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Ordinary People (1980)

Thought provokingGrippingEmotionalDepressing

Beth, Calvin, and their son Conrad are living in the aftermath of the death of the other son. Conrad is overcome by grief and misplaced guilt to the extent of a suicide attempt. He is in therapy. Beth had always preferred his brother and is having difficulty being ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Redford
CAST:  Donald Sutherland  •  Mary Tyler Moore  •  Judd Hirsch  •  Timothy Hutton

Beth, Calvin, and their son Conrad are living in the aftermath of the death of the other son. Conrad is overcome by grief and misplaced guilt to the extent of a suicide attempt. He is in therapy. Beth had always preferred his brother and is having difficulty being ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Redford
CAST:  Donald Sutherland  •  Mary Tyler Moore  •  Judd Hirsch  •  Timothy Hutton

Calvary (2014)

GrippingDramaticEmotional

After being threatened during a confession, a good-natured priest must battle the dark forces closing in around him.  (more)

DIRECTION:  John Michael McDonagh
CAST:  Chris O'Dowd  •  Domhnall Gleeson  •  Kelly Reilly  •  Aidan Gillen

After being threatened during a confession, a good-natured priest must battle the dark forces closing in around him.  (more)

DIRECTION:  John Michael McDonagh
CAST:  Chris O'Dowd  •  Domhnall Gleeson  •  Kelly Reilly  •  Aidan Gillen

Hoop Dreams (1994)

EmotionalGrippingBrilliantReal

Every school day, African-American teenagers William Gates and Arthur Agee travel 90 minutes each way from inner-city Chicago to St. Joseph High School in Westchester, Illinois, a predominately white suburban school well-known for the excellence of its basketball ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Steve James
CAST:  William Gates  •  Arthur Agee  •  Steve James  •  Gene Pingatore

Every school day, African-American teenagers William Gates and Arthur Agee travel 90 minutes each way from inner-city Chicago to St. Joseph High School in Westchester, Illinois, a predominately white suburban school well-known for the excellence of its basketball ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Steve James
CAST:  William Gates  •  Arthur Agee  •  Steve James  •  Gene Pingatore

Barney's Version (2010)

GrippingDramaticTragicEmotional

The picaresque and touching story of the politically incorrect, fully lived life of the impulsive, irascible and fearlessly blunt Barney Panofsky.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Richard J. Lewis
CAST:  Minnie Driver  •  Rosamund Pike  •  Dustin Hoffman  •  Paul Giamatti

The picaresque and touching story of the politically incorrect, fully lived life of the impulsive, irascible and fearlessly blunt Barney Panofsky.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Richard J. Lewis
CAST:  Minnie Driver  •  Rosamund Pike  •  Dustin Hoffman  •  Paul Giamatti

Nomadland (2021)

Thought provokingIntenseGrippingTragic

A woman in her sixties embarks on a journey through the western United States after losing everything in the Great Recession, living as a van-dwelling modern-day nomad.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Chloé Zhao
CAST:  Frances McDormand  •  David Strathairn  •  Linda May  •  Bob Wells

A woman in her sixties embarks on a journey through the western United States after losing everything in the Great Recession, living as a van-dwelling modern-day nomad.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Chloé Zhao
CAST:  Frances McDormand  •  David Strathairn  •  Linda May  •  Bob Wells

Careful What You Wish For (2015)

Thought provokingIntenseGrippingSuspenseful

A guy gets more than he bargained for after entering into an affair with the wife of an investment banker. Soon, a suspicious death and substantial life insurance policy embroil him in a scandal.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum
CAST:  Isabel Lucas  •  Kandyse McClure  •  Nick Jonas  •  Dermot Mulroney

A guy gets more than he bargained for after entering into an affair with the wife of an investment banker. Soon, a suspicious death and substantial life insurance policy embroil him in a scandal.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum
CAST:  Isabel Lucas  •  Kandyse McClure  •  Nick Jonas  •  Dermot Mulroney

Mary Magdalene (2018)

Thought provokingIntenseGrippingTragic

In the first century, free-spirited Mary Magdalene flees the marriage her family has arranged for her, finding refuge and a sense of purpose in a radical new movement led by the charismatic, rabble-rousing preacher named Jesus.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Garth Davis
CAST:  Rooney Mara  •  Joaquin Phoenix  •  Chiwetel Ejiofor  •  Ariane Labed

