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# 9 INDEPENDENCE DAY D: ROLAND EMERICH
Okay, I know you’re probably wondering why this silly sci-fi movie is in my top ten. When I proudly talk about my top ten movies to the people I come across, most of them seem surprised or shocked when I mention ID4 as one of my favourites. And I don’t even think it’s a great film, but it’s certainly a good one. The reason this is one of my top movies is because it came out at a time when I was just discovering what movies could be and this was a spectacle kind of blockbuster which made me realise what was possible with movies. The year was 1996 and I was 13 going on 14. When I first saw the trailer for this movie I was blown away by it. I was amazed at UFO’s the size of cities hovering over cities and blowing up famous buildings and monuments to extinguish the human race. The special effects were the real star of this movie and I was captivated by them. I remember the night I went to see this at the cinema. It was opening night, and I went with my dad and younger sister. I had gone and bought the tickets about a week ago. Before the movie started (we were a bit early) so my dad took me and my sister into the nearby games arcade. As I was playing a game, two of my mates from school walked in. I asked them what they were doing and one replied “We just went and saw Independence Day” and without a moment of hesitation, he continued “And Will Smith and the guy from Jurassic Park blow up the mother ship at the end”. I looked at him and said “HEY” and he just smiled. The movie I had been looking forward to all year just had its ending revealed to me by one of my idiot mates. However, I blocked that out and went into the movie. What I saw on screen absolutely amazed me and I thought it was the greatest movie I had ever seen. Everything about it was so big and my imagination was captured with almost every scene. After I saw it at the movies the first time, I went another 3 times to see it on the big screen. Besides The Matrix Reloaded I have never seen a movie 4 times at the cinema before. I just had to relive it again and again. Over the years, as I got a little older and wised up to what made a really good movie, I realised how Independence Day failed in comparison to others in relation to it’s story and character development, but no movie is perfect. I revisit this movie once a year or so, as it transports me back to that time and age when I was learning about the world through movies and began to imagine what kind of big, blockbuster movies I might create one day.  |
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What is the difference between a Movie Buff and a Film Freak?
It’s a question I have an answer for, but if you’d like to contribute your thoughts to it I’d appreciate that. I’m bringing this up as from time to time I tell people how much I love movies and that I watch a lot of them. Some people like that, and refer to me as a Movie Buff, and we have a good conversation about our favourite movies and actors. But occasionally, I come across some ignorant person who gets wierded out that someone can love movies so much and says something like, “Geez you’re a Film Freak. Don’t you have a life?” And that really pisses me off. So what if I love movies? Some people love sports, books or cars. I love movies. And I do have a life. It’s not like I just sit on my ass watching movies everyday. I also read, write, go for walks, cook and travel. But what we’re talking about here is the clear difference between being a Movie Buff and a Film Freak. At college a few weeks ago, I though I would clear this up with someone in my class who I occasionally have deep and thoughtful talks with. I said to her, “I am a Movie Buff not a Film Freak, and I will tell you what the differences are right now.” A Film Freak is someone who loves movies, but not just that, they hate certain movies as well – with a passion. You will find Film Freaks are the types who belong to or write their thoughts on several different film related websites and chat rooms. They have an opinion about every single movie, actor, director and piece of news that comes out of the industry. They usually refer to the negative aspects of the above and claim how they think they know everything. Film Freaks are also usually, aspiring film makers, and have a habit of talking and talking about the great film they are going to come up with and make, but generally never get around to doing. Film Freaks download scripts of their favourite movies, or write their own scripts for a sequel or follow up to a movie and are completely convinced that their idea is the Bees Knees and that they will submit it to some big company and have it made. Film Freaks also follow certain films religiously, and can demonstrate this following by going to regular screenings of a movie, get dressed up and act out every scene and word. For example, ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ and ‘The Blues Brothers’ have weekly previews in some parts of the world, where droves of obsessed fans rock up in costumes resembling their favourite characters, and they recite every piece of dialogue, mannerism and gesture that comes off the screen. I have to been to an event like this for Rocky Horror, in which I hung out at the back and closely observed. I was quite disturbed, but it was kind of fun. Now we come to the Movie Buffs. Movie Buffs do not live for movies, but movies