Since March, we’ve offered an option to connect your Netflix account with Jinni. Until now, an optional feature has been importing ratings, so Jinni can quickly learn about your taste and recommend only movies you haven’t seen.

Unfortunately, Netflix has demanded that we remove the import ratings feature. If you already imported your ratings, they will stay on Jinni.

We, and many other developers and users, have been asking Netflix to open the ratings data for a while, to give you the choice to import your Netflix ratings as you wish. We’re working with Netflix now to initiate adding an import ratings option to their API - as your ratings actually belong to you.

Davis Freeberg wrote an interesting reaction: Netflix Closes Silo (again) - Forces Jinni To Disable Ratings Feature (also published on Zatz Not Funny)

Technorati Tags: Netflix, Netflix ratings, Netflix API

Popularity: 3% [?]

Please vote for Jinni here!

We’re proud to be a nominee in The Europas, Techcrunch’s technology innovation awards for European (EMEA) tech companies. The list is a testament to the impressive level of innovation in the EMEA region. The event is held on July 9 in London.

Technorati Tags: Techcrunch, technology award

Popularity: 3% [?]

Originality is rare these days. Just look at this week’s new releases: My Sister’s Keeper is based on a novel, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is a sequel based on a children’s TV series, and Cheri is based on a novel and a play. (As We Are Movie Geeks notes, even monsters aren’t safe.)

IMDb’s top 100 titles (in the Top 250 list) echoes this: 42 (!) titles are based on books, 6 on short stories, 3 on plays, 2 on comics, TV series or true stories, and 1 on an article. That leaves only 42 movies with original scripts.

So we wondered: Which “based on” films are the best?  Is it best to go to a movie based on a book or based on a play? Should filmmakers read comics or watch TV for inspiration? Analyzing the “based on” category in our Movie Genome suggests some answers…

Based on a Book: Fantasy, classics and girls in period dresses

Typing “based on a book” in Jinni’s search box brings two main results: classics and bestsellers.

This group is full of adaptations of literary classics – from Lord of the Rings to Pride and Prejudice – alongside adaptations of recent bestsellers like Slumdog Millionaire (Q & A) and No Country for Old Men.

It’s tempting to jump to the conclusion that movies based on books are best. But despite the many book-based movies on IMDb’s top 100, there are also plenty of terrible book-based movies, some of them defiling masterpiece classics.

Also, movies based on books always have the danger of changing the book too much - enraging fans - or following it too closely - alienating people who didn’t read the book. (We’ll have to wait and see where Tim Burton’s Alice falls, beyond the amazing visuals.)

Conclusion: Watching a movie based on a bestselling or classic book is no guarantee of quality. But I think it’s safe to say that it raises the odds, which is not bad at all.

Based on an Article: Politics, society and drama

It’s a rare creature, but movies based on articles do exist. Unlike a book or a play that tells a story, articles are often more abstract and issues-oriented. Article-based movies are usually serious dramas, dealing with issues like human trade, immigration and moral quandaries.

While these movies are mostly absent from top 100 lists, deeper research reveals that they tend to be highly acclaimed and win important prizes. For example, On The Waterfront (1954) won 8 Academy Awards including best picture, and Dog Day Afternoon (1975) is considered a masterpiece by many.

Conclusion: Don’t expect hilarious comedy or light fantasy. But when you try an article-based movie, you have a good chance of striking an acclaimed drama.

Based on Comics: Superheroes, superheroes and… superheroes?

Although movies based on comics are wildly popular, they don’t have much presence in top 100 lists (except for the phenomenon called The Dark Knight).  But don’t cry for them: Financially, they get their fair share.

The successful franchises of Spider-Man, X-Men and Batman all had huge blockbusters lately. Combined with newcomers like Iron Man and Wanted, it seems like most of the money from the movie industry comes from comics adaptations these days.

As for quality – that’s another question. Alongside highly acclaimed comics features like The Dark Knight are some adaptations that shame the original comics and the movie industry. Think Elektra (2005) and Catwoman (2004): both received humiliating 10% fresh ratings on RottenTomatoes. Unreality put Watchmen on the list of most polarizing movies of the decade.

Conclusion: It’s hard to know when it comes to comics-based movies. They can be great or terrible. One caveat: The last decade or so has seen more comics-based movies that don’t deal with superheroes or special powers, but with other, more original, issues. This trend has produced some gems, like Sin City (2005), Ghost World (2001) and American Splendor (2003). That type of comics-based movie is - in my eyes - worth watching.

