Film Therapy - July 2020
by bennybrown | created - 13 Jul 2020 | updated - 31 Jul 2020 | PublicMental Fitness Challenge
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1. A Married Woman (1964)
Not Rated | 94 min | Drama, Romance
A superifical woman finds conflict choosing between her abusive husband and her vain lover.
Director: Jean-Luc Godard | Stars: Bernard Noël, Macha Méril, Philippe Leroy, Christophe Bourseiller
Votes: 4,355
Annoying central character but still very fun being that the film was part of the French New Wave, which was so far ahead of its time and redefined the process altogether.
2. Cléo from 5 to 7 (1962)
Not Rated | 90 min | Comedy, Drama, Music
Cleo, a singer and hypochondriac, becomes increasingly worried that she might have cancer while awaiting test results from her doctor.
Director: Agnès Varda | Stars: Corinne Marchand, Antoine Bourseiller, Dominique Davray, Dorothée Blanck
Votes: 27,340
One of the better films in the French New Wave... a couple of mind boggling tracking shots, in terms of where the technology was in 1962.
3. Ugetsu (1953)
Not Rated | 96 min | Drama, Fantasy, War
A tale of ambition, family, love, and war set in the midst of the Japanese Civil Wars of the sixteenth century.
Director: Kenji Mizoguchi | Stars: Masayuki Mori, Machiko Kyô, Kinuyo Tanaka, Mitsuko Mito
Votes: 25,839 | Gross: $0.01M
Beautiful little film. Love the magical realism element as well.
4. The Perfect Storm (2000)
PG-13 | 130 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
An unusually intense storm pattern catches some commercial fishermen unaware and puts them in mortal danger.
Director: Wolfgang Petersen | Stars: George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, John C. Reilly, Diane Lane
Votes: 178,068 | Gross: $182.62M
a REWATCH... guilty pleasure, even in spite of Diane Lane's over the top accent, and Clooney complete abandonment of a quarter through the film.
5. The Hunt (2012)
R | 115 min | Drama
A teacher lives a lonely life, all the while struggling over his son's custody. His life slowly gets better as he finds love and receives good news from his son, but his new luck is about to be brutally shattered by an innocent little lie.
Director: Thomas Vinterberg | Stars: Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Annika Wedderkopp, Lasse Fogelstrøm
Votes: 364,736 | Gross: $0.69M
Hard to watch at times... especially when you consider the social climate we live in now, less than ten years later. Solid solid performances all the way through and worth all the squeamishness it causes.
6. Claire's Knee (1970)
GP | 105 min | Drama, Romance
On lakeside summer holiday, a conflicted older man is dared to have a flirt with two beautiful teenage half-sisters despite his betrothal to a diplomat's daughter and the fact that the girls have boyfriends.
Director: Éric Rohmer | Stars: Jean-Claude Brialy, Aurora Cornu, Béatrice Romand, Laurence de Monaghan
Votes: 12,503 | Gross: $0.04M
Very interesting premise and execution... clearly nowhere near appropriate fifty years later... an interesting study nonetheless.
7. City of God: 10 Years Later (2013)
PG-13 | 70 min | Documentary
A film documentary about the fate of the young actors of the award winning film City of God by Fernando Meirelles and Katia Lund. It shows how their lives unfolded after the film's worldwide success.
Directors: Cavi Borges, Luciano Vidigal | Stars: Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmino, Roberta Rodrigues, Jonathan Haagensen
Votes: 1,498
Wanted this to be more in depth. Also, made me kind of feel bad for the characters knowing that most of them were taken advantage of...
8. City of Men (2007)
R | 106 min | Crime, Drama
Best buddies Acerola and Laranjinha, about to turn 18, discover things about their missing fathers' pasts which will shatter their solid friendship, in the middle of a war between rival drug gangs from Rio's favelas.
Director: Paulo Morelli | Stars: Douglas Silva, Darlan Cunha, Jonathan Haagensen, Rodrigo dos Santos
Votes: 16,297 | Gross: $0.31M
a REWATCH... beautiful film based on a few characters from City of God, who play different roles, and went on to do a TV show that lasted for around 15 years ...
