The Shawshank Redemption

Title: The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Director: Frank Darabont
Starring: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman
Rank: 72

What is it about corruption that is so tantalizing to us? Why are we so drawn to scandals?

The Shawshank Redemption is one of my favorite films. There are so many elements of life packed in to this movie. The characters never give up on the hope of life, for one, and make the best of their situation. Red and Andy become good friends while in prison and Andy brings a new life to the inmates. He's an interesting man who is wrongly convicted to begin with, but later becomes a crook while in prison. The warden and his guards are the ones who are really corrupt.

In a way, it is something that we all dream about. A good man is given the raw end of a deal after a little bad luck, while paying for something he didn't do being punished by people who get away with evil things, but gets his justice in the end in such a powerful way. We've all had a time where we were screwed over with no redemption. Seeing those who get away with wrongdoings get their comeuppance in the end is always satisfying.

The most remembered line from the film is when Andy says "It comes down to a simple choice: get busy living, or get busy dying." It took Andy years of work to get his justice, but he never just sat back and gave up hope. In life, we need to be proactive. If we just sit back and do nothing but complain about the negative things in our life, then nothing will ever change. When we take action in our life, we get results. I have this posted on my wall to inspire me to be positively proactive in my life: "If you want it, you must work for it. You can't get what you want without sacrifice. If you stay the same, then your situation will stay the same. You can have it all if you put your blood, sweat, and tears into it. Nothing is impossible- give it all you've got!"

Trivia:
• Tim Robbins was in another of the top 100 movies that I've already watched for this project: He had a small, non-speaking role in Network as one of the assassins at the end of the film.


Movies to Go: 85

Side Note: I just want to say thank you to all of you. I've been dealing with a painful medical condition in my jaw and it has been completely exhausting me. I appreciate your patience and understanding of the delay between the posts! I'm starting to feel much better and the doctors I've been seeing are really helping, so there will (hopefully) be no more breaks between the posts!

A Streetcar Named Desire

Title: A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
Director: Elia Kazan
Starring: Vivien Leigh, Marlon Brando, Kim Hunter, Karl Malden
Rank: 47

I had never seen A Streetcar Named Desire before, but I really enjoyed the film. It was full of tension, and was hard to take my eyes off the screen while watching this.

It's amazing what people will put up with to feel as though they belong. Stella, completely aware of Stanley's behavior, refuses to leave him and at times seems to love him that much more because of his violent behavior. Stanley (played spectacularly by the very handsome Marlon Brando) is a brute. He's a violent, drunk who pushes around Stella and her sister, Blanche. Stella is very nonchalant about Stanley's animal-like behavior, and Blanche tries to get Stella to get out several times. In the infamous "Steeeellaaaaaa!" yelling scene, Stanley has just had a fit of rage and Stella and Blanche have vacated the apartment in fear. Stanley yells for Stella, until she comes out, then he embraces her while on his knees and begs her never to leave him. She feels as though he needs her on some level, even if he doesn't treat her that great. Just wanting to be needed, even if it is only an illusion, is powerful enough to stay in an abusive relationship. Stella (and Blanche, while she's there) lives in raw fear and rarely has a moment to breathe easily, yet she never leaves Stanley.

This is an amazing piece of Brando's performance, and the most famous scene from the film:


Blanche longs to belong as well. She goes to her sister's home after being run out of town for seducing a 17-year-old student of hers. She flirts with the men, longing to be desired, and acts as though she is the ultimate voice of reason in Stella's life. It is a common human want to be desired, needed, and relied upon. We want people to want us around, we want to be irreplaceable. We may not be anything more than a number to our government, we may be nothing to the world, but when we know that our family and friends need us and think highly of us, it is satisfying, even if it is only an illusion.


Movies to Go: 86

Pulp Fiction

Title: Pulp Fiction (1994)
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Starring: John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, Bruce Willis, Ving Rhames, Tim Roth, Amanda Plummer, Harvey Keitel
Rank: 94

auteur: [oh-tur] a filmmaker whose individual style and complete control over all elements of production give a film its personal and unique stamp.

It takes a lot for a director to become an auteur, but Quentin Tarantino will be considered one of the most unique directors of his time. Pulp Fiction, probably his most famous work (at least up until Inglourious Basterds), is certainly reeking of Tarantino's unique style and touch.

What I like about Pulp Fiction is that it is an artistic film rather than a film created to entertain the masses. It has become a classic, not just a novelty that people forget about a year after its release. These days, the films that come out of Hollywood seem to be based on previously made films, books, comics, toys, or just have a bunch of vampires in them. Hollywood rarely has a fresh taste nowadays. Hundreds of movies come out each year, only a few of them seem to have a flavor that isn't bland. With so many films coming from other sources over the past years, it is good to see Tarantino has his own style and is not afraid to try anything in his movies. He makes them to his own liking, without worrying whether or not the masses are going to like them. (I'm sure Tarantino couldn't care less how many screaming teenagers he can get to go to his movie's premiere.)