Based on a Play: Shakespeare meets Broadway

Search for “based on a play” on Jinni and you’ll see two main groups: serious dramatic plays including works by Shakespeare, David Mamet and Tennessee Williams, and light Broadway-style musicals like Grease, Hair and the new versions of The Producers and Hairspray.

There’s this idea that plays are more sophisticated and of higher quality than movies. The catch: Some say that really acclaimed plays, like Shakespeare’s, are so perfect in themselves that adapting them for cinema can only result in disaster. Maybe that’s true - I can think of several bad or mediocre Shakespearean adaptations, but not any masterpieces.

Perhaps that’s the reason the only 3 play-based movies on IMDb’s list are not by the greatest playwrights of all time, but by lesser-known writers. The film directors could create a world of their own, not just stay true to a classic.

Conclusion: Worth a try, especially if the original is not by a master playwright.

Based on a Folktale: Myths, fairytales and animation

Type this in Jinni’s search box, and I believe most of us will encounter some of the best-loved and remembered films of our childhoods - from all-time Disney favorites like Cinderella (1950), The Little Mermaid (1989) and Aladdin (1992) to adaptations of great folk stories like Robin Hood and the Knights of the Round Table.

Conclusion: You might not find the greatest masterpieces of our time, but you’ll get nostalgia and excellent kid-friendly suggestions.

Based on a TV series: The cash cow never gets tired?

So, there’s a TV series. It’s successful. Successful enough that producers feel compelled to try and squeeze a little more out of the lemon, by creating a movie with the same beloved characters and themes. Sometimes it happens during the series run, sometimes afterwards, but the conclusion in most cases is the same – movies based on TV series are bad.

Star Trek could be considered an exception to the rule. Otherwise, looking at this group on Jinni confirms that, other than hardcore fans of the specific TV series, most people believe the movies suck. That was the case with Sex and the City, both of The X-Files movies, Twin Peaks, Miami Vice, and many others. (And now we’ve got M. Night Shyamalan’s first trailer for The Last Airbender…)

Conclusion: If you are not a huge fan of the TV series, try another based-on category. I hope the producers of the A-Team are reading this post, and will not be too proud to cut their losses now and end the 10-year effort to make the movie…

Based on a Video Game: Shut up and shoot

If there’s one category where no one expects to find quality, it’s this. No Shakespearean monologues, original scripts or innovative directing here. What you will find is shooting, fighting and all sorts of other gritty action.

I find it hard to believe any of these movies is critically acclaimed. But like it or not, it seems these movies make enough money to justify sequels and new adaptations. The Resident Evil series, for example, already includes 4 feature films (and the 5th is releasing next year) and several straight-to-video sequels. And the release schedule for the next couple of years includes several game–based movies: Alice, Splinter Cell, Halo and the much-anticipated Prince of Persia.

So perhaps there’s something to this format after all.

Conclusion: Like the title says - if you like shooting more than talking.

Based on a Biography: The good, the bad and the funny

Biography is an interesting study case. Generally the basic material to work with is quite good: be it Jesus or Hitler, William Wallace or Ed Wood, nobody makes a movie about some ordinary, nobody guy.

But good material does not ensure a good movie, or else all biography-based movies would be masterpieces. The truth is, as usual, somewhere in the middle. This category includes highly acclaimed films like The Diving Bell and Butterfly (2007) and The Pianist (2002) alongside mediocre or just plain bad ones like Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus (2006) and De Sade (1969).

Conclusion: Every good movie needs a good story as its base. And since there are so many good stories here, I think that, despite what I wrote above, these movies tend to be at least watchable…

Based on a True Story: Why so serious?

Reality gets short shrift on IMDb’s Top 100 titles. Only 2 are based on true stories, and 5 more are based on books based on true stories. (Confused? Read it again slowly). Maybe truth isn’t stranger than fiction after all.

Almost all the movies in this category deal with serious issues: War, the Holocaust, terrorism… As with biographies, there’s no point depicting history unless something big is happening. And big things tend to be bad things. Nothing to do about it: Movies based on ordinary, daily life, even if it’s true, are just not that interesting.

Conclusion: If you want to sink your teeth into a serious film about the horrors of war or the nature of man under pressure, this one is for you.

Based on a Short Story: Variety is the spice

This category is probably the most elusive of all. In the first results pages for “Based on a short story” on Jinni, no specific styles, genres or topics jump out. There’s a little of almost everything – fantasy (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), sci-fi (2001: A Space Odyssey), drama (Away From Her) and comedy (Smoke); masterpiece (The Shawshank Redemption) and drivel (Creepshow 2).

