We don’t see a ton of first-run movies in the pcg household anymore. So I frequently struggle with the idea of reviewing older movies that I happen to have just seen. On the one hand, I don’t want to get all excited about what is already common knowledge — “Dude, did you know DARTH VADER IS LUKE’S FATHER!!!1″ On the other, we watch a number of off-the-beaten-path movies that maybe not everyone has seen, or even heard of. With that in mind, we’ve recently seen a couple of Elijah Wood independent flicks from 2005 that were quite good. Both are nice and moody, with soundtracks and scenery to complement excellent scripts and actors.

Green Street Hooligans (2005) chronicles the life of a Harvard dropout as he escapes to London and into the dark, conflicted world of soccer gangs. While there are a few missteps in the acting (most notably at the outset of Wood’s interaction with his sister (Claire Forlani)), a number of gritty supporting performances (led by Charlie Hunnam) and a good script more than make up for it. The soccer is merely a backdrop for the incredible character transformation and rich storytelling that take place in urban England. It’s a very good watch.

Another thing we try to do is watch the trailers before a movie, particularly if it’s a lesser-known or independent film. That way, if we like the movie, we might have a few other similar movies to try out as well. This is how we came across Everything is Illuminated (2005), the story of a Jewish man’s quest to uncover the meaning of a mysterious photograph of his grandfather and an unknown maiden. The story winds through the Ukraine, starting in the city of Odessa, through abandoned and dilapidated Soviet outposts, out to the gorgeous countryside where the photo was taken. Surprisingly humorous, rife with subtleties and subversive Cold War pokes and beautifully shot, Everything is Illuminated is another very good watch.

Stay tuned, as next time I’ll review the new Lord of the Rings trilogy of movies.