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The Neverending Story (1984)
Classic
One of the best films of this type ever made and one of the rare kid's film adults will probably get more out of (much like Lewis Carroll's masterpieces). Contains only half the great Michael Ende's original story (to his irritation) but definitely makes you want more.After twenty years still holds up magnificently in a way that films with fancier special effects and no emotion to speak of (read: Star Wars prequels) do not after two months. Highlights: Falkor's rescue of Atreyu from the Swamp of Sadness, the moment Bastian realizes he is an integral part of the book, Atreyu's adventure at the Southern Oracle, the Gmork's explanation of Fantasia and the Nothing, Atreyu's entrance into the Ivory Tower and the Empress's appearance and meeting with Bastian...I could go on and on. Absolutely enchanting stuff.
Batman Begins (2005)
Film that grows on you
I did not like this film much the first time I saw it -- for the odd reason that I was still holding on to the Burton flicks and thought Nolan's work would be a prequel. However the film stuck with me after viewing in a way few movies these days do, and as no previous Batman film has ever done. The more I view this film the more in it I see, and it made me want to go back into the comics and delve further into the Dark Knight's history to further my cinematic enjoyment. Subsequently seeing the film deepened my appreciation of the comics -- an ideal outcome of seeing a superhero movie. "Batman Begins" made me love comic books again. Besides "Sin City", "American Splendor", "Spiderman 2", and "Ghost World" this is bar none the best comic book film since Donner's "Superman" and it excites me to the possibilities of this genre. It makes you remember you can sit down to these things over and over and revisit these characters and situations like old friends, distant memories. "The Dark Knight" cannot come with fast enough to suit me.
Legacy (1998)
Exceptional but underrated.
Legacy, one of the few Western series to grace American television screens in recent years, was set on a Kentucky horse farm soon after the American Civil War. The Logan family, headed up by patriarch Ned (Brett Cullen), dealt with a series of domestic and romantic crises, such as the arrival of 17-year old orphan Jeremy, and Sean Logan's interracial affair with the daughter of a former slave. Although Legacy had lush location footage and an appealing cast, the ratings were not impressive, and after one season the show became one of many series thrown on the scrap heap by UPN.
A number of cast members such as Grayson McCouch and Sharon Leal went on to find success in other daytime and prime time series.
A family-run horse farm nestled among the rolling blue grass hills of post-Civil War Kentucky provides the picturesque backdrop for LEGACY, a family drama series that chronicles the proud and close-knit Logan family as they struggle to maintain their deep-seated family values of hard work and integrity in a society increasingly driven by money, power and self-indulgence.
"My grandfather came to this country 100 years ago and built an incredible life for his family out of nothing. This land means everything to us... He left us a legacy - to give others less fortunate than we are a chance to turn their lives around." - Ned Logan.
The family is led by patriarch Ned Logan (Brett Cullen, Young Riders, Falcon Crest), a widower and horse breeder who strongly believes in the "legacy" passed down by his Irish ancestors - to build a solid foundation of love and support for his family while giving others less fortunate a chance to make better lives for themselves. Yet, in a rapidly changing world, it is this very noble and "old-fashioned" belief that creates conflict within his family and within their community.
Beyond stables of horses and acres of farmland, Ned must keep sight of his family, whose lofty ambitions, romantic entanglements and mischievous adventures ensure the Logan's notoriety within social circles. Eldes son Sean (Grayson McCough, Armageddon) is a handsome, charismatic young man with a promising future and a secret love that could threaten his dreams; Clay (Jeremy Garrett, Sweet Valley High), the passionate, yet hot-tempered son, who often feels that his father's compassion for others does not extend to him; Alice (Lea Moreno, Doomrunners), an upright and conflicted teenager forced by her mother's death to play the maternal role in the family, but still searching for her own identity; and Lexy (Sarah Rayne, Teen Angel), the youngest and most willful of the offspring, who often demonstrates wisdom beyond he years.
Adding drama to the family's already delicate balance is Jeremy (Ron Melendez, Perfect Body), a street-wise and troubled 17 year-old orphan from New York who is taken in by Ned Logan. With a history of dishonesty and petty crime, Jeremy finds himself a fish out of water as he builds both relationships and rifts with the rest of the Logan family.
Raising children in a world that measures a person's success by his or her material possessions isn't easy, but Ned Logan is determined to overcome any obstacles to keep his family together and strong. After all... the Logans have a "legacy" to uphold.