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Getting On : Pop Culture
Films that make one think | from Jules - Saturday, October 22, 2005
accessed 2068 times I didn't see any article on this topic yet, so I thought I would start one. What are some movies that you think are worth watching? Here are my top three. Dogville
If you can last through the first half hour of this (it seems a bit pretentious at first, but stick with it, the story will pull you in), the acting is outstanding. The ending is very disturbing, but in a way that is especially meaningful to us, at least I thought so. It is 3 hours long, but definitely worth the watch.
The Believer
I watched this film very recently and it is excellent. One of the most disturbing and provocative films I have seen in a long time. I would be very interested to hear other people's take on this.
Das Experiment (German)
Loosely based on the Stanford Prison Experiment of 1971, this film takes the study to it's ultimate end. This movie is interesting and disturbing in a way that perhaps only we would would appreciate. |
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Reader's comments on this article Add a new comment on this article |  from Oddman
Tuesday, January 31, 2006 - 13:00
(Agree/Disagree?)
Schindler's list.
(reply to this comment)
| from Korpesco
Tuesday, January 31, 2006 - 06:58
(Agree/Disagree?)
Watched the film "the Crucible" the other day. It involved me emotionally to a surprising extent.
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| from Korpesco
Tuesday, January 31, 2006 - 06:47
(Agree/Disagree?)
"Pollyanna" is an all time must ("good for adults too!!"). "Inn of sixth Happiness" and "Lost Horizon" are not to be missed.
While "Brothers Son" sets the undisputed intellectual standard, other thought provoking films like "the Apple" and "Hair" are heaven-inspired "oldie goldies" that stimulate the insightful.
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|  From Oddman
Tuesday, January 31, 2006, 13:21
(Agree/Disagree?)
Arrrgh, to think I actually memorized the 11th Chapter of Hebrews so I could watch "Inn of the Sixth Happiness". If you want to go down that road, some films to make you feel nostalgic. Damn, movies had meaning and a message back then.
My fair Lady
Easter Parade
King and I
Railway Children
Homeward Bound
Lassie come home
Always
Ghandi
Christmas Carol
Wizard of Oz (FFW flying monkey scene)
The Bible
Ten Commandments
King of Kings (Barabus. Yay)
Quo Vadis
The Robe
Ben Hur
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Blakes Seven (Baddies in pt 3 were the "System")
The African Queen
Back to the Future I
Superman I
Tron
Chariots of Fire
Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind
Field of Dreams
It's a wonderful life
Mr. Smith goes to Washington
Showboat
Sergeant York(reply to this comment) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | from Lance
Monday, January 30, 2006 - 01:56
(Agree/Disagree?)
A lot of the movies that made me think are movies that originated as books.
Fight Club
Who can forget Danvid finchers Adaption of Chuck Palahnuik’s Fight Club, a movie about a professional man in his mid twenties, and his anarchist alter ego named Tyler Durden. The thing that makes me love Tyler is that in spite of his cult-leader like charisma, he has a very simplistic portrayal of life. Tyler shows young people that they are more then consumers and that it is possible to be happy without all the conventional gimmicks of modern society; that indeed modern materialism strips us of our humanity and our voice. Though sadly, like many good ideas, Tyler Durden becomes consumed by his ideal. And in order to spread his gospel, he consumes he professional persona. And what once was a great ideal turns into a festering madness that quickly spirals out of control.
Fahrenheit 451
The French director Francios Truffaut’s 1966 adaption of Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 is also a must see for anyone capable of connecting the basic dots between totalitarianism and cults. The Premise for the book and film follows a close connection to the German playwright Heinrich Heine’s words where he said: "Where they have burned books, they will end in burning human beings(From his play Almansor in 1821).
Anthony Burgess and a Clockwork Orange.
Stanley Kubrick did a wonderful job of making this movie adaption of the novel; trying to convey the simple line in the book -which I consider a wonderful thesis and an incredibly real connection to- where Alex’s priest poses the question "is a man who chooses the bad perhaps in some way better than a man who has the good imposed upon him?"
The movie made me think about how much I appreciate the finer details in life, both good and bad. And that it’s the complexities of the human experience that give life meaning.
There's more, but I have a short attention span.
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| From Baxter
Monday, January 30, 2006, 17:26
(Agree/Disagree?)
'We are the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world!'
That movie made me feel good, almost made me feel ashamed to be male, and yet proud at the same time! It confronted the basically destructive natureof masculinity, without either glorifying or condemning it. A more astute indictment of macho i have yet to see.
