I love movies. I love film. I love Netflix. (BTW, they use my barcodes.) When the lights go out, I want to be down in front with good popcorn in my hand (light salt, no butter; beer not soda).

I watch a lot of movies. Two in one evening isn't unusual. I watch DVDs and cable but go to theaters less and less. I don't like sequels but I like to watch films twice if they're good. Being associative, I'll watch a set of movies within a theme, or by the same director, or two actors paired up. Natural double features.

If you tend not to like Hollywood blockbuster pop trash what should you reach for? Given a vast array of titles, what should you watch? Want my advice? Of course, that's why you're here.

The following movie titles are in no particular order but are in groups that lend themselves to double features, weekend movie marathons, and other associative cinema events.

Deja Vu : whoa! the plot twists & it's handled brilliantly; great FX too!
Inside Man : great story even if you see it coming (I didn't)
My Life Without Me : inside someone else's life
Who Is Cletis Tout? : I forget who recommeded this to me; I owe them one
Garden State : not what I expected & loved it nevertheless

Deacons for Defense : an untold chapter in american history; a true eye opener
10,000 Black Men Named George : what an eye opener
Mississippi Burning : ahhh, Mississippi; should be part of every high school American History class; make that junior high
Dirty Pretty Things : a side of life hidden now exposed

Grand Canyon : proof that magic exists in the modern world
Crash : worth all the hype, and then some; see it again
Fathers and Sons : don't let the title fool you; deeper than you think


Diamond Men : you've probably never heard of this; trust me, just see it
Road to Perdition : see it again even if you've seen it already
City by the Sea : another father-and-son picture; besides, it's bobby deniro
U Turn : Sean Penn in a story that'll make you forget your own life

Water : a-mazing; a story that must be told
Rabbit Proof Fence : moving because of what is is, heartbreaking because it's true
Lost Boys of Sudan : proof positive of the strength of the human spirit
Erie Lackawanna : foobar
The Magdalene Sisters : true and tragic

Primal Fear : watch for the twist; shot in Chicago, always a plus for me
Dream Lover : the film that introduced me to James Spader; great twist at the end

The Straight Story : being a true story makes this film even more touching

Passion Fish : one of several great films pairing Alfre Woodward and Mary McDonnell
L.A. Story : atypical Steve Martin flick; almost changes my opinion of Sarah Jessica Parker
Mumford : Alfre & Mary together again; Jason Lee as well
Down in the Delta : Alfre is the best looking junkie I've ever seen; and it's a great film too
Life As a House : why did I resist seeing this when it first came out; thank goodness for DVDs

What's Cooking : Alfre again; Thanksgiving among and between families
Pieces of April : charming if ever so slightly off-beat; another Thanksgiving tale
Soul Food : foobar
Tortilla Soup : Hector Elizondo and Raquel Welch; with good food to boot
Eat Drink Man Woman : another single Dad of three daughters and food to boot
Luminarias : the lives of 4 LA latinas


My Life Without Me : the day after I saw it, I realized how good it really was
My First Mister : I stumbled across this and was blown away, moved to tears

The Weather Man : it just stops more than ends, sorta like life itself
Payback : Mel Gibson in a great film noir and Maria Bellow

To Live and Die in L.A. : note to slef, never let Willem Dafoe babysit
2 Days in the Valley : comedy for when you're in the mood
Where the Money Is : Paul Newman and Linda Fiorentino, how can you go wrong?
The Grifters : Anjelica Huston is John Cusack mom in this one; now add Annette Bening

Spy Game : so how often has Robert Redford been married in this one?
Sneakers : I've seeen this one over and over and over again; I wish my office was like this
Blown Away : Tommy Lee Jones in Boston; how can it be anything but good?

The Player : for the cameos if nothing else

Monsoon Wedding : great colours; makes you want to eat along with them; stories too
Bride & Prejudice : for the musical numbers alone

25th Hour : an atypical Spike Lee joint; Edward Norton is brilliant
Sucker Free City : Spike does it again but different in SF
American History X : Norton is pure genius; good the second time around too

What Dreams May Come : not being able to pigeonhole this doesn't detract from what it is

Confidence : follow along closely; it's worth it
Bound : pre-Matrix Wachowski brothers; one scene change your life or arouse you to no end

Ronin : Bobby and Jean Reno do action pic
The Ice Harvest : Billy Bob Thornton and John Cusack do bumbling crime caper

10 Items or Less
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
A Family Thing
Fifteen Minutes
A Perfect Murder
The Brother From Another Planet
City by the Sea
Maxed Out
Crank
The Namesake

Now copy some of these down, tuck it away, keeping it with you. The next time you find yourself staring blankly at a wall of rental DVDs with no flippin' idea what to rent, pull this cheat sheet out. Trust me on this one.