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B-Rant

- submitted by b-team on 09/13/2007

Top 10 Movies Centered On Suburbia

There are so many suburban-themed movies. We had a hard time paring down our list to 10. Our only rule, apart from liking the pic: Suburbia has to play a meaningful role in the plot. It can't just be the setting.

Tell us what you think, where we went wrong. Send us your choices. We'll put together another list, reflecting your feedback.

The 10 Best (in no particular order):

American Beauty (1999)
Beautiful, understated, utterly depressing view of suburban life and marriage. Keven Spacey as unhappy husband, in mid-life crisis, is sick of his tedious job, loveless marriage (to realtor, Annette Benning) tries to turn his life around. He does, along the way fantasizing (and more) about his daughter's hot sexually precocious under-aged friend; and, in the end, just after figuring things out, learns that redemption in the burbs is awfully hard to come by.

Neighbors (1981)
John Belushi as the conventional conservative next-door neighbor. Dan Ackroyd as the wacked freakazoid gun-toting (and shooting), never-leave-you-alone neighbor from hell. (How's that for role reversal?) Nihilistic, hilarious dark comedy based on Jerzey Kosinki's novel.

Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Johnny Depp literally with 'scissor hands' cuts and carves bushes all over town into elaborate, beautiful, bizarre art. Most shockingly, and unlike most landscapers we know, he charges nothing!

Little Children (2006)
Based on the Tom Perrotta novel. Suburban ennui, close-mindedness, confusion. Kate Winslet, Jennifer Connelly and some non-descript guy (the actor & character) who inexplicably gets both of the babes. Now that's a real suburban fantasy!

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Wes Craven's original and genuinely scary suburban horror film. Way better than the drek sequels. Suburban teens are dying off at the hands of Freddy Krueger, an evil, vengeful already dead guy. Tip to teens: falling asleep will probably not result in a good outcome.

The Money Pit (1986)
Tom Hanks, Shelley Long. Funny, underrated slapstick comedy. A cautionary tale, warning to all suburban home owners: Your dream house will turn into a pipe exploding, stairs collapsing, life and finances-ruining nightmare. Otherwise, living in the burbs is a blast.

American Graffiti (1973)
California burbs, 1962. High school teens coming of age before real life (college, work, etc.) intrudes. Music, sex, exciting stirrings of rock & roll. Go Wolfman Jack! Fantastic music sound track. George Lucas' first film -- when skilled acting, sensitive story-telling, and subtlety informed his work.

Blue Velvet (1986)
David Lynch's skewed view of suburbia and life. Not Technicolor day dreams. Brutal, strange, filled with frightening, depraved characters. (Sounds a lot like a recent block party in our neighborhood.)

Ordinary People (1980)
Rich, white Chicago suburbs. Donald Sutherland, Timothy Hutton. And Mary Tyler Moore as one of the scariest, most repressed, quietly child-abusing (through silence & rejection) stay-at-home moms in movie history.

Happiness (1998)
Todd Solondz's 2nd film, after Welcome to the Dollhouse. 'Happily' married dad is a shrink; he's also a pedophile, fantasizes about serial killing, and has a thing for his son's pre-teen friend. And Dad is one of the healthier characters. Depravity, dysfunction, unhappiness reign. ...read more rants

• Get it off your chest

THE 'BURBS

- submitted by Anonymous on 09/14/2007

THE 'BURBS

Good list but I love

- submitted by filmgirl on 09/14/2007

Good list but I love Suburbia, written by Bogosian.

I saw Neighbors for first

- submitted by moviefubb on 09/14/2007

I saw Neighbors for first time and it was insane. I loved John Belushi in it. I can'tt believe so few people I know know this one.

You forgot the Burbs, oh and

- submitted by Anonymous on 09/14/2007

You forgot the Burbs, oh and American Beauty came out in '99 not '90.

I saw the Burbs and thought

- submitted by burberst on 09/14/2007

I saw the Burbs and thought it was funny. But I liked Money Pit better, that scene where Tom Hanks is buried in rubble in his basement is a riot.

Sweet list. Ever see Ice

- submitted by Anonymous on 09/14/2007

Sweet list. Ever see Ice Storm? Doesn't get any bleaker colder in the burbs than that. I needed therapy after seeingg it.

Why are movies where the

- submitted by Anonymous on 09/14/2007

Why are movies where the suburubs are considered bleak havens for depravity always put on a pedastal? The Hollywood types who write these from their ivory towers figure this is what red state voters are really like. One of my favorites is ET, where the feds invade the suburbs and almost kill the creature there, who just wants to get home. The climactic bike chase through the suburban landscape is an adolescent kid's ultimate fantasy

suburban movies

- submitted by Anonymous on 09/14/2007

What about The Stepford Wives?

