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- DirectorPark Chan-wookStarsLee Yeong-aeLee Byung-hunSong Kang-hoAfter a shooting incident at the North-South Korean border DMZ leaves two North Korean soldiers dead, a neutral Swiss and Swedish team investigates what actually happened."Joint Security Area". Park. A controversial subject is treated in this fine war thriller that concerns the tensions between North and South Korea shortly after the Korean War. Rating: 7.
- DirectorJean-Luc GodardStarsJean-Paul BelmondoJean SebergVan DoudeA small-time crook, hunted by the authorities for a car theft and the murder a police officer, attempts to persuade a hip American journalism student to run away with him to Italy."Breathless". Godard. A masterpiece of the French New Wave. The movie is so cool, it will make the pinguins freeze. Rating: 10.
- DirectorPedro AlmodóvarStarsVictoria AbrilAntonio BanderasLoles LeónAn unbalanced but alluring former mental patient takes a porn star prisoner in the hopes of convincing her to marry him.Almodovar. Only a so-so movie by the Spanish master Almodovar. There are some nice acting, but the story is not that great. Rating: 6.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsGérard DepardieuArmand AssanteSigourney WeaverChristopher Columbus' discovery of the Americas and the effect this has on the indigenous people.Scott. Depardieu as Columbus is not the perfect cast, but the movie is breathtakingly beautiful, and the music by Vangelis one of the greatest scores in movie history. Rating: 6
- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsKeir DulleaGary LockwoodWilliam SylvesterAfter uncovering a mysterious artifact buried beneath the Lunar surface, a spacecraft is sent to Jupiter to find its origins: a spacecraft manned by two men and the supercomputer HAL 9000.Kubrick. No question, this is the greatest sci-fi experience of all time. It is one of the most innovative adaptations from a book I have ever seen. And Kubrick doesn't even bother telling what the last 20 minutes are about. You will have to read the book to get the explanation, or you will have to figure it out on your own. The special effects are as impressive today as they where back then, and how many movies can you say that about? Rating: 10.
- DirectorMichael HanekeStarsGabriel Cosmin UrdesLukas MikoOtto Grünmandl71 scenes revolving around a recent immigrant, a couple that has just adopted a daughter, a college student and a lonely old man.Haneke. Yet another of the Austrian director's strange, po-mo movies about the decadence of modern society and the breakdown of the modern man. A really cheerful movie... yeah right! Rating: 7.
- DirectorFederico FelliniStarsMarcello MastroianniAnouk AiméeClaudia CardinaleA harried movie director retreats into his memories and fantasies.Fellini. Perhaps Fellini's greatest masterpiece and one of the must-sees in film history. I have seen it quite a few times now, and it still mesmerizes me. Mastroianni's lead performance is one of the most impressive of all time. Rating: 10.
- DirectorRon HowardStarsRussell CroweEd HarrisJennifer ConnellyA mathematical genius, John Nash made an astonishing discovery early in his career and stood on the brink of international acclaim. But the handsome and arrogant Nash soon found himself on a harrowing journey of self-discovery.Howard. Crowe should have won an Oscar for his compelling performance as John Nash instead of "Gladiator" the previous year. "A Beautiful Mind" is not a masterpiece, but it has its moments of cinematic brilliance. Rating: 7.
- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsMalcolm McDowellPatrick MageeMichael BatesIn the future, a sadistic gang leader is imprisoned and volunteers for a conduct-aversion experiment, but it doesn't go as planned.Kubrick. A truely masterful use of music, images and violent satire make this sci-fi classic one of the best in its genre. Rating: 9.
- DirectorJames IvoryStarsMaggie SmithHelena Bonham CarterDenholm ElliottLucy Honeychurch (Helena Bonham Carter) shares a brief romance with George Emerson in Florence. Yet as she tries to move on with her life and look for marriage elsewhere, can she truly forget the events of that summer?Ivory. I love these English book adaptations by James Ivory. Although I like "Howard's End" most among his films, "A Room with a View" offers brilliant performances, beautiful cinematography and art direction. Rating: 8.
- DirectorElia KazanStarsVivien LeighMarlon BrandoKim HunterDisturbed Blanche DuBois moves in with her sister in New Orleans and is tormented by her brutish brother-in-law while her reality crumbles around her.Kazan. Great performances by Vivian Leigh and Marlon Brando make this classic an unmissable movie experience. Brando should have recieved an Oscar. Rating: 9.
