Getting Ready for the Weekend Movie Recommendation Thread

Gayle

Cathlete
This is a spin-off from Jonezie's thread. :)

Recommend 3 movies that you've seen...any movies (happy, sad, lewd, thought-provoking...whatever). Commentary optional. ;)

Here's mine...based on what I've seen recently:

1. 12 - A Russian remake of 12 Angry Men. While remaking any classic is dicey and generally ill-advised, this blew me away. The context of the wars in Chechnya and post-Soviet Russia gave it a very interesting spin.

2. The Hurt Locker - No glamorization of war here. I was totally drawn in...very intense. Thumbs up.

3. Zach and Miri Make a Porno - File under lewd, but it's quintessential Kevin Smith and I'm a fan. Great soundtrack! To quote DH: "That was really screwed up, but I liked it."
 
Zack and Miri was great!!! Lewd as all get-out, but great. We are going to see Daybreakers this weekend. Don't have great hopes, but it will probably be entertaining.

Can't think of any good movies recently seen. We usually watch Svengoolie on Sat nights, and DH does the Blockbuster mail thing, but he mostly watches those during the week. He's a night owl, I need all the beauty sleep I can get.

I did mean to list some movies, but now I am drawing a blank. I'll be back later

Nan
 
Thanks for those suggestions, Gayle! Z & M are already in my Netflix queue, and I'm updating it to include your other two!

Sunshine Cleaning....small amusing film with a great cast.

Adventureland...not great, but definitely worth seeing; good soundtrack, too (the opening credits are shown while The Replacements' Bastards of Young is being played...'nuff said!).

It Might Get Loud...I loved this documentary featuring Jimmy Page, Jack White, and what's his name (we've debated this already on FB, haven't we, Gayle!:p), oh yeah, The Edge. Definitely check out the extra footage. I'm buying this one.
 
I've Loved You So Long: I love Kristen Scott Thomas (okay, this was from 2008..I'm a little slow at catching up on my films)

Broken Embraces: I saw this at the NY Film fest and now I understand why so many people were on line for tickets to see a Pedro Almodovar film. Penelope Cruz is also every bit as beautiful in person as she is on film.

The Hurt Locker
: I'm with Gayle on this one.

I know someone out there is going to list The Hangover and I'll feel sorry for them. It made Jackass look like comic genius in good taste.
 
Adventureland just came in the mail yesterday. I'll have to add Sunshine Cleaning.

I promise to watch It Might Get Loud this weekend, though I doubt it'll change my love for The Edge. :p I have hope that you'll come around someday, too. :D:p:D:p If it makes you feel better, I just downloaded my first TVOTR stuff last week. :)

I think the soundtrack to Z & M was one of the best parts (Pixies, Live, Primus). However, Kevin Smith has this bad habit of using songs that you can't ever get. In this one, he uses a Live song that they never released, so you can't buy a decent copy of it. He did the same to me in Chasing Amy.

Thanks for those suggestions, Gayle! Z & M are already in my Netflix queue, and I'm updating it to include your other two!

Sunshine Cleaning....small amusing film with a great cast.

Adventureland...not great, but definitely worth seeing; good soundtrack, too (the opening credits are shown while The Replacements' Bastards of Young is being played...'nuff said!).

It Might Get Loud...I loved this documentary featuring Jimmy Page, Jack White, and what's his name (we've debated this already on FB, haven't we, Gayle!:p), oh yeah, The Edge. Definitely check out the extra footage. I'm buying this one.
 
I just downloaded my first TVOTR stuff last week. :).

That reminds me of another movie! Rachel Getting Married. Tunde Adebimpe from TVOTR plays the groom. Jonathan Demme has great taste in music, and some iconic musician friends--Robyn Hitchcock even does a cameo and a song!
 
Gayle...have you seen Blind Side yet? I've seen it 3 times (because I've insisted on taking friends who hadn't seen it yet).

HI RASCAL!!!

:) Jonezie

PS...I have rented the entire series of Sex and the City because I didn't watch it when it was on. I'm locking myself inside this weekend and watching every episode. Any thoughts?
 
Zombieland - absolutely brilliant, campy, tongue-in-cheek, hilarious, gory and zombie-filled: done so much better than anything like it I have ever seen. LOVED IT! DH went out and bought a box of Twinkies right after we saw it. "Doubletap", "Cardio" & "Beware of Bathrooms" are our mantras if zombies every attack. :p

Carriers with Chris Pine (the new Capt. Kirk) - it is a character study of a group of travelers, centering around the two brothers, facing what could be the end of humankind after a deadly viral outbreak. I really didn't think I would like it, I had a book with me when it started (because it sounded dull and boring) just so I could be next to DH while he watched it but I got totally sucked in. It could definitely be considered depressing, but I really, really liked it.

