These are the movies that I will recommend whenever anyone talks about
movies. These are the ones. Look how many there are! It's amazing how many good
movies are really out there. I can't wait to find more to put on this list.
| Movies (ones w/out reviews are prior to 2002 when I
began to write somethings about them) |
Movie Rating |
Nutshell |
Genre |
Sound Rating |
Violence
Meter |
| Fresh. Ahhh...what a movie!
Finally out on DVD so I could watch it again. This is hands down one of my
top-10 if there ever was a top-10. Stunning acting by a 10 yr old set in
the Ghetto. The kid plays chess with real-life pieces and manipulates all
the hoodlums just the way he wants. Awesome. RENT IT TODAY!
Note this has violent scenes and strong ghetto language, quite a bit
spoken by 10 yr olds.
|
10 |
Gangland Chess |
Hollywood |
|
|
| Seven Samurai. Anyone who does
not like this should go back to books. Simply one of the best movies ever
made. The story of townspeople who turn to mercenaries to protect their
town - the mercenaries in this case are rogue sammurai who do not belong
to a clan. Sure wish they could re-release it with a better soundtrack as the
mono channel is hard on your ears if you have a great home theater. |
10 |
Honor and Bravery |
Classic |
|
|
| Sopranos - Writing at it's
best. I've now watched 3 seasons of the Sopranos' on DVD and being able to
watch several episodes back-to-back w/out waiting is something on the
level of eating a full bag of chocolates w/out getting sick! I'm not sure
I believe this is how the mob operates, but the stark way the characters
see everything in black & white, with no room for grey is what I think
appeals to me as well as millions of other viewers. |
10 |
Mob, jersey style |
Date |
|
|
| 12 Angry Men - This should be
required viewing for all high school kids. The voyeuristic part of me
enjoyed watching the turmoil and arguments that go on behind closed doors
in a jury room. It illustrates how people's perceptions, their bigotry and
even their inadequacies, or failures in life can influence what they
believe. This is a remarkable and groundbreaking film, with long takes,
sometimes involving the entire cast. This could easily be a play instead
of a movie. Outstanding emotion in the characters and camera work (note
the angle of the shots - shot from low down or high up influences the
film) make this a classic that all should watch. Amazing!!! |
10 |
What goes on in the Jury Room |
Date |
|
 |
| Lord of the Rings / Fellowship of the
Ring - Simply outstanding. I've seen it 3x in
the theaters & about 5 times at home. I'm a pretty big fan of the
books (re-read them every few years) and was surprised at how Peter
Jackson interpreted it so well I was convinced he was following the book's
pretty closely. I re-read the fellowship the days after opening and was
surprised at how he manipulated the words, actions and dialogue to match
what my memory thought, and not what the book had. Great adaptation.
Awesome Music, I'm salivating at the extended version release & the
Two Towers this Xmas. WOW! This is DEMO material for
my Home Theater. |
10 |
One movie to rule them all |
Hollywood, Date |
|
|
| Shawshank Redemption -
One man's journey through the prison system who is neither weak nor dumb.
This is one of the best movies ever made, with a story to tell and it does
it extremely well. |
10 |
Making Do |
Date |
|
|
| Rear Window - I'd
like to think that Lantana was sort of a tribute to Rear Window - with a
different ending. Rear window is how one man is convinced of the
circumstantial evidence presented, forges ahead despite no one believing
him. Great performance by Jimmy Stewart in a wheel chair! |
10 |
Living Room Curiosity |
Classic |
|
|
| Band of Brothers -
This should be required watching for every person in America to get a
glimpse of what our fathers and grandfathers' sacrificed in WW II. This is
a 10-part series, that follows the trials, tribulations and sacrifices of
Easy Company of the 101st Airborne. Each episode has a small part where
the surviving members talk for a bit. Then there is supplementary material
where you get to see even more of them. Breathtaking, amazing and
heartbreaking all at the same time. WOW! |
10 |
Easy Company from start to finish |
Historical
Date |
|
|
| The Matrix - The
movie of the new millenium. What a concept! Some might way that the Matrix
has just too much action scenes & violence but if you pay attention,
it's actually quite the opposite, particularly the middle hour. Oh, there
is more than enough mayhem to go around, but it's so groundbreaking and
phenomenal I struggle to put enough words of appreciation to the Wachowski
brothers. There is so many good things about this movie, including the DVD
making of (The Matrix Revisited). |
10 |
What if our life is but a dream? |
Date |
|
|
| Pulp Fiction -
Broke new ground in a circular story telling concept. Many different
stories going on here and tying them all together - so many other movies
following it try to emulate. It's pulp at it's best! |
10 |
Deals, fights, drugs and death |
Popcorn |
|
|
| Saving Private Ryan -
Words cannot describe what our heros went through in WW II. Saving Private
Ryan attempts to shed a little light into what it must have been like to
storm Normandy. Extremely graphic in spots, and at times simply soul
searching. Phenomenal! |
10 |
All for one |
Historical
Date |
|
|
| Smoke - This is a
great story of a tobacco store owner and a writer who has writers block.