- DirectorJohn CassavetesStarsGena RowlandsPeter FalkFred DraperAlthough wife and mother Mabel is loved by her husband Nick, her mental illness places a strain on the marriage.Cassavetes. Gina Rowlands gives the performance of her career in this acclaimed drama. Rating: 8.
- DirectorAlejandro AmenábarStarsEduardo NoriegaPenélope CruzChete LeraA very handsome man finds the love of his life, but he suffers an accident and needs to have his face rebuilt by surgery after it is severely disfigured.Amenábar. "Open Your Eyes". Inspired "Vanilla Sky" with Tom Cruise and Camaron Diaz. Penelope Cruz stars in both movies, and they are equally good. Rating: 7.
- DirectorAnders Thomas JensenStarsUlrich ThomsenMads MikkelsenNicolas BroA neo-Nazi sentenced to community service at a church clashes with the blindly devoted minister.Jensen. My film history professor tells me this is a great movie, but I'm having a hard time figuring out why. Some OK performances and an orignal screenplay and story, but nothing exceptional. Rating: 7.
- DirectorAkira KurosawaStarsToshirô MifuneYûzô KayamaTsutomu YamazakiIn 19th-century Japan, a rough-tempered yet charitable town doctor trains a young intern."Red Beard". Kurosawa. Maybe a bit too long, but great performances and a terrific cast. Rating: 7.
- DirectorKatsuhiro ÔtomoStarsMitsuo IwataNozomu SasakiMami KoyamaA secret military project endangers Neo-Tokyo when it turns a biker gang member into a rampaging psychic psychopath who can only be stopped by a teenager, his gang of biker friends and a group of psychics.Otomo. Crazy action and effects make this an anime classic. Rating: 9.
- DirectorAgustín Díaz YanesStarsViggo MortensenElena AnayaUnax UgaldeViggo Mortensen plays the Spanish soldier-turned-mercenary Captain Alatriste, a heroic figure from the country's 17th century imperial wars.Yanes. Well, you can't blame Viggo Mortensen for this boring movie. His performance is excellent, but the film lacks dramatic drive and interesting supporting characters. The most expensive Spanish movie of all time. Rating: 5.
- DirectorClyde GeronimiWilfred JacksonHamilton LuskeStarsKathryn BeaumontEd WynnRichard HaydnAlice stumbles into the world of Wonderland. Will she get home? Not if the Queen of Hearts has her way.Geronimi, Jackson etc. Down the rabbit hole. A quite strange Disney movie with its own charm. Not a favorite, but watchable. Rating: 7.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsSigourney WeaverTom SkerrittJohn HurtThe crew of a commercial spacecraft encounters a deadly lifeform after investigating a mysterious transmission of unknown origin.Scott. A really scray horror film that most people remembers as one of the most unpleasant of its genre. Me too. Gaiger's artwork is superb. Rating: 9.
- DirectorJames CameronStarsSigourney WeaverMichael BiehnCarrie HennDecades after surviving the Nostromo incident, Ellen Ripley is sent out to re-establish contact with a terraforming colony but finds herself battling the Alien Queen and her offspring.Cameron. Splendid, action packed sequal to Scott's 1979 sci-fi horror flick. Cameron does everything right in this blockbuster - takes certain elements from number one, but adds his own style and creative ideas. Rating: 9.
- DirectorJoseph L. MankiewiczStarsBette DavisAnne BaxterGeorge SandersA seemingly timid but secretly ruthless ingénue insinuates herself into the lives of an aging Broadway star and her circle of theater friends.Mankiewicz. Often immitated classic with Bette Davis as the theatre diva that suddently see a young, beautiful woman threating her career. Almost as good as Billy Wilder's masterpiece "Sunset Blvd." from the same year. Rating: 9.
- DirectorMike LeighStarsTimothy SpallLesley ManvilleRuth SheenIn a poor working class London home, Penny's love for her partner, taxi driver Phil, has run dry. When an unexpected tragedy occurs, they and their local community are brought back together.Leigh. Rating: 8.
- DirectorSam MendesStarsKevin SpaceyAnnette BeningThora BirchA sexually frustrated suburban father has a mid-life crisis after becoming infatuated with his daughter's best friend.Mendes. Kevin Specey has never been better, and he won a well-deserved Oscar for his extraordinary performance. Rating: 9.
- DirectorShari Springer BermanRobert PulciniStarsPaul GiamattiShari Springer BermanHarvey PekarAn original mix of fiction and reality illuminates the life of comic book hero everyman Harvey Pekar.Berman & Pulcini. The combination of comic book animation with live action film and documentary is great, and Paul Giamatti gives a stunning performance as Harvey Peakar. So does Harvey Peakar. Rating: 8.
