Buzz
This is the third entry in our beloved “films about filmmaking” series. Here, we present ten movies that were left out of our previous lists for various reasons. As always, feel free to add your favorite films in the comments section – but before expressing dissatisfaction over missing films, be sure to check out our first two lists.
10. Silent Movie (1976)
Plot: Mel Funn, once a celebrated film director, is now recovering from alcoholism and facing tough times. He heads to Big Picture Studios to pitch a new script to the studio head, with the help of his loyal companions, Dom Bell and Marty Eggs.
His groundbreaking concept: creating the first silent film in forty years. Initially, the Chief, who is struggling to keep the studio afloat, dismisses the idea. However, Funn persuades him that if he could recruit Hollywood’s biggest stars, this silent movie could be the key to saving the studio.
Personal Reflection: When discussing Mel Brooks, the conversation usually centers around “Blazing Saddles”, “Young Frankenstein”, or “The Producers.” But how often does “Silent Movie” get a mention? After revisiting this film just yesterday, I can confidently say it’s a masterpiece that deserves to be ranked alongside those classics. Brooks fills each scene with brilliant ideas, and even shots that seem irrelevant to the story are thrown in purely for laughs. More often than not, he hits the mark. I don’t think I went more than a minute without laughing.
9. The Moguls (2005)
Plot: Andy learns that his ex-wife has married a wealthy man, who has become his son’s “cool” stepdad. This revelation motivates him to turn his life around. Along with his group of lovable misfit friends from a small town, Andy comes up with a plan to make their dreams come true: creating the first full-length feature amateur adult film. What starts as every man’s fantasy quickly turns into a hilarious misadventure as they find themselves in way over their heads.
Personal Reflection: If you’re searching for a movie that will have you laughing out loud, this is your pick. I saw it at the Newport Film Festival and was thoroughly impressed. Some films are made purely for entertainment, and this one succeeds spectacularly in that department. It portrays the ups and downs of the human experience, while also highlighting the sometimes harsh reality of middle-class struggles. The story is familiar yet refreshing, with a great mix of endearing characters.
8. Living in Oblivion (1995)
Plot: “Living In Oblivion” is split into three segments, all focusing on the production of a low-budget film with the same director, crew, and largely the same cast.
Personal Reflection: The entire cast delivers standout performances, particularly Buscemi, Keener, Martens, and Mulrony. The film is packed with twists and turns that leave you wanting more. Tom DiCillo’s sharp wit and humor are brilliantly outrageous. If you’re up for solid, genuine laughs, this film is sure to deliver. I’ve watched it more than three times, and each time, its humor continues to hit the mark.
7. The November Men (1994)
Plot: The director of an indie film about a guerrilla coup seeks realism, so he recruits real mercenaries and freedom fighters to portray themselves and captures their actions on film. As the story unfolds, the line between his scripted narrative and their real-life agenda begins to blur.
Personal Opinion: “The November Men” is a smart and intriguing film that delves into the possibility of a conspiracy to assassinate George Bush. The term ‘possible plot’ is key here, as the film leaves you uncertain whether the characters are genuinely plotting an assassination or merely making a movie about one. Despite this ambiguity, the film offers plenty to enjoy. The storyline is compelling, and the performances are mostly solid. If you're a fan of independent films, where budget limitations often influence the visuals and cinematography, this is a movie you’ll appreciate.
6. La Nuit Américaine Day for Night – 1973
Plot: La Nuit Américaine explores the making of Je Vous Présente Paméla (Meet Pamela), a stereotypical melodrama starring the aging screen legend Alexandre, the washed-up diva Séverine, the young heartthrob Alphonse, and the British actress Julie Baker, who is recovering from both a nervous breakdown and the scandal surrounding her marriage to a much older doctor. Alongside these main plotlines, the film weaves in smaller vignettes that depict the lives of the crew members as they navigate the complexities of filmmaking. The director juggles the usual production challenges, while behind the scenes, the actors and crew experience their own personal dramas, including romances, affairs, break-ups, and heartbreaks.
Personal Opinion: A charming, well-executed soap opera, Truffaut’s Day for Night captures the struggles and nuances of those working behind the scenes of a film. Every aspect of the movie, from its creative direction to its characters, is expertly crafted. It presents the challenges of making a film while life continues to complicate things for the cast and crew. While the characters’ lives are depicted with a candid and sensitive honesty, the movie doesn’t quite transcend the simple theme that filmmaking is tough. Nevertheless, the brisk pacing and well-developed character arcs make it highly entertaining, with a tone that is both dry and irresistibly engaging.
5. Wes Craven’s New Nightmare 1994
Plot: As the 10th Anniversary of the iconic film 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' approaches, actress Heather Langenkamp begins receiving unsettling phone calls from a fan whose voice eerily mirrors Freddy Krueger, the film’s infamous antagonist. When Heather’s husband is tragically killed in a car crash, with strange slash marks on his chest, she starts to feel increasingly paranoid. Her anxiety escalates when she learns that Wes Craven is writing a new 'Nightmare' film. Eventually, Heather realizes that Freddy has somehow crossed into the real world, and the only way to defeat him is for her to embrace her role as Nancy Thompson once more.
