Top Romantic Comedy Movies of 21st Century

Top Romantic Comedy Movies of 21st Century loveactually Love Actually (2003)- The movie deals with the love lives of eight couples living in London. Somehow, these people are interrelated and their stories unfold at an interesting pace. With an ensemble cast of Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Keira Knightly, this flick is an ideal choice for a cold Winter night. meettheparents Meet the Parents (2000)- A Jewish male nurse is forced to meet the parents of his live-in girlfriend. A weekend with the deadly parents proves to be quite eventful. Son-in-law “to be” embarrasses himself in front of the entire family. This hilarious comedy will surely leave you in splits. Rober De Niro and Ben Stiller are at their comical best. whatwomenwant What Women Want (2000)- Well, that’s one thing everyone would like to know. Nick Marshell, played by Mel Gibson, is a chauvinist to the core. Accidentally, he is blessed” with the power to know what the women are thinking. Then starts all his problems. With Helen Hunt as his love interest the plot surely gets exciting. howtoloseaguy How to Lose a Guy in 10 days (2003)- Benjamin Berry (Matthew McConaughey) bets with his chums that he could make a woman fall for him in 10 days. Andie Anderson (Kate Hudson) is writing an article on How to lose a guy in 10 days”. They both choose each other for their selfish intentions. What follows is a series of funny escapades with neither of them ready to give in. maidinmanhattan Maid in Manhattan (2002)- Marisa Ventura, a waitress at a top-notch Manhattan hotel, tries on a guest’s Armani dress. As luck would have it, she bumps into a handsome senatorial candidate, Christopher Marshall, who falls for her, mistaking her to be a socialite. Jennifer Lopez and Ralph Fiennes in the lead roles form a handsome couple. uglytruth The Ugly Truth (2009)- Katherine Heigl is a producer of a morning show, whose ratings are going down faster than the stock market. Gerard Butler is roped in, to save the Titanic from sinking. However, both the protagonists are at loggerheads with each other. How they eventually fall in love is worth a dekko. shallowhal Shallow Hal (2001)- A superficial man (Jack Black) runs after the external beauty. One fine day, he is hypnotized by a self-help guru and starts appreciating the inner beauty”. This makes him fall in love with a 300 pound woman (Gwyneth Paltrow) kateandleopold Kate and Leopold (2001)- A duke (Hugh Jackman) from the 19th century lands in the 21st century New York. Here, he meets workaholic and ambitious Kate McKay (Meg Ryan) and falls for her. How he uses his ancient chivalry to win his upbeat lady’s heart is for you to find out. whathappensinvegas What happens in Vegas (2008)- Joy Mcnally (Cameron Diaz) is a control freak who is unceremoniously dumped by her fiancé. Jack Fuller (Ashton Kutcher) is shown the door by his boss/father. Both meet in Vegas and get married under the influence of alcohol. But they have to stick together to get 1.5 million dollars each. How they tolerate each other for money is outrightly humorous. A decade which brought great change in the way movies are made and the way in which we watch them, the Noughties ended with the screening of Avatar, a film which will probably define the future of cinema as much as the first talking picture did over eighty years ago. Yet for all its incredible CGI effects, Avatar was still beaten to the best picture Oscar by a smaller more intimate film about the Iraq war. This is the beauty of movies, for all the modern technology and studio money, you still need a good story, characters we care about and a little bit of magic which can transport us to a world of make believe. This is my personal list of the best films of the Noughties, its pretty subjective (as all lists are), there's no Bourne, no Batman, no Coen Brothers, there's only one best picture winner (The Hurt locker) and there's none of the Rings trilogy (I'm sorry, I just don`t get it). I hope there's a little bit of everything in there for even the most discerning viewer. This is a hobby, I don`t do this for a living so I haven't seen every film released in the Noughties, this list will continue to change, that I'm sure of.

100 Superbad (2007)

McLovin? Yeah. Great name, It is, it just rolls off the tongue. 'Sounds like a sexy hamburger!

Director:Greg Mottola
Starring:Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Michael Cera.

Bawdy, crude and foul mouthed, Superbad makes American Pie look like a watered down version of Grange Hill, but beneath all its Gross out humour and crass comedy, there beats a heart of gold.
A coming of age movie which is honest, accurate and sometimes so wince inducing that you can't help but cry with laughter.
An incredibly likable cast who are surely destined for bigger things seem to be having a lot of fun and the script and direction is inspired and intelligent.
A tale of adolescent boys on the prowl for sex and booze it may be, but Superbad is also sweet, good natured and surprisingly romantic.
Dare I say it, Superbad is Supergood.

99 The Miracle Of Bern (2003)

Every nation needs heroes

Director:Sonke Wortmann
Starring:Louis Klamroth, Peter Lohmeyer, Johanna Gastdorf.

It would be difficult to dispute the fact that "The Miracle of Bern" is almost certainly the best football film ever (although to be honest, there are few rivals).
Meticulously detailing the German footballs teams success at the 1954 World Cup against all odds, Bern is a poignant, sentimental and gloriously choreographed delve into the history books.
Significantly dealing (through the eyes of a child) with post war life in a divided country still coming to terms with events in World War Two, The Miracle Of Bern is also a coming of age film which deals with the guilt, anger and suffering of the people in Germanys industrial heartland. At its core though this is simply a rollicking good underdog story, even if as England football fans will testify, it's the Germans who win again.

98 The King (2005)

The devil made me do it.

Director:James Marsh
Starring:Gael Garcia Bernal, William Hunt, Pell James, Paul Dano, Laura Harring.

Elvis(Gael Garcia Bernal) recently released from the Navy seeks out the father he has never known.
His father, David Sandow (William Hurt) is now a hellfire preacher in the bible belt of America and is married with 2 children and at first wants little to do with his long lost son.
Elvis begins an illicit affair with Sandow's 16yr old daughter and begins to slowly worm his way into the pastors family structure.
If you are currently on suicide watch or suffering from a serious bout of depression, I would strongly advise you not to watch this film, feel good movie is definitely not the way I would describe it.
This shouldn't put you off though, this is an impeccably acted film which deals with the everyday subjects of incest, redemption,family and religion.
The king is unsettling and at times difficult to watch, it is also potent and shocking.
Bernal is mesmerising as the lonely drifter and continues to prove his versatility as his star-meter continues to grow. He is ably backed up by Hurt who subtly convinces the audience of his obsessive faith.
A troubling movie that wallows in its own degradation and challenges the very fabric of life itself, how far can forgiveness stretch and do we all pay for our past sins.
A picture that is challenging and entertaining, the King is a morally twisted parable that defies pigeonholing but ends up been one of the best films of the year.

97 Apocalypto (2006)

A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself from within.

Director:Mel Gibson.
Starring: Dalia Hernández, Rudy Youngblood, Morris Birdyellowhead,Jonathan Brewer.

A nerve shredding chase movie form Mel Gibson which is visceral, bloody and so over the top, it's hard to dislike.
The downfall of Mayan civilization is examined leaving nothing to the imagination, jungle savagery, human sacrifice and unrelenting sadism abound but taken at face value, Apocalypto is a cracking action adventure movie.
A story about an ancient history and culture and a world that is long forgotten is significantly free of sermons and messages and delivers a frenzied, visually stunning portrayal of one mans battle for survival in a cruel and savage world.

96 Me, You and Everyone We Know (2005)

I don't want to have to do this living. I just walk around. I want to be swept off my feet, you know? I want my children to have magical powers. I am prepared for amazing things to happen. I can handle it.

Director:Miranda July.
Starring: John Hawkes,Miranda July.

A simple but very effective film which deals with relationships, love and adolescence and the funny and sometimes painful journey through life in pursuit of happiness. Quirky (with a capital Q) offbeat and unashamedly provocative, this is a movie which fails to tread a distinctive path and delivers a touching bittersweet comedy that features bizarre characters who genuinely act like real people.
Unexpectedly honest, poignant and romantic, this is a movie that me, you and everyone we know should know about.

