102 Movies

The Lady Eve - Preston Sturges (1941)

2010-11-26T15:13:00.000-05:00

I knew nothing of this film before I saw it. I didn't know who was in it, nor had I heard of Preston Sturges before. That usually bodes well for the film, since I have no idea what to expect.

This would be classified as a 'screwball comedy'. Not usually my favourite type of film. The other one in this genre on the list is 'Bringing Up Baby'. In my humble opinion, 'The Lady Eve' is better. It's less.....screwball....and more clever.

I am not 100% sure why this one is on the list. I mean, it's a good film and all. It was the first time Barbara Stanwyck played a comedic role. It has a classic last line. (Won't tell you or it might spoil the film for you.) It does have a pretty sexy scene in it, which holds up even today. But not sure that it is 102 movie list worthy.

One word to describe 'The Lady Eve': Cute.

Fight Club - David Fincher (1999)

2010-11-26T14:39:00.000-05:00

Here is my tale of woe with this movie.....

I actually had never seen 'Fight Club' before. I knew that Brad Pitt and Edward Norton were in it. I knew that the first rule of Fight Club is that you don't talk about Fight Club. And I knew there was a twist at the end. I purposefully avoided anything having to do with 'Fight Club' so that I could experience it not knowing the ending. All was fine.....and then I watched the game show 'Jeopardy'. I guess when the topic was 'Movies with Twists' I should have changed the channel....but alas, I did not. Sigh. So I was tipped off to how the movie goes down.

I am not really into violent movies for the sake of violence. Hence my reticence to watch this movie previously. The movie is based on a Chuck Palahniuk novel (I thought about reading the novel before seeing the movie, then thought again. Read his novel 'Choke' instead. One word: interesting.)

The film was directed by David Fincher. Who, according to IMDB directed some of Madonna's videos (one of my personal favourites: 'Vogue'). As well as Sting's 'Englishman in New York'. (Another fave.) And on the downside, did Paula Abdul's video 'Straight Up'. You can't win them all.

Overall this was a good film. And I get why it's on the list. Who hasn't heard the line: The first rule of fight club.... (I stole the line for a book club I was in....the first rule of book club is you can't talk about book club. I thought it was funny.)

One word to describe 'Fight Club': Twisty.

Blue Velvet - David Lynch (1986)

2010-07-06T20:27:00.000-04:00

This is a film that I had seen before...but a looooooooong time ago. I recall it being weird, I just couldn't remember exactly how or why. And I was actually not really looking forward to watching it.

I happened to have this movie taped, and when Dennis Hopper died (a few weeks back) I decided it was a good time to watch it. He is brilliant. So far on this list I have seen 4 movies with him in it (including this one): 'Rebel Without a Cause', 'Apocalypse Now', 'Easy Rider' and now 'Blue Velvet'. I don't think anyone could play a crazy mo-fo like Mr. Hopper could. And quite frankly, he made 'Blue Velvet' entertaining for me.

In my post movie watching reading Roger Ebert said something that I totally agreed with. In the film, Isabella Rossellini on many levels is very vulnerable and naked (both physically and emotionally). He says, with regard to Rossellini's raw emotional energy: "They're so strong that they deserve to be in a movie that is sincere, honest and true. But 'Blue Velvet' surrounds them with a story that's marred by sophomoric satire and cheap shots." To me, that's what is 'wrong' with the film. There is a dissonance to it that just doesn't feel right to me.

I do have to say that watching it in context of the other films on the list, I do appreciate the artistic quality of it, and the influences. It is definitely from the 'Film Noir' school of film-making.

Overall, quality film.

One word to describe 'Blue Velvet': Dissonant.

Modern Times - Charles Chaplin (1936)

2010-07-05T14:46:00.000-04:00

According to my post-movie reading, this is considered one of Chaplin's greatest achievements. And is probably one of his most popular films. And has a famous scene in it, where Chaplin (as his 'little tramp' character) is moving through these big gears...if you see it you'll be like...OH yeah, that scene. Trust me.

This is a solid movie. And I am guessing, since this is the one and only Chaplin movie I have seen, it is pretty indicative of most of his films.

The film was apparently fairly daring for the time, since there is a scene in it where the main character accidentally consumes some cocaine in prison (mistaking it for salt). Back in the day....that was a big no-no and was against the film industry production code.

This was one of the last silent films ever made. Chaplin felt that he didn't want to have the Little Tramp character speak on film. What struck me was there were points of dialogue through out the movie...cleverly put in. It was a bit...strange.

One word to describe 'Modern Times': Cute.

Breathless - Jean-Luc Godard (1959)

2010-07-05T14:24:00.002-04:00

This is a movie, that as the list wore on, I really, really wanted to see. From what I read, this was Godard's 'masterpiece' and one of the 'must see' movies of the French New Wave. So, the problem with all that hype is...my expectations were set high.

Overall, it was a good movie. First, any film set in Paris is okay with me. There is a scene where the two main characters are walking down the Champs-Élysées. Having been to Paris, it's pretty cool (or at least it is for me) to be like...'I've been there!!!'

The story was kind of....meh. It was intriguing, but it was a bit drawn out for my liking. As with some other movies, I think this was a big deal when it came out back in the day. Films of this type have been made in droves since then. So I can see at the time, this was probably ground breaking. You can definitely see that film makers like Quentin Tarantino and Guy Ritchie were very influenced not only by this genre, but by this film. From my post movie reading, this was one of the first films that used the technique of jump cuts. It's a bit of a jarring effect, where a scene is edited together not seamlessly, but with different pieces of the same scene (I didn't describe it very well...click on the link to get a better description).

Totally agree with this movie being on the list. Glad I watched it. I am also glad it wasn't the first New Wave film I saw.

One word to describe 'Breathless': Frenetic.

E.T.-- The Extra Terrestrial - Steven Spielberg (1982)

2010-05-30T13:13:00.000-04:00

This is the only movie on the list that I had seen it in the theatre when it was originally released. (Yes, I am THAT old.) So I wasn't sure how I would feel about it watching it 28 years later.

This film, at least for me, held up well. I don't know if it is because the first time I saw it, I was probably around Elliot's age (the protagonist of the film). Or because the story is somewhat timeless. Either way, I definitely got caught up in it...and yes, I cried at the end. (I am a sap.) It could also have been the fact that when I watched it this time, I had just returned from a trip in Europe, where I was stranded and couldn't get home because of the volcanic ash cloud. So I could actually relate to poor E.T. (although unlike him, I could phone home.)

The line "E.T. phone home." comes in at number 15 on AFI's top 100 Movie Quotes. This movie also spawned a whole thing around Reese's Pieces. As I recall.

Bottom line, this is a cute, feel good movie.

One word to describe "E.T.": Sweet.

Frankenstein - James Whale (1931)

2010-05-30T12:56:00.000-04:00

This is another example of a movie that is difficult to watch in context of when it was made. Back in the day, this was a very scary and creepy movie. When I was watching it, all I could imagine was the movie 'Young Frankenstein' with Gene Wilder and it made it hokey. So I found it amusing more so than scary. Not what James Whale intended, for sure.

I guess the fact that this has been re-made and parodied so many times is a testament to the originality of the movie. Beyond the hokey aspect of it, this was a solid film. Good story. And for the time, the effects were pretty impressive.

In my post-movie investigation, the 'look' of Frankenstein was created by the make-up people that worked on the movie: the flat head and the bolts on the side of the neck. Also, the studio wanted to keep the identity of the person playing Frankenstein under wraps until the movie premiered. Bella Lugosi was originally asked to play, but declined. Boris Karloff (yes, the guy who voiced the Grinch in the cartoon) was hired.

And there is the famous line: It's alive!! (It's number 49 on the AFI's top 100 movie quotes.) The original line is actually: "It's alive! It's alive! In the name of God! Now I know what it's like to be God!" When the 1931 version was released, the latter part of the line (Now I know...) was obscured by censors with a clap of thunder. In the 1937 re-release, the original line was left in. (My trivia for the day).

Good movie. Glad I saw it.

One word to describe 'Frankenstein': Alive.

Out of the Past - Jacques Tournier (1947)

2010-05-29T11:16:00.000-04:00

I new absolutely nothing about this movie. I did 'cheat' and read the little blurb on the jacket of the DVD. I found out that Robert Mitchum and Kirk Douglas were in it. That it is considered a classic of the Film Noir genre. And was later made into the film 'Against All Odds'.

This was definitely a gem. I never would have seen this film in a million years. And I am really glad I did.

It was the old story, man with a shady past trying to re-build his life anonymously. Gets found out then has to answer for his past. That would be the character played by Robert Mitchum (who I have to say, was quite handsome back in the day!!). There are a lot of twists and turns in the plot. A femme fatale (as usual). Snappy and clever dialogue:

Whit Stirling: You just sit and stay inside yourself. You wait for me to talk. I like that.

Jeff Bailey: I never found out much listening to myself.

And my personal favourite: "You know, a dame with a rod is like a guy with a knitting needle."

(Rod in this case is a gun...get your mind out of the gutter.)

Overall, good flick. I recommend it.

One word to describe 'Out of the Past': Smokey

Night of the Living Dead - George Romero (1968)

2010-05-29T10:33:00.000-04:00

I was not really looking forward to watching this one. Generally speaking, I don't go for the zombie/horror flicks. I figured it wouldn't be too graphic, being that it is from 1968. And I was a tiny bit curious, since I have seen 'Shaun of the Dead' a bunch of times, (and quite enjoyed it), to see what the inspiration to it was.

I have to say, it was a good film. A little hokey on the acting (especially in the beginning). Although, it got high marks since one of the main characters names is Barbara.

I have said it before, it is difficult to watch films that started a genre, or were the first of their kind, since the story has been told a bunch of times, or the style has been copied over and over. This falls into that category, to a certain extent. Having said that, I was surprised that it does hold up very well to the ravages of time. Which I guess is a testament to Romero's film making ability.

I am glad I watched this one. I do think that is a part of popular culture and it's always good to have stuff like that in your wheelhouse.

One word to describe 'Night of the Living Dead': Brains

Scarface - Howard Hawks (1932)

2010-03-31T08:38:00.000-04:00

This isn't your Tony Montana 'say hello to my little friend' Scarface. This is the original from back in the day. And the Tony Montana version was a remake of this one.

This movie was actually surprisingly good. Not sure why I say surprisingly. I guess because I am familiar with the more recent version, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. This is a movie with a solid and compelling story. I guess what makes this (possibly) better than the remake is that it is a simply told story. And there are not as many of the distractions (violence, sex, swearing) that take away from the story.

The subtitle of this movie is 'Shame of a Nation'. It was a cry for government and people in general to try and do something to stop the violence that was gripping the nation. And at the time, this was a pretty violent movie. Truth be told, Bugs Bunny cartoons are more violent than this is. For the time, and what was acceptable, this was pretty out there.

One of the cool things about this movie, (or at least I thought it was cool), was every time someone was killed in the movie, there was an X somewhere. In one scene there was an X on the apartment door (where the apartment number would be). In another scene, the roof beams were in the shape of Xs. Apparently on the set (at least according to Wikipedia), Hawks had a contest to see if people could come up with ideas on where and how to place the Xs. Like I said....I thought it was cool.

Not much to say on this one. Was a good movie and I enjoyed it.

One word to describe 'Scarface': X

M - Fritz Lang (1931)

2010-02-26T15:03:00.000-05:00

This is one of those films that snobbish cinema types probably say you need to see. Kind of like '8 1/2' and 'Citizen Kane'. I am always suspicious about films with that much hype.

This was a really good film in a total non snobbish way. I was pleasantly surprised. It was kind of like watching CSI Berlin (the 1930s version). This was the first kinda sorta psychological thriller mystery type movie. And even though this has been done thousands of times, this film still felt fresh. I guess that is a testement to Lang's movie making skill. Not only that a movie that is over 70 years old can feel fresh, but one where this was the prototype. Nicely done.

This movie was part of a movement called German Expressionism (which heavily influnced the Hollywood Film Noir genre). Is this important to know to enjoy the film, no. It's just me showing off and being a film snob.

This was Lang's first talking picture (or should I say non-silent film)? And to his credit he doesn't fill the film with endless chatter. In some places, he actually uses silence (while the action on the screen is still going on). And, one can't talk about this film without mentioning Peter Lorre. He is really good at playing the creepy dude (see 'Casablanca' and 'The Maltese Falcon').

One word to describe 'M': Expressionist.

