Top Five Scores

Out of curiosity the other day I looked up what was considered to be the top 25 film scores of all-time HERE.

And I was shocked at how the most recent score on there is over 26 years old.

That seems ridiculous to me.

I feel like there have been so many good scores that have come out in the last two decades, that these AFI reviewers really should take these into consideration!

But oh well. Just one guy's opinion.

Here are my Top Five Scores of all-time (in no particular order).


1. The Time Machine (Klaus Badelt, 2002)


Well this is where it all began for me, so I guess it's appropriate to start here.




This is the soundtrack that got me into film scores, and showed me just how much they could add to the experience of going to the movies. This movie showed me how much depth, emotion, and the number of different feelings that those haunting notes could make you feel.

This is probably a rare example of a soundtrack that I could listen to ALL the way through, and that's very rare, usually there's one or two tracks that I find myself skipping. But not here. It's truly amazing work.
I highly recommend you check this one out.

Highlight Tracks:
 -I Don't Belong Here
-Professor Alexander Hartdegen
-Where The Ghosts Are
-Good Night



2. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (Howard Shore, 2001-2003)






Now here's an example of some amazing work. And by mean amazing, I mean exactly that.

Howard Shore's work on The Lord of the Rings will go down in history as being one of the most expansive and incredible bodies of work ever composed for any film.
Ever.

Just like The Lord of the Rings films themselves,
the score is grand, epic, delicate, and moving.
It really is amazing.

If you haven't had a chance to check out the Trilogy, do me a favor and at least listen to the soundtrack to The Fellowship of the Ring.

It's where a lot of the magic happens.

Highlight Tracks:
-Gollum's Song
-The Great River
-The Breaking of the Fellowship
-The Council of Elrond




3. Hook (John Williams, 1991)






Now this score really brings me back to my childhood, with its powerful themes and resonant melodies, as
soon as I pop this one in, I am IN Neverland. There's really no other way to describe it.

Hook, an under-rated film by Steven Spielberg, is the story that tells us what happened if Peter Pan grew up. Now this soundtrack took me a while to appreciate it the way that it deserved to be appreciated. I remember watching this movie when I was four years old, and the songs (as I knew it then) in the movie played an important part in the memory of this film both in my mind, and in my heart.

It was only after I became aware of movie scores that I dug deep into my library of childhood favorites and pulled this one out, a fantastic score that went unrecognized as one of the best scores that John Williams ever composed.

I highly recommend you listen to it.
Maybe you'll experience a little of your childhood in the process...

Highlight Tracks:
-You Are The Pan
-Farewell Neverland
-The Never-Feast
-Prologue


4. TRON: Legacy (Daft Punk, 2010)





This one surprised me. A lot. So when they announced a sequel to the 1982 cult classic TRON, trust me, I was on board, but I never in a million years, thought that it would end up being one of my top ten movies of all-time. I also didn't think it was possible that I wasn't going to be let down by the score. Which when I heard the French electronica duo Daft Punk was composing, I was ecstatic. I mean, they were made for The Grid. So there was no way that the soundtrack could be as good as I wanted it to be.

Man was I wrong.

It pretty much surpassed my expectations in every way imaginable.

I thought it would be "techno-y" and fun, but I never expected it to get as emotional as it did. Its span was vast, and that's why I appreciated it so much. It had the ability to touch nearly every level for me.

Every time I listen to it, it puts me right back in the world of The Grid. Simply amazing.

As always, if you didn't care for the film,

at least check out the soundtrack!


Highlight Tracks:
-The Grid
-Recognizer
-Arrival
-Flynn Lives
-End Titles



5. The Fountain (Clint Mansell, 2006)





We end things with The Fountain, which had a TRON-like effect on me when I first saw it back in 2006.

I mean this score was incredible. The emotional depths that it went to were unbelievable. The way that the score encapsulated every moment of that emotion on screen is amazing.

I can't even say that much more about it, just trust me that under the right context, this one is a game changer.

Check It Out.

Highlight Tracks:
-The Last Man 
-We Will Live Forever
-Xiabalba
-Stay With Me





HONORABLE MENTIONS:


-The Village (James Newton Howard, 2004)

-The Last Samurai (Hans Zimmer, 2003)

-King Kong (James Newton Howard, 2005)

-Batman Begins (Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard, 2005)

-Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (John Williams, 2004)

A Review of Reviews

Ah, Film Reviews.

You are my best friend and my worst enemy.
The source of countless debates, some of which I can't say I'm proud of (shakes head).

There are many positive aspects about film reviews.
And yet, for as many positive aspects, we have the negative aspects.

So to make this blog as simple and reader-friendly as possible,
I opt to break "Reviews" down into two basic categories:

A film getting mostly positive reviews,
and a film getting mostly negative reviews.

Let's start with the positive reviews, shall we?

Well a movie getting positive reviews is great right?

I mean let's say you head on over to RottenTomatoes.com (a review website which takes each film and uses a whole bunch of reviews from various credible sources and puts them on the same page, sorting out the "rotten" reviews and the "fresh" reviews, all adding up to a percentage out of a possible 100%. 60% and above is considered to be a "fresh" movie) once you're on the website you notice that you have a few options that are opening up this weekend, you have John Carter (standing at a 51% (rotten) ) and The Hunger Games (standing at a 85% (fresh) ), now both films are considered action movies.
Yet, according to the reviews, John Carter is considered the worst of the two movies.
Are you with me so far?

