Part three of my list series featuring great movies at NU's Snell library! Again, films at the library are available for free to all students! All the films can be accessed by the library via their call numbers, which are all listed at the end of the article. Happy free film viewing!

1.     21 Grams by Alejandro González Iñárritu

Iñárritu is one of the modern masters in my opinion. This movie is devastating. 21 Grams is a fractured narrative that highlights the inevitable fate of some and the failure of material wealth to bring happiness for others.

Other films by Iñárritu at the library include Amores Perros and Biutiful.

2.     Zelig by Woody Allen

Loser in this week's vote for Director/Actor week, Woody Allen’s under seen film Zelig is a brilliant look at a man who is a chameleon.

Other films by Woody Allen at the library include Annie Hall, Another Woman, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Hannah and Her Sisters, Interiors, Love and Death, Manhattan, Melinda and Melinda, Midnight in Paris, The Purple Rose of Cairo, September and Stardust Memories.

3.     The Messenger by Oren Moverman

A modern indie that doesn’t get nearly enough buzz is Oren Moverman’s The Messenger. This is one of my favorite war films, looking at 21st century US wars through the lens of soldiers whose job is to inform families of their loved one’s death. It’s a difficult, but worthy watch.

4.     Sansho the Bailiff by Kenji Mizoguchi

When it comes to Japanese cinema, most start with Ozu or Kurosawa. Don’t miss out on the forgotten third musketeer Mizoguchi, who is a genius, feminist, master filmmaker.

Other Mizoguchi films at Snell include Life of Oharu, Osaka Elegy, Street of Shame, Ugetsu.

5.     Eyes Wide Shut by Stanley Kubrick

Kubrick’s entrancing last film is sadly underrated and under seen. The visuals and story will captivate you…it’s a lot more than the occasional orgy jokes give it credit for.

Other Stanley Kubrick films at Snell include 2001: A Space Odyssey, Barry Lyndon, Dr. Strangelove, Full Metal Jacket, Lolita, Paths of Glory, The Shining, and Spartacus.

6.     Bamboozled by Spike Lee

Spike Lee tackles race in a whole new way. Perplexed as to why this film faded into obscurity.

Other Spike Lee films at the library include Crooklyn, Do the Right Thing, Get on the Bus, He Got Game, Jungle Fever, Malcolm X, Mo’ Better Blues, Passing Strange, School Daze and When the Levees Broke.

7.     Millennium Actress by Satoshi Kon

Very few have explored the catalog of Satoshi Kon, and if they have, they’ve only seen Paprika. This film is better. It’s more for people familiar with modern Japanese history (20th century) and Japanese cinema.

8.     Somewhere by Sofia Coppola

Sofia Coppola’s Somewhere requires a lot of patience. She explores the vanity of Los Angeles and the celebrity lifestyle. The main character is an actor who we quickly see is bored by the “cool” things awarded to the rich and famous, like in this case, personal strippers. We watch him rediscover life through the mundane, finding value in playing guitar hero with his daughter and simply being involved in her life. 

Other Sofia Coppola films at Snell include The Bling Ring, Marie Antoinette and The Virgin Suicides.

9.     Antichrist by Lars Von Trier

Lars Von Trier’s Antichrist is a difficult film to watch, and I can’t say I recommend it unless you’re a masochist or really love masterful visual artists. Two images in this film still horrify me and haunt me as I type this. That being said, it’s a masterful look at a woman’s guilt as her desire for sex stole her attention while her child fell out a window and died.

Other Lars Von Trier films at Snell include Breaking the Waves, Dancer in the Dark, Dogville and Manderlay.

