A Woman Under the Influence (1974)

A Woman Under the Influence (1974)

[8] Indie maverick John Cassavetes examines a family under the stress of mental illness in A Woman Under the Influence. Cassavetes regulars Peter Falk and Gena Rowlands (his real-life wife) star as the parents of three children whose family is…
To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday (1996)

To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday (1996)

[7] Two years after his wife Gillian (Michelle Pfeiffer) died in a boating accident, David (Peter Gallagher) keeps her alive in his imagination through nightly frolics and conversations on the beach at night. As family and friends come together to…
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

[8] Jimmy Stewart gives a career-defining performance in this Frank Capra classic about a celebrated boy scout leader (Stewart) who gets chosen to fill a deceased senator's seat in the U.S. congress. His party assumes Stewart will be a doting…
The Opposite of Sex (1997)

The Opposite of Sex (1997)

[7] Christina Ricci definitively sheds her child-star persona in The Opposite of Sex, playing a snarky teen who runs away from mother and crashes with her older gay half-brother (Martin Donovan). After she seduces his naïve young lover (Ivan Sergei)…
Steve Jobs (2015)

Steve Jobs (2015)

[7] With all due deference to his accomplishments, Steve Jobs' career isn't something I thought I needed to see a movie about. Faithful biopics generally make for uneven films, and how the hell can a dork making computers make for…
About Schmidt (2002)

About Schmidt (2002)

[8] Jack Nicholson stars as Warren Schmidt, a recent retiree who tries to reconnect with his daughter after the sudden death of his wife. He embarks on an RV trip to stop the daughter's wedding to an unworthy used car…
The Legend of Billie Jean (1985)

The Legend of Billie Jean (1985)

[7] After a confrontation with bullies leads to attempted rape and gunfire, Helen Slater (Supergirl) hits the road with her brother (Christian Slater) and a pair of friends (Yeardley Smith and Martha Gehman). They dodge the police and profess their…
Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975)

Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975)

[2] During World War II, four fascist leaders round up a group of adolescent boys and girls to torture for one-hundred-twenty days. Just knowing what Salò is about kept me from watching it for decades. But now that I've finally…
In a Lonely Place (1950)

In a Lonely Place (1950)

[6] Humphrey Bogart plays a Hollywood screenwriter suspected of murder until his next door neighbor, played by Gloria Grahame, vouches for him. Grahame starts a romance with Bogey as the investigation continues. It's not long before Bogey reveals a hidden…
Penny Serenade (1941)

Penny Serenade (1941)

[7] Cary Grant and Irene Dunn star as a couple whose marriage is on the verge of collapse. The reason is explained through a series of flashbacks, as Dunn listens to records that contain songs of special significance in their…