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I first saw his film 'Your Name' and it's a masterpiece by any measure. It made me instantly wish for a Criterion box set of all his releases.

I tracked down his earlier films 'Voices Of A Distant Star' and '5 Centimeters Per Second' and knew he was trying to convey some sort of singular message. Some kind of forbidden love between a boy and a girl, regardless of their age or location, and nature always having a play in their relationship. It's a kind of theme in all of his films. It's a feeling he's trying to convey in all his works, sort of a bittersweet emotion that most of us can relate to.

I consider Your Name to be the best film I have ever seen, for its cinematic presentation as well as its soundtrack and voice acting (original Japanese version) and I know for mainstream audiences, this will do.

This film, Garden Of Words, is a treat after watching Your Name. It deals with a more forbidden love of an adult woman and a high school student. When the story ends, though... add few years to the characters, and it won't be so taboo. When you were in high school, wouldn't this be an amazing experience?

I'm so happy to have finally seen this film. I wish I had such an experience. Not having it, at least I can watch this film now and then and pretend my life was so amazing.

You can't pass this film up, because it won't be casually coming by you. You'll have to seek this one out. Do it. Find this film. Watch it. It's one of the greatest of all time. If you saw Your Name, then The Garden Of Words should be on your list.

This is THE BEST TV drama I have ever seen, period. I am a fan of british shows like Downton Abbey and Lost In Austen, as well as others like Twin Peaks and Game Of Thrones. I will watch, any day of the week, Code Blue over these other shows, on repeat, without hesitation. Not saying these other shows are inferior, but I cannot stress the utter perfection of Code Blue. The actors are phenominal in their respective roles. Give this a watch if it's available to you. You will not regret it.

This is a fictional story of how dog became man's best friend. Until there is a real account, this totally satisfies. Why this is not in the running for movie of the year, I don't know. I want this to win that award. So much love went into this film. I own cats. I love dogs, but I am nowhere near the level of a real dog lover. Yet I am pining for this to win the most coveted award. This film drove me to joyful tears in the final scenes. I hope, in a decade, that everyone looks back and gives this film the attention this deserves. Truly a film ahead of its time. They created a whole language for this film. For me, this is the 2018 movie of the year. I'm not budging.

As a fan of Spielberg's films, I was disappointed at how generic the story was, and that many of the crucial action scenes have the typical Hollywood choreography where the actor jumps a chasm, for example, and juuuuust makes it to the other side - first missing it but then using an item like a pick to stab the wall and is hanging from the end of the tool. Whew, just made it! I sighed and facepalmed now and then when scenes like this came up, which they did with growing frequency towards the end.

As a gaming fan, I thought everything was a total miss. No real retro game characters like Pac-Man. What few characters were recognizeable were shown in the trailers. The movie was all about solving puzzles, and they were all centered around non-gaming stuff, mainly 80's pop culture stuff. Nothing went deep into gaming skills or techniques. It's as if the whole video game atmosphere of the movie is just to mask a simple adventure story. The worst part? The entire movie hinges on a video game that only a supergeek would have an interest in seeing onscreen. I shook my head during the climactic scene.

As a nostalgia fan, I really think the movie really failed to deliver. The music throughout the movie only helped remind me how lame the 80's actually was. References to old movies were not really pointed out. Much like a tourist on a trolley through a place like Universal Studios, it's up to us the viewers to point at the screen and tell people around us 'oh that thing is from the movie blah blah and oh that thing is from....'. The movie really felt like a boring tour of pop culture. Where a movie like Guardians Of The Galaxy infused comedy with the pop culture references, this film just puts stuff up on the screen so it can be noticed, and then it's gone. No humor, no fun.

To sum this movie up, it's a really cliche Spielberg action film with poor videogame and pop culture references just tossed in with no real heart. Watch this movie once if the trailer piques your curiousity, but this will make you glance at the time on your smartphone if you dare watch it again. Spielberg seems to be weak in the comedy department, which is what Ready Player One sorely needed. Best part of the movie? Olivia Cooke. Sadly she was on rails with the script and couldn't exude her usual deadpan comedy skills as she did in Thoroughbreds, a great film which just left the theater before this movie came in.

The movie takes place solely in the Winchester mansion. It's a small cast, wandering around the place, and there's ghosts, which give you the horror element, and there are some scares. But the scares are just a part of a beautifully crafted story. There's no gory, bloody stuff, or any of the cheesy horror tropes. What starts off as a seemingly creepy and exciting story, slowly builds into a psychological thriller, and as things reach a crescendo, the pieces of the puzzle come together to form a heartwarming climax. You get horror, drama and romance in a film that clocks in at less than two hours. Very well-crafted, and I didn't want this thing to end!

The entire cast is top-notch. The mansion, the way the camera moves around the place... it's all eye candy and overall it's just a joy to see this film on the big screen. I have to see this again in a few days. Basically, if you've seen the trailer and it's got you interested, I bet you'll enjoy it!

I'm not fond of sports-related movies based on true events. I'm not into sports of any kind, so I'm usually bored if I have to sit through one of these films. But, I do like fictional ones like Major League, Stick It, Whip It... if it's stupid funny, I can enjoy it. But wow. Just, wow! I, Tonya was NOT what I thought it would be! Such a shockingly funny dark comedy that had me laughing from beginning to end! I'm not going to praise anything in particular. The acting was great from everyone. The film's direction, editing, music and overall tone was just so well done. The characters, even the evil ones, are so enjoyable. This movie was just one big package of devious fun! There's a lot of great movies that you can watch a few times, then you'll break it out only if someone you know hasn't seen it yet. But this movie? This is one I will happily watch over and over whenever I need a pick me up. It's an instant classic. Easily the most badass dark comedy I have EVER seen!

Just go see this! It's great on the big screen, but it will still make you laugh and feel good even if you end up watching it on your TV when it's available. No matter what, put this on your list of must-see movies!

I went to see this film simply because the critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes was 100%, and I had already seen the rest of the films at my local theater (Jumanji, Molly's Game, The Commuter) and this was the last thing I had to see before the next week's new shows would come around.

I hadn't seen the first Paddington. No one I knew had yet seen Paddington 2. So I saw it knowing nothing except that everyone I talked to loved the first Paddington. Whew. I was floored. I immediately took to the main character. The voice actor is just perfect for Paddington. So polite, and so likeable.

I laughed when the kids in the theater laughed, and cried a few times during the heartwarming scenes. The very end scene made me sob because it was so extremely touching. I tell people that this stupid kid's movie made me cry. Paddington 2 is AWESOME.

I then watched the first Paddington movie at home. This sequel is better, and you don't need to see the first one to enjoy it, but if you saw the first one? It continues the story with many of the same characters. Not just the main ones, but also the secondary characters!

I don't care for films aimed at children, simply because there's enough films aimed at adults like me to take my theater money, but at this very time, with films like Jumanji and The Last Jedi.... Paddington 2 is at the top! If you have to spend your hard-earned money to watch something on the big screen, you will not regret spending it on this!

All the prison scenes, and scenes with the characters from the prison, are just the most enjoyable things I've seen in years. Nuckles the chef is just the best! The final scene... I'm talking about the very last 30 seconds of the film... make the whole movie worth more than anything else playing in the theater right now. Bring your tissues!

I have never seen a war movie on the big screen. I never cared to. I enjoy fantasy, sci-fi, and arthouse stuff. I recently saw and enjoyed The Shape Of Water, The Phantom Thread, Jumanji, and Paddington 2. Not into war films. I went to the theater to see The Post and it was sold out. So, I picked 12 Strong at random, seeing Chris Hemsworth on the poster. Hey, it's Thor!. I never saw any trailers for this movie so I went in blind.

Based on a true story, 12 Strong gripped me from the beginning because it explained everything slow enough for people like me who aren't into warfare. You meet the characters, you know what they are about to get into, and because 9/11 happened in my lifetime, I was suddenly drawn into this movie, which depicts the first group of soldiers who attacked the Taliban.

You are told how long this team of soldiers have to accomplish their mission. They say they can do it in half the time. Once the mission starts, you get a constant count of the days that they are on the mission throughout the film. It's a nice timer that helps give you a feel of their progress. It's sometimes tense, and when it's not, you get a lot of development between characters that creates sympathy. It's always entertaining.

When the final scenes play out, it's very, very intense, with lots of terror, lots of anxiety-inducing moments, but all in all, an extremely satisfying conclusion. The bottom line is, this is based on a true story of a team of 12 soldiers whose story was classified until now. So only now are they getting praised for their heroic deeds.

