# Suggest for Me a Film **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 28, 2005, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-for-me-a-film/305857 "2005-05-28T04:17:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![inkleberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f17d59/32.png) [@inkleberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/inkleberry)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2005, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-for-me-a-film/305857/1 "2005-05-28T04:17:46Z")
I had a rather…unusual childhood. I was not allowed to watch movies. I only watched TV when I was sick, and so Mr. Rogers is forever linked with having a small glass tube stuck up my bum. But I digress. The point is that I have seen very few movies. I’d like to see some more, but I’m kinda like a deer in headlights when at the video store. Too many choices! Dopers, help me get my education on by recommending some movies. Nothing scary though, because horror movies make me scream and sleep with the lights on for days. You can cross off any Spike Lee films though, becaue those I have seen. All of them. Yes, I’m a big weirdo. Oh, and I saw that Vanilla Ice movie too. No more like that, please. ---
**Author:** ![La\_Llorona](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@La\_Llorona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/La_Llorona)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2005, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-for-me-a-film/305857/2 "2005-05-28T04:35:41Z")
Let us see…_Casablanca_. _Gone with the Wind_. _A Streetcar Named Desire_. _The Philadelphia Story_. _Bringing Up Baby_. _My Fair Lady_. _Breakfast at Tiffany’s_. _Young Frankenstein_. _The Wizard of Oz_. Anything Monty Python, but particularly _The Life of Brian_. If you end up watching and enjoying _Gone with the Wind_ and _A Streetcar Named Desire_ and need a Vivien Leigh fix, try _Waterloo Bridge_ and _That Hamilton Woman_ (which seem to be considerably harder to find). And for the most effervescent, completely non-scary Hitchcock film ever, try _To Catch a Thief_. ---
**Author:** ![inkleberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f17d59/32.png) [@inkleberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/inkleberry)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2005, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-for-me-a-film/305857/3 "2005-05-28T04:43:28Z")
> [@La Llorona](#): > > Let us see…_Casablanca_. _Gone with the Wind_. _A Streetcar Named Desire_. _The Philadelphia Story_. _Bringing Up Baby_. _My Fair Lady_. _Breakfast at Tiffany’s_. _Young Frankenstein_. _The Wizard of Oz_. Anything Monty Python, but particularly _The Life of Brian_. > > If you end up watching and enjoying _Gone with the Wind_ and _A Streetcar Named Desire_ and need a Vivien Leigh fix, try _Waterloo Bridge_ and _That Hamilton Woman_ (which seem to be considerably harder to find). > > And for the most effervescent, completely non-scary Hitchcock film ever, try _To Catch a Thief_. Ooh… good ones. I’ve seen much Python though, and LOB is my least favorite. Breakfast at Tiffany’s the only other one on the list that I’ve seen, and it didn’t appeal much. Also, I was disappointed with the lack of bacon in that film. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2005, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-for-me-a-film/305857/4 "2005-05-28T05:27:59Z")
> [@inkleberry](#): > > Mr. Rogers is forever linked with having a small glass tube stuck up my bum. You too, huh? ---
**Author:** ![Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stark_Raven_Mad)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2005, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-for-me-a-film/305857/5 "2005-05-28T05:37:25Z")
For more recent films: _Requiem for a Dream_ _Trainspotting_ _Pulp Fiction_ _Amadeus_ I have no idea why three of those four movies involve a lot of drugs. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2005, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-for-me-a-film/305857/6 "2005-05-28T06:02:55Z")
> [@inkleberry](#): > > Oh, and I saw that Vanilla Ice movie too. No more like that, please. You don’t know me. You don’t know me…at all. Oh yeah; I had a friend in college that liked that movie so much (in the “so good it’s bad” way…he wasn’t insane) he purchased it from the video store. But I digress. My number one recommendation to you would be Alfred Hitchcock’s [Rear Window](http://imdb.com/title/tt0047396/?fr=c2l0ZT1kZnxteD0yMHxsbT01MDB8dHQ9b258ZmI9dXxwbj0wfHE9cmVhciB3aW5kb3d8aHRtbD0xfG5tPW9u;fc=1;ft=20;fm=1). It’s a bit of a thriller (but bloodless, despite the crime involved), a bit of romance (but not sappy), a bit of comedy (but not cheesy); it’s just, quite frankly, the best movie ever made. I like most of **La Llorona** ’s list, except for _Gone With The Wind_ (yawn), and like you, I can take a pass on _Tiffany_, though I did like Hepburn in her starring role, _Roman Holiday_, with