2nd Part of the Cinematic gems that inspire me the most. We're continuing from where we left off in PART 1

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 reflecting 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...

"CONTACT" (1997) (Directed By Robert Zemeckis)

[Photo Source]

I haven't read the book itself (written by Carl Sagan, R.I.P.), but this is one of my favorite Sci-Fi stories (OR, more precisely, it's more of a "SCIENCE" movie than a "Science-Fiction" movie, I think. Not because of its scientific perfection (which is not the case), but the movie's efforts to highlight the importance of Science).

Our main protagonist, Eleanor Arroway (played by Jodie Foster) reminds me of great female minds like Marie Curie (one of the greatest scientists ever ; a chemist and a physicist), and Hypatia (the 4th century female mathematician and philosopher) who had been pioneering new paths in a male dominated world... Unfortunately, the latter (Hypatia) was not as lucky as her 20th century peer, Eleanor Arroway - If a movie on the life of Hypatia triggers an eye roll, you may check Alejandro Amenábar's Agora)

First of all, this is a brave movie, not just because of the classic "science vs religion" debate which has its own place in it, but the film also creates wonders on the technical side of movie making. You can even tell it from the beginning of the movie. For the first three minutes and forty five seconds, we are in the space and we see NO ONE, and for almost a minute we hear NOTHING. Pure Silence. When was the last time you witnessed such SILENCE in a movie, especially in its beginning? And, that "mirror scene" (you'll certainly know it when the scene comes) still amazes me with its tricky camera technique. If you haven't watched "CONTACT" yet, I suggest watching the movie first and then performing a Google search with the phrase "CONTACT THE MOVIE mirror scene" to learn about the tricks they used to create the scene. Well, this is a Robert Zemeckis movie and technical excellence is never a surprise in his movies (i.e. "Back To The Future" I, II, III ; "Forrest Gump").

Since the first half of the 20th century, we have been broadcasting enormous amount of radar, radio and TV waves to the outer space. But what if an alien civilization is closely reading one of our countless "bottle messages" which thrown randomly into the outer space by us humans?

Tracking us down to the EARTH wouldn't take much effort for an Alien civilization, considering the fact that the outer space is already filled with innumerable amount of "bottle messages" from us. - [Photo Source]

_{"Imagine a life-form whose brainpower is to ours as ours is to a chimpanzee’s. To such a species, our highest mental achievements would be trivial. Their toddlers, instead of learning their ABCs on Sesame Street, would learn multivariable calculus on Boolean Boulevard. Our most complex theorems, our deepest philosophies, the cherished works of our most creative artists, would be projects their schoolkids bring home for Mom and Dad to display on the refrigerator door."
-Neil deGrasse Tyson}

In the light of Mr. Tyson's quote above, HOW would an alien civilization contact us?
Would we be able to UNDERSTAND their message?
Or, WHY would they ever do that?
Would cockroaches be able to understand our messages, for example?

Or, is there anybody out there in the first place?
(the answer to this question lies in a quote from the movie itself [*], and I agree with that argument 100%.)

From "gender apartheid against women" to "science vs religion" debate, from the "difficulties of being an idealist" to "political imperiousness", the movie has a lot to say. John Hurt shines as "S.R. Hadden" despite having relatively short screen time, and Jodie Foster is simply spellbinding, I can't even imagine anyone else for the role of "Eleanor Arroway" but Foster! There are MANY details in the movie and they're just waiting for your keen eyes to spot them.

An already EPIC story, and EPIC storytelling in the hands of the right director.

[*] "I'll tell you one thing about the universe, though. The universe is a pretty big place. It's bigger than anything anyone has ever dreamed of before. So if it's just us... seems like an awful waste of space. Right?"

- "If the source of this signal is so sophisticated, why is there a remedial Math? Why they don't just speak English?"

- "Maybe because %70 of the planet speaks other languages, but Mathematics is the only true universal language"

"MOON" (2009) (Directed By Duncan Jones)

[Photo Source]

A movie about us and the nature of our kind.

Thanks to the director Duncan Jones' minimalistic approach, this is not a movie filled with nonsense action scenes, unnecessary explosions and objectives like "saving the planet earth" or "conquering new worlds" (by the way, of course, we never ask the opinion of native inhabitants of these planets, if there are any, right? I think we could care more about our little blue planet than conquering new worlds. We already have one and it's beautiful!)...

The best Sci-Fi movies are the ones that tell stories about human nature, and "MOON" is one of them. MOON's minimal, dark and "philosophical" tone may not be suitable for those who forgot what real Sci-Fi looks like.

VIDEO: Lunar Industries advertisement, and the opening scene from the movie.
As always, don't worry there are no spoilers here.

The multi-zillion dollar (or steemDollars?) corporation "Lunar Industries" is in its days of glory, supplying the Planet Earth with a relatively new form of fuel, HELIUM-3 (and as you would expect, they're making zillions of SteemDollars from the trade). Our Protagonist, Sam Bell, is the only human working on the Moon, and he's all alone in the fully automated lunar facility of "Lunar Industries". He nears the end of his 3-year contract and looks forward to meet with his wife on earth. Sending the Helium-3 (extracted by fully automatic, pre-programmed machines) to the Earth is his only task on the Moon and he spends the rest of his day with his hobbies. The only "friend" Sam has is an artificial intelligence which helps Sam in his daily routine.

