While you’re waiting for Nebraska, check out director Alexander Payne’s first feature, Citizen Ruth (1996). Laura Dern is Ruth Stoops, an irresponsible gas-huffer who finds herself pregnant for the fifth time – and at the center of a tug-of-war between pro-life and pro-choice groups when a judge (Kurtwood Smith) orders her to get an abortion. This wicked satire skewers both sides of the debate with a fearless performance from Dern along with a stellar supporting cast including Burt Reynolds, Swoosie Kurtz, Mary Kay Place and Kelly Preston.
While you’re waiting for American Hustle, check out David O. Russell’s second feature, Flirting with Disaster (1996). This wacky screwball comedy follows Mel (Ben Stiller), the adopted son of two neurotic New Yorkers (George Segal and Mary Tyler Moore) who embarks on a road trip with his wife (Patricia Arquette) and case worker (Téa Leoni) to find his birth parents: New Mexico hippies Alan Alda and Lily Tomlin. There are so many priceless scenes – including an early turn by Josh Brolin as an armpit-licking ATF agent – that make this one of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen.
While you’re waiting for Her, check out Being John Malkovich by Spike Jonze, a true original that earned a cult following and a Best Director Oscar nomination to boot. John Cusack is Craig, a puppeteer who takes a job as a file clerk on the 7 ½ floor where he discovers a portal to the mind of John Malkovich for 15 minutes at a time. Craig, his wife Lotte (Cameron Diaz) and his coworker Maxine (Catherine Keener) hatch a plan to make it a profitable venture. What could possibly go wrong? This is an unpredictable adventure that’s funny, thrilling and brilliant.
While you’re waiting for Philomena, check out Stephen Frears‘ debut, The Hit (1984). This atmospheric, gritty film stars Terence Stamp as an ex-mobster who’s been living with a new identity in Spain for 10 years, only to discover two hitmen (John Hurt and Tim Roth, in his first film role) have tracked him down. 
While we’re at it, while you’re waiting for Inside Lleywn Davis, check out Blood Simple, the first film from the Coen Brothers and similar in style and tone to The Hit. This tense, stylish neo-noir follows Marty (Dan Hedaya), a jilted husband who hires a private detective (M. Emmet Walsh) to kill his wife and her lover (Frances McDormand and John Getz).
While you’re waiting for Enough Said, check out Walking and Talking (1996), the debut film from Nicole Holofcener. Amelia (Catherine Keener) is a single New Yorker whose best friend (Anne Heche) is getting married, so she settles by dating Bill, the “ugly guy” (Kevin Corrigan). Holofcener’s films are talky, smart, refreshing romantic comedies, and these two films illustrate her affection for her characters and their struggles for love, friendship and success in the modern world.
While you’re waiting for The Wolf of Wall Street, check out Mean Streets (1973), the third film (and first great film) directed by Martin Scorsese. This wild, scrappy movie stars Harvey Keitel and Robert De Niro as Charlie and Johnny Boy, two hoods in New York’s Little Italy who are looking for respect and success in all the wrong places. In addition to launching the careers of Keitel and De Niro, it established Scorsese as one of the greatest directors of his generation and influenced some of the greatest films of the 1970s.
Leave a Comment