Movie Review: "E.T., The Extra-Terrestrial" (1982)

I have never seen “E.T., The Extra-Terrestrial” before.

“E.T.” has become one of those classic science-fiction films and a landmark Steven Speilberg movie, highly regarded as one of the quintessential works of the 1980s. So why have I never watched it before today?

It didn’t interest me. 

A little bit of backstory: “E.T.” came out seven years before I was born. My parents initially saw the film upon its release in 1982 and they did not like it. When you are growing up with your parents deciding which movies to show you, they tend to avoid movies that they don’t like. As such, I was never shown “E.T.” as a kid. 

However, after many years of working around the film, I felt it was finally time to give it a fair chance to impress me and to see what all the commotion is about. 

Now I can certainly understand why it has so much staying power and has touched the hearts of millions. 

If you’ve been living under a rock for the past thirty years (like me apparently) and don’t know the plot of this one, here’s the basic jist. A group of aliens arrive on Earth to supposedly survey for various forms of plant life. When the aliens must leave in hurry, they leave behind one of their own to fend for himself.

The alien later comes across a suburban California house and the children living within, especially little Elliot (Henry Thomas). While the two are initially scared of one another, the candy and curiosity gets the best of the alien and the two become fast friends. As Elliot introduces the alien, nicknamed E.T., to his brother and sister, they begin to formulate a plan for E.T. to phone home.

What really worked best for “E.T.” was that it treated its audience like adults. This film is clearly targeted towards a young audience, but it never talks down or spoon feeds information to the audience. A lot of the biology and powers of E.T. are left up to interpretation. We’re never told what E.T. can or can’t do, but we see it happen before our eyes.

When E.T. collapses and turns white, we can assume that our atmosphere is harmful to him. Or we can see that E.T. had developed a psychic link with Elliot, even though it is never said the two are connected. 

The film lets the audience put these pieces together, rather than telling us and ruining some of the mystery. 

Like many others before me have said, the special effects work on E.T. is wonderful. Not once in the film does it feel like a puppet or CG creature, and has natural reactions to events, including the flash on a camera or an umbrella opening unexpectedly. This makes the relationship between Elliot and E.T. much more believable and relatable. To see these two interacting and seeing their relationship blossom is the highlight of the movie. 

Their camaraderie is akin to a boy and his dog. Confusion and puzzlement turns to mutual respect which becomes love. The film keeps this as bare bones as possible and that it where it truly shines. 

Where it doesn’t shine is with the scenes involving the agency out to capture E.T. For most of the film, they remain in the shadows, observing Elliot and his family and waiting for the right moment to strike.

It’s a pity that they do eventually strike. 

The problem is not that these exist, because they’re handled just fine. It is that they add something that didn’t necessarily need to be there. The film is at its best when Elliot is trying to handle both real life and dealing with an alien, while also trying to get said alien back home. The agency just adds an unnecessary conflict that mostly serves as a distraction from the better parts of the film. 

We’ve seen this kind of agency and government operatives a million times in others films. It has become predictable and cliche to have someone who wants to bring the alien in and study it, even though they know nothing about it and are paranoid about what it could do.

It is like having a school bully who bullies the protagonist for vague and undisclosed reasons. They have no character or depth to them and exist only add more conflict. The agency in “E.T.” falls into the same category.

There was enough conflict and drama without the government butting in. So whenever they show their faces, it is met with a groan. 

Overall, “E.T., The Extra-Terrestrial” was a simple idea with incredible execution and special effects work. This is an accomplishment for Spielberg, not just for his work to make E.T. believable, but also for his directing of so many child actors. This could have easily fallen apart with children who couldn’t emote, but through Spielberg’s direction, these kids excel at being emotional and relatable. 

So, do I regret not seeing “E.T.” sooner? Not really. I could see hating this film as a kid, because not much action is going on so my attention span would be rather short with this one. This one works as an adult because of the simple joys of growing up and growing to love those around you. 

I'm confused. Who is the alien in this photo?

Final Grade: B+

Dr. Paul Sell: Or How I Learned To Stop Hating And Love The Film

If there is one complaint I have about written film reviews, it is that they often feel so impersonal. I am merely projecting my thoughts and feelings on any given film through text. You don’t necessarily know me as a person any better. 

I find people often can relate to someone’s opinions better if you feel like you know them personally. Like they’ve always been your friend or a good acquaintance. 

I wish I could get to know every person who reads my reviews, and thank you for taking the time out of your life to read what I have to say about any given subject. Seeing how that is impossible, I figure the next best thing is to let you, the reader, know Paul Sell a little bit better. 

I have spent most of my twenty-four years of living in the Pacific northwest, specifically Spokane, Washington. At a young age, I was introduced to a wide range of movies and entertainment, like most kids in the 1990s. This was a time when VCRs and video tapes were still the primary way to watch movies outside of the theater, and Blockbuster was a constant go-to location for my family. Every Tuesday, we would go to local video store and each member of my family could rent one movie. 

Wasn't I the cutest all-seeing, all-knowing baby?

I often found myself renting the same types of video tapes, mostly Godzilla, Power Rangers, Star Trek and anything Nicktoon-related. I like to think I was your typical TV-junkie kid. After I finished my homework and chores, I would normally watch whatever happened to be on Nickelodeon or Fox. 

I feel this left an impression on me and made me appreciate certain aspects of television and movies. At the time, I may not have understood what my feelings were exactly, but I did know there were certain shows and films that I didn’t care for. Ones that left a bad taste in my mouth and others that I couldn’t get enough of. 

For example, as a kid, I despised “The Little Mermaid.” For the simple reason that it was a girls movie about beauty, love and music, which as a seven-year old boy was unacceptable. In a way, this has still left an impression on me many years later. Have you ever had a strong emotion as a child that translated into your adulthood? That’s how I still partially feel about the film. I admit, it is entirely childish, but it isn’t really a feeling I can get over. 

I still have a hard time listening to “Under The Sea.”

As I grew older, DVDs were introduced to me. I remember my father buying this huge DVD player on the Fourth of July and spending the entire day setting it up. I did my part by mostly standing there, watching him put it together. As the night came, the popcorn came out and we watched our first DVD of “Independence Day,” one of my dad’s favorite movies. 

For a while, this really didn’t change anything. We didn’t start out with many discs and stuck to VHS tapes. I even remember being asked by my aunt if I wanted “Godzilla 2000” on DVD or VCR for my birthday, and I chose the tape, because that was familiar to me. 

Once our DVD collection grew, we still continued to treat everything normally. It was just that everything was on a disc instead of a tape that had to be rewound every time it was finished. 

Even at a young age, I was drawn to the alcohol. 

I still stuck to my VCR, because most of the movies I liked didn’t see a DVD release until many years later. I still own a VCR and tapes to this day, but haven’t used it in years. You never know when I would want to pop in my copy of “Rebirth Of Mothra” and relive some nostalgic moments. 

As the digital age began, I was being introduced to a wide range of new movies and shows that I had never heard of before. New Godzilla movies were popping up, Star Trek films were being released in theaters again, Power Rangers was switching over to a channel that I didn’t have (and had gotten worse) and Nickelodeon was taking a more live-action approach. 

I had to find some new interests.

This eventually led me to the internet. As a kid, this was mostly used to look up stills and sound clips of my favorite shows and movies. Or to contact Humongous Entertainment about when the next Backyard Baseball game was coming out. 

Captain, permission to go trick or treating?

As I became a teenager, I learned that there were many others who shared my interests and that there were whole websites dedicated to them. This eventually led me to message boards and forums, where I could have real virtual conversations with fellow fans about the finer points of Godzilla and Star Trek.

I would spend hours discussing who would in a fight between Space Godzilla and Destoroyah (spoilers: It is Space Godzilla), because it was so fun, so imaginative and so wonderful to talk about that kind of stuff. 

This eventually led me to a realization: That I loved talking about movies. I couldn’t get enough of it. At first, I was really bad at it. Over time I gained a deeper appreciation thanks to others asking me simple questions, like “What is it about this that you like? Why this and not that? Be descriptive.”

