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PK's All-Time Favorite Movies
 479  6.6  6.8  Erica Bain lost her boyfriend, her dog, and her sense of security. Heads will roll. The feeling of helplessness is all-pervasive here: the real, human feeling of insecurity. Not a super-powered hero going up against a more powerful or intelligent villain, and not a protagonist going through a series of setbacks to achieving what should be a fairly simple goal. Just the kind of feeling one has when her boyfriend and she were beaten up while walking their dog, causing her boyfriend to die, in the city she once loved. Jodie Foster is the woman in question, Erica Bain, and Terrence Howard - one of my favorite actors and one of the best Law & Order attorneys ever - is perfect as the detective investigating the shootings who's torn between his personal feelings for the one he knows commit the crimes and his duty to turn her in. The Brave One is a wish fulfillment film to an extent, as opposed to the other grit hit movies on this list the killer is mostly good and the people she takes out definitely deserve it. Just like you deserve to see a good action thriller... So, watch. Pumpkinate's rating:
 
692 5.2 5.4  "What you say about 72 virgins all to myself? Forget Catholicism!" I find it difficult to wrap my head around the general low opinion of Dracula: Dead and Loving It. What's there? It's basically the classic story of Dracula with elements from a movie rendition here a movie rendition there (for instance, Renfield being the one who enters Drac's castle at the beginning rather than Jonathan Harker). But in addition to the basic story which on its own wouldn't set it apart from the dozens of other renditions that have been done over the years, this one takes a comedic approach. You say you liked Young Frankenstein? Then why not this movie? Please tell me because I'm curious. Here's to hoping we get a Saturday Night Live DVD collecting their various horror parodies, because if the other ones are anything like Bride of Blackenstein, I'm all in. Pumpkinate's rating:
5231 6.9 7.2  "Your mother is a cantankerous Mudblood!" I first received the original three Harry Potter books in the mail as a Christmas present from my grandmother when they were just hitting it big in America. My mom would read the books to me to begin with, and maybe a little later than necessary. When the movies were announced and then in production, I noted how I was about the age, if a little younger, as the child actors who starred in the film would be. When the first set of films came out, the characters were about my age. When they started to lag behind in coming out with a new installment every year, I could still identify with the fact that the actors weren't much older than I was. The scene of the Sorceror's Stone when Draco Malfoy belittles Ron Weasley before they get sorted into their houses shows that there are different classes in the underworld of witchcraft and wizardry, but here we get introduced to the presence of bigotry when Hagrid explains to Harry the significance of Draco calling Hermione a "filthy Mudblood". This plays a very important role in the series that goes beyond Harry and Malfoy's petty rivalry, as the disturbed Tom Riddle's entire agenda is to rid the world of impure bloods and create a master race of magic users of true descent. This is not unlike Hitler's Germany in many ways, and the possible allegory against racist perfectionism is disappointingly not often thought of when most people look at the message behind the series. Pumpkinate's rating:
528 7.2 7.1  "'Tis a true honor to battle with you, good sir." "Verily. As it is for me, in fighting with thyself." "You are of such high esteem to me and all I know: it is truly an honor." "For you, I would give a lifetime's worth of my hours." "Will you guys just get the stupid battle over with so we can see more of Fizzwig!?" Pumpkinate's rating:
257 6 6.1  "No, Gonzo. I honestly believe nobody besides your stupid self thinks about the origin of creation." Pumpkinate's rating:
148 7.3 7.8  Stroud says: "Who's a cute little birdie? You - that's who!" The bird says: "You wouldn't know it but I'm actually trying to bite your face off, jerkwad!" Pumpkinate's rating:
72 6.1 6  The time albo gatored to watch this film will be rewarded with a hardy feast. Three minor criminals, in an attempt to escape from the police and secure their safety, take shelter - and subsequently hostages - in a nearby bar. Everything that comes after is a spiral out of desperation. Albino Alligator is a very eventful film, with so much happening in one fixed bar on one fixed night. The pacing is masterful, as everything is given due time while nothing is dwelt upon beyond the point where one's interest ends. Every character - there are the three gunmen and their five hostages, plus a policeman and reporter outside, all with distinctive personalities - plays off on the other characters and, along with the pressure they're undergoing, this makes things happen. Honestly, I don't get all the mediocre reviews for this picture. This film may lack pigment, but it has depth to it and a suspenseful pace which make it a glittering directorial debut for Kevin Spacey. Pumpkinate's rating:
23 6.9 5.5  King Kong: On the Loose and Comin' to Yous! Why Kong has only had five major appearances in western film along with two in Japanese film since 1933 is more mysterious than Skull Island itself. In fact, Toho's installments are the perfect example of how well the Godzilla formula of pitting monsters against one another for fun, grand battles can work with the massive monkey. He should definitely have his own cast of fellow giant monsters, and have a series made about his battles with them and his struggle with isolation as the last of his own species. Toho did this beautifully with both King Kong Vs. Godzilla - which was an absolutely necessary film that could not have not been made, and King Kong Escapes - which he had all to himself. The suit may look worse than the one in the previously mentioned movie, but true suitimation aficionados will note its role in portraying a more sensitive, heroic King Kong than the tough and intimidating looking one in his shared movie with Godzilla. I was able to care about the monster and the various players in his story - maybe because Akira Takarada is so beloved by Goji fans (and rightly so) and because the performances by actors and like Rhodes Reason, Mie Hama, and Hideyo Amamoto are so spectacular. It's a combination of things - like King Kong, Gorosaurus, and Mechani-Kong. The latter two were original to this film, Gorosaurus going on to have roles in the Showa Godzilla movies and Mechani-Kong serving as the inspiration for one of the King of the Monsters' greatest foes: Mechagodzilla. King Kong Escapes is actually based on the Rankin-Bass cartoon series, and was made out of a cooperation between Rankin-Bass and Toho. And let's face it: when King Kong escapes it's awesome. So let him out of his chains so he can have a series where he fights other giant monsters all to himself. Pumpkinate's rating:
5500 7.1 7.3  Remember that part about heads rolling? Back in middle school, and then again later in early high school, I would walk home from school everyday, pour myself a bowl of applesauce, go upstairs, and watch one of the first three Harry Potter movies in rotation - if I got through the Prisoner of Azkaban, I'd simply start over at the Sorceror's Stone. I have no idea how I was able to maintain such attention - paradoxically, it seems as if my attention span has decreased as I've gotten older. But the magical world presented here is fully realized with solid visuals, a more innocent tone and less rushed pacing than in later installments, and a killer score which the film wouldn't have been the same without. This shows Harry's humble beginnings, before the Dark Lord returned in full and tore the wizarding world to shreds, and it's quite a different experience looking back on this era of his adventures knowing how they would spiral like a wand-happy wizard's wrist into the dark and chaotic world that Voldemort's return would bring about. Harry Potter's first five outings will always be fondly remembered by me, even though the movie renditions of books three, four, and five aren't on this list at the moment. The Half-Blood Prince and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 disappointed me, and Part 2 of the Deathly Hallows is too recent for me to think of it in such a nostalgic manner. Pumpkinate's rating:
636 7.3 7.6  "I still can't get my mind off the 72 virgins. Best soul I ever spent!" Pumpkinate's rating:
768 7.6 8  Monster, meet your maker. Doctor, meet your breaker. Pumpkinate's rating:
105 6.9 7.1  "My name is Bela Lugosi and I'm Ygor but I was Dracula but I should've been Frankenstein's monster but Boris Karloff is but not for long I shall have my revenge!" Pumpkinate's rating:
522 7.1 7.6  Kermit looked so peaceful and happy before he met Miss Piggy. This is such a nostalgic, inspiring movie. The Muppets are an amazing, creatively made group of puppets and completely deserving of their own movie series. Fortunately, this was made true and the series has been going strong since. There might not have been a theatrical release between 1999's Muppets in Space and 2011's The Muppets, but this was made up for with TV movies and the odd direct-to-video release. It's kind of hard to believe that the writers of The Muppet Show did this movie, as it's much more sincere and interesting. But let's admit it, The Muppet Show was mostly a hodgepodge of musical numbers and skits copied and pasted from previous episodes. This movie tells an entire, cohesive, re-watchable story with heart while retaining the humor and guest appearances which were the better aspects of the television series. Pumpkinate's rating:
332 7.1 7.3  Before the Godzilla series placed its emphasis on giant monster battles, it was all about the flawed nature of and subsequent punishment against humanity. Godzilla's debut. There, that covers it. Seriously though, it is a masterful commentary on humanity's folly in dropping the atomic bomb - from which Godzilla was created, and which he represents. This message was all-too pertinent to 1954 Japan, the inhabitants of which were still suffering from the aftermath of Hiroshima and Nagasaki just nine years early. The black and white is perfect for the grim, somber subject matter, and thanks to the story and in part to incredibly competent special effects (even, or especially, compared to later Goji flicks) the series can be taken utterly seriously even by those who think Godzilla has always been just "cheesy". The movie also shows Japanese society as being unified in the face of disaster (except briefly on whether to study or destroy Godzilla), which is something Western society is less known for. If you look for this one and find the edited version, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, make sure you watch Gojira first as it's the unadulterated and better version, though King of the Monsters can be enjoyable for afterwards. If there's a single flaw in the film, it's that when describing Godzilla's origin they get the date wrong on when dinosaurs roamed the earth, making it coincide closer to man's initial existence. Pumpkinate's rating:
88 6.2 5.7  King Kong Vs. Godzilla really kicked off the campy giant monster-on-giant monster romp, which would appear throughout many other entries in the series and in its several imitators. Many of the Godzilla movies since the late Sixties have had a camp attribute that's of as much value to series fans as the allegorical basis for Goji's creation. But here's the thing: King Kong Vs. Godzilla chose to have giant monster camp. This was long before films like Godzilla Vs. Gigan and Godzilla Vs. Megalon, and the movies before and after it are the bulk of the most serious installments in the entire series. The camp works well since this is Godzilla's color debut and the somber tone fits more with black and white. Characters are quirky, monster battles are on a ridiculous scale, and that Kong suit is just so lovable despite so-called "suitimation fans"' critiques that greatly reflect their accustomedness to recent innovations. Godzilla and Toho haven't used another studio's giant monster character ever since this film and 1967's King Kong Escapes - an unfortunate fact as ever since the grey-green gargantuan first stomped through Japan, countless unique interpretations of the formula have been made. Godzilla should fight Ultraman, Gamera, Cloverfield, and King Kong again, and he should like it, too. Pumpkinate's rating:
2284 7.1 7.6  Vincent and Max's pathological connection and the action it causes make this movie. Along with the different franchises I've followed dutifully (Godzilla, The Muppets, Universal Horror series) I have this tendency to gravitate towards the gritty, dark, psychological and cynical action-dramas. This is apparent with other favorites on this list like Albino Alligator. This is a perfect example of why I like this style of film. Vincent (Tom Cruise) and Max (Jamie Foxx) have a deep, twisted connection, and their foil relationship makes the whole picture. Vincent is a calm and a little bit crazy contract killer, but he does in fact seem to require Max's companionship; although it might also be the case that he plans to kill his driver once the night is over. Max is an honest working man, a cab driver with big dreams but not the nerve to make them real, who himself gets taken on a crazy ride when he picks up Vincent; he consistently attempts to get away from the guy, but gets too far involved to be a simple bystander by the end. There's cold-blooded killing. There's charm. There's effective blending of music and imagery. And all this takes place over the course of one night in Los Angeles. You may have to watch this film because someone you know likes it/wants to watch it based on the reviews, but you'll be pleasantly surprised at being added to its list of admirers via collateral damage. Pumpkinate's rating:
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I really loved "The Brave One" perhaps not as much as you but still it stands as a favorite. As part of a sound design class I would wander around and just record the sounds of the city. Mainly to test various microphones and later to layer what I recorded on to a soundtrack. So, the film holds a special fondness for me.
I was also looking at "Albino Alligator" recently and trying to decide if I should make an attempt to rent the film. Guess I will now ;)
Do you live or did you used to live in New York City, jaytoast? I'd never know what it's like to live in such a hotspot. Glad my list brought back fond memories.
I honestly don't get why this film hasn't been rated higher in the reviews I've seen. I mean, everyone has their own taste, but that doesn't mean you can't recognize merit in a film that has it.
Ratings for films can be pretty odd. I only really start to worry about a film if my Listal contacts ratings start to glow red ;)
Lemme guess: Gojira, Dracula, and Frankenstein? Or Collateral?
I apologize in advance if you don't like them - I sometimes have trouble understanding other people's tastes and thus sometimes I suppose they may have trouble understanding mine. Some of the people I know really well from Listal's community seem to click with me, though. For example, I've wanted to see Suicide Kings and just saw yours and Xanadon't's high ratings for it and now I want to see it even more!
Yep - that's usually a problem. =P
The Harry Potters would never make my list, simply because the books are SO much better. ;)
But before I go hang my head in shame, I'll say I'm happy to see that that's not the extent of the classic horror going on up in here. Dracula I guessed before I scrolled down to it (I applaud your bold donning of the vampire fangs so early in the season, btw), and Frankenstein is a nice surprise.
Clearly I need to see The Brave One... high praise from both you and jaytoast is enough for me. No I idea how I haven't gotten around to Albino Alligator yet. Haha, "This film may lack pigment, but it has depth..."
Still waiting for Michael Mann to direct another film as strong as Collateral. Another film on par with that one and I can safely add him to my favorite directors list.
Ah, I see. I should've guessed The Muppet Movie, as I know you're a big fan of the franchise. If Dracula bored you, perhaps the Mel Brooks parody will as well. Mostly the complaints for the movie have been that it's not as laugh-out-loud funny as his other stuff. But it's still funny.
I felt that way with the later movies, certainly. I haven't read the older books since before their movies, so maybe it's good that the movies have come to a close so I can have a reprieve and re-read the series again.
Twenty-six of the twenty-eight Toho Godzilla movies are out on DVD (or a couple of them will be by the end of the year). You have a good amount of time to start from the beginning before the Legendary Pictures reboot comes out. Also, you'll have bragging rights if Godzilla hits it big as a result because you'll be one of the series fans who was such before it became the big fad once more.
Yeah, since I had the Christmas avatar up for so long last year I figured I'd give my Halloween one some time to sparkle - in a totally non-Twilight sort of way. Always glad to have comments on my seasonal apparel.
the giraffe, Xanadon't, please tell me what you think of the film when you do watch it!
Totally!