- DirectorAlejandro G. IñárrituStarsEmilio EchevarríaGael García BernalGoya ToledoAn amateur dog fighter, a supermodel, and a derelict assassin, all separately struggling to find love, find their lives transformed by a devastating car wreck in Mexico City."Love's a Bitch." Innaritu. Complex multi-plot movie. Rating: 8.
- DirectorWoody AllenStarsWoody AllenDiane KeatonTony RobertsAlvy Singer, a divorced Jewish comedian, reflects on his relationship with ex-lover Annie Hall, an aspiring nightclub singer, which ended abruptly just like his previous marriages.Allen made his most celebrated work with this Oscar winner that features some of the most intellectual references of his career. Not the funniest of his movies, but perhaps his most rewarding. Rating: 9.
- DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsMartin SheenMarlon BrandoRobert DuvallA U.S. Army officer serving in Vietnam is tasked with assassinating a renegade Special Forces Colonel who sees himself as a god.Coppola. Danish title: "Dommedag nu".One of the greatest films ever, and certainly the best war film of all time. I cannot put a finger on this true masterpiece, even though the Redux version is slightly weaker than the original. Rating: 10.
- DirectorMel GibsonStarsGerardo TaracenaRaoul Max TrujilloDalia HernándezAs the Mayan kingdom faces its decline, a young man is taken on a perilous journey to a world ruled by fear and oppression.Gibson. I'm really undetermined about this movie. On one hand, it is beautifully made and great craftmanship. On the other hand, it gets so brutal and way too much! I wished for it to end about half an hour before it did. Rating: 6.
- DirectorPer FlyStarsUlrich ThomsenLisa WerlinderGhita NørbyA young man is torn between his individual hopes and his sense of duty when his father dies and he is expected to take over the family industry.Fly. Second installment of Per Fly's Denmark Trilogy features some powerful acting and a plot that keeps the viewer's interest intact. Rating: 8
- DirectorAugust BlomStarsOlaf FønssIda OrloffEbba ThomsenAfter Dr. Friedrich's wife becomes mentally unstable and his research papers are rejected, he leaves the country to respite.Blom. How the spcial-effects guys made the boat sink in this silent movie I don't have a clue. But impressive stuff! Rating: 8.
- DirectorPer FlyStarsJesper ChristensenMarius Sonne JanischefskaStine Holm JoensenKaj is an alcoholic living on the money the Danish state is providing him. Him and his friends spend their time drinking beer at a public bench. One day Kaj's life turns upside down when a young lady and her child moves in next to him.Fly. Jesper Christiansen gives the performance of his career in this first installment of director Per Fly's Denmark Trilogy. Rating: 8
- DirectorAlejandro G. IñárrituStarsBrad PittCate BlanchettGael García BernalTragedy strikes a married couple on vacation in the Moroccan desert, which jump starts an interlocking story involving four different families.Innaritu. Rating: 8.
- DirectorRobert ZemeckisStarsMichael J. FoxChristopher LloydLea ThompsonAfter visiting 2015, Marty McFly must repeat his visit to 1955 to prevent disastrous changes to 1985...without interfering with his first trip.Zemeckis. This sequal is also very good with it's time travel tour-de-force from the future to the past and back to the present. I like that even though it might not be free of plot holes. Rating: 7.
- DirectorRobert ZemeckisStarsMichael J. FoxChristopher LloydMary SteenburgenStranded in 1955, Marty McFly learns about the death of Doc Brown in 1885 and must travel back in time to save him. With no fuel readily available for the DeLorean, the two must figure how to escape the Old West before Emmett is murdered.Zemeckis. The final chapter of the trilogy and also the weakest. Still some nice performances and good entertainment, but the innovations of the two first installments are almost gone. Rating: 6.
- DirectorPeter JacksonStarsTerry PotterPete O'HerneCraig SmithThe population of a small town disappears and is replaced by aliens that chase human flesh for their intergalactic fast-food chain.Jackson. The only reason I own this movie is because it is directed by Peter Jackson. My rating is 3.
- DirectorFrançois TruffautStarsJean-Pierre LéaudClaude JadeDelphine SeyrigAfter being discharged from the army, Antoine Doinel centers a screwball comedy where he applies for different jobs and tries to make sense of his relationships with women."Stolen Kisses". Truffaut. Second of the Antoine Doniel feature films. Rating: 8.
