My Favorite Movies

The Wachowski Brothers vision of a possible future takes the visual and sound aspects of filmmaking to a new high. Incorporating older still photography with computer enhancement to the degree that appears on the screen has raised the genre to a level that will be very hard-pressed by filmmakers for a number of years. Acting was wonderful, script, visual, sound, everything about this film is a tribute to a usually overlooked genre.

Memorial Life Of Cowboys, Or How Can You Kill Seven Men With Seven Bullets!!

It's My Favorite Movie. that one of the greatest American Westerns ever made starred almost an entirely Italian cast, was made by an Italian filmmaker, and was filmed in Spain. Highly influential in terms of style and slick direction, the film is the ultimate example of something succeeding in having style over substance.

Fantastic "Pride" and Fantastic "Prejudice"!


Very enjoyable adaptation of the great Jane Austen book. It is absolutely one of my favorites. Great cast, pleasantly suprised by Keira Knightley! (I Love Her!) Also Great locations and sets and Soundtracks!

Story About The Best Love Of The World!

This enthralling movie Braveheart takes a viewer's breath away. The invigorating battle scenes, the incredible acting, and the fierce power of love all captivated me when I first saw this movie. James Horner's music is a masterpiece--it adds elegance and dimension to the magnificent film. Mel Gibson's zealous passion as his character William Wallace is truly an inspiration. Scots are very dignified, highly revered people, and this movie really presented Scotland's pride.

This thriller from veteren John Frankenheimer is pure excellence, the script, acting and action are top draw. De Niro and Reno are brilliant in this as of course you would expect from two such excellent actors. The action scenes are pulse pounding and particularly excellent are the car chases, probably the best ever. Not only did the stunt guys risk their lives but the guys shooting the action captured some truly thrilling close up view from the cars as they speed along. The action also carries a certain degree of realism to it, the shootouts are sensible and the car chases and crashes seem very genuine no massive corkscrewing threw the air like most car chases or cars jumping 100 feet in the air like in Gone in 60 seconds, which is all very good but not for this sort of thriller. The pacing of the film was great and there was a constant chilling atmosphere. As I said before Robert De Niro and Jean Reno were exceptional particularly in their scenes together. The support cast are good too with a brief but excellent display from Sean Bean and Natasha Mchelhone and Jonathan Pryce are both good as Irish terrosists with comendable accents. All in all a very god way to spend a few hours.

The Shawshank Redemption is without a doubt one of the most brilliant movies I have ever seen. Similar to The Green Mile in many respects (and better than it in almost all of them), these two movies have shown us that Stephen King is a master not only of horror but also of prose that shakes the soul and moves the heart. The plot is average, but King did great things with it in his novella that are only furthered by the direction, and the acting is so top-rate it's almost scary.
It is positively the best movie of the '90's, and one of my Top 3 of all time. This movie is a spectacle to move the mind, soul, and heart!

Tremendous film! A magnificent thriller! It's definitely needs to be seen. Fine Nicole Kidman's playing only strengthens impressions of film. Brilliant film! The best horror-movie since Alfred Hitchcock's times. Having looked this film really you start to fall in love with it. If you really appreciate horror-films, you simply should not pass a picture "The Others". Film is removed so stylishly and unusually, that it is pleasant to watch it. All film holds public in a pressure. The fine atmosphere created by the maestro Alejandro Amenabar combined with an original plot and perfect actors. Film is an unequivocal masterpiece!
You Can't Forgotten, Unforgettable Fictions Of This Movie!

"The Sound of Music" is an impressive musical that stands above other films of the genre because of interesting characters, top-notch direction, and a truly inspired screenplay. Julie Andrews (Oscar-nominated) stars as the young nun who leaves the convent to become the governess to a large family. She is instantly at odds with the children's father (Christopher Plummer), but they soon fall in love and get married. However, evil forces lurk overhead as the Nazis invade their homeland of Austria. Somewhat based on a true story, "The Sound of Music" is one of those rare musicals that works because there is a sense of fear and drama in the film's final act. This makes the film believable and none of the musical numbers take away from the story or the film's direction.