Rear Window - Alfred Hitchcock (1954)

2010-02-23T07:49:00.000-05:00

There are more movies on this list by Hitchcock than any other director. At first I was like....really?? When I thought about it though, I can't quite figure out what one should be dropped. All 4 of them all have a place in popular culture.

I had never watched this film before, although heard a lot about it. (Who hasn't?) So I wasn't sure exactly what I was in for.

The first thing, this is a pretty impressive movie. The entire movie takes place in such a small area. One wouldn't think that could be interesting. But it was. It taps into people's voyeur tendencies - spying on your neighbors.

The other thing, Hitchcock definitely has a formula. I am sure I'm not the first one to figure this out. Handsome lead man with a past, beautiful leading lady and they get caught up in a seemingly normal situation with bad consequences. I think that's what makes his films compelling. The situations that people find themselves in, aren't extraordinary. They could happen to you. And that's what makes them so suspenseful and frightening.

I really liked this film. It draws you in quickly and you get caught up in the 'action' of what's going on. Hitchcock definitely knew what he was doing.

One word to describe 'Rear Window': Voyeuristic.

Nashville - Robert Altman (1975)

2010-02-21T17:56:00.000-05:00

Another one bites the dust...

I watched this movie early on in this journey, I got through about half of it. (It's about 2 1/2 hours.) I couldn't get into it. I thought I would put it back on the list and watch it later. It came in the mail via my film rental place this week. I was filled with dread. Okay....not dread. I just really didn't feel like finishing it. And I figure that since this is my list, I get to do what I want. And if I don't want to watch a movie, I don't have to.

So why didn't I like this movie? Well, I found it confusing and hard to follow. I suppose you would call this an ensemble film. It made me think of another movie I had watched, 'Gosford Park', which is also directed by Altman. Oh yeah...I didn't like that one either. There were just too many people to keep track of, and there wasn't really a linear story (or one that I could decipher...in 'Nashville', not 'Gosford Park').

The film is about the country music scene in Nashville (obviously) in the 70s. It brings together all these characters, who kinda know each other. But really don't have anything in common. Except that they have something to do with the Nashville music scene in some capacity.

I watched a documentary on Altman. So I get why this movie is on the list. He was a maverick (I hate that word...not sure what a better word is) in the world of film-making. And he made the movies he wanted to make his way. I totally respect that. I just don't have to like them.

One word to describe 'Nashville': Headache.

Lawrence of Arabia - David Lean (1962)

2010-02-21T10:15:00.000-05:00

I had never seen this movie before. I had heard of it (obviously) but really didn't know much about it.

First, it's 4 hours long......FOUR HOURS!!! Complete with an intermission. So needless to say I wasn't super enthusiastic about seeing this one.

The thing about this film is, it was meant to be viewed on a big screen. (It was one of, if not the last film to use 70mm film vs 35 mm. Which means that it doesn't loose quality when projected on a large screen.) I think it's a disservice to the film to watch it on a television screen. The story is a simple one, with sparse dialogue. Much of the film focuses on the desert and the expanse of it and the desolation of it. And that is so lost on a small screen. It's the visuals plus the audio together that makes this impressive. The soundtrack is pretty amazing. I liked this film, but I am sure I would love it given the opportunity to view it as intended.

The wikipedia entry for this film says: "It is widely considered one of the greatest and most influential films in the history of cinema." I do see that. It is a beautiful film.

I can see why this film is on the list. And my suggestion is, if you have a chance to see it on the big screen, do so. I definitely will.

One word to describe 'Lawrence of Arabia': Epic.

The Third Man - Carol Reed (1949)

2010-02-15T18:44:00.000-05:00

Yet another movie I knew nothing about. Here is what I learned:

Huge zither score. Apparently it was a big deal. And the 'Third Man Theme' spent 11 weeks at number one on the Billboard charts in 1950. Who knew. (I cannot confirm that this is the only zither song to hit number one.) In all seriousness, the score for the movie and the sound of the zither really added to the ambience of the movie. So, well done with the zither.

This film is total 'film noir'. Shot on location in Vienna. Based on a story by Graham Greene. It's an engaging, interesting and suspenseful film.

There is apparently a famous 'speech' by Orson Welles in the movie (I'd never heard of it prior to the film, but in my post movie watching research, this kept coming up):

"You know what the fellow said – in Italy, for thirty years under the Borgias, they had warfare, terror, murder and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance. In Switzerland, they had brotherly love, they had five hundred years of democracy and peace – and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock."

The word on the street is that this was not written by Greene, but was improvised by Welles.

The other 'famous' thing about this movie is the entrance of Welles. He doesn't turn up in the movie until about half way through. And his entrance is pretty awesome. (I won't ruin it for you if you haven't seen the movie yet.)

That's about all I know. It's a really good film. I would recommend it. Two thumbs up from me.

One word to describe 'The Third Man': Noir.

Tokyo Story - Yasujiro Ozu (1953)

2010-02-15T12:16:00.000-05:00

The only thing that I new about this film prior to watching it was that it was on many 'best movies ever made' lists. (Not just on the lists, considered as one of THE best.) So I was like, alright....let's see what this is all about.

I'm not going to lie...after about the first half hour of this film, I was like....really?!?!? It's a very slow paced film. But the further I got into it (the full 2 hours 15 minutes of the film) I was more and more enthralled. By the time the movie was finished, I was definitely enamoured with it, and totally on board with this best movie ever made thing. This is a heartbreakingly beautiful movie that left me in tears by the end.

What I am discovering through this process is the best movies are the simple stories that involve 'typical' relationships between people. The films 'The Bicycle Thief' and 'Les Enfants du Paradis' are the other ones that comes to mind when I watched this.

On the one hand, this is a simple story about a couple who travel to Tokyo (from their small village) to see their children. On another level, it's not that simple at all. It succinctly captures the disfunction and selfishness and awkwardness of familial relationships. It's amazing to me that a movie made in 1953, and in Japan can so accurately depict things that are so universal. I have never been to Tokyo or lived in that time, but I have lived and experienced the scenarios that were depicted in the film. I never felt that this was a 'foreign' film, but one that was close to my heart. Amazing.

This film is an example of why I embarked on this 102 movies journey - I would never have watched this before. And I am so thankful that I was able to experience this movie.

One word to describe 'Tokyo Story': Beautiful.

Pink Flamngos - John Waters (1972)

2010-02-13T09:29:00.000-05:00

Right......

First of all, I need to fess up that I didn't watch the entire movie. (This is only the second one out of over 65, so I don't feel bad...okay, maybe a little bit.) I'm sorry...I tried....I really did.

I am hesitant to say this movie is awful or a piece of crap. Although some could argue that it is. (Roger Ebert for example, was not a fan of this movie.)

My impression of this movie is that John Waters got a bunch of his friends together, got hold of a movie camera and said "Hey, let's make a movie and try and put every taboo subject in it, use every word that is unacceptable and this will get us noticed." Because of this, I found it to be pretty unwatchable. I would like to think I am pretty open minded and not a prude, but this was beyond what I could tolerate in a movie. I bailed after about 45 minutes.

I won't get into the details about what made this movie unwatchable. (If you want to know, rent it yourself....but don't say I didn't try and warn you!) The question remains, why is this movie on the list.

Wellllll......

This is a pretty 'famous' movie (or maybe notorious is a better word). It's pure camp and it's completely unlike anything made before (or after, thank goodness). I think it's probably become a cult classic. So I kinda sorta get why it's on the list. Am I going to suggest this movie to anyone.....noooooooo.

One word to describe 'Pink Flamingos': Icky.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail - Terry Jones & Terry Gilliam (1975)

2010-02-13T09:15:00.000-05:00

Off the top, I love this movie. I've seen it a bunch of times and I laugh out loud every time I see it.

Sometimes older movies, and especially ones that were groundbreaking or the first of their kind lose their lustre with time. I don't think that this movie does. This is a silly, funny movie and it's nothing more than that. And it doesn't try to be.

I was trying to think of what has come since that is similar. And the only thing I can come up with are things like 'This is Spinal Tap' and the the other Christopher Guest movies ('A Mighty Wind', 'Best in Show'). But not even those are the same. And they don't detract from the originality of the Python stuff. At least I don't think so.

It's also possible that because it's part of my 'intellectual baggage' (as my old American Literature professor used to say) I am not objective. I say, who cares.

My personal favourite line: 'Your mother was a hamster, and your father smells of elderberries.' Cracks me up every time.

I am sure there has been much written on the significance of the movie (or lack of). And I am not in a position to argue either. I just think this is a funny movie. And yes, it's one of the ones you should see before you die. If you haven't seen it. Go. Get it. Now.

One word to describe 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail': Hilarious.

The Wild Bunch - Sam Peckinpah (1969)

2010-02-12T07:49:00.000-05:00

I have said before that sometimes it's difficult to watch old movies in context. What was avant garde, or ground breaking back in the day, can be passe when viewed today. I think that this movie (at least for me) falls into that category.

In 1969 this was considered the most violent movie ever made. By 2010 standards, children's cartoons are almost more violent than this movie was. (That is a slight exaggeration.) So it's difficult to be wowed by the ground-breaking-ness of this film. Kinda.

The film 'Bonnie and Clyde' made a few years before this one, opened the door on violence. And this movie just slammed the door open and burst on through. I do give Peckinpah credit, he did get the whole spurting blood thing down. Even for someone (me) who isn't into violence in movies, it was pretty cool.

There is a scene at the end of the movie where the two main characters basically mow down and entire village with a machine gun. It probably doesn't get much more violent than that.

The story in this film was a bit difficult. There were no good guys. There were just varying degrees of bad guys. And the story was pretty much the same in most westerns. (And one that we have seen a hundred times since.) A band of bad guys were creating havoc on the railroad (stealing stuff) and needed to be stopped. The twist in this movie was, instead of the good guys riding out to get them. it was a band of less-bad bad guys (the leader was working on his redemption).

I get why this movie is on the list. Not sure it's as relevant today as it once was.

One word to describe 'The Wild Bunch': Bloody.

It's a Gift - Norman Z. McLeod (1934)

2010-02-07T09:48:00.000-05:00

I knew absolutely nothing about this movie. And I only found out it was a W.C. Fields movie when I couldn't find it on the movie rental site I used. Some research was done, I found out it was a Fields' movie (was slightly apprehensive), and the movie was acquired.

I had never seen a W.C. Fields movie, so I wasn't sure what I was in for. I have to admit, it was pretty funny. I did laugh out loud on a few occasions. There is a scene at the beginning of the movie, where Fields is in the bathroom in the midst of shaving. His self centered daughter comes in to use the mirror, and he is relegated to 'McGyvering' a mirror for himself to use. Hilarity ensues.

The story follows Fields, his requisite hen-pecking wife, precocious son, mangey dog, and the aforementioned self centered daughter, as he sells his grocery store in New Jersey and buys an orange grove in California.

I presonally think the word kumquat is funny. There is a whole schtick at the grocery store where a customer wants 10 pounds of kumquats. First of all, I giggled every time they said kumquat. And second, what does anyone need 10 pounds of kumquats for? Hi-larious.

The movie is pretty much slapstick-y humour. It was cute and funny and thoroughly enjoyable. AND it was only 90 minutes long.

One word to describe 'It's a Gift': Kumquat.

The Scarlet Empress - Josef von Sternberg (1934)

2010-02-06T10:06:00.001-05:00

I knew absolutely nothing about this movie before seeing it.

This was the telling of the story of Catherine the Great of Russia (based on her diaries), starring Marlene Dietrich. Admittedly I was skeptical.

The movie was alright. Some of the acting was laughable. The Queen of Russia had a mid-western accent, and way over acted. The only thing that seemed believable or plausible in the movie was the lead actress, Dietrich.

In my post-movie research, von Sternberg and Dietrich made many movies together. And it seems as if the movies were just an excuse for him to feature her. So it looks like the story and all other facets of the film suffered to make her shine. I have to hand it to Dietrich, she's a good actress. I had never seen any of her movies before.

I have to say I was totally shocked at some of the sexual overtones of the movie. This was made just as the Hays Code was being ironed out. (The Hays code restricted what could and could not be in movies. Mostly around sexual behaviour.) There is a scene where the Russian consort who is bringing Catherine to Russia makes a pass at her and kisses her. She makes a remark that he shouldn't do that. He hands her a whip and says something along the lines of you will have to punish me. WHAT?!?!?!? I was like, did they just seriously show that. Holy moly!

