Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb - ★★★★★

Dr. Strangelove is one of the greatest films of all time. Period. I believe that it is Stanley Kubrick's best film. The story is smart, the wit is hilarious, the acting is incredible and the whole film is perfect. From start to finish I was sucked into this amazing masterpiece. When it ended I wanted more! It's pure genius.

In the beginning we are introduced to General Jack. D. Ripper of Burpelson Air Force Base. He is paranoid about his precious fluids and believes that the Soviet Union plotted to poison the U.S' water supply. In retaliation, he initiates 'Plan R' which allows him to attack the Soviet Union with nuclear warheads without General Buck Turginson (George C. Scott) or President Merkin Muffley's (Peter Sellers) permission. Only Ripper knows the code to recall the B-52 bombers and he has shut down communication in and out of Burpelson as a measure to protect this attack, but wait! There's more. The Russian's possess a doomsday device that will encircle the whole world with a nuclear cloud of gas unless the U.S. can stop the attack. This whole film is a race against time to stop the attack and save the world and is extremely fun to watch.

Peter Seller's was just magic in this movie, clearly deserving an Oscar for playing many incredible characters. These included President Merkin Muffley, Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake and of course one of the funniest roles in film history, the very German and insane Dr. Strangelove. I was in awe at his powerfully funny roles, which made the film legendary. George C. Scott was also brilliant as the General who believes that the Soviet's are always up to something fishy. The most remarkable scene in the whole film is when one of the pilots of the B-52 bombers rides the nuclear bomb down on the Soviet Union. It was an unforgettable moment in movie history.

In the end I found Dr. Strangelove addictive because of its extremely original story and humor. Peter Sellers did some of the best acting I've ever seen in this film, showing that he has more range than most dramatic actors of the time. The effects were brilliant as Kubrick always was one of the best, such is in 2001: A Space Odyssey. What can I say? It is just a perfect movie. I loved it!

Ordinary People - ★★★★½

Robert Redford has created a fine cinematic masterpiece in my mind, for Ordinary People is a film about family that will forever be relevant to many western families. This is because underneath the smiles and pointless chatter with friends, there are demons inside us all that Ordinary People explored through three characters. They are the Jarret's, played unbelievably well by Donald Sutherland, Timothy Hutton and most surprising, Mary Tyler Moore.

It is a film about dealing with loss, in this case the loss of Buck Jarret, son and brother of the characters. He was swept away after a freak storm hit the boat he sailed on with his brother Conrad. This drastically impacted the family, in particular, Beth (Tyler-Moore) and Conrad (Hutton). Conrad attempted suicide because he felt as if he was "falling into a deep hole that kept getting bigger and bigger and you can't escape." Beth tried dealing with these problems by ignoring her sons depression and dreaming of escaping from the past. She can't talk about her feelings and refuses to get close to Conrad. The father, Calvin (Sutherland), tries his best to make everyone happy, neglecting his own feelings by not talking about the death and the suicide to anyone. All he wants is for things to turn back to normal, but Beth's inability to "love" Conrad keeps driving the family apart.

Judd Hirsch played Conrad's psychiatrist, Dr. Berger. At first Conrad is hesitant to open up to Berger. It seems impossible to help Conrad, yet somehow the doctor gets through to him. He becomes a true friend of Conrad's. One he can yell at, cry to, be himself around. It's a breath of fresh air that entails most of the laughs within the film. The chemistry between Hirsch and Hutton is remarkable. Both were up for Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars, which Hutton won (rightfully). Mary Tyler-Moore was just astounding as Beth. I had no idea how talented Moore was until I saw this film. She also deserved Best Actress for her role. Sutherland gave a touching, soft performance that was beautiful and emotional. I believe that this is one of the best cast films I've ever seen. Each were outstanding in the roles they played.

What makes me call this a great film is that many families can relate to their story and emotion... mine included. The acting was perfect. The story was beautiful, raw and real. The music accompanied the film wonderfully. Many believe that Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull was robbed for Best Picture, but I think the Academy made the right choice in voting for Ordinary People. It may not be the funniest movie, or the most refined piece of cinema, but it is a classic that deserves more recognition than it has.

Howl's Moving Castle (2004) - ★★★★★

Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Writer: Hayao Miyazaki (Screenplay), Diana Wynne Jones (Novel)
Voiced By: Jean Simmons, Christian Bale, Billy Crystal, Lauren Bacall, Blythe Danner, Emily Mortimer

Howl's Moving Castle is one of the best movies I've seen and will always hold a place dear to my heart. Its story is admittedly complicated and sometimes hard to follow. When you watch the film and truly understand it, you will discover the genius and love behind every scene, every piece of dialogue and every character. I completely disagree with other reviewers who claim this is not one of Hayao Miyazaki's best works. Personally, I feel the strongest emotionally for Howl's Moving Castle, even more than for Spirited Away (2001).

