INCEPTION - BEFORE IT WAS COOL

THE DISCREET CHARM OF THE BOURGEOISIE

Le Charme Discret de la Bourgeoisie

(1972)

Director: Louis Buñuel

This surrealist social satire focuses both on its content as well as its form. 

The movie mocks the social habits of the bourgeoisie. Their special way of sipping martini and their false social graces. It presents us with a funny scene where a fancy coffee place runs out of coffee, tea and milk, and doesn't serve alcohol.

It displays the hypocrisy of the high society which deals enormous amounts of cocaine but abhors the sight of marijuana.

They consider themselves the ones with proper social graces while some of them have love affairs with another person from their group.

The movie doesn't stop there. It mocks the church, the police, the military, the diplomacy...

All of these contents are presented in an oneiric atmosphere. Dreams intertwined with more dreams all of which make the protagonists uncomfortable and all connected with the scene of the group walking in the middle of nowhere probably heading nowhere. 

"...CREATED OUT OF INK, PAPER AND IMAGINATION"

RUBY SPARKS

Directed By: Jonathan Dayton , Valerie Faris

(2012)

Cute and magical romantic comedy about a young writer Calvin and his creation Ruby Sparks. 

Although this movie comes down to two quotes; which are 

commonly used when talking about love and relationships - that they almost become cliches; it is still one charming and disarming love story. 

"If you love something, set it free. If it comes back, it is yours. If it doesn’t, it never was." 

Calvin tries to shape his perfect partner, but every time he does that his love goes to another extreme. When she acts differently from his expectations Calvin changes Ruby and molds her into his perception of an ideal. He fails every time. He doesn't manage to put her in a cage of his concept of a perfect woman. He sets her free, he does not try to control his destiny any more, and destiny returns him a favor. 

"We come to love not by finding a perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly."

The movie brings a message of true love as a relationship where both sides embrace the other person completely, with his/her imperfections and differences between the sides.

GROWN-UP-KIDS' KINGDOM

MOONRISE KINGDOM 

(2012)

Director: Wes Anderson

Moonrise Kingdom, a film about love and revolt is based on the contrast between two worlds and their clash. The world of adults and the world of children. 

Adults in this movie are the antagonists. Not because of their viciousness or ill-temper, but because of their incapability. A scout master loses his scouts; parents are completely incompetent when considering the upbringing of their children. 

On the other hand, children are clever and adroit. Even though one can question the correctness of their actions, most of the times it seems that kids know better than the ones who should be their role-models. The thing that makes us laugh is how these kids embody adulthood and childhood in such an overwhelming and charming way. 

Diverting story, exceptional imagery, enjoyable atmosphere of the movie and lovable innocence of main characters keep a smile on viewer's face throughout. 

FIGHTING ABSURDITY

BRAZIL

(1985)

Director: Terry Gilliam

To criticize the society of today, or the one of 1985, is not easy. It has always been difficult to  accentuate flaws of the society. Authors of written observations about the world and its defects, usually use the same trick to avoid assaults. They travel in time. They either place events in the past, or in the future. Terry Gilliam chose the latter one. 

Gilliam's Brazil exquisitely distinguishes terrible shortcomings of the society giving emphasis on timeless stupidity and extremely ineffective bureaucracy.

BUREAUCRACY

"This is your receipt for your husband... and this is my receipt for your receipt."

The plot of the movie is focused on a highly inefficient and ultimately dangerous bureaucratic system and it effects on people. The plot is concentrated around the event where a simple and rather stupid mistake ruins several and fundamentally changes some lives. The world of Brazil is the one where money is spent on ministries which are end in itself, where every home device is automatic but nothing really works, where guards are dressed like SS troops and people are just numbers. 

THE IDIOCY OF SNOBBERY 

"There's been a little complication with my complication."

The stupidity and falsity of high society is perfectly depicted through protagonist's (Sam Lowry) mother and her cosmetic surgeries. The peak of stupidity is the celebration of her latest operation.

The same is skilfully represented in the dinner scene. The dinner is held in a supposedly luxurious restaurant where  all allegedly fine meals are just swills. Just like the people who go there. 

