Upending a Creative Rut with Cinema

Films that left their mark on me, somehow and in some way.

I’m currently in a creative rut, and when that happens, I instinctively return to the artistic mediums that have always helped—cinema, poetry, music, and literature. The right film can alter my mind, a poem and literature can break through mental fog with a single line, and music can unlock emotions I didn’t realize I was holding.

In this newsletter, I’ve chosen to step into the world of cinema—highlighting a diverse collection of films that have left their mark on me, inspirationally, in the hopes of stirring up that same inspiration in others. They don’t necessarily end my creative rut, but they inspire me enough to alter my brain chemistry. There’s no particular order here either, nor does it contain every favorite film of mine, it’s merely a selection of movies that have stirred, shaped, or stayed with me long after viewing them.

“Portrait of a Lady on Fire” — 2019

The reasons I believe it shaped me:
It accentuates that any love can exist even after something we’d call “an ending.”

Favorite characteristics of the film:
The color palette, cinematography, philosophical underpinnings, and storyline.

“The Lighthouse” — 2019

The reasons I believe it shaped me:
The absurdity throughout reminds me, deeply, of life and how hilarious living truly is.

Favorite characteristics of the film:
The black and white grain, cinematography, and acting.

“Before Sunrise” — 1995

The reasons I believe it shaped me:
Deep connection with someone can take place quickly and without physical contact being the dominant factor.

Favorite characteristics of the film:
The dialogue, location, the connection, and the anticipation of what will happen next.

“Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles” — 1975

The reasons I believe it shaped me:
Proof that life is often incredibly dull and boring and yet in every person’s life there is at least one defining moment that changes everything.

Favorite characteristics of the film:
The cinematography and normalization of everyday, mundane life, as well as an ending I was completely unprepared for.

Persona, 1966

The reasons I believe it shaped me:
Our “shadow” archetype (Jung) is there but not always apparent.

Favorite characteristics of the film:
The cinematography, minimalist set and location, dialogue/script, and twist ending.

Howl’s Moving Castle, 2004

The reasons I believe it shaped me:
That someone is not what they may seem and getting to know people is intimate and can be rewarding.

Favorite characteristics of the film:
Scene animation, character development, and message.

“La Belle Noiseuse” — 1991

The reasons I believe it shaped me:
There is much drama, discourse, and connection needed to create a good piece of art and that not all relationships are good.

Favorite characteristics of the film:
The color palette, modeling positions, and slowness of the film capturing the creating of a piece of art fairly accurately.

Autumn Sonata, 1978

The reasons I believe it shaped me:
The relationships with our children are not always what we may think and that disconnection from our parent/s should be normalized and more widely accepted.

Favorite characteristics of the film:
The acting and dialogue

Godland, 2022

The reasons I believe it shaped me:
It’s a reminder that even after we die, life goes on, we become one with the earth, and that is beautiful.

Favorite characteristics of the film:
The color palette (shot on film) that represents the bleakness (as well as the vibrancy) of life, cinematography, and philosophical suggestions.

Lost in Translation, 2003

The reasons I believe it shaped me:
Rare, deep, and intimate bonds can happen anywhere, at anytime, with anyone and external success does not guarantee inner fulfillment.

Favorite characteristics of the film:
The melancholic feeling throughout and the connection between the characters.

Grave of the Fireflies, 1988

The reasons I believe it shaped me:
Life doesn’t treat everyone fairly, and often the most kind and caring people are the one’s dealing with the most. It is a reminder that even while the world is burning around us, you can still find adoration, care, and even love.

Favorite characteristics of the film:
The message and storytelling

The Velvet Queen, 2021

The reasons I believe it shaped me:
We are destroying the planet and disrespecting all nature we coexist with. Beauty can can found in the obscure, unknown, and elusive and it’s worth saving and sharing this world with.

Favorite characteristics of the film:
The message and cinematography.

Honorable Mentions (films that were fantastic but didn’t change something within me—they were just good cinema):

Whiplash, 2014
Arrival, 2016
The Power of the Dog, 2021
House of Flying Daggers, 2004
Rashomon, 1950
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, 2014
La La Land, 2016
The Mirror, 1975
Black Swan, 2010
Woman in the Dunes, 1964
Ex Machina, 2014
Cure, 1997
The Eight Mountains, 2022
Last and First Men, 2020
Evil Does Not Exist, 2023
The Silence, 1963
Last Summer, 2023
Cold War, 2018

What about you—do any of these films make your list of life-altering cinema? Or better yet, what did I overlook? What should I surrender myself to next?