Advise film

[Stagweawito]

Advise a new interesting film.?

[Faceless]

I hear there's a new bond film out :P

In all seriousness, Ken Loach is a great socialist director. I'm also told "A Very British Coup" is very good although I've not seen it so perhaps you can watch it for me and then give me a synopsis?

[dispelthespecter]

I remember seeing a very interesting documentary called, "The hands of Che Guevara"...No, that isn't a figurative reference, like "guiding hands" or something, its literally about his hands.  If I remember correctly, they were amputated after his execution for identification purposes, sent around to different world powers, then lost.  Not really a Socialist film, but I still liked it :)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0210725/

Also, as long as you can take Michael Moore, I also enjoyed, "Sicko."  You cannot take anything said at face value (as with most of his work) but it still brings up some issues.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0386032/

@Faceless

I didn't know there was a "great socialist director," I will have to look Mr.Loach up!  Could you recommend a particular film that you have seen?

[P.O.U.M]

Without a doubt check out Land and Freedom!

Thats the only Loach film I've seen, but its a fantastic movie. Based around one man's experience in the POUM during the Spanish Civil War. And the movie closely resembles George Orwell's own adventure during the war.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114671/

Another great socialist director is Sergei Eisenstein. Most notable for his innovative use of the montage. Two of his most notable films are Battleship Potemkin and Ten Days That Shook the World.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergei_Eisenstein

[Faceless]

He did a pretty good film which was shown on channel 4 a short while back called, "It's a free world" about the way agencies here in the UK abuse migrant labourers. A very true representation. Another one I recall was "the wind that shakes the barley" about the Irish War of Independence. There's actually a lot of parallels with his portrayal of the Spanish civil war. It really shows the ugly face of British imperialism and personally I think it's even better than "Land and Freedom"

[eco-socialist]

Hi comrades,
Yeah Ken Loach is gr8! Land and Freedom is very good, but I think his best film is Bread and Roses. Its about the Justice for Janitors campaign in America, and their struggle for better pay and the right to unionise.

[T.K.A.-Denmark]

I bought "The wind that shakes the barley" a while back, great film and at least here in Denmark you can get it on DVD pretty cheap.
It like the way he can get the political arguments out clear in movies. Guess I should check out some of the other suggestions. Only seen Hidden Agenda, Land and Freedom plus an old one I think is called Kez

[caesarscook]

Here's a list of some really good movies with a socialist, Marxist, or leftist sort of message, or otherwise just a movie that comrades should see.  Some more or less overt.  I have refrained from listing documentaries:

Spartacus (based on novel by member of the CP, screenplay by blacklisted CPer, and an AMAZING film!)
Land and Freedom (people have already promoted this one)
Bread and Roses (and this one)
Carla's Song (another Loach movie, deals with the Nicaraguan Revolution, very interesting plot moves)
The Wind that Shakes the Barley (comrades already mentioned this one)
Reds (starring Warren Beatty, pretty good movie about John Reed, author of Ten Days that Shook the World)
1900 (Novecento) (stars Robert Dinero, deals with the rise of fascism and its overthrow through the eyes of two characters, a young landowner's son and a peasant-turned-Communist)
La Commune (VERY long, interesting style, about the Paris Commune)
A Very British Coup (comrades have already mentioned this, and I'll review it for you.  Very good.  Interesting look at limitations of "electing" the Revolution.)
Goodbye Lenin (http://www.marxist.com/goodbye-lenin-film-review.htm)
BBC's documentary series on the Spanish Civil War (I know I said no documentaries, but this is a MUST SEE.  It has the limitations of a documentary that strives to be "objective," but has lots of great interview and historic footage)
The Great Dictator (Chaplin's parody of Nazism and fascism, very interesting speech at the end calling for the tearing down of all national barriers and for a universal brotherhood of man)
In Modern Times (another Chaplin movie, contains a criticism of the alienating effects of labor under capitalism and a very funny scene involving a workers' demonstration)
Pan's Labyrinth (not as politically astute as Land and Freedom, but stylistically interesting, the director has another film set in the Spanish Civil War period, but can't remember the name.  it's more of a horror, if memory serves)
Battle of Algiers (Very good movie about the national liberation struggle in Algiers against the French)
Libertarias (Another movie about the Spanish Civil War, this one from the anarchist perspective, slightly politically confused, but high production value and an interesting film all things considered)
Persepolis (interesting cartoon about the Iranian Revolution, features a scene where the main character, a daughter of Iranian communist, chooses Marx over God in a dream)
Salt of the Earth (blacklisted US film made by the United Mine Workers if my memory is correct, very good union meeting and worker demonstration scenes, deals with immigrant workers in struggle)
Land of the Dead (yes, watch it and you'll understand)
The Assassination of Trotsky (not the greatest film, but if your a fellow trot, you should probably see it anyway)
Battleship Potemkin (very good movie about the rebellion in 1905)
Strike (actually, this is my favorite Eisenstein movie)
Metropolis (German silent film, clear class message)
October: Ten Days that Shook the World (Make sure you don't get the Stalinist version  ;) )

and I have to represent for the WIL in the US even though it is not at all political (I am the Walrus!):

Big Lebowski

I would also add that some McCarthyist films make for good comedic viewing.  I will mention one documentary, Socialism on Trial, which comrades can view on Google Video.  It is about the fight of the Liverpool councilors in the 80s.