What to Watch on Kanopy This Weekend
Kanopy provides its viewers with great, unsung movies that deserve consideration, interesting documentaries on a range of different topics, and some of the best films that have been released within the past few years. Below are two movies on Kanopy that you can watch this weekend if you are looking for some thoughtful and thought provoking entertainment.
Hearts Beat Loud
Whenever I think about Nick Offerman, I always first consider his no-nonsense character on Parks and Recreation, Ron Swanson. Hearts Beat Loud brings out a more enthusiastic side of Offerman. He plays a record-store owner named Frank Fisher, who wants to start a band with his daughter, Sam. She aspires to pursue a pre-med major at University of California, Los Angeles. Frank’s passion for music frustrates Sam, but Frank keeps encouraging her to record music with him. They end up recording a song, “Hearts Beat Loud,” as the duo, We’re Not A Band, which quickly becomes an Internet sensation.
Music gives Frank joy as everything around him changes. Not only is his daughter ready for college, but he also decides to sell his record store. Amidst this sudden transition, Sam decides to perform one final show with her father. The ending will make you tap your feet and sing along as Frank and Sam play an electrifying, uplifting set of original songs. Hearts Beat Loud revels in indie culture, and the memories Sam and Frank create as father and daughter make this movie fun and irresistible.
Seven Samurai
Without a doubt, Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai stands as one of the greatest films ever made. While some of Kurosawa’s greatest achievements range from Rashomon and Ikiru to Yojimbo and Kagemusha, Seven Samurai remains his true masterpiece. Released in 1954, this groundbreaking epic focuses on a poor village in desperate need of a group of rōnins to protect them from ruthless bandits. The valor and leadership of these seven warriors encourages and, more importantly, teaches the villagers how to stand up for themselves against forces of evil.
The final battle sequence of Seven Samurai easily remains one of the greatest scenes ever put on celluloid. This climactic fight in the village during a heavy rainstorm simultaneously enthralls and pulls at my heartstrings whenever I watch it. Do not let this movie’s running time of three hours and 27 minutes intimidate you, and pay attention to how some scenes transition to the next one using the wipe technique. You will not find a single boring minute in this classic story about some of the greatest warriors to grace the silver screen and the computer screen.
The best part: you do not have to pay a monthly fee in order to use Kanopy! You simply need to reside in Vestavia Hills and have a Library card. Don’t have a Library card? Click here to find out how to get one and take advantage of this fantastic service!
By William Anthony, Page and Movie Enthusiast
