We rob banks

     I love a good gangster film and I can enjoy an okay one and today's was just that okay. The film had a lot of action but that's about it. The movie is about some of the most famous American gangsters of all time. Bonnie and Clyde is about the rise and fall of these two sweetheart bank robbers. They go through a bunch of  shot outs and robbers and a whole lot of talking. The movie is a classic but should it be?

     The film is dry and almost pointless feeling but this isn't the worst part. The film is way to long and wasn't as fun as everyone says it is, they should have just taken out a bunch of pointless talking much like the better film Lawless did. The film is a landmark in what studios were willing to show on screen, but that is about it in my opinion. The film just misses the heart that other gangster films have. I will say that this film is fun is some places but the characters are bland and boring. It is sad (but not really) when the best part of your film is Gene Wilder in a short appearance.

      This movie is okay but not great. The film is just so over hyped that I think it ruined it for me. But the real reason is just because the film is heartless so you don't care for SPOILER ALERT they die very brutally. Take my advice while this movie is a classic and should be viewed it's nothing special.  Go watch one of the holy trinity of gangster films, Scarface,Goodfellas,The Godfather.

Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 2 stars

I'm sorry mommy, I'll be a hero

     Let me start by saying that this is my first time watching this film so don't hate me. This film also made me cry quite a bit which is kind of a big deal. This is the most touching film I've seen this month. The movie is basically Pinocchio but with robots. The story is about a family who's son is sick. A company has made a robot child who has the power to love. The parents abandon him and all he wants is to find the blue fairy and be a real boy so his mom will love him by pleading things such as the title of this post and "what if I'm real I love you". I am of course A.I. Artificial Intelligence. Again don't have me for never seeing this one before.

      This film is a powerhouse of emotion as I've said before. The sets are beyond lavish and imaginative and this works perfectly for a film of this magnitude. The acting is spectacular. Haley Joel was the best child actor of his time and his work never ceases to amaze. The whole tale is told in a style that works well with gritty realism and stark wonder. The film is one of the best I have ever seen and I question my existence and other deep questions because I have never seen this film.

This film left me speechless and for that you all need to see it.

Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 4 stars

That'll be the day

     Today I started the day off with another western by the legendary John Ford and John Wayne. This is often called the teams best and for good reason it has influenced many films of the more modern age such as the excellent Taxi Driver. The movie is titled The Searchers and for those who haven't seen it shame on you. The story is about a family whose daughter is kidnapped by Indians, luckily they have an uncle named John Wayne and he does what he does best. The movie deals with many adult themes such as family, hope, and identity.  The movie is very deep and one of the best films I have ever seen but there are a few problems with it.

      The movie has some of the best scenery of all time and really shows what a movie could do. The costumes and acting are perfect I've seen few movies who have had such a great cast and chemistry. My first big issue and really my only issue is the fact that a comedic character has been added and he is terrible. This really ruins almost every scene that the character is in. However, the story is so powerful that I can overlook this small thing. The story is paced very well and there are no slow moments and this makes all the difference.

     This movie is one for the books all people should watch this one. There are few westerns that  are filmed better and have made a lasting impact. The film is truly a masterpiece and I've never been so touched by westerns. You all need to watch this one.

Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 4 stars

I do the cutting

      Whenever I see any westerns I look back at my childhood when you could almost always find my dad every Saturday watching a western on TV. When I was in my youth I guess I never understood what was so cool about them they were always to long and to boring, that is until some cowboys decided to shoot up a place. Once I heard gunfire I was out of my room and glued to the TV, but now that I'm slightly older I have come to love the story and the feel behind the most American of movie styles. Today I watched two westerns the first was an all American tale but the second was an Italian movie a spaghetti-western if you will. Today's movie is the most famous of them all it is of course the movie that made Clint Eastwood a  star The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. This movie is so great I can't even begin to describe it but I will try.

       The story is about the man with no name who is one the hunt for some gold along with his kind of friend Tuco and always behind and sometimes in front of them Angel Eyes. This movie is the first in the Dollars trilogy even if it came out last.This movie is so tense after every scene you breathe a sigh of relief because you are worried for the characters. The film uses a lot of cool camera angles and locations to really drive home the idea of the world that the characters are in. The film is long and could have cut out thirty minutes i think but I can't take a star off for that because this movie is so good.

