11 Must See Movies For People With Brains
Just a few days ago I shared with you the 148 films I’ve watched over the past 12 months. Not all of these films were released in 2008, but they were all films I saw during the past years. And while many of the films I watched were complete and utter garbage, there were some good ones in there.
The following is my list of 11 films I recommend you see if you haven’t done so already:
Steve Buscemi stars as Les, a small-time paparazzi photographer desperate to make it big. Les is soon introduced to Toby (Michael Pitt), a homeless young man with no direction in life except a vague desire to become an actor. But when Toby becomes romantically involved with K’Harma Leeds (Alison Lohman), the hottest pop star of the moment, Les grows jealous and plots revenge.
Another Steve Buscemi film, Interview was an official selection at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and the winnter of several other prestigious awards and nominations. Pierre (Buscemi) is a political reporter, assigned to write a fluff piece on Katya (Sienna Miller), a blond slasher movie actress and TV sitcom starlett. The interview between the two at a restaurant goes badly: she’s late, he’s unprepared and rude. After leaving, he bangs his head in a fender bender and she takes him to her loft to clean the wound. Lubricated by alcohol and competitive natures, the interview resumes. She takes phone calls from her fiancé, Pierre reads her diary on her computer. They discuss wounds, he expresses concern, father-daughter feelings arise. Out come camcorders to tape their darkest secrets. Is friendship or more in the offing?
The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill
The Wild Parrots Of Telegraph Hill tells the true story of a bohemian St. Francis and his remarkable relationship with a flock of wild red and green parrots. Former street musician and San Francisco dharma bum Mark Bittner falls in with the flock as he searches for meaning in his life, unaware that the parrots will bring him everything he seeks.
Goya’s Ghosts is the story of the painter Goya (Stellan Skarsgård) who becomes involved with the Spanish Inquisition when his muse, Ines (Natalie Portman), is arrested by the church for heresy. Her father, Tomás (José Luis Gómez), comes to him hoping that his connection with Brother Lorenzo (Javier Bardem), whom he is painting, can secure the release of his daughter. Goya’s Ghosts is a tragic reminder of what can happen when you try and help people and get involved in other business you have no right being a part of.
Based on a true story and the book by Jon Krakauer, Into The Wild is the story of Christopher McCandless, an Emory University graduate, who in 1992, abandoned his possessions, gave his entire $24,000 savings account to charity and hitchhiked to Alaska to live in the wilderness. Along the way, Christopher encounters a series of characters who shape his life. Tragically, McCandless life is drawn short during a brutal Alaskan winter. If you’ve ever dreamt of a grand adventure, then this film is for you!
In this comedy, Lars Lindstrom (Ryan Gosling) is an awkwardly shy young man in a small northern town who finally brings home the girl of his dreams to his brother and sister-in-law’s home. The only problem is that she’s not real – she’s a sex doll Lars ordered off the Internet. But sex is not what Lars has in mind. Instead, he dreams of nothing more than a rather a deep and meaningful relationship. His sister-in-law is worried for him, his brother thinks he’s nuts, but eventually the entire town goes along with his delusion in support of this sweet natured boy for whom they’ve always loved.
In this thought-provoking documentary, we are introduced to five Christian families, each with a gay or lesbian child. The film discusses what these families went through when as learned about homosexuality members in their families and the lessons they learned along the way. More importantly, however, the film takes a deep look into the Christian Church and how the Bible has been used throughout the ages to mislead followers, deny modern science and embrace quack psychology.
I’m not a fan of horror movies, but The Strangers isn’t a horror movie like any one I’ve ever seen in the past. In a bad mood over some kind of fight held during the wedding reception they attended earlier in the day, our main characters, James Hoyt (Scott Speedman) and Kristen McKay (Liv Tyler) return to an isolated vacation home and shortly thereafter receive a knock at the door in the middle of the night. What ensues afterward is both frightening and realistic. With an excellent score, terrifying sound design, and an A-list ensamble, The Strangers is the one of the scariest films you’ll ever see. For ideal viewing conditions, watch at midnight when you’re home all alone.
Be Kind Rewind is the story of Jerry (Jack Black), a junkyard worker who attempts to sabotage a power plant he suspects of causing his headaches. In his efforts, he inadvertently causes his brain to become magnetized, leading to the unintentional destruction of all the movies in his friend’s video store. In order to keep the store’s one loyal customer, the pair re-create a long line of films including: The Lion King, Rush Hour, Ghostbusters, When We Were Kings, Driving Miss Daisy, and Robocop. They make the films by acting themselves and later casting local townspeople. And while their home made movies are likely not to fool their most loyal customer, they strike gold and quickly become the biggest stars in their neighborhood. A must-see film for any up and coming filmmaker.
If you’ve seen any of the films on this list thus far, Juno is the one you’ve likely already seen. Juno (Ellen Page) is a 16-year-old high-school junior in Minnesota who discovers she’s pregnant after one event in a chair with her best friend, Bleeker. In the waiting room of an abortion clinic, the quirky and whip-sharp Juno decides to give birth and to place the child with an adoptive couple. She finds a couple in the PennySaver personals, contacts them, tells her dad and step-mother, and carries on with school. The chosen parents, upscale yuppies (one of whom is cool and laid back, the other meticulous and uptight), meet Juno, sign papers, and the year unfolds. Will Juno’s plan work, can she improvise, and what about Bleeker?
Dennis Quaid stars as Lawrence Wetherhold, a miserable and misanthropic man: he’s a widower, a pompous professor at Carnegie Mellon University, an indifferent father to a college student and a high-school senior, and the reluctant brother of a ne’er-do-well who’s come to town. A seizure and a fall send Lawrence to the emergency room where the physician, a former student of his, ends up going on a date with him. His daughter, Vanessa (Ellen Page), lonely and friendless, who’s been bonding with his brother, tries to sabotage dad and the doctor’s relationship, but Lawrence is good at that without help. Is there any way these smart people can get a life? Can happiness be pursued beneath layers of irony?
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