This movie delivered a great, uplifting story of soldiers who were not given credit when they came home from duty. This is their due. I promise you, if you like action films like Jumanji, which I thought was awesome... this movie will NOT dissapoint, and it's based on a true story. I will DEFINITELY see this again in the theater. It just won't be the same experience at home. See it in the theater if you can!

A fun movie, with a few cuss words and some minor sexual and gender-bending situations. If you bring kids, they'll have lots of fun, but prepare for some LGBT and maybe some genital questions post-movie.

For adults, it's a mindless roller coaster ride that you'll enjoy with a slightly slow start, then once it gets rolling you'll be at the edge of your seat laughing and gripping your armrests until the very end. Some nice tear-jerking moments. If you're a jaded movie-goer - especially if you.ve seen the first Jumanji - you'll find the movie very predictable, and you'll be very happy about it. It's very rewarding to figure out whats going to happen ahead of time. You'll be telling yourself yep, I knew that was going to happen. You'll also have a big grin on your face. It's a pleasant movie, what else can I say? The best part is the chemistry between the actors. The main cast is amazing. All of them are at their best. Go into this movie expecting to have fun and leaving with a smile, and you WILL NOT be disappointed. Ticket money well worth spent. No regrets. Enjoy!

The Shape Of Water in a sentence. It's a VERY adult fantasy love story. Words I would use to describe the experience. Delightful, whimsical, sexual, magical, romantic, musical, grotesquely violent, and finally, unique. I want to stress the sexual and grotesquely violent aspects for anyone deciding to bring their children to see it - you'll have some explaining to do after. But for adults, this movie is pure magic. Don't miss it in the theater!

I loved it to death and will see it again before it leaves my local theater! Worth the ticket price, no regrets. I cried tears of joy during a particular black and white musical segment that was so surreal and you just know you're watching someting special when it happens. If you saw this movie, you know what part I'm talking about.

More movies like this please!

To keep this review short, I'll just point out that the 2007 movie The Room spawned a side-sequel, 2017's The Disaster Artist. This just fits the bill. 2017's mother! should qualify it for The Disaster Cinematic Universe and give it a 2027 sequel titled either 'mother! 2: Ragnarok' or a simple 'The Disaster Artist 2: mother!' 'nuff said. Excelsior!

Shunji Iwai's 1995 movie 'Love Letter' is hands-down my favorite love story movie of all time. Then Professor Marston And The Wonder Women jumps in and now I have a tie.

I was expecting a steamy, almost X-rated movie about a man and the two women in his life, but as it turned out, there's ZERO nudity in this film, and it actually made me get teary-eyed in the final scenes. This is definitely a film I can watch over and over again. The main characters are extremely likable and in this age of LGBTQ awareness, this is an honest-to-goodness wholesome love story.

The movie is barely over 100 minutes long, and the ties to the actual Wonder Woman comic book character, while brought up in the beginning of the film, don't actually congeal until the 90 minute mark. So almost the entire movie focuses on the relationship of the professor, his wife and their lover. When the Wonder Woman comic comes into focus, the whole movie pulls together like someone lassoing in their catch. You see how the professor's view of the women in his life form his fictional heroine.

I think Logan should win movie of the year. There's talk of DC's Wonder Woman movie winning, most likely because the academy is being handed a movie directed by a woman about a strong independent woman. If Logan doesn't win, I would be happy to see Professor Marston And The Wonder Women take the trophy home. This is the real Wonder Woman movie.

I was literally blown away by this film. Did not expect such a beautiful work of art. I really feel honored to have seen this in the theater.

Can I have two favorite love story movies of all time? Like professor Marston and his women, yes. Yes I can.

I can deal with all the changes to the characters. How Aunt May is younger, Flash is a math nerd instead of a jock, Spidey himself being codependent on Tony Stark and the high-tech suit given to him. But why did we have to sit through teenage high school fantasy fumbling? Really? Homecoming was a like a made-for-TV Nickeloden movie. I could care less about how Peter Parker tries to fit back in to his daily life after Civil War. Yay, we skipped a whole origin story this time around - who needs it for Spider-Man after so many reboots, right? But to have to sit through so much 'a day in the life of Peter Parker' was just torturous. After amazing movies like Logan and Guardians of the Galaxy 2,it felt like an insulting step backwards to sit through the teen-fest of Homecoming. Now that Marvel has created a totally integrated 'Universe' to get us to watch every movie because they are all joined to form a bigger, deeper picture, we are goaded into watching even mediocre films like this. Just to keep up with continuity.

