User Reviews

As with most of the CNN-produced mini-series in this ilk, if you are watching for deep, original revelations about the subject matter then you might be a little disappointed. That isn't the way that CNN operates. Instead, this is more like people sitting around talking about their favorite movies, completely with incredibly high production value graphics and clips.

Basically covering a decade per episode (the 1930s-50s are sort of smooshed together in one), "The Movies" looks at the trends of each ten-year span through a variety of lenses. The "big ones" are always covered, but perspectives are also given each episode on women, minority, and independent-led films. As such, it leads to a pretty well-rounded discussion for such a surface-level show.

Of course, as I said, there are really no "deep dives" here. This is meant to capture the eye of casual, all-age viewers sitting around on a Sunday night, not jump-start huge philosophical or in-depth discussions.

So, your enjoyment of "The Movies" will likely depend on what you are looking for. If you don't mind--like me--just sitting back and watches clips & brief commentary on your favorite flicks, you'll burn through this in no time! If you want more nuanced content, you may want to look elsewhere.

Decades worth of movies all talked about in about 80 minutes (either one episode or split into two, depending I reckon where and how you watch it)? Well that isn't an easy task. It is made easier since the focus lies on US movies. So you won't see a lot of international movies that are equally as a amazing or even in some cases better.

But how could you pack all this in, such a short time! Yes 12 episodes that run 40 minutes (or 6 with double the time, again as stated above) sounds like a lot of time, but it isn't. At it goes by like that. Because it is fun to watch. Yes you may know most if not all the movies, depending on your film knowledge. That doesn't mean you won't find some hidden gems or learn something new about a movie or two.

Having said that, of course this can't completely cover the McCarthy era, tell us everything about Citizen Kane or any other movie you deem needs that respect. The MCU is done in a minute or so to give you a more recent example of movies that made quite the impact (no matter what you may think of them).

Also be aware that there may be a spoiler or two (I didn't count so don't quote me on that) ... just in case you were wondering. I might get back to the list this gives me - funnily enough I did watch some of the entries recently. Also do not feel "shamed" if there are movies here that you don't like ... we all have different tastes. So just because a movie made an impact (or two or three ...), doesn't mean you have to think it's the best thing ever ... or one of them.

So sit back, relax and enjoy some of your favorites (to come) ...

With all the other shows that CNN has done like the shows that explore the many famous decades they never really talked about the movies, more about the TV shows that were a huge hit in that time period. Being a movie buff this is awesome for me and if you are a movie buff watch this. But this show does also have the feel of those other CNN shows which can be a problem. The pacing can suffer at some points when they talk about movies that people never really were well known like in the 80s episode but all in all, I'm having a great time watching this series. Even though CNN is a democratic station it doesn't look like they are getting political with this series but they could in the future possibly or they already have. If they do get political I won't care because I'm here for the movies not politics. And like I said if you are a movie buff watch this.

The purpose of series seems be to remind. Films, actors, directors. And , nothing more. It is enough, for me. Because it is a resurrection of memories, moments, emotions. Sure, it could be better. But my gratitude for the idea and, at the first sigh, simplistic craft, is round. Because it is a good way to discover reactions , testimonies and impressions of actors and directors . So, just good serie.

I'm a cinephile(it's in my reviewer name) so when I heard a few days ago that this series was happening, I was pumped! (This is now my 260th review!) The show simply talks about the great movies of a specific decade. This week, they talked about the 80s.

Such movies they reference include: Raging Bull, Ordinary People, Raiders of the Lost Ark, ET, Gandhi, The Breakfast Club, Stand By Me(a bit too briefly), Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Die Hard, When Harry Met Sally, Ghost-busters, the list continues on and on. I wished some other movies were mentioned, like The Last Temptation of Christ and Shoah(both are in my top 10)-but I understand that they couldn't discuss every movie that releases within a decade.

Through every segment, celebrities and critics give their input on how these movies impact us today(For example, ET brought long lines of people waiting to see it.) We get interviews from directors like Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg, film critics like Christy Lemire and Alonso Duralde(who says Die Hard is about as perfect as Casablanca-think about that...), and actors like Tom Hanks say a few words(who is also the co-executive producer of this series.) It's exciting to hear such people in the movie business talk enthusiastically about the medium!

We also get many facts about the movies, many I knew, but are still fun to hear about again. For instance, it showed how animated characters were blended in with live action scenery in Roger Rabbit, and a clip was shown of the Donald and Duffy scene occurring WITHOUT the characters drawn in! Honestly, that was more impressive than the actual scene! Rob Reiner also mentions that he filmed the orgasm scene in When Harry Met Sally in front of his own mother(she's the woman who says: "I'll have what she's having.")

