recommend a movie (no duplicates)?

[Jeanne Boyarsky]

A friend asked me to recommend a movie. I thought that would be fun to do here. What's a movie that you liked and why? (let's try not to duplicate movies lest everyone say the same one.)

I'll start with the one I recommended to my friend - Office Space. 'cause it is funny and bureaucratic mess is true in big offices.

[Tim Cooke]

I would recommend The Intouchables - A thoroughly entertaining and touching story. I very much enjoyed it.

[Rogerio Kioshi]

Do you like giant robots fighting with monsters? Pacific Rim is a funny movie:

[Ulf Dittmer]

There are too many, for all kinds of different reasons. So I'll pick Swingers, since Jeanne's choice made me think of actor Ron Livingstone who features in both. Like Office Space, thoroughly entertaining, and also a story of GenX-ers trying to get ahead in life.

[Bear Bibeault]

Spirited Away -- still the most amazing movie, animated or otherwise, I've ever seen.

[fred rosenberger]

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang was thoroughly enjoyed in the Rosenberger house.

[Jayesh A Lalwani]

Dredd (2012) is like 10 times more awesome that the Stallone version

[Jelle Klap]

Cube, by no means my favorite movie, but very enjoyable, and something different. Avoid the sequels though.

[fred rosenberger]

Jayesh A Lalwani wrote:Dredd (2012) is like 10 times more awesome that the Stallone version

and a dime is 10 times more valuable than a penny...but neither will buy you very much.

[Ernest Friedman-Hill]

I just recommended "Little Miss Sunshine" in another thread as the funniest movie I've ever seen, so I'll repeat that recommendation here.

[Anayonkar Shivalkar]

Well, that depends on genre and friend's taste.

I would recommend Requiem for a Dream.

<spoiler ahead>
This is not a 'light' movie. Also, this is not a family movie. However, I haven't seen any other equally powerful anti-drug movie commenting on addiction. As Aronofsky (the director) said in an interview - "addition - it can be dope, it can be hope", the movie does not limit its comment on addiction just on 'drug addiction'. It a disastrous tragedy of four individuals who get caught (intentionally or unintentionally) in harmless-to-harmful addiction.

Beyond the story, this movie also depicts the power of a not-so-used camera technique - a large number of extremely short shots (some cuts are so short that we can see 3-4 shots in 2 seconds). And after repeating this for few times, viewer gets so accustomed to it, that in later shots, there are just sequences of still photographs and discreet sounds, and viewer gets the idea.
Also, Aronofsky uses another technique - absent shots (i.e. just to show two shots - one before and one after, and not the actual process. e.g. instead of lunch, just show a still photograph of a plate full of food, and then another photograph of empty plate).

[Winston Gutkowski]

Jeanne Boyarsky wrote:What's a movie that you liked and why? (let's try not to duplicate movies lest everyone say the same one.)

Easy: Shawshank. Just an incredible tale, told by a master storyteller. I've never seen a list of top ten movies that doesn't include it, and don't expect to until I'm very old.

And if you like rom-coms: The American President. Rob Reiner and Aaron Sorkin doing what they do best. I must have seen it two dozen times, and that speech at the end still makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

Two for the price of one.

Winston

PS: I have to 2nd Jelle's pick of 'Cube'. A wonderful Canadian effort done on a shoestring budget - plus, of course, the lovely Nicole de Boer (definitely the best Trill on DS9).

[Frank Silbermann]

Who Framed Rodger Rabbit?

Pee Wee's Big Adventure

[Winston Gutkowski]

Sorry Jeanne, but you got me on my hobby-horse, so a few honourable mentions:

Casablanca - Bogey, Bergman and Rains - what's not to like? - and the best closing line to a movie ever.

The Color Purple - If you don't cry, you don't have a soul.

Gandhi - Epic story about an epic bloke in an epic country.

Just Friends - Sleeper Christmas rom-com for those who can't be bothered to get out "It's A Wonderful Life" for the umpteenth time.

Detective Story - Classic, claustrophopic film-noir with Douglas (Kirk) doing what he does best.

2001 - Kubrick/Clarke's masterpiece. Complex and (still) visually stunning.

The King's Speech - Bertie, Beethoven, and a bit of forgotten history.

Winston

[Jelle Klap]

Well in that case, I have to nominate my favorite all time horror movie: John Carpenter's The Thing (1982).
I was pretty young when I first watched it, which turned out not to be the greatest decision of all time...

[Matthew Brown]

Jayesh A Lalwani wrote:Dredd (2012) is like 10 times more awesome that the Stallone version

But still not as awesome as The Raid: Redemption, which it appears to have borrowed from heavily (I watched both on a long-haul flight earlier this year). Warning, not to be recommended unless you're comfortable watching extreme violence.

In the interests of recommending something a little more wholesome, I loved Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead. Really smart, with a fantastic script.

[Martin Vashko]

Jelle Klap wrote:Well in that case, I have to nominate my favorite all time horror movie: John Carpenter's The Thing (1982).