There are two scenes in here that completely swept me off my feet. The one
where they are going through Augies' picture album and the best Christmas
story ever. There is a single shot where Harvey Keitel is telling
his story and the camera just keeps zooming in, ever so slightly, over
what seems like 10 minutes - completely uncut and unwavering. Shivers go
down my spine when I think of this movie, it's sooooo good! |
10 |
Life changes before your eyes |
Date |
|
|
| Citizen Kane, 1941 In my
search to watch the classics, I had to watch this and I was not disppointed.
It was a wonderful film, watching the life of a man through various people's
eyes. It's an engaging story of a boy who inherits a lot of money, buys a
newspaper with lofty ideals, and slowly but surely loses his sight on his
goals and succumbs to be a bitter old man. The careful and methodical camera
work, and using camera angles were remarkable for a film of 1941. Also, the
way of telling the story by having a reporter interview old acquaintances,
and then telling the story through their eyes was very engaging. |
10 |
Life is but a dream |
Hollywood |
|
|
| Second Hand Lions,2003 - This
was a fabulous family movie that is really two movies in one. On one hand,
it's a moving story of a boy who gets to move in with two lost uncles and on
the other hand, it's a swashbuckling movie told in flashback!! A unique bit
of trivia is that Berkley Breathed draws the cartoons you see. |
10 |
Uncles living history |
Family |
|
|
| Kill Bill 1 & 2, 2003/4 - I
decided to hold off until KB 2 was out on DVD and then I watched them
back-to-back. Definately the way to watch these. This is yet another classic
by Tarantino. Action / Dialogue mixed in with Blood & Guts. I can't wait for
the special edition! |
10 |
Road to Revenge |
Popcorn |
|
|
| Fahrenheit 9/11,2004 - This is
classic Michael Moore. And don't get your nipples twisted. No, I don't
believe all of it, but this guy is just amazing at putting pictures and
words on the screen to suit his agenda. You can read my RottenTomatoe's post
here. |
10 |
Defend America Defeat Bush |
Documentary |
|
|
| Fog of War,2003 - I can't say
enough about this movie. It was a fascinating interview with Robert
Macnamara, the secretary of defense under Kennedy and then Johnson. You get
to hear about a wide variety of topics like about WWII, Bay of Pigs,
Vietnam, Kennedy, Johnson, Ford Motor Company, Castro and North Korea. It mixes live
interviews with archival tapes and news reels from history to put forth a
compelling story. However, Macnamara's statement "When asked a question,
Answer the Question you wished would have been asked" kept coming back to
haunt me. |
10 |
Powerful man, Powerful times |
Documentary |
|
|
| Fight Club
- This is one of those movies that fall into two camps. The ones
that have watched it and the ones that won't. Whether it was the title, or
the publicity around it, for some reason, quite a few avoided this movie.
