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 "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 "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 "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

The Best Christmas Movies Ever

Hollywood has long had a love affair with Christmas.  The "Christmas Movie" is a well-established genre, with more and more of these films running marathons and specials on tv every year, with more in theaters every year as well.  

What follows is my list of the best Christmas movies ever.  To qualify, a movie has to be: 1) about Christmas, or 2) involve Christmas as a major plot element or theme.  There are plenty of others, and many of them are great.  But these are the best, according to my opinionated (and thereby treated as correct in this forum) point of view.

#8: It's a Wonderful Life

Who can resist Jimmy Stewart at Christmas?  "Merry Christmas you old building and loan!"  Overall, not the best movie ever.  But certainly one of the most cheerful and sweetest.  

#7: A Christmas Story

Ralphie and his quest for a Red Rider BB gun are now legendary.  This is one of a very small selection of films that really gets little boys, and how they think, right.  "You'll shoot your eye out, kid."


#6:  Elf

Honestly, this is a modern classic.  This one is all about Will Ferrell, who proves he can carry a movie on his elfish optimism.  A great supporting cast and screenplay certainly also help.  "Buddy the elf, what's your favorite color?"


Hit the jump for the top 5.

Thor: The Dark World (2013)

Being a fan of action movies and comic books, I am predisposed to enjoy movies such as Thor 2.  So, naturally, I actually DID find myself enjoying Thor: The Dark World.  There is so much for a comic nerd to love here, and enough action to please those who are just along for the ride.

Of course, that's not to say this is a flawless or exceptional film in any sense.  Thor 2 suffers as a sequel, due to the first being much more well-crafted and executed.  The sequel just doesn't quite have the spark the first did, and the change in the director's chair clearly shows all the way through.

There are a few outright negatives I noticed.  Firstly, the movie was overall poorly edited.  Second, it had more than a tad bit of those "isn't THAT just a little convenient!" moments (such as the fact that it was Jane who finds the Aether by accident, or that the things Erik Selvig was working on could be easily adapted to save the day).  Third, I never quite understood why Thor's desperate plan was all that necessary.  I mean, the movie never convinced me that Asgard really was all that outmatched by the dark elves.  Finally, the end (and I won't spoil anything for you) tried to have a really strong punch, but seemed to lack coherency -raising many questions that contradict or defy explanation.

But hey, on the whole it was very enjoyable and well done.  It had a well-mined seam of humor and it certainly set up further development in the Marvel universe.  Where they are going with the overall story arc of these movies is hinted at throughout the movie, and it all looks to be quite epic.

Final thought: Loki rocks.  He's by far the most interesting character in the film.

Entertainment: 7/10
Artistic Value: 4/10
Technical Merit: 5/10

Overall: 6/10

Dredd (2012)

Dredd is exactly the kind of movie a summer action film should be.  Based on comic book source material, Dredd is completely unapologetic for what it is: action, action, action, with very little of that pesky stuff that gets in the way such as "plot," "character development," and "acting."

Yet it works in a great way.  Many films try to accomplish too much, and end up collapsing under the weight of their own hubris.  Dredd simply says it is about bad guys and the good guys who kill them.  The simple plot works, allowing the action to continue without pause.

And the action is...extreme.  Extreme explosions, extreme carnage, extreme violence, you name it.

So if you're looking for booms and fast moving fun, Dredd is your film.  If you want to use your brain, look elsewhere.

Entertainment: 7/10
Artistic Value: 2/10
Technical Merit: 5/10

Overall: 5/10

Stargate (1994)

At times a movie's premise is much better than the movie itself.  Perhaps that is why Stargate, which is at best an average movie, launched a long-running television show.  The premise is just so good, so fun to think about.  But the strength of the main plot element just isn't enough in this case to support in this case anything more than a lackluster final product.

Everyone does their best to produce something memorable, but in the final analysis none of the performances truly shine, and the special effects don't hold up under the weight of time.  But most crushingly, what really takes me out of the story is how the film treats the soldier characters.  They are supposed to be sympathetic, but it's hard to feel for one-note characters.  Further, the director needed to learn a few things about tactics and how a soldier acts (for example, the number of times these meat heads cock their guns is staggering).  I mean, did no one really plan out this expedition to the other side of the universe?  Did they not sit down and ask James Spader's character (the resident dweeb smart guy) "so exactly how do you intend on getting us home again?"  There's just a lot of loose ends, unanswered questions, and possible plot holes.

Oh, and that alien animal that looked like the mutant evil cross between a camel, goat, and bullfrog?  That thing simply looked terrible.  Quite obviously a bad prop.

Entertainment: 6/10
Artistic Value: 4/10
Technical Merit: 5/10

Overall: 5/10

Red (2010)

Some movies are just plain fun.  Red is one of those movies.  It could have been an average to poor action movie.  It could have taken itself too seriously, and become a common, moderately interesting but ultimately forgettable flick.  Luckily, the director and actors decided not to take themselves too very seriously.  They planted their tongue firmly in their cheeks and simply had fun.

The result is just marvelous.  I won't bother you with the plot, the whole thing is unimportant really.  What is important is that we have a stellar cast enjoying themselves greatly.  Especially John Malkovich.  I love watching Malkovich work in anything, but here he steals the show in every scene in which he appears.  If the rest of the cast make the movie fun, Malkovich provides the glee.

The writing is great.  Again, not the plot, but the wit and way it is written.  Red pokes fun at all the conventions of action movies like James Bond in almost every line.  As an example, at one point two elderly spies are laughing about the "good old days" when they were commonly in action, and one laments "I haven't killed anyone in years!"  To this the other replies with a straight face and a touch of genuine sympathy, "that's sad." 

If you like action, and if you like to laugh, take a look.  This one is just plain fun.

Entertainment: 9/10
Artistic value: 6/10
Technical merit: 5/10

Overall: 7/10

P.S.  I inflated the "artistic" category more than some might think on this one idea: perhaps there is a serious statement here about how absurd most action movies are.  Is it an artistic critique of the action genre?  Maybe.  Frankly, I just enjoy it.

The Expendables 2 (2012)

The premise of The Expendables (and thus also the sequel) is get as big a cast together of the greatest action stars of the last 30 years and have fun.  Plot is non-existent and acting is clearly not a priority.  Everything is secondary to the cast, and having the cast blow things up spectacularly.

The Expendables was fun.  Stupid fun, but fun.  The Expendables 2 on the other hand, is stupid and boring, with little to recommend it.  It ought to be great, but the cast is reduced to bad and tired one-liners that reference their glory days, and the action is simply "hero shots" of our cast as they fire heavy weapons and kill the bad guys.  Explosions are frequent, the body count is huge, but the action is simply dull.  Without a plot to care about, tons of action simply becomes mindless drivel.

The idea of having an action movie not take itself seriously is great.  The execution on this one is terrible.  The word "Expendable" means superfluous, something that can be destroyed without loss.  Nothing could be a better description of this movie.

Entertainment: 4/10
Artistic value: 2/10
Technical merit: 3/10

Overall: 4/10

The Great Escape (1963)

On March 24, 1944 several hundred prisoners in the German prison camp Stalag Luft III put into action a plan they had been working on for over a year.  This was a new camp, one boldly called "escape proof" by the Luftwaffe.  But you see, they hadn't counted on the ingenuity of their RAF prisoners.  And that night 76 prisoners managed to go through their tunnel and escape the camp.

The Great Escape is the Hollywood adaptation of that story.  Clearly, many things are changed in the story. James Clavell, the screenwriter, obviously had his orders to make certain changes to make the story appeal to more than just British audiences.  So Steve McQueen, for example, has quite the starring role as one of the three Americans in the movie who never existed in real life.

