I recently read that “Its a Wonderful Life” did terrible in ticket sales. The Studio hated it, and the film was sort of suppressed because the villain was a banker with an unpleasant personality. It was literally controversial. They don’t want a movie about a community coming together, and all taking the hit for the small local lender. Considering bankers rule the world now, it seems a fair assessment.
They didn't want people to have their attention jabbed to the root cause that is the banking clan. Bankers have always ruled, its only more obvious today. However it doesn't matter because the pleb hordes are buried in their impenetrable self deceit.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi had a very important social message for me. A very inspiring movie. It taught me to blindly follow authority and run away from my problems.
The Last Jedi taught me that you don't need to do lessons or training to be awesome, and that you should ignore the advice of old men, but listen carefully to old women.
I would have ‘Boyz n tha Hood’ (1991) on my list somewhere - great depiction of inner-city life and how your decisions and actions can save or destroy you - “Increase the Peace”.
And Menace II Society too since it’s also a movie about three youths trying to survive a place where they don’t really belong in and how the streets will chew you up and spit you out if you don’t even try to get out of that place of society.
Love They Live and Its a Wonderful Life. Superman was a nice surprise. My personal favorite would be 12 Angry Men with Henry Fonda. Tackles group think, prejudice, peer pressure. Great performances too.
@@collativelearning A movie to check out. Rod Steiger in The Loved One (1965) www.imdb.com/title/tt0059410/ Satire on the funeral business, in which a young British poet goes to work at a Hollywood cemetery.
Hard to argue. It's a masterpiece on so many levels, and also has some absolutely hilarious things in it. The performances are brilliant across the board and of course Peter Sellers playing 3 roles cemented his reputation as the Chaplin or Keaton of his era.
I went and watched Five Easy Pieces because of this video. A genuinely great film with a really good message, and a fantastic performance from Jack Nicholson
I watched Rollerball on your recommendation. Great movie. Rather chilling depiction of where we could be heading in a world that undermines nationality in favor of governments and corporations who work in tandem.
i mean ‘nations’ are lines on the ground that only exist in human heads... we’re all strands in the web of life, by virtue of the fact all creatures are engendered by and share a common living space: earth. there’s no way to disentangle that. it all is, and all happens, and humans are not in control of these complex, life sustaining processes.
@@thotslayer9914 Be an incel. See comment that is getting likes and attention from channel creator. Get jelly. Project your flaws and call that person an incel in blind rage.
I think Eyes Wide Shut became a cult movie for "conspiracy theorists" because on the surface, it was pretty dumb, and the mass audience took it for that (those are the ones who claim the second party really takes place, and this is how rich people spend their weekends).....BUT it also became a classic for more educated audiences because of the symbology, and the multiple layers of understanding each scene (try to explain a "conspiranoid" the second party is actually the first party on a subconscious level).........but also that movie was served to an audience who was prepared for last 5 or 6 years with X-Files, which was probably one of the most sought after TV shows, and the "mythos" episodes were amazing (in particular in the first 5 seasons, because they play with reality, fiction and conspiracy, mixing all and leaving you clueless.....you could literally see an grey alien in one episode, and still not be convinced, because they had so many options to justify it, genetical manipulation of humans, actual extraterrestrials, fake "corpses" planted by the CIA, etc etc, all mixed with nazi and japanese actual WW2 history...)........this is why also Matrix was very well received, because of how "anti-system" it was seen by audiences (when actually it is totally the opposite of that)... And in fact, EWS is what really pushed more people into looking for the symbols of Kubrick previous movies. Today you have 1 thousand different takes on the Shinning, but in, let's say 1992, who had any idea of what The Shinning was about, or even saw that movie more than once?..... I don't even know if the "moonlanding" theory was already established back then (specially because there was no internet, so the only way to learn about this kind of stuff, was to find a book, or an article in a magazine)
I'd add The Bells of St Mary's because it's a perfect snapshot of the traditionalist 'muscular Christianity' worldview that dominated before the post WWII dissolution of Western culture. ETA: Seeing as this thread has attracted some Globo-Homo trolling, a bit of expansion is in order. Domination is hardly a dirty word since the capacity to dominate is what allows a living being to survive. Individuals at times have to dominate in order to secure food, win mates or resist predation and communities have to maintain the capacity to dominate to secure territory, the rights of their people and the continuance of their culture. And it certainly was to the world's benefit that the USA was capable of domination during the 20th Century, defeating both the Imperial Japanese and Nazi Germany. It's relativistic in the extreme to act as if a world order that made room for Unit 731 and Auschwitz is somehow a positive thing. And I chose the word 'dissolution' quite deliberately. What we're seeing now is in no way evolutionary, which implies an organic process . Rather, both globalist homogenization and multicultural relativism are being imposed upon societies against their will (See: US 2016 election, Brexit, Gillets Jaunes protests, election of Bolsonaro and various nationalist governments in Europe). It's clear that any globalist or multiculturalist society will be unsustainable, lacking as it does the consent of the people. This is intrinsically anti-evolutionary, since evolution always seeks to produce a self-sustaining entity.
In my country, the governmente is making regions available to international or national bidders who want to stablish there, original inhabitants have to sell their land or property or they will be ex-propriated from them. This is an effect of globalism, what is your assessment of what it's happening in my country?
Five Easy Pieces lost me early, when Jack is pissed off at his sexy girlfriend for losing at bowling. Give me a break. The film was pointless and the opposite of inspirational, but I think that was the point, because that was Jack's character's life. Fine father figure he was, leaving his pregnant girlfriend behind at the gas station. It was fun seeing "little girl" Sally Struthers tits, though, as she bangs Jack, as well as future "Hey Mickey" star, Toni Basil, the co-hitchiker who no one seemed to notice. "Stand By Your Man" is a fantastic classic which opens the movie, completely at odds with this film, which is not about a woman standing by her man, but a man leaving her devoted woman and their coming child behind, simply because he's an a-hole. Five Easy Pieces is a work by Stravinsky. People are scratching their heads about the title, as well as this movie. The restaurant scene is considered a classic, because, compared to the rest of film, it is.
'The Outlay Josey Wales' would make my list for its depiction of a group of strangers getting along and making things work because they have a common goal.
PERFECT ANALYSIS OF SUPERMAN!!! I am always telling my students the same thing because the only thing they are used to absorbing is cinematic Cheese Whiz!
_The Swimmer_ (1968) & _Local Hero_ (1983) are really good indie-ish, small studio films that are in this category. They both subtly touch on the theme of wealth, and how one navigates a world in which its allure and utility seem to exert a powerful - even mystical - force on people. Both are sort of beautiful and ethereal, in the vein of _American Beauty_ and _Risky Business_ .
Francis Ford Coppola has actually said "Rumble Fish" is the best film he ever made. Mind you he made the 1st 2 Godfathers, The Conversation and Apocalypse Now. Intersting since it's on this Top 25 List
To me Stanley Kubrick's most important and best film, will always be - A CLOCKWORK ORANGE and by extension among the most important films ever made in the history of cinema
Nice video! I have to disagree with your reading of the diner scene in Five Easy Pieces, however. The way I saw it, it was more of a commentary on rules and authority making little sense. Nicholson found a way to get the order he wanted "without breaking any rules". His method of circumventing authority, I believe, says more about his character than just wanting it a specific way. He wanted it that way, and *was able to get it that way* in spite of the no substitutions rule, but the authority figure of the waitress denied him the order anyway. It says a lot about how life doesn't always make sense, but I would have to see the film again to nail down precisely how this scene fits into the larger world of the character's journey.
Very cool that you mention Rumble Fish. I used to be obsessed by the film. I've seen it a 100+ times. In a technical sense it feels like the Citizen Kane of the eighties, but it also has this wonderful dreamlike atmosphere. It never fails to impress me.
This is a most interesting category for a "top" list. Some really insightful choices you made. Suprised not to see "Fight Club". On mine, I'd probably have "Do The Right Thing", "12 Angry Men", and definitely "There Will Be Blood". Do another 25, please!
cheers. My detailed film analysis are scripted. No way I could narrate those casually and be so accurate. Anything where I talk directly in front of the camera is usually ad libbed according to a predefined topical template.
@@collativelearning That makes sense. By the way, I am going to check out Rumble Fish on your suggestion. I've only known of it peripherally and always though it looked cheesy, so I never gave it a chance. Now I'm intrigued.
