JuniorMint

I recently watched The Color of Paradise, a film by Iranian director Majid Majidi. This film was very heartfelt and beautiful. The story was simple, but very moving. It told the story of a little blind boy whose father didn't want to care for him after his mother's death. The boy, Mohammed, was very remarkable. He was kind and loving and saw the beauty in the world, even though he couldn't see physically. The boy who played Mohammed is a very talented actor. His performance was believable and natural, even when the role called for a lot of emotion. He is definitely one of the best child actors I have ever seen. The other actors in the film were very good as well. All the characters were natural, believable and human. This film was moving and felt like an old-fashioned fairy tale. The young blind boy had a lot to teach the other characters, especially his father. I enjoyed this film because it relied heavily on good acting to propel a simple story. The Color of Paradise was a wonderful, emotional film.

I saw this film again as part of a series on cult movies at the George Eastman House. The film student who introduced the film said something that I think sums up the `cult movie' genre. She said, `cult movies are ones we accept for what they are; we just enjoy them, no strings attached.' This is exactly how I feel about The Princess Bride. It is one of my favorite movies of all time. I sit down to watch it, and am swept up in the story every time. The tale is a perfect blend of fairy-tale, romance, swash-buckling action and comedy. I think that's why people can watch this movie over and over again. It is funny, immensely quotable and action-packed, and it also has all the classic fairy tale elements: heroes, villains, a princess, and a giant. I have seen this movie more times than I care to count, but I love it every time. Rob Reiner did a great job with this film. It was made to be a cult classic. The most-loved and remembered parts of the film are ridiculous, like ROUS's (Rodents of Unusual Size) and Miracle Max's miracle pill, but in Reiner's fairy-tale land, they are easily embraced. The fact that the story is told by a grandfather reading to his grandson allows the audience to be swept up in the tale with the young grandson. The cast of The Princess Bride is amazing. They play off each other so well and make the film entertaining from beginning to end. The characters are funny, yet sincere, and there are so many moments in the movie that the viewer remembers forever after. Their quotes form the inside jokes of many cult movie fans. The actors all turn in memorable performances, and their ensemble performance makes this film a classic.

Ingmar Bergman's "Wild Strawberries" was a thoughtful and intelligent film. The protagonist's spiritual journey was quite moving. As an old man, Isak Borg makes a trip across Sweden to receive an honorary degree. While on the trip, he stops at his childhood home, bringing up old memories. As Isak looks back at his life, he has the horrifying realization that his life has been meaningless. He contemplates his life and confronts his past, and realizes that he hasn't lived life to its fullest. Isak realizes he needs to let emotion in, and in the end he is at peace with himself at last. This film was very well made and directed. I found it to be insightful and artistic, even though it did move a little slow for my taste. "Wild Strawberries" delivers an important message: that we should all take a good look at our lives, lest we grow old and realize we missed out on the important things.