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Oscar Winner For Best Picture By Year, newest to oldest.
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- DirectorDaniel KwanDaniel ScheinertStarsMichelle YeohStephanie HsuJamie Lee CurtisA middle-aged Chinese immigrant is swept up into an insane adventure in which she alone can save existence by exploring other universes and connecting with the lives she could have led.Got it at SH public library. Not nearly as good as it was hyped up to be. Confusing with its time shifts. Fair entertainment.
- DirectorSian HederStarsEmilia JonesMarlee MatlinTroy KotsurAs a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) Ruby is the only hearing person in her deaf family. When the family's fishing business is threatened, Ruby finds herself torn between pursuing her passion at Berklee College of Music and her fear of abandoning her parents.Not Seen. No desire to be depressed by it.
- DirectorChloé ZhaoStarsFrances McDormandDavid StrathairnLinda MayA woman in her sixties, after losing everything in the Great Recession, embarks on a journey through the American West, living as a van-dwelling modern-day nomad.Not Seen - Local movie rental store closed in 2020 and library stopped getting new movies after being closed for covid. Also, our movie theatre and shopping mall got closed and torn down.
- DirectorBong Joon HoStarsSong Kang-hoLee Sun-kyunCho Yeo-jeongGreed and class discrimination threaten the newly-formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan.DVD - A character study story about how people lie/con to get ahead while others get conned by them. The average person would not need to do these things because of circumstance.
- DirectorPeter FarrellyStarsViggo MortensenMahershala AliLinda CardelliniA working-class Italian-American bouncer becomes the driver for an African-American classical pianist on a tour of venues through the 1960s American South.Well told linear story. Not overly preachy but enough to let everyone know that the USA was not the bastion of freedom it has always claimed. It also made clear that all white people were not practicing racists. 8/10.
- DirectorGuillermo del ToroStarsSally HawkinsOctavia SpencerMichael ShannonAt a top secret research facility in the 1960s, a lonely janitor forms a unique relationship with an amphibious creature that is being held in captivity.7.5 - 7.5 Not quite an 8 because the love story did not make me feel the emotion. Overall, it had a good story line. The cinematography was good too.
- DirectorBarry JenkinsStarsMahershala AliNaomie HarrisTrevante RhodesA young African-American man grapples with his identity and sexuality while experiencing the everyday struggles of childhood, adolescence, and burgeoning adulthood.4 - 7.5 - What a steaming pile this "our turn to win" movie is. Dull, boring filmed like a home movie story that never explains why the kid gets called the taboo word that starts with an f has gg in the middle and ends with a t. Did he literally do some kind of act/thing or was it just an insult? Kids throw down insults all the time. Someone has to teach a person about sex in order for them to have a preference. The Oscar's have failed miserably with this as best. Superior films in story and acting are "Concussion" with Will Smith and "Lion" with Dev Patel. I would never watch this a 2nd time.
- DirectorTom McCarthyStarsMark RuffaloMichael KeatonRachel McAdamsThe true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core.8 - 8.1 - I think this film won because of the subject matter of the story. The activity of the reporters in it was not that exciting but them being to blame for less focus on the issue over time was damning. It made out like they just printed stuff as news stories when a follow up investigation was necessary. However, when you have indifferent and corrupt officials who are only driven by money, how do you ever get anything fixed?
- DirectorAlejandro G. IñárrituStarsMichael KeatonZach GalifianakisEdward NortonA washed-up superhero actor attempts to revive his fading career by writing, directing, and starring in a Broadway production.8 - 7.8 - Cuts his nose off to spite his face is one of the multiple plot lines. Edward Norton's acting was excellent in it and so was Michael Keaton in several scenes.
- DirectorSteve McQueenStarsChiwetel EjioforMichael Kenneth WilliamsMichael FassbenderIn the antebellum United States, Solomon Northup, a free Black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery.7 - 8.1 - Just another telling of slavery and corruption in the USA, the so called bastion of freedom. Can't say if anything was better or worse than most other films on this subject. Amistad (1997) had a much better emotional impact than this one.
- DirectorBen AffleckStarsBen AffleckBryan CranstonJohn GoodmanActing under the cover of a Hollywood producer scouting a location for a science fiction film, a CIA agent launches a dangerous operation to rescue six Americans in Tehran during the U.S. hostage crisis in Iran in 1979.7 - 7.8 - Had some high tension parts at the airport.
