13. Star Wars (1977)

Here’s some money. Go see a Star War.

Star Wars is the required reading of our generation. It is referenced so often and so universally it has become the Bible of popular culture. Like the Bible, Star Wars' old testament isn't as popular as the New testament. Sure, the old testament is cannon, but everybody would rather hear about Jesus instead. I like Star Wars, but I think Empire is better. Star Wars does a great job setting up a the universe and the mythology and it's impact earns its spot here in the top twenty. In case you didn't already know, Star Wars is a film about a newspaper tycoon whose dying words sparks an investigation of sorts into his life and its scandals to determine the meaning of "rosebud". I don't really want to make this entry terribly long because I don't think Star Wars needs a "review". We all get the gist, and we don't need any enlightened criticism.

For me, Star Wars will always be from my childhood. My parents had the old VHS tapes and got me hooked at age 7. My brother and I watched them so much my parents bought us the new wide-screen box-set, (the last release before the special editions). I have to say that the light sabers are what really got me. Although the force wasn't too bad either. But, after those I think what kept me coming back as a kid was the weight the film seemed to have. With it's sensational score and (still) impressive visual effects, Star Wars really felt almost tangible. The creatures were diverse and strange, and so were its characters. There is an innocent young kid, an old wise man, a cynical pirate with a bleating sidekick, a feisty princess and an evil empire. Its famous opening title, "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away..." is a really confusing and intriguing sentence to a seven year old watching a space movie. Follow that up with, "Episode IV" and the flying bold text, the history behind the film seemed concrete, and wonderful, like legend (unfortunately I would find out later with millions of people how unreal and boring viewing that history could be). I also loved how funny it was, although it is not a comedy. It had a good amount of dark moments as well. Darth Vader choked his way out of a few problems, Obi-Wan gets struck down, and an entire planet gets destroyed. Despite all that, it was optimistic and heart warming. It was action packed and dazzling. But most of all it was fun, pure, and simple.That's how I'll remember it.

3. Casablanca (1942)

Play It Once, Sam, for Old Times' Sake

Casablanca has long held the honor of being one of the greatest films ever made. Since it's release in 1942 it has become legendary. The film is the highest quoted on AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movie Quotes with six (The Wizard of Oz and Gone With the Wind are second and third place with only three each). Being held in such high esteem, the film frequently appears near the top of many must-see lists. For decades critics and audiences have adored this timeless film for its humor, romance and humanity. Casablanca focuses on the city of the same name in unoccupied France during 1941. Europe is struggling with the grip of the Nazi war machine and many hope to flee to America to safety and freedom. Casablanca is the last stop before Lisbon, the gateway to America. Everyone is desperate for rare transit papers. They all wait for a chance to fly out of Casablanca to freedom and anybody worth anything seems to wait at Rick's Café Américain, owned by Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart). French and Nazi officials, refugees all drink at this upscale nightclub run by a multinational band of misfits, like the rest that end up in town. Rick never drinks with his customers and "never sticks his neck out for anybody." He can't go back to America, we never know why, and his unwillingness to trust anyone indicates a past that broke his trust. Rick's cynical, impersonal shell starts to cracks when a former lover returns. As Rick puts it, "Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine." Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) walks into the bar back into Rick's life.

The tone of drudgery and uncertainty is felt throughout the film, in every laugh and in every spin of the roulette wheel. Characters long for home and better times before the war. They drink and wait with forced smiles and conversation. The dialog is often very funny and aware of the wartime situation it is in. It is written perfectly for Bogart and Bergman and they deliver it with great sincerity. The Nazis, French Officials, and the stranded refugees all drink in the same bar which gives off the feeling of oppression in nearly every scene. In fact, "in the famous scene where the 'Marseillaise' is sung over the German song 'Watch on the Rhine', many of the extras had real tears in their eyes; a large number of them were actual refugees from Nazi persecution in Germany and elsewhere in Europe and were overcome by the emotions the scene brought out. (IMDB)" The film is very anti-Nazi and filled with the sorrows of war and occupation. Shadows play a large part in maintaining a feeling of opression and uncertainty. There was even a rumor that some shadows were painted on the set. Some shadows highlight character movement in silhouette, and others fill in the walls and surfaces like wallpaper or a decorative vase. They help maintain a dark atmosphere while still allowing light to creep in. Music is another powerful element in the film. It is somber and reminiscent of an innocent past. Rick and Ilsa's song, "As Time Goes By" seems to float in the smoke filled bar. It is sung by Sam (Dooley Wilson) with a strong feeling of nostalgia and sorrow. The song sums up the story of two lovers having to choose between what is best for their love and what is best for the world. The themes of the film are explained in these lyrics:

Well, it's still the same old story
A fight for love and glory
A case of do or die
The world will always welcome lovers
As time goes by

At its core Casablanca is both about the failure and true power of love, war, and hope.

I found this while looking at IMDB's interesting facts: "In the 1980s, this film's script was sent to readers at a number of major studios and production companies under its original title, "Everybody Comes To Rick's". Some readers recognized the script but most did not. Many complained that the script was "not good enough" to make a decent movie. Others gave such complaints as 'too dated', 'too much dialog' and 'not enough sex'." Perhaps a good reputation is part of what makes this movie so timeless, but I'd like to think not.

35. Annie Hall

I’m going to start my first entry in this blog with a guilty admission: I easily get impatient with movies. Not frustrated impatient, but checking my watch frequently impatient. In the four or so times I’ve seen Annie Hall, this has never been a problem. It’s so perfectly written, I still catch lines I glanced over the first time, this time around especially enjoying bits such as the brief ‘meetings’ conversation.

