Fill My Queue: An Open Poll

Posted on September 30, 2008

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My Netflix queue has close to 200 titles just sitting in it, but most of them are your basic fillers, those films that look mildly or even more than a little interesting but that only make it to the queue because otherwise you’d forget about them completely. I’ve got some stuff on there that I’m excited about, yes, but most of it’s not that thrilling.
So I’m asking the literally sevens of people who read this blog to give me any and all ideas for movies or TV shows I should see. A handy list of almost every movie I’ve ever seen can be found here.
Okay. Let me hear it.
UPDATE: These suggestions are all great, and also helpful reminders of things I’ve actually left of the master list. (Like Punch-Drunk Love, which I actually own, and Real Genius, which is classic for so many reasons, from the boy who looks like Sarah Jessica Parker to the ending strains of Tears for Fears.) My Netflix queue is about to swell to epic proportions, but it’s gonna be worth it.

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  • http://www.xanga.com/sealer04 ryan English

    A Bridge too Far – old 70′s war movie done as only films in the 70s can be
    The Maltese Falcon – I thought it was required to watch, not as good as the hype, but good stuff
    The Happiest Days of our Lives – sorry for all the old movies, but this one is good stuff. Realistic examination of what its like to return home form war.
    I don’t know many more recent movies that I have seen and you haven’t, sorry.
    Oh, I know! The Counterfeiters, or Die Fälscher, good stuff
    Taking Sides – adapted from the stage play, I still like the play better, but good little film
    I hope that helps some

  • http://www.whatbenwatches.com Ben

    Please see Dancer in the Dark now. Shortbus was surprisingly good, too.
    That’s all I see as clear holes on your list. In old timey territory, there’s The Awful Truth, Gaslight, Bringing Up Baby, and Mildred Pierce. The last one’s the only one that’s really good – the others I’m just surprised to see missing.

  • http://chezdishman.blogspot.com Chez

    Charlie Bartlett: Not sure how you’ll feel about it, but (as you can read on my blog) I thought it was adorable.
    Definitely, Maybe: Cute kid, cute story, cute girls.

  • http://slowlygoingbald.com Dan

    @Ryan: You’re help is always appreciated. You introduced me to hard liquor and The Dirty Dozen. You’re golden.
    @Ben: Dancer in the Dark is one I’ve been meaning to see ever since I saw Breaking the Waves. Thanks for the classics, too; it’s a genre in which I feel I am woefully lacking.
    @Chez: Hmm. I do love me some Elizabeth Banks.

  • http://mootpoint.wrenkin.net Brenda

    One kind of forgotten classic: Sweet Smell of Success; it’s sort of a noirish thing, but with the most insane witty biting dialogue ever and about journalism and gossip columns, and Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis.
    Also, David Lean’s Brief Encounter is just breathtakingly amazing. It’s the kind of movie that inspired In The Mood For Love…which is also not on your list, and you should absolutely see. (The other Wong Kar Wai that is an essential is Chungking Express.)
    Other classics that I think are worth it: City Lights, Vertigo, All About Eve, Breathless (the Godard one, not the remake, duh), Jules & Jim.
    You also seem to lack in Almodovar, about whom I know way too much, post-thesis, I’d pick at least one of Talk To Her, All About My Mother, Volver, and Law of Desire. Other good key classic Spanish movies — Spirit of the Beehive, Cria Cuervos (sometimes just called Cria! in English releases, but I think the Criterion one is the full name). The latter were both made right around Franco’s death, the one right before and the one right after, and both feature the same little girl, Ana Torrente, in just amzing performances.
    I think that’s like, ten movies right there, so I will shut up now.

  • http://mootpoint.wrenkin.net Brenda

    Sorry for the double, I got an error and it didn’t post.

  • http://slowlygoingbald.com Dan

    @Brenda: Vertigo! I knew the list was missing something. I’ve actually seen that but have neglected to put it on the master roster. The rest of your suggestions, though, are titles I haven’t seen, so thanks very much.

  • http://www.curiousamerica.com/ Darek

    Off the top of my head…
    American Movie
    Hedwig and the Angry Inch
    The Apartment
    And seriously… Pootie Tang.

  • Melanie Larson

    House Bunny
    Sydney White
    Mean Girls
    Lizzie McGuire Movie
    Cheaper by the Dozen 2
    Hannah Montana The Movie
    High School Musical 2
    Troop Beverly Hills
    I didn’t have time to check your list so forgive me if you’ve already seen all of these. :)

  • http://ericyang.wordpress.com Eric

    The Talented Mr. Ripley – Nearly flawless Hitchcockian filmmaking
    In the Mood for Love – A Wong Kar Wai classic
    Changing Lanes – Surprisingly well-crafted thriller
    We Don’t Live Here Anymore – Not a perfect film, but the dialogue is so good you won’t care
    The Door in the Floor – Beautiful movie
    The Comeback (TV show) – Hilarious stuff

  • Kyle Peveto

    The Devil and Daniel Johnston: A doc about singer-songwriter Daniel Johnston. He went to ACU for a semester, was raised in the Church of Christ and is mentally ill. You’ll totally connect with it.
    The Thin Blue Line: Errol Morris.
    Hud: Paul Newman as the meanest dude ever.

