# I need movie recommendations **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 30, 2009, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-movie-recommendations/494834 "2009-04-30T13:09:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-movie-recommendations/494834/1 "2009-04-30T13:09:30Z")
I’m coming up short on the netflix queue lately, so I’m turning to you all to help. I’m looking for movies that are either comedies or good dramas. Nothing too dark or depressing - I want entertaining and uplifting, or at least, not something to drag me down. Movies that have watched lately: The Golden Door (amazing film, highly recommended) Forgetting Sarah Marshal (yes, stupid humor is good!) Marley & Me was a little too stupid. Entertaining, props for dog being central character, but a little too light & airy The Reader. OK, not light and pretty depressing. But I loved it anyway. Little Dorritt (Masterpiece Theater). Long period flicks, oh how I love thee. The Island: oooh scifi cool movie. More of these please! Zack and Miri make a Porno: heh, more stupid humor. I love it. OK, that’s all I can think of at the moment. What should I watch next? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-movie-recommendations/494834/2 "2009-04-30T13:19:41Z")
Moving thread from IMHO to Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-movie-recommendations/494834/3 "2009-04-30T13:26:33Z")
[_Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0364725/) [_Galaxy Quest_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0177789/) [_Josie and the Pussycats_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0236348/) [_Mystery Men_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0132347/) [_Summer School_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094072/) ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-movie-recommendations/494834/4 "2009-04-30T14:14:51Z")
[Parenthood](http://www.imdb.com/find?s=all&q=Parenthood) Very fun. Nice moments. [Grand Canyon](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101969/) [Big Chill](http://www.imdb.com/find?s=all&q=big+chill) Watch it for the sound track if nothing else. I would call these three uplifting, and fun. With some serious moments. eta - do get Galaxy Quest. Little Nemo is right about that one. Very, very fun movie (haven’t seen the others on his list) ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-movie-recommendations/494834/5 "2009-04-30T14:24:00Z")
_Lars and the Real Girl_. Despite the premise – a lonely guy declares a blow-up doll to be his girlfriend – it’s not really a comedy, wacky or otherwise: it’s a meditation on the nature of love. Liked it a lot. Other recommendations from here that I’ve liked: _Cash Back, The Dead Girl._ Oh, and for long period flicks – _Cranford_, a BBC miniseries. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-movie-recommendations/494834/6 "2009-04-30T14:51:38Z")
I’m a big fan of Galaxy Quest and Dodge Ball. Saw Lars & the Real Girl. Will check out the rest. Keep 'em coming! ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-movie-recommendations/494834/7 "2009-04-30T14:54:06Z")
Did you see _Superbad_? One of my favorite stupid movies is _Rat Race_. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-movie-recommendations/494834/8 "2009-04-30T15:16:20Z")
Loooove Superbad. So much I bought it. Will check out Rat Race. ---
**Author:** ![boozilu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@boozilu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boozilu)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-movie-recommendations/494834/9 "2009-04-30T18:17:09Z")
Once (2006) - fabulous film (don’t be put off by the notes that it’s a musical – the music enhances the story but it’s not like everyone starts dancing down the streets a la Newsies). Let the Right One In – this one is a vampire film but it’s no Twilight or Hollywood at all – suspenseful and moving. You could also try TV shows – we just watched Extras (the entire series) and it was funny funny funny, ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-movie-recommendations/494834/10 "2009-04-30T23:41:43Z")
> [@boozilu](#): > > Once (2006) - fabulous film (don’t be put off by the notes that it’s a musical – the music enhances the story but it’s not like everyone starts dancing down the streets a la Newsies). I should note that it’s a movie about musicians so the songs are natural in there. The songs are supposed to be the creations of the characters in the film. Fantastic movie, one of my favorites. ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-movie-recommendations/494834/11 "2009-04-30T23:56:53Z")
[Free Enterprise](http://www.imdb.com/find?s=all&q=free+enterprise&x=0&y=0) : like if they made a movie of a SDMB thread ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-movie-recommendations/494834/12 "2009-05-01T03:34:21Z")
