your favorite movies

[donjuan]

I am a big film buff and am always looking for interesting movies to watch.  State your favorite movie, or if you dont have a single, then a few of them, so I can track them down to watch.

(ok, I dont have a single favorite)

The Chinese Connection

Once upon a time in the west

Fellini's "8 1/2"

Scarface (1983)

Goodfellas

[Waldszenen]

• The Usual Suspects
• Million Dollar Baby
• The Godfather
• The Shawshank Redemption

[bernhard]

There are just too many. So here are a couple and I may come back later with more.

The most recent movie I saw was “Unleashed”, where a gangster (Bob Hoskins) raises a boy to behave like a Pitt bull terrier. This happens to be Jet Li. When the gangster needs to collect debts he brings his “dog” with him. If he is not paid, he “unleashes” the dog. At one point the gangster is attacked, and left for dead. Danny (Jet Li) runs away in a state of confusion. He is befriended and take in by a blind piano tuner (Morgan Freeman) and his daughter (who is studying to be a pianist). There he learns a gentler way to deal with life. Predictably, the gangster is not dead and comes back to reclaim his “dog”. There was a big flaw in the script – namely how the piano tuner – for no reason at all – takes a stranger home and makes him oe of his family. That was pretty unconvincing. Other wise, Jet Li is as good as ever (excellent fight scenes) and what could be better than a martial arts plus piano movie? I will tell you what could be better: Some sex in it too!

This brings us to a much older movie but which has several points in common: Werner Herzog’s “The Enigma of Kasper Hauser”. The movie is based on a true story. Since birth a boy was chained and locked in a basement. In his 20s he is released by a mysterious man who takes him to the nearest town and leaves him there in the main square with a letter saying his name is Kasper Hauser, and not much more. The time is the late 19th century. He cannot walk, he cannot talk, he has never seen fire (the scene where he tries to pick up the flame of a candle with his fingers and gets burned is one of the most poignant in the history of cinema). Initially he is locked away in prison, since the authorities have no idea of what to do with him. Eventually the local professor takes him to live with him in his house and starts the laborious process of educating him (quite similar to Unleashed above). He is visited by many sorts, form religious authorities trying to determine if he has a souls, to sciestists trying to figure out if he is a human or an animal. All have their little agendas, and it is a real joy to see Kasper uncover them. Eventually, and just as mysteriously as he appeared, a stranger murders him. This is a truly haunting movie that will stay in your mind for years to come (it has certainly stayed in mine). And, nope, no martial arts on this one (or sex). All of Herzog’s movies are worthwhile.

I’ll be back!

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[026497]

- The Others
- A Beautiful Mind
- The Pianist
- The Ghost
- Chocolate
- About a Boy
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
- Beauty and the Beast
- Matilda
- Dracula
- Catch me if you can
- Forrest Gump
- Schindler's List

[Siberian Husky]

MY FAVORITE MOVIE IS SPACEJAM!!!


ROB's FAVORITE MOVIE IS FAST N THE FURIOS CAUSE HES ASIAN AND I AM STEROTYPING HIM!

[twinkletoesfaery]

Apt Pupil, Singing In The Rain, Jezebel, The Client, The Heart Of Me, La Reine Margot, Dumbo

[donjuan]

Great suggestions, keep em coming!

Ok, I did a little research on some of these movies and

i requested "The Shawshank Redemption" as well as "The Usual Suspects" (thank you waldszenen) from my local library.  I looked them up and they seemed interesting.

Bernhard, The Enigma of Kasper Hauser sounds really good and when I googled it I found rave reviews everywhere!  I also requested it from the library, but they call it "The Mystery of Kasper Hauser."  The cast matches though, so I suppose it's the same movie.

twinkletoesfaery, I have seen all the movies you mentioned except la Reine Margot, so I requested that from the library as well.  However, I do not know if you are refering to the film from 1954 or 1994.  the only one the library had was 1994, so there it is.

it's great to hear about foreign films because around here, theres just no other way to get introduced.  It's all adam sandler this and Jennifer love hewitt that.. so thanks for that, I really appreciate it
------------------------
Thanks so much!! I hope others come here and drop some names too.  haha Im really going to exploit the library's 40 item limit these next few weeks.

by the way, has anyone here seen "The Skeleton Key" or "Red Eye", which are in theatres?  I keep hearing mixed reviews on them and my sister wanted to see them.
donjuan

[yamagal]

These are all super-excellent films (except that critics panned The Imposter - dh and I still liked it because hey, it's got Gary Sinise in it):

Starring Gerard Depardieu:  The Return of Martin Guerre, Cyrano de Bergerac

Classics:  The Philadelphia Story, Min and Bill, Dinner at Eight

Sci Fi:  The Matrix, The Imposter, K-Pax (creepy), Twelve Monkeys

Action, Drama, etc:  Forrest Gump, The Hunt for Red October, True Lies

With terrific swordplay:  The Great Race, Rob Roy, The Duellists

Russell Crowe!!!! :  Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind (I also want to see Master and Commander, haven't yet)

Animated & worth checking out:  The Iron Giant

I'm sure there are more, but I can't remember them at the moment.

