These two movies are on opposite sides of the spectrum. I’m going back in time, to the mid and late 1990s. The first one is a black comedy and the other one is a drama. I’m almost willing to search for them in my collection and take a trip down memory lane.
Shallow Grave
This dark crime comedy was written by John Hodges and the first movie directed by Danny Boyle. It had the relative newcomer actor at the time, Ewan McGregor, along with Christopher Eccleston and Kerry Fox. The story revolves around three friends who find their fourth roommate dead in their flat. They realize he left behind a large amount of cash, and what they will do to preserve their new found discovery is at the heart of this movie. I remember it being insanely mad with a perfect ending. Watch the trailer to see if it piques your interest.
It was rated 67% by Metascore and 70% by Tomatometer.
Trailer found on Criterion DVD/Blu-ray
The Red Violin (Le violon rouge)
This drama was written by Don McKellar and François Girard, and directed by the latter. There are many different actors and actresses in this movie as it takes places in five different cities ranging across four centuries. Some of them are Greta Scacchi, Jason Flemyng, Colm Feore, Samuel L. Jackson, and Sandra Oh. The story revolves around a red violin, with its origins from Italy. It changes hands several times and tells how each of the people who came in contact with it were impacted. The story concludes in Canada. This is the perfect movie if you enjoy character driven stories. Watch the trailer as well to see if it piques your interest.
