn's REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT if you have an interest in BOXING movies. Both of these movies do amazing work in character development.
"OK, I'm gonna tell ya! You had the talent to become a good fighter, but instead of that, you become a legbreaker to some cheap, second rate loanshark!"
- "It's Thanksgiving."
- "Yeah, to you it's Thanksgiving; to me it's Thursday."
"LOOKING FOR ERIC" (2009) (Directed By Ken Loach)
Once more, we have a movie from Ken Loach "the great"!
"Looking For Eric" is a movie where ordinary people rise up against the hardships of life... It tells an inspirational tale on how ANYONE is ready to get over almost any DIFFICULTY with some help! Ordinary people are actually capable of doing extraordinary things, and their stories are definitely worth to be told.
Sometimes, It happens no matter how hard you try to fix things.
Everything starts to go downhill.
When your life becomes more frustrating than you would like it to be, you may turn to God for help if you're a believer. Some others might try to find a guru or a "healer" who can do it with just one touch. Some people seek help from a professional, like a psychologist, therapist, or a psychiatrist. Some people send positive vibes to "universe" in hopes of getting rid of the problems they have. Some people even try all of these together.
When his life becomes unbearable, what would be the remedy for an extremely depressed, even suicidal "football fan"?*
( * A NOTE for dear North American Friends..: "football fan" = "soccer fan" )
The answer would be, ERIC CANTONA!
After all, he is some sort of a Football GOD, right?
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Eric Cantona is helping another Eric.
Cantona knows the fact that physical health also helps mental health.
Take a deep breath, and MOVE!
"Looking For Eric" is a very depressive movie in the beginning, but then, it becomes brighter as the movie progresses. But as always, Ken Loach never leaves his "realism" even in a movie where we have an imaginary Eric Cantona as a mentor (is he really imaginary, by the way?).
VIDEO: Who is Eric Cantona anyway?
Cantona has his own sins like anyone else for sure, and nevertheless he's one of the most charismatic and gifted football players of ALL TIME.
Ken Loach tells a great story on solidarity - whether it be with friends (if you are lucky enough to have some real ones) or Eric Cantona. Via caring friends and a football cult, Mr. Loach teaches us that we are NEVER as alone as we think we are. There is always a way, there is always a solution no matter how dire the situation is. And if you ever forget how precious you are to yourself and others, ERIC CANTONA will be there to remind you of these facts.
A warning here..:
When it comes to a hot-tempered guy like Cantona, you better listen to him. You were the one who asked for his advice, right?
VIDEO: "When seagulls follow the trawler..."
"When seagulls follow the trawler it is because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea."
"I am not a man... I am Cantona"
"God once said: "You can change your wife, change your politics, change your religion. But never, never can you change your favourite football team!""
"LA GUERRE DU FEU" (1981)
(a.k.a. "QUEST FOR FIRE", Directed By Jean-J. Annaud)
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You may remember the director, Jean-Jacques Annaud, from masterpieces like "THE NAME OF THE ROSE" (Adapted from Umberto Eco's unforgettable novel) and "THE BEAR"... If you didn't watch these movies, do it whether you're a filmophile or not.
These movies are among Cinema's most impressive!...
Jean-Jacques Annaud made movies that no-one else would attempt to make. "QUEST FOR FIRE" is definitely one of them, it's unrivalled in its genre (imagine the first 20 minutes of "2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY" made into a full movie) and it takes us to the era where FIRE meant EVERYTHING.
Did you know that one of the main contributors to our "cognitive ability" is the use of controlled FIRE? The second episode ("GUTS") of the documentary TV Series, "EVOLVE", tells a lot on this interesting topic.
To make it short..: Fire has not only changed the course of our evolution, but it also changed the chemistry and biology of the food. The cooking process made it possible to expand our diet to include a wider range of foods like rice, wheat, potatoes and tenderized meat that would otherwise be mostly indigestible. The cooking process reduced the digestion time dramatically, and as a result, our gastrointestinal tract has become shorter and shorter, consumed much less energy. Digesting food consumes a lot of energy! (that's the reason you feel sleepy after a heavy meal)... So a shorter gastrointestinal tract resulted in saved energy consumption. Less energy for the digestion process resulted in more energy spent on brain funtions.
