"JAWS" (1975) - RE-WATCH

Rank on the AFI List: #56

Synopsis (according to imdb.com)
When a gigantic great white shark begins to menace the small island community of Amity, a police chief, a marine scientist and grizzled fisherman set out to stop it.

LET ME EXPLAIN...
While not considered a typical horror film, some movie lists rank this as the #1 scariest movie of all time.  Why?  Well, for one thing, sharks are real, and people have been attacked by sharks in real life (I don't recall hearing about too many dead guys coming back to become a serial killer while wearing a hockey mask, or a burn victim being able to murder people via their dreams).  In other words, it's the fear that something like this could actually happen.

For another thing, I heard this movie had a devastating effect on beach attendance the year it came out.  I can't think of another movie that has done something like that in society (Psycho didn't stop people from staying in hotels or taking showers; "Alien" hasn't stopped mankind's desire to explore outerspace, etc.).  One could argue that "JAWS" is the most influential movie ever.

All that being said, this isn't a straight-up horror flick.  It's also an adventure movie and - unlike virtually all horror movies - has some absolutely terrific acting.

What makes this a "Top 100" Movie?
Aside from its incredible influence on popular culture, this is also a flat out well-made film.  Its direction, story, cinematography, and score are all terrific.  But it's the acting that stands out to me more than anything.  The entire film is well acted, especially by Shaw, Scheider, and Dreyfus.  In fact, one of my favorite scenes of all time is when those three guys are in the cabin of the boat at night talking.  The conversation goes from silly to eery through nothing more than top-notch acting and great writing (Robert Shaw's description of being on the USS Indianapolis - a true event in history - is extremely chilling - see the video clip below).  "JAWS" was nominated for 4 Academy Awards, winning three of them (Film Editing, Score, and Sound).

Complaints:
The scene when Dreyfus is in the cage underwater, getting attacked by the shark.  For some reason, it really bothers me that the shots underwater don't match up with the above-water shots from the boat.  What do I mean...?
Underwater Shot: Shark is tearing the cage apart, with parts of its body thrashing in and out of the water...
Above-water Shots: No sign of a shark - or fin, or anything - breaching the water during the attack.
It's really a pretty minor continuity issue, but it just bugs me every time I watch it.

LET ME SUM UP...
Very well-made horror/adventure film that has arguably influenced society more than any other.  Very good acting and film-making all around.

MY RATING: 9/10 (No change from my previous rating)

"Star Wars" (1977) - RE-WATCH

Rank on the AFI List: #13

Synopsis (according to imdb.com)
Luke Skywalker leaves his home planet, teams up with other rebels, and tries to save Princess Leia from the evil clutches of Darth Vader.

LET ME EXPLAIN...
And so I come to the movie on this list I've watched more than any other.  Yes, I loved Star Wars growing up.  I've watched it countless times, including on Opening Night when they re-released the Special Editions of the originals in the latter half of the 90s.  Surprisingly enough to me, it's been a number of years since I've watched any of the original trilogy, so I was curious to see what I thought of "A New Hope" now.

Well, it's still a great movie.  It's a fun adventure in space, with great effects (for its time), a classic Good vs Evil story, a few quirks I've always loved (my favorite can be seen in the video clip below), and renowned characters.  It's one of the most fun "classics" there is.

What makes this a "Top 100" Movie?
Its special effects were considered groundbreaking when it came out in 1977 (I say "considered" because I thought the effects in 2001: A Space Odyssey were just as good and came out 9 years earlier).  It's also a Good vs Evil tale, it has permeated popular culture for as long as it's been around, and it has one the greatest villains in movie history.  It was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, winning 7 of them (Art/Set Direction, Costume Design, Visual Effects, Film Editing, Musical Score, Sound, and a Special Achievement Award for the creation of all the different alien/creature/robot voices).

Complaints:
Well, considering it's meant to be a fun adventure movie, I can't be too disappointed that the acting isn't all that great (particularly Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker), and the script is certainly nowhere near as good as Chinatown.  But alas, I still have to bring these issues up.

LET ME SUM UP...
The classic epic fairy tale set in space.  A fun time created in one of the most imaginative galaxies ever, and a movie so firmly implanted in society that everyone should see this at least once in their lifetime - just not for its acting or screenwriting.

MY RATING: 9/10 (1 lower from my previous rating)

"Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring" (2001) - RE-WATCH

Rank on the AFI List: #50

Synopsis (according to IMDB.com)

In a small village in the Shire a young Hobbit named Frodo has been entrusted with an ancient Ring. Now he must embark on an Epic quest to the Cracks of Doom in order to destroy it.

LET ME EXPLAIN...
The newest film to be on the AFI List, I'm convinced this placement is for the entire trilogy and not just "The Fellowship of the Ring".  There is nothing universally different about any of them that would make "Fellowship" better than the other two, so this one makes the list simply because it was the first in the trilogy.  Nevertheless, I will (attempt to) base this review on the first film alone after re-watching it this past weekend.

