The Accused (1988) - ★★★★½

Director: Jonathan Kaplan
Writers: Tom Toper
Stars: Jodie Foster, Kelly McGillis, Bernie Coulson, Leo Rossi, Ann Hearn

The Accused is a hard movie to watch. It's graphic, it's powerful, and my god did it make my blood boil. This movie had a major impact on me personally. I felt sick and angry, which made me really invested in the story. The whole way through I had my fists clenched in hope that the rapists would get a lengthy prison sentence. What makes this film truly powerful is the stunning performance by Jodie Foster, who won an Oscar for this role.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988) - ★★★★★

Director: Robert Zemeckis
Writers: Gary K. Wolf (Novel), Jeffrey Price (Screenplay)
Stars: Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd, Charles Fleischer, Joanna Cassidy

Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a funny, clever and nostalgic masterpiece. Fans of Disney and The Looney Tunes would no doubt get a kick out of seeing all of their favourite characters playing extras in this movie. It's a mixture of old Hollywood noir and modern comedy. As a child, this was my absolute favourite movie. As an adult, I can honestly say that this is one of the greatest movies of all time.

Cinema Paradiso (1988) - ★★★★★

Director: Giuseppe Tornatore
Writers: Guiseppe Tornatore
Stars: Salvatore Cascio, Phillipe Noiret, Marco Leonardi, Antonella Attili, Pupella Maggio

I saw this film for the first time today. It is one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen. There were a few scenes that had me in tears, not because it was sad or joyful, but because of their sheer beauty. I loved this film for everything it was. The reason it affected me so much is because of how much the main character, Salvatore 'Toto' De Vita, reminded me of myself. His passion and sheer love for the cinema, along with many showings of classic films, swept me away in this magical film.

It is about a boy who grew up in a Sicilian Village who reminisces about his childhood and relationships with Alfredo (Phillipe Noiret), the projectionist at Cinema Paradiso. Under the fatherly influence of Alfredo, Salvatore (Salvatore Cascio) fell in love with the cinema, spending many hours discussing films and being taught the skills of being a projectionist. It showcases the changes in the world of cinema through the memories of this boys life.

The music composed by Ennio Morricone is among the most astonishingly beautiful pieces that I've heard over the years. It creates such magic in the movie, bringing about so many emotions in me, and truly enhancing the emotions shown in the characters. The cinematography displayed the Sicilian Village in so many beautiful locations, which had me feeling like a local as I became more familiar with the setting. Giuseppe Tornatore really created a masterpiece of cinema with these two aspects of the film alone.

For me, the greatest part of Cinema Paradiso was the relationship between Alfredo and Toto. The father-son love between the two felt so real, mainly because of the incredible acting of both Noiret and Cascio. One of my favorite characters of all time would have to be Alfredo, who was always there with a kind word and a life lesson for Toto. The character was meticulously acted, with so much soul and warmth generated from the expressions of Philippe Noiret. I might also add that Cascio played Toto brilliantly as the young boy swept up in the magic of film. Together, these two had such great chemistry, and it's hard to imagine the film without these actors.

The reason I was in tears was a combination of things. In one scene for example, Alfredo adjusted his projector to play a film outside his window for the viewing of many people who couldn't get in to the cinema. As he was doing this, the breathtaking music played, Toto watched in wonderment, and Alfredo suddenly became a man that brought joy to many disappointed people. It was definitely one of the most beautiful movie scenes I've ever seen, and I'll never forget the emotion that it evoked inside of me.

If you're a fan of the cinema, you'll love this movie. You'll love it for the music, the cinematography, the acting, the story, and most of all, the homage it pays to the classic films that we all know and love. Never has a film ignited so much passion for cinema in me, which is why I call it one of the greatest movies of all time.

Grave of the Fireflies (1988) - ★★★★★

Director: Isao Takahata
Writers: Isao Takahata (screenplay), Akiyuki Nosaka (novel)

Grave of the Fireflies is to animated movies what Schindler's List is to live-action films. The best way to describe this movie is heart-wrenching. Made in 1988, Grave of the Fireflies is one of Studio Ghibli's earliest movies. This is arguably the greatest tear-jerker of all time. The anti-war argument speaks loud and clear through the telling of the lives of two innocent children. The first time I saw this movie, I cried for an hour. Every time I hear its score, I still cry.

Set in Japan during WWII, it is about the struggles and love of two siblings that were left homeless and parentless after the bombing of Tokyo. Seito, a teenage boy, and Setsuko, his toddler sister, display such a strong affection for each other that is rarely seen in most western animated movies. The film centers around their love for each other and the willingness they would go to-to help each other through adversity. All they have left in the world are each other, making this movie all the more gut-wrenching as you follow their story.

In the beginning, you see Seito dying in an underground station where people treat him like he's just another homeless person, which is understandable because at the time there were many fatalities from poverty. After he passes, one of the dead collectors throws his tin of fruit drops into a field, which causes a swarm of beautiful fireflies to awaken. Then we see his sister appear amongst them, waiting for Seito to come with her. This scene has the most haunting music, which clearly makes one assume that it's supposed to be sad, yet we shouldn't be sad at all, because they are happy to be reunited. It would have to be in the Top 10 greatest scenes in cinematic history. So symbolic, so poetic, and above all, so sad.

The emotion only became greater from there. It just got sadder and more unbearable to watch as it went on, which was the aim of the movie, to pull at one's heartstrings. I believe Isao Takahata is a genius. The love and friendship between the two really drove one to love the characters, while the moral of the story was wonderful. It taught me that sometimes in your darkest moments, turning to one of your loved ones will be the light that will help you through it. In my honest opinion, this is better than any of Hayao Miyazaki's works with Studio Ghibli.