Beautiful Movies

Oct. 10, 2007

Beauty can take many forms, not the least of which are artistic forms - fine art, poetry, stories, music, and, of course, films. So what better way to celebrate our focus on beauty this week than with a half-dozen films that emphasize that very aesthetic? Put that popcorn in the prettiest bowl you’ve got, and get set for an evening of beautiful movies.

BLACK BEAUTY (1994) Sean Bean, David Thewlis, Dir. Caroline Thompson
The first forms of beauty take place in nature, of course, and this film - one of over a half-dozen crafted over the years from the original 1877 Anna Sewell novel - is both shot beautifully and gives great insight into the life of a non-human being, namely Beauty the horse, and how he interacts with the humans that help shape his life. The warm colors of the film and the literally pastoral settings set the tone for Beauty’s - yes, Beauty’s - narration, and make this film a pleasure to view.

BEAUTIFUL (2000) Minnie Driver, Hallie Kate Eisenberg, Dir. Sally Field
One of the most American barometers of female beauty is the beauty pageant, which is delved into in humorous detail in this movie. Minnie Driver stars as Mona, who so desperately wants to be Miss American Miss that she, at least to the public, passes off her own daughter as her best friend’s daughter, since Miss American Miss can’t also be a mom. Mona starts off quite unlikeable - but, by the end, she’s learned a few lessons that have made her a more beautiful person inside, which will last her far longer than any pageant title ever would.

A BEAUTIFUL MIND (2001) Russell Crowe, Dir. Ron Howard
Also lasting far longer than a beautiful trophy is a beautiful mind, the subject of this moving and sensitively-crafted biopic brought to life by the talented Ron Howard. Crowe portrays John Forbes Nash Jr., a Princeton mathematical genius who struggles with schizophrenia; he regains the beautiful power of his brain and works to control his mental paranoia and anguish with the help of Jennifer Connelly’s Alicia, who firmly believes that Nash is beautiful enough inside that he’s worth being patient for.
CRAZY/BEAUTIFUL (2001) Kirsten Dunst, Jay Hernandez, Dir. John Stockwell
Beauty transcends both money and ethnicities, and this Dunst vehicle pairs the actress up with good-looking Hispanic actor Hernandez to make for a West-Side-Story-reminiscent tale of romance and class barriers. As they work through their cultural differences to pursue their romantic connection, the movie crafts a touching portrayal of Nicole and Carlos’ relationship, as it avoids most teen-romance stereotypes and shows that even those from opposite sides of the tracks can make it work.

LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (1997) Roberto Benigni, Nicoletta Braschi, Dir. Roberto Benigni
Roberto Benigni’s vision of this hopeful film project was so strong that he directed it himself, and won 3 Oscars in the process. Yes, La Vita e Bella is in Italian, but you’ll barely notice the subtitles as the compelling story and strong characters draw you in to this tragi-comedy about life during Nazi-occupied times. Benigni’s character, Guido, falls in love with Braschi’s character, Dora, and they have a son; a son that Guido is determined to protect with fantasy and humor, even in the face of the concentration camps. A delicately-done effort about the beauty of the human spirit.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (1991) Robby Benson, Paige O’Hara, Dir. Kirk Wise
You knew this one was on the way, didn’t you? Because, much like A Beautiful Mind’s Alicia, Beauty and the Beast’s Belle can see through the Beast’s gruff exterior to the kindly Prince that lies within. On the technical side of things, the dual-Oscar winning animated film was the first to use fully rendered and textured CGI moving backgrounds, giving it the lush, rich look and full color that is so impressive on screen - and, on the emotional side, it’s another masterpiece for Disney, showcasing their ability to translate a fairy tale into a heart-warming film.