u/DVD-Rewatcher

Number 186 in my A-Z watch. Minority Report is the thrilling sci-fi film set in a future where predetermined crimes are monitored and thwarted. But what if the criminal predictions are wrong?

I've only ever seen this film one time before this, and that was right when it was released on home video. Suffice it to say i didn't remember much, so it was very much a fresh watch for me. Definitely a solid return to roots for Spielberg.

I didn't realize this was a Philip K. Dick adaptation until the end credits, but the entire dystopian vibe and weird obsession with eyes felt like heavy clues. And some of the concepts unfortunately feel like science fiction becoming science fact. Things like the constant surveillance (flock cameras), and the targeted ads (selling personal data), are unfortunate predictions that have come true.

It felt like it had pacing issues, there's no need for it to be nearly 2 ½ hours. The fight choreography was bland, and the effects don't hold up. It does well to question moralities, I really liked the rooftop tracking shot, the eye surgery scene was great. And the revelation towards the end definitely took me by surprise.

6.5/10 An interesting film that has some solidly good moments and concepts, but i don't think they compiled into a particularly great film. It's worth another watch, and I'll be happy to do so, but not quite living up to other Spielberg projects for me. Spielberg can certainly cast a film, though. No notes on that front.

Number 185 in my A-Z watch. Million Dollar Baby gives us the story of boxing trainer and curmudgeon, Frank Dunn, as he takes on aging and underdeveloped female boxer, Maggie.

It's been nearly 20 years since I've seen this movie, and even over that time it stayed seared into my brain. The drama, the characters, the gut-punch. Everything that makes this movie so outstanding buries itself into your memories.

I loved the use of light in this movie. Those shadows and single light sources created so much separation and isolation to the characters. That yearning to be included, to be a part of something that matters and to share it with someone. Frank can't put himself out there enough, and Maggie is dying for love and respect.

The movie also features a great supporting cast of actors. Morgan Freeman's Oscar winning performance is subtle, but holds an incredible intensity. Margo Martindale is terrific as the trailer trash, ungrateful mother. Budding actors Jay Baruchel, Anthony Mackie, and Michael Peña round out the ensemble very well.

10/10 This movie is just so sad. Every aspect of it feels like it's nearly on the level of a Shakespearean tragedy. I had forgotten that it's narrated by Freeman almost like an old noir film, and it feels more intimate and personal because of it. And the simple score, often just a single guitar, adds to that feeling of loneliness and isolation.

Number 184 in my A-Z watch. Milk tells us the tragic story of real life politician Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man elected to major office in the U.S.

I don't think I've seen this film since I came out, myself. And it's definitely taken a different context and depth for me, considering. I remember being very impressed with it in my youth and i feared that the film wouldn't hold up. Those fears very quickly subsided.

Milk is filled to the brim with outstanding performances. I'll get to Penn's second Oscar winning turn in a bit, but all the supporting roles in this film absolutely shine. Josh Brolin as the petty, behind-the-times thorn in Milk's side. James Franco as the exhausted lover. Emile Hirsch playing the twink turned activist. Diego Luna's jealous, unstable boyfriend. All work together to form such an incredible ensemble.

And Penn gives a powerhouse effort, combining humor with vulnerability and passion. Terror and resolve. He presents the comforting home that so many at the time sought, and at the same time gives a stoicism that doesn't waver from his beliefs. Just a tremendous role and execution.

I loved the script. Using the dictation machine to tell the story reminded me so much of Double Indemnity, and i felt like it was a great device. It does so well to build up the tragedy of the story. You feel so invested. Like you've been recruited by Harvey. And the uses of reflections throughout were great. Franco in the window. Crime scene in the whistle. White in the TV.

10/10 Honestly, there really was nothing about this film that didn't impress me. I loved the use of opera throughout. I think it's horrid that this film from nearly 20 years ago about events nearly 50 years ago is still so relevant. Penn and Franco have amazing chemistry. It's just incredibly impressive.

