60/60 Thoughts: Part 2 (Favorites).

Alright guys and gals, it's time for Part 2 of the 3-Part look at the 60/60 Project. Last time we focused on some facts. Today, we'll be looking at some opinions. To start us off, let's take a look at my favorite characters from all 100 films.

TOP 10 CHARACTERS

10) Jewish Barber/Hynkel (Charlie Chaplin) - The Great Dictator

It was an interesting mix of characters. Hynkel was basically Hitler, and the barber looked exactly like him. In the end, the butler is confused with Hynkel and makes a fantastic (and rather meta) speech. The characters were funny, interesting, and just all-around fun.

9) Rhett Butler (Clark Gable) - Gone With The Wind

Similar to my feelings toward one Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, I thought Rhett Butler always stole the show in Gone with the Wind. His were always my favorite scenes. And although I didn't dislike the rest of the film when he wasn't there, I did find myself enjoying it much more when he was.

8) Wong Fei-Hung (Jackie Chan) - Drunken Master

There's nothing overtly special about this character (besides the fact he becomes an awesome martial artist when he gets drunk). He was just a lot of fun. That's about all there is to it.

7) Dirk Diggler (Mark Wahlberg) - Boogie Nights

A fascinating rags to riches and then self-destructive character. Wahlberg gives a great performance here... as does his member.

6) Luke (Paul Newman) - Cool Hand Luke

He's a badass without being an action hero. He stands up to "the man" and attempts to do the impossible just because he can. His pride might get in the way here and there, but he was, overall, a fantastic character.

5) Georg Dreyman (Sebastian Koch) - The Lives of Others

I might not have adored the movie as a whole, but Georg Dreyman was a beautifully rendered character... brought to life magnificently by the late Sebastian Koch. The emotion he brings, the subtle movements, the slow change in character... it's just outstanding.

4) Alex (Malcolm McDowell) - A Clockwork Orange

One of the many controversies behind this film was that Kubrick adapted the original American release of the book, which did not include the final chapter... and totally changes the meaning of the novel and the character. Either version is fine, but McDowell's Alex is a fascinating look into the psychology of a sociopath.

3) Cosmo Brown (Donald O'Connor) - Singin' in the Rain

Hands down, the best part of that film. Cosmo was funny and full of quick wit. He pulled some great stunts and dances, too. Going into the film, I knew nothing about this character or actor, but he came out my favorite.

2) Kikuchiyo (Toshiro Mifune) - Seven Samurai

What is there to say about Kikuchiyo? He's a total enigma. He follows the others around curiously. He's a total wildcard. And his growth as a character is phenomenal. He might not be the main character of the film, but he's definitely the most memorable.

1) Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (Paul Newman and Robert Redford)

I know, it's a cheat. But you can't have one without the other. They had perfect chemistry in this film. They were charming, funny, and daring. I was told their chemistry was even better in The Sting, but although I loved that film more, I had to disagree with that sentiment. These two were, hands down, my favorite.

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For the next few lists, I want to look at different types of scenes. There won't be any explanations unless something doesn't embed. I'll just give you the video clips and let them speak for themselves. First up, let's take a gander at my favorite quiet moments.

TOP 5 QUIET MOMENTS

Honorable Mention: The Ending Scene - The Graduate



5) Good/Bad/Ugly - Confederate Soldier Scene

Embedding unavailable. Click here to see it.

4) Cuckoo's Nest - Face Focus

I couldn't find the video here... but there's a moment after, I believe, McMurphy sends Billy off to have sex with Candy. McMurphy goes and sits down, and there's a long shot of Nicholson's face. He goes through multiple emotions, and you just wonder what's going on in his head. It's very reminiscent of the Graduate ending.

3) Nosferatu - Shadow Scene



2) Rope - Clearing the Table

Another that won't embed. But if you don't know the story of the film... two guys kill a third and then invite guests over to a dinner party while the body is stuffed into a chest/trunk. To top it off, they decide to serve dinner off of the trunk. I have to link the whole movie, but the scene here starts at exactly 50 minutes and ends about 52:10. Click here.

1) Great Dictator - Globe Scene




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We've taken a look at the quiet moments, so how bout a little bit of the ol' ultraviolence?

TOP 5 VIOLENT SCENES

Honorable Mention: Death by Stereo - The Lost Boys

Embedding disabled. Click here.

5) Carlito's Way - Escalator Shoot-Out/Final Scene

Yet another failed embed. Click here. WARNING: Spoilers.

4) The Good The Bad The Weird - Town Battle

I couldn't find the entire scene, but here's a version that is severely edited down. It'll give you a general idea, though.



3) Drunken Master - Any Fight

Really, anything would do... so I just chose this.



2) Dead Alive - The Climax

Of course, I mean practically the last 15-20 minutes of the film. But if I had to choose one scene to show you... it would be this one. Warning: There's... um... blood. And stuff.

1) Saving Private Ryan - First 20 Minutes

Of course I can't share the entire opening with you. But here's a snippet:



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And what about a little humor to lighten things up?

TOP 5 COMICAL SCENES

Honorable Mention: French Connection - On/Off Train

Only because I don't think it was meant to be funny. Click here.

5) The Lost Boys - Shirtless Sax Guy

Totally. Click here.

4) Annie Hall - Theater Scene



3) Kentucky Fried Movie - Court Scene

There were a number of great skits in this movie, but this one had to be my favorite. You know I love puns.



2) Singin' in the Rain - Make 'Em Laugh



1) Monty Python - Guards Scene



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Now that we've taken a look at stuff on screen, what about some stuff behind?

TOP 5 SOUNDTRACKS/SCORES

5) Boogie Nights

I mostly added this because I needed a fifth spot. But there are some excellent uses of music in this film, particularly near the end with... this scene.



4) 2001: A Space Odyssey

Despite my feelings to the movie as a whole, you can't deny it has one hell of a score. This score is famously used for a reason.

3) A Clockwork Orange

Of course, almost all of it is Beethoven (and/or classical music). There's also the famous "Singin' in the Rain" scene, too. But here's an example of how music was used rather well in the film. Click here.

2) The Untouchables

It was actually the soundtrack that made me love this film as much as I did. So there's that.



1) Dazed and Confused

I'm not even going to bother linking anything. Just look at these artists that appear on this soundtrack: Aerosmith, Deep Purple, Alice Cooper, War, Bob Dylan, Foghat, Black Sabbath, ZZ Top, KISS, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and MORE. It's epically awesome.

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A few easy ones here... I wanted to just quickly take a look at the months as a whole.

What was my most memorable month? Hands down, it has to be June (WTF Month). I also dubbed this 'rape month' as practically every movie (sans one, I believe) involved rape. Out of all the things that happened this year on this list, there will be 2 things I'll remember. 2001: A Space Odyssey, and this month.

But if that's the most memorable, then what's my favorite? Another easy one, and probably to no surprise... October (Horror Month). I had a lot of fun this month and blasted through all the movies super fast. Not to mention, it gave us one of my best reviews that I've ever done.

Finally, the tough one. What was my least favorite month? This one took a lot of thought, but it actually came down to a pseudo-tie. August and September (Crime Months 1 and 2). While I did really enjoy some of these films, these two months together were long and painful (that's what she said?). It was almost 38 hours total of crime movies. Yikes.

