Login
L’essentiel
Sort by:
Showing 41 items
Decade:
Rating:
List Type:
1171
8.2
8
La Dolce Vita (1960)
Director: Federico Fellini
Year:1960
Main actors: Marcello Mastroiani, Anita Ekberg
Genre: Drama/Comedy-drama
In Federico Fellini's lauded Italian film, restless reporter Marcello Rubini (Marcello Mastroianni) drifts through life in Rome. While Marcello contends with the overdose taken by his girlfriend, Emma (Yvonne Furneaux), he also pursues heiress Maddalena (Anouk Aimée) and movie star Sylvia (Anita Ekberg), embracing a carefree approach to living. Despite his hedonistic attitude, Marcello does have moments of quiet reflection, resulting in an intriguing cinematic character study.
Why is it worth watching:
1. Highest quality acting
2. Aesthetical marvel.
3. One of the best character studies in film.
4. Steiner’s philosophical monologue.
5.”Fellini's unsparing odyssey of corrosive wealth and anxious commonality is given a reliably peerless A/V transfer from Criterion, packaged with a long conga line of extras that add context and insight into one of Italian cinema's unmovable masterpieces.“
Year:1960
Main actors: Marcello Mastroiani, Anita Ekberg
Genre: Drama/Comedy-drama
In Federico Fellini's lauded Italian film, restless reporter Marcello Rubini (Marcello Mastroianni) drifts through life in Rome. While Marcello contends with the overdose taken by his girlfriend, Emma (Yvonne Furneaux), he also pursues heiress Maddalena (Anouk Aimée) and movie star Sylvia (Anita Ekberg), embracing a carefree approach to living. Despite his hedonistic attitude, Marcello does have moments of quiet reflection, resulting in an intriguing cinematic character study.
Why is it worth watching:
1. Highest quality acting
2. Aesthetical marvel.
3. One of the best character studies in film.
4. Steiner’s philosophical monologue.
5.”Fellini's unsparing odyssey of corrosive wealth and anxious commonality is given a reliably peerless A/V transfer from Criterion, packaged with a long conga line of extras that add context and insight into one of Italian cinema's unmovable masterpieces.“
1559
8.3
8
Director: Federico Fellini
Year:1963
Main actors: Marcello Mastroiani, Claudia Cardinale
Genre: Drama/Fantasy
Troubled Italian filmmaker Guido Anselmi (Marcello Mastroianni) struggles with creative stasis as he attempts to get a new movie off the ground. Overwhelmed by his work and personal life, the director retreats into his thoughts, which often focus on his loves, both past and present, and frequently wander into fantastical territory. As he tries to sort out his many entanglements, romantic and otherwise, Anselmi finds his production becoming more and more autobiographical.
Why is it worth watching:
1. Cinematic masterpiece.
2. Best surrealist film ever made.
3. Psychologically daunting.
4. My favorite film by one of my favorite directors.
5. “In terms of execution I cannot remember a more brilliant film.“ (and that’s a review from a very well known sour ass critic who called “it’s a wonderful life” total crap)
Year:1963
Main actors: Marcello Mastroiani, Claudia Cardinale
Genre: Drama/Fantasy
Troubled Italian filmmaker Guido Anselmi (Marcello Mastroianni) struggles with creative stasis as he attempts to get a new movie off the ground. Overwhelmed by his work and personal life, the director retreats into his thoughts, which often focus on his loves, both past and present, and frequently wander into fantastical territory. As he tries to sort out his many entanglements, romantic and otherwise, Anselmi finds his production becoming more and more autobiographical.
Why is it worth watching:
1. Cinematic masterpiece.
2. Best surrealist film ever made.
3. Psychologically daunting.
4. My favorite film by one of my favorite directors.
5. “In terms of execution I cannot remember a more brilliant film.“ (and that’s a review from a very well known sour ass critic who called “it’s a wonderful life” total crap)
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Year:1951
Main actors: Farley Granger, Robert Walker
Genre: Psychological Thriller Film Noir
DescriptionIn Alfred Hitchcock's adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's thriller, tennis star Guy Haines (Farley Granger) is enraged by his trampy wife's refusal to finalize their divorce so he can wed senator's daughter Anne (Ruth Roman). He strikes up a conversation with a stranger, Bruno Anthony (Robert Walker), and unwittingly sets in motion a deadly chain of events. Psychopathic Bruno kills Guy's wife, then urges Guy to reciprocate by killing Bruno's father. Meanwhile, Guy is murder suspect number one.
