Surprisingly good movies you've never seen

[butterbeanlove]

"The Ice Storm" and "Pieces of April"

These two are of a piece - best meant to be watched on the first grey day of November when the leaves have fallen off the trees. If you grew up in New England you know what those days leading up to Thanksgiving are like.

"The Ice Storm": Christina Ricci, Tobey McGuire, Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver, all in career performances.

"Pieces of April" - Katie Holmes, Patricia Clarkson: just everything leading up to the worst Thanksgiving ever... or the most necessary.

Great soundtracks on both, btw. They're both mood pieces more than anything, but if there's anything better to watch in late fall in New England, I haven't seen it.

[Edgar]

jeepers creepers? 

[tenaciousT]

Love the thread.

I read through the first 4 pages. I will slog through the rest when I get a chance. I'll actually use this thread when I'm looking for something interesting that I'm not familiar with.

Personally, I've been attracted to TCM and the whole 30s/40s/50s B&W stuff. It is so different that what is out today.

Here's few for those who can watch the old B&W gems(most of the younger generation hates the idea of B&W, I've found)

Clash By Night - it has a young Marilyn Monroe in a supporting role, but a great story and dialogue that takes place in a New England fishing village. It is a 50's film but it turns out it was directed by the great Fritz Lang, he of 'Metropolis' fame.

Humoresque (Joan Crawford, John Garfield)

I am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang (Paul Muni -true story and great actor)

Sunset Boulevard (William Holden, Gloria Swanson)

Of course - the Seven Samarai (Japanese -subtitled - but excellent)

Beautiful Day (Italian - subtitled - again excellent)

love most Jimmy Stewart, Cary Grant, Clark Gable movies that I've seen.

Period WWII movies - but great.

Best Years of Their Lives
 
While You Were Away (Corny good)

Purple Heart

Miracle of Morgan Creek (Comedy)(end of WWII titles)

Bad Day at Black Rock - Spencer Tracy

One of my very favorites - Key Largo (Humphrey Bogart, Edward G. Robinson, Lionel Barrymore, Lauren Becall)

Dial M for Murder

The Postman always Rings Twice

Rear Window (Hitchcock and Jimmy Stewart)

Thanks for the great thread!

[LB3533]

"Wheels on Meals"

[shiggins]

Blue Hill Ave

[SShorefan 3.0]

Anyone ever seen "Spy Who Came in From the Cold"

1965 w/ Richard Burton the screen adaptation of John LeCarre's novel.  Very good

[indeedproceed]

In Bruges was really good. Colin Ferrel, the big red head guy from 28 days later and Gangs of NY, and Ralph Fiennes. Nice movie in the spirit of "Snatch" kinda.

[SShorefan 3.0]

Anyone ever seen "Spy Who Came in From the Cold"

1965 w/ Richard Burton the screen adaptation of John LeCarre's novel.  Very good

OK, this is a bit weird --- no more than 30 minutes after I posted the above, this news story pops up:

Report: John Le Carre says he nearly defected

By RAPHAEL G. SATTER – 48 minutes ago

LONDON (AP) — British espionage writer John Le Carre said he was tempted to defect to the Soviet Union when he worked for British intelligence agency MI6, according to an interview published Sunday.

In an interview with The Sunday Times, the 76-year-old novelist was quoted as saying he was curious about what was on the other side of the Iron Curtain.

"I wasn't tempted ideologically," he was quoted as saying. "But when you spy intensively and you get closer and closer to the border ... it seems such a small step to jump ... and you know, find out the rest."

A phone call and an e-mail left with Le Carre's agent in London seeking comment on the interview were not immediately returned.

Le Carre — whose real name is David Cornwell — has firsthand experience with defection and betrayal. He began working for British intelligence in 1949, being posted to Bonn and Hamburg in what was then West Germany, but the Times said his career was derailed by British defector Kim Philby.

Cornwell drew on his real-life experience for a series of best-selling novels, making his name with the publication of "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold" in 1963.

That book and others received critical acclaim for their exploration of the moral ambiguities of the Cold War. Many were made into movies: "The Constant Gardener," starring Ralph Fiennes, was the latest to receive big screen treatment.

[celticmaestro]

In Bruges was really good. Colin Ferrel, the big red head guy from 28 days later and Gangs of NY, and Ralph Fiennes. Nice movie in the spirit of "Snatch" kinda.

Being Irish, I can relate to that film. I found it hilarious, whether all the non-Irish did too I don't know.

[cordobes]

Two oldies you've probably never seen:

Johnny Belinda    (with Jane Wyman)
Thérèse (with Catherine Mouchet)

More well known, but I guess that rarely seen these days, Fred Zinnemann's "A Man for All Seasons", a biopic on Sir Thomas More, with Paul Scofield.

[LB3533]

OK, I got another one that is "surprisingly good & probably not seen before by many".

"Session 9" - psychological suspense thriller...could be classified as a horror flick, but not like those mindless slasher flicks.

[DingDongDel]

I watched the Hammer with Adam Carolla the other day. Not what I expected at all. Very good movie.

[nickagneta]

One of my favorite old time black and white movies, Cool Hand Luke. If you never saw it, it's a pretty great movie.

[celticmaestro]

One of my favorite old time black and white movies, Cool Hand Luke. If you never saw it, it's a pretty great movie.

Quality film, Paul Newman is a great actor.

[bucknersrevenge]

In Bruges was really good. Colin Ferrel, the big red head guy from 28 days later and Gangs of NY, and Ralph Fiennes. Nice movie in the spirit of "Snatch" kinda.

Brendan Gleeson. Fine actor and been in a lot of movies next to most of the A-list talent in Hollywood.