Weekly Watches: September 18, 2024
Sharing Our Team's Recent Discoveries: Weekly Watches with 100 Movies Every Catholic Should See
The King’s Speech (2010)
Directed by Tom Hooper. Starring Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush.
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You don’t have to know much about cinematography to know a good movie when you see one.Â
Of course, it helps to know the nuances of soundtrack choices, and to understand the grueling directorial choices driving each scene. It helps to understand the context behind each acting choice, the cultural movements behind the dialogue, and the intentions of each scene cut. All this cinematic context serves to enhance the film, build appreciation for the small details, and intensify the experience as a whole. And yet, sometimes, even to a viewer completely ignorant to the reasons why, a film makes you say - “Okay that’s a good movie.Â
Anyway I watched The King’s Speech for the first time recently.
Based on historical fact, this 2010 gem tells the story of King George VI and his need to overcome a debilitating stutter. This role comes to life in the hands of Colin Firth, as not only does he play the stutter consistently and believably, but his hopeless frustration shows clearly in each and every move he makes. It pains him immeasurably that he cannot easily tell stories to his daughters, or comfort his people in times of crisis with the voice of a strong confident ruler. The stutter could have quickly become tiresome for the audience in the hands of a lesser actor, but Firth captures the endearing man behind the stutter- a royal who loves his wife, his children, his country, and is trying so hard to do the right thing. Geoffrey Rush gives an incredible performance as the unorthodox speech therapist who takes on his most difficult client yet. His unconventional methods break the King down to a simple, broken, anxious man in desperate need of a friend. The stakes go ever higher, and the audience awaits in hushed anticipation. The cast is star-studded, the performances are real, human, and heartrending. Sprinkled in are moments of genuine comedy that relieve the spiking tension without halting the momentum. The climax of the movie, the titular King’s speech broadcasted to the whole country in the wake of WWII, is several minutes of the King reading from a sheet of paper. And really- it takes an incredible film to make a man reading from a sheet of paper a cinematic masterpiece of an ending, something that leaves the audience so fulfilled, so uplifted, and so exhausted. It was just good. 10/10.
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
Directed by Stanley Kubrick. Starring Peter Sellers and George C. Scott.
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You poor, innocent reader. I’m willing to bet you hold to the common belief that war is bad and that plunging the world into a nuclear apocalypse is a thing that ought to be avoided. But this is simply because you have not yet learned to love the bomb! Kubrick’s masterful dark comedy needs no introduction among film enthusiasts, yet despite being released in 1964 is still just as applicable to the world today. Commonly ranked among the best American films, Dr. Strangelove is arguably one of the funniest movies of all time.
For those of you who have not yet learned to love the bomb, Dr. Strangelove follows a mad general who sends out nuclear bombers without the proper orders, the president who must somehow recall the bombers, and the crew of one of the aforementioned bombers. Bouncing between the three perspectives gives the watcher an insight into the delightfully ridiculous antics of all involved, making light of what ought to be a terrible scenario. Kubrick lays the irony on heavily in getting across his point, that being a harsh critique of the cold war, but relies on a stellar ensemble cast to drive it home. Peter Sellers plays a British exchange officer, the president of the United States, and the titular Dr. Strangelove, and drums up each part with just the right amount of comedic appeal. Another actor who must be called out is former rodeo clown Slim Pickens, who acts out the part of Texan bomber pilot Major Kong brilliantly, and it is also worth noting that this is the late James Earl Jones’ film debut.
Kubrick makes use of visual contrast in the film, making it a very interesting watch. The movie is in black and white and often features shots of enclosed spaces, dark rooms, or other areas where the black truly looms on the screen, adding to the impending doom. This is contrasted by the occasional shot of the outside of a bomber and other lit scenes, especially at the end of the movie, further accent just how ridiculous the characters are, making their decisions in the dark with a distinct lack of knowledge. Dr. Strangelove is not a war movie, it’s a political movie that pokes fun at the American war machine and the soldiers and politicians who could very easily destroy the world we live in at a whim. Like all good satire, it carries a warning about the state of the world and ultimately gives the watcher two choices: either work towards avoiding a nuclear fallout, or learn to stop worrying and love the bomb.
The Birth, the Life and the Death of Christ (1906)
Directed by Alice Guy-Blaché.
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What makes a great film about the life of Christ? Is it the life-giving words of the Gospel? If so, this film can't qualify, since it is silent and the intertitles only indicate the title of the next scene. But if beautiful imagery alone can make a great Christ film, then Alice Guy's ambitious 1906 epic La Vie du Christ definitely qualifies. Each scene imitates a painting, giving you the feeling that you are walking along a series of frescoes that all just happen to be moving. The elaborate sets, ambitious scenes, and crazy amount of extras serve in a weird way to immerse you in the Gospel story, even 120 years later. For those who know the stories behind the scenes, each one delivers a profound depiction; if you aren't familiar with the Gospel, you'll probably be very confused.
Her special effects were remarkable as well. Especially the angels and Christ rising from the tomb, absolutely splendid. And the closeup on Veronica, though it was somewhat jarringly out-of-place, definitely served to emphasize that important moment and image.
Highly recommend to anyone interested in film history and especially the history of Christianity/Catholicism on film. It's stagey but strangely mesmerizing. You can draw a direct line from this film to The Chosen, and I find that fascinating.
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