Vertigo (1958)

Jimmy Stewart rescuing Kim Novak

Here we have for review what many call a "Classic" movie. Vertigo is directed by the often imitated, but never duplicated Alfred Hitchcock. It was unrated at the time of its release, but would probably get a PG-13 for themes of death, murder, and suicide, as well as some light sexual references.

Mark-

I haven’t seen a lot of Hitchcock movies, but the ones I have seen I have enjoyed. I’ve known about the reputation of Vertigo for a number of years, and sadly just now got around to finally watching it.

James (Jimmy) Stewart plays John "Scottie" Fergusen, a retired San Francisco detective, who develops acrophobia after a horrifying on the job experience. Scottie is asked by an old friend to follow his wife after she has been displaying some bizarre recent activities, and is concerned for her welfare. Though reluctant to get back into any type of detective work, Scottie agrees to take the assignment after falling for the beauty of Madeline Elster (Kim Novak). Convinced that Madeline has become possessed by a former ancestor of hers, Scottie becomes more worried about her stability when Madeline’s reckless behavior begins showing signs of turning suicidal. After falling in love with Madeline, Scottie is distraught and severely depressed when his acrophobia inhibits him from being able to stop Madeline from jumping to her death.

While you may be wondering from that brief summary why this movie would be so great; I would agree with you that if it stopped there and nothing else happened, then this movie would really have been nothing to shout about. However, like I have written before, I don’t want to give away any real spoilers, and it would be a shame to not be able to experience the psychological twists and turns of this movie for oneself. While there were definitely some slow and dull moments during this film, the twists and revealing points of this film more than make up for any lull in the action. You truly have to stick with this film and give it a chance to completely develop and show its full potential.

We watched this film over two sittings, and I admit that I was very skeptical and didn’t understand any of the praise for this movie after just the first day. I was convinced that Hitchcock had made a film based on supernatural phenomenon, and I just couldn’t understand what he was trying to accomplish by doing so. After completing the film I understand the hype and praise, and join those who give such, mostly because I love films with a good twist in them.

For all of the praise and recognition this film now exhorts, I was shocked to see that the only two academy awards this film was nominated for was best sound, and best art/set decoration. It didn’t win either of its nominations, but it should go down as a film known for its great screenplay, and beautiful shots of San Francisco.

While this movie didn’t necessarily captivate me and keep me drawn in as much as Rear Window or North by Northwest, I very much enjoyed this film and loved the many wow factors that it contains. 4 ½ *’s out of 5

My Random Thought For Vertigo: Clearly everyone involved with this film had never heard of the appropriate age dating rule since they broke it any way you try to look at it. The rule clearly states that the youngest appropriate age to date someone else is half of your own age plus 7 years. Taking the real life ages at the time of this movie of Stewart (50) and Novak (25), or the characters ages which is an even larger difference, any relationship between these two is clearly outside the boundaries of appropriateness.

Dan -

When I was in college I took several film classes and I attribute them to exposing me to what many call the classics. I was introduced to Citizen Kane, The Bicycle Thief, silent film comedies starring Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin, and Casablanca to name a few. I was also introduced to Alfred Hitchcock with the great Rear Window, which inspired me to see a few others of his movies like North By Northwest and The Man Who Knew Too Much. And no, that was not a deliberate choice to only watch Hitchcock movies starring Jimmy Stewart, which all of those previous three titles do. I was merely starting out with the movies that I had heard of at the time.

Hitchcock is known as the Master of Suspense and this movie further solidifies that title. Be warned that this is a slow burner, but once the tension builds you can't stop watching. I had no idea what would happen next or how it would end. I even had another jaw dropping moment when Kim Novak jumps to her death and Jimmy Stewart, paralyzed with fear, is powerless to stop her. Up until that point I didn't feel much into the movie, but then it changed dramatically.

Speaking of Jimmy Stewart's acrophobia or vertigo (as the title suggests), Hitchcock used one of the coolest camera tricks to illustrate the effects of it. The camera is physically moved backward while the lens is simultaneously zoomed in creating an illusion of greater distance than is actually present. The camera was also rotated to intensify the impact it has on the senses, making it literally dizzying as I watched.