Why is it worth watching:
1. A Hitchcock masterpiece and my favorite Hitchcock film.
2. Suspence mastered brilliantly.
3. Incredible film noir gem.
4. Top notch acting.
5. “Alfred Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train is an expertly made thriller with fluid camera work, dark humor and enough cliff-hanging build up to keep you biting your nails until there's nothing left. Easily one of Hitch's most underrated films.“
Year:1951
Main actors: Farley Granger, Robert Walker
Genre: Psychological Thriller Film Noir
DescriptionIn Alfred Hitchcock's adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's thriller, tennis star Guy Haines (Farley Granger) is enraged by his trampy wife's refusal to finalize their divorce so he can wed senator's daughter Anne (Ruth Roman). He strikes up a conversation with a stranger, Bruno Anthony (Robert Walker), and unwittingly sets in motion a deadly chain of events. Psychopathic Bruno kills Guy's wife, then urges Guy to reciprocate by killing Bruno's father. Meanwhile, Guy is murder suspect number one.
Why is it worth watching:
1. A Hitchcock masterpiece and my favorite Hitchcock film.
2. Suspence mastered brilliantly.
3. Incredible film noir gem.
4. Top notch acting.
5. “Alfred Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train is an expertly made thriller with fluid camera work, dark humor and enough cliff-hanging build up to keep you biting your nails until there's nothing left. Easily one of Hitch's most underrated films.“
895
7.9
7.9
The Big Sleep (1946)
Director: Howard Hawks
Year: 1946
Main actors: Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall
Genre: Film noir
Private investigator Philip Marlowe (Humphrey Bogart) is hired by General Sternwood to help resolve the gambling debts of his wild young daughter, Carmen (Martha Vickers). Sternwood's older daughter, Vivian (Lauren Bacall), provides assistance when she implies that the situation is more complex, and also involves casino owner (John Ridgely) and a recently disappeared family friend. As people linked to the Sternwoods start being murdered, Marlowe finds himself getting ever deeper into the case.
Why is it worth watching:
1. Perfect example of a brilliant Film Noir. The movie that made film noir become one of my dearest film genres.
2. Legendary couple - Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. Quite possibly the best on screen chemistry in the history of cinema.
3. “The Big Sleep is the best scripted, best directed, best acted, and least comprehensible film noir ever made.”
4. Tough, witty, hardboiled.
Year: 1946
Main actors: Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall
Genre: Film noir
Private investigator Philip Marlowe (Humphrey Bogart) is hired by General Sternwood to help resolve the gambling debts of his wild young daughter, Carmen (Martha Vickers). Sternwood's older daughter, Vivian (Lauren Bacall), provides assistance when she implies that the situation is more complex, and also involves casino owner (John Ridgely) and a recently disappeared family friend. As people linked to the Sternwoods start being murdered, Marlowe finds himself getting ever deeper into the case.
Why is it worth watching:
1. Perfect example of a brilliant Film Noir. The movie that made film noir become one of my dearest film genres.
2. Legendary couple - Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. Quite possibly the best on screen chemistry in the history of cinema.
3. “The Big Sleep is the best scripted, best directed, best acted, and least comprehensible film noir ever made.”
4. Tough, witty, hardboiled.
3366
8.2
8.5
Director: Michael Curtiz
Year: 1942
Main actors: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman
Genre: Drama/Romance
Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), who owns a nightclub in Casablanca, discovers his old flame Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) is in town with her husband, Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid). Laszlo is a famed rebel, and with Germans on his tail, Ilsa knows Rick can help them get out of the country.
1. The acting is so good you’ll wanna cry. The dream team of acting - all of them.
2. Exceptional dialogue. Most quotable film ever made.
3. Increbidle directing.
4. The music.
5. “Curtiz's film is a classic for a reason -- it's crafted with the precision, detail and beauty of a Fabergé egg; the dialogue is hauntingly memorable and, in Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, it has one of the most magnetic screen pairings in history.“
Year: 1942
Main actors: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman
Genre: Drama/Romance
Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), who owns a nightclub in Casablanca, discovers his old flame Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) is in town with her husband, Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid). Laszlo is a famed rebel, and with Germans on his tail, Ilsa knows Rick can help them get out of the country.
