The Good Stuff

Kill Bill does just that.

2011-10-01T18:51:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about movie titles a lot recently and I've decided that there exists about 3 categories every film can fall into:

1. The Cop Outs

2. The Cryptic/Clever Riddles

3 .The Truth in Advertisings

(Disclaimer- none of the following films are being either hated on or endorsed. I both like and dislike a lot of them, but that's not the point)

The Cop Outs are the easiest to detect. Any film named after the lead character that ISN'T called Forrest Gump (Erin Brockovich, Jackie Brown, Dave, Carrie, etc...)

Exceptions: Any movie named after the lead character in which said character is NOT human is okay though. E.T., Jaws, Piranha, Edward Scissorhands (this exists primarily is sci-fi as it turns out) (And movies about dogs called Old Yellar)

Other exception: When the name is only part of the title. Leon the Professional is not a cop out. Good Will Hunting is not a cop out. Goodbye Solo, also good.

Another good indicator of cop out titles is whether its based on the book. I get that the politics or marketing/hype involved with adapting a book into a film generally requires for the same title to be used, but despite the tradition, its still an easy out.

The Cryptic/Clever Riddles Ok not real riddles, but sometimes I finish watching a movie (good or bad) and then wonder where the title came from. Dog Day Afternoon, Winter's Bone, The Hurt Locker, The Breakfast Club, Breakfast at Tiffany's. All of these titles perfectly suit the films they serve, but they dont really explain why. What does the breakfast club have to do with breakfast? The dont eat it, they dont mention it. Despite being thrown together they're certainly not a real club. And yet we believe it. I like that.

Then there's the clever riddles. The ones that make some sort of play on themes, characters, feelings etc, without giving away too much. The Sound of Music is a great title. It's a musical, so the word music is relevant. But its about how music transforms, comforts, and enriches the lives of the Von Trapps, so The Sound of Music kind of nicely encapsulates that. But it doesn't spoil the plot in any way. Its great. Legally Blonde is another great title in that regard. All The Presidents Men another.

Truth in Advertisings This category is probably the easiest and most fun to detect. Titles of movies that deliver exactly what they promise. Snakes on a Plane. Kill Bill. 12 Angry Men. The Virgin Suicides (I know its named after a book). Hobo With a Shotgun. Three Men and a Baby. Ernest Goes to School/Jail/Hawaii/Wherever.

Generally movies with these kinds of titles are either amazing or terrible. The ones I just listed are all great for the record. They're also the most fun- frequently ones you see in theatres, or in groups.

Hurray titles! Im sure there's several more ways to categorize titles.

Epic and Ridiculous Things

2011-04-24T21:36:00.000-07:00

I had a great conversation with a colleague tonight about what bands exist on people's radar, but never actually as anyones favourite. You know like Tonic and Len and stuff. Anyways I started thinking about movies that couldnt possibly exist in any reasonable person's TOP 10 and the first movie that sprung to mind was The Duplex starring Ben Stiller and Drew Barrymore. A simple facebook search uncovered a group called "Duplex is the greatest movie ever". So apparently a whopping 19 people (out of 500 million) are complete morons. And probably all friends.

For my own entertainment I've made a list of 3 films I would also categorize as awful and am going to categorize their online followings. I have no qualms or illusions about the fact that this is totally irrelevant, but as Fran Lebowitz has taught me, self-esteem has been taken far too seriously and everyone on the planet thinks the world is just dying to know their take on things. (At the very least we could call this research based) (Right?)

1. Ghosts of Mars - Despite Pam Grier, this movie has an IMDB rating of 4.8. That's actually not terrible overall. I'd estimate its pretty average for a bad movie, and really the only way you can really get under 2 or 3 is to feature Paris Hilton on the cover. 2,408 people "like" this movie on facebook. That seems about right, I mean between Ice Cube, Clea Duvall, and Carpenter you've basically covered enough demographics to acquire 2400 or so fans.

