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Top Ten – 2006 Films

Details
Written by: Donald Haas
Category: Top Ten
Created: 14 February 2007
  • Movie Review

#1 Casino Royale
Story: Casino Royale introduces James Bond before he holds his license to kill. But Bond is no less dangerous, and with two professional assassinations in quick succession, he is elevated to ’00′ status. Bond’s first 007 mission takes him to Uganda where he is to spy on a terrorist, Mollaka. Not everything goes to plan and Bond decides to investigate, independently of MI6, in order to track down the rest of the terrorist cell. Following a lead to the Bahamas, he encounters Dimitrios and his girlfriend, Solange. He learns that Dimitrios is involved with Le Chiffre, banker to the world’s terrorist organizations. Secret Service intelligence reveals that Le Chiffre is planning to raise money in a high-stakes poker game in Montenegro at Le Casino Royale. MI6 assigns 007 to play against him, knowing that if Le Chiffre loses, it will destroy his organization. ‘M’ places Bond under the watchful eye of the beguiling Vesper Lynd. At first skeptical of what value Vesper can provide, Bond’s interest in her deepens as they brave danger together and even torture at the hands of Le Chiffre. In Montenegro, Bond allies himself with Mathis MI6′s local field agent, and Felix Leiter who is representing the interests of the CIA. The marathon game proceeds with dirty tricks and violence, raising the stakes beyond blood money and reaching a terrifying climax.

 

#2 V for Vendetta
Story: Set against the futuristic landscape of totalitarian Britain, V For Vendetta tells the story of a mild-mannered young woman named Evey who is rescued from a life-and-death situation by a masked vigilante known only as “V.” Incomparably charismatic and ferociously skilled in the art of combat and deception, V ignites a revolution when he detonates two London landmarks and takes over the government-controlled airwaves, urging his fellow citizens to rise up against tyranny and oppression. As Evey uncovers the truth about V’s mysterious background, she also discovers the truth about herself – and emerges as his unlikely ally in the culmination of his plot to bring freedom and justice back to a society fraught with cruelty and corruption.


#3 X-Men: The Last Stand

Story: The X-Men, mutant heroes sworn to defend a world that hates and fears them, are back! This time, with the help of new recruits The Beast and Angel, they must face evolution itself in the form of their former teammate, Jean Grey. Possessed with the cosmic power of the Dark Phoenix, the resurrected Jean Grey has become a danger to herself, her mutant comrades, and the entire planet. To stave off this imminent threat to humanity, a potential cure is discovered and processed to treat — and ultimately eliminate — genetic mutations, once and for all. Now, as the battle lines are drawn, the X-Men, led by Professor Charles Xavier, must contend with both Jean Grey’s world-consuming powers, as well as the malevolent Brotherhood, a band of powerful mutants organized under Xavier’s former ally, Magneto.

#4 Cars
Story: Lightning McQueen is a cocky, rookie race car. Speeding on his way to a big race, he crashes into Radiator Springs, destroying lots of the inhabitants belongings. In order to make up for what he did, the cocky roadster is sentenced to community service. Though he will do anything to get away from the work, McQueen must learn to respect and bond with the Radiator Springs inhabitants in order to get out of the town and back on the racetracks.

#5 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest
Story: Once again thrown into the world of the supernatural, Captain Jack Sparrow finds out that he owes a blood debt to the legendary Davey Jones, Captain of the ghostly Flying Dutchman. With time running out, Jack must find a way out of his debt or else be doomed to eternal damnation and servitude in the afterlife. And as if this weren’t enough, Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann are arrested and sentenced to death unless Will can get Lord Beckett Jack’s compass, who are forced to join Jack on yet another misadventure.

#6 Apocalypto
Story: Set in the Mayan civilization, when a man’s idyllic presence is brutally disrupted by a violent invading force, he is taken on a perilous journey to a world ruled by fear and oppression where a harrowing end awaits him. Through a twist of fate and spurred by the power of his love for his woman and his family he will make a desperate break to return home and to ultimately save his way of life.

