My Favorite Movies

Narrator: This is your life and it's ending one minute at a time.

I am Jack's favorite movie.

1. You do not talk about Fight Club.

I love watching this movie, it's always entertaining, I could easily put in on a 24 hour loop.

It is a film surrounding the boring life of an office drone who becomes involved with an outsider, working together to vent their feelings initially through brutality and later through an evolved system seeking to enlighten the world in their own sort of way. The movie combines dark humor, violence, social commentary, and various other themes, and still finds time for a small love story.

2. You do NOT TALK about Fight Club.

Great casting, Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, Helena Bonham Carter, Jared Leto, even Meat Loaf, all at the top of their game. Just the right amount of nonchalance to their situations, yet great intensity to some important moments, as well as all the physical stuff involved, and being able to bring a great amount of humor to some dark topics.

3. If someone yells "Stop!", goes limp, taps out, the fight is over.

David Fincher's best film, at the top of his game, and from the commentaries and behind the scenes stuff, you can tell he had a great time making this movie. His visual style is wonderful, showing how to make a movie through dialog, cinematography, and editing. The combination of cynical humor and a gritty atmosphere makes for a great looking film.

4. Only two guys to a fight.

I have read the book that the movie is adapted from, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. The script, adapted by Jim Uhls does great justice to the book and Chuck Palahnuik has even acknowledged how the film had improved upon the book in some ways. The story unfolds itself into a unique experience that is polarizing in terms of capturing it's audience, and even those who like it may still not see the message and themes that the film gets across.

5. One fight at a time.

An amazing soundtrack. Composed by the Dust Brothers, they do a great job in capturing the spirit of the film, with many memorable themes throughout. The film also caps itself off amazingly with "Where's My Mind" by the Pixies, in fact, this is the movie that got me into the Pixies in the first place. Staying with the song, it is one of the best ending songs to any movie I've seen.

6. No shirt, no shoes.

Addressing the style of the film again, the movie looks great. Filled with some very clever uses of special effects, frame splices. The way the camera moves, giving subtle hints about things and establishing the tones of how scenes should play out, accompanied by the, as mentioned, incredible soundtrack to help even further.

7. Fights will go on as long as they have to.

The movie is very funny. Being my favorite film, that makes it my favorite dark comedy. Besides the sharp dialog, which contains all sorts of quotable lines, their are plenty of visual jokes that one can catch upon seeing the movie many times over. There is also a lot of clever/useful little information bits throughout the film, which I find neat as well.

8. If this is your first night at Fight Cub, you have to fight.

When I saw this for the first time, I watched it right away the next morning. This was one of the first movies where, upon seeing it, I started to think about things. I find a lot of the ways I think about things and react to situations to be in relation to the line of thinking that these characters have, as well as the characters in other books by Palahnuik. I believe this movie to have been one of a few sources that gave me the kind of perception that I have.

To me, this movie is perfect.

Narrator: It's called a changeover. The movie goes on, and nobody in the audience has any idea.

Martin Blank: They all have husbands and wives and children and houses and dogs, and, you know, they've all made themselves a part of something and they can talk about what they do. What am I gonna say? "I killed the president of Paraguay with a fork. How've you been?

There is no real reason why this movie should be in my top 3 of all time. It is simply a movie that just clicks with me and makes me feel like having a continuous loop of it would be just fine.

It fits itself into my favorite genre of movie, a dark comedy, and a hit man-comedy at that. It's very funny, has a great soundtrack, some very funny characters, and some pretty cool action scenes.

Martin Blank: If I show up at your door, chances are you did something to bring me there.

John Cusack is Martin Q. Blank, in a great performance as a man who became detached from life, ditched his previous life in Michigan, and became a contract killer. He has a handful of charisma as well as a dark undercurrent and some paranoia issues that create a well balanced character.

Debi: Some people say forgive and forget. Nah, I don't know. I say forget about forgiving and just accept. And... get the hell out of town.

Minnie Driver is perfect as the lost girl in Martin's life, who plays as a good foil to his character. She is charming and funny, and very different in relation to the other people still in her Michigan town.

Mr. Grocer: Easy there Chief, I don't see Hollow-Point Wound Care on the menu.
Martin Blank: Why are you in Detroit? Redwings need a new goon?

Dan Akroyd is also great in a complete bizarre role as a rival hit man to Martin, and has a great style of chemistry with Cusack as well.

And then there are great little roles from Joan Cusack, Alan Arkin, Hank Azaria and Jeremy Piven, all with some of the best moments in the movie.
Marty: Debi's house.
Paul: Kinda crept up on you, didn't it?
Marty: No, you drove us here.
Paul: [pause] Yep.


I love the concept, a hit man is disillusioned with his work and decides to attend his high school reunion and re-evaluate his life. Of course there is also a job to be done in his town, as well as rivals awaiting him.

I also love how care free the responses are concerning hit men. No one takes Martin serious when he tells them what he does and in relation to the other people at the reunion, it seems like Martin would actually win the award for the most interesting life after high school.

Mr. Newberry: What have you been doing with your life?
Marty: Uh... professional killer.
Mr. Newberry: Oh! Good for you, it's a... growth industry.

The soundtrack of this movie is great. It got me into The Violent Femmes as well as a few other bands. I am not a big fan of 80s music, but this movie somehow manages to get the only bands and songs I like that had hits in the 80s and compile 2 great soundtracks albums.

Martin Q. Blank: Oh, the reason I called... Could you find out who else is in town? I've made two spooks and a ghoul already, so if they've double-booked the job, and/or they're going to kill me, I'd like to know. If you could find that out, that'd be great.

The direction by George Armitage also works very well. He combines all the elements of a dark/romantic comedy with an action thriller. The action is a lot of fun, with some memorable scenes, including a particular fight scene that is very gritty and real and a shootout in a mini mart. And this is all mixed once again with the great soundtrack as well as live vibrant colors fitting the nature of the comedy and situation.

Mr. Grocer: So, what are you gonna do? You gonna Throw that gun at me?
Marty: No... Maybe!
Mr. Grocer: How 'bout this? How 'bout I sell you a piece for a hundred Gs?
Marty: OK! Front me?
Mr. Grocer: Deal!

I love watching this movie. It moves quickly, has a number of memorable scenes, quick and sharp dialog written by Cusack and his friends, with a fun high concept and good characters.

Martin Blank: You're a handsome devil. What's your name?

Vincent: I got a threshold, Jules. I got a threshold for the abuse that I will take. Now, right now, I'm a fuckin' race car, right, and you got me the red. And I'm just sayin', I'm just sayin' that it's fuckin' dangerous to have a race car in the fuckin' red. That's all. I could blow.
Jules: Oh! Oh! You ready to blow?
Vincent: Yeah, I'm ready to blow.
Jules: Well, I'm a mushroom-cloud-layin' motherfucker, motherfucker! Every time my fingers touch brain I'm SUPERFLY T.N.T, I'm the GUNS OF THE NAVARONE.

Wikipedia seems to have a good dial on initial thoughts in providing a review for one of my all time favorite films:

The film is structured around a fragmented storyline and includes eclectic dialog, heavy art house and independent film influences (although it was reasonably well-financed by Miramax Films), ironic and campy influences, unorthodox camera work, and numerous pop culture references.

The plot, in keeping with most other Tarantino works, runs in nonlinear order. The unconventional structure of the movie is an example of a so-called postmodernist film. The film's title refers to the pulp magazines popular during the mid-20th century, known for their strongly graphic nature. Much of the film's dialog and many of its scenes are based on other works of "pulp" fiction, that is to say bits of other, less acclaimed, works.

The film had a significant impact on the careers of many of its cast members. It provided a breakthrough role for Samuel L. Jackson, who became an international star in a part Tarantino wrote especially for him. It revived the fortunes of John Travolta, whose career was slumping at the time, and allowed Bruce Willis to move away from the action hero reputation he had gained through films such as Die Hard. It raised the profile of Uma Thurman and led to greater recognition for character actors such as Tim Roth, Ving Rhames, Harvey Keitel, and Eric Stoltz.

Jules: Oh, I'm sorry, did I break your concentration?

With that out of the way, this film is a blast to watch. Another film I can easily have on auto repeat for days at a time. This is an extremely watchable film with almost every moment of the film being memorable, and you even have an entire portion devoted to Christopher Walken.

The soundtrack is great, using surf music, and various old school beats to go along with the various situations and characters, providing a great listen and a good tone setter. It may even get you dancing.

Mia: I do believe Marcellus Wallace, my husband, your boss, told you to take ME out and do WHATEVER I WANTED. Now I wanna dance, I wanna win. I want that trophy, so dance good.

The whole style of the film sends so many different emotions through me, it's ridiculous.

Jules: [pointing his gun] Say what again. SAY WHAT AGAIN. I dare you, I double dare you, motherfucker. Say what one more goddamn time.

All that's left to say is that this is a great film, that is darkly hilarious, has an amazing ensemble cast, and gives good reason to have studios use Tarantino's name to promote a film any chance they get.

Fabienne: Whose motorcycle is this?
Butch: It's a chopper, baby.
Fabienne: Whose chopper is this?
Butch: It's Zed's.
Fabienne: Who's Zed?
Butch: Zed's dead, baby. Zed's dead.

Sherry in 'Logjammin': [on video] You must be here to fix the cable.
Maude Lebowski: Lord. You can imagine where it goes from here.
The Dude: He fixes the cable?
Maude Lebowski: Don't be fatuous, Jeffrey.

What can one say about Lebowski. It is pretty much my favorite comedy of all time. Each character is so off the wall hilarious and act as if they are apart of their own movie.

Maude Lebowski: What do you do for recreation?
The Dude: Oh, the usual. I bowl. Drive around. The occasional acid flashback.

The Dude, Jeff Bridges, is styled in the way of a fan of Easy Rider, who never did anything but model his life as a 60s slacker.

Walter Sobchak: This is what happens when you fuck a stranger in the ass!

Walter, John Goodman, is stuck in Vietnam, and needs to make sure everyone knows that, by referencing it whenever he can.

Donny: His name's Lebowski? That's your name, Dude!

Donnie, Steve Buscemi, comes from some sort of twilight zone, and is given the task of never being allowed context of a conversation, a big opposite of his previous characters.

Donny: Phone's ringing, Dude.
The Dude: Thank you, Donny.

Then you have the rest of the supporting cast, including Sam Elliot as the narrator, John Turturo as the Jesus (who no one fucks with), David Huddleston as the real Lebowski, Phillip Seymour Hoffman as his assistant, Tara Reid in her only good movie, and Julianne Moore as an artist of sorts.

Blond Treehorn Thug: [holding up a bowling ball] What the fuck is this?
The Dude: Obviously you're not a golfer.

The plot, which is needlessly very involved, revolves around a case of mistaken identity, where The Dude, whose real name is Jeffrey Lebowski, has him home invaded by some thugs, thinking he is another Lebowski, resulting in his rug getting pissed on.

The Dude: That rug really tied the room together.

The Dude is obviously upset with this, so he visits the real Lebowski to hopefully be reimbursed in some way. This results in the Dude's involvement in handling the kidnapping of the real Lebowski's trophy wife.

Walter Sobchak: You want a toe? I can get you a toe, believe me. There are ways, Dude. You don't wanna know about it, believe me.
The Dude: Yeah, but Walter...
Walter Sobchak: Hell, I can get you a toe by 3 o'clock this afternoon... with nail polish. These fucking amateurs...

Amidst this strange plot the Dude must deal with an upcoming bowling tournament, his friend Walter, nihilists, getting a new rug, and hopefully dealing with all the strange people he keeps running into.

The Dude: What's in the fuckin' carrier?
Walter Sobchak: Huh? Oh, that's Cynthia's dog. I think it's a Pomeranian. I can't leave him home alone or he eats the furniture. I'm watching him while Cynthia and Marty Ackerman are in Hawaii.
The Dude: You brought the fuckin' Pomeranian bowling?
Walter Sobchak: What do you mean brought it bowling, Dude? I didn't rent it shoes. I'm not buying it a fucking beer. He's not taking your fucking turn, Dude.
The Dude: Man, if my fuckin' ex-wife asked me to take care of her fuckin' dog while she and her boyfriend went to Honolulu I'd tell her to go fuck herself.

Everything here is funny. Every scene leads to another strange situation. The plot is so ridiculously complicated at points that just the idea of these characters dealing with it becomes funny. And nothing is wrong with this, it is consistently hilarious.

Walter Sobchak: Those rich fucks! This whole fucking thing... I did not watch my buddies die face down in the muck so that this fucking strumpet...
The Dude: I don't see any connection to Vietnam, Walter.
Walter Sobchak: Well, there isn't a literal connection, Dude.
The Dude: Walter, face it, there isn't any connection.

It is an effortlessly funny movie, filled with quotable Coen dialog and plenty of bizarre scenes and characters.

The Stranger: There's just one thing, Dude.
The Dude: And what's that?
The Stranger: Do you have to use so many cuss words?
The Dude: What the fuck you talking about?
The Stranger: Okay, Dude. Have it your way.

Karen Sisco: Oh, that's right, you have my wallet. Why don't you come by the house, you can drop it off?
Jack Foley: Sure, I'll leave it with the S.W.A.T. guy who answers the door.

An all around cool movie. The first pairing of Steven Soderbergh and George Clooney, and their best.

The plot surrounds an escaped bank robber who plots to make a score with his friend, mixed with an unforeseen romance with a US Marshall and some other seedy characters from a past time.

The way the film moves along is so slick, cool, easy and fun. Clooney, himself, is at his best here, a combination of suave, smarts and thug, all of it is pulled off great, as he plays a bank robber who escapes from jail and doesn't want to go back.

Jennifer Lopez is here in the best movie of her career and plays as a perfect counter balance to Clooney's charisma, she too is smart and sexy, as a US Marshall who after a brief encounter with Clooney's character, continues to follow him, so they can hopefully fulfill what sparked with their initial chemistry.

Then you have the supporting cast that include Ving Rhames as Clooney's oldest friend, Buddy, who helped him rob banks.

Maurice "Snoopy" Miller: Well, the man don't just have to die, Foley. I mean, he could accidentally hurt himself falling down on something real hard, you know? Like a shiv, or my dick?

Don Cheadle as another thug who mixes his evil nature with the coolness that is Cheadle in general. He and Clooney share some of the best dialogue that is a combination of tension, wit, sharpness, and menace.

Jack Foley: Give me a minute to talk to Buddy.
Maurice "Snoopy" Miller: You got two minutes, that's all. Make up your mind, Foley.
Jack Foley: I wasn't asking permission.

Steve Zahn, Dennis Farina, Catherine Keener, Isaiah Washington, Luis Guzman and Albert Brooks also show up, rounding out the great principle cast as a couple of people all related by a stint in Lompoc and the main characters.

Even Michael Keaton shows up in a small role, returning as his character from Jackie Brown, which further shows the cool nature of this movie. There is also one more cameo towards the end that is totally appropriate for the film.

Jack Foley: Uh oh.
Maurice "Snoopy" Miller: You're fucked up now, man. That's Himey. Protege of mine. Ranked number thirty-two in the federal prison system.
Jack Foley: Thirty-two?
Maurice "Snoopy" Miller: That's right.
Jack Foley: Outta what? Twenty?

The story is adapted from a novel by Elmore Leonard who has a gift for dialogue, where it is used to progress most of the plot next to the minimal action, but is also sharp, strong, menacing, quick and funny.

The soundtrack is also great, from David Holmes who also did the music for Soderbergh's Ocean's series, combining elements of jazz, Motown, and some other good beats in general.

The movie is a lot of fun, with great chemistry between the characters, great dialogue, with people acting appropriate in many realistic situations as well, mixed with the cinematic style that Soderbergh is very good at. I can easily watch this over and over again, its just very cool and great fun to watch.

Jack Foley: I know a guy who walks into a bank with a little glass bottle. He tells everyone it's nitroglycerin. He scores some money off the teller, walks out. On his way out, the bottle breaks, he slips on it and knocks himself out. The "nitro" was Canola oil. I know more fucked-up bank robbers than ones who know what they're doing. I doubt if one in twenty could tell you where the dye pack is. Most bank robbers are fucking morons.

Clarence: If there's one thing this last week has taught me, it's better to have a gun and not need it than to need a gun and not have it.

One of my favorites. So many things make this film great. I'll start with the Sicilian scene. It features Dennis Hopper and Christopher Walken. Both are at their best. The scene is shot with an ominous tone with some heavenly music in the background, slowly fading in over time. The characters are at a point where certain death is upon them, but what happens? One character goes on a tangent and discusses another topic entirely to denote the situation. This scene is so perfect, that it pretty much makes the movie.

Clifford Worley: You know, I don't believe you.
Coccotti: That's of minor importance. What is of major fucking importance is that I believe you.

As for the rest, here we have a story that is essentially a romantic-adventure tale. The film was scripted by Tarantino, who could have made a non-linear, hard boiled action movie with darkly comedic undertones, with a little romance, but instead he just supplies all of the dialog and characters to make things very sharp, snappy, funny and cool.

Drexl Spivey: They got everything here from a diddled-eyed joe to damned if I know.

Tony Scott puts the story on a steady path, inter cutting through the many different segments of the story with all the characters, while keeping everything easy to follow and very quickly paced.

Nicholson: Man, this boy Clarence is a wild one, I like'em.

Christian Slater does his best work here as cool, down on his luck, loser that finds love with a call girl played by an equally impressive Patricia Arquette. These two, together, are adorable, with all the situations they get into, you just want them to stay together.

Alabama: Did I do my part okay?
Clarence Worley: Bamaloo you were perfect.
Alabama: Like a ninja?
Clarence Worley: Like a ninja.

The story revolves around these two characters meeting, instantly falling in love with each other and getting married. Problems arise when Slater's character, Clarence, decides to confront his new wife's former pimp Drexyl. After doing so, he realizes he has mistakenly taken a large amount of cocaine from him, and decides to take his wife to Hollywood, hoping to sell of the drugs to some big movie producer, and use the money to make new lives for him and his wife. Problems arise as the mob still wants their drugs back.

Nicholson: You're an actor. Act, motherfucker.

The movie is filled with an ensemble cast, who all have scenes that achieve their purpose. Gary Oldman provides another unique, evil character. You have sidekick actors Tom Sizemore and Chris Penn as two cops that should get their own series based on their scenes. Val Kilmer and Brad Pitt both pop up and do their own little things. Tony Soprano himself, James Gandolfini, also supplies a brutal portion of the film. Even Sam Jackson is able to make an appearance. And I've already mentioned the greatness of Walken and Hopper.

Clarence Worley: Well, he ain't so much a good guy as he is just a bad mother fucker. I mean, he gets paid by people to fuck guys up.

The story is fun and exciting. The music puts everything together very well, keeping the pace as well as acknowledging Clarence's love for Elvis. The gun play gets to levels that Scott knows how to put them in.

Mentor: I like you, Clarence. Always have. Always will.

This is an endlessly watchable movie, that is filled with good actors, great dialog, and a fast paced, entertaining story. Things add up all the way when I watch this.

Elliot: Hi. How are you? My name's Elliot, and I'm with the Cub Scouts of America. We're... we're selling uncut cocaine to get to the jamboree.

Randal: This job would be great if it wasn't for the fucking customers.

Along with Dogma, this is my favorite Kevin Smith film. A cheaply made film focused on 20 somethings reflecting on their life status, which started the whole Smith View Askweniverse.

Dante Hicks: I'm not even supposed to be here today!

The story centers around Dante Hicks, a college dropout who works in a convenience store. The movie moves over the course of a particular day where a number of things happen including Dante dealing with his ex and current girlfriends, his interaction with his best friend/foil Randal, where to stage a hockey game, how to attend a funeral, and the antics of the drug dealers hanging outside the store, Jay and Silent Bob.

Randal Graves: Which did you like better? "Jedi" or "The Empire Strikes Back"?
Dante Hicks: "Empire".
Randal Graves: Blasphemy.
Dante Hicks: "Empire" had the better ending. I mean, Luke gets his hand cut off, finds out Vader's his father, Han gets frozen and taken away by Boba Fett. It ends on such a down note. I mean, that's what life is, a series of down endings. All "Jedi" had was a bunch of Muppets.

