Top Four Movies That Will Change You Forever

Some movies are made to entertain or inspire you while others are meant to destroy you or blow your mind away.

1. The Outsiders (1983)

What the movie is all about

The film concentrated on the life of Ponyboy as an orphan and a Greaser and how he, and the other young Greasers in his neighborhood were torn between two groups: the Greasers and Socs.

Greasers vs Socs

The movie is a reminder that groups or communities shouldn’t label and define us as individuals. The conflict between the Greasers and Socs was evident and could be influenced by class and social distinction.

If you’re a Greaser, you should be wearing black leather jackets, jeans with greasy hair and should be living in a poor neighborhood. You should be tough; and because you’re labeled as a poor guy who creates all the trouble in the neighborhood, then you’ll be the prime suspect in every crime in your town. If you’re a Socs, you’re supposed to be living in a nice neighborhood with nice cars, nice clothes and a bright future. And you don’t steal, you can do everything you want because it’s easy for you to get away from almost anything. That’s labeling.

Stay Gold

The first scene of the movie showed Ponyboy getting out of the movie theater. He was just a regular guy who liked watching movies and reading books. But because he was born in a low income working class family surrounded by a not a so nice neighborhood, he was labelled as a Greaser.

Before Johnny died, he told Ponyboy to stay gold, to stay young and innocent and not grow up fast. To stay young is to be passionate and ideal. To stay innocent is to see the goodness in everybody and being positive. But then, as the title of the Robert Frost’s poem goes, “nothing gold can stay.”

Favorite Lines

Johnny Cade: I think I like it better when the old man’s hittin’ me. At least he knows I’m there.

Ponyboy Curtis: Johnny’s dead. Told him about beating the socs, I don’t know. He just died. Told me to stay gold. Dally’s gone. He couldn’t take it, he’s going to blow!

 

2. Sleepers (1996)

What the movie is all about

The important part of the story started in the summer of 1967 when four boys Tommy, Michael, John and Shakes were sentenced to serve 12 to 18 months at the Wilkinson Home for Boys where they were sexually abused by the prison guards.

Revenge Movie 

The film tells a story about justified revenge. The violent and rape scenes force the viewers to unconsciously justify the killing of the prison guard and the tricks they played during the court hearings.

What is disturbing is that we unconsciously agree and justify their actions because the characters have already earned our sympathy. Our ability to empathize and sympathize urge us to feel hungry for revenge.

Favorite Lines

Lorenzo:
Mike, are you sure you wanna go this way? I mean we buried this a long time ago.

Michael:
You still sleep with the light on?

Michael:
You read the Count of Monte Cristo lately?

Lorenzo:
I dunno, 10 years ago

Michael:
I read a little bit every night. I read words like revenge, sweet, lasting revenge.

 

3. This Boy’s Life (1993)

What the story is about

It’s a story about the life of a boy and how he struggled through adolescence, being an emotional support of his single mom and dealing with his step father’s abuse.

Women as wallpapers

The movie talked about male domination. There was a power struggle between the boy and the step dad. The depressing part of the movie was the fact that in those times, women were merely wallpapers; they weren’t allowed to have voices and be freed.

Toby Wollf’s mother was portrayed as a desperate woman who could not survive without a man. The story was also focused on Toby and who struggled his way through adolescence – with a single mother who had failed relationships and constantly seeking the emotional support of a man and realizing that they needed to be free from his step dad’s abuse and insecurity.

Favorite Lines

Tobias ‘Toby’ Wolff: Sometimes I had to blame somebody; she was the only one there.

Tobias ‘Toby’ Wolff: Mom, you can leave too, I’m leaving, you don’t have to stay here for this shit.

Caroline Wolff Hansen: I don’t, do I?

Tobias ‘Toby’ Wolff: No, you don’t!

Caroline Wolff Hansen: I could leave with you right now, couldn’t I?

Tobias ‘Toby’ Wolff: Yes, you could.

Caroline Wolff Hansen: I could walk right out that door, couldn’t I?

Tobias ‘Toby’ Wolff: Yes!

Dwight Hansen: What?

Caroline Wolff Hansen: I’m leaving you, Dwight.

