Here's some more movies that you can save for a rainy day. Here's the previous list.
11. That Thing You Do
That Thing You Do is a movie about The Wonders, a band from Erie, Pennsylvania that never existed. Starring among others Steve Zahn and a pre-Lord of the Rings Liv Tyler, That Thing You Do is a fun, fast-paced movie that covers the rise and inevitable fall of the band without taking itself too seriously. The movie has likable characters and a great soundtrack, and wraps up with a satisfying conclusion.
10. Three Days of the Condor
Three Days of the Condor is one of several films that inspired The Winter Soldier. A political thriller that plays on the whole theme of not being able to trust anyone, Three Days of the Condor stars Robert Redford and Faye Dunaway, as well as a memorable roll from Max von Sydow, which I believe was probably the chief inspiration for Jean Hamme's character The Mongoose in XIII. This movie does a great job of building paranoia and has several good twists.
9. A Life Less Ordinary
This movie is sort of like The Adjustment Bureau but much, much more zany. In it, a young man snaps and decides to kidnap a young heiress and hold her for ransom. He is comically inept, and soon she has to step in and help him. Romance ensues, which is mucked up by a pair of angels who arrive to try and set their relationship straight. It's weird. Really weird. But definitely worth watching.
8. Richard III
This is an adaptation of Shakespeare's famous play set in an alternate 1930's Great Britain. Featuring Ian McKellen as the titular character, this is one of the more clever adaptations I have seen. Richard's famous "Now is the Winter of Our Discontent" is used as a political speech. His brother and sister-in-law are patterned after the famously fascist King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson, which is a particularly interesting way of reconciling the play with the politics of Britain in the 1930's. But regardless of whether you appreciate those particular nuances or not, it is just a good film and adaptation in general.
7. The Court Jester
This movie never ceases to crack me up. I love The Court Jester. Danny Kaye does an excellent job of balancing the delivery of razor-sharp wit alongside slapstick comedy throughout the movie. The other characters are excellent as well, ranging from what I can best describe as a Musical Batman to a hilariously incompetent evil King who makes Disney's Prince John look like Machiavelli.
6. The Third Man
A mystery film set in post-WWII Berlin, The Third Man features a number of excellent plot twists and one of the more interesting antagonists of cinematic history. Not a happy or feel-good film by any means, The Third Man is an interesting film which encourages you to think and try and put the pieces together yourself.
5. Source Code
Directed by Duncan Jones, aka Zowie Bowie, the son of glam rocker David Bowie, Source Code is an interesting look at time-travel; sort of an especially intense Groundhog Day scenario. For whatever reason I hardly ever hear about this film, which is a bummer since it is pretty good. I first watched this with my cousin and sister and I was skeptical at first, but over time I have come to appreciate it.
4. The Fantastic Mr. Fox
Another Wes Anderson film? Yep. Apparently there was a lot of curiosity when it was announced that Anderson was going to be directing a stop-motion film. Would his idiosyncratic style translate to the new medium? Well, The Fantastic Mr. Fox was an emphatic yes to that question. Maybe I should not post this here, since it is well known, but dang it, if you have been sitting on the fence about watching this film, bite the bullet and check it out. At the very least it will give you something to talk about.
3. The Great Race
This 1965 movie is the ancestor of all bizarre, crazy race films with wacky over-the-top villains. That's a very specific genre, I know, but it is what it is. Much like The Assassination Bureau, The Great Race is a period piece with an excellent cast, great score, and non-stop action and humor.
2. Better Off Dead
Better Off Dead was a movie which mocked 1980's teen films that was actually made in the 1980's. It is very hard to describe. It starts out sort of normal before quickly breaking free of the bonds of realism and sanity. When I first watched it I had no idea what to expect, every scene topped the one that came before that. Some of the many things that are featured include: A Korean high-schooler who learned English by listening to Howard Cosell, a newspaper boy who may be able to transcend space and time, a burger which comes alive and sings, and a bunch of other stuff I have forgotten. That doesn't begin to quantify this movie. Just watch it.
1. Gattaca
One of my favorite movies and one of the best sci-fi films of all time, Gattaca investigates the potential cultural consequences of human genetic manipulation and one man's attempt to subvert the expectations placed upon him by society's elite and to succeed. There are numerous social metaphors that can be applied here, but even without those in mind, this is a poignant film with interesting characters that provide a great deal of food for though. Check it out.
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