First of all, I've never read the books.  I get too bored reading fiction and would much rather just watch the movie (thank you, Peter Jackson).  Second, I love these movies.  As a 3-film, 12-hour epic, this trilogy is quite an adventure to experience (unless you ask my wife, who's not a fan).  And this first one opened my eyes in several ways when I first watched it back in 2001.

For one thing, I didn't realize how epic this story really is.  It's one of the best good vs evil tales I've ever experienced, and all the characters, battles, and various regions of Middle Earth - combined with a deep and interesting backstory - make this an adventure that's easy and exciting to get lost in.

Another thing I really like about this movie in particular is all the Christian symbolism.  I don't know whether Tolkien was trying to express his faith through the story, and I don't really care.  That's not my point.  My point is this story has tons of Christian symbolism regardless of the author's intent, from the One Ring being sin (it's a terrible thing that everyone wishes never existed, but once you have it - or it has you, rather - you want to keep it, and you foster more and more selfishness and greed the longer you have it), to various Christ characters (Gandalf and Frodo, at least in this first movie).  Sure, Christ characters are often easy to find in stories and tend to be overblown in movies, but "Fellowship of the Ring" is an exception to this, if you ask me.

The third "eye-opener" for me is best explained in the next section...

What makes this a "Top 100" Movie?
How this movie was made was groundbreaking.  To film an epic trilogy all at the same time and produce each film one year apart had never been done before (at least, not to this level of quality and publicity).  That truly made these 3 parts fit together as one story.  The traditional approach to trilogies (film and produce one movie, then film and produce the next one, etc.) never flow as smooth, and with inevitable changes in staff between productions - not to mention the aging of the actors - styles and continuity between films tend to be issues.  Not so with "Lord of the Rings".  Furthermore, the special effects are amazing, right down to how Elijah Wood and Sean Astin really do look miniature next to Ian McKellen and Orlando Bloom.  And again, with this being one of the best "good vs evil" stories in film, it makes it a rather easy choice to have on the AFI List.  It was nominated for 13 Academy Awards, winning 4 of them (including Visual Effects).  The deserved "Best Picture" award was finally won two years later for the final film in the trilogy, "The Return of the King".

Complaints:
The Shire at the beginning is a little cheesy, and I tend to get bored with the film during the Lothlorien scenes.  There's also a few continuity issues during some action scenes (i.e. "The wraiths are right beside Frodo on the horses - wait, now they're about 10 yards behind....what's going on??").  All fairly minor issues, and the rest of the film certainly makes up for them.

LET ME SUM UP...
Epic story.  Deep, interesting characters.  A classic "good vs evil" fantasy adventure that is full of Christian symbolism.  There are a few scenes I'm not a huge fan of, but other than that, this is an incredible movie-watching experience.

MY RATING: 9/10 (No change from my previous rating)

"Casablanca" (1942) - RE-WATCH

Rank on the AFI List: #3

Synopsis (according to imdb.com)
Set in unoccupied Africa during the early days of World War II: An American expatriate meets a former lover, with unforeseen complications.

LET ME EXPLAIN...
The first time I watched this was shortly before I officially began My Quest.  I thought it was a decent movie at the time, but I didn't really get why it's considered the 3rd best movie of all time.  On top of that, my wife just didn't like it at all.  I was actually surprised that she was up for watching this one again with me.

Fortunately for both of us, we ended up "getting" this movie a lot more the second time around.  It's a good story that ties in World War II, a complicated romance, great acting, and a wonderful atmosphere and script (this film has more quotes on the AFI's Top 100 List than any other film in history, with six.  The next closest is Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz with half that).  This is a great movie.

What makes this a "Top 100" Movie?
1) An engaging plot with a script full of legendary movie quotes.
2) Terrific acting.
3) Characters that are "real" and developed well throughout.
4) Great cinematography.
5) It's set during a major war (and was even released in the middle of the war) and didn't shy away from letting the Nazis know what we thought of them.

"Casablanca" was nominated for 8 Academy Awards, winning Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay.

Complaints:
You really need to pay attention to even minor characters' names and practically every line (which was oftentimes difficult to hear or understand).  Sometimes the plot would seem to progress simply by a quick dialogue here or there.  This got me a little lost a couple times.

LET ME SUM UP...
Classic cinema with an interesting story and characters you really care about.  It's well acted, has several legendary movie quotes, and is set during World War II.  It took my wife and I a second viewing before we really began appreciating how good this film really is.

MY RATING: 8/10 (1 higher from my previous rating)

"Apocalypse Now" (1979) - RE-WATCH

Rank on the AFI List: #30

Synopsis (according to imdb.com):
During the on-going Vietnam War, Captain Willard is sent on a dangerous mission into Cambodia to assassinate a renegade Green Beret who has set himself up as a God among a local tribe.

