Top 10: Films I Need to Re-Watch

Have you ever watched a movie based on someone else's recommendation, only to find that it didn't quite live up to the bar they set? I can't begin to tell you just how many times this has happened to me. This becomes most frustrating when I watch an allegedly "great" film that has achieved a certain stature in cinematic history, but I simply can't find a way to like it or enjoy it. Because I want to have that intimate knowledge of the better films released through the course of history, I can say that I've had my share of disappointments. However, I think I may have a bit of a problem with my logic.


I usually only give most of those films a single viewing, and because I'm so put off by them the first time around, I simply don't take the time to give them another shot. There could very well be a chance that I'll enjoy the flick more the second time around, but I'm always just a tad bit wary of undertaking a film I didn't necessarily enjoy for a second time. However, sometimes it yields fantastic results. For example, I strongly disliked Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction when I first gave it a view, but after a second watch, I managed to see its incredible merit. Perhaps there are more such films out there.

So what I've done is create a list of films I've seen in the past that I didn't particularly enjoy for whatever reason of another. These are films that have stood out to me as ones that, for whatever reason, I think I might like after a second go-around. I could be completely wrong, but here goes nothing.

(Note: Of all the films on this list, I did not hate any of them on my first viewing. I simply think I didn't like them quite as much as I expected, and subsequent viewings seem to be in order.)


10. Kill Bill Vol. 1 / Kill Bill Vol. 2 (2003 / 2004)

Fitting that the film should start with another Tarantino venture, isn't it? When I saw the two Kill Bill films, I was in a place where I didn't really like Tarantino's style. Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs were good flicks, but I didn't really think they were all that brilliant. It wasn't until 2009's Inglourious Basterds that I started to come around on his filmmaking process, and I've since come to respect and enjoy Tarantino's vision. The Kill Bill flicks are the only ones I haven't managed to re-watch just yet, but I'm thinking I might like them a bit more than I did last time.

9. Rocky (1976)

My dislike for Rocky stems from two particular sentiments. First, I thought the film was a little bit too slow, and all that build up didn't really make for a terribly strong finish, in my opinion. Second, I'm really not much of a Sylvester Stallone fan, so it was difficult for me to relate to his character. Still, I understand the merit and achievement of the film, but as a pure entertainment factor, I think a re-watch might do me a little bit of good.

8. The Exorcist (1973)

Cited as one of the scariest films of all time, The Exorcist simply managed to spark a rise out of me the first time I watched it. Maybe it's been a bit dated since it was released in 1973, but I wasn't even left sitting on the edge of my seat, let alone be scared out of my wits. The problem I saw was that it felt like two different movies. The scenes with Linda Blair were fantastic, but everything else seemed like a melodrama that was a bit too talky.

7. Vertigo (1958)

Now, I did not dislike Vertigo the first time I watched it, but after a bit of studying, I realize I may not have entirely understood its meaning and message. It was recently voted by Sight & Sound as the greatest film of all time, and that alone makes me want to give it another watch, if only to remember just how great it is.

6. Blade Runner (1982)

Another film that I found to be a bit boring on its first viewing, I think I may have been a little too young for Blade Runner when I first saw it as a teenager. Having grown accustomed to seeing Harrison Ford in over-the-top action flicks, this dialed-down thinker didn't do quite enough to keep my adolescent mind engaged. Now, I think I have a little more patience with films, and this one might be right up my alley.

5. The Birds (1963)

Growing up, I was unable to watch The Birds because the concept utterly terrified me. I finally watched the film in a high school film class, and the ending left a sour taste in my mouth. I was extremely put off, and for a while, I was arguably quite angry with Alfred Hitchcock for ending the movie in such a way. The more I've thought about it though, the more I think it might be the right one, but I want to watch the movie again to give myself a little peace of mind.

4. Apocalypse Now (1979)

My problem with Apocalypse Now is that my only introduction to it was the Redux version, which runs fifty minutes longer than the original piece, which is lengthy itself at 153 minutes. Any film that lasts over three hours has to do a lot to keep the viewer engaged, but the Redux version couldn't quite do that for me. I think seeing the film in its original incarnation might give me a stronger appreciation for it.

