Oscars Best Picture Winners
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- DirectorChristopher NolanStarsCillian MurphyEmily BluntMatt DamonThe story of American scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his role in the development of the atomic bomb.
- DirectorDaniel KwanDaniel ScheinertStarsMichelle YeohStephanie HsuJamie Lee CurtisA middle-aged Chinese immigrant is swept up into an insane adventure in which she alone can save existence by exploring other universes and connecting with the lives she could have led.Disappointing: more style than substance. 4/10
Evelyn Wang and her husband Waymond run a laundry. Times are tough and they're in trouble with the Internal Revenue Service. There's also some niggle with their daughter and her father is a constant source of belittlement and scorn. Now Waymond wants a divorce. Could things have turned out differently for Evelyn, maybe in a parallel universe?
The plot summary for this movie intrigued me immensely: the idea of exploring how things might work out if you'd plotted a different course or, more broadly, the idea of parallel realities. The actual product, however, is far less engaging or coherent.
The lack of engagement begins immediately. The Wangs' everyday life is a manic, unfocussed existence and just following this for the first 20 minutes or so was fairly annoying. It doesn't get any better once the multiverse concept is introduced, this just being an excuse for random detours and well-choreographed but meaningless action scenes.
It's like a typical pretentious concept-driven sci fi/fantasy movie: paper over the lack of plot with a concept and developments that are so radical and in-your-face that viewers are fooled into thinking there's something clever there, when there isn't. Then, to make it seem even more important, have the movie go for 140 minutes when 100 minutes would have been sufficient.
Every now and again there is a profound moment but due to the preceding scenes being all empty random action there's no context and the impact is diluted.
Disappointing. - DirectorSian HederStarsEmilia JonesMarlee MatlinTroy KotsurAs a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) Ruby is the only hearing person in her deaf family. When the family's fishing business is threatened, Ruby finds herself torn between pursuing her passion at Berklee College of Music and her fear of abandoning her parents.Sweet, feel-good movie. 7/10
Ruby Rossi is a child of deaf adults (CODA) though has hearing herself. In addition her only sibling, her brother, is also deaf. She is her family’s sign-language interpreter and helps out on the fishing boat. In her final year of high school she shows great talent as a singer and has applied to attend Berklee College in Boston. Where will this leave her family?
A sweet, feel-good movie, winner of Best Picture at the 2022 Oscars. Has a very original setting – a hearing child whose entire family is deaf – and the movie shows how this presents certain challenges and unique situations.
A light-hearted feel to proceedings keeps things moving along briskly. Emotional ending rounds things off nicely.
However, does feel quite formulaic. While the setting is original, the plot is fairly predictable and lightweight, sometimes having the feel of a midday TV movie or teen rom-com.
Overall, not brilliant but worth watching. - DirectorChloé ZhaoStarsFrances McDormandDavid StrathairnLinda MayA woman in her sixties, after losing everything in the Great Recession, embarks on a journey through the American West, living as a van-dwelling modern-day nomad.Wonderful, emotional journey. 8/10
After the local plant shuts down, the town of Empire, Nevada ceases to exist. Widow Fern decides to travel around the country, working in odd jobs and living in her van. Along the way she meets some interesting people and discovers that her nomadic existence is not unique.
The 2021 Best Picture Oscar winner is a wonderful, emotional journey. We initially sympathise with Fern, thinking what a predicament to be in, but then realise that this is what makes her happy. Rather than be sad for her, we should be happy for her. Similarly, all the people we meet seem to be the debris from the pursuit of the American Dream, but they’re happy doing what they do – they don’t want our sympathy.
It’s these realisations and the feeling of freedom that the people have that elevate the tone of the film. A few other themes are touched on: ageism in the workforce, corporate greed, the winner-takes-all social structure but thankfully these are not examined in too much detail. Rather than blame anyone or anything for the sequence of events that leads to people ending up on the fringes of society, these are presented as merely factors. Plus, once again, who says they’re in a predicament?
Great writing and directing by Chloe Zhao as she sensitively and deftly steers the film along its path. Her writing got her an Oscar nomination and her directing won her an Oscar.
Frances McDormand gives and excellent performance as Fern and well deserved her Best Actress Oscar. However, it’s in the supporting performances where Zhao’s directing skills shine through. Many of the supporting cast are unknowns, many not actors, some actual nomads. Zhao effectively lets them just be themselves, giving the film a natural, unforced, almost documentary-like quality.
I was expecting a more powerful, profound conclusion, however. The plot did seem like it was building up to something more jarring. Then again, this film is about the journey and not the destination: the profundity accumulates along the way, rather than is delivered at the end. - DirectorBong Joon HoStarsSong Kang-hoLee Sun-kyunCho Yeo-jeongGreed and class discrimination threaten the newly-formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan.Superb: funny, dark, intriguing and profound. 9/10
A poor South Korean family lives in a ramshackle semi-basement apartment and gets by on hustles and cons. One day the son manages to get a job tutoring the child of a wealthy family. He sees an opportunity to get his parents and sister jobs in the household too. Soon all of them of are in and life is looking much rosier. Then fate throws them a curveball.
Superb. Written and directed by Bong Joon Ho who gave us the superb crime-drama Memories of Murder plus the entertaining Snowpiercer, Parasite is a great mix of comedy and drama, pathos and social commentary.
It starts off in very entertaining fashion as we meet the family that are experts in cons and manipulation. It is quite funny and initially they just seem like slackers. However, after a while it is quite awe-inspiring to see the work that goes into their deceptions.
As the movie progresses it becomes darker and darker. The plot takes on a few surprising twists and turns and the two families involved become symbols of a class divide. The social commentary is thought-provoking without being preachy or seeming biased. Powerful ending.
Solid performances round out an excellent plot and great direction. - DirectorPeter FarrellyStarsViggo MortensenMahershala AliLinda CardelliniA working-class Italian-American bouncer becomes the driver for an African-American classical pianist on a tour of venues through the 1960s American South.Great movie: may seem predictable in its destination but it’s the journey that matters. 8/10
1962. A bigoted Italian-American bouncer, Tony Lip, gets the job of driving Dr Don Shirley, renowned African-American pianist, on his tour across the mid-West and South. The two could not be more different.
I did not have high expectations for this movie. I knew it would be good, but figured it wouldn’t cover any new ground. Moreover, it seemed like a reverse Driving Miss Daisy (not that DMD is a bad movie – quite the opposite – but that it had been done before).
I needn’t have worried. The outcome is fairly predictable, but that doesn’t matter: the getting there is original, interesting, engaging, thought-provoking and great.
Director Peter Farrelly sets the scene well and paces the movie to perfection. The characters of Tony Lip and Don Shirley are well drawn and developed, making for high engagement levels. You can see their views and characters evolve before your eyes, see the events that shape them and how these influence their future actions. There’s also a decent smattering of humour to aid the engagement.
Some great social commentary too, especially on racial attitudes of the day and on tolerance in general.
Mahershala Ali got a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Don Shirley, and well deserved the award. Great work too from Viggo Mortensen as Tony Lip, resulting in a Best Actor nomination (he ultimately lost out to Rami Malek for Bohemian Rhapsody).
Great movie. - DirectorGuillermo del ToroStarsSally HawkinsOctavia SpencerMichael ShannonAt a top secret research facility in the 1960s, a lonely janitor forms a unique relationship with an amphibious creature that is being held in captivity.Okay, but hardly Oscar-worthy. 6/10
It is the mid-1960s. Elisa is mute, and a cleaner at a US government experiment facility. Her life is quite mundane and unfulfilled. Then the facility starts on a new project: the US government has captured a man-fish hybrid in South America and now they are seeing if the creature’s unique physiology could have some uses for humans, especially for astronauts. Elisa becomes attached to the creature.
The winner of Best Picture at the 2018 Oscars, though difficult to see why. A pretty basic movie – a linear romantic drama with one-dimensional characters, cartoonish, badness-laid-on-so-thick-it’s-laughable villains, conventional plot development and a fairly predictable ending. It’s not that profound or original in its themes or development (unless the viewer has only seen a handful of movies in their life) – quite dumbed-down (though that might be more a reflection of modern audiences than anything else). If it wasn’t for the excellent CGI, the sentimentality, the slickness of the plot development and some of the performances it would be just another B-grade creature feature.
Part of the problem is that director Guillermo del Toro tries to steer a path between fairy tale and gritty drama, and thus ends up with something that is tonally jarring and inconsistent. The movie from the start has a light, airy feel, the ideal set up for a sweet, all-ages drama. There’s even some funny moments to help this along. Yet, interspersed with the lightness are several adult-orientated scenes. Even as the movie becomes darker, bloodier and grittier, del Toro still tries to cling to the fairy tale side.
Made as a plain fairy tale-like drama, suitable for all ages, this would have worked a whole lot better.
Not that it’s that bad though. The movie moves at a decent pace and is quite entertaining. There is a decent level of intrigue and tension and Sally Hawkins puts in a great performance as Elisa. - DirectorBarry JenkinsStarsMahershala AliNaomie HarrisTrevante RhodesA young African-American man grapples with his identity and sexuality while experiencing the everyday struggles of childhood, adolescence, and burgeoning adulthood.Good, though a bit underwhelming. 7/10
Chiron is an African-American child, growing up in Miami. Neglected by his mother, he is effectively raised by a drug-dealer, Juan, and his girlfriend, Teresa. Due to his passive ways he is often a target for bullies. Onto his teenage years and the bullying continues. All this time he has one true friend - Kevin - and the relationship between Chiron and Kevin ultimately forms the spine of the story.
Good drama about growing up, the relationships we form and how these are carried over into adult life. More specifically, the experience of a gay African-American child, the issues faced in growing up and how this shapes his life and relationships.
A bit underwhelming though, especially considering that this movie won the 2017 Best Picture Oscar. The themes don't feel fully formed, leaving the movie feeling not overly profound. Ending is quite anticlimactic, when it should have been very emotional.
The main problem is that writer-director Barry Jenkins concentrates more on the bigger picture, and fitting as much of Chiron's history into a certain amount of time. More character and relationship details were needed. A slower progression was in order - the first two periods of Chiron's life seems rushed and we are just fed the story without having time to contemplate on it. Not often I say this: the movie needed to be longer, about 30 minutes longer.
This all said, the story is original and engaging. It is never dull - as mentioned, if anything, it moves too quickly. It just needed more substance. - DirectorTom McCarthyStarsMark RuffaloMichael KeatonRachel McAdamsThe true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core.Well timed and very well made. 9/10
The true story of how, in 2001, reporters at the Boston Globe investigated accusations of Catholic priests in Boston molesting children. Following on from leads, interviews with victims, existing court cases and extensive research they reveal decades of abuse. Moreover, they discover that the issue was far wider spread than they at first believed, that senior members of the diocese were aware of the issue and that the church systemically covered up the crimes.
A well made movie: interesting and intriguing. It had the potential to degenerate into a dull, dry paint-by-numbers docudrama but writer-director Tom McCarthy gives the characters depth, builds the intrigue like a spy thriller and makes a very realistic-feeling movie about investigative journalism.
The director is aided by some great, understated performances from his cast. Michael Keaton is the pick of the bunch but Mark Ruffalo, Liev Schreiber, Rachel McAdams, John Slattery, Brian d'Arcy James and Stanley Tucci put in solid performances too.
Another factor the movie has in its favour is timing: (alleged) abuse of children by priests of the Catholic church is a highly charged, highly publicized, internationally widespread, current issue. While I do not think Spotlight was the best film of 2015 (for me, that honour goes to Room), Spotlight isn't far behind the best in terms of pure cinematic quality plus it taps into a highly topical issue.
I thus think it is the contemporary nature of its subject matter that saw it edge out the competition for the Best Picture Oscar in 2016, and I don't see a problem in that (despite my preference for Room). One of the purposes of art is to capture the look, feel and issues of the times and preserve them for posterity. Spotlight fulfils this function very well. - DirectorAlejandro G. IñárrituStarsMichael KeatonZach GalifianakisEdward NortonA washed-up superhero actor attempts to revive his fading career by writing, directing, and starring in a Broadway production.Intelligent, intense, absorbing movie. 9/10
The story of a washed-up actor, Riggan (played by Michael Keaton), who gets a last chance at fame and immortality. He adapts a Raymond Carver novel into a play and directs and stars in it on Broadway. The movie shows the roller-coaster ride that is his mind, plus the behind-the-scenes goings on of the play.
Certainly not your average movie. The blurring of the lines between reality and fantasy, as the lead character veers constantly between delusion and actuality, is incredibly intriguing and not a little disconcerting (and this is not necessarily a bad thing).
The plot is simultaneously simple and complex - simple main structure but very complex in the intricacies. Ultimately it is a character-driven movie, and the characters are well-developed and complex.
On that note, it is not all about Riggan. There are some sub-plots involving his daughter, Sam (played by Emma Stone) plus other cast members. These non-Riggan moments provide for respite from the intensity of Riggan and his issues, and are a welcome relief.
While it is the script and direction that set up the movie, it is the performances that complete it - casting is spot-on and the cast act of their skins.
Superb performance by Michael Keaton in the lead role - he well deserved his Best Actor Oscar nomination. Good support from Emma Stone, Edward Norton, Naomi Watts, Andrea Riseborough and Amy Ryan. Stone and Norton are excellent and got Supporting Actress/Actor Oscar nominations.
Even Zach Galifianakis, better known as a comedy actor, is solid in his role.
This movie well deserved its 2015 Best Picture Oscar. - DirectorSteve McQueenStarsChiwetel EjioforMichael Kenneth WilliamsMichael FassbenderIn the antebellum United States, Solomon Northup, a free Black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery.Great, compelling, emotional movie. 9/10
Quite brutal, and honestly so, in its depiction of the mid-1850s US slave trade, and the lives of slaves. Unflinchingly portrays the injustices and inhumanity involved.
Central plot is interesting. More than the story of Solomon Northup, the movie illuminates slavery and the divide in the US at the time.
Superb performances all round, particularly by Chiwetel Ejiofor as Solomon Northup and Michael Fassbender as Edwin Epps, the volatile plantation owner. Good support from a cast that includes Michael K Williams, of Boardwalk Empire fame, albeit briefly.
Brad Pitt, who is one of the producers of the movie, also makes an appearance, in a role with not that much screen time, but great impact. - DirectorBen AffleckStarsBen AffleckBryan CranstonJohn GoodmanActing under the cover of a Hollywood producer scouting a location for a science fiction film, a CIA agent launches a dangerous operation to rescue six Americans in Tehran during the U.S. hostage crisis in Iran in 1979.Good, but not the best movie of 2012. 8/10
Good, but not brilliant, and certainly not the best movie of 2012.
