In reaction to my post 50 Movies You May Have Missed, Julie D. of THE HAPPY CATHOLIC has compiled a list of thirty more films she'd also recommend.

She's mostly right.


Her #4 Serenity is more like "number two" if you get my meaning*






* - Yes Jeff, that's yet another scatological reference.

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Too often movie review sites get too wrapped up in the new releases, only mulling over the latest useless wad of cinematic waste that Hollywood deposits into the mainstream of our culture. In addition, some sites, in particular this one, tend to give more negative reviews than discussing what's worth seeing.

I've put together a list of fifty movies that are worth seeing, and none of them are brand-spanking new. These are movies that perhaps you've never heard of, or if you have you may have looked them over. This isn't a list of the best movies ever made, although there are a few that belong on such a list. These are not in any specific order.

Let me know which off the beaten path movies you'd recommend.

Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s stirring tale of a East Berlin Communist functionary whose party loyalty disintegrates while surveying a rebellious playwright and his beautiful actress girlfriend. The two are being watched to satisfy the gluttonous ego of a party official who fancies the young woman. This, one of Ulrich Mühe’s final performance, he died of stomach cancer in 2007, is brooding but moving. His quiet delivery is remarkably tense as he shows a man who comes to realize the works and beliefs he’s spent his life protecting were all to support a corrupt and despicable cause.

This film is also notable for its frank view under communism. As our own government seeks to entrench itself into every aspect of our lives: health care, education, to how high our thermostats can be set, it’s important to see depictions of where government control takes societies.



Set in early twentieth century China, a crooked love triangle forms between two male opera performers and a beautiful whore. The calculus of this is a little off since the triangle is constructed one of the men fawning over the other guy. Yeah, one of the guys is hot for the other guy. This is not a film for many people. First of all, it is in Chinese, so there are subtitles. This will scare many people off (which has always annoyed me.) Secondly, this is a brutal film and I mean brutal. For those of you who don’t know, the Chinese Opera tortures (or at least tortured) its child actors into performing perfectly. It is hard to watch children being beaten and tormented. If you can work past these issues (if you consider them issues) you will find a provoking film that is really something special. If you're a fan of literate, sweeping films, this should be near the top of your must-see list.



This is a series of ten short films about the Ten Commandments. Each short film is an hour long – yes, that means a total ten hours of film. Polish filmmaker Krzysztof Kieslowski initially wrote these films to be directed by ten different directors. Once he saw what he had created in the scripts, he chose to direct all ten himself. To his credit, he did use different cinematographers for each piece, which gives each films its own individual touch.

Instead of slamming everyone over the head with obtuse messages and a countdown of the Commandments, Kieslowski instead offers characters trapped in dense moral problems. Each character spends their time trying to unravel a tight moral knot in their lives. Some succeed, some fail – just like in real life. With the premise of the film it would seem like these would be moralizing films but they are really deep investigations into moral choices but keep things above board and realistic. Amazing, a series about the Ten Commandments that will speak as much to Christians as it will to non-believers.



Terry Gilliam is probably the most self-indulgent film directors to ever walk behind the camera. This, his least indulgent and most accessible production retains his grandiose style but keeps his story reasonable coherent. Full of twists and clever turns, the movie follows James Cole a prisoner who is sent back in time to uncover the conspiracy of the 12 Monkeys which led to a worldwide epidemic that forced humanity underground. Brad Pitt scored an Oscar Nomination for Best-Supporting Actor for his role as Jeffrey Goines, an animal rights terrorist who James runs into on his trips into the past. Pitt's take on Goines has impacted his entire career. You will see shades of Goines in each of Pitt's performances from this point onward. He found a trick that worked and then commenced to work his trick for the next fifteen years.

Overall, this is a smart, enjoyable movie that is a perfect replacement when what you want to see isn't available - even if you've seen it before.



