By Galilea Oregon and Chloe Maddox
Have you ever watched a movie that made you feel like you were living in a dream? Something about it lures and entices you , and sometimes it’s not even the plot that is so attractive, but rather the setting, the colors, the way the light shines on the characters. It is those little innocuous details that make film a true art to be appreciated. These are our top five favorite movies to immerse ourselves in so that we can escape the dull reality of life, and maybe, for a fleeting moment, everything might become beautiful.
Very similar to renowned director Sofia Coppola’s debut film, The Virgin Suicides, Mustang follows the story of five sisters in a small town off the coast of Turkey, who wait await their enslaving fate of being married off to a stranger with dread. The story is narrated by the youngest sister, Lale, who watches her sisters’ youth and innocence become snatched away. Her distress and naivety catapult her to become the film’s unlikely hero. The softness of the colors, the ancient lace of the tablecloths, the way the light reflects throughout the movie somehow perfectly captures the melancholy and quiet despair of being a young girl, and as it progresses, it explores the liberation the sisters have been looking for.
A cult classic, Dazed and Confused, perfectly encapsulates the 1970s without the glitter and glam that is most notable of that era, but rather it deepens into the lives of average suburban teenagers finding themselves at a keg party in the woods, not really looking for trouble but simply running into it as most average and bored suburban teenagers do. Our favorite scene is the scene in which Mila Jovavich sings a song to aliens holding a lighter in her hand, as typical stoner Slater dozes off on the hood of a car. Teenage rebellion seems to be a favorite topic of period films set in the late 20th century but Dazed and Confused relates that rebellion meticulously, taking up a special place in our nostalgic hearts.
There is something about Sofia Coppola’s take on the young queen set for absolute disaster prior to the French Revolution, but it is so romanticized that we’re too tangled in a pastel mess of pastries and gorgeous fabric and shoes and masked balls and the extravagance of Marie Antoinette’s life to foresee her demise. The horror of it all is wrapped in a beautiful pink gilded box with a silk bow, and it holds a complete nightmare in it. That is Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette, a tragically beautiful mess of pastel and pretty pink pastries.
No list concerning cinematography would be complete without this classic Wes Anderson film. An elevated version of your average, monotonous elementary school play, in which the blunders and forgotten lines are more laughable than the sub-par jokes, Moonrise Kingdom is one of those quirky, awkward films where the plot isn’t quite the main focus, but rather the visuals and the color scheme chosen by the genius Wes Anderson. His quirky, monochromatic aesthetic is Anderson’s signature, and Moonrise Kingdom is a compilation of burnt oranges, mustard yellows, and olive greens, unlikely colors to set the stage for young love. But nevertheless, the earthy hues seamlessly envelop the protagonists in feelings of comfort and being home.
Set in modern-day France, Amelie encompasses the life of its naive, imaginative namesake. Throughout the movie, the viewer is reminded of the pleasure in everyday life with shots such as fingers slipping into sacks of grain, the satisfying act of cracking open a freshly made creme brulee with the tap of a spoon, and whimsical shots of cloud animals, floating by ever so delicately. Visions from Amelie’s past and those she interacts with appear in a childlike manner and are scattered throughout the film. Each individualistic in lighting and tone—however, each come together to create a solid masterpiece. The film shows everyday life as a playground of imagination, perfect for the dreamer or those who enjoy light, childlike movies with a hint of mystery and plenty of astounding visuals, all of course in French.
These five films have very distinct plots, but they all share the same whimsical style of cinematography that captures viewers and sends them spiraling into a beautiful senseless dream, allowing them to escape reality and feel, even for just a moment, that their lives are a beautiful movie.