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Director: Martin Scorsese

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Vera Farmiga, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Ray Winstone, Alec Baldwin

This was a best picture winner, which was most likely repayment of an ‘I owe you’ to Scorsese for all of his great work over the last thirty years. Don’t get me wrong. This is a very good movie with excellent dialogue delivered by a top-notch cast. The basic idea of the story is good and based on a Japanese film, but a couple of the characters presented in this version, just don’t work for me and hurt the movie’s credibility. Still a very good film with four more Oscars than I have.

Leonardo DiCaprio is great as Billy Costigan, a bad tempered trainee for the Boston State Police, with an attitude problem, when he is pulled out to go undercover in the Irish mob of Frank Costello, played by the master, Jack Nicholson. Now, Frankie Costello doesn’t just count on all the blessed saints to keep his Irish ass safe. Just to be sure, he has his ‘Statie’s’ detective in the form of the ambitious Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon proving himself as an excellent actor once again), who has been in Costello’s pocket since he was old enough to take comic books as payment. Costigan’s handlers are Capt. Queenan (Sheen) and Sgt Dingnam (Walhberg), whose character has the personality that would make it impossible to hold a job as anything, but a doorman at a skid row bar. Soon, both Costigan and Sullivan are getting pressured to find out who is giving info from the inside. They must both be idiots, however, since this doesn’t seem like it should be that big of a challenge; particularly with Costigan. Let’s see if I were a gangster who just found out that he has a cop in the pack and I have just recruited an ex-cop trainee, I don’t think I’d be scratching my head for too long, before I shot the new guy to see if he bleeds blue. If this were not enough, they both end up chasing the same girl, Madeline (Farmiga), whose character also doesn’t make sense. I don’t buy her unfaithful psychiatrist role and find her relationship with the volatile Costigan without sufficient basis. Anyway, all this keeps the tension level high and is backed up by a great soundtrack.

So, maybe I have to stand alone on this one (what else is new?), but I say this is an enjoyable, but flawed movie, that got ‘Best Picture’ as a sympathy award for the great Scorsese. Its still worth seeing, and maybe even owning, but weren’t they any good pictures that years that didn’t have any ‘what the hell?’ moments?’

The Shawshank Redemption (1994) *****

Director: Frank Darabont

Starring: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton, William Sadler, Clancy Brown, Gil Bellows, Mark Ralston

Frank Darabont wrote this screenplay from a Stephen King short story, and directed it, garnering seven Oscar nominations, including best picture (losing to Forest Gump). The acting here is first rate by the whole cast and the dialog is good. The real strength here, however, is the magnificent story about the resilience, and power, of the human spirit in the face of crushing circumstances.

Tim Robbins is Andy Dufresne, a bank vice president convicted of murdering his wife and sent to Shawshank Prison, where his hard life is made a little lighter by making a few friends, including a man who knows how to get things, ‘Red’ Redding, played by Morgan Freeman in an Oscar nominated role. Andy has to learn how to survive and keep his soul intact in an institution that seems designed to take it. Andy not only finds a way to survive, but manages to soar above his circumstances.

Many great films have had the power to bring us down as we feel the oppression of the characters deep in our souls. More still have had the ability to lift us, and put a smile in our hearts, as well as on our faces. Shawshank is one of the precious few films that has the power to bring us down into a hopeless spiral of the character’s dilemma, but then to lift us up by the end of the film and to fill our souls with a gentle belief in what is possible. This is one of the greatest films of all time and if you have somehow never seen it, I envy you for being able to have that precious experience of its first viewing.

Director: Clint Eastwood

Starring: Ken Watanabe, Kazunari Ninomiya, Tsuyoshi Ihara, Ryo Kase,

I reluctantly watched this film, feeling obligated to do a review. Like so many movie fans, I am strangely resistant to foreign language movies (this one is almost all in Japanese), even though I usually enjoy them far more than I expect. Letters From Iwo Jima is a spectacular film about one of WWII’s bloodiest Pacific battles in which over 20,000 Japanese soldiers died and less than 1,000 were taken prisoner. This is a terrible, but amazing war story told from the perspective of the Japanese defenders. Eastwood artfully directs this masterpiece and the muted colors camera work, so popular these days, is beautiful, and chillingly effective here. The performers are so natural that there doesn’t seem to be any acting going on. It is significantly better than its sister film, Flags of Our Fathers. It has greater focus on the battle, keeping the tension up, throughout. As well, having fewer characters allows the viewer more connection to them. This is the trickiest part of any war movie, where there are so many similarly dressed characters on screen.

Ken Watanabe is General Kuribayashi, who is given the impossible task of holding the island of Iwo Jima, which is vital to holding off an American invasion of Japan. He chooses an unconventional, resistance defense that, while effective, conflicts with many established ideas. With dwindling resources, and soldiers, the situation becomes more and more desperate. The story also follows a young, reluctant Japanese soldier named Saigo (Ninomiya), who is doing what he feels he must, though he, and others, feel more and more uncertain about their duty.

