And Again.

MOVIES I HAVE SEEN BEFORE:
(Most of which deserve more than a blurb but so it goes...)

Casablanca (1942)
Academy Award Winner, AFI TOP 100:3
What can I say that hasn't been said? An incredible script full of emotion and real humor executed by some of the greatest. Bogart's got his gritty leading man going, and I love it. This may not be Inglorious Bastards, but beating the Nazis is definitely a plus. It is always worth a re-watch. SPECIAL WARNING: You will be quoting for days.
5/5 Stars

Dr. Stangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
Nominee, AFI TOP 100:39
Another Kubrick classic that directly satirizes its time period. It's an important historical film, while also being quite funny. It drags a little at times, but Peter Sellers makes up for it. Now get your cowboy hat and go ride a bomb! YEE-HAW!
3.5/5 Stars

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
Nominee
This tense little family made up of losers is perfectly flawed. They find their way into your heart because they are so messed up, and they stay their because they make you laugh. They may fail at being a family, they may even fail at being themselves, but it's fun and touching to watch them keep trying. Also I promise you will never forget the ending.
4/5 Stars

Pulp Fiction (1994)
Nominee, AFI TOP 100:94
The film that made Tarantino Tarantino. He showed that an audience can be held with a non-linear narrative and we will not only stay but rejoice. Quirky, and edgy this film is one of my all time favorites. Taratino puts the everyday moments in ridiculous situations, and makes a style all to his own.
5/5 Stars

And Now for Something Different...

I am desperately behind on my posts, so think of this like speed dating...but film criticism... 

MOVIES I HAVE NOT SEEN BEFORE:

Witness (1985)
Nominee
So what we have here is your standard Harrison Ford Action flick, that is at the beginning and the end. What's in the middle you say? Silent sexually tense stares complete with the Amish and 80's synthesizers.  Not a bad film especially if you have a Harrison Ford crush and, lets be honest, who doesn't?
3/5 Stars

Scent of a Women (1992)
Nominee
What??? AL PACINO IS AMAZING YET AGAIN??? Surprise!  Pacino gives a great performance as a blind Lieutenant Colonel who spends a weekend with a Prep School student in New York on what may be his last days alive. He's loud, crass, and I want to be his best friend. The script is sharp, although toeing at some cheesiness but overall well executed.
4/5 Stars

The Full Monty (1997)
Nominee
Whelp think Magic Mike? Except with older British men who are down on their luck and need the extra cash. I found the film actually quite human and charming, which I did not expect. No it's not a great cinematic creation but certainly worth an hour and a half of your time.
3.5/5 Stars

Love Story (1970)
Nominee
NO.
And I am not sorry because I don't have to be. (I am trying to tell you I love you.)

-2/5 Stars

The Ox-Bow Incident (1943)

Nominee

Whelp seems I am accidentally stalking Anthony Quinn...but it was fun to jump 20 years backward! 

I have never read this book so I am not sure this notion is entirely founded, but I don't believe it was translated well to the screen. It certainly encompasses a compelling situation, where the mob mentality results in the execution of three innocent men and the repercussions of such actions. However the film was almost entirely horse riding scenes with blatant moral debates which do grow tiresome. In addition, they market Henry Fonda as the protagonist and his character has no real purpose in the entire film, and his love plot even less so. 

However the film was not without some saving graces. Although I knew going in that the three men were going to be killed I found myself still some how believing that they were going to be saved, the film certainly drew out the suspense. And, I was also amused to see Margaret Hamilton as something beside the Wicked Witch of the West which caused me to sing the Miss Gulch biking song. Similarly, I had not seen Jane Darwell outside Mary Poppins in a while but she certainly wasn't feeding the bird this time.

Overall: It lost to Casablanca (1943) and to me it is almost unfathomable that that film, one of the greatest works of all time, and this one were made in the same year. If you choose to watch it, its only 75 minutes, but you can certainly skip it. 

Zorba the Greek (1964)

Nominee

This film is interesting to me because it does what I usually fault most 60's films for not doing, and fails at what most 60's films usually do best. That is to say, it found it's own visual creative niche, and had a very laudable performance from Anthony Quinn, yet came up short when it came to the plot itself.

I was impressed by the narrative motif of dance that was echoed back in some of the handheld camera motions throughout the film. It was surprising to see the camera sweeping with reckless abandon in some of the sequences and I appreciated it greatly. This sort of self awareness in the shooting was not very common in the time. 

