My Favorite Movies

"Halloween"

Hands down the best Horror movie ever made..

Stick with the original,not The Rob Zombie Remake..

One of the forefathers of slasher movies.

Actually the granddaddy of the maniac on the loose with a butcher knife or any other sharp object flicks.

Jamie Lee Curtis began her reign as Scream Queen in this film and it's cult status and popularity speak volumes where this movie is concerned.

It is still effective and holds up today.

not heavy on gore but heavy on thrills chills and big scares.

Tarantino's finest..

One of the best movies ever made.

"Gilda" is one of those Hollywood treasures I can watch over and over again, it's like a favorite song.
Rita Hayworth's performance is that of which legends are made. Every man wants her, every woman wants to be her. Glen Ford as Johnny Farrall is at his most handsome and his performance is equally as good as Rita's although after the first shot of Gilda flipping her hair back at her vanity all eyes remain on her.
The character of Gilda didn't show up in the film until about 30 minutes into the movie, that tells you how much faith they had in Ms Hayworth as the star. Her rendition of "Put The Blame On Mame " was the highlight of the movie for me, using her hair and hips as weapons she seduced the world. The chemistry between she and Ford is electric, Bogart was originally supposed to play Johnny Farrall but once he found out Rita Hayworth would be playing Gilda he told them "no thank you" With Hayworth in the movie no one will look at me. I'm glad he bowed out because I cant imagine Gilda without Ford.
This movie is pure film noir gold a must have for any movie buff.

Running with Scissors has become one of my favorite movies.

It's characters are as colorful as a box of crayola crayons and twice as fun.

The story is heartbreaking as well as heart warming,all set to a fantastic Seventies Soundtrack.

It's hard to pick out a Stand out because their all so wonderful.

Although In my opinion Rachel Evan Wood and Jill Clayburgh were the most effective in their roles.Jill Clayburgh could have overplayed her role but she didn't she was subtle yet very effective as the neglected eccentric housewife Agnes.Rachel Evan Wood is always a delight to watch,no exception here.

Joseph Fiennes also gives a wonderful performance as the schizophrenic homosexual "Neil Bookman" who although a tortured soul shows a tender childlike side that we all can relate to.

Joseph Cross as Augustin Burroughs is charming and a joy to watch.

Annette Benning was the only person nominated and it was for a Golden Globe,.

I would have to disagree and give the others mentioned a Nod as well.

The music and songs fit so well with the scenes that you find yourself anticipating the music as much as the scenario itself.If you have ever thought you or your family were eccentric or out of the "so called" Norm you will really get a kick out of this movie.

This is definitely in my top 20 films of all time.

"Hysterical Blindness" Is such a good movie because its so accurate and honest plus the performances are amazing.
Uma Thurman Plays Debbie an insecure young woman whos life revolves around the neighborhood bar "Ollies " She and Her best friend Beth played by the equally talented Julliett Lewis haunt Ollies looking for mr right only to find that he isn't there.
Thurman's portrayal of the desperate, promiscuous Debbie is heart wrenching but amazing to watch. .The always wonderful Gena Rowlands who also gives an exellent and endearing performance as Debbies mom Virginia a waitress at the local diner who meets a man played by Ben Gazzara and falls in love only to have love woes of her own.
Some of the scenes with Debbie "Uma" and Rick played by the sexy Justin Chambers "whom she meets at Ollies" are painful to watch and make you feel embarrassed for her because of the way she throws herself at him and almost begs him to love her.
The reason I love the movie so much besides the script and cast are the soundtrack and the dead on accuracy the director captures of the mid 80's also it reminds me of myself and my best girlfriend when we would go out and run straight to the ladies room check our selves spray our hair apply more make up then strut out like 2 peacocks and get our drink on. I highly recommend this movie it has something for everyone ,I watch it atleast 5 times a year.