So if you care about the reviews, you're more likely to go with The Hunger Games if you're an action movie fan, right?

That leads us to one of two branches of "problems" within the positive review category.

Branch Number One: People who care about the reviews too much and will only see the movies with positive reviews.

These people annoy the crap out of me to be honest.
I mean, I understand not running to see A Thousand Words or Bucky Larson: Born To Be A Star.

But this continuous avenue of thinking has the potential to only box that person in in regard to their movie-going experience.

What if there's a movie that's getting okay reviews, or even, a movie that's getting bad reviews and that person passes that movie up solely because of the reviews?

And what if that movie had the entertainment value and emotional potential to make it one of that person's favorite movies ever?

They will never know...

...Because they stick to only what's safe, and can limit your opportunities to grow and experience things that might surprise you with how good they are!

I mentioned in a previous blog that I believe that movies, for the most part, are a very personal experience.
You're not always going to like what everyone else likes, and vice versa.

(For instance, I do not like The Godfather at all. I find that particular movie far too boring and there's nothing there for me to personally relate to. Yet it's considered one of the greatest films ever made.)

The point is to get out there and experience what you want to and what you like!
You don't have to listen to every critic to make a decision on what you're going to like!

...still with me?

And then there's Branch Number Two: The people who rebel against "the majority".

We all have a friend like this (shakes head again).

That person who likes everything that you don't like, and for the most part, doesn't like the things that you like. Suffice it to say, it can be very frustrating.

Especially when it comes to movies (for me, anyway)

Get enough people to say that a movie's great, and like the sun rising and setting, this branch of moviegoer WILL find the flaw that makes it a terrible movie.

Almost like they just want to purposefully stand out, and go against the crowd.

I mean, I get where you're coming from, I just feel like, you guys need to lighten up every once in a while.

Just because you like what another group likes doesn't mean you're giving into "the man",
it simply means you're stating a personal preference and admitting that you actually might like a movie that you claim is too "fill in the 'trying-to-sound-smart-but-not-pulling-it-off' word here".



So we've discussed the problems with the Positive Reviews (and hopefully I'm being as clear as I can be)
that just leaves the Negative Reviews.

That's a category that scares a lot of would-be-happy customers away, doesn't it?

"That movie is getting negative reviews!"

That's sort of the kiss of death for films in this age where technology
makes reviews so easily accessible (on our computers, apps to our phones).

This concept leads us to two branches of "problems" in the negative review category.


Branch Number One: The people who know that the reviews are god-awful and have heard every terrible thing you can think of about this movie, and still see it, only to end up being mad and/or angry that they saw that movie.

The readily-available technology doesn't pose a threat to some people,
they're going to see their movies no matter what the reviews say.

And if you're taking the path of not caring what the reviews say,
but following what you think will entertain you, than that's good.

BUT buyer beware: you're not going to like everything that you see. 


Working at a movie theater I get this all the time, and please understand that I'm completely honest when customers ask me what my opinion is of a movie.

If I think the movie is great, I'll tell them how much I liked it.
If I didn't like it at all, I'm going to tell them that, and I'm going to tell them why I didn't like it.

-- RANDOM INFO: Oh just for the record, if you work at a movie theater and someone comes up and asks about a specific movie title (i.e Ghost Rider 2, Skyline, etc.) instead of asking general questions like "what do you have playing?" or "how's this movie versus that movie?" No, if they come up and ask "hey how's that Twilight Breaking Dawn movie?" like if they already have the title picked out when they come up to ask you, they KNOW they want to see that movie. Nine times out of ten, they're just embarrassed to be seeing it, and they need a cover. And no matter what you say about that movie, you could say it's the worst piece of crap you've ever seen and a copy of its DVD is rumored to be playing on a loop as you enter Hell, nine times out of ten, they're gonna see it anyway. Just an interesting fact I've noticed. --

But no matter what people hear about a movie sometimes, they're gonna see it. It's almost like some kind of bizarre compulsion.
And they usually end up hating it.
What's interesting is it's almost kind of a tradition for some people it seems, they're just seeing bad movies all the time.
And they usually don't like them.

I feel like... hey maybe you shouldn't see crappy movies all the time, then maybe you won't be so disappointed? There's a thought.

But people don't generally listen to me (shakes head for a third time), so I just keep my mouth shut.


But when it comes to the subject of Negative Reviews,
Here's the other side of the coin:

Branch Number Two: The people that wouldn't touch a negative-reviewed movie with a ten-foot pole.

Now as I write down this problem, I'm feeling like one of the main issues with audiences is there isn't enough mediation when it comes to people's movie-going experiences. Either people are skewed one way or skewed the other, much like the people who review the films (that's an interesting thought).

This particularly negative branch ties back to the two branches in the positive review category.
Again, the prospect of technology being so readily accessible, really has the ability to scare the average person out of a seeing a movie that they might otherwise enjoy.

Here's an example of what I'm talking about:

There's a man named Harry Knowles and he runs the website Aintitcoolnews.com. He's a reviewer of movies. Now why is this man important when I'm talking about negative reviews you wonder?

