Kundun by Martin Scorsese

Martin Scorsese is one of the true masters of American Cinema in his 1997 film, Kundun, he leaves his comfortable New York setting in favor of Tibet and the turmoil of the 1930s and 40s that was felt between China and Tibet. The picture is not one of his "top tier" pictures, but it is incredibly moving and spiritual in a way that Scorsese does not tend to make. Kundun, is, of course, the name of the first Buddha of Compassion who, legend says, has been reincarnated 14 times and is now known as the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan political and spiritual leader, who is currently living in exile in India (since the early 1950's).

Rated PG-13 for Some violent Images

***1/2

The Savages by Tamara Jenkins

Tamara Jenkins' Sophomore film is one the speaks with power. The Savage siblings appropriatley named John (Hoffman) and Wendy (Linney in an Oscar nominated role) (characters in Peter Pan) have never grown up. As they are in their late 40s they are faced with the challenge of dealing with their father, who they view as an abandoner, who is dying and has dimensia. Both performances have these super stars at the top of their career performing an Oscar nominated script in a year of wonderful original and adapted screenplays, this stands out as one of the best three scripts of the year.

Rated R for some Sexuality and Language

****

Top Biopics - 1 - Raging Bull by Martin Scorsese (1980)

Was there any doubt? Scorsese's film is so perfect that it is known world-wide as one of five to ten best American films ever made. It was this film that made him one of the two or three most important directors in modern cinema. While training Robert De Niro for the role Jake LaMatta himself said that if he were not already over 30 years old that De Niro would make an outstanding boxer. And has there ever been a more heartwrenching scene as when an old, fat, washed up LaMatta recite's Marlon Brando's "I couldda been a contender" speech from In the Water Front? I think not