I feel this changed things, because now my own emotions became so much clearer. Everything seemed so simple and yet so appealing. 

This enjoyment of movies eventually turned into a passion when two things occurred around the same time: My first film class and the creation of Netflix. Both of these happened during my senior year of High School, and both really changed things. 

Netflix helped by allowing me a much wider range of movies than I had ever been allowed before. Until that point, my go-to movie source was still Blockbuster and even their supply was rather limited. Netflix let me watch foreign films like that of Akira Kurosawa, the works of Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick, Billy Wilder and Charlie Chaplin. 

My first film class changed everything by letting me see cinema like I never had before. To that moment, film had only been a source of entertainment and point of discussion. After that, film was a gateway to entire new worlds, a mirror to our own society and a portal into the heart and soul of what it means to be human. 

This affected me so much that after I graduated from High School, I enrolled at Eastern Washington University and declared myself as a film major. I was so excited to learn much about the craft and gain an even deeper appreciation for the great works of cinema. 

Eventually, after being in the film program for three years, I came upon a class that was giving me more problems that I had ever imagined. It was a screenwriting class, where over the course of ten weeks, each of us would write an eighty page screenplay. Less than two days into the class, I began to have anxiety attacks, constantly thinking about what would happen if I failed the class. I hardly ate and slept even less.

This was the point when I switched to a different major. I knew I wanted to focus on something that I could enjoy doing for the rest of my life. One thing I knew for sure was that my best subject in film school was film criticism. Not only was I pretty damn good at it, but I really loved to do it. This eventually led me to a focus on Journalism classes, which could help me hone my writing skills.

As a class project for one of these classes, we were told to create a blog and talk about a subject that was ingrained in Journalism. This led to the creation of my blog, “Seeing Is Believing” where I initially intended to post a few of my thoughts on film and some movies that I felt everyone needed to watch. 

When graduation rolled around, the role of my blog expanded. Film criticism was the subject that I was insanely passionate about and it was something that I wished to share with others. Thus, “Seeing Is Believing” became a blog where all of my filmic thoughts would be posted. 

This leads us to the present, where I am extremely happy with how my film experience has unfolded. I am at a place where I am content with sharing thoughts and opinions with anyone who happens to read it. 

If you have been reading for a while, then you probably know I am an extremely passionate individual. I pride myself in having an opinion that others may not necessarily agree with, but something they can understand and relate to. I have the utmost respect for those to both agree and disagree with me. 

If you like “The Little Mermaid,” that’s fine. I understand that. I’ll disagree with you but that doesn’t mean I think you’re a bad person. 

The thing about film is that it is a very subjective art form, which leads to many varying opinions and feelings on the same subject. I find the best thing to do is be understanding and respectful to everyone, even to those completely disagree with you.

No one is truly right or wrong. But one can still be informative, passionate and articulate. 

There are many policies which I use when it comes to film criticism. Some of which I even apply to real life. They are as follows: 

- Just because something is ridiculous, doesn’t mean it is stupid.

- Never say anything discriminating against a movie I haven’t seen. 

- It is impossible to have an unbiased film review. Your opinion is your bias.

- Treat others the way you want to be treated: With kindness, respect and having fun.

- Know your movie. Know why it does or doesn’t work and make that point clear and understandable to the reader, more than anything else. 

- Be honest. 

- But don’t be afraid of insulting others. Be unmerciful. If a film sucks, it sucks. 

- Be myself, but be my best self. 

- Create work that I can be proud of, not just what people want to see or hear. 

- Don’t half-ass anything. 

- ALWAYS be passionate. 

- Always be either entertaining, funny, enlightening or insightful. 

- Try to check for opposing view points. At least understand why they feel that particular way and see where they are coming from. 

- Story and characters are key. They are the foundation to any good film. 

- A good film should at least address five basic questions: Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?

I will admit that, as a film critic, there is an element of stubbornness to your own attitude and opinions. I feel, if you’re going to get any traction and confidence, you need to be willing to stand by what you say. Even in the face of opposition and being in the minority, never back down. If that means being seen as stubborn, so be it. 

