From the contents of my collection you might be able to learn something about me. There are some really good movies in there, with a few lumps of coal scattered about. Check out the ones rated 5 stars to find my favorites. I've presented the movies in alphabetical order.

My absolute favorite is "Shadow Dragon - The Ninja Movie". Something that my friends and I made back in 1984. We made this movie just before I left for the Air Force. We had a fantastic time making it, and I watch it at least once a year. The movie was originally shot directly to VHS, but a friend (Rob Garrity) edited the footage and produced a master version for VHS. That was back in 1984. It took quite some time, but we've managed to get the movie onto DVD. My cousin (Mike Vaessen) converted it from analog to digital. I edited and remastered the footage. Then I authored the movie, burning it to DVD. It took a lot of work, a G5 powerhouse, and quite a bit of research, but it's now preserved indefinitely in digital format. We often quote from it, reliving our younger days with each utterance of the words "I don't know Joe; Sell your farm!".

I'm sure you're getting tired of listening to me reminisce about my days back home on the farm (I didn't really live on a farm, but I spent a lot of time at the farms of my friends). O.k. on with the list already, without further delay, I present: My Collection of movies. Perhaps you'll find something interesting amongst my pile of ferric-oxide coated mylar, and laser encoded plastic.

Movie Musings: A few disconnected thoughts regarding some of the more recent offerings at the theater. What I didn't like. See if you can follow this formula... Time Machine (The new one) = Planet of the Apes (The re-imagination) = Pearl Harbor = Titanic = Yuck!

Indeed; I despised all the above films. They were all cheap romance novels disguised as adventure themed movies. The original Planet of the Apes was a fantastic movie, full of social subtext, and political overtones. The original Time Machine was an imaginative romp, which filled viewers with a sense of wonder and hope. Pearl Harbor should have been about the horrors of war and man's ability to overcome adversity. All the movies listed above (in the formula) sucked (in my opinion). They were cheap ticket draws, duping the public into the illusion that they might contain something worth watching. They were merely sappy romance novels, peppered with beautiful people, exploding eye candy, and a watered down excuse of a plot. The remakes listed above are worse than Titanic. At least Titanic had an original story.

What I look for: What exactly is it that makes me like a movie? I think I've figured part of that out. First of all, the acting must be believable. I should never find myself thinking about how this person isn't believable in the role they're playing. I should forget that they're acting. Casting is very important. Secondly, is the director using the characters, set, and plot in a way which helps convey the story? Are all my senses utilized, tantalized, engrossed? By the way, I cannot stand movies where post production sound washes the environment (or music) over the characters lines. It sucks. I don't care whether it's more realistic. The objective is entertainment, and telling the story is more important than realism. If I want realism over story, I'll walk outside the theater and participate in it, or I'll watch an episode of cops. When I'm in the theater watching a movie I want to know what the characters are saying. I want to know what's going on. Thirdly, I enjoy movies with an original and engrossing plot. If I'm constantly predicting (accurately) the plot lines five minutes ahead of the action, then something is definitely wrong with the plot. I like surprises, I like being stumped, I like it when I'm shocked, surprised, scared shitless and forced to emote. Personally, I really enjoy movies where the plot is twisted and complicated.

As an example of a movie I really liked, see π: Faith in Chaos by Darren Arnofsky. I liked it so much that I took notes, and committed them to hard copy. Sometimes I review them, or share them with friends. It's one of very few movies, where I found myself rewinding in order to hear the dialog again. Not because I missed something. But, because I wanted to hear it again, make sure I got it right. Savoring the incredible content of each line. A fantastic movie. Maybe you'd like to read the notes (in pdf format) as well.

What I really despise: Oh how I hate movies where I have to constantly adjust the volume! If the cast is whispering in a night club, I still want to hear what they're saying. I absolutely hate it when I have to hold the remote in my hand, and adjust the volume throughout the movie. O.k. a plane is flying overhead; turn the volume all the way down or become deaf. Oh, they're whispering again; turn the volume all the way up, or I might miss some plot point in the dialog. It's a movie, not reality! Knock it off with the ambient sound already. I know that airplanes are loud, I know that whispering is hard to hear. Stop torturing me already! Any movie that has this problem automatically loses one or two points. Wouldn't it be nice to hear what the actors are saying? I'm trying to follow the plot, but the god dammed crickets are too loud! Another thing I detest is violence for the sake of violence. I'm a non-violent person, and I don't care to watch movies that are simply exhibitions of physical violence.

Reviews: Here's a list of movies I've seen this year (2006). The list contains a short review, synopsis, commentary on each movie. Something like that. The movies are rated 1-5. I subscribe to NetFlix, watch movies from my own collection, and sometimes get out to the theater. The movies from my collection are titled in italics. The rest (unless noted otherwise) are NetFlix rentals. I update this listing throughout the month. Hopefully you'll find a movie or two to watch after perusing my reviews.

