845. Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Running Time: 99 minutes
Directed By: Quentin Tarantino
Written By: Quentin Tarantino
Main Cast: Tim Roth, Harvey Keitel, Michael Madsen, Steve Buscemi, Chris Penn

ON MY JOURNEY I MET A MAN NAMED QUENTIN

Remember when I was nearing 201 films watched and I slipped in "Sideways" to see how watching a longtime personal favorite would effect the outcome of my TOP 20 list? Well, in watching "Reservoir Dogs", I'm essentially doing the same thing, just a lot earlier. This has always been a favorite of mine and in fact, Quentin Tarantino has long been a favorite director of mine. As my director interests are beginning to sway in other directions, in my opinion, "Reservoir Dogs" still holds up as a great film.

The film is told in a non-linear fashion, flip-flopping around as Tarantino gives us tidbits of information, as he sees fit. The entire film revolves around a group of criminals who are plotting a diamond heist, from a jewelry wholesaler. The five men who will carry out the job are brought together by two masterminds, the father and son duo of Joe Cabot (Lawrence Tierney) and "Nice Guy" Eddie (Penn). The five have no prior knowledge of any of the others' identity and are given code names to protect this information. There's Mr. Orange (Roth), Mr. White (Keitel), Mr. Pink (Buscemi), Mr. Blonde (Madsen), Mr. Blue (Edward Bunker) and Mr. Brown (Quentin Tarantino). We're treated to very little of the events surrounding the actual robbery and more to the aftermath. The film takes place mostly in an abandoned warehouse, where the men have planned to meet up once the job was done. Mr. White and Mr. Orange are the first two back to the warehouse and Mr. Orange has suffered a critical wound to the belly. As Mr. White consoles Mr. Orange and we're treated to the more human side of these criminals, Mr. Pink arrives. Mr. Pink makes it known that he has no doubts that there is a rat in the group, stating that the cops were waiting there for them, causing everything to go awry. We also learn that during the robbery, Mr. Blue and Mr. Brown were killed and that Mr. Blonde went on a "kill crazy rampage", shooting everyone in sight. As the criminals gather at the warehouse and await further instructions from Joe and Eddie, we're treated to marvelous dialogue and flashbacks to the events that brought the crew together.

POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT!

The thing that I've always enjoyed about this film is Tarantino's almost flawless execution. Tarantino is a master at writing dialogue and I think he is well aware of this fact. The reason I think he is well aware of this fact, is because he starts of "Reservoir Dogs" with some amazing dialogue, as the crew sit in a coffee shop and discuss menial topics, such as the real meaning of Madonna's "Like A Virgin" and why Mr. Pink doesn't tip. He hooks us with that dialogue and by the time that scene is over and the credits roll, we're buckled up and ready for Tarantino to take us wherever he may. Following that, before we even find out that these men are criminals, we're shown their human side, as Mr. White consoles Mr. Orange and protects him as if it were his own child. White holds Orange's hand, combs his hair for him, tells him it's not as bad as it looks and whispers something in his ear (that we don't hear), making him laugh, despite his critical wound. Then we start to get more pieces to the puzzle, after Mr. Pink arrives and he talks with Mr. White. We start to learn that these men were behind a robbery and that there were diamonds involved. Then we get some flashback, we learn more about these characters and how they came to be stuck together in the middle of a heist.

The key to "Reservoir Dogs" is the fleshed out characters, the dialogue and the fact that Tarantino places several elements into play, the key element being that one of these men is a rat. I don't remember the first time I watched this movie, but I wish I could watch it again not knowing who the rat is. In fact, I wish there would've been someway for Tarantino to hold off revealing the identity of the rat, until closer to the end. I think it really would've been fun to play the guessing game throughout the movie and try to figure out which one of these guys was the undercover cop. But we find out at about the halfway mark which of the colorful characters is the cop and everything still meshes together fine.

One last personal note, before I wrap up here. I'll never forget my brother sitting me down when I was a young teenager and showing me a lot of movie that would eventually turn into personal favorites of mine. This was one of them and it will always hold a special place, for that reason. This is a movie that I can pop in at anytime and watch, and despite knowing the outcome, I can still enjoy it every single time. Although, this time around, it didn't give me that '10' vibe that I had it pegged for, it still is a great movie and one that I would recommend to anyone...well almost anyone.

RATING: 9/10 I can't really put an explanation on why this isn't a '10', other than the fact that I just wasn't feeling a '10' exuding off of this one. Nonetheless, it's still an awesome flick.

MOVIES WATCHED: 202
MOVIES LEFT TO WATCH: 799

November 24, 2010 10:55pm

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TOP 20: #102 - #201

Before we jump into this TOP 20 list, let me just say that this was a really tough list to make. I don't remember my previous TOP 20 list being this difficult. I had to make the choice to completely cut some really good films and there are some movies that aren't even in the honorable mention section that are REALLY GOOD! However, the twenty films that I chose are, what I think, to be a good representation of the past 100 films that I've watched and I really think, for one reason or another, that they're the twenty best films I watched. I urge you to comment on the list and make your opinions heard. I realize our opinions will differ, as I had to make the decision to completely axe a couple of major film hitters. Without further ado, here is my TOP 20 movies of the past 100 movies I've watched from the "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die" book. Enjoy!