Gregory Peck. Also recommended and starring Peck is _To Kill A Mockingbird_, which is quite faithful to Harper Lee’s outstanding novel. _Casablanca_ is a deserved classic and double-features well with _The Third Man_. While we’re on Welles, _Citizen Kane_, while perhaps not the best film ever made (see above) is well worth the time, as is _The Lady From Shanghai_. _The Bicycle Thief_ is an excellent film as well. Depending on your tastes and sense of humor any of the Cary Grant comedies such as _Bringing Up Baby_, _His Girl Friday_, and especially _Arsenic and Old Lace_ (a serial killer comedy, if you can buy that) are well worth watching, as are the various Marx Brothers films. I’m also a fan of film noir, like _Out Of The Past_, _The Maltese Falcon_, _The Big Heat_, and Billy Wilder’s _Double Indemnity_. While we’re on the topic of Wilder, you can bet on most of his oeurve, especially _Some Like It Hot_, _The Apartment_, and _Sunset Blvd_. But this is all older stuff. More recent films of note: _Chinatown_, _LA Confidential_, _Raise The Red Lantern_ (warning: subtitles), _The Godfather_ and _The Godfather, Part II_, _As Good As It Gets_ (with the lovely Helen Hunt), _Apollo 13_, _Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind_, _The Incredibles_…the list is endless, actually. More complex films, that take a bit of time to matriculate: _Being John Malkovich_, _2001: A Space Oddessy_, _La Dolce Vita_, _Il Conformosto_, _Blade Runner_…again, I could go on endlessly. One of my especial favorites that gets better every time I watch it is Terry Gilliam’s _Brazil_, a movie of such complexity and dizzying pace that you have to see it at least half a dozen times to really pick up on everything that is going on. There are many more than I’m sure I’m missing; is there a paticular genre or type of film you are interested in? Any particular actors or directors you like? Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Fake\_Plastic\_Trees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/258eb7/32.png) [@Fake\_Plastic\_Trees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fake_Plastic_Trees)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2005, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-for-me-a-film/305857/7 "2005-05-28T06:17:58Z")
Pulp Fiction is an Absolute must (In Fact anything By Mr Tarantino [Jackie Brown, Resoviour Dogs, Kill Bill, Four Rooms] Lock, Stock and two smoking Barrels, Snatch, Stickmen, High Fidelity, Bandits, Donnie Darko. They are the only ones i can think of at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2005, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-for-me-a-film/305857/8 "2005-05-28T07:16:34Z")
[This](http://www.afi.com/tvevents/100years/movies.aspx) is a good place to start. P.S. Still ticked off the DVD I sent you never arrived. ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2005, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-for-me-a-film/305857/9 "2005-05-28T07:24:40Z")
This is a good place to start, as well: [http://imdb.com/chart/top](http://imdb.com/chart/top) ---
**Author:** ![Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stark_Raven_Mad)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2005, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-for-me-a-film/305857/10 "2005-05-28T07:26:30Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > [This](http://www.afi.com/tvevents/100years/movies.aspx) is a good place to start. > > P.S. Still ticked off the DVD I sent you never arrived. Fact of life: mailmen steal. Packages don’t just “get lost” in transit. I’ve sent money in an envelope (I know now this is a bad idea), a trumpet, and a set of DVDs only to have them disappear in transit. I only use DHL now. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2005, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-for-me-a-film/305857/11 "2005-05-28T08:01:11Z")
> [@Stark Raven Mad](#): > > Fact of life: mailmen steal. Packages don’t just “get lost” in transit. I’ve sent money in an envelope (I know now this is a bad idea), a trumpet, and a set of DVDs only to have them disappear in transit. I only use DHL now. Don’t mean to hijack **inkleberry** ’s thread, but (back story) I sent a copy of the final episode of Joan of Arcadia to her. Spent the time copyijng and a nifty label and postage and well…she never got it and I look like a flake. I have since deleted the episode from my DVR, so I can’t even make a new copy to send again. Sucks. But back to the OP…I would also be interested in RECENT films that are worth seeing. So along with any other suggestions, if anybody can suggest a non-blockbuster that has recently come out on DVD that would be worth renting, I would appreciate it as well as I think it would interest **inkleberry**. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Kenneth\_Noisewater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@Dr.Kenneth\_Noisewater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Kenneth_Noisewater)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2005, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-for-me-a-film/305857/12 "2005-05-28T09:53:49Z")