North and South BBC - this is by far my favorite rental of 2009. It was produced in 2004 or 05, the acting is incredible, the music is absolutely stunning and it does such an incredible job of capturing the beginning of the industrial revolution while showing both sides to the "union v. master" disputes as well as telling an engaging love story. I had to read the book as soon as I saw this series, and it stays very true. I loved almost every single character, hated some, and they did such a great job acting that I was able to identify with almost everyone's feelings, struggles and situations. The story stuck with me weeks after I saw it. Even DH liked it, watched it with me again over Christmas break, and he does NOT like these kinds of films.

Melissa
 
I highly recommend the entire 'Up' documentary series by Michael Apted. You can stream them (or rent them) through Netflix. They are so engrossing and very thought-provoking.

I also recommend the documentary "My Own Flesh And Blood."

And season one of "Breaking Bad." Season two comes out on DVD in March.

For something a bit lighter, the Pixar movie "Up!" is a great movie!!
 
Zombieland was sooooo awesome!! Def had the best cameo ever, ha!

These aren't all that new but I can watch them over and over again:
Muriel's Wedding: feel-good Austrailian comedy w/ Toni Collettte as Muriel. It's about a 22 year old who wants nothing more than to get married. She meets a high school classmate when on vacation (Rachel Griffiths), and they become close friends. There are ups and downs throughout the whole movie and I just love it so much! Also, the soundtrack is all Abba, lol ;)

Drag Me to Hell: Directed my Sam Raimi (Evil Dead movies, Army of Darkness, Spiderman), it's about a girl who gets cursed and is tormented by a demon. In three days she has to shake it or else it brings her to hell. If you're familiar with any of the Evil Deads or Army of Darkness, you know Raimi's style combines horror with tongue-in-cheek hilarity. This was such a fun movie and I love Justin Long, who plays the main character's boyfriend.

Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz: British spoofs on the zombie movies/cop movies, respectively. Both are gory and so funny! And it helps that I find Simon Pegg to be kind of sexy.
 
We watched a movie called Moon with Sam Rockwell and the voice of Kevin Spacey as the robot. Unusual, but good! Had a Space 1999 feel, but if you like interesting sci-fi, you'll like this!

Julie & Julia - Fantastic! As you can see, I Netflix, so I'm catching up on a lot of movies I didn't get to see in the theater. It's more fun at home anyway!

Let's see . . . #3 - Any Bruce Campbell fans out there? Bubba Ho-Tep was hysterical!
 
For something a bit lighter, the Pixar movie "Up!" is a great movie!!

"Lighter"??? I needed therapy after that movie!!! :eek: Loved it though!

Melissa - I have Netflix and watched North and South online. My sister is a huge BBC movie fan and she told me I had to watch it. My DH liked it too.
 
"Lighter"??? I needed therapy after that movie!!! :eek: Loved it though!

Melissa - I have Netflix and watched North and South online. My sister is a huge BBC movie fan and she told me I had to watch it. My DH liked it too.

True, true! I bawled soooo hard during that beautiful montage of their life together, I just meant that it is definitely lighter than a documentary about children with terminal illnesses ("My Own Flesh And Blood").
 
PS...I have rented the entire series of Sex and the City because I didn't watch it when it was on. I'm locking myself inside this weekend and watching every episode. Any thoughts?

Have fun, Jonezie! I'm a total Sex and the City fanatic! I watched it when it was on, then got the entire set. I've probably seen every episode at least, well, too many times! The first season was my least favorite, but it gets better after that. I've watched the Sex and the City Movie a couple times, too...and can't wait for the next one coming out this year. Do I need some sort of therapy for this???:D
 
True, true! I bawled soooo hard during that beautiful montage of their life together, I just meant that it is definitely lighter than a documentary about children with terminal illnesses ("My Own Flesh And Blood").

Lol, yes, it is definitely lighter than that! I'm still surprised how quickly it got me in the beginning though. I didn't expect to be reduced to tears that quickly.
 
Have fun, Jonezie! I'm a total Sex and the City fanatic! I watched it when it was on, then got the entire set. I've probably seen every episode at least, well, too many times! The first season was my least favorite, but it gets better after that. I've watched the Sex and the City Movie a couple times, too...and can't wait for the next one coming out this year. Do I need some sort of therapy for this???:D

Yes...shop (or shoe) therapy. OK...I have to ask. Do you think Carrie Bradshaw would be caught dead in the new Sketcher Shape-Ups?!? My new meter for any purchase is "Would Carrie Bradshaw wear this? I never watched them on HBO but am now obessesed with all things Sex in the City...the fabulous parts, at least.

I've got to start a new thread on this one.
 
Sorry Beavs. I have to go there. I thoroughly enjoyed The Hangover. Was it educational or inspirational in any way? NOPE! Just good clean (or not so clean) fun!

DH and I saw Sherlock Holmes this past weekend. I do not know any of the "history" of Holmes so didn't get some of the subtleties but DH said it was very good and accurate. Robert Downey Jr. didn't do that bad of an English accent either.

Whenever I need a feel-good or sweet movie, I always go back to The Holiday.

Carrie
 

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