The movie was over the top, kind of hokey and badly acted in general. The upside is, that I now know a bit of Russian history and the 'story' of Catherine the Great (at least according to Hollywood.)

One word to describe 'The Scarlet Empress': Hokey.

Some Like It Hot - Billy Wilder (1959)

2010-01-17T16:20:00.001-05:00

I had seen this movie before. Which I think worked in the movies favour this time. I knew the story so I could focus on the dialogue. And I was impressed how clever and...snappy the dialogue was.

This is yet another movie (is there a trend with this?) where the last line of the movie is 'the' line. It's on AFI's Top 100 Movie quotes at #48: "Well, nobody's perfect". You look at the line and say...yeah, so? In the context of the movie, it is hilarious. (If you haven't seen the movie, I don't want to ruin it for you.) But suffice it to say, I think it's one of the funniest and best delivered lines in the movies I have seen so far.

This film is just fun and silly and in my opinion a joy to watch. I have to say, Marilyn Monroe is totally engaging. There is a scene in the movie where she is simply standing in front of an orchestra singing 'I Wanna Be Loved By You'. This is one of the most sexy and mesmerizing scenes I have seen in film. She is in a dress that is clingy and sorta see through. And although you can't actually see 'anything' it's...well, YOWZA!!! And she has one of my favourite lines, 'I always get the fuzzy end of the lollipop'. Love it!

Billy Wilder knew how to make a film. Marilyn is sexy. And Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis are hilarious. What else do you need?

One word to describe 'Some Like it Hot': Charming.

Nosferatu - F.W. Murnau (1922)

2010-01-17T15:37:00.003-05:00

I have to say, this is a pretty good film. I have seen one other F.W. Murnau film called 'Sunrise'. And that was a very compelling film. It still amazes me that you can tell a very compelling story and evoke so much emotion in a black and white silent film. So that is why Murnau is a good filmmaker.

There is one scene in the movie where a Sailor sees an 'apparition' of Nosferatu - he kind of appears out of thin air. Keeping in mind this is 1922, it's a pretty neat trick visually. And I do have to admit, the character is pretty scary. And there is another one where you just see his shadow...creeping over the main characters wife. Very creepy.

The movie is based on Bram Stoker's book 'Dracula'. Apparently though, they forgot to secure the rights to it (oops!!) and basically it had to be destroyed and wasn't allowed to be shown because of the copywright infringement. Then recently, the original was remastered.

This was a good film. Just as good (in my humble opinion) as movies made today with special effects and CGI and all that fancy modern stuff.

One word to describe 'Nosferatu': Scary.

Fargo - Joel & Ethan Coen (1995)

2010-01-17T12:02:00.002-05:00

I had seen this movie shortly after it came out. I remember liking it, but also kind of scratching my head. I am not sure I had seen anything like it before. Since then, it has become part of our culture. Most people have heard of the movie, or at least know what you are referring to if you mention it. Mostly, people know it's the movie with the funny accents.

I guess what left me scratching my head was...the story was bizarre, yet plausible. It was clever and humorous but not funny. It kind of skated on this fine line between reality and....well something else.

I think that the Coen brothers are somewhat of a cult thing. People LOVE their movies. This was probably the first of their movies that I had seen (at the time). No, I haven't seen 'Raising Arizona'.....sheesh. And since seeing some of their other work, I can't say that I am a fan of the brothers as film makers. I like some of their movies, but as a body of work, I am kinda like....meh. I would say Fargo is my favourite of all their films. And that's probably why it's on the list. It might be one of the most accessible films. (Or at least of the ones I have seen.)

And not to spoil the movie for you if you haven't seen it, but the scene with the foot sticking out of the wood chipper (sock, and no shoe) is one of the most horrifyingly funny scenes in film history (in my humble opinion).

One word to describe 'Fargo': Okie dokie.

Vertigo - Alfred Hitchcock (1958)

2010-01-17T12:00:00.003-05:00

I have said it before, I was not the least bit interested (until this project) in watching Hitchcock's movies. I don't know why. Maybe it was because I thought they were 'scary'. Whatever the reason...I was wrong. This guy knew how to make a movie. He was able to capture the right mix of suspense through music, camera angles, and story telling. He was able to let the viewer suspend reality for 90 minutes and believe what was happening on the screen. Mostly because what was happening, was happening to 'real' people (they were like you, you could relate to them) and that's what made them scary. The people in his movies weren't villains, or bad people, or some caricatures, they were just ordinary everyday folks who had some extraordinary circumstances happen to them.

This is a good movie because you totally do not know what is going to happen. You think you do, but then BAM! there is this huge twist. I guess that is the modus operandi of his films in general. But it still makes for good entertainment.

There are 4 movies by Hitchcock on this list: Vertigo, Rear Window, Psycho, North by Northwest. Which is the most by one director (Spielberg has 3.) What relevance does that have in the bigger scope of filmmaking? Probably none. I do think that it reinforces the importance of Hitchcock and his ability to make a good movie.

One word to describe 'Vertigo': Twisty.

Gone with the Wind - Victor Fleming (1939)

2010-01-17T11:59:00.005-05:00

This is one of the first movies I watched that I fell in love with. So it has a special place in my heart. I remember watching this on TV with my Mom when I was probably 14 (or around there somewhere). I thought this was an amazing movie. The love story (I had a crush on Rhett Butler). The colours and the costumes. I remember being mesmerized. I have not watched it since then. So I was interested to see if I still liked it as much viewing it as an adult. And I did. Although it runs long, just shy of 4 hours, I don't think that the story could be told in less time.

This movie was made in a year that some (most film people) believe is the pinnacle of Hollywood movie making. 1939 spawned some of the most popular and best loved movies of all time: Gone with the Wind, The Wizard of Oz (directed by Victor Fleming as well), Mr Smith Goes to Washington, Stagecoach (the movie that made John Wayne famous), and on and on. I might argue that Gone with the Wind is the pinnacle of that year. It won Best Picture at the Academy Awards that year (not saying that particular honour makes a good movie).

I also think it's important to look at the historical context of 1939. It was just as the Great Depression was ending and WW II was just starting. So a film about the devastating effects of War and the hardships of that would have been particularly relevant in that year. And beyond this being an epic masterpiece of film making, this is maybe why it has such a place in history and in people's hearts. It reflected the times, although it's a story of a events that 'happened' almost a hundred years prior.

Cinematically this is a stunning movie. Acting wise, this was brilliantly cast. Was there anyone else who could have played Rhett Butler other than Clark Gable? No. Was Vivian Leigh the right choice for Scarlett? Absolutely. Does this have some of the most memorable lines in movie history? Duh!!! 'Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn.' (At the time, damn was thought of as being very risque...how times have changed.) Which is, by the way, the #1 quote on AFI's top 100 movie quotes of all time. And, 'As God as my witness, I will never go hungry again.'

Is this movie culturally relevant? Yes. Is this a great movie? Yes.

One word to describe 'Gone with the Wind': Awesome!

Aguirre, Wrath of God - Werner Herzog (1972)

2009-12-11T21:18:00.002-05:00

Let's start with what was good about this movie: it was 94 minutes long. The cinematography was beautiful.

Other than that, I don't have much else nice to say about this one. I just didn't get it. And I can't quite figure out why. It was a story about a group of Spanish explorers looking for El Dorado. Because of low food and rough terrain, a small group of them forge ahead to look for a place to settle and the plan is they will come back for the others. This smaller group basically falls apart when the Aguirre (from the title) orchestrates a coup (kinda sorta). So it's the story of the dismantling of this smaller group.

Werner Herzog is a prolific film maker. So I was intrigued to see this film. Maybe the reason I didn't like this film is as simple as I don't like Herzog's way of telling a story. There just seemed that there was a lot of stuff going on in the film - a lot of internal conflicts of the characters - that wasn't on the screen. Maybe it was because of the subtitles that some of this was lost. I'm not sure. I just really did not enjoy this movie.

One word to describe 'Aguirre, Wrath of God': Meh.

Intolerance - D.W. Griffith (1916)

2009-11-23T22:07:00.003-05:00

In a lot of ways, this is an amazing movie. If I put myself (as much as one can) in a seat in a theatre watching this in 1916 - I would be impressed. This is an epic cinematic masterpiece. For it's time. Today, we take it for granted that the world is accessible to us. Through TV, newspapers, magazines and the Internet - we can see anything we want whenever we want. Back in 1916, that was not the case. So to see a movie that takes place in a palace in France, and in the streets of a Byzantine market would have bee thrilling (I imagine).

The story about this film is this, D.W. Griffith made a movie 'The Birth of a Nation' in 1915. (And yes, I have watched it.) It is a good movie which traces the history of the United States through to the Civil War. The problem with this movie is, it is unapologetically racist. I won't go into detail, but one of the final scenes is the KKK riding in to save the day. Sheesh!!! And it's a shame, because this is a landmark film and it's tainted by this.

So, Griffith made 'Intolerance' as an apology for making 'The Birth of a Nation'.

When I started this project, I had a couple of rules, one was I had to watch all the films on the list (even if I had seen them before) and I had to watch them to their completion. I broke that rule with this movie. I sat through 2 hours (of the 3 hour epic) and I had to give up. And before you judge me, I invite you to watch it.

Important film to see. Yes. Do I ever plan on watching it again? No.

One word to describe 'Intolerance': Intolerable

Rebel Without A Cause - Nicholas Ray (1955)

2009-11-13T17:05:00.003-05:00

I've seen this movie a few times. I like it. I wouldn't say that it's on my top 10 list of favourite movies. I find it a little too teen angst-y for my liking. Having said that, I am a fan of James Dean. So any time I have a chance to watch one of his films I am in.

The thing that struck me about this movie that I didn't realize before was the character of Plato (played by Sal Mineo) is portrayed as gay (not that there is anything wrong with that). At the time this movie was made, films were subject to the 'Production Code'. These were the guidelines that movies had to follow - what could, but mostly could not be portrayed in a film. (This was the pre-cursor to our current MPAA rating system.) And along with 'nakedness and suggestive dances' (that one cracks me up) that can't be in a film, homosexuality is one of the big no-no's. So film makers were not allowed to overtly portray any character as gay. In 'Rebel' James Dean, Nicolas Ray (the Director) and Sal Mineo worked out ways to portray this subtly. There were longing glances between Mineo's character and Dean's. Plato had a picture of Alan Ladd in his locker. So you kind of put the pieces together and go....OH!!! Got it.

And in case you were wondering, the movie was released about a month after James Dean's death.

Good movie. Another one of those films that you should see.

One word to describe 'Rebel Without a Cause': Angst

The Maltese Falcon - John Houston (1941)

2009-11-13T17:03:00.012-05:00

I'd seen this movie a long time ago. So I knew the gist of the movie but couldn't remember the details. And I have to say, this is a good film.

First of all, pretty much any movie with Humphrey Bogart in it is alright with me. I know, I know, he kinda sorta plays the same character in every movie. But hey, he's Bogart. He's cool. He can do that.

And secondly, it's a damn good story. It twists and turns. There is action and romance and murder. There is double crossing. What else do you want?

I also didn't realize (or I forgot) that half the cast of Casablanca is in this movie. Okay, not half. But Peter Lorre and Sydney Greenstreet (his first on-screen appearance...who knew) are in it. I do like Lorre, he plays a great creepy bad guy.

And here is another famous line that happens to end the movie: "The stuff that dreams are made of." (My trivia for the day kids...this line was suggested by Bogart and was a paraphrased line from The Tempest by William Shakespeare "We are such stuff as dreams are made on,/ And our little life is rounded with a sleep.")

I get why this movie is on the list, it is an iconic movie. It is considered to be the first in the genre of film noir. It's definitely one of those movies that 'you should see'.

One word to describe 'The Maltese Falcon': Noir

Casablanca - Michael Curtiz (1942)

2009-11-13T17:03:00.004-05:00

I could write pages and pages about this film. It is one of my favourite movies of ALL time (second only to 'The Godfather'). I wanted this film to be the halfway mark of the list.

I have seen this film too many times to count. I have seen it on TV, DVD and luckily enough on the big screen. It stands up every single time I see it. And I don't tire of watching it. Somehow (and I have no idea how or why this is) it is fresh and exciting and engaging every time I watch it. It's almost like each time is the first time.

The story is simple and classic. Good guys/bad guys, romance, handsome leading man (Humphrey Bogart), beautiful leading lady (Ingrid Bergman). Some of the best lines ever in a movie:

'You played it for her, you can play it for me.'

'This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.'