Call numbers for all films mentioned are listed below in alphabetical order (The Hub is the collection of DVDs in the lobby where you walk in, the films with PN are on the third floor. When you enter the floor, head diagonally straight and right):

21 Grams PN1995.9.S87 A123 2004

2001: A Space Odyssey: PN1995.9.S26 A16 1999

Amores Perros PN1995.9.F67 A57 2002

Annie Hall PN1995.9.C55 A66 1998

Another Woman PN1997 .A66 2001

Antichrist PN1995.9.H6 A58 2010

Bamboozled PN1995.9.C55 B343 2001b

Barry Lyndon: PN1995.9.A3 B37 1999

Biutiful The Hub

The Bling Ring PN1997.2 .B55 2013

Breaking the Waves PN1995.9.L6 B73 1999

Crimes and Misdemeanors PN1995.9.C55 C74 2001

Crooklyn: PN1995.9.C55 C76 1994

Dancer in the Dark PN1995.9.M86 D37 2001

Do the Right Thing: PN1997 .D63 2001

Dogville PN1995.9.G3 D64 2003

Dr. Strangelove: PN1995.9.C55 D7 1999

Eyes Wide Shut: PN1995.9.S87 E947 2001

Full Metal Jacket: DS557.73 .F85 2007

Get on the Bus: PN1995.9.H5 G48 2000

Hannah and Her Sisters PN1995.9.C55 H366 2005

He Got Game: The Hub

Interiors PN1995.9.F35 I58 1984

Jungle Fever: The Hub

Life of Oharu PN1995.9.F67 S255 1983

Lolita: The Hub

Love and Death PN1995.9.C55 L673 1990

Malcolm X: PN1995.9.B55 M35 2000

Manderlay PN1995.9.M45 M36 2005

Manhattan PN1995.9.C55 M363 2000

Marie Antoinette PN1995.9.B55 M365 2007

Melinda and Melinda PN1995.9.C55 M45 2005

The Messenger The Hub

Midnight in Paris: The Hub

Millennium Actress: The Hub

Mo’ Better Blues: PN1997 .M6353 1990

Osaka Elegy PN1995.9.F67 N36 1988

Paprika: The Hub

Passing Strange: PN1995.9.M86 P37 2010

Paths of Glory: D522.23 .P38 1999

The Purple Rose of Cairo: The Hub

Sansho the Bailiff PN1995.9.F67 S364 2007

School Daze: The Hub

September PN1997 .S3232 2001

The Shining: PN1995.9.H6 S55 1999

Somewhere PN1997.2 .S669 2011

Spartacus: PN1995.9.H5 S6837 2001

Stardust Memories PN1995.9.C55 S73 1982

Street of Shame PN1995.9.F67 A396 1986

Tokyo Godfathers PN1997.5 .T65 2004

Ugetsu PN1995.9.F67 U25 2005

The Virgin Suicides The Hub

When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in four acts - HV636 2005.L8 W54 2006

Zelig PN1995.9.C55 Z45 2005

Part two of my list series featuring great movies at NU's Snell library! Again, films at the library are available for free to all students! All the films can be accessed by the library via their call numbers, which are all listed at the end of the article. Happy free film viewing!

1.     Kill Bill, Volume One by Quentin Tarantino

Tarantino’s bad ass action flick is a great time, especially if you love seeing strong women murder arrogant men. Other Quentin Tarantino films at Snell include Kill Bill, Volume Two (which I don't recommend as highly), Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Natural Born Killers, Jackie Brown and Inglorious Basterds.

2.     Argo by Ben Affleck

How about last year's Best Picture winner, Argo! I have my reservations about it being the Best Picture of last year, but it's a THRILLING ride. Also available at Snell is Affleck's Boston film The Town, which is quite entertaining itself.

3.     The Pixar Suite

Snell has a nice suite of Pixar films available including Toy Story, A Bug’s Life, Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc, The Incredibles, Cars, Monsters Inc, Ratatouille, UP, Toy Story 3 and Brave. All are worth your time, although the Toy Story films, Ratatouille and UP are my favorite of those at Snell.

4.     Midnight in Paris by Woody Allen

On the more whimsical side of things is Woody Allen’s recent film, which is lovely fun. It's filled with arts & culture references that will excite your nerd brain! Shots of Paris are stunning and the acting is excellent.

5.     Scott Pilgrim vs. the World by Edgar Wright

It was impossibly hard to choose an image for this film. Do I highlight the romance or the action? The action works much better, although the romantic images are just so effective. If the marketing just showed me this shot of Cera and Winstead, they'd already have my $10. Edgar Wright’s video game style action film is tremendous, watch it! Scott Pilgrim is especially for people familiar with the universe of video games.

Note: I love the movie but the books are so much better, read them!

