We all know the tale of Frankenstein so I’ll spare you the details. I’m certain that this movie in its time was superb and even today it does hold up OK but that’s about it really. When we have so many wonderful films that have come out since I can’t for the life of me pick this one over the hundreds of others that I would prefer to watch. I often think that some of these classics are highly rated simply because they are vintage. In this case I’m afraid that’s not enough for me so I’ll leave it with a 6/10.

Frankenstein (1931)

Magnolia is a long and interwoven tale of the people connected to two men who are about to die. Both men have estranged children well into adulthood who want nothing to do with their fathers. We also see a child who is a great chance of being emotionally scarred for life by his father and his simple attempt to prevent this. This is a highly charged movie with amazing confrontations and some quirky weather to boot.

Long and painful but a really rewarding experience and a hope filled ending. Nothing less than a 8/10.

Magnolia (1999)

Amidst the almighty Rome of 73 B.C. a Thracian slave by the name of Spartacus refuses to remain beaten and treated like a dog. His ambitions run higher than simply escaping with his life. He intends to free all men, women and children from Rome and her iron grasp. He is driven by the idea of freedom and the love of a beautiful woman.

I fell in love with this movie the first time I saw it years ago and it gets better each time I see it. A classic that ages incredibly well and certainly a must see.

It would be criminal of me not to give this film a 10/10.

Spartacus (1960)

A fast talking Rosalind Russell steals the show in this one. She’s adorable as one of the guys and deserves an 8/10.

His Girl Friday (1940)

Truly a wonderful movie that has to be seen. It has a wholesome goodness to it that might be over the top for some but it’s simply wonderful story telling for the whole family. This is one of those movies that makes you look back on your life and question yourself just how much have you really lived.

Some rushed scenes with forced acting prevent an otherwise top mark. 9/10

Big Fish (2003)

She plays Princess Anne who’s on a tour of European cities when she gets tired of her demanding schedule and escapes her minders in the city of Rome. She happens to meet an American newspaper man by the name of Joe Bradley who is played by Gregory Peck. Joe figures out who she is and secretly tries to get an exclusive story out of her while they both lie to each other, in as far as their identities are concerned, in order to spend a day sight seeing together. Inevitably the day has to come to an end but their time spent together changes both their lives.

I found the last scene particularly interesting and moving. Not the whole 5 minutes but the very last 30 seconds before the credits role. It’s slow and painful and yet passes all too quickly and you feel good about the characters. All in all a very nice wholesome movie at 7/10.

Roman Holiday (1953)

An engaging look at a couple and their problems which sustain their relationship. Set in one drink fueled night George and Martha air out their problems in front of their guests, Nick and Honey.

It’s all about the dialogue and it’s absolutely fantastic. The performances by all 4 actors is superb and I’m finding it hard to believe that A Man for All Seasons (1966) took out the best picture over this masterpiece. What a joke.

If you appreciate films this one will surely entertain you at 9/10.

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf (1966)

I was utterly disappointed with the cast and even annoyed at times. Maybe it was my mood at the time but this one deserves nothing more than a 4/10.

The Philadelphia Story (1940)

Bride of Frankenstein was better than I imagined it would be. The visual effects were surprisingly good for the thirties and the mood was just right for a horror flick. Lots of nice dark scenes with hard shadows. Some good stuff there. The plot wasn’t the strongest and the acting a bit over the top which was to be expected. All in all a good fun watch that doesn”t take up too much time at under an hour and twenty minutes. For pleasantly surprising me I gave it a 7/10.

Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

It is the story of the unscrupulous acts carried out by a rating hungry network in America at a time when terrorism is common place and the audience at home fed with murder, war, corruption, hunger and death in a steady diet of nightly news. Sounds just like today. There are 3 key characters each screwed up more than the other. The only salvation is that one of them truly does save himself.

The performances by Faye Dunaway and Peter Finch are fantastic but in my mind the more subtle role played by William Holden of the only sane person in the movie is a stand out. It’s a real shame Holden didn’t win his Oscar nomination where the other two did. This is the type of movie I’m glad I get to see as part of this year long project. A solid 8/10.

Network (1976)