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An error has ocurred. Please try againMarty, Around the World in 80 Days, GiGi, Tom Jones, Oliver!, Midnight Cowboy, The Godfather, the Godfather Part 2, The Deer Hunter, Ordinary People, Platoon, The Last Emperor, Braveheart, The English Patient, Shakespeare In Love, Gladiator, Crash, No Country for Old men, Slumdog Millionaire, The Hurt Locker.
All films not mentioned above and not on the list did not make the cut in mny opinion. A lot almost made it, some others didn't. i am exteremly picky. Some films that everyone gives 4 stars I didn't (In example, Lawrence of Arabia). here are the following ratings for the films not mentioed:
Bridge on the River Kwai: *** Ben-Hur: ***1/2 Lawrence of Arabia: * My Fair Lady: **1/2 The Sound of Music: *** A Man for All Seasons: ***1/2 Rocky: ***1/2 Annie Hall: ***1/2 Chariots of Fire: **1/2 Gandhi: ** Amadeus:*** Out of Africa:* Driving Miss Daisy:*** Forrest Gump:*** Titanic:***1/2 A Beautiful Mind:***1/2 Chicago:***1/2 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King :***1/2
Remember, this is my opinion, but feel free to leave comments about your feelings towards this list. I encourage comments. Please comment
PLEASE COMMENT!
PLEASE COMMENT!!!!!!!!
Anything before 1954 Marty Around the World in 80 Days GiGi Tom Jones oliver Midnight Cowboy The Godfather The Godfather Part 2 The Deer Hunter Ordinary people Platoon The Last Emperor Braveheart Shakespeare in Love Gladiator Crash No Country for old Men slumdog Millionaire The Hurt Locker
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Reviews
RuPaul's Drag Race: Welcome to the DollHouse (2024)
Drag Race is back to form!
What a FUN and innovative challenge this was! I loved the concept, and the queens did well (for the most part). It seems like the editing and return to the hour and half format has made the storylines extremely tight this season, and I am finding basically all of these queens extremely likable. Even Plane, despite her personality, is serving fantastic TV. The feel of the episodes thus far have heartened back to early drag race, especially since we finally have a villain again! The fashion being served on this season is otherworldly, and the storylines are finally feeling fresh again, and not the same boring reused tropes.
Ru should look forward to another Emmy. Mirage won it for her alone!
This Is Us: The Adirondacks (2021)
Great Acting but weak writing
This season overall has been significantly weaker than its predecessors. Yes, COVID definitely is a big hurdle to overcome, but the writing quality has greatly diminished. Every conversation in this episode should have been had NOT two hours before a wedding. Tying loose ends at the last minute is so cliché, and a trope this show had rarely ever gone on. The big reveal at the end was very WTF and not that exciting...I REALLY hope this show pulls a "Handmaid's Tale" and bounces back from the weak season with a super strong one. And with it being the last season approaching, it definitely has the potential. The acting however was flawless as always, and is honestly what kept this season afloat. I want intriguing storylines again!