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And now, to wrap things up... let's look at the Top 10 Favorites. Now, I have this split into specific orders. I kept up with 3 lists--The ORIGINAL List, wherein I just used the original 60 films; the EXTRAS List, wherein I just used the extra 40 added; and the COMBO List, where I mixed all 100 films together. First, here are my Top 10 Favorite ORIGINALS.

TOP 10 FAVORITES - ORIGINAL LIST

10) Rope
9) Rear Window
8) City of God
7) Saving Private Ryan
6) The Shining
5) Gone with the Wind
4) One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
3) North by Northwest
2) Annie Hall
1) Seven Samurai

TOP 10 FAVORITES - EXTRAS

10) Mother
9) Laura
8) The Birds
7) The Untouchables
6) Dead Alive
5) The Good, The Bad, The Weird
4) Life is Beautiful
3) Boogie Nights
2) Drunken Master
1) The Sting

And, finally, here are the Top 100 films, in order, from least favorite to favorite. I've also included which films fell under which ratings (Note: For the movies with odd ratings, like WTF or A Hot Mess, I mixed them into a rating spot I felt appropriate).

TOP 100 - COMBO

(Gone from Suck to Blow)

100) Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom

(The Zed Word)

99) Eraserhead
98) Plan 9 From Outer Space
97) M

(Feed Me, Seymour)

96) 2001: A Space Odyssey
95) The Killing
94) Casino
93) I Spit On Your Grave
92) Cannibal Holocaust

(Stop Saying OK! OK.)

91) The French Connection
90) The Quick and the Dead
89) The Hot Rock
88) Visitor Q
87) Close Encounters of the Third Kind
86) Black Hawk Down
85) The Godfather Part III
84) A Streetcar Named Desire
83) Brazil
82) Catch-22
81) The Producers
80) Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb
79) Irreversible
78) Stripes
77) Carlito's Way
76) Vertigo
75) Brokeback Mountain
74) Nosferatu
73) Rumble in the Bronx

(I Am McLovin)

72) Westworld
71) The Kentucky Fried Movie
70) The Apartment
69) The Maltese Falcon
68) Easy Rider
67) Scarface (1983)
66) Shark Attack 3
65) Harvey
64) Les Diabolique
63) Psycho
62) Freaks
61) Repulsion
60) Chinatown
59) The Crying Game
58) Network
57) Strangers on a Train
56) The Changeling
55) The Graduate
54) The Lost Boys
53) Murder on the Orient Express
52) Braveheart
51) The Seventh Seal
50) Haute Tension
49) Dazed and Confused
48) The Lives of Others
47) The Godfather Part II
46) Primal Fear
45) Swingers

(A Keanu 'Whoa')

44) Unforgiven
43) Platoon
42) The Counterfeiters
41) Bonnie and Clyde
40) Lady Vengeance
39) Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
38) Mother
37) The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
36) Schindler's List
35) Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
34) Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels
33) Casablanca
32) Laura
31) Citizen Kane
30) Heat
29) Goodfellas
28) Troll 2
27) Lawrence of Arabia
26) The Goonies
25) The Birds
24) A Clockwork Orange
23) The Great Dictator
22) Monty Python and the Holy Grail

(Royale with Cheese)

21) The Pianist
20) Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
19) The Untouchables
18) Cool Hand Luke
17) Singin' in the Rain
16) Dead Alive
15) The Good, The Bad, The Weird
14) Life Is Beautiful
13) Rope
12) Rear Window
11) Saving Private Ryan
10) City of God
9) Boogie Nights
8) The Shining
7) Gone With The Wind
6) One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
5) North by Northwest
4) Annie Hall
3) Drunken Master
2) Seven Samurai
1) The Sting*

*Final Note: I put this list together as I went along the project. As blown away as I was by The Sting, I can't for the life of me remember almost any of it anymore. So I can't honestly say it would top the entire project list until I was able to see it again. However, the other five behind it definitely stay in that order. So take it as you will.

60/60 Thoughts: Part 1 (Stats).

For the next 3 days, I'll be posting details related to the 60/60 Project, each covering its own type of information. It's been one heck of a year with this list, and I hope you enjoy what came of it. Here we go.

For Part 1, I want to discuss random statistics that you might find interesting. Let's get right into it.

I discovered that there were some directors that seemed to take over the list more than others. Of course, Hitchcock had his own month, but the others just kind of appeared scattered throughout, which was completely unplanned. The following is a list of directors that appeared more than once on this list and how many times they appeared:

Alfred Hitchcock (7)
-I found I liked him more often than not. I loved some (Rope, The Birds, Rear Window, North by Northwest), but was let down by others (Psycho, Vertigo, Strangers on a Train).

Stanley Kubrick (5)
-Boy did I gain a love-hate relationship with this guy. It's no secret that one film in particular became a running joke for the rest of this project (2001). And there were a couple I just didn't care about (Dr. Strangelove and The Killing). But, I'll be honest... there were two in particular that I did truly come out loving (The Shining and A Clockwork Orange). And I have to give the man credit--love or hate his films, I haven't been able to stop thinking about at least 2 of them. (Special Note: I'll be viewing some of his other titles in the near future, as well.)

Brian De Palma (3)
-He started off strong with me (The Untouchables), but quickly sank into the realm of "I really don't care" (Scarface and Carlito's Way).

Roman Polanski (3)
-Another case of starting off strong (The Pianist) and then sinking into something I just didn't care for (Chinatown and Repulsion). And similar to 2001, my thoughts on Chinatown received some controversial comments...

Steven Spielberg (3)
-On the reverse, though, Spielberg started off rough with me (Close Encounters) and then got excellent (Saving Private Ryan and Schindler's List). And there was also yet another controversial discussion that stemmed from one of these films, as well.

Francis Ford Coppola (2)
-Same series... one I really liked (Godfather Part II)... one I didn't (Godfather Part III). Simple as that.

Terry Gilliam (2)
-Gilliam is one of those directors you either like or... really don't. I'm a big fan of 12 Monkeys, for instance. As for this list, one of them started off alright but really grew on me as the year went on (Monty Python). The other still remains rather WTF (Brazil).

George Roy Hill (2)
-Both movies (Butch Cassidy, The Sting) starred the same two fellas and... shocker... I absolutely loved both films. Big surprises of the year.

Ang Lee (2)
-Again, on the other hand, I was kinda let down by both films (Crouching Tiger and Brokeback Mountain) that this director left me with.

Sidney Lumet (2)
-The original 12 Angry Men is one of my all-time favorite movies. And I do quite enjoy some others of this director. Of his two films here, one gave me some good enjoyment (Network). The other was... it was pretty decent (Orient Express).

Mike Nichols (2)
-Prior to this project, I'd seen Closer and... REALLY didn't like it. With my rather so-so feelings towards his two films here (Catch-22 and The Graduate), I can't say I'll be going out of my way to seek out others.

Martin Scorsese (2)
-I like the dude in general. He's not a super-favorite, but I like him. I really liked one of his films here (Goodfellas)... unfortunately, I really didn't like the other (Casino).

NOTE: I found it especially interesting that of all 100 films I viewed for this project, there was only ONE female, and she was a co-director. That honor went to Katie Lund - Co-Director City of God, one of my favorites of the year.

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But how about in front of the camera? When it comes to actors, I'm going to be looking at the ones that appeared more the twice throughout the year. Why? Because it turns out there were a LOT that appeared at least twice... even some really random people. So here's a list of those that showed up three or more times. Some are kind of surprising.