Interesting, intriguing and highly plausible. Good pacing - hardly a dull moment.
Good performances all round.
Yet, as mentioned, surely not worth a Best Picture Oscar. Sure, there have been many far worse Best Picture Oscar winners (Cimarron, Braveheart, Titanic and The English Patient spring immediately to mind), but in a year which gave us such great movies as Django Unchained, Life of Pi and, especially, Zero Dark Thirty, Argo gets it? It just lacked that extra something to make it deserving of the Oscar. - DirectorMichel HazanaviciusStarsJean DujardinBérénice BejoJohn GoodmanWhen George, a silent movie superstar, meets Peppy Miller, a dancer, sparks fly between the two. However, after the introduction of talking pictures, their fortunes change, affecting their dynamic.Great movie. 9/10
Filmed entirely without dialogue or sound effects other than the score (well, almost entirely, but I don't want to give anything away). In addition, not all of the dialogue is then sub-titled. Thus, rather than being spoon-fed the plot, you have to use your brain and your imagination. Makes a change from the majority of modern movies where you are walked through the plot, inch by inch, and it mostly consists of things being blown up, in vivid fashion, anyway!
The director's use of symbolism helps the plot along. Admittedly, the plot isn't that complex, so the brain won't be too taxed (hence the 9/10 rather than 10/10).
Great performance from Jean Dujardin in the lead role, well supported by Berenice Bejo, John Goodman and James Cromwell. However, the stand-out performance comes from Uggie, the dog. He deserves an Oscar.
Like Hugo, an homage to the art of movie-making. - DirectorTom HooperStarsColin FirthGeoffrey RushHelena Bonham CarterThe story of King George VI, his unexpected ascension to the throne of the British Empire in 1936, and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch overcome his stammer.Great movie, driven by a great cast. 9/10
Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush are excellent as King George VI and Lionel Logue respectively, and both deserve their Oscar nominations.
Great performances from the supporting cast too - especially Helena Bonham Carter (as Queen Elizabeth), Guy Pearce (as King Edward VIII) and Michael Gambon (as King George V).
Direction is flawless: pacing is spot on, story flows well, cinematography cannot be faulted. Script is solid.
Not the best movie of 2010/11, no matter what happened at the Oscars, but one of the best. - DirectorDanny BoyleLoveleen TandanStarsDev PatelFreida PintoSaurabh ShuklaA teenager from the slums of Mumbai becomes a contestant on the show 'Kaun Banega Crorepati?' When interrogated under suspicion of cheating, he revisits his past, revealing how he had all the answers.Great movie. 9/10
Very moving, brutal in its portrayal of the poverty the main characters live in, but with humorous moments too. Bitter-sweet.
Deserves all the awards and award nominations it is getting.
The only negative thing, and the reason it isn't a perfect 10, is the way the movie got fairly formulaic towards the end. I can think of at least one ending which would have been more impactful than the actual one.
If you liked this movie, see "City of God". Set in Rio de Janeiro, it also examines the lives of people living in abject poverty, and their consequences of their situation. Even better than Slumdog Millionaire, I felt. Grittier. - DirectorKathryn BigelowStarsJeremy RennerAnthony MackieBrian GeraghtyDuring the Iraq War, a Sergeant recently assigned to an army bomb squad is put at odds with his squad mates due to his maverick way of handling his work.Brilliant. 10/10
Brilliant, gritty, dramatic portrayal of a US Army bomb disposal unit in Iraq. Searingly intense without being manipulative or contrived (there is no music within scenes, for example, so the intensity is not artificially lifted by music).
Can seem to drift at times, but in the end it all makes sense, and has a place. The punchline at the end makes it all worth it.
Kathryn Bigelow directs with a deft and varying touch, revealing details which seem insignificant at the time, and omitting details and events which you would think would be important. In the end, it all makes sense. The use of home-movie-style hand-held cameras in certain scenes can be a bit disconcerting at times, but ultimately suited the scene.
Superb performance by then relatively unknown Jeremy Renner. He well deserved his Oscar nomination. - DirectorEthan CoenJoel CoenStarsTommy Lee JonesJavier BardemJosh BrolinViolence and mayhem ensue after a hunter stumbles upon the aftermath of a drug deal gone wrong and over two million dollars in cash near the Rio Grande.Modern masterpiece. 10/10
The Coen Brothers rank amongst my favourite writers/directors, regardless of whether they are doing comedy (Big Lebowski, Raising Arizona, The Hudsucker Proxy, O Brother Where Art Thou?) or drama (Fargo, Millers Crossing, Barton Fink, The Man Who Wasn't There).
This is a Coen drama but if there is a Coen-drama formula, they have just redefined it, and indeed potentially rewritten how all thriller-dramas are written and directed.
One of the most original movie structures and plots I have seen, up there with Memento in terms of innovativeness.
Truly a modern masterpiece. - DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsLeonardo DiCaprioMatt DamonJack NicholsonAn undercover cop and a mole in the police attempt to identify each other while infiltrating an Irish gang in South Boston.Brilliant: intense, clever and action-filled. 10/10
A tale of two cops, though on different sides of the law. Colin Sullivan (played by Matt Damon) is a Massachusetts State police detective. He has risen through the ranks to head up a special department. Public Enemy Number 1 is Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson), a crime network kingpin, and the Sullivan's main target. However, Sullivan is a paid informant for Costello, giving him tip- offs on police raids and other useful information. Meanwhile, Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) works for Costello. However, he is actually an undercover policeman, spying on Costello. In due course, both know that there is a rat in their organisation, but don't know their identity. A deadly cat-and-mouse game ensues, with both trying to uncover the other without being discovered themselves.
Brilliant crime-drama from master director Martin Scorsese. Slick, clever, watertight plot. The symmetry and interdependence of the two adversaries makes for a very intriguing story and nail-biting situations. Often they have a piece of the puzzle but to get the complete picture and identify the mole they have to break their own cover, creating some very tense situations.
Some great character-based drama too, especially involving Costigan. The love triangle involving Madolyn (Vera Farmiga) was a nice touch.
The Departed is an adaptation of the Hong Kong crime-drama Infernal Affairs. Similar plots but The Departed has deeper characters, more interesting sub-plots and wittier dialogue. For these reasons I rate The Departed higher than Infernal Affairs.
Historic movie too in that it gave Scorsese his first Oscar, at last. After six nominations previously with no award, he won Best Director for The Departed. When you look at what he was previously nominated for - Raging Bull, Goodfellas, Gangs of New York, The Aviator, among others - and consider those he should have been nominated for - Taxi Driver, The King of Comedy - then you have to consider him incredibly unlucky. That, or the Academy doesn't like him.
On the subject of people the Academy doesn't like, Leanardo DiCaprio puts in a great performance as Costigan. His was the more difficult of the two lead roles, as Costigan was a much more complex character than Sullivan. Matt Damon hardly had to stretch himself for his role. Sadly, though not unsurprisingly considering DiCaprio's history with the Oscars, DiCaprio didn't even get an Oscar nomination for his efforts.
Mark Wahlberg did get a nomination, as Best Supporting Actor. He puts in a good performance as the over-the-top, obnoxious, no- nonsense Staff Sergeant Dignam. It's debatable whether the nomination was deserved. The performance does stand out, however, due to the colourfulness of the character.
Remaining cast is pretty much an all-star one and includes Jack Nicholson, Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin, Vera Farmiga and Ray Winstone. All of them deliver in spades, as do the minor players.
A 21st century classic. - DirectorPaul HaggisStarsDon CheadleSandra BullockThandiwe NewtonLos Angeles citizens with vastly separate lives collide in interweaving stories of race, loss and redemption.Great, emotional examination of racism, and prejudice in general. 9/10
A movie that covers a few days in the lives of several different people. They come from different backgrounds, are often total strangers and are generally just going about their everyday lives. However, over the next day or so their lives will interconnect, crashing together, in dramatic and often life-changing ways.
Great, emotional examination of racism, and prejudice in general. very well set up - the (seemingly) parallel lives and stories (Short Cuts- style). The ways the lives cross paths, the interaction and the effect of this is something to behold. Incredibly powerful, profound and emotional. - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsHilary SwankClint EastwoodMorgan FreemanFrankie, an ill-tempered old coach, reluctantly agrees to train aspiring boxer Maggie. Impressed with her determination and talent, he helps her become the best and the two soon form a close bond.Incredibly moving - superb movie. 10/10
Frankie Dunn (played by Clint Eastwood) owns and runs a boxing gym in Los Angeles, as well as managing some of the boxers there. Working for him is Eddie Scrap-Iron Dupris (Morgan Freeman). One day he is approached by Maggie Fitzgerald (Hillary Swank) who wants him to train her. He declines. Undeterred, Maggie joins his gym, hoping that he'll notice her and train. He is equally perseverant, knocking back all her requests to train her. However, eventually she wears him down and he trains her and manages her fight career. Her career goes very well and she now has a shot at the WBA title. Her opponent, the champion, does not play fair though...
Brilliant beyond description. Much much more than simply a boxing movie. It's a movie about friendship, looking out for one another and caring for those you love. Wonderful character depth and development and relationship development. Made by a twist nobody would see coming, and an ending that is emotional beyond compare.
Superb performance by Hillary Swank in the lead role, for which she won her second Oscar. Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman are also great in their roles - Eastwood got a Best Actor Oscar nomination and Freeman won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Freeman also provides the narration for the movie, and this is always a good thing.
The movie itself deservedly won the Best Picture Oscar in 2005 and Eastwood won Best Director.
This was to be Clint Eastwood's magnum opus and came in the middle of a purple patch for him. Before this he has made Mystic River and after was to come Flags of our Fathers, Letters from Iwo Jima, Changeling, Gran Torino and Invictus. - DirectorPeter JacksonStarsElijah WoodViggo MortensenIan McKellenGandalf and Aragorn lead the World of Men against Sauron's army to draw his gaze from Frodo and Sam as they approach Mount Doom with the One Ring.Style over substance. 5/10
The conclusion to the Lord of the Rings trilogy. After many adventures in the previous two films, Froddo and Sam reach Mordor, at last. Meanwhile, the stage is set for a gigantic, fateful final battle between the forces of good and evil, as Aragorn's army prepares to fight Sauron's.
After six hours of the previous two movies and much machinations with release dates to ensure higher DVD sales, the series finally ends. It goes out pretty much like it was all along - with a long, linear, rambling adventure filled with fantastical names and places to keep the nerds and kids enthralled. - DirectorRob MarshallStarsRenée ZellwegerCatherine Zeta-JonesRichard GereTwo death-row murderesses develop a fierce rivalry while competing for publicity, celebrity, and a sleazy lawyer's attention.One of the better musicals you'll see. 8/10
I generally dislike musicals, so was very pleasantly surprised when I liked this. Good story, vibrant musical sequences with bouncy music. The whole movie just moves along at a brisk pace, propelled by the musical interludes, the interesting, clever story and the witty dialogue.
Great performances all round. Entire cast shines, with Catherine Zeta- Jones, Renee Zellweger and Richard Gere to the fore. Zeta-Jones won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar and Zellweger was nominated for Best Actress. Even John C Reilly and Queen Latifah put in solid performances, enough to get them Supporting Actor/Actress Oscar nominations.
Good fun. - DirectorRon HowardStarsRussell CroweEd HarrisJennifer ConnellyA mathematical genius, John Nash made an astonishing discovery early in his career and stood on the brink of international acclaim. But the handsome and arrogant Nash soon found himself on a harrowing journey of self-discovery.Powerful, emotional drama. 8/10
The story of John Nash, Nobel Prize-winning economist. We see him from his days as a student at Princeton University to his later life. Just when he seems to have everything going for him - a beautiful, loving wife and a successful academic career - he is diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. The lines between reality and his imagination, driven by his powerful mind, become blurred...
Powerful, emotional drama, largely based on a true story. The way Nash is able to overcome his disability and become one of the foremost minds in the field of economics is amazing, and a sight to see. The demons in his mind also provide for some great drama, especially discerning what is reality and what is a function of his mind.
Won the 2002 Best Picture Oscar. - DirectorRidley ScottStarsRussell CroweJoaquin PhoenixConnie NielsenA former Roman General sets out to exact vengeance against the corrupt emperor who murdered his family and sent him into slavery.Okayish, but not great. 6/10
Roman General Maximus has everything going for him - he is a highly skilled and successful general, he has a wife and child whom he adores, the people love him and the aging Emperor loves him. The Emperor proclaims him his successor before he dies. However, this proves costly for Maximus as it creates tension between him and the Emperor's son, Commodus. Commodus has Maximus wife and child murdered. Maximus escapes before being executed himself, only to be captured and enslaved. He becomes a gladiator and fights to regain his status. Moreover, he is determined to take revenge on Commodus.
Pretty much a standard action/revenge movie, set in Roman times. Lots of fight scenes and not much else, including profundity.
Somehow won the 2001 Best Picture Oscar, beating, amongst others, the far-superior Traffic. - DirectorSam MendesStarsKevin SpaceyAnnette BeningThora BirchA sexually frustrated suburban father has a mid-life crisis after becoming infatuated with his daughter's best friend.Beautiful, profound, emotional movie. 10/10
Lester Burnham (played by Kevin Spacey) is your average 40-something, seemingly living an average life. He lives in the suburbs with his wife and teenage daughter and has worked in the same company for 14 years. Everything seems normal on the surface but Lester is starting to tire of the mundanity and superficiality of it all...
Wonderful, thought-provoking, eye-opening story of suburban life: the materialism, the importance of appearances and status, the superficiality and the dullness and pointlessness of it all. Also covers other interesting topics like enjoying the simple things in life...and bigotry and intolerance.
Makes you examine your own life, your motivations and what makes you happy.
Superb performances too. Kevin Spacey is brilliant as Lester Burnham, as is Annette Benning as his wife. Good support from Thora Birch, Wes Bentley and Mena Suvari.
Deservedly won the Best Picture award at the 2000 Oscars. Also picked up Best Director for Sam Mendes, Best Leading Actor for Kevin Spacey, Best Original Screenplay for Alan Ball plus Best Cinematography. Annette Benning got a nomination for Best Leading Actress.
