#100 The Grudge (4/13/13)

Dir. Takashi Shimizu
2002
2002
#99 The Brotehrs Bloom (4/12/13)

Dir. Rian Johnson
2008
2008
#98 She's The Man (4/11/13)

Dir. Andy Fickman
2006
2006
#97 The 400 Blows (4/10/13)

Dir. Francois Truffaut
1959
1959
#96 Fata Morgana (4/07/13)

Dir. Werner Herzog
1971
1971
#95 Breakfast at Tiffany''s (4/03/13)

Dir. Blake Edwards
1961
1961
#94 Bicycle THIEVES (4/03/13)

Dir. Vittorio De Sica
1948
1948
#93 Grizzly Man (3/28/13)

Dir. Werner Herzog
2005
2005
#92 4 Little Girls (3/27/13)

Dir. Spike Lee
1997
1997
#91 Spring Breakers (3/23/13)

Dir. Harmony Korine
2013
2013
#90 Jackie Brown (3/22/13)

Dir. Quentin Tarantino
1997
1997
#89 200 Pound Beauty (3/22/13)

Dir. Kim Yong-Hwa
2006
2006
#88 The Berlin Files (3/21/13)

Dir. Ryoo Seung-Wan
2013
2013
#87 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (3/20/13)

Dir. Peter Jackson
2003
2003
#86 The Incredibles (3/15/13)

Dir. Brad Bird
2004
2004
#85 A Moment to Remember (3/12/13)

Dir. John H. Lee
2004
2004
#84 Life of pi (3/02/13)

Dir. Ang Lee
2012
2012
#83 Stoker (2/28/13)

Dir. Park Chan-Wook
2013
2013
#82 A Man Escaped (2/27/13)

Dir. Robert Bresson
1956
1956
#81 Cracks (2/20/13)

Dir. Jordan Scott
2009
2009
#80 Amour (2/18/13)

Dir. Michael Haneke
2012
2012
#79 Boys Don't Cry (2/13/13)

Dir. Kimberly Pierce
1999
1999
#78 PRINCESS Mononoke (2/13/13)

Dir. Hayao Miyazaki
1997
1997
#77 Drive (2/09/13)

Dir. Nicolas Winding Refn
2011
2011
#76 Oldboy (2/08/13)

Dir. Park Chan-Wook
2003
2003
#75 The Kids (2/06/13)

Dir. Francois Truffaut
1957
1957
#74 The Virgin Spring (2/06/13)

Dir. Ingmar Bergman
1960
1960
#73 Tiny Furniture (2/02/13)

Dir. Lena Dunham
2010
2010
#72 AdventureLand (2/01/13)

Dir. Greg Mottola
2009
2009
#71 I Saw the Devil (1/25/13)

Dir. Kim Jee-Woon
2010
2010
#70 Charade (1/21/13)

Dir. Stanley Donen
1963
Stanley Donen....ah I was wondering where I heard that name when he came up during the opening credits. But now I know he co-directed one of my favorite movies of all time Singin' In the Rain with Gene Kelly! Charade indeed is Alfred Hitchcock's best film that he never directed. So many unexpected twists and romantic undertones aided with great acting from my Golden Hollywood favorites Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn. Maybe it's the fact that it's a classic, but the age difference between the two didn't bother me as much as it would normally do in today's movie. Honestly, the two were a dream pairing. I had seen this film before ages ago and it was good that I only vaguely remembered what happened at the end because wow that was seriously such a great, satisfying ending. I got out a lot of laughs from the film. A few of the funny moments including Hepburn's character flirtatiously asking Grant, "Is there a Mrs. Crookshank?" to which he replies, "Yes....my mother" and another when Hepburn touches Grant's butt chin and goes, "How do you shave here?" (I fell off the couch at that one). Perhaps a shallow aspect of judging a film, but Audrey Hepburn's outfit choices....jaw-dropping. Last but not least, the original score by Henry Mancini is fantastic as it always is with the legend. A must watch. A great starter for those who are somewhat new to the classics.
10/10
1963
Stanley Donen....ah I was wondering where I heard that name when he came up during the opening credits. But now I know he co-directed one of my favorite movies of all time Singin' In the Rain with Gene Kelly! Charade indeed is Alfred Hitchcock's best film that he never directed. So many unexpected twists and romantic undertones aided with great acting from my Golden Hollywood favorites Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn. Maybe it's the fact that it's a classic, but the age difference between the two didn't bother me as much as it would normally do in today's movie. Honestly, the two were a dream pairing. I had seen this film before ages ago and it was good that I only vaguely remembered what happened at the end because wow that was seriously such a great, satisfying ending. I got out a lot of laughs from the film. A few of the funny moments including Hepburn's character flirtatiously asking Grant, "Is there a Mrs. Crookshank?" to which he replies, "Yes....my mother" and another when Hepburn touches Grant's butt chin and goes, "How do you shave here?" (I fell off the couch at that one). Perhaps a shallow aspect of judging a film, but Audrey Hepburn's outfit choices....jaw-dropping. Last but not least, the original score by Henry Mancini is fantastic as it always is with the legend. A must watch. A great starter for those who are somewhat new to the classics.
10/10
#69 Into the Abyss (1/14/13)

