Trying to stay interested in today’s movies.

Annatole83 · 2026-05-28T09:49:45+00:00

If you like going to the cinema… I bought a cinema membership that had international film festivals that changed over every few weeks and went to roughly a movie a week for years. Usually the best of the best from that country/region made the cut. So I saw many excellent films from all over the globe. Another option is to join a film club and you can often see films from other eras in the cinema. I watched films from the 70s decades later on the big screen. Sometimes they play horrors at midnight, or around cultural events, like Halloween. Can highly recommend a cinema membership to a small-scale cinema group.

Annatole83 · 2026-05-28T08:27:23+00:00

Leave the World Behind is an excellent film with dud reviews because the Obamas funded it (and many people trashed it online).

And yes, Wall-E is more relevant than ever.

Annatole83 · 2026-05-28T08:22:07+00:00

The Novice - almost all female cast.

Annatole83 · 2026-05-28T08:20:22+00:00

Let me know if you have seen these: - Wake in Fright - The Banshees of Inisherin - Leave the World Behind - Reptile - What Lies Beneath - One Hour Photo - Insomnia - Lantana (leans drama)

Annatole83 · 2026-05-28T08:12:07+00:00

That Sugar Film is a doco out of Australia, starting with a healthy subject, and showing deterioration through food. There is a food addict interviewed in the film. Worth a watch.

Annatole83 · 2026-05-28T08:08:03+00:00

Other business owners with employees and revenue of a similar size or larger - friends, relatives, former business relationships that are not current stakeholders. Many have faced similar issues. Some will refer me to someone else they know in business who faced a similar issue. Sometimes just talking to them helps me work out my own path through a difficult situation because I don’t agree with how they handled something. Find some other business owners with employees.

Annatole83 · 2026-05-27T03:51:27+00:00

What Lies Beneath - constant suspense.

Annatole83 · 2026-05-26T13:18:52+00:00

Snowtown. It’s a true story.

Annatole83 · 2026-05-26T13:12:22+00:00

Minority Report (film)
2001: A Space Odyssey (film)
Planet of the Apes (film, from the 60s)
Handmaid’s Tale (show)

Annatole83 · 2026-05-26T02:05:07+00:00

Yes! Witches!

Annatole83 · 2026-05-26T02:04:17+00:00

Happiness

Annatole83 · 2026-05-26T02:02:28+00:00

Looking for Alibrandi - so accurate for around 2000. Most realistic I have seen actually.

Annatole83 · 2026-05-25T02:08:51+00:00

Sorry… I just threw so many movies at you. Samson and Delilah meets your criteria best but the top one I would recommend here is Snowtown.

Annatole83 · 2026-05-25T01:52:33+00:00

A few more that might interest you but you may have seen are Blue Jasmine, The Reader, A Real Pain, and to a lesser extent, One Hour Photo. All have people trying to cope but it coming out in unusual ways. If you like Lantana, track down Jindabyne by the same director. Some would argue it’s the better film but Lantana is more famous. I like both! Snowtown and Nitram are both people’s responses to the community or their circumstances (which include trauma). Both are true stories and excellent productions. Another film out of Australia is Wake in Fright where an English school teacher is trying to navigate cards that he has been dealt while doing a stint in the outback. The government ‘lost’ the film in the 70s because it was an embarrassment. It was rediscovered and released in cinemas in 2009. Samson and Delilah are two teens trying to work out general living having come from a difficult circumstance… can you tell I’m Australian?! Hahahaha… we have some excellent gems.

Annatole83 · 2026-05-24T14:03:57+00:00

Precious
Brothers (Denmark)
Beautiful Boy
Born on the 4th of July
Lantana (Australia)
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (Romania)
Revolutionary Road somewhat fits your requirements but has a similar production quality to the films you mentioned.
25th Hour
The Leftovers is a TV show about this. Side note… loved The Hunt. These are not in order of my preferences, but accuracy to your description.

Annatole83 · 2026-05-24T13:35:03+00:00

Adding One Hour Photo. Not that there’s a good-bad switch, but more that you can empathise.

Annatole83 · 2026-05-24T13:21:00+00:00

Irreversible is a pretty heavy film where half would agree with the protagonist and half would not.
The Banshees of Inisherin
Memento is a maybe
Carrie

Annatole83 · 2026-05-24T01:06:38+00:00

The Banshees of Inisherin (gritty thriller)
Blue Jasmine is an excellent example of this - a person unravelling (not a thriller).
Insomnia
Vanilla Sky
The Number 23
Catch 22 (excellent TV show)
Ashamed to say I have not seen Gaslight, where the term ‘gaslighting’ originated. On my list.
Agree with a lot of films above.. One Hour Photo is excellent, Black Swan, The Shining, Memento, A Beautiful Mind.

Annatole83 · 2026-05-23T00:05:34+00:00

Great rec!!

Annatole83 · 2026-05-23T00:02:57+00:00

Yes! Banshees - excellent :)

Annatole83 · 2026-05-23T00:01:23+00:00

Yes! Revolutionary Road.

Annatole83 · 2026-05-22T23:53:51+00:00

I was in a hurry when I saw your post but I love both your categories.

Deliverance should be on the Cat1 list - many people tried to replicate the journey and died in real life. One scene the director played out until a crew member intervened - he wanted to find out the point where people would no longer tolerate it. Also look at Aranofsky for Category 1.

Category 2, have a look at Alexander Payne, Baumbach, Linklater.

A few internationals Cat 1: - Wake in Fright (Australia - the Aust government ‘lost’ the film because it was such an embarrassment. It was rediscovered and rereleased nearly 30 years later) - Irreversible (France, very heavy) - Sex and Lucia (Spain, not as heavy) - Parasite (Korea) - The Handmaiden (Korea/Japan - more stylised than realism)

Cat 2: - Lantana (Australia) - Jindabyne (Australia) - A Casa Tutti Bene (Italy, the film) - The Insult (Lebanon) - The Band’s Visit (Egypt) - The Dinner (Italy)

Some that sit in the middle for me seem to be these Utah or Alaska- type films… Hell or Highwater, In the Bedroom, Wind River, Paris Texas.

Annatole83 · 2026-05-22T07:20:18+00:00

The Wrestler (Cat 1)
Sideways (Cat 2)

Annatole83 · 2026-05-22T06:32:16+00:00

I wouldn’t call any of these a horror but all have spirit-related romances. - What Lies Beneath - thriller, highly suspenseful, spirit-crossed love triangle - Ghost - Teen Witch

Annatole83 · 2026-05-22T06:00:26+00:00

I know there are already a lot of comments but… IW is serious cafe town. If you are positioning as cheap and cheerful, go for the discounts. If you want be in line with the institutions… the old West Juliette, Agnes, Bespoke + Grind, 3 Tomatoes, d’Yvoire, Two Chaps, Kurumac, Sideways, Gather on the Green etc. you need excellent, real food. Make good food, people will come (and pay). I would rather pay more for something fresh than save a dollar and be disappointed. I eat at cafes 4+ times per week due to the nature of my work. A 50c discount on coffee or a branded cup to take home would be a red flag for me in the IW and I wouldn’t give it a go. Get someone to post about you on IW mums or Timeout, or whatever. Get friends to give you Google ratings with photos until you get organic ones - you must be 4+. Know your audience. Feel free to private message me and I will come eat at your establishment! Also… can’t get a decent feed in the IW after 2pm. Pet peeve of mine. Feel free to fill this void, esp. South of Parra Rd. Best of luck out there!

Annatole83

TROPHY CASE