Recommend a movie.
By SplitZip
@SplitZip (1488)
Portugal
January 1, 2007 1:25pm CST
Recommend one film that you think everyone should see. Please leave a little synopsis or any other details you find appropriate.
I recommend...
»»» Fritz Lang's "M" (1931, Germany, B/W, 117 min.)
"M" is one of the earliest serial killer films ever made. It tells the story of a series of child murders that are quickly terrifying the population. The police cannot find the culprit, task which is made even more difficult by the fact that all sorts of false leads are being received. The authorities start cracking down on all illegal activities, hoping to catch the murderer among the criminals. The organized crime bosses, on the other hand, do not appreciate this intrusion or the fact that they are being associated with a gruesome child murderer. So they decide to take matters into their own hands and track down the killer themselves.
This film was released in the early 1930's and yet it is completely contemporary. The themes revolve around justice, the death penalty and the criminally insane. It ends with no easy answers but rather with gruelling questions which we still haven't solved today. It's a truly remarkable film, with a dark atmosphere and good performances by the cast (Peter Lorre is unforgettable as the wide-eyed, tortured child murderer).
This was director Fritz Lang's first spoken film. Despite this, the sound is used with mastery and to great effect. "M" also treated the subject of criminal investigation in detail for the first time on film, exposing the methods the police use as they collect evidence, elaborate profiles of the serial killer and more. The film is not about gore and the acts of murder themselves are not seen on the screen, the subject matter is dealt with much more subtlety. The scene where the murderer abducts a child is shot in a chilling fashion. There are also some humourous moments and lots of interesting things related to the production of the film itself.
"M" was banned in Germany between 1933 and 1935, when the Nazi party was in power. It's working title was "The murderers are among us", which some thought was an allusion to the nazis (but this might have been only a coincidence, as it can be related to the message at the end of the film).
You can watch the film here:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2723662265706265460&q=Fritz+Lang
Or you can download it here:
http://www.archive.org/details/M_
It is also available on DVD. There is a commentary version which is a bit dull (I actually fell asleep watching the commentary :) but it has some interesting notes about the film and its production.
This is one of my favorite films and one that definitely leaves you thinking.
7 people like this
69 responses
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
2 Jan 07
The movie I would recommend is "American Beauty". It is sad, pignat, beautifully filmed and also funny in places. It appeals to me because the main character could be any one of us. Stuck in the same boring job, his wife and daughter hardly even acknoledge he exists, his wife is having an affair..... But rather than implode, the decision is made to live life doing everything that makes HIM happy. Regardless of whether the choices are considered intelligent or not, regardless of whether it provides the financial means to grow.
The ending is very sad but also makes you think long and hard about your own existence. Will YOU die happy and with a smile on your face? How many of us aren't actually living but are waiting to die? The main characters decisions are not all smart and well structured but I believe that he learns more about himself in a few months than he has in his whole life to date. I believe that we can all learn something positive from this movie. Beauty can be found in the most unlikely places!
2 people like this
@jonezy (293)
•
2 Jan 07
i absolutly love this film, it isnt one you would associate with a teenage lad, and no i wasnt interested in it just for the flesh that is on show, i think the storyline is brilliant and shows an aspect to people you rarely see. as soon as i seen this movie i had to have a copy of it, and because i wasnt very big on the downloading scene at the time i went down to my local HMV store to purchase it the next day. I got a DVD edition for 7.99 which i thoguht was a bargain! watched it that day, and have probably seen it a good 50 times since i bought it, this has been over a 3 year period however...
cheers,
khris
@jewel76 (2305)
• Canada
2 Jan 07
I recommend "Remember the Titans" starring Denzel Washinton. A movie about overcoming racism, working as a team to reach our goals, putting aside our differences and not judging others before knowing them, beyond the color of their skin. It is an excellent movie and Denzel is superb, as always.
