The selection includes quite a library of titles such as "A Woman of Paris" (1923) to "A Hard Day's Night" (1964) to "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three" (1974) to "Godzilla vs. Biollante" (1989) to "Casualties of War" (1989). The selection is exquisite.
On their channel, they'll invite various actors and personalities to step into their DVD closet and pick out and discuss the movies they love and deem personally impactful as well as important for cinema. In fact, I just watched a recent upload with Kevin Bacon picking out the movies that he loves.
I have a few DVDs from the Criterion Collection. Charlie Chaplin's "Modern Times" is my prized pick from Criterion.
I love watching these "Closet Picks." They entice me to pick my own picks. And I do have some picks. So, let's talk movies.
Instead of a closet, I keep my DVD collection, which consists of hundreds of titles, in my basement just as a wine connoisseur keeps their vertical collection in the cellar.
I wanted to pick out my own favorite flicks and recommendations.
Some of these titles I've already posted commentaries about. Others, I've wanted to share my thoughts on but haven't yet. Or I just couldn't find the right words or get my thoughts together well enough to write something I was satisfied with. So, I'm catching up here. I have a lot of favorite movies. These are the movies that strike a chord with me in some way or another. These I hold in high esteem.
They're the ones that have stayed with me since I first saw them. Some conjure up old memories. I've quote some of these movies again and again with old friends. Some stories I can relate to. Just thinking about some of these movies bring bittersweet emotions back without fail. One or two... or 10... even go back to my childhood. Others have something about them that just impress me. Whatever the case is, all of these movies have left me with something worth keeping. I've been working on this post for over a year trying to really narrow down the movies I appreciate. Here's what I came up with. These are the movies on the list of my personal favorites I love the most.
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) - For me, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, World" is the comedy of all comedies.
As I've mentioned before, there's so much packed into this one definitely-not-small 159-to-163-minute (depending on the version) movie.
The modern audiences who may not be familiar with all the classic comedians of the era are likely to miss the significance behind all the cameos in this movie. And there are a lot from a ton of comedians, from Buster Keaton, to Jack Benny, to the Three Stooges, to Don Knotts, to Jerry Lewis and a lot of comics in between. All that's missing is Stan Laurel and Charlie Chaplin.
The modern audiences who may not be familiar with all the classic comedians of the era are likely to miss the significance behind all the cameos in this movie. And there are a lot from a ton of comedians, from Buster Keaton, to Jack Benny, to the Three Stooges, to Don Knotts, to Jerry Lewis and a lot of comics in between. All that's missing is Stan Laurel and Charlie Chaplin.
Still, as the late-great Carrie Fisher pointed out, fame is obscurity biding its time.
This is the chase comedy of any and all chase comedies.
It's non-stop. I mean that. The energy ignites right at the beginning, and snowballs from there. It's a huge comedy and the biggest showcase of comedic talent I have ever seen. There's no other way to say it.
The comedy saturates every part of this picture. Even the movie poster is drawn by one of my favorite satirical artists, Jack Davis, whose work is regularly seen in "MAD Magazine." All comedy bases are covered. It all works!
Honestly, I can't think of a word big enough to accurately praise this movie. I might as well just make something up. It's... bimtrecentric! There we go. That's what it is.
Amadeus (1984) - I struggled to write a strong enough post about Milos Forman's 1984 brilliant movie, "Amadeus" when I reviewed this back in 2021.
First, the movie isn't historically accurate because it's not meant to be historically accurate. It's based on a stage play by Peter Shaffer. His play takes inspiration from Alexander Pushkin's play "Mozart and Salieri" from 1830.
It's a story of talent, brilliance, jealousy, pride, and ingratitude. The brilliance of "Amadeus" shines as Mozart's music is an important character that ties Amadeus Mozart (Tom Hulce) and Antonio Salieri (F. Murray Abraham) together and drives them to where they find themselves at the end of the movie. Salieri ends up in a mental hospital and Mozart ends up in a unmarked grave.
As I stated in my review, I find the historical fiction of the film just as fascinating as the historical facts. Not only does Mozart hear the music in his head, which the audience can hear as well, but he hears each section of his orchestras in his head, too.
Salieri, meanwhile, allows himself to be consumed with jealousy and hatred to the point of insanity.
As I mentioned, the movie isn't historically accurate, nor does it try to be. It's historical fiction. Honestly, that doesn't bother me. The introduction of a new wave of...anything...is always met with a fair amount of opposition, especially when it comes to music in particular, or entertainment in general. One might say Mozart's popularity at his time is an early similarity to The Beatles.
I've watched "Amadeus" several times, and I still feel I haven't fully grasped this film. Maybe I'm looking too much into it. Otherwise, the acting, the music, and the depth is brilliant . The performances are spectacular - magnificent. The entire production is an amazingly grand spectacle.
As cheesy as it might sound, just hearing the music from "Pinocchio" arouses strong nostalgia unlike any other children's movie.
It's Disney's second animated movie after "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs."
As weird and inexplicable as it sounds, there's something about the voice of Jiminy Cricket, voiced by Cliff Edwards, that conjures images of my late Uncle Felix whom I greatly admire. Even in my youth, Jiminy Cricket reminded me of Uncle Felix.
Anyways, like pretty much all of Walt Disney's animated movies, for him to tell other people's classic and well-respected stories on screen and inadvertently make them his own is an accomplishment only others have reached within certain degrees.
I think that's what places the Disney Company on the unreachable media level it proudly sits on.
The moral of "Pinocchio" is the necessity to follow one's conscience. The movie depicts the corrupting nature of sin and self-indulgence.
When the naughty boys indulge in all pleasures they can on "Pleasure Island" they quickly find themselves turning into jackasses (donkeys). Once that happens, they're immediately enslaved. That's the nature of sin. I doubt Disney would ever convey such a moral in another children's movie.
There are not too many movies rooted so deeply in my mind and emotions. Even at 43, just hearing this movie manages to strike the right chords.
More so, even as a Disney movie, it teaches an absolutely invaluable lesson to children that there is objective right and wrong, and people have God's law written in their hearts. Our conscience should guide us in our moral decisions, which ultimately make us genuine. Truth is not a subjective thing. Nor is it something to hide or cancel.
Though Disney's "Pinocchio" is barely similar to Collodi's book, Disney still manages to make it palpable for young audiences all while respecting the source material. He also presented a golden message that Disney has not yet repeated in any other movie of theirs, at least not to the same degree. Fat chance of Disney now presenting that same message from Pinocchio in any of their current movies. They couldn't even do it in their 2022 live-action remake. That remake of theirs was, in a word, disgraceful.
Batman (1989) - When it comes to comic book-based movies, Tim Burton's 1989 "Batman" holds a special place in my heart. My fondness for this movie goes far back to 1989 when I first saw it at the Grand Lake Theater in Oakland, California.
The Grand Lake opened in 1926 so this place is a true movie palace. I have a lot of fond movie-going memories from the Grand Lake. I'll get more into that in a later post.
Seeing "Batman" on the big screen back in '89 is one the fondest movie-going memories I have. I mentioned all that in my post on "Batman."
I was in second grade when "Batman" was released, and I got all swept up in Bat-fever back then.
It's a foundational flick for comic book movies, straying far from the campy 1966 Batman television series, and the decent but much more comical "Superman" movies.
"Batman" introduced a dark grittiness that was copied in comic book movies that followed.
Plus, Michael Keaton pulls off the best Bruce Wayne/ Batman. His out-of-place Bruce Wayne doesn't insinuate in the slightest that he's Batman. Characters in the movie can look at him and not have any thought that this Bruce Wayne just might be Batman. He plays both characters so differently. Keaton is a natural at it.
And Jack Nicholson's performance as the Joker certainly taps into his role as Jack Torrance in "The Shining."
Based on the 1980s era Manga series, the animation is absolutely striking and impressive. The attention to detail, and fluid motions is absolutely amazing.
The dystopian story and imagery are sharp and unforgettable. I just admire this movie so much. Akira is really the only anime movie I enjoy so far. Friends have recommended other anime titles to me, but I just haven't gotten to those yet. I'm sure I will, though.
The pace and intensity, not to mention the animated details are remarkable. I read that only one small detail in the movie is computer animated. The rest is hand drawn.
"Akira" is a masterpiece in animation and storytelling!
This movie is just outright amazing.
This movie is just outright amazing.
It's story has a complexity that ties in with the intricacy of the animation style.
The term ground-breaking may be used rather loosely when talking about movies. Still, this movie has a ground-breaking quality about it.
It has some strong, violent imagery. Some audiences might find it unsettling.
What impresses me most about the animation is how impressively well perspective is depicted. My eyes aren't big enough to take it all in.
And as a dark dystopian story, it leaves the audience with the right feeling of uneasiness on top of its entertaining factor.
I admire this movie so much. As I said, I'm not into anime so Akira is really the only anime movie I enjoy so far. "Akira" is a masterpiece in!
The Odd Couple (1968) - Jack Lemmon is a man of comedy and tragedy. Regardless of which side he's depicting, when Lemmon stars in a movie, whether it's a comedy or a dram, he gives it is all. It's an obvious statement if you're familiar with Jack Lemmon. Walter Matthau is the ordinary man. He looks ordinary. He talks ordinarily. He still has charm, and maybe some sympathy, despite all that. He's relatable. He loves women! I love women, too, so I can relate there.
Rarely does a movie so naturally bring two opposite comedians together and instantly make them a duo whether they intended to be or not.
Lemmon and Matthau were first brought together in "The Fortune Cookie" (1966) which is a great and hilarious film. Their chemistry really took root in their next movie together, "The Odd Couple."
That chemistry is so amazingly brilliant. This movie made me an instant fan of Lemmon and Matthau both on their own, and as a team.
It also ignited in me an interest in playwriter Neil Simon who wrote the play, "The Odd Couple." Since first seeing "The Odd Couple," which I had to pleasure of watching on the big screen at a movie classics screening at the Paramount Theater in Oakland, I took interest in other Neil Simon movies.
It didn't take Lemmon and Matthau long to establish themselves as a comedic pair though I don't think that was something either of them intended to do. It just happened like lightening in a bottle.
What's unique is that they're generally different in their films. Lemmon isn't necessarily "the one that...." while Matthau "is the other who...." Though their roles in "The Odd Couple" may have typecast them just a little, they're both likeable on their own, and especially together, as seen in "The Odd Couple." This comedy is pretty damn near flawless, if it isn't completely flawless.
Like "The Odd Couple," Matthau and Lemmon are perfect in their respective roles in this movie. Matthau plays newspaper editor Walter Burns and Lemmon plays his best newswriter, Hildy Johnson.
The presence of Carol Burnett as the local *ahem* street lady is the ideal third billing. If anyone could turn Lemmon and Matthau into the perfect comedy trio, it's Carol Burnett. I wish these three made more movies together.
What a gem this movie is.
The movie is based on a 1928 play by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur's, also called "The Front Page."
Their play was first adapted as a movie in 1931's "The Front Page" with Adolphe Menjou and Pat O'Brien. It was remade again with "His Girl Friday" (1941) starring Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell and produced by Howard Hughes.
I sense that Lemmon and Matthau tap into their previous roles from "The Odd Couple" and place them in a whole different scenario. They're well cast in this movie. Matthau, with his gruff and sardonic personality makes a perfect newspaper editor whose life is pretty much newspaper, editing, and a steady diet of bicarbonate of soda.
Lemmon, with is spastic mannerisms and "I've heard it all" attitude makes a perfect news reporter. A news reporter and his editor mix just like oil and water. This movie captures that reality so nicely.
It also has a beautiful selection of quotable quotes! I've thrown out a few during my stint as a newspaper reporter.
"Wait till he hands in his copy, then tell him his prayer stinks, and kick him down the stairs."
"Wait till he hands in his copy, then tell him his prayer stinks, and kick him down the stairs."
The Paper (1994) - Speaking of newspapers. I don't hear a lot about Ron Howard's comedy drama "The Paper" when it comes to Howard's filmography.
