My Favorite Movies

The difinitive movie of it's type. Suspense takes center stage from beginning to end. Not a scene wasted. John Carpenter takes his time and puts the audience in every scene, instead of the flash-edit shock value technique used in today's films.

The difinitive adventure film. Smart, fun, well written and directed. Harrison Ford's acting and stunt work make Indiana Jones a hero that seems real. An action hero with roots in Alan Quartermain, James Bond, and the classic adventure movie serials. Very similar in many ways to the adventure stories of Robert E. Howard, Gritty heros with exotic dangers and locations.

Director Ray Lawrence and Peter Carey (the author of the original novel) create the ultimate paan to storytelling. A surrealistic masterpiece that shows that truth is stranger than fiction. But the truth here is more human than the usual tries at that idea, and far more thought provoking. An amazing balance of deep cynicism and passionate inspiration. Spiritual and grounded in reality. Modern and Primitive. The actors deserve equal credit in the exceptional quality of this production.

Filmmaking is a balance of numerous artists. But in this film it is impossible to see where director Akira Kurosawa ends and actor Takashi Shimura begins. It is the story of a burocratic zombie who comes to life at the moment of his imminent death. The film uses both first-person and second-person storytelling techniques. Also brilliant camera work and some of the truest acting that I have ever seen. The title means "to live". In this film, "to live" becomes a riddle of the Sphinx, and we follow one mans's solution to it.

The perfect movie musical. A fantasy couched in family drama and history. the comedy ranges from simple to sophisticated, the drama from quaint to powerfull. The music is catchy and sometimes moving. Missing only exceptional dancing to make it all things to all people, it can hardly be said it suffers for it. Arguably director Vincente Minnelli's masterpiece, and Judy Garland was never better. Eye candy that feeds like a meal.

There are many films that the audience are an equal part of (Star Wars, Star Trek, ect.), but this is the one that engages the audience DURRING the film. It is a unique balance of parody and relentless originality. An English perspective of American film culture icons. And yet Tim Curry's firebrand performance is more iconic than anything the film parodies. The films flip irreverence no doubt inspired the American audience participation. Director Jim Sharman's placement of the importance on actors and setting over camera work and editing places the audience with the characters on their journey, but takes nothing seriously. And yet you still feel for them. I frequently attended the midnight showings and the enthusiasm and liberation was deeply infectious. Both live theatre and cinema. Perfect for me.

Adventure DOES have a name. And it IS Indiana Jones. I have already read some nit-picky complaints about this film. Sorry, but no sequel will ever give you an epiphany like the first in any series. All you are going to find here is one heck of a good time. Light humor, creative scenarios, good looking CGI, stunts with real actors, and lots of action. Where the first film places itself in the adventure serials of the 1930's, this one uses elements typical of movies from the 1950's. Not a history lesson (none of them were, including Raiders), and Jones is still more like Alan Quartermain than Howard Carter. What makes it better than the usual rollarcoaster ride movie is the feeling that these specific artists are the only ones who could make this film. Spielberg's humor, Lucas's visuals, and Ford's physicality. Since you can see that Ford is doing most of his own stunts, there are a couple of stunts that made the audience I saw it with gasp. It's light-hearted fun that isn't meant to be taken seriously. And why should it. It is my favorite series of films, and I felt that it was well served. A great day at the movies.