Before I dive in to my latest batch of movie reviews, I would like to ask for some help from you, my esteemed readership. With the sudden closure of our local video library, I am planning to reactivate my old Netflix account. I want your help in setting up my queue. Recommend movies that are:
- your current favorites
- your all-time favorites
- your least favorite
- truly awful
- completely out of left field (in a good way)
Please don’t feel obligated to complete the entire bulleted list. Just give me whatever comes to mind. I thank you in advance for your thoughtful selections. Now, on to the reviews.
Zombieland – What do you get when you combine a pitch-perfect cast with a visually stunning opening credits sequence with an unexpected cameo by actor B.M. and more creative zombie kills than should be legal? You get the feel-good film of the Fall movie season. Grade: A-
My Life in Ruins – Since Fehmeen wears the remote in our family (and subsequently chose this movie for us to watch), maybe she could review it and grade it in the comments section. Thanks, Babe.
The Jerk – Do yourself a favor and watch this movie again for the first time. It’s worth it for the phone book scene alone. Grade: B+
The Adventures of ALS Boy 
* Harold & Maude (a Higgins Bros production: written by Colin and featuring Gary, Barry & Brian – can you spot them?)
* current favs – the Harry Potter movies, one right after the other
* and seasons 1-6 of One Tree Hill (I know, not movies, but Netflix provides all!)
* The English Patient, Hope Floats, The Butterfly Effect
* and my fav of all time, The Wizard of Oz
At the top of our Netflix queue is ALWAYS “The Office” Seasons 1-5. Can’t get funnier 🙂
Also featuring on our queue:
“The Sandlot” and “The Princess Bride” (classics)
For some added humor, throw in “Role Models” and “I Love You, Man”
Adventure? We’ve got “Angels & Demons” on there.
And, I’m not gonna lie, we also have “The Chipmunk Adventure” on there… and yeah, by Chipmunks I mean Alvin and The Chipmunks. My fave movie as a kid… Emma, I recommend this to you 🙂
We saw Zombieland last weekend and loved it as well! Hilarious!
Cinephile that I am, I have FAR too many recommendations (in all your suggested categories), but I’ll try to be brief:
Current favorites: Anvil! The Story of Anvil, Moon, The Prestige
All-time favorites (obvious choices, for the most part): Pulp Fiction, Goodfellas, 8 1/2, This is Spinal Tap, A Mighty Wind, Wizard of Oz, Empire Strikes Back, The Blues Brothers, Breakfast Club, O Brother Where Art Thou, Shadow of a Doubt
Least favorite: anything starring Kevin Costner, Angel Heart
Truly awful: 3000 Miles to Graceland, Duets (although Paul Giamatti is brilliant)
Out of left field: Oscar, The Dark Backward, Don’t Look Now (scariest. movie. ever!), Cop Rock: the series (not yet available on NetFlix, but hopefully someday)
* your current favorites- Big Fish
* your all-time favorites- Shakespeare in Love, Forrest Gump, Goodbye Lenin, Shawshank Redemption
* your least favorite- LORD OF THE RINGS
* truly awful- The Lake House (the absolute worst movie I’ve ever seen ever)
* completely out of left field (in a good way)- Who’s Minding the Mint– this is old (late 60’s) but I totally loved it when I was a kid. I could watching it over and over again (still could). That and Airplane!
OHHHHH… Big Fish is fantastic, but I need a whole box of Kleenex every time I watch it!
And surely no one could ever tire of watching Airplane!
I have seen three fantastic movies in a row now. I highly recommend District 9. Good sci fi movie, good political statement movie rolled into one. Zombieland, obviously you have already seen. Paranormal Activity was scary as H E double chopsticks, and done for $14K. Goes to show, all the CGI in the world can’t compare to a good idea, well put together, well acted and realistic.
I took my time with this one.
I really wanted to think about it
Netflix: We just watched Rescue Me and liked it and are starting to watch Entourage from the beginning. But nothing beats Buffy the Vampire Slayer tv show..Classic!
For the wife, Pride and Prejudice..either the new version or six hour.
Plus it is always good to watch Braveheart once a year.
Just saw Law Abiding Citizen…good guy movie (that you know I liked).
Hey, here’s my 2 cent’s…..gotta see ‘Memento’ and ‘What the bleep”. One of my alltime fav’s…for the bugger scene alone…is ‘Dumb and Dumber’! Enjoy! Hey, did you catch the Michael Jackson/This is it? MP
Uh, that would be BOOGER……..sorry;)
your current favorites
tv shows on netflix such as mi-5 which has the less politically correct name “spooks” in britain, dollhouse, dexter, mitchell and webb (hilarious), peep show, all time great tv shows arrested development, freaks and geeks, and undeclared
your all-time favorites
Shakespeare in love, duck soup, mystery men, brother from another planet, oh brother where art thou
your least favorite
anything that tyler perry presents, anything about a family vacation that goes oddly awry, anything that uses the word zany in the preview
truly awful
see above, however if they get awful enough they become awesome, see below
completely out of left field (in a good way)
the thing with two heads, the original 300, the 1960’s sinbad movies as well as the old version of the odyssey, the attack of the killer tomatoes, and anything canadian. my american cousin is an awesome canadian movie that shows americans how we see you… ultra cool, super sexy, fat, loud, and with abnormally large cars.
All-time favs list includes Field of Dreams, Shawshank Redemption, and Pride and Prejudice (Knightly version).
Truly awful: Room with a View, Ishtar
Loved ‘the bug’ as an elephant.
All time Fav: Cool Runnings
Close second: Crimson Tide
Anything by the 3 Stooges
Bull Durham
Dave (Kevin Kline impersonates the president – you can do anything if you just try!)
Enjoy!!
Oh I agree that Don’t Look Now (assuming the one based on Daphne Du Maurier’s novelette) was terrifying. It was a GREAT movie. Very suspenseful.
Try A Fish Named Wanda and Silverado…light fun. Any Mel Brooks movie (partial to Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles.)
Fave is Blade Runner and Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Try TV series Firefly (instant queue on Netflix) and the corresponding movie Serenity.
Enjoy
Kris