#228. The Conversation

"He'd kill us if he got the chance."

A paranoid survellience expert is hired to record a young couple's conversation. He refuses to hand over the tapes after he suspects the couple could be in great danger because of them. As the story unfolds, Harry's paranoia and burning conscience make it hard from him to distinguish what's in his mind from reality.

To be honest, I found most of this movie confusing. After it ended, I had to read reviews online and basically do a research paper to understand what happened in it. Now that I've done that, it makes more sense, but that doesn't take away from the fact that it was entirely too slow. I don't see how anyone could understand what was going on until about half way through the movie. From watching the trailer, I could have sworn this movie was going to be an awesome psychological thriller like "The Secret Window" or something like that, but it was far from my expectations. Sure, there were a few some-what scary moments near the end, but not enough to classify it as a "thriller".

My favorite character was the protagonist Harry Caul. He was the one with all the psychological  problems, so it's pretty much a given; he was the most interesting. The couple was also significant, but I have to say, all the others did absolutely nothing for me. But since Harry was great, the "characters" score didn't plummet too much.

Overall, I thought the movie had a very interesting plot (after I understood it), and the end isn't something you'd expect, which I appreciate. It didn't hold my attention like some other movies, but it wasn't too bad. My immediate rating is a 6.8.

Characters: 6.7/10
Acting: 7/10

Storyline: 6.8/10
Entertainment Value: 6.3/10

Immediate Rating: 6.8/10

Total Score: 33.6/50

#229. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

"No growth without assistance. No action without reaction. No desire without restraint. Now give yourself up and find yourself again."

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is an Asian film in the Mandarin language that focuses on an epic quest. Li Mu Bai decides to pass on magical sword to a friend, but it is stolen by a mysterious martial arts master. Li and his love interest Yu Shu Lien have taken on the challenge to discover who the theif is and retrieve the sword.

I've never really been fond of Asian fighting movies, and to be honest, I especially don't get hype about this one. Sure, it was fun to watch (borderlining humorous...) and it had pretty good themes going for it like honour, love, and discipline, but the plot wasn't awe-inspiring enough to catch my undivided attention. And though the acclaimed film critics would think I was insane for this, I thought the fight scenes were extremely corny. I mean running up walls, and gliding on tree tops? They could have made at least a little bit realistic. Despite this, I do commend the actors in their talents for martial arts.

I didn't really have a favorite character while watching this. There were only about four that stood out to me, and they were of course the main characters. Dark Cloud and Jiao Long were a little bit more interesting than the other two, so my favor leans toward them.

The fact that I watch the English-dubbed version could affect my judgement of this film, but it was the only version I could find. To assess it in one word, I would say it's "decent". I could watch it again to catch some underlying meaning of the storyline, but this is not my kind of movie, so I'd rather not. My immediate rating is a 6.4.

Characters: 6.8/10
Acting: 6.4/10

Storyline: 6.5/10
Entertainment Value: 6.9/10

Immediate Rating: 6.4/10

Total Score: 33/50

#230. Changeling

"I used to tell Walter, 'Never start a fight... but always finish it.' I didn't start this fight... but by God, I'm going to finish it."

In this film, Angelina Jolie plays Christine Collins, a single mother with a young son named Walter. One day, she leaves him home alone because she had to unexpectedly go in for work. She comes back that night to find that Walter is missing. After contacting the police many times, they arrive with news that her son has been found. Collins soon realizes that the boy they gave her is not her son, but a stranger they are using to cover up their failure of handling the case. Throughout the movie, Collins never stops in her attempts to receive justice and get her real son back, but must go through a countless number of trials to finally derive the truth.

The first time I sat down to watch this movie was last year. I was with my boyfriend, and we didn't get through ten minutes of it because we thought it was so boring. Watching it the second time around, I now realize how wrong we were. This is honestly one of the best movies I've seen in a very long time. And the reason why? Because every single scene was so incredibly compelling. I was on the edge of my seat the whole movie, wondering what would happen next.

 The acting was extraordinary. Angelina Jolie fit the role perfectly, and I would almost bet on her being an actual "grieving mother" because of how real she made it seem.