Tsotsi (which means “thug”) is a young punk gang leader in a shanty town slum in Johannesburg, South Africa. The piece opens with Tsotsi thoughtlessly committing a series of vicious and wholly unnecessary crimes that are so reprehensible that even his own gang shuns him. This series of crimes ends with a car jacking. In the film’s only moment that comes close to being predicable, Tsotsi finds a cute infant strapped to a car seat in the back. Strangely stirred by the baby, Tsotsi cannot leave it behind and smuggles the child back to his filthy home in his crime ridden part of town. There he must, for the first time, think of someone other than himself.

If that set up doesn't get you interested nothing will. This is one of the great overlooked films of all time. It is simply stunning. At the heart of the success of this film is Presley Chweneyagae in the titular role. Chweneyagae gives one of the best debut performances ever. His character is real and solid and his screen presence is undeniable. He commands this film. This isn’t some cheap role, this is a fully realized character that goes from being a sociopath to trying to redeem a life of crime. Chweneyagae manages the extreme peaks of this character with a talent that deserves wide praise.

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Paul Greengrass gives us a glimpse into the horrible events of September 11th, 2001 with gritty and firm detail. The production comes across more as a documentary rather than a fictionalization. The actors, from the air traffic controllers to the terrorists all look like real people stuck in real situations. There is rarely a moment of Hollywood affectation to be seen in this whole film. This carefully construction reality makes this film a proper monument to those who died that day. Future generations will be able to watch this film and get a vivid idea of what it was like for those on the ground. This film shows all of the fear and the confusion.



Spencer Tracy heads up this masterful adaptation of Abby Mann's stage play. The main Nuremberg trials are over and only the Nazi party's middle management types remain to condemn. This brilliant film asks its audience to think and poses the question of who exactly is responsible for the Holocaust?




Christopher Guest and company knocked it out of the park with this improvisational follow up to Waiting For Guffman. They return in this look at the strange contestants in a dog show. This is one of the smartest comedies in years. If for no other reason, you should rent this simply to see Larry Miller's turn as police negotiator Max Berman.



Being the source material for Martin Scorsese’s The Departed, this film will hold no surprises for someone who has already seen the award winning version. It is still worth seeing even if you’re familiar with Scorsese’s film. The performances are enthralling and is a finely tuned and structured piece. Very enjoyable.




For all of his perverse, ridiculous, self-consumed, unwatchable movies, David Lynch shows that under all of that foulness is the heart of a talented filmmaker. Richard Farnsworth's natural, down-to-Earth charm is on full display in this film about a simple old man who drives his rider mower across state lines to visit his ailing brother. Lynch relishes in the calm beauty of the upper Midwest. His quiet film may not have a lot going on but the simplicity of the story is refreshing. This is an overlooked gem of a movie.

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Sophie Scholl was a student involved in die Weiße Rose (The White Rose), an anti-Nazi group. Following her arrest, she is quickly shuttled through the Nazi bureaucratic machine on her way to her trail for treason. During her imprisonment she stands firm on her beliefs and against the dehumanizing socialist arguments of her interrogator Robert Mohr. The verbal sparring between the two is not only brilliantly written, but is the best clash of worldviews put to film.

This is a well crafted film that brings the final six days of this brave young woman to life and is a fitting tribute to her.



While not the funniest film Bill Murray has ever made, it may be the most meaningful. Deceptively simple, this movie promotes an insightful message for finding meaning out of life. While the core of the concepts of the film are Buddhist (or “Buddhish” as director Harold Ramis might say) the lessons taught here speak to all faiths. An enjoyable film.



This is a great film even for people who are not wild about westerns. A murder has been committed and the guilty party has been fingered. A posse is hastily formed to hang the accused. Turning a deaf ear to the voice of justice and reason, the posse leaves to condemn the target of their hunt. Will vigilantism will the day?

