Good Evening: HitchFan's Top 50, 3rd Edition

[HitchFan97]

I hope it's not too gratuitous of me to have three top fifty lists, but seeing as the last one I made was over a year and a half ago, I think you'll see quite a few changes. And what better day to kick it off than Sir Alfred's birthday! :p Without further adieu:


#51: My Night at Maud's
Directed by Eric Rohmer
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http://s3.amazonaws.com/criterion-production/stills/5927-c96bc9d1b542453686c4b3b1fc88f820/Film_345w_MyNightMauds_original.jpg


I need to see more Rohmer, but this one really connected with me. I've been raised Catholic, so naturally the film's themes of morality and the need to reconcile religion with intellectualism really struck a nerve with me. It's a movie about a lot of 'big ideas' and definitely something that will reward repeat viewings. Rohmer takes great advantage of the winter setting and Maud herself has to be one of my favorite female characters ever.


#50: Inland Empire
Directed by David Lynch
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http://davethenovelist.files.wordpress.com/2007/08/inland-empire4.jpg


One of my favorite films from the King of Weird is also, arguably, his wackiest movie. Like Mulholland Drive, it explores the dark underbelly of Hollywood, but I like this one best as a David Lynch's Greatest Hits album. It's full of great moments that are totally emblematic of its directors career: the Locomotion dance, the rabbits, and of course the finale. At once beautiful and ugly, Inland Empire would be the ultimate swan song for Lynch if he really is done with narrative film.


#49: Dazed and Confused
Directed by Richard Linklater
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http://cdn.pastemagazine.com/www/articles/tumblr_m7d1bjMs211r4a47uo1_500.jpg?1369307392


My favorite high school movie because, unlike so many films of its kind, Dazed and Confused does not wallow in sentiment and nostalgia; in fact, it openly denounces these elements. "All I'm saying is that if I ever start referring to these as the best years of my life, remind me to kill myself," says one of the characters, and that sort of sums up the tone of this movie. Obviously, some of the events themselves are probably quite exaggerated, but that doesn't matter. Linklater is working from his own memories, and aren't the way we remember things often quite different from what they really are? The important part is that the emotions could not be more accurate or true to life. No film I've seen is so honest in its portrayal of the confusion, the insecurity, and the ecstasy of high school.

[The Gunslinger45]

I have suscribed to this thread, and look forward to the rest of the list!

[HitchFan97]

Awesome, looking forward to all your thoughts!

[Skepsis93]

Cool!

+rep for Dazed and Confused, not Linklater's best, but up there in the top 3 for sure.

I have a feeling you're going to really embarrass me in the foreign/art/classic films seen stakes. :p

[HitchFan97]

Well, you've already embarrassed me in the 90s/00s indie stakes, so consider us even :cool:

[weeman]

That's two good films straight off the bat! (Inland, Dazed) Haven't seen the other one yet mind.

And it's not gratuitous. Don't worry :p

[Skepsis93]

:highfive:

Looking forward to the list, man. :)

[Skepsis93]

Also, kudos for sticking with 50. Sometimes I think I should have done the same. I ended up putting a few near the bottom that I don't quite think I love enough to be there. Oh well.

and a prediction: 5 Hitchcock films.

[HitchFan97]

Also, kudos for sticking with 50. Sometimes I think I should have done the same. I ended up putting a few near the bottom that I don't quite think I love enough to be there. Oh well.

and a prediction: 5 Hitchcock films.

Yeah, I felt like 100 would be a stretch right now - with 50, I feel like there's not a HUGE gap in my love for the movie at the top and the one at the bottom. As for your prediction, you'll have to wait and see :D

[donniedarko]

I'm excited for the rest of this list.

You're the one who encouraged me to watch My Night At Mauds and while it did have some smart dialogue, I didn't find it intriguing to my self nature. But then again I wasn't raised Catholic. I haven't Inland yet, but as you already know I enjoyed Dazed and Confused. you get an :up: from me

[Camo]

Looking forward to the list :)

Never heard of the first one. I've been meaning to watch Inland Empire, along with most of Lynch's films. I've heard of a few people it's his most difficult film. :up: for Dazed and Confused, i love that movie and had it at 6 on my 90s list.

[Guaporense]

Did not watch any of these three before. Looking forward for the others.

[Mr Minio]

http://i41.tinypic.com/23u8kdl.gif

[Daniel M]

Inland Empire is awesome, Dazed and Confused is great, and the other is on my watchlist. So a great start HitchFan, we both know that I am going to love this list :D

[honeykid]

Without further adieu
This is a pun, right?