Dir. Werner Herzog
2011
I've always heard of Werner Herzog and his quirky traits as a filmmaker and I jumped at the opportunity to watch one of his films on Netflix instant. I've never heard of this film before; it just happened to be on my dad's recommended list and the description sounded pretty interesting. It's a documentary about capital punishment that focuses on one death row inmate, Michael Perry, who killed three people ten years earlier as an 18-year-old. One of my biggest dissatisfactions with this movie stems from its lack of explanation of the crime and the case. The overview of the murders is very brief, which was largely disappointing because the description falsely said, "a look into the human psyche on why we kill" or something along that line. The film tries to maintain a neutral stance because it has emotional interviews from both the families of murdered victims and the inmates and their families, but I could not help but notice how biased Herzog was being throughout. The film starts with a priest melancholically recounting his past visits to condemned prisoners shortly before their execution and ends on the imprisoned father of Michael Perry's accomplice talking about how he was a failure as a parent and that his son and his friend just made a stupid mistake as boys always will. It was an interesting watch but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it in that it is deficient of facts and logic and heavily driven by emotion.
7/10
2011
I've always heard of Werner Herzog and his quirky traits as a filmmaker and I jumped at the opportunity to watch one of his films on Netflix instant. I've never heard of this film before; it just happened to be on my dad's recommended list and the description sounded pretty interesting. It's a documentary about capital punishment that focuses on one death row inmate, Michael Perry, who killed three people ten years earlier as an 18-year-old. One of my biggest dissatisfactions with this movie stems from its lack of explanation of the crime and the case. The overview of the murders is very brief, which was largely disappointing because the description falsely said, "a look into the human psyche on why we kill" or something along that line. The film tries to maintain a neutral stance because it has emotional interviews from both the families of murdered victims and the inmates and their families, but I could not help but notice how biased Herzog was being throughout. The film starts with a priest melancholically recounting his past visits to condemned prisoners shortly before their execution and ends on the imprisoned father of Michael Perry's accomplice talking about how he was a failure as a parent and that his son and his friend just made a stupid mistake as boys always will. It was an interesting watch but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it in that it is deficient of facts and logic and heavily driven by emotion.
7/10
#68 Bonnie and Clyde (1/11/13)

Dir. Arthur Penn
1967
1967
#67 THe Romantics (1/09/13)

Dir. Galt Neiderhoffer
2010
2010
#66 Pitch Perfect (1/09/13)

Dir. Jason Moore
2012
I honestly died briefly in some of the parts because they were so funny. I've always liked Anna Kendrick because she gives off a very genuine vibe and she seems more ordinary and down-to-earth than other "hotter" actresses her age that are in business right now. And of course there is Rebel Wilson who may as well be my favorite person in the world at the moment. My god, is she hilarious. I just so wish that they hadn't put in those absolutely disgusting puke scenes. I mean WHAT IS UP with such grossness in today's comedy? Bridesmaids also had it with the going #2 in the middle of the streets scene. Maybe it's just me, but I don't find those parts funny at all. I also wish it hadn't followed the romantic comedy route too much because I thought it would have made a better "girl power" type of movie than a cute teen rom-com, which the filmmakers succumbed this film down into. The singing was pretty good I thought. I don't think I'm really in the position to judge singing anyway because I cannot sing for life unfortunately. It was a fun, undemanding comedy and I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to end. I obviously wouldn't rate it as highly seeing from the filmmaking aspect, but let's just say I liked it enough to have gotten me into doing those cup beats thing.
7.5/10
2012
I honestly died briefly in some of the parts because they were so funny. I've always liked Anna Kendrick because she gives off a very genuine vibe and she seems more ordinary and down-to-earth than other "hotter" actresses her age that are in business right now. And of course there is Rebel Wilson who may as well be my favorite person in the world at the moment. My god, is she hilarious. I just so wish that they hadn't put in those absolutely disgusting puke scenes. I mean WHAT IS UP with such grossness in today's comedy? Bridesmaids also had it with the going #2 in the middle of the streets scene. Maybe it's just me, but I don't find those parts funny at all. I also wish it hadn't followed the romantic comedy route too much because I thought it would have made a better "girl power" type of movie than a cute teen rom-com, which the filmmakers succumbed this film down into. The singing was pretty good I thought. I don't think I'm really in the position to judge singing anyway because I cannot sing for life unfortunately. It was a fun, undemanding comedy and I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to end. I obviously wouldn't rate it as highly seeing from the filmmaking aspect, but let's just say I liked it enough to have gotten me into doing those cup beats thing.
7.5/10
#65 The Wrestler (1/06/13)

Dir. Darren Aronofsky
2008
8/10
2008
8/10
#64 Reservoir Dogs (1/05/13)

Dir. Quentin Tarantino
1992
8/10
1992
8/10
#63 In the Mood For Love (1/03/13)

Dir. Wong Kar-Wai
2000
This film explores a married man and a woman in their thirties who discover that their spouses are having an affair and contemplate doing the same. It seems like the subtlety is the key element in this film that feels like an acquired taste. It's a love story, all right, but its implications are vaguely touched upon. Despite the seemingly sensual movie poster, the film contains no sex, let alone a kiss scene, and perhaps a second or two of the two main characters holding hands. It's definitely a mood piece, meaning very visually and aesthetically driven as opposed to the story really getting us somewhere exciting. To be honest, I found it slow and especially in comparison to Wong Kar-Wai's earlier Chungking Express, I was disappointed. The score is interesting - it's kind of got this waltz-y string arrangement that is a great blend of oriental and western music. One thing that bothered me though was it's overused and as my sound design teacher comments, the director should only choose to underscore a dramatic scene with music in order to emphasize the drama, the theatricality, in the fear that perhaps the emotions he/she wants are not fully evoked from just the scene alone. From what I know, Hong Kong is a jaw-droppingly beautiful city and I don't think it was captured to its maximum in the film. In conclusion, In the Mood For Love establishes Wong Kar-Wai as a stylistic director but not so much as a dynamic storyteller.
7.5/10
2000
This film explores a married man and a woman in their thirties who discover that their spouses are having an affair and contemplate doing the same. It seems like the subtlety is the key element in this film that feels like an acquired taste. It's a love story, all right, but its implications are vaguely touched upon. Despite the seemingly sensual movie poster, the film contains no sex, let alone a kiss scene, and perhaps a second or two of the two main characters holding hands. It's definitely a mood piece, meaning very visually and aesthetically driven as opposed to the story really getting us somewhere exciting. To be honest, I found it slow and especially in comparison to Wong Kar-Wai's earlier Chungking Express, I was disappointed. The score is interesting - it's kind of got this waltz-y string arrangement that is a great blend of oriental and western music. One thing that bothered me though was it's overused and as my sound design teacher comments, the director should only choose to underscore a dramatic scene with music in order to emphasize the drama, the theatricality, in the fear that perhaps the emotions he/she wants are not fully evoked from just the scene alone. From what I know, Hong Kong is a jaw-droppingly beautiful city and I don't think it was captured to its maximum in the film. In conclusion, In the Mood For Love establishes Wong Kar-Wai as a stylistic director but not so much as a dynamic storyteller.
7.5/10
#62 Mother (12/30/12)