Some of the sequences are a little dated and sort of took me out of the movie (the beginning chase and effects, the dream sequence), but I understood what the point was. The music score in this movie also kind of grated on me. Bernard Herrmann has done some really memorable film scores (North By Northwest, Psycho), but this one almost didn't feel right for this movie. I realize that may have been the point of it at times, but when the two leads are merely driving around San Francisco is there really a need for such a noticeable underscore? Don't get me wrong, it was very effective in the tense parts, but the rest could have been toned down a bit.

I wanted to love this movie, but I only ended up liking it a lot. I give it 4 out of 5 stars because it took me by surprise a few times, and because I could literally feel the emotions in the final scene from each of the characters in it simultaneously.

Side note: If you really want an in-depth analysis of this movie read Roger Ebert's review of the movie, but beware of major spoilers. It does help give this movie tremendous depth for shallow people like me, and it helped me appreciate it more.

Tommy Boy (1995)

David Spade and Chris Farley

And now as was promised in a previous post: Tommy Boy. It's rated PG-13 for some drug use (marijuana), sex-related humor, and brief nudity (a girl jumping in a pool naked).

Dan –
Let’s be clear up front, I love this movie because it makes me laugh, not because of its clever plot or intelligent dialogue, which it clearly lacks. If I could only watch the same five movies over and over again for the rest of my life, this is the first movie that pops into my head. And I have no idea what the others would be.  It is one of the most quoted and quotable movies among my group of friends. As I was watching it again I noticed just how many of the lines I still use in my regular vocabulary (“Holy Schnike!”, “Son of a!” etc.). My friends and I can quote almost the whole thing and laugh at every joke as if it was the first time we’d heard it. It just never gets old to me. My wife even got me a shirt with the Callahan Auto Parts logo.

I’d be lying if I told you that I don’t see a lot of similarities between myself and the character of Thomas R. Callahan, III, especially as he is embodied and brought to life by the late, great Chris Farley. Tommy went to college for seven years, I went to college for six. Tommy is a big guy, I’m a big guy. Tommy tells stories that go a little too far, I tell stories that go a little too far. He gets called Tommy Boy, I get called Danny Boy. The list could go on. If there was a movie made of my life and Chris Farley was still alive, I would choose him to play me. As Mark and I started watching this movie I mentioned that I have some similar character traits to him and, not surprisingly, he agreed he was thinking the same thing.


Some movies will always be funny no matter how many times you see them, making you laugh even when you know what’s coming almost as if the anticipation is as funny as the joke. This is a funny movie and the two stars play really well off each other. They both have great timing, and Chris Farley is a great physical comedian (I can't believe he does such a nice cartwheel) as well as a guy with an expressive face and manic energy. Just look at the stories he tells - the sales pitch in the picture above, the "why I suck as a salesman" story, and the guarantee fairy sales pitch.


This movie became funnier as I got older because I finally got some of the jokes. For example, I had no idea that Herbie Hancock was a band. I laughed initially because it looked so ridiculous as an answer. When Bo Derek comes out of the pool and Tommy says, “She’s like a ten!” I was unaware of the movie "10" starring Bo Derek that introduced her in the exact same way until my dad told me when I watched it with him. It got funnier once I saw the actual scene too.


I love this movie and give it 5 out of 5 stars. I’m going to make a bold statement that this is the comedy of my generation and one of, if not the, funniest movies I have ever seen. Just about everyone that I know that has seen this movie thinks it is hilarious. And the ones who didn’t had no sense of humor to begin with (no offense to those people).

Mark -
It’s sad that it sometimes takes rewatching (I’m not sure it’s a word either) a film like this to truly remember and appreciate how funny someone like Chris Farley is/was. I don’t usually enjoy the over-the-top type of comic performances (i.e. Jim Carrey or Robin Williams), which Farley could be construed as, but the way everything seems so natural to Farley allows it to become realistic rather than reaching.

The film portrays the story of Tommy Callahan (Farley) who has just graduated from college after 7 years, and returns home to work at the family owned Callahan auto parts. When Tommy’s father Big Tom (Brian Dennehy) suddenly passes, its up to Tommy to try and save the company and keep the jobs of the current employees. The only problem is that to keep the company from having to be sold, Tommy must sell half a million orders using his father’s reputation. While Big Tom could "sell a ketchup popsicle to a woman in white gloves", Tommy unfortunately "ate a lot of paint chips as a kid." Joining Tommy on his journey to save the company is Richard (David Spade), who could best be described as the polar opposite of Tommy.

The duo of Farley and Spade truly make for a surprising and hilarious combination. Spade offers the obvious/sarcastic arrogance of a character who is very intelligent, yet feels spited for not being allowed the luxuries of someone like Farley. Farley has lost so many brain cells that he simply doesn’t know whether he is being complimented or criticized.

This movie has so many memorable parts about it, and I doubt that anyone who may have watched it as a teenager didn’t go around saying "Son of a" and "holy schnikes" for at least a month afterwards. I loved Saturday Night Live back in the early 90's when it had a great cast including Farley and Spade, and would invite anyone who hasn’t watched the best of Chris Farley to do so. This movie was actually funnier than I remembered it being, despite the fact that some of the supporting cast isn’t very good, and the plot is really just something to allow a reason for Farley to be seen. 3 ½ out of 5 *’s.

My Random Thought For Tommy Boy: Callahan auto parts is located in Sandusky, Ohio, and I’m just curious if 1) anyone actually reads this blog, and 2) if anyone knows what else Sandusky, Ohio is famous for.

The Lookout (2007)

Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Matthew Goode

One of us is proud to present The Lookout. We will leave it to you to read below and find out who likes and who doesn't. It is rated R for language, violence, and some sex (which is overheard, but there's a peek at a couple of bums both male and female).

Mark-
I really wanted to like this movie, mostly because I am becoming more and more of a fan of Joseph Gordon-Levitt, but unfortunately this movie fails in far too many places. After a relatively small $16 million budget, one would think a film staring Gordon-Levitt, Isla Fisher, and Jeff Daniels would easily be able to earn back its production costs, but seeing that most of you are probably thinking I’ve never heard of this movie, the less than $5 million of total earnings confirms this films lack of noteworthiness.

The film begins with main character Chris (Gordon-Levitt) being a stupid teenager and causing a horrific car crash that kills two of his friends, leaves himself with severe memory damage, and another friend with an amputated leg. The film then flashes forward three years and we see the memory challenges that Chris has to live with on a daily basis. Chris lives with his blind friend Lewis (Daniels) whom he was matched up with through an agency of unknown specificity. Chris goes to classes to try and help rehabilitate his mental functioning, and works as a night janitor at a small town bank. When Chris suddenly runs into someone who knew him from the past, and is introduced to former dancer Luvlee Lemons (Fisher), and yes that is her characters name in this film, we shortly thereafter learn that their friendliness towards Chris has an alternative motive behind it.

There are so many holes in this film's plot that at times I was simply wondering what purpose was served by certain characters and scenes of the film. My greatest example of this is with Luvlee, and although we see her character leaving, we have no idea why or where she is going.

This film had some promise with its general conception, but unfortunately the lack of development beyond the general causes this movie to fail. 2 out of 5 *’s.

My Random Thought For The Lookout: Luvlee lemons...really??? That’s the best they could come up with?

Dan -
This movie intrigued me from the first time I heard about it. Not only is it a movie about a bank robbery, which is always a plus, but instead of all the parties involved going along with it (think Heat or Ocean's 11) the main character is manipulated into it. The mastermind behind the robbery is Matthew Goode, and you may remember him from such movies as Watchmen (he was Ozzymandias) and Leap Year (he was the Irish guy that Amy Adams falls for). He exploits Chris' injury as well as the insecurities he has about it. Side note: For being an Englishman, Matthew Goode has one of the more convincing American accents I've heard from a foreigner.

As far as movies go where a character has memory issues, this is second only to Memento in my opinion. That film is masterful in its approach of the effects of memory loss and the plot structure itself. If you haven't seen it, you need to. It's made by Christopher Nolan, who directed the most recent entries in the Batman franchise as well as Inception and The Prestige. Can you see a trend in the movies this guy likes to do? They all, including the Batman movies, mess with your head in one way or another.

I think the appeal of this character was that (MILD SPOILER ALERT!) he doesn't have a miraculous recovery at the end of the movie. There are movies where a character gets amnesia with a hit on the head, and then another hit will jar his memory back to normal. I appreciated that the movie allowed this to be (somewhat) grounded in reality. The ending was a little too convenient and tied up most loose ends in a neat metaphorical bow, but at least it doesn't solve all of the problems that were addressed which was nice.