9. Made in U.S.A (1966)
Not Rated | 90 min | Comedy, Crime, Mystery
In the near future, leftist writer Paula goes from Paris to the French town of Atlantic-Cité when she learns of the death of a former colleague and lover, Richard P. Is she there to ... See full summary »
Director: Jean-Luc Godard | Stars: Anna Karina, László Szabó, Jean-Pierre Léaud, Marianne Faithfull
Votes: 4,642 | Gross: $0.08M
Not so great of a film but Ana Karina is just so incredibly mesmerizing in the lead. One of those rare actresses who can say it all without actually saying anything. All in the eyes.
10. Life of Brian (1979)
R | 94 min | Comedy
Born on the original Christmas in the stable next door to Jesus Christ, Brian of Nazareth spends his life being mistaken for a messiah.
Director: Terry Jones | Stars: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam
Votes: 421,980 | Gross: $20.05M
Some goofy hilarity in this one... must have been so much laughter on set while making it... loved it.
11. Shoot the Piano Player (1960)
Not Rated | 92 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
A pianist helps his brother escape from two gangsters, who retaliate by abducting their kid brother.
Director: François Truffaut | Stars: Charles Aznavour, Marie Dubois, Nicole Berger, Michèle Mercier
Votes: 20,637
Entertaining, and based on the pulp novel by David Goodis, who Godard and Truffaut seemed to be a big fan of...
12. Insomnia (1997)
Not Rated | 96 min | Crime, Mystery, Thriller
In a Norwegian city with a 24-hour daylight cycle a Swedish murder investigator has been brought in on a special case. Sleep deprived, he makes a horrible mistake which is discovered by the killer he has been hunting.
Director: Erik Skjoldbjærg | Stars: Stellan Skarsgård, Sverre Anker Ousdal, Maria Mathiesen, Gisken Armand
Votes: 15,601 | Gross: $0.22M
Outstanding... and much better than Nolan's remake in my opinion.
13. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)
PG-13 | 138 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
During the Napoleonic Wars, a brash British captain pushes his ship and crew to their limits in pursuit of a formidable French war vessel around South America.
Director: Peter Weir | Stars: Russell Crowe, Paul Bettany, Billy Boyd, James D'Arcy
Votes: 238,114 | Gross: $93.93M
Great story, though not true... in addition to solid acting and great music... ended up being much more entertaining than the poster art hinted.
14. The Old Guard (2020)
R | 125 min | Action, Thriller
A covert team of immortal mercenaries is suddenly exposed and must now fight to keep their identity a secret just as an unexpected new member is discovered.
Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood | Stars: Charlize Theron, KiKi Layne, Matthias Schoenaerts, Marwan Kenzari
Votes: 183,863
Had a lot of potential. Music ruined it for me, and Theron's performance, who's normally on point...
15. Jane (II) (2017)
PG | 90 min | Documentary, Biography
The life and work of the renowned primatology scientist, Jane Goodall, especially on her research about chimpanzees.
Director: Brett Morgen | Stars: Jane Goodall, Hugo Van Lawick, Hugo Eric Louis van Lawick
Votes: 5,668 | Gross: $1.72M
Beautiful. What an inspiration this woman is... such bravery... the same sort that sailors must have had getting on ships that planned to sail into the unknown.
16. Strangers on a Train (1951)
PG | 101 min | Crime, Drama, Film-Noir
A psychopathic man tries to forcibly persuade a tennis star to agree to his theory that two strangers can get away with murder by submitting to his plan to kill the other's most-hated person.
Director: Alfred Hitchcock | Stars: Farley Granger, Robert Walker, Ruth Roman, Leo G. Carroll
Votes: 141,092 | Gross: $7.63M
Just an absolute butchering of the book. Really wish someone would do a more accurate version. Hitchcock did a lot of great things... this was not one of them.
