1.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
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The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring is a 2001 epic high fantasy adventure film directed by Peter Jackson based on the first volume of J. R. R. Tolkiens The Lord of the Rings. It is the first instalment in The Lord of the Rings series, set in Middle-earth, the story tells of the Dark Lord Sauron, who is seeking the One Ring. The Ring has found its way to the young hobbit Frodo Baggins, released on 10 December 2001, the film was highly acclaimed by critics and fans alike who considered it to be a landmark in film-making and an achievement in the fantasy film genre. It has continued to be featured on lists of the greatest fantasy films ever made. The film was a box office success, earning over $871 million worldwide. As of January 2017, it is the 50th highest-grossing film of all time worldwide unadjusted for inflation and it also won four British Academy Film Awards, including Best Film and Best Director BAFTA awards. The Special Extended Edition was released to DVD on 12 November 2002, in 2007, The Fellowship of the Ring was voted No.50 on the American Film Institutes list of 100 greatest American films. The AFI also voted it the second greatest fantasy film of all time during their 10 Top 10 special, the film ranks #24 on Empire magazines 2008 list of the 500 greatest movies of all time. Isildur is later killed by Orcs, and the Ring is lost for 2,500 years, found, the Ring is then found by a Hobbit named Bilbo Baggins. Sixty years on, Bilbo celebrates his 111th birthday in the Shire, Bilbo reveals he intends on leaving the Shire for one last adventure and leaves his inheritance to his nephew Frodo, including the Ring. Gandalf investigates the Ring, discovering its true identity and warns Frodo, learning Gollum was tortured by Orcs and told them that Bilbo took the Ring, Gandalf instructs Frodo to leave the Shire, accompanied by his gardener Samwise Gamgee. Gandalf rides to Isengard, meeting fellow wizard Saruman the White, but learns he is in league with Sauron, after a brief battle, Saruman imprisons Gandalf. The Hobbits are ambushed by the Ringwraiths, one stabbing Frodo with a morgul blade, Arwen, an elf and Strider’s lover, comes to Frodo’s aid and successfully takes him to Rivendell where he is healed, meeting Gandalf who escaped Saruman on the back of a giant eagle. Arwen’s father, Lord Elrond, holds a council, deciding that the Ring must be destroyed in Mount Doom, Bilbo gives Frodo his sword, Sting. The Fellowship of the Ring sets off but Saruman’s magic forces them to travel through the Mines of Moria, the Fellowship find the dwarves within Moria have been slain, and they are attacked by Orcs and a cave troll. They defeat them, but are confronted by an ancient demon called a Balrog, Gandalf casts the Balrog into a vast chasm, but its fiery whip drags Gandalf down into the darkness with it. The rest of the Fellowship, now led by Aragorn, reach Lothlórien, home to elves Galadriel, Galadriel privately informs Frodo that only he can complete the quest and one of his friends will try to take the Ring. Meanwhile, Saruman creates an army of Uruk-hai to track and kill the Fellowship, the Fellowship leave Lothlórien by river to Parth Galen
2.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (season 2)
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The second season of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer premiered on September 15,1997 on The WB and concluded its 22-episode season on May 19,1998. The first 13 episodes aired on Mondays at 9,00 pm ET, beginning with episode 14 the series moved to Tuesdays at 8,00 pm ET, the emotional stakes are raised in season two. New vampires Spike and Drusilla come to town along with the new slayer, Kendra Young, Xander becomes involved with Cordelia, while Willow becomes involved with witchcraft and Daniel Oz Osbourne becomes a werewolf after being bitten by a young cousin who just happens to be a werewolf. Buffy and the vampire Angel develop a relationship over the course of the season, but Angels dark past as the evil and sadistic Angelus threatens to destroy Buffy and the world. The emotional stakes are raised in two as Buffy Summers returns from a summer in Los Angeles after her death at the end of the first season. Impatient with the attitude of the Order of Aurelius, Spike kills the Anointed One. In Whats My Line the time has come for Drusillas ritual, Angel is captured by Spike after he summons a horde of bounty hunters called the Order of Taraka to attempt to eliminate Buffy. Meanwhile, a new Slayer shows up in town, Kendra, Buffy and Kendra are forced to work together in order to rescue Angel and stop Spikes plan. Although they do save Angels life and stop the Order, Drusilla is still