Not Fun, Part II

My Life

This is a follow-up to yesterday’s entry, so please read that first.

Though one of my strongest beliefs is that any individual can make a profound difference in society, movies seem to be less entertaining all the time. I pulled the quote below because it had me shaking my head, but then nodding a little. I get what he means. There’s a right place for fun, and if the entertainment industry isn’t the right place, then what the hell is?

At one extreme, you have Hotel Rwanda, and at the other you have Nacho Libre. What do you watch when you’re too exhausted to delve into the social implications of genocide, but you’d still like to keep your brain switch set to “on?”

That’s been a real frustration for me. Not enough movies in the last few years have made me feel both happier and smarter. In fact, only Amelie and Junebug come to mind–and Junebug isn’t everyone’s idea of a feel-good flick.

So I guess I’m wondering if this is a real trend, or just my personal experience. What movies have left you feeling smarter and sunnier afterward?

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137 thoughts on “Not Fun, Part II”

  1. Great suggestions! I have to add Eat, Drink, Man, Woman as an all-time fave. Also Adaptation, better than Eternal Sunshine in my opinion.

    I loved Junebug! I wish more people I know had seen it because it has some great lines. And 2 huge thumbs up for Little Miss Sunshine! Superfreak! I was crying from laughing so hard. I have to agree with the person who didn’t love Garden State…I thought it tried to be a smart movie, but was really dumb.

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  3. Oh the family films are where it’s at! Akeelah and the Bee is totally a feel good movie that glamorizes spelling bees – how much better does it get?! And Wallace and Grommit…Wererabbit gets me every time. Who doesn’t love a little claymation bunny howling into the air?!

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  5. Lost in Translation

    Amelie

    Pride and Prejudice (I love a story re-told well)

    About a Boy

    Triplettes of Bellville I second

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  7. Everything is Illuminated was a good watch. I’m a fan of Gogol Bordello, so I watched it for that reason…err, hopefully I’m not the only person who’s heard of them.

    Some movies make me feel funnier, sunnier and smarter, just because they are so weird. I end up feeling quite normal afterwards.

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    Donnie Darko.
    Happiness.

    Some movies just make me happy to own a DVD player and have a Netflix subscription.

    Whale Rider.
    Station Agent.
    Hotel Rwanda.
    Crash.
    A Mighty Wind/Best in Show/any Christopher Guest film.

    Finally, because it’s getting close to that time of year again- A Christmas Story.

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  8. Great thoughts, my sentiment exactly! I’d say my few are…

    1) Shower
    2) You Can Count on Me
    3) Donnie Darko
    4) Almost Famous
    5) American Beauty…still sits near the top of my list of films.

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  9. Oh, Mad Hot Ballroom. My face hurt from smiling.
    Spellbound, and the now unoriginal Eternal Sunshine, Little Miss Sunshine, About a Boy..

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  10. movies that absolutly shaped my worldview and everything i wanted love to be are L.A. Story, before sunrise and before sunset, and when harry met sally.
    my newest favorite is science of sleep, it is just beautiful and fun.
    i really liked mad hot ballroom, very hopeful and fun. the big chill is wonderful.

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  11. Funny how I have a mile-long list of movies I need to see, yet the next time I’m in Blockbuster I’ll be stumped. And sad how much time gets wasted watching mindless movies only because that’s what the people you’re with want to watch, or because you only have the choice of what’s on someone’s shelf. Life is too short for me to have seen Hitch and Stick It.

    A few gems that weren’t mentioned:
    1) The Straight Story– beautiful, slow-paced film following an old man crossing the state to see his estranged brother, on his 4 mph tractor. Fantastic cinematography.
    2) Jakob the Liar– Not an upper, but so human and moving. In a WWII Jewish ghetto, the one man with a radio lies to the community about what he’s hearing to keep their hopes alive.
    3) New York Doll– Fabulous oddball documentary about a former rockstar turned Mormon, interviews with Morrissey etc.

    Also love Big Fish and Reality Bites.

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  13. Wow, I just filled up my Netflix with about 20 titles! Anyway, a movie I just recently discovered and have watched no fewer than three times already is “Gray Gardens,” a ’70s cinema verite cult gem. Wow. Cannot stop thinking about that one–it reveals iteself in layers.

    Also loved Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon, Whale Rider and, as you’re about to become a Mommy, Finding Nemo. Happy viewing!