- DirectorMichel HazanaviciusStarsJean DujardinBérénice BejoJohn GoodmanWhen George, a silent movie superstar, meets Peppy Miller, a dancer, sparks fly between the two. However, after the introduction of talking pictures, their fortunes change, affecting their dynamic.7 - 8 - It is an OK story of loyalty and gratitude through changing times by the successful person. The story was predictable in the sense that usually when someone is down, they refuse help. The acting and cinematography and scenery were fine as well. Being a silent film, it was pretty hard to get through same as the other 3 (2 from the real era and another newer attempt at pulling it off and failing far worse) that I have seen. It being B&W was not the issue, I watch Turner Classics all the time. Better films than this for 2011 are War Horse, Hugo, The Eagle, Moneyball, Limitless and Source Code.
- DirectorTom HooperStarsColin FirthGeoffrey RushHelena Bonham CarterThe story of King George VI, his unexpected ascension to the throne of the British Empire in 1936, and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch overcome his stammer.8 - 8.0 - This was a reasonably good story worth watching for the growth and technique. The emotional impact of war on everyone's lives helped with the importance of knowing how strong leadership is a must. Since Lionel was an actor having real life experience, as opposed to an impeccably degreed person, that added to the drama. I think it allowed the king to understand real people once the formalities were stripped away.
- DirectorKathryn BigelowStarsJeremy RennerAnthony MackieBrian GeraghtyDuring the Iraq War, a Sergeant recently assigned to an army bomb squad is put at odds with his squad mates due to his maverick way of handling his work.7 - 7.6 - winner for year 2009 - Jeremy Renner was not that good as an actor here. Almost like himself and no real character for the hot dog maverick he was playing.
- DirectorDanny BoyleLoveleen TandanStarsDev PatelFreida PintoSaurabh ShuklaA teenager from the slums of Mumbai becomes a contestant on the show 'Kaun Banega Crorepati?' When interrogated under suspicion of cheating, he revisits his past, revealing how he had all the answers.8 - 8.0 - Every question he was asked in order to win was learned over his childhood in the slums. Good thing he was able to prove all of that as he was accused of cheating. Glad someone made it out of the realistic looking slums with their long time childhood sweetheart.
- DirectorEthan CoenJoel CoenStarsTommy Lee JonesJavier BardemJosh BrolinViolence and mayhem ensue after a hunter stumbles upon the aftermath of a drug deal gone wrong and over two million dollars in cash near the Rio Grande.9 - 8.2 - Javier Bardiem is the ultimate cold blooded killer, like a terminator, never stops.
- DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsLeonardo DiCaprioMatt DamonJack NicholsonAn undercover cop and a mole in the police attempt to identify each other while infiltrating an Irish gang in South Boston.9 - 8.5 - Too many good things to say about this film. Blood Diamond came out the same year and its story better it could have won BP as well.
- DirectorPaul HaggisStarsDon CheadleSandra BullockThandiwe NewtonLos Angeles citizens with vastly separate lives collide in interweaving stories of race, loss and redemption.7 - 7.9 - won for year 2005 - was trying to show how everyone has some racism in them. Not just whites towards blacks.
- DirectorClint EastwoodStarsHilary SwankClint EastwoodMorgan FreemanFrankie, an ill-tempered old coach, reluctantly agrees to train aspiring boxer Maggie. Impressed with her determination and talent, he helps her become the best and the two soon form a close bond.9 - 8.1 - High emotional content. Girl fighter comes from a white trash family. They never change from being takers and ignorant losers even as injured fighter/daughter struggles with paralysis.
- DirectorPeter JacksonStarsElijah WoodViggo MortensenIan McKellenGandalf and Aragorn lead the World of Men against Sauron's army to draw his gaze from Frodo and Sam as they approach Mount Doom with the One Ring.
- 9 - 8.9 - extremely long but lots of good effects to finally get to the metaphorical wizard of oz ending.
