What it lacks in style and finesse, "Educating Rita" makes up for with a beautiful and inspiring message. Julie Walters and Michael Caine have wonderful chemistry in this film and their cheeky banter is so entertaining to watch. Walters brings such charisma and likeability to her character Rita, that you can't help but root for her. Caine plays his character Frank with an ease that comes off as very realistic; I loved the way he would smile or laugh at…

This film was not only beautiful in its scenery and scope, but in its handling of humanity and its relationship with the earth, technology and each other. Even after the 5 hour runtime concluded, I wanted to spend much, much more time with these characters who were so wonderfully realized. That's just how deep and colorful of a world Wim Wenders created. The plot took on so many fascinating turns that it continually felt fresh and alive.

The defining moment…

"War and Peace" brings new meaning to the "epic" film genre. Broken into 4 parts that took 5 years to shoot (1962-1967), this Russian film adaptation of the Leo Tolstoy novel is quite remarkable. Not only is the film gorgeously shot in rich color, making exquisite use of its grand locations and thousands of extras, but it also employs several fascinating film-making techniques: pouring water over the lens to create a dreamlike quality; attaching cameras to zip lines to capture…