When you think about it, this makes sense. The flexible format of the short story allows writers to experiment with a variety of styles and subjects. And the limited material allows filmmakers to stretch the story as they wish.

Conclusion: Like the variety in style, there’s a variety of quality here. It’s hard to say whether these are overall better or worse than other “based on” categories.

So what do you think about the sources of movies these days? Do you prefer a light based-on-a-game flick or a heavier based-on-an-article film? Or do you like your movies fresh and completely original? What are your favorite based-on movies? Comment and let us know!

Technorati Tags: film, movie, tv, television, based on books, based on comics, based on video games

Popularity: 5% [?]

One of the main events of this year’s Los Angeles Film Festival (June 18-28), is the premiere of Public Enemies. This gangster movie, set in the 30s and starring Johnny Depp and Christian Bale, looks very promising (and how can I object to a social media campaign that encourages me to sharpen my bank robbing skills?) - adding to the list of great gangster movies made during the last 20 years.

I say that the 1990s and 2000s have been the Golden Age of Gangster Movies. (The 70s had the two Godfather movies and Mean Streets, but not much more.) To prove my point, I chose the ten best gangster movies/TV series of each decade, set in a fierce head-to-head battle to determine which was the superior decade. Here are the results…

10. Brother (2000) vs. Bugsy (1991)

Or: Takeshi Kitano vs. Warren Beatty

Brother: As with Takeshi Kitano’s previous films, Zen stillness contrasts with sudden macho eruptions into violence. The film takes a uniquely Japanese look at the male psyche, comparable to Takeshi’s American counterparts like Peckinpah, Tarantino, and Abel Ferrara. Offbeat and strangely subdued, the story of a Yakuza mobster and his black half-brother trying to take over the LA drug scene delivers all the gangster goods.

Bugsy tells the true story of legendary New York mobster Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel (Warren Beatty). The married Bugsy falls hard for strong-willed actress Virginia Hill (Annette Bening). Together Bugsy and Virginia - with backing from the mob - start building The Flamingo hotel and casino, hoping that their dream of legal gambling and five-star entertainment will entice the masses and rake in the big bucks…

And the winner is: Brother (one of Takeshi’s best movies).

9. Running Scared (2006) vs. The Godfather: Part 3 (1990)

Or: Surprisingly great vs. Surprisingly average

Running Scared: In a film dedicated (in the closing credits) to Sam Peckinpah, Walter Hill and Brian De Palma, director Wayne Kramer splatters the screen with a level of violence that would make those masters proud. Drained of bright colors, stylish and feverishly fast-paced, this find-and-get-rid-of-a-hot-gun movie is one bloody thrill-ride.

The Godfather Part 3: Francis Ford Coppola’s finale for the epic Mafia saga once again stars Al Pacino as the aging don of the infamous Corleone family. Here he is on the verge of legitimizing the family business with the help of his nephew, Vincent Mancini (Andy Garcia). However, failing health and treacherous Mafioso colleagues keep him in the life of crime. Although Coppola reunited many of the same cast and crew from the first two Godfather movies, this one wasn’t on the same level.

And the winner is: Running Scared (fantastic underrated movie).

8. Road To Perdition (2002) vs. Miller’s Crossing (1990)

Or: Slow, atmospheric period piece vs. Slow, atmospheric period piece

Road to Perdition: Tom Hanks is outstanding as a man of action with little time for words; Paul Newman proves why he’s a screen legend; and Jude Law makes the most out of his screen-time as a creepy, parasitic hitman. Even in the harshest moments, Sam Mendes reminds the audience that this is a film about fathers and sons. That’s what elevates it from an atmospheric gangster flick to a truly astonishing work of art.

Miller’s Crossing is a violent, compelling work from the Coen brothers about an Irish gangster (Albert Finney) and his trusted lieutenant and counselor (Gabriel Byrne) who find their domination of the town threatened by an ambitious Italian underboss. Just as the threat intensifies, their friendship dissolves over a woman (Marcia Gay Harden). When one joins ranks with the enemy, bloody gang war erupts…

And the winner is: Road to Perdition (A tribute to Newman: two great movies, but the Coen Brothers will have the chance to make more great gangster movies).

7. Eastern Promises (2007) vs. Donnie Brasco (1997)

Or: Viggo Mortensen vs. Al Pacino

Eastern Promises has many of the ideas, themes and obsessions that run through David Cronenberg’s work. And he has found a very effective muse in Viggo Mortensen. Full of graphic killings and fight sequences, the movie is also a weighty piece for fans of intelligent, well-crafted crime thrillers.