Dir. Bong Joon-Ho
2009
A little disappointed Won Bon aka the hottest actor in Asia hands down played an unattractive role in Mother but I'm so shocked to how much his acting as improved since his baby Korean drama days of Autumn in My Heart. He plays the retarded son of "Mother" played by another Korean legend Kim Hye-Ja. He gets accused of a murder he did not commit and it is up to the mother to protect her helpless son from being sentenced. The police is incompetent and chooses to avoid further investigation when the boy who is clearly slow-witted signs a paper confirming he is guilty. The ending is pretty expectable and this notion was strengthened after discussing with a few people about this film (I obviously did not pay my full attention whoops). Though, I don't think this film is about the twist ending as much as it is a character study. The two characters, the mother and the son, are so well-written and both are so pathetic and multidimensional that it is impossible to detach ourselves from them as we absorb ourselves into the film. Not as big of a national hit as Bong Joon-Ho's earlier Memories of Murder, but I thought it was equally enjoyable and very Korean in nature.
8/10
2009
A little disappointed Won Bon aka the hottest actor in Asia hands down played an unattractive role in Mother but I'm so shocked to how much his acting as improved since his baby Korean drama days of Autumn in My Heart. He plays the retarded son of "Mother" played by another Korean legend Kim Hye-Ja. He gets accused of a murder he did not commit and it is up to the mother to protect her helpless son from being sentenced. The police is incompetent and chooses to avoid further investigation when the boy who is clearly slow-witted signs a paper confirming he is guilty. The ending is pretty expectable and this notion was strengthened after discussing with a few people about this film (I obviously did not pay my full attention whoops). Though, I don't think this film is about the twist ending as much as it is a character study. The two characters, the mother and the son, are so well-written and both are so pathetic and multidimensional that it is impossible to detach ourselves from them as we absorb ourselves into the film. Not as big of a national hit as Bong Joon-Ho's earlier Memories of Murder, but I thought it was equally enjoyable and very Korean in nature.
8/10
#61 The Conversation (12/29/12)

Dir. Francis Ford Coppola
1974
1974
#60 Silver Linings Playbook (12/29/12)

Dir. David O. Russell
2012
2012
#59 Midnight Cowboy (12/28/12)

Dir. John Schlesinger
1969
1969
#58 Adaptation. (12/27/12)

Dir. Spike Jonze
2002
2002
#57 Snatch. (12/25/12)

Dir. Guy Ritchie
2000
2000
#56 What Women Want (12/24/12)

Dir. Nancy Meyers
2000
2000
#55 Mary and Max (12/23/12)

Dir. Adam Elliot
2009
2009
#54 Blood Diamond (12/23/12)

Dir. Edward Zwick
2006
2006
#53 Enter the Void (12/20/12)

Dir. Gaspar Noé
2009
2009
#52 Love Actually (12/15/12)

Dir. Richard Curtis
2003
2003
#51 The Hobbit (12/14/12)

Dir. Peter Jackson
2012
2012
#50 They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (12/13/12)

Dir. Sydney Pollack
1969
1969
#49 Les Misérables (12/12/12)

Dir. Tom Hooper
2012
I got extremely lucky with this particular film in that I got to see it at a pre-screening for free because my friend who is in the National Board of Member got me in saying I am also a member (I have absolutely no idea what the group is). Although I had never read the book nor seen the opera, I was quite familiar with the story going into the film simply because it's such a classic. One thing I found distracting from the start though was its utmost similarity to Tom Hooper's previous The King's Speech in cinematographic work. I don't know if I'm a fan of the slight fish-eye, medium shots of a person in front of some retro-looking background. I think it suited Le Mis a whole lot better than the style did for TKS for some reason. On a technical level, the film was top-notch. The costuming is incredibly beautiful and periodically accurate and the epic grandeur of the story was captured on scale by the camera. I know about the live-singing, but not being a big enthusiast for musicals and operas, I did not find the technique all that impressive except for the "I Dreamed a Dream" scene with Anne Hathaway because I cannot figure out for Jesus Christ how she managed to weep a river all the while reaching incredible notes. I am confident she will be nominated for an Oscar and will not be surprised if she ends up winning it just for that one scene. Overall, my experience with this film was great and I hope to visit it again in the future.
8.5/10
2012
I got extremely lucky with this particular film in that I got to see it at a pre-screening for free because my friend who is in the National Board of Member got me in saying I am also a member (I have absolutely no idea what the group is). Although I had never read the book nor seen the opera, I was quite familiar with the story going into the film simply because it's such a classic. One thing I found distracting from the start though was its utmost similarity to Tom Hooper's previous The King's Speech in cinematographic work. I don't know if I'm a fan of the slight fish-eye, medium shots of a person in front of some retro-looking background. I think it suited Le Mis a whole lot better than the style did for TKS for some reason. On a technical level, the film was top-notch. The costuming is incredibly beautiful and periodically accurate and the epic grandeur of the story was captured on scale by the camera. I know about the live-singing, but not being a big enthusiast for musicals and operas, I did not find the technique all that impressive except for the "I Dreamed a Dream" scene with Anne Hathaway because I cannot figure out for Jesus Christ how she managed to weep a river all the while reaching incredible notes. I am confident she will be nominated for an Oscar and will not be surprised if she ends up winning it just for that one scene. Overall, my experience with this film was great and I hope to visit it again in the future.
8.5/10
#48 The Devil Wears Prada (12/07/12)

Dir. David Frankel
2006
2006
#47 Annie Hall (12/05/12)

Dir. Woody Allen
1977
1977
#46 All Over Me (11/30/12)

Dir. Alex Sichel
1997
1997
#45 Paprika (11/22/12)

