One of my favorite movies..

"Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid" with Steve Martin and Rachel Ward with clips from old movies. Very funny movie. Anyone ever seen this one? If you haven't and have Netflix, it's on instant view.

Any favorite movies that aren't big blockbusters?

Netflix is AWESOME. Even though Netflix Canada has a much smaller selection than its U.S. Counterpart, it offers lots of terrific content. My favourite movie of all time is Ridley Scott's Blade Runner. The $20 Million budget was modest for a sci fi epic even for its day. I saw it the weekend it opened, then again when the 25th Anniversary Final Cut was released a couple of years ago, then last Christmas at a special presentation where it was preceded by a 2-hour talk by special effects legend Douglas Trumbull about his work on the project.

By the way, Blade Runner was anything but a blockbuster upon its initial release. Ridley Scott's masterpiece had the misfortune of opening the same weekend as a little film named E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, which was directed by some guy named Spielberg.

I'm crawling out of the woodwork for this topic,

Blade runner is FANTASTIC, one of the best SciFi films of all time.

But a lesser know SciFi film that is great as well is Gattaca, seek it out.

But one of my favorite films of all time is none other than The Hudsucker proxy, its from the Coen brothers makers of such fine comedies as The Big Lebowski and Raising Arizona (as well as Burn after reading but we don't have to talk about that one )

If we are looking more at guilty pleasure movies I must say I have a fondness for Starship Troopers (Soap opera actors in Spaaaacccceeee, fighting giant bugs? )

Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid was a great movie to me because it was clever and illustrated how Steve Martin's talent went far beyond the Wild and Crazy Guy stand-up character and his work on SNL. Martin has done fine work and also several duds. His recent venture into the Pink Panther franchise has not gone over that well. He was great in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, LA Story and Bowfinger. I also liked Ron Howard's Parenthood.

Blade Runner is one of my favorite Sci-Fi films. I have seen all of the different cuts. I liked the versions without Harrison Ford's narration the most. Too bad Sean Young has had so many personal problems. She was very sweet in the film.

I thought Gattaca was good.

Speaking of Ridley Scott, I also liked the first Alien movie.

And speaking of Ripley, the character from Alien, Ripley's Game is a film that was sent to directly to video by the studio after The Talented Mr. Ripley did so well. It is the same character Ripley from the author's series in an entirely different scenario and played by John Malcovich. The studio should have used a different name and released the picture in theaters. It is really good. It probably would have done well. The mistake was being associated with the Jude Law/Matt Damon film. Definitely check it out if you can find it.

Did anyone like District 9 ? I did but the South Africa backdrop was a little distracting. Somehow the location (could have been anywhere) was given too much significance and should have been incidental IMO.

Moon is worth seeing IMO. Sam Rockwell is very underrated.

While thinking of underrated actors (at the time) you might be interested seeing Heath Ledger and Abbie Cornish in Candy. It is dark and sad but so good. Though it is all about spiraling down drug addicts the characters and story lift it above what could have been too depressing to enjoy.

Another good one from the Coen brothers is Fargo.

Along the lines of small but good is another William H. Macy film, The Cooler.

Has anyone heard of or seen Robert De Niro in Ronin ?

I could be wrong but I don't think any of these were blockbusters.

It might be easier to compile the short list of obvious blockbusters that were actually good.

Ronin! Haven't seen it in years, I have the DVD somewhere I will have to dig it out.

Michael your taste in SciFi is impeccable I will have to give Moon a chance and also check out The cooler and ripleys game as well, they sound like my style.

I would have to be in a certain mood for Candy but given the chance I will give it a try now.

Fargo is great, ever try Miller's Crossing?

Also is it me or does Steve Buscemi kind of show up in a lot of great films, even in cameo roles?

Crossroads - Ralph Macchio (bad actor - good film)

Daniel-San bad actor?



Bad meme aside I'll still have to check that one out.

...ever try Miller's Crossing?

Also is it me or does Steve Buscemi kind of show up in a lot of great films, even in cameo roles?

Watched Miller's Crossing for the first time last night. Enjoyed it. The Coen brothers are good at pulling off complicated stories.

Buscemi.......he played a character in The Sopranos for a few episodes. While viewing a family photograph, Tony's wife and her friends commented on how handsome he was when he was younger. They were serious but it may have been a wink to the audience and thrown in for humor. He reminds me of an insect........and after it has hit a windshield.

Loved Miller's Crossing.