Pulp Fiction has a unique feel to it. Some parts of it resonate 1970's spy movies, while others it is difficult to put a finger on what kind of style it is similar to. For some reason, the first time I see one of Tarantino's films, I usually don't like it much. The first time I saw Pulp Fiction and Inglourious Basterds, I hated them. After rewatching them, though, I fell in love with them. (Inglourious Basterds is one of my favorite films of all times, even!) Perhaps the reason I didn't like his films the first time around is because Tarantino's style is an acquired taste. There is a certain mindset you must have when watching a Tarantino film- they can't be taken too seriously or you miss the subtle dark humor, and they can't be taken to lightly or they will fly over your head.

With Hollywood churning out so many films that taste like steamed rice, it is nice to have directors out there like Tarantino who give us some authentic new flavors. I can't wait to see what Tarantino is going to serve up next!



Movies to Go: 87


Please Note: Due to a slight medical condition that is currently causing me a lot of pain, I won't be watching and writing about another film until later on in the week or early next week. I have not left or forgotten about you all, I am just in need of a little break while I recover. See you soon!

Movie Trivia Game #1- WINNER!!!

The first Movie Trivia Game was a success! With 22 points, we have a winner... [drumroll]

Congratulations to

Kristie Casey!

She walks away with a $10 movie gift card. Great job, Kristie! Everyone who participated did extremely well. (Does this mean I have to make it harder next time? hehe)


Thank you to everyone who played- we had a few people participate, hopefully next time I'll see a few more of you putting in submissions. :-D

The Last Picture Show

Title: The Last Picture Show (1971)
Director: Peter Bogdanovich
Starring: Timothy Bottoms, Jeff Bridges, Cybill Shepherd, Cloris Leachman, Ben Johnson
Rank: 95

I really enjoyed watching The Last Picture Show. It's a black and white feature, made in the seventies but set in the fifties, about a small town in Texas. The people in the town grow, learn, and collide with each other throughout their lives. It's a coming of age story about two best friends, as they go from boyhood into manhood together.

There's always a point in our lives where we feel it is the official end of our childhood and the beginning of adulthood. Most people have that one defining moment when they feel they have become an adult, marking an official close to their adolescence. For Sonny and Duane (Timothy Bottoms and Jeff Bridges), that time comes when they watch the final showing of a second-run movie in the town's tiny cinema. Watching the last picture show (where the title comes from) in the cinema before it closes forever marks the close of their teenage years and their entry into manhood and the next phase of life.

The story is full of awkward sex scenes, most have the character's intention of trying to use sex as a sign of maturity. The group of boys, lead more often than not by Duane, tries to lose their virginity and conquer different sexual feats. Even Jacy (played by Cybill Shepherd in her film debut) tries to grow up using sexuality. She is the most desirable girl in the school, and she knows it. She wants to lose her virginity to Duane just so she can sleep with another (older) man, but something goes wrong with Duane and he is unable to perform. Jacy lies to her friends and tells her that the sex was the most indescribable experience she's ever had, making them envy her. It is not uncommon for teenage girls and boys to use sexuality as a vehicle to make them seem more grown up. Through experience I can tell you that it isn't the sex that makes a person mature, though. Maturity comes through developing yourself as a person and treating others in the best way you know how.

Part of learning and growing comes from colliding with other people in our lives. In the film, everyone knew each other and was involved in one another's lives. Like Miss Mosley said, "A person can't sneeze in this town without someone offering them a handkerchief." There are no secrets in a small town. Everyone knows about the different shenanigans of the boys, everyone knows about Sonny and Ruth's affair, everyone knows about the sexual promiscuity of Jacy. The people of the town conflict in what they want, and they clash with each other often. If we all had the same desires, views, opinions, and beliefs, life would be extremely boring and offer little opportunity for personal evolutions. When we meet someone who disagrees with us, then it makes us think, and making us think helps to form new ideas and new opinions. Meeting someone who has ideals that conflict with ours can be a very positive thing, so next time someone disagrees with you, listen to them! This doesn't mean that you have to change your ideals to match theirs, but it means you should have a respect for what they are saying, and see if you can understand their reasoning. You might be surprised on the things you can learn.

In the end of the film, Duane and Sonny both reach manhood, better because of the experiences they have lived through. People never have to stop learning and growing, as long as they are alive. Just because we feel a certain way today doesn't mean we will feel the same in ten years, five years, or even one year from now. It all comes down to how open-minded we allow ourselves to be. I, for one, hope I never stop learning and growing up, because I know there is still so much more out there that I have yet to experience.



