The Apple (1980) - This may be the worst rock opera of 1980 that I've ever seen.

Man of La Mancha (1972) - I love Peter O'Toole dearly (and Sophia Loren is okay), but I often felt that this music deserves better singing.

Wait. Peter O'Toole didn't do his own singing? That was on purpose? I need to lie down for a bit.

Topkapi (1964) - A fine example of the jewel heist genre. Beautiful people, beautiful places. Even the MacGuffin is beautiful.

Good lord, if I'd known there was a Turkish oil wrestling scene, I'd have watched this years ago.

The Navigator (1924) - As if he still needed to prove he's better than anybody, Buster Keaton performs the old Sledge-o-matic routine with a giant meat cleaver. On behalf of the estate of Buster Keaton, you're welcome society.

Game Change (2012) - Making me feel a little bit bad for Sarah Palin? Dick move, filmmakers.

The Secret of Kells (2009) - Perfectly charming. It's a shame this had to be up against Up for the Oscar. I guess 2009 was a good year for animation.

Pina (2011) - Without the slightest bit of hyperbole, I feel confident saying this is the greatest, most beautiful, sexy thing that ever was and probably ever will be. You need to see this in the theater, in 3D.

Are you listening to me, James Cameron? That is how you do 3D, you son of a bitch.

Oscar-Nominated Short Films, Animated

• Dimanche / Sunday - Oh, French Canadians, don't ever change.
  
• A Morning Stroll - Chickens and zombies. All it needs is a ninja-pirate... no, that's not fair. Despite the zombies, it was cute. Maybe it started to beat a dead horse by the end, but a cute dead horse.
  
• Wild Life - Holy shit, you guys. I want a pet ( Read more... )

Oscar-Nominated Short Films, Live-Action

• Pentecost - This year's Irish Children Have a Hard Life entry. It at least has the decency to be brief. Also, Ireland? I make the liturgical jokes around here, back off.
  
• Raju - If you've ever watched a season (any season) of The Amazing Race, you've seen the episode where they go somewhere exceptionally ( Read more... )

Stagecoach (1939) - The casual racism and swaggering machismo of 1930s Hollywood is a nice change from yesterday's sampling of the formal racism and rigid machismo of 1930s Berlin. This one actually had non-white people in it, too.