Not only it's Pixar's best film of all-time but it's the best movie of this year and one of the greatest imaginative, visually, moving & excellent animated films in years and surprisingly, one of the best sci-fi movies since E.T.!! Coming with high expectations, it definitely succeeded mines. It's so beautiful, moving, hilarious & sad at the same time. And for those who has been anticipating Thomas Newman's score for WALL-E, it's certainly one of his best right behind Finding Nemo in which I thought was his best score to date! Like I said it's Pixar best film so far, WALL-E knocked off Ratatouille of the top spot in which I thought it was their best film to date and officially, WALL-E is the best Pixar film i've ever seen with Monsters, Inc. right behind and Finding Nemo, third. Pixar fan or non-Pixar fan, you'll definitely enjoy this one. WALL-E will forever be remembered as one of the most lovable characters ever created on film!
atlast, i love all animations of Andrew Stanton. he's amazing.

Signs had a difficult battle of meeting the high expectations that M. Night set for himself. Sixth Sense provided that twisted ending that made audiences see it twice to check M. Night's consistency and Unbreakable is one of the few modern movies that not only tells an amazing story but uses many innovative film techniques to demonstrate a point. But I believe that M. Night did not want to spell it out for us so cut and dry this time around, he relied a lot on the audience's perception of this movie. M. Night did not wait for the very end to twist the plot like he in Unbreakable and Sixth Sense, but he used a more clandestine approach to make the audience think and send them back to see it right away at least two or three times to check their theories.

'The Shining' is one of the finest horror films ever made, and one of Stanley Kubrick's most amazing achievements (however there was many more). It was the only horror movie Kubrick ever made, which may be positive on our part; because he was always motivated by a style that seldom had seen reproduction from other filmmakers, this allows one to look at the product from a neutral perspective, canceling out all standard comparisons to other horror movies, especially those that were also tailored from Stephen King novels (although King himself thinks Kubrick's adaptation of his novel was butchery, for some reason?). To say that the picture is one of a kind is accurate, but one in a million feels even more appropriate. It is in that small handful of the scariest horror movies ever made, and it distances itself from the typical 'slasher' genre, which is now very tiring, because no remake in made in the 2000s can beat out the original 1970s/1980s version.

This is the type of a film that's never boring no matter how often you watch it. It deserved every single award it got. It's touching, it's timeless and it's downright beautiful. I'm not a huge friend of extended versions because there's usually a perfectly good reason to take something out of the film and none whatsoever to put it back again, if pleasing hardcore fans isn't a good reason - that's totally a matter of opinion. However, "Dances with wolves" is certainly an exception.

This movie absolutely blew my mind. I grew up in a small village in Central Illinois. My village is on the map solely because of the Amish community which has established itself in the rural area around the town. "The Village" is reminiscent of all things strived for by the Amish community. Whilst ridiculed by many and misunderstood by most of the rest, the Amish and the community in "The Village" long for the same things: a return to simpler times when the good in life was much more prolific. Although it could be argued that the members of the village have their ideals based upon and rooted in fear, that doesn't differ drastically from many ideals held throughout the world. The negative aspects of our ideals may not be as obvious and spelled-out to us like those of in "The Village," but they remain similar none-the-less. "The Village" is a real thinker's movie and I commend M. Night Shyamalan for another remarkable movie. I can't wait to see what's next.

Harry Potter is back and this time it's more enjoyable than the first two movies. To be honest here, I actually like this movie. I was never a fan of the first two movies because they concentrated on bringing eye gawky teenage girls than actually caring for a story, but the special effects and John Williams' music made things up for me. All the principal actors from the first two movies return; Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint are back as Harry, Hermione, and Ron in which the story behind the Prisoner of Azkaban is that a killer name Sirus Black (Gary Oldman) has escaped from the prison of Azkaban in which he is after Harry Potter and wants to kill him. Harry isn't scared, as he is ready to kill the murderer who is after him. With an all-star cast featuring Emma Thompson as a teacher and Michael Gambon replacing the late Richard Harris as Albus Dumbledor, the acting is superb in which not only the three main actors have matured, and the special effects and John Williams' music are ten times better than the first two.!

