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Here is the first in what I don't imagine will be many personal posts. But you know, things don't always turn out how you think they will.
I mentioned one of these books in my last post, but here are some great books that I turn to when I'm looking for a movie to watch.
Written by The Film Critics of The New York Times, Edited by Peter M. Nichols. First published 1999, Updated and revised 2004 by The New York Times Company.
This book is great, it has all the original reviews from 1,000 movies from all over the world. It also indexes all the films by category and country of origin. I got this book after Christmas last year, and have had barely enough time to crack it open, but every time I have it's been really helpful in suggesting potential rentals or helping me decide whether or not I really want to watch that one movie. Highly recommended for any film lover.
The 100 Best Films to Rent You've Never Heard Of: Hidden Treasures, Neglected Classics, and Hits From By-Gone Eras
Written by David N. Meyer. Published 1997 by St. Martin's Griffin, New York.
I have had more opportunity to read this book, and the reviews are great. Meyer gives just enough information to tantalize, while giving a clear understanding of the mood of the piece. His Mood Guide is great when looking for a specific type of movie, but not knowing where to turn too. True, a lot of great, unknown films have come out since 1997, but most of the films covered in this book are from previous eras anyway. Above all, the films he chose to include are great, at least from the ones I have seen. Meyer also recommends other related films after each review that may be of interest, bringing the total count of films covered far beyond just 100. I imagine a great number of the films reviewed on this sight will have been at least mentioned in this book.
I highly recommend both of these books. True, they aren't necessarily up to date with films that have come out in the past 5-10 years, but good movies don't have to be new. There are plenty of treasures out there that go unnoticed by most of the people in my generation. If you enjoy movies and perhaps want to broaden your tastes, or simply want ideas for films to rent, you should definitely pick up one or both of these books.
