Listmania! My Favorite Movies

by Brian Kesler

I'm often asked what my favorite movie is and I usually stutter and run through a Rolodex in my mind, scrambling to decide between hundreds of wonderful films. So I finally wrote out the first 100 movies that came to my mind. Some I may have seen last week, others are films I've seen two or three times. I've grouped the top ten, which are some of the films with the rare distinction of being seen by me more than two or three times. The rest are in alphabetical order, since ranking so many great films seems somewhat pointless. If it isn't on the list, I probably haven't seen it (believe it or not) or it wasn't in the first 100 to come to mind. The list only includes English-language films, which is why favorites like 'Spirited Away' and 'M' don't appear.


TOP TEN

Dave attempts to dismantle the Super Computer HAL 9000, after going rogue.

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

"Open the pod bay doors, Hal." 

Kubrick's best film and one of the most ambitious movies ever made. A critical bomb in it's time, Space Odyssey is now generally considered the best science fiction film. Of all the films parodied in pop culture, none is parodied as much as this one. The photography, editing, sound design, and music all come together perfectly to create one of the most haunting portraits of life on earth: Our roots, our future, our aspirations, and our pitfalls.

Marlon Brando must be "Terminated, with extreme prejudice."

Apocalypse Now (1979)

"The horror. The horror."
"I love the smell of napalm in the morning."

The most interesting and bizarre of all Vietnam War movies, director Coppola struggled with a thin story provided by George Lucas and wrote the film day by day, as they were filming. The movie is obviously a retread of 'Heart of Darkness,' and Marlon Brando's barely seen performance is one of the cinema's greats.

The Beast becomes a handsome prince in one of the great animation sequences.

Beauty and the Beast (1991)

"Tale as old as time, Song as old as rhyme, Beauty and the beast." 

Along with 'The Little Mermaid,' this Disney film helped revitalize animation from the dark decades of the 70s and 80s. With the help of computers, the animation is seamless and looks much like the oil painted animated films from the 40s and 50s. The musical numbers are phenomenal, and the characters are unforgettable. This is the only animated film to be nominated for best picture in a category of five.

Ilse listens to Sam play 'As Time Goes By' as memories stew over in her mind.

Casablanca (1942)

"Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine."

One of the most culturally important films, 'Casablanca' struck a nerve with audiences during World War II and has remained an insightful piece on American optimism during a terrible time. Bergman and Bogart remain one of the great screen couples, and who can forget the many famous lines, such as "Play it, Sam," "Here's looking at you kid," and my favorite, "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship." 

Orson Welles plays a newspaper mogul and politician at various stages of his life.

Citizen Kane (1942)

"Rosebud!"

A perfect composition. Orson Welles set out to utilize the illusion of camerawork and editing like nobody in Hollywood had ever done. His use of camera movement evolved the medium of film more than any movie since 'Birth of a Nation.' The story is phenomenal as well. Using the gimmick 'Rosebud,' Welles paints the portrait of a man from childhood to death, breaking down cliches and melodrama and focusing on the nature of human behavior and the drive that keeps us going. Rosebud turns out to be nothing relevant at all, but the questions it asks of us are deep and personal.

Darth Vader offers Luke Skywalker an escape: Join the Dark Side.

The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

"I am your father."

The best of the 'Star Wars' films is full of creative and bizarre creatures, planets, spaceships, and battles. The story is incredibly week and consists of nothing but Luke training with Yoda to become a Jedi while Han and Leia are being chased across the galaxy by Darth Vader and the Empire. But the visuals, the characters, and the nature of the film are haunting. Take, for instance, a scene of Luke climbing through a swampy forest to find Darth Vader in a cave. Luke decapitates the villain and the helmet explodes to reveal Luke's face underneath. The composition of colors and lighting are some of the best in all filmdom. A lightsaber battle in a freezing chamber shows contrast with blues and oranges and the sets are immaculately detailed. Probably what makes the 'Star Wars' universe so compelling is the lived-in nature of it. Everything seems completely logistical and, more importantly, used. The spaceships are dirty, the droids have dents, etc. I often say I don't need a movie to be realistic, just believable.

Buster Keaton attempts to move a block of wood in his path.

The General (1926)

Buster Keaton is probably the great filmmaker of all time. He directed and starred in nearly all his films and performed his own stunts to boot - of which became more and more dangerous and more and more hilarious. Here he plays a young Southerner turned away from the Confederate Army. The girl of his dreams refuses to court him unless he proves his loyalty to the South, the result is a series of gags, stunts, and comic genius never matched.

Michael Corleone thinks of his life and wonders what could've been done differently.

The Godfather: Part II (1974)

"I know it was you Fredo. You broke my heart." 

The best of all the Godfather films, 'The Godfather: Part II' is an epic of family relations and criminal behavior in two decades, the turn of the 20th century, and the middle of the 20th century. As Vito and Michael, dons of the Family in the two decades, respectively, make similar choices, the outcomes are vastly different. Vito brings his family closer and Michael tears his family apart. Diane Keaton gives one of her best performances, as well as Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro.

A stuffed owl haunts an odd conversation. Its shadows predict impending doom.

Psycho (1960)

"We all go a little mad sometimes."