17. Jules and Jim (1962)
Not Rated | 105 min | Drama, Romance
Decades of a love triangle concerning two friends and an impulsive woman.
Director: François Truffaut | Stars: Jeanne Moreau, Oskar Werner, Henri Serre, Vanna Urbino
Votes: 44,449
Hated the female lead... but I can see why and how this film has influenced so many filmmakers since, especially Jeunet.
18. The Purge: Election Year (2016)
R | 108 min | Action, Horror, Sci-Fi
Former Police Sergeant Barnes becomes head of security for Senator Charlie Roan, a Presidential candidate targeted for death on Purge night due to her vow to eliminate the Purge.
Director: James DeMonaco | Stars: Frank Grillo, Elizabeth Mitchell, Mykelti Williamson, J.J. Soria
Votes: 110,128 | Gross: $79.21M
I don't know what I was thinking... but I love the premise... just hate the execution of the idea... music is always so friggin awful in these movies.
19. Diamond Island (2016)
Not Rated | 101 min | Drama, Music
An adolescent who leaves rural Cambodia to become a construction worker only to be reunited with his missing older brother.
Director: Davy Chou | Stars: Sobon Nuon, Cheanick Nov, Madeza Chhem, Mean Korn
Votes: 487
Masterpiece. Never seen a film from Cambodia but this was done with the precision of master auteur.
20. Alps (2011)
Not Rated | 93 min | Drama
A group of people start a business where they impersonate the recently deceased in order to help their clients through the grieving process.
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos | Stars: Stavros Psyllakis, Aris Servetalis, Johnny Vekris, Ariane Labed
Votes: 13,870 | Gross: $0.01M
Not Yorgos' best, but still a fun watch to see more of how he developed his odd and warped sense of humor, which runs through all his films with exception to maybe 'Sacred Deer'...
21. Psychosynthesis (2020)
72 min | Thriller
A sickly young mother's life unravels when she receives a heart transplant and begins to take on her donor's personality and memories.
Director: Noam Kroll | Stars: Jess Adams, Johnny Day, Stephanie Pearson, Gracelyn Awad Rinke
Votes: 180
Low budget indie... giving proof to the notion that you don't need a ton of money to make something good.
22. Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985)
R | 120 min | Biography, Drama
A fictionalized account in four chapters of the life of celebrated Japanese writer Yukio Mishima.
Director: Paul Schrader | Stars: Ken Ogata, Masayuki Shionoya, Hiroshi Mikami, Junya Fukuda
Votes: 13,802 | Gross: $0.44M
How had I never heard of this? Hard to believe it came from the guy who wrote Taxi Driver. Visually stunning.
23. The Wire (2002–2008)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
The Baltimore drug scene, as seen through the eyes of drug dealers and law enforcement.
Stars: Dominic West, Lance Reddick, Sonja Sohn, Wendell Pierce
Votes: 378,044
REWATCH, season 5... even upon revisiting this, what an amazing series. An absolute travesty this series never won an Emmy... or ever really received the praise it deserves. MASTERPIECE.
24. My Own Private Idaho (1991)
R | 104 min | Drama
Two best friends living on the streets of Portland as hustlers embark on a journey of self discovery and find their relationship stumbling along the way.
Director: Gus Van Sant | Stars: River Phoenix, Keanu Reeves, James Russo, William Richert
Votes: 61,796 | Gross: $6.40M
Masterpiece. Hard to believe it took me so long to finally see this. Bittersweet knowing that River would only be alive a few more years.
25. The Big Lebowski (1998)
R | 117 min | Comedy, Crime
Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski, mistaken for a millionaire of the same name, seeks restitution for his ruined rug and enlists his bowling buddies to help get it.
Directors: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen | Stars: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi
Votes: 860,968 | Gross: $17.50M
REWATCH. This, along with Blood Simple and Raising Arizona are my Coen Brother favorites. So many to choose from.
26. Eyes Without a Face (1960)
Not Rated | 90 min | Drama, Horror
A surgeon causes an accident which leaves his daughter disfigured and goes to extreme lengths to give her a new face.
