Really good movies
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[edit] 
Miss Potter (2006)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0482546/
(At least largely) true story. Conservationist (Potter buys some beautiful land to prevent it from being developed). Kind of sad. An inspiring story of a woman (Beatrix Potter) who determines to make something of herself and become a published author despite being told by her mother and others that she's being foolish by spending all that time drawing. A compelling love story between Beatrix (who had decided that she would never marry) and a publisher whom her family thinks is "beneath her" / not good enough for her.
Saw on: 2007-01-19
[edit] The Last Butterfly (1991)
[Films about the Holocaust (category)]
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100393/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100393/.
David Asman,15 September 1999
This is the ONLY Holocaust film that is neither maudlin nor sensational but that delivers a punch with all the impact of a Hollywood blockbuster, but none of the glitz. Don't be put off by the fact that it's a foreign film (made before Czechoslovakia had been divided in two). It doesn't have that "dubbed" quality of a lot of foreign, English-language films. The acting, direction (and a wonderfully moving score that tracks the story line) and script are all synchronized in a stunning style. In fact, the European element helps to make it far more genuine than anything that's come out of Hollywood. One gets a sense that the filmakers and the actors were really plugged in to the history of what is, after all, a real story--that of the Nazi's "City of the Jews." This was a ruse of the Nazis to "prove" to the international community that they were taking care of "their" Jews by keeping them camped in segregated communities that had all the comforts of home. Of course, in reality, there was a back door track to the concentration camps that visitors were never shown.
But again, what makes this film so special is its avoidance of any pretense. The film makers don't milk the tragedy any more than it has to be. And the evil characters are not stereotyped into cardboard cut outs. And the heroes--well, there really are none, despite some heroic acts by normal folks.
This is a brilliant film about the Holocaust. The story and characters are fictional, but I have it on good authority that it portrays the reality of Terezin (the "City of the Jews") quite well. It was sad at times, as almost any Holocaust film probably should be. Even the miming in this film was quite well done, and I hadn't considered myself a big fan of mime. I also enjoyed the music performed by the fabulous ghetto orchestra, the pianist, and the violin soloist.
Themes:
- Moreau learning the true nature of the camp, and becoming compassionate (at first he just wanted to get the show done and leave)
- Moreau not being apathetic about how the Jews were being treated, like many other Europeans were
- the human need for art and expression
- heroism, altruism
Memorable scenes:
- when Antoine Moreau performed a mime (including his "last butterfly" mime) for the Jews in their little meeting place who had just found out they were on the transport list; Moreau had the help of his director friend on the piano and his violinist friend
- when Moreau decided to do something "different" for their fairy tale mime; the ensuing discussion between the conductor, some of his members, Vera, and Antoine
- when the Germans are doing a "dress rehearsal" of the Red Cross visit, driving around town in their car, and you can see how very fake and staged the whole thing is: the kids just sitting there, not playing, ...
To its discredit, there was probably a bit more sexual content in this film than there needed to be (some nudity and a sex scene).
[edit] Spider-Man 3 (2007)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0413300/
Good themes:
- Love/marriage: [Before you propose, you need to make sure you can put your wife's interest first]. Some advice his aunt gave him.
- Forgiveness
- Revenge/anger isn't worth it; it will take control of you. The effects of letting revenge take control of you were quite evident in several of the characters.
- You have a choice, and you can always do the right thing. [Get better quote]
- Friendship.
Surprisingly many for a popular action flick like this one.
[edit] Maverick (1994)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110478/
- Maverick is a gambler who would rather con someone than fight them. He needs an additional three thousand dollars in order to enter a Winner Take All poker game that begins in a few days. He tries to win some, tries to collect a few debts, and recover a little loot for the reward, all with a light hearted air. He joins forces with a woman gambler with a marvelous, though fake, southern accent as the two both try and enter the game.
[edit] Chicken Run (2000)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120630/
At times it is corny, but for the most part hilarious. It's fun to put yourself in the life of a chicken for a while and sympathize with their plight (not only is it boring being cooped up in a chicken pen, but the chickens also resent having to be killed when they stop producing eggs). Some of their escape plans are quite funny. Ginger is a very likable main character, and the other characters are fun too: Babs's innocent naivety, Mac's thick Scottish accent and hard-to-understand techno-babble, Mr. Tweedy's being told by his obnoxious wife that his observations that the chickens are organized and plotting a revolt is "all in his head".
As with most claymation, the animation in this movie is simply unbelievable. It took a team of 40 animators two years to complete this movie.
Good quotes:
Ginger: So laying eggs all your life and then getting plucked, stuffed and roasted is good enough for you, is it?
Babs: It's a livin'.Babs: Morning, Ginger. Back from holiday?
Ginger: I wasn't on holiday, Babs. I was in solitary confinement.
Babs: Oh, it's nice to get a bit of time to yourself, isn't it?Ginger: Listen. We'll either die free chickens or we die trying.
Babs: Are those the only choices?[Babs has fainted from a near-death experience]
Babs: All me life flashed before me eyes.
[disappointed]
Babs: It was really borin'.Ginger: You mean you never actually *flew* the plane?
Fowler: Good heavens, no! I'm a chicken! The Royal Air Force doesn't let chickens behind the controls of a complex aircraft.Babs: Chicken seed, my favourite!