I must not be too picky. Mark doesn't seem as generous in his star rating of the movies we watch as I am. Maybe that's because most of the movies we watch are ones that come from my Netflix queue or my personal DVD library instead of his. Or maybe it's because I look to movies for entertainment as much as I do for thought provoking commentary on society (i.e. fun movies get decent ratings from me even if they aren't good/great movies). It isn't intended to be one-sided or selfish that I pick most of the movies. And if it comes across that way I apologize first to Mark, and then to our readers. I promise from now on that Mark can choose the movies equally as much as I do.

I give this movie 4 stars out of 5. Admittedly, I am a kind of a sucker for heist movies, but I loved how the brain injury facilitated the heist. This movie also had Isla Fisher and I'm a sucker for her too.

10 Jaw Dropping Movie Moments

Lists. Every critic has them. The people almost demand them. Some are created to showcase the best, others the worst. We hope to provide our readers interesting lists on this site from time to time, including the obligatory top ten movies of the year when the time comes. We broke it up to five movies each, but we reserve the right in any future lists to have as many or as few as we see fit.

Dan – I couldn’t quite rank these movies from first to last, so I listed them alphabetically. I realize that some of them are also on Mark’s list, but we have our different reasons. And these are not the only movies that have elicited a reaction like this, but merely the first few that popped into my head. I also realize that these all revolve around action sequences, and I hope those who read this blog can see that I don’t prefer only action movies. I’d like to think that there is a well-rounded selection of movies reviewed on this site that fit at least a part of most people’s tastes. So without further ado:

THE DARK KNIGHT – It begins with the armored car transport of Harvey Dent and ends with the capture of the Joker. There was a hint of this scene in the trailer for the movie and I remember thinking that seeing a semi flip end over end would be cool to watch. But it was more than just the semi-truck flip. It was everything leading up to it. Seeing the Bat-Pod eject from the Tumbler and zip through people and in between cars only pumped me up for how it could end. And then the flip. Sure, it defies a few logistical issues, but it’s just so damn cool! And you gotta love the Joker’s reaction when he finally gets caught.

INCEPTION – You probably know the scene if you’ve seen it: The turning hallway/zero-gravity fight. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and some random bad-guy beat the crap out of each other in a hotel hallway while it rotates a full 360 degrees or more. My jaw was almost in my lap and I was giddy through the whole scene. I loved it for a few reasons: One – I have never seen anything like it before, even if it has been done in other movies. Two – Upon watching the DVD special features I learned that there were very few, if any, special effects used on this scene. The whole set was built in an airplane hangar and actually rotated! So it was up to the actors themselves to sell me on making it look real. And finally – Consider my mind blown by putting this scene in context of the movie itself; it’s a dream within a dream, and whenever something happens to the dreamer’s body in the original dream, it manifests itself physically in the second layer dream. See, just trying to explain it blows my mind all over again!

INDEPENDENCE DAY – The jaw drop happened when the aliens make their initial attack and destroy New York, Los Angeles, and Washington D.C. I know, I know, most people don’t like this movie a whole lot especially those movie “elitists” that don’t appreciate a great summer popcorn movie. And the director of this movie, Roland Emmerich, has made some really stupid movies loaded with effects in hopes that plot and interesting characters would be overlooked (I’m looking at you 2012 and 10,000 BC). But let’s give a tiny amount of background here. I was 16 when this movie was released and thus not mature enough nor concerned with much beyond cool action and neat special effects. And this movie is loaded with both. I remember thinking then that it was my favorite movie of all time. Now fast forward 15 years, and having recently re-watched it (come on people, it was the 4^th of July!) I was still impressed as the effects held up quite well over time. I’ve now watched enough movies in the interim to appreciate a good think-piece or even (shudder) a documentary. So I do have some taste, however little it may be.

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS – It happens at the climax of the battle of Helm’s deep when Gandalf arrives with the Riders of Rohan. It was the sweeping motion of the camera over the riders coming to the rescue coupled with the ethereal score of Howard Shore, and the almost Christian theme of a hero dressed in white leading an army of good against an army of evil. I remember I got chills as I watched it the first time. It was such an emotional payoff for me because of what took place immediately prior, where the heroes on the verge of defeat were going to meet their almost certain death with valiant bravery (boy do I sound like a nerd!). I sat in the theater simply in awe at how majestic it looked (not really helping my case for nerdiness here). It was just… incredible. This scene is moviemaking at its best.

