MC Wednesday Inventory #4: The Five Films that Make You Want to be a Better Person

[dreamdead]

So in commemoration of shitty politics and policies, let's reverse the moral...

The Five Films that make you want to be a better human being.

[Spinal]

You're really good at coming up with these categories. Nice work.

[Spinal]

I'm not going to worry about repeating films. I'm just going to answer the question as honestly as possible.

Ikiru (a better citizen)
The Iron Giant (a better father)
Songs from the Second Floor (a better artist)
Tokyo Story (a better son)
The Up Documentaries (a better human)

[Skitch]

I came up with a couple answers and determined I needed to think about this longer. Great questions.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Ikiru (makes me want to do something impactful with my life)
The Ox-Bow Incident (reminds me that humanity can be ugly, and to do my best to remain individualized)
Amelie (makes me want to be more spontaneous and romantic with my wife)
A Man for All Seasons (makes me want to stand up for my beliefs)
The Sandlot (makes me want to enjoy my boys while they're young and foolish)

[Gizmo]

Schindler's List is the only thing that immediately jumped out at me, though I can go along with Amelie and The Sandlot for reasons KF listed. Guess I need to think on it more.

[MarcusBrody]

I'm really enjoying these Wednesday inventories. They were my partial inspiration for signing up.

As for me:
Up
Espiritu de la Colmena
Amandla!
Lawrence of Arabia

[Ezee E]

Amelie (Jean-Pierre Jeunet)
Millions (Danny Boyle)

These two immediately came to mind. I'll have to ponder for three more.

[Melville]

It's a Wonderful Life, far more than any other. George Bailey makes me weep at my failings.

Andrei Rublev and Ordet, for their visions of transcendent commitment to something impossible. They inspire me to strive to be Kierkegaard's knight of faith.

The Son and A Woman under the Influence are good too.

[D_Davis]

1. Mind Game
2. Genghis Blues
3. Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill
4. Bones Brigade: An Autobiography
5. Rocky

[MadMan]

1. Bull Durham-Reminds me of the impact of baseball on my life, and that its not too late to still chase a dream.
2. Amalie-Already been picked, but still worthy noting again because its about life and love and how the two are linked together. Always.
3. Modern Times-Chaplin reminds me and others that we should not let our surroundings and our work diminish us as human beings.
4. The Royal Tenenbaums-Family is important. A good reminder for me when I forget it at times.
5. The Searchers-Standing up against bigotry even in the face of extreme danger. I donno I just needed to fill a 5th spot.

[Ezee E]

I'd add Field of Dreams after seeing Bull Durham and The Sandlot on a few lists.

Something about baseball films...

[D_Davis]

I'd add Field of Dreams after seeing Bull Durham and The Sandlot on a few lists.

Something about baseball films...

I thing for Americans, it's a kind of shared cultural mythology. The drama and conflict between a pitcher and batter is a perfect simulacrum for the dueling cowboys, and when a lone batter is up, it's a single man versus many; not to mention the nostalgia of going to the game, eating junk food, being with family....there is a lot to love.

[Ezee E]

But why doesn't it happen for other countries and sports? I can't really think of any other sport that comes close.

I agree that there is much more of a mythology in the sport of baseball then any other sport. Just something I'm curious about.

[D_Davis]

But why doesn't it happen for other countries and sports? I can't really think of any other sport that comes close.

I bet soccer does in European and Latin countries.

[Ezee E]

I'm sure, but there's no movies that I'm aware of.

[D_Davis]

I'm sure, but there's no movies that I'm aware of.

Ah, I see what you're saying. Good point.

[D_Davis]

Americans love things that are American, and we see baseball as our national pass time, and Hollywood is a strong American institution, so the marriage of both can be powerful.

[Skitch]

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints
The Fall
Seven Samurai
25th Hour

[D_Davis]

The Fall


Great choice!

[dreamdead]

No film choice for wanting to be a better husband, Spinal?

My list:

Ikiru (makes me believe that I can be a better citizen and enact positive social change)
The Sacrifice (self-sacrifice to the world for the sake of others )
The Thin Red Line (a reminder of our human connection with others amidst ideological differences)
Make Way for Tomorrow (reminds me of the power of family and what ravages emotional distance can cause)
Blue (forgiveness and the grace of music amidst betrayal)

[Watashi]

1. As Good As It Gets (It makes me want to be a better man)

[thefourthwall]

The Whole Wide World (love fully and fearlessly)
School of Rock (everybody has a role that he/she can play)
The Son (forgiveness is transcendent) (good choice, Melville!)
Tree of Life (grace and beauty)
And, there’s some film about sacrifice in the back of my mind, but its not coming to me right now…

[Ezee E]

Superfly is my 4th.

