The Rewind Reel

The past couple of weeks have been all about seeing films again. It's a mood that strikes me once in a while. This is when a film library of 1,000+ titles comes in handy.

No big reviews here, just the title, a rating and a few lines.

Die Hard - 3.5/4 stars - Holds up

John McClane is timeless, as are the explosions, but it's Alan Rickman's Hans Gruber that makes Die Hard memorable. It's still one of the iconic action/suspense films ever made.

GlenGarry GlenRoss - 3.5/4 stars - Holds up

Nothing flashy here, unless you would classify "acting your socks off" as flashy. A powerful cast tears through the David Mamet signature screenplay with gusto. Outside of his mafia films, this is Pacino's best work. The rest of the cast, including Kevin Spacey, Ed Harris, Jack Lemmon and the scene-stealing Alec Baldwin keep pace with Al.

Full Metal Jacket - 3/4 stars - Mostly holds up

I've been less enamored of FMJ than many other people, but I think that's simply a testament to the quality of films about war and the men whose lives are changed because of it. FMJ remains a very strong film, but alongside others (such as The Thin Red Line, All Quiet on the Western Front, Patton, Saving Private Ryan, Black Hawk Down, and even the Band of Brothers miniseries) it's one very good film among many. In the Kubrick pantheon, it's a clear follower to many others.

The Princess Bride - 3.5/4 stars - Holds up

I'll cop to being a fan. There are just so many quotes and scenes in TPB that it's a favorite. It's not the best film, admittedly. The acting isn't outstanding, and the film's momentum keeps getting killed by the fast-forward device of storytelling. However, TPB is FUN, and good fantasy yarns are very hard to come by. Mandy Patinkin's Inigo Montoya is worth half a star all by himself.

Sky High - 3/4 stars - Holds up

The most recent "rewatchee" of this crop, it's amusing that this lightly-regarded Disney film is better constructed than the massively-hyped X3 and Superman Returns. The story is simple and familiar, but the treatment applied is energetic and reasonable. The ensemble cast gives a spirited performance and it's easy to lose yourself in the fast pace of the film. Sky High is a criminally overlooked film in the superhero genre.