Tag Archives: Top 250 Films

#101 Favorite Film, 1950 Films, Billy Wilder, Buster Keaton, Cecil B. Demille, Drama, Erich von Stroheim, Favorite Film of the Year, Film noir, Gloria Swanson, Hedda Hopper, Jack Warden, Jack Webb, Nancy Olson, Sidney Skolsky, Top 250 Films, William Holden

Sunset Boulevard-1950

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Sunset Boulevard-1950

Director Billy Wilder

Starring Gloria Swanson, William Holden

Top 250 Films #101

Scott’s Review #330

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Reviewed January 8, 2016

Grade: A

I adore films about Hollywood (good ones), and Sunset Boulevard (1950) is an absolute treasure.

Directed by classic film director Billy Wilder, the film is a film noir about a legendary silent film star, Norma Desmond, who struggles to cope with the advent of sound movies and the instability of her life, plagued by mental illness as her career has long since ended.

Handsome Joe innocently stumbles upon her mansion, forming an eerie relationship that ends in tragedy.

Sunset Boulevard is a famous street in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills, California. It is immediately featured in the film as Joe Gillis, played by William Holden, drives down the street, an unsuccessful screenwriter whose car is about to be repossessed.

Joe narrates the film, and we see a man lying dead in a vast swimming pool. Ironically, this is the film’s ending, and Wilder works backward in an interesting way, so the audience knows tragedy will eventually ensue.

To avoid being chased by men, Joe pulls into a driveway and hides his car in a garage near a vast yet run-down mansion. He is mistaken for a coffin salesman and meets the infamous and creepy Norma and her servant, Max.

The coffin is for Norma’s deceased pet chimpanzee. Intrigued and broke, Joe hatches a plot to rewrite Norma’s terrible screenplay- and make some money from the aging Hollywood star.

Norma needs companionship. The two, along with Max, embark on a complicated relationship marked by jealousy, passion, and rage.

The black-and-white style works exceptionally well in the film, and the lighting creates a sense of intrigue and film noir mystique.

Sunset Boulevard combines noir with a rich character study of Norma, and we feel her pain and isolation as she is cast aside due to the times.

I love how Wilder focuses on the gloomy nature of Norma’s vast mansion—especially when she throws a New Year’s Eve party isolated with just her, Joe, and a hired band—and intersperses it with a lively party in Hollywood filled with young, energetic, up-and-coming talents.

The scenes blend seamlessly and effectively showcase the two different worlds and perspectives.

Sunset Boulevard is a brilliant depiction of old Hollywood at its best (and worst). A study in ambition, struggle, high hopes (Joe), and faded success and dreams shattered in reality, where delusion is the only defense (Norma).

Oscar Nominations: 3 wins-Best Motion Picture, Best Director-Billy Wilder, Best Actor-William Holden, Best Actress-Gloria Swanson, Best Supporting Actor-Erich von Stroheim, Best Supporting Actress-Nancy Olson, Best Story and Screenplay (won), Best Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture (won), Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White (won), Best Cinematography, Black-and-White, Best Film Editing

#102 Favorite Film, 1946 Films, Best Picture Oscar Winners, Cathy O'Donnell, Dana Andrews, Drama, Fredric March, Harold Russell, Hoagy Carmichael, Myrna Loy, Teresa Wright, Top 250 Films, Virginia Mayo, William Wyler

The Best Years of Our Lives-1946

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The Best Years of Our Lives-1946

Director William Wyler

Starring Frederic March, Myrna Loy, Dana Andrews

Top 250 Films #102

Scott’s Review #858

Reviewed January 20, 2019

Grade: A

Many films emerged during the 1940s that depicted the horrific events of World War II. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) is the first film to focus on the aftermath of the war and the lasting psychological effects on soldiers and their loved ones.

The film may teeter on the edge of soap opera territory. Still, it is powerful, dramatic, tender, and heartfelt, allowing its audience to experience the challenges faced by those who serve their country after leaving the military.

Director William Wyler, who also created the similarly themed Mrs. Miniver (1942), again explores the family drama genre. Still, the drama occurs this time in small-town America rather than outside London.

While Mrs. Miniver focuses on the ravages of the current war, he chooses to delve into its after-effects, which offer a broader range of situations and greater complexity. The result is a more substantial and cerebral experience.

The story centers on three U.S. service members as they attempt to readjust to civilian life upon returning home from the battlefields of World War II. Homer (Harold Russell), Al (Frederic March), and Fred (Dana Andrews) all live in the same small town, Boone City, USA.

The men were acquaintances but did not serve together in the war, as each held a different rank and had other duties.

Al has the most going for him with a loving wife, Milly (Myrna Loy), two children, and a stable household. He is promoted to Vice President of a local bank, but despite this achievement, he is a heavy drinker and prone to anger.

He is enraged at the poor treatment of veterans trying to obtain bank loans and at the United States for hindering veterans’ attempts at rebuilding their lives. His adult daughter Peggy (Teresa Wright) is a prominent character as she begins a flirtation with Fred.

Fred is unskilled and must return to his menial job as a drugstore soda jerk, much to his selfish wife, Marie’s (Virginia Mayo), chagrin. Homer lost both hands in the war and wore mechanical prosthetic hands, which made him insecure and troubled.

His days as a respected high school football quarterback have sadly come to an end, though he has unwavering support from his fiancée, Wilma (Cathy O’Donnell).

The trials and tribulations of many characters begin to mount as one character fights another over a dispute about the meaning of the war. Another character plots to ruin a marriage and embarks on a plan to rescue a character from another.

The plots run the risk of being too daytime drama-like, except that the underlying point of the troubled veterans is always at the forefront, and their challenges are to be taken seriously.

A poignant moment is a crucial scene when one character admits that they have “given up the best years of my life,” a frustrated testimonial and proof that war can ravage not only the lives of the veterans but also of their loved ones.

Wyler does not hold back in conveying a clear message through the film. The viewer will undoubtedly ponder the title, “The Best Years of Our Lives,” and realize that it is open to different interpretations and does not have only a positive connotation.

The most powerful aspect of The Best Years of Our Lives is that the actor who played a military veteran, Harold Russell, was a disabled veteran. This realism of a man portraying himself and the terrible effects the war had on him makes his character my favorite and highly empathetic.

His Academy Award wins for Best Supporting Actor are emotional and deserving, as he a won Best Picture and seven other awards.

Featuring a topic that gained prominence after World War II, The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) is a grand Hollywood film that embodies all the hallmarks of a classic drama.

Under the surface, the film is dripping with relevance, social commentary, and the psychological trauma that veterans face upon returning home, and how some are damaged beyond repair. The rich American-style film remains a worthy watch, nearly a century after production wrapped.

Oscar Nominations: 7 wins-Best Motion Picture (won), Best Director-William Wyler (won), Best Actor-Fredric March (won), Best Supporting Actor- Harold Russell (won), Best Screenplay (won), Best Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture (won), Best Sound Recording, Best Film Editing (won)

#103 Favorite Film, #19 Favorite Horror Films, 1973 Films, British, British Horror, Donald Sutherland, Horror, Julie Christie, Nicolas Roeg, Top 20 Horror Films, Top 250 Films, Top 40 Horror Films

Don’t Look Now-1973

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Don’t Look Now-1973

Director Nicolas Roeg

Starring Julie Christie, Donald Sutherland

Top 250 Films #103

Top 40 Horror Films #19

Scott’s Review #693

Reviewed October 22, 2017

Grade: A

Don’t Look Now is an exceptional 1973 supernatural horror film that is as thought-provoking as it is intelligently written and directed.

Combined with riveting acting by famous Hollywood stars of the day, the film is simply an anomaly and must be seen to be appreciated. It is also the type of film that can be watched again and again for better clarity and exhibits the age-old “it gets better with age” comparison.

The film is rich with story, atmosphere, and cerebral elements, as well as being highly influential to horror films that followed.

An affluent married couple, John and Laura Baxter (Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie), live happily together in their English country home, raising their two children, Johnny and Christine.

After a tragic drowning incident, resulting in the death of Christine, the devastated couple relocates to Venice, after John accepts a position restoring an ancient church. Soon, Laura meets a pair of elderly sisters, one of whom is blind and claims to be clairvoyant, warning her of imminent danger and that Christine is attempting to contact her from beyond.

Don’t Look Now is hardly your standard horror film, which is the main part of its appeal- psychological in nature, the film holds only one gruesome death- not including the death of Christina, which is a terrible accident- not malicious.

Rather, director Nicolas Roeg quietly builds the suspense to a startling final sequence by using a chilling musical score to elicit a reaction from the audience. We know not what will happen, only that something sinister is bound to.

Due to the successful chemistry between Sutherland and Christie, in 1973, both cream of the crop in terms of film success and marketability, the actors deserve much credit for making Don’t Look Now both believable and empathetic.

John and Laura, each give their character a likable nature and immeasurable chemistry, which makes the audience care for them.

Despite the supernatural elements in the film, at its core, the story is quite humanistic. John and Laura have tragically lost a child and we see them deal with the painful grief associated with this loss.

The famous sex scene between the pair is shocking given the time, but also tastefully done, as Roeg uses a fragmented filming style that mixes the nudity with the couple dressing for dinner.

Visually, Don’t Look Now is a pure treat. The viewer is catapulted to the cultural and wonderful world of watery Venice, where scene after scene features gondola rides, exterior treats of the city, and filming locations such as the famous Hotel Gabrielli Sandworth and the San Nicolo dei Mendicoli church, wisely chosen as shooting locations giving the film an effective realism.

The characters of the elderly sisters, Heather and Wendy, are wonderfully cast. Hilary Mason and Clelia Matania are fantastic and believable as the mysterious duo. Seemingly kindly and eager to help, I was never really sure what the character’s true motives were.

Was Laura paying them for their assistance?

The film never reveals this information, but Heather especially contains a sinister look that shrouds her motivations in uncertainty. Fabulous actress Mason shines in her important role.

As John begins to “see things”, the use of the color red becomes very important. Christine died wearing a red coat and John sees a child wearing a red coat walking around the city, but cannot make out her face.

When he sees Laura and the sisters at a funeral, we begin to question his sanity. But are the sisters up to something and attempting to trick him or is his mind playing tricks on him?

The terrific conclusion will only lead the viewer to more questions.

Don’t Look Now (1973) is a unique, classic horror film, with incredible thematic elements, an eerie psychological story, fine acting, and location sequences that will astound.

