Casablanca (1943)

I know I am going to be criticized and picked apart by most film lovers for not liking Casablanca. The movie was released 40 years before my birth so I grew up seeing this film spoofed so much that by the time I had to sit through the film in a college class, I felt I had already seen it.

It is your everyday boy meets girl, they have an epic love affair, turns out girl is married to anti-Nazi who is imprisoned at the time, "time goes by," boy opens a cafe in Casablanca, girl walks into his gin joint with husband, boy helps girl and husband flee the country. In the words of Peter Griffin, "I just saved you 2 boring hours."

The movie is also so over-quoted that it is annoying. "Play it again, Sam," is never even said in the movie yet people will argue tooth and nail that it is. I also could never bring myself to like Humphrey Bogart. I once read that he treated Audrey Hepburn terribly while filming Sabrina so I cannot like someone that treated her poorly, I am sorry. I am however, more fascinated with his marriage and love with Lauren Bacall than I am with this movie.

It is a classic and it is because of that I knew all the lines, how it ended, and the scene set-ups prior to viewing the actual film. I am not saying it would not be impressive to someone seeing it for the first time but I was left cold.

Shakespeare in Love (1998)

Is Shakespeare in Love cute? Sure. Was it enjoyable? Yeah. Did it deserve to win Best Picture over Saving Private Ryan? Wait, what? It beat Saving Private Ryan for the Best Picture of 1998? That was my initial reaction when seeing what the other Best Picture Nominees were that year.

I mean, it was a fun movie and I liked it but I don't think it was the Best Picture of 1998. I am going to guess that the Academy still had their heads up their asses because a year earlier they awarded Titanic the coveted award. Apparently the Academy needed more of the pretty, young, English girl (this time an American playing a Brit, the opposite of Kate Winslet the year before) engaged to be married to the stiff, upper class man but secretly wanting more. So she goes and screws the first artist she stumbles upon. In this case, he is a playwright, not a live-nude artist named Jack Dawson.

Again, I would pick the man the girl doesn't seem to want - in this case it is Colin Firth! I have nothing against Joseph Fiennes but he's not Colin Firth. In the same year, Joseph Fiennes played Shakespeare (who is told by Elizabeth I that Gwyneth needs to be with Colin) and Robert Dudley (who was shagging Elizabeth I). Oh, and I forgot Ben Affleck is in this movie. *groan* This was also the year that he was supposed to be left on an astroid but Bruce Willis had to go and be noble.

The opening music of the film is delightful though. I do own the soundtrack and I really did not mind the movie. I just think Saving Private Ryan was a better film and should have won.

Dances with Wolves (1990)

I am going to come out and just admit it; I cannot stand Kevin Costner. Mainly because he is an actor that cannot act. When he tries to do an accent, he fails miserably. Yet, he makes more money than anybody who actually does their job and does it well. That being said, he should stick to his baseball movies because he plays an arrogant son-of-bitch better than most because I maintain he is one.

I began watching Dances with Wolves secretly hoping I would not like it so I could go on about how awful it was and how terrible he is. Much to my displeasure, I loved the movie and Mr. Costner did not get under my skin like he usually does.

What really pisses me off about this movie is the killing of the animals. First the horse then the wolf. There is a short list of things that are going to really upset me when I watch a film and killing animals (although I know it is fake) is right at the top. I think it should be listed somewhere on the box of a film, "Animal Death Included" so I know to pass by it and go for another title.

It also really bothers me how those of European descent felt entitled to drive the Natives off of the lands they inhabited for thousands of years prior and think it was acceptable. This would include my own ancestors, at least on my father's side.

Even though I hate to admit it, Kevin Costner is credited with 2 Oscars assocaited with this film. He won for Best Director and Best Film. Although, I am just saying, neither award was for his acting. He has won a few Razzies for his acting though. Apparently, I am not alone in my thinking. You stick to those sports movies, Kevin and leave the real work to those who know how.

Schindler's List (1993)

I somehow managed to get through high school and college, as a history major no less, without ever having a single lesson on World War II. I fully intend to do more research on my own but I am not sure yet where to begin or how to go about it.

It was not until recently that I first saw Schindler's List. I hate to admit it but until the end of the film, I had no idea it was a true story. Seeing the survivors walk up to the real Schindler's grave and put roses on it was when it clicked for me.

This blog is meant to be about film so I will not go into my feelings about how negative and harmful religions can be. I just need to say that the events of the Holocaust were not in Biblical times. It was all happening less than a century ago. People being brainwashed by charismatic, yet vile, leaders is not something new and it is bound to continue into the future. We need to not be afraid to think for ourselves. It is important to education yourself and not be taken in by someone else's beliefs, thoughts, or actions.

I have yet to watch a film about the Holocaust that did not make my cry and really upset me. I am not Jewish and I cannot even say I am close to anyone that is. There is just something about hatred based on religion, a sin all religions are probably guilty of doing by at least some of its members, that is inherently hypocritical.

Ralph Fiennes always plays evil well. This role for him was no exception. Liam Neeson also does a stellar job, as he usually does. The film won 7 Oscars and Steven Spielberg won his first Best Director Oscar for the film.

If the viewer takes away nothing else from the film, just remember that if a self-serving business man can be changed into saving 1,100+ people from certain death, maybe you can do a little more to be a better person.