My Favorite Movies

Brilliant, a masterpiece! One of the best movies I've seen in a long time. Fatih Akin creates a tour de force Alejandro González Iñárritu style. Superior to "Crash" and "Babel", other films in this non-linear genre, "Edge of Heaven" doesn't use the non-linearity as a vehicle, but rather fits into it like a glove. This film has joined good company, along with "Amores Perros" and "21 Grams" for setting the standard for this style of film-making. The difference between this film and "Amores Perros" is that despite's "Amores Perros" more focused theme, "Edge of Heaven" flows more smoothly and is has a more multi-faceted set of themes. I can't say enough good things about this movie, other than it's as brilliant of a film as they come.

There's more than meets the eye in this gem from Iran. A fascinating story that is executed both beautifully and brilliantly. Parviz Parastui gives an emotionally charged, yet subtle and masterful performance, which polishes this film. Like "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly", the viewer will have their perception of beauty and reality challenged, while taking away a sort of sad inspiration from this film. Perspective dictates happiness and beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

That's right, a movie about the world championship of Donkey Kong has just earned 5 stars! I always say, the sign of an amazing movie is one that can make you laugh and make you cry. See this movie and you'll know what I'm talking about.

Turns purely fascinating subject matter into one of the most mesmerizing, astonishing documentaries I've ever witnessed!

Tell everyone about "Tell No One". This is the best foreign film of 2008 and one of my new favorite movies. It's a mind-blowing, yet beautiful "edge-of-your-seat" ride that stands head and shoulders above any thriller of recent memory. This is yet another example of why I love French cinema.

Riveting! This movie has an "In the Bedroom" flavour to it as far as its pace, so the scenes are subtle, yet significant and luring. I was glued to my seat for two hours, helplessly begging for answers.

We do not choose our beginning, we do not choose our end. But in the moments between, we choose who we are. A powerful film, with commanding performances, that speaks volumes about humanity. If you seek altruistic character development, look no further than this tour de force that is far superior to "City of God".

A perfect film.

The brilliance of this film lies in its success on multiple levels. When broken down into components topically, the film is perfectly constructed in terms of plot, cinematography, acting, etc. But when trying to dig deeper for meaning in this movie, one will find a myriad of ideas, themes, and dualities that are not easily handled.

Phone a friend and tell them about the most dynamic movie of 2008. I LOVE this movie!

Kudos to Ben Affleck for making all the right decisions in his directing debut. The cast is marvelous and the story and pacing are perfect. This is an extremely solid, well rounded film that should have been recognized in the Best Picture category at the Oscars.

Dollar for dollar, there's no better movie ever made.

A bloody masterpiece! Finally, Tim Burton has wowed me! We get the package deal here: great writing, snappy dialogue, catchy tunes with some dark comedy relief, vibrant colors, and a great cast to bring it altogether. Depp is brilliant in this tour de force about the tragedy of hatred consuming love.

We are what we've lost. This movie is so profound on so many levels. Powerful!

A study in the moral fabric that dictates our fate. A powerful piece of work.

This is the single best movie ever made, period.

One of the 3 top movies of the 90's

Brilliant on so many levels. I think most people fail to recognize the depth of the screenplay on this one.

The best horror movie ever made! Take note, horror genre filmmakers, this is how a 5-star horror film is made. A word of caution though, if you rent this DVD, make sure you watch it in Swedish with English subtitles, this is the only way to watch foreign language films in their truest nature. The default is English-dubbed on the DVD, which does the movie injustice. Just go into "settings" and change the audio and subtitle options and enjoy the best Swedish film ever made.

From the makers of Babel, but this one is much better.

Filmmaking at its best

I'm confused as to how anybody could give this movie anything less than 5 stars. It was well written, well produced, funny, imaginative, happy, sad, inspiring, disturbing, and well...just plain beautiful I suppose. It is about imagination, and redefines the idea of a "hero" while giving meaning to word "sacrifice". I really don't know what more I could ask for in a movie.

Love it or hate it, but at least make the effort to try to understand it. This is quite possibly the most rich and complex movie ever made. It is visually enchanting and undertakes themes such as life, death, and rebirth. This is a must see!

I can't think of a movie I've had more fun watching in recent memory.

Dark, imaginative, and immensely creative! The cinematography and direction are just astounding, and the score is right on. The scenes are beautifully shot, and the acting is top notch. The movie is not without its flaws, but the myriad of cinematic qualities overshadow these small imperfections. This highly decorated film is certainly deserving of its high praise and numerous awards.

Great dialogue! Darkly funny and hypocritical, fresh and creative.

An instant classic! The best animated family film since "Monsters, Inc". After the overhyped "Happy Feet" I was very wary of yet another Penguin Movie, but this movie is far from being uncreative or unoriginal. It's documentary form makes it fresh and fun, while adding the perfect nostalgic touch. I think parents will enjoy it even more than the kids. I know I did!

I'm so glad it won Best Picture among the films nominated. This is film is a true joy to watch!

Most original movie I've ever seen. Jake Gyllenhall always delivers!

Kubrick's materpiece.

Though not the best movie ever made, probably my favorite.

I love this movie

Inspirational!

A Masterpiece!

One of the best acting performances I've ever seen.