Mixing the occult with an unpredictable climax, the film is influenced by Alfred Hitchcock and succeeds in achieving a blood-curdling affair sure to be discussed upon the chilling conclusion.

The film is non-linear in storytelling, which only makes it more challenging to watch and appreciate.

#104 Favorite Film, 1972 Films, Burt Reynolds, John Boorman, Jon Voight, Ned Beatty, Thriller, Top 250 Films

Deliverance-1972

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Deliverance-1972

Director John Boorman

Starring Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty

Top 250 Films #104   

Scott’s Review #324

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Reviewed January 5, 2016

Grade: A

Deliverance is a disturbing, gritty, yet wonderful 1972 thriller, directed by John Boorman, starring a cast of all-male principal actors.

The film is an adventure, albeit a dark one, with a subject matter difficult to watch, the film takes dark twists along the way, which is also the beauty of it. The viewer will get a harsh look at the backwoods of Georgia, not to mention gorgeous outdoor scenery.

A group of middle-aged, metropolitan businessmen, (played by Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight, Ned Beatty, and Ronny Cox), from Atlanta, decide to go rafting for a weekend getaway along a remote river in a desolate area of Georgia.

It is a guy’s weekend.

Lewis and Ed (Reynolds and Voight) are experienced at canoeing and are therefore the leaders of the group.

The guys are jovial but soon come upon a strange group of very poor townspeople. The men ask for a ride to the river and one of the men, Drew (Cox) engages a strange young boy in a friendly duel of banjo versus guitar, but Drew is then snubbed by the boy.

Later, events take a dark turn when a hunter versus hunted game emerges between the city-dwelling men and the country rednecks.

The film is interesting as it begins as a light-hearted adventure- nearly a buddy movie. The men laugh and joke as they relish in anticipation of the exciting weekend lying ahead of them.

The film then becomes slightly eerie during the banjo scene. We know that something strange or sinister has occurred, but we cannot put our finger on it.

Does the redneck boy hate the city men or is he simply mentally challenged? Why the strange looks of the poor people of the tiny town?

From this point, Deliverance takes a dark turn as a brutal event occurs involving two deaths- one under mysterious circumstances, and a male rape scene that is disturbing in its intensity and humiliation.

The rawness of these aspects of the film is unprecedented, especially interspersed with the contrast of the beautiful nature that is also at the forefront.

The acting is spot-on. In my opinion, Jon Voight makes this film and gives a layered, character-driven performance, so much so, that the audience becomes invested in his life. Ed is a good guy- arguably the kindest of the bunch- and is forced to become a different person as the film progresses, far from his true self.

He struggles in one scene- one beautifully peaceful scene- to shoot and kill a deer calmly grazing in the woods. He cannot do it. I love this scene as it shows Ed’s true nature. He does not dare tell the other men of his perceived shortcomings.

Ironically, he is then forced to make another painful decision involving human life.

On the surface a straightforward mainstream film, but as the film moves along, it becomes a layered masterpiece. Happy, tragic, strange, depressing, peaceful, and brutal capture Deliverance (1972).

The film is a disturbing, memorable gem and needs to be viewed to appreciate the golden age of 1970s cinema.

Oscar Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director-John Boorman, Best Film Editing

#105 Favorite Film, 2001 Films, Alan Bates, Camilla Rutherford, Clive Owen, Derek Jacobi, Drama, Eileen Atkins, Emily Watson, Helen Mirren, Julian Fellowes, Kelly Macdonald, Kristin Scott Thomas, Maggie Smith, Period Drama, Richard E. Grant, Robert Altman, Ryan Phillippe, Tom Hollander, Top 250 Films

Gosford Park-2001

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Gosford Park-2001

Director Robert Altman

Starring Maggie Smith, Helen Mirren, Ryan Phillippe

Top 250 Films #105

Scott’s Review #350

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Reviewed January 9, 2016

Grade: A

Somewhere between the brilliant PBS series of the 1970s and the ultra-modern cool of Downton Abbey (also PBS) lies the masterpiece that is Robert Altman’s 2001 gem, Gosford Park.

Ironic is that the creator, writer, and executive producer of Downtown Abbey, Julian Fellowes, wrote the screenplay of Gosford Park.

No wonder, combined with Altman’s direction, they created genius.

The period is 1932 and the wealthy, along with their servants, flock to the magnificent estate of Gosford Park, a grand English country home. The guests include both Americans and Brits and everyone is gathered for a shooting weekend- foreshadowing if ever there was.

Following a dinner party, a murder occurs and the remainder of the film follows the subsequent police investigation, and the perspectives of the guests and the servants as a whodunit ensues.

Many of the character’s lives unravel as secrets are exposed.

Sir William, the murder victim, is a powerful industrialist. After he announces he will withdraw an investment, the ramifications affect many of the guests so that the set-up is spelled out for the audience.

At the risk of seemingly nothing more than a plot device- it is so much more than that.

During a pheasant shoot, Sir William receives a minor wound thanks to a stray birdshot- is this intentional or merely an accident? When Sir William meets his fate that evening, the potential suspects pile up.

If there are two compelling aspects to a great film, they are a good old-fashioned whodunit and an enormous cast, all potential suspects.

What makes Gosford Park exceptional is that every character is interesting in some way and all are written well.

Secrets abound for miles in this film and are revealed deliciously. Torrid affairs, sexuality secrets, and blackmail abound as revelations make their way to the surface and Altman knows exactly how to cast doubt or suspicion on many of his characters.

The compelling relationship between American film producer Morris Weissman and his valet, Henry Denton (Ryan Phillipe), along with the domineering head housekeeper, Mrs. Wilson (Helen Mirren) are my favorite characters and dynamics.

How clever that Maggie Smith would play similar roles as stuffy aristocrats in both Gosford Park and Downton Abbey.

Rich in texture is the balancing between the haves and the have-nots and how those characters mix (sometimes in secret rendezvous!)

Typical of Altman films, the character dialogue commonly overlaps, and the actors largely improvise the script. In addition to being an actor’s dream, this quality gives a dash of realism to his films and Gosford Park is no exception.

Since there are so many characters and so many plots and sub-plots going on at once, my recommendation is to watch the film at least twice to fully comprehend the layers of the goings-on.

Gosford Park (2001) will become more and more appreciated.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Picture, Best Director-Robert Altman, Best Supporting Actress-Helen Mirren, Maggie Smith, Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen/Original Screenplay (won), Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design

#106 Favorite Film, #20 Favorite Horror Film, 1999 Films, Bruce Willis, Donnie Wahlberg, Haley Joel Osment, Horror, M. Night Shyamalan, Olivia Williams, Thriller, Toni Collette, Top 20 Horror Films, Top 250 Films, Top 40 Horror Films

The Sixth Sense-1999

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The Sixth Sense-1999

Director M. Night Shyamalan

Starring Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment

Top 250 Films #106

Top 40 Horror Films #20

Scott’s Review #182

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Reviewed October 8, 2014

Grade: A

The Sixth Sense is a psychological thriller/horror film directed by M. Night Shyamalan, made in 1999, about ghosts, that was an incredible box-office and critical success at its time of release and made the line, “I see dead people” universally imitated.

Bruce Willis stars as Dr. Malcolm Crowe, a successful and admired child psychologist, who lives a perfect life with his wife Anna in Philadelphia.

Enjoying a romantic night at home, Malcolm and Anna are interrupted by a deranged former patient- played by an unrecognizable Donnie Walhberg.

Malcolm is shot by the patient, who also shoots himself, and the story picks up a year later as Malcolm takes an interest in Cole, a troubled 9-year-old boy, played by Haley Joel Osment. Cole is a peculiar boy- an outcast taunted at school, who can see the dead.

He’s worried, over-worked mother, Lynn, is played by Toni Collette. Meanwhile, Malcolm and Anna appear to be going through marital problems and lack any meaningful communication with each other.

Anna begins to be pursued by a new beau much to Malcolm’s chagrin. Malcolm and Cole develop a special bond as Malcolm convinces Cole to speak to and help the ghosts that he sees rather than be terrified of them.

As the plot slowly unfolds, Cole helps a recently deceased girl named Kyra Collins, who is around his age. Kyra gives Cole a videotape that reveals she was murdered and proves who killed her.

The subsequent scene is my favorite- there is a haunting quality to it and the camera follows the events interestingly- slowly and sedately.

The setting is a service at Kyra’s house where family and friends are gathered to pay respects and support Kyra’s parents. Malcolm and Cole arrive and present Kyra’s father with the plain videotape.

The entire scene is powerful in its simplicity yet high emotional value. It is slow, but devastating in its climax and reveals. Small nuances are revealed- why is Kyra’s mother wearing bright red when the other guests are all wearing black? Will Kyra’s younger sister be the next victim?

Superlative filmmaking.

A scene involving Cole’s teacher is riveting- being able to sense aspects of people’s pasts Cole realizes his teacher had a stuttering problem as a child. When his teacher is condescending towards Cole, the young boy explodes with rage and begins a chant of “Stuttering Stanley” which reduces the teacher to childhood traumas.

Yet another powerful scene involves Cole and his mother sitting in a car caught in traffic- Cole admits the truth of his skill of seeing dead people to her and introduces an emotional story to her as proof.

This is a scene where Toni Collette shines brightly.

Well over a decade since The Sixth Sense was released, most people know the twist and subsequent surprise ending and it is such a joy to go back, see the manipulations in the story and individual scenes, add them all up, and revel in the clever way that Shyamalan puts them all together.

The Sixth Sense is not dated and is quite fresh, holding up tremendously, and I personally still get chills during the big reveal all these years later.

But more than this pleasure, the film is written beautifully. Somewhere between horror and psychological thriller, it successfully tells a ghost story with interesting characters and jumps-out-of-your-seat thrills that are not contrived and predictable in the traditional horror film way.

From an acting perspective, Bruce Willis is amazing and under-appreciated as Malcolm- he is calm, cool, and collected and his performance is quite understated as the inquisitive and pensive psychologist.

More praise should have been reaped on Willis.

Haley Joel Osment gives an astounding performance of a lifetime- he emits an image to the audience of being strange yet sympathetic and he relays his very frightening fear of the ghosts so well that the pain and conflict he endures is evident on his face.

Toni Collette is effective as the scared, concerned, haggard mother. Collette and Osment were rewarded with Academy award nominations- sadly Willis was not.

