I have been renting from two to four videos a week. I am running out of selections from the newest releases and I was wondering if you could help me out here. I would like to know the names of some of the best movies you've seen during the past few years so I will have some idea what to look for at the video store. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Happy to Help JoJo. Tell us more about what type of movies you generally like.

If you are interested in SciFi, I feel the movie "Star Trek: Frist Contact" is the best of all the Star Trek movies. Released in 1996, the basic plot is -- Capt. Picard and his crew pursue the Borg back in time to stop them from preventing Earth from initiating first contact with alien life.

The film has a good balance of light and shade and goes a long way towards tying the plots of the various series together.

I will try to think of a few more for you.

Happy to Help JoJo. Tell us more about what type of movies you generally like.

If you are interested in SciFi, I feel the movie "Star Trek: Frist Contact" is the best of all the Star Trek movies. Released in 1996, the basic plot is -- Capt. Picard and his crew pursue the Borg back in time to stop them from preventing Earth from initiating first contact with alien life.

The film has a good balance of light and shade and goes a long way towards tying the plots of the various series together.

I will try to think of a few more for you.

Hmm, good movies in the last few years.

Stealing Beauty (Jeremy Irons, Liv Tyler)
Music From Another Room (Jude Law)
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (John Cusack)
Outside Providence (Alec Baldwin)
Varsity Blues (Jon Voight) a very underrated movie.
The Apostle (Robert Duvall) amazing acting.
The Rainmaker (Matt Damon) yeah, it's Grisham, but good.
Sense and Sensibility (Ema Thompson, Kate Winslet)

I know there a bunches more, any particular kind of movie you like?

Thank you Bigmiss and originalcallie!! I haven't seen any of the movies that you listed so far. Yeah! You see for a few years I didn't go to the movies and this year I am trying to make up for it. It would be easier to tell you the kind of movies I [i]don't[i/] like, as I enjoy just about any movie that can keep my attention. The only movies I don't care for are slash 'em up movies like 'Friday the 13th' and ones that are too silly like 'Joe Dirt' or 'Me, Myself, and Irene'. Thanks again!

Well let's see if I can come up with 3.

One I rented not to long ago that I had no idea what I was getting myself into was The Big Tease starring the English boss on the Drew Carey Show as a Scottish hairdresser that mistakenly thinks he's been entered into the World Hairdressing championships. It's done in a documentary style and is soooo funny.

Another one I tried is The Cube, a sci fi where a group of people are captured in this huge cube with booby traps galore and they have to think their way out. A little gory in parts but a good suspenseful film

And another one, when it comes out which shouldn't be too long is Snatch, Guy Ritchie's followup to Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (which in its own right is pretty good)
It is really funny in a warped (like Pulp Fiction)

Enjoy!

[ 05-12-2001: Message edited by: makebeleaffan ]

Thank you makebeleaffan!! I figured if you stopped by you would slip the #3 in here somewhere. tee hee (this has been a long standing joke, folks). Thanks again.

Hi! Mind if I make a few suggestions? First of all, let me explain myself...A combination book, CD and movie store went out of business recently in my town, and I was able to buy all kinds of merchandise for CHEAP. I picked up quite a few movies--some that I had been wanting to see; some that I had never heard of, but I figured for around a dollar a movie, why not take the chance?
Now, having said all that, I will give you a list of some that I bought--some I've watched, some I haven't. The ones I haven't seen, I will describe as best I can. Sound fair? Ok--here we go:
Out of Sight starring George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez. This movie is a couple of years old, but I never got around to watching it before now. I enjoyed myself immensely. It had action, humor, and romance. A very good movie IMO.
Chuck and Buck--I haven't watched this, but I gave it to my mom to watch. She said it was really quirky, but sooo different that it was good. Basically, it's about 2 childhood friends who grow up to lead very different lives. But Buck has a very dangerous obsession towards Chuck, and never really "grew up". The box says it's "wickedly funny".
Twin Falls, Idaho is another quirky movie. It's about Siamese twins who fall in love with the same woman.
Happy, Texas is a comedy about mistaken identity. Two escaped cons are mistaken as a gay couple who've come to organize a beauty pageant. This one is actually pretty funny.
I Shot Andy Warhol--I haven't watched this one yet, but it takes place in the 60's and it's about a young feminist who meets up with Andy Warhol, and eventually shoots him. This is supposedly a true story.

