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Favorite Film & Television that missed the mainstream.
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16 titles
- DirectorIvan PasserStarsPeter O'TooleMariel HemingwayVincent SpanoAn eccentric scientist teaches a student in his own manner while he looks for a way to clone his deceased wife.At age 18 this movie held the secret to life, the universe and everything.
- DirectorLynne LittmanStarsJane AlexanderWilliam DevaneRossie HarrisThe life of a suburban American family is scarred after a nuclear attack.Claiming "this was my first nuclear holocaust movie" seems incredibly morbid. Still this is the standard by which all others since have been judged, and none have done a better job of depicting what the aftermath might be. As grim as it is, experts at the time claimed it was an optimistic view and the reality might be worse. It should be required viewing for every generation.
- CreatorWinnie HolzmanStarsBess ArmstrongWilson CruzClaire DanesA 15-year-old girl and her trials and tribulations of being a teenager and dealing with friends, guys, parents, and school.Somewhat redeemed in its afterlife, with only 19 episodes still making the Writers Guild of America's 101 best written television series.
- DirectorKathryn BigelowStarsAdrian PasdarJenny WrightLance HenriksenA small-town farmer's son reluctantly joins a traveling group of vampires after he is bitten by a beautiful drifter.Kathryn Bigelow's early touch on vampires before they became cool then uncool again.
- DirectorVictor NunezStarsAshley JuddTodd FieldBentley MitchumA young woman struggles for independence and identity in a small Florida tourist town.When Ashley Judd was just the sister of famous country singers.
- DirectorRobert MulliganStarsSam WaterstonTess HarperGail StricklandA coming of age story set in the south of the U.S. when Elvis was King.When Reese Witherspoon was almost an embryo.
- DirectorMike CahillStarsBrit MarlingWilliam MapotherMatthew-Lee ErlbachOn the night of the discovery of a duplicate Earth in the Solar system, an ambitious young student and an accomplished composer cross paths in a tragic accident.Brit Marling couldn't get the roles she wanted, so wrote this compelling script.
- DirectorWill GeigerStarsMax MinghellaBlake LivelyJoe MantegnaDying after being crowned Miss Texas Rose, Anabelle comes alive just before Elvis embalms her. He does his ailing dad's work. Anabelle later returns to the embalmer's farm to get away from her mom and be happy.Beginning with its outrageous premise, anticipated this film could only disappoint. In every critical scene there was opportunity for it to go wrong. I expected it to turn silly, then it didn't. When I knew it would be too melodramatic or corny it didn't go there either.
In particular I am sensitive to how the south is depicted in film. Accents are typically exaggerated with unrealistic dialog. Law enforcement is usually portrayed as incompetent and fumbling. "Elvis and Anabelle" comes close to violating all of the clichés yet never crosses the line.
Finally I realized my cynical prejudgment was similar to Elvis's life disposition. What I didn't expect was this movie to inspire me. - DirectorSofia CoppolaStarsKirsten DunstJosh HartnettJames WoodsA group of male friends become obsessed with five mysterious sisters who are sheltered by their strict, religious parents in suburban Detroit in the mid 1970s.Sofia Coppola's first effort directing.
- DirectorRobert AltmanStarsGlenn CloseJulianne MooreLiv TylerConflict arises in the small town of Holly Springs when an old woman's death causes a variety of reactions among family and friends.
- DirectorHoward DeutchStarsEric StoltzMary Stuart MastersonLea ThompsonWhen Keith goes out with Amanda, the girl of his dreams, Amanda's ex-boyfriend plans to get back at Keith. Meanwhile, Keith's best friend, tomboy Watts, realizes she has feelings for Keith.This John Hughes concoction didn't receive much attention compared to "The Breakfast Club" or "Pretty in Pink". It is a formulaic and unapologetic story of a loner aiming for the popular girl and falling in love with his best friend. Apologies if that is a spoiler. More than any of Hughes' characters from films that defined a generation, I identified with Eric Stoltz as Keith Nelson, "the human tater tot."
I rated it a 9 on the IMDB, fully realizing it was not in league with Oscar worthy titles given that score. A long with "War Games" and few other good but not great movies that made a lasting impression, I will allow personal bias to supersede objectivity. - DirectorSidney LumetStarsRiver PhoenixChristine LahtiJudd HirschThe eldest son of a fugitive family comes of age and wants to live his own life.
- DirectorSofia CoppolaStarsBill MurrayScarlett JohanssonGiovanni RibisiA faded movie star and a neglected young woman form an unlikely bond after crossing paths in Tokyo.Sofia Coppola's second.
- CreatorJoshua BrandJohn FalseyStu KriegerStarsRichard KileyTrey AmesAdam ArkinJoe Gardner, a child of the Depression, is a successful plastics manufacturer in Seattle, Washington. After his wife dies, his four adult children move back in.Another in the "too good for television" category. Then barely known Sarah Jessica Parker gave ABC execs what for when it was prematurely cancelled.
- CreatorJoshua BrandJohn FalseyStarsSam WaterstonRegina TaylorJeremy LondonForrest Bedford is a Southern lawyer in the late 1950s, generally content with his privileged life.The first TV series I ever saw Sam Waterston in, born for the role southern attorney during the civil rights era.
- StarsTom BergeronLynn ClaytonBasiaA morning show on FX, full of laughs, craziness, "Road Warriors," interviews in bathrooms, bedrooms, closets, oh...and a co-host named Bob, who just so happens to be....a puppet.