Shyamalan was subsequently ridiculed for his later films (The Village-2001, and Unbreakable-2001) – perhaps the manipulation and trickery from The Sixth Sense angered some people.

The Sixth Sense (1999) is a film that remains with you for days, weeks, even years and can be revisited and rediscovered for an intelligent, chilling good time.

Oscar Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director-M. Night Shyamalan, Best Supporting Actor-Haley Joel Osment, Best Supporting Actress-Toni Collette, Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen, Best Film Editing

#107 Favorite Film, 1992 Films, Crime Thriller, Harvey Keitel, Independent, Independent Thriller, Michael Madsen, Quentin Tarantino, Steve Buscemi, Thriller, Tim Roth, Top 250 Films

Reservoir Dogs-1992

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Reservoir Dogs-1992

Director Quentin Tarantino

Starring Tim Roth, Harvey Keitel, Steve Buscemi

Top 250 Films #107

Scott’s Review #1,332

Reviewed January 9, 2023

Grade: A

Reservoir Dogs (1992) is the film that began an essential transition in cinema history. The 1980s saw way too many watered-down or oversaturated films with enough sappy or melodramatic thematics to make a seasoned cinema lover want to gag and run for a good television series.

The 1990s were different. It’s impossible to think of the decade in film and not speak the name Quentin Tarantino, an iconoclast who took the crime thriller genre and riddled it with violence, dark humor, comic book-style characters, and dozens of other eccentricities and spun the world on its heads.

It was needed.

But before anyone begins to assume Reservoir Dogs is the most fantastic Tarantino film, it’s not. Many list it as his weakest catalog entry. That’s open to the opinion of course but in my view, the influence of the film accounts for much of my enjoyment of it.

It’s not as developed and stylized as Django Unchained (2012) or as powerfully fucked up or odd as Pulp Fiction (1995), but the rawness, the gore, and the go-for-broke scenes that are shot like a play, and the small-budget make watching Reservoir Dogs a reminder of the genius that is Tarantino.

Countless scenes mirror sequences to come in his later films so much so that a game can be played to discover where something played out in another Tarantino film.

The film gave new recognition and merit to the independent film genre which was huge and provided doors flying open to young filmmakers everywhere who had ideas and just needed to get their films known.

The influence of Reservoir Dogs is unmeasured and a double feature of Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction is suggested. Even though the latter was released later, most people saw Pulp Fiction first and then discovered Reservoir Dogs.

A group of unsavory thieves assemble to pull off the perfect diamond heist. It turns into a bloody shit show when one of the men turns out to be a police informer. But which one is it and who is responsible for the ambush?

As the group begins to question each other’s guilt, the tensions and suspicions threaten to blow up the situation before the police step in and save the day. But how many will die first?

Tarantino cleverly casts himself in a small role as Mr. Brown and names all the men using the same formal title. There is Mr. White (Harvey Keitel), Mr. Orange (Tim Roth), Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen), Mr. Blue (Edward Bunker), and finally Mr. Pink (Steve Buscemi) who is my favorite of all.

In 1992, many scenes were shocking. When sinister Mr. Blonde cuts off the ear of a cop and prepares to set him on fire the brutality and sadism are hard to watch.

The blood-soaked Mr. Orange lies in a pool of blood through nearly the entire film. As his skin turns whiter and whiter and his clothes redder and redder it’s an example of masterful cinema and creativity.

The few exterior shots are in Los Angeles which gives the film a low-budget, raw look.  It’s to be celebrated as the potent sun and grizzled veneer of the city of angels are on display.

I’m not a fan of the lack of female representation but this only enhances the muscle and masculinity of the characters. As they sit in a diner mulling over whether tipping is necessary we could easily be in a men’s locker room witnessing banter about getting laid, or watching an episode of Seinfeld.

There are no romantic entanglements to mess up the plot or no rescuing the girl from criminals to contend with. The closest we come is a couple of homoerotic moments of men embracing men amongst bullets and blood.

Reservoir Dogs succeeds as a whodunit, a heist film, and a vile look at the inhumanity of some of the characters.

The influence and relevance of Reservoir Dogs in 2023 are as abundant as they were in 1992. Cinema is like fine wine and sometimes the more time that goes by the more appreciation is warranted for a film.

It’s not perfect and is unpolished and sometimes underdeveloped but it’s been emulated so many times that it’s become a blueprint of the crime thriller.

Independent Spirit Awards: 1 win-Best Supporting Male-Steve Buscemi (won)

#108 Favorite Film, 1948 Films, Albert Bassermann, Anton Walbrook, British, Drama, Emeric Pressburger, Marius Goring, Michael Powell, Moira Shearer, Top 250 Films

The Red Shoes-1948

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The Red Shoes-1948

Director Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger

Starring Moira Shearer, Marius Goring

Top 250 Films #108

Scott’s Review #683

Reviewed September 19, 2017

Grade: A

The best in the collection of cinematic ballet films, 1948’s The Red Shoes is a highly artistic and influential film, one that is undoubtedly studied in film schools everywhere.

One cannot view The Red Shoes without amazement, and the realization that this piece must have been dissected by legendary director Darren Aronofsky before he created his creepy 2010 psychological thriller, Black Swan, is evident.

The Red Shoes is a British film that imbues it with a transparent element of grace, class, and sophistication, perfectly encapsulating the themes of love, ambition, and jealousy —the Brits do it right.

Director Michael Powell later crafted the odd and controversial 1960 film Peeping Tom, which was sure to have wholly ruined his career, yet he brought his A-game to this 1948 work.

Decades later, Powell is now considered a genius director.

The film is laden with foreshadowing, at least a handful of times during its running time, as we meet our heroine, Vicky Page (Moira Shearer), a bright-eyed young woman with flowing red locks and aspirations of grandeur as she emerges as a fledgling ballerina in the Covent Garden area of London.

Partially due to her aristocratic upbringing and her assertive, snooty aunt, she lands an audition for the ballet company led by the sophisticated Boris Lermontov (Anton Walbrook).

He is immediately enamored of her, yet gives her the cold shoulder, making her question her talent. The key here is the incorporation of trains in multiple sequences.

As Lermontov and Vicky’s lives begin to intertwine, a young music student named Julian (Marius Goring) is perturbed by the plagiarism of his music by his professor, who had conducted Heart of Fire under the guise of it being his work. When Julian expresses his displeasure to Lermontov, he is hired to perform with the orchestra.

The addition of Julian to the plot kicks off a compelling triangle between the three characters, whose lives overlap in a mixture of young love, passion, and jealous rage.

The action takes off even further as the film moves to the gorgeous setting of Paris and Monte Carlo, a treat for any worldly or aspiring world traveler, as the photography and cinematic angles of the lush locales are breathtaking.

As former prima ballerina Irina Boronskaya decides to leave the company to be married, Lermontov creates a new ballet, The Red Shoes, starring Vicky, with music composed by Julian.

This creates enormous pressure for all involved as the film takes a dark turn.

Dashes of influence surrounding the exquisite performance of the famous Swan Lake dance number heavily influenced the 1950s classic An American in Paris (1951).

The long, colorful, dramatic sequence emits lush, vivacious music and performance. This “time out” from the heavy drama encompassing the rest of the film is beautiful and peaceful, and one of the sheer highlights of The Red Shoes.

The film hinges on the dynamic between the three principal characters, as each actor is spot-on and rich in flair.

Incredibly profound are the performances by Shearer and Walbrook, as each actor brings their respective character to life with the perfect amount of fury, ambition, and tension. Still, Goring as Julian is equally worthy of mention. Kudos.

I adore witnessing Moira Shearer dance; her talent and tenacity are astounding. An internationally renowned British ballet dancer and actress, Vicky’s role is ideally suited to her, as the character must have been close to her heart.

Who can forget the most famous scene, where a determined and crazed Vicky finishes her stage performance, Powell firmly holding the camera on her makeup-stained face, her blue eyes wide and hair wild?

Her look of triumph and insanity, lost in the moment, is a grand and unforgettable image that is often repeated in cinema reference books.

Equal parts dramatic, romantic, eerie, lustful, and wise, The Red Shoes (1948) is a classic film made way ahead of its time. Its startling visuals, treasured art and set designs, powerful acting, and compelling story make it a must-see.

No wonder this film had such a profound influence on other masterpieces to come.

Oscar Nominations: 2 wins-Best Picture, Best Motion Picture Story, Best Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture (won), Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color (won), Best Film Editing

#109 Favorite Film, 1968 Films, Charlton Heston, Franklin J. Schaffner, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, Roddy McDowall, Science Fiction, Top 250 Films

Planet of the Apes-1968

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Planet of the Apes-1968

Director Franklin J. Shaffner

Starring Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall

Top 250 Films #109

Scott’s Review #363

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Reviewed January 9, 2016

Grade: A

Planet of the Apes is a 1968 science fiction film starring one of the greats, Charlton Heston.

At the time of release, the film was a great film and quite visionary- and the message still holds up well today. Since certainly everyone on the “planet” must know the “surprise” ending, the film speaks volumes about the destruction of the world we know and love.

Intelligently written, Planet of the Apes is memorable and was followed by a bunch of not-so-compelling or strong sequels, remakes, and reboots.

A group of astronauts crash-lands on a strange planet in the distant future. The men have no idea where they are or what period it is.

The planet is inhabited by apes, who are highly intelligent and speak and act just like human beings. They are dominant, and the real humans are largely mute and incapable of doing much- they are kept imprisoned.

George Taylor (played by Heston) is the lead astronaut who, the apes realize, can speak and is assumed to be brilliant. The ape leader wants him killed, but sympathetic scientist and archaeologist apes Cornelius and Zira (played by Roddy McDowell and Kim Hunter) are curious about Taylor and wish to experiment further.

To say nothing of the story, the prosthetic makeup and costumes are dynamic. Human actors play the apes, but they do not look fake or phony.

Furthermore, the sets look genuine and grand and hold up well nearly fifty years later. Nothing about the film appears to be remotely dated or losing its original appeal, as some movies inevitably do.

Planet of the Apes is a political film, and this message also holds up well in the present times.

How human beings have ruined their planet is the main point of the film, but this is wisely not revealed until the very end, with the now-famous scene of an escaped Taylor running along the beach, only to realize, in terror, that the submerged, tattered Statue of Liberty is there.

With horror, he realizes that human beings have destroyed planet Earth, and the astronauts never actually left their planet!

