Today’s Big Issue on the Catboy & Geordiebird Breakfast Show was all about whether or not women are any good at recommending good stuff at the cinema. Alright, it’s a bit of a generalisation but I don’t care. It’s about time somebody stood up and said it! There’s a comments box at the bottom of this post. If you think I’m talking twaddle, tell me what your favourite films are. The ones you’d recommend above all others.
To get you started, I asked Geordiebird to compile a Top Ten list of movies she’d recommend to other people. However, she saw through my ruse and compiled a list that reads like it was drawn up by the average thirty-five year old man… Rocky, Terminator, James Bond, Last of the Mohicans, etc. I know for a fact she’s lying. She has never mentioned any of these films in the seven years I’ve known her. She has put Ghost and How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days, which is a slight bit of honesty… But not much.
On Friday, I was press-ganged into watching The Lovely Bones. The book, which every seems to love, sounded quite wet but I went to the cinema with an open mind and an equally-open bag of Maltesers. The Maltesers were fantastic. The film was awful. I’ve ranted about it on Facebook already, so I won’t go on. Needless to say at the end the girls pre-empted my “two hours of my life I’m not getting back” catchphrase. They had nothing good to say about it either.
I’m getting really fussy about cinema of late. Life’s too busy to waste on bad films. These days I scan various (trusted) review sites before I even think about going to the flicks. I don’t know if it’s just that I’m getting old and boring or films are just being made in the same style as painting-by-numbers. It could be that I’m in Dubai and there aren’t as many decent independent films shown. It could even be down to the occasional hatchet-job on the UAE editing. I don’t know.
Those issues aside though, I can’t remember ever being recommended a good film by a woman. I’m not trying to be controversial. It’s just a fact. I’ve been recommended a plethora of great books and numerous decent TV shows by women but when it comes to the silver screen, nada.
So, I’d like to use this opportunity to hear back from you. If you’re a man, leave a comment below and tell me if you’ve ever been recommended a decent film by your wife, girlfriend or female colleagues. Women, tell me what you’d recommend to me. And please don’t tell me what I want to hear. Be honest. I’ll endeavour to watch the ones I can find and I’ll report back. I promise if I like them, I’ll apologise.
Hi Catboy! If you would like to have a Paddyman on your show to play live irish music next week (Wednesday is Paddy’s day), then give me a call. If you go to youtube and type in paddyman music you’ll see live samples. If you would like 2 mins of live irish accordion, I can ask Kevin to come too. In you tube type in polka set – pure irish craic for a sample. Or if you want to write a parody to an irish song we’ll back you…
All the best,
Declan
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Can’t believe no one has recommended these:
Whale Rider
Gran Torino
city of God
cinema paradiso
the last two are foriegn films but they are films that have a fab story to it and rather intense
Ooh… Thanks Emma & DXBluey. Plenty to keep me going there… And some that I’ll carry on avoiding!
Catboy – very interesting list! Nothing guilty about Goodfellas – stone dead classic!
Love many of the movies various people have listed above, anyway here are a few of my favourites just to add to the comments, just from memory not a definitive list!…
The possibly pretentious:-
Three Colours Red White & Blue Trilogy
Night On Earth
Big Blue / Nikita
Chungking Express – Wong Kar Wai
Man On Wire – documentary
Akira – anime
The Seven Samuri
Amelie
We Live In Public – doc
All Hal Hartley and Wim Wenders
Blue Velvet
The stone dead classics
Reservoir Dogs
Pulp Fiction
Taxi Driver
Goodfellas
Godfather 1 & 2
Memento
Trainspotting
Guilty Pleasures:-
Highlander
Weekend At Bernies
Heathers
Ferris Beuller’s Day Off
Breakfast Club
Best of the recent films:
Inglorious Basterds
Avatar
Zodiac
Up In The Air
500 Days Of Summer
District 9
Movies in production that will be awesome:-
Bruce Robinson is directing Hunter S Thompson’s only “proper” novel The Rum Diary staring Johnny Depp
Tron Legacy
Inception
(too many to mention!)