Rebecca
Is by far my favorite Hichcock film.
It's a movie you can watch over and over again.
Laurence Olivier is at his charming best and Joan Fontaine is wonderful as the confused naive newlywed.
My favorite character in the movie is Mrs Danvers.
Playing an obvious but unspoken lesbian"Obsessed with the late Rebecca"She is the personal maid to Miss Fontaine's character as she was to Rebecca before.She is deliciously creepy.
This movie will have you confused but in an oh so good and suspensful way.
When you finally find out what is going on you are joyous in the revalation.
Hichcocks camera work and style is that of cinema royalty.
It did win the Oscar for best picture after all.
do your self a favor and introduce yourself to Rebecca.

"Dying Young" The soundtrack alone is enough to make you watch this movie over and over again. Why not just buy the soundtrack? You might ask, the scenes' and the music fit together like a beautiful puzzle and its cinematic magic to watch the music and the scenery in unison.
Julia Roberts gives "in my opinion" her best performance as Hilary, a woman who pretends to be a nurse so she can get a job as a live in caretaker to a man with leukemia `unbeknownst to her at the time" after her boyfriend cheats on her and she leaves him. Campbell Scott is heart breakingly convincing and a pleasure to watch as Victor the handsome young man she is going to be taking care of. The chemistry between the two is wonderful, at times you can feel Victor's yearning for Hilary so strongly that you want to reach out and touch her for him. The scenery is absolutely gorgeous as is the film itself..
This movie never fails to touch my heart. It is a tear jerker but a lot of times in a " that's so sweet kind of way" and sometimes in a heart wrenching manner.....It's in my Listomania of "My Favorite Tearjerkers" Its also in my top 20 favorite movies of all time

"Ma Vie En Rose" Is the story of a little boy named "Ludovic" who desperately wants to be a girl.

While most boys his age want to be cowboys or Soldiers Ludovic dreams of living in a fantasy world where dolls are larger than life and he is a princess. He is not free to do the things that feel natural for him to do ,That other people say are not allowed or socially accepted. He creates an imaginary friend name Pam who is a Barbie like doll that plays with him and takes him on journeys far away from the reality of his confused and troubled life.

It's a heart breaking story of how people ostracize and condemn things and people they don't understand.

In Ludovic"s heart he is a girl and doesn't understand why people ridicule and torment him "cant they see it ?" he must think. He rebels against all the attempts to make him stop acting out his fantasies and wearing what he feels is proper and comfortable attire for him and then his neighbors and acquaintances perceive him as sick ,disturbed and in need of help when in reality they are the ones that need the help so they can stop being judgmental and ignorant.

While the other people around Ludovic are like circles and can roll freely he is a square that does not roll smoothly and will endure all the bumps and have a rocky ride ahead of him due to the fact he is shaped differently. This movie is a must for anyone who might think their child is exhibiting signs of transgenderism during their early years and for people who cant think out of the box so they can put themselves in Ludovic's tiny yet heavy shoes or for anyone who wants to see a beautiful story.

"Tim"
I will start by saying that this is very much a movie a woman would be more apt to enjoy.
First you have a young gorgeous Mel Gibson running around shirtless and in hot pants throughout the film.
And it's a love story that involves a simple minded man "Gibson" some think retarded that falls in love with a much older woman named Mary beautifully played by Piper Laurie.
Tim "Gibson's character" starts to do odd jobs for Mary and he starts to have feelings that are foreign and confusing to him.
Meanwhile Mary is feeling the same way about him but because of the age difference and his simple mindedness she think it taboo to love him.
What follows is a beautiful and almost fantasy like love story that will melt your he

"Thank God It's Friday" has the best disco soundtrack ever.. Much better than Saturday Night Fever.
You have After Dark by Patti Brooks, Romeo and Juliet"
Performed by Alec R. Costandinos, I'm Here again by Thelma Houston, not to mention Last dance by Donna Summer, just to name a few.
The story is minimal but cute..but if you were around in the disco era and went to discos this movie will take you back and make you smile .This is another movie I can watch over and over and it only becomes more endearing.
A must for disco fans or people that are curious about the late 70's early 80's club culture.