'Tyler, you're the worst thing that's ever happened to me'
AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!(reply to this comment) |
| | from
Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 13:31
(Agree/Disagree?)
Spielberg's "Munich" is thought-provoking. Not what I was expecting.
(reply to this comment)
| | | | | | | | | | from Oddman
Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 10:48
(Agree/Disagree?)
Did anyone mention.....
American History X
(reply to this comment)
| from Bones
Tuesday, January 03, 2006 - 14:29
(Agree/Disagree?)
Zoolander!
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| | | | | | | from neez
Sunday, November 13, 2005 - 23:05
(Agree/Disagree?)
Bad Boy Bubby: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106341/
Just watch it.
(reply to this comment)
| from Anthony
Thursday, November 10, 2005 - 12:36
(Agree/Disagree?)
Bully (2001).
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0242193/
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| from moon beam
Thursday, November 10, 2005 - 08:07
(Agree/Disagree?)
World acclaimed documentory.
"THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED"
DIRECTED AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY
KIM BARTLEY AND DONNACHA O'BRIAIN
IRELAND, 2003
74 MINUTES
IN SPANISH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES
HUGO CHAVEZ ELECTED PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA IN 1998, IS A COLORFUL,
UNPREDICTABLE FOLK HERO, beloved by his nation's working class and a
tough-as-nails, quixotic opponent to the power structure that would see him
deposed. Two independent filmmakers were inside the presidential palace on April 11, 2002, when he was forcibly removed from office. They were also
present 48 hours later when, remarkably, he returned to power amid cheering aides. Their film records what was probably history's shortest-lived coup d'état. It's a unique document about political muscle and an extraordinary portrait of the man The Wall Street Journal credits with making Venezuela "Washington‚s biggest Latin American headache after the old standby, Cuba."
http://www.chavezthefilm.com/html/film/home_film.htm
(reply to this comment)
| from Holon
Thursday, November 03, 2005 - 07:13
(Agree/Disagree?)
Life is beautiful
Some of the best movies I have seen have been on the "IFC" and the "Sundance" chanlles One really sticks out in my head tho called "Life is beautiful" But my all time favourite is "Gone with the wind" and " the color purple" the book on that one is also the best book I have ever read.
But life is beautiful is a truly inspirational one.
(reply to this comment)
| From Baxter
Thursday, November 03, 2005, 07:29
(Agree/Disagree?)
Interestingly, 'Life is Beautiful' took a bit of flak from American critics, in regards to the lightness with which it illustrated the the holocaust. They felt it made comedy out of atrocity, and did so impertinently. I personally think this assertion is rubbish. You cannot watch the film without appreciating the weight of the tragedy in question. It's bittersweet comedy is what makes it stand out from the other films about the subject.(reply to this comment) |
| | from mia1
Tuesday, November 01, 2005 - 14:38
(Agree/Disagree?)
I liked "Grave of the fireflies" it's an anime feature.
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| from Anthony
Tuesday, November 01, 2005 - 02:00
(Agree/Disagree?)
Natural Born Killers!!!
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| from Baxter
Monday, October 31, 2005 - 04:48
(Agree/Disagree?)
I just thought of a few more additions. Some of you will have seen these:
Ghost Dog
Jim Jarmusch's masterpiece. I think this is possibly the most astute and circumspect analysis of the old bushido code that I have ever seen, certainly dwarfing that Edward Zwick turd 'The Last Samurai', which blundered about irreverantly and blindly like a rotund and boistrous tourist in an oriental souvenir shop. Forest Whitaker was perfect for the central role because he brings the right combination of silent menace and introspective thoughtful contmeplation. While he moves with an unlikely but convincing grace, his character has a vulnerability and sensitivity that brings him to life in a manner largely ignored by the greater number of western filmmakers who confront this subject. you can tell Jarmusch actually read the Shoshinshu and largely understood it. There are scenes in this film that perfectly capture the ideal of samurai thought, like the scene where Whittaker's character confronts and executes his chief enemy and mark, played by Henry Vega. Instead of the usual violence-glorifiying heartless nonsense typical to most scenes of this nature, usually followed by a pointless and disrespectful wisecrack, this scene is perfectly understated and almost silent, what the samurai would have considered the perfect kill, almost artistic in prosecution.
The Duellists
Proof that Ridley Scott actually does know how to make great movies (before he sold his soul to the moloch of corporate Hollywood). This follows what amazingly a largely true story regarding two French Napoleonic officers and their pursuit of an ambiguous slight of personal honour which meaning all but evaporates with the passing of time, as well as the social implications of such obligations. It is a thoughtful, and beautifully constructed exploration of masculinity, machismo, social resentment and human relationships.
