My Favorite Movies

A classic superhero movie, one of the best, if not the best. Although some people are critical of the cheese within the movie, I believe it is an integral part of its charm. The cast and directing are brilliant. The background given to Superman as Clark Kent really shows how Superman became the man who stands for "truth, justice and the American way". The, then, unknown Christopher Reeve will be unsurpassed as Superman. Brandon Routh does a good job, but Christopher Reeve will always be Superman. Although his different portrayals of Clark kent and superman draws criticism, I believe it is required to differentiate between them, which is highlighted by the different reactions Lois has to them both. His chemistry with Margot Kidder is undeniable, which provides a strong backbone to the movie. Gene Hackman is a brilliant Lex Luthor, showing wit and genius combined with his intrinsic evil. Marlon Brando unfortunately only had a small part as the doomed Jor-El, but he plays his role excellently. Again, there is a God-like aura about Jor-El, as he sends "his only son" to earth because we only "lack the light to show the way". There seems to be an underlying religious theme within the Superman movies, which strongly and rightly portrays Superman as a saviour. This is the best superhero movie thus far. I don't believe it will be surpassed.

The best of the Star Wars movies; it's my personal favourite. The bonds of the characters are strengthened and with it comes the biggest movie twist of all time! Although people criticise the abilities of Vader and Luke during their lightsaber battle, I believe it was very good for the time, obviously incomparable to those seen in the prequels. The plot is great, showing the development of Luke's path to Jedi knighthood with the guidance of an elfin creature, the venerable Master Yoda. Mark Hamill is great, but it's Han who stands out. Harrison Ford manages to draw out plenty of laughs and additionally, his chemistry with Carrie Fisher makes for a good subplot. Vader is at his most evil, killing high ranking officers for their only mistakes, striking fear to those who actually get promoted. Vader is uncompromising; he wants everything to go perfectly and expects it too. We also get to see Vader as a human, if only a glimpse which is somewhat unsettling - showing what a human is capable of. He also follows the true Sith way of betraying his master, by trying to convert Luke to the dark side, which ultimately leads to an unwelcome revelation for Luke... This is a brilliant film; one of the films you have to see before you die!!

An excellent summer movie. Although not filled with non-stop action, the movie follows on well from Superman II, and is well compensated by the plot. The unknown Brandon Routh fills Christopher Reeve's red boots well, being a worthy successor, not only because of their physical likeness, but also the aura he gives off as Superman. Kevin Spacey is excellent as Lex Luthor, portraying his evil and distaste for Superman superbly. However, the one weakness in the cast is Kate Bosworth. She wasn't terrible, but I didn't feel the chemistry between Superman and Lois Lane. Unfortunately, she wasn't an improvement on the marvellous Margot Kidder. The special effects are excellent, most notable being the reintroduction of Superman to the world. The plot is good. The use of the Marlon Brando (Jor-El) archives were great, giving a tangible link back to the original movies. There is also a somewhat unsubtle theological undertone in the movie, where Superman is portrayed as our saviour. The parallels between Jor-El and God, and Superman and Jesus are apparent. All in all, an excellent movie, definitely worth watching.

Beautiful is an understatement. It is a truly remarkable film. It doesn't diminish in terms of entertainment after many watches. It's a film you can watch over and over again. Its true success would have been its popularity with the ladies as well as the guys. It is after all a brutal, testosterone-filled film, yet its plot is so brilliant. Its a relatively simple plot, so brilliantly directed and beautifully shot.
Special mention of the beautiful shots should go to the introduction of Rome. It's breathtaking and the score which hums along with it is majestic. Extremely fitting for the scene. The afterlife shots were extremely well filmed and superbly integrated.
The dialogue is fantastic. There are so many memorable quotes. One quote even sums up the plot: "A general who became a slave; a slave who became a gladiator; a gladiator who defied and emperor".
The acting is outstanding. Special mentions go to Joaquin Phoenix, who is superb as the disturbingly meticulous power-hungry Commodus. He really does scare me in that chilling way. Connie Nielsen is excellent as his sister. She really has to show a range of emotions; love, hatred, remorse, anger etc.... Djimon Hounsou is great as Maximus' council and a great confidante. Russell Crowe, well, an excellent performance. One of the best acting performances I've seen for a while. His best film. You really feel for him. Masterful.
The gladiatorial sequences and the opening battle sequence were excellent. Their realism is unparalleled. Extremely well choreographed. The gratuity is not spared, which obviously adds to the realism.
The score is magnificent. The music is brilliantly used. The vocals in the closing afterife sequence really does capture the moment. The scores used during the battles capture the glorious nature of the Roman culture. They're epic.
The premise is magnificent. Superbly directed, wonderfully shot, beautifully acted. A film worthy of superlatives, though I don't like giving them.
Some of the ladies I know are deterred because the film is seemingly action-orientated. Do not let the title fool you. There is substance behind the action, which is used to further the storyline.
"Are you not entertained?" I'm happy to report that I was extremely well entertained. Everyone should see this!! An utter masterpiece.