6.     The Shining by Stanley Kubrick

Does horror tickle your fancy when looking for fun? Kubrick’s classic is masterful, and that's really all that needs to be said. Amazing film. While Kubrick's other films don't quite fit as films to unwind to (and this one is worthy of greater attention if you're willing to give it), it is my duty to inform you of Snell's extensive Kubrick collection! Includes Paths of Glory, Spartacus, Lolita, Dr. Strangelove, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Barry Lyndon, Full Metal Jacket and Eyes Wide Shut. My personal favorites are The Shining, Paths of Glory, Dr. Strangelove and Eyes Wide Shut.

7.     The Films of Studio Ghibli, including Howl’s Moving Castle and My Neighbor Totoro by Hayao Miyazaki

If you're not already convinced by this image from Howl's Moving Castle, I don't know what else to do. In this image alone you can see the detail of Ghibli's visuals, their beauty, their love for nature and their inherent Japanese-ness. Pixar’s Japanese rival Studio Ghibli has their own share of brilliant films. While Snell has a great selection overall, Howl’s Moving Castle and My Neighbor Totoro are great options for unwinding. This might be a good place to start before exploring the heavier stuff like Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke. Spirited Away is easily one of my favorite films, a masterpiece.

The other Ghibli films at Snell are Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Castle in the Sky and Kiki's Delivery Service.

8.     The Devil Wears Prada by David Frankel

If you were waiting for a romantic comedy, this is it. Re-watch this classic or show it to a first-timer.

9.     Slumdog Millionaire by Danny Boyle

Pattern emerging: Hollywood likes guilt-free entertainment. Danny Boyle’s delightful Academy Award winner for Best Picture is ripe for a re-evaluation, and a nice way to relax and have fun! Other Danny Boyle films at Snell, which are excellent but not for unwinding, are 127 Hours and Trainspotting.

10.     Passing Strange by Spike Lee

How about an excellent filmed Broadway musical? Nobody seems to know about this intriguing project. I loved Spike Lee’s Passing Strange, and I bet you will too.

Call numbers for all films mentioned are listed below in alphabetical order (The Hub is the collection of DVDs in the lobby where you walk in, the films with PN are on the third floor. When you enter the floor, head diagonally straight and right):