2 people like this
@vibhu12321 (381)
• India
1 Jan 07
i would like to suggest people to see OCEAN11 . what a film, it is. evrybody should see how the use their brain for theft. and george clooney and brad pitt are loking stunning as usual
@cowboyzfan (718)
• United States
1 Jan 07
I recommend Friday! You can find some details in that link.http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113118/
2 people like this
@unithorn (193)
• United States
2 Jan 07
A great overlooked film of the past five years was
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Starring Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet, a brilliantly artsy, concept-based dramatic film about love, regret, longing, and forgiveness. Released by Focus films (notoriously artsy movies, the Radiohead of cinema), it surprised me to find a typically comedic actor (Carrey) and an actress that I cannot stand (Winslet) stetching their boundaries and delivering fulfilling, relatable performances.
If you are willing to allow it to touch you, this movie will tear something (and I am NOT a girly-girl - my very macho ex was almost brought to tears by letting himself be placed in the film...) The concept is intriguing and the...desperation is wrenching.
@wolfie34 (26771)
• United Kingdom
4 Jan 07
I would recommend Shawshank Redemption, it is one of my all time favourite films, set in a US prison it tells the story of Andy who was wrongly admitted for killing his betraying wife and the bloke she was having an affair with. Its about a brutal prison regime and how Andy adjusts to this. It is gripping and the storyline is fantastic, it will have you hooked all the way through. All the loose ends are tied up and you are left thinking WOW. It is also very profound and can be shocking in places. I have seen this film three times and each time I think its a masterpiece. Is it any wonder the film is so good written by Stephen King with a splendid performance by Morgan Freeman. Released in 1994 I would strongly recommend it, you won't be disappointed.
1 person likes this
@emeraldisle (13139)
• United States
2 Jan 07
I love movies and have a good collection of them so limiting myself to recommending just one movie is a bit hard so I'm going to recommend 2. Now these are both older movies but if you haven't seen them then I suggest you do.
1. Arsenic and Old Lace: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036613/Cary Grant plays Mortimer Brewster, a play critic and confirmed bachelor, who on his wedding day finds out some interesting family secrets. He always knew his one brother was a bit off, Teddy thinks he's Teddy Roosevelt, but soon he finds out that insanity doesn't only run through his family, it practically gallops.
Hilarious movie that will keep you in stitches. The two old aunts are great. Cary Grant is fabulous. If you like comedies this is a must see:)
2. Father Goose: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058092/Another Cary Grant film but in this one he plays Walter Eckland, the filthy beast and Leslie Caron plays Catherine Freneau, goody two shoes. Walter Eckland is a drunken reprobate who is conned into working for the Navy during World War 2 by being stationed as a lookout on a deserted island. Then he gets saddled with Catherine Freneau and her students, all girls ranging from 5 to 15 all on this little island.
This is one of my favorites. Cary Grant is very different in this movie to his others but he's believable in the role. It will bring a smile to your face.
So those are two I recommend. Yes they are older movies but they are excellent classics. Both are available on DVD so you can find them. If you watch them I hope you enjoy them.
@nidahali (446)
• Pakistan
2 Jan 07
I've got loads of favorite movies that I can recommend so I'll just list a few with little description os them.
* Ghost (A very romantic and beautiful story about a guy whose killed for his money and his ghost tries to help his girlfriend's life)
* A walk to remember (Again a very cute romantic story about teenagers falling in love)
* Lord of the rings trilogy (Story about middle-earth's survival against evil)
* Braveheart (True story about Scotland's historic hero)
* Gladiator (An excellent movie about a gladiator)
* V for Vendetta (See this if you wanna improve your vocabulary of V ;) )
* Blood Diamond (A seriuosly nice story about few people's journey of discovering and keeping a very rare pink 100K diamond)
I have so much more movies that I can recommend but for now you guys watch these and let me know what you think about them then I'll recommend more :) Cheers
@cliffcliff (1350)
• United States
1 Jan 07
personally i did not like that movie m... it just seemed normal, like when people are looking for the child murderer and i believe they finally get him in the end we are to understand he is to be executed, Just seems like the normal thing to do with child murderers, nothing really controversial, but people just think it is so controversial, dont know why.
i like a movie from 1965 called "blow up" (its not about bombs either).