Fun and serious to watch all rolled into one, Planet of the Apes (1968) is a film for the ages, with a distinct message and a story that audiences everywhere can absorb and relate to.

Oscar Nominations: Best Original Score for a Motion Picture (Not a Musical), Best Costume Design

#110 Favorite Film, #21 Favorite Horror Film, 1976 Films, Gregory Peck, Horror, Lee Remick, Leo McKern, Top 250 Films, Top 40 Horror Films

The Omen-1976

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The Omen-1976

Director Richard Donner

Starring Gregory Peck, Lee Remick

Top 250 Films #110

Top 40 Horror Films #21

Scott’s Review #331

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Reviewed January 8, 2016

Grade: A

On the heels of similarly themed supernatural horror films, and all three classics in my view, The Omen (1976) follows suit with the religious-minded terrifying piece that resembles both The Exorcist (1973) and Rosemary’s Baby (1968).

All three films are cherished gems and favorite horror films of mine.

The Omen (the last to be released) is quite possibly the weaker entry having taken much from the other two films, and at the forefront is a child encompassed by devilish forces.

But to say “weaker” implies it is not good, which is not the case- The Omen is a masterpiece.

Set mostly in London, the film begins in Rome. Gregory Peck plays a powerful diplomat, Robert Thorn. Robert’s wife, Katherine (Lee Remick), has just given birth to a baby, who dies.

Unbeknownst to her, Robert and a priest have taken a newborn whose mother has just died, thereby fooling Katherine into thinking she has delivered a healthy baby boy. They name their child Damien.

Soon, Robert is named U.S. Ambassador of the United Kingdom- an astounding honor, but his and Katherine’s lives spin out of control when strange events begin to occur surrounding Damien, and they realize the child is not “right”.

I adore the many aspects of The Omen. The locale of sophisticated and royal London is perfect. The Thorns live in a grand, palatial estate just oozing with possible horror elements.

During a vast party for little Damien’s fifth birthday, the attendees are gathered on the perfectly manicured grounds of the Thorn home. It is a bright and cheery afternoon.

Suddenly, from the top floor bedroom window, Damien’s fresh-faced nanny publicly hangs herself from the window proudly shouting, “This is all for you, Damien”!

This scene is one of the most horrific and surprising scenes in the film.

When Damien’s new nanny shows up, she is off-putting and sinister. The inclusion of a pack of black dogs hovering around the estate is fiendish, and an innocent trip to the zoo results in the scared animals fleeing from Damien as if he is the antichrist, which of course, he is revealed to be.

Fantastic is the religious element of The Omen, a sure measure to frighten and freak out audiences brave enough to watch this film.

Who will not be on edge as a sweet-looking little kid is assumed to be the devil?  Religious elements in horror have been prevalent throughout the film ages.

Perhaps it is the Italian and British accents and settings that add layers of fear to the film.

What I love most about the film is its cynicism. The Omen is not a happy film by any means, nor does it result in a happy ending- Satan wins in the end.

Two memorable scenes are the pole through the heart of the priest scene and the gruesome decapitation of a photographer by a sheet of glass. In both scenes, Satan causes the deaths.

The finale of the film is incredibly compelling and downright shocking- the face-off of Robert and Damien in a church and the prevailing conclusion sets the stage for a sequel, which of course there was more than one.

The sinister smile at the end of the film is immeasurable in its evil nature.

The Omen (1976) is a film that I love to watch and revel in fright when the chills start to creep up my back.

What a fantastic film.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Original Score (won), Best Original Song-“Ave Satani”

#111 Favorite Film, 1987 Films, Barry Foster, Ben Kingsley, British, Drama, E.M. Forster, Favorite Film of the Year, Helena Bonham Carter, Hugh Grant, James Ivory, James Wilby, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films, Rupert Graves, Simon Callow, Top 250 Films

Maurice-1987

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Maurice-1987

Director James Ivory

Starring James Wilby, Hugh Grant

Top 250 Films #111

Scott’s Review #14

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Reviewed June 17, 2014

Grade: A

A brilliant film adaptation of the E.M. Forster novel set at Cambridge University during the turn of the twentieth century, it tells the story of oppression and social norms that took place at the time.

It is a gorgeously shot film, with beautiful landscapes, photography, and costumes.

Reminiscent of the British films “A Room with a View”, and “Howard’s End”, it is a male love story during a time when it was forbidden and lives were ruined because of sexuality like this.

The film’s characters make choices: some repressed, others celebrate, with differing results. In the middle of it, all is a beautiful love story.

Maurice (1987) is a timeless, brave treasure.

Oscar Nominations: Best Costume Design

#112 Favorite Film, 1955 Films, Ann Doran, Dennis Hopper, Drama, James Dean, Jim Backus, Natalie Wood, Nicholas Ray, Nick Adams, Romantic Drama, Sal Mineo, Top 250 Films

Rebel Without a Cause-1955

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Rebel Without a Cause-1955

Director Nicholas Ray

Starring James Dean, Natalie Wood

Top 250 Films #112

Scott’s Review #885

Reviewed April 14, 2019

Grade: A

Rebel Without a Cause (1955) is usually most associated with being the best-remembered film of star James Dean’s short-lived career. East of Eden (1955) and Giant (1956) are his other notable films in a much too brief time.

With Rebel Without a Cause, Dean and underappreciated director Nicholas Ray crafted a story about teenage angst and rebellion that has brilliant authenticity and was the first of its kind to influence countless other films.

In Los Angeles, three teenagers meet and commiserate at the juvenile section of the police station, revealing their respective crimes. Jim Stark (Dean) has been brought in for drunkenness and meets John “Plato” Crawford (Sal Mineo), who was brought in for killing a litter of puppies, and Judy (Natalie Wood), who was brought in for curfew violation.

All three suffer from problems at home and confide in one another. Their most profound revelations connect them and bond them for life.

To complicate matters, Jim is a new student and must endure challenges associated with this, in addition to his troubled home life. His main rival is Buzz Gunderson (Corey Allen), who challenges Jim to a knife fight and, finally, a deadly “Chickie Run” game.

This leads to Buzz’s death, which infuriates his gang, who mistakenly assume that Jim ratted them off to the cops. This puts a target on Jim’s back as he slowly falls in love with Judy and develops a deep friendship with Sal, who idolizes him.

One key to the success of Rebel Without a Cause is in the casting. Dean, rebellious in real life and the roles he portrayed, chews up each scene he appears in.

The famous scene in which Jim quarrels with his father (Jim Backus) results in a bombastic emotional unraveling and an exclamation of “You’re tearing me apart!” as his blind-sided parents bicker with one another over how best to handle the situation.

Dean is a pivotal reason for the film’s success and landmark status.

Wood infuses her character, Judy, with poignancy and a calm demeanor. Judy is a good kid who behaves wildly out of frustration over her inability to communicate with her deliberately distant father (William Hopper).

Finally, Plato (Mineo), who is so sensitive that he threatens to break apart at the seams, has taken to killing puppies as a desperate cry for attention from his wealthy, always absent parents.

Wood and Mineo support the film in brilliant form.

Jim and Judy are likable as a pair from opposite sides of the tracks, another influential aspect of the film that became commonplace in oodles of entertainment genres over the years.

Good Girl meets Bad Boy is dangerous, tender, and filled with story possibilities.

It is implied that Plato is in love with Jim, but in 1955, films were meticulous about pushing the envelope much further than an implication when it came to homosexuality. Rumors ran rampant that Dean and director Ray had a torrid love affair off-screen.

Another positive is that the film is told within twenty-four hours, providing excellent pacing and an action-packed emotional punch. The best scenes occur at night, especially the deadly car race, and the fantastic conclusion takes place in the old deserted mansion that the trio of friends claim as their sanctuary.

The tragic final ending is sure to result in the shedding of a tear or two by anyone who watches and is entranced by the decisive finality of the event.

Watching the film in the present day, one must appreciate the enormous influence that Rebel Without a Cause has achieved.

Some classics that succeeded Rebel and stand out on their own include American Graffiti (1973), The Breakfast Club (1985), and even West Side Story (1961), which also starred Natalie Wood. Each is riddled with teenage angst, hormones, and elevated emotions, and all contain a seriousness and a depth all their own.

Rebel Without a Cause (1955) is a film that should be viewed and viewed again for more than the prominent and impressive story it tells.

The film is directed well and speaks to a generation of unruly and angry teenagers, giving them a much-needed voice. It is fraught with emotion and balance for current and future generations of teenagers to learn from.

Oscar Nominations: Best Motion Picture Story, Best Supporting Actor-Sal Mineo, Best Supporting Actress-Natalie Wood

#113 Favorite Film, 1951 Films, Best Picture Oscar Winners, Comedy, Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Madge Blake, Musical, Nina Foch, Oscar Levant, Romantic Comedy, Top 250 Films, Vincente Minnelli

An American in Paris-1951

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An American in Paris-1951

Director Vincente Minnelli

Starring Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron

Top 250 Films #113

Scott’s Review #120

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Reviewed July 19, 2014

Grade: B+

A classic film directed by Vincente Minnelli, An American in Paris is a musical from 1951 set in marvelous Paris- though, to be fair, the entire movie, save for the opening scenes of Paris, is shot exclusively on a sound stage.

Gene Kelly stars as Jerry Mulligan, a struggling American artist who lives in a quiet neighborhood with his best friend, Adam Cook.

Jerry optimistically sings and tap dances his way through life, befriending neighbors and school kids and spending time in the local cafe until he is finally noticed by wealthy art buyer Milo, played by Nina Foch.

This sets off a quadrangle when Jerry falls for youthful Lise (Leslie Caron), already dating a suave French singer, Georges Guetary.

An American in Paris is a cheerful fantasy film. It is bright and colorful and filled with musical numbers and dancing.

Highlights in this department are “‘S Wonderful” and “I Got Rhythm”.

The brilliance is the incredible eighteen-minute epic finale, which involves Gene Kelly’s ballet on Parisian sets of various artists. It is as innovative as anything in film history.

The film’s drawback is the lack of chemistry between Kelly and Caron, which I notice more with each passing viewing.

There is more chemistry between Kelly and Foch, who is meant to be the odd woman out, and I still find myself rooting for the two of them instead of the intended couple.

I love that none of the four characters in the story are villains, which adds to the film’s merry feel.

The predictable ending is fantastic and romantic.

An American in Paris won the 1951 Best Picture Oscar, upsetting the heavily favored A Streetcar Named Desire.

