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tiomkin
Reviews
The Village (2004)
It's all about our expectations.
After seeing previous Shyamalan films, I'm a little dumbfounded that I did not see this one coming either. Shyamalan seems pretty savy at using audience expectations. It puts him in pretty extraordinary film company (Hitchcock, etc.).
What is wonderful about this film is many of the same things that are also wonderful about "The Sixth Sense" or "Signs". Scenes that are given time to develop. A certain rhythm. Untold mysteries that never quite get explained.
And really quite wonderful to see such a powerful performance by William Hurt, who has been missing in action for awhile.
Well, if you enjoyed "Signs" or "Sixth Sense" because you had about given up on film making of that order, you will not be disappointed by "The Village".
The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
One of the best films ever made.
Well, we can all read the 8.4 rating. This is a very well liked movie, and for good reasons I imagine. I cannot pretend to speak for all of these positive ratings, but I will say that it deserves better than a 5.0 rating from your reviewer.
I first saw the film as an 11 year old. All I remembered then was the whistling. Seeing it again on video many years after was quite an experience for me. This is the ultimate anti-war film, bar none. It is beautifully done, but it can be painful to watch.
The film offers defining moments for both Guiness and Holden that would follow them for some time afterwards.
If only all of David Lean's films had been this wonderful.
Cherry 2000 (1987)
I thought high camp died in the '60's
until I saw this film. It's absolutely hilarious. And Ben Johnson was just a treat. Melanie was never so pouty and sexy, but that Mustang she drove steals the show. A really underrated film with lots of very wicked things to say. This relates to Mad Max about like 007 related to spies or (Chief) Inspector Clousseau related to detectives. Well, it's not in the same class, but it takes a stab at camping the Road Warrior.