Films That Stand The Test Of Time

One of the most engrossing and attention grabbing films out there. A true accomplishment for American cinema.

At first glance this may seem to be as simple as a film can get. A group of twelve men, jurors that is, have to sit down in a room and decide on whether someone is guilty or not. And although it may seem really simple this film is anything but.

I seem to really enjoy films that take place (for the most part anyway) in a single location. The very fact that there is only one location for the entire movie should make it seem less interesting and enjoyable. But in fact it's the exact opposite, at least for me. The reason the film is set in only the one place is, apart from the obvious fact of that it's part of the story, is to show of the strengh of the writing and the performances. A later film of the 90's, by the name of Glengary Glen Ross, I thought was the first film to ever effectively use sharp and quick dialogue in a confined space. When in fact that film has borrowed or paid homage rather to 12 Angry Men. It really is amazing how the performances and the writing keep us engrossed and interested in the story for the entire 90 minutes that it's on for.

Again similar to Glengarry it is really hard to pick out one performance as being better than the others. The obvious choice would be to say Henry Fonda as he is the easiest to remember, both in character here and the actor in general. But I would make an argument that every single one of the other 11 actors give just as good of a performance. It is these twelve performances that make the film half as good as it is.

The other half of why this is so damn good is the aforementioned quality of the writing. At first the simplicity may throw you off into thinking that this is going to be a lack-lustre and boring film. But after about 10 minutes or so the pace of the film really starts to pick up, not with action but with the dialogue. As one man goes against all of the others by saying 'not guilty' we start to really delve into things. This is where the complexity starts, as the opposing juror (Fonda) tries to convince the others to change their mind. Slowly but surely some of the other jurors start to join him in his doubt. The way this happens is quite brilliant, opinions about the evidence and what really happened being thrown back and forth so much you as a viewer can hardly decide one way or the other yourself. And that is the brilliance of this film; it makes you feel like you are in fact a 13th juror in this case at hand, and you along with these men have to make up your own mind.

One thing that I admired and thought was a great way to go about it was the fact that we never find out all of the jurors names (we find out a couple but at a very unimportant time) which makes us feel even more of a part of this case.

Personally I couldn't really find anything wrong with this film at all. The usual critque I have is that it is too long but in this case I actually thought the film had a perfect runtime, suited to the type of film it was. I had pre-conceptions about this film that it was going to be a dissapointment as yet again this is a film held up very high by a lot of people. But I am extremely happy to say that this film does in fact live up to it remarkable reputation. It is a film that should be seen by all, it's a film that deserves the praise but most of all it's an example of top quality film-making.

I finally get to see this film which is referred to everywhere I look as "a masterpiece" and "a classic." But is it really? Absolutely and more.

Alfred Hitchcock is always referred to has a "master of suspense" and here I can see why. Never have I seen such a suspenseful and chilling film. From the opening credits to the meeting of Mr Norman Bates (played either really badly or extremely well by Anthony Perkins), some if it truly does send a shiver down your spine.

I loved the way Hitchcock made the film about one character for nearly half the film, then totally flipped it around (as a result of the memorable shower scene) to be about a totally new character. Very well done indeed.

Everything in this movie from it's suspense and chilling atmosphere to it's great acting and very well done ending this movie ultimately (in my eyes) is a masterpiece. Maybe not a total classic to me yet but give it time.

Full Review

After numerous reviewings I realise the true and full brilliance, significance and excellence this film has to offer. I still feel this is a film that a lot of people might not like because they either have a very short attention span or they demand answers for every question that understandably comes into their heads. Fortunately I am not one of those rather simple-minded movie folk. That's not to say I grasped everything about the movie and knew the answers to the endless questions it creates, even after these numerous viewings. But even though I still hardly understood what was actually going on, I was stilll absolutely mezmerised by it.

Stanley Kubrick has created a masterpiece of filmaking, one that may just be his greatest achievement, and a vision of a certain point in the future, a futuristic vision that I haven't seen being topped yet. The vision that Kubrick has in almost every scene in this movie is just jaw-dropping. From the backdrops of the wasteland desert as we see man in the early stages, to the awe inspiring shots of outer space. The simplicity of some of the shots makes the film all the more mezmerising.

I held the extreme slow pace of the film against it upon first viewing but after giving it multiple more shots I now realise the importance this plays in the overall experince. It allows you to soak in the unique visions of such a master as Kubrick, all the while contemplating the meaning of what you are witnessing on-screen. It is both a visual and physical experience in equal measure, rarely matched by any other film I have seen in that sense.

Never has a film combined jaw-dropping, mind-blowing visuals with food for thought as well as 2001: A Space Odyssey does. It begs questions of life, morality, our reliance in this day and age on technology and almost all aspects of life that we all deal with at some point. If there were ever a definitive list of films to see before you die then 2001 would surely be close to the top.

One of the most famous films, with one of the most famous scores and with one of the most famous "villains". Jaws is a film that defeats the "ageing badly" process, still holding up as one of the most entertainingly frightening films ever made.