I can't see myself shelling out hundreds of dollars the next few years for movie tickets and popcorn just to see more Marvel fare like Homecoming.

For those that saw the movie already. You know how Tony Stark drops Peter off at home near the beginning of the movie? That apparently took place right after the big superhero skirmish in Civil War. Then near the end of Homecoming Parker gets called to go see Stark at his headquarters? If, after the Civil War fight, Parker went straight to Stark's building and that ending scene occurred the exact same way, you could just wipe the entire Homecoming movie out and everything would be fine. Homecoming literally is just a filler movie. It has zero impact on the whole Marvel Cinematic Universe.

If you want to argue that Homecoming was still entertaining, all I can say is that I wasn't the only one in the theater who sighed with disgust when Parker found out that the girl he's taking out on a date just happens to be the daughter of his arch enemy. Come on. These cliché coincidences just have to stop.

What was good about the movie? I liked Tony Stark's influence with Spider-Man's suits. All the techy stuff can make for some interesting action scenes in the future.

I doubt I will ever watch Homecoming again, though. Once was enough.

Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 is such a glorious celebration of all that's enjoyable about going to the movies. It makes you feel you've gotten your money's worth, from the ticket price to all the expensive food and drink items. Everyone in the theater walked out chatting and laughing about the movie. I can't think of a way to make a more enjoyable movie than GOTG 2.

From the beginning, the MARVEL STUDIOS logo has changed. While it's slowly creeping on screen, we used to see comic pages flipping. That's now replaced with movie footage, and the music is now epic, making the MS logo feel more classy and majestic.

The opening credits scene is just so creative, and a scene like that could very well be one of the best ending scenes in another movie. But in GOTG 2, it's just the opening! Looking back on the entire film, I can't believe in this age where we're all so used to seeing flashy space and combat action scenes, everything gets better and better as this movie rolls along towards the ending.

This is a really character-driven movie, and every single main actor gets fantastic screen time. No one is in the background. They all shine. Jokes are non-stop, and there are WAY more jokes in this sequel. Some of the humor is so unexpected and wacky that you'll just burst out loud laughing! You'll hear other people in the theater continue to laugh as the movie rolls on and you'll laugh again just thinking about what happened on screen.

As funny as this movie gets, you'll be pleasantly blindsided with some extremely heartwarming scenes between characters. How can a movie make people laugh so hard, then the next minute have everyone sobbing, or at least fighting back tears? If you're the type of movie-goer who likes to brag that you didn't cry through an emotional scene, prepare to get tested. GOTG 2 has many emotional scenes, and they happen at the weirdest, most unexpected times. My bet is, you WILL cry at least once. There's just too many good scenes coming at you and you'll stumble. This movie is such a rare roller-coaster of emotional ups and downs. Enjoy the ride!

The end credits are filled with things to keep you sitting in your chair. Don't make the mistake of walking out. There are something like 5 or 6 end scenes dispersed through the credits. You'll see people in the theater standing to leave, then sitting. Standing again, then sitting down. There's just so much going on in the end credits!

From start to finish, this movie has everything and the kitchen sink thrown in. It's all bigger, better, funnier and way more emotional than the first GOTG, and easily the most entertaining thing you might witness this year in the theater. Don't miss this movie!

March 3, 2017. Girl's Day in Japan. My girlfriend, Japanese, asked to watch Logan to celebrate. It was opening night and it wasn't sold out. We went to the second showing. She loves Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and saw all the X-Men and Wolverine movies to this point. I read comics in the Halcyon era of comics, the mid-80's to mid 90's. I was used to great storytelling and eccentric artwork (Cerebus The Aardvark, Mage - The Hero Discovered, Moonshadow, Nexus), and to this point, I loved watching the X-Men movies just to see characters like Nightcrawler come to life. I didn't think much of the stories in the movies - they're very much aimed at teenage audiences. I think Watchmen was the closest thing to a great comic adaption, but that didn't go over well for movie audiences. I digress.

I didn't know James Mangold directed Logan until the movie started. I saw the trailers but thought Logan looked ho-hum. When Mangold's name appeared on the screen, I told my girlfriend wow! He did Girl, Interrupted and 3:10 To Yuma! I was ready for a great movie. The couple sitting next to us were obviously wanting to see another exciting X-Men movie. They were howling during the Deadpool trailer that lead into the feature movie.