are a big part of their life. Movie Buffs will be regular cinema goers, and choose the films that they go to see carefully. They are also avid renters of DVD’s at their local video shop, and most Movie Buffs will have memberships at more than one store. That’s because if they have late fees at one place, they can go to the other and having access to more than one video store also gives the Movie Buff a lot of options for renting different movies, in particular those hard to come by movies which you can’t find in every store. A movie buff likes to read reviews of movies prior to seeing them, but will also form their own opinion on a film. Movie Buffs usually have a few favourite actors and directors who they will follow closely, and most Movie Buffs will probably have a top 3, 5 or 10 movies that stay with them forever and are on that list for very special reasons. Movie Buffs loves to have their knowledge tested and at a trivia night they will be called upon when a film question pops up. Movie Buffs respect movies of all genres and styles and will like to watch a variety of different films. That is where it usually ends though, and they will have other interests and activities in their life that they commit just as much time to as watching movies. Whereas a film freak lives for movies and usually likes nothing else. So that is what I believe are the differences between Film Freaks and Movie Buffs. I hope I haven’t offended any Film Freaks out there. I have no problem with you guys, but I don’t like to be called one. And I hope I have summed up the description of a Movie Buff accurately. If you agree or disagree with anything I’ve said, that’s fine. I’m a writer and I’m just sharing my point of view. If you’d like to share any feedback or suggestions with me go ahead. But if you blast me or have a go at my opinion, I won’t acknowledge it so don’t waste your time. Go the Movies!!! |
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THE CRYING GAME D: NEIL JORDAN
Before 'The Sixth Sense' came out there was another film making the rounds that had an ending people would just not give away. You had to see it for yourself. And so, ‘The Crying Game’ was a film with a secret, and what a secret it was. Even though I assume that most people on this site would have seen it, I am still not going to reveal the secret. What I will talk about, is the film itself with a short synopsis, and an interesting connection I had with one of the actors of the film a few years after I had seen it. Our story begins in England, where a soldier on a break at a carnival is kidnapped by hooded people. He is held captive by them and we find out they are work for the IRA. The soldiers name is Jody and one of his captors, and the main character of the film, Fergus, forms a relationship with him. Jody talks about the love of his life, Dil, a beautiful, androgynous woman who lives in London. Jody asks Fergus that if anything happens to him, he'd like Fergus to find Dil and deliver the news. An order comes from above that Jody must be killed, and Fergus volunteers to do it. As they walk out into the woods, Jody escapes, but is hit by a truck and killed. That truck was driven by English soldiers who find the IRA guys in their little hide out and kill them all. Fergus survives and flees to London. Once he arrives, he changes his name and appearance and keeps a low profile. He finds Dil and is captivated by her beauty. Instead of telling her that Jody is dead, Fergus, who now calls himself Jimmy, decides he will try and win Dil's heart and the romance begins. The two form a relationship, and just as things are heating up between them, a major twist comes around, which like I said I will not reveal here. Fergus's past also catches up with him, and things get dangerous. The Crying Game was a very well received film, and was nominated for several awards. It is beautifully made and has a special, "dream like" quality about it that you don't see in many films today. One of the actors in the film, Jaye Davidson, went on to play Ra in 'Stargate' after this film and then sort of disappeared from movies all together. It was around 2001, a few years after I first saw the movie and had just watched it again, that I was wondering whatever happened to Jaye Davidson. So I hopped on the net and found his website. There was an e-mail for him which I thought I would give a go of. I sent him a message saying I really liked his work in both The Crying Game and Stargate, and a few days later I got a reply. I thought maybe it could have been someone else answering on his behalf, but as I continued writing e-mails asking Jaye about his life and what he was doing these days, I kept getting replies and my instincts told me that it was the real him. Just the things he said, and the ways he said them told me so. For about 6 months we were e-mail buddies and talked about all sorts of things. I asked him what his experience was like working on Stargate, what kind of work he was doing now, and about a script I was working on, which he asked me to send to him to read. Then one day, I stopped getting e-mails from Jaye all together. There was no explanation or reason why, and his website also got taken away. However, it was an interesting time in which I was friends with an ex-movie star for a little while, something that never comes around for most people...  |
