I'm always looking for films which make me feel intensely; it almost doesn't matter which emotion (other than fear, disgust, etc.)
My idea for this thread is that everyone posts just one memorable film for each of the following categories:
- Most inspirational - Film which made you cry the most - Film which got you pumped up the most (e.g. one which had a great action sequence) - Most beautiful or surreal - Happiest film (open to interpretation) - Film with the best atmosphere/mood (your definition of 'best')
If you are a certified film buff or over the age of 60, you are allowed to post two recommendations per category by virtue of your experience. You may skip a category if you can't think of what to recommend. If you find it difficult to choose between two films for a certain category, choose the one with more emotional power (which may or may not be the better film overall).
Without further ado, here are my nominations:
Most Inspirational: Gattaca
Film which got you pumped up the most: The Last Samurai
Film which made you cry the most: Grave of the Fireflies. As far as I remember, the only film that made me cry. And I was gushing tears, let me tell you.
Most Beautiful or Surreal: Princess Mononoke
Film with the best atmosphere/mood: The New World
Hopefully this thread will broaden my horizons a bit.
Posted by Euripides (Member # 9315) on :
Oh, and if you can't think of a film, music is ok too.
Posted by Snail (Member # 9958) on :
Most Inspirational: Contact. This film hit me very hard if only because I saw it at age 12 and it was pretty much the first non-cartoon film I went to see at the theatre. Of course, the book is better.
Film which got you pumped up the most: Lord of the Rings
Film which got you pumped up the most: Hard call because I'm one of those overtly emotional males who cries at well done insurance commercials. I'd say Farewell My Concubine. The cultural revolution scenes are pretty intense.
Most Beautiful or Surreal: Spirited Away
Film with the best atmosphere/mood: Picnic at the Hanging Rock
Posted by Libbie (Member # 9529) on :
Most of my answers will probably be animation, but you had a lot in there, too, so I'm comfortable with sharing my animationophilia with you all.
- Most inspirational -- I'd second Gattaca here, but I will try to be original. Kundun would probably have to be my pick. It's pretty hard to find, but worth it.
- Film which made you cry the most -- Grave of the Fireflies is definitely a tear-gusher, but I'll add a few more. Keep in mind, I usually don't cry because of sadness, but a film that depicts nature beautifully, especially animals, will make me BAWL LIKE A BABY because it's just so dang pretty. Winged Migration, March of the Penguins, and The Story of the Weeping Camel all had me blubbering almost the entire way through. Yes, I'm a sentimental fool over animals.
- Film which got you pumped up the most (e.g. one which had a great action sequence) -- Hmmm. I'm not having anything spring to mind. I'm not that into action movies. I like them, but I don't remember them as well as animal movies that make me cry.
- Most beautiful or surreal -- Basically all the ones I've already listed. Winged Migration is especially surreal and gorgeous. In terms of weirdness-surreal, just about anything by Hayao Miyazaki has a satisfying weirdness to it that is decidedly beautiful. Spirited Away actually gave me a creepy, horrible feeling of deja vu the first time I saw it (and still often does), as if I'd dreamed the setting and plot before. Howl's Moving Castle is another one like that - weird/creepy, but gorgeous.
- Happiest film (open to interpretation) -- Hmm. Well, I have to say I'm a big, huge sucker for films that just make me laugh because they're so crazy. I'll interpret that into "happiest." I must put in that category South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut; Team America: World Police; The Forbidden Zone; and The Aristocrats, none of which are appropriate for children. what can I say? Sometimes toilet humor is like the funniest thing in the world and you just can't help laughing at it. Or I can't, anyway.
In terms of nicer "happiness," I'll go with Anne of Green Gables. I LOVE that movie!
- Film with the best atmosphere/mood (your definition of 'best') -- In terms of my definition, which has to be "an atmosphere that sucks me in and completely rivets me," I have to go with Adrian Lyne's version of Lolita (1997). It captured the special darkness of the book so perfectly. In my opinion, it's the most perfect adaptation of a novel to a film ever made (that I've seen, anyway). From the sets to the lights to the music, it's perfect, perfect, perfect. My only qualm is that they used a Jack Russell instead of a Setter for the Junks' dog.
