Title: The Virgin Suicides

Year: 1999

Whose In It?: Kirsten Dunst, James Woods, Kathleen Turner

What The Heck Is It?: Sofia Coppola’s debut venture into directing sees her take the helm of a dark satire featuring the Lisbon family. The family matriarch (Turner) is a woman of extraordinary faith, and the head of the house (Woods) is a teacher. All seems normal for the Lisbon’s and their five daughters. That is until the youngest Cecilia attempts to kill herself. It is this moment that sets the remainder of the film in motion.

Title: Confessions of a Dangerous Mind

Year: 2002

Whose In It?: Sam Rockwell, Drew Barrymore, George Clooney

What The Heck Is It?: Clooney acts and directs himself in this based on a true story semi-biopic. Chuck Barris is the host of one of the seventies favorite shows The Gong Show he also had a hand in The Dating Game, and The Newlywed Game. But this film explores that perhaps there was more then meets the eye with Barris. That perhaps he was a secret FBI operative. Could this be true? That’s the fun of this film we don’t know what is real or not. Plus Rockwell lights your screen on fire with his performance.

Title: Following

Year: 1998

Whose In It?: Jeremy Theobald, Alex Haw, Lucy Russell

What The Heck Is It?: Shot in black and white on 16 mm with a budget of only $6,000 this is modern Directorial marvel Christopher Nolan’s debut. Bill (Theobald) is a broke, jobless young writer in need of inspiration. To perhaps inspire himself he begins following people. Once a young man (Haw) notices he’s being followed he confronts Bill. But this young man named Cobb has a more sinister intent for good ole Bill

Title: Penelope

Year: 2006

Whose In It?: Christina Ricci, James McAvoy

What The Heck Is It?: Penelope Wilhelm (Ricci) is a poor girl cursed with the nose of a pig by a witch centuries previous to her birth. The curse stated that the next girl born to the Wilhelm family would be born this way. As a consequence her parents lock her away in their mansion. They bring forth suitors for their daughter but ultimately they all fail due to her unsightly handicap. One determined journalist Lemon (Peter Dinklage) hires Max (McAvoy) to try and con his way not only into the house but to get a photo of Penelope for his paper. Though it’s ending is formulaic it’s charm overrides everything, and it’s heart always seems to be in the right place.

Title: The Vicious Kind

Year: 2008

Whose In It?: Adam Scott, Brittany Snow, Alex Frost

What The Heck Is It?: Caleb (Scott) just got dumped by his long-time girlfriend less then a week before Thanksgiving, and now he’s an absolute wreck! So when his younger brother Peter (Frost) comes home with a striking new girlfriend (Snow) the miserable Caleb finds himself attracted to her. It’s a film that really examines male vulnerability, and brotherly connection in a way never before researched. Shoutout to J.K. Simmons who is hilarious and crazy as Caleb and Peter’s father.