My Favorite Movies

Brilliant New Wave film!
The extensive use of handheld shots mixed with natural lighting cinematography and on-location shooting effectively sets a gritty and dirty mood in the film.
The story subtly blends humor with drama, finding a great middle-ground between the two extremes. The character interaction is a delight to watch and keeps the audience slightly in the dark as to what will happen next in the conversation. All of the actors give very admirable performances, especially from Charles Aznavour.
The editing and picture cutting is a bit jarring; it works for the kind of film Shoot the Piano Player is, but some cuts felt like I was being thrown out of the story. The sound cutting is quite good, however, and counters the rigid picture.
Shoot the Piano Player is a great representation of the French New Wave of cinema and it's easy to see that this style of film has had a great influence in mainstream movies (most notably, Pulp Fiction).

I highly recommend Truffaut's classic noir drama, as it is now very high in my favourite's list :)

Considered the greatest film of 1994, Quentin Tarantino's PULP FICTION won around 7 Academy Awards (including Best Screenplay) and won the Palme D'or at the Cannes Film Festival.

This film is actually a collection of short stories, where different characters interact with each other, some of them in unexpected ways.
I know a lot of you may be thinking 'Well, he's a Tarantino nut, so of course he gives this movie 5 stars!' Well, THIS IS THE MOVIE THAT MADE ME A TARANTINO NUT.
The dialogue is witty and sharp, the stories are entertaining and suspenseful, and the cinematography is truly unique; I doubt you'll find another film that uses trunk shots or 10 minutes long takes like this film does.
The dialogue is also unique in that each character has a large chunk of dialogue before the others speak; PULP FICTION is, in a way, more of a theatrical play than a real Hollywood film. Music is only used transitionally. I think it is this quality of dialogue that gives the film its edge and strange sense of realism.

A lot of people do not like this film because 'it's boring.' You're just not paying attention.
THIS IS NOT AN ACTION FLICK. PULP FICTION is more story than anything. Before you switch the station or just the DVD player off, just give the film a chance and listen. The stories are really captivating and original. The movie is very clever and well-thought out. People don't like it because it's not like most other films. I think that's what makes PULP FICTION an incredible film.
In the end, what the entire film adds up to is choice: good or evil? I would go into more detail, but that would spoil the movie :P

If you have to watch one Quentin Tarantino film, make it PULP FICTION.

Fun fact: The movie's line "You know what they call a Quater Pounder with Cheese in Paris?... They call it a Royale with cheese." was voted as the #81 of "The 100 Greatest Movie Lines" by Premiere in 2007.

Wow, incredible movie! Totally met my expectations.

The cinematography and editing was tight, the music was awesome, acting was top-notch and the story was incredible; it all comes together to make a great thriller.

Go watch this movie now! RIGHT NOW!

For the first time ever, I watched this film in its entirety; from very beginning to very end.
Beautiful film noir; the performances were great, the drama was tense, the style was sinister and moody, and Peter Lorre was amazing.
I just love the fedora style of this film; the shadows and dim lights create a dark mood throughout the film and Bogart's performance is mesmerizing; he plays such a cold bastard, but is clever, witty, and charming at the same time.
We need more films like this one. I can't think of a single thing wrong with this film. Absolutely loved it <3

Smooth acting, terrific locations, and brilliant cinematography combined with high tension and suspense make this 1950's classic a very enjoyable film.

Highly recommend it!

Oh goody! Another classic musical where all the critics hate it, but still has enough charm to attain cult status.

Repo! is kinda like "Rocky Horror Picture Show" and "Phantom of the Paradise" having a baby to the music of Nine Inch Nails.
Definitely a film for the twisted-minded, goth-loving cult film-goers out there (I'm talking especially to all the Winnipeggars out there ;D).

