Ten Movies That Have Made Me a Casual Film Snob

I read an article a few months ago about how food scientists have discovered a new taste to add to the five main taste categories that stimulate the taste buds. This new taste, umani, is difficult to describe, but it is different and distinct from the five senses. The article suggested an 'earthiness' to umani-- like an element of the tastes of steaks or mushrooms-- to serve as a starting point. But it is still a taste that isn't quite tangible to be able to articulate.

I have noticed that with the additional cultural resources available to me, that I am finding art that is difficult, in particular films that are difficult, to inspire a type of creative consumption that is beyond a mere viewing of a movie. A sixth sense is developing, so to speak, that is not about taking in art but about challenging the concept of what art is, and how it is being categorized to certain expectation. There are films that of course have complicated storylines and are incredibly engaging. I have a memory of pausing Jackie Brown several times as I was watching it with my friends, just so we could get on the same page as far as the complicated scheme the main character was hatching up. But despite the puzzle piece of a plot, the keys to knowing the story were there. But there are other cinematic experiences, that challenge me to redefine what movies are. And while there exists avant-garde literature, music, and paintings, I think the popular and accessible medium of moving pictures has particular resonance.

To kick off my little corner of the Internet for film essays (and to practice for my top 10 film list of the year), I have consulted my Netflix Queue and memory to come up with 10 films that define my new sense of film appreciation.

Now I would be the first to tell you that there is a fine line between difficult and indulgent film-making. I don't exactly enthusiastically run to the film sections of contemporary art galleries, because I know that those films are not going to grounded in an expectation of narrative but a mobile variation on the still paintings on other walls. Some films that appear in theaters or film festivals fit into this category, and while challenging images are worth appreciating, I can begin to understand and entertain challenging films if they use our expectation of narrative structure as a foundation on which can spring forth incredible variations.

The essential element of these following films is that 1) They are entertaining and 2) I wouldn't be able to pitch them to casual film-going friends and well-wishers in any simple way. I have many friends that would positively respond to my film recommendations with a simple "trust me on this", but also many others that when given the option of explaining the attraction of one of the movies, I'd rather give up and choose from the many options of non-crappy fun movie stories we could watch together.

So, if blogs are one of the most pointless self-indulgent things out there for writers of any caliber or audience, surely I should kick off this corner of cyberspace with a self-indulgent list of my own. Films that have awakened my inner film-snob. Films that bend one's concept of the reason people would watch movies. Films, that, if you trust me and know me, would be very enriching experiences of ambitious artistic visions that won't just end with a plot climax followed by credits.

Entries forthcoming...