# Recommend a film no one else has seen **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 13, 2009, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-film-no-one-else-has-seen/496278 "2009-05-13T13:08:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2009, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-film-no-one-else-has-seen/496278/161 "2009-09-08T11:27:32Z")
Well, my ‘to watch’ list just grew twice its length… And it wasn’t exactly short before! I’m not sure how ‘obscure’ any of these are, but I haven’t seen them mentioned: [_Los Cronocrímines (Timecrimes)_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0480669/) – If you liked _Primer_, you’ll probably like this one; the story is less… entangled, but very well thought out. [_Big Man Japan_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0997147/) – About a 40-something social outcast who transforms into a giant to battle various surreal monsters. [_The Libertine_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0375920/) – Starring Johnny Depp, so it can’t be that obscure, however, I hardly ever see it mentioned anywhere. About the notorious life (and even more notorious death) of John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester. [_Wilde_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120514/) – While we’re on the subject of notorious poets. Also probably not obscure, but definitely less well known than it deserves to be, with a grandiose performance by Stephen Fry. [_City of Ember_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0970411/) – About a post-apocalyptic (not sure if this is ever made clear explicitly) human civilization inhabiting a city built in a giant underground cave that slowly starts falling apart. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2009, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-film-no-one-else-has-seen/496278/162 "2009-09-08T11:51:13Z")
Damn you, Twickster! Now my short Netflix queue is about to become a long one. My suggestions… **A Sinful Life,** originally a skit at the Groundlings in Los Angeles, it appeals mostly to the “theater crowd,” and requires much suspension of disbelief. It has one of the sexiest recipies for camper stew I’ve ever seen, and the funniest excuse for conception I’ve ever heard. May not be available on DVD, but Netflix has it on the streaming list. **[The Favour, the Watch and the Very Big Fish,](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101863/)** Bob Hoskins, Natasha Richardson, Jeff Goldblum. Hoskins plays a religious photographer and one of his actors who looks like Jesus comes to believe he really is. The Very Big Fish has Very Little to Do with the plot, but the original operatic music is delightful. **[Capturing the Friedmans,](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0342172/)** a documentary about a family that – guilty or not – got caught in the child abuse accusation hysteria of a few decades ago. Poignant. What makes it especially good is that the family videotaped themselves during the ordeal and the documentary filmmaker incorporated that video. Also has an extras disc that’s worth a look. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2009, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-film-no-one-else-has-seen/496278/163 "2009-09-08T13:18:47Z")
> [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](#): > > [_Wilde_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120514/) – While we’re on the subject of notorious poets. Also probably not obscure, but definitely less well known than it deserves to be, with a grandiose performance by Stephen Fry. I love that film, which I’ve watched three or four times – and not just because Jude Law (before he was a star) played Bosie. ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2009, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-film-no-one-else-has-seen/496278/164 "2009-09-08T19:17:59Z")
[House](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076162/) (_Hausu_), a classic Japanese horror/comedy. Crazy and trippy; it was made in 1977 and you can see some of the influence it had on more recent Japanese horror. You’ll probably either love it or hate it based on the [trailer](http://quietube.com/v.php/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN0HVJ5tkIM). An interesting film from a few years back is the Bangladeshi [Clay Bird](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0319836/) (_Matir Moina_). It examines the effects of religion and politics in one family, although I don’t think it should be viewed as trying to tackle those issues entirely. It doesn’t need to be viewed as some grand metaphor, and is better enjoyed on its own terms. ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2009, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-film-no-one-else-has-seen/496278/165 "2009-09-08T22:28:14Z")
> [@panamajack](#): > > [House](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076162/) (_Hausu_), a classic Japanese horror/comedy. Crazy and trippy; it was made in 1977 and you can see some of the influence it had on more recent Japanese horror. You’ll probably either love it or hate it based on the [trailer](http://quietube.com/v.php/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN0HVJ5tkIM). Was that a Louis Wain painting attacking the Japanese girls? Oh, and that quietube site gets bookmarked… ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2009, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-film-no-one-else-has-seen/496278/166 "2009-09-08T23:39:27Z")
I’ve always been partial to “Buster and Billie” from 1974 with Jan Michael Vincent, Joan Goodfellow, and Robert Englund before he became Freddy Kruger. I haven’t seen it on TV in 20 years, but was able to get it from Hollywood Video when they sold off all their VHS. Has some nice full frontal of Jan Michael, (if you’re interested). A chick flick for sure, but I really liked it. See synopsis here: [Buster and Billie (1974) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071258/) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-film-no-one-else-has-seen/496278/167 "2009-09-09T00:20:01Z")
[Auto Focus](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0298744/). A semi-biographical of swinger and home pornographer Bob Crane’s life from his getting the Hogan’s Heroes gig to his death in 1978. Angelo Badalementi’s score and the cinematography and the production design all start off like it’s Herbie the Love Bug and go downhill slowly to the point where you want to scrub your head with Bugs Bunny cartoons or something. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-film-no-one-else-has-seen/496278/168 "2009-09-09T01:03:56Z")
