bp before bp was

i'm not talking oil. the theme for this week's top 100 picks is robert redford (a.k.a. brad pitt, when the boy himself was still playing four-square on the playground). here's what i have to say about it:

all the president's men: if you're a succor for cynical mid-century political thrillers a la the manchurian candidate (1962) and the parallax view (1974), this is your flick. also tempting as a double feature with frost:nixon. this movie artfully captures the quiet intensity and indignation surrounding watergate.

butch cassidy & the sundance kid: simply stated, i love scoundrels. from robin hooding to hoodlums robbing, i find myself rooting for criminals to the dire end. and a little ole fashioned hollywood storytelling never hurts. sound like you? grab some popcorn. let butch and sundance take you for a ride.

the sting: from a competitive standpoint, this was a complete waste of time considering i watched it 3 years ago. but butch cassidy got me craving more paul newman-bob redford magic. if you haven't seen them work the streets of chicago - of if you haven't seen them in awhile - the sting is well worth a watch.

double indemnity: confession - neither robert redford nor brad pitt are in this movie. the film noir masterpiece, which took some teeth-pulling to make, raked in 7 academy award nominations in 1944. shocking, witty, and suspenseful, it's just what the doctor orders for a rainy autumnal eve.