Robert De Niro (6)
-Funny how the bulk of his appearances were in the same 2-month span (Godfather Part II, The Untouchables, Goodfellas, Casino, Heat), but there was one that was much earlier in the year (Brazil). And you know what? I enjoyed him quite a bit each and every time.

Al Pacino (5)
-Almost the exact same thing could be said of this actor; Hell, they intersected for a couple of the movies (Godfather Part II, Heat). The others (Scarface, Godfather Part III, Carlito's Way) I didn't particularly care for... but I did love his performance each time.

Gene Hackman (4)
-This was the biggest surprise to me. Unfortunately, I only liked one of the movies (Bonnie and Clyde). The others (Unforgiven, The French Connection, The Quick and the Dead)... I really didn't care for. And I can't say he himself particularly blew me away, either. He was fine, particularly in French Connection, but I could take him or leave him.

Jack Nicholson (4)
-While there were two I didn't really care for (Chinatown, Easy Rider), there were two I totally loved (The Shining, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest). But no matter what I think about the films, his performances, especially in the latter two, were fantastic.

Jimmy Stewart (4)
-I was surprised that he kept turning up, but it was always a complete delight, even if I didn't care for the overall movie (Vertigo, Harvey). On the other hand, there were two I really dug quite a bit (Rope, Rear Window). Funnily enough, I kept reading how Hitchcock (and his audiences) always felt he was miscast, particularly blaming the initial failure of Vertigo on him... to the point he refused to ever work with him again.

Martin Balsam (3)
-He'll always be the foreman in 12 Angry Men to me, but it was nice seeing him show up a few times this year (Psycho, Orient Express, and Catch-22)... even though my feelings on each movie as a whole was only so-so.

Faye Dunaway (3)
-I know she had big roles in all three (Chinatown, Network, Bonnie and Clyde), but I only really remember her performance in the last. Of course, she's really good, but she never super-excited me.

Diane Keaton (3)
-The same could be said here with her three (Godfather Part II, Godfather Part III, and Annie Hall). Two of those are excellent--I'm sure you could figure out which. One of them is actually one of my favorites of the year. I'll give you a hint. She plays the titular character.

Peter Lorre (3)
-His voice alone is enough to make you love this guy. He was my favorite part of all three films he was in (M, Casablanca, and The Maltese Falcon).

Paul Newman (3)
-One of my two favorite actors this year. A hint on the other... Newman shared two of his three movies (Butch Cassidy, The Sting, Cool Hand Luke) with him. There's no surprise to me that one of these films is in my Top 10, and the other two barely missed it.

Anthony Perkins (3)
-Another shocker that showed up in more than the obvious (Psycho). But his appearances in the others (Catch-22, Orient Express) were fine. His best, though, was the first.

Robert Redford (3)
-He comes in second due to a lackluster film (The Hot Rock)... but otherwise, See: Paul Newman.

Tom Sizemore (3)
-This one came out of left field for me. Even looking back at the three (Saving Private Ryan, Black Hawk Down, Heat), I can't remember his characters, much less performances... so no comment.

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Next, I'll say how many films I saw from each decade.

20s (1) - Nosferatu

30s (3) - Gone with the Wind, M, Freaks

40s (6) - The Great Dictator, Casablanca, Citizen Kane, Laura, Rope, Maltese Falcon

50s (12) - Plan 9, Seven Samurai, Harvey, Les Diabolique, Vertigo, Rear Window, Strangers on a Train, North by Northwest, The Killing, The Seventh Seal, A Streetcar Named Desire, Singin in the Rain

60s (14) - Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Good/Bad/Ugly, The Apartment, Dr. Strangelove, The Producers, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Repulsion, Psycho, The Birds, Easy Rider, Cool Hand Luke, Bonnie and Clyde, Lawrence of Arabia, The Graduate

70s (20) - Close Encounters, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Westworld, Drunken Master, Monty Python/Holy Grail, Kentucky Fried Movie, The Sting, Network, Annie Hall, Catch-22, Eraserhead, Salo, A Clockwork Orange, I Spit on Your Grave, The French Connection, Chinatown, The Hot Rock, Orient Express, The Godfather Part II, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

80s (9) - Brazil, Stripes, Platoon, Cannibal Holocaust, The Untouchables, The Lost Boys, The Shining, The Changeling, The Goonies

90s (21) - Unforgiven, Quick and the Dead, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Rumble in the Bronx, Braveheart, Saving Private Ryan, Schindler's List, The Pianist, Life is Beautiful, The Crying Game, Primal Fear, Heat, Goodfellas, Carlito's Way, Casino, The Godfather Part III, Troll 2, Dead Alive, Boogie Nights, Dazed and Confused, Swingers

00s (13) - Good/Bad/Weird, Crouching Tiger, Mother, Lady Vengeance, Black Hawk Down, The Counterfeiters, Haute Tension, Visitor Q, Irreversible, Shark Attack 3, City of God, Brokeback Mountain, The Lives of Others

Note: Funny how the majority of the films on a list about classics came from the 90s. Granted... not all of them were particularly all that great. So while we're on that subject... just for fun, which was my favorite decade and least favorite decade? Well, funnily enough, each decade has its ups and downs... but I'd say the 70s is equally my favorite and least favorite decade.

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Going along the same lines... let's take a look at how many films I gave particular ratings. Remember, this is out of 100 films.

Royale with Cheese - 21
A Keanu 'Whoa' - 23
I Am McLovin - 27
Stop Saying OK! OK. - 16
Feed Me, Seymour - 4
The Zed Word - 2
She's Gone From Suck to Blow - 1
A Hot Mess - 2
WTF - 4

NOTE: The films for each rating will be revealed tomorrow.

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Here are the movies from the list I now own. Now, there are two categories here. The first is for movies I actually had to purchase (or have someone send me a copy of) in order to even watch it in the first place:

-Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
-The Great Dictator
-Strangers on a Train

And this category is for the movies that I loved and now own because of that:

-The Good, The Bad, The Weird
-A Clockwork Orange
-The Shining
-North by Northwest

I'm sure there will at least be a few more added to this second list when I get around to it, as there are a handful I'd like to own. But as for now, that's what I got.

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Finally, let's do some TIME.

The longest month, clocking in at 19 Hours and 6 Minutes - August (Crime Month - Part 1). In second place with 18 Hours, 49 Minutes was September (Crime Month - Part 2). How coincidental.

The shortest month, clocking in at 5 Hours and 29 Minutes - November 2010 (Space/Sci-Fi Month). The first month I started. But I figure only because I hadn't started doing "Extras" yet, and I started a week late. So the runner-up in this category would be, ironically, the last month - December 2011 (What's Left - Light), with 10 Hours and 50 Minutes.

So, ladies and gentlemen... after adding up all the running times of all the movies I watched for this project... the final time count for the project is...

202 Hours and 34 Minutes. That is 8 Days, 10 Hours, and 34 Minutes. Now that's a long time of straight movie-watching!

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Alrighty guys and gals. Stay tuned tomorrow when you'll get a bunch of lists, favorites, and least favorites of things!

60/60 Review #60: One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest.

