More Films that Blew Me Away

These are not must-watch masterpieces. These are films that had some meaning for me when I watched them and maybe will give you the same feelings if you happen to have the same mood. I already talked about this here.

FIFTEEN MILION MERITS and WHITE BEAR

by Charlie Brooker

These are 2 episodes from the Tv series Black Mirror.
Black Mirror is great. For 3 main reasons.

1. Each episode is a standing alone 60 minutes film with own characters and stories. So you won't be wasting your whole life binge-watching 10 thousand seasons one after another. Well you will anyway, because you'll love every single episode, but not because you have to know who killed the nephew of the king with the sword of the uncle Joe, or something like this, otherwise you can't sleep.
2. It is a real piece of Television Art. It is a milestone when it comes to story construction, style and acting.
3. What you see in Black Mirror will haunt you and will make you paranoid. What you see in Black Mirror is realistic but luckily set in a dystopian future, even if it could actually happen tomorrow. What you see in Black Mirror is among us. The creators really had the shining to take the dynamics of our super-connected-technologic society and use them to undress you and put you in front of a huge Ipad black screen, where the image of you is dark and smoky.

15 million merits

White bear

If your mood is: paranoid about the super-connected society. You're into thrillers and dramas.

I picked two of my favorite episodes, but it's really hard to choose the best ones. Just watch all the episodes, whatever is your mood.

ANOMALISA

by Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson, 2015

I think Anomalisa is a little gem. You know that feeling when you go back to some particular place because you know you like it and you are sure you're going to have the same fun you always had, but at the end it turns out it was a new experience that will stay with you for a longer time? That's it, that was Anomalisa for me.

Charlie Kaufmann wrote it and co-directed it and I knew him mainly from The eternal sunshine of the spotless mind and Being John Malkovich. I was sure I was going to have that kind of feelings, instead I felt like Madonna singing like a Virgin, touched for the very first time.
It is an adult stop-motion animated movie and it does feel weird that such a film is one of the most human things you've seen in a while. Anomalisa is about life, about who we are and what defines who we are. It is about love, regrets and getting old.

If your mood is: regretful. You're going through changes and you constantly think about the mistakes you did (or you think you did) in your life. You feel like you're getting old.

SAMSARA

by Ron Fricke, 2011

Samsara is THE masterpiece. It is a great film about our world. It's a non narrative documentary that will take you on a trip around the world but also inside our inner nature as human beings. And you'll see amazing things. Only images and music for 100 minutes of pure joy guaranteed.

This is not Die Hard (another masterpiece by the way) so don't expect a fast pace, action and explosions. Be patient, give it time and let your eyes enjoy it. You'll see, your senses will explode instead of cars.

Earphones on, please

If your mood is: meditative, willing to see marvelous things, looking for an aesthetic ascent to the sky and to the inner meaning of why you are here on this planet right now and what you are doing with it.

Tip: make absolutely sure you watch it in Full HD, not a shitty streaming version.

FORCE MAJEURE

by Ruben Östlund, 2014

Force Majeure is a simply great film with a simple plot. A Swedish perfect family goes on a French Alps' chalet for a winter vacation. While they are watching a controlled avalanche from a lookout terrace, it seems to go out of control. Kids get scared and when it actually looks like they are all going to be hit, the father runs away leaving his family in the hypothetical danger. Nothing happens but the drama starts now. Why he did it? How could he leave his family in danger? This is how coward he is? But most of all what would you have done there? Are you sure you'd be braver than he was?

They say that under pressure one shows his real nature. And if you like to think that our real nature and personality hide behind the smallest gestures, then you'll enjoy this film. Everything is packed with a stylish and austere cinematography and a good amount of realistic odd situations that for sure happened to you, too.

When a silly conversation gets akward

If your mood is: wondering about your relationship, panicking about serious commitment. You're wealthy and every year you go for vacation to ski for one week at least, because then that perfect family could be yours.

WHERE IS THE FRIEND'S HOME

by Abbas Kiarostami, 1987

Where's the friend's home is a sweet film. And you don't know how much you can engage with simple things if you don't watch this one. Like a little kid looking for a friend's house. He needs to return an exercise book to his friend before dawn, otherwise he will have troubles at school the next day. You'll engage with his search more than you did with Indiana Jones.

The atmosphere is unique and will move you and make you smile.

If your mood is: looking for an heartwarming story. You need simplicity and a calm atmosphere.

Thank you for stopping by

love,
franek