Hitchcock's greatest film is also his most bizarre. 'Psycho' is generally seen as the mother of all horror films, but it is so much more. It's a look into the desperate lives of two people who cross paths and learn from one another. It's a character study of a man looking for approval and guilty over his lust. The score is one of the all time greats, and the photography is the best of all Hitchcock movies.

Norma Desmond descends the staircase in a fit of desperation, watched by a bewildered crowd.

Sunset Blvd. (1950)

"I am big. It's the pictures that got small." 

One of the first films to cast Hollywood in a dark light. The story of Norma Desmond, famed star of yesteryear, desperate to make a comeback (she hates that word, it's a return!) is sad, disturbing, and intriguing. But worse is the washed up screenwriter, played by Holden, who takes advantage of her desperation for his own benefit. The black and white cinematography is gorgeous, and Gloria Swanson gives one of the most memorable performances in screen history.

Lonely Travis Bickle asks his reflection, "You talking to me?" as he plots to assassinate a politician.

Taxi Driver (1976)

"You talking to me? Are you talking to me? Well, there's no one else here."

My favorite of Scorsese's films. I love the Bernard Hermann brass score and the faded 70s colors. I love DeNiro's disturbing performance of an isolationist on the edge, a man so disgusted with the filth and scum prowling the night streets of New York City, that he wills himself into vigilantism. This story is probably very relevant today, when stand your ground laws are being passed without question in state legislatures. The film leaves Travis as a hero, with all the newspapers praising his single handed slaughter of a gang of pimps and pushers. In the last shot, we look into the rear view mirror of Travis' taxi, and for a brief flicker, he looks directly back at us through the mirror. It leaves us asking questions. Should Travis be considered a hero? And will he do it again? And when does it end? Where is the end of vigilantism?


THE REST

12 Angry Men (1957) - "You don't really mean you'll kill me, do you?" A much needed film that reminds us of the vitality of our court system and the important role we as Americans have as jurors.

A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) - "In the beginning didn't God create Adam to love him?" Initially a disappointment, this movie is already being reevaluated by movie buffs and I predict that in another ten years, it'll have quite a large following. Kubrick's story of a robot child, designed to love, asks many questions and leaves them mostly unanswered. The infamous final twenty minutes are very controversial, but are now understood to be vital to the thematic structure of the piece.

Airplane! (1980) - "Surely you can't be serious." "I am serious, and don't call me Shirley." One of the funniest and most outrageous spoofs. The quick-witted dialogue and out-of-control parody make this a comedic classic.

All That Jazz (1979) - "To be on the wire is life, the rest is waiting." Bob Fosse's semi-autobiographical film of a director who is never satisfied with his work, a man more in control of his actors and dancers than of his own life. The film ends as the director (played by Roy Scheider) attempts to direct his own death. 

All About Eve (1950) - "Fasten your seat belts. It's going to be a bumpy night." The famous story of the young starlet replacing the old and fading star. Anne Baxter gives a passable performance as Eve, and Bette Davis, unafraid to utilize her aging features, shines as the great presence she is. 

American Graffiti (1973) - "Your car is uglier than I am!" George Lucas' comedy of a bunch of teenagers cruising the streets in the early 60s. The film takes place in 1962 and utilizes the graduation of these kids as a sort of symbolic reference to the death of innocence that would coincide with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. 

An American in Paris (1951) - "Back home everyone said I didn't have any talent. They might be saying the same thing over here but it sounds better in French." Vincent Minnelli's colorful musical of romance in Paris. The famous ballet sequence is one of the best filmed dance scenes ever made. 

Annie Hall (1977) - "La-di-da. La-di-da. La la." A hilariously funny movie which innovative techniques such as quick cuts, interviews with characters, talking directly to the camera, and pulling characters into situations by obvious use of the Deus ex machina. The early version of 'Family Guy,' if you will. Hell, the early version of 'Ferris Bueller.'

Arthur (1981) - "You obviously have a wonderful economy with words, Gloria. I look forward to your next syllable with great eagerness." A funny and sweet film about a drunk trying to make sense of life and falling for a girl in the midst of a fixed marriage. Dudley Moore and Liza Minnelli are at the top of their game.

Bambi (1942) - "If you can't say something nice, don't say 'nuttin at all." A milestone of Disney animation in which artists strained and succeeded to animate animals of perfect anatomy even in over-the-top situations. Disney has never seen this level of artistic study since, and it's amazing that a human being with a pencil and paper can capture the movement and nature of an animal with absolute realism. 

Black Narcissus (1947) - "Remember the superior of all is the servant to all." Michael Powell and Emerick Pressberger's film of a group of nuns being infiltrated and threatened with secularism. Very dark material for it's time. 

Blade Runner: The Director's Cut (1982) - "Time to die!" The film flopped in theaters and was resurrected some years later with a director's cut which removed the horrendous voice-over narration initially used and chopped off the final sequence. With only those two adjustments, the film overcame it's idiocy to become one of the most iconic science fiction films ever made. 

Blazing Saddles (1974) - "Are we awake?" "We're not sure ... are we black?" "Yes we are." "Then we're awake, but we're very puzzled." A film so hilarious and ill-humored that it may be too much for modern P.C. audiences. This film is a wonderful example of utilizing humor in the face of adversity to address serious issues and hopefully cause the audience to reevaluate their beliefs. This makes the film not just funny, but also important. 