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Overreaching but Enthralling
Christopher Nolan had a true vision in his head on how to take the most realistic comic book superhero (who doesn't have super powers) and make the comic book seem like everyday life. He surely accomplished this in the first two films, and didn't disappoint in this installment. Leaving off from The Dark Knight, in which Harvey Two-Face falls to his death but Batman takes the blame to cover up Harvey's crimes in which would undo the crime- free streets Harvey preserved as District Attorney. Now, eight years after the terrible night, Bruce Wayne is a recluse, in hiding, and crippled. But soon, a new terror rises, a masked mercenary known as Bane, who comes to give Gotham it's reckoning and threaten it with nuclear consequences. Bruce dons the cape again, in hope to be the hero Gotham needs. After the completely intriguing performance given by Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight, Tom Hardy has to pull out all stops to even try to match the mere effect of Ledger's Joker. Bane isn't as flashy of a villain as Joker, which makes it more difficult, but Hardy does for facial expressions as much as he needs to for an effective performance. Hardy truly embodies the enormous quality of Bane, giving the muscle but also the depth. Although an odd choice to choose out of all the other more flashy villains Batman has, he is needed, as the plot needs him. Newcomers Marion Cotillard and Joseph Gordon-Levitt prove worthy of praise, especially Gordon-Levitt as he takes on a more demanding role that he has never faced before. As the plot doesn't introduce Batman till about an hour into the movie, the main focus is a big risk. Batman usually relies on the villain to take hold of the attention, leaving Batman as a secondary character that just shows up and fights them off, but thanks to Nolan, we have his vision of Bruce Wayne, in which we can entrust our own emotions into him, embrace his character and relate to him. The big risk was to make a film about the emotional journey of Bruce Wayne. The film portrays it brilliantly, displaying the inner trials of the character as he contemplates his existence as Batman and why he needs to don the cape to save the city and what to do when the city is at it's greatest peril. Christian Bale gives his most effective work on this film, the star of the show, not even stolen away from Bane. He embodies Bruce Wayne. But he is given tough competition by Michael Caine, whom also gives his most effective performance. A lot of the films emotional leaks contain Caine as he amazingly jerks our tears as he convincingly shows his love for Wayne. All trilogies must come to an end. To go one would be foolish, but it also corms with its flaws, including over length. But, seeing how effective The Dark Knight was, Nolan had A LOT to match up to, and in the midst of that, over reaches this film in spectacle to try and outmatch its predecessor. The Dark Knight is more mature with plot line, relying less in action and more on the plot and characters while this one relies on Bale and the action filled sequences contained in a pre-apocalyptic Gotham. It causes the over length, but the filmmaking is stellar. Oh, and who can forget Hathaway as Selina Kyle? Many worried about her, but the worries were wasteful as Hathaway perfectly balances the mischievous cat burglar from the insightful woman. And also looks fine in the suit. In a nutshell, The Dark Knight Rises tried to hard to outlive what has been done, but what is given is fantastic, and truly marks the end to a phenomenal super hero trilogy, the first one in which all three films are comparable to each other. Therefore, I give The Dark Knight Rises ***1/2 stars.
Fatal Attraction (1987)
A surprisingly well acted and well scripted thriller
With the title fatal attraction, you would mostly expect just another thriller that doesn't really have much substance. But I found that I was wrong. The production value on this movie is tremendous, and the acting is brilliant. Michael Douglas plays the Everyman father extremely tight knight, with a sense of compassion and nativity. Anne archer is really well placed as his wife, and plays it to make us wish she was our wife. But the show stealer is none other than Glenn Close.her character is the centerpiece it is thriller, and her actions display the many outcomes and trials of the film. She doesn't over do the psychotic characterizations, but instead let's it build. Each time we see her, she is even more crazy, and eventually by the end, she is cutting her leg while trying to kill the woman who stands in the way of the man she is crazy for. Her efficient timing allows her to deliver her lines In a cold way that's ends shivers down your spine. But the one question I must ask is why cheat on Glenn close over Anne archer? No offense, but Glenn close is very masculine looking. Just saying. But I could not see anyone but Close playing the part. The directions discreet and well thought with varying angles that give a sense of dizziness, and the script is flawless. All in all, this is a well made thriller that needs to be watched, because every aspect of it is top notch.
Goodfellas (1990)
The perfect definition of an excellent film
Brilliance. This film reeks of brilliance. From the direction, to the screenplay, to the cast. Everything in this film is flawless. But, I shall go into more detail to explain this film's brilliance.
Mobster films are one of my favorite film genres, and I am sure many people share that same liking. They always produce a weird sense of suspense, intrigue, and mystification. The Godfather emblazoned the mobster genre, marking a true cinematic farce and a very good milestone in film making. After the Godfather, many people tried out their hands on mobster films, but none equaled the impact and quality of the Godfather until Scorsese made Goodfellas. Goodfellas biggest quality is that it is based on a true story. This makes the film even more interesting and likable, seeing as most of the events portrayed really happened. The story of Henry Hill was a perfect foreground.
