2011 Resolution: Watch one movie each week with Morgan to expose her to new ideas, good filmmaking, and smart dialogue (and/or cultural touchstones). Nominate films for the list in the comments!
- Bickford Schmeckler’s Cool Ideas
- Next Stop Wonderland
- Ghost World
- The Big Blue
- High Fidelity
- Never Cry Wolf
- Wristcutters: A Love Story
- Cinema Paradiso
- The Royal Tenenbaums
- The Night We Never Met
- Serenity
- Run Lola Run
- Waiting for Guffman
- Children of Men
- Thelma and Louise
- Grosse Point Blank
- Heavenly Creatures
- Kill Bill Vol. I
- Shine
- Kill Bill Vol. II
- Being John Malkovich
- Living in Oblivion
- Moon
- Cecil B. Demented
- The Kids Are All Right
- Memento
- State and Main
- Shakespeare in Love
- Dead Again
- My Left Foot
- Go Fish
- The Player
- The Squid and the Whale
- The House of Yes
- Best in Show
- Harold and Maude
- Boyz N the Hood
- Dancer in the Dark
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
- Rushmore
- My Own Private Idaho
- Party Girl
- American History X
- Camp
- The Crying Game
- Pi
- Before Sunrise
- This Is Spinal Tap
- The Secret of Roan Inish
- The Usual Suspects
- Brazil
- The Amateurs
Movies that would be on the list, but that I’ve already had her watch: Donnie Darko, The Shawshank Redemption, Roman Holiday, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Almost Famous, Pan’s Labyrinth, The Princess Bride
Jen (aka Jane) on WordPress 
Some more for consideration: Fight Club, Crash American Beauty, Y Tu Mama Tambien, Memento, The Crow, Cube, Minority Report, The Manchurian Candidate, Pan’s Labyrinth, Lord of War, The Green Mile, Rabbit-Proof Fence, Sin Nombre.
I love this as an idea — hopefully it’ll help shape some better discretion around movies as well, other than just accepting the latest blockbuster as “good” 🙂
PS: You might have to do a few weekend marathons at this rate!
Fight Club – Had it on the list, then took it off b/c she’s not much for fighting. Might add back in later.
Crash – I think she’s seen this, but it’s worth checking.
American Beauty – Had on the list, then took off (along with Leon/The Professional) for psychological reasons related to recent events.
Y Tu Mama Tambien – Subtitles are hard for her with her dyslexia, and make watching a movie a chore.
Memento – On the list already.
The Crow – Not her usual style, but maybe.
Cube – Hm. Maybe.
Minority Report – I hate Tom Cruise, but it would definitely make her think. My old Creative Director Dale did some of the UI design for this.
The Manchurian Candidate – Which version?
Pan’s Labyrinth – Watched it with her the summer it came out on video.
Lord of War –
The Green Mile – Don’t love the stereotype, but she does like a touching story.
Rabbit-Proof Fence – Ooh, good one. I might need to extend the list.
Sin Nombre – More subtitles, but might be worth it.
The Fisher King
Dead Poets Society
Stand By Me
The Crying Game
Clash of the Titans
The Color Purple
I always wanted to like The Fisher King, but damn it’s slow. Am pretty sure she’s already seen Dead Poet’s Society and Stand By Me. Crying Game is on the list. The Color Purple should be. Clash of the Titans: ’80s version or the new one? She’s seen the ’80s version and has mocked its bad special effects. Guess Tron won’t make the list. 🙂
The Truman Show. Love that movie, even though I dislike Jim Carrey in general.
Agreed. Think she’s seen it, though, because the company meetup was in Seaside last fall, and the family was talking about The Truman Show.
Of note: she hates black and white, and likes happy endings, so I tried to include some that fit into that category to prevent movie night from becoming a hated obligation.
