'1,001 Movies You Must See Before You Die' Challenge

Have I Seen It Before?: Yes Thoughts Before Viewing: Another big classic I've been needing to rewatch.  Haven't seen it in a few years.  Jaws (1975) put me in the mood for more classic Spielberg. Running Time: 115 minutes Directed By: Steven Spielberg Written By: Lawrence Kasdan Primary Cast: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman Summary: Archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones is hired by the US government to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis.  My Thoughts: I feel like a bit of a monster for not loving this film like most film buffs do.  Don't get me wrong, it's one of the best in the adventure genre and I completely understand the appeal.  It has an instantly iconic approach and that in itself is very fun to watch.  Most of the brilliance to me comes down to Harrison Ford's performance.  The man is simply one of the most naturally charismatic actors to grace the silver screen.  I think the reason why I don't consider it

Cleo From 5 To 7 My Life To Live

Cleo From 5 To 7 (1962)

Have I Seen It Before?: No Thoughts Before Viewing: Upon my French New Wave kick, this is one that I'm awfully intrigued by.  The premise of it being film in real time really fascinates me.  I'm also into the fact that Agnes Varda is the wife of Jacques Demy, who directed The Young Girls Of Rochefort (1967) and The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg (1964), which are both amongst my favorite discoveries upon this journey so far. Running Time: 90 minutes Directed By: Agnes Varda Written By: Agnes Varda Primary Cast: Corinne Marchand, Antoine Bourseiller, Dominique Davray Summary: Cleo, a singer and a hypochondriac, becomes increasingly worried that she might have cancer while awaiting test results from her doctor. My Thoughts: Well this is a lovely film.  I'll admit that it took a moment for me to be swooped by it but, once the magic unravel about 30 minutes in, it really hit me in a good way.  I think I'm going to need to see it again to digest it better bu

Jaws

Jaws Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981)

Have I Seen It Before?: Yes Thoughts Before Viewing: Oh man well I love this one.  Haven't seen it in a few years.  Can only imagine it'll be a blast as always. Running Time: 124 minutes Directed By: Steven Spielberg Written By: Carl Gottlieb Primary Cast: Roy Schneider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss Summary: A local sheriff, a marine biologist and an old seafarer team up to hunt down a great white shark wrecking havoc in a beach resort. My Thoughts: The birth of the blockbuster.  Based on the premise, it should have been cheesy but it really isn't at all.  The execution is absolutely brilliant and endlessly entertaining.  For me, what really sets this above just about every other blockbuster is how good these characters are.  They have an instantly likable quality to them that makes it feel like an indie drama at times; just with a monster thrown into the mix.  Really, what sets this to brilliance for me is the characterization.  The dynamics betw

Chinatown

Easy Rider

Easy Rider (1969)

M

M (1931)

The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

Have I Seen It Before?: Yes Thoughts Before Viewing: This is a film that I haven't seen in years but has always been an all time favorite.  A recent revisit of Repulsion (1965) and Rosemary's Baby (1968) has compelled me to revisit it. Running Time: 130 minutes Directed By: Roman Polanski Written By: Robert Towne Primary Cast: Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston Summary: A private detective hired to expose and adulterer finds himself caught up in a web of deceit, corruption and murder. My Thoughts: Man how on earth did I forget what a masterpiece this is!?  I remember being blown away by it years ago.  This seems even better than ever to me upon a re-watch.  Even though I'm slightly more of a Rosemary's Baby guy when it comes to Roman Polanski films, this is an equally masterful achievement.  It's a film that ages like fine wine. It's like The Godfather (1972) in the way that it's brilliance is in how masterfully everything c

Have I Seen It Before?: Yes Thoughts Before Viewing: This is one that I feel like is going to hit me hard on this viewing.  I really enjoyed it on my last viewing but felt that a re-watch is due.  Now that I've been particularly fascinated by French New Wave's influence on New Hollywood, this one seems right up my alley. Running Time: 95 minutes Directed By: Dennis Hopper Written By: Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper Primary Cast: Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Jack Nicholson Summary: Two counterculture bikers travel from Los Angeles to New Orleans in search of America. My Thoughts: Wow did this viewing strike a chord with me.  I had only seen it once when I was younger but this viewing came just at the right time for me.  As someone who is particularly fascinated by culture and arts of the late 60s, I really don't think I could ask for a better countercultural cinematic experience.  It candidly captures a time when the world was boiling with a new sense of fr