#7 Mission: Impossible III
Story: Super-spy Ethan Hunt has retired from active duty to train new IMF agents. But he is called back into action to confront the toughest villain he’s ever faced – Owen Davian, an international weapons and information provider with no remorse and no conscience. Hunt assembles his team – his old friend Luther Strickell, transportation expert Declan, background operative Zhen, and fresh recruit Lindsey – to travel the globe pursuing Davian and rescue Hunt’s love, Julia.

#8 The Guardian
Story: The US Coast Guard version of “Top Gun” with a little “An Officer and A Gentleman” thrown in: an aging USCG rescue swimmer’s team is killed in a horrific rescue mission. Immediately prior to this terrible event, his wife also announced that she cannot take anymore. His first love is always the rescue mission. This leaves him an obviously emotional wreck. His commander gives him a choice – quit or take a position as an instructor at the USCG training facility in Louisiana. Reluctantly he takes the position. Moving into the school, he immediately increases the 18 week curriculum that routinely fails half of the people that attend. Here he meets a young man with unlimited potential, but with some secret that seems to hold him back as a team player. Delving into his past, links are found that make him a psychic twin to the older man. Thrown into the midst of the story is a romance with a local girl. Rescue missions punctuate the beginning and end of the story with the training sessions the center of the film.

#9 Deja Vu
Story: A ferry filled with crewmen from the USS Nimitz and their families was blown up in New Orleans on Mardi Gras. BATF Doug Carlin is brought in to assist in the massive investigation, and gets attached to an experimental FBI surveillance unit, one that uses spacefolding technology to directly look back a little over four days into the past. While tracking down the bomber, Carlin gets an idea in his head: could they use the device to actually travel back in time and not only prevent the bombing but also the murder of a local woman whose truck was used in the bombing?

#10 Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
Story: Kazakhstani TV personality Borat is dispatched to the United States to report on the greatest country in the world. With a documentary crew in tow, Borat becomes more interested in locating and marrying Pamela Anderson than on his assignment.

Top Ten – 2002 Films

Details
Written by: Donald Haas
Category: Top Ten
Created: 14 February 2003
#1 Spider-Man

Story: When bitten by a genetically modified spider, a nerdy high school student gains spider-like abilities which he must eventually use to fight evil as a superhero.

Review: Wow, Eye Candy Galore!!! This is a great start to the most Dynamic Franchise short of THE MATRIX. Everything worked

#2 Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Story: Frodo and Sam continue on to Mordor in their mission to destroy the One Ring. Whilst their former companions make new allies and launch an assault on Isengard.

Review: Part two of the trilogy, if you dont count “The Hobbit”, is bigger and darker. Peter took a little license with the book, but nothing that hurt the story, in many cases it helped. It reminds me very much of ‘Empire Strikes Back’: It is dark, no happy ending and is there to tie the beginning to the end.

#3 Star Wars II : Attack of the Clones

Story: Anakin Skywalker shares a forbidden romance with Padmé Amidala even while his teacher’s investigation of a separatist assassination attempt leads to the discovery of a secret Republican clone army.

Review: Good Round 2, Still a little childlike in execution, but hell, I dont care. It was fun but lacked the combination punches of E4-6. Main Battle was a 4:20 dream, pure sensory overload. And I’m sure will be a real test of a good Home Theater system when the DVD comes out.


#4 Blade II

Story: Blade forms an uneasy alliance with the vampire council in order to combat the Reapers vampires who feed on vampires

Review: This was a great sequel. More action, more blood, more vampires. The final 2 fights are just plain amazing. But the “Name of the Game” fight ranks up there with one of the coolest I have ever seen.

#5 Austin Powers : GOLDMEMBER

Story: Upon learning that his father has been kidnapped, Austin Powers must travel to 1975 and defeat the aptly-named villain Goldmember – who is working with Dr. Evil.

Review: One of the best opening sequences..EVER

#6 Reign of Fire

Story: A brood of fire-breathing dragons emerges from the earth and begins setting fire to everything, establishing dominance over the planet.

