Greg S (366weirdmovies)

An enemy shell blasts a WWI doughboy, leaving him armless, legless, blind and deaf; the army keeps him alive, and he slips in and out of memories, dreams and fantasies while trying to figure out how to communicate with the outside world. A great idea and likely a great novel, but the movie (directed by the book's author) was uneven; moments of tremendous emotion and wicked humor alternate with mundane dramatic moments and unconvincing acting by the younger thesps. The best scenes featured Donald Sutherland as a compassionate but ultimately impotent Jesus Christ. Luis Bunuel was originally set to direct and in fact wrote parts of the screenplay; had he been able to commit to the project, it likely would have been a classic rather than an interesting attempt.

Paul Giamatti (playing the role of actor Paul Giamatti) feels burdened by his soul, so he decides to store it temporarily for a time; later, when he discovers he can no longer act, he tries to get it back but finds it had disappeared. Thoughtful and original premise, laugh out loud funny at times, and Giamatti deserves an Oscar nom; just wish it had an ending.

Kicked off Hollywood's Golden Age in grand style.

Three desperadoes search for a fortune in Union gold while the Civil War rages around them. A nearly perfect Western, and with its who-will-blink-first machismo perhaps the perfect "guy" movie, but also an epic work of cinematic art.