Being a hardcore Potter fan, in both books and on the big screen, I though 'Yates has got to put almost 900 hundred pages into 2 hours and 15 minutes' and i expected like the other films, it would just be a mediocre adaptation. Boy was I wrong! To begin with, Potter 5 was much darker. It pushed it to the borders of a 12 film and almost into a 15. You might think that's bad, but people love to be on the edge of their seat and love to be frightened and Potter does and immense job on that front. It's not just a mellow film with a scary climax, it's dark all the way through. Also, Radcliffe, Watson and Grint have grown up in their acting big time. The film is set in the period of the characters adolescence, the period in your life where you start to say 'I don't agree with that' and Radcliffe and the others don't fall short on that front. Oldman and Staunton also give great performances as Sirius Black and Dolores Umbridge, but Alan Rickman outclasses both on the sinister front, merely by raising an eyebrow, as his performance is truly the definition of sinister. Finally, there is more action, which keeps the viewer in suspense and keeps them interested. This time round, they also managed to cut out minor parts of the book, which doesn't leave out vital information, unlike the other versions. All in all, Potter 5 is a fantastic, dark and action packed film which is enjoyable for anyone and I recommend it, even if the other films have put you off.

Spielberg's powerful and remarkable film about a boy and his unusual befriendment of an extra terrestrial. Possibly his finest film, E.T. captures a piece of childhood, and reminds the rest of us of a time long since past. It excites a story adults often forget, and a powerful remembrance of a childhood friendship during difficult periods of development. Adult criticism of the movie loses its youthful bond, and fails to appreciate growing up in the 80's. This is the pinnacle of Spielberg's childhood movies. Few other films capture as powerful a message of childhood emotion. Other films which attempt to do so dive so deep into childhood memories they lose their connection with adults, and degrade to brief interludes of "dumb" comic relief to keep grown ups from falling asleep. The closest runner up is likely Goonies (a film written by Spielberg). A very personal film for Spielberg; as he explores atypical friendships after the separation of his father; he should be commended for achieving such a remarkable success and for sharing it with the rest of us. I was five when I first saw the movie, and although it frightened me at the time, it still makes me cry. An unparalleled film in its class, it is easy to see why it remains the fourth all time grossing film (adjusted for inflation, third otherwise) seventeen years after its release. Cheers to Spielberg for not ruining the movie by attempting a sequel.

One of the best German films in the last decade with an unforgettable story concerning the maternal love in the troubled days of Berlin!

I still feel the frozen touch of Berlin, when remembering the camera passing by the statue in Eastern part!

"V For Vendetta" Is Totally The Best Movie Ever. If You Haven't Seen It, You Have To.

Because You Must:

Remember .... Remeber...

The 5th Of November.....

One of the greatest movie ever made. This movie was written directly for the screen by Neil Simon, and his mastery of creating a hilarious but also surreal story perfectly works in this uproarious comedy. The luggage sequence, being dumped down in the middle of the central park, breaking off the tooth scene, to name a few. Two main characters, namely George and Gwen Kellerman, are played best by always-wonderful Jack Lemmon and Sandy Dennis. This movie could have been just a stressful and noisy film without their lovable chemistry. I heard Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn are now remaking this movie, I don't know what kind of success the new version will get, but I am sure, by all means, they can't even get close to the quality of this original one(the original was in the early 70s, and its now 90s!!). So, whether seeing the new one or not, see this one first!

Two Thumbs Up!

Never Ending Giggle!

You'll Never Get Tired of This One!

