We enjoyed researching how long movies could actually run.  And trust me they could run long but don’t worry, we didn’t include ones that were over 500 minutes.  Instead of going for quantity, we discuss SUPER LONG films that have a wider…er…appeal.  Here’s a list of five films that are interesting, brilliantly shot and include kick ass characters–that just happen to have a minimum time limit of two hours. Check it!

Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003)

Obviously we had to include this, but wait for it, you know we just reminded you to re-watch the extended version. So. Good. It bests the first two movies by a mile, and yet you still like watching them in order–though we think we love this one the best. That final battle sequence? Chill-inducing.

Demonlover (2002)

Spies. Manga Pornography. A foreign film that’s TOTALLY interesting.  We still think this movie is brilliant, even after watching it a few times. You really don’t notice that it’s two hours, because it’s so action-packed it keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time.

Satantango (1994)

This over 4 hour movie follows a dilapidated community in Hungary. All they want is to actually have a chance at living, but they are a little tempted to stay and believe they can make it when someone they thought was dead returns to them. We know it’s long and in German, but if you have a few hours it’s completely worth it. (And the film doesn’t even have a trailer online…crazy talk)

Love Exposure (2008)

If Closer had taken place in Japan and included a lot more porn and a huge plot surrounding a cult, this would be that movie. Three intersecting story lines come together to form a destructive love triangle spawning from emotional abuse. It’s heavy but the performances are spectacular and the end? Two words: Street. Fight.

Fanny and Alexander (1982)

Ingmar Bergman directs this 300 + minute movie that follows the lives of two children who are ripped from their surroundings and transplanted into a place they haven’t lived before. Somehow Bergman manages to make this insanely interesting, beautiful, and unique. Then again, has Bergman ever done anything by the book?

This dude. He is actually everywhere. Seriously, turn around right now. Jokes. The Canadian who started in TV and is slowly becoming the go-to guy for major comic book films (Green Lantern, X-Men Origins, R.I.P.D). Forget romantic comedy type-casting, Reynolds has been in horror movies, thrillers, dramas, superhero/comic book movies and (whisper) some romantic comedies. From small indie movies to high budget blockbusters, the guy diversifies his work. Check out some of our favorite Ryan Reynolds movies.

Buried (2010)

Who knew that watching Ryan Reynolds buried in a box for an hour and a half could be so suspenseful and engrossing?  It’s basically a nightmare come to life, if your nightmare is being buried alive with only a lighter and a cell phone in the deserts of Iraq.

Paper Man (2009)

Ever thought about the time you were forced to grow up? That one time that changed everything? Ryan Reynolds stars as a washed up writer’s (Jeff Daniels) imaginary Superhero friend. Emma Stone is the one who helps said washed up writer grow up. It’s definitely an indie movie worth watching– it’s funny in a tragic way.

Waiting… (2005)

Reynolds has fantastic comedic timing, so when you team him up with his Just Friends costar Anna Faris and Justin Long you are pretty much guaranteed to laugh out loud. You will never ever want to visit the fictional Shenaniganz restaurant where these guys work, but you’ll enjoy watching what they do to cure their boredom.

Adventureland (2009)

If at first you thought this was going to be a laugh out loud funny comedy than you would be wrong. It’s actually a shockingly blunt and accurate look at the in-between years (college/high school). Reynolds is kind of a terrible person in this movie, but it adds to the dramatic moments. In fact, everyone in this movie is actually kind of miserable, but that’s what makes it funny. With us?

Chaos Theory (2008)

This is what happens when someone writes a sincere script. You get kick ass performances that range from Reynolds running naked across a hockey rink to him realizing he wants someone to love. It’s both funny and so much like real. Don’t write it off as a romantic comedy…it’s more of a dramedy with a hint of romance.

Science Fiction explores the great unknown.  A nice blend of the imagined based upon the love of technology and the world it will form.  As America’s technology advances more quickly and even more quickly, we want movies that reflect the change.  In a day where we can control TV’s using just our bodies, the following question is just as relevant today as it was when these movies released. Really, what can’t we do if we dump enough money on the project?

Metropolis (1927)

Those wacky German Expressionists really knew how to make a great cinema. Clocking in as the most expensive silent film ever made, it tells the story of a young man born to luxury who stumbles upon the harsh working life of the lower class.  From there he vows to fight  for their freedom and increase the quality of their lives.

Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959)

Coined as the worst movie ever made, director Ed Wood creates a luscious masterpiece of failure.  Now a cult classic, the story shows aliens coming to Earth to create zombies and vampires. It features Bela Lugosi’s final role and uses hubcaps on strings as UFOs. How could you get much better?

