Monday, September 15, 2008

12 "Movies You Should See" at Hollywood Video.

Having been recently employed at Hollywood Video, they have given me the opportunity to have my own section of movies I want to recommend to people. I was told to select 12 and, being the huge dork that I am, this really got me thinking. These are movies I think people really need to see, but that does not mean that they are my favorite movies. I have created my list and I thought this blog was a great place to share the 12 I selected and a short explanation for each. These explanations are really for why I chose these films for the general public to check out.

1. Pulp Fiction (1994)
----- What can be said about Pulp Fiction that hasn't already been said a thousand times? This was one of the obvious picks I chose, but this film truly changed my life. Before Pulp Fiction, I really didn't know what a great film was supposed to be. After being blown about by the masterpiece by Tarantino, I knew exactly what that term "masterpiece" truly meant. Fantastic dialogue, acting, action, and characters. What else do you need?

2. 12 Angry Men (1957)
----- This may seem like another obvious choice, but not for the audience I am targeting. 12 Angry Men is my favorite type of film: simple , with great dialogue and great acting. The premise and location is so simple and sounds boring when first heard. However, it is captivating from beginning to end. Henry Fonda does a great job in this Civics class favorite.

3. Back to the Future (1985)

----- Okay, this one is so unbelievably fucking obvious! But, come on, how can you not recommend this to the average folk wandering aimlessly around the video store? Just a fun, stone cold classic. I defy anyone to pick this one up off of my shelf and tell me that they thought it sucked.

4. Yojimbo (1961)
----- Here is where I really start to pull stuff out of left field for the general moviegoers. Yojim-what? Yojimbo, bitches! My favorite Kurosawa film and the first foreign film that I really loved. It's funny, full of action, and has great acting. If the damn people coming into the store will just get over themselves and not care about reading in a movie. Come on, is it really that hard to read? Try it and I think you'll dig it.

5. Little Children (2006)

----- I already reviewed this movie, so I'll keep this brief. I'm very certain most people haven't even heard of this one, which included me at one point. It's a solid pick for the suburban people in my town and they may possibly connect on some level to the characters. Kate Winslet is always a star and the people in the video store need to see her in something else other than Titanic. That's not a knock on Titanic, of course, because you all know how foolishly I love that movie.

6. American History X (1998)

----- It surprises me how many people in the town I live really dig Edward Norton. I'm right there with them, as well. He is awesome in American History X, as is the rest of the cast. This is another film that really changed my perception of cinema and although I've someone outgrown it now, it still really moves me whenever I see it. It's also a movie that I love watching with others to see what their reactions and thoughts are.

7. Trainspotting (1996)

----- Another one that I think most people have never even heard of. This might be a little difficult to watch for the common renter, but if they can make it through...maybe they'll really like it. This will also erase the notion that Ewan McGregor has only played Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequels. This movie just has one of those vibes that I really dig. You picking up what I'm putting down? That's what I thought, bitch! Um....sorry for the jive talk.

8. This is Spinal Tap (1984)

----- You really can't get much funnier than this film. The first time I watched it, I laughed my ass off. The second time, I laughed even harder. Spinal Tap gets better every single time I pop it in. Hopefully this can cancel out the modern day spoof movie in the eyes of the customers. Because, well, it's actually funny...unlike "Epic Movie", "The Love Guru", and every other abomonation to the spoof genre that we have had to stomach in the past 5 years.

9. Better Off Dead (1985)

----- Another one that I really don't think many have heard of, but it does seem to be gaining steam as of late. Just a really silly 80s comedy with a lot of great gags and a great comedic performance from John Cusack. If this one flew under the radar for most in the 80s, hopefully they'll pick it up and laugh at the absurdity of the whole damn movie.

10. Barton Fink (1991)

----- A highly underrated film and my favorite of the Coen Bros. to date. John Turturro does a great job, but John Goodman steals the show for me. John Goodman, of all fucking people! Another one of those great dialogue films for me. I mean, not much happens...but I loved watching it the whole time. The scenes with only Turturro and Goodman are far and away the best. Absolutely blew me when I saw it.


11. Manhattan (1979)

----- Damn, I should have put This is Spinal Tap at #11! Oh well. There's just something about Woody Allen that I really, really, love. I don't know what it is. Maybe it's his dialogue, maybe it's his acting, maybe it's just something that cannot be explained. Manhattan, for me, was better than Annie Hall in almost every way. The love story is not the normal one that we seem to have been presented with for so long. Great characters and, especially, dialogue.

12. Wayne's World (1992)

----- Wow, what an enjoyable movie. After I first watched this, it instantly became my favorite movie of all time. That, of course, has now changed. However, my love of the movie has never really dwindled. It's so unbelievably funny and quotable. If the customers are looking for an afternoon of silly fun, then look no further. I guarantee an hour and a half of laughter, or something close to it. You have to at least appreciate the movie for it's fine use of the hai ku. I mean,"It's like we're looking down on Wayne's basement, only that's not Wayne's basement. Isn't that weird?"

Well, there you have it. Greyson's "Movies You Should See" coming soon to the Hollywood Video nowhere near you. I would really appreciate any thoughts or suggestions in the comments below.

Thanks for reading!

1 comment:

Kumar said...

I agree with you on almost all of them (except those I haven't seen), except Wayne's World. Really? Really, Greyson? Not saying it's bad, but ... really? :P