95 Far From Heaven (2002)

I've learned my lesson about mixing in other worlds. I've seen the sparks fly. All kinds.

Director:Todd Haynes
Starring:Julianne Moore, Dennis Quaid, Dennis Haysbert, Patricia Clarkson, Viola Davis, James Rebhorn.

A slice of nostalgic history long gone is lovingly created in Todd Haynes critique of 1950s American society.
A perfect recreation of the melodramas of that decade touches on subjects that would have been definitely taboo in an era of repression and narrow mindedness.
Totally relevant to society today, Far From Heaven is a stunning achievement, superbly realized with handsome design and impeccable performances form all concerned.

94 Watchmen (2009)

This city is afraid of me. I've seen its true face.

Director Zack Snyder
Starring: Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Patrick Wilson, Carla Gugino.

Alan Moore's seminal graphic novel has long been deemed unfilmable. Usually touted as the greatest comic book ever and even popping up on any number of greatest literary works of the 20th century, the movie adaptation of Watchmen was sure to come under a lot of scrutiny.
Director Zack Snyder (Dawn of the Dead, 300) generally makes a good fist of it. Word of warning though, if you haven't read the book, the film pretty much fails to take this into account and prefers to preach to the converted.
What you get for your money is a faithful and visually striking film which is violent, complex and undisputedly entertaining.
Watchmen is a superhero film strictly for adults, philosophical, symbolic, dark and twisted definitely but it is also widely ambitious and an incredibly brave effort which makes the movie flawed yet highly commendable.

93 Almost Famous (2000)

Rock stars have kidnapped my son!

Director:Cameron Crowe
Starring:Billy Crudup, Kate Hudson, Frances McDormand, Jason Lee, Noah Taylor, Fairuza Balk, Anna Paquin, Bijou Phillips, Zooey Deschanel.

Although Almost Famous is a fictionalized account of a teenage journalist working for Rolling Stone magazine, director Cameron Crowe based it on his own experiences touring with rock bands, The Allman Brothers Band, Led Zeppelin, The Eagles, and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Crowe's Magical Mystery Tour is an endearing and nostalgic look at a time of hope and idealism where the problems in the world could be solved by rock and roll and innocence was not yet lost. A bittersweet coming of age movie, which deals with friendship, family and the desire to be someone.
An exuberant cast of fresh new faces, an awe inspiring soundtrack and an Oscar winning screenplay all help to make Almost Famous, almost perfect (if a little over-long).

92 Good Night And Good Luck (2005)

We cannot defend freedom abroad by deserting it at home.

Director:George Clooney
Starring:David Strathairn, George Clooney, Robert Downey Jr, Patricia Clarkson, Rose Abdoo, Alex Borstein, Robert John Burke, Ray Wise, Frank Langella, Jeff Daniels.

Although covering a period of history that may be slightly unfamiliar to British audiences, "Good Night" concentrates on issues still relevant today in America.
It is the year 1954 and television journalist Edward R Murrow and his team of dedicated staff challenge the tactics used by "Commie bashing" senator Joe McCarthy. In an era of extreme anti-communist suspicions and fear brought on by the Cold War between America and the Soviet Union, Murrow attempts to discredit McCarthy and his unsubstantiated claims.
McCarthy's Claims of Soviet spies and Communist party members in American government and the armed forces are challenged live on TV in the CBS show "See It Now" as Murrow defies Public and internal pressure.
Continuing a seemingly never ending character assassination of Joe McCarthy, Good Night is nevertheless a riveting good watch.
Shot in beautiful black and white Monochrome and flawlessly directed by George Clooney, this movie spotlessly resembles the very era it is trying to emulate.
A short running time hardly stretches the thespian skills of the majority of the talented actors on display. David Strathairn is the exception as the seemingly honest and credible Murrow. His performance is nigh on perfect as his anguished face betrays his determined stance and makes you genuinely believe this is a man who is struggling with his inner demons.
The interspersion of the real Joe McCarthy ( and his hearings) into proceedings, although gimmicky, works well and provides a genuine fly on the wall feel.
Clooney continues to move away from his pretty boy persona and is now becoming a filmmaker of some note, this is a movie obviously close to his heart ( he majored in Journalism at College and his father was a TV journalist for many years) and it shows on every level.
Sub plots in the movie involving a clandestine marriage and a suicide of an estranged journalist are slightly jarring within the context of the movie and fail to add anything to proceedings.
Good Night works well as an excellent dramatisation and portrays a turbulent and challenging period of American Modern History, this film recreates the golden age of television and delivers a morality play in which the main protagonists eventually get their comeuppance.

91 Hellboy 2- The Golden Army (2008)

World, here I come

Director:Guillermo Del Toro
Starring:Seth MacFarlane, Luke Goss, Anna Walton, Brian Steele, Doug Jones, Selma Blair, Ron Perlman, Jason Alexander, John Hurt, Jeffrey Tambor.

The advancement in CGI and the rise and unprecedented success of Marvel studios has led to a whole slew of superhero/comic book movies. Any superhero worth his salt is currently lined up to appear in a special effects blockbuster, even many of the minor and secondary Marvel characters seem to be getting in on the act (Ant Man anyone?). DC are also not resting on their laurels either, The Dark Knight was an absolute smash at the box office and Superman Returns while not entirely super still set the cash tills ringing. One of the more shall we say unusual superheroes to take a shot at the big time was Hellboy, a red skinned devil looking guy with sawn off horns, a tail and a shoot first, ask questions later kinda attitude.
The first Hellboy movie was a disjointed, campy but enjoyable effort; the sequel though upped the ante. Creating a fantastical world with bizarre but genuinely likable characters, director Guillermo Del Toro once again works his magic.
An enriched universe, eye-popping visuals and wall-to-wall action coupled with a surprisingly intelligent plot and extraordinary character interaction, Hellboy 2 is unquestionably one of the best superhero movies of the Noughties.

90 The Wrestler (2008)

I don't hear as good as I used to, and I ain't as pretty as I used to be. But I'm still here - I'm the Ram.

Director:Darren Aronofsky
Starring:Mickey Rourke,Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood, Ernest "The Cat" Miller.

An absolute pile driver of a movie, The Wrestler does all its talking in the ring.
Less a sports movie and more a character study, the comeback kid, Mickey Rourke is amazingly good as the wrestling has- been who is battered, bruised and alone.
There is no condemnation of the fakeness of wrestling or any attempt at airbrushing, this is a warts and all depiction of a tormented soul living on past glories.
Cleverly documented, choreographed and staged, The Wrestler punches well above its weight.

89 Battle In Heaven (2005)

Batalla en el cielo

Director:Carlos Reygadas
Starring:Marcos Hernandez, Anapola Mushkadiz, Bertha Ruiz, David Bornstien, Rosalinda Ramirez.

An art movie not for all tastes, Battle In Heaven is a slowly paced and hypnotic examination of sex, religion and redemption in a modern day Mexico rarely seen on the screen.
Explicit, daring and a little pretentious, this is a film that fails to take the easy option and delivers a haunting and disturbing fable of ordinary people battling for their souls.
A film, which is as perplexing as it, is ambitious.

88 Coraline (2008)

Be careful what you wish for.

Director:Henry Selick.
Starring (Voices) Dakota Fanning,Teri Hatcher,Jennifer Saunders,Dawn French, John Hodgeman, Keith David,Ian McShane.

Destined to be a cult classic, Coraline is a rare beast of a movie, a children's film that is scary, creepy and genuinely macabre.
A fantastical fable with dazzling visuals, stunning stop motion animation and a storyline that neither condescends or attempts to preach.
An almost old fashioned un PC story along the lines of Roal Dahl or Alice in Wonderland blends seamlessly with modern technology overflowing with inventive design.
Coraline is a vibrant, haunting and imaginative horror story, which while aimed at children, should appeal to all ages.