What I love about this movie is the rapid fire, quick witted dialog that makes up all of Smith's films, this being where it started. As Smith has stated himself, people don't talk in real life the way he writes dialog, but its still much more interesting than scattered sentences, as well as much funnier and poignant at times.

Dante Hicks: You hate people!
Randal Graves: But I love gatherings. Isn't it ironic?

Dante and Randal make a great team, and I am glad that I was able to see their further exploits in a cartoon series along with the sequel. The movie is very funny and manages to hit a number of relatable issues. Sure, a lot happens all in one day, but it's a movie, why would I want to watch a story of an uneventful day?

Dante Hicks: Embolism in a pool, what an embarrassing way to die.
Randal Graves: That's nothing compared to how my cousin Walter died.
Dante Hicks: How did he go?
Randal Graves: He broke his neck.
Dante Hicks: You call that embarrassing?
Randal Graves: He broke his neck while trying to suck his own dick!

Shot super cheap, with some shotty acting from some supporting players, the movie still moves along great through Smith's written dialog patterns, which includes plenty of sexual, pop culture, and Star Wars references. I can easily watch it over and over.

Blue Collar Man: Excuse me, I don't mean to interrupt, but what are you talking about?
Randal Graves: The ending of "Return of the Jedi".
Dante Hicks: My friend here is trying to convince me that any independent contractors working on the uncompleted Death Star were innocent victims when it was destroyed by the Rebels.

The extremely quotable nature of the movie also makes it great along with the hysterics of the building sequence of events that occur and the cool enough alternative rock soundtrack.

Randal Graves: Some guy came into the store refusing to pay late fees. Said the store was closed for two hours yesterday. I tore up his membership.
Dante Hicks: Shocking abuse of authority.
Randal Graves: Hey, I'm a firm believer in the philosophy of a ruling class. Especially since I rule.

Just a great movie, full of vulgar dialog, plenty of memorable lines and good fun to enjoy.

Randal Graves: Fine then, just let me borrow your car.
Dante Hicks: What for?
Randal Graves: I want to go rent a movie. What was that?
Dante Hicks: You work at a video store!
Randal Graves: I work at a shitty video store! I want to go to a good video store and get a good movie!

Bethany: You were martyred?
Rufus: That's one way of putting it. Another way of putting it would be to say that I was bludgeoned to death by huge fucking rocks.

Along with Clerks, this is my other favorite Kevin Smith film and one of my favorite overall movies. It's hilarious.

Loki: Easy for you to say. You get off light in razing. You got to stand there and read at Sodom and Gomorrah, I had to do all the work.
Bartleby: What work did you do? You lit a few fires.
Loki: I rained down sulphur, man, there's a subtle difference.
Bartleby: Oh, yeah, I'm sure.
Loki: Hey, you know, fuck you, man. Any moron with a pack of matches can set a fire. Raining down sulphur is like an endurance trial man. Mass genocide is the most exhausting activity one can engage in, outside of soccer.

A great ensemble cast makes up what is basically a comedy/fantasy epic set in a Kevin Smith world. It's not about preaching what religions you should follow or disbelieve, it's just a really funny movie with an original concept set mainly around Catholicism.

Bethany: What's he like?
Metatron: God? Lonely. But funny. He's got a great sense of humor. Take sex for example. There's nothing funnier than the ridiculous faces you people make mid-coitus.
Bethany: Sex is a joke in heaven?
Metatron: The way I understand it, it's mostly a joke down here, too.

The story surrounds a women, working in an abortion clinic, who has lost her faith, Bethany, played by Linda Fiorentino. One night she is instructed by the voice of God, the Metatron, played by Alan Rickman, that she must stop two fallen angels from reentering heaven, or else the world will end.

These angels are Bartleby and Loki, played by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, who have found a loophole after getting kicked out of heaven, and spending an eternity on Earth. They have an evil demon, played by Jason Lee, to thank, who has given these two the opportunity they need.

Bethany must now travel to New Jersey, with the aid of two profits, Jay and Silent Bob, who else, as well as the 13th apostle, Chris Rock, and a muse, Salma Hayek, in order to stop the angels, before the angel's plan defies God's logic and unmakes existence.

Jay: I feel like I'm Han Solo, and you're Chewie, and she's Ben Kenobi, and we're in that fucked-up bar.

Each member of the cast works, starting with Affleck and Damon, before they parted ways on the movie scene, they made a great team together and play great off each other, with Affleck in particular giving one of his best performances.

Fiorentino, Hayek, Rock and Rickman coming into this Kevin Smith world are also welcome and handle Smith style dialog very well. And Jason Lee also brings in what is needed as a villain, despite his small amount of time (that's what DVD is for).

Bartleby: Why do they want to kill us?
Azrael: Because your pissing people off! That's why.

And once again Jay and Silent Bob provide the perfect amount of side laughs but even serve their own purpose this time around in terms of the plot.

I put this as my favorite Smith film because it has that same sense of humor and the plot is just so neat and different from most comedies. Where else could one fine vulgar humor mixed with religious discussions centered around semantic arguments and pop culture references.

Bartleby: You know, here's what I don't get about you. You know for a fact that there is a God. You have been in his presence. He's spoken to you personally, and yet I just heard you claim to be an atheist.
Loki: I just like to fuck with the clergy, man. I just love it. I just love to keep those guys on their toes.

An all around funny film with a good premise that is easy to continually watch.

Jay: I get it! Holy Bartender! That's a great one!

John: Ah! Shit! I've been shot!
Dog: I don't fuckin' believe this, can everyone stop gettin' shot.

The first movie from Guy Ritchie. It mixes the cult classic qualities from a Tarantino movie with the music video editing style of today's flashy videos.

It is filled with the dry, dialog driven English-styled humor and a healthy dose of cockney slang as well as dark comedy involving incompetent criminals.

Eddie: They're armed.
Soap: What was that? Armed? What do you mean armed? Armed with what?
Eddie: Err, bad breath, colorful language, feather duster... what do you think they're gonna be armed with? Guns, you tit!

This movie also introduced the world to Jason "The Transporter" Statham and Vinnie "Bullet Tooth Tony" Jones, the large brute.

Gary: Shotguns? What, like guns that fire shot?
Barry the Baptist: Oh, you must be the brains of the operation. Yes, guns that fire shot.

The story surrounds a group of friends who pool a bunch of money together, hoping to win more at an exclusive poker table with a mobster, only to become in his debt for a lot of money.

The boys now have to go through a number of lengths to get enough money to pay back the mobster.

Tom: There's no money, there's no weed. It's all been replaced by a pile of corpses.

Meanwhile, various other characters enter in and out of the story, providing plenty of interesting twists along the way.

Rory Breaker: If you hold back anything, I'll kill ya. If you bend the truth or I think your bending the truth, I'll kill ya. If you forget anything I'll kill ya. In fact, you're gonna have to work very hard to stay alive, Nick.

The movie is, of course, very similar to Ritchie's follow up movie, Snatch, with few differences. What I would have to say distinguishes them is that 'Lock, Stock' has more of a driven narrative, than Snatch, with a clear way of how the story needs to flow.

Speaking of it's flow, the movie is paced very nicely, with, as I mentioned, a very slick use of the camera throughout, complete with one of my favorite soundtracks and themed riffs for the different groups of characters.

The darkly ironic ways that the movie wraps itself up makes it's completely satisfying ending all the more funny, with even the possibility of sequels *wink*.

Eddie: The entire British empire was built on cups of tea, and if you think I'm going to war without one, mate, you're mistaken.

Its a wonderful gangster comedy, featuring a flashy visual style given its low budget, a lot of quotable dialog, and a sweet soundtrack.

Big Chris: One more thing, It's been emotional.

Vinnie: I thought you said he was a getaway driver. What the fuck can he get away from?

Before Guy Ritchie made this film, he decided he wanted to make a movie with "no fat" on it, and here with Snatch, he succeeds. There are no parts of this movie that do not have to do with the plot or comedy involved.

That being said, this movie is great. It's hilarious, has a great cast, is paced at super slick speeds, with super slick style to spare and it's a lot of fun.

Everyone has scenes that are memorable. Brad Pitt as a nonsensical pikey is hilarious. Del Toro as a four fingered gangster is hilarious. An unkillable ex-KGB man named Boris the Blade or Boris the Bullet-dodger is hilarious. The pattern continues...

Vinny: What the fuck did you do that for?
Tyrone: I didn't see it there.
Vinny: It's a four ton truck, Tyrone. Its not as if it's a bag of fucking peanuts, is it?
Tyrone: It was a funny angle.
[All three turn and look back at the truck]
Vinny: It's behind you Tyrone. Whenever you reverse, things come from behind you.

The story revolves around an 86-carrot diamond, gangsters, unlicensed boxing matches, gypsies, double crosses, hit men, and a dog with a squeaky toy stuck in its throat.

As I said the movie moves along really quick and even if one doesn't get all of the plot right away, they'll want to come back and watch it, because it's great enough to want to see again.

The soundtrack is equally fitting with plenty of good tunes as well as theme music for each character and setting.

If Ritchie would stay in this genre and leave Madonna out of his business, than there could be plenty more hilarious crime comedies being made between him and Tarantino.

Bonus: Jason Statham once again proves how cool he can be, especially since he is constantly under pressure in this movie.

Bullet Tooth Tony: Boris the Blade? As in Boris the Bullet-Dodger?
Avi: Why do they call him the Bullet-Dodger?
Bullet Tooth Tony: 'Cause he dodges bullets, Avi.

Joe Sarno: So, you the brains of this outfit, or is he?
Longbaugh: Tell ya the truth, I don't think this is a brains kind of operation.

The longest distance between two points is a kidnapper and his money. Basically sums up the movie. A kidnapping plot that is mixed with lots of twists and convoluted plot points that make me enjoy it more. The dialog is also what makes this movie great to me. A lot of it is very funny,

Longbaugh: I've... never killed a man.
Interviewer: I beg your pardon?
Longbaugh: I said I never killed a man.
Interviewer: I didn't ask if you had.
Longbaugh: You asked why I thought I was qualified, I think of that as qualification.

Some of it is insightful in its own sort of way,

Hale Chidduck: Do you believe in karma?
Joe Sarno: Karma's justice without the satisfaction. I don't believe in justice.

and with that, the movie is also fun to me. It plays a lot like a western themed movie, but plays against a lot of Hollywood conventions, the car chase done here would be a great example of this. The gunplay is also awesome, realistic and very cool to watch.

Ryan Phillippe and Benicio del Toro star as the leads, two low lives, who try to make it big with a not-too-planned out kidnapping. Juliette Lewis plays the victim, who is a surrogate mother for the man who needs to pay the money. James Caan is awesome as a bagman, who has to resort to his own means to get back the woman. And Taye Diggs and Nicky Kaat play to bodyguards concerned only with winning.

Longbaugh: You know what I'm gonna tell God when I see him? I'm gonna tell him I was framed.

From the writer of the Usual Suspects, Christopher McQuarri, I like this film more because of the way these characters handle the subject manner. What's also enjoyable, is that the movie plays out a lot like a western as mentioned, having two anti-heroes going after what they want, mixing it up with tough guys along the way, complete with a soundtrack playing tribute to Ennio Morricone. A movie that has it's own sort of groove, and is one of my favorites.

Longbaugh: What do you think?
Parker: I think a plan is just a list of things that don't happen.

Kate: Where are you taking us?
Richie: Mexico.
Kate: What's in Mexico?
Richie: Mexicans.

Robert Rodriquez and Quentin Tarantino working together, one of the best writer director combinations since Spielberg and Lucas.

It's a great genre-bender of a film, and that's all I'll say about the plot. I would advise anyone not to read a plot summary, as it is more fun, the first time you watch this, not to no what is going on.

George Clooney proves that he can be all kinds of bad ass if he wants and I like it. Quentin shows how much of a sick bastard he can play, when he closes his mouth for a while, if he ever wants to keep acting, he should play this type of character.

Standard Rodriguez regulars: Salma Hayek, Cheech Marin and Danny Trejo join Harvey Keitel and Juliette Lewis to pull together the rest of the supporting cast. Not to mention genre affiliates Tom Savini and Fred Williamson adding to the grindhouse aspect of this flick.

The Gecko brothers are awesome, I want prequels with them. Salma is hot to the point of it being unfair. Keitel is around and makes his time worth it.

Seth Gecko: You serve food here, Jose?
Razor Charlie: Best in Mexico.
Seth Gecko: I kinda doubt that.

The dialog, written by Tarantino is hard, fast, slick and hilarious. Rodriguez's direction and editing style is set on rapid fire.

The whole movie is a great ride that I love to stay on. There is so much fun to be had with this movie, it's paced great, nice south of the border rockin' soundtrack and lots of great action. A kick ass ride, taking place once upon a time in Mexico, with lots of bloody action, all done with style.

Seth Gecko: Well, your best better get a hell of a lot fucking better, or you are gonna feel a hell of a lot fucking worse.

Ed Exley: All I ever wanted was to measure up to my father.
Bud White: Now's your chance. He died in the line of duty, didn't he?

One of my favorite cop drama's as well as movies of all time.

Everything is perfect to me. The story is great, a lot of mystery and turns to keep you guessing. Wonderful dialog, very smart, with some moments of humor to keep things from being too serious. A great set of characters, all of them perfectly on key. The movie looks great, an amazing view of 1950s Los Angeles. It has a great score. A brilliant neo noir.

There are three lead actors among the 80 speaking roles in this movie.

Kevin Spacey as a cop who loves the glitz and glamor of his job, but starts to have an identity crisis.

Guy Pearce as a smart goody-two-shoes, learning how to be a real cop.

Russel Crowe as the tough guy who gives a brute three dimensions for a change.

Then there are supporting roles including Kim Basigner as a celebrity look-a-like prostitute, James Cromwell as the police captain, David Strathairn as the rich guy with secrets, and Danny DeVtio as a tabloid writer.

The movie revolves around a series of murders that may be connected and the effect on the three lead officers.

The plot unfolds so well, and for a 2 hour and 20 minute movie, it is paced very well.

If there wasn't the 97' Titanic craze, this would have won for best picture. Great film.

Sid Hudgens: Off the record, on the QT, and very hush-hush.

Rocket: You need more than guts to be a good gangster, you need ideas.

One of my favorites and easily one of the best movies of the 00's. Great story, great music, great characters, and a really amazing visual style.

The movie revolves around a couple of decades in the slums of Rio de Janeiro, known as the City of God. The character Rocket serves as a narrator to all of the events that took place over time, which are in fact based on real events.

Rocket sees and knows about the life of crime that many of his friends and acquaintances are involved in, but never gets involved himself. He only wants to be a photographer.

The movie's various plots revolve around the growing number of hoods and gang leaders dealing in drugs and murdering to get their ways, eventually leading to a war between a dealer/psychopath Lil' Ze and some rivals.

This movie has been related to Goodfellas quite a bit, and for good reason. It is all about how these things occur and the details involved in explaining the characters and story. So much detail is given about various situations and characters, and it is all handled so well. There is one scene revolving around an apartment, where we see characters inside, but then we are told how things have gotten to a certain point, and what follows is a series of flashbacks all told from the same camera angle revolving around the same subject, fading in various characters, accompanied by informative narration. By the time we get past the story of this apartment, we have seen the end of that story from three different perspectives.

Rocket: It's not yet time to tell the story of Knockout Ned.

All of this information comes quick, picks up at one point of the story, leaves off, and your still following exactly what has happened. The narrative structure is so well handled in this movie.

We will be introduced to characters and told that we do not need to know about them until later, and it works.

A problem for some is that the subject matter is fairly dark. Lots of shootings and deaths involving mainly big kids who have no limits because of how they are growing up. But the movie isn't preachy about anything, it simply describes the way of life in the area, amidst the poverty and crime.

And that's not to say that this movie is depressing. It has a number of very entertaining scenes and setups, as well as a sort of coming-of-age theme in the background for Rocket.

The characters are well acted from all the non-professionals that make up the cast, using mainly improvisation to put their interactions together.

The music is great, a wonderful soundtrack, perfectly juxtaposed with the film. The whole movie is very well put together, especially the editing style and cinematography. The use of hand held cameras, clever setups from various angles, flash cutting, speed ups, and split screens is all put to great use.

Directors Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund have made a wonderful film that is entertaining, informative, and amazingly well put together.

Great film.

Knockout Ned: Have you lost your mind? You are just a child!
Steak and Fries: Listen man, I smoke, I snort... I've robbed, I've killed... I'm a real man.

Troy Barlow: Are we shooting?
Soldier: What?
Troy Barlow: Are we shooting people or what?
Soldier: Are we shooting?
Troy Barlow: That's what I'm asking you!
Soldier: What's the answer?
Troy Barlow: I don't know the answer! That's what I'm trying to find out!

The confusion about what was actually happening during the end of the Gulf War provides much of the comedy in this hybrid war-comedy-adventure film.

Conrad: Man... I didn't join the army to pull paper our of people's asses.

This sets up the movie for it's adventure that I can watch over and over. This movie takes place after the war in Kuwait has just ended. It becomes a treasure hunt story after a soldier finds a map in an Iraq soldier's ass.

George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube, and Spike Jonze star as U.S. Soldiers, all disappointed in the lack of doing anything by the time the war is over, who jump at the chance to find the gold, which the map they found leads to.

Archie Gates: No unnecessary shots, Conrad, 'cause we know what they do.
Conrad Vig: Make infected pockets full of bile, sir.
Archie Gates: That's right, Conrad, that's what they do.

It's also a very funny comedy and a story about people stuck in a situation, and given the chance to try and get themselves out. The story becomes more complicated when one soldier is captured and a number of rebels need help to escape the country.

Troy Barlow: Let's just stick to the plan. The plan is for the gold, right?
Chief Elgin: Hold on, we can help these people first, and then we can be on our way.

Written and directed by David O. Russel, he gives the film a very surreal visual style with a number of action scenes that are both unique and well done. There are also some realistic and graphic portrayals of gun wounds and torture adding to the intensity of some scenes. The soundtrack that mixes a middle eastern flavor with some loungy procussion work and 90s hip hop, also serves as a well suited way to fit the movie.

Archie Gates: Load the people into the Humvee!
Troy Barlow: There's no room!
Archie Gates: Make room!
Troy Barlow: Whatever happened to necessity?
Archie Gates: It just changed!

This is a very rewatchable movie due to its shifty tone between comedy and action mixed with its portrayal of themes concerning war and consumerism.

It also makes good use of its actors. George Clooney has his usual charm, which is aided by mix of subtle cool and dry with in serious situations. Mark Wahlberg is also very good, especially after being trapped in an unfortunate situation. Ice Cube is also good enough to be alongside everything here. Spike Jonze, better known as the quirky indie director of films like Being John Malkovich, lends some comic relief as well and becomes an important part of the story with his relationship to the others.

The other supporting actors are very good as well including Cliff Curtis as one of the rebels the soldiers want to help out and Saïd Taghmaoui as an Iraqi soldier with his own problems from the past.

A great, multi-genre flavored movie that works well in just about every way.

Debbie Barlow, Troy's Wife: Hello?
Troy Barlow: Honey, it's me.
Debbie Barlow, Troy's Wife: Troy? Oh my god! Oh, baby, I was hoping it was you.
Troy Barlow: It's me honey.
Debbie Barlow, Troy's Wife: Oh god, the baby's crying.
Troy Barlow: How's she doing?
Debbie Barlow, Troy's Wife: She hasn't been sleeping too good, and my mom had to go back to work, so I'm real tired baby.
Troy Barlow: Oh, I wish I was there to help, gooney bird.
Debbie Barlow, Troy's Wife: Oh, gooney bird, when are you coming home?
Troy Barlow: Well I'm working on that right now baby.
Debbie Barlow, Troy's Wife: I saw an ad for a computer job, you want me to call and set up an interview?
Troy Barlow: Listen, honey...
Debbie Barlow, Troy's Wife: What date are you coming home?
Troy Barlow: Well, I told you, they haven't given us an exact date yet...
Debbie Barlow, Troy's Wife: Well, maybe if I had an exact date I could call and set...
Troy Barlow: Debbie, listen to me! Please!
Debbie Barlow, Troy's Wife: What's happening?
[an explosive suddenly goes off behind Troy, blasting the wall to pieces]
Debbie Barlow, Troy's Wife: What was that?
Troy Barlow: The wall just exploded.
Debbie Barlow, Troy's Wife: I thought the war was over honey.
Troy Barlow: Well it is and it isn't baby... could you do me a favor and call the reserve center?
Debbie Barlow, Troy's Wife: What do you want me to do?
Troy Barlow: Tell them, I'm stuck in a bunker near 223 North, outside Karbala, okay?