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American Beauty What did it do? It woke the world up to the truth that even though you might have the two storey house and presentable family unit in the suburbs, not everything is so right... What did it change? It took the career of Kevin Spacey to even higher heights and brought the small budget, independent film into the mainstream. It also reminded us to remember to Look Closer... and see all the true beauty that is around us.  There’s Something About Mary What did it do? It introduced the world to Cameron Diaz. It made the romantic comedy physically gross and shocking, but in a funny way. What did it change? The way comedies were made from that day forward. If they weren't pushing the envelope and using disgusting visual gags to gross out the audience, then they wouldn't cut it. It led onto the successes of American Pie and the Scary Movie franchise.  Star Wars What did it do? What didn't it do? It captivated the imagination of the world and emerged as the most popular film of all time. It became a billion dollar franchise that cashed in on everything; toys, games, t-shirts and the like. It spawned two original sequels, and was the first movie series to tackle the prequel. What did it change? The career of one George Lucas and Harrison Ford. The way people view outer space and even created a religious following of its own philosophy - The Force.  Psycho What did it do? It shocked the world by killing of the main character 40 minutes into the film and presented a very shocking and believable villain in the form of Norman Bates. It also inspired a generation of movies and filmmakers to try and top it, which none still haven't done! What did it change? Well, it made people terrified to take showers for a long time. It also altered the world's view of lonely young men who still live with their mothers...  The Exorcist What did it do? It addressed the devil and possession in a way no one had dared to try before. It scared the world to their bones, and launched the career of a young Linda Blair. What did it change? It changed the horror/thriller genre and contains a punch and a wallop that is still getting to audiences nearly 40 years later.  |
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WARNING: A few Spoilers Below...
The word Requiem is defined as;
So you might be wondering, why does that word come into the title of the new Alien vs. Predator film and what does it mean? Well it is an idea that is hinted at through out the film, but not fully explored or developed. Just like many other elements of this sequel, which I’m must say is a bit of a disappointment. It takes off right at the end of the first film, where an alien bursts out of the dead chest of the Predator and we see something that is a cross of both creatures. In fact, it is called a Predalien. Pretty original huh? Why didn’t they call it an Alienator? Anyways, the ship is overrun by this new species and it crash lands on earth, in the tranquil woods of a picturesque Colorado town. A hunter and his son are the first victims, and then the aliens spread. Meanwhile, on the Predators home planet, a Predator sitting in a chair sees all this on a TV screen and gets very mad. He grabs his gear and flies off to earth to clean up the mess. We are then introduced to several different characters who will figure in the film. They are quite a mix. There are two brothers with criminal back grounds, a Sherriff who is just trying to do the right thing, a woman who’s returned from service with the Army, and some typical airhead teens. The Predator arrives and see’s the left over’s of the crashed Predator ship and he looks sad. He then begins to cover up all traces of the Aliens being on Earth by pouring some blue stuff over the remains which disintegrates everything it touches. I guess this is where the meaning of ‘Requiem’ comes into it. He’s a different kind of Predator than the ones seen in the original films, and the first film of this franchise. He’s actually quite small and skinny, like he’s a teen aged Predator. Anyways, the town is soon over run by the Aliens, and the lonely Predator is taking them out one by one. But the Predalien, which looks like a fat alien with dreadlocks, has a different agenda. He’s going around trying to increase the number of Aliens and in one particular scene at a hospital, we witness a rather grotesque and cruel treatment of a pregnant woman. I won’t go into any more details about the plot, but I will say that I think this film could have been better. The trailers looked great and effective and promised a sequel that might have been an improvement over the original with lots more creatures and more human stories and characters. However, for all the characters we meet and get to know a little bit about, they are never fully developed, and some are killed off that you wouldn’t expect would be. The film ends in an interesting way. It suggests that a third AVP film could come our way and that some human characters in high up places, may know more about the existence of the Aliens and Predators than we the audience are led to believe.  A new style of laser corrective eye surgery! |
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The life long journey of Self-Discovery is something I believe we all undertake in our own way - most of us travel, some of us seek it in the work we do, or the people we associate with, but never have I seen such a brash and risky venture as the one embarked on by the character of Chris in this movie "Into the Wild".