Great to see Dazed & Confused on here, as I love that film. :cool:

Looking forward to this new list, Hitch, and I don't think it's too much as you're young and have been exposed to a hell of a lot of films in the last 18 months, so a new list is appropriate.

[HitchFan97]

Is that a good thing? :D

[cricket]

Dazed and Confused is a really enjoyable film for many reasons. Haven't seen the other 2 yet.

[Lucas]

You just convinced me to watch Inland Empire. Look forward to seeing the rest.

[edarsenal]

great start, intrigued to see the list

[HitchFan97]

You just convinced me to watch Inland Empire. Look forward to seeing the rest.

Hope you enjoy it! Given your love of Mulholland Drive, I'm sure you will.

Here's the next set:

#48: Blow-Up
Directed by Michelangelo Antonioni
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http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YLgAZ2rOut4/TSImeWEJfHI/AAAAAAAAAwo/KtoJO3kM1mM/s1600/blowup-731438-520x288.jpg

Is there any film that better depicts the 60s? I can't say, because I wasn't around then, but it sure matches my image of the decade. Blow-Up starts as a mystery, but as always with Antonioni, everything is not what it seems. Instead, the film gradually transforms into a commentary on how our obsessions can swallow us whole and how sometimes, truth is not a matter of black and white. Like most of its directors films, this one is visually stunning, and one of the two truly essential movies he directed; the other is coming up later.


#47: Le Cercle Rouge
Directed by Jean-Pierre Melville
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http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--o0xv7T4SNE/T7yVJz8FW7I/AAAAAAAAAR0/XKgdT306v9c/s400/le-cercle-rouge-screenshot.png

Melville is just about the coolest director ever, and this is my favorite of his films. Everything about it is so meticulously crafted and constructed that you'd think Melville himself is more calculating than the criminals in his movie. At any rate, Le Cercle Rouge is clearly the work of a seasoned master, but it's more than just one of the best crime dramas I've ever seen. It's also an exploration of honor and loyalty, humanizing its protagonists in ways that many similar films are too lazy (or too afraid) to do.


#46: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Directed by Mike Nichols
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http://www.lassothemovies.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/whosafraidofvirginiawoolf-5.jpg

This is the kind of film that I immediately connect with: a captivating look at real people and the emotions that we usually don't like to talk about. It's not often that Hollywood films are brave enough to deal with characters and themes like the ones found in Nichols' debut, but they're dealt here with unflinching honesty and humanity. What really amazed me was how often my sympathies shifted, especially in regards to Elizabeth Taylor's character. It's an emotional rollercoaster ride and a potent demonstration that even the most seemingly placid of lives can be harboring destructive feelings that are just waiting to bubble to the surface.

[The Gunslinger45]

Whose Afraid of Virginia Woolf is freaking amazing! Fantastic acting all around!

[Guaporense]

Watched 0/6 yet. I guess I will get around these movies over the next years.

[Cobpyth]

From your previous post:

I like your take on Dazed and Confused. I personally enjoyed the film for what it was, but I'm a bigger fan of films like American Graffiti or The Breakfast Club. I guess it's a matter of taste, but I like a certain feeling of nostalgia in 'highschool films'. I didn't quite feel that in this film (the film doesn't mean to), because this films portrays emptiness and aimlessness. The two other films I mentioned also do that, but they do it in a more satisfying manner, in my opinion, which made me feel a little more hopeful (in The Breakfast Club) or 'aware of life' (American Graffiti).

From this post:

Blow-Up is awesome. I agree with pretty much everything you say. This film IS the late '60s (or indeed as you put it, my image of it). It's also glamorous and meaningful. It's the best film I've seen from Antonioni yet (then again, I've only seen two :p). I still need to see L'Avventura though.

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf is also a wonderful, haunting movie. The frustrations and problems of a middle aged couple were never as horrifying as in this film...

[Pussy Galore]

I have only seen Dazed and Confuzed so far and it's obviously a great film. I'm interested in seing the other ones to

[Mr Minio]

Not only is this thread a set of great movies, but also a very nice thing visually. I like these cleverly distributed images, names of films and directors. Descriptions are very interesting and informative. I hope the Antonioni film that's still to show up is L'Eclisse, my favourite of his, but something is telling me it may be Professione: Reporter instead. As long as I like Le Cercle Rouge, I prefer Le Samurai. I've also seen Deux hommes dans Manhattan and although it's not as great as those two it's got cool atmosphere to it. You might want to check it out. Sadly, I haven't seen Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, but I'm looking forward to seeing it! Oh, I haven't seen Dazed and Confused from your first post, which leaves me with 4/6 if we're talking about it like Guaporense. Can't wait for next films to show up!