Movies to Go: 88

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Title: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
Director: Milos Forman
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Will Sampson, Louise Fletcher
Rank: 33

Before this project, I had never seen One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, but I am glad that I have seen it now. Having never read the book either, I knew next to nothing about the story or the characters, but it was a nice experience being able to send time in their world (and also nice to be able to escape back to mine).

Jack Nicholson plays R.P. McMurphy, a man who fakes mental illness to get out of working. He is sent to a mental facility where he forms a comradeship with the other patients and causes chaos for the nurses and attendants.

The main point of the story seems to be fighting against establishment: While in the mental asylum, McMurphy bonds many of the other patients together and fights against the nursing staff, being defiant at every chance he gets. He causes trouble, does some dangerous things, and is always willing to take a self-imposed dare when he knows it'll upset the nurses. Most people have an inner voice that makes them want to defy authority (though some people's inner voices are louder than others) and live by their own rules. Whether it is parents, a boss, or the government, there is always a part of a person that wants to rebel and do things their own way. It seems only natural to want to rebel against one thing or another, even if it is just rebelling against a trend or boycotting a fast food restaurant. It makes me wonder if we were even made to conform and be told what to do or if it is something we have imposed on ourselves as a society over time.

The other interesting point of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is the setting of the mental asylum and the characters who live in it. Each of them has their own little quirk; something that makes them unique. I have yet to meet someone who is completely "normal" and does not have some strange little feature about themselves. This doesn't have to mean that they should be in a mental facility, it just means that they are human. For example, I have an irrational fear of the garbage disposal in the sink. I cannot turn on the garbage disposal if no one else is home, and here's the (strange) reasoning: If there is something down there, like a spoon or fork or a piece of glass, then if I turn it on it's going to shoot up into my neck, and since I'm home alone no one will be there to save me from bleeding to death. I can't stick my hand down there to check, because I'm certain that the moment my fist is completely down there the garbage disposal will turn on by itself and rip my hand to shreds. So every time I absolutely need to turn on the garbage disposal when I'm home along, I have to get out a pot and hold it over the hole before turning it on to protect myself.

When a person's quirk comes together with a natural tendancy to want to rebel, the results can be amazingly interesting. In McMurphy's case, (SPOILER!) he ends up being overtaken by the "establishment" of the mental asylum, but the things he does inspired another patient faking mental illness, known as Chief, to escape and start living his life. (end SPOILER) Inspiring others to go for the right thing, no matter how crazy it may seem, can be even more satisfying than getting it yourself.

Alright, extra credit homework: post a comment telling about a quirk that you have. We all get a little strange sometimes, right?

Trivia:
• Before they were as famous stars as they are today, Danny DeVito and Christopher Lloyd both had supporting roles in this film as patients at the psychiatric hospital.
• Many of the extras in the hospital scenes were actual mental patients.


Movies to Go: 89

Hey everyone!

This is the first of the Movie Trivia Games! It's simple to play, and I'll be giving out movie-related prizes in all of the Movie Trivia Games. Each game will consist of about ten questions, with bonus questions related to each original question.

Here's the rules:
• You do not have to answer every question, just do your best. (Using the internet is okay, of course. I have no way of knowing what you knew off the top of your head and what you had to look up.)
• Email your answers to movies100@hotmail.com and do NOT post your answers here in the comments (doing so will void out your entry- otherwise, you're just giving everyone else the answers).
• The deadline to submit answers and be eligible to win will be Feb 10th at 12:00pm (noon, PST).
• Prize: Winner's choice from one of the following:
-$10 Gift Card to Blockbuster
-$10 Gift Card to Regal Cinemas
-$10 Gift Card to Best Buy
-Your name posted on "100 Movies in 365 Days" along with your winning score!
• When you send your email, please let me know if I have your permission to post your name (specify: First and Last, First only, screen name only, anonymous etc) and your score. I intend to post the top scores of the people who give me permission to post.
• The first person to submit their answers will receive two bonus points!
• Most IMPORTANT rule: Have fun!!!

Ready? Here we go!

Movie Trivia Game #1

1) Of all the people who worked on the film Titanic, there was only one person who was actually alive when the real ship sank. Who was it? Bonus Question: How old was this person when the ship sank?

2) When Alfred Hitchcock bought the rights to Psycho, about how much did he pay?

3) What was the highest grossing film of 1985?

4) Identify the movie the quote came from: "You're no messiah. You're a movie of the week. You're a f**king t-shirt, at best." Bonus Question: Identify the movie the quote came from: "Get busy living, or get busy dying."

5) How many Jaws films have been made? Bonus Question: How many of the Jaws films were directed by Steven Spielberg?

6) In the film Cast Away, about how long did Chuck Noland live on the island?

