Kiwi Film Review: My Top 10 Films of All Time

First off, I've decided that I'm going to try and make an honest effort at posting a review or list every Sunday starting this week. This doesn't mean that I won't be posting more then that every week, but I just wanted to have a day where I definitely posted something. Thanks and enjoy the rest of the post. --Gill.

Some of these movies will probably be confusing (ie Perks of Being a Wallflower as there were a number of other films before it on my Top Films of 2012 list) but I think that theres a difference between an excellently made film, and a film that you feel a connection to, or one that really stands out to you. I chose most of the pictures because I felt they really represented what each film was about. So here they are, my top 10 films of all time.

10.) The Godfather

A lot of people are definitely thinking that this should be higher on the list, but there are just more movies that I had a stronger reaction to.

This is my first introduction to Marlon Brando, who was such an epic character as Don Vito Corleone. Everything about this movie is perfect. It is clearly the greatest gangster movie of all time, and many people believe it is the greatest film of all time, and clearly I definitely think it's up there.

Check out my review HERE

9.) Mystic River

The first time I saw this movie I had  no idea what it was about, and I like it that way. I think this was probably the movie that made me really love Sean Penn. It was so intense and if you were able to call the ending you deserve a high-five. 5-star acting all around, made me want to watch the rest of Clint Eastwood's movies.

You can find my review HERE

8.) The Silence Of The Lambs

The first time I watched this film I had no idea what I was getting into, I knew it was a murder mystery but that was about it. I can't even put into words the calibre of Anthony Hopkins in this film. So much excitement, so many memorable, and quotable moments. No one does a Silence of the Lambs parody like Kevin Smith in Clerks II.

7.) Midnight In Paris

I seriously adored every moment of this film. I loved how its definitely a fantasy film, but has so much history and romance that its almost not fantasy at all. The entire premise is clearly fantasy-based but everything around it is mostly historical using real people. Woody Allen is so good at capturing the "what if's" we have in our minds and creating a story around it.

You can find my review HERE

6.) The Dark Knight Rises
Christopher Nolan knows how to make an awesome movie. With Batman Begins he re-created how to make an action-hero movie. The thing that made this film for me was how amazingly he tied his trilogy together. I don't think I've ever seen anything like it. His characters were so strong, and deep that you couldn't help but feel everything for them.

You can find my review HERE

5.) Perks of Being A Wallflower

I'm a sucker for movies like this, with such loveable characters who go through such horrible events. The book is even better, but since the author of the novel was also the writer and director of this film, there has never been a better book to film transfer. I dare you not to love this film.

You can find my review HERE

4.) Dirty Dancing

I know after the list of fantastic films I just presented many people will look at this film and dismiss the entire list, but let me explain. There is no doubt that this film doesn't have anywhere near the best writing, acting, or directing, but there is something so charming about it that there is no way I can allow it to not be on this list. 

Nothing hooks you quite like a coming of age/discovery of love and lust story. Patrick Swayze is a total hunk in this film, and I will never renounce my love for him.  Jennifer Grey is a charming, beautiful young girl that allow all of us ladies to live through her discovery what life is really about and the hardships that people face. The soundtrack is also one of my favorites for any film, so many great songs, including some originals just for the film.

3.) A Beautiful Mind

Before I saw this film I honestly only thought of Russell Crowe as "the guys from Gladiator" which is obviously fine as its also a great movie, but I had no idea what kind of pure, raw, talent this man had inside of him. Absolutely amazing film. Based on a true story too!

2.)  American Beauty

If you've never seen this film you are seriously missing out on the awesomeness that is Kevin Spacey. This film turned it all around for me, I don't know how I didn't see his amazing abilities before this, but I did. This film absolutely blew my mind. I don't even know how to explain what kind of movie this is other then to explain that you HAVE to see it ASAP. Kevin Spacey 4 Life.

1.) The Breakfast Club

It all comes down to this. I love this film for a similar reason as why I love Perks of Being a Wallflower. You cannot help but fall in love with the characters. There is not a more powerful scene in film then the one on top of the the library when they all share their deepest thoughts and secrets. No one makes a better heartbreaking/heartwarming film about teenagers then John Hughes, what a genius. 

In a world full of movies/TV shows of dumb teenagers who only care about sex and underage drinking, this movie comes out as a champion showing that they can understand life, and how hard it can be sometimes. It shows that they can be real people, and not just kids who don't deserve an opinion.





Honourable Mentions: Shawshank Redemption, Fight Club, An Education, Never Let Me Go, American Psycho, The Sound of Music, Sleepers, Cloud Atlas, and The Phantom of the Opera.

*Please note that I have not included any documentaries, and have tried to limit the number of movies in trilogies as I am going to make a top 10 list of both.

Kiwi Film Review: Top 10 Films of 2012

Happy New Year! Thought it would be appropriate for me to make a list of my favorite films of 2012. A few of them are pretty common on some 2012 lists, but there are a few that I haven't seen on any others, but they're still great!