This movie is a little too good and effective. Certainly one of the most disturbing and depressing movies out there.

Probably the best film of 2006

A masterpiece! One of the best films of the year.

Best of 2005

My favorite Pixar movie. After several viewings, the material is still fresh and entertaining.

Probably my favorite animated movie.

One of the best movies of 2000.

Probably the most important film ever made.

This is must see viewing for every human being that thinks he/she is in the know and for every American that considers himself/herself patriotic. This is "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" meets Fox Mulder, but a true story, and without the happy ending. In a time in this country when we need someone with integrity, honesty, perseverance, and diligence, one needs to look no further than the decades of unrewarded selfless acts of this man. Regardless of your political viewpoints, it is hard to argue that if any politician had an ounce of this man's fortitude, we would all be better off. Once in a while a documentary comes along that changes the way I view the world and moves me to act upon it. This is one of those movies.

Shot in a way that makes you feel like you are in the scenes, vulnerable emotionally to the heartbreak and agony. Brilliant movie.

Masterpiece for its time. Too bad it was up against "The Godfather" for best picture back in '72.

Dark, funny, mysterious, captivating. An enigmatic journey of self-discovery.

Brilliant, a rare find.

Simple and quaint. Underrated directing and editing. Probably the greatest soundtrack I've ever heard.

Better than Gladiator, but not quite Braveheart. Dialogue is superb.

Classic kids' movie, but I still love it!

A nearly perfect film

Brilliant!

Life altering, one of the 10 most important films I've ever seen.

Move (yourself to the closest theatre) after reading (this review). If you like the Coen brothers' work, particularly "Fargo", then this movie will not disappoint. John Malkovich was particularly impressive here, and the Coen brothers should be seeing an Oscar nomination for writing.

The remake of this will have a high bar set for it. Some of the special effects really show the age of this film, which otherwise is timeless. Of course, improvements on special effects are expected, but the characters and themes are paralleled only by Orwellian literature. I was hoping for more of a grim, "1984" type ending, but this will do. Fear, pride, ignorance, propaganda, and prejudice span the spectrum of themes in this classic masterpiece!

Like "Grizzly Man", but with wires: funny, inspirational, and breathtaking!

A graphic portrayal of the atrocities of the Nazi regime, produced with a poetic touch. Like "Life is Beautiful", this movie will shake you to your core while touching your soul.

Edward Norton and Matt Damon together in a movie about Poker. Does it get any better?

Does this movie live up to all the hype? Absolutely! Does Ledger? Well, let's just say he creates one of the most twisted, cunning, demented villains ever seen on screen. The first 20-30 minutes of this film is just so-so, but then the movie just takes off and never looks back. Nolan's direction is dark, and he pulls no punches here, making this a near masterpiece. We get some of the best produced, most clever, thrilling action sequences of all time. Moreover, the rivalry and showdown between Batman and The Joker is among the most twisted, brilliant, and complex ever seen. This movie does have its imperfections, and there are abound throughout the film, so although this is not by any means a perfect film, it is one that can't be missed.

The "Incredibles" is incredible! As good as any action movie, but done in the animated style as to appeal to all audiences, as Pixar does best. I love this movie.

Very engrossing, great film! Like "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" though, this movie relied heavily on character development which fell just short of amazing. I highly recommend this one though for the great conflict, especially if you liked "Memento".

What a cool movie! This is proof that an action movie can pull off a 5-star rating.

A masterpiece! Ranks up there with "Syriana", "Goodfellas", and "JFK" as far as exposing behind the scenes operations in an intriguing, mysterious way. It really keeps the audience guessing as to who's the highest up on the food chain in secret organizations. i had a lot of fun trying to connect dots for 2 1/2 hours here. Like "Syriana", multiple viewings may be necessary to absorb everything in this film, for there are layers and layers of mysteries to unravel. Looks like De Niro can direct as well as he can act.

This is an extremely underrated achievement. This film gets everything right, I just loved it.

This is a delightful film. The characters are interesting and the performances are perfect. This is just a simple story, nothing is spoon fed or crammed down the audience's throat. There is just the right amount of delicately placed hints of dark comedy scattered about in this movie to make it a perfectly paced drama. Bottom line: I really liked this film!

Great adaptation of George Orwell's "1984". This is mandatory viewing, and it gets better with each subsequent viewing.

An amazing film! This is one of the best animated films I've ever seen. I love the character of Marjane. Seldom do we see such a fiery, passionate character take center stage, and it is in this most interesting setting that makes the premise of this film work so well. What's not to love about this film? It has: history, culture, comedy, war, religion, conflict, drama, suspense, love, pain, happiness, misery, passion, sacrifice, character growth, artistic originality and creativity, and a rare resounding poignancy. Beautiful, captivating, mesmerizing, and unforgettable.

The "dark knight" of 2009! This is the perfect pairing of brains and brawn. This film is explosive, edgy, smart, and visually alluring while somehow keeping true to it's sense of the campy style of it's television origins. The versatility of this film allows it to appease the most serious of Trekkies while providing the perfect invitation to hook those unfamiliar with "Star Trek". This is one of the best sci-fi films ever made and is sure to bestow some honors for it's special effects come award time. In short, this movie has it all!