My Movie Alphabet Blogathon Part III: M-R

Mettel Ray Movie Blog is hosting a blogathon for the ages. I’ll admit, I’m a little upset I didn’t come up with the genius idea but I’m glad a blog I really admire was able to come up with it. The idea behind the My Movie Alphabet Blogathon is exactly what you think it is. Come up with a list, A to Z of movies you love, actors you admire, directors you worship, or anything else related to the cinema. While this is quite the tasking idea and could be redone and redid over and over, I’m going to break up my entry for the blogathon into four segments. You can take a look at Part I here and Part II here.

Moon– 2009
Directed by: Duncan Jones, Rated: R, 97 minutes

If anyone knows me as a movie lover, you’ll know of my obsession with Sam Rockwell. I think the man is the most underrated actor in the business today. With 2009’s Moon, Rockwell delivers his tour de force and is the only man on screen for 97 minutes. Moon also is an amazing throwback to old sci-fi films and the use of terrific sets and practical effects makes the movie even more memorable. Hands down, one of my favorite sci-fi flicks of all time.

Honorable Mentions: Minority Report, The Matrix, Midnight in Paris

Nicolas Cage

As I have stated before, The Cage is a lot like the freak show at the carnival you just have to see. He’s glorious to look at, even if you don’t understand what or why he’s doing what he’s doing. Either way, I love the hell out of the man and will follow him through anything he does. So much in fact, I have dedicated weeks of reviews to The Cage. Simply put, there is no one else like him. Oh, and when he’s actually acting, it’s phenomenal. Don’t hate the player. To see all of his movies I have reviewed so far, click here.

Honorable Mentions: Nicholas Hoult, Nick Nolte, Jack Nicholson

Once– 2006
Directed by: John Carney, Rated: R, 85 minutes

Once is the rarest kind of movie. It tells the story of romance that feels all too real and brings together two incredibly talented people. At the core of the story, there is love, but the biggest driving force is the music. While it’s not quite your typical musical, Once‘s soundtrack makes the film all the more memorable. Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova are perfect together and their singing of “Falling Slowly” is absolutely beautiful.

Honorable Mentions: O Brother, Where Art Thou?, October Sky, Once Upon a Time in the West

The Princess Bride– 1987
Directed by: Rob Reiner, Rated: PG, 98 minutes

The Princess Bride is hands down, my favorite movie of all time. It’s the perfect combination of adventure, humor, action, and romance and is the quintessential ‘fairy-tale’ movie. I quote this movie far too often and can watch it over and over again. It’s very smart and transcends any expectations you may have, give its title. The cast is just as perfect with Mandy Patinkin stealing the show as Inigo Montoya, the man seeking revenge for the death of his father.

Honorable Mentions: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Psycho, Paris Je’taime

The Quick and the Dead– 1995
Directed by: Sam Raimi, Rated: R, 107 minutes

This place would have gone to Quentin Tarantino, but I wanted to be a little bit different. The Quick and the Dead is one of my favorite westerns. It’s a movie I’ve watched dozens of times on TV and it gets better with each viewing. It has an engaging plot, Russell Crowe, a very, very young Leonardo DiCaprio and an absolutely disgusting villain in Gene Hackman. It’s also directed by Sam Raimi and has a hell of a lot of style to it, making it something worth remembering. The film features some incredible shoot outs as well.

Honorable Mentions: Quiet Earth, Quiz Show, The Queen

 

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King– 2003
Directed by: Peter Jackson, Rated: PG-13, 201 minutes

The epic conclusion to the greatest trilogy of all time most certainly deserves a spot on this. After investing so much time and energy into the beloved characters JRR Tolkien masterfully created, we see their stories come to an end in glorious, heart-wrenching fashion. Combined with perfect music (God bless you Howard Shore), superb visuals, and spot-on acting, The Return of the King is a modern day masterpiece. Sean Astin also delivers one of the best performances in recent memory as Sam. He’ll carry you to the end.

Honorable Mentions: [Rec.], Rear Window, Rope

 

What is your movie related alphabet from M-R? Any of my picks you agree on? Any you can’t understand why I would choose them at all? Let me know below.