        If you have never seen a western before watch this one. If you haven't seen this before watch this. If you need a pick me up or just want to be amazed I have the movie for you. This movie is not for the family but is ok for kids over ten as there is a bit of bloody violence. This movie is as good as The Man who Shot Liberty Valance is every way and in some ways outshines it. mostly when it comes to that iconic theme song.Seriously though go watch this right now.

Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 4 stars

Think you can make it pilgrim

     There's nothing like the wild west where the only thing that mattered was the color of your hat and the speed of your draw. There are few genres more American than that of the Western and there are only a few directors that can pull them off with the right amount of gusto. Perhaps the king of all of these western directors is the legendary John Ford today I watched one of his classic films which stared the cowboy himself John Wayne and a man we have seen before on this list James Stewart. The movie is of course The Man who Shot Liberty Valence.  The story follows a senator (James Stewart) as he tells the newspapers a story about his old friend Tom Doniphon (John Wayne) a local tough guy who he met many years ago when he was robbed by Liberty Valence. The story goes on from here much like Citizen Kane did.

      The sets and costumes are the first thing one must talk about while discussing a western film (unless it does not take place during the olden days). This is obviously because if it is set in the wild west it better look like it.  This film does superb with all the sets and costumes everything looks as if your watching a reel from the wagon days. The acting is great and that goes without saying when you have two powerhouses working together as well as they did. The story is also paced well and there are no lags so to speak In fact I find little at fault with this film at all. The only thing that I would have changed would be to take out the comedic relief although in all of Ford's movies he has to have one.

        This movie is great and one of the best westerns I have ever seen it's on Instant stream so I would say watch it. This film isn't very adult like some of the other westerns of today and I would say a good family movie as it is fun and funny at times. I thing that this one is one I'll watch again soon.

Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 4 stars

Went you going to grow

     I love me a good documentary they are for the most time good fun and quite interesting. Today I had the pleasure and I mean pleasure to watch a movie that was both fun and interesting and may be one of the best sport documentaries of all time. I'm talking about the film Hoop Dreams. The movie is about two inner city boys who have dreams of playing on the NBA. The movie follows them as they go to high school and off to college and this film talks about some hard stuff. One of the families is on welfare sadly they still had no money to pay the bills, so we see a powerful shot of the mother walking around carrying a camp stove for light. The movie also deals with drug abuse, painful injuries, and broken homes. You could call this standard sports movie material but there is something more to this film and that's the heart that is always present. The people may be going through some things you wouldn't which on your enemy but you would never be able to tell by there faces.
 
      The narrator has an annoying voice but that is one of the only criticisms I have on the whole picture. Sure it is paced slowly but it is a documentary so you have to allow that to slide a little bit. The movie is long almost three hours but the film never losses focus and hits home very powerfully. As a child I can't remember what I wanted to be when I grew up even at the age that these kids were at I was still drawing a blank. This movie made me think about how great of a thing hope as a child is, they had heroes. My childhood hero was Batman but I couldn't say to my parents one day I'm going to be him and then have there support as I try to make it in Gotham. This movie made me really think about happiness and how it is necessary to a child's life.

      This movie is not for everyone and those who don't like documentaries may not like this film. However if you love movies about overcoming trails and facing such things head on this is the picture for you. If you want to play basketball this film may give you a glimpse into that world. Allow me to paraphrase badly what Ebert once said about movies he said I go to movies to be placed into the body and mind of another race, gender, and age group. That's what movies do. That's what this film did for me.

Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 4 stars

I'm only a slave

     It's day 12 in November and I'm on day six not good. Why must life get in the way of movies? Well maybe there is more to life than sitting down each day and getting lost in the world that is the movie. That was a bad joke movies are very important to life and should be second or third just about love and happiness but below work and school. Today's movie deals with such themes as love and happiness (great segway Tyler, thanks myself). And it's called The Bridge on the River Kwai the story is about a British officer played by none other than Obi-wan himself who leads his men in building a bridge while help captive in a Japanese  prisoner of war camp. He becomes very attached to the bridge as he thinks of it not as helping the enemy but as leaving his mark on the world. An American with a mysterious path escapes from the camp and returns with a platoon of English men to blow it up. This is when all hell breaks loose.