Blue Velvet (1986) - "That's a human ear all right." Dennis Hopper plays one of the most disturbing villains of all and Laura Dern lights up the screen with her youthful performance. Isabella Rossalini made headlines for her brave performance as an abused and desperate woman driven mad at the kidnapping of her husband and child.

Bonnie and Clyde (1967) - "We rob banks." A hilarious and somewhat sad vision of two people's idea of the American Dream. Warren Beauty and Faye Dunaway.

Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) - "I'm just crazy about Tiffany's." The greatest of all romantic comedies. Audrie Hepburn plays one of literature's most curious characters: Holly Golightly. From Truman Capote's novel. 

The Breakfast Club (1985) - "We're all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it, that's all." A great high school movie about a bunch of kids from different backgrounds and different ideals who are forced to spend an entire Saturday in detention with one another. At first focusing on their many differences, they soon realize they're all very much the same. They all have the same fears, the same dreams, and the same sense of inadequacy that all teenagers have. Adults could learn a little something from this movie. 

Brokeback Mountain (2006) - "I wish I knew how to quit you!" Robbed blind at the Oscars when 'Crash,' albeit a good movie, won Best Picture, this romance of two cowboys who surprise and confuse themselves when they fall in love on a ranch in the early 1960s, is heartbreaking and beautifully shot. Heath Ledger nails his performance and Michelle Williams is pitiable as his wife who witnesses him passionately kissing another man.

Cabaret (1972) "Divine decadence, darling." Liza Minnelli won an Oscar for Bob Fosse's film debut about a night club singer living in Germany during the formation of the Nazi party.

Chinatown (1974) "Forget it Jake, it's Chinatown." An old school mystery with a shocking and disturbing twist ending. Jack Nicholson plays Detective Jake who sets out to see if a drought in Los Angeles might be by design.

Chicago (2002) "He only had himself to blame." A flashy musical in the style of Bob Fosse. This Rob Marshall film gets a modern touch with musical numbers set in a fantasyland that intercuts with 1920s Chicago.

City Lights (1931) Charlie Chaplin's best film about people trying to get by during the Great Depression.

A Clockwork Orange (1971) "I was cured, all right." A disturbing look at forced morality. Kubrick takes us into a dystopian future of violence, drugs, and sex. Based on the novel by Anthony Burgess.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) "Have you recently had a close encounter?" Stephen Spielberg's re-imagining of alien abduction casts a friendly light on the aliens. The final sequence is a spectacular special effects climax unlike any other. Richard Dreyfus stars.

The Dark Knight (2008) "Why so serious? Why so serious? Let's put a smile on that face." Heath Ledger won an Oscar posthumously for his spine-tingling performance of the Joker, a madman with no real motive but to "watch the world burn."

Donnie Darko (2000) "28 days... 6 hours... 42 minutes... 12 seconds. That... is when the world... will end" This cult phenomenon follows high schooler Donnie has he evades death, sets the world into an alternate reality and must create a wormhole to travel back in time and sacrifice himself for mankind. Daunting, a little bit confusing, and incredibly creative, 'Donnie Darko' is one of the best films of the new century. 

Double Indemnity (1944) "Know why you couldn't figure this one, Keyes? I'll tell ya. 'Cause the guy you were looking for was too close. Right across the desk from ya." "Closer than that Walter." "I love you too." A murder mystery that's told through the perspective of the murderers. This Billy Wilder film is one of his very best.

Dr. Strangelove (1964) "Gentlemen, you can't fight in here, this is the War Room." Stanley Kubrick's anti-war comedy involves an army general so frightened of communist infiltration, that he plans an all out nuclear bombing of Russia without the government's consent. Kubrick goes with it for a bit, making it seem much like a serious film, until we get to that great scene when we discover the greatest fear the general has is theft of precious American bodily fluids. Peter Sellers plays multiple roles and is hilarious in every one.

Dumbo (1941) "When I see an elephant fly." Walt Disney's self-proclaimed favorite film, 'Dumbo' is one of the most successful films from the studio, having the distinction of being the only Disney film to have never been out of print. Pink Elephants on Parade is one of the greatest animated sequences of all time.

E.T. (1982) "E.T. phone home." An endearing adventure about the friendship between a boy and his pet alien and their plan to send the alien back home. This film was a blockbuster smash hit and continues to entrance viewers to this day.

The Exorcist (1973) "What an excellent day for an exorcism." One of the only horror films to be nominated for Best Picture. Linda Blair has had trouble escaping from her performance as a little girl possessed by Satan.

Fantasia (1940) A beautiful tapestry of artwork and music and colors and sounds. A flop in its time, a classic today.

Fargo (1996) "So that was Mrs. Lundegaard on the floor in there. And I guess that was your accomplice in the wood chipper. And those three people in Brainerd. And for what? For a little bit of money. There's more to life than a little money, you know. Don'tcha know that? And here ya are, and it's a beautiful day. Well. I just don't understand it" That line is spoken by Francis McDormand in a midwest accent. This Cohen brothers movie is funny and dark and affecting.