A dark and chilling thriller with a wonderfully intertwined plot. Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt are excellent, but Kevin Spacey steals the show as John Doe. He is so charismatic that he almost persuades the viewer that he was justified to do the horrible degrading murders he committed. An excellent crime movie that will unsettle the viewer.

This is the best film of the trilogy, even surpassing the excellent first installment. The movie shed some light on Vito Corleone's background and how he came to be one of the most powerful people in his society. It portrays his rise to power from humble beginnings in such a moving way. In conjunction with this, we see how the reluctant Michael Corleone takes his father's place as the head of the house and how he becomes somewhat addicted to the power he now wields and the devastating effect it has on the people around him, most profoundly, his marriage. The "unfortunate" aspect of the plot is the way Michael tries to legalise the family business at the urge of his wife, but you soon realise that it would never occur and this would cost him his children and his marriage. Trajedy also ensues as he is forced to kill a person he loves dearly. The violence in this film is aptly tied into the plot; it aids the storyline as opposed to having violence for the sake of violence. It shows the dangerous world these people live in and that once you become part of that life, it would be impossible to stop going down that path. Al Pacino is excellent as the increasingly malevolent Michael and De Niro is brilliant as the young Vito Corleone. A must see; this is the best gangster film ever.

A great movie set in a totalitarian society of Britain not dissimilar to George Orwell's 1984. The plot circles upon the charismatic and eloquent V (an inspired Hugo Weaving) who manages to justify his debatable deeds to the whole country. Natalie Portman is the somewhat skeptical Evie. She was satisfactory, however, her fluctuating accent really irritated me after a while. The movie had the viewer sympathise with V especially given his background. Did you ever think you were going to back a terrorist over the government??

For me, this has to be the best of the trilogy, closely followed by Raiders of the Lost Ark. Temple of Doom was good, but not on a par with the first and third installment. Harrison Ford is excellent, as usual, as the archaeologist who once again races against time and the nazis to gain one of the most priceless religious artifacts of all time: The Holy Grail. The film opens with a neat background story showing how Indiana becomes the man he is. The plot moves steadily along involving an excellent Sean Connery as Indiana's dad. Connery provides laughs aplenty and the on-screen relationship between him and Ford is great. The film aptly shows how strained their relationship has been since Indiana's childhood, yet it shows their common attributes - intelligence, stubbornness etc... and how this common goal has brough them closer together. Julian Glover is a competent bad guy. John Rhys Davies is great once again as Sallah. I am a big fan of Indiana Jones. I hope the fourth installment lives up to its predeccesors.

The best Disney film by a margin. It's been said before, but Johnny Depp is magnetic as the camp anti-hero Jack Sparrow. He is funny and is most definitely the star of the film. Although his morals are patchy, he's relatively good at heart. Orlando Bloom capably played Will Turner and Keira Knightley was pretty good as Elizabeth Swann. I liked Geoffrey Rush: Captain Barbrosa is aptly played. The CGI and the sword fights are good and the general action sequences are good. The plot fits in very well with the general pirate stereotype - cursed stolen treasure, etc.. This is a great watch for kids and adults alike.

This is a grounbreaking film and a must-see. Definitely the best of the trilogy. The effects are revolutionary, especially the famed bullet speed. The plot is excellent and well directed. Although most people get confused after the first viewing I found it pretty easy to understand. Effectively life for the majority is an illusion and humans are the power source of the real world run by machines. We are kept docile by the illusion of having freedom in a virtual world - the matrix. Neo is the perfect role for the Keanu Reeves. There is no real need to show any variations in emotion. Laurence Fishburne is excellent as the voice of reason, Morpheus. Carrie-Anne Moss is competent as Trinity, though I thought the love interest sub-plot is weak. Hugo Weaving gives a sterling performance as Agent Smith, the somewhat apethetic drone of the matrix creators. He plays the role perfectly. There is no hammy acting, just a straight-forward guy doing his job. The action sequences are very complimented by the music, most notable the shoot-out, during Morpheus' rescue. The one-on-one combat scenes are awesomely choreographed and very well shot. This film is very unique and it was unfortunate that its cinematic release was overshadowed by the release of the Phantom Menace; a much inferior film. Revolutionary - I urge you to see this film.

