<p>Which films, in your opinion, are a must-see?</p>
<p>I'm here to recommend The Squid and The Whale. </p>
<p>I finally watched it, and it has become one of my top three movies.. it's brilliant!! basically, my interpretation is that the characters, especially Frank (the younger of the two sons), were victims of nature. they struggled with their natural impulses while at the same time trying to keep a stable family. the two parents are divorcing. the dad, a college professor, is tempted to have an affair with one of his students, a young girl. he invites her to board at his house (the dad was living away from his spouse at this point). the older son, who occasionally lives with his father because of joint-custody, starts to fall for the same girl, even though he already has a girlfriend. the younger son remains attached to the mother and defends her despite the affairs she's had with men besides the husband (psychology lesson found here). the older son catches the dad trying to have sex with the girl student. tension develops between the two men (another psychology lesson here). the younger son starts to rebel.. he grows up too much too soon. he goes through puberty, learns to cuss, etc. he represents the loss of innocence. my heart breaks for the kid because i think he's the ultimate victim in this family. I don't know how accurately this movie portrays the life of a broken American family but it's certainly an accurate potrayal of human impulses and desires, masculinity, and adolescence at least in the Western World. My growing up experience was very different, so this movie was quite a revelation. I'm not sure how to describe how this movie made me feel. it's very much like the feeling i get when i see a child beginning the transition into adulthood.. when they start to cuss thinking that "everyone" else does it too, so it must be ok; when they start going through puberty and i realize there's not much i can do about it; when i want to protect them in some way but realize that i have to let them grow up on their own. I don't know how to describe that feeling.. it's like my heart sinking. the director was very good at manipulating my emotions in this very subtle way. it deserved a Best Picture nomination. Magnificent film.. go watch it! It's also a great psychological/English lesson..</p>