I feel any instance of stubbornness is often misinterpreted as the person being passionate about what they find good or bad. 

When I watch a film that I feel is exceptional, I am passionate about explaining why the film works on so many levels and letting others know why they need to see it too. When I see a film that is terrible, I am passionate about pointing out everything wrong with it and saying why the film must be avoided like the plague. 

I was a happy kid who loved stand on couches for hours.

One thing that I always focus on above all else is optimism and kindness. I want to not only make myself happy, but my others happy. Life is too short to spend all your time doing something that you hate, so you might as well fill it with what you want to do and making life worth living. 

I am much faster to point out the good things on a film than I am the worst elements, because that is what will always stick with me. The moments that bring a smile to my face are always going to be much more powerful and memorable than those that were gut-wrenching. The same can be said for life.

And that, dear readers, is Paul Sell in one gigantic nutshell. Where I came from, why I love film as much as I do, why I love to look at movies and how I go about looking at a film (and life). I hope this editorial has given you a better idea of who I am and why I do what I do. 

If you walk away from this learning anything, think of this: Be passionate about something in your life. Find that one thing you can’t get enough of and enjoy doing. Then, focus your life and your efforts on that passion. Build your life around it. 

If you do that, then you will certainly find true happiness and comfort in life. 

Movie Review: "After Hours" (1985)

It takes a while for a Martin Scorsese movie to soak in and have an impact on the viewer. Many times, you’ll walk out of a Scorsese film unsure of what you witnessed and confused. Weeks later, sometimes even months later, you realize something that you missed or overlooked that adds a whole new level of appreciation to the film.

This is how I feel about every Martin Scorsese film I have seen up to this point. Films like “Goodfellas,” “Taxi Driver” and “The King Of Comedy” all initially left me feeling cold in their often awkward and bizarre nature. But, over time, these films have grown on me through their characters being so far removed from reality that they take on a world of their own. 

There is something to be admired about a film that sits with you for so long, even if you didn’t immediately like it, and eventually provokes new and unique emotions and feelings out of you. If anything, that gives you a deeper appreciation for it and the filmmakers who gave it to you.

This is how I feel about Scorsese’s 1985 dark comedy “After Hours.” Having recently watched the film for the first time, it has, like many other Scorsese films before it, left an impression on me, but one of uncertainty and caution. There are elements to be admired, but they are so disturbing and icky that it could really go both ways. 

Paul Hackett (Griffin Dunne) is a word-processor for a company in New York City, and seems to want just a bit more out of life. One night, he meets an attractive woman in a restaurant and manages to get her number. He calls her later that night and she immediately wants to get together, but she wants to meet at her apartment in the SoHo district. 

So begins the craziest night of Paul’s life, where everything that can go wrong does and Paul gets blamed for practically everything bad that happens, even to strangers who have never met Paul blame him for crimes he didn’t commit. All because he wanted a little more of life. 

At times, the writing comes off like an episode of “Seinfeld” where plot points that you would never put together come full circle by the end and the most ridiculous things happen because of the tiniest spark. By the end of the film, Paul is being chased by an angry mob bent on killing him and a crazy woman driving an ice cream truck leading the charge. 

Some might say that events like these are completely coincidental and that Paul was always in the wrong place at the wrong time. Others might say that it is a way of getting back at Paul for the actions he took earlier in the film, where he acted terribly towards the woman he came all the way to SoHo to see. 

At one point in the film, Paul gets down on his knees and yells at the skies, screaming about why he deserves all of this. “I’m just a word-processor,” he screams. 

All Paul wants is to get back home, but he has no money, no transportation and any time he reaches out to help others, he obliterates any form of hope. That’s all fine and good, but what makes this stand out is how “After Hours” makes it seem like Paul does deserve this, as if some kind of divine punishment. 

