The Best 3 Of July

Either way I have to watch more crappy films or change my grading scale to 1 out of 10. 'Cause lately I have been giving 5 star movie ratings way too much. And the reason for that is that the movies I watch and I have most interest in are most of the time the ones that are also very, very good. So it would be nice to not have to speak about a movie with much praise. This time having to choose the 3 best films that I've seen in July therefore was much harder than before. So many of them are great and I could watch them over and over again without getting bored. But even though it was very hard to choose, two of the films that I've chosen did still really stand out. Just my final pick remained to be very, very tough.

1. Dare Mo Shiranai

A very sad and compelling story that tells about real life events hardly anyone knows about, Dare Mo Shiranai grabs hold of you and doesn't let go until its final shot. With beautiful subtle performances by a group of very young actors, Dare Mo Shiranai really shines. Director Hirokazu Koreeda impressively creates the atmosphere and world his characters try to survive in. It's a long 141 minutes, but definitely worth it. A beautiful portrait of a life that, until I saw this film, was unknown to me.

2. Me And You And Everyone We Know

Sweet, real, fresh, and very art-like, Me And You And Everyone We Know is a great film which deals with different characters and emotions. It really is Miranda July's lovechild. Watching it you can feel her passion and drive to make something that will last and really touch her audience. A beautiful crafted little masterpiece.

3. Half Nelson

Showing the close relationship between a teacher and one of his students Half Nelson takes a different direction than most of these hign school teacher-student drama's such as Dangerous Minds and the more recent Freedom Writers. Watching these two characters, who's lives feel so messed up, but when together it's like they find that little spark of hope that will get them through, it gives a beautiful message ofhope and faith in better things to come. With Half Nelson Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden have written a great screenplay and made a very impressive little film.