My Favorite Movies

"of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world she had to walk into mine." what a perfect movie. i just saw this for the fourth time and it was the best viewing yet. this film is cluttered with wonderful qoutes, great diologue, and an incredible plot. bogey and bergman are larger than life in this film and the rest of the actors really shine. i have read many critics reviews of this film and some try to think of something critical to say for the sake of being objective, in reality criticizing this film is futile. many consider this to be one of the top five films and unlike others in the top five, i can raise no objections here. this is easily one of the greatest films ever made without exception. as ebert once said, this is probably the most well recieved and reviewed film ever made and it deserves its aclaim. "heres lookin at you kid."

the best sound and cinematography Ive ever seen in a movie. a great restart to a film series about this figure of american mythology. every actor delivered leaving me salivating for the next films in the series. the training sequence was brilliant and the development of the character bruce wayne was as complete and interesting as one could have hoped for.

"hes a great doctor. no, hes a great man." that quote from this film really wraps it up. this movie is flawless, perfect in every way. easily kurosawas best directing job, and mifunes acting performance is one of the greatest in film history. every line of diologue, every camera shot, everything was perfect. one of the 10 greatest films i have ever seen, absolutely brilliant in every way. the young doctor, the little boy towards the end, all of the acting was great and this story is stunning and beautiful. dont believe that kurosawa can only make samurai films, this one is even better than seven samurai.

The most clever and interesting comedy Ive ever seen. the narration couldnt have been better and every performance was great. Subtle and brilliant.

could this be woody allen's best film? many of his fans may think thats crazy, but it is my new favorite of his. wilson was excellent in this film, the story was wonderful, and i laughed harder at this film than i had in quite a while. in an era of horrible comedies, this one stands out as clever and thought provoking. i love the lost generation, so to find that they were the setting for the film was a huge and pleasant surprise. the characters were pegged perfectly, and the film not only inspires romanticism, but a re-engagement of great literature as well. it improved on a second viewing which is a sign of a truly great movie. i would go so far as to tout this a comedic masterpiece.

im not sure where to begin. its rare for a film to be as good as the book, this was. i even recommend reading the book first for the way it comes alive on film. scorsese made a few changes from the book, but they were all of the right changes for the story to make a great film. every aspect of the film, from acting to visuals to the telling of the story - perfect. if people ever wonder why i love movies so much, why i collect them and discuss them and pay such close attention to them, this film is why. the movie is a magical movie about the magic of movies, and i can honestly say that i had possibly the greatest viewing experience of my life while watching this film with my children, whom i had read the book with. it seems bizarre to say that this is my favorite scorsese film, since i love almost all of his movies so much, but it is. in fact, it may be one of the best movies i have ever seen.

Introspective. For someone who is more into samurai films than anyone I know, this one is the best of them. Brilliant. i was mezmorized by the precise calculation and execution of every scene. zwick isnt counted among the greats, but this is a stunning directing job. This movie made me like Tom Cruise.

after yet another viewing im reminded of why this is one of my favorite films of all time. my favorite actor playing his best role, it is fascinating to watch this ronin samurai play such a distant character who at the same time is perfectly calculated in every step he makes. this film is often imitated and never equaled, especially the exceptional scene at the end where sanjuro is standing at the edge of the street just moments away from his stand against his enemies. the music, weather, and cinematography were used perfectly and the entire film from start to finish could not have been carried out any better. this film improves with each viewing.

i just watched this movie for the second time and it was worth reviewing again. masterpiece. considered one of the 20 greatest movies of all time by most critics, and considered the greatest samurai film ever, this movie lives up to all of its hype. this film just furthers the lengends of kurosawa who did an amazing job making this film, as well as mifune and shimura for their brilliant acting performances. the whole film all i kept thinking was "wow this movie is amazing, perfect in every way." there are actually 2 other kurosawa films i like more, but that doesnt take away from this film, it just proves that kurosawa was a genius. what a fantastic film.

a 10 hour film made in six parts and released as three separate films from 1959-1961, the human condition is as ambitious as the title suggests, and it succeeds on every level. this is one of those rare times that the cliche term "sprawling epic" actually applies as this film takes it place alongside "all quiet on the western front" as the greatest anti-war films in cinematic history. you really see the span of the human condition as kaji, played masterfully by tatsuya nakadai goes from the corporate office, to managing a labor camp, to being a common soldier, to marching across nations, to being a POW in a russian camp at the end of the war. the film never gets dull. seen as somewhat anti-japanese at the time of its release, it is now seen as a massive apology letter from japan to the rest of us of the guilt many of them feel over their involvement with germany in WW2. the film excels in cinematography and locations, the acting was amazing from each of the many performers that show up at different stages in the film, and kobayashi's directing should be seen as one of the greatest directorial successes of all time. so much more could be said, but it just needs to be seen to be understood.

