Here are some of my favourite films:
Here is a brief explanation of why I like each film:
"Wuthering Heights (1939)"
:: A Story Of Vengeful Thwarted Love ::
An old fashioned film traditional love / tragedy film with themes that are very much relevant and challenging to everybody who has experience of love in today's world. Cathy pays the consequences of betraying her true desires for superficial material objects that offer her safety and security. It's about a passionate, beautiful and eternal love in which circumstances and time keep physically apart. If asked give an example of the somewhat cliché of a word "love" in a film, this film would happily satisfy that definition for me.
"Brokeback Mountain (2005)"
:: Love Is A Force Of Nature ::
Is about a battle between what is socially acceptable - against what two individuals feel is integral to their being... their sexuality. Another tale of tragic circumstances which keeps two men apart yet together in a secluded haven they have created in the mountains, far away from the judgment of society. They as well as their families and everyday lives are the victims of this film. This film handles the controversial issue of homosexuality amongst many in a realistic, un-crass way that anybody and everybody can relate to.
"Shawshank Redemption (1994)"
:: Fear Can Hold You Prisoner. Hope Can Set You Free ::
Is my all time favourite film. The music and imagery of this film is beautiful and compliment the message and story of the film. It is a story of how a man is wrongly imprisoned for someone else's murder of his wife. He works through his time in prison being a pawn of the prison warden whilst making big impressions on his prison mates and the guards. Despite everybody else's' willingness to be institutionalised and give up on hope of release he remains hopeful and does what everybody else though to be impossible.
"Dancer In The Dark (2000)"
:: You Don't Need Eyes To See ::
Is a musical with the singer Björk is the main character (Selma). It is about a woman who is turning blind who has saved up money for her son to have an operation so he doesn't have to suffer the prospect of being blind when he is older too. This poor and hard working woman's money is stolen from her when one of her supposed friends is in financial hardship. To retrieve the money Selma goes to extremes which ultimately result in her tragic demise.
"The Virgin Suicides (1999)"
:: Love Sex Passion Fear Obsession ::
Makes a very explicit point that "too much love kills". It is a story of how over-protective parents deny many freedoms which a group of teenage sisters require to flourish not only as girls but as humans. Eventually out of indifference with a bland, desolate and isolating life they take their lives one by one. A tragic yet very human and poignant messages throughout, allowing us to explore our own sometimes fragile and volatile natures.
