View Full Version : The 101 favourite/top (arthouse) films of Tyler1
Its been 6 years of watching films on a regular (and unhealthy) basis. As most of you know by now, I'm especially interested in the arthouse and the classics. I will make another list for guilty pleasures and popcorn movies sometime later.... but for now, its 101 movies of arthouse fare. Do note that I am still very unsatisfied with myself; I will admit that I simply have not seen enough movies to be considered a true cinephile like mark f, linespalsy, holden, honeykid and many others on this forum. Hopefully this list will serve to inspire me to continue viddying films.
101. The Colour Of Pomegranates (Parajanov, 1968)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c7/The_Color_of_Pomegranates_cover_art.jpg
A highly esoteric and opaque movie with creative use of close-ups, though its pretentiousness is what makes this movie stands out.
100. Fantasia (1940)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/12/Fantasia-poster-1940.jpg
Music and image merge harmoniously to create a timeless movie for the ages.
99. Valerie And Her Week Of Wonders (Jires, 1970)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/85/4467_print2.jpg/220px-4467_print2.jpg
Watching this is like watching Alice In Wonderland in Eastern Europe. Wonderfully surreal with dreamlike landscapes and a beautiful titular character undergoing a highly sensual journey.
98. The Holy Mountain (Jodorowsky, 1973)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/39/Holy_Mountain.gif/220px-Holy_Mountain.gif
New Agey metaphysical odyssey that screams of creativity and originality.
97. My Man Godfrey (La Cava, 1937)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/62/My_man_godfrey.jpg/220px-My_man_godfrey.jpg
"May I be frank?"
"Is that your name?"
"No, my name is Godfrey."
"Alright, be Frank."
96. Orpheus (Cocteau, 1950)
http://medias.unifrance.org/medias/225/222/57057/format_affiche/orpheus.jpg
Mirrors are central to the imagery of Orpheus. Characters pass through the worlds of the living and the dead using mirrors. Look at yourself in a mirror all your life and you'll see death at work.
95. Make Way For Tomorrow (McCarey, 1937)
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_T6QNT39-HnQ/TCuXnsqzhGI/AAAAAAAAAv4/atVL2cxvouc/s400/MakeWayTomorrowCover.bmp
Before Tokyo Story, America had its own version of conflict between the generations- Make Way For Tomorrow. A deeper film that explores reasons and consequences of neglecting one's parents, this film surpasses Tokyo Story in poignancy and complexity. The ending is the BEST I've ever seen from any film.
94. The Battle Of Algiers (Pontecorvo, 1966)
http://kastatic.com/i2/movies/0058946_big.jpg
There is one sequence that will stick with me forever... The scene of an angry Algerian crowd protesting vehemently against colonial rule that parts as a tank rolls along the streets. Absolutely haunting.
93. Man Bites Dog (Poelvoorde, 1996)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/0e/Man_Bites_Dog_film.jpg/220px-Man_Bites_Dog_film.jpg
The most shocking scene of the film in my opinion is the one involving the so called "visit" and "interview" with an eldery lady.
92. The Big Sleep (Hawks, 1946)
http://s3-ak.buzzfed.com/static/imagebuzz/web05/2012/3/4/17/the-big-sleep-21322-1330899881-10.jpg
If I recall correctly, the most dense noir that keeps the viewer always guessing.
91. I Am Cuba (Kalatozov, 1966)
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YU5mPEjPHcQ/R5Tf-S3R5yI/AAAAAAAACV4/rpJAjn8tKRE/s320/I+am+Cuba.jpg
One of the most brilliant camerawork in Soy Cuba is the scene of farmers hacking sugar cane. The camera does not stay stationary, but tilts, zooms, pans, etc. such that the viewer could almost feel the back breaking work.
donniedarko
06-08-12, 11:21 AM
Very interesting list so far
donniedarko
06-08-12, 11:24 AM
Great to see Fantasia
81-90
90. The Hole (Tsai, 1998)
http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/50498_105876885726_4374559_n.jpg
I love all the musical numbers in this rather bleak portrait of Taiwanese urban dwellers.