The story follows the journey of Sophie (Simmons), who is cursed by the Wicked Witch of the Waste (Bacall) and must live out her days as an old woman until the curse is broken. Knowing that she would be pitied and looked down upon by her family, she leaves her old life at the hat shop and starts on a journey through the Wastelands to look for a new life where she can live out her days in peace as an old lady. She then comes across an enchanted scarecrow with the head of a turnip, which leads her to Howl's Moving Castle. Her story is long and filled with magic, action and emotion.

The music by Joe Hisaishi follows the tradition of Studio Ghibli masterpieces with a big and beautiful orchestra enhancing the visual creations on screen. I believe that this is also Miyazaki's most artistically beautiful film. The European like city's, incredible landscapes and the remarkable castle must be seen to be believed.

Howl's Moving Castle is meticulously detailed, right down the the corners of each scene. It's a more polished film visually than most animated features and it has a story that requires you to think. This movie made me feel elated and had me looking forward to what life would bring next. Miyazaki presents us with a world of magic and possibilities in this film, and I think he did an outstanding job.

If you need more clarification on the story, may I suggest you read the marvelous novel by Diana Wynne Jones. It should explain any queries you have with the film.

The Devil Wears Prada (2006) - ★★

Meryl Streep has had many memorable performances, but her role as Miranda Priestly, editor in chief for mogul fashion magazine 'Runway', is arguably her most memorable in the last decade. She really made this film entertaining with cold and subtle stares that could pierce right through a person, and hilarious snide remarks to Andy, played by Anne Hathaway. Streep was both convincing at being both powerful and cruel, yet at the same time was able to project a hint of weakness to her tough exterior. Miranda would have to be one of the most famous movie villains of the 21st century, even if she is only a person doing her job.

There were two things that bothered me about this film. I'm not a fan of one of the messages this film gives to women. Andy just wanted to survive her job and succeed as far as she could. This meant that she sometimes had to be late to dinners and at one stage she missed her boyfriends birthday. However, she would have been fired if she didn't. I understand that it hurts to have a loved one to miss a birthday, but if the boyfriend expects Andy to lose her job because he would like her to be at dinner, then he's not a good boyfriend. There are many scenes where he guilt trips her with puppy dog eyes and she succumbs to it. It leaves the audience feeling like she should've sacrificed her career for him.

This audience member believes that he should have had to compromise with her. Instead, he got everything he wanted in the end. The Devil Wears Prada did not send a message that a relationship is full of compromise. It sent the message that if the relationship was going to work, she needed to give up her career and revert back to her old self. Although she did step on a few toes to become successful, Andy was still a nice person and tried her best to make the relationship work. This would have been a 3 star movie if it ended with her leaving the boyfriend and the job and starting a fresh new life without these things dragging her down.

In saying all this, I found this film entertaining to a degree and exciting. Stanley Tucci was genius as Nigel (Andy's mentor and friend in the workplace), and Emily Blunt was marvellous as Emily, the super ambitious and bitchy first assistant of Miranda. I found the most character development in Emily, who in the end told Andy's replacement "You have BIG shoes to fill," showing that she respected Andy after all and would miss her. It's a good movie, but not great.

Independence Day (1996) - ★★½

I remember the first time I ever saw Independence Day. It was exciting, scary, and on par with Men In Black for my all time favourite Alien movie. Watching it recently as a young adult, I found that it was overly cliché and lame, to put it mildly. There were so many "MY GOD" moments from the characters that my sister and I ended up counting them. 

There was a good ensemble cast with many different stories that meet in the end. These stories consisted of Will Smith as a fighter pilot going "Woohoo" and many other unfitting catchphrases whilst fighting for his life and his planet. His stripper and single mother girlfriend, who ridiculously escaped a city consuming explosion from the Alien invaders by running into a room. She then went on to steal a truck and find survivors. Jeff Goldblum played an intelligent scientist of some sorts that is able to find out that the Aliens are counting down to attack the world. His ex-wife is conveniently the secretary of state, so he can warn the president. Then there is the young, modern and honorable president, who does all he can to save the world. I understand that the director Roland Emmerich intended this film for a mainstream audience, but it went way over the top with patriotism. I felt like I was watching a film where America saves the world from destruction (some-what like WWII). 

