# Favorite Movies



## cosmica76 (Jan 31, 2011)

Hi all,

Personally I would like to know what are your favorite movies? Why? Please give me their positive points or message for people in the bullets points.


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## rookie (Mar 19, 2010)

so many, i dont even remember....

one of the recent ones is inception - the plot/idea is amazing and so is the direction.
all time fav series is of course the star wars


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## Max (Apr 4, 2009)

Started something on investing lessons from movies somewhere else, so I will copy here:

JAMES CLAVELL BOOKS TURNED MOVIES (BOOKS ARE EXCELLENT, MOVIES ARE GENERALLY FAITHFUL YET CONDESED ADAPTATIONS, READ THE BOOKS FIRST)

King Rat - In a Japanese prison camp, disease, starvation, hard working conditions are taking their toll on the british prisoners. However, there is an American imprisoned with the British who is eating well, is clean, and fit. He takes a young british soldier that can speak a number of languages under his wing to teach him the art of negotiation, and how acting as an intermediary between buyers (prison guards) and sellers (prisoners) and increasing the spread, he can profit hugely even in the difficult circumstances.

Shogun - A japanese general 400 years ago, plans to become military dictator of all of Japan (shogun). This epic novel gives a lot of insight into strategy and negotiation that focus on attention to minute details.

Tai Pan - Story of the tea trade between China and Britain set against the backdrop of the annexation of Hong Kong by Britain and the battle between two rival trading houses. At the time, tea only grew in China. China was demanding only silver for payment. As China's silver reserves grew, the value of silver outside of China increased hugely. It was coming to the point where it was close to bankrupting England. So England starts smuggling in opium through merchant traders, and receiving payment by silver on the black market. Eventually, Britain plants tea in British controlled india and China's grip is broken. Gives an incredible appreciation for how attitude, reputation, and willingness to take huge risks and leave fortune or ruin in the balance on nearly every decision shaped the business dealings and negotiations in a literally cut-throat market.

Noble house - It is the sequel to Tai Pan and continues the rivalry between the trading houses and more lessons on negotiation. The focus of this book is on the financial meltdown in Hong Kong that caused most British banks to pull out of Hong Kong in panic (in Hong Kong this was particularly acute due to lack of financial regulations). I think of the fictional banks that stayed, probably the real life equivalent is HSBC. This book has particular relevance today, but is more entertainment than practical lesson on what would happen. However, the self fulfilling psychology of a run on the bank was an interesting lesson.

OTHERS:

OWNING MAHONEY

This is the story of a Canadian Banker who stole more than $2M (I think, could have been higher) to fund his gambling addiction. The best lesson of the movie was while Mahoney is on a winning streak, and is up $1M or so, and all the rest of the casino is panicking, the casino manager calmly tells everyone to wait until the end of the night. Trusting in the house odds and law of averages, the casino manager proves right in the end. You can't win if you keep playing a game with a losing edge. Even if you win, the addiction to keep playing will cause you to lose. I also like the conclusion where he is arrested for "theft over $5,000".

THE CLAIM

A very slow movie, but the story is set against the backdrop of the California gold rush and the CPR joining rail lines from the east coast to the west coast. Towns were set up surrounding gold claims, and the money had nowhere to go except to the local saloons and brothels. As the railway extended, towns would try and bribe or threaten the chief engineer to pass the railway through their town in order to bring a huge boost of tourism to the town's economy.

This is the story of a man who sold his wife and daughter in order to get the gold claim, and built a town only to see it get bypassed by the railway.

Long, slow, potentially boring. The lesson this movie made me think of was flow of money. The gold miners who struck it rich eventually gave all their money to meet basic necessities (in this case whiskey and companionship). The real winners were the businesses that supplied these needs.


THE POWER OF ONE

Around the late 1930s, the dutch inhabited south Africa along with the British. These dutch settlers were known as the Boer. Some time ago, there was a war between the British and the Boer (known as the Boer Wars), where there were incidents of some British attrocities against the Boer women and children, so ever since the two groups have not been the best of friends. I am not 100% clear on the politics, but I believe the Boer were sympathetic to germany and hitler against the British, but offcially were aligned with Britain.

Into this background comes an English boy growing up in South Africa who is sent to an all-Boer boarding school. After some traumatic experiences, he eventually leaves to apprentice to a German intellectual who is interned in a prison by the British for the duration of the war. The boy is allowed to visit the prison and because of his African language skills, he helps the African prisoners and begins a campaign to unite the African tribes in revolt by falsifying himself as a mthyical figure in order to get others to follow him. Later in life, he leads a campaign for education and equal rights and fights the apartheid system (official policy on racial segregation), using the continued myth to inspire the Africans to change.

The investing lesson here is that a story stock can carry great weight among ignorant people who dont do any analysis. Inspiring motives of greed and fear can cause investors to do things they wouldnt normally do. In the case of this story, it was benevolent leadership, but in the stock markets, the motive is much less altruistic. News and perception have a powerful influence on stock prices.

