Recommend a film worthy of a serious discussion. Need answer fast!

Cafe Society
1

My college alumni chapter is looking for film on which to have a seminar, a two-hour conversation among 10-20 of us. Here’s what we’re looking for:

[ul]
[li]Themes or subject matter worthy of a serious conversation. (Note that this doesn’t necessarily exclude comedies, although I don’t think we’ll be watching Dude, Where’s My Car?)[/li]
[li]Original to the screen, not adapted from a novel or another work.[/li]
[li]Readily available on DVD, Netflix, etc.[/li]
[li]Not extraordinarily long. No more than 2.5 hours.[/li][/ul]
Titles we are considering include Memento and Il Postino, but I’d like a few more to toss into the ring. We need some good candidates by Tuesday or Wednesday at the latest.

Thanks.

2

Star Wars. 30+ years of discussion and still counting.

I mean, can you be more specific? What sort of film? What sort of discussion?

3

Network

4

The “no adaptation” rule takes a lot of really good films off the table.

Round Midnight
The Conversation
American Beauty
second for Network

5

From the film class I took at UT on gender and sexuality in film:

Mad Max
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
Queen Christina

My favorite, Orlando, is nixed. But if you’re flexible on the original screenplay, that one is chock full of discussion topics.

6

Are movies based on human rights or political issues permissible? Movies such as:
Blood Diamond (diamonds being sold by rebel groups in Western Africa to buy weapons for civil war)
Lord of War (arms trafficking)
Hotel Rwanda (genocide)
The Killing Fields (genocide)
Raise the Red Lantern (woman’s rights)

7

My Life Without Me

8

Primer

9

The Last Supper.

It’s got a good cast, and has as its theme a running discussion on a moral quandry.

Funny, too.

10

(shrug) I gotta go with that. Every year it becomes more prescient. :frowning:

Except the part where Faye Dunaway humps William Holden while crying out the ratings. I don’t even think she would do a corpse for money.

ETA: Though “Dunston Checks In” comes close.

11

Gosford Park is an interesting study of class systems.

My personal favourite is Mulholland Drive. Now there’s a conversation that will carry on for days.

12

Great suggestions, everyone. Keep 'em coming.

13

Recently I really loved In Bruges and I think there’s plenty to talk about!

14

Want a debate you won’t soon forget? Palme D’Or winner 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days.

Maybe it would help if you could name some other films the group has enjoyed, or particular fields of interest or expertise?

15

I feel like I’m being simpleminded here, but why not Lawrence of Arabia
No, I don’t have links, but it’s not like that’s a hard movie to find.

It has small intimate moments that could be done on a stage. It has giant moments that need the backdrop of a desert.

It is loosely based on an autobiography that was only loosely based on the truth.

There’s a lot of West vs East. War and the Why. Culture.

“He likes your lemonade.”

16

It’s a Wonderful Life (Frank Capra)
Harvey
Vertigo

17

I just saw Spike Lee’s Bamboozled. I think it’s a very fine film and other than that I don’t know what to think of it. It is a film that made me feel more uncomfortable than any film I’ve seen for quite a few years. *Do the Right Thing *would be another good choice.

OTOH, a large group discussion about race can be a very tough thing.

18

**Brazil **is a great film which touches on a number of contemporary themes: terrorism, bureaucracy, technology.

I second Gosford Park. If the English class system sounds like an interesting topic for your group it would be hard to pick a better film.

For something different why not try some anime? Princess Mononoke and Ghost in the Shell would be great films to spark a discussion.

19

So many to choose from, but I agree that GOSFORD PARK would be an inspired choice - so many levels of discussion; class differences, the culture of that time, clothing, manners, morals, etc. etc. - not to mention a very interesting mystery that unfolds. The sets and scenery were beautiful as well.

Although the film had decent popularity, I think it was underrated and deserved a wider audience. Is anyone has not seen it yet, it is most certainly worth a look!

20

Cider House Rules. That is if you don’t mind debating abortion. :eek: