The Best of the Letter "S:" Seven Samurai (1954)

For my original, very long, review of Seven Samurai, click here.

High adventure.  Exceptional scripting, direction, and acting.  Flawless execution.  Fantastic cinematography.  Great action.  Charming humor.  Above all, highly meaningful.

Seven Samurai is fast becoming my movie by which all others are judged.  Honestly, it is very hard to think of a single way this film could possibly be improved.  It's about as perfect as can be imagined.  On top of perfection in production, it is great entertainment.

Consult my original review, linked above, for a MUCH more thorough explanation for why you must watch Seven Samurai.

Don't miss this one!

Entertainment: 10/10
Artistic Value: 10/10
Technical Merit: 10/10

Overall: 10/10

Runners up for the letter "S:"

• The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
• Singin' In the Rain (1952)
• The Sound of Music (1965)
• Stagecoach (1939)
• The Sandlot (1993)
• The Seventh Seal (1957)
• The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
• Star Wars (1977)
• Strangers on a Train (1951)

Best of the Alphabet Roundup: #-R

In case you missed them, here's a round-up of the best films from #-R.  The reviews themselves can by found by selecting the label "27 Titles" on the left.

Best Number:
12 Angry Men (1957)

Best "A:"
Alien (1979)

Best "B:"
Ben-Hur (1957)

Best "C:"
Casablanca (1942)

Best "D:"
Das Boot (1981)

Best "E:"
The Empire Strikes Back (1980)


Best "F:"
Fiddler on the Roof (1971)


Best "G:"
The Godfather (1972)


Best "H:"
High Noon (1952)


Best "I:"
Inception (2010)


Best "J:"
Jaws (1975)


Best "K:"
The King's Speech (2010)


Best "L:"
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)


Best "M:"
My Fair Lady (1964)


Best "N:"
North By Northwest (1959)


Best "O:"
On the Waterfront (1954)


Best "P:"
The Princess Bride (1987)


Best "Q:"
The Quiet Man (1952)


Best "R:"
Rear Window (1954)


So what's next?  What's the best of the letter "S"?

Best of the Letter R: Rear Window (1954)

I already once did a review on Rear Window.  That original review can be found by clicking here.

I'll summarize this way: Rear Window is my favorite Alfred Hitchcock film, and I am the world's biggest Hitchcock fan.  It has great character development, great attention to detail, and simply fun dialogue.  And underneath everything is a great running discussion on human relationships.

This is a must-see for any movie fan, a film that starts lighthearted and slowly builds up the suspense.  The result is magnificent!

(the following rating is a bit different than my original review.)
Entertainment: 9/10
Artistic value: 9/10
Technical merit: 9/10

Overall: 9.5/10

Runners Up for the Letter "R:"

• Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
• Ran (1985)
• Rebecca (1940)
• Rocky (1976)
• Robocop (1987) -yes, I'm serious.  Robocop rules.
• Raging Bull (1980)

Best of the Letter "Q:" The Quiet Man (1952)

The Quiet Man is a pretty good movie.  At first blush it's about a retired American boxer (John Wayne) who returns to the Irish village where he was born and finds love in a fiery redhead (Maureen O'Hara) and an enemy in her brother (Victor McLaglen).  But really this is a movie about understanding (and misunderstandings).  It's about cultural differences that can make huge gaps between people, even those who look alike and speak the same language.

For an example, when a local finds out that Sean (Wayne's character) had relatives in the town in years past, he exclaims "Your grandfather died in Australia, in a penal colony!"  My first reaction was shock at hearing this, thinking that it was a rather tactless thing to point out.  However, upon further reflection I realized it was meant as a badge of honor -this is Ireland we're talking about after all, and it was the British who sent criminals to Australia.

So other misunderstandings abound -about propriety, honor, what a dowry means to the bride, and so on.  We have to learn along with Sean what is expected, and what is regarded as good.

Then there's the good old knock-down, drag-out, bare-knuckled brawl at the end, the one that finally deals with the bad blood and actually draws people together.

