5 Must See Movies

Today's Topic: Movies

I've decided to do something a little different on the Sunday Sitdowns this week. Instead of a over-analytical column on a life topic about crazy situations that probably only I ever think about, I've decided to come up with a list of 5 movies that you may not have seen before. They are movies that had an impact on me. While it's easy to come up with a list of classic movies and everyone's "favourite" flick on all time, I have chosen 5 movies that "relatively" flew under the radar when they were released and movies that may/may not have found their way into your movie collection. They are movies that get you thinking. So here it is: my top 5 movies that are hidden gems in the video store and amongst people's collection


5. Man on the Moon (1999)- When I first saw man on the moon, I was in awe. Jim Carrey showed why he can be taken seriously as an actor in this movie portraying the life of the long time comedic wonder, Andy Kaufman. The movie has an underlying comedy theme but at the same time, really makes you think about a life where nothing could seem real and you should never trust what you see or hear. Carrey does an incredible job in this movie of convincing us that he is a different person all together. I think what really sets this movie aside is the acting, inside the acting. Carrey is playing a character, who was full of characters and different personalities. As you watch this movie, you start to question everything and realize what it would be like to be a person who questioned everything, everyday. A brilliant film that will leave you wanting more, man on the moon has to be one of my all time favourites.



4. The Prestige (2006)- This is a movie that keeps you guessing until the very end. Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman star in this film directed by mastermind Christopher Nolan (yes, the same man who brought you the Batman Begins and Dark Knight instant cult classics) What makes this movie so captivating is the ongoing rivalry between Jackman's and Bale's characters. Two magicians try to out perform one another in this movie and while the momentum switches back and forth between the characters, the movie takes you on twists and turns that makes you continuously wonder "who will get the last laugh?" Of all the movies I;m putting in this list, this one many people may have seen only because it was released after the Batman Begins movie, and people were hungry to see Bale in anything because of the quote/unquote instant star power you receive for portraying the "caped crusader." If you're looking for a mind bending trip, pick this movie up. You will not be disappointed.

3. One Week (2008)- This is a movie made right in our own backyard. Shot across the breathtaking landscapes in this glorious country, Joshua Jackson plays a terminally ill patient who begins to understand what life is all about. He is diagnosed with a rare type of cancer, with his odds of survival being slim, and his doctors urging him to start treatments immediately. But before he becomes a patient, Jackson takes life by the horns, purchases a motorcycle, and tours across Canada in the hopes of having his own adventure. Sometimes it takes a movie like One Week to bring us back to reality and make us realize how fragile life really is. Although I've never been a fan of Jackson, he pulls of a very convincing character who seems to start playing the cards he is dealt instead of folding every hand for fear of failing. The "narrator"in this movie also charms in with some very interesting asides and "stories from the road", making this Canadian inspired film a top shelf pick in my eyes. It asks the age old question, what would you do if you had one week to live, and the film helps put into perspective what one person tried to accomplish.

2. Barney's Version (2010)- Every once in awhile, a movie comes along where you just happen to be in the perfect mood to watch it. This happened when I watched this movie. I wanted to watch a movie that was unpredictable and one that lead me down a path only to quickly guide me down a side road that I never knew existed. Paul Giamatti turns out a brilliant performance in this movie, and I understand better why he won the golden globe for best actor last year with his portrayal of Barney Panofsky; a man who's life story covers his three marriages and the many ups, downs and curve balls life throws at us. This is the most recent movie on this list, and one of the more intelligent scripts I have seen in awhile. The movie dominates your mental capacity, keeping you awake, attentive and interested from beginning to end. The greatest gift this movie gives is the things in life we cannot control and on the reverse, those that we can. A brilliant comedy/drama (or dramedy as I like to coin them) that you need to see. And then own.

1. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)- A genius movie. In all aspects. A family that couldn't be more different travels across the country to get their youngest to a beauty pageant final that she has dreamed of winning. What the girl lacks in looks, she makes up for in winning charm. Along with Olive, we have a brother who aspires to be in the military, an award winning-on-suicide-watch homosexual uncle, a desperately over-bearing and over-the-top father, a drug addicted grandfather and a mother who seems to be lost in the shuffle on her life. It's a recipe for both comedic genius and a family unit that shows even the most odd ball and outcast family members can still pull together as one and embrace the obstacles placed in front of them. There are so many memorable lines and scenes in this movie that I can almost guarantee you'll want to watch it a second time the very moment it ends. Greg Kinnear and Steve Carell round out this low budget production built on high energy and an entire family who become the most unlikely of heroes. Personally, this movie taught me to not take life so seriously and that in the end, nothing lasts forever. What seems to be a big deal actually isn't and what matters at the time, won't matter anyway. You may not get that deep message out of it, but what you will get out of it is the urge to go out and purchase this piece of cinematic brilliance.

I hope you enjoyed the list and maybe even consider that some of these films are in fact worth a peek. Each of these films has a special way of captivating you while you watch it and I hope for you that these movies make you say, "I love that movie." After all, that was the whole point!