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Citizen
Kane
Orson Welles's 1941
masterpiece, made when he was only 26, was a first in so many ways that
directors still learn from it. Welles plays newspaper magnate Charles Foster
Kane, based loosely on the life and impact of William Randolph Hearst. If
you've ever wondered about the meaning of "Rosebud", see Citizen Kane.
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Seven
Samurai
Another masterpiece of
movie history, Kurosawa's action drama has energy, emotion, and dynamic
characters. A Japanese village hires 7 samurai to protect them from a band of
thieves. The seven heroes come together to defend the defenseless. It's not
surprising that when this was remade in the U.S., it was done as a western -
the Magnificent Seven. |
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M.A.S.H.
M.A.S.H.
changed us in a way that is rare for a film and for a country. This story of a
Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in the Korean war came out in 1970, serving as a
biting commentary about the Vietnam War without having to say so. Funny funny
funny after all this time. And a great theme song. It's available used, having
not been produced for sale in a while. |
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Brave
Heart
Mel Gibson plays a 13th
century Scottish commoner who unites his countrymen against the cruel English
king. This movie is very violent, so beware. But it is also a great tale of a
hero overcoming his own limitations, a real and honorable man. |
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Run Lola Run
Lola has to help her boyfriend out of a jam - finding 100,000
deutsche marks in 20 minutes. How this all unfolds is truly a film-maker's
treat, bending reality and proving that you don't have to be American to create
one of the best action movies around. This movie is a workout in a chair. And
Lola runs great. |
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English
Patient
The story and the directing and
the acting are all wonderful in this well-crafted tale of a WWII soldier,
burned in a plane crash, who shares his memories of passionate love with his
nurse. Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche are unforgettable. |
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Love and
Death
This is the first Woody Allen movie
that moved away from slapstick and into satire, choosing as its subject the
pompous classic Russian novels. I love the idea of a Village Idiots convention
(because where would a Russian novel be without a Village Idiot?) and the
banner welcoming the convention-goers announcing, "Welcome Idiots."
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Forbidden
Planet
Commonly called the best science
fiction movie ever made, this was the first sci fi movie I'd seen that wasn't a
B movie. At a time when science fiction meant Buck Rogers, Forbidden Planet
played with serious themes - even Leslie Nielsen is serious in this movie!
These space explorers were the model for the Star Trek crew, but watch for
Robby the Robot, who ultimately found his fame as the robot in Lost in Space.
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The Day the Earth Stood
Still
Made in 1951, this is a morality
tale, addressing the dangers of nuclear war. For the 50's, the special effects
still stand up. This landmark film highlights the good and bad in human nature.
It is still one of the best and most intelligent science fiction movies ever
made. |
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Ferris
Beuller's Day Off
Some say this movie has
lost its zing, but watching it again, I loved it again. Matthew Broderick is
Ferris Beuller, the charismatic high school senior who needs a break, cutting
school to partake of life's adventures. Matthew Broderick is still winningly
charming, even if, after all these years, he does still look like he's
18... |
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Star Trek IV
The crew of the Enterprise travels back to modern-day San
Francisco to save the whales, providing the perfect venue for everything that
was worth watching in the original show - the humor, the irony, the vision of a
hopeful future. I love watching Scotty try to talk into the computer mouse and,
realizing what it is, saying, "A mouse - how quaint." This is the only Star
Trek movie worth seeing. |
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Smoke Signals
Based on everything I've learned from our work in Indian Country,
this is about as accurate an account of life on the reservation as you will
find anywhere on film. It is funny and poignant, a good story told well. And
really, it would not be at all surprising to find a car that only drives in
reverse. |
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King of
Hearts
The offbeat story of a Scotsman in
WWI, walking into a French town only to find it has been abandoned by everyone
except those in the insane asylum. The film is so delightful, asking where
insanity really resides - inside the asylum or out? Most importantly, the young
Genevieve Bujold is enough to make me watch it again and again. |
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Stand by
Me
The joys and pains of boyhood
friendship. Set in the 50's, four boys (12-13) hike through the woods to find
the body of a boy who's been missing. Their journey includes scary adventures
(a ferocious junkyard dog, a swamp full of leeches, a treacherous leap from a
train trestle), but it's also a time for personal revelations and the raucous
comradeship of best friends. Based on a Stephen King story. |
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October
Sky
The true story of the boyhood of Homer
Hickham, who sees Sputnik fly overhead and becomes fascinated with building
rockets. Homer triumphs over the disdain of his coal-miner father, with a
spirit of adventure and invention. October Sky manages to be inspirational
without being overly romanticized. You will feel great after watching this
movie. |
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The
General
Buster Keaton's 1927 classic comic
adventure. This isn't just a great silent movie, it's one of the best movies
ever made. Johnnie Gray has two loves - his train and his girl. His train is
hijacked and his girl kidnapped, and the action begins. These days, we all know
Schwarzenegger isn't really hanging off an airplane, but Buster Keaton would
have been - he did all his own stunts. |