A classic. - DirectorJohn MaddenStarsGwyneth PaltrowJoseph FiennesGeoffrey RushThe world's greatest ever playwright, William Shakespeare, is young, out of ideas and short of cash, but meets his ideal woman and is inspired to write one of his most famous plays.Funny, clever comedy. 8/10
William Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes), pre-fame, is a struggling writer searching for inspiration. He finds it in the beautiful Viola De Lesseps (Gwyneth Paltrow). They quickly fall in love, but there are complications...
Funny, clever comedy. Some great lines and skits plus the writers cleverly weave the actual history of Shakespeare and his works into the plot. Makes for a highly engaging, intellectually stimulating and entertaining movie. Also has a lightness and freshness to it that carries the movie along wonderfully.
Won the 1999 Best Picture Oscar, beating out four brilliant movies - Saving Private Ryan, The Thin Red Line, Elizabeth and Life is Beautiful. - DirectorJames CameronStarsLeonardo DiCaprioKate WinsletBilly ZaneA seventeen-year-old aristocrat falls in love with a kind but poor artist aboard the luxurious, ill-fated R.M.S. Titanic.Your usual James Cameron movie - all style, no substance. 4/10
A typical James Cameron movie, i.e. all style, no substance, and excruciatingly long.
Plot is basic - love story set against the Titanic tragedy, that's it. Just basically drifts for 3.25 hours around that central plot. The direction is all about the amazing special effects, another Cameron trademark.
On the plus side, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet are excellent in the lead roles, and their interaction is spot-on. This movie pretty much launched their careers (well, in DiCaprio's case, shifted it up several notches). - DirectorAnthony MinghellaStarsRalph FiennesJuliette BinocheWillem DafoeAt the close of World War II, a young nurse tends to a badly burned plane crash victim. His past is shown in flashbacks, revealing an involvement in a fateful love affair.I'm with Elaine Benes on this one. 4/10
Late-WW2, Allied-occupied Italy. A nurse at a field hospital is tending to a badly burned English pilot. He has no identification so is referred to as "The English Patient". Slowly she starts to piece together his background, including a passionate yet doomed romance with a married woman.
9 Oscar wins, including Best Picture. You have got to be kidding! I really don't know what all the fuss was about, as the movie is pretty dull. Empty, style over substance and pretty much schmaltz for schmaltz sake. One of the worst Best Picture Oscar winners.
It wasn't like it was such a bad movie year - you had Fargo, Jerry Maguire, Sling Blade, Trainspotting, The People vs Larry Flynt, all of which are infinitely better than this. - DirectorMel GibsonStarsMel GibsonSophie MarceauPatrick McGoohanScottish warrior William Wallace leads his countrymen in a rebellion to free his homeland from the tyranny of King Edward I of England.One of the worst Best Picture Oscar winners.
4/10
One of the worst Best Picture Oscar winners, and surely one of the most over-rated movies of all time. (Not THE worst, that honour definitely goes to the 1931 version of Cimarron). Historically inaccurate anti-English propaganda, with wooden over-the-top-macho-hero acting. The only good part was when Wallace was executed.
Plot summary: Mel Gibson sets out to make an anti-English movie, because that was the phase he was going though (The Patriot was even worse), and wins a few Oscars in the process.
Also a great example of how clueless the people are who determine the Oscar winners. In a year that brought such fantastic movies as "Leaving Las Vegas", "The Usual Suspects", "Dead Man Walking", "Twelve Monkeys" and "Richard III", they gave five Oscars, incl Best Picture and Best Director, to this piece of crap. - DirectorRobert ZemeckisStarsTom HanksRobin WrightGary SiniseThe history of the United States from the 1950s to the '70s unfolds from the perspective of an Alabama man with an IQ of 75, who yearns to be reunited with his childhood sweetheart.Schmaltzy and overly folksy, but works. 7/10
Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) is a simple, slow-witted boy from the country. We see his life story, his simple home-spun sayings that get him through life and how he manages to nonchalantly participate in some of the most momentous events of the 1960s.
Simple, but fun. Overly folksy and schmaltzy, but works. Not too profound but if you don't think too much, it's quite enjoyable. The weaving into the plot, and the footage, of actual historic events is wonderful to behold and adds a great comedic element to the movie too.
Won the 1995 Best Picture Oscar, though certainly wasn't the best film of that year. The other nominees were fantastic: Pulp Fiction, Four Weddings and Funeral, The Shawshank Redemption and Quiz Show, yet the weakest of the five won the award. I guess the Academy wanted something sappy and simple, not something gritty or clever, to win. - DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsLiam NeesonRalph FiennesBen KingsleyIn German-occupied Poland during World War II, industrialist Oskar Schindler gradually becomes concerned for his Jewish workforce after witnessing their persecution by the Nazis.Powerful, edifying, emotional movie. 8/10
The true story of Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who, in World War 2, saved thousands of Jews from execution by the Nazis.
Powerful movie. Shows well the extremes of man's inhumanity to other men (the Nazi concentration camps and the systematic extermination of the Jews) and how there is also good in the world, fighting this evil. Quite graphic in showing what the Jews went through. This makes the saving of many of them from this fate even the more emotional.
Superb performance by Liam Neeson in the lead role. An equally compelling performance comes from Ralph Fiennes as the sadistic SS concentration camp commander. No cartoon villain, Fiennes inhabits the role and makes him a worthy adversary for Schindler and an evil that must be vanquished. - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodGene HackmanMorgan FreemanRetired Old West gunslinger William Munny reluctantly takes on one last job, with the help of his old partner Ned Logan and a young man, The "Schofield Kid."Superb - a western with heart. 9/10
Trust Clint Eastwood to turn the genre on its head by making a western where the characters have depth, the plot is more a human drama than an action drama and the "hero" is frail and flawed, as are his comrades.
Excellent direction by Eastwood, showing a deftness, sensitivity and poignancy that are now his trademark. His acting is also something to behold - no longer playing the bold, confident, action man, but a man frail and unsure of himself, with waning powers.
Gene Hackman delivers an excellent performance and well deserved his Best Supporting Actor Oscar.
Probably the greatest, and certainly most original, western ever made. - DirectorJonathan DemmeStarsJodie FosterAnthony HopkinsScott GlennA young F.B.I. cadet must receive the help of an incarcerated and manipulative cannibal killer to help catch another serial killer, a madman who skins his victims.Great, tense thriller. 9/10
An FBI agent-in-training, Clarice Starling (played by Jodie Foster) is given an assignment to interview infamous serial killer, Dr Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins). He has been imprisoned in a mental hospital/prison for the last eight years. The reason to seek out Dr Lecter is that another serial killer, "Buffalo Bill" has killed and skinned five woman and the FBI feels Dr Lecter might have some insights into who he is. Then Buffalo Bill kidnaps a Senator's daughter and finding him becomes even more urgent.
Great psychological drama. Plot is fine, though one or two developments felt a bit contrived. As much a character-driven drama as a plot- driven one, as we have a battle of wits between Lecter, Starling, a psychiatrist and Buffalo Bill and individual personalities play a part in the outcome.
As the movie progresses the tension is ratcheted up well by director Jonathan Demme. The last few scenes are incredibly tense and claustrophobic.
Great work by Anthony Hopkins as Lecter. Well deserved his Best Actor Oscar. Jodie Foster is solid as Starling and also got an Oscar for her efforts. Decent supporting cast too. - DirectorKevin CostnerStarsKevin CostnerMary McDonnellGraham GreeneLieutenant John Dunbar, assigned to a remote western Civil War outpost, finds himself engaging with a neighbouring Sioux settlement, causing him to question his own purpose.Well-intentioned but badly executed: tedious, self-indulgent and pretentious. 4/10
1864. Lt John Dunbar (Kevin Costner) of the Union Army distinguishes himself in battle and as a reward is offered any post he likes. He chooses to go out west and is posted to Fort Hays in Kansas. From there he is ordered to Fort Sedgewick, the remotest outpost in the region. He finds it deserted and through a series of unfortunate circumstances he is stranded at the fort with nobody knowing that he is alone there, or even there. He meets his neighbours, the local Sioux tribe, and slowly gains their respect and friendship...
Well-intentioned but badly executed. After all the westerns showing Native Americans to be nothing but savages, a movie humanizing the Native Americans was due. Dances With Wolves may be one of the first movies to have a balanced approach in that regard.
However, that's where anything positive about this movie ends. The actual execution is quite bad. Director Kevin Costner turns what should have been a profound 2-hour journey into a 3-hour ordeal. Every scene is drawn out to the maximum and many scenes are there as padding making the move slow, dull and overly long.
As director he also favours long, drawn-out close-ups of the lead actor, who happens to be himself. Seems incredibly self-indulgent, slowing the movie down further and detracting from the plot.
Moreover, the whole tone is so preachy, moralising and pretentious. Turns what should have been a natural lesson to audiences into a soap-boxing sermon.
Undeservedly won the 1991 Best Picture Oscar. How this won over Goodfellas I don't know. Might be the Academy's dislike for Martin Scorsese or the fact that they tend to prefer preachy movies. - DirectorBruce BeresfordStarsMorgan FreemanJessica TandyDan AykroydAn old Jewish woman and her African-American chauffeur in the American South have a relationship that grows and improves over the years.Great, moving story. 8/10
Moving story. Simple plot, sensitively and lovingly told. Bruce Beresford's direction is spot-on, giving a warmth and subtlety to the movie.
Ultimately, a movie about racial tolerance and development, though the racial prejudices and issues of the time aren't too apparent.. The one failing of the movie is that it does pull its punches with regard to examining the racial and social injustices and issues of the day.
Superb performances by Jessica Tandy and Morgan Freeman in the lead roles. Both received Oscar nominations, and Tandy won Best Actress, making her, at nearly 81, the oldest winner of a competitive Oscar.
Dan Aykroyd, well known as a comedy actor (SNL, Blues Brothers etc), is surprisingly decent in a dramatic role. - DirectorBarry LevinsonStarsDustin HoffmanTom CruiseValeria GolinoAfter a selfish L.A. yuppie learns his estranged father left a fortune to an autistic-savant brother in Ohio that he didn't know existed, he absconds with his brother and sets out across the country, hoping to gain a larger inheritance.Emotional journey. 7/10
Unscrupulous, selfish, smooth-talking LA car dealer Charlie Babbitt (Tom Cruise) is informed that his estranged father has just died. He travels to Cincinnati for the will reading but is disappointed when he receives hardly anything out of it, the bulk going to an unnamed trustee. He does some investigating and discovers that the money is going to a mental institution. At the institution he finds his older brother, Raymond (Dustin Hoffman), a brother he never knew he had. While Charlie's intentions are initially selfish, as he views Raymond purely as a meal ticket and irritation, over time his attitude, and outlook, change.
A wonderfully emotional journey. The transformation of Charlie, the way the two brothers grow closer to each other, the adventures and the humour make this a sweet, engaging story. Throw in the excellent performance of Dustin Hoffman (for which he received an Oscar) and you have a movie well worth watching.
While he didn't get an Oscar nomination, Tom Cruise does well as Charlie. He is playing to his strength, playing a brash, energetic young man but his character here is multi-dimensional and not the average action role.
Won the 1989 Best Picture Oscar. - DirectorBernardo BertolucciStarsJohn LoneJoan ChenPeter O'TooleBernardo Bertolucci's Oscar-winning dramatisation of the life story of China's last emperor, Pu Yi.Interesting, edifying drama. 7/10
The story of the last emperor of China, Puyi. We see his childhood, the build up to him becoming Emperor, how the position is thrust upon him at a very young age and taken away, through revolution and forced abdication, when he was still a child. His life from then on is a roller-coaster ride, with many threats and ordeals.
Interesting, edifying drama, sensitively told by director Bernardo Bertolucci. Quite an emotional journey.
Lavish production, with colourful costumes and large sets.
Not perfect. Does feel a bit slow at times.
Won the 1988 Best Picture Oscar. - DirectorOliver StoneStarsCharlie SheenTom BerengerWillem DafoeChris Taylor, a neophyte recruit in Vietnam, finds himself caught in a battle of wills between two sergeants, one good and the other evil. A shrewd examination of the brutality of war and the duality of man in conflict.Superb. 10/10
1967. A fresh-out-of-training recruit, Chris (played by Charlie Sheen), arrives in Vietnam and within days is out on patrol in the jungle. His platoon sergeant, Staff Sergeant Barnes (Tom Berenger), is tough-as-nails and a hard taskmaster. His squad leader, Sergeant Elias (Willem Dafoe), cares for his men and tries to help Chris learn and survive. Unfortunately, an incident occurs which sets Barnes against Elias and causes a large amount of friction within the platoon. This, and they still have to fight the Viet Cong...
One of the greatest war movies ever made. Certainly in my top 3 Vietnam war movies (the other two being Apocalypse Now and Full Metal Jacket). Incredibly gritty and realistic, with a great sense of what those that fought in Vietnam it went though. A good examination of the morality of war and how war changes people, especially in the heat of battle.
Deservedly won the Best Picture Oscar in 1987 with Oliver Stone picking up Best Director. Willem Dafoe and Tom Berenger got Best Supporting Actor nominations. - DirectorSydney PollackStarsMeryl StreepRobert RedfordKlaus Maria BrandauerIn 20th-century colonial Kenya, a Danish baroness/plantation owner has a passionate love affair with a free-spirited big-game hunter.Good emotional drama. 7/10
Denmark, 1913. Karen Dinesen (Meryl Streep) agrees to marry Baron Bror Blixen, more out of convenience than love. They move to East Africa, start a plantation and get married. The marriage initially goes well, despite the its shaky foundations, but Karen then discovers that Bror is quite the philanderer. This drives Karen into the arms of adventurer/big game hunter Denys Finch Hatton (Robert Redford)...
Good emotional drama. Romantic dramas generally don't work on me but this one did. Good story with superb performances (it is Robert Redford and Meryl Streep though, so one should expect that).
All helped by amazing, David Attenborough-esque, scenery and cinematography.
Won the 1986 Best Picture Oscar. - DirectorMilos FormanStarsF. Murray AbrahamTom HulceElizabeth BerridgeThe life, success and troubles of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, as told by Antonio Salieri, the contemporaneous composer who was deeply jealous of Mozart's talent and claimed to have murdered him.Enthralling, enchanting, edifying masterpiece. 10/10
It is the early 19th century. An old man is thrown into an insane asylum after trying to commit suicide. He is Antonio Salieri and in the asylum he is visited by a priest, to whom he confesses that he killed Mozart. He then recounts his time as court composer to Emperor Joseph II of Austria. Mozart appears at the court and is hired by the Emperor to produce an opera. His genius is quite evident. Salieri is a devout Christian man and believes all musical talent and inspiration is given by God. Mozart's personal life and extracurricular activities appall Salieri. He cannot reconcile Mozart's talent and his lifestyle and sets out to drive him from the court. Initially his aim is to undermine him but over time his intentions turn deadlier.
