Author Archives: Keith Garlington

Debuts Blogathon – John Huston and “The Maltese Falcon”

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I’m thrilled to be a part of the DEBUTS Blogathon brought from the minds of Mark at Three Rows Back and Chris from Terry Malloy’s Pigeon Coop. These are two excellent blogs that you should be checking out. Today they’re featuring my post on John Huston and his directorial debut “The Maltese Falcon”. Check it out:

“THE MALTESE FALCON”

You know it’s a monumental debut when a director’s first feature film is considered an all-time movie classic. Such is the case with John Huston and his phenomenal film noir “The Maltese Falcon”. Brimming with style, slick dialogue, and brilliant work from Humphrey Bogart, “The Maltese Falcon” is a glorious example of smart and creative filmmaking that takes fabulous source material and breathes cinematic life into it.

So much of the film’s success is directly attributed to John Huston. His creative touches can be seen throughout and his intense dedication to the project is legendary. It’s said that Huston actually planned every minute detail of the film. He laid it out scene by scene and line by line. His reasoning – so that the filming would go by in a timely and professional manner. But interestingly enough, by doing that he gave us a glimpse at the pure cinematic genius of a director that would go on to make so many of the idustry’s great movies.

Huston also wrote the screenplay and much of his dialogue was taken from the novel and incorporated with a near flawless technique. And it’s not just the writing that shows such an inventive new style. His carefully crafted visual style employs cool camera angles, strategic lighting, and the subtle use of imagery to create the overall tone the film is known so well for. All of this from the hands and mind of a first time director. Of course this is one of the all-time great debuts.

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A good argument could be made that The Maltese Falcon is Humphrey Bogart’s best film. It’s a movie that seems to get better each time I watch it and has earned it’s recognition as a film noir classic. It’s also a film featuring another notable first. This was Sydney Greenstreet’s first feature film as well as Huston’s directorial debut. As mentioned, Huston also wrote the story which is based on Dashiell Hammett’s novel of the same name. The movie is smart, sharply written, and very well made.

Bogart plays Sam Spade, a San Francisco private investigator. He and his partner Miles Archer, played by Jerome Cowan, meet with an attractive new client, Ruth Wonderly (Mary Astor) who hires them to help find her missing sister. Archer volunteers to follow her as she meets with Floyd Thursby, an acquaintance of her sister. Later that night Spade receives a call that Archer has been murdered. Spade weaves through a barrage of lies and an assortment of shady characters to find that it all revolves around a priceless statuette of a bird covered in jewels.

Bogart wasn’t Huston’s first choice to play Sam Spade but after George Raft turned down the part Bogie was brought in. This was the beginning of a great friendship between Bogart and Huston that spawned many other wonderful films such as “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre”, “The African Queen”, and “Key Largo”. Bogart’s performance is simply wonderful and it’s hard to imagine anyone else in the role. Mary Astor gives a strong performance and sets the table for some of Bogart’s best lines in the film. Add Peter Lorre and Greenstreet and you have an incredible cast. Also keep an eye out for a cool cameo from Walter Huston, John Huston’s father.

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The film is also helped by some fine cinematography. I talked about the crafty camera work and low-level lighting which adds to the picture’s mood and tone. Cinematographer Arthur Edeson plays around with the angles and camera locations which give the movie a cool, slick look. It’s such a technically sound and stylish movie and Huston’s accomplishment is really profound considering this was his first picture.

The Maltese Falcon epitomizes what high level filmmaking and cinematic storytelling is all about. Bogart’s performance became the model for other film noir detective roles and the supporting cast is nothing short of perfect. The movie was nominated for three Academy Awards but it’s contribution to filmmaking can’t be measured by that alone. This is a motion picture classic and it should be considered mandatory viewing for any fan of film. If you haven’t seen The Maltese Falcon, it’s time to. Oh, and it also marks one of the greatest directorial debuts of all time. That’s something no one can argue.

(Again, a huge thanks to Chris at Terry Malloy’s Pigeon Coup and Mark at Three Rows Back for not only allowing me to take part in this blogathon but for coming up with such a fantastic idea that sheds light on some of our greatest filmmakers both past and present. Please take time to check out their blogs. You’ll be glad you did!)