This film is based on Walter van Tilburg Clark’s first novel of the same name and does the book justice. William Wellman’s film has a sparse and gritty feel that perfectly matches the morality of its characters. The casting is brilliant with Henry Fonda, Harry Morgan, Dana Andrews, Anthony Quinn and Matt Briggs. The acting in this piece keeps pace with the well-crafted and thoughtful script.



If you like the Coen Brother’s films, you’ll love this. A great gangster film with riveting performances alongside typical Coen Brother's oddball humor. This film walks a delicate line between goofy and serious. For anyone who loves crime dramas but are sick of the same old thing, this is a perfect choice.




This beautiful and haunting film is one of the great works of cinematic art. A silent film era gem, this movie is still potent nearly ninety years later. The imagery and editing are striking in their maturity given the freshness of the medium and can match much of what is being produced on a daily basis today. This revived film shows that today’s special effects and clever plot twists fail to compete with the artistry and intelligence of the great works of years past.

The film follows the trial of Joan of Arc from her time in front of the sneering kangaroo court through to her horrid death sentence where she is burned alive. Maria Falconetti’s portrayal of Joan of Arc is disturbing and powerful. Her vacant eyes express a woman who has seen the goodness of God and the evil of man. From the film’s cold opening to the brutal end, Falconetti offers one of the silent era great performances.

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Nimród Antal's debut is a fantastic piece of film. Taking place in the Budapest subways, this film follows a group of ticket inspectors headed by the mopey Bulcsú (Sándor Csányi). The group patrol the dank subway fighting with patrons and grumbling about their awful stations in life. Bulcsú has given up on life and literally lives in the tunnels below ground. His quiet misery is disturbed by two people, Szofi (Eszter Balla), the meek daughter of a drunken train conductor who meanders into the subway always dressed up like a pink bear and a mysterious hooded figure who is pushing patrons in front of the trains. A gang of fighting misfits, a girl in a pink bear suit and a hooded murderer? It may sound like yet another quirky independent flick with goofy characters and clever camera work...well, okay it is just that but its a very inventive quirky independent flick with goofy characters and clever camera work.


I was pleasantly surprised by this film. To be completely honest, I thought I was in for yet another low-budget, low talent, Christian film with too much agenda and not enough good writing. This film thankfully manages to avoid the heavy handed sermonizing it could have displayed and relies on its characters to deliver the message - just like a movie should.

Eduardo Verástegui and Tammy Blanchard (Stealing Harvard) star in this story about a former soccer player Jose (Verástegui) who comes to the aid of Nina (Blanchard) who is newly unemployed and pregnant. The script by writer director Alejandro Gomez Monteverde and Patrick Million and Leo Severino does a very good job of developing the relationship between these two characters and giving them a reason to fall in love. The relationship at the center of the film drives much of the film's success and makes this something I highly recommend.



Colonel Dax, a French officer trying to survive in the trenches of WWI, is confronted by a horrible situation. After a failed suicide mission, he is forced by his superiors to select three men from the ranks to be tried and then executed for cowardice. The men are not really cowards but they are to be used as symbols for the rest of the men. In actuality, this is done for the superior officers to save face. The key to the piece is the initial reason for the suicide mission. General Mireau (played by George MacReady) hoping for another feather in his career cap and proposes a stupid frontal attack as a means of establishing glory. The lives (and deaths) of the men in the trenches are meaningless to him outside of how they can be leveraged for his personal gain. The resulting court martial of the selected men is nothing more than a kangaroo court. Through the story we witness a brutality honest look at the wages of war and the abuse of power.



This is a gripping film about what went down in Cambodia after the United States pulled out of Vietnam. Sam Waterston portrays Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Sydney Schanberg who reports on Pol Pot’s "Year Zero" ethnic cleansing campaign that lead to the slaughter of over two-million people. Helping Schanberg, local Dith Pran risks his life so the story of Pol Pot's holocaust will get out to the rest of the world.





