1981--Chariots of Fire, Hugh Hudson

1981--Chariots of Fire, Hugh Hudson

Nominated: Atlantic City, On Golden Pond, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Reds

Should have won: Raiders of the Lost Ark

Be sure to see: An American Werewolf in London, The Beyond aka Seven Doors of Death, Dark Night of the Scarecrow, The Fox and the Hound, The Funhouse, The Howling, The Prowler

“I don't run to take beatings; I run to win.”--Harold Abrahams

     The second of only three sports movies to win best picture, Chariots of Fire tells the true story of two British sprinters competing in the 1924 Olympics. Harold Abrahams runs to impress Cambridge; Eric Liddell runs to please God. Eric defeats Harold in a 100 meter dash, so Harold hires a pro trainer to prepare him. Eric upsets the Olympic committee when he refuses to run his heat because it falls on the Sabbath. It is decided Eric can run in the 400 meter race since it does not fall on Sunday.

     Chariots of Fire is one of those movies that begins at the end. We begin at the funeral of one of the runners, the preacher offering the congregation to remember his life and how he ran. This then cues one of the most famous scenes set to music in film history. A pack of young men wearing all white, running through mud by the water; all in slow motion with the song “Chariots of Fire” elegantly playing. If for no other reason to see this movie, see it for the score. The music is the best aspect of the film, and I don't know if that is a positive thing or not. The score is always a movie's best supporting character but the issue with this one is the score is better than the visuals which makes it the lead character.

     I did enjoy the movie though. I relived my old track days when I ran the 100 and the 200 and as I watched these men competing I said...sheesh, what terrible form! Their arms were flailing all over the place and their faces weren't relaxed. These guys were training for the Olympics for crying out loud. You would think they would get a better trainer, and then I realized Sam Masambini (no not Tom Savini—I am winking at any horror fans reading this) is training Harold and he is the finest trainer in the world. Harold gets into trouble for letting the half Arab, half Italian train him because Masambini is a pro and he isn't allowed to employ a pro. I made a point to include Masambini's nationality because the the people scolding Harold made the point to. I'm not sure why it was important to bring up but the movie did so I am. There is a great training montage but it isn't up to par with Rocky Balboa's or Daniel Larusso's.

    Vangelis wrote the score. I guess he is like Madonna or Cher and is above the whole two name shenanigans. The movie catches a lot of heat for beating Raiders of the Lost Ark and Reds and perhaps rightfully so. It is a pretty good movie, however, just not very memorable and not one I'd revisit.

     It is a page in history worth turning to. These guys might very well get smoked off the track in today's world though, despite their intense training methods. But on their ride back to their hotel they could shuffle their i pods to this movie's soundtrack. It is pretty damn good.

1980--Ordinary People, Robert Redford

 

1980--Ordinary People, Robert Redford

Nominated: Cole Miner's Daughter, The Elephant Man, Raging Bull, Tess

Should have won: The Empire Strikes Back

Be sure to see: Airplane!, the Blues Brothers, Cannibal Holocaust, Dressed to Kill, Friday the 13^th, Motel Hell, The Shining

“What do people have in common with their mothers anyway? It's all surface junk.”--Conrad Jarrett

     Things are tough on Conrad Jarrett. He's just out of a four month stint in the mental ward for attempting suicide. His brother had drown months earlier and he blames himself for not saving him. He is a member of his high school swim team but wants to quit. And his coach (the always great M. Emmitt Walsh in the second swim coach role I've seen him in) and team mates don't seem to care about his reasons why. Things at home are tough, too. He lives in a nice house with a caring father but it is obvious his mother doesn't love him as much as she loved her deceased son. The relationship between Conrad and his mother, Beth, is a struggle. He tries to reach out to her but she wants no part.

     Conrad begins seeing a psychiatrist and though there are not too many of the scenes with him, they are a strong part of the film. The doctor is played by Judd Hirsch in an Oscar nominated role. He lost the award that year for supporting actor to his costar Timothy Hutton who played Conrad. Hutton is another classic example of the obvious lead character being nominated for a supporting role (see Haley Joel Osment in The Sixth Sense, Ethan Hawke in Training Day and Christoph Waltz in Django Unchained).  Seeing Conrad and Beth's so-called relationship is difficult on his father, Calvin. Though it is no secret that his wife preferred Conrad's brother, Calvin reveals his feelings about Conrad in a moving speech to wrap up the film.