'Here's looking at you, kid.'

And my personal favourite: 'It doesn't take much to see that the problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world.'

This is the 'other' Humphrey Bogart movie that has the most mis-quoted line (the other one was 'The Treasure of the Sierra Madre'). It's not 'Play it again Sam.' (Admittedly, the first time I saw this film, I was a bit disappointed that isn't the actual line.)

Like I said, I could go on and on about how much I love this movie. I won't.

One word to describe 'Casablanca': Timeless

The Manchurian Candidate - John Frankenheimer (1962)

2009-10-25T09:08:00.003-04:00

I had heard about this movie, knew it had Frank Sinatra in it. I have also watched (recently) a documentary on Frankenheimer. So it was cool to have one of his films pop up on the list.

The film is really good. Very suspenseful and interesting and engaging. Angela Lansbury plays a cra-aaa-zy woman. (I am used to seeing her as Jessica Fletcher on 'Murder She Wrote').

Frankenheimer's background was pretty much TV directing - mostly plays to TV. And this is reflected in this movie. The story is told without any fancy camera angles or tricks. Which almost heightens the suspense and action of the film...since you forget you are watching a film and you get caught up in the characters. Just like you would watching a play.

One word to describe 'The Manchurian Candidate': Chilling

Singin' in the Rain - Gene Kelly & Stanley Donen (1952)

2009-10-15T20:55:00.001-04:00

This is considered to be one of the best musicals ever made. I would agree. It's a feel good movie. And has one of the most famous dance scenes in a movie - where Gene Kelly sings the title song with an umbrella in the rain.

That particular scene was done in one take, and Kelly had a 103 degree fever. That makes it all the more impressive to watch.

There isn't much else to say. A good movie. A good musical. Makes you feel good.

One word to describe 'Singin' in the Rain': Dance-y

Citizen Kane - Orson Welles (1941)

2009-10-13T17:09:00.003-04:00

I first saw this film in my first year university English class. Admittedly I didn't get it.

Since I have been on this film journey, I have watched movies from the early days so I can see (kinda sorta) the progression of movie making. From silent films in the early 1900s to blockbusters today. Viewing this movie today, you say....so what? It's not a bad story. Yes, Welles wrote it, directed it and starred in it. But so what.

If you watch the films that came before this - then the lightbulb goes off and you say 'wow, that is an impressive piece of movie making'. This is a complex story told in a very innovative way (for the time). Now, it's commonplace. You start in the present - then the story goes back in time and ends up where you started.

Also, Welles was a young guy and had new ideas as to how to make a film. He (in conjunction with his Director of Photography) developed a deep focus lens, so he could tell the story in all the planes of the screen, and not just the foreground.

This is considered to be the greatest movie ever made. (At least according to AFI's Top 100 Films.) I don't disagree with that. I will have a better opinion on that though, after I have seen all the movies on my list.

One word to describe 'Citizen Kane': Rosebud.

8 1/2 - Frederico Fellini (1963)

2009-10-12T17:08:00.001-04:00

This is one of those films....actually it might be THE film that if you want to be a film person, you HAVE to see it. I knew of the movie when I started on this quest, but I didn't know much about it. This was one of the movies that started me on this quest (along with 'Seven Samurai').

Okay.....

The first time I attempted to watch this movie I was like....what the heck is this!?!?! (Actually, replace heck with another 4-letter word starting with f and that would be more accurate.) The movie starts with this whole weird dream sequence or not...you aren't quite sure. The added problem for me was, the DVD I rented was defective....so it kept skipping. So between the dream sequence thing and the skipping problem, I had to give up. And it went back on the list.

Fast forward a few months and it arrived in the mail. Oh goody!!

I am just going to say it, and possibly be shunned from the entire film snob community - I did not like this movie. I didn't enjoy watching it. I didn't understand it. And quite frankly, I am not interested in watching it again to try and figure it out. (The only redeeming quality was Marcello Mastroianni, he's very handsome and suave.)

I think this was similar (though not exactly) to Francis Ford Coppola and 'Apocalypse Now'. This was a very indulgent movie for Fellini to tell his story his way. Which is fine. I just didn't get it.

Yes, this is an important film to see. I think it may have lost its relevance.

One word to describe '8 1/2': Frustrating.

It's a Wonderful Life - Frank Capra (1946)

2009-10-12T17:07:00.003-04:00

Who hasn't seen this movie? And who hasn't seen it about a million times? (Okay...so I exaggerate, slightly.) Admittedly though, I had never watched the movie all the way through without commercial interruptions.

This picture has fallen out of copyright protection, so that's why it's on almost every single TV station around Christmas time. Mystery solved (at least for me.) And this is why when you see it on, you roll your eyes and go...not again. When I saw that this was on the list, and when it came in the mail I wasn't particularly enthusiastic to see it.

This is a really good movie. It's funny. It's romantic. It has a good message. And yes, it made me cry. (The final scene with Jimmy Stewart and his family standing in front of the christmas tree...and his daughter says the line 'Daddy, teacher says every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings' Gets me every time!!).

This movie draws you in and gets you to care about the characters and what happens to them. By the end you are rooting for George Bailey and you want it to work out for him. That's the sign of a good film.

One word to describe 'It's a Wonderful Life': Wonderful (again....couldn't help it)

The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie - Luis Bunuel (1972)

2009-10-04T19:01:00.005-04:00

I had no idea who Luis Bunuel was...UNTIL I watched the film 'Un Chien Andalou' (it's the one with the eyeball scene). So when I saw that another one of his movies was on the list I was apprehensive to say the least. Luckily, there were no eyeballs harmed in the making of this movie.

This is a bit of a quirky movie. The premise of the film is that a group of friends are constantly interrupted as they try and share a meal. When I read this (before seeing the movie) I rolled my eyes. It actually is an entertaining film.

In reading up on Bunuel in 'The Film Encyclopedia' (a gift from a friend....thanks!!!!) it pointed out that he (Bunuel, not my friend) had an 'almost total disregard for technical virtuosity.' Upon reflection, I would totally agree with that statement. There are definitely not a lot of fancy camera tricks. And this leads you to watch the movie as an observer of the characters. (Versus being aware that you are watching a movie.)

I am not sure why this is on the list. It wasn't a bad movie. But I don't think it was a great movie either.

One word to describe 'The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie': Charming. (Sorry....couldn't help it.) :)

Dirty Harry - Don Siegel (1971)

2009-10-03T15:33:00.008-04:00

I had seen this movie before - it has one of my favourite scenes in a movie EVER! It involves the line....'You have to ask yourself one question, do I feel lucky? Well...do ya...punk?' And '..this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and can blow your head clean off..'

So one of the things that I have learned in film class is that films are a reflection of the times that they are made. One might say...duh! But that never really struck me before. It's one thing that a film will be set in the time - such as 'Blow Up' that was a total 60s movie. This is more subtle. The fact is that certain issues or frustrations of a society (or even of the film maker) will come through in the film, even if it's not intentional. This movie is a reflection of frustration of the havoc that criminals were wreaking on society. And here comes a 'rogue cop' Harry Callahan to save the day. He does it his way and in the end, gets his man. On the way, he goes against all the rights of the criminal and police protocol. Because of that, Roger Ebert said that 'the movie's moral position is fascist. No doubt about it.' Well, Mr. Ebert, I think that might be a bit harsh. I think of the 'Die Hard' franchise for example, same difference. And probably hundreds of other movies since 1971 have the same message. It could be that I have seen so many of them that I am immune to the 'fascist message', hard to say.

I think that this movie is fantasy. It's nice and comforting to think that there is someone out there who is looking for justice at any cost. And that's what makes us like Callahan. He's looking out for 'us'. Is that so wrong to believe...even for two hours?

One word to describe 'Dirty Harry': Punk.

Blow Up - Michelangelo Antonioni (1966)

2009-09-29T08:06:00.002-04:00

This was a movie I knew nothing about. Based on the fact it is by an Italian director, I thought it was going to be in Italian - imagine my delight when it was in English. This was Antonioni's first English language film, and apparently his most successful. Now, not having seen any of his other films, I don't know if this was any better or worse.

It was an interesting story - a photographer takes some candid photos of a couple in a park. When he develops the photos (yes folks, this is pre digital photography) he realizes he may or may not have witnessed a murder. (He blows up the images to reveal a man with a gun in the bushes...hence the title 'Blow Up'.)

The good, and challenging thing with this movie is - it's totally and unabashedly a 60s movie. It takes place in 'swinging' London. The problem I had was I kept visualising Austin Powers - yeah baby! The main character is a fashion photographer, who drives a convertible and is quite the ladies man. So it was difficult to take it...seriously. That's not the fault of the film.

It was an interesting film. Not great.

One word to describe 'Blow Up': Pixelated.

Un Chien Andalou - Louis Bunuel and Salvador Dali (1928)

2009-09-27T16:48:00.003-04:00

Hmmmmm.......

Let's start with the good: the movie was 15 minutes long.

And the bad: it makes no sense.

Okay....this is the deal. It's a surrealist film. Surrealism basically deals in the element of surprise and juxtaposition (I didn't get that on my own....looked it up on Wikipedia). And if you are familiar with the work of Salvador Dali you will know what I am talking about. He painted the one with the melting clocks...yeah...that one. So this is a movie version of a Dali painting.

The big shot of this movie is a man slicing a woman's eyeball with a straight razor. Um...yeah....just a little disturbing. But my guess is, that's what they were going for. Some image (or collection of images) that make you go...ACK!!!

Am I glad this is off the list? You betcha. Am I now an official cinema snob for seeing it? I just might be.

One word to describe 'Un Chien Andalou': Uh......

Psycho - Alfred Hitchcock (1960)

2009-09-27T10:35:00.004-04:00

This is another film I had watched before. This actually makes it easier to watch from a critical perspective, since I am not caught up in trying to follow the story (oh no....I'm starting to sound like a film snob!!)

This is a piece of cinematic genius. I have to say, this Hitchcock fellow knew how to make a movie. (She says, tongue planted firmly in cheek.) Even though I had seen this already, I was still in suspense. There is a scene where Janet Leigh is driving down the highway...between the music, and the way he filmed it (montage method alert!!) I was on the edge of my seat...AND I knew what was going to happen. Genius.

So....the famous shower scene. Classic montage film making - short scenes edited together to heighten suspense - there are 77 different camera angles, and 50 cuts, the scene running just 3 minutes (according to Wikipedia). If he had just filmed the scene straight - watching the murder happen without all those cuts/edits/camera angles - it would not have been so impactful. The only piece of trivia I knew about this movie was, the blood that was used was actually chocolate syrup - had a better look on film than the fake blood. (Keep that in mind next time you use your Hershey's syrup.)

This is just a good movie. It's engaging, it's suspenseful, it's clever. And I think you could watch it multiple times and not get bored...and still be on the edge of your seat.

One word to describe 'Psycho': Suspenseful.

Carrie - Brian DePalma (1975)

2009-09-20T16:57:00.005-04:00

I think I have mentioned before, I am not a fan of the horror genre of film. So when I found this was on the list, I wasn't impressed. And when it showed up in the mail, I was even less impressed. I had seen the movie before, a while ago. (I am sure it was somehow under duress.) I knew what I was in for.

All in all, this is a good movie. It's more than just a 'slasher' film and blood and guts. It's actually a good story, good character development that takes you to the climactic scene. (I don't want to ruin it for you if you haven't seen it yet...but it involves a bucket of pigs blood.)

By today's standard, this is a pretty tame movie. I am sure at the time (I was WAY too young to watch it, and probably wouldn't have if I could) it was pretty radical.

Is this an awesome movie? No. Is this influential like 'Battleship Potemkin'? No. But I do think that it's an important film because it's ingrained in our cinematic heritage. It's one of 'those' * movies that people have seen and it's part of film culture (or whatever...I just made that thing up about film culture).

And....I am sure you are familiar with the screeching violins from the movie 'Psycho' during the famous shower scene. That music was used in this film. Hmmmm....DePalma nods to Hitchcock? Maybe.

One word to describe 'Carrie': Bloody.

*Those movies. Conversation as follows:

"Have you seen the movie 'The Breakfast Club"?

"No I haven't."

"Oh my god!! Why not?? You HAVE to see it."

The Battleship Potemkin - Sergei Eisenstein (1925)

2009-09-20T16:56:00.003-04:00

I recently started a history of cinema class, to try and get a deeper understanding of film and influences and whatnot. So week 1....we watched this film. Needless to say, I was excited. It's on my list AND someone was going to tell me why this was important. Sweet.