obviously it doesnt get more epic than this. lucas blended Christianity, roman and greek mythology, and samurai and wild west history in such a way that all themes blended as if they belonged together. i find this to be the best of the three star wars films.

i am joining the growing list of people that agree that this may be the best martial arts film of all time. there are many great ones out there, but the choreography in this film is stunning, and yip capitalized on just about every moment in the film with precision to draw awe, emotion, and complete joy. its great to know that amazing martial arts films like this are still being made.

masterpiece. absolutely astounding. i just put in a third viewing of this film and it was the best viewing yet. gabriel byrne puts in an astounding performance as does finney, the story was perfect with each twist, and the themes of loyalty and morality were present to a degree rarely captured in a movie. the cohens put in their best script and directing job in this film all should see. this is the best mobster flick i have ever seen bar none.

The most well made film of all time. every aspect was genius leaving nothing to be criticized. A great epic.

this is really the action flick that all other directorsof action films wished that they had made. the formula was perfect and willis was a great fit. the best action flick of all time.

the best film of this top notch trilogy, one of the best adventures of all time.

my second viewing was even better than the first. i think this may be one of the most well crafted, well written, well shot films in history. the script is flawless and complex, the acting astounding, and then cinematography and art direction as masterfully planned out as a film can get. not as well revered for a kurosawa film as seven samurai, yojimbo, or rashomon, but just as good. particularly the scene in the police station during the briefing and the final scene, as well as the stunning and haunting junky alley scene, the film has a quality that no other film of this genre does. possibly the best crime drama ever made.

The best animated film ever made. this film is underrated and seldom considered but it is so well presented. the music was perfect and the characters more fun than any in animated film history.

a flawlessly conceived, expertly crafted film that ranks as possibly the greatest film noir that i have ever seen. the cinematography is especially notable, and every member of the cast was perfectly chosen. the script is also one of the greatest in film history, and every scene was shot purposefully and effectively. the entire chase sequence at the end of the film is marvelous. easily one of the greatest films ever made.

a profound and beautifully told story that lives up to the hype and challenges even the most well meaning children on issues of honoring their parents. the story is stirring, especially as it picks up steam from its slow start. the actors capture their characters hearts well, and the film brings back visions of the life checking thoughts brought on by ikiru. this film begs the question, "how shall we then live?"

The most underrated movie ever made. Brilliant. washington and cheadle delivered two of the better acting performances i have ever seen. a throwback to the great films done by warner in the 30's.

this film is amazing. the first hour felt incoherent and without consequence, by the time i walked out of the theatre i was blown away by how brilliant the film is. there was a strong use of false foreshadowing that was not as much tricky as it was calculated. there were long and simple shots, like ones where clooney would be driving in his car for periods of time and you would expect something to happen because so much attention was payed to him driving, and then nothing happens at all, which felt strange in the beginning but added an intensity by the end because nothing ever happened to him until finally, one built up moment where you though it might just be another scene of him driving that ended in something big. the anticipation of events was perfectly executed. the diologue was powerful and the disposition of the characters was atypical. and amidst the brilliance the best part was the performances. clooney gives the best performance of his career as a tired and worn down but brilliant specialist, and he just looks exhausted through the whole film. wilkinson also gives his best and even swinton and pollack were very good. this film deserved its 7 oscar noms and it is clearly one of the best of the year.

everytime i watch this film it touches me more. it hits me even harder now that i have kids. in my opinion, this is easily one of the most underrated films of all time, and absolutely beautiful portrayal of redemption and family. the acting was great, the score was perfect and a bit haunting, and the cinematography was among the greatest work of all time. one of newmans final films, i watched this the day he died as a tribute to his legacy. a masterpiece.

the great underdog story. a man who should struggle between the path of glory and being a good father, he really doesnt struggle at all. fatherhood comes first for the main character much to the suprise of the other samurai. a story about a man who seems lost to all around him but really only cares for what he loves.