CLICK HERE TO SEE A COMPLETE LIST OF THE LAST 100 FILMS I'VE WATCHED FOR THE "1001 MOVIES YOU MUST SEE BEFORE YOU DIE" BOOK, INCLUDING MY INITIAL RATINGS OF THOSE FILMS

NOTE: I've revised some of the ratings for the following 20 films, as some of them needed a bit of tweeking.

20. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) dir. Frank Capra 8/10
If it wasn't for that last scene, when Jefferson Smith is hoarse voiced and questioning Joe Paine about "lost causes", then this film probably wouldn't have made the list. That final scene is so damned powerful, that it has etched itself into my memory and I feel that it will be there forever. This movie lays a lot of groundwork to get to that final Jefferson Smith standoff, but the big payoff at the end is well worth it and luckily by re-watching the films for this project, I've seen the significance of "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" and am now able to appreciate it, like so many other have appreciated it for a long time.

19. Brokeback Mountain (2005) dir. Ang Lee 8/10
As I write this, I'm less than twenty-four hours removed from writing my initial review for this movie. My opinions haven't changed much in that short amount of time and my initial approval of this film, was enough to get it to this list. Heath Ledger is uncanny as Ennis del Mar and it only hammers home the fact that he is no longer with us and makes us wonder about what kind of a legacy he'll leave behind. In fact, everyone here turns in good performances, but it's the heartfelt love story that really gets to me. What most people write off as a movie about homosexual cowboys, I say it's more of a story about the importance of companionship and how companionship can come in all forms.

18. Bringing Up Baby (1938) dir. Howard Hawks 8/10
It's been a while since I've watched this one, but it's still pretty fresh in my memory and the main thing that sticks out about this one is how hilarious it is. Regular readers of my blog already know that I'm not a big Cary Grant fan, but this is one film where I feel he shines. Maybe because this is one film where his "sure of himself", seemingly pompous attitude is capped and he plays an awkward, clumsy scientest who is bested by the socialite Susan Vance (Hepburn at her best). This one always makes me laugh and try explaining this one to a friend and try daring that friend not to see it once you've explained it. Once you get into describing the plot, surely it will sound so outraegous that it must be a masterpiece...and it is.

17. Strangers on a Train (1951) dir. Alfred Hitchcock 8.5/10
I mentioned once that this one probably deserves a full blown '10', but that I ceased to give it that, stating that it didn't feel like a '10'. I stand by that statement, but why quibble with numbers. It's a great film and whether you give it an '8' or a '10', it's still a great film. The shots are immaculate, as we're treated to shots from the perspective of a murder victims' glass frames, a far away shot of our villain and a beautifully suspenseful final climax, that will have you clutching the edge of your chair...and fearing the dreaded merry-go-round. A true suspense classic from The Master of Suspense.

16. Dangerous Liaisons (1988) dir. Stephen Frears 8.5/10
I went into this one dreading it and came out loving it. "Dangerous Liaisons" is a tour de force of acting chops as everyone seems to show up with their game faces on, especially John Malkovich and Glenn Close. I'm not really big on films set in past centuries, but I'll certainly have to rethink that stance and be a little more open minded. It's not just the acting, but also the story that is appealing to me, as we're treated to an 18th century love quadrangle...I think that's the word I'm looking for.

15. My Left Foot (1989) dir. Jim Sheridan 8.5/10
This one dropped a bit from a '10' to an '8.5', but again we shouldn't quibble over numbers and just take it for what it is...yet another spectacular display of acting ability, this time by Daniel Day-Lewis. Immediately upon watching this, I deemed myself a Day-Lewis fan and marveled when reading some of the trivia tidbits on this one, such as Day-Lewis refusing to break character, even when the cameras weren't rolling. I also seem to remember a matter of broken ribs due to the fact that Day-Lewis refused to leave the wheelchair, that he was confined to as a result of portraying Christy Brown. It's not only the acting, but the miraculous story of Christy Brown that makes this film appealing and for a moment, with the help of Day-Lewis acting, we get a little bit of insight into Brown's life.

14. The Ice Storm (1997) dir. Ang Lee 8.5/10
Another one that is still fresh in my mind, as I only watched it a few days ago, as of press time. I can't for the life of me think of why I disliked this movie, upon my initial viewing of it, some years ago. It's got everything that I usually love: a really basic plot about really real people/families. The characters that are on showcase here aren't just characters, but seem take on the characteristics of real people: never doing anything amazing and basically just living their lives and dealing with the problems that come with that. The acting is good, the score is sublime and the photography takes on a pale element, possibly because of the title, "The Ice Storm".

13. Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) dir. Robert Benton 8.5/10
"Kramer vs. Kramer" has been a favorite of mine since I first saw it many years ago. That is why it's a surprise, even to me, to see it this low on a TOP 20 list that is made up of films that I saw for the first time, just recently. Still, there was no way that I could deny this film a spot on the TOP 20 and despite lowering the rating from a '10' to an '8.5', it's still a favorite and one that I'll always enjoy re-living. When a film can bring you to tears then you know you're dealing with something special and "Kramer vs. Kramer" has brought me to tears on many occasions.