 

4. The Great Gatsby

What the movie is about

The movie was about the splendid and luxurious life of the mysterious guy named Gatsby as told by another main character and his efforts to win back his old girlfriend who already had a family of her own.

The Green Light

The movie could destroy you forever. Watching the movie can cause grief and misery for a couple of months.

The green light symbolized Daisy and Gatsby’s dream to be with her. Like the light, she seemed near yet so far. The movie didn’t really emphasize love, but madness and terrible longing and the story was told in the point of view of the narrator.

Daisy – The Beautiful Fool

Daisy was also portrayed as a beautiful woman who was able to get what she wanted merely because she was beautiful, that’s it. She had no character; she was hollow. Her lack of character and all those women in Gatsby’s parties could make you feel sick.

Favorite Lines

“They’re a rotten crowd. You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together.”

Nick Carraway: Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter – tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther… And one fine morning – So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.

Daisy Buchanan: I hope she’ll be a fool – that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.

Nick Carraway: In my younger and more vulnerable years, my father gave me some advice. “Always try to see the best in people,” he would say. As a consequence, I’m inclined to reserve all judgements. But even I have a limit.

 

Other Life Changing Movies

Because it’s easy to watch free movies online, most of these old movies are accessible through the internet.

5. A Clockwork Orange 

6. Forest Gump

7. Perfume: Story of a Murderer

8. The Shawshank Redemption

9. Before Sunset

10. City of God

Top Four Movies That Will Change You Forever

Exodus: Gods and Kings

First of all, the movie is not too religious. And also, it’s not too preachy – no preachy tone whatsoever about being religious, praying to your gods or becoming holy.  But yes, it is indeed violent and grotesque for the ordinary viewers. And it’s definitely not for children (though it’s impossible to monitor your child’s online activities considering the fact that it’s easy to watch free movies online).

The movie is focused on the escape of the Israelite slaves from Egypt, thus the title Exodus. Why add “Gods and Kings” in the title? Perhaps to remind us about old societies worshiping many gods and kings. Or probably to not focus on Christianity alone, having only one God, since the story is too Christian.

It is also interesting to notice that the pharaoh, Ramses, isn’t really an outstanding villain after all. It’s true that the Israelites suffered too much under the leadership of Ramses (as depicted in the movie) however, the film also shows his soft side – his love for his wife and son. He’s actually shown as a weak character who still longs for his father’s love. He can’t decide on his own. Like other men, he lets his mother decide things for him. He wants the comfort of a bosom that expects nothing from him. He is the most irrational character in the movie. 

Moshe or Moses, being the central character, is portrayed as an ordinary person who gets married, have kids, and tries to do what’s right and wrong in the eyes of the society. What makes Moses from the Exodus movie different from the Moses in the bible is that he’s not a saintly hero. He is a hero for helping the slaves escape from Egypt but he is not a saint. He doesn’t really pray like most saints pray. He’s simply talking to God, sometimes arguing against Him.

The most interesting character in the movie is the boy who acts as God. In his first appearances, we see him more as a messenger than God. In the old testament, God is viewed as a punisher. The Great Flood might be a myth or based on real biblical events but the antagonist and protagonist in the story points directly to the same character – God. In the movie, God is again portrayed as both an antagonist and protagonist. The boy has a tendency to act childish- having tantrums and mood swings. He’s irrational and emotional. He easily gets angry and his reactions are predictable yet surprising.

The scenes related to the plagues of Egypt are grotesquely violent- the hungry crocodiles devouring humans and fishes, river filled with blood and huge frogs and flies. They are highly emphasized in the film merely to show God’s wrath. Also, another interesting thing about the film is that it attempts to provide scientific explanation and proofs about the plagues and why they occurred. That is why some religious groups condemned the movie and labeled it as a science fiction movie.

The movie didn’t really deviate from the original bible story – the sequence of events, the characters and the plagues. But to confirm if it’s “biblically accurate” is another story. The director, Ridley Scott, is even accused as a racist, deliberately whitewashing the movie. Well the truth is, I’m not so oversensitive about it. I love the action scenes. And to be fair, Christian Bale’s acting is captivating, making you forget he was once the dark knight.

Exodus: Gods and Kings