[HitchFan97]

Not only is this thread a set of great movies, but also a very nice thing visually. I like these cleverly distributed images, names of films and directors. Descriptions are very interesting and informative. I hope the Antonioni film that's still to show up is L'Eclisse, my favourite of his, but something is telling me it may be Professione: Reporter instead. As long as I like Le Cercle Rouge, I prefer Le Samurai. I've also seen Deux hommes dans Manhattan and although it's not as great as those two it's got cool atmosphere to it. You might want to check it out. Sadly, I haven't seen Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, but I'm looking forward to seeing it! Oh, I haven't seen Dazed and Confused from your first post, which leaves me with 4/6 if we're talking about it like Guaporense. Can't wait for next films to show up!

Thanks for the recommendation! Le Samourai was my favorite Melville for awhile until I saw Le Cercle Rouge. Glad you're enjoying the list :)

[HitchFan97]

#45: 3 Women
Directed by Robert Altman
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http://s3.amazonaws.com/criterion-production/stills/131193-5f1edd478489dc8e9be4f82675670e15/Film_230w_3Women_original.jpg

The under-appreciated middle chapter of a loose trilogy that also includes Bergman's Persona and Lynch's Mulholland Drive, this Altman masterpiece is one of the trippiest American movies I've ever seen. It may also be the closest we have yet come to capturing dreams on film, but with Altman, social commentary is never far away. This one seems to be its director's feminist movie, honing in on society's fascination with sex and how this has led to the objectification of women. There's probably even more here to be read into, but 3 Women is one movie that I'd never want to know all the answers to; the enigma is part of the fun.


#44: Jaws
Directed by Steven Spielberg
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http://s3.amazonaws.com/auteurs_production/images/film/jaws/w448/jaws.jpg?1334607440

My favorite of Spielberg's movies is iconic for a reason - the film that inspired all the hordes of vastly inferior blockbusters which lack the atmosphere, the honest characters, and the sheer exuberance of this original. It's the ultimate tale of man vs. nature, and the kind of film you can watch over and over again without the appeal ever diminishing.


#43: A Clockwork Orange
Directed by Stanley Kubrick
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http://jilliancrandall.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/clockwork_l3.jpg

Another MoFo favorite, this Kubrick classic is quite possibly the most unsettling film its director ever made (which says quite a lot). Malcolm McDowell embodies one of the greatest characters ever, in a movie whose depiction of the future is simultaneously horrifying and gloriously stylized. And although it's certainly not without humor, perhaps the most disturbing thing about A Clockwork Orange is that its repulsive protagonist might not even be the most terrible force in the movie; that (dis)honor, Kubrick suggests, belongs to the government. No film I've seen makes a more convincing argument for the importance of free will over conventional morality.

[The Gunslinger45]

I have not seen 3 Women, nor am I a fan of Altman. But Jaws and Kubrick? Instant win!

[HitchFan97]

I have not seen 3 Women, nor am I a fan of Altman. But Jaws and Kubrick? Instant win!

3 Women is totally unlike anything else I've seen from Altman (except maybe Images). But if you're a fan of either of the two movies I mentioned in my blurb about it I think there's a good chance you'll love it.

[mark f]

Well, at least Jaws is ahead of 3 Women, but Virginia Woolf is behind it. ;)

[Skepsis93]

Still need to catch 3 Women and a bunch more Altman. Jaws I like, although it's been too long since I've seen it all the way through.

I finally sat down and watched, nay, endured A Clockwork Orange just recently. I use that phrase not as a slight, but as a compliment - Kubrick clearly set out to, and triumphantly succeeded, in making a film in which deeply unpleasant characters, images and stories amplify the effectiveness of its meaning. Can't say it's become a favourite or that it's ever likely to, but it's an emotive and incredibly impressive film nonetheless.

Good list so far, Hitch. Keep 'em coming. :)

[donniedarko]

I haven't seen any of this first set on this page, but I've seen 2/3 of the previous. 3 Women is my second favorite Altman, it does have some legit thrilling moments, but eventually everything became to irrelevant. Love A Clockwork Orange

[HitchFan97]

Well, at least Jaws is ahead of 3 Women, but Virginia Woolf is behind it. ;)

Eh, it's all pretty close anyways. :cool:

[The Gunslinger45]

3 Women is totally unlike anything else I've seen from Altman (except maybe Images). But if you're a fan of either of the two movies I mentioned in my blurb about it I think there's a good chance you'll love it.

