Australia

Baz Luhrmann is famous for his kitschy musical dramas (Strictly Ballroom, Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge) and now he is back with Australia, an epic adventure/romantic love story with again strong musical overtones (The Wizard of Oz plays an important role). If you like his previous work, you will like Australia a lot. If not, you might want to be careful about spending your money on this movie.

Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad movie. But it is certainly an acquired taste. The use of the aboriginal culture as a 'cute' factor is something i'm personally not so comfortable with, and the characterization of Nicole Kidman's Lady Ashley is a bit over the top. But then again, this is a bit for Australia what "Gone with the Wind" must have been for the United States of America.

There are some good moments as well, especially involving Bryan Brown and the bad guy Neil Fletcher. In the end the movie feels like 2 movies, and it might have been better to have cut them in half.

In northern Australia at the beginning of World War II, an English aristocrat inherits a cattle station the size of Maryland. When English cattle barons plot to take her land, she reluctantly joins forces with a rough-hewn stock-man to drive 2,000 head of cattle across hundreds of miles of the country's most unforgiving land, only to still face the bombing of Darwin, Australia, by the Japanese forces that had attacked Pearl Harbor only months earlier.

Quote from Austalia:

Drover: We're not really used to...
Lady Sarah Ashley: A woman? I suppose you think I should be back in Darwin, at the church fete or a lady's whatever you call it. Well I will have you know, I am as capable as any man.
Drover: Guests. We're not used to guests is what I was about to say but now that you mention it I happen to quite like the women of the outback.

Top 100 Movie Quotes - 75

"I have always depended on the kindness of strangers." - A streetcare named desire, 1951

Barry Lyndon

This movie is often overlooked when talking about Stanley Kubrick's work. But I have seldom seen a movie that was so beautifully shot as Barry Lyndon. Kubrick has always been a master in bringing beauty to the screen, but the perfectionist that he was has surpassed himself in this movie..
When viewing the movie it seems like you are watching a painting, and it is no secret that he has tried to capture the light and atmosphere of works by Gainsborough..

We all know that beautiful pictures don't necessarily make a good movie, but I'm glad to say Barry Lyndon scores on many other points. It has a good script, lots of drama, and the actors offer restrained yet moving portrayals.
This movie is timeless, and still feels as strong as when I first saw it, a long long time ago. You will love this movie if you like similar movies likePride & Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre and Tess d'Uberville.

Quote from Barry Lyndon:
Sir Charles Lyndon: Have you done with my Lady?
Redmond Barry: I beg your pardon?
Sir Charles Lyndon: Come, come, sir. I'm a man who would rather be known as a cuckold than a fool.

The film portrays an unusual young Irish man, Redmond Barry, and his endeavours as he is forced to leave his home and tries to make good his life elsewhere. His life away from home starts out as a career in the British Army; only to evolve in surprising ways and lead to as different places as a position of trust within the Prussian Army and later a title of nobility, gained by what our time can only measure as rather disgraceful means.

12 Angry Men

This movie was voted 10th best movie ever on IMDB, and I can certainly understand why. Not only is this one of the best (if not the best) courtroom dramas I have ever seen, but it creates a wonderfully claustrophobic atmosphere by using just 12 actors and one room.

The movie clearly shows a rift between the upper class, conservatives who are unwilling to change and the progressives who are proposing change for the better of all of us; this film, deep down, is a very class conscious and socially conscious film about discrimination and the deep lines it had in American society in 1957.

Also what is interesting is the fact that it is a film that is done with great simplicity; some actors, and a room... It relies greatly upon the pure talent of the actors, and the great direction of Sidney Lumet -- this film is truly unique due to the true minimalism it embraces in its' production tactics, yet this is something that could easily go unnoticed due to the incredible quality of the film.

The defence and the prosecution have rested and the jury is filing into the jury room to decide if a young Spanish-American is guilty or innocent of murdering his father. What begins as an open and shut case of murder soon becomes a mini-drama of each of the jurors' prejudices and preconceptions about the trial, the accused, and each other. Based on the play, all of the action takes place on the stage of the jury room

Quote from 12 Angry Men :

Juror #3: Look, you voted guilty. What side are you on?
Juror #11: I don't believe I have to be loyal to one side or the other. I'm simply asking questions.

Trivia :

Only two jurors are ever identified by name: #8 Mr. Davis and #9 Mr. McCardle. And all but two are identified by job or profession: #1 High School Football Coach, #2 Bank Teller, #3 Owns Messenger Service, #4 Stock Broker, #6 Painter, #7 Salesman, #8 Architect, #10 Garage Owner, #11 Watch Maker, and #12 Advertising Exec

Top 100 Movie Quotes - 76

"Hasta la vista, baby." - The Terminator 2: Judgement Day, 1991

What is the Worst Movie EVER?

Maybe you have heard about the Golden Raspberry Award. The Golden Raspberry Awards, frequently called the Razzies, were created by John Wilson in 1980 (and first awarded in 1981), intended to counterpoint the Academy Awards by dishonoring (or honoring) the worst acting, screenwriting, songwriting, directing, and films that the film industry had to offer. The term raspberry is used in its irreverent sense, as in "blowing a raspberry."

Metacritic.com used this Award to publish its own list of 10 worst movies ever.

10 Worst Movies Ever

1. Bio-Dome (1996)
2. The Singing Forest (2003)
3. Chaos (2005)
4. Vulgar (2002)
5. Strippers (2000)
6. Two of a Kind (1983)
7. Dirty Cop No Donut (2001)
8. National Lampoon's Gold Diggers (2004)
9. Baby Geniuses (1999)
10.The Hottie and the Nottie (2008)

Slumdog Millionaire

This is a great movie, no matter how you turn it. Brilliant actors, great story, captivating images and above all we all care about what will happen to the two brothers and their (girl)friend.
When I originally read about this movie, i was less thrilled. How can you make a good movie about a contestant on a silly quiz. But the quiz element is only a small part (luckily) of the movie, instead Danny Boyle concentrates on life in the slums of Bombay. Gripping stuff, and definitely Oscar material.

After some great movies (shallow grave, Trainspotting) Danny Boyle made some mediocre/average movies (Life Less Ordinary, The Beach), but I'm glad to say he's back on track with his latest movies (Sunshine, 28 Days Later)

A Mumbai teen who grew up in the slums, becomes a contestant on the Indian version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" He is arrested under suspicion of cheating, and while being interrogated, events from his life history are shown which explain why he knows the answers

Quote from Slumdog Millionaire:

Prem Kumar: [starting lines] So Jamal, tell me something about yourself.
Jamal Malik: I work in a call centre in Juhu.
Prem Kumar: Phone basher! And what type of call centre would that be?
Jamal Malik: Excel Five mobile phones.
Prem Kumar: Ohh... so you're the one who calls me up every single day of my life with special offers?
Jamal Malik: Actually I'm an assistant.
Prem Kumar: An assistant phone basher? And what does an assistant phoner basher do exactly?
Jamal Malik: I get tea for people and...
Prem Kumar: Chaiwalah! Well ladies and gentlemen, Jamal Malik, garma garam chai dene wala from Mumbai, lets play Who Wants To Be A Millionaire!