THE MIGHTIEST OF THE MIGHTY
No, I don't bash every movie I see, although it
sure must look like it sometimes.
These are the movies that are so good, they'll
melt your spine in its column, causing it to leak
out from between the vertebrae. No Citizen
Kane here - sure, I loved it too, but it ain't no
Jaws.
If you've seen all of these, you are to be envied
by many.
If you haven't, get yourself to a video store
NOW and rent them immediately.
If you haven't but for some reason refuse to
do as I ask, your family will be dishonored for
seven generations and you can expect to be
shunned, Amish-style, at most future public
functions. You have been warned.
Better get that rental card ready and your late
charges paid up.
Alien
Ridley Scott's "one" in the one-two punch of cinematic
brilliance. H.R. Giger's creature is possibly the most
creepy, original, and convincingly alive extraterrestrial
in movie history. FULL REVIEW
Blade Runner
The "two" in that punch. It all comes together here -
plot, character, mystery, action, drama, and pretty
much any technical aspect you'd care to admire.
Between the awesome haunted-house style horror of
the above and this movie's success in weaving
architecture into the story, Ridley Scott shows that
he is probably one of the very few directors who could
do a half-decent version of The Shining.
Dawn Of The Dead
Zombies, guts, and social commentary all in one
package. You'll never look at a shopping mall or
its stunned denizens the same way again. Alas,
it must be blamed for starting a whole slew of crap
imitators, like Zombie, which claimed (falsely) to be
a sequel. FULL REVIEW
The Dead Zone
Touching and exciting tale of a man who
loses five years of his life in a coma and
finds that when he comes to, he can see
people's pasts, presents, and eventually
their futures. A splendid adaptation of a
relatively nondescript Stephen King novel.
FULL REVIEW
Fargo
Hysterically funny crime flick about a
hopelessly incompetent trio of crooks and the
sweet-hearted pregnant sheriff who has to
deal with them. This is the way some people
think Canadians talk.
Halloween
The one that started the slasher glut from
about 20 years ago. Its power hasn't
diminished one bit for an attentive viewer
(awful movie to rent for a crowded party,
though). Awesome flick #1 for John
Carpenter. FULL REVIEW
In The Line Of Fire
Scoff if you will, but this movie is to me
Clint Eastwood's shining hour. John
Malkovitch does a tremendous job of the
villain, and I find more to love about this
one with each viewing. Action/suspense at
its absolute finest. Did I mention that Rene
Russo is just a superfox in this one?
In The Mouth Of Madness
Awesome flick #2 for John Carpenter. At
last, a horror movie where the unravelling of
reality has a point. Works on so many levels,
it hurts to think about it. This movie left me
devastated for most of 1995. FULL REVIEW
Jaws
Schindler, Schmindler - this is Spielberg at
his best. The ultimate male bonding movie,
with a giant shark to boot. I still haven't found
out who that guy was who died on the set.
FULL REVIEW
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
YES, I like this one best of the trilogy. More
interesting characters, better action (the
Thunderdome sequence has gotta be, easily,
the best "gladiator" scene ever), and an
intriguing, serious look at a post-apocalyptic
society. Aunty Entity could whip Ike Turner's
incarcerated ass.
The Return Of The Living Dead
Even better than Scream, this movie manages
to simultaneously spoof its genre and be a
very effective member of it. You'll scream,
cringe, laugh, and stare wide-eyed all at the
same time. Easily the funniest horror flick ever.
FULL REVIEW
Silence Of The Lambs
The best adaptation of a novel I've ever seen.
Enjoyment of the book is actually enhanced by
seeing the movie first, for once. Killed and ate
the competition at the Oscars in 1991, probably
because it was marketed as a "psychological
thriller" and not a horror movie. FULL REVIEW
The Star Wars Trilogy
What can I say that hasn't been said a zillion
times before? I was raised on this. Sure,
Return Of The Jedi has ewoks, but the three-
ring circus of the climax makes up for them.
The Special Editions in 1997 improved Jedi,
wounded Empire, and would have been a
lovely boon to the original if not for that silly
"Greedo shoots first" thing.
FULL REVIEW for The Phantom Menace
The Thing (1982)
Awesome flick #3 for John Carpenter. The
ultimate paranoid thriller, with arm-munching
chest-teeth and heads crawling away on spiders'
legs, too. Took an inexplicable critical bashing
when it came out - has endured waaaay longer
than Gandhi ('82's Best Picture) did.
FULL REVIEW