Anyway. A few other picks for best atmosphere or mood. I love Sleepy Hollow (Tim Burton). I can't remember the name of the film, but somebody here will - the one with "Steve Zissou" and all the crazy underwater adventures, and his son dies in a helicopter crash. The mood of that film was so moving. It was like...desperation surrounded by extreme, bizarre beauty. It really got me emotionally. I shed a little tear when he found the crazy spotted shark and was surrounded by his grieving family and friends, and just sat there staring at it. I should watch it again.
Posted by B34N (Member # 9597) on :
most inspirational: The Last Samurai (honestly thought of it before I saw it in the original post) pumped up the most: Friday Night Lights film that made me cry: United 93 most beautiful/surreal: What Dreams May Come/Vanilla Sky best atmosphere/mood: too many but most recent Clerks II Posted by Launchywiggin (Member # 9116) on :
Most Inspirational: Braveheart, Shawshank Redemption
Film which got you pumped up the most: MI:III had the most intense ending I've ever seen.
Film which made you cry the most: Gallipoli
Most Beautiful or Surreal: Mirrormask
Film with the best atmosphere/mood: Rushmore
Happiest: Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Posted by Snail (Member # 9958) on :
quote: Spirited Away actually gave me a creepy, horrible feeling of deja vu the first time I saw it (and still often does), as if I'd dreamed the setting and plot before.
Yes! Me too! Especially the witch's cottage scene near the end. But then that also reminded me of Dr. Snuggles...
Anyway, forgot the happy film: Amélie. I know it's not a comedy as such, but I can't help but to feel happy after I've seen it.
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
quote:Originally posted by Snail:
quote: Spirited Away actually gave me a creepy, horrible feeling of deja vu the first time I saw it (and still often does), as if I'd dreamed the setting and plot before.
Yes! Me too! Especially the witch's cottage scene near the end. But then that also reminded me of Dr. Snuggles...
Anyway, forgot the happy film: Amélie. I know it's not a comedy as such, but I can't help but to feel happy after I've seen it.
That movie did the same thing to me, and as a result I never finished watching it.
-pH
Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
Here's my generic list of movies that fit these topics in general:
Shawshank Redemption City of Lost Children Amelie Last Samurai Fellowship of the Ring Requiem for a Dream
and I'll throw in The Big Lebowski for good measure.
Posted by fiddle_stix (Member # 9941) on :
Inspirational: Cinderella Man. the scene when he asked all those men he had once been friends for money to be able to feed his children was heart wrenching and so humbling.
Pumped up: Braveheart. FREEDOM!!!
Tearjerker: i actually have never cried in a movie, but i found The Passion of the Christ very moving. and i actually haven't seen this movie yet (since it isnt out yet ) but the trailer is so sad, The Pursuit of Happyness. when will smith and his "son" are sleeping in the bathroom and will smith is crying...sniffle.
Beautiful/surreal: Chocolat was a beautifully made film and the fountain was beautifully surreal, parts of it were like watching a live oil painting.
Happy: Meet Me in St. Louis always makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.
Best Atmosphere: You'e Got Mail and Under the Tuscan Sun, both of those have that "coffee house" atmosphere. they are like comfy blankets to me.
Posted by Earendil18 (Member # 3180) on :
Inspirational: That one movie with Denzel Washington and the football team.
Pumped up: Lord of the Rings
Crybaby: A.I. Artifical Intelligence
Beautiful/surreal: It's a toss-up between Spirited Away and Crouching Tiger.
Happy: The Incredibles
Best Atmosphere: Toss-up between Ghost in the Shell and Bladerunner.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
I cried so hard at the end of Life is Beautiful that I had to calm down in the empty theater for about 15 minutes before I was OK to drive home.
