The "Original, Great Movies" Thread

[TheLaughingMann]

What is this new thread of mine, you ask? Well, in light of another poster who brought up further notions of hatred for how badly remakes, tie-ins, adaptations get treated and fail most of the time (not always, but mostly), I figured that among so many films that are based on true stories, adapted from a book or comic or TV show, or cover some person/place/event that is existent in our own world...there has to be truly original films.

I am dedicating this thread to all of those who know of movies that are great in some way and original. Remakes, adaptations, based on true story tellings (revolving around people that existed or events that happened IRL)...push those aside and anything left over that is good should be worth a place on this list.

Example: Prisoners, 2013. It's a great thriller story that I felt was original enough and had done quite well for itself in lots of ways. And I came away from it thinking it was pretty original. However, the Thing (1982), a great movie, is still based on a prior film that was getting updated.

So if there is a movie you feel is pretty original enough and is good enough to tell us about, post it here. Any number of them you like. Let us compile a list of movies that all of us can look over, try out, and get that sense of "hey, I didn't see this before. I like this." fulfilled.

My entry above is Prisoners, 2013 (yes, I am cheating a bit by citing it twice).

Prisoners Official Trailer #1 (2013) - Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal Movie HD - YouTube

I think it needs more notice. The 1990s were riddled with a lot of good thriller movies (one of my favorites is Red Rock West with Nicholas Cage and the late, great Dennis Hopper...and a pre-surgery Lara Flynn Boyle). Thriller movies usually tend to get bumped down to B-movie levels and usually sent Direct-to-video in today's market. Those few that slip past to get theatrical releases tend not to be good or nominated for anything big. The closest this movie came to substantial award notice was Nominated for Best Cinematography at the Academy Awards in 2014. But it really is good. It turned out a lot better than I expected, and I don't get that feeling much lately when I see a movie.

[Doctor Jack]

There are hundreds upon hundreds of movie each year that are released that are original. In fact, the amount of original movies outweighs the non original movies by a huge margin.

[TheLaughingMann]

Originally Posted by Doctor Jack

There are hundreds upon hundreds of movie each year that are released that are original. In fact, the amount of original movies outweighs the non original movies by a huge margin.

Post away some good ones then. The idea behind this thread is to find the good ones, the great ones...let the thread grow and serve to give some positive reference for those who read and want to seek these movies out themselves. Networking, good Doctor. That's what this is going to serve.

[P-Rock]

One man's Citizen Kane is another man's Freddy Got Fingered.

[TheLaughingMann]

Originally Posted by P-Rock

One man's Citizen Kane is another man's Freddy Got Fingered.

That determination can only be made when the person is given the opportunity to see the movie for themselves. Freddy Got Fingered is as Freddy Got Fingered-like to me as Citizen Kane is as Citizen Kane-like to me. =) It never hurts to suggest something.

[MJD64]

Your invoking of Red Rock West brought to mind another great thriller from around the same period, One False Move. This tense little crime-drama, which cleverly works in race relations in the South, is one of my favorite 90's films.

The performances are top-drawer, with Bill Paxton, Billy Bob Thornton (who co-scripted), Cynda Williams (a performance that should have made her a star; whatever happened to her?) and Michael Beach as one of the scariest sociopaths in film.

It's a moody, atmospheric and really tense little gem, well worth seeking out.

[TheLaughingMann]

Originally Posted by MJD64

Your invoking of Red Rock West brought to mind another great thriller from around the same period, One False Move. This tense little crime-drama, which cleverly works in race relations in the South, is one of my favorite 90's films.

The performances are top-drawer, with Bill Paxton, Billy Bob Thornton (who co-scripted), Cynda Williams (a performance that should have made her a star; whatever happened to her?) and Michael Beach as one of the scariest sociopaths in film.

It's a moody, atmospheric and really tense little gem, well worth seeking out.

This movie has a 98% rating on RT...that's 44/45 of the critic reviews who loved it. Looks like the audience rating's around 75/100...or 3.75/5. Still, a great find. A good example of a movie that looks pretty original in itself and seems very well rated. It's one for my list of flicks I want to see.

P.S. Cynda Williams looks like she's worked a couple of projects per year, but nothing really substantial. The closest she came to anything big was Introducing Dorothy Dandridge with Halle Berry. However, for being 50, she still is acting and looks good. She's still got some projects lined up due out over the next year.

[Michaelpdelaney]

Attack the Block, fam


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[Michaelpdelaney]

What about movies that were original, but now have sequels? I assume we should disqualify those?

I.e. Donnie Darko, Conjuring, etc


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[The Debts]

Originally Posted by Michaelpdelaney

What about movies that were original, but now have sequels? I assume we should disqualify those?

I.e. Donnie Darko, Conjuring, etc


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You silly person. Donnie Darko never had a sequel! That's just crazy talk.