Well this particular reviewer is pretty famous, and generally speaking he gets invited on to the sets for a lot of upcoming movies that are in production. And those movies that he gets invited to, he says are GREAT.
He loves them.
He'll find anything he can and pull it out and slap it on the table in favor of the movie.

But if he's denied access to visit the set, he finds a whole of bunch of problems with it.
He finds tons of things wrong with it, even if it is considered a classic, great movie, etc.

So here we have a professional Film Reviewer giving a movie a bad review NOT because it's a bad movie and he didn't like it. BUT because he's throwing a tantrum because he wasn't invited to the set of the movie.

The review of the film Inception was an issue of debate with a close friend of mine, and he brought the true actions of Harry Knowles to my attention. Which was actually the inspiration for this blog response. If you want to, check it out HERE.

His review of the film is like a big joke.
But he plays it off like it's a bad movie.
In actuality, he's simply taking out the fact that
Christopher Nolan (the director) didn't allow him to visit the set.
But he masks his contempt by simply saying that the movie was underwhelming and never really specifies why it made him so underwhelmed.
Essentially Mr. Knowles doesn't really have anything bad to say about it with the exception that there should have been more things being dreamed up..

That really bothers me that we live in a world where that kind of crap goes on, especially when with some people, seeing a movie with bad reviews is something that they just don't do. So to see a movie get bad reviews on something that really has NOTHING to do with the movie itself is disturbing and troublesome.




So in the end, after all the pros and cons of reviews it seems that just like the movies seem to polarize critics, reviews have the ability to polarize audiences.

Yet I firmly believe that you must think for yourself and see the movie that you want to see, yet understand that reviews can be helpful, as long as they don't become a crutch that's used to prevent you from expanding your horizons and trying new things and new opportunities.

A Piece Of The Puzzle

Out of all the numerous possibilities and numerous factors, what would you consider to be the most important element you notice when you're watching a film?

Take a moment.

Hey, I'm a blog post,
I've got a lot of time on my hands.

............

Alright, now what have you come up with?

Is it the direction, no no it has to be the script, movies don't work without a good script!
Maybe it's the performances, I mean I'm not sure if I'd like the movie half as much if the actors weren't as good. What about the Cinematography, that's supposed to be good, right?

While these are all valid hypothetical answers, and they all important to the overall experience.
BUT, and that's a big but...
You're probably forgetting a very important element that didn't come to mind.

The Score.

Or as many people that I know lovingly call it: "Background Music".

Well that "background music" has been around pretty much since the birth of film, and has been using it to great effect to heighten the emotion associated with a particular film, or particular scene.

We've become accustomed to it of course, and I believe that a lot of the times the music in a film goes unnoticed during a person's movie-going experience.

Sometimes I believe that people don't know why they love the movies that they love, or certain scenes the way that they do. But what I can say is that I believe that the SCORE of a scene can have a lot to do with that person's overall impression with it.

A perfect example is "Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope", or as it was simply known back in 1977, "Star Wars".

Oh man...
That opening scene.
No one knew what they were in for,
No one, before that moment, had heard even a single note of what would become arguably the most recognizable theme in film history.

The screen was black.
And then audiences saw those bright blue words.

"A Long Time Ago In A Galaxy Far, Far Away...."

And then BAM!



   Can you imagine if those scrolling words randomly floating in space were not accompanied by the orchestra of John Williams?

I will sit behind this computer and type these words and tell you that I honestly believe that without John Williams' mesmerizing score, STAR WARS would not even be as 1/100th as popular as it is today.

It was the score that really sold the world of Star Wars, it sucked people in and was the perfect companion to that galaxy far, far away.
And I know that sounds crazy.
Because I'm talking about music.
But I'm telling you, it has the ability to be so much more than just music...

In case you haven't figured it out by now,
I love movie scores.

And please don't misunderstand me when I say that a lot of collaborative efforts go into making a movie, and the score plays only a part in that collaboration.

It's not the alpha and the omega.

But, I do believe that it has the ability to play a massive role in the success of a film.

What's frustrating is when scores aren't recognized, and not just by an average person going to the movies, I mean like at the Academy Awards. As an avid film-score lover, it really peeves me when I see five movies that are nominated for Best Picture, oh and wouldn't you know it, every nomination in the Best Original Score category is one of those movies.

Does that mean that those scores are the best five of the entire year?
NO.
Does that mean that those scores are even necessarily good?
Nope.

All this means is that the Academy watched those five movies, and went:
 "Oh that movie that's up for Best Picture has a score? Well it should be nominated then."
And they nominate it. And one of them wins. And this happens every single year now.
(This phenomenon is more recent, I should note, and it has not always been this way.)

Here's a perfect example of what I'm talking about.

In the 2002 Oscars, when the Academy didn't just cut and paste their Best Picture Nominee sheet
to their Best Original Score sheet, their were five nominations for Best Original Score.
Two of them included some pretty good scores, one of them was Catch Me If You Can, and the other was Road To Perdition.
But you know what won?

"Frida"

What the hell.
Okay, no one remembers that score.

But you know what else was came out that awards year?

"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone"

This iconic score contained what would later be regarded as one of the most powerful and recognizable movie themes in history.

Did it win?
No.

Was it even nominated?
Nope.

But something like Frida took home the gold that year.