An enthralling, enchanting, edifying masterpiece. Directed by Milos Forman, who also gave us One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest and Ragtime and, later, Man On The Moon and The People vs Larry Flynt. Like in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, insanity is one of his themes, especially, here, the link between creative genius and insanity (this was also touched on in Man On The Moon).
With this in mind, there's a lightness to the movie which propels it along. The movie could easily have been a long, linear, paint-by- numbers account of Mozart's adult life, but Forman gives his characters heaps of depth, and, as mentioned, creates a vibrancy which is very engaging.
There is also plenty of darkness, and this plays off against the light on a few levels: insanity vs sanity, funny vs sombre moments, Salieri's faith vs the hedonism of Mozart (and Salieri's later doubts of his own faith). A wonderful combination of contrasts.
Most of all, this is an exploration of creative genius, the genius that was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Forman, aided by Tom Hulce as Mozart, F Murray Abraham as Salieri and a wonderful orchestra and soundtrack, powerfully illustrates just how staggeringly talented Mozart was. For example, we have him writing down compositions without correction - he didn't need to play them, it was all in his head and perfectly formed. We also have Mozart dictating music he had just created in his head, showing his thought processes. His creative process is laid bare for all to see, and it is amazing.
As mentioned, the soundtrack is great. Background pieces are produced well and chosen well.
Both Tom Hulce and F Murray Abraham were nominated for Best Actor Oscars, and both deserved their nominations. F Murray Abraham's Salieri is a study in machinations and malevolence. Hulce is wonderfully over-the-top as the free-spirited genius Mozart. Abraham won the Oscar, but both are fantastic in their roles.
Supporting cast gives solid performances. Among the cast are Jeffrey Jones, as Emperor Joseph II, and Simon Callow plus Cynthia Nixon in an early-career minor role. - DirectorJames L. BrooksStarsShirley MacLaineDebra WingerJack NicholsonFollows hard-to-please Aurora looking for love and her daughter's family problems.Sweet and emotional...but slow. 7/10
The Best Picture Oscar winner of 1984. Sweet and emotional...but slow.
A good character-driven drama that takes too long to get to the point. I suppose, in this movie's case especially, it is much more about the journey than the destination.
And what a journey it is. It is filled with emotional moments, sweet moments and some humorous moments. The dialogue is fresh, snappy and engaging.
What drives the movie, however, is the performances. Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger are superb in the lead roles. While MacLaine ended up getting the Best Actress Oscar, Winger was also nominated for it and deserved it more. She gave her character a rare effervescent and lightness which was incredibly engaging. MacLaine's character was much darker and curmudgeonly and a bit more one-dimensional, so less engaging or intriguing.
Great support from Jack Nicholson (especially) and Jeff Daniels. Nicholson is particularly good as the retired astronaut and playboy, bringing every ounce of charm, yet with traces of vulnerability, to his role. He well deserved his Best Supporting Actor Oscar.
Not sure how John Lithgow got a nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He doesn't have that much screen time, and his performance, while solid, is not special.
As mentioned, the main negative is that it takes so long to get to the point. The ending seems rather underwhelming too - I would have expected something more profound after such a long build-up. - DirectorRichard AttenboroughStarsBen KingsleyJohn GielgudRohini HattangadiThe life of the lawyer who became the famed leader of the Indian revolts against the British rule through his philosophy of nonviolent protest.Good film on a great man. 7/10
The life story of Mahatma Gandhi. We see his life from his time as a lawyer in South Africa, to his return to India and his rise through politics, to his becoming a leader of the movement for Indian independence and standing up to the English rulers through passive resistance.
Stirring, epic movie, directed by Richard Attenborouggh. Covers Gandhi's life in great detail and shows well the sort of man he was.
Superb performance by Ben Kingsley in the lead role, for which he won an Oscar.
The movie won the 1983 Best Picture Oscar, plus seven other Oscars, including Best Director for Richard Attenborough. - DirectorHugh HudsonStarsBen CrossIan CharlesonNicholas FarrellTwo British track athletes, one a determined Jew and the other a devout Christian, are driven to win in the 1924 Olympics as they wrestle with issues of pride and conscience.Okay, but not that special. 6/10
The story of two British athletes, Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams, their determination to succeed and how their faith and convictions sustain them. It will all come to a head at the 1924 Olympics in Paris.
Decent, but not brilliant. Story is fine but not really astonishing or that profound, unless this is the first time you've ever heard of someone remaining true to their faith and convictions. Really only memorable for the running on the beach scene, with the anthemic Vangelis theme playing over it.
Won the Best Picture at the 1982 Oscars. Was a fairly weak year, as other nominees included Reds, On Golden Pond and Raiders of the Lost Ark. - DirectorRobert RedfordStarsDonald SutherlandMary Tyler MooreJudd HirschThe accidental death of the older son of an affluent family deeply strains the relationships among the bitter mother, the good-natured father and the guilt-ridden younger son.Brilliant character-driven drama. 10/10
Brilliant character-driven drama. Incredibly emotional and psychologically intense. Explores how one event can change the lives within a family, and the repercussions of those changes.
Script is solid but it is Robert Redford's direction that makes the movie. The lingering, haunting looks, the perfect body language of the actors, the pacing. Despite being a movie with little "action", so to speak, mostly dialogue, there is no padding, or drifting. It is never boring, and always very enthralling.
Great performances all round. Nobody puts a foot wrong. Timothy Hutton, in only his second cinema movie, got a Best Supporting Actor Oscar, though he was arguably the lead actor in the movie.
Mary Tyler Moore got a Best Actress nomination and Judd Hirsch a best Supporting Actor nomination, and both of these were well-deserved. Moore's performance was probably the standout in the movie, especially as she was predominantly a comedy actress. There was nothing funny about her performance here: its intensity sets the tone for the movie.
Donald Sutherland's performance is no less great, despite the lack of nomination.
Good support from Elizabeth McGovern and Dinah Manoff. - DirectorRobert BentonStarsDustin HoffmanMeryl StreepJane AlexanderAfter his wife leaves him, a work-obsessed Manhattan advertising executive is forced to learn long-neglected parenting skills, but a heated custody battle over the couple's young son deepens the wounds left by the separation.Great, emotional movie. 8/10
A powerful exploration of the causes and effects of divorce, and the controversial subject of child custody. Maybe not entirely balanced in its examination - very little is seen of Mrs Kramer (Meryl Streep) - and the ending is a bit trite and Hollywoodish.
Superb performances. Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep deserved their Oscars. Good support from Jane Alexander and Justin Henry (who, at 8 years old, became the youngest ever Oscar nominee).
However, didn't deserve the 1980 Best Picture or Best Director. Those should have gone to Apocalypse Now and Francis Ford Coppola, respectively. - DirectorMichael CiminoStarsRobert De NiroChristopher WalkenJohn CazaleAn in-depth examination of the ways in which the Vietnam War impacts and disrupts the lives of several friends in a small steel mill town in Pennsylvania.Brilliant - a powerful examination of war and its consequences. 10/10.
Set in a a small industrial Pennsylvania town during the Vietnam War. Three friends - Mike (played by Robert De Niro), Nick (Christopher Walken) and Steve (John Savage) - are getting ready to join the Army. In their last few days before leaving we see them going about their lives - drinking, hunting...and, in Steve's case, getting married. Soon they will be confronted by the harsh realities of war.
A thought-provoking, emotional and, to a great extent, depressing journey. We see how the war affects these men, and their community. There are physical effects for some, but there are also mental and emotional effects. Nothing will ever be the same again.
Incredibly well made by director Michael Cimino. He painstaking paints you a picture of the men and their close-knit community - for example, the wedding scene seems to go on forever but is vital to the ultimate plot. The seemingly innocuous everyday things provide the contrast for later.
Great performances help too. Here we have Robert De Niro at his most heroic...and most vulnerable. We also have the performance which shot Christopher Walken to fame. Plus we have Meryl Streep, who doesn't deliver bad performances. Walken won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar, De Niro was nominated for Best Actor and Streep was nominated for Best Supporting Actress. - DirectorWoody AllenStarsWoody AllenDiane KeatonTony RobertsAlvy Singer, a divorced Jewish comedian, reflects on his relationship with ex-lover Annie Hall, an aspiring nightclub singer, which ended abruptly just like his previous marriages.One of the greatest movies ever made. 10/10
The 1978 Best Picture Oscar winner, Woody Allen's magnum opus is brilliant, and works on so many levels. In the vein of Allen's previous movies, it is a screamingly funny comedy, complete with physical, situational and intellectual humour.
However, this is also a drama, which was a bit of a departure for Allen. As a drama, a relationship-drama to be exact, it works just fine too. Neatly sums up the ups and downs, neuroses, hurdles and over-thinking that are part of modern-day relationships.
Great performances by Woody Allen and Diane Keaton in the lead roles. Keaton won an Oscar for her performance and Allen got his only ever performance Oscar nomination.
Good support from Tony Roberts. Cast also includes Paul Simon, Christopher Walken in a minor role and Jeff Goldblum in a 5-second, one-line role.
The movie was a watershed movie for Woody Allen. None of his previous movies, which were all essentially slapstick comedies, had received an Oscar nomination. Annie Hall got 5 nominations and won 4 of them. From then on we had Woody Allen's unique blend of comedy and drama, a formula which saw him garner another 25 Oscar nominations, including 2 wins. - DirectorJohn G. AvildsenStarsSylvester StalloneTalia ShireBurt YoungA small-time Philadelphia boxer gets a supremely rare chance to fight the world heavyweight champion in a bout in which he strives to go the distance for his self-respect.Vastly overrated. 5/10
Not sure how this got to be regarded so highly, and won the Best Picture Oscar in 1977. Story isn't too plausible and is quite dull in spells.
The opening setup was interesting, as it painted a picture of a man in a dead-end situation. But then, just when you think the movie is going to be how he gradually works himself out of that situation, it turns out that it is all about winning a lottery, rather than hard work, essentially.
The only thing that made it watchable after that was the fight scene, right at the end. The Rocky-Adrian relationship is implausible, contrived and clumsy.
To add insult to injury, Sylvester Stallone got a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his series of monosyllabic grunts that pass for dialogue. In total Rocky received three Academy awards plus seven other nominations. Of these, only the nomination for Best Original Song was deserved.
One of the most over-rated and over-awarded films in history. - DirectorMilos FormanStarsJack NicholsonLouise FletcherMichael BerrymanIn the Fall of 1963, a Korean War veteran and criminal pleads insanity and is admitted to a mental institution, where he rallies up the scared patients against the tyrannical nurse.Good, original movie. 7/10
Felon Randle McMurphy (Jack Nicholson) gets sentenced to a term at a mental asylum. He is not really insane but pleaded insane to avoid a harsher sentence. Once inside he discovers that it is no picnic, with the patients being ruled with an iron fist by oppressive head nurse Nurse Ratched. The naturally free-spirited, rebellious and extroverted McMurphy livens up the place, making confrontation with Ratched inevitable.
Good, original movie. Decent dramatic plot with some great humorous detours. Maybe a bit too linear and basic to make it brilliant, but very entertaining nevertheless.
Won the 1976 Best Picture Oscar. Also won Best Director (for Milos Forman), Best Leading Actor (Jack Nicholson), Best Leading Actress (Louise Fletcher) and Adapted Screenplay (Lawrence Hauben & Bo Goldman), making it the first movie since It Happened One Night in 1934 to win all 5 major awards at the Oscars. - DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsAl PacinoRobert De NiroRobert DuvallThe early life and career of Vito Corleone in 1920s New York City is portrayed, while his son, Michael, expands and tightens his grip on the family crime syndicate.Great follow-up to one of the greatest movies ever made. 9/10
The continuation of the Godfather saga with two focuses: the ongoing story of the Corleone family, and Michael in particular, and Vito Corleone's (Michael's father) backstory. Regarding the ongoing Michael Corleone story, it is about seven years since the events that concluded The Godfather. With the murders of the heads of the other four New York / New Jersey families, the Corleone family has unassailable control in New York. The move to Nevada went smoothly and Michael Corleone controls several hotels and casinos in the state. Frank Pentageli, the man who runs Michael's interests in New York, comes to Michael, asking if he can take out the Rosato Brothers as they are infringing on Pentageli's turf and business interests. However, the Rosatos are backed by Hyman Roth, a business partner of Michael's and a long- time ally of Michael's father, Vito Corleone, and Michael refuses. An attempted assassination attempt is then carried out on Michael's life, in his own home. Michael investigates who is trying to kill him, and suspects that there is a traitor in his family. Meanwhile. Michael and Hyman Roth fly to Cuba to finalise some business deals there. The Cuban trip reveals all. In a story interwoven with the present day, we see the backstory to Vito Corleone. From how his parents and brother were murdered by a Don in their home town of Corleone in Sicily, to his escaping, as a boy, to New York, his adult life and his rise to Don Corleone.
A great follow-up to one of the greatest movies ever made. Gritty, solid plot, superb direction by Francis Ford Coppola and excellent performances. The closing scenes are incredibly powerful, showing just how much Michael has changed from the innocent man we met at the start of the first movie.
Six Oscar wins, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay. Robert De Niro won a Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Vito Corleone, making two Oscar wins for two different actors playing the same character (Marlon Brando got a Best Actor Oscar for his performance in the first Godfather). Al Pacino, Michael V Gazzo, Lee Strasburg (of method acting fame) and Talia Shire also received acting Oscar nominations.
Not quite in the same league as the first movie though. The first one had a much tighter plot and better pacing: this does feel a bit padded and slow at times. Not as enthralling and tension-filled as the first. Then again, we are comparing this movie to one of the greatest films of all time... - DirectorGeorge Roy HillStarsPaul NewmanRobert RedfordRobert ShawTwo grifters team up to pull off the ultimate con.Superb - the perfect crime-caper movie. 10/10
It is the mid-1930s, the height of the Great Depression. Con men Henry Gondorff (Paul Newman) and Johnny Hooker (Robert Redford) team up to swindle crime lord Doyle Lonnegan (Robert Shaw), a man who wants Hooker dead. They assemble a team and hit upon a plan. What follows is complex and fraught with danger.
Superb - the perfect crime-caper movie. Clever, engaging and entertaining. The sting itself is a sight to see, so complex and smart you can't stop concentrating for a moment.