2. Gigli- I dont think any individual component of this film is laughable, but there's just something about the combination of Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck and low-ranking mobsters that just didnt spell "legit". Gigli boasts 4,964 facebook fans, just slightly shy of beating out onion rings at 5,044.

3. Baby Geniuses - I would actually retract this from the list based solely on the fact that the little boy on the cover looks EXACTLY like my brother Max and that's just too damn adorable. We'll let the IMDB 2.2 rating (that's bottom 100- sans an Hilton affiliations) speak for itself.

I was going to do 10 and then 5 and I'm going to wrap it up at 3. I spend way more time thinking about movies I like than movies I dont.

Hi Sally!

2010-10-02T14:04:00.000-07:00

Sad news broke earlier this week of the sudden passing of Sally Menke. This is a huge loss to the film community as Sally had made such a wonderful contribution to the film world, particularly with director Quentin Tarantino. Tarantino has referred to Sally as his one true collaborator.

Top 50 Movie Related Things I Love/Hate

2010-09-02T11:38:00.000-07:00

1. Soft focus lighting as the open transition to scenes

2. Paul Thomas Anderson

3. Philip Glass soundtracks

4. Vintage movie posters. Even when the movies aren't actually that old.

5. Robert Richardson

6. Jansuz Kaminski

7. Robert Elswit

8. Dylan Tischenor ACE

9. Scorsese

10. Cool end credits.

11. Roger Ebert Reviews/Tweets

12. Reading screenplays/shooting scripts online

13. Billy Wilder

14. Steve Buscemi

15. HBO Shows that feel like movies.

16. Eating popcorn with that cheddar powder while watching movies.

17. Talking about my favorite scenes repeatedly...often to the same people.

18. Kids movies that never stop being great (The Sandlot, Mrs.Doubtfire..)

19. Director commentaries

20. Director of photography commentaries

21. Stylish dutch tilts

22. The occasional use of the wilhelm scream

23. Ensemble casts that include Philip Baker Hall, Julianne Moore, and William H Macy

24. Catching things I missed the first time. Or the first 50 times.

25. Roger Deakins and the Coen Brothers working together

26. Sydney Lumet

27. Writing

28. Previews before theatrical releases (the first time)

29. John C Reilly

30. Criterion collection films.

Not so much love going to...

31. Commercials before theatrical releases.

32. Remakes

33. Sequels...I mean really?

34. People whose favorite movie of all time is any of the following: Ghosts of Mars, The Duplex, or Gigli.

35. Michael Bay.

36. Really great trailers with really bad movies...bummer!

37. French titles right under the English titles on DVD spines. UGLY!

38. E.T. being re-released with all this fancy CGI stuff all these year later.

39. Blu Ray

40. Ensemble casts that include the Wayans Brothers, Natasha Lyons, and Amy Sedaris

41. People who talk in movie theatres. Especially the ones who make YOU feel like the jerks for "shushing" them.

42. Overused corporate dutch tilts

But a little more love to:

43. Happy endings

44. Unhappy, but realist endings (Marty)

45. Good biopics

46. The anticipation of a favorite directors upcoming release!

47. Alan Ball

48. Charlie Kaufman

49. Seeing through the influences of your favorite filmmakers

50. Being able to recite word for word my top films of all times because Ive seen them so many times. Ahhhhhh films....

Light up your light!

2010-06-22T11:13:00.000-07:00

I just watched American Beauty with the commentary by Alan Ball and Sam Mendes and basically the whole thing was a tribute to Conrad Hall's incredible lighting throughout the whole film. If you have the DVD I would highly recommend watching it. It's no secret that its a beautifully shot movie, but I was just blown away by some of the detail. The scene where Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) is being interviewed for the job at Mr.Smileys was shot night for day and its unbelievable.

