Rewatching My 100 Favorite Movies - Update 13

I decided to rewatch my 100 favorite movies of all-time. What those are, you can check HERE. I watch them in random order, there is no rhyme or reason there, just watching those movies I love so much.
 

42/ 100: Stand By Me (1986)
A writer reminisces about his childhood friendship in the 1950s. Flashbacks take us back to a summer in Oregon, when four young boys go looking for the body of a missing teenager. Director Rob Reiner made a moving an effective film of the story written by Stephen King, which he named “The Body”. Beautiful and believable acting by the young actor, especially River Phoenix. HERE is my full review.
 

43/ 100: Fargo (1996)
Tragicomic masterpiece by the Coen Brothers, in which Jerry has his own wife kidnapped because he needs money for a business deal. The evil scheme fails miserably because of, on the one hand, the botched work of the criminals involved and, on the other, the exceptional detective skills of the pregnant police chief Marge. Frances McDormand as Marge is a delight, she created one of my favorite female movie characters of all-time. And “Fargo” is my favorite film by the Coen Brothers. You can find my full review HERE.
 

44/ 100: Ratatouille (2007)
The film is about the young rat Rémy who dreams of becoming a chef in a top Paris restaurant. Rémy ends up in the former 5-star restaurant of his great idol, the late top chef Gusteau, where he makes an alliance with the talentless but ambitious kitchen help Linguini. Not only does the technical mastery impress, the film superbly combines seriousness and fun. The story is layered and offers top entertainment for all age. Check out my full revies HERE.
 

45/ 100: American History X (1998)
Edward Norton plays Derek Vinyard, an American neo-Nazi with intellectual ambitions. His little brother Danny sees him as his idol, even when Derek ends up in prison for the murder of two black men. In prison, Derek repents, while Danny falls further and further under the spell of a local leader of the extremist movement. When Derek is released things escalate. Edward Norton plays fantastic. The story is intense, which makes “American History X” an excellent film that is still topical. You can read my full review HERE.
 
Still to watch: 55

90s Movie Review - American History X

Director: Tony Kaye
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 119 minutes
Year: 1998
Starring: Edward Norton, Edward Furlong, Beverly D’Angelo, Ethan Suplee, Fairuza Balk, Avery Brooks, Stacy Keach, Elliot Gould

Description: Former neo-nazi skinhead Derek Vinyard (Edward Norton) tries to prevent his younger brother Danny (Edward Furlong) from going down the same wrong path that he did.

Review: After skinhead Derek Vinyard kills two black burglars, he goes to prison, with pride. The so called ideals of the ‘third reich’ can’t save him there, so Derek chooses a different path and doesn’t want to have anything to do with it anymore. His younger brother Danny though worships Derek and is about to follow the wrong path.
“American History X” is a powerful film, with some shocking violent scenes. That one scene, involving a curb, makes me cringe every time.  It’s a drama with a clearly present moral.
The story alternates between the past and present. The part that’s set in the present day, is shot in full color. The scenes where we learn about Derek’s early life and his time in jail, was shot in black and white. By using these two different styles, it keeps your attention at all times.
The acting is excellent and especially Edward Norton shines. This is his best performance to date and he shows how varied he can be. We see him as the relentless and proud neo-nazi, that doesn’t even blink to kill a man and has a strong opinion about people that aren’t white. But also the change he goes through, where he finally realizes what he did. He is no longer proud of his actions and wants to walk away from that life. Norton was nominated for an Academy Award and in my opinion he should have gone home with the statue.
“American History X” is one of my favorite films and gets to me every time. A great film with an extraordinary performance by Edward Norton.

Rating: 5/ 5

Netflix Friday - Volume 52

Some Netflix film tips for the weekend! And there is something for everyone, since I picked a movie for all the different genres.
 

Action: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
In 1938, after his father Professor Henry Jones Sr. (Sean Connery) goes missing while pursuing the Holy Grail, Professor Henry “Indiana” Jones Jr. (Harrison Ford) finds himself up against Adolf Hitler’s Nazis again to stop them from obtaining its powers.
 

Drama: Hacksaw Ridge (2016)
World War II American Army Medic Desmond T. Doss (Andrew Garfield), who served during the Battle of Okinawa, refuses to kill people, and becomes the first man in American history to receive the Medal of Honor without firing a shot.
 