When it comes to movie's set design, one can easily see the inspirations from the legendary "ALIEN" (Ridley Scott), and the movie fortunately uses models and maquettes instead of abusing Computer Generated Imagery. "CGI" still has its own place in the movie but "MOON" is NOT a CGI dominated movie like most of its peers. I think CGI is unnatural and it kills the spirit. Nevertheless it's a great feeling to see that I'm not the only one who thinks so (and "THANK YOU AWARD" goes to Duncan Jones!).

I wish I could give some spoilers but I can't.
Just imagine being all alone on the Moon. How would you feel?

[Photo Source] - Remember this scene from "2001:A SPACE ODYSSEY"? It says a lot about us.

"MOON" is a requiem for humanity.

I believe humans have NEVER advanced an inch. Advancements in "Technology" doesn't count as an "Advancement". It's not advancement, it's just new ways to kill each other. The true spirit of "Advancement" lies in the way we treat each other and other living beings. We humans have no respect for our little blue planet. We humans have no respect for ourselves which automatically brings disrespect towards other living beings.

"I'm here to keep you safe, Sam. I want to help you."

"CAPTAIN FANTASTIC" (2016) (Directed By Matt Ross)

[Photo Source] - "Captain Fantastic" and his crew.
NO! This is NOT a superhero movie! (Or, is it?)

Question #1: What is the cost of breaking free from the system?
Question #2: What is the cost of living in the system?

Our main protagonist has already asked these questions to himself (have you?), and it seems the answers he came up with pointed him in the obvious direction..:
"The system kills us slowly."
Remember the story of the frog and the boiling water?

Please don't let the name of the movie mislead you; despite having its own contradictions and superficiality (which is understandable), this is indeed a fantastic movie but it's not about some sort of a superhero in a cloak. Even though it has its funny moments, this is a movie that takes its topic seriously and offers a great deal of thoughtful discussion. What I like the most about the film is its search for a more "balanced approach" regarding the possible answers of the questions above. (Question #1, Question #2).

"WHAT IS NIKE"?

What would be our answer when we hear a question like that?
What SHOULD BE our answer?
To be more specific, which one of the possible answers below should come to our minds first?

a) "Nike" is the Greek Goddess of Victory.
b) "Nike" is a brand of sportswear.

[Photo Source], [Photo Source]

Without the existence of The Goddess Of Victory, that "sportswear brand" would not even exist ; yet many would answer the question by choosing the second option.

Now, isn't that absurd?
Isn't that really absurd to see nothing but a lot of sportswear when performing a "Google Search" with the search phrase "Nike"?

"CAPTAIN FANTASTIC" tells a lot about these IMPORTANT nuances (are these even "NUANCES"? Well, I don't think so)... It's a modern story about the struggle between "hunters-gatherers" AND "farming societies", and the possibility of a harmony between the two... Is it a necessity? Is it a must? Whether the tribe you're from is a "hunter-gatherer" or a "farmer", it seems THE LIFE cannot be learned by just studying AND/OR reading but it is caught by the experience itself. That surely doesn't mean that the books are useless, reading (A LOT) is still a MUST (and of course, learning to read the "time saving" material instead of the "time-wasting" material is a life-long journey)! You cannot experience everything in life, but with help of the books, any experience you have becomes knowledge.

The absolute honesty of the character Ben (Viggo Mortensen) is inspiring (but as always, there is an exception to this). He never lies to his kids (white lies, pink lies, or no matter what color they are, a lie is still a lie!) and acts as an example. There is a quote from Mahatma Gandhi..: "Be the change you wish to see in the world", easier said than done, yet Ben is trying! He's more of a doer than a talker.

Viggo Mortensen is great as always (most will remember him from "The Lord Of The Rings", but I also suggest David Cronenberg's "A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE"), child actors and actresses are creating wonders in front of the camera with the different personalities of the characters they're playing. What a joy to watch them all!

"What kind of crazy person celebrates Noam Chomsky's birthday like it's some kind of official holiday? Why can't we celebrate Christmas like the rest of the entire world?"

"If you assume that there is no hope, you guarantee that there will be no hope"

"HARVEY" (1950) (Directed By Henry Koster)

[Photo Source]

Where is Elwood (James Stewart) looking at?
Sorry, it's the WRONG question.

The right question would be, WHO is he looking at?
You see the RABBIT who's sitting next to Elwood, right?

What? Oh come on, it's there! it's a big, tall, friendly rabbit named HARVEY!

Oh... sorry for calling you a RABBIT, Harvey (Harvey just warned me), it's my fault.
Of course I know that you're not a RABBIT but a "Púca" in a RABBIT FORM!

No, dear Steemians, I am not insane.
I was just having a conversation with one of my best friends. I am really grateful for HARVEY's guidance and friendship. He accepts me for what I am, HARVEY never lets me down. He is a true friend. You see him now, don't you? (Please don't worry, you'll understand what I mean when you watch it)

Is it just me or the "BLACK AND WHITE" has its own charm and impressiveness. And guess what happens when that impressiveness meets with a Pulitzer winning story and a wonderful cast? And not only that, what happens when you add a great director and James Stewart to the mix? We call that, well, "CINEMA"!

