#77 All the President's Men

People tend to love movies that take place near their homes. I love movies that take place in D.C. and that involve politics and All the President's Men  covered both of those topics splendidly. I have been a long time fan of the Washington Post and Bob Woodward is one of my heroes, so to be able to watch a movie about him and Carl Bernstein and Watergate and such was great! The movie was so suspenseful! You could feel the fear and apprehension! And being that I saw the movie Dick with Kirsten Dunst and Michelle Williams when it came out, it made me giggle because there are scenes from All the President's Men that Dick parodied (like the opening scene with the typewriter, or when Carl asks his source to "stay on the line" if his lead is accurate). And it was nice to see a true story that didn't involve people dying and leave me crying in the end.

# 96 Do the Right Thing

This movie completely floored me being that it had me confused as hell after it ended, and I actually had to sit down for a minute, think about what I just saw and discuss it while Kiel. The theme of Do the Right Thing is complex and complicated, like much of the characters (which is very refreshing, most characters seem to be very one sided and easily predictable). All of the characters seemed to have their own racial demons and those demons came out in the last bit of the movie in a violent and confusing explosion of events. The only character that seemed to make any sense during that chaotic time was the homeless drunk, DA Mayor. Even the quotes at the end of the movie were conflicting, the first one being from Dr. King (who was known to be extremely opposed to violence) and the second quote being from Malcolm X, advocating the use of violence to promote social change. When one takes the movie and both of those ending quotes into account, a complex and multi- faceted theme emerges: Fight for social change, but don't fight each other. Vote (which Samuel L. Jackson's character urges people to do in his final monologue) and "Do the right thing" (A-HA!!! I said it! I used the movie title in a description of the movie!!!).


Wonderful movie. Not to be viewed by the close minded or ignorant, though (they won't know what to make of it). And a great movie to discuss after it ends.

# 19 On the Waterfront

While I definitely prefer this Marlon Brando to Godfather Marlon Brando (of course nothing beats A Streetcar Named Desire Brando....can we say DAAAAMMMMNNNN???!!!!). I have to admit I was a bit disappointed by this movie. The story was great (decide between doing what is good and doing what is "right," man vs. man type of inner conflict mob story), Brando was gorgeous...oh yeah and great, but I found it really hard for me to keep my eyes on the screen as opposed to sorting stuff for the move back home and the yard sale and all that. Perhaps because this story has been done so many times and considering the mob movies I am more accustomed to (more violence and in color), this movie just doesn't hold water. If it weren't for Marlon Brando...I probably would've fallen asleep. I don't see how this movie made # 19 while A Streetcar Named Desire was # 47. Seriously, much better Brando film and you have him and Vivien Leigh doing this whole fiery sexual dance with each other throughout the entire movie....Anywho....trying to narrow down what my next showing will be: either The Sixth Sense (#89), All About Eve (#28), Do The Right Thing (#96), or All the President's Men (#77). Thought about watching Taxi Driver (#52), but I need a break from drama...I watched Boys Don't Cry yesterday and the ending where Brandon and Candace get shot (Candace right in front of her toddler son to make it even better) disturbed me more than a little bit and I had to go snuggle with Loki even more than usual. But that being said, it was an amazing movie and I see why Hillary Swank won an Oscar for it.

#33 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

For starters, how yummy was Jack Nicholson in this movie? Dude was hot (not that he's ugly now, he is very good looking, but...old). I'm probably going to have to go read the book now. I remember my Dad telling me what a great movie this was, and it's not like I would doubt that Jack Nicholson could ever have a crappy movie. It really just made me think of kind of a "Boy Interrupted," ya know, a not crazy guy in a looney bin. Except add electroshock, an evil bitch of a nurse and a huge American Indian. I did get a bit teary eyed towards the end, but it seemed...right. Once ol' Jack had been lobotomized and was simply a shell of the vivacious man he was, it was like he was already dead, and to see Chief walking and talking and finally running towards the horizon was simply beautiful. It really makes you appreciate life and all the craziness that comes with it and makes you want to shy away from social norms and conformity (at least that is the gist I got from it).