7) Name actors who have played the character "Batman" in a major motion picture. (One point for each correct answer, limit five points.) Bonus Question: What is Batman's real name?

8) Who got paid more for The Wizard of Oz: the dog that played Toto or the average "munchkin"?

9) In Toy Story, what action hero believes he is the real thing and not "just a toy"? Bonus Question: Name one of the things Woody says when his string is pulled.

10) Name a movie in which Eddie Murphy dons a fat suit. (One point for each correct answer.) Bonus Question: Name the movie in which Gwenyth Paltrow plays an obese woman whose inner beauty can be seen clearly by Jack Black.

11) Bonus Question: What is your favorite movie?



(Hint: Some of the answers can be found in the other "100 Movies in 365 Days" posts.)

Oscar Announcements

Today the Academy announced the nominations for this years Oscars. Here's the list, in case you missed it:

Best Picture

• Avatar^ (James Cameron and Jon Landau, producers)
• The Blind Side* (nominees TBD)
• District 9 (Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham, producers)
• An Education (Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey, producers)
• The Hurt Locker (nominees TBD)
• Inglourious Basterds (Lawrence Bender, producer)
• Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire (Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness, and Gary Magness, producers)
• A Serious Man (Joel and Ethan Coen, producers)
• Up (Jonas Rivera, producer)
• Up in the Air (Daniel Dubiecki, Ivan Reitman, and Jason Reitman, producers)

Actor in a Leading Role

• Jeff Bridges^*, Crazy Heart
• George Clooney, Up in the Air
• Colin Firth, A Single Man
• Morgan Freeman, Invictus
• Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker

Actress in a Leading Role

• Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
• Helen Mirren, The Last Station
• Carey Mulligan, An Education
• Gabourey Sidibe, Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire
• Meryl Streep^*, Julie & Julia

Actor in a Supporting Role

• Matt Damon, Invictus
• Woody Harrelson, The Messenger
• Christopher Plummer, The Last Station
• Stanley Tucci*, The Lovely Bones
• Christoph Waltz^, Inglourious Basterds

Actress in a Supporting Role

• Penélope Cruz, Nine
• Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air
• Maggie Gyllenhaal, Crazy Heart
• Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air
• Mo'Nique^*, Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire

Cinematography

• Avatar (Mauro Fiore)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Bruno Delbonnel)
• The Hurt Locker (Barry Ackroyd)
• Inglourious Basterds (Robert Richardson)
• The White Ribbon^ (Christian Berger)

Directing

• James Cameron^, Avatar
• Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
• Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds
• Lee Daniels, Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire
• Jason Reitman*, Up in the Air

Check out the other categories here-
• Animated Feature Film
• Art Direction
• Costume Design
• Documentary Feature
• Documentary Short
• Film Editing
• Foreign Language Film
• Makeup
• Music (Original Score)
• Music (Original Song)
• Short Film (Animated)
• Short Film (Live Action)
• Sound Mixing
• Visual Effects
• Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
• Writing (Original Screenplay)


^= the one I think will win
*= the one I would like to see win

Who are your picks? Who do you think will be the winners?

Raging Bull

Title: Raging Bull (1980)
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Cathy Moriarty
Rank: 4

I watched Raging Bull last night, and it marks the tenth film in this project. That means I'm 10% done already! January is already over, and I have a feeling that this year (and this project) is going to go by fast.

Although Raging Bull centers around the life of a boxer, it really isn't just about the sport of boxing. (In fact, there is only a few minutes of the film that actually shows boxing.) Throughout the whole film, there is anger, rage, and fighting. Not only is it about the fights between the characters, but the general battle of life that we all go through.

As beautiful as it is, life is rarely easy. There is no one out there who does not experience hardships, whether they are financial, social, health woes, or anything else. If we want a satisfying life, we have to fight for it. We may often feel like we are K.O.'d by life, but there will always be another round if we are strong enough to get back on our feet. Jake La Motta (played by De Niro) goes through his boxing career wanting to be the champion, and although he doesn't ever win the title he wants, he does not ever give up or let himself fall. Sometimes, that's enough- as long as we keep fighting for it and don't let ourselves stop, we're doing alright. It is more about the journey than the actual destination: we learn so much going through life, riding over the bumps in the road, and trying to figure out exactly where we fit in. Life is an adventure.

Raging Bull is also about dealing with inner demons. La Motta finds his own downfall, both in personal relationship and professional, because of his own inner demons. Often our inner demons come from our own perceptions of how the world is; sometimes we become paranoid and judgmental because of one bad past experience, and because of that past experience being sour we assume any experience that is similar will also be sour. We become jaded, and our hearts harden. Distrust comes out to play, and we see things in an altered point of view.

Fighting our own demons can be a life-long battle. As long as we don't let them own us, we're doing pretty well. "Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world right in the eye."
Helen Keller



Movies to Go: 90