….
Oops – how could I forget this one:
Once (2007) by John Carney. NOT TO BE MISSED. BY ANYONE. ANYWHERE.
Here are a few of my faves:
Kenny
The Dish
The Castle
Wizard of Oz (Judy Garland, 1939)
Cabaret (Liza Minnelli 1972)
Fame (1980)
High Society (1956, Bring Crosby)
Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down (Director Pedro Almodovar, 1990)
Shawshank Redemption
The English Patient
Vanity Fair
Cheers
One of those climbers live in Sheffield and used to go to the same pub quiz as me. He’s about as good at being friendly in the pub as he is at rock-climbing. Miserable git.
[...] WOMEN… STOP RECOMMENDING MOVIES! : D92 – Dubai 92 [...]
Touching the Void – if you fancy a documentary.
Well, AMAZINGSUSAN, it’s not about me trashing them outright. For instance, looking at the two lists above, I liked Rainman, I am Sam (guilty pleasure, I admit), Stand By Me, Wayne’s World, Pulp Fiction & Shawshank.
As I said, I’ve just finished Requiem and it was okay. I don’t think I was in the mood for it, i.e. I’m happy!
I’ve been trying to think of some films that I like, to recommend to others. The thing is I don’t just want to plump for TheBestFilmsEver.com, if you know what I mean. So, here’s twenty I like, in no particular order…
Capturing the Friedmans
Tarnation
Spellbound
American Splendour
Adaptation
Synecdoche, New York
Amelie
La Haine
Angel A
Abre Los Ojos
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
I Heart Huckabees
Memento
Dead Men’s Shoes
A Room for Romeo Brass
This is England
Trainspotting
Fight Club
Magnolia
King of Comedy
Then my “Guilty Pleasures”…
Ferris Beuller’s Day Off
The Breakfast Club
Planes, Trains & Automobiles.
Philadelphia
Vanilla Sky
There’s Something About Mary
The Rutles
JFK
Goodfellas
Casino
Forrest Gump
The Doors
That’s about all I can think of for now. Well worth checking out the first twenty if you’ve not seen them.
As I tweeted this morning, and to agree with Kellie above, The Piano is AWESOME. Holly Hunter is stunning. The visuals are arresting. The plot is timeless.
But why u want us to keep recommending movies and then u trash them… no point in making recommendations unless we know what you like….
Watching ‘Requiem for a Dream’ now. I am thinking it was once of those films of the moment. Looks a little dated and it’s not really holding my attention. For the subject matter, you can’t beat ‘Trainspotting’.
Ermm.
Stand By Me
Waynes World
The Piano,
Pulp Fiction
Shawshank Redemption.
I’m a bit Schizo there I know… but not one ‘girlie’ movie in there – oh, go on then,
Grease 2
I would recommend the following, although Im not sure if you’ll like these movies, but I enjoyed watching them:
“Don’t mess with the Zohan” – Adam Sandler
“The Blind Side” – Sandra Bullock
“The Bourne Identity”, “The Bourne Supremacy” and “The Bourne Ultimatum” – Matt Damon
“Rainman” – Tom Cruise and Dustin Huffman
“I am Sam” – Sean Penn and Michelle Pfeiffer
“Blade: Trinity” – Wesley Snipes, Ryan Reynolds & Jessica Biel
I cant think of the other movies right now. Im scared that my boss will catch me that im just pretending to be busy… ;D
The Vengeance Trilogy is amazing, and recommended to me 1st by my sister…(she’s a girl)
Seenz… I didn’t mind Avatar. Good effects, poor plot.
vicks… Still haven’t seen ‘Requiem for a Dream but will get it today. As for the rest of them. Top class. Send your address. I’m coming over!
When asked to recommend a film, I always go with ‘Requiem for a Dream’, one of my all time favourites.
Also, ‘Casino’ with Robert De Niro or ‘Dead Mans Shoes’ by the great Shane Meadows. Actually, that’s what I might spend my afternoon doing…watching all three back to back!
