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Sat 30 Sep, 2006 11:22 am
The first snow of the season fell a few days ago and made me remember a day many years ago when I was emaciated, staring out of a barred window at the swallows flitting over a sundrenched prison courtyard and thinking only of those I loved, making me realise that it is only through those whom we are close to that our existence is made worthwhile.
We can be alone and never bat an eyelid, we can be strong before all the trials and tribulations of life and be sure that they cannot really touch us unless we allow it, yet still when we are faced with the human condition, that, as a gregarious species, we exist predominantly in the hearts and minds of others and that the only real legacy we leave is the memory we leave behind just there, we cannot help but feel love or the desire for it.
This is very much the message of feelgood films, that are a typical element in US filmmaking, be it that they almost always have a Christmas theme.
My theory has always been that family is more important in the US than in Europe, because, like in developing countries, the lack of social security makes the support of one's family all the more important. Right or wrong, feelgood films have a strong family orientation and soothe the soul.
I thought that the time was ripe to have a thread about feelgood movies, since threads about violent and hateful stories abound already.
To start, I can list some movies that have made me feel good in the past:
- Love actually (only mildly Christmas themed, excellent acting, not soppy)
- It's a Wonderful Life (about doing the right thing and being rewarded for it, no further comments required)
- The Wool Cap and Noel (two more example of Christmas movies with a strong element of family, forgiveness and healing)
- Redbeard (Akahige, 1965) (When I worked at a film house we use to screen this film for Christmas eve, a heartwarming, but not X-mas themed, story for those who had nowhere to go. And we served wine punch afterwards even though we had no license for it. Perhaps some of the patrons were more interested in the latter than the film, but either way it was better for them than drinking alone.)
(P.S. Home ALone was very funny, but not a feel-good movie, if you appreciate my drift.)
The Ron Clark Story
not a major motion picture but i saw it on T.V and fell in love with it...truly inspration feel good movie.
It's a Wonderful Life
beautiful movie...timeless classic
Pay It Forward
Somethings gotta Give
Schildlers List-
Oskar Schindler: I could have got more out. I could have got more. I don't know. If I'd just... I could have got more.
Itzhak Stern: Oskar, there are eleven hundred people who are alive because of you. Look at them.
Oskar Schindler: If I'd made more money... I threw away so much money. You have no idea. If I'd just...
Itzhak Stern: There will be generations because of what you did.
Oskar Schindler: I didn't do enough!
Itzhak Stern: You did so much.
[Schindler looks at his car]
Oskar Schindler: This car. Goeth would have bought this car. Why did I keep the car? Ten people right there. Ten people. Ten more people.
[removing Nazi pin from lapel]
Oskar Schindler: This pin. Two people. This is gold. Two more people. He would have given me two for it, at least one. One more person. A person, Stern. For this.
[sobbing]
Oskar Schindler: I could have gotten one more person... and I didn't! And I... I didn't!
A wonderful masterpeice Shindlers List is
oo what was that movie with Rosie O'Donald where Rosie is an mentally challenged adult and i think its her sister who takes care of her...i dunno it was another one of those TV movies but that one was a good movie
i will put more as i think of them
Babette's Feast is one of the films that has the biggest 'feel-good' result for me.
ehBeth wrote:Babette's Feast is one of the films that has the biggest 'feel-good' result for me.
Ah, Babettes gaestebud, how could I forget, such a bittersweet story. It made me feel good (and hungry).
Schindler's List did not make me feel good, the most striking memory I have from it (cinematically very crude, but effective) was the little red coat.
<Trying valiantly to recall a wonderful feel-good movie I've seen, Paaskynen. They can't
all have been deadly serious, misery-inducing or gut wrenching, can they?
>
MsOlga how about The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994) ??? Not your typical feel good film, but certainly with a positive, heartwarming message.
Likely my niece's favorite film -- she borrowed the video years ago and I haven't seen it since. Of course, I got the DVD and then recommended "Kinky Boots" for her next movie home viewing.
Paaskynen wrote:MsOlga how about The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994) ??? Not your typical feel good film, but certainly with a positive, heartwarming message.
