Movie #40: The Sound Of Music (1965)

Date: 8-5-2014

Yesterday… I woke up early and watched King Kong before starting my day. This being my Sunday, I decided to start it the same way. I relaxed as I rolled to my side to watch The Sound of Music.

I thought I’d seen this entire movie before but it turns out I've only seen up to the intermission. As I watched a memory returned. When we'd watch The Sound of Music at my grandparents, the children would have to go to bed at intermission so we wouldn't witness the Nazi side of the story.

I didn't care for the movie as a kid so I had no idea there was a Nazi twist until I was in my late twenties. As I watched it this morning I found that I enjoyed it (the movie, not the Nazi stuff.)

I like movies where an adult steps in to remind us that children are humans too.

Though this genre doesn't seem to work as well anymore. Most kids these days seem to already be considered equals to their parents, and I'm not saying that as a bad thing.

Who knows?

Free children may lead to a better understanding of what it means to be free as an adult.

I don't know where that flash of hippy talk came from, maybe that what you get when you're raised with The Sound Of Music minus the Nazi stuff.

I don't know.

Either way, I liked the movie and can see why it made this list. I don't see myself seeking out another viewing of The Sound of Music, but I wouldn't be surprised if I ended up seeing it again under some circumstance.

Movie #39: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

Date: 8-11-2014

Dr. Strangelove is one of those movies that I've avoided because I knew I wanted to like it but feared that I'd hate it. I read the script back in film school and really liked it. When I found out they took the alien narrator and the pie fight out of the movie, this added to my fear.

My biggest concern was that Dr. Strangelove was going to be too smart for its own good. I like my comedies to be a bit on the dumb side and have always seen Kubrick as more of a serious storyteller.

I watched the movie this morning when I woke up. My comedy concerns were put to ease when I started to think of Dr. Strangelove as a satire rather than a comedy.

It's funny how these old satires seem to be closer to reality as time goes by. Not only that, the circumstances being satirized seem tame and innocent compared to the chaos of our current satire worthy concerns.

Even though there was no alien introduction or climactic pie fight, I was still a fan of Dr. Strangelove and fully understand why it made the list. I look forward to seeing it again someday when I have less on my plate so I can actually give this movie my full concentration.

Movie #38: The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)

Date: 8-17-2014

This morning I woke up super early after a night out drinking. Standing, crossing the apartment to sit at the computer was the last thing that I wanted to do so I decided that I would start my day with a movie rather than getting right to work.

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre was the next movie in my queue so I fired it up. I spent the next two hours bored from indifference. I didn't hate this movie but it also never won me over to where I actually enjoyed it.

That's pretty much all I have to say about this movie. I guess it made the list because it was the first Hollywood film to partially be shot on location outside the US, but I don't know if that is a good enough justification. As I said, I didn't hate The Treasure of the Sierra Madre but also didn't really like it and doubt that I'll ever see it again. 

Movie #37: The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

Date: 8-29-2014

I had never heard of The Best Years of Our Lives before my viewing and had no idea what to expect. Even though it was a long movie this is going to be a short review.

I wouldn't say I didn't like the movie but also wouldn't say that I liked it. I found several scenes to be entertaining but for the most part, I was just bored. There were a lot of scenes of two people just sitting and talking. 

I was knitting while I watched the movie which I've been able to do perfectly fine since I started this venture. This time I found myself having to rewind the movie a couple of times because I got bored that I got overly caught up in knitting that when I came back to the movie I had no idea what was going on.

I'm pretty sure this movie made the list because it came out so close to the end of WW2 that it gained respect in Cinematic History. I personally don't know why it made the list or why it's so high on the list and doubt I will ever see it again.

Movie #36: The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

Date: 8-31-2014

Going into the viewing I knew I had seen The Bridge on the River Kwai before. It was one of my grandfather's favorite movies if not his absolute favorite. I think we watched it often at family events but I was too young to care about old movies so I would wander off to the back room to play.

I started my viewing this morning when I woke up. Too tired to actually get out of bed but not tired enough to go back to sleep.