Number 183 in my A-Z watch. Michael Clayton follows the titular character as he navigates his professional life as a legal fixer and his personal life as a father and friend in the midst of a massive class action legal battle.

I had only seen this film once before, easily 10+ years ago. The most i could remember from it was just how impressive Tom Wilkinson's performance was, and i was very glad to find that i was just as impressed as the first time. The rest of the film ended up being pretty fresh to me, but i don't think it's my thing.

The beginning definitely hooked me. Incredibly intriguing, tense and interesting. However i found the plot to be underwhelming. The desperation, story parallels, character relationships just never felt like they landed for me as the film went on. I do think that they definitely stuck the landing at the end, though. That was cinema.

7/10 Not a movie I'm likely to revisit. The performances really carried the film for me. Other than Wilkinson, Clooney was as solid as ever but never quite reached any amazing heights. And Swinton ended up crushing it, but i felt like the character had some flat moments in between an amazing introduction and conclusion.

Edit: I've adjusted it up from 6 to 7 because of these comments. I still don't feel like the movie is quite my thing, but seeing some of these quotes and observations and reflecting how they make me feel is giving me a bit of a retroactive reconsideration.

Number 182 in my A-Z watch. Mean Streets is the story of a group of young friends in early 70s New York and their involvement in the low-level crime scene.

I remember watching this about 15 years ago and being so impressed. And while i do still find many aspects to be terrific, the shine of the film has dulled a bit. And i think that it's just because of how much better Scorsese has gotten over the decades.

Of course the soundtrack is absolutely choice. Marty just has some kind of musical tonal superpower. It's insane. And i loved the tracking shots used throughout, likely due to necessity in this almost guerilla style filmmaking approach. The scene where Charlie is drunk and the camera is strapped to Keitel's body was a stroke of genius.

7/10 I hate to say it, but the movie kind of just drags. It languidly moves between scenes and it feels like it doesn't have a centralized point. Is it Johnny Boy's debts? Is it Charlie's club? Is it the secret affair? But when the scenes do come to a head, the performances are genuine and the writing feels authentic. It's really cool to see the growing pains that would lead to some truly remarkable films.

Number 181 in my A-Z watch. Maverick is a film adaptation of the Western TV series of the same name. The film follows the eponymous character as he fights varying adversities attempting to collect enough money to buy his way into the poker game of the century.

This is such a great turn-off-your-brain-and-enjoy kind of movie. No one is trying to make a masterpiece, no one is trying to impress critics. Everyone is just trying to make something enjoyable, and in that regard it's a tremendous success.

The film is absolutely charming, Gibson is at some of his comedic best, here, and the chemistry with Foster and Garner (the original Maverick) just radiates from the screen. No one feels like they're stepping on anyone's toes, and everyone is allowed their moments. Even bad guy Alfred Molina gets a couple of good quips in.

7.5/10 There's honestly not much to say about the film other than to just sit back and enjoy. The rest of the supporting cast (like Graham Greene and James Coburn) really shine in their limited roles. The stunts are fantastic. Danny Glover's cameo is perfect. It's just a fun romp that doesn't take itself seriously.

Number 180 in my A-Z watch. The Matrix is the action/sci-fi film in which humans have become slave-like subjects to AI and only one man has the capacity to stop the program.

This is among the movies I've seen the most in my life. And every single time it just blows me away. The more i learn about filmmaking, the more impressive this film becomes. In terms of overall productions, it feels like everything worked exactly the way it was supposed to.

After gaining some perspective on the Wachowskis and their personal journey, it's actually really easy to see how trans-coded the film is. The representations of having two separate images of yourself, all of the uses of reflections, a character literally named Switch, etc. It's wonderful that they were able to use their art for themselves.

In terms of the film's quality, every technical aspect rocks. The last time i had seen this was actually in theaters for the 25th anniversary and that opened my eyes to so much that doesn't read on the small screen. Specifically the editing and effects for the Agent Training scene. Having two characters moving freely between a host of frozen extras in three dimensions was mind-boggling. Plus the sound design and CG effects are so immersive.