absolutely incredible. this is only the second movie af all time to make me cry, and i cried twice. absolutely one of the sadest things i have ever seen. this film won best picture at the japanese academy awards in 2003 and absolutely deserves it. the story was marvelous and the acting was incredible. there were 2 major things in this movie that infuriated me, those 2 things made me so angry that i wanted nothing more than to HATE this movie. but i cant hate it. its nearly perfect. the main character does have a major contradiction within his character which seems like a possible flaw in the script, but other than this point this film is brilliant. the 2 things that made me want to hate this movie werent flaws or script issues, they were just things in the story that didnt go my way. this film does not have your typical happy ending. but like i said, despite my tears and sadness for the characters at the end, i cant find anything about this film thats not beautiful. i havent stopped thinking about it since i watched it, one of my favorites of all time.

easily one of the most gripping and fulfilling films i have ever seen. the film has enough twists to fill a lifetime, shifting the direction of the characters so often to keep one glued to the story but no too often so as to confuse. a perfect blend of mystery and suspense with noir like lighting and style. one of the best crime dramas ever produced.

it took me many viewings and a considerable amount of time to give in to this film, but i have finally given up any apprehension towards it and have come to realize it is simply one of the greatest films in history without question. i used to pit myself against this movie not because of the movie itself, but because of its typical fans. many love this classic for all the wrong reasons. clueless fans who know little about great filmmaking rally around this for its violence, glorification of mafia life, and grittiness. the real reasons to love this film are because of its superb score, great acting, haunting cinematography, and genius storytelling. i feel that this film is popular for all the wrong reasons, but that doesnt exclude it from its greatness, truly a genuine classic.

A perfect comedy. Murphy and Hall are brilliant and the script is wonderful. the humor is unmatched and the stroy takes turns before arriving at the expected but welcomed ending. one of the best comedies ever made.

another of the many astounding films featuring humphrey bogart. hawks directing job was great as he handled the difficult and involved script as well as anyone could have. the story was great, reminding me a lot of the maltese falcon but maybe even slightly better. i was intrigued the whole way through, and this is one of those rare films that leaves you completely satisfied without a criticism. amazing movie.

definitely one of the best films of all time. classic noir with great performances and a perfect plot. the twists and turns were intriguing and the payoff at the end following all of the mystery was incredible. there were no holes in this one and the characters were consistent and well developed despite their simple purposes. after another viewing im still in love with this film. a truly great piece of film history.

easily one of the most underrated gangster films ever made. rarely listed amung the classics, this picture see's a young bogart and a young cagney go head to head in a match of criminal thinking. o'brien is very good as the priest, and the dichotomy that is built between his character and cagneys is powerful. two friends with everything in common go in opposite directions because of a single moment in their lives, and they couldnt have ended up more different. the acting was great and the moral commentary was carried out perfectly. this was a profound story, admitting that although this life is made easier by dishonest living, that still doesnt make it right. bearing many similarities to two other films, white heat and on the waterfront, this will be a film i rewatch every few years.

easily the most powerful, and possibly the best film of 2008. i was shaken by this epic film which began as a story about a mother and her son and blossomed into a bone chilling crime saga for the ages. my favorite film from both clint eastwood and angelina jolie, this film had me speechless. the end brought back memories of shawshank and the art direction is some of the best work i have ever seen. the oscars for best picture, best actress, best screenplay, best director, best art direction, and possibly best supporting actor have major candidates here. truly remarkeable.

an amazing film, one of my true favorites of all time. the performances were unmatched and the story was profound, a beautiful movie.

this movie is not as plain as many believe. this is actually one of my favorite action flicks ever made, well thought out with excellent locations and writting, what seems like a simple action flick is more fun than almost any movie i have ever seen.

Editing could have been better, but ultimately this is my favorite western of all time. the anticipation built up during a slow but eventful film sets the perfect scene for one of the best sequences in film history at the end of the film. accurate and thoughtful, this is a must see film.

often considered cinema's first great masterpiece. after having seen the film a couple of years ago i finally got a chance to watch the rerelease with the lost scenes last night. the film was already great, but lang's fuller vision definitely brings this film from excellent to full scale epic. a marvelous film for its time, this is still a film more than 80 years after its release that belongs on the big screen. the scale of the story is daunting when thought through, containing elements of religion, philosophy, sociology, and economics. there are more biblical parallels than people realize and the symbolism of the film leaves one thinking for days. great film.

one of the great sequels in history. this film is better than its predecessor, developing the characters wonderfully and giving us pieces of a story many would leave out. one of the greats of all time.

The best sports movie of all time. despite its fantasy and sillyness, this film still sets the bar very high for sports films. one of the best movies ever.

after a second viewing of this film im still convinced that in 2007, a year that i find to be one of the best movie years of all time, once is my favorite film of the year. im still blown away with how much the director and lead actors did with so little, only $100,000. the music is mind blowing and the story simple and charming. the shots were amazing for the limited camera equipment and glen hansard set himself up for a great acting or musical career if he chooses to do more. wonderful fim.

