What are AS movies in your view?

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This is a very moving topic

Loved Herbie and Rudolph. Quintessential animated movie for kids to see if they feel like misfits. I know when I first saw it as a child, it was, wow, there I am.

The same with "Edward Scissorhands" and "Benny and Joon." Johnny Depp really has some insight into AS. Not like the more contrived efforts by Tom Hanks and Dustin Hoffman.
Erin Brockovich wasn't probably Aspie but I admired her courage all the same, played by Julia Roberts. I can't forget Sissy Spacek, either, in that teenage horror flick "Carrie". Ditto for movie "Norma Rae" starring Sally Fields.

I hope others will continue to add to this thread. I would like to know more about Aspie "positive" movies.

I forgot AI. Good call, whoever posted that.

I can't watch that movie, it hits so close to home. I believe very strongly that the two people involved in that film, Kubrick and Spielberg, are both Autistic, but at both ends of the spectrum - one looks at the world logically, the other emotionally. Such a strange way that they both worked on the film.

Donnie Darko

The Chumscrubber

Pi

Shine

Oldboy

I love Donnie Darko and it's one of my favorite movies, but I don't think that he had aspergers, though (at least, not obviously) He comes right out and says that he has "emotional problems" and that's probably the best way to describe it

Now Jena Malone's character, if you said that she had aspergers I would definitely believe that.

I have read that Erin Brockovich was dyslexic.

Gelsomina from La Strada....emotionally immature/childlike/naieve...not really meant for this world...

um...

LV from the movie "Little Voice"...somewhat of a savant....along with her romantic interest who is obsessed with pidgeons...

Lydia...Robin William's love interest in The Fisher King very....Aspie-like

American Splendor...Harvey Pekar and his "Nerdy" friend

32 short films about Glen Gould

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkvC611oC5g

The whole thing is on YouTube.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpDLUxCSiJM&NR=1[/youtube][youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkvC611oC5g[/youtube]

I can't wait to check them out Autismdiva. I like movies from David Lynch. There was an old one called the grandmother. The boy depicted was very interesting. I love everything by Lynch.

I totally agree; i started a thread ( which flopped!) on the TV and Film forum a while back about the film because it seems to me to be one of the most magic and positive and loving and accepting pictures of being out of synch, of being a difficulty-causing mixture of wise and incredibly "dumb", of being "sensitive", that i 've ever seen.
I agree with you re friendship. I cry when Carrey stands at window and says " and i'm fed up/sick of doing that..." ( about getting by etc) and they hug. I cry it's so wonderful.

Also agree re Scissorhands, tho don't actually like film, that the hands disabled/unfinished is crucial. Like my hands and feet and earlobes are all little/short for my height,( chinese say it's a sign of a weak constitution earlobes joined to head, no real separated bit). Or maybe refers to incomplete development of Proprioceptive system.

And A.I. , except I think Spielberg actually wrecked it. you can see the seam where he took over . Before that the scenario is chilly and detached, and terribly sad. And I identified with that boy. But the story after that ( after he's thrown out) is just schmalz. Shame.

"Housekeeping"; the aunt played by Christine Lahti. AND the bigger of the two sisters,
"The Fly", and "Brazil",
"Withnail & I". I was so in that mess at one point. And came to crashing collapse at age 29, before changing tack as a result of the discoveries i made.
"Twelve Monkeys"

"The Hours" ; Two highly sensitive introverts overwhelmed by motherhood or housekeeping responsibilities; i totally id'd with the 50's housewife played by Julianne Moore. I still cry buckets.

"Pulp Fiction"; almost every character is ! ! And I love almost every minute of it, especially Uma dancing.
"Safe" by Todd Haynes, Julianne Moore as a highly sensitive introvert overcome by her environment, and letting herself believe that it's because she doesn't love herself "enough", very very sad. A kind of horror film.
"Bad Influence"; James Spader as sensitive introvert falling foul of insensitive extravert, Rob Lowe. Manages to turn tables with help of his totally "aspie" brother.

"Big"; trying to live as a sensitive being in a world of noise and rush and competition,

"Batman Returns", Catwoman and The Penguin and Batman all in one. They are all like parts of me,
The best "Pink Panther" films; my personal favourite has fight with manservant Kato near beginning. I practically die laughing watching that.

I think a lot of comedy is based on sensitive introvert experience of world.
I would include "The Cable Guy" except that it paints a nightmarish picture of the outsider. But I love the medieval tournament bit.

Also love "Mulholland Drive" because it so values the inner life of mind. The innerness of experience, the experience of reality and dreams. Brilliant. I STILL haven't managed to see INLAND EMPIRE" tho'

Last edited by ouinon on 26 Dec 2007, 8:12 am, edited 5 times in total.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
What's Eating Gilbert Grape?
The Elephant Man

I'm drawn to any movie about outsiders dealing with being on the outside. Being There and Shine were good choices. I will always remember seeing Being There with my dad. He considered it was the funniest movie because he thought Chance was an idiot; I thought it was the saddest because Chance was like a helpless child. That sums up my relationship with dad. We never understood one another.

I watched Elf today. That appealed to my aspie sensibilities.

So did I. I couldn't stand to watch it. I cried when it came on, because I identified with him, and i hated to see him get hurt.

Yes!! There was a happy ending that was satisfying on sooo many levels.

Christine Lahti: One of the most interesting actors of her or any other generation, and no slouch behind the camera, either. She directed My First Mister. From an online review:


(From http://www.rochestergoesout.com/mov/m/myfirs.html)

And has anyone mentioned Harold and Maude?


(From http://oldschoolreviews.com/rev_70/harold_maude.htm)

Ricky Fitts from American Beauty has always struck me as being an aspie. He's misunderstood, been bullied, highly creative, obsessive and has a tendency to see the details over the bigger picture.

Leon strikes me as being definitely on the spectrum. No interest in relationships. No interest in contact with people. No real understanding of how money works. His best friend is a plant (ironically, a peace lily). Very set in routine; e.g. he only drinks milk, always buys two quarts of milk; cleans his lily daily; works out first thing every morning without fail. His social interactions are robotic and crude. He goes to movies by himself.

Intense area of interest: assassination skills. Why couldn't an Aspie make an ultimate assassin?

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=LsEYrtTkDUk[/youtube]Mathilda: "Is life always this hard? Or is it just when you're a kid?"

Leon: "Always like this."

Sounds about right to me.

Good fortune,

- Icarus loves his peace lily...

Garden State (Zach Braff makes a good aspie)


and of courseee Super Bad

Funny! I just watched Superbad tonight!...Teenaged Aspie boys gone wild....