Domestic
The best thing about most of these movies is that they are in the older section of the video store, so they're usually half-off to rent. Yes, I'm cheap. In no particular order:
My Dinner with Andr�
Take a pee before you begin this one. It was originally a one-act play about two guys who haven't seen one another in a few years. This is a dialogue intensive movie: the whole damn thing takes place during a single dinner. Sounds boring, yet it's phenomenal. The concepts discussed at dinner will make your brain corkscrew about.
The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover
A Peter Greenway film. If you're in the mood for something surreal with heavy symbolism and a truly twisted plot, rent this one. Keep an eye out for the changing colors and character dress.
Dead Poet's Society
Robin Williams. You've probably seen it, though it remains one of the most beautiful and enticing movies I've ever seen. If you haven't, then duck your head into the video store immediately.
2001: A Space Oddessy
Pre-Star Wars, wholly Stanley Kubrick. The special effects are astounding when you consider it was made before the 1970s. The single most amazing thing about this movie for me is how very little dialogue there is. Another nice touch is the lack of sound in the space scenes; Star Wars and Star Trek would have you believe there is air in space to cause the wooooshes and booooms. You'll talk this one over after it's done as you try to figure it out.
Apocalypse Now
Francis Ford Coppola. This is the definitive film about Vietnam pre-Platoon. Extremely disturbing and haunting. Like 2001, Apocalypse has several scenes that combine visuals with classical music, juxtaposing them in ways you and I'd probably never the guts to think of. Marlon Brando is incredibly icky. The tie-in with the Doors' music is ethereal.
What's Eating Gilbert Grape
Johnny Depp film. What a long way he's come, baby. From a cheesy Fox TV idol to one of the few actors who takes on risky roles. This is one of those scripts that deal with a slice of life of some common/yet uncommon country folk. Sounds boring, but is great and tense. Other Johnny Depp movies worth seeing: Edward Scissorhands (Delightfully Burton-esque weird and semi-autobiographical) and Ed Wood (another Tim Burton film about the world's worst director who was also a transvestite).
Nightmare Before Christmas
Tim Burton's enchanting claymation for the rest of us that find Rudolph stop-motion animations a little too staid and candy-coated.
Barton Fink
Rent this one. I mean it. This film comes from the Coen Brothers (writers/director). Very, very stylistic. Every camera shot is well thought out. The dialogue is fascinating. John Goodman plays a memorable role that is worth the rent. Under the light comedy and general strangeness is a film that asks a lot of basic human questions without ever really giving any answers (at least none I could find). Another film worth seeing by these two brothers is The Hudsucker Proxy (Paul Newman and Tim Robbins of Shawshank Redemption - go see that, too).
Fargo
Another exceptional film from the Coen Brothers. This film depicts the harrowing (yet true) story of a kidnapping gone horribly awry in the icy bleak landscape of rural South Dakota. Fargo builds more tension than any horror film could ever hope to as it unravels the moral theme of no honor among thieves. A perfect cast and excellent script. This is flat out one of the best movies I've ever seen.
Trainspotting
The first thing that came out of my mouth when the end credits rolled was, "Shit... that was good."
The Princess Bride
This is a cult classic, though in a flowery nice way. It is the enactment of a witty story told to a child. That's all I'll say.
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest
You know, I always thought that this thing was a comedy until I saw it. Hey, who'd have guessed that it would be a disturbing drama about life in a psychiatric ward. Features Jack Nicklson, so you know that the acting is good.
Monty Python and The Holy Grail
This is probably the wittiest movie of all time. It tells of King Arthur's search for the Holy Grail. My god, I think I've seen this thing a dozen times. You have to see it at least twice until you get acclimated to their quick, clipped British accents. A true cult classic.
The Remains of the Day
This is another of my favorite movies of all time. Stars Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson. Story about a restrained butler who serves a powerful Nazi-sympathetic lord during the World War. It's an extremely intense and formal film.
Henry V
Not into Shakespeare? Too bad, rent this one. It is made by Kenneth Branagh and was correctly nominated for Best Picture. The film is loaded with ultra-talented BBC actors who excel at playing Shakespearean roles. This film is so cool and heady that there's a scene in French that has no subtitles; you have to feel what's going on between the characters (unless, of course, if you know French). Do not rent Much Ado About Nothing unless you're into being intellectually assaulted by big name American actors that have no business performing Shakespeare on the screen.
The Piano
The Piano was filmed in New Zealand with some of the most stunning backgrounds imaginable. This is an exceptionally powerful film about an arranged marriage of a deaf/mute woman who expresses herself through the piano. Pretty damn erotic, too. This one will yank tears from your eyes as it plummets to the depths of human cruelty.
The Silence of the Lambs
Never seen it? Well, here's a good reason to buy a VCR (yes, I'm so behind in not owning a DVD).
© sklender, 1996 - Until My Death, and then three weeks beyond that.