Review: Not a lot of Good dragon stories out there, let alone a great one. This one rates dead even with the top two: Dragonslayer and Dragonheart. As my friend jimmy points out: ‘The poster is false advertising’ and he is right. It does not have a grand GODZILLA scale, it is much smaller. In the end it’s just three people taking on the bull

#7 Signs

Story: A family living on a farm finds mysterious crop circles in their fields which suggests something more frightening to come.

Review: Not an Alien Movie..repeat… NOT AN ALIEN MOVIE, Aliens are just selling point surrounding this wonderful jigsaw puzzle about god and faith. If i read another review about how the aliens looked like men in suits and how the end was a let down. Good Lord man M. Night is a brilliant storyteller, every word, every frame means something in the end. There will be no sequels to his films, they are complete entities onto themselves…ok off the soapbox now.

#8 We Were Soldiers

Story: The story of the first major battle of the American phase (Air Cav) of the Vietnam War and the soldiers on both sides that fought it.

Review: This is how a war movie should be done, cut back on the scale;but keep the scope. The was a shit storm battle and the first real test for the Air Cav of Apocalypse Now fame. He knew he was in trouble but Mel followed his orders and made the best of the situation.

#9 Big Fat Greek Wedding

Story: A young Greek woman falls in love with a non-Greek and struggles to get her family to accept him while she comes to terms with her heritage and cultural identity.

Review: Damn cute and fun, homely girl improves herself then becomes a fireball in a family full of fireballs.

#10 Frailty

Story: A man confesses to an FBI agent his family’s story of how his religious fanatic father’s visions lead to a series of murders to destroy supposed “demons.”

Review: Ohhhh! Creepy Good. Way to go Bill Paxton. Most Bill Paxton fun since Near Dark!.

Ones that just missed:
Undercover Brother -
Brotherhood of the Wolf ; Pacte des loups -
Ice Age -
Panic Room -
Resident Evil -
Count of Monte Cristo

Top Ten – 2001 Films

Details
Written by: Donald Haas
Category: Top Ten
Created: 01 April 2002

#1 Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Story: In a small village in the Shire a young Hobbit named Frodo has been entrusted with an ancient Ring. Now he must embark on an Epic quest to the Cracks of Doom in order to destroy it.

Review: Big, Grand and an Excellent story. Saw it in a bad theater showing it on a 1.85 screen. But the power and scale still came through.


#2 Shrek

Story: A reclusive ogre and a chatterbox donkey go on a quest to rescue a princess for a tyrannical midget lord.

Review: More fun and less dark the Monsters Inc. Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy are a hoot in even in PG form. A true fairy tale with modern twists. I’m sure glad Katzenburg left Disney.

#3 Jurassic Park III

Story: A decidedly odd couple with ulterior motives convince Dr. Alan Grant to go to Isla Sorna (the second InGen dinosaur lab.), resulting in an unexpected landing…and unexpected new inhabitants on the island.

Review: A true monster movie. The even threw in a few scenes the steven couldn’t do back in the day. The Aviary scenes are great. No time to think..just a full on, full screen chase movie.

#4 Spy Kids

Story: The children of secret-agent parents must save them from danger

Review: Great Kids, Great Bad Guys, Great Fun, Great Thumbs. Robert cut back on the style but turned the fun level up to make this great kids movie.

#5 Ocean’s Eleven

Story: Eleven criminal associates plot to rob a string of casinos in Las Vegas.

Review: Ok Plot, Ok camera work, Ok style, Ok remake, Great Actors doing fun things. Cool factor very high.

#6 Monsters, INC

Story: Monsters generate their city’s power by scaring children, but they are terribly afraid themselves of being contaminated by children, so when one enters Monstropolis, top scarer Sully find his world disrupted.

Review: Pixar cannot fail, The come up with unique adaptions of old stories. Make all the characters fun and interesting, then wow us visually. The was a little darker than the other fare from them. But was wonderful none the less

#7 Knight’s Tale


Story: A peasant squire takes up the identity of his master when the knight suffers an untimely demise.

Review: Fun (Xena and Hercules Like) tale of jousters in Ole England. Modern score made it kind of corny, but that was the plan. Heath keeps you interested and the action keeps you hooked.

#8 The Last Castle

Story: A Court Martialed general rallies together 1200 inmates to rise against the system that put him away.