LET ME EXPLAIN...
As I mentioned in my very first post on this blog, this movie freaked me out.  I literally couldn't stop trembling the rest of the night after I watched this in my American Film class.  And that's really all I remembered about it, so I was curious to see how I'd like watching it again, 10 years later.

Fortunately, I managed to not only keep from trembling, but I ended up realizing just how good this movie really is.  More than anything, it's very good storytelling.  My wife and I were engaged in the plot the entire time, and I kept wanting to know what was going to happen next.

Of course, I was also NOT wanting to know what happens next because the main characters kept moving deeper and deeper into a hellish environment (I still hold fast to my opinion in my Platoon post that "Apocalypse Now" isn't so much a movie about the Vietnam War, but a horror story set during the Vietnam War).  Seriously, when I hear the term "hell on earth", I picture scenes from this movie.

On that happy note, one thing my wife and I both realized after this movie ended: Francis Ford Coppola is one of the best story-telling directors ever.  You just can't get much better than this movie and "The Godfather" when it comes to how to tell a story on film.  Also, major props to being able to develop a character throughout the movie who doesn't even appear on screen until the end.

What makes this a "Top 100" Movie?
This film has several things going for it:
1) Brilliant storytelling, as mentioned above.
2) It's set during a major war in America's history.
3) It's star-studded: Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall, Dennis Hopper, Harrison Ford (granted, it was a minor role), and Francis Ford Coppola as director.
4) Terrific cinematography, particularly with Marlon Brando's character.  There's some awesome use of lighting with him.

"Apocalypse Now" was nominated for 8 Academy Awards, winning 2 (Best Cinematography, Best Sound).  I've never seen it, but I find it hard to believe that Kramer vs Kramer deserved Best Picture, Director, and Adapted Screenplay more than this film.  Oh well.

Complaints:
Well, aside from not being the type of story I'd particularly enjoy sitting through on a whim, it actually felt a bit slow at times in the final 45 minutes.  Still good, but it didn't seem paced as well as the rest of the movie.

LET ME SUM UP...
An extremely well-told story of Vietnam soldiers venturing deeper and deeper into "Hell".  Felt a tad slow at times toward the end, but all in all a very, very well-made film.

MY RATING: 8/10 (2 higher from my previous rating)

"Annie Hall" (1977) - RE-WATCH

Rank on the AFI List: #35

Synopsis (according to imdb.com)
Neurotic New York comedian Alvy Singer falls in love with the ditsy Annie Hall.

LET ME EXPLAIN...
This has been my only Woody Allen film ever, though I first watched it in my American Film class.  It certainly has good parts and some fun comedy, but Woody Allen's character is so neurotic that he's frustrating, but has such an underdog-esque aura about him that you still kind of root for him.

Annie Hall (the character, not the film itself) also has her faults and likable qualities, and the two of them together make this movie feel very real, which I like.  As a bit of a contradiction to that, however, this is loaded with very clever, avant-garde scenes (for a description of avant-garde in film, please check out this previous post).  So the relationship felt real, but the film itself did not.  This is not a knock to the film, just an observation about its unique blend of realism and creativity.

(The attached video clip is one of the more subtle avant-garde scenes.)

What makes this a "Top 100" Movie?
"Annie Hall" is filled with unique scenes and ideas that had never been done before in a movie.  This gives it the "groundbreaking" label in my book.  It was also nominated for 5 Academy Awards, winning 4 of them (beating out "Star Wars" for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay, and Diane Keaton won for Best Actress).

Complaints:
This film was clever without being all that funny a bit too much.  I would have enjoyed laughing more than I did.

LET ME SUM UP...
Unique romantic comedy filled with clever scenes and ideas.  Not the most entertaining film, but its cleverness gives it an extra point in my rating.

MY RATING: 6/10 (No change from my previous rating)

"Spartacus" (1960) - RE-WATCH

Rank on the AFI List: #81

Synopsis (according to imdb.com)
The slave Spartacus leads a violent revolt against the decadent Roman empire.

LET ME EXPLAIN...
Spartacus is a combination of Ben-Hur, Gladiator, and Braveheart, only not as good as any of them.  I didn't mind this film, but I just wasn't overly impressed with it.  For instance, I was surprised as to the lack of character development.  On that same note, a lot of the relationships were never explained or developed enough.  You'd think this stuff would happen during a 3+ hour movie.  Oh well.

What makes this a "Top 100" Movie?
While this is certainly an epic movie, I don't really think it belongs in the Top 100.  It's big and historic, but "Ben-Hur" was done better and includes the incredible chariot race scene.  "Spartacus" didn't really have any scene that stood out as phenomenal like that. However, it was nominated for 6 Academy Awards, winning 4 of them (Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Art Direction, and Best Supporting Actor).

Complaints:
Kirk Douglas.  I was not impressed with his acting at all.  For the most part, he just held a straight face without conveying much (or any) emotion.  Better lead acting could have dramatically improved my opinion of this film.

LET ME SUM UP...
Epic film with underwhelming development and lead acting.

MY RATING: 4/10