In addition, I found that Anthony Quinn's performance as the vivacious and spirited Zorba was one that truly stood the test of time. He found a nuanced realness to this caricature of a person, and seemed to celebrate his flaws as what makes him accessible to an audience. 

My two qualms? The plot line was this sort of  muddled love story/failed entrepreneur pursuit. It never really found its footing in either, and perhaps only found a glimmer of success at the end when both stories end in failure. The other thing the film focused on is the relationship of Zorba and Basil, an English writer who is trying to revitalize his career. Yet while Zorba is extremely compelling, Basil is completely helpless and incompetent making his character completely foreign to me, and just not worthwhile.

Lastly, although the story itself was flawed, the screenplay had some true depth to it and set up some very human moments. And who doesn't love Greek Music? I mean really. 

Overall: Have you ever seen a more splendiferous film? Well maybe yes. But the risk taking the cinematography took and Anthony Quinn's performance make the film worth the watch. And it will certainly make you want to dance no matter how you feel. Opa! And Happy Watching! 

Becket (1964)

Nominee

Well we have another 60's costume drama. And it certainly has costumes and drama. As this screenplay is bellowed by Peter O' Toole we are taken back to the time of King Henry the II where his tumultuous homoerotic friendship with one Thomas Becket unfolds. 

The beginning is full of what I would call medieval "bro" banter, it is full of fast paced witty dialogue; which I must say is on the whole enjoyable. The film then turns from establishing this ill-fated friendship to problematizing it. And as soon as it takes this turn the film is suddenly riddled with repetitive conversations, and one existential crisis after another. Peter O'Toole will continue to bellow but now the only phrases are "I LOVE BECKET!", and "I NEED TO LEARN TO BE ALONE!!!". Where as Richard Burton is busy spiking candles to the ground to excommunicate sinful lords in his new found position of archbishop of Canterbury. 

The shooting is straight forward, although occasionally going in for the emotional close-up, but these shots feel awkward amongst the rest of the film. And although I love watching Richard Burton and Peter O'Toole this is not necessarily their best.

Overall: It is an average film, and very much a product of its time period. Some of the early dialogue is fun, but it fizzles out at the end. It's okay to skip this one. 

Guns of Navarone (1961)

Nominee

Well everyone I have survived another school year, and I cannot believe how long it has been since I last posted. I wish I could have shared all the movies I watched this last semester with you, but alas they surmounted to over 70 films and I had actual papers to write on them instead of my over opinionated smatterings. 

So how do I re-kickstart my quest? With yet another sea laden voyage. I seem to have come across a number of these films (to name a few: Mutiny on the Bounty (1935), Caine Mutiny (1954), and Mister Roberts (1955)) and although they usually have a solid plot line, they just don't typically have that extra edge. They are riddled with big named stars, and shot in standard Hollywood format so what they need is something exceptional to make them standout, but often the cookie cutter format is just repeated. I turned to my sister a number of times and found myself saying things like: "Here comes the love plot!", or "Oh look deeper meaning!!". It's just too easy to watch, and not particularly engaging.

Not to say it was without merit but it seems to all fall into the hands of the storyline, and the fame of the actors. I mean, what is not to like about a ragtag group of people going on an impossible quest to kill Nazis and save thousands of lives? Filled with obstacles and plot twists the film does provide a narrative worth filming. It just should not have dragged its feet through 2 and a half hours. Also I do enjoy watching the acting styles of old. You watch Gregory Peck to see Gregory Peck, and here it is delivered. No these performances are not the rich and nuanced practices of say Daniel Day Lewis, but that was not was expected of the time. They looked for strength in character and command of the screen, and this cast is worth watching. 

Lastly, the effects in this film are actually fairly good for it's time. Especially the explosions, of which there are a fairly high number. 

Overall: Its cast works well off each other, and a film filled with Nazis and explosions is always at least a little entertaining. The film just lacks a personality of its own, and could be at least a half an hour shorter. An okay watch, but can be passed over. 

Best Picture Winners and Nominees

I have had a few people ask me to post a list so...Here you go! All 502!

