LIKED EM!

Occasionally, I'll be asked "hey, have you seen anything good lately?" Well, yeah probably. There's always stuff that I've watched or
rewatched and am willing to commit to the suggestion of someone checking it out if they hadn't seen it or even heard of it. If you have
a bias against reading subtitles, documentaries, older films or even watching <gasp> 'a black and white film!' you might not find much
here, but if you're a moviegoer with an open mind hopefully you'll find something here that peaks your interest if you already haven't seen it.

The Wrestler (2008)

I'm still surprised how few people I've talked with have seen this film. Maybe it's the title and the idea that you have to be a wrestling fan to enjoy it. Maybe it's the grittiness of how it looks or that it appears to be too depressing or that people aren't that interested in meeting this character. Whatever it is they're missing out. I had the same thoughts prior to watching it and by the end agreed with all the praise Mickey Rourke's performance had garnered, the direction of Darren Aronofsky and the supporting performances by Marisa Tomei and Rachel Evan Wood. The character of Randy 'The Ram' Robinson stayed with me for days after watching it and it was the best film I had seen for the year

Anvil! The Story of Anvil (2008)

We’ve all seen This Is Spinal Tap and while watching this documentary you can’t help but make comparisons. But where Spinal Tap played the declining interest of a once popular heavy metal band for laughs, this shows a similar situation in a much more serious vain. The members of Anvil, most notably lead singer Steve “Lips” Kudlow, continue doing what they love to do and hope to recapture some of their past success, even though increasingly frustrating events make it seem more reasonable to hang it all up. I’m not a heavy metal fan by any stretch, but the tenacity and passion the band has to continue doing what they love and not willing to give up caught me up in their struggle and had me rooting for them in the end.

The Anderson Tapes (1971)

I love a good heist flick and this one's pretty decent. Sean Connery stars as burglar John "Duke" Anderson, just released from a ten year stretch in prison and wouldn't you know it - all that time away doesn't deter him from planning a new caper.

Directed by Sidney Lumet the film co-stars Dyan Cannon, Martin Balsam, Alan King and Christopher Walken in his screen debut. It has a some nice New York locations and flavor, something Lumet is great at utilizing. I'd rather not go into too much detail over Anderson's plan, but let's just say there's some cool tough guy talk, modern surveillance equipment comes into play there's some flashback editing, Cannon is pretty hot and there are some snags in the execution to Anderson's plan. Check
it out before Hollywood gets its proposed remake rolling.

Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired (2008)

With Roman Polanski's case back in the headlines I went back and rewatched this comprehensive documentary detailing the events that resulted in the director fleeing to Paris in 1978. With interviews, file footage, along with the accompaniment of clips of Polanski's films, this documentary conveys the era of the 60's when Polanski was making a name for himself in the film industry, with a beautiful wife on his arm and a future that looked full of promise. By 1977 it was all undone. The newsfootage of the media covering the case is fascinating, especially with the perspective of today seeing every entertainment program devote countless hours to every Hollywood scandal they can get their hands on. It certainly shows their antics are nothing new. The supposed judicial misconduct is head shaking and the testimony is at times chilling. Since Polanski's arrest in Zurich in 2009, the DA recanted the interview he had given in the film. I don't view the film as a condemnation of Polanski or a defense for him, others might feel differently. I simply view it as a well told presentation as to what happened and leaves you to draw your own conclusions.

Gettysburg (1993)

Several years ago I visited the battlefield at Gettysburg, PA. You know acutally being there and seeing the layout of the landscape made the history of the battle come alive in a way you don't get from reading about it in history books. You did feel like you were standing on sacred ground and could almost envision the countless soldiers who fought there.

The second best way to experience it is by watching the four hour mammoth film based on that three day battle.

We don't see very many 'Television Event's' anymore (or at least ones that actually live up to the name) Ted Turner backed the production with intentions of it being a film shown on his cable channel TNT, but after seeing some of the footage decided to release it theatrically.

With a cast consisting of Martin Sheen, Jeff Daniels, Sam Elliott, C. Thomas Howell, Donal Logue, Stephen Lang, George Lazenby, Richard Jordan and Tom Berenger (who it's said it is his favorite film he's done), along with thousands of Civil War re-enactors, the film recounts the bloodiest battle fought on US soil. It not only restages the battles, but allows you to understand how seemingly a series of random events led up to the meeting between the Confederate and the Union armies in the small farm town.

The film is not perfect. At times the characters feel like they're speaking in soliloquies and speeches, rather than just talking. It's like award show sound bytes, but they're minor quibbles and don't really hurt the commendable intentions the film set out to achieve - documenting this historic event. The recreations with all the extras accompanied by Randy Edelman's rousing score succeeds as one of the best films about the Civil War. I especially love Jeff Daniels performance. As he tries to maintain a calm and optimistic command of his troops, even though he knows things are getting worse and worse and alternatives are disappearing - that scene is one of the best perfomances I've ever seen him give.

Unknown White Male (2005)

Chronicling the experiences of Doug Bruce, who while one day awoke at Coney Island with total and complete amnesia, the film recounts his journey of finding out about his life he doesn't remember having. His mind is a blank slate and he explores with innocence and wonder every little facet of the world around him that he's forgotten. It's an intriguing beginning to a story where we start to follow Doug and see him try to piece together his life, along with all the tiny things that we take for granted. There is some speculation the film is a hoax, just an elaborate put on. Whether you want to believe the validity of the claims is up to you and you can read all about that. Whether fake or not, the film does present such an interesting premise it does get you thinking. How would you react to tasting chocolate for the first time, of seeing snow? Would your closest, oldest friends still be your friends if you had met them today? What would happen if all of a sudden you had the reset button pushed on everything that you ever knew and what you experienced in the past? Would you still be the same person you are today or someone completely different?