I suspect I have odd taste in movies, as I often like the quiet films that tell a simple story. And a lot of them aren’t exactly blockbusters. In alphabetical order, here are ten to start out; perhaps I will add more later on. The downside is that some of them are fairly obscure and therefore perhaps hard to find even if you want to watch them!
A list by Peter McGinn
10
Items on this list70%
Average Rating17h 21m
Total Runtime$67.5M
Total Revenue1
Circle of Friends
Another coming of age tale, but with a young woman this time. Three fine actors do a great job here early in their careers: Colin Firth, Minnie Driver and Alan Cumming. The movie is based on my favorite Maeve Minch novel. I feel compelled to point out that, although the ending is okay, I think the novel really nailed it. But movies and books have different priorities.
Movie
April 7, 1995
1h 43m
$45M
2
Enchanted April
1991. I have always been a sucker for a good chick flick. A wonderful cast bring to life a novel about four women who rent an Italian castle to escape their dreary lives. I won’t list the seven names of the performers who make this so great. Characters I wanted to dislike were given enough depth so that I cared about them all in the end. I only realized today as I looked this up that it was a remake of a 1935 early talkie version. I can’t compare them, but I will say that I liked this movie slightly better than the novel it is based on. It took me years to track down a DVD copy of this and retire the old grainy VHS version I had.
Movie
July 31, 1992
1h 29m
$13.2M
3
Finnegan Begin Again
I seem to recall this was an HBO original back in 1985. A retired investigative reporter (Robert Preston) takes on a new job as a lonely heart columnist who responds to letters. His traditional and pragmatic Save the Marriage responses cause his readership to drop, until he meets the Mary Tyler Moore character. This is one of those movies that can be hard to find. My own copy is one I copied from VHS to DVD. Not great quality, but I will settle. Watch it if you get the chance.
Movie
February 24, 1985
1h 55m
$0
4
Gregory's Girl
An offbeat comedy from 1980. Gregory is not a popular lad, but he is in the center of his own universe, so in his mind he is a great soccer player and should have the pretty and popular girlfriend he sets his sights on. So we follow this coming of age tale of a nice kid who is kind to his sister and who navigates his bumpy path to romantic happiness. I suppose I like it because I write novels with simple stories and witty (I hope) characters who often try to do the right thing for others.
Movie
May 25, 1982
1h 31m
$7.7K
5
Lucas
Lucas, from 1986, is another touching coming of age tale. Corey Haim is the title character. He is in love with a girl he has no real chance of winning, though he tries out for the football team because that seems to be a path to popularity. The movie isn’t groundbreaking or stunningly original, but rather it is a gentle tale told well, in my opinion. You should recognize a few familiar faces here as well.
Movie
March 28, 1986
1h 48m
$8.2M
6
Mr Harvey Lights a Candle
Mr. Harvey Lights a Candle
Though there are pockets of wry humor, this is a drama all the way. Timothy Spall electrifies as teacher Mr. Harvey, who is ridiculed by his students and pitied by other teachers. He leads an outing of reluctant students to a cathedral, which looks to be a tedious trip rife with rebelliousness, until a revelation turns it in a trip that is transformative or even life changing for some of the participants.
Movie
March 26, 2005
1h 30m
$0
7
Powwow Highway
Serious issues here about the history and treatment of Native American peoples, but it is handled with a deft, light touch, involving a road trip with a young modern day Cheyenne warrior played superbly and optimistically by Gary Farmer. Humorous with a touch of adventure, and yet another hidden gem if you can find it.
Movie
February 24, 1989
1h 31m
$0
8
Secrets & Lies
I think this Movie made some noise when it came out, and probably is hardly a hidden gem, but I don’t think this masterpiece from 1996 ever received lasting recognition. It is in my ten favorite movies ever. A woman who was adopted out returns to disrupt a family’s life and image of itself. Three of the leads: Timothy Spall, Brenda Blethyn and Claire Rushbrook are among the best British actors of the modern era. It is director Mike Leigh at his artful best, drawing top performances from his cast.
Movie
May 24, 1996
2h 22m
$13.4M
9
The Accidental Tourist
From 1988. Probably got a lot of attention back then, but I haven’t heard much about it in recent years. Full of quirky characters and an inventive plot. William gives a restrained performance as a grieving father, and Geena Davis won an Academy Award for her exuberant performance. Talking about it makes me aware that I need to see it again.
Movie
December 23, 1988
2h 1m
$32.6M
10
The Girl in the Café
A gentle British drama from 2005 about an older man who works for the government ahead of and during the G8 Conference. He meets a real spark plug, a younger woman who is passionate about ethics and improving society, and he brings her to the conference. He finds that her blunt idealism threatens to get him into trouble with his bosses. You need to be in the right mood to fully appreciate this quiet drama.
Movie
June 25, 2005
1h 34m
$0