Finding Nemo (2004) "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming." A bright and beautiful computer animated film from Pixar. Ellen Degeneres is hilarious as Dory and Albert Brooks gives one of the best voice over performances in animation history as Marlin.

The French Connection (1971) "The son of a bitch is here. I saw him. I'm gonna get him." A story of a detective so obsessed with capturing his villain, he becomes clueless to the damage he's inflicted on those around him.

Funny Girl (1968) "Hello gorgeous." Barbra Streisand's Oscar-winning film debut. She was launched into stardom with her songs 'People' and 'Don't Rain on my Parade,' from this movie.

The Godfather (1972) "I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse." What sets this apart from other gangster movies is the element of character and family relations. Marlon Brando won an Oscar for Vito Corleone, the Don of the Family. It's a memorable performance.

Gone with the Wind (1939) "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn." A technicolor extravaganza complete with romance, fires, explosions, war, death, and gorgeous photography. Adjusted for inflation, 'Gone with the Wind' is considered the biggest box office hit of all time. Based on the popular novel.

The Graduate (1967) "Mrs. Robinson, you're trying to seduce me. Aren't you?" Ushering in a new era of film, the Hayes code and the Legion of Decency gone, filmmakers were free to realize their artistic vision and bring any story to the screen they wished. 'The Graduate' was controversial in its day, but it remains one of the best comedies of all time. Not only is the movie hilarious at every step, but it is also constructed nearly perfectly. From the photography to the performances and the contemporary score (unheard of in those days).

Halloween (1978) "What's the boogeyman?" A movie that manages to frighten through tricky lighten and extended shots rather than quick-cutting mayhem and gore. Michael Myers remains the creepiest horror-movie stalker of them all. Jamie Lee Curtis got her start with this low budget sleeper hit.

Harold and Maude (1971) "A lot of people enjoy being dead. But they're not dead really. They're just backing away from life." A cult film with a clear political objective. The film is quirky and sweet, but also controversial, as Harold, 19, becomes romantically entangled with Maude, 80.

Inglorious Basterds (2009) "Wait for the creme." Christoph Waltz is creepily affecting as a Nazi with no patience for those friendly with Jews. Quentin Tarantino's movie asks us 'what if?" What if Hitler were more aggressively stalked and killed before his power became too great?

It Happened One Night (1934) "I'll stop a car, and I won't use my thumb." Claudette Colbert famously hated working on this film and didn't think much of it. She was surprised, of course, when the film went on to be so successful as to win the Oscar for Best Picture. A great comedy with an innocence sorely missing in today's romantic comedies.

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) "Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings." This film was propelled into classic stature when a television executive made it tradition to play the movie every year at Christmas time. Jimmy Stewart gives a lovely performance of a man stopped from committing suicide by an angel who shows him what the world might be without him in it.

Lawrence of Arabia (1962) "Nothing is written." The epic to end all epics. Peter O'Tool, Oscarless, plays Lawrence as a homosexual, as it is speculated he was, and creates a portrait of a man so sure of himself, yet unsure of his ethical standing.

Mary Poppins (1964) "Mary Poppins: Practically perfect in every way." Julie Andrews won an Oscar as the magical nanny who brings an estranged father closer to his children.

Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) "Have yourself a merry little Christmas." A great holiday film, Judy Garland met her husband, Vincent Minnelli, through this picture. The story is about the innocent days of the old south.

Metropolis (1927) The most intriguing and ambitious of all silent films. This movie was a breakthrough in special effects and editing techniques. Most of the movie was presumed to have been lost until just recently. Within this decade, this film was completely restored with all the lost footage. For the first time, we saw the film as it was intended to be seen. The restoration was meticulous as well, the picture quality being so pristine, you'd think it was shot yesterday.

Midnight cowboy (1969) The quintessential movie of '60s psychedelia, 'Midnight Cowboy' follows 'The Graduate's' trend of creatively edited montages set to contemporary music. Featuring spot-on and moving performances from Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight, the movie deals with the suppressed homosexuality of the two characters and the sexless bond that forms between them as they try to play pimp and hustler to make ends meet.

Moulin Rouge (2001) "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." Baz Luhrman's musical hit about a young poet and a courtesan who fall in love against the wishes of the Grand Duke and the owner of the Moulin Rouge. Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman star, Jim Broadbent and John Leguizamo co-star.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) "I guess this is just another lost cause." The first film to cast the American government in a dark light, which led to much controversy at the time. A naive young man becomes Senator and decides to draft his very own bill only to find that his bill is being threatened by outside interests infiltrating his own party. A hate letter to corporate influence of Washington, it would be interesting to see what Jimmy Stewart and Frank Capra would have to say about the country post-Citizen's United, where elections are practically bought by corporations.

Network (1976) "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not gonna take it anymore!" A nasty look into the corruption of television. Faye Dunaway plays a cutthroat T.V. exec who'll do anything to get ratings, even if it means murder. The film is a satire and severely funny. When Dunaway proposes killing a certain television host, it's as if she's pitching a show idea. The famous line has become politically important today with proponents on both sides of the aisle trying to use it as a catchphrase.

No Country for Old Men (2007) "Call it." Javier Bardem's ruthless and soft spoken villain is genius, as is the Coen brother's sense of pacing. The film is tense, exhilarating, and serious. Based on Cormac McCarthy's novel.