127 Hours: The Hub

2001: A Space Odyssey: PN1995.9.S26 A16 1999

A Bug’s Life: Favat Children's Collection, PN1995.9.C45 B84 1999

Argo: The Hub

Barry Lyndon: PN1995.9.A3 B37 1999

Brave: Favat Children's Collection, PN1995.9.C45 B73 2012

Cars: Favat Children's Collection, PN1995.9.C45 C319 2006

Castle in the Sky: Favat Children's Collection, PN1995.9.C45 T46 2003

The Devil Wears Prada: PN1997.2 .D48 2006

Dr. Strangelove: PN1995.9.C55 D7 1999

Eyes Wide Shut: PN1995.9.S87 E947 2001

Finding Nemo: Favat Children's Collection, PN1995.9.C45 .F56 2013

Full Metal Jacket: DS557.73 .F85 2007

Howl’s Moving Castle: Favat Children's Collection, PN1995.9.C45 H38 2006

The Incredibles: Favat Children's Collection, PN1995.9.C45 I52 2005

Inglorious Basterds: The Hub

Jackie Brown: The Hub AND PN1995.9.F54 J33 2002

Kiki’s Delivery Service: The Hub

Kill Bill, Volume One: The Hub AND PN1995.9.A3 K525 2004

Kill Bill, Volume 2: PN1995.9.A3 K526 2004

Lolita: The Hub

Midnight in Paris: The Hub

Monsters Inc: Favat Children's Collection, PN1997.2 .M66 2013

My Neighbor Totoro: Favat Children's Collection, PN1995.9.C45 T665 2006

Natural Born Killers: PN1995.9.C66 N38 1995

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind: PN1997.5 .K39 2005

Passing Strange: PN1995.9.M86 P37 2010

Paths of Glory: D522.23 .P38 1999

Princess Mononoke: PN1995.9.F67 M667 2000

Pulp Fiction: The Hub

Ratatouille: Favat Children's Collection, PN1995.9.C45 R38 2007

Reservoir Dogs: The Hub

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: PN1995.9.A3 S36 2010

The Shining: PN1995.9.H6 S55 1999

Slumdog Millionaire: The Hub

Spartacus: PN1995.9.H5 S6837 2001

Spirited Away: PN1997.5 .S657 2003

The Town: The Hub

Toy Story: PN1995.9.C45 T69 2000

Toy Story 3: Favat Children's Collection, PN1995.9.C45 .T693 2010

Trainspotting: The Hub

Up: Favat Children's Collection, PN1995.9.C45 U6 2009 AND PN1995.9.C45 U6 2009

I've used the library extensively across my four years at Northeastern, as a way to access many great films. This is the first in a series of lists of films at the library, available for free to all students! All the films can be accessed by the library via their call numbers, which are all listed at the end of the article. Happy free film viewing!

1.     Incendies by Denis Villeneuve, who is releasing Prisoners on 9/20

Coming on 9/20 is the much-buzzed film Prisoners, which I heard great things about at Telluride. Before that came Villaneuve’s Oscar-nominated French Canadian film Incendies, a melodramatic investigation with stunning visuals. I remember seeing this at the Coolidge Corner Theatre in the spring of 2011. My friend and I left the theater shaken, and discussed it for hours that Sunday until the local coffee shop closed.

2.     Y tu mamá también by Alfonso Cuarón, who is releasing Gravity on 10/4

Before Cuarón was directing major Hollywood films like Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Gravity, he did the beloved Mexican independent film Y tu mamá también, a sexual road trip film about two boys and an older woman. This October brings the release of the rightfully much-anticipated film Gravity, which I loved at Telluride.

3.     Raging Bull and five other options by Martin Scorsese, who is releasing The Wolf of Wall Street on 11/15

Famed auteur Martin Scorsese will be releasing the film The Wolf of Wall Street this year, which has one of the most buzzed trailers from the summer. Scorsese is one of the filmmakers that any film nerd must be familiar with. Scorsese options at the library include Mean Streets, Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Aviator and Shutter Island.

4.     The Descendants by Alexander Payne, who is releasing Nebraska on 11/22

Alexander Payne can be a controversial auteur. Many, including myself, have a fairly negative reaction to his recent work, including The Descendants and new film Nebraska. Still, most people, including myself, love his wine country comedy Sideways. If you don’t already have a position on The Descendants, you should check it out to see if you might like Nebraska. Sideways is also available at Snell.

5.     Do the Right Thing and ten other films by Spike Lee, who is releasing Oldboy on 11/27

Like Scorsese, classic filmmaker Lee has a large selection of great films in the library including Bamboozled, Do the Right Thing, He Got Game, Jungle Fever, Malcolm X, Mo’ Better Blues, Passing Strange, and School Daze. All are strong examples of Lee’s signature style (except Passing Strange, which is a very cool experiment). This fall Lee releases his adaptation of the Korean revenge film Oldboy. Starring in the film is Josh Brolin, who kills it in Labor Day coming out a little later in the year. Other Lee films I’m not as crazy about that are available are Crooklyn, Get on the Bus, and When the Levees Broke.

6.     No Country for Old Men and nine other films by Joel and Ethan Coen, who are releasing Inside Llewyn Davis on 12/6

The Coen brothers are film gods and this year they have a new film called Inside Llewyn Davis. Snell has older classics such as Barton Fink, The Big Lebowski, Blood Simple, Fargo, The Hudsucker Proxy, Miller's Crossing and O’ Brother, Where Art Thou?, as well as newer efforts like No Country for Old Men, A Serious Man and True Grit. All are worth watching, but my strongest recommendations are Barton Fink, The Big Lebowski, Fargo, No Country for Old Men and A Serious Man.

