I took some time to update my list of film recommendations today.  (It’s been sometime… and there’s more to add).

Here are some films I watched in recent months that I enjoyed and recommend:

Things We Lost in the Fire, dir. Susanne Bier
A fantastic film. I watched it on DVD in 09 – the best film experience I’ve had in awhile. Bier uses extended, full framed close up shots to create an intimate and personal film about grief, what we lose and through gut-wrenching experience, what we gain. The first performance by Halle Berry that I’ve admired. Benicio Del Toro is fantastic. The film reminded me of the beauty and value of the person. Rattled and impacted me for days.

Julie and Julia, dir. Nora Ephron
On a recent international trip with more than forty hours in the air, I had a lot of time to watch films I otherwise would not. Perhaps not fair to say of this flick, since I’m a huge admirer of Meryl Streep’s work, and enjoy Amy Adams. The story of Julia Child’s emergence as a household name, the woman who single-handedly changed how Americans view and cook food is told in tandem with the story of Julie Powell, the woman who years later does 365 days of cooking from Child’s Opus. Based on a memoir, the film is funny, and dare I say inspiring for anyone who dreamed of writing or blogging and wanting an audience, but beyond that, to people aspiring to do what they love.

Running the Sahara, dir. James Moll
Narrated by Matt Damon, the film follows three men – Charlie Engle (USA), Ray Zahab (Canada) and Kevin Lin (Taiwan) who undertake a quest to run across the Sahara Desert. Yes. And they do. And it’s crazy. And unthinkable. And inspiring.

Five Hundred Days of Summer, dir. Mark Webb
It’s not a love story, even though you want it to be. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel are charming, and I hope we see them more and more in other good roles that feature their magic. The film is funny and smart. I wasn’t a fan of some of the film’s views on sex and love (but that’s not the film’s fault, more the culture’s). Ultimately a feel good story of romantic love.

Babette’s Feast, dir. Gabriel Axel
An older film from the late 80s, the film is a slow moving drama about a French woman exiled to a Danish community led by two sisters who shepherd a Christian sect. Babette spends her fortune to create a feast for the community, an act of unmerited grace to a religious community determined not to enjoy it. But such wasteful generosity can’t be ignored by even the coldest heart. Babette has a powerful line that the film’s power hinges on. I had some doubts until that point. I won’t ruin it for you, so go watch it.

Babe, dir. Chris Noonan.
Beware the charms of this film. The film nominated for best picture in 1995 introduced me to James Cromwell all those years back, who I’ve enjoyed in many other roles. Would have loved to be a fly on the wall to track the process of the film from its concept to production. “That’ll do pig,” and it did.