Best Picture Winners: Terms of Endearment

I'm sure that a lot of women have a tumultuous relationship with their mothers, and this movie is no different. In fact, it is the epitome of that, in the case of Aurora and Emma, the mother and daughter of the movie in question.

That movie is Terms of Endearment, Best Picture of 1983, starring Shirley MacLaine, Debra Winger, Jack Nicholson, and Jeff Daniels. It spans 30 years of their relationship as Emma gets married and has her own life, she always talks to her mother and Aurora can be very difficult, but she just cares so passionately that it can be overwhelming. 

We see Emma (played by Debra Winger) go through marital problems with her husband Flap (Jeff Daniels) and thinking that he is cheating, so she becomes close with Sam Burns (played by John Lithgow) only to find out that her husband is actually not doing anything. 

So as the movie goes on, we just see Aurora and Garrett (who is the next door neighbor played by Nicholson) start a relationship and while he is someone who isn't really the commitment type, he commits to Aurora and is there for her when Emma is in the hopsital with cancer. Who ends up dying and Flap says that Aurora can take care of the kids. 

In the end, while it is sad because she dies, we see the joy and the love for Emma and for the family shown in different ways. That is what makes the movie so special I think. 

Best Picture Winners: Driving Miss Daisy

When we think of an unlikely pairing, what comes to mind? I don't think a 72 year old Jewish woman and a 60 year old colored man, would be our first thought. Well, that is the pairing in this movie, which won Best Picture of 1989. 

The name is Driving Miss Daisy and it stars Jessica Tandy as Daisy, Morgan Freeman as her kind chauffeur Hoke and Dan Aykroyd as her son Boolie. 

Daisy is very stubborn and when she isn't able to drive anymore, her son hires a driver, Hoke and during this time, the 1950s, blacks did this kind of work. So Hoke tries to help out around the house, but Daisy won't have it, but eventually she lets him drive her to where she needs to go. The film spans about a 20 year period from 1948 to about 1967 or 68, so we see how their friendship grows and changes through the years. 

What I like most about the movie was the fact that this woman didn't really treat Hoke the best at first, but he was always gracious and kind and he never gave up and I think if more people were like that, this world would be a better place. In a time, when race relations were a big issue and blacks weren't that excepted, this shows that you can find friendship and kindness in just about anyone. I think this was deserving of the Best Picture award and I would give the movie a 4 out of 5. :)

Time After Time

When I think of the title "Time After Time" I'm reminded of the 80's song sung by the eccentric Cyndi Lauper. However, the movie of the same name is about H.G. Wells and his time machine that uses to go after Jack the Ripper. 

The year is 1893 and H.G. Wells is talking with his buddies, one of whom is Stevenson (played by the amazing David Warner) about his predictions for the future and then finding out that Stevenson was Jack the Ripper and took the time machine, using it to go to 1979. So Wells gets in the time machine and follows him to the future. When he gets there he discovers that it is not the Utopia he predicted. However, he meets a woman named Amy (played by Mary Steenburgen) and they both try to search for Jack the Ripper. While Wells is after Jack, Jack is after Wells to obtain a master key to the machine. He continues his murderous ways and will stop at nothing to achieve his desires which puts Amy in danger. 

What I liked about the movie is that it deals with time travel and that is always interesting and fun for me. Also, how it was Jack the Ripper that was the villain of the story and he went by Stevenson, I liked that 'Jack the Ripper' aspect because I think it mirrored a lot of what is going on in the present just like what was going on in 1979. Overall, I would give this movie a 4 out of 5.

The Sound of Music 50th Anniversary

So in keeping with my Best Picture movie reviews, I thought that I would write about my favorite movie of all time, that won Best Picture for 1965, The Sound of Music. It isn't really so much a review, as it is a post about how great of a movie it is and why it is my favorite.

For those that don't know, The Sound of Music is about a real family called the Von Trapps who escaped their home to find freedom during the war. This movie is based off the book that the real Maria von Trapp wrote in 1949 titled, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers. First there was a stage musical, then came the movie, which is considered by many to the greatest musical ever made. It helped save 20th Century Fox from bankruptcy and it was the most successful Rodgers and Hammerstein musical as well.

The reason that I think it has lasted as long as it has is because of the message that it sends. Perseverance in times of turmoil and hope for freedom and survival. That if you just face your problems and live the life you were born to live, you will find your dream.

The reason it is my favorite movie is for a lot of those same reasons, but also because no matter how bad of a day i've had, it always makes me feel better. Also just the message that it sends, you have to live your life, face your problems and find your destiny. Plus, the music, scenery, adventure and romance make it amazing too. So many things were done right with this movie, Robert Wise definitely knew what he was doing. Mistakes that he left in that ended up making it more realistic and how Christopher Plummer played Captain von Trapp. Everything just worked out perfectly. It really has everything you would want in a film. I've seen a lot of musicals, but to me, none will compare with this one.