My two heros maked my favorite movie ever made!
Usually I can see both sides when there are differences of opinion about something. This is one of those rare cases where I simply cannot, because this film seems outstanding to me and (try as I might) it is hard to understand how anyone would not find it at least "very good". I do agree that the ending was too melodramatic and far fetched, but by then the major points of the movie had been made with care and feeling, the acting had been accomplished brilliantly, the characters had all revealed themselves skillfully, the story was essentially buttoned up, and I was very touched by it all. So, I can forgive a little over the top-ism (inasmuch as Hollywood usually seems to have to take us there). Seldom do I recommend films strongly to others, because I feel they have their own tastes and plenty of sources of information and reviews, without my adding to their database. This movie I bought, have loaned out, and tell people about at the drop of a hat. It is that good. I only wonder why something like this would not have been a "best picture" nominee. Go figure.

Ghost is one of my favorite films. It is romantic and touching. Ghost shows the love that transcends even death. The chemistry between Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze is incredible. The way they look at one another is sexier than any of those very graphic "love scenes". They make a real romantic connection just through their eyes. Ghost not only has wonderful, likeable characters in Sam Wheat, Molly Jensen, and Oda Mae Brown, but it has an engrossing plot that moves right along. Entwined in all this is a beautiful score.

Delightful, Feel-Good Comedy ... You'll Split Your Offsides Laughing!

You'll Never Get Tired of This One!

I thought that Phone Booth was an excellent movie. I just viewed it last night and thought the whole idea was just great. I thought at first that I would be disappointed and bored with the concept of a man stuck in a phone booth talking to a psycho. But with the cinematography, the details, and the great acting, it kept me in awe of the entire spectrum. This movie left you thinking about the little things you do and how you might consider it just part of life that everybody does, but how others see our actions differently than us.

Joe Wright Begins!

"Edward Scissorhands" Is Totally The Best Movie Ever. If You Haven't Seen It, You Have To.

Really Based On True Story!

After directing the Scottish junkies' tale "Trainspotting" and the zombie horror story "28 Days Later," the latest from Danny Boyle is a real departure. "Millions" is the story of Damian Cunningham, a pious young dreamer who walks and talks with saints. When a huge satchel of money falls out of the sky, he assumes it came from Heaven. This is a charming movie with a tender story, and whimsical visuals. (Keep your eye on the saints' halos!) There are moments of comedy, of suspense, and thought-provoking elements. One scene has St. Peter giving a theory on how the miracle of the loaves and the fishes may have really happened. Above all, "Millions" may make you think about being more charitable. Whether that was Boyle's original intention is not clear, but it's a very nice sentiment.

Fantastic Futuristic Sci-fi Thriller!

A New Window To The Life!

The Professional Scape Hens!

The End Of Excitations For Round Trip!

This movie is really fantastic. It's a solid, emotional ride that has just the right amount of suspense and mathematical jargon.
A Beautiful Story, A Beautiful Codification And A Beautiful Mind gets my thumbs up!

I loved it! This realistic story of a life of an authour yet shows a glimise of fantasy through the authour and her works. The story shows Beatrix Potter played by Renie Zewger brillently so lady like a character in whom has a life of freedom and love and warmth in side her. This is a period drama set Whereabout around the 19th century with its glourious costumes and locations of filming and the films screen shots.

I watched this movie just by chance, and was really surprised about how much I enjoyed it. With a good plot twist and amazing animation, Meet The Robinsons is great fun for any age and is one of the few Disney films that isn't complete and utter rubbish nowadays.
The animation is stunning - complete 3-D brilliance. The characters are also extremely well developed with much more depth than one imagines for an animated production. The plot was simultaneously pleasurable and intriguing with a twist or two, adding to the drama and excitement.

Possibly John Woo's greatest American film yet. Watching it brings out my emotions from start to finish and the action scenes were done with the style of a master director known as John Woo. Even though he has made some movies that are not that impressive, it seems that he uses the style of A Better Tomorrow 1 & 2, the emotions of The Killer and the action of Hard Boiled, and incorporates all of this to make one awesome blockbuster featuring top actors such as John Travolta and Nicholas Cage. These two actors make the movie work and if Woo used different actors it would not have worked. Travolta and Cage changing roles from good to bad and bad to good is superb as both actors change their emotions as the characters change their identities. A must see for all John Woo and action fans and definitely the movie to have as a collectors item. John Woo's American Masterpiece is worth every dollar you spend on it.