As far as characters go, my favorite was Gordon Northcott (played by Jason Butler Harner). Though he plays a horrible person in this movie, all the scenes he was in were my favorites. His presence made the story itself all the more enthralling, and may be the reason why this film has "thriller" on its list of genres.

I can't believe that I didn't know how great this movie is until now, but I'm very glad I finally got to watch it all the way through. My immediate rating is an 8.8/10.

Characters: 8.4/10

Acting: 8.7/10

Storyline: 8.9/10

Entertainment Value: 9/10

Immediate Rating: 8.8/10

Total Score: 43.8/50

#231. The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button

"It's a funny thing about coming home. Looks the same, smells the same, feels the same. You'll realize what's changed is you."

The movie begins with an elderly lady lying in a hospital bed. She asks her daughter Caroline to read the diary of Benjamin Button, her former love. The diary recounts Benjamin's entire life story; all the experiences of a man who lived his life backwards.

I've seen Benjamin Button once before. My boyfriend and I actually saw it on our first date a year and a half ago. And it's still the only movie we can never agree on. He thought the concept was horrible, boring, and that it made no sense, while I found it touching and profound. And I've got to say, after watching it a second time, my opinion still hasn't changed. To me, it's still a wonderfully made film with a unique concept.

There were a lot of special and well-rounded characters in this movie. My favorite was Queenie, who played Benjamin's adopted mother, because she was a very caring and warm-hearted character. I love how she adopted Benjamin even despite his unusual disability, and cared for him like he were her own son.

Overall, I really enjoyed watching this movie a lot, maybe even more the second time. There were many quotes and scenes in this movie that were very touching. I'll give it an immediate rating of 8.

Characters: 7.8/10

Acting: 8.2/10

Storyline: 8.2/10

Entertainment Value: 7.7/10

Immediate Rating: 8/10

Total Score: 39.9/50

#232. Little Miss Sunshine

"Everyone, just... pretend to be normal."

In this film, a dysfunctional family goes on a road trip to California after 7-year-old Olive is selected to compete in the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant. On the way, the family encounters a countless amount of trials, but will stop at nothing until they reach their anticipated destination.

This is one of my favorite movies. I've only seen it once before now, but it was even better the second time. I love absolutely everything about it. The bittersweet sadness of the music fits the film like a glove, and the dialogue is so realistic. Actually everything about this movie is realistic in every way, which is why I believe it's held to such high acclaim. 

Every character is great in this movie, but I have a couple of favorites. I loved the dad, Richard, (played by Greg Kinnear) because his character is so believable. His failure in his career has ruined his self-esteem, yet he yearns to be known by others as being an ambitious confident man. My other favorite character was Dwayne (played by Paul Dano) because his acting captures the epitome and frustration of being a teenager, along with the drama that tags along.

There's nothing more I can say about this film. It's different, it's depressing in a very comforting sense, and I think it's perfection. My rating is an 8.7.

Characters: 8.8/10

Acting: 9/10

Storyline: 8.6/10

Entertainment Value: 9/10

Immediate Rating: 8.7/10

Total Score: 44.1/50

#233. Barry Lyndon

"I'm not sorry. And I'll not apologize. And I'd as soon go to Dublin as to hell." 

Set in the eighteenth century, Irishman Redmond Barry travels from a small village in Ireland to Dublin after killing a man in a duel. He ventures through his life as a soldier in the British army, then in the Prussian army, and then as a professional gambler. He then meets a wealthy lady named Lady Lyndon and marries her in England. His name is changed to Barry Lyndon, and he plans to acquire her fortune as well as gain his own importance. 

After reading a lot of reviews that said this movie was boring, I wasn't too excited too see it, especially considering its three hours in length. But I found myself being very pleasantly surprised while watching it. I wasn't bored at all through out the whole movie; I actually thought it was entertaining. In some ways though, I felt the plot was kind of pointless. Some events were unnecessary, as well as a few of the characters. I don't even think I had a favorite one. I thought the main character, Barry Lyndon, was interesting though not exactly likable, and the others were just a bit dull. Thankfully though, there were recognizable characters unlike the last movie I watched.