    Conrad and Dr. Berger's sessions reminded me a of the shrink scenes in Good Will Hunting. The difference is Conrad is open from the beginning. Berger obviously cares about Conrad, even meeting at the office late when a tragedy strikes.

     Ordinary People has taken a lot of flack over the years for snatching the Oscar away from Raging Bull. I am in the odd stance of feeling Raging Bull was not worthy because it was rather boring. It was very stylish but too long and not much going on. Perhaps I need to re-watch it. However, Ordinary People is completely worthy of winning best picture simply from the story, acting, and dialogue. I wasn't particularly taken aback by any technical aspects like editing or cinematography, and perhaps Robert Redford's directing win over Martin Scorsese was unearned as well. But all I ever ask of a family drama is to feel emotional when it intends its audience to and to feel for its characters. I did from beginning to end. It is very good.

 

1979--Kramer Vs. Kramer, Robert Benton

 

1979--Kramer vs Kramer—Robert Benton

Nominated: All That Jazz, Apocalypse Now, Breaking Away, Norma Rae

Should have won: Apocalypse Now

Be sure to see: Alien, Being There, The Brood, The Jerk, Phantasm, Prophecy

“How much courage does it take to walk out on your kid?”--Ted Kramer

     Based on the novel by Avery Corman, Kramer vs Kramer wastes no time getting the ball rolling. Right away we know Ted Kramer is a workaholic and Joanna Kramer wants to leave him to raise their son Billy on his own. Ted is so immersed in his career he tells his boss he'll give his job 110% eight days a week right after telling his situation, and admits to his son's teacher he doesn't even know what grade Billy is in. Quickly, Ted and Billy bond and nearly a year passes since Joanna left. We think she has disappeared (deadbeat mom?) yet she is close by, watching. I wonder if she is watching Billy, longing to be with him again or glaring at Ted, angry at their closeness.

     The latter part of the film deals with what the title implies, the court hearing about custody of Billy, but the film is no doubt about the relationship between Ted and Billy. Both are adjusting to this new way of life. Ted, a gifted advertising executive, has been laid off a the worst possible time, and is juggling this stress with raising Billy. I feel Billy carries the movie. Justin Henry gives one of the finest child acting jobs ever and he was rewarded for his efforts with an Academy Award nomination. The movie is obvious about him. It is about custody, not a divorce.

     Ted hits the theme perfectly in his testimony when he says “My wife used to always say to me why can't a woman have the same ambitions as a man. I think you're right...but by the same token, I'd like to know what law is it that says that a woman is a better parent simply by virtue of her sex?” I've always felt mothers do get more leniency in these types of cases, even today 36 years later. As for the case in the movie, it it interesting because both parents have flaws. While Joanna has a higher paying job, Ted's lawyer is quick to point out the obvious: Can you side with a mother who walked out on her son? A scene that frustrated me is in the trial when the lawyer wouldn't let Ted's witness finish a sentence. I've never been on trial and admit I don't know much about court proceedings but isn't a witness entitled to answer questions fully? The lawyer kept interrupting her after a few words. Can't Ted's lawyer object to that? Kramer Vs Kramer is a gripping story with drama and a heart. Who the final verdict of the case goes to I'll let you discover, but the verdict isn’t the point I took from the viewing. It was about the growth of the relationship of a father and his son who both lost a big part of their lives.

   The fact it won over Apocalypse Now shows a common theme about the Academy Awards. Incomparable movies will be compared. They must be if they are in competition with one another. Did it deserve its win? I don't think so. It beat one of the best war movies ever made, but did Hoffman deserve his win over Martin Sheen? Perhaps; he is in virtually every scene, but I've always had a problem with Dustin Hoffman. I've read on a number of occasions he is considered among the best actors of the last third of the twentieth century. I don't know, he always comes across as hammy to me. Everything I've ever seen him in, I feel that he is acting the part not being the part, and the same goes for this role. But seeing as how respected he is by his peers, I'm clearly wrong. But this is a good movie, though a little frustrating at times. It isn't even close to Apocalypse Now in its greatness and also isn't Hoffman's best performance. Look at Rain Man (1988) and Marathon Man (1976). Kramer Vs. Kramer is worth a look but mainly for Justin Henry. If nothing else, the movie is a great reference on how to make French toast.