I'm one of the few people who have seen Five Easy Pieces. It is great! It was interesting to hear your take on it, though I interpreted it very differently. Nicholson's character came from a very cultured background. He was a talented classical pianist, which came as a revelation midway through the film, as he worked in an oil field and surrounded himself with people who were well-meaning and sweet, but kind of on the dim side. He chose the "easy" life as a chronic underachiever, though this course of action frustrated him. In this sense, the film had a bit in common with the beginning of Good Will Hunting. That being said, love the channel. Thanks for all you do. 👍
Exactly- maybe because you're British, where social class structure is quite different, you have seemingly missed the actual social message in Five Easy Pieces, one of my favorite movies. In the classic diner scene, which is very well known on these shores, his request is actually very simple (he wants toast) and nothing as you described here; the point is that the waitress is so ensconced in "how we do this" that she cannot deviate at all from the menu - as happens more abstractly in the prescribed behavior of social classes. Watch it again, Rob. It's a great movie.
I was hoping to see Wag the Dog on this list. It predicted the Clinton scandals just months before news got out. I would also add Fight Club, Minority Report (behavioral predictive profiling and surveillance states) and War Games (many will disagree with this), which arguably inspired the teenage genius trope in so many movies and TV shows.
I LOVE "Trading Places"! Great social issues presented by two flawed, funny characters that doesn't hit one on the head with its message. Also, I love "Superman" for being a bit of a send-up of the Superman story, inside jokes poking at the original cartoon ("And don't call me Sugar," Chief says, when it's supposed to be "And don't call me Chief."). And props for "It's a Wonderful Life." I love how you mix genres, find oddball films, and have such an innovative, independent take on everything.
Trading Places is my favourite comedy of all time, and a Christmas tradition. Never once did I think of it as a message movie (even though it kinda is)
🤣🤣🤣...High Planes Drifter... '...and when I say ghost like I..I don't mean he's transparent and he floats through walls n' shit like that...' Laughed out loud there...🤣🤣🤣
Thanks Rob, another great video. I am a young lad from Birkenhead and when you were describing Rumble Fish, I could really relate to what you were saying being in a similar position myself not so long ago. You are a fantastic movie analyst unlike the mainstream critics, who today unfortunately only seem to praise movies that conform to a modern identity politics agenda. Part 2, yes please.
oh god.. you rightly got monty python and the holy grail, I was damn surprised when you didn't pick life of brian. also if I was to pick 25 I'd like you to do - life of brian to kill a mockingbird three days of the condor the spy who came in from the cold hell is for heroes sunset boulevard M modern times andromeda strain badlands wall street the wannsee conference macbeth (roman polanski) aguirre wrath of god the thin blue line the parallax view all the president's men the manchurian candidate zulu strange days margin call blue velvet cool hand luke animal farm ex machina
@@ainslie187 to me, blue velvet (and lots of david lynch in fact) is all about how - no matter how much we want things to be harmonious and how well-intentioned the protagonist, the undercurrents in the human psyche will always reach up and out to strangle that harmony. hence, the main character finds a severed ear and instead of just reporting it and being done with it and settling down in americana, he eavesdrops on a conversation about the investigation and is morbidly drawn to its mystery in which he then spirals down into ugliness which he further gets entangled - becoming ugly himself in the process. hm, now that i'm looking at it, thematically it really parallels with eyes wide shut, albeit it is much more personal than that film.
What makes you think that Countries like U.S. and U.K. treat food cattle like dirt? Where is your evidence of such a claim being true. In the United States of America, cattlemen, ranchers, and butchers treat their animals very, very well. Most are salt of the Earth Christians, and have more care and respect for these creatures than ANYONE else in other cultures. If you are saying that what you said is wide-spread and accepted in current practice, I say you are way out of line and are buying into hippie propaganda, to compare your compassion to that of an evil straw man. PETA is a political group, and lies like the others.
Nice video. Some interesting & unexpected choices. One film I had in mind include Rosemary's Baby. It had interesting social messages. Besides the "people hiding things beneath a seemingly pleasant surface" aspect (as in Eyes Wide Shut), there is also the conformity & peer pressure aspect. It is fascinating to see how the main character is pressured into isolation by her peers & how her husband sold himself to the devil (literally) just for career advancement. Another interesting one is the Jazz Singer. While known mostly for breaking the silent era, I think this sometimes overshadows the theme of maintaining traditional values & identity. I think it is a very powerful & complex issue: should you distance yourself from your roots & long held traditions to advance your life? How conservative should one be? Is there always a compromise? Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times also addresses industrialization, the meaning of satisfaction in life, & overwork.
Spending today going over your excellent videos , particularly enjoyed this one ... My top 5 social message movies must be La Haine , If.... , Life of Brian , Rumblefish and Festen from Denmark, possibly the original Pusher....
Rollerball, 5 easy pieces, American beauty. Three fantastic character studies there. I'd add macabe and Mrs miller as another. Please do your top character studies in movies.
Team America: World Police Shaun of the Dead Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle Logan’s Run Schindler’s List Revenge of the Nerds 1984 Watership Down Pass Thru
Been a fan of yours for 10 years now (!) Would love to see you do a live show in an IMAX. Would happily pay £20 for that. Also a video podcast. I'm sure you could get some big names involved.
Isn't there another dimension to the Jack Nicholson character (in 5 Easy Pieces)? He has also rejected his bourgeois family background to pursue a freewheeling, apparently 'blue collar' existence. So another life was at some point available to him. He is the way he is, not for want of opportunity, in fact in defiance of his supposed class. The character is defined by alienation and anomie and not knowing what he wants.
Yeah, I thought Rob's interpretation of that film was really odd. I thought the whole point of that scene of him talking to his dad was his struggle with direction in life. Maybe he could elaborate on it in a deeper analysis. Regardless, I didn't really care for that film as I found Nicholson's character incredibly despicable.
Fight Club also talks about dealing with your darker half, and that you can't really trust yourself... because there are parts of your mind you can't control or be aware of. It also talk about how USING your aggressive side can make things happen... so use it with as much self-awareness and as much good judgment as you can muster.
At this point I think the UK's best bet for getting out of the EU is to hope it collapses on its own. When you need a loicense just to watch porn you know your country has problems
Funnily enough, I recently discovered a 1990's John Hurt movie called The Commissioner, about the dodgy aspects of the EU Commission lol. Haven't seen it, so don't know about how good the movie is.
Network from 1976 are you kidding? Was it not in contention, did you forget it, haven't you seen it? Did it supersede this list? Might be one of the greatest movies of all time. Great acting, great pacing, great story, the social impact, and message. I don't get it that it isn't mentioned here.
wow, Five Easy Pieces, didn't expect that one great movie from Bob Rafelson who was involved in Easy Rider and after Jack's great performance, makes this movie one year later with him as protagonist. Loved the character developement and the scene with his father.
