Movie recommendations are tricky, because everyone has different likes and tastes. You can have two respectable "critics" completely disagree on the same movie. They may even both be critics that you typically agree with. Then to add to that, when it comes to moral value, the recommendation becomes even more tricky. Everyone has different things that affect them, and recommending the "wrong" movie can be pretty awkward. I remember one time I was talking about a movie that I liked and someone overheard it, rented it, and first of all didn't get it (odd, dry sense of humor type of a movie); secondly, though they never said anything specific, but I could tell they were probably a little "thrown off" by a couple things in it.
So I'll make some relatively "safe" recommendations here and there on this blog, because I do love movies. The thing is, I love story telling (those close to me know this first hand all to well), I love art, I love creativity, and movies can encompass all of this. Done right, they can be so much more than mindless entertainment or "escape." They can become a very thought provoking, perspective building, educating, inspiring, convicting, or heart wrenching 2 hours of your life. Sure, yeah, sometimes it's just good entertainment and good art, and that's okay. Good entertainment and a good laugh is healthy. But sometimes, they are much more than that.
Anyway, here's a couple that I liked that you may not have seen. These aren't necessarily my "ultimate of all time" movies, though they are highly recommended movies that are a bit more obscure than the "obvious" ones, which I list below.
PS, I can't vouch for every last scene or bit of dialog in the movies. No doubt someone will be able to find something offensive...violence, language, whatever. If you have any concern before you watch a movie, check out the reviews on www.pluggedinonline.com/movies first.
The Apostle. (1997. Directed by and Starring Robert Duvall) This one truly affected my faith. It caused me to approach my faith (and my position with the Lord) differently. It's admittedly a slow moving movie, not one for everyone if you don't like the "follow a guy's life" type drama, but it is very good. Think this as you watch: modern day story of David. Pay attention to the opening and closing scene, what do you think the Director was trying to convey? Very intriguing, I think. PS: Robert Duvall financed this all on his own.
Life is Beautiful. (1997. Directed by and Starring Roberto Benigni) Nothing "spiritual" about this one, but just an incredible movie. Get the version with subtitles, not the "dubbed in English" version. It follows the imprisonment of an Italian Jew and his 5 year old boy during WWII and the lengths that the father goes through to make the experience as less traumatic for his son as he possibly can. Heart breaking, but also has a really great presence of lightheartedness and playfulness due to Benigni's character's devotion to protecting his son.
Pan's Labyrinth. (2006. Director Guillermo del Toro) Sort of a dark "Narnia" meet's the story/concept of "Life is Beautiful." There are a few wincing violent scenes, but this is a great movie. del Toro is the guy who also did "Hellboy," which I haven't seen (story/concept doesn't seem like my type of movie, but Hellboy 2's costumes/design/special effects look AMAZING. del Toro is also slated to direct the new "Hobbit" movie, which will have the oversight, thankfully, of Peter Jackson. THAT will be an amazing team!!!).
the Pianist. (2002. Starring Adrian Brody) Slow...mellow...drawn out? Yes, it's a slow movie, but a perfect pace for Adrian Brody's character's empty chapter of life during the Nazi occupation of Poland. There is a scene late in the movie, you'll know which one it is, that causes you to hold your breath, only to exhale when it is done and you are almost brought to tears. It's amazing.
Schindler's List. This one should maybe go in the "obvious" list below, but I know many who haven't seen it, and it seemed fitting to be here amidst the other movies about the Holocaust.
Amistad. (1997. Directed by Steven Spielberg, Starring Djimon Hounsou) This was a great movie. Thought provoking, gives you a great perspective. Djumon Hounsou is simply an unreal actor. Matthew McConaughey on the other hand...yeah I could do without. Watch for him in my soon to be posted description of the cliche summer blockbuster movie I am writing starring all the A-listers that should be B (or even C) listers. And yes, you can expect to see Tom Cruise and Keanu Reeves in that film, and yes it will have something to do with saving the world. Anyway, Amistad, watch it, it's good.
Funny enough, all of these are sort of the slower paced movies, but just really good stories.
Okay, here are a few very niche type movies that you may not like at all, but that I really like, based solely due to the fact that they are Irish films.
The Wind that Shakes the Barley. (2006. Starring Cillian Murphy) Amazing movie about the origins of Ireland's long awaited freedom from British rule in the early 20th Century. Heart wrenching, you could probably compare this battle in some respects to a mixture of our Revolutionary War (freedom from tyrannical Britain) and our Civil War (brothers fighting against brothers). Very sad, very educational. May be hard to follow (you should watch it with subtitles turned on) if you aren't familiar with thick Irish accents (not Americans doing Irish accents, these are real and not "Hollywoodized" and dumbed down). You also may need to have some Irish history knowledge to appreciate every aspect.
