237. Mulholland Drive

• Year of release: 2001
• Director: David Lynch
• Genre: Mystery, Drama, Thriller
• IMDB Page

. . .

So, uh, this movie, uh, hmmmm...

This movie is one of the most confusing movies I've ever seen. Stuff happens without actually happening, or do they? All I know are a few things and I'm not sure if I should share them as they are pretty big spoilers. I won't share them, half the fun in this movie is watching it in confusion.

The acting is superb and never really dull or annoying. The entire cast played awesome even though I guess they didn't know what was happening as well. Of course some scenes are better than other scenes, watch it and you'll see what I mean. :)

This movie thrives off of its symbolism and requires a rather straight head to get the entire movie, but it didn't hinder me in enjoying it and neither should it hinder you.

A definite recommend.

Buy it.

238. Barry Lyndon

• Year of release: 1975
  
• Director: Stanley Kubrick
• Genre: Drama, Romance
• IMDB Page

It's been some time since I made my last post. In fact, I nearly skipped all of February. Hordes of fans were emailing me about my blog... Not credible? Doesn't matter, on with the review!

Barry Lyndon is about the tale of Redmond Barry, an Irish farmer in the 1700's wanting to ascend into higher social circles. The entire movie revolves around Barry acquiring wealth and luxury and his eventual fall.

And that's the story in brief. There are two big parts in it: his rise to glory and his fall. Despite my sadistic nature I didn't like the second half of the movie. Which is not a good thing, being that this is a three hour movie. Needless to say, I dragged myself to the end of the movie, only to find out it has one hell of a (almost) final scene.

"Come on, guys. The second part didn't suck that much."

Either way, I think this movie is more about its historical and cinematographic values. For the former, I can say that the costumes look amazing and the setting is filled with so much atmosphere that you'd wish you were there. 

As for cinematography, as far as I know, it's very good. I read that the lighting is superb in this movie and I can only nod my head in agreement. One thing I liked as well is the absence of too much dialogue. Some movies feel they need to hold your hand and explain everything in great detail and preferably twice in case the short attention span of the average human was looking at something else (perhaps the cleavages in this movie), but this movie deliberately let's go of too much dialogue and it works.

Also, as for the newly invented cleavage factor, this movie gets 2 "big 'uns".

I'm rather undecided about this movie. There are parts that I like very much and parts that I wouldn't stand to sit through again. So, yeah, I'd say buy it. But on own risk.

Buy it.

239. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

• Year of release: 1966
• Director: Mike Nichols
• Genre: Drama
• IMDB Page

Drama. That's all what this movie is about.

The story can be boiled down to this: a middle aged couple invites a younger couple and they argue throughout the night. During these fights or to put it better, battle of sarcastic wits, we learn of a few truths that the characters were hiding. To emphasize the conversations and the interactions of the characters, this movie only has a setting or two and it works splendidly.

As it is described above, it is obvious that this movie revolves around its characters, thus you need to have interesting characters and good actors. Two things this movie obviously has. The actors are splendid and the dialogues are both hilarious and dramatic. The characters are interesting, one could argue that "Honey" isn't an interesting character, but the truth is: she is less interesting than the others. Not not interesting.

One of the best things about this movie is its wit in the dialogue. I laughed at a few conversations while the conversations were seriously bitter. There's a lot to say about the acting of Ms. Taylor and Mr. Burton and that's the acting is superb and worthy of some prizes.

"I'm not sure how to tell you this... But, you see... I'm a better actor than you are."

The conclusion of this movie is highly confusing. Is what the middle-aged couple said all true or fiction? And if it is fiction, how much of it is true? The mindgames they played throughout the evening all boil down to the last five minutes. I had to sit down for a moment of two and think about what the issue at hand really was about. 

The only negative remark I have is its pacing at the beginning. I was very bored for the first half hour, but once past the 20-30 minute mark the movie became good.

Buy It

241. His Girl Friday

• Year of release: 1940
• Director: Howard Hanks
• Comedy: Comedy, Drama
• IMDB Page

90 odd minutes. I was somewhat relieved to see that this movie was shorter than the previous ones. I had grown tired of long movies. Unfortunately this movie did not take advantage of the shorter length.

The story is a romantic story. Ex-reporter Hildy Johnson is getting married to Bruce Baldwin and visits her old newspaper headquarters. Her old editor and ex-husband, Walter Burns, realizes he still loves her and desperately tries to stop her from getting married all the while politicians come and go and criminals escape. Ms. Johnson realizing she cannot forget who she really is, a reporter, and who she loved/loves, Mr. Burns, returns to the newspaper and her old love.