Ordell Robbie: I didn't know you liked The Delfonics.

Quentin Tarantino's follow up to Pulp Fiction is about a flight stewardess trying to con her way out of jail, by playing a dangerous gun runner and the cops who are after him against each other, by planning a clever switch involving the gun runner's money. There is also the subtle, developing relationship between her and a bail bondsmen.

While Pulp Fiction will remain stated as one of my favorite films, and my favorite Tarantino movie. Jackie Brown is my unofficial favorite Tarantino movie and in bizzaro world, it stands as my all time favorite movie.

Ordell Robbie: Is she dead, yes or no?
Louis: Pretty much.

I've watched this just as much as the others, maybe even more than Fiction. It has all the ingredients of a Tarantino flick: a wonderfully mixed soundtrack, a cast of actors that aren't necessarily the standard but instead, people that fit the character, and the rapid fire dialog that is fun, funny, natural and witty. The difference may be that Tarantino has adapted this story from an Elmore Leonard novel, which is very much about servicing the characters, before getting to the plot. There is a good hour devoted to establishing these characters and it is all worth it to hang out with these people, before getting to the main story aspects.

All the actors bring the right spirit. De Niro plays things very low key and it's perfect. Michael Keaton, who will later reprise his same role in Out of Sight, has the perfect sense of an officer taking on a big case, hiding his excitement but trying to pull through it. Bridget Fonda is the stoner beach babe with mysterious motives of her own. Even Chris Tucker has a small role that gives him the perfect amount of time to establish a character that fits the bill.

The three main leads are absolutely perfect. Sam Jackson doesn't just play Sam Jackson, sure he has some of his same deliveries, but he has a type of street smarts and an evil sense lurking beneath him, which goes along with his dangerous ways of dealing with things.

Louis: Who's that?
Ordell Robbie: That's Beaumont.
Louis: Who's Beaumont?
Ordell Robbie: An employee I had to let go.
Louis: What'd he do?
Ordell Robbie: He put himself in a position where he was going to have to do ten years in prison, that's what he did. And if you know Beaumont, you know ain't no god damn way he can do ten years. And if you know that, then you know Beaumont's gonna do anything Beaumont can to keep from doing them ten years, including telling the federal government any and every motherfucking thing about my black ass. Now that my friend is a clear cut case of him or me. And you best believe it ain't gonna be me.

Robert Forster is the one of the coolest older actors around, riffing perfectly with the rest of the characters. His character, Max Cherry, is experienced, confident, but lonely, and he is ready to make a change in his life with the proper chance to do so.

Ordell Robbie: Well, if we ain't got no - what's that shit called? - confidentiality, why should I tell you a thing?
Max Cherry: Because you want me to know what a slick guy you are. You got stewardesses bringing you fifty grand.
Ordell Robbie: Now why would a stewardess be bringing me fifty grand?
Max Cherry: Now you want me to speculate on what you do. My guess is you're in the drug business, except the money's moving the wrong way. Whatever you're into, you seem to be getting away with it, so more power to you.

Pam Grier, as the title character, fits everything that she has to do, play every situation like she is in control, but is still a real character with a realistic attitude towards her situation. Jackie Brown has had trouble in the past and has no delusions about her barely hanging on position in life, but, with an ace up her sleeve, the opportunity for her to get somewhere may help her finally move on to better things.

Jackie Brown: Well, I've flown seven million miles. And I've been waiting on people almost 20 years. The best job I could get after my bust was Cabo Air, which is the worst job you can get in this industry. I make about sixteen thousand, with retirement benefits that ain't worth a damn. And now with this arrest hanging over my head, I'm scared. If I lose my job I gotta start all over again, but I got nothing to start over with. I'll be stuck with whatever I can get. And that shit is scarier than Ordell.

The film is not directed as a fast paced action-comedy. It's a slowly paced character film where the majority of the action comes from it's dialog, and it's still violent, funny and wonderful. It has, yet again, another awesome soundtrack, consisting mainly of old R&B tracks, is heavily quotable, and, to me, is perfect.

Ordell Robbie: AK-47. The very best there is. When you absolutely, positively got to kill every motherfucker in the room, accept no substitutes.

Ghost Dog: According to what one of the elders said, taking an enemy on the battlefield is like a hawk taking a bird. Even though it enters into the midst of a thousand of them, it gives no attention to any bird than the one it first marked.

An insightful story and one of my favorite movies, about a man who reads about and lives his life by the code of the samurai. He also happens to be a retainer for a member of an aging New Jersey organized crime syndicate and serves as a hit man, until something goes wrong.

Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai is found in death. Meditation on inevitable death should be performed daily. Every day, when one's body and mind are at peace, one should meditate upon being ripped apart by arrows, rifles, spears, and swords, being carried away by surging waves, being thrown into the midst of a great fire, being struck by lightning, being shaken to death by a great earthquake, falling from thousand-foot cliffs, dying of disease or committing seppuku at the death of one's master. And every day, without fail, one should consider himself as dead. This is the substance of the Way of the Samurai.

The character of Ghost Dog is very intriguing. In a normal world, this man is essentially a crazy person. He lives on the roof of a building, he practices the code of the samurai, and hangs around with pigeons. However, with this movie, the character is treated with grace and cool. He moves like a ghost, being noticed when he wants to be. Acts in violence only when the situation requires it. And is respected by most in various ways.

Samurai in Camouflage: Ghost Dog, power, equality.
Ghost Dog: Always see everything, my brother.

His only friend is a Haitian man who speaks French, neither person understands each other, but they still can relate to each other in their own way. During the film, Ghost Dog also befriends a little girl, wonderfully played by newbie at the time Camille Winbush, who shares a passion for reading.

Louie: Nothing seems to make sense anymore.

As the story goes on, Ghost Dog is conflicted from having to face the mob, who wants to have him killed, despite having remained a mysterious helper for them, and trying not to disappoint the relationship with Louie, the one he sees as his master.

Vinny: You know, Louie, there's one good thing about this Ghost Dog guy.
Louie: What's that, Vin?
Vinny: He's sending us out the old way. Like real fucking gangsters.

A very good character-crime-drama mixed with some action, humor, a great performance from Whitaker, and a great soundtrack by RZA who composed a flawless score, one of my favorites.

Sonny Valerio: Now is the time to tell us everything you know about this mysterious ghostlike untraceable fuckin' button man.

Being a Jim Jarmusch film, the film is slowly paced using fade out transitions, which helps in this case to reflects old samurai films and very effectively combines present times with the aspects of a samurai's life. It also shows the clash of different cultures in a number of ways: samurai and the mob, old systems and new changing of orders, and people's perception and people that wish to have a dedication to something in their lives.

Sonny Valerio: "If a warrior's head were to be suddenly cut off, he should still be able to perform one more action with certainty." What the fuck does that mean?
Ray Vargo: It's poetry. The poetry of war.

Among the number of repeated motifs and themes of the film, two worth mentioning are the passages of samurai code narrated throughout, each reflecting the state of Ghost Dog's character and the issues taking place in the plot. Also, the fact that the members of the mafia have an affinity for cartoons (now that's quirky), and each time one is shown, it reflects elements of the plot.

Ghost Dog: There is surely nothing other than the single purpose of the moment. A man's whole life is a succession of moment after moment. If one fully understands the present moment, there is nothing left to do, and nothing else to pursue.

This film is such a great combination of strange characters, modernized samurai philosophy, and settings, that I can't help but enjoy all aspects of it. Wonderful film.

Pearline: In the Kamigata area they have a sort of tiered lunchbox they use for a single day when flower viewing. Upon returning, they throw them away, trampling them underfoot. The end is important in all things.

Leonard Shelby: [Running] Okay, what am I doing?
[Sees a man also running]
Leonard Shelby: I'm chasing this guy.
[The man sees Leonard and points a gun at him]
Leonard Shelby: Nope. He's chasing me.
[Man shoots]

Besides being a revenge story, crime drama, and mystery, this movie also plays a lot like an ironic dark comedy.

Leonard Shelby: I have this condition.

Guy Pearce stars as Leonard, a man suffering from short-term memory loss, following a tragic event. He literally cannot remember new events that occur moments before. The tragedy that caused this involves the rape and murder of his wife followed by a heavy blow to his head. Leonard is now on a hunt for the man he believes caused this, and uses photos, notes and tattoos all over his body to help himself out.

Leonard Shelby: I take it I've told you about my condition.
Teddy: Only every time I see ya.

What makes this so much fun is watching it again and again and finding more layers to the mystery aspects of the movie. The story is a familiar revenge tale given the unique treatment of unfolding itself in reverse. The film is literally played backwards, separated by Leonard's memory losses, interjected with other sequences to help create a defined structure of the film.

Leonard Shelby: Memory can change the shape of a room; it can change the color of a car. And memories can be distorted. They're just an interpretation, they're not a record, and they're irrelevant if you have the facts.

What is very intriguing about this movie is how many ways there are to interpret what is going on, by the movies end, there are many ways one could understand how the plot has unfolded and what to think about the characters. There may never be a definitive answer to Leonard's quest, or in this case how it really started, but it's always neat to find new pieces of information to make you think that you might get it for sure. I have literally watched this movie backwards and forwards and can believe different things to be the actual "truth."

What also helps is the strong performances from Pearce, as well as the presence of Carrie Anne Moss and the always entertaining Joe Pantoliano. The way their characters can be perceived is crucial to adding further depth to the story and the actors succeed in making it work.

Teddy: You know, I've had more rewarding friendships than this one. Although I do get to keep telling the same jokes.

Christopher Nolan's direction is also superb. He has carefully constructed this film to work in all manners necessary. It is important that the film is serious in its presentation, but it is also not above having some fun with Leonard's predicament, from subtle moments to reflect his condition, to the way the dialog provides both levity and a level of wit. That being said, its more emotional themes involving grief, loss, and yes, revenge also work very well into the film, and shine through Pearce's performance.

This is an awesome puzzle of a film, challenging ideas of how to interpret memory within a complex story, while remaining very effective and entertaining.

Leonard Shelby: Now... where was I?

John Murdoch: When was the last time you remember doing something during the day?
Inspector Frank Bumstead: What do you mean?
John Murdoch: I just mean during the day. Daylight. When was the last time you remember seeing it? And I'm not talking about some distant, half-forgotten childhood memory, I mean like yesterday. Last week. Can you come up with a single memory? You can't, can you? You know something, I don't think the sun even... exists... in this place. 'Cause I've been up for hours, and hours, and hours, and the night never ends here.

A man wakes up with no memories of who he is. He discovers a corpse in his room and a bloody knife, and heads out into the night. Soon he learns of a women he loves, a detective on his trail, a doctor claiming to want to help him, and mysterious figures dressed in black chasing him.

Inspector Frank Bumstead: So Husselbeck, what kind of killer do you think stops to save a dying fish?

I love watching this movie. The story is very cool and made in the genre bending style combining noir and sci fi elements.

The sets and artistic design of the characters, the city they live in, and what lies beneath is very well constructed and very fitting to what occurs with the plot.

John Murdoch: Hey, do you know the way to Shell Beach?

Rufus Sewell as the lost soul with more to him than he knows is great. Kiefer Sutherland is very creepy and effective as a sad doctor left with no choice. Jeniffer Connelly is very hot and low key in a new take on the femme fatale. And William Hurt is very cool in the classic role as the detective hot on everyone's trail.

Inspector Frank Bumstead: No one ever listens to me.

Special notice goes to Richard O'Brien as Mr. Hand as well, who becomes more and more interesting, the more I watch this film.

Mr. Hand: [stomps on a newspaper clipping] So it seems you discovered your unpleasant nature.
John Murdoch: Who are you?
Mr. Hand: We might ask the same question, yes? Sleep... now.

I'm glad that this has become a cult favorite for so many, because it's so much of a joy to watch. As the plot unfolds further and further, with a number of unique twists, it is very easy to stay involved with this story.

Further, being a film about people who have certain abilities, its easy to want to go in and pick it apart, but its just as easy to let the director, writers, and company layout a story and let them develop it on their own terms. That being said, the movie works so well in presenting its ideas amidst the heavy stylized presentation of the film.

Emma Murdoch: It's beautiful.
Inspector Frank Bumstead: It was a gift from my mother. She died recently. I keep it with me to remind me of her.
Emma Murdoch: I'm sorry.
Inspector Frank Bumstead: It's a funny thing, though. I can't remember WHEN she gave it to me. How do you think I could forget a thing like this?

I can only hope the forth coming director's cut is even better. A brilliant Sci-Fi Film Noir.

Update: With the release of the new director's cut, I was able to see a great film get even better. This new version, which director Alex Proyas says to be much closer to how he originally imagined the film makes several changes that benefit the film overall. They include an omission of the opening narration and the swapping of some scenes, keeping the story more of a mystery for the audience for longer. Extended scenes also slow the pace of the movie for the sake of building the characters and the plot better, as well as the addition of a few new plot strands. Minor changes in the effects as well make a bit of a difference. The director's cut is overall my now preferred version, and while both cuts are wonderful, it is certainly the one worth watching.

Dr. Schreber: Remember John, never talk to strangers!

Morpheus: What are you waiting for? You're faster than this. Don't think you are, know you are. Come on. Stop trying to hit me and hit me.

A Visual Treat. Live action anime. One of the few movies where I can describe it as really cool. The whole movie is a lot of fun and very cool indeed. Neat ideas combined with lots of wire-fu, some kick ass fight scenes and a great soundtrack. Lots of philosophical non sense tossed around and backed by Laurence Fishburne's Morpheus, who just seems to be in his element here.

Neo: Whoa.

Keanu Reeves is once again tasked with saving the world, this time he could be "the One," and it is up to him to use crazy martial arts and gunplay as well as "knowing thyself" to do so.

Reeves is Neo, a cyber hacker who is introduced to a harsh reality revolving around what something known as the Matrix actually is.

Tank: So what do you need? Besides a miracle.
Neo: Guns. Lots of guns.

Live action anime is an appropriate statement, the Wachowski Brothers have drawn influence from this medium in order to create an original film that feels as if it could easily fit into the genre, were it to have been animated instead. That being said, this film is amazing in terms of its visual style, combining some innovative visual effects with a 50s noir feel.

Once again this is overall a film about having fun. You can easily make fun of the plot going on, or you can go with it and have a good time. The film was a unique experience the first time and still remains a wonderful combination of visual sense and intriguing enough storytelling.

I have a good time, every time I watch it, it has cool effects and looks great throughout. Oh, and Joe "Pants" Pantoliano is in this, which is another nice touch.

Sci Fi - Action at its best.

Morpheus: How did I beat you?
Neo: You... you're too fast.
Morpheus: Do you believe that my being stronger or faster has anything to do with my muscles in this place? Do you think that's air you're breathing now?

Trinity: You always told me to stay off the freeway.
Morpheus: Yes, that's true.
Trinity: You said it was suicide.
Morpheus: Then let us hope that I was wrong.

I don't care what some people say, I like this movie a lot. Of course in a matter of originality this film wont out do the first, it's a sequel. Instead, it builds upon the first, and for some reason I enjoy watching this one even more.

The story is set a couple years after the first. Neo and Trinity are a couple, still living aboard Morpheus' ship. The main plot involves a threat against the rebel stronghold known as Zion. It will be destroyed by the machines in 72 hours, unless Neo can find a way to stop it. Problems increase when it turns out Agent Smith has found a way to become even more powerful and dangerous than before.

Morpheus: Smith?
Neo: Yes. He's found a way to copy himself.
Morpheus: Your saying there's more of him?
Neo: A lot more.

This movie does a great job at being a lot of fun and expanding upon ideas set up in the first film.

Zion was spoken of like it was a little cave near the core in the first film. Here, Zion is this expansive community with multi levels, security defenses, councils, and all kinds of stuff, including Mech warriors.

Trinity: Is Neo okay?
Link: Okay? Shit, Morpheus, you should have seen him.
Morpheus: Where is he now?
[Link checks a computer]
Link: He's doin' his Superman thing.

Keanu Reeves' Neo is more fun here, because now he is used like "the Muscle" of the group. He doesn't become the group leader just because he's The One, he is still part of Morpheus' crew, speaking of which, Morpheus is still cool just for walking the way he does.

[after first meeting with The Merovingian]
Neo: Well, that didn't go so well.
Morpheus: Are you Certain the Oracle didn't say anything else?
Neo: Yes.
Trinity: Maybe we did something wrong.
Neo: Or didn't do something.
Morpheus: No, what happened, happened and couldn't have happened any other way.
Neo: How do you know?
Morpheus: We are still alive.

And I love how over the top this movie goes. I love the 10-minute slo mo rave scene, which is given a "Warriors" style introduction by Morpheus. The freeway chase is amazing to watch. The Burly Brawl featuring a bunch of Agent Smiths vs. Neo is kick ass (despite the strange choice in CGI use), not to mention how good Hugo Weaving is as Smith. There are a lot of new characters added here as well, most of which are pretty cool. I love the ghost characters the best, of all the new characters on the list of things for the Matrix Club to beat up.

The soundtrack is once again great, combining orchestrated scenes with techno beats and ending with a Rage song again.

The Wachowski Brothers certainly tried to one-up everything setup in the first film, and while the response was mixed, I certainly appreciated what they have done.

For me, this one always moves along the quickest, despite it being the longest, and it's because I am having a good time watching it and it just seems well paced, for every scene involving some philosophical mumbo jumbo, there is an action scene or a neat effects scene to follow it. I'm not seeking deeper meanings, I want to have fun, and I do.

We even get a "dun dun duh...." - "to be concluded" scene complete with the appropriate music and everything to psyche us up for the third film...if only it matched these first two.

The Oracle: Candy?
Neo: Do you already know if I'm going to take it?
The Oracle: Wouldn't be much of an Oracle if I didn't.
Neo: Why are you here?
The Oracle: Same reason. I love candy.

Marge: "Say Lou, didya hear the one about the guy who couldn't afford personalized plate so he went and changed his name to J3L2404?"
Lou: "Yep,...that's a good one."

A comedy that deals with some very dark subject matter, just like most Coen Brothers movies.

It involves a kidnapping plot gone wrong and all the people involved, showing how desperation and greed can turn into deadly situations. It's also set in North Dakota, providing for "Minnesota Nice" people and accents.

It has an amazing cast of characters that are developed so well by their mannerisms. Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi, and the very creepy Pete Stormare are all in top form.

Carl Showalter: I'm not gonna debate you, Jerry.
Jerry Lundegaard: Okay.
Carl Showalter: I'm not gonna sit here and debate.

The plot develops itself so well, with Marge, the main character, not even coming into the movie until a third of the way in, due to the logical progression of the script. All the little things all together.

Marge Gunderson: Ah, hon, ya got Arby's all over me.

For a movie like this, the cinematography is also exceptional, capturing basically a desert of snow, creating a great atmosphere throughout, along with the musical score by Coen regular Carter Burwell.

Gaer Grimsrud: Where is Pancake's House?
Carl Showalter: What?
Gaer Grimsrud: We stop at Pancake's House.

This being a Coen Brothers movie, is of course very quotable and very funny, despite some of the more dark situations. While The Big Lebowski is the Coen's funniest movie, this is their best film.

Marge Gunderson: And I guess that was your accomplice in the woodchipper.

Léon: The rifle is the first weapon you learn how to use, because it lets you keep your distance from the client. The closer you get to being a pro, the closer you can get to the client. The knife, for example, is the last thing you learn.

It's an action thriller and a great relationship story between two people.

Fatman: Somebody's coming up. Somebody serious.

Jean Reno stars as Leon, a cleaner working in little Italy of New York. He is very good at what he does and lives a life of very few details. He lives in a room next door to Natalie Portman's character, Mathilda. She plays a girl who already losing faith in life as her family treats her horribly. Soon enough however, they are all killed because of some missing drugs, and Leon saves Mathilda's life by taking her in with him.