_The Importance of Being Earnest_ - version with Colin Firth _Big Trouble in Little China_ - one of the alltime great saturday-afternoon movies. _Dude, Where’s My Car?_ - so stupid it’s genius memorable quote: “I have an emergency! A breakdancing stripper emergency!” _Ridicule_ - French with subtitles - a poor French noblemen tries to get money for his swamp-draining project by snarking his way to the top in pre-Revolutionary France. memorable quote: “Do they have wit in England? No, they have something else… they call it ‘huuuumor’” _Demolition Man_ - Sandra Bullock, Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes? Somehow, it works. memorable quote: “enhance your calm!” ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-movie-recommendations/494834/13 "2009-05-01T04:26:08Z")
[Stardust](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0486655/) - a wonderful fairy tale/fantasy movie that went unnoticed by a lot of people. But everyone I know who has seen it has really enjoyed it. It has some big names like Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert DeNiro, Peter, O’Toole, Claire Danes, and Ricky Gervaise. It’s silly, funny, romantic, exciting, charming, and very entertaining. ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-movie-recommendations/494834/14 "2009-05-01T04:40:49Z")
If you liked \*Zack & Miri Make A Porno \*(we loved it!!!) you might like _Role Models_ as well. We liked it at least… I just watched _Little Dorrit_ on PBS…that was a good miniseries. Have you seen _Bleak House_ or the newer _Oliver Twist_? I am just growing into an appreciation for Dickens- I like him more on screen than on paper- although I appreciate the genius- movies have editors :)! And I am not much of a cartoon/Disney fan but as dog lover’s we really enjoyed _Bolt_- great fun! ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-movie-recommendations/494834/15 "2009-05-01T05:02:21Z")
\*Marley and Me? \* Athena, trust me: Keep him FAR away from Dogs or Bros Who Die. This is why I refuse to let my old ladies at church subject me to _Ol’ Yeller_ or _Brian’s Song._ One must maintain his standards. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-movie-recommendations/494834/16 "2009-05-01T05:10:29Z")
**Little Miss Sunshine**. It never fails to make me laugh. ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-movie-recommendations/494834/17 "2009-05-01T14:54:18Z")
Even if you’re not into video games, I recommend **King of Kong** - a surprisingly touching documentary about an ordinary dude who tries to beat the record for highest score in Donkey Kong. It’s your classic good vs. evil, root for the underdog type of story. Very funny too! ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-movie-recommendations/494834/18 "2009-05-01T15:32:57Z")
Watched a good period piece/comedy yesterday: _Casanova_, with Heath Ledger and Siena Miller, with the ever-delightful Oliver Platt. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-movie-recommendations/494834/19 "2009-05-01T15:48:43Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > …I’m looking for movies that are either comedies or good dramas. Nothing too dark or depressing - I want entertaining and uplifting, or at least, not something to drag me down… Just saw _Ghost Town_, which is kind of like _The Sixth Sense_ if it were a romantic comedy. I liked it more than I thought I would. Ricky Gervais, Greg Kinnear and Tea Leoni star. _Trading Places_ is a great, great comedy; Eddie Murphy and Dan Ackroyd rule. _True Lies_ is the most perfect action-adventure-comedy evah; Ah-nuld stars. And _Super Troopers_ and _Hot Fuzz_ are IMHO the best dumb/smart cop comedies of recent years, American and British, respectively. I just about busted a gut laughing. _Breaker Morant_ is one of my favorite movies ever. A court-martial drama set during the Boer War; Edward Woodward stars (his best role ever, again IMHO). For 'way cool scifi movies, try _The Hidden_ (an alien criminal hops from body to body, leaving carnage in its wake) or _Dark City_ (a wrongly-accused man tries to figure out why the world seems to be more than a little off-kilter). And another vote for _Galaxy Quest_, which is wonderful - the best _Star Trek_ movie ever, it’s been said, even if Kirk and Spock are nowhere to be seen! Finally, the Keira Knightley remake of _Pride & Prejudice_ is, I’d say, the perfect mix of period romance, comedy and drama - highly, highly recommended. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-movie-recommendations/494834/20 "2009-05-01T16:46:19Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > One of my favorite stupid movies is _Rat Race_. _Rat Race_ is very stupid. It’s so stupid we kept having to run it back to hear the parts we’d drowned out with laughter. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-movie-recommendations/494834.md?page=2)