My Favorite Movies

Easily one of the finest examples of film-making I've ever seen, Oldboy is not only stylish and brutal, but stylish and brutal for the purpose of the story. I cannot begin to express how deeply affecting this movie is- a tragedy on an epic scale. Absolutely gorgeous, perfectly paced and so much human depth, this is a movie like none that I've ever seen. I came away from it in a daze.

Lynch at his finest. Horrific, dark, surreal, and experimental. Industrial wastelands and awkward interactions. An amazing film.

The perfect Cronenberg movie and a unique take on the horror genre. Jeff Goldblum is amazing as Seth Brundle, capturing his awkward nerdiness while dousing him in a thick layer of humanity. And of course, because Cronenberg wrote it, there is a deep tragedy played out as Seth's body is perverted by his own ignorant decision and his soul and humanity suffer for it. Geena Davis is great and the whole thing just reeks of icy darkness, cold and distant and still deeply affecting- a classic.

Magnificent, trippy and gorgeous. Sunshine is all the crazy shit I ever imagined would happen in space put into one epic film. Cillian Murphy is amazing, as always. In fact, the whole cast is great. Don't expect a light hearted journey to the sun here- Sunshine is a brutal, unforgiving place for its characters. This movie made me giggle and get a little teary-eyed more than once. Can't recommend it to fans of the genre more.

Of special note is the soundtrack, which pretty much puts the film from good into amazing.

Juno is absolute genius. I've tried to figure out a way to put it for a while, and I've come to that conclusion. At first, I really hated the dialogue that spewed from ellen page...but as the characters develop, they are lovable. Completely. Michael Cera is amazing, a totally captivating actor whose characters I identify with and he embodies well. Very well written, very well paced. Saw this one at a screening and then a second time. One of my favorite comedies, up there with Waitress and Knocked Up.

Let me start by saying that Waitress is perhaps the funniest movie I've seen since Borat. At least, I haven't laughed as much during a movie since Borat. I'm a sucker for dry humor, and this movie has it in spades. Every character is lovable, the settings are colorful but not overbearing, the writing is smart and filled with humanity. Keri Russell is stellar in the lead, and Adrienne Shelly gives a fine performance in what has become, unfortunately, her last role as actress, writer, and director. Also of note is Jeremy Sisto's Earl, a despicable waste of life that evoked feelings in me generally reserved for the nastiest of movie villains; and Andy Griffith as the lovable grumpy old guy.

I am usually not a fan of romantic comedies. Did I like Waitress? Hell yes. Waitress is easily one of the best movies of the year, and one of the best comedies I've ever seen. If you have a limited release theater in your area, you have no excuse- go see it.

This is one helluva monster movie. Blending genres as most Korean films I've seen do, The Host is not just a monster movie- it's a dysfunctional family movie, a government conspiracy movie, a disaster movie, and a creature flick all wrapped up in a nice tight blanket of humanity. Sad and touching while wildly entertaining. Repeat viewings are very rewarding.

Avalon is a masterpiece of well-executed cinematography, and is nothing short of spectacular to watch again and again.

Spectacular. More to come.

Dark, twisted, disgusting and utterly mind-fucking, this movie is for anyone interested in creative surrealism and the potential consequences of 'simulated reality.' eXistenZ takes its generic-sounding plot and throws preconceived notions out the window. The ending was brilliant, the acting top-notch, and definitely a different role for Jude Law. Highly recommended to any fan of Cronenberg's squishy effects and his unique directing style.

A true work of art. Amazing direction. Every scene looks more like a beautiful photo than a movie scene. Slow pacing may hamper viewers hoping for excitement and action.

If I ruled the world, everyone would see this movie- not because the content is necessarily your kind of thing but because it's presented so artistically it would be hard to not enjoy. It could also make for a rousing game of "name the movies this movie has influenced."

"The things you do wrong...they haunt you."

Propelled by great use of color and incredible performances by Patrick Wilson and Ellen Page, this is a cold, impersonal look at the consequences of anonymous communication in the digital age. Ellen Page plays Haley flawlessly- sadistic and loving it, Haley is the personification of repressed rage and anger resulting from the self-loathing felt by the molested, the raped, the abused. Her background is never revealed, thus reinforcing that idea. Moral dilemmas will hit you in the gut as you watch- we all know that Geoff is a manipulative bastard (and one of the best villains I've ever seen), but does he deserve the level of retribution exacted on him by Haley? There are no easy answers.

This is a challenging movie, but definitely worthwhile if you want more to your movies than just entertainment.

