9da08e2b4dc670d9254ab4a4b4d61637fed3b18f Tim Finin Tim Finin finin finin See my web page harrychen jhendler yannis rong lkagal rmasuoka dlm cappuccinofreak samchen libby connolly sdg2001in dajobe valli ian Cercle rouge, Le (1970) Cercle rouge, Le (1970) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3.5 Le Cercle Rouge was one of the last films directed by Jean-Pierre<p> <p> Melville and is similar in topic, theme and mood with his Le Samouraï<p> <p> and Bob le flambeur. Saying it's a heist film doesn't do it justice.<p> <p> While the heist is the focus of the plot, it's not the theme. Like<p> <p> many of his other movies, it's all about the personal and professional<p> <p> ethics of the people involved -- both cops and robbers. All of acting<p> <p> is top notch and it makes me want to take up smoking again. Owning Mahowny (2003) Owning Mahowny (2003) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3.5 Philip Seymour Hoffman, playing against type, is great in this. The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara (2003) The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from he Life of Rober S. McNamara (2003) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 4 chilling. I wonder if our current leaders will be as honest in thirty years. Director Errol Morris is a unique genius. The Unfaithful (1947) The Unfaihful (1947) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 2 I was disappointed in this movie. It was billed as a film noir (on TBS) but just didn't have the elements of the genre. It's not a total loss in that it has a nice performance by Ann Sheraton, but as a film noir, it's flacid. Citizen Kane (1941) Ciizen Kane (1941) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 4 It's at the top of many lists, and there for a reason. Wells was more than good, both as an actor and director. HIs first film was so good, it made it virtually impossible top top, tho I alwasy liked <p> <p> "Touch of Evil" a lot. Following (1998) Following (1998) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3.5 This is the movie Christopher Nolan made before Momento. You can see lots of parallels -- the story is told by out of order segments, you don't know what's happened until you can put all the pieces together at the end of the movie, there are multiple competing perspectives, etc. The movie was mad on Saturday. Not just one, but a whole year of Saturdays -- all of the actors and crew had day jobs. I liked it. Better Luck Tomorrow (2002) Beer Luck Tomorrow (2002) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3.5 Better Luck Tomorrow is a different kind of 'coming of age movie' about a group of high-achieving asian-americans who gradualy go from good to bad ... to worse. It was well shot and totally engaging. Carnival of Souls (1962) Carnival of Souls (1962) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3.5 Stange movie, but very haunting. Highly recommended. Double Indemnity (1944) Double Indemniy (1944) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 4 My all time film noir movie. And the book (James M. Cain) is even better). Not that you can compare the two, really. After seeing this film I sure ish Fred McMurry had never going into TV or met Mr. Disney. Battaglia di Algeri, La (1965) Baaglia di Algeri, La (1965) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 4 One of my favorites that I wish I had seen when it first came out in the 60s. But, there is now a newly restored print, with new subtitles, that is available. It's been screened at the US Pentagon to help people there understand insurgencies. It gave me a new perspective. One of the things I found amazing about it is that many of the actors were non-rpofessionals who had been participants in the insurgency itself. Million Dollar Baby (2004) Million Dollar Baby (2004) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 4 MIllion Dollar Baby is a great movie. Tho I could tell I was being manipulated, it was done skillfully and I was happy to go along for the ride. And it takes you on quite an emotional ride. I deserved each of the oscars it received.<p> <p> The Harder They Come (1972) The Harder They Come (1972) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 4 I wish I had seen this back in 1972 when it was released. I recall at the time that it was billed, locally, as the longest running movie ever shown at the venerable Central Square Cinima in Cambridge MA. One reason to see the film is the music -- it's full of 1960's ska and early reggae, which feature some great artists (Toots and the Maytals, Desmond Dekker) and Jimmy CLiff, who also plays the leading role. The other is that it tells a great story about life in Jamaica -- poverty, drugs, ska, amvition, opression, and life on the lam. It's based, loosely, on a true story of a Jamaican folk ourlaw Stranger Than Paradise (1983) Sranger Than Paradise (1983) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3.5 I was not enjoying this movie very much as I watched it, but it's effect on me had momentum that kept on building after the end. I ended up mailing it back to Netflix the next morning and at the end of the day, wanted to watch it again.<p> <p> <p> <p> It's a quirky B&W movie by Jim Jarmush released in 1983. The characters are quirky but otherwise unremarkable. No much happens to them in the film. They don't even talk to each other very much. Yet... they work their way into your mind.<p> <p> <p> <p> The film reminded me of the 1988 Candy Mountain, which also starred quirky NY charcters wandering around the country. That do was a film whose impact took several days to build in my mind. Untergang, Der (2004) Unergang, Der (2004) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 4 Downfall (Der Untergang) is a movie about Hitler's last days in his bunker under Berlin. It's based on a book by Traudl Junge, Hitler's personal secretaty from 1942 to 1945, which was made into a 2002documentary Blind Spot. I thought it was one of the best films about war I've seen. It is also very thought provoking. See it if ad when you can, since it will probably have limited screenings before it shows up on DVD. It's worth seeing on the big screen. The Believer (2001) The Believer (2001) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3 I found this, like many, to be both disturbing and engrossing. It tell the story of a young man raised as a Jew who becomes a new-nazi. It's based on a true