Ok, I joined Netflix again - Need (good) film recommendations...
 

Ok, I broke down and signed up for Netflix again. Looking for some suggestions on films that may be fun/interesting, especially either hard-to-find movies, or films that don't have 80 copies on the wall at my local Blockbuster. My interests include everything you'd expect me to say. :) Ok, very general, I know. What I'm really looking for is suggestions on movies that may have "flown in under the radar" or just weren't well supported, but are really good. Or just good films that people don't expect. Some examples:

Owning Mahowny
Punch Drunk Love
Some Like It Hot (I know, well known, but some people skip movies older than 5 years - :)
Big Lebowski
Short Cuts
The Player
El Mariachi/Desperado (but NOT Once Upon A Time in Mexico - Johnny Depp was FANTASTIC, but rest was crap)
Lock, Stock & 2 Smoking Barrels
Waking Ned Devine

I also am kind of into early 80s late 70s comedies like "The In-Laws" and "Murder By Death", and "9 to 5", "Fun With Dick and Jane", etc. Another thing, any good suggestions for Criterions? I *LOVE* many movies made in England/Scotland/Ireland.

Anyway, I'd love some suggestions...

Thanks.
Modfather

Here are some suggestions. Many of these were recent additions to my collection that I was happy with.

Anything from the Fox Classic line
New Charlie Chaplin releases
Pickup on South Street (Criterion)
Tunes of Glory (Criterion)
No Where in Africa (German)
Mrs. Miniver
Goodbye Mr. Chips
The Great Ziegfeld
My Fair Lady (2 disc special edition)
Pygmalion (Criterion) My Fair Lady without the music!
Mutiny on the Bounty
Gaslight
Grand Hotel

Richard Linklater's "School of Rock!"

Ok, Jack black rules - but NOOOOOOOO!!!! Not quite what I had in mind... :)

I was very pleasantly surprised by Matchstick Men, really was not what i expected it to be, and a great performance by Nic Cage.

Well, to put Netflix to use, I recommend going heavy on the Criterion. Cost prohibitive to buy and hard to find someone renting them, but for Netflix. If you like any Gilliam or Fellini, may I recommend "Children of Paradise" or Les Enfants Paradis in French. It was a blind checkout from my library, as I go through the Sight and Sound top film lists, and the tagline most assoicated with is the French Gone With the Wind. I was blown away, but it doesn't sound like the thing you'd necessarily go for, so I'd read up a bit on it before hand. And it's one film over two discs, so that's something to watch from Netflix. But one of the best movies I"ve seen in ages.

Also in the Criterion vein, if you like romantic comedy, I"d urge you to check out "Trouble in Paradise" from Ernst Lubtisch. Pre-Hayes code and a lot of edge for a 1932 film. Great extras on there as well. Again, not your stated cup of tea, so read up on it, but I enjoyed it very much.

Actually, it's funny that I'm exactly in the same boat as the thread starter, except that I had a list ready to go. (In 2001, I hated their service and their obnoxious fine for supposedly keeping a film. They credited me back in a couple days though. Several days ago, however, I heard they deliver in one day, and already heard they added many more warehouses. So I gave them a shot since my to-see list is so long....)

Anyway, here's the list I'm going on, and they're almost all under the radar:

Yi Yi
Gimme Shelter
Black Stallion (Cast Away ripped this off big time!!)
Time Bandits
Dead Man

Pirates of the Caribbean DISC 1
Pirates of the Caribbean DISC 2
Last Picture Show
Diabolique
Wages Of Fear

Deliverance
Ulysses' Gaze
McCabe and Mrs. Miller
Harold and Maude

Five Easy Pieces
Easy Rider
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie DISC 1
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie DISC 2
Children of Heaven

Belle de jour
Woodstock
Chariots of Fire
Brief Encounter
The Third Man

The Maltese Falcon
Salesman
Peeping Tom
Concert for George

EDIT/PS: By the way, they DO deliver in one day! I ordered early Thursday morning, received an email saying it would come Saturday, and it came just a day after placing the order - Friday!

PPS - It's also a great way to filter your "blind buys" for those films you hear such great things about. For instance, now I know how much I dislike Time Bandits and Dead Man. Pirates of the Carribean will be bought, as well as Black Stallion. :)