Some of my favorite movies of all was of course, the movie from where that scene was taken, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, a VCD of which I can see on my top shelf right now. I bought it at one of those big VCD sales in the malls. He played the loud and fast talking Butch Cassidy to his alter ego the Sundance Kid, Robert Redford's cool character. In it was also Kathrine Ross, whom I remember for The Graduate.

Then there's Color Of Money, where he plays an aging pool player who decides to teach a pool genius played by Tom Cruise how to hustle, also in it was a very hot Elizabeth Mastrantonio (who I remember as Al Pacino's younger sister (?) in Scarface. Anyway, Tom Cruise, as usual, disappeared in this film, but the scene I remember most was when Newman's character realized he still had game in him, and wanted to play Cruise's character for real - not for money. A terrific character that went from smug forgotten hustler to determined pool player, wanting to get back into a game he pretends to use for money but he actually really loves.

There are other roles I liked, such as Tom Hank's boss in Road To Perdition, and I distinctly remember his character in The Hot Tin Roof, the only Elizabeth Taylor movie I know (he plays his wife), where he plays, to the best of my knowledge (I was a kid then), a sad character obsessed with football, who remembers plays and in a scene, was explaining them to his disinterested but concerned wife. Whenever I realize I get too obsessed with basketball, I remember Paul Newman's character in Hot Tin Roof.

I remember him most though, for the 1982 'The Verdict'. A movie that for the longest time I thought was a Grisham book because it had a lawyer as the central character, until I realized lately that Grisham wouldve been in high school then or something.

Anyway, Newman again plays a boozing down and out character, and because of the film I understood what an ambulance chaser was. His character goes to funerals of people he doesn't know and offers his services, in one scene he gets kicked violently out because of. I can't remember the details much anymore, but at the end of the movie, the phone was ringing of the hook in his office, while he stretched back in his chair just letting it. I remember asking someone older what that meant, after which it was explained to me that he was 'made' already, after having won a big case which didn't have a chance. I began to be aware and look for similar scenes in movies after that, where stories were written for people who take the time to think, rather than have things spoonfed.

Strangely enough, such movies have dwindled rather than flourished over the years, and so The Verdict stands as a movie that symbolizes the 'they don't make movies like they used to' phrase we all hear far too often.

Such is the case I suppose for people like Paul Newman. I highly doubt we'll see others of even the same calibre as he anymore. I am sorry to see him go. I will enjoy his movies always.

As a testament to how boring exciting a couple we are, Jill and I are about to embark on an Old Movie Tour in the coming weeks. Many of which are from my recollection of movies I watched but never really understood so much as a kid, but nevertheless thoroughly enjoyed, and had somewhat shaped my opinion and perception on popular culture, the arts, artists, and what movies and theater were all about. Forgive me if I sound serious but movies a serious topic, for me, be.

A sampling:

Cabaret

Cabaret is one of the most frequently copied, spectacular movies I've ever seen. I was surprised when everyone was raving about Chicago, when I realized that they had probably never seen Cabaret. To be plainly clear about it, Chicago is a sad, pathetic attempt. When I think of great singing, dancing performers, there is nothing quite like Liza Minelli. Check out Michael York here, before he became just another funny character in those Austin Powers movies. The only copy that can possibly come close is Flashdance and maybe some scenes from Fame, but that's about it.

Two For The Road

We've already watched Two For The Road last week. Jill let out a gasp of surprise when I told her Albert Finney was Julia Robert's boss in Erin Brokovich. Here he somewhat reminds me of Robert Redford, but very much his evil ahole twin brother. It was my first time to appreciate Audrey Hepburn's timeless appeal. She can be devastatingly pretty but still be your average girl next door. The hot chick in this movie is even a small role by Jacqueline Bisset, who was a real knock out.

I credit this movie for starting in me a lifelong appreciation of small British and Italian cars, such as the MG, a Triumph (I think), an Alfa Romeo, a Bentley and the luscious white Mercedes 230SL whose model a friend owned I managed to test drive once. The non assisted clutch was a back breaker, but no matter, it looked fabulous, exactly what old-Hollywood stars would be driving.