The result of it all, inflated history as it is, is nothing short of a brilliant movie delight.  Everything, particularly the writing, is simply marvelous.  The first half of the film plays out almost as comedy, as the prisoners outwit and outmaneuver their German captors.  The second half then is pure action adventure, as the 76 who managed to get through the tunnel do their best to make it to freedom.

Of course there are the iconic elements involved; the music, the image of Charles Bronson crawling through the tunnel as he digs, and of course Steve McQueen bouncing his baseball around in the "cooler."  If you have never seen it, you must; The Great Escape is both amazing entertainment and unbelievable history.

Entertainment: 9/10
Artistic Value: 6/10
Technical Merit: 7/10

Overall: 9/10

P.S.  It has its drawbacks.  1.The ending is weaker than the rest.  2. Some of the actors are not as good as the main players. 3. I think an opportunity was missed to make some greater artistic points in the midst of the action and wit.

In spite of whatever drawbacks might be found, this is still a greatly wonderful movie, one nearly impossible to improve.  Bottom line: The Great Escape is one of the most fun and watchable (and re-watchable) movies of all time.

The Little Mermaid (1989)

This is the review that will earn me the wrath of my little sister.  I love you sis, but I see this as revenge for your (many) repeated viewings of this horrible, horrible monster of a movie.  I've seen plenty of movies that I've hated, but there are few that hated me back.  This is one of those evil and malicious movies that just want to hurt me.

See, it's the music.  This film is full of wicked tunes that get in your head and remain there even a full decade after the last viewing.  The movie has a full slate of earworms that never die (that "daughters of Triton" bit will haunt me until I draw my last breath).  This is enough to give great cause to despise The Little Mermaid.

Then there are the characters.  You know, the shallow fall hopelessly 'in love' starry eyed whiny entitled brat of a teenager with fins.  Then there's the amazingly irritating sea gull; awkward, unpleasant, unfunny, and somehow even smelly -a true rat with wings.  There is also a dippy and dull-witted yellow best friend fish that is somehow fat, a mutant red cross between a turtle and crab (seriously, what kind of crab has a retractable head?) that is also a grouch, and a domineering father fish man that displays his love by shouting a lot.

But you know, it's the messages of this movie that kill me.  If ever there was a movie that could be used to show that Disney is an evil-bad company, this is it.  Consider what life lessons the little girls this movie is aimed at are encouraged to learn:

1. Your father doesn't know what is best for you.  Defy him and eventually he'll realize that you are right.
2. Love (AKA that glow you feel after first clapping eyes on some cute guy) is worth doing ANYTHING to get/keep hold of.  Even and especially giving up your body and the things about you that are priceless and unique.
3. The first kiss of true love is this magical, over the top experience that conquers all evils and sets everything to right.  
4. Sometimes things are forbidden because they are great.  Old people don't know as much as you do.  Up with youth, down with the previous generation!

You get the idea.  Okay, I know I overstate my case a bit.  There are redemptive themes, and even the example of a substitutionary payment.  And the animation is great.  But in this case, even though I hurl my vitriol against Ariel and her ilk with a great deal of tongue in cheek and a wink in my eye, the bad still does outweigh the good.

Oh, and everything is certainly NOT better down where it's wetter.  Take it from me.

Entertainment: 5/10
Artistic Value: 4/10
Technical Merit: 4/10

Overall: 4/10

The Hidden Fortress (1958)

Good movies inspire.  And great directors make great movies.  In 1958 Akira Kurosawa directed The Hidden Fortress, using his favorite star Toshiro Mifune.  It's a simple tale really, about two peasants fleeing a war.  As they attempt to flee across a border they find two things they did not expect: a mysterious source of gold, and two strangers.  The strangers of course turn out to be a princess and her champion, a fierce and legendary samurai.  They also are fleeing, being on the losing side of the war.  But they are in disguise, and the peasants agree to help them get over the border as well in exchange for the gold.