[TheLaughingMann]

Originally Posted by Michaelpdelaney

What about movies that were original, but now have sequels? I assume we should disqualify those?

I.e. Donnie Darko, Conjuring, etc


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Nah. Movies that spawned sequels but were original enough in their own way count on the list and can be posted. It's because any sequel that comes is dependent on a prior entry. But if the main movie was original enough in itself, it is applicable to the list. It's why something like Halloween is pretty substantial. It's the first movie IMO that truly kicked off the slasher genre and is pretty original enough.

[jtu128]

Originally Posted by Michaelpdelaney

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I've never been able to make it past the 20 - 30 min, I find the characters annoying and unlikable.

[Michaelpdelaney]

Originally Posted by TheLaughingMann

Nah. Movies that spawned sequels but were original enough in their own way count on the list and can be posted. It's because any sequel that comes is dependent on a prior entry. But if the main movie was original enough in itself, it is applicable to the list. It's why something like Halloween is pretty substantial. It's the first movie IMO that truly kicked off the slasher genre and is pretty original enough.

Ok, great news! Time to start gathering films.

[Michaelpdelaney]

Originally Posted by jtu128

I've never been able to make it past the 20 - 30 min, I find the characters annoying and unlikable.

It does take some getting used to, but by the end of the flick, you end up adopting the slang as it attaches to your brain.

you can either over look the slang or you cant, but I doubt anyone loves it.

As far as the characters, you're supposed to dislike them to start, but you will eventually like them.

[ThatOneGuy]

The Guest - While not original with its "wolves in sheep clothing" premise, I definitely never seen a film handle that narrative the way this film did. You know the guy is going to go nuts on the family that he is actually helping but you just don't know when.

Drive - One of Refn's masterpieces. Bronson is also another fantastic film but that one is based on a real person.

Originally Posted by Michaelpdelaney

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Yup. That is another great film.

[The Debts]

Two examples, those of which are in my top 5 favorite films:

Pan's Labyrinth: Guillermo Del Toro's masterpiece. A sort of Alice in Wonderland meets Schindler's List story, with terrifying monsters (both the fantastical and real), heart wrenching drama, unfettered violence and stunning visual splendor. The theme alone is enough to send a wave of emotion into my heart and the film itself haunted me for a good while after I saw almost ten years ago on video. Man, was I in for quite trip after being suckered in with the "from the director of Blade and Hellboy" promotional tag on the film. But you know what? I was 100% okay with that.

Unbreakable: A movie that came out in the wrong decade. Had it come out now instead of the early 2000's, it would have been highly acclaimed and used as a springboard for the superhero genre to do better (which in my eyes would have been a good thing). The story, characters, performances, score, camera work and utmost respect it has for its material is nothing short of astonishing. It has more in common with comic books than actual comic book movies, right down the framing of the shots to the way the characters speak. And frankly, if a movie can somehow make something like a guy wrestling another dude into an arm lock look more astonishing than the most glorious CGI spectacle, you know you've done something amazing.

[TheLaughingMann]

Se7en is another one I'd put forth. There were murder mystery thrillers done before, but Se7en was so darned unique in many ways. So much got woven into it to make it great:

For one, the script for it was created by a man working out of a New York City Tower Records store. The guy was depressed and mentally diminished, and he wrote the script basis for a killer using the seven deadly sins as inspiration for his crimes. The product he wrote was supposedly so good in a scary way that the man was advised of needing professional help/treatment.

David Fincher also gave us that epic twist at the end despite producers wanting a 'nicer' ending revolving around a certain character. He got sent the original draft to go over and felt that was such a strong ending. Even Brad Pitt, who worked his ass off for the movie, advocated the original ending.

Even

[Show spoiler]Kevin Spacey

John Doe in the movie, felt it was a good idea to keep

[Show spoiler]himself

discreet from credits so the twist wasn't given away (and you do see a lot of movies pretty much losing their punch when your favorite actor gets typecast and they get billed at the beginning).

And the movie's approach to violence is carefully handled. With the exception of the final moments on film, every representation of violence is in its aftermath. We do not see anything physically happening...only what is left behind.

[Rocket Richard]

JAWS! (Not Jaws 2, 3 or especially 4)

[sandman slim]

Irreversible. Hard to watch in places, but if you can handle it, Irreversible is one of those movies that rewards additional views. Confusing, upsetting, wildly original.

Locke. A life breaking up. In real time. With all the action confined to the inside of a car. Amazing movie, master class in acting from Tom Hardy.

eXistenZ. Cronenberg's masterpiece. A movie so brilliant, two decades later I'm still not sure how it ends.

[TheLaughingMann]

Originally Posted by Rocket Richard

JAWS! (Not Jaws 2, 3 or especially 4)

It was based on Peter Benchley's book, unfortunately. But it was still pretty innovative with deep sea terror films.