Comedy: Just Go with It (2011)
On a weekend trip to Hawaii, a plastic surgeon (Adam Sandler) convinces his loyal assistant (Jennifer Aniston) to pose as his soon-to-be-divorced wife in order to cover up a careless lie he told to his much-younger girlfriend (Brooklyn Decker).
 

Animation: How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)
When Hiccup (Jay Baruchel_ and his dragon Toothless discover an ice cave that is home to hundreds of new wild dragons and the mysterious Dragon Rider, the two friends find themselves at the center of a battle to protect the peace.
 

Romance: Blinded by the Light (2019)
In England in 1987, a teenager (Viveik Kalra) from an Asian family learns to live his life, understand his family and find his own voice through the music of American rock star Bruce Springsteen.
 

Horror: The Witch (2015)
A family in 1630s New England is torn apart by the forces of witchcraft, black magic, and possession.
 

Science Fiction: Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)
The crypto-zoological agency Monarch faces off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah.
 

Crime: American History X (1998)
A former neo-nazi skinhead (Edward Norton) tries to prevent his younger brother (Edward Furlong) from going down the same wrong path that he did.
 

Thriller: Hush (2016)
A deaf and mute writer (Kate Siegel) who retreated into the woods to live a solitary life must fight for her life in silence when a masked killer appears at her window.
 

Documentary: The Sons of Sam (2021)
The Son of Sam case grew into a lifelong obsession for journalist Maura Terry, who became convinced that the murders were linked to a satanic cult.
 

Family: Love and Monsters (2020)
Seven years after he survived the monster apocalypse, lovably hapless Joel (Dylan O’Brien) leaves his cozy underground bunker behind on a quest to reunite with his ex.

Netflix Friday - Volume 15

Some Netflix film tips for the weekend! And there is something for everyone, since I picked a movie for all the different genres.

Action: Bumblebee (2018)
On the run in the year 1987, Bublee finds refuge in a junkyard in a small California beach town. On the cusp of turning 18 and trying to find her place in the world, Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld) discovers Bumblebee, battle-scarred and broken.

Drama: The Squid and the Whale (2005)
We follow two young boys (Jesse Eisenberg, Owen Kline) dealing with their parents divorce (Laura Linney, Jeff Daniels) in Brooklyn in the 1980s.

Comedy: The Naked Gun (1988)
Incompetent polive Detective Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) must foil an attempt to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II.

Animation: When Marnie Was There (2014)
Due to 12-year-old Anna’s (Hailee Steinfeld) asthma, she’s sent to stay with relatives of her guardian in the Japanese countryside. She likes to be along, sketching. She befriends Marnie, but who is this mysterious girl?

Romance: Stardust (2007)
In a countryside town bordering on a magical land, a young man (Charlie Cox) makes a promise to his beloved (Claire Danes) that he’ll retrieve a fallen star by venturing into the magical realm.

Horror: Sleepy Hollow (1999)
Ichabod Crane (Johnny Depp) is sent to Sleepy Hollow to investigate the decapitations of three people, with the culprit being the legendary apparition, The Headless Horseman.

Science Fiction: Interstellar (2014)
A team of explorers travel through a wormhole in space in an attempt to ensure humanity’s survival.

Crime: American History X (1998)
A former neo-nazi skinhead (Edward Norton) tries to prevent his younger brother (Edward Furlong) from going the same wrong path that he did.

Thriller: Basic Instinct (1992)
A violent police detective (Michael Douglas) investigates a brutal murder that might involve a manipulative and seductive novelist (Sharon Stone).

Documentary: Down to Earth with Zac Efron (2020)
Actor Zac Efron journeys around the world with wellness expert Darin Olien in search of healthy, sustainable ways to live.

Family: The Lego Movie (2014)
An ordinary LEGO construction worker (Chris Pratt), thought to be the prophesied as ‘special’, is recruited to join a quest to stop an evil tyrant from gluing the LEGO universe into eternal stasis.

Top 5 Thursday: Cringe-worthy Movie Scene

We all know them, those scenes in movies that you just can’t watch. Because the repulse you, give you the chills or are just simply disgusting. Especially because you sometimes didn’t see it coming and are unexpected. Here is my list of cringe-worthy movie scenes. Don’t be afraid, I’m not sharing pictures.