In the first century, free-spirited Mary Magdalene flees the marriage her family has arranged for her, finding refuge and a sense of purpose in a radical new movement led by the charismatic, rabble-rousing preacher named Jesus.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Garth Davis
CAST:  Rooney Mara  •  Joaquin Phoenix  •  Chiwetel Ejiofor  •  Ariane Labed

Nell (1994)

IntenseGrippingEmotionalWhimsical

In a remote woodland cabin, a small town doctor discovers Nell — a beautiful young hermit woman with many secrets.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Michael Apted
CAST:  Jodie Foster  •  Liam Neeson  •  Natasha Richardson  •  Richard Libertini

In a remote woodland cabin, a small town doctor discovers Nell — a beautiful young hermit woman with many secrets.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Michael Apted
CAST:  Jodie Foster  •  Liam Neeson  •  Natasha Richardson  •  Richard Libertini

36 Chowringhee Lane (1981)

EmotionalThought provokingTragicBeautiful

Middle-aged Violet, an Anglo-Indian teacher, lives alone in a flat at 36 Chowringhee Lane in Calcutta. When a former student starts visiting her with her boyfriend, Violet welcomes them eagerly.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Aparna Sen
CAST:  Jennifer Kendal  •  Dhritiman Chatterjee  •  Debashree Roy  •  Geoffrey Kendal

Middle-aged Violet, an Anglo-Indian teacher, lives alone in a flat at 36 Chowringhee Lane in Calcutta. When a former student starts visiting her with her boyfriend, Violet welcomes them eagerly.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Aparna Sen
CAST:  Jennifer Kendal  •  Dhritiman Chatterjee  •  Debashree Roy  •  Geoffrey Kendal

Coal Miner's Daughter (1980)

EmotionalThought provokingOriginalDramatic

Biography of Loretta Lynn, a country and western singer that came from poverty to fame.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Michael Apted
CAST:  Sissy Spacek  •  Tommy Lee Jones  •  Levon Helm  •  Phyllis Boyens

Biography of Loretta Lynn, a country and western singer that came from poverty to fame.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Michael Apted
CAST:  Sissy Spacek  •  Tommy Lee Jones  •  Levon Helm  •  Phyllis Boyens

Frozen River (2008)

Thought provokingIntenseGrippingOriginal

Ray Eddy, an upstate New York trailer mom, is lured into the world of illegal immigrant smuggling. Broke after her husband takes off with the down payment for their new doublewide, Ray reluctantly teams up with Lila, a smuggler, and the two begin making runs across ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Courtney Hunt
CAST:  Melissa Leo  •  Misty Upham  •  Charlie McDermott  •  John Canoe

Ray Eddy, an upstate New York trailer mom, is lured into the world of illegal immigrant smuggling. Broke after her husband takes off with the down payment for their new doublewide, Ray reluctantly teams up with Lila, a smuggler, and the two begin making runs across ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Courtney Hunt
CAST:  Melissa Leo  •  Misty Upham  •  Charlie McDermott  •  John Canoe

Seven Pounds (2008)

EmotionalHeartbreakingThought provokingPowerful

An IRS agent with a fateful secret embarks on an extraordinary journey of redemption by forever changing the lives of seven strangers.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Gabriele Muccino
CAST:  Will Smith  •  Rosario Dawson  •  Sarah Jane Morris  •  Woody Harrelson

An IRS agent with a fateful secret embarks on an extraordinary journey of redemption by forever changing the lives of seven strangers.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Gabriele Muccino
CAST:  Will Smith  •  Rosario Dawson  •  Sarah Jane Morris  •  Woody Harrelson

To Die For (1995)

FunnyDarkDisturbingThought provoking

Suzanne Stone wants to be a world-famous news anchor and she is willing to do anything to get what she wants. What she lacks in intelligence, she makes up for in cold determination and diabolical wiles. As she pursues her goal with relentless focus, she is forced ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Gus Van Sant
CAST:  Nicole Kidman  •  Matt Dillon  •  Joaquin Phoenix  •  Casey Affleck

Suzanne Stone wants to be a world-famous news anchor and she is willing to do anything to get what she wants. What she lacks in intelligence, she makes up for in cold determination and diabolical wiles. As she pursues her goal with relentless focus, she is forced ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Gus Van Sant
CAST:  Nicole Kidman  •  Matt Dillon  •  Joaquin Phoenix  •  Casey Affleck

