Here are three that aren’t that well-known, but I don’t know anyone who’s seen them that didn’t like them, so it’d be a good bet that your group would enjoy them. I suck at describing movies and reviews, but I’ll give it a go…
Tumbleweeds - this first feature film by Gavin O’Connor, based on the biography of Angela Shelton, stars Janet McTeer (in an Oscar nominated role) as Mary Jo Walker, the mother of 12-year old Ava (played by Kimberly J. Brown). Mary Jo is a bit of a flake. She doesn’t think she can get along without a man, and so marries early and often. When things go wrong, she packs up and leaves town with Ava. As the movie starts, it’s happening again…there’s a fight in the kitchen and Ava, who’s been through this before, is packing up in the bedroom. They take off and head for California, where Mary Jo meets another man, but this time, Ava (who often seems older than her years, and more mature than her mom), is going to see to it that things don’t turn out the same way they always have before.
If that synopsis sounds somewhat familiar, there was another crazy mother/mature daughter/road movie called Anywhere But Here, which came out around the same time and completely overshadowed the wonderful Tumbleweeds. Though I liked ABH, I liked Tumbleweeds more and think it should be seen and loved for its great performances, witty and thougtful script, and sensitive direction.
Out of Sight - For a smart, funny, sexy romantic caper film, they don’t come much better. George Clooney plays Jack Foley in this Steven Soderbergh film. Foley is the world’s nicest bank robber, but he’s not too good at it and keeps ending up in jail. During a breakout, he and his partner Buddy (played by Ving Rhames) unwillingly end up kidnapping federal agent Karen Cisco (played beautifully by Jennifer Lopez - yes, she CAN act!) and they find they’re attracted to each other. What follows is a funny and sexy cat and mouse game between the two. This is a movie that gets better and better with each viewing, so don’t worry if someone in your group has already seen it.
For silly fun and excellent music, my final suggestion is…
Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? - It’s the totally goofy story of Ulysses Everett McGill, a con who’s not quite as smart as he thinks he is, who busts out of jail with his chainmates Pete (John Turturro) and Delmar (Tim Blake Nelson) under the guise of having to retrieve a buried treasure before the valley is flooded by a dam. Hilarity, lots of it, does ensue. This movie by the brilliant Coen Brothers is one of my favorite films, not least because of the great music. If you’ve heard the music, you’ll know what I mean. If you haven’t seen the movie and haven’t heard the music, you’re going to want to go buy the soundtrack the very next day.
Have fun with whatever you choose!
). This is for my sisters and my mom, I need some good movie recommendations to entertain us.