Loving the list so far! Can't wait to see what else AFI has in store for me!!!!

#2 The Godfather

Wow! I am blown away. I know people always rave about how great The Godfather is and everything, but until you see it, words simply cannot do it justice. When the movie first started, Kiel and I had to go online and check the cast because we simply could not believe that there was a point in time when Robert Duvall, James Caan and Diane Keaton looked so young. And Al Pacino not looking like a Coach bag with a voice reflecting years of scotch and smokes? WOW!!! Pacino does an amazing job transforming Michael from this young soldier who wishes to have nothing to do with the family business, to the next Don Corleone...Again....Wow. The only thing I could possibly complain about was how long the movie is (177 minutes) but it's not like the movie was being drawn out or anything, the movie was long but the story wouldn't have been as good if it had been shortened.


Considering how amazing this movie was, I really just cannot wait to see Citizen Kane (#1).

#60 Duck Soup

So I just finished watching the Marx Brothers in Duck Soup, and while I can't say I fully grasped the plot (something about Groucho becoming the leader of Freedonia and then declaring war on Sylvania because of a woman...and because the leader of Sylvania kept calling Groucho an upstart)...it was kind of all over the place, I was laughing every couple of minutes. This movie IS slap stick! I couldn't stop laughing and may have to look for some more Marx Brothers movies after seeing this movie. The ending (which involves Freedonia going to war) had Kiel and I cracking up. And I think that Teller (from Penn and Teller) is definitely drawing on Harpo Marx.

Now Kiel and I are going to pick up some Buffalo Wild Wings and bring it home. I have quite a few movies in my instant queue, but if I'm going to get Kiel to sit through anything, it will be have to be a more violent type of movie. Perhaps The Godfather (1 and 2) or maybe Taxi Driver?

Stay Tuned!

The Beginning

I love movies. I love just about all movies (except Wild Wild West....that movie annoys me to no freaking end). But when I caught a glimpse at the American Film Institute's 100 Greatest Movies of All Time, and saw how little of those movies I have seen, I thought that perhaps it was time to push myself to see all of these movies and really open myself up to them. I have heard of most of these movies (like who hasn't heard of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington or The Godfather?), and sometimes they have been on tv but simply been background noise while I did other things and then there were some that I just couldn't allow myself to sit through (A Clockwork Orange....ehh...watching that and the rape scene in it will be no easy feat for me, even though I've read the book!). But some of these movies are movies that have impacted society and pushed boundaries as far as social norms and censorship (Easy Rider, or The Graduate, anybody?) and some are just so beautiful that one has to sit down and give them the proper respect for the beautiful art that is on the screen (Gone with the Wind, The Wizard of Oz).

So I have a goal: I am going to see all of the movies on this list. And I am going to do it before 2011. Yes. In the midst of finishing up my bachelors, packing up my home in Las Vegas, raising a child and relocating back to DC while Kiel deploys I am going to watch movies. A LOT of movies. Maybe I'm a sadist.

So I already have seen 17 movies on the list (mind you, I am using the 2007 AFI list):

6. Gone With the Wind, 1939.

10. The Wizard of Oz, 1939.

13. Star Wars, 1977.

22. Some Like It Hot, 1959.

24. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, 1982.
25. To Kill a Mockingbird, 1962.

34. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, 1937.

47. A Streetcar Named Desire, 1951.

56. Jaws, 1975.
57. Rocky, 1976.

66. Raiders of the Lost Ark, 1981.

72. The Shawshank Redemption, 1994.

74. The Silence of the Lambs, 1991.

76. Forrest Gump, 1994.

83. Titanic, 1997.

94. Pulp Fiction, 1994.

99. Toy Story, 1995.

I have my Netflix instant queue loaded up with 8 movies to get me started (Godfather Part 1/2, Fargo, Intolerance,Duck Soup, It Happened One Night,One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and Taxi Driver). I will post what I think of each movie and hopefully I won't go crazy.

TIME FOR A CINEMATIC ADVENTURE!!!!!