I'd be hard-pressed to come up with 15 movies I agree with the messages of, let alone 25, but I'll go ahead and give my personal top 10 with write-ups (because this category of movies demands some explanation). This will be long, so I apologize. 10) Idiocracy Not a particularly entertaining movie, but dysgenic reproduction, the dumbing down of our school system, attempts to make our pop culture revolve around the whims of the lowest common denominator, the ability of people to be hypnotized by scientific sounding words and phrases (watering the grass with gatorade because it has electrolytes), etc. are serious problems that need to be addressed or a more toned-down version of the future from Idiocracy could become real. 9) The Matrix One of the most brilliant metaphors in film is the Matrix itself. No matter who you are, whatever you think, the system can symbolize whatever you want it to. International finance, the New World Order, expansive bureaucracy, the Military Industrial Complex, organized religion, white supremacist hertero-normative patriarchy, and/or the Lizard People. Notice how none of these groups will shut me down for naming them. Any perceivable system of exploitation and control can stand in for the Matrix itself with no real contradiction in the metaphor. Ultimately most people feel comfortable with these systems of control and anything that they can learn to make them reconsider how they feel about them will result in backlash if forced upon them. The decision to learn unpleasant truths has to be made by the individual or you may be ratted out to the very system you want to resist. Anyone is a potential enemy should you identify with a cause against a system of control and if you're right about the extent of their control, you can expect to suffer the consequences for spreading your forbidden knowledge. 8) Dr. Strangelove Exposing MAD for the madness that it is was definitely important at its time, but it's become a bit less relevant now. However, there are eternal truths that Dr. Strangelove does express that do remain relevant, such as how divorced all the generals and strategists are from the acts of violence they plan and talk about ("no fighting in the War Room", where they plot megadeaths), the self-interest that drives their strategic decision making (suddenly becoming interested in Strangelove's plan when they get 10 women per men in the mines), and the insatiable appetite of the military industrial complex (missile gaps becoming mineshaft gaps as they resume planning for the war after the end of the world). 7) Robocop (original) It's easy for a cop movie to portray a cop as a maverick no-bullshit individualist like Dirty Harry, but what's harder is to make the character as close to being a part of the Machine as possible. A cop that follows the rules and acts as he's supposed to dispassionately and imperviously. Murphy's gory execution is a brilliant way to draw the viewer into the plight of the character while keeping him as a stoic embodiment of the system. Cops can hurt us in more ways than they visibly help us, being the violent enforcement arm of the state. However, in a situation where the police force is overwhelmed or stretched thin, it's possible for crime like in Robocop to become reality. In the 1980's especially with militarization of the police force ramping up (and it hasn't ramped down since), Robocop is an important movie for what it represents thematically. The viewer isn't really told how to feel about any of these topics, except to sympathize with Murphy, which allows them to form their own opinions on them, should their minds wander. 6) Excalibur Excalibur is my favorite movie of all time. It is a very Christian movie in all its positive aspects, yet it is not boring nor is it preachy. King Arthur's conception is as a result of his father, Uther's, lust. Uther declares war on a vassal that he just made peace with on victorious terms, so that he could claim the vassal's wife as his own. Uther's vassals grow to distrust Uther culminating in a series of battles in which Uther's realm collapses when it should have prospered. Arthur is raised humbly until he pulls the sword from the stone, at which point half his kingdom acknowledges his legitimacy and half of it takes up arms to not be ruled by someone they think is a peasant. After some instruction by Merlin, Arthur follows his instincts and leads his men in battle, performing great feats of bravery and ending the battle decisively by taking his sword to the throat of his opposition's leader, a great knight in his own right. Arthur demands fealty, which the knight is unwilling to do because Arthur is not even a knight so he cannot be a king. In an act of tremendous courage, Arthur hands the knight his sword and kneels before him (in the water, reminiscent of a baptism), requesting to be knighted. The knight visibly struggles with the idea of killing Arthur and claiming kingship by virtue of the possession of Excalibur, but ultimately knights Arthur before swearing his fealty, won over by the fearless character of the King. I don't want to recap the whole movie, but Camelot is established and Arthur grows wrathful (which he is quickly reprimanded for) then idle and decadent (but firmly devoted to his idea of the rule of law). Arthur is tricked into creating an heir with his evil half-sister, Arthur finds out about an affair between his wife and his best knight, and his kingdom becomes cursed. To fix the curse, he sends all of his knights on the Grail Quest. The most devout knight, Percival, succeeds by following a series of visions and coming to the realization needed to set the land straight. Arthur is re-taught that the land and himself are one and that the land's decay is because of his own personal failings, namely outsourcing his responsibility to others and making them carry his burdens. He lost sight of the humility he was raised with, which caused all of the events that led to Camelot's decay. Arthur forgives his wife and rides to his final battle where he fights his bastard son Mordred, the personification of all of Arthur's failings. Arthur's now-meager forces manage to beat Mordred, although Arthur is fatally wounded in the process, and the sword is returned to the Lady of the Lake. Excalibur loses points on this list for being less about its social messages than other films, but that also contributes to it being such a great movie in other aspects. With the source material (Le Morte D'Arthur), there's only so much liberty you can take in adapting it before you completely change its meaning. (part 1/2)
5) Metropolis Labor conditions are far better than they were when Metropolis was made (especially in Europe), but the inequality between the owners of industry and the workers who make it now is far larger than it has ever been in history. I haven't looked into any other country's statistics, but I know the real (adjusted for inflation) wage in the United States has hardly grown since the 1970s while the 1980s is (in)famously characterized by the explosive economic gains that the wealthy enjoyed. Metropolis is a movie with a message about the necessity for the profiteers of labor to see the conditions in which their laborers live and work in so that labor and capitalists can come to an amicable and productive relationship. Unfortunately, the message of Metropolis has yet to be truly realized (at least in the US), organized labor is essentially a political machine by another name and is itself a sprawling bureaucracy of rent-seeking do-nothings that is on the fast track to total irrelevance. I consider Metropolis to be a comforting fairy-tale that presents an outcome that could be good, but will likely require some outside force to achieve (i.e. legislation that won't happen or revolution that won't happen). 4) Olympia The most beautiful movie depicting the Olympics ever shot. The athletic achievements of 1936 may have been surpassed since with better technology, more developed training regiments, and some better athletes, but their beauty will remain as long as a print of this film exists. Leni Reifenstahl shot her Olympic documentary with as good of a cinematographic eye as the Olympics have ever been shot with, her primary concern isn't really with documenting the events and the winners and losers, so much as it is a celebration of athleticism for the aesthetic value it inherently contains. Olympia is a movie that will inspire you to try to seek physical perfection because it makes the best case for it by showcasing in the best light possible the overwhelming beauty that can be achieved with enough discipline and hard work. 3) Fight Club It's easy to dismiss this movie as being an immature and edgy relic of my years as a teenager viewing it, but in as emasculated and materialistic of a society that exists today, it's perhaps more relevant than ever. The narrator begins his journey as a narcissistic cog in his corporate machine, doing what his bosses say, keeping his head low, and having his only joy in life being his encounters with people even more miserable than himself. He does everything he's supposed to do and has everything he's supposed to have, yet he is not happy. He's so unhappy that he can't even sleep. His masculine inclinations are suppressed in every facet of his life until he meets Tyler Durden. Tyler comes off as someone who has it all figured out. He's not the richest man and he doesn't have the most things, but that doesn't matter. He has a purpose and he has a struggle. The narrator and numerous other similarly affected young men come to learn to reassert themselves in society through their physical struggle in the fight club. Through feeling the real conflict that's been denied to them, through interacting in the world physically and not as economic abstracts, they become the men they weren't. Fight Club also serves as a warning against cult-like political organizations and is actually a fantastic representation of the real process by which actual terrorist organizations gain their members, the structures they take, and the ends they may seek to achieve. The titular club, or rather network of clubs, more or less follow what's known as the Hezbollah model of terrorist organizations. The idea is that they are to have a social service component to ingratiate themselves with their communities. The club is essentially a therapeutic way for men to reacclimate to the real world, which gives them confidence, an outlet for their frustrations, and the opportunity to prove themselves and be a part of something. Members who want more join Project Mayhem, which functions as a filter. People who aren't up for Tyler's "homework assignments" (mostly pranks) are not going to be fit for the serious operations, so they are weeded out here. Then they go through a rigorous screening process to officially become a Space Monkey, upon their successful completion of which they become core members of the organization. The organization is very decentralized in a node-based network across the country with some members having no idea what Tyler Durden looks like while others recognize him on site. Each of these nodes has some kind of go-between but can operate independently of Durden's orders. The organization unwittingly develops a cult of martyrdom around Robert Paulson, which is a key aspect that helps solidify the commitment of even core members as they now have prestige to be gained upon their death in service to their cause. If any of the information in this paragraph has been of interest to you, I recommend the book "Radical, Religious, and Violent: the New Economics of Terrorism" by Eli Berman, which I'm borrowing a lot of knowledge from for this paragraph. In any case, my point is that the movie can also provide a framework for how to identify any potentially terroristic organizations you may stumble upon before it is too late. 2) Network A brilliant prediction of the direction news media would take upon the emergence of the 24-hour news cycle. Profit comes from people tuning in and people tuning in comes from sensationalism. These organizations have no concern for the broader effects of their activities as demonstrated by the Network's funding of communist terrorists and their ultimate decision to kill Beale because his ratings were low. Brilliant, if a little unsubtle, satire and it demonstrates the watering down and commoditization of genuine populist sentiment that occurs inevitably when it becomes popular enough to become profitable. As relevant today as it was in 1976, make no mistake, old media may be dying, but new media has all the same problems. 1) Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Fantastic story of an idealist operating in the corrupt world of legislative politics. It does a great job at exposing the kinds of political machinations that went on behind the scenes in Congress and in the public sphere and demonstrating that even in the Senate, the ones who are really calling the shots in Republican (the political structure) governments are the financiers who make most of the economic gains. Mr. Smith is an inspiring character for his integrity and his total unwillingness to surrender in the face of a seemingly unstoppable political juggernaut. The happy ending is a bit of an asspull, it does not happen in real life, but it is cathartic nonetheless.
@@AntiAnnihilator5000 Not trying to be that guy but republican with no capital letter and the little r is in reference to the type of government whereas Republican refers to the party in America. The same if you were to say democratic vs Democratic. People reading comments on UA-cam videos won’t pick up on that immediately so you’d still have to say it.