The movie overall wasn't bad at all. There were some really compelling scenes as well as gorgeous landscapes captured through out the film. I'll give it an immediate rating of 7.

Characters: 6.8/10

Acting: 7.3/10

Storyline: 6.7/10
Entertainment Value: 6.4/10

Immediate Rating: 7/10

Total Score: 34.2/50

#234. All Quiet On The Western Front

"Our bodies are earth. And our thoughts are clay. And we sleep and eat with death."

Unlike some other war movies, this film does not highlight the heroism of World War I, but the reality and drudgery of its constant adversities and a soldiers' undeniable struggle to survive. This movie basically follows the experiences of a group of young soldiers after being talked into enlisting the first world war.

I'll be very honest about this movie. I thought it was almost unbearably boring, especially the initial half hour. And I love history too, but I guess that I'm just too young to understand this movie's significance. Or maybe it's the fact that it was made 80 years ago; it's just out of my time.

I couldn't really tell who was the main character, or if there was even supposed to be one. I only heard a couple of select names through out the film. Paul did stick out to me though. I liked his character because he seemed very real. His speech near the end of the movie to the aspiring soldiers was an honest interpretation of what he felt about war, and I liked that he was almost warning them of the upcoming anguish they would face.

So I did like the ending because it captured my attention more than the rest of the movie did. And I know I missed a lot due to my mind drifting on-and-off, so it's probably a lot better than I say it is. But I'm guessing the main reason for this movie's acclaim is because it's known for being the first "good" movie of its time. It is from 1930 after all.

My immediate rating is a 6.3.

Characters: 5.8/10

Acting: 6.2/10

Storyline: 6.5/10
Entertainment Value: 5.8/10

Immediate Rating: 6.3/10

Total Score: 30.6/50

#235. The Nightmare Before Christmas

"There's children throwing snowballs / instead of throwing heads / they're busy building toys / and absolutely no one's dead!"

The movie starts off with Jack Skellington, who's finally bored with Halloween year after year and is ready for a change. He stumbles upon a tree that leads him into another world; a happier world called Christmas Town. Jack then schemes a plan to kidnap Santa Claus and become the new St. Nick, delivering presents and joy to all of the kids in the city.

In my opinion, this is a very frightening and creepy film, it being for children. I remember it always scaring me when I was a kid, and it still does a little bit to an extent. I definitely love the concept though. The idea of Halloween colliding with Christmas is indeed very original and never been done before.

My favorite character was Sally mainly because I loved her meek and sensitive personality. I also really liked her beautifully haunting voice in "Sally's Song".

Actually, I appreciated all of the songs in this film. They added an eerie spark to the movie that wouldn't have been present without them. One thing that I noticed about the film is that the Halloween presentation as well as its Christmas presentation both felt true to the aura and character of the holidays. It was kind of like a two in one deal, which is impressive.

Being a short movie, it definitely held a lot of substance. My rating is a 7.4.

Characters: 7.4/10

Acting: 8/10

Storyline: 7.6/10
Entertainment Value: 7.3/10

Immediate Rating: 7.4/10

Total Score: 37.7/50

#236. The Truman Show

"We accept the reality of the world with which we are presented."

Truman Burbank thinks that he is an ordinary guy with a same-old life, with normal friends, a normal wife, and a normal job. Little does he know, his entire life has been video taped for a 24-hour TV show seen by millions, known as "The Truman Show". Everything is going as usual, until Truman starts discovering clues about the set, and the chaos begins.

I really liked this movie. Though I feel that the plot itself is a little far-fetched and outlandish, it's still a very unique concept that makes you think.

My favorite character was Truman Burbank, played by Jim Carrey. Of course, he was the star of the show, but a great one at that. I love that this really shows that he doesn't just play in stupid movies. There was also Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, a movie that I absolutely adore, that shows that Carrey can be a very versatile actor. And even though he's done some great comedies, I really think I like his drama movies better.