This is an excellent movie using the green screen technology excellently. It is violent, yes, but the violence furthers the plot. It shows how bad Basin City really is; the fear which grips the city due to the many feuds within the community. The cops are corrupt, thus the wealthy rule the streets. Sin City gives us a story from all viewpoints whilst intricately linking them up. It is a masterpiece. We get Hartigan's viewpoint. He's an incorruptable cop who was framed for attempting to bring down the son of the most powerful man in the state. We see his human side: he is selfless, thinking only of Nancy believing his own life for hers is a fair trade, yet we see his ruthless side: gratuitously preventing Yellow Bas***d from physically re-offending. We see the viewpoint of Marv, an ex-con, who's driven to avenge the death of a girl he's only known for one night - an act based on love. I get the impression that Marv is not a bad man, it's just that he thrives in violence. Dwight is also an ex-con who's undergone plastic surgery. His crusade is also based on love. He rides to protect those he cares for. He is also insane which leads to internal conflict and self-confusion. The humour is great. This is a great example of how noir should be done. The action sequences are unrealistic, intentionally though, but they are spectacular nonetheless. Special mention must go to Elijah Wood's Kevin, he is an excellent character. It is a must-see!! There are those that believe that the violence was there for the sake of violence, that is naive as violence is a requisite to survive in such a place!! A beautifully shot movie, I can't wait for the sequel.

Quentin Tarantino's directing prowess is easily evident in this masterpiece. The film is brutal, yet it is beautifully shot. The anime backstories are excellently integrated and provides real substance behind each character it refers to. Uma Thurman is immense. You can actually feel her rage for vengeance and commitment to the cause. The actual fight scenes are excellent. The Club fight sequence was breathtaking, yet the most beautifully shot fight was the O-Ren duel. The backdrop is just beautiful and the fighting itself, immense. You feel the respect between the assassins as it is Bill she really wants. They don't treat each other lightly. The use of music was excellent; generally, Tarantino's direction is excellent. Some say the storyline is weird/ silly etc..., but it isn't, it's simple and intense - vengeance. After all, it is understandable. Her child was stolen from her and she was left for dead, losing four years of her life in the process. Definitelty a film to see before you die. kill Bill, Vol 2 isn't half bad either....

Beautiful. Joss Whedon rocks!! I watched this before watching Firefly and I thought it was awesome then, but watching it again after seeing Firefly, it blew me away. It answers some questions, yet it is not a pre-requisite to have seen the series to see this film. Why was Firefly cancelled??
This has to be one of the greatest sci-fi films ever. It is definitely better than the Star Wars prequels. The directing and storyline is much more coherant and the action scenes are extremely well choreographed. The dialogue is witty, yet not cheesy and it blends well with the dramatics of the film. The acting is solid; it is a great collection of actors. They seem to bounce off each other so easily. It is an absolute delight to watch.
The CGI is magnificent. The big space battle is on a par with the opening of Revenge of the Sith, yet I'm sure it was cheaper to produce. Where George Lucas uses special effects to attempt to mask his questionable directing, Joss Whedon integrates it into his story, allowing it to further the plotline, rather than overuse it when there seems to be a lull. On a smaller budget, Joss Whedon has outdone the Star Wars prequels. One can only imagine how good this film would have been on a bigger budget.
This movie is beautifully shot. The camerawork is supreme. The dialogue and humour is brilliant. There are some memorable lines. Brilliantly written and brilliantly directed, in other words Joss Whedon is brilliant!!
A must see for all sci-fi fans, but everyone will love this!! Go see it now!!!

A hauntingly beautiful film and yet gruesome at the same time. A film of paradoxes and parallels. Set in a dark time of Spain's history, the world is cruel and harsh. The fairy tale, the antithesis, yet not as innocent as fairy tales go. In these fairy tales, unspeakable acts occur; an escapism still tainted by the events and experiences of reality. She uses her fantasy as a coping mechanism; a way to bear the unhappiness that has befallen her.
She loves her parents, loathes her "father". Her created world is beautiful, yet violent. She lives through death.
The aspects of reality and fantasy were excellently juxtaposed. The visuals stunning. The direction superb. Beautifully shot. The beautifully haunting score adds to the richness of the film. Such an original plot and it managaes to convey the vast array of polar feelings so so well. It is a masterpiece. Everything blends excellently. You may never see a film of this type again. I urge you to see it, it will leave you dwelling.