Hopefully this example helps you understand my frustration with the Academy recently, because frankly their choice for the nominees is insulting.

Anyway, I should probably end my rant about movie scores before I scare you off for good.
I just get passionate about it.

The point is: scores can really add to the movie-going experience and sometimes (cough very often cough)
its presence can be frustratingly ignored or forgotten entirely.
So I simply ask that the next time you go see that movie that you've been dying to see (cough cough The Dark Knight Rises cough),
take the score into consideration, and appreciate it a little bit more.

Soak it all in.
Enjoy this beautiful little piece of that giant puzzle which helps make the movie-going experience so magical.

Adaptations And Their Opposition

I happened upon this article the other day, and it brought up a good point that I wanted to talk about.

It is common practice in these modern times to hear these words (and hear them often):

"Well that movie wasn't as good as the book..."

The question is: Why do we hear this so often?  What makes this so?

Well there's many avenues of thought on this particular topic, but I for one believe that movies definitely have the ability to be better than the book that it's based on.

 Is this blasphemy? The truth is: I don't really care anymore.

I've had it with these people who complain so often about how the movie adaptation of their precious book is so inferior to its source material. It really is a pet peeve of mine.

My question is: Why are you even bothering seeing the movie then?

The majority of these moviegoers are going to say the same thing over and over again, complaining about some minute detail that was apparently so important to them that it ruined their entire experience.

What I believe that they're missing is the core concept that the movie and the book that it's based on are two different mediums, and that they don't share the same universe in terms of their entertainment value.

If you were going to adapt, let's say War and Peace, would you adapt it verbatim, that is, every word in the entire novel?
Of course not.
That would be like a 26-hour movie.

Filmmakers and writers whose job it is to adapt a novel into a screenplay pick the themes and drama and action that they believe will best translate to the big screen and give the movie-going audience a film that can provide mass appeal. They do this instead of alienating the audience by only trying to appeal to fans of the book.

Part of this is process is based on the money-making aspect of it,
and the other part is, I think, common sense.

Not everything that is written in a novel would be appealing or necessary to an audience of moviegoers, so some things are omitted for reasons that could include: pacing, dramatic effect, length of the film, etc.

It really bothers me that even when an article like the one about how the "Harry Potter movies are better than the books" is still laced with quotes like:

"And to be even more honest, not one of our Potter experts -- not one -- preferred the movies to the books."

That's frustrating!

This is an article pointing out some of the reasons why the movies are superior to the books, and still it contains these undertones that actually these people are wrong for believing that, and that it's not really true.

I think that it's pretty ridiculous that even an article about why the movies are superior to the books feels like the author feels that the exact opposite is true.

And who knows, if you stepped back and realized the movie is not actually trying to avidly destroy the book you love, or its reputation, you might not only appreciate the film(s) more, you might even (DARE I SAY IT?) like it more than the book.

Dun dun DUN!

I know, impossible right?

Either that or just don't see the movie.

Either way, something's gotta give.

In the end of the rant...

I just think that people need to be a little more open-minded and they might appreciate the movie a little bit (or even a whole lot) more. Stop going into the movie adaptations expecting them to be awful and pointing out all its flaws, understand that this is appealing to a wider audience, and this is not an effort to destroy your love of the book.

Top Ten (Part One)

The What:
My Top Ten Movies.

The How:
Not In Any Particular Order.

The Why:
Because That's How I Roll.


UPDATE: I've decided due to the amount of content and work gone into this project, I'm going to split the list into two separate blogs. 1-5 in the first blog, followed by 6-10 in the second.


(For your convenience, each movie title is linked to the trailer for the film,
 and the information in the parentheses next to it is linked to even more info about the film!)

( Also anytime you see a highlighted word or sentence, it's a link to some bonus stuff! :] ) 


Alright here we go...
Take this, AFI!



1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, 2004)

         This movie instantly transported itself to the front of my brain when I sat down and thought of my top ten movies of all time. Ever since I first saw it back in 2004, I was mesmerized by the story and concept.

        Directed by Michel Gondry, this quirky movie redefined what a romantic comedy had the ability to be. The film is told from the perspective of Joel Barrish, a quiet mild-mannered man who has just found out that his former girlfriend has had their relationship erased from her memory (via a "revolutionary new brain procedure"). Unable to cope with this knowledge, Joel immediately opts to get the procedure done as well. The majority of the film takes place within Joel's mind, as the audience experinces each memory of the former couple together, but only before these memories are erased forever. It takes their erasure for Joel to realize how important these memories really are and...well, if you haven't seen it, I won't spoil it for you.

Let me just reiterate that this is a great movie and an amazing experience.

 If you haven't seen it:

Step One: Get up.
Step Two: Watch it right now (It's even on Netflix Instant Streaming!).


Final Comments: Everyone Should See It.






2. The Time Machine (Guy Pearce, Jeremy Irons, 2002)

       Alright so I should expressly state that you will see some movies on this list that I don't fully expect you to want to see right away, or enjoy nearly as much as I did. Some movies just hit you on a personal level, and have all the right elements going on. For me, The Time Machine is one of those movies. It's actually my favorite movie. But like previously stated, I don't expect it to be yours. The Time Machine just celebrated its 10th Anniversary this month, and it has had a solid place on my "All-Time" List since the day I saw it.