After this, Mathilda desires to learn how to clean like Leon, and he reluctantly agrees to help her. During this time the two form a bond together, with Mathilda believing she is falling in love and Leon beginning to shed the cold layer that surrounds him and appreciate life as well.

Both Reno and Portman are wonderful as a hitman and a lost girl gaining a new respect for life because of each other. Portman in particular, a 12-year-old girl who is very convincing. Their relationship seems real and is charming.

Malky: Hey Stan, Stan! What are doing? He's dead!
Stansfield: But he ruined my suit.

Gary Oldman is also great and vile as a corrupt DEA officer with endless rage. His scenes are filled with madness and calm at the same time.

Luc Besson's filmmaking is at it's best here, complete with a wonderful soundtrack, and well done moments of action, but it is made more effective because of the amount of time spent on the characters in this film. He also manages to make New York almost unrecognizable at times from the way he presents it, with his French roots. The shots of this city from the perspective this film has, combined with Eric Serra's score makes this even more watchable.

The international version of this film, Leon, is also worth making a note of. This is the intended version of the film, which Americans weren't treated to upon theatrical release. It is about half an hour longer, with further development between the characters, including scenes of Leon bringing Mathilda on jobs with him and a couple more elements that make the story complete.

A very good story, that almost plays like a modern fairy tale. Very entertaining.

Léon: And stop saying "okay" all the time. Okay?
Mathilda: Okay.
Léon: Good.

Reverend Steenwyck: Their heads weren't found severed. Their heads were not found at all.
Ichabod Crane: The heads are... gone?
Notary James Hardenbrook: Taken. Taken by the Headless Horseman. Taken back to hell.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow has been greatly adapted into my favorite Tim Burton movie and one of my favorite films.

This movie has some of the best atmosphere, mood, and appropriate visual style of any movie I've seen. The cinematography is so well done, it's just amazing.

This is probably my favorite Johnny Depp movie as well. He stars as Ichabod Crane, the constable who has come to the town of Sleepy Hollow in order to solve the series of gruesome murders occurring. These murders are the results of a supposed Headless Horsemen coming back from the grave, decapitating his victims, and taking their heads.

Ichabod Crane: You believe the father killed her?
Samuel Philipse: The Horseman killed her.
Ichabod Crane: How often do I have to tell you? There is no Horseman, never was a Horseman, and never will be a Horseman.
[Pulls a pendant off of The Magistrate's neck]
Ichabod Crane: What is that thing?
Samuel Philipse: It's my talisman. It protects me from the Horseman.

Depp plays Crane as a skilled detective who is very peculiar, and easily frightened, making for plenty of fun scenes.

The story in itself is so intriguing as well. Andrew Kevin Walker, of Se7en fame, has written a screenplay taking the old fable and turning it into a conspiracy plot, with the headless horseman acting as a supernatural hitman of sorts.

The supporting cast is nice as well, featuring many Burton regulars, with a surprise guest as the horseman, that is very welcome.

Of course, Danny Elfman also steps in to provide a great score to go along with the flick.

Since the subject is so gruesome, its nice to see an abundant amount of dark humor that Burton provides throughout. Rarely is there a time when one can see blood squirt out of a body and find it humorous.

This is a fun, bloody, mystery rampage, with a great cast, a great look thanks to its cinematography and art direction, a great story, and the perfect tone.

Young Masbath: Is he dead?
Ichabod Crane: That's the problem. He was dead to begin with.

William Somerset: I meant to ask you something before, when we spoke on the phone: Why here?
David Mills: I don't follow.
William Somerset: Why all the effort to get transferred? It's the first question that popped into my head.
David Mills: I guess the same reasons as you. The same reasons you had before you decided to quit, yeah?
William Somerset: Y... You just met me.
David Mills: Maybe I'm not understanding the question.
William Somerset: Very simple. You actually fought to get re-assigned here. I've just never seen it done that way before.

1. A Brilliantly crafted story, with some good twists and turns and unsavory methods for our killer.

William Somerset: This guy's methodical, exacting, and worst of all, patient.

2. Very well casted. Freeman and Pitt work well together, as well as the rest of the supporting cast.

David Mills: Honestly, have you ever seen anything like this?
William Somerset: No.

3. The tone is perfect. The atmosphere is very dark and moody. The city is almost straight out of a dark graphic novel, constantly raining, dark colors throughout.

William Somerset: This isn't going to have a happy ending.

4. A smart villain. Nothing cliche, no unnecessary twists...oh it was him...none of that. His reveal is clean, and he has more to do than just get in a lame shootout with the cops in the end.

William Somerset: [Reading from one of John Doe's journals] On the subway today, a man came up to me to start a conversation. He made small talk, a lonely man talking about the weather and other things. I tried to be pleasant and accommodating, but my head hurt from his banality. I almost didn't notice it had happened, but I suddenly threw up all over him. He was not pleased, and I couldn't stop laughing.

5. The deaths are brutal. These are sins for a reason, and it shows the limits that they can be put to, and we are not even shown them being preformed, just the grizzly aftermath.

David Mills: What's in the box?

6. A great chase scene in the middle of the movie. A perfect cat and mouse segment. People not automatically knowing where to go, playing it safe and not running straight into rooms, very well done.

[picks up the phone]
David Mills: Hello?
John Doe: I admire you. I don't know how you found me, but imagine my surprise. I respect you law enforcement agents more everyday.
David Mills: Well, I appreciate that... John. I tell you...
John Doe: No, no, you listen, all right? I'll be readjusting my schedule in light of today's little... setback. I just had to call and express my admiration. Sorry I had to hurt... one of you, but I really didn't have a choice, did I?
David Mills: Hmm.
John Doe: You will accept my apology, won't you? I feel like saying more, but I don't want to ruin the surprise.

7. It's a David Fincher movie, his first real movie, after Alien 3 was taken away from him. He creates the perfect amount of tension and suspense, while wanting you to keep watching.

John Doe: Nothing wrong with a man taking pleasure in his work. I won't deny my own personal desire to turn each sin against the sinner.

A great, dark, moody, crime thriller.

William Somerset: Ernest Hemingway once wrote, "The world is a fine place and worth fighting for." I agree with the second part.

Dwight: I'm Shellie's new boyfriend and I'm out of my mind. If you so much as talk to her or even think her name, I'll cut you in ways that'll make you useless to a woman.

The Best Comic Book movie, period. Frank Miller's Sin City series has been given the royal treatment with its big screen debut. Having read all of the books, this movie, which uses only 3 of the books out of 7, matches the pages exactly. That is not an exaggeration, you can hold the books next to the TV and match it, that's how good it is.

You have "The Hard Goodbye" with Mickey Rourke as the perfect Marv, in a quest for revenge of his dame.

Cardinal Roark: Will that bring you satisfaction, my son? Killing a helpless, old, fart?
Marv: Killing? No. No satisfaction. Everything up until the killing, will be a gas.

Second you have Clive Owen starring as Dwight, a character who becomes better and better in each story in the books, here in "The Big Fat Kill," he deals with a struggle to hide the body of an unfortunate late night kill.

Dwight: Get me a hardtop with a decent engine and make sure it's got a big trunk.

Then you have Bruce Willis as Hartigan in "That Yellow Bastard," the story of an old man protecting a little girl.

John Hartigan: Just one hour to go. My last day on the job. Early retirement. Not my idea. Doctor's orders. Heart condition. Angina, he calls it. I'm polishing my badge and getting used to the idea of saying goodbye to it. It and the 30 odd years of protecting and serving and tears and... blood and terror... triumph it represents. I'm thinking about Ilene's slow smile, bout the thick, fat steak she picked up at the butchers today. I'm thinking about the one loose end I haven't tied up. A little girl out there, caught in the hands of a drowning lunatic.

Casting does not get much more perfect than this movie in the case of every character here, as well as every other supporting actor. Its an enormous list of talent that includes Benicio Del Toro, Elijah Wood, Jessica Alba, Rosario Dawson, Josh Hartnett, Jaime King, Brittany Murphy, and Michael Clarke Duncan.

The visual style is wonderfully well done, once again supporting how absolute my opinion is as regarding this movie as the best comic book movie made yet. Easily one the best genre films to completely capture the look and feel of it's origins. It's also filled with action, fun, noirish dialog and lots of macabre humor.

Marv: I love hitmen. No matter what you do to them, you don't feel bad.

So it's a lot of fun, great use of it's effect and style. Motormouth director Robert Rodriguez and Miller make a great team, and even Tarantino, with his limited help makes an impression with his special guest directed scene, if you know what to look for.

Can't wait to see the rest of the stories come to the big screen. My favorite movie of 2005.

Marv: I check the list. Rubber tubing, gas, saw, gloves, cuffs, razor wire, hatchet, Gladys, and my mitts.

Lt. Aldo Raine: You probably heard we ain't in the prisoner-takin' business; we in the killin' Nazi business. And cousin, Business is a-boomin'.

A damn good movie. Its not a WWII movie directed by Tarantino, its a Tarantino movie set in WWII. A sprawling, ambitious, violent (although action-lite) piece of work that benefits from the various elements that make Tarantino's films so memorable to many, which includes the dialog, the film homages, the soundtrack, and the obscure but well acted characters. This is an original, strange, and engrossing film, set during a war that now has an alternate ending, and I loved all of it.

Col. Hans Landa: Wait for the cream.

Despite the attempts by marketing to sell this film as a straight forward action film involving Jews on a mission too take revenge on the Nazis, anyone familiar with Tarantino films should know that this is anything but simple and straight forward. The film is divided into five chapters, with Brad Pitt and his crew playing just a supporting part of the story. In fact, English may actually be the third most used language in this film, behind French and German.

Lt. Aldo Raine: -I think you show great talent. And I pride myself on having an eye for that kind of talent. Your status as a Nazi killer is... still amateur. We all come here to see if you wanna go pro...

Flixster actually provides the best summary for what's going on with the plot in this film, so I'll crib from it: In German-occupied France, Shosanna Dreyfus (played by Mélanie Laurent) witnesses the execution of her family at the hand of Nazi Colonel Hans Landa (played brilliantly by Christoph Waltz). Shosanna narrowly escapes and flees to Paris, where she forges a new identity as the owner and operator of a cinema. Elsewhere in Europe, Lieutenant Aldo Raine (played by Pitt) organizes a group of Jewish soldiers to engage in targeted acts of retribution. Known to their enemy as "The Basterds," Raine's squad joins German actress and undercover agent Bridget Von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger) on a mission to take down the leaders of The Third Reich. Fates converge under a cinema marquee, where Shosanna is poised to carry out a revenge plan of her own...

Marcel: What the fuck are we supposed to do?
Shosanna Dreyfus: It looks like we're supposed to have a Nazi premiere.
Marcel: Like I said, what the fuck are we supposed to do?

While there is some brutal violence in this film, the real action comes from the dialog running throughout. There are a number of sequences that build the perfect amount of tension for extended periods of time, ranging from simple exchanges turning into interrogations to games that become an analysis culture. At two and a half hours, this is a movie that consists of a lot of dialog (with the majority covered through subtitles) that kept me completely engaged due to its structure.

Col. Hans Landa: What a tremendously hostile world that a rat must endure. Yet not only does he survive, he thrives. Because our little foe has an instinct for survival and preservation second to none... And that Monsieur is what a Jew shares with a rat.

When the film is not focusing so much on its dialog, the style really shines. After tackling other genre homages, this time Tarantino builds a world that combines 70s war films with Spaghetti Westerns, while still remaining darkly comedic throughout. Other stylistic flourishes emerge during this time as well, further solidifying how much of a different kind of WWII movie this is. The chapter structure adds to this style. With the first few chapters carefully setting up the characters and situation, leading to the main narrative, and then, finally, the spectacular climax. All I can say about the climax of this film is that is was as if WWII was suddenly turned into an over-the-top comic book. The kind of tone seen during these parts of the film has somehow wonderfully combined with the dead seriousness of other sequences.

Kliest: Mein Fuhrer, do you still wish to see Private Butz?
Adolf Hitler: Who and what is a "Private Butz"?

Further adding to the style of the film, Tarantino once again provides a soundtrack that perfectly captures the spirit of this film. Here he has taken tracks mainly from Spaghetti Westerns and some 70s war themes. Ennio Morricone is heavily featured throughout, as well as some other familiar tracks.

Sgt. Donny Donowitz: Fuck. A. Duck.

There are some very good performances in this film as well. Pitt works great with his roll as Lt. Aldo "Apache" Raine. It is a larger than life character, with a way out there accent, hard ass attitude, and a hatred for Nazis. Mélanie Laurent is also very good as Shosanna, who could stand as the lead protagonist for this film. There are other good actors here as well, but the best performance of this film, hands down, belongs to Christoph Waltz as Colonel Hans Landa, "The Jew Hunter." Here is a villain character that is evil. He is not evil in a cool way or in a "don't fuck with me" kind of way. He is just evil due to his presence, which exudes confidence, irony, manners, and a sense of absurdity. He is a different kind of Nazi, certainly a different direction from the cartoons that are Hitler and Goebbels in this movie, and one that will certainly be added to the list of memorable villains.

Sgt. Donny Donowitz: So when I kill that guy, your gonna have 30 feet to kill that guy. Can you do it?
Pfc. Omar Ulmer: I have to.

Once again, even with a little (now out of place) skepticism, I have watched another brilliant film from Quentin Tarantino that puts together many memorable scenes and characters into an original film that is tense, funny, exciting, bloody, and absurd in a very very good way.

Lt. Aldo Raine: I need to know about Germans hiding in trees. And you need to tell me right now.
Sgt. Werner Rachtman: I respectfully refuse, sir.
Lt. Aldo Raine: Actually, Werner, we're all tickled to hear you say that. Quite frankly, watching Donny beat Nazi's to death is the closest we ever get to going to the movies.
[shouts offscren]
Lt. Aldo Raine: Donny!
Sgt. Donny Donowitz: [from offscreen] Yeah?
Lt. Aldo Raine: Got us a German here wants to die for country. Oblige him.

The Bride: How did you find me?
Bill: I'm the man.

The second half Quentin Tarantino's epic revenge story, which continues to play as an exploitation type film, paying homage to many different genres, this time around focusing less on old kung fu flicks and setting itself up as more of a spaghetti western.

Bill: I'm a killer. A murdering bastard, you know that. And there are consequences to breaking the heart of a murdering bastard.

Uma Thurman of course stars once again as The Bride, a women whose wedding day was ruined by her former lover and employer, Bill played marvelously by David Carradine, and his other cohorts.

The Bride: When will I see you again?
Bill: You know, that's the name of my favorite soul song from the '70s.

The story here is still non linear, telling the story of what actually occurred on the fateful day that would speak for the Bride's revenge motive, as well as providing further back story about her, her training, and Bill. Of course we also get the whole revenge story completed as well.

Budd: I'm a bouncer in a titty bar, Bill. If she wants to fight me, all she gotta do is come down to the Club, start some shit, and we'll be in a fight.
Bill: I know we haven't spoken for quite some time, and the last time we spoke wasn't the most pleasant. But you need to get over being mad at me, and start becoming afraid of [her], because she is coming, and she's coming to kill you. And unless you accept my assistance, I have no doubt she will succeed.

This time, we meet the other members of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, including Bill's brother Budd, played with some country-styled depth by Michael Madsen, and Elle Driver, played with hateful bitch passion by Daryl Hannah. We are also given the masterful teacher Pai Mai, as well as a welcome cameo from Sam the Man early on.

Rufus: I was a Drell. I was a Drifter. I was a Coaster. I was part of The Gang. I was a Bar-Kay... If they come through Texas, I done played with them.
Reverend Harmony: Rufus... He's the man.

While still maintaining a certain stylized nature like the first volume, what makes this film even greater as well as one of my favorite films is the added character drama, which gives the film, as well as the saga as a whole, much more substance. We are not only given greater understanding of the Bride, but of the other characters and Bill, one of the greater original villains created recently. The dialog is better as well, reflecting Tarantio's writing style in terms of being entertaining, full of pop culture references, and playing well with the story.

Elle Driver: "Gargantuan". You know, I've always liked that word "gargantuan", I so rarely have the opportunity to use it in a sentence.

As mentioned, the film is still very stylized as well, still going somewhat over-the-top in certain sequences and very much having the old western film. The score and use of music is once again effective, with the help of both The RZA and Robert Rodriguez (who would be paid back by having Tarantino direct a scene in Sin City).

Bill: How do I look?
The Bride: You look ready.

This is a great follow up to the first volume, my favorite film of 2004, which features a wonderfully told story, great performances from its cast, namely Thurman and Carradine, and a great sense of style that gives it a wonderful old-meets new feel.

Bill: Pai Mei taught you the five point palm-exploding heart technique?
The Bride: Of course he did.
Bill: Why didn't you tell me?
The Bride: I don't know... because I'm a bad person.
Bill: No. You're not a bad person. You're a terrific person. You're my favorite person, but every once in a while, you can be a real cunt.

Danny: There's a ninety-five pound Chinese man with a hundred sixty million dollars behind this door.
Linus: Let's get him out.

The movie that gave me the idea of movies that "ooze with cool." This is a very fun movie. Despite the fact that it is based on a heist, with twists along the way, I enjoy watching it everytime with no remorse for knowing what will happen.

Rusty: The Bellagio and the Mirage. These are Terry Benedict's places.
Danny: Yes they are. You think he'll mind?
Rusty: More than somewhat.

Soderbergh directs a very stylish caper movie that is filled with a great ensemble cast that matches the fun of the original involving the Rat Pack.

Danny: Tess, you're doing a great job curating the museum, the Vermeer is quite good, simple, vibrant, but his work definitely fell off as he got older.
Tess: Remind you of anyone?
Danny: And I always confuse Monet and Manet. Now which one married his mistress?
Tess: Monet.
Danny: Right, and then Manet had syphilis.
Tess: They also painted occasionally.

The dialogue is not merely expository and flat, but lively, clever, sharp and quick, delivered with great timing by everyone involved.

The movie itself moves along very quickly with almost a self-awareness to the actual heist aspect. Opposed to acting, it almost seems like everyone involved is just hanging out on a very fun set and saying the lines that will get them by.

Finally, the soundtrack is amazing, filled with jazzy lounge aspects with the tone of vegas moving throughout. Purely entertaining and fun to watch.

Saul: I have a question, say we get into the cage, and through the security doors there and down the elevator we can't move, and past the guards with the guns, and into the vault we can't open...
Rusty: Without being seen by the cameras.
Danny: Oh yeah, sorry, I forgot to mention that.
Saul: Yeah well, say we do all that... uh... we're just supposed to walk out of there with $150,000,000 in cash on us, without getting stopped?
Danny: ...Yeah.
Saul: Oh. Okay.

Rob: Now, the making of a good compilation tape is a very subtle art. Many do's and don'ts. First of all you're using someone else's poetry to express how you feel. This is a delicate thing.

Top Five reasons to watch this movie:
5. Great Soundtrack
4. It's funny and true
3. A lot of good supporting characters, especially Jack Black
2. Cusacck is a great actor
1. Its a smart and well made story.

Cusack stars as Rob Gordon, a music obsessed vinyl record store owner in Chicago, who's had relationship problems. Starting at his latest breakup, Rob informs us of his previous top five breakups and the way he has come up in the world.

Rob: Should I bolt every time I get that feeling in my gut when I meet someone new? Well, I've been listening to my gut since I was 14 years old, and frankly speaking, I've come to the conclusion that my guts have shit for brains.

Rob soon decides to go back and find out the meaning of his past relationships and weigh it with the elements of his current life.

This is mixed with the problems concerning his recently ended relationship as well as the other things going on his life, including the challenges of selling vinyl records at his nearly failing record store and his employees that work with him.

Rob: I can't fire them. I hired these guys for three days a week and they just started showing up every day. That was four years ago.

Rob's employees are brilliantly played by Todd Louiso and Jack Black, who spar with Rob frequently about music and make top 5 lists concerning all music related genres and issues.