Oscar Nominations: 6 wins-Best Motion Picture (won), Best Director-Vincente Minnelli, Best Story and Screenplay (won), Best Scoring of a Musical Picture (won), Best Art Direction, Color (won), Best Cinematography, Color (won), Best Costume Design, Color (won), Best Film Editing

#114 Favorite Film, 1964 Films, Action, Bernard Lee, Desmond Llewelyn, Gert Fröbe, Guy Hamilton, Harold Sakata, Honor Blackman, James Bond, Lois Maxwell, Sean Connery, Shirley Eaton, Tania Mallet, Top 250 Films

Goldfinger-1964

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Goldfinger-1964

Director Guy Hamilton

Starring Sean Connery, Gert Frobe

Top 250 Films #114

Scott’s Review #337

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Reviewed January 9, 2016

Grade: A

By the time Goldfinger (1964) was released, the third in the James Bond franchise, the films were huge successes, and the budget was not to be spared a dime.

The lavish sets prove this, and Goldfinger is one of the best Bond films. It contains all the necessary elements for success: interesting villains, Bond girls, gadgets, and locales.

By 1964’s Goldfinger, Ian Fleming’s franchise had hit its stride and was achieving runaway success.

The intriguing premise immediately sets the tone- 007 is assigned to investigate a massive gold smuggling scheme. The conspirator is Auric Goldfinger (Gert Frobe), who hatches a plot to contaminate Fort Knox’s United States Bullion Depository.

His goal, naturally, is to control the world.!

The adventure takes Bond from the United Kingdom to Switzerland and finally to the United States in  Kentucky and Florida.

The main Bond girl, a villain, is uniquely named Pussy Galore. The film implies that the character is bisexual and she is tough. James Bond becomes intrigued by and smitten with her.

Goldfinger has the honor of containing one of the greatest Bond villains of all time- the title character of Goldfinger. Big and burly, he is menacing-looking, and actor Frobe is perfectly cast.

We first meet the man cheating at gin rummy poolside at a lavish Miami Beach hotel, while Bond looks on from dozens of floors up, with the assistance of Goldfinger’s moll, Jill Masterson.

In one of the greatest scenes in Bond history, a knocked-out Bond awakens to find Jill dead—and completely covered in gold paint! This scene, which occurs early on, sets up the Bond/Goldfinger rivalry outstandingly.

Goldfinger’s henchman, Oddjob, is also a grand Bond villain. He is Asian, menacing, and wears a trademark steel-rimmed hat, which he uses to kill his victims. Jill’s sister, Tilly, seeks revenge on Goldfinger but finds herself a victim of Oddjob’s infamous bowler hat as she flees for her life.

Following 1962’s From Russia With Love, an exceptional Bond film with nary a flaw, Goldfinger excels slightly because it has all the right ingredients and is firing on all cylinders.

Everything flows with precision.

Unforgettable is the climax of Goldfinger at the legendary Fort Knox itself. Goldfinger’s private army, an atomic device, a countdown to destruction, and Oddjob all make for a satisfying and riveting conclusion to one exceptional Bond entry.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Sound Effects (won)

#115 Favorite Film, 1966 Films, Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach, Epic, International, Italian, Lee Van Cleef, Sergio Leone, Top 250 Films, Western

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly-1966

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The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly-1966

Director Sergio Leone

Starring Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach, Lee Van Cleef

Top 250 Films #115

Scott’s Review #1,320

Reviewed December 9, 2022

Grade: A

Film lovers cannot view The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966) without realizing its enormous influence on Quentin Tarantino, one of the greatest filmmakers of modern times.

Obsessed with the ‘spaghetti western’ a derogatory categorization for cheaply made Italian western films with lousy lip-syncing and an over-the-top stylization, he made them ‘cool’ and interspersed moments and film scores from some of these films.

Director Sergio Leone also created brilliant films like Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) and Once Upon a Time in America (1984) and was famous for his sprawling epics at great length.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is top-notch in nearly every way. The instantly recognizable, hauntingly operatic score is to be revered. It brings dubious and edgy energy that defines the entire film and represents the title characters.

Unfortunately, the film received mixed reviews at best upon initial release but is now considered a masterpiece.

The sprawling landscape represents the American Western territory with lush mountains and desert dryness. The film was shot mainly in Spain, but you’d never know it. It’s a pleasing feeling to possess this knowledge since it makes for more fun and comparisons to the fake world of the frontier.

The creative, sweeping widescreen cinematography is also a significant win. Combined with violent, stylized gunfights, close-ups, and long shots, the film is unique.

Story-wise, during the bloody Civil War, a mysterious stranger, Blondie ‘the Good’ (Clint Eastwood), and a Mexican outlaw, Tuco ‘the Ugly’ (Eli Wallach), form an uneasy partnership. Blondie turns in the bandit for some reward money, then rescues him just as he is being hanged. When Blondie’s shot at the noose goes awry during one escapade, a furious Tuco tries to have him murdered.

The men re-team abruptly, however, to beat out a sadistic criminal named ‘Angel Eyes’ (Lee Van Cleef) or ‘the Ugly’ and the Union army and find $20,000 that a soldier has buried in the desert.

The hook is that each of the three principal characters is looking for loot, specifically a buried cache of Confederate gold. This plot enhances the duels and peril along the way, which is undoubtedly a selling point for the viewer.

The finale and paired ‘noose sequence’ is the highlight.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is purely a ‘guy’s film,’ though this is not to say females who appreciate influential cinema will not get something from it. Even if the plot is a one-trick pony, the other aspects of the film’s quality are worthy of admiration.

In 1966, Clint Eastwood was not the big Hollywood star he would soon become and certainly hadn’t tried his hand in the director’s chair.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is a very early Eastwood film that propelled him into a rebellious action hero he cemented with Dirty Harry (1971).

Studying the characters may be a superfluous approach for a film like this, but Blondie’s nickname, ‘the Good,’ is laughable. He’s a pure antihero who joins forces with ‘the Ugly, ‘ a known criminal. Sure, he spares lives, but he’s not precisely a goody two shoes. That makes the character more appealing in my book.

Spaghetti westerns were derided and scoffed at when they were initially released. Nobody could have predicted that a film like The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966) would be revered and influential.

The great filmmakers who appreciated this film mirrored their own after it.

#116 Favorite Film, 2012 Films, Amber Tamblyn, Bruce Dern, Christoph Waltz, Don Johnson, Favorite Film of the Year, Franco Nero, James Parks, James Remar, Jamie Foxx, Jonah Hill, Kerry Washington, Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael Parks, Quentin Tarantino, Robert Carradine, Russ Tamblyn, Samuel L. Jackson, Tom Savini, Tom Wopat, Top 250 Films, Walton Goggins, Western

Django Unchained-2012

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Django Unchained-2012

Director Quentin Tarantino

Starring Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz

Top 250 Films #116

Scott’s Review #699

Reviewed November 26, 2017

Grade: A

Quentin Tarantino, the brilliant filmmaker, can do very little wrong in my opinion, and he releases yet another masterpiece with 2012’s Django Unchained, a western story centering around the delicate subject matter of slavery.

As with several other talented director’s stories, the main focal point here is a revenge-driven tale with plenty of bloody scenes and stylistic ferociousness, making Django Unchained yet another masterpiece in the Tarantino collection.

Certainly not for the faint of heart, the film will please fans of film creativity and artistic achievement.

As with many Tarantino films a stellar cast is used and each actor cast to perfection- it seems almost every actor in Hollywood is dying to appear in the director’s films- this time Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Kerry Washington, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Samuel L. Jackson are the lucky ones, all featured in prominent roles- not surprisingly the acting is top-notch.

An interesting fact to note is that whoever appears in a Tarantino film seems to be having the time of their lives- what creative freedom and interesting material to experience.

A comparable director to Tarantino- as far as recruiting fine actors- is Robert Altman- also tremendously popular with talent.

The saga begins with clear Western flair as Django Freeman (Foxx) is led through the scorching heat of Texas with a group of other black slaves, presumably, to be sold by their abusive white captors- the time is 1858, and the abolition of slavery has not yet occurred the Civil War is still two years away.

Doctor King Schultz (Waltz), a former dentist and current bounty hunter, is on a mission to find and kill the Brittle brothers and realizes that Django can help him find the men.

To complicate matters, Django has been separated from his wife Broomhilda (Washington) and vows to find her and avenge her abductors.

As circumstances lead Schultz and Django to a vast Tennessee estate, the duo becomes business partners and friends. The race to rescue Broomhilda takes the pair to sunny (and equally hot) Mississippi- the home of vicious Calvin Candie (DiCaprio) and his dreaded “Candyland”.

The crackling heat and the atmospheric nature of Django Unchained combined with the revenge theme make the film an immeasurable success.

An ode to spaghetti westerns of yesteryear, the film incorporates similar music and grit so that the result is a modernized version of those films, with lots more blood and violence.

Slavery is a tough subject matter to tackle, especially when members of the Ku Klux Klan are featured, but Tarantino does so effortlessly, and as Django gains revenge on his tormentors, there is major audience satisfaction to be enjoyed.

The indignities and downright abuse that several black characters suffer can be quite tough to sit through.

The climactic dinner scene in Mississippi is splendid and the best sequence of the film. Schultz and Django dine with Calvin at his spectacular mansion. Calvin’s sinister and loyal house slave (Jackson) suspects a devious plan is about to be hatched and a vicious shoot-out erupts between the parties involved.

The ingenious and long sequence is a cat-and-mouse affair with all of the characters carefully tiptoeing around the others in fear of being revealed or discovered as fakes.

The scene is exceptional in its craft as we watch the characters dine on delectable food and drink, all the while motivations bubble under the surface.

Django Unchained is not for film-goers seeking either a linear story or a mainstream piece of blockbuster movie-making-Tarantino is not a typical Hollywood guy.

The film is exceptionally carved and constructed in a way that challenges the viewer to endure what some of the characters (specifically Django and Broomhilda) are made to go through. This discomfort and horror make the inevitable revenge all the more sweet and satisfying.

Quentin Tarantino has created masterpiece after masterpiece throughout his filmography of work.

Proudly, I can herald 2012’s  Django Unchained as one of the unique director’s very finest and will be sure to be remembered decades and decades in the future as being able to challenge, provoke thought, and satisfy legions of his fans.

