Before I tell you about my favorite movies, I should begin by letting you know that I am a romantic and I like to watch things that make me feel better (not scared or skeptical or disappointed), or quite often, that make me feel like I'm not alone. I think the beauty of movies is in the way they allow you to know the characters with no effort on your part. In real life, it can take years to truly know a person. In characters in the movies that I watch, I can find traits similar to my own, and a sense of familiarity I don't always feel upon meeting people in real life.
But enough of this, let's get on to the movies:
The first I will mention is Paper Man, starring Jeff Daniels and Emma Stone and also some other famous people, but these two are my favorites in this movie. The basic premise is about these two forming an unconventional friendship. The movie features unexpected plot twists and tense relationships, but what I am most drawn to are these two characters that make me feel like they would get me if I met them.
One of my favorite lines in this movie is when Jeff Daniels' character says, "If only everything in the world could be covered in butter... What a buttery world it would be."
His childlike way of thinking accompanied by her beyond-her-years wisdom is a delight.
This movie received pretty bad reviews from what I've seen, but I think it is heart-wrenchingly beautiful. Maybe just not for everybody. I recommend Paper Man for teenagers or adults who sometimes feel alone because of the way they view the world. I think you will definitely find a friend in both Abby and Richard.
Next, is Dakota Skye, which I've probably seen the most times out of any of these. Partially because it's on Netflix Instant, but also because it has an indie romance movie quality that I love. It is about a "too cool for school" kind of girl who has the ability to tell when people are lying and what they actually mean. The things I like about this movie are the music, the hyper-realism portrayed in the actions and personalities of the characters, and the way it pulls off having a superhuman protagonist where her superpower isn't the main focus of the movie.
My favorite line in this movie is "Same thing, whatever." This is actually a pivotal moment in the movie, but what I love is the way some of the most important and deep words are colloquial and almost like teenage slang.
While I wasn't nearly as cool as Dakota is in high school, I can relate to a lot of the moral dilemmas she faces. I also really like the male lead, Jonah. Ian Nelson, the actor who plays him, has been in almost nothing else, but he does a great job of playing an endearing character I feel truly exists in real life (and one I hope to someday meet).
I recommend this movie to younger people who don't necessarily feel "too cool for school" like Dakota, because then maybe you won't get it, but if you've sort of been through the high school thing recently so you understand the teenage culture, and also if you ever think about the significant role lying plays in our society.
Last Night takes place over the course of less than 24 hours and tells the story of a young couple, separated for one night in which both are faced with the opportunity to cheat on one another. That's basically what the Netflix description said, too, which wouldn't normally make me inclined to watch it, but I guess I just went for it, and I was very pleasantly surprised. I really like all of the actors in it, and that most of them don't have American accents.
It features a lot of glowy and aesthetically pleasing settings and I love the way Keira Knightley's character dresses throughout the film. I'm not sure specifically what I liked so much about this one, but I recommend it for people who like movies with romance in them, but not necessarily a big romantic climactic ending, and who like British accents and Keira Knightley looking beautiful in silk robes and comfy socks, etc.
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Take Me Home is the movie I discovered most recently out of all of these. It stars Sam Jaeger who I love on Parenthood, and I found out after I finished and loved the movie that he also wrote and directed it, AND is married to the female lead. I have to say, I liked his character more than the female lead because she sort of has that "I'm an uptight female control freak like a Catherine Heigl character but you'll maybe change my ways if I'm emotionally vulnerable which rarely happens" thing going on, but I still end up liking her a lot.
Something I like about this movie is that it features a road trip which I always love. Also, it stars a very handsome and emotionally unstable boy with sad eyes and a sort of beard. And that a lot of the movie sounds like poetry.
Pride and Prejudice is the most famous out of all of these, and rightly so. It is cinematographically (is that a word?) gorgeous. Every single scene.
I can relate more to Elizabeth Bennet than anyone ever, and Keira Knightley, once again, is amazing, and Mr. Darcy is even more endearing than Jonah in Dakotah Skye, and I don't even know what to say. It's a fairly long movie compared to the others, but I don't think there are any parts that could be removed. The characters are extraordinarily dynamic and I think the actors do a great job of portraying the characters from the book.
I just recommend this to everyone. It makes me cry of sadness and happiness and everything.
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Waitress is certainly not well-known enough. I love the emphasis on baking and the kind sounding Southern accents that most of the characters have. I love Keri Russell and I love Nathan Fillion. The characters in this movie are all quirky and eccentric and I would love to know all of them (except for the protagonist's scary, needy husband).
My favorite line in this movie is "We're going to have so much fun."
A close second is "I can't have coffee, what kind of doctor are you??"
The ending is pleasantly unexpected, and the color scheme and soundtrack of the entire thing are so very comforting.
You should watch it. For real. It changed my life.
And finally, Charlie Bartlett, which you probably know about. Charlie Bartlett is one of my favorite kind of characters which is the kind with a troubled home life who, in turn, has all the answers and somehow surpasses those awkward teenage years that the rest of us have to awkwardly struggle through and then look back on later (when we're still, let's face it, awkward). Not Charlie though. He's cool but not "too cool for school" like Dakota Skye.
Kat Dennings is totally awesome and inspires me to wear red lipstick more in this movie. I like the way this movie shows high school students united rather than tearing each other down. It is a comforting image that few people have gotten to experience in real life. Charlie is another character I would most definitely like to know in real life.
I think most people would like this movie, if not for the beautiful vulnerability of teenagers with broken spirits, then for Robert Downey Jr. Who doesn't like him, right? (OK, a lot of people probably) But anyway, this is a fun and light-hearted movie that touches on some really serious human issues, but does so in a humorous and relatable way. Two stars out of two (very funny, Spencer).
Watch with me in mind! (That was weird. But really, I think you should watch one or all of these.)
Love love love,
SRF
1 comment:
Gotcha! ;)
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