Good Movies to Watch - organized alphabetically - adding to daily (updated 2/29/2012)

Good Movies are hard to find at times; thus, I have organized movies that are highly rated by our own viewers.

Good Movies to Watch (organized alphabetically) A - D

Good Movies to Watch (organized alphabetically) E - H

Good Movies to Watch (organized alphabetically) I - M

Good Movies to Watch (organized alphabetically) N - R

Good Movies to Watch (organized alphabetically) S - V

Good Movies to Watch (organized alphabetically) W - Z

As Good As It Gets is a must see 1997 movie starring Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt. Jack plays an obsessive-compulsive author who is also acerbic and reclusive. He develops a thing for a single mom and waitress Carol Connelly. They are forever altered as their lives intermingle with a gay neighbor Simon Bishop (Greg Kinnear) and his dog. This movie is touching and endearing.

Australia, a 2008 movie begins with a light-hearted approach of a married woman of means in England. The time period is the days leading up to World War II. The woman, Lady Sarah Ashley, played by Nicole Kidman, is soon off to meet up with her husband in Australia. After she learns of her husband's death, she inherits a sprawling cattle ranch in northern Australia. Sarah reluctantly joins her rough-riding farmhand played by Hugh Jackman, as he drives 2,000 head of cattle across the outback. Sarah bonds with a lmotherless boy and falls in love with her farmhand.The Japanese bombing of Darwin bonds the three into a true family.

Awakenings, based on a true story, with Robin Williams playing Dr. Malcolm who is a research physician who takes a job in a mental hospital working with patients as he needs work. The hospital hires him in spite of his lack of experience. Dr. Malcolm begins to note patterns in comatose patience and begins experimental treatment, which works. Now the patience must confront the fact that he was a child when he became comatose. Robin Williams, true to form, gives a great performance.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a 2008 movie about a family who moves from their home in Berlin to a house in Poland. Bruno, who is played by Asa Butterfield becomes friends with Shmuel, played by Jack Scanlon, a boy who lives on the other side of the fence. Bruno is baffled as to why everyone there wears striped pjs. He is completely innocent to the fact that they are Jewish prisoners and has no idea that his Nazi father was involved in their imprisonment. This movie is rivoting as Bruno embarks on a dangerous journey inside the camp's walls.

A frozen corpse is found in a New York City park by a homeless recluse named Romulus Ledbetter, played by Samuel L. Jackson. He was a former piano prodigy but became beset with schizophrenia and began having delusions of harmful rays bombarding him from the Chrysler Building. While he suspects foul play, Romulus himself wonders if he can pull himself together long enough to catch the killer?

Changeling, a 2008 crime drama is directed by Clint Eastwood and set in the 1920's. Christine Collins played by Angelina Jolie is a story about a woman who is ecstatic when her young son is returned to her after he was kidnapped. However, she begins to suspect that he is not her biological child after all. Due to her response, she is committed to an asylum by the police captain who is played by Jeffrey Donovan. She is supported by a friend, which maintains the suspense throughout the movie.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a heartfelt move about a man who is aging in the reverse. Two characters who connect fall in love as they meet in the middle. Conventions are thrown upside down as the symptoms of aging are cross wired. Cate Blanchett and Brad Pitt portray these characters beautifully.

City of Joy is a timeless 1992 movie that demonstrates how people are more alike than different in many ways. Patrick Swayze plays Max Lowe, an American doctor who travels to Calcutta, India after he becomes disillusioned with his roles as a physician. On his quest seeking some meaning to his life, he encounters Hasari played by Om Puri, a man who lives in a poverty-sticken society with deplorable living conditions. A God father type of character controls the environment. When Max meet Joan, played by Pauline Collins, he is drawn in to helping the afflicted people despite his efforts to retreat.

Crossroads is a 1986 movie about a classical guitarist. The role of Eugene is played by Ralph Macchio. He is one life-long search of a forgotten blues song. He befriends legendary bluesman Willie Brown, which is played by Joe Seneca after he meets him in a nursing home. Willie Brown enlists Eugene to help him find his soul, which he contends that he sold to the devil years ago as a trade for achieving blues perfection. On their travels to the Mississippi Delta, the pair encounter a runaway girl, played by Jami Gertz. She joins their entourage. The movie is cause for reflection of what value one should place on their dreams.

