My list

Gene Wilder makes this movie, period. Love the Oompah Loompahs and the kids and all that... But it all pales in comparison to the characterization of Willie Wonka portrayed by Gene Wilder. Amazing depth and complexity in a character that could have been taken down a much shallower "goofy" path.

Hands down one of my all time favorite movies. It's just goofy and sweet and romantic and heroic and wonderful. The cast is just amazing and the writing is riotous.

BIG TIME Excelsior to everyone involved in this project. So many great comics have been murdered on the big screen. This wasn't one of them. It keeps the simple formula of self evaluation as a species that Stan Lee alwasy had at the heart of all his comics. And Hugh Jackman is damn fine! :D

The best of the Raider's movies, I think. More multi-dimensional without veering too far away from the 40s serial feel they were going for.

This movie had me so freaked out I was afraid to go in the RIVER. Excellent dialog and acting, engaging characters, riveting suspence, satisfying ending.

I have been watching this movie since I was a kid and EVERY time I cry during the scene where he goes to visit his mom. One of the best of the older Disney movies.

This is one of a genre of movies I know I shouldn't like because I don't generally care for loads of gratuitous violence. But the story is so rich, the cinematography is so beautifully done, and Brandon Lee gives such a soulful performance, I can't help but love it.

VERY loose interpretation of the story, but wonderfully done. Johnny Depp never fails to bring his characters to life and this is an intruiging take on Ichabod Crane.

Excellent continuation of the series. Stays pretty true to the comic timeline with a little condensing here and there.

I would put this movie up against the original any day. Mostly because of the fact that it comes at the story from a completely different viewpoint. It's not about the army, or the invastion or fighting off the Martians. It's about a regular guy and his estranged kids trying to get to Boston while the other stuff is going on around them. AWESOME character studies.

There is absolutely nothing to NOT like about this movie! It's got Elvis...love and redemption...Elvis...aliens...Elvis...the true meaning of family and it's value...Elvis...and the knowledge that different isn't bad, that everyone has a place where they belong.

Truly the beginning of an amazing journey. I've read the books and seen the movies and can't wait for yet dread the ending. This one, particularly is great for kids.

The thing about the Matrix Trilogy is that you can't take them as individual movies. I realize they were made to be able to stand alone, but everything hinges on the Meta Level journey of all the characters. The focus is on Neo as The One, but every character is an integral piece.

Tim Burton and Johnny Depp will go down in history as one of the great Actor/Director combinations, next to Ford and Wayne. All their movies have this deep painful beauty and this one is one of the best.

There are few visions of pure, innocent, true and enduring love than the final sequence in this movie.

Getting past David Bowie being drop dead sexy... This is a beautiful coming of age story among other things. The fantasy and fun are wonderful and my kids just love it, but I enjoy the deeper meaning behind it all as well.

If you ignore the complete mish mash this movie makes out of pretty much every horror movie character ever invented, it's really quite good. I like the Catholic MI-6 with the Monk Q branch. The chat with Father M in the confessional was a riot. LOLOL And, well, when don't I love shirtless!Hugh Jackman?! :D

While not my favorite of the trilogy, still an enjoyable movie. I think probably what I enjoyed the most was the deeper look into the vampire culture. The "new breed" were so completely opposite the "regular" vampires, which I know was intentional. Modern vampires are always slick and sexy and somehow give an aire of superiority to the humans around them. Predator and prey, but in a way that makes the relationship attractive to some. The "new breed" were animalistic , base and crass and somehow portrayed as "less". Rather like comparing a panther to a hyena.

This movie is about the indominable human spirit, imagination and hope. As long as there is a speck, a spark, the human mind and soul can make of the world whatever it wants.

I have absolutely no "artistically legitimate" reason to rate this movie so high. I just really love it. Kevin Costner and his annoying midwestern accent in the middle of a movie based on an English legend is ridiculous. It doesn't follow the legend very closely.... yadda yadda. It's fun. Kevin Costner would have been an idiot to try an English accent. The story was very well constructed, the script was well written, the cast worked so well together, I just didn't care. I had a great time watching it. And I cheered loudest of anyone in the theater when I saw who was playing King Richard at the end. :D

I don't know but that this movie set the bar too high for the rest of the Batman movies. I had my doubts that Michael Keaton could pull this one off. Despite the TV show, the actual Batman in the comics is a very angst-ridden, anger driven character. And while they did add a level of comedy to this movie it didn't detract from the depth of the story or character, it rather enhanced it and gave some balance to the movie that I enjoyed. And I will never again look at The Joker as anyone but Nicholson. He OWNED that character.

Aside from Keanu Reeves, this is just about the best version of Much Ado I've ever seen. Not surprising from Kenneth. I absolutely laugh myself silly when he and Emma are playing off each other.

While I do love Keanu Reeves and admire his acting ability, there is no arguing the fact that he has range limitations and this movie was quite beyond it. I applaud him for giving it a go, though.

This moview was fun and it was funny. The writing was sharp the directing was very well paced and the acting was perfect. I REALLY enjoyed the chemistry between Keanu and Sandra. And Dennis Hopper was the consumate psycho nutjob, of course he always is. LOL

I was a bit dubious going into this because A.) I really liked Hunt for Red October and Alec Baldwin as Jack Ryan and B.) I REALLY thought Harrison Ford was too old for the part. But I was plesantly surprised. The story itself was facinating and the direction kept things moving while still giving time for the intrigue. Loves me some intrigue. And the way Harrison Ford played the character made the age thing less of an issue. All in all my second favorite of the Jack Ryan movies.

Oh for Pete's sake! It's a Peanuts cartoon! DUH!

Truly an epic work depicting a complex and unfortunate time in our history. Very well made and paced so that I really don't mind the length. Clark Gable gives an amazingly multifaceted characterization of Rhett Butler. I've never read the book so I can't compare. And while I spend most of the movie wanting to smack Scarlett, I think the character is very real to the time.

I think that's one of the best features of this movie is that all the characters are flawed in some way, but they're all very human and real, and that comes across through some very fine acting by the entire cast.

Just watching the psychological interplay in this movie is worth the price of admission. Ray Milland is wonderfully smarmy and Grace Kelly is adorably naive. And the ending is quite satisfying.

While not the edge of your seat thriller some of his other movies are, this is still a classic Hitchcock offering.

I was much too young to remember Vietnam, but I'd heard stories and seen other movies. This movie, for some reason, made it real for me. I don't know if it was because it focused more on just the daily lives of the people there, or what, but it did. And the sequence during the Louis Armstrong song was so powerful.

Well, and Robin Williams was just ridiculously funny. LOL

I must say this is one of my all time favorite Disney movies. It has something for the whole family. I enjoyed the story, it was well written with a great balance of humour and "lesson".

Just about ever Disney movie has some kind of lesson. This one had quite a few that were portrayed so that it was easy for the kids to pick up without too much work. Lightening learns to not be selfish; he learns about the importance of friends and how to be a good one; and he learns to respect and honor the ones who came before him. In this day and age, that's a lesson few kids are even exposed to, let alone learn.

And it was fun that they had actual drivers playing their car-counterparts. If you've ever been exposed to the racing world you'll get a hoot out of it.

I've seen every Bruce Lee movie except The Game and I must say that if they all had the same budget as this one they would all be just as great.

This movie allowed Bruce Lee to tell his story the way he wanted to tell it. He focused on the art and spiritual aspect of martial arts, while telling a riveting story. It is very much a period piece reflecting the issues and struggles of society in the 70s, while also being a great action flick.

And John Saxon managed to not look too idiotic during his martial arts scenes. Excellent actor, not so much on the other stuff. LOL

OH, absolutely GRANDFATHER of all horror flicks. Back before we needed to actually see the guts and brains, when the music, a sillouette and some chocolate syrup were enough to make us piss ourselves and not sleep for a week. The director actually crafted the story and the imagery, rather than relying on the special effects and make up guys to do it.

Hitchcock was a frickin genius.

Sorry, it's just bloody funny. Very original, and a great cast. Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones and Vincent D'Onofrio in particular. They just nailed those characters.

I have a very hard time watching VDO in this since I've fallen in lust with Bobby Goren on Law & Order: Criminal Intent, but he did act the hell out of a rather odd role. LOL

This is the first movie I remember that actually showed aliens as something other than invaders that wanted to eat us for dinner. It was a beautiful vision of a universe where the inhabitants want to explore and get to know one another rather than shoot first and ask questions later.

Richard Dryfuss' performance was also quite memorable. It's hard to look at mashed potatos the same way after watching this movie. LOL

This is pretty much the template for feel good family movie. I mean, at the time, when I saw it in the theater, my 18 year old boyfriend cried! LOL

Yeah, it's well written, the acting's good, cinemetography's inspired yadda yadda. The interactions between the kids and the little alien are sweet and adorable, and the many varied reactions of the adults are a pretty typical representation of how they react to anything they don't understand. It illustrates the difference in priorities and makes you think.

Always a plus for any movie.

My first exposure to Johnny Depp Not A Teen Idol. This movie is so sweet and fun. It's about love in all it's different forms. It's also about trust and letting go and growing.

Truly a beautiful movie.

One of the most original concepts I'd seen at the time. I wasn't as imporessed with the individual actors, none of the performances stood out for me, but the ensemble was great.

The Egyptians being aliens and the projenitors of civilization on earth isn't an original concept, but the mystery of the gate and the exploration to discover the aliens was incredibly well thought out and executed.

