Favorite Movies

Aliens
1987 | Director: James Cameron | Stars: Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Paul Reiser, Lance Henriksen, Carrie Henn

I find this to be the most fully-realized of James Cameron's action movies, more professional than The Terminator (which I also really like), but not overblown like The Abyss. Sigourney Weaver is great in the role of Ripley and the film's vision of the future is low-key, but convincing. Here's an in-depth fan page.

Blue
1993 | Director: Krzysztof Kieslowski | Stars: Juliette Binoche, Benoît Régent

Music and grief.

Citizen Kane
1941 | Director: Orson Welles | Stars: Orson Welles, Joseph Cotton, Dorothy Comingore, Everett Sloane

I won't bore anyone with talk of this film's "classic" status. I just like it. The cinematography is great, the story and themes are interesting... and I find that I identify with Jedediah Leland in more than name. One of my favorite scenes is the performance of Kane's opera as Leland slowly shreds the program to keep himself amused. For more information about the movie, visit this IMDB page.

Howards End
1992 | Director: James Ivory | Stars: Emma Thompson, Helena Bonham-Carter, Anthony Hopkins, Vanessa Redgrave, Samuel West

Takes on issues of class and psychology in an insightful and entertaining story of two sisters in turn-of-the-century England.

L.A. Confidential
1997 | Director: Curtis Hanson | Stars: Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kim Basinger, James Cromwell, David Strathairn, Danny DeVito

1950s Los Angeles. Three police officers with contrasting personalities investigate a mystery involving city officials, organized crime and the police department itself.

The Life of Brian
1979 | Director: Terry Jones | Stars: Graham Chapman, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Sue Jones-Davies

The most biting of Monty Python's comedies, and a delight to blasphemers everywhere. For movie info, check out this Internet Movie Database page.

The Matrix
1999 | Directors: Andy & Larry Wachowski | Stars: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburn, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving

Stunning visuals, tremendous style – the revitalization of the science fiction action film.

Official Site | My Movie Page

Princess Mononoke
1997 | Director: Hayao Miyazaki | Animated

Hayao Miyazaki's masterpiece takes place in a mythical ancient Japan in which the spirits of nature face off against human industrialization. The resulting conflict benefits no one and marks the end of an age.

Film Page at Nausicaa.net | My Movie Page

Raising Arizona
1987 | Directors: Joel & Ethan Coen | Stars: Nicolas Cage, Holly Hunter, Trey Wilson, John Goodman, William Forsythe, Randall "Tex" Cobb

Some people find this film too unsympathetic in its treatment of characters, but I continue to find its gratuitous weirdness a riot. For a review, visit this Internet Movie Database page.

Repo Man
1984 | Director: Alex Cox | Stars: Emilio Estevez, Harry Dean Stanton, Olivia Barash

Another screwball comedy that's just chock-full of hilarious lines. Emilio Estevez's career only went downhill from here. For movie info (including some quotes), visit this Internet Movie Database page.