Well, I suppose it is time we get down to brass tacks. One of the main reasons I started this blog was to improve my writing and one of the biggest areas I want to improve in is film criticism and film discussion. I talk about movies all the time, but I rarely write about them. So, to ease in, I thought I would start with something that I hope to be a regular feature: a top five, well technically six, list.
The following are five of my favorite movies. Some are new. Some are old. But, there are some common links: 1) They have great performances; 2) They have interesting direction; and 3) They are movies that bore a little tiny hole into my brain and I can't get them out. All of a sudden, a snippet of a scene, dialogue or a camera trick the director did come back to you and makes you think or makes you smile or in some cases even freaks you out. These aren't necessarily my top five movies of all time, but they are definitely in the conversation.
Snooker makes a great Hedwig! |
2. Singin' in the Rain (Gene Kelly/Stanley Donen, 1952): This is the ultimate movie musical of the studio era. Starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds, it is also a great movie about movies as it tells the story of a studio transitioning from silent to sound films. The musical numbers are perfectly choreographed, creative and a lot of fun. The jokes are still really funny and the movie stands the test of time. Plus, the end of the movie when Don sings to Kathy at the theatre always makes me cry (in the best, happy movie cry kind of way). It is the kind of movie that, if you are in a bad mood and you watch it, you will smile and feel a little bit better.
Edgar makes this beret look good :) |
5. Cabaret: Yes, I realize this is the third musical. But I actually think all three of the musicals on this list are for people who don't like musicals. In Cabaret, all of the musical numbers are on stage or in a natural setting, and none of the characters suddenly burst into song. Directed by the great Bob Fosse (see All that Jazz right now... I will wait...) and staring Liza "with a Z", this movie tells the story of Sally Bowles, a cabaret singer at the Kit Kat Klub during the rise of Nazism in Berlin. This movie won 8 Oscars in 1972, beating out the Godfather in many of those categories (including Director over Francis Ford Coppola and Supporting Actor over Al Pacino). It is poignant, funny and Joel Grey's amazing performance as the Emcee is worth the price of admission alone.
All of these great movies are available on Netflix so if you haven't seen them I absolutely recommend checking them out. I hope you find as much joy in them as I do! Also, as you can see above, I own them all on dvd. They are available from the La Femme movie library for a small check out fee :)
Julie