  • http://www.whatbenwatches.com Ben

    OK… more stuff to watch.
    Torchwood. Give it a few episodes, ’cause it’s super stylized and campy, but it gets better with each episode.
    Alias. One of the best TV series ever.
    Heights. I, too, love me some Elizabeth Banks and she’s superb here.
    Angels in America
    Blue
    White
    Red. Kiezlowski’s trilogy is required viewing, I think.
    Elizabeth
    The Piano
    Home for the Holidays
    In Her Shoes
    Planet Earth. If you can do it in HD on a huge TV, all the better.
    State of Play. It’s a BBC miniseries, and it was great. Can’t wait for the American film remake.

  • Courtney

    Gilda (1946) – film noir; Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford will show you the true meaning of “sexual tension.”

  • http://nightwindows.net Kevin Longrie

    Three Amazing French-Canadian films:
    The Decline of the American Empire
    The Barbarian Invasions
    Mon Oncle Antoine

  • Cole Hufstedler

    How about… “My Own Worst Fiend” (Documentary, Werner Herzog)
    or…
    “Fitzcarraldo” (Dir. Werner Herzog)
    im obviously on a Herzog kick at the moment

  • Kizer

    The last 4 seasons of Doctor Who – fun with a taste of genius
    Return to OZ – my first netflix ever
    Avatar: The Last Airbender – an awesome cartoon series; trust me on this one
    King of Kong: Fistful of Quarters – best documentaryish film of 2007
    Grind – quotable
    Orange County – Harold Ramis on Ecstacy

  • Cole Hufstedler

    and that is supposed to be “My Best Fiend”

  • s. pisaster

    Wings of Desire – but only if you don’t mind slow, ramblingly philosophical films (remember how city of angels kinda sucked? this one doesn’t.)
    Akira – seriously, give anime a chance!
    Les Parapluies de Cherbourg – and then tell me how it is ’cause I’ve been meaning to check it out forever and might need an extra push.
    Ginger Snaps – best werewolf movie ever. I promise.
    Real Genius – this is the only movie I’ve ever watched that felt like it really caught the essence of academic research scientists. I know that doesn’t sound like an endorsement but I swear it is.

  • http://speeddatingcanada.wordpress.com Susan

    You definitely need some Marx Brothers on there. Duck Soup, Animal Crackers, A Day at the Races, Monkey Business, etc etc etc. Also, check out a little Canadian flick called waydowntown. And a series called Slings and Arrows.
    I haven’t seen it, but Young People Fucking has been getting amazing reviews. My sister claims I’d like it, which leads me to believe that perhaps you will too.

  • Brennon

    Really? Revenge of the Nerds I and II, but not Revenge of the Nerds III: The Next Generation, or Revenge of the Nerds IV: Nerds in Love? I’m disappointed, Carlson.

  • Samantha

    Taking of Pelham One Two Three (The 1974 original and see it before the updated Travolta/Denzel one is released)
    Holes (2003)
    High Society (1956)
    Osmosis Jones (2001)
    The Man Who Never Was (1956)
    The Stranger (1946)
    A Blue Print for Murder (1953)

  • Matt

    The Specials (2000)
    It’s a pretty funny look at a B-list group of super heroes.

  • http://www.pastorkes.blogspot.com Kester

    Let me echo The Apartment and The Devil and Daniel Johnston. Let me also recommend:
    Dead Man Walking
    The Natural
    The Big Kahuna
    Caddyshack
    Elling
    Clockers
    Punch Drunk Love
    Searching For Bobby Fisher
    Fletch
    King of Kong

  • karen

    “A Face in the Crowd” (you’ll see some parallels in recent politics … and Andy Griffith out of the context of Mayberry)
    “My Life As a Dog” (it’s cute and melancholy, and there’s glassblowing and a kid with green hair and a briefly naked chick)
    Yes … “The Apartment”! It’s a must-have, Netflix-wise.

  • Christina

    1. Cabaret – Bob Fosse genius
    2. Home for the Holidays – great casting, lovely movie.
    3. Fatso – written and directed by Anne Bancroft.
    4. Radio Days – Woody Allen’s semi-autobiographical retelling of growing up as a kid in the 40′s in Brooklyn.
    5. Manhattan Murder Mystery – Another Woody Allen entry on the list, but it’s pretty good.