- DirectorJames AlgarSamuel ArmstrongDavid HandStarsHardie AlbrightStan AlexanderBobette AudreyThe story of a young deer growing up in the forest.Hand. Disney classic - one of my favorites because of the lyrical feel and emotionally powerful story. Rating: 10.
- DirectorJoel CoenEthan CoenStarsJohn TurturroJohn GoodmanJudy DavisA renowned New York playwright is enticed to California to write for the movies and discovers the hellish truth of Hollywood.Coen. Perhaps the most innovative and artistically complete of all of the Coen Brothers' movies. Gets better with each viewing. Rating: 9.
- DirectorChristopher NolanStarsChristian BaleMichael CaineKen WatanabeAfter witnessing his parents' death, Bruce learns the art of fighting to confront injustice. When he returns to Gotham as Batman, he must stop a secret society that intends to destroy the city.Nolan. Terrific action flick. "The Dark Knight" is even better. Rating: 7.
- DirectorGary TrousdaleKirk WiseStarsPaige O'HaraRobby BensonJesse CortiA prince cursed to spend his days as a hideous monster sets out to regain his humanity by earning a young woman's love.Trousdale, Wise. Disney. The first animated feature to be nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Picture category. And it deserves the credit. Rating: 9.
- DirectorRichard LinklaterStarsEthan HawkeJulie DelpyAndrea EckertA young man and woman meet on a train in Europe, and wind up spending one evening together in Vienna. Unfortunately, both know that this will probably be their only night together.Linklater. Unconventional love story with amazing performances by Hawke and Delpy. I saw number two, "Before Sunset", first, but this one is just as good. The long-takes are extraordinary and equal those of masters Mike Leigh and Michaelangelo Antonoioni. Rating: 8.
- DirectorRichard LinklaterStarsEthan HawkeJulie DelpyVernon DobtcheffNine years after Jesse and Celine first met, they encounter each other again on the French leg of Jesse's book tour.Linklater. Rating: 8.
- DirectorLuis BuñuelStarsCatherine DeneuveJean SorelMichel PiccoliA frigid young housewife decides to spend her midweek afternoons as a prostitute.Buñuel. Rating: 9.
- DirectorWilliam WylerStarsCharlton HestonJack HawkinsStephen BoydAfter a Jewish prince is betrayed and sent into slavery by a Roman friend in 1st-century Jerusalem, he regains his freedom and comes back for revenge.Wyler. Epic masterpiece and a true Hollywood blockbuster with 11 Oscars. Rating: 9.
- DirectorMichael HanekeStarsArno FrischAngela WinklerUlrich MüheA 14-year-old video enthusiast obsessed with violent films decides to make one of his own and show it to his parents, with tragic results.Haneke. Another example of the hoplessness of Michael Haneke's films, the teenager in this one seems totally uncurable for his mental illness. Rating: 7.
- DirectorChristopher GuestStarsFred WillardEugene LevyCatherine O'HaraA behind-the-scenes look into the highly competitive and cut-throat world of dog shows through the eyes of a group of ruthless dog owners.Guest. Fake documentary, nothing special. Rating: 6.
- DirectorAlfred HitchcockStarsAnny OndraJohn LongdenSara AllgoodAfter killing a man in self-defense, a young woman is blackmailed by a witness to the killing.First Hitchcock (and British) talkie. Not his best though. Rating: 6.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsHarrison FordRutger HauerSean YoungA blade runner must pursue and terminate four replicants who stole a ship in space and have returned to Earth to find their creator.Scott. Neo-noir science fiction masterpiece. Rating: 10.
- DirectorTed DemmeStarsJohnny DeppPenélope CruzFranka PotenteThe story of how George Jung, along with the Medellín Cartel headed by Pablo Escobar, established the American cocaine market in the 1970s in the United States.Demme. Johnny Depp is a reason to see any movie. This one is no exception - and it is an entertaining drug story as well. Rating: 7.
- DirectorDavid LynchStarsIsabella RosselliniKyle MacLachlanDennis HopperThe discovery of a severed human ear found in a field leads a young man on an investigation related to a beautiful, mysterious nightclub singer and a group of psychopathic criminals who have kidnapped her child.Lynch. Dennis Hopper gives an haunting performance as a sexually disturbed psychopath. Rating: 8.
