Category Archives: 1000NYTimes

1000NYTimes, 1001BeforeDie, 1981, Classic, Could Be Sad, FilmReview, War

Gallipoli (1981)

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From NetFlix:

Australian Director Peter Weir takes on one of his country’s
most tragic moments in history: the World War I confrontation
with the German allied Turks. As the film leads up to the
battle in act three, we get to know the young men destined to
be casualties of war. A young Mel Gibson (on the heels of his
successful turn in Mad Max) plays one of the innocent doomed.
This poignant war drama swept the Australian Film Institute
Awards with eight wins.

I have classified this film as a “Classic”. It is old but not dated. Mel Gibson
is so young I almost did not recognize him. Wikipedia offers a long
detailed account of the battle at Gallipoli. This battle is very important
to both New Zealanders and Australians. What appeals to me is the
naturalness of the actions. There are no special effects. The entire
emphasis of the film is the close friendships that develop between the
men over the course of the film. But you have to watch this movie
with the understanding that almost every one of those men are
about to die (needlessly as it turns out). There is no bloodshed
whatsoever, and no violence whatsoever.

1000NYTimes, 1001BeforeDie, 1961, Classic, FilmReview

The Hustler (1961)

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From NetFlix:

Paul Newman scores as tragic, flawed pool hustler ‘Fast Eddie Felson’
in a brooding drama that explores the synergies between good and evil,
love and desperation. Felson tours the country hustling games — even
challenging reigning champion Minnesota Fats (a fabulous Jackie Gleason).
Co-starring Piper Laurie and George C. Scott, The Hustler was followed
30 years later by the sequel The Color of Money, starring Newman and
Tom Cruise. Rack ’em up!

This Christmas visit Kate and Nigel requested “The Color of Money” which we enjoyed. In it Paul Newman is the older “teacher” for a new young hustler Tom Cruise. I just had to re-see “The Hustler” as a comparison. I felt I had to invent yet another film category “Classic”
because there is no other way to describe “The Hustler”.
It seems impossible that “The Hustler” was made 48 years ago. How many of us in the MovieFans list are even that old? In fact, I will occasionally revisit older “Classics” to see how they survive the passage of time. Not only does “The Hustler” survive, in my opinion it surpasses “The Color of Money”. Whereas Tom Cruise is his usual brat-like self, the young Paul Newman will be the warmly human ‘Fast Eddie Felson’ forever, a man who appreciates too late the love he lost.

Of the 4 principle actors Newman, Gleason, and Scott are dead. Piper Laurie still acts and has been in ‘Law and Order’ episodes. We should probably keep score on how many actors (young and old) in our movie list have also played in at least one ‘Law and Order’ episode.

Do you feel “The Hustler” is dated ?

1000NYTimes, 1001BeforeDie, 1989, DO NOT MISS, Feel Good Not For Children

My Left Foot (1989)

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From NetFlix:

Daniel Day-Lewis won an Oscar for his portrayal of Irish writer
Christy Brown, who was born with cerebral palsy. Misdiagnosed
as mentally disabled for the first 10 years of his life, Brown
learned to write using his left foot, the only body part he
could control. The story unfolds in flashbacks, with Hugh O’Conor
as the young Christy equaling Day-Lewis’s performance as the adult.

“My Left Foot” is one of those classics that you should see at least once
before you die. Somehow Daniel Day-Lewis never seems to age. To me he looks practically the same in each of his films. Not only his performance but also that of the young Christy and Christy’s mother are phenomenal. I had seen this film years ago. It is ageless and I enjoyed it probably more the second time. Do not miss this movie!

1000NYTimes, 1001BeforeDie, 1996, Unusual, Violent

Trainspotting (1996)

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From NetFlix:

Danny Boyle’s explosive 1996 film tracks the misadventures of
young men (played by a cast that includes Ewan MacGregor, Robert
Carlyle and Jon Lee Miller) trying to find their way out of
joblessness, aimless relationships and drug addiction. Some are
successful, while others are hopelessly not . Based on Irvine Walsh’s
novel, Trainspotting melds grit with poetry, resulting in a film of
harsh truths and stunning grace.

I am not so sure “stunning grace” is what would come to mind if you were daring enough to watch this film which offers the following delights:

o Drugs
o Sex
o Filthy hovels
o Disgusting bathroom scenes
o Crude language
o Degenerate amoral characters.

Now with all that to offer, how could you not see this film ? 1996 was 12 years ago. I am sure that this film was a shocker 12 years ago, and it still can shock. But to tell you the truth the characters were such moral idiots, and the dialog and (possibly disgusting) sight gags were so clever that I just kept laughing out loud. After awhile you start to cringe at how hideous these 4 boy-men were and you wonder just how would Ewan MacGregor (who really tries to go straight) ever get away from the other 3. It was just this question that kept me riveted to the end.

No doubt this film will become a cult classic.

NOT FOR EVERYONE. NOT EVER FOR CHILDREN.