It is really not about fights. It's about mayhem, Project Mayhem to be
specific. How can you get a group of seemingly invisible people (aka
everyday "joes") to band together into a scheme beyond any of
their individual abilities? Get a leader. A leader that has a few screws
loose and is followed around by an undercurrent for a desire to get away
from everything he has built his life upon. He just doesn't know it
;-) |
10 |
Brothers of Anarchy |
Date |
|
|
| Hero,2002 - Epic. This movie is
epic in both scope and story. When you sit down to watch this movie, you
will be treated to one of the most grandiose and enchanting movies you've
seen a long time - the cinematography is simply amazing. The scope of this
movie is demonstrated by the wide and varying vistas, giving you the feeling
of an ancient and enchanted place. The out-of-this world kung-fu sequences
defy gravity but do it in a eloquent way. This movie is all class with a
little bit of action thrown in. |
10 |
Defending the Throne |
Foreign
Date |
|
|
| The Lord of the Rings -
Return of the King, 2003. I can't believe I
waited until now to put my review in here - I think I was in stasis while I
waited for the Extended version to come out on DVD. The epic finally
concludes and it concludes in a major way. I'm a HUGE fan of the LOTR books
and while I don't agree with some of the changes made to the movies, I can't
imagine this Trilogy getting any better. Peter Jackson & company delivered
and did it in a huge way. |
10 |
All for one |
Hollywood |
|
|
| The Incredibles,2004 - This is
bar none - the best movie of 2004. The story is just incredible and the
animation - while not realistic looking by any stretch of the imagination -
is spot on. I can't believe how much I've enjoyed watching this again &
again. For the life of me I can't think of a single thing in this movie that
should be changed. |
10 |
Super Family to the Rescue! |
Family |
|
|
| |
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|
|
|
| |
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|
|
| Fidel,2002 - Talk about
propaganda! However, being fed so much negative propaganda by my own
government, it was very intriguing to see the other side of the coin. This
is a quite lengthy look at Castro, from the time he helped overthrow the
government through nearly today. It's a very different side that has finally
helped me balance the equation. Now, tell me why the US govt is so friggen
two-faced about "bad regimes". What difference is there between Saudi Arabia
and Cuba when it comes to human rights? Oh that's right, OIL. Sigh |
9 |
The other side of the coin |
Documentary |
|
|
| Before Night Falls,2000 - This
is a very interesting "biography" of a gay cuban poet who gets caught up in
the mess of Cuba and Castro's stance on literary activism....(no spoilers
from me!) I found it compelling and sorrowful. And if you think you've seen
Johnny Depp be crazy in other movies, you ain't seen nothin yet!
WARNING: A lot of homosexual sexual acts are
portrayed |
9 |
A writers' race to get out of Cuba |
Left Brain Historical |
|
|
| Hellboy,2004 - What a romping
good movie! I watched this again the next day. I found this perhaps the best
adaptation of a comic book every. It's got gusto, bravado and the right mix
of action with story.
Caution: Parents...this is not for kids under 10.
Trust me on this one. I made the mistake and my 9 year old had nightmares
for a week. (my 11 yr old did fine) |
9 |
When a demon grows up |
Popcorn |
|
|
| Touching the void,2003 - what a
gripping, gut-wrenching look at what a climber has to go through. Some of
the most fantastic images and scenery combined with gritty, delerium filled
halucinations. Amazing and True. |
9 |
Never, Never, Never give up |
Historical |
|
|
| Tokyo Godfathers,2003 - This is
a great anime in the same vein as Grave of the Fireflies - wonderful imagery
and an awesome story to boot. |
9 |
Bums to the Rescue |
Anime |
|
|
| Knife in the water,1962 - This
is a suspenseful drama set on a lake. A older man decides to take a hitch
hiker on a boat with him and his wife. One-up-manship ensues with a man who
has everything against a boy who has nothing but a knife. |
9 |
Slippery Deck |
Foreign Classic |
|
|
| No man's land, 2001 - This is a
gripping Russian movie about the Serbians' and Croatians - this was an
incredibly moving and occasionally funny movie, yet the dark undertones are
present throughout. Absolutely stunning photography and giving you the sense
of tension through the eyes of three soldiers who are caught in the middle
between enemy lines. |
9 |
Uncompromising Position |
Foreign
Date
Historical |
|
|
| Jean De Florette,1986 - This is
actually part 1 of a two part story - with Manon des Sources. These two
movies are simply an amazing look at a small french town and what happens
when people conspire against the truly innocent and the ramifications of
this subterfuge. It is quite an engaging movie and it will bring a tear to
your eye for the sorrow it reaps. |
9 |
Lies and Drought |
Left Brain
Foreign
Date |
|
|
| Manon des sources,1986 - See
Jean De Florette |
9 |
Drought & Revenge |
Left Brain
Foreign
Date |
|
|
| Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless mind,2004
- Wow, Wow, wow. This movie just floored me. The story, the acting, and the
ability to intermix the past - by showing you what is going on inside your
head - makes this movie one of the standouts of the past several months.