"The Paper" has an all-star cast that includes Michael Keaton, Glenn Close, Robert Duvall, Marisa Tomei, Randy Quaid, and Jason Alexander.
It takes place within the chaotic non-stop newsroom of the fictional tabloid "The New York Sun."
I'm sure I gravitate to this movie thanks to my time working inside a newspaper myself. In fact, I think journalism is in my blood. At least writing is. So, I can relate to this movie. I can feel the apprehension and uncertainty that constantly fills the newsroom.
I recall the stress and the satisfaction of punching out one hell of a story. The shot nerves. The maddening frustration. The disappointment. I've had a moment or two staring at a source and thinking, "Say it. C'mon! Just say it!" I've been there. Ron Howard shows it just as it is.
The comedy is proportioned well, perfectly flavoring the drama of the story. I've noticed I have a knack for using food descriptions when talking about movies.
The comedy is proportioned well, perfectly flavoring the drama of the story. I've noticed I have a knack for using food descriptions when talking about movies.
Anyways, there's chemistry between Keaton and Close in their performances. Keaton's sense of urgency mixed with his jumpy mannerisms, natural comedic talent, and exuberant jabber makes him well cast. Somewhere in this movie, I forgot I was watching Michael Keaton because he became a news reporter.
Glenn Close's performance as a matter-of-fact boss who just wants to be part of the team, while still being seen and treated as the boss, works naturally off Michael Keaton.
Glenn Close's performance as a matter-of-fact boss who just wants to be part of the team, while still being seen and treated as the boss, works naturally off Michael Keaton.
The question of journalism ethics versus competition when it comes to a breaking story certainly isn't an original inquiry. They must always work together. Ethics can't be set aside because credibility takes effort to gain, is easy to lose, and isn't guaranteed to return when it's lost. Like any credible newspaper with a team of writers who are on top of their game, this movie doesn't leave questions unanswered.
This is a movie that never ceases to be relatable and touching the core of audiences. It seems to gain more and more appreciation over time. While I don't normally harp on people for liking or disliking a movie, those who dislike this movie need to reevaluate their opinion. There's nothing wrong with "It's a Wonderful Life."
James Stewart plays George Bailey, a character that's a household name, who's innocent, scarred, pressured, and possesses virtue and frailty as he's up against the greed of the business world.
This is a scenario (innocence against power in some form or another) that's commonly found in Capra's other films, "American Madness" (1932), "It Happened One Night" (1934), and "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" (1939) to name a few.
Material success isn't the greatest achievement a person is capable of. Redemption is. There's a fair number of other movies that comes close to depicting that moral as well "It's a Wonderful Life" does but this movie seems to nail it.
Capra's movie has become a solid part of popular Christmas movies. It goes hand in hand with Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." It's one of the most optimistic movies I've ever seen, mixed appropriately with helplessness, despair, hope, and true heroism.
Last Christmas, the Amazon streaming app cut out the most important part of the movie in which George wishes he had never been born. The decision was one of the most feckless and stupid (in the truest meaning of the word) decisions in streaming/broadcast history.
Honestly, enough can't be said of this profound and remarkable movie. "It's a Wonderful Life" reminds me of Archbishop Fulton Sheen's words, "Life is worth living." He also said, "It is not man who is on the quest for God. It is God who is on the quest for man."
A Christmas Story (1983) - While there are some amazing and truly memorable, timeless Christmas movies out there, some deserving to sit on a grand pedestal, the 1983 masterpiece, "A Christmas Story" is without a doubt the greatest Christmas movie ever made. Sure, some might say, "But Mike, what about 'Scrooge' from 1951 with Alastair Sim, or 'It's a Wonderful Life' which you just commented on right above this part?"
Sure, those movies are great - a basic word but one I sincerely mean. They're great!
"A Christmas Story" is the greatest. There's no debate. I know what I'm talking about. After all, it has "Christmas" in the title, and the holiday takes up the entire story rather than the last 30 minutes of the movie.
The story, which takes place in the late 1930s or early 1940s, is based on the book "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash" by American writer and satirist, Jean Shepherd whose works I enjoy. I'm a fan of satire, after all.
Shepherd doesn't go out of his way to satirize classic Americana.
Rather, he presents all the small joys and facets of growing up in early to mid-20th Century America and lets the irony and humor of Americans and the American way of life speak for itself. Still, he appreciates all those small nuances that makes life great. He doesn't criticize them or present them in a negative light. He just presents them, with a little twinkle or joviality.
"A Christmas Story" is nostalgia done right, but it's also not white-washed with over-sentimentality.
It doesn't cast any major celebrities to distract from the story.
The premise of Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) and his quest for a Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle is relatable to just about anyone who ever wished and prayed as hard as they could for that one Christmas present they coveted.
The only thing I can't stand about the movie is how commercialized it has become in the last 15 years or so.
"A Christmas Story" used to be a small and simple movie that a few seemingly watched each and every year, me included. I've successfully made it a point to watch it every year without fail for the last 30-plus years.
Now, it's saturated with merch and commercialism to the point of annoyance. I love "A Christmas Story" for the simplicity that Jean Shepherd no doubt intended.
In the 1979 mystery thriller "Murder by Decree" starring Christopher Plummer and James Mason, it's Sherlock Holmes versus Jack the Ripper.
The movie is directed by Bob Clark who also directed "Black Christmas" (1974) "Porky's" (1981) and "A Christmas Story" (1983).
It also stars Susan Clark, Donald Sutherland, Sir John Gielgud, and Geneviève Bujold.
Frank Finlay also stars in this picture as Inspector Lestrade, a role he played earlier in the 1965 Sherlock Holmes movie, "A Study in Terror." That's a solid cast.
I'm sure the plot isn't based on any particular Holmes story by Arthur Conan Doyle. However, the movie is loosely based on "The Ripper File" by Elwyn Jones.
The premise surrounding Jack the Ripper, the Freemasons and their disdain for the Catholic Church is derived from the book "Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution" by Stephen Knight.
The story also has an emotional element to it as it delves into the victims of Jack the Ripper and theorize why they may have been murdered.
