There are many films being released around the world, and out of all the films, only few of them grabs the attention of the viewers. Luckily, due to distribution of films in streaming websites such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, many unknown films are being known to people.
The sad thing with films are that ratings from popular websites or reviewers matter. However, I do not depend on the ratings from IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes because people's perspective and understanding vary in each films. We all have different thoughts and views in everything. If you really want to find out the films that will blow up your mind, do not refer to the ratings or reviews from other people. It is your decision to rate the film good or bad, not strangers who you do not even know who they are, and what they prefer.
So here are some recommendations for each genre of films you might be mind-blown after watching them. Of course, these recommended films are based on my preference, so please understand if the film is bad in your perspective. Genres are in alphabetical order.
Action - Children of Men (2006)
This is an apocalyptic film of near future in 2027, where humans are not able to give birth. This film surprised me because most of the incidents that are happening in the film has already happened in real life, after the film was released in 2006. The terrorism rate is soaring up, and more people are not giving birth. The story-line of this film is very dark, and depressing, giving a huge impact to the viewers.
The action sequence are amazing, where you will not be able to believe that some scenes look like as if they took it in one shot, showing no cuts to the scene, giving the viewers the best experience, becoming part of the film. If you love creative action films, you will be able to enjoy this.
Animation - Loving Vincent (2018)
There is one special thing about this film. It is the world's first oil painted animation film. It follows the style of painting that Vincent Van Gogh drew. You will be able to see the marvelous effort that the artist gave in this film, because each frame were painted one by one, creating a historical animated film.
The story is about a mystery between the death of Vincent Van Gogh, people around him being suspicious about the death of Vincent Van Gogh. You will be able to know what state the painter was at before he passed away, and know more about his deeper meaning in his paintings. Though the movie is fictional, through the actors' great acting skills, it was able to portray the story as realistic as possible.
Biography - The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio (2005)
I recently watched this film in Netflix, and it was a heart-warming film that remembers an ordinary woman in United States in 1950s. It is based on a true story where the film portray life of Evelyn Ryan, a housewife raising 10 children by winning prizes from contests all around America. The film shows the hardships that she goes through as a wife and a mother to 10 children, watching them grow up, getting more worried about the finance.
This film does not just show her winning the prizes and raising the children. It shows how powerful mothers are, and how desperate they can be when it comes to the love of their children. Evelyn Ryan's expression of love towards her children and her husband was by winning these prizes and supporting the family's needs. It is quite an inspiring film because an ordinary person can also be a subject of a Biographical Film. So, you could be one of them! You will never know your future.
Crime - Lady Vengeance (2005)
I am from Korea, and I am one of the people who does not like Korean films, because most of the Korean films look up on profits, instead of the artistic side of films. However, there are some directors who changed my mind whenever I watch their films. Park Chan-wook is one of them, and he is the director of this film.
This film is about a woman taking revenge on a man that have bothered in her life. It might sound similar to other Hollywood films, but the storytelling method is very creative, using a lot of metaphors. At the end of the film, you will be able to realise that how cruel the world is to women, and how human are all the same no matter who they are, and where they came from.
Comedy - Easy A (2010)
This film is Emma Stone's first main role, and she nailed the whole film by acting out as an outstanding high school student. This can be labeled as a comedic version of 13 Reasons Why, where the main character faces bullying in school, but she faces the issues directly, not giving a thing about what other people say.
Emma Stone's acting here is hilarious, where she will not imitate any other high school teenager characters in Hollywood films. She created her own character that seems to have her own personality, which made the movie special. This film is popular to the fans of Emma Stone. If you liked Emma Stone in her act in La La Land, you will be able to see the different side of her.
Drama - Like Father, Like Son (2013)
There is one Japanese film-maker I like. His name is Kore-eda Hirokazu, and he specialises in producing peaceful films that touches your emotions. One of the best films from him is Like Father LIke Son (2013). This film is about a family who finds out that their son has been switched during the birth process due to the hospital's fault. The family, especially the father, faces challenges whether to keep the child or to switch to a real son.
This storyline is unique in its way because nobody could have thought of this if it was not Kore-eda Hirokazu. He does not try to force people feel the emotion of the characters in the film. He just helps the viewers get to that emotions by using monotonous storyline with great actors. With this film, he gained a high reputation from global market such as Cannes Film Festival. He also recently released a film, called Shoplifters (2018). If you liked this film, I recommend you to watch this film also because the concept is similar, but they are unique in their own ways.
Fantasy - The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006)
Yes. It is an animation. But I put this film in a fantasy section because I don't really enjoy watching fantasy films. So this is the closest fantasy film that I chose. This film uses a very common genre which is 'Time Slip'. Literally, a high school girl leaps through time in order to fulfil something that she has been dreaming, and starts to face challenges. The storyline seems simple, but how they understand and execute the typical genre into a unique one is different from other 'Time Slip' films.
Hosoda Mamoru is the director of this film, and he has created many films like this (all animated), and he made the animation look as realistic as possible, not adding the typical source they put in Japanese animes. People from all gender and ages can enjoy this film no matter where they are from. For the starters who have not tried watching Japanese animated films, try watching this and it will be able to change your perceptions in Japanese animes. Always try to break through your safe zone of films.
This article will be continued next week, in Part 2. See you next week.
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