Might have to give Altman one last shot then.

[Frightened Inmate No. 2]

I just watched 3 Women for the first time a couple days ago. I didn't love it, but it was pretty good.

[Godoggo]

Just catching up on your list. So far Jaws and Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf are my two favorite movies that appear.

I wonder if Jaws is the number one movie to appear on mofo lists? Someone should check on that. That would be fun to know.

[Mr Minio]

Quite worse set. I haven't seen 3 Women nor any other Altman movie, but I'll because it's a shame I didn't! I'll start from 3 Women, because it was on your list. You can feel proud. I think Jaws is just a decent flick. <predicts a fall of hate from honeykid and mark f> while Clockwork Orange while being good isn't my favourite Kubrick nor glorious film to me.

[Daniel M]

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Jaws and A Clockwork Orange are all really great films and almost definitely in my top 100.

3 Women is second on my Altman watchlist behind Nashville, you know that I have Le Cercle Rouge ready to watch sometime, and Blow-Up is a film on my watchlist too, I'm yet to see an Antonioni film, and whilst I expect its style to be somewhat similar, I love Blow Out.

[HitchFan97]

Quite worse set. I haven't seen 3 Women nor any other Altman movie, but I'll because it's a shame I didn't! I'll start from 3 Women, because it was on your list. You can feel proud. I think Jaws is just a decent flick. <predicts a fall of hate from honeykid and mark f> while Clockwork Orange while being good isn't my favourite Kubrick nor glorious film to me.

It was my first Altman and I fell in love. You'll be seeing plenty of him on this list.

[Mr Minio]

You'll be seeing plenty of him on this list. Cool. Perhaps I'll be watching his movies in the order they appear on your list!

[Daniel M]

Cool. Perhaps I'll be watching his movies in the order they appear on your list!

Good stuff, I'm pretty sure that Nashville will be his highest, but I'll be interested in seeing where his other works place :)

[HitchFan97]

#42: The Third Man
Directed by Carol Reed
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http://brightlightsfilm.com/27/27_images/027thirdman.jpg

I can't imagine anyone not enjoying this movie. Citizen Kane is great, but for my money, this is Orson Welles' finest hour. He creates one of my all-time favorite villains and a truly enigmatic character with one of the best entrances ever. As if that wasn't enough, the tilted, jagged, and generally nightmarish cinematography makes The Third Man one of the most atmospheric films of all time - a document of a cynical era refusing to bow to the happy ending conventions of most Hollywood films.


#41: Love Streams
Directed by John Cassavetes
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http://www.filmbrain.com/photos/uncategorized/almost_in_love_with_you.jpg

Cassavetes' swansong is one of the best examples of a 'final film' you're likely to find. Deeply humanistic and compassionate, Love Streams is a final affirmation of its director's core philosophies; that love can bring pain and joy, and that meaningful human connection is sometimes the only thing capable of bringing sense to damaged lives. In ways too various to list off in such a short write-up, it references almost all of Cassavetes' previous films in a way that brings his entire career full circle. When I first explored his work, I saved this one for last, and I'm glad I did. That Cassavetes was able to make what is perhaps his warmest film knowing he would die soon is nothing short of extraordinary.


#40: Boogie Nights
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
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http://woodstockwardrobe.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/boogie-nights-movie.jpg

PTA's first big hit is absolutely brimming with exuberance and love for filmmaking. In the hands of a lesser director, the subject matter could have been material for exploitation, but Anderson refuses to turn his characters into caricatures. They are deeply human people, and throughout his film we get to know and love each of them. We experience all of their highs and lows, and Anderson demonstrates his amazing range of mood through passages of sheer joy (the 'Best of my Love' sequence is one of my favorite openings ever) to scenes of darkness and hopelessness that show with brutal honesty how sometimes, our reach can fail to meet our ambition.

[Daniel M]

The Third Man is a really great film, brilliant cinematography and performances from Welles and Cotton, desperately needing a re watch.

