My Favorite Movies

Finest sci-fi film ever made.

gothic horror set in space. so good.

"Game over man! Game over!" Great action film.

Stupendous. Casey Affleck and Brad Pitt are tremendous. Sam Rockwell is also great in the supporting role. Worst part, perhaps just a smidge too long, but hardly a complaint. Best part? The set-up to the train robbery was one of the most awe-inspiriing moments ever caught on film.

Art Garfunkel and necrophilia!!!

One of the finest science fiction films of all time.

A visual marvel. The wonderful satirical humor combines with Gilliam's gift for creating a brilliantly quirky world makes this one of the definitive films of the 1980s.

Film noir is my favorite genre. Always has been. Dynamic lighting contrasts. Everyone is grumpy. Love it. When I heard about a film noir, modernized by being set in a SoCal high school, I was hesitant. But it delivers. The writing is sharp. There are lines that just ooze of the 1950s Sam Spade and other tough guys. The real treat was the man delivering them: Joseph Gordon Levitt. Most people think of Third Rock From the Sun when they think of him, but he is, without a doubt, one of the best young actors today. Also, one of the best insults ever uttered by a femme fatale: "Mother..." See it and you'll realize how goddamn smart it is.

A horror movie landmark that sadly few have seen.

Wow. I am still speechless. The finest camera work and cinematography in decades and two one-shot scenes that will forever be discussed and admired.

It is the Blade Runner for my generation. Go see. Drive as far as you have to to see it. It is worth 10x the price of admission.

The pace is steady, like a marathon runner. Everything eases into place and does so with grace and amazing precision. Also, this is absolutely some of Jack and Roman's best work.

I am a better person for having seen this.

Gore gore gore gore gore gore gore gore gore gore gore gore gore gore gore

One of the finest dramas I have ever seen. Well maybe it is better to classify it as a pseudo-horror. Either way, Paddy Considine in this film is one of my top 5 performances of all time. Mind-blowing.

I don't like Scorcese. I've respected the man, but I've never really liked his films. All his italian, made men, gangster flicks never appealed to me. Meh. Aviator? Hated it. Gang of New York? Hated it. I did like, only like, some early stuff of his. Raging Bull is good, but there are better films like it. After Hours is very good. For a long while, the only film of his I would say I loved was Bringing Out the Dead. Well, then there is The Departed.

Second, I've not a been a huge fan of Leo Dicaprio. He had done decent work in some barely mediocre films, so I didn't hate him or love him. Then he did Titanic. Then he started getting cast based on looks and not acting merit. Bummed me out honestly. His performance in What's Eating Gilbert Grape is one of the greatest transformations ever.

Anyhow, going into this thing, I knew it was directed by a man whose worked I severely disliked and starred a guy I thought was wasting talent. The pros going in for me were Alec Baldwin, Mark Wahlberg (who'd have thought we would be a good actor?), Jack Nicholson (who I loved before he did shitty movies), and Ray Winstone. I didn't care one way or another for Matt Damon. But I knew this had a good supporting cast. What the hell? I figured I would go see it.

Half way through I said to myself "this might be one of my top 20 favorite films of all time." Then I thought, "Scorcese needs an Oscar for this." Then I thought, "Dicaprio needs an Oscar for this." Then, "William Monahan needs the 'best adapted screenplay' Oscar for this." There is not a single wasted moment in this film. Not a one. There is not a performance, even down the guys with a single line, that is anything less than stellar. It was everything I wanted, and needed, to see in a film.

Additionally, keep in mind that I pretty much always hate "remakes." But this is NOT a remake. Sure there is a Korean film with my favorite Korean actors called Infernal Affairs that is the same story. But trying to compare that film to The Departed is like trying to compare Magnificent Seven to Seven Samurai. Sure they are the same premise, but they are different worlds.

It is my hope, that this film is remembered forever, and that when people look back on the career of Dicaprio, Damon, and Scorcese, it is with tunnel vision and all they see is 2006's best film, The Departed.

Underrated Hitchcock.

Pacino's finest hour. "Attica!"

Sellers is a god.

My journey with this film was about as epic as the film itself. I had been waiting for this thing for nearly five years. Back from when Aronofsky first said "I think I might do a sci-fi film." I am really impressed by everything this man does, so I was psyched when I heard he got a huge budget, Brad Pitt, and Cate Blanchett for The Fountain. For those of you who don't know, Pitt dropped out for Babel. Then Cate did for the same. Then the studio took all the money. It was so devastating to us fans. Even more so to the Australian economy. It was going to be filmed there. Giant sets were built. A lot of pre-prod time was devoted. Well, they have a saying there now for when someone stabs you in the back: "you've been Pitted."