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  14. Hmm, some of the movies mentioned above I found rather dark and depressing. Anyway, here’s my list of flicks that exercised my brain and lifted my spirits:

    Run, Lola, Run – fantastic techno music that matched the pace of the film perfectly

    Wordplay – who knew Bill Clinton completing the New York Times Sunday crossword (in pen) could be so entertaining. Or that there are literally hundreds of people who train for crossword puzzle competitiions.

    Mad, Hot Ballroom – fifth grade dance class on film, with a city-wide competition, it doesn’t get better than this.

    Spellbound – I would so have done the National Spelling Bee if I hadn’t grown up in rural Canada and been forced to do rodeo instead.

    Murderball – raw, honest, a healthy Canada/USA sports conflict, gotta love it. Guaranteed to change the way you think about paraplegics.

    March of the Penguins – love those little guys.

    Alone in the Wilderness – this PBS documentary is timeless. This guy lived alone in a cabin in Alaska for 40 years, making everything by hand. If he was alive today he’d have the mother of all craft blogs.

    Happy Accidents – a terrific take on love, trust and fate.

    The Station Agent – a dwarf, his trains and a sandwich truck.

    Transamerica – hilarious, honest, touching and real.

    Enjoy.

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  15. Pieces of April is touching.
    If you have Netflix, check out The Weeping Camel and Murderball.
    I also recommend:
    Akeelah and the Bee
    Amelie
    To Be and To Have
    About A Boy and
    Love Actually

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  16. They obviously aren’t recent, but the old screwball comedies are great for getting to laugh but keeping your brain engaged (how else to keep up with the witty dialogue?). I especially recommend Bringing Up Baby (my favorite movie of all time) and Arsenic and Old Lace.

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  18. Groundhog Day!
    Mumford
    Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
    A Hard Day’s Night
    Bagdad Cafe
    A Fish Called Wanda
    L.A. Story

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  19. If you don’t mind films with subtitles, Bread and Tulips and The Spanish Apartment are wonderful stories. In both, the protagonists learn about themselves by moving to a new city. They find themselves interacting with people who are outside of their usual social circle.

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  20. “The Science of Sleep” is a new favourite of mine. My friend April did a slendid review of it at feriafilms.blogspot.com

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  22. Best movie….BIG FISH…of all time. He reminds me of my father. Movie’s have been so blah for me. I saw Departed in the theater and the plot was fine but all of the killing…I don’t know. Don’t we see enough of that on CNN every day. Yeah, Big Fish wins it for me.

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  25. Gosford Park is wonderful, and I’ve heard good things about The Science of Sleep (though I haven’t seen it yet).

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  27. I would have to say that “Rivers and Tides” about Andy Goldsworthy and his art, made me happier than I’d been in a long, long time when I watched it. Sometimes I find that documentary makers have more of that hope of being entertaining but also showing hope and interest in humanity.

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  28. Oo, oo, great thread.

    Movies That Stretch Both Head and Heart, in a Good Way (not ranked in order):
    * What the *&^*? Do We Know?
    * Peaceful Warrior
    * The Family Stone
    * Field of Dreams
    * I Heart Huckabees
    * Best in Show
    * Thank You for Smoking
    * Almost Famous
    * Good Will Hunting
    * Sneakers

    That’s quite enough. 🙂

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  31. The Gleaners and I; Winged Migration; To Be and To Have; The Story of the Weeping Camel; Kontroll; Strings; After Life; Microcosmos; American Splendor; Serenity; The Fast Runner; Secret Ballot

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  32. Good suggestions, all….and I, too, love Junebug (if you live in N.C. as I do, the movie rings oh-so-true). I would just like to add that your particular frustrations regarding movies hit me about the same time they seem to be hitting you – when I was pregnant with my first child.

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  33. I agree with Mad Hot Ballroom and Station Agent and Triplets of Belleville.

    One that I haven’t seen mentioned yet is Millions, a movie about two U.K. brothers who find a bag of (stolen) pounds and try to figure out what to do with it. One of the boys speaks to saints! It’s so cute and interesting and intelligent.

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  34. With two kids 5 and under, I don’t get out much. I will say that I did really enjoy Friends with Money (as a previous commenter mentioned). Of course, I am a sucker for a movie that explores something from multiple perspectives. Plus, I adore Frances McDormand. I also love Monsters, Inc. which I watched A LOT this summer. I find it to be an incredibly clever kids movie.

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  35. I’m so glad someone said Off The Map. It was in the $5 rack at Target and one of my new favorites. What a sweet movie.