      The Time Machine tells the story of Alexander Hartedgen, a brilliant young professor in New York at the turn of the 20th Century. In love with the girl of his dreams, Alexander proposes to Emma, only moments later to have her shot in front of his eyes by a crazed mugger. Alexander spends the next four lonely years building The Time Machine, an amazing machine that he utilizes to desperately try and save Emma from her dark fate.

     As I hate spoilers in any form, I won't go any further in my description. But The Time Machine is a combination of many great factors, including its script, performances, special effects, and score. Actually The Time Machine has one of my favorite movie scores of all-time. I'm sure I'll do a Movie Score Blog sometime in the future, but the score to The Time Machine actually got me into scores in
the first place (which is now my favorite genre of music). Suffice it to say, it's simply amazing.



Final Comments: Not For Everyone, But Hopefully You Find Some Value In It.




    
3. American Beauty (Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, 1999)

        American Beauty is an amazing experience. This is how I define an incredible experience. I don't really know what else to say really. It is the only movie that makes me feel happy and sad at the exact same time.

This movie changed my life. I can't tell you how, because I don't want to give away the experience.
But I can tell you that it's just incredibly well done.

       Winner of Best Picture in 1999, American Beauty is the story of Lester Burnham, a seemingly average middle-aged man, with a seemingly ordinary wife who loves him and an ordinary daughter who hates him. But of course, they're not ordinary. And as the tag line suggests, we must Look Closer.

       It's where this movie goes that's brilliant. And it's how it makes you feel. Now I can't go into too much detail, because if you haven't seen this, I want you to go into it as fresh as I did. I also don't want to hype it up too much (although that's hard for me to do), because this film needs to come at you as natural and organically as it can.

Buy it.
Rent it.
Whatever.
Put it on the shelf for a rainy day.
But when you do watch it, give it your full attention;
You won't regret it.
"You have no idea what I'm talking about I'm sure,
But don't worry...

...You Will Someday."



Final Comments: Heavy and Light. Hilarious and Heart-Wrenching. See It.







4. TRON: Legacy (Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, 2010)

      So you might be wondering: "what the hell is TRON doing on a top ten movie list?" And there's nothing wrong with thinking that. On a previous blog, I commented on the difference between movies and films, and TRON: Legacy is a perfect example of a movie all the way. Taken in the right context and mood, it's actually an incredibly well-done movie.

      TRON: Legacy continues the journey of Kevin Flynn, a character which first appeared in the groundbreaking 1982 film TRON. This time, his son Sam is sucked into the virtual world of The Grid, a sci-fi world unlike any other, with disc battles fought in arenas, and incredible cycles that race on ribbons of light. Young Sam is sucked into this world where his Dad has been trapped for 20 years, hoping to finally find him and take him safely out of this world that has become his prison.

     This relativity simple story takes every possible avenue of cool that you can think of and makes it an incredible visual journey unlike any other. This is a perfect example of a movie that works because of its execution. Where it's not necessarily the destination, but the journey itself that makes it amazing (although the destination is pretty awesome as well). The film's visual flair, groundbreaking technology, amazing score, and state-of-the-art 3D cameras, made this movie an experience.

Not to mention the use of D-BOX in TRON: Legacy was absolutely amazing (Motion seats that move and vibrate in perfect sync to the action of the movie, available in less than 90 theatres in the world, the theatre I work at is one of them, check out the website HERE).

Overall, every aspect of this movie added up to an incredible experience for me, and I eagerly anticipate a third installment in the TRON universe.

If you haven't seen it, I recommend you at least give it a try.

TRON: Legacy is also available on Netflix Instant Streaming, but I highly recommend that you see it on Blu-ray...

...on the biggest possible TV that you can find.




Final Comments: Not For Everyone, But I Believe It Should Be Experienced.






5. Batman Begins (Christian Bale, Michael Caine, 2005)

I'm sure that most of the people reading this list have seen Christopher Nolan's reinvention of the Batman franchise, so there's no point in talking about it, right?
Wrong.


This is a movie that demands to be talked about.



    Batman Begins no doubt rescued the Batman franchise from the eternal hell pit that was Batman and Robin. But It not only rescued the Batman franchise, it made it better than ever. Now I know that a lot of you would probably say: "Ryan, I think The Dark Knight was better". Which is a totally valid point of view! I have a close friend who tells me this every single time we talk about the Batman franchise. For me, they're virtually the same, but I usually always find myself enjoying Batman Begins like 1% more than The Dark Knight. But it's okay, because they're both two amazing films.

For the small percentage of you that don't know the film, Batman Begins was the brainchild of Christopher Nolan, a brilliant filmmaker who specializes in dwelling into the dark and psychological (a perfect fit to take on Batman, wouldn't you say?).

      The film deals with the origins of billionaire Bruce Wayne, who in the beginning of the film is just a young boy who lives in the fictitious Gotham City. Bruce is the son of Thomas Wayne, who is the one of the most powerful and richest men in Gotham. One night, Bruce watches in horror as both of his parents are gunned down in front of him.

These events will live in infamy as being the catalyst that will plant the seeds that will ultimately blossom into The Batman, the crime-fighting, fear-inducing, alter-ego of Bruce Wayne.

