Random, but Excellent, Movie Suggestions

I was trying to think of a really great blog post topic, but I was at a complete loss. So, I decided to write a little about something I like, movies, and even more than that, sharing what I think are good movies with other people. Here is a short list of some of my favorites. It's certainly not a comprehensive list, and I'm choosing to leave off some of my favorites that I think most people probably know of already, like Star Wars. This is more of a "Hey, here are some great movies you may not know about" kind of list. Here goes...


Jesus of Nazareth- a long, but wonderful and reverent, adaptation of the greatest story ever told. Many people star in this one. Robert Powell plays Jesus. If memory serves he has a British accent, but to me that's better than American, and about as good as you can get unless they speak in the original language like in The Passion of the Christ. 1977- Franco Zeffirelli directs.


Big Fish- starring Ewan MacGregor, about a dying man whose life story seems too good to be true. His son seeks out the truth and finds some fascinating answers. Uplifting with great storytelling. 2003. Don't think there's too much to worry about here- maybe some language.


In the Bedroom- starring Sissy Spacek, Marisa Tomei, Tom Wilkinson. This is a drama about a married couple who lose their teenage son to violence (about an hour into the movie) and their struggle to deal with the aftermath. It is heavy and sad, but a very well-told story with amazing performances. I watch this when I'm in the mood for a good catharsis. 2001. Violence and adult themes.


A&E's Pride and Prejudice- for those of you participating in Melanie Dickerson's Jane Austen challenge, I highly recommend this faithful, five-hour adaptation of one of my favorite books. The Kiera Knightley version does not come close to this one. Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle star. 1995.


The Best Man- a young Italian woman, sometime around the turn of the century, is forced by her family to marry a man she doesn't love. His long-time friend arrives from America to be the best man, and she immediately falls in love with him instead. Sweet story. Subtitled. 1998.


Waiting for Guffman- a hillarious mockumentary by Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy, in the tradition of Spinal Tap, about a community theatre troupe in Blaine, Missouri who wait anxiously for a Mr. Guffman from New York to come and see their show and make them all big stars. The cast is mostly the same as in his other works- Catherine O'Hara, Guest, Levy, Parker Posey, Fred Willard, and many others. 1997. Language warnings.


A Room with a View- based on the E.M. Forster novel and starring Helena Bonham-Carter, Julian Sands, and Maggie Smith- oh, and how can I forget????!!! Daniel Day-Lewis as the foppish Mr. Cecil Vyse!!! (which proves what an awesome actor he is, that Nathaniel from Last of the Mohicans could also play this part- unbelievable!!!) I'm getting myself so worked up by this entry, I think I'll go and watch it now! 1985. Great love story set in England and Italy around the turn of the century (the last one- not the millenium). Light-hearted and delightful. There is nudity- but it's not of the vulgar kind.


If you've seen any of these, let me know what you think. If you watch any based on my recommendations, I'd love to hear your opinion!