I'll need to watch The Thing again some time. I was a bit disappointed the first (and only) time I saw it, but perhaps I just didn't pay enough attention.

But how come Alien (it doesn't need a link, does it?) is not the first?

[Scott Halepaska]

Winston Gutkowski wrote:

Casablanca - Bogey, Bergman and Rains - what's not to like? - and the best closing line to a movie ever.

Winston

I am more of a Bacall fan so 'To Have and Have Not' is one of my favorites. But I always watch 'Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid' afterwards.

[Winston Gutkowski]

Scott Halepaska wrote:I am more of a Bacall fan so 'To Have and Have Not' is one of my favorites. But I always watch 'Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid' afterwards.

Ah, yes. Rachel Ward at her finest. Yum.

Winston

[James Boswell]

Has to be Ghostbusters

I never appreciated as a child just how funny Bill Murray is in the movie.

"Back off man, I'm a scientist"
"Go get her Ray!"
"I think he can hear you Ray"
"This chick is toast"

Avoid the sequels at all costs however!

[chris webster]

Well, I just got home from a weekend with a couple of old friends I was at university with in the 1980s and somehow that makes me think of one of my all-time favourite films:

Withnail and I - a favourite comedy for pretty much my entire generation I think!

Other top comedies include:

Raising Arizona - great early comedy from the Coen brothers: zany Coen humour, Cage at his goofy best, plus Holly Hunter, sigh....
The Incredibles - smart animated superhero fun - what's not to like?
Planes, Trains and Automobiles - probably my favourite Steve Martin comedy (although "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid" is pretty close) describes every nightmare journey you ever took, a fine comedy slightly spoiled only by the schmaltzy last five minutes.

Other films?

Hero - almost anything by Zhang Yimou is beautiful to watch, and this one combines martial arts action with stunning cinematography and an intriguing story.
Unforgiven and The Outlaw Josey Wales by Clint Eastwood are both on my list of top westerns: Clint understands westerns better than most.
Goodfellas - violent but immensely stylish Mafia movie from Martin Scorsese with a great cast, great music and great prison pasta.
Rear Window - probably my favourite Hitchcock film, or would that be North By Northwest...?

Oh boy, I could be here all day....

[Edited to include reasons!]

[Winston Gutkowski]

Jelle Klap wrote:Well in that case, I have to nominate my favorite all time horror movie: John Carpenter's The Thing (1982).
I was pretty young when I first watched it, which turned out not to be the greatest decision of all time...

I have to admit, I've always preferred a good ghost story, rather than out-and-out horror. I haven't seen it for years, but I do remember The Innocents scaring the bejeezus out of me when I was a teen, despite the fact that there's almost no actual violence or blood.

Winston

[chris webster]

Winston Gutkowski wrote:I've always preferred a good ghost story, rather than out-and-out horror. I haven't seen it for years, but I do remember The Innocents scaring the bejeezus out of me when I was a teen, despite the fact that there's almost no actual violence or blood.

Which reminds me - Don't Look Now has to be one of the most nerve-jangling ghost stories I ever saw. I bought the DVD a couple of years ago but I still haven't summoned the nerve to watch it!

[Winston Gutkowski]

chris webster wrote:Well, I just got home from a weekend with a couple of old friends I was at university with in the 1980s and somehow that makes me think of one of my all-time favourite films:

A weekend with university friends?...80's?...Then how could you possibly miss out The Big Chill?

Or its counterpart on this side of the pond: Peter's Friends, starring almost the entire 90's "Brit Pack", and featuring the best rendition of 'Just the Way You Look Tonight' I know.

Winston

PS: Gotta second 'Unforgiven'. Great choice. One of my all-time favourite westerns.

[J. Kevin Robbins]

Formula 51 - Thoroughly enjoyable. Samuel L Jacksons second best film, the first being Pulp Fiction.

Animal House - Still one of the funniest movies ever made.

Any Monty Python movie.

I have to add one more. Saving Grace, a little known comedy based on a true story about a widow who learns that her late husband was deep in debt and she's about to lose everything, so she turns to growing marijuana to save her estate. Delightful cast and well written story.

[Winston Gutkowski]

J. Kevin Robbins wrote:Formula 51 - Thoroughly enjoyable. Samuel L Jacksons second best film, the first being Pulp Fiction.

Thanks Kevin. One I didn't know; but I'll definitely check it out.

And along the same lines, anyone remember Street Smart? My first view of Morgan Freeman - and boy, was he a badass m*****f*****.

Winston

[Winston Gutkowski]

And one more, with apologies to Jeanne, who started this great thread, because it's definitely a bloke's movie:

The Last Boy Scout - The funniest, most quotable, action movie ever made. It deserves 3 stars alone for being a movie that I actually liked Damon Wayans in.

Winston

[Jelle Klap]

Winston Gutkowski wrote:And one more, with apologies to Jeanne, who started this great thread, because it's definitely a bloke's movie:

The Last Boy Scout - The funniest, most quotable, action movie ever made. It deserves 3 stars alone for being a movie that I actually liked Damon Wayans in.

Winston

Oh HELL yes!
One of my favorite Bruce Willis movies.

Oh, and I don't think it has been mentioned yet: The Green Mile.
It becomes completely unwatchable by the end, but in a good way.

[Winston Gutkowski]

Jelle Klap wrote:Oh, and I don't think it has been mentioned yet: The Green Mile.

Another fine tale by Stephen King, and beautifully done. I like the fact that, no matter what, there's always hope in his stories. As a movie, 'Shawshank' just pips it for me though.

Winston

[Jelle Klap]

Winston Gutkowski wrote:

Jelle Klap wrote:Oh, and I don't think it has been mentioned yet: The Green Mile.

Another fine tale by Stephen King, and beautifully done. I like the fact that, no matter what, there's always hope in his stories. As a movie, 'Shawshank' just pips it for me though.

Winston

For me, The Green Mile has by far the greater emotional impact of the two. I love The Shawshank Redemption as well, though.
Another enjoyable Darabont/King film, for me, was The Mist. Litte in the way of hope to be found there, though

[Winston Gutkowski]

Jelle Klap wrote:Another enjoyable Darabont/King film, for me, was The Mist. Litte in the way of hope to be found there, though

Never seen it. Bookmarked. Thanks.

Ah hell, what about the greatest action movie of all time? Die Hard - Bruce Willis at his post-'Moonlighting' best; and the best super-villain of all time ("It's a very nice suit, Mr. Takagi, it would be a shame to ruin it. I'm going to count to three...there will not be a 'four'"). All the sequels pale in comparison.

Christmas for guys.

Winston

[chris webster]

Winston Gutkowski wrote:
A weekend with university friends?...80's?...Then how could you possibly miss out The Big Chill?
Or its counterpart on this side of the pond: Peter's Friends, starring almost the entire 90's "Brit Pack", and featuring the best rendition of 'Just the Way You Look Tonight' I know.

Both those films felt like a very different world/generation from mine, all those American yuppies or posh Oxbridge types were a world away from 1980s Glasgow bedsits (whereas Withnail and I was all too familiar...)! But The Big Chill did have great music - darned baby-boomers!

[Bernhard Goetz]

I'd recommend The Fall (2006). They say there have been no special effects involved. Lots of improvisation. Cool movie.

[Winston Gutkowski]

Bernhard Goetz wrote:I'd recommend The Fall (2006). They say there have been no special effects involved. Lots of improvisation. Cool movie.

Another one bookmarked. Thanks Bernhard.

Winston

[Henry Wong]

Jelle Klap wrote:

Winston Gutkowski wrote:

Jelle Klap wrote:Oh, and I don't think it has been mentioned yet: The Green Mile.

Another fine tale by Stephen King, and beautifully done. I like the fact that, no matter what, there's always hope in his stories. As a movie, 'Shawshank' just pips it for me though.

Winston

For me, The Green Mile has by far the greater emotional impact of the two. I love The Shawshank Redemption as well, though.
Another enjoyable Darabont/King film, for me, was The Mist. Litte in the way of hope to be found there, though

A Stephen King story based movie, which I really liked, but I am willing to bet that many hated, was Firestarter.

Henry

[Bear Bibeault]

Henry Wong wrote:A Stephen King story based movie, which I really liked, but I am willing to bet that many hated, was Firestarter.

I disliked the way that they changed some of the motivations in the book to take it to the big screen, but in its own context, I really enjoyed the movie.

[Bear Bibeault]

Where I'll likely get some disagreements is in Kubrik's adaptation of The Shining. An abomination, not the least of which is Jack Nicholson's portrayal of a man descending into madness. Nicholson can't play sane, so the character seemed insane right off the bat. There goes the whole premise of the story. And don't get me started about the kid talking to his finger...

That said, there are some scenes in The Shining that I credit with being nothing short of brilliant -- the twins in the hallway, "Here's Johnny!", and so on.

[Winston Gutkowski]

Bear Bibeault wrote:Where I'll likely get some disagreements is in Kubrik's adaptation of The Shining.

Yup.

That said, there are some scenes in The Shining that I credit with being nothing short of brilliant -- the twins in the hallway, "Here's Johnny!", and so on.

First: Wonderful.
Second: Just one of the reasons I just can't rate the movie as great; and I hate to say, but where it lost me. The "ghost story" was supposed to take place in the 'thirties for chrissake; so what's Johnny Carson got to do with it?

If you want another good bit: The one where Shelley Duvall reads all the pages he's written. Now that was spooky.

Not a terrible movie by any means; but set against other Kubrick stuff...

And one other thing (probably bad luck on Kubrick's part): "Red Rum" was the name of the most famous horse in Grand National history, and I just couldn't get it out of my head.

Winston

[Chan Ag]

The Transporter 1
The Italian Job
Snatch
Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels

Reason : Script, concept, and the over-all execution.
I haven't watched many English movies. But I can watch these any number of times.

[Winston Gutkowski]

Chan Ag wrote:The Italian Job

I do hope you're talking about the original - with real minis and Noel Coward - otherwise: shame on you for being so young.

Winston