While it can get confusing at times trying to figure out where you're at and
if what you're seeeing is real or imagined, it "fits" the story - Simply
delightful movie. Definately a movie I will purchase in the very near future
to watch again.
While this is rated R, it's really for drug / minor sex. No real violence
sticks out in my memory.
Note: I'm giving this my highest rating on sound - not because of any
loud explosions, but the artful and perfect use of surrounds, music &
dialogue. Stunning sound presentation. |
9 |
Don't forget |
Date |
|
|
| Requiem for a Dream,2000 - This
drug induced coma of a movie shows you what addicts go through - and it
explores a few different addictions. This movie is unrelenting in it's abuse
of the viewer - it drags you down the stairs, out into the street and you
feel every bump. This is a very powerful, disturbing movie. Yes, it is a
great movie but only the most stolid souls can make it through the viewing.
I did and was happy when it ended. Powerful film. |
9 |
Depths of Depravity |
Left Brain |
|
|
| Angels in America, 2003 - This
is a six part series done and shown on HBO that examines the tumultuous
times of the late 80's and 90's with the aids epidemic in New York -
although it is NOT about aids, but rather people. It is part fantasy, but
also very gripping and soulful. You feel for the characters who are not only
sick, but the ones that are around them. |
9 |
To not be abandoned |
Left Brain |
|
|
| I, Robot,2004 - I'll admit I
watched this several times, unwilling to return the DVD to netflix. I just
can't help myself. This is really a great movie. Awesome plot, storyline and
acting and the action and humor are just spot on. I'd compare it to my very
high review of HellBoy. I just enjoyed the heck out of this movie! |
9 |
Nothing is hardwired |
Hollywood |
|
|
| The Abyss
- This movie is two completely different movies. The one that was
released in the theaters and the extended version on DVD. Depths at sea
bring about changes, specifically pressure, and this film delivers in that
department very well. The extended cut (only on DVD) shows an entirely
different plot-line of the aliens at sea and their mounting frustration
with the human race. In addition, the DVD packs one of the best
"making of" documentaries ever to be released. The DVD is a
must-own just for this making of segment, and the movie is pretty damn
good too! |
9 |
Plumbing the depths of humankind and sea |
Date |
|
|
| Braveheart |
9 |
A man who led a nation |
Date
Historical |
|
|
| The Green Mile
- this is one of the better Stephen King adaptations to make it to
the big screen. It's a remarkable and engaging flick that you mourn when
it's over, because you want to keep on watching it. The character's come
alive and you find yourself rooting throughout the movie, and crying at
some of the most emotional scenes. Really top notch! |
9 |
Miracles on Death Row |
Date |
|
|
| Ghost in the shell -
This is one heck of an anime. If you have not watched anime and
wonder what all the hoopla is about - start out with this great, engaging
story. A cyborg police officer goes about her duties while being haunted
by her previous life. Anime is all about telling stories w/out the human
actors - or limitations of camera placement. |
9 |
What was I before? |
Left Brain |
|
|
| Cookies' Fortune |
9 |
Small town macrocosm |
Date |
|
|
| 2001 ... haven't watched
this in like forever. Was disappointed that Hollywood video didn't have
the newly remastered version as the sound is very dated on the original
DVD. This is an even better movie than I recall so long ago. This is not
an action movie. It's pacing is like that of REAL astronauts. Kubrik
out-did himself with the photogrpahy & framing of this
masterpiece. |
9 |
What's to come |
Left Brain, Classic |
|
|
| Toy Story & Toy Story 2 |
9 |
|
Family |
|
|
| The Right Stuff |
9 |
The space pioneers |
Date
Historical |
|
|
| Usual Suspects |
9 |
|
Left Brain |
|
|
| Red Rock West |
9 |
A greedy but nice goodguy who just can't leave |
Date |
|
|
| ManHunter |
9 |
|
Date |
|
|
| Lord of the Rings / The Two Towers
- Peter Jackson continues to deliver on matching most my internal vision
of what Tokien had written and I have read so many times. As a movie, it
is an very good movie - but the cutting between scenes seemed a tad
rushed. I would love to cut this myself and eliminate just 2 or 3 cuts,