[musicsdarkangel]

1.  The Fifth Element
2.  Shine
3.  Requiem For A Dream
4.  A. I.
5.  Die Hard
6.  Happy Gilmore
7.  Butterfly Effect
8.  The Island
9.  The Red Violin
10 Moulan Rouge

[xvimbi]

Some of my favorites:

Any Christopher Guest movie ("Mockumentaries"; hilarious humor makes fun of how we behave):
This Is Spinal Tap
Waiting For Guffman
Best In Show (!!!)
A Mighty Wind

Any Mika and Aki Kaurismaki Movie (Hilarious, albeit somewhat depressing, but abyssmally deep insights into the human psyche):
Ariel
The Man Without a Past
Leningrad Cowboys (!!!)
The Match Factory Girl

A bit wird, but very intelligent, whicked and funny:
Delicatessen
Snatch
Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels
City of Lost Children
Dark City
Being John Malkovich
Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind

General (just plain good movies):
Fifth Element
The Full Monty
Jabberwocky
Rushmore (hilarious)
The Royal Tenenbaums (super hilarious)
Any Monty Python movie (well...)
When Harry Met Sally (Oh, so true!)
The Incredibles
Airplane I and II
The Big Chill
Run Lola Run
Amelie
Once Upon a Time In The West
Haiku Tunnel
The Tripletts of Belleville (!!!)
Noises Off!
Goodbye, Lenin
Donnie Darko
Napoleon Dynamite (!!!)
Raising Arizona
The Closet


Food-related (a mixture of human philosophy and culinary delights):
Tampopo
A Chef in Love
Eat, Drink, Man, Woman

Any kind of good spoof (no need to say anything):
Ice Pirates
Spaceballs
Galaxy Quest
Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy (the original TV episodes, not the recent movie - bleah)
Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid
Fatal Instinct

And, of course:
Wayne's World I and II

That is just the tip of the iceberg (Tm)

[pianohopper]

Aside from the above:

Hotel Rwanda --- incredible film: emotional, suspenseful, truthful

It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World --- the greatest comedy ever!  Such a great cast, the best comedians like Spencer Tracy, Milton Berle, Don Knotts, the 3 Stooges, Buddy Hackett, Sid Caesar, Jonathan Winters, Jimmy Durante, Ethel Merman, Terry-Thomas, Jim Backus, Ben Blue, Peter Falk, Jack Benny, Buster Keaton, Jerry Lewis.  "Be Cool" just can't match that.

LoTR --- probably best fantasy movies I have seen.  And possibly the only contender for a movie better than the book it was based on.

The Last Samurai 

Bruce Almighty

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

The Party --- one of Peter Sellers less well known films, but hilarity all the same

Pride of the Yankees --- a personal soft spot there for Lou Gehrig.  wonderful tribute

[jim_24601]

Here's a few I don't think anyone's mentioned yet.

Gattaca - Classic not-too-distant-future genetic engineering movie.

Labyrinth - A fairy tale, pure and simple. But it has David Bowie and muppets. What more could you ask for?

The Crow - Macabre, gothic, gorgeous.

Braindead - This is what Peter Jackson was doing before Lord of the Rings. Hilarious zombie movie in quite appalling taste.

Shaun of the Dead - While we're on the subject of hilarious zombie movies. And because it sums up life in North London perfectly, zombies or no.

The Lost Boys - Teenage vampires and Death By Stereo!

Twelve Monkeys - All right, we've had this one already. But I thought it was worth mentioning again. It's that good.

Split Second - Another near future quasi-dystopic one. Rutger Hauer as amazingly paranoid cop.

[pianistimo]

oh brother, where art thou  (even though it's deep south crazy - and not always straight on religion - it gives you a feel for humor in life, friendships, and a little homegrown music).

chocolat'

of course the oldies:

dr. zhivago
breakfast at tiffanies
gone with the wind


(i can still watch those over and over)

and what's that one with clark gable and the millionaire's daughter. (oldie)

saw a russian translated film entitle 'the cranes'  or 'flying cranes' or something like that.  it was a very cool black and white film. it's a love story.

the odd couple - haha yes.  even though it's odd, it's very funny.

three mules for sister sara (is that the title?)

basically, the older movies i like better than the newer movies.  (unless, of course, they come up with more on musician/composer's).

hunt for the red october (or any tom clancy movie).  james bond movies.  and, Zoro (i liked that one, too)

i'd like to see some more with some better cinematography of places in the world.  like that one scene in indiana jones (heading through the arabic market)  or in south american jungle.  exotic locations.

i think african queen is my all-time favorite.