It’s also rare that a romantic comedy can be so incredibly entertaining without actually doing a whole ton. Outside of getting together and breaking up, little plot really exists, and the story isn’t even told chronologically. Though I’d argue this plays to its advantage, adding to the surreal element that makes it even more unique. Allen probably breaks more walls and conventions in this movie than I’ve ever seen in one before, making the movie surprising and different at every turn, by providing live commentary on his memories, turning into a cartoon, etc. All the rules have been suspended in his comprehensive reflection. He looks at us, talks to us, confides in us, relates to us, and does the same to strangers on the street. As a self-centered individual, he lets the entire world talk about his problems, and as a helpless one, he looks to them for advice.

From the title alone, we can tell the movie is about a specific period in his life, that in which he was involved with Annie. From there, he gives us contextual bookends, and addresses us almost as his psychiatrist, hoping for closure. He mentions in the opening he is still ‘searching for what he did wrong,’ or something to that effect, and even after watching the movie it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact moment. Alvy remains static throughout to movie, and though Annie rubs off on him a bit, he mostly acts as her mentor. Her evolution is best realized in the singing scenes, how Alvy encouraged her to become a confident, outgoing individual, and she ends up going beyond his encouragement and grows out of him. This also seems to be disorienting for Alvy, as in his previous relationships it’s been vice-versa.

But Alvy refuses to accept this, and he may be right and I wrong, maybe he just coaxed out her true self, one more outgoing than he. But therein lies the issue, she is the one person he doesn’t hate. He openly criticizes politicians, actions, professors, writers, musicians, producers, the random passerby, and even his only close friend, Max. Which is why he talks to us, as he really has no one else to lean on.

The bittersweet ending is probably on of the truest a romantic comedy can have, on of eventual mutuality and acceptance, and the closing montage of Alvy’s memories shows us just how much both he and the audience experienced with Annie, something we might not realize otherwise. Most romantic comedies are movies you want to be in, movies you’re supposed to fantasize about. Annie Hall though, instead of whisking you away on an adventure, just sits down and sympathizes with you.

Da Rules

Here's how it works:

-We all review movies whose list # ends in 1
-Tim does those ending in 2, 5, and 8
-Tom does those ending in 4, 7, and 10
-Scott does those ending in 3, 6, and 9

-No order is needed, and feel free to review others, I think overlap would be great for discussion and such.

-In a post, put the # and movie in the heading, and feel free to mention anything, including, but not limited to:
-Number of times seen
-A basic review
-Interpretation, etc

Please don't make the posts super short, or there's really no point in any of this. My film study teacher right now asks for 650+ word reflections on each film we watch in class, and I've enjoyed them all much before because of them.

Da List

1. Citizen Kane (1941)
2. The Godfather (1972)
3. Casablanca (1942)
4. Raging Bull (1980)
5. Singin' in the Rain (1952)
6. Gone with the Wind (1939)
7. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
8. Schindler's List (1993)
9. Vertigo (1958)
10. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
11. City Lights (1931)
12. The Searchers (1956)
13. Star Wars (1977)
14. Psycho (1960)
15. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
16. Sunset Boulevard (1950)
17. The Graduate (1967)
18. The General (1927)
19. On the Waterfront (1954)
20. It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
21. Chinatown (1974)
22. Some Like It Hot (1959)
23. The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
24. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
25. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
26. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
27. High Noon (1952)
28. All About Eve (1950)
29. Double Indemnity (1944)
30. Apocalypse Now (1979)
31. The Maltese Falcon (1941)
32. The Godfather Part II (1974)
33. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
34. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
35. Annie Hall (1977)
36. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
37. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
38. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
39. Dr. Strangelove (1964)
40. The Sound of Music (1965)
41. King Kong (1933)
42. Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
43. Midnight Cowboy (1969)
44. The Philadelphia Story (1940)
45. Shane (1953)
46. It Happened One Night (1934)
47. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
48. Rear Window (1954)
49. Intolerance (1916)
50. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
51. West Side Story (1961)
52. Taxi Driver (1976)
53. The Deer Hunter (1978)
54. MASH (1970)
55. North by Northwest (1959)
56. Jaws (1975)
57. Rocky (1976)
58. The Gold Rush (1925)
59. Nashville (1975)
60. Duck Soup (1933)
61. Sullivan's Travels (1941)
62. American Graffiti (1973)
63. Cabaret (1972)
64. Network (1976)
65. The African Queen (1951)
66. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
67. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
68. Unforgiven (1992)
69. Tootsie (1982)
70. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
71. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
72. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
73. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
74. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
75. In the Heat of the Night (1967)
76. Forrest Gump (1994)
77. All the President's Men (1976)
78. Modern Times (1936)
79. The Wild Bunch (1969)
80. The Apartment (1960)
81. Spartacus (1960)
82. Sunrise (1927)
83. Titanic (1997)
84. Easy Rider (1969)
85. A Night at the Opera (1935)
86. Platoon (1986)
87. 12 Angry Men (1957)
88. Bringing Up Baby (1938)
89. The Sixth Sense (1999)
90. Swing Time (1936)
91. Sophie's Choice (1982)
92. Goodfellas (1990)
93. The French Connection (1971)
94. Pulp Fiction (1994)
95. The Last Picture Show (1971)
96. Do the Right Thing (1989)
97. Blade Runner (1982)
98. Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
99. Toy Story (1995)
100. Ben-Hur (1959)