Quite frankly, the film felt too long. It became boring after the world got attacked. There was no character development, resulting in no emotional attachment to any of the characters. Independence Day was actually a terrible film in many ways. What saved the film from being utter crap was the masterful special effects. Even now the special effects are incredible and create a sense of tension and excitement. The first hour of the film was satisfying as a result of the SFX,  regardless of the silly dialogue. 

Independence Day is surely a film I will never forget, which makes it great in a way, but for now the film that I adored as a young boy will forever sit on my shelf as a film to watch if I feel like mindless action. 
  

Good Will Hunting (1997) - ★★★½

I loved this film. Robin Williams was at his finest playing psychiatrist Sean Maguire, who counsels the troubled genius Will Hunting, played by Matt Damon. He is a kid that could be anything but chooses to live the hoodlum life with his hooligan friends, one of whom is played by co-writer of the screenplay Ben Affleck.

Damon and Williams draw strength from each others company, through sharing stories, thoughts and opinions during their counselling sessions. It was refreshing because they were having real conversation, not just the same generic Hollywood dialogue. Affleck played Chuckie, Damon's best friend. His performance and accent were unconvincing and added no depth to the character. It felt like Affleck wanted to write extra scenes for his character, because no one cares about who Chuckie is, yet he gets almost as much dialogue as Will. Minnie Driver was excellent as Damon's love interest, portraying a real person and being able to express emotions masterfully. One particular scene where she fights with Will was marvelous on Driver's behalf, sealing her worthiness of her Best Supporting Actress nomination.

Overall, this movie was mildly entertaining, thought provoking and a joy to watch. Particularly because of Robin Williams and the performance of his career.

The Constant Gardener (2005) - ★★★½

Fernando Meirelles,' The Constant Gardener, is essentially a thriller that delves into issues such as corruption, poverty and HIV, yet it is fundamentally about the love and devotion of a man who lost his wife as a result of her pursuance of a conspiracy involving these issues. This film will surely seal Ralph Fiennes as one of the greatest actors of all time, for it is his heart wrenching portrayal of Justin Quayle, a gentle diplomat and husband that wants redemption for his wife's death, that should be remembered as much as his other roles. Rachel Weisz gave the performance of her career as Tessa Quayle, an ambitious, caring and highly stubborn woman that investigates the mysterious premature deaths of African people with HIV.

The cinematography was much like Sydney Pollacks,' Out of Africa, with beautiful aerial views of some of Africa’s amazing natural wonders. The whole conspiracy investigation plot was thrilling and intriguing at the same time, for the main characters were not only likable, but were investigating an important issue which was whether the pharmaceutical company (3 Bees) experimented with potentially fatal drugs on patients with HIV. It is a long movie, but it did not seem like it because of the films fast pace and unpredictable developments in the storyline.


The Constant Gardener was just magnificent. Personally I thought the highlights were the beginning and ending, for they gave the movie a beautiful class that separated it from other thrillers and romances. 2005 was a brilliant year of cinema, and this film stands out as one of the best. 

Places In The Heart (1984) - ★★★½

Robert Benton's Places In The Heart is a charming, honest and encouraging movie that displays the will of a human being at its very best. Sally Field is superb in the role of Edna Spalding, a widow that risks losing everything when her husband is tragically killed in the great depression. With cinematography similar to that of Gone With The Wind, this film not only embodies the beauty of the South, but displays its ugly side of racism and poverty.

Edna was left with over $3000 in debt, two young children, no job or experience in work and no place to turn to. Fields' performance was powerful in the way she displayed so much desperation and fear. When all seems hopeless, a starving and homeless negro man named Moze (Danny Glover), appears on her doorstep for work and a place to stay. With Moze's extensive knowledge of cotton farming and Edna's 30 acres of land, the two develop a scheme to farm cotton and bring in the first shipment so that she can earn the money to pay her debts and he can live a soundly. However, this is an extremely unlikely feat to achieve as the depression cut the price of cotton down to three cents a pound and many cotton farms had to forclose. Thus why the bank strongly insisted she take in Mr. Will (John Malkovich), a man blinded from the Great War.

Places in the Heart is one of the most uplifting films I've seen. I cannot stress the similarities Edna Spalding and Scarlett O'Hara (Gone With The Wind) have in terms of personal growth as human beings. Both had no knowledge or experience of how to farm or earn money, but when the time called for it they did everything in their willpower to keep their heads above water and survive. However Scarlett was selfish, whereas Edna is genuinely kind and selfless. That was the most enjoyable aspects of this film; seeing Edna evolve into a strong and independent woman that could do the impossible.