THE MATRIX RELOADED – One of the greatest action sequences I’ve ever seen in any movie has got to be the freeway chase. Wow. I remember almost holding my breath watching it the first time because I had no idea how it would end. It still gets my blood pumping whenever I watch it. Car chases have been done almost to death in the movies and there are a lot of really good ones for comparison (Ronin, The Italian Job, Bullitt), but this movie mixed it up by adding a science fiction element to it of the Agents being able to control anyone inside the Matrix (except the good guys of course). Consequently there are lots of people on the freeway for them to assume control over. Lots of crashes and lots of exciting close calls really set this apart from most other car chases. What is it about slow-motion that can make a pretty cool action sequence look freakin' awesome? And let’s not forget Morpheus and an Agent to engaging in MMA on top of a moving semi-truck. Only when it ends with the Operator throwing his arms up in triumph while shouting “YES!” can you begin to relax a little.

Mark -  I chose to go the route of choosing the films as much as individual moments in film that were jaw dropping for me.  These are 5 of my favorite films and I didn't go into a lot of detail about the surprises and jaw dropping moments in them, simply because I don't want to give anything away if someone hasn't seen the film.

1) INCEPTION - I have to admit that the closer this movie came to being released, the more and more I wanted to see it. When I saw the first teaser for this movie, 6 months before it was actually released, I thought it looked cool but didn’t feel like it was something I would have to see right away. By the time Inception was released I knew I had to see it opening weekend. I saw it the second day it was out and was lucky enough to not know any more about it than what was shown on the previews. Many people feel that The Matrix was revolutionary in what it did, and for me Inception surpasses the steps they took and takes movies somewhere they have never been before.

2) THE USUAL SUSPECTS - How often is the saying, "the person you least expect" really a true statement? Nothing is better than watching a movie like The Usual Suspects and not know what to expect. The plot and story is compelling and captivating, and then to finally realize who Keyser Soze is at the end. This movie deserves to own the rights to, "the person you least expect."

3) A BEAUTIFUL MIND - I’m so happy that the trailer for this movie gave away so little about the film. I was so convinced that everything Russell Crowe’s character was seeing was real, and it was everyone else that was being deceived. Obviously the writers of this film took a lot of liberties in the adaptation and based on real life story of Dr. Nash, but this was definitely one of those movies where I left wondering how many of these events really happened.

4) THE DARK KNIGHT - Obviously the death of Heath Ledger played a huge role in creating hype about this movie, but did this movie, and Ledger in particular, ever live up to the hype. I can’t think of any movie where I have ever been so intrigued by a villain, to the point of where you almost find yourself rooting for The Joker rather than Batman. It is amazing to see a character who doesn’t care about anything or anyone, including himself.

5) ROAD TO PERDITION - This movie is probably a little shocking to see on this list, but there are so many things I loved about this film, and that just made me say, wow! There are simple shots like Tom Hanks walking in towards the camera as it zooms out, that was just breathtaking for me to watch. There are also more complex shots as the one where you see Jude Law’s character fire at Tom Hanks character and his son while they speed away from the diner. If you watch that shot in slow motion it is incredible to see the detail of the bullet and shattering glass of the car windshield. Those single shots were jaw dropping alone, but the movie doesn’t stop as it delivers a powerful double surprise ending.

My Random Thought/Honorable Mention:  There are two films that I will also remember for very specific reasons which will relate to none of you specifically, but hopefully you will have the same experience.
1) JUNO - There is a scene where Juno is sitting in the kitchen talking with her parents and it shows the kitchen clock in the background.  You're probably thinking so what?  Well...the clock in the background is a mushroom clock and it is the same clock that was in my kitchen growing up and into my late twenties, and only recently have my parents actually taken it down from their kitchen.
2) A SERIOUS MAN - Similar to the above mentioned film, in this film there is a scene where the family is sitting down to eat, and their brown and white plates with the flower pattern are the same plates that I grew up with also. 
While I realize that it is not that uncommon to see something in a movie that you actually own yourself, its the weird items that you grow up with and have never seen anyone else with that you find shocking to see in a film of all places.

Feel free to chime in here with disagreements, or maybe your own jaw dropping moments/movies.

The Boys Are Back (2009)

Nicholas McAnulty and Clive Owen

To prove that we are a couple of sensitive guys in touch with our feelings, we watched The Boys Are Back starring Clive Owen. It is rated PG-13 for some dirty/foul language "thematic elements", which is loosely interpreted as emotions created and aimed toward grown-ups instead of children.