You forgot "Disturbia" that

- submitted by Anonymous on 09/15/2007

You forgot "Disturbia" that came out last year a very good murder mystery, I thought so at least.

Suburbia Movies

- submitted by moviebuff on 09/15/2007

Great list as well as the additional ones that also have been named. I have another one for you The Graduate. You can not get a better view of late 60's in southern California suburban scene.

One last comment regarding Ordinary People the setting was suburban Chicago, Lake Forest to be exact.

The Money Pit...Was the best

- submitted by TrueRedWhiteandBlue on 09/15/2007

The Money Pit...Was the best of the list!!! Hollywood wants to portray Where REGULAR people live as HELL...As they sit in their ivory towers...That WE pay for!!!

Lobved the Money Pit.

- submitted by Anonymous on 09/15/2007

Lobved the Money Pit. Cracked up the whole time, Tom Hanks was great.

CHUMSCRUBBER!

- submitted by Docidu on 09/16/2007

How could you leave The Chumscrubber off this list...its a beautiful film that embodies surburbia in its true modern state... serious ommision... http://imdb.com/title/tt0406650/

if ya havent seen this movie go rent it or..well...do what ya gotta do <wink wink nudge nudge>

BULLY

- submitted by Anonymous on 09/16/2007

BULLY

what about United States of

- submitted by random internet poster on 09/16/2007

what about United States of Leland?

Too Limited

- submitted by Karl Steel on 09/16/2007

Why the Money Pit rather than Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House? That said, I've never seen the Tom Hanks version, but I think the original, well, stinks (Myrna Loy is just wasted).

Why all American films? Surely <i>Mon Oncle</i> is better than at least half these movies.

Over the Edge

- submitted by Anonymous on 09/17/2007

Classic southwestern about a new burb where the kids run amok. Amazing sound track featuring everything from Todd Rundgren to Cheap Trick to the Ramones. A VERY young Matt Dillon is featured. Considered a classic in France.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Over_the_Edge_(film)

I like this list. There

- submitted by moviegirl on 09/17/2007

I like this list. There could be many others on it but i see how you can't have everything. I liked Money pit. It was stupdi and obvious but there were a lot of laughs, the physical humor wqas excellent. LOL

Suburbia without "Suburbia"?

- submitted by Anonymous on 09/17/2007

How can you have a "Top 10 Movies Centered On Suburbia" without mentioning "Suburbia"? -1996, giovanni ribisi, parker posey, a great movie which is better than any on your list.

Another good movie is, "Bully", from 2001.

And i haven't seen it yet, but isn't suburbia a main element in "Prozac Nation"?

Suburbia

- submitted by Emet on 09/17/2007

Personally, I like more upbeat films --

Peggy Sue Got Married

The Family Man

Mr. Blanding Builds His Dream House (the original Money Pit)

Fun With Dick and Jane (the original version)

are some that come to mind.

Parenthood

- submitted by Bored Member on 09/18/2007

Just rented it last week, what a great flick.

I forgot Parenthood. It was

- submitted by gettingold on 09/18/2007

I forgot Parenthood. It was fun a goold role for Steve Martin.

good list! here's more...

- submitted by Eric Melin on 09/18/2007

This may seem obvious from the title, but I really like Richard Linklater's adaptation of Eric Bogosian's "SubUrbia." It's an oft-forgotten gem. Here's my list of School movies with similar themes: <a href="http://www.scene-stealers.com/top-10/erics-top-10-non-john-hughes-school-life-movies/" title="my list">

- submitted by Anonymous on 09/21/2007

Strong group. It is

- submitted by Anonymous on 09/21/2007

Strong group. It is subjective but I can't argue much with the list except Money pit which is crap but I also know peop;le think its funny.

Where's Apocolypse Now?

- submitted by filmy on 09/23/2007

Where's Apocolypse Now?

Hello?

- submitted by Anonymous on 09/25/2007

Anyone ever heard of "Clerks"? Duh!

THE BURBS

- submitted by rocker chick on 09/29/2007

you forgot this awesome movie!!

RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD II

- submitted by Anonymous on 04/12/2008

Why is this a list of only 10, wtf, wheres the website that lists them all??? FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH come on people!

Thanks bro

- submitted by dvd movies on 10/06/2008

its a real good <a href=http://movies-world.biz>dvd, pda, ipod movies</a>

psch

- submitted by Anonymous on 11/11/2008

i have to throw my vote in for "The Chumscrubber"

Truman Show?

- submitted by Anonymous on 05/26/2009

Truman Show?

Wait on minute

- submitted by keaton on 06/26/2009

What about Revolutionary Road, and The Ours!!! Those are huge anti suburbia moives