On the acting side of things, there is nothing to really to complain about. The actors gave powerhouse performances, particularly Joe Pesci and Ray Liotta. Joe Pesci really gives a genuinely terrifying yet hilarious character performance. He is truly believable and ultimately ruthless. Liotta is spectacular. No more to add to that. he really showed the world that he could truly act when he did this movie. As for Robert DeNiro, he shines in every scene he is in, but my only quibble is the fact we didn't get to see more of his character. He seemed interesting, but we didn't really get any insight. Lorraine Bracco has an annoying voice, but she does give a great, passionate and sympathetic performance as Liotta's wife.
The direction by Scorsese is flawless. his choices were brilliant. he really gives a documentary style of direction, as if we are there observing the everyday life of the mafia. His fade outs are poignant, and his choices for the background music are a plus.
As a whole, Goodfellas gives a great insight into the mafia. It throws away the stereotypes we usually associate with those who are in the mafia, and it really has an impact. With terrific actors,top notch direction, an excellent, precise screenplay, and a great story, what is there not to like about this film? I highly recommend this film to everyone, and it should become a part of your movie library IMMEDIATELY.
Rain Man (1988)
10 stars to Whopner!
Some claim this to be an overrated buddy buddy road movie, but there is much more to it than that. One thing is Dustin Hoffman's performance as Ray, the autistic savant. his performance is so realistic, so convincing, and so human that once i saw Dustin Hoffman speak normally in another movie, it was so weird. His performance has to be one of the best film performances of all time. He deservedly won the 1988 best actor Oscar. Another key thing to this film is Tom cruise. although his performance isn't as eye popping as Hoffman's, this role gave Tom cruise a chance to extend his dramatic side, and he does it very well. he is very convincing in his role, using humanistic qualities to really show his character's snobby demeanor. His performance was not the stereotypical snob. Barry Levinson also uses comfortable directing styles that sometimes puts you in the mind of Raymond, and it has a dreamlike quality to it. To give a solid summary, rain man is an excellent movie with a simple plot. Sometimes less is more. And if anyone is in the mood for a good movie, look no further. The acting, direction , and screenplay is superior. The screenplay is flawless. I will say no more on that. So now I must leave off with my favorite quote from Rain man: "Shorts on the highway."
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Overblown, overrated, and sincerely just a boring movie!
David Lean's Lawrence of Arabia is considered a full out classic. it is widely respected everywhere, on numerous top ten best films ever made lists, and has received four star reviews everywhere. I watched this film because a friend recommended it to me. i sat down, ready and willing to watch it because of all the praise it had received. About an hour later, i was about to fall asleep. nothing was happening at all. i do enjoy many long films (Dances With Wolves, Titanic, etc.), but the fact that this film lasts about three hours and forty minutes is asinine. Why does this film about a guy that hardly anyone has heard about have to be this long/ I know why! Because all that was on the film makers minds was " I wonder how many Oscars I can get with this film." The Academy loves epic, and this sure was an epic. A seriously flawed epic. First of all is the length. All of this material could have been shown in a matter of 2 and a half hours, if only the script writer had cut out unnecessary dialogue. second, is how Peter O' Toole portrayed Lawrence. Apparently this character is a man who gets a rush by killing people. but, instead of giving the viewers a portrait of why this character has this issue, it instead shows shots of as much desert land as possible. Third of all, this film did not make me leave with a sort of meaning or purpose. All I left with was questions that could have been answered if only It had a better script. now, there are some aspects of the film that saved it from being a one star. That is Alec Guiness's performance as prince Feisal. He is, as always, brilliant. The rollicking score. It left me humming the theme for days. and third is the editing. my favorite is when lawrence blows out the match and it cuts straight to the red sunrise.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
In My Opinion, The Best Film Ever Made.
I can't really explain how good this film is in words. I mean, this film is more than just good, it's superior. Films like his rarely come along where all aspects about it is top notch. I personally see this as my favorite film of all time. But, what other people may ask is: what makes this film so good? Well, I believe the best quality about this film is the acting. Seeing as I am an actor, i am very keen to judge movies. But, once Jack Nicholson comes on as R. P. McMurphy, I knew I was in for a treat. What was so engrossing and special about his performance is the fact that he makes it so...him. It was naturally played as if Jack was really McMurphy. That is what is so great about Nicholson. he can bring himself into a role and play the character while being himself at the same time. probably the most rewarding scene that Nicholson gives in his tour de force performance is when the ward is voting for changing ward policy and watching the world series. 9 people on the ward vote while another 9 don't vote because their mental capacity isn't the same as those who did vote. but, Nurse Ratched sees fit for a majority and McMurphy goes ballistic to get another vote from the chronics. he eventually gets the deaf and dumb Indian Chief Bromden to raise his hand but evil Ratched closes the vote before Bromden votes. McMurphy then goes nuts on Ratched. The is moment is so rewarding to watch. This moment was so climatic, you could feel the chill of anxiety from the situation running down your spine. Nicholson is at his best with this role.