A dystopian thriller in a world where females are infertile, filmed in the style of a modern war movie, like Saving Private Ryan. Intense, personal, and amazing.

What if we combined our love of televised violence and the increasingly popular (and utterly retarded) reality-TV genre? You'd have The Contenders.

This is a brilliant and scathing commentary on our fascination with violence on television as well as the current trend in "reality" TV. All of it is there- the shaky camera work, the dramatic confrontations and confessions, the prodding and intrusive cameramen, the cheesy monologues and ridiculous soundtrack. It's mean, violent and disturbing, and features some very convincing acting.

This is definitely intended for those of us who dislike the notion of wasting our lives away in front of the TV screen. It's for those of us that laugh in the faces of people who believe "reality" TV is, well, real. It's for people who get out and live life instead of drinking beer in front of the tube every night. So, if you are sick of Survivor, hated The Real World or scoff every time you hear someone talking about the latest episode of The Bachelor, then this is a must-see.

A spoof on zombie horror that manages to be side-splittingly funny while retaining the gore and intensity of a zombie thriller.

An experiment in existentialism. Trippy and thought-provoking, highly original. Highly recommended.

Despite its reputation as being the "cool movie to love", Donnie Darko possesses a profound depth I hardly see any movies these days. The Director's Cut is my personal favorite. If you get past the tweenies obsessed with the film and wildly missing the point, you'll find an artistic look at an alternate universe theory and the chaos that results within it.

One of Miyazaki's best. Surreal and well-paced, with a well developed world. Memorable characters and little touches of detail make this move come alive.

A crazy trip through existentialist ideas and one man's psyche.

A harsh portrayal of addiction and how it affects the lives of four people. Amazing acting and a realistic portrayal of the extremes one can sink to in defense of a drug.

A hallucinogenic film about psychosis, the nature of reality and perception, and being pushed over the edge.

Lynch's dark foreboding style and a mystery in the air. Surreal, hypnotic and wonderful.

If any of you are a fan of David Lynch's films, you may be turned off by the G-rating slapped on this one. Don't let it fool you- as far as good, clean human drama goes, it's a wonderful movie. He reeled himself in a lot for this one, but if you look closely, you'll see a lot of Lynchian elements in the presentation of this touching and heartwarming tale.

A very hallucinatory journey through the life and memories of a delusional and very disturbed man. Very well done, the ending was top-notch.

Emotional and affecting, this is a captivating film.

Surreal look at "losing it all" when one has everything. Mind-blowing ending.

Except for one moment of cheesiness that made me cringe, silent hill is a great adaptation of one of my favorite game series.

The second best PG-13 horror movie I've seen. Very trippy and surreal. Don't be fooled though- outside of the actual disaster that takes place, it was based on a book, not "real" events.

The classic post-apocalyptic anime. Highly entertaining.

An excellent little psychological horror, heavily inspired by the 1979 Andrei Tarkovsky film "Stalker."

A horror movie that not only is violent but also truly scary?! Wow. The ending made my day so much better.

Another unsettling movie about the power of imagination in the face of unspeakable horrors. Jodelle Ferland is an amazing child actress.

Terry Gilliam's scifi masterpiece, more focused than epic, thoroughly enjoyable. Easy to watch a second and third time.

The use of vivid colors to mimic a "photo"- like feel makes this movie not just amazing, but trippy as well. Robin Williams is incredible and convincing.

One of the funniest movies I've ever seen.

Not the greatest movie ever made but definitely a fun, shocking ride. Could very well be a movie meant for anime but turned live action.

Outrageous (read: amazing) special effects and good pacing made this one of the best big budget sci-fi flicks I've ever seen.

The movie that put Jim Carrey in a more mature (but still hilarious) role.

I saw this on a video stream while moving into a new apartment in 2005. It blew my mind. Absolutely bizarre.

A depressing and affecting film about a man struggling to come to terms with his wife's suicide and the lengths he will go to numb his grief.

I have never laughed so hard in a theater. Or anywhere, for that matter. My sides hurt. I almost choked. I annoyed my girlfriend. I nearly fell out of my seat. That's how f***ing funny this movie is.

The ending made the movie. Not as depressing as 21 Grams, but poignant and emotional nonetheless. Incredible story-telling.

An intriguing thriller wrapped in a sci-fi conspiracy.

Amazing film that works hard to bust the racial stereotypes society holds.

Very disturbing, not because it's overly graphic in its depictions of torture and death (and it's not) but because of the realism in the character's reactions and how it affects (or doesn't affect) them.

I had low expectations, but I laughed my ass off. Great entertainment.

An amazing, surreal film that deals with bizarre things in bizarre locations surrounding strange circumstances. Funny as hell.

