Nikhil Letha-Soman
Now, the title of the piece might not be true for everyone out there, and we are sure there are people who are familiar with the movies cited below. We, however restricted our pool to movies that haven’t been mentioned in our own lists before, as we felt that it would provide an appropriate spectrum of movies our readers might not have heard of before.
Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (2010)
Do not let yourself be put off by the long title or the ‘weird’ name of the director, for this little gem from Thailand is one of the most original and inquisitive works of art you might ever see. Just as the name implies, the movie follows the last days in the life of Uncle Boonmee, who is accompanied by the spirit of his dead wife, and his son in non-human form who had disappeared long back. Here, let me clear any misconceptions of this being another Lynchian dreamscape – it is not. To the contrary, director Weerasenthakul presents a very heartfelt and humane tale of a man who relives his existence as death comes calling. Touching upon the themes of reincarnation, death and eternity, ‘Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives’ is a movie that could touch you soul. Winning the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, Weerasenthakul’s drama is a towering statement against the death of cinema, and it deserves more appreciation and acclaim than it gets.