1.) The Dark Knight Rises
2.) The Hobbit 
3.) Argo
4.) Perks of Being A Wallflower
5.) Cloud Atlas
6.) Skyfall 
7.) Prometheus
8.) Lincoln
9.) Killing Them Softly
10.) Looper



* Honorable mentions include Ted, The Avengers, The Master, Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, and Pitch Perfect. I also adored seeing Titanic in 3D, but its not really a new movie at all so I didn't think I should include it. * Films that I have not yet seen but anticipate could possibly make an appearance include Les Miserables, Django Unchained, Zero Dark Thirty, Silver Linings Playbook, and Life of Pi.

I plan on going to see Les Mis and Django Unchained the day I return to St. John's on Thursday as there are no theaters around my hometown while I'm here for Christmas. *Note* I plan on FINALLY putting up a review for The Dark Knight Rises tonight, and The Hobbit should follow sometime later this week or early next week!

Kiwi Film Review: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

IMDB: 8.5/10

Rotten Tomatoes: 86%
Roger Ebert: 3.5/4

Stars: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Dylan McDermott, Nina Dobrev, Kate Walsh, Paul Rudd, Joan Cusack
Directed By: Stephen Chbosky
Written By: Stephen Chbosky (Novel & Screenplay)

Release Date: 28 September 2012
Described by IMDB as: "Based on the novel written by Stephen Chbosky, this is about 15-year-old Charlie (Logan Lerman), an endearing and naive outsider, coping with first love (Emma Watson), the suicide of his best friend, and his own mental illness while struggling to find a group of people with whom he belongs. The introvert freshman is taken under the wings of two seniors, Sam and Patrick, who welcome him to the real world."

Wow, just WOW. The only thing that I didn't like about this movie was that I hadn't perviously read the book. I think I can seriously add that to the list of regrets in my life. All I knew going into it was that some kid had no friends, but then did have friends. But there were so many moving parts to this movie I don't even know where to begin. Its about so many different things; suicide, depression, love, abuse, loneliness, mistakes, and just growing up in general.

In the beginning you see how Charlie(Logan Lerman) is alone, and wants nothing more to just have some friends. From the letters he's writing to an anonymous person you know he's had some problems in the past but its not until a little later that you start finding out what they are. Seeing him sit alone at lunch, is just so sad. When he finally meets Sam(Emma Watson) and Patrick(Ezra Miller) everything starts turning around (or so you think). I went into this thinking it was going to be an uplifting happy film about finally finding friends and all of your problems going away, but I quickly discovered this was not the case. It seems like everything starts coming out in that first party they go to together after the Homecoming dance. First when you find out about Charlie's(Lerman) best(and only) friend killing himself, and then about Patrick's(Miller) secret affair with the most popular jock in school, Brad(Johnny Simmons).

After this it starts being happy-go-lucky again for the most part. I mean there's that whole "I'm in love with this girl who's a year or two older then me and who happens to be dating jack-ass college guys" thing going on, but thats a manageable situation. Then when you find out that she was molested by her fathers boss at age 11, you have that moment of "wtf?" but it ultimately ends in Charlie having his first kiss with the girl he's in love with (Watson), even if it can't last longer then that night. Honestly, that whole "secret santa" night was just so sweet, it just showed how much he cared about all of them, and how they cared for him. 

I loved the love of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" in this film, the last time you see it its sort of like his final "coming out" into the school. Which leads me to that dreaded Mary Elizabeth(Mae Whitman) relationship. I felt so bad for him for that entire part of the movie because you know he's just too nice to have done anything about how much he didn't want to be there. I couldn't even watch when they were playing "truth or dare" and he kissed Sam(Watson) instead of Mary Elizabeth(Whitman). You just knew it was coming and couldn't bear it. When this basically (and understandably) ruins his relationships with his friends the movie goes back to being unbelievably sad for this poor kid.

Poor, poor Patrick. Honestly, you sort of get the feeling from the beginning that something bad is going to happen with him and Brad, because they say from the beginning that if Brad's dad ever finds out, he'll kill him, but the thought of a father ACTUALLY beating the shit out of his son is so unreal to me that I sort of forgot about it until it actually happened. Then to be torn down infront of the whole school while Brad stands by? Horrible, so, so sad.  Thankfully Charlie redeems himself by saving Patrick from an insane fight of which he blacks out and remembers nothing. 

Finally, Charlie and Sam have that one perfect night together, where they both know exactly how the other feels. Unfortunately this is EXTREMELY short lived by the fact that Sam is heading off to College the next morning. At this point Charlie completely breaks and ends up in a mental hospital for the summer.

Obviously the saddest part is when you finally realize everything thats happened with "Aunt Helen" throughout the whole film basically boils down to the fact that she molested Charlie when he was a kid. The only thing I didn't like about the movie was that I felt as if it wasn't really fully explained in the film. I mean, I dont think it was necessary to have exact details, but if you weren't paying enough attention you could have easily missed the part where you actually find out. In the end Charlie gets help, and figures how exactly what he needs to survive in life. 

I loved every moment of this film. Its seriously the best movie I've seen in a very long time. I need to go buy the book tomorrow and just read. I will be a complete mess the whole time, but it will be a great experience. I want everyone in the world to watch this, because its so many different things that I think it has something for everyone. 

I'm giving this film a 10/10. I've never given this before, but I just can't get past how amazing this film is.

PS. Who the heck is he writing all those darn letters to???