What conforts me is that the new solution is by far much better than VHS or DVD´s. Today almost everty movie or show is available in sites that offer Video On Demand streaming such as Netflix or ITunes store.
What is also cool is that in sites like You Tube and Vimeo users all around the world post scenes that they think are special and you can find specific parts of movies or shows that have moved you in the past and that are available to you in seconds. Of course it is impossible to find every little thing but it is possible to find really good stuff if you surf on these sites.
I decided to make a top 5 scenes that I love to share them here in this post. It´s a feeling just like the one described by writer Caio Fernando Abreu when he wrote about this feeling that "moves the dust inside me and I was able to touch something else. This small epiphany. With body and face. Then I put it back slowly, inch by inch, when I´m lonely and feel afraid. Then I smile. And I almost not hungry anymore.".
The first scene I chose is from Philadelphia that I watched when I was that teenager that recorded everything on VHS tapes. I think I was around 15 when I watched in the theaters. Today, almost 20 years later, it is impressive to see the quality of the movie with amazing performances of great actors Denzel Washington, Antonio Banderas and Tom Hanks. It is essentially a sad movie but it contains a wonderful message of dignity and respect. The scene I chose shows Tom Hanks interpreting and feeling Maria Callas´ singing of "La Mamma Morta". Tom Hanks was impecable during the whole movie, in particular in this scene.
The second one I chose is the end of “Breakfast at Tiffany´s” my all time favourite movie. I think I have watched them over 50 times but the end always moves me. When George Peppard destroys all the persona that Holly (Audrey Hepburn, simply perfect) had created as an ambitious, independent and - in current language - gold digger woman. She then realizes her mistake and surrenders. It is a wonderful scene. Yes, I know it´s very different from Truman Capote´s book but it´s also amazing. Actually I do think that both (movie and book) are remarkable.
Another classic movie that I love to watch many, many times is “An Affair to Remember”. It´s a little bit tacky but very romantic and simple. And it´s also very old, from the days were even kissing was forbidden. The scene I chose is particularly great. When Nickie (charming Cary Grant) and Terry (classic Deborah Kerr) visit Nickie´s grandma Janou in France and he asks her to play the piano. Then Terry starts to sing along the song "An Affair to Remember" in French (at that time it was still expected from rich and educated people to speak French and that showed everyone the quality of education they had received). by watching that scene, Nickie realizes he is in love with Terry and the camera captured this special moment. Super romantic!
One of the most interesting and smart movies I´ve seen is "Gods and Monsters". It´s a fictional story about the end of the life of the director of Frankestein´s movie that retired from work early in his career due to some problems he had in the film industry and he resents that early departure and the path his life had turned after his dropout. Fascinated with the rustic beauty of his gardener, he begins an inner travel and starts to remember the most important facts in his life and confronts them with his actual life. This was the best performance I´ve ever seen of an actor in a movie and I remember being very angry when he did not win the Academy Awards for that performance. His acting is just perfect and it moves me to see him in action during the whole movie. The rest of the cast is also brilliant, including Brendan Fraser. In the scene I chose he talks about his first love in the trenchs of WWI. It´s not the best scene but it´s pretty good. The nicest one I couldn´t find in You Tube. It´s when he says that he left the movie industry because he had chosen freedom and that he resents it now, as he now sees that freedom should be considered an addiction just like any other.
The fifth and last scene I chose is from HBO´s Angles In America. This small show had only 6 episodes and it may be considered a movie 6 hours long. The script is amazingly intelligent and the cast is just breathtaking. In NY´s in the early 80´s where all the world is astonished with AIDS´ episodes, Angels In America tells the story of a gay guy that found out to be HIV positive and is left by his boyfriend that had met a handsome in the closet mormom republican (performed by really hot Patrick Wilson). In the scene I chose there are 10 minutes of intense performances when the mormon tells his mom (Meryl Streep, divine as usual) that he is gay and, right after, the scene of both him and his new boyfriend leaving their partners. It´s a very special part of the show and performances are just mind blowing. The script is also incredibly amazing.
I couldn´t resist and decided to include a sixth scene. Sorry!! Couldn´t help it! It´s the final scene from "The Hours". It´s less than 2 minutes but with an extremely wonderful text, wrtitten by the director of the movie, representing the goodbye letter that Virginia Woolf left for her husband. It says:
"Dear Leonard, to look life in the face
Always to look life in the face
And to know it for what it is
At last, to know it
To love it for what it is,
And then.. to put it away
Leonard, always the years between us
Always the years,
Always the love,
Always.. the hours"
The movie ends with that scene. It´s one of the most poetic movies I´ve ever seen!