Honestly, the worst way to end the 60/60 list would have been to end with a movie I felt 'blah' about. Fortunately, we're ending on a good note. McMurphy (Jack Nicholson) ends up being transferred to a mental institution so they can assess whether or not he's crazy or just dangerous. While there, he plays a psychological battle against Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher), trying to get under her skin. The other inmates are played by people such as Danny DeVito, Christopher Lloyd, Brad Dourif, Will Sampson, Michael Berryman, and more. And my main man Scatman Crothers shows up as an orderly, as well.

I honestly didn't think I was going to enjoy this movie as much as I did. I was hoping to like it, but I came out really loving it. First of all, it has a fantastic pacing. There's never a dull moment, and I found myself wondering what was going to happen next. It kept me on my toes, which I really liked.

The acting was phenomenal, too. Of course Nicholson was excellent--this was his first Oscar win. One scene that particularly showed off his skills was probably one of the quietest scenes in the movie. It's closer to the end, and Nicholson sits down. The camera closes in on his face... and just stays there. Nicholson goes through a range of emotions, never making a noise, and all you can think about is what is going through this guy's head right now. It's a fantastic moment in the movie. And Louise Fletcher as Nurse Ratched is great. I know the comparison I'm about to make came later, but I experienced it first, so it works... but she reminds me a lot of Umbridge from Harry Potter (funnily enough, I re-watched Order of the Phoenix the same night I watched this). She seems nice and like she just wants to do what's right, but there's something not quite right, and you slowly realize that she's actually rather deranged. It really shows in the fact that by the end of the film, Nicholson has done more for the patients than she ever has, but she drags them back down and derails everything.

The best stuff comes from the relationships between the characters. The Chief was my favorite, of course, and the slow friendship McMurphy builds with him is excellent (and inevitably heartbreaking). I really appreciated this film from the character level and how they all worked off of each other and grew. I made a Harry Potter comparison already, but another comparison this made me think of was Chan-wook Park's I'm A Cyborg, But That's OK, where it seems the main guy is doing more for these patients than the staff, and you question who really are the insane ones.

It's a movie that has some good laughs, and it doesn't get too heavy and depressing that it drags you down. Well, it gets a bit serious near the end, but maybe for only about 5 minutes. Then it has a high note ending (sorta). I couldn't say I would watch it all the time, but it's definitely one I would like to revisit every now and then. The characters and their situation was just far too engaging for me to feel otherwise. If you have yet to see it, definitely check it out, especially if you enjoy mental hospital-type movies. It's excellent.


Royale With Cheese

(P.S. That's it, folks! That wraps up the 60/60 Project! As for this particular month, it was interesting. The last couple were the best, which is funny considering it was usually the opposite every other month of the year. But alas. Keep an eye out over the next few days as I post some fun stats, lists, and other information that I've put together for the project! See you then.)

60/60 Review #59: Singin' In The Rain.

I've always known the titular song, even as a kid, but I've never really known what the film was about. And to be honest, I'm not sure I would have appreciated the subject matter as a kid as much as I would have now. Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) and Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) are two of the biggest stars of silent cinema. Unfortunately, "talkies" are starting to take over Hollywood... and Lina has the voice of dying cats. But maybe with a little help from his best friend Cosmo (Donald O'Connor) and love interest Kathy (Debbie Reynolds), they can figure out how to get through it.

I would ask anyone to try watching this movie and not smile at least once. It's a fun, joyous movie full of great laughs and cheer. The movie wasn't even halfway over and I found myself wanting to take up tap dancing lessons. Gene Kelly, and the others, were fun to watch just dancing along. Though personally, I think Donald O'Connor stole the show as Cosmo. His wit and physical humor was fantastic.

And I was surprised at how much wit the movie has in general. Typically movies of this time period are over-the-top and sometimes a bit silly in the acting. But this one felt as if it were in on the joke. With only a couple exceptions, it appeared like a modern film that was emulating something from the times, paying homage, and doing a damn fine job of it. There were a handful of meta moments, but it really was the sharp writing and wit that kept me involved.

If I were to have any negatives... ironically, it would be with the musical aspect of the film. I didn't like at least a third of the songs, though most of the time that fact was made up by some fun dancing. However, there were two numbers in the film that made the movie nearly come screeching to a halt. The first would be my least favorite scene, which is the Beautiful Girls number. I know it's there to reintroduce Kathy, but that one was really painful. The second is the Broadway Melody scene near the end. This one is kind of twofold. On the one hand, the dancing and the Cyd Charisse stuff looked amazing. There was some fantastic choreography and cinematography (like the white dress/long fabric part). On the other, the song isn't that great... and it goes on... and on... and on... and on. For a while, I thought it was never going to end. Minor side-note--although Donald O'Connor is fantastic, Make 'Em Laugh went on about 20 seconds too long (the bit right before he jumps around off the walls didn't need to be there).

There's really little else to say. The dancing is fun and the comedy is great. For it being a musical, though, I didn't care for a handful of the songs. Still, it was a fun time, and on the whole, it was a very smart, well written, and well performed film.


Royale With Cheese

(P.S. I know that's my best rating... and although I found a few issues with it, I couldn't give it a rating below this. So I guess consider this at the lower end of scale. But the love is still there.)

60/60 Extra: Swingers.

A couple years ago I saw another Favreau/Vaughn film called Made, and I thought it was hilarious. I was continually told that they're even better in Swingers. But do I agree with that? The film follows Mike (Jon Favreau), who has recently broken up with his girlfriend of 6 years and moved across the country to L.A. There, with the help of friends Trent (Vince Vaughn), Rob (Ron Livingston), and Sue (Patrick Van Horn), he tries to get over her and move on with his life.

To be honest, it wasn't until about the halfway point that I "got" the movie. It was around the time of the Scorsese/Tarantino conversation (and then subsequent slow-mo walk). There is some fantastic meta stuff in this movie. But besides getting into the film based on the meta stuff, it took me a while to realize the whole point to the movie.

At first I was wondering what the point was. Frankly, I was kind of bored after a while with the film seemingly going nowhere. It was party after party, random conversation after random conversation. But when I picked up on the notion that the film was basically a study of love in its different forms, it made more sense. Mike had the painful loss of love and the awkward stance of moving on. Trent is a sad, pathetic individual who puts on a self-entitled smooth exterior. And Rob is in between, sympathizing with both sides. And all three are rather pathetic as failed actors/entertainers just trying to make it in the business they love. The film itself is like a love letter to film, as shown through the more meta moments.

The acting was good all around. Favreau was good at being awkward, depressed, and desperate. The "phone call" scene started funny... but then got painful and sad and you couldn't help but cringe and feel bad for the guy (while at the same time wanting to shake him). Livingston was good at being the friend, though there wasn't much beyond that with him. And then, of course, Vaughn did what he does best--acts annoying and never shuts up.

Due to the fact that I didn't really start liking it until about halfway through, I might eventually need to give it another watch at some point. But I can tell you that my enjoyment of it did slowly rise as the film went on. I wasn't in love with it at the end, but by the time it was over... I did feel that it was pretty money, baby.


I Am McLovin!

60/60 Review #58: The Graduate.

Well, this film has helped me discover one or two things I'm not particularly a fan of. I've seen 2 films from director Mike Nichols prior to this one. Earlier this year, I caught Catch-22 (no pun intended); it's a favorite book of mine... not so good of a movie. And a while back, I saw Closer... which I was totally not a fan of. But The Graduate is a super-classic, and it's almost film-fan suicide to dislike it. So... did I?