Does Cary Grant have to slap a bitch?

This movie is rather boring. Or so it seemed the first 4/5ths. It never drew me in, it never made me interested in following it. In fact, I'd rather watch a few long movies than short ones like this one. Sure, it may be a realistic image of what happens when reporters want a story and how far they're willing to go, but it never really entertained.

Don't get me wrong, this movie is not crap or anything of that sort, it is a valid and solid image of the press, but I didn't find it that good.

Borrow It

242. Anatomy of a Murder

• Year of release: 1959
• Director: Otto Preminger
• Genre: Crime, Drama
• IMDB Page

A courthouse drama. I love the Phoenix Wright series, but do I love this movie?

A man, Lt. Manion, kills the man who raped his wife. Paul Biegler, a defense attorney, takes on the case and tries to get the lieutenant out of the charges. It is obvious Manion killed the man, not even Manion himself denies that, but Biegler tries to get him out based on "irresistible impulse".

That's the story without too much details. In fact, this movie's plot isn't too thick nor is there a plot twist in every scene. This movie is very interaction driven. The prosecution versus the defense. Mr. Biegler versus his successor in the DA's office. This movie is filled with witty remarks and comebacks that will make you chuckle.

The characters are or have some morally gray touches and that's what makes them come to live all the more. It doesn't take too long to get to know and to understand Mr. Biegler. In fact after his first scene, you'll know what kind of a man he is. But that doesn't mean he's a hollow character, no sir.

The movie also has the raped wife act in a manner that you'll wonder if she actually has been raped or not. This is a good thing as the rape issue is a very big and key element to the trial and the mystery makes it that much more entertaining to follow.

Despite the movie's long length (2 hours and 40 minutes) I find it entertaining and amusing and I have only a few remarks.

Even the judge finds it to be a bit lengthy

The ending is a bit off. It ends suddenly and unannounced: the entire trial's conclusion is explained (barely), acted out and over with in less than five minutes.

The beginning is slow. It takes the movie a bit too long to pick up the pace and it does so when the trail begins. Unfortunately the trail starts somewhat before the halfway mark and after you spent an hour just watching a lawyer prepare his case.

In conclusion, an entertaining watch. Just make sure you got the time to watch it:

Buy It

244. Brazil

• Year of release: 1985
• Director: Terry Gilliam
• Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi
• IMDB Page

Upon hearing this movie's title, I expected a movie about crossdressers. Was I wrong!

The story revolves around Sam Lowry who works at the Ministry of Information, Department Records. The Ministry of Information is an essential part in the totalitarian, bureaucratic government. Sam is happy, or so he thinks, with his work until he sees a woman while on the job. This is odd because he never saw that woman before, but he somehow has these absurd dreams about her, in which he saves her from an evil bureaucratic monster as an angelic knight. He does everything he can to get in touch with the woman and eventually takes the promotion to Information Retrieval, which he never wanted, to get closer to this woman. He eventually finds her and his world is turned upside down.

I'll stop there. The ending is not something I'd want to spoil for you. I can tell you that the ending and actually the second half of the movie is awesome. Scratch that, this entire movie is awesome.

The plot is very good and doesn't bore you with things no one needs to know about. You'll also find that the story isn't very plot driven but is carried more by the characters. Sam's reaction to most scenes is funny, well-written and highly believable. I especially like the scene with the truck chase. Sam's behavior in that scene is hilariously funny and something that's in his nature to do.

As a side mark, I absolutely love Archibald Tuttle, portrayed by Robert De Niro. Just a vague description of his character makes you interested in him: a terrorist plumber. Most of his lines are also brilliant: "Why? I came into this game for the action, the excitement. Go anywhere, travel light, get in, get out, wherever there's trouble, a man alone. Now they got the whole country sectioned off, you can't make a move without a form." And that's about how he got into being a freelance plumber.

It doesn't get better than a terrorist plumber.

In fact, this entire movie contains funny quote. Read them on the IMDB page if you want to have a laugh, or chuckle, or two.

In the end, this movie does what it sets out to do and does a good job while doing it: making a satire of the bureaucratic system. You just can't help but enjoy some of the exaggerations while feeling a feeling of familiarity with the situations at hand.