Some of my favourite social message films (for various different reasons, and LESS than 25 in no.) A CLOCKWORK ORANGE the state v the individual, ROBOCOP a warning against the dangers of Corporate fashism, and corruption, SERPICO, based on a true event police corruption & where it leads. WEST WORLD, what can happen in a gun violence culture when it is treated as entertainment, SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, The importance of friendship & loyalty, COUNT OF MONTY CRISTO- survival against all odds, IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT - Overcoming ignorance & prejudice to concentrate on justice. ROCKY realising your potential & fullfilling your dreams/destiny " and that's all folks"
The Russians Are Coming, The Fountainhead, To Kill a Mockingbird, A Man for All Seasons, Meet John Doe, Michael, Shawshank Redemption, Delores Claiborne, [Spencer Tracy versions of Judgment at Nuremberg, Inherit the Wind, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner], Ordinary People, Spartacus, Amistad, The Rainmaker, Elmer Gantry, Myra Breckenridge, Gandhi, War Games and Fail Safe, Contact
1- Ladri di biciclette (1948) 2- Metropolis (1927) 2- Schindler´s List (1993) 4- Wag the Dog (1997) 3- Los lunes al sol (2002) 4- Girl Interrupted (1999) 5- Modern Times (1936) 6- The Great Dictator (1940) 7- 1984 (1984) 8- Network (1976) 9- Dr. Strangelove or: How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) 10- Sybill (1976) 11- El pisito (1958) 12-To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) 13- Los olvidados (1950) 14- Ladybird Ladybird (1994) 15- Bowling for Columbine (2002) 16- Nadie hablará de nosotras cuando hayamos muerto (1982)
17- They Shoot Horses, Don´t They? (1969) 18- Tiempo de silencio (1986) 19- Saving Grace (2000) 20- Wall Street (1987) 21- Flowers for Algernon (2002) 22- Soylent Green (1973) 22- Barrio (1998) 23- American History X (1998) 24- A Child Is Waiiting (1963) 25- The Colour Purple (1985)
HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Desert Flower (2009), Children of a Lesser God (1986), American Beauty (1999), Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007), Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969), Fame (1980), Star Trek the Motion Picture (1978), Te doy mis ojos (2019), Good Will Hunting (1997), Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne (1987), Super Size Me (2004), Brassed Off (1996), Thank You for smoking (2005), Fresa y chocolate (1993), North Country (2005), Killing Fields (1984), Rabbit Proof Fence (2002), Human Trafficking (2005) Philadelphia (1993) I was really surprised to see so many Spanish and Biritish films. I think I want to see all these films again in this order!
Respectfully, 😊I'm very surprised A Clockwork Orange didn't make it on this list, especially regarding social meaning. All of Kubrick's films have social meaning, and I understand your comments on why you chose Eyes Wide Shut & Dr. Strangelove, but as far as heavyweight social meaning, I think A Clockwork Orange hit the hardest. 🍻
I agree that One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest should be on this list but if I had to include another Jack Nicholson film, then in my opinion it would have to be Easy Rider 😎✌
Hi rob always enjoy ur channel. Do think u missed a beat though by not mentioning 12 angry men Mate. I mean i love monty python myself but..lol It's prob THE most important, because how many innocent people have been executed in history before just by not having the right guy in the room. ONE guy can mean the dif between life n death. Pre-concieved attitudes, effect of [real] heartbreak.. THATS what i took from it.. Trading places wasnt about HOW They were raised. its about what they were n were not raised with; PRIVILEDGE. OPPOTUNITY. Right skin colour. For that world i mean lol b4 people call me racist ha. U knew what i meant tho im sure.
I would add some poignant Kurosawa films: I Live in Fear - a movie ahead of its time about a man terrified of the prospect of nuclear war who wants to move his entire family from Japan to South America. Red Beard - a powerful film about a doctor who chooses to work among the poor for low wages for the good of humanity. Stray Dog - a noir type film that takes a journey through the underbelly of post war Japanese society. The end is staggering brilliance! Then, of course, there should be some brilliant Italian films, The Bicycle Thief, Stromboli, The Nights of Cabiria, La Strada, La Commare Secca, Mamma Roma, Germany Year Zero, and so many more. I don’t know why but the Italians excel at this type of film. And we can’t forget Charlie Chaplin’s superlative: City Lights.
Trading Places: the bet was between two old money billionaires, and it was for $1. Stating that they didn’t care about Akroyd’s or Murphy’s characters at all. Willing to destroy the life of an employee, for a arbitrary wager illustrates that both characters were ultimately valueless to the elite class. I love this channel, great work.
we need part 2 Where's the Godfather 1 and 2 Easy Rider,Indiana Jones Temple of Doom,Boogie Nights,Pulp Fiction,Do the Right Thing,Citizen Kane if you speak about black and white movies with a social message
Yeeeaaahhh - give us a part 2. I was trying to guess where the matrix would turn up in the list, and it was nice to see someone who really likes "Remains of the day" aswell!
Whenever you're playing at critic, the audience you're addressing is always the rub.The best films work on different levels, - true, - but they are also frequently convoluted and misunderstood. Education, culture, sex, age, - are always going to make the experience subjective. I will always remember Apocalypse Now as being central to my mental growth; in many ways, it was my real introduction to religion. One Flew Over, - as you say, a " science" that can be very destructive.After several years as a Psych major, I became so disenchanted that I changed to an entirely different field.
I recently read that “Its a Wonderful Life” did terrible in ticket sales. The Studio hated it, and the film was sort of suppressed because the villain was a banker with an unpleasant personality. It was literally controversial. They don’t want a movie about a community coming together, and all taking the hit for the small local lender. Considering bankers rule the world now, it seems a fair assessment.
Here's your digital dollar and ESG score sir! This issue isn't getting better.
Bankers don't rule the world, lmao.
They didn't want people to have their attention jabbed to the root cause that is the banking clan. Bankers have always ruled, its only more obvious today. However it doesn't matter because the pleb hordes are buried in their impenetrable self deceit.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi had a very important social message for me. A very inspiring movie. It taught me to blindly follow authority and run away from my problems.
The Last Jedi taught me that you don't need to do lessons or training to be awesome, and that you should ignore the advice of old men, but listen carefully to old women.
@@atomicdancer That too. So inspiring. Lessons to pass on to the next generation to be sure.
Taught me the value of money.
@Mr. Flapjack Presents Garbage Tier social takes are endemic to Hollywood now. Especially the Gay-Up-All-Things trend.
Like the movie just cause it pissed off so many People.
Fight Club had a million little "social messages" hidden inside the crazy rollercoaster the Narrator goes through and/or creates.
I would have ‘Boyz n tha Hood’ (1991) on my list somewhere - great depiction of inner-city life and how your decisions and actions can save or destroy you - “Increase the Peace”.
That’s a good one to add for sure
And Menace II Society too since it’s also a movie about three youths trying to survive a place where they don’t really belong in and how the streets will chew you up and spit you out if you don’t even try to get out of that place of society.
Love They Live and Its a Wonderful Life. Superman was a nice surprise. My personal favorite would be 12 Angry Men with Henry Fonda. Tackles group think, prejudice, peer pressure. Great performances too.
12 Angry Men is an excellent choicet. I didn't think of that one. Cheers.
@@collativelearning A movie to check out. Rod Steiger in The Loved One (1965) www.imdb.com/title/tt0059410/ Satire on the funeral business, in which a young British poet goes to work at a Hollywood cemetery.
Rob, you're a saint!
Dr. Strangelove is probably the best and most important black comedy with a powerful social message I've ever seen.
Totally love it. It really captures the (well deserved) paranoia of the cold war era.
Hard to argue. It's a masterpiece on so many levels, and also has some absolutely hilarious things in it. The performances are brilliant across the board and of course Peter Sellers playing 3 roles cemented his reputation as the Chaplin or Keaton of his era.
I went and watched Five Easy Pieces because of this video. A genuinely great film with a really good message, and a fantastic performance from Jack Nicholson
Thank you Mr. Ager
More top 25 lists please. These are really great.
I watched Rollerball on your recommendation. Great movie. Rather chilling depiction of where we could be heading in a world that undermines nationality in favor of governments and corporations who work in tandem.
Yeah Rollerball is marvellous.
Bruh I see you like everywhere, do you recognize me by now?
i mean ‘nations’ are lines on the ground that only exist in human heads... we’re all strands in the web of life, by virtue of the fact all creatures are engendered by and share a common living space: earth. there’s no way to disentangle that. it all is, and all happens, and humans are not in control of these complex, life sustaining processes.