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Space travel and artificial intelligence tend not to go as well together as you might think, especially when said AI gets an ego complex and starts putting the lives of everyone on board in significant danger. Add some extraterrestrial life and evolutionary themes and you’ve got a pretty trippy movie that is sure to stir up some delightful discussion afterwards.

Star Wars (1977)

Does this film even need an introduction? Released as Star Wars, and rereleased as Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, this science-fantasy movie changed what we thought was capable in cinema. If you can, try to watch an older VHS version before Lucas started drawing CGI all over his work. And for the love of all that is good, don’t bother with Episodes I-III.

Back to the Future (1985)

When Marty McFly uses a suped up Delorean to time travel to 1955, he needs to figure out a way to get back to his time. This is all well and good until he accidentally gets in the way of his parents meeting and inadvertently begins to unwrap the fabric of reality itself. He must not only send himself back to the future, but also save his parent’s marriage before it even begins. Check out the sequels while you’re at it. This and the original Star Wars are some of the only good trilogies out there.

In no way are we condoning pill popping. Unless you need it because all of your veins will disappear or you’ll lose your all the fingers on your right hand. However, we are a fan of movies that have to do with the effects of pill popping and, you guess it, ecstasy. Do you know how many movies have to do with drugs? There is an entire Wiki site dedicated to the list. However, we thought of our favorite pill-popping movies (we are aware it’s odd that we have favorite drug movies, but whatever we don’t jude you) for your enjoyment:

Prozac Nation

Arguably Christina Ricci’s best work on film. As a girl who suffers from deep depression and tries to find solace in prozac, sex, and lashing out at everyone who has ever loved her–Ricci’s performance is insanely realistic. Plus, at least she isn’t chained to a collar being handled by Samuel L. Jackson. So there’s that.

Ecstasy

Christians? On pills? Pills of an unknown origin? Music? Goodness. This is an incredible soundtrack. Obviously the story is good, the characters, etc.. All great. But the music is stunning and breathtaking. Must have soundtrack.

Garden State

The movie is grounded in the fact that Zach Braff’s character takes to much pharmaceutical meds for his own good–to the point of being able to feel nothing. But if you want to feel something, how can you? What if you couldn’t mourn or feel that feeling when someone you liked touches your skin? This movie explores those questions. Natalie Portman plays our favorite character she’s ever played before. She crazy. Watch this one.

Holy Rollers

A Hasidic jew who gets wrapped up in the world of drug pushing and rolling on ecstasy. Who else but Jesse Eisenberg and Ari Graynor? Watch as he gets pulled into two lives: one he lives dangerously in and the other he feels obligated to live happily and appease his family. Also it has Justin Bartha from The Hangover so…there’s that.

Charlie Bartlett

The only believable movie about a kid in high school dealing drugs to the kids who need them. Fake it till you make it, right Charlie Bartlett? Robert Downey Jr. costars as an ex-alcoholic turned principal at a high school where kids just need help of the drug variety. Of course, it goes down hill–but it’s a lot of fun to watch. And it’s dramatic.

Some of the best movies are about what happens when people don’t go with the grain, when people don’t do what they are told, and when they march to the beat of their own drum. Whether it be a documentary about someone who actually caused a riot or rebelled when he “should have” stayed quiet, or a comedy about coming to terms with the changing times–these movies are filled with unique and aware-the-world-is-changing characters who just want something different. Enjoy!

Across the Universe (2007)

Set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and the power of Beatles music, this film follows the lives of friends trying to make it in New York. And by trying to make it we mean: in the music business, in the economy, in avoiding the war, in living a good and healthy life. They don’t listen to what the world wants from them, they listen to themselves.

Against the Tide (2010)

An activist standing up against the government to save the European Jews from the Holocaust. This film shows what he had to go through in order to get his voice heard–as well as President Roosevelt’s perspective and what it would mean for the US during WWII. This film is about how sometimes it only takes one person to create giant momentum.

Milk (2008)

Sean Penn brings Harvey Milk to life–the gay activist who fought hard for equality. It follows his life, his goals, his dreams, his love and his terrible assassination. All in the name of love and equality.

Footloose (1984)

Kevin Bacon just wants to dance guys! It’s not his fault his new town has outlawed it under the guidance of the local pastor! It’s not his fault he fell in love with the pastor’s daughter! He just wants to dance! And he’ll break all the rules to do it!

