There may not be a topic as universal as death: it looms over every living being. Despite its depressing and anxiety-inducing quality, there are many ways in which art can tackle that emotion and translate it into a positive force. A life-affirming film about death looks at the topic with a glass half full, even if just for fleeting moments of clarity.
Whether it's making the most of your precious time on Earth or remembering the ones no longer here, tackling complex forms of grief and healing, or simply coming to terms with your life in the face of death, film as an art medium can have a profound effect on how audiences deal with death. Only with the darkness can one truly see the light; only with death can one truly appreciate life.
'Swiss Army Man' (2016)
Swiss Army Man comes from the creatively morbid minds of the Daniels, the same brilliance that brought fans Everything Everywhere All At Once. Putting a comedic twist on the theme of death, Swiss Army Man follows a surviving cast away (Paul Dano) whose life is reinvigorated by the friendship of a dead body (Daniel Radcliffe) he finds washed up on the beach.
Through introspective discussions about life, and an unimaginably elevated version of a fart joke, the two newfound friends have incredibly intimate discussions about life, love, social insecurities, sadness and regret, and being wistfully caught up in the moment. As death surrounds this dark comedy, the joy of life is firing on all cylinders.
'The Seventh Seal' (1957)
One of the keystone films of Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman, The Seventh Seal, was created as a way for Bergman to grapple with his crippling fear of death. The film depicts various characters in different stages of their lives and how they individually perceive life and death. The most recognizable of the cast is the medieval knight Antonious Block (Max von Sydow), who enters into a literal chess match with Death (Bengt Ekerot).
Not ready to die, the knight tries to fool Death or elongate the chess match to buy time. However, Death is forever following the knight and the other accompanying characters, and the chess match continues periodically while Block faces an existential and religious crisis. Coming to terms, the knight finally faces his fate and goes willingly, engaging in the Dance of Death as the film turns to black.
'The Green Knight' (2021)
The Green Knight stars Dev Patel as the untested young knight, Gawain, who is rash to accept a challenge presented by the Green Knight (Ralph Ineson). Quickly Gawain realizes that the only outcome of this challenge is to ultimately die by the Green Knight's hand, and this spurs the young man into a reluctant quest where he makes many selfish decisions.
Time plays a heavy theme as filmmaker David Lowery loves to do, beckoning the audience to question one's legacy and purpose on the Earth. Through various trials, Gawain faces visions, one where he sees himself give up and wither into a skeleton and another where he cowardly breaks his promise, aging into a selfish man. In the ambiguous ending, Gawain takes the honorable path and finally accepts the Green Knight's true lesson.
'A Monster Calls' (2016)
A Monster Calls follows a 12-year-old boy Connor (Lewis MacDougall), troubled by his mother's (Felicity Jones) terminal illness. Bullied at school and isolated within his family, Connor experiences nightmares where his home collapses into a dark hole, reflecting the looming loss of his mother. However, Connor is soon greeted by a giant tree-like monster (Liam Neeson) who aids his grief through three stories.
The long-lasting torment of his dying mother plagues Connor, and he secretly wishes for it to be all over, elevating her pain. The Monster's presence aids Connor in facing the truth and accepting his grief, embracing the passing of his mother instead of running from it, and celebrating her life and legacy instead of just mourning it.
'Coco' (2017)
From Disney and Pixar comes Coco, the lovable tale of Miguel (Anthony Gonzales), a young boy growing up in Mexico whose love for music is strictly forbidden by his family. Inspired by his idol, legendary musician Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt), Miguel seeks out his guitar and is transported to the Land of the Dead. There Miguel meets a destitute skeleton Hector (Gael García Bernal), and many of his ancestors in a musically fueled family adventure.
Miguel soon discovers that if the living should forget about their ancestors, they will fade away from the Land of the Dead. While Miguel helps Hector before he is forgotten, the two relearn the value of family and remembering those who have passed on before you.
'P.S. I Love You' (2007)
P.S. I Love You is a romance film based on the book of the same name, which tells the story of a widow who periodically receives letters from her late husband. The film stars Hillary Swank as Holly, who shuts herself off from the world after her husband, Gerry (Gerard Butler), dies of a brain tumor. Unbeknownst to her, Gerry has romantically set up the series of messages before his death to help her move on.
With her mother and her friends, Holly is constantly pulled and prodded to reenter the world but is only motivated by her late husband. While the grief will never fully fade, Gerry can reassure Holly to move on with her life and not turn away from her new love.
'The Bucket List' (2007)
Starring Jack Nicholson as Edward, a boozing billionaire, and Morgan Freeman as Carter, an insightful mechanic, The Bucket List follows the two terminally ill elderly men who ditch their treatments to travel the world. Doing all the things they want to do before dying, the two go skydiving, drive fancy cars, visit majestic tourist spots and let loose during their remaining time on Earth.
The globe-trotting buddy comedy plays for many laughs, but given the subject, it has no shortage of sentimental moments. While the two newfound friends find a common bond through fun adventures, they also console each other, face some of their regrets, and admit their faults, all in the form of a final catharsis. Only then do the two truly check off the most important items on their bucket list.
'Pieces of a Woman' (2020)
Pieces of a Woman tells an agonizing story of a mother who loses her child during birth. It's deeply emotional as it lingers on the complex stages of grief seen through Martha (Vanessa Kirby). She has detached herself from her partner, her family, and her friends after this unimaginable loss. It's sure to give any viewer a heavy heart but finishes with a sentimental outlook.
Using a motif of an apple, a symbol of rebirth and new life, Martha recalls her late child smelling like an apple. The old adage, time heals all things, first falls on annoyed ears, but Martha is eventually able to come to terms with the death of her child as she nurtures apple seeds. The final shot then features what is presumably her next child climbing up an apple tree, reminding us all that they may be gone, but they're never forgotten, and new life can still be on the horizon.
'A Ghost Story' (2017)
A Ghost Story is exactly what the title describes, the story of a singular ghost as they navigate their existence beyond death. Lingering within his old home, the new ghost, C (Casey Affleck), watches his widowed wife, M (Rooney Mara), as time continues to pass by without him. Hours slip into days, days to months and years, and soon decades pass the ghost by.
Through excruciatingly long sequences, the ghost waits, unable to interact with the world from under the draped white morgue blanket, holding onto the secret message hidden within the walls of his home left by his wife. Diving into the undeniable progression of time that eventually takes all things, the ghost C finally gets the message, and his haunting is relieved.
The 'Harry Potter' Series
The shadow of death is cast over the entire film series of Harry Potter; the titular character is orphaned; Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes), the dark wizard who murdered Harry's (Daniel Radcliffe) parents, is obsessed with his mortality; a set of artifacts that become critical to the plot are all designed to cheat death. The heroes face deadly threats in each installment but never turn away from the daunting task at hand.
Over the course of the series, the brave three Gryffindors, Harry, Hermione (Emma Watson), and Ron (Rupert Grint), attempt to stop Voldemort from attaining immortality and ruling the wizarding world forever. With death constantly circling the young wizard, Harry is motivated by the love of all those that he has lost and sacrifices his life for the betterment of his friends and family, proving that love will always prevail over evil.