Welcome to the second instalment of ‘3 films you need to see before you die!’ As you can probably anticipate, these lists will be unbelievably subjective and probably challenging for some people to read. With each small collection of films, I hope to shed light on the films that have captivated me in my own life and at the same time trying to sell them as an interest to you!
So, without waffling any further, here are 3 Films you need
to see before you die! In my humble and biased opinion.
1. JoJo Rabbit (2019) Dir. Taika Waititi
Taika Waititi has always had an impressive ability to blend elements of well-timed comedy to an overall outstanding and always personal dramatic movie. For me, JoJo Rabbit is Taika Waititi’s best example of this in his already unique collection. He brought us Boy (2010) and Hunt for the wilder people (2016) with both films deeply inspired by his own Mauri and New Zealand cultural heritage. At first, JoJo Rabbit seems like a journey into the past far from the world of Taika Waititi, but it isn’t. As a Mauri New Zealander of Jewish heritage, Taika used every bit of racism he has experienced throughout his life to dive into the dark days of Nazi Germany at the end of the second world war, through the perspective of young JoJo Betzler. A powerful piece on indoctrination and the innocence of an impressionable member of the Jungvolk (Hitler Youth).
In the crazy times of 2020 (at the time of writing this) JoJo
Rabbit is the perfect film to remind you that no matter how dismal the
current world picture is, cinema will always have a way of reminding you that
Love in it’s purest form always wins. I mention love because JoJo rabbit represents
exactly that. From his mother’s optimistic exuberance of a better Germany, to Elsa’s
dreams of going outside, the film highlights the despair of a society that is
yearning for love to take over.
Each and every member of the cast excels to create unique comedic moments in a dark world of uncertainty and a failing Nazi system. Roman Griffith Davis is sure to be one to watch for the future, playing a heavily indoctrinated member of the young German society who struggles to fight his conflicted views about Jewish people. He portrays JoJo in a way that is so mature for one so young, his mother, played by Scarlett Johansson represents the optimism of a better world in parallel to JoJo’s own believes which leads her to many challenges on the road. Nevertheless, this film would not be the same without Sam Rockwell as the flamboyant Captain Klenzendorf. Rockwell as the tired German officer knows that the war is over, he knows that his life will most likely end in the conclusion too, however he still looks out for JoJo, filling in as the real father figure that he believes Hitler is to him.
Taika Waititi stated that JoJo Rabbit was for all of
the single mothers who constantly have to fight with the many challenges of
bringing up children on their own. The score resonates perfectly with this
ideal. Roy Orbison’s ‘Mama’ plays over JoJo cycling and spending
valuable time with his mother, it allows him to find empathy in his mother's hopes, dreams and challenges that she has raising him alone. The film’s final
scene is anchored by ‘Helden’ the German speaking version of David
Bowie’s classic ‘Heroes’ for me this brings everything full circle. A
Beauty.
In a world of Hollywood reboots, sequels and a tiresome
lack of creativity, JoJo Rabbit is the film that offers a genuine ‘New Hope’
for cinema in it is cleanest form. A sincerely charming film in every way, you
will laugh, you will cry, but most importantly make sure you watch this before
you die.
2. Lion (2016) Dir. Garth Davis
As it stands, I have never seen Dev Patel put in a poor performance. Ever. Although, no matter how good he was in Slumdog Millionaire (2008) or The Personal History of David Copperfield (2019) Lion moved Dev Patel into an elite category where his outstanding potential became a reality. You know when you go into a film not having watched any of the trailers, with absolutely no idea what to expect, and it completely blows you away? Well that is exactly what Lion did. Dev Patel stars a Saroo Brierley, at 5 years old he became lost from his family in India, orphaned and found himself adopted by an Australian couple in redemption of a better life from the world he was initially brought into. A tight, authentic script, slick cinematography and a score to match, Lion is a gem.
What makes Lion so ideal is the authenticity and
realism. The first act which is around 45 minutes long, exists almost entirely
in Hindi, no corners cut for the sake of appealing to a western audience, this
film is about having integrity in what it is saying. It is hard to move past
the first act without a strong mention for Sunny Pawar who excels in portraying
Saroo in his early life as an orphan, a newcomer with a stunning story to tell.
There really are no frills here. This a story of family, loss, love, and hope.
This strong sense of family is passionately portrayed by
Nicole Kidman as Saroo’s adopted mother. She gives Saroo something that was
missing in his life whilst knowing that eventually, Saroo will grow up longing
to connect with his past and being accepting of that. An eye-opening piece of
Australian cinema, a country that has largely laid dormant on the international
stage can hopefully break out from Lion.
Lion’s score is unforgettable. Original,
effective, and largely a classical composition with an outstanding piece of
music in the final scene called ‘Never Give Up’ by Sia. Sia blends Indian
sounds to her unique and recognisable look, this resulted in the perfect end
song. ‘Never Give Up’ epitomises the message of Lion, no matter how
impossible the task may seem, Saroo could never give up.
Garth Davis will make you upset, then rejoice, then be
upset again. It’s a rollercoaster of a film which makes you want to reach out
to the people that you love as soon as the credits role, watch and you will
see.
3. Ladybird (2019) Dir. Greta Gerwig
Oh, another special coming of age story by a new director you
may think. But it is so much more than that. The story of Lady bird McPherson is
a deeply personal rendition of Greta Gerwig’s own life as a young adult largely
delving into her troubled relationship with her mother, a relationship that
many can resonate with. A relationship built on love and faces challenges often
down to two people being so overwhelmingly similar. Along with this, Ladybird
provides a deep introspection into the challenges of identity that young
people have all over the world. Questions over, gender, class, sexuality, and family
that all of us will encounter at different points in our young lives. Ladybird
is one of the most authentic coming of age stories out there and Greta Gerwig
has unbelievable potential, it is a film for anyone.
The notion of class and social status is a huge theme in Ladybird,
Lady bird struggles to accept that her family is from a working-class background,
she struggles to fight jealousy and compares herself to others more fortunate
than herself. These comparisons are natural and common throughout life, her arduous
progression through the film teaches her that it is something to proud of and is
able to embrace her own individual culture. As she compares her own class to others,
she imagines that everyone else’s life is perfect, Ladybird shows you
that it is quite the opposite.
As Lucas Hedges' character struggles with his sexuality in an environment heavily influenced by religion, how Beanie Feldsteins' character is at war with her own appearance, constant arguments that mean nothing, Ladybird is so relatable. Saoirse Ronan plays the title character immensely well, highlighting why she is ever present at award ceremonies even as a young actress. Her chemistry with director Greta Gerwig is evident, you can feel how much she enjoys working with Greta too, staring in Little Women (2019) and picking up another Oscar nomination for that piece too. Every member of the cast was chosen with enormous care and thought, for a directorial debut it seemed well ahead of what anybody would have expected from Ladybird.
Like all of my favourite movies to talk about, Ladybird has
a strong musical presence. ‘Days of Steam’ by John Cale is a real focal
point of the film setting the tone of the upbeat and energetic feel of the movie,
it really resonates with Lady Bird’s fiery personality. Along with the classical
symphonies, Greta Gerwig uses Haim and Justin Timberlake respectively to slot
in perfectly into the adolescent feel of Ladybird.
Ladybird is reminiscent of a time that we all know very well. Being young, being stupid, making mistakes, but most importantly a time where you are moulding into the person that you want to be. Greta Gerwig will continue to grow, and Ladybird is just the beginning.
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