Z/Web

Terrific sci-fi thriller about a transport vessel that crash lands on an unknown planet. One of the members is a convict being returned to prison, and his escape creates the initial tension. Soon, however, it is discovered that much more dangerous brutes exist on the planet: dinosaur-like creatures (miniature raptors with wings) that consume a person in seconds, like piranha in the Amazon. The creatures, however, are killed by light, which means everyone is safe as the planet has multiple suns and there is no night. That is, until the group realize a once-every-twenty-two year total eclipse is about to occur, plunging the planet into complete darkness. You can imagine the rest.

Director: Michael Powell

Considered the British version of Psycho, but it’s a very different film, and excellent in its own regard. The significant flaw is that it’s not particularly likeable, mostly because the lead character is not someone we want to relate to (even if we do).

Author: Colin Higgins

Director: Hal Ashby

My number two favorite film of all time. Amazing, mesmerizing, and hilarious story of a lifeless young “poor little rich boy” who discovers a vivacious 80-year-old woman who teaches him to enjoy existence. Every scene is masterfully orchestrated: not a word of dialogue is excessive, every happening is critical to the plot, every shot is flawlessly composed, and the performances are genuine. This is truly a perfect film. After 30 years it has lost none of its power: perhaps it’s even gained import considering the pointlessness of modern life. This is a film I could watch every month and enjoy more every time.

Author: John Woo

Director: John Woo

John Woo’s best film, an action movie with a conscience. It’s a tale of duality, with the life of a cop mirroring the life of a hired killer who wants to go straight. Throughout the film, they constantly switch white and black hats: he’s hero, no he’s the hero, no he’s the bad guy and the other guy’s the hero. Lots of existential dialogue and more flashbacks than a time-travel pic. Dramatic visuals, more like an opera than a shoot-em-up, with excessive blood and violence that dance across the screen like poetry. Ultimately the film asks the question: who is the killer? The cop kills bad guys while the assassin is hired to kill other criminals, so is he okay? Complex, profound, and thought-provoking, with an action overlay that is exciting and humorous.

Unusual drama of a girl and her mother as they struggle for existence. The mother moves from boyfriend to boyfriend, leaving town after each failed relationship, and the girl grows frustrated by the constant moving. Well-done, with very good performances and strong characters, but it tries a bit too hard to be daring, with “open” mother-daughter conversations on crude topics like farting and having the young girl swear frequently (as though that’s innovative or shocking these days). (The opening scene, where the mother and her boyfriend fight and she and her daughter flee, is filled with foul language that comes across as strangely false, as though either the writer doesn’t know how to swear or just uses swearing as a substitute for characterization.) Still, the characters are real and the story and emotions overall ring true. My only real complaint is the flaw central to the film: the explanation of why the mom always leaves town when a relationship goes bad is weak, leaving the viewer wondering if the mom’s a little weak in the head. (She claims she doesn’t want to run into the old boyfriend, but that’s not enough to justify moving to a different state every four to six months.) If it wasn’t for this flaw the film would be Oscar-caliber, but this makes it fall a little short.

One of my favorite James Bond flicks: excellent, dramatic locations; awesome, involved chase sequences; terrific humor; and, of course, the incomparable Carole Bouquet (who has the most amazing long hair) as the Bond Girl. Great fun.