Dir. Satoshi Kon
2006
2006
#44 Clueless (11/22/12)

Dir. Amy Heckerling
1995
1995
#43 The Nightmare Before Christmas (11/21/12)

Dir. Tim Burton
1993
1993
#42 Entity (11/21/12)

Dir. Steve Stone
2012
2012
#41 Manhattan (11/20/12)

Dir. Woody Allen
1979
1979
#40 The Next Three Days (11/11/12)

Dir. Paul Haggis
2010
8/10
2010
8/10
#39 Skyfall (11/10/12)

Dir. Sam Mendes
2012
8/10
2012
8/10
#38 The Shining (11/07/12)

Dir. Stanley Kubrick
1980
7/10
1980
7/10
#37 Children of Men (11/03/12)

Dir. Alfonso Cuarón
2006
8/10
2006
8/10
#36 The Blair Witch Project (10/31/12)

Dir. Daniel Myrick & Eduardo Sánchez
1999
6/10
1999
6/10
#35 City of God (10/28/12)

Dir. Fernando Meirelles & Kátia Lund
2002
8/10
2002
8/10
#34 Mephisto (10/26/12)

Dir. István Szabó
1981
7/10
1981
7/10
#33 The Housemaid (10/25/12)

Dir. Im Sang-Soo
2010
8/10
2010
8/10
#32 Sabrina (10/20/12)

Dir. Billy Wilder
1954
7/10
1954
7/10
#31 Cloud Atlas (10/19/12)

Dir. Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachoski & Lana Wachoski
2012
8.5/10
2012
8.5/10
#30 Cool Hand Luke (10/16/12)

Dir. Stuart Rosenberg
1967
I chose to do this film as my Storytelling Strategies (screenwriting class) midterm where I had to break down every cinematic beat and oh man, it took over 3 hours but any time dedicated to this film is a time well spent. I don't know if there is any other movie that can emotionally affect me as much as Cool Hand Luke can. I don't know if it's the fact that the target of my lifelong obsession, Paul Newman, plays the leading man, who is one of the most dynamic characters in all of cinema (and the epitome of a man), or the fact that the movie itself is a very down-to-earth, brilliant piece of tragedy that makes this film so memorable for me. I think I'm just going to conclude that it must be a combination of both. One of my favorite aspects of this movie is its simplicity. It takes place in one location, a prison, that probably costed about 100 bucks to build. The story follows the ups and downs of Luke Jackson, who is imprisoned for cutting the heads off parking meters with his sole reason being that there is nothing much to do in his hometown. As extraordinary as his crime is, he is equally extraordinary. The religious imageries that are scattered here and there are also quite fascinating if you can spot them. I just feel like this is a quintessential Paul Newman movie and I always refer to this movie when people question my unconditional love for him!
10/10
1967
I chose to do this film as my Storytelling Strategies (screenwriting class) midterm where I had to break down every cinematic beat and oh man, it took over 3 hours but any time dedicated to this film is a time well spent. I don't know if there is any other movie that can emotionally affect me as much as Cool Hand Luke can. I don't know if it's the fact that the target of my lifelong obsession, Paul Newman, plays the leading man, who is one of the most dynamic characters in all of cinema (and the epitome of a man), or the fact that the movie itself is a very down-to-earth, brilliant piece of tragedy that makes this film so memorable for me. I think I'm just going to conclude that it must be a combination of both. One of my favorite aspects of this movie is its simplicity. It takes place in one location, a prison, that probably costed about 100 bucks to build. The story follows the ups and downs of Luke Jackson, who is imprisoned for cutting the heads off parking meters with his sole reason being that there is nothing much to do in his hometown. As extraordinary as his crime is, he is equally extraordinary. The religious imageries that are scattered here and there are also quite fascinating if you can spot them. I just feel like this is a quintessential Paul Newman movie and I always refer to this movie when people question my unconditional love for him!
10/10
#29 Paranormal Activity 3 (10/14/12)

Dir. Henry Joost & Ariel Schulman
2011
2011
#28 Seven Psychopaths (10/11/12)

Dir. Martin McDonagh
2012
2012
#27 American Beauty (10/09/12)

Dir. Sam Mendes
1999
1999
#26 The Perks of Being a Wallflower (10/06/12)

Dir. Stephen Chbosky
2012
2012
#25 Rear Window (10/05/12)

Dir. Alfred Hitchcock
1954
1954
#24 Hachi: A Dog's Tale (10/04/12)

Dir. Lasse Hallström
2009
2009
#23 Another Earth (9/22/12)

Dir. Mike Cahill
2011
2011
#22 The Godfather (9/16/12)

Dir. Francis Ford Coppola
1972
1972
#21 The Master (9/15/12)

Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson
2012
So this is the first movie I saw in theater in New York. It was good in the sense that I was compelled throughout the whole thing, but not good in the sense that I had no idea what was going on for more than half of the film. Kind of like Kubrick's movies I guess? Specifically something like 2001: A Space Odyssey, which to be quite frank with all of you, is a very difficult movie to process and a difficult movie to like. But it is beautiful and something about it is very interesting although I'm probably not alone in saying that it's impossible to pin point what. Part of this is due to Joaquin Phoenix's jaw-dropping performance. I mean, how does he do that thing with his mouth?? Now, people call this the "scientology" movie, but really, I thought scientology a very very minimal part of this movie. Yes, it is the subject matter but a movie, a story, if it's good, becomes to far exceed its subject matter. The Master is more so about an ordinary war veteran who is unable to settle down, find love, belong, and is left to turn to a strange religion of some sort and its leader. As I've mentioned before, it doesn't quite fit a formula and I don't want to dumb down the film into a "movie about overcoming loneliness". It's critically daring and as I have expected, it seems like it is getting mixed reviews from the critics industry. I personally have failed to find a grand meaning in this film, but perhaps that is telling me I need another invested viewing.
7.5/10
2012
So this is the first movie I saw in theater in New York. It was good in the sense that I was compelled throughout the whole thing, but not good in the sense that I had no idea what was going on for more than half of the film. Kind of like Kubrick's movies I guess? Specifically something like 2001: A Space Odyssey, which to be quite frank with all of you, is a very difficult movie to process and a difficult movie to like. But it is beautiful and something about it is very interesting although I'm probably not alone in saying that it's impossible to pin point what. Part of this is due to Joaquin Phoenix's jaw-dropping performance. I mean, how does he do that thing with his mouth?? Now, people call this the "scientology" movie, but really, I thought scientology a very very minimal part of this movie. Yes, it is the subject matter but a movie, a story, if it's good, becomes to far exceed its subject matter. The Master is more so about an ordinary war veteran who is unable to settle down, find love, belong, and is left to turn to a strange religion of some sort and its leader. As I've mentioned before, it doesn't quite fit a formula and I don't want to dumb down the film into a "movie about overcoming loneliness". It's critically daring and as I have expected, it seems like it is getting mixed reviews from the critics industry. I personally have failed to find a grand meaning in this film, but perhaps that is telling me I need another invested viewing.
7.5/10
#20 Kramer Vs. Kramer (9/12/12)

