10 Of The Best Movies And Documentaries I've Watched Lately~
Jan 07 '07
The Bottom Line Hope you enjoy my list!
These ten gems I highly recommend have very strong characters, fictitious and real, to admire. They are fighting for their rights or encouraging others to fight for their rights and are in the end successful, making them satisfying to watch and learn from. Some movies not included, but still enjoyable, are Tristan and Isolde, The Break-up, Madea’s Family Reunion, Tsotsi, Osama, Live and Swingin’ With The Rat Pack and The Lucy Show.
In order of theatrical release:
(1965) Shenandoah: Andrew V. McLagen, director; James Stewart, Doug McClure, Glenn Corbett, Philip Alford. James Stewart lives in Virginia with his five (I think) sons during the Civil War, but has taught them the war has nothing to do with them since they’ve never had slaves, but the war will have something to do with them. It’s disturbing and sad how this happens, but this classic isn’t a complete tragedy and Stewart’s cynical atheism turns a bit on its head.
(1970) A Man Called Horse: Elliot Silverstein, director; Richard Harris, Judith Anderson, Jean Gascon. Richard Harris plays an English captain in the 1700s kidnapped by natives and given to the chief’s mother as a horse or slave. He has one friend who speaks English, falls in love, fights for his human rights and undergoes a gruesome ritual or two to win his girl. I loved the short story it’s based on as well.
(1990) An Angel At My Table: Jane Campion, director; Kerry Fox, Alexia Keogh, Karen Fergusson. Based on Janet Frame’s autobiography, this moving story is narrated by three actresses playing her from childhood to young adulthood. It’s New Zealand in the 1920s when the plump redhead grows up with few friends and she grows up to be a teacher only to become exhausted and be mistakenly diagnosed as schizophrenic. An award for her book of short stories saves her from further ‘treatment’ and she keeps writing and trying to find her place in the world. Long, but absorbing with a poetic sensibility.
(2002) Rana’s Wedding: Hany Abu-Assad, director; Clara Khoury, Khalifa Natour, Ismael Dabbag. Khoury as Rana must marry today or leave the country with her father. She has all sorts of frustrating delays in finding her boyfriend, find someone to marry them immediately and find her father before he leaves. It’s a great look at Jerusalem and Ramallah where it’s filmed. I liked Khoury’s The Syrian Bride a little more, but it's still an engaging story with a light-hearted ending.
(2003) The Corporation: Mark Achibar, Jennifer Abbott, directors; Jane Akre, Noam Chomsky, many more. This takes a fascinating look at how corporations began in the U.S. and became the powerful entities they are today. I learned things like how corporations are legally considered a person with human rights! Is this right? Watch and listen to the facts and comments from close observers and those involved with corporations. I picked up Joel Bakan's book it's based on.
(2004) Walk On Water: Eyan Fox, director; Lior Ashkenazi, Knut Berger, Caroline Peters. An Israeli agent who still grieves over the deaths of his wife and newborn child is assigned to babysit the grandchildren of a Nazi war criminal hidden away, to hopefully discover his whereabouts. I love how different these three characters are and yet they become close. They are well-defined and very likable in an unpredictable, gripping story that tackles modern and past issues humanely.
(2004) Control Room: Jehane Noujam, director; Samir Khader, John Rushing, Hussein Ibrahim. This documentary looks at the controversial TV station that is the biggest one in the Arab world and how it covered the aggressive acts of the U.S. towards Iraq. Many involved with differing perspectives are interviewed, we’re taken behind the scenes and the DVD bonus features reveal how long it could’ve been. Thoughtful film.
(2004) Howard Zinn: You Can’t Stay Neutral On A Moving Train: Deb Ellis, Denis Mueller, directors; Matt Damon narrator, Daniel Berrigan. This look at the life of activist/history teacher/writer Howard Zinn through archive footage and commentary impressed me so much that I picked up Zinn’s bestseller, The People’s History of the United States. He’s in his eighties now, but has been an activist most of his life and has tried to impress on us that we must learn from history…and not doctored history. I agree.
(2005) Kingdom of Heaven: Ridley Scott, director; Orlando Bloom, Liam Neeson, Edward Norton, Jeremy Irons. A blacksmith whose wife committed suicide when their baby died (sounds familiar!) goes to medieval Jerusalem to fight in the Crusades and falls in love while trying to be of use. I loved the authentic look of it and the Pilgrim’s Guide bonus feature that ran on the bottom of the screen, plus most of the acting and swordplay.
(2006) Superman Returns: Bryan Singer, director; Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Spacey. I didn’t think anyone could match Christopher Reeve as Clark Kent and Superman, but Routh does it. He returns to Earth to find Lois Lane in a relationship, a mother and very hurt by his leaving without saying good-bye. Well, I’d be too! This reminds me of a 1950s’ or earlier comic strip with the implausible, heroic storyline that serves charmingly to bring Superman and Lois back together.
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Member: Jan Peregrine
Location: Lincoln, NE
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