| One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest(Foreman)- Jack Nicholson is right at home in a looney bin in Oregon in Foreman's adaptation of Ken Kessey's classic novel. This satisfying film builds slowly and reaches a chilling ending. Extra thumb up for the big Indian in 'OFOTCN!' I almost rated this a 'Chief'(pun intended). Warrior |
| The Time Machine- The Time Machine contains remarkable visual effects in scenes where lanscapes fluidly materialize and erode as time is shown in superspeed. Unfortunately, the rest of the movie moves much slower. The story doesn't hold much weight would be unforgivable were it not written by H.G. Welles gererations ago. Squaw |
| Eyes Wide Shut(Kubrick)- Kubrick's last film has, thus far, proven to be one of his least understood. Eyes Wide Shut is a rich and engrossing 'dreamstory' of sex, jealousy, and mystery, set in the social network of upperclass New York. The film is brilliantly paced, and showcases sublime photography. Sadly, EWS was overlooked by most moviegoers when it was released in 1999. Kubrick's film requires that you keep your eyes wide open, from start to finish. You'll be glad you did. Chief |
| On Golden Pond- If the aim of 'On Golden Pond' is to redeem the notion of getting old, I'm not sure it succeeds. Henry Fonda is good in the role that won him an Oscar, but Hepburn's clearly lost her 'star' as her aged voice is slightly less charming than that of a cat in a full Nelson. The film is simple and crisp, though, and is almost worth a Warrior. Squaw/Warrior |
| Pinocchio- Pinocchio, made during Disney's heyday, is one of the very best animated features ever. The adventures of a wooden puppet are stunningly drawn, the animation is sublime. Disney's best productions came during a relatively short period, with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, and Fantasia. When has animation ever looked this good? Chief |
| Minority Report(Speilberg)- Steven Speilberg recaptures his stride after the mediocre A.I. with this thouroughly suspensefull nail-biter about precrime in a futuristic Washington D.C. The film has several memorable action sequences and is smart and tight, with yet another good showing by Tom Criuse. Warrior/Chief |
| The Magnificent Ambersons(Welles)- Orson Welles' follow up to Citezen Kane is a fine adaptation of Booth Tarkington's Pulizer Prize winning novel about the rise and fall of a wealthy midwestern family. Welles narrates the picture which is, at times, noir-ish, using darkness and shadows for effect. The Magnificent Ambersons could easily be labled 'American Shakespeare.' Chief |
| Brief Encounter(Lean)- This early film by David Lean is nearly perfect in its simplicity. The film, as its title suggests, is brief, and is an efficient piece of story telling. Extra points for authentically British it is. Brief Encounter, when compared to Lean's later epics, shows the director's remarkable range. Warrior/Chief |
| Excalibur(Boorman)- This early '80's version of the legend of King Arthur is a cleverly and tastefully done fantasy, which wisely avoids cheesy special effects. The story extends beyond the 'sword in the stone' and 'Lancelot and Gweneviere' familiarity and tells more of the story than some other King Arthur flicks. Warrior |
| Monster's Ball- Monster's Ball is just the kind of poor-people-in-the-South movie I like. This Oscar winner about dealing with loss and finding comfort where you can is well written and acted, and is very engaging. Extra points for the scene where Halle Berry gets nekked. Warrior/Chief |
| The Elephant Man(Lynch)- 'The Elephant Man,' made at the tail end of Hollywood's modern 'golden era' is a wonderfully photographed, suspencefull, and heartwrenching tale of the most 'fugly' man ever, a severely deformed Brit. The performances are superb and the direction is sharp(especially for David Lynch). The film magically captures 19th century London. Finally, a David Lynch film we can understand! Chief |
| Boys Town- A sappy but satisfying old time movie about real life Father Flannagan and his home for homeless boys. Mickey Rooney is a complete ham througout the film, but not even "the number one star...in the world...ya hear me? ....the world" can ruin this flick. Warrior/Chief |
| Wild Man Blues- Though WMB would have been more interesting had it been made 20 years earlier, focusing on a younger Woody Allen, the documentary that was made is still worth a watch. It follows Allen and his New Orleans jazz band as they tour Europe, and shows that, for the most part, Allen's life in movies is more intersting than his real one. Warrior |