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#90
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (2007)
No Country for Old Men poster

CAST
JAVIER BARDEM, JOSH BROLIN, TOMMY LEE JONES, WOODY HARRELSON, KELLY MACDONALD, STEPHEN ROOT

DIRECTED BY
ETHAN COEN, JOEL COEN

Greed is the catalyst for the bloody pursuit featured in No Country for Old Men, the Coen Brothers Oscar winning adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s novel of the same name.

Josh Brolin stars as a hunter who stumbles upon two million dollars in drug money, only for death to come calling in the form of tenacious hitman Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem). Tracking them both is Tommy Lee Jones as savvy sheriff Ed Tom Bell, who mourns the increasingly violent nature of the modern world.  

Excellent performances from all involved (especially a chilling Bardem) and on key filmmaking by the Coens makes No Country for Old Men a thrilling, violent, dark, and utterly unforgettable movie experience not for the faint hearted.

 

 

 


#89
UP (2009)
Up poster

CAST
EDWARD ASNER, JORDAN NAGAI, DELROY LINDO, BOB PETERSON, CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER

DIRECTED BY
PETE DOCTOR

Has the sight of 1000 balloons ever looked so glorious? Is there a better montage than that found in this film’s heartbreaking opening scenes?

If there is one word to describe Up, it would be: risky. Having an elderly widow and obese young boy as the protagonists in an animated adventure tale would require a large leap of faith for any movie studio.

Yet through Pixar greatness is achieved with these most unlikely of partnerships, giving way to a vibrant exploration of how life’s great adventures can come from griefs gloomy depths.

 

 

#88
COOL HAND LUKE (1967)
Cool Hand Luke poster

CAST
PAUL NEWMAN, LOU ANTONIO, J.D. CANNON, GEORGE KENNEDY, STROTHER MARTIN,

DIRECTED BY
STUART ROSENBERG

If cinema had saints, Paul Newman would be one of the first to be canonised.

His performance as Luke in the southern prison movie Cool Hand Luke is a prime example as to why. Cheeky, biting and with a rebellious streak as long as the chain-gang he is attached to, the character of Luke also represents one of the finer versions of the Christ figure in cinema, with sacrifice and redemption key themes throughout.

Filled with many great moments, this entertaining, haunting, and undeniably moving film deserves all of its praise and then some.  

 

 

#87
THE KING’S SPEECH (2010)
The Kings Speech poster

CAST
COLIN FIRTH, GEOFFREY RUSH, HELENA BONHAM CARTER, JENNIFER EHLE, MICHAEL GAMBON, GUY PEARCE, TIMOTHY SPALL

DIRECTED BY
TOM HOOPER

Turning the royal drama on its hand, The King’s Speech doesn’t worry itself with aplomb and instead focuses on the friendship between two men who would change one another’s lives and the future of a country at the brink of war.

Colin Firth delivers a career best performance as King George VI, the stuttering royal who in order to overcome the public humiliation of his royal duties enlists the help of Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush), whose unconventional methods results in real change.

Director Tom Hopper’s innovative and stylish visual approach combined with the top notch acting from the films two leads results in a rousing, heartfelt historical drama of the highest calibre.     

 

 

#86
GANDHI (1982)
Gandhi poster

CAST
BEN KINGSLEY, CANDICE BERGEN, IAN CHARLESON, SAEED JAFFREY, AMRISH PURI, ROSHAN SETH, MARTIN SHEEN

DIRECTED BY
RICHARD ATTENBOROUGH

An incredibly epic biopic on the life and activism of one of the great figures of the 20th century, Gandhi’s gargantuan runtime is filled with strong performances and an even stronger sense of place and time.

Ben Kingsley famously, brilliantly portrays Mohandas Gandhi from his activist beginnings, to his ascent as a national hero and leader of a nonviolent movement against British rule in India.

Director Richard Attenborough expertly navigates the audience through the many political and social issues of the time, but most importantly represents the spirit of a man who became the father of a nation.

