A movie to watch

April 27, 2007 5:15 PM

Recommend me some movies to watch tonight...

I want to watch a couple of movies tonight after a grueling work week. Something in the thriller, adventure, drama , or science fiction genres (guess that just rules out comedy and horror) in that order.

I realize that this is a terribly wide and inapt question for asking here, but I don't wanna skim through the shelves at Blockbuster for an hour again, and I haven't asked a question here in ages.

posted by raheel to Grab Bag (36 answers total)

What movies have you seen that you think are really good films?
posted by nola at 5:22 PM on April 27, 2007

Akira
posted by Max Power at 5:23 PM on April 27, 2007

Response by poster: Lately?

World's Fastest Indian
Equilibrium
Stranger Than Fiction
Spy Games
Like Water For Chocolate
Amelie
The Bourne series
Shawshank Redemption
Mumford
posted by raheel at 5:25 PM on April 27, 2007

Cannibal Holocaust
posted by Kirklander at 5:26 PM on April 27, 2007

Just in case this post survives, here's a source for you.
posted by found missing at 5:28 PM on April 27, 2007 [1 favorite]

The Fifth Element.
posted by Max Power at 5:28 PM on April 27, 2007

Response by poster: Post survives?
Was this really inappropriate to ask?
posted by raheel at 5:28 PM on April 27, 2007

Children of Men

The Lost Room
posted by vers at 5:32 PM on April 27, 2007

Who here likes movies about pancakes?
posted by jjg at 5:32 PM on April 27, 2007

Like you said, it's really general, and you can easily Google lists of highly acclaimed movies.

That aside, Donnie Darko, Dead Poet's Society, Fight Club, Little Miss Sunshine, to name a few of my favorites.
posted by theiconoclast31 at 5:33 PM on April 27, 2007

I'm no 007 fan generally, but I enjoyed the latest offering, Casino Royalle. Fewer gadgets and more action than previous Bond movies.

I also just saw The Prestige. Same director as Batman Begins, The Following and Memento, if you liked either of those.
posted by lekvar at 5:35 PM on April 27, 2007

Lord Of War
French Connection
French Connection II
Me And You And Everyone We Know
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Chinatown
MirrorMask
Seconds
Seven Days In May
The Manchurian Candidate (original)
Tideland
The Devil's Backbone
Frenzy
Runaway Train
The Discreet Charm Of The Bourgeoisie
Titus
Lilo & Stitch
A History Of Violence
Little Children
Serenity
Munich
The Servant
The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, & Her Lover
Monsters, Inc.
A.I.
Femme Fatale
The Warriors
Wild Strawberries
posted by Sticherbeast at 5:37 PM on April 27, 2007

Spy Game = Robert Redford + Brad Pit + CIA = awesome.
posted by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 5:38 PM on April 27, 2007

I'll second Children of Men, and Chinatown.
posted by nola at 5:42 PM on April 27, 2007

You absolutely must see Shakes the Clown, "the Citizen Kane of alcoholic clown movies".
posted by JaredSeth at 5:42 PM on April 27, 2007 [1 favorite]

Antonia's Line (foreign drama)
Harold and Maude (drama)
Jackie Brown (directed, but not written by, Quintin Tarantino. Based on Rum Punch by Elmore Leonard)
posted by fings at 5:43 PM on April 27, 2007

On the theory that, since I liked most of the films on your "lately" list, and leaning towards recent films that made me smile, I think you might like:

Lucky Number Sleven
The Matador
Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang

Less happy, but still very good:
Spartan
Children of Men
V for Vendetta
Brick - Film noir transported into a highschool.

Some older stuff I liked:
Following - an earlier film by the writer of Memento
Richard III ( 1995 )
Zero Effect
posted by Crosius at 5:51 PM on April 27, 2007

shutter
posted by thilmony at 5:52 PM on April 27, 2007

Best answer: Do you need any suggestions for what I like to eat while I'm watching the movies I like?
posted by found missing at 5:53 PM on April 27, 2007

Murderball
posted by geekyguy at 6:02 PM on April 27, 2007

Mr. and Mrs. Iyer
posted by Methylviolet at 6:06 PM on April 27, 2007

The Jerk
American Asshole
The Idiot
posted by mkultra at 6:14 PM on April 27, 2007

The Professional
posted by meta87 at 6:33 PM on April 27, 2007

The Emperor's New Groove always makes be grin like an idiot.
posted by SPrintF at 6:44 PM on April 27, 2007

Lock, Stock, & Two Smoking Barrels
The Usual Suspects
Better Off Dead
posted by Argyle at 6:47 PM on April 27, 2007

Sexy Beast
posted by electroboy at 7:16 PM on April 27, 2007

Marathon Man.
posted by thejoshu at 7:30 PM on April 27, 2007

Second for Stranger Than Fiction; deeply satisfying film.
posted by ZakDaddy at 7:43 PM on April 27, 2007

Whoa - I just noticed "AI" up there. I wanted a movie, not a bunch of disingenuous, expository sermons salted through a thin story like the money shots in the world's dullest porno.

Personally, that one makes my short list of regrettable wastes of my lifespan, on par with "Contact", "Gattaca", "The Apostle" and that episode of the Muppet Show with Carol Burnett. YMMV.
posted by Crosius at 8:06 PM on April 27, 2007

If your feeling adventurous
posted by mand0 at 8:18 PM on April 27, 2007

Highly, highly, highly recommend The Departed. Latest Scorese offering fits the crime/thriller/drama, and would be just perfect for a Friday night. Of course anything else by him, especially Goodfellas, Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, and Raging Bull.

I'll also throw out there anything by Hitchcock. Rear Window, North By Northwest, Rebecca, Vertigo.

I could go on forever with either of these two directors.
posted by jroybal at 8:47 PM on April 27, 2007

CRANK

Surprised me completely - a fantastic movie in a crappy action movie packaging.
posted by chundo at 9:30 PM on April 27, 2007

we have similar tastes, so i'd recommend "proof". i'm not a Gwyneth Paltrow fan, but i love that film.
posted by gursky at 10:40 PM on April 27, 2007

What you wanted was the number 2 suggestions for the google search movie suggestions
posted by Deathalicious at 4:02 AM on April 28, 2007

After looking at the answers I feel like I just spent an hour at Blockbuster without pictures and descriptions.
posted by trishthedish at 7:35 AM on April 28, 2007

Ok, Murderball is an inspiring documentary, which proves that physical limitations are no match for the human spirit. For the determined quadriplegic men who participate in the dangerous sport of "quad rugby," it's more than just a game: it's a chance to prove themselves in a much bigger way. With armored wheelchairs and enough macho energy to overcome any challenge, the players engage in a violently physical game. The charming but intimidating Mark Zupan was angry and suicidal after a car accident relegated him to a wheelchair. He regained his confidence and spirit by becoming both a player and the spokesman for quad rugby's Team USA. Zupan's militaresque rival, Joe Soares, is a former star for Team USA who headed north to coach Team Canada when he was cut from the US team in 2000. Concentrating on the buildup to the 2004 Paralympics in Athens, the film introduces other awe-striking figures--young men who have risen to the challenge of the game time and time again. As the days build to the inevitable showdown between Team USA and Team Canada, Rubin and Shapiro fill the screen with story after story, prodding the audience to swallow their own individual stereotypes and appreciate the efforts of these extraordinary men. The magic of MURDERBALL is that it never feels preachy. Rather, it entertains as much as it enlightens.

It is rated at 98% on Rotten Tomatoes for what it's worth.
posted by geekyguy at 4:11 PM on April 28, 2007