#94 - The Matrix

I don't know how to describe "The Matrix".

It is not just a movie, not just one of the best films of the late 90's, it is an experience. Though it is a blockbuster type film, it is unlike most blockbuster-type movies I've ever seen. It geeks out in explaining "the tech" that the characters are using, which satisfies the sci-fi geeks (like me) and has plenty of great action and special effects to satisfy the mainstream movie-going masses.

This picture is combines with style awesome dialogue filled with mythologies and technology which the characters discuss at great length and stunning, breath-taking action sequences that have most likely influenced any sci-fi/action film that has been made since. Unlike other thoughtless blockbusters, "The Matrix" requires you to pay attention and frankly I don't know how you won't sit their engaged every minute of the movie.

What truly makes "The Matrix" enjoyable is that everything is fits including the fantastic techno-rock soundtrack that accompanies most scenes in the movie and in my opinion the cool "Alice in Wonderland" references that are made, which in my mind could elevate any film.

I'm not going to give away any plot and really any description of what happens would not do the film justice. Experience this sci-fi treat for yourself and then you'll know what I'm talking about.

#93 - The Big Chill

I realized as I watched "The Big Chill" this movie wasn't made for me or anyone of my generation. Joanna Berry said it best in her write-up about the film in "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die"

"Kasdan and Barbara Benedek's observant script captures all the idealistic feelings and disappointments of a 60's generation stuck in a far more materialistic 80's."



However, despite not being the target audience for this film, I found it to be enjoyable and felt the movie was successful in three ways.

The film starts out with seven friends reuniting for the weekend to attend the funeral for their friend Alex who committed suicide. After the funeral, they spend the weekend reminiscing about Alex and the past.

One way this film succeeds is that it's cast is very likable and engaging. Sarah (Glenn Close) and Harold (Kevin Kline) are quite believable as a married couple, who during the weekend put up their friends Sam (Tom Berenger), Michael (Jeff Goldblum), Nick (William Hurt), Karen (JoBeth Williams), and Meg (Mary Kay Place) who all do a very good job in this movie as well. It was especially fun seeing Mary Kay Place in a completely different role than the one she plays on the show Big Love as Roman's first wife.

Secondly, this movie seems like it was successful in giving adults a movie to see during the 80's about them. During the 80's John Hughes was capturing quite successfully the trials and tribulations of the teenage years. This film does the exact opposite with equal success in capturing the trials and tribulations of adulthood.

Lastly, this picture has a great soundtrack. Throughout the film, music is used quite well, particularly in two different scenes. First, at the end of the funeral, one of the friends gets up to play one of Alex's favorite songs on the organ, which happens to be "You Can't Always Get What You Want" by the Rolling Stones. As they drive to the burial plot the song plays and it fits perfectly with the dialogue and mood of the scene.

Secondly, Their is a scene toward the end of the film where they show everyone coming in and out of the kitchen on Sunday morning and the song "The Weight" by The Band is playing and it is just the perfect song for this particular scene.

Overall, I did find this movie enjoyable and worth watching. However, in my opinion, someone in their thirties would probably relate to and enjoy this movie more than I did.

#92 - The English Patient

Again, I must preface an entry with some information about my taste in films. Typically, I am not a fan of romantic movies (comedies, dramas, etc.) However, one of the exceptions to this would be “The English Patient.”

There are several reasons why this film is an example of a well-done dramatic, romantic, epic movie. First, the story is an intriguing one. As summarized by Angle Errigo:


“A severely burned and disfigured pilot (Ralph Fiennes) is found in the wreckage of his biplane in North Africa near the end of World War II. Apparently amnesiac, unidentified but presumed to be English, he is dying and in the care of French-Canadian nurse Hana (Juliette Binoche). Taking refuge in a devastated Italian monastry, they are joined by Willem Dafoe’s vengeful Canadian torture victim and two bomb disposal experts.” (pg. 864).

This is not only an interesting story, but is told in a very interesting way. As we watch the disfigured man being treated, follow what Hana, David Carraviggo (William Dafoe), and the bomb disposal experets are doing in the present, we also get to know this dying, unidentified man through a series of flashbacks that are interspersed with the present-day happenings.

As the disfigured man remembers his past we learn that he is Count Laszlo Almasy and that he is in fact Hungarian, not English. The memory that we witness is that of his time spent in Tuscany, Cairo, and the Sahara Desert in the late 1930s and 1945. the main focus of these memories amongst other events is the epic love affair he has with the married Katherine Clifton (Kristin Scott Thomas) that was both passionate and tragic.

The second reason this movie works is the casting of Ralph Fiennes as Count Laszlo Almasy and Kristin Scott Thomas as Katherine Clifton. In order for the affair between Laszlo and Katherine to work you need attractive people who can act. Ralph Fiennes is well-cast as Count Laszlo Almasy because he is both an excellent actor and good-looking. While, Fiennes is easy on the eyes, he also has the acting chops to handle the complex emotions that his character has at different points in the movie. Personally, I tend to find older or mature men attractive so; in this picture Ralph Fiennes is perfect.

