eagle795 Blog

It's a tie for my #1 Favorite Movie

eagle795 — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 04:55:00 GMT

I have an affinity for Christmas films, & James Stewart is my favorite actor. I will only watch the black & white version, & it’s gotta be viewed in cold weather, i.e. not before November and not after January. The film’s message of the impact that an ordinary guy with an ordinary life can have on people just by being a good friend & a good family man is timeless.

It's a tie for my #1 Favorite Movie

eagle795 — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 04:51:59 GMT

What can I say about The Godfather that hasn’t already been said? The cast, the script, the music, the atmosphere….like a fine wine, it just gets better with age.

Tie...#2

eagle795 — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 04:47:00 GMT

I’m usually not an action guy, but this is a great action flick. Bruce Willis is just an ordinary guy caught in an odd situation, and he’s funny too. Alan Rickman’s villain is one of the best ever. And if you really really wanna get technical it’s a Christmas film, an added bonus.

Tie...#2

eagle795 — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 04:43:31 GMT

Without a doubt Kevin Costner’s best work. Watch this movie with your Dad. You’ll understand after the amazing last scene, which reveals the whole point of the movie (and always makes me misty & choked up).

#3...(three way tie)

eagle795 — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 04:38:00 GMT

Yes Forrest is inexplicably present at a few too many historical events. And he does get to meet a few Presidents (which is really well done from technological standpoint). That stuff is all well & good, and it makes the movie more amusing. Gary Sinise is amazing as Lieutenant Dan. But what puts this movie over the top is Tom Hanks. The scenes where he meets his son for the first time and where he says goodbye to his beloved Jenny are…well…wow. Great stuff.

#3...(three way tie)

eagle795 — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 04:29:00 GMT

The most modern of the Christmas classics, but since its set in the 40’s it has a decidedly old fashioned vibe. It’s really kind of subversive, subtly mocking the wanton craving for that perfect Christmas gift and our contemporary focus on the secular trappings of the holiday instead of remembering the true reason for the season. But it pokes fun at society in a very sweet & good spirited way.

#3...(three way tie)

eagle795 — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 04:23:24 GMT

Kind of follows the buddy movie formula…cops…one black, one white…an implied generation gap…very different family lives…one is crazy, one is stable. But the reason formula movies become a formula in the first place is because it is successful. This movie does it better than any of them. Another Christmas movie in the loosest sense, and with the additional benefit of Gary Busey as the bad guy.

#4

eagle795 — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 04:13:22 GMT

Most purists would say the original Vacation was the best, & that may be true. But this flick’s status as a Christmas movie gives it a little extra juice in my book.

#5

eagle795 — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 04:08:00 GMT

Without a doubt the best horror movie ever made. What makes it so great is its subtlety. It’s not super gory. The violence is understated, with more of an emphasis on suspense & “atmosphere”. This is largely due to the fact that the filmmakers were working on a shoestring budget. I say thank goodness. Definitely a case of “less is more”.

#6

eagle795 — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 04:05:07 GMT

It’s hard to separate one movie from the other in this trilogy. The story really has to be viewed as a whole. However, my philosophy is generally that the original is the best when it comes to movie franchises.