Films you've seen recently and would unreservedly recommend:
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slim jenkins
El Hombre Invisible
'The Lives Of Others'
I know, I seem to be the last person on earth to have watched this but in case you're even slower than me it's a must-see depiction of life in East Berlin under the all-seeing eye of the Stasi...brilliant cinematography, direction, acting and props, yes props...it made me want to buy an electric typewriter...and re-design the flat in the style of 'modernist' Berlin circa 1977...
I know, I seem to be the last person on earth to have watched this but in case you're even slower than me it's a must-see depiction of life in East Berlin under the all-seeing eye of the Stasi...brilliant cinematography, direction, acting and props, yes props...it made me want to buy an electric typewriter...and re-design the flat in the style of 'modernist' Berlin circa 1977...
dd528
Well-known member
You could try Cry Freetown. It is a more general documentary about the civil war in Sierra Leone, but if you know anything about that conflict you'll know that children obviously have to form a significant part of its focus.
I have read that Children of War is very good, but I haven't seen it, so can't vouch for it personally.
I suppose you can't really count 1940s Japan as developing (although a lot of the people were certainly extremely impoverished), but Grave of the Fireflies is pretty much the best portrayal of a child's perspective of war I've seen in a film.
Again, Germany Year Zero is set in immediate post-WWII Berlin, so doesn't really count as the developing world, but is another good example of the effect of war on children.
Most of the films I can think of involving children in war are set in WWII Europe actually, so I don't know how much use they'd be to you. You could try Au Revoir Les Enfants, Come and See, and Ivan's Childhood if you can't find anything better.
A better bet than looking for theatrical films might be to seek out TV documentaries. A series like Unreported World on Channel 4 might have some suitable episodes. I know they did one on the role of the LRA in kidnapping children to use as soldiers in the DRC. That was earlier this year or maybe last year I think. You should be able to find it on 4oD if you're in the UK.
EDIT: Just noticed that mistersloane already suggested half of these. Sorry for the repetition!
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saw Jean Pierre Melville's Army of Shadows in the theater tonight
was 20 minutes late (I think I'll try to download and re-watch it) but holy shit was it incredible
gorgeous cinematography (a good deal of it night or low light shots) and some interesting camerawork
apparently it never got released in the US because when it came out, May '68 was in full swing, and Cahiers slammed the movie because it seemed to portray Charles DeGaul in a positive light (the film is about the French resistance)
it's bleak as fuck though. reminds of Le Petit Soldat in that Melville isn't afraid to show "the good guys" as being cruel and ruthless (killing close friends and collaborators who have snitched under duress). I wouldn't be at all surprised if this film was a large influence on Spielberg's Munich either
was 20 minutes late (I think I'll try to download and re-watch it) but holy shit was it incredible
gorgeous cinematography (a good deal of it night or low light shots) and some interesting camerawork
apparently it never got released in the US because when it came out, May '68 was in full swing, and Cahiers slammed the movie because it seemed to portray Charles DeGaul in a positive light (the film is about the French resistance)
it's bleak as fuck though. reminds of Le Petit Soldat in that Melville isn't afraid to show "the good guys" as being cruel and ruthless (killing close friends and collaborators who have snitched under duress). I wouldn't be at all surprised if this film was a large influence on Spielberg's Munich either
baboon2004
Darned cockwombles.
Thanks very much for this, and all the other recommendations.
I watched 'Cry Freetown' on youtube - absolutely brutal footage. Really horrific.
I watched 'Cry Freetown' on youtube - absolutely brutal footage. Really horrific.
baboon2004
Darned cockwombles.
Big movie. One of the greatest to feature a pop star. Now trying to think of others....
mistersloane
heavy heavy monster sound
Meatloaf I think wins on the classic front for both Rocky Horror and Fight Club. Cher is probably up there with him, on some scale, as in the 'definitely can act' thing as opposed to just appearing.
Electric appearances though have to be Nick Cave for Ghosts of the Civil Dead, Courtney for Larry Flynt and Jagger for Performance.
Hiphop vote would be Will Smith, Ice Cube - great in Boyz in the Hood and Barbershop - and Mos Def, who's really quite brilliant. Timberlake can act but I don't like him.
Gay vote would go to Whitney Houston in The Bodyguard - surprisingly good - but I think that was more an appearance than acting, but it's always hard to tell with that one. Mariah was good in Precious and pretty good in Glitter I thought, but I'm probably in a minority of one there. Bette Midler doesn't count.
It slightly unnerves me that I've been able to make a list like that.
baboon2004
Darned cockwombles.
Definitely with Courtney Love for Larry Flynt. Terrifying woman, but she can act (and be in a good band).
Cher is in the new Christina movie, and apparently surgery has limited her acting range.
Cher is in the new Christina movie, and apparently surgery has limited her acting range.
IdleRich
IdleRich
Head is good with popstars galore. Well, The Monkees and Frank Zappa.
There are loads and loads surely.
I started watching Beware of a Holy Whore yesterday but the battery ran out on the laptop after a little while. Shame 'cause so far it seemed really good. Can't say that I'd unreservedly recommend the whole thing but I would the first twenty-eight minutes.
slim jenkins
El Hombre Invisible
'Down By Law'...featurng top pop stars Tom Waits and John Lurie...
baboon2004
Darned cockwombles.
Bowie in the Hunger - also one of my favourites. As is Snoop's in Trainign Day - comic genius.
IdleRich
IdleRich
Watched the rest of it yesterday and it was ace. I think I preferred it to the, thematically similar (superficially at least) if stylistically different, 8 1/2. It's made on a beautiful set with loads of characters whose interactions we see without ever really knowing their whole stories - although bits of them swim into view from time to time - and lots of moments of sly humour plus references to other films. Fassbinder (who was only 26 when he made it apparently!) plays the on-set fixer and already his lifestyle has taken such a toll that he's able to convincingly pass for forty. For a film where nothing really happens it's an immensely entertaining study of what it means to be an artist (or director) and how artistic success and recognition can trap and warp you. Dunno what the title means though.
crackerjack
Well-known member
mistersloane
heavy heavy monster sound
Yeah good call, Macy Gray was great in Training Day as well, I like her acting.