SPECIAL: October Thriller Challenge

October is here and Halloween and horror movies are popping up on TV and on DVD shelves. My plan is to watch 10 classic thrillers, some I've seen bits of long ago, some that are new to me. All are critically acclaimed and exciting in their own unique way. Here, I've anticipated what I think I'll rate each. We'll see how well I predicted.

1. Jaws (1975)

Elizabeth's Predicted Rating: Q=5, P=3 Thanks But No Thanks

2. Alien (1979)

Elizabeth's Predicted Rating: Q=5, P=4 Average OJ

3. Rosemary's Baby (1968)

Elizabeth's Predicted Rating: Q=6, P=4 Average OJ

4. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

Elizabeth's Predicted Rating: Q=5, P=3 Thanks But No Thanks

5. Strangers on a Train (1951)

Elizabeth's Predicted Rating: Q=6, P=5 Average OJ

6. The Fugitive (1993)

Elizabeth's Predicted Rating: Q=4, P=3 Thanks But No Thanks

7. Bullitt (1968)

Elizabeth's Predicted Rating: Q=4, P=2 Thanks But No Thanks

8. Notorious (1946)

Elizabeth's Predicted Rating: Q=6, P=5 Average OJ

9. Marathon Man (1976)

Elizabeth's Predicted Rating: Q=5, P=4 Average OJ

10. Wait Until Dark (1967)

Elizabeth's Predicted Rating: Q=5, P=4 Average OJ

A Separation

A Separation (Asghar Farhadi, 2011)

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Rating: Q=7, P=6 / Can't Get Enough

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=4, Scale 3=4, Scale 4=2

Iran, Laws, Religion, Gender Issues, Alzheimer's Disease, Complex Relationships

It was so hard to watch this film- very difficult subject matter and incredibly tense. The title speaks volumes: the story is about the separation of two lovers, two genders, two families, two truths, two reasons, two actions, two children... it is about choosing safety or family, the self or others, what is easy or what is right. There is even a sharp contrast between startlingly dramatic dialogues and painfully, moving silences. I also found Roger Ebert's review very strong- read it here.

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here

Beginners

Beginners (Mike Mills, 2010)

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Rating: Q=5, P=5 / Average OJ

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=2, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=2

Grief, Relationships, Family, Philosophical, Melancholic

This quote from the film says it all:
Hal: Well, let's say that since you were little, you always dreamed of getting a lion. And you wait, and you wait, and you wait, and you wait but the lion doesn't come. And along comes a giraffe. You can be alone, or you can be with the giraffe.
Oliver: I'd wait for the lion.
Hal: That's why I worry about you.

This is a film about coping, trying, and trying to understand life's mysteries. It is subtle and simple and very touching.

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here

How Green Was My Valley

How Green Was My Valley (John Ford, 1941)

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Rating: Q=7, P=6 / Can't Get Enough

Scale 1=4, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=4, Scale 4=2

Classic, Based on Novel, 19th Century, Family Saga, Emotional

This is a film about the fragility of life. It is about the endurance of family, the beauty of childhood, and the importance of tradition and truth. My eyes were full of tears multiple times. John Ford was one of the greatest and this film is absolutely timeless. That's all I have to say.

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here

They Shoot Horses, Don't They?

They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (Sydney Pollack, 1969)

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Rating: Q=6, P=3 / Thanks But No Thanks

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=2, Scale 4=1

Depression Era, Dance Marathon, Based on Novel, Philosophical

This film is incredibly uncomfortable to watch. I had to look away off and on because it was so distressing. It is a very philosophical and symbolic narrative, though, and the pace of the story allows the viewer to think about everything... long and hard. Jane Fonda performs wonderfully, the scenery and art direction is just the right shade of bleakness, the sounds and music are grating and eerie. I can't say I'll endure watching it again, though, unlike the characters who will struggle on and on and on.

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here

The Cave Of The Yellow Dog

The Cave of the Yellow Dog (Byambasuren Davaa, 2005)

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Rating: Q=7, P=6 / Can't Get Enough

Scale 1=4, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=4, Scale 4=2

Docu-Drama, Mongolia, Nomadic, Traditions vs. Modernity, Childhood

This film was beautiful in so many ways: the magnificent Mongolian landscape, the familial relationships, the folklore stories, the sounds, and the simplicity. The little girl, Nansal, will steal your heart with her imagination, stubbornness, and adorable red cheeks. While it is upsetting to think this is a world quickly disappearing, it is comforting to know that there are still people in the world who live in such gorgeous valleys and in such a way that all there possessions can fit on a few wagons. 

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here

The Cats of Mirikitani

The Cats of Mirikitani (Linda Hattendorf, 2006)

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Rating: DOCQ=5, DOCP=5 / Quite Legible

Scale K=2, Scale L=3, Scale M=3, Scale N=2

Documentary, Art, Japanese Internment, 9/11, WWII history

This film is incredibly powerful, linking the aftermath of WWII and the more recent September 11 attacks. We see the consequences of war by hearing and viewing the stories of the past that haunt self-taught artist Jimmy Mirikitani. He is beyond hope, bitter, full of hate, and finds comfort only in his art. That is, until someone helps him recover his life. His struggle is one we all should learn from.

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here

Law of Desire & What Have I Done To Deserve This?

Law of Desire (Pedro Almodovar, 1987)

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Rating: Q=4, P=3 / Thanks But No Thanks

Scale 1=2, Scale 2=2, Scale 3=2, Scale 4=1

Foreign, Pedro Almodovar, Sexuality, Murder/Thriller, Complex Relationships, Melodrama

I watched this thriller as part of my quest to see every Almodovar film- I'm getting close! Law of Desire is not my favorite but it is full of interesting camera-work, strangeness, and shows Almodovar's beginnings and his steady progress to greatness. A young Antonio Banderas performs in one of his creepiest roles and Carmen Maura is wonderful, as usual.

What Have I Done To Deserve This? (Pedro Almodovar, 1984)
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Rating: Q=4, P=3 / Thanks But No Thanks
Scale 1=2, Scale 2=2, Scale 3=2, Scale 4=1

Foreign, Pedro Almodovar, Marriage, Class Issues, Complex Relationships

Again, early Almodovar films are not as stunning and intricate as his films have become in the last decade. The storylines of What Have I Done To Deserve This? could be sharper. And there were a few "kooky" scenes, too, that didn't quite fit. Carmen Maura's performance makes this film.

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here