USA • 1993 • Dir.: Richard Linklater
From critic Desson Howe of The Washington Post: “[This film] ought to be in a prominent place at the Library of Congress, next to The Godfather, American Graffiti, Nashville, Citizen Kane,” and other quintessentially American works. Like all those films, Dazed succeeds on its own terms and reflects American culture … so well.”
USA • 1999 • Dir.: Alexander Payne
From the late critic Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times: “Now here is a movie that is not simply about an obnoxious student, but also about an imperfect teacher, a lockstep administration, and a student body that is mostly just marking time until it can go out into the world and occupy valuable space.”
USA • 1999 • Dir.: Sofia Coppola
Five lovely sisters decide to take their own lives. Look at them closely: Do they seem unhappy?
USA • 2010 • Dir.: Matt Reeves
Forget Twilight. This is the best contemporary vampire movie ever made — maybe even the best ever, period. Kid falls in love with a girl vampire, but he’s not a vampire. There’s always danger of plunge and suck, but also lots of forbearance and affection.
Jim Piper is a Filmworks board member, a filmmaker, and a retired film studies instructor.