Also, there are only about 5 minutes of previews for every 10ish minutes of the show, which was a fair balance.

As you can see, if you love movies as much as I do, this series will be like a kid in a candy store for you! It's a delight from start to finish, and it's a must see for film buffs-yet anyone else should see it as well. (Next week is about the movies of the 90s-by the way.) This is POSSIBLY the best mini-series(or series in general) that I have ever seen. It's that great and feel-good.

PS, CNN-if you are reading this review,I would love for you to release this to DVD for $20-$30, possibly-thank you! :)

The Movies is a TV Show about what movies made an impact on the certain era that they are talking about.

The Movies is a great TV show they will defiantly get watched more in the future. I can't wait for the next one about the 90s. Then also the 70s one when ever that comes out. In the newest one they talked about all of the big movies. They didn't talk a whole bunch about all of them but they gave you a good enough gist of the effect it had on the 80s. Also some of it was a little funny. I think this might be one of my favorite TV shows.

Overall, The Movies is a great TV documentary show that I would defiantly recommend checking out.

Saving the best for last!! As a movie buff of this age, I loved hearing all the extras about the people of this era. It's been said, for great reason, they don't make movies like that anymore. Thanks for the memories!

So many great movies, so little time! I rated this 8 stars. Why? Because it brought back floods of good memories. (And a few not-so-good). And, it gave me interest in movies that I did not see when released, and now will be looking for. The series is not entertainment. It is information. I will be watching every episode if they rerun them. The times they were on, CNN needed to preempt with actual news. Please, CNN: Rebroadcast.

It starts so well, until it rushes through movies that need to be talked about, to talk about some random film never heard of. The way they skip back and fourth through years skipping 9 yrs froward then 9 years back seems to damage what that decade did in Cinema and the 2000 taken over promoting the same bad films Oscar's did. If anything shows not much hope for cinema going forward. Tried to please too many people but missed so many movies and including cartoons like Pixard shows the program has no credibility. This could and should include movies in categories, Action, comedy etc. They could then do cartoons if they must. All you see today is directors controlled by studios and political pandering and lots of angry people wishing they re-shoot the failed movies rushed in to cinemas and studios trying to remake movies without a clue as to why the movie was a hit.

From actor Tom Hanks who executive produced this limited series "The Movies" is one that's well done as it's a showcase of the past and the screen gems that impacted culture and shaped many of lives. As each episode looks back at a certain decade of film clips and montages are highlighted with comments given from directors, actors, actresses, and film critics and even media studies professors weigh in on the importance of movies. Need I say more any film buff and fan of history and the past will enjoy this as it represents so much of culture and life.

A good choice of films and some clever remarks. But: "Movies", according to this documentary, were made only in the US. And: the film doesn't give you the time to study single scenes or shots. It is an overview for people who don't really watch. Typical CNN, typical American and typical superficial. Evaluations mostly without reason. So it is not more than a string of reminders of great moments in cinema history for those who know the films. Scorsese, who adds a few short statements, has made better documentaries on the history of (not only northamerican) cinema. But if you don't spend more than 15 $ or Euro on the DVD it is okay.

I actually loved this series. Why do I hate it too? Because it served as a reminder of all the movies I've missed or want to see again. I hate the fact that I don't have the time to see each one. This was truly a love story to the movies.

I'm a big movie fan so I was looking forward to this series. Episode 1 is a big disappointment. It's nothing more than a collection of films from the 1980s slapped together with some commentary, mostly from the people who made the films. There is no attempt to analyze what was going on in the film industry itself, how economic and political events influenced the films, nor how the 80s represented any trends that occurred earlier. No one squandered a single IQ point making this series. Think of it as a "coming attractions" that goes on and on. Some people will enjoy it. I did. But how much more valuable would this have been had they made an attempt to do more than show us a bunch of films. FWIW - Episode 2 shows the same trend. A great for movie fans but a missed opportunity to really inform.

The first episode was very interesting and so awesome to watch for a HUGE movie person like myself. I would've liked for them to go in order by year with the movies, but it's a still a great show so far and I'm excited for future episodes!

CNN Films have been making excellent documentaries for many years now. The first episode in the series called "The Movies" focuses on the movies of the 80s - one of the greatest decades for film and music. Nevertheless, 12 minutes into it, and I found myself resorting to my basic instinct to fast-forward it. I did finish watching it though (I had DVR'd it). However, it was nothing like sitting with my eyes wide open and jaw on the floor for the entire duration of "Apollo 11."

