Michelin Star Movies Pt.3
The Highest Standard Of Film
C. D. Michel
THE TERM IS COMING TO AN END. Assignments and exams have all finished up. So, it seems fitting that I should extend the sequel to my first article and make it a trilogy. In case you haven’t read ‘Part 1’ or ‘Part 2’ (which I assume is most of you), I will remind you of the criteria for a Michelin star: A Michelin Star is awarded to the best restaurants that consistently have “quality ingredients… distinct flavours… and expertly crafted dishes”. So, for the third time I’ll be awarding movies Michelin Stars for their immaculate flavours, ingredients, and qualities.
It only feels right to start one of these articles by praising Christopher Nolan and his work. Inception (2010) is a journey through space and time. The plot is so complex, powerfully challenging our conceptions of dreaming. Not only is the plot mind-bending, but the film is also world-bending (sorry, that was a terrible joke iykyk). In all seriousness, though, the cinematography brings this film to life; despite clearly being unrealistic, the CGI isn’t tacky, but instead jaw-dropping. If you want a subtle taste of the movie’s greatness without watching the whole thing, I highly recommend listening to the soundtrack, especially Time by Hans Zimmer, which truly encapsulates the film in all its greatness.
If you want to get ahead in Year 11 English, I highly recommend Blade Runner (1982). If we exclude watching Macbeth in Year 10, Blade Runner is the best prescribed English text. It’s thrilling and exciting. It’s like a two-hour David Attenborough documentary, except instead of watching lions hunt gazelle, it’s Harrison Ford hunting the replicants. Furthermore, with so much talk about “Sigma this…, and Alpha that…, I’m sure you would enjoy listening to Roy Batty’s final speech ‘Tears in the Rain,’ which pretty much encapsulates this contemporary notion. And who knows, if you enjoy watching Blade Runner (1982), go on and watch its sequel, Blade Runner 2049 (2017), which I’ve heard is equally as good, if not better.
Rick Deckard
If you haven’t seen UP (2009), what were you doing with your childhood… This movie has it all: A romantic overture, flying houses, an evil villain scarred from his past, and talking dogs. How can a movie get any better when it has talking dogs? Not to mention, the soundtrack is phenomenal and memorable. Married Life and Stuff We Did by Michael Giacchino brings emotion to this film, which is often missing in kids’ films alike.
While it’s undoubtedly tacky, Nerve (2016) is a fun watch. It’s one of those 2010’s dystopian films, which is very Hunger Games and Maze Runner-esque. Being a satirical exaggeration of the kids’ game, Truth or Dare, this film is an easy watch, but at the same time, it is always interesting and never dull. The film is visually dynamic; one moment, you’re in a neon night rave, and the next, you’re on top of a crane in NYC. This gives your eyes a rest, unlike many other adventure films, which are non-stop and high-intensity. Overall, a good movie.
While going through possible movies to put in this article, M. Night Shyamalan’s Old (2021) is a no-brainer. To be completely honest, I don’t know how I haven’t talked about it sooner. This is one of the most underrated films I’ve ever seen. Unfortunately, its rating is horrible, but I guarantee you will enjoy it. The deeper meaning of this film is so intelligently intertwined with the plot that you don’t even realise it’s there until the denouement. Every character is different, and their individual quirks accentuate the already interesting plot. If you watch anything in this article, please watch Old.
Old’s undeservingly poor reviews.
If you’re looking for a thriller, Jigsaw (2017) is my go-to. It brings a violent twist to escape rooms, accompanied by a psychologically demented Game Master. If you ‘would like to play a [petrifying, spine-chilling] game’ with John Kramer, I highly recommend Jigsaw. However, just a warning – this movie is not for the faint of heart.
If you don’t want to listen to my recommendations, that’s all good. But please listen to me when I say don’t watch Taika Waititi’s Next Goal Wins (2023). I didn’t think that Waititi could make a bad movie, so I sat through the entire two hours. It was cringy and predictable. I think I’ve seen twenty movies with the same plot about a bad sports team gaining a new coach who doesn’t want to be there, and then through the power of love and self-determination, they achieve greatness. The jokes were repetitive. And in writing this, I just don’t want anyone to have to suffer through that film and waste two hours of their life on garbage.