All MOVIE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ​2018 A-Z
CURRENT MONTH    SORT BY MONTH:    MAY 2018   JUNE 2018   JULY 2018    AUGUST 2018   SEPTEMBER 2018   OCTOBER 2018    NOVEMBER 2018                                             
Images link to Amazon. Buttons link to Apple iTunes Store.
“A Little Princess” (1995 Warner Bros.) Liesel Matthews, Liam Cunningham, Elenor Bronchiole, Rusty Schwimmer, Arthur Malet, Vanessa Lee Chester, Error Sitahal. Available on Netflix, Amazon Prime and Apple iTunes Store.
  • This is the perfect kids movie for the "non-holiday, holiday" category, and trust us, you'll love it as an adult too!  Nominated for Oscars in the Best Cinematography and Best Art Direction categories, directed by Alfonso Cuarón ("Gravity") and based on the classic children's novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, "A Little Princess" is a film we're sure you'll fall in love with. If nothing else, watch it for the stunning cinematography!​
  • ​We recommended this in December 2018.
“A Quiet Place” (2018 Paramount Pictures), Emily Blunt, John Karasinski. Available on Amazon Prime or Apple iTunes Store.
  • Excellent SciFi Thriller/Monster movie? not sure how to classify it really, but well done! Get your glasses out…you’ll need to read subtitles because the beauty of this thriller is that there is very little spoken dialogue.
  • ​We recommended this in August 2018.
“About Time” (2013 Universal Pictures), Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams, Bill Nighy. Available on Amazon Prime or Apple iTunes Store.  Also currently available on HBO GO/HBO NOW.
  • This movie is an excellent surprise, loved it!
  • We recommended this in June 2018.
“Almost Famous” (2000 Dreamworks), Billy Crudup, Patrick Fugit, Kate Hudson, Frances McDormand, Jason Lee, & Zooey Deschanel. Available on Amazon Prime and Apple iTunes Store.
  • If you remember the good old days of music, before the digital age, you'll really appreciate this film.  A must see!
  • ​We recommended this in May 2018.
“Argo” (2012 Warner Bros.), Ben Aflec, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, John Goodman.  Available on Amazon Prime or Apple iTunes store.
  • Watch the Credits for the brief interview with Jimmy Carter, very interesting.
  • We recommended this in July 2018.
“Begin Again” (2013 The Weinstein Company), Kira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo, James Corden. Available on Amazon Prime or Apple iTunes Store.
  • Quiet good! If you're a musician or not, this is enjoyable. Kind of a love story, but not really. (More like a love of Music!)
  • ​We recommended this in June 2018.
“Bullworth” (1998 20th Century Fox) Warren Beatty, Halle Berry, Don Cheadle, Oliver Platt, Jack Warden, Sean Astin.  Available on Amazon Prime or Apple iTunes Store.
  • In our opinion, this is Warren Beatty's best work. Senator "Jay Billington Bullworth" is a flawed hero for the ages.  Stand-out roles for both Halle Berry and Don Cheadle: "Bullworth" is a must see for anyone walking towards a voting booth.​​
  • We recommended this in November 2018.
​"Charlie Wilson's War" (2007 NBC Universal) Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Ned Beatty, Denis O'Hare, Christopher Denham. Available on Amazon Prime, and Apple iTunes Store.
  • Written by Aaron Sorkin (busy guy), based on the book by George Crile, this is a must see for all voters!  Also, we feel that this is the late Philip Seymour Hoffman's best role ever!  If you only get to watch one of our recommendations this month, make it "Charlie Wilson's War"! (Or "Bullworth", flip a coin!)
  • We recommended this in November 2018.
“Drag Me To Hell” (2009 NBC Universal), Alison Lohman, Justin Long. Available on Amazon Prime or Apple iTunes Store.
  • This is a surprisingly well-made "scary" movie.  Trust us, just watch it. You can also currently find it on HBO GO/HBO NOW.​​​
  • We recommended this in October 2018.
“Gerald's Game” (2017 Netflix), Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Henry Thomas. Available on  Netflix.
  • Based on Stephen King's 1992 novel of the same name, we've got to hand it to the folks at Netflix, they did a nice job with this.  We've added this film and book to our AGAB's list.  Learn more here.​​
  • Yes, we are well aware of the connection to "Delores Claiborne" which is also a great film and great book.  We'll be recommending that at some point in the future, but for now consider this a "two for one" month.
  • ​We recommended this in October 2018
“Home for the Holidays” (1995 Paramount) Holly Hunter, Robert Downey, Jr, Anne Bancroft, Charles Durning, Dylan McDermott, Cynthia Stevenson, Steve Guttenberg and Claire Danes.  Available on Starz, Amazon Prime and Apple iTunes Store.
  • We love Holly Hunter, and we also had to give you one "mostly-holiday" film. It's a good one though.  If we hadn't been so busy with the elections in November we may have recommended "Home for the Holidays" last month so you could prep for Thanksgiving.  Hey, everyone's family is crazy.  You can polish yours up or bury your garbage as deep as you want, but come on...you know, everybody's got problems. Let this film take your mind off of yours.  Experience the awkward crazy family troubles of someone else's family by enjoying this excellent film directed by Jodi Foster.​
  • ​We recommended this in December 2018.
“In America” (2003 Fox Searchlight) Samantha Morton, Paddy Considine, Sarah Bolger, Emma Bolger, Neal Jones. Available on Amazon Prime and Apple iTunes Store.
  • Experience immigration through the eyes of a child. "In America" reminds you that people come from all over the world seeking a better life in America. This Oscar nominated film, directed by Jim Sheridan, stars real-life sisters Sarah and Emma Bolger.  It captures the challenge immigrants face getting to America and staying in America,  just as most of our ancestors did.
  • We recommended this in November 2018.
“In Bruges” (2008 Focus Features), Colin Farrell, Brenden Gleeson. Available on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Apple iTunes Store.
  • You may find yourself planning a trip to Bruges after watching this.  But seriously, it's Colin Farrell at his best! Check it out.
  • We recommended this in May 2018.
“Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” (2005 Warner Bros.), Robert Downey Jr., Val Kilmer, Michelle Monaghan. Available on Amazon Prime and Apple iTunes Store. Also currently available on HBO GO/HBO NOW.
  • This may be the film that made Robert Downey Jr. a legitimate actor! Comedy, mystery, drama, and suspense all rolled into one!
  • We recommended this in May 2018.
“Let The Right One In” (2007 Frida Asp), Kare Hedebrantt, Lina Leandersson, Per Ragnar. Available on Hulu, Amazon Prime and Apple iTunes Store.
“Moonrise Kingdom” (2012 Focus Features), Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton. Available on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Apple iTunes Store. Also currently available on Showtime Anytime.
  • We love all Wes Anderson films, (Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, to name only a few) The best way to describe them is to say that they are quirky, witty, and fun. As far as Moonrise Kingdom goes…great cast, and hey…who doesn’t want to go to the “hullabaloo”
  • We recommended this in August 2018.
“Passengers” (2016, Columbia Pictures), Jennifer Lawrence, Chris Pratt, Michael Sheen. Available on Amazon Prime or Apple iTunes Store.
  • This was surprisingly good! It was not at all what we expected. Definitely worth a watch.
  • We recommended this in September 2018.
“Phantom Thread” (2017 Focus Features), Daniel Day-Lewis, Vicky Krieps.  Available on Amazon Prime and Apple iTunes store.  Also currently available on HBO GO/NOW.
  • Daniel Day-Lewis has said that he is retired, love him or hate him, this may well be his last film, you owe it to yourself to see it, it's quite good.​
  • We recommended this in July 2018.
“Pretty in Pink” (1986 Paramount), Molly Ringwald, Jon Cryer, James Spader.  Available on Amazon Prime and Apple iTunes Store.
  • YES you heard it! It’s available on Hulu! An 80’s classic, fun for the whole family (maybe).  ​​
  • We recommended this in August 2018.
“Seeking A Friend for The End of The World” (2012 Focus Features), Steve Carell, Kira Knightley. Available on Amazon Prime, and Apple iTunes Store.
  • Touching, and funny...includes the best “got pulled over by the cops” scene ever!
  • We recommended this in​ June 2018.
“Serenity” (2005, Universal Pictures), Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Summer Glau, Morena Baccarin, Adam Baldwin, Jewel Staite, Sean Maher, and Ron Glass. Available on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Apple iTunes Store.
  • You CANNOT mention anything about "Serenity" or "Firefly" without listing the entire cast (entire ship's crew) of Serenity! WARNING - STOP! Don't watch this movie unless you've already enjoyed "Firefly". "Serenity" is the cinematic ending to the short-lived, but awesome 2002 TV Series "Firefly".  "Serenity" gave fans an ending, but not "peace".  True fans wanted more, and many were not happy with the film. But we love it! ("Firefly" is available on Hulu, Amazon Prime, and Apple iTunes Store. We recommend you watch all 14 episodes prior to viewing "Serenity"). ​
  • We recommended this in September 2018.
"Star Trek" (2009, Paramount Pictures) Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Bruce Greenwood, and Leonard Nimoy.  Available on Amazon Prime and Apple iTunes Store.