It's no coincidence that once again we have a story about human soul. When you choose to be happy (if you're among the lucky ones who are able to do that) no matter what the circumstances are, you should be careful, because humans don't like happy people and they do their best to bring you down, they do it even subconsciously... You know what they say..: "no good deed goes unpunished."

Elwood P. Dowd (James Stewart) is a good man by all means. He doesn't know "evil", he is incredibly kind. He never gets angry no matter how hard circumstances try to, not even a bit on the surface... Mr. Dowd has a tendency to keep smiling, he really cares for the people he interacts with, he's a sweet-natured man (obviously). Oh I almost forgot, he also has a friend called Harvey, and the "problem" is, only he can see him.

Does HARVEY really exist? OR, What if we are all blind?
What's HARVEY's purpose?
Do we all have a purpose?
And, was Mr. Dowd always like this, far, far from the "dark side"?

This is not a one time movie; it's a treasure of psychology, philosophy and sociology.
And, when the scene comes where Elwood talks in the alley behind the bar, that's a serious lesson on "the use of lighting in cinema" for cinema students. Watch it, friends. And who knows, maybe you meet a new friend that no one sees but you. In my case, I already know the answer. I know Púcas exist.

Well, we talked like that for awhile and then I said to him, I said, "You have the advantage on me... You know my name and I don't know yours." And, and right back at me he said, "What name do you like?"... Well, I didn't even have to think twice about that. Harvey's always been my favorite name. So I said to him, I said, "Harvey." And, uh, this is the interesting thing about the whole thing: He said, "What a coincidence. My name happens to be Harvey."

"I always have a wonderful time, wherever I am, whomever I'm with."

"FRIED GREEN TOMATOES" (1991) (Directed By Jon Avnet)

[Photo Source] - "Secret's in the sauce"
(Hey, what does it mean? Is it about fried tomatoes? The only way to know is to watch it.)

Gender inequality, domestic violence, abuse, racism, discrimination, prejudice, freedom, social stigma, friendship, love, and fried green tomatoes (What? Come again?). The movie even has a "tasty" courtroom action. But, successfully melting all these serious matters in the same pot? It doesn't happen frequently. It's not easy. Is it ever possible in just 130 minutes?

We have an absolute winner here, and I think this movie has a very similar soul to "Forrest Gump" and "Shawshank Redemption". I will dare to say that "FRIED GREEN TOMATOES" is definitely in the same league with these masterpieces! Admit it, you wouldn't expect that from a "vegetable", right?

The theme of being different (and, "the right of being different" as we talked earlier while discussing the movie "INHERIT THE WIND") comes to the surface in the beginning of the film, where Buddy (Chris O'Donnell) tells a little story to his little sister, Idgie (Mary Stuart Masterson) to ease her frustration. What that story is about? You have to watch the movie, but we'll see the same motif throughout the movie. The costs of being different and finding the courage to be brave, to be more precise.

[Photo Source]

There are two stories in the movie... A main story and a side story.

In our main story, we follow the lives of two women who are very close friends (or, ...) despite the deep differences in their personalities... Idgie is reckless, independent and knows no fear (with exceptions). Ruth (Mary Louise Parker), on the other hand, fears a lot... Then, life starts to get tough both for them and their friends in a small town of Alabama.

In our side story we see an unhappy, married woman, Evelyn (Kathy Bates) and her own struggle in life. She is no more than a "bit player" in her own life and follows the same routine day after day, until she meets an inspiring old woman in a nursing home, named Ninny ( Jessica Tandy)... It seems, Ninny knows much about Idgy and Ruth and starts to talk about their journey in life. The lives of Idgie and Ruth act as a strong inspiration for Evelyn, and we see how she evolves in a very positive way, learns to be courageous and strong, and most importantly, learns to be herself and learns to be happy!

And I will never forget the way this movie refers to Herman Melville's legendary book, "MOBY-DICK"... Most importantly, don't forget to find your own "TOWANDA" in life!

"I'm too young to be old and I'm too old to be young. maybe I'm just goin crazy."

"ZWARTBOEK" (2006)
(a.k.a. "BLACK BOOK" - Directed By Paul Verhoeven)

[Photo Source] - Remember her? (Hint!!!) A mysterious lady from the "Game Of Thrones"!

If you're interested with the technical aspects of Cinema, then you may already be a fan of his movies. I'm a Paul Verhoeven fan. You may remember him as the director of cult movies like "ROBOCOP" and "TOTAL RECALL" (The Original, not the ruined version)... Have you watched "STARSHIP TROOPERS"? It looks like a pure action movie involving a battle against alien creatures with a lot of violence (a gore bath), and it is, but it's actually far more than it seems; it's a satire on governments' relationship with their citizens. In a scene in "Starship Troopers" we see a crystal clear criticism of "GUN LAWS". Paul Verhoeven likes to have original stories in his movies, and yet Robocop is not only the story of a man who becomes a cyborg, but there are many subtext topics there. A cyborg eating baby food? Have you ever seen something like that before? He surely provokes the viewers and pushes the limits of them especially when it comes to sex and gore scenes (Remember that scene from "Robocop"?), BUT as always, these scenes are only the SURFACE of the ICEBERG. He was instrumental in changing the rules of the game! For example, in his movies, "sexuality" is NOT a HAPPY ENDING but already a part of his characters' daily reality (so he isn't abusing his viewers, it's the opposite, actually).