What Batman Begins does is communicate the origins of Batman to the audience.
It shows us why this crusade is so vitally important to Bruce and shows the audience what's really at stake. The film does a fantastic job of pinning the story in reality and makes the character of Bruce relatable in a very human way, laying down the roots for a spellbinding mythology and a captivating character study.

Christopher Nolan is my favorite director, but his genius could be the topic of an entire blog on its own. Admittedly, I can only rant about Batman for so long before I start to lose my audience in a sea of nerdiness.

Let's just say that without a doubt, the third and final act of Nolan's Batman Trilogy,

 The Dark Knight Rises is my most anticipated film of the year... By a long shot.




Final Comments: Gritty. Dark. Realistic. Resonant. Powerful.

Top Ten (Part Two)

And Now,
     Presenting Part II !




6. Moulin Rouge! (Ewan McGregor, Nicole Kidman, 2001)

Ah, Moulin Rouge.

This film is one that has been mentioned in my top three or four for as long as I can remember people asking me what my favorite movies are. This movie has it all for me: Romance, drama, humor, awesome soundtrack, amazing story, incredible visuals, and a beautiful message. It really is timeless.

      In short, Moulin Rouge tells the story of Christian, a young man who has come to Paris at the dawn of the 20th Century. He is a penniless writer who has come to France during the "Bohemian Revolution". He gets mixed up with quite a few colorful characters and ends up visiting the "Moulin Rouge", a spectacular nightclub unlike any other. Here he meets Satine, the star of the Moulin Rouge. Although their love is  forbidden, they find a way, and the story takes off from here. As always, I won't give away too much as I hate spoilers. But believe me that this is a film that demands to be experienced, as big and as bold as it can be.

Baz Luhrman, the director of the film has a unique style of directing.
The normal thing for directors to do is immerse the audience in such a way that they forget that they're watching a movie. This takes a lot of work, and it can be seen as the norm for most films.

What Luhrman does however, is the exact opposite approach.

He wants to remind people that they're watching a movie, that this is an escape, and an experience.
So in this case, he uses larger than life visuals and characters that burst into song to make the audience feel entertained in a different way, giving them a unique experience.

I really cannot stress that this film is not for everyone. I mean, from my point of view, I think that everyone should see it at least once. But undoubtedly, some people are just not going to like it. It's inevitable. I mean it's a musical. But that's okay, I can accept that.

As long as they give it a fair chance.

At its core, Moulin Rouge is a solid piece of entertainment, it's a visual feast and a wonder to behold.

(Also on Netflix Instant Streaming!)




Final Comments: Give It A Try. It Might Surprise You.






7. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (Elijah Wood, Sir Ian McKellen, 2001-2003)

Alright.
So I'm cheating here a little bit.
I know that this is the seventh spot, but I consider The Lord of the Rings Trilogy to be one massive piece of work, and therefore I will honor it as such.

They said it couldn't be done.
They said it was impossible.
The book was too vast, and too complex to bring to the big screen.
Peter Jackson didn't think so.
Not even for one second.

The making of The Lord of the Rings is a vast and amazing journey.
One that will live in cinematic infamy as one of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken.

I could talk about how incredible The Lord of the Rings is, but that could take me a very very long time.

Keep in mind that I don't play Dungeons and Dragons, dress up like a wizard, or live in my mom's basement.

I write to you only as a fan of cinema, and The Lord of the Rings is something that cannot be ignored as a monumental achievement.

It took seven years to complete the epic work, with a filming period that lasted well over a year, and it pushed the boundaries of what special effects could do and bring to a film (in a way that was actually a decade ahead of its time).

Although the films themselves were great;
Full of heart, humor, and humanity, I believe The Lord of the Rings to truly be a benchmark in cinematic history for the aforementioned reasons above and countess more that would take me much longer than this entry to achieve.

If you haven't seen the trilogy, I highly suggest you rent it on Blu-ray, or borrow it or anything.
Even if you dislike fantasy films,
Even if you're 100% positive you're going to hate it,
give it a chance. 

Watch it knowing that 95% of the beautiful scenery were shot in real locations in New Zealand (not sets).

Experience it with the subtle appreciation that the vegetation in "Hobbiton" was planted 18 months before cameras even rolled, just so that the environment would look more natural.

From the people who spent the better part of three years creating 19,000 costumes, to the people who linked 12.5 MILLION pieces of chainmail for the armor, watch The Lord of the Rings knowing that every single person involved in the project had nothing but passion for the work they were doing.




Final Comments: Yeah, It's Pretty Awesome.






8. Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera (Gerard Butler, Emmy Rossum, 2004)

This project is actually turning out to be pretty vast, much more than I first anticipated when I sat down to draft it up, but as we near the end of the list, it's interesting to note that not only am I sharing my Top Ten with you, I'm discovering the true reasons why I love these movies so much; reasons that I couldn't quite pin before.

The Phantom of the Opera.

In the vain of Moulin Rouge, this is a musical.
So of course this will not be a film that everyone will find themselves running to see.

And I get that.

I mean, when was the last time you saw a professional wrestler first in line for Joesph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat?

So with the knowledge that this is not everyone's cup of tea,
I won't shove this one down your throat

I think what I love about this is the storytelling, it's so immersive and grand in scope that I personally couldn't help but fall in love with it.