87 V For Vendetta (2005)

Penny for the Guy?

Director:James McTeigue
Starring:Hugo Weaving, Stephen Fry, John Hurt, Natalie Portman.

English writer Alan Moore best known for his work in comics and graphic novels may constantly distance himself from the film adaptations of his work, but Watchmen and in particular, V For Vendetta are both well made and thought provoking movies.
V nicely captures a dystopian society on the edge of rebellion and becomes an interesting parable of the terrorist threatened world today.
Interesting ideas abound and the acting is top drawer. Visually, V is stunning and offers a London of the future as a grim fearful place.
As a popcorn movie, V is great escapism, as a political allegory, it is a meaningful and highly intelligent piece of work.

86 Adventureland (2009)

Two options: I can play it safe, pick them off from back here, or I can rush into the breach guns a blazing, make a run to the cortex and... bombs away!

Director:Greg Mottola
Starring:Kristen Stewart, Margarita Levieva, Sue O'Malley, Bill Hader, Jack Gilpin, Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Wiig, Martin Starr, Wendie Malick, Ryan Reynolds.

A deft rites of passage movie with its feet firmly in the Rom-Com mould, Adventureland is an intelligent, quirky and nostalgic slice of 1980s life exploring the pitfalls and pratfalls of a gawky teen (Jesse Eisenberg) as he looks to win over the girl of his dreams (Kirsten Stewart) who has a few issues of her own.
Definitely a gentler, more intimate and much more subtle film than director Greg Mottolas previous effort "Superbad", Adventureland has a pitch perfect script, super cool acting and a decent quota of laugh out loud moments.
An excellent retro film with a sublime soundtrack and believe it or not, the whole story's set in a funfair, how good is that?

85 Junebug (2005)

God loves you just the way you are. But He loves you too much to let you stay that way.

Director:Phil Morrison
Starring:Amy Adams, Embeth Davidtz, Benjamin McKenzie, Alessandro Nivola, Celia Weston, Scott Wilson, Frank Hoyt Taylor.

Very good character driven movie that gets better and better the longer it goes on.
A great cast of familiar if not totally well know faces pull out all the stops and deliver a great slice of middle class America.
Extremely realistic in its portrayal of ordinary people and the effect a newcomer can have on an unbalanced family.
Superb acting all round and not a false note to be seen.

84 King Kong (2005)

Ladies and Gentlemen... I give you... KONG! THE EIGHTH WONDER OF THE WORLD!

Director:Peter Jackson
Starring:Naomi Watts, Jack Black, Adrien Brody, Andy Serkis.

An undisputed labor of love for director Peter Jackson, King Kong is both a delightful homage to the original 1933 version and a marvelously entertaining fantasy epic with spectacular technical wizardry on display.
Almost old fashioned at times, Kong (even at three hours long) is a fast paced, emotive and visionary effort, which at its heart is a simple (if strange) love story. Amid the destruction, chaos and multitude of savage monsters there lies an intimate tale that is heartrending and tragic.
A modern day creature feature that you should rightly go bananas over.

83 Wanted (2008)

Welcome... to the Fraternity. This gun you're holding belonged to your father; he could conduct a symphony orchestra with it.

Director:Timur Bekmambetov
Starring:Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy, Thomas Kretschmann, Morgan Freeman.

Ultra slick, extremely explosive, action packed adaptation of the graphic novel by Mark Millar (which, believe me, makes the film look pretty tame). Angelina Jolie has never been better in a role she seems very well suited to and there's a nice change of pace for the talented and upcoming James McAvoy.
Gratuitous violence galore and an adrenaline pumping storyline help paper over a few cracks and the level of stunts, gunplay and mind blowing visuals are enough for even the most discerning of viewers.
Top notch editing, over the top set pieces and bullets that fly round corners, what more could you wish for.

82 Wall E (2008)

Computer, define dancing.

Director:Andrew Stanton
Starring (voices) Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight,John Ratzenberger,Sigourney Weaver

In a world of sequels, remakes and largely undistinguished so-called crowd pleasers, Pixar still refuses to play safe.
A post apocalyptic almost silent movie about two robots (who look like trash cans) falling in love hardly whets the appetite but Wall E is another audacious and simply brilliant effort from the studio of dreams.
Subtle, creative and strangely inspiring, Wall E belies its roots as a children's film and succeeds as a serious Sci Fi epic with an eco friendly message about saving the planet.
A magical, captivating odyssey, which deserves its place among the stars.

81 Oldboy (2003)

Revenge is good for your health, but pain will find you again.

Director:Chan-Wook Park
Starring:Choe Min-Sik.

Gloriously violent and extremely brutal revenge thriller, which could only come from the Far East.
Complex, disturbing and at times cartoonish, Oldboy offers many questions and few answers yet remains a mesmerizing and challenging ride.
Bold, belligerent and beautiful, Oldboy will not be everyone's cup of tea, but its style and substance far outweigh its few flaws.
An enigmatic journey of revenge, murder and redemption.

80 Gomorra (2008)

Italy's Other Mafia:

Director:Matteo Garrone
Starring:Salvatore Abruzzese, Salvatore Ruocco, Vincenzo Fabricino, Carlo Del Sorbo, Maria Nazionale, Italo Renda, Gianfelice Imparato, Simone Sacchettino, Vincenzo Altamura, Salvatore Striano.

Billed as an expose of the Naples Mafia (the Camorra) and based on a controversial bestselling book, Gomorra is a superb gangster movie in the mould of "City Of God".
Unflinching, brutal and incredibly powerful, this is a compelling and totally authentic look at a society dominated by corruption and violence.
As realistic as any documentary, Gomorra doesn't desensitise or glamorise the mob rule prevalent in this movie, it shows it as a fearful, unsentimental and excessively dangerous place to be.
No heroes, no villains, just ordinary people caught up in a web of an urban underworld there is no escape from...

79 London to Brighton (2006)

Innocence has nowhere to hide

Director:Paul Williams
Starring:Lorraine Stanley, Georgia Groome.

Gritty urban crime thriller while disturbing is also compelling and highly suspenseful.
London to Brighton is a grim portrayal of life in the underbelly of British society which deals with the fragile nature of existence, redemption and the everyday battle for survival in a society, many of us hate to admit exists.
Expertly directed by newcomer Paul Andrew Williams, LTB is a shot in the arm for the British gangster genre and even through all the impeding doom which prevails, there is a flicker of hope at the end of this nicely constructed movie.

78 The Day After Tomorrow (2004)

This tornado just came and erased the Hollywood sign. The Hollywood sign is gone. It's just shredded.

Director:Roland Emmerich
Starring:Dennis Quaid, Jake Gyllenhaal

Subtlety is not an option. The movies of Roland Emmerich are usually dumb, loud and highly entertaining, The Day after Tomorrow is no exception. In an era of extreme weather and scientist predictions regarding the malevolent force of Global warming TDAT is a timely if rather overblown warning of things to come if we fail to heed the doom mongers.
Filled with exceptional special effects, seat of the pants last minute escapes and scenes of destruction and devastation on a grandeur scale, TDAT does exactly what it says on the tin.
Put your brain in neutral, take the phone off the hook and enjoy one of the best popcorn movies of the decade.

77 Kill Bill Vol 2 (2004)

Revenge is a dish best served cold.

Director:Quentin Tarantino
Starring:Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu, Vivica A Fox, Daryl Hannah, Julie Dreyfus, David Carradine, Michael Madsen.

A different animal to the first Kill Bill movie, Volume 2 displays more restraint, less action and much more character driven dialogue worthy of a Shakespearean tragedy.
Filled with tributes and homage's, Tarentino stylishly creates his own world filled with revenge, redemption and regret.
Exploitive to be sure but there is enough visual imagery, pitch black humour and emotional resonance to satisfy the most impatient of viewers.
Already a visionary director, Tarentino`s showmanship creates another masterful slice of "Pulp Fiction"

76 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

Do you think we'll ever just have a quiet year at Hogwarts?

