The MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown

TRAILERS



Blade Runner - Set in a dystopian future, a blade runner is brought out of retirement to pursue and terminate four dangerous replicants that have gone rogue. But this mission might put him in a path to question his own purpose.




Chinatown - A private detective hired to expose an adulterer in 1930s Los Angeles finds himself caught up in a web of deceit, corruption, and murder.

EXTRA VIDEOS!






Eddie Muller and Ben Mankiewicz talk about Blade Runner and Chinatown.

Big, big fan of both films, although I might say Blade Runner took a couple of viewings to reach the level where I have it now. Regardless, I now consider it a bona-fide classic. The way that Ridley Scott uses this sci-fi vehicle to bring these questions of mortality and life purpose is great. Here is a bit of what I wrote last time I rewatched it:

Here is the link to my full review from 2022, and another review from 2018. Bottom line is that I love it, which is why I had it at #5.

As for Chinatown, this is one I've seen several times as well going back to the late 90s or early 2000s. I've loved it since and have always been impressed by this deglamorized version of noir that Polanski presents to us. Jack Nicholson is superb in a very low-key performance while Faye Dunaway has perhaps the more emotionally-loaded performance. However, the one that has always impressed me the most is John Huston himself with his chillingly evil performance as the despicable Noah Cross. He's excellently vile, which makes the ending hit way harder than it would if his character wasn't as slimy. Excellent film that I had at #3.



SEEN: 73/100
MY BALLOT: 24/25

I'll try to post the List Facts, and all the other extra-curricular stuff later in the evening. Have fun with the conversation during the day, and thank you MoFo, for a great list!



...Now, it's time for breakfast!

Have seen so far: 37 - Se7en - I haven't seen this movie in so long, I only remember bits and pieces of it. It's #9 on my ballot list.

L.A. Confidential - Decent crime movie from the 90's.

Taxi Driver - One of my favorite movies from the 70's, Robert De Niro did well in this movie. #1 on my ballot list.

Blade Runner - Just like the 2nd movie, slow paced and just boring for me, the atmosphere for the movie looked cool though.

Chinatown - Not a bad crime movie from the 70's.

Have not seen so far: 63

My Ballot List
#1 - Taxi Driver
#2 - Heat
#3 - The Dark Knight
#4 - Dog Day Afternoon
#5 - Who Framed Roger Rabbit
#6. Fargo
#7. No Country for Old Men
#8 - Drive
#9 - Se7en
#10 - Sin City

I just want to say @Thief did a good job at hosting and I sure had fun viewing this list.

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I watched Chinatown in 2014 and, according to my brief write-up, liked it. However it made no lasting impression on me and I've never had any desire to rewatch it. No vote.

I haven’t seen Blade Runner. It doesn’t look like my kind of movie.

My Full Ballot
1. Who Framed Roger Rabbit (#35)
2. You Were Never Really Here (#50)
3. The Man From Nowhere (#87)
4. The Departed (#53)
5. The Big Lebowski (#38)
6. L.A. Confidential (#3)
7. True Romance (#60)
8. Zodiac (#30)
9. Se7en (#6)
10. U Turn (Oliver Stone, 1997)
11. Drive (#14)
12. Shutter Island (#86)
13. The Nice Guys (#39)
14. Inherent Vice (#41)
15. Gone Girl (#34)
16. Pulp Fiction (#37)
17. Killer Joe (#66)
18. Memento (#8)
19. The Long Goodbye (#5)
20. 12 Monkeys (Terry Gilliam, 1995)
21. Dark City (#24)
22. Nightcrawler (#21)
23. Arlington Road (Mark Pellington, 1999)
24. In Cold Blood (Richard Brooks, 1967)
25. 8MM (Joel Schumacher, 1999)

Thanks for hosting, Thief!

1. Gone Girl (2014) (#34)
2. Mulholland Drive (2001) (#10)
3. The Nice Guys (2016) (#39)
4. Thelma & Louise (1991) (#56)
5. A Simple Plan (1998) (#46)
6. Collateral (2004) (#33)
7. Angel Heart (1987) (#31)
8. Dark City (1998) (#24)
9. Memento (2000) (#8)
10. Eileen (2023)

11. No Country for Old Men (2007) (#12)
12. Blade Runner 2049 (2017) (#44)
13. Blade Runner (1982) (#2)
14. Dead Calm (1989)

15. Miller's Crossing (1990) (#15)
16. Drive (2011) (#14)
17. L.A. Confidential (1997) (#3)
18. Jackie Brown (1997) (#18)
19. To Live and Die in L.A. (1985) (#43)
20. The Usual Suspects (1995) (#20)
21. Nightcrawler (2014) (#21)
22. Blood Simple (1984) (#9)
23. Cape Fear (1991)

24. Nocturnal Animals (2016)

25. Lost Highway (1997) (#55)

Thanks Thief for hosting! You did a great job, and all your "extra-curricular" stuff has been greatly appreciated - as has the facts and info provided by others like Holden Pike and John-Connor as well!

