I had a conversation recently about really great movies most people haven’t seen, but should.  That sounded like a great idea for a post so Kristi and I gathered a list of our ten favorites.  We could easily triple this list, but it’s a good start.

Check ‘em out:

John’s List…

1.) Memento:  This movie is also first on my Top Ten Movies That Make Your Head Hurt.  And if that doesn’t sell you on this, well, I’ll make a new list for special people later.

 

 

2.) Once:  The best musical that’s not a musical.  It’s been over three years since I saw this and I still listen to the soundtrack regularly.  Oh, and the story is great, too.

 

 

 

3.) Moon:  I’ll say nothing about this other than you should watch it.  Immediately.

 

 

 

4.) Primer:  A time travel story made with almost no money. The story alone carries this.  After watching, check out the Wiki article on all the timelines.

 

 

5.) Confessions of a Superhero: A very well-made documentary about the guys in costume in front of the Chinese Theater in Hollywood.  An interesting look into the lives of some odd, but fascinating people.

 

6.) Man on Wire: Another documentary about a French trapeze artist who illegally walks  between the Twin Towers.  And films it.  I realize the only trapeze artist you care about rides around with Batman, but give this guy a chance.

 

 

7.) Die Fälscher (The Counterfeiter): A very serious character study about a Jew  who ends up working for the Nazis.  It’s a look at the values we compromise to survive. I’m a sucker for great character studies and this one stands as one of my favorites.

 

 

8.) [Rec]: I hate horror movies.  I startle far too easily and while that’s hilarious for my friends, not so much for me.  I watched [Rec] on an overseas flight.  I jumped so many times, the dude next to me gave several concerned looks.  That said, it’s one of the best zombie flicks made.

 

 

9.) Shaun of the Dead: I’ve recommended this so many times I should be getting kickbacks.  Consider this required viewing for the inevitable Zombie Apocalypse.

 

 

10.) The Usual Suspects:  Not exactly a small movie, but not a lot of people saw it back in the day.  If you still haven’t, there’s really no reason to keep putting it off.  This would go great with Memento for a double feature.

 

 

10.5) Oldboy – OK, I’m cheating a bit, but I have to add this to my list.  Oldboy is the best revenge flick made.  It’s more disturbing than Black Swan, which means it’s not meant to be seen by normal people. But it’s also brilliant, and you should see it.

 

 

Kristi’s List-

In no specific order:

1.) Suspiria (1947): A young woman attends a ballet school and starts to realize that things are not what they seem. Excellent horror movie and remember that horror films are natural aphrodisiacs because they pump up your adrenaline, which means the person you are with will want to be closer to you. Oh-la-la*

 

2.) Bring Up Baby (1938): Another oldie, but a goodie. Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant are a riot in this Romantic Comedy. It’s about a girl who will stop at nothing to get the guy she wants, even if it involves tricking him with a leopard named Baby.

By the way–This is probably one of my top five favorite films of all time and an excellent choice for a romantic night in or even for some alone        time. I highly recommend it for everyone.

 

3.) Brick (2005): This is a modern Noir film with Joseph Gordon-Levitt (3rd Rock from the Sun and Inception) as the main character. In the film he plays a young high school student who takes a look at the underbelly of high school crime in order to find out what happened to the girl he loved.

 

4.) For a Few Dollars More (1965): Many may know of this film, but most people haven’t seen it, but have watched The Good, The Bad and the Ugly. Clint Eastwood, the man with no name, teams up with another bounty hunter (Lee Van Cleef) in order to catch the ultimate scumbag, El Indio.

 

5.) Raise the Red Lantern (1991): A film by Zhang Yimou, ( Hero, House of Flying Daggers, Curse of the Golden Flower) follows a young woman, 19 years old, whom is forced to marry after her father dies. She becomes one of many wives and is introduced to the plotting and backstabbing of the culture within the family compound. A truly beautiful film.

(This is one of the few foreign films I will suggest and I realize most people don’t like reading subtitles or they find the films to be far slower than the films they are used to, so I just want to say that if you watch these foreign films that I’m recommending you won’t regret it and you may feel enlightened culturally and mentally afterward.)

 

6.) Blue (1993): A beautiful foreign film that deals with the death of a husband and child. The music in the film is hauntingly beautiful, the fascinating colors evoke emotions you never knew you had and it’s all about allowing life back in after dealing with great tragedy.

 

 

7.) Hard Candy (2005): A tense thriller about a pedophile and the young girl who attempts to expose him to the world. This is movie will have you on the edge of your seat and anticipating just how the film will end.

 

 

8.)The Lady Eve (1941): A con-artist, a gullible rich guy, romance and comedy make this a movie to cherish forever.

 

9.)Four Rooms (1995): This movie was directed by four different directors  (Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez are two of the four) and follows the bellhop’s journey through four rooms on New Year’s Eve at a hotel. Be prepared for hilarity, bizarre stories and an all around good time.

 

10.) Singin’ in the Rain (1952): Yes, I realize most people have heard of this movie and know the title song by heart, but how many have actually seen it? Not that many, so I encouraged all of you to watch this fun and fantastic musical. It takes place during the transition from the silent to the talkie film and shows how difficult that transition proved to be for a lot of the actors. Oh, and there is a lot of dancing and singing, which is fun!

 

Watch them and enjoy!