All I can say is that Jim Carrey was great in this movie, and I thought it was a very solid film. My rating is a 7.5

Characters: 7.3/10

Acting: 8.2/10

Storyline: 7.7/10
Entertainment Value: 7.6/10

Immediate Rating: 7.9/10

Total Score: 38.7/50

#237. Anatomy of a Murder

"All right, the cat's out of the bag; it's fair game for me to chase it!"

This was a very simple movie with a solid plot. A man named Frederick Manion was arrested for murdering a man that had raped and beaten his wife. In his trial, he is defended by Paul Biegler, who attempts to convince the jury that Manion's crime was a result of temporary insanity.

This movie was very decent, but I thought 12 Angry Men was better, just because it was less predictable and had a more interesting concept.

I honestly didn't have a favorite character, because I felt that all of them were pretty weak and generic. I thought Lt. Manion (played by Ben Gazzara) was refreshing though, because his personality wasn't quite as predictable as the rest. I liked how his jealous and abusive nature was revealed throughout the story, kind of throwing off who was the real good guy in the case. 

This definitely wasn't my favorite movie watched so far, but I suppose it was good entertainment for a courtroom drama. I'll give it an immediate rating of 6.9.

Characters: 6.6/10

Acting: 7/10

Storyline: 7.1/10
Entertainment Value: 6.6/10

Immediate Rating: 6.9/10

Total Score: 34.2/50

#238. Mulholland Dr.

"It'll be just like in the movies. Pretending to be somebody else."

This movie is about a woman who gets in a car accident, causing her to have amnesia. She manages to find a house to stay in, and soon meets a perky Hollywood hopeful named Betty. Throughout the film, the two try to put the pieces together to uncover the mystery of the car crash, as well as bring to light the details of the amnesic's identity.

I thought this movie was very difficult to understand; more mind-boggling than Donnie Darko even. It was strange because the first 3/4 of the movie was so normal, and then it suddenly turns into a cluster of madness and confusion. Even after doing some research and reading other reviews, I still don't understand everything; but I think I get the basic gist of the ending.

My favorite character was Betty (played by Naomi Watts) because of her sudden change of personality half way through the movie. It was not only an interesting add to the story, but it shows just how good of an actress Watts is for being so diverse.

One good thing about the film is that even though it was two hours and twenty minutes long, I was never for a second bored. Its creepy and suspenseful nature kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. It was confusing, frightening, and did leave me a bit disturbed, but it was all good entertainment none the less. My immediate rating is 7.3

Characters: 7/10

Acting: 7.6/10

Storyline: 7.3/10
Entertainment Value: 7.8/10

Immediate Rating: 7.3/10

Total Score: 37/50

#239. The Adventures Of Robin Hood

"I'll organize revolt, exact a death for a death, and I'll never rest until every Saxon in this shire can stand up free men and strike a blow for Richard and England."

Based on the popular legend, Robin of Locksley is a Saxon who flees to Sherwood forest. There, he  becomes an outlaw they called "Robin Hood". He and his Merry Men steal from the rich, murder, and fight against the Normans in hopes of defeating Prince John and attaining peace and fairness for all of England.

It's a very simple and predictable movie, but I'm guessing it's highly rated and favorited for its classic adventure and good fun. I enjoyed watching it, though I wouldn't say it's one of my favorites. But I've got to admit; it's miles better than the new Robin Hood that recently came out in theaters. The difference in the two is that this movie shows the charm and classic character of Robin Hood, while the recent one is two and a half hours of Robin Hood's boring history.

I don't really have a favorite character, but I suppose I'll choose Will Scarlett (played by Patric Knowles) because he seems like a good humble man. Overall, The Adventures Of Robin Hood was a fun movie to watch, but not by a long shot the best movie I've seen. I'll give it an immediate rating of 6.9.

Characters: 6.9/10

Acting: 7/10

Storyline: 6.8/10
Entertainment Value: 7.1/10

Immediate Rating: 6.9/10

Total Score: 34.7/50

#240. Toy Story 2

"You're right, Prospector. I can't stop Andy from growing up...but I wouldn't miss it for the world."

In this Toy Story, Woody was captured by a greedy toy collector, Al McWiggin. He makes new friends with Jessie the Cowgirl, Stinky Pete, and Bullseye the horse whilst Buzz and the rest of the gang have set out to rescue him.