If you're unaware, the film is about recent college grad Ben (Dustin Hoffman) who is seduced by a friend of his parents, Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft). Ben is shy and totally against it at first, but eventually gives into the affair. Unfortunately, it leads to a relationship with her daughter, Elaine (Katharine Ross), which neither parent approves of.

There were some things I liked about the movie and some things I didn't. Let's start with the negative so we can end on a more positive note. First of all, I found myself having trouble liking... any... of the characters. Ben was a pushover at first, and then he turns more reckless and a little crazy. Mrs. Robinson is just a crazy word-I-won't-say. And Elaine is the type who would tell two different guys she would marry them (though unsure) after pretty much one date each. Don't get me wrong, it was great acting all around... but my main focus? Realizing that Dustin Hoffman's dad in the movie is Mr. Feeny!

I also realized that I'm apparently not a fan of Simon and Garfunkel. I was not a fan of the music of this film at all. In fact, it drove me kind of crazy. Normally I can deal with it, but when they just play the same songs over and over and over, it gets a bit grating.

Somewhere in the middle between like and dislike is the climax and ending. The climax is just insane and feels marginally unrealistic. It was just a bit cartoonish. But the actual ending and the ambiguity of it all was good. I also appreciated the fact that Ben (SPOILER) apparently can't stay away from married women (END SPOILER).

What did I like, though? I loved the camera work. The movie found so many brilliant angles and spots to place the camera, giving us some fantastic moments. And not only the camera work, but the way things were edited together, too (like transitions between scenes that seemed to be fluid and single takes). You see that kind of stuff all the time now, but it was probably rather innovative back then. So basically, all the technical visuals of the film were a real treat. It was totally my favorite part of the movie.

Despite the mostly negative review, I didn't hate the movie. I just didn't love it. I had a hard time getting into it past the camera stuff. Hoffman's performance was great, but after the first 45 or so minutes, his personality shifts into something a little less relatable. Really, it's a masterfully made film. I just had problems getting into it, more for personal taste reasons than anything else.


I Am McLovin!

60/60 Extra: Dazed And Confused.

I've said in the past that I'm not one to love movies with little plot. I typically need something that pulls the story along, and it can't just be a "day in the life" kind of thing... which is precisely what Dazed and Confused is. But did this one break that mold? The film takes place on the last day of school in May 1976. The main conflicts include Pink (Jason London) not wanting to sign a form for football that means he can't drink or do drugs; a kid named Mitch (Wiley Wiggins) who is moving into his freshman year of high school and is trying to avoid the seniors, but ends up hanging out with them all night; and Mike (Adam Goldberg), Tony (Anthony Rapp), and Cynthia (Marissa Ribisi), who question their inclusion in life as they know it. The film also co-stars Rory Cochran, Joey Lauren Adams, Milla Jovovich, Cole Hauser, Ben Affleck, Parker Posey, Matthew McConaughey, and a bunch of people that didn't really become famous.

While I was still moderately bothered with the fact that essentially nothing happens during the hour and 45 minute time span, I still liked the really liked the movie. A lot of the characters come in and out of the story, some more important than others. I do think that there were a handful of unnecessary characters that bogged down the film a little bit, and it could have been slightly more focused in its unfocused...ness.

The acting was solid all around. The iffiest was probably Wiley Wiggins, but I gave that a pass considering he had the most interesting story to me. But on the whole, it's good that the acting held up, as movies like this rely on the actors since there is no real story to drive the film. However, the other best thing that drives this film is the soundtrack. I recently had a discussion with one Kai Parker who declared that this film had one of the best soundtracks ever. Now that I've seen the film, I have to agree. I really loved the soundtrack, and it held the movie together as if it were a character in and of itself. I feel the music was really at the heart of this film.

In the end, it's hard for me to say how I really feel about the movie. It was fun and charming, but the lack of cohesion makes it not my cup of tea. So while I did end up liking it quite a bit, it's not one I can say I would be revisiting over and over. However, I might just have to get the soundtrack, because that is something I could check out frequently. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be negative or trying to discourage anyone from this film. It's actually really well done. It's just, again, not my favorite type of movie.


I Am McLovin!

(P.S. For the record, I had a tough time choosing between this and a Keanu 'Whoa'. So, needless to say, this is on the higher end of this rating.)

60/60 Review #57: The Goonies.

This is one of those films I'm upset at myself for not having seen as a child. It's basically the perfect kid's adventure film... but does it hold up for an adult seeing it for the first time? The basic idea is that an entire living area is being demolished to expand a country club (or something), and a group of friends stumble upon an old treasure map and start an adventure in order to get the money to save their home. You got Mikey (Sean Astin) and his older brother, Brand (Josh Brolin). Then there's Mikey's clumsy, gluttonous, fibbing friend Chunk (Jeff Cohen). There's also big talker Mouth (Corey Feldman), inventor Data (Ke Huy Quan), and Brand's friends Stef (Martha Plimpton) and Andy (Kerri Green). Unfortunately, in getting to the treasure, they run across escaped convicts, Jake (Robert Davi), Francis (Joe Pantoliano), Mama (Anne Ramsey), and the deformed Sloth (John Matuszak).

On the positive side, like I said, it really is a perfect adventure film for kids (ironically, another on the list could be Temple of Doom, which also co-stars Ke Huy Quan). It's fun, has kids doing crazy things, and it isn't dumbed down. The kids cuss, the danger is (mostly) realistic, and there's a great mystical element to it, yet still steeped in moderate reality. In other words, it's quite a blast.

On the negative side, its flaws are equally blatant. First and foremost, there is an insane amount of product placement. In the first half of the film, there's probably a Pepsi or Pepsi symbol in every single scene. Then director Richard Donner makes a connection to his earlier film, Superman (which wouldn't have been as obvious with a different director and without the previous advertisements strewn through the film). Then you have the characters that are a little too over-the-top or bothersome in one way or another. Data makes huge faces and movements to every little thing. Chunk is just kind of annoying in the "never shuts up" kind of way, though I know that's his character. Finally, Data's inventions are a bit too cartoonish and unrealistic in an otherwise more "realistic" film. They just felt out of place.

There was a lot of talent behind this film, as well. Besides an outstanding cast, the people behind the scenes are excellent. It's directed by Richard Donner, based on a story by Steven Spielberg, and written by Chris Columbus. Though at the same time, with Spielberg and Columbus' involvement, it shouldn't have been surprising how cheesy and sappy the ending was. And... it really was.

But that's not to say I didn't enjoy the film. Quite the opposite, really. My negative feelings didn't detract from the whole thing. I know I've talked a lot of negative in this review, but I did really, really like the movie. Like I said at the beginning, this is a movie I'm sad I didn't become acquainted with as a kid. As a kid, I would have eaten this up and then the nostalgic factor today would let me see past all the issues (at least for the most part). But I didn't, so it's only just really good to me instead of really great.


A Keanu 'Whoa'

60/60 Review #56: Lawrence Of Arabia.

At the start of this project, I hadn't really been acquainted with many lengthy films outside of, say, Titanic. I mean, I thought a movie was long if it was 2 or 2.5 hours. Anything over 3 was insanity. Needless to say, this project has given me quite a bit more experience with the lengthier of the art. And at roughly 3 hours and 45 minutes, Lawrence of Arabia is one of the longest films on this list (though not the longest), and I believe wraps up as the final long epic of the year... which is kind of poetic in a way, since this is considered something like the epic of all epics.