I haven't seen any of the subsequent Stargate X offerings, but this first movie was definitely a stand out.

Same excellent quality as the first one. Same great mix of book and movie changes. Loved it.

Epic doesn't even begin to cover it. I can't find a flaw with any of the films in the trilogy and this is no exception. Acting, direction, special effects, interpretation of the story, all wonderful.

Excellent continuation of the saga. And just like most of Quentin Tarantino's stuff, the ending was both beautiful and disturbing.

What's not to love about Mary Poppins? It's magical, musical and fun. And has a wonderful message about the importance of family and true priorities.

Man, this movie sits right on the border of my Horror Movie Enjoyment Threshold. It's starting to venture into the realm of too creepy, but not quite there yet. What makes up for it is the amazing direction, great acting and fasinating story.

This was the first time I'd seen John Cassavetes or Mia Farrow. While I enjoyed Mia Farrow's performance very much, I became a lifetime fan of John Cassavetes.

Even though it's basically a rehash of Thunderball and Cubby's way of strongarming Connery, it's still a Bond flick. And I haven't seen one of those yet that I didn't love. Connery ones best of all.

The religious symbolism was at it's most blatant in this movie, but it was done so well, I really didn't mind so much. If Neo hadn't ended up in a mock crucifix position at the end I would have been happier, but we can't have everything. All in all a wonderful conclusion to a facinating theatrical and metaphysical journey.

Probably the most angst driven of the three with buckets full of character development. Pretty much what a middle episode of a trilogy should be. LOL

And, on a purely I-was-a-teenager-when-I-saw-it note, I just loved the Han and Leia relationship. It's just squeeworthy. Hee

Interesting interpretation of the Ripper legend. Very stylized and rather unlikely as a factual interpretation. But as a fan of the casefile, I enjoyed watching them take the various elements and blend them together around the facinating character Johnny Depp plays.

And, as usual, he turns in an enthralling performance, taking us inside the fractured but brilliant mind of the investigator tracking the Ripper.

While a rather controvercial interpretation of Shaw's play, I must say I love it. I think they could have really mangled it in their effort to bring Eliza and Higgins together in the end. I respect Shaw's desire to keep Eliza strong and independent, but I do agree that the characters are good together.

HOWEVER, if Rex Harrison hadn't played Higgins as being just as attached to Eliza as she was to him, I would have thrown slippers at the screen when she came back to him. All in all, very well done.

Wonderful continuation of a wonderful adaptation of a wonderful series. LOL

Once again...Peanuts cartoon...DUH!

Absolute classic. Full of twists and turns, femme fatale, gritty PI and international bad guys.

Humphrey Bogart and Sidney Greenstreet are IDEAL foils.

I don't even know where to start with this movie. The story itself is so complex and facinating, but when you add the phenomenal talent and chemistry of Katherine Hepburn and Peter O'Toole it's off the chart.

The portrayal of Eleanor by Katherine Hepburn is both sublime and explosive in a fabulous combination. Her acting style is something every actor should study, but particularly this performance.

Granted it was writen by his wife, and there are a few "larger than life" bits to it, but still, it's a wonderful tribute. Bruce Lee was a man who had his own vision and fought hard to bring it to life. He had a passion and love for the truth and balance in all things. And for sharing it with others.

Jason Scott Lee did a wonderful job bringing the energy and spirit of Bruce Lee to this movie. As a long time fan of Bruce Lee, it was a joy to watch.

Probably just because I've watched it since I was a kid, but for me, this will always be the "true" story of Santa Clause. LOL

The stop-action of Rankin Bass is definitely worthy of Master Harryhausen himself and the all-star voice cast brings it all together to make timeless Christmas magic.

The same goes for this one. It's the definitive Rudolph story by the natural heirs apparent to Master Harryhausen.

And I just can't get enough of Yukon Cornelius. LOLOL

I read the book well before I watched the movie. I was curious to see if the movie would be able to capture and portray the enormitiy of the issues involved. To my amazement, they went so far beyond what I ever could have imagined to bring the book as it was to the screen. To be true to the Orwellian vision.

John Hurt and Richard Burton were absolutely ideal for these roles and portrayed them with chilling depth and truth.

On a side note, the soundtrack by The Eurythmics brought a wonderful added layer of depth. It wove itself into the story, bringing out the emotions the characters were unable to fully express.

Damn good piece of work, that.

LONG before Jerry Seinfeld came up with "the show about nothing" Gene Kelly and Stanly Donan made this movie! ROFL! They knew they wanted to make a movie and they knew they wanted to use this score, but they had no idea what to actually do with it. The monumentally groundbreaking fly by the seat of your pants script you see is the result of them "seeing what they could come up with".

And PROPS to Debbie Reynolds, who really hadn't danced before this movie to not only learn but keep up with her two phenomenally talented co-stars.

I actually didn't watch this until I'd seen Star Wars. I thought I really wouldn't be able to relate since it takes place so far before my time. But damned if teen age angst isn't teen age angst since time began.

And really, you can't compare this to any old John Hughes movie either, because it's not a glitzy, idealized version. It's a real, personal glimpse into a night in the life. And a transition, letting go of childish things and starting into adulthood.

My absolutely favorite Clint Eastwood western. Hands down. I really love the way morality play is built in with the is he/isn't he supernatural twist. A very good blend of genres.

You would think that all the interpersonal relationship messages packed into this movie would make it cluttered and preachy. But surprisingly, it's not. It's well paced and funny with a great cast, slick writing and an all-age appeal.

For me, personally, the focus on "disabilities" and parenting really rang true. I usually hate PC terms, but this movie was a great example of "differently abled". LOL

With all due respect and kudos to Bela Lugosi the minute they released this movie Gary Oldman OWNED Count Dracula. It is the most faithful-to-the-book rendition of the story, but at the same time, brings another level of passion and pathos to the characters.

Wynona Rider, while sporting a horrendous English accent, accentuated the conflict within the Mina character wonderfully. And Keanu Reeves, once again shows his willingness to stretch his acting bounderies. Brave boy, but this role, too was just a bit out of his reach.

And last but not least the cinematography isn't just an enhancement of the story in this movie, it's part of the story. It fleshes out the characters and moves the story along in a way that is vital to the movie as a whole.

One of my all time favorite Bond movies. Bloefeld, the two creepy diamond smuggler dudes, Jimmy Dean, Bambi and Thumper... Classic Bond. LOL

Peanuts cartoon!...nuff said...

I had never read the comics so I went into this as a completely blank slate, as it were. I was absolutely gobstopped. Groundbreaking cinematography, mind-blowing story premise, tight well written script and phenomenal acting.

THIS is one where Keanu displayed his true talent. And this is also in that genre of movie where, while rife with violence, it also portrays a bizarre beauty to the violence.

Very good update of the original movie. More gritty and "dangerous" than the original to appeal to the current movie-going audience, but with the same basic message. Excellent characterizations including the CGI characters.

This entire series is a wonderful interpretation of the books. Honestly, these books are so well read and loved, particularly by the Geek population that it would be hard for them to veer too far away. But they do do an excellent job of bringing the spirit of the characters and the quest to life.

A different time and a different way of life to be sure. A clash of cultures so polarly opposite there is no way the two can successfully mesh. But it's fascinating to see the characters start to understand the other. Not necessarily agree with, but understand. And begin to move toward a center point.

Yule Brenner and Deborah Kerr were absolutely perfect in this movie. Both stubborn and defiant and rigid in their beliefs, but at the same time drawn to the other's intelligence and foreign points of view.

While it doesn't follow the book exactly, it is still a wicked fun and well done version. I enjoyed it very much.

Personally, I liked this one best of the Timothy Dalton Bond flicks. In his first attempt they really tried to change up the formula too drastically, but this one brought it back. In the If It Ain't Broke Don't Fix It tradition. I was sorry to see him go, as I did think he made a good Bond once he got the rhythm in this movie. But, Lazenby only had one, so I suppose it's a Transitional Bond thing. LOL

Absolute A-List Marvel movie. Follows the storyline of the comics, focuses on the interpersonal relationships and internal struggles of the characters (in the tradition of Stan Lee) and at the same time has wicked special effects.

Words, music and sentiment collide with a riotously funny story that is my All Time Favorite Christmas movie.

This is a WONDERFUL splicing of Matrix, 1984 and Farenheit 451. It could have come across as a cheap rip-off, but the acting and directing are so fresh it really carves out a unique spot for itself.

I have always loved to watch interpretations of Shakespeare plays. There is so much that can be done with them as they are such wonderful, timeless stories. But..I was a bit leary of a Japanese version of King Lear. My bad. This movie absolutely sold me on Akira Kurosawa and confirmed that there really are no boundaries for the stories of The Bard.

While the story is great and the special effects are fresh and original, the entire cast is extremely talented etc. etc. etc. ... This is a Johnny Depp tour de force period. Truly one of his most inspired characters.

I have to say that if I hadn't grown up in the midwest amongst miles of cornfields and rednecks, this movie probably wouldn't have hit my radar. HOWEVER, that being said, this really is a Redneck Quest Movie in the most classic sense. It has all the elements of the quest, the characters, the commradrie, the Impossible Task, the villian/foil... Only with lots of cussing, cars and sex.

