beloved films
I am not much of a film person, but when I love a film, I want to watch it again and again. I have a Letterboxd account for those who’d like to see a list of the films I’ve watched and liked and hated, who are on there too. Maybe we have films in common.
Here are a few films that I have adored.
Where’d You Go, Bernadette
This is the story of what happens when an artist tries to suppress her creativity. It’s a lovely story. I related to the main character played by Cate Blanchette, an architect who had a career-ending trauma and then hid in her house and turned it into this wild and impractical space, much to the worry of her husband, the joy of her daughter and the dismay of neighbours. Bernadette is a curmudgeon and a difficult person. I think we’d get along just fine.
God Help the Girl
A UK film about a young woman with an eating disorder who leaves an institution and joins a band reluctantly. She makes friends with them. I loved this movie, and particularly the soundtrack. Catherine Ireton’s voice is exquisite. I really feel for characters that are trying to make their way in this difficult world. I suppose you could call this a coming of age film.
Les Glaneurs et la Glaneuse/The Gleaners and I
I love everything Agnès Varda did. She had a thoroughly beautiful imagination and she cared about people. All her films engaged in some way with community and the self. I also loved Sans Toi Ni Loi (Vagabond) about a woman who is discovered dead in a fruit ditch. The rest of the film retraces her steps and shows the different strangers who encountered her.
The Gleaners and I is about the French practice of offering the fruits of the harvest to the poor, and then becomes a study of the artists who pick up objects that have been thrown away. Sometimes I wonder if my photo project on Instagram: #chairsofottawa was inspired by this film.
Deepa Mehta’s Elements trilogy: Fire, Earth, Water
I am fascinated by Mehta’s portrayal of India, especially the issues of class and religion. She has a way of portraying people’s struggle that is compassionate and compelling but also beautiful. I loved the beauty of these films.
Rachel Getting Married
This is Anne Hathaway’s most powerful role. She is an addict who leaves therapy to attend the wedding of her sister. The tension between family members is intense. The music is utterly gorgeous. This is a joyous movie, even though the tension of family members is so extreme. She is such a flawed and moving character in this role.
Ordinary People
Directed by Robert Redford, starring Mary Tyler Moore as a colossal bitch of a mother, which was already pretty surprising, Donald Sutherland as a quiet and easy-going dad, Timothy Hutton as a son out of hospital after having tried to die by suicide, and Jud Hirsch as his psychiatrist. I used to watch this film every year on my birthday. It’s scenes of the autumn to the music of the Pachelbel Canon is exquisite.
The Juniper Tree
A retelling of an old fairy tale. Bjork is in it. She’s just a kid! Part of my love for this film was that it is in black and white. The light is heavenly.
Days of Heaven is another gorgeous film. and I loved the narrator.
Richard Gere is beautiful.
Blue is the warmest colour
I adored everything about this film. I loved the graphic novel by Jul Maroh it was based on too. I’m still hooked on coming of age queer stories most of all. What’s your fav coming of age queer film? The soundtrack is wonderful. My fav song from this soundtrack is On lâche rien by HK & Les Saltimbanks.
The Guitar, Amy Redford’s directorial debut about a woman who is diagnosed with cancer and doesn’t have long to live. She changes her life. It gets spicy. She throws off her inhibitions. She buys an electric guitar with a huge speaker system and learns to play it. She has an affair. If I could get the sound track, i would.
Le Retour de Martin Guerre starring Gerard Depardieu is a historical drama with a remarkable surprise.
To Sir with Love is a film that made me fall in love with Syndey Poitier when i was young. I am known to sing the main song in Karaoke.
Germinal, about the French miners mistreatment in 19th century France is based on a novel by Emile Zola which I studied during my French degree at the University of Waterloo. I loved the film. It’s stark and beautiful.
The Denys Arcand trilogy: The Decline of the American Empire, Jesus de Montreal and The Barbarians - good biting social commentary and well-written.
The Shape of Water - the only Guillermo del Torro film I recollect watching. I loved the idea that the misfits in life can find their kindreds. It’s also a beautiful film.
I don’t care for films with loud shrieking, so horror and violence tend to be not my favourite film themes; however, there are exceptions. I thought the Boys of New York was fascinating. It’s a film about rival Irish gangs in New York City and stars Leonardo di Caprio.
This is the kind of thing I would like to discuss with you over tea as we sit in our favourite cafe. Tell me your favourite films.