Movies I Love
In the event that anyone actually reads this website, I thought I should give you a sense of where I’m coming from. Here is a brief list of films that I really enjoy. I can watch them over and over (and, actually, I do watch them over and over). They each move me in a different way and for a different reason, but move me they do, nonetheless.
Feel free to let me know what movies you really love… and why they mean something to you. In no particular order, here are some movies I think are awesome.
RECENT FILMS I’VE ENJOYED
Crazy Heart – Jeff Bridges does a great job playing an aging country music star who’s degenerated into a pretty sloppy drunk. Very believable story.
True Grit (the remake) – Another great job by Jeff Bridges. This film also showcases the talents of young Hailee Steinfeld, and, of course, Matt Damon was much better than Glen Campbell. If you liked the original, you should definitely enjoy the remake.
Winter’s Bone – Incredible film. Jennifer Lawrence was spectacular in this film. Great screenplay, great direction, very tense, emotional and atmospheric. Strongly recommended.
Another Year – Really great British film starring Jim Broadbent and Lesley Manville. It’s a stunning look at life and relationships.
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo – Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) is one very tough woman. I would not want to get on her wrong side. I’ve seen this trilogy, and this one was the best… number two was a little weaker, with number three making a comeback, but this one made it all happen.
MY STARTER LIST
These are the films I first listed to get this page started.
I’ve Loved You So Long – I was not a huge fan of Kristen Scott Thomas until seeing this French film about a woman who is released from prison after serving time for killing her child. She brings this character so amazingly to life that it’s simply hard to believe… and she does it in French!
Lost in Translation – Sophia Coppola (yes, the younger sister from Peggy Sue Got Married) did an amazing job of guerrilla filmmaking and, I believe, completely captured the beauty, passion and angst of a May-September romance.
Sleepless in Seattle – This is a totally-silly-chic-flick-kind-of romantic comedy, which I totally fall for every time. Plus, I have always thought Meg Ryan was so appealing in romantic comedies… right up to and including Kate & Leopold.
Man on Fire – Denzel Washington is so “Denzel” in this film, and the chemistry between Denzel and Dakota Fanning was so amazing. They achieved a father and daughter intensity that seemed very real. Then Denzel did what needed to be done. Loved it.
Groundhog Day – Another Bill Murray film that’s a total winner. This is such a story of redemption… of hope… of believing that we can be better. I love this film.
She’s the One – I think Ed Burns is a great screenwriter and director. He also is a good actor. He tells simple stories in a way that makes them seem real and still interesting and entertaining. I think this is one of his best.
The Unbelievable Truth – I’ve loved Hal Hartley for years. All of his early films were important to me. This one, and Trust, Simple Men, Surviving Desire. I love the way he made his movies. I also loved Adrienne Shelley. Adored her. I was so, so, so upset when she was murdered. When I need to remember her, I watch this film.
The Hidden Blade - I am intrigued by Asian stories and culture, particularly the Chinese and Japanese. Hidden Blade is a story of a samurai at the end of the samurai era, who falls in love with a family servant. A deeply moving film.
To Live – Here is a Chinese film that follows a family through the Cultural Revolution. It’s a moving and devastating tale of heartbreak, hardship and perseverance. It doesn’t leave you with a happy feeling, but it’s emotional impact is extraordinary.
Lonesome Dove – I was going to sign off on this page, but I’ve got to include this film… mini-series actually, I guess. My dad was a farmer, but he was a cowboy at heart. He would have loved this film, just as I did. Duvall and Jones created genuine icons. They truly brought the West to life.