Do you like to think? Y’know, about things other than what the One Direction boys will do next or whether this year’s X Factor will be any good. We mean big, philosophical things about your relationship with your parents, what it’d be like if you had all of your wisdom when you were young, or what super-secret stuff the government gets up to without us knowing. If you answered “yes”, or gave an impassive shrug/grunt to those options, then we’ve found to perfect selection of films to satisfy your curiosity/respond to your grunty-shrug.
As the summer is drawing to a close - and on some days it seems like we completely skipped autumn and leapt straight into cold, rainy winter - you might be finding yourself a bit strapped for cash, but still in the pursuit of some that illusive fun we all love so much. That’s why we’ve short-listed five intellectual films that will satisfy your brainbox, get you thinking and most importantly, are great fun to watch.
And remember, you can pick up all these amazing films from Amazon.
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Five films that will make you think
1 of 5Inherent Vice
Larry “Doc” Sportello (Joaquin Phoenix) is a private investigator/stoner who is asked by his former girlfriend to help prevent her new man from being committed to a psychiatric hospital by his wife. Soon both of them go walkabout - the the sense they disappear, not head around Australia or to those awful chain of Aussie bars - and he has to deal with a world of druggies and surfers to try and find them. There’s a stellar supporting cast including Josh Brolin, Benicio Del Toro, Owen Wilson and Reese Witherspoon, who sit perfectly in the film’s grainy 60s look. Although it's a complex film, it’s definitely worth sticking with for is powerful performances. Fun Fact: Reese Witherspoon shot all of her scenes in merely four days. Get it from Amazon
2 of 5The Judge
Hank Palmer (Robert Downey Jr) is a hot-shot lawyer who has to travel back home after his mother passes away. However, this means having to deal with his estranged father (Robert Duvall) who is an ex-judge. Things get even more complicated when Hank’s father is accused of murder, and he feels duty-bound to defend him despite all of their differences. A life-affirming and emotional flick that’ll have you reaching for the phone to call your parents by the end. Fun Fact: Despite having worked together at least twice before, Robert Duvall didn't remember meeting Robert Downey Jr. On Graham Norton he said: "Well, he's cleaned up a lot since!" Get it from Amazon
3 of 5The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
This film is basically the opposite of that terrible Mel Gibson film Forever Young, where he wake up in a metal tube from the ‘40s, then suddenly starts ages quickly. In Benjamin Button Brad Pitt is Benjamin (obvs), a man with a rare genetic condition that sees him born as a baby old man, then slowly grows younger and younger (not so obvs). Confused? Well, he’ll eventually grows up to be a handsome Brad Pitt, then shrivels back into a baby when he gets older. The touching film charts his life and adventures, and his numerous run-ins with Daisy (Cate Blanchett) who he falls in love with, and flits in and out of his life. Fun Fact: It took Brad Pitt 5 hours each day to complete the make-up needed to play Benjamin. Get it from Amazon
4 of 5Jersey Boys
Based on the hit Broadway musical, Jersey Boys tells the story of some boys from New Jersey, but we’re guessing you knew that already. The boys discover their amazing vocal talents and as The Four Seasons get propelled from singing on the streets to dominating big stages with huge crowds, however their personal issues threaten to tear the band apart. Directed by Clint Eastwood and featuring amazing songs you’ll know and love, including December 1963 and Big Girls Don’t Cry. If you loved the musical, the Four Season’s music or just enjoy having excellent noises in your ears, then this one if for you. Fun Fact: Instead of using Hollywood actors for the main cast, Clint Eastwood mainly chose actors who play the same role every night onstage. Get it from Amazon
5 of 5Argo
Ben Affleck has come a long way since his cringe-worthy days of prancing around as Daredevil, hamming it up in Pearl Harbour and erm, not marrying Jennifer Lopez. This time Benbo is directing as well as playing the lead in Argo, a retelling the real-life story of a group of embassy staff who have to be smuggled out of Iran by pretending they're making a film. The film splices tense political history with frivolous movie industry flim-flam. John Goodman and Alan Arkin make for excellent movie industry insiders, who are tasked with making the whole plan seem credible. Amazing and tense to the very last moments, Argo will leave you pondering what other amazing redacted movie-fodder is locked away in government archives. Fun Fact: In the real-life events the pretend production office they created was so convincing they were sent 26 scripts, including one from Steven Spielberg. Get it from Amazon