  • Christina

    Omg….I totally forgot a few…
    Paper Moon – for which little Tatum O’Neal won her Oscar.
    Defending Your Life – Albert Brooks and Meryl…so good.
    The Great Outdoors – John Candy, Dan Aykroyd and Annette Benning in her first movie.
    The Posdeidon Adventure – 70′s disaster movie with an all-star cast. Camp classic.
    National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation – how is this not on your list???
    Muppets Take Manhattan – classic…

  • Christina

    And The Cooler…Alec Baldwin, William H. Macy, Maria Bello…
    Okay, I’m done now…

  • Brian

    A late 70′s TV show called “The Sandbaggers” Can’t recommentd it stronlgy enough. Very real, believable show about the special ops group within MI-5. Gene Rucka’s Queen & Country is completely based on it (you should read that series if you haven’t).
    BY the way – I keep my queue full and manage out of the top 6-10 slots

  • http://www.spaceshank.com/ Alec McNayr

    That is a massive list. I’ve always had dreams of such a list on my own site, but never had the mental fortitude to get it done. Congratulations.
    Adding some TV into your mix:
    Frasier – I’ve been on a kick lately. it’s on 4 times a day on Lifetime.
    The Black Adder – Rowan Atkinson’s hilarious first romp on British TV. Four season, but I only really love the first.
    The League of Gentlemen – Again, British, but so odd it’s hilarious.
    Upright Citizen’s Brigade – Amy Poehler before she hit SNL and her crew deliver the sketch comedy-turned-long-form sitcom crazy goods.
    And one film:
    Incident at Loch Ness – Werner Herzog’s brilliant doc/mock-umentary.

  • http://mlu-music.blogspot.com Jessica

    I highly recommend the films of Alejandro Jodorowsky, particularly, El Topo (1971) and The Holy Mountain (1973).

  • Bazzy

    Spoorloos (The Vanishing) – 1988. Incredible suspense. Don’t watch the remake, though. It’s terrible.
    Peeping Tom – 1960. Disturbing and it pretty much ruined the director’s career.
    Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead – 2007. Best film of last year? Maybe so.
    Bully – 2001. Larry Clark and more kids.
    Oldboy – 2003. I can’t believe you haven’t seen this one. Its theatrical run maxed out at 28 screens, but one of those was in San Antonio.
    The Descent – 2005. Scary.
    Owning Mahoney – 2003. Probably Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s best performance.
    The World’s Fastest Indian – 2005. Every movie I’ve recommended until now is likely to depress you. This one is the opposite.
    Atanarjuat (The Fast Runner) – 2001. When was the last time you watch a nearly 3-hour Inuit movie? Here’s your chance. It’s really good.
    Anything by Todd Solondz, although I’m partial to Palindromes.
    Io non ho paura (I’m Not Scared) – 2003. Interesting Italian movie, with perhaps the most beautiful physical scenery in any movie I’ve seen. Just breathtaking. It’s enough to make me want to go to Italy (and I’m not one with a strong desire to travel abroad).
    Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story (2005). Very, very funny.
    Vozvrashcheniye (The Return) – 2003. It’s slow. It’s Russian. Its title has a lot of consonants.
    I could go on all night, but I think that’s enough.

  • http://teresaelectro.blogspot.com/ Teresa

    Cashback – excellent british indie with awesome soundtrack and cinematography
    Intacto – Max Von Sydow speaks spanish, who knew!
    L’auberge espagnole – stars Romain Duris and Audrey Tantou
    And L’auberge’s sequel, Russian Dolls, which I think is even better!
    “Wire in the Blood” – especially the texas episode, Prayer to the Bone

  • AManda

    Hope and Glory-John Boorman of Deliverance fame telling his tale of WW2 in London.
    Once Were Warriors-Harrying tale of life in a dysfunctional Maori family
    The Cutting Edge-
    Awesome chick flick, fave of many

  • Bo Gusname

    “Run Lola Run”

  • VampireNomad

    ‘Prizzi’s Honor’ (John Huston directing, Jack Nicholson, the incomparable Anjelica Huston… and it’s a mafia black comedy… by Richard Condon… it’s almost unspeakable that it’s not on your list of ‘have seens’)
    ‘Curse of the Golden Flower’ (if you liked ‘Crouching Tiger’… look, just see it for Gong Li alone… stunning)
    ‘Snow Cake’ (Alan Rickman, Sigourney Weaver, Carrie-Anne Moss… Sigourney Weaver will blow you away with her performance… it’s touching and funny but never cloying)
    And I second the vote for ‘Ginger Snaps’ (awesome Canadian werewolf flick with dark humor and a very cool heroine… truly unique)