There are a few rough spots, mostly having to do with production values.  Director John Ford (one of the best Hollywood has ever seen) had to fight tooth and nail to make this film, one that meant a great deal to him personally.  However, I get the feeling he was constrained by budget and perhaps had his hands tied in a number of ways.  The result is inconsistent greatness.  The outdoor shots are especially great, but many of the sets were not as good, and some shots are so obviously done on a soundstage that they cause a distraction.

But on the whole the film is very good.  Decently written, fun to watch, with good acting and great on location scenery, this is a great one to see.  And in a very limited pool of contenders, it is certainly the best of the letter "Q."

Entertainment: 5/10
Artistic Value: 8/10
Technical Merit: 6/10

Overall: 7/10


Runner up for the letter "Q:"

• Quigley Down Under

Best of the Letter "P:" The Princess Bride (1987)

For my original review of this film, click here.

I struggled with the letter "P."  There are so many great films that start with this letter, it almost seems a shame to elevate one over the others.  But ultimately there can be only one, and that one must be The Princess Bride.

Ok, I'm about to give every reason The Princess Bride should NOT be the best of the letter "P."  There is good writing, but I've seen better.  There's passable acting, with the occasional brilliant bits, but I've seen better.  The special effects are terrible, the makeup and monster effects laughable, and the overall feeling of the film is total cornball.  There is not much that is artistic about it, and some of the production values are rather bargain bin, to put it mildly.

But in terms of everything coming together just right, it is perfect.  Sure it's corny, but the charm meter is off the chart.  And it has a great gift for rhyme.

The Princess Bride will forever be a reminder to me of one of the chief functions of film; it is peerless entertainment.  On that basis alone, and even though other films might get a higher score from me overall, I say that it is the best film you can watch that starts with the letter "P."

Entertainment: 10/10
Artistic Value: 3/10
Technical Merit: 5/10

Overall: 8/10
(P.S. This score represents some changes from my first review.  I have the hardest time thinking about the technical side -I really think most of the poor production value stuff is purposeful.  But even so, there is so much technically that could have been done so much better.)


Runners Up for the Letter "P:"

• The Philadelphia Story (1940)
• Psycho (1960)
• Planet of the Apes (1968)
• The Pride of the Yankees (1942)
• Pulp Fiction (1994)
• The Prestige (2006)
• The Poseidon Adventure (1972) -Not really a great film, but since it was my parent's first date, it gets an honorable mention.  It at least leads to great things!

Best of the Letter "O:" On the Waterfront (1954)

"You don't understand!  I coulda had class.  I coulda been a contender.  I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it.  It was you, Charlie."

Classic scene, perfectly acted.  But there's another scene that rises above as my favorite:

Father Barry stands up from performing last rites for Dugan, then looks up at the mob of workers and begins to preach: "Some people think the Crucifixion only took place on Calvary.  They'd better wise up!  Taking Joey Doyle's life to stop him from testifying is a crucifixion.  And dropping a sling on Kayo Dugan because he was ready to spill his guts tomorrow, that's a crucifixion.  And every time the Mob puts the pressure on a good man, tries to stop him from doing his duty as a citizen, it's a crucifixion. And anybody who sits around and lets it happen keeps silent about something he knows that happened, shares the guilt of it just as much as the Roman soldier who pierced the flesh of our Lord to see if he was dead."
A call then rings out from above "Why don't you go back to your church?"
The priest's voice roars up with righteous anger as he points to the body at his feet, "Boys, THIS is my church!  And if you don't think Christ is down here on the waterfront you've got another guess coming!"

I LOVE this movie.  Perfectly written, beautifully filmed, flawlessly directed, with iconic performances from some of the 50's greatest actors -Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, Lee Cobb, and Eva Marie Saint in her first feature role.

This is a movie our country needs today, the reminder that corruption, short money, and violence to protect power always tears everything and everyone down.  This is also the movie Hollywood needs to remind them how to make a good film with real heroes and believable villains.

Inspiring.  Exceptional.  A work of genius and beauty.  Do not miss it; On the Waterfront is the best film you can see that starts with the letter "O."

Entertainment: 8/10
Artistic Value: 10/10
Technical Merit: 10/10

Overall: 10/10


Runners up for the letter "O:"

• O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
• One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
• The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)

Best of the Letter "N:" North By Northwest (1959)

I am a huge Alfred Hitchcock fan.  I've loved his ability to do things no one else had done before, invent new techniques, and tease out action and drama into true suspense that continues to build.

