For whatever reason, my college gives us a week long break at midterm. It's actually not even midterm, we just finished week six of fifteen last week. But we have a week off. I spent the morning sleeping in, practicing my job talk (just shaking the dust off of it), and working on a lecture - badly.

That said, in honor of fall break, I'm looking for movie recommendations. I'm looking for something specific. It's not so much a genre, as it is a tone. It's best expressed though giving you titles that I roughly group together:

• Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World


• To Die For


• Layer Cake


• Zodiac


• Boiler Room


• Rounders


• A Perfect World


• Brick


• Fargo


• Milk


• Tombstone

I'm not quite sure what binds all of these movies together, and they vary in terms of how good this grouping works. The best examples are Master & Commander, Zodiac, Tombstone, and A Perfect World. Maybe Boiler Room too. They're all quality flicks, driven by plot and character. They're all workhorse movies, showcasing strong acting talent, confident direction, and great design - but they're not flashy. They're exciting, but not really action packed. They're like '70s movies, but with a more contemporary sensibility. They tend to be films from major studios, but sort of odd or a bit less well known. They're solid, and reward repeat viewings. They're the kind of movie, if it's on cable, you stop and watch no matter what part it is. Do you know what I'm talking about? If you do - give me something that falls in that category. I feel like watching a movie.