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| | | | | | | from openmind
Tuesday, October 25, 2005 - 21:55
(Agree/Disagree?)
The Star Wars episodes could be classified as "thinking" films.
Let's not forget other great movies but not exactly "thinker" movies:
Face Off, Broken Arrow -- Travolta made great "bad guy" characters.
Empire of the Sun (a 1987 Spielberg film)
The Score, Great Expectations, Godfather I, II, III, Casino, Meet the Parents -- and many more DeNiro films
The film "War of the Worlds" started out nice (it gave the viewer the feeling that 'this could happen in your backyard') but it got kinda weird towards the end.
(reply to this comment)
| | | | from openmind
Monday, October 24, 2005 - 21:49
(Agree/Disagree?)
All Russel Crowe films are great in my opinion:
A Beautiful Mind, Gladiator, Cinderella Man.
Movies that "made me think" among others would include:
Butterfly Effect -- (Had a scene depicting a child abuser like in TF)
Spiderman I & II
The Count of Monte Cristo
Other films I enjoyed:
Collateral
Assault on Precinct 13
(reply to this comment)
| From Fist
Tuesday, October 25, 2005, 11:20
(Agree/Disagree?)
Are you serious? Cinderella man is the most pretentious and stereo-typical Ron Howard film around... The doting wife... lovely children.... Oh hard times.... whats a man to do.... Oh he'll use his extraordinary gifts to fight for food... While Renee Zellweger croons.... the children giggle playfully... the idyllic world of hollywood bullshit... I bet it'll land an academy award as well....
Best director is a joint Tony Scott and Ron Howard!!!
It would be the cherry on the sundae if you said that ' The count of Monte Cristo' you referred to is the remake.... with passion of the christ bloke....(reply to this comment) |
| | From openmind
Tuesday, October 25, 2005, 21:28
(Agree/Disagree?)
I enjoy a wide variety of films and there are many that I left out.
In Cinderella Man, despite painting a fanciful utopian image of his "loving family" -- BTW I would have enjoyed the plot more if his wife left him -- I like stories of people who meet with hardships in life and fight (in this case literally) to overcome these immense obstacles and emerge triumphant.
Forgive my ignorance but I don't see the connection between Count of Monte Cristo and Passion of the Christ. I haven't seen the Passion yet, but Count of Monte Cristo would be more similar to The Shawshank Redemption, another film that I liked but wouldn't watch more than once or twice.(reply to this comment) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | From Baxter
Wednesday, October 26, 2005, 12:10
(Agree/Disagree?)
On that score: Absolutely everything by Sam Peckinpah!
The Wild Bunch
Straw Dogs
Cross of Iron
(those are just my personal favourites)
Peckinpah redefined American cinematic portrayals of violence, in a way that no one else did up until that time or have done since. Sergio Leone is probably the only director that comes anywhere close. But Leone's films were designed as ballets of death, in which eveything ugly and destructive was made beautiful, in Peckinpah's world everything was just ugly. His characters was so much more human than Leone's, but their undeniably American presentation was an endightment of every puritanical white American western starring John Wayne or any other staple purveryor of the great American myth. Nobody (bar none) did violence like Peckinpah. He was an original working-class intellectual.
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| | from thinker711
Monday, October 24, 2005 - 15:56
(Agree/Disagree?)
"Man on Fire" is one of my favorite movies; not so much a thinking film, just a good revenge story. Well acted too.
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | from moon beam
Monday, October 24, 2005 - 06:33
(Agree/Disagree?)
There's been some very interesting and poignent films listed here and I shall endeaver to see some of the ones recomended that I have yet to see.
Not sure about 'making one think' but for a side-splitting, laugh everytime humour, I would like to recomend 'Spinal Tap' for a bit of light relief.
(reply to this comment)
| | | | | | | from sailor
Sunday, October 23, 2005 - 21:58
(Agree/Disagree?)
some movies that made me think: 21 Grams, it is a hard movie to watch, has anyone here seen it? Also Mystic River was another one that was pretty good, not all that fun but it was still pretty good.
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| from Baxter
Sunday, October 23, 2005 - 12:23
(Agree/Disagree?)
The Night Porter
This is certainly not everybody's cup of tea. It was made by Italian director Liliana Cavani, who was notorious for creating films which were deeply disturbing. I won't tell you too much if you haven't seen it. It deals primarily with sexual abuse and sexual exploitation, and the bonds that can form between two people in the most traumatic and destructive circumstances. There are parts of this film that will inevitably offend, but ultimately it is very thought-provoking, because it confronts issues of human pathos in sexuality, and from a perspective that denies either the cast or the audience any solace in dignity.
