A Curated Collection of Life-Changing Films
In the world of movies and film, one of my favorite things a movie can do is leave me speechless. In other words, a movie that changes my perspective on life itself and moves me. A lot of movies have the capacity to do this, and to be honest, movies can speak to the individual in different ways. However, in this blog, I will share with you 5 of the movies that have done this for me. Hopefully, in doing this, it will inspire future watches or intrigue you to view a movie you have seen in a new light.
1.) Bones and All by Luca Guadagnino (2022)
Those who know me personally can attest to my endless obsession with this movie. With over 15+ watches of this movie, every time I see it (still to this day), I am reminded of its stunning storytelling and discussion of taboo. This movie follows the story of a young woman, Maren Yearly, who is a cannibal with a lifetime of repressed memories of doing such acts. When her father abandons her, she is left on her own. Maren soon embarks on a journey to search for her absent mother and a way of life with her cannibalistic urges. While on the search for her mother, she meets Lee, another cannibal, who then joins her. They later develop a romantic connection that causes difficulty as they try to escape their past, but also as they find themselves through their journey together. This film explores the boundaries of all-consuming love (literally), guilt, and finding solace amid difficult circumstances. Although this film is extremely graphic, including uncomfortable visuals of cannibalism, it is used as a metaphor to explain both love and coming-of-age issues. With stunning visuals, Luca Guadagnino develops a remarkable love story between both Maren and Lee, allowing viewers to more readily sympathize with their situation. Ever since the credits rolled on my first viewing, I have never forgotten how I felt as I finished it. Although this movie will take you on an emotional rollercoaster, it is unforgettable and truly unique in its ability to transform something disturbing into a metaphor for love.
2.) Mysterious Skin by Gregg Araki (2004)
I am wary of including this in this blog because it is that devastating; however, it is that good because it is so sad. For one, Gregg Araki is a genius director, and I recommend all his movies to anyone and everyone. But specifically, given that this blog is about life-changing films, I consider Mysterious Skin to be the most life-changing among Araki's works. This film is about two boys, Neil McCormick and Brian Lackey, who experience childhood trauma of sexual abuse from their baseball coach. Now in their teenage years, they both are affected differently by what happened, and both repress their experience in different ways. While Neil is a prostitute and hustler, Brian is obsessed with aliens, convinced that he himself was abducted by one when he was young. When their lives eventually cross paths, they discover the truth about what happened to them together. In a deeply triggering fashion to many, Araki parallels the way individuals repress trauma in different ways despite experiencing similar things. I would not consider this movie by any means to be an easy watch. But, I still found this movie to be insightful into such terrible experiences, and an underdiscussed topic.
3.) Portrait of a Lady on Fire by Céline Sciamma (2019)
The fact that this is one of my more tame recommendations on this list is probably a bit concerning, since I would not consider it tame whatsoever. One of the most devastating queer films I have seen most definitely goes to this movie. This film is a historical romance drama movie set in 18th-century France. We are introduced to Marianne, a painter commissioned to paint a portrait of Heloise, a bride-to-be. Since Heloise is known for her unwillingness to pose for paintings, Marianna must capture her essence in secret during the day and paint her in private. As they get to know each other, a deep romantic connection develops between the women before they have to part ways. Through the movie, topics such as societal norms and restrictions are explored, explaining the relationship the two women experience in a short amount of time. This film is extremely moving with raw emotions infused into every scene as their love is expressed through beautiful imagery and art rather than words. Both Heloise and Marianne are very well written and have wonderful performances in this movie, creating authentic chemistry on screen. Bound by their expectations from those around them, the reality of their love sets in, creating a "doomed love story" that will outlive them as they live separate lives after their affair. In the film industry, queer relationships between women are rarely represented, at least to me, and this movie does such a wonderful job at displaying this. When watching other LGBTQ+ movies, I constantly refer back to this film as an example of how queer relationships should be represented.
4.) La Pianiste by Michael Haneke (2001)
This movie inspired this blog post, I would say, considering the fact that I watched it for the first time yesterday. I thought it would be fun to include because I cannot stop thinking about this movie since I watched it. This had been one on my list for a long time, and I knew going into it, based on others' reactions to this movie, I would be in for a ride. This movie is about an emotionally and sexually reclusive piano teacher, Erika, who cares for her codependent mother outside of work. One day, a student named Walter becomes romantically attracted to Erika and begins pursuing her. In efforts to protect her sadomasochistic desires, she pushes him away, which only makes him more interested in her. As their relationship intensifies, they enter a destructive cycle of control that makes their "simple lives" much more complex. This movie certainly had me pausing it a few times to process what I was watching; indeed, it is not an easy watch with sections of assault and uncomfortable acts. However, Haneke succeeds at developing an underlying meaning here of what desire looks like when it becomes reality. As well, it delves into the issues of trauma and how that shapes someone to be unstable in their adulthood, no matter how well they try to repress that. While both Walter and Erika have their issues, Erika is a character we find ourselves sympathizing with because of her sad uprising. Erika's performance in this movie is supremely captivating and aids in creating the uneasy tone of this movie. Haneke creates a film that can be interpreted through various lenses, and I feel is an essential movie for those who enjoy deeper, more complex topics in film.
5.) Y Tu Mama Tambien by Alfonso Cuaron (2001)
For the first hour of this movie, you may jump to conclude that it is not that "life-changing" movie; however, by the end, I promise you will agree. This coming-of-age drama focuses on two men, Tenoch and Julio, who invite an older woman, Luisa, on a road trip. They promise her a secluded beach, and to their surprise, she actually agrees to go with them. While the men become both romantically attracted to her, they begin to compete for her attention during the trip. While doing so, they realize the greater source of their jealousy and competition lies far deeper than just Luisa. As they confront the pieces of their lives that they keep hidden, they explore their deeper insecurities. By the end of this movie, there is a sense of maturity and fleeting time as they leave the beach. Additionally, this film explores Mexican heritage as the three travel through Mexico City, allowing Cuaron to comment on political, geographic, and cultural issues through his filming. With references to many relevant issues in Mexico at the time in this movie, it allows viewers to become more educated on the challenges the country faces. Ultimately, I feel as though this film is truly eye-opening to how temporary life really is. Oftentimes, we fail to notice how fast time flies, or fail to appreciate life, and Cuaron reminds us in this movie to hold onto every moment.
Whether or not you have seen these and liked them, did not like them, or have not seen them, I hope you take this as inspiration to consider movies that have changed your perspective on the world. As said earlier, different movies speak differently across audiences, and that is perfectly okay and part of what makes interpreting film so unique. There are many more movies I feel that have made me who I am today, but to spare you the time, here are some honorable mentions not stated in depth:
My Own Private Idaho by Gus Van Sant
Twin Peaks Fire Walk With Me by David Lynch
Requiem for a Dream by Darren Aronofsky
Archie's Final Project (My Suicide) by David Lee Miller
Until next time,
Between Scenes (Cassidy)
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