Oh and it's damn funny, too. LOL

It is so glaringly obvious that Quentin Tarantino and I grew up watching the same movies. LOL He has taken all the best of the "chop saki" movies put a monster budget behind it and moved it to a whole other level of cool. The story is so deep and multi-layered, the pacing is perfect and Uma Thurman is AMAZING.

I must say that this is one of the best post-apocolyptic offerings I've ever seen. Interesting characters with an actual plot and marginally intelligent, thought provoking dialogue.

I truly do think that the character of Snake Plyskin, not to mention the dimension brought to him by Kurt Russel is a large part of the movies draw. But the overall package is well worth the viewing.

A brilliant interpretation of Taming of the Shrew cleverly disguised as a teenage romp. And I say this as someone who has seen just about every interpretation there is from Burton/Taylor to the Moonlighting spoof. It's one of my favorites of the comedies.

This was my first introduction to Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles and I was very impressed with both.

Absolutely beautiful portrait of the interconnectedness of Mozart and his music. I love they way they illustrate the "channeling" of pure music through Mozart to the page and his struggles with the music and reality. F. Murray Abraham's portrayal of Salieri was deep and real.

I haven't seen the play so I can't compare, but the movie is a fascinating mix of grand and intimate that grips the mind and soul.

My favorite of the series so far, but definitely on the other side of the cut off point for kids. There is so much character growth here, a new level of depth and complexity. It's as Hermione says "Nothing's going to be the same again". And no matter how many times I see this movie, the scene where he brings back Cedric always breaks my heart. Daniel Radcliffe did a fine piece of work in this movie all the way through, but particularly here.

Cary Grant defined Suave in this movie. And the combination of young innocent, and cunning seductress Grace Kelly played was, for me, the defining indication of her talent.

While not the most challenging project Hitchcock ever undertook, it had his classic style and pace. Wonderful movie, without a doubt.

Considering how many times a year one is exposed to this movie it ought to grate on the nerves. But it doesn't for me. I love the story. I think everyone can identify with having a Grand Vision of their future only to end up with an Ordinary Life. Very few people are lucky enough to realize that more often than not the Ordinary is so much better than the Grand.

Yes its sappy, drivelly tripe. But it's very well done tripe and I for one think the world would be...less...without it. LOL

There isn't a poor performance in the bunch in this movie. It's a wonderful psychological study of "character types". And even though Henry Fonda is supposed to be the "star" of the movie, hands down Lee J. Cobb had what I consider to be the most challenging role and pulled it off flawlessly.

Aside from being a very well done action/adventure/sci fi flick, this was a very nicely crafted endpiece to a trilogy. Everything tied up in a nice little bow with the Good conquering over the Evil.

Good stuff. :D

James Bond, Geishas, Ninjas and Big Rockets. Aside from the fact that no matter how much makeup you put on him Sean Connery will never look remotely Asian, another truly premium Bond flick.

Flat out what politics should be and a prime example of why no one with this kind of integrity and dedication would run for office these days.

One of the best Disney movies ever! The themes of self sacrifice, family, understanding and acceptance of differences are portrayed in a way that is easy for kids to understand. But the thing that I liked best about it was the spiritual aspect. I've noticed Disney being much more inclusive of alternate spirituality, especially nature based which is wonderful in my opinion. It's important for kids to see that these belief systems aren't evil or wrong, just different.

Definitely one of Hitchcock's best. Based VERY loosely on the Leopold and Loeb murder, the main attraction of this movie is the psychological interplay. Not only between the two boys but between them and James Stewart's character. Fascinating stuff indeed.

I don't know if you have to be a Band Geek to truly get this movie, but I'd imagine it helps. LOL All the themes, career, dreams and family are universal. And I suppose from a pure teaching perspective the "desire to inspire" is also universal.

But there is just something different about band and music. I will remember my band director until the day I die (salud, Mr. Van de Voort) for all the things he taught me not only about art and music, but about self respect, responsibility, the ability to think, not only outside the box, but in the next town away from the box. There was also teamwork and leadership, not only learning to rely on others, but being reliable. And this is what Mr. Holland is fighting for here and what is never understood by the school boards who cancel music programs to save money.

Yes, Richard Dryfuss was amazing in this movie portraying a man from the beginning of his adult life to the twilight. The movie followed his story and the changes of time in a most captivating and well paced way.

But there is an added benefit from this movie and that's the Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation to help school districts save their music programs. Bravo.

Absolute, hands down, don't even bother to argue best of the TOS movies. Sad that they got it so right on the second try it took them until the 6th one to even get close again.

For Trekkers it is a great character examination of Kirk, the Man and how that translates into Kirk, the Captain. It was also a joy to see a tie in with the series and one of the most fascinating characters therein. The battle of wills between these two men is epic.

And beside this, is the growth and culmination of the Spock character. I have hated to say it since the trailer for number three, but they really should have left Spock dead. I don't regret some of the later story lines that resulted in the Star Trek universe because they didn't, but bringing him back later somehow diminished the sacrifice he made, I think. It also made for rather less than quality story lines for 3 and 4.

However, this, as a stand alone movie is outstanding.

I love Stephen King. (Driven by his house a couple times, it suits him. LOL) And while there is quite a bit of implied gore and guts in this movie, really, it's not what the movie's about. It's almost like Carrie for boys. A malcontent, doesn't fit in, buys an old car to fix it up. Then comes the fun part. LOL The relationship between the kid and the possessed car is just...cool, in a sick, twisted kind of way.

Anyhow, classic Stephen King.

This is one of those movies I'm at a loss to find adequate words to describe, let alone rate. It's so deeply moving and real, it touches something primal. The familes, separation and reunion, dysfunction and healing. And the individuals finding themselves, their true selves, their internal truth and power.

Beautiful doesn't even begin to cover it.

Don't think the irony of my liking this movie, let alone rating it so highly has escaped me. LOL

However, it's a wonderfully well made movie. The special effects were well advanced for the time, and not overused as some are today. The direction is well-paced (no shock there) and the acting is superb. Even Edward G. Robinson does a passable job, (which is pretty much the same thing as putting Keanu Reeves in a Shakespeare play).

This is one of the most understated of Hitchcock's works. It's suffused with suspence, tension and drama, but we really only see it from one perspective. And he takes great care to bring that perspective into question at sufficient intervals to keep everyone guessing until the end.

Genius, the man was a genius!

I must admit this is my favorite of the Blade series. And while it has much on it's own to recommend it, Ryan Reynolds flat out makes this movie for me.

It's slick, well written, the character of Dracula "The Original Vampire" is fascinating. It's rather more what we expect based on the original movie and the Vampire Elders. I found the Whistler's Daughter plot device a bit cheap, but not enough to detract from the rest.

And did I mention that Ryan Reynolds is just flat out sexy as hell and cracks me up? Nothing turns a girl on more than a cut young man with a sense of humour. LOL

Awesome Bond flick. Surgically altered bad guys, nuclear weapons, Domino, sharks, underwater fight scene. Wicked!

If this film proves nothing else, it proves that telling Gene Kelly he can't actually film in Paris just pisses the man off and he makes the best frickin musical ever filmed to spite you.

Seriously, Gershwin, Kelly and Caron. You'd have to work HARD to make some thing bad out of that.

Despite Brad Pitt, this movie is BRILLIANT! A total bloody mind f*ck!

Direction, cinemetography, acting...yada, yada, yada...The story was amazing, complex, psychologically intricate, unique...Loved it!

Peanuts!!! Don't ya just wanna go over and get the Little Red Haired Girl and drag her back? LOLOL

We used to get to watch this version in school during the "Shakespeare Section" of English class. I assume because it would help kids relate better to The Bard. I never had that particular problem, but this was the first time I'd actually seen a Shakespeare play acted out rather than just reading it.

That being said, I may not be an unbiased reviewer, but this is a wonderful production of Romeo and Juliet. It truly brings to the forefront the Teenage Angst that doesn't always come across from just reading the play, or having the parts played by older actors. This was The John Hughes Movie of the 17th Century. LOL

This was the first movie I had ever seen that dealt directly with AIDS. Particularly as it related to homosexuality. I had seen treatments done indirectly of individuals infected in other ways, but this openly and unabashedly hit the subject right between the eyes. It really forced the mainstream movie audience to take an honest look at their own biases.

And my respect for Tom Hanks as an actor ramped up exponentially after this movie. Very well done.

Totally bizzare, surreal look into the inner workings of different people under completely foreign, mortal physical, psychological and moral stress. One of those movies that makes you think "I can't really be sure how I'd end up if I were in that situation".

Both epic and intimate. Very well made movie.

Completely different than the TV show and Thank the GODS! Hate the TV show.

This movie is a riot! If you're a vampire purist, turn now and run. But this is one of those So Stupid It's Funny movies that make me not mind. The only complaint I have is Rutger Hauer. Worst choice for that role possible. Luke Perry, however, ROCKS as the Dude in Distress. BWAHAHAHA!!!

This movie is so fun. I'm not the biggest Rex Harrison fan in the world, but this is such a challenging role for someone like him and he rose well above the call.

Wonderfully well done.

A great story about cutting through the crap about People. The dialoge is quick, clever and insightful and the chemistry between all the actors is engaging and believable.

There wasn't a less than stellar performance turned in by anyone. Including Virginia Weidler, who's rendition of Lydia the Tatoo'd Lady rivals the Great Groucho Marx himself. Hee hee

I HIGHLY recommend this over High Society, which is a sad and pale imitation. LOL

Oh geez, come on, it's just frickin hilarious! It's Dirty Harry meets John Wayne meets Jackie Chan with just a dash of the supernatural.