89. M (Lang, 1931)
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vGGr6lfF7J8/SWV6LQoAf5I/AAAAAAAABU4/nl-Y8VWDW6g/s320/M+le+maudit.gif
One of the first ever black & white movies I saw was Fritz Lang's M. I'm surprised that it has not lost its relevance even to today.
88. El Verdugo (1963)
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ckbQrFFFAsA/SC9bMNXyAEI/AAAAAAAAAFE/pq-ZkOCkR0s/s320/elverdugo1.jpg
A darkly comical movie about a grim subject: capital punishment. While I hated Death By Hanging (1968), El Verdugo does not suffer from tediousness and uneven pacing that plagued Oshima's film.
87. Drowning By Numbers (Greenaway, 1988)
http://www.alluc.org/thumbnails/thumb40479_l.jpg
Perverse and diabolical movie that is both surreal and weird.
86. Le Trou (Becker, 1960)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/06/Le_trou_becker_poster3.jpg
My favourite prison escape movie. Its ending is open to interpretation.
85. Sonatine (Kitano, 1993)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/64/Sonatineposter.jpg
I have only seen 2 of Kitano's movies (this and Hanabi). Sonatine is the better of the two with better pacing and a brilliant subversion of the gangster genre.
84. The Shop Around The Corner (Lubitsch, 1940)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/68/The_Shop_Around_the_Corner_-_1940-_Poster.png/220px-The_Shop_Around_the_Corner_-_1940-_Poster.png
Utterly charming about two lovers who dont realise that they love each other.
83. Scarface (Hawks, 1932)
http://www.alluc.org/thumbnails/thumb97_l.jpg
Along with White Heat (1949), my favourite gangster classic.
82. Blade Runner (Scott, 1982)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/53/Blade_Runner_poster.jpg/220px-Blade_Runner_poster.jpg
Los Angeles looking like a maze of murk, filled with eternal night steam, narrow streets, growling garbage trucks... Ridley recruited 200 punks, 100 Chinese and 100 Mexicans for the movie.
81. The Double Life Of Veronique (Kieslowski, 1991)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/81/The_Double_Life_of_V%C3%A9ronique.jpg/220px-The_Double_Life_of_V%C3%A9ronique.jpg
A confusing movie about double identity.
wintertriangles
06-09-12, 12:50 AM
I'm glad Tsai is here, will there be more? Also you should check out Dolls for a totally left-field Kitano flick.
I have to admit that I enjoy the combo of art house flicks and the weird choices of '30s socialism.
I'm glad Tsai is here, will there be more? Also you should check out Dolls for a totally left-field Kitano flick.
No, The Hole is the only one of his on this list. I've also seen Tsai's Goodbye Dragon Inn, What Time Is It Over There? and Vive l'amour.
71-80
80. The Thin Red Line (Malick, 1998)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/The_Thin_Red_Line_Poster.jpg/220px-The_Thin_Red_Line_Poster.jpg
One of the best movies of the 1990s. A meditation on man and nature.
79. Distant Voices, Still Lives (Davies, 1988)
http://www.theyshootpictures.com/posters/distantvoicesstilllives.jpg
A film about time and memory, a British classic.
78. The Conformist (Bertolucci, 1970)
http://publichd.eu/imdb_imgs/0065571.jpg
Visually dazzling with a brilliant murder in the forest scene. The train sequence is also spectacular. The only Italian movie on my list.
77. Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter... And Spring (Kim, 2003)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/40/SpringSummerFall.jpg/220px-SpringSummerFall.jpg
I'm not sure if its true about Buddhist philosophy but I like its simple premise about the continuity of life and the importance of suffering.
76. Rear Window (Hitchcock, 1954)
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PEDULvxiXjM/TWPZIQQpsTI/AAAAAAAABJU/iP3vQCuAI50/s320/4.jpg
A masterpiece of suspense cinema that cleverly builds up tension in a single setting.