Tears streaming down my face. Gobs of sodden Kleenex.
Posted by Hank (Member # 8916) on :
Hotel Rwanda is really intense, emotionally. I'm not sure which category it fits in, but I've seen it several times and still get very involved with the characters.
Posted by Soara (Member # 6729) on :
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is definitely one of the most powerful movies I've ever seen, though it doesn't fit in any of those catagories. I'm not exactly sure what category it would fit in.
Most inspirational: Sophie Scholl. A German movie about a college student who was part of an organization spreading opposition to Hitler.(a true story). Film which made you cry the most: Serenity, but it was cruel. Film which got you pumped up the most (e.g. one which had a great action sequence): Remember the Titans. Duh. Most beautiful or surreal: Like Water For Chocolate. A movie thats just...gorgeous. I can't really explain it. Happiest film (open to interpretation): Finding Nemo. They found him. Film with the best atmosphere/mood (your definition of 'best'): The Lion King. Just because. Funniest movie: Borat. It felt so good to laugh that hard.
[ December 20, 2006, 08:33 PM: Message edited by: Soara ]
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
quote:Originally posted by Soara: Happiest film (open to interpretation): Finding Nemo. They found him.
Great. Now you spoiled it for me.
Posted by Rotar Mode (Member # 9898) on :
quote:Originally posted by Tante Shvester:
quote:Originally posted by Soara: Happiest film (open to interpretation): Finding Nemo. They found him.
Great. Now you spoiled it for me.
Me too.
Posted by Steev (Member # 6805) on :
Most Inspirational:Close Encounters of the Third Kind (This movie was to be my most favorite movie for the next 20 odd years after I first saw it in the theater as an 8-year-old in 1977.)
Film which got you pumped up the most:The Matrix / Serenity (sorry I just couldn't break the tie)
Film which made you cry the most:Spirited Away / The Royal Tenenbaums (another non breakable tie)
Most Beautiful or Surreal:Brazil (I also love this one for the atmosphere and mood too but it's more for the surreal)
Happiest film:Over The Hedge
Film with the best atmosphere/mood: Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (this one always makes me cry at the end too but if The Royal Tenenbaums didn't fit better with the tear jerker category it would also be in this category.)
Posted by Will B (Member # 7931) on :
Most inspiriational: Passion of the Christ, with no close second. This was a film about someone I knew going through a horrible experience. When I saw the abuse, I also thought: yep, that's how people used to treat each other (still do, in places). When he went through it all and then forgave people, while I hold grudges over harsh words --! That's when it became Film that made me cry the most.
Film that made me cry the most: the above, tied with Artificial Intelligence. People in my area (CS) dissed it because it wasn't really about AI. Well, no. It was about a little boy whose mother didn't love him enough. It was the anti-Velveteen Rabbit: no matter how much he imagined his perfect loving mother, she was never going to be real.
Most surreal: The Dark Crystal.
Most beautiful: The Four Seasons? Beautiful music and surroundings.
Happiest: ?
Best atmosphere: Toughie. Gattaca? No, Blade Runner.
Funniest: Noises Off.
Looks like I have to see Spirited Away.
Posted by Euripides (Member # 9315) on :
quote:Originally posted by Will B:
Looks like I have to see Spirited Away.
Yes! Posted by AvidReader (Member # 6007) on :
-Most inspirational: Cry, The Beloved Country/Legend of Bagger Vance (I know, I'm the only person who likes this movie. But I like it enough for all of you.)
- Film which made you cry the most: A Little Princess (When she's standing there screaming, "Papa, you have the remember!" I lose it and bawl every time.)
- Film which got you pumped up the most (e.g. one which had a great action sequence): Varsity Blues (I'm southern, I like football, and the school reminds me of my alma mater in an overly-Hollywooded kind of way.)
- Most beautiful or surreal: What Dreams May Come
- Happiest film (open to interpretation): Princess Bride
- Film with the best atmosphere/mood (your definition of 'best'): The Horatio Hornblower series (Ok, it's a tv miniseries, but I adore Captain Pellew. He's one of the great fictional military leaders of all time.)