12. White Heat (1949) dir. Raoul Walsh 9/10
One of my biggest discoveries since starting the "1001" project? The discovery of James Cagney. When I started this project I knew the name and had seen the face in one movie prior. Now, I'm a huge fan, own a handful of his movies on DVD and even own his autobiography, "Cagney by Cagney". "White Heat" is one of his greatest showcases, revealing what a terrific actor Mr. Cagney was. It's not my favorite Cagney movie (we'll get to that), but it's right up there at the top of the list and it comes in at #12 on this one. Oh yeah, the story here kicks ass too, as it's so complex for a crime movie, with different facets being added in and different situations arising.

11. Frenzy (1972) dir. Alfred Hitchcock 9/10
Hitchcock - 2. Probably one of the funniest Hitchcock films, while still managing to squeeze out all the suspense, intrigue and ingenuity that comes along with most Hitchcock movies. I can still see Chief Inspector Oxford trying to choke down his wife's dinner, which looked like a combination of squid and eyeballs, and laughing my head off. Barry Foster and Jon Finch were also great finds in watching "Frenzy" and the introduction of nudity and profanity lends a darker, grimier feel to an otherwise classic Hitchcockian tale.

10. Halloween (1978) dir. John Carpenter 9/10
This movie has always been a favorite of mine, but not until I watched on this past Halloween night, did I realize that it was much more than just a fun, slasher flick. This one acutally possessed some real good movie making qualities that you just don't get with other slasher, horror films. In a genre that is meant to scare and scare only, "Halloween" does frighten, but also puts a really good story on display and the cinematography is excellent, considering Carpenter and his crew were working on a shoestring budget. This is one that can immediately transport you to a small, creepy town on Halloween night.

09. The Wrong Man (1956) dir. Alfred Hitchcock 9.5/10
Hitchcock - 3. Henry Fonda has always been a favorite actor of mine, but without the "1001" project, I may have missed out on some really good movies of his, like this one. Okay, who am I kidding, I would've eventually seen this one on my own. I mean, how could I not have eventually seen this...it's Henry Fonda and Alfred freakin' Hitchcock for God's sake...that's a dream team in my book. It's a dream team and they produce a great film together, giving you a character to really pour your heart out for - Manny Balestrero. I loved every single thing about this film...except...the little plotline of Manny's wife getting admitted to a psychiatric ward. Other than that, the movie is perfect.

08. Toy Story (1995) dir. John Lasseter 10/10
We've reached the '10' spot, where every film from here on out either received a '10' on initial viewing or is receiving one in retrospect. "Toy Story" is getting the retrospect treatment, because I gave it an '8.5' when I first watched it earlier this month. Who am I kidding though? This isn't just for kids, as it provides enough suspense and heart to make it something for adults to really love to...and I'm proof of that fact.

07. The Piano (1993) dir. Jane Campion 10/10
This was another amazing find, that without the "1001" project I probably would have NEVER watched. I really dreaded watching this, as it just didn't sound that appealing to me, but I was given the surprise of a cinematic lifetime and really loved this picture. Holly Hunter was the biggest find, coming out of this one, as I always envisioned her as the silly, quirky, weirdo from movies like "Raising Arizona", but in "The Piano" she proved she had the muscle to turn in a great performance and that she did as the mute, piano playing, Scotswoman Ada McGrath.

06. The Pianist (2002) dir. Roman Polanski 10/10
No I didn't intentionally put "The Piano" and "The Pianist" together, it just came out that way. Roman Polanski, being a holocaust survivor himself, knew how to tell the story of Wladyslaw Szpilman, the piano playing holocaust survivor. Adrien Brody should also get some credit for turning in, what turned out to be, an Oscar winning performance. This movie is really sad and shows you what kind of brutality and horror took place during the holocaust.

05. Rear Window (1954) dir. Alfred Hitchcock 10/10
Hitchcock - 4. This is another longtime favorite that makes it to the TOP 20 list. I think this may have been the first Hitchcock film I saw, many years ago and I've loved it ever since. There's something about the main character this one piecing together a murder mystery, by using binoculars and peeping on his neighbors, that just really appeals to me. I love Jimmy Stewart, that's no secret and add in a dash of gorgeousness (that a word?) in the form of Grace Kelly and you have a recipe for greatness. Just let's not forget the cook himself...Sir Alfred.

04. Juliet of the Spirits (1965) dir. Federico Fellini 10/10
Like a lot of the films on this list, I rushed right to Amazon.com, immediately after watching this and purchased it. Someday I'm going to rewatch it and be treated to all of those gorgeous colors and images once more. I still stand by two facts coming out of this movie: 1) Fellini benefited from the introduction of color films, as he knew how to manipulate the colors in his films and provide a dazzling experience for the viewer. 2) This is Fellini's masterpiece. "8 1/2" was good, "La dolce vita" is overrated and the rest range from mediocre to really good, but it's "Juliet of the Spirits" that is, in my opinion, his masterpiece! This movie left me in AWE and that is NO exaggeration. See it. Love it. Be wowed!

03. Angels with Dirty Faces (1938) dir. Michael Curtiz 10/10
This one was pegged, by me, to be No. 1 for a long time and it's easily one that is #1 material. THIS IS THE MOVIE that made me fall in love with Jimmy Cagney. This IS my favorite Jimmy Cagney film. I love everything about this one, especially Cagney's facials expressions and the last line of the film: "Let's say a prayer for a boy who couldn't run as fast as me". But it's that final scene, with Rocky Sullivan being carted off to the electric chair that is one of the most powerful scenes I've ever seen. Rocky is a criminal, but we feel for the guy and we want him to clean up his act and get it together, something that he is never able to do and in the end, when he has to pay for his actions...it's a sad moment.

