★★★★ The Third Man

[Gino: 3.0, Twinkletoes: 4.0, Tiny: 5.0]

Tiny says: "I had not seen this in years (apparently having previously rated it a 4.0, possibly after I saw it with Twinkletoes on the big screen a few years ago during a theatrical re-release), but I watched it the other night with Mrs. Tiny, who had never seen it. My respect and admiration for the movie went even higher this time. The the intriguing story, the quick-paced and witty dialogue, the memorable characters, Welles' unforgettable speech on the Ferris wheel, and, most of all, the unsurpassed lighting and cinematography, make for a really fun movie. I watched it and thought, Why can't more movies be this good -- movies that have tremendous artistic merit and yet also a coherent, intelligent story that doesn't expect too little of its viewers? The tilted camera angles are striking and make you feel like Cotton -- uncomfortable in a foreign land where things may not be what he thought they were. Even the zither theme balances the dark story and imagery with an incongruent lightness. I do have one minor problem with a key plot element but I won't post that here."