Best Picture Winners: Schindler's List

Next on my list of Best Picture Winners is Schindler's List, the Spielberg directed drama about the horrors of the holocaust. 

While it was a very sad movie, it is also very important and powerful. It is probably the most realistic depiction of the Holocaust over any other film. 

Oskar Schindler was a German who came from nothing and ended up a very wealthy businessman. He didn't have to do what he did and at first, he was doing it because of the money, but he ended up turning his factory into a safe place for the Jews. 

The scene where Liam Neeson breaks down saying that he could have saved more if he had just saved more money and then Stern saying "1100 people are alive because of you, look at them." It is definitely one of the highlights of the film for me and i'm sure for others as well. 

Ralph Fiennes played Amon Goeth to perfection, so much so that Mila Pfefferberg (who was a survivor) started shaking uncontrollably when she met him because he looked so much like the real Amon Goeth. 

Spielberg made a wise decision filming this movie in black and white because I feel like it brought out the realism and made it seem more grim, which was true for the situation. The only part of it that was in color was the beginning with the Jewish family lighting the candles before the Holocaust and the little girl in the red coat. Both are very symbolic of what is going on. 

I feel like whatever I say about this will not do it justice, so I will just leave with, it is an amazing movie and it's one of Spielberg's finest films. It truly deserved the Oscar. 

Best Picture Winners: Patton

Patton is a true story about a man who cared about his country and the troops that he commanded. While he was quite the controversial figure, he is well respected in history as the General who led his men to victory. Although, as seen within this biopic directed by Franklin Schaffner with a script co-written by Francis Ford Coppola - whose Oscar win gave him reign of the Godfather films - Patton wasn't without questionable methods as to how he treated the troops under his strict, abrasive and, in one pivotal scene, perhaps even abusive command.

Patton, the 1970 Best Picture Winner about his military career, deals with the General on and off the battlefield, in and out of backroom meetings, without delving into his personal life before or after the war. He was an intense man with a hot temper. In one scene, he starts firing at a German warplane with his own pistol. It's as if he felt he could win the war alone.

Part of the fun of Patton is witnessing this unpredictable behavior, often balanced by the loyal friendship between Patton and the more even-keeled General Bradley. played by Karl Malden, who could handle and stand by his friend even if he didn't always agree with his methods. Malden brilliantly underscores George C. Scott's mesmerizing performance.

Behind the scenes during the Second World War, General Bradley was probably a lot easier for the Brass to handle, and Patton isn't without his share of detractors. But cinema often provides the last word on legendary figures. Although his methods can be questioned, he was on the right side of history. And whatever you think of General George S. Patton after watching this movie, he was the man important, memorable and downright entertaining enough to base an entire epic motion picture on.

Best Picture Winners: Lawrence of Arabia

T.E. Lawrence was just a Major in the British Army, and his job was mapmaking. But he wanted to get inside those lines, and was given leave to investigate the progress of the Arab revolt against the Turks during World War I. 

The movie is Lawrence of Arabia and while it is a long movie, it's understandable because it has a lot to tell. For one thing, Lawrence was able to blend into the landscape and being a mapmaker that is kind of symbolic because of what he does for them and he really becomes part of it all even though he wants anonymity when he comes back.

To me the best parts of the film were when they wrecked the train, that was pretty spectacular for the time and now that would all just be done with computers. I also loved the cinematography and I am not surprised that was one of the 7 oscars it won, the director, David Lean captured the scenery so beautifully you felt like you were experiencing it with the characters. The music score was also perfect for the film and used at just the right moments. Sometimes just having an instrumental score is what works well for the film to play in just the right scenes. Then of course, one of Peter O'Toole's best scenes in the movie is when he comes back to England and is telling the General that he killed a man and he kind of enjoyed it. When he turned and looked at the two men, it was so amazing.

One of the things that I also loved and noticed about the film was how relevant it is to a lot of the issues facing the Middle East today. The war and the hate and everything that has been going on, I really felt like this film is something that a lot of people need to see (even they haven't already) it is about unity and working together and I think that's important with all the hate and oppression in our world today.

The downsides to me were mainly that it was just really long and it's hard to sit and watch something for that long of time. I understand that they had a lot to tell and epics to tend to be quite long, but maybe shortening it just a little bit would have been better. That's really the only downside I have.

Overall, I really enjoyed the movie and I feel like everyone gave amazing performances, especially Peter O'Toole since it was his first starring role. It deserved all the oscars that it won. Even though some considered T.E. Lawrence to be rather flamboyant and not very worthy of anything, he truly did make history.