7.     Silver Linings Playbook by David O. Russell, who is releasing American Hustle on 12/13

David O. Russell is a filmmaker that has changed significantly over the years. He has a lot of great early indie stuff including one of my all time favorite films I Heart Huckabees. Unfortunately, the library only has the modern hits Silver Linings Playbook and The Fighter, which are great but a little too Hollywood. Silver Linings is particularly skilled at balancing serious drama and laugh out loud comedy, like 50/50 was in 2011. This December O. Russell releases American Hustle which brings back Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence

8.     Adaptation. by Spike Jonze, who is releasing Her on 12/18      

Spike Jonze is my personal favorite director, so naturally I implore you to explore his catalog of films. This one is about a writer’s attempt to adapt a book to a film. The story turns on its head and the film becomes what the screenwriter is writing, as we explore genre and adaptation. This December Jonze releases Her, starring Joaquin Phoenix as a man in love with his new operating system.

9.    A Separation by Asghar Farhadi, who is releasing The Past on 12/20

Coming this December is Asghar Farhadi’s tremendous film The Past, which blew me away. In 2011, he won many awards, including the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, for A Separation. In my personal opinion, this is one of the best films of the 21st century, if not of all time.

10.     Up in the Air by Jason Reitman, who is releasing Labor Day on 12/25

Another personal favorite, Up in the Air is the story of a man’s journey to realizing the value of human connection, and attachments. This is Reitman’s best film, as it combines a sharp entertaining story with three dimensional characters, whose story trajectory subverts Hollywood norms (despite the audiences expectations). Reitman's upcoming film Labor Day is a departure, veering away from comedy and relying more on the visual prowess he displayed in Up in the Air. Labor Day is fantastic, and second only to Up in the Air in Reitman's impressively strong catalog. Reitman’s intriguing but flawed film Thank You For Smoking is also available at Snell.

11.     Black Swan by Darren Aronofsky, who is releasing Noah on 3/28/2014

In 2014, Aronofsky brings us his first blockbuster in Noah. Before that, came sexy but disturbing thrill ride Black Swan for which Natalie Portman won the Oscar for Best Actress.

Call numbers for all films mentioned are listed below in alphabetical order (The Hub is the collection of DVDs in the lobby where you walk in, the films with PN are on the third floor. When you enter the floor, head diagonally straight and right):

A Separation: The Hub

A Serious Man: PN1995.9.C55 S355 2010

Adaptation: PN1995.9.C55 A32 2003

The Aviator: The Hub

Bamboozled: PN1995.9.C55 B343 2001b

Barton Fink: PN1995.9.C55 B37 2003

The Big Lebowski: PN1995.9.C55 B535 1998b and The Hub

Black Swan: The Hub

Blood Simple: The Hub

Crooklyn: PN1995.9.C55 C76 1994

The Descendants: PN1997.2 .D47 2012

Do the Right Thing: PN1997 .D63 2001

Fargo: PN1995.9.D4 F37 1996b or The Hub

The Fighter: The Hub

Get on the Bus: PN1995.9.H5 G48 2000

Goodfellas: PN1995.9.G3 G66 2004

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: Snell Favat Children’s Section - PN1995.9.C45 H374 2011

He Got Game: The Hub

The Hudsucker Proxy: PN1995.9.C55 H83 1999

Incendies: PN1997.2 .I53 2011

Jungle Fever: The Hub

Malcolm X: PN1995.9.B55 M35 2000

Mean Streets: PN1995.9.G3 M43 2004

Miller’s Crossing: PN1995.9.G3 M55 2003

Mo’ Better Blues: PN1997 .M6353 1990

No Country for Old Men: PN1995.9.S87 N6 2008

Passing Strange: PN1995.9.M86 P37 2010

Raging Bull: The Hub

School Daze: The Hub

Shutter Island: The Hub

Sideways: The Hub

Silver Linings Playbook: The Hub

Taxi Driver: PN1995.9.S87 T39 1999

Thank You for Smoking: The Hub

True Grit: PN1995.9.W4 T74 2011

Up in the Air: The Hub

When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in four acts - HV636 2005.L8 W54 2006

Y tu mamá también: The Hub

In order to use the library, you just check out films with your Husky Card, and you receive them for one week. You can search online for other films, or for availability, using http://onesearch.library.northeastern.edu. I use the library extensively, so please reach out with any (super simple or complex) questions and I’d be happy to answer them! Seriously, I'm a huge nerd and I love to help in nerdy pursuits.

Email me at brandon.isaacson416@gmail.com or tweet @BrandonIsaacson.