The Thin Red Line
This is one of my favourite films because of the almost unique way it deals with the nature of war and fighting men. firstly, it's one of most beautiful and almost stoically constructed films about war I think has ever been created. I can't rmemeber seeing a film on the subject which makes such extensive use of visual metaphor. Secondly, it presents characters which are wholly credible. These aren't soldiers the way they like to be remembered, but nor are they the absurd social stereotypes presented by the average well-meaning but obtuse left-wing film-maker. These are people first, and then soldiers second. None of the characters, from Nick Nolte's frustrated CO to Adrian Brody's almost completely silent private, are two-dimensional. This to me is important, because a lot of films have attempted to create 'realistic' portrayals of war, and yet this seems impossible to me without four-dimensonal people within it. Even 'Saving Private Ryan' relied on stereotypes and ultimately it allowed itself to align itself with the ethnocentric emotions of its audienc, instead of doing so solely from the position of an abused and insecure universal humanity. It rejects the timehonored technique of taking its central protagonists and isolating them in small-unit politics, where everyone can pretend that they somehow represent a nuclear microcosm of the war in which one man or group of men are anything more than trivial. There are no objectives which really connect to the audience, or indeed to the characters. everyone seems to be lost in a surreal world in which there is no order, no logic, and no purpose. As a film it makes you feel completely vulnerable, which is what war movies have been trying to do for decades. It ends with none of the features that war-films have always felt they owed the audience: there are no comradely sing-songs, no proud flag-raising moments, not even any visible achievements.
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| | | | From lisa
Wednesday, October 26, 2005, 16:12
(Agree/Disagree?)
I was living on the beach where they filmed the 'Thin Red Line' We got them to blow up the beach and all their boats, its was heeps of fun.
Ither I don't think or I'm not watching any good movies, cuase I can't think of anything recent.
I know years ago I watched 'The Body' and that made me wonder.
Lolita, intresting look at "the other side"
Donni Darko Loved it(reply to this comment) |
| | | | | from placebo
Sunday, October 23, 2005 - 08:56
(Agree/Disagree?)
An interesting one I saw recently was "The Interview" (don't know the Dutch name) by the recently murdered Dutch director Theo Van Gogh.
(reply to this comment)
| from Baxter
Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 22:58
(Agree/Disagree?)
Das Experiment was a brilliant film, and all the more pognant because it's German. I find it fascinating how German popular culture has been so astute in the retrospective self-scrutiny of its national history. In a very real way, therfore, this is possibly one of the most powerful artistic invokations of the Holocaust ever commited to celluloid.
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| from feature films
Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 19:47
(Agree/Disagree?)
Taxi Driver
Mean Streets
True Romance
Cry Freedom
Clockers
(reply to this comment)
| from films
Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 19:43
(Agree/Disagree?)
The Boy whose skin fell off
http://www.channel4.com/health/microsites/B/boy_whose_skin_fell_off/
Death in Gaza
http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/death_in_gaza/
Children of Leningradsky
http://www.childrenofleningradsky.com/
Aileen: Life and death of a serial killer
http://www.nickbroomfield.com/AWLD.html
Sex Traffick (not really a film but a drama)
http://www.channel4.com/health/microsites/S/sex_traffic/
(reply to this comment)
| from AndyH
Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 19:01
 (Agree/Disagree?)
"The Battle of Algiers"
Its about the french occupation of algeria, and the mujihadeen who fought them. Its very interesting because it takes no sides, it glorifies no one.
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| From Great Movie!
Wednesday, October 26, 2005, 22:59
(Agree/Disagree?)
That is a great film, I loved that one part, where the rebel leader is on the witness stand, and the French DA asks him how they can be so cowardly as to use women's baskets to transport bombs.
The guy replies that he's seen the French destroy whole villages in napalm attacks, and tells them that he'll make them a deal; they give him their planes and napalm, and the rebels will give up their baskets.
Also the scene where they plant the bombs in the cafe's is terrifyingly realistic, you can tell the people who made this movie actually knew what that was like.(reply to this comment) |
| | from Benz
Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 16:33
(Agree/Disagree?)
