I think it's more of a spoiler if you tell me, partway through the movie, who Orson Welles plays
AFI progress review time!
- The Godfather, Part II - December 2008
On Flixster I said:Poor Fredo. No one should have to die in that hat.
and some stranger got mad and was like, "Phew I'm glad I'm reading this AFTER I saw the film!" I didn't say anything about how he died¹, and while Fredo dying is important to Michael's character development, it's not like knowing that he dies is going to ruin the film for you.
Very enjoyable to watch. I like the interweaving of the Vito/Michael stories.
... did it? - High Noon - January 2009
I heard this described as a "non-cowboyey" cowboy movie (or something to that effect). The same situation probably could have been applied to a number of settings. Gary Cooper was great, and the movie was really well put-together - they managed to jump right into the story and didn't have to use a lot of exposition to tell you what was going on.
I did have some problems with the Will/Amy relationship. They had some serious communications issues to work out, by which I mean they DID NOT COMMUNICATE AT ALL.
Update: I just realized that the main couple in this movie have the same first names as a much funnier couple. I don't know anything about how well that Will/Amy couple communicates. - The Third Man - January 2009
I find it strange that High Noon made the AFI's list of the top 25 movie themes, but The Third Man didn't. We are going to be singing that for WEEKS.
This movie had a lot of unusual angles and lighting that made it particularly interesting. Also, Joseph Cotten, who is brilliant.
Maybe they thought they could use telepathy to communicate?
Sixteen left to go, I believe, and Dr Zhivago, The French Connection and Jaws are already checked out of the library and waiting for me to watch them. Hooray for resolution VI²! There's a difference of twenty-three movies between the 1998 list and the 2007 version. I could, in theory, set out to watch the whole 2007 list once I finish the 1998 ones, since I've already seen twelve³ of the twenty-three, but I won't just on principle, because there are some WEIRD additions and subtractions. They removed Guess Who's Coming to Dinner and added Blade Runner! The AFI was smoking crack.
¹ **SPOILER** He didn't not die in a freak gasoline fight accident.
² So far, resolution VI is my most successful one, although I am sitting at my desk at lunchtime and eating leftovers as I type this (rIII+1). But that means that I'm typing this instead of going for a walk (rIV-1). Maybe if I drink a glass of water (rV+1) it will all even out.
³ In case you wanted to know: The General, Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Cabaret, Saving Private Ryan, The Shawshank Redemption, In the Heat of the Night, Spartacus, Titanic, A Night at the Opera, The Sixth Sense, Sophie's Choice and Blade Runner. Yes, I'm counting Blade Runner even though I fell asleep while watching it on two separate occasions, because I saw enough of it to make me realize that I never want to watch it again and you can't make me.
srah - Thursday, 8 January 2009 - 12:29 PM
Tags: afi, high noon, movies, the godfather part ii, the third man
Comments (5)
Craig - January 8, 2009 - 1:36 PM - ℓ
Wait, Fredo dies? Thanks a lot!
Ok, seriously, not only is it not that huge of a spoiler, but isn't it and the whole "you broke my heart" thing pretty much part of the collective pop culture consciousness now like Soylent Green or Rosebud?
I've said before that I love The Third Man, so I probably shouldn't bother to say it again, but there are so many great things about it, not the least of which is that it helps elevate your understanding of a Pinky and The Brain episode (called The Third Mouse, I think, but I'm too lazy to confirm it).
allthewine - January 8, 2009 - 5:22 PM - ℓ
I get asked to login to twitter when I visit your site too!!
this is a great idea, but i cant commit to 100 movies. thanks for doing the work for me!
I am so with you on Blade Runner - I had to watch that damn movie for a class in college, and I hated it so, so, so much. I wish I'd had the option to fall asleep twice and then give up on it... I don't get why so many people like it so much!