Tashiro Mifune with a semi-sequal to yojimbo, almost as good as yojimbo, this film integrates humor into the role of the wondering ronin. even though yojimbo was slightly better, you can see a progression in kurosawa's skills as a director. this is a great movie.

Shyamalan at his best. Good mix of humor and suspense. a story about faith and trial, proof that we can overcome the greatest of obsticles. one of my favorite films.

snow white and the seven musical genius hermits. not only one of the best musicals ever made, but one of my favorite films of all time. virginia mayo shows us again why she was one of the most beautiful women of her time, and dany kaye puts in a stellar performance. the appearances and music of two of the greatest musicians of all time, benny goodman and sachmo, were excellent. each piece of music in this musical about the making of jazz was perfect, and the love story hit the mark. the opening sequence was fuzed with clever writing and great humor, and the film never slows down. one of the top five films of its decade which features some of the greatest films ever made.

this is a beautiful film. the close of yoji yamada's loose samurai trilogy, this film catches a seemingly cliche theme of a man looking for sight through blind eyes and makes something extrordinary and anything but cliche. the diologue is poetic and tragic and the story is passionate and heart felt. the acting, music, and direction were amazing and the cinematography was as good as it gets. yamada should never stop making period pieces, all three from the trilogy of films with similar themes were mind blowing. this will be one of my most rewatched films in years to come.

a hitchcockian thriller that was not only malle's first film but an anomaly in that he never touched the genre again. what he accomplished with this film at 24 years old is remarkable in that so few other crime stories have ever touched the flawless execution and tension building that we find in this film. the miles davis score is perfect as a tone setter considering he recorded the entire thing in one day. the way the film was shot, the intricacies of the plot, and the excellent acting all come together to form a perfect movie. usually in noir style films the detective character is an emphasis, but the great lino ventura blends into this highly detailed story in an appropriately subtle way. a masterpiece of film making.

This story could not have been written any better. Perfect super hero movie.

an often forgotten film that is as epic as any ever made. brilliant acting, realistic war sequences, excellent directing by mann, and awe inspiring camera work and landscapes. this was a bit before day-lewis really entered his "zone", and he was still brilliant. an epic war film that doubles as a classic love story.

devastating. could be one of the best films ever made, but only time will tell. to think this is mcqueens first film, how does he follow this? shot so well and with such realism, the film has almost no dialogue except for an expertly crafted 17 minute long shot in the middle of the film where bobby sands is consulting with his priest. a simply astounding scene that glues the start and end of the film together perfectly. the film is unflinchingly fair, sympathizing with both sides in a sense by never really sympathizing with either. one of those films that shakes the soul a bit and inspires a rethinking of what small films like this can accomplish.

a second viewing was even better than the first. such a masterpiece, easily one of the best films ever made. the shots were chosen and executed with such care, and the dialogue is among the best ever written. a film about the search for meaning, and God, the movie perfectly blends emotion, intellect, and humor, to bring a message that is still relevant more than 50 years after its release. full of wonderful cinematography, iconic images, and excellently imagined characters, the film has enough intrigue to inspire multiple viewings.

helps you see what super powers might look like in reality. a story that teaches us that all people have an untapped potential that most of us ignore completely. when we find our gifts, we can do great things. must see.

amazing. hilarious at every turn, the action sequesnces were perfectly planned, and the story was flawless in every way. there arent more than a couple of animated films ever made that are better than this, and this was one of the most enjoyable movie theatre expiriences of my life. it was also the fist film i took my son to in the theatre, and i couldnt have picked a better film.

jack nicholson in possibly his finest performance. the film works because jack works, but he is so good that this ranks up there as one of the all time classics in the history of film. the first two hours are fun, witty, charming, and heart warming. the film ends by spiriling into chaos that is both shocking and powerful. deserving of its sweep of the big 5 oscars, one of the best films of 1975 and one of my favorites of all time.

even though this is considered a classic already, i still think its one of the most underrated films out there. a masterpiece. the acting and cinematography were supperb, and this boasts one of the best screenplays ever. not the first con movie and wont be the last, but its possibly the best.