A few minutes into the movie I realized that The Bridge on the River Kwai had to have inspired the movie Cadence, one of the few "war movies" that I actually like.

The reason I add quotation marks to "war movies" in reference to these two films is that they're both actually prison movies that take place during the war. Not that I'm a huge fan of prison movies.

The combination of war and prison is kind of fascinating to me. The idea of a soldier who is now a prisoner is very interesting especially if any of the characters are drafted into the military.

This means that the backstory of this character, drafted or not, becomes a prisoner of his own country, given matching haircuts, a matching uniform that must be worn at all times, told when to sleep when to wake and what to do through the day.

When a soldier is imprisoned it almost seems like it's the same thing just with a new, rougher boss.
 
The thing that I like about The Bridge on the River Kwai is that (at least to me) they really showcase the similarities between prisoners and soldiers. Our hero becomes a better leader of the prison camp than the actual enemy leader.

He does this by running the show as if it were the military. This leads to a happy, more productive workforce. They become so productive they end up blurring the line of pride in self and becoming traitors to their home country.

Colonel Nicholson's belief that if you’re going to do anything you must do your best seems almost admirable. It turns out he is so fueled by his own pride that he ends up risking the lives of many of his own men.

I really liked this movie because it made me think and wasn't all about loud noises and gun-based conflict. I can see why this movie made the list and wouldn't be surprised if I ended up watching it again.

Movie #35: Annie Hall (1977)

Date: 9-2-2014

I don't fully know why but I've never been a fan of Woody Allen. In fact, this is the first time I've ever watch a movie of his in its entirety. I've kind of piggybacked the whole Soon-Yi into the reason why I'm no fan but I didn't like him before I knew that happened.

I would hear scenes from his movies described and I'd think, "Man, I got to see that!," but I would try to watch a movie only to shut it off. It really is my brand of humor and movie making but it's him.

I can't stand Woody Allen.

I think a big part of it is how lecherous he is. How these movies seem to be a way of forcing a woman out of his league to be with him. How pompous he is. I also just can't stand his speech pattern.

I've seen clips of Annie Hall in the past but other than the highlights I didn't know much about it going into last night's viewing. It started and I started to fear that I've been holding a grudge all this time for no reason. 

The scene at the beginning with the kid was great. I was looking forward to being wrong again and finding a gem of a movie.

Nope...

The rest was pretty much what I expected.

I did really like the non-linear storytelling and the jumping around in style but once the story shifted to focus on adult Woody Allen's life I was quickly disappointed.

I can see why this movie made the list. I can also see why people really like Woody Allen movies, but I don't think I'm ever going to watch another of his movies again.

Movie #34: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

Date: 9-7-2014

When I saw Snow White was on the list, I was thinking of one of the newer Snow Whites one of the ones where the dwarfs weren't the only characters to have noses. Other than that it seemed to be the same movie I remembered from when I was a kid.

I think this is the first movie that I watched with a guest viewer. I had a friend over and being that I haven't been all that social lately, there was some drinking and a lot of joking. We created a drinking game where we had to drink any time there was violence going on.

I got pretty drunk pretty quickly.

So whether or not the movie was any good, which it was as good and bad as any of the classic Disney animations but the viewing was a blast.

My only problem was that Snow White was a pretty anticlimactic ending. The witch just falls off a cliff and the prince magically shows up at just the right time.

Given its place in cinematic history, I understand why Snow White made the list. As for watching it again? This is another one of those movies that I don't see myself actively wanting to watch again, but I wouldn't complain if someone else threw it on.

Movie #33: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

Date: 9-8-2014

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is one of the few movies on this list that would make my list. In fact… I'd have to put it in my top ten favorites.

I don't really have that much to say about this movie but being that I just watch The Bridge on the River Kwai I came to the conclusion that I really like prison films. Well… this is only… kind of… a prison.

I love how there were many layers of freedom in this film. Some patients are there voluntarily while others are there in-voluntarily and Jack Nicholson was there in-voluntarily but his other option was jail. 