 

1978--The Deer Hunter, Michael Cimino

 

1978--The Deer Hunter—Michael Cimino

Nominated:Coming Home, Heaven Can Wait, Midnight Express, An Unmarried Woman

Should have won:The Deer Hunter

Be sure to see: Animal house, Buddy Holly Story, Dawn of the Dead, Halloween, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Superman

“I like to starve myself. It keeps the fear up.”--Nick

     Robert DeNiro is one of the the silver screen's most beloved actors and The Deer Hunter is typically among the top two or three movies people point to that showcase his talents. I found it pretty good but something seemed amiss. Similar to Full Metal Jacket, the non-war scenes in The Deer Hunter outshine the war scenes. The film might have been better off scrapping the whole Vietnam plot and focusing on the lives of the group of friends living in a Western Pennsylvania steel town. Not that the latter half lacked intensity. Many scenes in this film are top notch but the most iconic is undoubtedly the first Russian Roulette scene. In the second half,the movie turns into an almost underground documentary of Russian Roulette rather than Vietnam. DeNiro, with his eyes a constant glaze and Christopher Walken in a haunting Oscar winning performance carry the scenes, and the entire movie.

     The biggest problems I had were the reality of the accents to Western Pennsylvania and the editing of two of the scenes. After a sequence at the bar, the men are all of a sudden in war. No enlisting; no training. In a way it works because a twenty minute boot camp segment would have been unnecessary but it still felt out of place. There was another major editing flaw which I found inexcusable. It was so bad I had to rewind twice and watch my DVD counter to be sure my disk hadn't skipped. Just after we see Mike (DeNiro) and Nick (Walken) have arrived in Vietnam, Mike kills a man with a flamethrower. All signs point to these men having the upper hand. Then, with no scene of capture or even a confrontation, they are in an underwater cage as POW. I thought my disk skipped a chapter or something. It has to be the poorest transition on a first rate movie I've ever seen.

     Both halves of the movie work but I enjoyed the first half more. A worthy winner for best picture though my personal favorite of the year was another Western Pennsylvanian gem Dawn of the Dead. It isn't a better Vietnam movie than Apocalypse Now, Platoon, or even Full Metal Jacket. It was a pretty good movie but a little sloppy. It does capture images of the horrors of war quite well though. My whole issue is if I'm going to see a war movie I want the war scenes to captivate me more than the scenes of the men at home. This movie doesn't do that for me. I'd rather the men have stayed in Pennsylvania, hunted deer, and I could follow their relationships and circumstances. 

     A bit of trivia, John Cazale who played Stan, appeared in only five movies in his entire career and all five were Academy Award best picture nominees; The Godfathers 1 and 2, the Deer Hunter, The Conversation and Dog Day Afternoon. 

 

1977--Annie Hall, Woody Allen

 

1977--Annie Hall, Woody Allen

Nominated: The Goodbye Girl, Julia, Star Wars, Turning Point

Should have won: Star Wars

Be sure to see: Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Eraserhead, The Hills Have Eyes, Housu, The Kentucky fried Movie, Kingdom of Spiders, Smokey and the Bandit, Suspiria

“My grammy never gave gifts. She was too busy getting raped by Cossacks.”--Alvy Singer

     There has never been, and probably never will be, a more dialogue-driven movie in Oscar winner history than Annie Hall. There are no elaborate effects; no tricky camera shots (not even the so-called split screen; the set was built in two sides); and no choppy edits (the average shot length is 14.5 seconds). What it does have is more memorable quotes than any winner ever. So many that I had trouble finding the one to pull out for the quote section. It is a funny movie and, as of 2013, the last comedy to win best picture. That being said, the biggest laugh is probably the fact it beat Star Wars.

     Alvy Singer, a pessimistic New York comedian, is introduced to Annie Hall. Other than the fact that they both see psychiatrists, they are completely different. The story follows their romance, break up, and lives in general. But Alvy is the center, and he breaks the fourth wall.

     I am tempted to type nothing but quotes because there are a ton of memorable ones in the movie. My two favorite moment are probably on Alvy's balcony the day he and Annie meet. As they are talking to each other, closed captions show us what each are actually thinking. This moment rang true for me. I've thought the same things he was and I know I've desired the power to read the mind of the person across from me.The other moment comes in line at the movie theater when the person behind Alvy and Annie is rambling on about the works of Marshall McLuhan using incorrect information. Alvy calls him out on it and the man retaliates. How Alvy handles the situation is hysterical and his punchline to us, the audience, could not be more true.