[thalbergmad]

Jack the Ripper
The hands of the Ripper
The Boston Strangler
The House that Bled to Death
The Beast with 5 Fingers
From Hell
Curse of the mummys tomb


oh I forgot Bambi

[bernhard]

Some really excellent movies being suggested in this thread (xvimbi, you had some truly obscure ones too, I thought I was the only to have seen them!).

Don Juan: Yes, the Mistery of Kaspar Hauser sounds right.

Here are a few more, trying not to repeat the ones above.

“Eraserhead”

This one makes my top ten list. Be warned, it is not for the squeamish. This in in black and white, and it is David Lynch’s (of “Dune”, “Twin peaks” and “Blue Velvet” fame). The plot concerns this guy who leaves a pretty dreary life in an oppressive state housing complex. Eventually he gets a girlfriend (one of the greatest “dinner with the in-laws” scenes ever) who is even more dysfunctional than he is. They make out, she gets pregnant and after the baby is born she leaves him and the baby. The baby is a grotesque reptilian creature that cries non-stop. I believe this whole movies is an explorations of the theme of “revulsion”, and I have never seen anything quite like it, or so well done. Hats off to David Lynch! (But be prepared, this is truly weird stuff).

“Stevie”

This movie is strictly for people who are into poetry. The movie is the life story of British (female) poet Stevie Smith. She is superbly played by Glenda Jackson. Every single line in the movie is a poem by Stevie Smith. The movie is exhilarating and uplifiting (even though her life was not a bed of roses). I went to see another movie, but it was sold out, so I decided to see “Stevie” instead, having never heard before of her, just on the strength of it being a Glenda Jackson movie. Boy, was I glad that I went. Stevie Smith poetry is wonderful, and this is a gentle and reflective movie.

“Kagemusha”

To date, may favourite Kurosawa movie (yes, I have seen all of them). The story takes place in feudal Japan. A powerful warlord is fatally wounded and his clan decides to keep his death a secret in order not to give any political advantage to his enemies. For this to work, however, they must find a “double” (kagemusha mean “shadow warrior”), which they do, in the person of a humble peasant. Although the physical likeness is uncanny, he has to be educated to behave like a samurai warlord, which he does, and the deception goes on for three years. A huge production (for Japanese standards) with some of the most spectacular field battles I’ve seen, coupled with scenes of unsurpassing beauty, poetry and poignancy. It helps, if like me, you like Japanese traditional culture.

“Sweet Liberty”

Written by Alan Alda (I love his movies – “The four seasons” is also highly recommended), the plot revolves around a history professor (played by Alda) whose book about the American Independence is bought by Hollywood to turn into a movie. A whole movie crew moves into the little historic town where the professor leaves, and soon the locals and the movie people start mingling with hilarious consequences. The professor gets more and more uneasy with the liberties the scriptwriter (Bob Hoskins) is taking, so the scriptwriter asks for his help in doing the movie correct historically. Soon they are both in the director’s black books (Great moment on the movie: when the director tells the professor that the only 3 things the public wants are nakedness, destruction of property and rebellion, and Alda provides all three for the camera). Great soundtrack too! Michael Caine (as an actor playing the main villain) and Michelle Pfeifer (as an actress playing the good guy’s love interest) are in top form.

“Tous les matins du monde” (“All the dawns in the world”?)

This is one of the most beautiful movies I have ever seen (easily on my top ten). The story revolves around Baroque viola da gamba player St. Coulombe – a man eroded by grief since his wife died. He is acknowledged by all as the supreme virtuoso of the instrument, but refuses to become a Court musician, preferring instead to live in isolation in the country with his two young daughters. Into his hermit’s lair comes one day young and handsome musician Marin Marais (played by Guillaume Depardieu – Gerard’s son in real life). He asks to be accepted as a pupil, and at first St. Coulombe refuses, then because his elder daughter’s intercedes he grudgingly accepts Marais. Eventually, without St. Coulombe’s knowledge, they become lovers. As the story unfolds, Marais abandons his lover and becomes a Court musician – St Coulombe cannot forgive him for that – and marries someone else in the Court. As the years pass, St Coulombe’s daughter grows more and more depressive and eventually commits suicide. Marais (now played by Gerard Depardieu) then returns to St. Coulombe and asks once more to be taken as a disciple. I cannot even begin to describe all the levels in this wonderful movie. The true subject of the movie (besides being a true story based on historical viola da Gamba virtuosos St. Coulombe and Marin Marais) is the nature of music, and the answers it provides are most satisfactory. Highly recommended.