Dir. Robert Benton
1979
1979
#19 Funny Games (9/05/12)

Dir. Michael Haneke
1997
7/10
1997
7/10
#18 The Social Network (9/03/12)

Dir. David Fincher
2010
7.5/10
2010
7.5/10
#17 The Rocky Horror Picture Show (8/29/12)

Dir. Jim Sharman
1975
6/10
1975
6/10
#16 Lolita (8/24/12)

Dir. Stanley Kubrick
1962
8/10
1962
8/10
#15 Synecdoche, New York (8/23/12)

Dir. Charlie Kaufman
2008
7.5/10
2008
7.5/10
#14 After Hours (8/21/12)

Dir. Martin Scorsese
1985
8/10
1985
8/10
#13 True Grit (8/21/12)

Dir. Coen Brothers
2010
7.5/10
2010
7.5/10
#12 Alien (8/20/12)

Dir. Ridley Scott
1979
7.5/10
1979
7.5/10
#11 Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (8/18/12)

Dir. Park Chan-Wook
2002
Though not as remotely great as its sequel Oldboy, I liked this a lot better than Sympathy for Lady Vengeance which was the last of Park Chan-Wook's revenge trilogy.
8/10
2002
Though not as remotely great as its sequel Oldboy, I liked this a lot better than Sympathy for Lady Vengeance which was the last of Park Chan-Wook's revenge trilogy.
8/10
#10 Lost In Translation (8/17/12)

Dir. Sofia Coppola
2003
One of my favorite "rainy day - put on a sweater, make a cup of hot cocoa" movies. Though I wouldn't say the narrative aspect of Lost In Translation particularly stood out, the atmospheric feel of the film is what gets to me every time. Tokyo is a beautiful city, at least according to this movie. I love films that serve as odes to a certain area. Woody Allen's Manhattan is a great example as well as Before Sunset with Paris. I liked the non-sexual relationship/friendship Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray's characters were able to maintain because many 21st century romantic flicks tend to be sex-centered. With that said, the build comes very, I mean VERY, slowly. There are barely any actions performed by the two central characters or even active interactions shown between them. Bill Murray is more regarded a hilarious comedian than a serious film actor, but I think Lost In Translation is one great example that shows he should be categorized with the latter (Broken Flowers another good one). Whatever it is about him, I always sense that he's a little bit sad or that he's had a stressful life even outside of this movie. So he played his role really well. In addition, this is Johansson's best work by far and she was only 19 when it was filmed! (That is my age and what have I done in my life so far?)
8/10
2003
One of my favorite "rainy day - put on a sweater, make a cup of hot cocoa" movies. Though I wouldn't say the narrative aspect of Lost In Translation particularly stood out, the atmospheric feel of the film is what gets to me every time. Tokyo is a beautiful city, at least according to this movie. I love films that serve as odes to a certain area. Woody Allen's Manhattan is a great example as well as Before Sunset with Paris. I liked the non-sexual relationship/friendship Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray's characters were able to maintain because many 21st century romantic flicks tend to be sex-centered. With that said, the build comes very, I mean VERY, slowly. There are barely any actions performed by the two central characters or even active interactions shown between them. Bill Murray is more regarded a hilarious comedian than a serious film actor, but I think Lost In Translation is one great example that shows he should be categorized with the latter (Broken Flowers another good one). Whatever it is about him, I always sense that he's a little bit sad or that he's had a stressful life even outside of this movie. So he played his role really well. In addition, this is Johansson's best work by far and she was only 19 when it was filmed! (That is my age and what have I done in my life so far?)
8/10
#9 Love and Death (8/17/12)

Dir. Woody Allen
1975
One of the key reasons why I cherish Woody Allen movies is that his stuff are never difficult or tedious, yet very analytic and thought-provoking. Love and Death is a satire using czarist Russia as its background. Allen plays his regular role as a neurotic and cowardly average joe who is drafted into the Russian army to fight against Napoleon's forces. Keaton plays his intellectual cousin and also his love interest. The story revolves around the two's attempt to assassinate Napoleon in order to end all warfare and bring peace upon Europe. This film lies on the borderline between Woody's first half of dabbing at straight up comedies and his second half of approaching more serious, dramatic filmmaking. Love and Death has its silly Charlie Chaplin-like moments, but some of the dialogues delivered mostly by Allen and Keaton's characters involve much philosophy and religion. It's pretty obvious Allen is an atheist through his other more known films like Hannah and Her Sister and Deconstructing Harry, but he makes his claim the most obvious in this piece. If a movie had a thesis, kind of like an essay, it would be that "God is an underachiever" (I can almost guarantee you that that is a direct quotation from the film). His deliverance of a rather radical statement is never offensive nor difficult to comprehend. And by far the most fascinating aspect of this movie is its capturing of a human's confrontation with death (Bergman explores this concept cinematically before Allen, but definitely in a less comical way).
7.5/10
1975
One of the key reasons why I cherish Woody Allen movies is that his stuff are never difficult or tedious, yet very analytic and thought-provoking. Love and Death is a satire using czarist Russia as its background. Allen plays his regular role as a neurotic and cowardly average joe who is drafted into the Russian army to fight against Napoleon's forces. Keaton plays his intellectual cousin and also his love interest. The story revolves around the two's attempt to assassinate Napoleon in order to end all warfare and bring peace upon Europe. This film lies on the borderline between Woody's first half of dabbing at straight up comedies and his second half of approaching more serious, dramatic filmmaking. Love and Death has its silly Charlie Chaplin-like moments, but some of the dialogues delivered mostly by Allen and Keaton's characters involve much philosophy and religion. It's pretty obvious Allen is an atheist through his other more known films like Hannah and Her Sister and Deconstructing Harry, but he makes his claim the most obvious in this piece. If a movie had a thesis, kind of like an essay, it would be that "God is an underachiever" (I can almost guarantee you that that is a direct quotation from the film). His deliverance of a rather radical statement is never offensive nor difficult to comprehend. And by far the most fascinating aspect of this movie is its capturing of a human's confrontation with death (Bergman explores this concept cinematically before Allen, but definitely in a less comical way).
7.5/10
#8 Lost Highway (8/16/12)