One of the funniest movies ever made. one liners abound in this one, even the funniest movies seldom make me laugh out loud but this one got me numerous times.

i originally had intended to rate this a bit lower on first instinct, but the more time that has passed since watching it the more ive realized that this is easily one of the funniest comedies i have ever seen in my entire life. i very rarely hand out a perfect rating like this, but this really is a comic masterpiece. the characters are phenomenally constructed disfunctional lunatics, and the actors played them all perfectly. The script was beyond clever as a perfectly woven story about nothing. Many people seem to dislike the films pointlessness, i feel that this is the magic and brilliance of the film. malkovich was hysterical and pitt gives a performance for the ages in a rare comedic role for him. even clooney was hilarious throughout the entire film. this cements the coens as the most versatile director in hollywood, if that hadnt already been cemented. its been 25 hours since ive seen this and its already becoming one of my favorite and most highly quoted movies ever. oh, and the cinematography was astounding.

magnificent. just a shade inferior to batman begins, but it was a very different movie from that one in some ways and absolutely phenomenal in its own right. while the first felt more complete, this film felt more epic, like a crime saga rather than just a story. the talk about ledgers performance was justifiable as he was truly great. it wasnt necessarily the best the joker could have been played, but it was a stellar interpretation of my single favorite character in the history of fiction. two face was done well, the story was amazing looking to harvey dent as the white night he was always meant to be, and the twists the joker takes us through are excellent. i waited for this film for three years and wasnt disappointed. easily one of the best films i have ever seen.

they just dont make films like this anymore. an absolute genuine masterpiece of filmmaking, the highlight of the already brilliant career of sydney lumet. the acting was stellar, especially the performance of william holden, and the film was flawlessly directed. a perfect commentary on the effect of t.v. and big business on the world and a brilliantly crafted film all around makes for one of the best american films in history.

epic, one of the most well made films ever done. intense and well written, gibson gives the performance of his life.

one of the best made movies of all time, not one to watch over and over, but well done with brilliant acting and heart wrenching checks into reality. wonderful film.

probably the best romantic comedy ever made. the dialogue encompasses every detail of the nuances of men and women in a relationship, and each of those nuances was effectively fused into the relationship of the main characters. witty and clever, each of the actors played into the story perfectly. a wonderful movie.

utterly and completely brilliant in every way. this is easily one of the best romantic comedies i have ever seen, as everything was perfect, from the creation and development of the characters, to the acting, to the script and overall story, and topped off by some of the most creative, innovative, and effective directing ive ever seen in any film. the non-linear storytelling worked so well here and every risk taken by webb worked from the musical number, to the split screen, to the scene that faded to sketch art. i cant say enough about this film. a romantic comedy for all time that leaves behind all cliches to tell a story i cant wait to see again.

although raiders of the lost ark is still my favorite of spielbergs films, this may very well be his magnum opus, and that is in the light of films like schindlers list and jaws. a masterpiece of the highest quality, every actor, every shot, every line was perfect. the screenplay was beautifully crafted by roth, and geoffrey rush put in a subtly brilliant performance. the musical score was also effective, and despite the long running time the films pacing was flawless. a stellar film.

one of the saddest things ever put onto the screen. this is one of the greatest films ever made, but its also one of the hardest to watch. a masterpiece that should always be seen by any movie fan at least once in life.

"I am not an animal". one of my favorite films of all time and a genuine cinema classic. spartacus is a grand epic and one of the greatest hero stories ever put to film. definitely my favorite kubrick picture which is ironic because kubrick went on to disown this film because it wasnt "his". He was a director for hire making the film kirk douglas wanted to make. regardless, its my favorite kubrick film and an amazing movie. "Im Spartacus!"

one of the best war films of all time, the acting was great and the portrayal of soldier life was difficult but necessary. great film.

best scorcese film ever. unbelievable. youre enthraled through the entire story. dicaprio is already one of my favorites, but this is one of his best performances, he was brillliant. damons performance is overlooked and the end is shocking and suprising, even disturbing really. i havent stopped thinking about this film since i watched it, nearly perfect.

strirring and perfect from start to finish. although difficult to watch, it is at the same time one of the more beautiful films ever made. non traditional for a semi-war film, the reality of the story and method of film making provide a shocking glimpse into the tragic reality of the life of people in the midst of struggle. one of the best films ive ever seen.

incredible. one of the best films ive seen in the last year. extremely sad and realistic. ken watanabe was fantastic and the direction was great. you can see the samurai honored culture maintain in soldier life clear into the 20th century, the japanese may fight differently than we do, but the film does a great job of showing the true humanity of all people on all sides of war. one of the greatest war films of all time.

