Five on Friday // Five Films
New series, five things, on Fridays.
Let me preface this week’s five by saying that this is not a list of my favorite films. It’s simply a list of films that I happen to have watched recently and found worthwhile.
1. The Big Short — This is one of the best films that I’ve seen in a long time. Shocking, disturbing, incredibly well-written, and some of the best acting I’ve seen in years (Christian Bale, Good Lord). This is the true story of the events that led to the burst of the housing bubble in the United States.
2. The Impossible — I am hesitant to share this one for a whole host of reasons. Primarily because it made me weep. By weep, I mean cry hysterically for an extended length of time. I am at a particularly vulnerable period in my life, especially when it comes to the ideas of family and loss. So perhaps you will not find yourself as emotional as I was about it. Still, I am sharing this film because it is well-done and deeply moving. It’s a film about the fragility of life and the awesome, devastating power of nature. A true reality check, extremely worthwhile.
3. Lee Daniels’ The Butler — Yet another film that made me weep. (Alright, it’s not that hard to do, but still.) This was an incredibly beautiful, heartbreaking, moving film. It is a must-watch for every person who has ever struggled to understand the idea of racism and racial-privilege in the United States.
4. Spotlight — This is another true story, this one is about the prevalence of pedophilia in the Catholic Church as well as the corruption that supports it. This is a must-watch film for every parent the world over. I also recommend it for any person that supports the Catholic Church. It is a well-done film in its own right, but in my opinion, the content is key-critical.
5. The Fundamentals of Caring — All of the films on this list are quite heavy, so I will share this final one which is a bit lighter. It still has a sad undertone, but it will also make you laugh in many places. It is a feel good film and it brought my heart some joy, as well as sadness. If you are a Paul Rudd fan, you will love this one.
I am adding two runners up to this list, they are actually equally as good as some of the other films on this list. I simply don’t want to turn this into a seven on Friday post because that defeats the purpose. And yet, I can’t help but recommend and include these two additions: The Theory of Everything and The Imitation Game. Both are excellent, let’s just call them “substitutions” in case you’ve seen any of the others on the list.
Happy weekending, friends. Tomorrow is Roman’s first t-ball game, followed by a big Easter Egg Hunt and Celebration at church. Hope to snap some photographs to share next week. xo