- DirectorRob MarshallStarsRenée ZellwegerCatherine Zeta-JonesRichard GereTwo death-row murderesses develop a fierce rivalry while competing for publicity, celebrity, and a sleazy lawyer's attention.7 - 7.2
- DirectorRon HowardStarsRussell CroweEd HarrisJennifer ConnellyA mathematical genius, John Nash made an astonishing discovery early in his career and stood on the brink of international acclaim. But the handsome and arrogant Nash soon found himself on a harrowing journey of self-discovery.8 - 8.2 - His economic game theories where not that great in my opinion. Basically they are used to help the rich (investor class) get richer. The paranoia back story was the better part of the movie.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsRussell CroweJoaquin PhoenixConnie NielsenA former Roman General sets out to exact vengeance against the corrupt emperor who murdered his family and sent him into slavery.9 - 8.5
- DirectorSam MendesStarsKevin SpaceyAnnette BeningThora BirchA sexually frustrated suburban father has a mid-life crisis after becoming infatuated with his daughter's best friend.8 - 8.4
- DirectorJohn MaddenStarsGwyneth PaltrowJoseph FiennesGeoffrey RushThe world's greatest ever playwright, William Shakespeare, is young, out of ideas and short of cash, but meets his ideal woman and is inspired to write one of his most famous plays.7 - 7.2 - Hard to believe that this film beat all of these: Saving Private Ryan, Pleasantville, Les Misérables, The Siege, The Horse Whisperer and Patch Adams.
- DirectorJames CameronStarsLeonardo DiCaprioKate WinsletBilly ZaneA seventeen-year-old aristocrat falls in love with a kind but poor artist aboard the luxurious, ill-fated R.M.S. Titanic.8 - 7.7 - The locked gates to keep the 3rd class passengers from the chance of getting into a life boat was heart breaking.
- DirectorAnthony MinghellaStarsRalph FiennesJuliette BinocheWillem DafoeAt the close of World War II, a young nurse tends to a badly burned plane crash victim. His past is shown in flashbacks, revealing an involvement in a fateful love affair.7 - 7.4 - Long non linear story. Multiple watches may help but I won't try suffering through it a 3rd time.
- DirectorMel GibsonStarsMel GibsonSophie MarceauPatrick McGoohanScottish warrior William Wallace leads his countrymen in a rebellion to free his homeland from the tyranny of King Edward I of England.9 - 8.4
- DirectorRobert ZemeckisStarsTom HanksRobin WrightGary SiniseThe history of the United States from the 1950s to the '70s unfolds from the perspective of an Alabama man with an IQ of 75, who yearns to be reunited with his childhood sweetheart.10 - 8.8
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsLiam NeesonRalph FiennesBen KingsleyIn German-occupied Poland during World War II, industrialist Oskar Schindler gradually becomes concerned for his Jewish workforce after witnessing their persecution by the Nazis.10 - 8.9
- DirectorClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodGene HackmanMorgan FreemanRetired Old West gunslinger William Munny reluctantly takes on one last job, with the help of his old partner Ned Logan and a young man, The "Schofield Kid."9 - 8.3
- DirectorJonathan DemmeStarsJodie FosterAnthony HopkinsScott GlennA young F.B.I. cadet must receive the help of an incarcerated and manipulative cannibal killer to help catch another serial killer, a madman who skins his victims.8 - 8.6
- DirectorKevin CostnerStarsKevin CostnerMary McDonnellGraham GreeneLieutenant John Dunbar, assigned to a remote western Civil War outpost, finds himself engaging with a neighbouring Sioux settlement, causing him to question his own purpose.
- 8 - 8.0 - Lots of good scenery and more real than many of the Bonanza type westerns. Over all a good story with only a few things not believable. A newerfilm of this type is Into The West from 2005.
- DirectorBruce BeresfordStarsMorgan FreemanJessica TandyDan AykroydAn old Jewish woman and her African-American chauffeur in the American South have a relationship that grows and improves over the years.7 - 7.4
- DirectorBarry LevinsonStarsDustin HoffmanTom CruiseValeria GolinoAfter a selfish L.A. yuppie learns his estranged father left a fortune to an autistic-savant brother in Ohio that he didn't know existed, he absconds with his brother and sets out across the country, hoping to gain a larger inheritance.8 - 8.0
- DirectorBernardo BertolucciStarsJohn LoneJoan ChenPeter O'TooleBernardo Bertolucci's Oscar-winning dramatisation of the life story of China's last emperor, Pu Yi.7 - 7.8 - Good scenery and depiction of the oddities of the culture and 20th century turmoil. I was not emotionally touched by it very much mainly because of the multitude of back and forth in time cuts kept me from actually seeing enough in long enough parts for it to sink in. It did not make me want to visit as a tourist like we can today. The idea of king/emperor worship is bad no matter what country has it.
