Movies I Like and Why

Movies are one of my favorite forms of entertainment. I tried, once, to count how many I've seen and gave up after I did the math and realized that I have spent something like a year of my life in theaters or otherwise watching movies. Mis-spent youth? I think not...

Akira Kurosawa Seven Samurai I saw this movie when I was 14. It literally changed my life. Everything about the warrior spirit (the good and the bad, too) is rolled into this incredible 3-hour masterpiece. The cinematography and sound track are comparably superb.

Ridley Scott The Duellists Harvey Keitel and Keith Carradine star in Scott's first full-length movie. And it's jaw-droppingly beatiful and very intense. Keitel makes the perfect hussar officer. A powerful statement of how one man's reluctance to leave well enough alone can alter the lives of everyone around him.

Kihachi Okamoto Sword of Doom Tatsuya Nakadai stars in this detached and mysterious samurai movie about a swordsman who loses his mind in the pursuit of mindless perfection. Terrific blade-work and cinematography, with an amazing cameo 'swordfight in the snow' scene starring Toshiro Mifune

Hideo Gosha Goyokin Starring the older and grimmer Tatsuya Nakadai, this samurai hack and chop movie has some of the most beautiful scenery I've ever seen. Good action and a kind of creepy plot, too. Ruriko Asaoka (the female lead) is possibly the most beautiful girl on film anytime, anyplace.

Peter Medak The Ruling Class Peter O'Toole stars as Jack Arnold Alexander Tancred Gurney, 14th Earl of Gurney - who thinks he's Jesus Christ. This is extremely black - blacker than black - comedy about the British aristocracy.

Baz Lurhman Strictly Ballroom This movie's hard to categorize - it's a sweet romance, with some great dancing. Baz Lurhman's ("Moulin Rouge", "Romeo and Juliette") first movie. It makes interesting nods to the martial arts quest movies while remaining unique and charming.

Have you got a suggestion? E-mail me! I love movies and am always happy to encounter something new. Want to enter my "movie swap" program? Send me a VHS or DVD. Any VHS or DVD(nothing disgusting, please). I'll send you a VHS or DVD back. I can't promise I'll like what you send but I won't try to force you to like whatever I send you, either.

Akira Kurosawa	Seven Samurai	I saw this movie when I was 14. It literally changed my life. Everything about the warrior spirit (the good and the bad, too) is rolled into this incredible 3-hour masterpiece. The cinematography and sound track are comparably superb.
Ridley Scott	The Duellists	Harvey Keitel and Keith Carradine star in Scott's first full-length movie. And it's jaw-droppingly beatiful and very intense. Keitel makes the perfect hussar officer. A powerful statement of how one man's reluctance to leave well enough alone can alter the lives of everyone around him.
Kihachi Okamoto	Sword of Doom	Tatsuya Nakadai stars in this detached and mysterious samurai movie about a swordsman who loses his mind in the pursuit of mindless perfection. Terrific blade-work and cinematography, with an amazing cameo 'swordfight in the snow' scene starring Toshiro Mifune
Hideo Gosha	Goyokin	Starring the older and grimmer Tatsuya Nakadai, this samurai hack and chop movie has some of the most beautiful scenery I've ever seen. Good action and a kind of creepy plot, too. Ruriko Asaoka (the female lead) is possibly the most beautiful girl on film anytime, anyplace.
Peter Medak	The Ruling Class	Peter O'Toole stars as Jack Arnold Alexander Tancred Gurney, 14th Earl of Gurney - who thinks he's Jesus Christ. This is extremely black - blacker than black - comedy about the British aristocracy.
Baz Lurhman	Strictly Ballroom	This movie's hard to categorize - it's a sweet romance, with some great dancing. Baz Lurhman's ("Moulin Rouge", "Romeo and Juliette") first movie. It makes interesting nods to the martial arts quest movies while remaining unique and charming.