    Woody Allen was nominated for best actor but didn't win and that is okay with me. I'm not sure how good of an actor I could say he is but as a comedian he is tip top. Not only the things he says but his delivery is so infectious. Odd because Richard Lewis also has the pessimistic, "whoa is me" delivery and I don't find him funny at all. But there is something about Allen that made me laugh.

 

    Some things to notice is Christopher Walkin's name is misspelled in the final credits and Sigourney Weaver appears in a long shot with no dialogue at the end. But this movie isn't about your eyes seeing the film, it is about your ears hearing the jokes. And those jokes come at you rapid fire. I have watched this movie three times. The first time was in the theater and I laughed seven or eight times. The later viewings I must say I laughed a lot more. But let's be real here, was it worthy of its best picture win? Not a chance. In fact, I'd say it beating Star Wars is right along with Shakespeare in Love beating Saving Private Ryan, A Beautiful Mind beating The Lord of the Rings and The English Patient beating Fargo as the biggest "What were they thinking?" choices in Oscar history. It is a must see for Woody Allen fans and for those who have never seen him, I would imagine this is the one to start with.

    And now for this movie (and only this movie) I am going to break my rule and add a few more quotes. I just can't leave it at the one but I made sure I put my favorite up top.

--“Hey don't knock masturbation. It's sex with someone I love.”--Alvy

--“They don't throw their garbage away; they make it into television shows.”--Alvy about California

--“Don't worry, we can walk to the curb from here.”—Alvy about how far Annie parked from the curb

--“How often do you sleep together?”--Alvy's therapist (split screen)

“Do you sleep together often?”--Annie's therapist

“Hardly ever, maybe three times a week”--Alvy

“Constantly, I'd say three times a week”--Annie

--“Sun is bad for you. Everything our parents said was good is bad. Sun, milk, red meat, college.”--Alvy

--”What are you sad about? What did you want me to do? Capture him and rehabilitate him?”--Alvie on the spider he killed in Annie's bathroom

– “(My sister) mentioned penis envy. Do you know about that?”--Annie

“Me? I'm one of the few males who suffer from that.” --Alvie

--“I was thrown out of N.Y.U my freshman year for cheating on my metaphysics final, you know. I looked within the soul of the boy sitting next to me.”--Alvie

--“Maybe if I put a little dish of butter sauce here with a nutcracker it will run out the other side.”--Alvie trying to get a lobster that crawled behind the stove

– “The force will be with you, always.”--Obi Wan...oops, that was a quote from the real winner of 1977. 

 

1976--Rocky, John G. Avildsen

1976—Rocky, John G. Avildsen

Nominated: All the President's Men, Bound for Glory, Network, Taxi Driver

Should have won: Network

Be sure to see: Bloodsucking Freaks, Carrie, Marathon Man, The Omen, Silent Movie, The Town that Dreaded Sundown

“Apollo Creed meets The Italian Stallion. Sounds like a damn monster movie.”--Apollo Creed

     Heavyweight champion Apollo Creed has a fight scheduled in five weeks but no opponents are accepting the challenge. With no takers, Apollo has the idea of putting on a novelty bout against any “Snow White underdog”. Enter Rocky Balboa, a Philadelphia boxer who is pretty popular in the neighborhood but probably won't amount to much. Apollo targets him for an opponent but doesn't really take the bout seriously, pushing the angle of the City of Brotherly Love, eventually entering the ring dressed as Washington crossing the Delaware, throwing money and chanting “I want you” like Uncle Sam. But Balboa proves to be no pushover.

     Like most sports movies, this one ends with the big match, but what a journey it is to get there. Watching Rocky train, converse with people at the gym, and fall for the local pet store employee, it seemed like there were hidden cameras following Stallone around. He just seemed so natural. This role, rather justly or unjustly, epitomizes Stallone's career. I can already imagine a Family Feud poll of what character do you think of when you think Sylvester Stallone. What do you think, 85/15 Rocky Balboa/John Rambo?