a film containing four short films that are ghost stories from various points of the samurai era in japan. while all four stories were compelling, my perfect rating is mostly for the third story called "hoichi the earless man". hoichi is easily the greatest ghost story i have ever seen on film, with wonderful acting, flawless cinematography, and a haunting storyline. it was a pleasant suprise to see takashi shimura appear as well. the art direction and cinematography for all four stories was essentially perfect, and these four stories assemble to make one of the greatest films i have ever seen.

fantastic film. winner of 12 japanese academy awards, this one has a great ending. i liked the film even better after a second viewing when i was able to invest more in the story. the second of yamada's samurai trilogy, all 3 are essentially perfect films.

really a masterpiece. incredible movie. easily hitchcocks best and one of the best films of all time. the airplane crop dusting scene was shot well, and you really felt like cary grants character was an average guy who became a brilliant spy on a whim just to stay alive. similar in many ways to another hitchcock film called saboteur, but this one was much better.

one of the great comedies in history starring possibly the greatest comedic actor in history. the script, editing, and timing in this film are unusually perfect for a comedy and the story is about as perfectly mapped out as one could have hoped for. it would have been easy to screw this movie up, but i think the reason this is considered one of the great comedies in history is because rather than be formulaic and predictable this film brought murrays character to points where the audience says "if i was in his shoes i think i would do the exact same thing." perfect comedy.

wow. what a powerful film. this movie had little to do with entertainment and much to do with human nature. there were unforgetable scenes in this film, like the two slaves discussing Scripture using only pictures and the speach given by John Quincy Adams (anthony hopkins) at the end of the film. this movie was haunting and heartbreaking, yet it was filled with themes of hope, salvation, and courage. one of the truly great films that has ever been made, the acting was incredible and this is easily one of spielbergs best films. lets all stop neglecting this film and give it the due it deserves.

the grandfather of all gangster films. the gold standard and one of the greatest films ever made, this film is everything that a gangster picture should be. haunting for its time, the original scarface puts the depalma version to shame and shows us what the gritty world of 1930's depression era crime was like. masterpiece.

the ultimate man vs. wild. bear grills has nothing on dersu uzala. another of the many absolute masterpieces by kurosawa, this film is possibly the best man vs. nature film ever made. tragedy makes the man that becomes so great that the world will no longer accept him. amazing on every front.

easily one of hitchcocks best films, this is also one of the greatest films ever made. incredible photography, a perfectly crafted and haunting script, a brilliantly chosen cast, and a well thought out plot. there were no holes and the entire film was perfectly executed. to be honest, i was nervous the first 30 minutes, and then the last hour was one of the most mind blowing and engaging hours of film that i have ever seen. a perfect masterpiece.

siodmaks version of the killers is mesmerizing. one of the best film noirs ever made, lancaster was great in his debut, ava gardner was stunning as always, and obrien turns in a typically solid performance in a noir investigative role. the first few minutes of the film basically lays out hemingways 8 page short story with perfection, and the rest of the story created for the film was true to the spirit of hemingways work. as the plot thickens so does the intrigue, finalizing in a twisted and dark tale that satisfies completely.

one of the most beautiful and powerful films ever made. mizushima is a heroic character yet tragic at the same time. the film could have used another 20 minutes to flush out more of the introductory relationships that the protagonist had with his fellow soldiers, but ichikawa directs well enough to give us enough of the story for it to profoundly impact the audience. this films shows the emptyness of the loss of life and holds as one of the greatest war films of all time.

"are you shoveling to survive, or surviving to shovel?" one lead asks this of the other, and it is a telling question because it was the same question that circled my mind through the entire film up until the point it was asked. without question, woman in the dunes is one of the most unique pictures ever filmed, and its uniqueness brought with it brilliance. the plot is actually absurd and there are a few questions left unanswered, but teshigahara also made sure to answer the most important questions to make this outlandish story actually seem believable on every level. the acting was superb especially okada playing the lead, and the premise of this non horror film was more terrifying than just about any horror film ive ever seen. the cinematography was astounding, some of the best ive ever seen, and the film was effective in everything it attempted from start to finish. the music was also especially perfect for the film. the end of the film didnt go my way at all, but it wasnt supposed to. a genuine masterpiece of cinema.

the film could have been a thriller, but every time it looked like thrills were coming they were diverted. the film could have been a mystery, but every time they could have gone the sherlock holmes route they writers dumped all details in plain sight in a tongue and cheek sort of way, saying, "this isnt that kind of movie". essentially, the film turned out to be as simple and straitforward as it could have been, and it was all the better for it. the dialogue was hilarious, even subtley so, and gleeson and cheadle played off of each other perfectly. i honestly have no problem saying that this little movie is one of the best comedies i have ever seen. dark but charming, well written and well acted. a comedic masterpiece.