3. The Shining (1980)

Can one actor ruin a film? In the case of The Shining, I'd argue yes. Shelley Duvall is so off-putting in the film that I was completely taken out of the storyline. It's even sadder to imagine because Jack Nicholson is so damn good in the film, ya know? Watching the film again knowing about Duvall's character should alleviate some of the strain, allowing me to focus on the story at hand.

2. The Matrix (1999)

I'm a little embarrassed about this one, but the reason I think I didn't like it the first time around is because literally everyone was enjoying it. I was in a stage of my life where I wanted to go against the grain, so disliking The Matrix was my big source of rebellion. Now that we're thirteen years later, I think another viewing is in order, if only to know that I've given it a proper chance.

1. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

The first time I saw Monty Python and the Holy Grail, I hated it. I didn't get the humor, and I didn't find even one bit of it to be funny. To be fair, I was much younger than I am today, but I'm not quite sure that makes up for it. In the time since I've seen the film, I have seen - and thoroughly loved - a stage production of Spamalot, which is "lovingly ripped off from" the film itself. I think it was a matter of understanding the humor, and my positive reaction to Spamalot might mean that I'll have an equally positive reaction to the film.


Well, there you have it. The ten films I need to re-watch. Tune in next week for another top ten list!

Happy Birthday, Jack Nicholson!

Today, we're celebrating the 75th birthday of the legendary, three-time Academy Award-winning actor, Jack Nicholson. He started acting in the mid-1950s and made his first feature film appearance in 1958's The Cry Baby Killer, but it wasn't until his performance in 1969's Easy Rider that he truly entered the public consciousness. Six years later, after hitting it big in 1974's Chinatown, Nicholson won his first Oscar for his leading role in the 1975 film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and a star was born. Since then, Jack has appeared in such big-time fare as 1980's The Shining, 1983's Terms of Endearment, 1989's Batman, 1992's A Few Good Men, 1997's As Good As It Gets and 2006's The Departed. Most recently, audiences have seen Nicholson in 2010's How Do You Know, and it is currently unknown as to what his next project might be. And so, to celebrate his birthday, I've listed my ten favorite of his performances, and I've managed to find clips for each for your viewing pleasure. Once again, happy birthday, Jack!

10. President James Dale

Mars Attacks! (1996)

*****

9. Edward

The Bucket List (2007)

*****

8. Dr. Buddy Rydell

Anger Management (2003)

*****

7. Warren Schmidt

About Schmidt (2002)

*****

6. Joker / Jack Napier

Batman (1989)

*****

5. Melvin Udall

As Good As It Gets (1997)

*****

4. Wilbur Force

The Little Shop of Horrors (1960)

*****

3. Frank Costello

The Departed (2006)

*****

2. Jack Torrance

The Shining (1980)

*****

1. R.P. McMurphy

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

In Memoriam: Stanley Kubrick

On what would have been his 83rd birthday, we're celebrating the memory of the famous film director, Stanley Kubrick. Over the course of a nearly fifty year career, Kubrick stamped a name for himself in Hollywood lore, crafting some of the most memorable and instantly recognizable films in cinematic history. His work garnered him thirteen Academy Award nominations, including four Best Director nominations and five nominations for work with both original and adapted screenplays. Strangely enough, however, his only Oscar win came in the form of a statuette for Best Special Visual Effects for the 1968 film, 2001: A Space Odyssey, which is probably a tad bit blasphemous, to be sure. Still, there's no denying the Kubrick stamp that he placed on all his films. There's something about his work that leaves you a little bit mesmerized, and that's what makes the appeal all the more lasting.

So, like I normally do with my general "birthday" posts, I'm listing my favorite Kubrick films. I've given a clip from each particular film for your viewing pleasure, so I hope you enjoy them. If you haven't had an opportunity to take in Kubrick's films, I suggest you give them a chance. They're going to leave you scratching your head a little bit, but that's what makes them all the more brilliant. The world cannot - and hopefully will not - ever forget the impact Kubrick had on film history.

