Maborosi
Nobody Knows
I’m quite fond of A Zed and Two Noughts, even if death is only of secondary interest in it.
The Seventh Seal has to be mentioned.
Elements of Why Has Bodhi Dharma Left for the East? and The Fountain deal with this issue in particularly poignant ways that I’ve elaborated on elsewhere.
Don’t know how well this film is received around these parts, but yeah, I’m going to throw out Jacob’s Ladder, which I enjoy quite a bit.
I loved The Barbarian Invasions. One of those movies where I wasn’t impressed at first but was very moved by the time it was over.
Near Death Frederick Wiseman
Dying at Grace Allan King
Yearning for Sodom Hanno Baethe, Hans Hirschmüller, Kurt Raab
Lightning Over Water Wim Wenders
I’ll second “The Barbarian Invasions”. If I ever have foreknowledge of a terminal illness, this film will serve as an option of how I’ll want to die.
Pialat’s La gueule ouverte (The Mouth Agape).
I’ll second Maborosi – (Kore-Eda) This is a profound meditation on loss – if you have lost anyone close to you, Maborosi is cathartic.
Harold & Maude Well, you just have to laugh at the whole death thing otherwise you’ll end up in the nuthouse.
L’Amour A Mort, Resnais…it is mixing theological ideas about death and paradise and passion of love…It is very touching and beautiful…
“Iris”. The decline and death of Iris Murdoch. Has to be seen.
“Where Dreams May Come” is Hollywood, but unusual in its approach. Despite it being slammed a lot, I find the film has some amazing moments, not least of all visually.
For what it’s worth, I thought the elements of THE INVENTION OF LYING that deal with Gervais and his elderly, aging, and failing mother were heartbreaking and really profound.
How about two plays Mike Nichols adapted to the screen:
Wit and Angels in America
I like this thread very much. Thank you for it.
The Sleepy-Time Girl
The Fly.
ALL THAT JAZZ
“Departures”, the japanese film that got the foreign language academy award this year should come to mind. I did not especially like it, but it certainly deals with death in a very wholehearted way.
Link to IMDB
Japón & Taste of Cherry. Strangely they seem like the same film yet they are worlds apart from each other. Both fine works none the less.
recently rewatched THE HUNGER and the fear of immenant death was abundant…Bowie’s ultra rapid aging process to old age were some of the film’s better moments
Christmas In August- Korean film dealing with a terminal illness.
These films deal with imminent death or mortality.
King of Masks
The Cuckoo
Apocalypto
Platoon
Harakiri
“The Red Shoes”.
I agree – IKIRU is definitely the best on the subject.
However… a more recent addition to the list that has been overlooked is THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON, which inspires the viewer to look inward to assess how we are spending the limited amount of time we have to live.
I second JACOB’S LADDER…great film. The Fountain, also.
SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK.
After Life
if anyone tells me a title of this movie i will know which movie is the best movie about dead and dying.I know whole movie,but i don’t know a title!It’s about grandma killer…she ecsape from mental hospital and start to kill her own family….older movie…????
Ah, Daniella got it first: Cries and Whispers.
Sorry I couldn’t help you Deus!
Savvy
Ari
What are the best films about death and dying? I’m talking about films with characters struggling with their mortality or imminent death. I know that describes many films but I’m trying to come up with the best films that tackle the subject most directly. IKIRU obviously comes to mind as the ultimate film on the topic. I’m not a huge fan of THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY or THE SEA INSIDE but they would count too. But I’m not just thinking about films about terminal illnesses but also films like Tomas Gutierrez Alea’s La muerte de un burócrata (Death of a Bureaucrat) or The Death of Mr. Lazarescu. Or maybe films about suicide like HAROLD AND MAUDE