Posted by kojabu (Member # 8042) on :
quote:Originally posted by Steev: Happiest film:Over The Hedge
I saw that movie the other day and I have to say I found the premise to be rather odd.
Posted by Launchywiggin (Member # 9116) on :
quote:Originally posted by Will B: Looks like I have to see Spirited Away.
Personally, I wouldn't get my expectations too high. Visually stunning, yes, but the story/script/characters were mostly bizarre and (to me) uninteresting. When I wasn't frustrated with some of the annoying aspects of the film, I was dozing off.
Posted by SenojRetep (Member # 8614) on :
Haven't read the rest of the thread, so I don't know if I'm replicating any here:
- Most inspirational: Whale Rider - Film which made you cry the most: I bawled uncontrollably during the "Taps" scene in From Here to Eternity. - Film which got you pumped up the most (e.g. one which had a great action sequence) ?? I can't remember ever being really pumped up by a movie. - Most beautiful or surreal: Peter Pan (2003) - Happiest film (open to interpretation) Happy Gilmore? When I'm feeling depressed and want to feel better about life, I really like watching Enchanted April. - Film with the best atmosphere/mood (your definition of 'best') Hmm... that's tough. I don't think I can choose one. Fellowship of the Ring, any Coen Brothers film (fav. Raising Arizona), any Baz Luhrmann film (fav. Strictly Ballroom), any Hitchcock film (fav. Rope), Casablanca, The Third Man, ... I could go on for days. Some (like Fellowship) I like for their immersiveness, others (like Strictly Ballroom, Raising Arizona, and Casablanca) are great at integrating visuals with mood, and others (like Hitchcock and The Third Man) are just purely mood driven. I guess I just don't have a good metric for "best."
Posted by Irami Osei-Frimpong (Member # 2229) on :
Film which got you pumped up the most: I don't know about movies, but everytime I see "Let Bartlet be Bartlet," I get a quick jolt.
Film which made you cry the most: For the Love of the Game.
Most Beautiful or Surreal: City of God.
Film with the best atmosphere/mood: Brother, Where Art Thou?, The Usual Suspects.
Posted by camus (Member # 8052) on :
- Most inspirational: Patch Adams
- Film which got you pumped up the most (e.g. one which had a great action sequence): Point Break - I love the skydiving sequence.
- Most beautiful or surreal: The Neverending Story
- Happiest film (open to interpretation): The Sandlot
- Film with the best atmosphere/mood (your definition of 'best'): The Godfather Posted by SC Carver (Member # 8173) on :
- Most inspirational: Shawshank, Dead Poets, Braveheart,
- Film which made you cry the most: Rudy? Don't really cry at movies
- Film which got you pumped up the most: LotR-RotK
- Most beautiful / surreal: Hero / What Dreams May Come
- Happiest film: The Princess Bride
- Film with the best atmosphere/mood:???
Posted by Fitz (Member # 4803) on :
- Most Inspirational: I hate to echo, but definitely Shawshank Redemption. This one probably also belongs in my crying category, though for me it's more of a lump in the throat and misty eyes. When Red and Andy reunite at the end I often have to stand up and excuse myself, with the pretext that I have something in my eye. Also, I know it's not really a movie, but I have to mention Band of Brothers in this category.
- Film which got you pumped up the most: It might sound funny, but I've go to go with Rounders. I'm sure there are other movies that have got me more pumped up, but the scene where Matt Damon's character reveals that he flopped the straight against Teddy KGB always gives me an adrenaline rush. Perhaps it's because his smile of barely contained laugh-out loud mirth and joy is something I've felt before in similar situations. Maybe you have to be a poker player to understand.
- Most beautiful or surreal: I don't really get why beautiful and surreal are together as a category. Certainly the surreal can be beautiful, but it can also fall on the opposite end of the spectrum. My favorite surreal movies are those written by Charlie Kaufman. Eternal Sunshine, Being John Malkovich, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and Adaptation.