North By Northwest is Hitchcock's most fun and entertaining film, full of twists and turns and great action.  It also captures perfectly the style of the great director toward the end of his career, when he was able to bring a world of experience into full effect and create some of his most timeless masterpieces.  It also happens to be my favorite Cary Grant movie, and I LOVE Cary Grant.

Not everything works out in terms of "making sense."  However, if you are willing to suspend a bit of disbelief everything will work out just fine in terms of being monstrously enjoyable.  Just sit back and watch one of the great credit sequences of all time, a great score, fantastically great writing, and some iconic moments -such as the murder at the U.N., the crop duster attack, and the frantic climb on the face of Mount Rushmore.  And don't forget to bid at the auction like a crazy man -it just might save your life!

North By Northwest.  A movie about a case of mistaken identity, murder, international spy rings, and romance on trains.  Definitely classic Hitchcock.  And also the best movie you can watch that starts with "N."

Entertainment: 10/10
Artistic Value: 5/10
Technical Merit: 8/10

Overall: 8/10


Runners up for the Letter "N:"

• No Country for Old Men (2007)
• Network (1976)
• Night of the Living Dead (1968)
• Night Train to Munich (1940)

Best of the Letter "M:" My Fair Lady (1964)

Start with some of the best writing ever done for a musical.  Add in some of the best songs ever written.  Spice it up with great themes and amazing costumes.  Then finish it all with Rex Harrison at his best.

The result?  My Fair Lady, the finest musical Hollywood has ever produced and also one of the best movies of all time.  Equal parts witty and grand, with a utterly spellbinding leading actor, My Fair Lady will remain a classic that never fails to entertain. And (in a very competitive group) it is the best film you can watch that begins with the letter "M."

Entertainment: 9/10
Artistic Value: 7/10
Technical Merit: 9/10

Overall: 9/10

Runners up for the Letter "M:"

• The Maltese Falcon (1941)
• The Music Man (1962)
• M (1931)
• The Matrix (1999)

Best of the Letter "L:" Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

For my full, original review of this magnificent film, click here.

Lawrence of Arabia is everything a movie should be.  Epic.  Spectacular in scope.  Phenomenal acting.  Marvelous writing and directing.  And above all, Lawrence sets a standard for cinematography that has never been equaled.  This is an outlandishly beautiful film and outstanding in every respect.  

Buy it.  Rent it.  Just watch it.  It's the best movie that begins with the letter "L."

Entertainment: 8/10

Artistic Value: 8/10

Technical Merit: 10/10

Overall: 9/10

Runners Up for the Letter "L:"

• The Lion King
• L.A. Confidential
• The Lady Vanishes
• Life is Beautiful
• The Lord of the Rings (trilogy)

Best of the Letter "K:" The King's Speech (2010)

Every once and a while a drama comes along that really is as good as they used to be.  The King's Speech is a tour de force of acting and phenomenal storytelling, one that comes together in all the right ways.

Colin Firth simply dazzles as King George VI, a monarch with a rather large problem -he stutters.  He is terrified of speaking in public, an undesirable quality for a guy who's very life involves speaking in public.  Geoffrey Rush is the speech therapist who finally is able to help him past the rather massive impediment and able lead his people with clarity and competence.  This movie belongs to Colin Firth.  His performance is hands down the best acting job of the past 5 years.  The opening scene, in which the prince (and future king) waits to deliver a speech, contains some of the best and most subtle acting of perhaps any single movie scene in my memory.  Firth simply looks sick with anxiety.  It immediately gets the audience on his side and makes him a sympathetic character.

It's all about the journey, and by the end we can sympathize with the rather remarkable progress that he has made to overcome his problem and deliver a brilliant and inspiring oration that became a lighthouse signal to guide Britain through the fog of world war 2.

This is an amazing film, and the best film that begins with the letter "K."  Highly recommended, though viewers should be aware of two scenes that contain strong language.

