Good Point Podcast

Tampopo (タンポポ, Tanpopo, literally "dandelion") is a 1985 Japanese comedy film written and directed by Juzo Itami, and starring Tsutomu Yamazaki, Nobuko Miyamoto, Kōji Yakusho, and Ken Watanabe. The publicity for the film calls it the first "ramen western", a play on the term Spaghetti Western (films about the American Old West made by Italian production studios).

Spirited Away (2001) is a Japanese-animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, animated by Studio Ghibli.

It tells the story of Chihiro Ogino, a 10-year-old girl who, while moving to a new neighborhood, enters the world of Kami (spirits of Japanese Shinto folklore). After her parents are turned into pigs by the witch Yubaba, Chihiro takes a job working in Yubaba's bathhouse to find a way to free herself and her parents and return to the human world.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirited_Away

The Tree of Wooden Clogs (Italian: L'Albero degli zoccoli) is a 1978 Italian film written and directed by Ermanno Olmi. The film concerns Lombard peasant life in a cascina (farmhouse) of the late 19th century. It has some similarities with the earlier Italian neorealist movement, in that it focuses on the lives of the poor, and the parts were played by real farmers and locals, rather than professional actors.

The original version of the movie is spoken in Lombard (the Bergamasque variety, an Eastern Lombard dialect).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tree_of_Wooden_Clogs

Eighth Grade is a 2018 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film written and directed by Bo Burnham. It stars Elsie Fisher as Kayla, a middle school teenager who struggles with anxiety but strives to gain social acceptance from her peers during their final week of eighth grade. To cope, she publishes video blogs as a self-styled motivational advice-giver, though spends much of her time obsessing over social media. This frustrates Kayla's otherwise supportive father (Josh Hamilton), whom she alienates despite his wish to be present in her life as her sole parent.

The Square (2017) by Ruben Östlund

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Square_(2017_film)

The Square is a 2017 satirical film written and directed by Ruben Östlund and starring Claes Bang, Elisabeth Moss, Dominic West and Terry Notary. The film is about a curator who struggles with various personal issues, including the theft of his mobile phone and affair with a journalist. Amid these distractions, a controversial promotional video for an art installation is published without his oversight, threatening his career and sparking a debate about freedom of expression and political correctness.

Next week... two films?

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga

The King of Staten Island

This Is Spinal Tap (1984) by Rob Reiner

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Is_Spinal_Tap

"This Is Spinal Tap" shines a light on the self-contained universe of a metal band struggling to get back on the charts, including everything from its complicated history of ups and downs, gold albums, name changes and undersold concert dates, along with the full host of requisite groupies, promoters, hangers-on and historians, sessions, release events and those special behind-the-scenes moments that keep it all real.

Next week: The Square (2017) by Ruben Östlund

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Square_(2017_film)

Moonlight is a 2016 American coming-of-age drama film written and directed by Barry Jenkins, based on Tarell Alvin McCraney's unpublished semi-autobiographical play In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue.

The film presents three stages in the life of the main character: his youth, adolescence, and early adult life. It explores the difficulties he faces with his sexuality and identity, including the physical and emotional abuse he endures growing up.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonlight_(2016_film)

Next week: This Is Spinal Tap

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Is_Spinal_Tap

Il Posto (1961) by Ermanno Olmi.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Il_Posto

The film tells the story of Domenico, a young man who forgoes the latter part of his education when his family is in need of money. Applying for a job at a big city corporation, he goes through a bizarre series of exams, physical tests and interviews. During a brief respite from the tests, he meets Antonietta, a young girl who has similarly forgone her schooling when in need of money to support herself and her mother. Through the course of this meeting, they have coffee at a local cafe, discussing the issues of their lives and their ambitions. Becoming attracted to her, they are quickly separated when they land jobs in different departments.

Next week: Strange Days (1995)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strange_Days_(film)

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Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) by George Miller

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_Max:_Fury_Road

Years after the collapse of civilization, the tyrannical Immortan Joe enslaves apocalypse survivors inside the desert fortress the Citadel. When the warrior Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) leads the despot's five wives in a daring escape, she forges an alliance with Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy), a loner and former captive. Fortified in the massive, armored truck the War Rig, they try to outrun the ruthless warlord and his henchmen in a deadly high-speed chase through the Wasteland.

Next week: Il Posto

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Il_Posto

Barry Lyndon (1975) by Stanley Kubrick

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Lyndon

Acclaimed adaptation of William Makepeace Thackeray's novel, in which a likeable young Irishman changes into a conniving, manipulative rogue. The protagonist finds himself homeless after taking part in a fake duel and is then captured by a Prussian highwayman, and meets up with a spy, but his fortunes change when he marries a wealthy titled woman in order to secure his future.

Next Week: Mad Max Fury Road

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_Max:_Fury_Road