75. Sunrise (Murnau, 1927)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/5e/Sunrise_vintage.jpg/220px-Sunrise_vintage.jpg
Exquisite.
74. Grave Of The Fireflies (Takahata, 1988)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/6d/Grave_of_the_Fireflies_poster.jpg/215px-Grave_of_the_Fireflies_poster.jpg
The movie that makes me bawl like a baby everytime I watch it.
73. Unforgiven (Eastwood, 1992)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4e/Unforgiven_2.jpg/220px-Unforgiven_2.jpg
Actually its a tie between Unforgiven and A Perfect World. Eastwood's best.
72. Raging Bull (Scorsese, 1980)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/5f/Raging_Bull_poster.jpg/220px-Raging_Bull_poster.jpg
Robert De Niro's and Martin Scorsese' finest hour came in Raging Bull.
71. Wings Of Desire (Wenders, 1987)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/74/Wingsofdesireposter.jpg/215px-Wingsofdesireposter.jpg
A movie about love, longing, and what it's like to be human.
Don't care for Davies, at all, but I understand why others do.
61-70
70. Les Diaboliques (Clouzot, 1954)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/37/Lesdiaboliquesposter.jpg/220px-Lesdiaboliquesposter.jpg
Heart-pounding suspense movie.
69. Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (Roy Hill, 1969)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/fd/Butch_sundance_poster.jpg/220px-Butch_sundance_poster.jpg
68. Downfall (Hirschbiegel, 2004)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/92/DownFall.jpg/220px-DownFall.jpg
The Hitler parodies on youtube have not diminished its status as one of the finest war movies of the last decade.
67. The 36th Chamber Of Shaolin (Liu, 1978)
http://www.digitaljournal.com/img/4/3/7/7/3/5/i/6/4/1/p-medium/8092270.jpg
What sets this apart from most other kung fu movies is that its not about the fights but the process (both physical and spiritual) of transformation which is true to the essence of martial arts.
66. Harakiri (Kobayashi, 1962)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/fd/Harakiri_Poster.jpg/220px-Harakiri_Poster.jpg
(Refer to my Japanese Canon thread for the review)
65. Spirit Of The Beehive (Erice, 1973)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/32/Spiritofthebeehiveposter.jpg/220px-Spiritofthebeehiveposter.jpg
Another movie with beautiful cinematography.
64. The Earrings Of Madame De... (Ophuls, 1953)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/08/Madamedeposter.jpg/220px-Madamedeposter.jpg
Im running out of superlatives :D.... Graceful camerawork here.
63. Freaks (Browning, 1932)
http://content7.flixster.com/movie/56/75/62/5675629_det.jpg
Oh my goodness... Did the freaks cast a spell to turn her into a FREAK?!?!
62. A Woman Under The Influence (Cassevetes, 1974)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/ec/Awomanunderinfluence.jpg/225px-Awomanunderinfluence.jpg
The most compelling performance by an American actress, Gena Rowlands.
61. The 400 Blows (Truffaut, 1959)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f9/Quatre_coups2.jpg
A film that holds sentimental value for me since its the first arthouse movie I saw.
HitchFan97
06-09-12, 11:18 AM
Some great picks here. I love Rear Window, Blade Runner, and Les Diaboliques, and you've given me quite a lot of films to check out. :)
Pyro Tramp
06-09-12, 11:28 AM
Tidy list.
Out of interest, what's the criteria to classify for the list?
Tidy list.
Out of interest, what's the criteria to classify for the list?
1. For a film to qualify, I must have seen it at least twice.
2. Some films that score high in entertainment as well as artistic value are unfortunately not included. Eg. Mr. Vampire (1985), Save The Green Planet (2003)
3. I usually need at least a week or two before I reconsider each film. Generally, I tend to rate a movie I've just watched either too high or too low. Its a problem that I have on my part; my opinion of a movie can change drastically on a second viewing. :rolleyes:
The Prestige
06-09-12, 04:53 PM
Pretty slick list, Tyler. Love Unforgiven Blade Runner and The Big Sleep. Will always have big respect for The Battle Of Algiers and 400 Blows and Raging Bull. However, there is a big load I have yet to see from this list, so will add them to my Films To See BeFore I Die pad. Not sure what to start with.