Love Streams I have not seen, but you know what I think of Boogie Nights, I could talk about that film for ages. I have been thinking about recently and mentioned it to Mark how I find Anderson's films deeply personal due to the way that family relationships are portrayed. Boogie Nights is ultimate a cold, pessimistic and sometimes depressing film about the harsh reality of people who's lives are terrible and falsely believe they are stars, about the harsh and gruesome effects of the lifestyles (drugs) the live. Yet somehow this cold world feels deeply personal, at least to me, and the message is very powerful. It's beautiful and sad in a very tragic way, I love a lot of the characters and their own relationships and stories in the film, Julianne Moore as the mother figure is one of my favourite ever characters, then you have all the lesser characters like Don Cheadle's that add something to the story :)

[The Gunslinger45]

Was not a fan of The Third Man, but I enjoyed Boogie Nights. And now that you mention it, I have not even seen anything by Cassavetes as a director. I did however see him in The Dirty Dozen.

[jiraffejustin]

The only Cassavetes I've seen is The Killing of a Chinese Bookie. I thought it was alright, but I think it deserves a rewatch.

I enjoyed The Third Man and I love Boogie Nights. Good list so far.

Hitch have you seen The Apartment? I think you might enjoy it.

[BlueLion]

#41: The Third Man
Directed by Carol Reed
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http://brightlightsfilm.com/27/27_images/027thirdman.jpg

I can't imagine anyone not enjoying this movie.

I didn't enjoy it. One of the most overrated films of all time, imo. Before somebody asks why I didn't like it, here is the short review of a Criticker user that I totally agree with:
This is neither a compelling story, nor atmospherically great, nor evoking emotion of ANY kind. I don't understand why it's considered to be a well made film either, not even objectively. Everything about it is mediocre at best and the hilariously out-of-place music, silly diagonal shots and exaggerated play with light and shadow make it almost seem comical.

I've already posted this once though, I think. I needed to say that before somebody criticizes me for being repetitive, just in case. Boogie Nights is very good though. Haven't seen the other one.

[Daniel M]

the hilariously out-of-place music, silly diagonal shots and exaggerated play with light and shadow make it almost seem comical.
Hahahaha, what? Seriously. I wouldn't reply had that comment not been an attempt at being 'objective', but this has to be a joke right?

[Cobpyth]

3 Women, Jaws, A Clockwork Orange, The Third Man and Boogie Nights?

Yes, yes, yes, yes and yes!

Really awesome choices, Hitchfan!

[Cobpyth]

This is neither a compelling story

This film has one of the best and most tragic character studies of all time and its story is one of the most compelling ever!

nor atmospherically great

Really? It's one of the most atmospheric films ever made.

nor evoking emotion of ANY kind

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pV6zRGeeGM

I don't understand why it's considered to be a well made film either, not even objectively. Everything about it is mediocre at best and the hilariously out-of-place music, silly diagonal shots and exaggerated play with light and shadow make it almost seem comical.

It has one of the best and most recognizable soundtracks of all time, it has some of the best shadow and light scenes of all time (the sewer scene obviously). It also has one of the most intriguing scripts of all time.

I said "of all time" a lot.
Oh well, I'm just saying that I am litterally disagreeing with EVERY SINGLE "criticism" you have towards this film.

[edarsenal]

haven't seen The Third Man for several decades - need to see that one again!!
Enjoying the list!

[Skepsis93]

Yeah, I pretty much disagree with all of BlueLion's criticisms. Or the ones he agrees with, anyway. I think that juxtaposition between the offbeat soundtrack and gloomy, expressionist visuals is incredibly unsettling. But to each his own. I definitely admire more than unabashedly love The Third Man, but I do admire it a great deal.

I love Boogie Nights too, of course. :up:

[HitchFan97]

You guys pretty much covered every reason why I disagree with BlueLion's criticisms, but I think I've debated The Third Man with him before :p

Love Streams I have not seen, but you know what I think of Boogie Nights, I could talk about that film for ages. I have been thinking about recently and mentioned it to Mark how I find Anderson's films deeply personal due to the way that family relationships are portrayed. Boogie Nights is ultimate a cold, pessimistic and sometimes depressing film about the harsh reality of people who's lives are terrible and falsely believe they are stars, about the harsh and gruesome effects of the lifestyles (drugs) the live. Yet somehow this cold world feels deeply personal, at least to me, and the message is very powerful. It's beautiful and sad in a very tragic way, I love a lot of the characters and their own relationships and stories in the film, Julianne Moore as the mother figure is one of my favourite ever characters, then you have all the lesser characters like Don Cheadle's that add something to the story :)

One thing I notice about PTA's films is that almost all of them (the lone exception I believe being Punch-Drunk Love) have a father-son/master-apprentice/teacher-student dichotomy driving the narrative. I imagine this sort of relationship is quite important to him in his own life; hell, the whole basis of Magnolia is generational conflict.