In conclusion:

Buy the Collector's Edition

248. Mou Gaan Dou

• Year of release: 2002
• Director: Wai-keung Lau & Alan Mak
  
• Genre: Crime, Drama
• Translated title: Infernal Affairs
• IMDB Page

The first non-English movie on my list proves to be a rather interesting one. Certainly a movie that deserves more credit.

The story, made simple: Two cadets aspire to be cops, but one of them gets expelled and has to leave the force. The expelled cadet, Yan, isn't really expelled. He is recruited as an undercover cop due to his brilliance and talents. Years later, Yan infiltrated the triads and passed on information about an upcoming drug deal. During this deal so many things went wrong that it became clear that there is an undercover cop in the triads, but it also became clear there was a mole in the police department. This is obviously, at least to the viewer, the other cadet, Lau. Throughout the movie Lau and Yan play a cat and mouse game until a climactic ending. I'm not going to spoil this one for you.

It's obvious that this story needs suspense, it needs a certain atmosphere of suspicion. And it delivers. Big time. Almost from the start until the ending this movie will have you interested, hooked and rooting for the characters. Up until the ending, which is awesome. I'm not going to give away too much, but the climax is super.

"Being a cop sure is hard work"
-"You're just holding the mouse"

The actors are also very good, portraying their characters as good as possible and it's a job well done if you ask me, which you are doing.

If I had to nitpick and find a negative aspect it would have to be the love interests of both of the main characters. They're unneeded and the movie could have done without the girlfriends, but it's not an as disruptive factor as it was in Blood Diamond. Then again, it leaves open to fill in the plotholes, or to put it better oddities, left in this movie. I've seen that there are sequels, so I've yet to learn if these oddities are going to be answered or not.

In conclusion: good movie, go see it!

Buy the Collector's Edition

249. Blood Diamond

• Year of Release: 2006
• Director: Edward Zwick
• Genre: Action, Drama
• IMDB Page

My first action movie on the list. I wouldn't call it an action movie though, sure there are some action scenes in it, but it's more of a drama than an action movie. Nevertheless, it's a rather good movie. Why? Let's find out.

The plot isn't very complicated, I'll explain it very briefly. The village of fisherman Solomon Vandy gets attacked by a group of rebels, the RUF. His family can escape, but he's taken as a prisoner and is forced to work for the rebels in the diamond mines. In that mine he finds a diamond as big as a bird's egg. As he buries it the rebel leader catches him in the act, but right as Solomon was forced to hand the diamond over the rebel camp gets attacked. Solomon buries the diamond and escapes, getting arrested in the process. In jail the rebel leader confronts Solomon about the diamond. In that same jail diamond smuggler Danny Archer, played by DiCaprio, witnesses this and takes an interest in the big diamond. Archer gets Solomon out of jail and promises to help Solomon find his family if he hands over the diamond. Meanwhile Solomon's son has been "recruited" in the RUF and gets the standard brainwashing treatment. On their way to the diamond, Solomon and Archer meet up with reporter Maddy Bowen, who's on Archer's tail for a good story. Eventually Solomon finds his son, Archer his diamond and Maddy her story. However, Archer doesn't survive the trip back to the airplane and decides to give the diamond to Solomon.

I'm going to start by mentioning Leonardo's acting. He really shines in this movie and carries it with his performance. His character was very believable and the accent he adapted sounded genuine. Djimon Hounsou is also delivering his best in this movie. There are some very touching scenes in this movie that revolve around and are carried by him.

The interactions between the characters are well done. Especially the father-son moments between Solomon and his son. The only thing I found a bit redundant and silly was Archer and Maddy. This love interest was forced and in my opinion not necessary to have been included.

Or how to make a rather good movie less enjoyable.

One of the things I don't like is that the movie is too long. It keeps a good, steady pace up until one point and then it sort of drags itself past the two hour mark to deliver a rather typical American ending. If the movie had been shorter, I would have enjoyed it more. Simple as that.

The morality in this movie is very noticeable and it carries a strong message. However, I don't think it's delivered very well. It carries somewhat the message as "The Day the Earth Stood Still" has (squint your eyes a bit), but somehow lacks the presentation "The Day the Earth Stood Still" had. The message in this movie was much more forced upon its viewers and there isn't much debate left to be had. I don't think anyone could argue that blood diamonds are a good thing after watching this movie.

If they would have left out the points I mentioned and made it shorter, I think this movie would have deserved a higher place, but I feel "The Day the Earth Stood Still" deserves to be above this title.

Rent It