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Top 40 Movies of All Time (2016, pre-list)
Top 25 Movies of All-Time (2015)
Ranking the James Bond 007 Films - 2016
Reviews
Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things (2015)
I like the cause, but this documentary doesn't add much to it.
Minimalism can be an eye-opening message for anyone who hasn't been exposed to it, but for most, it's too little too late. Documentaries like Food Inc and An Inconvenient Truth were ahead of their time, coming out before the zenith of the information age. But minimalism has pervaded through blogs, books, Youtube, college lectures and TED already, and making this documentary at this time was a very safe choice.
It has a little bit of everything, some dialogue from semi-famous bloggers (and Sam Harris), a few anecdotes, pictures, data, some shots of Americans being iphone-addicted slobs. It has a lot of good one liners but doesn't particularly go into any one thing in depth. I don't think I walked away from it knowing anything I didn't already know.
Every now and then, I do need a little reminder to cut back on my excess and focus on quality rather than quantity, and this movie does that. It's useful for that.But this joins a long line of works with the cliché message of "avoid consumerism, find fulfilment in your life and live in the woods maybe".
Donnie Darko (2001)
Eerily supernatural and unabashedly confusing
It starts out as a rather standard American Beauty type of movie about conservative versus liberal values and teen angst. But Donnie Darko is no typical movie. It quickly escalates into hallucinations, supernatural events and even the law of the universe's timetravel.
Some moments are profoundly scary, such as the rabbit costume. The directing is superb. Yes, there's some plot holes, contrivances, time paradoxes and inconsistent stances on determinism, but the lore is pretty complex, and unless you want to read it somewhere online, you're best off with just your own unadultered interpretation of the film's events. Good luck figuring everything out. Its very complex and there's so many things I could say. I don't think I'll ever get what happens, but the pieces are certainly there for anyone fascinated enough to arrange them.
Vertigo (1958)
Surreal, mystifying, and masterfully done all around.
From the beginning, I was allured into it. The plot of this movie is more supernatural and magical than some of his others. It's largely a mystery and psychological thriller, but it has elements of numerous genres as well.
It's full of different plot twists, and while some things one can figure out well in advance, others completely took me off guard. Almost every moment gave me a feeling of apprehension and excitement. Everything in the film feels uncanny and too good to be true, yet so convincingly done. The evolution of the protagonist from a do-gooder, to a heartbroken lover to a total wreck is done swiftly though impactfully.
I love Hitchcock. There's a certain feeling you get when you watch a movie that's more than just a movie. It's something special.
The Great Dictator (1940)
An unsettling mix of great slapstick and cause for alarm.
I find the comedy bits hilarious, in spite of the fact that it's a Nazi holocaust film, and I find the dramatic bits terrifying, in spite of this being a parody.
Alternating between Chaplin the dictator and Chaplin the Jewish barber shop owner keeps this film at an energetic up and down pace. The third act is sillier than I would have expected it to be, and in some ways it is anti-climactic, but the speech at the end is very beautiful and satisfying.
It's unsettling and Chaplin himself regrets making this film, but this film serves as a window toward how people viewed Hitler before the extent of his actions was revealed. It's hard not to extrapolate that death camps are the next step after the persecution of Jews, but hindsight is 20-20.
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
...I don't get it
Yeah. It was funny. It was entertaining. It's not a bad movie by any means. I think Kubrick did a great job with the visuals and the settings.
Beyond that, it's not very dramatic or suspenseful. There's not much depth or intellect. I laughed modestly a few times, but mostly, the humor consists of lazy military stereotypes. The premise was interesting. I could've done with less cockpit and gun firing scenes. Perhaps the general and his descent into madness could've used more fleshing out. I don't know. It feels like it's missing something.
Maybe it's one of these meme movies like Napoleon Dynamite that you either "get" or you don't.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
It's brutal, meandering and volatile as its own asylum
Many movies follow a formula, but this one, set in the looney bin, throws out the rule book and goes to the beat of its own drum. The cast is strong all around and when they're all together on set, they create a totally singular display of chaos and anarchy that's both humorous and disturbing. It's full of laugh out loud funny moments and bone chilling moments too. I'm left to revel in their antics and empathize with their situation.