He doesn’t act badly throughout most of the film, and only wishes to survive the night. There is one moment where Paul does an unforgivable act that he regrets and leads to his ultimate downfall. Normally, this would be something I can look past, since someone should not be defined by just one action. The gods doesn’t seem to think the same way though, and thus Paul must now experience hell on earth. 

The reason I hold reservations against “After Hours” is just how uncomfortable the film makes me feel. There is many obscene and disturbing things going on in SoHo that its hard to fully get invested. For example, during their date, Paul and the attractive woman talk about their past, and the woman goes on a rant about how her husband wouldn’t stop screaming “Surrender Dorothy” on their wedding night. It comes out of no where and exists primarily to disturb the audience.

Granted, it succeeds at doing just that, along with many of the other unpleasant scenes to come out of the film, including the frightening artwork by Kiki, the attractive woman’s roommate, and the kind of pleasure that she is into. 

If I were to describe “After Hours” in one statement, it would be “uncomfortable, but for a good reason.” It takes every opportunity to be disturbing, while still being realistically so, but does so to set up a mood and atmosphere where one man being punished by the gods is acceptable. If that doesn’t sound appealing to you, then this isn’t the film for you. If you are a fan of dark comedies and like the way episodes of “Seinfeld” unfolded, then give “After Hours” a shot. 

Perhaps later on my opinion of “After Hours” will grow, like it has for many past Scorsese films. Something new might come up and my appreciation for the film would increase. After all, as we change over time, so do our opinions.

Final Grade: B-

Top Ten Films I Watched In 2013

2013 has been the most productive year of movie watching that I can remember. While I didn’t watch as many films as I would have liked to, I have now begun to write and share my thoughts and feelings on every new movie that I watch. Whether it is one that just hit theaters and everyone is seeing for the first time, or something has been out for decades, I watched more than enough new material.

So much so that I am compiling a list of the top ten best films I watched in 2013. The only stipulation for this list is the film must be one I watched for the first time in 2013. Whether it came out eighty years ago or yesterday is inconsequential. Most of these will also be films I have reviewed perviously, so for more a detailed and thorough analysis, be sure to check out my older reviews. 

These are the films that consistently impressed me. Ones that left the biggest impact on me and were in my thoughts long after the film was over. The ones that moved me, whether through making me laugh, cry, frightened, excited or somewhere in between. The films which showed the creative power of cinema and just how diverse of an art form it can be. These are the top ten films I watched in 2013. 

10. “Perfect Blue” (1997)

Imagine if Hayao Miyazaki animated and drew inspiration from one of Alfred Hitchcock’s psychological thrillers, and your results will undoubtedly be similar to Satoshi Kon’s “Perfect Blue.” The story follows a Japanese teen pop idol who has grown tired of sharing the spotlight and singing, so she decides to branch out and try acting. This causes much backlash amongst her adoring fans, some of whom verbal threaten her to go back to singing or else terrible things will happen. This, along with some brutal scenes she must perform to be on a television show, causes her to start questioning if she’s an actress, a pop idol or a nobody. 

This is not a movie for everyone, as it contains quite a bit of violent acts that will turn off many people. But, if you’re willing to look past that, like I am, then you get an extremely effective psychological thriller with beautiful animation and great sense of atmosphere. The film never lets up from the beginning, always making it seem like our main character is being watched and that she has a reason to be scared. I also cannot imagine this movie being live-action, as it would remove some of the charm and mystery of whether these events are in the mind of the protagonist or not. 

“Perfect Blue” shows the depth and strength of Japanese animation and how to tell an effective thriller with a likable yet simple character. Mood is everything in this film, and there are some scenes which still haunt me. It’s a little dated due to it coming out at beginning of the internet era, but once you get past that, “Perfect Blue” is a terrifying look at the conflict in the mind of a teenage girl.

9. “Kung Fu Panda 2” (2011)

I know, I’m as surprised as you guys. A film called “Kung Fu Panda 2” starring Jack Black is in my top ten favorite films of the year. Go figure. 

There are many reasons why this makes the list. Not the least of which being the emotional core of the film, and Po’s conflict with the antagonist and within himself. Not only do these characters’ colors contrast each other nicely, but they both represent moral and ethical values that each have their goods and bads. 