Director: Georges Franju | Stars: Pierre Brasseur, Alida Valli, Juliette Mayniel, Alexandre Rignault
Votes: 35,180 | Gross: $0.05M
Creepy, dark... and loved all the long sequences with no dialogue.
27. Things to Come (1936)
Not Rated | 100 min | Drama, Sci-Fi, War
The story of a century: a decades-long second World War leaves plague and anarchy, then a rational state rebuilds civilization and attempts space travel.
Director: William Cameron Menzies | Stars: Raymond Massey, Edward Chapman, Ralph Richardson, Margaretta Scott
Votes: 9,079
Would be great to see an updated version of this HG Wells text.
28. She's Gotta Have It (1986)
R | 84 min | Comedy, Romance
Story of a woman and her three lovers.
Director: Spike Lee | Stars: Tracy Camilla Johns, Tommy Redmond Hicks, John Canada Terrell, Spike Lee
Votes: 16,321 | Gross: $7.14M
Been puttin' this one off for forever. One of my favorite from Spike... especially loved all the music provided by his pops! Bill Lee got skills!
29. No End (1985)
Not Rated | 107 min | Drama, Romance
The wife of the recently deceased lawyer tries to cope with grief after his loss and to keep his last case going in court.
Director: Krzysztof Kieslowski | Stars: Grazyna Szapolowska, Maria Pakulnis, Aleksander Bardini, Jerzy Radziwilowicz
Votes: 5,714
Probably my least favorite from one of my favorite directors. All the Kieslowski hallmarks were present. Found it interesting that on this one, he was without his long term cinematographer, Slawomir Idziak. Everything they've done together has been nothing short of incredible.
30. Game of Thrones (2011–2019)
TV-MA | 60 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Nine noble families fight for control over the lands of Westeros, while an ancient enemy returns after being dormant for millennia.
Stars: Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington, Lena Headey
Votes: 2,287,375
REWATCHed season 8, 6 episodes. Hasn't been that long since the show ended... was very enjoyable to revisit this final season. It still felt rushed but there were so many hauntingly beautiful moments.
31. The River Wild (1994)
PG-13 | 111 min | Adventure, Crime, Thriller
Rafting expert Gail takes on a pair of armed killers while navigating a spectacularly violent river.
Director: Curtis Hanson | Stars: Meryl Streep, Kevin Bacon, David Strathairn, Joseph Mazzello
Votes: 50,231 | Gross: $46.82M
Kevin Bacon... kind of the guy to call when you need a villain who doesn't seem like one when he's first introduced. Enjoyable watch.
32. The Gentlemen (2019)
R | 113 min | Action, Crime
An American expat tries to sell off his highly profitable marijuana empire in London, triggering plots, schemes, bribery and blackmail in an attempt to steal his domain out from under him.
Director: Guy Ritchie | Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam, Michelle Dockery, Jeremy Strong
Votes: 401,677 | Gross: $36.47M
The last movie I saw in a theater before Covid hit. Three people got phone calls during the movie and they all answered. Needless to say, murder was more on my mind than what was taking place on the screen. That said, Guy Ritchie, when he writes movies in this genre is capable of a classic every time out... this one isn't his best but it definitely doesn't disappoint.
33. The Break-Up (2006)
PG-13 | 106 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A couple's break-up proceeds to get uglier and nastier by the moment as each tries to keep their luxurious condo from the other.
Director: Peyton Reed | Stars: Jennifer Aniston, Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau, Joey Lauren Adams
Votes: 139,033 | Gross: $118.70M
Not sure why this is so poorly rated. Entertaining. Chemistry, or lack thereof, either way, it worked.
34. Platoon (1986)
R | 120 min | Drama, War
Chris Taylor, a neophyte recruit in Vietnam, finds himself caught in a battle of wills between two sergeants, one good and the other evil. A shrewd examination of the brutality of war and the duality of man in conflict.