The story essentially combines elements involving Rob's pursuit of romance, happiness, life goals, and dreams. It is based off a best selling novel by Nick Hornby, who has had a number of his books adapted into features, but also shares a lot with another Cusack film, Grosse Pointe Blank.

Rob: She didn't make me miserable, or anxious, or ill at ease. You know, it sounds boring, but it wasn't. It wasn't spectacular either. It was just good. But really good.

This is one of my favorite movies. Its extremely enjoyable on a number of levels, as described at the beginning of this review, as far as top five reasons go. Director Steven Frears, who has previously collaborated with Cusack on 'The Grifters,' once again constructs a wonderful film, which manages to tell a real story, with interesting people, and still work as a very watchable romantic comedy for men.

[Rob turns off Barry's tape]
Barry: OK, buddy, uh, I was just tryin' to cheer us up so go ahead. Put on some old sad bastard music, see if I care.
Rob: I don't wanna hear old sad bastard music, Barry, I just want something I can ignore.
Barry: Here's the thing. I made that tape special for today. My special Monday morning for *you*... special.
Rob: Well, it's fuckin' Monday afternoon! You should get out of bed earlier!

Keaton: There's no way they'd line five felons in the same room, no way.

Five criminals are put in a line up together, possibly setup for a particular crime and become a sort of group with goals for payback until getting involved with a vicious urban legend of a crime boss.

The story is told through flashbacks by the survivor of a botched $91 million drug deal, Verbal Kint, played by Kevin Spacey.

Keaton: His name is Verbal. Verbal Kint.
McManus: Verbal?
Keaton: Yeah.
Verbal: Roger, really. People say I talk too much.
Hockney: Yeah, I was just gonna tell you to shut up.

The other members of the lineup include Gabriel Byrne as a corrupt cop supposedly gone legit, Stephen Baldwin as a hard ass criminal who's good at what he does, Benicio Del Toro as Baldwin's partner in crime and very mumble mouthed, and Kevin Pollak as the demolition man who doesn't give a fuck about anyone.

All of these guys have great chemistry together, interacting with real bonds and tension between them.

The film also stars a number of supporting actors including Chazz Palminteri, Dan Hadaya, and Pete Postlethwaite as the lawyer for the mysterious criminal known as Keyser Soze.

Verbal: Keaton always said, "I don't believe in God, but I'm afraid of him." Well I believe in God, and the only thing that scares me is Keyser Soze.

What makes this movie work is how entertaining all the aspects of it are. It is essentially a crime drama, but it has a laid back pace to it, some very humorous moments between the guys, a lot of memorable lines, and plenty of twists along the way.

Written by Christopher McQuarrie, the film really pops with the dialog, which does take up most of the film. Many scenes do have a good amount of building tension with great payoffs.

Bryan Singer directs the movie not to be necessarily tricky, but there are the twists, doesn't shoot the film in a particularly flashy way, but it still has style. The score of this movie fits appropriately, adding to the flavor.

Its a very entertaining film, that has a great plot, with a very rewatchable value that makes it better for me every time I see it, and it is also made better by the chemistry between the suspects.

Cop: What are you saying?
Fenster: I said he'll flip you.
Cop: He'll what?
Fenster: Flip you. Flip ya for real.

Henry Hill: [narrating] As far back as I can remember I always wanted to be a gangster.

One of the best gangster movies ever. Scorsese takes a true story, fills it with good actors, a great soundtrack and crafts the film to move at a perfect pace.

A great cast headed in the lead role by Ray Liotta.

Henry Hill: [narrating] You know, we always called each other goodfellas. Like, you'd say to somebody: "You're gonna like this guy; he's all right. He's a goodfella. He's one of us." You understand? We were goodfellas, wiseguys.

He plays his role exactly as needed, charismatic, violent, and smart.

DeNiro also gives a great performance as another gangster who serves mainly as an older version of Liotta's character, except more lethal without showing it.

Pesci is great as well as a gangster who you don't want to know.
Tommy DeVito: What do you mean I'm funny?

This movie works so well because of how involved you get with this movie. You want to watch each of these characters and see this story unfold. There is so much detail in what is going and it is also a very good dark comedy about it's subject. It's a great movie with great performances and great everything else.

Jimmy Conway: What's the fuckin' matter with you? What - what is the fuckin' matter with you? What are you, stupid or what? Tommy, Tommy, I'm kidding with you. What the fuck are you doin'? What are you, a fuckin' sick maniac?
Tommy DeVito: How am I meant to know you're kidding? What you mean, you're kidding? You breaking my fuckin' balls?
Jimmy Conway: I'm fuckin' kidding with you! You fuckin' shoot the guy?
Henry Hill: He's dead.
Tommy DeVito: Good shot. What do you want from me? Good shot. Fuckin' rat anyway. Kid's all rat. He'll grow up to be a rat.
Jimmy Conway: You stupid bastard, I can't fuckin' believe you. Now, you're gonna dig the fuckin' thing now. You're gonna dig the hole. You're gonna do it. I got no fuckin' line. You're gonna do it.
Tommy DeVito: Who the fuck cares? I'll dig the fuckin' hole. I don't give a fuck. What is it, the first hole I dug? Not the first time I dug a hole. I'll fuckin' dig a hole. Where are the shovels?

Vincent Hanna: You know, we are sitting here, you and I, like a couple of regular fellas. You do what you do, and I do what I gotta do. And now that we've been face to face, if I'm there and I gotta put you away, I won't like it. But I tell you, if it's between you and some poor bastard whose wife you're gonna turn into a widow, brother, you are going down.
Neil McCauley: There is a flip side to that coin. What if you do got me boxed in and I gotta put you down? Cause no matter what, you will not get in my way. We've been face to face, yeah. But I will not hesitate. Not for a second.

An amazing crime drama. An amazing ensemble cast. Amazing direction by Michael Mann. A great story, with a gritty realism added to the whole thing. An epic crime saga in LA that never looked better.

Robert De Niro and Al Pacion star as cop and robber. De Niro is Neil McCauley, a professional criminal who knows exactly what he is doing and has a rigid code that he sticks to.

Vincent Hanna: I gotta hold on to my angst. I preserve it because I need it. It keeps me sharp, on the edge, where I gotta be.

Pacino is Vincent Hannah, a robbery-homicide cop who is very good at what he does, and must also deal with his marriage at home, but that doesn't stop him from getting the bad guy.

Justine Hanna: But you have to be present like a normal guy some of the time. That's sharing. This is not sharing, this is leftovers.
Vincent Hanna: All right, so what I should do is, uhm, come home and say "Hi Honey, guess what? I walked into this house today where this junkie asshole just fried his baby in a microwave because it was crying too loud, so let me share that with you."

These men both have their own crews, made up of a number of very good supporting actors that include Val Kilmer, Ted Levine, Danny Trejo, Tom Sizemore, Wes Studi, Mykelti Williamson, and Dennis Haysbert.

There are a number of other character actors that enter the scene as well as the story unfolds.

The whole story is great. It surrounds some of the last heists that De Niro and his crew perform, and Hannah and his crew on their tails. Before a big bank heist is to go down, a major scene comes into play. A simple setup in a diner.

Where else can you a scene about a conversation in a diner between Pacino and De Niro and have it be one intense and well acted scene. That's good film making. It is the heart of this movie, and features two characters on opposite ends, but still very similar.

Then there is the amazing bank shootout that occurs. It is intense, real, and awesome to watch. And that's not even the end of the movie, there is still another hour left to show the fallout of what happens with this story.

It is a long movie, but all of the plot threads come together, and it all works so well. We learn as much as we need to know about each character, and it is all very effective.

Add to that, the cinematic style of Mann's direction, a director who knows how to capture night-time LA, making good use of all practical locations and scenery.

Also accompanied by a very good score, with a couple choice tracks from Moby thrown in there.

This is a great movie, with actors all doing what is required of them to make one of the seminal cop films of the nineties.

Vincent Hanna: My life's a disaster zone. I got a stepdaughter so fucked up because her real father's this large-type asshole. I got a wife, we're passing each other on the down-slope of a marriage - my third - because I spend all my time chasing guys like you around the block. That's my life.
Neil McCauley: A guy told me one time, "Don't let yourself get attached to anything you are not willing to walk out on in 30 seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner." Now, if you're on me and you gotta move when I move, how do you expect to keep a... a marriage?

Harry: I peed on the corpse. Can they do, like, and ID from that?
Perry: I'm sorry, you peed on...?
Harry: On the corpse. My question is...
Perry: No, my question. I get to go first. Why in plu-perfect hell would you pee on corpse?

A very funny murder mystery mixed with the setup of a buddy action flick. Shot with lots of style to feel akin to a neo noir, with classy yet modern soundtrack that's fitting.

As much fun as the story is, the film survives through its dialog, the majority of which plays like a large inside joke, but it can still be hilarious with the right viewers, namely those who enjoy witty sarcasm and smart ass back talk.

Mr. Frying Pan: Well now, here we all are. Ike, Mike and Mustard.
Harry: What the hell does that mean?
Mr. Fire: You know, I'm with him on this one man, that's pretty fuckin' obscure.
Mr. Frying Pan: Horse shit, I hear that all the time.
Mr. Fire: You do?
Mr. Frying Pan: Yeah, sure.
Mr. Fire: Where, at the 1942 club?

The story revolves around a thief posing as an actor, who gets involved in the Hollywood life where he meets a private investigator, his former dream girl, and some seedy characters who all become involved in a pulpish crime mystery.

Robert Downey Jr. as a thief/actor and Val Kilmer as a tough, gay guy have great chemistry together, and work as if they need a whole detective film series. Downey's narration throughout is also great with all the sarcastic beats to play to.

Harry: [narrating] Anyway, by now you may wonder how I wound up here. Or, maybe not. Maybe you wonder how silly putty picks shit up from comic books. The point is, I don't see another Goddamn narrator, so pipe down.

Further hilarity ensues due to how dark the comedy is, body parts are severed and misunderstandings of deaths come aplenty, making things all the merrier.

Michelle Monaghan, as the femme fatal of the piece, is able to keep up with the leads, and is also very cute with some edge to her character making things all the better.

Harmony: Well, for starters, she's been fucked more times than she's had a hot meal.
Harry: Yeah, I heard about that. It was neck-and-neck and then she skipped lunch.

The plot moves and twists around, but paying attention you can see a lot of it come through and still realize how hilariously dark this movie is. It's self aware nature mixed with the hilarious treatment of the buddy comedy aspect make this into a continually great movie to enjoy.

B-Movie Actress: So what do you do for a living?
Harry: Uh, I'm retired. I invented dice when I was a kid. How about you do?

Every time someone spots this on my DVD rack and wonders what it is, I say we must watch it, and they end up enjoying it a lot. It is an underseen movie that deserves as big an audience as it can get.

Harry: Is she dead?
Perry: No, she's just resting her eyes for a minute. Of course she's fucking dead, her neck's broken.

Dirk: You know, I'm gonna be a great big bright, shining star.

P.T. Anderson's second movie, a large epic ensemble film about many characters all connected by the Adult Film Industry. Mark Wahlberg stars as Eddie/Dirk Diggler who is a very simple boy (with a large...gift) taken over by the famous person he becomes. Burt Reynolds and Julianne Moore also star as the people who take him in, an adult film director and his star wife. Why this movie is amazing is because of the dream team of supporting actors involved, including:

John C. Reilly as a fellow porn star.
Reed Rothchild: Have you seen that Star Wars movie?
Eddie Adams: Yeah, I've seen it four times.
Reed Rothchild: You know, people tell me I kind of look like Han Solo.

Heather Graham as porn actress Rollergirl.
Dirk: Aren't you gonna take your skates off?
Rollergirl: I never take my skates off.

Don Cheadle as a look obsessed, former adult actor.
Buck Swope: You're not being fair. This isn't fair.
Bank Worker: This financial institution cannot endorse pornography.
Buck Swope: Stop saying pornography. Why are you doing this to me? I am an actor. I am an actor.

Luis Guzman as a club owner who wants to be in the business.
Maurice: I'm the ultimate Latin Lover. There ain't no Latin Lover like me.

Phillip Seymour Hoffman as an awkward guy who helps on some of the films.
Scotty J: Yeah Dirk, I wanted to wait and see if you liked it, and if you didn't I would've...taken it back.

William H. Macy as the assistant director.
Little Bill: My wife has an ass in her cock in the drive way, all right? I'm sorry if my thoughts are not on the photography of the film we're shooting tomorrow.

Thomas Jane as a coke head and night club stripper.
Todd Parker: He's got coke and hes got cash in that safe and if we leave here without it we're fuckin' idiots! We came here to do something and we can fucking do it, allright? Are you with me?
Reed Rothchild: Todd, listen to me we can just split right now!
Todd Parker: That's what we goddamn came here to motherfuckin' do, and thats what I'm gonna fuckin' do right fuckin' now!

Philip Baker Hall as a producer knowing that videotape is on the rise.
Floyd Gondolli: I like simple pleasures, like butter in my ass, lollipops in my mouth. That's just me. That's just something that I enjoy.

and Alfred Molina as a crazy drug dealer.
Rahad Jackson: Oh, that's Cosmo...he's Chinese.

The great thing about having all these characters and scenes is that it is made with long Steadicam shots that just work throughout the movie, making it seem all very natural, going from one conversation to another in the same shot, it all works so well. And when there isn't a Steadicam shot, PT Anderson moves the camera at a frantic pace, very similar to the style of Scorsese. (all of PT Anderson's films seem to be evoking a different director).

The soundtrack is also wonderful, providing a perfect background throughout the entire movie, and working with the 70s and early 80s vibe that the film is set in.

This film is top notch. It has a cast all on top of their game and its very well made. A very easy movie to sit back, relax and enjoy to watch, despite all of the sex, drugs, violence, drama and slight sleaziness of the industry.

Dirk: What can you expect when you're on top? You know? It's like Napoleon. When he was the king, you know, people were just constantly trying to conquer him, you know, in the Roman Empire. So, it's history repeating itself all over again.

Trent: You're so money and you don't even know it!

A great guy movie, about guys livin' the life in their 20s trying to conquer the club scene, the women scene, and breaking into the Hollywood scene.

Its essentially a semi-autobiographical movie for everyone involved, seeing as how all the stars and the director were struggling around this time, getting bit parts in various projects, and here they are with a movie about it.

Jon Favreau and Vince Vaugn make a perfect team/foils for each other. The soundtrack is hip. The dialog is hilarious and at the same time sharp and clever.

Trent: They're gonna give daddy the Rainman suite, you dig that?
Mike: Do you think we'll get there by midnight?
Trent: Baby, we're going to be up five hundy by midnight!
Mike: Yeeeeaaaaahhhhhh!
Trent: Vegas baby! Vegas!
Mike: Vegas!

The movie starts almost with a mini-film of sorts, showing the journey of Mike and Trent to Vegas for a few hours at night, showing us how smooth Trent is and how much of a lovable loser Mike can be.

The movie then heads back to LA, where we see all the guys head out for some club livin', having Trent give Mike advice on how to play it cool, not to mention some downtime in order to play hokey on SEGA.

Trent: I don't want you to be the guy in the PG-13 movie everyone's *really* hoping makes it happen. I want you to be like the guy in the rated R movie, you know, the guy you're not sure whether or not you like yet. You're not sure where he's coming from.

Director Doug Liman also does a great job at getting across the kind of world that these characters have the perception of, and gives the scene they inhabit an almost satiric quality, while at the same time giving it an authentic feeling.

The other members of the cast do a good job, as they are basically representing the trials of breaking into the entertainment industry which at that point they were still doing.

You even get a couple of surreal moments addressed in the dialog and later referenced visually involving the work of past films involving groups of guys who also play it cool.

The movie is accompanied by a hip soundtrack, authentic locations, which also make good use of the live bands and dance scenes.

From the way the story unfolds, by the time the ending comes around, there are bits of irony mixed with the satisfaction of how the characters are handled.

Consistently funny, with a real feel of the life these swingers live.

Trent: You know what you are? You're like a big bear with claws and with fangs...
Sue: ...big fucking teeth, man.
Trent: Yeah... big fuckin' teeth on ya'. And she's just like this little bunny, who's just kinda cowering in the corner.
Sue: Shivering.
Trent: Yeah, man just kinda... you know, you got these claws and you're staring at these claws and your thinking to yourself, and with these claws you're thinking, "How am I supposed to kill this bunny, how am I supposed to kill this bunny?"
Sue: And you're poking at it, you're poking at it...
Trent: Yeah, you're not hurting it. You're just kinda gently batting the bunny around, you know what I mean? And the bunny's scared Mike, the bunny's scared of you, shivering.
Sue: And you got these fucking claws and these fangs...
Trent: And you got these fucking claws and these fangs, man! And you're looking at your claws and you're looking at your fangs. And you're thinking to yourself, you don't know what to do, man. "I don't know how to kill the bunny." With *this* you don't know how to kill the bunny, do you know what I mean?
Sue: You're like a big bear, man.

Mitch Martin: True love is hard to find, sometimes you think you have true love and then you catch the early flight home from San Diego and a couple of nude people jump out of your bathroom blindfolded like a goddamn magic show ready to double team your girlfriend...

One of the few movies in recent years that I can remember almost every line to. The movie is so ridiculously entertaining to me. Its the kind of movie that everyone has, where you remember everything about it, the little gestures characters do, what will happen and still be entertained, this is that movie for me. Does it deserve five stars? To me, yes.

Three 30 something men use the house recently purchased to form a fraternity for students and other men like them, in an effort to keep good times rolling.

Of course good times are in trouble when issues like the Dean's meddling, relationship problems, and death put a hitch in things.

Todd Philips of Road Trip directs what he has stated as the college comedy version of Fight Club, and as ridiculous as that statement may be, this movie is a very good laugh.

All three leads balance things out, complete with streaking, initiations, KY wrestling, and Mitchapalooza things all just work out.

Luke Wilson is the straight man of the group.

Mitch: A professor lived here for like thirty years and died.
Beanie: That's awesome.

Will Ferrell shows up and becomes such a presence after a beer consumes him.

Frank: That's how you do it. That's how you debate.

Vince Vaughn is just hilarious with everything he does.

Beanie: Don't beat yourself up over this, Mitch. It's not your fault. Dammit, Blue was old. That's what old people do. They die.

Even Jeremy Piven comes in as the Dean and makes things work.

Beanie: Who's this guy?
Mitch: Beanie, you remember Cheese, Rodney's kid brother?
Dean Pritchard: Actually, my name's not Cheese anymore. It's Gordon Pritchard.
Beanie: Oh yeah. Cheeeeeese. Yeah, didn't we lock you in a dumpster one time?
Dean Pritchard: Yea, I got out.
Beanie: Cool man.

A great college film that is still hilarious on repeated viewings. Chock full of the stuff you need, gratuitous nudity, alcohol, off-campus shenanigans.

Jerry: What will you have to do with the university?
Beanie: Legally speaking there will be a loose affiliation. But, we will give nothing back to the academic community. As well as provide no public service of any kind. This much I promise you.

Melvin: The truth is, I can't handle the idea of her not liking me. I can't handle the idea of ANYBODY not liking me.
Cisco: Hey Melvin, the hundred or so people you've killed in the last five years, more than likely have families that don't think too highly of you.

I Always have fun watching this movie, a hit-man comedy that is self-aware, never taking itself seriously, and full of some cool action.

Mark Wahlberg is a "nice" hitman, who just wants everyone to be copacetic. He has money problems due to his fiance and his bloodsucking girlfriend. Other subplots involving the discovery of masturbation, acceptance of different religions, and kidnapping, what a joy.

The action scenes go back and forth between very cool and ridiculously over the top. More random humor to follow as well (all signs point to the tracebuster-buster).

Cisco: Well ain't that a bitch... All I wanted to do was to sail my boat, man, you know? Navigate by the stars, see dolphins race alongside, you know, maybe even kill a few of them.

The cast also includes Lou Diamond Phillips, Christina Applegate, Avery Brooks, and Elliot Gould, further fueliing the absurdity.

Paris: What would you do to someone, who was fucking with you in your own house?
Cisco: I'd bust some caps!

My absolute favorite Guilty Pleasure movie, even more so than Starship Troopers.

Melvin Smiley: Technically, you can call me a hitman.
Keiko Nishi: Really? A hitman? Does that pay well?
Melvin Smiley: Oh of course. I make a killing.