1 person likes this
@cliffcliff (1350)
• United States
2 Jan 07
i am not a big fan either of most Antonini films, but "Blow Up" was cool and had a point about aimlessness and hipsters thinking they are so self-important, when in reality it is all poise.
Blow Up has less dialog than expected and forces you to watch and listen. David Hemming and Vannessa Redgrave play well together and the setting is London in the 60's... thats nice filming. its been about 8 years since i saw it. i will watch it again just to spite you :)
and btw, i think child murderers should be executed, in this film, i believe the guy knew he was doing wrong, he just decided he would live outside the law. that's a major crime requiring strong punishment, a no-brainer for me.
1 person likes this
@cliffcliff (1350)
• United States
2 Jan 07
also i saw the movie 30 years after it was made. This Italian director in London seemed to me, to capture a sense of the time and place at its peak moment, without the assistance of hindsight thru time, as i had when i saw it.
once again, this is only a movie, and i am not a big movie guy, but i am an artist at heart, and what we have here in this film is a fictional story, within a social setting that Antonini was able to dig inside and hold up a mirror to these people, including the audience.
1 person likes this
@SplitZip (1488)
• Portugal
1 Jan 07
Well, it is controversial, because not everyone thinks that's what should be done with them! But different people, different tastes. BTW, I loathe Antonioni! (hehe) Never got into his movies. Aside from some interesting though gimmicky cinematography, I could never see what the big deal was. Like I said, different people have different tastes. Thanks for posting. Maybe you could write a bit more about Blowup, for the people who don't know the film? :)
@ItTakesAllSorts (4096)
•
2 Jan 07
I love The Fisher King with Jeff Bridges and Robin Williams. Its a great film from the start and the ending really affected me. It was so moving and heartwrenching.
1 person likes this
@Vipera_aspis (6)
• Philippines
2 Jan 07
hi! i highly recommend "Billy Elliot" [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0249462]
it is about a schoolboy who loves to dance. he lives with his father, brother, and grandmother in a poor town in england. his mother has long passed away (the boy sort of develops a mother-son relationship with his dance teacher, who was a former professional dancer). he also has a close friend who is a witness to his antics -- a gay little boy fond of cross-dressing.
billy's dad tried to groom him to become a manly man -- making him take up boxing as an after-school sport. but billy was able to make arrangements with the dance teacher to enroll in her afternoon classes. when he was found out, his dad gets mad but he (billy) defiantly pursues his dream -- to dance.
as with the rest of the community lads, billy was expected to become a local miner some day, like his father and brother. but he gets invited to audition for a dance company in the city. they could hardly make ends meet but this is billy's chance to change the course of his life, to be a somebody. his dad proceeds to sell some of his late wife's jewelry and risks the wrath of his co-workers (including his eldest son) by deciding to go back to work despite the workers' strike, just so he can support his family and finance his and billy's trip to the city for billy's audition.
during the audition, billy chokes in the interview. and when they go home, the whole family feels hopeless that their billy would ever get in. but a few weeks later a letter from the dance company arrives. they wait for billy to come home and open it personally. it seems like forever before billy emerges from his room teary-eyed, confirming his acceptance. it was around this time that i started bawling in front of the tv set, continued even after the movie was over, and ended when i took my afternoon nap.
billy eventually went on to become the "male prima ballerina" (i apologize i don't know the correct term and i feel too lazy right now to find out) of the big city's dance company. his father and brother went to see him perform; his childhood friend (with boyfriend in tow) also went. he made them all proud.
the film was both funny and deeply moving. it touched on homosexuality[billy's dad prohibited him from taking ballet lessons because it is so gay -- but it turned out that it was billy's friend (who didn't like to dance) who was gay]. it tackled the issue of upholding one's principles versus providing food on the table. but the central theme is about reaching for one's dreams despite the adversities. simple, yes, but very powerful. it demonstrated how love and respect from family and friends, coupled with desire and determination, can propel anyone to heights just previously imagined.
