Have You Scene? - October 2008

Hello movie fans! As most of you know, this time of year is filled with formulaic hollywood junk.  The box office is down from the summer blockbusters and is awaiting the upswing from the holiday season. I have decided to focus on this months question put forth from the editor. The question was what two movies would you watch if they were your last movies to watch. Any movie fan would of course answer “well that depends on the genre”. I had a really hard time narrowing this down to just two movies. I decided on the first one right away but as I write this I still don’t know what it’s going to be.

The first one i decided on was “The Shawshank Redemption”. Based on a short story by Steven King called “Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption”, it revolves around a man wrongly convicted of his wife’s murder.

Starring Tim Robbins as Andy Dufresne “the smart wife-killing-banker”. It also has one of my favorite actors of all time Morgan Freeman as Ellis Boyd “Red” Redding. Someone asks him how he got his name and he simply replies “Maybe it’s because I’m Irish”.

Dufresne spends his time in prison giving the guards tax advise and running the prison’s books. He also spends his nights trying to get out. Filled with emotion and some of the best cinematography I’ve ever seen, this movie will probably be my all time favorite.

So on to my second choice. I have decided to choose…….

”Saving Private Ryan”.

Speaking of powerful cinematography, the opening scene in which you relive the storming of the beach at Normandy brought tears to the eyes of veterans of the greatest generation. When Speilberg and Hanks get together they can do no wrong.

The raw gritty filming and close hand-held camera work made me feel like I was there living the fear and excitement right along with Cpt. Miller and his team of Rangers. When he says to “make this matter” it really strikes a chord in everyone’s heart to make each day of freedom count for something.

Those who lost lives and fight for us still today we owe a huge debt of gratitude, and Speilberg’s love letter is the best way to do that.

I was livid when for the first time in 10 years, the best directing Oscar and best picture Oscar didn’t go to the same movie. Speilberg won his THIRD EVER Oscar for directing, but the best picture went to Shakespeare in Love. A terrible decision if ever I saw one. Oh well, life goes on.

So those are my two choices and if you would like to comment on my choices let me know at movieguy@valleybugler.com.  I look forward to hearing from you and seeing what you chose!! Until then, enjoy the show!