Repo! is a bit flat in the plot department, and a couple of the tunes are a bit...questionable. But there is definitely a lot of talent in this rock opera; I loved hearing Anthony Head and Terrance Zdunich belt out hard hitting cords and fell in love with the lyrical voice of world-class opera singer Sarah Brightman. I also really dig the film's apocalyptic rock style; the idea of plastic surgery becoming an addiction and public organ health made a commodity is very original and creative.
I only wished they expanded on these elements a little more; after the end credits rolled, I sat there wanting more (from what I understand, there were some scenes and musical numbers cut from the final movie).

Repo! The Genetic Opera will delight cult film-enthusiasts and lull rock-opera fans with some mighty fine musical numbers.
I wonder why people in Winnipeg are so crazy about these kinds of films...but hey, what can I say? I'm one of them.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this film when I walked into the theatre.
I was quite surprised at the things I learned about my native city and was intrigued by director Maddin's unique narrative.

'My Winnipeg' briefly tells the story of filmmaker Guy Maddin and the history behind the 'sleepwalking' city of Winnipeg, where he grew up. 90% of the film is black & white (okay, it's more sepia if you want to be really specific) and the sound is scratchy, like an old 1940's film.
This old fashioned style gives the film (and Winnipeg) an 'antique' feel.

The imagery is spellbinding; there is a lot of symbolism in this film, leaving the audience to interpret what the messages behind the symbols are. I felt a sense of frustration and angst from Maddin (who narrates the film himself, but has an actor play him on the screen), but I also developed my own anger towards Winnipeg after learning of its twisted history.

The film does have a decidedly pessimistic view of Winnipeg, but still has some very funny moments, telling jokes that only Winnipeggers would get. :P

This is definitely one of my all-time favourite films. I highly recommend watching this film when it comes out on DVD...if it does.

Incredible film! Definitely one of the best films I've ever seen!
It's so emotional and truly captures the demoralization of the Italian people post-World War II.
Considered the pinnacle of neorealism filmmaking, Umberto D. tells the sad and desperate life of Umberto, who tries to pay off his rent while taking care of his beloved dog, Flike.

I highly recommend this film, and you would really be missing out if you never watch it.
(But note that the film is Italian and has English subtitles :P)

When I first saw the trailer for this film, I set my hopes up dangerously high; the film seemed far from original, but the delivery and atmosphere at least appeared unique. So, uncharacteristically, I had high expectations of this film.

I was not disappointed.

Granted, if you've seen the trailers, then you already have the gist of the story; a lot of what was shown in the trailers is seen relatively early in the film. However, what I didn't expect was how much more there is in the film, despite it's relatively short time (I'm convinced this film should've been at least 2 hours).
I expected the film to go in one direction, and for awhile it did. Shortly after walking a bit of the path, it completely veered off, which was a pleasant surprise; the scope of the film is radically bigger than I expected.
Again, the story isn't the most original, but the performances and the emotional depth of the film give The Crazies considerable substance.

Having said that, I was also shocked at the film's brutality; nowadays, horror/sci-fi movies do their best to gross out their audiences with guts and blood. The Crazies does use violence, but the violence depicted hits a little closer to home than most other movies (I wish I could say more, but that would be spoiling some of the movie). The film isn't as scary as it is shocking, which I actually prefer.

The cinematography and camera-work is absolutely gorgeous; the establishing shots are a visual treat and the tight camera movements do wonders to set the mood and pace. Thank God the camera doesn't shudder throughout the entire movie.

Almost all of the actors gave very solid performances; I found myself emotionally invested in each main protagonist and cared greatly about their well-being. The antagonists are (thankfully) not too gimmicky and still seem very human, making them all the more terrifying.

The only thing that's preventing me from giving this film 5 stars is a sense of lacking; with the time constraint, it feels like the pacing should've been considerably slower (especially in the first quarter of the film). I don't often say this, but I really feel the film should've been dragged out a little longer; I wanted to linger in the scene just a little while longer.
That quickly goes away later in the film however, but I still found myself missing what was left behind.

All in all, I rather enjoyed The Crazies, and highly recommend it to thriller/horror fans; it's certainly not the scariest film, but still an enjoyable ride. Good work Mr. Eisner

What can I say that I haven't already said about Miyazaki's works?

