The Best of the 1980's

This is the best movie of 1980. I loved this film and it rightfully won its Oscar for Best Picture. So many times it has been argued that Raging Bull was a better film and should have taken the honour that year, but after viewing this masterpiece I can't go along with that anymore. This movie has one of the most perfect taglines ever: "Some films you watch... others you feel". It's so sad and depressing, yet uplifting at the same time. You are drawn into the lives of these characters and you feel for them as they go through this hard time. Calvin and Beth Jarrett (Sutherland and Moore) just lost their eldest son, Buck, in a boating accident. Their youngest son, Conrad (Hutton), blames himself for his brother's death and after an attempt of trying to kill himself, he was put into a hospital. When he returns, his father supports him all the way and tries to give him all the help he can. His mother, on the other hand, acts as if she hates him and doesn't treat him with anything close to the love she gave Buck. The family has crumbled and this is the story of the re-birth of relationships and love. Two outstanding performances in this film come from Timothy Hutton (who won an Oscar for his role) and Mary Tyler Moore (who was nominated). It's such a sad movie, a tearjerker, even, so I warn you, be prepared to feel this movie as if it was happening to you.

I'll start by saying that this is by no means a masterpiece. It's very flawed with quite large plotholes and very visible mistakes. But don't let this turn you off of this film because it really is one of the most entertaining films of the 80s. John Cassavetes always makes good movies and with this he doesn't disappoint. His unique style of filmmaking is what makes him so extraordinary, but with this movie I felt that he hollywoodized it a little bit more than it should have been.

Gena Rowlands is absolutely brilliant in her role as the ass-kicking, mob-killing, tough-talking, car-tipping heroine Gloria Swenson. She is the perfect protagonist: a middle-aged woman who has a heavy criminal record is protecting a six-year-old Puerto Rican boy who has lost his family to a mob killing. She hides him from the mob, but finally gives up hiding when things get serious. She fights back with a vengeance because no one shoots at Gloria and gets away with it. Gena Rowlands, in one of the best performances of the 80s, was nominated for Best Actress in 1980 (losing to Sissy Spacek for [i]Coal Miner's Daughter[/i]).

Unlike Cassavetes previous films ([i]Rosemary's Baby, A Woman Under the Influence, Faces[/i]) this is going against the grain of independent and arthouse cinema and making a true Hollywood picture. No matter, Cassavetes still pulls off what is a great movie. He only made this movie, he said, so his wife (Rowlands) could have a great and independent character to play. I'm glad he did, though, because Rowlands shines in her role.

The ending left me a little uneasy, though. I wish it would have ended differently. I won't spoil it for anyone, but it should have ended with two more casualties. That's all I will say. The screenplay is no more than average. It's interesting and a little original, but what makes it memorable is the strong lead character (Gloria).

John Adames plays the child and is almost unwatchable in some scenes, but for the most part he holds his own. For his first acting job he did ok. I won't patronize him, but he did mess up many of times and it was quite evident in the film. But other than that, he did a fair job.

So overall, the film is 'good', but Gena Rowlands performance is sensational, brilliant, superb, out of this world... I can't keep going or else I will run out of page room. She makes this movie and having said that, I recommend you all to see it mainly for her performance alone. Enjoy.

The Shining (1980)
director: Stanley Kubrick
starring: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, Scatman Crothers, Barry Nelson, Joe Turkel

Reading the novel before seeing the film is almost always recommended, but in the case of The Shining, I would stay as far away as possible from the novel and focus on the genius of this film. Nothing against Stephen King (I'm a fan), but the novel and the film are two totally different experiences. Directed by Stanley Kubrick, this film, along with The Exorcist, is my favourite classic horror film. As always, Kubrick didn't take his film down a simple path and that's what I like about this particular horror film. With so many loose ends and unexplainable happenings, this film is truly frightening and a masterfully directed work of horror.

If Kubrick had not directed this, it wouldn't be half the film it is or have half the popularity it has. It's one of the most well-known films of the 1980's for certain scenes alone. If Kubrick wasn't enough to make this film a huge success, we're also lucky to get Jack Nicholson in the lead role. The performances in this film are impressive, yet some seem to think they are overacted and too hysterical. After watching Making 'The Shining', a 1980 short documentary filmed by Stanley Kubrick's daughter Vivian (which is a special feature on the Stanley Kubrick Collection edition of The Shining), I've learned that Kubrick worked his actors to an extreme limit, until they broke down and gave the performances we see in the final cut of the film. Shelley Duvall's shrieks and hysteria may be annoying at times, but her performance is quite impressive knowing what she went through to get through filming.