Dir. David Lynch
1997
I was a bit disappointed with this film because I had heard it's very similar to Mulholland Dr., which I enjoyed to its maximum. One reason I'm disappointed comes from the fact that the structure of the narrative is way too similar to Mulholland Dr., but the quality of the story is not able to compare. I like Lynch because he gives the audience complete freedom to interpret the mind twist he has craftily prepared for us. However, I felt like the premise of Lost Highway was so convoluted but also minimal at the same time. At one point, I was too carried away by the claustrophobic story line Lynch offered that I had no time to think for myself and at another (near the end), I was completely thrown off and suddenly felt the pressure to comprehend every detail on my own (kind of like Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey). That was an awfully bizarre and confusing sentence I wrote, but that is exactly how the movie is. As an art house horror, I give the movie a standing ovation because the visuals are certainly stylish and it actually was really, really scary. There is an absolutely frightening character named Mystery Man (google him if you have the heart for it) and though his character felt inconsistent and only added to my frustration throughout the movie, he had much to offer to the eerie atmosphere that Lynch was going for.
7/10
1997
I was a bit disappointed with this film because I had heard it's very similar to Mulholland Dr., which I enjoyed to its maximum. One reason I'm disappointed comes from the fact that the structure of the narrative is way too similar to Mulholland Dr., but the quality of the story is not able to compare. I like Lynch because he gives the audience complete freedom to interpret the mind twist he has craftily prepared for us. However, I felt like the premise of Lost Highway was so convoluted but also minimal at the same time. At one point, I was too carried away by the claustrophobic story line Lynch offered that I had no time to think for myself and at another (near the end), I was completely thrown off and suddenly felt the pressure to comprehend every detail on my own (kind of like Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey). That was an awfully bizarre and confusing sentence I wrote, but that is exactly how the movie is. As an art house horror, I give the movie a standing ovation because the visuals are certainly stylish and it actually was really, really scary. There is an absolutely frightening character named Mystery Man (google him if you have the heart for it) and though his character felt inconsistent and only added to my frustration throughout the movie, he had much to offer to the eerie atmosphere that Lynch was going for.
7/10
#7 True Romance (8/15/12)

Dir. Tony Scott
1993
I heard the news that Tony Scott took his own life yesterday and though I have no right to judge such a personal decision, I am sad that such a talented director has left the film industry. My favorite part about this film, and I think many will agree, is the flawless cast. Christian Slater plays the main male role while Patricia Arquette plays his female counterpart. Gary Oldman and Christopher Walken are both villains and although their characters were minor as far as screen time, I think this movie is where I've seen their best. My favorite was a young Brad Pitt, just before the peak of his career with 99's Fight Club, playing a straight up stoner. With a movie like this, it's the little scenes rather than the entire scope of the film that make this a classic. As this is written by Quentin Tarantino, my statement also applies to his other works like Pulp Fiction and Inglorious Basterds that contain some of the most memorable conversational scenes. In True Romance, there is the scene in the first half of the movie where Christopher Walken, the gang boss, intrudes into the house of the protagonist's father played by Dennis Hopper and interrogating the whereabouts of his son who Walken believes has stolen a million dollars worth of cocaine. In it, the two cinematic legends discuss completely irrelevant topics such as the history of Sicily. Though it is ultimately a harmless conversation, the viewers know that something bad is about to happen and we're only seconds away from it. Tarantino is a god with those scenes!
8/10
1993
I heard the news that Tony Scott took his own life yesterday and though I have no right to judge such a personal decision, I am sad that such a talented director has left the film industry. My favorite part about this film, and I think many will agree, is the flawless cast. Christian Slater plays the main male role while Patricia Arquette plays his female counterpart. Gary Oldman and Christopher Walken are both villains and although their characters were minor as far as screen time, I think this movie is where I've seen their best. My favorite was a young Brad Pitt, just before the peak of his career with 99's Fight Club, playing a straight up stoner. With a movie like this, it's the little scenes rather than the entire scope of the film that make this a classic. As this is written by Quentin Tarantino, my statement also applies to his other works like Pulp Fiction and Inglorious Basterds that contain some of the most memorable conversational scenes. In True Romance, there is the scene in the first half of the movie where Christopher Walken, the gang boss, intrudes into the house of the protagonist's father played by Dennis Hopper and interrogating the whereabouts of his son who Walken believes has stolen a million dollars worth of cocaine. In it, the two cinematic legends discuss completely irrelevant topics such as the history of Sicily. Though it is ultimately a harmless conversation, the viewers know that something bad is about to happen and we're only seconds away from it. Tarantino is a god with those scenes!
8/10
#6 Bridget Jones's Diary (8/14/12)