Blade Runner was one of the first films that came to mind when the topic of "neo noir" came up, and being the sci-fi fan that I am, it's probably not surprising that I had it at #1. I love the cinematography and the visual style of the film in general, the story's interesting, and the performances are great as well - especially the one given by Rutger Hauer. I'm glad to see it so high on the Countdown.

I'd seen Chinatown ages ago, and rewatched it before finalizing my list, but I didn't vote for it. I just wasn't feeling it at the time, though I certainly understand why so many people love it, and it definitely deserves a spot here on the Countdown.

The only other film from my ballot that didn't make it is one I wasn't originally going to vote for: Minority Report. It hadn't come to mind when I was making my list, but while looking at neo-noir lists online, I saw it come up a few times and it eventually convinced me to include it. If I hadn't rewatched it a couple years ago for the 2nd Sci-Fi HoF, I probably would've brushed it off, but I still liked it enough to put it at #19.

I'm pleasantly surprised that 20/25 films on my list made it onto the Countdown. That's definitely a record for me, though it's already been broken by the classic noir one haha.

Seen: 58/100

My List: 20
01. Blade Runner (1982) - #2
02. Blade Runner 2049 (2017) - #44
03. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) - #42
04. John Wick (2014) - DNP
05. Blue Ruin (2013) - #82
06. Mother (2009) - #67
07. Dark City (1998) - #24
08. Strange Days (1995) - #65
09. L.A. Confidential (1997) - #3
10. The Man from Nowhere (2010) - #87
11. Se7en (1995) - #6
12. Reservoir Dogs (1992) - #16
13. The Long Goodbye (1973) - #5
14. Angel Heart (1987) - #31
15. Infernal Affairs (2002) - #91
16. Memento (2000) - #8
17. Memories of Murder (2003) - #25
18. Minority Report (2002) - DNP
19. Le Samouraļ (1967) - #7
20. The Usual Suspects (1995) - #20
21. Oldboy (2003) - #52
22. Decision to Leave (2022) - DNP
23. Nightcrawler (2014) - #21
24. A Better Tomorrow (1986) - DNP
25. The Chaser (2008) - DNP 1-pointer

Wow! 104 points between #1 and #2.

I didn't know that Chinatown is so popular here...

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Blade Runner was my #1. It's one of those films that every time you watch it, there seems to be something new to appreciate. As a neo-noir film, I think it's excellent. It takes a lot of the ideas and themes from noir and transplants them successfully to a completely different futuristic sci-fi setting.


I don't like Chinatown.

Chinatown deserves the #1 spot. It is the most perfect of all hardboiled neo-noirs. I had it at #2. I'm more of a fan of Blade Runner, definitely, but I made a choice not to include science fiction noir.

My List:
1. Taxi Driver (#4)
2. Chinatown (#1)
3. Miller's Crossing (#15)
4. Memories of Murder (#25)
5. True Romance (#60)
6. Read My Lips (DNP)
7. Drive (#14)
8. Blood Simple (#9)
9. Nightcrawler (#21)
10. The Long Goodbye (#5)
11. The Friends of Eddie Coyle (#100)
12. Branded to Kill (#71)
13. The Man Who Wasn't There (#27)
14. Blast of Silence (#48)
15. Le Samouraļ (#7)
16. Sin City (#26)
17. Memento (#8)
18. Following (#84)
19. Blow-Up (DNP)
20. Jackie Brown (#18)
21. Mother (#67)
22. Purple Noon (#94)
23. Cop Land (DNP)
24. Against All Odds (DNP)
25. The Man from London (DNP)

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Blade Runner is also my #1. For me, it's the director's cut all the way. The original voice over may give it a noir detective feel, but it feels extremely out of place now. The theatrical ending is way too bright and cheerful too.


Chinatown is my #10. I really like it, but I think it's a bit overrated.

Neither film made my ballot, but both are very good and overdue for a rewatch.