My Favorite Movies

With a artistic skill and sheer showmanship, Kurosawa crafts the ultimate action epic. Equal parts slow motion swordplay and noble human values, it's a 3 hour+ film that rushes by, ably led by screen legends like Shimura and Mifune.

In less than 2.5 hours, Peckinpah makes a beautiful blood-soaked elegy for the West. The titular Bunch are brutal men who follow a code of honor as they face their doom. The great performances by Mexican and US acting legends, combined with the brilliant use of jump cuts and slow motion blood spurt, help make this film a masterpiece for the ages.

"What could have been a tragedy, ended up just being a farce."
Pedro Infante--the greatest icon in Mexican film and music--had only been acting for four years before he had achieved enough confidence to portray three identical brothers (a priest, a soldier and a bandit) with contrasting personalities. His performances are inspired and even better when a character is impersonating another--he manages to showcase the three warring personalities in tandem. The film is also very strong thanks to its still-fresh comedy, toe-tapping and rousing music and great supporting acting by Pavón and Ciangherotti. But the breakout was Maria Eugenia Llamas, "La Tucita", an iconic character in our filmdom, a blonde, over-the-top precocious tomboy with homicidal tendencies and a penchant for collecting interesting "pets" and saying the darnest things. The musical, romantic and comic set pieces are all very inspired and fluid and all the characters are loveable. My favourite Infante movie, Rodriguez movie and Mexican movie of all time. A lovely, everlasting gem.

"At home, they'd hang me. In here, they give you a fockin' medal!"

John Wayne's has the performance of a lifetime, in what may be one of the Five Best US movies ever. Wayne and Hunter are the lead players in a tale of racism, misguided honor and family, amidst the epic backdrop of the white man's conquest of the West. Touching, gloomy, exiciting and funny, it is a marvelous film.

Funny and touching. This is the actual story of my life. I'm Andy and the Arab guys, Alex is David, Stephen and Myles are Cal and Brandon is Jay, only white and more sexist. Oh, and Kevin is the weird guy at the Ebay store.

I first watched LA at a very depressing time of my life. It was the holiday season, and my heart was broken because the girl I love was going out with this complete jackass. I was in tremendous pain, but I watched this movie and I felt a regenerative power that I have seldom felt before or since. The music is wonderful, more so because it sets the mood of nostalgia and melancholy so wonderfully. This movie has a large amount the crème de la crème of British film on its cast (and some non-Brits too). Everyone and everything is so beautiful, filled with Curtis' trademark wit and warmth. I have seen this film dozens of times and it still works it's always there to cheer me up.

"We were like movie stars with muscle."

If I were Eugene O'Neill, I could tell you what I really think of this masterpiece of comedy. You know, you're very fortunate the Theatre Guild isn't putting this on. And so is the Guild! Now forgive me while I have a strange interlude.

This movie always makes me smile and my heart light up. The most joyous picture ever, until the end. I mean, c'mon! Messuganah!

Bullets and male bonding fly in this film, the Most Perfect Action Movie of All Time. John Woo takes favorite themes like honor, loyalty, friendship and epic heroism and sets it all ablaze with joyously choreographed action sequences of bullets-and-blood mayhem. The cast (mostly cops and criminals) is terrific, especially Chow as the awesome Inspector Tequila Yuen. There are more iconic scenes in this movie that there are people in Hong Kong, including a 20 minute long hospital shootout. This movie is waiting to blow you away, along with 307 onscreen characters.

"Hangout Comedies" are a favourite of mine, and "Dazed and Confused" is one of its main gems. It's realistic and familiar portrayal of teenagers is seldomly replicated, the soundtrack is one of the best ever and it's so addictingly rewatchable. Rory Cochrane and Matthew McCoughney steal the show with their hilarious dialogue and the idea of finding yourself in the midst of teenagehood resonates.

Coconuts+Anarcho-Syndicalist Commune+Black Knight+Camelot Musical Scene+Knights Who Say Ni+A Witch+The Swamp Castle+The Killer Bunny and the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch+The French Taunters X Brillitant writing, by brilliant troupe, gloriously absurdist/intellectual/goofy/witty/self-aware humor= One of the funniest films ever put to celluloid. NNNIII!

This movie kicked so much ass, I could almost feel my tail bone being snapped in two. Scene after scene in this movie, there are moments were the luscious beauty or beautiful brutality of what's on the screen was so etheral that I had to pinch myself to prove that I wasn't watching paintings in motion. Everybody in this movie was so immersed in their roles that there were times that I felt that I was watching footage of the actual events. The action is flabber-gasting, the dialogue so inspired, like Shakespeare meets "The Dirty Dozen". I don't think there's a scene that sums up the bombastic greatness of this terrific epic flick, like the scene in the well. Wherein King Leonidas bellows with savagely joyous animalistic fury: "THIS...IS...SPARTAAA!" and kicks a bunch of Persians into a bottomless pit. Welcome to a world of violence. Enjoy your stay.

"Syd, I love this country. I owe it everything. That's why I *can* make fun of it!"
One of my favourite biopics, and an underrated film all around, it contains Downey Jr.'s best performance, an unique ensemble cast portraying some iconic figures, and an evocative and memorable John Barry score. Chaplin's life is covered very professionally, and it's such a moving and captivating story you'll watch over and over again, and never forget.

"Marlowe, you go too far!" "Those are harsh words to throw at a man, especially when he's walking out of your bedroom." Bogart is the epitome of cool, using his wits to fight off gangsters and other criminals as he tries to solve an elaborate mystery involving blackmail, pornography, kidnapping and murder. There's never a dull moment in this film, the dialogue will make you smile both because of its intentionally funny lines and its sharp cleverness, the dames are all sizzling (sexy librarian Malone, the introduction of Vickers and her nice stems) and the sexual chemistry and interplay between the future married couple lightens the screen up in this decisively Noir masterpiece.

