Sam’s Showtime Schedule
Cheers to time passing by and celebrating it by being a cinephile pressing play. As we age, we greet the quarter-life crisis of being lost in life, but let us also greet a showtime special. Screen these motion pictures in tribute to getting old growing up and the loving, exploring, learning, experiencing, and living which comes with it. Within this list, find a what-to-watch guide of features alongside significant quotes or personal commentary. Without further ado a; film bro (normal woman), movie reviewer (Letterboxd user), and cinema scholar (cinema-minor undergrad) presents:The Twenties.
1. BEFORE SUNRISE (1995) Dir. Richard Linklater
Before Sunrise brilliantly opens up the beloved ‘Before’ Trilogy as a romantic indie film which carries much greatness. Greatness in its cinematography, especially its long one-take shots. Greatness in its characterization, especially the duality of being a romantic and a realist. Greatness in the chemistry, yet its cringeyness, between two people this tale follows.
A heartaching and heartwarming portrayal of the deep pleasure romance can carry and the heavy pain reality can bring. All the while, showing moving moments of a couple becoming unregrettably and unapologetically very vulnerable together.TL;DR if the song About You by The 1975 was a film it would be Before Sunrise.
2. TOUKI BOUKI (1973) Dir. Djibril Diop Mambéty
“A boy as tall as me should be king, but I’m not. So when I fight, I have to win. My father’s strength is in me. My father’s rage is in me. My father’s moves are in me. My father’s talent is in me.”
3. GOOD WILL HUNTING (1997) Dir. Gus Van Sant
“You don’t know about real loss, ’cause it only occurs when you love something more than you love yourself. I doubt you’ve ever dared to love anybody that much. I look at you, I don’t see an intelligent, confident man. I see a cocky, scared shitless kid. But you’re a genius.”
4. PERSEPOLIS (2007) Dir. Marjane Satrapi, Winshluss
“If they hurt you, remember it’s because they’re stupid. Don’t react to their cruelty. There’s nothing worse than bitterness and revenge. Keep your dignity and be true to yourself.”
5. LA LA LAND (2016) Dir. Damien Chazelle
After my first watch of La La Land, I was most captivated by its beauty in a cinematic sense. There is talent on behalf of the cast and crew alike on display: the score, montages, dialogue between Gosling and Stone, and its careful use of handheld shots, specifically at certain clever times whenever the story itself gets shaky. La La Land is a dreamy tale told by way of its dreamy look.
After my second watch of La La Land, I was most captivated by its beauty through a spectator connection. I see myself in Mia’s dream of performing, Seb’s stubbornness when pursuing talent. I understand wanting someone to be the best version of themselves, pushing somebody to reach their fullest potential the way Mia and Seb act as artists and as lovers, Mia and Seb clearly capture the feelings of falling in love, along with falling out of love, and significantly so because the two not only fall in love and fall out of love with a partner, but also fall in love and fall out of love with their passion. La La Land is a dreamy tale told by way of its dreamy look, yet is felt due to an ability to familiarize itself with anyone who has ever dared to dream in love, or life, if not both.
La La Land reminds you to be a dramatic dreamer and long-lasting lover, both for people from your past and passions of your present.
all visuals credits go to screencaps from the respective film