Posted on 08/20/2026 1:53:38 PM PDT by Chickensoup
Looking for Film DvD Bluray recommendations. Life is hard right now and I am looking for immersive films and shows that aren't too treacle sweet but have a bit of depth. Not violent, complex is good. Nice is good.
My beloved Morse trilogy has worked, Gentlemen prefer Blonds, Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend, Harvey, the original All Creatures Great and Small, the Poiot series, Babbetes Feast, Primer, Signs, singing in the Rain, It happened one night,Mrs Miniver, Blast From the Pat, Galexy Quest, Christmas in Connecticut, An ebayer is trying to screw me over by having sent me the wrong region when i asked for Make Way for Tomorrow.
I guess I am looking for feel good black and whites and early color films. Some films that have left you smiling. Not haha comedy. Just nice. Like Singing in the Rain nice.
Ones without a message.... just watched the film Pleasantville and found it beyond stupid. Was it marketed to young teens?
Anyhow again I will compile and put together a lost and post it at the end of the thread for everyone to have to print off.
Thank you.
Dear FRiends,
We need your continuing support to keep FR funded. Your donations are our sole source of funding. No sugar daddies, no advertisers, no paid memberships, no commercial sales, no gimmicks, no tax subsidies. No spam, no pop-ups, no ad trackers.
If you enjoy using FR and agree it's a worthwhile endeavor, please consider making a contribution today:
Click here: to donate by Credit Card
Or here: to donate by PayPal
Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794
Thank you very much and God bless you,
Jim
If you will watch a high quality youtube film then try ‘The Southerner’, it is a solid American film and a more positive film to the Grapes of Wrath, in my mind.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdWNlyup4D8
“The life of the poor Tucker family who worked as cotton pluggers and decided to get their own ground, but nature was against them.”
“The Southerner is a 1945 American drama film directed by Jean Renoir and based on the 1941 novel Hold Autumn in Your Hand by George Sessions Perry. The film received Oscar nominations for Best Director, Original Music Score, and Sound. Renoir was named Best Director by the National Board of Review, which also named the film the third best of 1945”
State Fair with Jeanne Crain and Dana Andrews. Best in Show.
The Pluto channel has
Mission Impossible
The Prisoner
Burn Notice
The Hustle
For free with a few adverts
If you like English films, look for stuff by ‘The Archers’, Powell and Pressburger. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, I Know Where I’m Going, A Matter of Life and Death are set during WWII. Worth watching more than once. Another English film I like is the Lavender Hill Mob. Many of these can be found on YouTube.
For science fiction, you might try Firefly, the series and Serenity the movie that followed after the series cancellation.
For complex and depth you might try Master and Commander, although there is violence involved since it’s about Napoleonic-era naval warfare.
Just about any Peter Sellers movie.
Lolita 1962
Being There 1979
Some adventure:
Treasure Island 1950
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea 1964
Spartacus 1960
If you like cars:
Grand Prix 1966
The Italian Job 1969
Ford v Ferrari 2019
Le Mans 1971
enough to last for a bit.....
I have many thoughts...but I’m not sure they’d be a good fit for those who are “struggling”. One that might be OK is “To Kill A Mockingbird” with Gregory Peck. It’s got sadness but also speaks of courage and decency.
I remember that! It was fun!
“An ebayer is trying to screw me over...”
I’m about through with ebay just for that reason.
Love and own the entire Morse trilogy. Third time through this spring.
Moneyball
The Martian
Big Fish
Saving Mr. Banks
O Brother Where Art Thou?
The Sixth Sense
The Terminal
Meet Joe Black
The Imitation Game
Rush
Ford Vs. Ferrari
Arrival
The Help
Hugo
The Hundred-Foot Journey
The King’s Speech
The Gumball Rally
I have three other Go-To Christmas movies that I watch each year: "Scrooged" (Bill Murray), "Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol", and ... ha-ha ... "Die Hard".
As a side-note, I watched "Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol" every year as a youngster. I was well into my teens before I discovered that all of the other "Christmas Carol" movies weren't musicals as was the Mr. Magoo version.
Loved this movie:
https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-trip-to-bountiful-peter-masterson/1000034404/#edition=6286999&idiq=14059478
Trip to Bountiful with Geraldine Page.
The Trouble With Harry
My Favorite Wife
Harvey
Along Came Jones
The Villian
The Rear Window
I have had remarkable luck. This guy up and lied.
I can’t remember if I’ve seen that one or not. Your take, “just a little bit syrupy, not too much” does fit Only Angels Have Wings. I was thinking it is “almost corny,” like a lot of movies of that era, but only comes up to that line then gets serious again just when they’re about to step over it.
Another one like that that I was thinking of is “Red Dust” with Clark Gable and Jean Harlow. Probably steps over the “syrupy” line more than OAHW but it’s checked due to the fact that Harlow is a prostitute and they don’t do more than tease each other.
The Trouble With Harry
My Favorite Wife
Harvey
Along Came Jones
The Villian
The Rear Window
The Hallelujah Trail
Random Harvest -— a 1942 American romantic drama film directed by Mervyn LeRoy. It stars Ronald Colman as a shell-shocked World War I amnesiac and Greer Garson as the music-hall singer who loves him. Based on James Hilton’s 1941 novel, the film received seven Academy Award nominations.
African Queen
Smokey and the Bandit
Porky’s
Anything science fiction related, to prepare you for the coming dystopia. Skipping the known ones like Terminator and The Matrix, check out some obscure ones like Cherry 2000, and Freejack.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.