"QUEST FOR FIRE" Also inspired the heavy-metal band Iron Maiden...
Iron Maiden's song (from the album "Piece Of Mind") was based on the movie!
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Who knows, controlled use of fire might be one of the reasons behind our transition from being hunter-gatherers to cryptocurrency traders (but the "transition" in question being a "good thing" or not is out of the scope of this post for sure).
"QUEST FOR FIRE" invites you to a very special, unique journey where Homo Erectus, Neanderthals and Homo Sapiens encounter with each other (the latter had already been controlling and dominating "FIRE"). Where else would you be able to find such an awesome cinema experience?
It only takes one bad (very bad, actually) experience for a Neanderthal Tribe to lose their most precious..: "FIRE"! They don't know how to create fire, so their quest begins.
In the quest of fire, there isn't any verbal communication, but it has its own unique silence that speaks louder to the human spirit! YOU MUST JOIN THEM!
Note: I almost forgot!
It's a pleasure to watch Ron Perlman acting!
[Photo Source] - They didn't have a lighter. What takes seconds now could take hours then.
"80,000 years ago, man's survival in a vast uncharted land depended on the possession of fire... For those early humans, fire was an object of great mystery, since no one had mastered its creation. Fire had to be stolen from nature, it had to be kept alive - sheltered from wind and rain, guarded from rival tribes. Fire was a symbol of power and a means of survival. The tribe who possessed fire, possessed life."
"INHERIT THE WIND" (1960) (Directed By Stanley Kramer)
An important note, as always..: I am not here to judge anyone friends, it's not me. There is no doubt that this is a "Science VS Religion" movie, but it's actually a lot more than that. This film is about the "right of being different" without being restricted, punished, or getting blacklisted... And whether if you're a believer or not, I think it's a film that any cinema fan can relate to. Stanley Kramer is not just any director, right? (Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, Judgment at Nuremberg...)
Are you a fan of courtroom dramas?
Then INHERIT THE WIND! (I wasn't aware that this movie was based on the play with the same name. Better late than never. There are two other movie adaptations ; made in 1965 and 1999 - I still prefer Stanley Kramer's version, the one you're reading about right now.)
I like courtroom dramas, because if you're lucky enough to find a movie like "INHERIT THE WIND" they have the potential to fuel your critical thinking abilities (of course, movies are not the only way to do that). The movie has its own contradictions (A LOT OF THEM), but nevertheless, I still like it very much for the great acting performances, enjoyable script and some bright arguments. Characters we see here are not purely "black" or "white" and there is enough room for each opinion in the courtroom (but of course, at the end of the day, we are in a courtroom and being in the courtroom proves that we are not as "free" as we "think")... Some characters in the movie may drive you mad, but in a later scene you clearly see that these characters are not "evil", actually.
There is already a very hot debate going on in the movie, and not only that, it seems the weather is extremely hot too (certainly not the ideal condition to have a hot dispute in a courtroom especially when it comes to two old men). There is no doubt that it was made on purpose (the same goes on with Sidney Lumet's "12 ANGRY MEN" too). We frequently see residents using hand held fans and handkerchiefs, plus, there are a lot of references to muggy weather. It appears that "the right of being different" is not that easy to achieve.
"Being different" is a right (unless your ideology spreads hate-speech towards already marginalized groups) and the word "tolerance" is actually a very dangerous word, because it establishes superiority over the "tolerated" ones. Who do we think we are to decide whose ideas are "tolerable" and whose are not?
- "I do not think about things I do not think about."
- "Do you ever think about things that you do think about?"
- "Why is it, my old friend, that you've moved so far away from me?"
- "All motion is relative, Matt. Maybe it's you who've moved away by standing still."