Is this not just the best Bond Girl name EVA!!! Pussy Galore?!?!?! Puleeeze! I'm sure they're shocked they got away with it. LOLOL

Aside from that, there's the body paint chick, Odd Job, nuclear bombs, Fort Knox and "No Mr. Bond, I expect you to die"! I just love these movies! :D

Excellent adaptation of the story. Disneyfied, but not as bad as some stories they've done in later years. *cough* Hunchback of Notre Dame *cough*

I am a BIG fan of Ed Wood. His movies fall into the So Frickin Stupid They Rock category. (Stupid, stupid, stupid!!! BWAHAHAHA!) AND a big fan of Bela Lugosi, I have quite a few of his flicks.

THEN you add in Burton/Depp with Martin Landau and you get a damn fine, albeit really odd movie. Hee hee hee

THE best version of the movie and I'm pretty sure I've seen most all of them ever made.

Alastair Sim owns Scrooge. He completely sells the entire range of emotions in Scrooge from Cold Calculating Bastid when he and Marley made their first hostile take over, through Miserable Miserly Bastid and right through to Repentent Reformed Friend of Everyone.

I love every part of this movie, but his performance is what makes it better than any of the others.

I think this is one of the very rare instances where I liked the movie better than the book. Perhaps it reads better in the original French, but... Yeah.

It's a classic. Extraordinarily original concept, even now. The make-up effects at the time were groundbreaking and the actors did a wonderful job acting not only through the makeup, but with the makeup. They didn't come across as humans in ape suits, they really had the aire of highly evolved apes.

I thoroughly enjoyed the study of religion and it's creation/use to control the masses. An interesting look at how a theocracy can stifle a society with fear and supersition. Not to mention the post apocolyptic examination of human stupidity. Very profound moment when Taylor finds the Statue of Liberty.

This movie is absolutely visceral. It's captivating both sensually and emotionally. It's not a great landmark, epic anything, but I think it has a greater impact than some that are.

The themes of love and family, redemption and hope are ones that everyone wtih a soul can relate to and they are portrayed so beautifully in this movie.

While it doesn't really bear much resemblance to the Shelley novel, it's still a great movie. It hits most of the important points, and Karloff's portrayal of the Monster as a sympathetic character using no verbal language is wonderful. And it was his choice to play it that way. In the novel the Monster actually ends up quite well spoken and educated. To choose to try and put across that level of pathos non-vebally and through extensive prosthetic facial make-up was quite courageous, I think.

After getting past Olivia DeHavilland being evil (which took a LOT of work, mind you) I relished this movie. Psycho-mystery-drama...who killed the boy, is Charlotte really going barmy, who's involved in the gaslighting... AH! It's all such creepy, wacked out goodness.

And once again, Agnes Moorehead is severely overlooked. Does the fact that Orson Wells never did anything wtihout her on the Mercury Theater mean NOTHING to anyone?!?!?!

My personal favorite Tracy/Hepburn movie. It's always touted as a femanist movie because a female lawyer is defending a female client who shot her philandering husband in flagrante dilecto. But as Spencer Tracy so ably portrays at the end with his Tears at Will, it's really about People rather than Male vs. Female. It illustrates the fact that gender stereotypes are fundamentaly irrelevant.

And it's damn funnyl David Wayne was absolutely riotous! :D

The Original...The Classic...The Incontrovertable Phantom. The story is amazing in any retelling and I haven't seen it really bolluxed in any of the versions.

What separates this from ANY of the others is Lon Chaney. The Man of a Thousand Faces. He was what I'd term a Hollistic Actor. He created his own make-up, contorted his own body with prosthetics of his own invention, sublimated his own personality to the character he was playing.

I have seen many "horror" movies in my life, but I still remember to this day the first time I saw the mask ripped off Lon Chaney's face and the reaction he portrayed.

"I'll be your huckleberry" Come on, how is that not one of the greatest lines ever?! There isn't much I like Val Kilmer in, but this is one of his best performances, I think.

I've seen just about every version of the OK Corral there is, but I think this one is the best. It's an interesting mix of grit and Hollywood, of the real and the larger than life. Rather what a legend should be, in my opinion.

It's just so amazingly, frighteningly, painfully real. And I don't mean in a necessarily piece by piece factually accurate way. I mean real. There are so many reasons why stories like this need to be told and told well. Honestly, even after The Color Purple, I had my doubts that Spielberg had _this_ in him. That was the very last time I doubted the man.

Wonderful rendition of the legend! Errol Flynn brings full-blooded life and joy to the character. And the chemistry of Flynn, DeHavilland and Rathbone is always electric.

On a final note, I don't think Michael Curtiz could make a bad movie if he were forced at gunpoint. :D

I must admit I'm always a sucker for psychological studies. This is Hitchcock taking the action and intrigue into the mind of the main character. We ride along with the psychoanalyst as she tries to untangle the knots. Honestly, I think the romance is secondary, but an interesting twist nonetheless.

And this was my first introduction to Salvadore Dali. Fascinating stuff. LOL

Al Pacino at his best and Scarface be DAMNED! This is a GREAT look at the justice system in America and how screwed up it can truly be. And how much we need people who actually believe in the principles of it.

"You're all out of order!!!!!" Hell yeah!

My personal favorite of the modern vampire universes. While I love Blade, the character, the Vampire Culture described in these movies is absolutely fascinating.

And the Rebellion of the Young Turks against the Elders rather makes for a reference point, as it were for humans to identify with this society.

Lastly, the ANGST! Oh the ANGST!!! :D

There is absolutely NOTHING I don't love about this movie. Magical, musical, dreamer's delight. James Bond for kids. :D

Disneyfied, but not in a bad way. Since there is no clear "text" to the legend, you can't really tell it wrongly. LOL I enjoy this movie so much. It's a fun, innocent portrayal of rebellion against persecution. Oxymoronic as that may sound, I think it's valuable for kids to get this kind of black and white picture of injustice before they are introduced to the frustrating grayscale version we deal with every day as adults.

This movie is everything that was awe inspiring and wonderous about science fiction in the early years. A united humanity exploring the final frontier, wicked cool gadgets and special effects, and A Thought-Provoking Message.

I started reading Asimov, Clarke, Heinlein and that lot in grade school. And while these stories and this movie were all made YEARS before I was even born, it still stoked the fires of wild imagination deep within me. I'm eternally grateful for that.

I've never seen the play done badly, but I do think this is the best filmed version. While I have all the respect in the world for Richard Burton, he just couldn't capture the youth and innocense nor the subsequent loss of it as well as Richard Harris.

The cinematography also tells the story so well. Bright and airy, all the energy of the Lusty Month of May in the beginning, then in the last half we see all the colors darkening, the light leaving. It's wonderful.

I didn't see this movie until I was 20-ish, so I don't have the whole "grew up with it" sentiment attached to it. It's loosely based on a true story, and I think that's what first attracted me to it. The romance and metamorphosis of the father was the capper. It was done so well. I NEVER pictured Christopher Plummer as a singing, romantic leading man, but he proved to have remarkable range in this film.

Yes, this is a "monster movie", but inside the monster movie is a very good environmental conservation story. So the movie geek in me just loves it for being a fun monster flick, while the tree hugging geek in me loves that someone was thinking about human impact on nature. The fact that it's addressed, while not blatantly, in a straightforward fashion is bonus.

Wonderfully written and enchantingly performed little piece of escapism. It speaks to all the dreamers who grew up wanting to go over the rainbow, to go somewhere...else. Who think the grass is greener wherever they're not.

From a technical standpoint, the use of colors is literally brilliant, the scale is as grand as one can make on a soundstage i the late 30s and the music/choreography is perfectly suited to the mood and theme.

While I think it's a bit too much for younger children, it's perfect for the Tweens, even those who have been numbed by the dross they're fed by Hollywood/Disney these days.

Dave....what are you doing Dave.... I so TOTALLY wanted to be Arthur C. Clarke when I grew up after seeing this movie. I was just as awed that Stanley Kubrick could even come remotely close to approximating the level of esoteric, mind bending concepts Clarke weaved in the book. Boggles the mind, it really does.

It's sad that this movie is seen as so controversial that Disney won't even acknowledge it's existence anymore. Yes, it paints a rosy picture of life on the plantation, but no more so than movies like Jezebel. The wisdom of Uncle Remus and his tales of Brer Rabbit far outweigh any detriment the live action portions may possibly portray. Finally, I watched this movie with my kids, as I think parents really should do with any movie, and we were able to talk about the messages and issues brought up by the movie. I loved the stories and songs as a kid and I want my children to be able to as well.

Not my favorite of all the HP movies, but it has some of my favorite bits in it. The introduction of The Marauders for one. It's too bad they couldn't introduce the backstory surrounding them, it rocks. And this is where my complete obsession with Snape began. And my HP universe split for a time. LOL The movies were much kinder to the character of Snape than the books. The image of Snape protecting The Trio is indelibly burned in my brain. ::sigh:: I completely fangirl Snape.

Definitely one of Hitchcock's best, and may I say Jimmy Stewart as well. Cudos to anybody who can portray suspense with that degree of intensity from a wheelchair with your leg in a cast! Excellent pacing and use of visuals in what is again a very limited pallet. The majority of the action takes place in the courtyard of the apartment building or the windows across.