The only Cassavetes I've seen is The Killing of a Chinese Bookie. I thought it was alright, but I think it deserves a rewatch.

I enjoyed The Third Man and I love Boogie Nights. Good list so far.

Hitch have you seen The Apartment? I think you might enjoy it.

I have not seen The Apartment, but I've been meaning to for some time now. Looks like my cup of tea. The Killing of a Chinese Bookie definitely improves on re-watch, but for anyone looking to get into Cassavetes I'd recommend they start with A Woman Under the Influence. That's what I did, and I was immediately hooked, but prepare yourself for a harrowing emotional experience.

[Frightened Inmate No. 2]

I'm probably gonna start watching Cassavetes after I finish Altman, and I'm definitely gonna start with A Woman Under the Influence. It currently has a 99 PSI for me on Criticker.

[HitchFan97]

I'm probably gonna start watching Cassavetes after I finish Altman, and I'm definitely gonna start with A Woman Under the Influence. It currently has a 99 PSI for me on Criticker.

Hope you enjoy it! That's actually sort of what I did; I figured Cassavetes' style was the natural progression of my interest in Altman. They have a lot more in common than most people realize and they complement each other very nicely.

[cricket]

A Clockwork Orange and Boogie Nights are both in my top 5 and I also love Jaws.

[Mr Minio]

I'm not a die hard fan of The Third Man neither and I rate it 3. Maybe I'll rewatch it some time to see whether it grows on me after repeated viewing. Citizen Kane didn't, but it's an another kind of film. :)

[Daniel M]

One thing I notice about PTA's films is that almost all of them (the lone exception I believe being Punch-Drunk Love) have a father-son/master-apprentice/teacher-student dichotomy driving the narrative. I imagine this sort of relationship is quite important to him in his own life; hell, the whole basis of Magnolia is generational conflict.

Yeh I mentioned this to Mark so if he reads this it'll feel like I'm copying over what I have already said. But if you look at his films family relationships are clear in all except maybe Punch-Drunk Love.

In Sydney you have the titular character attempt to become a father figure to somebody who he feels he owes that too. And him, Reilly and Paltrow at times work together like a family unit.

In Boogie Nights you have what I have already talked about, it's like one big family with the main examples being those of Julianne Moore and Burt Reynolds. The first is a failed mother herself so attempts to be a mother figure to others, and talks a special liking to Wahlberg's character. Burt Reynolds naturally assumes the position of the father of the family as he is in charge of the whole thing, and Skater Girl, who has failed at life and has been part of the business for a long time, is like a daughter to him.

In Magnolia it is possible at its most strongest, there is family problems clear in every segment I think. And the main message for me that I got from the film was about the relationships directly between children and their parents, how parental abuse or neglect impacts and effects children for the rest of the lives, Tom Cruise's story is particularly brilliant and then you have the ongoing thing with the kid on the game show.

There Will Be Blood shows how a man adopts a child in order to use his family title as a way of helping him commercially, the cynical side of family. Once again, like in Boogie Nights, the son is adopted (although this time more literaly), and the changing relationship between the duo becomes fascinating come the films end.

And then The Master is probably the least conventional, but easy to notice. The father/son type relationships that Phoenix's character finds through Hoffman. And the cult itself being a metaphor for one big family.

Even in Punch-Drunk Love you can perhaps make a link to these themes in Sandler's character, who struggles to cope with his family, he's unusual and struggles to fit in and is the focus of jokes between his sisters.

In this article - http://www.nytimes.com/1999/12/19/magazine/his-way.html - it talks a little bit about his family, and whilst we do not know the man's personal life it is fair to say it has probably influenced him and his films.

Anderson, who is trying to do for the San Fernando Valley what Martin Scorsese did for the mean streets of New York, grew up in a flat suburb called Studio City in an extended family that combined nine children from two marriages and, at one point, 18 dogs. He has a troubled relationship with his mother that he won't discuss and was very close to his father, who died in 1997.

[Guaporense]

I didn't enjoy it. One of the most overrated films of all time, imo. Before somebody asks why I didn't like it, here is the short review of a Criticker user that I totally agree with.

One thing though, in art there is no such thing as objective analysis of the quality of the work of art. What may feel as silly diagonal shots for one person may appear a great creative achievement for another person. I know that because I felt in that way about movies that now I love.