10/10 I mean it's sci-fi, it's action, it's kung fu, it's even got Western elements. Tank is a phenomenal Guy-in-Chair. It questions moralities, it questions realities. It has a top 5 film shootout. It feels like it was an intro film to the new millennium. Plus it has the best song to end a movie on. Just perfect.

Number 179 in my A-Z watch. Master and Commander is the seafaring adventure film following the HMS Surprise as she and her crew hunt a rival French vessel along the South American coast.

This was only my second viewing and I'm just kicking myself that i haven't spent more time enjoying this film. I can't think of an aspect of this movie that isn't knocked out of the park. Plus the film is such an absolute vibe. The brotherhood and camaraderie are so intense it's almost tangible.

It's been said that this is one of the best Star Trek adjacent films, and to watch it with that perspective really adds to the enjoyment. Seeing Aubrey and Maturin as a defacto Kirk and Spock puts so much more into their friendship and professional relationship. Also, Bettany should've been nominated for his role, absolutely outstanding performance.

Every part of the technical aspects of this film rock. In an unfortunate year up against Return of the King at the Oscars, M&C still managed to squeak out a much deserved Cinematography and Sound Editing win. But the set design, costumes, film editing, etc all stand with the best of them.

10/10 Man, i wish we could've gotten the intended franchise series. This film doesn't really feel like it "starts" or "ends", but instead gives us a slice of the seemingly endless adventures aboard the Surprise. Just plopping us immediately into the thick of it.

Number 178 in my A-Z watch. The Mask of Zorro brings back the legendary figure to film in amazing swashbuckling action. In this installment we find the eponymous hero fighting against old Spanish nobles looking to rob the Californian countryside of its gold.

Ever since i was a kid I've loved Zorro in all iterations. And childhood me was beyond ecstatic when this film released in theaters and blew my tiny mind. It had everything i wanted in a Zorro film, and honestly i think it still does.

It was interesting to me, for two reasons, to discover that this was directed by Martin Campbell. First it didn't surprise me to find out that he also did Goldeneye, but it did surprise me to find out he also did Casino Royale (2006). I felt this film is much more in line with the former, considering the outlandish and far-fetched nature. But it's entirely fun!

This movie does very well to blend the comedy and action in the story, and also holding true to the old school spirit of the previous Zorro series and short films and original Mexican legends. It never occurred to me how much Zorro was like Batman, and upon a bit of research it's turned out to be a large part of the inspiration.

No one is winning an Oscar for their performances in this film, but that doesn't mean everyone isn't giving it their all. Banderas shines as the masked hero, completing a majority of his own stunts and learning his swordplay from the man who taught Erroll Flynn. Catherine Zeta-Jones storms into Hollywood combining her natural beauty and charisma with a great chemistry opposite Banderas. And Sir Hopkins takes on the master-pupil dynamic perfectly.

8.5/10 My only true criticism is that the film is long. There's really no need for it to be close to 2 ½ hours. But, even with the excess, you find yourself drawn in to the story. Just an incredibly fun movie with wonderful stunts, terrific swordplay, some sexy af leads. All over a wonderfully told revenge story with a great catharsis.

Number 177 in my A-Z watch. The Martian is Ridley Scott's adaptation of Andy Weir's novel of the same name. Giving us the story of astronaut Mark Watney as he attempts to survive the harsh environment of Mars after a devastating storm leaves him abandoned.

I've really enjoyed this movie ever since i first saw it in theaters. I'll watch anything Ridley Scott makes. I went through a phase where i wanted to read the books that inspired my favorite movies and this was one of the first i read, and i genuinely feel like the film captures the desperation, sarcasm, and ingenuity of the novel.

This is among my favorite Damon performance. His array of emotions and responses to challenges feel incredibly genuine and authentic. Interestingly the film has a massively talented support cast, but in a unique way the supporting characters don't support Damon in the traditional way due to Watney's isolation. But they all work together very well.