Michael Collins. Another great Irish independence film. Liam Neeson, as he most often does, performed amazingly. A very compelling movie about this era in Ireland.
Bloody Sunday. (2002. Director Paul Greengrass) Another Irish struggle based movie. This time in the 70's in Northern Ireland during what is known as "the Troubles," which was the residual struggle left over from unfinished business during the "Wind that Shakes the Barley" era of Ireland. Shot documentary style (no music, no overdubs, just "shot as is" on location (very cool), this was Greengrass' first real film, and because of this film he was awarded the spot to direct the second "Bourne" film. The event's surrounding Bloody Sunday were identical to that of our own Civil Rights movement led by Dr. King. The Irish were seeking true civil rights in British goverened N. Ireland. At this point, they were treated with the same disgusting unequality as blacks were experiencing in America. This group of Northern Irish people looked to Dr. King as their hero and his tactics as their model.
Omagh. (2004. Director Pete Travis) The story of the last IRA bombing to occur in Omagh, Northern Ireland in 1998. A real tragedy, and a chilling depiction of the horror that the folks (both Protestant and Catholic) in Northern Ireland faced on a daily basis before the currently appreciated time of peace.
Waking Ned Devine. This is a great "little" film. I say little because it has that indie/homegrown type feel to it. It's witty, simple, cheeky, funny...it's just very Irish.
Angela's Ashes. This was a great film. Slow mover, but a great, true story of a young boy growing up in the slums of Limerick, trying to be all odds and make it to America.
Okay, and lastly, here is my "quick list" of the "duh" no-brainer movies, just because my list wouldn't be complete without them, no matter how obvious it is:
Star Wars IV, V, and VI (a current favorite of my son's)
Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Indiana Jones Trilogy (yes, read that again, TRILOGY)
the Muppet Movie (dont' laugh, it's awesome, go see it, even you adults)
the Blues Brothers (this and the Muppet Movie are the only two "musicals" I like)
the Godfather Trilogy
Apocalypse Now
Back to the Future Trilogy
Saved! (this isn't an "obvious" one, maybe a little shocking, I don't know. Yes, there are a few awkward, maybe offensive moments for sure in this movie, but this movie was very eye-opening for me as a Christian. The first time I saw it I was offended, thinking "we're not like that!" But as I watched it again, I learned something, that's for sure. Even if we don't think we are like that (and sometimes we are), we definitely can look like that. Little side note, I don't think this film at all is "blasphemous," they never really say anything to discredit God, it's aimed at a hypocritical church of His religious, judgemental followers. If you want to be challenged/offended/convicted/confused....watch this movie.
My Kid Movies:
* Cars (this is the movie that got me interested in kid movies since becoming an adult)
* Toy Story 1 and 2 (the cast is simply amazing. The writing is amazingly clever)
* The Incredibles (I love Coach, and they did a great job with character development and casting the right folks. Jason Lee's voice and voice acting really made it awesome.)
* Finding Nemo (I love that Willem Defoe is creepy even when he's a cartoon fish)
* Monsters, Inc. (Billy Crystal as a Jewish monster? Count me in. Have fun storming the castle, boys!)
* the Muppet Movie (of course)
The Kid Movies I Did Not Like:
* Happy Feet (there may not be a worse kid movie. Dancing penguins, nothing but white and blue on the screen for an hour and a half, and Elijah Wood's whiny voice? If I wanted to watch a show about a whiny kid and his weak, pandering parents I would watch "Caillou." At least there is more color and no dancing.
* Madagascar 1 and 2 (isn't it enough that we have Ben Stiller in real person movies?)
* Wall-E (though I admit, I loved Wall-E in "Short Circuit")
* Bug's Life (sigh)
* Shark Tale (this movie was absolutely awful)
My Holiday Movies:
* Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (simply amazing, John Hughes on his game. That amazing dark "dramedy" (drama/comedy) genre that Hughes has perfected. This is our Thanksgiving movie that gets watched every single year, no exception.)
* Home Alone (for me, a forever classic. This is the "Christmas Story" of my generation. I grew up a Mac fan, and still am, actually. Home Alone 2? No. But the first one, a must watch every Christmas for my family.)
* Christmas Vacation (The best "Vacation" movie, one that gets me laughing out loud no matter how many times I've seen Cousin Eddie unloading his sewage in his half robe smoking a cigar, or talking about his son "barking for the bearded lady." Oh, it's just genius.)