Speaking of amazing lighting, let me just unload about Kaminski's work on Catch Me If You Can. If I can give you a fair estimate as to how many times I've watched it, I'd probably say 18-20. It's a good, fun movie, good story, good performances, blah blah blah. But one of my favorite things about it is the scene where Frank comes home and finds his mother having an affair and sits down on the couch. He's in the foreground, she's in the background in the kitchen, and the daylight is blasting through a kitchen window being beautifully highlighted by a fogged room. LOVE IT. It's just a static wide shot for the whole last half of the scene, and its amazing. I tried to find a still from this scene online with no luck, but just watch the movie. Really.

Super keen on/amped up for PTA!

2010-06-07T12:52:00.000-07:00

Ok. The blog hibernation is over. I don't have much to say today except that Paul Thomas Anderson is in the middle of casting his next film and that's pretty much the most exciting thing ever. He's making a movie about scientology. I'm already stoked. If its half as good as his worst film it will be great. If its his best film I'll probably cry and hug strangers. Who am I kidding? I'll hug strangers anyhow!

Let's just recap shall we? Boogie Nights, Magnolia, Punch Drunk Love, There Will Be Blood. I feel badass even typing all those together, and this is one person's resume?? Right on. Coming 2011.

Kathryn Bigelow. Fact.

2010-03-07T21:27:00.000-08:00

This is the post where I talk about my excitement over what just happened at the Oscars. K.Big is the first woman to ever win the Oscar for Best Director. This was the highlight of 2010 for me so far. The presenter of this award is usually a bit of a giveaway (anyone remember Scorsese's win? Who else would Spielberg, Coppola, and Lucas all stand up for!) When Babs Streisand walked on stage I lost it. In a good way.

It made me feel so inspired and able and I hope I never forget how I felt in that moment. It's not just a big deal because Im a woman filmmaker, it's a big deal for anyone involved in film. You think Avatar was progressive? In 82 years and 410 nominees only 4 women have been nominated. I realize the ratio of woman directors to man directors is a rather large gap, but those numbers are powerful. This little girl in New Brunswick, Canada feels like anything is possible right now.

I said K.Big or go home last night, and I shall drink to that!

Last call for Avatar/Hurt Locker chit chat

2010-03-06T19:03:00.000-08:00

Ok. So this is the main reason I think The Hurt Locker should win Best Picture tomorrow night.

The problem with Avatar is that its an epic movie watching adventure, but then that's it. It's like a roller coaster ride. They're fun, and they give you a rush, but you don't spend your day to day life i eager anticipation of the next time you'll ride. Avatar is a visual experience- similar I imagine to what the first IMAX experience was years ago. But once you've seen it, you've seen it, and as momentous as it is, it's over.

My vote would go to Hurt Locker. It's the war movie of the decade and not because it simply tried to be. March 7th 2010- K. Big. or go home!!

Who's Wilder than Kubrick? So glad you asked.

2010-02-25T21:08:00.000-08:00

Alright, so it appears that "A History of Nothing" has challenged "The Good Stuff" to a blog war. Right off the bat I think I should win based solely on the names of our blogs. Friend- it's on.

My dear friend Darcy Cameron and I rarely disagree on good films and nearly never miss a beat on what we feel are "the cinematic greats". The one topic on which we really can't find a common ground is Stanley Kubrick. Darcy hails Kubrick as the greatest filmmaker of all time. Don't be fooled- I know that Kubrick can back it up, and I know he's more than made his contribution. Truth is, I've just always been fairly indifferent to him. I don't particularly like, nor dislike him, I just havn't had much interest in watching his films.

Darcy has thrown "Dr.Strangelove" at me. "...only Kubrick could have done and gotten away with - a COMEDY about a general who orders a nuclear attack on Russia...keep in mind, this was made at a time when people were actually afraid of this sort of thing". That's a very valid point Darcy. Too bad Billy Wilder already set that precedent by releasing "Stalag 17" in 1953. This brilliant little war film is also a COMEDY depicting American POWs in Nazi prisoner camps. This was made at a time when even DRAMAS weren't being made about WWII as the subject was considered too "serious". Wilder took a serious and taboo issue, created out of a history of violence and rocked the proverbial casbah. Oh and it stars William Holden. Perhaps you've heard of him, he's only one of the most notable and brilliant actors in history.

