1965:: The Sound of Music

       A classic. What else can I say? But, I have a confession: I had never seen it. Ok, well, I had never seen the WHOLE thing. I had definitely seen my share of scenes, but never knew the story. So, being new to this movie, I was not disappointed! Oh, the beautiful scenery, the playful music, and the stunning color, it is one of the best movies I have ever seen. It's such a feel good movie, one that families can enjoy and I appreciate that. 

    This is the part when I usually tell the story of the movie, but for The Sound of Music, there is no need. There is no way to express the movie because the movie is nothing without the music and the colors. So, you'll just have to see it for yourself.

 I love Julie Andrews and even Christopher Plummer is great even though he seems rather old and staunchly in the movie. It really is a movie that makes you feel good. I know all the songs so I was singing along and even the ones I didn't know.  All the children are just adorable, and, well what else can I say? 

The Sound of Music is just a movie you have to see for yourself. 

2012:: Argo

       Take a movie based on a true story, add government intelligence and an aspect of danger, and BAM!, I'm hooked. Argo had me sitting on the edge of my seat. I knew the outcome, that they all survived; that's a given. But the best movies are those that you know will turn out good in the end, but in the thick of things, you cannot foresee how it'll happen. 

   Right off the bat in the first scene, the action starts. It's the day the Iranian people storm the US Embassy in 1979. Six people escape out the side door and onto the streets.

While the hostages who weren't so lucky ended up staying in the US Embassy for 444 days until 1981, these six people find solace in the house of the Canadian Ambassador. But, in a country that uses all their resources to harm America, you can't stay long. The US government quickly gets to work to find a way to bring them home. Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) comes up with the idea to create a fake movie in which the six people and Mendez himself will be "Canadians" in Iran looking for a location to shoot their film. But he must go all out in this, by making posters, getting a producer, and creating fake passports, etc. It all seems like a great idea, but who knows what can happen when seven white people walk through an Iranian airport. 

    Being a history buff, Argo was so great to watch. It was so accurate and seemed so real. There were broadcasts from people in power at that time and the portrayals of the six Embassy workers as in their looks was phenomenal to actuality. What really amazed me was the use of the Iranian language, Farsi, and the portrayals of the Iranian Revolution riots. A great movie is when you can get lost in it. With Argo, I had no idea two hours had gone by. Another Best Picture movie that definitely deserves its title!

1979:: Kramer vs. Kramer

       Kramer vs Kramer was another one of the movies that I really wanted to see. Funny, it was only one year before Ordinary People. Unfortunately, it was not as great as I thought it was going to be. 
   This movie starts the night that Joanna (Meryl Streep) walks out on Ted (Dustin Hoffman), her husband of 7 years or so. She also leaves behind her son, Billy. Ted is a workaholic and in a major deal at work and must now take care of Billy all by himself. At first they believe Joanna will come back, but as time goes on they realize she is not coming back. So Ted and Billy get into a routine and establish a life without Joanna. Fifteen months later Joanna reappears, wanting to get Billy back. From there, Ted and Joanna must go to court to fight for custody of their son. 

   The things I liked about Kramer vs Kramer are as follows: It had great acting in it by both Meryl Streep and Dustin Hoffman. What I think I loved most this movie was the loving relationship between Ted and Billy and Ted's journey to really loving being with Billy. The become such great friends. I also loved that Ted never once speaks bad to Billy about his mother. 

   Unfortunately, it wasn't what I was expecting. There was not a lot of drama, which you all know I like, and it was full of a lot of dialogue. Dustin Hoffman is a wonderful actor ( he actually won Best Actor for this role), but he spoke and mumbled way too much. I'm kinda on the fence about this movie. It was a quality movie, just a little too long.
My grade for Kramer vs Kramer is B.

1980:: Ordinary People

     In the list of Best Picture movies for me still to watch, there some that I'm drawn to and want to see and some I do not. Ordinary People was a movie I really wanted to watch. It was in my top 5 list. And, with saying that, I wasn't too disappointed. It was full of drama and emotions, but it was so wonderfully acted and so real, that you could relate.

     The story follows the Jewett family, an upper middle class family outside of Chicago as they are struggling to deal with the recent tragic death of their oldest, prized son, Buck. Calvin, the father, played by Donald Sutherland is good- natured, worries too much, and just wants to see everyone happy again. The mother, Beth, played by Mary Tyler Moore, grieves in a different way by trying to get back to life and be the dutiful housewife. She loved Buck and can't seem to love her other son, Conrad. played by Timothy Hutton. Conrad takes Buck's death the hardest by feeling survivor's guilt and unwanted.He eventually tries to commit suicide. Conrad starts going to a psychiatrist (played by Judd Hirsch) who throughout the movie helps him learn why he feels the way he does and helps him to forgive his mother and father for the way they are grieving.

     Ordinary People started out boring and confusing. They kept making references to things that had happened before with Buck's death and Conrad's attempted suicide, that I didn't understand. But after Conrad's first or second visit with the psychiatrist, things started to pick up.Another bad thing was the music score. Early 1980s movies are notorious for their bad use of music and this is no exception. Now with the good things.The journey that Conrad goes through to recover is wonderfully written and acted. Pretty much the acting in this entire movie was amazing! Mary Tyler Moore and Judd Hirsch were both nominated for their roles and Timothy Hutton won Best Supporting Actor for his role. And, it was well deserved! I walked away knowing his battle with depression even though he did not say many things about it. In one scene he has to yell and cry and breakdown in front of the psychiatrist and it was executed perfectly! I have not seen that great of acting in a long time. 