Mark -
This is a difficult review for me to write simply because the best way that I can describe my feelings for the movie would be indifferent. I can’t think of any other movie I’ve seen where I simply felt that the movie was neither good or bad, but that it simply just is.

The film tells the story of successful sports writer who suddenly finds himself looking for answers after the loss of his second wife to cancer. The main character Joe (Clive Owen) decides the best approach to his own life and the role of raising his six year old son, Artie, is simply to answer yes. Joe’s life becomes even more complicated as it shows his relationship with his older son, Harry, from his first marriage. The film goes on to portray the difficulties of a father and his sons in dealing with different types of losses, and learning to move forward with each others help.

For me the most compelling character of this film was Harry. Although he has the smallest role of "the boys", his character is the one that adds some depth and perception into the struggles that exists between all of their lives. It is very clear that Joe cares about his sons, but he is so lost inside of himself that it feels as if he isn’t genuinely interacting with the other characters at times. Artie is six, and thus a six year old does what a six year old does.

For those who enjoy happy ending, you will enjoy this movie. I didn’t have any real expectations for this film, but if you are going to have any, they shouldn’t be more than to simply expect a feel good film. 2 ½ out of 5 *’s.

My Random Thought For The Boys Are Back: The more I think about it, I’m convinced that Artie must have been a hellion even when his mother was alive, and that his behavior was not limited to Joe’s parenting alone.

Dan -
Here is another movie that you probably missed, let alone may not have even heard of, until now. I was optimistic going into this because I enjoy a good drama that tugs at the old heartstrings from time to time. This movie made me think about getting choked up at least twice. I don't think I actually cried, but maybe one of my eyes welled up. But don't tell Mark. I was discreet and any possibility of a tear was shed out of the corner of my eye farthest from my co-critic. After all, I do have some credibility to uphold around him (however little it may be).

I knew what this movie was about going into it (widower tries to raise children on his own), and wasn't sure how much I would like it. A little background on myself seems appropriate here. My own mother passed away from cancer when I was a young teenager, so I know what it's like to lose a parent and how confusing and frustrating it is trying to deal with and understand the emotions that go with that. I am also now the father of two boys, so seeing this solidified even further that I never want to be in a situation even remotely like that. So please, dear wife of mine, don't ever die on me! I count on you too much to fill in the (large) gaps I leave in our lives. Anyway, this movie seemed to hit a little closer to home now than when I first heard about it almost 2 years ago.

This becomes difficult to write because I kind of agree with Mark. This movie just is. There was no real plot to it. It is one of those "slice of life" movies where it shows people living their lives. Unfortunately these people are not very interesting. Sure, there are a couple of interesting events to try and mix things up, but overall nothing happens. The most compelling element of the movie was Clive Owen's relationship with his older son. His uneasiness of trying to make sense of a new situation brought back memories of my own childhood. Don't worry, I'm not getting all mushy and personal again. I only want to say that I felt like I could identify with him and some of the emotions he experienced.

The more I think about this movie, the more I don't like it as much as I did right after watching it. This was another of those movies where I may have liked it more had I watched it in one sitting. Taking breaks really tore me away from any emotion that was slowly building as the movie went on. I had to get back in the mindset each time I sat down to watch it (this one took 3 lunch breaks).

To its credit, and probably my favorite thing about this movie, were the conversations Joe has with his late wife. He imagines seeing her from time to time and talks with her. I likened it to seeing something that reminds me of a loved one that is lost. And then perhaps talking briefly with that person about what is going through my head. Just small moments that make sure you never truly forget that person.

I give this movie 3 out of 5 stars. It probably would have received a higher rating had I watched it in one sitting, but then it wouldn't have appeared on this blog as a lunch movie.

Gosford Park (2001)

The entire cast of Gosford Park

Here we have the Oscar winner for best original screenplay from 2001: Gosford Park. It is rated R for a few F-bombs and a very brief sex scene (there are racier sex scenes in some PG-13 movies). Honestly though, if it was released today it may only have been rated PG-13. Neither of us could understand why it was rated R. Maybe we're too desensitized.