THE LEGEND OF 1900

Slightly whimsical story of a man who was born and spent all of his life on a ship and became an accomplished pianist. Story narrated by his band mate to the shipping company manager about to scuttle the ship many years later possibly with the reclusive pianist still on board.

The land is a ship too big for me speech reflects upon how the defined borders of the ship are like the limited number of keys on a piano. With boundaries, you can figure out the rules and master the subject. However, land is endless (to the protagonist anyway), and would be like a piano with infinite keys, that could never be mastered, because you could never define all the possibilities of notes to play.

There is no end to the number of factors at play causing stocks to move up and down like a boat on a raging ocean. We can never hope to master the entire stock market, but like life on land, there are many who still thrive despite not knowing everything. In the face of infinite possibility you can still have expertise in a relatively minor but well defined part of a infinitely mysterious whole.

Carve your niche, define your boundaries, and become on expert on a small part of what makes the stock market move. Then expand your boundaries along with your expertise. Eventually, you will have a big enough niche of expertise to make it work.

HELLRAISER

One of the best horror movies of all time in my opinion. This is the tale of a man who was chronically unsatisfied with earthly experiences, and this led him inevitably to push the limits too far and open a puzzle box to another dimension of S&M style torture, and his journey to find a loophole that will get him out (sounds like a good analogy for a gambling junkie playing the stock market to me).

As far as investments, it made me think of the question of when is it enough? Is 10% return enough? Do I stop when I reach a million?

I am not a big fan of planning, but at some point you have to realize that you have a list of goals, and generally there is not going to be enough money to satisfy all of them, so you need to compromise, sacrifice, or take excessive risk in order to have a chance at meeting them. Absent of this compromise to practicality, you will inevitably set yourself on a course for trouble.

Aside from having "enough", the key to happiness is lowered expectations..


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## KaeJS (Sep 28, 2010)

*Snatch* - my favourite movie of all time. It's just downright hilarious, in an english mobster "dont mess with me" kind of way.

*Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels* - Same reasons as snatch, very similar movies

*Reservoir Dogs* - Similar once again to the other two above

*Pulp Fiction* - Once again, more of a mobster, badass kind of movie. Although, I think it has a little bit of a play on how the Bible is not real, so this movie can be subjectively horrible to a lot of people if you are religious... Hence the name "Pulp Fiction". 

*Superbad* - The movie speaks for itself. It's so real, you'd have to be fake to say you can't relate to it. Brings you back to highschool days. Funny as hell.

*Good Burger* - Its a goofy/weird movie, but its a good one, nonetheless. It has a good moral background and is quite humorous as well.

*Fight Club* - This movie blows my mind. Stellar on all accounts. I don't know what to really say about it.

*Beverly Hills Ninja* - Its a classic. Very humorous.


"Do you read the Bible, Ringo? Well, there's this passage I've got memorized..."

It's funny. When I got my cell phone number forever ago, they asked me what phone number I wanted and I said "Um, I don't know. xxx xxx 2517."

And the chick at the counter asked me "Why 2517?" and I had no other reason but to reply with the truth:

"Have you ever seen Pulp Fiction? Its the Passage that Samuel Jackson says before he kills someone in the movie. Ezekiel 25:17"

Boy, did she ever give me the weirdest look. 

_"There's this passage I got memorized. Ezekiel 25:17. "The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know I am The Lord when I lay my vengeance upon you." I been saying that **** for years. And if you heard it, that meant your ***. I never gave much thought to what it meant. I just thought it was some cold-blooded **** to say to a motherfucker before I popped a cap in his ***. But I saw some **** this morning made me think twice. See, now I'm thinking, maybe it means you're the evil man, and I'm the righteous man, and Mr. 9 millimeter here, he's the shepherd protecting my righteous *** in the valley of darkness. Or it could mean you're the righteous man and I'm the shepherd and it's the world that's evil and selfish. I'd like that. But that **** ain't the truth. The truth is, you're the weak, and I'm the tyranny of evil men. But I'm trying, Ringo. I'm trying real hard to be the shepherd."_


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## greeny (Jan 31, 2011)

I love so many great films! Probably my latest impressions:
*The American:*
I was excited to watch this movie as it was set in Italy and we were on the plane to Italy! And of course, George Clooney is usually pretty great. The scenery and lifestyle in a small town in the rural Italian countryside was pretty amazing. Loved the language, music, and customs. (my personal review)
http://juliekinnear.com/toronto/movie-guide#movie_american 

*No Strings Attached*
No Strings Attached is a pretty hilarious comedy about two friends who decide to have "benefits" while they both stay single. Great cast with Ashton Kutcher & Natalie Portman. Ashton is engaging and adorable and definitely wins points in the "he would be a great boyfriend/ partner" category. I don't find comedies usually that funny so this was a nice surprise and worth the rental. 

*The Social Network*
I don't get to hit the theatres near as much as I'd like - but being a bit of a tech junky this one topped my list last Fall & I loved the movie. It was a fascinating story based on real life events. Gave me a real appreciation for Facebook. 

And many more as Titanic, Braveheart, The Pirates of Caribbean, Forrest Gump...