- DirectorOliver StoneStarsCharlie SheenTom BerengerWillem DafoeChris Taylor, a neophyte recruit in Vietnam, finds himself caught in a battle of wills between two sergeants, one good and the other evil. A shrewd examination of the brutality of war and the duality of man in conflict.9 - 8.1 - Excellent portrayal of coping with being in war. The fear of death on both sides along with the tough guy side as well.
- DirectorSydney PollackStarsMeryl StreepRobert RedfordKlaus Maria BrandauerIn 20th-century colonial Kenya, a Danish baroness/plantation owner has a passionate love affair with a free-spirited big-game hunter.7 - 7.2 - Long story and hard to understand without multiple watches which I did do.
- DirectorMilos FormanStarsF. Murray AbrahamTom HulceElizabeth BerridgeThe life, success and troubles of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, as told by Antonio Salieri, the contemporaneous composer who was deeply jealous of Mozart's talent and claimed to have murdered him.7 - 8.3
- DirectorJames L. BrooksStarsShirley MacLaineDebra WingerJack NicholsonFollows hard-to-please Aurora looking for love and her daughter's family problems.7 - 7.4 - It was not that great of a story, OK in places. But at least it wasn't about usual problems of wealthy people. The acting by all of the name stars and supporting actors was good. The middle son was the best as far as emotional impact is concerned. Scarface and Tender Mercies may have been better BP choices.
- DirectorRichard AttenboroughStarsBen KingsleyJohn GielgudRohini HattangadiThe life of the lawyer who became the famed leader of the Indian revolts against the British rule through his philosophy of nonviolent protest.9 - 8.1 - Well told story and we see that being peaceful does not work as well as it should. That is because some group always thinks their way is better or superior regardless of what the peace maker says or teaches.
- DirectorHugh HudsonStarsBen CrossIan CharlesonNicholas FarrellTwo British track athletes, one a determined Jew and the other a devout Christian, are driven to win in the 1924 Olympics as they wrestle with issues of pride and conscience.7 - 7.2 - Based on the synopsis, I was waiting for the problems the difference in religions were supposed to have been. Never saw any discrimination. There were some places where someone had an evil looking stare but that could have been due to competition. Oscar BP's usually deal with controversy, 'Ragtime' from 1981 depicted that theme better.
- DirectorRobert RedfordStarsDonald SutherlandMary Tyler MooreJudd HirschThe accidental death of the older son of an affluent family deeply strains the relationships among the bitter mother, the good-natured father and the guilt-ridden younger son.7 - 7.8 - Ordinary People is about an upper middle class family who may expect perfection in their lives. Emotional problems such as death of a son and another son attempting suicide as he thinks it is his fault. Some things money can't buy, but are they all supposed to sit and bawl the rest of their life or try to move forward even if that means repression of sadness? Many people use getting things as a means of happiness. Maybe a lack of real parenting in the first place. Hard to say because full back story not disclosed.
- DirectorRobert BentonStarsDustin HoffmanMeryl StreepJane AlexanderAfter his wife leaves him, a work-obsessed Manhattan advertising executive is forced to learn long-neglected parenting skills, but a heated custody battle over the couple's young son deepens the wounds left by the separation.7 - 7.8 - It was a story that ended like it should have. Needing to find yourself may be an excuse for abandonment but should not just allow the mother to come back saying she was cured and wreck her husband and son's life again. Women want equal rights but really more equal towards them even when they are wrong.
- DirectorMichael CiminoStarsRobert De NiroChristopher WalkenJohn CazaleAn in-depth examination of the ways in which the Vietnam War impacts and disrupts the lives of several friends in a small steel mill town in Pennsylvania.8 - 8.2 - Vietnam messed up a lot of soldiers who came home.
- DirectorWoody AllenStarsWoody AllenDiane KeatonTony RobertsAlvy Singer, a divorced Jewish comedian, reflects on his relationship with ex-lover Annie Hall, an aspiring nightclub singer, which ended abruptly just like his previous marriages.5 - 8.1 - This seemed like 3 hours of George Costanza, Larry David, Gary Shandling and Richard Lewis doing their neurotic schtick. Diane Keaton being in it was the only thing that brought it up to a 5 but her singing was nothing to write home about. There are 5 better films in 1977 that had stories and characters you could actually root for, Star Wars, Saturday Night Fever, Close Encounters Of The 3rd Kind, The Deep, The Gauntlet.
