Moral Movies

[Lark]

For a long time I've absolutely loved revenge cinema, not the sicker varieties like Old Boy, and the reason I reckon is that I like morality tales and most of the time these are what they are, I think that the Count of Monte Cristo is one of the archetypal tales and its been adapted a couple of times. Its not the only example I can think of moral movies.

So I thought I'd create a thread for anyone whose got similar tastes and wants to trade recommendations, I'd most recently recommend a movie called Red, its an adpatation of a Jack Ketchum novel, very, very good movie and book about someone who relentlessly pursues some sort of satisfaction following the callous killing of his dog by some dumbshit kids.

 

[compulsiverambler]

You mean films with any kind of moral message, or just ones about revenge or justice?

 

[Andy]

I hate films with a moral message.

 

[Totenkindly]

Among more mainstream offerings, here are three of my favorite Revenge movies...

Unforgiven
Road to Perdition
The Prestige

The first two suggest that once blood gets on your hands, it stains forever. Still, people are what they are.

The last is a really good example of what happens when someone is consumed with vengeance rather than dealing with a terrible hurt -- often the vengeance destroys the avenger in the process.

I liked "Kill Bill" too, but more for the visual/audial workmanship than the revenge theme, which was pretty basic. Another one? "In the Bedroom" was interesting.

Andy, I don't like "preachy" movies / "morality plays" either; but if the theme and message is inherent within the characters themselves (rather than the characters being puppets to the "moral of the story"), then it resonates with me.

 

[tinkerbell]

Educating Rita
What dreams may come
Closer

 

[Fluffywolf]

I generally do not enjoy revenge movies.

When I was little, I loved Charles Bronson's Death Wish movies though.

As far as moral movies go. It all depends on how the movie portrays the morals. It's often done over the top, or in a prectictable fashion. But occasionally a real gem of a moral movie comes by that I really enjoy.

The man from earth is a movie about a lot of morals. It's a verrrry low budget movie. Quite minimalistic. It's like you've invited the cast in your own living room and watch them argue on your own sofa's. That's how low budget it is. But it rocks.

PS: It's not an action movie or any of the sort. It's a dialogue movie. You either enjoy that or you don't.

Also, the lead role is just so INTP in my opinion. But very mature, for obvious reasons.

 

[Totenkindly]

Closer

That's an interesting movie, in terms of revenge. Very ugly in spots.

 

[tinkerbell]

That's an interesting movie, in terms of revenge. Very ugly in spots.

You know I was thinking more of the subplot...

Alice - who took her name form the wall of people who saved other peoples' lives.... and what finally took place between her and Dan, did she save Julia R's Caracter???

That movie has SO many different levels going on - lots of different take outs....

 

[Totenkindly]

You know I was thinking more of the subplot...

...That movie has SO many different levels going on - lots of different take outs....

That's what made it good. In many ways, though, people were either pursuing revenging OR dishing out what others deserved even if their actual motivation wasn't necessarily revenge. There was some poetic justice there.

 

[tinkerbell]

That's what made it good. In many ways, though, people were either pursuing revenging OR dishing out what others deserved even if their actual motivation wasn't necessarily revenge. There was some poetic justice there.

A very close friend of mine started an affair while that film was being shown... he had recently got engaged and met the girl he had an affair with on the day he went to pick the ring. It was very intense... weirdly I saw the whole thing play out in his astrology (more strongly than ythign I've seen before), I gave him a date by which time I thought he would get busted... the date came and went and nothing happened, his fiance hadn't caught him, so I relaxed and thought he had got away with it (don't get me wrong I SO didn't approve)..... Anyways about 7 days after the date I had told him would be his nemisis, I got an email a few days later, to day his GF had found his diary and his pending nuptuals were over....

All of this paralleled out with his affair... very strange and spooky.

Good movie...

Actualy most movies can be moralistic if you read into them

 

[nomadic]

Princess Bride!

*My name is Indigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to DIE!!!!!!!*

 

[MFJAGgernaut-B]

I think pretty much any movie could have a moral to the story. Usually of the karma-bites-in-the-ass variety.

Taken - Moral: If you kidnap an international assassin-for-hire and then dare him to find you and kill you, he will find you and he will kill you.

Iron Man - Moral: Holding a weapons tycoon with ridiculous intellectual genius hostage in a cave, and forcing him to build weapons for you is a dumbass idea. Shoot the prick, and send for a Cheaper Than Dirt catalog.

Avatar - Aboriginal super-humanoids, scientists, and crippled ex-Marines can and will kill you if you piss them off. Do not piss them off. Placing a borderline-psychotic colonel in command of your outpost probably isn't the best idea, either.

 

[mr.awesome]

idk if this is what you mean.. but i thought the truman show had a really strong and good message. sort of different than morals though i suppose.

 

[The_Liquid_Laser]

What qualifies as a revenge movie? Star Wars: A New Hope can be a revenge movie if you think about it. Poor Uncle Owen....

See also The Karate Kid.

 

[nozflubber]

Sin City is a very moral movie. The 7 deadly sins and 7 cardinal virtues are all over the place in that flick...

Shawshank redemption of course...

The Green Mile...


And if you're looking for a revenge flick, you have GOT to see Payback with mel gibson. Priceless I tell you!

 

[Colors]

Is The Count of Monte Cristo really a moral movie? I haven't seen any of the film adaptations, but from the novel, the Count's guilt is rather whitewashed in the end (thanks to the power of God). And Mercedes deserves to be a nun for being a complete pawn while Edmond sails off in the sunset with his Greek child bride (who truly knows she loves him and not just because he saved her life)?

He with the greatest riches in order to screw over his enemies wins?