Director:Mike Newell
Starring:Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Robbie Coltrane, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Brendan Gleeson, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman.

The fourth in the series, Goblet of Fire is a much more assured and bravely ambitious movie than the first three.
A faster paced action packed special effects extravagance of a movie, Harry Potter is now maturing and adolescence and death have a much more prominent role to play as the boy wizard faces the trials of the Triwizard Tournament.
Creating a sprawling yet seamless epic, director Mike Newell delivers the quintessential Harry Potter Movie which is magical, atmospheric, imaginative and highly effective.
Wondrous entertainment
.

In the Mood for Love (2000) - movies

A man and a woman move in to neighboring Hong Kong apartments and form a bond when they both suspect their spouses of extra-marital activities. Director: Kar Wai Wong Writer: Kar Wai Wong Stars: Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung and Ping Lam Siu | See full cast and crew For the album by Jo Stafford, see In the Mood for Love (album). In the Mood for Love Traditional 花樣年華 Simplified 花样年华 Mandarin Huāyàng niánhuá Directed by Wong Kar-wai Produced by Wong Kar-wai Written by Wong Kar-wai Starring Tony Leung Maggie Cheung Music by Michael Galasso Shigeru Umebayashi Cinematography Christopher Doyle Pin Bing Lee Editing by William Chang Distributed by USA Films (US) Release date(s) 29 September 2000 (HK) 2 February 2001 (US) Running time 98 minutes 94 minutes (Poland) Country Hong Kong Language Cantonese Shanghainese French Gross revenue $12,854,953 (worldwide) In the Mood for Love is a 2000 Hong Kong film directed by Wong Kar-wai, starring Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung. The film premiered on 20 May 2000, at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival,[1][2] where it was nominated for the Palme d'Or. The film's original Chinese title, meaning 'the age of blossoms' or 'the flowery years' – Chinese metaphor for the fleeting time of youth, beauty and love – derives from a song of the same name by Zhou Xuan from a 1946 film. The English title derives from a Bryan Ferry song, "I'm in the Mood for Love." Wong had planned to name the film Secrets, until listening to the song late in post-production. The film forms the second part of an informal trilogy, together with the first part Days of Being Wild[3] (released in 1991) and the last part 2046 (released in 2004). The film takes place in Hong Kong, 1962. Chow Mo-wan (Tony Leung), a journalist, rents a room in an apartment of a building on the same day as Su Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung), a secretary from a shipping company. They become next-door neighbours. Each has a spouse who works and often leaves them alone on overtime shifts. Despite the presence of a friendly Shanghainese landlady, Mrs. Suen, and bustling, mahjong-playing neighbours, Chow and Su often find themselves alone in their rooms. Their lives continue to intersect in everyday situations: a recurring motif in this film is the loneliness of eating alone, and the film documents the leads' chance encounters, each making their individual trek to the street noodle stall. Chow and Su each nurse suspicions about their own spouse's fidelity; each comes to the conclusion that their spouses have been seeing each other. Su wonders aloud how their spouses' affair might have begun, and together, Su and Chow re-enact what they imagine might have happened. Chow soon invites Su to help him write a martial arts serial for the papers. As their relationship develops, their neighbours begin to take notice. In the context of a socially conservative 1960s' Hong Kong, friendships between men and women bear scrutiny. Chow rents a hotel room away from the apartment where he and Su can work together without attracting attention. The relationship between Chow and Su is platonic, as there is the suggestion that they would be degraded if they stooped to the level of their spouses. As time passes, however, they acknowledge that they have developed feelings for each other. Chow leaves Hong Kong for a job in Singapore. He asks Su to go with him; Chow waits for her at the hotel room for a time, and then leaves. She can be seen rushing down the stairs of her apartment, only to arrive at the empty hotel room, too late to join Chow. The next year, Su goes to Singapore and visits Chow's apartment where she calls Chow, who is working for a Singaporean newspaper, but she remains silent on the phone when Chow picks up. Later, Chow realises she has visited his apartment after seeing a lipstick-stained cigarette butt in his ashtray. While dining with a friend, Chow relays a story about how in older times, when a person had a secret that could not be shared, he would instead go atop a mountain, make a hollow in a tree, whisper the secret into that hollow and cover it with mud. Three years later, Su visits with her former landlady, Mrs. Suen. Mrs. Suen is about to emigrate to the United States, and Su enquires about whether the apartment is available for rent. Some time later, Chow returns to visit his landlords, the Koos. He finds they have emigrated to the Philippines. He asks about the Suen family next door, and the new owner tells him a woman and her son are now living next door. He leaves without realising Su is the lady living next door. The film ends at Siem Reap, Cambodia, where Chow is seen visiting the Angkor Wat. At the site of a ruined monastery, he whispers for some time into a hollow in a ruined wall, before plugging the hollow with mud. A CAVEAT: We've gone through several editorial changes since we started covering films in 1992 and some of our early standards were not as stringent as they are now. We therefore need to revisit many older reviews, especially those written prior to 1998 or so; please keep this in mind if you're consulting a review from that period. While we plan to revisit and correct older reviews our resources are limited and it is a slow, time-consuming process.

Entertainment Weekly’s Top 25 Romantic Movies

15. OUT OF AFRICA (1985)
From shooting lions on safari to diving in a biplane over a flock of pink flamingos, Sydney Pollack’s romance about real-life Danish baroness Karen Blixen (Meryl Streep), her life on her plantation in early 20th-century Kenya, and her love for adventurer Denys Finch Hatton (Robert Redford) is sweeping and epic.
Maria says:  After seeing this film many times, I’ve come to the conclusion that Robert Redford was a cad.  If he hadn’t gone flying off to see some other woman he would have still been alive and come back to Meryl.  While this film would have been on my top 25, after careful consideration – it falls down to the top 50.
14. GHOST (1990)
The steamy romp between Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze in a New York City loft changed how everyone looked at pottery, breathed new life into the Righteous Brothers’ ”Unchained Melody,” and launched a host of parodies. But, in this supernatural love story about a Swayze’s specter trying to reconnect with his lover (Moore) and help her solve his murder, it’s the tender last kiss the couple shares before Swayze walks off into the light that’s the most touching.
Maria says:  “Oh my darling, I hunger, hunger for your touch.”  That’s the song that’s playing when they get messy with the clay.  Yes, this film is fun, and feel good and is one of those rentals you can see again and again.  Top 25 for sure.
13. DIRTY DANCING (1987)
”No one puts Baby in a corner,” growls dancer Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze) at the overprotective dad of his new starry-eyed protégée (Jennifer Grey). Same goes for this movie. And if you’ve got a problem with that, we’re available for a dance-off anytime.
Maria says:  Seriously, is there a question about this one.  The dancing alone puts it in the top 25.  Enough said
12. LOST IN TRANSLATION (2003)
Sofia Coppola’s darkly comic romance about two lost souls (Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson) stuck in the limbo of a Tokyo hotel ends with one of the great enigmatic moments in cinema history: Murray leaning in to whisper some parting words of wisdom into Johansson’s ear.
Maria says:  Why?  I didn’t get this one.  First of all, Bill Murray is old enough to be Scarlett’s father.  Second of all, he’s depressed, directionless, dour.  Romantic?  By who’s definition?
11. EDWARD SCISSORHANDS (1990)
Tim Burton’s pastel-colored, break-your-heart career highpoint — and the beginning of many fans’ love affair with an elusive, eccentric young man named Johnny Depp.
Maria says:  This one was haunting from start to finish.  I’m not sure I would call it romantic, but it did capture my attention and imagination.


10. THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY (1998)
You could make a pretty decent horror flick that featured dog poisoning, gruesomely injured genitals, a fitness video-obsessed serial killer, and a beautiful young woman being followed around by an assortment of lovestruck stalkers. The Farrelly brothers decided to make a hilarious bad-taste comedy instead.
Maria says:  I know, I know – tons of people loved and laughed out loud at this film, I was not one of them.  The photo says it all: man accidentally gets fish hook in his mouth while someone else is fishing – this is the kind of slap stick I don’t like and can’t watch – no matter how funny everyone else says it is.  This film made me want to slap Cameron Diaz silly.
9. PRETTY WOMAN (1990)
It was a bit of a throwback — a hooker-with-a-heart-of-gold fairy tale — even when it first came out. Yet it announced the arrival of a postfeminist princess culture, complete with Richard Gere playing an early incarnation of Mr. Big. More than anything, it was the moment we all fell in love with Julia Roberts.
Maria says:  Having seen this film a couple of hundred times I’m of the conclusion that yes it’s romantic – after all boy rescues girl, and girl rescues him right back – BUT it’s slipped down on my list of ‘go to’ films.  It is a throwback and I’ve become jaded, a prostitute isn’t going to make it with a billionaire – but maybe I’m naive, maybe in real life there are a few out there who have.
8. JERRY MAGUIRE (1996)
Tom Cruise’s richest go-for-broke performance. Cameron Crowe’s most quotable script. Unbeatable support from Cuba Gooding Jr., Renée Zellweger (in her breakout film), Bonnie Hunt, and — remember this little guy? — Jonathan Lipnicki. Jerry Maguire is what every big-studio, star-vehicle blockbuster should aspire to be.
Maria says:  “You had me at hello.”  I didn’t love this film on first viewing, but three times the charm, and I’m a big fan of Bonnie Hunt, who has some great lines in the film.
7. WHEN HARRY MET SALLY… (1989)
Though they owe a thing or two to Woody Allen and Diane Keaton in Annie Hall, Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan are, by now, just as classic a pair.
Maria says:  This is a classic romantic comedy that stands the test of time.


6. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (2004)
Should scientists ever actually invent a method to wipe away memories of unpleasant past relationships (like the intense romance Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey tried to forget in this trippy film), be sure to tell them not to touch the part of your brain that remembers watching screenwriter Charlie Kaufman’s most mind-blowing two hours.
Maria says:  Didn’t see this one – I’m not a Jim Carrey fan, in fact, I wouldn’t see him if he was playing in my basement.  Oh, that was harsh.
5. A ROOM WITH A VIEW (1986)
Dismiss the evenly composed, well-behaved, and gussied-up films of Merchant Ivory as ”boring” at your own peril. A Room With a View is a firecracker lit by its fuse, leading lady Helena Bonham Carter. Deeply romantic, it is the apotheosis of its genre: the exquisitely made chick flick.
Maria says:  I really hate the phrase ‘chick flick’ – this was a very good film, whether you’re a man or a woman.
4. BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN (2005)
The cool move here would be to ignore the fact that Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal enacted a truly groundbreaking love story — and simply concentrate on what a gorgeous, nuanced, heartbreaking movie Brokeback is for people of any sexual orientation. But Ang Lee’s undeniably romantic movie did break ground. It reached, and moved, mainstream audiences in ways that no ”gay” movie ever had before.
Maria says:  Yes it was ground breaking – but also heart breaking, and that is the reason it doesn’t make my top 25.  Don’t like heartbreak.
3. ONCE (2006)
A labor of love for all involved (the director struggled for years to get the film made and the two leads ended up a real-life couple), this musical Irish indie tells the simple, sweet story of a budding relationship (and artistic partnership) between a street musician (Glen Hansard), made bitter by a failed romance, and a Czech immigrant (Markéta Irglová) with her own complicated affairs. Together they make beautiful music: the soundtrack was nominated for a Grammy, and the opening track, ”Falling Slowly,” won an Oscar.
Maria says:  What this is doing in the top 25, let alone the top 3 is astounding.  This film falls into the category of “Reality Films.”  It’s very much like reality TV where you watch the ‘drama’ of people’s lives unfold on the screen.  That’s pretty much what happens here, and there are some excruciatingly, painfully slow unfolding scenes.  Even the music didn’t carry it for me.  Not on my list.
2. MOULIN ROUGE (2001)
Audacious in its madcap use of music, daring in its unabashed embrace of romance, Australian director Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge (starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor) taps into all the passion of the old movie musicals while recharging them for this century.
Maria says:  This was an original.  For that reason alone, it gets on my list.
1. TITANIC (1997)
The one disaster movie that’s also a primal work of popular art. Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet strike romantic sparks, but the beauty of James Cameron’s epic is that it knows all too well their breathless affair wouldn’t have lasted had it not been for that iceberg. In Titanic, it’s death that makes love eternal (and worthy of 100 hankies). The sinking of the ship, which plays out in what feels like real time, is one of the cinema’s great spectacles of beauty and dread.
Maria says:  Number one?  Not even maybe.  This film was released in 1997 when films lasted in the movie theater for more than a week.  In fact this one broke records.  Marisa and I finally saw this in the theater six months after its initial release.  We moaned throughout, we just couldn’t believe how long and sappy this one was.  They actually sank the Titanic in ‘real time’ and we were forced to watch every agonizing second of Leo’s demise…it seemed to take hours.  We were heartless and kept yelling at the screen, ‘Die already.” Shameful, I know.

The Lady (2012)