The whole time watching this movie, I kept debating whether or not I saw it when I was a kid. I know I saw the first one and loved it, but this one I couldn't remember as much. Some parts seemed familiar, but it had to have been at least 9 or 10 years ago if I did see it. What I loved about this movie though, was that anybody can watch it and enjoy it. Whether it be kids or their parents or teenagers, Toy Story 2 has such a moving quality about it that everybody can relate to.

Though I love all of the characters, Rex the dinosaur has always been my favorite. He has such a lovable personality and innocent spirit that I adore!

Out of all three Toy Story movies, this one is probably the weakest, but still a wonderful film none the less. I'm giving the character aspect of the movie a lower score than I usually would, because some of the new ones I felt were somewhat unnecessary. But the magical essence of the original characters were captured just as well as the first Toy Story. This movie proves very worthy of being classic Disney! I'll give it an 8.2.

Characters: 8.7/10

Acting: 8/10

Storyline: 7.6/10

Entertainment Value: 8/10

Immediate Rating: 8.2/10

Total Score: 40.5/50

#241. Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?

"I swear, if you existed, I'd divorce you."

I thought this movie had a very unique concept. Two hours spent in the life of a dysfunctional couple, coping with their misery in company of another. Not much of a plot, but a very interesting concept indeed. Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf was incredibly exhausting with all of its mood swings and yelling and laughter. In one phrase I would say it was like "beating a dead horse".

You get tired of the same four characters' voices, as well as the constant drinking and the ice clinks in the glasses, but I guess that was the point.

My favorite character was George (played by Richard Burton) because I didn't think his acting was over dramatic like all of the others, which I liked. Though I'm guessing this melodramatic acting was probably well looked upon at the time in these old movies, I appreciated that he seemed to have the most believable persona of the four. 

And don't get me wrong, I enjoyed watching this movie greatly. I just feel worn out with a slight head ache, as if I have a hangover or something after watching it. I guess that goes to show just how much this film can drag you in. My immediate rating is a 7.2.

Characters: 7.6/10

Acting: 7/10

Storyline: 7.3/10
Entertainment Value: 7.8/10

Immediate Rating: 7.2/10

Total Score: 36.9/50

#242. Spartacus

"I am Spartacus!"

Though this movie was terribly long (over three hours), I actually thought that it was very good and worth the watch. All the scenes had significant meaning, so it just wouldn't have been the same movie if it were cut shorter. And it wasn't boring either, like most movies of its runtime. I thought that many parts of the film were emotionally captivating, and that the plot was very interesting.

The movie was about a man named Spartacus who was born and raised a slave. After meeting and falling in love with a slave woman named Varinia, he leads a revolt with the other slaves in a cry for freedom from Rome. Meanwhile, senators Gracchus and Crassus are using the rebellion as their own battle for the rise to power.

It's pretty much a toss up in terms of my favorite character, but there was something about Antoninus (played by Tony Curtis) that I really liked. I also thought Jean Simmons who played Varinia did a great job with her part. I would usually say that this is not my kind of movie, but Spartacus proves to be an exception. I'll give it an immediate rating of 7.

Characters: 7.2/10

Acting: 7.5/10

Storyline: 7.3/10
Entertainment Value: 7/10

Immediate Rating: 6.9/10

Total Score: 35.9/50

#243. Shaun of the Dead

"We have to get out of here. If we don't they'll tear us to pieces, and that is really going to exacerbate things for all of us."

Shaun of the Dead is by far the best horror comedy I've ever seen, and was absolutely hilarious all the way through!! There were so many great lines in this movie that had me laughing out loud. It reminded me a lot of Zombieland, a movie I saw last year and I also loved, but I thought this film was even better!

The plot is basically about a 29 year old man that just lost his girlfriend, and is determined to win her back. In the midst of this, zombies have taken over the city, and Shaun must try to save himself and his loved ones before they themselves turn into the living dead.

I had two favorite characters in this movie; one being Shaun (played by Simon Pegg), and the other was Ed, Shaun's best friend, (played by Nick Frost). They both were hilarious, and I loved the chemistry between the two as well.

