JUNKFILM

I know I harp a lot on movies.  I see movies are “alright” and I know they could have been so much better.  I see movies that are painful to watch but know that there is a demographic out there.  I lambaste a lot of films because I think the movie going public deserves better.  Do I think all movies should be as mind-provoking and meaningful as films like “Pi” or “Pan’s Labyrinth” or “No Country for Old Men?”  Absolutely not.  Is the answer then, if there were no bad films how could we decipher the good ones?  No.  Everyone once and a while I understand it’s nice to curl up on the couch with a frosty Dr Pepper and some take out Panda Express and just watch a stupid movie and enjoy it.  Sometimes you aren’t looking for depth and for a new outlook on life.  Sometimes you simply want to be entertained.

However, this is where some people think that film should reside only.  In entertainment.  This is like saying, “Comic books should only be about super heroes,” or “Books should only be about historical fact,” or “Nascar should be considered a sport.”  No one goes to Nascar thinking they are going to see some fine examples of athleticism.

I guess, this is just a “keep in mind” kinda thing.  Don’t hate a movie just because it’s a foreign film.  And this is where I need to start trying to get better, don’t hate a movie just because it stars a famous starlet or looks like a really crappy comedy.  We have to give films a chance.

Just something to think about when you are renting your next film for the evening.

And since I lambaste so many movies I think it’s time I give something back to the films that deserve notice.  I write for another page as well at the comic book company I work for called Darth JayDer Comics.  Every Monday I update with movies, games, comics, and music that I think people would appreciate as much as I have.  Feel free to go and check us out as well.” Plus you can read a free issue #1 of our comic book, Lost.

There are many films that I love that I honestly believe no one I watch them with or recommend to would ever enjoy them half as much as I do….But here are some movies I would recommend and think people who honestly like them (the links are to the IMDB page for more info):

Europa Europa
A boy in Nazi Germany, trying to conceal that he is Jewish, joins the Hitler Youth.

Bomb the System
A tribute to graffiti art and the city where it all began. Blest, a 19-year-old graffiti writer, has just graduated from high school. With no ambition toward mainstream goals of work and family, he spends his time bombing the city with graffiti messages until he and his crew become the most wanted bombers by the corrupt NYPD Vandal Squad.

Double Indemdity
An insurance rep lets himself be talked into a murder/insurance fraud scheme that arouses an insurance investigator’s suspicions.

Kikujiro
Brash, loudmouthed and opportunistic, Kikujiro hardly seems the ideal companion for little Masao who is determined to travel long distances to see the mother he has never met. Their excursion to the cycle races is the first of a series of adventures for the unlikely pair which soon turns out to be a whimsical journey of laughter and tears with a wide array of surprises and odd ball characters to meet along the way.

Love me if you Dare
As adults, best friends Julien and Sophie continue the odd game they started as children — a fearless competition to outdo one another with daring and outrageous stunts. While they often act out to relieve one another’s pain, their game might be a way to avoid the fact that they are truly meant for one another.

Sky High (American - Disney)
Set in a world where superheroes are commonly known and accepted, young Will Stronghold, the son of the Commander and Jetstream, tries to find a balance between being a normal teenager and an extraordinary being.

Dr. Strangelove: Or How I Learned To Worrying And Love The Bomb
An insane general starts a process to nuclear holocaust that a war room of politicians and generals frantically try to stop. Also noted on many critics favorite comedy film.

Free Enterprise
Young filmmakers (Rafer Weigel, Eric McCormack) trying to hawk a movie titled “Bradykillers” about a serial killer who goes after victims Marcia, Jan, and Cindy meet their screen idol, William Shatner. Shatner, appearing as himself, has fun poking fun at his own image. The two young men, who idolize him and in their fantasies have seen him as a shadowy fairy godfather figure, are alarmed at the reality of the middle-aged non-Captain Kirk man that they meet. However, their relationship helps anchor the two more into reality.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do…

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