Up in the Air is one of the best movies of 2010. You want an overrated movie? Avatar.
I’ve heard varying reports about Up in the Air. Will give it a go.
Watch “Up in the Air”..I loved it, you will like it too I am guessing..
Just got home. Time to reply…
Lucy… I liked Fracture. Like most stuff with Anthony Hopkins in. Loved 84 Charing Cross Road, Audrey Rose, The Elephant Man, and the old one he did when he was young as the mental ventriloquist… Magic. If you’ve not seen that or Audrey Rose, see them. Chilling.
GAJ… From Paris with Love and Ninja Assassin both have the kind of titles that make me want to give up cinema forever. Invictus looks promising. Didn’t min the first Boondock Saints but mainly because of the documentary I’d seen previously about the director. What a d**che!
Rebecca… My point is I shouldn’t have trusted GB or Tess at picking films because they’re both awful at it. The film was garbage. I agree with you on The Producers but I’ve always thought most of Mel Brooks’ work was overrated (still love Blazing Saddles, mind you). Also, agree with you on Will Ferrell. He’s more overrated than marriage! He has his moments but not much depth. Zoolander is average at best. Stiller is another one who has more misses than hits.
Anybody else?!
oh i also recommend Invictus..loved morgan freeman in it !
“Needless to say at the end the girls pre-empted my “two hours of my life I’m not getting back” catchphrase. They had nothing good to say about it either.”
So what’s your point?? It was a great book, but I heard the film was bad so didn’t go and see it. However I was recommended by by brother (a man) to buy The Producers – rubbish! Why do men think anything with Will Ferrell is good?? Good films: Borat, Zoolander, and Polanski’s Macbeth – what I have watched this week…
I’d say go for “From Paris with Love” a bit cheesy but with Travolta i think the movie gets a bit of a lift. Nice action flick from start till the end.
Another one i would recommend is “Ninja Assassin” good movie, good action, story kinda lays back a bit, but if you have all that kunfu and flying killer stars in the movie, you really cant consider dialogues and acting much
“Invictus” another good movie. A drama, but a good one. Morgan freeman at his best.
A few other include “The Boondock Saints 2 – All Saints Day” , “Daybreakers” , “Old Dogs” , “Run Bi*ch Run” , “The Informant” .. Check out the reviews on rottentomatoes or any other site .. i am guessing you would like a few in these list.
Cheers.
Hey Catboy
My husband would totally agree with you but he had to admit that my choice of Fracture with Anthony Hopkins (actually ANY movie with Anthony Hopkins is worth watching – in my feminine opinion!) was “actually quite good” Give it a try!! – Lucy
Sorry Catboy, leading you astray there, the Mark Knopfler song is Going Home, the movie is Local Hero… fancy forgeting the name of my favourite movie… it’s not the only thing that’s old
ps hope the spam has stopped from my Twitter account.
Yanthe… Saw it, thought it was rubbish. Having “Colin Farrell” written on a film poster is like having “Don’t waste the money” written there.
Seenz… LOTR goes on and needs a lot of concentration but the pay-off in the third film is worth it.
In bruges with Colin Farrell & Brendan Gleeson and Ralph Fiennes. Very black comedy!!! But hillarious! Loved it please give it the 1hr 42 mins of your life!
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. The Lord of the Rings
I do fancy “The Book of Eli”.
Maxine, I’ve never heard of “Going Home”. Is it old?
I’m so bad at choosing films, I even hate the ones I pick out at the dvd rental… You’d never want a recommendation from me about a film to watch. My favourite is “Going Home” a film about a little Scottish town, with a great Mark Knopfler soundtrack. Max .
You’re gonna like it.. Trust me
I am a MAN and I strongly recommend The Book Of Eli. Dezel has been out of action for a while and certainly makes up for lost time in this one.
Zain, that sounds quite “girly” but I’ll give it a shot and let you know the outcome.
I strongly recommend “the blind side”
it’s abt humanity and unconditional love..
And how giving changes ur life even more than receiving..