movie challenge, march 7~11

The Most Surprising Plot Twist or Ending
My top choices for this one were: The Others (2001), Se7en (1995), Minority Report (2002), The Prestige (2006), Remember Me (2010), and Atonement (2007). Sometimes with a plot twist, you re-watch the movie and can see the signs you missed that would have tipped you off to an unexpected betrayal or revelation. Most of these fit that description, but Atonement does something else to you.
*Spoiler Alert* The story is about how one decision can change your whole life and the lives of those around you. When a lie tears two young lovers apart, the liar spends the rest of her life trying to atone for her actions. In the end, she is never truly forgiven but at least the hardships that occurred as a result of her lie do not keep the lovers apart.... TWIST! That was the happy ending she wrote in a book about their lives. In reality, the two lovers died horrible deaths apart from each other and were never able to be together. Like I said, she tried to atone. The best atonement she could give was the happy ending in a book she wrote since she stole their happy ending in real life. This twist allowed you to feel happy for couple, less angry at the liar, hopeful that sometimes in life you can set right those wrongs you did when you were young and naive. After you're secure in those feeling, it pulls you back and reminds you that this is life and you fairy tale endings stay in fairy tales. It sounds depressing because I've oversimplified the plot but it is indeed a good story. Plus I think it's enough to watch Keira Knightly and James McAvoy lock lips whenever they're on screen. Squee!

A Movie That You've Seen Countless Times

I chose Oceans 11 (2001) because I will be scrolling through my TV guide and every time I see it, I can't help but watch it through. The cast selection and the balance of screen time between all of the well-known actors was great. Plus the art of storytelling was done in a sophisticated and humorous way. My 10th grade speech teacher explained the scenes she saw in this way. The way no words were needed between George Clooney and Brad Pitt in some scenes. The way every one turned to look at the demolition except George Clooney who kept staring at Julia Roberts. Everything compliments everything in this movie. Hopefully you feel the same way about it so all that makes sense.

A Movie With the Best Soundtrack
Now, to be clear, I separate movie soundtracks and scores. If you don't see the need to, well, then we disagree. It was a toss up between Tron (2010) and Drive (2011). I chose the latter because when I thought about it, everything Daft Punk does is awesome so it was expected, but when I watched Drive, I found myself digging the music without even noticing. Even more shocking was that I was jamming to 80's style music which is not my thing at all. I also thought that the music provided the words unsaid in many scenes for the perfect level of angst between the main two characters. Music with a purpose, oh yeah.
Oh, and I'm not a fan of musicals, so there was no way a musical's soundtrack would be my favorite, yet a more obvious choice.

Favorite Classic Movie
What is a classic movie? Is is a black and white film? Does it have to belong to some collection of movies? Is it one that is unofficially a classic but everyone has seen it and expects you to get the references? I'm not sure, so I'm going with the 'being-part-of-a-collection' option and choosing The Breakfast Club (1985) from the Brat Pack Collection. I'm a big fan of coming-of-age films as they're always relatable in some way. I also love how a movie like this one that could only have been made in that time period when everything was so stereotypical yet accepted without question. I feel like nowadays everything is trying so hard NOT to be stereotypical that they fall into that category anyway.
And who can forget the last scene with the triumphant fist in the air as Don't You (Forget About Me) starts playing. That's
classic.

A Movie That Changed Your Opinion About Something

500 Days of Summer (2009) changed my opinion about something in a subtle way. I hated this movie because of the ending. Namely because Zooey Deschanel's character pulls this b-tch move and reveals that after resisting her relationship with Joseph Gordon-Levitt's character for more than a year she is suddenly engaged only a couple months later. It's what I hated but also what changed my opinion (subtly). People change for reasons we can't understand and it just has to be accepted in order for life to move on. My former opinion was not that this was impossible, but that it was unacceptable. After a few more of life's wonderful experiences (sarcasm alert), I've seen how sometimes it really does just happen. I say subtly because she led him on and then pulled this move. I know the movie even makes it a point to rewind and show all the times she said she didn't want a boyfriend/relationship but c'mon, girl, that's not the kind of attention you show a boy you just want to be friends with. So basically, I can understand that people change but I wouldn't appreciate misleading information or hurtful treatment in the process. It's part of life, but we all have people in that 'I miss the person you used to be' category, huh?