The film tells the true story of T.E. Lawrence (Peter O'Toole), a British soldier who gets stationed in Arabia. He partners up with Prince Feisal (Alec Guinness) and creates a guerrilla army to fight against the Turks during World War I. He also, eventually, fights with the British again against the Ottoman Empire.

One of the most interesting things about this movie was that, despite its length, it had a pretty fine pacing. Part I of the film is slightly over the first two hours, and it moved very smoothly and quickly. I unfortunately did have to do other things as I watched (not because of the film, but because I was forced to double task... but I tried to pay as much attention as I possibly could, as it actually did interest me). I'm not sure if that had anything to do with it, or of the fact I had to watch it over the course of two nights (Part 1 on one night and Part 2 the next), but I felt similarly to this as I did with Gone With The Wind. It moved quickly, stayed interesting, had some really great cinematography, and was rather enjoyable.

I didn't enjoy everything, though. There were some aspects I didn't care for. Sometimes O'Toole's acting became a bit over-the-top and cheesy. Also, it was hard to believe that anyone could mistake him as an Arab at times, despite the fact that some clearly do. Then again, there could have been a point to that based on his actions (which I'll get to shortly). And there were a couple parts here and there that weren't as interesting to me as others. Most of them dealt with the British side of the story after the beginning.

However, I'd say one of my favorite aspects was one of the most unexpected. I don't know much about Lawrence, so I didn't realize how much of a character study it was going to be and how insane he gets. It's really a movie about this man's sanity. He goes into it rather green, though very intelligent. Then he learns their way, becomes like them, and is basically immersed in their way of life. When he returns to his home, he stays dressed in his garb from Arabia. It's not until a pivotal moment where he wants to give it up and be British again, but then finds he struggles to do so. And he goes back and you really see how much he's lost it. To be honest, this film would pair up nicely with The Hurt Locker, as I saw quite a few similarities between the two.

So I can't say that Lawrence of Arabia is for everyone, but I'm sure everyone could find something to like about it. Will I ever sit down and watch it again? Probably not. If for some reason it comes on TV and there's nothing else on and I have nothing to do, I might put it on and watch for a while. It's a spectacularly made film. Normally I say decent-sized chunks could be cut, but I'm not sure here. I know there's some that could be removed easily, but the film would still be over 3 hours long. If you like this kind of film and don't mind longer films, definitely check it out. If this isn't your cup of tea, you actually still might find something to enjoy with it, but I can't tell you to go out and watch it immediately. Really good, and I liked it much more than I thought I was going to.


A Keanu 'Whoa'

(P.S. The soundtrack is excellent, too... and it took me forever to realize where I recognized the main theme from. So I looked it up and... yup, they use it for the score in the desert scenes in Spaceballs. That's a joke that makes so much more sense now.)

(P.P.S. That does it for this month! There's just one more left, guys and gals! And it should be an easy one. It's just what's left... the light stuff. First up? A movie I've been rather ashamed for quite a few years for never having seen... so it'll be great to finally check it out.

60/60 Review #55: A Streetcar Named Desire.

Oh. My. God. Shut. UP!

That's pretty much how I felt while watching this movie. Fifteen minutes in, and I figured it was going to be a long two hours. But somewhere around the 30-minute mark, things just clicked--everybody in this movie is freakin' insane. Blanche (Vivien Leigh) moves to New Orleans to stay with her sister, Stella (Kim Hunter). Unfortunately, Stella's husband, Stanley (Marlon Brando) doesn't take to liking Blanche much. She drives him crazy, and he shows his quick temper and violent side. But he's also trying to figure out why Blanche is really there and if she's keeping any secrets from them.

There is no likeable character in this movie. A guy named Mitch, who takes a liking to Blanche, comes close. But even he's knocked off his rocker by the end (though I suppose a bit understandably). Blanche is quite literally certifiably insane. On top of that, she's mean, manipulative, cruel, and doesn't even realize any of it. Within minutes of seeing her sister again, she insults her home, calls her fat, and then begs for compliments. And she never... shuts... up. And you know that's bad coming from me, considering I'm a pretty big fan of Toby Turner. Then you have Stanley, who snaps at any little thing and gets violent and abusive. Finally there's Stella, who is dumb enough to keep going back to him (I know, there's development by the end, but still).

I suppose I'll give it up to the acting. Everybody played their part incredibly well. But as I've said in the past--just because something is done well doesn't mean I have to like it. I think Brando and Leigh are deserving of any accolades they received, but I still found them to be annoying. Doesn't mean they were bad. It just means I didn't care for it.

So once I realized everybody in the movie belonged in a mental institution (and what do you know, SPOILERS, they at least partially listened to me for once), the movie was easier to handle. I just viewed it kind of like a train wreck. It's actually too bad Stanley and Blanche didn't end up falling for each other, otherwise I could have made some very poignant Twilight comparisons. Alas, they did not. So instead, I'm just left with a very well acted (though to be honest, sometimes a wee bit over-the-top) movie with totally unlikeable characters. And that's that.


Stop Saying OK! OK.

60/60 Extra: Boogie Nights.

This is going to be one of those difficult reviews. Where do you even start with a movie like this? Well, I guess we can start with expectations. Paul Thomas Anderson has four major films. I've now seen three of them. I really liked There Will Be Blood, though it had its problems. I hated Magnolia, though I need to see it again. And from what I've heard, Punch-Drunk Love is a love it or hate it kind of movie, with a majority leading toward the latter. I also saw the 2.5-hour time span of this film and thought "great, another super-long drama." Fortunately, that's only partially true.

The film is about the ups and downs of the porn industry and everybody involved with it in the 70s and 80s. Leading the cast is Mark Wahlberg as Eddie Adams/Dirk Diggler, a high school drop-out who wants to make something out of himself based on the fact he has a huge... talent. He teams up with director Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds) and his wife(?), Amber Waves (Julianne Moore). He befriends another couple of porn stars named Reed Rothchild (John C. Reilly) and Rollergirl (Heather Graham). Also on tap are Don Cheadle, Luis Guzman, William H. Macy, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Thomas Jane, and Alfred Molina. (And holy crap, Tom Lenk was in this? Buffy fans know who I'm talkin' about. Twas his first role, apparently.)

So yeah, obviously, this has one epic cast. I'm not even going to bother talking about the acting, because it's all pretty stellar. And they were backed up with some fantastic writing, to boot. What I was most surprised about was how funny this movie was. IMDb labels it as a straight drama. I mean, I should have known from There Will Be Blood, but still. The first hour and a half (and/or the 70s segment) had me laughing out loud at times. There are definitely some fantastic quotes in this film.

But then came the drama. The last hour of the movie (and/or the 80s segment) is practically straight drama, which was an rough transition from the lighter fare of the first 90 minutes. I thought the following 25-30 minutes was difficult to get through. I thought it dragged, bringing the what had up until then been excellent pacing down to almost a halt. Fortunately, it does pick up again. Right before the 2-hour mark, in maybe the last 30 or so minutes of the movie, it grabbed my attention again. This is the part where everybody's lives have hit rock bottom. Don Cheadle can't catch a break; Wahlberg, Reilly, and Jane are failures; and Reynolds and Graham have sold out--and all of this comes to a head in a great moment.

