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2002: Signs
M. Night Shyamalan's phenomenal masterpiece tops 2002, but had some heavy competition. To start off with, Star Wars Episode II: The Attack Of The Clones was released and remains the weakest of the Star Wars series, but still is a fun, entertaining film which stands tall. Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers was also released and is also the weakest of it's trilogy, but is a breath-taking acheivement. Other films released that I liked were Gangs Of New York, Rabbit Proof Fence, Spiderman, Road To Perdition, Red Dragon, The Bourne Identity, Insomnia & Ice Age.
Graham Hess (Mel Gibson) is a widowed ex-minister who has lost his faith and is now a farmer raising his two kids with the help of his brother Merril (Joaquin Phoenix). One day, Graham discovers his farm is plagued by crop circles. Soon, these circles and other strange happenings start happening all over the world. Aliens begin to invade, while all Graham is concerned with is protecting his family.
Shyamalan, having already re-defined ghosts and the Superman story, makes a welcome effort towards UFO's, faith, fate and the universe. Like he did with The Sixth Sense & Unbreakable, the film establishes it's main character as a person struggling with a life changing experience. As Graham Hess, Mel Gibson gives an admirable, restrained performance as a man with emotion and hate who still can't come to terms with his wife's death. The rest of the cast works well, even Shyamalan in a cameo as Ray Reddy, a veternarian responsible for Hess' wife's death. M. Night's direction keeps things tense and eerie, filled with shocking and scary moments, mosty notably the newscast with "disturbing footage". But the most brilliant part about this film is it's ending. Unlike other Shyamalan films, Signs doesn't have a twist ending, more of a suprise ending that fits all the pieces together, baffles you beyond belief and becomes even more clever than the ending than The Sixth Sense or Unbreakable.
Signs is Shyamalan's best work and the best entry in the trilogy of films he did before his films started becoming full of twists and downright stupid. Along with the aforementioned Sixth Sense & Unbreakable, it makes a brilliant triple feature from an extraordinary film-maker who changed films forever.
M. Night Shyamalan's phenomenal masterpiece tops 2002, but had some heavy competition. To start off with, Star Wars Episode II: The Attack Of The Clones was released and remains the weakest of the Star Wars series, but still is a fun, entertaining film which stands tall. Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers was also released and is also the weakest of it's trilogy, but is a breath-taking acheivement. Other films released that I liked were Gangs Of New York, Rabbit Proof Fence, Spiderman, Road To Perdition, Red Dragon, The Bourne Identity, Insomnia & Ice Age.
Graham Hess (Mel Gibson) is a widowed ex-minister who has lost his faith and is now a farmer raising his two kids with the help of his brother Merril (Joaquin Phoenix). One day, Graham discovers his farm is plagued by crop circles. Soon, these circles and other strange happenings start happening all over the world. Aliens begin to invade, while all Graham is concerned with is protecting his family.
Shyamalan, having already re-defined ghosts and the Superman story, makes a welcome effort towards UFO's, faith, fate and the universe. Like he did with The Sixth Sense & Unbreakable, the film establishes it's main character as a person struggling with a life changing experience. As Graham Hess, Mel Gibson gives an admirable, restrained performance as a man with emotion and hate who still can't come to terms with his wife's death. The rest of the cast works well, even Shyamalan in a cameo as Ray Reddy, a veternarian responsible for Hess' wife's death. M. Night's direction keeps things tense and eerie, filled with shocking and scary moments, mosty notably the newscast with "disturbing footage". But the most brilliant part about this film is it's ending. Unlike other Shyamalan films, Signs doesn't have a twist ending, more of a suprise ending that fits all the pieces together, baffles you beyond belief and becomes even more clever than the ending than The Sixth Sense or Unbreakable.
Signs is Shyamalan's best work and the best entry in the trilogy of films he did before his films started becoming full of twists and downright stupid. Along with the aforementioned Sixth Sense & Unbreakable, it makes a brilliant triple feature from an extraordinary film-maker who changed films forever.
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"George, this is a little too much for me. Escaped convicts, fugitive sex... I've got a cockfight to focus on."