This film first appeared in theaters in 1966. The Vietnam War was just getting under way. The Pentagon was beefing up its disinformation campaign that was later documented in David Halberstam's book The Best and the Brightest. The film is based on a novel by Ray Bradbury, first published in 1953, when the hysterical Red Scares of McCarthyism were near their peak.
The friction had a couple of effects on the film. Truffaut, eager to begin filming wrote the screenplay before fully mastering English. Even Truffaut was disappointed in the end with the stiff, flat dialog. For Truffaut, Fahrenheit 451 was his first, and last, English-language film. This may have contributed to the flatness of the characters.

This is an exciting, well acted version of the Thirty Nine Steps. David Warner is appropriately evil as the head of the Nazi's moles, Robert Powell is a convincing reluctant hero who has been thrust into mystery & danger, Sir John Mills is great as the voice of warning and reason against the pending threat of war, and Karen Dotrice is very sweet as the romantic interest now that she is all grown up. Compared to the earlier Hitchcock version (which we also like) this story is much more believable and less campy.

This Is Extra Horrendous!!
This I can honestly say is not an overstatement. The movie contained everything it needed to be become a classic horror movie. It had gore, emotion,a few jumps,and action all the way through. The movie starts off well with the jumps and the pulse pounding action. Then all calms for a second, only to pick up again and faster.

Words cannot accurately describe how affecting this movie is.
The story itself is harrowing, but the way in which Day-Lewis portrays Gerry Conlon is heartbreaking at times. Several scenes in the film may be hard to take for those with a sensitive nature.
Also The soundtrack is great without exception too!

When i saw the ad for Children Of Men i said to myself that I have got to see that film. Little did i know that it would be one of the most exciting films i would ever see! The plot is so different than any other film i have seen before. Children Of Men is set in the near future; which in my opinion is the most believable future set film to date. No disrespect to any other writers but some films would have flying crafts landing on buildings as a daily sighting in the middle of a spotless London. Alfonso Cuáron makes us believe that we are seeing the future. He adds a few futuristic features such as moving ads on the sides of buildings and buses and to add to the realism, there is rubbish on the streets. Cuáron delivers us breathtaking sequences such as the five minute long sequence which follows Theo trying to find Kay in a war stricken area. The tension is persistent in this movie. The escape from the farmhouse left me on the edge of my seat. Not only is the plot strong but the performances are as real as the setting. I think this is one of Clive Owens' best features and deservedly so. This is a movie worth watching.

This is a great film & fully deserving of it's best foreign language film. No Man's Land never tries to follow the well-worn path of other films involving enemies both stuck in the same dangerous situation. The two main combatants never become friends during their ordeal (as shown at the end of the film & little trust exist between the two (they are both only interested in their own interests, not the other). Infact the most clear thinking & compassionate of the three soldiers caught in the trench is the one who can't get up because he is lying on a mine that could kill them all.

This a great movie for any football fan. A great set of stars from the 70's, Pele and Stallone as a funny goalkeeper. This is one of my favorite soccer movies. The storyline is not the best, but it is catchy. Now the way the stadium was set up, the noise, it feel really real. I would love to see a similar movie remade. Maybe a victory 2 with todays's stars. Some people do not like the idea of sly as a football player, I disagree, I think he playing the "football-ignorant"american is good. Now I also think that the way the soccer players acted was very realistic. In special Pele was good.