North by Northwest (1959) "That's funny. That plane's dusting craps where there ain't no crops." Hitchcock's most entertaining and action packed film includes a wonderful chase sequence on the Mount Rushmore monument.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) "You know Billy, what worries me is how your mother is going to take this." Nurse Ratched is a truly frustrating villain. She gives you the same sort of eye bulging anger that Dolores Umbridge does in the Harry Potter books. It is a great performance from an actress who won the Oscar and never saw this kind of fame again.

On the Waterfront (1954) "I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it" Marlon Brando ushered the world of acting into a new direction of realism and subtlety. Most specifically, this is seen in the famous glove sequence, which was totally improved by Brando.

Phantom of the Opera (1925) The best version of Gaston Leroux's horror novel is this silent starring Lon Chaney as the disfigured musical genius. Stay away from the bloated Andrew Lloyd Webber musical.

Pinocchio (1940) "When you wish upon a star your dreams come true." A scary adventure that threatens naughty little boys with growing noses, turning into jack asses, and being swallowed up by whales. The animation is perfect, it uses one of the greatest multi-plane camera shots I've ever seen, and the detail is breathtaking.

Planet of the Apes (1968) "Get your stinking paws off me you damned dirty ape!" One of the best film scores, and a gripping science fiction film that suggests religious corruption holds our civilization back scientifically, but also warns against too much scientific meddling with the world around us. A great twist ending.Charlton Heston stars.

Raging Bull (1980) "He ain't pretty no more." A boxer with a constant need for machismo sets his family and himself on a road of self destruction. The black and white cinematography is the film's greatest asset.

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) "Snakes. I hate snakes." One of the best action movies I've ever seen. Harrison Ford is legendary as Indiana Jones, archeologist and professor, who goes out in search of the Ark of the Covenant which Hitler just happens to be after himself.

Rear Window (1954) "I'm not much on rear window ethics." Grace Kelly lights up the screen in this mystery from Alfred Hitchcock.

Reds (1980) "I think voting is the opium of the masses in this country. Every four years you deaden the pain." Diane Keaton and Warren Beauty play lovers during the socialist revolution at the turn of the century. Based on the autobiography 'Ten Days That Shook the World.'

The Red Shoes (1948) "Take off the red shoes!" Powell and Pressburger's best film includes an extended fantasy ballet sequence with the some of the best use of color and camera movement in any technicolor film. 

Rocky (1976) "Yo, Adrian!" It's the human story that makes 'Rocky' so popular. We root for him in the end because we feel we know him. This isn't a movie about boxing so much as a movie about people doing their best to get by.

Roman Holiday (1953) "Is this the elevator?" "This is my room." Audrie Hepburn and Gregory Peck fall in love in this romantic comedy about a Princess who runs away to have a vacation.

Schindler's List (1993) "The list is God." An illuminating look into Nazi Germany. Ralph Fiennes performance is chilling. The black and white cinematography elevates the film.

Sherlock Jr. (1924) My favorite Buster Keaton movie. Keaton is one of the all time great director/actors who ever lived, and this film more than any other really shows his abilities as an artist. He uses cutaways and visual illusions and sometimes just plain stunt work to give us a grasp of the capabilities of film. It also helps that this is one of the funniest movies I've seen.

The Shining (1980) "Here's Johnny!" Kubrick's not-so-faithful adaptation of Stephen King's novel proves to have elevated itself above the status of the book. Kubrick takes King's simple ghost story and transforms it into a psychological study of a man isolated to the world. Shelly Duvall and Jack Nicholson give the usual over-the-top-Kubrick performances, and it distinguishes the movie from most modern horror flicks.

The Silence of the Lambs (1991) "I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti." Anthony Hopkins has very little screen time in this FBI murder mystery, but that didn't stop him from receiving the Academy Award for his shocking performance as Hannibal Lectur. A man whose words will make you sleep with one eye open.

Singing in the Rain (1952) "And I can't stand him."A great musical comedy about the transition from silent films to talkies and the toll that transition took on silent movie stars. Gene Kelly, Donald O'Conner, and Debbie Reynolds are all delightful. My favorite scene is an extended ballet sequence with really no function for the plot at all.

Some Like it Hot (1959) "I'm a man." "Well, nobody's perfect." That final line is one of the greatest in film history. Not only is it laugh-out-loud funny, but it's one of the first movie moments since the formation of the Hayes Code to suggest homosexuality in a good-natured light. The very plot of the film is filled with gender identity and sexual comedy, helped along a great deal with sex icon Marilyn Monroe.

The Sound of Music (1965)"Edelweiss. Edelweiss. Every morning you greet me." Julie Andrews brings estranged father, Christopher Plummer, closer to his children. (Sound like another Julie Andrews movie on this list?) This time, Andrews is not a magical nanny, but a nun living in Austria in the midst of World War II.

A Star is Born (1954) "And all because of the man that got away." Judy Garland's famous comeback film after being fired from MGM. Although speculated that she would win the Oscar, she lost out to Grace Kelly. But, that doesn't keep her performance of 'The Man that Got Away' from being any less iconic. In many ways, 'A Star is Born' reflects Judy Garland's own life and own heartbreak, which is why it's perhaps one of her best known work.

