Hello fellow readers,
It’s been an interesting 3 months, so much so that I have neglected posting in a while, but
I am here because I have drawn inspiration to write. Today’s topic is motion pictures.
Films. Most commonly known as movies.
I grew up in a family that had a profound appreciation for movies where we would go to
the theater often and discuss the films thoroughly afterwards. My dad has an immense
movie collection that started with VHS then progressed to DVD, Blu Ray, and slowly to 4k
resolution. I take pride in saying that my dad has influenced the way I watch films and
appreciate all there is to appreciate: screenwriting, directing, acting, cinematography,
camera position, set design, costume design, so on and so forth. Something else I learned
to appreciate is films from other countries. Language should not act as a barrier for
watching a well-made film.
All this being said, my parents and I embarked on a journey of watching some of the films
nominated for “best motion picture” from the 2020 Oscars. We started with Little Women
then watched Parasite, Joker, 1917, and Jojo Rabbit. Let me start by saying, these were all
amazing films and I highly recommend you watch them if you have a real appreciation for
well-written stories and cinematography. Below I have separated my thoughts based on
film, so feel free to jump around.
Featuring some of my dad's collection
Little Women
If you know me then you know I am an avid reader. I read Little Women by Louisa May
Alcott some time in college and absolutely fell in love with it; I couldn’t put it down until I
finished. Previously, when I fall in love with a book that gets turned into a movie, I’ve been
somewhat disappointed every time. However, the newest rendition of Little Women was
amazing. The film really captured the love and rivalry between sisters while transporting
its viewers to their time period. The film felt authentic and visually amazing when it came
to lighting, setting, and camera angles. My only criticism is for the transitions between past
and present. There were times where it took me a bit to realize the timeline jumped to the
past or back to the present, but once I caught the small differences between past and
present the film flowed well. I understand what the director was going for with the
flashbacks, so I can appreciate the execution, but if you, my readers, are going to watch it,
just pay attention a little more or you’ll miss the transition. I still absolutely love this film.
Parasite
Subtitles. A lot of people get intimidated with the idea of reading subtitles when watching a
film, and I don’t blame them, it can be tricky, but once you master reading quickly, it
completely opens you up to some amazing films. I’ll name a few later in the post if you’re
interested in exploring foreign films. Parasite won the Oscar for “best motion picture” and
let me say, it does not disappoint. I did not know what to expect from the film because I had
no prior knowledge of the story line, so I went into it completely blind and I was on the edge
of my seat throughout it all. The story, the acting, the message, the cinematography,
everything was just incredibly flawless. I won’t say much else for fear of spoiling something,
but I will end with this: the film could not have been done in any other way. I have a deep
appreciation for this movie and, once you accomplish reading the subtitles quickly, you’ll
find the beauty in it. Don’t be afraid to watch it several times if you feel like you missed
something, that’s what I’ll be doing to see if I catch anything I missed.
Joker
When the trailer was released for this movie, I was extremely hesitant to watch it because I
am one of those movie-goers that dislikes DC films. Don’t get me wrong, I still watch almost
all the DC films, but I tend to be disappointed. Joker was not a disappointment. It was
perfectly written and filmed. Joaquin Phoenix, who won the Oscar for “best actor” - great
acceptance speech, by the way, I’d recommend watching that, the link is below - did an
amazing job making the audience believe he is Joker and not the Joker we’ve been
accustomed to, but a new version you can’t help but watch with an open mind. The first time
I watched the film, in theaters, I was uncomfortable most of the time, and I wanted to hate
the movie, but once I truly broke down the movie and thought about the story, acting, music
and filming, I could not help but be awestruck. The second time I watched the movie, I had a
newfound appreciation for the details I missed before. On top of the film, we watched the
bonus features included on the disc and it blew my mind. My appreciation grew even more
knowing more of the behind the scenes work that went into the film. If you have access to
the behind the scenes material, watch it and learn just how much work goes into a film.
Amazing.
1917
War movies can be difficult to watch, I know my mom hates watching them because she
dislikes being reminded of all the death associated with war, but she sat like a trooper
through 1917. The film brought a completely new perspective to war and you truly felt, as an
audience member, that you were following every step the main character took. The film
brought new visual tricks that I didn’t think would be successful but everything they did
was amazing. It flowed so well and the sets were so impressive. Like with Joker, we
watched the bonus features and were floored. There was so much preparation for filming,
the costumes, the settings, and even the implementation of new technology. I am blown
away by the film. If you’re a fan of war movies, this is definitely one to add to the list. Some
other war movies that are well done will be listed later in the post.
Jojo Rabbit
When I saw the trailer for Jojo Rabbit I thought the film was going to be a comedy. It turned
out to be more satirical. I didn’t really know what to expect from the film other than this is
set during the first World War, so my expectations were low. I was pleasantly surprised by
the story, the costumes, and the settings. One thing I want to warn you about is that you
want to approach the film like a child. You can feel the innocence oozing from the film and
the lack of understanding of the intense situation happening at this time. It reminds you
that everyone has their own story. It’s a good film, but I’ll admit, it’s not for everyone.
Foreign film list:
-Pan’s Labyrinth
-Mirage
-Like Water for Chocolate
-Palm Trees in the Snow
-The Orphanage
-Train to Busan
I am a little biased since I can speak Spanish so I tend to tilt more in that direction, but do
not hesitate to reach out if you have any other suggestions.
War film list:
-Hacksaw Ridge
-American Sniper
-Saving Private Ryan
-Bridge of Spies
Do not hesitate to reach out if you have any other suggestions.
During these hard times, I hope that you can find appreciation from the arts and everything
that is involved. Maybe you can add these films to the long list of things to watch, if not, feel
free to share them with others. If you’d like to explore more of the arts, my friend Cheyenne
has a blog called That’s a Wrap: Film Reviews where she writes about movies, music, and
film/tv. Check her out below!
Live every day to the fullest. Stay safe.
Love, Damaris
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