So while my mother was in the hospital, I got her a NetFlix account. Since she’s not always into the technogeeky thing, and because I wanted to make her life as easy as possible while recovering, I manage the queue. It’s worked out really well — she gets the fun of opening a surprise in the mail every few days. And I have a pretty solid idea of her tastes.
But I’m feeling whimsical, so now I want recommendations from y’all. What would you rent her? The list of movies rented to date is in the extended entry — she claims to have enjoyed everything so far.
Revolution OS
Jump Tomorrow
Like Water for Chocolate
Punch-Drunk Love
Wings of Desire
The Hot Rock
Father of the Bride (not the Steve Martin one)
Lawrence of Arabia
Kind Hearts and Coronets
Russian Ark
Poolhall Junkies
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Go
The Bourne Identity
Amandla! A Revolution in Four Part Harmony
The Commitments
Bull Durham
The Quiet American (the Michael Caine one)
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– Cast a Deadly Spell (H.P. Lovecraft meets film noir)
– The Maltese Falcon
– I, Claudius
– Best in Show
– Arsenic & Old Lace
That’s enough from me for now.
Chocolat
Well since she seems to like cerebral spy movies, get her Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Smiley’s People.
But then I’d say that to anyone.
The Bells of St. Mary’s
Amelie
Fame (depending on how much she liked the 1980’s)
Mississippi Masala
Talk to Her (assuming she’s OK with subtitles)
(I’ll assume the made-for-theaters version of Bourne Identity as opposed to the ’88TV version).
Ladykillers (the original) is Wacky in many of the same ways as Kind Hearts and Coronets.
If she’s willing to deal with subtitles, Dersu Uzala would be another recommendation. A wonderful tail of friendship by Kurosawa, but without his usual violence. Also, Depardu’s Cyrano is worth seeing.
Zero Effect is a modern humorous take on the Detective genre. Sort of like and unlike USA Network’s Monk.
the Wallace and Grommit series or Chicken Run doesn’t seem ideally on target, but they have a similar sense of humor to some of the other films listed, and a new direction in film style, so she might like that direction.
Try Diggstown. I’m able to watch that movie over and over, and it remains charming. Partly because of the charisma that James Woods just oozes at the screen in that movie.
How about Shakespeare in Love?
Maybe The Big Night and Eat Drink Man Woman (for more foodie-type movies).
One of my personal favorites at the moment is Antonia’s Line, but it has subtitles and frank sexuality (though not graphic sex). You might want to watch it yourself before you have it sent to her.
I like the pair of Elizabeth and Shakespeare in Love.
Bell, Book, and Candle. (The old one.)
Bedazzled, either version (though I admit I haven’t seen the original version, I do like the remake with Brendan Fraser). Emma, Sense & Sensibility. If it’s available and she doesn’t mind lengthy, the A&E Pride and Prejudice is awesome. 🙂
Y’all rock.
She’ll like Chicken Run. She’ll definitely like Zero Effect. Food movies are good. Subtitles are no problem. I added the complete Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.
Yeah, taste is probably inherited…
These are movies (especially the first four) which I will watch over and over again. I don’t consider myself somebody who watches movies over and over again. 🙂
While You Were Sleeping
Sliding Doors
The Cutting Edge
Replacement Killers
Run Lola Run (which Wil Wheaton said, “Tell your girlfriend it’s like Sliding Doors, and by the time you’ve rented it it’ll be too late for her to do anything about it” about. 🙂
10 Things I Hate About You
Anne of Green Gables (Canadian Broadcast Company version starring Megan (Meagan?) Follows)
Noises Off
The Princess Bride (I can’t imagine she hasn’t seen it, but if she hasn’t, by george, she should!)
Ever After
A Knight’s Tale
Life is Beautiful (careful, it’s heartbreaking)
Streets of Fire (pure schlock, but the ending is perfect)
Ok, that’s probably enough. 🙂
Seconding Ever After & Chocolat, and of course Princess Bride.
Bhaji on the Beach
Groundhog Day
Masala
Lagaan (subtitled)
Time Bandits
Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control
Bend It Like Beckham
O Brother Where Art Thou?
Kiki’s Delivery Service, Spirited Away, Totoro (better subtitled than dubbed)
Hey, Ram (if some ultra-violence isn’t out-of-bounds; it’s set partly during partition)
The Mystic Masseur (there’s really nothing like seeing south Asians speaking Jamaican English)
Now i can go update my list on Orkut…
Say Anything
Avoiding suggestions already made by others:
Cat’s Meow
Picnic at Hanging Rock
Lost in Translation
Everything by Miyazaki
The Sandbaggers?
Zulu (Michael Caine’s first starring role!)
OK, Zulu may be a stretch, but really, everyone should see Zulu. I could be wrong.