10 Films Movie Buffs Will Say They’ve Seen, Even If They Haven’t

"Rosebud."

Following the death of a publishing tycoon, news reporters scramble to discover the meaning of his final utterance.

REVIEW
Still impressive after all these decades, today "Citizen Kane" is probably more admired and analyzed than it is enjoyed, but there is plenty to admire. Even for those who just want to watch a good movie, not to analyze one, there's a lot to see. True, it's not really 'the greatest film ever made', especially because there isn't really such a thing, anyway, as 'the' one greatest film. There are a lot of great films, and by almost any standard this is one of them.

Welles used his own skill and creativity along with his talented cast and crew to create a story that is a compelling character study and a thoughtful look at some significant aspects of life. The main character was based on a notorious figure of the era, but Welles made it much more than a story limited to his times, by bringing out what was behind his characters, and making the audience understand what the characters did not see about themselves. There are Kanes in every era (and also equivalents of those around him), some as large as the character himself, and others merely small-scale replicas. Since the story is based on characters and on ideas, rather than on action, it can seem slow if you are expecting more activity, but it's a story that has something to offer.

Its outstanding technical accomplishments and historical importance may not be so obvious now, only because Welles's ideas and techniques have influenced so many later movies in one respect or another, making much that was imaginative then seem commonplace now. But it was quite an achievement all the same, and worthy of the attention it is still getting.

"In Vietnam The Wind Doesn't Blow It Sucks"

Stanley Kubrick's return to filmmaking after a seven-year hiatus, this film crystallizes the experience of the Vietnam War by concentrating on a group of raw Marine volunteers. Based on Gustav Hasford's novel The Short Timers, the film's first half details the volunteers' harrowing boot-camp training under the profane, power-saw guidance of drill instructor Sgt. Hartman (R. Lee Ermey, a real-life drill instructor whose performance is one of the most terrifyingly realistic on record). Part two takes place in Nam, as seen through the eyes of the now thoroughly indoctrinated marines. Ironically, Full Metal Jacket was filmed almost entirely in England.

Review
'Full Metal Jacket' is about emotions more than anything else. The experiences of the characters are so well sculpted that you become almost another character. Their fear, panic, anger, and sorrow are conveyed to the audience. Kubrick manages to accomplish this through several techniques. Often in the film, characters look directly into the camera when they speak. They're not addressing the audience, but you get the sense that you're being addressed as one of the characters. Secondly, Kubrick keeps his camera down to earth. There are no sweeping panoramas of battlefields such as are found in other war pictures. The film is shot almost entirely at eye level, down with the grunts. This film is an emotional journey that is both painful and thought-provoking.

"If he's crazy, what does that make you?"

With an insane asylum standing in for everyday society, Milos Forman's 1975 film adaptation of Ken Kesey's novel is a comically sharp indictment of the Establishment urge to conform. Playing crazy to avoid prison work detail, manic free spirit Randle P. McMurphy (Jack Nicholson) is sent to the state mental hospital for evaluation. There he encounters a motley crew of mostly voluntary inmates, including cowed mama's boy Billy (Brad Dourif) and silent Native American Chief Bromden (Will Sampson), presided over by the icy Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher). Ratched and McMurphy recognize that each is the other's worst enemy: an authority figure who equates sanity with correct behavior, and a misfit who is charismatic enough to dismantle the system simply by living as he pleases. McMurphy proceeds to instigate group insurrections large and small, ranging from a restorative basketball game to an unfettered afternoon boat trip and a tragic after-hours party with hookers and booze. Nurse Ratched, however, has the machinery of power on her side to ensure that McMurphy will not defeat her. Still, McMurphy's message to live free or die is ultimately not lost on one inmate, revealing that escape is still possible even from the most oppressive conditions.

Review
What can I say that hasn't already been said? Jack Nicholson's performance is a searing tour de force that I consider to be the finest movie performance of all time. Every supporting role is superb, most notably Louise Fletcher and a small but solid performance from Brad Dourif.

Milos Forman's direction has a sort of gritty, documentary-style texture to it that gives the film just that little extra effectiveness. The writing and dialog are perhaps the greatest in any film, with Nicholson delivering the film's most memorable lines (and there are many). Every single scene is incredible in its own right, from McMurphy's re-enactment of the World Series to a joy ride on a fishing boat. The final 30 minutes or so are absolutely staggering in their emotional intensity. If you have not yet seen this film, stop reading now and literally run to your local video store to rent it. It is the most powerful, emotional, and involving movie ever put on film. See it, for it is without exception the finest motion picture ever made.