- DirectorEmilio EstevezStarsAnthony HopkinsDemi MooreSharon StoneThe destinies of 22 people of different races, sexes, beliefs and social classes are intertwined on the night that politician Robert F. Kennedy is assassinated.Estevez. A political drama in the "Grand Hotel" ensemble tradition with the murder of senator Robert Kennedy as the theme. A lot of good actors on the cast, but the directing from Emilio Estevez could be more convincing. Rating: 7.
- DirectorPark Chan-wookStarsSong Kang-hoShin Ha-kyunBae DoonaA recently laid off factory worker kidnaps his former boss' friend's daughter, hoping to use the ransom money to pay for his sister's kidney transplant."Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance". Park. The first of the director's (in)famous vengeance trilogy. Like the two others, this is a bloody tour de force, but a rewarding and visually stunning movie. Rating: 8.
- DirectorArthur PennStarsWarren BeattyFaye DunawayMichael J. PollardBored waitress Bonnie Parker falls in love with an ex-con named Clyde Barrow and together they start a violent crime spree through the country, stealing cars and robbing banks.Penn. Many argue that this movie - along with "The Graduate" - defined the "New Hollywood" era. It is a truly remarkable movie with a great supporting performance by Gene Hackman. The ending also made history. Rating: 9.
- DirectorPeter JacksonStarsTimothy BalmeDiana PeñalverElizabeth MoodyA young man's mother is bitten by a Sumatran rat-monkey. She gets sick and dies, at which time she comes back to life, killing and eating dogs, nurses, friends, and neighbors.Jackson. The infamous most bloody movie of all time. Rating: 4.
- DirectorTerry GilliamStarsJonathan PryceKim GreistRobert De NiroA bureaucrat in a dystopic society becomes an enemy of the state as he pursues the woman of his dreams.Gilliam. Rating: 8.
- DirectorJames WhaleStarsBoris KarloffElsa LanchesterColin CliveMary Shelley reveals the main characters of her novel survived: Baron Henry Frankenstein, goaded by an even madder scientist, builds his monster a mate.Whale. Even better than the first "Frankenstein" film from 1931. Rating: 9.
- DirectorGabor CsupoStarsJosh HutchersonAnnaSophia RobbZooey DeschanelA preteen's life turns upside down when he befriends the new girl in school and they imagine a whole new fantasy world to escape reality.Csupo. A sad family movie with a combination of fantastic and realistic elements. Rating: 7.
- DirectorDavid LeanStarsCelia JohnsonTrevor HowardStanley HollowayMeeting a stranger in a railway station, a woman is tempted to cheat on her husband.Lean. Rating: 8.
- DirectorSergei EisensteinStarsAleksandr AntonovVladimir BarskiyGrigoriy AleksandrovIn the midst of the Russian Revolution of 1905, the crew of the battleship Potemkin mutiny against the brutal, tyrannical regime of the vessel's officers. The resulting street demonstration in Odessa brings on a police massacre."The Battleship Potemkin". Eisenstein. A film historical gem with the famous revolt scene at the Odessa stairs. However, the movie has a lot more to offer, and as an example of montage theory and probaganda movie making, this is the top of all peaks. Rating: 10.
- DirectorPeter YatesStarsSteve McQueenJacqueline BissetRobert VaughnA nonconformist San Francisco cop is determined to find the underworld kingpin who killed the witness under his protection.Yates. The car chase through San Francisco is still thrilling and impressively accomplished. The rest of the movie features a great performance by Steve McQueen as one of the coolest cops in cinema. Rating: 8.
- DirectorGeorge Roy HillStarsPaul NewmanRobert RedfordKatharine RossIn 1890s Wyoming, Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid lead a band of outlaws. When a train robbery goes wrong, they find themselves on the run with a posse hard on their heels. After considering their options, they escape to South America.Hill. Rating: 8.
- DirectorSergio LeoneStarsHenry FondaCharles BronsonClaudia CardinaleA mysterious stranger with a harmonica joins forces with a notorious desperado to protect a beautiful widow from a ruthless assassin working for the railroad."Once upon a Time in the West". Leone. Classic spaghetti Western and the best movie with Charles Bronson ever. Rating: 9.
- DirectorBob FosseStarsLiza MinnelliMichael YorkHelmut GriemA female girlie club entertainer in Weimar Republic era Berlin romances two men while the Nazi Party rises to power around them.Fosse. Rating: 7.
- DirectorMichael HanekeStarsDaniel AuteuilJuliette BinocheMaurice BénichouA married couple is terrorized by a series of surveillance videotapes left on their front porch.Haneke. I still don't quite get the ending of this movie. Perhaps if I understood the preceeding 80 mins., it would make sense. Still, the atmosphere and intellectual value is peerless. Rating: 8.
