A little about my favorite movies of 1981: Body Heat: They just don't make enough film noir movies. For a while people hoped this movie would spark a renaissance, but instead it stands alone. Das Boot: Fun on a U-boat! Diva: A lovely film, one that doesn't let you know everything that's going on until later, which makes it even better. Escape From New York: Remember when John Carpenter made good movies? This seemed like it was based on a dream Carpenter had. An excellent B-movie. Excalibur: Best film version of the King Arthur story yet. And, for bonus points, little Arthur is played by someone who was also in "The Lion In Winter," more medieval hi-jinx! The French Lieutenant's Woman: I think I appreciated this film much more AFTER I had read the book. It's sort of a mess, as I recall. It's a film about a film crew, something that most reviews probably overlooked and concentrated on the film they made. But it's about the juxtaposition. Gallipoli: One of my favorite films of all time, about the absolute and needless slaughter of Australian troops by the Turks in World War I. Raiders of the Lost Ark: You may have heard of this one too! Reds: Warren Beatty often makes indulgent films starring himself, but this one really worked. The Road Warrior: A very popular film. Clever story, great character acting. Can you imagine that Mel Gibson appeared in this and "Gallipoli" in the same year? It boggles the mind.