IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT [1967] movie review
April 22, 2012
A rare Sunday night movie viewing continued my civil rights marathon with the excellent IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT. I really liked this movie that was as much quirky as it was serious about race relations in Mississippi in the 1960s.
AMERICAN HISTORY X [1998] movie review
April 20, 2012
I had been wanting to watch AMERICAN HISTORY X for a number of years and finally, all of a sudden, watched it tonight. It was perhaps the movie that had been in the back of my mind to watch for the longest time of any other movie in that mental queue. I was no doubt motivated to watch it by current events happening here in Florida on race and violence. After seeing Edward Norton’s intense performance and the powerful story telling I immediately looked up debut director Tony Kaye’s other movies, which surprisingly were of no note at all.
THE HUNGER GAMES [2012] movie review
March 24, 2012
I have never felt more fear for a character than I did for Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen in THE HUNGER GAMES. By the moment she was about to enter the games, I felt petrified for her. Director Gary Ross allows ample, ample time to build up to the games themselves and being totally unfamiliar with the story, I had no idea when that calm before the storm was going to end and all hell would break loose. Likewise, once in hell I did not know how the story would play out and was constantly surprised. THE HUNGER GAMES is riveting and must be seen in a theater, preferably an IMAX theater.
CINEMA PARADISO [1988] movie review
March 23, 2012
If you are a nostalgic person, love movies, and have loved and lost, then I cannot think of a movie more suited for your viewing than CINEMA PARADISO, the 1988 Italian film that won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY [2010] movie review
March 15, 2012
I am extremely thankful for every movie touched by Hayao Miyazaki that Studio Ghibli produces, never knowing if it will be the last one. If THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY is the last, it would offer one final look into the imaginary world Miyazaki finds in the countryside of Japan. The animation style of Studio Ghibli remains a wonder to behold on screen and provides further proof that today’s children are really missing out being only exposed to new movie releases in CGI. When Studio Ghibli draws rain, I feel like I am getting wet. When Arrietty buttons her bag, I can feel the textures of it. Watching ARRIETTY is an organic experience.
Ten Best Movies of 2011
February 26, 2012
Just in time before the Oscar winners are announced later tonight, I have finished watching enough movies so that I am able to pick my Ten Best movies of 2011. I have seen nine of the ten best pictures nominees, and the one I did not see was by choice because I do not believe it to be even worth seeing. Three of my Ten Best Movies of 2011 are nominated for Best Picture.
I have seen all five of the movies with a Best Actor nomination, but only one of the Best Actress. I have seen two of the five Best Foreign Language Film nominees and all ten of the movies nominated for Best Writing Adapted and Original. Finally, I have seen all five movies nominated for Best Director.
In the calendar year of 2011, I watched 115 movies total (released in any year), by far the most movies I have ever watched in a single year.
THE ARTIST [2011] movie review
February 3, 2012
It is a rare pleasure to view of movie that appears to be what I call, “handmade.” THE ARTIST is such a movie, and not just because it is the first silent film I have ever seen in my life nor because it is in black and white, but because every frame on screen is on purpose, crafted, and punctuated by a score that provides emotion so differently than endless dialogue does.
WAR HORSE [2011] movie review
January 28, 2012
If you do not think a person can believe in something so strongly that no matter how astronomically improbably it is, it can still happen, then you need not see WAR HORSE. If you are, however, a person who does, as I am, then you will find WAR HORSE inspiring and raising your own confidence that what you are trying to believe in can be done.
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