Entertainment: 6/10
Artistic Value: 9/10
Technical Merit: 8/10

Overall: 8/10

Runners up for the letter "K:"

• King Kong (1933)
• The Killing (1956)
• The Karate Kid (1984)
• Kagemusha (1980)

Best of the Letter "J:" Jaws (1975)

For my previous full review of Jaws click here.

By any account, Jaws is a monster movie, a horror film that tries to scare the audience.  I fully believed it should not be a good movie.  And then I watched it.  Jaws is great.  Sure, there's a monster shark, but this is not a brainless film by any stretch.  It's a character drama as well, a tightly written and witty script that provides wonderful commentary on human fear, honor, and stupid politics.

Give Jaws a try.  You'll love it.

This is a great cast.  They are looking at a rather big fish.

Best moment: "You're gonna need a bigger boat."

Entertainment: 10/10
Artistic Value: 6/10
Technical Merit: 8/10

Overall: 8/10

Runners up for the letter "J:"

• Jurassic Park
• The Jerk (I guess?  You come up with good runners up for "J.")

Best of the Letter "I:" Inception (2010)

I've already reviewed Inception at some length.  You can find that review here.  Read the review; I had tons of fun discussing how this movie made me ponder reality, our ability to perceive reality, and such.  I'll include my favorite line here: "In no other movie will you find the main characters involved in an alpine shootout, floating weightless in a hotel elevator, plunging off a bridge in a van, and flying across the ocean in a jet, all at the same time!" 

Granted, looking back I may have been a tad over enthusiastic about Inception.  It's still a great film, and certainly the best of the letter "I," but I think anymore I'd probably tone it down to about a 8/10.  After all, there are some rather far-fetched concepts to accept for the plot to work at all.  But if you will simply accept the film as presented you'll have a grand time and get to think a lot to boot.  Thumbs up.

Runners up for the letter I:

• I Confess
• In the Heat of the Night
• The Incredibles 
• It's a Wonderful Life

Best of the Letter "H:" High Noon (1952)

We're going to get this out of the way right now: you will get utterly sick of the "High Noon Ballad (Do Not Forsake Me, O My Darling)".  This tune plays nearly incessantly throughout the full movie.  On top of being a bit dated, the tune is also rather out of date by today's standards, rating on the "cool song, bro" scale somewhere between "Buffalo Gals Won't You Come Out Tonight" and "The Ballad of Davy Crockett."

Aside from that song, this is a thoroughly wonderful, amazing, spectacular movie.  Few have been as influential on how we think of westerns, with the concept of the lone hero facing off with the gang of misanthropes at (you guessed it) High Noon.

Gary Cooper does his dead level best, starring as well as anyone could as Marshal Will Kane.  He grows increasingly distressed by how the town he protects refuses to help either him or themselves, and his fury is seen, yet remains below the surface.  This is also Grace Kelly's (that is princess Grace of Monaco to you) first starring role in a movie, and it becomes quite evident why she hit the big time after this one.

The themes established are poignant: pacifism vs protecting those you love; honor vs revenge; justice vs injustice; doing what is right even when everyone deserts you.  The themes are laid out, teased out, and the suspense builds.  By the time Frank Miller comes to town the suspense is high and the time is noon.  And then the classic showdown, well-planned action, and perfect denouement play out.

Westerns don't get much more classic or iconic than this, making High Noon the best film you can watch that begins with "H."

Entertainment: 8/10
Artistic Value: 10/10
Technical Merit: 9/10

Overall: 8/10

Runners Up for the Letter "H:"

• Harvey
• Hoosiers
• The Hunt for Red October
• Hotel Rwanda

Best of the Letter "G:" The Godfather (1972)

Many people have described The Godfather as the best mob movie ever made.  I disagree.  At its heart, I don't believe The Godfather is about organized crime.  Distilled to its essence, this is a movie about a father and son; how their relationship is strained, tested and reconciled, with the transforming to become like his father.  It is about the effort to protect a family, to care for loved ones, and to make right certain wrongs.  Under normal circumstances these would be noble goals on a path of virtue.  But the circumstances of the Corleone family in The Godfather are anything but normal, which makes the character arch and journey of Michael Corleone one of the great tragedies of American cinema.  And this story -when combined with some of the best acting, writing, and deliberate pacing of all time -makes The Godfather one of the best and most perfect films ever.