Damn fine piece of moviemaking.

Creepy, man, just creepy. I still look at large groups of birds sitting on a phone wire funny. This was the first "big budget" animals gone wild movie I remember seeting, and while it was classier and flashier in some ways, I don't think it set itself that far apart from it's B grade couterparts. I still haven't made up my mind whether I like the fact that they never really went into the whys of it all. On the one hand I would really love to know, on the other, it's not central to the point of the story.

Excellent character study, though, as all Hitchcock movies are.

Robin Williams, Walt Whitman and Shakespeare. One would think this an odd mix, but surprisingly, it makes for a noble, esoteric work. In a way it is about a teacher "corrupting" his students. He awakens their souls, lights the fires of their imaginations and then sets them loose in a society that scorns these traits. Especially in its youth. But I think it's a sacrifice worth making to have a generation of adults who can think, feel and be true to themselves and those around them.

This was the first time I actually took Robin Williams seriously as an actor. I never underestimated him again. Wonderful cast, understated but powerful direction, excellent film.

Ya know, if I hadn't seen this movie I'd be pretty sure Leonardo DiCaprio couldn't act his way out of a paper bag. But here he and Johnny Depp play perfectly and beautifully off each other. Speaking from experience his portrayal of a teen with special needs is spot on and true.

The script is a fascinating crafting of a most functional dysfunctional family and the direction is simple but real.

Am I biased because this is based on a book by Carl Sagan? Hell yeah! Sagan is one of the human beings I admire most in the world. He's one of those "If I could invite any dead person to dinner" people. He was a bleeding-heart liberal, dreamer, visionary scientist.

This is a wonderful representation of his vision. A combination of philosophical and scientific debate within a fascinatingly mysterious puzzle with a leap of scientific fatih at the end. Gods it's just so cool. LOL

If you are a "Classic Pooh" fan, as I am, then this movie is as close as you're going to get to seeing it on screen. I've seen this movie so many times since I was a kid I could probably recite it front to back. When I read the original A.A. Milne book, Sebastian Cabot is narrating it. LOL It's Disneyfied, but really not in a bad way. Actually, the least damage has been done to this story than any I've seen Disney mangle.

Being a Richard Attenborough film you expect it to be rather epic. And considering the subject matter, epic does seem in order. So I was very impressed when the film displayed a tone to match the man. Epic, but in a subtle, underplayed way.

There are generally men of this ilk in the history of "conquered" or "besieged" nations. Usually they are rallying the troops to war like Leonidis or Wallace and are betrayed to the enemy and killed as heroes and martyrs. Ghandi rallied his people to passive resistance and was betrayed by politics. But rather than being only a martyr for his country and his people, his life inspired the world. And I think this grandiose vision was put on the screen with as much modesty and power as the man himself showed in life. Ben Kingsley immersed himself in the role to the point that you almost feel like you've been in the presence of Ghandi himself. It was an inspired and beautiful performance.

While I do love the story of Dark Crystal, I have to say my main reason for rating this so high is purely awe of the technical execution. I mean it's one thing to do Sesame Street or the Muppet show on TV, but this was leaps and bounds beyond that in both style and realism (well, as real as a Muppet can get at any rate). Beautifully done.

This film was made at the culmination of their first big push to be The Biggest Rock Band in the World. Never underestimate a determined Irishman. LOL I haven't seen a great many "concert films" but I was quite impressed wtih this one. There was a good balance of music and commentary and I like that they kept the interview and backstage stuff real. It was a fresh view of the band that we usually only see polished in videos or on stage.

I think the thing that stood out most for me was when they were rehearsing with BB King. Even though they were "The Biggest Rock Band in the World", they still showed proper deference for one of the great forerunners of American Music. Don't worry about it, Edge will play the chords. Luvs ya, Bono.

It's bizarre, it's got superhero, daredevil, rock stars and dimension-traveling aliens. But damn is it cool! The story is so convoluted, and complex, but if you watch it about half a million times (I'm pretty close at this point) it really does make sense. LOL

And I'm still waiting for the next installment! Get on the ball people! :P

This film plops Jimmy Stewart's Signature Everyman smack dab in the middle of a Hitchcockian nightmare and drags us along for the ride. And I have to give kudos to Doris Day in this. I've seen her in a few of the comedies, but she really did bring her A game to this angst-ridden mother character.

One of Hitchcock's best suspense films, in my opinion.

Marvelous piece of work! It always a toss up for me who's performance I like more, Julie Andrews or Robert Preston. They're both probably the best performances I've seen out of either of the actors.

Add to that an enjoyable story, excellent musical numbers and a superb supporting cast and you get one of the rare comedies I actually love. LOL

I love Agatha Christie's book, but I've only seen a handful of movies that do them justice. This is one of them. I don't know how they got so many A list stars into one movie but it makes for an amazing film. It is damn difficult to make a film set in such a limited physical space and keep the story fresh and engaging. This one does it in a snow-bound train in the middle of nowhere.

Excellent film all the way around.

Quite possibly the most beautiful, angst-ridden, fairy tale love story ever conceived of in the mind of human beings. 80s production values and all.

My very first exposure to Rutger Hauer, which is probably not such a great thing as this was an anomoly in his career, but he should do this kind of role more often. He's damn good at it. And the interactions between Mouse and the Father are priceless.

So yeah, I'm a big ol' honkin' sap. Deal. ;D

Painful and poignient and beautiful. All the more so for it being a rather well documented true story. That such a wonderous and loving soul could survive inside that tormented body is one of the few things that maintains my faith in humanity.

He was treated as an animal in his youth, a curiosity and a test subject in his adult years, but only after his death was he truly apreciated as a superior human being. John Hurt was astounding in this role. The fact that it was filmed in black and white with little incidental effects or music only made the story and acting stand out in more stark clarity.

Not to get all deep and introspective over a Bond flick, but this one did have a couple "moments". First, M (the new one) all sentimental and in the field. Not a good idea. She's much better back at MI-6 being a hard-ass. Just because she's a woman doesn't mean she has to get all mushy and stupid.

Second, the introduction to "R" (soon to be the new Q). Seeing John Cleese being introduced as "the young man I'm training up to replace me" was almost worth the price of admission. And he's good, but I'll forever miss Desmond. He's the only one that's been there since Dr. No, bless him.

Back in the day when Sci Fi writers actually tried to make a statement, a point, a difference in the world. Back when they were visionaries instead of gore-mongers, this movie stood out. Yeah, it was rather preachy, but at that time people really did need to be hit over the head with a Clue x 4 when it came to the realities of Nuclear War. Well, war in general, actually.

Michael Rennie did a wonderful job in this movie, his calm, rational portayal of a superior being looking in confusion at the savage wack jobs on this planet was compelling.

While I've seen quite a few Woody Allen movies (thanx hubby) I've never been a huge fan. This one, however, is the best thing he's ever made (that I've seen at any rate). It's an insightful study of self-delusion, reality and everything in between. External life, internal life and interpersonal life in all it's rich, bizarre facets.

I was absolutely and pleasantly surprised to see Keanu excel in an Out of His Box piece. This is a wonderful film combining modern day Buddhism with the story of Sidddartha in a way the every day individual can understand and enjoy. Seen through the eyes of a young American boy it paints a simple yet beautiful picture of the origins of the religion and how it relates to the modern practice.

Beautiful interpretation of Asimov's story. I admire the way they kept the feel of the original story as well, and Robin Williams contained himself for the most part. Either he put a serious amount of effort into it or he had a greater respect for the character and story than I generally give him credit for. LOL

In The Good Doctor's usual fashion he takes advantage of his Robot Perspective to both humble and elevate humanity. This movie brings it across remarkably well.

The Cinematic Birthplace of a Genre. Period. And there will NEVER be another TRUE James Bond agan.

Let The Gadgets Begin! SRSLY! The Briefcase alone was wicked. Aside from all the super-spy goodness, though, I wanted to take a moment to comment on Robert Shaw's performance. I may be a putting a little bit extra in here having read the book, but this character is so...screwed up, I mean more than most Bond Villains... And it's really outside most of the other roles I've seen Shaw in, I'm just impressed.

I LIKED Lazenby...so there! LOL And aside from a few vague references, this is the ONLY place you will find Bond's human side, and the basis for his intense hatred for Blofeld. Yes, James Bond was in love and married at one time. ::gasp:: I think it's great. Adds a wonderful level of depth to the character throughout the series.

It would be really difficult to bollux this story. By it's very nature the story of bringing three men back to earth alive using computers with brains the size of a Commodore 64 and human ingenuity kind of stands alone as a master work. What I love about this is Ron Howard's unique ability to focus on the people in the midst of the chaos, to make their personal stories just as compelling as the overall plotline.

The main story is great. Jane Seymore was perfect for the role, the gadgets were definitely up to snuff. HOWEVER, I could have done without The Hick Sheriff side car plot. >:p It doesn't detract from the overall effect, though which is still cool.

I did like Timmothy Dalton as Bond. I was still harboring some resentment that Brosnan didn't get it that time around, but I gave him a chance. This movie was an interesting experiment in breaking away from the mold that had been done to death during the Moore years. I think it did set a stronger, more Connery-esque tone that carried through (with a few modifications) to the end of the series. (I refuse to acknowledge the latest Blonde Bond as anything but a Poser Userper).