I will be back!

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[abell88]

The Princess Bride

The Joy Luck Club

The Incredibles

Pirates of Penzance

Shrek 1 and 2

[raffyplayspiano]

the goonies,

and

Big Trouble in Little China. 


raffy

[donjuan]

Russell Crowe!!!! :  Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind (I also want to see Master and Commander, haven't yet)

I found master and commander a little dissapointing and I myself am a big Russell Crowe Fan.  It is definately not his best work as i found the story a little weak because I spent the whole movie expecting the unexpected, and then the expected happened and I was surprised but then I thought about it and sort of felt cheated.  However, I DID recently go to see him in Cinderella Man, and felt he fit the role perfectly.  The movie was passionate and as I was watching, I seemed to catch myself punching the air in the theatre, cheering him along.  haha it was very compelling and fun to watch.  I think that's Russell Crowe at his best.  oh and of course you already know how he comanded the screen in Gladiator.

Xvimbi, it looks like you are a fan of the artsy movies!  I also like to watch them, but usually only appreciate the abstract effects long after the move is over -like, the next day when I remember a line and think 'wow, that WAS a good movie.'  I wonder if you have seen Fellini's flick "Orchestra Rehearsal"?  i watched it and just felt really confused and stupid, like I need to read up on some underlying issue to completely understand what's going on.  I am asking you if you have seen it, and if so, did you get it?

The Party --- one of Peter Sellers less well known films, but hilarity all the same

HAHAHAHA one of my favorite comedies!  That scene in the bathroom with the toilet paper roll that just keeps going and going is hilarious!

btw, thanks everyone- many movies I havent heard of and will definately check out!   

[twinkletoesfaery]

Great suggestions, keep em coming!

twinkletoesfaery, I have seen all the movies you mentioned except la Reine Margot, so I requested that from the library as well.  However, I do not know if you are refering to the film from 1954 or 1994.  the only one the library had was 1994, so there it is.

it's great to hear about foreign films because around here, theres just no other way to get introduced.  It's all adam sandler this and Jennifer love hewitt that.. so thanks for that, I really appreciate it

You've seen 'Apt Pupil' starring Brad Renfro? I must say I'm very impressed.  It's not a well known movie at all. 

In answer to your question, the 'La Reine Margot' that I saw and like stars Isabel Adjani so it's the 1994 one.  Some parts can be really disgusting but Adjani is such a star there. 

I know many good foreign films, I like the funny ones, mostly french.  Here's a short list:

Beaumarchais, L'insolent (1996) - comedy
Le Hussard Sur Le toit (1995) - Juliette Binoche + Olivier Martinez
La Veuve de Saint Pierre (2000) - Binoche + Daniel Auteuil
Sibirskiy tsiryulnik (1998) - a funny but not quite so funny (Russian and English ) - Also titled 'La Barbier de Siberie'

How can I forget?

Hilary and Jackie! I love that film. Emily Watson is great as Du Pre.

I also really like Dumbo (damn cute elephant I could eat him alive) and Anastasia

[Waldszenen]

I found master and commander a little dissapointing and I myself am a big Russell Crowe Fan.  It is definately not his best work as i found the story a little weak because I spent the whole movie expecting the unexpected, and then the expected happened and I was surprised but then I thought about it and sort of felt cheated.  However, I DID recently go to see him in Cinderella Man, and felt he fit the role perfectly.  The movie was passionate and as I was watching, I seemed to catch myself punching the air in the theatre, cheering him along.  haha it was very compelling and fun to watch.  I think that's Russell Crowe at his best.  oh and of course you already know how he comanded the screen in Gladiator.
btw, thanks everyone- many movies I havent heard of and will definately check out!   

Master and Commander was BRILLIANT

[jeremyjchilds]

"High Strung"

[xvimbi]

Xvimbi, it looks like you are a fan of the artsy movies!  I also like to watch them, but usually only appreciate the abstract effects long after the move is over -like, the next day when I remember a line and think 'wow, that WAS a good movie.'  I wonder if you have seen Fellini's flick "Orchestra Rehearsal"?  i watched it and just felt really confused and stupid, like I need to read up on some underlying issue to completely understand what's going on.  I am asking you if you have seen it, and if so, did you get it?