An extremely effective "Is the world crazy or am I?" film. Excellent acting, compelling story. Not a movie for special effects junkies or people who can't bear a few minutes of no dialog. The first half made me go "Wow," and then I wondered if I had made a mistake, until the end made me go "wow" again.

I am a fan of a good ensemble film. This is a good ensemble film. People feel powerless, try hard to make it right, get royally screwed over and then a twist of fate completely out of their hands brings hope back again.

The power a child's imagination in the face of an upheaval in her world. Violent. Intriguing. Visually amazing. Dark without being overwhelming.

Great psychological thriller / whodunit murder mystery.

An awesome concept flick. Confusing and full of math-speak and technical jargon, it stands out as an intelligent opinion on the time travel problem and an intriguing trip. Amazing low-budget scifi. I look forward to Mr. Carruth's future works.

Extremely unpleasant, yet Videodrome didn't have me reaching for the stop button. A very visceral and disturbing romp through the "what ifs" of simulated reality and hallucinogenic experiences, filled with characters so far removed from actions and emotions that we've come to expect from human beings that it becomes more dream-like than anything else.

Be warned- you may be surprised at what turns you on. A sexy, dangerous and very artistic study of a strange fetish involving car crashes. The score is very minimal and the perspective is bleak, detached and filled with contrasts between good and evil, obsession and consequence. I don't see how anyone other than Cronenberg could have done this so well.

I put this one off for a bit and finally watched it. An excellent movie. Very dark, filled with emotionally detached and confused characters and a good realism factor (mostly due to the excellent camera work and acting). Intense and enjoyable.

The movie that brought cyberpunk to the mainstream again. The "original" bulet-time effects. And a damn fun ride.

An intriguing idea, interesting plot and multiple twists at the end made this a pretty good show. I think something might have gotten lost in traslation though- while subtitled, it was almost impossible to follow some of the little nuances in the plot.

Frenetic, extremely stylized and loaded with violence, Versus is ridiculously over-the-top, and even though it may be a bit of a Highlander/Evil Dead/Dead Alive rip-off, every minute is thoroughly enjoyable.

Unfortunately, I saw the "R-Rated" version (the only one available at my local rental store) and the cuts are very noticeable- also, there were some typos in the English subs. I look forward to finding a copy of the unrated version, as well as the rest of Kitamura's films.

Absolutely ridiculous action sequences. Funny. Entertaining entertainment.

This could easily have been just another angsty teen melodrama, but I was pleasantly surprised that it was much, much more than that. This film totally captures the feeling of isolation and rejection felt by everyone at some point or another in their life. It's about self-reliance and the loneliness felt by the intelligent amongst the ignorant masses. Enid is attention-seeking, but she is always insightful and I found her to be an extremely likable character.

To top it off, not only could I relate with a lot of what was going on, I also laughed my ass off through many parts of this movie. Excellent.

Chan Wook Park's first in the Revenge Trilogy. Solid film-making. Park juxtaposes the peaceful imagery and horrific violence to create a powerful and intriguing tragedy.

The only reason this fails to get 5 stars is that the gruesomeness of the situation and the violence are a bit excessive at times. It will undoubtedly draw comparisons to Oldboy and come up a bit short, but keep in mind that this is Park's first installment in his trilogy.

Another stylishly directed mind-fucker from Chan-wook Park. :) Unfortunately, I'll have to see it again to tell you if I understood the plot or not- definitely not good to watch the first time with "chemical enhancement" :P

Despite sloppy directing, Bruce Almighty is a colorful and hilarious movie. Recommended to the three people in the world who haven't seen it already. Jim Carrey, Steve Carell and Jen Aniston are all spectacularly energetic, as usual, and are perfect for the script.

Beautiful. A heart-warmer in the truest sense of the word (phrase?). The first movie I've ever seen that's made me feel all gushy and closer to my girlfriend. Evoking these emotions are some wonderfully written (always interesting) and beautifully directed short films about falling in love in Paris.

Of particular interest are the films by Van Sant and the Coens, as well as elijah wood's role as a man smitten by a beast in Vincenzo Natali's piece.

Waking Life is definitely the spiritual sequel to this movie. This is a great glimpse into the philosophy of the lazy college kid.

The question is, is Byeong-gu crazy, or is he really on to something? Over a frenetic 118 minutes, Byeong-gu tries to pry a confession out of a man he believes to be one of many aliens bent on destroying humankind by creatively torturing him. The set up is perfect for this over-the-top black comedy from South Korea, and never once does it fail to be interesting and exciting. There is something poetic about the madness, but unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a lot of meaning behind it- but that didn't stop me from loving it. Just be warned- it's not for the weak of stomach.