Godfather and son

So yeah, it's a family movie.  It's about the mob, killing people, drugs, and very horse's head serious threats.  But at heart The Godfather is a movie about a family.  And this family has love and anger and issues just like any other family.  But this family also deals in death.

This is where The Godfather succeeds so masterfully.  The criminals here are not shallow black-hatted caricatures that simply act evil as a foil to showcase the pure motives of the good guy.  Here we have no "good guy" as we might have expected previously.  Instead, all the bad guys have good in them, while at the same time all of the "good guys" (well, the main characters anyway) have great capacity for evil.

This movie has it all, and does it all exceedingly well.  Never has a film done acting better, the direction is top-notch, and the screenplay is legendary.  The Godfather has very few, if any missteps, and the result is simply wonderful.  This is one of the great dramas and tragedies of our age, especially when combined with part 2.  Don't miss this one!

Entertainment:  9/10
Artistic Value: 10/10
Technical Merit: 10/10

Overall: 10/10


Runners Up:

• The Great Escape
• The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
• Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
• The Goonies (just kidding.  But seriously, goonies never say die.)

Best of the Letter "F:" Fiddler on the Roof (1971)

Charming, somber, grand and fun and full of greatness.  Fiddler on the Roof is one of the best musicals of all time, and a perfect adaption of a play for the silver screen.  Carried by the singularly brilliant and enormously entertaining performance of Topol as main character Tevye,  Fiddler is a great example of what can be done in the musical genre.

Depicting the plight of Jews in early 20th century Russia, Fiddler addresses the question of how the distinctive, chosen people maintain their identity in a changing world.  In one word?  "Tradition!"  "Without our traditions, we would be a shaky as a fiddler on the roof!"

Some of the best musical numbers of all time are found here: "If I Were a Rich Man," "Sunrise, Sunset," "Matchmaker," "To Life," "Do You Love Me?," and of course "Tradition!"  Combine these great musical pieces with great dancing, acting, and meaning, and you have the stuff of memories.

Even the part I can't stand is fitting.  Ever since my first viewing I have hated the song "Wonder of Wonders," as sung by the geeky tailor Motel.  Musically the song is a wreck, the choreography basically has him scampering through the woods in a completely awkward manner, even the cinematography changes style to something more jerky, so that everything adds up to a giant, glaring cancer of discomfort in the middle of an otherwise healthy and beautiful film.  And yet on further consideration, I have to admit that the song absolutely suits the character, and in his joy at that moment he doesn't care what I think of him.  That in itself is kinda beautiful, even if I still fast forward through the scene when I watch the movie.

The characters are memorable, the plot is full of beauty and heartache, the sets are wonderfully dirty, and the lighthearted moments are as frequent as the somber ones.  Fiddler is a film for the ages, a great performance by Topol, with some of the most iconic moments in musical history.

Watch it and enjoy.  It's the best film that begins with the letter "F."

Entertainment: 8/10
Artistic Value: 9/10
Technical Merit: 7/10

Overall: 8.5/10

Honorable Mentions for the letter "F:" (and there are many)

• The French Connection
• Fight Club
• Fargo
• A Few Good Men
• Finding Nemo
• The Fugitive
• First Blood
• The Fifth Element  (for you, Dave)
• Fantastic Mr. Fox

Best of the Letter "E:" The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Here's just a bit of trivia about me: by the time I was 9 years old I could quote every line of the Star Wars trilogy.  I still can quote every line of all three Star Wars movies!  (And yes, there are only 3.  There are also a few hideous usurpers that deserve not the name, but there are only 3 Star Wars movies.)

Star Wars is why I originally fell in love with movies.  I had the toys, and I still play the video games.  I have so many fond memories about these films that re-watching one of the movies is like revisiting childhood lane.
But of course, films do not always age well.  Something you love as a child may not be as sparkling awesome as an adult.  Star Wars is really no exception.  What I thought was flawless as a child shows cracks when I grew up -cracks like bad acting, some examples of poor writing, and Ewoks.

Does it get more iconic than this?