I resisted watching this movie for a long time. These themes disturb me a bit more than they probably should being "just movies". However after being recommended by two people whose judgement I have come to give considerable weight, I did.

Technically, I think it was made in a bit too clean a fashion. It wasn't quite gritty enough from a production standpoint to support the subject matter. It had the feel of a made for TV movie or ABC After School Special.

Everything else was very well done. The writing was real, even-handed and not preachy. The acting and direction brought across the subtleties of mood, emotion and conflict that words would have put over the top.

The thing I liked best about the overall storyline is that Norton's character's transformation wasn't "miraculous". It wasn't one of those light switch reversals. It showed an intelligent, sincere individual take a realistic look at his belief system and weigh it logically against differing realities he is exposed to. And he owns his behavior. All of it, past and present. He doesn't blame anyone for the choices he made and he makes an ernest effort to pass this along to his brother.

Norton did an amazing job in this role. He played two polarly opposite sides of the same person so believably and made the transition and inner struggle look real. He didn't play a hero or a villian, he played a regular guy (although more intelligent, I think, than the average).

Very good movie, I add my recommendation. :D

Certainly not the first movie about The Individual as a threat to The State, but I think it may be the best one. Kirk Douglas doesn't play Spartacus as a Larger Than Life hero. As we see in his relationship with Jean Simmon's character, especially the scene before the war when he's desperately hugging her pregnant belly, he is a simple man. His battle against the Romans isn't just a matter of principle, it's personal. It's about his friends and family as well as The Greater Good of the Common Man. You saw his pain and strength when he killed Tony Curtis' character. I have much more respect for this type of Hero than I do for the "I Don't Have Time To Bleed" types.

Everyone gave excellent performances in this movie and with this cast I would expect no less. HOWEVER, Olivier's character was a VERY difficult one to play in the parochial times in which this film was made. The scene with his character and Curtis' character in the bathhouse was so blatantly obvious without being blatantly obvious that I still marvel at it. Oysters in deed. LOLOL

Loosely based on an amalgum of stories from Asimov's Robot Universe, I was leary of watching it. I'd never heard of the director and while I love Will Smith, I love Asimov more. LOL

This crew must have been fans as well, though because for every difference there were still the core values and concepts that stayed true to The Good Doctor's vision.

This movie had elements of the W Bros style but at the same time steered clear of the "graphic novel" feel that style tends to engender. I was impressed with this director's pacing and storytelling as well as his use of visual effects not only as eye-candy for the unwashed masses, but also as integral pieces of the story/picture. The way they wove the CGI elements so seamlessly into the live action kept the movie futuristic-looking while still giving the illusion of being "real".

And once again, Will Smith gave a unique, believable and enjoyable performance. There's something about each character he plays that has the "playful" element of Will Smith, but at the same time no two characters he plays are ever similar. I find this even more impressive considering how closely a lot of these characters have the potential to be played. A lazy or less talented actor could turn in the same portrayal for each of them and probably get away with it (read Keanu Reeves). The fact that Will Smith creates all the layers to make these characters individuals raises him to the next level, IMHO.

Lastly, I ain't gonna gripe about ANY flick that has Shirtless!Will Smith in it. DAYUM

Scorn me if you will, yes, I watched it. I wanted to see Shane Sparks' choreography. If you like Hip Hop dancing, this movie is definitely for you. It has some VERY good choreography and dancing and just plain sick moves.

If you like well constructed and acted movies, really, don't bother cause this is pretty awful as far as that goes. It has a trite, done to death storyline that wasn't even done again well, which is sad. The acting was better than I expected going in, but certainly didn't rise to the level of above average.

Having said that, I love Hip Hop dancing so I did enjoy watching it.

UGH! I didn't know this crew had made a version so I thought that perhaps it was going to be a follow up for the TC version. Really. This was awful in so very many different ways it would take too long to enumerate them all.

The special effects was comparable to 1970s Dr. Who, the acting was dry to the point of being painful with the exception of the "Hip Side Kick". He was enjoyable in spots.....

I could go on, but you get the idea. RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY!!

Overall, it was a well made picture about Man Against Establishment. Lord and lady knows I'm a sucker for those. Pierce Brosnan played the character wtih as much emotion as he always brings to these roles and was a joy to watch. The films where fathers are shown as loving devoted parents, equal to or greater than the mothers are few and far between, sad to say.

It does, however, bring back to the forefront in my Irish Celtic brain how much the catholic church has enslaved the minds, souls and very government of a once proud matriarchal pagan society. So while I cried for the father fighting to get his kids back, I also cried for Erinn.

I like westerns. Don't LURVE em, but I like em. As far as overall production goes, this was pretty typical. Sagebrush and sand.

I do think the two main characters were interesting. Crowe's character was the more standard; Bad Guy of Ambiguous Moral Standards. Not a big stretch for even a less talented actor there. But I found Bale's character much more complex and interesting. Granted a lot of it was "A Guy Thing" that I only vaguely understand, but some things were quite clear. The need to protect his family, the need to Be A Man for his family, and eventually the need to be true and prove himself to himself.

Honestly, I don't know if I would have been quite as captivated by the character if it weren't for CB. He has such a magnetic presence. There was a speech right before he leaves to take the Bad Guy to the train, couldn't have been more than 5 or 6 lines and given barely above a whisper. But in that moment, I HAD to drop what I was doing and focus my entire attention on him and what he was saying. His entire inner struggle and soul was laid bare in his eyes in those few seconds. That was beautiful.

Otherwise, lots of cowboys and indians and shoot em up blah blah blah.

Ya know, I could see where they were going with it. And I really think they meant well, but it brings to mind Jack the Punkin King trying to do Christmas. The Brothers W were just way out of their element trying to make a kid's movie.

It was WAY too long and the pacing was off. They really could have cut out about a half hour and done it world of good. I liked the idea of rolling flashbacks with current time and it worked well. Technically it was inexpressable. I give a Standing O to ILM for outdoing themselves on this one. The Bros' signature style was present, but the feel of the cartoon was still firmly in place. The acting for the most part was good.

The storyline just never really caught my attention until the final race. Most all the elements of the original story were there, but it just wasn't told well. This shocked the hell out of me when I realized The Bros wrote it as well. And I don't think it was a case of the Special Effects overshadowing the story because they did a good job blending them into the background for the most part. Well, as well as possible for that particular nuclear neon color pallet. Just too much story and wicked slow pacing.

Sad, because I was really hoping for better. I think perhaps if I drop some acid before the next showing it might imporove. ;D

Pretty much what I figured, "The Craft" with boys. Pity it wasn't done as well. I think they spent too much time trying to inject testosterone into it to actually make it a fleshed-out story with well defined characters.

With the "witch trial" backstory this movie had scads of potential that was unfortunately wasted.

Overall, this was a pretty standard B Grade sci fi movie. The thing I liked about it is that it made an effort not to be in spots. The storyline took a couple bytes from "The Day the Earth Stood Still", which would ordinarily kill a movie for me. With this one, though, they weren't blatant about it, and they did try to make it their own and gave it their own message. The fact that they didn't shove the message down your throat like some of these movies tried to do was what put it over the top for me.

Of course it was badly acted and over acted in spots, but not as bad as most I've seen. And they seemed to make an effort to keep the special effects to a minimum, concentrating more on the characters and actually having a story.

Lastly, this is the first movie I've ever seen to use a lobster as the Ginormous Man Eating Monster. Kudos from the Mainah on that one theya. Ayuh!

I think I've finally found a cinematic version of the book that is done "right". While it does deviate a bit, Emma Thompson had such a wonderful feel for the spirit of the book and the characters that adds dimension and depth.

Ang Lee lends his usual watercolor brushstrokes to the provincial English landscape, and Kate Winslet is the very spirit of Marrianne. You don't know whether to admire or shake her half the time.

I've resigned myself to never having anyone sastisfactorily illustrate the growth of the relationship between Brandon and Marrianne. Since Ms. Austin felt the few lines sufficient in the book, I suppose we are all to fill in the blanks at our leisure. LOL

This movie reminded me why I love horror movies. I am still shaking and tingly and may have to sleep with the light on.

And ya know, even though I could tell when the creepy parts were coming, and was already peeking through my fingers I STILL almost jumped out of my skin most of the time. Bonus: Not one person died and aside from one bloody lip, not one drop of blood was spilled. I saw no severed limbs, steaming entrails or exploding body parts of any kind. It was just a well paced, well crafted, well-acted (for the most part) horror movie.

On a bit of a side note, I've always thought Ron Silver is an underutilized, under appreciated actor. :D

Being a fan of Jane Austin, I was hoping for something a bit more...substantial out of this movie. Sadly, it was mostly just fluffy goo. I did appreciate the insight into the whys and wherefores, and I gained a new level of respect for her, which is why I gave it two instead of one.

As a movie it was just...blah. The characterizations were shallow, the direction was uninspired, which I think made the acting seem rather flatter than it actually was. Anne Hathaway truly put her heart into it. I'm not convinced James McAvoy did. I realize he was trying for troubled covered in blasaise, but I think the blasaise smothered it in spots.

Bit of a disappointment overall.

I think if I watch it three or four more times this movie may make some semblance of sense. The first two thirds seems to be more about the bizarre emotional triangle of the main characters than the actual case, leaving me to keep thinking, but wait, what about...