American Graffiti (1973)

1962 California. Pre-JFK assassination. A couple of teenagers trying to grow up and out of their hometown. They take a final adventure around the places they’ve always known. It’s a movie about the good times, before riots and violent demonstrations took place.  These guys rioted from within themselves.

We know America loves the underdog, but we’ll go as far to say that EVERYONE loves an underdog story. Audiences want nothing more than a victory from the last person they’d expect. We relate to the down-on-their luck loser that eventually kicks some serious pompous upper-class butt.  And its more refreshing that a nice cool Sierra Mist on a hot sunny day. If you’re feeling a bit on the outside, why not watch one of these films where some poor kid just like you rises up and faces adversity head on!

Aladdin (1992)

If you grew up in the nineties, you probably learned the phrase “diamond in the rough” from this movie. Perhaps the most classic example of rags to riches you could ask for. Truly one of Disney’s finest, Aladdin delivers as much rewatching it as it did when you were a wee tyke. If you haven’t seen this movie, get out now and regain your childhood!

Strictly Ballroom (1992)

Baz Luhrman’s first major film follows a young ballroom dancer who wants to dance to his own rhythm. When the ballroom dancing community scolds him for this, they think they can keep his dreams from happening. Instead he teams up with an amateur girl as his dance partner, and together they dance for passion and for themselves.

8 Mile (2002)

Eminem’s first foray into acting, this movie tells the story of a young white rapper named Jimmy Smith as he struggles to earn respect of his peers. Growing up poor in Detroit, and struggling to make a name for himself, our hero uses his music to pull himself out of his personal nightmare.

Planet B-Boy (2007)

A documentary about street dance performers from various parts of the world. Spanning France, Japan, South Korea and the US, this film illustrates breakdancing as an art form that requires as much skill as classical dance.

Kick-Ass (2010)

Turning your standard superhero movie on its head, Kick-Ass aims to prove that even with no power comes great responsibility. High schooler, Dave, decides one day to be a superhero. Through that action alone he drastically changes New York City. Is it for the better?

Friends can really suck,especially if they are sociopaths or demons. However, we don’t even like the everyday, normal bad friends. We at FilmBuff have never had bad friends (and if we did, we couldn’t tell you). But we sympathize and for you sweet little ‘Buffs, we present five Films about crappy friends.
*You won’t find Mean Girls on this list…too obvious man…

Yeast (2008)

Ever been stuck between two of your friends? Kind of the middle ground? But instead of adoring you, you find they use you are their occasional punching bag.  Even being the Switzerland of friendships can suck.

Thirteen (2003)

Everyone’s drawn to a rebellious friend. But Thirteen takes the rebel to an extreme. And at thirteen years old, she estranges herself from her mother when her new best friend introduces her to, you guessed it, sex-drugs-rock n’ roll…as well as petty crime.  The story is compelling and the performances make this toxic friendship completely believable.

Jennifer’s Body (2009)

We hate it when our best friends get sacrificed by an emo rock band.  Just so the band can achieve fame and fortune.   Jokes on those posers when the plan backfires and they create your friend into a man-eating demon.  Forget the haters.  The movie is hilariously campy and completely witty.

Bad Influence (1990)

Can you go wrong with James Spader and Rob Lowe? Well yeah…of course you can…but not in this movie! One of them is normal and one of them is a complete sociopath. We aren’t telling who plays the sociopath.  No one should ruin how crazy and upside down this movie gets.

O (2001)

This is a modern day telling of William Shakespeare’s Othello. Skipped high school English?  And you didn’t even SparkNote it? Well what the hell! Regardless, of your Elizabeathan background, O updates the tale by placing it within the context of a predominantly white high school–complete with racism, mild sexism and steroids. And sports fans – they place the drama on the basketball court.

When it comes down to it, the two things the whole world wants to see are zombies and sex.  Think about it. Take any mediocre story and make it better by adding either zombies or sex but you give yourself a boost by adding both. They are both such fundamental building blocks for compelling movies that it’s a wonder they aren’t mashed up more frequently. Because we know you’ve been searching hard for a way to get your fix of both, here are the results of our thorough research:

Re-Animator (1985)

When an experiment goes wrong on a college campus, it’s not long before a hoard of zombies are lumbering around wreaking havoc in both violent and sexy ways. This cult horror-comedy gives us good reason to fear messing around with the forces of nature. When will fictional characters ever learn? It never goes according to plan.