- DirectorJohn G. AvildsenStarsSylvester StalloneTalia ShireBurt YoungA small-time Philadelphia boxer gets a supremely rare chance to fight the world heavyweight champion in a bout in which he strives to go the distance for his self-respect.8 - 8.1
- DirectorMilos FormanStarsJack NicholsonLouise FletcherMichael BerrymanIn the Fall of 1963, a Korean War veteran and criminal pleads insanity and is admitted to a mental institution, where he rallies up the scared patients against the tyrannical nurse.8 - 8.4 - The over all story line hear was not that good. Just a non conformist (Nicholson) bucking the jail system. Lots of good acting by Danny Devito and Brad Dourif. The big chief was good too.
- DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsAl PacinoRobert De NiroRobert DuvallThe early life and career of Vito Corleone in 1920s New York City is portrayed, while his son, Michael, expands and tightens his grip on the family crime syndicate.8 - 9 - Not as good as the 1st Godfather movie. But still has a lot of cold blooded gangster killing to make it watchable.
- DirectorGeorge Roy HillStarsPaul NewmanRobert RedfordRobert ShawTwo grifters team up to pull off the ultimate con.7 - 8.3
- DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsMarlon BrandoAl PacinoJames CaanThe aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son.9 - 9.2 - The scene where Al Pacino shoots the rivals and corrupt police chief in the face and throat was great. Horse head scene not too shabby either.
- DirectorWilliam FriedkinStarsGene HackmanRoy ScheiderFernando ReyA pair of NYPD detectives in the Narcotics Bureau stumble onto a heroin smuggling ring based in Marseilles, but stopping them and capturing their leaders proves an elusive goal.7 - 7.6 - I simply did not like Gene Hackman's mean ass character in this as he bullied his way to get evidence. His acting was fine.
- DirectorFranklin J. SchaffnerStarsGeorge C. ScottKarl MaldenStephen YoungThe World War II phase of the career of controversial American general George S. Patton.8 - 8.0 - Besides his bravado, you can see how the press twists his words into controversy at every turn.
- DirectorJohn SchlesingerStarsDustin HoffmanJon VoightSylvia MilesA naive hustler travels from Texas to New York City to seek personal fortune, finding a new friend in the process.8 - 7.9 -
- DirectorCarol ReedStarsMark LesterRon MoodyShani WallisAfter being sold to a mortician, young orphan Oliver Twist runs away and meets a group of boys trained to be pickpockets by an elderly mentor in 1830s London.I have also seen Oliver Twist (2005), a remake of the same Charles Dickens story.
- DirectorNorman JewisonStarsSidney PoitierRod SteigerWarren OatesA black Philadelphia police detective is mistakenly suspected of a local murder while passing through a racially hostile Mississippi town, and after being cleared is reluctantly asked by the police chief to investigate the case.8 - 8.0 -
- DirectorFred ZinnemannStarsPaul ScofieldWendy HillerRobert ShawThe story of Sir Thomas More, who stood up to King Henry VIII when the King rejected the Roman Catholic Church to obtain a divorce and remarry.7 - 7.9 - A long and dialog driven film. Acting and character portrayal are good. Not a film I would want to see multiple times. Can't say if standing for ones principals against a king is worth dying for, when you know he will win in the end anyway. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) was much more entertaining.
- DirectorRobert WiseStarsJulie AndrewsChristopher PlummerEleanor ParkerA young novice is sent by her convent in 1930s Austria to become a governess to the seven children of a widowed naval officer.8 - 8.0 - Good suspense along with mostly upbeat story line. I went on the film locations tour while in Salzburg Austria. Beautiful country.
- DirectorGeorge CukorStarsAudrey HepburnRex HarrisonStanley HollowayIn 1910s London, snobbish phonetics professor Henry Higgins agrees to a wager that he can make crude flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, presentable in high society.7 - 7.9 - Rex Harrison was too old to be falling in love with young lady even if he did help her learn better language for higher society. It was done for a bet to make money for him in the first place.
- DirectorTony RichardsonStarsAlbert FinneySusannah YorkGeorge DevineThe romantic and chivalrous adventures of adopted bastard Tom Jones in 18th-century England.5 - 6.8
- DirectorDavid LeanStarsPeter O'TooleAlec GuinnessAnthony QuinnThe story of T.E. Lawrence, the English officer who successfully united and led the diverse, often warring, Arab tribes during World War I in order to fight the Turks.9 - 8.4
- DirectorJerome RobbinsRobert WiseStarsNatalie WoodGeorge ChakirisRichard BeymerTwo youngsters from rival New York City gangs fall in love, but tensions between their respective friends build toward tragedy.7 - 7.6 - Not even slightly believable that any street gangs would sing and dance into fights. They might sing and dance back at their hideout though.