Mr. Tweedy: [being attacked by chickens] Mrs Tweedy! The chickens are revolting!
Mrs. Tweedy: [not paying attention] Finally something we agree on.[on the chickens' plane before take-off]
Nick: The exits are located here and here. In the quite likely event of an emergency, put your head between your knees...
Fetcher: ?and kiss your bum goodbye!
[edit] The Queen (2006)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0436697/
The queen has a heart after all. Very well done. Good acting. As much or more about Princess Diana as/than about the queen. About the tension between royalty (the queen) and the prime minister. Makes you question why they even have a "monarchy" in Britain. But in the end the queen comes through as a likeable figure.
[edit] The Iron Giant (1999)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0129167/
Good clean movie for the whole family. About a boy and his sometimes unusual pets. The antagonist is a nosy, paranoid, incompetent government agent who cares more for his own safety than that of a whole town. The moral of the story? "You don't have to be a gun."
[edit] End of the Spear (2005)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0399862/
[edit] Tian di ying xiong [Warriors of Heaven and Earth] (2003)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0374330/
Also see "The Making of ..." (included on DVD): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0438210/
[edit] The World's Fastest Indian (2005)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0412080/
[edit] Goodbye Lenin! (2003)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0301357/
[edit] Indiana Jones (all)
[edit] Crocodile Dundee (1986)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090555/
[edit] Crocodile Dundee 2 (1988)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092493/
[edit] Superman Returns (2006)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0348150/
[edit] The Lake House (2006)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0410297/
[edit] The Saint (1997)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120053/
[edit] The Island (2005)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0399201/
[edit] The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120737/
[edit] The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0167261/
[edit] The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0167260/
[edit] Braveheart (1995)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112573/
[edit] Good Will Hunting
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119217/
[edit] The Terminal
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0362227/
[edit] Back to the Future (1985)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088763/
[edit] Back to the Future 2 (1989)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096874/
[edit] Back to the Future 3 (1990)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099088/
[edit] X-Men
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120903/
[edit] Me, Myself & Irene
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0183505/
[edit] (Provisional 
) Anger Management
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0305224/
[Romantic comedies (category)] [Assertiveness (category)]
About 10% of the movie was offensive and would have been better left out, but I think if that were removed with some filter software, this could be worth watching and I could recommend it without reservation.
[edit] Happy Gilmore
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116483/
[edit] 50 First Dates
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116483/
[edit] Fiddler on the Roof
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067093/
[edit] Billy Elliot
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0249462/
[edit] Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0339291/
[edit] Labyrinth
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091369/
[edit] Jerry Maguire
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116695/
[edit] The Sound of Music
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059742/
[edit] Heidi (1937)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028988/
[edit] Groundhog Day
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107048/
[edit] Luther
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0309820/
[edit] Wallace & Grommit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0312004/
[edit] Central do Brasil [Central Station] (1998)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0140888/
Sad, but also funny at times. An inspiring story.
[edit] Bian Lian [The King of Masks] (1996)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115669/
A moving story. A girl's love for her grandpa and his change of heart. Sad at times, but ends happily (briefly).
[edit] It Could Happen to You (1994)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110167/
[edit] Spanglish
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0371246/
[edit] Brazil (1985)
Had nothing to do with Brazil (maybe that was the land where Sam imagined himself in his frequent dreams?).
This movie was heavily influenced by George Orwell's 1984. Good sci-fi.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088846/
[edit] The Twelve Tasks of Asterix (1976)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072901/
[edit] Asterix And Cleopatra (2002)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062687/
[edit] Asterix The Gaul (1967)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061369/
[edit] Asterix and Obelix Take on Caesar (1999)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0133385/
[edit] Asterix And The Big Fight (1989)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096842/
[edit] Asterix In Britain (1986)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090667/
[edit] Asterix in America (1994)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109162/
[edit] Asterix and the Vikings (2006)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0478557/
[edit] Asterix at the Olympic Games (2007)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0463872/
[edit] Have you seen this film? (Probably not)
I can't remember the title.
It was a rather old film, from maybe the 1960s or 1970s (?)...
It was about these two ladies who get the idea to go on a vacation/getaway. They see an ad in the paper for a beach cottage or something and somehow make arrangements to go. They didn't know each other before (?), but met each other somewhat by chance, I think, in the lobby of a hotel or store or something and found that they had this common interest.
There might have been difficulties like money or convincing the husbands to come along. Or maybe the difficulty was in finding some other people to go with them and help share the costs.
One of the husbands, I think, doesn't come at first but does come later. I think that's the same one who appears very boring when they show him and his wife together at home in their drab dwelling place.
They ladies visit an old lady at her city apartment and make some arrangements with her. Maybe she agrees to come along?
There are about 4-6 people sharing this house and they have some difficulty getting along.
A crotchety old lady who changes and becomes more likable towards the end.
I think one of the ladies that goes might have been rich or something.
There was some romance. One romance developed during the getaway. And I think one of the existing couples that went weren't having a great marriage but it ended up having a very positive effect on the reluctant-to-come husband.
A funny scene involving a shower/bathroom and something blowing up.
It might have been set in Britain or Italy or something.
Video entertainment edit (Category edit)
