La Battaglia di Algeri (1966)

Trailer

We are soldiers and our only duty is to win.
So basically: Shot in a documentary style, director Gillo Pontecorvo takes the audience into 1950's Algiers, where the National Liberation Front is fighting for Algerian independence and the French colonists are trying to maintain order. The story follows young Ali La Pointe as he reaches the top of the NLF. As Algerian nationalism grows, Colonel Mathieu is sent in to break up the rebel gang and return Algeria to a state of colonialism.

Very gripping picture. Gillo Pontecorvo captures the streets of Algiers magnificently with his documentary style. I especially liked the way that no one is made out to be the villain, as it would have been so easy to make Colonel Mathieu seen as a bad guy. He's not the most likeable character, and I definitely felt more for the NLF members, but he's not villainous, either - even with his "methods of interrogation."

Defs deserves the "prestige" of the list as it captures the audience's attention and shows them a very important film - a film not just about Algerian independence, but of independence in general.

Ziggi seal of approval!

Duck Soup (1933)

Trailer

Remember, you're fighting for this woman's honour, which is probably more than she ever did.
So basically: Groucho Marx plays Rufus T Firefly, who has taken over Freedonia on the stimpulation of Mrs Teasdale, the countries financer. Ambassedor Trentino, of the neighboring Sylvania, wants to take over the country by marrying Mrs Teasdale and he sends two spies, Chicolini and Pinky, to watch over Firefly.

If you don't like this move then you clearly have no sense of humour. It's pure classic humour and I miss it. The comedies today just aren't as funny as they were back then. Genius. They have plays on words, hilarious falling over, skits, and the classic mirror scene! And the hats! Best hats ever. I wish everyone wore hats now. Harpo Marx is defs my favourite in this movie - he's my hero.

This movie should stay on the list forevs and everyone should see it.

Ziggi seal of approval!

Planet of the Apes (1968)

Trailer

Take your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!
So basically: a crew of four is sent out on a space expedition and in order to not age, they are placed into suspended animation. When they wake up, they find their ship has crash landed on an unknown planet and that one of their crew is already dead. They escape their sinking ship and paddle up the river in a life craft. There, they encounter primitive humanoids but get attacked and separated by apes on horses! One of the crew, Taylor, gets captured and put into a cage under the supervision of Dr Zira. The ape society hates humans as a whole and think they are unintelligent creatures. Taylor tries to prove them wrong, but his throat has been damaged and he is unable to speak. With the help of Dr Zira, her fiance, and her nephew, Taylor must escape captivity.

I was familiar with the remake of this movie and didn't think very highly of it. This version, however, was much, much better. It's free from the unnecessary CGI used in today's sci-fi movies and concentrates more on the story and the characters. And, of course, it being sci-fi you must allow for some leeway in the facts - like the likelihood of the apes speaking the same form of English we do now. I wish I could have seen this movie when it was released, free from the knowledge of how it ended (I think that took away from the story a lot on first viewing, unfortunately, but still an amazing ending) and with the fear that the movie played on. The very real fear of a nuclear attack and subsequent post-apocalyptic type world. Fans of the original Star Trek will defs love this film and the rest of the population should totes check it out!

It should be higher on the list if anything.

Ziggi seal of approval!

Manhattan (1974)

Trailer

I finally had an orgasm, and my doctor said it was the wrong kind.
So basically: Woody Allan plays 42 year old neurotic Isaac in the city of Manhattan. He and his best friend Yale are both in search of love. Isaac's ex-wife has left him for another woman and now he's dating a 17 year old. Yale is "happily" married to Emily, but now is casually seeing Mary. The four of them are now engaged in a love square as they prounce around downtown New York being pretentious.

What a pretentious and douchey film. It was my first Woody Allen film and it's totes turned me off him for good - I've seen Annie Hall, too, which didn't alleviate the feeling. First off, his relationship with Tracy is so disturbing. Not because of the fact she's a minor, but the age difference is just too big! srs! And he's totes using her. Here's a girl who's never been in love before and then she's swept up by Isaac and his life. While she's falling in love with him, he just thinks of it as a fling. How totally unfair for her! And at the end, when things don't work out with the girl Isaac's "in love" with, he crawls back to Tracy hoping she'll take him back when she's finally gotten over him and going to start an awesome life in London - and he wants her to give that all up, just for him! If you really wanted to be with her, go to London with her, you douche bucket. And Yale? Oh, you've just had two minor things while you're with your wife and that's okay? I'm all for polygamy, but he was just cheating. Which is totes not cool. Diane Keaton as Mary is just annoying. I'm sorry. I never liked her as an actress. She's the most pretentious character evs! Srs, who asks how many moons of Saturn someone can name and then like a big show-off start naming the ones you know?! Gah! Pretentious, douchey film. Don't watch it.