- DirectorNeil ArmfieldStarsHeath LedgerAbbie CornishGeoffrey RushA poet falls in love with an art student who gravitates to his bohemian lifestyle -- and his love of heroin. Hooked as much on one another as they are on the drug, their relationship alternates between states of oblivion, self-destruction, and despair.Armfield. Heath Ledger as a drug addict - maybe not so far from the truth, may he rest in peace. Not a great movie with its some times doubtful dialogue, but Ledger is very good. Rating: 6.
- DirectorMike NicholsStarsJack NicholsonCandice BergenArt GarfunkelChronicling the lifelong sexual development of two men who meet and become friends in college.Nichols. Only a so-so movie from the director of "The Graduate". Jack Nicholson is great as ever, but his role is not among his finest. The themes of the movies was quite controversial at its theretrical release, and that must be the reason why it is regarded a classic by many. Rating: 6.
- DirectorPedro AlmodóvarStarsLiberto RabalFrancesca NeriJavier BardemAfter leaving jail, Víctor is still in love with Elena, but she's married to the former cop -now basketball player- who became paralysed by a shot from Víctor's gun..."Live Flesh". Almodovar. Rating: 7.
- DirectorMichael CurtizStarsHumphrey BogartIngrid BergmanPaul HenreidA cynical expatriate American cafe owner struggles to decide whether or not to help his former lover and her fugitive husband escape the Nazis in French Morocco.Curtiz. One of the many Hollywood classics, this one has actually earned the hype. With remarkable dialogue, smooth camerawork and stunning performances, "Casablanca" offers one of the best cinematic experiences of all time. Period. Rating: 10.
- DirectorStanley DonenStarsCary GrantAudrey HepburnWalter MatthauRomance and suspense ensue in Paris as a woman is pursued by several men who want a fortune her murdered husband had stolen. Whom can she trust?Donen. Rating: 8.
- DirectorHugh HudsonStarsBen CrossIan CharlesonNicholas FarrellTwo British track athletes, one a determined Jew and the other a devout Christian, are driven to win in the 1924 Olympics as they wrestle with issues of pride and conscience.Hudson. The music by Vangelis is superb, and there are some nice acting as well. Rating: 8.
- DirectorRalph NelsonStarsCliff RobertsonClaire BloomLilia SkalaAn intellectually disabled man undergoes an experiment that gives him the intelligence of a genius.Nelson. Cliff Robertson won Oscar for Best Actor. Rating: 7.
- DirectorAlfonso CuarónStarsJulianne MooreClive OwenChiwetel EjioforIn 2027, in a chaotic world in which women have somehow become infertile, a former activist agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea.Cuarón. Pure dystopia science fiction with great performances by Clive Owen, Julianne Moore and Michael Caine. Some scenes are among the most impressive in recent film history. Rating: 8.
- DirectorRoman PolanskiStarsJack NicholsonFaye DunawayJohn HustonA private detective hired to expose an adulterer in 1930s Los Angeles finds himself caught up in a web of deceit, corruption, and murder.Polanski. One of my all-time favorites. Not a controversial choice, I know, but it certainly shows what director Roman Polanski does best; a calm but steady narrative progression with great atmosphere and a few plot twists up his sleeeve. Add to that a charismatic performance by Jack Nicholson and you have one of the most splendid neo noir masterpieces of American cinema. Rating: 10.
- DirectorPark Chan-wookStarsNam-mi KangJeong-nam ChoiHye-Sook GoAfter being wrongfully imprisoned for thirteen years and having her child taken away from her, a woman seeks revenge through increasingly brutal means."Lady Vengeance". Park. The final chapter in Park's vengeance triloy is also the narratively most compelling. It does not feature the fantastic plot of "Oldboy", but the construction of the narrative is great! Rating: 8.
- DirectorUli EdelStarsNatja BrunckhorstEberhard AurigaPeggy BussieckA teen girl in 1970s Berlin becomes addicted to heroin. Everything in her life slowly begins to distort and disappear as she befriends a small crew of junkies and falls in love with a drug-abusing male prostitute.Edel. German drama about real life drug addict/prostitute Christiane F. Disturbing stuff. Saw it in elementary school the first time, and even with a couple of revisits to "Bahnhof Zoo", it stills holds a high standard. Rating: 8.