02. Shadow of a Doubt (1943) dir. Alfred Hitchcock 10/10
Hitchcock - 5. Until a few days ago, this was going to be #1 on the this list. Yes, this time around it's not Buster Keaton with five movies on my TOP 20 list, but rather Alfred Hitchcock. This is my FAVORITE Alfred Hitchcock movie and though I haven't seen his entire body of work, I'm quite certain that there is nothing better than this. Joseph Cotten stole the show for me, and turned me into a big fan of his. The whole story is just so engaging, as it sucks you in and spoon feeds you all that suspense that goes along with it. The story of Uncle Charly, the Merry-Widow Muderer being found out by his neice, Charlie. The fact that they share names shoudln't be misleading, as it is a good vs. evil battle, in the unlikeliest of forms.

01. Sideways (2004) dir. Alexander Payne 10/10
I saw this movie for the first time when it was released on DVD back in March of 2005. I bought the DVD soon after and have enjoyed it every sinlge time I've made the decision to rewatch it. I just couldn't put anything above this, as, for me, this is the best movie I've watched out of the last 100. When you spend time with a movie, as many times as I've spent with this one, then you have a hard time uprooting it and replacing it with new favorites. And honestly, I didn't want to uproot it, as this was genuinely my favorite film of the past 100. I find the characters in "Sideways" easily relatable. They're real people, with real emotion, desires and feelings, especially Miles. Jack is a real-life type character too, just not as deep as Miles. I love that character - Miles Raymond. He will always stand as one of my favorite characters in the history of cinema and that is one of the reasons that I placed this movie in the prestigous top spot of this edition of the TOP 20 list.

HONORABLE MENTION: Stella Dallas (1937), Le jour se leve (1939), The Grapes of Wrath (1940), The Heiress (1949), The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), The Birds (1963), Marnie (1964), Amarcord (1973), The Big Chill (1983), Roger & Me (1989)

Well there you go guys, that about wraps 'er all up. We'll, of course, do this again when we hit 301 movies watched and hopefully you've enjoyed this list. Again, if you're reading this, I invite you to make your comments known, whether you agree or disagree. I look forward to some feedback and I'll be back soon with more reviews as we make our way further through the pages of the "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die".

November 22, 2010 9:17pm

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679. Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)

Running Time: 90 minutes
Directed By: Amy Heckerling
Written By: Cameron Crowe, from his novel
Main Cast: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Sean Penn, Judge Reinhold, Robert Romanus, Brian Backer

201 DOWN, 800 TO GO

Knowing I wanted to watch something fairly short, so as to have more time this evening to work on my TOP 20 list, I once again ventured to the DVD shelf, but this time pulled a movie that my wife purchased, "Fast Times at Ridgemont High". I had seen it once before and liked it quite a bit this time around.

"Fast Times at Ridgemont High" really has no linear plot, as it is basically a grouping of narratives, telling the hi jinks of the students who attend Ridgemont High School and tells the story of their life over the course of one year. Our main character is Stacy Hamilton (Leigh), a 15-year old freshman who works at the pizza place at the mall. Her best friend is Linda (Phoebe Cates) who also works at the pizza place, but is a senior at Ridgemont High. Stacy is reaching that age where she is becoming interested in boys and Linda isn't the greatest of people to depress those desires. Linda does her best to give her a senior "woman's" advice and Stacy has her run-ins with several guys, including a 26-year old man and a classmate in her biology class, Mark Ratner (Backer). Stacy's brother is Brad (Reinhold), who's pride and joy is his "cruise vessel" a.k.a. his car. Brad holds down several jobs throughout the course of the film, including one that garnered him "Employee of the Month" honors - All American Burger. Brad is looking forward to graduating, but can't seem to get a grip on having a good time during his final year at Ridgemont High. There's also Mike Damone (Romanus), an amateur businessman who makes his money scalping concert tickets and betting on sports. Damone is arrogant and conceded, but gets a wake up call when Stacy shows interest in him and Stacy gets pregnant. Last, but not least, there's Jeff Spicoli (Penn), who occupies his own little world and in his own words, only needs "some tasty waves and a cool buzz".

POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT!

Seeing as how I was only five years old when I escaped the 1980s, I really don't have a handle on what is accurate and inaccurate in portraying the lives of high schoolers in that decade, but I'd say "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" is a pretty accurate depiction. You really get that suburban, high-school feel from the whole film and while the movie starts out reeking of 80s nostalgia, once you settle in, the 80s facet of it kind of fades away and you're left with a pretty good, little flick. This was kind of a star maker of a movie, as Sean Penn would go on to win two Oscars, Jennifer Jason Leigh made a bit of a name for herself, Reinhold went on to star in more 80s blunders and there's a slew of stars in very minor roles, who went on to become semi-famous to famous, including: Eric Stoltz, Anthony Edwards, Forest Whitaker and Nicolas Cage.

