Movies To See Before You Die

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Movies To See Before You Die: “Doctor Zhivago”

8, Mar 2012
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I cannot tell you why, but it was decided that one day when I was in seventh grade that we would all watch Doctor Zhivago. It was not tied into any kind of unit on the U.S.S.R., though of course in 1990 historic events unfolded in that part of the world and certainly would have justified the movie. It was also the film’s 35th anniversary so perhaps it simply came to someone’s attention that way. I cannot say, and it does not particularly matter why the film was shown to a bunch of seventh graders. Read the rest of this entry »

Movies To See Before You Die: Se7en

10, May 2011
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“What I have done is going to be puzzled over and studied and followed… forever.”

Well, it will certainly be remembered.

In 1995, sophomore feature-film director David Fincher and fledgling screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker unleashed Se7en upon an unsuspecting world, and movie thrillers have never been the same since. Se7en is, by turns, devastating and shocking, and populated by powerhouse performances and bravura directing. It’s ranked #18 on Flickchart’s list of the Best Movies of All Time, #4 among thrillers, #6 on my personal chart, and it features the single best-written ending I have ever seen. If, somehow, you have not seen this movie, and this ending has not been spoiled for you (it will not be here), avoid any discussions of Se7en you may come across until you can see it. Because Se7en is a Movie to See Before You Die… provided, at least, you have the stomach for it.

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Movies to See Before You Die: “Forbidden Planet”

15, Mar 2011
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A quick search of Flickchtart for science-fiction films released in the 1950s shows more than 150 titles. To put that in perspective, Flickchart shows only 130 films in the western genre that were released in the same decade. Though the 1960s are generally regarded as an era of change, one could make the argument that the 1950s were a major cinematic turning point, the point where teen viewers suddenly mattered and studios started looking to the future instead of back to the past. Shining brightly amidst the decade’s plethora of intergalactic flicks is a film that might have been too introspective for the teen crowds – Forbidden Planet.

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Movies to See Before You Die: “All About Eve”

1, Mar 2011
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With the Oscars recently wrapped up, it’s time to take a look at a movie that dominated the Academy Awards like few have before and few will again. This film was not only nominated for a record 14 Oscars (a feat that’s only been tied by the juggernaut that was Titanic). Under the guise of the New York stage, All About Eve – known by some as “the bitchiest movie ever made” – puts the backstage politics of show business on screen like no film had before.

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Movies To See Before You Die: “An American Werewolf in London”

10, Feb 2011
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There are a select few “one of a kind” movies left for viewers to find. Especially in Hollywood, where most successful formulas are quickly copied and watered down by a plethora of posers who hope they can make a quick buck. This is particularly true of the horror and comedy genres, where low budget films can make back their money quickly regardless of quality. Despite the vultures, there are still a few films that have a tone that’s all their own. One such film is An American Werewolf in London.

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