Well, I have some more, but I think that's enough for now. Let me know if you rent any of these. I'd be curious to know what you think of them.

My tastes tend to be a little skewed, but here are my favourites...

Braveheart with Mel Gibson
Top Secret! with Val Kilmer
The Tuskegee Airmen with Laurence Fishburne
Pretty Woman with Julia Roberts and Richard Gere
12:01 with Jonathan Silverman and Helen Slater
Top Gun with Tom Cruise

And I'll list one new release as well. Bring It On starring Kirsten Dunst. It's not the kind of movie I'd ordinarily rent (I loathe cheerleading), but I ended up loving it! It was a really cute story, and the routines they performed were absolutely amazing!! And, as an added benefit, Nicholas Brendon had a part it it too! (He's the hottie who plays Xander in the "Buffy" TV series).

Here are some of my favorites, new and not so new: The Patriot-Mel Gibson, Tequila Sunrise- Gibson again, My Cousin Vinny- Joe Pesci, Goodfellas- Pesci and de Niro, Good Will Hunting- Matt Damon (not my favorite actor but a really good film), Return to Me- Duchovny and Minnie Driver (a pleasant film), Shakespeare in Love- Joseph Fiennes and Gwenyth Paltrow, Benny and Joon- Johnny Depp (quirky but a great turn by Depp), Circle of Friends and Sleepers- both with Minnie Driver. I probably could name hundreds more.

Wow, I love movies and I've gone through short phases of renting 2 a day, so I know what it's like to be out of options. Here are a few I suggest (and why):

• Indochine - This french film stars Catherine Deneuve and is set in Indochina. Even if the mildly melodramatic plotline isn't your thing (it involves a love triangle between Deneuve, her daughter, and a soldier) the cinematography will blow you away. Equally beautiful aesthetics to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
  
• The Shawshank Redemption - If you haven't seen this, you should. It is phenomenal.
  
• U-Turn - This wickedly fun dramedy from Oliver Stone stars Sean Penn, Nick Nolte, and Jennifer Lopez. It also boasts a rather incredible supporting cast. Set in the desert and involving multiple overlapping murder plots, this movie is not only visually interesting (thanks to Stone's directorial choices) by sinfully funny.
  
• Dark City - This sci-fi movie will seem like a preamble to The Matrix, but it stands alone as a darkly interesting look at humans and our situation.
  
• Stricly Ballroom - From Baz Luhrman (the director of Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge), this look at the world of ballroom dancing is a pleasant surprise. I've heard it compared to Best In Show, but I've never seen the latter so I can't verify. The movie manages to be extremely funny while carrying out its romantic plot line. The great dance scenes are just an added bonus.

Hope this helps. Enjoy.

I think u should rent The House of Mirth with Gillian Anderson it is so good, u would enjoy it.

hi there - had a few films that i thoroughly enjoyed watching which i would recommend to you:

The Opposite of Sex: with Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe from "Friends") and Christina Ricci. It is very dryly narrated by Ricci and takes a very different perspective to most films: it manages to be sad, tragic and funny at the same time.

Payback: Mel Gibson plays a wronged man who goes to extraordinary lengths to seek revenge. Lucy Liu (Ling in Ally McBeal)

Strictly Ballroom: which has been already mentioned, is a parody of musical films such as Dirty Dancing. it is excellent, when i worked in video retail, i used to drive them all crazy by playing bits over and over again!

Elections: this stars Reese Witherspoon and Matthew Broderick - it is a fantastic comedy - well i thought so.

that's all for now - but i've got a big video and dvd collection and would be happy to add to this list if you would like more

I'm a big movie buff...love 'em.

