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Check It Out: Classic films worth checking out

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The holidays are the perfect time to watch memorable films. Where to start? Kenneth Turan, film critic for the Los Angeles Times, wrote a book called “Not to be Missed: Fifty-Four Favorites from a Lifetime of Film.” The Newport Beach Public Library currently carries 41 of these films and they are all worth checking out, along with his book. Here are some of Turan’s picks that I consider to be among my favorites as well. And no, James Cameron’s “Titanic” is not there.

If pressed to choose one favorite, Turan lists “Children of Paradise” (1945). Directed by Marcel Carné, this French-language film concerns four men trying to win the affections of a woman in 1820s Paris. Francois Truffaut once said that he would give up all of his films to have directed “Children of Paradise.” High praise, indeed.

My personal favorite among Turan’s is “Seven Samurai” (1954), directed by Akira Kurosawa. The titular group is hired by a village of poor farmers to protect them from a forthcoming bandit raid. I feel that it is the perfect mix of drama, comedy and action. Three and a half hours never went by so quickly.

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“Bicycle Thieves” (1948) by Vittorio De Sica is a masterpiece of the Italian neo-realism movement, which used mainly non-professional actors and non-studio locations. A man’s bike, which he needs for his family’s livelihood, is stolen, so he searches the streets along with his young son to find it. Beautiful in its simplicity.

“Senna” (2010) is an exhilarating documentary exploring the life of Ayrton Senna, one of the best Formula 1 drivers of all time. Even those who aren’t fans of racing will enjoy this one.

“Sherlock Jr.” (1924) is one of Buster Keaton’s classic comedies from the silent era. An aspiring detective dreams of clearing his wrongfully accused name and winning the woman he loves as he falls asleep during his job as a film projectionist. Great humor, amazing stunts and imaginative editing.

Most everyone has heard of “Singin’ in the Rain” (1952) and for good reason: It is simply one of the best musicals ever made. It is also a humorous look at Hollywood during the transition from silent film to talkies.

If you’re in the mood for some film noir, it’s hard to do any better than “Kiss Me Deadly” (1955). Very loosely based on a Mickey Spillane novel, this strange and dark film follows detective Mike Hammer as he gets in over his head by sticking his nose in places he shouldn’t. Martin Scorsese considers it “a key film of the modern era and as ferocious a movie as has ever been made in America.”

“Spirited Away” (2001) is one of the many great films of Hayao Miyazaki. It concerns a young girl who is trapped in a spirit world and tries to find a way to rescue her parents and escape. It also won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

In Jean-Pierre Melville’s “Le Samouraï” (1967), Alain Delon plays a cool hitman whose luck is about to run out. John Woo’s “The Killer” and Jim Jarmusch’s “Ghost Dog” both pay homage to this film.

The Newport Beach Public Library has a great collection of films both old and new, so why not stop in and start gathering favorites for your own 54?

CHECK IT OUT is written by the staff of the Newport Beach Public Library. All titles may be reserved from home or office computers by accessing the catalog at https://www.newportbeachlibrary.org. For more information on the Central Library or any of the branches, please contact the Newport Beach Public Library at (949) 717-3800, option 2.

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