When you’re trying to make every entertainment dollar count, picking a movie can be a gamble. Who hasn’t walked out of a theatre regretting the time and money they spent on a dull, glib, preachy or shallow film?
To help you avoid this let down, World Vision Canada president Dave Toycen recommended these seven movies as thought provoking and entertaining—a rare and refreshing combination.
The Band’s Visit
Toycen’s Comments: A police band from Alexandria, Egypt arrives in Israel to dedicate an Arab Cultural Centre. Through some miscommunication, they end up in a remote Israeli settlement with no money or transportation. Through a series of events and amazing relationships, people from these different cultures make connections that transcend ethnicity. In spite of the region’s ongoing conflict, they still have much in common. The bowling alley episode is a hilarious yet sensitive example of romance coaching. Great for discussion. Though it is still showing in a few theatres, you may have to wait for it on DVD.
Awards: Winner of 2007 Cannes Film Festival’s Coup de Coeur du Jury Un Certain Regard.
Charlie Wilson’s War
Toycen’s Comments: An amazing mix of rowdy, irresponsible behavior combined with courageous acts of intervention for Afghanistan. Based on a true story, it is a cockeyed look at how a rascally congressman from Texas single-handedly persuaded and coerced support for the rebels in Afghanistan against the dominance of the former Soviet Union. It is funny and politically incorrect, and it works, as a movie though my wife, Diane, who read the book, says the book is even more outrageous than the movie. The sad postlude, which is predicted in the movie, is that the U.S. was willing to intervene to stop the Soviets, but unwilling to help restore and rebuild the country. Perhaps an ominous warning as to the situation we find ourselves in today. Not for family viewing, but it raises some powerful issues.
Awards: Nominated for one Academy Award and five Golden Globes.
The Diving Bell And The Butterfly
Toycen’s Comments: This is the true story of a French man, Jean-Dominique Bauby, who suffers a rare stroke that paralyzes him completely except for one movement: blinking his left eye. The film is photographed from his perspective and though this may sound confining and tedious, it works. After a successful career as the editor of Elle magazine, Bauby is determined to bring meaning to his paralyzed condition. The film celebrates the triumph of the human spirit. All of this happens in the context of children, a failed marriage and a girlfriend. Max von Sydow is a tour de force in the role of his father.
Awards: Golden Globe Winner for Best Foreign Language Film and nominated for four Academy Awards.
The Great Debaters
Toycen’s Comments: I think this is one of the most moving and important films of the year. Denzel Washington, who acted in and directed the film, has done a magnificent job of portraying the racism and discrimination of the 1930s in the United States. At the most superficial level, it is about a group of young people triumphing in a racist environment. On another level, it poignantly portrays the challenges African American men face in a culture that seeks to control and diminish them. How does one respond positively while still standing for what is right and maintaining one’s dignity? The Great Debaters manages to express the hard realities of life with thoughtfulness and humour. My only disappointment is the miserly ratings given by film reviewers. This is a movie I endorse without reservation.
Awards: Winner of four NAACP Image Awards, including Outstanding Motion Picture; nominated for one Golden Globe.
Click here to read why Juno, The Second Chance and War Dance are movies worth watching.