In addition, Kristin Scott Thomas gives an first-rate peformance as Katherine Clifton. The role requires an actress who is beautiful, but who can play a strong and some-what complex women. Like, Fiennes, Scott Thomas fits the bill perfectly as she is both appealing to look at and capable of providing the right output of emotion to the various scenes.

However, perhaps what makes the torrid love affair work is the chemistry that Ralph Fiennes and Kristin Scott Thomas on screen. We believe that these two are in love throughout the flashbacks of their affair, and it becomes clear to the viewer in a scene with these two in a cave, during a sandstorm that an attraction to each other is developing.

Overall, the rest of the cast does a serviceable job in their roles. Besides Fiennes and Scott Thomas, the personal highlight for me in this movie is Naveen Andrews as one of the bomb disposal experts.


I am a huge fan of the tv show Lost and so it was a delight to see him in an earlier role.

One other thing about The English Patient worth noting is the gorgeous cinematography of John Seale. We are treated to majestic shots of planes flying over deserts filled with sparkling sand, as well as intimate scenes such as the previously mentioned cave scene. At times it’s quite breathtaking.

The English Patient is a film that definitely is elevated above most romantic-epics because it has an intriguing story, superb performances from Fiennes and Scott Thomas, and breathtaking cinematography.

#91 - Glory

Let me preface this entry by saying that the Civil War is not really a war that I find to be all that interesting. For whatever reason, Civil War is not really a war that I find to be all that interesting. unlike movies about WWII or aspects of that era in history, which I find to be fascinating. Nevertheless, Glory is a solid movie about the Union Army’s first all –black volunteer company and overall is a good “war film.”

This movie is compelling and interesting not only because of the subject matter, but the performance given by the cast in their portrayal of these soldiers. While there are many strong performances given by the cast in their portrayal of these soldiers. While there are many strong performances in this movie, in my opinion the real standout performances come from Denzel Washington (Private Trip), Andre Braugher (Cpl. Thomas Searles), and Morgan Freeman (Sgt. Major John Rawlins). All three actors give excellent performances in this film. One other notable performance is that of the multi-talented actor Cary Elwes. Elwes who I've seen in several other movies including The Princess Bride, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, and Ella Enchanted does a fine job here in portraying Major Cabot Forbes.

The overall look and feel of the picture is superb. The battle sequences were executed masterfully with the right look and feel. In some war movies the battle sequences become "special effects extravaganzas" and while they might be impressive, those extravaganzas forget to include the reactions and the personal experiences of the soldiers. The battles in Glory give a great account of the "soldier experience", providing the viewer with close-ups of soldier reactions to the events occurring in the various battles.

The only weakness in this film is perhaps the casting of Matthew Broderick in the role of Colonel Robert Shaw. Though, I've liked Matthew Broderick in movies such as Ferris Bueller's Day Off he didn't really seem fitted for this particular part. Every time he was on screen I kept seeing Matthew Broderick, instead of seeing Colonel Shaw. Broderick does a serviceable job and I can't off the top of my head think of any other actor who would have been better suited. I just know that he wasn't quite the right man for this role.

Hollywood doesn't always hit the mark when it comes to war movies (ex. Pearl Harbor). However, when they get it right, the result is often a great tribute to those who served our country in the quest for freedom and justice for all. The movie Glory is one of the times Hollywood did hit the mark and the result is a glorious, stirring, and compelling piece of war cinema.

#90 - The Last Picture Show

Joshua Klein describes The Last Picture Show:

"As a eulogy for the previous generation of master filmmakers (like Howard Hawks or John Ford) as a new generation of youthful pioneers steered filmmaking in a looser, more visceral direction."(pg. 543).


“The Last Picture Show” is described as old-fashioned in a variety of reviews.

However, I think many of the experiences and the feelings of the characters during this quiet but, emotionally strong film are things we can relate to today.

At the start of the film it feels like you have drifted into Anarene, Texas (the setting of this film) with the wind and drift back out when the credits roll.

No major event takes place and the movie is not building up to a major crescendo. Rather, we watch the characters go through several different experiences and make decisions about their present and future.

This picture focuses the majority of it’s time on the young people of Anarene. In particular, we follow the trials and travails of Sonny (Timothy Bottoms) and Duane (Jeff Bridges). We follow them around as they try to find ways to pass the time as high-school graduation approaches.

Like most young males in many a coming of age movie we watch several awkward moments involving the opposite sex, and pining over/competing for the affections of the town beauty. Both get their chance with her and gain valuable wisdom from the experience.

One other very common theme in coming of age or movies focused on young people is losing your virginity. In this movie, the town beauty Jacy Farrow (Cybill Shepherd) is on somewhat of a quest to have sex and with the right guy. It seems that in many movies from Clueless to American Pie both boys and girls are often on a quest to get laid.

The one constant thing going on in this movie is the slow-death of Anarene. The town is slowly dying as people move away to big cities. As this happens, the already deserted-looking main street loses the small-movie house when it’s doors close forever. The closing of the town’s only movie theater leaves the youth of the town with even less to do than before.

