The News Memo Movie List
The algorithms that feed our movie watching have gotten out of control and made it difficult to not settle for mediocrity.
We started creating a list of what we think are really good movies. We’re calling it The News Memo Movie List. It will be a living list that is updated over time.
Our rubric is simple: movies that invoke something true and offer a different way for us to live - movies that stick with you and give you a gusto for life.
Minari
Note from John: A Korean family moves to Arkansas with the aim to start a successful farm. The hardships of trying to achieve the “American Dream". The worthwhile struggle of preserving a marriage. (trailer)
The Lives of Others
Note from John: Set in East Germany in 1984, the story about a profound change of heart. This movie poses one striking question to me: do you prefer to live in comfort and lies or truth and the risk of life. (trailer)
The Dead Poets Society
Note from John: One teacher at a strict all-boys prep school has a totally different method of teaching that captivates the student body. An amazing story about learning to grow up as a boy. At a certain point, life must become your own. (trailer)
The Intouchables
Note from John: One of the most joyful movies I have ever seen. Sometimes the people that are unique and outside our comfort zone are actually what we need to shock us out of our numbness in front of life. (trailer)
A Hidden Life
Note from John: Franz Jägerstätter refuses to fight in World War II and is threatened with execution. A beautiful testimony of Faith. (trailer)
Once
Note from David: A profound (yet humorous) story of the true companionship between an immigrant and a busker in Dublin. The film was shot on a shoestring budget (about $150k) and has a beautiful soundtrack. (trailer)
Warrior
Note from John: Beautifully told story about the friendship of two brothers who hated each other from childhood. They unite and offer forgiveness in an unlikely spot in front of thousands of people. (trailer)
Whiplash
Note from John: To what level should we take our talents? Is it worth it to give everything to be the greatest of all time or do we lose ourselves in the process? (trailer)
Of Gods and Men
Note from John: A convincing and realistic display of faith from Monks living in the grip of Radical Islamic Terrorism. What allows a person to be free in front of danger and the unknown? (trailer)
Babette’s Feast
Note from David: A French maid comes to live with a pair of Protestant sisters in a coastal town of Denmark. Her magnanimity and lack of inhibition opens the puritanical community to a new perspective on life. (trailer)
The Bridges of Madison County (1965)
Note: A film set in farm country Iowa featuring Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood. Simple, beautiful scenery provides the backdrop for more complex questions and dialogues about human freedom, love, and happiness.
The Prestige
Note: Two brilliant magicians seek to master their craft, both filling auditoriums in England and revolutionizing the art of magic. Their rivarly grows in respect and bitterness as they seek to perform magic tricks that risk their own lives and morals. A film that will leave you speechless at the end.
A Separation (2011)
Note: An Iranian film that deals with the drama of a marriage and family coming apart. What is the truth and what is its relationship to humility? The film won an Oscar in 2012 for the Best Foreign Language Film of the Year.
Calvary (2014)
Note: The story of a Catholic priest in modern Ireland, a country that has lost its religious roots and is dealing with the fallout of the sexual abuse crisis. The film recounts the story of local priest, Father James, attending to the needs of the broken community while staring down the barrel of his own sin and threat of death.
Jojo Rabbit
Note: A dark comedy that masterfully intertwines humor into bad things. A story of friendship, preconceptions, and seeing the world with the eyes of a child.
La vita è bella (Life is Beautiful)
Note: Directed by Roberto Benigni, this film takes place during the Holocaust. The movie is remarkably funny, sad, and beautiful at the same time.
American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders (2024)
Note: In 1991, investigative reporter Danny Casolaro mysteriously died in a Sheraton hotel in Martinsburg, West Virginia. Casolaro was nearing the completion of his book, “The Octopus", which sought to prove far-reaching scandals between government officials, the intelligence community, and organized crime. Excellent four-part docuseries that raises more questions than answers.
When Harry Met Sally
Note: Based in the 1990’s, Harry and Sally meet each other and immediately despise one another on first impression. As the years go on, both date and seek love in casual and unsatisfying ways, but continually bump into each other. There love slowly grows as they grow older. A beautiful and funny film.
Killers of the Flower Moon
Based in the 1920’s, the movie tells the true story of the murders of the Osage Nation in Oklahoma after rich amounts of oil were discovered on their land. This put several of the Osage women in danger of being married and killed specifically for their rich land. This movie shows man’s ambition for power and wealth. But deep down, he really desires love.
Shawshank Redemption
Note: After being wrongfully convicted of murdering his wife, Andy Dufresne spends 19 years in a strict state prison where he develops unlikely friendships and grows as a man before he eventually escapes. It is a beautiful story and one of the best movies ever made.