I watched the Third Man a few months ago. It's nice but I though it was a bit cold and it felt a bit cliche (which is natural given it's a classic film that's very influential). Overall I don't have a great attraction for these very old classic English speaking movies because they lack the feeling of novelty either caused by being new or being exotic (i.e. foreign) that fundamentally attracts me to watching a film. They just feel like something that I had watched several times earlier in my life (given their influences). Yoda wrote an article about that.

[Lucas]

I saw The Third Man rather recently and while it is a good movie, i dont really love it. The soundtrack was kind of annoying in my opinion but the way the film looked was brilliant. The chase sequence throughout the sewers was incredible as was the ending. To each his own i suppose.

[HitchFan97]

#39: L'Avventura
Directed by Michelangelo Antonioni
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http://antonioni9.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/lavventura_end.jpg

My favorite of Antonioni's films is a true rarity - a film that effortlessly blends visual beauty with emotional intensity. Some of his other films often feel a bit aimless and meandering, but that's never the case with L'Avventura; this one feels absolutely fresh even today, 53 years after its release. And although on a visual level this is probably the most stunning black and white film I've ever seen, thematically it's positively haunting. Above all, Antonioni's masterpiece is a tragedy, a tale of people who are incapable of connecting with one another and therefore unable to find true happiness.


#38: The Rules of the Game
Directed by Jean Renoir
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http://www.thefifiorganization.net/wp-content/janus/images/rules_aviatorhusband.jpg

I'm a sucker for movies with ensemble casts (as you'll see later on in this list), and Renoir's most famous work, often sited as one of the greatest movies ever made, is no exception. A deceptively simple plot soon reveals itself as biting social commentary, yet Renoir treats all of his subjects with a deep sense of compassion. There are no heroes or villains here, only people who "all have their reasons." Nothing could be more true.


#37: North by Northwest
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
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I can't name many films that are more entertaining than this one. Hitchcock basically created the ultimate adventure movie and Hollywood still hasn't caught up, but North by Northwest is more than just a ton of fun. It's also a cinematic index of all Hitchcock's themes and motifs; the icy blonde, the exotic locations, the innocent man accused, the mother issues, the "MacGuffin", the suave villain... I could go on and on. There's also something about the set decoration of this film that I've always loved a lot, everything seems so polished.

[donniedarko]

Yes North by Northwest, is one of the most entertaining films ever made, including from Hitchcocks filmography. Absolutely timeless

[Pussy Galore]

North by Northwest and A Clockwork Orange are excellant and probably both in my top 20 or 30 of all time.

Jaws is a really good film

I am really looking forward to watch The Third man, Virginia Wolf and Le Cercle Rouge !

I didn't really like Boogie Nights :S and i don't know why. I just didn't had a good time watching it.

for now i'm not really interested in Cassavetes or Altman it seem to weird for me, but i'm sure that later in my life i'll be interested.

[Skepsis93]

Like I said earlier, I have seen embarrassingly little of classic European directors - Antonioni and Renoir included. I've heard a lot about La Regle du jeu but not much about L'avventura. Gotta check those out soon.

North by Northwest is brilliant. :up:

[Mr Minio]

L'Avventura is a great movie and it's really beyond me why it was booed at Cannes. It was probably due to its originality, but the question is who was first: Hitchcock or Antonioni? A 4 movie to me.

After seeing absolutely breathtaking The Grand Illusion I'm looking forward to more Jean Renoir and The Rules of the Game looks like a good movie to continue my Renoir journey.

North by Northwest is a really impressive Hitchock film that probably inspired Bond movies and whole Spy genre. The auction scene made me laugh and it's a great achievement considering the fact rarely any film makes me giggle. It's not my favourite Hitchcock, but perhaps the most entertaining. 3.5

[Daniel M]

Not seen L'Avventura but you know that I loved North by Northwest, and I think I'm right in saying it was a film that you hadn't seen in ages until recently (this year) but you loved it when you watched it again. I watched The Rules of the Game recently too and I thought it was great too.

[rauldc14]

North by Northwest has crawled into my top 10 of all time. It has a little of everything. It has the laughs. The witty banter. Probably the best film dialogue that I've ever witnessed. It has the mystery and the suspense to keep you on the edge of your seat. To me it really gives the total package. The film is over 50 years old but it doesn't feel that way at all. Plus a great cast led by the classic Cary Grant and the highly loved Eva Marie Saint.

