Continuing the Classics..

32. Classic Movie (13/33) - I have continued my quest to see every Best Picture winner since 1950 at a pretty good pace lately. Since Silence of the Lambs, I've seen Chariots of Fire ('81), The Deer Hunter ('78), Oliver! ('68), On The Waterfront ('54), and Driving Miss Daisy ('89).

Here are my quick reviews of each film:



On The Waterfront surprised me. I have never been a huge fan of old movies. I think it's my ADD kicking in when they involve too much dialogue and not enough action. However, I really liked this movie. I had never seen Marlon Brando as a young actor, and I thought he was terrific in this film, and it kept my attention the entire time.

My Rating: 8.0/10



Oliver was another one that surprised me. I think I'm starting to gain a bit of appreciation for older flicks. This one surprised me mainly because it was a musical, which I typically do not like, however I highly enjoyed this movie. I never lost interest in the plot and never found myself looking at my watch like I normally do in musicals.

My Rating: 7.5/10



Chariots of Fire was ok. The first hour and a half moved so incredibly slow, but it ended pretty well. It took me awhile to understand what the movie was about, and even though I love competition and sports, I was not that big of a fan of this film.

My Rating: 6.0/10



Talk about an intense film. I had been told all my life that I needed to see The Deer Hunter, and I'm glad I did. Some scenes moved slow, but some scenes were so intense that you start wondering if you are actually there. This was a film that I wasn't crazy about right after seeing, but the more I thought about it, and I did quite a bit, I liked it more. Not quite "legendary" status in my book, but close.

My Rating: 8.0/10



Driving Miss Daisy is a movie that all should see. There is no real solid plot, but you will love the characters and will learn quite a bit from the film. Morgan Freeman was outstanding, and I can't believe he didn't win Best Actor (even though I never saw Daniel Day-Lewis' performance in "My Left Foot"). I had always considered his role in Shawshank to be his best ever, but this role clearly surpasses that. This is a film about friendship and attitude. My favorite scene by far was when they were on their way to Mobile, and he had to use the restroom, and Miss Daisy tells him not to stop, but to continue, and he stops the car and tells him that he's not just a chauffeur, he is a man as well. This scene hit me because most of the movie, you start thinking that he is her slave by the way she treats him, and it hits you that the setting is the 60's, and he is indeed just at his job. I thought this film was fantastic and right to the point.

My Rating: 8.0/10