It's a love story, but a dark love story, and at its core, it's kind of disturbing (when you think about it). But for me, I'm able to look past its flaws and enjoy it as a feast for the eyes and the ears.

The Phantom of the Opera weaves the story of Christine, a young dancer and singer at the Paris Opera House in 1870,  who finds herself haunted by a dark and feared individual. "The Phantom" is a tortured and disfigured musical genius, who becomes fixated on Christine and looks to her as his Muse. At its core, the story is essentially a love triangle between  Christine, her suitor Raoul and The Phantom.

With amazing songs, great performances (a breakout role for Gerard Butler ("this is Spartaaaaa!")), and a solid sense of direction by Joel Schumacher (making up for Batman and Robin, which he also directed), this is a personal favorite of mine, but like a few others on this list, I don't expect it to necessarily be yours.

I would say that if you haven't seen it yet, and you are not a professional wrestler, to at least give it your consideration the next time you're browsing through your Netflix DVD queue.



Final Comments: Like Moulin Rouge, This One May Surprise You.






9. The Fountain (Hugh Jackman, Rachel Weisz, 2006)

Films rarely get more personal for me than The Fountain.

From director Darren Aronofsky (Requiem For A Dream, The Wrestler, Black Swan), this movie has been seen by pretty much next to nobody it seems, so this is probably the one movie on here that you haven't seen, or maybe even heard of.

"Spanning over a period of of one thousand years, and three parallel stories, The Fountain is a story of love, death, spirituality, and the fragility of our own existence in this world".

This is the synopsis given over at IMDB.

But why quote the synopsis when I can tell you myself in my own words?

It's because I really believe that with this particular film, my interpretation and perception of what it means and what it represents and evokes in me, may not line up with what you yourself may gather from it.

As with the case with many of the people that I suggest watch it, or have seen it...

When they summarize the plot in their own words,
they have taken something away from the film that I myself never experienced,
and in some cases, their description of the plot itself didn't even line up with my own interpretation of the film.

It really is fascinating.

But that's part of what makes The Fountain so personal for me.

Everything about this film hit me hard the first time I saw it. The powerful performances, the visuals, the epic scope, the undying love, the mesmerizing score, the bold sense of direction, and the incredible relation between these mysterious (because I won't tell you, I want you to see it yourself !) three parallel stories.

I mean it hit me hard.

It was the combination of these perfectly innocuous factors that I experienced at the exact right time in my life that added up to this becoming and being one of my favorite films of all-time.

I won't say much more, because I believe that this is a film that must be experienced.
I won't guarantee that you'll love it, or even like it.

But I believe that this is a film that deserves to be seen at least once in your life,
and who knows?

Maybe you'll be exposed to those same perfect factors that I was,

Maybe you'll experience the same film that I did.

Maybe...



Final Comments: Under-Rated, And Under-Appreciated.







10. The Sixth Sense (Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, 1999)

It actually took me quite some time to settle on the tenth and final spot on this list.
I had never considered this one to be in my Top Ten before,
but for some reason while constructing the list, I couldn't get this one out of my mind.
But after weighing all my options and a great number of other possible titles,
I had to come back to The Sixth Sense.

Now M. Night Shyamalan's movie has gotten a lot of attention over the past thirteen years for mainly
one reason and one reason only:
The Ending.

I mean, I'm sure that 99% have seen The Sixth Sense, or at least know the ending.
Now...
If you haven't (and I've encountered like two people in my life)

1. Stop what you are doing and do not continue this list!
2. Don't talk to anyone about the movie.
3. Rent it. (probably safer to Netflix it, so no one spoils it)
4. Watch it!


I believe that while the ending to the film is amazing and completely unexpected, (and pretty much anyone who saw it who claimed that they "called the ending" is lying through their teeth) this is not the only thing about The Sixth Sense that makes it a great movie.

The Sixth Sense is one of those rare movies for me that I discover something different and new each time I experience it.

At first glance, it's a modern horror movie, scary as all hell.
Then you take a closer look, and it's not quite a horror movie, it's more of a thriller with horror aspects.
Then you watch it again, and you realize that it's actually just a psychological thriller.

The layers keep peeling back and back until you get to the heart of the film,
in which case I found that this is actually a poignant and resonant drama.

But that's the beauty of this film,
it has so many elements and different angles to it, that it's actually all of these things combined.

After you've seen it multiple times,
it's what you choose to see it as that makes it an unforgettable experience.

Suffice it to say, The Sixth Sense is a great movie, and for much more reasons than the infinite twist ending.

It's amazing power and resonance has stayed with me all these years,
bringing me a fresh and unique experience each time I choose to watch it.



Final Comments: Sometimes With Films, Things Are Not Always As They Seem. Watch It Again. 














And that's it folks,
My Top Ten movies of all-time!


I hope you enjoyed this, and if you've made it this far, I appreciate you sticking with it until the end!


This was probably one of my favorite blogs to write for a few reasons actually. 
Analyzing why I enjoy certain movies so much really gave me some insight into myself as an avid lover of film. I consider this to be a great opportunity to learn a little more about exactly what makes me, well, me (when it comes to my identity as a film lover). I hope you guys enjoyed my insight, and feel free to put your Top Ten list in the comment section below!


