Suyog's top 10 English Movies. Review on Ten Best English Movies

'I think if you know what you believe, it makes it a lot easier to answer questions. I can't answer your question.'

—*In response to a question about whether he wished he could take back any of his answers in the first debate. Reynoldsburg, Ohio, Oct. 4, 2000 – Who else?! Dubya

George Bush!

I have been trying to write this review since long. Since I have time to spare, I decided to write as much as possible before I hibernate again from MS for a while! So here I am this time, telling you folks about my favorite English movies. Now, its just my choice, so u may like it or not like it. If you like them – fine! If you don’t – fine! Just enjoy the review!

Forrest Gump

Possibly one of the best movies made ever. What made this movie obviously great was Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump. Full marks to Robert Zemericks for taking the novel of the same name and interpreting it so beautifully on screen. Indeed, those who have read the novel will agree with me that the movie was so much better than the novel.

Extra Terrestrial

Why I love this movie is the treatment given to this story! How many times have you seen a movie where an alien is a friend of human and actually has emotions? Normally you would have the aliens who want to destroy the earth and some super junks trying to save the earth. Spielberg’s masterful touch is seen all scenes in this movie – especially the last scene of the movie. A bit of trivia here – Satyajit Ray had written what was believed to be the first draft of this movie and taken it to Hollywood. He wanted to direct a movie then in the sixties, however Hollywood ridiculed him. He gave the script to his friend there and came back.  Later after going through many hands and changing authors, Spielberg finally made the movie.

Apocalypse Now

This is one of the rare war movies I have loved. Normally all war movies tend to show a super hero and his bunch of soldiers over coming some great task losing many men; with lots of melodrama built around it. However this is one movie, where madness of war is displayed in full light. Built around the Vietnam war, this movie show cases how bad the war really was and how it had nothing good come of it. The best scene of the movie is the scene where the hero meets French plantation farmers and has a discussion about the war with him. Every dialogue on how the French viewed the war as just a means of proving America’s supremacy is brilliantly taken. Sadly, this whole 30 minute scene was cut from the original for obvious reasons.

The Godfather

Was there another movie like this? Godfather 2? You must be joking! Godfather 3? You must be crazy! This is ‘the movie’ amongst all the gangster epics I have seen. Again, Francis ford copola’s masterpiece proves that he was a genius in his time. Rarely are movies as good as the books, and this is one of them. Superb performances by Marlyn Brando and Al Pacino make this movie an instant classic. And of course, who can forget John William’s supremely haunting score. If you haven’t heard the theme of godfather, you haven’t heard music!

The Sixth Sense

After Alfred Hitchcock and Spielberg, I think its only M. Night Shyamlan who knows how to operate a camera to its fullest extent. Even if you see it, you don’t make it out. This movie had a brilliant script, and then some splendid direction. Not till the last 30 seconds do you realize what the movie was about. M. Night Shyamlan’s also came out with another super movie Signs this year. Again, notice how he manages to carry off a scene with just a torch light! He has makings of a director!

Psycho

Still on Alfred Hitchcock, I guess this is the best movie he ever made. Ask me, for this semester we have watched all of his movies! A superb tale of murder, suspense and mystery, this has the viewer in circles all around till the last scene. Who is the killer, Why was murder committed, who is the strange other of the hero – This had so many thrilling points. Add to it some awesome direction…even when you see the obvious, you wont get it!  Simply put – If you haven’t seen this movie, you haven’t seen Hitchcock’s best!

Dumb and Dumber

Easily one of the best comedies to have come out! I must have watched this movie hundred times by now and not a single time have I got bored. If there is Jeff Daniels who acts really well in this movie, then there is the leader of all comic heroes – Jim Carrey!  The farelly brothers made a wonderful script, and absolute whacko entertainer and carried it off!  Of course there is nothing like the last scene of the movie…Brilliant! And every time I watch end I always wonder – Why wasn’t there a sequel to this movie?

Titanic

You may agree or disagree, but for me James Cameroon epic on true love on a doomed ship is an all time classic to me. The movie was go grand, so colossal and yet so beautiful. Many think this is a bad movie, but I thought this was a brilliant movie backed with superb special effects and reasonably good storyline. Again, it’s the end of the movie which makes this movie all the more touching and heart warming. James Cameroon hasn’t made a movie till then – lets hope his next one is as good as this was!

Sound of Music

Another movie which is so close to my heart. Julie Andrew’s best movie I should say! The musical boasted some excellent melodies which have remained with me even today. Add to it, some charming acting by Julie Andrew makes this movie even better. This movie was adapted in Hindi as well, however it never had any greatness of this movie. See it today!

The Lion King

THE BEST animated movie ever in my opinion. It took 2 years to make this movie and what a movie it turned out to be. A very simple story, told with lots of love and emotions – this movie captured  my heart immediately. The characters of samba, scar, mufasar still remain close to my heart. Why, even today when I see this movie, I can recall almost all the lines of the movie! What a great piece of work this movie is.

Well folks those were my 10 best English movies. I would have loved to add Life is Beautiful in this list, however its originally in Italian, and is best enjoyed when seen in Italian with subtitles. If you haven’t seen my list, then  you missed some of the best movies! Happy watching!

'A surplus means there'll be money left over. Otherwise, it wouldn't be called a surplus.'

• The one and only, Dubya George Bush.