Hollywood lies to you, but Paul Verhoeven does NOT!

You can never see violence or sex scenes in a Star Wars movie like the way Paul Verhoeven uses them in his own movies. They are dirty, they are "real", and they are CONTRARIAN by their nature. I wish Paul Verhoeven had directed Star Wars (an obligatory note here: "Empire Strikes Back" should be considered as the one and the only Star Wars movie ever. The rest is nothing but entertainment for teenagers).

So, this is not just another World War II drama, but it's a Paul Verhoeven style drama. We have a GREAT cast including Sebastian Koch (you may remember him from the great movie, "THE LIVES OF OTHERS") and Carice van Houten (Melisandre of the "Game Of Thrones"). One of the things I enjoyed the most is the portrayal of a Nazi Officer (Sebastian Koch) with his own contradictions and "feelings" as a human being (nevertheless, to make it short, I hate Nazi Party and their racist ideology. On the other hand, "THE HATE" as an emotional response is an extremely dangerous thing. Maybe I write about that later but it's out of the scope of this post. I suggest reading Hannah Arendt), so it's "Paul Verhoeven VERSUS rules" again. The film also mentions that the "anti-romani, anti-semitic and anti-homosexual ideologies" aren't limited to Nazi Party but they also have their supporters among a wide spectrum, including the Resistance Movement.

It seems, there may be a "thin red line" between the good and evil, and Paul Verhoeven has a very sharp eye to catch that thin line and show it.

An important note: Never underestimate the power of a dark chocolate.

"Does it never end?"

"12 ANGRY MEN" (1957) (Directed By Sidney Lumet)

[Photo Source]

An important note:
I wish we had women jurors in the movie along with men.
Also, I wonder why all of them are white.
Still a masterpiece without a doubt, but, the movie is based around the core themes of "CRITICAL THINKING" and "PREJUDICES" yet it seems the film lacks a bit there. ;)

Fact #1: Sidney Lumet is a legend (check his filmography).
Fact #2: This movie is a classic!

"12 ANGRY MAN" is a one-room movie, meaning that it takes place almost entirely inside the same room and it's Lumet's first attempt on "feature film"... Yet, he has an absolute masterpiece on his first attempt... It doesn't happen every day, don't you think so? (A note: Boris Kaufman, the director of photography, has his own contribution to the success of the movie for sure)

We see an 18 year old kid in the beginning of the movie, and he is on trial for murder, the murder of his own father to be precise. He lives in a poor suburb and he's socially outcast; so as expected, "prejudice" starts to brew among the jurors (except one) who are responsible for the final judicial decision..: "GUILTY", or, "NOT GUILTY"!

The jurors (who have never met before) get together in a room to vote on the fate of a boy. They all have different personalities and different interests, and it seems the fate of the defendant is the last thing they care about (execution by the electric chair is among the possibilities). One of them thinks about the upcoming baseball match (yankees vs cleveland), and the other is angry to his own son. One of them is a marketer by profession, one is a broker, one has a delivery company, and the other one is an advertiser. We see 12 different man from different layers of the society.

Then they raise their hands one by one (and the verdict has to be 12 to nothing, either way)... Eleven of the jurors find the boy guilty. BUT one of the jurors, (Henry Fonda), has a lot to say. And then, it all begins.

The name of the movie suggests that there are 12 men in the room, but don't let that mislead you, there are actually 13 jurors in this masterpiece and YOU ARE the 13th!

"Slip through our fingers"?
Are you his executioner? Perhaps you'd like to pull the switch?

"Well, there were eleven votes for guilty. It's not easy to raise my hand and send a boy off to die without talking about it first."

"DAS LEBEN DER ANDEREN" (2006)
(a.k.a. "THE LIVES OF OTHERS"
Directed By Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck)

[Photo Source]

As you know, I don't care about the awards a movie wins, but just letting you know..:
"THE LIVES OF OTHERS" has won an Oscar for "Best Foreign Language Film". But who cares about the Oscars, right? This movie is a masterpiece on its own and it doesn't need an award from the academy or anywhere else.

We are in East Germany, and the year is 1984, so the "Berlin Wall" is still standing between two worlds. Winds Of Change is strong, but the "Stasi" (State Security Service) still has absolute power over the people of East Germany.

Bugging people's phones and homes, violating citizens' privacy, arranging secret meetings behind closed doors only to ruin more people's lives, psychological torture and pshyical torture are all just routine tasks for STASI. Fear is everywhere and the betrayal mostly comes from one's nearest (not a spoiler).

I like it when a movie involves character transformations, and "THE LIVES OF OTHERS" presents an extraordinary example. George Orwell would like this movie. The Big Brother is still watching us but there is hope. Even the most fanatical supporters of Authoritarianism (no matter where it comes from) may one day listen to the "Sonata for a Good Man" and take off their uniforms.