     Being set in Pennsylvania around November to January, you get this sense of dreary coldness. I liked that. I just don't think I would have felt as drawn to the film had Rocky been training in sunshine and daisies. A very strong aspect of the film is the stellar supporting cast. I liked the choice of Carl Weathers for the opponent. He was cocky and arrogant and didn't seem concerned about his opponent at all. Why should he be concerned? He is 46-0 and outweighs his Balboa by 20 pounds. Take when Rocky is on television showing off his odd training style, punching slabs of meat for the news. One of Creed's corner is watching and says Creed should come look at his opponent because it looks like he means business. Creed, meeting with his publicity people about flying his friends in to sit in front row, not taking the bout seriously replies, “Yeah I mean business too.”

     A subplot that many times kills movies like this is a romance but in this case it works. Rocky begins to date his friend Paulie's sister Adrian who works in the pet shot where he buys his fish and turtle food. This is undoubtedly Talia Shire's most famous role (even more than in The Godfather) but, being a horror fan, I'll forever connect her to Prophecy, THE monster movie. I liked Adrian. She is a curious character. She is very shy at first but has a prettiness about her that isn't as glamorous as most movie stars. She's uncomfortable when the boxer wants to put the moves on her but by the end has fallen for him. In my eyes, she is the most important supporting character in the film, even above Apollo Creed.

    Another key supporting role is Rocky's corner man and trainer, Mickey, played by the always great Burgess Meredith. I suppose Mickey is the role he will always be remembered but for me I think of Henry Bemis in the Twilight Zone episode “Time Enough At Last.”

    There are little moments that stand out to me like the training regiment beginning at 4 am with drinking five raw eggs. I've wondered if that is safe to do? I used to crack eggs in my milkshake and was told it was dangerous. He runs the streets and in the iconic moment he conquers the steps which, early in his training, had wiped him out. But I do have a few issues. In the scene where the interviewer is getting him punching the slabs of beef she has one camera man, yet there are many angles when it is aired on television. Picky, I know, but unless there was another cameraman I didn't see, it is a flaw. Also he is left handed, a south paw, and he explains to Adrian that the term for a left-hander being a south paw came from a boxer in Philadelphia 200 years ago who was fighting with his arm facing New Jersey so they called him south paw. This is one of the most ridiculous things I ever heard and at first couldn't believe he would say this. Everyone knows a south paw is a left handed pitcher in baseball. When pitching from a stretch, the left handed pitcher is facing first base which is south. Ball parks are supposed to be built that way so the batter will be facing east and not the setting sun. But then I figured Rocky isn't the smartest kid in the class so I chocked it up to him simply not knowing, rather than a character error or blooper. At least I hope that is the case. 

 

     I enjoyed Rocky a lot and it should be noted I despise boxing. I'll soapbox a second here and say I think it sucks football gets attacked by people who are afraid of the concussions that could come from playing while boxing flies right on by, and the object of the sport is to give your opponent a concussion...you know, a knock out? Eh, whatever, this isn't a documentary on boxing it is a movie. It is an emotional story and I liked it very much. It is the ultimate underdog story (take that Rudy...huh, the titles are eerily similar). Rocky works. It is very good.

 

1975--One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Milos Forman

1975--One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Milos Forman

Nominated:Barry Lyndon, Dog Day Afternoon, Jaws, Nashville

Should have won: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Be sure to see: Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Picnic at Hanging Rock

“Five fights huh? Rocky Marciano has forty and he's a millionaire.”--Randall McMurphy

     One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest is the second of only three movies to win Oscars for the five main categories: Picture, director, actor, actress, and screenplay. 1934's It Happened One Night was the previous one. The third you'll have to keep following along and find out later. 

     Randall McMurphy is a petty criminal who opts for a stint in a psychiatric hospital over prison. He is an anarchist, of sorts, as he doesn't take kindly to authority, especially from Nurse Ratched. The men in the ward seem to have had their identities taken. They are set in their ways and don't adjust to change...or so Nurse Ratched feels. In one of the best scenes, McMurphy suggests they get to watch the World Series game on television, but since it is against the routine a vote must be taken. The results of the vote and how McMurphy handles it is the shining point of the film for me.

     Each of the patients have his own peculiar quirks. My favorite character is known simply as The Chief. He is large and stoic, staying to himself, never talking; he might be deaf and mute. He and McMurphy form a bond. It was also nice to see Nicholson paired up with Scatman Crothers again, they would appear in The Shining together five years later.  There are too many great characters and moments to include them all here. The boat trip, Martini and his constant smile, the group meetings,the basketball games, and the “hot foot.” One of the famous scenes comes the day after the men throw a party and nurse Ratched scolds Billy, a stutterer, for sleeping with a woman. The climax of this scene is heartbreaking.