    Other things to mention: If you do not know who Donald Sutherland is, just watch the 2005 Pride and Prejudice; he plays Mr. Bennett. Also, the swim coach in Ordinary People looked very familiar to me so I looked him up and found he played the neighbor Walter on Christmas with the Kranks.

     I started out thinking this was just going to be another boring old movie, but it ended up being a movie I couldn't stop thinking about when it was done. I would love to own it. My grade for Ordinary People is A-.

        

1950:: All About Eve

         If you are looking for that stereotypical, over- dramatic, old fashioned movie, well I have found it. All
About Eve is full of backstabbing, face slapping, and lots and lots of drama. This movie from 1950 starred Bette Davis in what is arguably her best role of her career. It also features Anne Baxter, a well known and very pretty actress for her time and , surprisingly, a young Marilyn Monroe. 

       Margo Channing (Davis) is the biggest celebrity of the theater world and one adoring fan, Eve (Baxter) gets the chance to chat with Margo in her dressing room one night. Margo automatically feels compassion on Eve because of the hard times she has been through and they become quick friends. Eve moves in with Margo and works for her. Well, in time things start getting a little weird as Eve seems to worship the ground Margo walks on and imitates her in everything. Slowly she creeps her way into other parts of Margo's life and it soon becomes apparent that Eve is not the little sweetheart everyone thought her to be. She fabricates lies, tries to steal everyone's man, and very slyly throws people under the bus. Be careful who you trust!
     All About Eve would have been much better if there wasn't SO MUCH DIALOGUE! And, the problem wasn't just the amount of dialogue, but the accents in which they spoke like they were trying to be sophisticated or whatnot. I had to have subtitles on the whole time. But even then, there was a lot of dialogue. The concept was great and the acting was great but I am torn on my opinion of it. I wanted it to be over because I was so bored of them talking, but I loved the story line. It was one of those movies that everything is revealed in the end. Did not like it that much, but I give it props for having Bette Davis and Marilyn Monroe in it. 

My final grade is B-.

1938 :: You Can't Take It With You ::

       

     A comedy is not something I was expecting with this film, but a comedy is what I got! Frank Capra's classic film, and also big winner at the Oscars was such a great movie about friends, family, and having people around you that care about you... and that you care about. 

     The story revolves around the engagement of Alice Sycamore (Jean Arthur) to Tony Kirby (Jimmy Stewart). Tony's father runs a successful multi- million dollar bank. His family is a bunch of snobs who just parade their money around and believe the middle class are scums. Alice's family on the other hand is an eccentric, outspoken bunch who has adopted the ideals of their grandfather (Lionel Barrymore) as only doing what you want to do and let the good Lord provide the rest. A group of comedians already, all hell breaks loose when the Kirbys come over for dinner one night when the Sycamores were not expecting them. Together they face jail, paparazzi  and many, many fireworks.

     I really enjoyed this movie and feel it could be on my favorites list. It was such a feel good movie without being to sappy or dramatic. In so many ways it is like It's a Wonderful Life, another movie Frank Capra did 8 years later. The story revolves around what is important in life: family, friends, and love. It also includes some of the same cast such as Jimmy Stewart, Lionel Barrymore, and Samuel S. Hinds (Mr. Bailey). I really felt I could relate to the movie because it was down to earth and funny.

     The only fault I could see in this movie is a common movie fault: The circumstances are just not real enough. Wanna know what I mean? Well, I'll spoil the ending. You might just have to watch it yourself. Grading this movie, I would give it an A-. 

Hannah 

1952 ::The Greatest Show on Earth:: C-

     Best Picture winner for 1952 was The Greatest Show on Earth. As you can probably tell, it is a drama into the lives of a few of the trapeze artists, dancers, clowns, and managers of the circus. Aaaaand... that's about it. There was no real plot to the story which left you halfway through the movie wondering when anything substantial was going to happen. It stars Charlton Heston (the man right there in front) who is also known for playing the title role in another Best Picture from 1959, Ben-Hur. He plays Brad, the manager of the show who puts the show above the feelings of his performers. Betty Hutton is the main character, Holly, (left in pink) the best trapeze artist in the show who gets moved out of center ring when Sebastian, a celebrity trapeze artist comes in. Other notable mentions: James Stewart plays Buttons, the clown and Gloria Grahame plays Angel, the elephant rider. Who is Gloria Grahame, you might ask? She played the famous role of Violet in It's a Wonderful Life a few years earlier. Also, it was directed by Cecil B DeMille, a famous director.

     Now to the good part: the judgment.... I grade this movie at a C-. 

     Positives:  First off, James Stewart, I just adore him....... The picture was in color and had so many wonderful and extravagant costumes which were really entertaining. I always love the circus and seeing  all the trapeze artists and dancers, etc. and they had really  great stunts. And, as a side note, Charlton Heston is easy on the eyes =)

     Negatives:   There was no plot at all which made it hard to pay attention and engage. Besides that, it was super long which made it even harder not to get bored. The acting by the supporting actors was wonderful, but the acting of the main characters was horrendous, with the exception of Heston. Betty Hutton was such an over actress it was hard not to hit the off button and the actor who played Sebastian made me want to gag he was so over the top on being a womanizer. 

     Overall on this movie, the bad outweighs the good so I have to give it a low score. It would have been much worse if it was not for James Stewart and it being in color. Is this a "Best Picture"? I would have to say  "No".