Movie of Year

I already gave accolades to my favorite film of 2007, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, in a previous post but...I'm re-visiting. Mostly because I think in order to start my film blogging on a good note, I have to start with the most exciting film I have seen recently (even if recently means december).
I haven't read the book. And I almost don't want to. I almost want to completely maintain that the entire story was as romantic, heart breaking and true to life as Julian Schnabel created for us. I feel like if I were to read the book it would dispel the beautiful story that has already been told. But I will read it...
(p.s. I can't believe I forgot Book review in my daily diet lowdown. Let's see how long this structure really is put to use)

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is everything you think you don't want in a film- awkward camera angles, overexposed lighting that can at times be nausea inducing, long moments of silence (or at least a monotonous drone of letters being recited in the same order over and over again), and a sarcastic french protagonist.
But...the truth is, these are the very things that make the film so enchanting and memorable. When it starts to take itself too seriously- in a hollywood OTT, never would happen kind of way- it pulls back to display something so relatable and human you remember why you appreciated those hollywood moments in the first place. Because of the way that the film unfolds- not to mention an ingenious soundtrack- you leave the movie with the impression that you have been witness to something incredibly significant but also elusive. It's no coincidence that I resolved to write everyday after I watched it. As much as I'd like to avoid clichés, it honestly gave me a true sense of mortality. And it was thrilling.