I have been fortunate to stumble upon some stellar full-feature pictures in recent times.
If you like movies with substance, regardless of their age, but have run out of ideas regarding what to watch, then this list is for you.
In no particular order:
High Noon
Possibly the best Western ever made, because of an immaculately conceived storyline with no gaping holes or inconsistencies, despite an unexpectedly positive denouement. Short, slightly less than 1.5 hours, with one of Gary Cooper’s best performances.
Loves of a Blonde
One of Milos Forman’s first films, tells the story of a Czech concert pianist’s dalliances. A refreshingly honest look at a failed and a successful seduction, portraying life in mid-1960s USSR Czechoslovakia. A subtle and hilarious humor permeates the telling of the tale, which also shines a nonjudgmental light on human nature.
Children of Paradise
A gem made during Vichy occupied France in 1943 by a French Jew, no less, this 3-hour picture retells the lives of theater actors and brigands in 1820s France, centered around the sultry courtesan Garance, played by the inimitable Arletty, and her suitors, Baptiste Debureau, Frederick Lemaitre, Pierre-François Lacenaire, and Edouard de Monteray.
Lawrence of Arabia
Be sure to watch the Director's Cut digitally restored version, released a few years ago, running at almost 4 hours. Peter O'Toole gives a fine performance as T. E. Lawrence, but so do Alec Guinness as Prince Faisal, Omar Sharif as Sherif Karish, and especially Anthony Quinn as Auda abu Tayi. A romping epic which, if you're willing to ignore the blatant British propaganda, is worth sitting through as you'll be feasted with fantastic desert crossings and skirmishes.
Nosferatu
A Dracula like you've never seen before, this silent film shows us a shy and subdued Count, awkward in his movements, for whom you feel pity, as it is clear he is cursed but that there was (and still is?) some good in the man, despite his hungers.
Funny Games
I recommend the German version, released in 1998, not the American one, from 2008. In this movie the German director, Michael Haneke, is poking his finger at what he already felt, 20 years ago, were the potential perils of an excessively PC culture. In the movie he is playing non-stop games with you though, which can get a little unnerving towards the end.
Shot Caller
While this movie may not have gotten huge distribution or notoriety, it sports great acting, and a very well told story. It shows how a picture-perfect life can be derailed because of one single mistake, and shows a man's descent into the at first impression lawless world of prison gang killings.
To Live and Die in L.A.
A great 80's crime caper-action crossover with a charismatic lead William L. Peterson LA cop who is addicted to taking risks, with the one and only Willem Dafoe as the counterfeit-moneymaking bad guy.
Naked
A crudely realistic look at a brilliant cynical young adult artfully played by David Thewlis, who goes around seducing girls and engaging in philosophical rants in early 1990s London.
Apocalypse Now
The Redux 3.5-hour digitally-remastered version is the one I saw. Visually stunning, emotionally jarring, about the futility of war, with a breathtaking performance from Marlon Brando as the morally bankrupt American General-cum-savage.
On the Waterfront
Brando carries this 1950s film where you can see his naturalistic/realistic style marking a transition from the overtly melodramatic performances which were until then the norm.
A Streetcar Named Desire
Another brilliant early Brando film worth watching.
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Matthew Broderick's best role, this is a day in the life of an emotionally and psychologically healthy high school senior, who enjoys bringing good energy to those around him. A pleasure to watch his funny and oft daredevil-like antics.
Badlands
A young Martin Sheen macks on a late-teenage beaut in a small town in the Midwest, and after confronting her father they go off on an adventure. The wide shots of the US's vast unblemished nature 'scapes make this a sumptuous treat.
Days of Heaven
Terrence Malick's second film after Badlands, this is his best. Perfect acting from a young Richard Gere, as well as the narrator girl Linda Manz. The story of a nefarious love triangle, set in early 20th century rural America. Visually the movie immerses you to a great extent.
The Square
A Swedish comedy released last year which also looks at the perhaps excessive indulgence in PC in that Scandinavian country. This statement is made through the story of a Contemporary Art Museum Director and the theft of his cellphone which he suffers at the start.
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Originally Posted by IdolEyes787
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