There are a couple of things about this film that are influential. The one thing is the 'style' of the movie. Eisenstein 'invented' a style of film making called 'the montage method' and this is the first of that style. You know in a movie trailer, when it's edited with quick cuts so you don't really see anything fully - that's montage. The purpose of this in a film is to heighten suspense and keep you on the edge of your seat. It also involves the use of images not really part of the scene to represent something. For example, during a very tense scene of uprising, there is a close up image of a clenched fist. This is a very powerful image that conveys much more than an entire scene could.

The other...thing....with this movie is a very famous scene of a baby in a carriage careening down a set of stairs. This scene was used in the movie 'The Untouchables' by Brian DePalma.

Is this a good film? Meh. It's totally a propaganda film. It's not a film that I would sit down with on a Saturday night with a bowl of popcorn. Having said that, and seeing this 'new' (at the time) way of making a film, and hence telling a story, it's important. It's something we still see in movies today - which for a movie made in 1925, and with all the new technologies since then, is pretty impressive.

One word to describe 'The Battleship Potemkin': Influential.

Bambi - David Hand (Disney) (1942)

2009-09-07T10:52:00.005-04:00

I was surprised to realize that I had never seen this movie before....I know. :)

This is a very impressive movie. I wasn't sure what to expect. Especially since I am more familiar with more recent Disney productions (Lion King, Toy Story, etc.) and am 'used' to more CGI type of animation. I was worried that this would look 'old' or dated. In some ways it does. I think in this case, it serves the movie very well. When you watch this, and realize that it was all hand drawn....you can't help but be impressed.

The realism of the animals and their mannerisms (do animals have mannerisms??) is amazing. The animals are cute and endearing without being charactures of themselves.

The story itself is very compelling. It's based on a novel 'Bambi, A Life in the Woods' by an Austrian author Felix Salten. It's a pretty dark premise for an animated film. And an interesting premise where 'Man' is portrayed as the enemy. It's actually interesting that the film is as, or even more relevant now than it was back in 1942.

Why was this film picked to be in the 102 vs. other Disney movies? Not sure. I do think that it is an amazing example of animation and storytelling.

One word to describe 'Bambi': Compelling.

PS - and in case you were wondering, of course I cried at the end of the movie.

The Searchers - John Ford (1956)

2009-08-28T20:23:00.003-04:00

In my travels of learning about movies, this one kept coming up. It was ranked #1 on AFI's Top 10 Westerns. I'm not surprised by that. This is a fairly complex movie with many layers.

One layer is the basic plot - Ethan Edwards (played by John Wayne) sets out on a quest to find his niece that has been kidnapped by Indians. Another layer is the fact that Ethan is a racist and has a complete hatred for the Indians. So the movie isn't just about the quest to find his niece, it's also about Ethan's quest as a person. I think the other thing that makes this movie complex is the character of Ethan - he isn't good or bad. You understand why he carries the views he does. There is some question about his past and what he has done - was he a criminal? Is he a wanted man? But his quest for 'right' and his love for his family makes us root for him.

The movie is visually stunning. John Ford has been called a painter of films, and this movie reinforces that. It's not only the scenery of Monument Valley, but the composition of the characters in the interior shots that is impressive. There is a scene at the very beginning of the movie where Martha (Ethan's sister in-law) opens the door to reveal the outside - and the valley is framed by the doorway. Amazing.

My trivia for this movie is - the song 'That Will be the Day' by Buddy Holly was inspired by Ethan's character who says that line multiple times during the movie. Hey, you never know when that might come up as a Jeopardy question. You can thank me then.

One word to describe 'The Searchers': Complex.

Repulsion - Roman Polanski (1965)

2009-08-17T21:26:00.004-04:00

I am not quite sure what to make of this movie. I didn't dislike it. Not sure I actually liked it.

In some of the 'research' I did on this one, it was referred to as one of the first in the genre of psychological thrillers. It was definitely scary - not in a blood and guts kind of way, but in a very disturbing kind of way.

The very basic plot of the movie is a young woman is left alone in her apartment for a period of time and she goes crazy. (That is a complete simplification.)

This is kind of like an art house version of an Alfred Hitchcock movie.

I think this might be another example of a movie that at the time was groundbreaking, but watching it now...seems kind of old, since it's been done many times since then.

One word to describe 'Repulsion': Creepy.

Pulp Fiction - Quentin Tarantino (1994)

2009-08-13T21:46:00.002-04:00

I saw this movie when it came out (at the drive-in no less). And I remember being blown away by it. I had never seen anything like it before. The language was sharp. The music was amazing. The story was crazy.

I feared that over the years and many movies later I would have lost my affection for the movie.

I didn't.

One word to describe Pulp Fiction: Cool

Goodfellas - Martin Scorcese (1990)

2009-08-02T17:03:00.003-04:00

I think I had seen this movie before. A lot of it looked very familiar. Obviously, it didn't make a very large impact on my if I didn't actually remember seeing it.

Let's put it this way - I didn't dislike the movie. Is it one of my favourites - no. Is it a good movie - of course.

I think my 'problem' with this movie is the fact that my favourite movie is 'The Godfather'. And it might be a case of - you are either a 'Godfather' person or a 'Goodfellas' person. (As one is either a 'Star Wars' person or a 'Star Trek' person.)

I think the other 'problem' that I have with this movie is - I have seen it in the post-'Soprano' world. Which I think skews my view of it. So by watching 'The Sopranos' I took the advanced course, before taking the introductory course.

On the other hand, any movie with DeNiro in it is alright with me!

One word to describe 'Goodfellas': Pesci (as in Joe Pesci)

Bicycle Theives - Vittorio De Sica (1948)

2009-07-14T13:41:00.002-04:00

This movie has been referred to in a lot of stuff I have been reading - it's been an influence on may other films and directors. Luckily, it was playing at 'Cinematheque' - so I was fortunate to see it on the big screen.

This is a simple story - a man is looking for work and gets a job, but needs a bicycle. He had to pawn his so doesn't have one. His wife helps him out by selling some sheets she has so he can get his bike back. He does, gets the job and life is good. Except the bike gets stolen. So the movie is about the quest to get the bike back. I hear you...boring!! Not at all.

There are all these (kind of) subtle sub-plots going on - the man's relationship with his son, the class differences in Italy and poverty, the morality of stealing, and I am sure a bunch of things that I totally missed. The story is told simply without a lot of dialogue. The director lets the actors, their expressions and their interplay tell the story - which is what makes it compelling and riveting.

The last 5 to 10 minutes of the film has very little dialogue. But is probably one of the most heartbreaking scenes I have seen on film yet.

I can see why so many directors were influenced by this. It is a classic model for how stories should be told on film.

One word to describe 'Bicycle Thieves': heartbreaking.

A Streetcar Named Desire - Elia Kazan (1951)

2009-07-11T12:06:00.005-04:00

This is the second attempt at watching this movie. I gave it a shot a couple of months ago, and had to quit about an hour in. I think one needs to be in a certain mood to watch this movie, and I obviously wasn't.

This movie has a couple very famous quotes: firstly, Marlon Brando (as Stanley Kowalski) yelling 'STELLAAAAAAA' at the top of his lungs. Probably one of the most recognizable quotes from a movie. And then Blanche DuBois saying 'I've always relied on the kindness of strangers.' A testment to this movie being I had never seen it before and new both of these lines and where they came from.

And on a somewhat side note....Marlon Brando looks damn fine in this move. (I thought I should point that out.)

Anyway....

I think this movie is steeped into our culture and that's why it's on the list. I think that the performances in the film are awesome - Karl Malden, Vivian Leigh and Kim Hunter all won Oscars. (Although Brando lost to Humphrey Bogart for African Queen...just a bit of trivia I am throwing in for free.)

Is it an awesome movie. Not really. (In my humble opinion.) Does it deserve to be on the list - absolutely. Am I glad that I finally got through watching it - definitely.

One word to describe 'A Streetcar Named Desire': STELLAAAAAAA

The Empire Strikes Back - Irvin Kershner (1980)

2009-07-11T12:04:00.007-04:00

This is a tough one to write - mostly since I have seen this movie a bunch of times, I already thought it was brilliant, and it has some of the best scenes (and lines) of ALL time. So how do I write something that doesn't sound all gushy. Not sure that's going to happen.

Let's start with my favourite thing about this movie:

Yoda. I could probably write pages about how awesome Yoda is. Why? I know not. I have always loved this character. The fact that one of the most revered and powerful Jedi masters is a small green wrinkly guy. Pretty brilliant. And he has one of the best philosphies ever: "Do. Or do not. There is no try."

Instead of me going on and on about how awesome this movie is.....

The question I had was - why is this one on the list? Why not the original or 'Return of the Jedi'. Short of me reviewing geeky bloggers who have probably debated this fact - I'm going to take a shot. Actually, maybe I can't. Any reference I find that says that it is the best of the three, doesn't exactly say why. Quite frankly, I have always viewed the three 'original' movies as one and I have never really tried to sort out which was better or why.

I do remember at the time, this movie was a big deal. The revelation (for those of you who have been living under a rock for 30 years and don't know...close your eyes) that Darth Vader is Luke's father was huge!! Now, it's just kind of taken for granted....then it was a big thing. I don't recall seeing this in the theatre back in the day - I think I was more of a geek in training back then. I do recall the hype and excitement surrounding it.

Bottom line - I have no arguments that this is on the list.

One word to describe 'The Empire Strikes Back': Yoda-riffic. (Okay...I made that word up.)

Bonnie and Clyde - Arthur Penn (1967)

2009-06-02T07:11:00.005-04:00

I had seen this movie before...a long time ago. I knew the general story, but couldn't remember the details.

It was a good movie. I don't have much to say other than that. Good story, good acting and it wasn't 3 hours long. :)

At the time, this was apparently a fairly controversial film. It was looked at being violent (possibly gratuitously so). It's one of the disadvantages of watching that 40 years later - today, I don't bat an eye at the violence.

It won an Oscar for cinematography - and I can see why. It is beautifully filmed.

In doing my reading on the movie, this was offered to two of the 'French New Wave' directors - Francois Truffaut and Jean Luc Goddard. And the film does have the look of one of the New Wave films - the kind of choppy, disjointed visuals.

One word to describe 'Bonnie and Clyde': Criminal

The General - Buster Keaton & Clyde Bruckman (1927)

2009-05-20T20:57:00.005-04:00

I haven't seen many silent films in my time so I was intrigued to watch one. Not sure what I was expecting, to be honest. I have to say though, this was a pretty awesome film.

The story was interesting: a train engineer (Keaton) gets turned down to join the Civil War (it had just broken out at the beginning of the movie) because he can be of more use to the war effort as a train engineer. The problem being that no one explains to him why. (This being a very simplified version of the plot.) He ends up becoming the hero in the end. (Hope I didn't spoil it for you.)

Considering this movie was made in 1927, I couldn't help but look at the way this movie was filmed and what they were able to accomplish. There was no CGI back then and all the stunts and effects obviously had to be done 'old school'. That alone makes this a pretty amazing movie. There is a scene where Keaton is sitting on the front of a moving train and knocking railroad ties and other debris from off the track. It was amazing to watch and incredible that Keaton didn't get himself killed doing it.

This was such a rich movie, conveying so many emotions - it was a love story, it had action, it was funny. All this done so many years ago with no talking. There are movies made today with bigger budgets, CGI up the wazoo that don't come close to being as entertaining as this movie. So there. :)

One word to describe 'The General': Action

Sunset Boulevard - Billy Wilder (1950)

2009-05-18T09:42:00.006-04:00

This is definitely a classic movie. It has one of the most famous lines (or at least I think so). 'Alright Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up.' So I knew this line was in the movie and was waiting for it...and waiting...and waiting. Not to spoil it for anyone, but it's the very last line of the movie. The other famous line is 'I am big! It's the pictures that got small.'

Gloria Swanson plays Norma Desmond, an aging silent film star. She plays her close to the edge of being a parody, but keeps it from being 'over the top'.

I hate keeping these things so short...but there isn't a ton of things to say about this movie. It was good.

One word to describe 'Sunset Boulevard': Dramatic.

Bringing Up Baby - Howard Hawks (1938)

2009-05-17T19:46:00.006-04:00

I knew nothing about this movie. The first hint was the picture of Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn on the DVD....and a picture of a leopard. What?!?!