Death Becomes Her (1992)

When two vapid aging rivals individually find potions which grant them everlasting youth, they quickly realize that this potion really means everlasting. Even after their bodies lose all life, they keep walking and keep fighting over the affections of the one mortician who can keep their corpses looking fresh and lovely.

Boy Eats Girl (2005)

Ex-boyfriends tend to be a pain, but man they are a lot worse when their run-of-the-mill high school lust is replaced with bloodlust. Say what you will about him though; at least he’s interested in her for her brains.

Zombie Strippers! (2008)

Super porn star Jenna Jameson headlines in this over the top outrageous comedy/horror flick. The plot couldn’t be simpler. A zombie outbreak occurs and the first place it hits is a strip club. Now that promises to be at least a very entertaining movie, even if it lacks in profound insight into life and human nature.

Make Out With Violence (2009)

Young love is hard enough when the object of your affection is living and breathing. When she’s recently risen from the dead after having gone mysteriously missing, this could complicate matters even further.

In general, most humans like being happy. At FilmBuff we strive to be miserable. Jokes, jokes! We love happiness here. AND we also embrace when happiness is found through misery. Like when we joked about our misery and we made you laugh (right?).  This list goes to the people who sometimes don’t know to handle happiness – even when it’s repeatedly hitting them in the face.

Happiness Is (2009)

A documentary about what the hell the “pursuit of happiness” even means. Most people want happiness in their lives and try their hardest to achieve it, but why do they work so hard that they forget what they are even trying to achieve? Not only does this film explore the lives of different Americans, but it provides a view into the mind of philanthropists or spiritual leaders like the Dalai Lama. What’s found is pretty incredible.

Happy-Go-Lucky (2008)

Is there such a thing as being TOO happy? The people around Poppy seem to think so. She’s a schoolteacher who’s learning how to drive…while really bugging people with her optimism. Or is she? Maybe they act like they are bugged by it because they wish they could see life as happily as she does? Watch it and you’ll see.

Amelie (2001)

Amelie has realized that she has never lived for herself or her own happiness. She goes about trying to spread love to everyone and realizes that by giving too much of herself, she has gotten nothing back. She sometimes escapes into vivid dreams about falling in love and other beautiful things, but the really incredible thing about this movie is how effortlessly happy and interested in life she is.

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

This one is about how the miserable adults in one family go from happy to sad and vice versa–all while trying to make one little girl happier than anyone else. The family all have their crosses to bare: cocaine, suicide, not living up to expectations, physical issues that hold you from your dreams. But somehow, their dysfunctional unit is all they need to be happy.

Mary Poppins (1964)

A magical woman makes an unhappy family happy again. It’s an oldie, but sometimes you need a good family flick in your life – especially with such happy and optimistic singing. The story is sweet, you can watch it at any age and it never ceases to remind you that sometimes you’re allowed to sit back and smile.

What you say? We already have an LGBT collection?! Duh. We know. This isn’t dedicated to our friendly LGBT group. No we dedicated this collection to the lovely men with the names Larry, Gary, Bruce and Tim. GET IT?!?! We are funny, right? Quick-witted? Clever? All right, we’ll stop. But this will probably be the most random collection of films you will ever happen upon, and we know you are going to love it. It’s a good mix of comedy, drama, dramedy, craziness and cleverness. Enjoy.

Groundhog Day (1993)

As soon as Larry (Chris Elliot) utters the line “He is out of his gourd,” you know you are going to LOVE this movie. What if you woke up one morning and realized it was yesterday again? And then it happens over and over again? See what happens when Bill Murray does it.

Wet Hot American Summer (2001)

Some of the best comedy actors around are in this movie (Amy Poehler, Bradley Cooper, Paul Rudd..seriously the list could go on). It’s brilliantly written by Michael Showalter and the character of Gary is one of the misfits who tries to live his life in the summer of the ’81. One word can some up this movie: Bitchin’.

Finding Nemo (2003)

Bruce the shark utters one of the funniest lines in the movie “I never knew my father!” We love depressed sharks here at FilmBuff, and this movie is possibly the greatest animated movie of all time.

Garden State (2004)

Jim Parsons plays a guy named Tim who dresses in armor. He’s an oddball, and he steals the movie away from Zach Braff and that one girl named Natalie Portman. Plus, this movie is pretty excellent. It’s a slice of life about what it means to be alive and mourn something.

Jam (2006)

And the most random LGBT Collection film of them all.  Roller derby in the 60′s and 70′s is trying to make a comeback. One guy wants to get the gang back together (even though most of them are in their 50′s and 60′s) to make it rad and sensational again. Derby is pretty rad in general, and can get kind of graphic. So this is worth it, trust us.