And yet The Empire Strikes Back is different.  Episode V took the world of Episode IV and expanded on it and perfected it.  Somehow actors who had somewhat wooden deliveries in Episode IV became much better actors.  Somehow the writing became much more polished and smooth.  Things that were fun became phenomenal.  Special effects were kicked up a notch.  Icons became, well, more iconic.  Even the music improved with the addition of the Imperial March.  (It's might be noted that perhaps the reason it is the best of the series is that Lucas had the least control over it...)

Star Wars has never been better than The Empire Strikes Back.  Darth Vader has never been more ultimately evil, and his character still remains one of the best villains of all time.  Han Solo is the most lovable, heroic scoundrel of all time.  Yoda is the greatest bad-grammar-makes-you-seem-smarter pseudo philosophers of all time.  The action is fantastic, the themes are timeless, the story is somber, and the scope is epic.

Sure, the movies is not perfect.  But it does everything it needs to do perfectly.  It sparks the imagination, is undeniably entertaining, and develops a universe that fans still love to inhabit.

And it is the best movie you can watch that starts with the letter "E."

Entertainment: 9/10
Artistic Value: 5/10
Technical Merit: 7/10

Overall: 8/10


Runners Up for the Letter "E:"

• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
• Elf
• The Exorcist
• The Emperor's New Groove
• Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Best Movies from #-D

In case you missed them, here's a round-up of the best films from #-D:

Best Number:
12 Angry Men (1957)

Best "A:"
Alien (1979)

Best "B:"
Ben-Hur (1957)

Best "C:"
Casablanca (1942)

Best "D:"
Das Boot (1981)

So what's next?  What's the best film that starts with "E?"

Here's a hint: It's a sequel.

Best of the Letter "D:" Das Boot (1981)

Submarine movies tend to have a clausterphobic tenseness that is simply unlike other kinds of movies.  And of all submarine movies, Das Boot is king.  There had been submarine movies before, and lots since, but Das Boot was and remains the best.  And on top of it all, it is also a fantastic overall film

Director Wolfgang Peterson weaves together a magnificent tale of a German U-boat  and its adventures on a mission during world war 2.  What is immediately noticeable is that these are not evil men, nor Nazi robots.  They are not faceless or nameless or without basic qualities of human life.  They are men, no more so or less so than any of us.  For me this represents a "humanization" of the enemy.  I was raised a red-white-and-blue blooded American, and most of the movies about WW2 that I've seen present Germans as more or less stereotypical bad guys.  Germans of the 30's and 40's in film are typically wicked or simple nameless uniforms -an obstacle for the hero to overcome but certainly not people in their own right.  I mean, the Germans of WW2 couldn't have been caring or capable of heroics, could they?

We need movies like Das Boot to remind us what war makes us often forget: that people on the "other side" are still people.  And there is nobility and goodness possible in them.

Ok, let's get this out of the way: Das Boot is filmed entirely in German, which means I need English subtitles to understand it.  And I like it that way.  It means it is much more authentic and real.  Don't let the subtitles put you off or you will miss out on one of the most human war tales of all time.

And the realism stands out.  Other movies have imitated that tense wait for depth charges and the harrowing, violent chaos as the explosions come.  Yet none have ever done that experience as well.  Das Boot will bring the viewer into that confined space with those crewmen, and even for only a minute we feel part of that terror.

After a while we feel like we know these men.  We share with them the terror of the depth charge bombardment, the frustration of trying to make difficult repairs, the joys of wind in the face and the thrill of the hunt.  And we share in their humanity as they weep over having to leave stranded sailors from a torpedoed ship, knowing they will drown.  That scene is one of the most effective anti-war war scenes of all time.  They have rejoiced over hitting the ship with a torpedo a few hours previous, yet weep when they realize that the sailors on the now sinking ship will not be rescued and are doomed.  They killed them, yet did not want them to die.  It's an amazing and effective scene.

Anyway, watch Das Boot.  You'll cheer for the crew, then feel conflicted.  You'll see a great example of action film making.  And you'll be watching the best movie ever that begins with "D."

Entertainment: 10/10
Artistic Value: 8/10
Technical Merit: 10/10

Overall: 10/10


Runners up for the letter "D:"

• Die Hard
• District 9
• The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

And films worthy of mention: Deliverance, Dawn of the Dead, The Departed 

Best of the Letter "C:" Casablanca (1942)

Casablanca is the best movie that has ever been made.  There, I said it.  Films simply do not get more iconic, more influential, more perfect, nor more beloved than this.