To be honest, I have never really gotten any Fellini movie. It's been a long time since I watched them, so I should probably give it another try.

Oh yeah, I forgot "Dr. Strangelove" of course. How could I?

[gorbee natcase]

Bad santa When I watched it I was inagony laughing at herman merman

[shasta]

The Great Escape
Stars Wars saga
Stalag 17
Princess Bride
It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World
Von Ryan's Express
Jaws
Escape from Sobibor
Contact
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
1776
Close Encounters

[pabst]

Tarkovsky anyone? I thought he would be among a lot of the pianists choices 

[Jacey1973]

Tarkovsky anyone? I thought he would be among a lot of the pianists choices 

Well seen a few of his films, they're alright when they don't get overly weird - quite liked the one about the boy-spy in WW2 can't remember the name.

My favourite film is "Truly Madly Deeply" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103129/

[stevie]

favourite movies from childhood-

terminator 2
forrest gump
tremors
bill and ted's excellent adventure
from dusk till dawn
pulp fiction

movies i have seen and grew to love more recently-

castaway -
very moving and awesome acting
the lord of the rings trilogy -
objectively perhaps the greatest movies ever made, and the movies with the greatest rewatchability factor ive ever seen.
the shawshank redemption -
just really awesome and uplifting
the green mile -
made me cry like a baby, awesome movie
oldboy -
korean revenge movie, very emotional and compelling

and besides the lord of the ring trilogy, right now oldboy is my favourite movie-
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0364569/
check it out, and dont be tempted into reading the spoilers...this movie has one of the greatest plot twists ive ever seen.

[bernhard]

“Jeremiah Johnson”

I have always had a soft spot for Sidney Pollack movies (“Out of Africa”, “Tootsie” with Dustin Hoffman pretending to be a soap actress, “Three days of the Condor”, “Absence of Malice” all of which are recommended), but this is arguably his best, most beautiful most poetic movie ever. Jeremiah (played by a perfectly cast and heavily bearded Robert Redford) is an ex-civil war soldier who withdraws form society into the solitude and wilderness of the Canadian Rocky mountains. The movie follows his struggles to live in an inhospitable terrain, and halfway through becomes a revenge story (Indians kill his family because he guided – against his will – an army party through Indian sacred ground). Eventually he makes peace with the Indians (and they with him). This is a truly memorable movie filled with hauntingly beautiful images (his first meeting with an Indian, the amazing landscape) and far-out characters (the scalp collector, the bear hunter who hunts bears by using himself as bait, Jeremiah himself).

“The outlaw Josey Wales”

I have a very healthy respect for Clint Eastwood, both as an actor and as a film-maker, and rare are his movies that I do not find intensily satisfying. One could say that in the 1980s, he single handedly reinvented the Western with this – in my opinion his best – movie. Josey Wales is a southerner who after the victory of the North in the civil war turn to guerrilla warfare. He and his fellow fighters are offered a presidential pardon, but that turns up to be a betrayal: when they turn up at the local fort, and give up their weapons the Notherners kill them. Josey Wales manages to escape na the first half of the movie concerns how he escapes with a persistent posse in his heels. Eventually they loose his track, and he saves a family of pilgrims from an Indian attack, joining them as they go West. There they start a farm, he gets involved with the daughter, and everything seems to be going fine. He now lives the quite life of a farmer, when the posse catches his trail again and a final showdown ensues. Absolutely brilliant movie (Other excellent Clint Eastwood movies – as a director – are “Unforgiven”, “Mystic River”, “Pale rider”, “Sudden Impact”  and “Bird” – about Charlie Parker - all of which are recommended)

“Little Big Man”

This movie changed the face of Westerns forever. Suddenly the Indians became the good guys, and General Custer the bad guy. This is a truly wonderful movie, hilarious at times and profoundly sad at others. As the story begins, a reporter goes to an old people’s home to interview the only still living survivor of the battle between the Indians and Custer where Custer lost his life. He is 130 years old. The reporter assumes that the old man – who was Custer’s scout – will give him a hagiography of Custer and reminisce about his heroic deeds. Instead the old man tells him in flash back what really happened (Dustin Hoffman plays the main character). Cannot be recommended highly enough.

More later.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[thalbergmad]

I am going to watch Moby Dick for the 26th time tonight.

"Whosoever of thee finds me the white whale shall have this spanish gold ounce"

Thats bloody good acting.

[6ft 4]

Unleashed was surprisingly good.

Jet Li is hilarious.

And Mozart is God.

[bernhard]

I am going to watch Moby Dick for the 26th time tonight.