The psychological side to this film is what frightens me the most. It's not the axe rampage that Jack goes on or the elevator spewing blood in the corridor, it's mostly the scenes of silence where we see what seems like Jack dealing with his growing insanity or Danny being taken over by his "imaginary friend" and writing haunting messages in lipstick. The ending to this film is also confusing and affects the film as a whole and how true the film has been up to that point. I love the mystery that this film has and doesn't quite solve. Leaving the ending open and up for interpretation is something Stanley Kubrick is known for in many of his films and I admire that greatly. He can accomplish a solid film that will become critically and commercially successful, and still have a cinematic masterpiece that can be analyzed conventionally and contextually from top to bottom and still not be fully examined.

I could talk about this film for hours because it had such a great effect on me and my mind. One of the greatest horror films of all time and probably my favourite Stephen King adaptation (even if it may not be 100% faithful to the novel). Bravo to Stanley Kubrick for another showcase of excellence. He certainly is a master.

Clearly the best one out of the series. Usually the first ones are better and this film proves that.

Classic 80's Spielberg movie.. Then again... isn't everything?

Brilliant is too light of a term to describe this epic. I usually don't fall for epics, but when I do I [u]really[/u] like them. This is a movie where you don't care how long it is (in this case it's 3 hours 8 minutes), you just sit through it and enjoy every word that is uttered... every movement by Gandhi is wonderful and you realize how much of a hero this man truly was... not was, is. This man is still one of the most memorable people in all of history.

Richard Attenborough (perhaps known to most of you as John Hammond from [i]Jurassic Park[/i]) directs this wonderful masterpiece. He won two Oscars in 1983 for directing and producing this film. Not only did it win those Oscars, but six more as well. A total of eight wins in 1983 made this the biggest winner of the year (even claiming the Best Picture award). Attenborough has triumphed with this film making not only Ben Kingsley a huge success, but re-establishing his fading career as well. Before this film, Attenborough had been known for a string of acting credits and for directing [i]A Bridge Too Far[/i] and the forgettable [i]Magic[/i]. This film brought him back into the limelight which is what he desparately needed.

[i]Gandhi[/i] began a solid film career for British actor Ben Kingsley. Before this film, Kingsley only appeared in TV movies and had a reoccuring role for one year on the British soap [i]"Coronation Street"[/i]. In [i]Gandhi[/i], Kingsley adapted all the mannerisms and intricacies of Mohandas K. Gandhi and made me believe that I was actually watching the real thing. His resemblance to Gandhi was amazing and the way he spoke and moved had me bewildered.

This film describes the life and times of Mohandas Gandhi, Indian political leader who managed to free his country from the British rule using peaceful means and thus giving hope and inspiration for generations to come.

A wondefully true story of hope and inspiration that will be touching the hearts of people around the world for centuries to come. I highly recommend this to everyone... well everyone who has the patience to withstand a 3 hour epic... I just hope you all have the appreciation for this inspirational man and his dream.

Terrific. This is a classic comedy which everyone should remember. Blake Edwards is simply incredible.

One of the greatest comedies of the 80s and all-time, this film is as inspirational as it is hilarious. Directed by the great Sydney Pollack, this film is one of the most popular films of 1982 earning around $177 million at the box office and also earning ten Academy Award nominations.

I can't praise Dustin Hoffman enough. To take and literally transform himself into a woman is really quite impressive. He does it just as effectively as Robin Williams in [i]Mrs. Doubtfire[/i], and that right there is scary. Although this film is a comedy, it was recognized by AMPAS which is rare. Dustin Hoffman could have easily won Best Actor in 1982 instead of Ben Kingsley. Most people will disagree because when they think of a comedy versus a drama there stands no chance for the comedy. Well, in this case, you are most definitely wrong. Dustin Hoffman's perfomance is absolutely the best of the year.

Michael Dorsey (Hoffman) is having trouble finding a decent acting job in New York. He has a reputation of being hard to work with and no one wants to hire him. This is until he transforms himself into Dorothy Michaels and lands a starring role on the most popular soap opera in New York. Everything is going well for him until he meets his co-star, Julie (Lange), and falls in love with her. It's not that she doesn't notice him, because she is very fond of Dorothy and admires her integrity. It's the fact that Julie doesn't know his secret identity and he can't express his love for her since she thinks Michael is a woman.

Jessica Lange, who garnered an Oscar for her role in this film, is wonderful. She was apparently hard to campaign since her role was considered leading, even though she eventually won the Supporting Actress award. One of her competitors in that category was co-star Teri Garr. They were both terrific in this film and I do believe that if Lange would have been pushed Lead, Garr could have won Supporting. Bill Murray, Dabney Coleman, Geena Davis and Charles Durning were all also great.

This film reaffirmed the female liberation theme among movies of the late 70s and 80s. This time, however, it was through a man's eyes which is totally different, but works wonders. An inspirational film for young actors everywhere.

Wonderful film. My favourite of 1982. Go and see it if you haven't already. You'll feel good afterwards.