Right now, a lot of people are working from home as we are all working together to stop the spread of this virus.
While it might not be the greatest of situations, it is always good to make the best of things!
When I’m feeling down, one thing I love to do is watch movies. With all the things we can’t do, we still can participate in is watching films at home!
So…here are some random movies that I think are great! No rhyme or reason as to why I chose the movies that are on this list. But they are all films I believe are good and worth watching!
Big Fish- No joke, this is probably my favorite movie of all time. It tells the story of a man named Edward Bloom. His whole life he’s seen some pretty fascinating things. Things so wild, they are hard to believe. We are talking tall tale like! Most of this film is told through his son Will’s reminiscing on his father’s stories while Edward is in his final days of life. Will has a tough time beveling a lot of his Dad’s tales, but he starts to find out there’s more truth to them than how it may seem on the surface. I’m not really sure why I love this movie so much, but it might be because I saw this right around the time I truly began to fall in love with film, and ever since then it has stuck with me. I also enjoy the idea of telling a fascinating life story about a person who didn’t really exist. This movie is in the same vein of two other films I love, “Forrest Gump” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” So, if you like those movies, you’ll probably enjoy this as well.
The Straight Story- I had no idea this movie existed a few months ago. Most of it takes place in Iowa too! I felt ashamed I didn’t know, as both a film fan and an Iowan. It’s full of very Iowa things and characters. Plus, there is even a Casey’s and a scene with RAGBRAI bicyclists in it! The movie follows an older man named Alvin Straight who finds out his brother’s health is failing. He decides to go to Wisconsin and see him. The trouble is though, Alvin doesn’t have a car or driver’s license. So what does he do? He takes a John Deere lawn mower, hitches up a trailer up to it and hits the road of course! Along the way he meets a lot of interesting people, and confronts some of his own problems. All of it feels so real too, and yet pretty simple at the same time. But when it gets emotional…it gets really emotional. Some really powerful scenes are in this one. Scenes that kinda hit you out of nowhere, but they still feel genuine and down to earth. I didn’t expect to fall in love with such an easy going movie. But I have. And it being such an Iowa movie makes me love it even more. Yep, this ones gonna have a special place in my heart for a long time!
Backdraft- I don’t know much about being a firefighter, and I’ve never thought about becoming one. But this movie almost convinced me otherwise! Are you looking for a mystery involving an arsonist, where firefighters help solve the case? Well this movie is that and more!! Every time I watch it, I feel the intensity of everything. All of the scenes involving fires are so well done. While movies can’t truly make you feel heat, this one certainly comes close. The mystery of who is doing these crimes never fails to feel suspenseful upon re-watches either. I’ve always kind of felt like out of a lot of the big spectacle action movies of the 1990’s, this movie has always kind of been swept under the rug for some reason. It’s the kind of action movie I think everyone should see. Because you are bound to enjoy it.
The Way, Way Back- I’m a total sucker for coming of age stories. One of the best I’ve ever seen on film is “The Way, Way Back.” In it, a teen named Duncan goes on a summer trip with his mother and her boyfriend. Her boyfriend is played by Steve Carell, and let me say, he is a total jerk in this movie! Carell is fantastic as an unlikable potential stepfather. Which is weird because he an actor who is so easy to like! Duncan starts out kind of mopey at the beginning of this movie, but as the story progresses he discovers a water park where he meets many new people. Most notably, Owen played fantastically by Sam Rockwell. Owen is the father figure Duncan needed as he inspires him to take on the world with confidence and personality. I love this movie so much because I found it very relatable. I was shy growing up, but because of those people who inspired me to be myself I found the personality that I have today. In fact, I think everybody who sees this will be inspired by it. It just makes you want to be your best self and take on the world with stride! This is also the first movie where I really fell in love with Sam Rockwell’s acting. I always knew he was good, but for me his character in this felt so real and natural. While it may not necessarily be his best performance, I certainly think it is one that is constantly overlooked. In fact, this whole movie is overlooked. Give it a watch and spread the word.
Shrek 2- I told you this was going to be random! I really feel like talking about “Shrek 2” though. Why? Because it is truly one of the greatest sequels I’ve ever seen. I’ve thought that ever since I was a kid! And a lot of my opinions have changed since then! This sequel does everything that it should. It doesn’t retread on the first one too much, instead it expands on story elements from the first one perfectly. Deepening Fiona’s backstory was defiantly the way to go. The whole idea of Shrek trying to fit in with human in-laws who already have a unique situation on their hands with an ogre daughter is hilarious! It’s like “Meet the Parents,” but with ogres! The world of Shrek feels even bigger in this film. Having a Hollywood setting like Far, Far Away makes the possibilities of what fairly tale characters they bring into the Shrek movies endless. Oh boy did they take advantage of that in a great way. Especially with Puss in Boots. I LOVE that cat! He’s like Zorro, but in a cat’s body! Genius! And what a random character to bring in right? But it works! He feels like he should’ve been there the whole time! A lot of the elements in this movie feel that way. Maybe that’s why it’s so good? Every choice made in it feels like the logical next step for Shrek’s story. Yep. That’s why it’s one of my favorite sequels. I put it right up there with “Terminator 2” and “The Empire Strikes Back.” I’m not scared to say it!
Hidalgo- “Hidalgo” is another movie I feel like doesn’t get enough love. It came out in 2004, and I feel like we are getting to the point where more and more people are forgetting about it. That makes me sad. But for those of you that have never heard of it, let me fill you in a little. It is loosely based off of a real story involving a cowboy named Frank Hopkins and his horse Hidalgo. The two of them compete in long distant horse races all across America, and they are good at it too! So good, they get invited to participate in a race across the Najd desert in Saudi Arabia. Along the way they encounter heat, danger, enemies and even rescue a princess! If I ever had to say there was a movie that was next to the word fun in the dictionary, Hidalgo would be it. I love adventures like this and I hope Hollywood makes them forever.
The Peanut Butter Falcon- I put this movie in my top ten favorite films list of last year. It sticks with me to this day, and I think I’ll like it even more as time goes on. The film follows two men who come together. Both characters have a tough time fitting into the world. One is outcast because of his past, while the other is because of his disability. While the two don’t really get along at first, and seem like an unlikely pair, they bond…… and it’s one of the most heartwarming friendships I’ve ever seen form on screen. They then go on adventure to find their place in the world. I won’t spoil the movie, but I found all of it beautiful. I’ve said this before, but I truly believe it’s the kind of movie made for everyone.
That’s it for recommendations right now! But, I’m sure I will do another one of these soon! Be careful out there everyone! Stay safe, and enjoy some great flicks at home!
