This, I think, is my favorite movie, possibly of all time. I bought it at Target on a whim one day over the summer without having seen it - something I don't usually do. Not only is it a beautiful, beautiful story, it's also 100% true, exactly historically accurate, and full of fantastic British accents. If you like period drama, chick flicks, the English monarchy, the complications of politics, or fancy clothes from the Victorian era, you HAVE to watch this movie.
Also full of British accents (of the North English variety this time) is Billy Elliot. It's a tale of growing up, of complicated family dynamics, of overcoming obstacles, of following dreams, and of hard work. Plus it has amazing dancing. And did I mention the accents? They're great.
My family was watching this one this evening. If you didn't see it in the theater (or better yet, an IMAX theater), you missed out. It was just that epic. I think I referred to it as a "brain-melter" this evening while talking to my mom on the phone, a description that I think is pretty accurate. You might have to watch it twice to really get it, but it's absolutely worth it. SO. GOOD.
On a different note, Everything is Illuminated is both hilarious and profound. Apparently is has very little to do with the book that it was based on, but I only saw the movie, so I will advocate for that. Be forewarned - it's a little weird, and is probably much more funny if you've had some international travel experience, preferably in Europe. Decidedly and unapologetically politically incorrect (which, honestly, is quite refreshing), it feels very much like foreign film, and I would highly recommend it.
As for a real foreign film, I love this one! It's in French, but it has English subtitles for the non-French speaker. Quirky, cute, and colorful, it's probably more of a chick flick, but it's adorable and is full of good messages.
I blame Julie and Julia for starting me blogging. It's tied with The Young Victoria as my favorite, and it's easy to see why it won so many awards! Here are a few reasons: high quality acting, gourmet food, the fact that it's "based on two true stories," relatable characters, obsession and recovery, and Julia Child. You can't go wrong, especially when Meryl Streep and Amy Adams play the two main characters.
Admittedly, I've only seen these two once, but they're what could be considered epic masterpieces. Also, I'm counting them together, so they are tallied as only one on my list. They're definitely not chick flicks; in fact, they're "guy movies." But I like them anyway. Real historical events, good plot lines, and battle scenes (ok, the battle scenes aren't my favorite part of the movies, but if you ask my brothers, they'd say that those scenes are the best) are the three most important components. You should probably go with the Director's Cut/Special Edition to get the most out of them.
To counter the manliness of the above-listed movies, I have to list this one. It may be over five hours long...but if you have the time, it's FANTASTIC. Mr. Thornton seems like a jerk at first, but by the time you get to the end of the movie, it's the most lovely, romantic end in the world. Sigh.
Ok, Penelope is a kid movie. But I love, love, love it. Don't judge me. It's a fairy tale, really, about a family whose mistakes have led to a curse: the next girl born will look like a pig. The curse can be broken when one of her "own kind" loves her for who she is. It's hard to explain....but so cute.
And finally - remember, these are in no particular order - I have to include some Dickens on my list. Nicholas Nickleby, believe it or not, has a happy ending! Obviously, I'm not going to give the ending away, but it's classic Dickens - a masterful story, full of richly developed characters, many interwoven plot lines, a very clear differentiation between good and evil, and a focus on the lower class being more (pardon the pun) classy than the upper class. I love Dickens.
Well...to quote an oft-quoted, dearly beloved cartoon character, "That's all folks!" There's church in the morning, so it's time for bed.
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