* Scrooged (not as popular of a Christmas "annual," I actually just revived it this year. It's a great modern day, Bill Murrayish adaptation of the original Scrooge story.)
So I'll make some relatively "safe" recommendations here and there on this blog, because I do love movies. The thing is, I love story telling (those close to me know this first hand all to well), I love art, I love creativity, and movies can encompass all of this. Done right, they can be so much more than mindless entertainment or "escape." They can become a very thought provoking, perspective building, educating, inspiring, convicting, or heart wrenching 2 hours of your life. Sure, yeah, sometimes it's just good entertainment and good art, and that's okay. Good entertainment and a good laugh is healthy. But sometimes, they are much more than that.
Anyway, here's a couple that I liked that you may not have seen. These aren't necessarily my "ultimate of all time" movies, though they are highly recommended movies that are a bit more obscure than the "obvious" ones, which I list below.
PS, I can't vouch for every last scene or bit of dialog in the movies. No doubt someone will be able to find something offensive...violence, language, whatever. If you have any concern before you watch a movie, check out the reviews on www.pluggedinonline.com/movies first.
The Apostle. (1997. Directed by and Starring Robert Duvall) This one truly affected my faith. It caused me to approach my faith (and my position with the Lord) differently. It's admittedly a slow moving movie, not one for everyone if you don't like the "follow a guy's life" type drama, but it is very good. Think this as you watch: modern day story of David. Pay attention to the opening and closing scene, what do you think the Director was trying to convey? Very intriguing, I think. PS: Robert Duvall financed this all on his own.
Life is Beautiful. (1997. Directed by and Starring Roberto Benigni) Nothing "spiritual" about this one, but just an incredible movie. Get the version with subtitles, not the "dubbed in English" version. It follows the imprisonment of an Italian Jew and his 5 year old boy during WWII and the lengths that the father goes through to make the experience as less traumatic for his son as he possibly can. Heart breaking, but also has a really great presence of lightheartedness and playfulness due to Benigni's character's devotion to protecting his son.
Pan's Labyrinth. (2006. Director Guillermo del Toro) Sort of a dark "Narnia" meet's the story/concept of "Life is Beautiful." There are a few wincing violent scenes, but this is a great movie. del Toro is the guy who also did "Hellboy," which I haven't seen (story/concept doesn't seem like my type of movie, but Hellboy 2's costumes/design/special effects look AMAZING. del Toro is also slated to direct the new "Hobbit" movie, which will have the oversight, thankfully, of Peter Jackson. THAT will be an amazing team!!!).
the Pianist. (2002. Starring Adrian Brody) Slow...mellow...drawn out? Yes, it's a slow movie, but a perfect pace for Adrian Brody's character's empty chapter of life during the Nazi occupation of Poland. There is a scene late in the movie, you'll know which one it is, that causes you to hold your breath, only to exhale when it is done and you are almost brought to tears. It's amazing.
Schindler's List. This one should maybe go in the "obvious" list below, but I know many who haven't seen it, and it seemed fitting to be here amidst the other movies about the Holocaust.
Amistad. (1997. Directed by Steven Spielberg, Starring Djimon Hounsou) This was a great movie. Thought provoking, gives you a great perspective. Djumon Hounsou is simply an unreal actor. Matthew McConaughey on the other hand...yeah I could do without. Watch for him in my soon to be posted description of the cliche summer blockbuster movie I am writing starring all the A-listers that should be B (or even C) listers. And yes, you can expect to see Tom Cruise and Keanu Reeves in that film, and yes it will have something to do with saving the world. Anyway, Amistad, watch it, it's good.
Funny enough, all of these are sort of the slower paced movies, but just really good stories.
Okay, here are a few very niche type movies that you may not like at all, but that I really like, based solely due to the fact that they are Irish films.
The Wind that Shakes the Barley. (2006. Starring Cillian Murphy) Amazing movie about the origins of Ireland's long awaited freedom from British rule in the early 20th Century. Heart wrenching, you could probably compare this battle in some respects to a mixture of our Revolutionary War (freedom from tyrannical Britain) and our Civil War (brothers fighting against brothers). Very sad, very educational. May be hard to follow (you should watch it with subtitles turned on) if you aren't familiar with thick Irish accents (not Americans doing Irish accents, these are real and not "Hollywoodized" and dumbed down). You also may need to have some Irish history knowledge to appreciate every aspect.