Well, Aronofsky did not give up. That is what I love. After seeing this film, I realize, this product is a million times better than what could have happened with big money/Pitt/Blanchett. Once again, Hugh Jackman stunned me. There were times when he had me in tears. No joke.

I can't explain this one. I really can't. I waited 5 years for it and it blew away all expectations I had. Just one word of advice. Don't try to understand the plot. This isn't so much a story, as it is an experience. Let it happen to you. And try not to cry, like I did, at the beauty of the final 10 minutes. (I just got chills thinking about it!)

Absolutely brilliant.

Deservingly legendary scene after scene. War dehumanizes. Kubrick makes it a spectacular thing to watch...as always.

Channing Tatum. Honestly, that is all you need to know. When some barely known kid whose last role had him as a dancing janitor at arts school can out-act Robert Downey, Jr.? Incredible. First time director, Dito Montiel, who also wrote the screenplay and his memoirs that the film is based on, really showed a lot of vision and made something truly unique. Tremendous.

Two actors, one setting. Not since Hitchcock's Rope has a movie been so effective but so minimalist. Page and Wilson are fucking amazing. You forget how small the scale of the movie is! Even better, you are never totally sure who you should be rooting for. Top 10 of 2006 for sure.

Truly terrifying and so brilliant that you feel the tension without seeing a thing. Some of the best use of sound in a film.

Second best crime film in history. Great GREAT characters. Great atmosphere. Many moments that are so perfect that they make my hair stand on end.

THIS IS THE ORIGINAL PEOPLE! People keep writing reviews for the new one, not this one. So don't hurt this score please. Anyhow, this is a brilliant piece of tension brought about by a eerily affective atmosphere. Norwegian cinema is the shit!

superior acting. technically remarkable.

One of the best films of 2007. Ellen Page is effervescent, absolutely grand. Bateman is great. Cera is sticking with the character he plays best. Fabulous dialogue.

Shane Black gives the finger to all those buddy cop movies he wrote in the 90s. One of the funniest films I've ever seen with the best narration in a film ever.

Best time I've had a movie in a long long time.

One of the absolute best film noirs out there! Nearly perfect!

The perfect marriage of French style with American action. The fact that Jean Reno wasn't our new leading man after this astounds me. Gary Oldman plays the perfect villain

Waaaaaaay ahead of its time.

Thewlis is a force of nature and the script is good that at times I found myself saying "wow" over and over. Brutal, daring, and beautiful.

Take film noir's greatest director, Jules Dassin, and pair him with one of film noir's greatest actors, Richard Widmark, mix with some dutch angles and hard light. Then serve and enjoy the hell out of it.

It is as good as you've heard. If not better. Certainly not what you would expect from the Coen Bros. Calm, calculating, and, least of all like them, quiet. Javier Bardem creates the most memorable villain since Gary Oldman in Leon. Josh Brolin continues having the best year ever. Tommy Lee Jones is amazing. His voice-over brings the whole thing together. Brilliant film, perhaps the brothers' best. Loved it.

Hitchcock's best.

Perhaps the most powerful film I've ever seen. I went in with expectations higher that any I have ever had. I left the theater tense, speechless, in awe, and overall, pleased. Visually it is a masterpiece. Park is technically as gifted as Kubrick. Min-sik Choi's performance is in my top 5 performances of all time. He is... I am struck speechless thinking about him in this film.

Leone shows why he is the king of westerns.

Smart and sadly unknown hard sci-fi film. Requires multiple viewings and some hard thinking.

Holy shit this movie was good! I heard about a tough-as-shit western from Australia playing nearby. Went and saw it. Goddamn. If all westerns were like this, I would have a new favorite genre. Fucking finally that grit isn't just a word used in the title. The outback, the lifestyle, looks and feels as dirty as it should. Guy Pearce is great. And it stars Ray Winstone and Danny Huston, two of the greatest British actors working right now. Oh, and John Hurt!!! If I could work with this cast, I would die of happiness. If you can stomach something beautifully rough, check this one out. But it is not for the faint.

The new definition for grit and grime.

Best crime film period.

My favorite comedy!

One of the finest westerns ever made. Sprawling and epic, but so very personal. John Wayne is amazing, and yes, I can't believe I just said that.

Wise does it again!

Greatest horror film ever made.

Gorgeous. Gives me chills.

Best of all the Star Wars films. Defined my childhood.

One of the best acting performance I can think of.

Harriet Andersson's performance is one for the ages. Haunting.

Fun French crime caper.

Clint Eastwood aids the rebirth of the western and then kills it. all in the same film.

The tension is so real. Your heart will beat out of your chest.

Arkin makes his mark.

David Fincher has made a masterpiece. As close to perfect as I have seen in a long time. Downey Jr is, as always, unbelievably good.