Once Logan got through the initial action scene and went home to see Professor Xavier, things became somber and set the tone for the rest of the movie. The couple next to us leaned forward through most of the movie, totally absorbed and obviously blown away by the unexpected storytelling angle. Logan is a major detour from every Marvel and DC superhero movie adaption to date. Some compare this to the Dark Knight saga. If you thought Heath Ledger was a great Joker, or that Christian Bale was great as Batman... well, I would say that Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart and Daphne Keen's acting are much more elevated. Logan is a world-class A-list film. Easily Mangold's best work.

There is a scene in a hotel that makes you hold your breath. The couple next to us were white-knuckled, clutching the arms on their chairs and squirming in their seats. When the scene ended, they slumped down and signed from exhaustion. The whole theater was basically breathless.

Somehwere near the middle of the film, there's a scene where Logan, Xavier and Laura are introduced to a farming family and spend a night with them. My girlfriend cried from that point until the end of the movie.

Logan, Xavier, Laura and Kaliban - the 4 main characters - are all lovable and likable. The movie trots along at a leisurely pace, letting you enjoy all the little things they encounter on their journey.

If you've seen any of Mangold's previous films, this is his best. If you've seen Hugh Jackman's previous films, this is his best. If you've seen anything of Patrick Stewart's, this is his best. If you've seen any Marvel or DC movies, this is the best. What's not to love about Logan? There is a word that's become pretty synonymous with the name James Mangold. Satisfying. Logan is supremely, supremely satisfying.

I felt honored to watch Logan on opening night. It was better than seeing the original Star Wars movie in the theater back in 1977.

Logan is THAT good.

After seeing Empire Strikes Back in the early 1980's I wanted more of that moodier, sobering atmosphere. Return Of The Jedi went in the feel-good, comedic direction. I didn't care for it. Episodes 1, 2 and 3 were focused too much on technical and political things, so I never liked them. The Force Awakens I felt was okay, but my hope for another dark Star Wars film was all but squashed. Out of seven films, I only cared for ESB, so I stood in line to watch Rogue One with my expectations set to the lowest levels. I was pleasantly surprised! Rogue One is dark, serious, and has a sobering conclusion that I found utterly satisfying. This is now my all-time favorite Star Wars film. The lack of many of the familiar Star Wars elements such as the opening Star Wars logo with accompanying text scrawl, or even John William's familiar movie scoring (he does the music in Rogue but it's nothing familiar) made me feel I was watching a fresh, new and improved Star Wars. I loved the movie immensely from start to finish.

Do Over is my all-time favorite TV series. Why did it end? To this day, I watch the 15 existing episodes at least once a year. I always show it to friends who've never heard of the show. Everyone loves it. At this point in time, a total reboot series would be the only way to go. I'm sure it would be up there with Superstore as the best current series (Superstore is the only show I'm currently watching).

The Incredible Hulk was cut short in season 5 and it was amazing at the time. Then Do Over was cancelled. I watched both shows while they were originally aired. I lost all hope in modern television because of that, and currently live on streaming options like Netflix.

Do Over. Best TV show EVER! Find it, watch it, enjoy what exists of it!

The first time I watched this was with my mother. My parents were always victims when I wanted to watch 'artistic' videos. Charisma was very engaging and my mom made it to the end. The main character, a detective, goes on a vacation to clear his mind and gets involved in the problems of a small town, mostly surrounding a dead tree nicknamed 'Charisma'. The director takes this minimal theme and keeps it interesting throughout. At one point the detective comes to a realization that the town's obsession with this tree is just stupid, and that it's a sort of metaphor for all of his own problems of dealing with people in his own life. When the end credits began to roll, my mom felt so insulted that she actually said 'WHAT THE HELL, IS THAT IT?" For years, anytime we parked at a shopping mall or supermarket, my mom would point at a tree and say 'park over there, by Charisma'. We always had a good laugh, and that kept the movie in our minds. No other film stuck in my mom's mind, ever.

But the film grew on not just me and my mom, but everyone who I unwittingly got to watch it. Yes, I've seen Charisma many times, and LOVE it. If a director can take a dead tree, make a film around it, and make people sit through it, hate it, then come back to it, that's entertainment.