Some great sub-plots too. Even when you think they aren't going to go anywhere, ultimately they add a lot to the overall plot.
Paul Newman and Robert Redford are perfectly cast in the lead roles. They had, four years earlier, teamed up for the excellent Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid and here they reproduce that confidence, swagger and camaraderie.
The Sting won the 1974 Best Picture Oscar, plus six other Oscars, including Best Director for George Roy Hill and Best Screenplay for David S Ward. - DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsMarlon BrandoAl PacinoJames CaanThe aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son.A genre-defining masterpiece. 10/10
New York, 1945. Don Vito Corleone (played by Marlon Brando) is the aging Godfather of a mafia family. He has three sons - Sonny (James Caan), Fredo (John Cazale) and Michael (Al Pacino). Sonny is his natural successor but is impulsive, short-tempered and not much of a thinker. Fredo is overly passive. Michael is a war hero and looking to stay out of the family business. The Corleone family and the other four mafia families of New York and New Jersey have been at peace for several years now. Then one of the families decides to get into the illegal narcotics business and wants Don Corleone's help. Don Corleone decides that his family should stay out of narcotics. This has disastrous and far-reaching consequences, consequences that will suck Michael deeper and deeper into the family business.
Hard to come up with any more superlatives for this movie, as it is rightfully regarded as one of the greatest movies of all time. Great story, based on the book by Mario Puzo and adapted by Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola. Superb direction by Coppola - some wonderful moments of sensitivity and great drama scenes. Despite being nearly three hours long it doesn't feel like it at all. The movie is very well paced and there's always something happening. Coppola sucks you in from the word go and keeps you enthralled and engaged the whole time.
Excellent performances too. Marlon Brando well deserved his Best Actor Oscar, as did Al Pacino, Robert Duvall and James Caan their nominations for Best Supporting Actor. The movie launched Pacino's career and revitalised Brando's.
Beyond the pure art and entertainment of the movie, it defined, and set the benchmark for, the gangster-drama. There had been gritty crime-dramas before. In the 1930s and 40s we had several excellent James Cagney movies (White Heat from 1949 being the pick of the bunch), as well as the original Scarface and other crime dramas. In the 1940s and 50s there were some great film noir dramas. However, none of these had the grittiness, profundity and sheer breadth and depth of story of The Godfather.
So monumental its influence can be seen in the works of Scorsese (Goodfellas, especially), Tarantino, many other directors and, most overtly, the excellent TV series The Sopranos.
An all-time classic. - DirectorWilliam FriedkinStarsGene HackmanRoy ScheiderFernando ReyA pair of NYPD detectives in the Narcotics Bureau stumble onto a heroin smuggling ring based in Marseilles, but stopping them and capturing their leaders proves an elusive goal.Good but not great. 6/10
New York police detectives Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle and Buddy "Cloudy" Russo are staking out a suspected drug transaction. When it goes down they capture one of the dealers who reveals a connection to a large French drug cartel, run by Alain Charnier. What follows is a dangerous game of cat and mouse.
Good but not great. A fairly conventional detective drama. Quite gritty, but there is a large element of style over substance, especially massive chase scenes and protracted shootouts. I actually prefer the sequel, The French Connection II (and sequels being better than the original is an incredible rarity, especially for me).
Decent performances though. Gene Hackman won a Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Popeye Doyle and Roy Scheider got a Best Supporting Actor nomination for playing Cloudy Russo.
The movie itself won the 1972 Best Picture Oscar. - DirectorFranklin J. SchaffnerStarsGeorge C. ScottKarl MaldenStephen YoungThe World War II phase of the career of controversial American general George S. Patton.Superb film on an extraordinary, larger-than-life man. 9/10
The World War 2 history of General George S Patton, US Army. We see his contribution to the Allied War effort, from North Africa, to Sicily to Europe, especially the Battle of the Bulge. We also see his forthright views on war and winning it, his tactical and strategic military genius, his aggressive manner of waging war as well as his blunt, mischievous, rebellious, almost insubordinate attitude.
Superb film on an extraordinary, larger-than-life man. Patton was truly a military genius and the movie demonstrates this very well. It also demonstrates well the lack of diplomacy which often set his career back.
Excellent performance by George C Scott in the lead role, a performance for which he won an Oscar.
The movie itself won the 1971 Best Picture Oscar. - DirectorJohn SchlesingerStarsDustin HoffmanJon VoightSylvia MilesA naive hustler travels from Texas to New York City to seek personal fortune, finding a new friend in the process.Superb - engaging, emotional drama. 9/10
Texan country bumpkin Joe Buck arrives in New York for the first time, seeking fame and fortune. He discovers that New York isn't too friendly a place or as easy a ride as he expected. Along the way, however, he meets Ratso Rizzo, a down-and-out local who shows him the ropes and helps him become street smart. Over time they become very good friends.
Wonderfully engaging and emotional drama. Probably the ultimate movie about friendship and looking out for one another in a hostile world. Incredibly powerful and moving ending.
Excellent performance by Dustin Hoffman as Ratso. Good work too by Jon Voight as Joe. Both were nominated for Best Actor Oscars, eventually losing to John Wayne for True Grit.
The movie itself won the 1970 Best Picture Oscar. - DirectorCarol ReedStarsMark LesterRon MoodyShani WallisAfter being sold to a mortician, young orphan Oliver Twist runs away and meets a group of boys trained to be pickpockets by an elderly mentor in 1830s London.Great adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel. 8/10
Oliver Twist is a poor orphan, living at a workhouse. He angers the powers-that-be at the workhouse when, one dinner, he asks for more food. They decide to sell him and he ends up working for an undertaker. The undertaker treats him badly and he escapes, heading for London. Once there he falls in with a gang of boys, thieves who steal for their adult leader, Fagin.
Great musical adaptation of Oliver Twist, the Charles Dickens novel. I'm generally not into musicals but this works. The music isn't overdone and fits in well with the story, plus it propels the story along.
Good performances all round.
Won the 1969 Best Picture Oscar. - DirectorNorman JewisonStarsSidney PoitierRod SteigerWarren OatesA black Philadelphia police detective is mistakenly suspected of a local murder while passing through a racially hostile Mississippi town, and after being cleared is reluctantly asked by the police chief to investigate the case.Culturally incredibly significant, and simply a great movie too. 10/10
In the Heat of the Night is a movie of great social and cultural importance. It laid bare the prejudices of the South and helped set about mending those racial divides. One of the first Hollywood movies to have a black person as the hero, and probably the first black-white "buddy" movie.
The scene where Sidney Poitier slaps the white plantation owner may be one of the most important scenes in movie history.
Cultural significance aside, it is a great movie in its own right. If it wasn't, it wouldn't still be as watchable and revered today as it was in 1967. A great whodunnit, complete with blind alleys, races-against- time and good detective work.
Solid performance by Sidney Poitier in the his co-lead role. However, it was Rod Steiger who won the Best Actor Oscar for his performance, and deservedly so. Good supporting cast.
A classic. - DirectorFred ZinnemannStarsPaul ScofieldWendy HillerRobert ShawThe story of Sir Thomas More, who stood up to King Henry VIII when the King rejected the Roman Catholic Church to obtain a divorce and remarry.A noble sentiment, lavishly produced but ponderously told. 6/10
England, 1520s. King Henry VIII is in power and wants to marry Anne Boleyn. His current wife, Catherine of Aragon, seems unable to bear him a son and heir and he's besotted with Ann Boleyn. He wants to divorce Catherine but, other than the Pope, the main impediment is Sir Thomas More, a pre-eminent legal authority and devout Christian. More is eventually made Lord Chancellor, one of the highest positions in government. He resigns this position out of protest against the King's plans to go ahead with the divorce. Surely, now that he is out of government and out of the limelight, as long as he doesn't air his views, his principles aren't a threat to the King's plans and he is safe from prosecution?
Directed by Fred Zinneman (High Noon, From Here to Eternity, The Search) a wonderfully lavish production. A noble sentiment too - a man willing to stand by his principles no matter what the cost.
However, the film moves along at a snail's pace, has excess dialogue and ultimately feels quite padded. Also doesn't help if you know history (and/or, like me, have seen The Tudors) and know how everything will end up.
There are moments of relief among the verbosity. Any time More is in an argument on points of law, his sharpness of mind, knowledge of law and expert use of the English language shine through - his wordplay is something to behold.
Won the Best Picture Oscar in 1967. - DirectorRobert WiseStarsJulie AndrewsChristopher PlummerEleanor ParkerA young novice is sent by her convent in 1930s Austria to become a governess to the seven children of a widowed naval officer.Every bit the classic it is made out to be. 8/10
I am not a fan of musicals, but this is great. The scenes flow into the music seamlessly and perfectly. Just about every song sticks pleasantly in your head.
Plot is fairly basic, but good. Direction by Robert Wise is spot-on. Cinematography is spectacular. The Austrian mountainscapes are amazingly beautiful and provide the perfect backdrop.
Performances by Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer are great. The kids are mostly unconvincing and overly sweet though.
A movie everyone should watch. - DirectorGeorge CukorStarsAudrey HepburnRex HarrisonStanley HollowayIn 1910s London, snobbish phonetics professor Henry Higgins agrees to a wager that he can make crude flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, presentable in high society.Wonderful movie. 8/10
A professor of phonetics, Henry Higgins (Rex Harrison) wagers that he can pass cockney street urchin Eliza Doolittle (Audrey Hepburn) off as a sophisticated lady. Higgins is a confirmed bachelor, and misanthropic, especially when it comes to women, and his interest in Eliza is purely professional. However, while she is the one who is supposed to be changing, he seems to be changing too, and falling for Eliza...
Wonderful musical. You won't hear me say that often, as I generally dislike musicals. My Fair Lady is different, however. The music blends seamlessly into the dialogue, the music advances the plot, rather than just acts as padding and the music is good, giving the movie a suitable lightness and energy.
Good plot too and some great performances from Audrey Hepburn (though that's a given) and Rex Harrison.
Won the 1965 Best Picture Oscar. - DirectorTony RichardsonStarsAlbert FinneySusannah YorkGeorge DevineThe romantic and chivalrous adventures of adopted bastard Tom Jones in 18th-century England.Heaps of potential but ultimately uneven and silly. 5/10
Country England, early 1700s. Squire Allworthy, a wealthy landowner, adopts a baby whose mother is a servant in his house and whose father is unknown. That baby is Tom Jones. Many years later and Tom is now a young, handsome man. He has a lust for life, and for Molly Seagrim, the gamekeeper's daughter. She, however, is now pregnant and the father could be anyone, including Tom. Tom's affections are now directed towards Sophie Western, the daughter of the neighbouring landowner. They fall in love, but her father won't have a bar of the relationship. Tom ends up banished from the estate. He sets off for London. Many adventures and much drama await him.
Started well. There was a lightness and exuberance to the film that carried it along and it had the potential to be a great comedic look at the lives of the landed gentry. I kept waiting for it to click into top gear and let the humour flow.
Yet it never really came. The set up was often there but the writer and director pulled their punches. From a point it just degenerated into silly farce, Carry On-like.
It has its moments but these are few and far between. These moments do serve to remind you how good the movie could have been. They also make the movie quite uneven, as you have these highs, making you think that the film has at last kicked up a notch, only to go back to the mediocrity that came before.
Somehow this movie won the Best Picture Oscar in 1964. Must have been a lean year for good movies and, looking at the other contenders, clearly it was. - DirectorDavid LeanStarsPeter O'TooleAlec GuinnessAnthony QuinnThe story of T.E. Lawrence, the English officer who successfully united and led the diverse, often warring, Arab tribes during World War I in order to fight the Turks.Epic in every way. 8/10
The story of TE Lawrence, the English officer who united and lead the diverse, often warring, Arab tribes during World War 1 in order to fight the Turks. This unity and fight for freedom ultimately lead to the independent Arab states that we now know.
Grand in its ambition, grand in its scale, grand in its scenery and cinematography, grand in its running time. Director David Lean captures well the adventures and achievements of Lawrence, as well as his personality, contradictions and inner conflicts.
Superb cinematography - the desert vistas are a key positive of the movie.
The running time - 3 1/2 hours - does make the movie a bit of an endurance test though. Not that it is ever dull, it is just the sheer amount of time you need to set aside to watch it. Usually I would say, for something like that, that a bit of editing is in order, but there is very little that can be edited out. Almost every scene is integral to the plot. Towards the end, however, there were one or two scenes that could possibly have been cut though.
Great work from Peter O'Toole in the lead role, for which he received an Oscar nomination. Good support from a cast that includes Omar Sharif, Anthony Quinn, Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins, Jose Ferrer, Anthony Quayle and Claude Rains. Omar Sharif received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for his performance. - DirectorJerome RobbinsRobert WiseStarsNatalie WoodGeorge ChakirisRichard BeymerTwo youngsters from rival New York City gangs fall in love, but tensions between their respective friends build toward tragedy.Dull, and a classic example of why I generally dislike musicals. 4/10
New York, 1950s. Maria (Natalie Wood) and Tony (Richard Beymer) are two youngsters in two rival gangs, the Sharks and Jets, respectively. They meet and fall in love. This will have fateful consequences.
Dull. I dislike musicals (though there are exceptions, Chicago and The Sound of Music being among them) and West Side Story is a great example of why. The overly theatrical acting, random musical detours, campy music and acting, style instead of substance, musical interludes instead of a good plot. Here the music actually detracts from the plot, as it is hard to imagine these being tough gang members when they are constantly singing and flamboyantly dancing around!
Watch or read the real deal, Romeo and Juliet, instead. To call this an adaptation of Romeo and Juliet does Shakespeare a massive injustice. - DirectorBilly WilderStarsJack LemmonShirley MacLaineFred MacMurrayA Manhattan insurance clerk tries to rise in his company by letting its executives use his apartment for trysts, but complications and a romance of his own ensue.A masterpiece from master-director Billy Wilder. 10/10
Brilliant comedy-drama. Starts off as a comedy with a decent plot then develops into something so much more. Soon takes on darker tones and themes such as greed, ambition, depression, suicide, infidelity, misogyny, sexual harassment and the monotony of modern jobs plus issues such as the media, advertising and consumerism.
Some of the themes are so confronting and controversial for a 1959-60 movie you're surprised they're in there.
Yet, in among all the negative themes are many positives: compassion, caring, gentlemanliness, neighbourliness.
Great performances by Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine in the lead roles. Both of them received Oscar nominations. Good support from Jack Kruschen (who received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination) and Fred MacMurray.