When the subject of great comedies comes up for discussion, this movie must be included. What a funny movie! Normally any movie that includes the word "death" in the title is a movie that is implicitly telling the audience to beware, it's going to be morbid. Well, this movie is not only not morbid, it is hilarious, not just in a black-comedy way, but in a straightforward matter that uses a funeral as the basis for generating some very funny scenes. The movie contains no morbidity. Rather, it is like an extended sitcom that portrays various people acting very silly and goofy. Everyone in this movie was funny, and one should not be turned off by the title because although death is a serious subject that should not be treated lightly, the movie really isn't about death at all, but actually about life and how silly and crazy people can act when the situation presents itself.

The one of the Best Hamlet ever made In Cinema.
Mel Gibson shows exactly how well he can act in this superb film, and the all-star cast does such an excellent job that anyone can easily follow the story with understanding all of the dialogues.

I was amazingly impressed. The fact that it's a foreign film means it needs to grab my attention and keep it riiiight away, or I get lost. - And it did! The story is so captivating and incredible and heartwarming and engaging. It's everything it needs to be with beautiful music and a beautiful story.

"The Count of Monte Cristo" (2002), a contempo back-to-basics treatment of the famous Dumas novel for new generations, spins its tale of passion and revenge with all the glory and melodrama of Hollywood's golden years. Full of lavish costuming, sumptuous sets, beautiful locations, dashing men, a gorgeous damsel, dank dungeons, the ever popular swashbuckling etc., all supported with a classic story makes for 2+ hours of solid entertainment.

This movie is very entertaining, and will make you think long and hard about your own life for many hours after you leave the Room. I was expecting a slapstick comedy, and ended up shedding some tears. This movie sends lots of messages about life, and teaches us all a very good lesson.

This film shows People. People in tragic times. People fighting for their loves and their lives. Whether it is Yamato, Saving Private Ryan, The Thin Red Line, Brotherhood, Stone's trilogy, Eastwood's duo of films, etc, it comes down to people trying to live.
The film steers well clear of overly political and historical commentary and focuses on the young sailors and their loved ones. The hardship of the Japanese in the second world war was not unlike any other nations' peoples' hardship. Their loved ones went to war and never returned; they lost their livelihoods and what they loved; they were powerless to the whims of their leaders.

This has to be my one of my all time favorite Comedy movies... I love this film. The movie is based around two guys one Black and Blind (Played to perfection by Richard Pryor) the other, White and Deaf (Played by the equally funny Gene Wilder). Both are accused of killing the bookie of the Blind Guy this leads to a hilarious chase across the county and them trying to uncovering the people who set them up. I could easily go on and on about this movie but in doing so would ruin it for you. This is one of the only movies that I have seen that I remember laughing untill there where tears in my eyes.

Being one of the first Indian movies I have ever watched, I didn't know what to expect.I have to admit I was enchanted and awed beyond my expectation by the way the brilliant storyline, the excellent acting by Amitabh, Hema and the others, plus the superb editing and production combined, to create the most near perfect film that not only Indian families can relate to but every family from every culture, race and nation, which is excellent in itself.I cried like a baby! Indian movies have a new big fan in me because of this excellent production, Baghban.

The Great Escape tells the amazing story of a whole bunch of allied prisoners who accomplish a mass breakout during World War II, some of whom actually did make it to freedom and the allied armed forces once again. The film is so good that you do not mind the fact that some American players were tossed into the story as the real story was one accomplished by the British.

So Lovely Kids, And So Dramatic Story Of Kids. This Is a Hiper-Movie Of South Korea, But You Can Crying In Everywhere Of Film For Bitter Story.

This Movie Is So Funny; From Start to Finish. Love The Camera Movements and Fast Jump Cuts!
Also, This Movie Is One Of The Best Teen Movies of The 80's.

The Greatest Movie About Golf In The World!
I Truely Enjoyed This Feel Good Story...The Special Effects and Angels In Which This Story Was Shot Made The Movie and Gave It Extra Appeal To The Game of Golf.

One of the greatest love stories ever. Forbidden love is the central story, as two star-crossed lovers dive into a whirlwind romance. Excellent music, and great chemistry between the actors. One of the films that is guarenteed to bring a tear to your eyes, or in my case, bawl your heart out.