Apparently this is considered the best example of a 'screwball comedy'. It's a situation that is so completely and utterly unreal, that it makes it funny. And this movie was actually pretty hilarious. There were a few times...well, more than a few...that I was laughing out loud.

I'm not 100% why this is on the list though.

One word to describe 'Bringing Up Baby': Wacky.

A Clockwork Orange - Stanley Kubrick (1971)

2009-05-16T10:42:00.004-04:00

Of the 102 movies on the list...this was the one I was not looking forward to watching. As much as 'Alien' wasn't one I was looking forward to...this one I had actually wanted to avoid for as long as possible. But...I decided to bite the bullet.

The thing about this movie is, it's become a huge influence on culture. There are references to it all over the place - on TV shows and in music videos...and the list goes on. (Here is the Wikipedia entry on that exact subject.) So I knew and understood why it was on the list. I just didn't want to watch it.

On the one hand, I can't argue with the impact that this movie has had on culture. And that's what makes it a 'good' movie - it's stood the test of time. I know full well that if this movie had been made now - it would be way more graphic and violent. Although, it is still a pretty...uncomfortable movie to watch.

Am I glad I watched it, yes. It's been checked off the list. Will I watch it again...um...no thanks.

One word to describe 'A Clockwork Orange': Milky.

On the Waterfront - Elia Kazan (1954)

2009-05-15T12:41:00.008-04:00

This movie has one of my favourite quotes of all time, even though I had never watched it. And here is the quote: "You don't understand! I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I could've been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am." (And incidentally this was voted #3 on AFI's Top 100 Movie Quotes.) And also my new favourite quote: "What do I get? A one-way ticket to Palookaville."

The score of the movie is by Leonard Bernstein, who also scored 'West Side Story'. Because I had seen that movie just last week, it was top of mind for me. I expected to see the longshoremen burst into a jazzy dance number a la the Sharks and Jets. But, no jazz hands ensued.

The first half of the movie was alright, but the last half was really good. I think the 'problem' with this movie is the 'story' has been told over and over again since it was released. (Underdog guy stands up to the bad guys.) What makes this movie so great is the acting. Marlon Brando won an Oscar for his role. And I can see why. On one level he says the words, but there is this whole other level of gestures and actions that 'make' the character of Terry Malloy. And in the famous 'contender' scene, which is a simple scene of two brothers in the back seat of a car, it becomes very tender and heart-wrenching by his acting. (In my humble opinion.)

In reading up about this movie, there is a whole other side to it. It has to do with communism, and Elia Kazan and the whole House on un-American activities thing. My response: whatever. I watched the movie as a movie and not as a political statement.

One word to describe 'On the Waterfront': Contender.

The Graduate - Mike Nichols (1967)

2009-05-11T12:37:00.008-04:00

I had seen this movie before...a loooooong time ago. (No, not when it first came out, silly. I wasn't born yet!!)

Overall, a good movie. Is it great? Not really. Is there a reason it's on the list? Yes. I think more for it's iconic place in film and not because it's an amazing movie.

This did make it on to AFI's 100 Years ...100 Movie Quotes...twice. One quote is 'Mrs. Robinson, you are trying to seduce me Aren't you?' The second one...you will have to figure it out.

I did like the soundtrack...Simon and Garfunkel. And yes...that's where the song 'Mrs. Robinson' comes from. Imagine that.

One word to describe 'The Graduate': Plastics.

A Star is Born - George Cukor (1954)

2009-05-09T22:16:00.005-04:00

This is the 'middle' of the three versions of this film. The original was made in 1937, and the third one in the 70s starring Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson. This version starred Judy Garland and James Mason.

The movie in parts was kind of strange. There were still pictures used over the dialogue - which didn't quite fit in with the rest of the movie. In reading up on the movie, the original was around 180 minutes or so. There was a decision at some point to reduce the time - so they cut out a bunch of scenes. Then recently there was a decision to put the movie to its original length, and some of the scenes couldn't be found, hence the still photos.

After watching two foreign films that were amazing, then watching this...it was a bit strange. Judy Garland can definitely sing. Her version of 'The Man that Got Away' at the beginning of the film was awesome.

Admittedly, I did make an effort to pick some 'easy' movies this week. After a string of French and Italian films, it was nice not to have to read subtitles and have a film in colour.

It was a solid movie. An interesting story, good music...what more could a girl want.

One word to describe 'A Star is Born': Twinkling.

La Dolce Vita - Frederico Fellini (1960)

2009-05-06T21:11:00.005-04:00

La dolce vita = the sweet life. (In case you were wondering.)

I had heard about Fellini and was curious about his films, and I had heard of this movie (but had no idea what it was about.)

Barb's quick interpretation: a playboy lives 'la dolce vita' but is unfulfilled and searches for a meaning to his life.

The playboy in question is Marcello Mastroianni. Apparently this is the movie that brought him into the spotlight. (Although he had done many movies previous to this one.) I have to say, I have a bit of a crush on him after watching him in this film. He played the 'typical' suave Latin lover type.

My trivia for the day: the word paparazzi originated from this film. There is a character in the film that is a tabloid photographer whose name is Paparazzo. Hence...paparazzi. (Didn't know that until after watching the film. It was funny...was watching it and wondering why he was called that, didn't realize it was his actual name. Duh!)

Bottom line, this was a great movie (if not a bit long...almost 3 hours). I get why Fellini is considered a great film maker.

One word to describe 'La Dolce Vita': Fantastico.

The 400 Blows - Francois Truffaut (1959)

2009-05-06T08:58:00.002-04:00

I went to see this at the Revue Theatre. There was a lecture on French new wave cinema before, then a viewing of this movie. The lecture was very interesting, and talked about a lot of the movies and directors that are on 'the list'. It was also interesting to hear about why these films and filmmakers are important and influential.

So the film....

I had mentioned in my posting for 'Children of Paradise' that the only other French film I had seen was 'Jules et Jim' in University (which I didn't like at all). Well, that film was by Francois Truffaut. Needless to say....was a bit hesitant to see another one of his films. I think the movie gods were smiling on me with this film. The opening scene (where the credits are rolling) is basically of the Eiffel Tower. It's 2 minutes of various shots and perspectives of the tower. Having been to Paris and been to the tower and loved it...there wasn't much else that Truffaut could have done to sell me on this movie from the start.

It was a great movie. A story of a boy who is viewed as a troublemaker, and his parents don't really have time for him and send him away to be dealt with by the authorities. The title (according to Roger Ebert) is an idiom meaning 'raising hell'. The movie is based on Truffaut's early life, the main character being his alter ego.

During the course of the film, you really get to understand the boy, and to care about him. I don't want to spoil the ending, but it's kind of dramatic and leaves you hanging.

I am glad I saw this movie, and glad that I liked it and Truffaut (and French cinema) has been redeemed for me.

One word to describe 'The 400 Blows': Engageant.

West Side Story - Jerome Robbins/Robert Wise (1961)

2009-05-04T22:46:00.003-04:00

I had seen this movie in parts - but had never watched it from beginning to end. So I had a pretty good idea what I was in for. A friend of mine...we'll call him 'Todd'* invited me over to his condo to watch one of my movies in the theatre room. I thought this was a good one to watch on the big screen - dancing, singing. So 'Todd', 'Sophia' ('Todd's' significant other) and myself sat down for over 2 hours of musical magic and jazz hands.

This is the first movie on the list that I have watched with other people (other than watching 'Alien' at the movie theatre). So I have enlisted 'Todd' and 'Sophia's' help in this review:

'Todd' fell asleep during the movie. ('No really...this happens a lot.' 'Todd' reported. I wasn't so sure)

We all agreed it was a fair movie, and understand it's relevance on the list. It is referred to from other movies and TV shows (and the like). The music wasn't bad, the dancing was good, but the language was a little hokey. (I am personally taking it on as my mission to bring daddy-o back into the current lexicon. I did try this with 'no guff' but it didn't take.)

Overall, decent movie. 'Sophia' and I were both glad we saw it. 'Todd' could have done without it. (Next time I need to bring a more 'manly' film....admittedly we were all humming 'I Feel Pretty' after the movie was over.)

One word to describe 'West Side Story': Cool.

*Names have been changed to protect the innocent.

Persona - Ingmar Bergman (1966)

2009-05-02T05:03:00.006-04:00

I had never seen an Ingmar Bergman film before. I kinda sorta had a vague idea of what to expect...but I tried to keep an open mind. I think for this one, I need to go back to my art analogy...

There are some pieces of art that are easy to understand what they are. For example the painting 'The Last Supper' by Leonardo Da Vinci. That's a pretty straightforward picture. Then you have something like a cubist paining by Pablo Picasso such as 'The Three Dancers' In a painting like that, you see the parts, but you don't quite know exactly what's going on or what the parts mean. That's kind of like this movie.

There is a basic story - an actress all of a sudden during a performance of a play falls mute, and she is admitted to a hospital and a nurse is charged with her care. That's the very basic premise of the story. (As in the above Picasso painting, obviously based on the title, there are three dancers in the picture.)

The story is told in kind of a...strange way. Kind of like the way the Picasso painting makes you cock your head to one side and go 'Huh?' That's kind of how the movie leaves you. It's not bad. It's actually quite artfully done and interesting.

I am glad I watched it.

One word to describe 'Persona': 'Huh?'

Alien - Ridley Scott (1979)

2009-04-30T21:51:00.003-04:00

This is a shining example of why I wanted to embark on this journey. 'Alien' is a movie that I refused to watch. 'I don't like that kind of movie.' So when I saw it on the list, I was less than thrilled. I saw that it was playing this week on the big screen and figured - well, if I am going to be forced to watch this thing, it might as well be on the big screen.

Boy was I wrong. This was an AWESOME movie. I think my hesitation in seeing it was that I thought it was going to be blood and guts. It's not.

When I took an art history class in University, the professor, to try and help us in art appreciation, told us this: first thing is, decide if you like the piece of art or not. Then ask why. I think that this is a good way of approaching any movie.

So, did I like 'Alien'? Yes (duh!!). Why? Well, this was a well told story first and foremost, with good characters and an interesting plot. This plot wound around and guided us slowly to the 'scary' part. It used music and lighting and shadows to draw us into the story. That's what makes it scary. The suspense and build up to it. If the Alien was just plunked down in the middle of the movie, or jumped out at the beginning - would not have been good.

While I was watching, I was trying to figure out what other movies or directors influenced it. (Don't worry...I'm not going all film critic-y on you.) And this is what I came up with....wait for it....'Alien' is Hitchcock on steroids. (Yeah...I'm pretty proud of that one.)

(And that is why I will never be a professional film critic.)

One word to describe 'Alien': Awesome!!

Mad Max 2/The Road Warrior - George Miller (1981)

2009-04-26T21:48:00.005-04:00

I knew of this movie. Knew Mel Gibson was in it. But that was about it. I really was hoping it was the one with Tina Turner in it - 'Two men enter...one man leaves.' I love that quote. But alas....not the one.

Admittedly not a movie I had ever wanted to see. Not sure my life is any more enhanced for seeing it, but...not a bad way to spend 90 minutes either.

I don't really have much to say about this one. Was a good movie. The last third of the movie is pretty awesome - there is a car chase scene (more of a truck chase scene) that is impressive.

Although Mel Gibson isn't bad to look at, my favourite character in the movie was the dog. Surprisingly good acting.

One word to describe 'Mad Max 2': Action.

Easy Rider - Dennis Hopper (1969)

2009-04-25T07:09:00.007-04:00

This was a movie that I had wanted to see for a while. I knew a little bit about it - who was in it (Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper and Jack Nicholson). I knew it was a movie that involved motorcycles. I also knew that somehow it was an influential movie (even before I saw the list) but I wasn't sure why.

Two random things I noticed about this movie:

In the opening credits the name Toni Basil came up and I wondered if it was THE Toni Basil, and indeed it was.
I never knew that anvils were for anything except trying to foil passing roadrunners by wylie coyotes. There is a scene where an anvil is actually being put to proper use...who knew.

Anyway...this was a really good movie. Apparently it was the first (or one of) to use music from the time and not a scored soundtrack. If you know anything about this movie - one of the most famous things about it (or that I was aware of) is the scene of Hopper and Fonda riding down the road to the song 'Born to Be Wild' by Steppenwolf. (There is also another amazing scene to the song 'The Weight' by the Band. But you will have to watch it yourself.)