- Happiest film: Forrest Gump. There are tons of movies that I like more, but this one probably makes me the happiest while I watch it.
- Film with the best atmosphere/mood: I love the sleazy darkness in Sin City.
Posted by Euripides (Member # 9315) on :
quote:Originally posted by Fitz:
I don't really get why beautiful and surreal are together as a category. Certainly the surreal can be beautiful, but it can also fall on the opposite end of the spectrum.
Sorry, that's my personal bias seeping in. A lot of the films I consider the most beautiful tend to feel slightly surreal. But I hear you. Parts of Trainspotting for example are very surreal, but definitely not beautiful.
Posted by SoaPiNuReYe (Member # 9144) on :
The Thin Red Line was definitly one of the most surreal movies I have ever seen.
Posted by Sterling (Member # 8096) on :
Off the top of my head:
Most inspirationalAmelie Film which made you cry the mostIn America Film which got you pumped up the most Branagh's Henry V Most beautiful or surrealFellowship of the Ring Happiest film (open to interpretation)LA Story Film with the best atmosphere/mood (your definition of 'best')The Crow Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
Most inspirational -A Beautiful Mind Film which made you cry the most -The Mission Film which got you pumped up the most (e.g. one which had a great action sequence) -I second Sterling's mention of Henry V Most beautiful or surreal -LOTR (the trilogy) Happiest film (open to interpretation) -It's a Wonderful Life Film with the best atmosphere/mood (your definition of 'best') -Baraka
These are all random choices. I could have made several different lists, but these are all favorites.
Posted by Euripides (Member # 9315) on :
quote:Originally posted by SoaPiNuReYe:
The Thin Red Line was definitly one of the most surreal movies I have ever seen.
One of my favourites as well. Of Malick's films I've only seen Thin Red Line and The New World, but love them both. Is the rest of his work similarly beautiful? (Yes, I'll go find out for myself, but while we're on the topic)
Posted by Humean316 (Member # 8175) on :
Most inspirational-Major League (I love that movie)
Film which made you cry the most-V for Vendetta (I especially cry when Valerie is reading the letter...its beautiful, poignant, and sad all at the same time.)
Film which got you pumped up the most-LOTR (the trilogy) but especially the battle scenes in ROTK and TTT.
Most beautiful or surreal-Garden State (The scene with Braff and Portman by the fire, oh man the music, the scene, its the greatest scene Ive ever seen on TV)
Happiest film-Braveheart (I consider it a happy movie, its sad too, but I always smile at the ending)
Film with the best atmosphere/mood (your definition of 'best')-The Matrix
Posted by Alcon (Member # 6645) on :
I'm gonna have to do this by parts, cause I don't think I could remember the correct ones in one sitting.
Film which made you cry the most:The Land Before Time, Still gets me. I used to watch it when I was a little kid, the part where Little Foot's mom dies, still makes me cry like a baby. And when they finally find the Great Valley I still cry tears of happiness. I don't know what it is about that movie... but it definitely gets me. It also happens to be one of my comfort films, I need to make sure to pick it up on DVD at some point, I miss having it.
Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
Welcome, fiddle_stix! Posted by fiddle_stix (Member # 9941) on :
Posted by Euripides (Member # 9315) on :
Oh, hi there fiddle_stix! Welcome to Hatrack.
Posted by Celaeno (Member # 8562) on :
Most inspirational: The Paper Chase Film which made you cry the most: What Dreams May Come Film which got you pumped up the most: ...Drumline. Don't tease. Most beautiful or surreal: Hero (but my second choice would be What Dreams May Come, and I swear I thought of these two before I saw SC Carver's picks) Happiest film: Amelie Film with the best atmosphere/mood: The Science of Sleep
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
![[Cool]](cool.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
) but the trailer is so sad, The Pursuit of Happyness. when will smith and his "son" are sleeping in the bathroom and will smith is crying...sniffle.