It's a battle between a patient who wants to create anarchy to inspire pursuit of passion and an authoritarian staff who must enforce rules to keep society stable. It's a totally random and unfocused movie that meanders from one thread to the next. This is a weakness at times, but a strength overall.
Psycho (1960)
Masterfully directed nail-biting horror
Hitchcock really is brilliant. I could predict the plot from a mile away, but I still felt suspense and shock in nearly every scene. Even the smallest moments, like Marion unpacking her things or being stopped by a police officer, had me scared. I feared for the danger of the innocent lives, but in a way, I also felt the fear of the killer's private details being exposed as well.
I like how Psycho initially tries to be one kind of movie and then startles the viewer once it develops into an entirely different animal. With the ending in mind, I'm compelled to go back and re-watch it to find small details I missed. It's a low budget movie, but every little humble scene packs an enormous amount of weight to it.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Good action movie, but strays too close to Terminator 1's formula
This is by no means a bad movie. I love the performances all around, the action is great, the directing is very smooth and I was overall very fond to stepping into the Terminator universe once more. That being said, while this sequel is certainly more ambitious in it's set pieces, I enjoyed the first one a lot more.
The plot follows the same structure, except Arnold is casted differently. The first half of the movie fleshes out the characters and their motivations. It definitely sucked me in. The second half consisted of mostly just metal, bullets, trucks and explosions. The ending was kind of predictable. All in all, it was very entertaining and polished, but I don't think the film had anything significant to add on the first.
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Provocative, stylish, one of a kind and masterfully directed
From a directing standpoint, it's a masterpiece. Between the wealth of bright alluring colors, the avant-garde sets, the memorable electronic score. It's comedic, tragic, satirical and irreverent.
Initially, I was offended by it and shut it off, but a couple days later, I gave it a second chance and ended up loving it. There are lots of graphic scenes of nudity, violence and rape, which rightfully elicit disgust. It's also the brash and raw nature of this film that makes it appealing. Either way, good or bad, if a film can impact someone, it has done it job. It's better to be hated than forgotten, and this is an unforgettable movie.
This sci-fi film is about topics such as morality, free will, proper criminal justice ethics and political corruption. Is the government's treatment of curing a sociopath by performing mental experiments on him immoral. While Kubrick effectively conveyed how horrific of a sociopath Alex was, I don't think he came even close to convincing the viewer that the cure was worse (or as gruesome) than the disease.
12 Angry Men (1957)
9 - Excellent
Don't let the fact that this is an old black and white movie dissuade you. If you give it a chance, it will captivate you more than most modern movies. Sometimes less is more. With a low budget and a simple premise, strong acting, sharp directing and flawless writing really make this gem come together into something special.
It respects your intelligence enough to let you slowly piece together the evidence, and throughout the movie you'll see the gradual change in all of the characters. And with just the characters and a room, it feels like all twelve of them are fleshed out and believable. It's an essential watch for anyone who likes psychologically engaging movies.
The Big Lebowski (1998)
8 - Great
This movie is a beautiful mess. First and foremost, it's a laugh out loud hilarious farcical comedy with an pleasantly odd sense of humor and a penchant for satire. It's also a crime drama with some mystery and mind bending elements. The acting is great and the directing has a level of meticulousness and polish to be admired.
It has a way of making a simple story needlessly complex and adds unresolved plot threads on top of unresolved plot threads with a badge of honor. It even piled up so many meandering elements, that it's confused in itself. The Big Lebowski is what America is, at least if you're looking at it from the view of a Coen Brother.
Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)
8 - Great
Repeat after me. First of all, what's this spoiled millennial doing giving this movie an 8? The original Lucas trilogy was the best and I can't believe that Abrams had the nerve to try to copy it. This movie is a disgrace, even compared to the prequel trilogy.
I can't believe these damn millennials want 2016 technology put into the visuals and fast cut action for their disturbingly low attention spans. They don't appreciate real art because they're so used to their Jason Bourne crap. Why don't we put a black actor and a female in to appease the SJW's and put a villain in that's not nearly one tenth as macho as Darth Vader. And by the way, the story's terrible. It doesn't have anywhere near the intellectual substance of the original trilogy.