- "Don't you see what's happening, Bert? They're using you as a weapon against your own people. What you think or believe isn't the point any more. You're helping something bad."
- "Go on now, young lady, it's not as simple as all that, good or bad, black or white, day or night. Do you know that at the top of the world, the twilight is six months long?"
- "Bert and I don't live on the top of the world, we live in Hillsboro. And when the sun goes down, it's dark. And why do you have to come here to make it different?"
- "I didn't come here to make Hillsboro different. I came here to defend his right to be different. And that's the point. How 'bout it boy?"
Please don't worry, these quotes are only a tiny fraction of the dialogues you'll enjoy in the movie. There are a lot of them.
"MY DINNER WITH ANDRE" (1981) (Directed By Louis Malle)
The RED pill, or the BLUE pill?
Which one would you prefer?
Yes, we are still talking about the movie "MY DINNER WITH ANDRE"...
"MY DINNER WITH ANDRE" is a movie where two friends meet and talk in a restaurant about their lives, their choices, expectations, and the true meaning of life. They talk for almost 100 minutes, and it NEVER GETS YOU BORED. You wonder why? Because "PURE CINEMA" never does that, it never lets you down. You just feel grateful for every second of it (and there are 6600 seconds here.).
One of the two friends, Wallace (Wally), prefers "security" over adventure, and he seems he even enjoys it, at least he acts like he's enjoying the security of the routine. If Wally had been a character in the movie MATRIX, he would possibly have taken the BLUE PILL instead of the RED one (OR, maybe I am mistaken. Is it that easy to get to know someone? After all, this is YOUR movie and your own interpretation. There are a billion of different "MY DINNER WITH ANDRE" movies out there, that's what is special about it. As I have said, this is YOUR movie). On the other hand, Andre, is definitely a RED PILL guy. Andre is a man who leaves everything behind and sets off to discover life and himself. This movie, I think, is the VERBAL version of "Matrix" (or, "The Thirteenth Floor"). It says much about our perception of reality, the illusion of life, the system which turns us into a lab rat.
More or less, each movie is an experience on its own, but this movie is more of an experience than a movie! Isn't it impressive that it manages to keep us interested throughout the movie thanks to the BRILLIANT, THOUGHT-PROVOKING DIALOGUE between our protagonists? (We have a movie without an antagonist here)... When you watch movies like this, you start to ask questions to yourself about life, and your own place in this planet.
And what makes the conversation we are witnessing in the film even more intriguing is knowing the fact that the same conversation (or the questions we ask to ourselves) will still be valid in the year 2117.
Oh, and did I say that they actually play themselves?
Andre Gregory, played by Andre Gregory, and, Wallace Shawn (Wally), played by... Guess who?
Watch this movie, and start to ask questions. The ones that have to be asked.
"If you're just operating by habit, then you're not really living"
"MARVELLOUS" (2014) (Directed By Julian Farino)
An important note: MARVELLOUS is not a football movie!
It's not about sports, It's about LIFE in general!
This is a real LIFE story...
The story of a very special man, Neil Baldwin, who was diagnosed with "learning disabilities" yet managed to have a football team on his own name ("THE NEIL BALDWIN FOOTBALL CLUB"), a choir on his name ("THE NEIL BALDWIN CHOIR") and an honorary degree of "Master of the University" from Keele University. First and foremost, he loved very much by those who know his all-embracing heart. So there is a lot to learn from his story.
It couldn't have a better name than that..: MARVELLOUS!
You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll smile, again and again while watching it.
And the best part is, "MARVELLOUS" does NOT exploit the life of a human being. What I liked the most about this movie is that it never felt cliched (with full of known tricks to abuse the viewer) or got over sentimental where it easily could have. I think the attitude we see in the movie is very consistent in this regard... Because when a movie is accompanied by profound emotional expressions, the viewers of the movie may become extremely preoccupied with THEIR "FEELINGS" instead of what inspired them. This is the story of an individual who started his journey a little farther behind than most of us and yet brilliantly discovered the power of "goodness" and "persistence". He gives without any thought of reward. He gives from the heart and sincerely feels the pain of others.