Have I Seen It Before?: Yes Thoughts Before Viewing: This is one I really need to re-watch.  I wasn't as big into Wes Anderson back in 2014 as I am now.  I have a feeling this will be a fantastic viewing. Running Time: 99 minutes Directed By: Wes Anderson Written By: Wes Anderson Primary Cast: Ralph Fiennes, F. Murray Abraham, Mathieu Amairic Summary: The adventures of Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous hotel from the fictional Republic of Zubrowka between the first and second World Wars, and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend. My Thoughts: Well this was a great time.   It's a perfect representation of Wes Anderson's one of a kind style.  As with any of his films, the art direction is absolutely mesmerizing.  Makes me feel like I'm at an antique store.  Although I still consider The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) to be Wes Anderson's greatest achievement (seriously, why isn't that on the list!?), I can

Have I Seen It Before?: Yes Thoughts Before Viewing: One of my all time favorites that I haven't seen in years.  Remarkably ahead of its time.  The first serial killer film (and one of the best). Running Time: 99 minutes Directed By: Fritz Lang Written By: Thea Von Harbou, Fritz Lang Primary Cast: Peter Lorre, Ellen Widmann, Inge Landgut Summary: When the police in a German city are unable to catch a child murderer, other criminals join in on the manhunt. My Thoughts: I haven't the faintest idea how something this dark, challenging and bold was made in 1931.  It really hasn't dated at all; it seems so modern.  Unbelievably ahead of its time.  This is, of course, a pioneer in the crime/thriller genre.  It reminds me an awful lot of films like The Silence Of The Lambs (1991) and Zodiac (2007) and really doesn't even seem dated next to them. Upon a re-watch, I'll admit that I did find it to be a bit slow at times.  Although there weren't

The 400 Blows (1959)

Have I Seen It Before?: Yes Thoughts Before Viewing: This is one of my all time favorite films.  One of the first to really get me into foreign films.  Now that I've been on a French-New Wave kick, I've been craving to revisit the one that started the movement (along with Jean-Luc Godard's Breathless (1960). Running Time: 99 minutes Directed By: Francois Truffaut Written By: Francois Truffaut Primary Cast: Jean-Pierre Leaud, Albert Remy, Claire Maurier Summary: A young boy, who is left without attention, delves into a life of petty crime. My Thoughts: Just an all time classic.  It's always been a personal favorite of mine.  I just can't get enough of its uniquely minimalist vibe.  The entire film just feels very personable (which makes sense, considering it's largely autobiographical for Truffaut).  There is a real unique beauty to be found here.  I simply cannot get enough of its soundtrack.  It really captures the psychological state o

If .... Rosemary's Baby

Goldfinger (1964)

Have I Seen It Before?: Yes Thoughts Before Viewing: This is one of my all time favorite films.  I hadn't seen it in several years.  My recent re-watch of Repulsion (1965) really put me in the mood to revisit this one. Running Time: 137 minutes Directed By: Roman Polanski Written By: Roman Polanski Primary Cast: Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon Summary: A young couple moves into an apartment only to be surrounded by peculiar neighbors and occurrences.  When the wife becomes mysteriously pregnant, paranoia over the safety of her unborn child begins to control her life. My Thoughts: Holy wow this is a masterpiece of horror.  This has some of the most spectacular atmosphere I've ever seen in a film.  It's tied with Stanley Kubrick's The Shining as my all time favorite horror film.  I just can't get enough of its slow burner vibe, the soundtrack, the apartment location and the overall mystical approach.  It's one of those films I f