Dir. Sharon Maguire
2001
I hope you guys understand and I sincerely apologize but I am 8 movies behind schedule so I will just say that this is one of the most ordinary British romantic comedies I've ever seen where Renée Zellweger plays an obnoxious girl who is desperate to find love and Hugh Graph plays a sleazy boss and Colin Firth is cute.
6.5/10
2001
I hope you guys understand and I sincerely apologize but I am 8 movies behind schedule so I will just say that this is one of the most ordinary British romantic comedies I've ever seen where Renée Zellweger plays an obnoxious girl who is desperate to find love and Hugh Graph plays a sleazy boss and Colin Firth is cute.
6.5/10
#5 A Man and a Woman (8/13/12)

Dir. Claude Lelouch
1966
A very atmospheric French New Wave piece, but it DID NOT work for me. The film focuses too much on the style of the filmmaking that it forgets to tell an interesting story. I was on my iPhone during most of the scenes with the car (which is like a quarter of the movie you guys) because they looked like a low-budget car advertisement. The film might have well been called A Man, a Woman, and a Car. The characters' background "traumas" are sad, but not sad or atypical enough for much sympathy. The woman's stunt double husband died of an accident during a shoot and the man's wife passed away from a nervous breakdown when she heard that her husband got in a fatal accident during his car race. The two both have young children that attend the same boarding school and meet coincidentally as they drop their kids off. The way they meet is awfully scripted (feels too coincidental to be realistic). The flashbacks with their past lovers are long, driven too much by the music instead of visuals, and felt like they belonged to a bad soap opera. A Man and A Woman is not a good film at all, but if you are looking for something minimalist or a sleeping aid, it might in fact do you some good.
7/10
1966
A very atmospheric French New Wave piece, but it DID NOT work for me. The film focuses too much on the style of the filmmaking that it forgets to tell an interesting story. I was on my iPhone during most of the scenes with the car (which is like a quarter of the movie you guys) because they looked like a low-budget car advertisement. The film might have well been called A Man, a Woman, and a Car. The characters' background "traumas" are sad, but not sad or atypical enough for much sympathy. The woman's stunt double husband died of an accident during a shoot and the man's wife passed away from a nervous breakdown when she heard that her husband got in a fatal accident during his car race. The two both have young children that attend the same boarding school and meet coincidentally as they drop their kids off. The way they meet is awfully scripted (feels too coincidental to be realistic). The flashbacks with their past lovers are long, driven too much by the music instead of visuals, and felt like they belonged to a bad soap opera. A Man and A Woman is not a good film at all, but if you are looking for something minimalist or a sleeping aid, it might in fact do you some good.
7/10
#4 Harold And Maude (8/12/12)

Dir. Hal Ashby
1971
The one-second shot of Maude's forearm which has a Nazi concentration camp identity tattoo is what turned this movie from an awkward, slightly disturbing movie into a clever black comedy and a beautiful love story. Harold is in his early twenties, obsessed with death, and his clueless mother disregards his obvious idiosyncrasies and insists that he marry a girl. His favorite downtime activity is going to random people's funerals, also a favorite hobby of Maude, a 79-year-old woman who doesn't seem to play by any set of rules. Eccentric is an understatement to explain the type of person she is as she had a Phoebe Buffay (from Friends) caricature. It's definitely a cult film, meaning it isn't for anyone though it probably has its die-hard fans and followers. Maude is the original cougar and Harold the original motherf***er. As I mentioned, Maude's rather sad background is what made the movie for me because honestly, nothing is more beautiful than a person who has every reason in the universe to hate his/her life along with the general humanity but overlooks its flaws because life is too short to be dwelling on the negative. I thought Bud Cort, who played Harold, did a pretty bad job playing his role and thought perhaps Harold and Maude was his debut, but it looks like he's done a great deal of TV shows and movies prior. Ruth Gordon shined brightly though. It's always so memorable seeing aged legends on the modern screen.
7.5/10
1971
The one-second shot of Maude's forearm which has a Nazi concentration camp identity tattoo is what turned this movie from an awkward, slightly disturbing movie into a clever black comedy and a beautiful love story. Harold is in his early twenties, obsessed with death, and his clueless mother disregards his obvious idiosyncrasies and insists that he marry a girl. His favorite downtime activity is going to random people's funerals, also a favorite hobby of Maude, a 79-year-old woman who doesn't seem to play by any set of rules. Eccentric is an understatement to explain the type of person she is as she had a Phoebe Buffay (from Friends) caricature. It's definitely a cult film, meaning it isn't for anyone though it probably has its die-hard fans and followers. Maude is the original cougar and Harold the original motherf***er. As I mentioned, Maude's rather sad background is what made the movie for me because honestly, nothing is more beautiful than a person who has every reason in the universe to hate his/her life along with the general humanity but overlooks its flaws because life is too short to be dwelling on the negative. I thought Bud Cort, who played Harold, did a pretty bad job playing his role and thought perhaps Harold and Maude was his debut, but it looks like he's done a great deal of TV shows and movies prior. Ruth Gordon shined brightly though. It's always so memorable seeing aged legends on the modern screen.
7.5/10
#3 The Bourne Legacy (8/11/12)