German director Wim Wenders sparse but deeply moving piece about a man who slowly recovers his lost memory and repair his damaged family is a remarkable work of art. Penned by the coolest man in the world, Sam Shepard, this piece is a gold mine of rich dialog and complicated characters. Supported by outstanding performances by Harry Dean Stanton, Nastassja Kinski and Dean Stockwell, this film gives us a strange but believable tale of redemption and forgiveness.

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John Wayne offers one of the more nuanced performances of his career as Sean Thornton, an American who returns to Ireland to find peace and a new life. What he finds is Mary Kate Danaher (played by Maureen O’ Hara.) The chemistry between not only the actors but also the characters is striking in how organic it feels. Wayne’s usual stoic and slightly belligerent posture is toned down for this piece and he shows that his iconic presence is not some Hollywood creation but a result of his natural charisma. If you know someone who dismisses Wayne as a hack, show them this film. John Wayne nails his role and offers Maureen O’Hara enough room to flower in hers. O’Hara nearly steals the show. O’Hara’s performance is very seductive in its verisimilitude. Think about it, she manages to upstage John Wayne in a John Ford film. This is no small task.

The cinematography by Winton Hoch (Joan of Arc, She Wore A Yellow Ribbon) is breathtaking. The richness of the images on screen are rarely seen in film either back then or today. This film proves without equivocation that the effects of nature’s beauty are more special than any effects George Lucas or Spielberg can muster. Ireland is a stunning place and this movie may be its best travel brochure. The film as a whole has a dream like quality. The Ireland presented in the film is like Eden lined with pubs. I can’t think of a finer place to visit.



This feature length Laurel and Hardy film plays to their strengths and fully displays their comical genius. The two hapless heroes are members of a Masons-esque group called the Sons of the Desert. They pledge to go to a convention in Chicago except Ollie's bitter wife refuses to let him go. They develop a ruse where Ollie pretends to have a nervous breakdown and has a "doctor" prescribe a trip to Honolulu. Instead of heading to Hawaii, they go to Chicago. When the ship he was supposed to be on sinks...well, then it gets good.

The film promotes the logical moral "Honesty is the best politics".

As a fan of their work, I can suggest nearly all of their films (except Babes in Toyland, geez, what a stinker). If you're unfamiliar with their work I'd suggest starting here and then perhaps moving on to Brats, Blockheads, Way out West and The Music Box...oh wait, and Busy Bodies and Tit for Tat...Toad in a Hole...then there's Another Fine Mess...Aw heck, just pick one and keep watching all of them until you run out. It's fine entertainment and a great way to spend your spare time - perfect entertainment for the kids I might add!



Even though it was made on a shoestring budget and with a tongue firmly in cheek, this is one of the creepiest films ever seen. Sam Raimi (Spider-Man) may have been a budding director at the time but his keen talents shine through. Adding Bruce Campbell to the mix doesn’t hurt thing either. Goofy yet frightening, this is a strikingly original feeling film. Well worth a look if you want a cheap scare.



I love, LOVE this film. The movie consists of four Japanese ghost stories with fantastic set work and mouth-dropping cinematography. The four short films are less about the characters being haunted by ghosts than by their own pain, guilt and burdens. This is less a series of horror stories and more of a samurai version of The Twilight Zone. This classic film is a pleasure to watch if you have an ounce of film geek in your veins. If you’re one who doesn’t get into foreign films (foreign in this case meaning non-Western based) and/or hates subtitles you’re best just moving on. Personally, I would place this in one of the better films ever made - but then again, this feeds into some of my more oddball tastes.



Following the path of an essentially cursed gun (a coveted Winchester 73) from owner to owner, this film spins a half a dozen short tales about greed and revenge. At the heart of the piece are archenemies Lin McAdam (Jimmy Stewart) and Dutch Henry Brown (Stephen McNally) who compete head to head in a shooting contest in Dodge City for the prized Winchester. The two characters are snarling dogs waiting for the chance to strike. This impending clash between the equally talented marksmen instills a great tension throughout the piece. This focuses the story even when we are left for long periods without either of the main characters on screen.

