More Movie Recommendations

As anyone who has known me for more than an five minutes is aware, I enjoy movies a LOT! My movie collection extends from 1902 (Voyage dans la lune, Le/A Trip to the Moon) through 2007 (The Kite Runner). I'm not for quoting movies endlessly: "Badges? We ain't got no badges! We don't need no stinkin' badges!", "What we've got hee-yah is a fail-yah to comm-un-ah-cate!", and "....fuzzy end of the lollipop"are some of my favorites. I've got movies from all over the world: France, Yugoslavia, Russia, Iran, Poland, and Canada, to name a few. So, needless to say, I like to talk about movies.

In February 2006, I recommended some movies to watch. It was a good list. However, I have watched MANY more since then. So, as a true movie connosseiur, here are a few more recommendations that I have enjoyed recently.

1. The Kite Runner (2007) Directed by Marc Foster
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If you want a movie that will enchant you with happy feelings throughout the movie, then this is NOT the movie to see. It is a very dark and depressing movie; however this movie is very much a MUST SEE and the book is a MUST READ! I picked up the movie for $7.99 at Starbucks. It would have been worth the full price.
This story is about two friends, Amir and Hassan, in 1970's Afghanistan. Amir and his widowed father are wealthy Pashtuns, Hassan and his widowed father are Hazarajat servants. Within that plotline are many mosaics of stories: Amir and his father and their relationship, Amir and guilt, a thirty year history lesson of Afghanistan, and so much more.
Before you start this movie, make a commitment to watch the entire epic, regardless of how depressing it gets. It will be well worth it.

2. Tell No One (2006 - French) Directed by Guillame Canet
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This extraordinary French movie is based on the novel (of the same name) by American author Harlan Coben. The basic premise of the movie (and revealing no spoilers): A man's wife was brutally murdered eight years ago. He has never gotten over the murder. Today, he receives an Email from her.
This movie was also quite faithful to the book. This movie is still in cinemas here, but it was cheaper for me to purchase it from Amazon.co.uk (being an import, it is already on DVD in Europe and I have a region-free player). I read the book and then saw the movie. Both were wonderful. I was also amazed how they could take upstate New Jersey (book) and transplant it to Paris and various suburbs (movie).

3. Safety Last (1923)/The Kid Brother (1927)/Grandma's Boy (1922)/The Freshman (1925)...and more!
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Harold Lloyd, now, is not one of the names that immediately comes to mind when people think of "silent" (a misnomer, as movies were NEVER silent. They were made to be seen with accompanying organ music) movies. However, back in the 1920's, only Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton were more popular than Harold Lloyd. His movies have stood the test of time fairly well.
Any of these four movies are a good way to begin watching Lloyd's movies. SAFETY LAST is notably known for Lloyd hanging 12 stories above Los Angeles from a clock handle. I challenge anyone to watch these movies and not thoroughly enjoy them.

4. 11'09''01 - September 11 (2002)
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Eleven filmmakers from around the world got together and made eleven different short films: all the films were 11 minutes 9 seconds and 1 frame long. These movies give a different look than the view we have had here is in the U.S; in fact, at least one of them is strongly Anti-American.
One story has two kids in Burkina-Faso chasing Osama Bin Laden for the $25 million dollar reward. Another story shows Ernest Borgnine lamenting the loss of his wife (this one was directed by Sean Penn).
Take the time to watch this. This film is one that you will either LOVE IT or HATE IT! There is no middle ground.

Stay tuned in the future for further movie recommendations!