Think of cult films like Rocky Horror Picture Show. Charisma has the elements of what makes a great cult movie, yet it's filmed in such a stylish and enjoyable way - the characters are all especially likable - that you can't pass this off as just b-movie stuff. It's a classy, one-of-a-kind film about a dead tree, told in a poetic, yet cinematically fun way that will just draw you back to watch now and then, with new people in tow just to see their reactions.

I wish there were more films like this. But even Kiyoshi Kurosawa, who directed Charisma, never struck lightning twice. This, in my opinion, is his masterpiece, and he never got close to this again.

This is great cinema! If you feel you need a cleansing from this film, seek out another Japanese movie called Summer Time Machine Blues. It'll knock your socks off.

As a kid I was one of the gamers who made the local news. I got to the end of Pac-Man. I could play forever on Robotron: 2084. To this day I have MAME always loaded on a PC and I go through the old games. I do love Skyrim and Super Hexagon, so as a gamer, I'm complete. I read all the bad reviews on Pixels, but I just had to see it for myself. I was pleasantly surprised.

I never cared for Adam Sandler's other films, having only sit through Happy Gilmore. I couldn't stomach much else of his. But maybe he gets better as he ages, or I get more tolerant as I do. Either way, I couldn't find a single bad thing about this film. If you're an old school gamer, this movie is a great treat.

The footage of the old arcade games in the beginning - the games didn't have video screen artifacts. Basically, they weren't pixellated as they were supposed to be. I forgave that. I mean, who cares, really? That's about the only inconsistency I could find, and it was trivial.

The film was entertaining from beginning to end. Especially nice was during the end credits. They replay the entire movie in 8-bit format. It was easy to see that Pixels was a labor of love, and I guess you have to be an old school gamer to appreciate it all. This is a classic, and I'm happy to be alive to have gotten to see this. I can imagine what it's like to be Stan Lee, and see all your superhero creations come to life as some of the most successful films of all time. To see the 80's arcade culture brought to life and memorialized in Pixels, it's a similar feeling, one that all gamers can share.

I highly recommend this film. I give it a perfect score. Well deserved.

I saw Rocky in the theater. I bought the laserdisc edition of Raging Bull. Grudge Match combines those, and does it in a modern-day 'I get it' vibe and I can't help but think this was better than those two critically-acclaimed films.

You have viral videos. Geriatric jokes about the two boxers. My new catchphrase? 'Butterscotch Jellybeans.' I'm 42. I love this movie. 'Nuff said. Excelsior! C'mon. Gotta love Grudge Match.

Doesn't have to be Grudge Match 2. I want to see Stallone, DeNiro and Arkin working together in another movie. Devistatingly awesome combination!

I checked the reviews on Christmas morning, ready to watch a matinée viewing. Everyone talked about the cussing, sex and drugs, and how it was worn out in the first hour and that it crept on through the entire almost 3-hour run time. Critical on its long run time and adult content, I passed on the film on that day.

Just watched it today. Wow. I don't agree with what I read. Loved the movie WITH all the sex, drugs and all that stuff. Not that I need it. I prefer movies that avert from adult content because I do agree that 'limitations reveal the master' hence great films like The Seventh Seal. But this was based on a true story, so with a grain of salt, this was easy to enjoy.

I hope this wins for best movie, best director, and best actor (for DiCaprio).

This and Grudge Match, the only 2 important movies I saw in the last year.

It wasn't just good. It was magic.

Recommended!

Yes, I love the book, and have read it maybe 3 times over the last 40 years. The movie came out, I didn't know who the director was, watched it, and loved it.

I had 3 martinis before watching.

I have the video to watch at home. I watched it again the other week. I only had 2 martinis before watching. The third one, I had near the middle of the film.

I still liked it.

Why an 8 and not a 10? Well, I haven't seen it sober. Note that my 2 all-time favorite movies are Casablanca, and Mamoru Oshii's Avalon. Add to that, I am into Bethesda's Skyrim, with lots of mods, hold the olive. Take that with a grain of pink Himalayan salt.

You like The Great Gatsby? Then you surely love Martinis. Gin, vermouth, an olive.

It's the classic American drink. Perfect with the classic American love story.

Okay, haters. You must all be allergic to alcohol. 'nuff said. Excelsior! (Yep. I know it's wood shavings but tell Stan Lee that.)