A Chaplin film is bound to entertain you, but you’d have trouble finding one at a Blockbuster video or its ilk. I recommend City Lights but I’m sure anyone else would push for Modern Times. If you want action with a bit of drama, try Spiderman or Star Wars. If you want a comedy, may I suggest something from Mel Brooks - my personal favorite is Spaceballs, but History of the World Part I never let me down. Annie Hall is a good one with a little more drama and a lot less farce. I noticed you don’t like horror movies, so avoid The Shining at all costs. I saw that thing yesterday and I can’t sleep now. I keep thinking those creepy little dead girls are gonna pop up at any second. Here’s a random assortment of pretty good movies, depending on who you ask: > **[IMDb Top Rated Movies](https://www.imdb.com/chart/top)** > > Check out the top 250 movies as rated by IMDb users ---
**Author:** ![carlotta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@carlotta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carlotta)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2005, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-for-me-a-film/305857/13 "2005-05-28T12:16:00Z")
Um, how old are you about? Because I think it’s really important that you catch up with the kids’ and teenage movies of your agemates. Like if you were a teenager in the 80s and never saw “Pretty In Pink” or “The Sure Thing”, then you have some remedial work to do. I can only advise you if you’re about my age (35) ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2005, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-for-me-a-film/305857/14 "2005-05-28T12:31:59Z")
You advise ‘Pretty in pink’ and 'The Sure Thing" but no mention of ‘Rumble Fish’, ‘The Outsiders’ (ok, so I had a Matt Dillion fetish) or ‘Risky business’. Shame on you. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![CBCD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@CBCD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBCD)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2005, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-for-me-a-film/305857/15 "2005-05-28T12:47:26Z")
The Marx Brothers’\* A Night at the Opera\*. John Ford’s _The Searchers_, and _The Quiet Man_ Um…these are all likely to have what you called a ‘lack of bacon.’ ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2005, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-for-me-a-film/305857/16 "2005-05-28T14:38:41Z")
Mostly from the '80s: funny - _This is Spinal Tap Parenthood Planes, Trains and Automobiles The Four Seasons_ intense - _Glengarry Glenn Ross Chariots of Fire Ordinary People_ unusual - _Purple Rose of Cairo Bullets over Broadway The Usual Suspects Fargo Raising Arizona Harold and Maude_ Older films: _All About Eve It Happened One Night Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolfe Father of the Bride (w/Spencer Tracy)_ also seconding - _Amadeus Pulp Fiction Casablanca Requiem for a Dream_ ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2005, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-for-me-a-film/305857/17 "2005-05-28T17:47:07Z")
\*\*The Princess Bride \*\*appears to be a favorite of a good many members of these boards (myself included). ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2005, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-for-me-a-film/305857/18 "2005-05-28T18:05:50Z")
Just a note about YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN- it is basically funny as is, but it’s much funnier if you are familiar with these movies from the 1930’s and 40s- FRANKENSTEIN w/ Boris Karloff BRIDE OF F… also with BK SON OF F… ditto BK GHOST OF F… w/ Lon Chaney Jr F… MEETS THE WOLFMAN w/ Bela Lugosi and I think your adversion to scary movies will not be bothered by these. ---
**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:** [May 28, 2005, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-for-me-a-film/305857/19 "2005-05-28T18:18:23Z")
Moving thread from IMHO to Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Unkempt\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b782af/32.png) [@The\_Unkempt\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Unkempt_One)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2005, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-for-me-a-film/305857/20 "2005-05-28T18:21:29Z")
\*[Ernest Goes To Camp](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092974/) \* - Seriously. I consider this to be one of the best movies ever. This Ernest movie is not like most of the other Ernest movies that were released later, it actually has a decent plot, some good acting by [Jim Varney](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001815/), and some really funny parts as well. You should check it out! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-for-me-a-film/305857.md?page=2)