The Day the Earth Stood Still is about an alien, played by Keanu Reeves, who has been sent to Earth to warn of the consequences which could lead to extermination if earthlings continue their present way of life filled with aggression. The alien is joined by his heavily armed robot companion.

Doubt is a 2008 film starring Meryl Streep as Sister Aloysius. She plays the role of a nun and a principal of an all boy's school. Sister Aloysius is suspicious of Father Flynn, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, who has developed a relationship with an African pupil. Sister Aloysius and another sister delve into the relationship and have the priest sent away. Are her suspicions correct or should they be doubted?

Derailed is a 2005 movie with Jeffifer Anniston and Clive Owen is a must see. Charles, played by Clive, is a successful businessman and family man. He meets an intriguing and sexy woman on a train during his morning commute. They casually talk and begin to flirt, which soon turns into an affair. The plot of this movie will take you on the train ride of your life.

Eagle Eye is a 2008 movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Jerry, played by Shia LaBeoug, learns that his overachieving twin brother has been killed. After attending his brother's funeral and facing his father who is always disappointed in him, he returns home to discover that he has been drafted by some inexplicable force. He becomes a prisoner to some notorious terrorist cell and is hotly pursued by the authorities. Jerry is not alone. A single mother, Rachel, played by Michelle Monaghan and many others have been framed and must do everything they are told or their families will be harmed. This movie really makes the viewer sit up and take notice of the possibilities of being controlled.

Another enjoyable movie and from an entirely different genre is Eight-eight Minutes starring Al Pacino. He plays the role of Jack Gramm who is a college professor and a forensic psychologist for the FBI. He finds himself in a race against the clock when he receives a mysterious phone call while he is lecturing to his class informing him he has 88 minutes in which to live. The story will keep you hanging and wondering who to trust as Jack Gramm tries to uncover the identity of the caller.

 Firelight is a favorite of mine. It is a beautifully written and acted 1997 foreign film that will touch you deeply. Sopie Marceau plays the role of a young girl, Elisabeth Laurier, who is hired to pay off her father's overwhelming debt. She enters into an agreement with an aristocratic Britishman Charles Godwin who is played by Stephen Dillane. She agrees to have a child with him, as his wife was injured in an accident and is in a coma and cannot have children. She agrees to give up the baby once it is born in exchange for a great deal of money in order to help her father. However, Elisabeth cannot get the child out of her thoughts and her heart. Seven years later she returns as the governess to be reunited with her daughter, Louisa who is played by Dominique Belcourt. Louisa is a spoiled child and rejects the teachings of her biological mother.

 Frost Nixon is a 2008 movie directed by Ron Howard. The movie focuses on TV interviews with British RV Host David Frost and Former President Richard Nixon. This movie is not yet available for immediate play and must be ordered.

Gran Tarino, a 2008 social issue drama, is a movie about Walt Kowalski, a strong-minded Korean War Veteran, played by Clint Eastwood, who lives among neighbors of foreign descent that he begrudges. When the neighbor's son Thao, playee by Bee Vang, attempts to steal Walt's favorite car, a 1972 Gran Torino, Thao offers to make amends by working for him. Walt befriends Thao's sister and an unlikely bond between the neighbor's is formed. This story offers some great twists that keeps the viewer hanging.

 The Haunting in Connecticut is a 2009 supernatural thriller. It is based on a true story about a family who moves to Connecticut and encounter paranormal events in their new home that was formerly a mortuary with a sordid past. Virginia Madsen and Martin Donovan play the parents. Kyle Gallner plays the son who has cancer. The Reverend is played by Nicholas Popescu.

 Hounddog, a 2007 film, is emotionally charged throughout. It is about a precocious but abused 12-year-old girl played by Dakota Fanning. Her favorite singer is Elvis Presley's music. and her love of his music helps her to cope. While she tries to suppress some painful memories, you have to wonder if her seemingly indestructible spirit will shatter?