Following (1998)
Remarkable indie cult film rife with Nolan DNA
It's easy to see, in his first production, exactly why Christopher Nolan is one of the best modern directors. Like with what we would eventually see in Memento, this is an out-of-order complex confusing psychological thriller with plot twists galore. Stylized in black-and-white and stripped of 90's technology, it could pass for an old school noir-film.
While not as intricate and lavish as his later films, Nolan does a tremendous amount of good with practically no budget and a cast of competent actors. The fact the cast plays their roles like regular people instead of the Hollywood cliché acting we'd expect from a drama is sort of refreshing. At 70 minutes, it's short but definitely not short-changed.
Fed Up (2014)
8 - Very Good
One can talk politics and debate on which side to blame for the obesity epidemic. This is definitely a politically slanted documentary, but that should not dissuade a discerning critically-eyed reviewer. Whether it's the consumer, corporations or government, the documentary makes a cogent case that there needs to be significant changes in our society and our personal lives.
The comparison between cigarettes in the 1950's and sugary foods today is undeniably spot on. With an ongoing marijuana vs alcohol debate, it's also fair game to ask, why exactly do we prohibit kids from consuming one unhealthy addictive cigarettes but practically encourage them to consumer unhealthy addictive junk food? It's a documentary ahead of its time.
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
5 - Mediocre
I'm not a hater. I can objectively admit that it's a really well-done polished film, but I didn't enjoy it personally. It's a pretty big achievement for CGI. I respect the ambition that the director and the actors had in creating such a grandiose action movie. But behind the excellent visuals, it feels like a typical action film geared toward the male 15-35 demographic.
It's a male power fantasy full of guns, fire, explosions, chainsaws, motorbikes and armed trucks. The story is generic. The characters and world lack depth. For that reason, I'm not given much reason to care or understand either.. Most of the movie consists of chase scene after chase scene in the same desert. It wouldn't be a stretch to call this Avatar in the desert.
Fight Club (1999)
A wakeup call and a hunger to transcend the norm.
It was criticized for being masculine and brutish, but it's about more than just underground fighting. It's about escaping the nihilistic 9 to 5 rut and finding meaning in one's own life. An alliance between the safe office worker played by Edward Norton and the badass troublemaker iconically played by Brad Pitt prove to lead to some very interesting twisted events. What starts as an an ordinary develops into a ubiquitous cult with the prospect of escape seeming impossible.
Fight Club is the extreme male id with every punch and bludgeon, further beautified with stylization and slick editing. Between the dark and over-the-top events of the film, it manages to pack lots of comedy and wit: the liposuction fat scene had me in stitches. During the third act, there's a slew of twists and mind-benders which keep things interesting.
On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
This epic stays rooted in Fleming's writing.
Connery was widely influential, but by the late 60's he grew tired of the role. Lazenby, the unknown comes in, and does the role very well for someone with no prior acting experience. He adds a more emphathetic human aspect to the role, making Bond tying the knot in this one all the more believable. His chemistry with Rigg's character was stiff, but good enough considering the problems they had on set.
On Her Majesty's Secret Service tones down the silliness, as well as the gadgets, and focuses on telling a story faithful to Fleming's novel of the same name. Savalas gives the role of Blofeld more physicality, making for well-shot ski chases. Between the action, the fight scenes, the fantastic score by John Barry and the iconic ending, this has stood the test of time as one of the better Bond films.
History vindicated this one.
Forrest Gump (1994)
A coy Republican anthem
It's an anthem to the American Dream and hymn the country's history in the mid to late 1900's. But it's also an ambitious movie with lots of iconic and funny moments. The main character is the simple ordinary Forrest who finds success in everything just by doing what he's told and following societal conventions without questioning them. Of course, it takes a heaping amount of luck to make it happen but it is satisfying to see the good guy win.
The antagonist, of course, is Jenny, who does happen to question society, becomes a counterculture protester, and she ends up dying from AIDS. There's pretty binary system of morality at work in the film and a dearth of actually complex or interesting characters, but whatever it's a movie full of quotable dialogue. Definitely overrated, but good.
Frozen (2013)
Forget the hype. Enjoy the movie for what it is.