Personal Opinion: 'New Nightmare' is a brilliantly clever addition to the franchise. I genuinely enjoyed this sequel—it's a must-see for 'Nightmare on Elm Street' fans. Freddy returns with even more menace, proving that Wes Craven still has a firm grasp on the series. For anyone who enjoys a good horror film, I highly recommend 'New Nightmare'.
4. [Rec] 2007
Plot: In REC, television reporter Ángela Vidal and her cameraman, Pablo, are assigned to cover a night shift at a local Barcelona fire station for a documentary-style series, 'While You Sleep.' The crew is dispatched to an apartment building where a woman has become trapped. Upon arriving, the police forcefully break down the door, with Ángela and Pablo documenting the event. However, the situation takes a violent turn when the woman becomes aggressively hostile, biting one of the officers. What ensues is a harrowing night of terror that none of them will ever forget.
Personal Opinion: This is one of those films you watch in a theater and then find yourself haunted by it long after. It's not the kind of movie that will make you afraid of the dark, but it's the kind of film that stays with you, where the experience, the atmosphere, and the feeling linger. It’s the kind of movie you wish you could experience again for the first time. While it may lack sharp dialogue or a complex plot, the intensity of the cinematic experience makes it one of the best I’ve had in my life.
3. [Synecdoche New York] 2008
I apologize in advance for the lengthy plot description, but this film is incredibly intricate and challenging to explain—though it’s absolutely worth watching.
Plot: Theater director Caden Cotard is embarking on a new production. With the support of a prestigious MacArthur grant and a burning desire to create a play that embodies brutal realism, he gathers a cast to perform in a warehouse in Manhattan’s theater district. In this small-scale replica of the real city, each actor is instructed to live out a life that mimics the outside world. As the set grows, so does the chaos in Caden’s personal life. His ex-wife Adele looms over him, his daughter Olive is being raised by Adele’s friend in Berlin, and his marriage to actress Claire is crumbling. To complicate matters, Sammy Barnathan, the actor hired to portray Caden within the play, seems eerily perfect for the role, which strains Caden’s connection with the candid Hazel. His therapist, Madeline Gravis, is more focused on promoting her book than actually helping him. As the years pass, Caden becomes consumed by his artistic vision, blurring the lines between his creation and his real life. The arrival of Millicent Weems, a renowned actress, offers Caden a potential breakthrough, but the deeper he digs into his masterpiece, the further he pushes both his personal relationships and his sanity.
Personal Opinion: You may be wondering why this film ranks so highly, especially since it's not technically about a movie but a play. Given that films are essentially more evolved versions of plays, I thought it fitting to include this brilliant work. What makes this film truly remarkable is Caden’s obsession with finishing his wild, all-consuming vision, which causes his life to merge with the play he’s creating. It’s worth noting that the play within the film is about Caden making a play, creating a surreal loop of actors portraying someone who is making a play about their own life. Explaining this movie in full is almost impossible, but it’s a must-watch for anyone’s film list. One caveat: the beginning is disorienting with its dreamlike atmosphere and the odd aging of the characters, but as the story unfolds, everything starts to make sense.
2. [Paranormal Activity] 2007
Plot: Micah, a day trader, and Katie, a student who has been haunted by a ghostly entity since her childhood, are a young couple 'engaged to be engaged.' Strange events begin to occur in their suburban two-story house in San Diego—lights flicker, faucets turn on and off by themselves—which makes Katie believe that the ghost has followed her. In an attempt to capture these paranormal occurrences on film, Micah buys a video camera, starting a project that lasts for three weeks. Each night, he sets the camera up on a tripod in their bedroom to document whatever might happen while they sleep.
Personal Opinion: After receiving criticism for a comment I made on my previous 'Another 10 Movies About Movies' list regarding the 'need' for blood, gore, and shock effects in modern horror films ('unfortunately, if [Blair Witch Project] was released today, it wouldn’t receive the same attention as it did in 1999, because today's horror movies need blood and shock value to be deemed valid, which is really unfortunate'), I decided to include this modern psychological horror film. I was honestly surprised by how few of the typical horror clichés appeared, but at the same time, it wasn’t as shocking as it was marketed to be. Still, I’m happy to see a resurgence of psychological horror and hope it continues to gain traction.
1. [Cloverfield] 2008
Plot: A group of friends throws a farewell party for Rob, who is about to leave New York to work in Japan. As the party unfolds, violent tremors and explosions announce the arrival of an unknown creature, which begins its destructive path by launching the head of the Statue of Liberty into the street. Told through the lens of their video camera, Cloverfield follows Rob and his friends as they navigate the chaos in New York’s streets, determined to rescue Rob’s true love from her collapsed apartment building in midtown.
Personal Opinion: Cloverfield is simply a fun movie. It's a pure thrill ride—sit back, relax, and let it take you along. J.J. Abrams set out to create an American monster movie, and he succeeded. It’s not a Godzilla knockoff, but rather a reinvention of the monster film genre. The movie centers on ordinary people caught in the middle of a monster attack, not on heroic characters aiming to defeat the beast. These characters just want to survive, get away, and reconnect with their loved ones. It's a human story set against the backdrop of an immense moment of fear.