Srs, what can people like about it? There's *some* witty dialogue by Isaac, but it's very scarce. Not a "top" movie.

Ziggi seal of disapproval!

La Strada (1954)

Trailer

Are you a woman, really? Or an artichoke?
So basically: Gelsomina lives in a small village with her mother and many younger siblings. Desperate for money, her mother sells her to a travelling circus artist and she goes out onto the road with him. Zampano, the circus artist, is harsh and unkind but throughout the movie, Gelsomina's child-like nature softens his heart.

Guilietta Masina (Gelsomina) is totes the most adorbs thing ever to hit the silver screen! How dare the Fool call her an artichoke! wtf ... mabbs it's the shape of her face? Which is adorbs. Anyway, I do like this film. Even tho she's pretty useless, just following around Zampano like a lost puppy when he's so mean to her. And she finds comfort in comparing herself to a pebble in regards to her usefulness? I wish she would have been a little more outgoing, but it wouldn't be very true to her child-like personality which compliments Zampano's nicely. I wouldn't call it a masterpiece, but it's a good film.

Yes, this movie deserves to be on the list. The first Fellini on the list and certainly not the last.

Ziggi seal of approval!

Patton (1970)

Trailer

I cannot find this effing movie.
So basically: this movie is apparently about a General named Patton in some kind of war. Probably World War 2. I'm guessing. I heard it's really good and one of the best war movies ever. We shall see, maybe. If I can ever find it.

Stupid stupid movie. Who makes a movie this hard to find? Srs?! Stupid Coppola! Also, stupid library! I had my friend put it on hold and since I wasn't there, I just assumed it was gunna be DVD. 'Cause, like, all movies from the library are DVD and occasionally VHS. BUT NO! The library decided it wanted to be cool and get some Blu-rays. Fine. What are the chances that a movie from the 70's is gunna be Blu-rayed and AT the library, which is SO outdated anyway. So, I had it on hold and I went all the way across the city in blistering heat (like 40 degrees, whole crap, and humid!) on the stupid bus which takes, like, half an hour and get to the library only to find out that it was a blu-ray copy. What a waste of time!

I can't say for certain if this movie deserves the "prestige." I hope to Bucket that it does, 'cause if it turns out not to be one of the awesomest movies I've ever seen I'm going to be even more mad!

Ziggi seal of disapproval!



... ahem. Oops. Let's try that again, shall we?



Trailer

Now I want you to remember that no bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country.
So basically: General George S Patton arrives in North Africa just after the Allies' first encounter with the Germans. He is disgusted at the way the camp is being run and starts running it his way. Also in Africa is British Field Marshal Montgomery, who is just as egotistical as Patton. Patton and Montgomery now rival with each other in both Africa and Italy.

I was actually looking forward to watching this; I honestly thought I might like it. OMG! I couldn't be more wrong. I mean, the character of Patton looks very interesting on paper, but I didn't get that from the film. Also, the entire film is totes boring. The action doesn't flow and takes way too long to do anything. Each time I got distracted and then looked back on screen all they were doing was saluting or blowing shit up. It's like a 1970's version of a Michael Bay film.

I don't get why people think this movie is so great. Does not deserve to be on the list at all.

Ziggi seal of disapproval!

Les Quatre Cents Coups (1959)

Trailer

Not everybody has a tongue like yours.
So basically: Antoine Doinel is a young schoolboy who is tired of the routine of class and then spending the evening at home with his mother and father. With his parents both working, Antoine feels neglected - he even spent the majority of his childhood at his grandma's because his mother couldn't take care of him. Feeling neglected and misunderstood, Antoine, accompanied by his best friend Rene, turns to the streets and a life of petty crime.