Then there's Jack Nicholson's journey to freedom. From prisoner where he was really locked down to being an inpatient where there's a little bit of freedom, freedom that was taken away pretty quick, all the way to the lobotomy that takes away all of his freedom until Chief sets him free.

All the other characters had their own journeys that were also very compelling.

It turns out; I'm a fan of freedom!

 I fully understand why One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest made the list and can't wait to see it again.

Movie #32: Godfather II (1974)

Date: 9-11-2014

Last night when I got home from work I had a little extra time on my hand to I decided to fire up Godfather II. I have never seen a Godfather movie and was never interested in seeing any part of this trilogy.

I'm not a fan of the Mobster genre and none of the Godfather clips I've seen throughout my life have made me think I'd like this series. So I admit I went into this viewing with that prejudice… and wasn't won over.

After being bored for the first fifteen minutes of the film; I decided to do some sketching as I watched the rest. Between the mumbling and the foreign languages, I couldn't tell what was going on.

I'd turn up the volume from time to time when it was too mumbly but then there would either be a gunfight or someone yelling so loud that I had to turn the TV back down.

I never got into the movie, but I did make it all the way through.

Based on everyone else's connection with the Godfather series I can see why this made the list.  I wouldn't add it to any of my list… but I'm aware that this is due to my own taste and not the merits of the movie. Maybe after seeing Godfather 1 I might be interested in revisiting Part 2 but I seriously doubt it.

Movie #31: The Maltese Falcon (1941)

Date: 9-14-2014

The Maltese Falcon is a movie where I've known the title my entire life but never heard a word of what this movie was about. I was looking forward to hating it but it turned out that wasn't the case.

I don't have any compelling examples… of why I like this movie… that are worth writing about… so I'm going to keep this one short.

I liked The Maltese Falcon but don't see why it made the list. I'm assuming it must have been an innovative film in its time and that's why it's on the list. Though I liked it, I don't really see myself watching this movie again. 

Movie #30: Apocalypse Now (1979)

Date: 9-16-14

Apocalypse Now is another movie that I hadn't seen and was expecting to hate, even more so since I'm getting burnt out from all the Vietnam movies on this list.

Then I fired it up and when I heard the Voice Over I was intrigued. I know they advise against using too much Voice Over in movies but most of the movies that I really like have the main character narrate their journey.

I loved getting to hear how this guy’s mind works during these intense experiences. Because of that I really liked Apocalypse Now and can see why it made the list. I'll probably watch it again someday to catch what I missed while multitasking.

Movie #29: Double Indemnity (1944)

Date: 9-24-2014

I've seen Double Indemnity a couple of times now so I never had any doubts about whether or not I liked it. Since it turns out that I do like the movie I ended up just watching it for enjoyment.

This is a great example of a movie that moves along at a good pace. The stakes are constantly being raised for believable reasons rather than convoluted, chaotic boosts that seem to be thrown in to add a sense of action.

For that reason… I really liked Double Indemnity and can see why it made the list. I don't think I'll actively seek this movie out to watch again but would be down to watch it if the opportunity came up.

Movie #28: All About Eve (1950)

Date: 9-24-2014

This morning I woke up early. I was too tired to get up to start the day, but I couldn't go back to sleep. I decided rather than waste time in bed I'd fire up All About Eve to knock one more movie off the AFI list of the top 100 movies of all time.

I was expecting a sort of Marilyn Monroe type rom-com but was excited to see that All About Eve was more a combination of Single White Female and Black Swan. Or should I say it seems All About Eve inspired Single White Female and Black Swan?

My only problem with All About Eve is the scenes seemed to run rather long. I blame this on me watching the movie through modern eyes that lose focus after an hour and a half.

Other than that I really liked this movie and can see why it made the list. It's another one of those movies that I doubt I'll actively seek out a second viewing but wouldn't turn down the opportunity if it came up.

Movie #27: High Noon (1952)

Date: 10-6-2014

I watched High Noon a little over a week ago so I've forgotten many of my observations from the time. I do remember that my main conclusion was how this movie blew me away. Not that it was all that great but I liked it way more than I was expecting.