As far as criteria goes, I would need to have seen a film four times myself, but I guess some people only need convincing twice.
As I expected as soon as I saw the title of the thread there are lots and lots of films here not seen (many I've not even heard of). The art house scene isn't one I'm overly familiar with yet. Depressingly I could probably contribute more to a discussion of the films of Martin Lawrence! :D
Only seen a very few you've listed so far. Favourite so far is the stunning and beautiful Spring, Summer, Autumn... Only just watched Sonatine recently, and while I didn't love it found it very interesting and could see myself really growing into it with further viewings. Conformist was visually striking at points but I struggled to really connect with it, similar story for Thin Red Line. And finally, while it's considered an absolute classic Blade Runner just didn't do much for me at all, left me cold.
A big thank you to everyone who replied on this thread :D
51-60
60. Synecdoche, New York (Kaufman, 2008)
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jXcd2zv5jXc/SiTId6DjlWI/AAAAAAAAAp8/OazH8Fr-068/s320/synecdoche-new-york-poster.jpg
Charlie Kaufman is probably the best contemporary American screenwriter with Eternal Sunshine of the spotless mind, Adaptation, Being John Malkovich and Synecdoche, New York all credited to his name. This is my favourite of them all.
59. All About My Mother (Almodovar, 1999)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d7/All_about_my_mother.jpg
Eye-popping visuals with a most absurd storyline that only Almodovar can pull off.
58. Network (Lumet, 1976)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/fc/Networkmovie.jpg/225px-Networkmovie.jpg
A satire about television and the corporations that is still relevant today.
57. Kind Hearts And Coronets (Hamer, 1949)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/18/Kind_Hearts_and_Coronets.jpg/220px-Kind_Hearts_and_Coronets.jpg
Besides having a very witty script, it also boasts of Alec Guiness playing EIGHT different roles.
56. A Matter Of Life And Death (Powell, 1946)
http://milkplus.blogspot.sg/matter4.jpg
Since I was but a child I have always loved this British classic.
55. Viridiana (Bunuel, 1961)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/9f/Viridiana_cover.jpg/220px-Viridiana_cover.jpg
Possibly the most blasphemous movie by surrealist Bunuel, images like a pocket knife shaped like a cross, and a last supper scene played by beggars will forever remain in my memories. Be wary of charity, thats the message of the film.
54. The Marriage Of Maria Braun (Fassbinder, 1978)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/6b/Original-poster-marriage-of-maria-braun.jpg/220px-Original-poster-marriage-of-maria-braun.jpg
Okay, Ive only seen 2 of Fassbinder's movies (the other is Fear Eats The Soul). I still havent got the time to watch Berlin Alexanderplatz...
53. Inglorious Basterds (Tarantino, 2009)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c3/Inglourious_Basterds_poster.jpg/220px-Inglourious_Basterds_poster.jpg
Inglorious Basterds owes itself to Lubitsch's To Be Or Not To Be. Tarantino's capable of pulling off long conversations whilst heightening the tension of the scene.
52. Eyes Wide Shut (Kubrick, 1999)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f2/Eyes_Wide_Shut.jpg/220px-Eyes_Wide_Shut.jpg
Watching the masked ball scene itself is worth the price of the movie dvd.
51. The Wind Will Carry Us (Kiarostami, 1999)
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_di621Kpm2A4/SUyuSbj5Y7I/AAAAAAAACBc/7weqAG7AdOw/s320/windwillcarryus.jpg
41-50
50. Centre Stage (Kwan, 1992)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1b/Centre-Stage-poster.jpg
There are some images in Centre Stage that will make your heart stop- they are simply perfect. My favourite biography movie thus far.
49. Five Easy Pieces (Rafelson, 1970)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d3/Five_easy_pieces.jpg/220px-Five_easy_pieces.jpg
Jack Nicholson's finest performance in a movie about the American Dream gone bad.
