Directors DIRECTOR FILMOGRAPHY - The Films of BARRY LEVINSON (1 Viewer)

DIRECTOR FILMOGRAPHY - The Films of BARRY LEVINSON

Rank ‘em, rate ‘em, review ‘em or whatever.

[SIZE= 12px] BARRY LEVINSON[/SIZE]

The Bay (2011)

[SIZE= 12px]You Don't Know Jack (2010) (TV)[/SIZE]

[SIZE= 12px]PoliWood (2009)[/SIZE]

[SIZE= 12px]Just What Happened? (2008) [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 12px]Man of the Year (2006)
Hindsight Is 20/20... (2004)
Envy (2004)
A Uniform Used to Mean Something... (2004)
Bandits (2001)
An Everlasting Piece (2000)
Liberty Heights (1999)
The 20th Century: Yesterday's Tomorrows (1999) (TV)
Original Diner Guys (1999)
Sphere (1998)
Wag the Dog (1997)
Sleepers (1996)
Disclosure (1994)
Jimmy Hollywood (1994)
Toys (1992)
Bugsy (1991)
Avalon (1990)
Rain Man (1988)
Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
Tin Men (1987)
Young Sherlock Holmes (1985)
The Natural (1984)
Diner (1982) [/SIZE]

Ratings out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


[SIZE= 14px]BARRY LEVINSON (1942 - )[/SIZE]


The Bay (2011)
You Don't Know Jack (2010)

PoliWood (2009)
Just What Happened? (2008) :star: :star:
Man of the Year (2006) :star: :star:
Hindsight Is 20/20... (2004)
Envy (2004)
A Uniform Used to Mean Something... (2004)
Bandits (2001) :star: :star: 1/2
An Everlasting Piece (2000)
Liberty Heights (1999) :star: :star: :star:
The 20th Century: Yesterday's Tomorrows (1999)
Original Diner Guys (1999)
Sphere (1998) :star: :star: 1/2
Wag the Dog (1997) :star: :star: :star:
Sleepers (1996) :star: :star: :star:
Disclosure (1994) :star: :star:
Jimmy Hollywood (1994) :star: :star:
Toys (1992) :star: 1/2
Bugsy (1991) :star: :star: :star:
Avalon (1990) :star: :star: :star:
Rain Man (1988) :star: :star: :star: 1/2
Good Morning, Vietnam (1987) :star: :star: :star:
Tin Men (1987) :star: :star: 1/2
Young Sherlock Holmes (1985) :star: :star: 1/2
The Natural (1984) :star: :star: :star:
Diner (1982) :star: :star: :star:

My Italian Story (2005)
Hindsight Is 20/20... (2004)
Envy (2004)
A Uniform Used to Mean Something... (2004)
Bandits (2001)
An Everlasting Piece (2000)
Liberty Heights (1999)
The 20th Century: Yesterday's Tomorrows (1999) (TV)
Original Diner Guys (1999)
Sphere (1998)
Wag the Dog (1997)
Sleepers (1996)
Disclosure (1994)
Jimmy Hollywood (1994)
Toys (1992)
Bugsy (1991)
Avalon (1990)
Rain Man (1988)
Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
Tin Men (1987)
Young Sherlock Holmes (1985)
The Natural (1984)
Diner (1982)

Bolded films I've seen.

BARRY LEVINSON

Seen: 6
Like: 4
Own: 4

Rank order:

Diner (1982)
Rain Man (1988)
Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
Sphere (1998)
The Natural (1984)
Wag the Dog (1997)

"The Mississippi River broke through a protective dike today. What is a protective dike? Is it a large woman that says "Don't go near there! But Betty.. Don't go near there! Don't go down by the river!"... No, we can't say "dyke" on the air, we can't even say "lesbian" anymore, it's "women in comfortable shoes. Thank You."

