And now, a small timeout…

Thought I’d take a break and write about something else that might be of interest to somebody out there, recommending movies.  I’ve gone back and forth about this since everybody’s taste is subjective.  But at this point, I’ll just put them out there.

These are some gems I’ve watched over the years that get a lot of replay on my DVD player.  Each one is good for its own reasons, but not all of them are for everybody.  I’m just putting these out there.  If you see something you might like, go ahead and rent it.

These aren’t in any particular order:

• 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) — I’ve watched this more than probably any other movie.  Went through 2 VHS copies before going to DVD.  It still amazes me with every viewing.  Even though I’ve read the novel about half a dozen times, Kubrick’s vision pushed the limits of film technology for the day, and it still stands up.
• The Thing (1982) — I have a love/hate relationship with remakes.  But this remake of The Thing From Another World (1951) still holds strong.  The practical creature effects by Rob Bottin and the musical score by Ennio Morricone enhance the paranoia and isolation.  Not to mention that John Carpenter did a fantastic job directing this difficult movie.
• Love Actually (2003) — Okay, I’ll freely admit that I thought “Four Weddings and a Funeral” wasn’t all that funny for me.  Not even slightly romantic.  But this movie made up for it I think.  Richard Curtis came through with this gigantic, engaging ensemble piece.  Even though it might be a bit long, it needed to be to tell the story.  And if you’re into it, the time just flies by.
• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) — I was going through a bit of a hard time in my life when I saw this.  It was probably that funk which drove me to watch it finally.  I wasn’t disappointed.  I even cried like a little baby in certain parts because I could empathize with the principal character, Joel.  And it felt like Charlie Kaufman was hiding in my closet taking notes on my own life (I checked; he wasn’t.)
• Ginger Snaps (2000) — A little gem of a horror flick that has some brains behind it.  Lycanthropy as an allegory for a girl entering womanhood, who’da thunk it?
• The Wraith (1986) — A guilty pleasure of mine from the 80s.  A simple story of revenge from beyond the grave, with a kickin’ heavy metal soundtrack and car races.  Don’t expect it to reveal some kind of great truth about life, it’s not that kind of movie.
• Near Dark (1987) — Kathryn Bigelow’s breakout film.  Before she was directing Strange Days or Point Break she did this great film about vampires.  It was unique to me because at no point is the word “vampire” uttered in the movie.  Instead it was treated more like a disease.  The bar scene alone is worth the viewing.  I only hope the remake in developement right now has the same attitude as this.
• Night of the Living Dead (1968) — A classic of horror that started the whole zombie sub-genre.  Need I say more?  Okay…”Yeah, they’re dead.  They’re all messed up.”
• Zombi 2, aka Zombie (1979) — Back in the heyday of the Italian horror gorefest movies, this one ranked up there as one of the best.  For all you gorehounds, this is definitely worth it.  This movie took the zombie genre to a new level.
• Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) — I guess a list like this wouldn’t be complete without referencing at least 1 Star Trek movie.  Considered by many to be the best of the entire series.  If you haven’t seen this yet, go get it and watch it.
• Videodrome (1983) — I’ve got a few David Cronenberg titles in my collection and they each are quite interesting.  But this one still stands out to me for some reason.  While some would consider it vile and almost pornographic, it explores some interesting ideas I wished Mr. Cronenberg would have gone further with.
• Wonder Boys (2000) — This one snuck up on me.  It was on F/X practically every night/early morning while I was working and I just left it on.  The fact that the network running it kept the commercials down to a minimum helped.  It just kinda grew on me and has become one of my favorites.
• The Weather Man (2005) — I didn’t really think this was going to be a good one when I got it, but it surprised me.  A strong character-driven drama that had a good, realistic payoff at the end.  Like life, you can’t really predict the weather.
• The Big Sleep (1946) — A great adaptation of a great book.  Bogart and Bacall are at their best in my opinion.  A hard-boiled detective movie with some good twists and turns.
• Trancers (1985) — Another nice bit of Kraft product from the 80s.  Because of this movie I will always know who Tim Thomerson is, as well as Helen Hunt.  Great, campy sci-fi that was strong enough to spawn 5 sequels all the way through to 2002.
• Pi (1998) — While this movie gives me a screaming headache, it’s still incredible to watch and I’ll grin and bear it with each viewing.  A daring indie film from Darren Aronofsky that explores the boundaries of human knowledge, religion, and mathematics.
• Enigma (2001) — This movie appeals to my inner (and outer) geek.  A good historical thriller set in Bletchley Park.  Although not historically accurate, it was good brain food.