Throw these all together and you have a wonderful, thought-provoking, emotional, realistic, funny movie. A true, timeless classic of the highest order. - DirectorWilliam WylerStarsCharlton HestonJack HawkinsStephen BoydAfter a Jewish prince is betrayed and sent into slavery by a Roman friend in 1st-century Jerusalem, he regains his freedom and comes back for revenge.Epic (and that's all). 6/10
Jesusalem, 26 AD. Judah Ben-Hur is a wealthy Jewish nobleman who is reduced to a life of a slave due to the machinations of Messala, the Roman military commander. Ben-Hur is sentenced to spend the rest of his life as a slave, chained to the oar of a Roman galley. What follows is an epic tale of survival, determination and revenge.
An epic in many ways: the larger-than-life sets (the chariot race takes the cake), the scale of it (time and distance-wise) and the running time. Unfortunately, that's all there is to recommend for this movie as it is otherwise just a long, conventional, linear story. Not overly engaging or interesting but entertaining enough to be watchable.
Won the 1960 Best Picture Oscar, plus 10 other Oscars. - DirectorVincente MinnelliCharles WaltersStarsLeslie CaronMaurice ChevalierLouis JourdanWeary of the conventions of Parisian society, a rich playboy and a youthful courtesan-in-training enjoy a platonic friendship which may not stay platonic for long.Dull, unengaging...and a bit creepy. 3/10
Paris, 1900. Gigi (Leslie Caron) is a young woman living with her mother. Gaston is a wealthy womaniser who has grown tired of the romantic intrigues, and everything else, of Paris. Gigi is sent to her Great Aunt Alicia to learn etiquette and the ways of a courtesan. Gaston is an old friend of Gigi's family and they have known each other for a while. Gigi and Gaston are just friends but over time their relationship develops into something more.
It was with some trepidation that I watched this. I generally dislike musicals, though there are many exceptions. On the upside I really enjoyed Leslie Caron in Lili and hoped that this movie would capture that same charm that made Lili so good.
Sadly, no, not really. For all the sweetness and innocence of Leslie Caron as Gigi, this movie is quite dull and unengaging. It's not even due to it being a musical - the plot is bland and uninteresting. I really don't care about the pretentious, snooty ways of French high society and Machiavellian romantic machinations. The fact that many of the machinations seem to be about old men chasing around very young women/girls, and reveling in this, makes the movie a touch creepy too.
The music is of the usual intrusive variety, i.e. song suddenly appears in the middle of dialogue and doesn't really fit in very well, and is largely forgettable.
Somehow this movie won the 1959 Best Picture Oscar. How this beat Cat On A Hot Tin Roof and The Defiant Ones, I do not know. - DirectorDavid LeanStarsWilliam HoldenAlec GuinnessJack HawkinsBritish POWs are forced to build a railway bridge across the river Kwai for their Japanese captors in occupied Burma, not knowing that the allied forces are planning a daring commando raid through the jungle to destroy it.Vastly overrated. 5/10
A vastly overrated movie.
Starts off well, showing how British prisoners-of-war are treated by the Japanese, especially their harrowing forced labour. Is quite gritty, especially for its time.
From this it develops into a battle of wills between the British and Japanese commanders. Then it’s a movie about pride and morale.
The William Holden side-plot was interesting, and provided some light relief.
Ultimately, however, it's a movie about stupidity, treason and collusion with the enemy... And the man who commits all these acts is treated as a hero.
For me the movie was fine for about 70-80% of its duration, but then totally fell apart at the end. The last few scenes are ridiculous: how anyone can act like that - sabotage a mission, get allied soldiers killed - and then be treated as a hero, is beyond me.
I've now watched this movie at least four times, all at different stages of my life. From the second time onwards I have been expecting to get a different insight, being older and having a more evolved knowledge of the world, but I keep coming to the same conclusion. - DirectorMichael AndersonJohn FarrowStarsDavid NivenCantinflasFinlay CurrieA Victorian Englishman bets that with the new steamships and railways he can circumnavigate the globe in eighty days.Great travel documentary... 7/10
Not bad. Had the potential to be frightfully boring, especially considering its 3-hour running time. The plot is quite conventional, and feels reasonably padded. Also can be a bit mundane if you already know the story (and who doesn't).
However, it was fairly entertaining. Made so mostly by the scenery and excellent cinematography. Felt like a travel documentary.
The occasional humour also helps.
Performances are nothing to write home about. David Niven is overly stuffy as Phileas Fogg. (But that's all he knows how to do). Supporting cast have a host of big names in minor, sometimes very fleeting roles: Noel Coward, Sir John Gielgud, Trevor Howard, Frank Sinatra, Marlene Dietrich, John Carradine, Buster Keaton.
Certainly didn't deserve a Best Picture Oscar, but not that bad. - DirectorDelbert MannStarsErnest BorgnineBetsy BlairEsther MinciottiA middle-aged butcher and a school teacher who have given up on the idea of love meet at a dance and fall for each other.Sweet, feel-good movie. 7/10
Marty is a butcher who lives in New York. He is a simple, plain man in his 30s. He is unmarried and it seems like he will be single forever. Then one day he meets Clara and they seem perfect for each other. However, his interfering aunt Catherine undermines the relationship. Marty, whose confidence is easily shaken, is soon doubting the relationship. Does it have a future?
A sweet, feel-good movie. Simple but effective plot, engaging central character and solid direction. Solid performances with the only major negative being a few overly irritating characters.
Does feel a bit dated in some respects, but the central theme is timeless. - DirectorElia KazanStarsMarlon BrandoKarl MaldenLee J. CobbAn ex-prize fighter turned New Jersey longshoreman struggles to stand up to his corrupt union bosses, including his older brother, as he starts to connect with the grieving sister of one of the syndicate's victims.Absolute classic. 9/10
Terry Malloy is a dockworker. He was a very promising boxer until, upon instruction, he deliberately took a dive. His career never recovered. The waterfront is run my Union/mob boss Johnny Friendly and Terry's brother Charley is his right-hand man. Terry tries to not get involved in the skulduggery, and also keeps his mouth shut when the law intervenes. However, his conscience is pricked when he becomes involved with Edie, the sister of a man Johnny had killed (an event Terry had a minor, non-forewarned part in). Friendly gets wind of Terry's change of heart and now Terry's life is in danger.
Great movie, an absolute classic. Solid, gritty plot. Good direction by Elia Kazan.
Marlon Brando gives one of the greatest performances in cinematic history - the Best Actor Oscar was very well deserved (this after being nominated each year for the previous three years). Supporting cast are great too - four of them got supporting actor/actress nominations - Eva Marie Saint, Karl Malden, Lee Cobb and Rod Steiger - and Eva Marie Saint won an Oscar.
The movie itself won the 1955 Best Picture Oscar, plus seven other Oscars including Best Director for Kazan. - DirectorFred ZinnemannStarsBurt LancasterMontgomery CliftDeborah KerrAt a U.S. Army base in 1941 Hawaii, a private is cruelly punished for not boxing on his unit's team, while his commanding officer's wife and top aide begin a tentative affair.Every bit the classic it is made out to be. 9/10
Hawaii, late-1941. We see the lives of a few men at an Army base, in particular Private Prewett, Sergeant Warden and Private Maggio. They have their lives and loves. All their stories will come to a head on 7 December when they will be first hand witnesses to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Every bit the classic it is made out to be. Good script, containing many plots and sub-plots, running in parallel, culminating in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Solid direction from Fred Zinnemann.
Superb performances by a great cast: Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Deborah Kerr, Donna Reed and Frank Sinatra - all five of them got Oscar nominations with Reed winning Best Supporting Actress and Sinatra Best Supporting Actor. The cast also includes early-career appearances by Jack Warden and Ernest Borgnine.
The movie itself won the 1954 Best Picture Oscar and director Fred Zinnemann won Best Director. It finished with a total of 8 wins and another 5 nominations. - DirectorCecil B. DeMilleStarsJames StewartCharlton HestonBetty HuttonThe dramatic lives of trapeze artists, a clown, and an elephant trainer are told against a background of circus spectacle.Average plot but a great visual spectacle. 7/10
Brad Braden (played by Charlton Heston) is the manager of a circus. The circus is his life and everything else is secondary. The next most important thing to him is Holly (Betty Hutton), a trapeze artist, but she realises she will always take second place. Then Brad hires a world-famous trapeze artist, The Great Sebastian (Cornel Wilde) and Holly is bumped to second place in the trapeze act. The Great Sebastian has a reputation as a womaniser and Holly soon falls under his spell.
Entertaining. This is Cecil B DeMille's homage to the Big Top and being a Cecil B DeMille movie means a massive production. No extravagance or expense is spared and the movie is incredibly grand in scale. We see and feel the size, wonder, enchantment and entertainment of the circus, it is that confronting.
Plot is fairly average though. The main plot - the love triangle - feels overwrought and clumsy. Most of the sub-plots, especially the fraudster, feel silly and contrived. The only plot-line that was reasonably engaging was the Buttons the Clown one, and that had limited coverage.
Narration is also off-putting, being overly dramatic and superlative-filled. It was like watching a WW2 propaganda documentary.
Can't generally fault the performances though. Charlton Heston over-acts, but know to expect that. Betty Hutton is wonderful as Holly - bubbly, athletic and vivacious. And speaking of visual delights, there's Gloria Grahame...
While being the biggest star in the movie, James Stewart, only has a supporting role. And his face is covered for the entire movie... - DirectorVincente MinnelliStarsGene KellyLeslie CaronOscar LevantThree friends struggle to find work in Paris. Things become more complicated when two of them fall in love with the same woman.Okay, for a musical. 5/10
More-or-less okay movie, by musicals standards. Then again, the bar is set very low in that genre.
Plot is decent, though basic. Once you remove all the singing and dancing, there is actually very little plot development. It's a very simple guy-meets-girl story, just with a great setting, padded with heaps of song and dance numbers.
Pity is that the more the movie goes on, the more the music takes over from the plot. The initial plot was interesting, but its rate of development slows the longer you go on, as the musical numbers get bigger and more frequent.
Music is bearable, which is more than one can say for many musicals (yes, Les Miserables, I'm looking at you).
Performances are fine, though, as with the plot, strip out all the singing and dancing and there is little acting going on. - DirectorJoseph L. MankiewiczStarsBette DavisAnne BaxterGeorge SandersA seemingly timid but secretly ruthless ingénue insinuates herself into the lives of an aging Broadway star and her circle of theater friends.Superb drama. 10/10
The story of a woman, Eve (played by Ann Baxter), who ingratiates herself into the social circles of a famous theatre actress, Margo (played by Bette Davis), and her theatre-centric friends. After a time it starts to look as though Eve's motives and methods aren't as innocent as they seem...
A great story of manipulation, social politics and ambition. While you think you can see how everything ends up, how they get there is still very interesting. Plus, there's a twist or two in store...
Superb performance by Bette Davis as the curmudgeonly, jaded Margo. While Eve might be the character in the title, Bette Davis gets the most screen time. Just about every line she utters drips with cynicism and is worth a soundbite/videobite. Very quotable.
Ann Baxter is great as Eve. Good support from George Sanders, Gary Merrill, Celeste Holm, Hugh Marlowe and Thelma Ritter. Marilyn Monroe also has a minor role.
Davis and Baxter got Best Leading Actress Oscar nominations for their performances (losing to Judy Holliday for Born Yesterday). Holm and Ritter got Best Supporting Actress Oscar nominations (losing to Josephine Hull for Harvey).
An absolute classic. - DirectorRobert RossenStarsBroderick CrawfordJohn IrelandJoanne DruThe rise and fall of a corrupt politician, who makes his friends richer and retains power by dint of a populist appeal.A gritty exposition on how power and politics corrupt. 8/10.
The story of Willie Stark, an unassuming, unsophisticated idealistic farmer who becomes Governor of his state, and Jack Burden, reporter and Stark ally. We see how Stark fights his way up from lowly beginnings, initially failing at politics but then succeeding. However, once in office, the ideals slip, the standards fall and the power leads to corruption. Burden should be his conscience, but he finds himself going along for the ride...
Powerful film. The change in Willie Stark from hero to villain makes for a great story. We are immediately drawn in, rooting for Stark. He represents the guy we all want to see succeed - the innocent underdog with good intentions. However, this is not a Disney movie or West Wing. What happens next is gritty and a pretty accurate description of politics and how it corrupts even the noblest of souls. The fact that Stark becomes the embodiment of everything he was initially railing against, and of the reason he got into politics, is delicious irony and provides a wonderful cycle to the plot.
Almost as impactful is Jack Burden's story. One thinks that he would be the one person to some degree of ethics and integrity, but he is happy to sell his soul to the highest bidder. We also see how the corruption spreads like a virus, affecting even Jack's friends.
Not a perfect movie though. It would have been more dramatic if Stark's slide into fascism and corruption was more subtle and slow, and we had an even spread between Good Stark and Bad Stark. Instead, Stark's transformation is almost cliff-like and the majority of the film features Bad Stark. Also, a Bob Roberts-type ending would have been superb... (can't say anything more than that for fear of spoiling it).
Won the 1950 Best Picture Oscar. - DirectorLaurence OlivierStarsLaurence OlivierJean SimmonsJohn LauriePrince Hamlet struggles over whether or not he should kill his uncle, whom he suspects has murdered his father, the former king.Olivier brings Shakespeare to the masses in fine style. 7/10
Shakespeare's classic drama, brought to the silver screen. Hamlet is prince of Denmark. His father, the King, died recently and, shortly after the event, his mother remarried, to the King's brother, Claudius. Hamlet is visited by a ghost who informs him that his father was murdered by Claudius for the crown. However, instead of immediately seeking revenge, Hamlet is beset by self- doubt. Machinations within the court also divide his attention.
Directed by and starring the legendary Laurence Olivier, this movie is quite an achievement. Shakespeare can be quite dry and inaccessible at times and with this movie Olivier made Shakespeare mainstream. It did help that Olivier is the greatest interpreter and performer of Shakespeare the world has ever seen (sorry, Kenneth Branagh!).\
Well made and well performed, Olivier certainly succeeds in making the movie accessible. Not perfect though - it does drag at times. Still, well worth watching, and more accessible than the book! - DirectorElia KazanStarsGregory PeckDorothy McGuireJohn GarfieldA reporter pretends to be Jewish in order to cover a story on anti-Semitism, and personally discovers the true depths of bigotry and hatred.Great examination of bigotry and prejudice. 8/10
Phil Green is a highly-regarded investigative journalist. He moves to New York after accepting a contract to write an in-depth article for a magazine. The article is on anti-Semitism and is very topical, as at the time there is quite a large amount of prejudice against Jews in the US. However, it is not a new topic and Phil's editor wants him to cover the issue in an original way. After much brainstorming, Phil decides to pose as Jewish, in order to experience the prejudice first hand. He is not prepared for what he finds.