Favorites: Recently (26 June 2005), some friends asked what my all time favorite movies were. Well, I hadn't though much about it at the time. But I've been thinking about it ever since. I guess I'd have to categorize my favorites by genre. I don't have a favorite picked for every category, but I definitely have a few picked out. I'll list the first few here, and I'll add to it as my opinions solidify around the best of each genre.

Why would I bother watching some of these movies? Who knows, many reasons - pick one. For some it's because of the actor/actress, for others it's the director. Maybe I read a favorable review, or saw a preview that looked good.

How's that for a lineup? Looks like there'll be a lot of movies worth watching in the coming year. Some of the titles have links to trailers, if you've got DSL or cable, check 'em out. Other links are just IMDB listings.

The 'Must Buy' List: Movies I plan on purchasing. I probably won't buy all of them, some I'll buy as soon as they become available. Some I'll wait a while for. Some I'll hope for as Christmas gifts. Anyway, I've seen all of them, and liked them enough to put them on this list. Some I'll buy pre-viewed, some I'll buy retail, some I'll buy through eBay. Some will stay on the list until I find them in the VHS bargain bin.

Why would I want to buy any of these movies? For the same reasons I'd want to watch them. Movies I've seen, loved, and rated highly. None of these are impulse buys. These were selected from movies I've rated highly. Only the really good stuff makes it's way to this list. * - Recently ordered

What have I acquired lately?: It's been quite a while since I bought any movies, but this month I've raked in quite a catch. I purchased three movies during the month of August (purchased from DeepDiscount.com and Wal-Mart). The movies from Wal-Mart were a few of those $1.00 movies. Can't really go wrong with those, so I took a chance. All but one of the others were purchases from my 'Must Buy' list. So what are the new movies? Two foreign films and four American movies. Below is a short synopsis of some of the movies I bought. If you'd like some full reviews, see my movie reviews index page.

Foreign movies:
* Army of Shadows: Tale of the French resistance during WWII. A stark uncompromising vision of determination and resolve. Unreleased in the U.S. for 37 years, it's an astonishing, gripping story of the underground fighters who took on Hitler's regime during WWII. 5 of 5.
* Hara-Kiri: Directed by Masaki Kobayashi this movie feels a lot like the work of my favorite director - Akira Kurosawa. Starring a relatively unknown group of actors, the acting by the lead Tatsuya Nakadai was exceptional. The story is a complex drama involving honor, duty, and the code of Samurai. The 17th century is a peacful time in Japan's history. Gone are the continual feaudal wars of competing clans. The Shogunate rules supreme and a unified Japan means many out of work Samurai. While many choose to end their lives honorably (through Seppuku (ritual suicide)), some struggle on in poverty - living the life of a peasant. When it becomes too much to bear for one Samurai, he presents himself at the home of a powerful lord. His request to commit hara-kiri is an attempt to extract pittance from the lord. When the lord agrees to allow the ritual, the former samurai is shocked but duty bound to go ahead with the act. When he is forced (by duty) to commit suicide with a bamboo sword, the sadistic act is further befouled by a scathing attack on the families values. Dumping his body at the feet of his father like some used trash, these men have forgotten what honor is, and someone is going to teach them a lesson in chivalry. The story is a fantastic, fatalistic tale of honor, duty and family. Perfectly paced and deftly directed, the movie is an excellent drama. Filled with well choreographed segments of sword flashing samurai battle scenes. 5 out of 5.