Surreal, deadpan look at the life of a man who just may be a manifestation of a local author's work. Excellent movie. Feels similar to I Heart Huckabees.

Away From Her is an amazing film. It is slow and deliberate, pondering and observant of the slow decay of Fiona's mental state and the way her husband Grant deals with it. It is all about one thing- love.

This is a real tear-jerker. While many people may be turned off by the slow pacing, this is not a movie about what people are saying- it's about the confusion and emotions they feel in the face of a situation in which they are completely powerless. I found the musical score carried to movie along and set the mood quite effectively. The performances are stellar. Much of the movie is merely glimpses of the new life Grant is trying to build, punctuated by long shots of his face- a face that holds so much sadness, love, and confusion.

While most will say this movie is about love, I wonder if many of Grant's actions during the last 2/3 of the movie are motivated more by guilt and shame than love. This movie left me in deep thought long after it ended. Worthy of a nomination or two, and should definitely be seen before it leaves theaters.

Definitely a profound take on the rock'n'roll burnout cliche, Last Days is very slow, played out mostly in real-time chunks of Blake's final few days. Pitt plays Blake as a drugged-out yet sympathetic character, who carries a sort of running whispered monologue throughout the film. Blake is a wreck, in the midst of a breakdown he tries to dodge with drugs, I get the strong feeling that music is the only thing going for Blake- the film itself even emphasizes music by keeping the majority of the soundtrack at normal volume while turning the characters dialogue down. But it has become a curse for him- he hates the attention, but has no other means of living. This is a very introspective film- the pace and the jumps back and forth in time may turn off many- but I loved it. Very well done.

Definitely best watched with subtitles, or a swift hand waiting on the volume knob.

Let me start by saying that, while I'm recommending this film, I don't necessarily believe you will enjoy it. But it's too unique for me to pass up.

Romance is a movie about a woman who resents her need for men- the men in her life are tools for sexual pleasure more than anything else. Filled with graphic sexuality, layers of possible interpretations, and completely un-erotic, Romance is intriguing as hell. It views all of it's sexual content with an icy distance- the camera becomes a Cronenberg-esque observer. I found myself drawn into Caroline Ducey's amazing (and taboo-breaking) performance, driven by her inner monologue that runs through the entire film. Does she ever stop thinking and just enjoy life? No. Is there something to learn in all of this? Probably not. But it's a very crazy film and one that I would watch again.

The reason I don't think many will appreciate this film is that it is quite similar to a hardcore porn stuck in an art film- the sex is not simulated, but it's definitely not arousing.

A messy jumble of life as seen through the eyes of a schizophrenic man named Julien. A touching tragedy, if you can handle some of the disturbing sequences. A lot of people disliked this film, knocking it for being an incoherent, pretentious mess, but I found meaning quite easily in the chaos. Very artistic, excellent movie. Hats off to Harmony Korine.

A startling look at the business of addiction- manipulating the nicotine in cigarettes. Even if dramatic license has been taken in the details, this is a shockingly believable look into the corruption possible when people in positions of power feel threatened. The acting is amazing, and the script intrigued me and held my interest all the way through the two hours and forty minutes. Well-written. Recommended.

Revealing look into film censorship as it stands today- hidden behind the secretive MPAA.

This is a powerful film. Ralph Fiennes has been a favorite of mine for a while, and his performance here is heart-wrenching as a British diplomat caught up in political turmoil and startling revelations about his late wife. The woman he thought he knew becomes someone entirely different after her death, throwing into question the loving interactions and affectionate gestures between the two during the movie's flashbacks. Very stylish direction and plenty of artsy flair, and filled with complex and emotive characters.

Amazing movie. Recommended.

Two sisters return home from an institution to find their father reserved and distant, and their mother at times overbearing and confused, other times sadistic and brutal. The father looks on with a detached eye, handing out pills to who ever needs them.

This movie is confusing to watch for the first time. Since it is told from the point-of-view of a disturbed young girl, who may or may not be fully in touch with reality, the writer is able to warp said reality with reckless abandon. However, upon a second viewing and a lot of analysis, there really is a story to the madness, a coherent story that fits. As icing on the cake, the direction and cinematography are gorgeous and exciting. Of particular note is the house itself, which comes across as a cold, dark, beautiful place, similar to what I'd expect a museum would look like after the main lights went out.

Fear of the unknown- when normal is terrifying. This movie is awesome.

