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Here are some of my favorite movies that sort-of flew under the radar:

Memento (2000)
It only grossed 25 million in US theaters, but the movie gained considerable critical acclaim. The movie is in the perspective of a protagonist searching for his wife's killer. The catch is that the protagonist lacks the ability to form new long-term memories. This creates a "form" for the movie that is quite different than convention.

Equilibrium (2002)
This is an action-packed movie that features some big name actors, but it was only released in America as an afterthought.
In the future, emotions are outlawed. One of the men in charge of enforcing this law stops taking the emotion-inhibiting medication and joins an effort to overthrow the government.

In Bruges (2008)
Another box-office dud that is a favorite of movie studs. Two hitmen are sent to lay low in Bruges after a gig goes horribly wrong. The film is an interesting mix of drama, comedy, and action that follows the two protagonists' exploration of life and death while awaiting orders in Bruges.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudsucker_Proxy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quiz_Show_(movie)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Doll

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigham_City_(film)

bloke wrote:Speaking of "Teapot Dome"...

Tonight, someone in my family rented the movie There Will Be Blood. The story seemed vaguely familiar and about forty notches above the typical "blockbuster" pablum. After awhile, I realized that it was sorta halfway based on Upton Sinclair's old muckraker novel, Oil!

OK...

from the Warren G. Harding sousaphone-to-Teapot Dome thread...
to Sinclair's novel, Oil!, which was loosely inspired by events surrounding Teapot Dome...
to "the rare movie that does absolutely suck"...

How's that for "stream of consciousness"...??
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One reason I'm here so often (trying to take a break between repairs, between printing off shipping labels, between answering emails, or trying to get sleepy) is because others in the house are downstairs watching inane/idiotic "blockbuster" movies (the super-annoying type, where the untalented directors and scriptwriters try to make the audience feel "brilliant" by completely being able to predict what is going to occur next and/or stupify the audience with "special effects").

There Will Be Blood is not the greatest movie of all time, but it is well-done...well-done enough to suit (what I know to be) my modest level of sophistication.

This reminded me of another thing... A colleague of mine (a very fine trumpet player...plug: http://www.amazon.com/Fantasie-Brillian ... B000A1ILSC) has another talent as well...

the ability to uncover very fine NON-blockbuster novels to read and very fine NON-blockbuster movies to watch

Do you have this talent?

Name some excellent "non-blockbuster" movies and novels (+ author) that you may have watched/read, and (if you care to) add a brief synopsis.

I'm with Bloke; most of what is on TV / Movies is garbage.
There Will Be Blood quickly became one of my favorite movies of all time; it is a modern day masterpiece. Daniel Plainview is easily caricatured but is a far deeper character than a milkshake spewing rogue.
Another pseudo-historical movie that is a "work of art," in my opinion, is Casino. Almost a sequel to Goodfellas, the acting and cinematography are outstanding and (except for the overuse of voiceovers) the movei is far better than its acclaimed predecessor. Not to mention, some of the scenes will scare the pants off you, and they were true to life.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt
The Cruel Sea by Monserat
I liked Aisha Tylor's book, . . . . Post-modern Girl . . . . (very entertaining)
The Walking Drum by Louis Lamour
Bobby Fischer Goes to War - great snapshot of cold war history
Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner
Up Country, and Word of Honor by Nelson DeMille, but not the others by him so much.

"O Brother Where Art Thou?"

A reinvention of Homer's "Odyssey" set in the Depression-era south, written and directed by the Coen brothers (Fargo, The Big Lebowski). The dialogue in this movie is specatacular. Definitely worth seeing (along with just about every other Coen Brothers movie.)

TMurphy wrote:"O Brother Where Art Thou?"

My mother's church choir was the choir on the soundtrack. The little Peasol sisters were the choir director's daughters.

TMurphy wrote:"O Brother Where Art Thou?"

A reinvention of Homer's "Odyssey" set in the Depression-era south, written and directed by the Coen brothers (Fargo, The Big Lebowski). The dialogue in this movie is specatacular. Definitely worth seeing (along with just about every other Coen Brothers movie.)

A big second to this one!

bloke wrote: Name some excellent "non-blockbuster" movies and novels (+ author) that you may have watched/read, and (if you care to) add a brief synopsis.

I don't think any of these were "blockbusters"...

Movie (Director / Author)
Advise and Consent (Otto Preminger / Allen Drury)
The Manchurian Candidate (John Frankenheimer / Richard Condon)
Gettysburg (Ron Maxwell / Michael Shaara) [as opposed to the seriously mentally and cinematically handicapped "prequel" Gods and Generals]

Doug "would like to read Drury's novel sometime"

The Gods Must Be Crazy, An aboriginee tribe discovers and Coke bottle and it ruins their life, interesting story on the effect of greed.

Catch Me If You Can, True story about a modern day flim-flam con man, a truly amazing/unbelievable story, Music by John Williams but you wouldn't know it to listen to it.

Just rented another Coen Brother movie, Burm After Reading, sort of bizarre dark comedy filled with stupid characters that no one likes. funny in a disturbing way...

Memoirs of a Geisha, excellent piece depicting early 20th century Japan, very interesting.

