You may have noticed that I've recently denoted (and will be denoting) some much-enjoyed recently-viewed movies with not just a rating of 5, but of 5!.
That's because I've been lucky enough to see some movies in the last few weeks that are really, extra-special exciting, each for their own special reasons. Since I've happily been in the midst of a movie-watching rampage for the last month or so, I've come to the conclusion that if I'm going to write about a decent selection of my recent viewing, I'm going to need to consolidate.
In that spirit, I present to you: A trio of exclamation point-earning films from the months of June and July.
1. 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days (2007)
Much to my delight, this movie is currently available to view instantly on Netflix. As a result, this is the first film I watched during my post-surgery recovery last month.
The film depicts a woman's struggle to secure an abortion for her friend in Communist-era Romania. Its stark, crisp realism is completely intoxicating and immersive, providing a clear view of the suffocation of Communism.
During one sequence, Gabita, the main character, attempts to rent a hotel room in which her friend's procedure can take place. The concierge interrogates her extensively, and after learning that Gabita is a student, asks why she can't just stay in the dorm at her university. As a lucky and apparently spoiled inhabitant of a Capitalist nation, I entitledly grumbled at the screen, "Jesus, lady, let her rent the room! Don't you want the money??" The notion that a hotel employee would all but bar someone from patronizing their place of employment out of--what? paranoia? simple malicious obstructionism? what??--was almost beyond belief for me.
In this manner, every single step of the process Gabita goes through trying to help her friend is difficult to an almost absurd degree, revealing that in some cases desperation and deprivation drives people to a stubborn refusal to yield even an inch for their fellow man.
However, what most impressed me about the film is its refusal to browbeat its audience over the issue of abortion rights--and the lack thereof. I've seen other films on the topic that felt somewhat ham-fisted, such as "Vera Drake" (2004). Quite to the contrary, "4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days" simply presents the reality of the risks women without the right to choose have had to endure in order to control what happens to their bodies. No hand wringing or moralizing, in either direction. When dealing with what continues to be such a contentious issue, that is a considerable accomplishment.
Watch the trailer here:
2. Waste Land (2010)
This breathtaking and incredibly moving documentary features a collaborative artistic effort by Vik Muniz, Brazilian-born and Brooklyn-residing artist, and a group of people working to recover recyclable materials from Rio de Janeiro's largest landfill, known as catadores.
Muniz returns to his homeland in search of people in need of attention and help, and beelines for the community of catadores at the Jardim Gramacho landfill. Having recently organized into a union, the catadores report that, in spite of the lack of glamor in their profession, they feel their work grants them dignity and a life free from the depravity typically befalling the deeply poor in Brazil. Many of the women proudly state that being a catador means they've never had to prostitute themselves to survive.
Nevertheless, the community lacks many key resources and a broadly audible voice in Rio and throughout Brazil. Muniz joins with many of the catadores he befriends in an ambitious project in which he photographs them, then works with them to recreate those portraits on a huge scale, working with the recyclable materials with which the catadores earn their living. The resulting photographs of these huge, vibrant, and stunning collages were then sold at auction, with all of the proceeds returning to the community of workers at the Jardim Gramacho.
There are so many emotional high points in this film I lost count. Since I'd rather not spoil them, take it from me--this is, like the other movies in this post, an absolute must-see.
You can watch the trailer here:
And lucky you! It's ALSO available to view instantly on Netflix!
PS: I saw one of Muniz's self portraits during a recent museum visit, and it was pretty awesome.
Note the shading achieved in his face even though he worked only in circles punched out of magazines.
He's a really freaking cool guy.
Enfin: 3. Tabloid (2011)
I know I've gushed interminably about one of my new very most favorite museums, but SERIOUSLY. This place is AMAZING.
Why do I protest so much?
I'm glad you asked.
BECAUSE I got to see Errol Morris's brand new documentary, "Tabloid", in advance of its nationwide release on the 22nd.
AND.
ERROL MORRIS WAS THERE.
I shook his hand.
It was awesome.
Star-struckedness aside: GUYS. You *have* to see this movie. I have not been so insanely entertained in a long time. It's hysterical. It's fascinating. The woman at the center of the film, Joyce McKinney, is all at once completely insane, charismatic, romantic, naive, whip-smart, and hilarious, rendering her endearing in the most bizarre way possible. Transcending the ridiculous details of the scandals in which McKinney has been embroiled throughout her life, this film is about love, loneliness, and the stories we create and recreate for ourselves and which guide our lives, for better or worse.
By far one of the most fascinating questions pondered with Morris after the screening was whether two people are necessary for an experience of love, or just one. McKinney's life seems to stand as a testament that love can be an inherently, monolithically lonely experience, while simultaneously granting the most enduring purpose a life can possess.
Hunt this shit down like a a hungry crazed monkey as soon as it's in a theater near you. You won't be sorry.
Trailer:
Needless to say, each of these films has a huge and exuberant PsychoCinematic Seal of Approval. They are each incredibly remarkable in their own right, and make for very exciting viewing. They remind me of why I love movies, and of how engrossing they can be. I guarantee you'll be happy if you see any of them, and I highly recommend watching all three.
With that: Happy Harry Potter/Bastille Day!!
<3
PS: To the friend who recently told me that she's read every post I've written, thereby making my day: Hi! :)
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