Director: Oliver Stone | Stars: Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, Keith David
Votes: 439,823 | Gross: $138.53M
Damn. Took me a while to get around to it. Now I know why it was so lauded. Intense. Meaningful. Don't think Sheen was in another film of note.
35. Salvador (1986)
R | 122 min | Drama, History, Thriller
A burnt-out photojournalist becomes involved in a Central American revolution.
Director: Oliver Stone | Stars: James Woods, Jim Belushi, Michael Murphy, John Savage
Votes: 23,168
Woods is so underrated. Fantastic story... that illustrates how awful a human being Reagan was.
36. Virus tropical (2017)
97 min | Animation, Biography, Drama
Paola is born in a traditional Colombian family, or at least that is what they try to be. Her father is a priest, her mother is a "psychic" and her sisters are not what their parents ... See full summary »
Director: Santiago Caicedo | Stars: María Cecilia Sánchez, Martina Toro, Alejandra Borrero, Diego León Hoyos
Votes: 1,123
Beautiful illustrations. Endearing story.
37. The Good Girls (2018)
TV-MA | 93 min | Drama
A well-to-do socialite and her husband must wrestle with the impact of Mexico's 1982 economic crisis.
Director: Alejandra Márquez Abella | Stars: Ilse Salas, Flavio Medina, Cassandra Ciangherotti, Paulina Gaitan
Votes: 2,047
Well made and entertaining, despite not having a single likable character in the entire cast.
38. Money Monster (2016)
R | 98 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Financial TV host Lee Gates and his producer Patty are put in an extreme situation when an irate investor takes them and their crew as hostage.
Director: Jodie Foster | Stars: George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Jack O'Connell, Dominic West
Votes: 105,326 | Gross: $41.01M
Was a little worried when it started... but it definitely got better and turned out to be something worth watching.
39. Allied (2016)
R | 124 min | Action, Drama, Romance
In 1942, a Canadian intelligence officer in North Africa encounters a female French Resistance fighter on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. When they reunite in London, their relationship is tested by the pressures of war.
Director: Robert Zemeckis | Stars: Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard, Jared Harris, Vincent Ebrahim
Votes: 169,886 | Gross: $40.10M
Love the see chemistry between actors who are from different places on the planet, especially when that chemistry is illustrated when they're just looking at each other and not saying anything.
40. The Informer (2019)
R | 113 min | Action, Crime, Drama
An ex-convict working undercover intentionally gets himself incarcerated again in order to infiltrate the mob at a maximum security prison.
Director: Andrea Di Stefano | Stars: Joel Kinnaman, Rosamund Pike, Common, Mateusz Kosciukiewicz
Votes: 42,125
Great cast... story was a little cliche, but there were some great performances. Would have given it a 6.5 if I could.
41. Palm Springs (2020)
R | 90 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Mystery
Stuck in a time loop, two wedding guests develop a budding romance while living the same day over and over again.
Director: Max Barbakow | Stars: Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, J.K. Simmons, Peter Gallagher
Votes: 182,967
Really liked this. Andy Samberg always seems like Jesse Eisenberg's older brother. Great story with some really hilarious moments.
42. Return to Paradise (1998)
R | 111 min | Drama, Romance, Thriller
Two friends must choose whether to help a third friend who was arrested in Malaysia for drug possession.
Director: Joseph Ruben | Stars: Vince Vaughn, Anne Heche, Joaquin Phoenix, David Conrad
Votes: 15,431 | Gross: $8.29M
REWATCH. Holds up... an all-time favorite. Slept on performance by Joaquin Phoenix. Thought it might've been his best until I saw The Joker.
43. Dead Man Down (2013)
R | 118 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
In New York City, a crime lord's right-hand man is helped by a woman seeking retribution.
Director: Niels Arden Oplev | Stars: Colin Farrell, Noomi Rapace, Dominic Cooper, Terrence Howard
Votes: 70,046 | Gross: $10.88M
Not sure what to make of this one... it had its moments and it definitely had its problems.
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