D is for buried, zany, sibling rivalry...

 

 Get ready for another rave review. (In fact, there will be three.) I truly cannot say enough wonderful things about this film. And the premise is completely crazy. Who would think a movie about a man whose forced to get a job preparing bodies for burial could be funny. But it is, as well as poignant, compassionate and freeing. Masahiro Motoki brings a delicacy to the role of Daigo, a young man forced to return to his hometown after his dreams of being a concert cellist are suddenly ended. I hate to sound like a cheesy promo, but I have to: you'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll want to see it again and again.

This, by far, is the funniest movie about nuclear war I have ever seen. In fact, it's in my top 10 best comedies. Stanley Kubrick gathered an incredible cast which includes George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden, Slim Pickens, and Peter Sellers in an Oscar nominated performance playing three characters. How can a film with characters such as Pres. Muffley, General Jack Ripper, Col. Guano, and Major Kong not be hilarious. I don't think I can ever get tired of watching it. Surprising this came from the same mind that brought us A Clockwork Orange, The Shining, and Eyes Wide Shut. Finding out that Peter Sellers improvised most of his lines makes me love this film even more.

I have found Wes Anderson is often hit or miss. Either you really enjoy the film or you don't. This film is an absolute gem. I am the youngest of three daughters, so I found the sibling relationships fascinating to watch. I wouldn't go so far as to say each of our personalities matched these three, but there were some eerie, hilarious similarities. Add to this a great script, soundtrack, and cinematography and this is one of Anderson's best.

Here I thought 'c' was a hard letter to choose. I had to really think about which 3 to highlight. I could have easily chosen Das Boot, one of the best WWII films made. Or The Descent, a fantastic horror film about six women cavers who face all kinds of terror deep underground. Then there's District 9, a sci-fi film filled with so much social commentary you nearly forget there are aliens in it. And I can't end this post without mentioning one of my favorite Disney films, Dumbo. Not only does it have the cutest damn elephant in it, it also includes a song that has never failed to make me a blubbering idiot: "Baby mine don't you cry". Excuse me, I've got to get a kleenex.