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5 Phenomenal Tough Guy One-Liners

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I grew up on the 1980’s action genre and admittingly I still love many of those films. So in honor of these cheesfests I so adore, this week I’m listing 5 Phenomenal tough guy one-liners. Now on the surface that probably looks pretty easy, but it didn’t take long before the one-liners started stacking up. So I put the emphasis on “TOUGH GUY”. There’s a lot of great movie one-liners but this list is restricted to those sometimes cheesy but always memorable action movie one-liners that were a staple of so many films. As always, I wouldn’t call this the definitive list, but there’s no denying that these movie tough guy one-liners are absolutely phenomenal.

#5 – “YOU’RE A DISEASE, AND I’M THE CURE” – MARION COBRETTI (“COBRA”)

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Sylvester Stallone’s 1986 cheese-fest “Cobra” is a guilty pleasure of mine. In many ways it epitomized what the 80’s action genre was all about. It had the tough-as-nails hero, over-the-top action sequences, and plenty of corny but fun dialogue. In the opening scene, Cobretti (aka “The Cobra”) is called in to take care of a lunatic who has taken hostages inside a supermarket. The two have a standoff inside where the maniac rambles on about how he is a new world hunter. The Cobra simply replies “You’re a disease, and I’m the cure”. He follows that by wiping the guy out in typical 80’s tough guy fashion. Sure it was cheesy, but even today I still get a kick out of it.

#4 – “I’M YOUR HUCKLEBERRY” – DOC HOLLIDAY (“TOMBSTONE”)

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One of the best things about 1993’s “Tombstone” was Val Kilmer’s performance as Doc Holliday. Since then Kilmer has fallen off the map but looking back he had several memorable roles including this one. In this particular scene a drunken Johnny Ringo (Michael Biehn) is stumbling through the streets of Tombstone when he comes across Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell) and his brothers. Ringo decides to pick a fight with the Earps. After Wyatt turns down his challenge, Doc steps off the porch and utters the memorable line “I’m your huckleberry”. Ringo’s gang rushes in to lead him away which certainly shows that Doc qualifies as a tough guy. Kilmer’s huckleberry line is simply unforgettable.

#3 – “LAUGH IT UP FUZZBALL” – HAN SOLO (“THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK”)

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Ok sure, Han Solo had a soft side. But he was also the quintessential tough guy. The one-time smuggler became an important part of the rebellion but he never fully shed his tough guy personality. After rescuing Luke on the ice planet Hoth, Han and Chewbacca drop by the medical ward to check on him. Also there is Princess Leia and Han immediately begins to give her a hard time. Leia fires right back at Han causing Chewie to let out a hearty laugh. Han gives his furry friend a look and utters the great line “Laugh it up Fuzzball”. Obviously this one is quite different than the other one-liners on this list, but it’s a tough guy line nonetheless and I still love to this day.

#2 – “HASTA LA VISTA, BABY” – THE TERMINATOR (“TERMINATOR 2”)

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You could do an entire list of great Arnold Schwarzenegger one-liners. In almost every film of his you could expect an assortment on them. So for the sake of variety I chose one Schwarzenegger one-liner. It was hard to leave off classic cheese such as “I’ll be back” from the first Terminator film, “Stick around” from “Predator”, and “Let off some steam Bennett” from “Commando”. Instead, I chose a one-liner that is a classic in every sense of the word. After being chased, shot at, and beaten up by a newer Terminator model, Arnie finally gets the upper hand, pulls out his pistol, and says the now famous line “Hasta la vista, baby” before shattering the frozen T-1000 into pieces. It’s the perfect mix of toughness, humor, and cheese and it’s a line that almost everyone immediately recognizes. How could it not be on this list?

#1 – “GO AHEAD, MAKE MY DAY” – HARRY CALLAHAN (“SUDDEN IMPACT”)

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Could any other tough guy one-liner honestly top this one? It’s a Clint Eastwood line that people know and recognizes even if they’ve never seen the movie. Just as he does each morning, San Francisco police detective Harry Callahan grabs a newspaper and walks into his favorite cafe for a cup of coffee. He leaves, takes a sip of his coffee and finds it to be loaded with sugar. This tips him off that something is wrong. The cafe is actually being held up for several armed gunman. Harry comes in the back way with his buddies Smith and Wesson (aka his .44 magnum) and takes care of business. The one surviving robber grabs a hostage and tries to escape. Harry meets him at the door, points his .44 at his face, gives him the Clint squint, and utters the famous line “Go ahead, make my day”. Classic! Eastwood delivered several memorable movie lines especially with his Dirty Harry character. But when it comes down to it, this is the one that will always stand out.

Like my list? Dislike my list? See a one-liner that I left out? Disagree with one I included? What’s you’re favorite tough-guy one-liner? Please leave a comment or share your own favorites below.

