Monday, January 24, 2011

Monday Movie Meme - Sickos


Is there anyone out there that hasn't had a sick person in their house in the last few weeks? It is certainly that time of year where you stock up on your Nyquil, so of course the Bumbles are quick to convert that to a Monday Movie Meme! When you first start thinking about movies about illness, it would be very easy to just make this a post about flicks that make you cry. So many examples of people dying - ack! Steel Magnolias! Terms of Endearment! The tears! But I'm not going to go there, because I think that was a topic a few months ago. Here are some other ideas:

Token cancer movie: My Sister's Keeper - Despite the fact that I watched this one against my will, I'll admit it was a decent movie. There was some good acting, and it provided a twist on the normal movie about losing a loved one to cancer.

Alzheimers: Away From Her - Having lost my grandmother to this horrible disease, this movie hit close to home. The affliction was handled with tact and grace, and I believe it even earned an Oscar nomination or two.

Multiple personalities: Fight Club - Hmmm...maybe I just spoiled this movie a little bit? If I recall this was quite a long movie but I never blinked an eye. The combination of mind-twisting, Edward Norton and Brad Pitt did the trick. Phenomenal movie!

Obsessive compulsive: The Aviator - I believe this was about the time I had to concede that Leo was for real.

Autism: Rain man - It is encouraging that so much attention has been given to autism lately in literature and on film, so there is probably a better example (Temple Grandin?), but this was such a fabulous movie, it made the cut.

Flu/Captain Trips: The Stand - I've never felt quite comfortable about catching the flu since I saw this one. The big question really is, do really want to be one of the survivors?

Drug Addiction: Requiem for a Dream - No contest on this one. I think every person should be required to watch this one before they take that first pill. Seriously shocking stuff.

Demons: The Last Exorcism - I know, it probably won't win any awards, but I had to fit it in here because I just watched it last night. Hey it was pretty freaky! I wouldn't want this illness, thanks.

Just flat out stark raving madness: Repulsion - I remember when my husband and I finished this one, we just looked at each other and said "wow, that is just messed up!". This movie was made in 1965 and remastered recently, and is one fine example of a woman's (beautiful Catherine Deneuve) decent into madness.

Did I miss any? I'm sure I did. Happy Monday morning!





25 comments:

Yvann said...

You missed Philadelphia for AIDS - one of Tom Hanks' finer efforts.

rhapsodyinbooks said...

Your comment about The Stand made me laugh, because I never worry about being a survivor since I'm such a "sickly" type - I'd be gone in the first wave of whatever!!!

And oh yes with Yvann - Philadelphia is one of my favorite movies ever!

caite said...

My Sister's Keeper ..liked the book, no desire to see the movie.

Fight Club...what! now you spoiled it for me. Ok, not really..

Repulsion..I never heard of it..and now I am off to Netflix to see if they have it.

Trisha said...

I am so with you on Requiem for a Dream. Aronofsky really made a creepy creepy film with that one. It should be the Just Say No to Drugs commercial.

bermudaonion said...

I've decided that I need to see Requiem for a Dream after seeing Black Swan last week. Rain Man is the only one of all those movies that I've seen.

Teacher/Learner said...

Nice topic! I'm going to test myself & see if I can name 1 movie for each type without peeking at IMDB. That'll get the ole' brain ticking this morning ;)

Cancer--The Family Stone (breast cancer)

Alzheimers--that's a tough one...I'm going to cheat a little & say Memento, which is actually about amnesia

MPD--Sybil

OCD--As Good As It Gets

ASD (autism)--Snow Cake--specifically Asperger's

Flu--Ferris Bueller--he pretends to be sick to get of school ;)

Drug addiction--Trainspotting

Demons--The Exorcist

Stark raving madness--The Silence of the Lambs

Care said...

Ferris Bueller! yes - good one.
I was thinking about Awakenings, Patch Adams and then I was reminded of One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest.
I have seen all of these except the last two and have to agree that Requiem for a Dream = scary stuff, INTENSE.

Unknown said...

Great movies listed here! :)

Heidenkind said...

I avoid movies about illnesses! I do like the Ferris Beuller suggestion, though.

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Great list. I'm with you on Requiem for a Dream, that movie is terrifying!

Zibilee said...

Ok, now I am going to have to add Repulsion into my queue, and I agree with you about Requiem for a Dream. Very frightening. I would also say if you want to cover the plague aspect you could add Doomsday, which we saw very recently.

Heather G. said...

Those are good. I just barely watched Fight Club for the first time a few weeks ago...whew, so no spoilage! Here are my picks: http://gofita.blogspot.com/2011/01/monday-movie-meme-aches-and-pains-and.html

Iliana said...

Trainspotting is another one for drug addiction. That is wild! Ugh, I can't imagine.

The Bumbles said...

I love your groupings. Very creative for so early in the morning!

But Yvann is right - we both forgot all about one of the best examples there is - Philadelphia. D'oh!

Unknown said...

Great list, Sandy! I completely forgot about Away From Her, a movie I loved. Alzheimers is an awful disease and also afflicted my poor Gammy.
Aviator and Rain Man, loved these movies, too for different reasons.

You came up with brilliant choices, no worries that it was first thing Monday morning!

Jenners said...

Wait ... what??? Fight Club had multiple personalities in it ??? Thanks for spoiling it!!!

(Just kidding.)

Alyce said...

Of the films on your list I've only seen The Stand and Rain Man. The Stand is the only Stephen King movie (well in this case mini-series, right?) that I've ever made it all the way through. I'm such a sucker for epidemic stories, but much prefer them in books.

Mrs. Melissa said...
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Mrs. Melissa said...
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Mrs. Melissa said...

One cancer movie I'm not allowed to watch ever again is WIT with Emma Thompson - my mom died from breast cancer and the movie is so real and hits home and brings back too many bad memories. Terms of Endearment is also good for that.

Mrs. Melissa said...
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Mrs. Melissa said...
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Kathleen said...

Oh my, you have picked some good ones! You are going to make me add some movies into my Netflix queue right now!

Alice said...

When I read Away from Her, I was crying so hard I can't see anything ahead of me. And then I watched it because I loved the story so much, so I started another cry fest.

I so want to watch Fight Club too.

Anonymous said...

Great choices! I just re-watched Rain Man last week and had completely forgotten how awesome it was.