In the Valley of Elah is a 2006 movie of a soldier named Mike Deerfield, played by Jonathan Tucker, who disappears upon returning from Iraq. His concerned father played by Tommy Lee Jones, who is also a retired sergeant. He joins forces with a gutsy female police Detective, Emily Sanders, played by Charlize Theron, and they begin to investigate, as things are not as they appear.

 Juno is a 2007 movie that was written by a young girl. It addresses the issue of a young girl facing an unplanned pregnancy. Juno MacGuff is played by Ellen Page who chooses to experiment with a sexual encounter with a friend who happens to be a male. She discovers that she is pregnant by going to the local store to purchase a pregnancy test that she gives herself in a public restroom. She becomes determined that she will locate the perfect adoptive parents. The couple that she decide upon, played by Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner, have some issues.

Mad Money, a 2008 comedy about a woman named Bridget Cardigan, played by Diane Keaton, and how she copes when her husband, played by Ted Danson, loses his job. The family had been rather well off and were in jeopardy of losing their home and their life style. Bridget Cardigan begins working for the Federal Reserve Bank and schemes with two fellow employees, Katie Holmes and Queen Latifa to abscond with old money that's scheduled to be destroyed. The plan goes along well for awhile, but as any well laid plans, eventually they run into some glitches. This movie was entertaining, well written and superbly acted.

Man on Wire is a 2008 documentary about Philippe Petit as he successfully walked across a high wire that was stretched between the Twin Tower in New York City. Peter was always fascinated with the Twin towers even before they were built. The documentary shares the prelude to the actual walk across the wire and events that followed.

Milk is a 2008 movie about a character named Harvey Milk who is played by Sean Penn. Harvey openly admits he is gay. He works as an activist for gays in San Francisco and is murdered along with Mayor George Moscone by those who have limited views and understanding of gay life. This is based on a true story. It is emotional and inspiring.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith is a clever 2005 movie about a marriage gone stale. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie play the roles of John and Jane Smith. They are unaware that they are each an undercover guns for hire. They are suddenly confronted with the fact that they have been hired to target one another. You will be entertained as you observe the two in the dilemma they are faced with as they fulfil the tasks of their their assignment or ... will love prevail?

No Country for Old Men is a 2007 suspenseful crime thriller based on contemporary literature. Josh Brolin plays a hunter who comes upon a dead body, several millions and a stash of heroin in a Texas desert. He takes off with the cash. The thief Anton Chigurh played by Javier Bardem comes looking for it. Also, the local sheriff played by Tommy Lee Jones is also hot on their trail. The viewer is kept on their toes trying to keep track of who is the predator and who is the prey as lined are blurred.

The Notebook, a 2004 movie and a personal favorite is based on a Nicholas Sparks novel. The movie depicts a lasting love that withstands both time and illness. The story begins in a nursing home, where one of the main characters played by James Garner reads every day from a notebook to a woman played by Gena Rowlands. The story flashes back to a time long gone with two characters, Noah and Allie, played by Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. This is a love story that will endure the test of time.

Outsourced is a stand out movie that comes to mind that affects all of us. It stars Josh Hamilton and Ayesha Dharker. The movie is about an employee who is told that his job has been outsourced to India. Against his will he heads off to Mumbai to train his successor. He quickly encounters cultural differences that are both educational and amusing. I laughed out loud as the character, Todd Anderson, contends with his new surroundings.

Peaceful warrier is a 2006 movie that shows a young male gymnist, Dan Millman, played by Scott Mechlowiczm, who should feel like he is on top of the world, yet, he is still much at unrest. He meets an unusual man, Nick Nolte, he calls Scorates. When Dan becomes injured in a motorcycle accident, it is his relationship with Scorates that alters his thinking. Amy Smart plays the role of Joy who is another influence in his life as he learns the ways of wisdom in the world.

Red Eye is a 2005 movie, which is a sit on the edge of your seat flick starring Rachel McAdams and Cillian Murphy. A young girl named Lisa Reisert has a fear of flying but must do so to attend the funeral of her grandmother. She is befriended by a young man who is attentive and seems to be most helpful that is until things begin to turn around. Lisa is faced with some tough choices which neither of will lead to any thing good.

