Exit Music (For a Film)
May 24, 2012 8:49 PM Subscribe
Just broke up and want some movies to distract and calm down. Any suggestions?
I'm planning on watching a lot of Star Trek TOS with my mom, but I'd like a good arsenal of funny, quirky, thrilling, etc. films to take my mind off things. My taste in movies is varied, although there are tons that I haven't seen (so really, all suggestions welcome, even if it seems obvious). For understandable reasons, would like to stay away from anything too romantic right now, as to aggravate the heartache.
(And don't worry, won't just be sitting around watching movies. I'm taking care of myself, reaching out to friends and keeping busy. Just would be nice to have a good standby list for vegging without wallowing).
Thanks me-fites.
I'm planning on watching a lot of Star Trek TOS with my mom, but I'd like a good arsenal of funny, quirky, thrilling, etc. films to take my mind off things. My taste in movies is varied, although there are tons that I haven't seen (so really, all suggestions welcome, even if it seems obvious). For understandable reasons, would like to stay away from anything too romantic right now, as to aggravate the heartache.
(And don't worry, won't just be sitting around watching movies. I'm taking care of myself, reaching out to friends and keeping busy. Just would be nice to have a good standby list for vegging without wallowing).
Thanks me-fites.
Beautiful camerawork and fantastic subjects and pretty damn thrilling: Step Into Liquid, and Riding Giants.
posted by rtha at 8:59 PM on May 24, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by rtha at 8:59 PM on May 24, 2012 [1 favorite]
I found Forgetting Sarah Marshall to be comforting after a breakup, even though it's about a breakup. I also like over-the-top, cathartic comedy like the Jackass movies and Martin and Orloff.
posted by alphanerd at 9:07 PM on May 24, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by alphanerd at 9:07 PM on May 24, 2012 [1 favorite]
I was also going to suggest Ronin! It's so underrated.
Some other non-romantic movies I really like:
Master and Commander (so good)
The Odd Couple (HILARIOUS)
JJ Abrams' Star Trek reboot
The Adventures of Tintin
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (there is a love interest but it's not very romantic)
The original Star Wars trilogy
The Indiana Jones trilogy (a bit of romance, but not much)
O Brother Where Art Thou?
Lawrence of Arabia
The original MASH (the series is great, too)
The Shawshank Redemption
Road to Perdition
The Hunt for Red October
Gorky Park
The French Connection
A couple of absorbing documentaries:
The Fog of War
Spellbound
(Step into Liquid was also awesome)
Three great Discovery series:
Planet Earth
Blue Planet
Human Planet
posted by elizeh at 9:14 PM on May 24, 2012
Some other non-romantic movies I really like:
Master and Commander (so good)
The Odd Couple (HILARIOUS)
JJ Abrams' Star Trek reboot
The Adventures of Tintin
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (there is a love interest but it's not very romantic)
The original Star Wars trilogy
The Indiana Jones trilogy (a bit of romance, but not much)
O Brother Where Art Thou?
Lawrence of Arabia
The original MASH (the series is great, too)
The Shawshank Redemption
Road to Perdition
The Hunt for Red October
Gorky Park
The French Connection
A couple of absorbing documentaries:
The Fog of War
Spellbound
(Step into Liquid was also awesome)
Three great Discovery series:
Planet Earth
Blue Planet
Human Planet
posted by elizeh at 9:14 PM on May 24, 2012
Mission Impossible (the first one - I can watch that over and over and it always makes me happy!)
The Producers
This is a TV series, but I still think it could fit the bill: The League (streaming on Netflix)
The Incredibles, Monster Inc., Ratatouille, Despicable Me
posted by rainbowbrite at 9:15 PM on May 24, 2012
The Producers
This is a TV series, but I still think it could fit the bill: The League (streaming on Netflix)
The Incredibles, Monster Inc., Ratatouille, Despicable Me
posted by rainbowbrite at 9:15 PM on May 24, 2012
How 'bout some awesome documentary-type? My favorites: Good Hair, The Art of the Steal, Touching The Void.