- DirectorBilly WilderStarsJack LemmonShirley MacLaineFred MacMurrayA Manhattan insurance clerk tries to rise in his company by letting its executives use his apartment for trysts, but complications and a romance of his own ensue.7 - 8.3 - For the time period I guess sneaking away from the office in order to have a sex romp was a pretty good deal. Not really a main stream thing yet like it is now, mainly due to more media outlets.
- DirectorWilliam WylerStarsCharlton HestonJack HawkinsStephen BoydAfter a Jewish prince is betrayed and sent into slavery by a Roman friend in 1st-century Jerusalem, he regains his freedom and comes back for revenge.8 - 8.1
- DirectorVincente MinnelliCharles WaltersStarsLeslie CaronMaurice ChevalierLouis JourdanWeary of the conventions of Parisian society, a rich playboy and a youthful courtesan-in-training enjoy a platonic friendship which may not stay platonic for long.7 - 6.9
- DirectorDavid LeanStarsWilliam HoldenAlec GuinnessJack HawkinsBritish POWs are forced to build a railway bridge across the river Kwai for their Japanese captors in occupied Burma, not knowing that the allied forces are planning a daring commando raid through the jungle to destroy it.8 - 8.2
- DirectorMichael AndersonJohn FarrowStarsDavid NivenCantinflasFinlay CurrieA Victorian Englishman bets that with the new steamships and railways he can circumnavigate the globe in eighty days.7 - 6.8 - Over 3 hours long. Some good panoramic cinematography with several cameos.
- DirectorDelbert MannStarsErnest BorgnineBetsy BlairEsther MinciottiA middle-aged butcher and a school teacher who have given up on the idea of love meet at a dance and fall for each other.7 - 7.7 - Story that ends well, leaving hope for all. Funny at times and how it seems to be like real life. The way guys try to pick up women and how others want a life time partner. Time slips away before you notice.
- DirectorElia KazanStarsMarlon BrandoKarl MaldenLee J. CobbAn ex-prize fighter turned New Jersey longshoreman struggles to stand up to his corrupt union bosses, including his older brother, as he starts to connect with the grieving sister of one of the syndicate's victims.8 - 8.3
- DirectorFred ZinnemannStarsBurt LancasterMontgomery CliftDeborah KerrAt a U.S. Army base in 1941 Hawaii, a private is cruelly punished for not boxing on his unit's team, while his commanding officer's wife and top aide begin a tentative affair.7 - 7.8
- DirectorCecil B. DeMilleStarsJames StewartCharlton HestonBetty HuttonThe dramatic lives of trapeze artists, a clown, and an elephant trainer are told against a background of circus spectacle.8 - 6.7 - The train wreck near the end and escaping animals scenes really looked real. Everyone pulling together to save each other was inspirational.
- DirectorVincente MinnelliStarsGene KellyLeslie CaronOscar LevantThree friends struggle to find work in Paris. Things become more complicated when two of them fall in love with the same woman.7 - 7.3
- DirectorJoseph L. MankiewiczStarsBette DavisAnne BaxterGeorge SandersA seemingly timid but secretly ruthless ingénue insinuates herself into the lives of an aging Broadway star and her circle of theater friends.7 - 8.3
- DirectorRobert RossenStarsBroderick CrawfordJohn IrelandJoanne DruThe rise and fall of a corrupt politician, who makes his friends richer and retains power by dint of a populist appeal.8 - 7.6 - Well acted and a bit better than the remake with Jude Law and Sean Penn. I guess the message is no matter how much money and power or scandals you cover up, you can still be murdered.
- DirectorLaurence OlivierStarsLaurence OlivierJean SimmonsJohn LauriePrince Hamlet struggles over whether or not he should kill his uncle, whom he suspects has murdered his father, the former king.not seen ---------------- this 1948 version ------------ have seen the 1990 with Mel Gibson and 1996 with Kenneth Branagh.
- DirectorElia KazanStarsGregory PeckDorothy McGuireJohn GarfieldA reporter pretends to be Jewish in order to cover a story on anti-Semitism, and personally discovers the true depths of bigotry and hatred.
- 7 - 7.4 - Didn't really have an emotional impact for me. May have been a bigger deal for those in Hollywood when it was made. Better films: Miracle on 34th Street and It Happened on Fifth Avenue.