Tarnation - a real life documentary (first of its kind). Jonathan Caouette who started filming his life at 11, captures life having a dysfunctional family, including a schizophrenic single mother. Its hard to watch, but anyone with our upbringing I think will relate.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0390538/
http://www.wellspring.com/movies/text.html?movie_id=56&page=synopsis
What the Bleep do we know? - Good documentary if you like science and are interested in how our thought patterns effect perceptions.
http://www.whatthebleep.com/
On a lighter note "Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy", was a hoot & makes me want to read the book(s)
(reply to this comment)
| From Jules
Wednesday, October 26, 2005, 22:15
(Agree/Disagree?)
I loved What the Bleep do we know?
Another documentary I watched recently that I thought was excellent was Born Into Brothels.
This is a look at children born and raised in the red light district of Calcutta. It is heartrending but also inspirational. It shows the efforts of a journalist to teach a group of these children photography. Their talent, intelligence and insight is deeply moving. One 11 year old boy says about photographs from other countries "they are difficult to look at, but they are true and that is what is important. That we see what is true". (reply to this comment) |
| | From Benz
Thursday, October 27, 2005, 14:39
(Agree/Disagree?)
I told my therapist about "What the Bleep" & they also found it interesting. Since then I often refer to things in terms of "thought pattern highways" and "making new connections" etc.
The point made along the lines of "every breakthrough in science has disproved things we thought we knew as fact", was pertinent.
I like the fact they touch on that the existance of "god" cannot be disproved we must allow for the possibility of an unknown "entity". - In saying that I think the point is made that those who claim to know what "god" is are pretty well full of shit (that was my take on it anyhow).(reply to this comment) |
| | from SeanSwede
Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 11:42
(Agree/Disagree?)
THE ISLAND was also a good movie. Another of one of those probably Family X-rated movies.
(reply to this comment)
| | | | from ErikMagnusLehnsher
Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 07:37
(Agree/Disagree?)
I'll have to check out Dogville.
Hmmm...movies that make me think: American History X (Edward Norton), Crash (Matt Dillon, etc) and I would agree with Sean that in another genre "The Village" was thought-provoking and would certainly be unrecommended by TF for that reason.
For extra credit I would add rairly recent movies that made/make me cry:
I Am Sam (Sean Penn): If this movie doesn't make you reach for the Kleenex then you're either Vulcan or Borg.
Million Dollar Baby (Eastwood, Swank, Freeman)
Philadelphia (Hanks)
Good Will Hunting (Damon, Williams)
It's a Wonderful Life (James Stewart): Okay, not recent, but for some reason this movie kills me.
(reply to this comment)
| from ct
Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 07:03
(Agree/Disagree?)
...good choices! i can further recommend (as especially suitable viewing for ex-members, SGs):
1 festen (the celebration)
2. the idiots
3. last resort
the first two are 'dogma' films (an art-house film movement initiated by von triers who directed the idiots and dogville) - love em
last resort is a beautiful recent British film about eastern European immigrant woman and her son
(reply to this comment)
| From silver
Monday, January 30, 2006, 07:47
(Agree/Disagree?)
I agree with you on the dogma style films...truly thought-provoking and entertaining at once. Mostly love the ones directed by Lone Sherfig and Thomas Winterberg although Dogville is my favourite.
Otherwise I have thouroughly enjoyed The Motorcycle Diaries whose director also produced City of God, another good film..films by Almodóvar are great.. Lost in Translation is excellent. Can't think of any more right now...(reply to this comment) |
| | from moon beam
Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 06:33
(Agree/Disagree?)
'The Wicker Man' about an isolated Island of England where cult like behaviour abounds.Very thought provoking and amazing filming. Directors cut is the best version IMO.
'Shawshank redemption' is also a decent film.
(reply to this comment)
| from SeanSwede
Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 06:17
(Agree/Disagree?)
THE VILLAGE is also something that I would also recommend
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| | | | From John Jr.
Monday, October 24, 2005, 11:46
(Agree/Disagree?)
I just saw The Village last night and have to agree that it's gotta be on top of The Family's x-list. It briefly covers FGA/SGA issues, SGA deaths, and creating an "idyllic" society with good intentions with questionable results. I thought is was interesting to see Joaquin Phoenix act in it. It's over the head of your average Roger/Ebert fan, but is a must see in my opinion.
"The Beach" with Leonardo DiCaprio was a mind bender as well.
(reply to this comment) |
| | From
Monday, October 24, 2005, 12:55
(Agree/Disagree?)
I wouldn't be surprised if you guys were right and it's forbidden in the Family, but I would also not be surprised if they come up with their own interpretation about how it's the system or whatever. I mean they apparently did that with the Matrix. I also remember reading Mo Letters like "The School" or hearing Family songs like "The Room" and wondering how the cult didn't realize they described them perfectly.
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