"George, this is a little too much for me. Escaped convicts, fugitive sex... I've got a cockfight to focus on."
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Signs was good. My second favorite movie of his after The Village.
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"Certainly there is no hunting like the hunting of man, and those who have hunted armed men long enough and like it, never really care for anything else thereafter." - Ernest Hemingway
"Certainly there is no hunting like the hunting of man, and those who have hunted armed men long enough and like it, never really care for anything else thereafter." - Ernest Hemingway
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Signs was good. My second favorite movie of his after The Village.
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2002: Signs
M. Night Shyamalan's phenomenal masterpiece tops 2002, but had some heavy competition. To start off with, Star Wars Episode II: The Attack Of The Clones was released and remains the weakest of the Star Wars series, but still is a fun, entertaining film which stands tall. Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers was also released and is also the weakest of it's trilogy, but is a breath-taking acheivement. Other films released that I liked were Gangs Of New York, Rabbit Proof Fence, Spiderman, Road To Perdition, Red Dragon, The Bourne Identity, Insomnia & Ice Age.
M. Night Shyamalan's phenomenal masterpiece tops 2002, but had some heavy competition. To start off with, Star Wars Episode II: The Attack Of The Clones was released and remains the weakest of the Star Wars series, but still is a fun, entertaining film which stands tall. Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers was also released and is also the weakest of it's trilogy, but is a breath-taking acheivement. Other films released that I liked were Gangs Of New York, Rabbit Proof Fence, Spiderman, Road To Perdition, Red Dragon, The Bourne Identity, Insomnia & Ice Age.
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Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.
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Nebs is right. But then, this is Signs, so the list of films it doesn't top is long and varied.
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Hershey's Kisses go a long way though...
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2001: Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring
2001 was a hard year to choose the best. Initially, Richard Kelly's cult masterpiece Donnie Darko was going to be top pick. Then I remembered one of my favourite Spielberg films was released in 2001. AI: Artificial Intelligence was a powerful and interesting film which made me depressed and interested. But I never forgot the major impact The Fellowship had on me. For months after I had watched Fellowship, I wanted to be Aragorn or Legolas. And lets face it, I didn't want to be a child-like android or a anti-social delusional teen. Far and away, Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring is my #1 for 2001.
The Dark Lord Sauron forges the One Ring to rule them all, to help his efforts in conquering Middle-Earth. The Ring makes him more powerful. But during a battle between Sauron, his armies and the Last Alliance Of Elves & Men, Prince Isildur destroys Sauron and takes the Ring for himself, instead destroying it and it's dark power which is keeping Sauron alive. Isildur is killed and the Ring lost. Thousands of years later, a hobbit named Smeagol finds the Ring and obsesses over it. He soon turns into a creature named Gollum. The Ring abandons Gollum and is found by a Hobbit named Bilbo Baggins, who takes the Ring back to his home in The Shire. On his 111th birthday, Bilbo gives the ring to his nephew Frodo. Frodo's friend, The Grey Wizard Gandalf sends him on his way to Mordor with Frodo's friend Samwise Gamgee and both are soon joined by Merry and Pippin, fellow Hobbits from the Shire. Together they make their way to Mordor, soon joined by others to make The Fellowship Of The Ring.
I watched an episode of "Family Guy", where Chris and his boss Carl are discussing the Lord Of the Rings trilogy. Chris argues that the Fellowship should have just flown the giant eagles to Mordor and argues that it is a giant plothole. Carl goes on to say, "It's not about that. It's about the quest." This is what The Lord Of The Rings is definitely about. It's not just about getting to Mordor to destroy evil, it's about the friendships they make, the battles in which they fight and the adventure in which they partake. Lord Of the Rings is a full-blown fantasy epic, full of breathtaking sequences, solid performances from it's ensemble cast and most notably, scenes of sheer terror. The first installment of this trilogy is the most scariest, especially with the Ringwraiths and the Balrog.
I have said all I need to say about the Lord Of The Rings, since you'd have to be in the smallest percent of the world who hasn't heard of it.