Kubrick's got charisma. But Wilder had it first.

Because donuts don't wear alligator shoes.

2010-02-22T21:52:00.000-08:00

So. Let's talk about Black Dynamite and how much fun it is. First of all every single scene is hilarious. That alone should be a good enough review for anyone, you dig? It exudes one part parody and one part homage which I really think is the best way to try and ace its overall objective. Nothing really makes sense, continuity is completely out of whack, there's actually a moment where Black Dynamite throws three men out a glass window and then proceeds to fight a room full of people- including the three men he just tossed who are magically back in the same room! The whole film is chock full of deliberate jump cuts, replaced actors, and ode-tos. You've got to be a pretty kick ass filmmaker to make something so awful so wonderful. And don't be fooled- it is wonderful.

"Ha! I threw that shit before I walked in the room". Need I say more? Oh and not to ruin the fun, but two seconds later that guy is on fire. Hilarious.

I did not expect to like it, let alone love it and now I find myself wondering how I ever lived without it.

Shutter yo mouth, I'm talking about Scorsese

2010-02-21T20:31:00.000-08:00

Shutter Island. Scorsese's newest release. Saw it. Dug it. Wanna talk about it.

Basically it's Cape Fear meets The Last Temptation of Christ. It's like action-action-action-trippy dreams, and creepy vibes. It was cool. I went into it expecting to love it, and I did. It had a very cool film noir, surrealist aesthetic which I think we can all agree is awesome. It felt claustrophobic at times, nice use of that "we're trapped on an island" device. Of all the cinematographers I love I'm pretty sure I could pick out Rob Richardson in a test. He's not my favorite but I like him a lot and for me, he's the most distinct in terms of recycling style. And not in a bad way. My friend Darcy is probably going to cry because I saw it without him which is why I've planned to go again on Friday. Second viewing would be wise.

One thing I will say (and I'll avoid any spoilers) is that right until the very last moment of the film I wasn't sure which way it was going to go. It wasn't as if I showed up to a movie expecting one thing, and in a revealing and cinematic twist didn't get it. Up until the very last moment everything could have realistically gone to one extreme or the other.

Bottom line: If Scorsese wants to dish out the mindf*cks, I'll throw him back a post-coital high five.

There Will Be Love.

2010-02-13T07:27:00.000-08:00

Let's just take a moment to discuss one of the greatest love stories of all time. It's called The Collaboration of Paul Thomas Anderson and Robert Elswit, ASC. See back in 1995 these two teamed up for the first time to shoot Anderson's feature "Sydney". The film itself could be reduced to foreplay, the real sparks not igniting until two years later when they collaborated again and Boogie Nights was born. This was followed by Magnolia. Their most recent collaboration was There Will Be Blood. Also, clearly epic. What's so great about them? So glad you asked.

1.) The writing, the lighting, the shots, the acting, the content, the audio, the music, the composition, the execution. In every way that a film can succeed, they all do. Glad that's out of the way.

2.) I love watching films and being able to see through the director's influences. I don't think its cheap, I don't think it's necessarily unoriginal. Boogie Nights pays homage to one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, and upon seeing the film, even he didn't catch onto it. That man is Martin Scorsese. Both the opening and closing scenes of the film are inspired from memorable Scorsese features. The single long shot through the discotheque, landing on the exchanges of various characters we would meet again calls up a certain moment in Goodfellas. Dirk Diggler psyching himself up in front of the brightly lit vanity is reminiscent of a certain Raging Bull opener. (If we're on the subjec, I'll throw this out there: Punch drunk Love would be his Spike Jonze picture, Magnolia would be his Robert Altman piece, and There Will Be Blood would be his Kubrick).

