"Dinner for Schmucks"

"Yellow Submarine"

To my understanding, the only reason "Yellow Submarine" was made, was because The Beatles had a three picture deal and didn't want to honor it, so they agreed to just have their voices recorded in a cartoon; less effort. It's difficult to justify this, since "Hard Day's Night", and "Help" were two of the most important films of their time, and defined an era in history by themselves. If The Beatles had known how important their cinema was going to be in just a few years time, perhaps they would have agreed to star in a third picture to allow the trilogy to be remembered as such.

"The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" (1974)

If I were compiling a list of the greatest horror films of all time, "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" would be in the #2 position, right after John Carpenter's "Halloween". I could simply end my review right there, as that should be all you need to know, and there's no need to explain the plot, as I'm fairly certain everyone and their dog is familiar with the idea behind the film. I will however, elaborate on why I hold "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" in such high regard.

"Rope"

First, let me start by saying something that may turn some of you against me. Of all the directors that I make a point of following, and the screenwriters, and even the actors I respect, Alfred Hitchcock is one director that I am not particularly familiar with. Of course I've seen the majority of his major successes - "Psycho", "Rear Window", "Vertigo", and "North by Northwest" being the few that I have seen. In an effort to become more acquainted with his work, I purchased the Alfred Hitchcock Masterpiece collection, recently released on DVD. It includes the aforementioned films (with the exception of "North by Northwest", which is owned by Warner - this set was distributed by Universal). As the concept of "Rope" intrigues me very much, I opted to make it the first film of this set which I would review.

"Lady in the Lake"

“MGM presents a REVOLUTIONARY motion picture! The most AMAZING since the beginning of Talkies! YOU and ROBERT MONTGOMERY solve a murder mystery… TOGETHER!”

This is what MGM used to sell "Lady in the Lake" originally, and I have to admit that it does sound fun. The entire film was shot in first person perspective, with the only glimpses of the protagonist in reflections. Consider that it was released in 1947, and that few movies since have taken this risk. It's odd really. It's not as though this picture wasn't successful critically or commercially. Nowadays everything is a carbon copy of everything else; six films capitalizing on the first's success. Was Hollywood not more-or-less the same back then?

"Kwaidan"

"Kwaidan" is an early example of the anthology horror film, yet it's told in a manner that is more beautiful than frightening. From the vivid painted backdrops, to the emotion inherent in each story, "Kwaidan" is truly a beautiful film.

"Home Alone"

While the majority of John Hughes films (both produced and directed) are quite well known and have a large following, arguably none are as recognized or popular as the original "Home Alone". Grossing an impressive $533 Million, it was one of the most successful films of all time, and still holds in the top 25, based on total gross. "Home Alone" also served to start the career of Macaulay Culkin. How does it hold up today, Fifteen years after its release? Pretty well, actually.

"The Goonies"

I saw "The Goonies" in its entirety, for the first time, last night. That's right, until last night, this 24-year old film critic had never seen "The Goonies" the whole way through. I'd seen parts when the film played on TV, but had never seen the whole film, despite my affection for what I had seen. I was missing out, and for those of you who've yet to see this classic of 80's family film-making, you are too.

"Curse of the Werewolf"

It's rare that a Hammer film does nothing for me, but that's exactly what "Curse of the Werewolf" did for me. Well, maybe not nothing, but certainly not as much as I expected.

Following the life of a boy/man named Leon, from conception to his ultimate death. His birth, on Christmas day, is viewed as an insult to heaven (someone should tell my Christmas birthday-bearing Dad...), and as a result the child is cursed, and inevitably becomes a werewolf. Apparently there is a way to cure lycanthropy, as positive feelings such as love keep the werewolf side of Leon at bay, and if, in adulthood, a woman can love Leon completely, he may be cured entirely. The film follows Leon into adulthood, and he soon finds himself in love with the daughter of his employer, Don Fernando.

"Eyes Without a Face"

After a car accident leaves his daughter with a terribly disfigured face now covered by a plastic mask, an obsessive doctor attempts to repair his daughters face, using pieces from other women. That's the story in a nutshell, and I'll tell you, "Eyes Without a Face" is something else. It is completely unique, and has been the inspiration for a number of films since. Everything is dealt with so tastefully, as it is truly a beautiful film to look at, there is an incredible amount of atmosphere in every scene, and is an incredible production in all respects.