Excellent art frequently makes us think. We are given interesting lessons or questions that help us develop as persons. This translates to tragic stories with challenging circumstances that tax viewers’ emotions or stories of highly flawed characters who emphasise our own flaws. This seems to be supported by a number of excellent films, including The Last Picture Show, Inside Llewyn Davis, Sunset Boulevard, and Raging Bull.
We adore these tales because they are essential artistic creations that enrich our lives, but we frequently overlook the value of more upbeat, meaningful art. These are films with uplifting messages that show that there is still good in everyone and that these feelings still have the power to transform us into better people. These are a few of those excellent films that serve as a reminder of how great life may be.
C’mon C’mon (2021)
The relationship that can develop between adults and children can be understood without becoming a parent. C’mon C’mon by Mike Mills is a singular coming-of-age tale that focuses on such a relationship, notably one between a kind uncle and his erratic nephew. The film’s delicate nature can be best characterised as being created from an adult’s perspective while attempting to grasp the perspective of children. Even though Joaquin Phoenix’s character is overjoyed with his nephew, the movie chooses patience, just like a loving parent would.
This is not to suggest that we don’t share Phoenix’s concern at being thrust into the role of carer; rather, it just means that we can see and understand the situation more clearly. The nephew isn’t bothersome; he’s only a young child. As a consequence, a fantastically compelling movie about how unique children’s perspectives can be in helping us comprehend the world and life in general is created. It gives you a sense of serenity and a desire to squeeze your loved ones a little tighter.
Chungking Express (1994)
With tales of longing and loneliness, Wong Kar-films wai’s are among the most exquisitely made. While all of them provide viewers with a distinct sense of solace by letting them know that they are not alone in their emotions, only Chungking Express gives viewers some optimism that true love will eventually find them.
The film follows a number of persons through Hong Kong’s streets; each character is alone in some way, yet one of the other lonely people saves them from hopelessness. It’s a very cool and enjoyable movie that is also wonderfully adorable and filled with many memorable scenes that will warm your heart. The movie is made up entirely of exquisitely created heartwarming moments, whether it is Police 223 eating expired pineapple cans on his birthday to cope with a breakup or Faye surreptitiously cleaning Cop 663’s apartment to express him her love. Another masterwork by Wong Kar-wai that feels almost flawless.
Good Morning (1959)
One of the most admired filmmakers in movie history is Shochiku Yasujirô Ozu for his exquisitely created works about the unavoidable tragedies of family life that make for moving viewing experiences. Good Morning is not one of those depressing tales, but it is nevertheless a superbly produced Ozu family drama with added fart humour. Two young boys who fervently want a TV make a vow of quiet until their parents accede to their demands, which is the ingeniously straightforward premise of the film.
Many critics unfairly disregarded the movie at the time of its debut because they were surprised by the comedy’s departure from the melancholy stories that had become typical of Ozu’s work. They overlooked the significant insights the film provided into interpersonal dynamics, neighbourhood rumours, and daily interactions, all of which combine to make for a satisfying watch with cute scenes of youthful mischief. A showcase for Ozu’s talent that is as pleasant as a hot summer day.
Hugo (2011)
Martin Scorsese made the decision to direct a children’s movie, which many people at the time thought was an odd choice. Hugo, which Scorsese received as a gift from his little daughter, is his ode to the wonder of film and the necessity of its preservation. The adaption centres on a little child who lives at a train station and his contacts with Georges Méliès, the great pioneer of early film who has since grown resentful and disillusioned with life. It’s impossible to not be captivated by Scorsese’s contagious passion of films since the movie treats making films like pure enchantment.
The movie’s core message, which transcends this, is that every life, no matter how small it may seem, is of immeasurable significance, and that we should never give up on our ambitions. With a film that serves as a reminder of how important each of us is, Scorsese’s unfathomable genius as an artist is once again demonstrated.
Licorice Pizza (2021)
Paul Thomas Anderson is one of the most renowned modern directors, known for his complex narratives and excellent direction. His most recent movie, Licorice Pizza, which depicts a weird romance between an immature woman in her late 20s and an overly mature high school boy, may be his most touching. The age difference is a beautifully peculiar choice made by Anderson, and he elegantly ensures that it never becomes more of a problem, always preserving an innocence that is necessary for the plot to succeed.