3.) There Will Be Blood would be my top film of the decade, hands down. It's a masterpiece. It's visually stunning, it's artistic, it's over the top, even obnoxious at times, and yet in all the right places. I watched this film with the sound off once and it was incredible.

4.) Magnolia has one of my favorite shots. It's so simple but every time I see it I just really love it. It takes place in a bar, William H. Macy is in love with Brad the bartender and sits lonely in a corner booth feeling sorry for himself. The shot starts at the bar and tracks though the restaurant, lands on Macy, and falls perfectly into a dutch tilt imitating his mood perfectly. It's a great capture. We could even revisit the whole Director's influence topic and bring up Robert Altman's "Short Cuts". Clearly one lay the ground work for the next, PTA just happens to know how to kick ass and pay homage all at the same time. And the long single shot through the network building. Crafty.

I've never seen PTA work without Elswit. I have however seen Elswit work with others and it's just not as good. Almost vacant. These two just just keep doing what they do.

It's simple math. Awesome + Awesome= Awesome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYv4ZODzWuc

All Business, All the Time

2010-02-04T18:36:00.000-08:00

Top 10 Films of the Decade. Not in order.

1. Adaptation (2002, Spike Jonze)

2. There Will Be Blood (2007, Paul Thomas Anderson)

3. The Lives of Others (2006, Henckel von Donnersmarck)

4. Inglourious Basterds (2009, Quentin Tarantino)

5. The Departed (2006, Martin Scorsese)

6. The Girlfriend Experience (2009, Steven Soderbergh)

7. Into The Wild (2007, Sean Penn)

8. Life Aquatic (2004, Wes Anderson)

9. Joyeux Noel (2005, Christian Carion)

10. The Hurt Locker (2009, Kathryn Bigelow)

500 Days of Awesome

2010-02-01T19:44:00.000-08:00

I just watched "500 Days of Summer" and it was amazing. Hands down a favorite for 2009 releases. Why? So glad you asked.

1. It's beautiful to watch. The color palette, the lighting, the shots. DP Eric Steelberg did a brilliant job. One of my favorite moments was a tracking shot of Tom walking beside his window as is rained. In slow motion. Say it with me now: Stunning!

2. It's funny in all the right places.

3. It's incredibly creative and stylish. The split screen of Tom's momentary "Expectations" vs. "Reality" was so interesting and emotional.

4. It incorporates the following elements which I have written into most (if not all) of my own work: time shifting, mixed formats, neutral color tones, and voice over. Naturally, I dig.

5. I'll be the first to admit that I would be the worst candidate to try and compile a kick-ass soundtrack. Any movie that can do this whilst having used Patrick Swayze's rendition of "She's Like The Wind" is a genius.

Please see this film.

I don't think you're ready for this jelly

2010-01-31T13:33:00.000-08:00

Kathryn Bigelow just won the Directors Guild Award. This is pretty epic, I'm not gonna lie. No woman has ever taken home this honor before. Only 6 times since 1948 has the DGA winner not won Best Director at the Oscars. Only 11 times has the DGA winner not gone on to receive Best Picture. That's a 90% and 82% positive indicator that the DGA and the Academy Awards are on par with one another.

Another fun fact? Only 3 women have ever been nominated for Best Director and not a single one of them ever received the honor. This means that there is a good possibility that K.Big could be the first woman winner for Best Director. And though I don't feel a woman has ever been robbed of either of these honors, and despite the fact that I would give it to Tarantino, it would be a really awesome if she won.

On an unrelated sidenote- this woman is going to be 59 this year. She is seriously one smokin' hot silver fox.

I know how to finish the script! It ends with Kaufman driving home, thinking he knows how to finish the script! Shit. That's a voice over.