  • We love it! We think this is an awesome, amazing way to reintroduce the "Star Trek" world to a new generation! Live long and prosper!  Check out all three J.J. Abrams Star Trek films, AND VOTE FOR YOUR ​FAVORITE KIRK here.​
  • We recommended this in September 2018.
“Sucker Punch” (2011 Warner Bros.), Emily Browning, Vanessa Hudgens, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, and Scott Glen. Available on Amazon Prime or Apple iTunes Store.
  • Dark and borderline creepy, but very excellent. Not for the kids.
  • We recommended this in June 2018.
“The American President” (1995 Warner Bros.) Michael Douglas, Annette Bening, Martin Sheen, Michael J Fox, Richard Dreyfuss and more.  Available on Amazon Prime and Apple iTunes Store.
  • We always wonder if Aaron Sorkin cringed while writing this "rom-com" but only because it's a "rom-com" Mr. Sorkin's scripts are typically so much smarter than rom-com's (but we've watched almost everything he's done and we know he's got a sensitive side and a heart!). For those of you who don't know, Aaron Sorkin's works include "The West Wing" and "The Newsroom" both of which we hope to see rebooted (we've heard rumors)! When you watch "The American President" you may feel you're watching the "spark" that created "The West Wing". Enjoy!
  • We recommended this in November 2018.
“The Distinguished Gentleman” (1992 Hollywood Pictures) Eddie Murphy, Lane Smith, Victoria Rowell, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Charles S. Dutton, Joe Don Baker, James Garner and more. Unfortunately, this film is currently unavailable for streaming however Amazon's got it on DVD, or check your local library. (Wamp wamp wamp waaaaa).​​
“The Kings Speech” (2010 The Weinstein Company), Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter.  Available on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Apple iTunes Store.
  • This is just fantastic…if you’re at all a history buff, you’ll enjoy it.
  • We recommended this in July 2018.
“The Legend of 1900” (1998 Medusa Film) Tim Roth, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Bill Nunn.  Available on Amazon Prime and Apple iTunes Store.
  • This amazing "fable" by Giuseppe Tornatore (Academy Award winner for Cinema Paradiso) tells a story that will bring tears to the eyes of even the grinchiest among us.  No, it's not really a "holiday" film, but it sets a mood that fits the season just right.  Let "The Legend of 1900" take you back to a time when people traveled across the seas in luxury and enjoyed the finest Jazz.​
  • ​We recommended this in December 2018.
​“The Martian” (2015, Universal Pictures), Matt Damon, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sean Bean. Available on Amazon Prime and Apple iTunes Store.
  • Based on the bestselling 2014 novel by Andy Weir, "The Martian" tells the story of astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) who is accidentally left behind on Mars (it’s not his fault; his crew thought he was dead with good reason)! Some people might argue that this isn't "Sci-Fi" but we don't really care.  "The Martian" is one of those films that is "nearly" as good as the book. We classify it as an "AGAB" Learn more here. ​
  • We recommended this in September 2018.
​“The Next Three Days” (2010 Lionsgate), Russel Crow, Elisabeth Banks. Available on Amazon Prime and Apple iTunes Store.
  • We like this film because it seems like the most logical prison break you’d see in film. Be warned, this is a slow movie to start, but it’s very suspenseful and really gets going at the end keeping you on the edge of your seat. ​​​
  • We recommended this in August 2018.
“The Omen” (2006 20th Century Fox), Live Schreiber, Julia Stiles, Mia Farrow, Sara Houghton. Available on Amazon Prime or Apple iTunes Store.
  • WARNING - STOP!  This version is a remake of the original but we love it, and strongly encourage you to give it a view with a clear mind, you'll be surprised!  It goes in our new "REMAKES WE LIKE" category.  Very, very well done!​
  • We recommended this in October 2018.
“The Station Agent” (2003 Lionsgate), Peter Dinklage, Patricia Clarkson, Bobby Cannavale. Available on Amazon Prime and Apple iTunes store.
  • This movie is just so good, makes you want to go chase trains.​
  • We recommended this in July 2018.
“This is Where I Leave You” (2014 Warner Bros.), Tina Fey, Jason Bateman, Jane Fonda, Adam Driver. Available on Amazon Prime and Apple iTunes Store. ​
“Tower Heist” (2012 Universal Pictures) Eddie Murphy, Ben Stiller, Matthew Broderick, Téa Leoni, Gabourey Sidibe, Casey Affleck, Michael Pena, Judd Hirsch and Alan Alda.  Available on Amazon Prime or Apple iTunes Store.
  • This is just plain fun, Eddie Murphy and Ben Stiller are brilliant together! Tower Heist is probably the most underrated "All-Star" cast film to date. It's a great story which fits perfectly in our "non-holiday, holiday films" category only because it is set around Thanksgiving.
  • ​We recommended this in December 2018.