What a bratty kid. He wasn't misunderstood or neglected, he was just rebellious. I think his parents truly cared for him - even if it was an unwanted pregnancy - and gave him every opportunity to improve himself. They even took him out to the movies when he should have been punished. This boy used his parents until they had no choice but to seek outside help and send him away. Even then, instead of trying to "prove that he could become a man," he ran away from that! This is a boy who doesn't like the responsibility of the real world and thinks that he has the right to just ignore it and to run free. I honestly don't get what the writer/director was trying to portray in this boy.

It's an alright film just to watch, but it defs does not deserve to be on the list.

Ziggi seal of disapproval!

The Conversation (1974)

Trailer

I'm not following you, I'm looking for you. There's a big difference.
So basically: Gene Hackman plays paranoid surveillance man, Harry Caul, who has been hired to record the wife of the Director and the man she's been cheating with. A routine job, but when Caul listens to the recording over and over, he suspects that the couple are in danger of murder. Already his job has lead to the deaths of three people back in his native New York. Now, Caul must prevent the Director from hearing the tapes and try and save the young couple.

The first twist ending of the list, I believe - Mulholland Dr. doesn't count - and completely not worth it. The entire "twist" relies on changing a part of the story already presented to the audience. The line that makes us think that the young couple are in danger changes in the way it is read - albeit slightly, but enough to change the meaning - to make the twist. You can't do that to the audience. It's only a twist if everything is the same throughout the movie. What Coppola did is called CHEATING! The first half of the movie was really good as the audience tries to figure out what is going on with the Conversation and why it's important. But after an hour, the plot drags on and becomes boring. It'd skip this film.

No list "prestige" for this one. And I don't get all the hype about it. The beginning is well crafted, but if you can't hold up till the end of the movie, then it's defs not a good movie.

Ziggi seal of disapproval!

Wo Hu Cang Long (2000)

Trailer

Animals in Different Positions.
So basically: Li Mu Bai is a famous warrior with a magnificent sword. He wants to give it all up and sends his sword, the Green Destiny, to an old friend as a gift. There, the sword is taken by a mysterious thief that rivals Li Mu Bai in fighting. Li Mu Bai must now get his sword back while at the same time find and kill Jade Fox, the woman who murdered his master.

This film is basically just an epic love story between the thief, Jen Yu, and a bandit from the West. It's an alright film, but formulaic in its execution. Also, the end was a cop-out. Movies that end with the main character killing themselves to get out of all they've done wrong annoy me. I also did not like the character of Jen Yu at all! She was sooo badly written. I liked Shu Lien, tho, she was pretty cool. And the fight scenes are brilliant to watch. Those people who think that it's cheesy and fake and that it should be explained how they can do all those things are stupid. I'm sorry. Suspend your belief in gravity for a little while, ok? It's just how it's done. Accept that. It's cool. I wish I could fly! And it looks awesome. The part about this film that irks me the most is the choice in actors. None of them were native Mandarin speakers and that made them all have weird accents that were hard for native speakers to understand! Geez, stupid Hollywood, ruining pictures.

I don't understand why people like this movie so much. It was an alright movie, but nowhere near as good as I thought it was going to be. Does not deserve to be on the list at all. But, check it out if you're just looking for an alright movie, nothing special.

Ziggi seal of disapproval!

Changeling (2008)

Trailer

Fuck you and the horse you rode in on.
So basically: Christine Collins leaves her son at home when she gets called into work suddenly. When she returns, he's missing, but the police refuse to file her case until 24 hours after he's disappeared. Months later, after much searching, a boy matching Christine's son is found and brought to Los Angeles. She meets him at the train station, but it is not her son. Instead of admitting their mistake, the police insist that Christine is hysterical and denying her son to get out of responsibility. Now, Christine must fight the police force, with the help of Reverend Briegleb who's dedicated to exposing the corruption of the LAPD, and to help her find her real son.

Captivating movie. When I saw the trailers, I just wanted to find out the mystery of it all and I went into the movie not expecting anything. Till the very end of the picture, the audience is left wondering what happened to the boy and feels sympathy for Christine. I didn't think Angelina Jolie would be suited for the role, but she is absolutely stunning in her performance (I'm not fond of her normally). The two story lines, the missing Collins boy, and the man who murders boys, is intricately woven in together as the audience is trying to fit all the pieces together themselves.

Defs should be on the list and get all the "prestige."

Ziggi seal of approval!