I found this movie a bit paradoxical (oooohhh fancy word alert). It is definitely a 'slice of life' movie (as a friend put it) but somehow (at least for me) it echoes some of the things we are trying to accomplish today. Or maybe it's not so much that, as there are certain human truths and they are timeless. So no matter when they are portrayed they are always going to seem...relevant. Take Shakespeare for example (am I allowed to compare Shakespeare to 'Easy Rider'???), his plays are still 'relevant' today, even though they were written hundreds of years ago. Why? (Which was the question I kept asking my grade 12 English teacher.) Because he talks about basic human emotions - jealousy, love, hatred and so on. And 'Easy Rider' is kind of like that. You strip away all the 60s stuff and the motorcycles - and you have two guys on a journey to find happiness. Simple.

One word to describe 'Easy Rider': Dope*

*I would be using it in both ways

A Hard Day's Night - Richard Lester (1964)

2009-04-18T19:37:00.003-04:00

I had always wanted to see this movie so was happy it was on the list. (And a bit happy video store guy wasn't working today...got to pick my own 3 movies this week.) I love the Beatles (who doesn't??).

I couldn't help but smile throughout this entire movie. It was fun and playful and energetic. It's also another movie that I am sure watching it at the time vs. watching it now gives you a totally different experience. In this case, not sure it's a bad thing. It definitely captures a period in time very well. (Or what I am assuming is well, since I wasn't actually around in 1964.)

I wish I had more to say on this one...but it was just a fun movie. And it was short (under 90 minutes) which was a bonus. And it had awesome music in it. What else do you want from a movie???

One word to describe 'A Hard Day's Night': Fun

Children of Paradise (Les Enfants du Paradis) - Marcel Carne (1945)

2009-04-18T19:22:00.005-04:00

The only black and white, French subtitled movie I had previously seen was 'Jules et Jim'. I was forced to watch during my first year University English course. I think it scarred me for life about foreign films - BORING. (Or at least I thought it was back then.) So I was not filled with much enthusiasm when I found out that this was a black and white, French subtitled film. I was very wrong...this was an awesome movie.

I have been trying to figure out why it was so good. But I can't. It's just good. The story was engaging, the acting was great. I thought maybe it was just because my expectations were so low...but not the case. In my post-movie reading, this has been called 'the greatest French movie ever made'. I would agree.

Apparently the amazing thing about this film was it was made during the Nazi occupation of France. Considering the scope of the film - the set, cast and all that stuff - that was a great feat.

I could go on and on about how wonderful this movie is - but, dear reader, I would suggest you see it yourself.

One word to describe 'Les Enfants du Paradis': Merveilleux

The Big Red One - Samuel Fuller (1980)

2009-04-16T12:08:00.004-04:00

Yet another movie I knew nothing about. Based on the picture on the DVD, I figured out it was a war movie. And during the opening credits, finding out Lee Marvin and Mark Hamill were in it...I was definitely skeptical. War movie + B list actors = not boding well for viewing pleasure.

As I was watching this movie, I was trying to figure out for the life of me, why it is on the list. There was no famous director. The cinematography was just okay. So I was a bit perplexed.

After having read Roger Ebert's review of the movie I think I have it figured out. (Not before I actually emailed Mr. Ebert to find out why...as of press time I haven't heard back from him.) In the last line of the aforementioned review, he said: '"A" war movies are about War, but "B" war movies are about soldiers'. And I believe that is true. Not having seen many war movies (not really my favourite genre) I don't have many to compare to. The only one I can compare it to is 'Apocalypse Now'. And his sentiment rings true. 'Apocalypse Now' is definitely about the war - about the grittiness and the goriness and the anarchy of war. 'The Big Red One' is about the soldiers and how they cope with the war. So this was a good contrast in takes on a similar subject (even though one is about Vietnam and the other is about World War II).

Was it the best movie ever, no. Having watched it though, I am glad it was on the list.

One word to describe 'The Big Red One': Endearing.

Halloween - John Carpenter (1978)

2009-04-12T21:27:00.002-04:00

There are a few movies on the list that I am not looking forward to watching - this was one of them. I am not a big fan of scary/horror flicks. I deliberately started watching this one in the day time. (Yes, I am a wuss.) But...I also kept in mind that this was scary for 1978.

I was actually surprised. Very little blood and guts. And similar to 'North by Northwest' more suspenseful than gory. Not to say that it wasn't scary...it was. But it wasn't gratuitously violent or bloody. From my post-movie reading, this was the first in the genre of 'slasher' movies, that 'inspired' the 'Nightmare on Elm Street' and 'Friday the 13th' movies.

Again, like other movies, I had to keep in mind at the time, this was the first of it's kind. Watching it now, it seems kind of hokey. Admittedly though, still scary.

And I learned some very valuable lessons from this film:

I really should keep up knitting, the needles can be used as a weapon.
Thank goodness for cell phones, since the first thing that seems to happen in these situations is that the phone lines go out.
Don't ever drop the knife. Keep holding it, just in case.

I really did like this movie. Not saying I am inspired to watch any other slasher films, but happy to have seen this one.

One word to describe 'Halloween': Scary.

Once Upon a Time in the West - Sergio Leone (1968)

2009-04-10T23:08:00.004-04:00

I had heard of Sergio Leone, I had heard of the term 'Spaghetti Western' before. I knew that Leone had directed the 'Dollars Trilogy' - 'A Fistful of Dollars', 'For a Few Dollars More' and 'The Good, The Bad and The Ugly'. Although I have never watched any of those since I am not really a western-type movie fan.

I was intrigued by having this movie to watch, but not thrilled. I was surprised that Henry Fonda was in it and played a bad guy (apparently the only time in his career). In doing my post-movie research, this has been lauded as being one of the best western movies ever made. So I guess that's why it's on the list.

Ennio Morricone did the music for the movie (same guy as 'Days of Heaven'). Which was awesome and definitely added to the movie.

Overall, good movie, but not my favourite by any means. Not because of the movie itself, but not a fan of the genre. Am glad I saw it, and think I would like to watch the 'Dollars Trilogy' so I can compare.

One word to describe 'Once Upon a Time in the West': Bolognese.

The Night of the Hunter - Charles Laughton (1955)

2009-04-10T14:32:00.005-04:00

It's weird...I hadn't heard of this movie before. But about a week before I got it from the video store, Entertainment Weekly (yes...I have a subscription) had an issue on Heroes and Villains. Stephen King is a regular contributor and had an article on the top 10 villains in literature. And as it happens, he mentioned the character Harry Powell who happens to be the lead in 'Night of the Hunter'. So, going into the movie, that's about all I knew.

Having read that article, was a bit hesitant to watch. I have to remember to keep thing in context - scary from 1955 is definitely different from scary in 2009.

It was a really good movie. Suspenseful and a good story. The story was echoed and supported by the cinematic-ness (is that even a word) of the movie. Having seen 'Days of Heaven', I can see that Terence Malick was definitely inspired by this movie.

As suspenseful and 'scary' the movie was, it had definite moments of humour. Very cool.

Overall, a surprisingly good movie.

Two words to describe 'The Night of the Hunter': 'Love' and 'Hate'

Treasure of the Sierra Madre - John Houston (1948)

2009-04-05T18:58:00.004-04:00

Another movie I didn't really know much about. All I knew was that Humphrey Bogart was in it. (Wow, I really need to get out more.)

I didn't realize that this was the movie that has the famously mis-quoted line: "Badges, we don't need no stinking badges." I had heard this line before, but didn't know where it came from. The actual line is "We don't need no badges. I don't have to show you any stinking badges." (Yet another AFI Top 100 movie quote.)

I am not sure what else to say about this one. It was a good story. Good acting. And you could almost feel how dry and dusty the trail was.

One word to describe 'Treasure of the Sierra Madre": Dusty.

* (My second choice was badges...it makes me giggle.)

Days of Heaven - Terence Malick (1978)

2009-04-04T12:30:00.004-04:00

I knew absolutely nothing about this film....nothing. Up until now, I had either heard of the movie, or the director...something. This one....nothing. Me being me...I wanted to do some research on it before watching, because I don't do well with the unknown. I resisted, because I wanted to watch it and draw my own conclusions.

The first thing I noticed about this movie was that it was visually stunning. It very much reminded me of a painting....well, yes, paintings in general. But one specific one stood out for me: Christina's World, by Andrew Wyeth.

Overall the movie was good. It wasn't dialogue heavy. Pretty much the visuals and the music told the story. A note on the music. It was done by Ennio Morricone (had heard the name before, didn't know much about him....apparently he was the guy who penned the theme to "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly". Yes, you know that song, trust me!!! If you don't know it off the top of your head, google it. See, told you!!)

Overall, good movie (I mean, it has Richard Gere in it, how could it be bad). But I would have to say, probably not going to make it into my top 10 favourite movies of all time. I am glad it was on the list though.

One word to describe 'Days of Heaven': Aesthetic.

Jaws - Steven Spielberg (1975)

2009-04-03T22:30:00.004-04:00

Believe it or not...I had never seen it before...seriously. :) I had seen bits and pieces on TV...but never sat and watched the whole thing. I knew the basic story, who was in it....and I knew it had one of my favourite lines ever: 'You're gonna need a bigger boat.' (Also one of the AFI's Top 100 Movie Quotes.)

I am not one for horror movies or that sort of thing. And I do get a bit squeamish when it comes to blood and guts in movies. Hence my hesitation to see this before. Yes, there's blood...and guts...and the occasional bloody limb....but it's in moderation, and it's not gratuitous. It's the right amount to be scary but not gross.

It's a simple story, but told very well. The music is AWESOME!!! Besides the Jaws 'theme'....dum dum...dum dum....the music definitely sets the mood. You notice it, but it's not distracting. The acting is great. I would say a definite solid movie on all fronts.

According to Wikipedia, Jaws is one of the first high concept movies. Basically, simple premise, not character driven, and 'easy to sell'. I do remember vaguely when it came out (I was only 7 at the time). There was a lot of hype and marketing. (And an awful lot of stories telling you what to do to avoid a shark attack. Very helpful when you live in Toronto...you never know what's lurking in Lake Ontario.)

I think today, this has become a bit of a parody of itself, and borders on the cheesy. At the time, I am sure it was really scary and terrifying. (That's the only 'problem' with seeing movies out of their original context.)

Bottom line....I liked it.

One word to describe 'Jaws': Scary.

Seven Samurai - Akira Kurosawa (1954)

2009-04-03T19:51:00.003-04:00

So.....

This is the movie that kind of started me on this whole list thing. I had wanted to watch this for years. The thing is, I can't remember how I heard of it, or why I thought it was important. I just 'knew' somehow that this was an important movie that I wanted to see. It was a bit strange, I didn't really have any expectations on what it was about, but I did have high expectations in general, since I had 'waited' so long to see it.

First impression: LONG!!! It's Black and White. It's in Japanese with Subtitles. AND it's 3 and a half hours long. (On two discs!!!) So I did find it....challenging in a way to watch, since I did have to pay close attention. Having said that....it was a pretty interesting movie.

On the one hand, very simple: a village 'hires' seven samurai to protect their village from bandits. On the other hand, the movie explores a bunch of different themes and issues, which makes is complex. Kurosawa is definitely a master story teller: the movie made me laugh, and cry, and made me outraged, and made me cheer. (Sounds like a movie trailer...it will make you laugh and cry!!!)

I definitely liked it. Don't think that I LOVED it. (Not sure it could have lived up to whatever expectations I had about it.)

I do think it's an important movie to see. And if I am a betting woman (which I am) I think that I will refer back to this one when viewing other movies on the list.

One word to describe 'Seven Samurai': Long.

Chinatown - Roman Polanski (1975)

2009-03-28T17:19:00.010-04:00

This movie has been on my list to see for a while, so I was glad to see it on the list, and glad the guy at the video store picked it out for me. I didn't know a lot about it - just that Jack Nicholson was in it and that at some point he had something happen to his nose in the movie.

So this is where I start to sound very....possibly insightful...possibly annoying....(I leave it to you dear reader to choose)...

Basically, this is a detective story that revolves around a woman. Very similar in concept to 'The Big Sleep' (see previous post on this one). So same concept, VERY different interpretation. The two main characters were portrayed very differently: Philip Marlowe in 'The Big Sleep' low key, 'small time', works alone. Where Jake Gittes in 'Chinatown' was well dressed, had people working for him and was definitely not low key. Admittedly it was kind of cool to see the similarities and the differences in the movies.