allowing some scenes to build more. As a interpretation of Tokien had
written, I was somewhat disappointed by the attempt at levity. I just
don't recall any levity in these books. However, what is delivered
is simply breathtaking and amazing. I can not get enough of these & am
beating my head against a wall as I await the Return of the King. |
9 |
One movie to rule them all |
Hollywood, Date |
Na |
|
| Dusk Till Dawn |
9 |
|
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| Repo Man |
9 |
|
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|
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| Resevoir Dogs |
9 |
|
|
|
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| Paths to Glory. Early Kirk
Douglas classic. Great story of the sacrifices and strengths of the men in
trench warfare during WW 1. It's not so much about the war as it is about
what happens when you have superiors who want to cover their asses and
target scapegoats. |
9 |
There are no martyrs in trench warfare |
Classic |
|
|
| Secret of Roan Innish - Norwegian tale of a
family who lives by the sea (hard life) and there is a mythology that
seals shed their skin & come to earth for a bit. If a man can find one
of these skins, they "capture" the seal and the seal will stay
with them forever. |
9 |
Living by and returning to the sea |
Date, Family |
|
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| Aliens |
9 |
|
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| Terminator 2 |
9 |
|
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| Life is beautiful
- This is a movie I had heard so many good things about and yet I
knew nothing of the movie. The first part of the movie was wonderful, with
romance, charm and the Italian society and then WHAM, the story changes. I
was not ready for the change and had to stop the movie & watch it
later 2 days later. The change is that dramatic. It really is a very good
movie. While it is in fact a very sad and depressing movie, it shows how
the acts of a very brave, enthusiastic and wonderful man can and does give
hope where most would cower and give into the depravity of the situation. |
9 |
Hiding the truth through humor |
Date
Historical |
|
|
| Star Wars 4: The Original |
9 |
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| The Good, The Bad & The Ugly |
9 |
|
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|
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| True Romance -
What a wild ride! This is an all-star cast (though not billed as one) that
is very violent & action packed! It keeps the pace up & running at
nearly full throttle. Look for the best performance of a stoner played by
Brad Pitt. Dennis Hopper has one of the best performances of his career
when he realizes nothing he says is going to save him, so screw it &
say something that will at least make it worth while. |
9 |
The inexperience of Love & Drugs |
Popcorn |
|
|
| Fargo - This is a
wonderful movie. It's about a man who gets desperate and hatches a scheme
that is doomed to fail. The Coen Brothers expertly bring you along for the
ride and their ever escalating
spiral downwards. Keeping you at the edge of your seat, you watch as laid back woman
detective moseys on, seeing and hearing everything and following her
hunches. Kind of violent in some respects, but it contrasts nicely with
the slow pace and the white snow. |
9 |
An investigation into Desperation |
Left Brain, Date |
|
|
| Gone with the Wind |
9 |
|
|
|
|
| Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels
- This is a hilarious look at a wide range of idiots and buffoons
who just can't seem to do anything right. Parallel Universes for the
stupid crooks and what happens when their universes collide. Despite the
somewhat violent scenes, this is really a very humorous and exhilerating
film! |
9 |
|
Date |
|
|
| The Bad Lieutenant
- This
is a STRONG and CHAOTIC look at a cop on the edge who's on a spiral into
the toilet bowl of life. Frightening, Disgusting and yet redeeming. My
wife didn't like this one, but I thought it was amazing. |
9 |
It can get worse than you think |
Left Brain |
|
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| Freeway |
9 |
|
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| An evening with Kevin Smith
- This is hands down, one of my most favorite "comedies" of all
time. I was thoroughly enjoyed by this somewhat documentary of when Kevin
Smith went around to several universities to give "talks". He is