The story brilliantly contrasts brutality and humanity, and contrasts the deeply ingrained Japanese concept of honor with individual motivation. These themes are striking and memorable. Letters From Iwo Jima is emotionally charged, riveting and a must-see for those with any interest in historical films, war movies or fine cinematic efforts…and to think that I didn’t want to watch it.

Director: Peter Weir

Starring: Russell Crowe, Paul Bettany, James D’Arcy, Max Pirkis, Edward Woodall, Chris Larkin, Jack Randall.

This swashbuckling masterpiece was nominated for ten Academy Awards but had the misfortune of being swept aside in all but two categories by a tough field that included the final Lord of the Rings and Mystic River. Director Peter Weir gave us this grand, and impressive, action epic that features wonderful cinematography, clever, and interesting, scenes of ship life and naval battle tactics. The characters are well-written and the simple story is augmented by excellent subplots.

Russell Crowe is Captain Jack Aubrey, a seasoned, and determined, English captain during the Napoleonic Wars, who finds himself in a personal, and prolonged, battle with a wily French Captain with a superior ship. There is a strong ensemble cast that includes Paul Bettany (Crowe’s co-star from A Beautiful Mind) as the ship’s doctor and Jack’s friend, as well as an amateur naturalist.

Master and Commander is far and away the best contemporary high seas film out there and if you have missed it, its not too late. Whatever, Russell Crowe’s tendency for cell phone pitching and temper tantrums, this guy picks good movies and this was one in a string of six straight excellent projects of his.

Director: Clint Eastwood

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank, Morgan Freeman, Jay Baruchel, Mike Colter.

Clint Eastwood sure has this moviemaking business down. It seems like everything he does gets more attention than a stripper at a bachelor party. Million Dollar Baby is a Paul Haggis screenplay based on a work by former boxing cut man, F.X. Toole. It is a predictable, formula story, lifted by well-written characters with fantastic performances. It won four academy awards, including best picture. It was overrated upon release, but it is a very good movie.

Hilary Swank got her second Oscar with only her second nomination as she plays Maggie Fitzgerald, a waitress from a white trash background, shows off some amazing abs and even more amazing determination, in her efforts to convince Frank (Eastwood) to train her as a boxer. Frank, a tough, experienced, boxing gym owner and trainer, eventually agrees despite secret pain of his own. Watching, and helping, all this unfold, is Eddie Dupris, Frank’s good-naturedly, sardonic janitor, played by Morgan Freeman in an Oscar winning performance. Look for a wonderful performance in an interesting role by Jay Baruchel as ‘Danger’.

This is an interesting, if emotionally manipulative, drama that stole the 2004 Best Picture Oscar from Ray. Still, it seems like every movie that Clint Eastwood and Paul Haggis collaborate on is bound for greatness. This is a boxing movie, but it manages to transcend the genre, in much the same way as Cinderella Man and Raging Bull.

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Starring: Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, Toni Collette, Olivia Williams, Donnie Wahlberg

This superbly crafted suspense/thriller is a masterpiece that set the standard for the genre for the next decade. The characters are good and the performances are flawless, particularly by the nine year old Haley Joel Osment, who received an Oscar nomination for his efforts, but the real star is writer/director M. Night Shyamalan. Shyamalan, who was nominated for several Oscars, but received none (how did that happen?), manages to take viewers on an emotional voyage, without resorting to cheap manipulation, before rewarding them with one of the most memorable endings in cinematic history.

Bruce Willis is Dr. Crowe, a child psychologist, struggling with personal issues and a failure with one patient, that he can‘t forget. He hopes to find redemption by helping nine year old Cole, played by Haley Joel Osment. Cole struggles with a powerful and terrifying secret that is touching every corner of his life, while his mother, Lynn (Toni Collette) grows more frustrated as issues pile up. There are some damn chilling scenes and a story that will rivet you to the screen.

This inspired work turned M. Night Shyamalan into a star and would certainly be on the short list for the greatest horrors of all time. I’m not sure if I can be any more clear with my fan boy ranting, but I’ll give it a shot. If you have somehow managed not to see this film due to ten years spent meditating under a Bodhi tree; and some chowder head has not ruined the ending for you, then turn down the lights, invite over your favorite squeeze toy and prepare for a pleasantly chilling evening of movie enjoyment!

Starring: Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris, Paul Bettany

Director: Ron Howard

This weekend I rented the award winning “A Beautiful Mind. This movie portrays, better than any movie before it, the thin line between genius and madness. It stars Russell Crowe as the brilliant, groundbreaking mathematician, John Nash. This movie is based on the true story, of Nash, who has possibly the greatest mind of his time. The movie chronicle’s Nash’s rise to genius, his time as a Princeton graduate student, his spiral to madness and his road back. I really can’t say too much more without giving the whole movie away. This movie is too good to disrespect it like that.
A Beautiful mind is, without a doubt, one of the best movies I have seen. Maybe, and this is big, the best movie I have ever seen!!!
It took a well-deserved ‘Best Picture’, along with three others, including one for Jennifer Connelly, who was amazing and earned her ‘Best Actress’ award. Russell Crowe was robbed, but I guess since they had just given it to him the year before for Gladiator, they thought it was someone else’s turn (Denzel Washington for Training Day). If you have not seen this movie yet, go buy it!!