The format of the documentary series is straightforward. A brief interview with an actor, director, or film critic is followed by the relevant movie clip, another interview, a movie clip, and then rare behind-the-scenes footage. More interviews follow, and the cycle repeats until the credits roll. Nothing wrong with the format here but the subjects discussed was random at best.

Even 30 minutes into the 80s episode, I still found it hard to discern the intent of the filmmakers. On the one hand, they appear to be aiming for the lofty goal of examining the confluence of movies and popular culture of a decade, and on the other hand, they seemed to be hell-bent on keeping the entertainment aspect their top priority. This documentary series could have been an excellent opportunity to educate the audience on how the culture of each decade influenced the film making of that era. Had they cared to investigate from the standpoint of Media Anthropology - as a means of understanding audiences and social aspects of mass media - instead of solely relying on the entertainment value of the films, they could have achieved the real purpose behind making a documentary, which, as I mentioned earlier, should be to educate the masses. For a documentary that professes to aim high, it did not feel like an intelligent and in-depth analysis of the impact cinema of any past decade had had on society or vice versa. It is doubtful whether the series as whole succeeds in convincing its viewers that movies are more than the satisfactory crunch of overpriced popcorn under your teeth.

This documentary series is about an art form that focuses on entertainment. However, they seem to have overlooked one crucial detail. They chose to make a documentary on the behind-the-scenes and cultural impact of the movies, but then being a documentary, and it is a fair argument to make, they should have at least focused on educating the masses on why the entertainment industry functions the way it does. Constant titillation with trivia and shallow discourse doesn't exactly do justice, case in point:

In the 80s episode, one moment the guests are gushing over ET and the cultural impact its success had, the next moment the director decides to blast - very briefly, mind you - through the apocalyptic background of Robocop and Mad Max. If you blink right here, you could miss the mention of at least two more films. A few minutes pass and then: A quick peek into how Rob Reiner embarrassed himself imitating an orgasm in front of his on-set mother, and then you get pushed into the sweaty and bloody face of Robert de Niro in Raging Bull. There are tidbits of movie trivia thrown in between these scenes and some more interviews. I must admit the part of John Huges, and his movies were really touching, and I really enjoyed it.

The filmmakers tried to cram a lot in two hours of each episode, including occasional orbits around some social issues before landing squarely on the safe platform of entertainment. This is what generally happens on every episode of the series. There is nothing in any of the two-hour events that you cannot find online, in print or in the Special Features section of a DVD. The entire exercise, though entertaining, seemed futile to me. Needless to say, I for one, am left none the wiser.

First off, the show tried to cram too much into each episode. Most the episode is having people say "this was a good movie" and then moving on to the next film. The show doesn't have that much of a direction. It becomes obvious that it is about people in Hollywood wanting to say what movies they like and nothing more.

1/3 (at most) of each episode dives shallowly into timeless movies of the decade. 1/3 focuses on movies that have political undertones and slants it towards our political enviornment of the last few years. Finally, any movie that fills the emptiness of the current new social movements.

This series brings you down after every episode.

Where is european cinematography? Where are Jarmusch, Lynch? Where "Godfather"?

I am an enthusiastic movie devotee and this series of documentaries is both disheartening and disapointing.For a subject that encompasses the industrial as well as the artistic , this treatment of 'The Movies' reflects post modernism at it's highest point ie it is simplistic and superficial .There is no mention,in depth, of any other country's movie tradition or achievements and therefore leaves the ignorant thinking movie making was and is a solely USA construct and endeavour. The film clips were the only highlight but marred by the shallowness of the commentary.

I expected explanations and how Kurosawa and other foreign directors influenced Hollywood movies but we mostly got list of movies from that era which we already knew. Movies that were significant for black culture were the only thing that were explained well. No Kurosawa no Fellini no Goddard no Ozu no Bergman and Tarkovsky... I loved when Edgar Wright and PTA were talking but that's about it.

I WAS TRULY DISAPPOINTED. NOT ONCE DID THEY TALK ABOUT STAR TREK IN THE 70'S, 80'S, 90'S OR 2000'S. GENE RODENBERRY DESERVERD BETTER THAN THAT. WHAT HATERS!!

I can't believe David Lynch was not mentioned once during the nineties episode. Since all the movies in the documentary are American anyway, why isn't this great artist being recognized at all?

And by the way... There are so many great films from the rest of the world as well, but this documentary only focuses on classical Hollywood.

Apart from that, nothing new or shocking is revealed. These are mostly just actors and directors saying they like a movie, one of them actually said it in the form of 'this movie is one of the best' which is the type of comments you often see on the internet that I find ridiculous. I believe this should always be rephrased as 'I find this movie one of the best'. It's all subjective no?