[Maritime Q-Scout]

hmmmm, I'm not the best at movies, didn't start watching them until relatively late in life (ie: late teens)

but some of my favs:

Maximum Overdrive
if you like AC/DC and cheese, this movie is for you. If you like a plot that makes sense, good acting, and a decent story... keep looking. Opening scenes are hilarious that set up the movie, the ending is the best I think I've ever seen, a friend of mine called it a "ugh let's rap this up and get some lunch ending". Kinda thrown together, but I litterally did fall out of my chair laughing the first time I heard it. When re-watching this movie with my father he remaked "I hope you didn't pay for this movie ... well I hope you didn't pay much"

The War Room
A documentary about George Stephanopolous (sp) and James Carville, during Clinton's first election victory against George Walker Bush. It's interesting to see the political machine in action, the adversity that Clinton was faced with, as well as how his campaign team delt with his past, and having to stop a Republican juggernaut.

Casablanca
maybe not obscure, but an oldie that I'm willing to bet not alot of my generation has watched. It definately deserves the title of "classic" I think it's the greatest movie ever made, the themes behind it, the writing, the acting. For a movie that almost didn't get made, as well as had several different writing teams (you can tell when you re-watch the movie how the humour and feel of the movie shifts throughout, however that's part of what makes it great). Also caused the classic remake Barb Wire.

Barb Wire
Basically it's Casablanca but in the future, where the second US Civil War is going on. The rebels are coming, and getting closer and closer to the city (I forget what one) that Barb Wire (Rick) lives in, and operates a biker/dance bar. How can any movie with Pamela Anderson's "tallent" shown off, as well as a setting where Canada is a paradice (trueism) and Canadian money is valued as the world standard, not the worthless greenback be bad? Oh maybe the lame use of retinas as letters of passage, and hiding them in a place where the local police couldn't find them but a 3 yr old toddler could. Sadly (thankfully) I don't remember if she stays or goes... something tells me it's the opposite of what Rick did in Casablanca

The Maltese Falcon
Film Noir is so much better than film today. Film noir can't come out and say that guy x is having an affair with girl y, so they just dance around the fact... they tell you it's happening without coming right out and saying it. Today not only do they tell you that guy x is having an affair with girl y, but they demonstrate as well (which has its advantages but doesn't make for a great mind movie, see Species). Again if you like Bogey, this movie is for you.

Species
Saw this in high school... again if you're looking for a story, good plot, good acting, etc... this movie is not for you. If you're looking for a movie with some decent special effects (finger growing back, alien arms coming out of the girl's back) and lots of "tallent" shall we say (I'm sure you're all aware what I'm talking about when I say "tallent" and "ability" ... "T and A") with a wee bit of "ability". I haven't seen the sequels.

Men With Brooms
Canadian, Curling, Paul Gross, Leslie Neilson, The Tragically Hip... need I saw more? A clever movie that uses curling as what propels the plot forward, has special guest appearance by the Hip, and they sensationalize curling with WWE Wrestling with pyro, and entrance music when you go into the rink. It's a witty, clever movie, what you'd expect a Cdn sitcom to be like, only in a 2 hour interval. This I strongly reccomend if you like comedy.

Mystic River
Not obscure, but I loved this movie. Thought it was well written, well directed, and well acted (Tim Robin's won an Oscar for it). A tragedy brings 3 working class childhood friends from a middleclass Boston neighbourhood together, after another tragedy when they were kids tore them apart.



There's a few idea next time you're in Blockbuster, or whatever local video store you frequent (and frequent the local stores, they have just as good of a selection, often times cheaper, and you can find more obscure/older stuff)

Oh one last one

A Claymation Christmas
Ok, it was a CBS Christmas Special, and isn't really a movie, but the music is good, the Claymation is cute, the hosts are funny (well kids funny). It has a great version of "We Three Kings" as well as the California Rasins singing "Rudolph the Red Noses Reindeer". A Chirstmas Classic... if I do say so myself.