what an incredible movie. i dont care for spike lee's themes of racial distinction in most of his films, and some of it that was present in this film were annoying, but this film was too brilliant not to love. it has quickly become one of my favorite movies of all time. i tried to identify wether this was a film about love or music, and then i realized its not about either, its a memoir of a musician. i think i like this film more than most for musical reasons and not film reasons, because im such a HUGE jazz fan, but the movie was well made and well acted. the diologue and ending were not typical rehearsed hollywood, they were genuine. many scenes were pointless and didnt further the plot at all, and in this film it was a good thing. it made the characters more real. denzel was incredible as usual, but the entire cast with the exception of indigo was chosen perfectly. the music scenes were really great and because i know jazz, i know that the things that happen to denzels character in this film happen to jazz musicians all the time. i may not always care for spike lee, but he did a wonderful job on this film.

absolutely chilling. one of the greatest war masterpieces of all time. this is the film that did the most for getting me to hate war. while i understand war and feel that it is sometimes necessary to use force to fight evil that rejects the use of reason, i still hate war, and this is the most moving anti-war film ever made. nearly 80 years since its release it holds up incredibly well. the acting is a little weak at points, but the war scenes are haunting and the psychological effect of war on those that participate in it is presented powerfully. one of the great films of all time.

profound. everything about this film is moving. it inspires the viewer to not waste his life. kurosawas shots are perfect as always and the side characters are just as compelling as the lead character. this is considered one of kurosawas 2 masterpieces along with seven samurai, there are 5 or 6 kurosawa films i like better but thats only because everything he does is so good. this movie is near flawless and i highly reccommend it to anyone. it will tug at your heart and make you doubt whether anything you do is worth your time.

what a fantastic movie. this film is great, very similar in a lot of ways to kagemusha but much better. tatsuya nakadai does an absolutely wonderful job and each scene was shot beautifully. i cant believe that in akira kurosawa we had one man that could make so many incredible films. this is one of the best films i have ever seen and i can name 5 of his i liked better. there are plenty of characters in this film to root for and plenty of villians as well, great war film from fuedal japan.

a bizarre and severely underrated sci-fi/noir/thriller. alpha 60 is probably one of the best movie villains ever, and the infrastructure of alphaville that is set up by this master computer is truly daunting. lemmy caution is the perfect hero, an anti-hero in many ways that still stands up for what we all believe in. the film sets the stage for intrigue perfectly in the opening sequences, as we dont even know what the film is about, but it all builds to clarity in the final act. its obvious the influence that this film has had on subsequent sci-fi films, as its equally obvious which of its predecessors it borrowed from. unlike any other godard film ive seen, its possibly his best film despite being more fun and less profound. the film just works on so many levels, not the least of which is the beautiful anna karina.

another clouzot masterpiece, and easily one of the best horror films ever made. today the film plays more like a suspenseful thriller, but the energy and intrigue are as alive today as it seems to have been decades ago. its the final act of the film that moves it from greatness to something more. this is mystery like we rarely see today, with excellent acting and art direction. many such films are predictable, but this one had me guessing until the very end. a perfect film.

mezmerizing. truly one of the greatest films ever made, period. it will be a tragedy if this film isnt soon seen as a classic of cinema. it has everything. brilliant acting, amazing cinematography, perfect art direction including makeup, and an epic and perfect story for the ages. i was enthraled for every minute of the nearly three hours of this film. at one point, the film brought me to an intense level of emotion and didnt let up for nearly 30 minutes. captivating on every level, this film battles changeling for the best of 2008.

i hadnt seen this film in 20 years, and on this viewing i was reminded why this is possibly the most magical, characterisitc, and influential disney film ever made. the first great childrens morality tale to hit film, there are so many epic moments. one of the great animated films in history.

a movie about life. sadly, this is destined to be the underwatched and underappreciated film of 2009. caine is brilliant as always, and the texture and mood of the film is developed so well by the music and camera work that i was completely drawn in to the story. the story itself is beautiful. in just 90 minutes we see complex and deep portraits of the lives of an 11 year old boy, a married couple in their late thirties, and a man in his eighties on his way out of this life. in hitting all generations effectively, anyone of any age can relate to the film, and i found myself actually relating to each of the characters, not just the ones in my age group. an excellent screenplay that blended humor and drama and overall a perfect movie.

although this film dims slightly with time, it is still a phenomenal film and one of the better gangster films ever made. it almost went the direction of depalmas scarface, but averted such a tragedy just in time to remain an amazing film.