> [@Labdad](#): > > Now that it’s available on DVD, maybe [**Two-Lane Blacktop**](http://www.amazon.com/Two-Lane-Blacktop-James-Taylor/dp/B00001ODI0/ref=cm_lmf_tit_18_rsrsrs0) isn’t a “movie no one else has seen” anymore. But I love it. Existential movie about drag racing, starring (Sweet Baby) James Taylor, (Beach Boy) Dennis Wilson and a '55 Chevy. What makes the film extraordinary is Warren Oates, one of my favoritie actors. Once Oates and his GTO come into the picture, the film is amazing. One of my favorites!!! Also has Harry Dean Stanton as a hitchhicker. Warren Oates should have got best supporting actor for his role as…? (None of the characters have names, The Driver, Mechanic, the Girl, the Car, the GTO, that’s how the credits roll.) Great movie, famous last scene. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2009, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-film-no-one-else-has-seen/496278/169 "2009-09-10T02:52:51Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > Ed Solomon’s [_Levity_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0304328/) isn’t a bad way to spend an hour and a half, and no one I ever mention it to has heard of it, much less seen it. I saw it. Hated it, too. I’d like for more people to see **Les Revenants** (They Came Back) - if only to have more people to discuss the ending with. It’s a French zombie movie that contains no brain eating, no moaning, and no running and hiding. Instead the dead return and peacefully resume their lives…for a while. ---
**Author:** ![judikium](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9adbd/32.png) [@judikium](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/judikium)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2009, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-film-no-one-else-has-seen/496278/170 "2009-09-10T03:45:03Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > [The Lucky Ones](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0981072/) (from 2008), a charming road trip story about three soldiers on leave, played by Tim Robbins, Rachel McAdams, and Michael Peña. Engaging characters that I wanted to meet. I’ve seen it twice this year and wouldn’t mind doing it again. I saw an advertisement for that on a DVD recently. It looked great; I wonder why it didn’t catch on. I came in here to suggest [Kids](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113540/), which will probably almost fit because I doubt anyone has seen it… more than once. It’s crude, offensive, disgusting, but at the same time gripping and almost too realistic. It’s the kind of movie that doesn’t get recommended without a wide-eyed warning. Not for the faint of heart. Also [Split Infinity](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0213260/) is a guilty pleasure from my childhood. It’s really no good (as a 5.2 on IMDb will tell you), but it’s a neat little time travel morality tale. Nothing’ll teach you life lessons like the Depression! And finally, [The Buttercream Gang](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103900/) is a drama about a group of friends which has their leader sent off to Chicago, where he joins a real gang, comes back home, and wreaks havoc. It’s kids’ entertainment, yes, but there’s some real heart (and lots of unintended gay subtext) to be found. Also the song “Dreams of a Better Day” is heartbreaking. I’d be very surprised if the second and third had any DVD release. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2009, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-film-no-one-else-has-seen/496278/171 "2009-09-10T05:12:46Z")
> [@judikium](#): > > I came in here to suggest Kids, which will probably almost fit because I doubt anyone has seen it… more than once. It’s crude, offensive, disgusting, but at the same time gripping and almost too realistic. It’s the kind of movie that doesn’t get recommended without a wide-eyed warning. Not for the faint of heart. So…way back when, my lil bro and I, ages 12 and 18 at the time, watched this on cable. The misinformed blurb guy who talked up the movie first said it was **a documentary**. We were horrified. Fortunately we only labored under the impression that it was real for a day or two before finding out otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f08c70/32.png) [@Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Brother_Walker)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2009, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-film-no-one-else-has-seen/496278/172 "2009-09-11T02:31:27Z")
Man, I am way behind in my movie education. Some of these sound _great_! So, as my input, I’d like to recommend: **Citizen X** – Stephen Rea as a communist-era Russian cop trying to catch a serial killer. Well, not \*just \*a serial killer… Also starring Donald Sutherland. I’m sure many have seen **Run Lola Run**. A girlfriend has to run across town to stop her boyfriend from doing something. The first time I saw it, I had to go buy it the next day. ---
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2009, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-film-no-one-else-has-seen/496278/173 "2009-09-11T16:41:49Z")
[http://www.netflix.com/RoleDisplay/Rainer\_Werner\_Fassbinder/20004930?lnkce=seRoTlLn&strkid=1086472386\_1\_0&strackid=30354bed00601e35\_1\_srl](http://www.netflix.com/RoleDisplay/Rainer_Werner_Fassbinder/20004930?lnkce=seRoTlLn&strkid=1086472386_1_0&strackid=30354bed00601e35_1_srl) ---
**Author:** ![rostfrei](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7bcc69/32.png) [@rostfrei](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rostfrei)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2009, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-film-no-one-else-has-seen/496278/174 "2009-09-11T20:08:43Z")
Killer Diller. It was made in 2003 or so and was filmed in my hometown of Fayette, Missouri. It is about a kid who lives in a halfway house. He and the other residents start their own blues band. It’s very good. It stars William Lee Scott, Lucas Black, Fred Willard, John Michael Higgins. It’s available on Netflix. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-film-no-one-else-has-seen/496278.md?page=8)