story, tho the events actually took place in the 60's and involved the KKK rather than skin-head neo-nazis. I was blown away by the performance of Ryan Gosling and also impressed Summer Phoenix -- the youngest of the Phoenix clan. (I wonder what their parents fed them as kids?) The film ran into serious controversy and was not widely screened. Too bad. Harry, un ami qui vous veut du bien (2000) Harry, un ami qui vous veu du bien (2000) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3 This is a very well made French film, typically described as Hitchcockian (sp?). It keeps you on the edge of your seat as you hope that all of the bad things you imagine could happen, don't. Enough of them to to make it pretty exciting, and with a minium of gore, too. It's pretty easy to forsee how Hollywood will mess up the remake. The Godfather (1972) The Godfaher (1972) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3.5 Lawrence of Arabia (1962) Lawrence of Arabia (1962) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3.5 King Kong (1933) King Kong (1933) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3.5 The African Queen (1951) The African Queen (1951) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3 To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3 Jaws (1975) Jaws (1975) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 2.5 It&s a Wonderful Life (1946) I&s a Wonderful Life (1946) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 1.5 Cidade de Deus (2002) Cidade de Deus (2002) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 4 Not for the squeamish, or people who don't like to see children shooting other children. But for those who do... Well, maybe that's not a good way to begin this 'review'.<p> <p> <p> <p> I think it's a great picture. It tells a story about a horrible situation of poverty and crime and and how it destroys the lives of children, but a true situation and its a story we shouldn't ignore just because it's unpleasant. It's also an action movie, of sorts. Some might think that the creators exploit the social situation to make a novel action movie, but I think not. The film is well made and the director obviously cares about the subject and made me care ab out it too. Maria Full of Grace (2004) Maria Full of Grace (2004) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 4 My interest in Maria, full of grace was piqued when I heard that Catalina Sandino Moreno, who plays the title character, was nominated for an academy award for best actress. After seeing it on DVD I can see why -- and hope she wins. The movie tells the story of a young woman from Columbia who, in response to a desperate personal situation, becomes a drug mule. The story is harrowing and keeps you on the edge of your seat. But not because of the action (no shots are fired) but because you identify with and care about the characters. The movie left me with a complex host of thoughts and feelings that persisted for days. I highly recommend it. A Clockwork Orange (1971) A Clockwork Orange (1971) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 4 Taxi Driver (1976) Taxi Driver (1976) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 4 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) Snow Whie and he Seven Dwarfs (1937) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 2.5 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) Buch Cassidy and he Sundance Kid (1969) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3 Psycho (1960) Psycho (1960) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3.5 Chinatown (1974) Chinaown (1974) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3.5 One Flew Over the Cuckoo&s Nest (1975) One Flew Over he Cuckoo&s Nes (1975) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3.5 The Grapes of Wrath (1940) The Grapes of Wrah (1940) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3 The Maltese Falcon (1941) The Malese Falcon (1941) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3.5 Raging Bull (1980) Raging Bull (1980) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3.5 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) E.T. he Exra-Terresrial (1982) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3 Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) Dr. Srangelove or: How I Learned o Sop Worrying and Love he Bomb (1964) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3.5 Bonnie and Clyde (1967) Bonnie and Clyde (1967) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3.5 Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) Mr. Smih Goes o Washingon (1939) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3 The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) The Treasure of he Sierra Madre (1948) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 4 Annie Hall (1977) Annie Hall (1977) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3.5 The Godfather: Part II (1974) The Godfaher: Par II (1974) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3 West Side Story (1961) Wes Side Sory (1961) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 4 Rear Window (1954) Rear Window (1954) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3.5 A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) A Sreecar Named Desire (1951) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 4 Casablanca (1942) Casablanca (1942) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 4 Gone with the Wind (1939) Gone wih he Wind (1939) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3 The Wizard of Oz (1939) The Wizard of Oz (1939) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 4 The Graduate (1967) The Graduae (1967) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3 On the Waterfront (1954) On he Waerfron (1954) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 4 Singin& in the Rain (1952) Singin& in he Rain (1952) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 2 Sunset Blvd. (1950) Sunse Blvd. (1950) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3 The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) The Bridge on he River Kwai (1957) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3 Some Like It Hot (1959) Some Like I Ho (1959) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3 Star Wars (1977) Sar Wars (1977) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 3 All About Eve (1950) All Abou Eve (1950) 2004-01-01 0.5 4 4