@@Pomeray8 *Fedora tipping intensifies*
@@thotslayer9914
Be an incel. See comment that is getting likes and attention from channel creator. Get jelly. Project your flaws and call that person an incel in blind rage.
I think Eyes Wide Shut became a cult movie for "conspiracy theorists" because on the surface, it was pretty dumb, and the mass audience took it for that (those are the ones who claim the second party really takes place, and this is how rich people spend their weekends).....BUT it also became a classic for more educated audiences because of the symbology, and the multiple layers of understanding each scene (try to explain a "conspiranoid" the second party is actually the first party on a subconscious level).........but also that movie was served to an audience who was prepared for last 5 or 6 years with X-Files, which was probably one of the most sought after TV shows, and the "mythos" episodes were amazing (in particular in the first 5 seasons, because they play with reality, fiction and conspiracy, mixing all and leaving you clueless.....you could literally see an grey alien in one episode, and still not be convinced, because they had so many options to justify it, genetical manipulation of humans, actual extraterrestrials, fake "corpses" planted by the CIA, etc etc, all mixed with nazi and japanese actual WW2 history...)........this is why also Matrix was very well received, because of how "anti-system" it was seen by audiences (when actually it is totally the opposite of that)...
And in fact, EWS is what really pushed more people into looking for the symbols of Kubrick previous movies. Today you have 1 thousand different takes on the Shinning, but in, let's say 1992, who had any idea of what The Shinning was about, or even saw that movie more than once?..... I don't even know if the "moonlanding" theory was already established back then (specially because there was no internet, so the only way to learn about this kind of stuff, was to find a book, or an article in a magazine)
I'd add The Bells of St Mary's because it's a perfect snapshot of the traditionalist 'muscular Christianity' worldview that dominated before the post WWII dissolution of Western culture.
ETA: Seeing as this thread has attracted some Globo-Homo trolling, a bit of expansion is in order. Domination is hardly a dirty word since the capacity to dominate is what allows a living being to survive. Individuals at times have to dominate in order to secure food, win mates or resist predation and communities have to maintain the capacity to dominate to secure territory, the rights of their people and the continuance of their culture. And it certainly was to the world's benefit that the USA was capable of domination during the 20th Century, defeating both the Imperial Japanese and Nazi Germany. It's relativistic in the extreme to act as if a world order that made room for Unit 731 and Auschwitz is somehow a positive thing.
And I chose the word 'dissolution' quite deliberately. What we're seeing now is in no way evolutionary, which implies an organic process . Rather, both globalist homogenization and multicultural relativism are being imposed upon societies against their will (See: US 2016 election, Brexit, Gillets Jaunes protests, election of Bolsonaro and various nationalist governments in Europe). It's clear that any globalist or multiculturalist society will be unsustainable, lacking as it does the consent of the people. This is intrinsically anti-evolutionary, since evolution always seeks to produce a self-sustaining entity.
No worldview should "dominate." And you mean the evolution of culture, not dissolution.
In my country, the governmente is making regions available to international or national bidders who want to stablish there, original inhabitants have to sell their land or property or they will be ex-propriated from them. This is an effect of globalism, what is your assessment of what it's happening in my country?
Five Easy Pieces lost me early, when Jack is pissed off at his sexy girlfriend for losing at bowling. Give me a break. The film was pointless and the opposite of inspirational, but I think that was the point, because that was Jack's character's life. Fine father figure he was, leaving his pregnant girlfriend behind at the gas station. It was fun seeing "little girl" Sally Struthers tits, though, as she bangs Jack, as well as future "Hey Mickey" star, Toni Basil, the co-hitchiker who no one seemed to notice. "Stand By Your Man" is a fantastic classic which opens the movie, completely at odds with this film, which is not about a woman standing by her man, but a man leaving her devoted woman and their coming child behind, simply because he's an a-hole. Five Easy Pieces is a work by Stravinsky. People are scratching their heads about the title, as well as this movie. The restaurant scene is considered a classic, because, compared to the rest of film, it is.
'The Outlay Josey Wales' would make my list for its depiction of a group of strangers getting along and making things work because they have a common goal.
Atun-Shei Films pointed out how unique it is for portraying a sympathetic Confederate protagonist, but without offering any "Lost Cause" apologetics
PERFECT ANALYSIS OF SUPERMAN!!! I am always telling my students the same thing because the only thing they are used to absorbing is cinematic Cheese Whiz!
_The Swimmer_ (1968) & _Local Hero_ (1983) are really good indie-ish, small studio films that are in this category. They both subtly touch on the theme of wealth, and how one navigates a world in which its allure and utility seem to exert a powerful - even mystical - force on people. Both are sort of beautiful and ethereal, in the vein of _American Beauty_ and _Risky Business_ .
YES PART TWO MR AGER this is clearly your subtle way of handing out some essential life advice as well and I for one am here for it
Francis Ford Coppola has actually said "Rumble Fish" is the best film he ever made. Mind you he made the 1st 2 Godfathers, The Conversation and Apocalypse Now. Intersting since it's on this Top 25 List
Interesting picks. Reveals a bit of your personality and belief system.
Certainly does.
I've only watched AI once, and it shook me to my marrow. I needed fresh air and a good walk afterwards.
The parallax view should be here
To me Stanley Kubrick's most important and best film, will always be - A CLOCKWORK ORANGE and by extension among the most important films ever made in the history of cinema
Nice video! I have to disagree with your reading of the diner scene in Five Easy Pieces, however. The way I saw it, it was more of a commentary on rules and authority making little sense. Nicholson found a way to get the order he wanted "without breaking any rules". His method of circumventing authority, I believe, says more about his character than just wanting it a specific way. He wanted it that way, and *was able to get it that way* in spite of the no substitutions rule, but the authority figure of the waitress denied him the order anyway. It says a lot about how life doesn't always make sense, but I would have to see the film again to nail down precisely how this scene fits into the larger world of the character's journey.
Very cool that you mention Rumble Fish. I used to be obsessed by the film. I've seen it a 100+ times. In a technical sense it feels like the Citizen Kane of the eighties, but it also has this wonderful dreamlike atmosphere. It never fails to impress me.
This is a most interesting category for a "top" list. Some really insightful choices you made. Suprised not to see "Fight Club". On mine, I'd probably have "Do The Right Thing", "12 Angry Men", and definitely "There Will Be Blood". Do another 25, please!
Rollerball 1975
JON-A-THAN
Jewel Citizen *Toccota and Fugue in D Minor intensifies*
Actually, the creepy melody that closes the film makes me think that maybe Jonathan may had defeated the State, but only to become a tyrant himself.
No Life of Brian? Even chatolic chrurch was furious about that masterpiece. Star ship troopers would be on my list as well.
Rob, you don't use a script do you? Your vids seem both incredibly well thought-out and off-the-cuff at the same time. Always thought provoking.
cheers. My detailed film analysis are scripted. No way I could narrate those casually and be so accurate. Anything where I talk directly in front of the camera is usually ad libbed according to a predefined topical template.
@@collativelearning That makes sense. By the way, I am going to check out Rumble Fish on your suggestion. I've only known of it peripherally and always though it looked cheesy, so I never gave it a chance. Now I'm intrigued.
Part 2 suggestions. The Hunt (Jagten) (Thomas Vinterberg, 2012) and Happiness (Todd Solondz, 1998)
Have you seen the channel Blackpilled? What do you think of Devon Stack's film analyses?
Not seen that channel.
Part 2 would be good. I'd have Silent Running somewhere on my list.
Silent Running is a great choice. I'd also add Invasion of the Body Snatchers (the original).
I'm one of the few people who have seen Five Easy Pieces. It is great! It was interesting to hear your take on it, though I interpreted it very differently. Nicholson's character came from a very cultured background. He was a talented classical pianist, which came as a revelation midway through the film, as he worked in an oil field and surrounded himself with people who were well-meaning and sweet, but kind of on the dim side. He chose the "easy" life as a chronic underachiever, though this course of action frustrated him. In this sense, the film had a bit in common with the beginning of Good Will Hunting. That being said, love the channel. Thanks for all you do. 👍
Exactly- maybe because you're British, where social class structure is quite different, you have seemingly missed the actual social message in Five Easy Pieces, one of my favorite movies. In the classic diner scene, which is very well known on these shores, his request is actually very simple (he wants toast) and nothing as you described here; the point is that the waitress is so ensconced in "how we do this" that she cannot deviate at all from the menu - as happens more abstractly in the prescribed behavior of social classes. Watch it again, Rob. It's a great movie.
I think "Idiocracy" is one astounding social commentary movie. I would recommend it if you haven't seen it, and anyone else.
