I’ll throw in a vote for that one! Great, somewhat misunderstood movie.
“Your people have a lot of Hells!”
2nd these:
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
Latitude Zero
In America
Lone Star
Primer
Trollhunter
Lust/Caution
The Salton Sea
Adding:
A midwinter’s Tale/In the Bleak Midwinter
A group of out of work actors get together to do Hamlet at Christmastime, a Kenneth Branagh gem.
Children of the Revolution
Austrailan film with Judy Davis as a socialist true believer that has Staln’s love child.
Red Rock West
Neo noir with Nicholas Cage and Dennis Hopper
I will suggest a movie I watched only a few weeks ago.
The Man Who Haunted Himself (1970).
When Roger Moore reflected on his career he said this movie was his best performance. “It was a film I actually got to act in, rather than just being all white teeth and flippant and heroic.”
A little-known movie my wife and I really enjoy is DUETS. Paul Giamatti at his scene-chewing best.
Also with Gwenyth Paltrow and Huey Lewis, and with some surprising cameos.
Long thread. I posted about it earlier. Great film.
Yeah, that was a list of already posted films I was seconding, sorry if that was unclear.
Ok, was just commenting on the hammy acting, but I do like the image of a clove studded ham.
The Journey of Natty Gann with a young John Cusack as deuteragonist.
Natty is a preteen living in Chicago who’s separated from her father, who has minutes to choose to get on a bus to Washington state and get a job. Natty goes out to reunite with him.
It’s on Disney Plus.
“Natty” is married to Patton Oswalt. Her dad used to be my dentist for a short while.
Oh, I need to rewatch that one. I remember enjoying it. The character has a tiny cameo in the remake of Witch Mountain, which I think is on Disney +. While we are on the subject of Disney +, Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken was a good movie. McFarland USA is also completely enjoyable with a good cast.
Same actress, and the character name is the same (well, “Natalie” Gann), but I think it’s designed as an homage, and not supposed to be the same character. Journey of Natty Gann took place during the Depression, and reporter Natalie Gann was fairly young in Race to Witch Mountain.
two 1980 comedies I enjoyed(though they might not be for all tastes):
Midnight Madness -a 1980 film about five teams of college students doing an all night scavenger hunt/competition. Also Michael J. Fox’s film debut in a small role.
Up the Academy - a 1980 film about a group of misfits at a military academy. Originally titled Mad Magazine Presents Up the Academy Mad Magazine was disappointed with the results and had its name taken off the film when it was originally released on video. (I believe the references have been restored now.)
I’m convinced that Local Hero was a major influence on TV show Northern Exposure. Bill Forsythe’s other films from that era, Gregory’s Girl and Comfort & Joy, are also great quirky fun.
I love this movie. I don’t own a lot of movies, but I own this and The Station Agent.
Another movie aimed at kids but enjoyable for adults, is Monkey Trouble, starring Thora Birch, Harvey Keitel, and Mimi Rogers. It’s about an irresponsible kid who finds and raises in secret a capuchin monkey, which, unbeknownst to her, had been trained as a pickpocket by a grifter (Keitel) who wants his meal ticket back. It’s very well done and Keitel is always fun to watch.
Agreed.
I just rewatched The Spanish Prisoner, and then read your spoilered analysis. I agree completely! I had missed several of your clues, but I did have the feeling there was about a 55% chance the “bad guys” included those you mentioned.
I found The Spanish Prisoner to be quite a disappointment. I think the two best, less well known, Mamet movies are State and Main and Heist. (Ricky Jay was a much better actor than most people think.)
I’ll back you on State and Main. Very funny movie. Great cast (Alec Ballwin, Sarah J Parker, William Macy, Phillip Seymour Hoffman), 85% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.
Just 6 million box office in the US.
(…and I thought Spanish Prisoner was kind of a “by the numbers” effort.)
The Invisible Guest
Spanish thriller from 2016.
IMDB says: A successful entrepreneur accused of murder and a witness preparation expert have less than three hours to come up with an impregnable defence.
Have seen it a couple of times. Taut, nail biting and kept me guessing the whole way through. Very well directed. Probably not well known outside of Spanish-speaking countries but I discovered it on Netflix.
I’m not that fond of this movie. But the scene with Barbara Bach as the weapons instructor is hilarious.