Just look at the poster. It almost illustrates everything I hate about the western genre, stupid bar fights, stampeding horsed with bad guys firing guns randomly in the air, and other signs that this is a tale with an alpha male-dominated storyline.

Then I fired up the movie and was amazed to find an anti-western film that breaks all the cliché genre conventions that this era helped to create.

For the most part… this is a tale of how a community prepares for an impending conflict. The town is nice and civilized almost modern in its civility. I didn't think it was possible for a western from that time to portray women as equals. 

I know there was something about the main male/female relationship that impressed me but there was one scene that really caught me off guard.

Gary Cooper runs into the church to round up a posse. He starts to describe the situation when the preacher cut's him off. I was expecting him to dismiss the women and children so the men could discuss man things but then he only dismissed the children so that all the adults in the community would have a say in the potential solutions.

I was also impressed when Gary Cooper entered the bar and punched a guy. First of all… it was a clean bar where people had drinks and hung out and not a grubby establishment filled with filthy riffraff gambling as they wait for trouble. When he does hit the guy it doesn't trigger a huge bar fight where everyone jumps in for no apparent reason. Gary Cooper helps the guy up, apologizes, and explains the situation.

Sure this all leads up to a shootout at the end, but I'm fine with that. Without the omnipresent gunplay, the tension caused by the first appearance of a gun feels much more significant.

Though I still didn't end up really "liking" the movie, I can see why it made the list and wouldn't mind seeing High Noon again.

Movie #26: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

Date: 10-6-2014

I'm pretty sure I saw Mr. Smith Goes to Washington when I was a kid. Whenever this was it was long enough ago that I don't think I really got the movie at the time. I watched it again a couple of days ago and I have to admit that I'm a fan.

This is another one of those movies where even though I'm a fan it frustrates me because we're still dealing with the same issues to this day.

Even though I'm currently boycotting reboots, I feel of all the movies I've seen on this list so far, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington would be the best to be modernized for a reboot.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington was made a couple of years before USA entered WWII. I'm sure that this movie is a reaction to the powers that profit off of war corrupting the US government just as they seem to be corrupting our government in this new time of conflict.

In the time of the internet, this could have a much darker with tons of corruption to expose.

Whether or not they make this reboot of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, I'm a fan of the original and can see why it made the list. I also wouldn't mind seeing it again someday.

Movie #25: To Kill a Mocking Bird (1963)

Date: 10-27-2014

Going into the viewing of To Kill a Mocking Bird, I knew that I've read the book and I was pretty sure I've seen the movie. Once the movie started and I heard the names of the characters it all came back to me.

Since I knew the story it became more of a relaxed viewing. I have a hard time reviewing movies I've already seen and know I like. Where movies I’m not a fan of I can rant on about why I hate them whether I’ve seen it or not.

I feel reasons for liking a movie are kind of universal so I don’t have to be as aggressive in my reasoning.

There was one new aspect of To Kill a Mocking Bird that was both nostalgic that led to a question about kids these days.

That question being, what kids these days think about all the unsupervised outdoor play depicted in this movie? I kind of assume this type of play is still going on in small towns and gated communities, but I would think kids from the city would be blown away by all the freedom these characters have.

Though To Kill a Mocking Bird is not from my era I do feel I was part of the last generation to partially play like this.

Nintendo didn't come out until I was in Junior High.

Pre-Nintendo I played outside all the time, curfew was way later than it would ever be today, all with a sense of safety. I'm sure there were horrible things going on that should have had us all locked inside, shaking in our boots. But there was no internet and only six channels on the TV. All there was to know about the news was crammed into 22 minutes just before Johnny Carson...

Whether or not the world was as scary as a planet… we were all blissfully unaware.

Oh sorry...

Got a little too caught up waxing poetic about the past.

What I was trying to say is I liked this viewing of the movie because it was interesting to have that "Oh Yeah," moment as I watched how kids are supposed to play. The courtroom stuff wasn’t as important to me during this viewing. I got too lost thinking about the ways we used to play.