The Wind Rises (2013)

BeautifulEmotionalThought provokingOriginal

A lifelong love of flight inspires Japanese aviation engineer Jiro Horikoshi, whose storied career includes the creation of the A-6M World War II fighter plane.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hayao Miyazaki
CAST:  Hideaki Anno  •  Jun Kunimura  •  Mirai Shida  •  Miori Takimoto

A lifelong love of flight inspires Japanese aviation engineer Jiro Horikoshi, whose storied career includes the creation of the A-6M World War II fighter plane.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hayao Miyazaki
CAST:  Hideaki Anno  •  Jun Kunimura  •  Mirai Shida  •  Miori Takimoto

Closer (2004)

Thought provokingCleverDramaticEmotional

Two couples disintegrate when they begin destructive adulterous affairs with each other.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Mike Nichols
CAST:  Natalie Portman  •  Jude Law  •  Julia Roberts  •  Clive Owen

Two couples disintegrate when they begin destructive adulterous affairs with each other.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Mike Nichols
CAST:  Natalie Portman  •  Jude Law  •  Julia Roberts  •  Clive Owen

August: Osage County (2013)

EmotionalThought provokingOriginalPowerful

A look at the lives of the strong-willed women of the Weston family, whose paths have diverged until a family crisis brings them back to the Midwest house they grew up in, and to the dysfunctional woman who raised them.  (more)

DIRECTION:  John Wells
CAST:  Meryl Streep  •  Julia Roberts  •  Chris Cooper  •  Ewan McGregor

A look at the lives of the strong-willed women of the Weston family, whose paths have diverged until a family crisis brings them back to the Midwest house they grew up in, and to the dysfunctional woman who raised them.  (more)

DIRECTION:  John Wells
CAST:  Meryl Streep  •  Julia Roberts  •  Chris Cooper  •  Ewan McGregor

Nowhere Boy (2009)

CharmingEmotionalThought provokingDramatic

The drama tells the story of John Lennon's teenage years in Liverpool and the start of his journey to becoming a successful musician. The story also examines the impact on his early life and personality of the two dominant females in his childhood.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Sam Taylor-Johnson
CAST:  Aaron Taylor-Johnson  •  Kristin Scott Thomas  •  David Morrissey  •  Anne-Marie Duff

The drama tells the story of John Lennon's teenage years in Liverpool and the start of his journey to becoming a successful musician. The story also examines the impact on his early life and personality of the two dominant females in his childhood.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Sam Taylor-Johnson
CAST:  Aaron Taylor-Johnson  •  Kristin Scott Thomas  •  David Morrissey  •  Anne-Marie Duff

Monster's Ball (2001)

Thought provokingRomanticEmotionalTear-jerker

A prison guard begins a tentative romance with the unsuspecting widow of a man whose execution he presided over.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Marc Forster
CAST:  Halle Berry  •  Billy Bob Thornton  •  Heath Ledger  •  Sean Combs

A prison guard begins a tentative romance with the unsuspecting widow of a man whose execution he presided over.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Marc Forster
CAST:  Halle Berry  •  Billy Bob Thornton  •  Heath Ledger  •  Sean Combs

The Company You Keep (2012)

Thought provokingIntenseGrippingSuspenseful

A former Weather Underground activist goes on the run from a journalist who discovers his identity.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Redford
CAST:  Anna Kendrick  •  Shia LaBeouf  •  Nick Nolte  •  Stanley Tucci

A former Weather Underground activist goes on the run from a journalist who discovers his identity.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Redford
CAST:  Anna Kendrick  •  Shia LaBeouf  •  Nick Nolte  •  Stanley Tucci

The Descendants (2011)

EmotionalFunnyHeartbreakingGripping

With his wife Elizabeth on life support after a boating accident, Hawaiian land baron Matt King takes his daughters on a trip from Oahu to Kauai to confront a young real estate broker, who was having an affair with Elizabeth before her misfortune.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Alexander Payne
CAST:  George Clooney  •  Judy Greer  •  Matthew Lillard  •  Shailene Woodley

With his wife Elizabeth on life support after a boating accident, Hawaiian land baron Matt King takes his daughters on a trip from Oahu to Kauai to confront a young real estate broker, who was having an affair with Elizabeth before her misfortune.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Alexander Payne
CAST:  George Clooney  •  Judy Greer  •  Matthew Lillard  •  Shailene Woodley
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