Director: Joel Cohen

Starring: William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi, Peter Stormare, Harve Presnell, Frances McDormand, John Carroll Lynch,

Well, Geez, these Cohen fellas, they sure can write. Oh Yah, done alot of that directing stuff , too. You’re darn tooting, Yah, Oh Yah, geez! Okay, I think I’ve gone as far with that as I can. There is a great, unpredictable tale, typical of the twisted Coen brothers’ style, but this is their best project so far. The characters are wonderful, rife with the quirks that make movie characters stick with us and are brought to life with spectacular performances by all the lead actors. The Coens are noted for their natural dialog and that reputation is confirmed here as they catch the patois of Minnesota/North Dakota, though I found it exaggerated and distracting at first. This setting builds in incredible irony and allows a constant stream of subtle humor as all the characters from the area constantly strive to be polite and upbeat. New York, this ain’t. Years, and several viewings, later I wouldn’t have it any other way.

William H. Macy is Jerry Lundegaard, a man with a desperate to achieve financial success to escape the crushing oppression of his domineering father-in-law (Harve Presnell). He comes up with a shocking plan to have his gentle wife kidnapped and skim off the bulk of the ransom cash. He hires Carl (Steve Buscemi) and Gaear (Peter Stomare) to pull off the kidnapping, but their bungling soon brings about an investigation by clever, and very pregnant, sheriff, Marge Gunderson played by McDormand in an amazing, Oscar-winning performance. It is a tribute to the Coen’s genius that when McDormand told them she was pregnant, rather than re-casting, delaying shooting or using tricks to hide it, they wrote it into the script and made the story even stronger. The ending is wonderful, sensible and memorable.

This is an off-beat crime drama, apparently based on a true story, that is refreshingly unlike anything that pops into my head besides other Coen films, like Blood Simple or little known gems like Red Rock West and A Simple Plan. If you haven’t seen it, well, geez, thats just something that you are going to have to work on isn’t it? You’re darn tootin’!

Director: Gus Van Sant

Starring: Matt Damon, Robin Williams, Ben Affleck, Stellen Skarsgard, Minnie Driver, Casey Affleck, Cole Hauser

In 1976, Rocky was released, starring, and written by, Sylvester Stallone and catapulted Stallone into mega-stardom for more than a decade. In 1997, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck took the same route when they wrote and starred in this fantastic drama. Up until this feature both men were doing small supporting roles or independent films, but after both became leading men. The story is clichéd, but well-written and well acted with some excellent dialog.

Matt Damon is Will Hunting, a troubled, rough and tumble mathematical genius hainging with his tough buddies played by Ben Affleck and his brother, Casey who steals several scenes in impressive company. These guys are from the mean streets of South Boston, where drinking and brawling occupies their time. When an M.I.T. professor (Stellen Skarsgard) discovers Will’s abilities, he sets out to develop them and get Will into therapy. This proves difficult until he tries his old college roommate, Sean Maguire, another Southie played by Robin Williams, to give it a try. Williams is great and shows tremendous chemistry with the young, talented Damon.

This is a personal favorite of mine and an indispensable staple of my personal movie collection. The story is very good, though with a simple Hollywood-style ending and has great dialog and characters to go with a wonderful cast.

strong>Director: Martin Scorsese

Starring: Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Robert De Niro, Lorraine Bracco, Paul Sorvino, Gina Mastrogiacomo, Debi Mazar

Martin Scorsese took Nicholas Pileggi’s biography of Henry Hill and the two of them wrote a screenplay and turned it into one of the greatest gangster movies of all time. The characters are memorable and the casting is superb, enhanced by standout acting performances, particularly by Joe Pesci, who jumped from supporting roles to leading man with his unforgettable role of Tommy in this hit. The story is engrossing and is interspersed with sudden explosions of violence that catch the viewer off guard. Martin Scorsese’s direction was nothing short of inspired, here and combines with the other elements to create a masterpiece of modern motion picture-making.

Ray Liotta is Henry Hill, who narrates his exciting gangster life story right from childhood and his early fascination with the “guys at the cab stand”, through his ever-increasing criminal success. Along the way, Hill hooks up with Jimmy (Robert De Niro) and Tommy (Pesci) and the three pull jobs, and work with the mob, to extravagant lifestyles outside the law. Eventually, though, there is a price to be paid for the choices made and Hill’s idyllic life begins to spiral out of control. The use of period music and main character narration adds to the film’s appeal.

This is a fantastic movie, that only has to contend with the Godfather series for the title as the greatest gangster movie of all time. If you haven’t seen it, and are not worried about a high level of violence, then this a must see for movie buffs.