A great examination of bigotry and prejudice. The topic feels clumsy, initially, as it seems less relevant now and it is hard to believe that anti-Semitism was ever an issue to the extent portrayed in the movie. However, unfortunately, the background is quite accurate in displaying attitudes and issues in the US in the late-1940s, so the movie was very relevant at the time. Moreover, while the exact issue is not overly relevant today, it can be used as a metaphor for any prejudice or bigotry.
With the initial feeling of clumsiness gone, the movie takes on a whole new life and profundity and degree of engagement. Director Elia Kazan weaves the examples of prejudice into the plot quite seamlessly, without making you feel like he is overdoing it or you are being preached to.
Excellent work by Gregory Peck in the lead role. This feeling is helped if you've already seen him in To Kill A Mockingbird, another movie of his that deals with bigotry and prejudice. Peck got a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his efforts.
Good work too from Dorothy McGuire (as Kathy Lacy), Celeste Holm (as Anne Dettrey) and Anne Revere as Mrs. Green. Holm won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination while McGuire got a Best Actress nomination and Revere a Best Supporting Actress nomination.
The film itself won the 1948 Best Picture Oscar. Elia Kazan won his first Oscar (was also his first nomination). In the next 16 years he would garner one more win (for On The Waterfront) and five other nominations. - DirectorWilliam WylerStarsMyrna LoyDana AndrewsFredric MarchThree World War II veterans, two of them traumatized or disabled, return home to the American midwest to discover that they and their families have been irreparably changed.Unique and compelling drama. 10/10
A unique and compelling drama. Unique in that it deals with soldiers returning home from World War 2, and their struggles as they try to fit back into civilian life. Some are physically scarred, and some mentally. Little was known about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder at the time, so the fact that this topic is dealt with so sensitively is quite incredible for the time.
This, plus the adjustments they have to make and the fact that their world has changed while they have been away make make for interesting viewing.
Compelling too in that it as much a human / relationship drama as an effects-of-war drama. Very emotional, as the servicemen piece their lives back together and try to reestablish / establish relationships, get jobs, etc.
Superb directing and camera work by William Wyler. Also a great deal of sensitivity in telling the story. Wyler was involved in the Allied war effort through making documentaries, like the original documentary on the Memphis Belle, so was well aware of what went in to winning the war.
Performances are astounding. Dana Andrews is suitably debonair as Fred Derry. Fredric March is a surprise package. His character seems to that of a dull banker but as the movie goes on and on his character becomes funnier and funnier, climaxing in the hilarious dinner speech. March seemed to revel in this side of the role and is great in it.
Standout performance, however, goes to Harold Russell as Homer Parish. Russell was not an actor, and was a genuine amputee, playing the role of an amputee. Incredible performance from him, for which he received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar, which showed just how much some soldiers sacrificed in the war, and how they carried on without bitterness.
Superb female cast too. Teresa Wright is beautiful and wonderful as Peggy. Virginia Mayo is stunningly beautiful as Marie. Myrna Loy provides the gravitas as Milly Stephenson.
A wonderful, emotional, sometimes funny, always compelling movie. - DirectorBilly WilderStarsRay MillandJane WymanPhillip TerryThe desperate life of a chronic alcoholic is followed through a four-day drinking bout.Searing, haunting examination of alcoholism and its consequences. 9/10
Don Birnam is an alcoholic. His brother Wick and girlfriend Helen know but believe that he is on the wagon, a belief he does his best not to shatter. They try to keep him sober and healthy by arranging trips and other such events. One is this weekend - Don and Wick are heading to the country. However, Don manages to delay the trip and then evade it altogether, in order to get drunk in a bar. He has no money, so often ends up getting his alcohol by more and more outlandish and nefarious means. He does have two things going for him: Helen loves him and will do anything to see him shake his addiction. The other is that he has a great talent for writing, and has great ambition in that regard. However, his productivity as a writer is undermined by his alcoholism, creating a downward spiral of despair and addiction. Sensing his own plight, his thoughts turn darker...
From master movie-maker Billy Wilder, a film that realistically and hauntingly shows the effects of alcoholism, and the plight its victims find themselves in. Very claustrophobic, in that you can sense how Don Birnam is trapped, and how he knows he's trapped. All his best intentions, and those of his loved ones, come to nothing, creating an intense, despairing situation.
Excellent plot, very well directed by Wilder. He builds the intensity and despair well, starting with a rather light scene and then slowly turning up the darkness and anxiety.
The conclusion is a bit too neat and swift though. Considering what came before, it really needed a bit more open-endedness.
Great work by Ray Milland in the lead role, a performance for which he received a Best Actor Oscar. Good support from Jane Wyman as Helen.
Billy Wilder got his first, and second, Oscar with this movie - Best Director and Best Screenplay. The movie itself won Best Picture at the 1946 Oscars.
While it may seem less topical a subject nowadays, with drug addiction replacing alcoholism as the source for addiction movies, this is no less confronting, or harrowing. - DirectorLeo McCareyStarsBing CrosbyBarry FitzgeraldFrank McHughWhen young Father O'Malley arrives at St. Dominic's, old Father Fitzgibbon doesn't think much of the church's newest member.OK, but not great. 6/10
Mildly interesting storyline that isn't overly engaging. The movie just seems to amble along, with no particular place to go. Furthermore, it often seems like it is merely a vehicle for Bing Crosby's singing and music (despite not being a musical).
This said, it is hard to dislike. It has a charm and sweetness which carries it along, and, to a degree, makes up for the lack of direction.
Decent performances all round, but no stand-outs. Yes, Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald both won Oscars, but both their characters seem too one-dimensionally nice and uncomplicated to garner Oscars. Interestingly, Fitzgerald was nominated for Best Leading Actor and Best Supporting Actor, the only time this has happened, and the only time it will ever happen. The rules re acting nominations were changed due to this event. - DirectorMichael CurtizStarsHumphrey BogartIngrid BergmanPaul HenreidA cynical expatriate American cafe owner struggles to decide whether or not to help his former lover and her fugitive husband escape the Nazis in French Morocco.Brilliant. 9/10
1941. An American, Rick Blain (Humphrey Bogart), runs a nightclub in Casablanca. Morocco is German/Vichy French-controlled and Blain goes to great lengths to appear neutral in the conflict. He is a businessman, though his clients tend to be those opposing the Axis powers. Rick's world is thrown into turmoil when a former flame, Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman), walks back into his life.
As brilliant and as much a classic as it is made out to be. Great, engaging story. Excellent dialogue, helped by the coolness and swagger of Bogart. Just about every line is quotable.
Superb performances by Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman and Claude Rains.
Won the Best Picture Oscar in 1944. - DirectorWilliam WylerStarsGreer GarsonWalter PidgeonTeresa WrightA British family struggles to survive the first months of World War II.Superb. 9/10
Superb World War 2 drama, and the 1943 Best Picture Oscar winner.
Great depiction of the effects of WW2 on a family and community, what they have to go through and how they survive. Not at all sugar- coated: quite gritty and realistic. Conclusion is very stirring.
Also covers social issues, especially the English class system, though this is not tackled in a very in-depth or very confrontational manner.
Considering that this was made in 1942, it would have have been intended as a propaganda movie, but it doesn't come across at all as being jingoistic or overly nationalistic. It is a movie for all time.
Greer Garson and Teresa Wright are excellent in the main female roles, and well-deserved their Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress Oscars, respectively. Both are stunningly beautiful too.
Henry Travers and May Witty are great as Mr Ballard and Lady Beldon, respectively, and deserved their supporting actor/actress nominations.
However, among these fantastic performances are two weak ones which reduce the quality of the movie somewhat, and make it less than perfect. What possessed the producers to cast two Americans (though Walter Pidgeon might be regarded as a Canadian) in the two main male roles is beyond me.
Walter Pidgeon is supposed to be the quintessential English gentleman yet doesn't even try to sound it, sticking with his American accent. This and his wooden acting are quite off-putting. Somehow he then got an Oscar nomination too.
Richard Ney, as Vincent Miniver, at least put on an English accent, but it comes across as too posh and snooty. Also off-putting.
Couldn't they find two English actors?
Overall, however, it is a timeless classic. - DirectorJohn FordStarsWalter PidgeonMaureen O'HaraAnna LeeAt the turn of the century in a Welsh mining village, the Morgans, he stern, she gentle, raise coal-mining sons and hope their youngest will find a better life.Interesting look at life in a Welsh coal-mining town. 8/10
The story of a family, the Morgans, who live in a Welsh coal-mining town, told through the eyes of the youngest son, Huw (played by a 12-year old Roddy MacDowall). The father and four oldest sons all work in the colliery. Pretty much everything centres around the colliery - it is the life blood of the town, and the source of pain, ill-will and death. In addition, we see the relationships between the people in the town, how they develop and change.
An interesting drama, showing the social impact on a town when it is dependent entirely on a single industry. The relationship side is interesting too.
However, in trying to cover as much of what happens in the town as possible, there is a lack of focus. While the ending is reasonably profound, a much greater point could have been made. The landing is a bit soft.
Great performances all round.
How Green Was My Valley went on to win the 1942 Best Picture Oscar, beating out Citizen Kane (amongst others) to the award. Not that it is better: it can probably thank William Randolph Hearst's campaign against Citizen Kane for the award. - DirectorAlfred HitchcockStarsLaurence OlivierJoan FontaineGeorge SandersA self-conscious woman juggles adjusting to her new role as an aristocrat's wife and avoiding being intimidated by his first wife's spectral presence.Superb slow-burning psychological drama - classic Hitchcock. 10/10
A young woman is in Monte Carlo, working as a ladies' companion, when she meets the recently-widowered, and very wealthy, Maxim De Winter. They fall in love and get married soon thereafter. The De Winters take up residence in Maxim's family estate, Manderley. Mrs De Winter finds it hard to fit in. The presence of Maxim's deceased wife, Rebecca, seems to permeate through the house and Mrs De Winter can't shake the feeling that she is constantly being compared to her and that she is an interloper. Mrs. Danvers, Rebecca's personal maid, also takes care to make things as uncomfortable as possible for the new Mrs De Winter. Mrs De Winter has the constant fear that memories of Rebecca will drive her and Maxim apart. Over time, she grows to know more and more about Rebecca...
Brilliant psychological drama, based on a Daphne Du Maurier novel and directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Carries all of the Hitchcock trademarks - the slow-burning intensity, the mystery, the psychological games, the twists and the powerful conclusion.
While the plot does develop slowly, especially in the early-to-middle section, this movie is by no means boring. More than engaging, it is a totally immersive experience. You see everything through Mrs De Winter's eyes, feeling her apprehension and fears and love for her husband.
At a point, the plot takes off and then we have intrigue upon intrigue, with some great revelations and twists along the way. Powerful, profound ending.
Excellent performances from Laurence Olivier (though that's a given) and Joan Fontaine in the lead roles. Both received Oscar nominations, as did Judith Anderson for playing Mrs. Danvers. Hitchcock received his first (of five) Best Director Oscar nominations for this movie.
The movie itself won the 1941 Best Picture Oscar, beating out, amongst others, another masterpiece - The Grapes of Wrath. - DirectorVictor FlemingGeorge CukorSam WoodStarsClark GableVivien LeighThomas MitchellA sheltered and manipulative Southern belle and a roguish profiteer face off in a turbulent romance as the society around them crumbles with the end of slavery and is rebuilt during the Civil War and Reconstruction periods.Every bit the classic. 8/10
Georgia, early-1860s. Scarlett O'Hara's life is one of parties and romantic machinations. She lives on her family's plantation Tara and the love of her life, Ashley Wilkes, has just announced his engagement to Melanie Hamilton. However, she soon is married to Charles, Melanie's younger brother, though she doesn't love him. Then the Civil War intervenes, and once the South starts losing, survival becomes the priority. All this time, one man keeps popping back into Scarlett's life, the dashing Rhett Butler.
Every bit the classic and epic it is made out to be. Epic in its span of events, epic in its running time, epic in its scale, epic in production. Interesting, engaging story that is part romance, part war drama, part triumph of the will drama, all with a few good themes thrown in.
Has given cinema some of its most enduring scenes and lines.
Won the Best Picture Oscar in 1940. Won 7 other Oscars too including Best Director for Victor Fleming, Best Actress for Vivien Leigh and Best Supporting Actress for Hattie McDaniel, the first African- American to win an Oscar (also the first to be nominated). - DirectorFrank CapraStarsJean ArthurJames StewartLionel BarrymoreThe son of a snobbish Wall Street banker becomes engaged to a woman from a good-natured but decidedly eccentric family not realizing that his father is trying to force her family from their home for a real estate development.Noble, liberating ideas, entirely negated by trite plot, one-dimensional characters and silly antics. 5/10
Anthony P Kirby is a wealthy banker. In order to clinch his next deal his company, Kirby & Company, is buying up all the properties in a neighbourhood. Everyone has sold, except one. Martin Vanderhof won’t budge, not for any offer. He is happy where he is, living with his daughter, son-in-law, two granddaughters, grandson-in-law and a few other people in a community largely free of life’s pressures. Mr Kirby’s son, Tony, is a new-appointed Vice President of Kirby & Company and is in love with his secretary, Alice Sycamore, Mr Vanderhof’s granddaughter. Their relationship, and the property issue, puts the two families, the Kirbys and Vanderhofs, on a collision course. It’s more than a clash of families but a clash of outlooks, ideals and what’s important in life.
Directed by Frank Capra who later went on to direct It’s A Wonderful Life. Like It’s A Wonderful Life, You Can’t Take It With You has a warm, fuzzy, sugary-sweet yet noble and liberating central message. In It’s A Wonderful Life, Capra surrounded that message with a wonderful plot, beautifully and sensitively executed. With You Can’t Take It With You, the execution is flawed, to the point that it negates the message.
From the beginning of You Can’t Take It With You there is a folksiness and raw, naïve idealism that makes the movie seem more like a children’s fantasy than profoundly-themed adult drama. No subtlety at all and it only gets worse once we meet the collection of oddballs in the commune. They were meant to provide light entertainment but for the most part they are silly and irritating. Particularly irritating was the Russian guy. I presume his schtick was meant to be funny, but really he is just an obnoxious dickhead. Xylophone guy was also pretty bad – pretty much a rednecked simpleton.