The Lady is the extraordinary story of Aung San Suu Kyi and her husband, Michael Aris. It is also the epic story of the peaceful quest of the woman who is at the core of Burma's democracy movement. Despite distance, long separations, and a dangerously hostile regime, their love endures until the very end. A story of devotion and human understanding set against a backdrop of political turmoil that continues today. The Lady was written over a period of three years by Rebecca Frayn. Interviews with key figures in Aung San Suu Kyi's entourage enabled her to reconstruct for the first time the true story of Burma's national heroine. -- (C) Cohen Media Group The Lady’ by Luc Besson, Set in Myanmar, Stars Michelle Yeoh Magali Bragard/Cohen Media Group Michelle Yeoh stars as Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the pro-democracy leader in Myanmar, in Luc Besson’s biopic "The Lady." By A. O. SCOTT Published: April 10, 2012 Recommend Twitter Linkedin Sign In to E-Mail Print Reprints Share “The Lady,” Luc Besson’s worshipful film about the Myanmar opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, arrives at a propitious moment. In the real world Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi — played by Michelle Yeoh and referred to as Suu in the movie — was elected to Parliament earlier this month, one of the latest signs that Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) may be moving in a democratic direction after a half-century of military dictatorship. More About This Movie Overview New York Times Review Cast, Credits & Awards Readers' Reviews Trailers & Clips View Clip... Enlarge This Image Magali Bragard/Cohen Media Group Michelle Yeoh with David Thewlis in “The Lady." Mr. Besson’s movie, while it does not include these very recent developments, nonetheless angles toward an optimistic conclusion. Stories of heroic, self-sacrificing resistance seem to work best if there is at least a provisional happy ending, since their common theme is hope in the face of repression and injustice. But while the screen versions of such stories tend to be reliably inspiring, they are also frequently unsatisfying. Richard Attenborough’s noble, earnest and finally exhausting “Gandhi” is perhaps the supreme modern example, and while “The Lady” is nowhere near as lavish or as long, it similarly paralyzes history and human drama with relentless hagiography. An early scene depicts the death of Suu’s father, Aung San, a nationalist hero crucial to securing Burma’s independence from Britain, who was assassinated by rivals in the Burmese army in 1947, when his daughter was a child. The drama of the event is powerfully conveyed — Mr. Besson has a Spielbergian flair for creating emotion through cross-cutting — but its political meaning is blurry, except insofar as it represents the empowerment of the bad guys. They are still around in the 1990s, when most of the action of “The Lady” takes place. In 1988 Suu returns to Burma from her home in Oxford, England, to attend to her dying mother. Suu’s presence causes discomfort for the ruthless, paranoid and superstitious generals who rule the country. They would like to be rid of her, but her prominence, her international connections and the reluctance to create another martyr like Aung San prevent them from using the usual violent methods. Instead, Suu is invited to leave the country and then, when she refuses, is placed under a house arrest that will stretch, in various forms, over two decades. Suu’s confinement gives Mr. Besson’s film a claustrophobic intensity, but it also threatens to constrain his restless visual energy. A glance at his previous work as a director — it includes “La Femme Nikita,” “The Fifth Element” and “Leon: The Professional” — confirms that this is not a filmmaker with a gift for standing still or moving slowly, and he seems a bit at sea in a narrative that is, above all, a celebration of heroic patience. The chronology lurches back and forth as Mr. Besson tries to turn Suu’s stubbornness into an engine of dramatic momentum. Though she is isolated in her family’s compound in the capital, Suu is not alone in “The Lady.” While it is a chronicle of political courage, the film is also a love story, illuminating the remarkable relationship between Suu and her husband, a British academic named Michael Aris. Played by David Thewlis, Michael is in some ways a more vivid character than the serene, indomitable Suu, whose international fame traps Ms. Yeoh in biopic nobility. Michael, floppy haired and wry, is a classically eccentric don with a very British stiff upper lip. He is devoted to Suu and to her cause, successfully promoting her candidacy for a Nobel Peace Prize and trying, less fruitfully, to outwit the Myanmar authorities who are keeping them apart. Their separation is made all the more painful by the terminal cancer diagnosis Michael receives early in the film, though relatively late in the period it spans. (Mr. Aris died at 53 in 1999.) And yet the movie’s unstinting commitment to emphasizing their goodness — the evident awe in which Mr. Besson and the screenwriter, Rebecca Frayn, hold their subjects — has the effect of blunting the impact of their story. Tears are shed, but no inkling of doubt or tension is allowed to penetrate the aura of idealistic selflessness that shrouds Suu and Michael. And somehow the audience is never permitted to appreciate the depth and profundity of their shared commitment to Myanmar. Similarly, while the movie shows the brutal treatment of Suu’s colleagues in the human rights movement, it does not explore the struggle, discipline and internal friction that are essential to successful political resistance. One result is a film that is programmatically inspirational but not quite as inspiring as it should be. “The Lady” is rated R (Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian). Some violence and torture, more implied than shown. The Lady Opens on Wednesday in Manhattan. Directed by Luc Besson; written by Rebecca Frayn; director of photography, Thierry Arbogast; edited by Julien Rey; music by Éric Serra; production design by Hugues Tissandier; costumes by Olivier Bériot; produced by Virginie Besson-Silla and Andy Harries; released by Cohen Media Group. Running time: 2 hours 7 minutes. WITH: Michelle Yeoh (Daw Aung San Suu Kyi), David Thewlis (Michael Aris), Jonathan Raggett (Kim), Jonathan Woodhouse (Alex), Susan Wooldridge (Lucinda), Benedict Wong (Karma), Htun Lin (General Ne Win) and Agga Poechit (Than Shwe).

Raise the Red Lantern(1992)

Synopsis In 1920's China, an attractive new concubine to a wealthy master arouses tension amongst the other wives. In Theaters March 13, 1992 MPAA Rating PG Genres Foreign, Drama Run Time 2 hours 5 minutes Box Office $22,554 Raise the Red LanternPG, 2 hours 5 minutes In 1920's China, an attractive new concubine to a wealthy master arouses tension amongst the other wives. Starring: Gong Li, Ma Jingwu, He Caifei, Cao CuifengZhang Yimou Director Actors Gong Li Songlian Ma Jingwu Chen Zuoqian He Caifei Meishan/ Meishan (Third Wife) Cao Cuifeng Zhuoyun/ Zhuoyun (Second Wife) Jin Shuyuan Yuru Kong Lin Yan'er Ding Weimin Mother Song Cui Zhihgang Doctor Gao Chu Xiao Feipu Cao Zhengyin Old Servant Zhao Qi Chen Baishun--Housekeeper Producers Hou Hsiao-Hsien Executive Producer Zhang Wenze Executive Producer Editors Du Yuan Editor

The Best Of Bond - Ranking The James Bond Movies From Worst To Best

This is the 50th anniversary of the James Bond film franchise, and I already reviewed the release of The James Bond Omnibus 004 yesterday. Today, I’m here to give you a list of the entire Bond franchise, counting them down in order from the worst of the series to the very best! New 'James Bond Omnibus' Helps Celebrate 50 Years Of 007 Mark Hughes Mark Hughes Contributor Look At The New James Bond Movie Trailer, 'SkyFall' Mark Hughes Mark Hughes Contributor Let’s be honest, even a bad Bond movie has some good things in it, and it’s rare that I’d turn a channel away from any Bond film to something else. But some are definitely better than others, and most of them are straight-up awesome. Here, then, is my own listing of the James Bond film franchise, all 22 movies — plus one extra out of continuity — counted down to the greatest of the whole series! A fake Fabergé egg and a fellow agent's death leads James Bond to uncovering an international jewel smuggling operation, headed by the mysterious Octopussy, being used to disguise a nuclear attack on NATO forces. Director: John Glen Writers: George MacDonald Fraser (screen story and screenplay), Richard Maibaum (screen story and screenplay), and 2 more credits » Bond is led to believe that he is targeted by the world's most expensive assassin and must hunt him down to stop him. Director: Guy Hamilton Writers: Richard Maibaum (screenplay), Tom Mankiewicz (screenplay), and 1 more credit » Stars: Roger Moore, Christopher Lee and Britt Ekland | See full cast and crew A diamond smuggling investigation leads James Bond to Las Vegas, where he uncovers an extortion plot headed by his nemesis, Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Director: Guy Hamilton Writers: Richard Maibaum (screenplay), Tom Mankiewicz (screenplay), and 1 more credit » Stars: Sean Connery, Jill St. John and Charles Gray | See full cast and crew

George Clooney Assembling All-Star Cast for ‘The Monuments Men’

A recently published article from Deadline has claimed George Clooney is assembling quite the cast for his upcoming film The Monuments Men. George Clooney will be getting back in the director’s chair come the beginning of March next year, to direct the likes of Daniel Craig, Bill Murray and Cate Blanchett, just to name a few. Last year’s Oscar winner for Best Actor, Jean Dujardin, will also be among his ranks, as will the always versatile and employable John Goodman. The Monuments Men is set to be a World War II drama (because there’s never enough of those) following the final chapter of Germany’s rule in Europe. Specifically, it will follow a band of art historians and museum curators as they unite to recover renown works of art stolen by the Nazis. The project was penned by Clooney himself, along with writing partner Grant Heslov. Heslov also aided Clooney in the writing of last year’s The Ides of March and the much more reputable Good Night, and Good Luck. With the names mentioned, The Monuments Men has great potential to be a success. However, in Clooney’s last directed film – The Ides of March – he called upon such talents as Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Marisa Tomei, Jeffrey Wright and Paul Giamatti, and still failed to generate much buzz and publicity. While the film did garner the minimum amount of attention from critics, it seems to have been forgotten by the general audience of filmgoers. As previously stated, The Monuments Men is scheduled to begin production on March 1 next Spring. It’s hard to imagine that any more stars will be able to fit into this film, but we’re sure George Clooney is the man able to make them fit, if possible. Be sure to check back for more updates.It’s safe to say Katy Perry is a registered Democrat. The Huffington Post reported that Barack Obama, and 10,000 other viewers, listened to pop princess Katy Perry proudly sing her praises for the incumbent POTUS last night in Las Vegas, Nevada. Katy Perry’s outfit before revealing her skin tight ballot dress. Katy began her performance wearing a power suit straight out of the 1980′s. Her dancers removed thequestionably shoulder padded piece to reveal a skin tight latex dress (that was much more her style) and modeled after a voting ballot. “President of the United States” was emblazoned across her chest and her torso boasted a box filled in to signify her vote for Barack Obama and Joe Biden as President and Vice President – as if the world didn’t already know who she was supporting. Mitt Romney’s name was also listed on the bottom half of the ballot dress next to an unmarked box, however the designer opted to show more of Katy’s legs than include Republican VP candidate, Paul Ryan, on the garment. Perry riled up the young voters by reminding the 18 year olds it was their first time to vote. She pushed them to vote tomorrow rather than waiting until November 6th. President Obama also took the stage for one of his charismatic speeches, he proclaimed ”I believe in you. I need you to keep believing in me.” Katy Perry is on a long list of A-list celebs who proudly show their support for Barack Obama. She joins fellow celebrity Obama supporters George Clooney, Beyonce Knowles, Oprah, and Scarlett Johansson, just to name a few. Katy’s efforts will certainly help gain favor of the younger voters. Overall though Katy largely appeals to a demographic too young to vote, but every little bit helps. I also think she might convince some young men to hit the voting booths if their ballots look anything like hers… After his stop in Sin City, President Obama will visit more swing states and attempt to gain some final votes before the election on November 6th.

