Unusual Movies You Need to See

There are movies that everyone goes to see- the usual summer Hollywood blockbusters. This year, it's Sex in the City, and the new Indiana Jones movie. Kate Winslet, the British actress,has called them popcorn movies. (She's not a snob about them. She starred in one, called The Vacation, which paired her with Jack Black). They're fun and entertaining, and you feel like you had a good time.

Then there are those other movies, the ones that squeak by without much publicity, fanfare, or box office revenues. These are little gems that are worth seeking out. They're the kind of films which seem like an experience that you've shared in. They stay in your mind, and you're somehow richer for the experience.

These are my top five choices:

1. Heavenly Creatures

   This movie was directed by Peter Jackson, of Lord of the Rings fame. It's about a real life story. In the 1950's, two teenage girls were charged in the murder of one of the girl's mother. Heavenly Creatures takes a look at the two girls, Pauline Parker(Melanie Lynskey), and Juliet Hulme(Kate Winslet). They form an intense and passionate friendship, bonded by their love of writing and their vivid imaginations. They both feel isolated from their families; Juliet, because of her illnesses, and Pauline, because of her longing for the arts. It's a sympathetic portrait of the two girls. You become part of the strange world that they create, and you like them. But when they make a terrible decision, you're not sure what to think anymore. You're jarred out of the narrative. The film is especially compelling when you realize that the events in the film really did happen.
   
   

2. Johnny Stecchino

   An earlier film with Roberto Benigni, the star of Life Is Beautiful .I prefer this film. This is an hilarious movie about a bumbling bus driver, Dante (played by Benigni). He looks exactly like Johnny (also played by Benigni) , who just testified against his former colleagues. Dante visits Palermo, where Johnny is hiding out, and chaos and physical comedy ensue.

3. Oldboy

   This is a fascinating Korean movie. It is violent, but by American standards, it's almost tame. (You don't see a lot of what happens directly). The plot is as follows: a man is locked in a room for 15 years. He has no idea why he's locked up, or who's behind it. He is released just as randomly, and he only has a few days to find out who locked him up and why, or he and everyone that he loves will be killed. I love foreign films. I love seeing a window into another culture and a different way of story telling. This is a strange and brilliant movie, and worth the time. Don't be put off by the subtitles.

4. Morvern Callar

   A movie based on a novel, about a young girl who works in a supermarket. She wakes up on Christmas Day to see that her boyfriend has committed suicide. He has left a suicide note on the computer, along with his unpublished novel, and a list of publishers to send it to. On a strange impulse, she changes the name on the novel to hers. Samantha Morton plays the title character. She's a fascinating actress who can disappear into her roles. She's luminous, and she conveys so much without having to say a word.

5. A Tale of Two Sisters

   Another Korean movie (well, they are really good). A strange little movie about two sisters who leave the mental hospital. They return home to their father and their bizarre stepmother. It's hard to describe this movie, and it's got a lot of nuances and strange twists. But it's still a vivid cinematic experience. It's so unusual, compared to the usual commercial movies, that you want to sit for a while and try to experience it again.