- DirectorWilliam WylerStarsMyrna LoyDana AndrewsFredric MarchThree World War II veterans, two of them traumatized or disabled, return home to the American midwest to discover that they and their families have been irreparably changed.7 - 8.2 --------- Anti war film that highlights how everyone who participates loses something, youth, love, dreams or physical. Dana Andrews was kind of a stick in the mud character and Fredric March as a drunk was not very likeable. Teresa Wright, Myrna Loy and Virginia Mayo were good in their parts. Sadness for the soldier who returned home with both arms blown off and now has hooks for rest of his life.
- DirectorBilly WilderStarsRay MillandJane WymanPhillip TerryThe desperate life of a chronic alcoholic is followed through a four-day drinking bout.8 - 8.0 - Well told story about an alcoholic. It runs at a good pace and does not leave any boring spots that distract. Still never understand why people in movies fall in love at first sight or shortly there after and then go on to live and do things they can't explain.
- DirectorLeo McCareyStarsBing CrosbyBarry FitzgeraldFrank McHughWhen young Father O'Malley arrives at St. Dominic's, old Father Fitzgibbon doesn't think much of the church's newest member.7 - 7.2 - Ok story but not very believable because everything seemed to work out perfectly for everyone. I guess we are supposed to believe in miracles even though strings are pulled to make things happen with a wink or a nudge.
- DirectorMichael CurtizStarsHumphrey BogartIngrid BergmanPaul HenreidA cynical expatriate American cafe owner struggles to decide whether or not to help his former lover and her fugitive husband escape the Nazis in French Morocco.8 - 8.6 - Won for year 1943 - Lots of classic lines that most people recognize when used in current 2016 pop culture. But other funny lines not well known, One is when Bogart is asked what he does for a living and he replies, '' I'm a professional drunk ''.
- DirectorWilliam WylerStarsGreer GarsonWalter PidgeonTeresa WrightA British family struggles to survive the first months of World War II.8 - 7.6 - High emotional content of loss in WWII with a united we stand message.
- DirectorJohn FordStarsWalter PidgeonMaureen O'HaraAnna LeeAt the turn of the century in a Welsh mining village, the Morgans, he stern, she gentle, raise coal-mining sons and hope their youngest will find a better life.7 - 7.6
- DirectorAlfred HitchcockStarsLaurence OlivierJoan FontaineGeorge SandersA self-conscious woman juggles adjusting to her new role as an aristocrat's wife and avoiding being intimidated by his first wife's spectral presence.8 - 8.2 - Rebecca was a look alike of her husbands 1st dead wife. The creepy maid showed up out of thin air often.
- DirectorVictor FlemingGeorge CukorSam WoodStarsClark GableVivien LeighThomas MitchellA sheltered and manipulative Southern belle and a roguish profiteer face off in a turbulent romance as the society around them crumbles with the end of slavery and is rebuilt during the Civil War and Reconstruction periods.8 - 8.2 - Really a good movie all the way through except until near the end with the daughter riding side saddle and getting killed trying to do steeple chase jumping. Vivian Leigh was good as the self serving lady all the way through.
- DirectorFrank CapraStarsJean ArthurJames StewartLionel BarrymoreThe son of a snobbish Wall Street banker becomes engaged to a woman from a good-natured but decidedly eccentric family not realizing that his father is trying to force her family from their home for a real estate development.8 - 8.0 - A man who was a former fortune seeker convinces another man to enjoy life by not being obsessed with gaining more money. Its a light hearted farce about the family of the man who has learned to spend his days having fun. Of course he earned money originally and has his house paid for and money saved to pay his employees. Maybe earning some from selling fire works. So it is better than real life. I doubt if any one from Wall St. learned anything from it.
- DirectorWilliam DieterleStarsPaul MuniGale SondergaardJoseph SchildkrautThe biopic of the famous French muckraking writer and his involvement in fighting the injustice of the Dreyfus Affair.7 - 7.3 - A good story eventually but slow to start. Corrupted military officers finally get caught and lose their officer commissions, also a one sided judge who aided them is shown to help with injustice. The wrongfully accused is freed after several years in prison. Sadly,the noted writer Zola, died from carbon monoxide poison the day before. We are led to believe that honor, truth and justice triumph in the end.