2001 was a hard year to choose the best. Initially, Richard Kelly's cult masterpiece Donnie Darko was going to be top pick. Then I remembered one of my favourite Spielberg films was released in 2001. AI: Artificial Intelligence was a powerful and interesting film which made me depressed and interested. But I never forgot the major impact The Fellowship had on me. For months after I had watched Fellowship, I wanted to be Aragorn or Legolas. And lets face it, I didn't want to be a child-like android or a anti-social delusional teen. Far and away, Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring is my #1 for 2001.
The Dark Lord Sauron forges the One Ring to rule them all, to help his efforts in conquering Middle-Earth. The Ring makes him more powerful. But during a battle between Sauron, his armies and the Last Alliance Of Elves & Men, Prince Isildur destroys Sauron and takes the Ring for himself, instead destroying it and it's dark power which is keeping Sauron alive. Isildur is killed and the Ring lost. Thousands of years later, a hobbit named Smeagol finds the Ring and obsesses over it. He soon turns into a creature named Gollum. The Ring abandons Gollum and is found by a Hobbit named Bilbo Baggins, who takes the Ring back to his home in The Shire. On his 111th birthday, Bilbo gives the ring to his nephew Frodo. Frodo's friend, The Grey Wizard Gandalf sends him on his way to Mordor with Frodo's friend Samwise Gamgee and both are soon joined by Merry and Pippin, fellow Hobbits from the Shire. Together they make their way to Mordor, soon joined by others to make The Fellowship Of The Ring.
I watched an episode of "Family Guy", where Chris and his boss Carl are discussing the Lord Of the Rings trilogy. Chris argues that the Fellowship should have just flown the giant eagles to Mordor and argues that it is a giant plothole. Carl goes on to say, "It's not about that. It's about the quest." This is what The Lord Of The Rings is definitely about. It's not just about getting to Mordor to destroy evil, it's about the friendships they make, the battles in which they fight and the adventure in which they partake. Lord Of the Rings is a full-blown fantasy epic, full of breathtaking sequences, solid performances from it's ensemble cast and most notably, scenes of sheer terror. The first installment of this trilogy is the most scariest, especially with the Ringwraiths and the Balrog.
I have said all I need to say about the Lord Of The Rings, since you'd have to be in the smallest percent of the world who hasn't heard of it.
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2000: Unbreakable
2000 is my favourite year in the noughties for film. Some of my all-time favourite movies were made in the year 2000, which made it tough to pick the best film of the year. It came down to five key films of 2000. Firstly, there is Ridley Scott's breathtaking Gladiator, which featured the performance of Russell Crowe's career. Then, there is the unflinching Traffic, one of the best films about drug trafficking to date. There is also Snatch & The Beach, both of them in my top 100 favourite films. However, nothing could beat the understated, underrated, second best film from one of the greatest directors of our time. I realise I already have included an M. Night Shyamalan film, but Unbreakable is definitely the best in my opinion for 2000.
David Dunn (Bruce Willis) is a security guard returning from a job interview in New York. Dunn has been trying to find meaning in his life after an auto accident crushed his football. On the way back from New York, David Dunn becomes the sole survivor in a horrific train wreck which killed all 131 other passengers and David emerges without a scratch on him. He is contacted by Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson), a wheelchair bound comic book art gallery owner, who has a rare disease where his bones can break easily. Elijah believes that David Dunn is the oppisite of himself; Elijah is at a frail extreme and David is at a strong physicality extreme. Elijah believes David is a real instance of what comic book superheroes are modelled after. David's son Joseph already idolizes his father and believes what Elijah says is true.
Shyamalan's second directorial effort after The Sixth Sense is arguably better and more clever than the latter. Shyamalan's direction keeps the atmosphere tense and eerie like always and the script is superb and well-written of course, but the film's major asset is Bruce Willis. Willis turns in the best performance of his career as David Dunn, the a man struggling to come to terms with who he is and what he can be. It's the right amount of restraint and emotion in a role that could have won him an Oscar. The rest of the cast performs well. Samuel L. Jackson is very believable as a fragile gallery owner and Spencer Treat Clark is terrific as Joseph, a boy who looks up to his father as a hero. The suprise twist to Unbreakable is arguably better than to that of The Sixth Sense. It's one that you don't see coming. The film is a clever shaggy dog joke, with career best performances and excellent direction.