     The movie is very moving as many prisoner story's are but this one has something different to it. It's not about soldiers trying to escape or stay alive but trying to understand why their captain is crazy. The story is interesting and holds your attention as it progresses but it is long and will take you three hours to finish. The acting is top notch and it's through this mean that you feel for the characters. That may seem like an odd thing to say being that the acting is always how we feel for the character, but I think your wrong many times we like and feel for the character we are the  most alike but in this movie it's really the acting that pushes us into that frame of mind.

     This is a movie that has stood the test of time and for very good reason. I think most will like it due to its themes and great feeling it gives off. The music will be instantly recognizable to all even if you have never seen the movie and the locations will blow you away.  If you have a hard time sitting through long movies this movie has an intermission you can use. I only say that because I think everyone reading this should watch it because it is a film we can all get behind weather it is for the main character or the American. God Bless the veterans and those in wars on all sides this week.

Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 4 stars

I'm due back on planet Earth

      Sorry for the break my fellow lovers of cinema but school and work have been taking charge but fear not for today I watched quite the funny movie. Annie Hall is a wonderfully funny film and does it have pretty much everything you can put in a movie. The movie is almost your normal Romcom except it's a Woody Allen film so it's not slapstick. This is his best film too if you ask me which may not be your best idea because I'm not an Allen aficionado. The movie is about Alvy Singer your local wimp who is has just been dumped by his girlfriend Annie Hall the movie is about the rise and fall of their relationship and does so in a way that isn't normal for most movies in a good way.

       This film was perfect when it comes to editing which is not something new to this list. However, this movie doesn't use editing to move the story it uses it top tell the story. You have many scenes when it's in splitscreen you have characters thoughts appear in the form of subtitles and animation. The best part was the fact that the people in this movie broke the fourth wall almost all the time which was funny and it's one of my favorite things to see in a film. this film was just a blast to see and great to watch.

        If you haven't seen an Allen movie this is the one for you. If you're looking for a movie to make you laugh because of it's wit and dry humor this is for you. If you're looking for a movie that will cheer you up watch this one.

Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 4 stars

Keep hope alive

     Today marks the day that I have only 300 movies left to watch. That's a lot. Today's movie was Do the Right Thing and what a movie it was. The movie is about racism and the affects it has on American lives. You may have guessed this if you knew the director was none other than Spike Lee the most pretentious and racist man on the face of the earth. I have beef with him pretty much only because he is a self righteous and is remaking one of my favorite movies Oldboy the remake looks terrible the original was a piece of art its on Netflix look it up as is today's movie. The movie follows a man named Mookie during the hottest day in the year a whopping 92 degrees, and the heat heats up (sorry for the pun) the race wars. The heat is about my ideal weather because I'm from Lake Havasu and our summers are around 115 to 120 so this 92 degrees isn't hot at all.

      The movie is shot in a style that can only be described as Spike Lee it's heavy on low angle shots and the use of primary colors as the source of his pallet. The film feels longer than it should but not by much, and the movie jumps a fair deal but that just the nature of the story. The acting is great and you feel for all the characters and that is a tough thing to do in today's age. Another great accomplishment is how this movie isn't just about how terrible white people are like all his other movies this one has other ethnic groups that are equally if not more racist. This way the movie doesn't seem one sided and is still a watchable movie. This movie's crowning achievement is the use of the camera to tell the story instead of a narrator. We aren't being feed the story we are living it and that's something I wash more movies would do.

          This movie is adult and not for young kids. If you aren't a fan of movies dealing with heavy topics shame on you and go watch this one because it is a good movie. My only drawback is sometimes the pacing felt off and the movie ran a bit long and should have ended at an earlier scene. But all and all this is a good movie.

Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 3.5 stars

Let's go to the movies

     Today I watched one of the first movies by the legendary director Martin Scorsese we have already talked about a few of his movies in these last two months and I believe he has one more movie on the list after today's. The movie is called Mean Streets and oh what a movie it is. The story is semi autobiographical much like I think   8 1/2  was. The movie follows Charlie (Harvey Keitel) and his buddy Johnny Boy (Robert De Niro) and their life as criminals in New York City. The movie is about Charlie seeking redemption for his sins but he doesn't know if he trusts the church. This is much like how Martin was in seminary.

        The movie is shot in a very dark and gritty way much like the masterpiece that is Taxi Driver however this movie isn't as good. The camera and the film is gritty probably super sixteen mm but it works for this film as it reflects the minds and morally grey choices that the cast makes. The acting is top notch as this was still the time when if De Niro was in a movie you knew it was going to be good. However,  all the actors look very similar so it is sometimes hard to tell them apart. The story is also hard to follow and jumps a lot this is annoying in a small degree but this film isn't about the story but about how the characters feel. This felt similar to Saturday Night Fever in that way.

     This is a good movie and a little hardcore but ok for anyone who has seen any other Scorsese movie. I don't think this should be your first as it isn't one of my favorites of his but I think it should be watched if you are a fan or trying to be. This film was a challenge for me to watch but that may be just because I let my mind wander of maybe it really was the movie.  If your looking for a crime movie then check this one out.

Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 3 stars

For God's sake, do you duty.

     During my sophomore and junior year of high school I was required to read To Kill a Mockingbird  and I hated it and the movie. Naturally when I saw it on this list I cried with fear however, I don't know if the last four years have changed me that much or this is the first time I truly watched this film. The movie is told by a young girl named Scout which is an effective median. But, the real story is about her dad Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck) and how he is the only man in the town who will defend a black man. This movie is very deep and touching and may make you cry.

       The acting in this movie is amazing and earned Atticus Finch the top spot on AFI's hero list. The movie is also number one on their courtroom drama list. This movie has a great set and a great soundtrack and all that jazz but it isn't the greatness of the film I want to talk about but why Roger Ebert didn't give it four stars. He said that Atticus shouldn't be the main focus but the black man should. I agree but Ebert should know that the kids are telling the story and don't cay about the black man. But, that's just one reason

      This movie is great and may be one of the best movies ever. It is for those who need a little happiness in their life. This movie is the good to the bad and one needs to see it to believe it. There is nothing bad I have to say about this movie because it is just so good. Enjoy this movie because you can't not unless your in high school, or Ebert but even he knows this is a great movie

Ebert's score 2.5 stars

Tyler's score 4 stars

Forget it Jake it's Chinatown

     We have talked a lot about Film Noir last month and since it's one of my favorite genres I decided to star this month off right with one of my favorites Chinatown. This movie isn't your old school Humphrey Bogart movie this is a more gritty and modern tale set in the same era. The movie is about a private detective named Jake who is played by Jack Nicholson who is send by a wife to spy on her cheating husband. It turns out the wife was just a pawn in a game of chess. And the chess board is L.A. and the game of chess is a bad metaphor for murder. The husband is drowned and now Jake has to find out why he was tricked and by who.

     The film is really gritty and the shady colors help it out much like the black and white of the older movies helped them. Also in the last five minutes the camera changes from it's normal style and pace into a really odd almost documentary like fell. This is one of the coolest thing I have ever seen in my entire life. The acting is top notch but that's not a surprise.  The real ticket though is the story and how it unfolds there are a lot of double crosses and plot twists. This is one movie you can't miss.

     This is one you need to watch and if you've seen it before rewatch this flick. The movie is dark and gritty but it's a Noir so that's that. The movie is as exciting as The Big Sleep (you should have watched it by now). If you like excitement and crime movies really give this one a shot.

Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 4 stars

Top ten movies of October

1 The Seven Samurai
2 12 Angry Men
3 Rear Window
4 The Shawshank Redemption
5 Psycho
6 Vertigo
7 The Big Sleep
8 The Last Temptation of Christ
9 The Maltese Falcon
10 Fargo

People and worms

     Today I also watched the movie that proved what you could do with editing. This is the movie that showed us what was possible and what emotions we could evoke with the camera. I'm talking about the Russian masterpiece The Battleship Potemkin. This movie is often called a propaganda film but I think that is a term used by those who just don't like it. Now I'm not suggesting that this film isn't heavily communist influenced but I think it's a historical movie. The movie is about a mutiny of a battleship and the aftermath that follows. You may know this one for the staircase scene.

     This movie is one of the best silent pictures ever made and the editing is perfection. I cannot really describe it to you but only express how it moved me. That is the best thing an editor can hear and this movie was cut in a way that moves us every time we see it. The one complaint I have for this movie is it is in black and white and has a crudely colored red flag. I am not saying that it should be perfect but in early films namely The Phantom of the Opera we say an array of colors in the palate and none where craply added in. But even this isn't enough to ruin this film.

     This movie is on instant stream and should be watched by everyone as it is one of the most iconic films in the silent era and I think all of us should know some movies of that time. This movie is short and sweet but oh is it powerful you really must watch this one. Tomorrow I'll write down my top ten of this month. Happy Halloween

Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 4 stars

You know how people are

     Today I watched the wonderful film Days of Heaven. This movie is on instant and well worth the hour and a half to watch it. The movie isn't a game changer as many on this list this month have been but it is still a good romance movie. The movie is about a steel mill worker who murders someone. Him and his wife go on the train to get away under the guise as brother and sister so they wont be suspected for the killing. Soon they find a large farm to work on and the owner is dying and fancies the steel workers wife. This leads to an idea to make money but does it work?

      The movie really isn't anything super and that is the sad truth, however this doesn't make it a bad movie. The acting is great  it really is top notch. The costumes are very good and this is perhaps the most important aspect of a period piece because if it doesn't look right it wont feel right. The story is very touching as is the rest of the film but I just felt as if something was missing from this flick. This wouldn't be a problem and isn't really a big deal but it really bothered me.

      If you are a fan of a good romance movie this is the one for you. If you don't like romance don't watch this one. I hate to be as black and white about this movie as I am being but that's almost how it is with this movie. Personally I prefer my romance movies to be on two tiers like Drive.

Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 4 stars

We've become a race of peeping toms

    There are few men who I would call masters of cinema and the best of all those people would be Alfred Hitchcock and we have talked a lot about him and how great he was. That is why most of his movies are on this list of great movies. Rear Window is no exception to this list, this movie may be one of his most suspenseful films and to my embarrassment I may have screamed at the screen once or twice. The movie is about a photographer who has his leg broken. This means he has nothing better to do than spy on his neighbors this leads him into trouble when he suspects that one of them is a murder. You may remember a film a few years ago called Disturbia that follows a similar plot and that remake is no where as good as this classic.

      This movie has a perfect set no movie can beat this one. The whole movie is one mans apartment and his backyard and neighbors apartment. Fun fact the apartment which is one level two is really ground level. The backyard is the basement of the sound stage. The camera is also amazing as it never leaves his apartment, and everything we see of the outside is from his window with one exception. It also needs to be noted again hat this movie has some of the best Hitchcock suspense in any of his movies. This is great when paired up with James Stewart's great acting.

      This film is one for the ages and one that every person should see if you haven't seen a Hitchcock movie this one needs to be your first. You will find yourself  pacing your room trying to find out if the man is guilty or not. You will also close your blinds from now on because this movie is very unsettling.

Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 4 stars

I'll get you my pretty

     There is nothing that can be said about to Wizard of OZ that hasn't already been said because this films is such a classic and so much ahead of its own time. I do think that this is the first modern movie Even though it may not be. This movie has captivated pretty much everyone who has seen it and for good reason. The story is about a child named Dorothy (Judy Garland) who gets swept into a tornado and lands in OZ. She gets the ruby slippers and has to trek to the emerald city to get back home. She meets the Scarecrow, The Tinman, and the Lion and they go to the wizard and then some stuff goes down. If you haven't seen this movie go move out from under that rock. The book by the same name has influenced many shows, movies,  musicals, and an amazing orgin story for the Tinman(click this and be happy) and this movie  has placed it in pop-culture history.