    I didn’t like I Heart Huckabees. I guess I didn’t get it…

    Some good oldies:
    Mr Hollands Opus was touching.

    Good Will Hunting, Dead Poets Society, and Patch Adams (I’m a Robin Williams fan)
    Chocolat and Finding Neverland (Johnny Depp)

    so many others, but you’re right, none of them were recent.

    I’m redoing my netflix queue now…

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  36. First of all, so happy to have read the previous comments. They reminded me of movies I loved, those I’ve been meaning to see, and gave me some new ones to try. But now I’ll add my two cents:

    Saved-Shows people overcoming prejudices and finding acceptance, is really well acted and uplifting. Of course, I bawled at the end, but only because I am pregnant right now. Maybe it didn’t make me any smarter, but it didn’t make me any dumber, either. (I know it’s not exactly new, but it was on cable).

    The Price of Milk-Another New Zealand film (this one with a Russian soundtrack)this is an amazing film that centers around the romantic relationship of a young couple, but has so much more to it than that.

    No Such Thing-Also, really not new, but not all that well known either. Sarah Polley discovers a monster in Iceland and brings him to America. This film has darker moments, but not depression inducing ones.

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  39. Fantastic thread here. A couple I haven’t seen on the list:

    Tortilla Soup – fun remake of Eat, Drink Man Woman.
    Real Women Have Curves – young woman learning to love life and herself.
    Adrenaline Drive – Japanese parody of silly romances.
    Benny and Joon – Johnny Depp is always good.
    Shall we Dance – The Japanese version.

    I’ll second:
    Tampopo
    Mostly Martha
    AHLWe Rider
    Good Will Hunting
    Billy Elliot
    Millions
    And the Colin Firth Pride & Predjudice

    Now to update the Netflix.
    Thanks for this Maggie.

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  43. “Shopgirl” because it was so well done. I find that even if a movie isn’t feel-good in the traditional sense, I usually feel good if it was a nice piece of filmmaking. Also, yes, “Pieces of April” and ohmygod “Junebug.”

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  44. I am a first-time commentor, but I had to add The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio. Loved it. Not necessarily “smart” but left me with a lot to think about and is entertaining.

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  45. I’m hoping that when someone *finally* gets around to making The Time Traveler’s Wife (Brad Pitt & Jennifer Anniston bought the rights years ago…) it will make me feel smart and happy! It’s one of my favorite books of all time (I’ve read it 3x and still cry at the end!)I’m dying to know who will be cast as Henry and Clare.

    Thanks for the wonderful blog, Maggie! I’ve been visiting daily since hearing you on KFOG. You rock!

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  46. Bright Leaves: Documentary about tobacco (so funny and sweet, I swear!) by Ross McElwee, who did Sherman’s March.

    American Splendor: One of my favorite movies of all time. Bittersweet. Lovely. Smart.

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  47. Thanks for all these are all great suggestions, I am adding them to my list! (Yeah, I keep a list…so what?)

    I will 2nd, 3rd, and maybe even 7th some of the above nominations:

    The Triplets of Belleville
    Iron Giant
    Toy Story, 1 & 2 (I sure do like me some animation)
    The Straight Story

    And add two that have not been mentioned:

    Brazil
    Still Breathing

    No one’s ever heard of Still Breathing, but I love it. It stars Brendan Fraser as an eccentric artist who believes in true love. It makes me swoon.

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  48. One to add that hasn’t been mentioned yet (I don’t think!): In Her Shoes. Yes, I know, it looks like a mindless chick flick and that’s exactly what I was expecting when I rented it, but I was happily surprised at how well done it was. The message was really positive, the dialogue was smart, there was a really good storyline there, and it’s definitely a feel-good film.

    I’d have to second Sideways, Garden State, and Shopgirl.

    I totally do not get I Heart Huckabees though. Weirdest. Film. Ever. And not in a good way! Can someone please explain why they consider this a good movie? I clearly missed the point.

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  49. Another vote for Mad Hot Ballroom. The Red Violin might not make you happier, but its definitely a brainy kinda decade-old movie. And if you have to pick between Best in Show or A Mighty Wind, go with Best in Show. First, it is SPOT ON of the real dog show world and secondly, AMW is simply the same story and characters, reworked with a folk-music bent.

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  50. While everyone is coming up with their slightly more deeper movies, I’d like to put in a vote for “Mean Girls.” Because not only did the reality of girl life in high school nearly make me pee my pants from laughter, I learned a lot about survival skills. Even though I’m not in high school. But I feel the same principles could be applied in a office setting.

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