[Spinal]

1. As Good As It Gets (It makes me want to be a better man)

Negative 5000 rep.

[Watashi]

Negative 5000 rep.

:cry:

[Spinal]

No film choice for wanting to be a better husband, Spinal?


Not married any more and I can't say that being a husband is something that currently interests me.

[ledfloyd]

The first film that came to mind was Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and then I started drawing blanks. But I'll echo the mentions of Make Way for Tomorrow and The Tree of Life. I feel like something by Bresson should go in here as well.

[MadMan]

1. As Good As It Gets (It makes me want to be a better man)I laughed.

[B-side]

They inspire me to strive to be Kierkegaard's knight of faith.

The atheist community is sorry to lose you.:lol:

[B-side]

I've had a hard time with this one. But here are some I came up with:

1. A Woman Under the Influence (John Cassavetes, 1974) [to better empathize with those at odds with myself]
2. Top Gun (Tony Scott, 1986) [to better appreciate my wingman]
3. Jackass: The Movie (Jeff Tremaine, 2002) [to be less inhibited and more carefree]
4. 50 First Dates (Peter Segal, 2004) [love, even unrequited, is a worthy pursuit]
5. The House Is Black (Forugh Farrokhzad, 1963) [better appreciate the privileges I enjoy that many do not]

[Yxklyx]

GroundhogDayGroundhogDayGround hogDayGroundhogDayGroundhogDay

[Pop Trash]

1. Stand by Me (better friend)
2. Say Anything (better lover)
3. Inside Job (abject greed is disgusting)
4. Ikiru
5. The Shawshank Redemption (never give up)

[wigwam]

I don't want to be a better person, I just want to watch more movies, so every movie makes me a better person to myself.

[MadMan]

I don't want to be a better person, I just want to watch more movies, so every movie makes me a better person to myself.Boring. Let's throw rocks at wigwam for his non-answer answer :P

[MarcusBrody]

I don't want to be a better person, I just want to watch more movies, so every movie makes me a better person to myself.

So Cinema Paradiso and The Dreamers?

[transmogrifier]

Iron Man - richer
Fight Club - abs
Life of Pi - get a pet tiger
Love Actually - never produce anything as shitty as that
Boogie Nights- bigger dick

[Dukefrukem]

wrong thread

[MadMan]

Iron Man - richer
Fight Club - abs
Life of Pi - get a pet tiger
Love Actually - never produce anything as shitty as that
Boogie Nights- bigger dickhttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FHXd5SmqYdY/T9d33qb8H0I/AAAAAAAAAGg/KH50OM9AnJA/s640/url.gif

[Derek]

Iron Man - richer
Fight Club - abs
Life of Pi - get a pet tiger
Love Actually - never produce anything as shitty as that
Boogie Nights- bigger dick

You don't need to become better trans.

https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS3tLeiwYdiJ Fpzk2C8nHj5qY_CupHQnlANw5Z1KI9 j4Y9Tx7LW

I've never seen Love Actually but the poster, with that vomit-inducing shot above on it was hanging on the wall on the way to the bathroom at my last job, so I had to look at it every day for 2 1/2 years. I've always been curious about it since most people seem to like it, but it's hard to get over my preconceptions after seeing that stupid shot over 1,000 times.

[Fezzik]

Apparently, I need to see Ikiru.

My five:

1. Singin' in the Rain (it makes me want to experience the joy of every day life)
2. Ratatouille (it makes me want to follow my passions)
3. Saving Private Ryan (it reminds me not to take anything for granted)
4. Searching For Bobby Fischer (it reminds me to let people discover themselves in their own time)
5. It's a Wonderful Life (I wish I could be as good a man as George Bailey).

[Bosco B Thug]

Contemplative Third Cinema filmmaking always makes me feel guilty for watching commercial, unenlightening stuff and for not having traveled more.

1. Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
2. Ten
3. The Day I Became a Woman
4. ???
5. Coffy

Also 70's social conscience stuff. Coffy (a surprising movie) I watched recently, but just name the Vietnam/urban/whatever film.