I would suggest the Jones sister trilogy by Kevin Smith...it is also called the Jersey Trilogy, "Clerks", "Mallrats" and "Chasing Amy"...the last is the best of the bunch.

Are you into James Bond? then I would suggest anything Bond. I think that Dr. No is the best Sean Connery. The Spy Who Loved Me is the best Roger Moore. The one done by Roger Lazenby is just OK. The Living Daylights is the best Timothy Dalton. and I'd say that Goldeneye is the best Pierce Brosnan.

English Patient for true drama. a must see.

anything else...let me know...I know good oldies and classics from every genre

The Matrix
Monty Python quest for the holy grail

The Edge I've mentioned this movie before; it's excellent. Stars Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin and is a nature/survival type story with a few twists.

if you're interested in comedies mystery men is really funny i've heard good things about castaway w/tom hanks unless you've already seen it

I think the funniest movie I've ever seen is "The Bird Cage" with Robin Williams and...and...oh gosh I can't this of his name...Nathan Lane! It's hillarious! Also at the top of my favorite comedies list is "Miss Congeniality" with Sandra Bullock. She is just too funny in that role.

I also think "The Ususal Suspects" with Kevin Spacey is an excellent movie.

trainspotting
clockwork orange
the saint
my best friends wedding
interview with a vampire
remeber the titans
the rock
cruel intentions

the list goes on and on hahaha

JoJo2,
I could only come up with 4 movies.

*Save The Last Dance(Julia Stiles & Sean Patrick Thomas
*Unbreakable(Bruce Willis)
*Proof of Life(Russel Crowe & Meg Ryan)
*Big Daddy(Adam Sandler) Funny!

Okey Dokey JJ....You said Old films, so I take it everything that has come out this year so far you have seen. If that is the case, the following films range from Sci-Fi to Horror to Comedy etc etc

1. Say Anything - John Cusak (Eighties film, great soundtrack) Comedy

2. Empire Records - Liv Tyler (Nineties film, great soundtrack) Comedy

3. The Lost Boys - Horror/Comedy (Guess what, Great soundtrack)

4. Matrix - Action (One of the best special effects film I've ever seen)

5. Breakfast Club - Comedy sort of !! Excellent film...just bear with it and watch it all the way to the end.

6. Starship Troopers - Sci-Fi / Action - Just your general blast alien bugs to kingdom come.

7. Highlander - Action/Adventure - Truely a unique and fantastic film, great soundtrack, excellent acting by Sean Connery & Christopher Lambert. A Must See !!

8. Star Trek 4 - Sci-Fi/Comedy - The funniest out of all the Star Trek films when Kirk & crew travel back in time to present day San Francisco to save the future.

9. Nightmare on Elm Street 1 & 3 - Horror/Comedy. Even though this is a horror film, Robert Englund brings a wicked sense of huour to the Freddy character in Elm Street 3. Elm Street 1 is more horror than comedy.

Last but by no least....

10. Billionaires Boys Club - Eighties film based on a true story. Will have you captivated all the way to the end.

Ok, Ilike weird movies, but here goes

Prophecy- Great movie.
Blue Velvet-David Lynch, be prepared

Practical Magic-Chick Flick

Things to do in Denver While You're Dead-Don't let the title scare you.

Three Days in the Valley-Great Movie

The Shadow of the Vampire-Brilliant cast, excellent script the visuals are great.

The Lost Boys-One of my favorite Vampire movies.

Indie

You guys are great!! Thank you so much!

Some lesser known films that are well done.

Hilary and Jackie
The Sweet Hereafter (prepare to cry, it is very deep)
Mystery Alaska
Chariots of Fire

More popular but good:

The Truman Show
Remember the Titans
Men of Honor
Rent an oldie: To Kill A Mockinbird is great !!! (see Robert Duvall in his film debut as Boo Radley)
Meet the Parents (probably all ready seen it)
I concur with Sense and Sensibility

Just watched a film called The Matchmaker starring Janeane Garafolo (sp) and is really worth seeing. It came out in 1997. It is really funny and endearing at the same time. 2 big thumbs up!!