Sep 16, 2005 12:56 AM
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(Updated Sep 16, 2005 12:57 AM)
The following are 5 of my favourite English films of all time.
Some might agree, while others object, but like I said they are 5 of MY favourite films.
So here goes.
Godfather II: Francis Ford Coppola's mafia classic. This movie was Robert De Niro's breakthrough performance as Don Carleone, portrayed in the original by Marlon Brando.
It also casts a young Al Pacino as Michael Carleone, James Caan, Robert Duvall and many others, all at the peak of their movie careers.
Although the first film was great, the sequel was a sheer classic, while the third(which came out in 1990) faded without a trace.
Still so powerful, no matter how many times you've seen it.
The BEST sequel in cinema history.
Star Wars: The film that changed movies forever.
George Lucas set trend for sci-fi entertainment that spawned a series of sequels from Empire Strikes Back to Revenge Of The Sith, each one brilliant in it's uniqueness and brilliance.
Although I have to say that Return Of The Jedi and Revenge Of The Sith edge out the original, the first movie set the trend which the rest followed.
Star Wars was responsible for bringing in a whole new way of marketing and merchandising.
Gladiator: Russel Crowe unleashed hell in Ridley Scott's epic.(Although he seems to be releasing hell on and off screen nowadays).
He plays Maximus, commander of the Armies of the North, captured and cast into the arena of Rome as a gladiator.
The movie seeks no emotional centre, but rather glorifies an icon, the gladiator.
One of the first films to use CGI skillfully enough to create a whole new world in a live-action pic - paving the way for other movies like the LOTR trilogy, Troy, Alexander, Moulin Rouge!.
Entertainment at it's best.
Raging Bull: Scorsese and Robert De Niro at their best.
The film is so powerful it tears into your memory forever. It's casts De Niro as Jake La Motta, a boxer who ends up depressed and on the other side of life's comfort zones.
The boxing scenes have never or since been shone with such brutality and gracefulness. The best moments are the ones of anticipation in slow-mo before the reality of real time kicks in.
A REAL GENIUS by Martin Scorsese, which should have bagged the Oscar, but instead it went to the movie Ordinary People.
With Scorsese's The Aviator just missing out on another award in last year's ceremony to Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby, it begs the question: IS SCORSESE EVER GOING TO GET ONE, OR IS HE JUST JINXED?
The Terminator: The final one of the pick.
ARNIE+ T-800= cinema's greatest match.
In cinema history there has never been a more fitting match-up of actor and character than Arnold and The Terminator.
Arnie's bad-ass persona was harnessed brilliantly by James Cameron in 1984. But Schwarzenegger's only other performance as a bad guy in Batman & Robin as Mr. Freeze signalled the end of his A-list movie career.
Well there you go, five of my personal favourites.
Other classics include Peter Jackson's LOTR trilogy, Spielberg's E.T.(NOT THE TURKEY OF A REMAKE), Titanic, Aliens, Pacino's brilliant portrayal in Scarface and Serpico, Scorsese's Mafia take-on history Goodfellas and Casino, Mickey Rourke's one and only decent movie Angel Heart, Se7en, and so to speak.
I also have to admit, these are some of the ones that came to mind, and me being a movie freak should remember more.
Well, NOW IT'S YOUR TURN. AGREE?
Please do comment and leave suggestions.