What is also cool is that in sites like You Tube and Vimeo users all around the world post scenes that they think are special and you can find specific parts of movies or shows that have moved you in the past and that are available to you in seconds. Of course it is impossible to find every little thing but it is possible to find really good stuff if you surf on these sites.
I decided to make a top 5 scenes that I love to share them here in this post. It´s a feeling just like the one described by writer Caio Fernando Abreu when he wrote about this feeling that "moves the dust inside me and I was able to touch something else. This small epiphany. With body and face. Then I put it back slowly, inch by inch, when I´m lonely and feel afraid. Then I smile. And I almost not hungry anymore.".
The first scene I chose is from Philadelphia that I watched when I was that teenager that recorded everything on VHS tapes. I think I was around 15 when I watched in the theaters. Today, almost 20 years later, it is impressive to see the quality of the movie with amazing performances of great actors Denzel Washington, Antonio Banderas and Tom Hanks. It is essentially a sad movie but it contains a wonderful message of dignity and respect. The scene I chose shows Tom Hanks interpreting and feeling Maria Callas´ singing of "La Mamma Morta". Tom Hanks was impecable during the whole movie, in particular in this scene.
The second one I chose is the end of “Breakfast at Tiffany´s” my all time favourite movie. I think I have watched them over 50 times but the end always moves me. When George Peppard destroys all the persona that Holly (Audrey Hepburn, simply perfect) had created as an ambitious, independent and - in current language - gold digger woman. She then realizes her mistake and surrenders. It is a wonderful scene. Yes, I know it´s very different from Truman Capote´s book but it´s also amazing. Actually I do think that both (movie and book) are remarkable.
Another classic movie that I love to watch many, many times is “An Affair to Remember”. It´s a little bit tacky but very romantic and simple. And it´s also very old, from the days were even kissing was forbidden. The scene I chose is particularly great. When Nickie (charming Cary Grant) and Terry (classic Deborah Kerr) visit Nickie´s grandma Janou in France and he asks her to play the piano. Then Terry starts to sing along the song "An Affair to Remember" in French (at that time it was still expected from rich and educated people to speak French and that showed everyone the quality of education they had received). by watching that scene, Nickie realizes he is in love with Terry and the camera captured this special moment. Super romantic!
One of the most interesting and smart movies I´ve seen is "Gods and Monsters". It´s a fictional story about the end of the life of the director of Frankestein´s movie that retired from work early in his career due to some problems he had in the film industry and he resents that early departure and the path his life had turned after his dropout. Fascinated with the rustic beauty of his gardener, he begins an inner travel and starts to remember the most important facts in his life and confronts them with his actual life. This was the best performance I´ve ever seen of an actor in a movie and I remember being very angry when he did not win the Academy Awards for that performance. His acting is just perfect and it moves me to see him in action during the whole movie. The rest of the cast is also brilliant, including Brendan Fraser. In the scene I chose he talks about his first love in the trenchs of WWI. It´s not the best scene but it´s pretty good. The nicest one I couldn´t find in You Tube. It´s when he says that he left the movie industry because he had chosen freedom and that he resents it now, as he now sees that freedom should be considered an addiction just like any other.
The fifth and last scene I chose is from HBO´s Angles In America. This small show had only 6 episodes and it may be considered a movie 6 hours long. The script is amazingly intelligent and the cast is just breathtaking. In NY´s in the early 80´s where all the world is astonished with AIDS´ episodes, Angels In America tells the story of a gay guy that found out to be HIV positive and is left by his boyfriend that had met a handsome in the closet mormom republican (performed by really hot Patrick Wilson). In the scene I chose there are 10 minutes of intense performances when the mormon tells his mom (Meryl Streep, divine as usual) that he is gay and, right after, the scene of both him and his new boyfriend leaving their partners. It´s a very special part of the show and performances are just mind blowing. The script is also incredibly amazing.
I couldn´t resist and decided to include a sixth scene. Sorry!! Couldn´t help it! It´s the final scene from "The Hours". It´s less than 2 minutes but with an extremely wonderful text, wrtitten by the director of the movie, representing the goodbye letter that Virginia Woolf left for her husband. It says:
"Dear Leonard, to look life in the face
Always to look life in the face
And to know it for what it is
At last, to know it
To love it for what it is,
And then.. to put it away
Leonard, always the years between us
Always the years,
Always the love,
Always.. the hours"
The movie ends with that scene. It´s one of the most poetic movies I´ve ever seen!
