Community Recommendations

A "good film" is in the eye of the beholder

I'm Tom (I go by "tadiv" online – my initials and I'm "the 4th") and am available for recommendations of "good films".  I'll try to steer you away from "bad films" as well.  Of course, as noted in the title, "good" and "bad" are personal opinions.

I really like Spout's rating system with the third star meaning "neutral about it".  For me, that's like "it was just okay" and while it likely will not get a recommendation from me, I will also likely not try to steer you clear of it.

Here are the things I like:
1)Strong character development;
2)Good acting (strong and believable performances);
3)Good cinematography (the images look good);
4)Good editing (I hate to see a door opened twice);
5)and all the other things that combined make "A story well told".

As I find these qualities, I often find myself following particular Actors/Actresses and Directors.   I like dramas,  "thrillers", westerns, and documentaries more than action/adventure or comedy and I like those more than I do horror or "concert" films – this covers the generas that come to mind at the moment. 

For the last 9 years I have attended the Telluride Film Festival and I have been a member of the Denver Film Society for about the last 5 years.  I have enjoyed movies all my life (the first movie I remember seeing in a theater is the Disney animation Jungle Book).  I began to transition from "movies" to "films" in college when I saw Kenneth Branagh's Henry V.   Of course, all movies are films in the general sense – even today when some are recorded with digital HD cameras as opposed to film stock.  More central to the difference between a "movie" and "film" in my mind is the Director's intent.  Is the Director simply presenting a product designed to entertain and make money, or is the Director presenting a product designed to make some impact - not just entertain, but stimulate thought and conversation, evoke a strong emotional response, or make a commentary on the world as he or she sees it?  In my view, the first is a “movie” and the second is a “film”.  Don't get me wrong – both are works of art, but one is a more serious work then the other.

So, now you have some idea of what I think about movies / film.  Drop me a note if you're looking for a recommendation.  This link will take you to the list of movies to which I have given a high rating.  It's not all cut and dry, but generally, I expect that you'll find some trends and get a better idea of the things I like.

Enjoy!
Tom