returned to strength while Spike is crippled by Buffys assault. Kendra returns to her home as Buffy reaches a new appreciation for her destiny as a slayer, during Buffys 17th birthday, Drusilla and Spike resurrect a powerful demon called The Judge who can burn the humanity out of people and who claims to be invincible. After Buffy and Angel escape from his attack, the two consummate their relationship which brings Angel a moment of perfect happiness and ends up costing him his soul. Buffy wakes up in Angels bed the following morning alone and frets about his disappearance, later she returns to his apartment where he torments her about giving up her virginity to him. Angel, now Angelus, joins forces with Spike and Drusilla as they intend to use the judge to wipe humanity off the Earth, the Scooby Gang show up to stop them and Buffy uses a rocket launcher to kill the judge and halt the vampires plan. She then fights one on one with Angel for the first time, instead she forcibly kicks him in the testicles and leaves. Meanwhile, Willow finds out about Xander and Cordelias relationship and falls out with Xander as a result, Giles is left emotionally shattered having just mended the relationship between him and Jenny and is traumatized when he finds her lifeless body in his bed, a gift left by Angelus. He attempts to take his revenge on Angelus but is saved by Buffy who claims she cant fight her mission on her own. Meanwhile, Xander and Cordelia, and Willow and Oz, now a werewolf after being bitten by his cousin, officially begin dating. In I Only Have Eyes For You it turns out that Spike is in fact ambulatory, during the season finale, Buffy and Willow come across the spell Jenny was working on just prior to her death
3.
Austin Powers in Goldmember
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Austin Powers in Goldmember is a 2002 American spy action comedy film. It is the third and final installment of the Austin Powers trilogy starring Mike Myers in the title role, the film was directed by Jay Roach, and co-written by Mike Myers and Michael McCullers. Myers also plays the roles of Dr. Evil, Goldmember, the movie co-stars Beyoncé Knowles in her theatrical film debut, as well as Robert Wagner, Seth Green, Michael York, Verne Troyer, Michael Caine, Mindy Sterling and Fred Savage. In a self-parody of the Austin Powers series, there is a film within the film in the opening, the film grossed $296.6 million at the box office internationally. Dr. Evil plans to back in time to 1975 and bring back Johan van der Smut, aka Goldmember. He intends to use the tractor beam to pull a meteor into the Earth, striking the ice caps. Moments after this plan is revealed, Austin Powers and the British Secret Service attack the base, Austin is knighted for his services, but is disappointed when his father, the famous super-spy Nigel Powers, does not attend the event. Basil Exposition later informs Austin that Nigel has been kidnapped, Austin visits the imprisoned Dr. Evil, who tells him that Goldmember is behind the abduction. Time-travelling to 1975, Austin infiltrates Goldmembers roller disco club and is reunited with his lover, FBI agent Foxxy Cleopatra. With Foxxys help, Austin locates his father, but is unable to rescue him, Goldmember takes Nigel through Dr. Evils time machine into the present day. Foxxy wants revenge on Goldmember for murdering her partner, and accompanies Austin in his pursuit, in the present, Dr. Evil and Mini-Me instigate a riot in their prison, allowing them to escape. A British Intelligence mole named Number 3 informs Austin that Dr. Evil has moved to a new lair near Tokyo, Austin and Foxxy travel to Tokyo and confront Fat Bastard, who is now a sumo wrestler, but still does work for Dr. Evil. Fat Bastard explains that a Japanese business man, Mr. Roboto, is working on a device for Dr. Evil, Austin and Foxxy later meet with Mr. Roboto, who pleads ignorance about Nigels whereabouts. Foxxy confronts Goldmember while Austin attempts to free Nigel, but Goldmember escapes with the command unit, unable to settle their differences, Nigel and Austin part ways when they disagree on how to deal with the situation. Meanwhile, Dr. Evils son, Scott Evil, has become evil in an attempt to prove himself to his father. Scott presents his father with sharks with laser beams attached to their heads, Dr. Evil replaces Mini-Me with Scott as his favored son, the rejected Mini-Me defects and joins Austin. Austin, Foxxy and Mini-Me infiltrate the sub, but Austin is captured, Dr. Evil prepares to activate the tractor beam, but Foxxy has stolen the key and frees Austin. Dr. Goldmember activates the tractor beam, but Austin and Dr. Evil work together to reverse its polarity, destroying the meteor, Austin, Foxxy, Dr. Evil, Mini-Me and Nigel are in the audience of a Hollywood theater watching the film
4.