If you can't tell. I really like To Kill a Mocking Bird and can see why it made the list. I have no doubt that I'll watch this movie again as I try to show someone what I'm talking about with the way kids used to play.

Movie #24: E.T. (1982)

Date: 11-10-2014

E.T. came out at just the right time for me. I was old enough that the little critter didn't freak me out (except for his initial interaction with Eliot.) I was also young enough to be completely traumatized by the events following the little guy getting sick. 

Any younger and I would have remembered E.T. from later viewings and not the first, any older, and I may have laughed off any of the sad moments in an attempt to hide my emotions. So the timing was great.

My latest viewing of E.T. actually took place about three weeks ago. Between the fact that I've seen this movie so many times as a kid and the distance between the viewing and this review, I don't have all that much to say.

E.T. is a great movie and I not only understand why it made the list but why it's so high on the list. Now that everyone that I know has children, I'm pretty sure that I'll see this movie again soon.

Movie #23: The Grape of Wrath (1940)

Date: 2-10-2015

When I originally set out to watch all 100 movies on the AFI Top 100 Movies of All Times list I said nothing about reviewing them. I only said I would watch them

I only point this out because I watched The Grapes of Wrath about a month ago and forgot what I had to say about it and I'm not going to rewatch it to come up with a proper review.

That's not to say any of my other reviews are all that proper.

The Grapes of Wrath is one of the few books I read back in high school. I also remember watching this movie way back when. I like both the book and the movie but there was one thing I remember about this viewing.

I remember first thinking that it was interesting that just like every other movie on this list that has any form of a political message that issues haven't seemed to change all that much.

That intrigue turned to anger because the issues haven't changed all that much. It makes me angry that I've now seen almost 100 years of American Cinema and when it comes to the social commentary other than the technology and scale we are still fighting the same exact battles. Though I liked the movie it bummed me out and reinforced my pessimism about my country and the world.

I can see why The Grapes of Wrath made the list but I don't think I'll be watching it again anytime soon.

Movie #22 Some Like It Hot (1959)

Date: 2-11-2015

Last night was my second time watching Some Like It Hot. The first time was in film school where I watched it was a group of classmates including a girl whose favorite genre was men in drag comedies.

I like this movie on a couple of levels.

For one, it's just a fun movie.

Secondly, I can help to think that this most have been an offensive comedy at its time but now it seems adorably innocent thanks to similar movies that have taken similar themes and have gone much further with it.

Part of me wonders if people of the time were offended by this movie or if there were so few movies at the time to compete with at the time that the audience just saw it as a comedy. Part of me thinks it's the latter and that this movie came out before there seemed to be a competition as to who can push the envelope the furthest leading people to just accept the humor as comedy and no an attempt to test the limits of crass.

Either way… I really like Some Like It Hot and am happy to see a comedy like this on the list. I'm pretty sure that I'll see it again or at least I won't say no if someone were to be interested in watching it with me.

Movie #21: Chinatown (1974)

Date: 2-11-2015

This was my fourth or fifth time watching the movie Chinatown. As someone who has gone to two different film schools for their writing program I've also read this script twice and I have to say that I hate this movie.

I read the script before I ever saw the movie and thought it was alright. I also thought the movie was pretty good the first time I saw it but then every screenwriting instructor and every screenwriting book I've ever read won't shut up about how it's the best screenplay ever written.

Not only do they all point out how great the movie is at following structure but they all use the same exact structure in explaining why this movie works. It's like no one has an original thought as to why this movie is so great.

I think that bothers me more than the movie itself.

That said I can fully see why it made the list but with it being my nemesis as far as screenplays go, I hope to never see it again. For those of you who disagree, save the argument, I've already heard it.

Movie #20: It's A Wonderful Life (1946)

Date: 2-12-2015

I've seen It's a Wonderful Life many times and have always been a pretty good fan. As someone that suffers from depression, I often go through phases of feeling unappreciated to the point where I've ended up on many bridges. Up until this viewing, I've always seen this movie as the life-affirming film that the poster claims it to be.

