Cinema is for everyone. That is one of the many beautiful qualities that the medium has. Cinema used to be a medium for the working class man. It was entertainment for the lower class people back when the medium first began. Now it is a multibillion dollar industry that doesn’t seem to stop growing. The world of cinema is constantly evolving and therefore directors from certain countries can be overlooked. Canada is one of those countries despite the fact that some of the greatest filmmakers in the business is Canadian.
The market for cinema can be compared in a few ways to the online casino market. Ever growing and accepting to new ideas and the introduction to technology. Keep reading to see some of the best films made by canadian directors.
Prisoners (2013)
This is a film that is almost perfect. Prisoners is close to perfection. Made by a director, who has more films on this list, by the name of Denis Villeneuve. Denis is from Quebec and is one of the most popular filmmakers from Canada. Prisoners is probably his magnum opus and will stand as one of the greatest films of the 10’s for time to come.
The movie is about the kidnapping of a child in a small american city. The father (Hugh Jackman) isn’t satisfied with the way the lead detective, Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) is handling the case and he takes the matter into his own hands to solve the case. The film is thrilling, unnerving and furthermore technically brilliant. The way Villenueve frames and shoots the film is out of this world. The performances of the actors are sublime and one might wonder why the film was only nominated for one oscar. If you haven’t seen Prisoners, do yourself the favor and watch it.
Sicario (2015)
Let’s just get him out of the way. The second film of Denis Villenueve on the list is Sicario. Sicario is one of those films, where you don’t see it genius until the second watch. It is subtle and surprising in a way that does quite hit right on the first viewing.
The film is about a FBI agent, who is idealistic and holds the norms and rules up high. Her good work is shown and she is asked to be a part of the fight against drugs in Mexico. Her principles and way of thinking is challenged by the horrifying world she enters in Mexico.
The film has some great performances by Guillermo Del Torres, Emily Blunt and Josh Brolin. Furthermore, some of the scenes are filmed and orchestrated in a way that seems simple but is so hard to achieve. The suspense and psychological warfare Villenueve is declaring on the audience is breathtaking and can only truly be experienced from a second viewing.
Titanic (1997)
It is a hard one to pass. Titanic is made by one of the biggest blockbuster directors of all-time, James Cameron. The movie everyone has seen and loved is an epic tale of love, misfortune and craftsmanship.
This is one of those films that will stand ground as one of pop culture’s biggest wins. The film won 11 Oscars and is considered by many people their all-time favorite movie.
Mommy (2014)
Mommy took the world by storm when it won the Palm d’or in Cannes in 2014. The film was the debut movie of Xavier Dolan. Dolan, a young canadian director, made the film in a way that was surprising to many. It was at a time in film, where Superhero movies were just starting to really take over and Dolan played with the film medium and took everyone by surprise.
The movie is about a single mom, raising her violent son, and having trouble making ends meet. A new neighbour joins the street and everyone changes.
The movie launched Xavier Dolan’s career to new levels. He began to receive a lot of attention by film critics, who were eager to see his next project. Studios wanted him to make movies for them and it was well earned. Mommy came at a time, where cinema needed it the most.
Dallas Buyers Club (2013)
Like Titanic, Dallas Buyers Club was a real blockbuster. Directed by Jean-Marc Vallée, the movie struck an emotional cord by critics and moviegoers and the performances of the cast was out of this world.
The movie is about Ron Woodruff (Matthew McConaughey) who is diagnosed with aids and how he goes out of his way and the system’s way to aid other patients.
The movie won three Oscars and is to this day one of the most emotional movies of the 10’s. The performances are great and it launched Jared Leto’s Career once again. Leto played a transvestite in the film.