Unbreakable remains my 3rd favourite film of the noughties. Highly recommended to anyone looking for a twist on the superhero story.
2000 is my favourite year in the noughties for film. Some of my all-time favourite movies were made in the year 2000, which made it tough to pick the best film of the year. It came down to five key films of 2000. Firstly, there is Ridley Scott's breathtaking Gladiator, which featured the performance of Russell Crowe's career. Then, there is the unflinching Traffic, one of the best films about drug trafficking to date. There is also Snatch & The Beach, both of them in my top 100 favourite films. However, nothing could beat the understated, underrated, second best film from one of the greatest directors of our time. I realise I already have included an M. Night Shyamalan film, but Unbreakable is definitely the best in my opinion for 2000.
David Dunn (Bruce Willis) is a security guard returning from a job interview in New York. Dunn has been trying to find meaning in his life after an auto accident crushed his football. On the way back from New York, David Dunn becomes the sole survivor in a horrific train wreck which killed all 131 other passengers and David emerges without a scratch on him. He is contacted by Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson), a wheelchair bound comic book art gallery owner, who has a rare disease where his bones can break easily. Elijah believes that David Dunn is the oppisite of himself; Elijah is at a frail extreme and David is at a strong physicality extreme. Elijah believes David is a real instance of what comic book superheroes are modelled after. David's son Joseph already idolizes his father and believes what Elijah says is true.
Shyamalan's second directorial effort after The Sixth Sense is arguably better and more clever than the latter. Shyamalan's direction keeps the atmosphere tense and eerie like always and the script is superb and well-written of course, but the film's major asset is Bruce Willis. Willis turns in the best performance of his career as David Dunn, the a man struggling to come to terms with who he is and what he can be. It's the right amount of restraint and emotion in a role that could have won him an Oscar. The rest of the cast performs well. Samuel L. Jackson is very believable as a fragile gallery owner and Spencer Treat Clark is terrific as Joseph, a boy who looks up to his father as a hero. The suprise twist to Unbreakable is arguably better than to that of The Sixth Sense. It's one that you don't see coming. The film is a clever shaggy dog joke, with career best performances and excellent direction.
Unbreakable remains my 3rd favourite film of the noughties. Highly recommended to anyone looking for a twist on the superhero story.
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Ranking the best films of the noughties was hard. The top 3 were easy as there were only 3 films that I gave a complete 5 of 5. The rest of them was not so easy. To rank them in which order was tough. I have my favourite comedy-horror, one of my favourite superhero films, one of my favourite action films, another superhero film and one of my favourite comedies ever. So after an 10 minutes of changing around and locking positions in, here is my official ranking of the noughties.
1. Signs (2002)
2. Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring (2001)
3. Unbreakable (2000)
4. Shaun Of The Dead (2004)
5. The Dark Knight (2008)
6. Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003)
7. The Hangover (2009)
8. Batman Begins (2005)
9. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
10. 300 (2007)
And there you have it. Signs makes No. 1 because from the moment I started watching it, I was enthralled and interested. Lord Of the Rings & Unbreakable get 2nd & 3rd because they are 2 of the most captivating, interesting and greatest films ever made. The rest I could re-do their positions easily, with the exception of Shaun Of The Dead, one of the funniest and scariest films of all time. 300 gets bottom place because I found it to be the least best in quality of the these films. But it's still a highly enjoyable and exciting film to watch.
Stay tuned for the '90s.
1. Signs (2002)
2. Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring (2001)
3. Unbreakable (2000)
4. Shaun Of The Dead (2004)
5. The Dark Knight (2008)
6. Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003)
7. The Hangover (2009)
8. Batman Begins (2005)
9. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
10. 300 (2007)
And there you have it. Signs makes No. 1 because from the moment I started watching it, I was enthralled and interested. Lord Of the Rings & Unbreakable get 2nd & 3rd because they are 2 of the most captivating, interesting and greatest films ever made. The rest I could re-do their positions easily, with the exception of Shaun Of The Dead, one of the funniest and scariest films of all time. 300 gets bottom place because I found it to be the least best in quality of the these films. But it's still a highly enjoyable and exciting film to watch.