"Hoodwinked" is an updated re-telling of the classic Little Red Riding Hood fairy tale.
That's So Funny!

This movie was about some brilliant young medical students deciding to explore death. They have figured out a way to cause a person to die briefly and bring him/her back to life. Besides the all-star cast, this movie had some serious bite to it. Just the very thought of exploring death is riveting enough, but I really thought the writer & director did an excellent job in giving a different yet hair raising view. This was no generic attempt to thrill, frighten, and make one's mind race... this was the real deal.

A perfect, true to life film based on the true exploits of a young police officer named Frank Serpico. Serpico was an officer in a time when political corruption was rampant and many of his brethren were found "on the take." The true story is brought to the screen under the superb leadership and direction of Sidney Lumet and the brilliant performance of Al Pacino as Serpico. Serpico was said to be known for his eccentricity and Pacino plays it up every step of the way, from the hairy beard to the earrings; he immerses himself into the character. This is the first of two great pairings with Lumet and Pacino. They know character. You see it here and you see it in 'Dog Day Afternoon." They know the streets. Lumet is a avid filmmaker of "New York-style films." Pacino walks the beat in his hobo outfits and long hair as if he's a hippie, not a cop. Although an eccentric, Serpico cannot be bought and certainly cannot be had, by anyone... cop or crook Pacino was Oscar nominated, but lost to Jack Lemmon for his performance in "Save the Tiger." The film was also nominated for it's taut screenplay, based on the Peter Maas book of the same title.

Dead Poets Society is a thoroughly moving, and inspiring film from Peter Weir, who is definitely one of the most under rated directors around. This movie is in the same vein as "A Separate Peace", in the sense of setting, and in the general coming of age story line. The basic message is to "suck the marrow out of life", as the passage for the society reads, or to live every moment to the fullest. It is inspiring and uplifting for the first hour and 15 minutes or so, before changing stride altogether to a somewhat depressing but remarkable conclusion. This is a must see.

Sidney Lumet's "Dog Day Afternoon" is one of the most highly enjoyable and wildly funny movies I've ever seen - smart, sharp, complex, witty (and often quotable) dialogue, and superbly acted. Al Pacino stars as Sonny, an optimistic loser who decides to hold up a bank with his friend Sal (played by the late, great John Cazale) to get money for his lover Leon's sex-change operation.
The film is only worked around a few sequences, and may seem overlong to some, but it works excellently because it is held together by the fantastic acting. Al Pacino is astounding as Sonny, and his work here even eclipses the excellent work he did as Michael Corleone in "The Godfather" (and that's saying something, because I adore that movie and his portrayal). Pacino has the facial tics and the energy and the wide-eyed optimism down pat, and his performance is extremely engaging and entertaining. Take, for example, his scene where he rouses up the crowd against the police by chanting, "Attica! Attica! Put your f---ing guns down!" A lesser actor would have made it insipid, but Pacino makes it oddly poignant and hilarious at the same time. (And he was robbed of his Oscar for his role.) The late John Cazale is also superb as Sal, the dopey-eyed follower, the quiet laid-back calm to Pacino's maniacal energy. It's a less flashier role, but Cazale still brings on all the laughs, especially in his deadpan delivery of the line, "Sonny, they're saying there are two homosexuals in here...I'm not a homosexual."

"The Truman Show" is a rarity in Hollywood - or movies in general - a film that actually makes the audience think, and is about ideas. How do we know what we see is real? Why do we accept what is around us without questioning it? What would happen if we found out that a fundamental we were making about the world turned out to be completely wrong? You'd think a movie that was about those things would be a chore to get through, but in fact "The Truman Show" is great fun. I certainly wouldn't call it a comedy (although there are a few light moments here and there), but it's not too heavy and goes down easy.
It might sound like exaggeration, but the scene where Truman first starts to realize what's going on is one of the best scenes I've seen in any movie, because of Carrey's acting, the direction, and also because of the Philip Glass soundtrack (which was critical to making that scene work).