The Blu-ray Files #013

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 – This movie was released on DVD and Bluray just before I bought my HDTV, so I actually bought the DVD version to fit the rest of my HP movie set.  But I realized that when Part 2 is released later this fall, I will want to […]

AFI Recap: #91 – #100

91. My Fair Lady (1964) – I will say I enjoyed the linguistic aspect of this movie and found it quite interesting.  I also found both Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrington to be very charming in their roles.  However, there are way, way, way too many songs and it is overlong by about an hour.  […]

AFI Recap: #81 – #90

81. Modern Times (1936) – My least favourite of the three Chaplin entries in this list.  It lacks much of the charm of City Lights and Gold Rush, but the satire was great.  Full review here.  – 82. Giant (1956) – It’s like Gone With the Wind, but not good.  Its long and meandering and […]

Film Club Review – Giant

I’ve heard Giant described as a “low-rent Gone with the Wind.” That’s not too off the mark. I’d describe it as Gone With the Wind without a purpose. Giant’s main problem is its lack of focus. It seems to be all over the map, trying to be too many things at once and not really […]

Film Club Review – Modern Times

I will not claim that I am a Chaplin expert as I have only seen three of his films, the other two being City Lights and The Gold Rush. But compared to those other two, Modern Times falls slightly short. It is very strong elements but also some weaker aspects. The main problem though is […]

AFI Recap: #71 – #80

71. Forrest Gump (1994) – I remember seeing Forrest Gump when I was a kid and loving it.  Years later, I wondered if the film’s greatness came mostly from the hype around it, but luckily after watching it a couple more times over the last few years, I realize that it is just as great […]

Flim Club Review – City Lights

City Lights City Lights is a silent movie which was released in a time when talkies were taking over and silent films were soon to be no more. But being a silent movie, this story about a tramp who falls for a blind girl and tries to find enough money to support her and pay […]

AFI Recap: #61 – #70

61. Vertigo (1958) – Vertigo is one of those movies that was upjumped a lot in the 2007 revised list, all the way up to #9.  There seems to be a push by cinephiles to declare Vertigo as their favourite Hitch film, though I will not succumb to the peer pressure.  Vertigo is a fine […]

AFI Recap: #51 – #60

51. The Philadelphia Story (1940) – One of the great screwball comedy classics with the added bonus of having Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn and Jimmy Stewart all in one movie together.  There’s a lot of sharp-cracking wit to keep you interested and many funny moments to keep you laughing.  – 52. From Here to Eternity […]

AFI Recap: #41 – #50

41. West Wide Story (1961) – I feel like a bit of a curmudgeon for not liking this movie.  I can see why people do like it, however, as it has a lot of exuberance and the core of the story is actually pretty strong.  But I just couldn’t help feel like it never reached […]

AFI Recap: #31 – #40

31. Annie Hall (1977) – This was AFI’s Woody Allen selection for this list, since he needed to be represented somehow.  Annie Hall is a good choice as it is certainly his most notable film, a comedy both funny and unique.   I like it, though i still hold a grudge because it beat out Star […]

AFI Recap: #21 – #30

21. The Grapes of Wrath (1940) – This is the ultimate American story about the great depression.  It is well directed and has some real moments of gold.  But for all that it can be quite dull and dreary. — 22. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) – A true masterpiece, yet I still find it […]

AFI Recap: #11 – #20

11. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) – I know people are probably sick of this movie as its on TV every single Christmas, but I don’t care.  I still love it.  It’s not the movie’s fault that its overplayed, and the movie itself is wonderful (just as the title indicates).  It is heartfelt and dramatic, […]

AFI Recap: #1 – #10

I’ve decided to start a new segment in this blog where I recap the AFI’s 100 Greatest Movies list.  I will be summarizing the films ten at a time giving a brief paragraph about what I thought of the films and what rating I give it out of four stars.  It may take a long […]

Film Club Review – Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

I don’t know why its taken me so long to watch this movie. I suppose its just one of those that fell through the cracks. But man am I sure glad I watched it now. I was one of the first collaborations between Frank Capra and Jimmy Stewart and dealt very coherently and intelligently with […]