Brief Encounter
David Lean
Meeting a stranger at a railway station, a woman is tempted to cheat on her husband. The chemistry between the lead pair shines through in one of the most beautifully shot films ever where each frame is exquisite. Although the lead actors are not what one would call classically beautiful or ruggedly handsome, they come together to weave an unforgettable love story. The movie also features one of the most unlikely settings for a great romance, a railway station. But with David Lean's brilliant directing, Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto score, which remains with you long after the movie is over, and Celia Johnson's flawless performance, the dull, dreary station is transformed into something magical and almost fairytale-like.
Singin' in the Rain
Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen
This is a musical about the transition from silent films to sound in Hollywood, albeit a fictional account. Gene Kelly is charming and his dancing is stupendous Debbie Reynolds is pretty and a great foil for Kelly, and Donald O'Connor is outstanding as Cosmo. Hagen almost steals the show with her comic turn as Lina Lamont and got a well-deserved nomination for best supporting actress at the Academy Awards. The songs are catchy and the movie just lifts your spirits every time you see it.
Take Care of My Cat
Jae-eun Jeong
A coming of age tale that almost everyone can relate to, Take Care of My Cat is about five young Korean women coping with transition from high school to the real world. The struggles of maintaining old school ties in the midst of a hectic schedule takes a toll on their friendship but the text messages that are exchanged between the girls is something that our present technology-obsessed generation can relate to.
Grease
Randal Kleiser
A catchy, fun musical that will have even the most dour person up on their feet and dancing, Grease has Travolta as the awesome Danny Zucko and Olivia Newton-John as the pretty Sandy. The supporting cast of Stockard Channing, Jeff Conaway and everyone else ensure that there's never a dull moment. A timeless classic that people of all ages will enjoy.
Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans
F.W. Murnau
If movies are art, then this is a masterpiece. A stunning visual feast with a great performance by the beautiful Janet Gaynor, the cinematography is what makes this film such a delight. A story of love and fidelity, words just aren't enough to praise a movie that needs no words to convey its story.
Those that almost made it
Terminator 2: Judgment Day: James Cameron
As Good as It Gets: James L. Brooks
Stand by Me: Rob Reiner
Now and Then: Lesli Linka Glatter
The Shining: Stanley Kubrick
Barry Lyndon: Stanley Kubrick
Michael Gillbanks is a medical transcriptionist based in Coimbatore.