9/10 The movie is just so captivating. All of the technical aspects of the film are firing on all cylinders. Set design, visual effects, editing, etc keep you in the environment. And it's not trying to reinvent filmmaking. It takes a relative straightforward story and tells it very well.

Number 176 in my A-Z watch. Man on Fire gives us the story of bodyguard John Creasy who is hired to protect a Mexican businessman's daughter in Mexico City.

I had not seen this movie since it first released on DVD, so most of the film was fresh to me. I remembered really liking it before, and i was happy to discover that i still very much enjoyed it now. Tony Scott may have been overshadowed by his brother's career, but that doesn't mean he doesn't make good movies.

I was surprised to find that this was written by Brian Helgeland (L.A. Confidential, A Knights Tale, Mystic River). But it explains the snappy dialogue and character development throughout. Great overall revenge story with a ton of thriller aspects.

Denzel is cold and calculated in this film. Giving a great opportunity for Dakota Fanning's character, Pita, to break his barriers and generate a very touching relationship. Their chemistry was outstanding, Fanning showed extreme talent to stand toe to toe with Washington at that age.

8/10 I would watch this again, no question. There's a lot of creativity and outside the box thinking. Even something as simple as the subtitles have character in this film. Couldn't tell you how it's got a 39% on RT. Absolutely bizarre.

Number 175 in my A-Z watch. Man of Steel is the first DCU film adaptation of Superman. Chronicling the origins of Clark Kent as he learns about his histories, and fends off the world from invaders.

I probably wouldn't post this in the old movie sub if it hadn't already been rebooted since its release. I remember seeing it in theaters and just taking away that they went ham on destroying everything. But i actually felt like there was a little more to it on this watch.

The movie isn't perfect, or even great. But that doesn't mean it doesn't have some solid, and even great moments and aspects. The best part of the film, hands down, is Michael Shannon as Zod. He definitely plays the villain-who-takes-being-right-too-far perfectly. I think his performance sells not using Lex Luthor as the first big bad perfectly.

6.5/10 It is better than an average film. You can see that there were a lot of attempts at making a great movie. Cavill looks the part perfectly, and the support cast all do their parts. But some moments and concepts just can't be overlooked. Jonathan and the tornado? I mean, come on.

Number 173 in my A-Z watch. Lucky # Slevin is the comedy/mystery story of a bad case of mistaken identity and unflappable crime lords.

This is a terrifically fun ride from start to finish. It has that snappy comedic neo-noir dialogue akin to Shane Black scripts like Lethal Weapon and The Nice Guys. Actually, as i watched it i felt like it had similar vibes to Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. The film becomes almost all exposition, but it stays fun.

The whole cast kills it. Hartnett shows that he was more than just a heart throb lead. Lucy Liu is adorably quirky and her chemistry with Josh is palpable. Freeman and Kingsley both play the stubborn and murderous crime lords to perfection. And Willis as the stoic, almost robotic hitman feels kinda creepy.

The technical aspects of the film are outstanding, too. I thought the set and art decorators did a great job with the ambiance. The score is surprisingly bubbly, really helps to sell the plot. I loved the editing. Especially during the Fairy Planning scene, cutting through the chess game.

8.5/10 I think this film has absolutely tremendous first watch value, and a second viewing holds up. After that, it's entirely on the screenplay and performances and their chemistry that hold the film together. But i think they do an excellent job of that.

Number 172 in my A-Z watch. Lord of War is a film loosely based on a real black market munitions dealer who rose to riches during the tail end and aftermath of the Cold War.

If there is a movie genre that is just an interesting ride, Lord of War is in that camp. It's not the best movie. It's not Cage's, Hawke's, or Leto's best performance. It's not the best story. But everything is handled so well that the film remains incredibly engaging.

I still hold that the opening credits with the bullet is one of the most clever opening credits decisions I've seen. It does really well to prep the audience for what to expect. The whole film is creative and imaginative. It feels like a great bounce back film after S1mone fell a little short of Gattaca's acclaim.

