Saturday 30 September 2017

#267 Some really good films about being on your own

I can't remember discovering Into The Wild. I think it's one of the films my old housemate Naomi put on in the lounge in Dulwich. I've watched it a few times during my career break. At once, a great inspiration and a perfect warning about the danger of extreme independence.

A Very Murray Christmas competes gallantly for my most-watched film. A more well-heeled, dry-humoured nod to loneliness, I find it as relevant in December as it is in Spring, Summer or Autumn. Plus it's a musical so it makes good background listening.

Come to think of it, Castaway, which is probably my number one favourite, shares the theme. I think, if it wasn't for Star Wars, one might worry that no films I liked had much to say for human relationships. I'm going to count the whole Star Wars collection as one film as I can't be bothered to rank them.

Harold And Kumar Get The Munchies. I've never been a stoner but any film containing hamburgers and Neil Patrick Harris deserves credit, so it makes the list.

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Quiet. Solemn. Romantic. The flow of the Mandarin is like listening to music.

The Fast And The Furious. A representation of youthful angst, which glamourises the adrenaline junkie lifestyle by flooding the screen with shiny cars, popular music and Corona.

I think that's most of my favourites.

6 comments

Fizzfan said...

I agree about Into The Wild and of course Castaway.

I think I like films about relationships and human behaviour and their dark weird sides and/or humour and truth.

Magnolia because I love Phillip Hoffman Seymour and although I'm not a fan of Tom Cruise, he does play an unusually vile character and it's weird enough to make it a stand alone classic.

The Big Short because it's about the banking crash and based on a true story.

One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest. Just because its brilliant and you could be forgiven for thinking Jack Nicholson is almost playing himself.

Seven. I like a good psycho thriller.

Thelma and Louise. Great gettin away from it all movie.

Pulp Fiction. One off mad special.

Pay It Forward. About doing good things and the repercussions.

Another heart warmer:- The Fundamentals Of Caring about a disabled boys relationship with his carer. Paul Rudds in it and I like his ordinariness, humour and warmth.

Brain dead Blockbuster. The Day After Tomorrow. I like disaster movies in a switch off and let the world be saved while I'm in my cosy socks n slippers kinda way.

I haven't seen A Very Murray Christmas, but I like him, so I'll put it on my to do list.

Profound Familiarity said...

Yeah I loved Seymour Hoffman. Long before I knew his name, I'd like it when he appeared in something. Twister. Radio Rock. Moneyball.

If you liked The Day After Tomorrow, you might like "2012".

Fizzfan said...

If it's on Netflix or Amazon Prime I'll take a look. Thanks:))

One I forgot that I think's on a par with Shawshank Redemption is Sleepers with Kevin Bacon.

Running on empty said...

Can't say that I have favourites. Favourite genres, maybe, but nothing set in stone.

Profound Familiarity said...

Do you watch many films Cath?

Running on empty said...

I watched more before I had kids, or got online. Both have cramped things. I make time to see seminal movies though, like LOTR. I've taken teens to a couple of movies last year. On pay tv, the home of bad movies, I watch bad disaster movies sometimes. Things with monster sharks, etc, they are so bad they are great!