Thursday 3: Quirky But Good Movies

Thursday 13 is too much trouble. I only do 3.

This week I'm listing three movies that I liked but are a little "out there."

1. Martian Child - The romantic drama Martian Child stars John Cusack as a recently widowed science fiction writer who forms an unlikely family with a close friend (Amanda Peet) and a young boy he adopts that claims to be from Mars. The new couple ignores some sage parenting advice from the widower’s sister (Joan Cusack) and gets more than they bargained for when a series of strange occurrences lead them to believe that the child’s claim may be true.

I love John Cusack. While I didn't buy some of the events that occurred in the movie, it was poignant and funny, both things John seems to excel at.

2. Lars and the Real Girl - In this comedy, Lars Lindstrom is an awkwardly shy young man in a small northern town who finally brings home the girl of his dreams to his brother and sister-in-law's home. The only problem is that she's not real - she's a sex doll Lars ordered off the Internet. But sex is not what Lars has in mind, but rather a deep, meaningful relationship. His sister-in-law is worried for him, his brother thinks he's nuts, but eventually the entire town goes along with his delusion in support of this sweet natured boy that they've always loved.

This was a very strange movie. I didn't like it at first, but like the character Lars, eventually I went along with it until I was invested in what happened to him. Nicely done.

3. Perfume - Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, born in the stench of eighteenth century Paris, is born with a superior olfactory sense. His work, however, takes a dark turn as he tries to preserve scents in the search for the ultimate perfume.

I read the book this movie was based on decades ago, but still remember it as being amazing. I also love Alan Rickman. The movie is definitely edgy and graphic, so be prepared.