FilmStack Challenge #3

5 Movie Introduction to Cinema.....

Photo by Noom Peerapong on Unsplash

Who am I to turn down a challenge? In case you missed it

Ted Hope

passed the baton to

Sophie

for the monthly FilmStack Challenge and here is a link to her post.

For a quick handy recap here is what she gave us:

This month's challenge: What 5 movies would make an amazing "progressive workout" sequence for film newbies?

Or other ways to think about this:

What 5 movies would you use to turn someone into a film lover?

Design your perfect 5-movie introduction to cinema.

Any question like this that asks me to narrow down all of cinema to such a small number makes my head spin. How can I possibly do that when cinema is so varied and layered and all so wonderful for so many different reasons?

The worst is the old, “what is your favorite film?” (as if there’s only one). Hence the challenge part of this, I suppose!

To tackle this, I decided to take an approach that highlights five films, each one a standout example of its genre, movies that represent the best of what that genre has to offer. So here we go:

1. Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960):

An example of psychological horror rooted not in the supernatural (as was typical for that time), but in the darkness of the human psyche. Often credited with jumpstarting the slasher genre. The film shocked audiences with its infamous shower scene not just for the brutality of the act, but for the unexpectedness of killing off the film’s leading lady within the first 45 minutes (sorry Game of Thrones Hitchcock beat you to it). It was a film that revolutionized the genre and redefined audience expectations.

2. Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove (1964):

As a great example of a perfect political satire film. The film doesn’t try to be funny or make you laugh constantly, what makes it so funny is its unsettling plausibility. The tension, bureaucracy, and egos on display feel disturbingly close to reality, which is exactly what makes the humor land so powerfully. It’s a satire that doesn’t just entertain, it unnerves, and in doing so, becomes even funnier.

3. John Cameron Mitchell’s Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001):

This rock musical stands out in every way, it’s blending of live action with distinct animated sequences, the bold art direction and excellent cinematography. It’s a visual feast. The performances are superb and the themes are universal. It’s best seen in a theater as a sing-along like the Roxy in San Francisco, not quite as wild as a Rocky Horror, but a close second. It captures the spirit of punk, not just with its music, but in attitude, breaking rules at every turn, just like the characters in it.

4. Andrei Tarkovsky’s Mirror (1975):

Avant-garde cinema at its finest. More of a non-linear memory, a poem told through images, rather than a clear narrative. It’s not a film meant to be fully understood, but one meant to be felt.

5. Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Shoplifters (2018):

A perfectly complex and subtle family drama with an extraordinary twist at the end. It explores the the dysfunction and quiet hypocrisies of modern Japanese life, in a delicate and calm way. The performances are incredibly nuanced authentic. It’s a beautiful meditation on what truly defines a family.

Can’t wait to read everyone else’s picks!

Hope you all have a great weekend and be sure to go see a film in the theater.