Review: Actors across the board nailed this film. I wanted to know everybody. I liked all the switches and the big battle in the end.

#9 The Mummy Returns

Story: The mummified body of Imhotep is shipped to a museum in London, where he once again wakes and begins his campaign of rage and terror

Review: Like most big sequels, story disappears and everything gets bigger. Rachel kicks ass..and sometimes..thats all you need.

#10 Battle Royale

Story: 42 high school students are forced to kill each other on an uninhabited island.

Review: An amazing film that could not get made here. There was plans to release, then columbine happened. And the release date was pulled. Number one film in Japan. And for good reason. Not the style John Woo, but the commitment was at the same level.

Top Ten Films of the 1980's

Details
Written by: Donald Haas
Category: Top Ten
Created: 01 January 2007
1980	

#1	Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back
While Luke takes advanced Jedi training from Yoda, his friends are relentlessly pursued by Darth Vader as part of his plan to capture Luke.


#2	Nine to Five
Three female employees of a "sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot" find a way to turn the tables on him.


#3	Airplane!
An airplane crew takes ill. Surely the only person capable of landing the plane is an ex-pilot afraid to fly. But don't call him Shirley.


#4	Any Which Way You Can
Philo takes part in a bare knuckle fight - as he does - to make some more money than he can earn from his car repair business.


#5	The Shining
A young boy and his parents become caretakers of an isolated and haunted hotel over the winter.


#6	The Blues Brothers
Jake Blues, just out from prison, puts together his old band to save the Catholic home where he and brother Elwood were raised.


#7	Caddyshack
An exclusive golf course has to deal with a brash new member.

#8	Flash Gordon
A football player and his friends travel to the planet Mongo and find themselves fighting the tyrant, Ming the Merciless, to save Earth.

#9	Used Cars
When the owner of a struggling used car lot is killed, it's up to the lot's hot-shot salesman to save the property from falling into the hands of the owner's ruthless brother and used-car rival.

#10	The Big Brawl
A Korean man seeks fame and fortune in 1930s America when he enters an all-comers martial arts competition despite the opposition of the Mob, his father and several imposing opponents.

1981	
1	Raiders of the Lost Ark 
2	Stripes 
3	"Cannonball Run, The "
4	Time Bandits 
5	Excalibur 
6	"American Werewolf in London, An "
7	Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior 
8	Dragonslayer 
9	Caveman 
10	Gallipoli 

1982	

1	E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial 
2	Rocky III 
3	Poltergeist 
4	Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan 
5	48 Hrs. 
6	First Blood 
7	Conan the Barbarian 
8	"Sword and the Sorcerer, The "
9	Tron 
10	Blade Runner 


1983	
1	Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi 
2	WarGames 
3	Risky Business 
4	Vacation 
5	Scarface 
6	Blue Thunder 
7	Uncommon Valor 
8	Easy Money 
9	"Right Stuff, The "
10	"Christmas Story, A "

1984	

1	Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom 
2	Beverly Hills Cop 
3	Ghost Busters 
4	Gremlins 
5	Romancing the Stone 
6	"Terminator, The "
7	Footloose 
8	Amadeus 
9	"Natural, The "
10	Bachelor Party 

1985	

1	Back to the Future 
2	Rambo: First Blood Part II 
3	Cocoon 
4	"Goonies, The "
5	Fletch 
6	Commando 
7	Silverado 
8	To Live and Die in L.A. 
9	Real Genius 
10	Better Off Dead... 

1986	
1	Top Gun 
2	Aliens 
3	Platoon 
4	Back to School 
5	Ferris Bueller's Day Off 
6	Running Scared 
7	Hoosiers 
8	Youngblood 
9	Big Trouble in Little China 
10	"Hitcher, The "

1987	

1	"Untouchables, The "
2	"Secret of My Succe$s, The "
3	Stakeout 
4	Lethal Weapon 
5	Predator 
6	RoboCop 
7	Full Metal Jacket 
8	Spaceballs 
9	"Princess Bride, The "
10	Raising Arizona 