Besides that little rough patch, I thought the film was fantastic. The camera work, the style, and the editing were superb. And I thought the music was decent for the most part, but when you have a mixture of Jessie's Girl and 99 Luft Balloons during a shootout, you have some geniuses at work. I said this was a tough review because reviews that rave are dull to write and boring to read. I suppose if I wanted to spark some conversation, I would say this: There's some serious reverse-Oedipus Complex stuff going on here. The mom at the beginning came off as jealous that her son/Wahlberg was getting off with another girl (and/or posters), and Julianne Moore constantly saw Wahlberg as her son... and then banged him continually. That's all I have to say, so I'll just leave it at that.


Royale With Cheese

(P.S. ...Penis.)

60/60 Review #54: The Lives Of Others.

Most of you probably know by now (or have at least gathered) that straight dramas aren't really my cup of tea. I need to have some kind of other element in there, or at least make it somewhat stylish (City of God, for a recent example). I knew practically nothing of this film going into it except that it's about a guy who listens to people and it won an Oscar (and everybody and their mother hyped it up to me over the last year). And IMDb labels it as drama first, thriller second. About an hour into this 2+ hour movie, I'm asking myself where the thrill is.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. The Lives of Others takes place in Germany prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall. Wiesler (Ulrich Muhe) is a Stasi, or State Security officer. He's one of the best, and he's been tasked to keep surveillance on a writer named Georg Dreyman (Sebastian Koch) and his actress girlfriend, Christa-Maria (Martina Gedeck). During this time, however, he begins to obsess over them and finds himself too emotionally attached... to the point he alters what really happens to avoid getting them in trouble with the law.

I will be honest--the first hour or so of the film I found rather dull. The opening with the interrogation was good, but after that, I found the pacing drastically pulled back. This was the "straight drama" part of the film. Eventually, though, it found a good footing in some minor suspense and caught my attention again. To be fair, though, I did appreciate and enjoy Wiesler's evolution as a character from heartless to compassionate. I also really liked some bits in the middle (where my attention started being grabbed again) where he truly begins getting captivated by what's going on and you realize he's one lonely man--he even goes so far as to hire a prostitute, and she leaves him still emotionally unsatisfied. It's a great moment. There's also a fantastic bit where he's listening to the couple, and he's essentially holding himself, taking the moment in and trying to live through them.

The acting is fantastic all across the board. Of course, I found Muhe's Wiesler to be the best, but everybody was totally on their game throughout. I know this is a vital element to a drama, as the dilemmas of the characters and how they react to them is the sole heart and purpose of the genre. So for a film to be able to take you to the point you're sympathizing with somebody who is essentially one of the bad guys means that they did something right (well... in most cases. I suppose there are movies where you hate the good guys so much that you root for the baddies, but that's not the case here).

Anyway, it's safe to say that I did enjoy roughly two-thirds of the film. There's about a 20-minute epilogue after the story really ends to help wrap up everything. At first it seems a bit unnecessary, but by the end it makes sense. It's a fascinating premise and a very well-made film. The acting is solid, as is everything else (down to the superb music score). I'm still not a huge fan of dramas, but despite it not being my favorite type of movie, I can agree that it deserves all the acknowledgement it received.


I Am McLovin!

(P.S. That rating is for my personal entertainment score, not to be confused with a rating of quality, which I admit would probably be higher. I'll just say that if you're a fan of dramas, you should definitely check it out.)

60/60 Extra: Brokeback Mountain.

I want to start off by saying that, although I live in Texas, I am not homophobic in any way, shape, or form. I fully support the GLBT community. The only reason it has taken me this long to see this movie is, well... I just never got around to it. That being said, let's get into the review. It's almost pointless to talk about the plot, because everybody knows what this is just by the title. Ennis (Heath Ledger) and Jack (Jake Gyllenhaal) are two cowboys who get a job wrangling sheep on Brokeback Mountain one summer. They grow close--very close. The job ends and they move on to their normal lives, having relationships and building families. Ennis marries Alma (Michelle Williams), and Jack hooks up with Lureen (Anne Hathaway). But their relationship with each other rekindles, though it slowly destroys both their lives.

I know this film won 3 Oscars (including adapted screenplay, as it was adapted from a short story) and was nominated for more. But... I just couldn't get into it. I didn't find it all that interesting. Now, the idea behind it is interesting--two guys share a romance that tears apart their personal lives during a time when such relationships are forbidden. There's room for great conflict, great drama, and great character development. But I wonder if the fact it came from a short story and was turned into a 2+ hour movie is a bit telling. I don't think there was enough plot to stretch it into such a long movie. Because of this, I was mostly just bored.

What saved the movie was the acting from the two leads. Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal are fantastic. Ledger, though, was the standout to me between the two, which makes it even sadder to me that he's gone. I didn't care for the female leads, though. Michelle Williams seemed awkward and forced, like she wasn't quite sure she knew what she was doing. And Anne Hathaway almost felt out of place. Apparently Anna Faris was in this movie, too, but I must have blinked, because when her name came up in the credits at the end, I did a double-take.

Overall, I appreciate what this movie did for the GLBT community, and I really liked the two male performances. However, it could have been trimmed down, as I mostly just found it rather dull. I mostly blame me not caring for Ang Lee, though. This is the fourth film of his I've seen, and only one of those four I didn't find particularly dry--which is funny, considering it was the one based on a Jane Austen novel. (Crouching Tiger was good, but rather slow at times itself. Don't even get me started on Hulk.) So I'll just leave it at that.


Stop Saying OK! OK.

60/60 Review #53: City Of God.

Where to begin? I didn't know much going into this movie going into it outside the fact it's considered one of the best movies ever made (hence why it made the list)... and, of course, the one-sentence plot summary that IMDb gives. So I gave it a watch and... I understand perfectly where people are coming from.

The film follows Rocket (Alexandre Rodrigues)--though it's not particularly about him. Some will say the movie is about both he and a trigger-happy, drug-dealing hood named Li'l Ze (Leandro Firmino). But I disagree. The movie is split up into "stories" that flesh out certain places or characters. I think the most telling segment is the Apartment's story. It's a brief bit that tells you the history of this single apartment that eventually leads to Li'l Ze taking over the city. Why is this the most telling? Because it's a miniature version of the entire film itself. Somebody ran it before, somebody takes it over through violence, runs it for a while, somebody else takes it through violence, and the cycle continues. The main character of this movie is the City of God itself, and we follow who comes in and out of the city, runs the city, destroys the city, etc. Rocket, Li'l Ze, and all the others are merely guests in the story of this city.

That being said, the city has one hell of a story to tell. It's a fascinating movie with fascinating characters. The good guys aren't totally good, the bad guys aren't totally bad, and even Li'l Ze--as insane as he is--does attempt to be more human once or twice. And even though the story of the city is on a cycle, it never felt like it was repeating itself. It never really dragged, either. And despite being moderately lengthy, it has a good pacing.

The acting is phenomenal, and it brings out the quality writing. There are a few moments where maybe the dialogue isn't up to snuff (though that could possibly be blamed on translation?). But otherwise, the storytelling and voice-over narration and everything is rather solid.