Then at the end, when they finally try to tie everything together with the Dahlia it just mangles the story even worse. The whole movie is just a mess.

The acting was good, but that doesn't make up for a bizarre disjointed and often seemingly pointless storyline.

Less relevant to the movie, the theory of the case they present is ridiculous to anyone who has followed and studied the case.

I honestly don't remember ever seeing Dennis Hopper act BADLY in anything. Until now. This was the worst performance I've ever seen from him, and I think part of the problem is he was simply miscast for the part. Hopper was just stiff and it looked like he was acting. And the guy who was playing the "evil hired warlock" couldn't keep a steady accent for two sentences. He went between really bad Germanic to really bad English/Irish with annoying irregularity.

It's supposed to be a spoofy-noir PI flick about a dead Hollywood producer with the obligatory starlet wife/suspect/client for the PI. It also has a McCarthy Clone senator having public hearings, subpoenaing people to out their friends and colleagues who are "practitioners", and attempted public witch burning.

And just to get obnoxiously nitpicky, I found it very annoying that they had a Vodun priestess leading a Wicca-esque coven in a classic circle with absolutely no semblance of accurate ritual. Really, it's not like you can't go down to the local bookstore and look up how to at least fake a circle ritual.

I loved this movie. I didn't LURVE it. I was expecting more of an "action flick" type thing just because that's generally what they resort to when they transfer novels to the "big screen". I haven't read the book, but I'm very familiar with Matheson's work because I'm an avid Twilight Zone fan. He has the same distinctive subtle style as most writers in that genre back in the day. I think I was mostly taken aback at actually having to shift gears and think. LOL

This movie was extraordinarily underplayed, which made the mental degeneration of Smith's character that much more striking. Anyone who watches this because they want lots of vampires chomping on lots of people and blood gushing everywhere will be very disappointed. It's not a vampire movie, it's not even a social commentary. It's a character study. A look at a man who goes from being a military officer in complete control to a desperate man who has lost everything, literally, and feels he is somehow responsible for it. The entire movie is about him trying to control everything he possibly can in an uncontrollable situation and the impact that has on his psyche. The man had his canned goods lined up and sorted and he rotated them out as he ate them. He had a rigid routine that he documented to the nth degree. The most telling line in the movie is "I can still fix this". His final scene is the ultimate grasp at control.

I'll say it again, Will Smith is an amazing actor. The final scene with his dog, the camera never leaves his face, but you can see everything in the room happening there. I probably liked his performance better than the movie as a whole, but I think the more I watch it the better I'll like it. There are many layers there yet to be explored.

As I've said so very often in the past, the thing that separates a great Marvel movie from a horrible Marvel movie is the chemistry and characterizations. If the movie focuses so much on the "superhero vs badguy" that they lose sight of the humanity of the characters and their very "normal" hopes and dreams and fears, they suck the soul right out of the movie. It becomes just another big buget action flick, which are a dime a dozen, sad to say.

The makers of the XMen movies have their focus firmly on these key dynamics. The introduction to Logan's experiences during the Weapon X Project, the struggle of the younger mutants to find their true identity and place in the world, and the sacrifice of Jean brought this movie to life.

Lastly, for the true X Geeks, the flyover of the lake at the end positively screamed Phoenix, which made us just drool in anticipation of the third movie. :D

Slightly better than the other one. It was less campy overall, and tried to stick more to the noir PI side. And if I was Dennis Hopper I would be really embarassed that Fred Ward did this character about 100 times better. ;D

It was good. Karloff gave a subtly sinister performance that was probably better than the movie itself. I just hate that they so horribly underutilized Lugosi simply to put the two in a movie together...again. It takes away from the movie, I think. And the kid they had playing Fettes was awful for the part. Ordinarily I don't encourage casting for accent, but there really had to be SOMEONE with a British/Scottish accent available that could have given a better performance than that.

On a vaguely related note, I'm sure Karloff enjoyed the scene where he Burked Lugosi just a wee bit more than a little. LOLOL

I don't know if you have to be a boy to get this movie, or what, but for me, it was just really flat. I didn't have high expectations going in, but I was curious to see DR in something different. For the direction the movie took, he was quite good, but even in the "intense" spots there wasn't much energy. I think he put it out, it just didn't come across well because the whole thing was dampened down quite a bit.

The story had quite a bit of potential to come across as deep, thought-provoking and engrossing. Too bad, really.

I would be willing to bet no one who saw this movie when it first came out will ever forget that whoppin big space ship flying over their heads as they sat in the theater. It was one of those Defining Moments in Cinema.

The combination of ILMs groundbreaking special effects combined with a down to earth, simple, Quest Plot and fresh, young talent made this an undeniable Milestone Movie. There's Before Star Wars and After Star Wars. LOL

Ah the angst...Peter Parker is definitely one of the more torn and damaged of the Marvel characters and Toby Maguire portrays that so well.

One of the best parts of this whole storyline is that ALL of the characters, even the bad guys, have issues that we can all identify with. I mean you know they're bad and you want Spidey to get them, but at the same time, you can understand what happened to them and why they are the way they are. They're not just two-dimensional I Want To Rule The World types.

Lastly, I have to say I just LURVE the scene in the train car when the passengers are handing Peter back after he saved them. And how they react when Doc Oc comes to get him. Wicked. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy about the human race.

It was nice to have a "modern" bad guy in a Bond flick. Up until now, it's mostly been the same old military/ SMERSH/ Bald Wackjob types with a drug dealer thrown in here and there. This Rupert Murdoch wannabe was actually quite interesting.

Michelle Yeoh was also a refreshingly atypical Bond girl. It was nice to see a sane woman on the same skill level as him and still have Bond interested. Connery, sad to say, couldn't have pulled that off.

And it was still a great Bond flick, gadgets, remote control car chases, Shirtless!Wet!Pierce Brosnan ::drool::. Scuse me, I digress. One of the best Next Generation Bond movies, IMHO.

As with all Hamer flicks, this was an interesting interpretation. The thing that bothered me about it was that I think it borrowed a bit too heavily from "Portrait of Dorian Gray" for it's examination of Hyde. It was definitely against type to portray Hyde as the suave, sophisticated villian, but it's been done and better. I liked that we weren't subjected to a 60s version of the transformation. It's unecessary, and in this case would really have taken away from the shock value.

Lastly, it was odd to see Christopher Lee as anything other than the bad guy/ monster. LOL

My first exposure to the Jack Ryan universe. I actually had to run out and buy the book after I'd seen the movie.

I will say right now that Sean Connery, as amazing as he is, will never be able to do accents. Whatever role he's playing will be done with a Scottish lilt. The great thing about him is that his characterizations are so amazing that you don't notice. He really brought across the dichotomy of the character, the military officer and the man. And you respect the character all the more for the choices he makes because they are so earth-shaking and at the same time, so human.

Sam Neil, Alec Baldwin, Tim Curry all stood out with excellent performances. The direction and special effects were all done with a balance of action and introspection. When you're limited in the amount of space you have to work with, all of these elements are even more important to the pacing and flow of the movie.

An in my never-ending pursuit of non-sequitur review points, Alec Baldwin does the absolute best Sean Connery I've ever heard. LOL

It definitely followed the book more accurately. I think the stand out performance was from DeNiro, though. He captured the innocence of The Creature in it's pure form. Innocence not in the "free from sin" interpretation, but innocence in the "free from instruction" interpretation. It's an interesting look at what a psyche could evolve into given a lack of direct social/ moral structure and direction. His only experiences were observational and mixed at best. The residual sense memories without context only added to his confused vision of what "man" is and what he was "supposed" to be. You could see the disillusionment and sense of loss when Frankenstein couldn't answer any of the questions we would ask our makers if we could.

Kenneth Brannaugh is a marvelous actor and director. He had a wonderful vision for this movie and he brought a much less unhinged interpretation of Victor Frankenstein than we've seen in the past.

I will say here that I have noticed a seriously "Woody Allen-esque" almost incestuous troup of actors that keep cropping up in certain moves. I wonder if it was through this movie that HBC joined that crew, Hugh Laurie, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman et al. Just kind of occurred to me while I was watching. LOL

One of the wonderful things about Poe's short stories is that while they can stand alone and be completely satisfying, there is still room for expansion and embellishment. When done properly, that is. Richard Matheson did a superb job taking the acursed family of Usher and bringing more dimension to it while leaving the base story mostly intact.

Vincent Price had a challenge playing Roderick Usher in that he was confined by the "affliction" in how he could physically act the part. He was able to bring intensity and energy to the role through what appeared to be sheer will. Excellent performance.

And lastly, I think this is one of the highest production value pictures I've ever seen Corman do. It didn't have that "how can we keep this thing inside this tiny budget" feel to it. Nice change, if you ask me. :D

Just on special effects alone this movie kicks a**. As a long time fan of the original cartoon, I was chomping at the bit to see this and was THRILLED to get to see it at the drive-in. (Seriously, the best way by far to see these types of movies, I don't care what anyone says.)

My biggest complaint is that they were trying so hard to straddle the line between keeping the adults interested and keeping it kid friendly that it ended up being a little off balance and goofy in spots.

