1. Starz/Encore With arguably the best selection of movie channels on the market, Starz grades out as the best choice for movie lovers simply because it chooses to focus more on movies. What it lacks in terms of portfolio diversity (you won’t find any Starz Sports Specials), it makes up for by doing one thing and doing it well. Though in recent years Starz has branched out somewhat recent years, in an attempt to match the success of HBO and Showtime original series, Starz currently broadcast only 4 such shows. The Starz Super Pack gives subscribers access to Encore as well, specializing in blockbuster Hollywood movies.

2. Showtime/TMC Showtime’s original series are entertaining and well-done, if you are into that sort of thing, and Showtime’s movie selection is top notch. The Movie Channel provides some additional balance with a blend of major releases and less heralded titles deserving more recognition. Perhaps the biggest gripe is the issue of timeliness, as newly released movies are subject to a longer time frame before making their way from the big screen to your TV screen.

3. HBO/Cinemax Though HBO’ capacity for regularly airing movies has been watered down over the years by original programming, sports and stand-up, the HBO Original Series, like Showtime’s, are quite good, and even more widely watched. Furthermore, when combined with sister channel Cinemax, featuring nothing but movies, the breadth is still ample for many quality viewing experiences. Be warned, however, that much of Cinemax’s lineup consists of flicks that have fallen from the HBO rotation, so don’t expect tons of new titles to premiere on both stations.

For individuals interested in solely Encore or TMC, both of which are strictly movie centric, Direct TV and DISH both offer these channels to non-Starz/Showtime subscribers. However, most cable providers will require a subscription to the base Starz or Showtime in order to be eligible.

Granted, she has payed her dues since then and proved her directing talent in such films as “Lost In Translation,” but I consider it compensation. I see it as reciprocity for the time I had spent trudging through her scenes in Godfather: Part III – after I had waited an hour on a cold Thanksgiving Day for tickets and ultimately having left the theater in utter disappointment. About the only redeeming entertainment I got from her performance was when the audience applauded during the scene where her character got shot.

Yes, it took me a while to trust Mr. Coppola’s judgment after Godfather: Part III. And though I understand and respect his confidence in his daughter I hope the lesson wasn’t lost – in translation. Let’s pray that directors in the future learn to keep their kids out of it.

The other thing that strikes me every time I watch Kane is the photography, which also won an Oscar. There is no wasted space in any frame and I especially like the use of long-focus shots to bring background action into play. The screenplay and long-focus photography make the movie’s pivotal scene a wonder to behold. As his mother signs him away in the foreground, young Charlie Kane sleds in the background. Of course, at the movie’s end we realize his last word, “Rosebud,” was the name of his sled. This great man, for all his achievements, all his wealth and all his power, could never overcome the trauma of that day. He spent his life trying to acquire people and things, trying to soothe the ache of abandonment he suffered on that cold Colorado morning. The life story of Kane is, ironically, a story of loss.