Wendy’s Favorite Movie Picks To Watch When Stuck At Home
Yes, I love my light-hearted comedies, especially during times like this, but sometimes I need something a little more substantial. Everyone who knows me knows that The Shawshank Redemption is my all time favorite movie, so I’ll just assume that one has already been watched to death by everyone. That being said, these are my go-to movies when I want to watch something with a little more depth than those comedic escapes:
A Good Year – I LOVE how this movie reminds me of what’s important in life: family, friends, love, enjoying the moment-to-moment. Albert Finney is always a pleasure to watch on stage and the chemistry between Russell Crowe and Marion Cotillard is fun. And if you’re a wine-lover, bonus. This little beauty is set on a vineyard in France. I dare you to not want to pack up and move there after watching this.
Everything Is Illuminated – This one will make you think. Heavy subject matter cleverly hidden under quirky script and characters. This is one of those movies you can watch over and over again because you always notice something new. Directed by Liev Schreiber after he read the novel of the same name, this movie shows a different side to Elijah Wood’s acting as he plays a young collector searching for his ancestry.
L.A. Story – Classic Steve Martin comedy mocking the eccentricities of life in Los Angeles. Half-caff double decaf haff-caff with a twist of lemon? Enough said.
Amelie – Another one of those movies you can watch over and over and catch something new. This movie is fast-paced and quirky as heck. Audrey Tautou is super charming as the title character, a girl so afraid to find love for herself, that she meddles in everyone else’s life.
Big Fish – Apparently I like movies based on novels. This one is no exception. It’s a “fantasy drama” directed by Tim Burton, so you know there are some interesting characters. It’s a star-studded cast, including Ewan McGregor, who plays a storyteller. But not just any stories, extravagant stories too far fetched for his down-to-earth son to believe. When dear old dad gets old and has just a little time left (older version played by Albert Finney), his son wants to know the real version of him before his time runs out. In the end, he learns to appreciate that dad just sees life differently than he does.
Down With Love – Another Ewan McGregor movie. This time, Ewan plays a womanizing ladies man who is determine to prove to the world that all women want the same thing: LOVE, after encountering a feminist author (played by Renee Zellweger) who writes a book encouraging women to pursue “sex ala carte”. What ensues is a hilarious race to the finish in the battle of the sexes.
The Count of Monte Cristo – Another book turned movie. I love this one for the same reason I love Shawshank: the good guy who was wronged gets his justice in the end. This is a good balance of chick flick and dude mood. There’s love, passion, betrayal, revenge, and swords!
Check back on this post later, as I’m sure I’ll think of some more. I mean…we have a month to watch right? Right. Enjoy! 🙂