"Murder By Decree" has a story with deep significance though this premise. The build up isn't complicated and makes one much more curious about the "Jack the Ripper" murders. Christopher Plummer and James Mason as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson is truly underrated. The premise certainly isn't complicated but it has undersung significance.
Holmes versus Jack the Ripper seems like the perfect rivalry, the potential of which hasn't much been explored, except in this movie. The 1979 movie "Time After Time" had author H.G. Wells (Malcom McDowell) pursue Jack the Ripper (David Warner) but that doesn't make as much sense as having the greatest detective pursue the most elusive and most mysterious murderer in history.
The Triplets of Belleville (2003) - Like "Akira" I put the 2003 animated movie "The Triplets of Belleville," written and directed by Sylvain Chomet, on this list for its excellent animation and unique story line that's wonderfully original. It really is. I cannot compare this to any other movie, animated or live action.
The Scarlet and the Black (1983) - I have wanted to write about the 1983 TV movie "The Scarlet and the Black" for a long, long time. I even started a post about it but never finished it. I tend to do that more than I want to. Sometimes, I just can't find the right words.The movie is based on J. P. Gallagher's book "The Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican" and tells the true story of an Irish priest, Msgr. Hugh O' Flaherty, who saved thousands of allied POWs and Jews from the Nazis during the Italian/ Roman occupation in World War II.
A Man for All Seasons (1966) - There's something untimely about the true story of the martyrdom of St. Thomas More who served as Lord Chancellor under King Henry VIII from 1529 to 1532. He was beheaded by the same King for his opposition to King Henry's separation from the Catholic Church.
The Bicycle Thief (1948) - Did you know that the 1948 Italian film "The Bicycle Thief," known in Italian as "Ladri di biciclette" is the inspiration for the 1985 comedy, "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure?" Well, it is.
The Sting (1973) - This movie is the heist movie of all heist movies. It stars the eternally ever popular Paul Newman and Robert Redford. It's directed by George Roy Hill who directed Newman and Redford just a few years before in "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" (1969).
The Godfather (1972) - I can't comprise a list of favorited movies that doesn't include "The Godfather,' based on Mario Puzo's novel of the same title. Still, what can I say about it that hasn't already been said?
Pack Up Your Troubles (1932) - I have no shame whatsoever in publicly stating, though I already have elsewhere on this platform, that I am a card-carrying member of the prestigious and highly honorable Laurel and Hardy Appreciation Society, also known as the "Sons of the Desert."
Duck Soup (1933) - It's hard to narrow down my favorite Marx Brothers movie. I know I couldn't make a list like this without including at least one movie from the Marx Brothers.
Casablanca (1942) - For me, this is the best romance movie ever filmed. Other movies in the genre might come close to various degrees.
Pollyanna (1960) - This is the kind of movie I would have averted at all costs in my boyhood days. My wife, who has a love of early Disney, introduced me to this movie a few years ago, and it has stuck with me since. So much so, that I now consider it a personal favorite.
About Schmidt (2002) - After watching the movie "About Schmidt" with Jack Nicholson, I can't watch any other of Nicholson's performances without thinking of his role as Warren R. Schmidt in this movie.
84 Charing Cross Road (1987) - I admit this is a slow movie. And there's nothing necessarily exciting about it. "84 Charing Cross Road" is based on the true correspondence between New York City writer and book lover, Helene Hanff (Anne Bancroft) and London bookseller Frank Doel (Anthony Hopkins). They wrote to each other for more than 20 years starting in 1949 when Helene sends them an order for a few antiquarian books.
The Elephant Man (1980) - This is one of those movies I'm sure many elementary school or high school students had to watch in class at some point in their education.
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) - I have a few favorite Coen Brothers movies, and some I need to re-watch like "Barton Fink" and "Hail, Caesar." Their movie "Fargo" is one of my favorite flicks from these guys.
This is undoubtedly an underrated animated film I have ever seen. I'm thinking along the lines of some of Disney's early films that were clearly made for the sake of showing off the company's animation skills - "Fantasia" (1940), "Make Mine Music" (1946), "Melody Time" (1948), and "Sleeping Beauty" (1959). Those are impressively animated which, to me, stand above the rest of Disney movies as far as animation goes.
I'm also referring to "Akira" which sets a high animation standard.
"The Triplets of Belleville" accomplishes a lot with very little spoken word.
The only speech in the movie comes through electronic means - the television, a record, a radio. Or, when Madame Souza speaks to her grandson while off screen.
Charlie Chaplin did something similar with his 1936 masterpiece film, "Modern Times." Save for Chaplin's gibberish pantomime song in his film, all speech comes through artificial means - a screen intercom, a radio, or an audio recording.
An old rule of storytelling is to show rather than tell. "The Triplets of Belleville" follows the rule wonderfully well leaving so much room for the pantomime to speak for itself. And what's more impressive is that the characters are likeable without having to talk.
The triplets themselves are certainly an odd trio, finding the means to make music through ordinary objects such as an old refrigerator, a vacuum cleaner, and a newspaper. They treat each item is treated with respect the same way a jazz master treats their instrument of choice.
The story drips with originality. The care and devotion of Chomet, who was inspired by his own youth, is ever present in the work. There's also a strong hint of satire was the setting is a mix between the indulgence of New York City, the prestige and pretentiousness of Paris, and whatever best describes Montreal and Quebec City.
I'm also referring to "Akira" which sets a high animation standard.
"The Triplets of Belleville" accomplishes a lot with very little spoken word.
The only speech in the movie comes through electronic means - the television, a record, a radio. Or, when Madame Souza speaks to her grandson while off screen.
Charlie Chaplin did something similar with his 1936 masterpiece film, "Modern Times." Save for Chaplin's gibberish pantomime song in his film, all speech comes through artificial means - a screen intercom, a radio, or an audio recording.
An old rule of storytelling is to show rather than tell. "The Triplets of Belleville" follows the rule wonderfully well leaving so much room for the pantomime to speak for itself. And what's more impressive is that the characters are likeable without having to talk.
