As we have expressed previously, we detest critiquing films purely based on their ideological content. Nevertheless, we thought we'd try our hand at moralism. Some of these movies we will most likely never watch again, but all of them are in essence personal stories (which we love) and never try to cram their ideology down the viewers' throat (which we hate) and all of them left an enormous impression on us. These are in no particular order as we are unable to rate which of our beliefs is the most important.
1. The Human Condition (1959 - 1961) - Anti-imperialism, anti-militarism & anti-authority
Yes, yes. It's a trilogy, but you can't pick just one! Unsurprisingly we couldn't find a movie that's anti-imperialist or anti-military from Hollywood. These films portray convincingly that blind allegiance to authority can lead the masses to commit or accept the most horrific actions. The films are very critical of the hierarchy and purpose of the military in general. These are the only movies we have seen that criticise so fundamentally its own country's history of imperialism and militarism. They are a heavy watch, but definitely a must-see for everyone.
2. The Eternal Road (2017) - Pacifism
This is the one Finnish movie that truly spoke to us. We have a few others we could recommend from Finnish cinema, but this is the one for us. Unlike in The Human Condition, which is against violence and war, The Eternal Road is decidedly for pacifism, non-violent resistance and peaceful living. This comes across because the main character in the previous has somewhat a regressive arc and in the latter the main character never wavers in his principles.
3. Captain Fantastic (2016) - Libertarian socialism
The movie's conclusion is basically a compromise between the main character's unyielding utopian ideals and reality, which is the understanding that one can retain one's ideals while being part of a larger society.
4. The Apartment (1960) - Anti-capitalism & anti-corporatism
The Apartment shows the hollowness of the corporate world, that you're nothing but a cog in a machine and everything is commodified, especially lower-class women. And the only way to avoid that is to leave. We of course go a step futher and say burn it all down.
5. On the Waterfront (1954) - Pro-union & Christian socialism
We don't buy in to the divine aspects of Christianity, but admittedly Jesus had some pretty rad ideas.We endorse the insights that unions are not really unions (or at least are not effective) unless workers are the ones who get to represent themselves and that for unions to prevail you need solidarity between workers.
6. Free State of Jones (2016) - Class struggle, solidarity & democracy
We like the idea that economic oppression is what can unite people across all human experience and bring about meaningful change and that it's nigh impossible to achieve that without democracy. It additionally shows that democracy is not democracy unless everyone is equal and has equal rights before the law. We recommend you also read up on Fred Hampton and The Black Panthers, The Young Lords and The Young Patriots in Chicago. It might as well be this story but with a black lead.
7. Ikiru (1952) - Government bureucracy & value of community
Because we believe in democratic parlamentarism we also have to accept that bureucracy is necessary. But what kind of bureucracy it should be is what this film addresses. Bureucracy should be transparent, as simple as possible and work for the benefit of the citizens. People from the community should be the ones who work in the bureucracy for it to be effecive.
8. Princess Mononoke (1997) - Eco-socialism & environmentalism
Socialism that is based on the same industrial model as capitalism leads to the same conclusion: the exploitation and destruction of nature. If we didn't love entertainment so goddamn much, we would be borderline Luddites. Much like this film.
9. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) - Political corruption & parlamentarism
This movie essentially depicts what we think that political corruption often is; the merging of corporate (private) and governmental (public) power and influence. It also shows that this corruption makes parlamentarism impossible as your elected officials do not represent you, the voter, but rather monied private interests.
10. Silence (2016) - Spirituality & religious beliefs
Scorsese has always expertly portrayed his approach to faith and religion, particulary to Christianity. And since we have been raised Christian, we share that worldview and feel affinity with how Scorsese presents the doubt in your own faith and religion. While we personally no longer believe in deities or divinity, we have no desire to deny that spirituality and personal religious beliefs can bring comfort and meaning to others. However, we can never say the same about organised religion.
11. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984) - Humanism
Humanism for us doesn't mean that you simply extend your sympathies to other human beings but to all existence and life. Since we eat industrially produced animal products, we are hypocrites in our humanism as much as we are in all the other ideals. That's why this post is called "our utopia". But that's also part of humanism, that everyone errs. One big reason why we picked Nausicaä, although read the manga as well.
12. Dead Man Walking (1995) - Anti-death penalty & prisoner reformation
We are adamantly against the death penalty in any instance. We can't even comprehend how any American can sleep knowing that 4 % of death row inmates are or have been innocent of the crime they have been convicted for. We do not believe in "an eye for an eye" but we understand the impulse, we have that too. It doesn't mean we or the state should act on it. Humanity in general should strive for better, and that's where prisoner reformation comes in. It's a heavy and complex subject and it would be impossible to convey all we think about it in a few sentences. It has to do with how the society is formed, what laws are decreed (and for whom) and enacted and how the society participates in preventing marginalisation of people.
13. Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) - Feminism & equality
Even though this is a historical piece, the subject matter makes it relevant. Yes, there isn't as much class analysis, but that's kind of not the point. The point is that no matter your social standing, if you are a woman your path has already been made. It would do you well to remeber though, that neither of the women have their own property or money, and that the artist has to paint under her father's name to gain any independence.
We have a few honourable mentions that we must include. If Beale Street Could Talk (2018, racism & class), Wag the Dog (1997, media & manufacturing consent), Norma Rae (1979, pro-union & feminist socialism), The Mission (1986, spirituality & religious beliefs, not the Christian imperialism), Arrival (2016, anti-militarism & diplomacy), The Bad Sleep Well (1960, anti-capitalism & anti-corruption), Tokyo Godfathers (2003, humanism). Since we chose to only include films we could not take our Bible for pacifist philosophy, which is Trigun (1998) obviously.