“Watch out! He’s got a gun!”  Don’t be scared though.  This collection follows some of the best draws ever on film. So holster those fears and get ready for the excitement provided by these crack-shots.

Annie Get Your Gun

A musical about a female sharp shooter seems far-fetched. But don’t worry no one is singing about shooting a politician.  Instead they use their shooting skills to entertain audiences…while they sing about it. Based on the true story of Annie Oakley, this movie is more showmanship than quick draw showdowns.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Bank robbers. Rugged cowboys. Forget what you call them, these gunslingers bring on the charm and that’s what matters. Awesome gunslingers…dashingly sexy…quite the double threat!

Let the Bullets Fly

The highest grossing film of all time in China after Avatar, this film lives up to it’s namesake with sharp shooters who can do seemingly anything. It premiered recently in the Western Hemisphere at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival and now you can look for it to win over audiences around the country.

No Country for Old Men

Based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy, this Oscar Best Picture winner made America fear a criminal who uses a quarter to decide their fate. Yeah there’s shooting…but the best shooting happens with Javier Bardem’s cattle gun.  Seriously…avoid Bardem look-a-likes with a pageboy haircut…he’s the creepiest man alive.

Boondock Saints

Fun, fast, explosive. The brothers in this film aren’t just doing G-d’s work, they are doing it with bullets flying. This movie shows how being quick on the draw can make all the difference.

Yarr all you ‘Buff Mateys! Let’s talk in pirate’s voices the rest of this post, no?  Fine, forget the voices then and let’s focus on all things that make pirates awesome.  Treasure. Adventure on the high seas. And an ancient treasure map with an X to mark the spot. We would be game to sign up ourselves…but we get too sea sick for the open ocean and we don’t have enough vacation time to dedicate ourselves to digging up treasure.  So instead we hoist the sails and prepare to live vicariously through these awesome Pirate flix.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Reviving the genre in a modern interpretation, Johnny Depp stars as  Jack Sparrow, almost a self-serving Keith Richards type that brings an eccentric flare to the film.  And to think all this fun is based on a ride at Disney World.

The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad

One of Ray Harryhausen’s great works of stop motion animation, this is a classic in swash-buckler adventure tales. While lost at sea, Sinbad and his crew arrive on the island of Colossal where they find giant cyclops, magic lamps and of course, genies.  Who can’t think pirates and genies aren’t badass?

The Goonies

Fine…not a traditional pirate movie. But it features a treasure map, booby traps to hide the treasure and even a pirate ship. Plus it has the best group of friends that ever existed.  You know you want to say it with us,  “Goonies never say die…”

Hook

Considered one of Spielberg’s lesser works, Hook is a sequel to the classic story of Peter Pan.  But forget the critics…Hook is awesome!  A grown up Peter Pan (Robin Williams) is forced to return to Neverland after his children have been kidnapped by Hook (Dustin Hoffman). Just like Peter Pan, we FilmBuff’s may grow older but that doesn’t mean we have to grow up.

Pirate for the Sea

This documentary takes a much more serious tone than any of the other films on this list. The true story of Paul Watson, a man who sets up to save the ocean life from illegal hunting practices.  Paul, part pirate/part Robin Hood for sea creatures, he doesn’t need a peg-leg or a parrot to shake up things on the open seas!

Spring has sprung and you can kiss my cliché.  The flowers?  Full bloom.  The damp air?  Tastes sweet. Singing birds treat you like an animated character?  Probably not but you get it.  The changing of Mother Nature’s colors inspired us visual-loving FilmBuffs to present five films with colors that jump off the screen and show just how beautiful the world can be.

The Fall

Shot in dozens of countries, the high concept (but low budget film) equates pure and colorful art. Breathtakingly shot, the fantasy visuals comes from a drug addict telling a little girl tales in exchange for drugs.

Sound of Music

“The hills are alive with the sound of music” and also alive with photographic shots of the Alps. The story of one nun (Julie Andrews) who becomes a nanny for the Von Trapp children against the backdrop of the Third Reich’s rise.  Just see it – a classic which visually influences MANY films today.

Kung Fu Hustle

Kung-fu. Comedy. Seriously. Kung Fu Hustle presents a 1940′s Shanghai in a hyper-realized color pallet. Watch the story get over the top…and then watch the colors in the film get even crazier.