This is a film that shows the importance of not only scene work but fully developed secondary and tertiary characters. As I mentioned above, there are stretches of time when we do not see either the hero or villain. We are left dealing with the secondary players. The script is so taut and fully realized the film doesn’t suffer from this usually fatal choice. Using the Winchester as a thread to weave the various scenes into a complete piece, director Anthony Mann pulls off a very complicated work.

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This film is surprisingly good considering the bland, slab of vanilla Hugh Grant plays the lead. This highly moral piece tells the story of Will, a man who is a complete waste of space. He has literally nothing to show for his life and is proud of the fact. Will is a delightful bit of clever writing. Peter Hedges’ script does a fantastic job of establishing that Will has nothing to offer anyone at anytime. He is a human vacuum. Will’s life begins to change when he gets involved with a boy named Marcus. Marcus’ life is in turmoil because of his suicidal mother Fiona (Toni Collette). He turns to Will for guidance. Will, Marcus and Fiona develop a strange but fascinating trio of dysfunction. The three faces their screwed up lives each driftless and lacking purpose. Through this trio the film teaches a valuable moral lesson while avoiding postmodern whimpering, which very rare these days. For this reason, I cannot recommend this film highly enough for you.



This film about a man with no short term memory who reawakens mentally every few minutes and is trying to find the killer of his wife is truly unique and brilliantly laid out. The use of the forward moving hotel phone conversation (in black & white) as a buffer between the backward moving scenes of the rest of the film completely makes me geek out. Even though the film delivers a horrid existential message, the brilliance of the plotting and the intelligence of the script make this well worth suffering through the low philosophy.



A great update to the Godzilla template. A strange monster terrorizes the citizens living near Seoul's Han River. The Park family is sent on a quest to kill the monster when it grabs the teenage Park Hyun-seo (Ah-sung Ko) and hides her away in its lair deep in the sewers. The monster is handled well and seems real enough. This is mostly due to the care the filmmakers took to give it realistic movement. It is somewhat clumsy when rushed but is capable of graceful movement when attacking much like a lizard. I was impressed with how they handled the beast. The characters elevate themselves above being simple sketches and gives this piece an interesting depth that makes this a worthy movie. I warn you that the ending teeters on the ridiculous and almost spoils any successes the earlier acts achieved.





This film is expertly laid out and strongly executed. The script by Johannes W. Betz finds fertile soil in the emotional strain of those on both sides of the Berlin Wall. The torment of those seeing their country fall once again into political hell - moving from Nazism into Communism, while still wanting to believe the communist lie of a better life is striking. Betz also is adept at showing the pain of those living in freedom that are haunted by those left behind. The drive of his main characters is fascinating and the quiet fear expressed on both sides is memorable.



Akira Kurosawa’s rendition of King Lear is a long-winded film to be certain. Despite its length this film is fascinating. If you can sit for extended periods and don’t mind subtitles, this is a great film to experience. Not Kurosawa’s best film, this is still a wonderful work.

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This is the first Afghan film shot after the fall of the Taliban. We are told the story of a young girl who lives under the brutal regime. Both her and her mother are thrown out of work by the Taliban and ordered to remain indoors unless accompanied by a male. Since the girl’s father and brother are dead, this condemns the women to a life of endless poverty. Under the rules of the Taliban, the women sneaking out alone for food to live would be a capital offense. The only choice is to send the girl out, dressed as a boy to find work and food. The girl takes on the name Osama and ventures out into the Taliban control world of Afghanistan. It is only a matter of time before she is found out.

This is a great film that expresses quite strongly the difficult path of women under Muslim rule. If you have any interest in what our men and women have saved people from “over there”, this film may give you a glimpse. It is easy for Americans to ignore and dismiss the suffering of people in lesser cultures. Films such as this plead for us to pay attention to what is happening in this world. The barbaric notions of our ancient past are actually still breathing just around the corner.