"Whosoever of thee finds me the white whale shall have this spanish gold ounce"

Thats bloody good acting.

You like Gregory Peck? You might enjoy this:

https://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=real_men

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[stevie]

i like how he still disses christopher reeve after he died

[bernhard]

i like how he still disses christopher reeve after he died

I believe when he wrote that article, Reeve was still alive.

Anyway, a few more favourite movies:

 “The Swimmer”

Burt Lancaster is in the middle of a midlife crisis (telling much more will spoil the movie), but we don’t know that yet. All we know is that this very optimistic and enthusiastic guy decides to “swim” home, by swimming through all of his neighbours swimming pools. Powerful stuff.

“The Yakuza”

An excellent modern samurai movie with spectacular sword fighting. Harry Kilmer (played by Robert Mitchum) is asked by his friend George Tanner (Brian Keith) to go to Japan and rescue his daughter who has been kidnapped by Japanese gangster (the Yakuza of the title). Harry had lived in Japan as an American soldier during the occupation, where he had a romance with a Japanese woman. She however refused to marry him and he left Japan. Now may years later he must come back and contact her brother (superbly played by Ken Takakura), who used to be an yakuza, and who owes him a favour (“giri” – a central concept to the whole movie). Together, they cause general mayhem – Takakura is a superb swordsmen and Mitchum relies on all sorts of weaponry. However not is as it seems and there is a big twist at the end.

“Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil”

Directed by Clint Eastwood, this is an intriguing tale full of twists. John Cussack plays a reporter doing an article on the Savannah high society, and befriends millionaire Jim Williams (played by Kevin Spacey). A murder happens and Jim is charged with it and brought to trial. He claims to be innocent and Cussack tries to help him. This is a really interesting movie, far more than the short synopsis here would lead one to believe.

“Angel Heart”

Directed by Alan Park (another director whose other films are highly recommended: “The midnight express”, “The commitments”, “The road to Welliville”, “Mississipi burning”, “Shoot the moon”), Angel Heart revolves around a private detective (Angel – played by Mickey Rourke) who is hired by a mysterious stranger, Louis Cypher (played by Robert de Niro) to find a missing person. The greatest “I sold my soul to the devil” ever made movie. Pretty tense and scary.

“Fanny and Alexander”

This is my favourite Bergmann movie (there is also a 5-6 hour extened version made for TV). It is one of these movies you just wish kept going. Fanny and Alexander are brothers in a household, where everyone is involved with the theatre. They live a happy carefree existence until their father dies and her mother remarries a sanctimonious and strict Church preacher. Alexander then resorts to black magic to put things right again. A truly magical movie.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[stevie]

I believe when he wrote that article, Reeve was still alive.

i know, but i purposely visited his site the day after reeve died, and there was something saying he hadnt changed his mind, and he sticks to his opinions.

i wasnt being sarcastic, even if hes wrong i think its more admirable to stick to his guns.

[rob47]

MY FAVORITE MOVIE IS SPACEJAM!!!


ROB's FAVORITE MOVIE IS FAST N THE FURIOS CAUSE HES ASIAN AND I AM STEROTYPING HIM!

hahaha, i liek the sequel a bit better.

space jam is also wikid.

Scarface
Godfather
Goodfellas
Casino
Carlito's Way
Juice
Menace II Society
New Jersey Drive
The Joy Luck Club
Boyz n da Hood
Pulp Fiction
Reservoir Dogs
Kill Bill
Pet Semetary
Ong Bak
Bond Movies (except for Dalton/Lazenby)
Human Traffic
Requiem for a Dream
South Park
Team America
Baseketball
Old School
etc.

[pita bread]

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Ocean's 11

[klavierkonzerte]

movies i can't live without

adams family
nightmare befor christmas
interview with a vampire

[donjuan]

“Fanny and Alexander”

This is my favourite Bergmann movie (there is also a 5-6 hour extened version made for TV). It is one of these movies you just wish kept going. Fanny and Alexander are brothers in a household, where everyone is involved with the theatre. They live a happy carefree existence until their father dies and her mother remarries a sanctimonious and strict Church preacher. Alexander then resorts to black magic to put things right again. A truly magical movie.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

yeah, my piano teacher mentioned this movie to me and I watched it.  I thought it was really good, except I found it a little slow in getting going.  The most amusing part is when the guy farts out the candle!  Really though, the perspective in the film is just out of this world.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

we analyzed eternal sunshine in my english class!  We must have watched the movie 4 times.  It was a really well made film that one has to see a number of times to get everything out of it.