Anarene has some of the stereotypical qualities small towns have on the big screen: everyone knows everyone and everything going on in their lives, not having much too do, etc.

Despite the stereotypes, this movie shines above similar small-town coming of age movies in two ways. One, the relationship that develops between Sonny and Ruth Popper (Cloris Leachman).

This is one of the highlights of the film. The scenes between these two characters are so well acted and filled with such strong emotions. Leachman is especially great and won a well deserved Oscar for her acting in this movie.

Another way this picture shines is in its cinematography. Filmed in black and white, you can almost feel the wind and the dust blow across your face.

As we meet all the characters and go to various parts of this small town we truly get a sense of what their lives are like. The town feels claustrophobic, dusty, and desolate. We are given visual evidence of this through the many abandoned storefronts, and the lack of people walking around town.

The look of the film combined with the slow but smooth pace really makes you feel all of the emotions the characters are experiencing such as sadness, feeling stuck, lost, and at times lonely.

“The Last Picture Show” is one of the better movies you can watch about teenagers as they come of age. It is an interesting portrait of a small town and the people who live there. In the end, this movie is elevated above some other similar coming of age and “small town” films because of the performances of the actors. They command your attention and keep you watching till the credits roll.

Part Five: 1001 Movies

No, I haven't seen all of the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die. However, I have seen 89 of the films that are listed in this book.

Yeah, I know....doesn't seem like I've seen many movies. I've seen way more movies than 89 movies in my lifetime...just not all them are listed in this book.

Here are the titles of the movies I've seen listed in alphabetical order:

American Beauty
American Graffiti
Atonement
Babe
Batman
Big
Blade Runner
Blazing Saddles
The Breakfast Club
Brokeback Mountain
The Butcher Boy
Casablanca
A Christmas Story
Clerks
A Clockwork Orange
Clueless
Crash
The Departed
Dumbo
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Edward Scissorhands
The Elephant Man
The Empire Strikes Back
The Exorcist
Fahrenheit 9/11
Fantasia
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Fight Club
A Fish Called Wanda
Forrest Gump
GhostBusters
Gladiator
The Godfather Part II
The Godfather
Grease
Groundhog Day
The Ice Storm
Into the Wild
It's a Wonderful Life
Kill Bill Vol. 1
The Lion King
Little Miss Sunshine
The Lord of the Rings (The Trilogy)
Meet the Parents
Memento
Moulin Rouge!
My Fair Lady
My Left Foot
Natural Born Killers
Once
Pan's Labyrinth
Pinocchio
Pretty Woman
The Princess Bride
Pulp Fiction
The Queen
The Quiet Man
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Return of the Jedi
The Royal Tenenbaums
Saturday Night Fever
Saving Private Ryan
Say Anything
Scream
Se7en
The Shawshank Redemption
The Silence of the Lambs
Singin' in the Rain
The Sixth Sense
The Snake Pit
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
The Sound of Music
Stand by Me
Star Wars
The Ten Commandments
There will be Blood
This is Spinal Tap
Three Kings
Titanic
To Kill a Mockingbird
Top Gun
Toy Story
Trainspotting
West Side Story
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
The Wizard of Oz
Young Frankenstein

I have only linked a select # of the movies that are listed above....ones that have become favorites of mine or that I really think are worth at least one viewing. That being said I think that with the exception of a few movies all 89 listed above are worth at least one view.

One thing I noticed as I was checking off the movies I've seen is that I have seen none of the movies in this book whose titles start w/ an "H", a "U", a "V", an "X", or a "Z." I found that to be quite interesting.

Well, let the movie watching commence...coming up in the next two entries are reviews/analysis of the movies: The Last Picture Show & Glory.

Part Four: Overview of the Book

In this entry, I have decided to provide everyone with a general overview of the book "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die." I figure it would be good for anyone reading this to know how it's organized and to have some basic knowledge about the source material I am using for this personal challenge.

1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die is essentially a gigantic movie list put together by a group of various contributors: movie experts, reviewers, journalists, etc. The cover page lists a general editor (Steven Jay Schneider) rather than an author for the book. The book begins with a forward, an introduction, and a film index & checklist (organized in alphabetical order) of all the movies.

The book itself is organized by decade starting with 1900 and ending with 2000. The oldest movie (Le Voyage Dans La Lune - A Trip to the Moon) was shown in 1902 and the most current movie featured in the book (Atonement) came out in 2007.

Each film featured in this book has a list general information (country of origin, director, producer, screenplay, photography, music, cast, and if applicable award info) accompanied by a paragraph (sometimes more) that has been written by one of the contributors of the book about the movie.

They are not strictly reviews of the movie(s) rather these paragraphs or pages provide you with some great information about various aspects of the film and most importantly explains why you should watch the film.

At the end of the book their is a page about the contributors, a genre index, and a directors index. All the different indexes are helpful in finding out if a certain title is featured in the book or not.

This is a really great reference to have if you are a fan of movies or are in a rut and are trying to find some good movies to watch.

Coming up in Part Five I will reveal the # and the titles of the films out of the 1001 Movies featured in the book.