Top-notch animating, terrific direction, awesome voice acting, and incredible story make Howl's Moving Castle one of my favorite animated films :)

Tarantino at his goriest, bloodiest best!
Hilarious, action-packed, and suspenseful, Inglourious Basterds is a fun little romp through Nazi-occupied France.

I was actually quite surprised at just how graphic and gory this film was: Tarantino really does pull out all the stops on this one, obviously not afraid to spill some blood-soaked guts on screen and burn it into your mind.
The trademark black humour is as sharp as ever, but there is also a thick layer of emotion and realism laid down by the Jewish refugee, Shosanna Dreyfus, who witnessed her family being executed by the Nazis. I was surprised at how realistic and heart-pounding some moments were in Inglourious Basterds.

Well, there isn't much more I can say without giving everything away, so I'll just say: GO WATCH THIS MOVIE NOW! IT'S INCREDIBLE!
Oh, but just note that this is definitely Quentin's most violent and graphic movie, so if you have a weak stomach I'd be careful.

Nice to see you still have it Mr. Tarantino

Brilliant film!
Unlike the other CG films (ie: G.I. Joe, Transformers, etc.), there is a surprising amount of depth to District 9; the mistreatment of the stranded alien beings emphasizes the sinister traits in human beings. The summary up above says that "[the aliens] find a kindred spirit in a government agent," but I disagree; I found it hard to sympathize in the main character and ended up focusing more on the aliens' story (which I think is really the important part).

The action was satisfying, but not too overbearing (*cough* Transformers *cough*), and the cinematography was shaky in some parts, but really helped pick up the film's tempo. The CG was overall pretty decent; the unstable camerawork was a clever way to blur the image and disguise some of the computer-generated elements, blending them into the picture.

All in all, I exited the theatre very happy. This is a great film and I highly recommend it.

Trust me: it's better than that Michael Bay shit.

Sorry, but Transformers is dumb

Awesome adaptation. I think fans will really appreciate and enjoy this film. The only problems I had with it was the soundtrack choice and the length; I felt the film was too short and should've included more backstory. But the DVD release is supposed to include every deleted scene, so I won't hold it against the film. Great job Mr. Snyder!

Wow! Incredible film! It's now my favourite musicals!

I love the film's gothic visual style and Johnny Depp delivers a very impressive performance, singing for the very first time.
Go watch this film now!

Incredible crime-thriller. The film explores taking the law in your own hands and letting the audience decide who is truly innocent and who is guilty; who is really the villian and who deserves justice.

One of my favourite crime films.

Fantastic film! The story is compelling, the cinematography is stylish and active, and the characters are lively and believable. One of the best movies I have ever seen.
Further proof that the old films are better than most new films :P

They say this movie a great comedy, but I didn't find it particularly funny. However, I do love the music in this film and I think Paul Williams is a good villian. Great movie

I'm a little disappointed that they decided to restart the entire James Bond series, just because I grew up with the cheesy gadgets and campy one-liners delivered by martini-drinking Sean Connery.
But I really like the style of this Bond flick; it sticks a lot closer to the style of Ian Fleming's novels than any other Bond film does.

I don't care what other people say, Daniel Craig is an AMAZING Bond; anyone who has read Casino Royale should agree with me. He's more reckless and arrogant, which adds more depth to the character of Bond.

The action was a tad slow in the middle and end of the film, but the novels were not always about action. Plus, this movie did teach me how to play Texas Hold 'Em, just like the novel taught me how to play Baccarat.

Great film. Can't wait for Quantum of Solace!

Whatever doesn't kill you...makes you stranger...

I thought the Joker looked chilling in the movie trailers...but watching the film and seeing his handiwork firsthand was truly spine-tingling; I can clearly see why this role affected Heath Ledger so much.
Basically (pardon my French), the Joker is a fucking psychopath. He scared the living hell outta me.