HONORABLE MENTIONS:




-The Others (Nicole Kidman, 2001)


-The Machinist (Christian Bale. 2004)


-Avatar (Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, 2009)


-Stranger Than Fiction (Will Ferrell, Emma Thompson, 2006)


-The Science Of Sleep (Gael Garcia Bernal, Charlotte Gainsbourg, 2006)


-Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, 2001)

Remake Of A Remake Of A Remake

Nothing ever changes. 
Well at least when it comes to the wonderful world of film, and the people who embrace that lifestyle.

As soon as you bring up (for one second) the idea of remaking a movie to the masses, their reaction is usually swift and eloquent: WE HATE IT.

Particularly if that movie is one that is loved and adored by most of its audience.

In any case, I will speak for the minority here and say that I, Ryan Taplin, hereby state that I love remakes and I am onboard for a remake of any film if the filmmakers in question can present a fresh, new look at the film and create something that is worth remaking in the first place.

Alright so I'll admit that every remake of every movie isn't brilliant (The Lake House (2006), Alice In Wonderland (2010))
Some of them in fact can be downright stupid and pointless (Friday the 13th (2009), The Amityville Horror (2005), The Heartbreak Kid (2007)).

Yet it's pretty uncommon to see a remake (or reboot) be created and not have its road through production be one that's met with anger and friction from people in the film community.

Why is this? Why can't remakes just be made without everyone's objection?

One of the reasons is because these people have associated certain memories with these films, and the idea that someone is remaking the films in question (or rebooting them), would in essence, rob them of their memories, demean them in someway.

A perfect example of this concept would be the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy. Now I was reading this article on the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, and to be honest, the guy seemed a little weird. His reasons for why the Prequel Trilogy was better than the Original Trilogy were a little bizarre. But it's okay. That's his opinion.

Now if there's anyone out there who's unfamiliar with Star Wars and its films, I offer you this virtual bottle of sunscreen to protect you from those harmful UV's now that you're no longer living under a rock.

Star Wars: Episodes IV-VI were the brain-child of filmmaker George Lucas. The original trilogy came out in 1977-1983. Now there was news in the early 1990's that Lucas was planning a return to that universe, and fans everywhere were freaking out, but in a good way. Geeks, critics, and yes, even women were excited to see what George Lucas had in store for the next adventure in that galaxy far, far away. News came that Lucas was planning a "Prequel Trilogy", which would transport audiences to the story of Anakin Skywalker, the boy who would eventually succomb to the dark side and become the evil Darth Vader.

"Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace" was coming to theaters in 1999.

OH MY GOD.

There was so much positive hype, and so much anticipation (in retrospect it would have impossible for the film to live up to the expectations that were put on it).

And then "Episode I" came out.

And people, for the most part, were pissed.

They despised Jar Jar Binks.
They hated the Gungans.
They loathed Jake Lloyd who played "Anakin Skywalker".
They had a problem with the dialogue.

And the other two Star Wars prequels were met with similar friction.

Some people were saying that George Lucas had, and I quote, "raped my childhood".
That's a pretty intense reaction for a trilogy of movies, don't you think?

But for them it was more than just a movie, Star Wars represented something else entirely, it was memories.
Pure and simple, these people had grown up loving their precious Star Wars, and now George Lucas had gone and F***ed that up for them.

Now let it be known that (and I'll use my whisper voice), I actually like the Star Wars prequels.

"Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith" is actually my favorite Star Wars film (GASP!)

Yeah. I said it.

And it's okay, because it's an opinion.

An opinion that doesn't "rape people's childhoods".

Now like I said, I think that the Star Wars Prequels is a perfect example of the consensus of reaction when a filmmaker attempts to re-imagine a film that they feel could use an update.

But can you imagine the reaction if I said, "Hey you know what they should do? They should REMAKE Star Wars!"

People would freak out. They would call me a blasphemer. Like a leper,
I would be cast out from among them for even dreaming
that someone could remake (or reboot) Star Wars.

But in all honesty, I think that someone should.

I think that universe would COMPLETLEY benefit from a facelift from a different director with a fresh new take on the franchise.

Case in point: "Star Trek" (2009).

I'm not sure if you saw that movie, but it was completely awesome.
I mean seriously.

And I hated the "Star Trek" franchise up until that point.
But with a fresh new director, and an awesome script, they were able to take a dying franchise and resurrect it into something that was one of the best action films I'd ever seen.
Not to mention it was arguably the best Star Trek movie ever made.

The point is: it can be done.
All you need is a great story and a whole lot of lovin' from the people involved.

Remakes (or Reboots) can be GREAT.

There are some movies that are considered classics that are actually remakes.

For instance, did you know that the 2006 Best Picture Winner "The Departed" was a remake?

What about "Scarface (1983)" or "The Ring (2002)" or
"Cape Fear (1991)" or "Heat (1995) or "Ocean's Eleven (2001)"?

The list goes on and on.

I'm not afraid to embrace remakes of movies, and you shouldn't be either.
Remakes have the ability to provide a fresh take on something that might otherwise be outdated.
Just don't be so hard on filmmakers when they say they want to remake a movie, whether it's a modern sci-fi classic or it's your favorite movie of all-time.

Try to approach that proposed movie with a fresh and open mindset.
See that film as a piece of entertainment that's meant to do just that:
Entertain.