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

“Come with me and you’ll see a world of pure imagination.” When Gene Wilder’s Willy Wonka said this line he truly wasn’t exaggerating. A boy wins a trip into a magical candy factory with brilliant and bold colors that look good enough to eat.

Beeswax

Part of the “mumblecore” generation of filmmaking, the extremely low budget comedy relies a lot on the imagery. What could be a narratively dry film of two sisters and a potential legal battle turns into a stylized and visually magical film.

If Ray Bradbury has taught us anything about good writing, it is that to get a good idea across we need to package it in a parable. It needs to metastasize as metaphor. In plain English,we need to wrap up our messages in a good story. Below are five movies which use disease as a way to a communicate a deeper message.

The Host

Forget tree-hugging documentaries!  This Korean film tells the story of what happens when too many chemicals get poured into one stream. Bad things happen, bad MONSTROUS things happen.  Be afraid!

Outbreak

Dustin Hoffman. Morgan Freeman. Kevin Spacey and a major Ebola-like outbreak in a small California community.  Part disaster film – part politically allegory and completely entertaining!!

The Stand

Forget nuclear warfare, we’re getting post-apocalyptic using massive disease. Technically a mini-series (so please forgive us), the six hour epic shows how one disease can wipe out most of the world.  The survivors divide themselves into two camps (good and evil) and things get weirder from there.

The Crazies

A town’s water supply gets contaminated with disease turning an entire town into zombies.  A remake from the 1973 film, the updated version brilliantly mixes political messages and horror.   Check it out for the screaming fun then after the credits role reflect on the legislative symbolism.

The Elephant and the Sea

A waterborne disease strikes a fishing village and a man must cope with his wife’s death from it – in the most surprising ways.  From social message to dark comedy, this Malaysian story is totally universal and completely worth your time.

Considered the first documentary, Nanook of the North

Have you ever heard someone say, “that story is so strange; it has to be true?” Well, there is a good chance they were talking about one of these 5 documentaries. Sure, we can argue how much of it is true, or opinion, or even made up, but these 5 movies present stories that are TRUE-ly different.

Man on Wire

Some people want to do the impossible. This is the story of one of those people. When Frenchman Philippe Petit saw a photo of the World Trade Center in a magazine he decided to tight rope walk from one building to the other. Treated as a heist movie this documentary is completely fresh.

Catfish

Fake? Real?  Does it matter?  This documentary follows a photographer who starts a relationship with a woman through Facebook after her younger sister paints one of his photos.  Seemingly too perfect in regards to timing and story, the producers plead authenticity.  But we’ll leave that to you to decide.

Nanook of the North

Widely regarded as the world’s first documentary, the crew follows an Inuit and his family.  Sounds straight forward?  Well it is except the director ended up staging some scenes and Nanook’s wife turned out to be the director’s common law wife. Despite it all, this is a cinema must-see.

American Movie

Like reading non-fiction books that feel like fiction, American Movie doesn’t feel like a documentary.  Watching Mark Borchardt, a blue-collar suburbanite, try to achieve his filmmaking dreams sometimes feels like a writer’s creation.  But Borchhardt’s ever burning spirit feels anything but manufactured.

Bombhunters

In Cambodia many old bombs sit that have never been detonated. As small villagers work to disable their bombs, they are forced to put their lives on the line if only so they can live a normal life.

Remember your high school poetry class?  Iambic pentameter, couplets, haikus…wait, you fell asleep?  Of course you did because sometimes poetry is better seen on screen than heard in a teacher’s monotone pitch.  Therefore, we present you 5 films that endorse the power of poetry and make you forget your bouts with narcolepsy (that only occurred while reading Pound and Yeats).

Playing Columbine

Made on a shoestring budget with entry-level middleware, “Super Columbine … read moreMassacre RPG!” has easily provoked more debate and discussion than one could imagine a 16-bit role-playing game ever would. In the documentary film “Playing Columbine: a true story of videogame controversy,” the history of the game is traced back to its inception, through the 2006 shooting at Dawson College in which the game was singled out by the media as a “murder simulator” that “trained” the shooter, and finally the game’s removal from the list of finalists at the Slamdance 2007 Guerrilla Gamemaker Competition – prompting half the entries and a sponsor to pull out of the festival in protest. Clearly the game has polarized audiences worldwide, giving way to ardent defenders as well as staunch critics. Beyond the controversial game itself, the film explores how controversial media is covered in the press, the school shooting phenomenon, and the future of games as an expressive medium.

Loud Like a Bomb

A documentary straight out of the Chicago slam-poetry scene showcases the power of slam poetry.  Forget teaching kids to write poetry in free form prose…this documentary shows how in a fun format poetry can become a student movement. Viva la poetic revolution!

