Movie #45: Psycho. Or really....no, Psycho is the most fitting title.

Title: Psycho

Starring: Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, Janet Leigh

Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock

Year: 1960

Number on the AFI List: 14

Hit play:

I'm not going to be the first one to say this, or the last: Psycho is BRILLIANT. ANTHONY PERKINS.  My gosh! You couldn't find someone more perfect, subtle, neurotic, nervous, paranoid, manipulative, and yet...somehow sympathetic. You wouldn't think he was a killer until you find out he is (spoilers. Not sorry about it. You should know he's the killer by now.). How he wasn't even nominated for an Academy Award is beyond me. In fact, how The Apartment won best picture and Psycho wasn't even nominated for best picture is outlandish. Hitchcock's brilliant direction and style is on full display throughout this movie, how he can create intensity with use of darkness and light, silence and song, swooping camera shots, and subtle yet graphic scenes of murder. The infamous shower scene is brilliantly shot. While today, the cop out would be to show full on nudity and just get the shooting of the scene over with, Hitchcock uses various angles and shots that are so jarring you don't know where he's going next, just like Norman Bates with his blade. Apparently, it took seven full days to shoot that one scene. If anything, this goes to show that great movie making is about quality more than quantity, taking your time to do something well and thought out, rather than just doing a few shots to get a scene over with. 

My favorite moments were the conversations people had with Bates. In fact, my favorite scene of the movie is when Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) is eating her sandwich in Bates' office. The tension of both of them not wanting to get caught in their respective schemes is palpable-Crane with her money, Bates with his jealous attraction of her. 

Of course, everyone else in this movie is fantastic, too. Detective Arborgast (Martin Balsam) knows how to pressure and question Bates almost to the point of revealing his sins in a clever scene of cat and mouse (GREAT writing). Sam Loomis (John Galvin) and Lila Crane (Vera Miles) are excellent at finding out just what they need from the police and Bates himself, almost fooling Bates into believing they are just normal weary travelers.

Overall, this movie is fantastic and deserves to be watched over and over again. Modern horror filmmakers could learn a lot from Hitchcock's subtlety and style.

Favorite moment: I already mentioned it, but the dinner scene between Marion and Norman.

Will I Watch it Again: Yes. And buy it.

Movie #44: The Apartment. Or really, how to succeed in business without really trying!

Title: The Apartment

Starring: Jack Lemon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray

Directed by: Billy Wilder

Number on the AFI List: 80

Year: 1960

Don't let my title fool you, this movie is nothing (or, not a lot) like the musical/movie How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. However, C. C. Baxter, played by Jack Lemon, does use his apartment as a means to rise to the top of Consolidated Life; he allows the executives of the company to use his apartment as a place where they can meet up with the women they're having affairs with. He wins their affections, too, and eventually becomes an executive assistant. I hate the subject matter. While Baxter is a forgivable character, misogyny reeks from this film at every turn. The only struggle for Fran Kubelick (a fantastic Shirley MacLaine in one of her earliest roles) is for her to choose fake love from the top executive, Mr. Sheldrake (Fred MacMurray), or from pushover Baxter. Yes, this movie has its sweet moments and is thoroughly entertaining, I just couldn't jump completely on board. 

I will say that its nice to see how acting is becoming more and more grounded; this movie was one of the first ones where I never found any of the acting over the top or unconvincing. 

Favorite moment: When the doctor is trying to wake Fran up from her drugged up stupor (trying not to give spoilers!)

Will I watch it again: Maybe. 

Movie #43: Ben-Hur. Or really, redemption.

Title: Ben-Hur

Starring: Charlton Heston, Jack Hawkins

Directed by: William Wyler

Number on the AFI List: 100 (ugh)

Year: 1959

"And I felt his voice take the sword out of my hand." - Judah Ben-Hur

I was skeptical when I started this movie because of the length of it. 

However, now I am FLOORED. Absolutely floored. What a beautiful story of redemption and hope. I’ve had a chance to study the Inter-testamental period and the Gospels over the past month through my internship at Reality LA, so it was really cool to be able to follow the historical context in a fresh light. Judah Ben-Hur, played by Charlton Heston in his Pre-Moses days (PM for short), is the prince of Judea. He is friends with a Roman tribune, Messala (Stephen Boyd), but their friendship is torn apart by Ben-Hur's loyalty to God and Messala's loyalty to the state. Messala falsely accuses Ben-Hur and his mother and sister of trying to harm him after a roof tile accidentally falls on his parade. Ben-Hur is taken as a slave, and then we follow his epic journey to seek revenge on Messala and find his mother and sister. The Lord is gracious to Ben-Hur, giving him favor with other Roman soldiers, until he becomes a hailed tribune himself. It is not until witnessing Jesus' death on the cross that Ben-Hur finally forgives Messala, in a beautiful ending that I will be thinking about for a long time.

I loved the concept of following a man’s life during the same time as Jesus’ life on earth without focusing on Jesus, and yet Jesus saves the day. How could he not? Ben-Hur’s story is every man’s life, living a life of reliance upon self and strength, envy and revenge, until the Suffering Servant breaks the cycle. I love how when Ben-Hur prayed for God to give him strength, Jesus gave him water. I literally hollered when that happened. Jesus gave Ben-Hur strength to do the task set before him when giving him water, and Ben Hur returned the favor on Christ’s walk to Golgotha. The beauty of the ending still has me in awe. The kingdom of God came down upon Ben-Hur and his family and changed the course of their life. As the blood of Jesus fell with the rain, healing, forgiveness, and grace reordered their future to one of hope and love. “By His stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5. All of the fighting Ben-Hur had to do to redeem himself was lifted off of His shoulders as the freedom of Christ fell upon his household. 

This movie was a tremendous encouragement to me in the midst of a difficult health and life battle of my own. The beauty of seeing the kingdom of God has renewed my hope. So thank you, William Wyler, for creating a truth filled movie.

Thank you, Jesus, for suffering for the sake of our forgiveness.

Favorite moment: The ending *spoilers!*

Will I watch it again: I’m tempted to start over the whole 3.5 hours!