Raging Bull (1980) - ★★½

From legendary director, Martin Scorsese, is Raging Bull. Otherwise known by most critics as one of the greatest films of all time. What makes this stand along side films such as Lawrence of Arabia, Gone With The Wind and Schindler's List? You tell me, I couldn't find anything remarkable about Raging Bull, except the fact that it is unforgettable.

Robert DeNiro plays a spouse abusing, paranoid control freak Jake LaMotta. He's one of the best middleweight boxers of his time and in many scenes destroys his opponents by breaking their nose, opening their foreheads and knocking out teeth. Shot in excellent black and white, the sweat, blood and camera flashing of the fighting is brutally beautiful. DeNiro was nothing short of outstanding in his portrayal, this arguably being his greatest acting achievement; having won Best Actor for Raging Bull in 1980.

Joe Pesci played LaMotta's brother/manager Joey; also a spouse abusing paranoid man but not quite as inhumane as his brother. This film needed a character such as Pesci to play Joey because he commanded such screen presence. He provided the little entertainment that this film entailed. Cathy Moriarty played Vicki, Jake's wife. She at first put up with his abusive ways, but then grew to hate and antagonize Jake. She was reckless and had no emotion projected through her voice except anger which makes it hard to find sympathy for the girl.

As a whole, Raging Bull had all the elements of a masterpiece of cinema. It is a biopic with great acting, cinematography and many memorable scenes. What I couldn't understand was how come it couldn't suck me into the story of Jake LaMotta. I found I just didn't care about the characters. None of them were interesting enough to make me want to pay attention. In the end, DeNiro quotes Marlon Brando's masterpiece, On The Waterfront. "You don't understand I coulda had class, I coulda been a contender, I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am." 

It was in hearing this quote that I realized that THAT is Raging Bull was missing. What it needed was something memorable besides brutal fight scenes and acting. There was no good moral to the story. Nothing to teach the audiences after they saw the film. Basically it was just Jake LaMotta fighting. Fighting with everyone around him. In the end he landed on his feet. The end. There's nothing inspiring, nothing memorable. It fell flat and lacked a purpose. It seemed like a film that was made for the heck of it. When Raging Bull lost Best Picture to Robert Redford's Ordinary People, it was seen as one of the biggest upsets in Academy Awards history. I for one absolutely agree with the decision to award Best Picture to Ordinary People, because it had meaning and purpose behind it, whereas Raging Bull did not.

Das Boot (The Boat) (1981) - ★★★★★

Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Writers: Wolfgang Petersen, Lothar G. Buccheim (Novel)
Stars: Jurgen Prochnow, Herbert Gronemeyer, Klaus Wennemann

The tension, THE TENSION! Das Boot is a movie that had me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. We see the claustrophobic, disturbing life of the men who lived and fought in Submarines in WWII through the eyes of the German side. 

They are led by Captain Henrich played by Jurgen Prochnow. He is a quiet, strong and capable leader that has seen many battles. There is no attempt made to convince the viewer to like or dislike him. That's refreshing; usually films try to introduce the main character as some hero with good qualities. Yes, this man has good qualities, but we don’t really get to know who he is as a person. Lieutenant Werner (Gronemeyer), the Captain’s right hand man, however is likeable. He cares about the crew and even more so for surviving through the war, whatever it takes. The chief engineer, Fritz Grade (Wennemann), is the most selfless and courageous of all the men.

What makes this film so unbelievable is that it is essentially an anti-war film, however that was not the purpose of the film. It showed that German soldiers were only following orders because they had to in order to get home. It is masterful the way each crew member is shown as a human being with their own fears, own problems, own story; and yet they are all thrown together trying to help each other survive.

The cinematography of the ocean and the sunsets were beautifully captured, as well as storms and rough seas. Seeing submerging submarines and exploding firebombs underwater is remarkable considering the film was made in 1981. I was dumbfounded at the technology used to make it feel so real. In order to see the inside of the submarine, the camera pans through the quarters moving steadily through halls and around crew members which helped create a claustrophobic, rushed atmosphere for the viewer.

There are many things to admire about this movie. Personally, I loved the honesty that was displayed. When the Germans blew up a British submarine they were given the option to save them, but instead they let them burn. As disturbing as this was, I appreciated that it followed historical accuracy over what the typical Hollywood action flick would have. Like I said, there was no true message that this movie intended to give to the viewer, we just take what we see. It reminded me a bit of All Quiet On The Western Front (1930), as the message I took from it was that war is not worth getting into to save your country. Das Boot will surely go down as one of the best war films ever made.