FANTASIES

The movie is intertwined with protagonist's fantasies about a lady of his dreams. He tries to rescue her, his captive princess. On the way he fights giant samurai, 'zombie-hunchback-children', freaks. All of these represent different officials, SWAT team, and other problems which he encounters. 

TUTTLE THE RENEGADE

Archibald Harry Tuttle, apostatized heating engineer, helps the protagonist and impersonates the other side of the society. The ones which fight against the stupidity of bureaucracy. Tuttle is represented as an 'Air Condition Batman', an outcast, fighting for the right cause and always leaving theatrically. 

 The world of Brazil is a combination of Kafka's Trial, Orwell's 1984, and, sadly, our reality.

TASTE OF LIFE AND DEATH

TASTE OF CHERRY

(Ta'm e guilass)

1997

Director:Abbas Kiarostami

The story of a man (Mr. Badii) searching his associate in suicide. Although the theme revolves around death, the most impressive moments are the ones concerning the celebration and appreciation of life.

 "If you look at the four seasons, each season brings fruit. In summer, there's fruit, in autumn, too. Winter brings different fruit and spring, too. No mother can fill her fridge with such a variety of fruit for her children. No mother can do as much for her children as God does for His creatures. You want to refuse all that? You want to give it all up? You want to give up the taste of cherries? 

This is a part of Mr. Bagheri's monologue held in Mr. Badii's car. Mr. Bagheri is the one who agrees to help Badii in his intention, because he really needs the money. Although another person's life depends on that money, Mr. Bagheri still wants to persuade Badii to keep on with his life. That life is something worth of keeping. 

A spectator might assume that this beautiful metaphor of richness and diversity of life will talk Mr. Badii out of his intentions. Viewer might think that Mr. Bagheri will convince him that there are always reasons to live and carry on. 

However, Mr. Badii is not convinced, he proceeds with his intentions and lays in his prepared grave. This is the penultimate scene in the movie. 

The movie ends oddly, to a certain extent. The movie ends with a meta-cinematic scene: film crew on the set making this movie. By using this scene, the director wants to remind the spectator that this is still just a movie. He probably wants to distant the viewer and himself from the protagonist because he does not want for anyone to identify with Mr. Badii. 

The director cannot approve Mr. Badii's decision, because approving suicide would imply supporting it, which is not commendable. On the other hand, he lets him do it which implies  the director's respect of Mr. Badii's choice. 

BOY AND THE BEAST

LIFE OF PI

(2012)

Director: Ang Lee

This movie is philosophically and aesthetically beautiful. Through magnificent computer generated imagery it gives us a hiper-realistic simulacrum of the world and presents us with the incredible coexistence of faith, intellect and instinct.

"Faith is a house with many rooms. But no room for doubt? 

Oh plenty, on every floor. Doubt is useful, it keeps faith a living thing. After all, you cannot know the strength of your faith until it is tested."

Life of Pi is abundant in inspirational quotes, is somewhat upsetting, also very moving and still exquisitely witty. 

It gives the viewer a contrast as well as merging of two sides existing in any human. Two opposite sides enabling each other's existence. Our vegetarian and our carnivorous side. The one contemplating about ideas and ideals and the one fighting for survival. The one that gives strength and the one that gives faith, and the importance of one embracing the other.

"Above all: don't lose hope."

SHADES OF GRAY

CELL 211

(CELDA 211)

2009

Director: Daniel Monzón

Cell 211 is the representation of a prison riot which keeps you in suspense throughout. In this intriguing blend of events induced either by destiny or by choice, a viewer remains interested and involved.   

This is not a classical black-and-white story. One cannot root for the good guys, because there is no good guys/bad guys division. Someone could assume that the ones behind the bars must be the bad ones, they are on the other side of the law, while the ones defending the law are automatically good ones. Not here. 

On the other hand, this film does not defend prisoners and does not represent them as innocent and oppressed. 

This movie and its director do not pick sides. The movie just makes us wonder about the society and the people society creates, and reminding us that it is difficult to find white in all those shades of gray.