These are some of my favorite movies. I've been working on some comments on them. Let me know your thoughts about any of these films or any others you think I should see or put on the list. e-mail to Tim "at" DouglassClan "dot" com
Dr. Zhivago - David Lean did a tremendous job of capturing the feel of Pasternak's novel, although he took considerable liberty with the story. Watching this movie on a small TV screen is a poor substitute for seeing it in a theater, especially if you don't get the letterbox version. You really need a big screen TV, a good sound system and a letterbox version of the tape to appreciate it. I will definitely buy Dr. Zhivago when and if it comes out in DVD (or whatever turns out to be the next high-end video format).
Star Wars - Pure entertainment. The summer Star Wars came out I saw it over a dozen times. The movie loses a lot in the transition to the small screen, but it is still fun. I haven't seen the updated version of this, somehow it seems a bit like re-doing the Mona Lisa with a computer-enhanced image. OK, it's not that big a deal, I just liked the original and am not fond of the current trend to re-do stuff because there is supposedly better technology available now.
The Empire Strikes Back
The Return of the Jedi
The Cutting Edge - OK, so it is not much more than a romantic piece of fluff. I still like it for the way the tension builds up between the leads. There are also some scene transitions that are truly excellent.
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers - I like musicals, and this one has lots of great songs and a wild enough plot to make it fun to see multiple times.
Big Jake - I like a lot of John Wayne stuff. Big Jake has most of his trademark acting and a lot of pretty funny stuff to go along with it.
Bladerunner (NOT the director's cut - I happen to like the commercial release better)
Fiddler on the Roof - This movie is easily one of the most powerful ones ever made. From the sheer tragedy of the situation of the Russian Jews to the heart-wrenching cost of following God it is guaranteed to move you. It's long, and not exactly one to sit down and watch with the kids, but for a very late night with the spouse it is an excellent choice.
Das Boot - I have seen this in both the subtitled and the dubbed version. It is a bit surreal, so it seems to me that the subtitled version has a stronger impact. This is another movie that really deserves to be seen in a widescreen or letterbox format. If you want to get a good feel for the futility of war this movie will do that.
Six Days, Seven Nights - Another movie without a lot of deeper meaning, but it is a lot of fun despite some rather gratuitous violence.
You've Got Mail - More light stuff, but the acting and the characterizations are good enough to make it worth watching more than once. I also enjoyed The Shop Around the Corner, the 1940 movie with Margaret Sullavan and James Stewart that was the inspiration for You've Got Mail.
October Sky - I guess I just like the idea of a bunch of kids daring to take chances in order to learn something new. In a lot of ways it isn't that great a movie, but it holds you as you hope for them to succeed.
Sabrina - Fun to watch and fun to watch again, Audrey Hepburn has a lot of trouble trying to decide between Humphrey Bogart and William Holden as two wealthy brothers who employ her father as chauffeur. Another one of those "just for fun" movies that I seem to accumulate.