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## KaeJS (Sep 28, 2010)

greeny said:


> *The Social Network*
> I don't get to hit the theatres near as much as I'd like - but being a bit of a tech junky this one topped my list last Fall & I loved the movie. It was a fascinating story based on real life events. Gave me a real appreciation for Facebook.


Agreed. I saw it four times, and I'm not a big facebook fan. Great movie.


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## financialnoob (Feb 26, 2011)

KaeJS: LOL about the 2517 number. Some great movies there. 

I second the Fight Club and Pulp Fiction nominations and add the following:

Swingers: The Hangover has replaced it as THE Vegas movie, but still incredibly relevant and hilarious and yet, right on the mark when it comes to dating. The answering machine scene still makes me cringe. 

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: Probably more for the younger generation. Just a really epic flick, really takes a lot of chances and is way more than just your average typical movie experience.

Rear Window: My fav Alfred Hitchcock movie. Such a simple premise, but really opens your eyes to how we're surrounded by actual, real people with real lives and dreams and problems.

Office Space: I think I quote this movie more than anything else since I work in an office, and so much of it applies to where I work. I've probably seen this movie more than any other movie except...

The Princess Bride: I used to have this thing memorized. Love it, so many great moments and memorable quotes. Can watch it with kids or adults. 



> Grandfather: Are you kidding? Fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, True love, miracles...
> 
> Grandson: Doesn't sound too bad. I'll try and stay awake.


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## Jon_Snow (May 20, 2009)

At the risk of proclaiming myself the biggest geek (I'm 6'4") on this site, The Empire Strikes Back is a PERFECT film for me. George Lucas was kinda hands-off for this one, which explains why it was so good. Yoda (Frank Oz) turns in the greatest performance by a puppet in film history.


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## sags (May 15, 2010)

*Waking Ned Devine*

A delightful tale set in a small village in the Irish countryside. Beautiful music, scenery and a mixture of comedy and tragedy.

*Lord of the Rings Trilogy*

Entertaining films with outstanding special effects.

*The Usual Suspects*

Outstanding performances, especially by Kevin Spacey.

*Juno*

Amazing movie of how a thoughtful young woman sorts through her life.


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## donald (Apr 18, 2011)

Good will hunting-awesome story line,Matt damon and robin williams played there characters perfectly,great ending too.

There will be blood-Wicked movie about a capitalistic oil man set in the 1800s.

The departed-Boston mob,nickolson,enough said.

Gangs of new york-Recreation of boss tweed and tammny hall.

Heat-deniro and pacino,prob the best movie ive ever seen,epic.

Casino,Blow,goodfellas,the wrestler...so many great movies out there,cant wait for the new batman,health ledger killed the joker role!!,he went out on top,thats for sure!


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## greeny (Jan 31, 2011)

Especially I love this trilogy Lord of the Rings. Many my friends said that this film is for children, but I don´t agree with this argument. Lord of the Rings offers people many messages to the future. 



sags said:


> *Waking Ned Devine*
> 
> *Lord of the Rings Trilogy*
> 
> Entertaining films with outstanding special effects.


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## Max (Apr 4, 2009)

Non-investing movies (other than those mentioned above):

There are lots of great big name movies (some of them mentioned above), but here are some slightly obscure ones I felt were a refreshing change from hollywood blockbusters.

THE BIG BLUE - Story of competitive divers putting their love of the sport above all else (including their lives and family). Lots of funny moments and beautiful scenes.

GINGER SNAPS - Comparison of lycanthropy to teenage hormones (particularly menstruation). Comical, dark, a little twisted, but overall enjoyable.

HOUSE OF LUK - Canadian comedy where a bunch of story lines come together under a theme of finding happiness. Acting is typically Canadian (dry/sarcastic banter). I can't explain why, but I liked it.


Anyone have any other favourites that are a little lesser known that I might not have seen?


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## DanFo (Apr 9, 2011)

My Fav's are Shawshank Redemption and Unforgiven .
.. fight club was good too I wasn't expecting what happened ...I like Heat just for the shoot out scene
... The Big lebowski is always good for a laugh


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## financialnoob (Feb 26, 2011)

Wow this thread was waaaaaaaaaay back there.

I saw Moneyball. I had serious concerns about it but it turned out to be a really good movie, and a pretty faithful adaptation of Michael Lewis's book, which is a great read even if you're not a baseball fan, as it's really a book about how the world of economics invaded the baseball world thanks to Billy Beane and the Oakland A's.

The movie itself was really good, with great humour and strong emotional scenes. My only complaint (which is stupid, I admit) is that the book is about how the team didn't go after big stars because they were expensive and over-valued, instead relying on under-rated guys who were solid baseball players, but ridiculed for their physical appearances. Thus they were super cheap. 

But for the movie, they go out and sign one of the biggest stars to over 20% of the budget. It's exactly the type of move the Oakland A's refused to make. Though one could argue Pitt was worth it though. He carried the movie for stretches. 

Definitely worth checking out though. Even my wife loved it and she hates baseball.


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