- DirectorRobert Z. LeonardStarsWilliam PowellMyrna LoyLuise RainerThe ups and downs of Florenz Ziegfeld Jr., famed producer of extravagant stage revues, are portrayed.7 - 6.9 - The Anna Held character was good and so were the chorus girls, costumes and choreography.
- DirectorFrank LloydStarsCharles LaughtonClark GableFranchot ToneFirst mate Fletcher Christian leads a revolt against his sadistic commander, Captain Bligh, in this classic seafaring adventure, based on the real-life 1789 mutiny.TCM - Watched this 1935 version 03/28/2022.
Have also seen the 1962 version with Marlon Brando, and the 1984 version with Mel Gibson. - DirectorFrank CapraStarsClark GableClaudette ColbertWalter ConnollyA rogue reporter trailing a runaway heiress for a big story joins her on a bus heading from Florida to New York and they end up stuck with each other when the bus leaves them behind at one of the stops along the way.8 - 8.2 - Wealthy daughter rebels against her planned wedding to society guy. She gets help while on the lam from a news paper reporter played by Clark Gable. Good story considering the morals of the time period. Similar theme in Red Salute with Barbara Stanwyck.
- DirectorFrank LloydStarsDiana WynyardClive BrookUna O'ConnorA portrayal of the triumphs and tragedies of two English families, the upper-crust Marryots and the working-class Bridgeses, from 1899 to 1933.6 - 6.0 - The emtional impact was probably a lot higher back when it was released. The overall message of this film was that "it is hard to have to wait for news of a father or sons well being when they are gone from home to war." Any war, any family. Except for a brother (one of the 2 sons) that went down with the Titanic, that scene seemed away from the anti war theme. Ends at a couple of years into the 10th depression in US history caused by Wall St. was not mentioned nor was the great world wide flu epidemic of 1918. So any life is hard until you die I guess. several characters looked too much alike and that kinda made it hard to follow. At least they could all get drunk since prohibition ended in 1933.
- DirectorEdmund GouldingStarsGreta GarboJohn BarrymoreJoan CrawfordA group of very different individuals staying at a luxurious hotel in Berlin deal with each of their respective dramas.7 - 7.6 - I think this film won for all of the big name stars. The multiple stories woven together were not that good. Joan Crawford leaves for Paris with a recently sorta rich, nice but goofy and dying guy played by Lionel Barrynore. Maybe Joan made it into acting as she wanted, we are not told if guy gets cured or dies.
- DirectorWesley RugglesStarsRichard DixIrene DunneEstelle TaylorA newspaper editor settles in an Oklahoma boom town with his reluctant wife at the end of the nineteenth century.6 - 6.0 - The leading character, Yancy, had that Dracula make up so made it harder to watch. In the saga, Yancy seemed to do too many things. He was newspaper editor, sheriff, preacher and .... war hero maybe. There were some funny scenes and dialog in it, one showed a sign advertising fresh oysters, in Oklahoma? The 1931 Frankenstein with Boris Karloff was better.
- DirectorLewis MilestoneStarsLew AyresLouis WolheimJohn WrayA German youth eagerly enters World War I, but his enthusiasm wanes as he gets a firsthand view of the horror.8 - 8.1 - Very good anti war story with cinematography that allows us to see the filth and starvation along with the the results of the meat grinder battle scenes. I am surprised it won because it showed German soldiers as regular people who were subjected to patriotism in that time period same as most every other country.
- DirectorHarry BeaumontStarsBessie LoveAnita PageCharles KingA pair of sisters from the vaudeville circuit try to make it big time on Broadway, but matters of the heart complicate the attempt.DWN from ruok on 07/04/22 - watched it 07/10/22. Story line says the sisters failed to make it on Brodaway due to affairs of the heart getting in the way. Perhaps lack of talent as dancers aided in their failure. Younger sister was going to get a Park Ave. apt. plus limo with chauffeur. Then she discovered she would have to put out as payment to her sugar daddy. She passed on that deal. Hokey marriage to 2nd fiddle guy at end was typical unbelievable HEA schlock. 6/10
- DirectorWilliam A. WellmanHarry d'Abbadie d'ArrastStarsClara BowCharles 'Buddy' RogersRichard ArlenTwo young men, one rich, one middle class, who are in love with the same woman, become fighter pilots in World War I.DWN from ruok -- watched it on 07/12/22 -- Won in 1928, the 1st year for academy awards. Well told story. Lots of action after 1st 30 mins. Plot twist at the end. 9/10