Hmmmm .... yes, Paaskynen,
Priscilla. But that had it's melancoly bits, too.
Have you ever seen an Oz film called
Malcom?
That was rather feel-good-ish.
I'll keep thinking ....
Why did I feel good watching "Meet Joe Black"?
That was sweet!
I would say " Mona Lisa Smile". It gets me everytime when Katherine Ann Watson presented the slide in rage over Betty's article. And the ending was very touching, too. My whole family watched it together last Christmas and we all felt the same thing.
The feel good factor ?
3 movies that did it for me most of all ---------
#1 "High Noon", the first movie that really grabbed me. So much so, that I saw it 3 times in one week. It had everything a western should have. Some very bad gunslingers, a sherrif who had too overcome them & his fears. At the same time he was getting married in a town where the residents all had their own fears & concerns. Conflicts everywhere but a happy ever after ending.
#2 "The African Queen". Humphry Bogard & Katherine Hepburn closing the social gap between them & sinking a German naval boat in ww1 in the process. Love conquers all.
#3 "The Girl Can't Help It". A great rock & roll movie that grabbed me hook line & sinker. Loved the music from Little Richard, Fats Domino, The Platters, Gene Vincent & the Blue Caps. Then there was Jayne Mansfield. These 3 movies all brought a smile to my face & led me to a life working in film & TV production. Not Hollywood but London
Pokemon Lover wrote:I would say " Mona Lisa Smile". It gets me everytime when Katherine Ann Watson presented the slide in rage over Betty's article. And the ending was very touching, too. My whole family watched it together last Christmas and we all felt the same thing.
Mona Lisa Smile failed to grab me, even though I am a teacher myself. There are other films with Julia Roberts that have a stronger feel good factor (my wife loves Pretty Woman).
As films abot teachers go, I prefer the bittersweet ending of Les Choristes (which is not a remake of Mr Hollands Opus, as is often said, but of an earlier French film (La Cage aux Rossignols, (1945), which got an Oscar nomination, and which may well have served as inspiration for Mr Holland's Opus).
I love Mona Lisa Smile -- what a great movie. I think tha tI might have to go and rent that this week.
My Favs
Stepmom: Very good Film on various manifestations of relationship of 2 distinct women sharing a family thru the same consent of Motherhood. Climax was so opt, when Susan Sarandon invites Julia roberts for a whole FAMILY pic. Wonderful!
As Good As It gets: Most Romantic Film Ever. Me just love Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt together. Kisses :*)
A Beautiful Mind: A Classic Adaptation of Book. World Best performance by Russell Crow. When Denzel Washington won Academy Award same year, I was so depressed. Compared to Russell's Mind blowing art Denzel stood nowhere near. Remember the scene when Russell cuts his waist to search for missing electronic chip and he is crying, not because of pain but, coz he is not able to find it! So touchy.....
Accepted - my daughter and I ended up seeing this by default - I'd gotten the times for another film mixed up and this was the only thing showing that she could get into with me.
I had had no interest in seeing it, but we both ended up loving it. It's about a boy who goes to elaborate lengths to fool his parents into thinking he got accepted to college, because in reality none of the colleges he applied to did accept him. Anyway - it progresses from there - and I thought it was great. Funny, heartwarming, with a nice message-especially appropriate for teens who are dealing with major peer pressure issues.
Right off the top of my head...
Pocketful of Miracles-an oldie with Bette Davis, Glenn Ford and Hope Lange
(one of my favorite Christmas movies altho' it's not really a holiday movie)
The Apartment-Another oldie with Jack Lemmon and Shirley Maclaine.
Billy Elliott-that's the one about the little boy who wanted to be a dancer. It's a beautiful film.
Notting Hill-my favorite Julia Roberts movie. Bigtime feelgood movie
The Bishop's Wife (1947) - David Niven, Cary Grant etc.
Scrooge (1951) - Alistair Sim.
Heaven Can Wait (1978) - Warren Beatty.
You just reminded me Lordy, Scrooged, with Bill Murray. Have to watch it every year. Love him.
x
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