What kind of species are we that we can enslave our fellows? There are two scenes in McQueen’s masterpiece 12 Years a Slave, that shook me to my core. The first was a scene in which Chiwetel Ejiofor’s Solomon Northup is left to hang, while life goes on around him, and another when Solomon is…
Tag: best screenplay
Little Women (1933) – George Cukor
The next big title in DK Canada’s The Movie Book is the Civil War epic Gone With the Wind, which I had previously reviewed, so, once again, I moved onto the always educational What Else to Watch list to delve into other titles. That brought me to Cukor’s adaptation of Little Women from 1933. Despite,…
Gods and Monsters (1998) – Bill Condon
The bio-pic, Gods and Monsters, is the next film on the What Else to Watch list, for Bride of Frankenstein, from DK Canada’s The Movie Book. The film chronicles the last days, as well as life and career of director James Whale, played brilliantly by Ian McKellen. The legendary film maker, perhaps best known for…
JFK (1991) – Oliver Stone
The final film in the What Else to Watch list of DK Canada’s The Movie Book, following my viewing of Battleship Potemkin is Oliver Stone’s three hour historical, and dramatic exploration of the Kennedy assassination in 1963. The film follows Jim Garrison’s (Kevin Costner) real-life investigation into the case, perhaps compiling the most comprehensive look…
The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) – David Lean
Another recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book for my screening of The Great Escape is this David Lean classic starring William Holden, Alec Guinness, and Jack Hawkins. The film walked away with seven Academy Awards, taking home Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Guinness), Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography,…
Casablanca (1942) – Michael Curtiz
As we move back to the Romance and Melodrama genre in the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book, we get to revisit one of my favourite films (many people share that opinion, and who can blame them?!) – Casablanca. It came along at just the right time, had just the right cast,…
Out of Africa (1985) – Sydney Pollack
Meryl Streep and Robert Redford headline this romantic drama that is based on a true story, and is a recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book for my screening of Gone With the Wind. Claiming a number of Oscars, including Best Picture, Director, Score (by John Barry), Screenplay, and obviously, Cinematography,…
Gone With The Wind (1939) -Victor Fleming, George Cukor and Sam Wood
A gorgeous score by Max Steiner welcomes me to this towering four hour epic based on Margaret Mitchell’s classic (albeit incredibly racist) tale of the south. This was one I had never seen, but as I dove back into the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book, specifically the romance and melodrama section,…
Chinatown (1974) – Roman Polanski
The final recommendation following my screening of The Big Sleep from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book is one of my favorite Jack Nicholson films, and undeniably one of the best noir films ever made. Jack plays detective J.J. Gittes, and it’s the 40s in the city of Angels. Hired on a…
Marty (1955) -Delbert Mann
Ernest Borgnine stars as the titular Marty in this wonderful film recommended in the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book following my screening of On The Waterfront. This is a gem of a film, lovely in its simplicity and honesty, and I can hear the echoes of it in my own life….
The Mind Reels 