Brian Schnell (placeinthesun455)

A Christmas Story PG

can you condense the world of a 9-year-old and his family into one hour-and-a-half holiday comedy? as this film brilliantly proves, yes you can. the sheer honesty of the writing and acting is just phenomenal--nothing outlandish or cinematic, nothing over-the-top, just plain and simple family comedy that works to a T. Jean Shepard's smooth narratation, the Old Man's pride-and-joy leg lamp, the fantasy sequences...just a fantastic Christmas classic.

Once Upon a Time in America R

sits next to The Godfather and Goodfellas as one of the best gangster films of all time. fantastic narrative style with a strong, cohesive plot and deep, emotional characters that provoke both hate and pity. brilliant score from Ennio Morricone as well. I thought some of the sexual content and related dialogue was perhaps a bit too graphic, but at least it advanced the plot wasn't included simply for its own sake. I also didn't see why the characters' Judaism was a necessary plot element--it was never an issue, and they just as easily could have been Italian or Irish for as much as their religion and cultural heritage was addressed. overall, though, this is a fantastic film that is well worth the staggering 4 hours.

The Godfather R

Brando and Pacino at their finest. Coppola redefines moviemaking with this film. A riveting plot, magnificent acting, and some of the best cinematography around (with special mention for the baptism scene) make this a must-see classic.

Airplane! PG

a gag-a-second comedy that just begs to be seen multiple times. ridiculous, hilarious, and an all-around great film.