Favorite Movies

(in alpha order)

Amelie (imdb)

Amélie is a young woman who had a decidedly unusual childhood; misdiagnosed with an unusual heart condition, Amélie didn't attend school with other children, but spent most of her time in her room, where she developed a keen imagination and an active fantasy life. Despite all this, Amélie has grown into a healthy and beautiful young woman who works in a cafe and has a whimsical, romantic nature. She decides to step into the lives of others around her to help them out

Being John Malkovich (imdb)

Craig Schwartz is a struggling street puppeteer; in order to make some money, Craig takes a job as a filing clerk. One day he accidentally discovers a door ... a portal into the brain of John Malkovich! For 15 minutes, he experiences the ultimate head trip-He is being John Malkovich! Then he's dumped onto the New Jersey turnpike! With his beautiful office mate Maxine and his pet-obsessed wife, they hatch a plan to let others into John's brain for just $200 a trip

Blazing Saddles (imdb)

The new sheriff and his sidekick, retired gunfighter Waco Kid, protect the town of Rock Ridge from the men who want to run the railroad through the town

Enlightenment Guaranteed   A German comedy about journey of two brothers, with different agendas,who visit a Zen monastery in Japan. They learn a lot about themselves and about each other.

Groundhog Day

A lesson about what real love is, done with Bill Murry's best acting.  Favorite line: "What would you do if every day was the same, nothing ever changed, and you had no hope for the future?"  "That about sums it up for me!"

Little Miss Sunshine (imdb)

Olive is a little girl who dreams of winning the Little Miss Sunshine contest. Her family wants her dream to come true, but they are so dysfunctional that they can barely make it through a day without some disaster befalling them. Olive's father, Richard, is unsuccessful as a motivational speaker. He is barely on speaking terms with Olive's mother. Her uncle Frank has attempted suicide following an unsuccessful romance with a male graduate student. Her brother Dwayne, a fanatical follower of Nietzsche, has taken a vow of silence. And Olive's grandfather is a loser with a drug habit, but at least he enthusiastically coaches Olive in her contest talent routine. Circumstances conspire to put the entire family on the road together with the goal of getting Olive to the Little Miss Sunshine contest in California

Man cheng jin dai huang jin jia (2006) 

During China's Tang dynasty the emperor has taken the princess of a neighboring province as wife. She has borne him two sons and raised his eldest. Now his control over his dominion is complete, including the royal family itself.

The Man Who Would Be King

In this movie, based on a novella by Rudyard Kipling, Sean Connery and Michael Caine are just wonderful as a couple of scalawags in British India ca. 1880 who decide that India isn't big enough to contain their ambitions. So they set off over the mountains and try to set up their own kingdom in a place founded by Alexander the Great. The whole story is framed as a tale told to the young Kipling (played by Christopher Plummer), who actually did work as a journalist in India in his youth. Thanks for the great performances by Connery and Caine, this is one movie that is actually better than the book.

Moonstruck

Cher is "devastatingly funny, sinuous and beautiful" as Loretta, an unlucky in love Italian widow who finds romance through the intervention of the Manhattan moon. With her wedding to a close friend just weeks away, she meets and falls hopelessly in love with his younger brother! Her dilemma and her equally passionate and hilariously eccentric family make for an unforgettable film you'll find "beguiling", "enchanting" and "irresistible".  (Amazon)

The Phantom of the Opera

"The Phantom of the Opera" is a magnificent tale that begins when an opera ghost terrorizes the cast and crew of the French Opera House while tutoring a chorus girl. He finally drives the lead soprano crazy so she and her friend leave. The girl is able to sing lead one night but the soprano doesn't want her show stolen so she comes back. The ghost demands they keep giving his protoge lead roles. Meanwhile, His pupil falls in love with the Vicomte de Chagny, but the Phantom is in love with Christine, his student. The Phantom is outraged by their love and kidnaps Christine to be his eternal bride. Will Raoul, the Vicomte, be able to stop this dastardly plan? Watch and find out Written by Niki

The Princess Bride

A kindly grandfather sits down with his grandson and reads him a bedtime story. As the grandfather reads the story, the action comes alive in a classic tale of love and adventure. The beautiful Buttercup is kidnapped and held against her will in order to marry the nasty Prince Humperdinck, while Westley (her childhood beau, now returned as the Dread Pirate Roberts) attempts to save her. Along the way he meets an accomplished swordsman and a giant, both of whom become his companions in his quest

Ratatouille

Remy is a rat, constantly risking life in an expensive French restaurant because of his love of good food, as well as a desire to become a chef. Yet, obviously, this is a rather tough dream for a rat. But opportunity knocks when a young boy, who desperately needs to keep his job at the restaurant, despite his lack of cooking abilities, discovers and partners the young Remy. Its up to the two of them to avoid the insane head chef, bring the rest of Remy's family up to his standards, win his partner a girl, and, of course, produce the finest Ratatouille in all of France. Written by swansongang

Truly Madly Deeply (imdb)

A young woman's world falls apart when her boyfriend dies. When he unexpectedly returns to life as a ghost, she must choose between the man she truly, madly, deeply loved--and a new man who is truly, madly, deeply alive

Usual Suspects

When twenty-nine dead bodies are found floating in Long Beach Harbor, a U.S. Customs agent investigates

The Vanishing

Rex and Saskia are on holiday, a young couple in love. They stop at a busy service station and Saskia disappears. Rex dedicates the next three years trying to find her. Then he receives some postcards from her abductor, who promises to reveal what has happened to Saskia.