What can one say about Donnie Darko ?
It's pure genius plus one of the biggest Mind f*cks of any movie I have ever seen.
The soundtrack alone is worth watching it over and over .
Jake Gyllenhaal gives a performance that is not only Oscar worthy but well crafted beyond his years.
The whole cast is amazing as well.
I have dealt with the schizophrenic mind first hand what most people don't realize is most people with this disorder are highly highly intelligent and some are genius's.
You can be speaking to a schizophrenic and they're right on scope and displaying these highly intelligent qualities then out of the blue they're mind makes a left turn and where it leads from that point can be anything from Frank the bunny to the CIA chasing them.
This is why Donnie Darko works so well and the whole ambiguous atmosphere is apropos.
if you want to view something light that doesn't make you think this movie is not for you.
I guarantee if you watch this movie with an open mind and clear your emotional pallet beforehand
it will stay with you forever.

"Wrong Turn" Is one of the most enjoyable recent horror movies I have seen.
Being a huge 70's and 80's slasher fan I crave new movies that live up to my expectations.
I hear people complain we have seen this before!!! Blah blah blah..
UM, No we haven't .Sasher/Horror lovers you know good and well that there are certain formulas that work and some that don't ,this one does!!!
Inbred mutant cannibals ? love it .Have there been other movies with a similar plot ? Yes. So What I loved them as well,stop complaining it isnt rocket science it's a slasher flick.A very enjoyable one at that.
It has good looking people,great kills and great makeup effects.
Nuff said.

Wrong Turn 2

Is one of the best straight to video horror movies and especially sequels I have seen.

The gore is abundant and the effects are very well done.

Henry Rollins is the stand out in the cast of good actors..

I loved wrong Turn and had reservations about liking this one but it did not disappoint in the least.

I have watched it about 4 times already and will watch it many more times .

When I find a slasher movie especially a slasher in the woods movie I like from this era I'm so pleased because I'm a big fan of the early 80's slashers and have been jaded by them. but every once in awhile a new movie comes out that satisfies me like Wrong Turn and wrong Turn 2.

Don't listen to the haters ..It's a great slasher flick.

Frontier(s) Is a fabulous horror movie..

it was definatly the best movie of all the horrorfest flicks this year and last"this year wasn't hard to beat..

it's like the Texas Chainsaw Massace for the new millineum..with some Hostel thrown in..

great gore effects, great characters,.It has everything I want in a horror/Slasher movie,a good story as well.

It is a must buy,I dont want to give too much away but if you like cannibalistic natzi's that butcher their prey ,hang them on hooks by their feet,make prisoners eat their friends,Oh and mama has a tube in her throat and when they feed her it can be rather messy and unpleasant to watch worse than Grandpa in TCM ..The gore was off the chain..

BUY IT

Going To Pieces"The rise and Fall of the Slasher"
This is a MUST HAVE for any Slasher,Horror or Gore hound.
It traces the controversial roots of the Slasher all the while showing interviews with Horror icons ,Make up artists,directors etc,.
It also shows some of the best and goriest scenes form some of the best slasher flicks from the 60's to the present.
I have watched it so many times and each time I see something new that I missed the first time,it also pays special attention to the films that have become classics and discusses the reasons why they are so endeared and have stood the test of time.
It's the best compilation of horror gore clips I have ever seen in one movie.

The Wrestler put a choke hold on me from the beginning and never let up.
Mickey Rourke's performance is so honest and moving that you almost forget to judge his acting because you forget he is in fact"acting".
As over the hill wrestler Randy the Ram he shows so much vulnerability and range it's mesmerizing.
The film itself is very moving and endears you to his character,anyone who has ever felt alone or at the end of an era in their life can relate and even if you cant relate you will empathize.
Marisa Tomei is great as an aging exotic dancer with fading dreams of her own and Evan Rachael Wood is "as always' fantastic as Randy's estranged daughter who finds little sympathy for his past misgivings .
Rourke deserves any and every award he has and may take for this role it's genius.
The film itself is Oscar worthy and the stuff people who love independent film are made of.