48. City Of God (Meirelles, 2003)
http://tomtierna.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/city_of_god.jpg
47. Memories Of Murder (Bong, 2003)
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e311/Nihonsekai/moml.jpg
Forget about Se7en or Zodiac, Memories of Murder is honestly the best serial killer movie.
46. A Summer At Grandpa's (Hou, 1984)
http://www.cdc.jp/images/tonton_small.jpg
I've seen almost all of Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao Hsien's films. This one is his most memorable before he started to become more minimalist.
45. Red Cliff (Woo, 2008)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/cf/Redcliffposter.jpg/220px-Redcliffposter.jpg
Alright this is an exception of a highly entertaining movie that made my list because its jaw-droppingly ambitious and achingly beautiful.
44. Branded To Kill (Suzuki, 1967)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/76/Branedtokillposter.jpg/220px-Branedtokillposter.jpg
Japanese film noir with lots and LOTS of style. Ubercool rating is off the charts.
43. Dead Man (Jarmusch, 1995)
http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4128/5187034039_d18b7d13a4.jpg
A surreal movie is already a big plus from me, but a surreal WESTERN gets a perfect score and shoots right up near the top of my list.
42. The Blue Kite (Tian, 1993)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8d/Blue_kite_poster.jpg/215px-Blue_kite_poster.jpg
Not only the best chinese movie from mainland China but also a great history lesson about the impact of Mao Zedong's iron fisted reign over China. Highly recommended!
41. Werckmeister Harmonies (Tarr, 2001)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/06/Werckmeister_Harmonies.jpg
A disquieting sense of unfathomable evil pervades ever frame of Bela Tarr's Hungarian countryside.
TylerDurden99
06-10-12, 04:36 AM
City Of God, Inglourious Basterds and Eyes Wide Shut? :up:
31-40
40. Meshes Of The Afternoon (Deren, 1943)
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_nfSgLjN2VyU/TQhJyQ0VdAI/AAAAAAAAC68/iAC1aucxKS4/s640/meshes_of_the_afternoon.jpg
39. Pan's Labyrinth (del Toro, 2006)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/67/Pan's_Labyrinth.jpg/220px-Pan's_Labyrinth.jpg
38. Brazil (Gilliam, 1985)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/3e/Brazilposter.jpg/215px-Brazilposter.jpg
37. The Shining (Kubrick, 1980)
http://a4.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/152/347c6a67b434424a8664672783ca7e0e/l.jpg
36. Spirited Away (Miyazaki, 2001)
http://www.futureshop.ca/multimedia/products/250x250/M20/M2023/M2023528.jpg
35. Barry Lyndon (Kubrick, 1975)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/ee/Barry_Lyndon_A.jpg/215px-Barry_Lyndon_A.jpg
34. The Draughtsman's Contract (Greenaway, 1982)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/27/TheDraughtsmansContractDVD.jpg/220px-TheDraughtsmansContractDVD.jpg
33. Ugetsu Monogatari (Mizoguchi, 1953)
http://havenpictures.wz.cz/posters/ugetsu.jpg
32. Das Boot (Petersen, 1981)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a3/Das_boot_ver1.jpg/215px-Das_boot_ver1.jpg
31. Peking Opera Blues (Tsui, 1986)
http://revamp.dddhouse.com/cms/images/products/Peking%20Opera%20Blues%20FS%20Big.jpg
*Special thanks to linespalsy for recommending this to me!