Star Wars (1977) "May the Force be with you." An out-of-body movie-going experience. 'Star Wars' takes us into a foreign land, hopes that we'll keep up, doesn't explain anything, and runs off on an adventure that leads to one of the greatest climaxes in movie history. The music probably helped propel this film into success.

The Tales of Hoffman (1951) One of Martin Scorsese's favorite films, Powell and Pressburger translated the opera into English and filmed it with their favorite muse, Moira Sheerer. They added elements of ballet and focus specifically on color and camera work.

There Will Be Blood (2007) "I'm finished." A daring film with a shocking ending and an impeccable performance from Daniel Day-Lewis as a greedy oil man and Paul Dano as a religious nut case. The score is perfect and the direction is flawless.

The Third Man (1949) "Don't be so gloomy. After all it's not that awful. Like the fella says, in Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock. So long Holly." That monologue by Orson Welles was an improvisation. Carol Reed's much overlooked film is one of greatest black-and-white's of all time, with gorgeous cinematography and daring performances. Plus the all-ukelele score is awesome.

Titanic (1997) "I'll never let go, Jack. I'll never let go." James Cameron's blockbuster hit about that famous unsinkable ship that actually sank. Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet give superb performances and the hour long sinking of the ship is one of the great achievements of the cinema.

To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view." Gregory Peck plays literature's greatest hero, Atticus Finch, from Harper Lee's always endearing novel. An important film in its day and an important film now.

Tootsie (1982) "Ron, I have a name and it's Dorothy. It's not Tootsie or Toots or Sweetie or Honey or Doll. Just Dorothy. Alan's always Alan, Tom's always Tom and John's always John. I have a name too. It's Dorothy, capital D-O-R-O-T-H-Y." Dustin Hoffman learns the discrimination women face every day after he disguises himself as a woman to get a job. A love letter to New York, to actors, and a strange love story, Tootsie is not to be missed.

Toy Story (1995) "To infinity and beyond!" The first computer animated movie and one of the best, 'Toy Story' impresses even today.

Toy Story 3 (2010) "Nobody appreciates clothes here, Barbie!" One of the best sequels of all, the final half of this movie brings a symbolic emotionality as the toys own fears of being thrown out literally come true in a climactic scene in a junk yard.

The Tree of Life (2011) "The nuns taught us there were two ways through life - the way of nature and the way of grace. You have to choose which one you'll follow." Terrence Malick's ambitious film that echoes '2001' in a religious light. Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain are impeccable in their performances, and the film is wonderful and heartbreaking and compelling.

Vertigo (1958) "Well, why did you pick on me? Why me?" One of Hitchcock's greatest masterpieces about a man who falls in love with a woman who doesn't exist and comes to realize the sort of game that was played on him. One of Jimmy Stewart's very best performances.

Wall*E (2008) "Waaaaalleeeee." Pixar's best project yet, 'Wall*E' warns of the consumerism and laziness that our lives seem to hinder on these days.

West Side Story (1960) "Tonight, tonight, it all began tonight." A great movie musical based on Romeo and Juliet with an Oscar-winning performance from Rita Moreno as Anita. The film also won Best Picture.

Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) "But ya are Blanche, ya are in that chair!" Bette Davis' best known performance as a campy washed-up former child star whose jealousy of her now-paralyzed famous sister gets driven to the edge.

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" "I am ... I am ..." A daring film starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton as a married couple with a secret and their bizarre drunken escapades with newly weds. Black and white = awesome.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) "I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way." One of the best special effects movies in which live actors aren't put into an animated world, but animated characters are brought into the real world. Bob Hoskins gives a believable performance next to a cartoon rabbit.

The Wizard of Oz (1939) "There's no place like home." My mother's favorite movie, and a childhood favorite. Judy's song 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' has become a beloved classic.

Movie Reviews: Snow White and Prometheus Get a Hotel Room

by Jack Garcia

Our friend Brett got to be third wheel for Snow White and Best Exotic.  The first one we saw at the Megaplex in Salt Lake City and the second one we saw at the Cinemark in Provo.  For Prometheus, we actually went on a double date with another couple.  We'd probably see more movies, but goodness they are expensive!  I used to get free movies a lot so I didn't really notice... but man, oh man.  Pricey.  These movies were worth the money though.  For the most part.

Snow White and the Huntsman AVERAGE

Kristen Stewart and Chris Hemsworth star as the titular characters, and you might get the impression that they are the main characters.  You know, like important and stuff.  But really, they remain a mystery throughout the entire film.  Who are they?  What makes them tick?  And how come we don't get any real interaction from them?  By the end we are supposed to believe that the huntsman sent to kill Snow White is now in love with her, yet they barely interact at all.  Instead, the movie focuses on the evil queen played by Charlize Theron.  I hate to say it, but her performance was hit or miss for me.  At times she was perfectly sinister, yet sometimes she just started squawking at everyone like a spazz.  Not so pretty.