Bright Star

Showing poet John Keats last three years of life, Bright Star really examines Keats finding the love of his life and the poetry she inspired.  Um…hello…of course poetry deals with romance.  Forget your dislike and embrace the inspiration behind it!

The Raven

Based on the classic poem by Edgar Allen Poe, The Raven shows the other side of poetry.  Dark, eery and completely story filled.  Forget the critics of poetry…the Raven shows us what poetry can accomplish.

The Joy of Life

This lyrical film is told through poetic prose and striking visuals -  shot on 16mm film.  Combining two stories set in San Francisco this film explores themes of both life and death in a style that is reminiscent of poetry put on screen.  Yeah…poetry on screen…talk about taking it to the next level!!

Video games, while typically viewed as an individual pursuit, actually have an interesting way of bringing people together. Think about it:  from the heyday of arcades to the advent of online gaming (first Sega Dreamcast’s built-in modem), gaming actually connects the masses. These five movies celebrate video game culture (for better or for worse).

Playing Columbine

Sometimes video games emulate life too well and they cause us to relive things we don’t want to relive. This documentary looks at the controversial video game Super Columbine Massacre RPG! The game allows the player to experience the Columbine High School massacre as if they were the sadistic killers, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris.   While completely controversial, the documentary argues that films get to have a social agenda, why can’t video games?

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters

After being laid off from Boeing, Steven Wiebe spends his days earning his masters degree and his nights playing Donkey Kong on an old arcade machine in his garage.  Trying to beat the 25 year record of  Billy Mitchell, Wiebe eventually earns notoriety for beating the score.  But Mitchell challenges the achievement thus a battle is launched.  David versus Goliath. The Spartans versus the Persians. Wiebe versus Mitchell.  All the elements of major battle placed in the world of video games, what’s not to love?

Stay Alive

So you’re playing this awesome game.  At level 12, you’ve almost made it but you don’t have any lives left. Now it’s time to face your last enemy. You fake left…now right…left again…you stop…and…you die. At least it’s just a game, right? Not in this movie. If you die in the game, you die in the real world.  Talk about playing for your life.

WarGames

A classic tech movie, this film tells of a high schooler (Matthew Broderick) who accidentally starts a real war thinking that it’s a video game.  The movie apparently coined the computer network security term, “firewall.”  And it was nominated for three Academy Awards.  For a movie that started developing in the late 70′s, not too shabby at all.

The Wizard

From Larry Sanders Show head director Todd Holland, Wonder Years star Fred Savage and today’s indie-rock pinup Jenny Lewis came… a 100-minute commercial for Super Mario Bros. 3? Yes, this actually happened. Desperately attempting to capitalize on Nintendo’s massive late-‘80s success, Universal bankrolled this cult classic, the tale of a video-game-obsessed, possibly autistic child who attempts to win a video game competition to avoid institutionalization. Everyone who saw it, though, was there for the footage of Super Mario Bros. 3, which wasn’t released until a few months later.

Listen. We are very peaceful here at FilmBuff. We don’t like to cause trouble. Or war. But sometimes people like to get revenge. Just for fun. So we throw things at each other, occasionally invest in a fight club-like scenario and then murder happens. Joking, duh. However, when it happens on screen its cool.  The underdog prevails.  Here are some of our favorite revenge movies–some are campy, some are dead serious and some have blood in them. Tantalizing? Tantalizing indeed!

Alexandra’s Project (2003)

To get back at her husband for not caring enough, a women kidnaps her children and leaves only a video tape. When her husband gets home, he is forced to watch the video and also forced to see everything he has been missing. It’s one of those movies where at some point you will look over at whoever you are watching it with and be like, “I know you right? I know you…well enough?”

V for Vendetta (2006)

Nothing like a good graphic novel adaptation to get revenge on a fascist society. Am I right? Anyone? “V” is a man who wants to fight the oppression and, after rescuing a girl, (the still beautiful even when bald Natalie Portman) realizes he may have a perfect ally to help him. It’s beautifully directed, it keeps you on the edge and you will probably do a bunch of fist pumping.

Carrie (1976)

Pig’s blood + Telekinesis = Revenge (or something along those lines). Don’t tease Carrie. She’ll murder the whole town.