Flaunt It or Flush It? – Fall Movies 2013

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Where on earth did the summer go. It seemed like just a few days ago we were highly anticipating the big summer releases ahead of us. Now they’re gone and fall is upon us. The fall season has been notoriously sketchy yet over the past few years it’s featured some pretty good movies. And it looks like more studios are targeting the fall for some of their bigger release dates. That bodes well for us moviegoers. So all of this means it’s Flaunt It or Flush It time. This is where I list five fall movies from the months of September, October, and November that I’m particularly excited about. These I will flaunt. Then I’ll mention five fall movies that I want no part of. These I will flush. So let’s get to it!

FLAUNT ‘EM

GRAVITY#1 – “GRAVITY” (October 4, 2013) – I have to admit something – I know little about the plot of the upcoming film “Gravity”. But I also have to admit that I am extremely intrigued but what I’ve seen so far. The cast of George Clooney and Sandra Bullock is attractive. The idea of them stranded in space after a spacewalk catastrophe is even better. The teasers have been masterfully crafted telling us little in terms of plot but showing off both the beauty and daunting threat of space. Most importantly, the teasers did their job of catching my attention and exciting me for what I hope is a real treat.

Thor Movie Poster Wallpaper by TelephoneWallpaper.com#2 – “THOR: THE DARK WORLD” (November 8, 2013) – I love that Marvel Studios has spread their superhero movies out this year. At first I was surprised to see “Thor: The Dark World” get a November release. That’s sometimes a cause for concern. But with November becoming more and more attractive for bigger releases (see the new Hunger Games film as an example), I think it’s a good fit. I love Chris Hemsworth in this role and the early trailers show promise. But the real selling point is Tom Hiddleston as the conniving Loki. Just seeing him in a prominent role has me giddy with excitement!

CAPTAIN#3 – “CAPTAIN PHILLIPS” (October 11, 2013) – From the first moment I saw the trailer for “Captain Phillips” I was hooked. Tom Hanks stars in this action biopic of Captain Richard Phillips who was taken hostage by Somali Pirates in 2009. The look and scope of this film is impressive and this looks like a perfect role for Hanks. Adding to the excitement is the direction of Paul Greengrass of Jason Bourne fame. Greengrass didn’t impress me at all with his last film “Green Zone” but this one looks back on par with his previous efforts. The action looks thrilling and Hanks looks in form. I’m excited.

WOLF WALL STREET#4 – “THE WOLF OF WALL STREET” (November 15, 2013) – How can you not take notice when Martin Scorsese releases a movie? This fall he’s back with “The Wolf of Wall Street”. He joins forces with Leonardo DiCaprio, a long time favorite of his, in this one part biopic, another part dark comedy. It also features Matthew McConaughey and favorites of mine Jean Dujardin and Kyle Chandler. This was one of my most anticipated movies from the start of the year but I have to admit I’m a little more cautious after seeing the first trailer. Something just felt a little off. But the wealth of talent in the load of potential is enough to keep me excited.

COUNSELOR#5 – “THE COUNSELOR” (October 25, 2013) – Long time readers of this blog know I’m a huge Ridley Scott fan so naturally his new film “The Counselor” would have to make this list. The great author Cormac McCarthy writes the screenplay and the cast looks fabulous. Michael Fassbender, Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, and Brad Pitt all make the film even more enticing. There’s still a lot I would like to know about the film but what little has been revealed looks very promising. And with Ridley Scott running the show I feel even more confident that this could be a really good picture. We will certainly find out on October 25th.

FLUSH ‘EM

DELIVERY MAN#1 – “DELIVERY MAN” (November 22, 2013) – Look, I’m no Vince Vaughn fan so I probably wouldn’t go to see this anyway. But the movie’s synopsis is enough to ensure that will never happen. “An affable underachiever finds out he’s fathered 533 children through anonymous donations to a fertility clinic. Now he must decide whether or not to come forward when 142 of them file a lawsuit to reveal his identity.” (IMDb). Really? I mean I know the comedy genre is in shambles and this shouldn’t surprise me but what about that sounds good? I know this thing will draw its fair share of viewers but I won’t be one of them.

BATTLE YEAR#2 – “BATTLE OF THE YEAR” (September 13, 2013) – I really liked Josh Holloway in the television series “Lost”. And while he was perfectly cast in that series, he’s never struck me as an actor with much range. Perhaps that’s why his casting as the lead in the B-boy dance film “Battle of the Year” is so jarring. We’ve all seen those sports movies featuring the inspirational coach who leads a team to realizing their dream. Well that’s what we have here except Holloway coaches a team of dances. Honestly the trailer looks as terrible as the concept. Like some goofy mix of “The Karate Kid” and “Step Up, this thing is flush-worthy through and through.