- DirectorFernando MeirellesKátia LundStarsAlexandre RodriguesLeandro FirminoMatheus NachtergaeleIn the slums of Rio, two kids' paths diverge as one struggles to become a photographer and the other a kingpin."City of God". Meirelles. Innovative editing and a tough story, this Brazilian gangster film almost gets a 9 grade from me. Rating: 8.
- DirectorClyde GeronimiWilfred JacksonHamilton LuskeStarsIlene WoodsJames MacDonaldEleanor AudleyWhen Cinderella's cruel stepmother prevents her from attending the Royal Ball, she gets some unexpected help from the lovable mice Gus and Jaq and from her Fairy Godmother.Geronimi, Jackson etc. Disney. Rating: 7.
- DirectorOrson WellesStarsOrson WellesJoseph CottenDorothy ComingoreFollowing the death of publishing tycoon Charles Foster Kane, reporters scramble to uncover the meaning of his final utterance: 'Rosebud.'Welles. One of the most innovative movies of all time. Imo it is also the greatest. I love the Welles-style with canted framings, fragmented storytelling and noir lighting. Rating: 10.
- DirectorKevin SmithStarsBrian O'HalloranJeff AndersonMarilyn GhigliottiA day in the lives of two convenience clerks named Dante and Randal as they annoy customers, discuss movies, and play hockey on the store roof.Smith. Some very good screenwriting make this a must-see. Rating: 8.
- DirectorPaul HaggisStarsDon CheadleSandra BullockThandiwe NewtonLos Angeles citizens with vastly separate lives collide in interweaving stories of race, loss and redemption.Haggis. Entertaining multi-plot story, but sometimes not truly convincing. Rating: 7.
- DirectorRoman PolanskiStarsDonald PleasenceFrançoise DorléacLionel StanderIn search of help, two wounded gangsters on the run find refuge in the secluded castle of a feeble man and his wife; however, under the point of a gun, nothing is what it seems.Polanski. Maybe the weirdest of Roman Polanski's films, this absurd comedy features some memorable performances and images, but it never really hits a home run. Rating: 7.
- DirectorSimon StahoStarsNoomi RapaceThure LindhardtBenedikte HansenAnna dreams of being an actress when she becomes pregnant. Though she struggles to give her daughter a good life, she fails to unite her dream of acting with creating a safe environment for her child.Staho. Swedish actress Noomi Rapace (now more famous for her role as Lisbeth Salander in the "Millennium" trilogy) gives all she's got in this depressing film about an actress that kills her infant child. Scenes and dialogue from the masterpiece "Persona" sometimes seem misplaced, sometimes right on spot. Directed by Danish Bergman'ish auteur Simon Staho. Rating: 7.
- DirectorKevin CostnerStarsKevin CostnerMary McDonnellGraham GreeneLieutenant John Dunbar, assigned to a remote western Civil War outpost, finds himself engaging with a neighbouring Sioux settlement, causing him to question his own purpose.Costner. Rating: 8.
- DirectorWolfgang PetersenStarsJürgen ProchnowHerbert GrönemeyerKlaus WennemannA German U-boat stalks the frigid waters of the North Atlantic as its young crew experience the sheer terror and claustrophobic life of a submariner in World War II.Petersen. Rating: 9.
- DirectorRobert WieneStarsWerner KraussConrad VeidtFriedrich FeherHypnotist Dr. Caligari uses a somnambulist, Cesare, to commit murders."The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari". Wiene. Expressionist masterpiece from the golden era of German cinema. My DVD version is obnoxiously bad! But my rating for the movie itself is a clear 10.
- DirectorFritz LangStarsRudolf Klein-RoggeOtto WernickeThomy BourdelleA criminal mastermind uses hypnosis to rule the rackets after death."The Testament of Dr. Mabuse". Lang. Another example of the briliance of director Fritz Lang - this is the second installment in the Mabuse series. Rating: 9.
- DirectorTim RobbinsStarsSusan SarandonSean PennRobert ProskyA nun, while comforting a convicted killer on death row, empathizes with both the killer and his victim's families.Robbins. Another stand-out performance by Sean Penn, but this time the Oscar went to Susan Sarandon. She decerved it, no doubt, but Penn is in i league of his own. Rating: 7.
- DirectorJosef von SternbergStarsEmil JanningsMarlene DietrichKurt GerronAn elderly professor's ordered life spins dangerously out of control when he falls for a nightclub singer.Sternberg. Perfect use of sound at a time when sound was not mainstream. Jannings and Dietrich are superb! Rating: 10.