PERFECT!

"An innocent prisoner will become more angry by the hour due to the injustice suffered. He will shout and rage. A guilty prisoner becomes more calm and quiet. Or he cries. He knows he's there for a reason. The best way to establish guilt or innocence is non-stop interrogation."

You know what Lenin said about Beethoven's Appassionata, "If I keep listening to it, I won't finish the revolution"... Can anyone who has heard this music, I mean truly heard it, really be a bad person?

"ICHIMEI" (2011)
(a.k.a. "HARA-KIRI: DEATH OF A SAMURAI"
Directed By Takashi Miike)

[Photo Source]

Having seen both the original and Takashi Miike's version, I still can't decide which one I like the most, meaning I like both very much. Both movies have a taste their own (and Masaki Kobayashi's touch is priceless in the original.)
An extraordinary look at the Samurai way of life like you have never seen before.

Again, I must warn you: It won't be an easy watch, especially in the opening scene which I think guarantees to be unforgettable whether you love it or hate it. That was really hard to look. Having said that, the opening scene and the last quarter of the movie is absolutely spellbinding.

"ICHIMEI" is a movie where masterless Samurai have financial difficulties and sell handmade umbrellas to provide for their poor families. It's 17th Century Japan. Poverty, disease and economical difficulties take a toll on individuals' lives and crush them, and masterless Samurai are no exception. It's even harder for them for obvious reasons, after all, they are Samurai. Even if they are lucky enough to find a regular job, it's still not easy for them because of the social status they had once held. ICHIMEI destroys the rules of usual Samurai movies and asks taboo-breaking questions..: Is HONOR more important than the victim? Is HONOR more important than LIFE? What is this thing called HONOR anyway? Do we really have one?

Is BUSHIDO CODE nothing but a cover for those who benefit from it?

Hanshirô Tsugumo (a Samurai without a Lord, and jobless) visits a Feudal Lord and asks permission to commit seppuku in their courtyard.
But first, Tsugumo has a story to tell about "HONOR". It's worth listening.

I would also suggest watching the Original (Seppuku - 1962). It has its own magic, you shouldn't make the mistake of thinking it's the SAME movie. It's not. Masaki Kobayashi (the director of the original) is a magician.

[Photo Source] - (Screenshot from the original, "Seppuku" - 1962)
I told you. Masaki Kobayashi is a magician.

"A warrior's honor is not something simply worn for show!"

"EN MAN SOM HETER OVE" (2015)
(a.k.a. "A MAN CALLED OVE" - Directed By Hannes Holm)

[Photo Source]

Ove is almost sixty (sixty doesn't mean old, right?); an angry, grumpy, surly man. If he had been a superhero he would possibly be the ICEMAN. He's unwilling to tolerate even a cat when he sees one. He thinks he doesn't have a reason to live anymore. He has lost the only person who deeply loves him, the only person with whom he was able to speak without shouting. She needed him, he needed her. When the movie visits his past with a few flashbacks, we clearly understand the reasons of his negative attitude to life.

In his spare time (meaning he's not trying to commit suicide), he is busy to keep his neighbourhood tidy. He has his own strict rules and expects others to follow them.

Of course, these are not enough to know Ove. He also has a rare sense of honesty ("Ove style") and a BIG HEART (there is a very special reason why I've just made that text bold, but you should watch the movie to learn why). Ove reminds me of the character Walt Kowalski from Clint Eastwood's "GRAN TORINO" (But "OVE" definitely surpasses Mr. Kowalsky.)

COMMUNITY's never-ending pressure to bring INDIVIDUALITY to its knees might be the most attention-grabbing thing in the relationship between the community and the individual. If individuals want to be part of the community, then they should obey the rules. Community likes ordinary people. If you're "different" than the rest,then you become an outcast, even a threat to the Community. Ironically, community is the absolute source of trouble for the individual. Yet (at least most of us) we cannot bear the thought of living without some sort of community. In Ove's case, it's even more ironic..: He wants to kill himself, but the community doesn't let him to die in peace! What kind of a community is that? Doesn't Ove have the right to end his own life?

But...
What happens when Ove decides to make peace with the thing that's trying to SAVE his life?
(I have to admit that this was an interesting sentence)

Ove now has new neighbours in town, and that's when we start to see Ove's journey to his roots again. There is nothing but support, solidarity, friendship and love there.

"Some people say that fate is the result of our own foolishness.
My fate was the result of my neighbours' foolishness"

"THE ELEPHANT MAN" (1980) (Directed By David Lynch)

[Photo Source]

What is "beauty"?

The question shouldn't be there at all, at least, when it comes to physical beauty.
It's simple... When your mother and father are "beautiful" physically, you'll be beautiful. It's not in your hands, it's not a choice (it being a choice or not is a very deep subject, and as always, it's out of the scope of this post and irrelevant to the movie). And sometimes, it's still not in your hands even if you have "beautiful" parents. So, if being beautiful or not is not in our hands, why does society put so much emphasis on a woman's or man's beauty, yet at the same time we hear a lot of talk on inner beauty?