Some other favorites: Despicable Me, The Shawshank Redemption, Jaws, Star Trek (2009).
posted by Sassyfras at 9:19 PM on May 24, 2012
Some other favorites: Despicable Me, The Shawshank Redemption, Jaws, Star Trek (2009).
posted by Sassyfras at 9:19 PM on May 24, 2012
Funny/Quirky: Blackadder, Black Books, Father Ted... any hint of romance always ends in sarcasm and/or death. :)
posted by The otter lady at 9:24 PM on May 24, 2012
posted by The otter lady at 9:24 PM on May 24, 2012
Airplane! One of the funniest movies ever.
posted by SisterHavana at 10:03 PM on May 24, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by SisterHavana at 10:03 PM on May 24, 2012 [1 favorite]
I like Brit/Irish gangsterish flicks:
Layer Cake
The Bank Job
Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels
Snatch
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
Ganster No. 1
In Bruges
Intermission
Good for distraction!
posted by OompaLoompa at 10:09 PM on May 24, 2012 [2 favorites]
Layer Cake
The Bank Job
Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels
Snatch
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
Ganster No. 1
In Bruges
Intermission
Good for distraction!
posted by OompaLoompa at 10:09 PM on May 24, 2012 [2 favorites]
Chalk is a neat, funny mockumentery about teachers that doesn't really have a romance plot or subplot.
Don't Tempt me is a fun weird movie about heaven and hell fighting for a man's soul. It's pretty neat, and has a great cast. They speak French in heaven, English in Hell, and Spanish while on Earth.
Spaced is pretty amazing, short British TV series with slim-to-no romantic content.
All three available on netflix instant.
posted by Garm at 10:33 PM on May 24, 2012
Don't Tempt me is a fun weird movie about heaven and hell fighting for a man's soul. It's pretty neat, and has a great cast. They speak French in heaven, English in Hell, and Spanish while on Earth.
Spaced is pretty amazing, short British TV series with slim-to-no romantic content.
All three available on netflix instant.
posted by Garm at 10:33 PM on May 24, 2012
Funny:
The Ladykillers (the original)
Some Like it Hot
Back to the Future
Goodbye Lenin!
Jonny English (I know I know.... but I like it!)
I'm guessing you're in the US, but if you have Netflix there are some excellent British comedy TV series on there (if you can view them in the US) such as:
Spaced
Peep Show
The Inbetweeners
The Thick of IT
Red Dwarf
posted by lizabeth at 12:36 AM on May 25, 2012
The Ladykillers (the original)
Some Like it Hot
Back to the Future
Goodbye Lenin!
Jonny English (I know I know.... but I like it!)
I'm guessing you're in the US, but if you have Netflix there are some excellent British comedy TV series on there (if you can view them in the US) such as:
Spaced
Peep Show
The Inbetweeners
The Thick of IT
Red Dwarf
posted by lizabeth at 12:36 AM on May 25, 2012
The Thing (1982).
Doesn't really matter what you're up to or what you wanna do; the Thing is sublime moviecraft. It goes well with everything.
posted by DemographicLanguage at 2:11 AM on May 25, 2012 [1 favorite]
Doesn't really matter what you're up to or what you wanna do; the Thing is sublime moviecraft. It goes well with everything.
posted by DemographicLanguage at 2:11 AM on May 25, 2012 [1 favorite]
The Avengers.
posted by Sebmojo at 3:29 AM on May 25, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Sebmojo at 3:29 AM on May 25, 2012 [1 favorite]
Funny TV:
The IT Crowd! It's on Netflix streaming!
Freaks and Geeks
Father Ted
Parks and Rec
Funny Movies:
Stranger than Fiction (good existentialism for after a breakup)
Harold and Maude (dark humor)
Amelie (feel good beauty)
Ghost World (dark but funny)
Intense but Engrossing Movies:
There Will Be Blood
Children of Men
posted by shortyJBot at 4:20 AM on May 25, 2012 [1 favorite]
The IT Crowd! It's on Netflix streaming!
Freaks and Geeks
Father Ted
Parks and Rec
Funny Movies:
Stranger than Fiction (good existentialism for after a breakup)
Harold and Maude (dark humor)
Amelie (feel good beauty)
Ghost World (dark but funny)
Intense but Engrossing Movies:
There Will Be Blood
Children of Men
posted by shortyJBot at 4:20 AM on May 25, 2012 [1 favorite]
A few movies I love that I hope will cheer you up!