- DirectorMichael HanekeStarsBirgit DollDieter BernerLeni TanzerA European family who plan on escaping to Australia seem caught up in their daily routine, only troubled by minor incidents. However, behind their apparent calm and repetitive existence, they are actually planning something sinister."The Seventh Continent". Haneke. I know I should like this arty movie, but I find it rather boring. Except for the ending which is one of the most depressing you can think of. Rating: 7.
- DirectorCarl Theodor DreyerStarsClara PontoppidanSvend MethlingPeter JerndorffA beautiful but imperious princess refuses all offers of marriage, often condemning her suitors to death. The prince of Denmark comes seeking her hand and, aided by magic objects given to him by a mysterious spirit, seeks to win her love.Dreyer. Only about half of this movie has survived the decay of time. Rating: 7.
- DirectorPeter SchrøderStarsFrits HelmuthTomas Villum JensenJesper LangbergWe follow 4 classmates in a strict boys' secondary school in 1950s Copenhagen, where a sadistic teacher torments his students. We meet them again at their 35 year class reunion.Schrøder. Rating: 7.
- DirectorIngmar BergmanStarsMax von SydowGunnar BjörnstrandBengt EkerotA knight returning to Sweden after the Crusades seeks answers about life, death, and the existence of God as he plays chess against the Grim Reaper during the Black Plague.Bergman. A little heavy and slow moving, this Swedish classic must be the only film with Death playing chess with a knight. Rating: 9.
- DirectorJohn McTiernanStarsBruce WillisAlan RickmanBonnie BedeliaA New York City police officer tries to save his estranged wife and several others taken hostage by terrorists during a Christmas party at the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles.McTiernan. Bruce Willis was not even on the poster, when "Die Hard" premiered in 1988, because he was not a big name at the time. I think he's been on every of his other film posters ever since... "Die Hard" took the action genre to new hights, and Bruce became a star equal to Schwarzenegger at the time. Rating: 8.
- DirectorJohn WooStarsChow Yun-FatDanny LeeSally YehA disillusioned assassin accepts one last hit in hopes of using his earnings to restore vision to a singer he accidentally blinded."The Killer". Woo's most famous of his Hong Kong action movies. And it does show everything that made him interesting back then with white doves, slow motion shooting and non-stop action. Now, he is less than interesting. Rating: 8.
- DirectorDon SiegelClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodAndrew RobinsonHarry GuardinoWhen a man calling himself "the Scorpio Killer" menaces San Francisco, tough-as-nails Police Inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan is assigned to track down the crazed psychopath.Siegel. "Go ahead, make my day". Huge action classic equal to "Bullitt". Strong performance by 'The Clint' as Harry Callahan, the renegade cop (or sort of) that must solve a mystery concerning a murderous sniper. Rating: 8.
- DirectorBjarne Henning-JensenStarsTove MaësKaren PoulsenRasmus OttesenDitte grows up with her grandparents. When the mother moves with Lars Peter, Ditte is taken home to take care of her siblings. She comes to work at Bakkegården, but is thrown out as she awaits children.Henning-Jensen. Danish social realism for the first time on a level that equals the great masters from Italy and the rest of the world. A slow moving but very rewarding movie. Rating: 9.
- DirectorSpike LeeStarsDanny AielloOssie DavisRuby DeeOn the hottest day of the year on a street in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, everyone's hate and bigotry smolders and builds until it explodes into violence.Lee. African-american director Spike Lee's breakthrough movie. Aesthetically accomplished and with a strong political message. Rating: 8.
- DirectorLars von TrierStarsNicole KidmanPaul BettanyLauren BacallA woman on the run from the mob is reluctantly accepted in a small Colorado community in exchange for labor, but when a search visits the town she finds out that their support has a price.Trier. In my opinion von Trier's greatest work. It is puzzle to me why it didn't win the Palme d'Or at Cannes instead of van Sant's "Elephant". Nicole Kidman offers the performance of her career and the Brechtian verfremdung is superbly executed. Rating: 9.
- DirectorNicolas RoegStarsJulie ChristieDonald SutherlandHilary MasonA married couple grieving the recent death of their young daughter are in Venice when they encounter two elderly sisters, one of whom is psychic and brings a warning from beyond.Roeg. Rating: 7.
- DirectorMike NewellStarsAl PacinoJohnny DeppMichael MadsenAn FBI undercover agent infiltrates the mob and finds himself identifying more with the Mafia life--at the expense of his regular one.Newell. Rating: 8.