simply amazing at standing at a podium and taking on any and all
questions. While this is really geared to those who enjoyed his movies
(Dogma, Chasing Amy, Clerks, JSBSB), I find it hard to believe that anyone
wouldn't enjoy this (except of course for those who really aren't into
vulgarity). His delivery and monologue as he literally just speaks off the
tip of his tongue is incredible. Fascinating. Laugh-Out-Loud and roll in
the isles type of funny. |
9 |
Creative Juices |
Date, Comedy |
|
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| Kalifornia |
9 |
|
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| LoneStar |
9 |
|
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|
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| Gosford Park - WOW!! Robert
Altman does it again. This guy is amazing!! he takes a simple period piece
and tells it from a completely different perspective of the servants and
makes an awesome movie! This is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. You won't be
disappointed. |
9 |
1920's Upstairs Downstairs |
Date |
|
|
| We were soldiers - This DVD is
a must watch. The movie itself is very good, albeit with some graphic
violence, but does honor to the men who served in Vietnam. The action
sequences were down right heart-stopping and the juxta-positioning of life
back home showing the emotional turmoil wives went through was simply
heart rending. What really shines in this though is the Writer/Director
commentary track, the making of, and deleted scenes. This is a DVD that
will take a multi-day approach, watching the movie from different
perspectives. Simply amazing. |
9 |
War at home & abroad |
Hollywood, Date |
|
|
| Run Lola Run. GO RENT THIS
MOVIE...NOW....This is a masterpiece. Fanstastic. Utterly moving and
fascinating. Think GroundHog day, but 10x better. It reminds me of the
wonderful book "Replay" by Ken Grimwood. |
9 |
Jagged Time Warp |
Left Brain, Date |
|
|
| Tortilla Soup. WOW. The
cooking channel meets "American Family". If you think you like
American Family on PBS, this will blow you away. Awesome Movie. Can't
recommend it enough. Go watch it. This is a remake of "Eat
Man, Drink Woman", and this is one movie in which I believe the
remake actually is better than the original, although not by much. |
9 |
Family cooking |
Comedy, Date |
|
|
| Fly Away Home - This is simply
one of the best "family" movies of all time. Despite a very
early violent scene, this is one of those movies than never fails in it's
ability to evoke strong emotion in me. More than likely this is because
this is the dramatization of a true story - one in which a man's quest to
re-introduce the whooping crane into Southern Canada. See http://fathergoose.durham.net/
for the real life project behind this movie. Simply stunning
cinematography and music will delight all that watch this. |
9 |
Ultra-light Migration |
Family
Historical |
|
|
| Blood In Blood Out. This is an
epic 3 hour movie set in the East LA Barrios. A story of 3 men and the
different paths they take, although the paths they take are not entirely
of their own doing. The movie quickly splits into 3 different stories,
showing the life of each as they grow through the years. What a
film! |
9 |
Tres Hermanos en toda vida |
Left Brain, Date |
|
|
| Metropolis (Anime 2001) - This
is remarkable and futuristic look at power, robots and the human spirit.
The animation is simply top notch, with a story that will completely
immerse and entrance you. The futuristic vision that is presented, with
castes of people and robots inhabiting "levels" of a city is
definately plausible, although the meaning behind the Ziggurat is more of
a plot device than being realistic. |
9 |
A robot's destiny |
Left Brain, Date |
|
|
| Oh Brother Where Art Thou - Is
it a musical? Is it a comedy? It's just plain fun! I loved this movie so
much. The music is a riot and I laughed heartily at many different scenes.
Expect a George Clooney you've never, ever seen before. |
9 |
Depression era Musical comedy |
Date |
|
|
| The Third Man. The photography
in this is simply outstanding. Black & White, great camera angles,
very good story. Orson Wells isn't in it as much as you might think. |
9 |
WhoDunnit |
Classic |
|
|
| Lantana. This is a movie that
addresses the tendency of people's imagination getting away from
themselves. How do you interpret what you've heard or what you've saw?