Kim Pine: Scott, if your life had a face, I would punch it.

From the fiery depths of geekdom, director Edgar Wright has emerged with a film that dares defy the conventions of both romantic comedies and action films. His adaptation of the Scott Pilgrim series is a wonderful blend of comedy, action, romance, music, and great visual storytelling. This is a film that brings together a hip young cast, plentiful video game references, innovative action sequences, and a strong alternative/indie rock soundtrack, and manages to make it a blast of entertainment for anyone ready to experience a kinetic jolt of fun.

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World stars Michael Cera as our 22-year-old, jobless, slacker hero, Scott Pilgrim. Scott may be flawed in more ways than one, but he is also the bassist in a band, Sex Bob-omb, and a bit of a lady-killer. As the film introduces us to Scott, he has just started dating a high school girl, Knives Chau, played adorably by Ellen Wong. Scott?s former flames also include Kim, played to her sarcastic best by Allison Pill, who is now the drummer in his band, and Envy Adams, played by Brie Larson, who dumped Scott a year ago, and is now the lead singer of seemingly the biggest (or hippest) rock band in the world.

While Knives is absolutely smitten with not only Scott, but her newfound joy that is indie rock, Scott has other things on his mind, literally. A mysterious girl roller skates through one of his dreams, only leading to Scott?s encounter with her in real life. The girl is Ramona Flowers, played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Scott is instantly infatuated with her. While Ramona seems to be somewhat distant and aloof, she too shares feelings for Scott and the two begin a courtship together. However, problems increase for the couple tenfold, when Scott learns that in order to continue dating Ramona, he must first defeat her seven evil ex-boyfriends. Now Scott is faced with an assortment of villains, along with dealing with the very nature of his multiple relationships. Game on.

Based on the Scott Pilgrim comic book series, Wright has managed to perfectly capture the tone and spirit of the six volume set, while creating a slightly modified story structure to fit the lengths of a theatrical feature. It is truly a joy to see a creative director continue to experiment with his visual sensibilities, as once again, Wright manages to bring front and center his fast action editing style and seamlessly work it into the realms of a comic book world. While Shaun of the Dead toyed with mixing the mundane with smash cut editing similar to Sam Raimi?s work in the Evil Dead films, and Hot Fuzz was designed to embody a world similar to the films of Michael Bay and Tony Scott, with ?Scott?, Wright manages to display all the elements of a comic book, which includes handling the framing of shots like comic panels and spelling out moments of onomatopoeia on screen. Credit also goes to the production and art design of this film, as so much is layered into nearly every frame, making for great reasons to rewatch this film. The visual style is a huge highlight for this film.

Certainly helping this film is its casting. Starting with Cera, who some were skeptical of, I can probably say that this may be his best performance yet, perfectly capturing the character of Scott Pilgrim who has to be kinda cool, a good fighter, make some bad choices, yet still remain likable. Winstead, as Ramona, is also good, working well to counter Scott?s usual charm. There is a standout supporting cast here as well, which includes: Kieran Culkin as Wallace Wells, Scott?s gay roommate, who manages to get many of the best lines in the movie; Mark Webber as Stephen Stills, the talent in Scott?s band; Anna Kendrick as Scott?s gossipy sister; and Aubrey Plaza as Julie Powers, the bitchy, on and off girlfriend of Stephen?s. Then you have the evil exes, which includes: Jason Scwhartzman, Chris Evans, Brandon Routh, and Mae Whitman. All of these characters are played comedically over-the-top, and the film is all the better for it.

Todd Ingram: We have unfinished business, I and he.
Scott Pilgrim: He and me.
Todd Ingram: Don't you talk to me about grammar!

Speaking of the film?s comedy, the whole thing delivers. Staying true to both the style of the comic and Edgar Wright?s own comedic sensibilities, the film is frequently funny due to its dialogue, one-liners, visual gags, call-backs, references, and dash of satirical humor directed towards hipsters. At its core, the heart of this story may be concerned with the romance between Scott and Ramona, but the hysterics involved all certainly make this film all the more enjoyable.

Of course, one of the other biggest elements of this film is its action. As the comics are heavily influenced by video games, the way this film incorporates that style is pretty amazing. Scott is essentially playing through different levels of a video game once he becomes involved in the very stylized worlds of the different evil exes, he faces henchmen, who turn into coins as they are defeated, levels up as he progresses, and scores points and extra lives as he progresses; all while accompanied by the sound effects of different games. Whether or not the viewer will understand the references being made, one can?t help but be impressed by the action choreography present in this film. Even in a film like this, which creates a fast paced and hyper stylized world, the work that both Wright and his cinematographer Bill Pope have done to capture action scenes that are visually spectacular and easy to follow is a great sight to behold.

Wallace Wells: So what do you think, Jimmy? Do they rock or suck?
Jimmy: They... they haven't started playing yet.
Wallace Wells: That was a test, Jimmy, and you passed.

A final shout out to the music as well, again capturing the spirit of the book. Artists including Beck, Broken Social Science, and Metric fit right into the indie rock world that this film presents. A big part of this film revolves around the bands that are rocking out and facing off against each other in the film, and I can certainly appreciate a quality soundtrack that emphasizes this factor.

I?m sorry if I can?t quite hide my fanboy praise, but everything leading up to seeing this film has impressed me. I love the comic books; I am a huge fan of Edgar Wright?s work, as well as much of the other talent involved with this film. It also certainly helps that I am an avid video game player with a fondness for alternative/indie rock, and in my 20s. Upon seeing the film, I can honestly say that everything came together just right for me. The execution was fantastic, both in terms of adapting the material and showing me another innovative approach to filmmaking. I was fully entertained by this movie; it?s a blast to watch and I can?t wait to watch it again.

Wallace Wells: If you want something bad, you?ve got to fight for it. Step up your game Scott, break out the ?L? word.
Scott Pilgrim: Lesbian?
Wallace Wells: The other ?L? word.
Scott Pilgrim:?Lesbians?

Ed: Any zombies out there?
Shaun: Don't say that!
Ed: What?
Shaun: That!
Ed: What?
Shaun: The zed-word. Don't say it!
Ed: Why not?
Shaun: Because it's ridiculous!

A spoof to some, but to those who have seen many zombie films know that it is a separate film that only pays homage to many of those other films.

Ed: We're coming to get you Barbara!

The story is simple enough...before everything goes to hell, a man has to get his life in order, and what better way than facing an apocalypse of zombie infestation to put things in perspective when dealing with a girlfriend and how to spend time with ones friends.

Ed: Who died and made you fucking king of the zombies?

All the actors are up to the challenge with rapid fire dialog fueled by that dry British humor that is just very funny if you get it.

Shaun: Oh, for God's sake! He's got an arm off!

There is also a good amount of pure zombie action throughout, as well as a lot of visual jokes and well choreographed scenes that keep the comedy and the horror continuous throughout.

Pete: It's four in the fucking morning!
Shaun: It's Saturday!
Pete: No, it's not. It's fucking Sunday. And I've got to go to fucking work in four fucking hours 'cos every other fucker in my fucking department is fucking ill! Now can you see why I'm SO FUCKING ANGRY?
Ed: Fuck, yeah!

At the core of the film though, it is really just a romantic comedy...with zombies.

The comedy rarely stops, but the movie still takes some time to show some more intense situations for some of the characters to deal with, keeping things somewhat grounded in reality amidst the chaos.

Shaun: I've known him since primary school, you know? I like having him around, he's a laugh.
Pete: What, because he can impersonate an orangutan? Fuck-a-doodle-doo!

Even the soundtrack does a good job at portraying a comedic-horror environment. With some pop hits as well as some moody scoring to set a tone, that is very reminiscent of The Thing.

Easily watchable and continuously entertaining on repeated viewings.

Ed: You've got red on you.

Ash: There's something out there. That... that witch in the cellar is only part of it. It lives... out in those woods, in the dark... something... something that's come back from the dead.

For a few years now, my October tradition has been to get a group of friends together and watch all three of the Evil Dead movies back to back to back. This is my favorite of the trilogy.

Ash: Groovy.

Say goodbye to continuity. Without the rights to use footage from the first, the sequel remakes the first one for the first 10 minutes and then becomes a whole new movie.

This sequel spends the second night that Ash must endure inside the mysterious cabin in the woods, with the evil lurking all around.

[Ash grabs a chainsaw and takes it to his hand]
Ash: That's right... who's laughing now... who's laughing now!

Director Sam Raimi returns with Campbell who is up to the challenge and shows that he is easily one of the best physical comedians/actors in the biz, throwing himself all over the place to keep the energy flowing along with the hilarious thrills.

Gore gets an increase, but it has now become a type I describe as "comic gore." It comes in all colors and from anywhere. Take that censors.

The horror is definitely dialed down and now Three Stooges humor is thrown into the mix. The pacing is still quick as well as the slick camera work still being in place. The movie is so much fun, it's ridiculous.

Ash: [talking to mirror] I'm fine... I'm fine...
[Mirror Ash jumps out of the mirror and grabs Ash]
Mirror Ash: I don't think so. We just cut up our girlfriend with a chainsaw. Does that sound "fine"?

The comedy and horror throughout all built up to an outrageous finale, and a hint at the epicness that will come from the final chapter.

Henrietta: I'll swallow your soul! I'll swallow your soul! I'll swallow your soul!
Ash: [Aims shotgun at Henrietta's face] Swallow this.

Dutch: If it bleeds, we can kill it.

Half 80s Action flick and half sci-fi/horror thriller. One awesome Arnold movie. It's got it all the fun you'd want, a really cool concept, a great cast, great one-liners, awesome action scenes, a kick ass musical theme, cool special effects that are still pretty sweet, not to mention one of the coolest creatures ever created. I can always watch this movie with joy.

Poncho: You're bleeding, man.
Blain: I ain't got time to bleed.

Schwarzenegger takes his special forces team into the Colombian jungles to deal with guerrillas. Little does he know that there is a much bigger threat lurking in the jungles.

Poncho: She says the jungle... it just came alive and took him.

The threat is an alien being that has come to earth looking to go on a hunt for humans. This creature is full of neat capabilities and weapons including camouflage, tree hoping agility, heat vision, and more.

Billy: I'm scared Poncho.
Poncho: Bullshit. You ain't afraid of no man.
Billy: There's something out there waiting for us, and it ain't no man. We're all gonna die.

Along with Arnold, you have Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura, a crazy cool Bill Duke, and even screenwriter Shane Black as the one marine who jokes around. All of these guys add to this movie being a sweet guy action movie, with a lot of blood and tough guy attitude, made even more fun by having something lethal enough to scare them.

Dutch: Get to the chopper!

I love watching this movie. its extremely entertaining, has plenty of memorable moments, and the predator is awesome.

[the Predator pulls off his mask]
Dutch: You're one... *ugly* motherfucker!

The Terminator: I know now why you cry. But it's something I can never do.

You take the first film and put a layer of cool over it, add a larger budget and the result is the combination of things. One of the greatest action films ever. And one of the greatest sequels ever. This is a perfectly constructed film that is endlessly entertaining.

John Connor: Jesus, you were gonna kill that guy.
The Terminator: Of course; I'm a terminator.

This movie is a lot of fun. Everyone is kicking ass in this film. Made with the largest budget at that time, this movie goes all out in order to achieve the amount of ass that it kicks. And it still has the great soundtrack, moments of social commentary, irony, and even the kind of plot elements involving time travel that get you to think. More props to James Cameron.

Terminator is back again, but this time he has competition from one of the coolest creations, the T-1000, a terminator that can shape shift.

After a brief look into the future, we are once again treated to two beings sent back into the past. One is a reprogrammed terminator out to protect the all important John Connor. The other is an advanced prototype killing machine out to kill Connor, and he has some fancy tricks up his sleeve.

It doesn't get much better than a killing machine, made out of liquid metal and Robert Patrick makes it work perfectly. Although smaller in frame, Patrick's more powerful killing machine is given the perfect amount of menace from his performance.

T-1000: I know this hurts. Call to John Now.

Linda Hamilton also returns, but away from the woman who didn't know any better. Now she is all muscle and ready for action, and just as tough in spirit as the Terminators, she has come a long way from the first film. Basically, Sarah Conner has more balls than most men.

Dr. Silberman: I'm sure it feels very real to you.
Sarah Connor: On August 29th, 1997, it's gonna feel pretty fucking real to you too. Anybody not wearing 2 million sunblock is gonna have a real bad day. Get it?

Edward Furlong is also really good as young John Conner, making his role innocent but not annoying, tough but not a brat, and playing well with the theme of "the boy and his pet terminator."

John Connor: You just can't go around killing people.
The Terminator: Why?
John Connor: What do you mean why? 'Cause you can't.
The Terminator: Why?
John Connor: Because you just can't, OK? Trust me on this.

The action in this film is awesome. Cameron worked overtime to give people one hell of a spectacular action film. There are numerous car chases, shoot outs, explosions, and it all works into the story seamlessly. Add to that the great special effects involving the different terminators, proving to hold up well and stand as groundbreaking. All of this is blended just right to make things continually exciting. This is still a chase movie, and it rarely lets up.

The story is great, adding more to the great mythology of this series. The themes and characters, including Arnold's, are all pushed to go deeper and made more effective because of it. This is a solid fucking movie.

The Terminator: I'll take care of the police.
John Connor: Hey, wait! You swore!
The Terminator: [smiles] Trust me.

Officer: Are you classified as human?
Corbin Dallas: Negative, I am a meat popsicle.

A big budget, Bruce Willis, Sci-Fi, action adventure that doesn't take a second to take itself seriously.

Since it's a Luc Besson film it also looks great and has great music from Eric Serra to go along with it.

This is a movie all about having goofy fun in the future with Willis cracking wise, Gary Oldman acting crazy and Milla Jovovich being useful in a movie. Contrary to popular opinion, I also like Chris Tucker in this movie, he fits.

The story involves Willis as an everyman and unlikely here (gee wiz). He is tasked with saving the world from the scum of the univers by obtaining some stones and a hot chick. He has to battle aliens, flying cars, and anything else that gets in his way.

The action scenes are first rate. The special effects are still pretty cool. Plenty of memorable scenes. A fun time all around. I always love watching this flick.

Korben Dallas: Trying to save your ass so you can save the world.
Leeloo: Leeloo Dallas mul-ti-pass.
Korben Dallas: Yeah.
Leeloo: Mul-ti-pass.
Korben Dallas: Yeah, multipass, she knows it's a multipass. Leeloo Dallas. This is my wife.
Leeloo: Mul-ti-pass.
Korben Dallas: We're newlyweds. Just met. You know how it is. We bumped into each other, sparks happen...
Leeloo: Mul-ti-pass.
Korben Dallas: Yes, she knows it's a multipass. Anyway, we're in love.

Al: The man is hurting! He's alone, tired, and he hasn't seen diddly-squat from anybody down here. Now you're going to stand there and tell me that he's going to give a damn about what you do to him, IF he makes it out of there alive? Why don't you wake up and smell what you're shoveling?
Dwayne T. Robinson: Now you listen to me, Sergeant. Any time you want to go home, you consider yourself dismissed.
Al: No sir. You couldn't drag me away!

It's the movie that started the mad libs of: *blank* have taken over *blank*, now its up to *blank* to stop *blank*. But this movie in particular has so many tricks up it's sleeves that it will always be among the best.

Everybody kicks ass here. Great action, great hero, great villain, always a joy to watch.

John McClane: Welcome to the party pal!

Bruce Willis stars as John McClane, an everyman police officer, visiting from New York to see his wife and kids on Christmas.

Well dressed criminal Hans Gruber, played by Alan Rickman, and his gang show up at the Christmas party McClane and his wife are both at, the Nakatomi building, and now only McClane can slowly battle his way through them using his wits and little else to thwart their evil schemes.

What works is Bruce Willis and his natural charm handling the situation, countering the Slickness of Hans Gruber as the leading villain.

Its also a straight up guy action movie, with plenty of guns, violence and swearing for whiners to shake their fists at. This is a movie all about kicking ass and taking names, with some great trademark humor to go along with it as well.

You even have some great human moments between McClane and the one cop on the street who wants to help, Sgt. Al Powell, played by Reginald VelJohnson of Family Matters.

John McTeirnan was great at directing hard as balls action flicks back in the day, and this is proof.

Hans Gruber: Mister Mystery Guest? Are you still there?
John McClane: Yeah, I'm still here. Unless you wanna open the front door for me.
Hans Gruber: Uh, no I'm afraid not. But you have me at a loss. You know my name but who are you? Just another American who saw too many movies as a child? Another orphan of a bankrupt culture who thinks he's John Wayne? Rambo? Marshall Dillon?
John McClane: Was always kinda' partial to Roy Rogers actually. I really dig those sequined shirts.
Hans Gruber: Do you really think you have a chance against us, Mister Cowboy?
John McClane: Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker.

Simon: Is there a lieutenant named McClane there?
Inspector Cobb: He's on suspension.
Simon: No, Arthur, he's not. Not today.
Inspector Cobb: Who is this?
Simon: Call me Simon. I want to play a game.

John McClane is back and this time he's tackling New York, his home turf for a change.

Terrorists are bombing things, and McClane is requested to be involved with the help of Sam Jackson, making this even greater.

With this genius casting, it doesn't get much better than R-rated chemistry between Willis and Jackson.

John McClane: Look I fail you cover my ass. You fail I cover your ass!
Zeus: And if we both fail?
John McClane: Then we're both fucked!

Zeus: Are you trying to hit these people!?!
McClane: No...well, maybe that mime.

Zeus: What the fuck are you doin'?
John McClane: Interrogatin' him.
Zeus: Well, what's he gonna tell you, "I'm dead"?
John McClane: Well, I ain't gonna know 'til I ask him, am I?

This is my favorite of the Die Hard series, it gives me the most joy while watching it, has a really fun story, some really cool action scenes, a lot of great humor, everything works.

Jeremy Irons makes for a good villain, even without his British accent, he has a voice that commands attention. No one will ever top Hans Gruber, but Irons still does a good job.

John McClane: Does this shit have airbags?
Zeus: Your side does, I don't know about mine...
Zeus: [shouts] McClane!

McTiernan steps back into the director's chair and what really helps is that he captures the city of New York. A real sense of authenticity can be found in the city in this movie, as a lot of ground is covered throughout, as Willis speeds through the city streets as well as central park, and through tunnels in his race against time.

A great joy to watch.

Mathias Targo: I told you not to play with him!
Simon: Thank you, that's very helpful.

[As Batman holds Maroni over a fire escape]
Salvatore Maroni: You know, from one professional to another, if you want to scare someone, pick a better spot. From here, the fall wont kill me.
Batman: I'm counting on it.
[Batman drops Maroni ]

Take away my massive love for Batman as a character, comics, and anything else related to this subject, and this is still a brilliant piece of work. Bring these aspects back into the equation, and this is just a fucking masterpiece. Everything about this movie is an amazing triumph.

Harvey Dent: The famous Bruce Wayne. Rachel's told me everything about you.
Bruce Wayne: I certainly hope not.

This is the ultimate Batman film. Director Christopher Nolan has made a movie that perfectly captures both the character of Batman and Bruce Wayne, grounding him in a realistic world, which makes the challenges he faces that much more effective. In this film Batman must deal with a number of issues involving the people's view of him, controlling the numerous mob villains, gaining favor with the police and politicians, and a psychotic madman with no rules.

Bruce Wayne: I knew the mob wouldn't go down without a fight. But this is different. They crossed the line.
Alfred Pennyworth: You crossed the line first, sir. You hammered them. And in their desperation they turned to a man they didn't fully understand...Some men aren't looking for anything logical. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.

To keep the plot simple, Batman has been around for a year, he is a hero to some, but his existence is still controversial. Meanwhile, a district attorney named Harvey Dent is doing his own work to stop the corruption of Gotham out in the open. Batman and Lt. Gordon attempt to align themselves with Dent to hopefully further their progress. Meanwhile, there is a psychopath known as the Joker making his own attempts to ruin everything. There is much to the story, but it unfolds so well, it just needs to be seen.

Harvey Dent: You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.