21-30
30. Woman In The Dunes (Teshigahara, 1964)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/11/Woman_in_the_Dunes_poster.jpg
29. Army Of Shadows (Melville, 1969)
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_hvi689YPaB8/SkZJdvxAy3I/AAAAAAAACmI/oEAt5gEcM9Q/s400/L'Armee+Des+Ombres-00.jpg
28. White Heat (Walsh, 1949)
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vZdsXP81QlQ/S6ONOBFdGFI/AAAAAAAABLA/skjSvYCXvmk/s320/white_heat.jpg
27. The Maltese Falcon (Huston, 1941)
http://www.rapidmov.com/pictures/the-maltese-falcon-1941.jpg
26. Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring (Jackson, 2001)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/0c/The_Fellowship_Of_The_Ring.jpg/220px-The_Fellowship_Of_The_Ring.jpg
25. Talk To Her (Almodovar, 2002)
http://peliculasabandon.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/p_3.jpg?w=202&h=300
24. Sunset Boulevard (Wilder, 1950)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/0a/SunsetBoulevardfilmposter.jpg
23. The House Is Black (Farrokhzad, 1963)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5f/The_house_is_black.jpg
22. Aguirre, The Wrath Of God (Herzog, 1971)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a7/AguirreGermanPoster_.jpg/220px-AguirreGermanPoster_.jpg
21. 12 Angry Men (Lumet, 1957)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/91/12_angry_men.jpg
11-20
20. Seven Samurai (Kurosawa, 1953)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/ba/Seven_Samurai_poster.jpg/215px-Seven_Samurai_poster.jpg
19. Rio Bravo (Hawks, 1959)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/7a/Riobravoposter.jpg/220px-Riobravoposter.jpg
18. The Third Man (Reed, 1949)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/21/ThirdManUSPoster.jpg/220px-ThirdManUSPoster.jpg
17. Stalker (Tarkovsky, 1979)
http://www.psychovision.net/films/images/stories/news/evenement/nuit-de-la-science-fiction/nov-2011/stalker.jpg
16. A Brighter Summer Day (Yang, 1991)
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SxVRro9Rt5I/Rx1crxAOITI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/u9FiIjqsxpE/s320/BSD-RED.jpg
15. The Hourglass Sanatorium (Has, 1973)
http://static.opensubtitles.org/gfx/thumbs/8/2/6/0/0070628.jpg
14. Dr. Strangelove (Kubrick, 1964)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/18/Drstrangelove1sheet-.jpg/220px-Drstrangelove1sheet-.jpg
13. It's A Wonderful Life (Capra, 1946)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/95/Its_A_Wonderful_Life_Movie_Poster.jpg/220px-Its_A_Wonderful_Life_Movie_Poster.jpg
12. Touch Of Evil (Welles, 1958)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/fe/Touch_of_Evil_restored.jpeg/220px-Touch_of_Evil_restored.jpeg
11. Mulholland Drive (Lynch, 2001)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/0f/Mulholland.png/220px-Mulholland.png
Everyone knows what my top 10 is, so here's the complete list: :)
The Complete List
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Sansho The Bailiff (1954)
Persona (1966)
Trouble In Paradise (1932)
Sherlock Jr. (1924)
Three Crowns Of The Sailor (1983)
McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971)
Psycho (1960)
Last Year At Marienbad (1961)
Marketa Lazarova (1967)
Mulholland Drive (2001)
Touch Of Evil (1958)
It's A Wonderful Life (1946)
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
The Hourglass Sanatorium (1973)
A Brighter Summer Day (1991)
Stalker (1979)
The Third Man (1949)
Rio Bravo (1959)
Seven Samurai (1953)
12 Angry Men (1957)
Aguirre, The Wrath Of God (1972)
The House Is Black (1963)
Sunset Boulevard (1950)
Talk To Her (2003)
Lord Of The Rings (2001-2003)
The Maltese Falcon (1941)
White Heat (1949)
Army Of Shadows (1969)
Woman In The Dunes (1964)
Peking Opera Blues (1986)
Das Boot (1981)
Ugetsu Monogatari (1953)
The Draughtsman's Contract (1982)
Barry Lyndon (1975)
Spirited Away (2001)
The Shining (1980)
Brazil (1985)
Pan's Labyrinth (2006)
Meshes Of The Afternoon (1943)
Werckmeister Harmonies (2001)
The Blue Kite (1993)
Dead Man (1995)
Branded To Kill (1967)
Red Cliff (2008)
A Summer At Grandpa's (1984)
Memories Of Murder (2003)
City Of God (2003)