[note: i'm afraid i have provided too much detail, but i couldn't remember the names except billy; i saw the film almost 6 years ago. just go see it, it'll be worth ur while]
1 person likes this
@amiyami (4)
•
2 Jan 07
Definetly gota be 'Irréversible'by Gaspar Noé. A very sickly artistic film, that you shouldnt watch with the misses. Rape scene is toooo much but you'll love it cos your human & you need misery to feel alive. Here's the plot(spoiler warning):Events over the course of one traumatic night in Paris unfold in reverse-chronological order as the beautiful Alex (Monica Bellucci) is brutally raped and beaten by a stranger in the underpass. Her boyfriend and ex-lover take matters into their own hands by hiring two criminals to help them find the rapist so that they can exact revenge. A simultaneously beautiful and terrible examination of the destructive nature of cause and effect, and how time destroys everything.
1 person likes this
@halo12 (124)
• India
2 Jan 07
well...i would recommend u to watch "Rang De Basanti" which is a awesome bollywood movie ...the movie is abt five young individuals and it tells us to stand up and fight against the corruption ....fight against the injustice....and this movie is India's official entry to the OSCARS..this movie also has an amazing musical score by none other than the mozart himself "AR RAHMAN"
1 person likes this
@swatyagarwal (88)
• India
2 Jan 07
I am from India. I would recommend to watch 2006 movies - rang De basanti, Lage raho muna bhai and Omkara
@jonezy (293)
•
2 Jan 07
ok i have to reccomend this one
"Freddy Got Fingered"
by the title you will be surprised to hear it is nothing like what it sounds. it is about a person trying to break onto the animation scene, while driving his family mad in the process, holding down a job at a cheese factory and then ends up shipping his father off to pakistan in the hope of sewing soccor balls together.
it ownt be to everyones taste, i am fully aware of that, but i just cant get enough of it.
dont view if you are offended easily.
as a suggested audience.. teenage males who enjoy comedys and have a very very open mind!
just my two cents, enjoy x
@paulyn (81)
• Philippines
2 Jan 07
to those twenty something... i recommend ACCEPTED its a very funny movie. its about a student who has just graduated from high school and the pressure of his parents for him to go to college. unfortunately he wasnt able to go to any college he applied to so he and his friends ( who also werent able to be accepted on college ) decided to create their own school. and so they named their school after thier high school and proclaimed it as its sister school.the movie was fun because every detail in creating their own college was fun. they put up their school using an old mental hospital nearby and put up their own website too! in the end of course the dean from a their highschool found out about this and they have to see all the students in court. so they had a hearing and in the end, the S.H.I.T / South Harmon Institute of Technology had an accreditation well actually they were under probation though. the story is actually not really going to college but its more on following what you really want so you can be successful in life. for incoming highschool graduates, learn how to achieve your dreams. follow what you want because following your dreams will achieve your goals and enahance your talents as well.
1 person likes this
@Beckyisanerd (4)
• United States
2 Jan 07
I think that one of the best movies of all time is Angela's Ashes. Bear in mind that I'm irish (and durn proud of it!... lol) so I may be a little biased...
Angela's Ashes is of course based upon a book written by Frank McCourt. It's actually a remarkable biographical account of Frank McCourt's life in Ireland, and how he came to be a professor at a highly acclaimed University, here in the United States.
I read the book first, which was MUCH better than the movie, but watching the movie puts a better visual in your head as to the conditions that the people of Limerick, Ireland, lived in. It's amazing...
This is a GREAT movie... if you're into the sort of indie style movies, or you've read Angela's Ashes, or even if you just have a passion for Irish culture (or learning about any culture for that matter), this would be an excellent movie for you to watch. Most mainstream critics were pretty harsh, but don't let that deter you... it's a great movie.
1 person likes this