I really don't have a whole lot else to say about "Fast Times at Ridgemont High". I'm not sure if it's one of the 1001 movies you must see, but I would recommend it on the basis that it is a really fun movie and I think it's a hard movie to dislike. I think a lot of people, especially teens who grew up in the 1980s will have a lot of fun re-living the days of the 80s and comparing the lives of these characters to their own lives. Everybody who watches this film, can probably find one character that they're the most like, or that they were the most like in high school. For me, I'd have to say I'm the Nicolas Cage character, as I was lingering in the background, barely noticeable.

RATING: 7/10 Good film that would provide a bit of a stepping stone to Cameron Crowe's career. Although the only other Crowe related film in the book is "Say Anything", what's up with that?

MOVIES WATCHED: 201
MOVIES LEFT TO WATCH: 800

November 22, 2010 4:53pm

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213. Louisiana Story (1948)

Running Time: 78 minutes
Directed By: Robert J. Flaherty
Written By: Frances H. Flaherty, Robert J. Flaherty
Main Cast: Joseph Boudreaux, Lionel Le Blanc, E. Bienvenu, Frank Hardy

200!

Well I have finally hit the 200 marker and after the viewing of just one more film, I'll be all ready to put together my TOP 20. For #200, I chose "Louisiana Story", because it was on my Netflix streaming queue and it was short. Actually I didn't really expect much out of Flaherty's "Louisiana Story", despite liking his "Nanook of the North", but I got more than I bargained for.

Apparently the story goes that Robert J. Flaherty was contacted by Standard Oil Company to make a film about oil prospecting in the Louisiana bayous. The story is told through the eyes of a young cajun boy (Boudreaux), who along with his pet raccoon, spends his days drifting out on the
Louisiana waterways, playing, fishing and fending off alligators. When returning home one day, his father is talking with an oil man and signing a contract allowing them to drill on his property. Soon after, the oil company comes in, sets up a derrick and begins drilling. The boy takes kindly to the oil men, becoming friendly with them as he shows them some of his tips for catching fish (spitting on the bait is apparently a great tool for fishing). The plot flows along nicely, despite not a lot happening and the big finish comes when the oil crew hits a gas pocket, sending gas and salt water spewing out of the earth, but most of that is dealt with through newspaper headlines that come across the screen. The crisis is quickly taken care of, as the oil men are painted as heroes, who get the gas spill taken care of in the matter of ten days, finish off their work and make their way out of the bayou.

With the BP oil spill still fresh in our minds, it's kind of hard to take this film seriously. The oil men in "Louisiana Story" are painted as capable and smart drillers, who know how to handle a crisis, if/when one arises. Of course, the entire story is told through the eyes of a young boy, so that could account for some of the grandeur that the oil men are painted with and hey, maybe the oil men of those days weren't as incapable as the oil men of today, I don't know.

The film was actually, surprisingly good, for what it was. Flaherty made seemingly meaningless tasks and activities interesting and sometimes suspenseful. I loved the scene where the boy nearly gets his head bitten off by an alligator and the music and sounds that accompany it are quite effective. Later, they boy loses his pet raccoon and can only assume that he was eaten by a gator. He enlists the help of his father and together they trap and kill the alligator, not forgetting to row by the oil derrick and show the oil men their big catch. I would say, in regards to this film, don't go in expecting much and the payoff will be bigger than you'd imagine. I was expecting next to nothing from "Louisiana Story" and actually walked away from a fairly interesting, nicely photographed and well scored film.

RATING: 6/10 Just one more movie to go before the big TOP 20 and trust me, I realize no one is as excited for this milestone as much as I am.

MOVIES WATCHED: 200
MOVIES LEFT TO WATCH: 801

November 22, 2010 1:13pm

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Retro Repost: TOP 20: #1 - #101

EDIT: THIS IS NOT MY NEW TOP 20, BUT RATHER A RE-POSTING OF MY ORIGINAL TOP 20, FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN GIVING IT A BROWSE.

Well since we've made it to the one tenth marker, I figure this'd be a nice time to make a TOP 20 list and put some serious thought into the 101 films that I've watched thus far. Let's not dwaddle, let's jump right into it.

CLICK HERE TO SEE A COMPLETE LIST OF THE 101 MOVIES THAT I'VE WATCHED THUS FAR, INCLUDING MY INITIAL RATINGS OF THOSE FILMS

Also, a quick note: I've revised the ratings for the following 20 films, as some of them needed a bit of tweaking. The ratings that I give out when I review a film are my knee jerk ratings, and often times those change once a few days has gone by. Here we go...

20. Broken Blossoms (1919) dir. D.W. Griffith 7.5/10
This was actually the first movie that I went the full monty on and gave the full ten stars to. With a little thought I've lowered it to a seven and a half, but in my opinion this was the best, by far, D.W. Griffith film I watched and I can still see that closeup of the irate Battling Burrows, one of the great villains of the silent era. Great film, with a real heartfelt tone to it and one of D.W.'s most down to earth productions.

19. M (1931) dir. Fritz Lang 7.5/10
Only had to tweak this one a hair, as far as ratings go. My original review was a pretty accurate portrayl of my feelings on this film. The atmosphere of this one is so bleak and they plop a serial killer right in the middle of it, to give it an even bleaker feeling. There's so much going on in this one and it has plenty to keep a viewer interested and engaged in the picture.