       This movie has some of the best music in film history. The sets and costumes are so iconic that if you even glimpse one of them you could name the movie without a problem, which is a great thing. This film has everything and the acting is so perfect that I was shocked when I watched it again today. The Lion is funny and maybe only because I had a teacher and she looked just like the Lion. This movie also has a lot of conspiracy around it. Is there a dead actor or is it really a bird as the Blu-Ray will have you believe it. Also SPOILERS FOR A CLASSIC MOVIE why would the witch have water in her castle if she knew it would kill her? Anyway not important.

       This movie is for everyone of all ages, little kids will love it until the monkeys fly, but hey we all had to see it when we were young so make you kids watch it. Infact watch it as a family. This classic should be watched again and again for the sole reason that it is wonderful and it goes from back and white to color and that's always a cool thing to see.

Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 4 stars

Law of the Weakest

     As long as children have been alive as small number in every generation will commit criminal activities. It happens all the time in our world today but on the silver screen it is a little taboo. West Side Story was one of the first and biggest movies to explore the idea of youth violence however it wasn't until a more modern time that we have been really placed into it. Movies like Kids and City of God brutally placed us in the life of children we hoped we would never have to meet but before these two controversial films was a Brazilian movie called Pixote. Pixote is the story of a small child by the same name who lives on the streets and commits murders, sells coke, and smokes joints. This movie is not for children.

     This movie is a hard hitter although not as hard as Kids it is still going to be a hard view for some of you so be warned. The locations are awful and you can almost feel the vomit and blood on the dirt street. The actors had no experience and do an amazing job. The lead actor was a street child who the director found as most of these movies do, sadly he was killed by a police officer a few months after this film was released. The music is almost non existent which is a nice feel for this movie because you fell like it is real life more that way. This movie is very real in everything it does. However, The best scenes are at the beginning in the prison once everyone broke out I felt like the movie slowed down to much. All and all this isn't a movie you will forget after you see it because it is done so well.
   
     This movie is brutal  and has a lot of unsettling situations in it so I cannot recommend it to everyone. For those of you who are familiar with  under praised Harmony Korine (Gummo, Julian Donkey-Boy) this is his favorite movie and you can see how it influenced him heavily. This movie is not exactly nihilistic but all it's characters are. The only people in this movie who seem to have any doubt about the wrongness of this movie never say that they do and accept it as life. If you have never seen a movie about child gangsters check out this one as it is one of the bests.

Ebert's score 4 stars

Tyler's score 4 stars

Farmers are born to suffer

     In today's day and age I think as a country we have been drifting away from foreign films. This is a bad idea because now we have limited ourselves in what movies we are watching. If you like horror movies you shouldn't even be watching American movies anymore. Today's movie was made in Japan by the greatest of Japanese directors Akira Kurosawa. His movies are rarely dull and almost always thought provoking today's movie is no exception Today's film is his best The Seven Samurai. The movie is about a bunch of farmers whose crops are about to be taken by bandits for the second time. They decide to buy the help of seven samurai and then a great battle takes place.

     This movie's music, sets, and costumes are all authentic which is beyond amazing. The story is never boring and all the characters are so well written and acted I felt for all of them which is no easy feat. The action is amazing but I found it odd how the action is slower feeling than all the lead up. At least for me. This movie just was so full of life that I had a hard time pulling away from this great film.

     This movie is long almost three and a half hours so fair warning but ready for the movie of your life. I can think of few words to say about this film because I am honestly in shock about this movie. If you love yourself go watch this now.

Ebert's score 4 stars
Tyler's score 4 stars
   

Tyler and Roommates top ten Halloween list

 This is the list my roommates and I agreed are the best movies to watch on Halloween

1 The Shining
2 Psycho
3 Behind the mask:The rise of Leslie Vernon
4 Bride of Frankenstein
5 The Thing
6 The Exorcist
 7 Scream
8 The Evil Dead
9 Shawn of the Dead
10 The Conjuring

honorable mentions
Susperia
Let the Right One in
Halloween
The Host
Cannibal Holocaust