Psycho

This is the third time I've jumped when the violins freak out and "mom" goes crazy. When 40 years later you can scare a 17 year old on his third viewing you know you have successfully crafted a horror flick to stand the test of time. Anthony Perkins is so subtly creepy i almost don't trust those "off" types anymore. I believe the true genius of this movie is how it twists mans primal instinct arousal in such a depraved way. Its even evident in the plot that sex and murder are very intertwined. Why else would Miss Crane get knifed in the shower but to tread the fine line between sexy and gruesome. While I'm not saying that her getting knifed in the shower was attractive, i am saying that pre-knifing...maybe. It's frightening when a movie can turn a basic survive instinct into a psychologically crippled man's motive to kill.

Casablanca

In the greatest American film category, Casablanca wins hands down. Citizen Kane, Gone With The Wind, The Godfather, and Star Wars all have their fans, but no film rivals Casablanca. I now understand why I've heard renditions of this statement everywhere. I thought it was an excellently done movie; the script was especially solid. While the film was quite obliviously dated i think the basic emotions that drove the plot are still relevant today. Girls are still falling for emotionless, James Bond-like men. Guys are still fighting over girls. The good guy still makes a valiant self-sacrifice to save the one he loves. Nothings changes, expect for the settings, which never seemed to change in Casablanca. I enjoyed Ricks Cafe, I'd eat there. Casablanca defiantly triumphs as a timeless romance regardless of the HD avatar lovers. "Someday you'll understand that . . . Here's looking at you, kid."

King Kong (2005)

Peter Jackson's love for the classic film, King Kong, shines through in his 2005 remake. While placing twists on much of the details he honored the original film making of Cooper and Schoedsack by making many appreciated references. For instance, Jack walks out onto the ships deck as Carl is shooting the scene from the original where 1933's jack professes his love for Ann. I enjoyed Jackson's portrayal of King Kong more the Cooper and Shoedsack's because of Kong's greater ability to express emotions. While you lose some of the 1933's charm and Kong's great full shot smile, you gain a whole new perspective on King Kong and how he is feeling throughout the movie. Using modern technology King Kong is able to finally play the star role he was ment to all those years ago. All in All i believe Jackson was able to improve on the original while making the film uniquely his.

The Eight Wonder of the World

Although not nearly in the same league as the Pyramids of Giza, or for that matter any of other seven wonders of the world, King Kong remains a monumental achievement in the art of film making. While watching the movie I continuously reminded myself of the date 1933. If you keep in mind how old the film is, King Kong becomes a terrifying adventure filled with spectacular special effects. While I couldn’t help picking apart the flaws in the animation, I could appreciate how much effort was put into this movie to make it as seamless as possible. Never before has a special effect become the star of a movie. This film paved the way for an entire brand of films, ranging from Alien to Space Jam. King Kong set up many norms in the movie business, many of which I am thankful for. One norm I am not thankful for is the screaming damsel in distress. Fay Wray’s iconic scream is annoying.