This movie gets a lot right: the interactions between the characters is memorable and fun.  The plot is simple, yet alludes to a much grander, wider world.  The dialogue is fun, the acting good, and the pacing of the action perfect.  Most notably, The Hidden Fortress excels in its use of action.  The whole movie we are hearing of how masterful a warrior this general Makabe is, but we only ever see him acting the role of a peasant.  But in one glorious moment, the disguise is shed and the warrior emerges, powerful, strong, and dangerous.  I hadn't realized it, but I had been waiting for the general to show his stuff, and when he did it was amazingly powerful.

It's a simple movie, yet very well done.  And it's inspiring, as I've said.  George Lucas, in fact, cites The Hidden Fortress as a chief inspiration for his later Star Wars.  You know, the one where two more or less normal guys try to smuggle a princess and her general away from another evil empire...

Entertainment: 8/10
Artistic Value: 6/10
Technical Merit: 7/10

Overall: 7/10

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)

Peter Lorre gives his first English performance in the first of Hitchcock's two versions of The Man Who Knew Too Much.  And boy, is that performance memorable.  He charms and laughs and rages his way through this tight and fun thriller, entirely and in every way stealing the show.

Comparisons are inevitable between this version and the later one with Jimmy Stewart.  But really overall they are very different films that simply share a similar plot.  The tension comes from a similar source, but the resolution of that tension and how it is developed are hardly similar.

To be honest, I'm not sure which version I prefer.  Hitchcock himself clearly thought he could do more with the concept, and he was right.  He certainly added to what he did here in the later film.  And of course the remake had Jimmy Stewart, which for me is always a plus (and changed the forgettable father in the early version with an unforgettable hero in the second.).  But overall I think the first film had better pacing, a much better villain, and a much more artistic style.  Hitchcock was breaking new ground in movie making, crafting a short but incredibly wonderful movie that still keeps audiences on the edge of their seats (and that has no small amount of humor).

Highly recommended.

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

Overall: 7/10

The Rock (1996)

The Rock does have a plot.  Y'see, there's this general who thinks his men have been treated badly, so he takes over Alcatraz and holds San Francisco hostage with chemical weapons.  The only hope we have is a guy who's been in prison for decades and some geek who...

Oh forget it.  The plot is absurd.  But who cares?  This isn't a fine drama or a believable character study.  This movie exists for one purpose: loud, high-speed action and explosions.  The Rock thus is the penultimate '90's action film.

It was directed by Michael Bay.  This would usually be a loud, obnoxious point against the film.  However, this is one of the two or three films that Bay's done that actually works.  It works for several reasons: it doesn't take itself too seriously, the actors are of fine quality (excepting Nicholas Cage), and the screenplay is phenomenal.  The script is full of wit and humor, with one-liners and zingers that help keep the movie feeling light and fun, while at the same time keeping it out of the realm of camp.  (for example, when told there is a "situation" that Mason -Sean Connery's character -might help with, he replies, "And what might that be?  I've been in jail longer than Nelson Mandela, so maybe you want me to run for President.")  I must warn you though; this movie has quite a bit of the "colorful" language.

Sean Connery carries the film, basically reprising his role as James Bond (a much older, much more foul-mouthed Bond).  Nicholas Cage is his usual, "shouldn't be working as an actor" self, but he does seem to be having fun.  And Ed Harris is a great conflicted bad guy/good guy, trying desperately to achieve his good ends through bad means without losing control of the situation.

But of course the real star is the action.  And there is lots of it.  There's the unforgettable Hummer vs Ferrari chase through the streets of San Francisco, and the many shootouts and explosions on Alcatraz itself.  It's all done well, and makes for a very exciting, very fun flick.

So ignore the plot holes.  Ignore Nicholas Cage.  Disregard the cheesy moments or the over-the-top and unbelievable elements.  Just enjoy The Rock.

Entertainment: 9/10
Artistic Value: 2/10
Technical Merit: 6/10

Overall: 6/10

P.S. Content warning: lots of death, mayhem, and violence.  Grizzly deaths abound, and strong language ensues.