I am one of, what I think are, the very few people to have not seen this film as a kid. I am someone who has watched it being an older, more experienced film lover. And I've gotta' say I am glad that Jaws isn't at all a dissapointment, despite it's intimidatingly good reputation. It succeeds in creating the kind of scares and tension that we just don't see in films nowadays. Undoubtedly the kick-start film for blockbusters ever since, Jaws still remains one of, if not, the best.

It is amazing what Spielberg and crew managed to achieve with such a limited on-screen presence of the actual shark itself. Considering that a 25ft rubber model may have looked a bit silly if shown in it's full glory they must have sat down and worked out, "How can we make this film more effective by using less of the shark?" And they certainly found the perfect way to do so. Spielberg realised that what you don't see is more often than not the most frightening. That's why films like Saw 3 and Hostel where you see someone get parts of their body chopped off slowly, and in full view are just disgusting but not at all scary. For the first hour of Jaws we are forced to imagine what is in the water, even if we have knowledge of it beforehand. We are forced to imagine what is pulling the victims under the water and how it is exactly doing so. Imagination of an audience is a horror directors greatest and most useful tool.

The film is basically in two parts. The first being the people of the small town being terrorized by this shark and the Chief of police trying to convince the Mayor to shut down the beaches despite strong protest. And the second is hunt and battle section involving three men trying to capture and kill the shark. Both offer their own different brand of terror however the latter proving more attention grabbing, at least for me. And although the two sections don't go hand in hand I feel you wouldn't just be able to skip to the latter part, the key is the build-up to the exciting conclusion.

Without this film cinema nowadays just wouldn't be the same. Whether that's necessarily a bad thing is up to you. This will from now on be a film I shall revisit fairly often, for lack of a better reason to hear that fateful music.

A really, really great movie. A little dissapointed after hearing all the praise it got but the film was still great.

Robert De Niro gives yet again another fantastic performance. He was just perfect for this role and it was amazing to see the determination of him really beefing up for this role, he was unrecognisable at some points.

The boxing scenes are just done brilliantly. Edited in such a way that you would think that the actors were actually punching each other which is fantastic in my eyes. De Niro's potrayal of a fighter not big or strong enough but carries on anyway, and the potrayal of the human side is just phenominal.

The thing that let it down was some of it is really slow and quick changes from fast punching to slow talking. The pacing of the film wasn't the best to say the least but it didn't stop me from continuing to watch it.

The fact that the film was in black and white didn't bother me at all surprisingly. You notice it at first but after a while you forget about it.

Overall a really enjoyable film for me. Really slow at parts but it's worth it when it gets back to the stunning performance from De Niro and the breathtaking boxing scenes.

Full Review

This has got to be one of THE weirdest films I have ever seen. From minute one we are thrown into a world of humour, chaos, surrealty and downright weirdness; but I absolutely loved it.

Terry Gilliam is without a doubt THE weirdest director of all time. I wonder where the hell he gets his ideas from. It's as if he wakes up from a dream, writes everything that he dreamt about down and then turns that into a movie.

Jonathan Pryce I have limited knowledge of his work but from here I can see he is a good actor, not a great one but still good. There are some very cool cameos from the likes of Bob Hoskins as a governmental heating engineeer and Robert De Niro as a freelance, rebel hewating engineer; it's all very very weird.

The storyline at points does actually seem straightforward but when you just get settled into the 'norm' you are pulled back out and are shown something completely crazy...but brilliant.

This film is a masterpiece of creativity; made up of crazy dreamlike scenes mixed with great characters and a very weird storyline. You simply must see this film as soon as possible. I promise you will never see anything like it.

Since I am a massive fan of weird and surreal cinema (the type is probably my favourite when it comes to movies) I have decided to embark on the David Lynch journey. My first viewing of one of his films was not long ago with Wild At Heart, a film that I liked but not all that much. So next I decided to watch Blue Velvet, a film that many argue is Lynch's best work. After seeing it I can see why people would say that about this, a truly excellent film.

I had heard from a lot of people that David Lynch is an acquired taste. And after just dipping my toe into his work I can see that statement is indeed correct. But luckily from this especially I can tell that I am going to really take to Lynch's films.

I just thought this film was excellent. Really sick and twisted for the most part, not to mention weird as hell. Lynch certainly knows how to be unique and original. The film for the first 20 minutes or so plays out very normally and I was actually wondering if I had the wrong version of it or something. But once we meet Dennis Hopper's character things take a turn for the weirder, the very weirder. Hopper's portrayal here is not only scary and a performance that creeped the hell out of me at least (and I'm sure many others), but the other thing that is scary is Hopper's willingness as an actor to play this part. I heard not too long ago that even Lynch and the co-stars of the film were a bit worried and surprised that he wanted to play this part so much and that he fit into and portrayed a lunatic so well. The famous scene between him and Isabella Rossellini is by far the best scene in the movie, it just creeped the hell out of me to the point of me almost wanting to not look.