1. Forest Gump ( Life is like a box of chocolates)
2. The Notebook Some one may end up knowing more about you that you can remember)
3. Where The Heart Is (No matter what: do the right thing)
4. Garden State ( a) Not everyone with a helmet plays a dangerous game: they Could just be referees, or even your better half; b) in the end it is ones responsibility to chose ones pass)
5. Wasabi ( People whom you may have never known, could become the closest people you need to be with: noses know it best)
6. Cast Away ( a) Always keep your visit with your dentist, b) Sometimes we chose our friends but when there is nobody around some thing can keep good company: Meet Wilson. c) Do your best to deliver. d) Some dreams may become reality while other will stay just that: Dreams… Look forward to your next one)
Happy Christmas to you and your loved ones and thank you for the topic of your post: I had a great time at it and hope you find some reat movies to watch with your daugher.
George.
Darn I was just going to suggest It’s a Wonderful Life. 😉
Everything is Illuminated
Life is Beautiful
Pride & Prejudice (6 hours, but Colin Firth makes up for it)
Bon Cop, Bad Cop (Canadian)
The Pianist
Amadeus
Letter to America
In the Name of the Father
Pride and Prejudice
Remains of the Day
Lady Jane
As good as it gets
The lake house
Good Will Hunting
Rain Man
Beautiful Mind
Mr. Brooks
The Life of David Gale
V for Vendetta
Rounders
Se7en
Gran Torino
The Black Stallion is my absolute favourite movie. It’s got action, beautiful cinematography/sound — and a great story.
I do cry every time I see It’s a Wonderful Life and think the message is important.
Nearly all Alfred Hitchcock films are amazing. My favs are Notorious and Rear Window, but just about any one you pick will be good. The Birds or Psycho if you are into something a bit more scary.
Bogart and Bacall – The Big Sleep “You know how to whistle, don’t you?”
Casablanca!
Oh, don’t get me started!
Roman Holiday: (I think they added color to it): Small changes in ones daily routine may be very rewarding and uplifting, the may even become a memory of a lifetime)
We watched it still in black and white as an assignment for her drama class.
This is a great list. Added some of those to my own watch list 🙂
I’d add “Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai”.
My favorite movies are usually subtitled, three hours long, and make you want to curl up and cry. I’ve tried to avoid that, and have annotated where appropriate, according to your parameters. Some are dupes from other suggestions, so consider them +1s.
The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly
Rear Window
Strangers on a Train (black & white)
Amadeus
Rain Man
Les Miserables
The Sting
When Harry Met Sally
Falling Down (sad)
In the Bedroom (really sad)
House of Sand and Fog (really sad)
Pride and Prejudice — 1995 version with Colin Firth
The Sound of Music
The Lives of Others (subtitled)
great titles
Cool idea! I’ll watch some of the films on the list and those in the comments too.
My contribution:
12 Angry Men
Adaptation.
Blade Runner
The Beatles Yellow Submarine
The Butterfly Effect
The Cider House Rules
Election
Fargo
Gattaca
Glengarry Glen Ross
The Jacket
The Limey
Naked (Mike Leigh)
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest
Unforgiven
Pleasantville
Princess Mononoke
Requiem for a Dream
Thank You for Smoking
This Is Spinal Tap
Hope something in the list makes it to yours.
😀
A bunch of those we’ve already seen together, but there are a couple that I might add.
Hmm…Jacob’s Ladder,Drugstore Cowboy…give Niagara, Niagara a watch,(you can find it on HULU)it has a really good folksy soundtrack too.
Well, my B&W recommendations would include The Women, The Thin Man, and Desk Set.
Musicals? The Music Man, Oklahoma, Chicago, Rocky Horror
The Pirate Movie? 😉
You may have to make it more like 3 movies a week, at this rate.
really nice thank you my list ;
# State and Main
# Shakespeare in Love
# My Left Foot
# The Player
The Color of Money. This soundtrack is fantastic and if you want dialogue this movie delivers.
