The Revenant (2015)

"As long as you can still grab a breath, you fight. You breathe... keep breathing," - Hugh Glass

Fantastic story of a hunter attacked by a bear that ends up being left behind by his team and gives his life to return in search of revenge.

Captivating and holds your attention until the end, we can highlight the great work of Tom Hardy but we MUST talk and talk a lot about the performance of Leonardo DiCaprio, one of the best performances of all time.

****1/2

Game Over: Kasparov and the Machine (2003)

"How do you make a computer blink?" - Garry Kasparov

Excellent documentary showing some of the rise of the best chess player of all times Garry Kasparov until his toughest match against computaodr IBM's Deep Blue. Several interviews and images with those involved at the time, bringing the whole psychology behind strong matches series between Kasparov and Deep Blue.

***1/2

Interstellar (2014)

"Do not go gentle into that good night; Old age should burn and rave at close of day. Rage, rage against the dying of the light." -  Dr. Brand

A simply smashing masterpiece that brings the story of a group of engineers traveling through a wormhole looking for a new planet to save earth's population .

*****

Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013)

 

"As long as I can siphon off the Speed Force, you can't escape this timeline." - Professor Zoom

Barry Allen learns the painful way than a simple desire to bring back to life the most important person in your life back can bring unimaginable consequences for everyone around him, creating a reality of chaos and massive destruction.

Fantastic animation with amazing action among the most important members of the Justice League in an engaging story with incredible brutal battles.

****1/2

Kumonosu-jô (1957)

 

"Because a man without ambitions is not a man." - Asaji Washizu

Throne of Blood (aka Kumonosu-jo) adapts William Shakespeare's play Macbeth for the feudal Japan, in a brilliant story where Toshirô Mifune plays a war general consumed by ambition to become lord after a mysterious encounter with a woman following a victorious battle.

A amazing film no doubt, by many considered the best movie adaptation of Macbeth.

*****

El Chanfle (1979)

 

"Wear the shirt contrary is unsportsmanlike and dishonest. - Dr. Nájera

Roberto Gómez Bolaños plays the role of a clumsy and incredibly fun wardrobe that works for Club America in Mexico.

A really gorgeous comedy with intelligent humor always as is usual an outstanding performance of Bolaños and your mates from Chavo del Ocho.

***3/4

Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (1988)

 

"Whatever you end up doing, love it." - Alfredo

A young boy learns to love the film along with a filmmaker, while discovering the true meaning of friendship and love in this wonderful masterpiece of the italian cinema.

Directing, acting, soundtrack, all simply impeccable in that it is one of if not the most beautiful film in cinema history.

*****

Collateral (2004)

"There's no good reason, there's no bad reason to live or to die." - Vincent

A outstanding story of contract killer who makes a taxi driver as a hostage for a night in Los Angeles, with a brilliant performance by Tom Cruise in the role of Vincent, one of the best performances of his career without a doubt.

By the way, If you're a Jazz fan, for sure you will be happy with the amazing references for the artists who made history in this music.

****1/2

All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

 

"War isn't the way it looks back here" - Paul Bäumer

A simply brilliant and at the same time scary representation of how war can destroy a man, both physically and psychologically.

A strong and deep insight into how German soldiers are encouraged to enlist to defend their country during World War I, and how it changes their lives forever.

*****

Tsubaki Sanjûrô (1962)

"He was exactly like me. A naked sword. He didn't stay in his sheath." - Sanjûrô Tsubaki

A charismatic and irreverent samurai joins a group in a struggle to rescue the uncle of one of the men who was arrested by a corrupt superintendent.

A masterpiece directed by Akira Kurosawa, beyond excellent action, teaching us a story of never giving up and fighting the difficulties and injustices imposed by the arrogance and cruelty of others

****3/4

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns

Part 1 (2012)

 

"You don't get it, son. This isn't a mud hole. It's an operating table. And I'm the surgeon."  - Batman

The first part of a brilliant adaptation of the 1986 comic book The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller, tells a story of a 55-year-old Bruce Wayne who has been out of action for ten years and is forced to return of the retirement of the bat suit due to the new faces of crime that terrorizes Gotham.

Without the same youth before, this animation shows a Dark Knight much more violent and brutal in its fight against crime batman, not to mention the usual intelligence.

****

Part 2 (2013)

 

"I want you to remember that. I wanted to remind you to stay out of my way. In all the years to come, in your most private moments, I want you to remember the one man who beat you!" - Batman

In the second part, an epic end. While the dark knight manages to lead a lawless Gotham his arch rival Joker returns more ruthless than ever to a final act, which culminates in a surprising final confrontation between the two.

Meanwhile, Superman is used as a weapon by the U.S. government in a war against the Soviets, is forced to return to Gotham to stop his former friend, who exposed the lack of capacity of the government to maintain order and protect their own citizens.

