Best Sardonicast Movie Recommendations

Stanley Kubrick is one of the best and most influential directors ever, and Barry Lyndon is arguably his best movie. It's certainly mine and is also my favorite film they've discussed on the podcast. Acting, writing, cinematography, score, everything about this movie is perfect. A three hour movie has never been as spectacular as Barry Lyndon, and I doubt there will be any others that replace that title.

One of the best debut films I've ever seen, but one that shouldn't be watched if you really love dogs, because this movie will break you. As a dog lover myself, this movie left me floored. However, there's no manipulation used either, shown by the excellent directing and writing. All of the acting is perfect, which allows for all three of the stories to be equally amazing in quality, a feat that few movies of this style can pull off. It's no wonder that Alejandro G. Iñarritu would go on to become the director of movies like Birdman and The Revenant after seeing the raw talent in his first movie.

An emotional roller coaster with spectacular directing, Xavier Dolan hit it out of the park. Anne Dorval gives a spectacular performance that perfectly handles every emotion, the directing allows for a unique filming style to add even more emotion, tied together with great shots and uses of color. This is a movie that I hope everyone watches, and I'm so glad that Sardonicast helped me discover this film and this director.

A movie that's nothing short of an experience, Fantastic Planet is an allegorical movie with terrific visuals. The amount of care that went into every frame and creature design is astonishing, and that alone makes me surprised that this film isn't as popular as it should be. The score is able to capture the tone and atmosphere beautifully, and there are several themes explored in a short amount of time, none of which are shoved in the viewer's face. Anyone who considers themselves as a fan of film or animation should see this.

A movie experience that's unlike any other and won't be forgotten, Hausu is an absurd movie. It's a spectacle of visual effects and film techniques, it's a charming comedy that knows exactly what it is, it's a tonal oddity with the images and soundtrack conflicting, it's an off-the-wall movie in every sense, one that I hold in high regard. It's a movie that can only be described as an experience.

A perfect movie to watch if you want to feel empty for the rest of the week, Dancer in the Dark is anything but a feel-good movie. That being said, it's the best musical I've ever seen. Bjork gives one of the best performances I've ever seen, all of the music is terrific, and the directing perfectly captures the "anti-musical" presentation. This movie is made to be hard to watch through and through, turning the art of escapism into the art of sheer misery. However, that misery is authentic without a doubt.

The Coen Brothers are masters of their craft, and have every aspect of filmmaking on point. It's no wonder that one of the best movies recommended on Sardonicast comes from them. The acting, characters, cinematography, etc. are all top notch and perfectly captures the tone of the noir films of the 40s. While the Coens make some subtle jokes toward noir, they meticulously create their movie to feel like those movies, providing a whole new level of heart and care that these directors had for the genre. It's a one of a kind movie that has become one of my favorites of these two directors.

One of the few romantic comedies that I'd be willing to watch more than once, Punch-Drunk Love is proof that Paul Thomas Anderson can do pretty much anything. It also acts as proof that Adam Sandler can actually act when he's not in a movie solely made for him to go on vacation. There isn't a single dull moment in this movie, and manages to capture romance, anxiety, and comedy all in a blender without fail. Certainly better than Click.

While this is a movie that wasn't considered amazing by the three of them, I have to admit that this is a movie that stuck with me ever since I saw it. While the acting is great and I enjoyed the score (didn't find it dated at all, Ralph), the strong point of the movie is the atmosphere, and the terrifying nightmare that the main character Jacob Singer is stuck in. The dance sequence in particular got me with its nightmarish imagery, and the flashing lights emphasize the mental anguish Jacob's going through. It's no wonder the Silent Hill franchise gained inspiration from this psychological nightmare, and I'm hoping the upcoming remake doesn't ruin it.

As someone who loves character study movies, a movie that's willing to have several complex characters with great acting is a movie I enjoy. Every performance was great, and the movie was able to capture the eighties not just in style, but also in the subtleties of the setting and even film making. Even the characters that are meant to be considered terrible people are given so much thought, intentions and complexities that it makes the movie much more interesting. Even though I'm not from England, it's still easy to connect with the movie and laugh alongside it.