Across the board, every character is wonderful. Christian Bale continues to be wonderful as Batman and Bruce Wayne. Batman is effective as a symbol against crime, convincing as a fighter and detective, and wonderfully kick ass throughout with all of the gear at his disposal. As Wayne, Bale also continues to showoff the playboy status of the billionaire for the sake of keeping up appearances. Behind the scenes the turmoil he faces against the darkness he sees at night also works as a wonderful counter against his drive to serve as the caped crusader.

Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent is also wonderful and as much a necessity to the story as Wayne. Dent is a purist, fighting against the bad as hard as he can, but as the Joker pushes him to his limits, we see how the mighty can fall. The way Eckhart plays Dent's transformation into Two-Face is brilliantly realized in a harsh tragic sense, while remaining grounded in reality.

Detective Wuertz: Dent! Jesus, I thought you was dead!
Two-Face: Half...

Gary Oldman is given much more to do this time around as Jim Gordon, Batman's only real ally. He too is pushed far to the limit, but his stance as one of the few non-corruptible people in Gotham is well handled.

Mayor: [regarding The Joker] What do we got?
Lt. James Gordon: Nothing. No name, no fingerprints, no other aliases. Clothing is custom. Nothing in his pockets but knives and lint.

Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel Dawes manages to move straight passed the awkwardness of recasting an established role by simply being a stronger and more convincing presence that Katie Holmes was. While I don't have a particular problem with Holmes, her presence in Begins was a bit distracting. Gyllenhaal is certainly more suited to a film like this, and she certainly provides the right amount of energy needed.

Bruce Wayne: I need a new suit.
Lucius Fox: Yes, three buttons is a little '90's, Mr. Wayne.
Lucius Fox: I'm not talking fashion, so much as function.
[hands him a diagram]
Lucius Fox: You want to be able to turn your head.
Bruce Wayne: Sure would make backing out of the driveway easier.

Both Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman continue to function well as Batman's crew. Caine's Alfred is a loyal friend, voice of reason, and father figure, played with warmth and humor effectively. Freeman's Lucius Fox works as one who can provide Batman with the tools he needs and also gets to share some key moments with Wayne/Batman.

Batman: Why do you want to kill me?
The Joker: I don't want to kill you. What would I do without you?

Now, much has been said about Heath Ledger surrounding how wonderful he is as the Joker, especially since his unfortunate death at the hands of exhaustion, and there is a reason. Ledger is fucking insane as this character. He IS the Joker. The Joker is a dark, sadistic, psychopathic character, who brings morbid humor to all the evil he does. Impeccably designed in terms of a visual quality, everything that has been done to create this character has paid off in full. The best part about this villain is his lack of a real goal. The Joker emerges from no where in particular, easily lying about how he was created at several points in the film, the Joker merely exists to make things impossible for those seeking to turn things around for the good. He creates impossible challenges that can't be solved without death, kills without mercy, and laughs about it the entire time.

[The Joker holds Rachel over the edge of a building]
Batman: Let her go.
The Joker: Ooh... very poor choice of words.
[laughs as he lets go]

As mentioned, the story unfolds masterfully, the actors flesh it out wonderfully, and it is all technically crafted perfectly. Nolan has pulled out the stops in creating the world Batman exists in. IMAX is certainly the place to best see this film. A number of scenes were shot with the IMAX cameras, providing epic setup shots, entrances, and handling on the action to be viewed in the grandest possible manner. Along with this, the film brings a perfect visual quality to everything. The action is exciting and visceral, with plenty of cheer moments scattered throughout. A number of thrilling moments. Dramatic elements steeped in how dark situations can get, punctuated further by the brilliant scoring handled by Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard. Nolan has proven himself as one of the most effective and accomplished directors currently working.

Joker: Do I really look like a guy with a plan? I don't have a plan. The mob has plans, the cops have plans. You know what I am, Harvey? I'm a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do if I caught one. I just do things. I'm not a schemer.

At two and a half hours, this movie is brilliantly paced. I saw this movie at 3:15 a.m. and did not bat an eye as I stared in awe at the screen throughout. It has the right amount of everything required to make it all function appropriately.

Harvey Dent: I dont leave anything up to chance, I make my own luck.

I briefly mentioned the action, but suffice it to say, the amount of fighting, violence, and menace stuffed into this film also filled with car chases, explosions, and gunfire is not only handled brilliantly, but establishes itself at being one of the most intense PG-13's ever made.

Gotham National Bank Manager: The criminals in this town used to believe in things. Honor. Respect. Look at you! What do you believe in? What do you believe in!
The Joker: I believe whatever doesn't kill you simply makes you... stranger.

In terms of holding its own against its comic book origins, this film has gone beyond being able to bring to life these characters and this world for fans, and making it a fully realized creation that functions as the best superhero film every committed to film.

That being said, this easily stands up as a wonderful crime drama as well. Its not a movie crammed with action for gratuity's sake, it contains a variety of themes and conflicted characters, presented in manner fitting of its mature storyline.

Joker: You know, madness is a lot like gravity...all you need is a little push.

Has anyone gotten an idea of how much I loved this movie. Steeped in darkness and conflict, while following an iconic character, this is the Batman's crowning achievement in live-action incarnations, with the only downside being where to go next from this.

To end, despite how dark and deep this film goes, I'll leave off with a quote that Batman can only to see occur in his lifetime.

Harvey Dent: The night is darkest just before the dawn. And I promise you, the dawn is coming!

Further Note: The blu-ray is fucking spectacular. It fits in the IMAX sequences, which work just as well by switching formats on screen just as it did in theaters. The film also comes with little pop ups throughout, explaining a lot of the big action scenes taking place in Gotham throughout the film, making for a great 3 and a half hour experience.

The Joker: It's a funny world we live in. Speaking of which, do you know how I got these scars?
Batman: No! But I know how you got these!

Obi-Wan: These aren't the droids you're looking for.

A sci-fi adventure that never stops getting me excited. Everything works so well. There are heroes and villains both made to a grand scale. Visuals that are still cool to watch, mainly because it's all practical effects and more convincing as such in the realm of this type of movie.

Then you have defining characters like Han Solo,
Han Solo: Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid.

Obi Wan Kenobi,
Obi-Wan: You can't win, Darth. If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine.

and Darth Vader
Darth Vader: Don't be too proud of this technological terror you've constructed; the ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the Force.

I can always just sit down and watch any of these movies, because they are just a lot of fun.

George Lucas really hit the mark in this movie, not to mention the amazing score by John Williams.

A great beginning to my favorite trilogy of all time and a timeless classic.

Obi-Wan: Mos Eisley spaceport: You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious.

Darth Vader: There will be a substantial reward for the one who finds the Millennium Falcon. You are free to use any methods necessary, but I want them alive. No disintegrations.
Boba Fett: As you wish.

The best movie of the whole saga. Why? Because the empire strikes back, that's why.

This movie has everything the others do, but it's still a little different. It's a little darker and is mostly character driven. That isn't to say there are no cool effects scenes, because there are, one of my favorites:

Han Solo: That's no cave.

Not to mention the battle of Hoth, Cloud City, and anything involving the asteroid field and Vader's punishment for his subordinates.

It also introduced three great characters: Lando Calrissean
Lando: [to Leia] You look absolutely beautiful. You truly belong here with us among the clouds.

The Yoda man, who is still the best and most convincing puppet around, and should have easily gotten best supporting actor that year.

Luke: All right, I'll give it a try.
Yoda: No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try.

Seriously, Yoda is amazingly convincing as a character.

and then you have Boba Fett, who just oozes cool all over the screen with his few minutes that he is in.

You also still have Han Solo and kick ass space battles and lightsaber fights. Everything works here. Not to mention the great soundtrack by John Williams.

The best chapter of my favorite trilogy. It doesn't beat the others by a huge amount, but it has great moments involving the story, the twists and the characters.

Darth Vader: Impressive. Most impressive. Obi-Wan has taught you well. You have controlled your fear. Now, release your anger. Only your hatred can destroy me.

Admiral Ackbar: It's a trap!

The final episode of the saga. Not as much dark as the previous episode as it is just a big balls out war with plenty of sweet scenes and a way to wrap up the saga.

Lando Calrissian: That blast came from the Death Star! That thing's operational!

Has some of the best moments of the series, as well as once again an amazing score.

The greatness of Han Solo kicking ass returns.

C-3PO: His high exaltedness, the Great Jabba the Hutt, has decreed that you are to be terminated immediately.
Han Solo: Good, I hate long waits.
C-3PO: You will therefore be taken to the Dune Sea, and cast into the pit of Carkoon, the nesting place of the all-powerful Sarlaac.
Han Solo: Doesn't sound so bad.
C-3PO: In his belly you will find a new definition of pain and suffering as you are slowly digested over a thousand years.
Han Solo: On second thought, let's pass on that, huh?

And we still have the Fett man, Lando, and Yoda.

Yoda: Soon will I rest, yes, forever sleep. Earned it I have. Twilight is upon me, soon night must fall.

Luke actually not being whiny and steppin up as a Jedi, doing things that are cool and acting all badass while doing it.

Luke: Never. I'll never turn to the Dark Side. You've failed, your highness. I am a Jedi, like my father before me.
The Emperor: So be it... Jedi.

and some other cool creatures as well, like the Rancor and the Sarlaac pit.

There also is the Speederbikes which can bring out the joy in everyone. All in all a thrilling end to an epic saga.

Oh, and I don't mind the Ewoks.

Han Solo: Chewie and I'll take care of this, you stay here.
Luke: *Quietly*. There may be more of them out there.
Han Solo: Hey, it's me.

Indiana: Meet me at Omar's. Be ready for me. I'm going after that truck.
Sallah: How?
Indiana: I don't know, I'm making this up as I go.

The best adventure film of all time. Spielberg and Lucas have teamed up to make a movie filled with terrific entertainment. Harrison Ford is as cool as he ever was as Indiana Jones, a thrill seeking anthropologist/ college professor.

The movie, done in the style of old serials from the 30s and 40s involves Indiana's adventures in attempting to find the lost Ark of the Covenant, before the Nazis can.

Belloq: It's a transmitter, a radio for speaking to God.

Along the way he encounters past flames, rival archaeologists, old friends, booby traps (which includes the amazing and signature opening sequence), and bad dates.

Filled with excitement, action, humor, larger than life characters, good and bad guys, and lots of cool old fashion adventure style.

The music makes this movie as well. John Williams has one of the best themes of all time here. Coupled with Spielberg's direction which is flawless, working to please all audiences.

There are so many memorable moments and lines in this movie, it just flies by with its light but action packed tone, and it always stands up to present movies.

One of my favorites.

Sallah: Indy, why does the floor move?
Indiana: Give me your torch.
[Sallah does, and Indy drops it in]
Indiana: Snakes. Why'd it have to be snakes?
Sallah: Asps. Very dangerous. You go first.

Elsa: It's perfectly obvious where the pages are. He's given them to Marcus Brody.
Professor Henry Jones: Marcus? You didn't drag poor Marcus along did you? He's not up to the challenge.
Walter Donovan: He sticks out like a sore thumb. We'll find him.
Indiana Jones: The hell you will. He's got a two day head start on you, which is more than he needs. Brody's got friends in every town and village from here to the Sudan, he speaks a dozen languages, knows every local custom, he'll blend in, disappear, you'll never see him again. With any luck, he's got the grail already.
[Cut to middle of fair in the Middle East, Marcus Brody wearing bright suit and white hat, sticking out like sore thumb]
Marcus Brody: Uhhh, does anyone here speak English?

After a trip to the dark side with the Temple of Doom, Indiana Jones is back in a lighter affair.

This time, after a handy refresher course that follows young Indiana Jones, played by River Phoenix, and his first big adventure, where we see the convenient events in the span of a couple minutes that made him into the archaeologist that we all know and love, we are taken back into the world that is Indy.

He has been contacted by a wealthy man who alerts him that his father was helping find the Holy Grail, only to suddenly turn up missing.

Professor Henry Jones: Those people are trying to kill us!
Indiana Jones: [shouts] I know, Dad!
Professor Henry Jones: This is a new experience for me.
Indiana Jones: It happens to me all the time.

Indy, never being a believer in the Grail, sets out mainly to find his father. Along the way, he encounters more Nazis, double crosses, tanks, more booby traps, and a greater relationship with his daddy.

This time, Indy has his friends Sallah and Marcus Brody to help out as well.

Indiana Jones: Come on, dad. Help me get us out of here. We have to get to Marcus before the Nazis do.
Professor Henry Jones: But you said he had a two day head start. That he would blend in, disappear.
Indiana Jones: Are you kidding? I made all that up. You know Marcus. He once got lost in his own museum.

Harrison Ford kicks ass as always and shows great chemistry with Sean Connery as his father.

While the villains this time around are a little lame, no match for Belloq or a guy yelling "Kali Ma," this movie makes up for it more than enough by maintaining a solid pace full of adventure and comedy throughout.

Spielberg truly makes this the most light-hearted of the trilogy, but it is still very exciting and fun to watch. John Williams once again provides his grand score to further illuminate the film.

Sallah: Please, what does it always mean, this... this "Junior"?
Professor Henry Jones: That's his name.
[points to himself]
Professor Henry Jones: Henry Jones...
[points to Indy]
Professor Henry Jones: ...Junior.
Indiana Jones: I like "Indiana."
Professor Henry Jones: We named the *dog* Indiana.
Marcus Brody: May we go home now, please?
Sallah: The dog?
[starts laughing]
Sallah: You are named after the dog? HA HA HA...!
Indiana Jones: I've got a lot of fond memories of that dog.

A great adventure movie, and to me, only second to Raiders of the Lost Ark by a little bit. Here's hoping the fourth can at least capture the same amount of fun seen in the original trilogy.

Marcus Brody: Indy, Henry, follow me. I know the way. Ha!

Quint: Y'all know me. Know how I earn a livin'. I'll catch this bird for you, but it ain't gonna be easy. Bad fish. Not like going down to the pond and chasing bluegills and tommycocks. This shark, swallow you whole. No shakin', no tenderizin', down you go. And we gotta do it quick, that'll bring back your tourists, put all your businesses on a payin' basis. But it's not gonna be pleasant. I value my neck a lot more than three thousand bucks, chief. I'll find him for three, but I'll catch him, and kill him, for ten. But you've gotta make up your minds. If you want to stay alive, then ante up. If you want to play it cheap, be on welfare the whole winter. I don't want no volunteers, I don't want no mates, there's too many captains on this island. Ten thousand dollars for me by myself. For that you get the head, the tail, the whole damn thing.

The first ever summer blockbuster. Brought in the idea of big summer movies and also happens to be an amazing film. This film put Steven "The Beard" Spielberg's name out there for everyone.

Mayor Vaughn: Martin, it's all psychological. You yell barracuda, everybody says, "Huh? What?" You yell shark, we've got a panic on our hands on the Fourth of July.

The story is simple, a large shark is causing problems in the peaceful shores of a quiet beach community, Amity island. The Chief of police, Roy Scheider; the shark expert, Richard Dreyfuss; and the old man of the sea, Robert Shaw; have to defuse the situation, following the first hour consisting of various shark attacks and denial by the mayor.

Brody: That's some bad hat, Harry.

Made so much better by the pacing, the acting, the writing, one of the best motion picture scores of all time, and the nature of the terror, like being afraid to go in the water.

Hooper: I'm not going to waste my time arguing with a man who's lining up to be a hot lunch.

A scene like the brilliant monologue from Quint concerning his past is balanced well with scenes involving the journey in the water aspect. It's a horror-adventure film brilliantly made as well as a great character movie about real people reacting to a situation that has gotten out of hand.

It has also got some gruesome images and a few scares for everyone to enjoy. Great film.

Brody: You're gonna need a bigger boat.

Dr. Peter Venkman: Alice, I'm going to ask you a couple of standard questions, okay? Have you or any of your family been diagnosed schizophrenic? Mentally incompetant?
Librarian Alice: My uncle thought he was Saint Jerome.
Dr. Peter Venkman: I'd call that a big yes. Uh, are you habitually using drugs? Stimulants? Alcohol?
Librarian Alice: No.
Dr. Peter Venkman: No, no. Just asking. Are you, Alice, menstruating right now?
Library Administrator: What's has that got to do with it?
Dr. Peter Venkman: Back off, man. I'm a scientist.

A brilliant supernatural comedy that combines a lot of laughs with light horror elements, using a talented cast, and some wonderful effects to form one great, entertaining movie.

Man at Elevator: What are you supposed to be, some kind of a cosmonaut?
Dr. Peter Venkman: No, we're exterminators. Someone saw a cockroach up on twelve.
Man at Elevator: That's gotta be some cockroach.
Dr. Peter Venkman: Bite your head off, man.

Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Harold Ramis star as three paranormal psychologists who have been kicked out of the college they work at, only to go into business for themselves, attempting to rid Manhattan of ghosts and of other paranormal activity.

Dr. Peter Venkman: He slimed me.

These guys become successful in their business, taking on another employee, played by Ernie Hudson, and continue in their activities.

Dr Ray Stantz: Everything was fine with our system until the power grid was shut off by dickless here.
Walter Peck: They caused an explosion!
Mayor: Is this true?
Dr. Peter Venkman: Yes it's true.
[pause]
Dr. Peter Venkman: This man has no dick.

Problems arise due to two things: A jerk from the EPA decides to mess with the Ghostbusters activities, and some other dimensional demon moves into to town to start some trouble, possessing two people, Sigourney Weaver and Rick Moranis, on the way.

Dr. Egon Spengler: I'm worried, Ray. All my readings point to something big on the horizon.
Winston Zeddemore: What do you mean, big?
Dr. Egon Spengler: Well, let's say this Twinkie represents the normal amount of psychokinetic energy in the New York area. Based on this morning's reading, it would be a Twinkie thirty-five feet long, weighing approximately six hundred pounds.
Winston Zeddemore: That's a big Twinkie.

This all leads to the Ghostbusters having to work overtime in order to get the job done.

Dr. Peter Venkman: I make it a rule never to get involved with possessed people.
[Dana starts passionately making out with him]
Dr. Peter Venkman: Actually, it's more of a guideline than a rule...

There are the obvious things that make this movie very funny, and then there are the very subtle or dry attempts, mainly by Murray, that make this movie even funnier. Besides Murray, who can do no wrong comedically during this time, Aykroyd is good as the zany ghost studier, and Ramis is hilarious just by playing his role completely straight.

Dr. Peter Venkman: Ray has gone bye-bye, Egon... what've you got left?
Dr. Egon Spengler: Sorry, Venkman, I'm terrified beyond the capacity for rational thought.

Director Ivan Reitman, who also helped write it with Aykroyd and Ramis, have combined all the ingredients to make a classic ghost comedy. The story fun, and the cast plays off each other very well. Murray provides plenty of great one-liners. The soundtrack is great. The effects are neat, which is of course because they have Slimer. And just remember, don't cross the streams.

Dr Ray Stantz: You know, it just occurred to me that we really haven't had a successful test of this equipment.
Dr. Egon Spengler: I blame myself.
Dr. Peter Venkman: So do I.
Dr Ray Stantz: Well, no sense in worrying about it now.
Dr. Peter Venkman: Why worry? Each one of us is carrying an unlicensed nuclear accelerator on his back.

Ned Plimpton: Stevesy, what's going on? Are those hijackers?
Steve Zissou: Well, out here we call them "pirates," Ned.

Probably the most polarizing of all of Wes Anderson's films. If you get it you'll like it, if not, your out of luck. I love it.

Bill Murray stars as Steve Zissou, a marine explorer/documentary feature film maker. He's a jerk and no longer a success like he once was. He acts deadpan to almost everyone he knows, but he does love the sea life.

Steve Zissou: I'm going to find it and I'm going to destroy it. I don't know how yet. Possibly with dynamite.

The main plot of this movie revolves around Steve attempting to find a new species, "Jaguar Shark", that ate his friend Esteban in order to kill it for revenge's sake.

Steve Zissou: You're supposed to be my son, right?
Ned Plimpton: I don't know. But I did want meet you, just in case.

The other story in this movie involves Steve meeting his possible son, Ned, played by Owen Wilson in a more straight man role with a Kentucky accent. Ned is played very sweet, an innocent and an admirer of Steve from the past. This main issue involves Ned finding out the real Steve and trying to accept him anyway.