1.      1928 - The Wings

·         The Racket

·         Seventh Heaven

2.      1929- The Broadway Melody

·         Alibi

·         The Hollywood Revue of 1929

·         In Old Arizona

·         The Patriot

3.      1930-All Quiet on the Western Front

·         The Big House

·         Disraeli

·         The Divorcee

·         The Love Parade

4.      1931-Cimarron

·         East Lynne

·         The Front Page

·         Skippy

·         Trader Horn

5.      1932-Grand Hotel

·         Arrow Smith

·         Bad Girl

·         The Champ

·         Five Star Final

·         One Hour With You

·         Shanghai Express

·         The Smiling Lieutenant

6.      1933-Cavalcade

·         42nd Street

·         A Farewell to Arms

·         I am a Fugitive from the Chain Gang

·         Lady for a Day

·         Little Women

·         The Private Life of Henry the VIII

·         She Done Him Wrong

·         Smilin' Through

·         State Fair

7.      1934-It Happened One Night

·         The Barretts of Wimpole Street

·         Cleopatra

·         Flirtation Walk

·         The Gay Divorcee

·         Here Comes the Navy

·         The House of Rothschild

·         Imitation of Life

·         One Night of Love

·         Viva Villa

·         The White Parade

·         The Thin Man

8.      1935-Mutiny on the Bounty

·         Alice Adams

·         Broadway Melody of 1936

·         Captain Blood

·         David Copperfield

·         The Informer

·         The Lives of Bengal Lancer

·         A Midsummer Night's Dream

·         Les Miserables

·         Naughty Marietta

·         Ruggles of Red Cap

·         Top Hat

9.      1936-The Great Ziegfeld

·         Anthony Adverse

·         Dodsworth

·         Libeled Lady

·         Mr.Deeds Goes to Town

·         Romeo and Juliet

·         San Francisco

·         The Story of Louis Pasteur

·         A Tale of Two Cities

·         Three Smart Girls

10.  1937-The Life of Emile Zola

·         The Awful Truth

·         Captain Courageous

·         Dead End

·         The Good Earth

·         In Old Chicago

·         Lost Horizon

·         One Hundred Men and a Girl

·         Stage Door

·         A Star is Born

11.  1938-You Can't Take It With You

·         The Adventures of Robin Hood

·         Alexander's Ragtime Band

·         Boys Town

·         The Citadel

·         Four Daughters

·         Grand Illusion

·         Jezebel

·         Pygmalion

·         Test Pilot

12.  1939-Gone With the Wind

·         Dark Victory

·         Goodbye, Mr. Chips

·         Love Affair

·         Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

·         Ninotchka

·         Of Mice and Men

·         Stage Coach

·         The Wizard of Oz

·         Wuthering Heights

13.  1940-Rebecca

·         All This, and Heaven Too

·         Foreign Correspondent

·         The Grapes Wrath

·         The Great Dictator

·         Kitty Foyle

·         The Letter

·         The Long Voyage Home

·         Our Town

·         The Philadelphia Story

14.  1941-How Green Was my Valley

·         Blossoms In the Dust

·         Citizen Kane

·         Here Comes Mr. Jordan

·         Hold Back the Dawn

·         The Little Foxes

·         The Maltese Falcon

·         One Foot in Heaven

·         Sergeant York

·         Suspicion

15.  1942-Mrs.Miniver

·         49th Parallel

·         King's Row

·         The Magnificent Ambersons

·         The Pied Piper

·         The Pride of the Yankees

·         Random Harvest

·         The Talk of the Town

·         Wake Island

·         Yankee Doodle Dandy

16.  1943-Casablanca

·         For Whom the Bells Toll

·         Heaven Can Wait

·         The Human Comedy

·         In Which We Serve

·         Madame Currie

·         The More the Merrier