Johnny Depp to Star in Wally Pfister’s ‘Transcendence’

It’s not every day you snag Johnny Depp to headline your directorial debut; but not every first-time director is an Academy Award winning cinematographer, either. Deadline reports Johnny Depp is negotiating to star in Transcendence, the feature debut from celebrated DP Wally Pfister. Pfister is most well-known for his collaborations with Christopher Nolan, including all three Batman films and Inception, for which he won the Best Cinematography Oscar. Nolan and producing partner Emma Thomas will serve as executive producers. The plot of Transcendence is anyone’s guess at this point. The script is being written by newcomer Jack Paglen. The film is so new, it’s still listed on IMDb as “Untitled Wally Pfister Project” (a page which offers no details). But it’s got to be something incredible for Depp to sign up right away. The Lone Ranger star is frequently rumored to star in every big upcoming film, including Wes Anderson‘s The Grand Budapest Hotel (which Anderson denied). Pfister had great things to say about Johnny Depp, calling him “a creative and intelligent artist whom I feel will bring great depth to the character and the overall narrative.” Whatever that character or narrative turns out to be, the combo of Depp, Pfister, and Nolan sounds promising.

‘The Dark Knight Rises’ Will Win Best Picture Oscar

‘The Dark Knight Rises’ Will Win Best Picture Oscar he Dark Knight Rises may be the biggest winner at the Academy Awards next year. The Dark Knight Rises There is no doubt that, so far, Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises is the most anticipated film of the year. In addition, it is very likely that the finale to Nolan’s Batman trilogy will win a ton of accolades during the upcoming awards season. After all, The Dark Knight has an award winning legacy. However, the top award has been all too illusive for the cape crusader. In fact, a comic book movie has never won a best picture award. But this time things will be different. Turn the page to see the five reasons why The Dark Knight Rises will make history and win the Oscar for best picture. the dark knight movie batman and joker The Dark Knight was the second installment of the trilogy. In 2008 it was undoubtedly one of the best movies going into the 81st Academy Awards; however, it was not even a contender for Best Picture. This snub was considered a big mistake by the Academy, to the degree that they decided to expand the category to include ten nominees instead of five. The film’s director, Nolan understands just how much juice that gave the franchise. “Look, the idea, the fact that people have talked about ‘The Dark Knight’ as being a key reason why the academy changed their rules and expanded the field is just a huge honor for the film, in a weird way,” Nolan said. Furthermore the snub makes it more likely that The Dark Night Rises will be given extra consideration as a nominee because Academy voters will be under pressure, both internally and externally, to right the wrong.The Dark Knight Rises is Christopher Nolan’s Last Batman Film christopher nolan hand print footprint ceremony for The Dark Knight Rises Nolan has clearly stated numerous times that The Dark Knight Rises is his last Batman film. “We’re finished with all we’re doing with Batman. This is the end of our take on this character,” said Nolan. “Batman will outlive us all, and our interpretation was ours. Obviously, we consider it definitive and kind of finished.” So at least for now, The Dark Knight Rises should be considered a finale. And since Hollywood has an affinity for finales going out with a bang –like Peter Jackson’s last installment of the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy winning Best Picture (2003) — it’s a very good chance the revered Batman franchise will be given a similar send off.The Academy Owes Christopher Nolan One Christopher Nolan Its widely known Nolan is the crème de la crème when it comes to Hollywood directors. His films have won six Oscars out of 21 nominations — Inception (2010) and The Dark Knight had eight nominations each. He’s been nominated himself three times for Inception (screenplay and best-picture as a producer) and his break out hit, Memento (screenplay). However, he has never been awarded the best director award. Still this may work in his favor. Once again Oscar voters will feel the need to over compensate for their neglect. The very self reflective group will not only award Nolan the best director award for The Dark Knight Rises, they will also throw in the best picture award to make up for the disrespect they showed Nolan with The Dark Knight and Inception oversight.

A Gorgeous Loner With a Long List of Enemies

Carrie is the character played by Claire Danes in Showtime’s “Homeland,” and she has set the bar pretty high for this type of loner-heroine. Carrie is brilliant but troubled, passionate but reticent, as tenacious as she is mysterious. Sam, an operative for a private investigative company named Byzantium, is all of those things as well, but somehow just not as deeply. Sam seems as if she were assembled out of standard-issue parts from the character-generating factory, whereas Carrie seems like an original, a comparison that can also be applied generally to the two series. Melissa George, who plays Sam, of course has her own albatross: Ms. Danes’s Emmy-winning rendition of Carrie. And Ms. George, to be blunt, may simply not be a convincing enough actress to overcome familiar-feeling scripts and her own good looks to achieve credibility in this type of role. Unless she has the capacity to tap into some steely reserve, a flawed heroine ought not to look like she could step out of any given scene for a magazine-cover shoot. But the main thing that makes “Hunted” a slick but not especially riveting show is its construction. In the premiere Sam is nearly killed during an assignment gone wrong, and during the year it takes her to recover from her injuries she has a lot of time to ponder who on the Byzantium team sold her out. Even Aidan (Adam Rayner), her lover at the time of the botched mission, is a suspect. She rejoins the company and becomes the lead investigator on a job involving a very rich and brutal man who is among the bidders seeking to acquire a hydroelectric dam in Pakistan. There is something formulaic about the way the show’s writers make sure that everyone on the Byzantium team seems like a possible traitor; it’s reminiscent of a stage who-done-it. And that’s not the only formula at work here. The gratuitous sex scenes come along like clockwork, Sam’s back story (she witnessed her mother’s murder) is dribbled out in classic fashion and so on. “Hunted” ends up being a competent addition to the high-stakes-snooping genre but not a very surprising one. Hunted Cinemax, Friday nights at 10, Eastern and Pacific times; 9, Central time. Produced by Kudos Film & Television in association with Big Light Productions for Cinemax and BBC One. Created by Frank Spotnitz. Mr. Spotnitz, executive producer; Alison Jackson, Jane Featherstone and Stephen Garrett, executive producers for Kudos Film & Television; Christopher Aird and Polly Hill, executive producers for BBC One; Eliza Mellor, producer. WITH: Melissa George (Sam Hunter), Adam Rayner (Aidan Marsh), Stephen Dillane (Rupert Keel), Stephen Campbell Moore (Stephen Turner), Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (Deacon Crane), Morven Christie (Zoe Morgan), Lex Shrapnel (Ian Fowkes), Indira Varma (Natalie Thorpe), Dhaffer L’Abidine (Bernard Faroux) and Patrick Malahide (Jack Turner).