Ned Plimpton: I've never seen so many electric jellyfish in all my life!

The movie also features a wide variety of other characters, including Cate Blanchette as a pregnant reporter for Zissou.

Jane Winslett-Richardson: I'm going to have to start locking my effing door.
Steve Zissou: It was locked, I kicked it in. Why don't you just curse like other people?
Jane Winslett-Richardson: Because I'm trying to get out of the habit before I have my fucking baby!

Willem Dafoe as a German mate on Steve's ship, desperately seeking fatherly approval from Steve.

Steve Zissou: We'll split into two groups. I'll take Ned, Ogata, and Wolodarsky.
Klaus Daimler: [pouting] Thanks. Thanks a lot for not picking me.

Jeff Goldblum as a rival sea explorer and former husband of Steve's wife.

Alistair Hennessey: I'm so pissed I want to spit!

as well as Anjelica Houston, Bud Cort and Michael Gambon doing their parts to help out Team Zissou.

Another element of this film is the surreal surroundings, mainly the sea life in this movie. Done with stop animation, the creations in this movie are so unique looking and have their own quirkiness about them, as opposed to going with real or CG creatures, it's a nice and colorful idea to see take shape.

The movie also has one of my favorite all time soundtracks, featuring Mark Mothersbaugh's score (as usual in a Wes Anderson film), some pop and classic rock songs, and best of all Seu Jorge, who is also a mate aboard Steve's ship, preforming several David Bowie songs translated into Brazilian Portuguese. Played with just an acoustic guitar, it sounds wonderful.

Steve Zissou: If you're not against me, don't cross this line! If yes, do.

The movie mixes it's adventure theme with quirky characters, some ridiculousness and some zaniness complete with deep sea exploring and over-the-top action scenes with pirates, as well as some great music cues throughout the movie.

It is mainly a character study, with many humorous moments, that are not about punchline jokes, but humor that comes from the way these characters bounce off of each other.

Steve Zissou: Esteban was eaten!
Klaus Daimler: Is he dead?
Steve Zissou: Esteban was eaten! Check the scanning monitor before it dives too deep!
Klaus Daimler: He was bitten?
Steve Zissou: Eaten!
Klaus Daimler: [shocked] He was swallowed whole?
Steve Zissou: No! *Chewed*!

There are also some legitimately sad moments during the film, realizing that despite the surreal nature of the movies environment, these are interesting characters.

Every time I watch it, it occurs to me how much I love it, giving it a reason to list it as one of my favorites. From the idiosyncrasies that make up Anderson's style of film making to the wonderful cast and great soundtrack, I really love this movie.

Steve Zissou: This is an adventure.

Miss Darrow, please! I'm offering you money. Adventure, fame, the thrill of a lifetime, and a long sea voyage

Kong vs. V-Rex's = amazing. 4 stars right there, and then there's so much more.

An epic remake of the original King Kong, that's just as good if not better. Peter Jackson shows that the original was his favorite film by pouring his heart out into this new one. He does everything he can to pay respect to the original from homages, to scene-for-scene remakes, to in-jokes. He also enhances the story by creating more characters to care about, even giving us reason to feel the most for Kong himself. And its still a fun and entertaining adventure film.

Just as in the original, it is 1933 and an adventure filmmaker, Carl Denham, has a map that will lead to the mysterious Skull Island, where he desires to film his next picture. With a cast and crew including a poor actress, Anne Darrow, and the writer, Jack Driscoll, they set off on an adventure of a lifetime.

Once arriving at the Island, things become way more than they bargained for, as the island is inhabited with prehistoric creatures, which includes a gigantic gorilla, which the natives refer to as Kong. Not long after arriving, Anne winds up in the hands of Kong, and the others go on a mission to save her.

This eventually results in the return to New York, in which the character of Kong is put to the test, when faced with new challenges, compared to his daily romps in the jungle.

If you have seen the original, you can appreciate what Jack Black gives to his role. He has the perfect amount of enthusiastic filmmaker qualities mixed with a small amount of self awareness.

Adrien Brody also works well as a simple playwright put to the task of handling these crazy situations in order to find his woman.

Naomi Watts does the best here, starting off as a poor actress to having to hold her own against a large Gorilla with the help of Vaudeville.

This is very much a Peter Jackson film, especially if you are familiar with his style before the hobbit movies. The way he has his camera move about so frantically, combined with his sense of humor are well suited to this type of film.

Getting back to Kong, this is a fully realized character, whose mannerisms and looks are all part of the most fully realized CGI character that I've seen. Andy Serkis must get some props here, because it is all him in the performance.

The effects throughout are great and so cool to see. The use of all sorts of effects used to create both Skull Island and depression era New York is wonderful.

Combined with a great adventure story and good actors make this much more than an excuse to use special effects. A great epic adventure.

Carl Denham: [filming the dinosaurs] Walk forward, Bruce.
Bruce Baxter: What?
Carl Denham: You're the star of this picture. Get into character and head towards the animals.
Bruce Baxter: What the hell kind of place is this? Are you sure about this, Denham? Don't we have a stand-in for this type of thing?
Carl Denham: I need you in the shot, or people will say they're fake.
Bruce Baxter: Oh nobody's gonna think these are fake.

California Charlie: I'm in no mood for trouble.
Marion Crane: What?
California Charlie: There's an old saying, "First customer of the day is always the trouble!" But like I say, I'm in no mood for it so I'm gonna treat you so fair and square that you won't have one human reason to give me...
Marion Crane: Can I trade my car in and take another?
California Charlie: Do anything you've a mind to. Bein' a woman, you will.

My favorite horror film of all time. This movie is pitch perfect, from the flying opening title card sequence to the ominous ending.

It's the first and best slasher film, it has one of the most memorable scores of all time, it has some of the most famous scenes of all time, it all works so well. Creepy performances, neat plot twists, a truly great movie. Easily top 3, if not the best of all Hitchcock's movies.

Norman Bates: She just goes a little mad sometimes. We all go a little mad sometimes. Haven't you?
Marion Crane: Yes. Sometimes just one time can be enough.

The movie starts us off with Janet Leigh as Marion Crane. We follow here character and her actions up to the Bates Motel, where we meet Norman Bates, played by Anthony Perkins with a likable yet awkward and creepy personality. From there we are then shifted into a different story involving the activities that are happening at the motel.

Norman Bates: Hate the smell of dampness, don't you? It's such a, I don't know, creepy smell.

As I have said, everything about this movie is perfect. Hitchcock is at the top of his game here. Bernard Hermann's score is absolutely fantastic the whole way through. The story is simple yet complex at the same time, and is all brought in to a wonderful and logical conclusion by the end. Classic.

Norman Bates: Oh, we have 12 vacancies. 12 cabins, 12 vacancies.

Dae-su Oh: Laugh and the world laughs with you. Weep and you weep alone.

I guess flixster messed up and erased everyone's Oldboy reviews, so here it is again...

Dae-su Oh: If they had told me it was going to be fifteen years, would it have been easier to endure?

The second part of Chan-Wook Park's vengeance trilogy, this film centers on Oh Dae-su, played by Min-sik Choi. We are first introduced to him as a man in a police station, drunk, and babbling. Probably not a bad guy, but in some trouble. After being bailed out by his friend, Oh Dae-su is suddenly kidnapped and put in a prison designed to look like a cheap motel room.

Od Dae-su is forced to stay in this room for 15 years. During that time he learns that his wife has been murdered, and his daughter has been given to a family in Europe. Oh Dae-su goes understandably a little crazy during his time spent in this room, learning how to fight through shadow boxing, dying to get revenge if he is ever released.

Woo-jin Lee: Remember this: "Be it a rock or a grain of sand, in water they sink as the same."

Once Oh Dae-su is released, he has plans for revenge, but the games is not over for him, as his capture soon meets up with him, and gives him 5 days to find out the real reason why he was imprisoned. This leads to the reveal of questionable pasts and the truth of certain matters.

Dae-su Oh: Even though I'm no more than a monster - don't I, too, have the right to live?

This film is impeccably made. Skillfully crafted. Wonderfully acted. Beautifully scored. And has an awesome story.

Park's direction is wonderful. The film is not paced slow per se, but the plot is revealed over time. The visual style is completely fitting and works well with set ups for each character. And the score is wonderfully appropriate and classy.

Dae-su Oh: Revenge is good for your health, but pain will find you again.

Min-sik Choi as Oh Dae-su is amazing. He completely embodies this character, giving it his all to create a tour de force performance.

Then you have some of the stunning and memorable scenes. One involving a live octopus and the other involving a single take of an excellently executed fight scene.

The story is also very layered, making it perfect for repeated viewings, and giving the viewer multiple ways to interpret things.

Dae-su Oh: Can the imaginary training of fifteen years be put to use?
Dae-su Oh: [Dae-su beats up his assailants] Yes. It can.

It also helps that there is a sweet cool vibe running throughout this wonderful story that combines a Hitchcock setup, sweet visuals, and some unruly violence to make an awesome film overall.

Dae-su Oh: [after a very messy beating] Anyone here with an AB blood type, raise your hand.

Q: Now this one I'm particularly keen about. You see the gear lever here? Now, if you take the top off, you will find a little red button. Whatever you do, don't touch it.
James Bond: Yeah, why not?
Q: Because you'll release this section of the roof, and engage and then fire the passenger ejector seat. Whish!
James Bond: Ejector seat? You're joking!
Q: I never joke about my work, 007.

The opening minutes of this movie say it all, this is the Best Bond movie. Everything is perfect here. Connery is perfectly cool and charming once again as Bond. We have great Bond girls, a wonderful theme song and score. Great over-the-top villains. Fun gadgets and action scenes. A good story. It remains my favorite Bond movie.

The plot involves Bond taking on Auric Goldfinger, a powerful tycoon looking to destroy the world's economy through a plot involving the raid of Fort Knox.

[Bond sneaks up behind]
Jill Masterson: Who are you?
James Bond: Bond, James Bond.

James Bond must deal with Goldfinger, his large henchman Oddjob, a number of women who find him irresistible, and work through other dangerous situations using his wits and gadgets, including his Aston Martin.

Pussy Galore: My name is Pussy Galore.
James Bond: I must be dreaming.

The whole thing is wonderfully well done, a lot of fun, with plenty of Bond-styled cool to go with it.

James Bond: Do you expect me to talk?
Auric Goldfinger: No, Mr. Bond. I expect you to die.

Q: Right. Now pay attention, 007. I want you to take great care of this equipment. There are one or two rather special accessories...
James Bond: Q, have I ever let you down?
Q: Frequently.

The best of the Roger Moore Bond films, as well as, in my opinion, one of the best Bond flicks of them all. It supplies the right kind of story and some really good gadgets, namely, Bond's car. The movie also introduces Jaws, a villain who is a lot of fun to watch. The Bond girls are good enough, along with an evil villain to provide another ridiculous plot. All the quintessential Bondisms fall into place here.

James Bond: Which bullet has my name on it? The first or the last?
Major Anya Amasova: I have never failed on a mission, Commander. Any mission.
James Bond: In that case, Major, one of us is bound to end up gravely disappointed, because neither have I.

The story involves Bond working with a female Russian agent to stop a powerful man bent on world domination of course. Problem is that Bond may have more in common than he may think with his Russian partner.

James Bond: [after detaining Jaws with a huge magnet] How does that grab you?

As mentioned, everything that makes a Bond film comes together wonderfully here. The standard opening minutes that features a cool action scene. Exotic locations. Various Bond style moments. Even Moore's Dean Martin approach to Bond seems fitting here.

A really fun 007 adventure.

James Bond: Mmm, maybe I misjudged Stromberg. Any man who drinks Dom Perignon '52 can't be all bad.

Mr. Incredible: No matter how many times you save the world, it always manages to get back in jeopardy again. Sometimes I just want it to stay saved! You know, for a little bit? I feel like the maid; I just cleaned up this mess! Can we keep it clean for... for ten minutes!

Probably the best superhero movie that has no comic book origin. Writer/director Brad Bird has created a great and one of the best Pixar films to date.

It is a film about the world of superheroes, combining the fantastic with the mundane. We see the great things these characters can do, but we also see the other side to the life which adds both humor and drama, both working very effectively.

Lucius: [reminiscing] So now I'm in deep trouble. I mean, one more jolt of this death ray and I'm an epitaph. Somehow I manage to find cover and what does Baron von Ruthless do?
Bob: [laughing] He starts monologuing.
Lucius: He starts monologuing! He starts like, this prepared speech about how *feeble* I am compared to him, how *inevitable* my defeat is, how *the world* *will soon* *be his*, yadda yadda yadda.
Bob: Yammering.
Lucius: Yammering! I mean, the guy has me on a platter and he won't shut up!

Craig T. Nelson and Holly Hunter both breath life into the characters of Bob and Helen Parr, or Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl. Then, you also have Samuel L. Jackson and Jason Lee to make things even better.

The story is pitch perfect. One side shows the mundane family life of a superhero family force to quit their vigilantism. The other side resembles and pays homage to the structures of many classic superhero stories as well as a little bit of Bond, combining loads of action and excitement. It also helps that there is a layer of satire running on top throughout.

Helen: I think your father is in trouble.
Violet: If you haven't noticed, Mom, we're not doin' so hot either.

Further adding to how this film shines is the retro 60s feel it is given in terms of a lot of the art direction and especially the music. Michael Giacinno's score combines great elements of old fashion pulp and Bond-style brassy themes, mixing with the rest of the style of the film.

Henchman: Every time they run, we take a shot!

This film also looks amazing. This is Pixar at a new peak. Being a movie filled with human characters, we see people, that although still given a comic treatment, look like they have real weight and balance in this world. Things like water and hair, and little details are extremely well-handled.

Helen: Of course I have a secret identity. Can you see me in this at the, at the supermarket? Come on! Who'd want to go shopping as Elastigirl, know what I mean?

This is also the most mature of the Pixar films to date. There is plenty of action-violence along with more family drama that comes with the suburban life depicted.

Very entertaining, always a joy to watch.

Old Man #1: Ya see that? That's the way to do it. That's old school.
Old Man #2: Yeah. No school like the old school.
Old Man #1: Right!

Mercedes: My mother told me to be wary of Fauns.

My favorite film of 2006. Pan's Labyrinth is the most original, intriguing and well made movie that I saw that year.

Guillermo del Toro has created his very own fantasy tale that plays like, as others have dubbed it, a fairy tales for grown ups. An original story that combines a fairy tale made by the imagination of the little heroin and the subject of Spain during war time.

The movie looks amazing, both real worlds and the fantasy worlds. The cinematography of this movie rivals other recent films like Sleepy Hollow, Road to Perdition, and Children of Men by perfectly capturing a certain mood throughout, winning a well deserved Academy Award for it.

The sound is great as well, listening to things like the umbrellas opening during a rain storm has a certain effect that works great.

The effects are very well done, combining CGI with practical effects in order to create a fully realized fantasy environment and creatures, as well as showing Spain during a time of war back in the 40s.

Doctor: Why are you so sure the child will be a male?
Capitán Vidal: Don't fuck with me!

The villain of this movie, the Captain, played by Sergi Lopez, is down right evil. He is menacing, dark, and twisted, yet he is very well developed, with an established method for his madness.

The creatures here are astonishing and original. Doug Jones plays a dual role as Pale Man, which you just have to see to understand how creepy he is, and the Faun, Pan, who is mysterious, intriguing, and completely convincing as this thing that has come from the earth.

The real life story revolves around a little girl, who loves to read fantasy stories, moving in with her stepfather, the Captain, who himself is searching to rid Spain of the rebels living within the countryside.

The fantasy part involves the young girl's experiences involving a labyrinth by the house she is living in, only to find that she must complete tasks in order to prove she is a long lost princess.

The score of this movie is also wonderful and once again establishes the tone, while delivering a fantastic tune to keep within the mind.

Concerning the mood of this movie, despite involving fantasy, it's not childish, this is a dark and gruesome movie. Many deaths, creepy images, bugs, characters, torture, and killings fill this movie to combine all of its story elements.

That being said, I enjoyed this whole movie and was completely entertained and satisfied beyond my expectations.

I read that Guillermo del Toro had many drawings in a sketchbook about the characters and settings in this film. He lost this notebook, but it was miraculously given back to him, and he was then determined to make this film. Good for him.

Incredible filmmaking.

Mercedes: What if he's right? What if there's no way we can win.
Pedro: Then we'll at least make it harder for the bastard.

Ken: You have to be the worst tourist of all time.
Ray: Well, if I'd grown up on a farm and was retarded, Bruges might impress me, but I didn't, so it doesn't.

A hit man comedy set in the most well-preserved medieval city in Belgium, Bruges...a shit hole...as referred to by the characters...frequently. This is a fantastic film that is both darkly funny and very well done as a character drama. The central performances are all wonderful and the filmmaking present here is fantastic, establishing a great look for the city of Bruges. Very well made film that gets better and better with repeated viewings.

Ray: I'm not being funny. We can't stay here.
Ken: We have to stay here until he rings.
Ray: Well what if he doesn't ring for two weeks?
Ken: Then we stay here for two weeks.
Ray: For two weeks? In fucking Bruges? In a room like this? With you? No way.

Colin Farrell (in Irish mode, which I prefer, much more natural) stars as Ray, a hit man who has gone through an unfortunate bit of collateral damage and has been told to hide out in Bruges for a couple weeks to lie low. He is joined by Ken, played by the always fun supporting actor Brendan Gleeson. Together they look at the sights, although Ken enjoys this much more than Ray. During this time, they are supposed to be waiting for a call from their boss Harry, played by a very sinister looking Ralph Fiennes, who will supply them with further instructions. Between the sightseeing and waiting, Ray and Ken engage in plenty of discussions about how they are opposites on views of the city, as well as some of their basic life views. During his time, Ray also encounters a film being made where the two meet a little person with his own quirks, along a lovely local girl (Clemence Poesy) for Ray to hookup with.

Ray: One gay beer for my gay friend, one normal beer for me because I am normal.

This all would make the movie sound like a rapid pace, comic thriller type, akin to a movie from Guy Ritchie or even Tarantino. However, it is not. The movie moves along at a slower pace and is does so while acknowledging the beauty of the city of Bruges. While beign very, very funny in places, the film takes itself seriously and deals with real issues the characters face, despite being based around character who are in the assassination business.

Ray: Maybe that's what hell is, an entire eternity spent in fucking Bruges.

There are a lot of very funny moments, but the seriousness does add to this movie. Farrell's character is not just a spark plug, he is actually much deeper due to his reason for being in the city to begin with. This becomes obvious once it is revealed what he has done. Gleeson is also very good in his role, who eventually is put to a point of choice that he has to make. Fiennes almost upsets this sort of tone that goes with the movie, but is such a great character in himself that it works out even better. What is certainly admirable about how these characters are written comes from the basic principles that they all follow. The way they share pieces of their identities and how these moments come into play are handled very well for the film.

Ken: Harry, let's face it. You've always been a cunt. The only thing that's gonna change, is that you're gonna be an even bigger cunt. Maybe have some more cunt kids.
Harry: You fuckin' retract that bit about my cunt fucking kids!
Ken: I retract that bit about your cunt fucking kids.
Harry: Insulting my fucking kids?! That's goin' overboard man!
Ken: I retracted it, didn't I?

There are also plenty of dark moments throughout. A number of sequences definitely counter the humor with the film, once again showing its delicate balance between its fun dialogue and actualities of these situations that effect the characters. The end, in particular, sends the film off on the right kind of note, which although dark, actually put a satisfying smile on my face.

There are a number of laughs and twists, which make this an enjoyable movie aided by a good cast, nice scenery, a moody soundtrack, and strong writing combining both dark humor and suitable drama. Great film.

[In the midst of smashing his phone to pieces]
Harry's Wife: It's an inanimate fucking object.
Harry: Your an inanimate fucking object!

Note: After seeing this film, following the credits, our theater was treated to the short film that won this director, Martin McDonagh, the Academy Award for best Short Length Feature. It is entitled 'Six Shooter' and also stars Brendan Gleeson. It is a similarly dark movie, featuring a number of characters on a train in Ireland, who go through a strange and dark experience, worth a watch.