If you want something in return for the "goodness" you do...
Is that really "goodness"?
It's just a trade, not "goodness"!
I think this was the main reason why they loved Neil Baldwin that much.
At last, if you’re not being loved for who you are, you’re not being loved at all, right?
After all, who can refuse pure friendship, pure love?
- Just out of interest, what did you tell that girl who wanted to kill herself?
- I said "we've all got to go sometime, love. But why do you have to go now?"
"DONNIE DARKO" (2001) (Directed By Richard Kelly)
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An important note: You should watch the "Director's Cut"... Because after all, a movie is the director's movie, and the "director's cut" is the version that the director has the final say on the movie (at least, I want to believe that).
Is that a coincidence that the "rabbit" we have in "DONNIE DARKO" reminds me of the "time obsessed" (or, obsessed with the philosophy of time?) rabbit of Lewis Carroll's "Alice In Wonderland"? "DONNIE DARKO" has a FEEL that no other movie I've ever watched has (is that also valid for all the movies? I think, "NO", especially when the movie in question is "Donnie Darko"), it's full of details and is a heaven for those who like powerful subtext in movies.
Jake Gyllenhaal's best performance ever, and even though it's the director's first feature film, it's already a CULT CLASSIC! A movie that you can watch again and again yet it still offers new details each time you watch it. I don't know if that was the intention of Richard Kelly (director) but this is a highly subjective film, not because of the main story itself but the way movie chooses to tell it (and the story itself is truly AMAZING, while writing these I still feel goose bumps)... Who knows maybe the opposite, a more "DIRECT" approach would be meaningless, even impossible for a movie like this. That's what we call "CINEMA", it's not WHAT you tell but HOW you tell it. "DONNIE DARKO" is a Masterpiece at both.
The movie starts in Middlesex Virginia, and the year is 1988. Donnie has psychological issues and he is a sleepwalker. One night, he hears the voice of a figure named Frank (looks like "it" is wearing a "Rabbit" costume like the one you see above), and Donnie sleepwalks outside. Frank tells that "the world will end in 28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes, and 12 seconds". Donnie wakes up in the morning and finds himself on the nearby golf course. When he returns home, he finds that his bedroom is crashed by a jet engine (meaning that he could be dead there). Maybe Donnie should start to take Frank seriously.
- "Why are you wearing that stupid bunny suit?"
- "Why are you wearing that stupid man suit"
finally somebody who knows The Man from Earth!
Hahaha, I know the feeling, that's an absolute masterpiece, pure storytelling at its best! I can't wait to see the "Second Part"...
Second parts of great movies can be sooo scary ;)
Still, obviously, I'll make sure to watch it!
Dude I am so happy to award this badge to you - you deserve this so hard! You deserve medals from all film lovers! All hail @lamegliogioventu!!!
Much love - Carl "Totally Not A Bot" Gnash
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Thanks for being an original and creative content creator! You rock!
Thanks very much, I really appreciate it :)
It was indeed a long post (As I have said at the end of the post, it was planned to be an "ALL IN ONE" blog post about my favorite movies, but thanks to the latest "blog post maximum length threshold" change by Steemit team, I've forced to do it in parts)! You're always welcome to express your opinions in the comments area. I hope you enjoy it! :)
I am still so glad I have a lot of lazy days plus your lists of good movies :)
Yesterday it was I Origins that made my afternoon.
That's indeed a great movie. By the way, have you ever read the short story from Andy Weir, named "The Egg"? You may remember Andy Weir as the writer of the RidleyScott movie, "The Martian"... If you liked the "I ORIGINS", I also suggest reading "The Egg". It's spellbinding! ;)
I'll have a look. But the new Neal Stephenson book has just arrived, and I guess it will absorb all my reading power for some time ;)
yesterday I enjoyed Field of Dreams. Beautiful, and nicely easy somehow.
"Field of Dreams" is indeed very inspirational.