[bonbonbon]

I don't think I can put them in order so...in no particular order
> casablanca
> pulp fiction
> contact
> cineman paradiso
> the deep bleu
> amelie from montmartre
> a very long engagement
> LOTR
> bitter moon
> fan fan
> la boum
> indiana jones series
> last tango in paris
> edward scissorhands
> les amants du pont neuf
> lost in translation
> the godfather
> roman holiday
> three colors
> star wars
  etc etc

[rob47]

oldboy -
korean revenge movie, very emotional and compelling

and besides the lord of the ring trilogy, right now oldboy is my favourite movie-
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0364569/
check it out, and dont be tempted into reading the spoilers...this movie has one of the greatest plot twists ive ever seen.

Has everyone forgot about the tsunami relief fund?  I still haven't donated, but would like to soon. 

Oh and on a differnet note, I implore thee stevie, why is Oldboy a must see?

[stevie]

Has everyone forgot about the tsunami relief fund?  I still haven't donated, but would like to soon. 

Oh and on a differnet note, I implore thee stevie, why is Oldboy a must see?

oldboy is original, spellbinging, captivating, moving, disgusting, excruciating, and awesome.

it is a korean movie about a guy who gets randomly abducted and locked away in 1 room for 15 years without being told why.
he is then released after 15 years, and find out that the torment has only just begun.

some of the most brilliant acting ive ever witnessed too, really realistic.

this movie has had such an impact for a random korean movie, that its actually in the IMDB top 100 after only 2 years, and a hollywood remake(likely a bit crap) is scheduled for release next year.

i also love the rewatchability factor, the complexity of the plot is compelling and deep.

https://imdb.com/title/tt0364569/

check out the trailers, and dont be temted to read more into the storyline(otherwise youll spoil its impact)...just see it.

[4tissimo]

Since my favorite genre in all arts is satire, my favorite movies include:

  O Lucky Man:  A British flick about a coffee salesman that is one of THE most hysterically funny satires I've ever seen.  In one scene, the guy's so hungry that when he happens upon a country church with a Thanksgiving cornucopia set up at the alter, he begins to eat some of the stuff whereupon an attractive middle aged lady appears and offers her breast.

Dr. Strangelove or How to Learn to Live & Love the Bomb:  Perhaps Peter Sellers' greatest satirical effort.  He plays several parts and, along with "Gen." George C. Scott & Slim Pickens as a B-52 pilot is superb.  Any of Sellers' flicks, e.g., The Mouse That Roared & all the Pink Panther films are excellent

Hospital  starring George C. Scott and the woman from the British TV Series The Avengers.  With patients dying on gurneys in the hallways, this is a hard but realistic look at public health in the U.S., and it's just as bad in Japan

Blazing Saddles:  Mel Brooks' flicks are also almost all biting satires of the best sort.  There's a scene in this one in which Slim Pickens as a racist cowboy overseeing black/Chinese laborers building the US transcontinental railroad is hit over the head with a shovel.  Another scene has THE Count Basie stage band performing in the middle of a field. 

O Soshiki [The Funeral] by Japanese director Juzo Itami.  This film pokes fun at one of Japan's most serious social/cultural rituals and is smashingly funny.  There's a sex scene that is, again, hysterically funny.  Itami has made several biting satires, the most famous of which is probably Zeikin Onna [The Tax Woman] starring his wife in the title role as a bureaucratic ferret that is out to nail every tax evader.  He made another about the yakuza [organized crime] that was so realistic, the yaks sent a guy who cut up Itami's face.  He committed suicide shortly after that.

If you like serious drama, the Japanese Suna no Onna [Woman in the Dunes] based on the novel by Kobo Abe is intense.  A college prof./entomologist falls into a huge hole in a beach sand dune and finds himself trapped there with a woman for 7 yrs.

Well, that ought to be enough to get you started.  Enjoy!

[bernhard]

  O Lucky Man:  A British flick about a coffee salesman that is one of THE most hysterically funny satires I've ever seen.  In one scene, the guy's so hungry that when he happens upon a country church with a Thanksgiving cornucopia set up at the alter, he begins to eat some of the stuff whereupon an attractive middle aged lady appears and offers her breast.

I wholeheartedly agree! “Oh Lucky Man” is one of my top ten movies, displaying some of the most haunting images ever (like the scene where the beggars roll him in a barrel), and the cameo appearances (and soundtrack) by Alan Price are just wonderful (“If”, the previous movie by Lindsay Anderson is also highly recommended). It is quite interesting how Malcolm MacDowel after starring in these fantastic movies (and “Clockwork Orange”) then saw his acting career take a nose dive playing some of the worst movies ever in some pretty dismal roles. One wonders what exactly happened there.