Have I Seen It Before?: Yes Thoughts Before Viewing: This looks like a blast.  I haven't seen this since I was 10.  I hardly remember a thing about it. Running Time: 110 minutes Directed By: Guy Hamilton Written By: Richard Maibaum Primary Cast: Sean Connery, Gert Frobe, Honor Blackman Summary: Investigating a gold magnate's smuggling, James Bond uncovers a plot to contaminate the Fort Knox gold reserve. My Thoughts: This was a pretty great time.  I'll confess that I've only seen a few James Bond films (pretty much only the Daniel Craig ones) but this is classic.  Sure it's not perfect by any means but it's one where you've just got to kick back and enjoy it for what it is.  For something that's been spoofed countless times, I was surprised at how funny much of this is (although I'm not sure how intended some of the humor was.)  Does It Belong In The Book?: Yes.  Surely at least one James Bond film must make it.  It's

Have I Seen It Before?: No Thoughts Before Viewing: This is one I've really wanted to see for a long time.  I absolutely love the two Antonioni films that I've seen (Blow Up (1966) and Zabriskie Point (1970) so I'm naturally curious to see more.  Those two films are in English so I'm curious as to what his Italian films will be like. Running Time: 143 minutes Directed By: Michelangelo Antonioni Written By: Michelangelo Antonioni Primary Cast: Gabrielle Ferzetti, Monica Vitti, Lea Massari Summary: A woman disappears during a Mediterranean boating trip.  During the search, her lover and her best friend become attracted to each other. My Thoughts: I absolutely loved this.  Truly one of the most beautiful and endlessly intriguing films I've seen.  Based on the (now) three Antonioni films I've seen, I can safely say that he's an absolute master at framing a shot.  His unique visual style is absolutely mesmerizing.  Every frame has such

The Hurt Locker

The Hurt Locker (2008)

Have I Seen It Before?: Yes Thoughts Before Viewing: Man I hardly even remember a thing about this one.   I remember seeing it in early high school when I was going through all of the best picture nominees for 2009.  I really didn't expect this to win that year.  I'm going into this one with neutral expectations. Running Time: 131 minutes Directed By: Kathryn Bigelow Written By: Mark Boal Primary Cast: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty Summary:  During the Iraq war, a Sergeant recently assigned to an army bomb squad is put at odds with his squad mates due to his maverick way of handling his work. My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this one.  It's more entertaining that I'd remembered it being.  For me, the enjoyment primarily stems from the consistent high level of tension.  It's one of the best examples of the documentary hand-held approach that many films in the mid-late 2000's had.  It's also a very good exploration on th

Have I Seen It Before?: No Thoughts Before Viewing: Well here I am again with another film starring Catherine Deneuve.  I absolutely loved her collaboration with Luis Bunuel in Belle De Jour (1967) so I'm naturally intrigued to see more.  I have no idea what to expect with this one. Running Time: 99 minutes Directed By: Luis Bunuel Written By: Luis Bunuel Primary Cast: Catherine Deneuve, Fernando Rey, Franco Nero Summary: Shortly after her mother's death, an innocent and youthful woman will find refuge into the household of her middle-aged aristocratic guardian, who will submit her to his sexual advances.  My Thoughts:   This basically felt like the younger sibling of Bunuel's own Viridiana.  Even though I like that one better, this one is still quite good.  A very powerful study on the loss of innocence.  As always, Catherine Deneuve is absolutely mesmerizing.   For some reason, I was disappointed to find out her voice was dubbed but hey, it only

Breathless L'Avventura

Breathless (1960) My Life To Live (1962)

Have I Seen It Before?: Yes Thoughts Before Viewing: This is one I really didn't like upon first viewing.  However, seeing that I've been on a French New Wave kick lately, I must give this another shot.  This, along with The 400 Blows (1959), is the grandaddy of French New Wave after all. Running Time: 90 minutes Directed By: Jean-Luc Godard Written By: Francois Truffaut Primary Cast: Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jean Seberg, Daniel Boulanger Summary: A small time thief steals a car and impulsively murders a motorcycle policeman.  Wanted by the authorities, he reunites with a hip American journalism student and attempts to persuade her to run away with him to Italy. My Thoughts: Well I ended up loving this upon a second viewing.  All of the reasons I used to hate are the reasons why I now love it.  Minimal plot, strong style, engaging characters, I truly felt gripped from start to finish.  There is a real unique charm here that fully unraveled itself upon this v