Last night I got very depressed during my latest view. I still like the movie but this time I seemed to watch it with different eyes. The last time I watched It's a Wonderful Life was about ten years ago when I had a different outlook on the future of this country and life in general.

Where when I watched this movie in the past I would focus on Jimmy Stewart's character's story leading me to feel the joy of the town coming together to help out in the end. This time I was so focused on the story of the bank. I started to feel so hopeless that not only are we still fighting the same battle with bankers and there seems to be no way for the idealist to win. I found myself crying out of control and there's no happy ending that could put me at ease. 

I hate the state of the world and am beginning to hate that these old movies that I actually like do nothing but remind me that not only are we still hung up on the same issues but everything seems to be getting worse.

Maybe I'm just too sensitive these days.

As I said, I really like It's a Wonderful Life and would watch it again. I'm just bummed that I won't be able to watch it with the same innocent eyes I watched it with in the past.

Movie #19: On the Waterfront (1954)

Date: 2-13-2015

I wasn't really looking forward to watching On the Waterfront. All I knew about the movie was that it has the line, "I could have been a contender," and I only knew that because I heard the line, "STELLAAAA," used in A Streetcar Named Desire. I knew one movie had one line ant the other movie had the other line. Other than that I knew nothing about either.

Being that I wasn't a fan of Streetcar I feared Brando's character was going to be the same only in a different setting. I didn't like Brando in Streetcar because his character seemed to be a genuine asshole. I never felt he was the nice guy deep down inside as the story tried to sell him.

In On the Waterfront I felt Brando's character was actually a good person who witnessed bad things. He seemed torn from the beginning between doing what is right and doing what he needed to in order to keep himself safe. Because of this… I was interested in following his story as he built up the courage to confront the bad guy rather than witness a bad guy do something good in order to save his own skin. Which is usually the journey of our hero in movies about the mob.

I can see why On the Waterfront made the list and even though I'd probably never seek it out to watch on my own, I would have no problem watching it again.

Movie #18: The General (1926)

Date: 2-13-2015

So far I've enjoyed all the silent films on this list, so I was looking forward to watching The General. I found the movie to be charming and humorous but I also found it rather boring and was thankful that it was pretty short.

I think I liked the other silent films because their stories were more complex and seemed to utilize more camera and editing tricks to make up for the silence. That said, most comedies have weaker stories and more straight forward as far as filming style. I'm sure people had a hoot watching it in the theater.

I can see why The General made the list but don't really see why it's so high over some of these other silent films on the list. I'd watch this movie again but I doubt that would happen. Chances are if a silent film is ever suggested it's going to be from me because of watching all the movies on the list and if I get to choose I'm watching Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans.

Movie #17: The Graduate (1967)

Date: 2-13-2015

I've seen the movie the graduate a few times now. I think tonight's viewing was my favorite. I've always related to Dustin Hoffman's lack of direction. Though I don't relate to the attention that his character gets from women in this film I can relate to the neurotic choices he makes in an attempt to play games only to admit to his neurosis anytime a female calls him out.

Being that I just moved and have no idea what I am doing with my life, I related even more to the rudderless journey of self-discovery. I actually found myself motionless, staring at the screen watching Dustin Hoffman staring back with the same dead eyes.

Between that and the style and transitions… I can totally see why The Graduate made the list and I would be more than happy to watch it again someday.

Movie #16: Sunset Boulevard (1950)

Date: 2-14-2015

Ah… how nice it is to watch two movies that I really liked back to back. Sunset Boulevard is another movie that I've seen a bunch of times that I really enjoy. I think it's because I really love voice-over movies. I like seeing the comparison of reality and perception.

This is also another movie that I like so much I can just sit back and enjoy without having to weigh whether I like it or not. Because of this… I don't have all that much to say. So I'm going to jump right in and say I can see why Sunset Boulevard made the list and I wouldn't be surprised if I were to watch it again at some point in my life.