The film is a strange one for many reasons. Wayne plays John Bernard Books an aged gunslinger that learns he is dying of cancer. The bulk of the piece is watching Books quickly accept his painful fate and attempt to squeeze some final moments of life from the time he has left. Intersecting this fascinating character study are a number of essentially faceless and nameless bad guys who wish to kill Books out of revenge or for the glory. The violent parts of the film don’t mesh comfortably with the brooding drama that acts as the main thrust of the piece. While they connect in the final moments of the film, there is a strong disconnect that interrupts much of the production. The reason for this can easily be identified. The lack of an equally dynamic antagonist weighs the film totally in Wayne’s favor. Luckily, Wayne was able to handle this burden and deliver the goods one last time.

The film is deepened by the fact that John Wayne (the actual man) was also dying of cancer as the film was in production. This movie is the final bow from a man who knows he won’t return. Wayne performs a number of scenes with his peers James Stewart and Lauren Bacall. These are the finest portions of the movie. In particular the scenes between Stewart and Wayne. Like their characters, they are two old men who have histories and see their time coming to a close. It is as if they came back out to show the youngsters how it’s done.



One of the most fascinating documentaries I've ever seen. This 95-minute explanation of Vietnam and The Cold War and the mistakes that were made by McNamara himself is absorbing. Drenched with history and darn good film making, this is a must see movie.




The story revolves around the lives of two deeply religious sisters who restrict their lives to serving their fellow man in the name of God. The two sisters and the denizens of their small, isolated Danish village sustain themselves on a pale diet of boiled fish and bread. They also survive on the memory of the sister’s dead father, a charismatic pastor who bonded the citizens of the village with teachings of Christian piety and sacrifice. When a French woman named Babette arrives as a refugee from the French Revolution, the two sisters must adjust to the new addition in their lives. When Babette wins the French lottery and demands to spend her winnings serving a real French feast to the aging members of the community the world is turned upside down. The introduction of pleasure into the village has some amazing results.

Don't let the timid plot fool you, this is a powerful movie of heavy significance. If you're not a moron and also love a good, thoughtful film, this is an absolute must-see. If you are a moron and you loathe good, thoughtful films, I'm sure there's some Ben Stiller piece of crap you can tug out of that garbage heap you call a DVD collection.



Less about possession and more about the court case that follows one, this film’s revolutionary element is reality. Director/Co-Writer Scott Derrickson infuses a strong sense of the real into his film which only serves to buttress the horror. Exorcism and demonic possession is a serious topic and Derrickson has the intelligence to take it sincerely. His honest look at the subject is what makes this film brilliant. The Exorcist took its subject matter very seriously as well, but upon reflection took loose translations of reality. This film doesn’t go the pea soup and head-spinning route. It keeps its characters and their troubles within the realm of the possible.

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When I first heard the buzz about this film coming out of the fests, my first reaction was that it was simply talk. This was probably going to be yet another dim bulb production hyped up beyond it’s worth. This film is worth the hype. Rian Johnson offers one of the most stunning directorial debuts into the mainstream since Bryan Singer released The Usual Suspects. His gritty, intelligent film is a huge risk. Johnson takes the marks of film noir and shoehorns them into a high school setting with a self-aware wink to the audience. The plot is about about a teenage boy who is tries to unravel the mystery of his ex-girlfriend’s murder. The teenage boy Brendan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a classic film noir anti-anti-hero and is adorned with all of the cliché trappings of the form. His dialog is surreal and snappy. His demeanor is aloof and he does well when cornered. Gordon-Levitt provides a well-tempered performance in a film that could have made him look like a fool.

The risk Johnson takes could have fallen on it's face but he pulls it off and the result is a very enjoyable, quick witted feast for film lovers.