A Hard Day's Night (film)
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It was written by Alun Owen and originally released by United Artists. The film portrays several days in the lives of the group, the film was a financial and critical success. Time magazine rated it as one of the all-time great 100 films, British critic Leslie Halliwell described it as a comic fantasia with music, an enormous commercial success with the director trying every cinematic gag in the book and awarded it a full four stars. The film is credited as being one of the most influential films of all time, inspiring numerous spy films. Bound for a London show, the Beatles escape a horde of fans, John, Paul, George, and Ringo play a card game, entertaining schoolgirls before arriving at their destination. Upon arrival in London, the Beatles are driven to a hotel, after a night out during which Pauls grandfather causes minor trouble at a casino, the group are taken to the theatre where their performance is to be televised. The preparations are lengthy so Ringo decides to spend time alone reading a book. Pauls grandfather, a villain, a mixer, convinces him to go outside to experience life rather than reading books. He tries to have a drink in a pub, walks alongside a canal. Meanwhile, the rest of the band attempts to find Ringo. Finally, he returns after being arrested by the police along with Pauls grandfather, after the concert, the band is taken away from the hordes of fans via helicopter. The screenplay was written by Alun Owen, who was chosen because the Beatles were familiar with his play No Trams to Lime Street, and he had shown an aptitude for Liverpudlian dialogue. McCartney commented, Alun hung around us and was careful to try and put words in our mouths that he mightve heard us speak. Owen wrote the script from the viewpoint that the Beatles had become prisoners of their own fame, their schedule of performances, the script comments cheekily on the Beatles fame. For instance, at one point a fan, played by Anna Quayle, apparently recognises John Lennon, though she does not actually mention Lennons name, other dialogue is derived from actual interviews with the Beatles. When Ringo is asked if hes a mod or a rocker, he replies, Uh, no, Im a mocker, a line derived from a joke he made on the TV show Ready Steady Go. The frequent reference to McCartneys grandfather as an old man sets up a contrast with the stock description of Brambells character, Albert Steptoe in Steptoe and Son. Audiences also responded to the Beatles brash social impudence, director Richard Lester said, The general aim of the film was to present what was apparently becoming a social phenomenon in this country
5.