Dir. Tony Gilroy
2012
I can't imagine hardcore fans of the original Bourne trilogy really liking this movie because all the characters are replaced and it undoes the resolution of The Bourne Ultimatum. Nevertheless, I highly enjoyed this sequel for its much better capturing of the relationship between the main lead Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner) and his female counterpart played by the brilliant Rachel Weizs (wait you guys how in the world do you pronounce her last name). I loved the introduction of her character into the narrative because she wasn't simply a girl interest of Cross, but an important link to the drugs that are serving as killing agents for the CIA. The subtle romance is believable and both had obvious weaknesses that I enjoyed analyzing. For example, Cross seems pretty naive unlike Matt Damon's Jason Bourne and Marta in that she seems too blinded by the possible scientific feat of her research to notice the scope of awful side effects. I wasn't too thrilled by Edward Norton in the film though for I thought his role in general was very minor and he himself was underperforming. Regarding the Bourne series, I really like the fact that the chase is executed from a CIA headquarter room setting. I'm glad the film crew kept such scenes in TBL with Edward Norton obnoxiously shouting orders to CIA version of privates. I usually have a problem with too much stunts in modern action movies, but I didn't think the action here was too excessive and a lot of the tricks involving the motorcycle near the end were pretty slick.
8/10
2012
I can't imagine hardcore fans of the original Bourne trilogy really liking this movie because all the characters are replaced and it undoes the resolution of The Bourne Ultimatum. Nevertheless, I highly enjoyed this sequel for its much better capturing of the relationship between the main lead Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner) and his female counterpart played by the brilliant Rachel Weizs (wait you guys how in the world do you pronounce her last name). I loved the introduction of her character into the narrative because she wasn't simply a girl interest of Cross, but an important link to the drugs that are serving as killing agents for the CIA. The subtle romance is believable and both had obvious weaknesses that I enjoyed analyzing. For example, Cross seems pretty naive unlike Matt Damon's Jason Bourne and Marta in that she seems too blinded by the possible scientific feat of her research to notice the scope of awful side effects. I wasn't too thrilled by Edward Norton in the film though for I thought his role in general was very minor and he himself was underperforming. Regarding the Bourne series, I really like the fact that the chase is executed from a CIA headquarter room setting. I'm glad the film crew kept such scenes in TBL with Edward Norton obnoxiously shouting orders to CIA version of privates. I usually have a problem with too much stunts in modern action movies, but I didn't think the action here was too excessive and a lot of the tricks involving the motorcycle near the end were pretty slick.
8/10
#2 Forgetting Sarah marshall (8/10/12)

Dir. Nicholas Stoller
2008
I think Jason Segel may be my favorite comedic screenwriter active today after Jason Reitman. I did make the unfortunate decision to watch the unrated version with my dad because frankly, I did not expect to see many shots of uncensored penis and man, it was awkward. Aside from the male anatomy parts, I really really enjoyed Forgetting Sarah Marshall. The cast was an amazing ensemble of today's funniest comedians including Paul Rudd, Russell Brand, Jonah Hill, and Kristen Wiig. Just like any other romantic comedies, the predictability of this movie is probably the biggest criticism. But I felt the predictable outcome had its own little charm - the fact that the viewers knew in the first 20 minutes that Peter (Segel) would end up with the hot front office girl in the Hawaiian hotel (Kunis) instead of getting back together with his lovable but brainless ex-girlfriend Sarah Marshall (Bell). I mean, COME ON, the title even says so. My favorite part was one regarding Peter's vampire musical, which is a side project he's been working on that he eventually wants to make his full time work because he hates his current job as a music synthesizer for a TV show (that stars his actress ex-girlfriend). This definitely isn't everyone's cup of tea but as a girl in my late teenage years, I have a recommend this to all my buddies out there that are cool with a bit of obnoxious teen/early 20s humor.
8/10
2008
I think Jason Segel may be my favorite comedic screenwriter active today after Jason Reitman. I did make the unfortunate decision to watch the unrated version with my dad because frankly, I did not expect to see many shots of uncensored penis and man, it was awkward. Aside from the male anatomy parts, I really really enjoyed Forgetting Sarah Marshall. The cast was an amazing ensemble of today's funniest comedians including Paul Rudd, Russell Brand, Jonah Hill, and Kristen Wiig. Just like any other romantic comedies, the predictability of this movie is probably the biggest criticism. But I felt the predictable outcome had its own little charm - the fact that the viewers knew in the first 20 minutes that Peter (Segel) would end up with the hot front office girl in the Hawaiian hotel (Kunis) instead of getting back together with his lovable but brainless ex-girlfriend Sarah Marshall (Bell). I mean, COME ON, the title even says so. My favorite part was one regarding Peter's vampire musical, which is a side project he's been working on that he eventually wants to make his full time work because he hates his current job as a music synthesizer for a TV show (that stars his actress ex-girlfriend). This definitely isn't everyone's cup of tea but as a girl in my late teenage years, I have a recommend this to all my buddies out there that are cool with a bit of obnoxious teen/early 20s humor.
8/10
#1 The Innocents (8/10/12)

Dir. Jack Clayton
1961
I certainly felt the premise of the film was interesting about an energetic governess hired to take care of two children in the idyllic town of England and realizes that one of the kids may be possessed by a dead man who used to live on the estate. However, it could not have a worse ending. It did not leave me satisfied and failed to explain a lot of the situations that arose throughout the narrative. My interpretation of the ending was that the woman was actually insane and has been hallucinating the whole time instead of the fact that the young boy was possessed by a spirit. If my interpretation is right which I'm confident it is, this has got to be the lamest solution to a "haunted house" story ever. I mean, a director can't just throw random bizarre happenings here and there and explain them so simply by saying that the main character has a mental disorder, the end. The supposedly "scary" scenes are really not that scary in today's standards and I know black and white films from the 50s and 60s have the ability to tell absolutely frightening stories (see Diabolique). This movie lacks the psychological exploration of possession or delusions to be considered a psychological thriller. So this movie is left to be categorized as a third-rate PG-rated horror.
7/10
1961
I certainly felt the premise of the film was interesting about an energetic governess hired to take care of two children in the idyllic town of England and realizes that one of the kids may be possessed by a dead man who used to live on the estate. However, it could not have a worse ending. It did not leave me satisfied and failed to explain a lot of the situations that arose throughout the narrative. My interpretation of the ending was that the woman was actually insane and has been hallucinating the whole time instead of the fact that the young boy was possessed by a spirit. If my interpretation is right which I'm confident it is, this has got to be the lamest solution to a "haunted house" story ever. I mean, a director can't just throw random bizarre happenings here and there and explain them so simply by saying that the main character has a mental disorder, the end. The supposedly "scary" scenes are really not that scary in today's standards and I know black and white films from the 50s and 60s have the ability to tell absolutely frightening stories (see Diabolique). This movie lacks the psychological exploration of possession or delusions to be considered a psychological thriller. So this movie is left to be categorized as a third-rate PG-rated horror.
7/10