Now that I’ve posted my list of my movies that I feel are some of the worst films I’ve seen, now I’ll take the opportunity to post the ones I love the most, and it’s a long list, so I’ll have to break it down to a few at a time.
1. Harold and Maude – Best known for being a black comedy of cult status, it’s the story of a most unlikely love connection, an 18 year old boy and a 79 year old woman. They share a hobby of attending funerals for fun, and both have an obsession with death for very different reasons, and surprisingly enough, both reasons are very life-affirming. There’s a scene where Harold is doing one of his fake suicide attempts in the pool (you’ll have to see the movie to get this) and his mother goes for a swim, rolls her eyes at him and continues what she’s doing. It’s a delightful movie, and one which resonates with me on so many levels. I see and feel so much of me in both of these characters. Ultimately its theme is about living and loving to the fullest with however much or little time you have on this earth. And the Cat Stevens soundtrack of songs is fantastic. Ruth Gordon is wonderful as Maude, and it would be worth seeing her even if you liked nothing else about the movie.
2. Pieces of April – I don’t know if there are words to describe how much I love this movie, and that’s saying a lot when you’re a writer! The writing is phenomenal: tender, loving, emotional, and at the same time so intelligent and funny. Despite not knowing how to cook, April is hosting Thanksgiving dinner. Though not close to her family, she offers to do this because her mother has breast cancer and it may be their last Thanksgiving with her. She gets a rude awakening when the oven doesn’t work just as she’s ready to put the turkey in, and proceeds to knock on doors in her apartment building in an attempt to borrow an oven so she can still cook dinner. Katie Holmes shines as April in all her imperfect glory. Patricia Clarkson as the mother dares to be an unlikable character who surprisingly redeems herself in the end. It has a lilting, unusual soundtrack of music that is not heard in the mainstream, which adds an element that uniquely belongs to this movie. Once you see this, you’ll need to watch it every year to celebrate Thanksgiving.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009...9:04 am
The Hit List
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Tuesday, November 3, 2009 at 12:56 pm
This is a great start — I look forward to reading the rest of your list (stumbled on your blog through the randomness of the Internet). “Harold and Maude” is one of my favorite films because it’s so much more than a black comedy or “cult hit”; it’s an affirmation of life and a coming-of-age movie and a reminder to all of us to stop backing away from life. The end, which makes me weep every time, strikes me as one of the most sadly hopeful ever filmed.
M. Carter @ the Movies
http://mcarteratthemovies.wordpress.com/