Movie Night!

Sparkler raj101 dug through his DVD collection to find five fantastic movies from the 21st century that you may not have seen yet. —SparkNotes editors

Movies are great, aren't they? There are tons of amazing movies coming out this year as well as next, including Where the Wild Things Are and Alice in Wonderland. But every once in a while, it's nice to bypass the theater experience and watch a movie at home. You could always pull out a favorite old musical or a Disney movie, but sometimes you're just not in the mood for that. Here's a list of fantastic movies that may not come to mind on a Movie Night because they aren't brand new, but aren't "classics" yet, either.

1.Unbreakable, directed by M. Night Shyamalan

This piece of genius was released in 2000, and stars Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson. It's a hero story done Shyamalan style, meaning it contains lots of subtle details, memorable quotes, and intriguing plot twists.

2. The Others, directed by Alejandro Amenabar

This creepy mystery was released in 2001, and stars Nicole Kidman. While it has its scary moments, it doesn't scream "horror," and there isn't any blood and gore—just good storytelling.

3. Lady in the Water, directed by M. Night Shyamalan (yes, again).

This film came out in 2006, and was based on what Shyamalan originally wrote as a bedtime story for his kids. I won't claim it's Shyamalan's best, but it's great. Plus, Paul Giamatti stars—so you know it's going to be good.

4. Big Fish, directed by Tim Burton.

We all love Tim Burton. This movie was released in 2004, and contains all of Burton's whimsical charm without being too trippy. Ewan McGregor and Jessica Lange star. Oh, and did I mention Steve Buscemi? He's in it, too. Who doesn't love Steve Buscemi?

5. Snatch, directed by Guy Ritchie.

This movie came out in 2000, and stars Brad Pitt, Benicio Del Toro and Jason Statham. I can't remember any female main characters, but I was too wrapped up in Brad Pitt's accent to care. One minor complaint: The f-word is used a bit too often for my taste. Never before have I heard the f-word used as a noun, verb, adverb, and adjective all in one sentence. Other than that, this movie is overflowing with great characters, action, and funny lines.

What are some other movies you'd recommend for a movie night?

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