2010-01-31T10:58:00.000-08:00

EIGHT for the 80s

LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST (1988, Martin Scorsese) Though not surprising that Scorsese is on here, Im going to catalogue this in chronological order. Scorsese really likes to have the camera in a constant movement in order to imply that audiences are voyeurs, and practices this technique in most of his films. He also does this in LTOC, but what is so interesting is that in the scenes which portray Christ on the cross the camera is completely still. As he is a devout Catholic this comes as no surprise as the stillness serves to really enhance the perceived divinity of Christ himself. Thats kick ass. And thats why I love Marty.

PRINCESS BRIDE (1987, Rob Reiner) My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die. No explanation needed.

COLOR PURPLE (1985, Steven Spielberg) This is an incredibly simple and common and beautiful story that spans a lifetime. Its actually incredible that Spielberg didnt receive a Directing nod for this- not only was it a fantastic movie, but it was nominated for 11 Academy Awards! Thats almost as bad as Scorsese losing out for Raging Bull to Robert Redford for Ordinary People!

E.T. (Steven Spielberg, 1982) This was the first movie I ever remember seeing, I think I was 3 or 4. This film is pretty much why I originally wanted to work in films (though at the ripe old age of 4, I was all set to start an acting career. What a mistake THAT would have been). This movie is the number one friendship movie I have ever seen, possibly one of the great love stories of our times. I mean a little boy and an alien become best friends and protect and love each other at all costs, despite obvious cultural differences and language barriers and epic obstacles (hello government agencies!). Beautiful.

GANDHI (1982, Richard Attenborough) I'm going to pull out a background in history and political science and just throw this out: I know this film is riddled with historic discrepancies, but the fact is (and listen up Slumdog haters) ITS A MOVIE. Even movies based completely on fiction embellish so many aspects of realities they try to portray. And Ben KIngsley captures the spirit of a man greater than most actors ever could. He's completely haunting. In a good, very cool Sir Ben kind of way. And props to Daniel Day Lewis cameos. Holy prophetic.

MISSING (1982, Costa-Gavras) Jack Lemmon and Sissy Spacek completely rock what they've got in this film. Its brilliant. Watch it.

ON GOLDEN POND (1981, Mark Rydell) This movie is simultaneously heartbreaking and heartfelt. Its funny in the simplest and most real of ways and it really digs to the heart of the human spirit. Henry Fonda's portrayal of Norman Thayer floors me every time. When I first saw this I really connected with it. Which is odd, I admit because I was 9. I guess I just really dig a good cynic.

RAGING BULL (1980, Martin Scorsese) Right. So Im going to start by saying that of the 8 films DeNiro and Scorsese have collaborated on, this is hands down the best. I know what you're thinking "What about Taxi Driver Jill?" (See the 70s). This movie is just cool. Thats it. Its entertaining, its action packed, its incredibly realist. As paradoxical as it may seem, sometimes movies that dont feel like movies, are the best. And its stylish. And its true to Scorsese's themes- idolizing Madonnas, demeaning broads. The scene in which we meet Vicky LaMotta is not coincidentally similar to that in Taxi Driver in which we meet Betsy- clean white clothes, these pure looking women, one on a pedestal brought to life in slow motion, one perceivably out of reach (as depicted from the other side of a steel fence). I really dig that.

SEVEN for the 70s

STAR WARS (1977, George Lucas) This really needs no explanation. And its a nice reminder to anyone being turned down for funding that one day you too could be laughing all the way to the bank. The bank of epic filmmaking success.

ALL THE PRESIDENTS MEN (1976, Alan J. Pakula) Im a bit of a sucker for a political thriller. This is the best one of all time in my books. It just falls together so nicely and theres something comforting about the picture quality from the 1970s- that grainy, old faded polaroid look that just feels natural. Like what films should be. This film has been imitated and admired by other great directors who followed, and for good reason. Its beautifully choreographed, well acted, but not overdone. Its very understated considering the events that unfold. And its smart. I like that.

