The list picks up with a solid group this week, including at least 2 of my all time favorites.
This classical replays the events of reporters from the Washington Post trying to uncover the Watergate scandal. Robert Redford & Dustin Hoffman are said to be at the top of their games in this one playing well off each other.
Amelie: 2001, France/Germany (Comedy)
This one gets alot of praise in the book. I remember seeing it on the racks of local movie stores for some reason. "A flawless film graced by flawless performances." That seems impossible to live up to.
American Beauty: 1999, USA (Drama)
I would rank this as one of my all time favorites. Kevin Spacey has never been better. I've noticed though through many discussions this seems to be more of a guy movie. It is because of the naked covered with rose pedals Mena Suvari, but that the sense of this so call happy life turned to crap seems to fit more into the male psyche. It is well pointed out in the book that while the 'point' of the movie is to find out who killed Lester, but the importance is in the road to his death and the people caught in this world.
An American in Paris: 1951, USA (Musical)
This musical is known for Gene Kelly's dancing including a closing 13 minute ballet sequence unlike anything seen before. It is noted that the ballet was the main reason the movie won six Oscars.
An American Werewolf in London: 1981, Great Britain (Horror)
This movie always confused me. It seemed like a scary movie, but they played it on Comedy Central. John Landis stepped out of his element a little bit with this movie but made something 'as scary as any horror and as satirical as any comedy'. I tend to agree with that statement. The special effects still look decent today, not as cheesy as most others.
Angel Heart: 1987, USA (Horror)
I was surprised to find that I had never heard of this movie. Mickey Rourke & Robert De Niro star in this psychological thriller. It sounds very interesting as it is set like a detective story and turns into something different. The book points to how the director, Alan Parker, peppers the story with obvious clues so you think you know what it happening until being caught off guard by a new gruesome revelation.
Animal House: 1978, USA (Comedy)
The book doesn't really have much to say about this comedy classic. The problem is I really don't either. I dunno what is left to be said about this one that hasn't already been said. A classic good time that made John Belushi an even bigger star. I just remember hearing once in an interview that John Landis wanted to challenge Belushi in the movie so he restricted his line and told him he had to act out mostly with his face. Thus we got some excellent expressions of comedic genius.
Annie Hall: 1977, USA (Romance)
All you ever hear about this movie was Diane Keaton's clothes and how they sparked a fashion movement. I've never been one for Woody Allen. This movie did invent the sub-genre of 'nervous romance'. Then again Woody Allen seems nervous in every movie he is in.
The Apartment: 1960, USA (Romance)
Jack Lemmon stars as a man who lends his apartment to his bosses for some extra activities. It turns into a tangled love web along the way. The book points to the skillful display of the movie's funny side before peeling the humor away layer by layer till all that is left is the bleakness underneath. This movie definitely sounds interesting and I have always been a fan of old school Jack Lemmon, so I will have to find this one someday.
Apocalypse Now: 1979, USA (War)
I could write several posts on this movie. There are so many classic scenes, lines and music. There is the opening sequence of Martin Sheen wasting away in his apartment to The End, the bombing raid on the village, the bridge battle and of course the climactic scene of the natives slaughtering the cow. I read that the crew was actually able to film a real native ritual, so that cow is really getting chopped in half at that time. If I need to complain about one thing, it is Brando's voice at the end. I had to turn on the subtitles the first couple times I watched it in order to understand what the heck he was saying. Again it wasn't so much the mission to 'remove Col Kurtz of his command' but the journey to get there. We see first hand the absurdity of war and the variety of characters it produces. Robert Duvall steals the show as Lt. Colonel Kilgore dealing the movie's most famous line, along with my favorite "Charlie don't surf!"
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Sorry for taking so long to get back here. There was a lightning strike somewhere close on Friday, it knocked out the internet and did some funky things with some the electricity. Even if it hadn't, I am not sure if I would have had time anyways. I slept less then eight hours in a 72 hour period, including one stretch of about 26 hours awake straight and working. It's just been super busy at home and at work.
I've always sort of wondered who got prosecuted for killing Lester in American Beauty. There are just a lot of great lines in that movie and everyone once in awhile I have to stick up my fist and say "I rule." Spacey was just on a role of picking great parts in the mid to late 90s. Definitely his golden era.
Animal House became the blueprint of every other college fraternity comedy to pop up since.
An American Werewolf in London, always makes me think of that rock song Werewolves of London. That's just a random thought. I don't know if they're connected or not.
I think I've hit on Apocalypse Now on here before. It's an adaptation of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. It translates well into the vietnam film motif. I've always wondered, if the Doors music hadn't been available, what would have been the soundtrack of this movie. I'm thinking Rolling Stones could have been used some, maybe the Guess Who. Although, it would have been nice to have an American band.
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