 

 

#85
CITY OF GOD (2002)
City of God poster

CAST 
ALEXANDRE RODRIGUES, ALICE BRAGA, LEANDRO FIRMINO, PHELIIPE HAAGENSEN, SUE JORGE, MATHEUS NACHTERGAELE

DIRECTED BY 
FERNANDO MEIRELLES

Visually arresting and unforgettable in every way, Fernando Meirelles’ City of God is a stunning exploration into the brutal, poverty stricken crime underbelly in Brazil, where teenage hoods run drug enterprises and murder those who get in their way.   

With a cast mostly comprised of non-professional actors and filming taking place in the actual slums of Brazil, an authentic and gritty tone is set throughout the film, enhancing the feeling of danger and the stakes at play in an environment where young sociopaths drunk on power live by an itchy trigger finger.

Along with Meirelles’ expert handle on the technical aspects of his craft, City of God is a film to be seen and to be applauded.  

 

 

#84
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING (2001)
Lord of the Rings the Fellowship f the Ring poster

CAST
SEAN ASTIN, SEAN BEAN, CATE BLANCHETT, ORLANDO BLOOM, IAN McKELLEN, VIGGO MORTENSEN, LIV TYLER, HUGO WEAVING, ELIJAH WOOD

DIRECTED BY
PETER JACKSON

Taking on one of the greatest books ever written is never an easy feat, yet Peter Jackson did just that and created cinematic history with The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

The first of three films to be based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic novel, …The Fellowship of the Ring focuses on a quest led by powerful wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellan), brave warrior Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), and courageous hobbit Frodo (Elijah Wood) to destroy an all-powerful ring before it falls into the wrong hands.

Excellent choice of New Zealand location for the depiction of fantastical Middle Earth, top grade visual effects, and a truly enthralling story portrayed by a fantastic cast results in a swords and fantasy film of incredible technique and rousing spirit.

 

 


#83
NOSFERATU (1922)
Nosferatu poster

CAST
MAX SCHRECK, GUSTAV VAN WANGANHEIM, GRETA SCHRODER, ALEXANDER GRANACH

DIRECTED BY
F.W. MURNAU

Although vampire films are essentially a genre unto their own, the 1922 originator Nosferatu still stands as the creepiest, darkest and innovative vampire movies to haunt the screen.

Based on Bram Stoker’s Dracula (legal reasons saw many a character name change) and directed by F.W. Murnau, Nosferatu is a silent film classic that proves a picture can deliver a thousand scares and features one of the great performances in Max Schreck’s monstrous Coun t Orlock.

 

 

 

#82
INFERNAL AFFAIRS (2002)
Infernal Affairs poster

CAST 
ANDY LAU, TONY LEUNG, KELLY CHEN, SAMMI CHENG, ERIC TSANG, ANTHONY WONG

DIRECTED BY 
ANDREW LAU, ALAN MAK

The basis upon which The Departed was made, Infernal Affairs taught a lagging Hollywood a lesson in how to make a hard as nails yet entertaining gangster movie, incorporating a slick visual style to accompany its gripping story of two undercover operatives (Andy Lau and Tony Leung) working on opposing sides of the law.

A thrilling crime drama which is high on style and backed with depth and intelligence, Infernal Affairs features fluid direction from Andrew Lau and Alan Mak, an excellent screenplay that is filled with great characters and plot twists that will keep you on your feet, and exceptional performances.

 

 

#81
THE FIGHTER (2010)
The Fighter poster

CAST
CHRISTIAN BALE, MARK WAHLBERG, AMY ADAMS, MELISSA LEO, JACK McGEE

DIRECTED BY
DAVID O.RUSSELL

Several years had passed since director David O. Russell last released a movie. It was with The Fighter that O. Russell repositioned himself from a once maligned figure to a filmmaker of high quality work.

Based on the true story, The Fighter centres on half-brothers Dickie Eckland (Christian Bale) and Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg), Boston boxers whose once inseparable bond is tested when Dickie’s drug addiction leads to near tragedy.

With O. Russell in excellent form behind the lens, and the likes of Bale, Wahlberg, Melissa Leo and Amy Adams delivering exceptional performances, The Fighter proved to be a boxing movie that packs a mighty wallop.  

 

 

 
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Created and Edited by Matthew Pejkovic / Contact: mattsm@mattsmoviereviews.net
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