Screenwriter and Director Ira Sachs Recommends Cinematic Gems to View at Home

Filmmaker Ira Sachs (01) has contributed a list of movies he says he hopes people will find fun to watch on TV. Everything on the list is available by streaming, and Ira has divided his list into three categories: Family, Adult, and Queer. From Ira: “All the family films would be fun for adults too, and the adult and queer sections happily blend. So many great movies I might recommend aren’t streaming – for a more refined list, but I chose movies that are plot-driven, not too visually challenging, not-too-slow. Movies that are natural fits for home viewing.”

We have provided links to pages that offer reviews, ratings, and trailers, since most of us use a wide variety of streaming services. Enjoy!

FAMILY:

Crooklyn

Akeelah and the Bee

The World of Henry Orient

Camp

Breaking Away

Ma Vie en Rose

Grease

The Miracle Worker

Kiki’s Delivery Service

Bad News Bears

Queen of Katwe

The Freshman (the Harold Lloyd silent)

Paper Moon

King Kong (original)

Little Fugitive

Little Men

Sounder

The Learning Tree


ADULTS:

Stars in My Crown

What’s Up Doc

In a Lonely Place

Set It Off

The Earrings of Madame de

Runaway Train

I Know Where I’m Going

Margaret

Touch of Evil

Jungle Fever

Wild Combination: A Portrait of Arthur Russell

Ms. 45

Harold and Maude

My Beautiful Laundrette

Ali: Fear Eats the Soul

Imitation of Life

Jackie Brown

The Outsiders

Julieta


QUEER:

To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar

To Die Like a Man

Mosquita y Mari

Desert Hearts

Naz & Maalik

By Hook or by Crook

Suddenly, Last Summer

The Aggressives

Victim

Rope

Law of Desire

Mysterious Skin

Tangerine

Stranger by the Lake

Portrait of Ira Sachs. He is wearing a blue hoodie and crossing his arms in front of him

(Jeong Park photo)