Five Easy Pieces (1970)
Centre Stage (1992)
The Wind Will Carry Us (1999)
Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
Inglorious Basterds (2009)
The Marriage Of Maria Braun (1978)
Viridiana (1961)
A Matter Of Life And Death (1946)
Kind Hearts And Coronets (1949)
Network (1976)
All About My Mother (1999)
Synecdoche, New York (2008)
The 400 Blows (1959)
A Woman Under The Influence (1974)
Freaks (1932)
The Earrings Of Madame De... (1953)
Spirit Of The Beehive (1973)
Harakiri (1962)
The 36th Chamber Of Shaolin (1978)
Downfall (2004)
Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (1969)
Les Diaboliques (1955)
Wings Of Desire (1987)
Raging Bull (1980)
Unforgiven (1992)
Grave Of The Fireflies (1988)
Sunrise (1927)
Rear Window (1954)
Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter... And Spring (2003)
The Conformist (1970)
Distant Voices, Still Lives (1988)
The Thin Red Line (1998)
The Double Life Of Veronique (1991)
Blade Runner (1982)
Scarface (1932)
The Shop Around The Corner (1940)
Sonatine (1993)
Le Trou (1960)
Drowning By Numbers (1988)
El Verdugo (1963)
M (1931)
The Hole (1998)
I Am Cuba (1963)
The Big Sleep (1946)
Man Bites Dog (1992)
The Battle Of Algiers (1966)
Make Way For Tomorrow (1937)
Orpheus (1950)
My Man Godfrey (1936)
The Holy Mountain (1973)
Valerie And Her Week Of Wonders (1973)
Fantasia (1940)
The Colour Of Pomegranates (1968)
Done.... at last! My first ever attempt at a top 101.
*I know Lord Of The Rings is definitely not arthouse but I just couldnt resist including it. :p
Feel free to ask me any question about the list. Thanks to everyone who bothered to read this thread! :D
Pyro Tramp
06-10-12, 09:04 AM
1. For a film to qualify, I must have seen it at least twice.
2. Some films that score high in entertainment as well as artistic value are unfortunately not included. Eg. Mr. Vampire (1985), Save The Green Planet (2003)
3. I usually need at least a week or two before I reconsider each film. Generally, I tend to rate a movie I've just watched either too high or too low. Its a problem that I have on my part; my opinion of a movie can change drastically on a second viewing. :rolleyes:
Was more questioning how you define 'arthouse'. So as you say in point 2, does entertainment value lower eligibility over films 'artistic' merit? Or was that just an example of films that didn't make the cut.
Fantastic list all the same, love having lists that inspire me to check out new film, which yours has certainly done. Amazed you watched Werckmeister Harmonies more than once though! That film was a slog, good, but long. You seen Turin Horse yet?
Was more questioning how you define 'arthouse'. So as you say in point 2, does entertainment value lower eligibility over films 'artistic' merit? Or was that just an example of films that didn't make the cut.
Fantastic list all the same, love having lists that inspire me to check out new film, which yours has certainly done. Amazed you watched Werckmeister Harmonies more than once though! That film was a slog, good, but long. You seen Turin Horse yet?
Yes, this list is specifically for films with aesthetic merit. I figured that it will be wiser if I made 2 separate lists- one for artistic films (that is, films that are unique and different from the countless others with similar themes) and another for entertaining movies. Of course there needs to be a line drawn between the two. I find it impossible to mix films from both lists together because I use a different set of criteria to judge them. If you're curious, both Mr. Vampire and Save The Green Planet! will make the other list.
In fact, I have seen Werckmeister Harmonies three times. Its unlikely that I will watch Turin Horse because I have this feeling deep under that it will turn out to be more sluggish than WM.
Yeah I was in the same boat as Pyro in that I wasn't sure how you were defining 'arthouse'. Some were obvious but I certainly didn't expect to see Lord of the Rings appear
Anyway Spring, Summer... quickly lost its place as my personal favourite on the list, first to the wonderful A Matter of Life and Death and finally to Fellowship of the Ring.