Stay tuned for the '90s.
Last edited by TylerDurden99; 12-13-10 at 07:32 PM.
Reason: 2007
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I've finished my picks for the 90's decade. The 90's is my favourite decade for films, creating so many good films. I tried not to include films that are in my top 10, but there are instances where some films obliterate the competition that happen to be in top 10, namely a cult masterpiece about male anger channeled into a violent outfit. The 90's should underway as soon as today or tomorrow.
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1999: Fight Club
1999 is my all time favourite year for film, with many great movies released. David Fincher's brilliant social commentary on male aggression remains my #1 for 1999, but it had some close competition. Other runner-ups were Toy Story 2, my 2nd favourite animated film ever, American Beauty, which featured Kevin Spacey's career best performance, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, which remains the best of the prequel trilogy, The Wachowski Brother's mind-blowing The Matrix, M. Night's fantastic chiller The Sixth Sense, Spike Jonze' head trip Being John Malkovich, clever satire Office Space, Tim Burton's dark Sleepy Hollow and the best of the trilogy, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. I have not yet seen Magnolia (although I do want to), Arlington Road or Three Kings. All in all, a fantastic year for film.
The young, unnamed narrator works at a car company and is having trouble trying to sleep. He is advised to go to support groups to see "what real pain looks like". The narrator takes this advice and sits in at testicular cancer support group. While there, he lets himself go and crys. This opening up helps him sleep. The narrator starts going to all support groups to help him sleep, until a tourist named Marla Singer shows up. She's not plagued with any sicknesses or diseases. She's just a big tourist. With the presence of Marla, he can't sleep.
While on a business trip, the narrator meets a man named Tyler Durden on the plane. Tyler is a rebellious soap-maker and the two engage in conversation. Tyler gives him his phone number. When the narrator returns from his trip, he finds his condo has been destroyed by an explosion. Finding himself with nowhere to go, the narrator calls Tyler. They meet at a bar and Tyler allows the narrator to stay with him, but on one condition... the narrator has to hit him as hard as he can.
The fighting proves popular with other local men and Tyler and the narrator start a secret Fight Club. Fight Club is meant to be a place where men can let out aggression and feel power. But soon it evolves into Tyler's secret agenda and Marla Singer comes into the mix...
Fight Club perfectly conveys themes of aggression, power and eventually, fascism. David Fincher has described it as "a coming of age film, but for people in their '30's." Fight Club contains one of the best screenplays ever written, fusing power philosophy and black humour, with some of the greatest instances of comedy ever put on film. The scene that most notably stood is "the single serving friend scene." This scene is, as Tyler puts it, clever. Of course, the best dialogue is saved for Tyler, who is the most well-written character and my all time favourite character (spoiler for my unfinished favourite character thread). This screenplay is possibly my favourite script ever, probably tied with Pulp Fiction.
Fincher's direction keeps this film's mood grungy, aggresive and almost anti-social. David Fincher is a visionary and this remains the best film of his career. Under the hands of another director, Fight Club wouldn't have the same feel or look that many have to come to enjoy and love.
Then there is the acting. The acting in this film is all round solid to brilliant. Meat Loaf is fun to watch as Bob Paulson, a former body-builder, now plagued with testicular cancer and "b---h t-ts". Helena Bonham Carter is stunning as Marla Singer, a dissolute woman who seduces Tyler, leaving the narrator unhappy and annoyed. As the narrator, Edward Norton creates one of the best performances of his career, effectively playing the narrator with a quiet, disturbed attitude. But, of course, Brad Pitt steals the show in his career best, scene stealing performance as Tyler Durden, the rebellious image of what men want to be. There is no other actor who play Tyler the way Brad Pitt did, again showing that his acting skills are underrated in a performance that should have won him an Oscar.
Fight Club is not for every taste, but it sure is a visually dazzling, entertaining and all round excellent film to watch if you can understand it's themes and appreciate the performances, writing and direction. I loved Fight Club, as proved in my top 10. Fight Club is the second best to come out in the last 20 years and the second best of the 1990's.