this experimental early godard film comes together as an unorthodox but entirely brilliant romance. an early film for the absolutely stunning anna karina, the film also features a relaxed but charasmatic performance by belmondo. the films quirks worked for me each step of the way, and specifically the sequence where our battling lovers communicate to each other through book titles hit me right in the heart. charming and engaging, godards dialogue is as sharp as ever. a brilliant love story.

absolutely sensational. this is perfect movie making at its best. the entire film the only thought that kept going through my mind was on how well this film was made. deakins cinematography was beyond genius, the script was amazing, and the performances were perfect for the characters. the scene in the town hall near the end was one of the best scenes of any film ever made, and the twists that the coens gave to the odyssey were creative and well designed. above all, not enough can be said about the soundtrack. throwing in a character based on blues legend robert johnson was also a stroke of genius. another near masterpiece by the coen bros.

one of the great epics of all time. re-watchability is effected by its 3 1/2 hour length, but other than this the film is nearly perfect. the chariot race is a stagering feat, the performances, locations, and cinematography are astounding, and the story is inspiring. great reverence is paid to Christ in making him voiceless and faceless and the imagery of his death bringing life is perfectly painted. worthy of its 11 oscars, this film is wonderful.

everything in me wants to rate this perfectly except the small voice holding me back until i get a second viewing. probably the second best western ive ever seen, and better for me than many of the western gold standards like high noon and the searchers. this is the most ive enjoyed john wayne whom i normally dont care too much for, and every cast member was chosen perfectly for their role. the story was epic although typical, and the film had an epic feel because of the grand and detailed stoytelling. truly one of the great westerns of all time.

this film is amazing for the stunning performances if for no other reason, and there are many other reasons to love this movie. brando gives possibly his best performance and every other actor from the biggest roles to the smallest roles was at the peak of acting. possibly one of the best acted movies in history. the sermon given by the priest at the dock was possibly the best movie speech ive ever seen and the plot was very good. i do think that the story was a bit shifty at the end keeping this film from being perfect, but it was as close to perfect as a film can get. wonderful picture.

the best of an action franchise only second to die hard. the best buddy cop movie of all time and despite the 4 film length of the series it never got old. great start to one of the best franchises ever.

one of the best films of its decade. as a massive fan of poetry this film was tailor made for me, especially as a fan of keating's perspective. williams was perfect in what may be the best performance of his stellar career. the insights, the inspiration, and the contrasts built into the characters make the film more than just another "teacher inspires kids" film, as the events surrounding the film are completely believable. the only thing holding the film back from perfection in my mind is the way the film puts a halt to the teaching, the club, the relationships, and the poetry in order to explore a dark final act that in some ways kills the films momentum, but even then what we are given was executed with precision. a wonderful film.

axel is brilliant, one of the classics. murphy was never better.

a near perfect western and one of the best films of the 1940's. clift was perfect in his debut, wayne gives one of the best performances of his career, and the characters developed for the film were engaging and well suited for the story. as westerns go, this film is far more epic than most as we expirience a well crafted cattle drive over the course of 1,000 miles. great action, high emotion, and an excellent story place this film up there as yet another great film from the masterful howard hawks. the only thing holding this film back from really being my favorite western of all time is the late infusion of tess's character into the story. she felt forced, which might have been a script issue but was more than likely the weakness of joanne dru's performance. aside from this one misstep red river is one of the greatest westerns ever made.

an incredible finale to a great trilogy, the duel at the end is a classic scene built with anticipation and excitment. mifune was great as always and this film makes the trilogy feel less like a simple love story and more like an epic of human development. definitely a romanticized and inaccurate portrayal of the true musashi, but still an excellent film.

incredible. kurosawa never ceases to amaze me. this is considered one of kurosawas least appreciated films but its so perfect. tashiro mifune offers up another brilliant performance. kurosawa is known for his period films but this one takes place around 1960 when the film was made. this is just as good as kurosawas other more well known films. just incredible. this film tackles corporate corruption and revenge and it has some cool plot twists. must watch for any movie fan.

one of the most disturbing and highly effective films that i have ever seen. ken ogata is masterful as one of the most notorious serial killers in japanese history, and the film delivers near perfection on all ends from the acting, to the cinematography, to the script itself. the fact that this is based on a true story is what secures its believability as a man who eluded a nationwide manhunt in plain sight. nothing feels gimicky or forced and we see enough of the killers life in flashbacks to understand his deranged nature but not too much as to detract from the story. imamuras directing and the editing are first rate in this absolute classic. a must see.