I went to see this film for 3 reasons. 1. I love any films that focus on self-discovery 2. It was directed by Sean Penn 3. Most of the music is done by my main man, Eddie Vedder. I really related to the central character here as I myself have been on a personal journey of Self-Discovery too. About 4 years ago I headed off overseas for a year to see the world, meet my extended family, work in other countries and hopefully by the end of it be filled with a new found direction. I got most of that in return and My Year Away at the age of 21 was and always will be one of the pivotal turning points in my life. So as you can guess as I watched this brilliantly made and extremely well-acted film, I was lapping up every minute of it and found myself feeling what was happening. I forgot that I was watching a movie to be honest. For those of you who have no idea about this film, it tells the story of Chris who has just graduated from College and instead of offering a new car from his parents and an entry into Harvard he hits the road in his rust bucket of a car and cuts off all connection of himself from society, and especially his parents. His goal is to go to Alaska and immerse himself in the natural surroundings and find out who he is. He finds an old, derelict bus abandoned in the trees and sets this up as his home. Then we are taken back over the past 2 1/2 years to see where he went, the people he met and changes he went through. It's a fascinating journey that really inspires you to get up off the couch and hike out into the wilderness of your country which is right in your own backyard. It's there waiting for you, and the character of Chris relishes every aspect of it in his adventure. I would be surprised if this film doesn't receive a few Oscar nods come the next awards season. I predict that Sean Penn may be considered for Best Director, and surely one of Eddie Vedder's many terrific songs will get a mention. But the performance of young Emile Hirsch could prove to be the dark horse this year. He has come out of some small rate but good performances to a stellar portrayal of an industrious pioneer and plays him with total certainty and credibility. Do yourself a favor and go and see Into the Wild. It might reignite the adventurer in you and set you on a clear track to continue the mission of finding out who you are, which may have taken a back seat to other commitments.   |
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Really interesting review, espcially the fact you felt a personal connection to the film. Are you much of a reader? I heard the book was good as well. 1 Reply | 
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The Matrix
What did it do? It brought Keanu Reeves back into blockbuster film status. It gave us a totally original idea and a new way of story telling. It introduced a style of special effects which basically showed us things up close and slowed down, so we could experience the full intensity of their impact. What did it change? The way action/martial arts/special effects films were made from then on. Actors started doing their own stunts and almost every film, commercial or music video has used Bullet Time in some form or another. And all of a sudden it was cool to wear black trench coats again.  Jaws What did it do? It invented the summer blockbuster. It proved that music, atmosphere and not seeing the monster was scarier than actually seeing the monster. It used a music that is now synonymous with suspense. It catapulted the career of Steven Spielberg and it was the first American film to gross over $100 million dollars at the box office. What did it change? The way blockbusters are made, and what they are made about. It perfectly demonstrated that a film with a monster could have a strong story and excellent acting, as well as scares and blood. The career of Steven Spielberg.  Schindler's List What did it do? It portrayed the reality of the Holocaust in no other way seen in a Hollywood Film. It woke up a whole generation of audiences to the reality of the persecution of the Jewish by the Nazis. It won the Oscar for best picture, despite being made in black and white. What did it change? The perspectives of many, many people about what happened to a lot of Jewish people during WWII.  Jurassic Park What did it do? It portrayed dinosaurs on screen for the first time that looked like they were actually alive. It won over the entire world, becoming one of the most popular films of all time. It thrilled audiences to the bone, even though the story was quite dull. What did it change? The quality of special effects films from then on; if they weren’t as convincing as this film, then they wouldn't be taken seriously. It spawned two sequels and film adaptations of nearly all of Michael Chrichton's novels.  The Lord of the Rings Trilogy What did it do? Made movie history by being the first trilogy to shoot all three films back to back. It proved to the world what a beautiful country New Zealand is. It pleased every Tolkien fan in the world, because of its perfect adaptation of the novels. Along with the Godfather Trilogy, was the only other trilogy to have each of it's installments to be nominated for best picture, and like the Godfather, contains the only other sequel to win Best Picture. What did it change? The way fantasy films were to be made from then one; attention to detail and loyalty to the source material was a must. It gave birth to a whole new money-making genre at the Box Office, by re-igniting the fantasy film.  |
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A BEAUTIFUL MIND D:RON HOWARD 2001