18. The Gold Rush (1925) dir. Charles Chaplin 8/10
My original rating had this one pegged at a seven, but with some hindsight in play, it gets up to an eight. Hilarity ensues when The Little Tramp plays the gold prospector and winds up being reduced to dining on his shoes. I'll also never forget the visual of the cabin teetering on the edge of a mountain, while The Tramp and Big Jim wrestle to find their footing inside.

17. The General (1927) dir. Buster Keaton & Clyde Bruckman 8/10
I lowered this one a smidge, from eight and a half to eight. It's definitely my least favorite Keaton film, but that's not saying much, as it's still really funny and solid and provides a healthy look at the Civil War in the process. Constant suspense and excitement, piled with comedy...you can't go wrong with this one. But there are better Buster movies...

16. Sherlock Jr. (1924) dir. Buster Keaton 8/10
This one originally was given an nine and a half, but I lowered it to an eight, simply because the others stuck with me more than this one did. The scene where Keaton is cleaning up the movie theatre lobby is something that I'll never forget though, that provided many laughs and Buster just being Buster. I think the length of this one was also something that made me remember some of the other ones better, as this one only sits at around 45 minutes. But still some of the funniest 45 minutes you'll ever spend.

15. GREED (1924) dir. Erich von Stroheim 8.5/10
I remember watching this one and gushing it's praises, but the fact is that it just didn't stick with me the way I thought it would. The fact that I had to watch it on YouTube and watch the re-created version, with all of the production stills and extra material sewn into it, may have played apart in it's drop from a ten to an eight and a half. But we're praising movies today, not bashing them and despite the YouTube viewing and the added stills photos, this is still a top notch film, one that I would DIE to see in complete form, as von Stroheim intended it to be. If I could have seen von Stroheim's original, I'm sure it would be an absolute favorite of mine and a sheer masterpiece.

14. Our Hospitality (1923) dir. Buster Keaton & John G. Blystone 9/10
This one got dropped from a ten to a nine, basically just because I realized it wasn't so good that it deserved the full tenner. However, it was my first Keaton film, and for that it will always hold a special place among the movies I've seen. I'll never forget my first experiences with the great comedy master, laughing and loving every minute of it.

13. Blackmail (1929) dir. Alfred Hitchcock 9/10
The only Hitchcock film to make the cut, and it still boggles my mind that this one is one of Hitchcock's forgotten masterpieces. You NEVER hear tell of this one and it's really a shame, as most people probably walk by the Wal-Mart $5 bin, and pass up the Alfred Hitchcock sets that usually include Blackmail, not even realizing what they're missing out on. Great film, and easily one of my favorite Hitch movies.

12. Captains Courageous (1937) dir. Victor Fleming 9/10
Went into this one thinking the worst and came out of it with the best...well #12 anyway. Spencer Tracy delivers in a big way and with his performance he brands this film into my head. I loved his character of Manuel, a character with traits that everyone loves: kindness, hard-working, gentle, intelligent, witty. Way to go Spence, because without you, this film wouldn't be here. Great movie, that ANYONE can enjoy and everyone should check out.

11. I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932) dir. Mervyn LeRoy 9/10
Paul Muni burst into the book with his portrayl of an innocent man, framed for a robbery. When you're as much of a sucker for prison movies, as I am and then you throw in the great acting talents of Paul Muni, along with the whole innocent man/fugitive angle, then this was a given for the Top 20.

10. The Crowd (1928) dir. King Vidor 9/10
This proves how fast my ratings change, as only two days ago I short changed The Crowd with an eight and a half and now it's been boosted to a ten. The thing that really appealed to me here, was the everyman concept of the film and how our character deals with the tragedies that all of us face day to day: job loss, child loss, relationship trouble, in-law trouble...It's just a tale that is about average day to day circumstances and it's put together quite brilliantly by Vidor.

09. Le Million (1931) dir. Rene Clair 10/10
Since watching this I've actually bought it on DVD and am glad to give it a home on my DVD shelf. One of the zaniest, yet brilliant films I saw and it all revolves around a missing lottery ticket. The plot is simple and something that has been copied by every successful sitcom since, but it works great and I had a blast watching it.

08. Make Way for Tomorrow (1937) dir. Leo McCarey 10/10
"It would make a stone cry", that's what Orson Welles said of Make Way for Tomorrow and I believe the man had a valid point. The only film of the 101 thus far to bring a lot of tears to my eyes and I'm not ashamed to admit it. The principles do a wonderful job of reeling us in, and then once they have us hooked, we can't help but bawl. Love this movie and am so glad it's getting a DVD release this Tuesday.

07. The Unknown (1927) dir. Tod Browning 10/10
Probably ONE OF my biggest director finds from the book thus far, has been Tod Browning, as he totally delivered the goods on three seperate occasions and delivered ten fold on The Unknown. Lon Chaney delivers too, in a deliciously mad performance as Alonzo the Armless and the script is so good that I believe literally ANYONE could find enjoyment out of this one. This would be the movie that I'd recommend to non-silent people, to get them into silent flicks.

06. It Happened One Night (1934) dir. Frank Capra 10/10
My 'ol pal Peter Warne was the main character here and what a main character he was. Clark Gable showed his true acting chops with this one and THIS is the picture that he should be remembered for, not Gone with the Wind (Although, we're not there yet, so I'll hold off my discussions of that film). This took home the Best Picture Oscar, along with four others, for a reason and EVERYONE owes it to themselves to see this picture. Great, great stuff!

