Five Great Movies You've Never Seen

Lately, there seem to be a lot of lists out there with 1,001 things we should do before we die, books we should read, places we should visit, even movies we should see. While you may not get around to seeing the suggested 1,001 movies, here are five you should at least check out in the coming months:

1. The Lake House (2006, starring Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves)

Bullock and Reeves have proven chemistry, previously starring in the 1994 blockbuster, Speed. They re-teamed for this fantasy and showed they hadn't lost a step. Their characters, two lost souls, Kate and Alex manage to find each other and fall in love the old-fashioned way - through letters. Problem is, Kate's living in 2006 and Alex in 2004. The vessel for their romance? The mailbox at the lake house they live in (at different times of course). Though you can likely figure out what happens long before the ending, you'll still enjoy the journey.

2. Waitress (2007, starring Keri Russell)

It's tempting to use a lot of pie metaphors when describing this sweet, quiet comedy. Keri Russell is Jenna, a good girl trapped in a bad situation, namely her marriage to lout, Earl, played by Jeremy Sisto. Earl keeps his wife on an extremely short leash and in the midst of plotting her escape, Jenna discovers she is pregnant. Jenna pours her sorrows, frustrations, hopes and dreams into the fanciful pies she makes at the diner where she works. While there are a lot of laugh-out-loud moments, Waitress will mostly make you smile as you root for Jenna to overcome all her trials and tribulations. It will also make you want pie.

3. Next Stop Wonderland (1998, starring Hope Davis)

What if you all that kept you from finding your soul mate was a missed connection? That's the premise behind this soulful comedy. Davis' Erin has just been dumped by her live-in boyfriend (a pre-Capote Phillip Seymour Hoffman) via videotape. Unbeknownst to Erin, her well-meaning mother has put a personals ad in the paper in an attempt to find Mr. Right for her daughter. As Erin goes on one disastrous date after another, little does she know Mr. Right is right under her nose, even if they haven't met yet. We the viewer know they belong together and practically hold our breath waiting for them to finally meet. Next Stop Wonderland gives single girls hope that just maybe, Mr. Wonderful is out there after all.

4. Chances Are (1989 Cybill Shepherd, Robert Downey, Jr.)

Cybill Shepherd stars as Corinne, whose husband, Louie, dies on their first anniversary. Louie is reincarnated into fresh-faced Alex, played by Robert Downey, Jr., and due to a mix up at the pearly gates, retains all of Louie's memories. What follows is a charming romantic comedy where Shepherd is in top form, Downey is adorable and even Ryan O'Neill manages to be dashing as the lovesick Phillip. You may or may not like the ending, but the rest of the film is a real gem.

5. Family Man (2000, starring Nicholas Cage)

How much can one decision change the course of your life? For Nicholas Cage's character, Jack, the road taken becomes his personal nightmare. Hot shot financier, Jack, gets a call from his college sweetheart, Kate, played by Tea Leoni, saying she needs to see him. Having stood Kate up years earlier, Jack assumes Kate has been pining for him all this time and wonders what his life might have been like if he'd settled for happily ever after with her. Thanks to Don Cheadle, who plays an angel of sorts, Jack gets a glimpse of what life would have been like had he stayed with Kate. To his horror, it's no longer hot chicks and fast cars but minivans and kids. Watching this movie, you can't help but wonder what your own life might be like if you'd made different choices. The Family Man is cute and funny and beats Lifetime as a way to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon.

Sources:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0410297/

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0473308/

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119778/

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097044/

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0218967/