As they try to understand their feelings for one another, the two have a series of humorous mishaps together that beautifully illustrate what love is and how important it can be to have someone genuinely care about you. In one of the best films to come out in the last several years, it never stops being unusual yet it’s always incredibly charming.
Mon Oncle (1958)
We frequently make the error of comparing a comic experience to a tragic one. The films of Jacques Tati are evidence that comedies may be just as artistically valuable as the saddest tales. His movie My Oncle is one of those delightful experiences that makes amazing insights about contemporary living. Tati portrays the iconic character Monsieur Hulot, the title character’s uncle, a bumbling Mr. Bean-type who frequently travels to his sister’s ultra-modern home in the suburbs to rescue his exuberant nephew for outings in the countryside. He stumbles into all kinds of amusing situations in typical Monsieur Hulot fashion, frequently to the surprise of everyone around him.
These instances are particularly amusing when he accidentally wrecks his sister’s modern house due to his perplexity about how to operate the excessively intricate equipment. It’s a brilliant satire on the absurdity of modernism, and the emotional moments between Hulot and his nephew between them make for lovely movie.
My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
My Neighbor Totoro, a timeless masterpiece by Hayao Miyazaki, is an experience of unsurpassed grace and is arguably the most pure movie ever to grace the silver screen. Two little sisters go to a new house in the Japanese countryside in a fairly straightforward tale that patiently and accurately portrays the tranquilly of the setting. The lack of violence in this film is great, but the meditative atmosphere leaves spectators feeling uplifted, as if they’ve just spent the ideal Saturday afternoon like they did when they were young.
As the two girls manage the challenging circumstances of a sick mother and the significant worry that results from that, there are nevertheless significant emotional highs. This Miyazaki masterpiece will attract you no matter your age because the predominant mood is perpetually one of quiet enjoyment.
Paddington 2 (2017)
The wholesomeness of Paul King’s Paddington 2 has made it a special cultural touchstone in the world of cinema. The movie centres on the friendliest bear in the world, who is continually the victim of his own foolishness but who never loses his optimism and chooses to be friendly to everyone, no matter what his circumstances or how they see him. The film is surprisingly well-made, and viewers can’t help but smile as they watch it because of the clear picture it gives of how goodness can transform people’s lives in unexpected ways.
A form of experience that must be seen to be believed, since the film’s widespread acclaim must be unbelievable to most people given that it is a children’s movie with a seemingly straightforward plot. The film is completely real and has a heartwarming conclusion that will make people cry.
Roman Holiday (1953)
A classic love story never goes out of style, and William Wyler’s Roman Holiday is one of the best ever told. The narrative of a disobedient princess who escapes her duty to explore Rome and the American journalist who serves as her guide is told in this charming movie starring two of the most alluring performers to ever grace the silver screen. The two fall in love as expected, but because to the protagonists’ superb performances, it isn’t any less lovely for it.
Gregory Peck is the ideal counterpoint to Audrey Hepburn’s whimsy with his keen wit and brilliance, and they make a wonderful team as they explore Rome with all the excitement of a child on Christmas Day. It evokes all the feelings of a dream vacation day and is further enhanced by the simple tale of unadulterated love, making for an unforgettable viewing experience.
The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
Wes Anderson is a filmmaker who doesn’t get enough credit for his emotionally charged narratives. Despite the fact that his films are renowned for their eccentric aesthetic, he never lets this undermine the emotional impact of his work. The Royal Tenenbaums, a film about a dysfunctional family that is compelled to come together by their troublesome father, is among his most cherished works. Although the movie tackles serious subjects like parental neglect, suicide, and drug misuse, among others, it is nonetheless one of Anderson’s most upbeat. It’s pure cinematic magic, and it makes for a poignant experience, to see this fractured, faraway family of individuals come together and mend. As delightful as any Anderson movie, with the most ideal conclusion imaginable.