1999 is my all time favourite year for film, with many great movies released. David Fincher's brilliant social commentary on male aggression remains my #1 for 1999, but it had some close competition. Other runner-ups were Toy Story 2, my 2nd favourite animated film ever, American Beauty, which featured Kevin Spacey's career best performance, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, which remains the best of the prequel trilogy, The Wachowski Brother's mind-blowing The Matrix, M. Night's fantastic chiller The Sixth Sense, Spike Jonze' head trip Being John Malkovich, clever satire Office Space, Tim Burton's dark Sleepy Hollow and the best of the trilogy, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. I have not yet seen Magnolia (although I do want to), Arlington Road or Three Kings. All in all, a fantastic year for film.
The young, unnamed narrator works at a car company and is having trouble trying to sleep. He is advised to go to support groups to see "what real pain looks like". The narrator takes this advice and sits in at testicular cancer support group. While there, he lets himself go and crys. This opening up helps him sleep. The narrator starts going to all support groups to help him sleep, until a tourist named Marla Singer shows up. She's not plagued with any sicknesses or diseases. She's just a big tourist. With the presence of Marla, he can't sleep.
While on a business trip, the narrator meets a man named Tyler Durden on the plane. Tyler is a rebellious soap-maker and the two engage in conversation. Tyler gives him his phone number. When the narrator returns from his trip, he finds his condo has been destroyed by an explosion. Finding himself with nowhere to go, the narrator calls Tyler. They meet at a bar and Tyler allows the narrator to stay with him, but on one condition... the narrator has to hit him as hard as he can.
The fighting proves popular with other local men and Tyler and the narrator start a secret Fight Club. Fight Club is meant to be a place where men can let out aggression and feel power. But soon it evolves into Tyler's secret agenda and Marla Singer comes into the mix...
Fight Club perfectly conveys themes of aggression, power and eventually, fascism. David Fincher has described it as "a coming of age film, but for people in their '30's." Fight Club contains one of the best screenplays ever written, fusing power philosophy and black humour, with some of the greatest instances of comedy ever put on film. The scene that most notably stood is "the single serving friend scene." This scene is, as Tyler puts it, clever. Of course, the best dialogue is saved for Tyler, who is the most well-written character and my all time favourite character (spoiler for my unfinished favourite character thread). This screenplay is possibly my favourite script ever, probably tied with Pulp Fiction.
Fincher's direction keeps this film's mood grungy, aggresive and almost anti-social. David Fincher is a visionary and this remains the best film of his career. Under the hands of another director, Fight Club wouldn't have the same feel or look that many have to come to enjoy and love.
Then there is the acting. The acting in this film is all round solid to brilliant. Meat Loaf is fun to watch as Bob Paulson, a former body-builder, now plagued with testicular cancer and "b---h t-ts". Helena Bonham Carter is stunning as Marla Singer, a dissolute woman who seduces Tyler, leaving the narrator unhappy and annoyed. As the narrator, Edward Norton creates one of the best performances of his career, effectively playing the narrator with a quiet, disturbed attitude. But, of course, Brad Pitt steals the show in his career best, scene stealing performance as Tyler Durden, the rebellious image of what men want to be. There is no other actor who play Tyler the way Brad Pitt did, again showing that his acting skills are underrated in a performance that should have won him an Oscar.
Fight Club is not for every taste, but it sure is a visually dazzling, entertaining and all round excellent film to watch if you can understand it's themes and appreciate the performances, writing and direction. I loved Fight Club, as proved in my top 10. Fight Club is the second best to come out in the last 20 years and the second best of the 1990's.
Last edited by Yoda; 07-10-14 at 02:13 PM.
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Good film, but not even close to the best film of the year. Top 10, maybe. Still, a good pick.
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Effing TylerDurden99 chooses Fight Club as the top film of 1999. In other news, James Joyce is dead.
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"Loves them? They need them, like they need the air."
"Loves them? They need them, like they need the air."
Damn, I left out The Green Mile in my list of runner-ups. The Green Mile is a beautiful, touching film that effectively looks at "miracles". Not as good as Shawshank, but is still a remarkable film which I enjoyed thoroughly.
