Movies for Adults
by Tommy Burton and Neola Young

Tommy = TB, Neola = NY

In no absolute particular order:

In America (2002, Jim Sheridan) – NY: An Irish family immigrates to Manhattan to find a better life (of course—common of immigration films) and recover from the death of a young son. Sheridan ends up presenting the realization of the force of humanity and the struggles we all endure with each other, issues only to be fully appreciated as an adult.

Citizen Kane (1941, Orson Welles) – TB: Yes, that movie again. It’s so flawlessly-shot that it never ceases to amaze me. It may not ever be subtle, but you almost have to be an adult to appreciate all the technical merits of this film. It never hurts to watch this film as a film lover or simply for just a great Saturday afternoon buzz.

Battle Royale (2000, Kinji Fukasaku) – NY: A Japanese film with 40+ kids being sent to an island and forced into a killing game, striving to be last man standing. Still one of the most disturbing films I’ve ever seen.

Hard Eight (1999, Paul Thomas Anderson) – TB: Father and son tale starring the great Philip Baker Hall and John C. Reilly. Solid performances and a story of grace mixed with a touch of suspense. Anderson has yet to let me down ever. NY: John C. Reilly never fails to break my heart for his characters.

Rashômon (1950, Akira Kurosawa) – NY: A story of rape and murder told from different viewpoints, Kurosawa has you guessing as to who is really being truthful and ultimately asking, "What is truth anyway?"

Straw Dogs (1971, Sam Peckinpah) – TB: Ah, Peckinpah. The Hemingway of film directors. A manly son of a bitch to be sure. This is the story a pacifist mathematician who is forced to fight for his home and family. Another study by Peckinpah in violence and a man faced with choices.

Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999, Jim Jarmusch) – NY: Jarmusch’s arthouse look into the samurai code, via Mafia life and Forest Whitaker. Probably considered a bit too offbeat for a general audience. TB: And it’s kinda funny too.

The Graduate (1967, Mike Nichols) – TB: The ultimate coming-of-age film that manages to hold up each and every time I see it. It’s easy to appreciate this film as a young person, but it certainly helps to have gained some experience before seeing it again. A truly striking film that will always leave an impression long after it is viewed. NY: I didn’t begin to understand the impact of this film until I saw it for a college course, hating it when I first saw it in high school. Proof of that aforementioned need for life experience?

Lost in Translation (2003, Sofia Coppola ) – NY: A semi-autobiographical foray into the loneliness human beings experience and the frustrating reality of being tied into a situation. Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray form a charming friendship and end up developing a simple romance that will uncertainly conclude. TB: This movie is warm, funny, and so very human. Bill Murray has become perfect for playing the parts that you like to root for.

8 ½ (1963, Federico Fellini) – TB: Fellini is all about imagery as he paints a picture a man trying to launch an ambitious film project. It’s surreal and very human at the same time as this film balances the sublime with the grotesque. It’s such a joy to watch this story build to a twisted climax of defeat. Is it fictional or not?

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004, Michael Gondry) – NY: I know there is a lot of disagreement about this film. I have to confess that before Eternal Sunshine, I had much difficulty accepting Jim Carrey as anything but crap. Kate Winslet is superb as the erratic Clementine opposite Jim Carrey’s Joel, constantly caught in humiliation. Kaufman presents a story of memory and how we manipulate it in favor of the (sometimes minimal) delights of love relationships. TB: I haven’t seen this. Perhaps I will based on Neola’s superb description. I have to admit that I am a little afraid of Kaufman’s work. Thanks, Noles.

Apocalypse Now (1979, Francis Ford Coppola) – TB: A look at war told in a bizarre and macabre parallel to Heart of Darkness. Martin Sheen’s Captain Willard goes on a journey deep into the jungle on a mission to "remove" Marlon Brando’s Colonel Kurtz from duty. The river takes the mission (and the film) into a view that looks at all sides of war from the extreme ("Charlie don’t surf") to the insane ("the horror"). A stunning film that was shot amidst people who had to have been out of their minds. See the documentary on the making of this film for further proof. NY: If you ever begin to take of war lightly, watch this film.

Dr. Strangelove (1964, Stanley Kubrick) – NY: With Peter Sellers in multiple roles, Slim Pickens riding a bomb, references to "precious bodily fluids," and convincing you war is insane with lines like: "Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room!"—what’s not to love? TB: A perfect example of an "adult" movie what with its heavy tone and dark comedy. I can say this because I saw it as a young person and didn’t fully appreciate it until I became an adult myself.

The Seventh Seal (1957, Igmar Bergman) – TB: Bergman often plays second fiddle to filmmakers like Fellini and Kurasowa, but one look at this film certainly puts him into a league that holds its own with the very best of those directors. A knight who has been battling in the crusades challenges Death to a game of chess and is shown a few things about life as the game unfolds. A remarkably original film for all times.

Punch-Drunk Love (2002, Paul Thomas Anderson) – NY: I personally think this is Adam Sandler at his best, portraying the pathetic Barry Egan. Barry awkwardly shuffles through life, eventually falling for Emily Watson’s wide-eyed Lena. My favorite scene is Barry’s light-hearted soft-shoeing in the grocery store, a scene of supposed happiness—something Barry seems to completely miss. TB: This film has a warm fuzzy glow that somehow makes the world a better place. One of the few perfect love stories ever filmed.

The Wild Bunch (1969, Sam Peckinpah) – TB: This film has set many standards that we are still feeling its effects (for better and for worse). Four men are faced with growing old in a time when battles were settled with guns and violence. These men live and breathe in a dying society, but they have also lived by a code that draws them together. William Holden sets the standard by warning the others, "I know one thing: I either lead this bunch, or I end it right here." Yes, sir.

Battleship Potemkin (1925, Sergei Eisenstein) – NY: Potemkin is the historical recount of a Russian naval mutiny in 1905, which incited a riot and consequently, revolution. The famous baby-carriage-falling-down-the-big-scary-stone-steps is indicative of the situation in Russia. For such an early film, Eisenstein uses imagery to an amazing effect, considering the lack of sound.

The Big Red One (1980, Samuel Fuller) – TB: Pulp director takes jive talking grunts through the motions of WWII led by super tough guy, Lee Marvin. The thing about this film that draws me to it is its flawless narrative. Everything unfolds at just the perfect time and place. Plus, you get to see Mark "Luke Skywalker" Hamill do something else besides fight space buggers.

Magnolia (1999, Paul Thomas Anderson) – NY: P.T. Anderson’s look at how people can drown in their own faults and their need for forgiveness or some form of salvation. Big, ugly life lessons presented by a stellar cast. I usually fail to see any talent or ability in Tom Cruise’s work, but he surprises me with the chauvinistic Frank T.J. Mackey, the example of unfortunate perpetuity. Plus, it always helps when you have Aimee Mann contribute a soundtrack. TB: A film with so many layers that it never ceases to teach me something new with each viewing. Anderson cares so much about what he is showing us. It’s so easy to fall for a film this beautiful.

Blue Velvet (1986, David Lynch) – TB: Still the ultimate Lynch film with picturesque suburban life portrayed with the seedy underbelly of what we don’t see. A mystery that lets each part of it be revealed exactly when Lynch wants us to know it. A master filmmaker making the type of film that he is perfect at shooting. NY: Had I seen Blue Velvet years ago instead of recently, I probably would have dismissed it. This film proves again what a great enigmatic storyteller Lynch is.