Grease I

I still make references to Olivia Newton John and John Travolta's Grease, specifically where Newton John's character changes from nice to bad girl, the 'Greased Lightnin' song and Stockard Channing's 'bad girl' role, which is a precedent for all those 'popular girl in high school' roles like in Mean Girls and Clueless.

Fans of High School Musical only need to watch 'Summer Lovin' to understand what a teen musical is all about.

The Graduate

The Graduate can be summed up with these lyrics:

Never have I seen a better movie re youthful disillusionment. The Simon and Garfunkel score given, there's also the beautiful Alfa Romeo 1600 Spider, charging along the US' open highways to the sound of Mrs. Robinson, its 1600 overhead twin cam engine roaring like the beautiful Italian Goddess that it is. Yes I take notice of movie cars as much as the movies.

Wayne's World parodied that scene to perfection, with even a hilarious cameo by the late Charlton Heston.

Rocky I

I'm not particularly sure which I like better, Rocky I or II. Rocky I however, remains the most 'perfect' of all the Rocky movies imo, since I assume they never knew it was gonna be a hit so they just laid out the story of the struggling, no name but talented boxer to the hilt. There's even a scene I can't forget, where Rocky takes money from a mobster, kind of like the way The Sopranos pictured it to be.

This was a great movie after which of course, ridiculousness set in. From the entertaining Mr. T version to the mildly so so US vs USSR version, to the sad latest one, which isn't even worth a mention. Rocky I is the ultimate guy's sports movie. Better than anything out there, bar none. Movie trailer here, which sort of reminds me of how Philippine movie trailers were made. I'm trying not to remember the absolutely hilarious Chiquito version.

Well, that's it for the old movies section, unless we think of a few others. I would've wanted to watch 'Oliver' the musical again, but Jill said it's too sad. I would've also wanted my favorite oldie, High Noon, but I think it's too much of a guy thing.

After this, we're going 80's teen romantic movies, such as Pretty In Pink, Valley Girls, Fast Times at Ridgemont High and others. Friends who want a copy (you know who you are), just lemme know :)

The movie is a stunning display of violence and real life in the drug dependent slums of Rio, where large sections called Favelas are controlled by drug lords with small armies armed to the teeth with high powered rifles they carry around with them like jewelry. The streets are dark and dirty, the poor wear tatters and live in sub human conditions, the local police are so crooked and desperately corrupt that they often end up in turf fights of their own, and the rich College kids are lazy, doped out brats whose insulated view of the world makes them just as guilty to the depravity around them. On one hand, they work in NGOs trying to help the poor and mouth slogans and sing songs against the police, but on the other they consume and even distribute drugs that helps fund the cartels. A pretty familiar world for the typical city dwelling low income Pinoy, if you ask me.

Anyway I hope to write a more thorough review (although I think I may have already) once I find a new home for Movie Exchange, which I have removed from the server to save bandwidth. I also hope to do a review of the 1994 Hoop Dreams, another gritty documentary which I've finally gotten around to watch and was given the highest possible rating by none other than the great Roger Ebert himself, calling it '.. is one of the great moviegoing experiences of my lifetime'.

I have to tell you, Mr. Ebert is one of the few idols I have in life. He is a fantastic writer and speaks of the world around him with complete honesty and a lack of bias that occasionally shakes the foundations of all I had thought were my beliefs. If he says a movie affects him, then by God I will do everything I can to see it - and Hoop Dreams definitely did not disappoint.

Finally, I want to do a review of my sister's 1.3 li Toyota Vios, which I managed to drive around for a week or so.

Now those are only the stuff I'm planning to do that involves reviews. I got other stuff in line like making HowTo videos, finishing and documenting projects, and finally, joining a group I've been wanting to do for quite a while now.

I've been thinking long and hard about that last one and I'm not yet finished deliberating about it. It involves even more work for me, but at the end of it I'm pretty sure I won't regret it because it is something I've always wanted to do, which is give back. I am not afraid to fail doing so, because I believe that trying and continuing to try is enough to surpass the possibility of failure. However, I'm not going in there to fail. In order to do so, I need to have everything laid out and planned ie, get my shit in order. Either that or not at all.