With the massive hype bomb, fans overrated it and hated over-hated it. Disney's studios did a great job at stylized 3D animation, viral songs, as well as characters like Sven and Olaf. The CGI ice is well done, which matters in this movie. And more metaphorically, it symbolizes the loss of love.
It's more of a small twist on formula than a feminist revolution but having two fully fleshed female characters never hurts. It has some positive message such as being careful who you marry and surrounding yourself with people you love is more important than isolation (something which anyone with any kind of mental illness can relate to). It's a good Disney movie overall.
Foxy Brown (1974)
2 - Terrible
This film was a total snooze. Generic plot. Same old gangster blaxploitation crap. Nothing intelligent, deep or creative. I'm not sure whether this is supposed to be funny or it's a serious attempt at telling a story, but it fails at both.
One thing this movie never fails in trying to do is have Pam Grier enter each scene with different clothes for male viewers to ogle her in. She's proved to be a talented actress but Foxy Brown doesn't give her any room to be more than a sex object.
Foxy Brown was a snooze. This is the lowest rating I've had to give so far. I guess a 1/10 would be a "Nazis are great" movie.
Hannibal (2001)
This sequel branches out into lots of different directions.
How do you follow up a masterpiece like Silence of the Lambs? You don't. You just take it in a totally new direction. Hannibal isn't in prison pondering ; he is free and murderous.
This film has far more disturbing scenes, including a character's brain being extracted while alive and anesthetized from pain. There's also a scene of Hannibal feeding someone to the pigs. The romantic element of Clarice's relationship with Hannibal is explored quite a bit. Jodi Foster is traded from Julianne Moore, as an older more hardened Clarice and the replacement does a fine job. Anthony Hopkins, thankfully, reprises his role as Hannibal. It's not necessary and it puts shock over substance at times, but it's still recommendable to passionate fans of the first movie.
Pontypool (2008)
6 - Decent
Not bad for a low-budget horror film with a unique novelty concept. After a somewhat disturbing opening scene, the a big chunk of the movie is set in a talk-show radio station where it becomes apparent that a virus is infecting people. Not heading into the violence immediately and using the radio show to build tension was a good idea, but it runs on a little too long with the characters blathering about nonsense.
At long last, the virus is not created from biology but rather from psychology. The radio station has the power to both help cure this epidemic as well as worsen it. There are some scary moment here. The acting and make-up are well done. It's a competent horror movie overall, impressive for indie standards, but perhaps more could've been done with the concept.
The Thing (1982)
An essential horror classic, equally cerebral and gory.
The Thing is one of the best horror movies, but it was a box office flop as the gore and bleak tone was too much for audiences at the time. The basic premise: an alien virus called The Thing infects people, assimilates their body and controls their mind. The Thing emulates the human in an uncanny way. It's up to the viewer to guess which of the people are innocent and which of the people have been turned into aliens.
The first half-hour is slow by modern standards but it builds the setting well. The make-up artistry is superbly done to create terrifying moments. The tension between the characters and their mistrust of each other in this situation makes for some intense moments as the situation continually gets worse.
The Sixth Sense (1999)
An essential horror watch with two great leads.
Everyone knows the plot twist by now, but it's still a great movie even if you know how it's going to end.
The Sixth Sense is clean and minimalist (in some ways indie film). Every scene feels necessary to add texture to the characters and the paranormal situation at work. There are no extraneous or over-indulgent scenes. There are some warm human moments as well as some bone-chilling scary moments (like the opening scene). The relationship between the boy (Osment) and his therapist (Willis) is a special one in film history. Both, in their unique positions in life, have a lot to offer each other.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
9 - Excellent
From the first minute I saw it, I knew it was going to be an instant classic. The directing, scenery, costumes and strong cast all transported me into this grand fantasy journey. It's a 3 hour long movie, but the time flew. There are few films one could say were as ambitious as the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
The shire is an enchanting idyllic place full of innocent hobbits but that doesn't last too long as the characters venture into intimidating environments and face tough creatures. There's good, evil and corruption as some of the human characters fare better than others. But as the title suggests, they all form a fellowship to hunt after the often coveted ring. It ends with Samwise persisting and doing whatever it takes to help Frodo on his journey as a true friend. As an introduction to the trilogy, The Fellowship of the Ring did a great job in enticing me to see the later entries.