JACKASS#3 – JACKASS PRESENTS: BAD GRANDPA” (October 25, 2013) – Haven’t these things ran their course yet? Thinly veiled as a cross country road trip picture, “Bad Grandpa” is really just another Jackass movie. Now I won’t deny that at first I found some of their hidden camera antics pretty funny. But over time they’ve just become more crude and more over-the-top. This looks like more of the same. Hopefully the more focused direction of the film will prove me wrong. But so far on the surface this looks like another Knoxville and company production that I would just assume skip. Many will go see it. I probably won’t be among them.

LAST VEGAS#4 – “LAST VEGAS” (November 1, 2013) – Granted, “Last Vegas” doesn’t look as blatantly awful as the previous three flushers listed so far. But talk about treading the same old tired ground. A very appealing cast heads this overdone story. Michael Douglas, Robert DeNiro, Morgan Freeman, and Kevin Kline head to where else – Las Vegas for one big wild bachelor party. Heard that before? The catch – the are all in their late sixties. Again, heard that before? The trailer and plot summary doesn’t look a but original an the entire production seems like one big crowd-pleasing cash grab. I may be wrong but it looks like a lot of good talent wasted.

CLOUDY#5 – “CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2” (September 27, 2013) – Now don’t misunderstand me, there’s no way I’m comparing the upcoming animated sequel “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2” to full-blown crap like “Delivery Man” and “Battle of the Year”. But this movie is a clear example of “Why?”. The first film was a success and plenty of people appreciated it. But this seems like such a cash grab and for some reason I think it may be a real stinker. The food gimmick was cool in the first film, at least for a little while. But I don’t see it or the characters as enough to make this worth seeing. Again, many will. I just don’t think I’ll be among them. But this is one I fully admit I could be wrong on.

There you go. I’ve flaunted five films that I’m anxious to see and flushed five that look like…well…crap. Agree or disagree? What are some summer movies you would like to flaunt or flush. Let me hear from ya.

REVIEW : “The Descendants”

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“The Descendants” is a film from director Alexander Payne that first came out Oscar ripe. It’s a heavy story that deals with several conflicting emotions that flow from situations that are all too real for many people. It can be a difficult film to watch at times but it can also be quite moving. I can certainly understand the reason for the Oscar buzz it received mainly due to some incredible performances. But the movie both underplays and overplays some parts of the story which for me held it back a tad.

The story follows Matt King (Clooney), a husband and father of two who lives in Hawaii. He’s a rich man who gained his wealth by being a descendant of Hawaiian royalty. He is the sole trustee of 25,000 acres of pristine virgin land on the island of Kauai. But Matt tries to stay grounded. He works as a lawyer and uses that salary to support his family while employing his father’s perspective that you should always work for your money. Matt and his cousins have entertained offers for the land. Some want to sell it to a huge group from Chicago while others want to sell to a local Kauai developer. Matt has the final say and must weigh the wishes of his family with what’s best for the community. We learn most of this in the first few minutes of the movie through expository voice-overs. In many films this could be seen as a crutch but here it works surprisingly well and gives us key elements to the story which sets up what’s to come.

But within the first few minutes of the film it’s revealed that Matt’s wife has had a serious boating accident which leaves her comatose in an intensive care unit. Things look bleak and Matt struggles to bring together his two daughters. One is the impressionable 10 year old Scottie (Amara Miller) and the other is the bitter, irreverent 17-year old Alex (Shailene Woodley). To make matters worse, Matt finds out that his wife has been cheating on him with a younger real estate agent. The story takes Matt on an emotional roller coaster as he tries to balance feelings of anger and betrayal with the reality of his wife’s current state. There is a unique complexity to the story and while there is a lot going on emotionally, Payne makes everything feel genuine and authentic.

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While “The Descendants” does keep everything feeling reel, it does overplay a vital element to one of the film’s key relationships. Matt struggles and at times looks inept when it comes to parenting. This was never more clear than in his relationship with his older daughter Alex. Payne certainly portrays her as angry and rebellious but I felt he terribly overdid it. I was particularly turned off by her constant vulgarity and irreverence. Even as their relationship supposedly grows stronger, we see her or her airhead boyfriend speak to Matt as if they were drinking buddies. Woodley gives a brilliant performance but I never completely appreciated her character mainly due to some shoddy writing which kills the otherwise wonderful moments between the two. Her character never truly evolves as I had hoped.

