What else can I say?

Rating: 10/10 (30 October 2008)

This is one of the few films that just about everyone I've ever known has seen. So much has been said about it before that there's almost nothing left to say. Having said that, what else can I say than that "The Wizard of Oz," is perfect? This classic seems to endure from age to age, generation to generation. So what is it about this film that works so well? The plot is ridiculous beyond all reason, but that's not the point. There's something about the film that makes me cry at the end every time. This is the film that teaches us to believe in who we already are, that "There's no place like home." There's also themes of the power of friendship, courage, etc. Combined with "Over the Rainbow," "The Yellow Brick Road," and more of the best original movie songs ever written, everything about this film works. It's humorous ("Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain"), touching, entertaining, and 100% engaging. In my opinion, probably the best film of 1939, maybe even slightly better than "Gone With the Wind." If you're one of the handful who hasn't seen this film, you've truly missed out. It's not just a classic; it's an American past time. Absolutely perfect.
**** out of ****