Raising Arizona
The Big Lebowski
Rushmore
The Prestige
The Departed
Memento
American Beauty
posted by treehorn+bunny at 5:11 AM on May 25, 2012
Raising Arizona
The Big Lebowski
Rushmore
The Prestige
The Departed
Memento
American Beauty
posted by treehorn+bunny at 5:11 AM on May 25, 2012
I came in to suggest Christopher Guest too! Absurd and funny and non-romantic.
posted by SeedStitch at 5:54 AM on May 25, 2012
posted by SeedStitch at 5:54 AM on May 25, 2012
How are you on the "so bad it's good"/MST3K angle? If you can get down with that, there's a film that served to be so good at distraction it calmed my roommate down after we'd had a breakin: Blood Freak. It is the only anti-drug mutant-monster horror film made by born-again Christians, to my knowledge, and it looks like it was made on a budget of "about twelve cents and some pocket lint". There is a romantic subplot, but the rest of it is so brain-breaking you will only laugh, I swear.
Other than that - I find O Brother, Where Art Thou so happy-making that once, even just making the plan to see it was enough to snap me out of a bad mood.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:53 AM on May 25, 2012
Other than that - I find O Brother, Where Art Thou so happy-making that once, even just making the plan to see it was enough to snap me out of a bad mood.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:53 AM on May 25, 2012
Yes, definitely go out and see 'The Avengers' at the cinema.
Also watch The Lord of the Rings trilogy extended editions, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Animal House, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Starship Troopers, Donnie Darko, Back to the Future trilogy and many more!
posted by h00py at 7:01 AM on May 25, 2012
Also watch The Lord of the Rings trilogy extended editions, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Animal House, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Starship Troopers, Donnie Darko, Back to the Future trilogy and many more!
posted by h00py at 7:01 AM on May 25, 2012
Young Frankenstein. An absolute comedy classic.
posted by jquinby at 7:05 AM on May 25, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by jquinby at 7:05 AM on May 25, 2012 [2 favorites]
After my last break-up I remember really enjoying Thelma and Louise.
posted by to recite so charmingly at 8:37 AM on May 25, 2012
posted by to recite so charmingly at 8:37 AM on May 25, 2012
Response by poster: Thanks, all you wonderful people. I'm picking up a few on my way home. But keep posting if you think of more (for other interested folk, too).
posted by Paper rabies at 12:15 PM on May 25, 2012
posted by Paper rabies at 12:15 PM on May 25, 2012
Krubrick. Dr. Strangelove, Full Metal Jacket, The Shining, The Killing, etc.
Also, for the so bad it's good- early Peter Jackson- Bad Taste, Meet the Feebles, Dead/Alive (Braindead outside of the US). Be warned- my friends won't let me pick the movie anymore after Dead/Alive.
posted by Hactar at 12:17 PM on May 25, 2012
Also, for the so bad it's good- early Peter Jackson- Bad Taste, Meet the Feebles, Dead/Alive (Braindead outside of the US). Be warned- my friends won't let me pick the movie anymore after Dead/Alive.
posted by Hactar at 12:17 PM on May 25, 2012
One more, Reefer Madness (the musical version, not the original).
posted by Hactar at 12:18 PM on May 25, 2012
posted by Hactar at 12:18 PM on May 25, 2012
What works best for me is something really absorbing that has absolutely nothing to do with love and isn't very emotional.
Fincher is good for this:
The Social Network
Zodiac
The Game
posted by timsneezed at 2:42 PM on May 25, 2012
Fincher is good for this:
The Social Network
Zodiac
The Game
posted by timsneezed at 2:42 PM on May 25, 2012
Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost In New York ALWAYS cheer me up.
Some other movies to consider:
Some Like It Hot
Charlie Brown Movies
Mrs.Doubtfire
I think the funniest things (especially) when I'm feeling down are really clever kids movies.
posted by thischarmingirl at 1:34 PM on May 27, 2012
Some other movies to consider:
Some Like It Hot
Charlie Brown Movies
Mrs.Doubtfire
I think the funniest things (especially) when I'm feeling down are really clever kids movies.
posted by thischarmingirl at 1:34 PM on May 27, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
Also, Mel Brooks: Blazing Saddles, History of the World: Part I, and The Producers are a lot of fun.
posted by griphus at 8:53 PM on May 24, 2012 [5 favorites]