My husband watches movies and reads a magazine. He thinks he is multi-tasking. I think he is just doing two things poorly. There aren't that many good movies. Don't waste these by watching bits and pieces of them on cable, broken up by commercials. Rent them and watch them when you won't be distracted.
1. I rarely see a movie more than once so my description is based on my recollections-- some from long ago.
2. Sometimes, you like a movie because of the people you were with or because you had been working really hard for a long time prior to seeing the movie (& almost anything would have seemed good!). Some of these I saw under such circumstances so my taste may be suspect.
3. If you like martial arts films or horror movies don't bother w/ this list.
4. Some of these are pretty intense movies. Unless otherwise noted, don't watch them w/ your mother.
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Amadeus: My all-time-favorite play; pretty good screen adaptation. It poses a very deep and perhaps unanswerable question.
American Beauty: Did you grow up in suburbia and find it to be sterile? (I did) If yes, then you will like this movie. I must add that I hated the ending; it's based on predictable stereotypes directly out of the suburbia the screenwriter is attempting to mock.
Awakenings: If you've never heard of this movie rent it (don't read the back of the box). O/w skip it.
Beautiful Girls: It made me laugh. It has some funny observations to make about men and women and small town life.
Benny & June: one of the first "eccentrics" movies. Enjoyable.
Birdie: An interesting psychological study-I liked this much more than "Rain man".
Boys Don't Cry: This is an extremely intense movie. There are very few movies that make me squirm with anxiety but this one did.
Breaker Morant: A slow, but very affecting, movie about injustice. Not everything always works out for the best…
Breaking Away: Funny. A must see for roadies.
Cast Away: A really bad film which is redeemed by its non-predictable ending-if you already know the ending don't bother with the movie.
A Christmas Story: A classic
Clerks: A good reminder of just how different males and females are
Cool Hand Luke: A movie about "takin' on the man"…this might be the first movie I can actually remember seeing. It is still good.
Crumb: A documentary that will make you feel like you grew up in a totally normal household
Dangerous Liasons: a movie about diabolical people
Das Boat: My all time favorite war movie, told from the loser's perspective.
Dead Man Walking: if you were pro-capital punishment before you saw this movie you will believe it confirmed your views. If you were anti-capital punishment before you saw this movie you will believe it confirmed your views. How's it do this?
Diner: You'll never look at ketchup the same way again
Doloris Claiborne: Somewhat slow, quite dark, makes you think.
Dual: a REALLY OLD movie w/ Denis Weaver. See it b/f a road trip.
East-West (Est-Ouest): This movie will leave you with an indelible impression of what life was like behind the Iron Curtain during Stalin's era. It is also my all-time-favorite love story. It is made even more compelling because it is based on a true story.
The Edge: panned by the critics but I liked it. A suspense/adventure movie set in Alaska.
El Mariachi: I don't know why I liked this movie, it is really violent, but I did. Maybe it was the Mexico-mystique thing…
The Falcon and the Snowman: A good movie about how making one bad decision can ruin your life.
Fandango: The best college-buddy-bonding movie I know. Funny. Rent it with a group of your friends.
Fatal Attraction: What Psycho was for my parents' generation this was for mine. If you haven't seen it then get it- it is Glenn Close at her best. I saw it in a large theater and laughed at highly inappropriate moments.
Four Weddings and a Funeral: I thought it was funny. If you have ever slept through your alarm in the morning rent it simply for the first minute of filming.
Ghost: I think it must have been a high hormone day or something… I can't explain it but I liked this movie.
Ghost Busters: Maybe it was an 80s thing but I thought it was hilarious at the time
Green Card: I thought it was funny. If you go to grad school, where there are lots of international students, you will probably meet someone who lives out a variation on this story.
Harold and Maud: Perhaps the first black comedy I ever saw; it made me laugh & I've liked black comedies ever since. It's a classic that even pre-dates my generation.
In the Company of Men: This is an extremely intense movie, particularly for women (although, in my opinion, women are equally as capable of the cruelty displayed in this movie). This is a movie about the evil that lurks inside humans. Women: do NOT rent this movie and see it by yourself right after your boyfriend breaks up with you.
Jesus of Montreal: A "what would Jesus be like if he were alive today?" movie but pretty well done. If you find the story in the gospels a bit stale rent this.
The Last Seduction: A great suspense movie, lots of twists.
Leaving Las Vegas: Humanizes the addict
Little Big Man: Perhaps the only western I've ever liked
Lords of Discipline: it will make you glad you didn't go to a military academy
Misery: Black comedy
My Life as a Dog: A good movie about how hard growing up can be. You'll never lift a glass of milk to your face in quite the same way again.
My Name is Joe: Maybe I liked this movie b/c it turned out to be better than the title would suggest. If you don't have a good ear for accents then you will find it difficult to understand.
Not One Less: Thought you received a mediocre education in high school? This movie will make you appreciate what you had.
Paradise Road: OK, probably nobody but me will like this movie. If you have a classical music background then, even though the plot sounds hoaky, get it. Remember, it is based on a true story.
A Perfect World: Both funny and charming. It turns out that Kevin Cosner can act.
The Princess Bride: A funny and delightful movie that you can actually watch with Mom…
Quiz Show: a movie about what your elementary teacher meant when she said "if you cheat you are only cheating yourself" (hint: she didn't say this just because she didn't want to monitor your actions all that closely)
The Razor's Edge (Bill Murray): one of the few instances where I liked the movie better than the book (Maughm was a misogynist-that is less apparent in the movie than the book)
Red Rocks West: A great suspense movie w/ lots of twists
Return to Paradise: Thinking of traveling overseas? See this movie first.
Rikky and Pete: one of the first eccentric Aussie films. Worth renting just for the scene of them driving across the desert.
The Spanish Prisoner: Twists and turns… lots of strategic thinking. You keep expecting Steve Martin to do something goofy but it turns out that he act.
Stand By Me: A great story about friendship and growing up
Taps: all I remember is I liked the movie
Thelma and Louise: My all-time-favorite female-bonding movie and Brad Pitt was never better looking (plus some of the scenes were filmed out near Moab).
The Thomas Crowne Affair (w/ Pierce Brosnan): This film is pure entertainment-good dialogue and clever plot. Tasty brain candy.
To Die For: A black comedy. If you dislike the mass media this movie is for you.
Top Gun: It's fun, the music is good, the bodies are hard.
Vanilla Sky: Wow, is this movie long. It definitely needs editing. But, if you don't already know the ending, it is intriguing.
A Walk on the Moon: I generally hate films about adultery but this movie is compelling
When Harry Met Sally: A great date movie. Very funny.