And while it overplays that particular relationship I felt it underplayed the relationship between Matt and his wife. To be fair, we do get all the information we need and I had no trouble understanding the relationship between the two. But I couldn’t help but wish for more. We never see them together before the accident. All of the details of their marriage is brought out through conversations with neighbors and family. It’s a smart method of storytelling and I guess it worked well enough. But the nitpicker in me really would have liked to have seen more.

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One of the most important lines in the movie occurs during a conversion Matt has with another character. Matt is told “Everything just happens”. This seems to be a main point that Payne tries to make with this film and we see it throughout the picture. But I couldn’t buy into that premise. I go back to Matt’s relationship with his daughter. Alex’s attitude and disrespect didn’t just happen. She is a product of her parents poor parenting. His wife’s affair didn’t just happen. Her poor decisions and lack of self-control led to the adultery. If “Everything just happens” is a main point as many have said, Payne never sold me on it.

As I mentioned, their are some fantastic performances here. Clooney is controlled and reserved and delivers one of his best performances. I’ve already mentioned the great work from Woodley but young Miller is also quite good. With the exception of the peculiarly cast Matthew Lillard, there are several brief but strong performances from actors like Robert Forster and Beau Bridges. I also loved the use of Hawaii as a location. We do get small glimpses at its island beauty but for the most part Payne treats it as a real place where people live – a community with all the same trials and troubles as any other state. The mix of uniqueness and commonality was very effective.

There is a lot to like with “The Descendants”. It deals with some weighty subject matter in a real and thoughtful way. It shows glimpses of greatness even though it’s brought back down by some poor creative direction that strips one of the more intriguing characters of much of her likability. But I found myself caring about what happened to these people. It’s strong stuff and “The Descendants” handles it all well. It’s a film with a great concept and some great moments. Unfortunately a few speed bumps in the script keep it from being a truly great film.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

REVIEW: “Robot & Frank”

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“Robot & Frank” may offer the most unique look at growing old that you’ll find. It touches on several of the age-related elements we’ve seen addressed in other movies, but the key difference here is that it’s looked at through a semi-futuristic lens. This comedy/drama from director Jake Schreier is a smart and well made picture that may not instantly call you back for a second viewing, but it will touch your heart and make you laugh. And on those two merits alone, it’s easy to call “Robot & Frank” a success.

But there is more to the movie than just that. In fact what originally drew me to the picture was that it offered a starring vehicle for Frank Langella. I’ve always been a big fan of his and consider him one of the more underrated actors. At age 75 he’s no longer Hollywood’s prime target age for lead roles (unfortunately) so it was a nice surprise to see him here. He’s joined by Susan Sarandon, James Marsden, Liv Tyler, and Peter Sarsgaard who supplies some really fun voice work.

In the not too distant future, Langella plays an elderly man reasonably named Frank who lives by himself in upstate New York. Frank is starting to see his health deteriorate particularly through early signs of dementia. His son Hunter (Marsden) lives five hours away and he’s grown tired of the weekly trips to see his father. Frank’s daughter Madison (Tyler) is an ‘out there’ activist who occasionally checks on her father via video phone. Their entire family dynamic is fractured due to some past baggage and Frank’s health issues force them all to deal with it. But it takes a little prodding before anyone is willing to do that.

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Hunter’s solution for caring for his father is to provide him with a robot caregiver who will cook, clean, and watch over him. Frank hates the idea and does everything he can to discourage the robot. But he begins to grow fond of it after this man and machine make an interesting connection. Frank begins sharing memories of his past jobs to his robot. Now Frank’s job was no ordinary job. He wasn’t a carpenter, a truck driver, or a lawyer. Frank was a thief and actually spent time in prison for it. Before long he begins to see some new possibilities with his robot friend, possibilities that may not be the wisest.

You may think you know where this movie is going but the path it takes is an unconventional one. That’s what sets it apart from so many other movies that deal with these subjects. Langella is fantastic and he gives us an endearing and genuinely sympathetic character. He grumbles and growls in some scenes while in others he masterfully portrays a man in mental decline. It’s a beautiful performance and he’s the force that really drives this picture. Sarandon appears as a local librarian. She’s very good and I have to say some of my favorite scenes are when she and Langella are sharing the screen together.