The movie was also.....clean. I don't know what other word to describe it. Visually...it was clean. I am sure there is a way better term for that (something more 'movie like') but that's all I got. The other thing I did notice was some of the sounds in the movie. There would be sounds 'off camera' that wouldn't really have to do with the scene or story at hand, such as crickets, or phones ringing or the like. So it almost made it more....realistic, since that's kind of what happens day-to-day (where there is always 'background' noise).

Last line of the movie.....classic (apparently made it to the AFI's top 100 movie quotes in American cinema): "Forget it, Jake, it's Chinatown". Classic.

And not to ruin it for anyone....but the movie isn't actually about Chinatown. But at the same time, it kind of is. Weird.

One word to describe 'Chinatown': Clean.

Annie Hall - Woody Allen (1977)

2009-03-28T17:19:00.007-04:00

This is the first one on the list that I had seen before. Admittedly, not the biggest Woody Allen fan. Having said that, I did find this movie funny and entertaining. And on this 're'-viewing, found it as entertaining as before.

I would definitely put this in the category of a 'classic' film. It's 'quintessential' New York. It's one of the first (if not THE first) film to have dialogue that mimics 'real speech' (people talking over each other and interrupting each other). That makes it kind of....endearing, somehow (at least to me).

It's definitely a mix of funny, entertaining, light and complex at the same time. (Wow, am I starting to sound pretentious????) Having made it to the ripe old age that I am, I have realized that relationships (especially the ones between men and women) are very complicated. And I think Allen has shown that. I am not sure I could have appreciated that in my earlier viewings of the movie. Which I guess is one of the cool things about movies...we bring our own experiences and 'stuff' to the viewing, and are able to appreciate it differently at different points in our lives. (Am I stating the obvious??) :)

Favourite parts: the beginning where Allen has a monologue about turning 40 (can SO relate!!!) and where he is annoyed, while standing in line at the movies, about the ranting of the guy in front of him. (He is saying what I have thought many times over.) And then there is a scene with a spider (don't want to spoil it for you)...cracks me up every time!!!!

One word to describe 'Annie Hall': Endearing.

The Big Sleep - Howard Hawks (1946)

2009-03-28T17:18:00.013-04:00

This was kind of a 'mystery pick'. On my second batch of movie-getting, I just handed the list over and asked the fella to pick for me. I didn't quite catch the 'third' movie (when he told me which 3 he picked), and two of them were unmarked with no titles on the DVD. So when I popped this in the old player, wasn't sure what was going to come up.

Another one I hadn't seen, and didn't know much about. I had heard the title before. I was pleasantly surprised that Humphrey Bogart was in it (a big fan of his) and Lauren Bacall. The story itself was very confusing (I thought it was just me, but was happy to have this confirmed in my post-watching research.) And I also found out that this was made in the film noir genre of movie making (am I starting to sound movie-like?). Again, Wikipedia can explain better than I can.

I can see why this movie was on the list.

One word to describe The Big Sleep: Confusing.

Rashomon - Akira Kurosawa (1950)

2009-03-28T17:18:00.009-04:00

I got this one, only because I wanted to get 'Seven Samurai' but it wasn't in. So I figured, why not see another Kurosawa film.

I went into this one not knowing anything about it, or what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised. It was a good story, and kept me watching and interested for the entire time. It was a beautifully filmed movie, surprising because it was in black and white. I definitely noticed the use of music to enhance the drama of the movie (probably because there wasn't a lot of dialogue in it).

The interesting thing about this movie that I found out (okay...at least I thought it was interesting) is that there is now something called the Rashomon effect. (You can click on the link to find the Wikipedia entry...it explains better than I can.)

One word to describe Rashomon: Engaging.

North by Northwest - Alfred Hitchcock (1959)

2009-03-28T17:18:00.007-04:00

I picked this one, because it's one I have always wanted to see. And who can go wrong with Cary Grant.

The only things I knew about this movie was it was directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and that there was a famous scene in it where Cary Grant is running through a corn field being chased by a plane. The only other Hitchcock move I have seen was 'Psycho' (yes, the original). So I was pleasantly surprised by the story. I guess I have always had this impression (not sure why) that his movies were creepy or something like that. I guess (now having seen 2 of them) they are more suspenseful. (Duh...I have a feeling I am the only one who didn't know that.)

As far as I am concerned, it had everything a good movie needs: a handsome leading man, a beautiful leading lady, romance, action and good dialogue. So, in my humble opinion, a home run.

One word to describe North by Northwest: Surprising.

Apocalypse Now - Francis Ford Coppola (1979)

2009-03-28T17:02:00.005-04:00

Why did I pick this one first? Because it was the only one I could find on the shelf in the video store. (This was before I figured out I could just ask the guy at the desk.)

I hadn't seen this movie before, and didn't know too much about it. I knew it was loosely based on Joseph Conrad's novella 'Heart of Darkness'. (Which I read back in my University days.) I knew it was about the Vietnam War. I knew it was directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

What to say about this movie?

Overall, awesome movie. I picked up the Redux version....so it was a bit long, running 3 hours 22 minutes, where the original clocked in at 2 hours 33 minutes. From that perspective, I found it a bit indulgent of Coppola. Maybe if I had seen the original version, I may not have thought that way.

I haven't seen many Vietnam movies (or many war movies, for that matter), so I can't 'compare' this to others. From the research I did post-watching, I found out that this was the first movie about Vietnam. So I guess if I am going to see one, this is the one to see.

Admittedly it was cool to finally hear the line 'I love the smell of napalm in the morning'. (Seriously...I had no idea that's where that line came from. See why I need to see these movies!!)

One word to describe Apocalypse Now: Grueling.

The List

2009-03-28T16:43:00.001-04:00

I recently embarked on a quest to watch the '102 Movies You Must See Before You Die'. Why, you ask? Well that's a very good question.

First, I have always wanted to be one of 'those people' who could talk intelligently about movies: "Oh yes, Fellini's early work is mostly symbolic of the emerging socialist thoughts of the 20th century..." (okay, admittedly that sentence made no sense....but you get my drift.)

Second, I am usually in the video store wandering around lost trying to figure out what movie to rent.

So what does one do when faced with such a dilemma....you 'Google'. Which I did. And that's where I got the list from. This is the movies to see, according to Roger Ebert. These aren't necessarily the best movies ever, but they represent different genres and directors and such. Kind of a 'Movies 101' (or 102 as the case may be).

I decided to watch ALL 102 movies, even if I had seen them before. I figured that they all needed to be viewed in the context of this list. Then the question...what order to watch them in. Do I do it alphabetically? Do I do it chronologically? By Director? Me being me....I like things more random than that. So I have taken to just handing the guy in the video store my list and letting him pick 3 for me.

I thought it would be cool to post my 'reviews' of the movies...maybe more 'impressions' than reviews. I try not to do any research about these before I watch them. Then afterwards I look them up and see why they are influential or important.

I have decided that once I see all these, I will branch out. There are lots of 'best of' lists out there. So if you, dear reader, feel there is something missing on the list - let me know. I will put it on my 'Post 102 Movies to see' list.

So, here is the list:
"2001: A Space Odyssey" (1968) Stanley Kubrick
"The 400 Blows" (1959) Francois Truffaut
"8 1/2" (1963) Federico Fellini
"Aguirre, the Wrath of God" (1972) Werner Herzog
"Alien" (1979) Ridley Scott
"All About Eve" (1950) Joseph L. Mankiewicz
"Annie Hall" (1977) Woody Allen
"Apocalypse Now" (1979) Francis Ford Coppola*
"Bambi" (1942) Disney
"The Battleship Potemkin" (1925) Sergei Eisenstein
"The Best Years of Our Lives" (1946) William Wyler
"The Big Red One" (1980) Samuel Fuller
"The Bicycle Thief" (1949) Vittorio De Sica
"The Big Sleep" (1946) Howard Hawks
"Blade Runner" (1982) Ridley Scott
"Blowup" (1966) Michelangelo Antonioni
"Blue Velvet" (1986) David Lynch
"Bonnie and Clyde" (1967) Arthur Penn
"Breathless" (1959 Jean-Luc Godard
"Bringing Up Baby" (1938) Howard Hawks
"Carrie" (1975) Brian DePalma
"Casablanca" (1942) Michael Curtiz
"Un Chien Andalou" (1928) Luis Bunuel & Salvador Dali
"Children of Paradise" / "Les Enfants du Paradis" (1945) Marcel Carne
"Chinatown" (1974) Roman Polanski
"Citizen Kane" (1941) Orson Welles
"A Clockwork Orange" (1971) Stanley Kubrick
"The Crying Game" (1992) Neil Jordan
"The Day the Earth Stood Still" (1951) Robert Wise
"Days of Heaven" (1978) Terence Malick
"Dirty Harry" (1971) Don Siegel
"The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie" (1972) Luis Bunuel
"Do the Right Thing" (1989 Spike Lee
"La Dolce Vita" (1960) Federico Fellini
"Double Indemnity" (1944) Billy Wilder
"Dr. Strangelove" (1964) Stanley Kubrick
"Duck Soup" (1933) Leo McCarey
"E.T. -- The Extra-Terrestrial" (1982) Steven Spielberg
"Easy Rider" (1969) Dennis Hopper
"The Empire Strikes Back" (1980) Irvin Kershner
"The Exorcist" (1973) William Friedkin
"Fargo" (1995) Joel & Ethan Coen
"Fight Club" (1999) David Fincher
"Frankenstein" (1931) James Whale
"The General" (1927) Buster Keaton & Clyde Bruckman
"The Godfather," "The Godfather, Part II" (1972, 1974) Francis Ford Coppola
"Gone With the Wind" (1939) Victor Fleming
"GoodFellas" (1990) Martin Scorsese
"The Graduate" (1967) Mike Nichols
"Halloween" (1978) John Carpenter
"A Hard Day's Night" (1964) Richard Lester
"Intolerance" (1916) D.W. Griffith
"It's a Gift" (1934) Norman Z. McLeod
"It's a Wonderful Life" (1946) Frank Capra
"Jaws" (1975) Steven Spielberg
"The Lady Eve" (1941) Preston Sturges
"Lawrence of Arabia" (1962) David Lean
"M" (1931) Fritz Lang
"Mad Max 2" / "The Road Warrior" (1981) George Miller
"The Maltese Falcon" (1941) John Huston
"The Manchurian Candidate" (1962) John Frankenheimer
"Metropolis" (1926) Fritz Lang
"Modern Times" (1936) Charles Chaplin
"Monty Python and the Holy Grail" (1975) Terry Jones & Terry Gilliam
"Nashville" (1975) Robert Altman
"The Night of the Hunter" (1955) Charles Laughton
"Night of the Living Dead" (1968) George Romero
"North by Northwest" (1959) Alfred Hitchcock
"Nosferatu" (1922) F.W. Murnau
"On the Waterfront" (1954) Elia Kazan
"Once Upon a Time in the West" (1968) Sergio Leone
"Out of the Past" (1947) Jacques Tournier
"Persona" (1966) Ingmar Bergman
"Pink Flamingos" (1972) John Waters
"Psycho" (1960) Alfred Hitchcock
"Pulp Fiction" (1994) Quentin Tarantino
"Rashomon" (1950) Akira Kurosawa
"Rear Window" (1954) Alfred Hitchcock
"Rebel Without a Cause" (1955) Nicholas Ray
"Red River" (1948) Howard Hawks
"Repulsion" (1965) Roman Polanski
"The Rules of the Game" (1939) Jean Renoir
"Scarface" (1932) Howard Hawks
"The Scarlet Empress" (1934) Josef von Sternberg
"Schindler's List" (1993) Steven Spielberg
"The Searchers" (1956) John Ford
"The Seven Samurai" (1954) Akira Kurosawa
"Singin' in the Rain" (1952) Stanley Donen & Gene Kelly
"Some Like It Hot" (1959) Billy Wilder
"A Star Is Born" (1954) George Cukor
"A Streetcar Named Desire" (1951) Elia Kazan
"Sunset Boulevard" (1950) Billy Wilder
"Taxi Driver" (1976) Martin Scorsese
"The Third Man" (1949) Carol Reed
"Tokyo Story" (1953) Yasujiro Ozu
"Touch of Evil" (1958) Orson Welles
"The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" (1948) John Huston
"Trouble in Paradise" (1932) Ernst Lubitsch
"Vertigo" (1958) Alfred Hitchcock
"West Side Story" (1961) Jerome Robbins/Robert Wise
"The Wild Bunch" (1969) Sam Peckinpah
"The Wizard of Oz" (1939) Victor Fleming