NETWORK (1976, Sydney Lumet) This movie is incredibly profound and eerily predictive in terms of what it implies about media. I only saw this film recently but I was instantly impacted by the message. William Holden, though not the lead, is another primary reason I loved this film. Past his prime perhaps, but the man delivers. A true gentleman and a hell of an actor.

TAXI DRIVER (1975, Martin Scorsese) I'm not going to lie- the first time I saw this movie I was disturbed beyond belief. It was only in the past few years that I really came to appreciate it, then like it, and then love it. My adoration of this piece truly was an evolution. Ive always been a fan of films and filmmakers but it wasn't until I got to high school that I began really WATCHING the films I would see. Watching how they were made, how they were shot, how the characters developed, and so often came apart again. I think part of what is so fantastic about Scorsese- and this is no way demeans the hard work of other great directors- is that every element of every shot in every film is so deliberate. Its so crafted and built and then viewed. It really is an art.

DOG DAY AFTERNOON (1975, Sudney Lumet) This was the beginning of a beautiful stretch of time that was primarily spent watching Al Pacino movies instead of doing homework. Ive taken a lot of heat for liking this film, but Im going to stand behind it. Once again, I'm motivated by preference, and I do find this movie entertaining- and oddly heart wrenching. Im not usually one for story-book endings (unless it truly does serve the interest of the story, and not the funding of the film), but Im still really sad every time I see the ending. And not to ruin it for future viewers, but things do not fare well for good old John Cazale. (Fun fact: John Cazale only ever starred 4 films, and all 4 were either nominated for or WON best picture. This film, Deer Hunter, The Conversation, and The Godfather. Six films if you count Godfather 2 and 3. But that makes the fact far less fun).

THE CONVERSATION (1974, Francis Ford Coppola) Ok so Im bumping this one up, and out of order but it flows really well with the whole John Cazale conversation. This movie is crazy. I mean that in the best way possible. Ive seen this movie about 5 or 6 times and every single time Im still nervous for Gene Hackman during the hotel scene.

JAWS (1975, Steven Spielberg) Another obvious pick I think, but sometimes obvious is for a reason. I saw this movie for the first time ever (yes, ever) last year. I know. I dont want to hear about it. But the important thing is that Ive now seen it, and more than once. My only regret about this movie is that I couldnt experience it in the era that it was released.

SIX for the 60s

THE ODD COUPLE (1968, Gene Sacks) I was in stitches the first time I saw this film. I'm not even kidding, I was on the floor. Walter Mathau and Jack Lemmon are comic geniuses. I dig a lot of comedies that have come out in my lifetime, but theres something incredibly timeless and unique about the comedy and its delivery in this time. "I've told you a million times not to leave little notes on my pillow. 'Were out of cornflakes, F. U.'. It took me 3 hours to figure out F.U. was Felix Ungar". Gold.

SOUND OF MUSIC (1965, Robert Wise) This was also one of the first movies I ever saw, and I have seen it over 100 times. I am 110% confident of that fact. I was a very focussed little girl and when I liked a movie, I LIKED a movie. And I watched it all the time. This film has become a cultural part of my life, and I dont say that lightly. It makes me incredibly nostalgic and I am always in the mood to watch this. This film is the Rolls Royce of enduring family classics.

OBCHOD NA KORZE- SHOP ON MAIN STREET (1965, Jan Kadar) I was originally drawn to this film because it was filmed in Slovakia and is a Slovak language film. Much to my pleasant surprise- it rocked. Big time. I focussed a great deal of my studies on Eastern European history and this film encompasses that, and Slovakia, and movies. Its a total variety pack of all things I love. Oh and it really captures the war's impact through the eyes of shopkeeper and town local in a tragic way. With a twist of unlikely friendship.

