The MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown

I've seen both of today's movies, but didn't vote for either. I like Fargo, but it's never been a favorite and I don't think it came to mind when making my ballot. I don't like No Country For Old Men.

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Fargo holds more than one top spot for me: my #1 movie of the '90s, my #1 Coen bros. movie and #1 on my ballot.

I figured it would be #1 on this countdown, but I'll take #11. Only a heartbeat away from the top 10. Not bad.

Fargo was #14 on the MoFo Top 100 of the 1990s, #60 on the original MoFo Top 100 in 2010, and #98 on the MoFo Top 100 Comedies. No Country for Old Men was #1 on the MoFo Top 100 of the 2000s, #9 on the MoFo Top 100 of the Millenium, and #51 on the MoFo Top 100 Refresh in 2020.

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"Film is a disease. When it infects your bloodstream it takes over as the number one hormone. It bosses the enzymes, directs the pineal gland, plays Iago to your psyche. As with heroin, the antidote to Film is more Film." - Frank Capra

WHAT DID YOU THINK OF... NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN


Roger Ebert said:

Lee Clark Mitchell, from Dismantling the Western, said:

@aronisred said:

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WHAT DID YOU THINK OF... FARGO


Roger Ebert said:

Peter Bradshaw, from The Guardian, said:

@TylerDurden99 said:

I’m a big fan of both Fargo and No Country For Old Men. Fargo was my number 3 and No Country was my number 4.

Seen: 77/90

No Country for Old Men was my #9. I understand the argument against its noir credentials, but to me, it works as a neo-noir, and is one of the best. Oddly, as much as my wife adores Miller's Crossing and the Coens in general, she just doesn't care for this one, so I don't get a chance to watch it as often as I would like. Myself? I love pretty much everything about this film. One of the most memorable and cold villains of all time, stellar cinematography, an air tight screenplay... it's got it all!



Also a fan of Fargo, but I don't hold it in as high regard as some of the Coens' work, and its noir pedigree isn't as apparent to me. Great film, but did not make my ballot.

71 Seen

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Stats: Pit Stop #9

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After hitting our ninth pit stop (90), here's were we are now:

Decade Breakdown

• 1960s = 12
• 1970s = 12
• 1980s = 10
• 1990s = 28
• 2000s = 15
• 2010s = 13
• 2020s = 0

The 1990s keep pushing its lead with 5 entries in the last batch to pretty much secure the lead, while the 2000s remain in second for now.


Recurring Directors

• Coen Brothers = 5
• Michael Mann = 4
• David Lynch = 3
• Quentin Tarantino = 3
• William Friedkin = 3
• David Fincher = 3
• Brian de Palma = 2
• Bong Joon-ho = 2
• Shane Black = 2
• Martin Scorsese = 2
• Christopher Nolan = 2

The Coen brothers catapult to the top with three entries in this last batch for a total of 5 films in the countdown. Lynch and Tarantino also add a third one to their respective lists.

I'm not sure but I think I seen Fargo but I can't find anywhere on MoFo where I actually said that. I know I haven't seen No Country for Old Men. I wouldn't mind see either film or both.

"Pretty much"? My math isn't the strongest, but there are only ten titles left. Even if all ten of them were from the 2000s - and only two of them are - mathematically the 1990s can't be caught. And there should be another pair of 1990 titles meaning they'll top out at an impressive thirty. The expected three more from the 1970s will push that decade into third place. But other than the spike for the 1990s, very evenly distributed.

I will never argue with anything Coen brothers.

Fargo is in my top ten, but I left it off this list for…reasons!?

No Country was number 11 on my last top 100, and was #1 on my list here. I actually almost left it off as I find more Neo Western, but it was on so many lists around the internet I knew it would be high here and I wanted to help it win because it’s the greatest.

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Letterboxd

Exactly!

one vote. no country was my #20. as someone who mainly knew the coens for doing comedies of varying degrees, there was little about their filmography that could've prepared me for the seismic shock of seeing them adapt cormac mccarthy's tex-mex tale of blood money and the toll it does or does not take on the men who pursue it. fargo is its much less cynical counterpart that also deals in low-level crooks chasing money and the humble officer on the case - this was a bit of an acquired taste, but i definitely consider it ones of the brothers' best.

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Iro's Top 100 Movies v3.0

#11. Fargo
#12. No Country for Old Men

Saw both in theatres when they were released and couple more times each, after that. Of course, everyone in these two movies is very good and interesting but The William H. Macy's character/performance is surely in my all time hall of fame. I can watch him over and over again. Actually, he gave us a great new installment of the same type of character couple of years later in Magnolia.

Fargo was briefly in my consideration for the ballot but I've decided not to push it in there. Instead, I wanted to emphasis on some overlooked master cinema works.

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"Population don't imitate art, population imitate bad television." W.A.
"You can't depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus." M.T.

Isn't it the time for the traditional portion of near misses (#101-120)?

I suppose. I'm out now, but some time later.

No Country for Old Men was #13 on my ballot. Huge fan of it.

Fargo didn't make my ballot, but it's really good.

6. Miller's Crossing
7. The Big Lebowski
8. Pulp Fiction
10. Le Circle Rouge
13. No Country for Old Men
17. The Silence of the Lambs
18. Blow Out
22. Point Blank
23. Alphaville