·         The Ox-Bow Incident

·         The Song of Bernardette

·         Watch on the Rhine

17.  1944-Going My  Way

·         Double Indemnity

·         Gaslight

·         Since You Went Away

·         Wilson

18.  1945-The Lost Weekend

·         Anchors Aweigh

·         The Bells of St.Mary's

·         Mildred Pierce

·         Spellbound

19.  1946-The Best Years of Our Lives

·         Henry V

·         It's a Wonderful Life

·         The Razor's Edge

·         The Yearling

20.  1947-Gentlemen's Agreement

·         The Bishop's Wife

·         Crossfire

·         Great Expectations

·         Miracle on 34th Street

21.  1948-Hamlet

·         Johnny Belinda

·         The Red Shoes

·         The Snakes Pit

·         The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

22.  1949-All the King's Men

·         Battleground

·         The Heiress

·         The Letter to Three Wives

·         Twelve O'Clock High

23.  1950-All About Eve

·         Born Yesterday

·         Father of the Bride

·         King Solomon's Mines

·         Sunset Boulevard

24.  1951-An American in Paris

·         Decision Before Dawn

·         A Place in the Sun

·         Quo Vadis

·         A Streetcar Names Desire

25.  1952-The Greatest Show on Earth

·         High Noon

·         Ivanhoe

·         Moulin Rouge

·         The Quiet Man

26.  1953-From Here to Eternity

·         Julius Caesar

·         The Robe

·         Roman Holiday

·         Shane

27.  1954-On the Waterfront

·         The Caine Mutiny

·         The Country Girl

·         Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

·         Three Coins in the Fountain

28.  1955-Marty

·         Love is a Many-Splendored Thing

·         Mister Roberts

·         Picnic

·         The Rose Tattoo

29.  1956-Around the World in Eighty Days

·         Friendly Persuasion

·         Giant

·         The King and I

·         Ten Commandments

30.  1957-The Bridge on the River Kwai

·         Peyton Place

·         Sayonara

·         12 Angry Men

·         Witness for the Prosecution

31.  1958-Gigi

·         Auntie Mame

·         Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

·         The Defiant One

·         Separate Tables

32.  1959-Ben Hur

·         Anatomy of a Murder

·         The Diary of Anne Frank

·         The Nun's Story

·         Room at the Top

33.  1960-The Apartment

·         The Alamo

·         Elmer Gantry

·         Sons and Lovers

·         The Sundowners

34.  1961-West Side Story

·         Fanny

·         The Guns of Navarone

·         The Hustler

·         Judgment and  Nuremberg

35.  1962-Lawrence of Arabia

·         The Longest Day

·         The Music Man

·         Mutiny on the Bounty

·         To Kill a Mockingbird

36.  1963-Tom Jones

·         America, America

·         Cleopatra

·         How the West was Won

·         Lilies of The Field

37.  1964-My Fair Lady

·         Becket

·         Dr.Strangelove

·         Mary Poppins

·         Zorba the Greek

38.  1965-Sound of Music

·         Darling

·         Doctor Zhivago

·         Ship of Fools

·         A Thousand Clowns

39.  1966-A Man for All Seasons

·         Alfie

·         The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming

·         The Sand Pebbles

·         Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

40.  1967-In the Heat of the Night

·         Bonnie and Clyde

·         Doctor Doolittle

·         The Graduate

·         Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

41.  1968-Oliver!

·         Funny Girl

·         A Lion in Winter

·         Rachel, Rachel

·         Romeo and Juliet

42.  1969-Midnight Cowboy

·         Anne of the Thousand Days

·         Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

·         Hello, Dolly!