There were a lot more politics involved in the film than I had expected; I'm not saying there's a lot, but there's more than you would expect, which gives this superhero movie a unique flavour.
The movie basically boils down to choice; choosing between what is the right choice and what is the desired choice.

Being a superhero movie, I expected some casualities (and could guess which characters would bite the bullet), but this movie really kept me guessing till the end; I won't give anything away, but there are several big surprises throughout the film.

The only real beef I have with this film is that it feels a little fast; the action is certainly intense, but the entire film has a fast tempo. Depending on your movie taste, this could be a good thing or a bad thing.

In any case, I was VERY lucky to catch the very first screening in Polo Park this evening (or morning :P), and I'm really glad I did :)

Go watch this movie now. If you don't, you're really missing something great.

Awesome movie! Classic Tarantino/Rodriguez directing!
Planet Terror is Rodriguez's take on cheesy, B-grade horror flicks, full of galleons of blood, violence, and bad dialogue.
Death Proof resembles an old psycho thriller you might see in the 60's or 70's, with Kurt Russell trying to kill 8 girls...with a death-proof Chevy Nova.
I thought Grindhouse was a great film; it's full of excruciating violence and funny dialogue, which is exactly what I expected walking into the movie theatre. But that's the only problem with Grindhouse. The movie only truly works at a Famous Players; the DVD release fails to capture the style and feel of the theatrical release. I still can't believe they released Planet Terror and Death Proof separately :(
Nevertheless, if you're looking for pointless action and violence, Grindhouse is an awesome film!

WAY better than Ocean's Twelve, Ocean's Eleven is about eleven guys pulled together to rob 3 Vegas casinos at the same time...the payoff being $150 million. Clever, funny, and stylish, I highly recommend Ocean's Eleven.

Tarantino's very first film, Reservoir Dogs tells the grisly tale of 6 gangsters pulled together to rob a jewellery store...when they figure out that one of them is a rat.

Full of violence, funny dialogue, and features some great music from the 70's, Reservoir Dogs is a great film

Although it has a slower pace much like the one found in Invincible, it fits more perfectly in Aguirre, a demoralizing tale of mad obsession and a decline in sanity.
The camerawork and locations are absolutely breath-taking and the story casts a terrific mood of depression and desperation. Fantastic German film.

Really clever plot twists, a very engaging story, cool cinematography style, and a funny cast of characters. This is my favourite Josh Hartnett movie. Bruce Willis kicks ass too

In my opinion, this was better than Volume One. Cool story and awesome cinematography. Nice job Uma!

Kick ass movie! It's over-the-top, gritty, hard-hitting and hilarious!
'Shoot 'Em Up' is an awesome little action flick; it's short, but sweet.
Highly recommend it for those of you who love watching violence

Even though 'Bullitt' is a stupid name for a detective, the rest of this movie is amazing.

Several of the film's scenes illustrate actual police and medical procedures (surgery and searching for evidence, for example) and the film is shot on-location in San Francisco.

Steve McQueen, as usual, is a badass and the '68 Mustang he drives makes the legendary car chase of 'Bullitt' exciting.

Highly recommend this oldie.

In my opinion this is Alfred Hitchcock's greatest triumph in the film industry.
The story is very simple but suspenseful.
The acting isn't the greatest (but when was acting good in the 1960's?), but the special effects are incredible!

If you haven't seen this movie yet, see it. Seriously. Go watch it now.

As a big Max Payne fan, I was anxious to see this film.
Based on the stylish and popular video game for the PS2 and Xbox, Max Payne tells the story of a vengeful detective hellbent on discovering the truth behind the murder of his wife and child.

The movie's pacing was a bit weird; it seemed to have a smooth tempo at first, but then throws it in high-gear near the end. But I can't really complain about that, since that's how it was in the game.

The movie did a good job of retaining the game's style with its crazy action scenes (the slo-mo shotgun sequence was bad ass!)

Overall, the story and script could have been fleshed-out a bit more, but otherwise a great movie for action junkies.