My Favorite Movies

Jack at his best.

A testament to the human spirit.

Heart-rending and redemptive Holocaust story, essential viewing.

Cinematically dazzling tale of the Beatles who save Pepperland from the Blue Meanies with their music. Joyous!

It's even better, 30 years later.

Good old fashioned fun.

Pure Capra-corn, done to perfection.

Intense, white knuckle roller coaster ride of a movie.

Utterly loopy plot is what makes this French/American space adventure story so intoxicating. Apparently, writer/director Luc Besson began the script for The Fifth Element when he was only 16 years old. The naïve perspective benefits the material; the refreshingly straightforward conflict between good and evil is explored in a most satisfying way. Besson was influenced by the French comic books he read as a teenager and the production features all of the attributes of their stylish color and composition. Any frame of film could easily be frozen as a panel, completed with dialogue bubbles and the tableau would make a fine publication. The production is ridiculously over the top. The incredibly detailed sets are visually stunning. From the futuristic 3-D highways of Brooklyn New York to the backdrop of planet Earth during the opera concert on Planet Fhloston, every scene is a feast for the eyes. But even that clichéd phrase simply does not do this display justice.

For me, The Fifth Element embodies the phrase "cinematically dazzling" more than any other picture. Production design, fashion, music, an international cast, all of it integrated to form a shining model of a sensory celebration. There have certainly been flicks that have been equally stylish, but none to surpass it. French director Luc Besson has been a highly successful force in movie making. One of the most "Hollywood" of all French filmmakers, he has perhaps grown somewhat more mainstream and predictable as time has passed. The Fifth Element remains his transcendent combination of artistry and commerce. Besson's delightful rumination on good vs. evil creates excitement. It's uplifting in it's naïveté, the triumph of love. Naturally these positives wouldn't matter if we didn't have individuals we actually cared about. There's a palpable joie de vivre here, rarely this tangible in big budget science fiction. That feeling is underscored throughout the film concluding with the final shot.

Moody, atmospheric thriller.

Vulgar and elegant all at the same time.

Funny, well written treat.

When great special effects meet brilliant writing you get this classic 80s comedy. Bill Murray is at the top of his game here with deadpan delivery so funny, it's just barely upstaged by Mr. Stay Puft.

Classic.

Brilliantly acted character study.

Comedic gem.

Emotionally taut gut wrenching tale of greed.

Makes you wish you were alive in 1964

The very definition of a brilliantly understated drama.

Most perfect superhero movie ever made. Case closed.

One the greatest comedies....ever.

Thrilling.

A cinematic masterpiece. Improves with each viewing.

Utterly original and unique film makes a group of young Park Avenue socialites sympathetic. The witty script rightfully earned an Oscar nomination.

Hapless office drone, Sam Lowry, lives in a dystopian society. He frequently retreats to his imagination where he longs for, Jill Layton, literally the girl of his dreams. Director Terry Gilliam, admittedly inspired by Orwell's 1984, manages to present one of the most breathtakingly imaginative worlds ever to be put on screen. The stunning Art Direction was nominated for an Oscar.

Jamal Malik is competing on India's version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? As he gets closer and closer to the grand prize, the authorities wonder how a street kid from such abject poverty could know so much. Flashbacks, masterfully woven into the modern day storyline, make this clear as they detail our young hero's difficult life. Powerfully moving drama from director Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, 28 Days Later) pulls no punches. The first half of the movie shows an India that is pure hell for children from the slums, but out of this suffering, there is hope. The movie is a triumph!