1. The acting is so good you’ll wanna cry. The dream team of acting - all of them.
2. Exceptional dialogue. Most quotable film ever made.
3. Increbidle directing.
4. The music.
5. “Curtiz's film is a classic for a reason -- it's crafted with the precision, detail and beauty of a Fabergé egg; the dialogue is hauntingly memorable and, in Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, it has one of the most magnetic screen pairings in history.“
2285
8.2
8.6
It's a Wonderful Life (1947) (1946)
Director: Frank Capra
Year:1946
Main actors:James Stewart, Donna Reed
Genre:Drama/Fantasy
DescriptionGeorge Bailey has so many problems he is thinking about ending it all - and it's Christmas! As the angels discuss George, we see his life in flashback. As George is about to jump from a bridge, he ends up rescuing his guardian angel, Clarence - who then shows George what his town would have looked like if it hadn't been for all his good deeds over the years.
Why it is worth watching:
1. One of legendary director’s Frank Capra’s best films
2. Flawless Christmas classic that defines a holiday classic
3. Perfectly executed scenario that, unlike most films, will make you feel warm and gooey inside
4. “... the kind of experience movies were invented for.”
Year:1946
Main actors:James Stewart, Donna Reed
Genre:Drama/Fantasy
DescriptionGeorge Bailey has so many problems he is thinking about ending it all - and it's Christmas! As the angels discuss George, we see his life in flashback. As George is about to jump from a bridge, he ends up rescuing his guardian angel, Clarence - who then shows George what his town would have looked like if it hadn't been for all his good deeds over the years.
Why it is worth watching:
1. One of legendary director’s Frank Capra’s best films
2. Flawless Christmas classic that defines a holiday classic
3. Perfectly executed scenario that, unlike most films, will make you feel warm and gooey inside
4. “... the kind of experience movies were invented for.”
493
8
7.9
Harvey (1950)
Director:Henry Koster
Year:1950
Main actors: James Stewart, Josephine Hall
Genre:Drama/Comedy/Fantasy
DescriptionElwood P. Dowd (James Stewart) is a wealthy drunk who starts having visions of a giant rabbit named Harvey. Elwood lives with his sister Veta (Josephine Hull) and her daughter (Victoria Horne), and Veta worries that Elwood has gone insane. In the process of trying to have him committed, Veta admits that she occasionally sees Harvey herself. The director of the mental home, Dr. Chumley (Cecil Kellaway), tries to reconcile his duty to help Elwood with his own growing experiences with Harvey.
Why is it worth watching:
1. Impeccable acting, great directing and a very clever scenario.
2. Very different from everything I’ve ever seen & one of my favorite movies ever.
3. It’s a film that’ll give you plenty to think about.
4. Many will see it at simple harmless whimsy, and overlook the power, wisdom and philosophy behind it, but these are probably the people who will tell you that “the little prince” is just a funny children’s story.
5.”I always feel a little sorry for people who tell me they've never seen Harvey.“
Year:1950
Main actors: James Stewart, Josephine Hall
Genre:Drama/Comedy/Fantasy
DescriptionElwood P. Dowd (James Stewart) is a wealthy drunk who starts having visions of a giant rabbit named Harvey. Elwood lives with his sister Veta (Josephine Hull) and her daughter (Victoria Horne), and Veta worries that Elwood has gone insane. In the process of trying to have him committed, Veta admits that she occasionally sees Harvey herself. The director of the mental home, Dr. Chumley (Cecil Kellaway), tries to reconcile his duty to help Elwood with his own growing experiences with Harvey.
Why is it worth watching:
1. Impeccable acting, great directing and a very clever scenario.
2. Very different from everything I’ve ever seen & one of my favorite movies ever.
3. It’s a film that’ll give you plenty to think about.
4. Many will see it at simple harmless whimsy, and overlook the power, wisdom and philosophy behind it, but these are probably the people who will tell you that “the little prince” is just a funny children’s story.
5.”I always feel a little sorry for people who tell me they've never seen Harvey.“
RSS Feed