@haveanotherpinacolada We have done since probably a while after 1066, and further accelerated by the cretinous scumbag oliver cuntwell.
Given your work experience, can you do a top 25 list of mental health-related movies?
What he says about having to view the big lebowski more than once to like it rang so true with me. 1st time I saw it I was literally angry lol.
I was hoping to see Wag the Dog on this list. It predicted the Clinton scandals just months before news got out. I would also add Fight Club, Minority Report (behavioral predictive profiling and surveillance states) and War Games (many will disagree with this), which arguably inspired the teenage genius trope in so many movies and TV shows.
I LOVE "Trading Places"! Great social issues presented by two flawed, funny characters that doesn't hit one on the head with its message. Also, I love "Superman" for being a bit of a send-up of the Superman story, inside jokes poking at the original cartoon ("And don't call me Sugar," Chief says, when it's supposed to be "And don't call me Chief."). And props for "It's a Wonderful Life." I love how you mix genres, find oddball films, and have such an innovative, independent take on everything.
Trading Places is my favourite comedy of all time, and a Christmas tradition. Never once did I think of it as a message movie (even though it kinda is)
i really enjoy your content. yes please, part 2, 3, 4 etc. mike judge's office space? stick it to 'the man'!
_"Help, help, I'm being repressed!!"_
Yes, I would enjoy a part two. Thanks for an interesting discussion of these films.
Remains of the Day is an excellent movie. Everyone´s acting is superb, And yes, it leaves you with a heavy heart in the end,
🤣🤣🤣...High Planes Drifter...
'...and when I say ghost like I..I don't mean he's transparent and he floats through walls n' shit like that...'
Laughed out loud there...🤣🤣🤣
Thanks Rob, another great video.
I am a young lad from Birkenhead and when you were describing Rumble Fish, I could really relate to what you were saying being in a similar position myself not so long ago.
You are a fantastic movie analyst unlike the mainstream critics, who today unfortunately only seem to praise movies that conform to a modern identity politics agenda.
Part 2, yes please.
Haha, you know the sketch then on youth culture on Merseyside then! Had it in mind for years to make a fiction film about that life style.
oh god.. you rightly got monty python and the holy grail, I was damn surprised when you didn't pick life of brian. also if I was to pick 25 I'd like you to do -
life of brian
to kill a mockingbird
three days of the condor
the spy who came in from the cold
hell is for heroes
sunset boulevard
M
modern times
andromeda strain
badlands
wall street
the wannsee conference
macbeth (roman polanski)
aguirre wrath of god
the thin blue line
the parallax view
all the president's men
the manchurian candidate
zulu
strange days
margin call
blue velvet
cool hand luke
animal farm
ex machina
_Three days of the Condor_ is great, I'm a big _Blue Velvet_ fan too but I'm not sure it quite fits this category, I'm not sure it fits any category!
@@ainslie187 to me, blue velvet (and lots of david lynch in fact) is all about how - no matter how much we want things to be harmonious and how well-intentioned the protagonist, the undercurrents in the human psyche will always reach up and out to strangle that harmony.
hence, the main character finds a severed ear and instead of just reporting it and being done with it and settling down in americana, he eavesdrops on a conversation about the investigation and is morbidly drawn to its mystery in which he then spirals down into ugliness which he further gets entangled - becoming ugly himself in the process.
hm, now that i'm looking at it, thematically it really parallels with eyes wide shut, albeit it is much more personal than that film.
What makes you think that Countries like U.S. and U.K. treat food cattle like dirt? Where is your evidence of such a claim being true. In the United States of America, cattlemen, ranchers, and butchers treat their animals very, very well. Most are salt of the Earth Christians, and have more care and respect for these creatures than ANYONE else in other cultures. If you are saying that what you said is wide-spread and accepted in current practice, I say you are way out of line and are buying into hippie propaganda, to compare your compassion to that of an evil straw man. PETA is a political group, and lies like the others.
Nice video. Some interesting & unexpected choices.
One film I had in mind include Rosemary's Baby. It had interesting social messages. Besides the "people hiding things beneath a seemingly pleasant surface" aspect (as in Eyes Wide Shut), there is also the conformity & peer pressure aspect. It is fascinating to see how the main character is pressured into isolation by her peers & how her husband sold himself to the devil (literally) just for career advancement.
Another interesting one is the Jazz Singer. While known mostly for breaking the silent era, I think this sometimes overshadows the theme of maintaining traditional values & identity. I think it is a very powerful & complex issue: should you distance yourself from your roots & long held traditions to advance your life? How conservative should one be? Is there always a compromise?
Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times also addresses industrialization, the meaning of satisfaction in life, & overwork.
you should never compromise
Spending today going over your excellent videos , particularly enjoyed this one ... My top 5 social message movies must be La Haine , If.... , Life of Brian , Rumblefish and Festen from Denmark, possibly the original Pusher....
Give us part two!
Rollerball, 5 easy pieces, American beauty. Three fantastic character studies there.
I'd add macabe and Mrs miller as another.
Please do your top character studies in movies.
22. Jamie lee Curtis' breasts (1983)
Right. Where's my DVD copy?
The British accent adds to the credibility of this top 25
He is a scouser specifically, well known in the UK as being criminals and car thieves.
So, even Ager lived the Thug Life? Brap, brap, brap! Bukka, bukka, bukka! 🔫🔫🔫
Team America: World Police
Shaun of the Dead
Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle
Logan’s Run
Schindler’s List
Revenge of the Nerds
1984
Watership Down
Pass Thru
Have you done a post apocalyptic list yet?
Scrooge Starring Alaister Sim based on Dickens Christmas Carol....from the poorhouse to NHS....
29.09 - wipes cocaine from nose
Haha
32:22 you already know
I like that when Rob is at lunch he's just casually thinking of his Top 25 Social Message Movies :D
Howard Beale! ❤
If Five Easy Pieces was English, Bobby DuPea would sound like Hugh Grant.
My top five:
Boyz N The Hood
The Swimmer
Life of Brian
Once Were Warriors
Malcolm X
Modern "Rollerball" example is Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers versus the Covid vaccines.
Been a fan of yours for 10 years now (!) Would love to see you do a live show in an IMAX. Would happily pay £20 for that. Also a video podcast. I'm sure you could get some big names involved.
Favorite social message games/books on the shelf, I see. ( :
I can’t believe A Clockwork Orange isn’t on your list! I’m really confused and curious why.
Five easy pieces is seriously an American classic as far as I'm concerned. It's a shame it's rarely talked about now
26:28
Einstein nailed it:
apanache.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/einstein-and-youth-tech.jpg
Yes, Part II please
That term that you're always groping for in these videos, it's called, "noble cause corruption." You're welcome.
Drugstore Cowboy , Catch 22 , Dazed and Confused, Naked
I love Rumble fish,Mickey Rourke in his best role as the motorcycle kid.
Isn't there another dimension to the Jack Nicholson character (in 5 Easy Pieces)? He has also rejected his bourgeois family background to pursue a freewheeling, apparently 'blue collar' existence. So another life was at some point available to him. He is the way he is, not for want of opportunity, in fact in defiance of his supposed class. The character is defined by alienation and anomie and not knowing what he wants.
Yeah, I thought Rob's interpretation of that film was really odd. I thought the whole point of that scene of him talking to his dad was his struggle with direction in life. Maybe he could elaborate on it in a deeper analysis. Regardless, I didn't really care for that film as I found Nicholson's character incredibly despicable.
Great video Rob
Please do a part 2 honourable mentions video
1984
Fight Club
you must be pretty cool
Fight Club predicted the rise of the MGTOW and the alt-right movements in many ways.
Fight Club also talks about dealing with your darker half, and that you can't really trust yourself... because there are parts of your mind you can't control or be aware of. It also talk about how USING your aggressive side can make things happen... so use it with as much self-awareness and as much good judgment as you can muster.
(Cue Critical Drinker voice) The MESSAGE!
sure, make us follow up video of honorable mentions.
What's gonna happen with Brexit Rob - is it going to happen or not?
I think it'll still take a long time. Anti-democratic MPs will need to be voted out of office in a general election first I suspect.
@@collativelearning You should analyze Idiocracy .
At this point I think the UK's best bet for getting out of the EU is to hope it collapses on its own. When you need a loicense just to watch porn you know your country has problems
Funnily enough, I recently discovered a 1990's John Hurt movie called The Commissioner, about the dodgy aspects of the EU Commission lol. Haven't seen it, so don't know about how good the movie is.
Congrats on 100k, I started watching eight years ago, you caused me to view films differently.