"I love his soul"... "she loves me for what I am"... "I love his inner beauty"...

Well, John Merrick was a REAL man with a beautiful soul.
With his own words..:
"I am not an elephant! I am not an animal! I am a human being! I am a man!"
He had been a good man (as far as we know he didn't cause any harm to anyone), he had a beautiful soul; yet, ...

Why didn't "they" love him (with at least one exception), if inner beauty mattered the most?

Have you read Haruki Murakami's "1Q84"?

If SALVATION lies in being able to love, if "being able to love" is even more important than to be loved; then without a doubt, there definitely is salvation for John Merrick as one of Murakami's characters suggests in the book "1Q84".

[Photo Source] - "I never realized till now how ugly I am, because you're so beautiful", says Quasimodo, "The Hunchback Of Notre Dame" (not in this scene but when they're in the bell tower; I thought this scene would be a good choice. By the way, I should add that Charles Laughton is the best Quasimodo ever)... Then Esmeralda gives a speech about the importance of the inner beauty. Guess what happens next? Esmeralda choses a "handsome" man instead of him. Well, "disingenuousness" is an important part of the Literature for sure.

And, can we say that "THE ELEPHANT MAN" (the movie) falls into the same trap? Is this movie itself any different from those who benefit from John Merrick's "extraordinary" physical appearance? Does David Lynch's movie do the same? In my humble opinion, I don't think so. John Merrick's story is a story worth to be told and David Lynch is definitely the right director who has his focus at the right spot (he doesn't abuse the viewer).

Anthony Hopkins shines as always, but for the acting part I think this is a one man show thanks to John Hurt's acting as John Merrick. As you might be guessing, this is a heart wrenching story about a man's RIGHTFUL struggle for existence, and the social insensitivity of a so called "community".

David Lynch turns the mirror to the hypocrisy within our understanding of BEAUTY.
It's a movie that you'll want to watch again and again...
But, do you have the courage to do so?
"THE ELEPHANT MAN" is among the BEST of Cinema History.

An important note: "MASK" (1985) is another movie (Directed By Peter Bogdanovich) which tells a similar story with Cher, Eric Stoltz and Sam Elliott. The movie is a biographical drama on the life of Rocky Dennis.

"People are frightened by what they don't understand"

"Never. Oh, never. Nothing will die. The stream flows, the wind blows, the cloud fleets, the heart beats. Nothing will die."

"My life is full because I know I am loved."

"IL NOME DELLA ROSA" (1986)
(a.k.a. "THE NAME OF THE ROSE"
Directed By Jean-Jacques Annaud)

There is a reason why he is blind... Storytelling at its best.

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Can the TITLE of a novel act as an obstacle to the "thought-provoking mission" of the novel itself? Or, can a TITLE alone have the ability to encourage thought-provocation?

The answers to these questions have a potential to reveal the mystery behind the NAME of the book, "Il Nome Della Rosa / The Name Of The Rose"... Why did Umberto Eco choose the name, "The Name Of The Rose", as the title of his novel?

Have we forgotten the true meaning of THINGS,
...and their NAMES are all we got left with?

Have we forgotten the true meaning of a Rose,
...and the word "Rose" is all we got left?

Replace the word "Rose" with anything you wish.
Thought-provoking enough? And that was only the TITLE!
That's the reason there are GUIDES written to keep you on track while reading the book. BUT, guiding his readers was never Umberto Eco's intention in the first place, so he wanted to choose a NEUTRAL TITLE as much as possible, yet in his own way. Readers should find their own way in his labyrinth (not a spoiler), and there are more ways than just one to solve a puzzle. Readers should get what they "deserve", and, they should get it in their own way. Looks like a fair deal. (A note here..: I know it sounds absurd because of their release dates, but, I can't help but think of a connection between Dan Brown's "Da Vinci Code" and the TITLE of Umberto Eco's book. As you might remember, Mary Magdalene herself was referred as the "Holy Grail" and the "Holy Grail" was symbolized by a rose in the "Da Vinci Code".)

DOGMA IS DANGEROUS, no matter where it comes from. DOGMA burns people at the stake, and tortures them systematically for weeks, even months. It's pure exploitation of POWER... DOGMA, does whatever it takes to protect itself from "critical thinking" and "freedom of thought" because It cannot bear the consequences of a probable domino effect. Thus, even one "wrong" question may trigger the process of death for the "thinker", and it will come from those who will do anything to protect the absolute power they have. You can't "talk" with them. They can't be reasoned with, because they ALREADY KNOW EVERYTHING there is know. Asking dangerous questions automatically qualifies as blasphemy, and the person who asks them should be terminated for the greater good. As you see, they even consider themselves as "good people" who serve to humanity! But indeed, words like "good", "bad", "evil", "god", "blasphemy" can be VERY dangerous depending on the poeple who have the absolute power on them. Or, to be more precise, is it ever possible for these words to be not dangerous?

What is pure knowledge worth?
What knowledge is worth knowing?
Who decides that?

What makes some people think that they have the absolute right to dictate their DOGMA to others, no matter where their bloody DOGMA comes from?

