No. 1 // Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Tim Burton)
A movie about chocolate factory with appealing visual should work out for me, but this movie starts bad with a kid actor that can't act at all played by Freddie Highmore. I don't care at all for all of the main characters. Other than Highmore, the other kids are set up to play these unbelievably annoying characters. Meanwhile Johnny Depp give a very cold performance under the make-up. I like Tim Burton and his films so far, but this one is straight forward his worst so far with a storyline that goes far too long. C
No. 2 // This Sporting Life (Lindsay Anderson)
The films tells a story of a tough man in his journey becoming a top-paid rugby player. And in-between, we get to see her romantic journey with this widow who rents him a room in her house. Richard Harris is great in the film and deservedly earned an Oscar nomination for this role, but the film suffers from bad editing which ruins its pace and confuses the audience in later part where it often jumps between moments. C+
No. 3 // The 39 Steps (Alfred Hitchcock)
Unluckily for me, I watched a DVD version of this film from my local library and its quality was so bad that I realized I should've waited for the Criterion version instead. Knowing it's a Hitchcock film, I'm ready to enter his mysterious world where in this case an innocent man gets involved with a dangerous secret organization. With a running time less than 90 minutes, Hitchcock doesn't waste any minute introducing us to the main problem. Only thing is it feels too long and complicated to get to the final act. B-
No. 4 // Trafic (Jacques Tati)
While it doesn't reach the same level of greatness of Playtime, this film still offers a great direction from Tati where the story takes place mostly outdoor. Working as a automobile designer, he has to deliver a new car prototype to a automotive show, but the journey is more challenging than that. It's quirky and fun as always from Tati's films, but sometimes you wonder where it's taking you or if you're there yet. B
No. 5 // M (Fritz Lang)
A film about the search of a pedophile in town. The film's greatness is at its script where it conveys the problem from different point of views. You can see it from pedophile himself, the thief who wants to solve the problem faster than the cops or the community. B
No. 6 // The Hit (Stephen Frears)
From the synopsis, The Hit seems like a gangster/criminal movie. On the inside, it's not like that at all. It only features 3 men with one woman on the road. The story is very cool, gentle, and it takes its time. Terrence Stamp is taken as the hostage by a hitman and his apprentice after years ago gives evidence against his group. There's actually more talking in this film than the actions. But that's what actually makes me like it even more. Rather than pointless gun shooting, you get to know and understand these characters. B+
No. 7 // TRON (Steven Lisberger)
I watched this film just to enjoy the cheesy outdated visual effect and of course to see young Jeff Bridges. But I finished it liking it more than the flashy sequel. It's really more fun and the characters are more interesting where we get to know CLU and TRON. Of course the GRID is too animated and they dress up like gladiators with neons, but it's pure fun and enjoyable. B+
No. 8 // Serpico (Sidney Lumet)
Between the first and second Godfather films, Al Pacino made Scarecrow and this film which marks his first collaboration with Sidney Lumet. Playing a real character as an honest cop hated by his peers, Serpico, Pacino is a true force in this film and earned his first Best Actor nomination. With another proof like Dog Day Afternoon, I guess a combination of Pacino and Sidney Lumet always result in great films. B+
No. 9 // Intouchables (Olivier Nakache & Eric Toledano)
A phenomenon in its home country, this based-on-true-story drama is the true definition of a feel good movie. It's there to make you smile and inspire you. There is no real big problem in the story although there are some minor backgrounds about Idriss, the immigrant caretaker. Other than that what you get is him and the rich quadriplegic having a good time. It's all in the story and that's what makes people like it so much that Weinstein is planning on remaking it already. B+
No. 10 // Singin' In The Rain (Stanley Donen)
I love musical and I want to prove if this classic is a true classic. Actually it is. And by the first 15 minutes it reminds me so much of The Artist. Since this one came out way earlier, I'm guessing The Artist is borrowing so much from this film. The sad thing is The Artist won 5 Oscar nominations inlcuding Best Picture when this film, a much better film, only got nominated for 2 technical categories. Forget Jean Dujardin because Gene Kelly is hypnotizing in this film. When the famous tune starts from "Singin In the Rain" and rain starts pouring in, it's just pure bliss to see him singing his heart out. A must see. A-
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