A Man For All Seasons (1966)

Plot: The story of Thomas More, who stood up to King Henry VIII when the King rejected the Roman Catholic Church to obtain a divorce and remarriage.

This movie was fascinating. I didn't actually think I'd enjoy it as much as I did, but the dialogue is beautifully crafted. It didn't surprise me to learn that it was based on a play. It all centers around the dialogue. It was fascinating, given that it's so highly focused on moral values and private consciences as well, something that's not really given a lot of praise in the entertainment industry these days. Even in places where I disagreed with Sir Thomas's beliefs, I had to admire the steadfastness with which he held to those beliefs. Pressure from the government couldn't shake him from what he believed to be right. Quite an interesting story... I'd love to see it on the stage some day. 4 stars.

A Beautiful Mind (2001)

Plot: After a brilliant but asocial mathematician accepts secret work in cryptography, his life takes a turn to the nightmarish.

Wow. I can very much see why all the hype about this movie. It was pretty phenomenal. Russell Crowe turned in a great performance, his character was very believable. I felt like I was gaining great insight into the mind of someone who deals with a problem like this. Halfway through I felt that horror realizing that... er, well, for anyone who hasn't seen it yet and somehow knows nothing about it, I shan't give away the main plot element. I shall simply conclude by saying it was a truly fascinating movie and had a somewhat very satisfactory ending. And also was a bit creepy at times, which can often be a plus. :-) 4 stars.