"Slumdog Millionaire" is nothing short of Genius and brilliant.
It's basically a love story but very interestingly and unconventionally told about three young children two brothers Jamal and Salim and a girl Latika who meet under tragic circumstances when they are very young.The love story revolves around Jamal and Latika
The big story is that years later Jamal is on an Indian version of "I want to be a millionaire" and is accused of cheating so while being interrogated by police he explains how he knows the answer to each question by recounting events that have taken place in his life answer by answer.
what comes next is a very emotional and violent depiction of Jamal's life and how it intertwines with his brother Salim Latika and many other intresting characters.
Slumdog Millionaire is not always easy to watch due to violence but it's so very rewarding,
It's not often you get a true to life depiction that's not glossed over and have it be one of the most feel good movies ever as well.Just as it swept the Golden Globes
I expect this movie to sweep the Academy Awards and well deserved it is.

The Tripper
Is a campy,funny Movie by the demented mind of David Arquette.They dont skimp on the Gore either~!!
I really enjoyed this movie,it was original but had all elements that I have come to love as a slasher fanatic but it also had elements that set it apart and made me feel like I was seeing something fresh and new.
The experienced cast only lends to the films like ability.
The stand out cast member is "Jason Mewes" of Clerks and Jay and Silent Bob fame.
What could be worse than tripping on acid and seeing a guy in a Ronald Reagan mask getting ready to chop your head off?
A George Bush Mask? EEEEK..This film gets an A for originality..
My recommendation. BUY IT

"Santa Sangre"
Is one of the wildest ,visually stunning yet disturbing films I have seen as of yet.
At times you think it makes no sense but as you put it together and realize it's symbolism and not surrealism the visuals fall masterfully into place.Jodorowsky's directing abilities are spot on and should be awarded.
It has elements of art house,Horror/splatter and cult all in one..
Again, it's a feast for the eyes BUT only the eyes of a lover of the macabre and strange cinema.
This is far from being a family or date film~!!

"Dying Breed" was one of the better films of the 8 Films To Die For.
The only slasher in the woods installment"I love a good maniac loose in the woods film".My favorite sub Genre,The effects were great to lacking especially the Blatent and SO fake GGI axe to the face, the blood looked cartoon like.I don't understand why they chose to go that route when they had other gore effects that were so authentic and cool.You will know exactly what I'm talking about when you see it.I love that the Dude from Saw that played Adam"Leigh Whannel" was in this film as well as the last guy standing from Wolf Creek "Nathan Phillips.
The story was interesting enough and it has enough punch to keep a horror/slasher fan interested and entertained.Just when you think it's over "Viola" power punch surprise ending.It was very Timber Falls meets Wrong Turn but not as solid as either but I watched it twice so I must have enjoyed it.Three and a half stars..

Spiral was nothing short of genius.

The acting was amazing especially by David Joel Moore who also starred in Hatchet another of Adam Green's films.

Some might think the movie a bit slow but I see it as building a foundation and great Character development something you don't see enough in a lot of films lately. Moore plays Mason, an introverted and emotionally disturbed man who goes to work at a drab job and also leisurely loves to paint.He loves to paint beautiful women. Amber Tamblyn plays the new girl "Amber"at Mason's place of employment and she for some reason is drawn to him' after a few lunch time meetings Mason starts painting Amber when she visits his Apartment " One that holds many secrets" .

They strike up an friendship that leads to somewhat of a love affair.

This is when it all starts to unravel..

What ensues next is intense and I couldn't stop watching.The story is amazing and the ambiguous nature of some of the content is also genius because it allows us to come to our own conclusion. There is a line in the film that I can't get out of my head, It's when Mason is talking to his brother Berkley "Zackary Levi", the line is " How do you know if Their real or not?" It sounds like nothing now but watch the film and you will see. it was heart breaking and chilling all in one.This is a film that will stay with you long after you are finished watching it.