American movies:
* CQ: Written and directed by Roman Coppola (Son of Francis Ford Coppola), this is the directorial debut (first feature film direction) for this experienced director. He's done plenty of work in other films; acting, writing co-directing, producing. Here he shines with a witty, charming and expressive film within a film. The story. In the late 60's a young American film maker is struggling to 'be' film. He works long hours, struggles to maintain a relationship with his girlfriend, and gets ignored at work. When the director of a recent b grade sci-fi production get's a bit too distracted by the movie's beautiful star, he's sacked by the producer. A flamboyant party favor takes over, but he bows out after an accident. Our aspiring directors steps in and does his best to complete the project. He too becomes distracted by the super sexy, secret agent, Dragonfly and his efforts to end the film with artistic flair are threatened. This is a movie for people who love movies, the technical aspects, the behind the scenes drama as well as those hidden gems that don't impress the teaming masses. It's quirky, filled with fantastic in period acting, some great low-tech special effects, thoughtful direction, and wonderful camera work. The sound track was excellent, as was the lighting, pacing and color work. The distorted fantasy, reality bending, slightly out of focus aspects of this film are complemented by it's 'film within a film' ethic. An instant avant-garde cult classic. Excellent acting by Jeremy Davies, Angela Lindvall, Élodie Bouchez, Gérard Depardieu and others. I will buy a copy, and expect that the rating will rise as I enjoy repeat viewings. 4 out of 5.
* The Fast and the Furious: A Roger Corman story, starring John Ireland and Dorothy Malone is co-directed by John Ireland and Edward Sampson. This is not the movie you're thinking about. The rights to the title were purchased for 2001 movie starring Vin Diesel, but the stories are very different. Here is a movie about a man on the run. Wrongly imprisoned for a murder he didn't commit, Frank Webster (Played by John Ireland) has broken out of prison. While he wants to clear his name, he doesn't trust the cops and he ends up on the run. When his cover is blown, he kidnaps a beautiful young women and the race is on. Driving her souped up Jaguar, the two enter a professional race and try to make Mexico while the police pull the noose tight. The story wasn't very original, and it followed some fairly predictable plot lines. The pacing had problems; the movie was rather slow and dull at times. The acting was mediocre at best. The best part of the movie were some of the racing scenes and the classic cars depicted. Thankfully, I only paid a buck for this movie. 2 out of 5.
* Kiss Daddy Goodnight: I'm probably going to regret it, but hey - it was only a buck! This one stars Uma Thurman in her first starring role, and Steve Buscemi in a very early roll. I bought it because of Steve Buscemi - an excellent actor. O.k. I'm secretly hoping to see Uma show some skin. I'll give you the review later.
* Death Valley - The Revenge of Bloody Bill: Written and directed by nobody I heard of before, and hopefully I won't hear from them again. The direction and writing were horrid. The actors were good looking, and they tried their best to act... Unfortunately, all their effort was wasted by the dire direction, editing and writing. The story - if you must. A drug dealer looking for revenge kidnaps a college debate team? Then they drive into the desert in search of the drug dealers missing mule. What they find is a ghost town full of zombies. Unfortunately, none of the characters can manage to get in the van and drive away, so most are eaten by the zombies. Apparently the zombies are led by some former confederate general. This zombie general hates 'black people' because... Oh yeah, he hates the town people too. They lynched his sister. Thankfully one of the debate team knew all this, because otherwise he'd have to recite it from memory, and that would sound like he was reading his lines off a cue card. Man this movie was bad, and the head-banging music made me nauseous. I'm certainly glad I only paid a dollar for it. 1 out of 5.
* One Eyed Jacks: Directed by and starring Marlon Brando. I was surprised to find this gem tucked away in the $1.00 bin at Wal-Mart. With an excellent cast - Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, Katy Jurado, the oh so sensuous Pina Pellicer, Ben Johnson, Slim Pickens and others. It's a western in the tradition of Sergio Leone's 'Man with no name' series. A bad man is the hero, but we sympathize with him and despise his lawman partner. After two bandits (Brando and Malden) rob a Mexican bank, they're pinned down on a ridge with no where to go. At the flip of a coin Dad Longworth (Malden) goes for help, but he changes his mind after he makes it out alive. Leaving Rio (Brando) to the Mexican authorities, he high-tails it for the border; leaving Rio at the mercy of the Mexican posse. Years later, Rio escapes and seeks his vengeance on the now wealthy and respectable lawman who let him suffer all those years in a Mexican prison. It's a movie about double-crosses, honor, and revenge. Excellent writing produced by a convoluted chain of revisions. The direction and acting were outstanding. Marlon Brando was vibrant, honest and engaged. The camera work captured the locations in stark relief, transforming the harsh western landscape into a character of it's own. The story is full of character developments that turn the traditional western (of the late 50's) on it's head. 5 out of 5. Glad I own a copy. It's awesome.

With these new purchases, I updated the main movies page, my 'must buy' list, the listing of my movie collection, the reviews page, and an alphabetical index (see the ' angry critic' entry above) that I'm working on.

NetFlix: NetFlix is awesome. It's easy to use - Point-N-Click to pick your movies on the web. It's inexpensive - Only $17.99 a month (for three movies out at a time). In August of 2006, Kim and I saw 32 NetFlix movies (We're using the 5 at-a-time plan - which costs $29.99 / month ($32.42 w/tax)). If you calculate the cost per movie, that comes out to approximately $1.02 per movie; a significant savings over the other retail based options. It's convenient - No need to drive to the rental place (there's some more savings!). It's got a huge variety of movies - Over 100,000 at last count (Block Buster only has 80,000). If you've got a PC (Saddly not for Mac) you can watch 12,000+ titles instantly on your computer. You can even stream NetFlix (Mac or PC) to a compatible set top box (See Roku player, and XBox360 coming soon). The Roku box works like a charm. I oughta know, I started using one in September of 2008! One of my favorite features is the fact that it makes recommendations (when you rate movies that you've watched), and the recommendations get better as you rate more movies. With more than 100 U.S. shipping points most movies are delivered in one business day. Oh, yeah one other thing - No due dates and no late fees! I recommend it to all my movie watching friends.

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Author: Robert L. Vaessen e-mail:
Last Updated: Thu, October 09, 2008

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