A brilliantly bold marvel. Spielberg couldn't find a director originally so took it upon himself to direct as well as produce this gem of a film. I am glad he couldn't find anyone else because this is beyond brilliant. Liam Neeson perfectly depicts Oskar Schindler, a German entrepreneur sympathetic to the Jewish cause. His growing sympathy for the Jews is excellently played. However, it is Ralph Fiennes' Goeth which is undoubtably the best performance. The sadistic and unsympathetic Goeth epitomises the stereotypical Nazi - heartless and efficient, a deadly combination. He kills for fun and his own amusement and discriminates without guilt. Ben Kingsley's Stern is excellent. The cream of British actors are on top form. Spielberg's directing is impeccable - I particularly like the scene with the girl in red. She represents hope in an extreme world, yet it is disturbing that she isn't even noticed whilst walking in the streets as their world has become so so cruel and fear is so prevalent in the lives of the people that they are totally focused on personal safety. The film is realistic and some of the scenes aren't for the faint-hearted. The film is touching, yet bold. Spielberg's greatest achievement. Watch it; I dare you to be disappointed.

I love this film, a great disney film. Tim Curry is at his dastardly best as the evil Cardinal. His plotting and kniving is spot on and he is humerous in a subtle way. Oliver Platt is the big scene stealer as the adventurous Porthos; effectively drawing laughs from nearly every scene he's in. Charlie Sheen is great as the reasoning priest/ musketeer hybrid, Aramis and Kiefer Sutherland plays the depressed Athos excellently. Chris O'Donnell, i thought was well cast as D'Artagnan. The sword fights were pretty good for a disney film. There were tense moments and funny moments with a very good plot, which I assume was taken from the novel. All in all, a great swashbuckling adventure; one of my personal favourites.

This is the best of the prequel trilogy, no doubt, but for me it still lacked that something special that the original trilogy had. I think the lightsaber sequences are nothing short of spectacular as are the CGI special effects, in particular the opening battle sequence over Coruscant, but i believe it is somewhat let down by the Anakin/ Padme love story. I found it incredibly tedious. I do, however, admire the ingenuity, patience and manipulative prowess of Palpatine/ Sidious (brilliantly portrayed by Ian McDiarmid). That aspect of the plot, which spans throughout the whole of the prequel trilogy is excellent. However, at times I did find myself skipping to the lightsaber sequences when I found a particularly slow, drawn out part of the film. It's still a great film, a must see for all Star Wars fans, but without the lightsaber sequences, this film would not have fared so highly.

I like it. Not as good as the original, but the original would have been very hard to live up to. I think it would have been as good as the original had the Donner version been completed. Richard Lester is a poor director (Superman III is nowhere near as good as the first two). Without the screen presence of the charismatic Brando, this film could have been poor, but Reeve and Stamp put in great performances. Stamp is the epitome of evil, continually betraying all who help him after their usefulness has expired. Reeve has made Superman his own; he is marvellous. There is also a development of the Lois-Clark relationship, which is well done. The only thing of note that Lester contributed to the film was the Metropolis battle between Superman and the three Kryptonians. The effects were good for the time and it is a very likeable film.

Wow. Being a true Bond fan, I was apprehensive about Daniel Craig's appointment as I believed he didn't fit the requirements. I was wrong. He shows a new rougher, grittier Bond. He has balls!!! He seems to be a Bond who loves to use his licence to kill, a darker Bond. He also gets hurt, which is rare in Bond films; he actually bleeds a lot and gets heavily tortured without magically escaping. We also see a human side to Craig's Bond and there is brilliant character development, showing how Bond became the man he is. Well done Daniel Craig, you proved me wrong, you're worthy enough to don the 007 tuxedo. The action scenes are brilliant. They look authentic, realistic as opposed to regular Bond action sequences. I especially loved the first chase sequence. The plot is also sensible. There was no megalomaniac trying to destroy the world in a stupid far-fetched way, say by implanting diamonds into space and utilising it as a weapon. The plot is realistic as it is a reasonable possibility in our world today. The exotic gadgetry is also sacrificed for character development and more authentic action sequences, which is welcomed by me. Mads Mikkelsen makes a good villain. He isn't as commanding as say Goldfinger, but he knows what he wants and gets the job done. I'm glad Judi Dench was kept as M. Although her part was small, she was very good. Her character sheds some light on Bond's character. Eva Green is a good Bond girl. Good-looking and she acted well. Bond is besotted by her which shows his vulnerable interior. Felix Leiter was basically introduced in this film, showing the beginning of their friendship. The film is also funny at parts. It falls away from it's usual cheesy one-liners. It is more witty. I cannot praise it enough, I even liked the title sequences. I love the song. Timothy Dalton was the closest to a dark Bond, now Daniel Craig has surpassed that accompanied with better, fresher attributes too. This is one of the best Bond films. That's a huge compliment considering a like nearly every Bond film (not too keen on the last 2 Brosnans). It is a must-see. Even if you are not a Bond fan, you will appreciate the plot and action sequences. One of the best Bonds ever!!