Oscar Nominations: 2 wins-Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor-Christoph Waltz (won), Best Original Screenplay (won), Best Sound Editing, Best Cinematography

#117 Favorite Film, 2015 Films, Cate Blanchett, Drama, Favorite Film of the Year, Independent, Independent Drama, Jake Lacy, John Magaro, Kyle Chandler, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films, Romantic Drama, Rooney Mara, Sarah Paulson, Todd Haynes, Top 250 Films

Carol-2015

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Carol-2015

Director Todd Haynes

Starring Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara

Top 250 Films #117

Scott’s Review #308

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Reviewed December 27, 2015

Grade: A

My comparison would be that this film is the female version of Brokeback Mountain (2005).

Carol is a story of hidden romance and secret lives in the early 1950s when it was difficult to lead an alternative lifestyle openly (or even in hiding!).

The film is a marvel in its honest storytelling, exquisite class, and gracefulness with excellent cinematography and a nice, heartwarming tale.

Carol is directed by Todd Haynes, a director known for films about doomed romances faced with societal challenges. Carol is a wonderful piece of work.

The film contains two equal female lead roles- Carol Aird (Cate Blanchett) is a gorgeous, sophisticated socialite.  She exudes confidence and style in everything that she does.

Always perfectly dressed, well made up, manicured fingernails, her mannerisms relay confidence, and control. She is married to a wealthy businessman, Harge (Kyle Chandler), who is madly in love with her, yet they are divorcing because of her “problem”.

The fact that Carol is a lesbian is known to Harge and they share somewhat of an understanding, and a five-year-old daughter. The divorce they are going through is difficult.

Therese Belevit (Rooney Mara), is the polar opposite of Carol.  Young, and naïve, she is a part-time shopgirl, fascinated by photography. She dates men and goes to parties, living out a typical young girl’s life.

When Carol and Therese meet at the store where Therese works, they are immediately enamored with one another and a friendship develops. Both seem caught off guard and the chemistry between the two actresses sizzles.

The focus is the budding romance between Carol and Therese, and the societal differences that they face, not to mention the age difference between the two women. I found the chemistry quite evident thanks to Blanchett and Mara.

Worlds apart, the two women somehow find their way to each other and form a bond. Their relationship is tender, gentle, and carefully laid out for the audience. They are neither animalistic nor barbaric in a sexual way, but rather sweet.

When Therese takes a spontaneous car trip from New York to Chicago, leaving her boyfriend, Richard, conflict develops. He wants them to run off to Paris but Therese wants to be with Carol. He breaks up with Therese and accuses her of having a crush on Carol.

Therese and Carol’s romance is finally consummated in a mid-western hotel. It is New Year’s Eve and Todd Haynes chooses to shoot this scene in a romantic, spontaneous way. They are celebrating the holiday, but both are blue and vulnerable. It makes perfect sense that they would turn to one another.

The film delves into many different emotions that Carol and Therese face- love, glee, anger, rage, confusion, rejection, and loneliness. These adjectives and the tone of the film are why it succeeds.

From an acting perspective, both Blanchett and Mara are great, but I am more partial to Blanchett’s performance. She embodies this character. From when she orders a martini dry with one olive, to how she brazenly approaches Therese, she is a woman in control. But faced with family issues she becomes vulnerable and we see her as human.

Besides the interesting story of a love faced with many challenges, the look of the film is grand. The sets, hairstyles, clothes, and makeup are graceful and rich. To summarize- everyone looks great and it portrays a perfect picture of the 1950s.

A progressive Hollywood tale, Carol showcases glamour, and great acting, and sends a powerful message of acceptance and struggle during a difficult time to be “different”, to fulfill one’s life.

Oscar Nominations: Best Actress-Cate Blanchett, Best Supporting Actress-Rooney Mara, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: 1 win-Best Feature, Best Director-Todd Haynes, Best Female Lead-Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography (won)

#118 Favorite Film, 2017 Films, Amira Casar, Armie Hammer, Drama, Favorite Film of the Year, Independent, Independent Drama, James Ivory, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films, LGBTQ+ Romance, Luca Guadagnino, Michael Stuhlbarg, Romantic Drama, Timothée Chalamet, Top 250 Films

Call Me By Your Name-2017

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Call Me By Your Name-2017

Director Luca Guadagnino

Starring Timothée Chalamet, Armie Hammer

Top 250 Films #118

Scott’s Review #708

Reviewed December 27, 2017

Grade: A

Call Me by Your Name (2017) is a gorgeous film. It is simply beautiful in storytelling, cinematography, and acting.

A humanistic film that crafts a lovely tale of young love, friendship, and emotions, which is breathtaking to experience.

In fact, in the LGBT category, I would venture to proclaim that this film is groundbreaking. It leaves behind any tried-and-true homophobic elements and instead tells a good story that is fresh, sincere, and simply flawless.

The period is the summer of 1983, and the landscape is the beautiful Italian Riviera.

Seventeen-year-old Italian-American Elio (Timothée Chalamet) dreams of spending the summer away, living with his affluent parents in a small village. His world is rich with culture and learning—his father (Michael Stuhlbarg) is a professor, and his mother is a translator.

A brilliant student, Elio wiles away the days reading, playing music, and flirting with his girlfriend, Marzia.

When a handsome twenty-four-year-old American student, Oliver (Armie Hammer), arrives for a six-week stay to assist Elio’s father on a project, desire and first love blossom between the young men as they struggle with their burgeoning relationship.

Directed by Luca Guadagnino, who has also directed the lovely 2009 film, I Am Love, is a man known for stories of desire in small Italian villages.

Call Me By Your Name is the third in a trilogy, I Am Love and 2015’s A Bigger Splash being the others.

The setting is crucial to the story, as both the summer heat and the world of the intellectual scholars are nestled into a grand shell of culture. The philosophical nature of the story is palpable—the film exudes intelligence and sophistication.

By 2017, the LGBT genre had become populated with films in the romantic, drama, and comedy sub-genres, but many use the standard homophobic slant to elicit drama and conflict.

Not to diminish the importance of homophobic discussions to teach viewers, Call Me By Your Name stands alone in that homophobia is not an issue in this story.

Given the time of 1983, this may be surprising—at the very cusp of the AIDS epidemic, this topic is also not discussed; rather, the subject matter is simply a love story between two males and the coming-of-age story that their love expresses.

The film is quite moving; Elio and Oliver are characters filled with texture and raw emotion. Oliver is confident, charismatic, and a great catch for any lucky young lady in the village.

Hammer fills the role with poise and humanity.

Chalamet, a beautiful young man, gives the complex role his all, as so much can be conveyed not by dialogue, but by expressions on the actor’s face.

As Oliver slow dances with a local girl, the wounded look that Chalamet reveals, his eyes welling up with tears, is heartbreaking. Seventeen is a tough age for most young men, but when coming to terms with one’s sexuality, it can be excruciating.

The final scene is poignant, as it features a five-minute-long sequence of gazing into Chalamet’s eyes, during which many emotions are expressed.

Enough credit cannot be given to Stuhlbarg as Elio’s father, as he gave one of the best speeches ever performed in film history. The actor gives a subtle and poignant performance as the sympathetic and knowing father.

His speech, marked by understanding and warmth, is riveting and inspirational—to be cherished. Mr. Perlman is a role model to fathers everywhere and the ideal parent for any gay son.

One scene that could stir controversy is the sure-to-be-controversial “peach scene”. Involving an innocent peach used during a sex act, the scene is erotic and borders on “icky”, but is also vital to foster the connection between Oliver and Elio.

Another potential risk to the film is that Oliver is twenty-four, while Elio is seventeen, making Elio underage. However, the film never portrays Oliver as more of an aggressor, and the relationship remains tender and consensual.

Call Me By Your Name (2017) is not just a great LGBT film but a film for the ages.  Beautifully crafted with gorgeous landscapes and nuanced, powerful acting, the sequences are subtle and carefully paced.

The film is simply a treasure.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Picture, Best Actor-Timothée Chalamet, Best Adapted Screenplay (won), Best Original Song-“Mystery of Love”

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: 2 wins-Best Feature, Best Director-Luca Guadagnino, Best Male Lead-Timothée Chalamet (won), Best Supporting Male-Armie Hammer, Best Cinematography (won), Best Editing

#119 Favorite Film, #22 Favorite Horror Film, 1973 Films, Barnard Hughes, Brian De Palma, Charles Durning, Dolph Sweet, Horror, Jennifer Salt, Lisle Wilson, Margot Kidder, Mary Davenport, Olympia Dukakis, Top 250 Films, Top 40 Horror Films, William Finley

Sisters-1973

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Sisters-1973

Director Brian De Palma

Starring Margot Kidder, Jennifer Salt

Top 250 Films #119

Top 40 Horror Films #22

Scott’s Review #178

60002455

Reviewed September 29, 2014

Grade: A-

Directed by stylistic film genius Brian De Palma, Sisters (1973) is an early entry in the famed director’s repertoire and a direct homage to the classic films of Alfred Hitchcock.

The film stars Margot Kidder as a French-Canadian model named Danielle Breton, who shares an apartment a Staten Island, NY, with her demented twin sister, Dominique. For many years, Danielle and Dominique were conjoined twins and only recently surgically separated.

After a romantic date with a new acquaintance, Danielle begins to feel ill and Dominique murders the new boyfriend after he surprises, who he thinks is Danielle, with a birthday cake.

But is it Dominique or is it Danielle?

Meanwhile, a neighbor, Grace Collier, played by Jennifer Salt, witnesses the murder from across the alley. In a theatrical scene where the victim attempts to scrawl “help” on the window, Grace gets the police involved.

The authorities are skeptical and unsympathetic to Grace’s claims, as she works as a newspaper reporter and frequently challenges the police department in her articles.

Finally, when the police search Danielle’s apartment, no dead body is found. This sets off the plot for the remainder of the film as Grace looks for the missing body on her own (in Nancy Drew’s style) with the help of a detective she hires, Joseph Larch, comically played by Charles Durning.

One point to mention about Sisters is that the film serves as a blueprint for De Palma’s future movies, but that does not mean it is not engaging on its own merits; it pales in comparison to other De Palma gems that followed, such as Carrie (1976) and Dressed to Kill (1980), my two faves.

It feels raw and slightly underdeveloped compared to those films mentioned above.

Danielle’s ex-husband and doctor, Eli, while creepy and sinister, is not fully explored, and his relation to the events taking place is a bit vague throughout much of the film.