Network from 1976 are you kidding? Was it not in contention, did you forget it, haven't you seen it? Did it supersede this list? Might be one of the greatest movies of all time. Great acting, great pacing, great story, the social impact, and message. I don't get it that it isn't mentioned here.
One of the best movies ever. And now we are living it.
Oh and Brief Encounter, obviously
Nicholson's monologue to his father near the end of Five Easy Pieces is for me one of the most emotionally resonating scenes ever.
I liked his retort to the intellectual chick: "I faked some Chopin, you faked a response."
wow, Five Easy Pieces, didn't expect that one
great movie from Bob Rafelson who was involved in Easy Rider
and after Jack's great performance, makes this movie one
year later with him as protagonist. Loved the character developement
and the scene with his father.
And all the quotable, often hilarious lines from the film! Let's not forget the end...wow! I was gobsmacked when I saw the film first!
Do part 2. Really interested to see what other films you picked.
Yes please give us part two Rob.
*sees analysis on poltergeist twice the length of the film* F*CK YEA
Haha, yeah it's a long one. Took forever to write the damned thing.
I'd be hard-pressed to come up with 15 movies I agree with the messages of, let alone 25, but I'll go ahead and give my personal top 10 with write-ups (because this category of movies demands some explanation). This will be long, so I apologize.
10) Idiocracy
Not a particularly entertaining movie, but dysgenic reproduction, the dumbing down of our school system, attempts to make our pop culture revolve around the whims of the lowest common denominator, the ability of people to be hypnotized by scientific sounding words and phrases (watering the grass with gatorade because it has electrolytes), etc. are serious problems that need to be addressed or a more toned-down version of the future from Idiocracy could become real.
9) The Matrix
One of the most brilliant metaphors in film is the Matrix itself. No matter who you are, whatever you think, the system can symbolize whatever you want it to. International finance, the New World Order, expansive bureaucracy, the Military Industrial Complex, organized religion, white supremacist hertero-normative patriarchy, and/or the Lizard People. Notice how none of these groups will shut me down for naming them. Any perceivable system of exploitation and control can stand in for the Matrix itself with no real contradiction in the metaphor. Ultimately most people feel comfortable with these systems of control and anything that they can learn to make them reconsider how they feel about them will result in backlash if forced upon them. The decision to learn unpleasant truths has to be made by the individual or you may be ratted out to the very system you want to resist. Anyone is a potential enemy should you identify with a cause against a system of control and if you're right about the extent of their control, you can expect to suffer the consequences for spreading your forbidden knowledge.
8) Dr. Strangelove
Exposing MAD for the madness that it is was definitely important at its time, but it's become a bit less relevant now. However, there are eternal truths that Dr. Strangelove does express that do remain relevant, such as how divorced all the generals and strategists are from the acts of violence they plan and talk about ("no fighting in the War Room", where they plot megadeaths), the self-interest that drives their strategic decision making (suddenly becoming interested in Strangelove's plan when they get 10 women per men in the mines), and the insatiable appetite of the military industrial complex (missile gaps becoming mineshaft gaps as they resume planning for the war after the end of the world).
7) Robocop (original)
It's easy for a cop movie to portray a cop as a maverick no-bullshit individualist like Dirty Harry, but what's harder is to make the character as close to being a part of the Machine as possible. A cop that follows the rules and acts as he's supposed to dispassionately and imperviously. Murphy's gory execution is a brilliant way to draw the viewer into the plight of the character while keeping him as a stoic embodiment of the system. Cops can hurt us in more ways than they visibly help us, being the violent enforcement arm of the state. However, in a situation where the police force is overwhelmed or stretched thin, it's possible for crime like in Robocop to become reality. In the 1980's especially with militarization of the police force ramping up (and it hasn't ramped down since), Robocop is an important movie for what it represents thematically. The viewer isn't really told how to feel about any of these topics, except to sympathize with Murphy, which allows them to form their own opinions on them, should their minds wander.
6) Excalibur
Excalibur is my favorite movie of all time. It is a very Christian movie in all its positive aspects, yet it is not boring nor is it preachy. King Arthur's conception is as a result of his father, Uther's, lust. Uther declares war on a vassal that he just made peace with on victorious terms, so that he could claim the vassal's wife as his own. Uther's vassals grow to distrust Uther culminating in a series of battles in which Uther's realm collapses when it should have prospered. Arthur is raised humbly until he pulls the sword from the stone, at which point half his kingdom acknowledges his legitimacy and half of it takes up arms to not be ruled by someone they think is a peasant. After some instruction by Merlin, Arthur follows his instincts and leads his men in battle, performing great feats of bravery and ending the battle decisively by taking his sword to the throat of his opposition's leader, a great knight in his own right. Arthur demands fealty, which the knight is unwilling to do because Arthur is not even a knight so he cannot be a king. In an act of tremendous courage, Arthur hands the knight his sword and kneels before him (in the water, reminiscent of a baptism), requesting to be knighted. The knight visibly struggles with the idea of killing Arthur and claiming kingship by virtue of the possession of Excalibur, but ultimately knights Arthur before swearing his fealty, won over by the fearless character of the King.
I don't want to recap the whole movie, but Camelot is established and Arthur grows wrathful (which he is quickly reprimanded for) then idle and decadent (but firmly devoted to his idea of the rule of law). Arthur is tricked into creating an heir with his evil half-sister, Arthur finds out about an affair between his wife and his best knight, and his kingdom becomes cursed. To fix the curse, he sends all of his knights on the Grail Quest. The most devout knight, Percival, succeeds by following a series of visions and coming to the realization needed to set the land straight. Arthur is re-taught that the land and himself are one and that the land's decay is because of his own personal failings, namely outsourcing his responsibility to others and making them carry his burdens. He lost sight of the humility he was raised with, which caused all of the events that led to Camelot's decay. Arthur forgives his wife and rides to his final battle where he fights his bastard son Mordred, the personification of all of Arthur's failings. Arthur's now-meager forces manage to beat Mordred, although Arthur is fatally wounded in the process, and the sword is returned to the Lady of the Lake.
Excalibur loses points on this list for being less about its social messages than other films, but that also contributes to it being such a great movie in other aspects. With the source material (Le Morte D'Arthur), there's only so much liberty you can take in adapting it before you completely change its meaning.
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5) Metropolis
Labor conditions are far better than they were when Metropolis was made (especially in Europe), but the inequality between the owners of industry and the workers who make it now is far larger than it has ever been in history. I haven't looked into any other country's statistics, but I know the real (adjusted for inflation) wage in the United States has hardly grown since the 1970s while the 1980s is (in)famously characterized by the explosive economic gains that the wealthy enjoyed. Metropolis is a movie with a message about the necessity for the profiteers of labor to see the conditions in which their laborers live and work in so that labor and capitalists can come to an amicable and productive relationship. Unfortunately, the message of Metropolis has yet to be truly realized (at least in the US), organized labor is essentially a political machine by another name and is itself a sprawling bureaucracy of rent-seeking do-nothings that is on the fast track to total irrelevance. I consider Metropolis to be a comforting fairy-tale that presents an outcome that could be good, but will likely require some outside force to achieve (i.e. legislation that won't happen or revolution that won't happen).
4) Olympia
The most beautiful movie depicting the Olympics ever shot. The athletic achievements of 1936 may have been surpassed since with better technology, more developed training regiments, and some better athletes, but their beauty will remain as long as a print of this film exists. Leni Reifenstahl shot her Olympic documentary with as good of a cinematographic eye as the Olympics have ever been shot with, her primary concern isn't really with documenting the events and the winners and losers, so much as it is a celebration of athleticism for the aesthetic value it inherently contains. Olympia is a movie that will inspire you to try to seek physical perfection because it makes the best case for it by showcasing in the best light possible the overwhelming beauty that can be achieved with enough discipline and hard work.
3) Fight Club
It's easy to dismiss this movie as being an immature and edgy relic of my years as a teenager viewing it, but in as emasculated and materialistic of a society that exists today, it's perhaps more relevant than ever. The narrator begins his journey as a narcissistic cog in his corporate machine, doing what his bosses say, keeping his head low, and having his only joy in life being his encounters with people even more miserable than himself. He does everything he's supposed to do and has everything he's supposed to have, yet he is not happy. He's so unhappy that he can't even sleep. His masculine inclinations are suppressed in every facet of his life until he meets Tyler Durden. Tyler comes off as someone who has it all figured out. He's not the richest man and he doesn't have the most things, but that doesn't matter. He has a purpose and he has a struggle. The narrator and numerous other similarly affected young men come to learn to reassert themselves in society through their physical struggle in the fight club. Through feeling the real conflict that's been denied to them, through interacting in the world physically and not as economic abstracts, they become the men they weren't.