1988	

1	Who Framed Roger Rabbit 
2	Die Hard 
3	Big 
4	"Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!, The "
5	Beetlejuice 
6	Bull Durham 
7	"Presidio, The "
8	Tucker: The Man and His Dream 
9	Above the Law 
10	Bloodsport 



1989	

1	Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade 
2	Batman 
3	Back to the Future Part II 
4	Lethal Weapon 2 
5	"Little Mermaid, The "
6	"Abyss, The "
7	Parenthood 
8	Field of Dreams 
9	Major League 
10	Road House 

Top Films of 2000

Details
Written by: Donald Haas
Category: Top Ten
Created: 01 January 2007

1 Gladiator

Story: When a Roman general is betrayed and his family murdered by a corrupt prince, he comes to Rome as a gladiator to seek revenge. Review: Big, Powerful and top notch though out. Crowe is perfect and his journey is epic. In the top ten for the Decade.

2 X-Men

Story: Two mutants come to a private academy for mutants whose resident superhero team must oppose a powerful mutant terrorist organization. Review: Best of the comic book adaption to date. First Batman a close second along with Blade. Jackman nails it. And anything with Famke gets my vote. Fight scenes worked but all were a bit dark. 

#3 The Perfect Storm

Story: An unusually intense storm pattern catches some commercial fishermen unaware and puts them in mortal danger. Review: Simple premise with excellent performances and effects. Wolfgang knows how to do tension and nature. ILM almost has the water thing down. Still a bit confused how a story can be told about an incident where everybody dies. 

#4 Pitch Black

Story: A group of marooned space travelers struggle for survival on a seemingly lifeless sun-scorched world. Review: Like SPEED, its a simple story that becomes great due to the performances and details the Twohy puts together. Low budget, but not a penny wasted. More of a guilty pleasure than a 'Greatest of 2000' 

#5 The Replacements Story: During a pro football strike, the owners hire substitute players. Review: The Slap shot of football, Fun all the way through, If you have hang ups about Keanu, this and the MATRIX should show his range...none at all. But he is perfect in this roll. And the music fits like a wet t-shirt. Orlando shows he is a good second banana.

#6 Unbreakable

Story: A suspense thriller with supernatural overtones that revolves around a man who learns something extraordinary about himself after a devastating accident. Review: M. Night know how to make supernatural movies. His slow but steady pace follows characters around like a ghost. You become glued to the screen, afraid to blink. This movie is right on par with the great SIXTH SENSE. And is a true life comic book. 

#7 Chicken Run

Story: Chicken Run is a comedy escape drama with a touch of passion set on a sinister Yorks chicken farm in 1950's England Review: Park is the new god of claymation. I've loved every one of his shorts. Most of all the hard to find ZOO short. It's a funny remake of THE GREAT ESCAPE (if that is possible). It is an enchanting and very funny 80 minutes.. 

#8 Vertical Limit

Story: A climber must rescue his sister on top of K2, one of the world's biggest mountains. Review: New Zealander Campbell knocks his third (Mask of Zorro,Goldeneye) actioner out of the park. He is better with real bad guys, but nature as the true bad guy works just fine here. Visually perfect, and the tension hits its mark every time.

#9 The Legend Of The Drunken Master

Story: Returning home with his father after a shopping expedition, Wong Fei-Hong is unwittingly caught up in the battle between foreigners who wish to export ancient Chinese artifacts and loyalists who don't want the pieces to leave the country. Review: Made in 1994, it gets released in the US officially in 2000. A big set piece shows some of the best group fighting ever. Jackie is in top form and even fights with fire. No big death defying stuff, but it is not needed here at all. #10 Hollow Man Story: Scientists discover how to make people invisible, but their test subject becomes an insane killer who stalks them. Review: R-rated and unflinching account of the corruption of invisibility (He He). Paul Verhoven has some the cleanest images ever put on film. Add that to the fact that he likes to show everything: sex/violence/gore. And you have a voyeuristic hyper-reality that you cant take your eyes off of.

Runner-up's : Cast Away - Meet The Parents - Scary Movie - Charlies Angels - The Patriot - Frequency - Rules of Engagement - The Legend Of Bagger Vance - Memento