Others that I really love are Spirited Away, Pan's Labyrinth, 12 Angry Men, Sunset Blvd, Seven Samurai and Psycho. Four of which made my top 100 list and 12 Angry Men which may do in future. I can see why people love Network but I just found a touch too annoying in its overblown lack of subtlety (but still good). And again a few classics that just didn't do it for me - Dr Strangelove, Maltese Falcon and 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Overall though great work Tyler. :up: A fair few films that I've been meaning to catch for a long time (Mulholland Drive, Synecdoche New York etc) and a fair pile I wasn't really aware of but will check out.
Pyro Tramp
06-10-12, 03:01 PM
Yes, this list is specifically for films with aesthetic merit. I figured that it will be wiser if I made 2 separate lists- one for artistic films (that is, films that are unique and different from the countless others with similar themes) and another for entertaining movies. Of course there needs to be a line drawn between the two. I find it impossible to mix films from both lists together because I use a different set of criteria to judge them. If you're curious, both Mr. Vampire and Save The Green Planet! will make the other list.
In fact, I have seen Werckmeister Harmonies three times. Its unlikely that I will watch Turin Horse because I have this feeling deep under that it will turn out to be more sluggish than WM.
Interesting decision, to echo JD, was a bit odd seeing LoTR and some others fall into this one i'm not sure i'd personally refer to them as 'arthouse' but I commend the fact that you don't consider foreign language synonymous with being art house. So when is the next list due? :)
Re: Turin Horse, Tarr said it's his last film and meant to be his opus, IIRC. Reviews have said it's not quite up there but good. I've only seen WM though, any other recommendations of his?
ps, Save the Green Planet is a gem, think it made at least one of my top whatever number lists
Always admire MoFo's who do lists as I am to lazy :sleep: the thing that struck me about your great list is how many of them I own :yup:
Interesting decision, to echo JD, was a bit odd seeing LoTR and some others fall into this one i'm not sure i'd personally refer to them as 'arthouse' but I commend the fact that you don't consider foreign language synonymous with being art house. So when is the next list due? :)
Right now I'm looking at over 600+ movies that are eligible. Its gonna be much more difficult to narrow it down to 101 again because the pool is so wide. A question that I have is should I include films that most people know of (such as Stalag 17) or give the list a more distinctive feel by including lesser appreciated movies (like A Bittersweet Life).
Re: Turin Horse, Tarr said it's his last film and meant to be his opus, IIRC. Reviews have said it's not quite up there but good. I've only seen WM though, any other recommendations of his?
The other film of his I've seen was Damnation which I was completely indifferent to. I couldnt survive after one hour of Satantango because the payoff was not worth its length. I think my only interest in Tarr was that he's Hungarian and I know nothing about Hungarian cinema.
TylerDurden99
06-10-12, 09:54 PM
Love Brazil and Pan's Labyrinth, and I'm really glad Fellowship was the highest out of the trilogy. It's rarely considered as the best.
wintertriangles
06-10-12, 10:00 PM
I just rewatched the LOTR trilogy and was quite unimpressed with Fellowship but my rating of the other two went up.
I have to admit (again) thatI like the list but I have absolutely no clue why some films are included and others aren't. I personally can give some films an Art House Rating and others not, but that seems a bit different than what you're doing here. Please don't rack your brain trying to justify it, but that's MY truth.
wintertriangles
06-10-12, 10:18 PM
^What specific films would you have thought you would see?
TylerDurden99
06-10-12, 11:02 PM
I just rewatched the LOTR trilogy and was quite unimpressed with Fellowship but my rating of the other two went up.
What flaws did you find with it on your last viewing?
wintertriangles
06-10-12, 11:32 PM
What flaws did you find with it on your last viewing?There were a number of scenes where the frame rate was altered which made those scenes look like Xena or some TV show. Also, in comparison to the book it was just bland because it was built around merely being a setup for the other two I think whereas the book had a myriad of sub-stories. It just felt like a stepping stone rather than a feature.
vBulletin® v3.8.0, Copyright ©2000-2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.