Saint Ralph is an inspirational 2004 movie starring Adam Butcher who is a typical teenager with big concerns. Ralph teaches us that nothing is too big to overcome. His mother has fallen into a coma, his father is dead and the 14-year-old becomes determined to win the 1954 Boston Marathon in a makeshift barter with God. His teacher, Father Hibbert played by Campbell Scott encourages his dream, but in doing so, he goes up against the reserved, ever-realistic Father Fitzpatrick, played by Gordon Pinsent.

 Selena is a 1997 movie starring Jennifer Lopez. She portrays Selena Quintanilla who was a Mexican-American singer who topped the charts in the U.S. She was killed by her top fan at the age of 23. The story also stars Jon Seda as her husband and Edward James Lomos as her father. J-lo is amazing, as always, in this role.

Shades of Ray is a 2008 cultural romantic comedy starring Zachary Levi. He plays Ray,who is half white and half-Pakistani. While he is waiting for his girlfriend to respond to his marriage proposal, he meets and falls for a girl who shares his same mixed heritage. You will take the journey with Ray as Somerville and Kathy Baker.

The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn is a movie about a small-town farmer, Noah Dearborn (Sidney Poitier), who lives a simple life until a developer named Christian Nelson (George Newbern) tries to buy up his family's land. Nelson will do anything to take Noah's property, including hiring a psychiatrist (Mary-Louise Parker), also his lover to have him declared insane. What Nelson doesn't bank on is Noah and the good doctor form a unique relationship that proves stronger than anything that he can dole out. It is endearing to observe the people and the manner in which the bonds between them are created.

Shawshank Redemption is a 1997 film that is a must see even as a repeat visit. It stars Tim Robbins as Andy Dufresne who is a Spanish Prisoner after he was framed in the 1940s for the murder of his wife and her lover. He is trying to take the high road and apply his accounting skills to work for an amoral warden (Bob Gunton). While in prison, Dufresne comes to be liked and admired by the other inmates. One of his fellow prisoners named Red (Morgan Freeman) is also known for his integrity and positive views on life.

The Spanish Prisoner is a movie that will have you doubting what you see. When a naive inventor played by Campbell Scott develops The vultures come out when he invents "The Process," an ultra secret program certain to make billions for his company, David Mamet wrote his own script and also directed this file. He is a master at keeping the viewer twisting and turning. Just as they think they have it figured out, there is a new angle. Ben Gazarra and Steve Martin give outstanding performances and will leave you wondering who the con is.

Taken is a 2008 movie about an American girl played by Maggie Grace who is vacationing with her friend in Paris. She is kidnapped by a group intent on selling her into a life of prostitution. Her father,an ex-spy and played by Liam Neeson, uses all his tricks of of the trade to try to stop them. He is working against time.

The Wind that Shakes the Barley is a movie that takes place in the 1920's. It involves rising political tensions in Ireland. Cillian Murphy and Padraic Delaney play the role of the two brothers Damien and Teddy who give up their lives as they knew them to help to liberate their country from the oppressive "Black and Tan" squads of Britain. This movie won acclaims. It was the winner of the Palme d'Or at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival. Ken Loach's strong drama will evoke much emotion in the viewer as it examines a microcosm of civil war in Cork, Ireland. Liam Cunningham co-stars.

The Wrestler is a 2008 sports drama about a retired professional wrestler, Randy "The Ram" Robinson. He returns to wrestling after a period of retirement to take a final shot at defeating his long time nemesis. The Ram desires to reconnect with his estranged daughter played by Evan Rachel Wood. Simultaneously, he is toying with a relationship with an aging stripper named Cassidy who is played by Marisa Tomei.

Please bear with my remodeling of my Good Movies to Watch. I am shuffling movies from being in one hub to several. The set up of the hubs, which inclues the polls, has created some unforseen challenges with loading time. I feel the polls are the most important element, however, as the view of many will give a truer picture of whether a movie is truly a "good movie to watch." Thus, please take time to vote if you have already seen any of the listed movies. I will continue to add to the list on a regular basis.

The movies are listed alphabetically. Enjoy!

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