5. The Shining
1980


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4. Full Metal Jacket
1987


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3. A Clockwork Orange
1971


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2. 2001: A Space Odyssey
1968


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1. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
1964


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I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes from Kubrick himself, one I think personifies his films completely:

"A film is - or should be - more like music than like fiction. It should be a progression of moods and feelings. The theme, what's behind the emotion, the meaning, all that comes later."

Movie Review: THE SHINING

THE SHINING

1980
R

The Shining is a 1980 horror film directed by Stanley Kubrick that was based off a Stephen King novel of the same name. It tells the story of Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) who takes a wintertime job as the live-in caretaker of the Overlook Hotel. With his wife Wendy (Shelley Duvall) and son Danny (Danny Lloyd) in tow, the family settles in as the hotel's only "guests" for the winter. Jack spends much of his time on a writing project that he hopes he will complete during his months of isolation; Wendy and Danny spend their time playing and doing whatever they can to pass the slow-moving days. When Jack, who has been on the wagon for five months, starts to have problems with his project, he quickly becomes irritable and prone to violent outbursts, especially towards his wife. At the same time, Danny, who has some form of telepathy, starts to see visions of horrible atrocities committed at the hotel in the past, drastically changing his overall demeanor. Wendy does her best to sort out the problems with both Jack and Danny, but as time continues to pass, the tension continues to rise until it reaches a boiling point.

There's much, much more to the story - well, I should say screenplay - than what I've outlined above, but right now, it all seems rather jumbled. I have not read Stephen King's original novel, but from everything I've heard, King himself did not care for Kubrick's handling of the story (it ultimately led him to write and produce his own version of The Shining which was made into a TV movie in 1997). That being said, I'm sure there are some intricacies that the book fleshes out than the movie ever could have, but I found myself feeling a little bit lost for most of the film. I understand that there's a level of ambiguity that the movie is supposed to express, but when nearly everything that's said or done is deliberately ambiguous, it makes a film very difficult to follow.

We get an all-star performance from Mr. Nicholson, but by 1980, everyone was already expecting this type of work from him. Although it's not my favorite Nicholson role, it definitely ranks right near the top. He brings a very manic energy to a screenplay that moves extremely, and at times excessively, slow, and he helps give the movie a little bit of life. Once you get past Nicholson, however, the acting plummets quite far. I thought young Danny Lloyd did a good job with his part, coming across every bit as creepy as I'm sure Kubrick wanted. In the beginning of the film, it seems as though the story centers around him, and for a child actor, he does a great job of holding it all together in the early running. Shelley Duvall - who was nominated for a Razzie Award for her role - proves to be the weakest link here as I couldn't take her character seriously at any point of the film. She always had an expression like a deer in the headlights, and all of her more emotional scenes were so over-the-top that I felt pushed away by her character. Every time she "graced" the screen, I wanted to look away, and that's not good when you've only got three characters for most of the film.

I also had major issue with the music in the film. As I explained in my post about how my grading system works, the music in a film plays a very important role. The score I give for this criterion doesn't come down to whether it's good or bad (although the music in The Shining is bad, in my opinion); rather, it's more of a question of whether it fits well with the movie. In a sense, it should complement a film without standing out and being the only thing you notice in a scene. That's really where The Shining goes wrong. I can see why certain compositions were used for certain scenes, but they were so overbearing and so interrupting that they completely took me out of a few tense moments. I haven't had a film's music remove me from the film itself this much since I saw 2007's There Will Be Blood.

Ultimately, I know I'll probably take some hits for the fact that I don't completely adore this flick. IMDb users currently rate it as the fiftieth greatest movie of all time, but right now, I can't bring myself to agree. It's still one of the most iconic films in history, with memorable lines like "Here's Johnny!" and "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." Perhaps I'll give it another go in a couple of months - subsequent viewings can always help shed light on previous questions. Until then, the score below is the best I can give The Shining.

Movie Review Summary:

Grade: C+
Thumbs Sideways