Anyone who has not seen this film really ought to, as it is probably the best representation of schizophrenia ever committed to the silver screen. I will go into the story a little bit, if you will just indulge me a little. It is the 1940's and eccentric loner John Forbes Nash, Jr. has just been accepted into Princeton University, to join the legion of mathematicians that will direct the course of the war. He doesn't fit in, and isn't taken seriously by his classmates. However, he finds solace in his dear friend Charles, who likes to do things his own way, and always lends a listening ear to John's thoughtful ranting. John struggles to find his "truly original idea" so he can distinguish himself and earn respect, but he is torn between recognition and accomplishment. He does become successful, and we go forward a few years. He has been hired by the government to crack some very elaborate ad tough codes, which have something to do with a top secret nuclear weapon. On the side, he is back at Princeton teaching the eager young minds of tomorrow and it is here he meets the beautiful, confident and ambitious Alicia, who takes a liking to him. The two fall in love and their relationship flourishes, however John's work is getting darker and more dangerous and pretty soon he's convinced there are people after him. He becomes paranoid, fearful and shaken... but is it actually happening to him? This is where the film takes a major turn, revealing a deep secret that changes the life of John Nash forever. There are so many great elements to this movie. First off, it is carried all the way by the brave and mesmerising performance of Russell Crowe. You really believe he is going through this journey, and we are taken into his world of theories and ideas, in a beautiful and haunting way by the ever versatile director of the film, Ron Howard. When this film came out, Russell Crowe had just become an overnight star after the 2000 success of Gladiator. The 2001 Oscars were just around the corner and at the time, Rusty had reaped almost every award that he had been nominated for and the final statuette at the Academy Awards was surely looking like it would go to him. Of course, he didn't win it, however his performance has to be one of the best of the decade. This was when I really started to become a Russell Crowe fan; I must have seen Gladiator about 10 times, and was digging deep into Crowe's resume to discover his lesser known and earlier works from Australia. Some roles were pretty standard, and then there were other groundbreaking performances in such films as 'Romper Stomper', 'The Insider' and 'LA Confidential'. At this time I was also working at a bar, and about a week before the Oscars all the buzz surrounding Russell Crowe was everywhere. I was walking through the venue picking up empty glasses, when I spotted a couple of women looking at me and pointing. I was a bit intrigued, and as I walked past them one of them said out loud "You look like a young Russell Crowe, has anyone told you that?" I replied 'No' but was flattered all the same. I'm not sure what that has to do with anything, but I just threw that in there. Other people have told me I look like Mike Myers and even Tom Cruise. You can decide for yourself... Later on that year, when A Beautiful Mind came to DVD I purchased it straight away and watched it several times; it still captivated me. I then began to explore the special features and was impressed even more when I saw what Ron Howard went through to bring his vision to the screen. I won't go into detail but it reminded me of what a truly gifted filmmaker he is and when you watch the features then the film and put it all together, you will understand and agree with me that A Beautiful Mind isn't just a movie, it is a piece of art. It has inspired me to believe that the mind is an incredibly powerful thing, that can help us have, do and be anything, but in the end there is only one thing more powerful than the mind... and that is the courage of the human heart and spirit. Truly a film to be cherished.     |
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Here I will talk about 25 films from the recent decade of the 90’s which were classics, and still remain classics, in one way or another. It’s an interesting mix of films, because the 90’s really churned out some pictures that set new standards in filmmaking and different ways of story telling. They range from comedy, action, science fiction, drama and animation. Some still hold records today and some are part of a lot of movie goers Top 10 List of Movies.
Clueless Scream Silence of the Lambs Titanic As Good As It Gets Groundhog Day The Shawshank Redemption American Beauty Dazed and Confused Terminator 2: Judgement Day American Pie The Mummy Braveheart Wayne’s World Speed The Lion King Toy Story Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery Clerks The Usual Suspects Seven Men In Black Independence Day White Men Can’t Jump Being John Malkovich |
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Here are 25 movies that have changed the world in some way or another. There are many more of course, but these are the ones I recognise the most as the films that changed the way we look at the world, as well as how movies are made and what they are made about.
The Matrix Jaws Schindler’s List Jurassic Park The Lord of the Rings Trilogy American Beauty There’s Something About Mary Star Wars Psycho The Exorcist Scream Friday the 13th A Nightmare on Elm Street Titanic Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within Toy Story Halloween Fight Club Dr. No Die Hard The Blair Witch Project Alien The Godfather The Rocky Horror Picture Show The Harry Potter Movies |
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