An American in Paris (1951)

For clarity's sake, I'm allowed to like both Alien and An American in Paris.  Both are fantastic at what they do.  They just do very different things.  One scares the daylights out of you, the other will invariably make you smile anytime.

Gene Kelly was at the peak of his game with An American in Paris.  He's witty, charming, bombastic, free-spirited, and contagiously happy.  He's after one girl, while another girl is after him.  The girl he wants is the fiancee of a friend, while the girl who wants him happens to be his patron (he's an artist).

But the movie isn't about the plot.  This movie works because of three things: 1) The music is entirely Gershwin, and the use of his music is inspired.  2) The dancing, especially during the ballet piece, which is by far the best dancing sequence ever put on film.  3) Gene Kelly.  Honestly, I'd watch Gene Kelly work in anything, even in his garden.  I know that sounds all stalker-ish, and I'm willing to accept such accusations.  Kelly simply was a master on film.  He knew how to act, how to sing, and how to dance -the Hollywood triple threat.  And he does all three with a seemingly effortless precision; I say "seemingly," because I know that he worked dog hard and was a notorious perfectionist.

An American in Paris is the feel-good, happy, all-singing, all-dancing great film that won Best Picture.  Watch it.  's wonderful. 's marvelous.

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

Overall: 7/10

The Departed (2006)

Never have I disagreed more with the Academy than when The Departed won four Oscars.  Truth be told, 2006 was not a very fabulous year for really fantastic film (there were a few, but not many).  However, none of the best films of that year were even nominated for Best Picture.  So instead of something good winning, we got The Departed instead.

Ok, to be fair it wasn't bad.  In fact, as a movie it worked on many levels.  It was fun to see such a great cast working together, and the last little bit at the end with Mark Wahlberg made the whole film worthwhile.  But the errors started piling up, from writing shortcomings to massive continuity goofs.  The sheer amount of filthy language (including every possible racial slur) and intense violence is enough to put anyone off.  To be honest, some things were so bad (perhaps "lazy" is a better word) in the technical aspects of the movie that the awards for best editing and direction completely baffled me.  "Oscar," I started to think, "must be in on the take."

The 79th Academy Awards was such a joke, and the punchline was The Departed.  So many better movies were available: Pan's Labyrinth, The Prestige, Cars, and Blood Diamond all come to mind (ok, so I'd have been just as upset at a Blood Diamond win, but hey, it WAS a better movie than The Departed.).

Bottom line: Not a bad movie, but should never have been Best Picture of any year.

Entertainment: 5/10
Artistic Value: 6/10
Technical Merit: 4/10

Overall: 5/10

Hoosiers (1986)

This little gem starring Gene Hackman is hands down the best basketball film ever, and perhaps the best sports film ever.  Also, it has fantabulous '80's synthesized music.

About an underdog tiny high school basketball team in Indiana that makes it to the State Finals, Hoosiers is everything you could hope from a sports film.  The actors clearly know the sport and actually play it, so nothing looks "wrong."  You care about the characters, and each is developed in individual ways.  Plus, the film does a great job exploring both small town politics and how a sport can become so important to people that it overwhelms tiny, insignificant things like truth and justice.

Hackman brings his usual firebrand style of acting, and it fits his character perfectly.  He has many great lines, and forms the heart of the film.  As Hackman shines, so also does Hoosiers.  But unfortunately, we also see why Hackman plays so few romantic roles in film.  His kissing scene is painful in a "slobber all over her" kind of way.  The other standout is of course Dennis Hopper, who plays the town drunk who is given a second chance.

Hoosiers has heart.  It's often overlooked, but hey, Goliath might have overlooked David too.

Entertainment: 8/10
Artistic Value: 7/10
Technical Merit: 6/10 (loses a whole point for the music!)

Overall: 7/10

P.S.  As a sports movie, and not compared to other films outside the genre, Hoosiers might score a 9/10.