The triplets themselves are certainly an odd trio, finding the means to make music through ordinary objects such as an old refrigerator, a vacuum cleaner, and a newspaper. They treat each item is treated with respect the same way a jazz master treats their instrument of choice.
The story drips with originality. The care and devotion of Chomet, who was inspired by his own youth, is ever present in the work. There's also a strong hint of satire was the setting is a mix between the indulgence of New York City, the prestige and pretentiousness of Paris, and whatever best describes Montreal and Quebec City.
While a handful of movies I've just mentioned have sturdy roots within my youth, "The Triplets of Belleville" marks the period in my life when I was a few years into living on my own. I had moved out of California and into Kansas a few years before I came across "The Triplets of Belleville"and just got my first apartment. I was single at the time.
I made a habit of frequenting the Manhattan Public Library and searching out movies I had never heard of or wasn't familiar with such as this one. I wish I wrote down what movies I discovered searching through the library catalog. This movie certainly stuck with me.
The film stars legendary actor Gregory Peck as O'Flaherty, Christopher Plummer as Col. Herbert Kappler, the leader of the SS Gestapo in Rome, and Sir John Gielgud as Pope Pius XII.
The real O'Flaherty doesn't nearly get the attention and praise for his true bravery and selflessness.
Peck's depiction of this heroic Irish priest is brilliantly realistic and believable. The way he handles O'Flaherty in the face of the murderous and ungodly Kappler is satisfying to watch.
In one scene at the final act of the movie, Kappler, who has tried every means he can to stop O'Flaherty hiding war prisoners in and around Rome with no avail, has one of his goons sneak into O'Flaherty's room inside the Vatican. He forces him at gunpoint late at night to have a private meeting with Kappler inside the Roman Coliseum just before the allies arrive to kick the Nazis out.
Though Kappler wants O'Flaherty dead (SPOILER) and has attempted to kill him several times, and has tortured and killed his friends, he resorts to asking O'Flaherty to save his wife and two children because he knows he'll be arrested very soon. This is how that conversation begins.
Kappler: You're alone?
Kappler: You're alone?
O'Flaherty: I am.
Kappler: Not afraid I'll shoot you?
O'Flaherty: No. If you were going to kill me, your man would have already done it in my room.
Kappler: That is so. But believe me, at this moment, nothing would give me greater pleasure.
O'Flaherty: Well, when it comes down to it, a bullet's your answer to just about everything, isn't it? It's the only argument you've got.
O'Flaherty: No. If you were going to kill me, your man would have already done it in my room.
Kappler: That is so. But believe me, at this moment, nothing would give me greater pleasure.
O'Flaherty: Well, when it comes down to it, a bullet's your answer to just about everything, isn't it? It's the only argument you've got.
The rest of the conversation and the whole scene is just fantastic as the two sides look each other in the face in the place where the Roman Emperors hell-bent on power, tortured and killed the early Christian martyrs.
At the end of that scene, Kappler is left alone in the darkness of night amidst the antiquated and crumbling Coliseum with no one to give him the help he thinks he's entitled to. He's left in the middle of his crumbling Third Reich while the Catholic Church remains.
Forgiveness is most keenly felt when it's given at a time when we don't want to give it and prefer to hold onto our anger no matter how justified it is. At the same time, forgiveness has more substance when given to those truly penitent. It can still be given while justice continues to be carried out.
This movie is among the more emotionally moving films I put on this list.
Thomas More also refused to acknowledge the king as supreme head of the Church of England. More also famously refused to support the annulment of the king's marriage to Catherine of Aragon. More still acknowledged him King of England, however.
This period of his life is an example to be imitated for all seasons. "I die his Majesty's good servant but God's first."
The movie is based on Robert Bolt's play of the same name; it depicts the courage it takes to obey moral convictions and conscience for the sake of God's holy principles in the face of looming and overbearing power. St. Thomas More is a man for all seasons... a man for all times.
Paul Scofield's performance as Sir Thomas More opposite Robert Shaw as Henry VIII, Leo McKern, Nigel Davenport, and John Hurt as Richard Rich is as grounded and solid a depiction of conscience versus compromise as there ever was.
"A Man for All Seasons" is just as relevant in today's sociopolitical climate. Certain modern ideologies backed by powerful and influential institutions are treated as a religion. These blatantly false and repugnant ideas about individuals have a tight squeeze on our culture. Anyone who dares argue against the "woke" ideology will be excommunicated in the court of cancel culture - their image hung on the public gates of social media as a warning to anyone else.
"A Man for All Seasons" is just as relevant in today's sociopolitical climate. Certain modern ideologies backed by powerful and influential institutions are treated as a religion. These blatantly false and repugnant ideas about individuals have a tight squeeze on our culture. Anyone who dares argue against the "woke" ideology will be excommunicated in the court of cancel culture - their image hung on the public gates of social media as a warning to anyone else.
As apologist G.K. Chesterton observes, tolerance is the attitude of those who do not believe in anything.
"The Bicycle Thief" is a movie I started a post on and never finished. I was lost for words after watching it. I just didn't know how to really convey my thoughts on the movie. I still don't feel I'm accurately saying what my mind wants to say about "The Bicycle Thief."
It's a sublime mixture of drama, tragedy, devotion, duty and the snowball effect of injustice all wrapped in a story about a father whose bike is stolen.
The movie takes place in post-World War II Italy. Antonio Ricci (Lamberto Maggiorani) is in dire need of work for the sake of his wife and son.
Luckily, he manages to land a job posting advertising bills around the city. The job, however, requires him to own a bike. As he doesn't have a bike, he's forced to sell his wife's dowry bedsheets which she prizes and is reluctant to part with in order to purchase his bike.
On his first day at his new job, while on top of a ladder hanging a poster, someone steals his bicycle.
He tries to chase after the thief, but to no avail. The police tell him there's nothing they can do which is what police pretty much always say. "There's nothing we can do, but please call us if you need any assistance."
Anyways, if Antonio doesn't have a bike, his employer will have to find someone who does. So, he's forced to waste a day searching everywhere to find his stolen bike.
Anyways, if Antonio doesn't have a bike, his employer will have to find someone who does. So, he's forced to waste a day searching everywhere to find his stolen bike.