Everyone shows up in their performances here. I didn't find anyone to be unbelievable or over-the-top. Pre-crazy Leto is great as the addict brother, Hawke playing the morally correct antagonist interpol investigator makes you feel his frustration, Eamonn Walker captures the ruthless dictator a little too well. Even the helicopter mechanic feels like a "no small parts" performance.

7/10 The film itself doesn't quite feel like it holds a lot of cultural weight. In the vein of crime films where your protagonist is the villain, it doesn't live up to something like Goodfellas. But it's a really solid way to spend a couple of hours and not regret it.

Number 171 in my A-Z watch. Return of the King is the conclusion to the story of The One Ring and tells the fates of the original Fellowship assigned to its destruction.

I can't help but feel such a catharsis every time i go through these films. Return does such a good job of bringing so many intertwining storylines to their end. Full of emotion, peril, phenomenal action, and a consummate dedication to quality.

I don't know what to say about this film that i didn't say in the other two posts. Every piece of this movie is approached with passion and dedication. The new additions blend in perfectly. I love how they introduce Denethor. John Noble plays the wicked non-King in such a way that his stubbornness to relinquish rule of Gondor to some dusty forest bum™ actually makes a lot of sense.

One of the things that actually kinda disappoints me through the series is how Gimli is relegated to a comic relief role. After Fellowship he's not really offered much opportunity to show much depth. He was introduced with an identity and it just became "Let's get drunk and count bodies".

Many of the events from the books got shuffled around into different installments of the films. This led to a thinner Two Towers, but a much meatier Return. I think both decisions to save Shelob and Andúril until Return made a ton of sense and fit the storytelling narrative much better for film.

10/10 I mean, it's hard not to see these three as just one massively long film. I like the moments that bring context, like when the light beam hits from Minas Morgúl and Gandalf and Pippin see it. You get a sense of just how close Friday and Sam are. And Tolkien was in a dark place when he wrote the whole "catapulting heads" moment.

Number 170 in my A-Z watch. Two Towers continues the story of The Fellowship as they play their own individual parts in the larger fight against Sauron.

I feel like each of these films kind of have their own sub genre after Action/Fantasy. Fellowship feels like it has the most adventure, Return feels like it has the most war epic, and Towers feels like it has the most suspense. I think this film harnesses Jackson's history with horror films the best. There's this ominous feeling ever present through the film. A foreboding. Makes the film very tense.

I really like that the chemistry of the cast carries over into their three respective groups. And the new characters introduced do really well to mesh into the story seamlessly. Miranda Otto, Karl Urban, Bernard Hill, and Brad Dourif all fall perfectly into place. But it's David Wenham and the amazing Andy Serkis that are the most impressive to me.

Gollum's animation is still so incredibly impressive. It's so good that i feel like the animation and design of Treebeard has almost become overlooked. The rest of the production quality stays just on par with the previous film. Costuming, makeup, editing, set, cinematography, etc. There's no dip.

9/10 The unfortunate thing with this film is that so much was taken from its original source material for the other two films that it has to make up for it with filler. High quality filler, of course, but it makes the story feel a little disjointed. But i don't think there's any less heart in this film compared to the others.

Number 169 in my A-Z watch. The Fellowship of the Ring is the first of three film adaptation installments from the book series of the same name. It begins the story of nine companions who band together on a quest to destroy a legendarily powerful artifact.

I am likely going to go on longer than normal with each of these films. I remember these movies being absolutely incredible theatrical experiences. As I've grown in to more of a film fan, and have been through the book series a number of times, I've built such an appreciation for the overall achievement these films are.

It all starts with the writing. As one of my favorite film critics said, "It’s told so economically and they don’t convolute it. They really get right to the heart of what you need to know in very understandable terms." In this film die hard novel fans will notice some immediate changes to events from the book. But those are mostly swapped lines of dialogue and such. The real major moments and plot points of the story stay true. Some cuts had to be made.