"The Name Of The Rose" could have been a disaster in the hands of a director other than Jean-Jacques Annaud (remember the "QUEST OF FIRE" we've talked earlier above?). Medieval atmosphere is there with all its gloom and heaviness thanks to the director's obsessiveness. And the art direction is a real state of the art in the hands of Rainer Schaper and Giorgio Giovannini (when I am impressed by). The movie is indeed like travelling with a time machine that brings you back to middle ages (but no worries, there will be no burning at the stake, at least for you, but there still may be fire, so you have been warned.)

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And...

"And yet, now that I am an old, old man, I must confess that of all the faces that appear to me out of the past, the one I see most clearly is that of the girl of whom I've never ceased to dream these many long years."

If you know what I mean.

"Stat rosa pristina nomina, nominae nuda tenemus."

"CHILDREN OF MEN" (2006) (Directed By Alfonso Cuarón)

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No child has been born for 18 years, and humanity might extinct in a few years. But that's only a "detail" when compared to the rich subtext of the story (a note here). This is Alfonso Cuaron's best work in my humble opinion, and when you think about the talent Mr.Cuarón has as a director and writer, the word "best" acquires a new meaning.

It's an enigma to me that such a MASTERPIECE could be so underrated.

The year is 2027 and United Kingdom is one of the few remaining countries with a "stable" Government (of course, it depends on your understanding of the word "stable"). Masses are running from the war and chaos to seek shelter in UK. Legal citizens and refugees are divided by barb-wire and the State itself functions as a dictatorship. War and chaos are everywhere in the world. There are clashes in the streets, assassinations, bomb explosions and UK is not an exception. We see TV commercials on BBC (it's "BCC" in the movie, actually) promoting LEGAL suicide kits named "QUIETUS". After all, it seems we have a responsible Government that really cares about its Citizens, and you might guess how the same Government would be managing the refugee crisis (apart from the fact that these "powerful" countries also have their own impact in the development of "refugee crisis" [and other crises]... When "elephants" fight for a big game [which is a constantly changing game], it's the grass that suffers). The world becomes a dark, "gray" place without the cry of a baby which no one has heard in the last 18 years. Is there any hope for humanity? The movie demands the FULL FOCUS of the viewer, and it absolutely deserves it! In one scene, we see a graffiti erased by the officials, and in another scene we see a graffiti from "Banksy" preserved as an art object. The film is full of details like this.

Again, you should have your warning..: This is not an action movie (and I am grateful for that) yet when there is any action the BLOOD will splatter on your clothes (and I am not exaggerating). You have never seen such realistic action, you can be sure about that. It feels like there is a REAL clash and you're in the middle of explosions, gunfire and chaos. You'll know what I mean when you watch it. "Children Of Men" is not only sharp like a razor with the profound subtext it offers (it's very deep and it could be a blog post on its own), it also surpasses many battle movies that renowned for their "realistic" action scenes. The movie shows no mercy, but, does life show any?

Theo is an ex-activist but doesn't care about activism anymore... We have Julian who is still trying to be an activist... We have Miriam with all her new-age spiritualistic approach to life with zero benefits when needed the most (or who knows, maybe I am mistaken. It's impossible to know the "Great Plan", right?)... We have our good old Jasper who loves Deeep Purple (who doesn't?)...

We have a deep philosophy and many EPIC scenes to enjoy throughout the movie.
And we even have some King Crimson.

As I have already said..: "CHILDREN OF MEN" is as sharp as a razor.
I'm GRATEFUL to anyone who contributed to this Cinematic Masterpiece from cinematography (KUDOS TO Emmanuel Lubezki) to art direction!

You may rest in peace, dear George Orwell!
We have a superior "1984" movie here!

[Photo Source] - See the Flying Pig and the Building in the background? "Battersea Power Station" was the cover of Pink Floyd's album, "Animals"

"The world was stunned today by the death of Diego Ricardo, the youngest person on the planet; the youngest person on earth was 18 years, 4 months, 20 days, 16 hours, and 8 minutes old."

"MY NAME IS JOE" (1998) (Directed By Ken Loach)

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Even the title of the movie makes me smile, it's already clear that this is a Ken Loach movie. It says, "hey, I am a movie about the average Joe (or Jane)"! Ken Loach once again tells the epic stories of the ordinary people. Neither "Average Joe" nor "Average Jane" is average, actually they're far from that. Classic literature tells the stories of the ordinary people doing extraordinary things, and that's for a reason.

Joe is an unemployed man who also struggles with alcoholism. He lives in a tough Glasgow neighbourhood, and aside from some temporary work here and there, he coaches a small football team. He holds on to life with his friends who he calls his "family". Despite his own hardships and poverty he tries to help as much as he can to save a young man who is in serious trouble with local mafia. And meanwhile, "love" knocks his door.

Ken Loach is a man who refused Turin Film Festival's "Gran Premio Award" in response to organizators' attitude and injustice towards workers. I don't think he needs or cares about any awards but this is a man who acts as example and has a message to share about solidarity.

The English accent used in the movie may be hard to understand for some audiences (even if English is your native language) but the effort will definitely worth it.

"A cloud just descended. Really, really dark. And suddenly I hated her. I hated me."