 In conclusion, I pretty much thought this movie was awesome. Simple but classic plot, hysterical scenes (my favorite being the part where they're killing zombies to Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now"), and great comedic timing. I've found my love for British humor! I'll give this movie an 8.8/10.

Characters: 7.8/10

Acting: 8.3/10

Storyline: 8.5/10
Entertainment Value: 9/10

Immediate Rating: 8.8/10

Total Score: 42.4/50

#244. Ikiru

"Life is brief. Fall in love, maidens,
Before the crimson bloom fades from your lips,
Before the tides of passion cool within you,
For those of you who know no tomorrow."

Believe it or not, Ikiru took me three days to watch. I started watching it on Saturday, but the video I found kept messing up and it took me forever to find one that would actually play all the way through.

Thankfully, though, I did watch all of it, and I'm fairly glad I did. Though a lot of it was hard to relate to through the Japanese language (with English subtitles), I feel like I understood the message of the movie loud and clear. The plot was about a bureaucrat named Kanji Watanabe who spent thirty years of his life doing absolutely nothing at his job. Upon finding out he has stomach cancer, he finally starts living his life.

Though I found it difficult to connect with any of the characters in this movie, I'd say my favorite was Toyo Odagiri, played by Miki Odagiri. She was a female employee who worked with Watanabe, and spent time with him months before his death. I liked her because I thought she was one of the only characters with any personality at all (besides Watanabe), and I felt that she added a lot to the plot.

Overall, I thought Ikiru was touching, yet depressing. A great concept, and a movie thats storyline makes it definitely worth watching. My rating is a 7.9/10.

Characters: 6.8/10

Acting: 6.8/10

Storyline: 7.5/10
Entertainment Value: 6.8/10

Immediate rating: 7/10

Total Score: 34.9/50

#245. Monsters, Inc.

"Kids these days. They just don't get scared like they used to."

I've probably seen Monsters, Inc. about ten times in all, but it's been quite a few years since that last time I watched it. I absolutely love kid movies, and the ones I watched during my childhood will always have a special place in my heart; Monsters, Inc. being one of them. The plot is simple, yet classic. It's about a mega-company that's goal is for monsters to scare children; their screams generating energy for the city. All goes well until one child escapes from her room, and into the reluctant hands of master of scare James Sullivan and his best friend Mike Wazowski.

My favorite character was Boo (voiced by child Mary Gibbs). I don't think she said one English word the entire movie, except for "Kitty" of course, but she has such an adorable charm that I love!

Overall, I think this movie is beyond clever, with enchanting characters and a very touching conclusion. I give it an 8.7/10.

Characters: 8.8/10

Acting: 8.5/10

Storyline: 8.5/10

Entertainment Value: 8.8/10

Immediate rating: 8.7/10

Total Score: 43.3/50

#246. Shutter Island

"This is mental institution, Marshall, for the criminally insane. Usual isn't a big part of our day."

I saw this movie in theaters a few months ago, so I already knew everything that would happen and what to expect. That didn't take away from the suspense though; the thrilling scenes scared me just as much as the first time I saw them.

What I don't like about this movie is that I feel that most of the characters lack distinctive personalities, but of course, the plot definitely makes up for that. The basic gist of the story is that U.S. Marshall Teddy Daniels and his partner, Chuck Adule, have set out to investigate the disappearance of one of the patients of a hospital on Shutter Island. There's bounds more to the story, but I couldn't say anymore without giving the good parts away.

I wasn't too fond of the characters of this movie, as I said, but for my favorite one I guess I would choose Teddy Daniels (played by Leonardo DiCaprio), because he really did have an excellent performance and did and amazing job with the role he was given. I also thought Chuck (Mark Ruffalo) was a very good supporting character.

I have to admit, I liked this movie a lot more the first time I saw it. I originally rated it a 9/10. It's still very good, but after watching it a second time around and noticing more details, I realize that's it's not perfect. My rating now is an 8/10.

Characters: 6.8/10

Acting: 8.3/10

Storyline: 8.6/10
Entertainment Value: 8.7/10

Immediate rating: 8/10

Total Score: 40.4/50