Donnie Brasco is based on the autobiography Donnie Brasco, My Undercover Life in the Mafia, by former undercover agent Joseph D. Pistone. Directed by Mike Newell and starring Johnny Depp and Al Pacino, it’s a story about loyalties divided when an undercover cop and a criminal form a criminal partnership that jeopardizes the cop’s mission and blurs the boundaries between the law and the underworld.

And the winner is: Eastern Promises (two captivating undercover stories, but Promises wins by a narrow margin).

6. A History Of Violence (2005) vs. Carlito’s Way (1993)

Or: Viggo Mortensen vs. Al Pacino (and Viggo Mortensen)

A History of Violence: David Cronenberg, whose films often deal with the fantastic, the futuristic, and the supernatural, has masterfully created a wholly believable modern world where evil lurks around every corner. Howard Shore’s tense, moody music complements the outstanding acting by Viggo Mortensen in a violent, powerful film.

Carlito’s Way: Brian De Palma, who directed Al Pacino a decade earlier in Scarface, made this seem almost like that film’s sequel. There’s plenty of elaborate tracking shots and suspenseful set pieces, most memorably a pulse-pounding chase through Grand Central Station. It’s adapted from two novels by New York Supreme Court Judge Edwin Torres based on his childhood in East Harlem.

And the winner is: Carlito’s Way (another close call, this time between two starting-over stories).

5. American Gangster (2007) vs. Casino (1995)

Or: Ridley Scott vs. Martin Scorsese

American Gangster: British director Ridley Scott may seem an odd choice for an all-American crime drama, but thanks to screenwriter Steve Zallian, as well as Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, the movie creates a convincing portrait of two men who are neither entirely good nor entirely bad.

Casino shares many similarities with Goodfellas, including a script that was co-written by Martin Scorsese and Nicholas Pileggi. Scorsese’s regulars Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci are first rate here as mismatched companions, but it is Sharon Stone who steals the show with her grueling, intense performance.

And the winner is: Casino (Now concentrate on the following challenging mathematical conditions: Denzel Washington + Crowe = Pesci + De Niro; Carla Gugino ≠ Sharon Stone. And some would say that Scott tried to = Scorsese. In other words, it’s like Scorsese trying to make Alien 5).

4. Snatch (2000) vs. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)

Or: Guy Ritchie vs. Guy Ritchie

Snatch: Gangsters, Irish gypsies, and a dog that can’t stop swallowing things… With a gritty urban soundtrack, a cast of intricately developed characters, and superbly witty dialogue, this is one of the most zany, complex diamond heists ever portrayed in film.

Lock, Stock: A wild and tangled crime adventure involving gangsters, this brutally comic tale about a group of London friends who find themselves deep in debt to an East End tough is fast-paced and stylized. Director-writer Guy Ritchie’s debut weaves a tangled web of shady, eccentric characters and multiple storylines, who meet in a gleeful explosion of murder and mayhem.

And the winner is: Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (originality has its edge).

3. The Departed (2006) vs. Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Or: The roof/elevator scene vs. The ear scene

The Departed: Martin Scorsese filched the basic storyline from the masterful 2002 Hong Kong action film Infernal Affairs, in which a policeman goes undercover as a mobster and a mobster infiltrates the police. With Leonardo Di Caprio and Matt Damon as the leads, Scorsese gradually unravels his strong supporting cast, including Jack Nicholson (as a De Niro stand-in?), Ray Winstone, Mark Wahlberg and Vera Farmiga. This is the movie that finally brought Martin his well-deserved Oscars.

Reservoir Dogs is a brutally funny, supercharged introduction to Quentin Tarantino’s supremely distinctive cinematic vision, which was later to become one of the most mimicked styles of the 1990s. The movie remains one of the most influential motion pictures of the last generation.

And the winner is: Reservoir Dogs (by an ear).

2. Infernal Affairs (2002) vs. Pulp Fiction (1994)

Or: East vs. West

Infernal Affairs: A huge blockbuster in Asia, this landmark of Hong Kong cinema deserves the same status around the world. Unlike many contemporary Hong Kong films, this steers clear of over-the-top action in favor of a more stylized and subtle story that builds on emotional and psychological tension. For plot, check the head-to-head above.

