1. Brokeback Mountain: Renowned as the breakout gay cowboy movie, Brokeback Mountain is much more than a story about homosexual relationships.
Driven by their psychobiology, characters Ennis and Jack carry on a love relationship but the story focuses on their sense of being weighed down by profound inhibitions, the culture in which they live and austere dialogue.
The film gives viewers an impression of infinity, as both characters end up in isolation in the wide open spaces of Wyoming and Texas.
2. The White Countess: An impeccable period piece, this film depicts an international collage of characters, marooned by life’s circumstances in Shanghai, the last port for Jewish refugees of Nazi Germany and for people escaping the Russian Revolution.
Characters Jackson and Sofia attempt to connect despite their fears, to reach beyond loneliness by confronting their own dreams and needs.
3. Capote: Truman Capote’s investigation of the senseless Kansas murder that inspired his acclaimed novel, “In Cold Blood” is truly an exposé of two men suffering from pathological narcissistic personality disorder, Capote and the killer Perry Smith.
Capote’s bon vivant, attention craving behavior is contrasted with Smith’s ruthless exploitative destructive behavior.
Actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, himself a mature actor with a strong sense of self, provides a Best Actor-worthy performance of the grandiose and self-destructive Capote.
4. Good Night and Good Luck: A strong lesson in the honor of telling the truth for journalists, this movie also illustrates the intense working relationships of the CBS News team who fought together to end Joseph McCarthy’s reign as a bully dressed in a patriot’s clothing.
While McCarthy was adept at using fear to cover his own inadequacies, Edward R. Murrow illustrated that fearless honesty can carry the day.
5. Munich: Munich is a controversial and complex portrayal of the aftermath of the hostage killings of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympic Games.
Open to interpretation, the film has raised many questions for intellectuals and political experts about this moment in history.
6. The Family Stone: This film is both a comedy and tragedy that illustrates how complex family dynamics can be.
Through the laughter and tears, each of the characters experiences an important transformation.
Especially heartwarming are the scenes between husband and wife as they deal with the painful realities of terminal illness.
7. Match Point: A morality play about getting away with murder, Match Point is psychologically riveting because it corrupts and seduces the audience into identifying with the psychopath, hoping he’ll remain unscathed.
8. Walk the Line: Johnny Cash’s life story illustrates how one can feel imprisoned even without bars.
Cash’s struggle with addiction and his ultimate resurrection through the tough love of his second wife, June Carter, is an inspiration to viewers struggling with their own addictions.