Po is kind, comforting, selfless and optimistic, never giving up in the face of danger, but is also doesn’t look back to learn where he came from. Lord Shen (Gary Oldman) is smart, prideful and feels that he rightfully deserves to rule China like his father, but is blinded by his own arrogance and believes in nothing but himself. 

Combine that with animation that has a wide range of colors and scope, great supporting characters and fight sequences that never feel stale or repetitive and you have a winning recipe for a film that outdoes even its predecessor. 

8. “The Wolf Of Wall Street” (2013)

Walking out of this one, I was so surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I thought this was going to be a film about the corrupt people of Wall Street and how they’re always being hunted by the government.

Imagine the look on my face when the film opens up with Leonardo DiCaprio literally telling the narrator to change the color of his car, throwing people into a blowup dart board and crashing a helicopter in his own backyard. 

As much as I said the film tries to be “Goodfellas” with stockbrokers, “The Wolf Of Wall Street” still attempts to tell a different kind of story. Where “Goodfellas” was a gangster film through and through, this one is much more of a parody of real life events. It takes every opportunity to mention that these are insanely rich douche-bags who can do whatever they want. And they use their money like its drinking water. 

“The Wolf Of Wall Street” is funny, clever and satisfying to see these terrible people be themselves, only to get what was coming to them by the end. 

7. “(500) Days Of Summer” (2009)

“(500) Days Of Summer” impressed me with its ability to capture the randomness and unpredictability of life. The most of what life has to offer doesn’t always unfold in a story book fashion, but with some events just occurring as often as a thunderstorm. Many films attempt to tell this kind of story, like in “The Big Chill,” but it is never done to its full effect.

The reason it works for this film and not for others is for a few reasons. One are the characters, Tom and Summer, who ride this relationship out as it goes. They have their up moments and down moments, but they don’t let that change who they are until they realize much later on that the break up was their own fault. Inside of cramming change down our throats, it happens naturally and for good reason. 

The second reason is that the story is told in a nonlinear fashion. With the handy number guide to tell you which days come in order, the audience can’t get lost and can still experience how unexpected and unforgiving life can be sometimes. 

“(500) Days of Summer” works because it doesn’t try to hide behind being a love story, but does embrace how much love can change ones life, for better or worse.

6. “Tangled” (2010)

If there’s one thing I enjoy the most about animated movies, it is their ability to have so much freedom and creativity and show how powerful filmmaking can be. 

The story of Rapunzel is one that we’ve all heard about, but “Tangled” adds to this with a mythical background, a story of greed, reclaiming that which was lost, exploration and redemption. The characters are uniquely designed and each feels like an individual. In fact, some characters get this across without ever saying a word, such as the valiant and obsessed horse to the king and queen whose emotions can be described with just one facial expression. 

“Tangled” is fun, clever, exciting, hilarious and a reminder that animation can please both adults and kids.

5. “Peeping Tom” (1960)

What are the limits of film? Where should a movie go and what shouldn’t it attempt to do? More importantly, how does this affect the filmmaker?

These are just some of the psychological questions raised during “Peeping Tom” as Mark attempts to make a film that he feels he’s been working on his entire life. Mark freely admits that he is a madman for making such a film, but then again, maybe he wasn’t the one that started it. Much like Norman Bates in “Psycho,” there is a strong connection to the parent and how their actions were passed onto their children. 

Part of the reason Mark is doing this might be because film has never seen anything like this before. After all, film is something that anyone in the world can understand, and to see what Mark has to offer would touch so many lives for generations to come. Does that make what he does right? In his mind, it just might. 

4. “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” (1988)

Okay, last animated film on this list. I swear.

This is the film that always brings out our inner child. I can safely say that I always imagined a movie like “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” and I’m sure that I wasn’t the only one. A movie where Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse could finally coexist. Where Daffy Duck and Donald Duck could do a piano duel and see who is the better duck. Where toons and humans can live together and appreciate what we both have to offer. 

