10 Wonderful Movies to Rent
Leonard Maltin
Entertainment Tonight
Many entertaining movies have failed to find audiences in recent
years due to limited marketing budgets, lack of star appeal or poor
timing. Also, some excellent older films have been unfairly
forgotten. Ten wonderful movies that most people missed, available
to rent on DVD...
RECENT RELEASES
Aurora Borealis (2005). A Minneapolis
man belatedly grows up and faces adulthood by dealing with his
ailing grandfather (played by Donald Sutherland). This drama’s
sincere and believable performances make it worth seeing.
Criminal (2004). A remake of
the Argentinean film Nine Queens, this
stars John C. Reilly (Talladega Nights) as a con man
working with a new partner. The clever, intricate plot will keep
you guessing about who is conning whom right up to the end. The
filmmakers make great use of the Los Angeles setting.
The Greatest Game Ever Played (2005). Shia LaBeouf
stars as golfer Francis Ouimet in this engaging film based on
actual events. Ouimet, a caddy from the wrong side of the tracks,
battled British champion Harry Vardon in the 1913 US Open. It is
one of the most unlikely showdowns in sports history. Director Bill
Paxton tells the story with great visual flair.
The Lookout (2007). This understated
thriller is the directorial debut of Scott Frank, the screenwriter
behind Get
Shorty. Joseph Gordon-Levitt (3rd Rock from the Sun)
stars as a former jock who suffers brain damage in an accident and
becomes the patsy for a gang of bank robbers. Jeff Daniels and Isla
Fisher also star.
The Prize Winner of Defiance,
Ohio (2005).
A mother of 10 keeps her family financially afloat during the
1950s by winning jingle contests in this comedy/drama based
on a true story. Julianne Moore and Woody Harrelson star.
It’s an enjoyable commentary on how gender roles have
changed.
Tap (1989). Gregory Hines
and Sammy Davis, Jr., star in this love letter to a now largely
forgotten generation of tap dancers. Among the DVD’s bonus features
is a documentary about the older dancers who appear in the
film.
You Kill Me (2007). Ben Kingsley
stars as an alcoholic hit man whose past catches up with him in
this dark comedy. It is an unexpected but enjoyable role for
Kingsley, who won an Academy Award for his 1982 portrayal of
Gandhi.
OLDIES BUT GOODIES
The Black Swan (1942). This wonderful Tyrone
Power/Maureen O’Hara swashbuckler features dastardly villains,
thrilling swordplay, a wonderful score, a solid plot and no
computer-generated special effects. The Black
Swan was a hit
in its day and deserves to be better known today.
Island in the Sky (1953). This film
and The High
and the Mighty, which came out the following year, both
starred John Wayne. While The High and the
Mighty remains
well-known among movie fans, Island in the
Sky has been
virtually forgotten. That’s a shame, because it is probably the
better film. Wayne portrays a pilot who must keep his crew alive in
the bitter cold after an icy crash landing.
State of the Union (1948). Spencer Tracy
and Katharine Hepburn star in this Frank Capra comedy about a
presidential candidate who has to make compromises to stay in the
game. State of
the Union remains timely even 60 years
later. A young Angela Lansbury costars.