I loved the Bourne Identy series (would they count as blockbuster?) Very engaging with interesting plot twists and awesome chase scenes. The Italian Job has some incredible chase scenes as well.

Toy Story and TS2, two of my favorite Pixar movies from back in the day when my kids watched Pixar movies. The star wars spoof in TS2 is hilarious. Pixar's new movie "UP" looks fun.

Gladiator, great story , more than just a gory fighting flick (actually not that much gore in it), very good story and great depiction of life in Roman times

"21" MIT kids become card sharks and count cards in Vegas, based on a true story I believe, pretty cool flick.

A similar movie to There Will Be Blood, in that the "hero" or main character is the vilain is "No Country for Old Men" Both movies were very engaging and interesting but I don't think I liked them. Another dramatic but disturbing movie, "Mystic River".

I guess these movies are not really unknowns, but I am not a big movie buff who knows many obscure movies. I spend very littel time watching movies. but these are some of my favorites.

k

I'm a big fan of foreign films. So here's a few readily available in the United States I think are worth investing a watch.



Amelie- (French) Probably the most famous film on the list. Had this movie been in English, we'd still be talking nonstop about it to this day. Whimsical, magical, hilarious, OUTSTANDING.

He loves me, He loves me not-(French) More of Audrey Tatou, but in a very different role. The set up of this movie is really what makes it good. IF you don't like it, keep watching to the end, the actual set up of the film is as impressive as the film itself.

The Diving Bell and The Butterfly- (French) Depressing? Yes. True story? Yes. This is a testament to just how important self is, and how we communicate and are human at all costs or disabilities.

The Return- (Russian) Russian movies always make me go, "What the heLL!" This movie, especially the ending, DEFINITELY does.

Schultze gets the Blues- (German) German Retired Salt-Miner Schultze, falls in love with Creole and Zydeco music, travels to the US and... well that would be a plot spoiler.

Tampopo.

bloke wrote:

Donn wrote:Tampopo.

nothing X-rated, please.

Hm, not sure how to take that. Partly because I don't remember it in enough detail to say for sure just how innocent it is, but I can't remember anything about it that I would think would be even R rated, today. And I can't think of anything double-entendre-ish about the name. It's mainly about noodles, the hero is a truck driver noodle gourmet, I think the name belongs to the noodle shop where most of the action is set. Japanese, subtitles.

the elephant wrote:Much of that was filmed about 500 yards from where I am sitting (my bedroom in Yazoo City). Most of it was filmed about thirty minutes from here in Canton, MS. I regularly gig on my upright bass and play formal recitals with the MSO brass quintet in the hall where the big concert is at the end. That is in downtown Vicksburg, MS.

And it is brilliant film making. I love all of their movies at art and some even as "popular film". John Goodman makes an excellent Polyphemus! And those wanton sirens!

I too enjoy all of the Coen's films, though some of their older ones I haven't gotten the chance to see yet. I especially want to see Barton Fink and The Hudsucker Proxy. I've heard nothing but rave reviews for those films.

the elephant wrote:As far as I am concerned, they hit one out of the park and out of the parking lot with The Big Lebowski. That is one of the best movies I have ever seen!

Probably my favorite movie of all time.

Long Gone - 1987
Minor league baseball team with player/manager William Petersen.
(with Virginia Madsen and Dermot Mulroney)

ken k wrote:...Just rented another Coen Brother movie, Burm After Reading

And one you really should see, Blood Simple. Absolutely required viewing for Texans. Does for Texas what Fargo does for Minnesota.

Rick "Coen Brothers (and Francis McDormond) at their best" Denney

Movies: This Is Spinal Tap
Johnny Dangerously (Michael Keaton, Marilu Henner, Danny Devito, Joe Piscopo, lots of others)
Fallen (Denzel Washington, John Goodman....TERRIFIC movie, only in theaters for about 5 minutes)
Heaven's Gate
good luck finding it, but "The World, The Flesh, and The Devil" with Harry Belafonte is one of my favorites from childhood, late-show-when-I-should've-been-in-bed movies.

Books: Connie Willis "The Domesday Book" I'm not into Science Fiction, but this is great, as is the sequel
"To Say Nothing Of The Dog"
Mary Doria Russell "The Sparrow" again, science fiction but well worth it, and the sequel
"Children of God"
Frank Conroy "Body and Soul" a great writer, now deceased, was on faculty at U of Iowa and ran the Iowa Writer's Workshop (a very good place to be!) and had been with the NEA for a while, too (not the teacher's union...) He was also a pianist, which shows in this book. He once jammed, albeit accidentally, with Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman! A great book, lots of good music stuff in it, but just as much or more about life, as a musician and in general.

WP Kinsella "Shoeless Joe" the origin of "Field of Dreams" (a great movie too...a lot different from the book)
Jeffrey Archer hasn't written anything I don't like. "As The Crow Flies" is my favorite, maybe my overall favorite. "Twelve Red Herrings" is also very good, short stories, and his "Prison Diaries" trio is pretty intense.


waiting for a reaction...

no reaction to "Heaven's Gate"....geez...

ben wrote:City of the Gods (Brazilian)

This is a great movie.