So, little to no engagement with the “good guys” of the piece. Add to this the fact that Capra draws Kirby as a pretty much stereotypical, one-dimensional heartless villain and we have a movie with little in the way of character depth. In fact, I was so disengaged, the more silly the “heroes’” antics became, and the more Capra turned Kirby into a cartoon villain, the more, out of a sense of rebellion, I rooted for Kirby!
Ending can be spotted a mile off, the movie is that predictable.
Thankfully Capra didn’t try to duplicate the formula when he made It’s A Wonderful Life. - DirectorWilliam DieterleStarsPaul MuniGale SondergaardJoseph SchildkrautThe biopic of the famous French muckraking writer and his involvement in fighting the injustice of the Dreyfus Affair.Interesting, engaging and edifying drama. 8/10
The story of Emile Zola, French writer and social commentator. We track his life from his days as a struggling artist, sharing an apartment with Paul Cezanne, to his first bestselling book, and resulting elevation from poverty, to his forays into social and political commentary through his books, to his involvement in the Dreyfuss Affair.
Quite interesting and edifying. I must admit that I had not heard of Emile Zola or the Dreyfuss Affair before this movie. Having seen the influence of the man on society and literature I am now embarrassed to say that. Clearly incredibly talented and principled and willing to put his own neck and reputation on the line in order to fight injustice.
The movie captures these qualities very well. I was expecting a rather dry, blow-by-blow delivery and, while the plot does develop in linear form, it is never dull and is always engaging.
Won the 1938 Best Picture Oscar. - DirectorRobert Z. LeonardStarsWilliam PowellMyrna LoyLuise RainerThe ups and downs of Florenz Ziegfeld Jr., famed producer of extravagant stage revues, are portrayed.Decent biopic. 6/10
Decent biopic. Won the 1937 Oscar for Best Picture.
The (true) story of Florenz Ziegfeld Jr, entertainment producer extraordinaire and creator of the Ziegfeld Follies. Shows his many ups and downs, veering many times from stellar success to near- bankruptcy. Also shows his relationships.
Like Ziegfeld's career, the movie has its ups and downs. The ups are the portrayals of Ziegfeld's creative genius and mind for advertising. He clearly knew how to put on a show, and how to generate publicity for his shows and performers. William Powell puts in a solid. convincing performance as Ziegfeld.
The shows themselves are quite entertaining, though do consume too much time.
There's the main problem - the movie goes on and on. The show scenes are overly long and too frequent. Plus there are several scenes involving Ziegfeld's private life that are boring and add nothing to the movie - they should have been left out. I really don't know how Luise Rainer won the Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of Anna Held - she was average, at best.
Overall, reasonably interesting from an historical perspective but could have done with some major editing. - DirectorFrank LloydStarsCharles LaughtonClark GableFranchot ToneFirst mate Fletcher Christian leads a revolt against his sadistic commander, Captain Bligh, in this classic seafaring adventure, based on the real-life 1789 mutiny.Decent telling of the Bounty story. 6/10
1787. HMS Bounty sets sail from England for Tahiti in the South Pacific. Her First Lieutenant is Fletcher Christian, an officer who cares about the welfare of his men. Her captain, Captain Bligh, on the other hand, drives his men mercilessly and punishes them for the most insignificant thing, to the point of manufacturing infractions. Bligh becomes universally hated by the crew and a confrontation with Christian appears inevitable...
Decent telling of the (true) story of the Bounty. The sailing scenes are quite authentic and you get a good feel for what life at sea must have been like in the late-1700s.
Good work by Charles Laughton as Captain Bligh - he captured the menace and maliciousness of Bligh very well. Clark Gable is fine as Christian, though at times maybe a bit too cavalier and cocky to be naval officer.
Not great though. The story does feel a bit dry at times and is fairly conventionally told. I much preferred the 1984 version starring Anthony Hopkins and Mel Gibson. (I haven't yet seen the 1962 version starring Marlon Brando and Trevor Howard).
Won the 1936 Best Picture Oscar. - DirectorFrank CapraStarsClark GableClaudette ColbertWalter ConnollyA rogue reporter trailing a runaway heiress for a big story joins her on a bus heading from Florida to New York and they end up stuck with each other when the bus leaves them behind at one of the stops along the way.A gem of a film - certainly not your average romantic drama. 8/10
Ellie Andrews is the daughter of a Wall Street mogul. Her father is highly protective of her and isn't pleased when she elopes, marrying a man she hardly knows. Ellie runs away from her father sets off across country to get to her husband in New York. On the bus she meets a recently-fired reporter, Peter Warne. The two don't get along but, figuring out who she is, and knowing that her father will have every route into New York covered with private detectives, he offers to help her get to a husband. In exchange he wants an exclusive on her story. The two tag along together, getting through some interesting adventures. Over time they even get to like each other...
A gem of a film from legendary director Frank Capra. I was expecting a rather standard romantic drama but It Happened One Night is so much better than that. Warm, and hilariously funny at times, it's certainly not your average romantic comedy. Dialogue is incredibly fresh and snappy and even the romantic side is not straightforward, keeping the schmaltz to a minimum and taking some unpredictable twists and turns.
The great direction by Capra and the solid script are aided by wonderful performances from Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert in the lead roles. The chemistry between them is great and their delivery is spot-on.
Both Gable and Colbert received Oscars for their performances, as did Capra for Best Director. The movie was the well-deserved 1935 Best Picture Oscar winner. - DirectorFrank LloydStarsDiana WynyardClive BrookUna O'ConnorA portrayal of the triumphs and tragedies of two English families, the upper-crust Marryots and the working-class Bridgeses, from 1899 to 1933.Interesting chronology of early-1900s English history and life. 6/10
The English experience, from 1899 until 1933, seen through the eyes of an upper-middle class family, the Marryots. We also, to an extent, see the world from the eyes of a working class family, the Bridges. Events covered include the Second Anglo-Boer War, the death of Queen Victoria, the sinking of the Titanic, World War 1 and its aftermath.
Interesting, from an historical perspective and how the average Englishperson perceived these events and was caught up in them. Quite dry though - the degree of engagement is quite limited and it feels more like a series of historic events unfolding than characters whom we have any attachment to being involved in them.
However, the lack of engagement in the middle section is made up for by a an emotional and powerful ending which brings everything together.
Won the Best Picture Oscar in 1934 (plus Best Director for Frank Lloyd and Best Art Direction). - DirectorEdmund GouldingStarsGreta GarboJohn BarrymoreJoan CrawfordA group of very different individuals staying at a luxurious hotel in Berlin deal with each of their respective dramas.Hasn't aged well. 4/10
The 1932 Best Picture Oscar winner hasn't aged well. Stuffy, snooty, aloof, with some pretty hammy acting.
Slow moving. The first 80% of the movie felt like Act 1, the set up. Then, when things do start to happen, it is over very quickly, and then onto the conclusion. Pacing is horrendously bad.
The characters were hardly likable. In fact, the only one I cared about was Joan Crawford's character, the stenographer. Maybe because she was the only real, down-to-earth one of all of them. Everyone else just seemed stuck up, scheming or nuts.
The likability of the stenographer is largely due to Joan Crawford's performance. She is fantastic - bubbly, witty and beautiful.
None of the remainder of the cast worked for me. Greta Garbo, John Barrymore and Lionel Barrymore all seemed like they were auditioning for a play - very overdone, overacted performances. Admittedly, this was the early days of talking movies, so maybe old, silent movie, habits died hard.
Certainly makes me wonder what all the fuss about Greta Garbo was, at least. - DirectorWesley RugglesStarsRichard DixIrene DunneEstelle TaylorA newspaper editor settles in an Oklahoma boom town with his reluctant wife at the end of the nineteenth century.Easily the worst Best Picture Oscar winner. 2/10
This movie is easily the worst Best Picture Oscar winner. It won in 1931, and I'm not sure why. Maybe because it was a talkie, and talking pictures were still fairly novel. Maybe because of how epic its historic time scale is. Maybe because it tells a story of the exploration and settlement of America that sparked something in 1930s audiences.
Who knows. All I can say is that by modern standards it is incredibly bad.
This is not because of the cinematic technology or anything like that. It has a dull story with hammy acting. Worst of all, it is blatantly racist. The black kid is merely there as a figure of fun, something to be made mocked and made fun of. Interesting that while large parts of the movie are very politically correct in the treatment and rights of native Americans, they undo all this good by portraying African-Americans so badly.
I had already watched the 1960 remake before watching this, and that wasn't that great either. It retained the dull plot and hammy acting, but at least reduced the bigotry. I didn't realise the original could be that much worse, but it is... - DirectorLewis MilestoneStarsLew AyresLouis WolheimJohn WrayA German youth eagerly enters World War I, but his enthusiasm wanes as he gets a firsthand view of the horror.Great WW1 movie. 9/10
World War 1 and a young German, Paul Baumer, enthusiastically joins the Army. With romantic notions of war and idealistic dreams in his head he undergoes training and then is sent off to the Western Front. In due course the romantic notions are replaced by the harsh reality of war and he becomes disillusioned with it all.
Great World War 1 movie, made when the war was still fresh in everyone's minds.
Might well be the first anti-war war movie, as it depicts the grim realities of war, rather than the romantic, heroic non-existent version of it.
Harrowing, shocking, original, unpredictable, and just as relevant today as in 1930.
Surprisingly good production values for 1930.
Solid performances all round.
Far far better than the 1979 remake. - DirectorHarry BeaumontStarsBessie LoveAnita PageCharles KingA pair of sisters from the vaudeville circuit try to make it big time on Broadway, but matters of the heart complicate the attempt.Interesting drama. 6/10
Two sisters, Queenie and Hank Mahoney (played by Anita Page and Bessie Love respectively), arrive on Broadway. A friend, Eddie Kerns (played by Charles King), needs them for a number in a musical show. What follows is their struggles to be noticed and make it on Broadway, plus the intrigues, often romantic, that threaten to tear them apart.
Quite engaging. Page and Love are great, and every watchable, as the sisters. Has some funny moments too. The banter between the cast and crew during rehearsals, especially the band leader and singers, was great.
Don't be put off by the "musical" tag. Most of the music occurs naturally, as part of the shows. There is at least one random singing-instead-of-talking scene though, but at least it's not as bad or prevalent as most musicals.
On the negative side, the romantic aspect can be a bit overly and unnecessarily melodramatic though. It often feels like what is represented as intrigue is really not that intriguing. Some parts are just dull, and the ending is bit lacklustre.
The Broadway Melody won the 1930 Best Picture Oscar and was thus the third winner of Best Picture. Was the first talking picture to win Best Picture. Is also regarded as the first musical to win Best Picture, though, as mentioned, it is not really a musical, thankfully. - DirectorF.W. MurnauStarsGeorge O'BrienJanet GaynorMargaret LivingstonA sophisticated city woman seduces a farmer and convinces him to murder his wife and join her in the city, but he ends up rekindling his romance with his wife when he changes his mind at the last moment.Simple yet highly emotional and effective – a classic of the silent era. 9/10
A woman from the city holidays in the country. There she has an affair with a local farmer, a happily married man with a young child. He is besotted with her and the life she promises for him, to the point that, upon her suggestion, he is willing to drown his wife in order to be with her. With the murder planned, he sets the wheels in motion. Will he go through with it?
Directed by the legendary FW Murnau, Sunrise is a classic of the silent age. Murnau takes the viewer on an emotional and psychological roller-coaster ride. The revulsion of the thought of him killing his wife, the apprehension at whether he’ll go through with it, the relief, the wonderful day they spend together, the nerve-wracking trip home, the despair and elation. A simple linear story that packs in so much emotion, wonder and intrigue.
It’s not all drama though – there are some delightfully funny parts, eg the photographer’s statue, the pig.
Powerful, searingly emotional ending.
All done with no audio dialogue and minimal written dialogue. It’s amazing how much emotion and plot development can be conveyed through gestures and facial expressions.
Sunrise was the joint first winner of the Best Picture Oscar, in 1929. That year, and only that year, the Best Picture was split into two categories: Best Picture, Production and Best Picture, Unique and Artistic Production. Wings won in the former category and Sunrise in the latter.
Janet Gaynor, who gave a wonderful performance as the wife, won the first ever Best Actress Oscar for a combination of her roles in Sunrise, 7th Heaven and Street Angel. - DirectorWilliam A. WellmanHarry d'Abbadie d'ArrastStarsClara BowCharles 'Buddy' RogersRichard ArlenTwo young men, one rich, one middle class, who are in love with the same woman, become fighter pilots in World War I.A classic of the silent age - great, gritty WW1 aviation drama. 9/10
Two young men from the same town but different social classes end up as fighter pilots in WW1. Jack Preston is a keen auto mechanic, building and modifying cars. David Armstrong comes from a wealthy family. They are both in love with the same woman, Sylvia. Her heart belongs to David but she doesn't let Jack know and plays along with his infatuation. Meanwhile, Jack's neighbour, Mary, is deeply in love with him but he just views her as a friend. WW1 interrupts the romantic entanglements as Jack and David enlist in the US Army Air Service (Air Service of the AEF at the time). They are initially bitter enemies, due to them both vying for Sylvia's affections. Over time, however, they become very good friends. They are both posted to the same fighter squadron in France, where being a fighter pilot means every day could easily be your last.
Incredibly gritty and accurate war drama, especially for its time. Doesn't glamorize war at all and shows the dangers and bloodshed very well. Helped by some superb action scenes. With no CGI available, the staging of the dogfights and massive land battles must have been a huge undertaking. It is worthwhile in the end as the action scenes are incredibly realistic and engaging.
Solid, emotional plot that ties everything up rather well. While this is almost as much a romantic drama as a war drama, the movie doesn't overdo the schmaltz.
Great work Charles Rogers and Richard Arlen as Jack and David, respectively. Clara Bow shows why she was THE actress of the late 1920s, giving a wonderful performance as Mary. Incredibly gorgeous, while absolutely nailing the free-spirited, self-reliant tomboyishness of Mary.
The cast also includes Gary Cooper in a minor role.
The nuances of silent movies do take a bit of getting used to, initially. You keep expecting to see captions for dialogue, but often none come. This is because, other than for important or scene-setting dialogue, the director leaves it to the viewer to figure out what was being said. The performances are much more physically expressive than what we would expect today, to convey what is being said and what is going on.
Wings won the first ever Best Picture Oscar, in 1929. Technically the award was shared, as in that year (and that year only) Best Picture was split into two categories, Best Picture, Production and Best Picture, Unique and Artistic Production.