The film is also visually stunning. The cinematography and the editing are fun and unique and, at times, rather stylistic. It partially reminded me, at times, of something Danny Boyle might do. Sometimes it was steadicam, sometimes shaky cam, sometimes vibrant, sometimes grainy, sometimes moving pictures, sometimes still pictures, sometimes full screen, sometimes split screen (or partially split screen). It was all done very well, and it made what would otherwise be a gritty, dark film more bearable.

If you have yet to check out this film, I strongly suggest doing so. It's superbly made on all levels. The visuals, acting, writing, directing, etc., are all fantastic. It's much more of a character piece than a plot-driven drama. However, as I said before, the human characters are only incidental. The film is about the city, and all the other characters just show up in each other's stories and grow. And even though it's not the easiest film to sit through (it is rather dark and can be disturbing), it's quite a sight to see.


Royale With Cheese

(P.S. I also have to give it props for literally being the only movie I've ever seen based in or around Rio to not exploit--or even show--the Christ the Redeemer statue.)

60/60 Review #52: The Seventh Seal.

So... you have a character that has visions, a character that prolongs his life by attempting to beat death, Death himself following them around taking lives in his wake, some dark humor, and (spoilers!) an ending where those he affects by his extended life end up with his same fate. Dude... The Seventh Seal was the original Final Destination!

Seriously, though... the movie follows Antonius Block (Max von Sydow), a knight of the Crusades, who was supposed to die but instead challenges Death (Bengt Ekerot) to a game of chess. If he wins, he gets a reprieve, but he does get to an extension as long as the game goes on. He continues traveling with his squire Jons (Gunnar Bjornstrand), and eventually meet up with a man-and-wife actors troupe, Jof (Nils Poppe) and Mia (Bibi Andersson). Together, everybody ponders the meaning of life, the universe, and everything. Oh, and Jof occasionally has visions of things that nobody believes he actually has.

I've known about this film since I was a kid, mostly for the chess playing bit (in part thanks to Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey). It's too bad, however, that in the 90 or so minutes of this film, that only takes up roughly 5 minutes throughout the overall film. The majority of the movie follows the characters speaking about life and death and more life and more death and the mysteries therein. In other words, the movie is nothing but philosophy. Some might find that interesting. Others might find it painfully dull. Me? I land somewhere in the middle, landing closer to the side of interesting. But I can't deny that after an hour of what feels like the same conversation, one tends to drift off.

It actually works mostly for 2 reasons: the writing and the acting. The writing is pretty damn fantastic and quite poetic in nature. Like I said, the entire thing is rather philosophical, and the way the characters speak to each other is quite beautiful. But if the acting wasn't there to believably deliver those words, it wouldn't have worked. But it does.

And the most surprising aspect of the film was the fact it had attempts at humor. Of course, none of it made me laugh out loud, but I did find parts amusing. Jof, in particular, was a fun character. And Jons the squire had a few good lines (like having written a song about a randy fish).

For the film itself, the writing, acting, and cinematography were excellent. The overall direction and production of it was great. But I think, though, that I liked the idea of the film more than the film itself. I liked what it represented and what it discussed. But the final product was a bit too dry for me.


I Am McLovin!

60/60 Review #51: Nosferatu (1922).

It's funny--I blew through almost every movie on this month's list in a couple weeks. But then I was left with this one and kept putting it off. I once said I believed M was the oldest film I had for the list. That, of course, was incorrect. This 1922 classic is the oldest. The only visual I've ever known from this film, which is a visual I've known even since I was a little kid, was the shadow (and then the woman on the bed), both of which are in the climax. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

For those unawares, this film was infamously adapted from Bram Stoker's Dracula, changing a few things here and there to avoid copyright... which they were unable to avoid still as Stoker's widow sued and had them burn every copy and negative. Fortunately, some had been distributed around the world by this point and the film survived. So we get Hutter (Gustav von Wangenheim), who is hired by Knock (Alexander Granach), to travel to Transylvania to meet with Count Orlok (Max Schrek). The Count wants to buy a house in their village, and they're going to set him up with an abandoned building across the way from Hutter's own place. Unfortunately, Hutter quickly discovers that Orlok is actually the deadly vampire, Nosferatu.

If you don't count a big chunk of The Great Dictator, this would be my first silent film. This is also the oldest film I've ever seen (with M in 1931 having taken the previous spot, with Freaks in 32 before that). And all of that worried me. However, practically neither of those things were my issues with this movie. Well, I suppose it could be attributed to it in a round-about way, but... let me explain.

The first half of the film bothered me more than the second half for technical reasons. I think the film might have been more effective in black and white than with the weird color hues throughout. I know they were used to determine day from night and whatnot, but it was still mildly bothersome. Also, while overall the music was quite excellent, the music of the first half of the film sometimes didn't seem to match up with the apparent mood it wanted you to take from the scene. For instance, there could be dramatic or eerie music, but the actors were being goofy (I'll get to that in a minute)... or there was more light-hearted music, and the scene appeared to be more serious.

Then there's the acting. For the most part, it was alright. Max Schrek in particular was creepy and menacing as the title character. However, the character of Hutter was... freakin' whack or something (to borrow a teen phrase of the day). I've seen arguments where perhaps he was supposed to be off his rocker. I've seen others that state the opposite and that the actor was just doing a poor job--though that undermines an otherwise competent director. But no matter how you look at it, the guy played the character to an annoying and bizarre level. His over-the-top reactions to things were... almost always out of place and unfitting of the moment. Sure you might argue it was the acting of the times or of expressionist film-making, but really none of the other actors were acting that way. I'm sorry, but it was a huge detriment to the film for me.

Then you have the narrative cards. In silent films such as this, these are the main things to help you with the flow of the story. And I know it's due to the time period and style, but man were a lot of the lines and wording super cheesy. It adds a certain charm to the film, yeah, but still... worth mentioning. Also worth mentioning is the fact that the majority of the time, the narrative cards that I could read quickly were on the screen forever, to the point I could read them numerous times; however, the longer cards were up for half the time, and sometimes I couldn't even finish reading them. It could be quite annoying.

So I mentioned at the beginning the shadow/bed stuff being the only thing I knew about the film visually. That scene is in the last 4 or so minutes of the film, and by golly is that a fantastic 4 minutes. There's a reason that's probably the most famous part of the film. The entire climax of the movie is outstanding. Everything works together--the music, the tension, the visuals. The shadow up the stairs followed by the shadow of the hand sliding over her chest and then closing over her heart... amazing. If you're going to watch this film for anything, do it for the last 4-5 minutes. Oh, and in a kinda-spoiler way, did you know that this movie was what introduced "vampires are killed by sunlight" into vampire lore? I thought that was a neat fun fact.

Overall, in these types of films, you only have 3 main things to work off of: The actors' expressions, the music, and the narrative cards. It's unfortunate that I found fault in the use of all 3 of these things. Now don't get me wrong. For 1922, I can see how this movie (especially Orlok himself) are freakin' terrifying. I find his looks scary even today. And for its time, I suppose it's rather well done. But looking back on it now, from somebody who doesn't typically watch this style of film (and I don't mean horror), it's merely OK... but with one hell of a climax (oh, and that rising from the coffin bit was awesome, too).


Stop Saying OK! OK.

(P.S. That will wrap up Horror Month! What a month! We're on the home stretch now. There's really no more themed months. November is a mish-mash of films I couldn't fit into other categories, but on the heavier side of things. Let's see how I do with what I'm given!)