Four Movie Recommendations Based on the Best Things I’ve Seen Lately
I might not be a “cinephile” (as the Twitter nerds would say) but I watch a lot of movies. So far, my excursions to the movie theatre have been the only thing sustaining me through the first insane months of law school. After all, it is important to escape from the Ignat Kaneff Dungeon once in a while.
Revue Cinema in Roncesvalles is one of a few independent theatres in Toronto, so I’m lucky enough to watch new and old movies projected on the big screen. Over the summer it became my favourite haunt and during the last few months, I’ve seen so many incredible (and less than incredible) films. Here are some recommendations, and some reviews, based on the best things I’ve seen recently, for anyone that wants to put on a movie and take a break from schoolwork for a few hours.
Gone Girl (2014, dir. David Fincher)
Harrowing. Makes you hate people from Missouri. 4.5 Stars.
One of the best thrillers to have been released this past decade. Pulpy and suspenseful, watching this is kind of how it feels to be reading a really good airport novel; easy and fun, but with thoughtful commentary that elevates it beyond the average thriller. David Fincher really just hates people; his nihilistic view of human nature does not come to play, with most of the characters on screen here so rotten-hearted that it’s hilarious. The movie’s commentary on true crime fanatics, reality TV and marriage as an institution is honest and intriguing. However, I can’t say too much, because spoiling the turns this movie takes or even the general premise would be a crime.
Simultaneously hazy, dream-like, grimy and dark. Great acting, especially from the leads, and a subtle but killer score (by The Social Network guys!). Honestly, I’d recommend this movie to anyone but it might be especially fun for a first date.
Perfect Blue (1997, dir. Satoshi Kon)
Don’t watch unless your next therapy sesh is the next day. 5 Stars.
One of the best explorations of art, media, exploitation, and self-destruction ever depicted. This is another movie I can’t say much about because the way the story unfolds—as a shocking, graphic, catastrophic train crash—is something you’d be better off watching for yourself. I can’t freely recommend this movie because it’s a pretty hard watch, with a lot of sensitive topics, so if you are interested but concerned, maybe look up content warnings.
This movie isn’t too much of a time investment—under 90 minutes—but you’d think it’s way longer. You are kidnapped and locked inside the mind of the main character, which is a grueling experience. The score is appropriately creepy, the voice-acting is stellar from the Japanese cast, and the animation is beautiful. But most importantly, the themes presented here were so ahead of their time, perfectly capturing the horror and paranoia of the internet and social media. What is real? What is an illusion? Could the online versions of ourselves supplant our true selves? How can we have any autonomy when our lives are projected on the pan-optical internet? This movie just becomes more relevant as time goes on, especially now that we’re on the cusp of AI recreations becoming indistinguishable from reality. Yeah, this movie rips.
Coraline (2009, dir. Henry Selick)
My mom is just like that. 4 Stars.
A lot of my friends consider this one of their favourite movies and I can see why. The most obviously brilliant aspect of this thing is its visuals, which become more impressive on every watch. I’m so thankful for stop-motion animation and the teams of hardworking, patient people who painstakingly crafted every scene of this movie with their bare hands. They successfully made every frame whimsical and unique, like a storybook brought to life.
There is also an undeniably great story here too. It’s imaginative, funny, emotional, and genuinely scary in equal measure. At its core, it’s about growing up to realize your parents are flawed individuals, coming to peace with that and making the choice to forgive them (or not). Or maybe it’s just about a freaky realm of doppelgängers and a cool talking cat. This movie might not have been life changing for me, but it’s great stuff. With Halloween around the corner, it’s the perfect time to watch this!
Jurassic Park (1993, dir. Steven Spielberg)
Exploring the horrors of man’s hubris with Jeff Goldblum. 5 Stars.
It’s easy to take for granted how good this movie is, or at least, I took it for granted. Its thirtieth anniversary just passed and I was lucky enough to see it in theatres. It was like seeing it for the first time, even though I’d watched it endlessly growing up. I almost cried about seven times from how breathtaking and wonderful this movie is. If someone said just about any scene depicted here was the greatest movie moment of all time, they might be right.
A movie about horrors beyond comprehension brought on by human arrogance. A Frankenstein retelling where the dinosaurs are the “monsters,” but not the true monsters. A movie about the dangers of technological innovation just for the sake of innovation. Sounds like another movie that came out this summer and, hey, isn’t it funny that a photo of J. Robert Oppenheimer gets a 5-second cameo in this movie? Yeah, this thing is pure magic. Perfect movie.