    The entire film is mesmerizing and the ending, which I wouldn't dare spoil, is bittersweet. One thing I wonder is if the movie would have played out differently had the story been told through eyes of the Chief, like it is in the novel. Instead it is told through he eyes of McMurphy played by Jack Nicholson in an Oscar winning performance. McMurphy does his best to show the others what life would be like if their personalities hadn't been strangled by the hospital; parts of life they can no longer enjoy. Louise Fletcher plays Nurse Ratched who has been said to be one of the most evil villains in movie history. Is she just mistaken? Maybe her actions are for the well-being of the patients. Some of the tactics she uses might show otherwise. The fate of McMurphy is a huge downer and I think we are supposed to feel anger toward Ratched and the hospital for what they do to him and why.

     This movie has so much going on, so many characters, I don't feel a brief review can do it justice. It might be the most character-driven of all the best picture winners. Everyone in it brings something memorable to the screen. The plot and action are solid and interesting, too, but this movie is about the people and personalities. It is one of the best Best Picture winners I have seen. 

1974--The Godfather Part II, Francis Ford Copola

1974--The Godfather 2—Francis Ford Coppola

Nominated: Chinatown, The Conversation, Lenny, The Towering Inferno

Should have won: Chinatown

Be sure to see: Black Christmas, Blazing Saddles, Deranged, Harry and Tonto, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Young Frankenstein

“If history has taught us anything it's that you can kill anyone.”--Michael Corleone

     I bet if someone took a survey of a thousand people of what the best sequel ever made would be, The Godfather Part 2 would lead the pack with Terminator 2 trailing close behind. I'd be the oddball in that survey. As mentioned two Oscars ago, the first Godfather is a movie I found vastly overrated yet still pretty darn good. The second one is a movie I found to be a drawn-out snooze-fest, not unlike 2001: A Space Odyssey, another massively overrated spectacle. But despite being just plain boring, this sequel does have its moments and I'm afraid to speak too poorly on it out of fear of being whacked.

     The movie is out of sequence, jumping from a few years after part one ended to Vito's childhood years. Then back to Michael's story then back to Vito as a young man, this time played by Robert DeNiro. In 1909 Sicily, 9-year-old Vito Andolini's family is killed by Don Ciccio. Vito escapes to America and half a century later, his son, Michael, heads the family. These are the two stories that inter lap and I guess they work most of the time.

     There is some bad blood between Michael and his brother, Fredo, (again played by John Cazale. I'll shed a bit of trivia about him in my 1978 review). Much of the movie is similar to part one in that people are done wrong, go to the Corleones for help, and get it. People take shots on Michael and his family; they retaliate. I've seen it before. It impressed me the first time, not so much this time. I'm making enemies from you fans here, yes?

     There is one scene where a lady is evicted from her apartment because of her dog so Vito persuades the landlord to keep the family in the apartment. It is a good, if not typical, scene but it is capped off with a music score that seemed oddly out of place. My favorite part is when Vito finally gets his revenge many years after he was wronged as a child. It was the scene that perked my attention. Unfortunately it was 2:48 in. And Vito creeping on the rooftops and how that scene climaxes is pretty good, too.

     This review is short and sweet...or more like short and sour. I'm sure most will say I just didn't get it and that could be true. I don't get the concept of this series of films. I don't get how the family is clearly religious yet murder on a whim, the main commandment not to break. It gets rather repetitive to me. It has its moments and is clearly a fan favorite. I didn't care for it. The actors will forever be identified with their roles in these movies but not for me. I say when I think of these actors, I place them as: Al Pacino: Scarface. Robert DeNiro: Taxi Driver. Talia Shire: Rocky or Prophecy. I just don't get the love for these movies. I'm in no hurry to see part three.

     By the way, my all time favorite movie was also released this year. It isn't really an “Oscar caliber” movie but Texas Chain Saw Massacre is far more entertaining. You didn't think I would omit mention of my all time favorite movie in the section of its year of release, did you? And by the way, 1978's Dawn of the Dead is the greatest sequel of all time. The pacing is brisk from beginning to end, you care about the characters you are supposed to and feel the danger they feel. The message  is a tongue in cheek nudge to how we look at consumerism in the real world and, as far  as sequels go, moves the series forward rather than the flashbacks, -forwards, and -sideways. I simply don't care for The Godfather movies.