Beyond that, this film takes full advantage of humans and toons together through Judge Doom (Christopher Lloyd) and his attempts to keep the toons under control. He sees toons as a minority that need to kept under control or else we would be in danger. The dip, which he creates, is one of the scariest and innovative ways to die that I can imagine. To see that in a supposed kids movie is wonderful. 

“Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” is a perfect love letter to the cartoons which we all grew up with. It doesn’t try to change who these characters are for the sake of modernization, but just lets them be the cartoons that we all remember. There is much passion and joy behind this film and that is what makes it so enjoyable. 

3. “The Best Years Of Our Lives” (1946)

War is so often brought to life in cinema, but it is immensely difficult to pull off effectively. Especially the psychological and emotional side. 

Yet that is entirely what “The Best Years Of Our Lives” is about. The lingering effects of war on three soldiers returning home from WWII. How it distances themselves from their family and loved ones, makes them live a society that doesn’t wish to discuss war and being handicapped and scared by the tragedies that they witnessed. 

Each of these three stories is compelling, heartbreaking and ageless, with the story of the solider losing both of his hands being the most memorable, due to Homer Russell’s heartfelt and emotional performance. Combine this with stunning cinematography from the man who gave us “Citizen Kane” and you have a war film that will live on as long as we fight one another in this brutal and vicious act.

2. “her” (2013)

Boy, I’ve been talking about this film a lot lately, haven’t I?

Considering how “her” was able to be so touching and yet so imaginative, the film does deserve to be mentioned. It doesn’t try always try to play up that one of the romantic leads is an artificial intelligence, because it always treats her as an equal character, with strengths, flaws, personality and desires. If anything, Samantha is an even more fleshed out character than Joaquin Phoenix, which is quite impressive. 

Even so, the fact that she is a piece of hardware is always in the back of the audiences’ mind. It lingers there, to remind us that even if Samantha laughs alongside Theodore, she’s not normal. Which makes the futuristic setting all the more fitting and appropriate. If this were set in modern day Los Angeles, this story would fall apart. But in a future where celebrity pregnant photos can be seen by everyone in the blink of an eye, maybe this is normal. 

That is one of the more alluring factors to “her.” For all of its realistic and uplifting romance, the world of the film is just as appealing. 

1. “Amadeus” (1984)

There is a reason I gave “Amadeus” my first A+. This just might be a perfect movie. 

It portrays both Salieri and Mozart as two flawed individuals, both with their respective sins, and in the end they both suffer due to their own folly. It is very much a tragedy of regrets, sacrifice and forgiveness. 

Every action and line of dialogue has a reason to exist and paints an even better picture of these people. The performances from F. Murray Abraham and Tom Hulce are touching, funny and hit right at the core of both anguish and triumph. 

While I don’t know much about opera, I do know when a story has moved me through performances of self-destructive characters. “Amadeus” impressed me on every level and is the best film that I watched in 2013. 

Honorable Mentions: 

- "Ip Man" (2008) - A movie with the most basic of premises, but packs in as much character and heart as it possibly can. Combine this with wonderful Kung-Fu action sequences that never go over the top, and you get one of the best Kung-Fu movies I've ever seen. 

- "When Harry Met Sally..." (1989) - I love how this film uses its New York backdrop to have these characters change over the course of twelve years. These two change so much that they find others they once found repulsive as trusted companions and eventually fall in love. 

- "Prisoners" (2013) - A wonderful mystery whose characters are all essentially a shade of gray, unsure of where they lie or what they'll do next in order to get their loved ones back. 

- "Big Trouble In Little China" (1986) - The first movie I ever reviewed for my blog will now always hold a special place in my heart. It also helps that this was an incredibly fun ride that is always entertaining in, one way or another. Whether that is through Kurt Russell's likable attitude, quirky dialogue or zany action sequences, this one never lets up. 

- "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" (2006) - While people may look at this film now as one starring Robert Downey Jr., I see it as a smart and creative crime parody with an interesting framing device as Downey Jr. plays a narrator that keeps changing the story. It is due to his charisma and chemistry with Val Kilmer that makes this film stand out.