The final 4! It'll be nice to get these out of my system so I can start writing about some other films, but these four films are extremely important to me and I love them to death. If you want any insight into me and my thoughts and what connects with me, these are the films to watch.
4. The Spectacular Now As time has gone on, I'm not sure if I would rank this film this high, because it has it's flaws, but I cannot deny the feeling I got when the credits rolled. This film feels so personal to me. It reminds me of my high school experience in weird ways, even though I would say on a surface level I do not relate to the lead character whatsoever. However, on a deeper level, I feel his struggles, his desires, his emotions, and I connected to the so hard, that I was left with chills once the film ended, it was if I was looking into a mirror of my high school days. Aside from my personal connection, this film is also so intimate and so subtle at times that it feels very real. It focuses on small moments, everyday moments, and it's extremely refreshing. The cinematography is beautiful, and all the performances feel real and honest, and so even if I have some nit-picks, I really loved this film and highly recommend it for anyone who likes high school films. 3. Eighth Grade Depending on the day, this film could be number one, and for very good reason. This film is moving, funny, sad, cringey, nostalgic, and eye-opening. It focuses on the world of eighth grade and it is true to the experience of today's eighth graders. Elsie Fisher, who plays our protagonist Kayla, gives the single greatest teen performance I've ever seen, and probably the best performance of the year in my opinion. She conveys the shy and awkward young girl with such nuance and charm that she eats up the screen the whole run time. This film also speaks about anxiety and the worries of what's to come next in life, while still having a hopeful optimism to it. If you want any insight into today's middle school experience, need a little inspiration, or are just looking for what may be the best film of the year, then look no further. 2. First Reformed I was looking forward to this film for a long time, and I finally got to see it this summer. Following a pastor who is wrestling with his faith in the wake of tragedy, this film explores what it means to be a person of faith in an always changing world, the importance of true human connection, and the slow decent into madness that tragedy can bring. This film is a slow burn, moving at a crawls pace but revealing everything in such a perfect and precise time. The screenplay is phenomenal and I was hanging on every word from each character. Ethan Hawke gives the performance of a lifetime and that makes this film worth the watch by itself. This film is more than that however, and connected with me as I too have been exploring what it means to be a person of faith in the world of today, and this film brought up some great thoughts about the role of the church and how the church should interact with the world. Some may read this film as an anti-christian film, but I think it's the complete opposite. Yes the church has it's problems, but I think this film reminds me that with genuine human love, as the church, we can do great things for God's kingdom This movie is tense, thought-provoking, and captivating, and I loved it. 1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind The best film I watched this summer was this one. Let's start from a film making perspective. The way this film conveys memories and the way it cleverly transitions and connects them as we look back at the relationship is masterful. The cinematography is flawless. The Chemistry between Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet is wonderful and every moment they share on screen is joyous and heartbreaking. The supporting cast is excellent as is the script. The way this film presents it's narrative in it's none linear fashion makes it an equally great rewatch. But the reason this film is number for me is the reminder than even when relationships fail, that even when they get ugly, the great times you've shared with a person are worth it, the experiences you had are still beautiful, and that we shouldn't give them up. It also reminds me that we shouldn't give up on relationships even if we know that times are going to get tough, because you know what? True human connection is always worth it, no matter the cost. I guess that's my take away looking back at these films, is that we all have a desire for true human connection, and that it's worth the heartbreak, it's worth hard times, and it's worth the work, whether platonic or romantic, we were made to connect with other humans, and we shouldn't give up on that for anything. And I all these films show that in some way. These were my favorite films that I watched this summer. Here's to the next films that come my way.
0 Comments
|
Austin VincentJust a guy with a passion for film and Jesus who's trying to show that He can be found in our creative endeavors. Archives
November 2018
Categories |