However, despite the lack of any character development, I was impressed with the visual aspect of the film.  There were beautiful costumes and some very imaginative fantasy elements including a mythical deer and some enchanting fairies.  The storyline was interesting enough and while I was watching it I was decently entertained.  Snow White has been locked in a tower her whole life and when she escapes, the evil queen hires a man to kill her.  He changes tunes however and with the aid of some dwarfs, helps Snow White to regain control of her kingdom.  It's all very epic and whatnot, I just felt that a movie titled Snow White and the Huntsman should have focused more on those two and perhaps given us a touch of romantic spark.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel ADMIRABLE

This is one of those movies that isn't exactly original--in fact, it's quite formulaic and neatly packaged with a ribbon--but it's satisfyingly optimistic with enough going for it to make you forget that it's not new.  It's the basic "let's travel abroad and learn something about our lives" movie that we've seen time and time again, but The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel does it with some very nice performances by some of the best British actors around.  I couldn't help but smile.

Various Brits in their golden years travel to India to stay in what they think is a luxury hotel.  Evelyn (Judi Dench) is a new widow doing something on her own for once, Graham (Tom Wilkinson) is searching for an old flame, Douglas and Jean (Bill Nighy and Penelope Wilton) have just retired and are at a lull in their relationship, Muriel (Maggie Smith) is there for an inexpensive hip replacement and both Madge and Norman (Celia Imrie and Ronald Pickup) are in need of romance.  Once in Jaipur, they all come to find out that the hotel isn't exactly what the brochure led them to believe, but the plucky, young owner Sonny (Dev Patel) has high hopes for his home for the "elderly and beautiful."  As the movie goes on, various relationships are formed and neglected, people find what they are looking for and what they weren't expecting, and everything works out for the better.

The actors all do a terrific job of bringing their characters to life and there are some very powerful scenes--some happy, some sad.  Other aspects of the movie are just plain cheesy and "feel-good," but in the end, who doesn't want to feel good?

Prometheus AWESOME!

Brian's already written a terrific review of this movie, but I'd like to add my own take on it as well.  Prometheus is so far one of the better movies to come out this year.  While not as impressive as Blade Runner or Alien, director Ridley Scott has really made a film to be proud of.  There's a perfect balance between the majesty and cinematic awe that makes a film art and the nail-biting, cringe-worthy action that makes a film entertaining.

Prometheus begins with a thoroughly perplexing but engaging scene of an alien man who poisons himself and collapses in pieces into water.  From there we are introduced to the scientists who have embarked on a journey into space where they are hoping to meet their makers.  It goes against traditional Christian ideas of deity, yet somehow allows for it at the same time.  Regardless of religious dogma, Elizabeth Shaw and Charlie Holloway (Noomi Rapace and Logan Marshall-Green) have earnest questions to ask the "engineers" as they call them.  Why was the human race created?  Is there a purpose to it all?  And as terrifying things begin to happen, the question changes to:  What have we done wrong?

Others on the ship have their own reasons for being there that are less faith-driven and perhaps more selfish and conniving.  There's Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron doing a much better job than she did in Snow White) who is quite mysterious and imposing, and then there's David (Michael Fassbender), the android, who is eerily lifelike and downright malicious when it suits him.  He's probably my favorite character--and Brian's as well--because there are so many sides to his coin. 

Apart from all the great character-work and thought-provoking questions, Prometheus is also a horror movie set in space and there are plenty of moments to make you squirm in your seats.  At one point Elizabeth discovers she is pregnant with an alien baby, and her self-given C-section is probably one of the most disturbing and intense roller coaster rides I've experienced in a movie theater.  This movie really is something awesome.

Movie Review: 'Prometheus'

by Brian Kesler
Rating: 4/5

Ridley Scott is hit-or-miss for me. Two of his films have moved into the realm of greatness, particularly for their visual appeal: 'Blade Runner' (the Director's Cut, of course) and 'Alien.' His newest movie is a prequel of sorts to the latter and though the film isn't quite an instant classic, it's right up there with the visuals.

'Prometheus' starts right away by utilizing modern visual effects in order to heighten the impact of certain ideas. In fact, more so than most movies from the past several years, this film is particularly good at pushing bold effects with flooding imagination. In the opening, following a sequence of images of lush and beautiful landscapes played against the triumphant musical fanfare of life's wonders, we witness a strange - almost human - man poisoning himself. The camera takes us into his veins and we travel with the poison through his blood stream, seeing his DNA strands burst and snap before our eyes. This artistic freedom is a great tool. It's so easily (and frequently) abused. But once in a scattered while, a director's imagination coupled with this tool makes way for greatness.

The photography is some of the best of the year thus far, with dark indirect lighting and pops of florescent colors illuminated from strategic points, reflecting on the actors' faces as they maneuver through the shadows. It's particularly successful in the first fifteen minutes or so as David, an android, walks through the empty corridors of the spaceship Prometheus amidst scientists in hibernation. His steps ring out and become muddled echoes in the dark hallways. He observes the sleeping humans with - is it jealousy? Curiosity? He sits in the darkness, with the light of Lean's film 'Lawrence of Arabia' projecting across his face from a monitor. He idolizes Peter O'Tool and pays close attention during his favorite scene: Lawrence extinguishes a match between his fingertips and a fellow soldier does that same, not realizing it would hurt. "It damn well hurts," "Certainly it hurts," says Lawrence, "What the trick, then?"  "The trick, William Potter, is not minding that it hurts." David arranges his hair to be just like O'Tool's - blonde locks and all. He walks through the silent corridors and repeats O'Tool's line, "The trick, William Potter, is not minding that it hurts. The trick, William Potter, is not minding that it hurts. The trick, William Potter, is not minding that it hurts." 