Minority Report (film)
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Minority Report is a 2002 American science fiction film directed by Steven Spielberg and loosely based on the short story of the same name by Philip K. Dick. Spielberg has characterized the story as fifty percent character and fifty percent very complicated storytelling with layers and layers of murder mystery, the films central theme is the question of free will versus determinism. It examines whether free will can exist if the future is set, the film was first optioned in 1992 as a sequel to another Dick adaptation, Total Recall, and started its development in 1997, after a script by Jon Cohen reached Spielberg and Cruise. Production suffered many delays due to Cruises Mission, Impossible II and Spielbergs A. I. running over schedule, Minority Report has a unique visual style. It uses high contrast to dark colors and shadows, much like a film noir picture. The films overlit shots feature desaturated colors which were achieved by bleach-bypassing the films negative in post-production, Minority Report was one of the best reviewed films of 2002. It received praise for its writing, visuals and themes, the film was nominated for and won several awards. The film was a success, earning over $358 million worldwide against an overall budget of $142 million. Over four million DVDs were sold in its first few months of home release, in April 2054, Washington, D. C. s PreCrime police stops murderers before they act, reducing the murder rate to zero. Murders are predicted using three mutated humans, called Precogs, who previsualize crimes by receiving visions of the future, would-be murderers are imprisoned in their own happy virtual reality. The Federal government is on the verge of adopting the controversial program, since the disappearance of his son Sean, PreCrime Captain John Anderton has both separated from his wife Lara and become a drug addict. While United States Department of Justice agent Danny Witwer is auditing the program, Anderton does not know Crow, but flees the area as Witwer begins a manhunt. Anderton seeks the advice of Dr. Iris Hineman, the creator of PreCrime technology, Anderton resolves to recover the minority report to prove his innocence. Anderton goes to a black market doctor for an eye transplant so as to avoid the citywide optical recognition system. He returns to PreCrime and kidnaps Agatha, shutting down the system, Anderton and Agatha go to Crows hotel room as the 36-hour time nears, finding numerous photos of children, including Seans. Crow arrives and Anderton prepares to him, accusing him to be a serial child killer. Agatha talks Anderton out of shooting Crow by telling him that he has the ability to choose his future now that he is aware of it. Crow however begs to be killed, having been hired to plant the photos, Crow grabs Andertons gun and pushes the trigger, killing himself
6.
Monterey Pop
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Monterey Pop is a 1968 concert film by D. A. Pennebaker that documents the Monterey Pop Festival of 1967. Among Pennebakers several camera operators were fellow documentarians Richard Leacock and Albert Maysles, the painter Brice Marden has an assistant camera credit, and Bob Neuwirth, who figured prominently in Pennebakers Bob Dylan documentary Dont Look Back, acted as stage manager. Titles for the film were by the illustrator Tomi Ungerer, the order of performances in the film was rearranged from the order of appearance at the festival. Additionally many artists who appeared at the festival were not included in the cut of the film. Monterey Pop was shot on 16mm film blown up to 35mm for theatrical release, director D. A. Pennebaker said he recorded the audio on a professional 8-channel reel-to-reel recorder borrowed from The Beach Boys. The movies theatrical released used a soundtrack that included two to three minutes of rudimentary surround sound. Dolby noise reduction was added in 1978 when fresh prints of the film were struck, after the original production company, Leacock-Pennebaker, was dissolved in 1970, Pennebaker Associates acquired rights to the film. In a digital remix for the video, Pennebaker eliminated the track of the theatrical release and mixed the center dialog track into the left. No Dolby was used, although Sonys initial video release inadvertently said otherwise on the packaging, in 2002 Monterey Pop was released on DVD as part of a Criterion Collection box set, The Complete Monterey Pop Festival, that also includes Pennebakers short films Jimi Plays Monterey and Shake. Otis at Monterey, as well as two hours of performances, including some by bands not seen in the original film. The box set was re-released in 2009 on Blu-ray, for this edition, the soundtracks were remixed in 5.1 Surround Sound by Eddie Kramer. Rock critic Robert Christgau considers Monterey Pop the best of the 1960s concert documentaries, saying, he music, celebrants are like a wonderful secret — wonderful because even though everyone knows about it, it still delivers the thrill of discovery. Attracted by the high volume of the music, the police arrived. In 1969, Michael Lang and Artie Kornfeld pitched an idea for a studio in Woodstock, New York to businessmen John P. Roberts. In the documentary Woodstock, Now and Then, Rosenman said the proposal suggested that the studio would encourage occasional rock concerts in the town. org
