hi guys....can anyone suggest any other great films like this? Kind of "slice of life" films, where intersting characters come together, small town etc etc.....
I loved "The Station Agent" and would appreciate any other films like it...thanks!
You might like "You Can Count on Me," a kind of slice-of-life, indie, small-town movie. Also "Lovely and Amazing." (the same little girl is in it, Raven Goodwin.
shareLovely and Amazing is exactly the one I was thinking of too, and You Can Count on me is excellent also!
Ashley :)
Another movie I was often reminded of is "Birdy" by Alan Parker.
It has a somewhat darker central premise, but there are many similarities, in particular:-
- an off-the-wall obsession displayed by the main character (trains / birds)
- a nicely judged gentle pace, cut with the occassional upbeat set-piece (the train chaser scene / the dog catcher scene)
- the development of a friendship in smalltown America between the male characters (Fin / Birdy the social oddities, Joe / Al strong, dumb but loyal)
There are no other movies like this!! It's a one of a kind- and GREAT!!!
I have not failed, I've found 10,000 ways that won't work.
'Ghost World' would also be a solid choice.
sharethanks so much! I saw "Ghost World" a while ago, and was thinking I should check it out again....I also really liked "You Can Count On Me" and "Pieces Of April"....I seem to be having an indy film fest in my lounge room lately!!
shareWhoa, there are some pretty crazy movies listed here which seem to depart significanltly from the feel of The Station Agent.
For some reason nobody seems to have mentioned Kevin's Smith's first effort, CLERKS. Clerks is also setin NoPlaceSpecial, New Jersey, filled with quirky characters and little plot.
Clerks is nothing like The Station Agent! Both are set in NJ, sure, but, but...
I'd strongly recommend Amelie. It's French, with subtitles, but an absolutely gorgeous story about human interaction and the effect one person can have upon others.
shareyou need to watch a small french film called "Ponette". The film is carried by a four year old girl and an amazing performance. A deeply moving film with an ending that will leave a lump in your throat.
Try also "whale rider", "the Dish". More plot driven but feel good films based on the lives of people
It reminds me of other simple independant films and the same feeling such as David Carradines'Americana'and Billy Bob Thortons'Sling Blade'i know the two movies are totally different than 'The Station Agent'but the three films have a certain simaler feeling to me.
'Jim Dandy'Mangrum
There's a couple with Philip Seymore Hoffman that are somewhat like this:
Love Liza - the pacing and the focus on the individual's issue is very similar.
Owning Mahoney - is a wee bit more frenetic and is not "small town"
Both are kinda dark and don't leave you with a "warm and fuzzies" like Station Agent. But I liked them a lot.
Hi, I really loved a movie called "Spring Forward". It reminds me alot of "The Station Agent" - just a sweet, warm movie where not much happens; but you end up really caring for the characters at the end. It's just about two men who work together as groundskeepers, and how their relationship changes each of them. And the visuals are really well-done; every scene takes place outside & the movie's full of natural beauty.
Also I'd recommend "What's Eating Gilbert Grape," which is another touching movie about some very quirky characters.
"Napolean Dynamite" has kind of the same vibe, about a small-town nerd & his friends, and it's funny, but a little mean for my taste.
"You Can Count on Me" w/Laura Linney - very sweet, sad story about a reunion between a too-staid sister and her too-wild brother.
Oh, "The Gift" - quirky and creepy! Small-town psychic sees a bit too much. Hope this starts you off OK, I also love small character-driven movies and wish Hollywood would make more of them.
Hey there! Thanks so much for those recommendations! I have seen "The Gift" and also loved "Gilbert Grape", and I loved "You Can Count On Me"....recently I have seen "Pieces Of April" and "Sling Blade" which were great too.
I will try and check out "Spring Forward"....it sounds great! Suzie.
you could try "All the Real Girls", one of my favorite movies of last year. small town, great main characters, good story. it's a very peaceful movie that puts me at ease.
shareTry Laurel Canyon, a neat one with one of my favorite actresses, Frances McDormand. Not small town, but a nice drama nonetheless.
Garden State, Amelie and a Dutch film called Simon, they made me feel just as good as The Station Agent did. And they are also about interesting characters coming together.
shareNot small town, but 3 nice little movies "St Ralph", "Millions", and "The Chorus"...all foreign films, last is french w/ subtitles. Also, a nice quirky documentary "The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill"....a odd but likable guy and his parrots....
share
Avenue Fontaine 2006 (Fauteuils d'orchestre)
Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont 2005 - with a great performance by Joan Plowright
Brilliant movie indeed.
A victory for independent filmmaking!
You might try Bagdad Cafe. About a stranded German Woman in the California Desert trying to fit into their world while.
Spitfire Grill is another film that was not very well known, but fits into the slice of life theme. It's about a young lady who is trying to live in a small town on the East Coast, despite all of the personalities and unique people that live there.
Welcome to the Dollhouse is an all-time favorite of mine. It's quite cruel in nature, but laughable at the same time. A grade school girl is constantly trying to fit in with her family and at school.
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I cannot recommend Bagdad Cafe enough (though I try )
In addition to the "fish out of water in a small town" scenario, it is a great story of character transformation, which is also one of the strengths of The Station Agent
He was so crooked, he could eat soup with a corkscrew.