The film might give Noomi Rapace - of 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' fame - first billing, but it is Michael Fassbender's performance of the bitter and longing android David that makes the film. Ridley Scott's direction soon gets sloppy, and the script is not perfect in the least, but there are moments of greatness, mostly to do with David's relation to the other characters. He is pushed around and used as a tool, and he resents it enough to get revenge on the biggest offender. I won't spoil the fruit of the vengeance, but it is quite horrifying. By the end of the film, David is decapitated, but still alive and in working condition. His motionless, bodiless head talks with the same coolness as ever. Noomi finds him and stuffs his head into a duffel bag, not willing to leave him behind. As she zips up the bag, she says, "Sorry." His eyes light up and he smiles, his head being closed in with the zipper and says, "It's alright."

The film deals with the the battle between Darwinism vs. Creationism as the scientists believe, not just that they have found life outside Earth, but the very creators of Earth and the human race. Who knew meeting our creator could be so terrifying? There are plenty of movies with the same story structure: Scientists discover artifact, study alien body, alien body turns out to be alive, alien terrorizes and multiplies. The difference between the rest of those films and this one is this movie's joy at the prospect of the discovery of our roots and the reasons for existence and the mysteries of the universe. A scene in which David watches a holographic simulation of the creation of the galaxy is particularly awe inspiring. David walks directly into the midst of the hologram and revels in its brilliance, almost dancing among the stars and moons that move through his body.

There are many places to find faults with 'Prometheus.' The music - aside from the fanfare - is overpowering when the tension would be better built in silence. A scene in which one character performs a Cesarian on herself to rid an alien parasite from her womb is a roller coaster ride, but would be even more powerful with no gimmicky score to tell us what we're supposed to be feeling. The middle section of the film is sloppy and places horror/action above paced storytelling. Also, the film is disinterested in following through on the many questions it asks, but that doesn't much hurt the effectiveness of the thematic elements.

'Prometheus' may not be as good as 'Alien,' and may make some in the audience squeamish in its relentless gore, but it is more intelligent than the average monster movie. It asks its audience to question the reason for our existence, features bold performances from Fassbender and Charlize Theron, and has a glorious orchestration of photography, visual effects, and production design. It is worth it to see in a theater where its visual glory can be appreciated.

Movie Review: 'Snow White and the Huntsman'

 

by Brian Kesler 
2.5/5 

The storyboard has taken over the role usually reserved for the script. Instead of creating solid characters and using them to navigate a story, Hollywood's newest trend is to create a world, creatures, costumes, etc. and set up visuals in which to drop in some soulless characters whose only function is to take us from one cool looking place to another. The entire premise of 'Snow White and the Huntsman' revolves around the heart's triumph over surface beauty, yet ironically this movie relies solely on art direction. There is no heart. 

The film deviates from the Brothers Grimm fairy tale only in tone and in certain plot developments. For the most part it follows the same structure. So, I feel no need to tell you the story except to say that the Queen has a brother whom she uses as a right-hand man, the Prince is replaced by the Duke's son, and the Huntsman is a romantic interest. If you've seen the trailer, you already know the visual splendor of the film, so I won't go into that except to say it is very imaginative in that department.

It is not imaginative, however, in its use of characters, and the acting is less than amazing. Charlize Theron spends much of her screen time screeching when she should be controlled, vicious, sly, and understated. She plays fear rather than power and it's an unfortunate choice. I was hoping to say her performance saved the picture, but it doesn't come close. Kristen Stewart is too demure to play a kick-ass version of Snow White, and she is certainly not fairer than the Queen. That's not a slight on Kristen Stewart, but the fact is there is none fairer in the land than Charlize Theron. Besides that, however, Stewart comes across as stoic and dreamy. I don't know what she's fighting for. I don't know anything about her character at all. Nothing. She and Chris Hemsworth, as love interests, have no chemistry. There is nothing going on with them, no reason to want to see them together, no sex, no intrigue, no passion. I'm not even sure they know anything about one another, which dampens the impact of emotional sequences near the end. Sometimes I wonder if writers in Hollywood still understand the concept of relationships. You see, you have to set up an intriguing relationship between two people first, before you set up the prospect of the parties not being together. Otherwise, why should we care?

The dwarfs are played well enough, but they have nothing particularly special about them. They aren't individuals. They're the dwarfs. Although greatly simplified, one quality of the Disney 'Snow White' that makes it so memorable are the individuality of each of the seven dwarfs. They are their own person and it was satisfying to grow to love each of them for their own quirks and personalities. Unfortunately, the same idea wasn't applied here.

It is possible to have a visually imaginative film that also fully develops its characters. Look at 'Spirited Away,' for Christ's sake. It is the definition of a "visual movie," and its characters are rich and well defined. On that subject, there is a scene of 'Snow White and the Huntsman' that is directly stolen from 'Princess Mononoke.' It is not a coincidence, it is not an homage, it is flat out infringement. It is a moment that takes place with a white stag, and I'm dying for Studio Ghibli to call it out.