·         Z

43.  1970-Patton

·         Airport

·         Five Easy Pieces

·         Love Story

·         MASH

44.  1971-French Connection

·         A Clockwork Orange

·         Fiddler on the Roof

·         The Last Picture Show

·         Nicholas and Alexandra

45.  1972-The Godfather

·         Cabaret

·         Deliverance

·         The Emigrants

·         Sounder

46.  1973-The Sting

·         American Graffiti

·         Cries and Whispers

·         The Exorcist

·         A Touch of Class

47.  1974-The Godfather Part II

·         Chinatown

·         The Conversation

·         Lenny

·         The Towering Inferno

48.  1975-One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

·         Barry Lyndon

·         Dog Day Afternoon

·         Jaws

·         Nashville

49.  1976-Rocky

·         All the President's Men

·         Bound for Glory

·         Taxi Driver

·         Network

50.  1977-Annie Hall

·         The Goodbye Girl

·         Julia

·         Star Wars

·         The Turning Point

51.  1978-The Deer Hunter

·         Coming Home

·         Heaven Can Wait

·         Midnight Express

·         An Unmarried Woman

52.  1979-Kramer v. Kramer

·         All that Jazz

·         Apocalypse Now

·         Breaking Away

·         Norma Rae

53.  1980-Ordinary People

·         Coal Miner's Daughter

·         The Elephant Man

·         Raging Bull

·         Tess

54.  1981-Chariots of Fire

·         Atlantic City

·         On  Golden Pond

·         Raider's of the Lost Ark

·         Reds

55.  1982-Gandhi

·         ET

·         Missing

·         Tootsie

·         The Verdict

56.  1983-Terms of Endearment

·         The Big Chill

·         The Dresser

·         The Right Stuff

·         Tender Mercies

57.  1984-Amadeus

·         The Killing Fields

·         A Passage to India

·         Places in the Heart

·         A Soldier's Story

58.  1985-Out of Africa

·         The Color Purple

·         Kiss of the Spiderwoman

·         Prizzi's Honor

·         Witness

59.  1986-Platoon

·         Children of a Lesser God

·         Hannah and her Sisters

·         The Mission

·         A Room with a View

60.  1987-The Last Emperor

·         Broadcast News

·         Fatal Attraction

·         Hope and Glory

·         Moonstruck

61.  1988-Rain Man

·         The Accidental Tourist

·         Dangerous Liaisons

·         Mississippi Burning

·         Working Girl

62.  1989-Driving Miss Daisy

·         Born on the Fourth of July

·         Dead Poets Society

·         Field of Dreams

·         My Left Foot

63.  1990-Dances With Wolves

·         Awakening

·         Ghost

·         Godfather Part III

·         Goodfellas

64.  1991-Silence of the Lambs

·         Beauty and the Beast

·         Bugsy

·         JFK

·         The Prince of Tides

65.  1992-Unforgiven

·         The Crying Game

·         A Few Good Men

·         Howards End

·         Scent of a Woman

66.  1993-Schindler's List

·         The Fugitive

·         In the Name of the Father

·         The Piano

·         The Remains of a Day

67.  1994-Forrest Gump

·         Four  Weddings  and a Funeral

·         Pulp Fiction

·         Quiz Show

·         The Shawshank Redemption

68.  1995-Braveheart

·         Babe

·         Apollo 13

·         Il Postino

·         Sense and Sensibility

69.  1996-English Patient

·         Fargo

·         Jerry Maguire

·         Secrets and Lies

·         Shine

70.  1997-Titanic

·         As Good as it Gets

·         The Full Monty

·         Good Will Hunting

·         L.A. Confidential

71.  1998-Shakespeare in Love

·         Elizabeth

·         Life is Beautiful

·         Saving Private Ryan

·         The Thin Red Line

72.  1999-American Beauty

·         The Cider House Rules

·         The Green Mile

·         The Insider

·         The Sixth Sense

73.  2000-Gladiator

·         Chocolat

·         Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

·         Erin Brokovich

·         Traffic

74.  2001-A Beautiful Mind

·         Gosford Park

·         In the Bedroom

·         The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings

·         Moulin Rouge

75.  2002-Chicago

·         Gangs of New York

·         The Hours

·         The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

·         The Pianist

76.  2003-Lord of the Rings: Return of the King

·         Lost in Translation

·         Master and Commander

·         Mystic River

·         Seabiscuit

77.  2004-Million Dollar Baby

·         The Aviator

·         Finding Neverland

·         Ray

·         Sideways

78.  2005-Crash

·         Brokeback Mountain

·         Capote

·         Good Night and Good Luck

·         Munich

79.  2006-The Departed

·         Babel

·         Letters from Iwo Jima

·         Little Miss Sunshine

·         The Queen

80.  2007-No Country for Old Men

·         Atonement

·         Juno

·         Michael Clayton

·         There Will be Blood

81.  2008-Slumdog Millionaire

·         The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

·         Frost/Nixon

·         MILK

·         The Reader

82.  2009-Hurt Locker

·         Avatar

·         The Blindside

·         District 9

·         An Education

·         Inglorious Bastards

·         Precious

·         A Serious Man

·         Up

·         Up in the Air

83. 2010-The King's Speech

·         Black Swan

·         Inception

·         Toy Story 3

·         Social Network

·         True Grit

·         127 Hours

·         The Fighter

·         Winter's Bones

·         The Kids are All Right

84.2011-The Artist

·         Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

·         Tree of Life

·         The Descendants

·         The Help

·         War Horse

·         Midnight in Paris

·         Moneyball

·         Hugo

85.2012- Argo

·         Amour

·         Beasts of the Southern Wild

·         Django Unchained

·         Les Miserables

·         Life of Pi

·         Lincoln

·         Silver Linings Playbook

·         Zero Dark Thirty