My Favorite Movies

Absolutely astounding. Brazil is beautiful, dream-like, hilarious, yet depressing and frightening. Visually, this movie is amazing, this is Gilliam's art, and this is it's purest form. It's very thought provoking, and has many subtle elements that you may pick up on a second or third viewing.

Brazil, to me, is the definition of the perfect film. It's a surreal masterpiece that stays true to the collective creative vision of the makers and still achieves what it sets out.

A truly beautiful movie. This is much more than just a well told story of an incredible adventure. Not a beating heart can be left untouched by the way 'Into the Wild' plays out our deep seeded urges, shows the profound effect people have on one another, the power of forgiveness and love, and the desperation of loneliness.

The story itself is based on a true story of a pretty smart young guy, Chris McCandless, fresh out of college, ridding himself of all his belongings and connections to those he knows and going on an epic adventure. His long journey is to not only rediscover man's desire for truth, freedom, nature and a sense of strength, but to find himself. Still shaped by a narrow-minded, pointless modern life and a troubled family, he seeks adventure and change, a core desire of man.

Unbeknownst to himself, Chris (or Alex Supertramp, as he goes by to others) proves to be somewhat naive and selfish. We are shown how insensitive he is in his actions. Although he learns and grows as a person, eventually his happiness turns bitter-sweet. He tragically realises how lonely he really is and how his stubbornness stopped him short of forgiving and nurturing those he loves. Love is what Chris has always desired, but his frustrations and angst blinded him to it and his efforts went solely to finding himself, rather than finding love in all aspects of his life.

The other characters in the film play out to be just as important to the story, especially the heart-breaking Ron Franz. Ron is a wise old man desperately isolated and deeply hurt by the loss of his family. The interaction between the two is quite poignant, and showcases a lot of emotional growth and wise thoughts. You also see the heartache of two hippies Chris travels and bonds with, whom lead him to a young girl, driven by the desire of a young heart, yet unloved.

'Into the Wild' shows what a special person Chris was, but also reminds us what it is to truly be alive and what is real in this world. Yet, it is still modest and ultimately shows us of the importance of love, forgiveness, truth and caring. The essence of this is captured in the end of the movie, where a dying Chris writes "Happiness only real when shared" in his book, acknowledging his mistakes and the humbling power of love.

Sean Penn does brilliantly, he makes fine strokes as director and screenplay writer. The story is subtly told back and forth to have the adventure unravel in a very engrossing, yet constantly refreshing manner. It's obvious a lot of thought and passion went into this movie. The acting on pretty much all parts is superb, especially Emile Hirsch, the lead. The music and cinematography also compliment the flow and direction of the film, helping tell a great story in a great way.

Definitely a must-see.

Fucking insane. Not only is this a rather fantastic story, the unique way in which it is told isn't at all a gimmick. It's amazingly engrossing and familiarises you with just what it feels like to be this man.

Each time you watch this movie, and believe me, there will be more than one, you will become more and more satisfied with each new piece you put together. Although it may seem incredibly complex, it doesn't come across that way at all when you watch it. You right there in the action, not exactly watching the film, but sensing it and experiencing it. SEE THIS MOVIE!

12 Monkeys redefined the idea of a twist in a movie. A lot of movies just rely on a twist as a pay off and an easy way to wrap up a story. This movie, on the contrary, gives us an engaging story with incredible sequence of events and ending that even if were obvious, leave you astounded. Once you get your head around it, you will wonder what sort of mind it takes to think up an idea of this calibre.

Review later.

A movies so full of life, as depressing and real as it truly may be. American Splendor is stylish, intelligent and original. Anyone can relate to many aspects of this film and the seemingly unlikeable characters grow on you incredibly fast. I found parts of this movie incredibly moving, as if they were a part of my own experiences.

This may not be for everyone, but it has an almost sentimental place in my heart.

Great dialogue, acting, cinematography and most of all, sense of reality. It's easy to fall in love with this movie because it's almost breathing. Touching in a genuine way, that I don't think anyone can deny.

Before Sunrise is very natural and relaxed, so it's a delight to watch and I highly recommend it.

A smart, psychological thriller with a "villain" that actually resembles a human, with whom you might sympathise and understand. Really clever, engaging and tense. I was able to watch this a second time within as many days and still pick up a fair bit and really enjoy the movie. Wraps up nicely in the end, making things complete and still feels relevant to the story.

One of the few of it's genre that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Quite a tale indeed. A uniquely hilarious story, The Big Lebowski is like a intelligent, stylish version of a seemingly dumb comedy plot.

Somehow, everything comes together really well and forms a solid comedy that doesn't cease to entertain or hold your attention. One of the few comedies I can easily watch over and over.

By far, one of the strangest, yet most compellingly funny movies I have ever seen. The premise is silly, yet the your intelligence isn't insulted. Being John Malkovich is extremely inventive and original, it's the kind of film that doesn't lose either it's brilliance or it's mass-appeal.

Recommended to all.

Gattaca may be a little slow at times, but I feel that it relevant to the story and suits the goal of the movie. It's not over-the-top at all. It's quite believable, original, inspiring and really beautiful. It makes you think, makes you feel for the characters and entertains you on a deeper level than most Sci-Fi's. I hate to think people are turned off by the Sci-Fi label that people give it.

This movie is rare, it transcends the many different genres and labels that some attach to it, yet still retains a genuine feel. I really connected with the characters and loved how they developed as the story went on. It's portrays the confusion and mixed feelings of relationships very well and really drags you in.

Overall, this film is smart, real, engaging, funny and emotional, yet it seems to hold together and really work.

Simply, a beautiful movie.

A pretty tense and engaging film. It succeeds in accurately portraying the repercussions of crime, death and betrayal, and also what drives a person to crime.

I watched the whole film and felt very much a part of the story, without knowing exactly what would happen next.

Quite rewarding and enthralling viewing all the way through. Leaves you wondering, yet seems entertaining and clever throughout.

A masterpiece that sets a benchmark for it's genre. There isn't much that I can say about this that someone else hasn't, so I'll leave it at that.

A great sequel. People will argue that it's better than the original.

A fantastic action movie. Everything seems so real and the movie builds up well with characters and tensions developing well throughout. A simple idea done with precision, passion and dedication.

A highly entertaining movie for people of most ages.

This movie has a certain charm and not-so-subtle message that I can't help but adore. It's the kind of thing that makes you want to aspire to be a better person (maybe I'm easy to sway!) As obvious as it all may be, the characters still show development and it's nice to see how a change in attitude can affect those around you. Bill Murray is great in this, very funny.

One of my most-watched movies. An absolute obsession.

A second sequel that you don't wish they didn't make.

A movie that is often compared to and seems to try to be a modern day 'Taxi Driver. There are a few short-comings that don't ultimately ruin the movie, but don't guarantee it the respect it wants. Between the two, I prefer the ending of this over Taxi Driver, though over all Taxi Driver is a better film.

Very engrossing. It didn't seem close to 3 hours and 12 minutes because I enjoyed watching it so much.

Good old Terry Gilliam.

A thrilling tale with some really memorable lines and moments. A classic.

Doesn't quite live up to the large amount of hype, but quite good nonetheless.

An inspirational story, it made me ponder the obscurity of humanity and the struggle that it can be at times.

A classic movie about the struggle of a confused young man and the relationship with his parents, and other's around him.