Dan- 
So this movie was directed by Robert Altman, most famous for directing a bunch of movies that are beloved by critics and elitists such as MASH, Kansas City, and Nashville, none of which I have seen. But having now seen this movie and a couple of his others (Cookie's Fortune and A Prairie Home Companion) I have noticed two things are common throughout them. One: The dialogue will almost always overlap in order to necessitate multiple viewings for a full appreciation of what is happening, and Two: There are a LOT of characters in his movies who are connected in unlikely ways. Imagine if all of the people in the picture above have dialogue (which they do) and are referenced by name throughout (which they are) and you will have some idea about how much one needs to pay attention. And I still don't know who half of them are! I did find it easy to remember some characters as I had seen them in other movies and they just stood out better, like Clive Owen, Ryan Phillippe, Kelly MacDonald (the Scottish girl) and Maggie Smith.

But that's not to say the movie isn't well-made. It is. And the screenplay is fairly brilliant. I'm just not smart enough to catch everything or fully appreciate how witty and clever this movie is after just one viewing. Hint: turn on the subtitles. Movies like this are designed for repeat viewing, which is both good and bad. Good because it can make a good movie into a great one, like Shawshank Redemption. And bad because it can just get taxing if you don't like the movie and with each subsequent viewing you stretch further into boredom, like Gangs of New York.

This could almost be considered a comedy, but the last 15 minutes of the movie shift the tone toward more of a drama. I'm calling it a dramedy because there was so much humor in it (See: Stephen Fry's bumbling inspector who reminded me of Inspector Clouseau from Pink Panther fame). I was appreciative of my oldest brother who lived in London for several years and gave me some instruction in the art of British humor. People behave in odd or terrible ways and the stuffy Brits just ignore it as if nothing is wrong, because to acknowledge it would be to encourage it (See: Maggie Smith in just about every scene she's in, deserving that Oscar nomination for supporting actress).

I would like to see this movie again to see how much more I can catch and follow, but it won't be anytime soon. To paraphrase Roger Ebert, this is a movie that is about characters and the situations they are each in as opposed to a structured plot. The difficult part is that there are so many characters that you don't seem to get to any of them well enough to care about what happens to them. And the ones you do get to know turn out to be not what they seemed.

I feel like I want to, and should, give this movie another chance but it won't be anytime soon. I probably would like it more upon repeat viewings. I'm giving this movie 3½ out of 5 stars, with an option left open to increase the rating upon subsequent viewings.

Side Note: I would suggest watching it all at once so it becomes easier to keep track of everyone. As you all may be aware, each movie we watch is in 1 hour or less increments so as to fit into our lunch break at work.

Mark-
Let’s just start by letting you know that in my opinion this film was very over-hyped and didn’t live up to its expectations. The tagline for this movie is "Tea at four. Dinner at eight. Murder at midnight.", and sadly if you were to consider this film in terms of being 24 hours long, entertainment wise nothing really happens until just before the 24^th hour. If you were simply to go off of the tagline for this movie you would most likely feel deceived at the movie; I know I did. I would have preferred much more of the focus to have been on the murder, and much less on the tea and dinner.

This film takes place in the 1930s in an English countryside manor, and details the lives, relationships, and interactions of two distinct groups of individuals. The first group is upstairs individuals, which comprises friends and family of a well-off estate holder. The upstairs group seem mostly lost without someone else there to do everything for them, and thus we have their interactions with the downstairs individuals. This second group is comprised of the cooks, butlers, maids, menservants, and drivers.

My biggest criticism for this film is that it simply lacks a sense of flow to it. The first 3/4 of this film takes so long to set up the last 20-30 minutes, that it caused me to lose interest and miss some of the very important points I was supposed to be paying attention to.

I will give a lot of credit to the actors and actresses in this movie. It no doubt helped that there are a lot of very well known and respected actors in this film, and each of the characters did an excellent job at portraying the role they were assigned. The interactions between the two groups is interesting to view, although I wouldn’t necessarily go as far as to call it entertaining. I love how they are able to bring everything together at the end, but it would have been nice to have a little more of the characters backgrounds during the first part of the movie, and not have to try to make sense of so many convoluted messes at the end.

Last of all would be a little suggestion for anyone considering watching this movie. Dan and I turned the subtitles on while we watched this film and it helped immensely. It was difficult to follow the dialog at times due to accents and the numerous conversations which have everyone speaking over one another. 2 ½ * out of 5

My Random Thought For Gosford Park: I can’t think of another movie where all of the characters play such balanced supporting roles, and no one in particular has a starring role.