"I have nothing, man!"

"DISTRICT 9" (2009) (Directed By Neill Blomkamp)

[Photo Source] - "Everyone deserves equality"

SCI-FI isn't dead. We have Neill Blomkamp!

As far as I can see Neil Bloomkamp has definitely inspired a lot from Paul Verhoeven's style (it's crystal clear), and that's a good thing yet he still manages to add his own voice. The best science-fiction movies always have a rich subtext, and "DISTRICT 9" follows the same route!

The name of the movie, "DISTRICT 9", is a clear reference to South African apartheid regime which was declared "District 6" a "whites-only" area, and the movie tells a remarkable story involving discrimination, racism, xenophobia, abuse; and, "POWER and its effects on those who don't have it", in general. (By the way, the idea of "Aliens seeking shelter in Planet Earth" is not new and it has its roots back to 1980s, nevertheless, "DISTRICT 9" still has a lot to offer, especially when it comes to its focus on serious issues and its storytelling style.)

An alien spaceship suddenly appears in the sky of South Africa's Johannesburg. It seems aliens seek for help; they're sick, weak and starving. WE, the "good" humans confine them to an area called "District 9". But as you know, once we humans start to interact with aliens, aliens start to learn things they never knew they could do before, like prostitution and drug dealing. After almost three decades, the government decides to relocate aliens to a new camp because of the unrest between the aliens and humans, and hires a private company to take care of the aliens' relocation. The main protagonist, Wikus (who was an antagonist in the beginning of the movie), leads the relocation process (which involves violence) thanks to his father in law; but by accident he becomes exposed to an alien substance which will cause him to transform into an Alien.

You remember the good old saying about "wearing someone else's shoes"..?
In Blomkamp's "DISTRICT 9", that "someone" is member of an alien race, and our main protagonist is not just wearing someone else's shoes but he's becoming one of them...
In our case, an ALIEN!

So, what happens when the oppressor becomes the oppressed?

OR, does an oppressor have to become the oppressed, to understand what the "oppressed ones" are experiencing? Isn't there any other way? "DISTRICT 9" is not a movie about aliens for sure, it's about humans and their never-ending addiction to POWER. Racism, Fascism, Discrimination, Apartheid, Gender Inequality, Abuse (any kind of it), Slavery and Genocides have close relationships with POWER.

[Photo Source] - It's clear that we humans don't like what doesn't look like us, but do we like our own kind in the first place? Why is it so hard for us humans to respect the differences and the universal right to LIVE?

The Alien form they used in the movie DISTRICT 9 is genius (and again, it's open for many interpretations). Aliens are still "bipedal" (using only two legs for walking like us) yet they have their own distinct physical differences. We have similarities but we also have differences. The viewers first easily alienate themselves from these creatures thanks to their physical look (which in itself is a lesson on xenophobia), but then, throughout the movie they start to develop some symphaty for them and their problems.

Science-Fiction is alive and well.
"DISTRICT 9" is an EPIC TALE about human DEVOLUTION (and this is NOT a mispronunciation). What a powerful slap in the face of humanity.

"When dealing with aliens, try to be polite, but firm. And always remember that a smile is cheaper than a bullet"

"CASABLANCA" (1942) (Directed By Michael Curtiz)

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What makes "CASABLANCA" so powerful?

Along with Charlie Chaplin's "The Great Dictator", it's one of the two movies that most successfully embrace the soul of the World War II era. "CASABLANCA" was adapted to movie from the play named "Everybody Comes To Rick's", written by Murray Burnett and Joan Allison. But what makes "Everybody Comes To Rick's" interesting is that it was based on the stories of "real" people. Murray Burnett and his then-wife, Frances, took a trip to Europe in 1938 to help their relatives in Austria (which by then was under Nazi control) and they had the chance to closely observe the lives of refugees, immigrants and exiles. "CASABLANCA" carries the traces of these memories.

On the other hand, the movie itself is full of refugees. You remember the character Yvonne, the beautiful lady who cries when the band plays "La Marseillaise"? She's NOT ACTING! These are real tears. She and her husband Marcel Dalio fled France in WW2 to seek shelter in safer parts of the world, and they finally settled in United States after an adventurous voyage. They both casted for CASABLANCA, and they were NOT the only real life refugees who fled from the atrocities of WW2 in the movie. "CASABLANCA" is indeed a refugee movie!

VIDEO: "La Marseillaise" Scene.
An important note: - if you didn't watch the movie yet, I suggest watching the movie first. This is a classic scene from the movie, but to enjoy it to its fullest, you should watch the movie from the beginning.

I really don't know the exact count, but I have seen this movie MANY times, yet I still want to watch it again and again (if this will be your first time watching the movie, focus on the dialogue, it's magnificent). To me, "Casablanca" is to movies what "Sultans Of Swing" is to Music. It's always new. It's immortal.

- "And remember, this gun is pointed right at your heart."
- "That is my least vulnerable spot"

IMPORTANT NOTE: This post was intended to be an "ALL IN ONE" post about the movies I like the most, but with the recent "Maximum Blog Post Length Threshold", I HAVE FORCED to do it in parts.