Movies Worth Reading

If you are one of those people (like my mother) who have an aversion to movies with subtitles (ie. movies you must read) you’re missing some mighty fine movies. American movies are fine…but how many adult-male acting like a child, teens getting in all kindsa trouble, superhero, sappy predictable movies can you watch in a year? Here is a selection of movies you have to read (unless you are a polyglot) but that you still should not miss. There is something here for every taste:

I’ve Loved You So Long from France starring the amazing British Ex-Pat Kristin Scott Thomas who plays a woman who has been in prison for 15 years. She is bitter and prickly, but her much younger sister takes her in and makes her a part of HER family. Over the course of the movie the reason for Scott Thomas’s character’s imprisonment is revealed…and the reason for that crime will shock you and Scott Thomas’s ability to play the role will amaze you. Fantastic!

Let The Right One In. Did you see “Twilight” and think, “What’s all the fuss about? I’ve seen this ten times already”? Here is a vampire movie you haven’t seen before. Made in Sweden, this tells the tale of a bullied 12 year old and the mysterious girl who moves into his building. She helps him out of his difficulties in the only way she knows how. This is an atmospheric and beautiful and surprisingly touching horror movie that no horror fan should miss.

Waltz With Bashir (not in DML’s catalog yet…) was nominated for best foreign language film at the Oscars...and it was the first animated film ever to get that honor. Written and directed by Ari Folman the man who wrote the graphic novel and lived through the events depicted in the story, this is the story of one man’s coming face to face with his part in a massacre. He doesn’t remember anything of that night in 1982 until he starts interviewing others who were there. This will change you mind about just how good an animated feature (and a movie you gotta read) can be.

“Tell No One” is the best film I saw in 2008 (Yeah, Slumdog was good, but it was predictable and far from fresh). It was released in most of the world in 2007, and only got a limited release in the US in 2008…but it is not to be missed! It’s based on Harlan Coban’s novel of the same name. They shopped it around American studios and no one bought it (of course NOW they are planning a remake, puh-lease! See this before it gets ruined). A pediatrician’s beloved wife is killed, he is the main suspect until it is pinned on a serial killer…eight years later new murders and the case is reopened. The pediatrician is again a suspect—but he gets an e-mail with a webcam link and sees modern day footage of his wife ALIVE! An absolutely amazing thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat through out.

Check them out!

-- Tim, Main Library