Yes, the characters fly around and gingerly dash across rooftops, but at least you can't see the wires. Ang Lee is a great director and this film is striking not only in its look and feel, but its moving story as well. If you don't mind subtitles this worth seeing today.





A gripping character drama penned by Rod Serling (The Twilight Zone,) tells the story of Mountain Rivera (Anthony Quinn), a haggard aging boxer whose career is over and health is on the decline. Mountain is booted out of professional boxing due to the discovery that his failed health leaves him so fragile that one punch may kill him. Urged on by his manipulating manager Maish (Jackie Gleason), Mountain faces the world with his broken and beaten body and slow mind. Quinn gives Mountain a rawness that captivates and pulls off what could have been a cartoonish performance. With his bulbous face and scrambled elocution, Mountain could have been an annoying guy to watch, but Quinn’s delicate handling makes him sympathetic. Gleason is perfectly cast as the sleazy manager. His belligerent persona mixes well with the script. Gleason’s adept performance conveys a man desperate to squeeze the last drops from his friend but also hates himself for doing it.

I always felt that Serling has always been an under appreciated writer, this film shows him at the top of his game. It may take a little to find a copy of this movie but I guarantee you it is well worth the search.



Normally I'd rather clean the inside of an oven with my tongue than sit through a film with a child actor in the lead role. Jurnee Smolett's performance in this film about a troubled girl who watches her family disintegrate in 1962 Louisiana, should have won her a best actress nod from the Academy. She makes this film a joy to watch. In addition to Smolett's great performance, the rest of the cast from Lynn Whitefield and Samuel L. Jackson to Meagan Good all provide brilliant efforts that mesh together beautifully. Writer/Director Kasi Lemmons (The Caveman's Valentine) has done more acting in the past few years. This is a shame. She is clearly a talented filmmaker and I'd love to see more from her.

I strongly recommend this movie. It is intelligently written, well acted and very satisfying. Please note: those who are sensitive to sexual content and violence may find some scenes upsetting. If you don't mind these issues, knock yourself out - this often overlooked film is worth your time.



Director Brad Anderson and screenwriter Scott Kosar tell the story of Trevor Reznik, a machinist who hasn’t slept in a year and fears he is going insane. Reznik, who is near skeletal in appearance, hallucinates a co-worker that isn’t there. As horrible things begin to happen in his life, Reznik worries that he’s making these things happen.

Take a look at the photo above, Bale is about 3 lbs. He is Holocaust victim skinny. It’s hard to even look at him, let alone watch him for an hour and a half. His performance is very strong, perhaps the best of all of his performances to date.

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A film so good that it makes me forget I hate the French. It is also is a joy to watch. With the clever layout of the story, the ingenious use of narration and sharp editing there are few films within the past years that compare. This narratively simple movie about a Pollyannish Parisan girl who helps those around her is simply a treat. A good amount of praise can also go to Audrey Tautou in the lead. Beautiful while still looking utterly crazy, Tautou quickly establishes the character she was obviously born to play. Her meek yet welcoming performance carries the piece with ease. She is a pleasure to watch as she makes the insane world of the film believable.



John Malkovich, Glenn Close, Uma Thurman, Swoozie Kurtz and Michelle Pfieffer all give excellent performances in this layered adapatation of Christopher Hampton's stage play. The scamp Vicomte Sébastien de Valmont (Malkovich) is dispatched by his ex-lover Marquise Isabelle de Merteuil (Close) to bed the young, naive Cécile de Volanges (Thurman) before she marries Merteuil's former lover. At the same time, Merteuil wagers that Valmont will not be able to likewise bed the married, and morally straight Madame Marie de Tourvel (Pfieffer). While attempting to woo the God-fearing Tourvel, Valmont finds that he has fallen in love. This ignites Merteuil's fury and a war between the devious is sparked. A costume movie with teeth, this is one of the better productions of the 1980's, even if Keanu Reeves makes an appearance to remind us all you don't have to be a great actor to get in a Hollywood movie.