5. Syriana

Torture is never fun to watch, but some films don’t make you watch the gruesome parts. Not “Syriana”. We got to squirm along with George Clooney as his CIA analyst gets his fingernail painstakingly removed with large pliers. Such a small body part to cause such agony.

 

 

4. American Histoy X

I’d never heard of ‘curbing’ until I saw “American History X”. When Edward Norton’s hate ideologue Derek Vineyard forces a black car thief to get down on the ground and place his open mouth on the sidewalk curb, teeth gratting, I got sick to my stomach. When Derek stomped on the back of the thief’s head, splittin his head like a melon, I whipped my own head around as if struck. I simply can’t watch this scene.

 

 

3. 127 Hours

The story of adventure junkie Aron Ralston was well publicized long before James Franco brought the tale to the big screen, but familiarity did little to quell the effect of the film’s gory amputation scene. And even if you were one of the steel-stomached moviegoers who didn’t pass out, bury you head in the shoulder of the person next to you, or lose your lunch during the scene, it’s likely that the image of the protagonist cutting away his own arm with the aid of a dull pocket knife will pop into you head the next time you’re deciding whether or not you want to tour some visually stunning canyons.

 

 

2. Misery

Nobody brings the crazy like Kathy Bates. When author Paul Sheldon veers off the road during a nasty snowstorm, his number one fan promises to nurse him back to health. That is, until she slams a sledgehammer into his ankles to make sure he doesn’t wander from her adoring gaze.

 

 

1. Requiem for a Dream

Darren Aronofsky’s drug-spiral odyssey is one cringe-worthy moment after another, but never more so than when Harry shoots heroin into the cavernous black hole of infection that is forming on his arm.

 

 

They Almost Made the Top 5: Black Swan, There’s Something About Mary, Reservoir Dogs

Movie Battle: American History X Vs. This is England

The two movie I choose this time, both center a pretty strong theme. It’s about a sub culture, the skinheads. There are similar because of the central theme, but they are both very different movies on their own. “American History X” Vs. “This is England”.

 

 

ACTORS

American History X: Edward Norton plays his best role so far, in my opinion. And Edward Furlong plays his little brother, also very solid. Beverly D’Angelo, Elliott Gould and Stacy Keach also portray very solid roles.

This is England: Thomas Turgoose is good as the boy the story centers around. But most impressive is Stephen Graham as Combo. His best role so far.

STORY

American History X: Norton plays former neo-nazi skinhead Derek, trying to prevend his younger brother from going down the same wrong path he did. I can remember that one scene on that curb…. Crinch!

This is England: Shaun is a troubled boy growing up in England, set in 1983. He comes across a few skinheads on his way home from school. They become his best friends, even like family. One of Britain’s best movies.

EFFECTS

American History X: What I think is most amazing is the contrast. Present day is filmed in full color and the flashbacks from Derek’s past are in black and white.

This is England: The movie got this typical British 80’s feel to it.

WINNER

Close call, because they are both memorable movies. But it’s “American History X” that will always be on my favourites list.

Top 5 Thursday: Movies from 1998

First my apologies for the missing top 5 last week. With all the busy stuff I totally forgot! But it's back this week. Let’s take a look at the year 1998, what movies did that year bring us?

5. The Wedding Singer
Okay, probably not one of the best movies of 1998, but a bit of a guilty pleasure. This was in the time that Adam Sandler still made movies worth your time. And he forms a sweet duo with Drew Barrymore.

4. The Faculty
Such a cool movie, although it features all kinds of stereotypical high school students. It’s a Robert Rodriguez movie and it’s an enjoyable film to watch.

3. American History X
This was an intense film, it haunted me for days when I first saw it. Especially that one scene with the man on the curb. You know what I’m talking about. And a fantastic performance by Edward Norton.

2. The Big Lebowski
You gotta love The Dude. In my opinion it’s Jeff Bridges at his best, although he also had some more dramatic roles where he was outstanding in. John Goodman also rocks this movie and I just love it.

1. There’s Something About Mary
It’s probably my number one comedy of all time. Cameron Diaz as the loveable Mary, who everybody loves. And Ben Stiller…. How cute was he and everyone felt sorry for him. That zipper scene, auch! I can still see the image.

They Almost Made the Top 5: The Truman Show, You’ve Got Mail, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Saving Private Ryan, Shakespeare in Love