DVD's everyone should own?

That's completely correct except for the 'good taste' bit.

I have been buying really good TV series...like The Sopranos and Breaking Bad and Six Feet Under.

They are often on special and while more than a film last much longer and if good enough can be viewed again and again for subtlies and nuance. Also you forget heaps of stuff in a film.

A must have film in my view is Being John Malkovich.

Yep BJM was cool - but I liked Adaptation even more. Not sure Mrs Hinge will like either. She's pretty much missed the last 15 years of that sort of movie making because she's lived in remote communities, I have to break her in gently. I may be misinterpreting her likes though. She's not a big fan of going to the movies cos she hates the volume. But I know she liked Juno, Brokeback Mountain and Love Actually. My arty farty Koyanisqaatsi is not liked though.

Have you seen Tim Burton's fantastical Big Fish (2003)?

Here are two great biopics:
Control (2007)
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007)

And two musicals:
A Prairie Home Companion (2006) Robert Altman's swan song.
8 Women (2002)

I saw Big Fish, I really thought I would like it more than I did - it had all the bits I like but they didn't all join together in way that really worked for me. I get the feeling I must have read the book first - but I honestly can't recall doing so. Weird.
The other four are all new to me so they go on the 'further research' list, thanks!

Harold and Maude
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Ray (Charles)
The Notebook
Rosalie goes shopping (twisted)
Bagdad Cafe (twisted)

Harold and Maude is one my brother's all time faves - never seen it! Now on list.
Rocky horror love it but done to death.
Read Ray's biography but haven't seen the flick - more research on that and the Notebook and Rosalie (neither of which I know anything about).
Saw Bagdad yonks ago. Groovy.

Do you & the mrs enjoy foreign films at all, hinge?

If so, here are a couple I think are absolutely brilliant.:

The Lives Of Others.
The Barbarian Invasions

There are quite a few Oz films I'd recommend, too.
Including:

Lantana (outstanding)
Watched Look Both Ways for about the 3rd time, with a friend last night. Never come across anyone who didn't like it. I'm pretty sure Mrs Hinge would.

I'll stop there for the time being. Though I could suggest heaps more!
It's really hard to guess what other peoples' taste in film might be like. But I loved all of these.

Yes. That's it.

FOODIE FILMS:
Ang Lee's Eat Drink Man Woman (1994) is one of the tastiest films ever created.
I know you said Pixar is a hit or miss but Ratatouille is such a charming film it transcends the fact that the main character is a bloody sewer rat trying to make a living in a Parisian kitchen.

Stanley Tucci and Meryl Streep have a great sense of screen chemistry in Julie & Julia (2009).

And finally, Waitress is such a charming romcom with a great screen pairing between Nathan Fillion and Keri Russell.

Really liked the Barbarian Invasions - French-Canadian wasn't it?
Will look into The Lives Of Others and Look Both Ways (don't know diddly about either) and had forgotten about Lantana - it was released around the same time I moved the 9th circle of cultural hell ;-)

Thanks for the thoughts!

I really liked Bad Boy Bubby - but I'm sure Mrs Hinge would make me turn it off three minutes in....

If you liked the Barbarian Invasions (fabulous film! Yes, French Canadian) , I think you'd like the Lives of Others, though it is much more "political". Here's a sneak preview. These trailer promos never do justice to a really good film. :



Here's the promo for Lantana. Once again, the promo clip doesn't do it justice. The best "recent-ish" Oz film I've seen. Just my humble opinion! :



The other Oz film I mentioned. Look Both Ways. Though I think I might have called it by the wrong title (confused the title with an old Dylan doco. )
This one's an absolute delight.:



Throwing in a couple of extra suggestions.

Babel:



.. and one more, for good measure. The Virgin Suicides.
I loved this film.
A real gem.
Such strange & wistful atmosphere & goings on.


OK, hinge.
I promise you I'll stop now.

was going to suggest the two other films in the Qatsi series, but if the first was panned by your SO, maybe not

if you like petter sellers, try moving across the channel and watching some Jacques Tati, Mr. Hulot's Holiday or Playtime to start, both nearly silent films, relying mostly on physical comedy

the bargain cinema i used to go to in toronto was keen on double bills, one of my favourites was Fellini's 8 1/2 paired with Woody Allen's Stardust Memories (SM contains one of my favourite movie lines of all time, actually a running gag, Allen plays a film director attending a retrospective of his work, everyone he meets (including some aliens) use a variation of the line "we love your movies, especially the earlier funny ones)

another great Allen film, The Purple Rose of Cairo

good lighthearted fare, The Matchmaker (1997), Waking Ned Divine (1998), Saving Grace (2000), Hank Williams First Nation (2005)

Anything from the Criterion Collection would be a welcome gift, IMHO. http://www.criterion.com/library/dvd

great idea

Olga, There are some great Aussie films. I loved Lantana. I would also recommend Picnic at Hanging Rock and Gallipoli.

i was thinking of Gallipoli, as well as some New Zealand films, but i though that might be a bit like bringing coals to Newcastle, but i guess others might not know them

Whalerider, Once Were Warriors are two kiwi faves

some TV shows, Hamish Macbeth, Wallander, Doc Martin, Kingdom (all UK)

Ah, "Saving Grace" was such a great movie, I forgot all about it...
I agree with Ms Olga on "The Life of Others" - one of the best movies ever (not just because it's a German movie )
"The life of David Gale" - excellent movie about the death penalty - truly excellent!

Other favorites -

Hear My Song: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102014/
Not presently available at Netflix, so I don't know about availability

A movie I loved at the time, Local Hero
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085859/