Bandits (2001) :star: :star: :star:
Sphere (1998) :star: :star: :star:
Wag the Dog (1997) :star: :star: :star:
Sleepers (1996) :star: :star:
Disclosure (1994) :star: :star:
Toys (1992) :star: :star: :star:
Bugsy (1991) :star: :star: :star:
Rain Man (1988) :star: :star: :star:
Good Morning, Vietnam (1987) :star: :star: :star: :star:
Young Sherlock Holmes (1985) :star: :star: :star: :star: :star:
The Natural (1984) :star: :star: :star:

My number one Barry Levinson film might raise a few eyebrows, some of you haven't even seen it. Young Sherlock Holmes, a great little film which I saw at the cinema 20 years ago and always had a soft spot for, a personal favorite than, but if I had to pick Barry Levinson's "greatest" film, probably Bugsy or Rain Man, I've yet to see Diner.

Rankings (top 5)

1)Young Sherlock Holmes
2)Good Morning Vietnam
3)Bugsy
4)Rain Man
5)Sphere

Average Rating 3 out of 5

Out of 4 stars:

Rain Man: :star: :star: :star: 1/2
Liberty Heights: :star: :star: :star:
Diner: :star: :star: :star:
The Natural: :star: :star: :star:
Young Sherlock Holmes: :star: :star: 1/2

I've also seen Bugsy and Good Morning Vietnam. Liked 'em both, but my memories are hazy.

Steve,
As a kid I had a thing for Young Sherlock Holmes as well. I recently re-watched it, however, and couldn't help thinking that it was excessively silly, if still fun. Some of the effects have held up pretty well, but they don't have the same "holy shit" impact that they did 20 years ago. 20 years? Wow, that makes me feel old.

*1. The Natural - A- (My favorite baseball film, though one of the most problematic films that I love. The love story is awful and the film's treatment of women offensive, but the baseball scenes are great and Randy Newman's score is iconic.)
[COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 255)]2. Good Morning, Vietnam - A-[/COLOR] (Another problematic, but loved film. It's attempts at seriousness are often hamfisted, but it shines whenever it sits back and just lets Robin Williams be funny)
[COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 255)]3. Liberty Heights - A-[/COLOR] (Hardly anyone saw this, I might have been all by myself in the theater, but by far my favorite of his "Baltimore" films. Tries too hard, but the love stories strike an emotional chord.)
4. The Band That Wouldn't Die - A-
5. Young Sherlock Holmes - B (guessing, haven't seen it 15+ years, but used to be a favorite.)
6. What Just Happened? - B
7. Avalon - B
8. Wag the Dog - B
9. Disclosure - B-
10. Diner - C+ (The "Baltimore Colts test" is comedy gold, but I barely laughed at anything else. Plus it tries to be angsty and serious, yet pokes fun at The Seventh Seal (which is actually a lot funnier than Diner is))
11. Tin Men - C (A film I thought I would like a lot, and didn't.)

Own: 1 (I've considered buying Liberty Heights several times since it's shown up in bargain bins for years)

Would like to see Bugsy, maybe watch all of Rain Man some day (another one of those I've seen parts of a jillion times, including the ending, but never the whole thing).

Well there were only 2 or 3 minutes of special effects in the entire film Marc, though they were good for that time. I just liked the atmosphere of the film, the actors played their parts well, plus a great score by Bruce Broughton. Like I said it's a personal favorite, Bugsy is a greater film I know but sometimes nostalgia rules when it comes to ranking films.

Ratings from :star: to :star: :star: :star: :star: :star:

What Just Happened (2008) :star: :star: :star:
Man of the Year (2006) :star: :star: :star:
Hindsight Is 20/20... (2004)
[COLOR= #ff0000]Envy [/COLOR](2004) :star: :star: :star: (I may be the only person who thought this was funny)
A Uniform Used to Mean Something... (2004)
Bandits (2001) :star: :star:
An Everlasting Piece (2000) :star:
Liberty Heights (1999) :star: :star: :star: :star: (Own the DVD)
The 20th Century: Yesterday's Tomorrows (1999) (TV)
Original Diner Guys (1999)
Sphere (1998) :star: :star: (Own the DVD)
Wag the Dog (1997) :star: :star:
[COLOR= #ff0000]Sleepers [/COLOR](1996) :star: :star: :star:
Disclosure (1994) :star:
Jimmy Hollywood (1994) :star: :star:
[COLOR= #ff0000]Toys [/COLOR](1992) :star: :star: :star: (Own the DVD)
Bugsy (1991) :star: :star:
Avalon (1990) :star: :star: :star: (Used to own the LD)
[COLOR= #ff0000]Rain Man [/COLOR](1988) :star: :star: :star:
Good Morning, Vietnam (1987) :star: :star: :star:
Tin Men (1987) :star: :star:
[COLOR= #ff0000]Young Sherlock Holmes [/COLOR](1985) :star: :star: :star:
The Natural (1984) :star:
Diner (1982) :star: :star:

Seen 20
Own 3

I see a pattern here Brook. You seem to be offended by films that 'make fun' of films you hold dear, such as The Seventh Seal and Frankenstein. This seems to be another thing that really distinguishes us. Amongst my very favorite films are many, many comedies that parody other films I love.

Well in Diner it's relatively inocuous and short. I wouldn't even care if I thought it was a better movie. I just find it funny that it tries to be funny by poking fun, in the most cliche way possible, at a film that is funnier than it is. Anyone that's actually seen and understood The Seventh Seal would know that it is not a dour, somber film. And making fun of it and by implication, "art film" fans is incredibly indulgent. I imagine 'ol Ingmar emerging Marshall McLuhan-style from behind a standee to say "You know nothing of my work".

Re: Steve and his afinity for Young Sherlock Holmes:



True indeed, witness my inexplicable love for Johnny Dangerously.

To tell you the truth Brook, I barely remember the bit in Diner about Seventh Seal (I assume that's NOT the movie they're watching during the popcorn scene), although I do remember seeing many a pretentious art film in that theater when I was in grad school in Baltimore, although of course I don't put The Seventh Seal in that category. But while I enjoy the hell out of The Seventh Seal, and agree that it's not dour nor somber, I also have never thought of it as a comedy. It's a great movie, but it is a drama, and while there may have been some, I can't recall any laughs in it.

If I'm recalling correctly, you do like, at least some Monty Python, which strikes me as a bit odd, as they really make fun of The Seventh Seal (both in a whole skit in Meaning of Life, as well as in the trailer for Holy Grail, and in many other places). I figured that would be more upsetting than a short scene in Diner.

Ratings on a scale of * to *****:

1: Sphere (1998) ****½
2: Toys (1992) ***½
3: Sleepers (1996) ***
4: Disclosure (1994) ***
5: Wag the Dog (1997) **
6: Bandits (2001) **
7: Rain Man (1988) *½
8: Envy (2004) *½

Own 1

1. Good Morning Vietnam

2. Bugsy

3. Young Sherlock Holmes

4. Sleepers

5. Toys-fascinating and underrated film

6. Jimmy Hollywood-"Hi, I'm Joe Pesci. I just won an Oscar. Let's cash in with something pretty bad."

7. Tin Men-lame

8. The Natural-Oooo he hit the ball! Oooo it flew into the lights! Oooo look at the pretty sparks!

9. Rain Man-sanctimonious ***CRAP***

BARRY LEVINSON

The Natural (1984) :star::star::star: / 4
Wag the Dog (1997) :star::star::star:
Bugsy (1991) :star::star::star:
Good Morning, Vietnam (1987) :star::star: / 3
Liberty Heights (1999) :star::star: / 3
Rain Man (1988) :star::star: / 3
Sleepers (1996) :star::star: / 3
Disclosure (1994) :star::star: / 3

Updated Master list...............................

I remember these threads, seem so long ago now... [sniff]

It's Rathe Jim, Rathe! Good film Young Sherlock eh? Now I suppose it's my turn to seek out Diner.

Rain Man (1988) ****
Diner (1982) **

UPDATED:

Man of the Year (2006) :star: :star: :star:

Seen 19
Own 3