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As I get older, I tend to find more joy in renting a good, old-fashioned, non-Blu-Ray DVD and curling up on the couch for a movie night with friends, than heading out to see films on the big screen. Best of all, I don’t have to shush some socially inept moviegoer who chats with the person next to him or her about the merits of Fandango. I can just sit back, save my moolah for a rainy day and watch from the comfort of my own living room. Here’s a list of some of my personal favorite picks. Enjoy!
“Changeling”
Angelina Jolie is definitely a looker, but 50 percent of the time her acting chops rarely measure up to her physical beauty. That being said, her role in “Changeling” as Christine Collins, a 1920s-era single mom whose child has been abducted, will give you faith that pretty people can have talent too. This movie was well worth renting and will have you on the edge of your seat as you watch Collins struggle with local law enforcement as they attempt to give her back a child that is not hers. John Malkovich co-stars and gives a much-needed and riveting performance as a local preacher who supports Collins’ belief that her retrieved son is not her own.
“Surfwise”
This documentary is bizarre. It’s so utterly bizarre it should be required study material for psych majors. Chronicling the life of Dorian “Doc” Paskowitz, world-renowned surfer, psychologist, sex therapist and surf camp entrepreneur, filmmaker Doug Pray takes viewers on a journey through his life and times on the road. Paskowitz’s life seems something out of a case study. He had nine children with his Mexican wife whom he supported in a small Winnebago on a strict regiment of no sugar, daily surfing, homeschooling, orthodox Judaism and whom all had to listen to him and his wife “getting it on.” Rent this and I promise that you and your friends will talk and debate for hours.
“The Strangers”
OK, I’ll be honest, after the first 30 minutes of watching this film I had to turn it off because I was too scared to go on. Anytime I see the words “Based on a true story,” my skin crawls. “The Strangers” is one such film. Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman star as a young couple who head to the country for a quiet weekend and are soon harassed by masked strangers knocking on the doors all hours of the night, culminating in, well, I didn’t get that far. But if you’re a fan of thriller-type horror films, “The Strangers” is just what you’re looking for.
“La Vie En Rose”
Most people don’t enjoy the merits of reading while watching a movie, otherwise known as subtitles. Deemed best suited for those intellectuals who enjoy the subtle nature of foreign films, most subtitled flicks get passed off as boring rubbish by college students. “La Vie En Rose” isn’t your typical, pretentious French film, though. Following the famous Parisian singer Edith Piaf as she rises from rags to riches, “La Vie En Rose” weaves the memorable story of her life with her musical trajectory into a rent-worthy movie pick.
“Wristcutters: A Love Story”
For all those indie romantic film buffs, watching “Wristcutters” will reaffirm your deep love of emo culture and prompt you to add it to your growing list of favorites. Imagine committing suicide, then finding that you’re trapped in a parallel dimension, a purgatory of sorts, with others who have axed themselves. Sounds miserable. “Wristcutters” aptly tackles themes concerning the beauty of life, love and existentialism into a witty tale of two young adults (Patrick Fugit and Shannyn Sossamon) who question their decision to end it all. If you’re truly into emo music, you’ll soon discover that almost the entire soundtrack to the film is by artists who’ve taken their lives. Even if this doesn’t sound like an uplifting movie night, it ends up surprising viewers by living up to its “love story” portion of the title.
“Blue State”
Remember when Bush Jr. got re-elected? Were you a devastated liberal who vowed to move to Canada? Were you one of the many who lost faith in America’s ability to reason? John Logue (Breckin Meyer) feels the same way. “Blue State” follows Logue as he makes the decision to own up to his promise to move to Canada, a promise he accidentally made on live TV in front of his entire town in a local pub. Logue soon searches out others to head over the border with him. Sadly, not many feel his political fervor as intensely as he does, except one girl, Chloe (Anna Paquin) who appears to agree with his radical views and decides to take the trek with him. Although “Blue State” is clearly a low-budget film, its message isn’t. Even if you’re a red state lover, this film will move you.
—Lauren Ventura is a rhetoric and writing studies second year graduate student.
—This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Daily Aztec.
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