It's pretty much a fact that if a movie has a lovable cast, everyone loves it. Even if it has gaping plot holes. Lovable cast comes first. This one has a lovable cast.

Any movie that has a compelling story usually gets the critics gushing. Kids using a time machine to recover an air conditioning remote control is questionable, but it is laid out from the beginning that this story is about that remote control. Good or bad, it's pretty balanced in my opinion. So we can rule out this element.

Film editing is the defining factor. Never have I seen, in all my life, a film with such a well thought-out filming strategy that utilized editing to create a puzzle of a movie. You watch it once, it's a fun comedy with lovable characters. Second viewing, you may notice the things in the background. Further viewings, you wonder just how hard did the film crew think to plan such an elaborate film? During the beginning baseball scene, you probably won't notice the background action. Second viewing, you probably will see some of it. Further viewing, you will realize how precise the filming was. Then it makes you wonder, how long did it take to actually set this all up? It's just amazing, because you don't find this level of background action in any other film in history, in any country, period. I'd be shocked if someone could point out, 'Oh, I have seen this technique in THIS movie.' I think this film, STMB, is singularly unique in its multi-layered storytelling, only appreciated in multiple viewings, that reveals the genius behind the scenes.

Sadly, this is probably the only film by this director that has this quality. I've watched many of his other films. It's nothing like this. Probably a fluke. But this is my all-time favorite film. Who cares if he never makes anything else like this? STMB is perfect.

For a casual mainstream viewer, this film is a fun comedy that's a little confusing, but in the end, they'll say it was funny. For the thinking person, this could come off as a silly sci-fi romp and nothing more. But for the real cinema buffs, this is a FEAST.

Filming and editing is top-notch. Multiple viewings will be rewarded. Pay attention to the background in the early scenes. Actors are young, but seasoned comedians, and it shows. You cannot help but love the characters. That's not a fluke. The actors have a lot of background before this film.

In the end, it's about a group of kids just wanting to keep cool in the summer. But the journey to get there is the best ride I have EVER seen on film. This trumps any of the old films like Casablanca, Citizen Kane and so on. It's up in the highest echelons of filmmaking. Why it's not in everyone's top 2 or 3 films of all time, is a mystery to me. This is my number one. Number two for me is Casablanca.

At any rate, it is worth your hard-earned money to get this movie. Even if it's not your favorite, I promise you won't regret buying it.

Highly recommended!

Being a hard-to-find movie, this one is worth seeking out for those of you who, like me, enjoy watching surfing videos over a few drinks. This is one of the more pure, surf-loving videos, with no rhyme or reason to the flow of things. Just surfing clips tacked together. It's like taking your board out in the morning and checking out all the surf spots around. I actually feel like I'm stopping by these spots, seeing if I want to surf there today! A couple beers into this short (70 minute?) movie and I'm surfing! There's a zen thing to surf movies. You don't have to be a surfer to love these. Just find one, like Endless Summer II (probably one of the easiest to get your hands on) and if you love it, you'll want this one, too.

Just hard to nitpick on relaxing, enjoyable flicks like this. Just eternally fun to watch when you have time to waste. I'm a jazz nut, into artists like Eric Dolphy and Cannonball Adderly, and the soundtrack to this film fits right in. Love it! Highly recommend this film to any serious lover of movies, and of course to all surf nuts!

I'm working in a courthouse for over 12 years, and in 2012, I finally watch this film. Everyone else I work with can't believe I've never seen it. They all love it to death. Now that I've watched it, I do, too! This is real life courtroom drama. I see lawyers hanging out in the private hallways, practicing their act, getting ready for the big-bucks drama they are about to initiate in the courtroom. The judges, who are under a lot of pressure, have many personalities, depending on the type of case they are about to become a part of, and it can be very varied and complex. Mr. Munster himself, god bless him, embodies every idiosyncrasy of all the judges I've ever known, and I know A LOT.

Every scene in this movie is memorable! It took me over 3 hours to watch this movie the first time on DVD because I kept rewinding laugh scenes over and over.

I wake up every morning and go to work in the courthouse, and My Cousin Vinny helps me get through the host of people every day now.

Aside from Casablanca and this year's Oscar winner The Artist, My Cousin Vinny in my top list of 'movie with lovable characters' 10 out of 10. Take it from someone who works in circuit, district AND family court!