Movies that have power over or really affected you
 

Hey all, I was doing an english assignment on the theme of power portrayed in movies, and how they have power of you, we watched gettleman prefer blonds and legally blond as examples.
I then watched bloond diamond, and the last king of scotland, and that got me thinking, what movies have affected you, made you more aware of issues and themes, have had an affect over you, or have even become a life changing experiance? has the film industry ever had such a power over people?
an example for me is the movie freedom writers realy made me see how hard kids like me, who live in the westernworld, lives can be, and the movie radio realy made me have empathy for those not born "normal" and for those who stand by them.
I don't think any movie has ever had a major effect on me, altough alot have had subconcience ones, but they have deffinatly shaped my opinions on life, for example, the harsh conditions of africa, and how western soiciety exploits this. which movies had had a major impact to your ideas and beliefs on life?
sorry if this is a silly topic, It was just me being curious.

event horizon shook me, Like, really, i practically weed myself.

Hmm, you mean because of the graphics? It was a pretty decent film. You shou;d see Solaris as well.

For me it was Cool Runnings. It made me want to put a smile on everyone's face. Still trying to accomplish that.

Donnie Darko.

Hate to say it, cos you got millions of emo girls around this globe who say the same. But I totally love this film, and I like to think I know my film. I'm crying from beginning to end. It's a story of grace, and that gets me every time. Beautiful.

In terms of affecting me, it made me depressed for a few days (and always does, whenever I watch it) and absolutely FURIOUS to a relatively innocent school assembly debate thing. God, I was so pissy.

Oh but… that scene where Donnie grabs the fat Asian girl’s ear-muffs, and tells her that there is better for her. My god… it’s so so achingly sad. I’m tearing up. So sad.

“How’s does it feel to have a wacko for a son?”
“It feels wonderful.”

But this is the one film that really, really touched me. I love many films, but this one chimes so strongly for me.

But to offset this piece of mainstream cultiness: The Spirit of the Beehive.

Fucking gorgeous. Total poetry. I've only ever seen it once, and I'm thinking of never watching it again. And the film is, in part, ABOUT the power of film, which rounds this thing off nicely.

I also have a few movies that affect me. But one I really liked was Bridge to Terabethia it gave another reminder to me of why its importent to stay pure and not think like everyone else.

Shoot! I can't remember a movie. But a half movie-half video game... Fahrenheit (aka Indigo Prophecy) still has the grasp of me even after nearly 3 years since I've played it.

It was great, closer to a Doom movie than the Doom movie was. Want to see the origional cuuuuut. ('u's' for emphasis)

Movie's that affected me: Naked Lunch (Hey look, I plug it again!) and Eraserhead. They both affected me, I just don't know how.

Hehe Eraserhead was pretty strange. It does have a message behind it somewhere I think, possibly to put others before yourself and don't be so stupid and selfish. hmmm?
I saw this one movie The Holy Mountain. It affected me a lot cause it's sooooo weird. I think it's like an anti-religious movie but it's so wacky. It probably makes sense if your on drugs. I don't know if there is a more bizzare movie.

This isn't the 'what's your favourite mooovie?' thread (A: Videodrome), it's what affected you greatly. Pfft. Being spooked by some mediocre piece of modern trash is sorta below the remit.

I actually did really quite like Event Horizon for a fair period, until I watched it with an intelligent person my own age and it fell to bits. In a very enjoyable way, admittedly, but still.

@SM: You can't keep squeezing these NL references in, you just can't. But that really is a super-duper mother of a movie. I recommend Dead Ringers, also directed (and written) by David Cronenberg (one of most favourite, favourite directors EVER, like). That is top draw stuff and it's about gynaecology, so it should go some way to quench your insatiable lust lobe. Filth.

A lot of movies have gotten to me over the years. The most recent have been Donnie Darko, 12 Monkeys, Crash, etc.

However, Clerks I and II really strike a chord with me. This is largely because there is a lot of philosophical stuff and the fact that I worked in a very similar environment and it helped give some perspective. I dunno usually a powerful drama or just well constructed and executed film can get to me.

Forrest Gump always gets me at various scenes. The part that hits me the most is when he's standing over Jenny's grave and says "I miss you, Jenny...". I cry everytime. It just deeply saddens me for two reasons:

1. If Jenny only listened to him when he proclaimed his love for her, instead of brushing it off and believing that he couldn't possibly understand what love is, he could have possibly changed her and had many more years alongside her. Rather than having such a short amount of time to spend with the one woman he truly loved.

2. After being such an all around good individual and always thinking of others, he is ultimately denied the one thing that mattered most to him: spending his life with Jenny.

No matter how many times I watch it, this scene, along with a few others, hit me as powerfully as they did the first time I watched it.

This. That film gets me.

And Gladiator. Well, it did when i saw it all the way to the end that once. Will get there again eventually.