1000NYTimes, 1986, Not Feel Good

My Beautiful Laundrette (1986)

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From NetFlix:

Hanif Kureishi received an Oscar nomination for his screenplay
for My Beautiful Laundrette, a stunning portrait of two boyhood
friends struggling to survive in racially tense Thatcher-era
Britain. Omar (Gordon Warnecke), a Pakistani, and his old school
chum Johnny (Daniel-Day Lewis) use stolen drug money to renovate
a laundrette in a squalid London neighborhood. But conflicting
interests and loyalties soon threaten their newfound success.

I continue to work my way thru the films of Hanif Kureishi. Recall that the previous film was “My Son The Fanatic”. “My Beautiful Laundrette” is 13 years older. I saw this film 20 years ago but was too “young” to appreciate it. At that time Daniel-Day Lewis meant nothing to me. But his role in this film is outstanding. He has the skill to become the character completely. The difference in characters between this film and “There Will Be Blood” is a tribute to his talent. One theme in the film is the gay relation between Omar and Johnny. It was stunning to watch a young, smiling, naive Omar transform into a cunning businessman. The actor who plays Omar’s father was the paedofile in “Monsoon Wedding”.

The film is inspired by the policies and attitudes of Margaret Thatcher’s England. How sad and ironic that Margaret Thatcher now has Alzheimer’s disease.

There is also some violence and nasty behavior. NOT FOR CHILDREN.

This is a really well-done film. The films of Hanif Kureishi are hard to get from NetFlix. They seem to be very popular now.

This one is a “don’t miss it”

1000NYTimes, 1997, DO NOT MISS, Feel Good Not For Children

The Full Monty (1997)

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From NetFlix:

This raucous English comedy follows a group of unemployed British
steel-mill workers who, broke and bored, devise a fabulous scheme
to get off the dole: Become male strippers! Soon they’re a sensation
with the ladies, who encourage the men to show the “full monty”
(strip down to the skin). This quirky 1997 sleeper is full of character
and great humor.

I was looking for movies my mother would like. The telephone conversation would be something like: “Well Mom, it’s about unemployed British men who want to strip naked in a show … Mom … Mom … are you still there ?”

1000NYTimes, 1001BeforeDie, 1963, Italian, Not Feel Good

The Leopard (1963)

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From NetFlix:

In this war drama set in 1860s Sicily, Prince Don Fabrizio Salina (Burt Lancaster) attempts to hold onto the glory he once knew, while his nephew, Tancredi Falconeri (Alain Delon), has joined opposition forces and is being heralded as a war hero. As Falconeri begins to fall for Angelica (Claudia Cardinale), the daughter of the town’s new mayor, Don Calogero Sedara (Paolo Stoppa), Salina must learn to accept his changing political status.

Garibaldi landed in Sicily in 1860 (at the time of our civil war). Burt Lancaster (speaking Italian) is a Sicilian prince who can never adjust to the new egalitarian order. The film beautifully recreates the book. But the pace is very slow and you really might have to be motivated to watch this film. In my case I read “Il Gatopardo” in Italian.

1000NYTimes, 1001BeforeDie, 2001, Animated, Japanese, Unusual

Spirited Away (2001)

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From NetFlix:

Adapted from the Japanese original, director Hayao Miyazaki’s adventure tale won the Best Animated Feature Oscar for its story of 10-year-old Chihiro (voiced by Rumi Hiragi). During her family’s move to the suburbs, Chihiro wanders into a magical world where a witch rules — and those who disobey her are turned into animals. When her parents are turned into pigs, Chihiro must find a way to help them return to their human form.

This is not your mother’s Walt Disney, far from it! When I first saw this film (recommended by both “1001 Films to See Before You Die” and The “NY Times 1000 Best”), I also was “spirited away”. If you have never seen a Miyazaki animated film, and you are willing to watch an animated film, you have a new experience in store. Imagine a scene of normal-sized characters intruded upon by a GIGANTIC baby that throws destructive temper tantrums. Brace yourself!

1000NYTimes, 1001BeforeDie, 2000, Could Be Hard To Watch, Detective, Drugs, Explicit sex, Revenge, Suspense, Violent

Traffic (2000)

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From NetFlix:

In three interwoven vignettes, Traffic offers disturbing snapshots of America’s drug war. Drug czar Michael Douglas sees his life turned upside down when the drug problem hits home, while Tijuana cop Benicio Del Toro tries to keep his hands clean — and stay alive. Meanwhile, Drug Enforcement Agency operatives arrest a major dealer, forcing his wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones) to take over the family business.

Recommended both by “1001 Films to See Before You Die” and “NY Times 1000 Best”, this film is in the “Crash” tradition of many separate interrelated plot threads. As such, the film can be confusing.

Besides violence (e.g. torture) there is much ugliness (e.g. The U.S. drug czar finally tracks down his cocaine-addicted daughter as she is prostituting herself to an old man in order to get drug money). Another main theme is governmental corruption. This film, which won 4 oscars, is not an easy watch.