Pulp Fiction changed the face of independent cinema forever, making it a legitimate player in the Hollywood mainstream. The all-star cast stepped into their roles with obvious glee, and Tarantino once again used his soundtrack to up the “cool” ante, making for a motion picture event that has worked its way into pop-culture jargon.

And the winner is: Pulp Fiction (The West is having a good run this year, first the Lakers, now Pulp Fiction).

1. The Sopranos (1999-2007) vs. Goodfellas (1990)

Or: TV vs. Cinema

The Sopranos is the most influential and acclaimed TV series ever (with maybe Lost breathing down its neck). James Gandolfini, in the role of a lifetime, made viewers empathize with a ruthless gangster/murderer on a weekly basis. Tony’s other Mafiosos, including Steven Van Zandt as the over-the-top Silvio Dante, Michael Imperioli as loose cannon Christopher Moltisanti, and of course Tony Sirico as Paulie Walnuts: the man and the haircut will all not be forgotten so quickly.

Goodfellas: Many consider this Scorsese’s best movie alongside Taxi Driver. Some even rate it above The Godfather as the best gangster movie ever. I think it’s a great movie, with wonderful performances from Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Ray Liotta, but both of the first Godfather movies are a bit superior.

Lorraine Bracco with roles both in The Sopranos (Dr. Melfi) and in Goodfellas (Karen Hill) is in a win-win situation here. She clinches the no.1 spot together with her patient, Tony Soprano.

And the winner is: The Sopranos (you try telling Tony Soprano that you’re picking Goodfellas over him).

In conclusion: I am calling it a tie; perhaps with a slight advantage to the 90s. Public Enemies could tip the scales in favor of the new millennium; it all depends on whether Christian Bale can act as a law enforcer besides Batman (See what you think of the new clips over on Get the Big Picture). And not a word about John Connor…

Technorati Tags: movie, film, movie genome, gangster movie, crime movie, public enemies

Popularity: 6% [?]

Or: Why Forgive and Forget Is Best in Life, But Not in Cinema

Tupac Shakur (born June 16th 1971) was murdered on September 13th 1996, by fans of Biggie Smalls – some say Biggie himself sent the assassins. In the movie Notorious (2009), based on the life of rapper Christopher Wallace (Biggie), the rivalry between Tupac and Biggie is presented as a misunderstanding that eventually brought about the death of two of the biggest names in rap music.

Rivalry (in the movies, and sometimes in real life) brings violence, vengeance and in some cases death. I’m not talking about a guy who cuts you off in traffic or takes the last pack of Skittles just a second ahead of you. I’m talking about real hate, and what we call at Jinni “uninhibited rivalry.” I hope that after reading this post you’ll see that forgive and forget is much better than rivalry and vengeance. That said, I have to admit that these themes produced some of the best movies ever. Here are 10 famous favorites from the movies, showing just how diverse rivalries can be.

10. “You Killed My Family, Now Prepare To Die” Rivalry

Lady Snowblood (1973)

After watching the first 10 minutes of Lady Snowblood you’ll start calling Quentin Tarantino a thief. But that’s okay, in art everybody steals from everybody, you just have to know who to steal from and what. (Or as io9 says, “Rip-Off, Don’t Remake.”) Tarantino knows, of course. If you haven’t seen Kill Bill, see Lady Snowblood first. If you have seen Kill Bill (more likely) watch Lady Snowblood anyway: It’s one hell of a movie, and you’ll enjoy counting the similarities…

9. Musical Rivalry

Amadeus (1984)

In a lavish 18th-century parlor in Austria, an elderly man is found by his servant with his throat slashed. The wound is self-inflicted, and the man is the little-known composer Salieri, contemporary and adversary of the now-famed, but once reviled, composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Later, from his cell in an insane asylum, Salieri tells a priest the story of his uncontrollable jealousy of Mozart, confessing it drove him to actually kill the brilliantly gifted but troubled young man.

8. “Dishonor Among Criminals” Rivalry

Point Blank (1967)

Lee Marvin stars as the lethal Walker in director John Boorman’s stunningly stylized daylight noir, Point Blank. Mal Reese (John Vernon), Walker’s partner in crime, shoots and leaves him for dead on desolate Alcatraz Island just after they’ve pulled off a huge heist. For good measure, Reese also makes off with Walker’s perfidious wife, Lynne (Sharon Acker). A couple of years later, while touring Alcatraz, Walker is approached by a man who offers to help him get his cut of the take by leading him to Reese and Lynne in exchange for information about the mysterious organization that now includes the thief’s ex-partner. Walker agrees.

