One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

1975.
#20 / #33
Winner of 5 Academy Awards.

Randle McMurphy (Jack Nicholson) checks into a mental hospital after refusing to work at a prison camp. His rebelliousness draws the ire of Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher).

Eddie: How many times can I extol Jack Nicholson? There are only so many ways I can say it, but I'll try once more. Jack is da bomb. His intensity dominates the movie. There's one shot in the movie where he's looking out the window, and it holds on the close-up until his glare turns into that devilish smile. It's a very long take, but it's worth every second, as is the movie as a whole.

I had thought, before watching the movie, that ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST ended with McMurphy's lobotomy. McMurphy does, in fact, get one, but that's by no means the ending. What happens after the operation is powerful and touching. Will Sampson (who plays Chief) navigates that last scene heroically, portraying exactly how much McMurphy had meant to him.

Sarah: I felt full of anxiety the whole time I watched this film. The camera movement and the actors' performances all work together to build growing tension. I think this film, like Kesey's novel (that's right, I read it. I have a degree in literature) does a great job finding lightness amid the heavy subject matter. Or maybe it does a great job finding drama amid the sometimes comical hysteria. That's the story's brilliance. The more you try and label who is crazy and who is not, the further you will get from the answer.This is the first film we've watched in a while that we both agree deserves it's place on the list.

Side note: Eddie and I have visited the hospital where this was filmed, and the whole place gives off a gloomy heavy feeling. I can't imagine what it was like to actually be inside.

Why You Should See It: When Nurse Ratched won't allow the patients to watch a baseball game, McMurphy gets them all to pretend to watch a game on the screen. It's Nicholson hijinks at its best.

Easy Rider

1969.

Nominated for 2 Academy Awards.

#88 / #84

EASY RIDER follows Wyatt (Peter Fonda) and Billy (Dennis Hopper), two motorcycle-riding wanderers as they travel from Mexico to L.A. to New Orleans in time for Mardi Gras.

Eddie: This movie is electric. From start to finish, it is filled with immeasurable infectious energy. The acting performances and the editing and the cinematography all complement each other, creating a kaleidoscopic experience that seems to blend together by the end of the 95 minute road epic. Sarah and I talked afterwards about how much we enjoy this type of movie - so seemingly disjointed and non-linear until the end, when we were jolted by the movie's scope and narrative. The ending punches you in the head and kicks you in the stomach. It was fitting to watch EASY RIDER the day before the Fourth of July. The flick reminds you of all that is great about America while haunting you with much of what's wrong with it, too.

Sarah: As soon as the movie starts, you want to pack a satchel full of your drug of choice and hit the open road. Freedom is a central theme here, and like Eddie said, it fills you with energy. I really can't wait to see EASY RIDER again. I have a feeling it will get better with each viewing. While this film may seem deceptively simple, it is not. It is Plato's cave story set in a new era.

Why You Should See It: Jack Nicholson steals the show as the boozing lawyer, George Hanson. Jack is still great today, but to watch him at the tender age of thirty is quite an experience.

Chinatown

1974.

#19 / #21

Winner of 1 Academy Award.

Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) investigates the mysterious drowning of Hollis Mulwray (Darrell Zwerling), the chief engineer of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. Along the way, he's caught up in a conspiracy that involves water, real estate, politics, and incest. It's intense.

Sarah: This movie feels like one long episode of LAW & ORDER. Some people love LAW & ORDER. I, however, watched one too many LAW & ORDER marathons, so I was not too into the movie. The movie doesn't focus on relationships, and I got bored watching Jack Nicholson run all over town. If I have to watch someone investigate a water mystery, give me ERIN BROCKOVICH. However, if you like crime mysteries, knock yourself out.

Eddie: I, on the other hand, love LAW & ORDER. I record it every week. L&O is great, but CHINATOWN is in a league of its own. Jack Nicholson plays the amazingly cool Jake Gittes. His fast-talking hard-boiled detective-talk puts me in a hypnotic spell. The story, written by Robert Towne, is smart. It leads the viewer along without hitting you over the head or waiting for you to catch up. Roman Polanski's direction is superb, and the art direction and costumes of this movie are a perfect re-creation of a Los Angeles that has long since faded into acid-washed jeans and urban sprawl.

This is neo-noir at its finest. For maximum enjoyment, watch CHINATOWN on a double-bill with L.A. CONFIDENTIAL.

Why You Should See It: "Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown."