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5 modern silent films for when you just want 'no talking'

Silent films still have a magic all of their own.

Robert Redford in "All Is Lost," "Flow" and "Ghost Story"
Robert Redford in "All Is Lost," "Flow" and "Ghost Story"

Robert Redford in "All Is Lost," "Flow" and "Ghost Story"

Modern movies and TV shows are louder than ever. There was a time when a big explosion or a thunderous moment of dialogue truly captured our collective attention. Things have gotten so bad, entire generations of people young and old are turning to subtitles just to understand what people are saying. Those productions are meant to capture our attention span even if they don't always connect on a deeper level.

There's something truly special about the silent films of Hollywood's past. Watching filmmakers and actors discover and perfect their art form years before they even had sound effects led to some truly astounding feats that still impress today. But modern filmmakers have also occasionally turned to the silent, or mostly silent, format to great success in recent years. Yeah, it can be an adjustment. But sometimes a change of pace is just what we need. Here are five modern (mostly) silent films for when you need a break from all the explosions and subtitles!

A promotional images for the film Robot DreamsRobot Dreams (2023)Robot Dreams/Wild Bunch

ROBOT DREAMS

In 2007, writer/illustrator Sara Varon graced the world with a graphic novel called "Robot Dreams." As an artist, she is known to mostly invent characters who are "non-human" because she claims to be bad at drawing them. What luck for us! She also likes to craft the most unique friendships, with "Dog" and "Robot" being one of those unions.

Cut to 2023 when writer/director Pablo Berger's film adaptation premiered at Cannes. The plot? A lonely cartoon dog, who lives in Manhattan in the mid-80s, orders a robot after seeing it on a TV commercial. The two become fast friends, but trouble ensues when Robot gets lost.

A gentle music score, including the song "September" by Earth, Wind and Fire playing on repeat, helps even the most dramatic scenes feel calming and even kind of groovy. Themes of the film include friendship, love, loss and memories worth saving.

A promotional still for The ArtistA promotional still for The ArtistThe Artist (Warner Brothers)

THE ARTIST

French filmmaker, Michel Hazanavicius, swung for the fences when he brought us the (mostly) non-dialogue driven, black-and-white movie The Artist in 2011. Who would have thought a film like this could win five Oscars, including Best Picture? And so well deserved! It also took home Academy Awards for Best Director, Best Leading Actor, Best Score and Best Costume Design.

An ode to the 1920s silent film stars, and their heartbreaking, and sometimes even comical journeys into a technological world that has moved on without them. (I know I can relate, I still have a satellite dish!) Silent film star Douglas Fairbanks is said to have been one of the inspirations for the film's leading character.

It stars an international cast of brilliant actors including Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, John Goodman, James Cromwell, Penelope Ann Miller and last but far from least, Uggie the dog as Jack! In fact, it's Jack who steals the show, with a fabulously choreographed dance number coming in at a close second.

A promotional still for the movie FlowA promotional still for the movie FlowFlow (Baltic Content Media)

FLOW

Let's move over to Latvia, where writer/director Gints Zilbalodis gorgeously directed and co-wrote the animated film Flow (alongside writer Matīss Kaža.) This wowed Cannes-goers in 2024 and has already garnered Best Animation awards, including a Golden Globe. (It has my vote for the upcoming Critics Choice Awards.)

What makes this film such a wonderful antidote to current stress-like conditions, is its simplicity and utter beauty. It's simply this: a black cat facing what is assumed to be a natural disaster (a flood) wanders around, attempting to survive. In its journey, it meets a slew of other animals (a yellow Labrador Retriever and a lemur to name a couple) and even though they're all on their own course to survival, they find that their paths continue to cross. There is no real commentary here. It's essentially a Zen-like reflection of life, death and all the beauty in-between.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

What's most magnificent is the movie was actually created using Blender, a free and open-source computer graphics software program. Despite this bare-boned animation team, the film glows with light and originality. Zilbalodis, alongside Rihards Zaļupe, reportedly composed seven hours of music for the movie, of which nearly an hour was used. (The soundtrack can be streamed online.)

Promotional still for the film All Is LostPromotional still for the film All Is LostAll Is Lost (Lionsgate)

ALL IS LOST

With the exception of some brief voiceover work from Robert Redford, there is not only no dialogue in this film, there is only one actor. Written and directed by J.C. Chandor, All is Lost stars Redford as a man who is lost at sea. We follow his trials and tribulations, all the while begging the question - what would we do in a similar situation? Would we have the chops to survive? (Not sure I would. I can barely open a Snapple, let alone build a water distillation device.)

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

The music, as is so common for these type of films, is lovely. In this case, Alex Ebert (lead singer for the band Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes) scored the soundtrack of which he claimed "wind, water, rain, sun, are the story's other characters.

No spoilers, but there are ambiguous moments (or at least one big one) where the audience can choose its meaning. Depending on the lens with which it's viewed, or perhaps the mood one is in when they see it, it can carry different meanings for different people. Such a deep and meaningful expression of what it means to maintain or lose hope and courage.

A promotional still for the film A Ghost StoryA promotional still for the film A Ghost StoryA Ghost Story (A24)

A GHOST STORY

This lesser-known film written/directed by David Lowery stars Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara. While it does have some talking, it's mostly a fever dream and a silent poem about death. I'll be honest, when I saw Lowery's decision for Affleck to wear the traditional "ghost uniform "of a white sheet with holes poked out, I was concerned. It turned out to be one the most haunting films I've ever seen and it has stuck with me to this day.

The characters are merely given initials, because what even ARE names when we're talking about million year soul-attachments? A Ghost Story became a darling at Sundance in 2017, with A24 distributing later that year.

It's not a movie meant to frighten people, but rather to inspire them to meditate on death and love. Both Affleck and Mara give subtle, yet heart-wrenching performances in the silent spaces between time. (That might appear to be a word-salad, but it will probably make sense once you've seen the film!)

@callmebelly/TikTok

An excellent reminder to show kindness and patience.

Listening to a baby cry during a flight might be aggravating, but it’s nothing compared to the moans, groans, and eyerolls that the baby's parents must endure from other passengers when it happens. No matter what tips and tricks are used to try to soothe a little one’s temperament while 30,000 miles in the air, crying is almost inevitable. So, while having to ease their own child’s anxiety, moms and dads also must suffer being the pariah of the trip. What a nightmare.

Recently, one mom was apparently trying so hard to avoid upsetting her fellow flight members that she went above and beyond to essentially apologize ahead of time if her baby began to cry on its first flight. It was a gesture that, while thoughtful, had folks really feeling for how stressed that poor mom must be.

In a clip posted to his TikTok, one of the passengers—Elliot—explained that the mom handed out small care packages to those nearby.

“She’s already so busy and took the time to make these bags for everyone,” Elliot said, before panning the camera to reveal a Ziplock bag full of candy, along with a note that made him “want to cry.”

The note read: “It’s my first flight. I made a deal to be on my best behaviour—but I can’t make any guarantees. I might cry if I get scared or if my ears start to hurt. Here are some treats to make your flight enjoyable. Thank you for being patient with us. Have a great flight.”

Like Elliot, those who watched the video felt some ambivalence at the well intentioned act. Many felt remorse that she would feel the need to appease people in this way.

“This is so sweet but also … kind of breaks my heart that we live in a world in which parents feel the need to do that.”

“Because jerk people have shamed parents into believing that they need to apologize for their kids' absolutely normal behavior. What a gem of a mom.”

“You know that sweet mom worried about this trip so much.”

“That poor mom probably spent nights awake … nervous about that flight, thinking of ways to keep strangers happy.”

"That's a mom trying so hard."

Many rallied behind the mom, arguing that making others feel more comfortable with her child being on board was in no way her responsibility.

“No mom should be apologizing. Adults can control their emotions … babies not …. Hugging this mom from a distance.”

“Dear new parents: no you don’t have to do this. Your babies have the right to exist. We all know babies cry. We know you try your best.”

Luckily, there are just as many stories of fellow passengers being completely compassionate towards parents with small children—from simply choosing to throw on their headphones during a tantrum (instead of throwing one themselves) to going out of their way to comfort a baby (and taking the load of a parent in the process). These little acts of kindness make more of an impact than we probably realize. Perhaps if we incorporated more of this “it takes a village” mindset, flying could be a little bit more pleasant for everyone involved.

Pop Culture

Keanu Reeves shocks a small-town pub by stopping in for a pint and taking photos with the staff

“So today we had a surprise visitor for lunch. What a lovely man he was, too."

Keanu Reeves in São Paulo, Brazil, 2019.

Who doesn't love Keanu Reeves? He has a well-deserved reputation as one of Hollywood’s nicest celebrities. Recently, he cheered up an 80-year-old fan who had a crush on him by calling her on the phone. He’s also bought an ice cream cone for a fan to give an autograph on the receipt and crashed a wedding to take photos with the bride and groom. He’s also an incredible humanitarian who gave up a big chunk of his money from The Matrix to a cancer charity.

The John Wick star was his usual gracious self over a random weekend in 2023 when he and a friend walked into The Robin Hood pub in Tring, Hertfordshire, about 30 miles outside of London.

The employees at the pub in the picturesque, small market town with a population of 12,000 were shocked to see such a high-profile celebrity walk through its doors—especially one who is known for being such a humble, likable guy.

Pub staff posted a photo of chef Scott Valentine, 18, and The Matrix star on The Robin Hood’s Facebook page.

“So today we had a surprise visitor for lunch,” they shared. “What a lovely man he was too. Laura asked if he would be ok with taking photos with the kitchen lads. He marched into the kitchen shook their hands, and praised them for the food they had prepared. Suffice to say he made their days!!!”

According to the staff at the restaurant, Reeves ordered traditional English fare. "He came to the bar and ordered a beer (Seafarers Ale) and just walked over to the corner. He ordered fish and chips and Nat's shepherd's pie,” Laura Rolfe told The Mirror.

Valentine told the BBC he was scared to cook for such a big star. But Reeves was appreciative of the staff and liked the food.

"It was a bit worrying because I had to cook for him, but we took it out to him and he said thank you and was really nice," said Valentine. “He came into the kitchen, shook our hands and said the food was lovely."

The folks at The Robin Hood aren’t sure why Reeves was hanging out in Tring, but The Mirror speculated he was working on a Disney Plus docuseries about Formula 1.

In 2022, it was announced that Reeves was producing a documentary about Jenson Button’s unlikely victory for Brawn GP in 2009. “Our story is about Honda withdrawing from F1 and Ross Brawn who had joined Honda a year and a half earlier,” Reeves said according to TalkSport.

“How did they race a world championship? It’s certainly a people story. It’s about passion,” Reeves added.

Whatever the reason that Reeves was in a small town pub, it’s great that everyone who met him came away with warm feelings about the man. Reeves clearly knows that by being a humble, nice guy to people, he can make someone else’s day and give them a great story to tell forever. Kudos to Reeves for using his fame to touch other people’s lives. With all the stories we’ve reported about him being cool to fans, it seems like he never lets anybody down.


This article originally appeared two years ago.

Science

Innovative farm in Virginia can grow 4 million pounds of strawberries on less than one acre

This method uses 97 percent less land and up to 90 percent less water than conventional farming.

A new way to grow strawberries with less land, less water, and more berries.

Strawberry farm harvests aren't something most of us calculate on a regular basis (or ever at all), but the numbers from a strawberry farm in Richmond, Virginia, are staggering enough to make it worth an old-school word problem. If the average American eats 8 pounds of strawberries a year, and an average strawberry farm yields approximately 20,000 pounds of berries per acre, how many people could a 200-acre strawberry field feed?

I won't make you do the math. The answer is 500,000 people. But what if a crop that size, providing enough strawberries for half a million people, could be grown on just one acre instead of 200? It's possible. You just have to go—or rather grow—up, up, up.

Indoor vertical farm company Plenty Unlimited knows a lot about growing up. In fact, it's their entire business model. Instead of the sprawling fields that traditional farming methods require, vertical farms have a much smaller land footprint, utilizing proprietary towers for growing. Plenty has used vertical farming methods to grow greens such as lettuce, kale, spinach and more for years, but now it boasts a vertical berry farm that can yield a whopping 4 million pounds of strawberries on a little less than an acre.

Growing indoors means not being at the mercy of weather or climate inpredictability (barring a storm taking out your building), which is wise in the era of climate change. Unlike a traditional greenhouse which still uses the sun for light, Plenty's indoor vertical farms make use of the latest technology and research on light, pinpointing the wavelengths plants need from the sun to thrive and recreating them with LED lights. Plenty farms also don't use soil, as what plants really need is water and nutrients, which can be provided without soil (and with a lot less water than soil requires). Being able to carefully control water and nutrients means you can more easily control the size, taste and uniformity of the berries you’re growing.

If that sounds like a lot of control, it is. And that idea might freak people out. But when a highly controlled environment means not having to use pesticides and using up to 90% less water than traditional farming, it starts to sound like a solid, sustainable farming innovation.

Plenty even uses AI in its strawberry farm, according to its website:

“Every element of the Plenty Richmond Farm–including temperature, light and humidity–is precisely controlled through proprietary software to create the perfect environment for the strawberry plants to thrive. The farm uses AI to analyze more than 10 million data points each day across its 12 grow rooms, adapting each grow room’s environment to the evolving needs of the plants – creating the perfect environment for Driscoll’s proprietary plants to thrive and optimizing the strawberries’ flavor, texture and size.”

Plenty even has its own patent-pending method of pollinating the strawberry flowers that doesn’t require bees. Even just the fact that this enormous crop of strawberries will be coming from Virginia is notable, since the vast majority of strawberries in the U.S. are grown in California.

strawberry fieldTraditional strawberry farming takes up a lot of land.Photo credit: Canva

Plenty's Richmond farm is currently growing strawberries exclusively for Driscoll’s.

“Partnering with Plenty for the launch of the Richmond Farm allows us to bring our premium strawberries closer to consumers in the Northeast, the largest berry consumption region in the U.S.,” Driscoll’s CEO Soren Bjorn said in a press release. “By combining our 100 years of farming expertise and proprietary varieties along with Plenty’s cutting-edge technology, we can deliver the same consistent flavor and quality our customers love — now grown locally. This new innovative farm is a powerful step forward in continuing to drive category growth in new ways for our customers and consumers.”

Is Plenty’s model the farm of the future? Perhaps it’s one option, at least. The more we grapple with the impact of climate change and outdated, unsustainable farming practices, the more innovative ideas we’ll need to feed the masses. If they can get 4 million pounds of strawberries out of an acre of land, what else is possible?

Respecting boundaries goes both ways.

A gay man is getting some praise for the way he handled a straight woman at a bar who behaved rather entitled towards him. A Reddit user named KineticVibes was out with his friends when he noticed a woman trying to get his attention. “I (25M) was out with friends last night and we went to a bar. This girl made eye contact with me when I walked in and I smiled at her. Me being a gay man I thought nothing of it,” KineticVibes wrote.

The woman approached him after realizing he wasn’t reacting to her flirtations from across the bar. “About 20 minutes later, the same girl walks up to my friends and me, and it's clear she is very drunk and says to me, ‘Do you want to buy me a drink?’ To which I replied, ‘No, sorry, I'm here just to hang with my friends,’” he continued.

She was clearly taking an aggressive approach by walking up and asking him to buy her a drink. Why didn’t she just ask what he was drinking and buy him a drink instead? She also unintentionally put him in a very uncomfortable spot because he didn’t want to tell her he was gay.

Even though people are a lot more accepting of people’s sexuality today than in the not-too-distant past, you never know when a drunk person in the bar will have a problem with someone being gay and try to start a fight. “I am still not totally comfortable telling any old stranger on first meeting that I'm gay—so this seemed like the best course of action for me,” KineticVibes explained.

Even though he was polite, the girl kept prodding him.

“She looks rejected and a bit frustrated now behind her glossy eyes and says, ‘A pretty girl wants to drink with you and you say no?’ Now I'm getting frustrated, and I kind of snap and say, ‘Well, I'm gay, so pretty girls don't work on me.’”

“She snarkily laughs and says, ‘Well, if you ever decide to date women, let me know,’ to which I very snappily reply, ‘If you ever decide to become a man, let me know,’” KineticVibes said. The quick-witted response made his friends a bit uncomfortable.

“You could tell it embarrassed her and my friends all kind of got mad at me, saying that I should have patience and be nicer,” he concluded the story.

But did he need to be nicer to the woman? She tried to make eye contact, but he didn’t respond. Then she asked him to buy her a drink, to which he said no, politely. She then doubled down and asked why he wouldn’t buy one for her because she was pretty. Just about everyone in the comments on the story thinks he did the right thing by responding to her snark with a bit of sass. "I would’ve bought you a drink after that. Handling with humor 10/10," one Redditor responded.

Others thought the woman acted entitled by demanding a drink and got what she deserved. "If she was a dude, people would call her an incel for behaving like she's entitled to anyone's attention. It's not cute when dudes do it. It's not cute when dudettes do it," another user wrote.

"This is what I came here to say... She reeks of entitlement! She put herself out there and got shot down and then doubled down. She may not be a man, but she's got a huge set of balls demanding a stranger pay her way," one more added.

Let's say it together, everyone: No matter who you or what you want, No means no.


This article originally appeared last year.

It doesn't take money to create cherished memories.

There’s a popular trend where parents often share they are creating “core memories” for their children on social media posts, whether it’s planning an elaborate vacation or creating an extra-special holiday moment. While it’s important for parents to want their kids to have happy childhoods, sometimes it feels presumptuous when they believe they can manufacture a core memory. Especially when a child’s inner world is so different than an adult's.

The concept of "core memories" was first introduced in 2015 in Disney's Inside Out. In it, "core memories" are born from moments and experiences that majorly shape a part of the main character, Riley's, personality. The experience(s) can be grand or benign; the point is these moments are ultimately forming Riley into the person she is. Seems pretty hard to manufacture such a moment, but parents are certainly trying.

Carol Kim, a mother of three and licensed Marriage and family Therapist, known as Parenting.Resilience on Instagram, recently shared the “5 Things Kids Will Remember from Their Childhood” on her page. The fascinating insight is that none of the entries had to do with extravagant vacations, over-the-top birthday parties, or Christmas gifts that kids could only dream about.

According to Kim, the five things that kids will remember all revolve around their parents' presence and support. "Notice how creating good memories doesn’t require expensive toys or lavish family trips. Your presence is the most valuable present you can give to your child,” Kim wrote in the post’s caption.

1. Quality time together

"Taking some time to focus only on your child is very special. Playing games, reading books, or just talking can create strong, happy memories. These moments show your child that you are present with them."

2. Words of encouragement

"Encouraging words can greatly impact your child during both good times and tough times. Kids often seek approval from their parents and your positive words can be a strong motivator and source of comfort.... It can help kids believe in themselves, giving them the confidence to take on new challenges and keep going when things get tough."

A mother and child riding a small bike.

Engaging in play is free and impactful.

via Gustavo Fring/Pexels

3. Family traditions

“It creates a feeling of stability and togetherness … Family traditions make children feel like they belong and are part of a larger story, deepening their sense of security and understanding of family identity and values.”

4. Acts of kindness

“Seeing and doing kind things leaves a strong impression on children. It shows them the importance of being kind and caring. They remember how good it feels to help others and to see their parents helping too.”

5. Comfort during tough times

"Knowing they can rely on you during tough times makes them feel secure and build trust. … Comforting them when they're struggling shows them they are loved no matter what, helping them feel emotionally secure and strong."

A family making a meal together.

It's really about quality time and true connection.

via Elina Fairytale/Pexels

Kim’s strategies are all beautiful ways to be present in our children’s lives and to communicate our support. However, these seemingly simple behaviors can be challenging for some parents who are dealing with issues stemming from their pasts.

“If you find barriers to providing these things, it’s important to reflect on why,” Kim writes in the post. “There could be several reasons, such as parenting in isolation (we’re not meant to parent alone), feeling overstimulated, dealing with past trauma, or struggling with mental health. Recognizing these challenges is the first step to addressing them and finding support.”


This article originally appeared last year.