7. Funny Rivalry

Dodgeball: a True Underdog Story (2004)

Peter La Fleur (Vince Vaughn) owns the decrepit Average Joe’s gym, which has been losing clients ever since the glitzy Globo Then La Fleur learns that if he doesn’t come up with $50,000 in 30 days, he’ll be bought out by White Goodman (Ben Stiller), Globo Gym’s preposterously vain spokesman. One thing leads to another, and La Fleur finds himself with a ragtag team preparing to take on White in a Las Vegas dodgeball tournament…

6. Magical Rivalry

The Prestige (2006)

Robert Angier and Alfred Bordon (Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale) were young magician apprentices together, but became bitter rivals as their careers diverged and a terrible accident killed Robert’s wife. In the subsequent years Robert has become wildly jealous of Alfred’s superior talents, so in a last ditch attempt to steal some artistic ground he sends his assistant, Olivia (Scarlett Johansson), to infiltrate his rival’s lair and steal the secret to a spectacular trick called “The Transported Man.”

5. Sophisticated Rivalry

The Count Of Monte Cristo (1998)

I didn’t read the book by Alexander Dumas before watching this mini series and I don’t intend to. I just can’t believe The Count of Monte Cristo can get any better than this series. Whether book, movie, play, pantomime act or The Blue Man Group’s version, nothing can outdo this 1998 masterpiece. Some might say that watching it today feels a bit dated. To them I say: @#!%^&*!. No matter what Gerard Depardieu did in the past or does in the future, to me he will always be Edmond Dantes - the Count of Monte Cristo.

4. Western Rivalry

Once Upon a Time In The West (1968)

Morton (Gabriele Ferzetti), the power-hungry owner of a railroad company, hires Frank (Henry Fonda), a gunfighter without a conscience, to kill anyone who stands in the way of the railroad’s completion. After Frank murders a landowner, his widow Jill McBain (Claudia Cardinale) hires two killers of her own. Using techniques previously unseen in the genre, Sergio Leone utilizes close-ups, color, and Ennio Morricone’s trademark score to create a tense and somber meditation on death that is widely considered to be one of the best westerns in cinematic history.

3. “Cops and Robbers” Rivalry

Heat (1995)

Robert De Niro and Al Pacino (now dueling on Screen Junkies’ list of terminally typecast actors) finally got together onscreen in this riveting story about an intense rivalry between expert thief Neil McCauley (De Niro) and volatile cop Vincent Hanna (Pacino). McCauley will stop at nothing to do what he does best and neither will Hanna, even though it means destroying everything around them, including the people they love. Heat is a truly epic story of fatal rivalry.

2. Bloody Rivalry

Kill Bill (2003)

You can say that Quentin Tarantino is childish or suffering from Napoleon syndrome, but you can’t say his movies aren’t the coolest thing ever. Music by Ennio Morricone and RZA, Uma Thurman as a beautiful female assassin looking for revenge in a yellow Bruce Lee outfit, amazing swordfights between The Bride and O-Ren (Lucy Liu), the unbelievable fight between The Bride and 88 of O-Ren’s soldiers, the transitions between color, animation and black and white… Kill Bill is a unique and unforgettable rivalry movie.

1. “You Killed My Pigeons, Plus You’re Not Nice To My Master” Rivalry

Ghost Dog (1999)

It’s my favorite movie of all time. I love it and I don’t even care if it doesn’t love me back. If I had to bring only one movie to a deserted island (one with a DVD and television on it, and electricity obviously) it would definitely be this one. With all due respect to The Crying Game and The Last King Of Scotland, Forest Whitaker was never more impressive. Jim Jarmusch creates a clever, sad, funny (watch out for the parts with Ghost Dog and Raymond the ice cream guy) and original work of art. It’s an impossible combination of a gangster/samurai/Spike Lee movie that looks nothing like anything you’ve ever seen.

So the next time someone steps on your toe and kicks you in the face, assume he did it by accident and don’t hold a grudge. But keep in mind: if he does it repeatedly, he might be doing it on purpose. In that case - Congratulations! You’ve got yourself a rival.

Search on Jinni for:
Rivalry * Vengeance * Uninhibited Rivalry * Rivals * Criminal’s Revenge * Hitman * Suspenseful * Murder * Atmospheric * Music * Musician’s Life * Heroine * Mind and soul * Betrayal * Critically acclaimed* Sports * Old West * Violence Spree

Technorati Tags: film, movie, tupac, notorious, rivalry

Popularity: 7% [?]