Those damn asians and their stylishness. Once again, I am enthralled by the atmosphere these three directors fill their films with. And while I expected to (and did) enjoy the South Korean film Memories , I was more than happily surprised to find The Wheel completely hypnotic, despite it's campy storyline and lack of any truly emotive moments. Going Home is one of the most beautiful meditations on the apparent finality of death, and works well as a tragedy.

Not "extreme" in the traditional sense but extreme in terms of concept- non-traditional story-telling, no clear-cut villains and heroes, and a nice blanket of humanity might make this trip a bit too personal for the squeamish. Amazing use of sound and music in each one.

Am I becoming an Asian cinema fan-boy? Perhaps. Three...Extremes is a brutal, violent assault on your stomach and eyes. Each sequence is straight out of an acid-fueled, hallucinatory hell, it seems- a surreal nightmare vision. I won't bother reiterating what can be found out by perusing any review on line. I will say that I enjoyed the hell out of Cut, although the ending was a definite "huh?" moment. Dumplings was one of the most disturbing things I've ever seen. Its lack of a solid progression is forgivable, since in a trilogy of shorts made to push the boundary back, director Fruit Chan succeeds admirably. Box is flooded with a strange atmosphere and ends on an equally strange note, and was probably the least memorable of the three.

How they managed to get an R rating from the MPAA boggles me, and I wonder again why on-screen sex is so much more taboo in america than this kind of violence?

Despite cheesy low-budget FX, Tsukamoto's vision is a lush experiment in industrial horror.

A Cronenberg-esque transformation melding flesh and metal causes much distress for a man in this violent and engaging film. At just over 60 minutes, this movie is a snapshot of chaos and the pace is excellent throughout, jumping wildly from a near stand-still to frenetic, surreal stop-motion animation. It wildly refuses to explain itself. It is a hallucinatory hell in which sex is a mechanical act of violation and strange beauty. All in all, a bizarre experience; a movie that, despite obvious influences (including a shot taken almost directly from Eraserhead), transcends it's heritage and makes it (mostly) its own.

Tsukamoto's films will be getting a good look soon.

While McLovin is becoming a Napoleon-esque merchandising opportunity, it's hard not to love this movie- the crudest cute movie ever. The characters are well-drawn and the movie really captures the mentality it strives to portray. It's hard to knock the characters for being so vulgar and over the top because they're so naive, and I found myself reminded of how much I've changed since high school. A great movie about the lovable loser trying to have his day- it's something that just about everyone can relate with in some way.

Solondz movies leave me at a loss of words, and I continue to chew on them until I'm ready to write something more. To say the least, this was amazing, shocking, strangely halarious and completely unnerving. His ability to capture those who act like they do because they don't know any better is always used well- the characters are extremely ambigious in terms of good or bad- expect your sympathies to be tossed around and played with more than a few times.

I would bet money that this whole thing is somewhat true to the director's view of himself. Having seen and loved Solondz's other movies prior to this one, I appreciated it much more because of that.

I was stunned by this movie- it is visually powerful and deeply affecting, albeit very minimal. Definitely not for everyone, but those who have seen Van Sant's Last Days will know a bit of what to expect: long takes, gorgeous visuals and subtle hints of humanity. I found this to be more interesting than Last Days, and more rewarding.

An absolutely amazing film. This is a vision of genius that has inspired many a video game that I loved as a kid- it's a weird, weird trip in a very brutal and unhappy world. It's as disturbing as it is funny. The acting is fantastic and the use of setting and props creates a dirty and convincing atmosphere. And in the end, it's all about doing the right thing- which, in this case, is fitting considering the world it is framed by.

Stunning film that was obviously a labor of love for it's creators. Great performances all around. I won't pretend to know where this fits in cinema history but it is a great movie, worthy of it's status as a classic.

I have to say I went into this one with trepidation. It looked amazing, but everyone was polarized by it when it came out. Now that I've seen Bug myself, I can see where the marketing failed the film- this is definitely not a horror film. This is a psychological thriller with some incredible acting. Yes, it is over-the-top, but I was intrigued by the way it follows the love story with such reckless abandon- and as the characters withdraw into their own little world, so does the camera follow. The performances are powerful. I didn't have to guess if they were crazy or not, but it actually added to the creepy tension.

Honestly, this movie scared the shit out of me with its sheer intensity. Don't go in expecting a gorefest- see it for what it is and it's a great movie.

Damn, Knocked Up was an awesome movie. Recommended to...everyone.

Not one of Cronenberg's best, but definitely a brutal and effective movie. Without the last couple monologues, it would've been decent at best. The violence that this movie got so much attention for was actually rather tame.