50 Films—Bob Monement, updated, with notes

50 Films Bob Monement Would Gladly Watch Again Are…

Apocolypto
— “A great story told with almost no intelligible dialog.”
Avalon
— “Even non-Jews can relate to this family saga.”
Blood Simple
— “The Coen Bros. do Hitchcock, maybe better.”
A Bronx Tale
— “Bob DeNiro’s directorial debut — Chazz Palminteri wrote it.”
The Browning Version [1994]
— “If you liked ‘Goodbye Mr. Chips.’ you’ll…”
Casino
— “DeNiro as casino boss in a true story.”
Cavalcade [1933]
— “Even non-WASPS can relate to this family saga.”
Cold Mountain
— “I don’t like civil-war drama but this is exceptional.”
Cop Land
— “The only time I’ve liked S. Stallone as an actor.”
D.O.A. [1950]
— “Classic noir with a very original plot.”
Dave
— “Just because it feels good — and some great humor scenes.”
Days of Heaven
— “The cinematography — every frame could be a painting!”
The Deer Hunter
— “Overall great film.”
Delores Claiborne
— “Stephen King at his non-horror best.”
Driving Miss Daisy
— “Acting…acting…acting.”
Eye of God
— “Unique structure — you never see the climax!”
Fallen
— “I don’t like demon movies but this is exceptional.”
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
— “Funniest comedy ever, if you were a boy.”
Fried Green Tomatoes
— “Acting, plot, acting.”
Gallipoli
— “Mel Gibson pre-Mad Max…and great history.”
Gattaca
— “Possibly the best pure S.F. film ever made.”
The Gift [2000]
— “Kate Blanchett in yet another unusual persona.”
Goodfellas
— “Scorsese stretches his craft with a 3-min. no-cut sequence.”
Grand Hotel [1932]
— “A structure ahead of its time plus Barrymores, Garbo, etc.”
The Green Mile
— “Stephen King at his semi-horror best.”
House of Games
— “Intricately-contrived and full of surprises.”
The Human Stain
— “You don’t get it until 1/3 into the film.”
Miller’s Crossing
— “Great period crime done tongue-in-cheek by Coen Bros.”
Monster’s Ball
— “Original story plus great acting by all.”
The Naked City [1948]
— “Landmark noir filmed without ‘sets.’”
The Name of the Rose
— “Very original who-done-it set during the Inquisition.”
Once Upon a Time in America
— “If it weren’t for ‘Godfather.’ best mob flick ever.”
Patterns ]1956]
— “Acting, story, acting — screenplay by R. Serling.”
The Prestige
— “Period magicians — even better than ‘The Illusionist.’”
Leon [The Professional]
— “Acting.”
The Remains of the Day
— “Acting — with a fascinating historical background.”
Seven Days in May
— “Best adaptation of a novel ever, by Rod Serling.”
The Shawshank Redemption
— “Stephen King doing it again, plus great acting.”
Ship of Fools
— “Every character presents a new ‘moral center.’”
Silent Running
— “Bruce Dern in an accurate predition of our future.”
The Sixth Sense
— “Best twist ever in a ghost story + only great B. Willis movie.”
Sleepers
— “ Not Woody Allen. A superb, unique crime drama.”
Sling Blade
— “Acting.”
Soylent Green
— “Ed G. Robinson & Moses in another accurate predition.”
Things Change
— “Don Ameche’s last and greatest film — a film to love.”
Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead
— “Forget the title and just enjoy!”
True Romance
— “Written by Quentin Tarantino but, thank God, directed by Tony Scott.”
Wide Sargasso Sea
— “A surprise prequel to…(guess) — a great literary experiment.”
The Year of Living Dangerously
— “Like “The Killing Fields,” only better.”
Z
— “Set the tone for all subsequent political docu-dramas.”