Fight Club also serves as a warning against cult-like political organizations and is actually a fantastic representation of the real process by which actual terrorist organizations gain their members, the structures they take, and the ends they may seek to achieve. The titular club, or rather network of clubs, more or less follow what's known as the Hezbollah model of terrorist organizations. The idea is that they are to have a social service component to ingratiate themselves with their communities. The club is essentially a therapeutic way for men to reacclimate to the real world, which gives them confidence, an outlet for their frustrations, and the opportunity to prove themselves and be a part of something. Members who want more join Project Mayhem, which functions as a filter. People who aren't up for Tyler's "homework assignments" (mostly pranks) are not going to be fit for the serious operations, so they are weeded out here. Then they go through a rigorous screening process to officially become a Space Monkey, upon their successful completion of which they become core members of the organization. The organization is very decentralized in a node-based network across the country with some members having no idea what Tyler Durden looks like while others recognize him on site. Each of these nodes has some kind of go-between but can operate independently of Durden's orders. The organization unwittingly develops a cult of martyrdom around Robert Paulson, which is a key aspect that helps solidify the commitment of even core members as they now have prestige to be gained upon their death in service to their cause. If any of the information in this paragraph has been of interest to you, I recommend the book "Radical, Religious, and Violent: the New Economics of Terrorism" by Eli Berman, which I'm borrowing a lot of knowledge from for this paragraph. In any case, my point is that the movie can also provide a framework for how to identify any potentially terroristic organizations you may stumble upon before it is too late.
2) Network
A brilliant prediction of the direction news media would take upon the emergence of the 24-hour news cycle. Profit comes from people tuning in and people tuning in comes from sensationalism. These organizations have no concern for the broader effects of their activities as demonstrated by the Network's funding of communist terrorists and their ultimate decision to kill Beale because his ratings were low. Brilliant, if a little unsubtle, satire and it demonstrates the watering down and commoditization of genuine populist sentiment that occurs inevitably when it becomes popular enough to become profitable. As relevant today as it was in 1976, make no mistake, old media may be dying, but new media has all the same problems.
1) Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Fantastic story of an idealist operating in the corrupt world of legislative politics. It does a great job at exposing the kinds of political machinations that went on behind the scenes in Congress and in the public sphere and demonstrating that even in the Senate, the ones who are really calling the shots in Republican (the political structure) governments are the financiers who make most of the economic gains. Mr. Smith is an inspiring character for his integrity and his total unwillingness to surrender in the face of a seemingly unstoppable political juggernaut. The happy ending is a bit of an asspull, it does not happen in real life, but it is cathartic nonetheless.
@@AntiAnnihilator5000 Not trying to be that guy but republican with no capital letter and the little r is in reference to the type of government whereas Republican refers to the party in America. The same if you were to say democratic vs Democratic. People reading comments on UA-cam videos won’t pick up on that immediately so you’d still have to say it.
Some of my favourite social message films (for various different reasons, and LESS than 25 in no.)
A CLOCKWORK ORANGE the state v the individual, ROBOCOP a warning against the dangers of Corporate fashism, and corruption, SERPICO, based on a true event police corruption & where it leads. WEST WORLD, what can happen in a gun violence culture when it is treated as entertainment, SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, The importance of friendship & loyalty, COUNT OF MONTY CRISTO- survival against all odds, IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT - Overcoming ignorance & prejudice to concentrate on justice. ROCKY realising your potential & fullfilling your dreams/destiny
" and that's all folks"
Nice to see "High Plains Drifter" on the list!
The Russians Are Coming, The Fountainhead, To Kill a Mockingbird, A Man for All Seasons, Meet John Doe, Michael, Shawshank Redemption, Delores Claiborne, [Spencer Tracy versions of Judgment at Nuremberg, Inherit the Wind, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner], Ordinary People, Spartacus, Amistad, The Rainmaker, Elmer Gantry, Myra Breckenridge, Gandhi, War Games and Fail Safe, Contact
Running Man?
1- Ladri di biciclette (1948)
2- Metropolis (1927)
2- Schindler´s List (1993)
4- Wag the Dog (1997)
3- Los lunes al sol (2002)
4- Girl Interrupted (1999)
5- Modern Times (1936)
6- The Great Dictator (1940)
7- 1984 (1984)
8- Network (1976)
9- Dr. Strangelove or: How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
10- Sybill (1976)
11- El pisito (1958)
12-To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
13- Los olvidados (1950)
14- Ladybird Ladybird (1994)
15- Bowling for Columbine (2002)
16- Nadie hablará de nosotras cuando hayamos muerto (1982)
17- They Shoot Horses, Don´t They? (1969)
18- Tiempo de silencio (1986)
19- Saving Grace (2000)
20- Wall Street (1987)
21- Flowers for Algernon (2002)
22- Soylent Green (1973)
22- Barrio (1998)
23- American History X (1998)
24- A Child Is Waiiting (1963)
25- The Colour Purple (1985)
HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Desert Flower (2009), Children of a Lesser God (1986), American Beauty (1999), Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007), Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969), Fame (1980), Star Trek the Motion Picture (1978), Te doy mis ojos (2019), Good Will Hunting (1997), Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne (1987), Super Size Me (2004), Brassed Off (1996), Thank You for smoking (2005), Fresa y chocolate (1993), North Country (2005), Killing Fields (1984), Rabbit Proof Fence (2002), Human Trafficking (2005) Philadelphia (1993)
I was really surprised to see so many Spanish and Biritish films. I think I want to see all these films again in this order!
Respectfully, 😊I'm very surprised A Clockwork Orange didn't make it on this list, especially regarding social meaning. All of Kubrick's films have social meaning, and I understand your comments on why you chose Eyes Wide Shut & Dr. Strangelove, but as far as heavyweight social meaning, I think A Clockwork Orange hit the hardest. 🍻
I agree that One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest should be on this list but if I had to include another Jack Nicholson film, then in my opinion it would have to be Easy Rider 😎✌
Your channels have profoundly affected me.
Hi rob always enjoy ur channel. Do think u missed a beat though by not mentioning 12 angry men Mate. I mean i love monty python myself but..lol It's prob THE most important, because how many innocent people have been executed in history before just by not having the right guy in the room. ONE guy can mean the dif between life n death. Pre-concieved attitudes, effect of [real] heartbreak.. THATS what i took from it.. Trading places wasnt about HOW They were raised. its about what they were n were not raised with; PRIVILEDGE. OPPOTUNITY. Right skin colour. For that world i mean lol b4 people call me racist ha. U knew what i meant tho im sure.
I would add some poignant Kurosawa films: I Live in Fear - a movie ahead of its time about a man terrified of the prospect of nuclear war who wants to move his entire family from Japan to South America.
Red Beard - a powerful film about a doctor who chooses to work among the poor for low wages for the good of humanity.
Stray Dog - a noir type film that takes a journey through the underbelly of post war Japanese society. The end is staggering brilliance!
Then, of course, there should be some brilliant Italian films, The Bicycle Thief, Stromboli, The Nights of Cabiria, La Strada, La Commare Secca, Mamma Roma, Germany Year Zero, and so many more. I don’t know why but the Italians excel at this type of film.
And we can’t forget Charlie Chaplin’s superlative: City Lights.
Trading Places: the bet was between two old money billionaires, and it was for $1. Stating that they didn’t care about Akroyd’s or Murphy’s characters at all. Willing to destroy the life of an employee, for a arbitrary wager illustrates that both characters were ultimately valueless to the elite class. I love this channel, great work.
we need part 2 Where's the Godfather 1 and 2 Easy Rider,Indiana Jones Temple of Doom,Boogie Nights,Pulp Fiction,Do the Right Thing,Citizen Kane if you speak about black and white movies with a social message
SECRETARY, GROUNDHOG DAY, MOON
Yeeeaaahhh - give us a part 2. I was trying to guess where the matrix would turn up in the list, and it was nice to see someone who really likes "Remains of the day" aswell!
Tarantino: Remains of the Day isnt a movie, Pulp fiction, thats a movie, quote from QT.
Whenever you're playing at critic, the audience you're addressing is always the rub.The best films work on different levels, - true, - but they are also frequently convoluted and misunderstood.
Education, culture, sex, age, - are always going to make the experience subjective.
I will always remember Apocalypse Now as being central to my mental growth; in many ways, it was my real introduction to religion.
One Flew Over, - as you say, a " science" that can be very destructive.After several years as a Psych major, I became so disenchanted that I changed to an entirely different field.