Techniques such as the split-screen, which often show simultaneous action relating to each other, are introduced in this film and are a marvel to watch, as much of the plot is revealed in these sequences.

The activity in Grace’s apartment contrasts with and interchanges perfectly with the action in Danielle’s apartment, making for highly effective and suspenseful scenes.

DePalma uses many Hitchcock influences, but in no way steals them- the idea of a set of conjoined twins with mental illness was taken from a real-life story of Soviet twins.

Viewers familiar with Psycho will smile during the murder scene as influences are apparent- Rear Window is certainly referenced as countless scenes of the camera looking into Danielle’s or Grace’s apartment, or the camera looking out onto a street scene, or someone with binoculars spying out of their apartment and into someone else’s apartment across the street- very visually oriented.

The Hitchcock similarities continue with the musical score, which is composed by Bernard Hermann, a frequent collaborator of Hitchcock’s films —think Vertigo.

After all of the psychological build-up throughout the first hour of the film, the final thirty minutes or so, taking place within the confines of a mental asylum, is confusing and unrealistic, as various flashbacks and dream sequences are used, even using one character taking the place of another in a dream- edgy and unique, but tough to follow and organize properly.

Grace is assumed to be a newly admitted mental patient, which seems far-fetched. What exactly transpired between Danielle and Dominique present and/or in the past?

Even though events are explained, I found myself scratching my head a bit after the film.

For fans of Brian De Palma films, Sisters (1973) is a perfect movie experience that showcases the influence to come, and it’s not a bad film on its own, either.

#120 Favorite Film, 1954 Films, Alfred Hitchcock, Anthony Dawson, Grace Kelly, John Williams, Patrick Allen, Ray Milland, Robert Cummings, Thriller, Top 250 Films

Dial M for Murder-1954

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Dial M for Murder-1954

Director Alfred Hitchcock

Starring Ray Milland, Grace Kelly

Top 250 Films #120

Scott’s Review #995

Reviewed February 28, 2020

Grade: A

A fabulous offering by stylistic director Alfred Hitchcock, Dial M for Murder (1954) arrived on the scene when the cinematic genius was at the height of his success in the United States, following his success in England.

The late 1950s and early 1960s revealed his best offerings, but this is no slouch. The film mixes thrills, double-crosses, and murder in a way only Hitchcock can —perfectly.

It is fast-paced and shot almost like a play, using primarily one set. It is based on the Broadway hit, which came first.

An English former tennis champion, Tony Wendice (Ray Milland), hatches a scheme to kill his wealthy but unfaithful wife, Margot (Grace Kelly), who’s embroiled in a liaison with handsome writer Mark Halliday (Robert Cummings).

When Tony’s plans go awry, he attempts the second act of deceit, but events spin out of control when Margot, Mark, and a sly Scotland Yard inspector (John Williams) begin putting the pieces together.

The film is popular because of its conventional, pure Hitchcock story. The viewer immediately knows who the killer is and his motivations—his hunger for wealth and jealousy of another man.

The most fun is when hiccups begin to form, and Tony must fly by the seat of his pants to cover his tracks and think of another way to seal Margot’s fate. If he cannot murder her, why can’t he send her to prison?

Milland is perfect in the role with eye shifts and head turns.

Set pieces, such as a key and a handbag, add zest to the film. The plot gets juicier and juicier when it is revealed that there are multiple keys. The flat where Tony and Margot reside is beautifully designed with state-of-the-art furniture and decorations, making the set a character.

Lavish curtains and French doors are utilized during the late-night attempted murder scene, which is thrilling to witness, leaving the viewer with heart palpitations.

The brilliance is that the viewer does not intend to hate Tony, at least not this viewer. While he is not likable, his motivations can be somewhat understood. Conversely, Margot and Mark are not heroes; their shenanigans come back to haunt them.

I dare say that Grace Kelly has had better roles in Hitchcock films. To Catch a Thief (1955) immediately comes to mind. Margot is not a particularly strong character and is relatively weak.

Dial M for Murder has commonalities with two other Hitchcock gems. As with Strangers on a Train (1951), a tennis star is utilized as a significant character, and twisted strangulation is the game. Also, a tit-for-tat technique is used.

Like the underappreciated Rope (1948), the one-take sequence style and the film’s potential as a stage play are noticeable traits. Those films are good ones to be in the same company with.

The final thirty minutes pass at breakneck speed as we wonder what will happen next. The cat-and-mouse activities are delightful and remind us that the film is essential and stripped down compared to his later films.

One set, good actors, and a full-throttle story do wonders to satisfy a fan. The camera movements and techniques are key to the entire film, as a shot here or there is timed with flawless precision. Hitchcock used 3-D filming, which was inventive for the time.

Although perhaps not as famous as Hitchcock’s delights like Psycho (1960), Vertigo (1958), or North by Northwest (1959), Dial M for Murder (1954) serves as much more than a warm-up act for those classics.

This film is one to remember with a fast pace, twists and turns, and good British sensibilities. Its setting is a stylish London flat, and the sophistication is suitable.

#121 Favorite Film, 1971 Films, Ben Johnson, Cloris Leachman, Cybill Shepherd, Drama, Eileen Brennan, Ellen Burstyn, Jeff Bridges, John Hillerman, Peter Bogdanovich, Top 250 Films

The Last Picture Show-1971

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The Last Picture Show-1971

Director Peter Bogdanovich

Starring Timothy Bottoms, Jeff Bridges, Cybill Shepherd

Top 250 Films #121

Scott’s Review #1,349

Reviewed March 9, 2023

Grade: A

1971 was a great year in American cinema from The French Connection to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory to Fiddler on the Roof to Dirty Harry. The list goes on and on.

The brilliantly filmed and directed The Last Picture Show is easily ensconced in the year’s top ten featuring an embarrassment of riches across the board. Important to promote is the successful use of the dusty setting and time which is the film’s secret sauce.

Peter Bogdanovich crafts a dreary coming-of-age tale of small-town life in landlocked Texas. The film is loosely based on a 1966 novel of the same name written by Larry McMurtry.

The film includes many songs by Hank Williams Sr. and other country & Western and 1950s popular music recording artists to reflect the era.

Most of the townsfolk are bored to tears in the windswept hamlet of Anarene, Texas. Their saving grace is a local cinema (the picture show) run by the popular Sam the Lion (Ben Johnson) which is about to close its doors forever.

Others frequent the café run by sultry waitress Genevieve (Eileen Brennan) who knows everyone’s business.

The gossip and scandals run wild throughout town following several principal characters and their trials and tribulations. High school students Sonny (Timothy Bottoms) and Duane (Jeff Bridges) lust after flirty Jacy Farrow (Cybill Shepherd) while trying to figure out their futures.

Sonny also finds time for an affair with depressed housewife Ruth Popper (Cloris Leachman), twenty years his senior, who is married to the school gym teacher, Coach Popper (Bill Thurman), who may be gay.

The year is 1951 when the Korean War is broiling and the once profitable oil town is in major decline.

Bogdanovich’s apt camerawork, shot in black and white, is central to the film and the winning recipe (well, one of them). If The Last Picture Show were shot in color or worse yet, colorized, it would detract from the proper mood of sadness.

The exterior scenes involve swirling dust and wide-angle shots of the main street often enough to relay a comparison to a ghost town especially as events go along. There are also some sequences involving vehicles or highway scenes conjuring up thoughts of escape or departure.

The other key ingredient is the ensemble of characters led by exceptional acting. Sonny is the handsome lead character who has a lifetime ahead of him and is the kindest of all the players. His all-American good looks infuse a vulnerability to the character especially revealed during scenes with Sam, his mentor, and his friend Billy.

Other quiet scenes reveal much about the supporting characters. Ruth sadly hangs the wash on her clothesline looking worn and weary while Genevieve grills a cheeseburger in the café, cigarette dangling and her once youthful aspirations slipping away.

Leachman and Johnson, both Academy Award winners in the supporting categories, deserve their awards. Successful at portraying their anger in quiet ways they also both have dignity and self-worth making their characters complex and revered.

The heartiest scenes belong to the younger set as they deal with simmering sexuality and hopes for college. Jacy experiments with sex, even sleeping with the man who her mother Lois (Burstyn) is having an affair with.

Shepherd also gives Jacy vulnerability as she awkwardly strips off her clothes during a pool party encouraged by a handsome boy she hopes to impress. At times, she is childish, other times a selfish bitch. It’s mentioned that her family is wealthy so the assumption is that she is spoiled.

The 1950s usually provides a level of nostalgia and good, old-fashioned, carefree Americana. The Last Picture Show (1971) thanks to the flawless direction and screenwriting of Bogdanovich and McMurtry instead paints a perfect portrait of misspent youth and shattered dreams.

Oscar Nominations: 2 wins-Best Picture, Best Director-Peter Bogdanovich, Best Supporting Actor-Ben Johnson (won), Jeff Bridges, Best Supporting Actress-Cloris Leachman (won), Ellen Burstyn, Best Screenplay-Based on Material from Another Medium, Best Cinematography

#122 Favorite Film, 1972 Films, Drama, Federico Fellini, International, International Drama, Italian, Marcello Mastroianni, Top 250 Films

Fellini’s Roma-1972

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Fellini’s Roma-1972

Director Federico Fellini

Starring Britta Barnes, Peter Gonzales

Top 250 Films #122

Scott’s Review #649

Reviewed June 5, 2017

Grade: A-

Fellini’s Roma (1973) is a trippy experience through Rome during two different periods

As with all Fellini films, the film is meant to be experienced rather than analyzed.

One must nestle into the life that Fellini offers on-screen- in this instance the fabulous city of Rome, Italy in both positives and negatives.

The experience was very good for me, as both a world of odd characters and of ancient Rome oozed from the screen appealingly and absurdly.

From a plot narrative- there is a rot one. Arguably the only character portrayed is Rome herself. The film takes place in both the 1930s as well as the 1970s and is said to be an autobiographical tale of director Fellini’s experiences growing up in Rome.

We see little Fellini as a youngster, experiencing the vast city for the first time, and as a teenager now living in the city. Interestingly, the film traverses from both sets of periods back and forth with really no rhyme or reason.

Throughout the film, we see both the beauty and the ugliness of Rome- the majestic Colosseum and the dirty entrails of the gloomy city. Scenes of seedy brothels, mainly in the 1930s, and a myriad of strange and scantily clad females prance before the cameras looking for a lucky score amid the droves of men lusting after them.