It seems like a critical film about city life and how it interferes with people's determination to fulfill their duties to their families, to themselves, to society, and often even to God.
The bicycle thief portrays a man who needs to support his wife and son, and who needs to earn money. He needs to accomplish something not for his own sake but for the sake of his family. Sin, meanwhile, has a way of corrupting everything around it. There's not a lot of movies that pulls the audience in with such a simple premise, rouses them with an intense hope that the main character finds what he's looking for, even if it's his simple yet crucial bike, and are more than willing to go with him to look for it.
The Kid (1921) - If you asked me what my absolute number one favorite movie of all time, ever, is, I would tell you without hesitation nor an ounce of doubt, "I don't know."
But Charlie Chaplin's 1921 movie "The Kid" is certainly pretty damn close to number one. Maybe it is number one? I don't know.
When it comes to Chaplin's masterpieces, "The Kid" is certainly my number one favorite followed narrowly close by his 1931 silent picture, "City Lights."
The drama cuts deep in this silent comedy.
Chaplin's method of storytelling is so delicate, precise, and masterful. Without saying a word, he controls the audience's emotions like a child holds a balloon. It's his true medium.
"The Kid" is a perfect example of how well Chaplin can tell not only a great story, but an emotionally compelling one and still make room for humor that's neither out of place nor inappropriate for the subject at hand.
Never has a movie pulled on my heartstrings as hard as "The Kid." Chaplin is the comedic "king of tragedy" and that's no more evident than this movie.
The drama cuts deep in this silent comedy.
Chaplin's method of storytelling is so delicate, precise, and masterful. Without saying a word, he controls the audience's emotions like a child holds a balloon. It's his true medium.
"The Kid" is a perfect example of how well Chaplin can tell not only a great story, but an emotionally compelling one and still make room for humor that's neither out of place nor inappropriate for the subject at hand.
Never has a movie pulled on my heartstrings as hard as "The Kid." Chaplin is the comedic "king of tragedy" and that's no more evident than this movie.
There are multiple movies which proudly display Chaplin's talent and genius as a comedian, actor, producer, director, and composer. "The Kid" and its score hits all the right chords for me. Just hearing the soundtrack rouses those same sentiments that I get each time I put "The Kid" on. It has one of the most moving soundtracks, written and composed by Chaplin, that I have ever heard.
The acting is absolutely accomplished in this movie. As Chaplin himself called it, "a picture with a smile - and perhaps, a tear."
The acting is absolutely accomplished in this movie. As Chaplin himself called it, "a picture with a smile - and perhaps, a tear."
We have to bear our crosses with patience and resignation, always with courage. There's nothing that says we can't laugh at our crosses. The emotion is just as rich as the comedy. The chemistry between Jackie Coogan (the Kid) and Chaplin is absolutely pristine.
The pace, intrigue, flawlessness, blink and you'll miss it speed, and especially the atmosphere all works for this movie.
The 1920s and 1930s are my favorite periods to watch. That probably explains my absolute love for silent movies and early talking pictures.
"The Sting" is set in 1936. The scenes, title cards, and imagery are styled after Norman Rockwell's images often found on covers of the "Saturday Evening Post."
The soundtrack of Scott Joplin's ragtime pieces is the ornate and delicate finishing touch.
"The Sting" is so meticulously assembled and told impeccably.
I first saw "The Sting" at the movie palace, the Paramount Theater, in Oakland, California as one of their monthly movie classics which, sadly, they don't show anymore at the time I write this.
I'm working on a post about these movie classics at the Paramount which I'll finish eventually.
"The Sting" is a movie that became an instant favorite for me. The story pulled me in as soon as the credits got rolling. It's one of those movies that even though it's enjoyable to watch each time, the first time seeing it is always the most unique and memorable. I don't want to go into the plot or anything and spoil the movie because it would be tantamount to sacrilege.
While the first one has among the best acting in any movie, namely that of Al Pacino, the second film in the trilogy remains my favorite. But the first film is another flawless movie and sits on a well-deserved pedestal above other movies.
So much has been said about "The Godfather" as it's so ingrained in pop culture.
As "The Sting" is the heist movie of all heist movies, "The Godfather" is the crime movie of all crime movies. In fact, it seems to be the standard by which all other movies are judged. It's up there with "Citizen Kane" (another absolute favorite of mine, but not included in this list) and, in my opinion, "Amadeus" mentioned above.
It's without a doubt one of the most influential and impactful films of all time. That's certainly no revelation.
When it comes to movies, the 1970s was an era of realism. I see that especially in the horror genre. But "The Godfather" certainly sets a standard when it comes to the realism of movies from this period.
There's a lot to be said for "The Godfather saga." Otherwise, it's a fantastic movie.
Thanks to my late dad and his small collection of Laurel and Hardy movies on VHS, I've had a fondness for Laurel and Hardy since I was young. They're a part of my childhood.
Even now, I can' be in a melancholy mood when watching these two. For me, they set the standard for perfect on-screen chemistry.
With the success of Charlie Chaplin's "The Kid," Stan and Ollie have similar picture of their own, and with a story that's completely their own. I'm not suggesting they took inspiration from Chaplin with their own kid story. Maybe they did? "Pack Up Your Troubles" is such a unique child-comedy/ Army comedy movie. It's also their second full-length feature.
The story centers on Laurel and Hardy taking it upon themselves to care for the young child of their Army friend, Eddie Smith (Don Dillaway), who's killed during battle in the middle of World War I. The two of them search everywhere they can to find this child's grandparents. All they know is that her grandparents' last name is "Smith." So, they go to every Smith they can find to see if they're Eddie's parents.
For those who don't know who Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy are, then broaden your horizons for once! Get with it! I mean, what is wrong with you. And, yes, there is something wrong with you for not knowing who these guys are.
Anyways, while they have a variety of movies and shorts from the silent era, through the 1930s and 1940s, that are immensely popular ("The Music Box" comes to mind) their 1932 feature film, "Pack Up Your Troubles" stands out in my mind among all their films.
While a lot of comedians and comic duos of the 1930s and 1940s made sure to have an Army comedy of their own, this movie is one of the most unique among them.