Starting the adventure right after Bilbo left, The Old Forest, and Tom Bombadil. All things that didn't fit the narrative of the film, and aren't really missed in this story. And i did like that Boromir's character was written a bit differently. In the books he feels petulant and childish, but in the film he's a competent and noble man. Changes like having Merry and Pippin disturb the water by Moria instead of Boromir added to his respect.

As good as the filmmaking itself is, screenwriting, directing, acting, i think that it's the meticulous and perfect practical effects that allow this to be timeless. The makeup, set design, costuming all don't get better or worse with time. 20+ years later and it all still feels fresh. That's in tandem with the phenomenal cinematography and editing that help us to be completely transported into this world of differing scales (hobbit/dwarf/man).

It's really incredible to see the marriage of old school and new school filmmaking with this series. Of course all of the practical effects bring you in, but seeing some of the capabilities of newer technologies really pushed the limits of what could be in a movie. Having the fire sim program at the last minute for the Balrog, the incredible use of motion capture performance, day-for-night shooting, the Massive programming for the large populated shots.

10/10 I mean, i don't know how you score this film any lower. It brings to life what audiences only ever thought could be captured in animation (which i think some moments were nearly shot for shot in this, haha). I loved that they added more romance in it for Aragorn and Arwen, gives the film more weight and stakes. And it's an absolute shame that this is the only film we really get all of the main cast actually working together. They have such good chemistry.

Number 168 in my A-Z watch. Looper is the sci-fi/paranormal/action film following Joe. A time travel hitman who needs to clean up the mess he created when he botches a mark.

Man, i feel bad that this rewatch doesn't feel like it lived up to my memory of the film. I remember being so impressed with it on my first couple watches 10+ years ago. But now the movie feels like it doesn't have an identity. Like, it doesn't go in enough on any of the genres it contains to really make it feel like it knows where it's going.

Performance-wise it's solid. JGL and Willis do well to create similar and yet still distinct characters. The makeup used to have them more similar looking was done very well. Blunt, Daniels, even Dano all are solid support. But still feel underutilized.

6/10 I mean, the diner scene feels like it's trying to be Heat. The telekinesis and the kid make it feel like The Omen. A love story i didn't believe. Overall, a film i wish i had left in my memory. I much prefer other Rian Johnson projects, recently.

Number 167 in my A-Z watch. Das Leben der Anderen is a German political thriller telling the story of a State Security officer in 1984 who finds himself getting too involved with the subjects of an investigation.

I had only ever seen this once close to its original release. So i was in for a pretty fresh-to-me movie. It's definitely a slow burn. And it has some very subtle and nuanced performances. But it's the writing that really elevates the film.

Since the first time i watched this i have also seen Coppola's The Conversation. And i was getting a ton of vibes similar to that film while watching.

8.5/10 I dunno how many more times I'm gonna watch this, but I'm sure I'll keep enjoying it. There's a lot to like. I didn't take as many notes as usual, as i wanted to just let the movie happen.

Number 166 in my A-Z watch. This is the film adaptation of the stage musical adaptation of the 60s film of the same name. It tells the story of a meek florist who suddenly is thrust into the media spotlight after discovering a strange and interesting plant.

This movie literally and figuratively rocks. Songs written by eventual Disney royalty, Alan Menken and Howard Ashman (Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast) and music production by Four Seasons great Bob Gaudio. Director Frank Oz does an incredible job of carrying the theatrical feel of the stage production into this film.

No review of this film can be done without mentioning the absolute genius and application of the Audrey II plant animatronics. The use of a practical design allows the film to still stay fresh and keeps the effects from feeling dated. And on that line, let's give a hand to Four Tops' Levi Stubbs for his vocal performance of Tooie. Simply outstanding.

9/10 The movie just remains an absolute cult classic. My biggest gripe is the ending change. I get it, they didn't want a downer, and I'm certainly not upset that it gave us Mean Green Mother from Outer Space. But everything else hits. The sprinkling of cameos throughout, Moranis actually having a surprisingly good voice, the Urchins (who feel like precursors to the Muses in Hercules). Just a wonderful way to spend 90 minutes.