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1962, Robert Mulligan) The director didnt need a mulligan on this one! (Wow. I had actually thought that out in advance and still it just didnt quite bring it home). Straight up: I usually like the movie better. I rarely read the book before OR after seeing the film, its just the medium I prefer. But I will say that of the book/movie couplings I have enjoyed, this and the Pianist really do pay homage to their great written protoypes.

BREAKFAST AT TIFFANYS (1961, Blake Edwards) Its a girl thing.

THE APARTMENT (1960, Billy Wilder) One of my favorite directors. One of my favorite comedies. It really rocks the whole 1960s soundstage feel, and I dig that. This actually is not even in my Top 3 Wilder films, but it was the first one I ever saw and I was sold. Im frequently surprised that no one has ever tried to remake it. But I'd like to keep it that way.

FIVE for the 50s

12 ANGRY MEN (1957, Sydney Lumet) Now someone did remake this movie and I'll tell you why it didnt work. IF ITS NOT BROKE, DONT FIX IT. This film takes place mostly in one room, with no one really coming or going. Sounds dull right? Wrong. Maybe its out devolved attention spans, but I dont think this film could have been successful if it was produced today. It would at the very least be a hard sell. Wheres the sex? Wheres the beautiful woman? Wheres the drama? Who the hell are our characters? That is why this film is timeless.

TEN COMMANDMENTS (1955, Cecil B. DeMille) I also saw this for the first time at age 7, andI thought it was a ridiculously sweet movie. That was right around the time I first saw Jolson, the Al Jolson biopic. Entirely unrelated, but a good memory. This is a favourite. Though Ive never watched them, I imagine its pretty much the Lord of the Rings of the 1950s, with a slightly enhanced religious theme, and fewer hobbits.

SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS (1954, Stanley Donen) Lumberjacks. Singing, dancing lumberjacks. Need I say more? I have no sweet clue how they ever got funding for this, but I'm so tickled that they did.

STALAG 17 (1953, Billy Wilder) This is one of my Top 3 Wilder films. Its unbelievable that there is a great comedy about German run POW camps in WWII. I realize that at the time no one was in the fashion of attempting a realist movie about Nazis, but Wilder was always ahead of his time. This brings me to..

ACE IN THE HOLE (1951, Billy Wilder) This movie, much like network, depicts a world in which no cost is too high for a good story. Oh wait, thats this world. What starts off with such promise ends in failure for our lead, and that failure is truly the foundation of the whole film. Brilliantly realized its foolishly dead on.

FOUR for the 40s

THIRD MAN (1949, Orson Wells) This film makes dutch tilts cool. Thats a fairly bold statement considering how popular they once were. Theres no real way to explain it, but this is one of those films that you watch and then you sit and stare at the credits thinking "Holy shit, that was incredible". Consider it a challenge, and do yourself the favor if you have not already seen it.

BICYCLE THIEVES (1948, Vittorio De Sica) When I first found out that this was the film that made Scorsese want to make movies, I obviously flipped out a little. When you watch this movie its so clear where Marty gets his inspiration from. This film essentially created a whole new genre. Not only did it inspire realist films in its aftermath, but it went one step further by not filming on a soundstage or hiring any professional - or even amateur actors. Its brilliant. Its pretty much what everyone I know does actually.

DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944, Billy Wilder) This is my favourite movie. I love Barbara I love Fred, I love the story I love how a woman in the 40s played a greedy adulterated killer despite how incredibly damaging that could have been to her career at the time. I love how no one wanted to fund this film because they didnt think it would be a hit,let alone ever have any impact on film history or culture. I love the narrative, the film noir style, the set ups.Its just brilliant.

BAMBI (1942, David Hand) My dad and I used to watch this movie every friday night when it was just the two of us. Those friday nights are one of my greatest childhood memories. This movie puts more emphasis into the importance of family than most movies Ive seen in my lifetime. It gives depicts friendship in a remarkably honest way. Its the best coming age movie that ever drove home "coming of age".