CH-CH-CHANGES...

First I need to apologize for my long absence. Over the past few months...Vacations, work, and bicycling have taken me away from the movie business. The people have spoken. After receiving several emails, phone calls, and hand written letters relaying to me how my simple blog is the reason for so much happiness in their lives and others...lets just say it put things in perspective. Who am I to take away such happiness? Who am I to be responsible for the billion dollar movie industry's failings? It can't be a coincidence that while I was "away" the film industry failed to met last years weekly earnings 19 weeks in a row! For all of this...I'm SORRY.

The reason for this blog entry is to make a few changes to the "Best Movies List of 2004". It's hard to view every movie released in a given year in that same year. Although I wait a few months to release my list there are always a couple movies that fall through the cracks. Unlike the Constitution of the greatest country on God's green Earth...my list is a living document. Movies will never be removed from the list...But movies can be added. In this case the movies added do not change the Top 10...The movies will be placed on the Honorable Mention list. The changes will be made on the blog entry that has the list. Below is a short synapse of each movie added. As always your comments are welcome...There is only 1 rule: "be pithy if you wish to opine."

THE NOTEBOOK is one of the better chick flicks of this decade. THE NOTEBOOK is the story of young lovers from opposite sides of the tracks who at the end of their summer romance get torn apart by circumstances beyond their control. Pretty basic stuff. What makes the story special is that the above events are retold in flashbacks to an elderly woman, played by Gena Rowlands, by an old-timer, played by James Garner (for the record...The Rockford Files theme music is in the top 5 t.v. theme songs of all time). This portion of the movie takes place in a nursing home and contributes to about 30% of the film's plot. Because of this the viewer is treated to 2 movies in one. It's obvious to any movie fan how the "two movies" are intertwined so the surprise ending is a simple plot arc that you knew was coming all along. However, because of the good story telling and the gentle pulling of my heart strings THE NOTEBOOK (8) is one of the better films of 2004.

Usually when I describe a movie as being original...Films such as Pulp Fiction, Fight Club, and this year's Sin City come to mind. These movies have larger than life characters, original camera angels and loads of violence. Because of this I was extremely surprised that I liked WICKER PARK so much. If I had to place it in a category it would be romance, but there are equal parts mystery and thriller in it also. And get this...No one dies, violence is totally non-existent and the characters are normal size. The story revolves around Matthew a young photographer who falls in love with a beautiful woman named Lisa, this is the romance part. After two months Matt asks Lisa to move in with him. Shortly afterward, Lisa disappears without a trace. What happened to Lisa (this is the mystery part)? Two years go by and Matt thinks that he spots Lisa in a restaurant. It turns out to be a woman named Rose who happens to wear the same coat and shoes as Lisa. As Matt learns more about Rose he feels that she's hiding something that may connect her to Lisa (this is the thriller part). Do yourself a favor and check this flick out. If I ever make a list of TOP TEN ORIGINAL FILMS...WICKER PARK (8) will be on the list.

For all of us who liked 2002's THE BOURNE IDENTITY (8), the idea of Jason Bourne coming back for round 2 versus the CIA and numerous secret assassins was a welcome idea. THE BOURNE SUPREMACY is much of the same as the series first installment...Which is a very good thing. If it ain't broke...Don't fix it. SUPREMACY consists of the same cat and mouse games and mature action that made the first installment a box office success. Joan Allen provides the audience with a great performance as a CIA department head out to capture/kill Jason Bourne. She's tough as nails and willing to risk the lives of CIA operatives to achieve her objective...You have to respect that. Matt Damon is becoming one of my favorite actors. He's extremely believable in this action role and I look forward to the third installment...Although there is no word yet on the production of such installment. THE BOURNE SUPREMACY (8) is just as good as THE BOURNE IDENTITY.

Have you seen these movies? let me know hat you think!