Michael Collins. Another great Irish independence film. Liam Neeson, as he most often does, performed amazingly. A very compelling movie about this era in Ireland.
Bloody Sunday. (2002. Director Paul Greengrass) Another Irish struggle based movie. This time in the 70's in Northern Ireland during what is known as "the Troubles," which was the residual struggle left over from unfinished business during the "Wind that Shakes the Barley" era of Ireland. Shot documentary style (no music, no overdubs, just "shot as is" on location (very cool), this was Greengrass' first real film, and because of this film he was awarded the spot to direct the second "Bourne" film. The event's surrounding Bloody Sunday were identical to that of our own Civil Rights movement led by Dr. King. The Irish were seeking true civil rights in British goverened N. Ireland. At this point, they were treated with the same disgusting unequality as blacks were experiencing in America. This group of Northern Irish people looked to Dr. King as their hero and his tactics as their model.
Omagh. (2004. Director Pete Travis) The story of the last IRA bombing to occur in Omagh, Northern Ireland in 1998. A real tragedy, and a chilling depiction of the horror that the folks (both Protestant and Catholic) in Northern Ireland faced on a daily basis before the currently appreciated time of peace.
Waking Ned Devine. This is a great "little" film. I say little because it has that indie/homegrown type feel to it. It's witty, simple, cheeky, funny...it's just very Irish.
Angela's Ashes. This was a great film. Slow mover, but a great, true story of a young boy growing up in the slums of Limerick, trying to be all odds and make it to America.
Okay, and lastly, here is my "quick list" of the "duh" no-brainer movies, just because my list wouldn't be complete without them, no matter how obvious it is:
Star Wars IV, V, and VI (a current favorite of my son's)
Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Indiana Jones Trilogy (yes, read that again, TRILOGY)
the Muppet Movie (dont' laugh, it's awesome, go see it, even you adults)
the Blues Brothers (this and the Muppet Movie are the only two "musicals" I like)
the Godfather Trilogy
Apocalypse Now
Back to the Future Trilogy
Saved! (this isn't an "obvious" one, maybe a little shocking, I don't know. Yes, there are a few awkward, maybe offensive moments for sure in this movie, but this movie was very eye-opening for me as a Christian. The first time I saw it I was offended, thinking "we're not like that!" But as I watched it again, I learned something, that's for sure. Even if we don't think we are like that (and sometimes we are), we definitely can look like that. Little side note, I don't think this film at all is "blasphemous," they never really say anything to discredit God, it's aimed at a hypocritical church of His religious, judgemental followers. If you want to be challenged/offended/convicted/confused....watch this movie.
My Kid Movies:
* Cars (this is the movie that got me interested in kid movies since becoming an adult)
* Toy Story 1 and 2 (the cast is simply amazing. The writing is amazingly clever)
* The Incredibles (I love Coach, and they did a great job with character development and casting the right folks. Jason Lee's voice and voice acting really made it awesome.)
* Finding Nemo (I love that Willem Defoe is creepy even when he's a cartoon fish)
* Monsters, Inc. (Billy Crystal as a Jewish monster? Count me in. Have fun storming the castle, boys!)
* the Muppet Movie (of course)
The Kid Movies I Did Not Like:
* Happy Feet (there may not be a worse kid movie. Dancing penguins, nothing but white and blue on the screen for an hour and a half, and Elijah Wood's whiny voice? If I wanted to watch a show about a whiny kid and his weak, pandering parents I would watch "Caillou." At least there is more color and no dancing.
* Madagascar 1 and 2 (isn't it enough that we have Ben Stiller in real person movies?)
* Wall-E (though I admit, I loved Wall-E in "Short Circuit")
* Bug's Life (sigh)
* Shark Tale (this movie was absolutely awful)
My Holiday Movies:
* Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (simply amazing, John Hughes on his game. That amazing dark "dramedy" (drama/comedy) genre that Hughes has perfected. This is our Thanksgiving movie that gets watched every single year, no exception.)
* Home Alone (for me, a forever classic. This is the "Christmas Story" of my generation. I grew up a Mac fan, and still am, actually. Home Alone 2? No. But the first one, a must watch every Christmas for my family.)
* Christmas Vacation (The best "Vacation" movie, one that gets me laughing out loud no matter how many times I've seen Cousin Eddie unloading his sewage in his half robe smoking a cigar, or talking about his son "barking for the bearded lady." Oh, it's just genius.)
* Scrooged (not as popular of a Christmas "annual," I actually just revived it this year. It's a great modern day, Bill Murrayish adaptation of the original Scrooge story.)