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1998: Saving Private Ryan
1998 was a good year for film, albeit not a great one. As I have said before in this thread, I am TRYING not to have any movies in my top 10 as best of the year, so American History X is not the best of 1998 (it wasn't going to be anyway). It came down to a close competition between The Coen's marvellously twisted The Big Lebowski & Steven Spielberg's haunting Saving Private Ryan. Ryan came out on top, but only barely. Another film I enjoyed is Alex Proyas' Dark City.
Normandy, France. June 6, 1944. American soldiers prepare for the horror and vioence that will face them when they land at Omaha Beach to face the Germans so they can invade Normandy. The resulting battle is a bloodbath of body parts and screams as lives are taken. Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) leads his men up the beach to provide an opening to take out machine gun towers. Miller and his men succeed in ridding the towers. After the battle ends, Miller is ordered by his C.O to assmeble a team of soldiers and head out to find Private James Ryan, who has lost three brothers in combat.
Steven Spielberg did not want to glamourise war and he accomplished that mission with Saving Private Ryan. The whole film's message is simple and very true; "war is hell." The opening battle scene is monumental. 20 minutes of the most brutal warfare ever put on film. The film grabs you with this opening and never lets you go. The end battle is just as frightening, as men drop all around from deafening gunshot and booming cannons. But perhaps, the most important part of the film is the middle. The soldiers go on their mission to search for Ryan, encountering many situations which sometimes take the lives of Miller's men. When Miller breaks down in tears over the senseless killings, it's the best and most powerful moment of the entire film. Spielberg has created the most convincing, breath-taking and harrowing war experience in film to date.
Spielberg definitely deserved the Academy Award for Best Director. Without him, this wouldn't have the boost that made it so great. The script is well-written and the performances all round solid. But Tom Hanks binds the film together as the soldier who has no idea what or why he is in Normandy, but will complete his mission anyway.
The film does have one minor flaw, though; I find the characters of Miller's men to be a bit stereotypical. But it is only minor.
I don't have much else to say about Saving Private Ryan except it's the best war movie ever.
1998 was a good year for film, albeit not a great one. As I have said before in this thread, I am TRYING not to have any movies in my top 10 as best of the year, so American History X is not the best of 1998 (it wasn't going to be anyway). It came down to a close competition between The Coen's marvellously twisted The Big Lebowski & Steven Spielberg's haunting Saving Private Ryan. Ryan came out on top, but only barely. Another film I enjoyed is Alex Proyas' Dark City.
Normandy, France. June 6, 1944. American soldiers prepare for the horror and vioence that will face them when they land at Omaha Beach to face the Germans so they can invade Normandy. The resulting battle is a bloodbath of body parts and screams as lives are taken. Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) leads his men up the beach to provide an opening to take out machine gun towers. Miller and his men succeed in ridding the towers. After the battle ends, Miller is ordered by his C.O to assmeble a team of soldiers and head out to find Private James Ryan, who has lost three brothers in combat.
Steven Spielberg did not want to glamourise war and he accomplished that mission with Saving Private Ryan. The whole film's message is simple and very true; "war is hell." The opening battle scene is monumental. 20 minutes of the most brutal warfare ever put on film. The film grabs you with this opening and never lets you go. The end battle is just as frightening, as men drop all around from deafening gunshot and booming cannons. But perhaps, the most important part of the film is the middle. The soldiers go on their mission to search for Ryan, encountering many situations which sometimes take the lives of Miller's men. When Miller breaks down in tears over the senseless killings, it's the best and most powerful moment of the entire film. Spielberg has created the most convincing, breath-taking and harrowing war experience in film to date.
Spielberg definitely deserved the Academy Award for Best Director. Without him, this wouldn't have the boost that made it so great. The script is well-written and the performances all round solid. But Tom Hanks binds the film together as the soldier who has no idea what or why he is in Normandy, but will complete his mission anyway.
The film does have one minor flaw, though; I find the characters of Miller's men to be a bit stereotypical. But it is only minor.
I don't have much else to say about Saving Private Ryan except it's the best war movie ever.
Last edited by Yoda; 07-10-14 at 02:13 PM.
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