What are the consequences of not taking a deep breath? This is what this
movie is about & it does it VERY WELL. |
9 |
Imagine who dunnit |
Date |
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| |
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| Memento - This is a
groundbreaking film, much like Quentin Tarantino did with Pulp
Fiction. Using a plot device that mimicks the central characters
affliction with short term memory loss, here is an example of telling a
story in a non-conventional way and it actually making the movie better
overall. This really had me all the way through. The way the central
character combats the fact he knows people are manipulating him is the
best he can do. |
9 |
I can't remember what happened 5 minutes ago |
Left Brain, Date |
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| Spirited Away, 2002 This is
the best anime in a long time and it was so great to see this. The story of
a mystical world where gods go to relax and where a young girl finds herself
trapped, is an amazing journey. The imagination the animators had with this
material really shines through. |
9 |
Hotel of the Gods |
Anime |
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| The Decalogue, 1987 This is a
series of 10 movies, all each an our long, that examine the ten commandments
- some obvious, some not and some seem to poke at more than one at a time..
These are very REAL stories, that give you a glimpse of REAL life. Bottling
up a story in an hour, set in a freezing polish winter, with an incredible
look at what may be the 10 commandments, while very good, tends to be very
sad. Not much uplifting here. To be honest, I put all 3 discs in my queue
and only watched the first disc (3 of the 10). I enjoyed the stories, but I
couldn't bear to watch all ten in a row because I started to get into a funk
and wasn't really looking forward to watching them - they are very emotional
and engaging stories and at a later point, will watch the next 2 discs - I
have no doubt they will also be superior stories, so consider my rating a
premonition on what will happen when I do finish them. |
9 |
The ten commandments |
Left Brain |
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| Matrix Reloaded, 2003 - While I
am in eager anticipation of Matrix Revolutions, this movie stands on it's
own in it's radical cliff-hanger and still not answering questions. So many
theories abounded on what is really going on and what will happen next and
the communities that sprung up to discuss in detail & in length, demonstrate
the greatness of this movie. However, I can not help but think what will
occur once Revolutions is released and if the questions are not answered.
Great action scenes, although I still give T3 the award for chase sequence
over the highway scene in Reloaded. I think this movie was a great follow up
to a groundbreaking film, and continues to make us think. |
9 |
Further down the rabbit hole |
Left Brain, HollyWood, PopCorn |
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| Bowling for Columbine, 2002 -
To watch this movie is to learn that not all that we are fed is truth and
that we should raise an eyebrow every once in a while. I had heard and read
about the controversy long before I watched it on DVD, so went into the
movie apprehensive but excited, because Moore has a way of asking the most
innocuous questions, and by framing a shot, or the way he can ask a question
and get a penchant of truth to come out, is amazing. In my opinion, BFC is
movie that evokes thought & discussion and really doesn't have a focus area.
While guns do make up a large part of it, I thought the half-way point,
where he is talking to one of the parents of the columbine victims, the
focus turned away from guns (which a majority would quote as the main issue)
to other things. Maybe the "guns" answer is no more an answer than music,
video games, or whatnot.
I don't think there is any intention of trying to "prove" one way or
another, why things that are portrayed, in fact happen in any one way.
However, what is done is a lot of possible reasons are raised - not meaning
to say "hey, this is the answer stupid", but to say that the answer is a lot
more complicated than what is seems. The way they are raised can easily be
missed. It is the Satire by how these are evoked, is why I like watching
Michael Moore.
What makes a high-schooler yearn to be #1 on the "bomb watch list?"
Why is it more important to earn a living than to watch what your kids are
doing?
Why do people believe they need to have guns to protect themselves?
What does history have to teach us?
Does what the US does overseas, and in the past 20-30 years, have any
influence on what our children think is appropriate?
Anyway, I thought Michael Moore does a good job of raising a few eyebrows.
The choices of Chris Rock, the cartoon Southpark, news feeds, etc, was put
together extremely well. I thought the part w/Charlton Heston was kind of
sad. It's obvious he's getting along in years and to be quite honest, this
is the only part where I thought Moore went over the edge because of a
personal vendetta he has with the NRA.
Otherwise, perfect movie that I think everyone should watch. It should be
required watching for all 9th graders in high school - forget the R rating
on this one. It's too valuable.
IMO - the reason it is called "bowling for columbine" is because "bowling"
is about as appropriate answer for why this and other atrocities occur - as
anything else. There are no simple answers.
Warning: There is a 15-20 second montage that is
devastatingly gruesome and graphic.
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9 |
There are no easy answers |
Left Brain
Documentary |
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