Playtime (1967)

Have I Seen It Before?: No Thoughts Before Viewing: This is one that I've really been looking forward to seeing.  I've heard there is nothing like it.  I've been eager to explore more French New Wave so this is naturally one I'm stoked for. Running Time: 124 minutes Directed By: Jacques Tati Written By: Jacques Tati Primary Cast: Jacques Tati, Barbara Dennek, Rita Maiden Summary: Monsieur Hulot curiously wanders around a high-tech Paris, paralleling a trip with a group of American tourists.  Meanwhile, a nightclub/restaurant prepares its opening night, but it's still under construction. My Thoughts: Hmmm...I'm still trying to wrap my head around this one.  For the majority of the running time, I was just plain unsure where it was going.  On the other hand, I started to fall into its charm somewhere along the final half hour or so.  It has a very interesting vibe.  The world is absolutely intriguing.  It has a distinct one-of-a-kind flow tha

The 400 Blows Ben-Hur

Ben-Hur (1959)

Have I Seen It Before?: No Thoughts Before Viewing: Oh brother, this is one I haven't really been looking forward to.  I'm really not a fan of historical epics or Charlton Heston, especially after watching The Ten Commandments (1956).  Oh well, least I hear the chariot racing scene is awesome. Running Time: 212 minutes Directed By: William Wyler Written By: Karl Tunberg Primary Cast: Charlton Heston, Jack Hawkins, Stephen Boyd Summary: When a Jewish prince is betrayed and sent into slavery by a Roman friend, he regains his freedom and comes back for revenge. My Thoughts: Alright, so at least this is a little better than The Ten Commandments (1956).  The revenge story is somewhat enjoyable and the chariot race scene is undeniably AWESOME.  However, it suffers from the same issues as the aforementioned title.  Absurdly hammy, stiff atmosphere,  obnoxiously long and just plain boring.  These kind of films just aren't my thing.  Although they have their mo

Belle De Jour (1967) Tristana (1970)

Have I Seen It Before?: Yes Thoughts Before Viewing: Well I've clearly been on a Catherine Deneuve kick lately.  This is another film starring Deneuve that I'd seen years ago but completely forgot about.  I remember enjoying it but feeling like I needed to see it again.  All of the Bunuel films I'd seen are in dire need of a re-watch. Running Time: 100 minutes Directed By: Luis Bunuel Written By: Luis Bunuel Primary Cast: Catherine Deneuve, Jean Sorel, Michel Piccoli Summary: A frigid young housewife decides to spend her midweek afternoons as a prostitute. My Thoughts: I was completely blown away on this viewing.  It's everything I could possibly ask for in a film; deeply engrossing, intriguing atmosphere, Catherine Deneuve's outstanding presence, I simply never wanted it to end. I can't imagine anyone else but Catherine Deneuve playing this kind of character.  Her unique beauty, talent and mystique is ultimately what makes this w

Repulsion (1965) Rosemary's Baby (1968) Chinatown (1974)

Stalker (1979)

Have I Seen It Before: Yes Thoughts Before Viewing: This is one I've really been wanting to re-watch for a while.  I've only seen it once back in high school. Running Time: 105 minutes Directed By: Roman Polanski Written By: Roman Polanski, Gerard Brach Primary Cast: Catherine Deneuve, Ian Hendry, John Fraser Summary: A sex repulsed woman who disapproves of her sister's boyfriend sinks into depression and has horrific visions of rape and violence. My Thoughts: Yikes did this viewing leave me feeling horrified.  There is something distinctly unnerving about Polanski's claustrophobic atmosphere.  It's anxiety inducing.  Absolutely brilliant execution.  I really love the offbeat camera angles and unique cinematography approach.  It gives the film a unique style. Catherine Deneuve's performance is what truly elevates the film to brilliance.  It's of the greatest performances I've ever seen.  After being used to seeing her in Jacque