I’m new to wordpress and was just checking out other wordpress sites. Really cool. My nomination (I don’t think I saw it listed yet) has to be Braveheart, Pineapple Express, and Hangover. Oh yah…Cinderella man, Million Dollar Baby, and Usual Suspects. Too many movies that are good…
The non-subtitles requirement is tough. There are a lot of European movies, which I love and had influenced me more than American ones.
Anyway, here are a couple:
Pulp Fiction (I am utterly surprised it hasn’t come up until now)
The Graduate
Heima
In Bruges
I’ve got more at IMDB (my voting criteria are pretty arbitrary, specially around 8.9 and 10).
Not entirely sure how I ended up here, but this post was aching me to write on… Even though I’m “no one” you know and my recommendations will more then likely not suit most film genres already mentioned. But…
– Naked Lunch (Director David Lynch – 1991. a film depicting the tales of the unusual William S. Burroughs)
– Sixteen Candles (Director John Hughes – 1984. Probably seen it, but worth the mention)
– Pink Flamingos (Director John Waters – 1976?. IT’s BY JOHN FING WATERS!! Need I say more?
– Crumb (Documentary of R. Crumb – 1994. Robert Crumb is the cartoonist/artist who drew Keep On Truckin’, Fritz the Cat, and played a major pioneering role in the genesis of underground comix.)
– The Doom Generation (Director Gregg Araki. A 90’s teenage wasteland.. Thee generation X movie!)
– Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 1 & 2 (Director Toby Hooper – 1973 / 1986. They are his masterpieces, Not for the faint-hearted. Part two walks on that fine line of black comedy/horror.)
– Into The Wild (Director Sean Pen – 2007. Based on true events of Christopher McCandless ( aka Alexander Supertramp), filmed about his final years of life and exploitation. Hitching across America in order to discover himself.)
– Bad Taste (Director Peter Jackson – Mid 80’s. Before Peter became well known for LOTR, he was creating mid-budget horror/black comedies.)
– Braindead aka (Dead Alive)(Director Peter Jackson. Another Classic by Peter, highly recommend it for any zombie fan!)
– Natural Born Killers (Director Oliver Stone – 1994. The film that travels along side two mass murderers, depitching the mass media and peoples perception of the events that unfold.
– Bloodsport (Director… can’t recall… Jean-Claude Van Damme most partake in a illegal underground martial-arts competition.)
– Masters of the Universe (Director Gary Goddard – Late 80’s. Based off the based popular kids cartoon.)
– KingPin (Director The Farrelly brothers – 1996. This film is cracks me up, and perhaps it may do the same for you.)
I could go on and on… But I’m growing tired of typing… So I’ll just list off few more and leave it at that.
– Dr. Strangelove – 1964 (Warning, black&white classic!)
– Bronson – 2009
– Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas – 1998
– Jacobs Ladder – 1990
– Dark City – 1998
– Apocalypse Now – 1978
– Serendipity – 2001
– Cape Fear – 1985
– Bubba Ho-Tep – 2002
– Invasion Of The Body Snatchers – 1978
– Elephant Man – 1980 (Warning, black&white classic!)
and I’m done. heh..
I love Bickford Schmeckler’s Cool Ideas, even though its a little cheesy.
Most of my favorites are already on here o_o
I’d say:
– Le Jetee / Twelve Monkeys (Twelve Monkeys is based on Le Jetee)
– Le Dernier Combat
– Gattaca
– Sunshine
– Trainspotting
– The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys
– Moon
– The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
– Fargo
– Let the Right One In
– City of God
– Primer
My contribution:
– Waking Life
– My dinner with Andre
– Three Colors
Are you still doing movie night?
These are a bit random, I know…
Little Miss Sunshine
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Spanglish (I don’t know why I thought of that one)
I’ll think of more later
I love your list, by the way! Totally great movies and some I’ve added to my own “Gotta See” list! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Thanks for the suggestions!