Everyone is eagerly waiting for exams to get over, and have made several plans on how they are going to enjoy their term break. Exam season is stressful for everyone and the desire to do well is something that prevents students from relaxing even for a second. Now that exam season has ended, however, students can finally take a break and enjoy themselves. Some prefer going out and partying, while others prefer catching up on sleep lost during exam season, however, the one common thread that links all of this together is the desire to relax before the starting of the second trimester. As someone who loves movies and is obsessed with movies, I am planning on celebrating and relaxing by watching movies with my fellow friends who happen to be film nerds as well. If you are also someone who loves watching movies, here are some movies that I think you would enjoy watching.Â
Whisper of the Heart, directed by Yoshifumi KondĆ: I am in love with studio ghibli to such an extent that if I could pick a movie to watch for the rest of my life it would be âWhisper of the Heart.â The movie revolves around the life of a teenage girl called Shizuku who wants to be a writer. This films follows her journey of self discovery and delves into what it means to fall in love. The truth is that there is something so magical about this movie. There is such gentleness that surrounds this film. I do not know if it is because of the way it romanticizes day to day activities such as taking a walk, or going to the library or because you can see the amount of dedication that the filmmakers put into it. The way it portrays teenage love, teenage fears surrounding their future and their dreams and aspirations is something that deeply resonates with me. This movie is like walking back into your childhood and watching your best moments again. The way it showcases the solidarity that surrounds artists is so kind, it is almost as if the movie is saying, âI know what you are going through, and I am here for you. There is no judgement here.â
Ladybird, directed by Greta Gerwig: âBut do you like me?â is what Ladybird asked her mother when her mother told her that she loves her. The way the relationship between a girl and and her mother is portrayed is beautiful, mainly because of how true it is. There is such beauty in depicting the rawness of this bond: the good, the bad and the ugly. The best of this movie is that it doesn’t condemn Ladybird or her mother. It just tells their story with no judgement and explores their bond without condemning either of the characters. It portrays the fears that teenagers feel in terms of relationships, their future along with the insecurities that comes with feeling lost in a world where everyone seems to know their place.
I Saw the Devil, directed by Kim Jee-woon: While The last two movies revolved around coming of age, this one delves into the Korean thriller/horror genre. This movie follows a man who is driven by his rage as he furiously hunts down the murderer of his fiancee. If you are planning on watching this movie, I would just want to warn you that it is extremely gory and depicts scenes of sexual assault. While this movie has been criticized by my friends for some of its themes, especially those surrounding gender, it is still filmed in such a harrowing manner and the acting by the cast is extremely passionate and realistic. Scenes filmed eerily late at night, along with scenes filmed in abandoned warehouses and poverty stricken houses, all add to what makes this film harrowing. While I disagree with the way it depicts gender based violence, mainly due to its lack of originality , I still think that the director did a good job in depicting the love the protagonist had for his fiancee along with themes of anger, hate and revenge and raises the question, âhow far is too far?â when it comes to getting revenge. I feel that this film explores the whirlwind of emotions that comes after you lose someone you love – uncertainty, fear, anger, hopelessness through the violence which is depicted in it. One can sense the deep pain that the protagonist feels.
Perfect Blue, by Satoshi Kon: This movie depicts madness and hallucinations in the most mind-numbing, confusing and painful way possible and I love it. I would like to provide a trigger warning for this movie as well since it contains violent/graphic scenes . This film is about Mima, who was once a popstar but later switched lanes to acting, however, a creepy stalker and the exploitative nature of the movie industry start taking a toll on her mental health. Things take a turn for the worse for her when people around her start getting killed as well. The main focus of this movie is a woman and her descent into madness and how she rediscovers herself, while critiquing the exploitative nature of movie industry that she is a part of, and ensures that the descent of madness is not shown to be the personal failure of the main character, but a result of the patriarchy . The animation of this movie is gorgeous and I could not recommend this movie more.
There are several reasons I chose these films. Irrespective of their flaws, these films have a clear story and message that they want to share with the audience and they do an excellent job in portraying it. After watching these films, I felt like I experienced something brilliant. These films do a wonderful job of showcasing what film making is all about: the art of storytelling in most raw and creative way possible. After I watched these films, I realized that I was looking at these characters as if they were real people and as if I had been granted the privilege of getting to peak into their lives for a brief moment of time. This is one of the reasons I recommended these films as well, it is because of their ability to make me realize what sonder means.