[gilad]

wow, i see a lot of good movies have been posted by you all. if you can genralise taste, i'll be sure to pick up this thread next time i rent a movie.

Y tu mama tambien
casino
godfather
goodfellas
the man who cried
the wizard of oz
anchors away
grease
the man without a past
fiddler on the roof
life as a house
big fish
shine
city of god
city of angels
escape from alcatraz
finding forester

and so on and so forth

[pianobabe_56]

My 2 favorites:

1.) The Sound of Music
2.) U-571

[brewtality]

*cough*

I was going to start a new movies thread but this one is fairly recent so I'll just revive it.

I am starting to become a big time film buff, recently I've been buying more movie DVDs than piano cds.

My top 10:

1) Gone with the Wind

I love this because it's just a great love story and has so many classic lines. Scarlett is such a pistol, you can't help but root for her. The things I don't like about it are the romanticising of certain aspects of the 'Old South'. Particularly the whole slavery thing. The character of 'Prissy' is really pathetic, the worst scene is where Scarlett hits her, her reaction makes me cringe.

2) Citizen Kane

Orson Welles' masterpiece, ironically it probably ruined him. I reckon he was robbed at the academy awards, whose voters bowed to Hearst's will. Hugely influencial on movie making, great angles, lighting etc. Everyone should see this at least once. It would be a great movie to study in schools.

3) Casablanca

Bogey and Bergman. They make this movie great. In terms of plot there maybe isn't that much happening. Also great use of the theme song 'As Time Goes By- that great song that always makes one feel nostalgic. The ending that had to happen is also what makes this movie a classic.

4) Singing in the Rain

Just a great MGM musical. The songs are very strong but for me what makes this great is the dancing and humour (particularly Jean Hagen as Lina Lamont). I reckon that Debbie Reynolds dance that she does after coming out of the cake is my favourite dance in all of movies, great song too. Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor weren't bad either  .

5) Some like it Hot

Billy Wilder's classic comedy which introduced the movie going public to cross dressing. I think this is Marilyn Monroe's best performance and she looks so beautiful too!

6) The Godfather

The ultimate mob movie, although I'm also a fan of Scarface and Goodfellas. The sequel is just as great.

7) Breakfast at Tiffany's

Moon River, like As Time Goes By in Casablanca permeates the whole movie, good thing it's such a great song. This is my favourite Audrey Hepburn movie, I'm not such a big fan of 'My Fair Lady' because I'm such a huge Julie Andrews fan (from the clips of her on stage as Eliza, I think she owned this). Also Hepburn didn't do her own singing. Great directing by Blake Edwards (who incidentally is Andrew's husband).

8. The Pink Panther Strikes Back

My favourite of the PP series. It's also the silliest. The on screen relationship between Sellers and Lom as Clouseau and Dreyfus is just genius. Not to mention the great Clouseau/Cato running gag. Also Leslie-Anne Down is really hot 

9) The Pianist

This is such a great movie, I never get tired of it.

10) The Sound of Music

My favourite Rogers and Hammerstein musical, though I haven't seen Carousel yet (which has my favourite song 'You'll Never Walk Alone'). Julie Andrews is fantastic and god she has a great voice. I really like the Nazi thing which prevents the movie from being too sugary. Unfortunately the kids' singing is often out of tune  .

[mephisto]

Some movies I love:

The Godfather(the triology)

The Insider

Scarface

Sleepers

Lord of The Rings(the book to of course)

Platoon

A clock work orange

Pulp Fiction

The Deer Hunter

Forrest Gump

And who could forget:

Life of Brian

[thalbergmad]

1. Debbie does Dallas

2. Debbie does Las Vegas

3. The trials of Traci Lords

4. The Uranus experiment

5. The Da Vinci Load

6. Saving Ryans Privates

7. Electric Blue 12

8. Sex Boat

9. Alice in Wonderland (alternative version)

10. Saddletramp


Thal

[pianistimo]

?

taladega was really wierd.

[bernhard]

Jack the Ripper
The hands of the Ripper
The Boston Strangler
The House that Bled to Death
The Beast with 5 Fingers
From Hell
Curse of the mummys tomb


oh I forgot Bambi

and 12 months later:

1. Debbie does Dallas

2. Debbie does Las Vegas

3. The trials of Traci Lords

4. The Uranus experiment

5. The Da Vinci Load

6. Saving Ryans Privates

7. Electric Blue 12

8. Sex Boat

9. Alice in Wonderland (alternative version)

10. Saddletramp


Thal

I can see that your taste in movies has improved drastically in a very short time! Self-education, extra practice or a mentor?

Best wishes,
Bernhard.