“Robot & Frank” is a small movie built around a tight script and Frank Langella’s strong work. It’s humor is often subtle but always effective and the emotionally meaty undercurrent really worked for me. Now, as I mentioned, I wouldn’t say this is a film that I want to rush out and see again. It’s just not that kind of movie for me. But I won’t deny the film of the praise it deserves. It accomplishes a lot by taking a few weighty subjects and taking them on in new creative ways. That’s something I really appreciate and responded to.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

5 Phenomenal Biopics

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Biopics come in all varieties. Throughout cinema’s history we’ve seen cinematic biographies of prominent historical figures all the way to inspirational individual stories. Often times biopics fall into similar trappings and the results aren’t always pretty. But sometimes we get amazing stories of people both good and bad which translates into a fantastic movie experience. So this week I’m looking at biopics that really worked for me. I’m also looking for as much variety as possible so hopefully you’ll find something on here you didn’t expect. Now with that goal in mind it would be wrong to call this the definitive list. But I have no problems calling these five biopics phenomenal.

BRIANS#5 – “BRIAN’S SONG” (1971) – I’m a huge sports fan. Whether it’s baseball, football, or hockey I really love following sports. But I’ve sometimes been mixed when it comes to sports movies. There are a ton of biopics in the sports genre but only a few real standouts. One of the great ones is “Brian’s Song”. It’s based on the true and touching story of Brian Piccolo as told by his lifelong friend Gale Sayers. The film chronicles the rivalry which turned to friendship all while weathering storms of racism and terminal illness. The film stars James Caan and Billy Dee Williams and they are fabulous. If you’re not familiar with the story I won’t ruin it for you. But let me just say you will be moved. It’s a rare sports biopic that shouldn’t be missed.

MASK#4 – “MASK” (1985) – Some may have forgotten the 1985 drama “Mask”. I know I never will. The movie shares the story of Roy “Rocky” Dennis, a teenage boy suffering from an extremely rare disorder called craniodiaphyseal. It leaves Rocky with a severe cranial disfigurement but you would never know it by his vibrant love for baseball cards, aspirations for world travel, and a general love for life even though he faces difficulties most never will. Eric Stoltz is amazing as Rocky. He masterfully brings this young boy to life. Cher is nothing short of brilliant as Rocky’s struggling single mother as is Sam Elliott as a loyal and protective family friend. I adore this film and if it doesn’t affect you emotionally something may be wrong. It may not be a traditional biopic, but it’s one of the best.

LA VIE EN ROSE#3 – “LA VIE EN ROSE” (2007) – Anyone familiar with the story of acclaimed French singer Edith Piaf knows it was a life filled with highs and lows. In “La Vie en Rose” it is brought to life through the eyes of director Olivier Dahan and through a stunning Oscar winning lead performance from Marion Cotillard. The film’s fractured narrative structure and use of flashbacks may not appeal to everyone. But I think it comes together beautifully to show what a difficult life this extremely talented woman had. But I always come back to Cotillard who literally loses herself in this role. Both physically and emmotionally, Cotillard gives a master class in acting. She is tremendous and this was a performance that made her one of my very favorites.

MIND#2 – “A BEAUTIFUL MIND” (2001) – If anyone ever doubted Russell Crowe’s amazing range as an actor, “A Beautiful Mind” should easily cure that. Crowe is fantastic here but so is the story of John Nash. Nash is a genius and a master in economics and mathematics. His brilliance takes him on a remarkable journey to Princeton University and eventually to the U.S. government where he serves as a code breaker. But we also learn that John is a paranoid schizophrenic whose intelligence is hindered by delusional episodes. His troubles effects every area of his life including his family. It’s a difficult and heartbreaking story to watch yet there’s a wonderful warmth that director Ron Howard brings to the table. Simply put, it’s a beautiful film.

SCHINDLER#1 – “SCHINDLER’S LIST” (1993) – Over the years I’ve found myself drawn to movies about the Jewish Holocaust. It marked one of the darkest times in our world’s history and I’m thankful that cinema gives us an avenue to always remember. There have been many films on the Holocaust but none better than “Schindler’s List”. The story of Oskar Schindler is heroic, troubling, transformative, and deeply stirring all at the same time. Liam Neeson delivers a career defining performance as he transforms this self-absorbed business opportunist into a man desperate to save as many Jews as possible from the Nazi barbarism. “Schindler’s List” is one of the toughest films to watch but it’s also one of the most satisfying and rewarding. An incredible film. An incredible story.

There are my five phenomenal biopics. Now it’s your turn. I would love to hear what would have made your list. What did I get wrong? Please take time to share your thoughts in the comments below.