Movie #15: 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Date: 2-16-2015

I've tried to watch 2011: A Space Odyssey several times with the same results each time. I fire up the bong, fire up the movie, and fall asleep after the monkey throws the bone into the air. Last night's viewing started the same exact way. Only this time I woke up and picked up where I left off.

I then lasted until the intermission then took that as a landmark and fell asleep again.

I woke up a third time and finally made it through the rest of the movie for the first time ever.

I don't know if I'd consider all this sleeping a ringing endorsement for 2001: A Space Odyssey but believe it or not I really liked the movie. Don't get me wrong, these naps were induced by boredom but I like a lot of boring movies and this is one to add to my list.

Though I did like 2001: A Space Odyssey and can fully see why it made the list, I don't think I'll ever be able to make it all the way through this movie ever again.

Movie #14: Psycho (1960)

Date: 2-18-2015

Two nights ago I watched Psycho for the first time in years. It turns out it was much longer than I thought since my last viewing because I completely forgot the main storyline. As the movie went on I realized that all I remembered from my past viewing was the shower scene and the fact that Norman Bates was his acting as his own dead mother.

I spent the first 40 minutes or so really enjoying the story of how the woman ended up in the shower to play out the iconic scene. The story was so focused on her heist and escape I started to wonder if this was the original From Dusk Till Dawn type story with a crazy genre twist halfway through the movie.

Whether or not this genre twist is a valid argument I liked what I saw and see why Psycho is on the list and even though I would watch it again I doubt that it will happen.

Movie #13: Star Wars (1977)

Date: 2-18-2015

I think I was born at just the right time to not be able to avoid Star Wars being burned into nostalgic memories. I was about a year old when the original movie came out which led me to be the target audience for the toy marketers for the next two movies.

I'm a fan of Star Wars and always will be. I don't like many of the choices made to remaster the originals, I hated the prequels, I don't know a thing about any of the secondary characters or the extended universe but I'll be right there to watch the new ones the moment they come out on Netflix.

That's the kind of fan I am.

I've seen Star Wars so many times that I gained nothing from my latest viewing but I don't blame the movie and see why it's on this list. I'm sure that now that I am back home amongst nephews, nieces, and cousins with children who all have the same connection if not more intense connection with Star Wars, I'm sure I'll see this movie at least one more time before I die.

Movie #12: The Searchers (1956)

Date: 2-18-2015

As always with the Westerns… I'll start by saying this is my least favorite genre and very few Westerns manage to win me over. The Searchers didn't make it past my bias to win me over as a fan.

First off there's the genre. Then we are introduced to our hero (the one we route for) and he instantly seems grumpy that the Confederacy lost the war and then goes on and on about this and that showing that he is a man of machismo and not much more.

These are not traits that I like to cheer for.

There were moments in the movie where I was willing to give in because there seemed to be some humor to the movie, but the moment was constantly ruined by John Wayne being a little too hard in his response. I couldn't tell if these moments were supposed to be humorous or corrective to discourage humor.

I also didn't like how he gave up on his daughter the moment that he saw she had taken on Native American traits, feeling she would be better off dead. He then genuinely gives up on her. If it wasn't for the fact that Scar comes to John Wayne the daughter would have been completely written off.

When John Wayne does have a change of heart it seemed unjustified and unbelievable.

As I'm sure you've guessed by now, I wasn't a fan of the movie, and wouldn't put it on my list, but I've got the whole genre bias going on so there must be a reason it made the AFI list. Not only do I doubt that I'll ever see this movie again, now that there are no more Westerns on the list I may be done with those for good as well!!!

Movie #11: City Lights (1931)

Date: 2-18-2015

Last night was my first time viewing City Lights. I had no idea what to expect other than the Charlie Chaplin schtick going into it and I wasn't let down.

This movie just seemed to be a collection of Charlie Chaplin's schtick with not much more. I found the movie to be entertaining and adorable but I don't really see why it is so high on the list. I still think Modern Times is a better movie and don't really see why Charles Chaplin gets three spots on this list.

Other than that I'm happy to have seen City Lights and wouldn't be surprised if I ended up watching it again.

Play Along At Home…