I love movies and books that are written with wit, so it is natural that I should love this one.  Practically every line is quotable, yet none of the lines (aside from perhaps "Looks like destiny has taken a hand.") are delivered like they intend to be quoted.  The dialogue is sharp, yet natural.  The people act like people should, yet each one begins to symbolize large segments of humanity.  This is a masterfully written film.

By the way, Casablanca contains my favorite put-down of all time: Ugarte: "You despise me, don't you?" Rick: "If I gave you any thought I probably would."  (ouch!)

Never has a film had a better cast: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Claude Rains, Paul Henreid, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre -we're talking an extravagance of acting riches here!  

The cinematography is perfection in black and white.  All black and white films should look to Casablanca for instruction on how to frame a shot, how to showcase an actor, and how to contrast shadow with light.

The story is perfection in simplicity.  Sure, there are the bad guys and good guys.  But in the midst and confusing everything are the politics of love and the question of remaining morally neutral.  Will Rick do what is right, or will he try to get revenge on the girl who jilted him -or will he try to steal her from her husband?  Will Louis carry out the evil desires of the Nazis by trying to keep somewhat neutral?  Or will he finally stand up for what is right?  By the end everything turns out the only way it can and truly be called a happy ending.  "We'll always have Paris," and "the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

How does a movie get better than this (aside from better model plan special effects)?  Equal parts charming, sweet, earnest, and important, Casablanca is the best movie you can see that starts with "C."

Entertainment: 10/10
Artistic Value: 10/10
Technical Merit: 10/10

Overall: 10/10

Runners up for the letter "C:"

• Chariots of Fire
• Citizen Kane
• The Civil War -by Ken Burns (yes, a documentary)
• Chinatown

Best of the Letter "B:" Ben-Hur (1959)

One of the most celebrated films of all time, Ben-Hur is an epic masterpiece.  Charlton Heston stars as Judah Ben-Hur in this classic tale of friendship, betrayal, and revenge.  Betrayed by a close friend, Judah finds himself no longer rich and privileged in Jerusalem, but condemned and enslaved on a Roman galley.  But this is a hero's journey, so when Judah saves the Roman commander during a battle he gains wealth, status, and everything he needs to pursue his revenge upon his betrayer.

And that's the theme on which things get special.  You see, the subtitle of the film is "A Tale of the Christ."  The movie opens with the nativity, and Judah encounters Jesus on several occasions.  Never once do we see the face of Christ, nor do we hear his voice.  Yet the stamp of Christ is all over the course of Judah's life.  This film is as Christian as they come, and it is also one of the greatest stories written.  Judah is given every reason to hate, reason to strike out in war against his enemies.  Yet the person of Jesus calls to him, and the voice of Jesus instructs him.  There, on the hill of calvary, Judah witnesses the crucifixion and returns to his home a different man.  He speaks to Esther with wonder, telling her how even on the Cross Jesus prayed "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do."  And then Judah tells her, "and I felt his voice take the sword out of my hand."

It is in forgiveness that Judah gains true victory over his enemies, and he also learns how God works in both subtle and miraculous ways.  It is a beautiful, wonderful story fully worthy of every accolade that might be given.

When it comes to production values, Ben-Hur still ranks among the top best movies ever made.  Granted, there are a few points where things break down a bit -the rather sad looking naval battle is the low point.  But overall there is no mistaking the grandeur of everything you see.  And in particular, the famed chariot race is still one of the most exciting and spectacularly filmed action sequences of all time.  The stunt work, camera work, and (of course) horsemanship, are all fantastic.

Listen, movies just do not get much bigger or better than this.  Ben-Hur is one for the ages, fully deserving the 11 Oscars it won.  And for the record, the other films that have since won 11 Oscars could not claim to deserve all of them.  Ben-Hur is in a league of its own.

Entertainment: 9/10
Artistic Value: 10/10
Technical Merit: 9.5/10

Overall: 10/10

Runners up for the letter "B:"

• Blade Runner
• Babette's Feast
• Brazil
• Braveheart