While a lot of comedians and comic duos of the 1930s and 1940s made sure to have an Army comedy of their own, this movie is one of the most unique among them.
While Laurel and Hardy comedies are generally slapstick, this movie is different as it touches upon some themes not found in their other pictures nor in other Army comedies in general.
"Pack Up Your Troubles" was the first movie I wrote about on this blog. And for that reason.
The film is an original plot. At least it feels like such. It deserves more attention because, as a comedy, it really goes outside the box of both L&H routines and the comedy style of the era.
"Duck Soup" was my introduction to them, so it holds a special place in my movie library. I saw their movie "A Night at the Opera" at the Paramount Theater at one of the theaters previously mentioned Movie Classic nights.
"Duck Soup" is a musical comedy that has improved and gained a following over time. It has certainly influenced later comedies through the decades
It's also the last movie which features "the four Marx Brothers." Zeppo Marx left the act, and the on-screen Marx Brothers were dwindled down to three - Groucho, Harpo, and Chico.
While the Marx brothers appear in "Duck Soup" as they always appear in their other films alongside Groucho's straight leading lady, Margaret Dumont, their performances seem to have a much more solid purpose and intention, even if just for satirical purposes.
Diplomacy, politics and war are the butt of their jokes.
Only Groucho Marx, who plays Rufus T. Firefly, the leader of the fictional nation of Freedomia, would break out into a song and dance equipped with sight gags when his character declares war on the neighboring nation of Sylvania.
"If you think this country's bad off now, just wait till I get through with it."
The punchlines aren't distracted from with any romance on the sidelines from supporting characters which is common in other Marx Brothers movies.
Comedians Charles Middleton and Edgar Kennedy both have small roles in this movie. Middleton appears as a prosecutor and Kennedy plays a lemonade vendor who goes tit for tat with Chico and Harpo. Both of them have also appeared in a variety of Laurel and Hardy pictures. In fact, there's a silent movie from 1927 with Laurel and Hardy also titled "Duck Soup." The term refers to a task that's easy to achieve.
When it comes to anti-war movies, "Duck Soup" sits at an untouchable level.
Any guy who has felt the sting of unrequited love from a girl at least once in their life can feel the emotion in this movie, and how love never really dies completely.
The pangs of ended or unrequited love can never be forgotten "as time goes by." It lingers for a long time. Sometimes it remains dormant until something irritates it.
The pangs of ended or unrequited love can never be forgotten "as time goes by." It lingers for a long time. Sometimes it remains dormant until something irritates it.
Men, and maybe women, put in a lot of effort to forget, but those memories and feelings live on. Oh, how they live on.
You can't suddenly unlove someone you loved. A man can and should move on, but feelings are a lot more hard-nosed than we wish they were.
Humphrey Bogart's character Rick Blaine is comfortably and uncomfortably relatable in that regard.
Humphrey Bogart's character Rick Blaine is comfortably and uncomfortably relatable in that regard.
When he first sees Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) sitting in his Café Américain in the middle of Casablanca, that bittersweet wound opens up again. Especially as she's sitting with her husband. That's the salt on the scar.
I have a fond memory of hanging out with an old high school buddy of mine, who sadly passed away in 2021 at the age of 38 thanks in part of Covid, and watching "Casablanca" while discussing how relatable Rick's anguish is. The one scene that hammers in the setback has Rick sitting at his own bar brooding over the nonsensical situation that he suddenly finds himself in after finding Ilsa in his bar after all that time when they were in love but she ran out on him without a word.
He asks Sam the piano player, "It's December 1941 in Casablanca, what time is it in New York?"
"My watch stopped," Sam replies after thinking how to best answer that question.
"I bet they're asleep in New York. I bet they're asleep all over America."
Then the absurdity of the situation hits him. Rick slams his fist on the bar in helpless frustration and says "the line."
"Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine."
Bergman and Bogart's performances hit a lot, if not all, the sensitive chords.
I've taken an interest in the live-action Disney films I missed out on, especially from the 1960s into some from the 1980s, thanks to my wife's interest in them.
I had heard of "Pollyanna" before, and knew it was a Disney live-action movie starring Hayley Mills. It sounded too shmaltzy and overly sweet for my tastes.
Positivity, optimism, simplicity, and innocence shouldn't be lost on audiences. Nor are they qualities that deserve to be mercilessly satirized. And this is coming from me, who loves satire.
But Hollywood, which embraces corruption and views everything through the lens of selfish pleasure, tends to see such qualities as an easy target, or something to be scorned altogether.
"Pollyanna" depicts just how adults should learn, or relearn, these kinds of qualities from children whose minds aren't muddied by politics or whatever other worldly cares there are. Innocence is a quality that not a lot of people seem to care about nowadays.
It might be a little too simple, but children don't really over-complicate life. I'm glad my sweet wife introduced me to "Pollyanna" and a lot of other Disney movies I missed in my youth. Some might find it a little to sweet for their taste, but I don't think it's overdone. It's still not a perfect world in the picture. As Pollyanna observes in the story, "If you go around looking for the bad in people, you will surely find it."
For instance, I happened to put on Tim Burton's 1989 movie "Batman" in which Nicholson plays Jack Napier/ The Joker. While watching his character attempt to murder all of Gotham City, I couldn't help think that this is the same actor who played mild mannered sympathetic family man Warren R. Schmidt.
The movie begins with Warren's retirement as an actuary from an Omaha-based life insurance company.
After Warren catches a commercial for a foster care program for needy children in Africa, he's moved to cut them a check. This leads to his sponsoring a six-year old boy named Ndugu Umbo from Tanzania.
Meanwhile, his wife Helen (June Squibb) suddenly dies from a blood clot in her brain. His only child, Jeannie (Hope Davis) is engaged to Randall Hertzel (Dermot Mulroney) who sells waterbeds for a living. Warren has his doubts about the engagement.
When Jeannie and Randall fly back to their home after Helen's funeral, Warren is alone.
He decides to head to Jeannie's wedding a lot earlier to make the most of his road trip in the new RV.