Another depicts a fashion show, of sorts, taking place at the Vatican, involving nuns and priests in bizarre costumes.

The 1930’s setting is my personal favorite. Gritty, cold, and harsh, the bleakness of Rome is depicted. Unsurprisingly, this has much to do with the historical period Since Mussolini was in power, and on the eve of World War II, the darkness was apparent.

In a frightening scene, bomb sirens wail while a woman shrieks in panic. The brothel scenes are downright creepy and the subsequent theatre scenes involving drunken, rowdy, young men leering and cursing at the entertainment, is a particular slice of a life sequence.

In contrast, the 1970s sequences are layered with more beautiful depictions of the city. Brighter colors are featured, and there appear to be either scientists or explorers digging into ancient ruins and finding gorgeous art that is subsequently ruined by the blowing air. We also see hippy types basking in the sunlight.

Again, much of this film is largely open to interpretation.

I adore Fellini’s Roma in terms of an expression of the city of Rome as an art form, but the film is highly unconventional- another plus for me.

Sure, I may have desired to learn more about the bevy of creepy and potentially interesting characters, but I finished the film with an appreciation of Rome, unlike none I have ever known.

A startling final scene, in which legendary Italian film star, Anna Magnani, appears scantily clad, implied to be a prostitute, was filmed shortly before her untimely death at the age of sixty-five.

As a film, Fellini’s Roma is a wonderful history lesson, but also a lesson in interpretation and film appreciation. Most filmgoers are accustomed to a beginning, middle, and end, as well as some semblance of a plot.

Roma contains none of that, but rather, is mind-opening and still fresh many years after its release, which is a true testament.

#123 Favorite Film, 1993 Films, Andie MacDowell, Anne Archer, Best Feature- Independent Spirit Award Winners, Buck Henry, Drama, Favorite Film of the Year, Frances McDormand, Fred Ward, Independent, Independent Drama, Jack Lemmon, Jeff Goldblum, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Julianne Moore, Lili Taylor, Lily Tomlin, Lyle Lovett, Madeleine Stowe, Matthew Modine, Michael Beach, Robert Altman, Robert Downey Jr., Tim Robbins, Top 250 Films

Short Cuts-1993

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Short Cuts-1993

Director Robert Altman

Starring Tim Robbins, Julianne Moore, Lily Tomlin

Top 250 Films #123

Scott’s Review #1,400

Reviewed September 20, 2023

Grade: A

I am such a fan of acclaimed director Robert Altman because he typically features an enormous cast with richly composed characters all serving a story purpose. Frequently, with much character development and investment.

Short Cuts (1993) is a latter-day Altman offering set in Los Angeles, California, the City of Angels that is nearly as good as my all-time favorite of his, Nashville made in 1975.

Similarities burst to the screen with twenty-two principal characters to Nashville’s twenty-four. Their lives frequently intersect and the fun is peeling back the layers of their lives and discovering who is connected to whom.

Comparisons to 1992’s The Player (also Altman) and 1999’s Magnolia, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson can also be made for obvious Los Angeles setting reasons.

But, Magnolia is much weirder than Short Cuts.

The irony is that most characters are anything but angels as they suffer from insecurities, deaths, infidelity, and various shenanigans as they attempt to get through California life amid an earthquake and a fleet of helicopters spraying for medflies.

Altman based the film on the nine short stories and a poem by Raymond Carver.

Some of the tales include a waitress Doreen (Lily) who is married to an alcoholic limo driver (Tom Waits) who accidentally runs into a boy with her car. Soon after walking away, the child lapses into a coma. While at the hospital, the boy’s grandfather (Jack Lemmon) tells his son, Howard (Bruce Davison), about his past affairs.

Meanwhile, a baker (Lyle Lovett) starts harassing the family when they fail to pick up the boy’s birthday cake.

Dr. Ralph Wyman (Matthew Modine) and his wife, Marian (Moore), meet Stuart Kane (Fred Ward), an unemployed salesman, and Claire Kane (Anne Archer), a party clown, at a cello concert.

They impulsively decide to have a Sunday dinner date. seemingly having nothing in common.

Meanwhile, Marian’s sister, Sherri (Madeleine Stowe), is married to a cheating cop named Gene (Tim Robbins), who is having an affair with Betty Weathers (Frances McDormand), while Betty is divorcing one of the helicopter pilots, Stormy (Peter Gallagher).

There are other stories and connections to round out the fabulous cast.

The juicy and dramatic storylines play out like a terrific story arc on Days of Our Lives or As the World Turns with some needed comedic elements to balance things out.

Anyone who knows Altman will salivate with the name recognition among the cast most notably Tomlin and Robbins. Actors frequently chomped at the bit to appear knowing that he was an actor’s director.

This means he allowed his cast open range to create dialogue appropriate for their characters.

There’s no better example than when Jack Lemmon tells a story in the film. His improv and free dialogue are a dream to watch and a lesson in good and natural acting.

Despite the enormous cast everyone has something of quality to do. Nobody is languishing on the back burner with throwaway scenes or unimportant activities. All characters connect to others in some way.

Fans who fancy Los Angeles both in film and in real life with its bursting sunshine and cheery perception will revel in the down and dirty sub texture of Short Cuts.

The fun is getting there.

Some characters are wealthy but most struggle with day-to-day routine so the film contains a harsh realism. They try to find some shreds of happiness wherever they can get them.

Like real life which is part of the mastery of Short Cuts. The audience can relate to the characters because we all know people like them which makes the film a beautiful and treasured experience.

Or some may even be like us. The writing is brilliant and the characters are true to form.

One day I’ll create a list of my Top Ten Robert Altman films and I bet Short Cuts (1993) lands in the Top Five.

Oscar Nominations: Best Director-Robert Altman

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: 3 wins-Best Feature (won), Best Director-Robert Altman (won), Best Screenplay (won), Best Supporting Actress-Julianne Moore

#124 Favorite Films, 1997 Films, Bridget Fonda, Crime Drama, LisaGay Hamilton, Michael Keaton, Pam Grier, Quentin Tarantino, Robert De Niro, Robert Forster, Samuel L. Jackson, Tony Curtis, Top 250 Films

Jackie Brown-1997

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Jackie Brown-1997

Director Quentin Tarantino

Starring Pam Grier, Robert Forster

Top 250 Films #124

Scott’s Review #356

60010514

Reviewed January 9, 2016

Grade: A

Quentin Tarantino’s Jackie Brown (1997) is a fantastic film and one of the few to have a solely female lead (Kill Bill Volumes I and II are the others) and successfully re-launched star Pam Grier’s and Robert Forster’s careers after too many years on the sidelines.

The film is heavily influenced by Grier’s earlier films in the 1970s blaxploitation genre. Jackie Brown is one of the more obscure Tarantino films, but is brilliant nonetheless and filled with slow, plodding, yet tremendous scenes.

Grier plays the title character, Jackie Brown, a flight attendant for a small Mexican airline who smuggles money into the United States from Mexico to supplement her income. When she is caught and threatened by the Feds to aid them in catching a much larger fish, she plots to use both sides to her advantage and walk away with the money.

Jackie develops feelings and a sweet relationship ensues with Max Cherry, a bondsman played by Forster.

Mixed in with the plot is Tarantino staple, Samuel L. Jackson, as Ordell Robbie, a crooked drug smuggler, Robert De Niro as Louis, a former cellmate of Ordell’s, and Bridget Fonda as Melanie, a dizzy stoner girl.

As is always the case with Tarantino films, Jackie Brown contains a stellar cast just chomping at the bit to deliver the best performance they can with the help of rich and crackling dialogue written for them.

The writing is always fantastic in Tarantino films and the number of plot twists and turns in Jackie Brown is great.

My favorite scene by far is the scene involving the transfer of money that takes place in the local Mall. Rich with flavor and atmosphere it is a marvel. Jackie and Max engage in small talk at the food court before the transfer is to take place- Jackie then goes to a fitting room where the “switch” will occur.

Throughout this sequence, the tension is incredibly high and the film turns into a nail-biter.

Tarantino, not one to focus on a romantic storyline, gives Jackie Brown a uniqueness as the film features the respectful and delicious romance between Jackie and Max. This adds layers to the mainly bloody and crime-laden film. To counter this relationship is the volatile relationship between Louis and Melanie, which ends in tragedy.

I love how the film is set in Los Angeles. Sunny, bright, with a stuffy and superficial element to the action, mixing the beach and the hot weather with a crime story, manipulation, and double-crossing works so well.

Giving aging Hollywood stars a deserving comeback, Tarantino weaves a complex, but adventurous and well-paced, crime drama featuring veteran actors who deliver the goods, Jackie Brown is a treasure in a world of other Tarantino treasures and is a must-have for all of the director’s fans and fanatics.

Oscar Nominations: Best Supporting Actor-Robert Forster

#125 Favorite Film, 1999 Films, Alan Cumming, Leelee Sobieski, Nicole Kidman, Stanley Kubrick, Sydney Pollack, Thriller, Todd Field, Tom Cruise, Top 250 Films

Eyes Wide Shut-1999

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Eyes Wide Shut-1999

Director Stanley Kubrick

Starring Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman

Top 250 Films #125

Scott’s Review #464

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Reviewed August 14, 2016

Grade: A

Eyes Wide Shut is a film that I saw in theaters upon its release in 1999 and found fascinating, to say the least. I have watched the film twice more in the years following and it is even more fascinating today- it gets better and more nuanced with each viewing.

It is not an easy film to follow or explain but is rich in mystery and psychologically challenging.

A huge Stanley Kubrick fan, this film is an eerie, plodding, cerebral psychological/sexual thriller.

The creepy piano score is very effective, and Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman are both excellent as affluent, yet restless, thirtysomethings living in New York City.

Cruise plays Bill, a successful doctor, and Kidman his gorgeous wife, both sexually restless and escaping into fantasy and otherwise real dalliances with other partners as they bicker about fidelity and jealousy as they lounge in their underwear and smoke pot.

It’s a film about relationships, temptation, and desire, and does not always make perfect sense, but boy will it leave you thinking.

The supporting characters are some of the most interesting I’ve ever seen as they compel and mystify and one wonders how they fit with the main characters.

The naughty Long Island orgy is as bizarre and surreal as one can imagine.

The movie reminds me somewhat of The Ice Storm (1997), Magnolia (1999), and Mulholland Drive (1992), which is the ultimate compliment as the aforementioned are film masterpieces.