Yes, we are the Forest Gump Generation.

I remember the death of Forest's mother being particularly affecting. I went off sobbing to me mam, saying 'I don't want you to diiiiiie!'

This was last week sometime.

Yes, that is another one of the scenes that affected me greatly. It was just incredibly heart-wrenching to see him lose nearly all the people he held dear.

The Lion King, no contest. That may make me seem like a fuss but, I know every single dialog in that movie, I can probably resketch the movie frame by frame by now and still every time I watch it I get emotional... damnit.

Other then that... I don't realy have movies that I take any lessons from, or affect me emotionaly. Oh wait, Dances with Wolves is a very good movie. Go watch it.

Fistful of Dollars
For a Few Dollars More
(Forget)
The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly.
Everyone should see these movies. Now.

Forrest Gump holds a place in my heart, especially the seen where he loses Bubba *Sniffle*.

Waterhsip down really got me, and it scared me shitless when I was nine.

Okay, now before you all freak out with your "HYPOCRISY, KASTERE! YOU FOOL!" about the next movie, I would like to say FUCK YOU.

Final Fantasy: Advent Children.
Final Fantasy VII Is the only game ever to make me cry. ever, and yes, the movie could be considered anime, but its damn good example of what anime should be when its brought to the west and not forced with edits.
Probably the best Videogame movie there is.

Grave of the Fireflies had me severely depressed for about a month after I watched it; I was sobbing at the end. It's a very powerful movie for an anime. Some parts of Schindler's List did the same thing.

First thing that would come to mind is Fight Club, somehow I could relate to it, maybe that means im just crazy..

Oh, way to make me remember. >:(

Gawd, If I'd shown that movie at school....

'American Beauty'.

It never fails to make me realise just how little things really matter. If i'm ever feeling down about something i can always put that film on and it'll cheer me up.

The camera work is a bit samey, which can get irritating after the 1000th mid-close up shot, but the scene with Lester blackmailing his boss is immense.

Yep.

Definitely in my top 5.

Thats another one, though I didn't see it in its entirety.

Very Powerful film.

I need to think of something original.

Clerks,and Mallrats.

Shows the lives of Social Prolitariots in new light.

EDIT: Sorry to double post, I didn't navigate to the page right.

I'd have to say Pirates Of The Caribbean 3. The stuff about freedom really spoke to me.

Dancer in the Dark fo' sho'. Made me cry like a bitch, and only saw it two weeks ago.

There have been many, many movies that have touched me in some way, if not every movie that I watch, but a select few would have to be Crash, The Blairwitch Project, Monster, Schindler's List, and Amores Perros. I feel like a teenage girl for saying this, but I still have a soft spot for Disney films that I watched as a kid. Lion King and Hercules being pretty high up there.

I recently saw Stranger Then Fiction, I didn't think will Ferrel could pull it off, but I was wrong.

I was actually a smidge teary eyed near the end. (If you've seen it you know what I mean) but felt a bit better due to what happens.

Crash. Oh my god. I sincerely hate that film, it makes me angry to think of it. So patronising. Perfect to win the Oscar, of course, it was custom built to win an Oscar, wasn't it?

And if you liked Monster (thought it was fine, with a decent central performance) there was an excellent British documentary where this guy interviewed her right up to the moment before she was murdered. It was very powerful, to the very end she didn't give up on the madness.

Ooooh, I hate that film! It's soooo very badly done. I mean, it has some VERY nice bits and pieces in it, but the whole execution was stupid. It was also crazy predictable.

I don't hate it really. I just think it was such a missed opportunity.

Thanks very much for the replies.
Well the movies that were chosen by everyone else in class were lionking, pulpfiction, forest gump, the departed, blood diamond, the last king of scotland (macbeth was mentioned by everyone, both the australian and the old colour version (not sure who made it)), as well as anna coverich (I think that's what it is called), etc. and I think most of these movies are quite powerful.
Radio had quite an effect of me, and gave me real sympathy for those not like the rest of us, and that movie about that white south african boxer who is fighting for racial equality, I think it's called the rainmaker or something, that gave me sympathy and empathy for those discriminated by race, other than that, I can't recall any other movies.

Final Destination 1 Scares the Living Shit out of me!

A lot of Disney movies have had a lot of power over me.

Although I did not care for the most of it, Bambi is a prime example.
But The Lion King, most notably.

It just had such heartwarming emotion; it was literally impossible not to feel anything by watching it.


In terms of being "freaked out" or "disturbed" by a film, probably The Exorcist.

As well as having total control and power over me, it actually affected.
As I keep watching it, it's effect slowly fades away, but there are still some scenes where I literally cannot watch.

Another example would be Kill Bill;Although I was not particularly freaked out or disturbed by this film. But it does have some very overpowering scenes.