The surprise token for me in this film was Louise Flecther as Nurse Ratched. I had never heard of her before, but when I saw her play the role, I wondered why she wasn't as famous as other actresses are. i mean, Fletcher is astounding in her character. her villainy is so cold, she doesn't even have to have a menacing laugh or a mustache. She just has the aura of evilness. She treats the mental ward patients with disrespect by punishing them when they didn't really do anything and taking away the wards possessions in order for her to feel in charge. Perhaps the coldest scene she does is when she interrogates Billy Bibbitt after he has an escapade with a woman during a secret party held by McMurphy while Ratched was gone. She threatens to tell his mother and makes Billy so angry and depressed that he commits suicide. And she does all of this with a stern voice and a neutral expression on her face.
Milos Forman gives this film the quality it has with his "personal" direction. He likes to embody the character's emotions by closing in on them. His best scene is when he does a close up on McMurphy for a long time, capturing him falling asleep. There is no one talking, just McMurphy dozing off. He makes it breathe with reality.
I could go on and on describing on how good this film is. there is so much to say. i almost forgot to mention how good the screenwriters(Bo Goldman and Lawrence Hauben) adapted this from the book. They really showed respect for how well Ken Kesey did on this work. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest has been on several top movie lists everywhere, has received numerous four star reviews and has been marked as a classic film. Watch the film, and you will find out that all these people are not cuckoo, but right.
Terms of Endearment (1983)
The All-Star Movie Cast (Director and writer too!)
What made this movie so likable was the fact that it was so human. Nothing in this movie, which includes character interaction, the plot and the emotions of the characters could have happened in real life. So, in a way, you can relate to these characters. Especially since they are played by the great Shirley MacLaine, the fantastic Jack Nicholson, and the surprisingly well done performance by Debra Winger. Widowed Aurora Greenway only has her daughter to clutch on since she has no one else. But, when her daughter moves away, Aurora has to learn to live life, and she is put to the test when she meets her boozy, womanizing astronaut neighbor, Garret Breedlove (Jack Nicholson). Meanwhile, Emma (Debra Winger) is having marital problems with husband Flap. Throughout several years, the Greenway family must come together once more when Emma is faced with a life threatening situation. MacLaine and Winger give honest, true perfromances. Nicholson is probably the standout in this cast. the role he plays fits him like a glove. Five Oscars (Picture, Actress, Supporting Actor, Director, Adapted Screenplay). Watch this film, but have a box of tissues handy!
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
An actors treat, a directors treat, an overall TREAT! (With some Fava beans and a nice Chianti)
This film is often criticized for its treatment of using homosexuals as the bad guy, but when watching this film, I could not even think of political standpoints. I was so engrossed with how well made the film actually is. Anthony Hopkins (In his best role to date) plays Hannibal Lecter, a devious former psychologist turned cannibal with a brilliant mind. When a serial killer stalks the Midwest called Buffalo Bill, the FBI recruits a trainee, Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) to visit Lecter. Their main goal is to get Lecter to help them capture Buffalo Bill by looking into him psychologically (Bill skins women, and the FBI doesn't know why). Thus, starting a relationship between Lecter and Starling. Not a love relationship, a personal info relationship: Starling must reveal secrets about her past in order to get Lecter to talk. This film is by far one of the most deftly made suspense movies ever made. With Jonathan Demme's crisp, point of view direction, we see through the eyes of the character and this gives us a sense of how they are feeling. Winner of five well deserved Oscars (Picture, Actor, Actress, Director, Adapted Screenplay) , Foster and Hopkins leave this film by giving us a chill down our spine and a heart that is still beating from unbearable suspense from the finale.