Some of the film, especially the parts involving the main character played by Kyle MacLachlan, play out pretty straightly, which is something I feel was definitely on purpose as a contrast to the other, much weirder scenes. The performances are strong from the lead and supporting actors, but the stand out perfomance definitely comes from Dennis Hopper's direction.

I shall continue my David Lynch journey after seeing this wonderfully weird film. I just hope the rest of them are as good.

"Don't you fucking look at me!"

Who would have thought that 27 years after this film being made, that it is still better than most films of it's kind. Ridley Scott has created a Sci-Fi/Horror masterpiece that is both exciting and geuinely scary.

The first twenty minutes are a little slow but the film soon builds up to something really great. The cast do a good job of making you care about them and making you not expect who's going to go next.

The alien itself is a masterful creation and Scott's choice of not showing it fully right away was amazing. The very look of the alien is scary and extremely cool making it a creature not to be messed with!

Ridley Scott is a very diverse director, it's surprising how different a film he can direct. From Thelma & Louise to this? He must be doing something right.

The film is just as scary today as it ever was and it remains one of THE best first parts to a series.

I can't believe I haven't watched this film sooner, it is just fantastic. My favourite horror film of all time is Saw but now that I have seen this masterpiece, I may have to rethink some things.

Jack Nicholson is at his very best here, he gives a chilling performance who multiple raised eyebrows and creepy speeches. Some of the scenes including one with an old woman that is the first one in a while that has truly scared me.

I have to agree with a couple of other people who say the pacing is uneven at parts (especially towards the end) but that doesn't matter because the rest of the film is just so well done.

This film has restored my faith in the horror genre and I will seek out more 'classics' An absolute masterpiece. Well done Mr Stanley Kubrick, well done.

Edit: THE best horror film of all time (although not necessarily my favourite)

This movie was quite enjoyable for me. It has a certain, laid back yet brooding quality to it, it was like no other atmosphere I had seen depicted in a movie. All through out the movie there was a fantastic soundtrack, particularly one piece of music which leads you to believe that something big and shocking is coming up.

Robert De Niro is at his very best here, he gives an absolutely spot-on performance with regards to what I think the director was looking for. It's amazing to see him so young and I never thought he was such a good actor early on in his career. This movie to Robert De Niro, is what Dog Day Afternoon was to Al Pacino.

What let me down slightly was the fact that I didn't really get why there was violence. Throughout the movie there is either some uncomfortable sex related scenes or outbursts of violence which I feel were entirely uneccesary and I think the movie wouldn't have lost it's quality without them. I couldn't believe my eyes when I seen how young Jodie Foster was in this, and on top of that she plays a prostitute, in which I can see why there was some 'debate' and controversy over.

Overall Taxi Driver is really enjoyable movie that is sort of let down by the pointless violence and it lacked a story some-what.

Now this film was a weird one to the say the least. I'm not really sure what I actually thought about it to be completely honest. It is a very, very good film and a great achievement for the ever impressive Stanley Kubrick but is it the masterpiece it is so frequently called?....not in my eyes sadly.

I really did enjoy just how this film was put together on screen and how it strangely managed to work really well despite the very violent and controversial nature. This is possible one of the most enjoyable yet genuinely disturbing films I have ever seen. You feel as though you shouldn't want to watch it and that you should just turn away or turn it off completely but you can't. That's the beauty of Kubrick; no matter what his happening on screen whether it be shocking, slow paced, drawn out, scary or verging on sick; you simply are transfixed by it. He is a true master of directing, one of the greatest to date and as I see each of his films he just continues to impress me massively.

One of the things I loved about this film is the fact that it sort of has its very own language. And even though you are straining to understand what is being said half the time you can't help but wish that you could learn this language. But luckily in our state of confusion we have good old Malcolm McDowell's narration to help us along.

Even though the film has great supporting performances the true star of the film is of course McDowell. His performance is one of the best I have seen in any film to date; he actually makes you feel sorry for him greatly at one point, despite all the horrible and disturbing things he does.

Yet another thing which I enjoyed was the constant score of "a bit of Ludwig van" to keep our spirits up. This film has encouraged me to seek out some of the soundtrack.

The thing that I didn't like about the film was just how disturbing it really was. Not that it absolutely terrified me into never watching it again (I certainly will) it was just a bit stomach turning to watch and at some points I did feel myself wanting to gag; not a brilliant experience to have when trying to enjoy a movie.

Well this film is just such a great one. Not a masterpiece as raved about and promised but certainly better than A LOT of films to date. Kubrick is master of directing and I can only look forward to seeing more of his work.

A truly brilliant film. Exceeded my expectations by far. Harrison Ford gives what is by far his best performance as the great Indy. It is breath-taking all the way through with nearly non stop action that keeps you gripped.

The story is extremely entertaining, giving you action mixed with fantastic ideas. This will remain one of the most memorable films, with one of the most memorable characters. Indiana Jones as a character definetly lives up to his reputation.

The film is so well written and has some of the best and funniest fight scenes I have ever seen. This is a must for ALL movie fans; adventure doesn't get much ebtter than this.