A gripping adventure story of deranged greed and reluctant loyalty, starring Bogart as an initially likeable bum who turns into a murderous, paranoid materialist who descends into madness. Walter Huston as the wise, fast talking prospector and Tim Holt as Bob Curtin, the film's everyman, do a fantastic job. The action sequences are great, but what sticks out is the witty dialogue, strong plot and characterization and the Shakespearean element to the story, in particular it's tragically ironic ending.

One of the best goddamned movies of all time. Watch it, or die an incomplete life.

A traditional adventure story with modern day elements, you'll be enthralled by Neeson's quest for justice against forces of blue-blood evil set to destroy him and his clan. The dialogue is delicious and period-correct, it's almost Shakesperean. It features two of filmdom's greatest showcases: arguably, the best and most thrilling swordfight ever, and Tim Roth as one of the best villains I've seen, a sadistic and cruel master swordsman fop you'll relish to hate.

The dialogue is witty, snappy and hardboiled, the plot is complicated and treacherous and the morally (or amorally) complex characters are straight out of classic gangster and noir films are all here. It is beautifully shot and cast. The entire repartee all rattle and brood with efficiency and style. The ill-fated assassination attempt at Finney's politico/mob boss is a truly terrific sequence. A true gangster classicand a one of the best films of the 90's.

Atmospheric suspense meets a story about the clashing of ancient paganism versus modern christianity in this brilliant British classic. Woodward is simply terrific as Sgt. Howie, a stuffy Christian policeman looking for a missing girl ina strange Scottish town ruled by Lee's charismatic and foreboding Lord Summerisle. There's a magical quality to this film that enhaces the creepy suspense. The folk music is great and the best scene is that of Ekland dancing and singing naked to "Willow's Song", a masterpiece of supernatural eroticism. And the ending is unforgettable and rightfully remembered. Pseudo-supernatural thrillers don't get better than this.

Half horror, half adventure yarn, "Jaws" is a full on thriller. Spielberg took a pulpy bestseller and turned it into the first modern blockbuster. Schneider is one of the most beloved everymen in film. Dreyfuss is also terrific as the city slicker scientist who goes on the adventure of a lifetime. But Shaw is the best of the trio: Captain T.S. Quint is a salty, half-crazy and a 100 percent badass, getting most of the best lines and hellbent on settling a score with the killer shark. Scary moments, tense action and some lighthearted moments strenghten "Jaws"'s position as one of the most masterful and immortal of America's films.

One of the most meditative and philosophically complex films you'll ever see. Bardem is terrifying and Brolin is effective but this is the story of Jones's sheriff, who confronts a world of increasingly senseless violence, decaying values and his own mortality and existence. This movie will stay with you for a while and make you contemplate issues like fatalism and the value of life. A masterpice.

The Coens' blessed introduction into the world of cinema (and our existences) began with this dark, sweat-and-blood noir film set in Texas. With a great cast (a mean-and-nasty Hedaya, a screwed-by-fate Getz, a beautiful and naive McDormand, and an amazing Walsh in one of the best performances in history, affably folksy, ruthlessly murderous, all the way sleazy) and with some of the best camera work I've seen in a movie, the soundtrack is pure 80's thriller (plus some great song choices like "It's the Same Old Song") This is true edge-of-your-seat stuff.

The Guest crew triumphs again in this laugh-out-loud mockumentary satire about dog shows and the crazy people that populate them. Fred Willard as the idiotic, clueless sportscaster steals the movie. Guest's themes of pretentious people who have nothing to be pretentious about, shines through.

The least dissapointing of the prequels, its strenght is centered around Ian McDiarmid's wondeful performance, the coolness of General Grievous and the climatic lava-planet lightsaber duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan, which did not dissapoint like other events in the prequel series. Great ending too.

Fernando Mendez revolutionized Mexican cinema with his rendition of the vampire mythos transplanted into the contemporary Mexican countryside. Abel Salazar--one of my favourite leading men--perfected his bumblingly comical (and half terrified) romantic lead. Ariadna Welter is one of the most beautiful women in the Golden Age--of Mexican and International cinema. She has a lovely beauty and a winningly sweet personality . Of course, the towering figure is German Robles. Count Duval is both classy and refined, but also beastly and savage when he seeks to quench his thirst for blood. Robles's Spanish diction and stentorian voice defined a new breed of vampire. Montejo, Jimenez and Soler are great as the cursed trio of siblings. The use of shadows and fog adds to both the visual look and Gothic atmosphere. A classic of Mexican film and the horror genre.

A strirring biopic about one of the USA's best enterntainers. The soundtrack is wonderful and Cagney's performance as Cohon is one for the ages. A funny, touching epic.

A very good Neo-Noir film that engages you in the story of Pacino's epynomous ex-con, as he tries to go straight and almost makes it. Great character interactions, V.O. narration, classic lines and a thrilling chase-and-shootout on a train station make this a memorable gangster film.

A crime/action caper filled with Tarantino's trademark dialogue and pop culture reference woven into a romantic story filled with gangsters, pimps, cocaine, hookers and Hollywood types. The scene between Chris Walken and Dennis Hopper is one of moviedom's best, but for my money James Gandolfini shines as a brutal (yet philosophical) mob enforcer, showcasing a great talent even in his early movie years.

One of the funniest movies of all time. Biting social commentary, offensive humor and two naked Eastern European men wrestling. All excellent ingredients for an excellent movie. Baron Cohen, Davitian and the filming crew have balls of steel with the risks they took. High fiiive!