A serial sperm donor catches up with his 533 children

A Vince Vaughn remake of this French/Canadian comedy is already in the works - but just because it’s about an amiable slacker whose past life as a serial sperm donor catches up with him, doesn’t mean it’s a gross-out affair.
Instead, it’s a sweet if schmaltzy crowd-pleaser as ‘Starbuck’ (Patrick Huard) secretly embroils himself in the affairs of his 533 biological children.
It’s too risk-averse to ask awkward questions but works as a wry satire of fatherhood.
Huard’s charm offsets the plots contrivances, while Ken Scott’s finely balanced direction humanises the high concept.

Film Details

• 15
• UK Theatrical Release Date: Nov 23rd 2012
• Genre
• The main character David Wozniak is a perpetual adolescent who discovers that, as a sperm donor, he has fathered 533 children.^[3] David, a deliveryman for a butcher shop, is being pursued by thugs because he owes them money. Next, he is advised that 142 of his offspring are trying to force the fertility clinic to reveal the true identity of "Starbuck", the pseudonym he used when donating sperm. In addition, his girlfriend Valérie is pregnant with his child but does not feel that he is mature enough to be a father.^[4]
  The film's title refers to a Canadian Holstein bull who produced hundreds of thousands of progeny by artificial insemination in the 1980s and 1990s.^[4]
   
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In 2012, it was announced by La Presse that the movie rights had been sold to First Take Entertainment who will create an Indian Bollywood version of the film.[2] Director Ken Scott is currently working on an English version of the film, which is being produced by Steven Spielberg and DreamWorks Pictures. Vince Vaughn has been cast as the male lead.[6][7] DreamWorks through Disney's Touchstone Pictures brand will release the film in North America, Latin America, Russia, Australia and Asia, while Mister Smith Entertainment through Entertainment One will release the film in the UK and Benelux, Constantin Film will release the film in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, Nordisk Film will release the film in Scandinavia and Italia Film will release the film in the Middle East. References

How is the best movie

The best movies evoke tears, laughter, terror, reminiscence, and/or mystery in a truly personal way. Anything less (AKA, around 98% of all movies) serves no purpose other than to shove mindless, forgettable fodder in our face and line Hollywood’s pockets (Be afraid Michael Bay, be VERY afraid). This is that other, sacred 2%—the Holy Grail of cinema.
Note: “Memorable Moments” may contain spoilers.

100. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

While there is no general agreement upon the greatest film, many publications and organizations have tried to determine the films considered the best. The films mentioned in this article have all been mentioned in a notable survey – be it a popular poll or critics' poll. Many of these sources focus on American films or were polls of English-speaking film goers, but those considered the greatest within their respective countries are also included here.
None of these citations should be viewed as scientific measures of the film-watching world. They are often influenced by vote stacking or they survey a population with skewed demographics. Internet-based surveys have a self-selecting audience of unknown participants. The methodology of some surveys may be questionable. Sometimes (as in the case of the American Film Institute) voters were asked to select films from a limited list of entries.

The Lincoln Lawyer

Essential Killing

Project Nim

The Movie: Documentary looking back on the 1970s experiment to teach a chimpanzee to speak.  All human (and animal) life is here: funny, creepy and ultimately very moving.
Impact: James Marsh proves, after Man On Wire, to have a rare knack for finding great real-life stories and getting the protagonists to open up.  It's also worth noting, between this and a certain simian blockbuster, that apes definitely rose in 2011.
The Movie: Taliban fighter Vincent Gallo does a runner into a gruelling Arctic landscape he has no experience of. Jerzy Skolimowski's pared-down survival thriller proves all you need to make a decent action movie is an actor and a camera.
Impact: Turns out Gallo is actually likeable when he keeps his mouth shut…and, yes, that includes assaulting a pregnant woman for her breast milk.

 

The Movie: Slick, amoral lawyer Mickey Haller (Matthew McConaughey) finds his 'I'll defend anybody' manta coming back to haunt him when he takes on smug rich kid Ryan Philippe. This is that rare beast: a mainstream legal thriller you won't want to object to.
Impact: Of all the year's unlikely comebacks, McConaughey is the best. Ditching the rom-coms and playing to his strengths as Mr Suave might be the best move he ever makes - there are plenty more Mickey Haller novels still to film.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

The Movie: David Fincher takes on Stieg Larsson's modern classic, with Rooney Mara taking on Noomi Rapace to make the character of Lisbeth Salander her own. Think Se7en, but darker.
Impact: Only #50? Consider it an honourable mention, as it's not out until Boxing Day. But it's already shaking the film world after New Yorker critic David Denby broke the review embargo. His verdict - "mesmerising," apparently.
Logline: An eccentric pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), and a savvy blacksmith, Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), embark on a quest to save Elizabeth Swann (and a treasure) from the clutches of cursed Captain Barbossa.

Memorable Moments: Jack almost reaches Port Royal, but his ship springs a leak. In a moment of hilarity, the only part of the ship that remains un-submerged by the time he reaches the harbor is the mast, which he sails in on.

Why People Love It: For many, Depp clearly steals the show. For those who actually enjoy—oh, say plot or fine acting—PoTC is a fun-filled, action-packed adventure on the high seas.

Best Quote: Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp): “Me, I’m dishonest. And a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly. It’s the honest ones you want to watch out for. Because you can never predict when they’re going to do something incredibly…..stupid.”

99. Cinderella Man (2005)

Logline: In the 30′s, James Braddock (Russel Crowe) is remembered as a rising boxer. Having fell from grace, though, and—facing near-destitution and threat of becoming a has-been—Braddock gets a rare second chance, rising to legendary proportions in the ring.

Memorable Moments: Braddock must watch on video one of the most feared boxers (Baer) doing the almost unthinkable (even for the violent world of boxing): hitting his opponent so forcefully that his brain comes loose and he dies.

Why People Love It: Cinderella Man is one of the highest acclaimed, most inspirational movies ever that chronicles a near has-been and how he receives the very rare opportunity to redeem himself.

Best Quote: Joe Gould (Paul Giamatti): “Jesus H. Christ! Jesus Mary and Joseph! All the saints and martyrs and Jesus! Did I mention Jesus?!”

98. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

Logline: Years after Indy captured the Ark of the Covenant and survived the Temple of Doom, he’s at again. His father Henry in tow, the Joneses traverse Europe to find the Holy Grail, but won’t attain it without fending off evil Nazis—who want it for their own nefarious reasons.

Memorable Moments: The scene where Indy and his father, Henry (Sean Connery), find themselves tied together, with Nazi Colonel Vogel punches Indy in the face before departing. Not long after,  the room is engulfed in fire.
Why People Love It: Because it’s Indiana Jones, and few people have grown older not loving the adventurous, witty-humor-filled Indy flicks (save for, perhaps, the last one).

Best Quote: Indiana Jones (Ford): “I’m like a bad penny, I always turn up.”

97. The Lion King (1994)

Logline: Young Simba, a lion cub that’s tricked into thinking he caused his father’s (King Mufasa) death, retreats into the wilderness–enabling the evil Scar, the King’s brother, to assume the throne. Years later, grown Simba is convinced to return to his land and reclaim his rightful seat on the throne. 

Memorable Moments: In an early scene—cue Elton John’s Circle of Life theme—where Simba, King Mufasa’s newborn son, is taken to a rocky ledge and is proudly displayed to the creatures of the Circle of Life.
Why People Love It: Most adults love it because it’s loved by children—and keeping them quietly occupied is no doubt a benefit, either. However, both love it because it takes all-too-familiar human dilemmas and personifies them with the help of lions, birds, hyenas and more.

Best Quote: Scar (Jeremy Irons): “Oh, Zazu, do lighten up. Sing something with a little—’bounce’ in it!”

96. The Sixth Sense (1999)

Logline: Young Cole Sear (Osment) has a problem: He sees dead people. And apparently they’re in denial about being that way. Now, it’s up to child psychologist Malcom Crowe (Willis) to help the boy and to determine what’s troubling him so.