American planes have been sent to bomb Moscow due to an electrical malfunction. Director Sidney Lumet handles the piece masterfully and provides a gripping drama. On top of being a taut Cold-War thriller, this film also sports one of my favorite nightmare sequences ever filmed.



Three Australian soldiers face court martial for the slaughter of some prisoners even though the soldiers were acting under orders when they committed the deed. The trial brings out the conflicts between those in charge and the grunts in the field asked to perform the cruelest of acts. Based on a stage play written by Kenneth Ross, this is really an actor’s movie. The performances are top of the line in this production. Edward Woodward, Jack Thompson and Bryan Brown offer very detailed and intelligent performances.



I simply love this film. If for nothing else, the opening scene is worth the price of admission. The immediate tension and tone of doom that is struck is so overwhelming…man, I simply love this film!

The film follows the investigation of a killing. Two hit men arrive in a small town and gun down a seemingly simple man who doesn’t put up a fight. This story by Ernest Hemingway is told in a series of recollections from the people who surrounded the dead man. Burt Lancaster wonderfully plays Ole (the dead man) with a perfect mix of brutish stupidity and confident power. From the editing to the lighting every level of this film is masterfully laid out. Skip the crud that Hollywood is kicking out and return to classics like this one.

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This film gives us a glimpse of what it was like inside Hitler’s bunker in the final days of World War II through the eyes of his stenographer Tradul Junge. This film is based on Junge’s book of the same name and is stunning in the portrayal of the human side of this evil regime.

Many people believe that Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan should be required viewing in high schools. I would claim that this is the film kids should see. After having The Third Reich explained, the students should watch this film and see how blind faith in a man-made god leads to destruction.






This to be Kurosawa's second best film (Rashomon is his greatest work). It is good enough for you to immediately toss up on the top of your Netflix queue or to spend a few minutes searching the dusty corners of your local video store.



I know, I know, The Sound of Music should be my choice of the greatest film musical. Well, I hate The Sound of Music, the music is almost as irritating as the kids and for crying out loud, who wants to listen to Austrians sing? No, I back Singin' in the Rain. This hodge bodge of spare parts put together to make a full movie works so well and is a delight across the board. Even for people, like me, who are loathe to sit through anything that even remotely acts like a musical, this is a good pick. The dancing is mesmerizing, the music enjoyable and most importantly, the story, surrounding the lives of silent film actors as they attempt to make the jump into sound movies is brilliant. The humor in the film makes the gaudy moments excusable.

Even if you don't want to watch the movie, at least watch this bit of Donald O'Conner:



This is one of the few times I can say I was wrong in my initial reaction to a film. When I first saw this film I simply did not get it. Having seen it several times since, I can say that my original pan of the film was off the mark. I was wrong.

Director Stephen Chow's goofy, spastic film about Sing, a loser, who dreams of being a powerful gangster. When he accidentally sets off a war between a vicious gang and local citizens of a slum, Sing finds himself stuck in the middle. This film is short on substance but it makes up for it with dazzling visuals and a very funny delivery. Effectively, this film is little more than a fancy amusement ride but it is a very good amusement ride that I can recommend.



This classic German film from Fritz Lang (Metropolis) is truly timeless. The story tells of a hunt for a brutal pedophile played brilliantly by Peter Lorre. Most people know Lorre as the frog-eyed, sweaty guy from Casablanca or The Maltese Falcon. My Geddy Lee loving brother-in-law would know him from being portrayed in Looney Tunes (that’s Lorre being portrayed – not my Geddy Lee loving brother-in-law.) The police have difficulty finding the elusive murderer and begin to disrupt organized crime’s business across the city. Before too long, the gangs of underground criminals join the manhunt. Even after all of these decades, this film is still unsettling. The image of pre-World War II Nazis in this film is likewise unnerving.

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