That Obscure Object of Desire (1977)

At age 28, Luis Buñuel co-directed (with Salvador Dali) one of the most notorious films of all time, the 16-minute Un Chien Andalou, still famous for its scene of a barber (Buñuel himself) slicing a woman's eye open. At age 77, Buñuel had not dimmed this playful fury, as shown by his last film, one of his masterpieces, That Obscure Object of Desire (1977). read more...

Search for streaming:

• Surreal ▶ Yes please
• Romantic Love ▶ Doomed
• Carnality ▶ Strong animal desire, hunger or desperation
• Overall Depth ▶ Deep or penetrating
• Originality ▶ Different or novel for its time

Parasite (2019)

South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho already has an impeccable track record, but he has stepped up his game with this powerfully revealing social satire, half insanely funny, and half merely insane. read more...

Search for streaming:

• Funny ▶ Yes please
• Overall Depth ▶ Deep or penetrating

Dead Ringers (1988)

This is arguably David Cronenberg's masterpiece. He took the body conscious themes of his previous work and adapted them to a new, adult milieu, leaving behind (for better or worse) his exploitation horror films. Dead Ringers has an amazing, chilly, clinical look to emphasize the intellectual and emotional state of its characters, identical twins Beverly and Elliot Mantle (both played by Jeremy Irons). The colors are mainly dull and metallic with the striking exception of red in certain scenes. read more...

Search for streaming:

• Viewed as Monsters ▶ Yes please
• Surreal ▶ Yes please
• Anxiety Level ▶ I like my stomach in knots
• Moralistic ▶ Yes please
• Overall Depth ▶ Deep or penetrating
• Takes itself Seriously ▶ Yes please
• Originality ▶ Different or novel for its time

Election (1999)

Election is about a twisted, backstabbing run for political office amongcandidates who are self-centered and slightly dim. No, this isn't the Democratsand the Republicans. This is high school. Reese Witherspoon stars in perhaps her very best performance as Tracy Flick, the go-getter who must succeed in everything come hell or high water. read more...

Search for streaming:

• Funny ▶ Yes please
• Optimistic ▶ No thanks
• Moralistic ▶ Yes please
• Carnality ▶ Strong animal desire, hunger or desperation
• Rules ▶ Rigid or strongly constrained
• Overall Depth ▶ Deep or penetrating
• Takes itself Seriously ▶ No thanks
• Originality ▶ Different or novel for its time

Contempt (1963)

A screenwriter Paul Javal (Michel Piccoli) upsets his marriage to the beautiful blonde Camille (Brigitte Bardot) by taking on a job for an egomaniacal American film producer Jeremy Prokosch (Jack Palance). His task: adapt Homer's "The Odyssey" for director Fritz Lang (playing himself). In several instances, he passively lets Prokosch hit on his wife, and she begins to resent him for it, though they continue to play mind games and guessing games with one another over the real cause of the rift. Meanwhile, Lang has his head deeply into "The Odyssey" and discusses with Paul several possibilities as to why Ulysses might have stayed away from his wife Penelope for so many years. read more...

Search for streaming:

• Brainy ▶ Brainy or complex
• Moralistic ▶ Yes please
• Overall Depth ▶ Deep or penetrating
• Originality ▶ Different or novel for its time