HOWEVER, I will take nothing away from Michael Bay on this one, it was visually amazing and well paced. I wish they would have included some mention of the actual TWO cubes and why this one only made Decepticons, but I don't think they were expecting geeks to be nitpicking it like that. NEVER underestimate the Geek Population, dude. LOLOL

I had to watch it twice before I actually got into it. It's exponentially better than the first attempt at a Hulk movie. I don't know if Edward Norton threw me off a bit in the beginning or what, but it just didn't feel right the first time. It was bizarre for me to see him so meek and scrawny, but that is what the character is supposed to be. Perhaps he pulled back a bit more than was necessary.

The second time was when I let all that go and watched a Marvel movie. LOL I think The Hulk was very true to character in this movie. The story was much more relevant, probably because of the upcoming mega-crossover. The action was good, the CGI was better than most. The Bronsky character was interesting and a good set up for the Super Soldier serum and bringing in Captain America.

I'm just worried about them trying to tie these all together with The Avenger Initiative. I thought Tony Stark and his gung ho "hardware is more reliable" "we're putting a team together" all on board attitude was very out of character based on the development in the Iron Man movie. I'm on pins and needles to see how this all plays out.

Lastly, my nitpick. If the General works for SHEILD, how is it that he doesn't already know about the Avenger Initiative??? You would think he would be on the Need to Know list.

I spent he whole movie saying "Why?". To keep the younguns interested in the old trilogy? To prove that old dudes can still do stunts and old characters can still get the girl?

Look, I'm pleased as punch that they finally brought that Indy/Marrianne story full circle. But the whole son you never knew you had thing...Done so to death that if I'd been sitting at a desk I'd have slammed my head into it.

I was equally disappointed that there was absolutely no mystery to the mystery. I was at least one step ahead of them the whole movie and I hate that. And really...come on. Aliens? I'm not arguing the point that the theory is historically sound, it just seemed a bit ridiculous in practice. The fact that everyone just believed the Double Agent bit was sad.

Shia was good, Harrison obviously still has a firm grasp on the character and was able to age him believably. Truthfully, it was quite fun in spots. I just really think I could have lived my entire life without this movie being made. It added nothing to the trilogy, in fact I think it cheapened it a bit with so many cliches.

I have watched a lot, and I mean A LOT, of Hammer flicks. Hell, I probably own half of them. And aside from the prerequisite blood, there's generally a good effort at telling a story, not always following the original, but a story. Usually there is genuine feeling and emotion in the characters, whether good or bad, which make the movies worth watching more than once.

This movie has a greater than usual level of genuine love and sentimentality in it. Both romantic and familial. I found it odd, but refreshing. Hammer often makes us feel for the "monster" before he kills him off, but in this one we are encouraged to actually embrace and sympathize with him. This has something to do with the way Hammer tampered with the werewolf legend, pure fabrication if one can say that about an already fabricated legend.

Oliver Reed, a quite attractive man with that haunting light eyed- dark haired thing going on, "emoted" this role out of the park.

Overall a rather more multi-dimensional Hammer flick than I'm used to. Very enjoyable.

This was my first Animated Graphic Novel. I wasn't sure I would enjoy the experience, especially since it was in anthology form. In live-action that isn't as joltingly incongruous as it can be in animation.

Overall, though, it stayed true to the genre and to the current incarnation of the Dark Knight. I remember when the Arkham Break-Out happened in the comics and they went down this road. It was a bit controversial and I'm still not 100% on board with the depth of darkness they're plumbing with the character. But this was a very well made interpretation.

And it drove me up a tree until I finally figured out who the voice of Alfred was (since I was too lazy to look it up LOL). I watch NCIS at least 2 or 3 times a week so I felt kind of stupid when the light bulb went off.

I hadn't watched this movie in an age. But the kids are older so I thought this year might be time to introduce them to it. Ah, I'd forgotten how much I like it.

The premise is a bit sketchy, but all in all I love the way it puts "I Believe" into a more modern perspective; capitalism, political realities and all.

I don't care who else has ever played Santa there will never be any "live action" Santa for me but Edmund Gwenn. A perfect blending of the Jolly Old Elf and the Coca Cola Construct. Natalie Wood offers a wonderful portrait of both cynicism and the incorruptible innocence of youth. Not an easy thing to do, in my opinion. :)

Excellent feel good spirit of Christmas movie.

This isn't going to be one of those movies a lot of people are going to say "Eh, it was alright." about. You're either going to love it or hate it, particularly if you've read the book(s). I say this because from a purely technical standpoint it's not a great movie. From a "vampire" standpoint, it's not that great a story as it's told in the movie. From a "Twilighter" standpoint, they rewrote entire sections of the book, left a lot out, and quite a bit of what they changed just didn't make sense in the series as a whole. (Yes I've read all four books.)

But from my perspective, this movie had some bizarre mix of acting, atmosphere and amazing soundtrack that when combined with enough of the book to get by sucked me in. I have no artistic or theatrically relevant reason, I just really love this movie.

UGH! I really had hopes for this movie, but honestly...ugh. This was the absolutely flattest, dryest attempt at dark comedy I've seen in quite a long time. It was very visually appealing, but if they were thinking that was going to carry it, shame on em. Samuel Jackson had some funny bits, but I don't think he can do anything badly so it's nothing to recommend the movie makers for.

For what my opinion is worth on the open market, Don't Bother.

In an interesting twist on Born Yesterday a mob-type enforcer befriends a down-on-his-luck writer to help him and learn from him. There are definitely quite a few plot twists that kept things moving, but the direction was sadly lacking. I am a fan of William Petersen so I truly wanted to be engaged in this movie, to enjoy it, but it was just flat and two-dimensional. The acting was actually quite good and came through in spite of the poor directing, but it wasn't enough to carry the movie to the next level.

GAWD that movie is awful!!! This was one of those "you really had to work hard to be that bad" kind of things. It actually made Alyssa Milano's soft core vamp-romp look good. The effects looked like some 16 year old took his mom's credit card and tried to nick Chris Angell. Except that's an insult to Chris Angell (and I never say that!) Someone needs to find every copy of this thing and BURN THEM!

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I wish I was kidding. Some of the characterizations were fun, though.

I would have thought they would have learned from the last movie to not put all that exposition and stupid teenage comedy stuff in. It's a comic with robots blowing stuff up. They really could have stood taking it back to the editing room and cutting out another 45 minutes. I respect that they at least tried to work the Matrix and Omega Prime (kinda) in between all the useless bits.

The robots blowing stuff up parts were really great though. :D

I'm a Whovian from WAY back so when the series was cancelled in 89 I was STARVED for Who when 96 rolled around. Now granted this isn't any kind of great cinematic masterpiece, but I do think it was as WHO as a bunch of Americans could get. Paul McGann is actually one of my top 5 favorite Doctors because he made this incarnation so different and yet still The Doctor. It was refreshing to see the Doctor so free and full of life again. He got a bit dark as Seven. Weellll, I say dark I mean Semi-Machiavellian. It's a fun watch, I'd recommend it. :D NOT the Enhanced Version put out by the BBC though. Ran that throught a blender, they did. Awful mess.

Srsly, I read the comics so I knew this wasn't going to be kiddie friendly but DAYUM! I haven't seen that much gratuitous gore in a non-horror flick since Natrual Born Killers. There may have been a plot involved but I couldn't get past the chair leg through the guy's eye socket. ::ugh::

Oh, alright, I went into this thing wanting to hate it. It was a double feature at a Drive In and it just looked stupid on the comercial. Dammit all if I didn't end up really liking it. I was lead around by the nose like a six year old with a pixie stick and just didn't care. The story was contrived, crafted to scewer your sappy heart like a fresh kabob, I knew it, and I cried anyway. Either I'm getting old and hormonal or I have to admit this really is a good movie in spite of itself. grrrrr

Nope, this one was just as stupid as it sounded. No surprises there. Very nice CGI, but that's about it. meh

It didn't suck. I was told by a lot of my comic geek friends that it really sucked so I went in with very low expectations, but happily, it really wasn't awful. There were some REALLY great moments and some really "OMG WHY" moments. When I first saw Hugh Jackman wailing his greif over the dead body of his love interest in "Van Helsing" that was actually chilling. A bit less so, but believable in X-Men III. Doing it again in this one is just been there done that doesn't really mean much anymore.

Ryan Reynolds was severely underutilized. There are two lines taken by comics, one in which Deathpool doesn't speak, and one in which he is just a smart-assed run at the gob that you want to kill on a regular basis. Ryan Reynolds, as we saw in the first sequence was PERFECT for that Deathpool. They really should have stuck with that one.

My biggest gripe about this movie, however is the character assasination perpetrated on Remi LeBeau (aka Gambit). Dude, if you're not going to do him right, leave him out. Remi is a deep-rooted, home-grown Cajun. To see him played as a smart assed card sharp with a vanilla midwestern accent and attitude was just...wrong in so many ways I can't even list them all here.

I morn all future Marvel movies since they have been bought by The Evil Disney Empire. If this was what they're starting to put out before it even happens, I shudder to think how much worse it can get.

This is every Emo kid's Citizen Kane. I'm probably out of the age range to truly grasp this concept, but I really couldn't take my eyes off it! It's fascinating in a Well Damn That's Freakish kind of way. One of those movies I'm sure would make much more sense after a good toke. ;D

Weeellllll.....It sort of kind of bore a passing resemblance to the comic. A bit too much "Batman Begins" there at the beginning. Not a riveting watch, but not too bad either. A good time filler.

Read the book. Really. If you later feel the need to see the special effects and yumminess that is Alan Rickman as Snape by all means watch the movie. But It just skims the surface of the actual story.