I was taken so much by how well a performance Jack Nicholson puts on in this movie which proves without a doubt how versatile an actor he is.
The story is about a man coming to terms with his imperfections and shortcomings. His wife is gone. His daughter isn't too happy with him, claiming he settled for the cheapest casket he could find for his wife and her mother.
During his road trip in which he visits some locations from his past, Warren reflects on his marriage and whether or not there was anything about himself that could be considered a redeeming quality.
When he meets Randall's family who aren't bad people but are certainly not as quiet and reserved as he is, Warren starts to seriously question whether his daughter ought to marry into that family. Kathy Bates plays Randall's mom who's a divorcee. I don't think I've seen a performance of Kathy Bates I didn't like.
Warren is a sympathetic character, indeed. His only friend in this adventure is Ndugu whom he writes to throughout the story.
It's impossible to look away from Warren throughout the movie. Jack Nicholson's performance in "About Schmidt" is superb, memorable and unlike any other performance of his that I'm aware of.
The movie is very faithful to the events described in the book.
Their communication leads to a friendship and familiarity without meeting in person.
The movie certainly finds its audience with writers and book lovers.
Despite its pace and low-key story, it manages to be an appealing movie...for me, anyways. This is primarily thanks to Anne Bancroft's spunky performance as a New Yorker contrasted against Anthony Hopkins' mild-mannered, soft-spoken and proper English demeanor.
Bancroft carries the entire movie on her shoulders, and I think she's entertaining. And she gives the audience someone to root for in this otherwise mild drama.
I love her descriptions of classic writers and their works.
"All right, that's enough Chaucer-made-easy. It has the school room smell of Lamb's Tales from Shakespeare. I'm glad I read it. I liked reading about the nun who ate so dainty with her fingers she never dripped any grease on herself. I've never been able to make that claim. Wasn't anything else intrigued me much, it's just stories. Now, if Chaucer had kept a diary and told me what it was like to be a clerk in the palace of Richard III, now that I'd learn Old English for."Still, it's not a movie for everyone. The person who introduced it to me described it as "so slow!" Nevertheless, I consider it a favorite flick. I even read the book it's based on by Helene Hanff along with her sequel book, "The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street."
Spoiler: In the follow-up story, Helene writes about finally getting to visit the bookstore she corresponded with and getting know Frank's family and those who worked in the bookstore face to face. Unfortunately, she never got to meet Frank as he passed away before she was able to fly to England.
She talks about finally getting to see London. But she doesn't necessarily just want to see London, the city. As she describes both in the book and in the movie, she tells Frank the London she wants to see.
"Please write and tell me about London. I live for the day when I step off the boat-train and feel it's dirty sidewalks under my feet. I want to walk up Berkeley Square, and down Wimpole Street. And stand in St. Paul's where John Donne preached. And sit on the step Elizabeth sat on when she refused to enter the Tower, and places like that. A newspaper man I know who was stationed in London during the war says that tourists go to England with preconceived notions, so they always find exactly what they are looking for. I told him I'd go looking for the England of English literature. And he said, 'It's there'."
Though I never watched it until going to a friend's house one summer day during high school,
I had heard about others having been required to watch it in some class of theirs. The story centers on John Merrick (John Hurt) who's based on the real-life Joseph Merrick who was dubbed the "elephant man" due to his severe deformities.
What I love about this David Lynch movie is that it's not so much about what John Merrick has to deal with thanks to his appearance and condition, but how he's given a chance to enjoy life and have his dignity restored thanks to Dr. Frederick Treves (Anthony Hopkins).
After Treves discovers Merrick in a circus freak show, he takes him in and gives him a respectable room to stay in and even invites him to a theater production. It's an experience Merrick only ever dreamed of having. Even dressing in a coat and tie for the occasion is a thrill of a lifetime.
He's given the opportunity to enjoy life without having to be gawked at thanks to his deformities.
Man is body, intellect and soul despite the corruption of nature that leads to some having such conditions similar to Merrick.
John Hurt's performance deserves a lot of praise and admiration. It's one of the best I've seen.
"O Brother, Where Art Thou?" is the first movie that comes to mind when I hear "Coen Brothers" who directed this.
When it comes to quotable movies, this one is high on the list. I think my buddies and I quoted this flick to death as far back as high school.
I love the atmosphere, performances, musical score and song selection, and overall style of this movie, which is based on the Greek epic "The Odyssey" by Homer.
It's a movie that needs to be seen multiple times so audiences can soak in everything it offers.
The dialogue is certainly one of the best things about this movie, especially from the character Ulysses Everett McGill, played by George Clooney. His lines are hilariously memorable.
"Believe me Delmar, woman is the most fiendish instrument of torture ever devised to bedevil the days of man." His delivery is priceless.
"Believe me Delmar, woman is the most fiendish instrument of torture ever devised to bedevil the days of man." His delivery is priceless.
Of course, John Turturro and Tim Blake Nelson in their respective characters alongside Clooney are perfect.
There's a sophistication to this otherwise silly movie. The creativity in transitioning the parts from the Greek epic to the rural Mississippi setting of the mid to late 1930s is fantastic.
There's a sophistication to this otherwise silly movie. The creativity in transitioning the parts from the Greek epic to the rural Mississippi setting of the mid to late 1930s is fantastic.
The film turns the cyclops from the epic into a one-eyed corrupt Bible salesman, played enjoyably by John Goodman.
It turns the furies into members of the KKK. Even Everett's wife, Penny (Holly Hunter) is a play on the character Penelope, the wife of the main character Odysseus, from Homer's "Odyssey."
The movie even has a soothsayer in the form of a blind handcar driver rolling down the railroad track. And like "The Odyssey," the movie starts in media res, or in the middle of things, as Everett escapes from a prison chain gang along with his two fellow prisoners chained with him.
The first time seeing this movie, it'll likely strike as weird or nonsensical. As I said, it needs to be seen multiple times to really grasp the story and all that it contains.
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There are a few more movies...just a few... I thought about including, but these are the titles I really appreciate above the rest.
When it comes to horror movies, well...that's a whole different list. I'll get to that soon!
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