I just watched Trick 'r Treat and thought it was very original and entertaining..I loved the throwback cheese appeal and the the way the stories intertwined was genius..This isn't a film for someone expecting a hard core gore fest although it did have it's moments~!The cinematography and costume design was awesome..Very apropos for October and I'm sure it will be a new movie tradition for halloween.A horror icon is born in Sam who already has his own action figure..
If you are a fan of movies that aren't intended to take themselves to seriously then this is for you..I loved it.. It is touted as Horror/Comedy so remember this before viewing~!
I have watched it twice.The Characters were cleverly thought out and the casting perfect.
A winner~!

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
This movie has it all, November 15, 2009


"2012" had everything that makes a film going experience a pleasure for most people.

There was humor,good actors and characters,over the top first rate special effects, a plot that was well thought out and not sloppily executed.There was even some romance.

Was it feasible? no ,did I care? no.It was fun and highly entertaining.

It was Armageddon meets the Poseidon Adventure meets Earthquake meets Noah's Arc plus throw in John Cusack's humor and comedic timing and you have a great movie,despite it's running time of almost 3 hours it wasn't boring at all and didn't lag in any places.It is very politically motivated and you have the big moral issues such as should billions of dollars be able to buy your way onto a vessel that will save your family whilst a poor one is destroyed. It's pretty powerful at times and always full speed ahead.

I think it is the best disaster film I have ever seen taking in consideration all the scenerios such as story ,effects etc.

I would see it on the big screen if at all possible but I plan to buy the DVD and I am sure it will be effective on the small screen as well.

There are some movies I can pop in and watch a anytime and still enjoy.This is one of them.
I must have seen this about 10 times already.
The synopsis is not original ,we have a post apocalyptic earth with people trying to survive,but this one does it for me for some reason.
Rachael Miner is at her best in this as Neon a girl that is rescued by a group of survivors that take up residency in a high rise hospital Lead by David Carridine as Darwin..
There are a bunch of "Rovers" on the loose that are of course, cannibals.
There is a huge twist in this that I saw coming but it still pays off.There are a few cheesy lines in it like "By Morning I'll be gnawing on your bones" and If I catch ya I'm gonna eat ya".I can overlook that because the kills are superb and the revenge payoff is one of the best ever in my opinion.I think that's why I never tire of this movie.It Rachel Miner and Rider Storm both of whom are veterans of slasher flicks and are often used in the After Dark series,I always enjoy their performances.I also Love Michael Kelly as Viper,her really punches it up a notch in my opinion,plus he's hot.

I had been hoping for a DVD release of "A Stolen Life" for quite some time so was delighted when I saw this release.
The movie is about two sisters, one selfish and frivolous "Patricia" the other more reserved and Kind "Kate".
Enter Glenn Ford at his most handsome.This movie was released the same year as "Gilda" with Glenn aside Rita Hayworth, it was hugely successful so he was a hot commodity at this time as well as the always In Demand Davis
The good Bette falls for Ford's character and the bad Bette steals him away and they marry..Years later there is a sail boating accident in which the two sisters are on board leaving the The selfish Patricia dead and her wedding ring slips off as Kate is trying to save her.Kate plays it off like she is "Bill" Glenn Ford's wife,but all things are not good in the Paradise that Patricia had made of the marriage unbeknown to Kate.It plays out into an endearing and exciting love story.Think Dead Ringer meets No man Of Her own. One of my Favorite Davis Films,but then again I love them all.

This was such an amazing movie I can't wait to pop it in and watch it again.
By far Danielle Harris' best role and performance to date.
It has shades of many other apocalyptic films while managing to keep it's own identity,and it does take itself seriously and that's what I really love about it.No camp all horror drama and action.
'Mr' is one of the best film heroes to come along in years.
The cast is great even Kelly McGillis came out of the woodwork and gives an awesome performance.
I can't rave enough about this movie..It's different in that the vampires are like Zombies but you have to stake them and not shoot them in the head.This is my new favorite Vamp flick.Two huge thumbs up.