****1/4

Godzilla (2014)

 "The arrogance of men is thinking nature is in their control and not the other way around." - Ichiro Serizawa

The return of the classic monster after a demonstration of arrogance of human technology. Fantastic movie that holds your attention from beginning to end, with a perfect combination of history, acting and special effects.

****

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

"Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room." - President Merkin Muffley

A spectacular comedy directed by the brilliant Stanley Kubrick, satirizing the period of cold war between Americans and communists after World War II. No individual performances to highlight, all the cast did good in their respective roles, collaborating with brilliant screenplay written by Kubrick.

Dark humor intelligent from the most high quality.

****3/4

The Kid (1921)

 

 "A picture with a smile - and perhaps, a tear."

The tramp discovers an abandoned kid and decides to take care of him. A silent masterpice with simply sensational performances Chaplin (as The Tramp) and Jackie Coogan (as The Kid).

As the opening title says, you will laugh and will surely be touched by these two.

*****

Man of Steel (2013)

"You are not alone... My name is General Zod. I have journeyed across an ocean of stars to reach here. Your world has sheltered one of my citizens. He will look like you, but he is not one of you. To those of you who know of his location: the fate of your planet rests in your hands. To Kal-El, I say this: surrender within 24 hours, or watch this world suffer the consequences..." - General Zod

Absolutely fantastic movie. Zack Snyder tells the story of the birth of the man of steel from the rivalry between Jor-El and General Zod on Krypton, showing the origin of the trip Kal-el to earth to an epic battle when General decides to come back for one of their citizens.

Excellent performances from Henry Cavill playing the man of steel and with a height rival, Michael Shannon was awesome in the role of General Zod.

****1/4

Paths of Glory (1957)

"There are few things more fundamentally encouraging and stimulating than seeing someone else die." - General Broulard

Paths of Glory shows the coldness of the commanders with their soldiers in World War I, during the refusal to advance on a mission impossible. One of the best war films of the cinema where Kubick shows the cruel reality of the time in a simple and magnificent way.

****1/2

Safety Last! (1923)

 *Lot of Laugh* - You watching this film

As I'm a huge fan of black/white and silent films I feel guilty for never have watched this one before, it's looks so underrated. We're used to hear about the great classics of Chaplin and Buster Keaton, but Harold Lloyd is one to put in together with them.

I felt like a child watching Looney Tunes cartoons, and again I confirmed that a good comedy can be a simple one, and more simple more funny it is. It's incredible how this kind of movie can make you laugh out of silly things when todays movies just throw a bunch of images, words and sounds to force people to laugh.

The building climbing scene is fantastic, it's made of funny moments and some quite intences. Sometimes it seemed so realistic for it's time. The film doesn't get boring and the comedy has a good timing.

I shall never forget to mention this film when the "silent films" subject comes up.

I'll give it Five Star soon as I ditch the cop.

*****

The Great Dictator (1940)

"Greed has poisoned men's souls, has barricaded the world with hate, has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed." - Jewish Barber

The comedy in cinema today is cheapened, with directors leaving aside the intelligence and focusing on sex appeals and other ignorances meaningless. In this film Chaplin had first of all, a huge courage in the middle of World War II to criticize superb two of the greatest dictators this world has ever seen, Hitler and Mussolini.

For those unfamiliar, is worth watching the story of a Jewish barber in times of war and of a dictator who wanted to dominate the world, both played by Chaplin in this masterpiece that should always be remembered. A spectacular intelligent comedy, which was written and directed impeccably.

*****

The Godfather: Part II (1974)

 

"If anything in this life is certain, if history has taught us anything, it is that you can kill anyone." - Michael Corleone

Making a film worthy of being called a work of art, is for a few, make two movies in a row in a same story, just Francis Ford Coppola could do.

The Godfather Part II continues to tell the story of the rise of Michael Corleone to his downfall in another phenomenal performance of Al Pacino. In parallel, it is also told through a phenomenal performance for a young Robert De Niro, the story of the coming of Vito Corleone coming to the United States and its growth in the world of mafia.

There is no need of many words to describe this film, if not one of the best productions of the cinema history.

*****

The Rite (2011)

 

"Choosing not to believe in the Devil, won't protect you from him" - Father Lucas Trevant

It's about a young skeptic seminarist, that starts doubting his faith and then is sent to study exorcism in Rome.

Besides all the effects and the hollywood terror drama, the film is based on a real facts that helps to make the film even more interesting. It's full of symbology and some great short dialogues, things that comes back to your mind through the whole film.

By the way, no one could deliver it better than Antonhy Hopkins (Who interpretates a old exorcist), his acting is always captivating.


****