05. Steamboat Bill Jr. (1928) dir. Buster Keaton & Charles Reisner 10/10
The second best Keaton film that I had the pleasure of seeing, Steamboat Bill Jr. provides us with the unforgettable hurricane scene, that I personally will NEVER forget. Keaton had a knack for all things comedy, whether it be physical comedy, or subtle comedy, such as when he whistles the tune in the jail and tries to get his father to realize that he's brought him a loaf of bread with a knife in it.

04. Seven Chances (1925) dir. Buster Keaton 10/10
The BEST Buster Keaton movie that I saw. Seven Chances has the most memorable plot, in my opinion and to me, it stands out above all the others. You take The General and Sherlock Jr., I'll be just fine with Seven Chances, which made me laugh my ass off and the prospect of Keaton being forced to find a wife by 7pm, I mean c'mon, that just sounds hilarious. This would be the first movie that I'd recommend to someone who has never seen a Keaton picture.

03. Modern Times (1936) dir. Charles Chaplin 10/10
The more I think about this one, the more I love it and we're into the point now, where I'm talking about movies that make me so glad I set out on this journey through cinema. Modern Times is such a sweet, funny, pitch perfect film and honestly my absolute favorite Chaplin flick, of the three I've seen, and I highly doubt that any of the rest can match up to this one, although I'm certainly not above letting them try.

02. My Man Godfrey (1936) dir. Gregory La Cava 10/10
The top two here flip flopped in my head, back and forth, for quite a while, before I finally decided on their precise order. This one came oh so close though and this is the film that makes me want to see every other William Powell film. If I had to pick a favorite actor, based solely on the films that I've seen from the '1001' book, so far, then I'd pick William Powell, no question. He delivers here big time and this is probably the greatest screwball comedy I've EVER seen. There's nothing bad going on here and every aspect of this film is great.

01. La Roue (1923) dir. Abel Gance 10/10
Regular followers of my blog (if there are any) probably were taken by surprise by my #1 pick. La Roue was a film that I originally rated an eight and a half out of ten and one that I really don't remember going on and on about that much. I can still see the railroad engineer Sisif, climbing the big mountain, bearing a cross on his shoulders. I can see Norma going down to celebrate with the people of the village, as they all sing and dance in a big circle and the mountain takes hold of the screen. This is a silent film that was better for being silent, as only words could've screwed this up. This movie is so beautiful and so touching, that there were no words that would've been right in the mouths of the actors, it was just something that had to play out for itself and speak for itself and it did that. I still see this film in my head and think about it all the time and this was, without question, the BEST movie I've watched from the book, thus far and even one of the best things I've ever seen, book or no book.

EDIT: HONORABLE MENTIONS: I've decided to include 10 Honorable Mention films from that original 101 films and they are: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919), Sunrise (1927), The Blue Angel (1930), Public Enemy (1931), Duck Soup (1933), King Kong (1933), It's a Gift (1934), Judge Priest (1934), Captain Blood (1935) and Top Hat (1935)

Well there you go. I hope you've enjoyed the list and maybe you'll even take a little of my advice and go out and see some of the ones listed here that you haven't. When I hit 201 movies watched, we'll do this again, except we'll up the number to a Top 40. I think that's all that needs to be said and I'll go ahead and let my list speak for itself.

February 20, 2010 10:38pm
EDIT/REPOST: November 22, 2010 10:54am

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985. Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Running Time: 135 minutes
Directed By: Ang Lee
Written By: Larry McMurtry, Diana Ossana, from the short story Brokeback Mountain by E. Annie Proulx
Main Cast: Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Williams, Anne Hathaway, Randy Quaid

ANG LEE WEEK: THE FINAL STAGE

Reaching closer and closer to that golden number 201 and finishing off "Ang Lee Week" in the process, "Brokeback Mountain" was the next film I tackled. I'd seen it a couple of times before and always thought it was a pretty solid film. I think I may have liked it just a little bit more this go around.

When Ennis del Mar (Ledger) and Jack Twist (Gyllenhaal) go looking for work from Joe Aguirre (Quaid), they are assigned to work on Brokeback Mountain, keeping an eye on the sheep and protecting the from coyotes for an entire summer. Into the mountains they head, going in strangers, but coming out much more than that. While working together in the mountains, Jack and Ennis strike up a love relationship (which some people will argue gets started a little too fast and without much reasoning). When the summer comes to an end, Jack and Ennis go their separate ways, Jack back to riding bulls in the rodeo and Ennis to marry Alma and start a family. Four years go by and Jack and Ennis see nothing of each other. Jack ends up marrying a little, rich country girl by the name of Lureen and Ennis and Alma go to work popping out two babies and trying to make ends meet. One day Ennis receives a postcard from Jack, requesting a meeting and Ennis is more than anxious to oblige, replying with a simple "You bet". They are caught right away by Alma, who doesn't say anything and instead swallows the pain and realization that her husband is cheating on her and with another man. The two go away for a weekend and then are forced to get back to their regular lives. This keeps up for the better part of twenty years, with Jack continuously urging Ennis to move to Texas with him and start something together and Ennis always adamantly refusing for fear of what society will think of them and do to them.

POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT!

To me, this film is less about the fact that two cowboys are having a homosexual love affair and more about companionship between two men who just happen to be sexually attracted to each other. There are two key points to this film, in my opinion, one much less obvious that the other. Right around the twenty minute mark of the movie, there is a scene where a naked Ennis del Mar takes a shower, while Jack Twist sits in the foreground and peels a potato, while sucking on a cigarette. To me, this is a key scene, because Jack doesn't turn to look at Ennis and his naked body. I think this is a clear indicator that their relationship isn't purely animal attraction and lust, but more about friendship with the added sexual element. The other key element to "Brokeback Mountain" is the fact that Ennis represents the quiet man and Jack represents the flamboyant man. Jack is ready to flaunt his love for Ennis and doesn't really seem to care, just so he and Ennis are happy. He constantly hounds Ennis to come and live with him, so that their secret "hunting/fishing" trips can come to an end and they can be with one another all the time. Ennis doesn't want this, as he seems much more content with the secret trips and doesn't want a soul to know about his relationship with Jack. This is evident immediately following the first sexual encounter between Ennis and Jack, as Ennis stands outside the tent, not saying a word and riding off to tend to his work, almost in shame.

This is a sad story, not just because of what happens to the characters, but because of what the characters are forced to do, because society says it is what they should do. If you think about it, the lives that Jack and Ennis lead, really don't mean a whole lot to them. They both get married to fill the lonely time between their secret trips, they both have families and in the case of Ennis, he's forced to work dead end jobs just to make ends meet. These lives mean nothing to these characters and because of the imaginary restrictions that society puts on the homosexual community, condemning them for falling in love with a member of, what is deemed as, the wrong sex, they are forced to lead dead end lives, never being able to just go and do what makes them happy. Instead, their love is condemned, only to flourish on Brokeback Mountain, for several lone weeks out of the year.

As far as the technicalities go, Ledger is the standout star of the picture and it really makes you miss seeing the guy on the big screen. He was a great actor and I'm sure, like River Phoenix and James Dean, he'll be talked about for years, as people wonder how much greater he could've gotten. Gyllenhaal was fine too and really there wasn't a bad cast member in the bunch. Ang lee bangs out another good movie and hammers home the fact that he is indeed a fairly versatile director, making westerns, martial arts films, dramas about real families and light hearted comedies. The cinematography here is also gorgeous, really capturing the nature that is essential to any western. The score was also great, and kind of put a modern spin on the classic guitar of the old western movie.

RATING: 8.5/10 Well that wraps up another director and once I watch two more movies, I'll be all set to make my TOP 20: #102 - #201.

MOVIES WATCHED: 199
MOVIES LEFT TO WATCH: 802

November 22, 2010 2:03am

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370. La jetee/The Pier (1961)

Running Time: 28 minutes
Directed By: Chris Marker
Written By: Chris Marker
Main Cast: Jean Negroni, Helene Chatelain, Davos Hanich, Jacques Ledoux

SHORT AND SWEET

This movie has been floundering on my Netflix streaming queue for a good while now, so I figured I'd go ahead and give twenty-eight minutes and get it watched. It wasn't really that bad, but then again, it was a short film and there really wasn't a lot of time for error.

If you've ever seen the film "12 Monkeys" then you already know the premise of "La jetee". "La jetee" is told entirely by using still photographs and is about a post-apocalyptic world, following World War III. In the future, some scientists want to gather some human guinea pigs together to send into the future, citing that they need to "call past and future to the rescue the present". After some trouble finding humans who can withstand the shock of time travel they call forth a prisoner, based on the fact that he is obsessed with a childhood memory about a woman he saw and a murder he saw. He goes into the past and finds the woman, spending some time with her and forming a relationship with her. After being sent to the past, he is then sent to the future, where he encounters a group of people, who provide him with the power to regenerate his own, present society. After returning to present day, he learns that he is to be executed, but is then contacted by the future people, who offer to help him. He requests to be transfered to the past permanently, so that he can live with the girl in pre-war times. They oblige him and he is sent to the past where he plans to meet the girl on the same pier where he witnessed a murder as a small boy. When running to meet the girl on the pier, he is shot and realizes that the murder he witnessed as a child was his own.

I guess I just have a problem regarding short films as anything other than "good" or "not good". I have a harder time handing them the status of masterpiece. It just seems so ridiculous to me to deem a movie that is less than half an hour a masterpiece. Sure, "La jetee" is a good little movie and the photography is very nice. The ending is probably the most harrowing part of the film and the narrator's voice (dubbed in English in my version) was a powerful, good storytelling voice. Actually I've always been a big fan of "12 Monkeys" and seeing it first, I'd have to say I prefer it much more than this one. I'll have to say that Terry Gilliam did a pretty good job stretching twenty-eight minutes of story into two hours and the final product was really good, though much more complex than this. This was a simple, little sci-fi tale that served its purpose and got it's story across, so I'd say it's a success, but still...it's simply too short to really amount to anything more than a mild recommendation.

RATING: 5.5/10 That's a rating that rates "La jetee" on a short film scale and the "1001" scale. Good for a short film, but not significant enough to make it into this book.

MOVIES WATCHED: 198
MOVIES LEFT TO WATCH: 803

November 21, 2010 10:00pm

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