Memento (2000)

Chris Nolan knows how to push the envelope when it comes to original ideas and mind-bending plots; this movie is no exception. You never quite know what’s reality as a man with short-term memory loss wakes up each day with new pieces of evidence trying to solve his wife’s murder and kill the murderer in the process. The twist at the end is so Chris Nolan you feel like you should have seen it coming, but you probably won’t. And even if you do, you like getting there.

Heathers (1988)

The tag line of this movie is literally “Best friends, social trends and occasional murder.” So…why are you still here?

In honor of the Cannes Film Festival’s opening, we thought we’d give you a taste of our favorites. Some are dark, some are super confusing, some are stunning and some we just really like because we do. We don’t answer to you. Well, we do. Anyway, none of these films have anything in common other than the fact that they won a Cannes Award. We have some crazy taste so take a gander.

Dogtooth (2009)

We are obsessed with this movie. Not only did it win the “Un Certain Regard” at Cannes, it was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars. It’s about re-learning everything you ever knew an entirely different way. Calling objects new names, living for the sole purpose of being alive, having no dreams and being traumatized by your family. Three teenagers. One off kilter place. One girl decides to go against the grain and mix it up. Watch what happens.

Antichrist (2009)

This is possibly the most violent, gory and sexualized movies that has ever won an award at Cannes (Best Actress-Charlotte Gainsbourg). Are humans just inherently evil? Does everyone have some form of an antichrist inside of them? Watch what happens when a couple loses their son and tries to get past their grief, especially when the go to a place called “Eden” – a cabin in the woods. It doesn’t hold secrets – it contains nightmares – and they will have to face all of them. Together. Maybe. Don’t watch this with your kids.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007)

Nominated for 4 Oscars and won the Best Director at Cannes,  this movie is stunningly perfect and will stay with you long after its over.  It’s literally a beautiful movie. Everything about it was so well thought out–all the way down to the color saturation. It follows the true story of French Elle editor Jean-Dominique Bauby, who suffers a stroke and is left completely paralyzed with the exception of his left eye. This film illustrates what he does with his mind while being trapped in his impaired body.

Inglorious Basterds (2009)

Brad Pitt. Quentin Tarantino. Nazi-occupied France. And scalping some Nazi’s all in good fun. This movie is so kick-ass that it makes you want to punch a hole through a wall. In a good way, obviously. It’s Tarantino at his best, his bestest. Christoph Waltz’s (Best Actor, Cannes) performance is nothing short of hauntingly spectacular. This is the way history should have gone, Tarantino style. With lots of cartoon-y colorful colors!

Mulholland Dr. (2001)

Super sexy. Super slick. Super mysterious. Super…David Lynch (Best Director, Cannes). Frankly, you never know what entirely is going on or what is real in this movie, but it’s incredible. A woman gets in a car crash, is rendered an amnesic, gets accidentally wrapped up in a murder mystery and gets involved with a beautiful (yet strange) actress. Though that seems like a lot of plot, it develops into a perfectly twisted movie. If we could sum it up with three words: Non-uniform. Nonsensical. Non-negotiable. (You have to see it. For FilmBuffs, it’s quite literally non-negotiable ).

A seminal Japanese director of the 60s and a leader of the “pink film” movement, Koji Wakamatsu has developed over the years from a stylistic maker of “pinku eiga” (Japanese soft-core pornographic theatrical films) into a politically challenging filmmaker. His films can be difficult, but if you can take the leap, they can be worth the faith. Here are 5 of his standout films for your perusal.

United Red Army (2007)

Telling the story of the infamous Asama-Sanso hostage incident, United Red Army details the 10-day siege by young political activists a mountain resort that riveted Japan in 1972. Guns. Snow. Leftists.

Caterpillar (2010)

A scathing deconstruction of Japanese patriotism, Caterpillar details not only that old ugly underbelly of combat, but also the dismissal and abuse suffered by Japanese women during wartime. Shinobu Terajima won the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the Berlin Film Festival for this performance.

Sex Jack (1970)

A stark look at how the powers-that-be can infiltrate even the most entrenched group of revolutionaries. When a film’s banned in France for being anti-social, you know it’s got edge.

The Embryo Hunts in Secret (1966)

Wakamatsu’s first independent film. Very 60s, very handheld, very well-made. Aaaannnddd…very disturbing. He’s been quoted as saying sex and violence are an integral part of life… and he makes that pretty clear here. Definitive pinku eiga.

Sacred Mother Kannon (1977)

Considered one of his best by many critics, Sacred Mother Kannon is often held up as the ultimate example of symbolism in filmmaking. The man’s got chops. (Sadly, this has no trailer, crazy pants we say!)