[Lucas]

Enjoying the read so far. Keep em' coming.

[The Gunslinger45]

North by Northwest was an excellent movie! The first of many Hitchcock movies I am sure. I have also seen the other two, and was not all that impressed. Either way, I am enjoying this list!

[mark f]

Here's something I wrote up here five years ago. The only difference now is that I don't need a reason to rewatch a film I didn't like previously. ;)

Somebody reassure me that this makes total sense, even for an old fart. Let's say that you watched a world-renowned classic film. Let's say it's a foreign film from the era where most such foreign films were considered the Second Coming. (For all I care, "foreign" means "American" or "English-language" right now.) Let's say that you watched it and you just didn't "get it". It made you feel something along the lines of the Emperor's New Clothes. You tell people you didn't get it and you don't actually like it. What do you do? Do you move on to other films from a similar era and even by the same director, or do you just watch films you "believe" you have a stronger afinity for? For me, I try to watch as many films ASAP, but I agree that if I have a negative memory about a film, I tend to need a reason to rewatch it. Well today, I had Sarah as a reason to rewatch Antonioni's L'Avventura for the third time.

L'Avventura (Michelangelo Antonioni, 1960) 2.5

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00005BHW6.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

Rewatching L'Avventura takes me back in many ways. When I first watched this film, I loathed it. Maybe I was under the influence of a plot-driven Devil, but nevertheless, I had a difficult time even enjoying the photography and sound effects, one of my fave actresses (Monica Vitti), the maturity of the mystery, or the way the film actually fit into Italian cinema in 1960 (the year which also produced La Dolce Vita, Rocco and His Brothers, Two Women, etc.) Nowadays, I can see that the film isn't really experimental, and even though many still find it boring, it's certainly not that either. However, I still find it unsatisfactory. So, although 30 years ago I would have advised you to stay away from this film, now I recommend it as part of a well-rounded film education, especially one involving B&W photography and unique sound effects.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2503/3805914778_809cfa9c90.jpg

Something else which I've noticed recently concerning Antonioni is that he is David Lynch long before there was a film personality identified as David Lynch. All of Antonioni's films are mysteries open to interpretation. None of them are easy to understand, even with multiple viewings. They all contain visual, aural and acting motifs which enable some people to believe that they actually do make more sense to them than mere mortals, especially when put into a thematic context amongst ALL of Antonioni's films. To give you an example, in L'Avventura, one of the lead characters disappears at exactly the same time that the characters and the audience hear an outboard motorboat go by the island all the characters are vacationing at. However, after one or two characters mention the sound of the engine, everybody goes off looking for the missing woman and no one ever again mentions the "boat" motor again. Later on, what sounds like a helicopter to me, but sounds like another boat to a character, is heard, but once again no craft is ever seen and the comment about an engine never makes another appearance. However, the woman's lover and best friend become lovers, and it becomes clear immediately that it's a major mistake and maybe somebody is being possessed by a missing somebody. Then again, maybe a horned-dog man is just trying to score at every opportunity possible.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1365/1083303184_f9fa31da4e.jpg

Ultimately, I find this film better than the third part of the "Loneliness" Trilogy. I have La Notte in my queue, but it's supposed to be a "Very Long Wait". I earlier wrote a review of L'Eclisse which I gave 2, and that was also an improvement over the first time I saw that film. Antonioni is definitely a filmmaker who doesn't make simple films and most of his films improve (if only slightly) with repeated viewings. However, I won't swear that that's the case with Zabriskie Point!!

[Mr Minio]

Cool review, mark f!

[HitchFan97]

Nice review, Mark. I've never heard Lynch and Antonioni get compared to one another before but now that you mention it they do have a lot in common. :up:

Daniel, you're right about North by Northwest. For a time I considered it the most "overrated" of Hitchcock's great films but after re-watching it earlier this year my opinion totally turned around. I still don't know why it didn't click for me more the first time.

[cricket]

Thumbs up for North by Northwest. I haven't seen a lot of films on your list, but I love the ones I have.

[honeykid]

Is there any film that better depicts the 60s? I can't say, because I wasn't around then, but it sure matches my image of the decade.
I think it represents about 7 months among a small set of young, middle/upper class Londoners. I wasn't there either, but it's certainly how the 60's likes to be remembered.

I think Jaws is just a decent flick. <predicts a fall of hate from honeykid and mark f>
You said it's decent and you didn't criticise it, so I don't really have any hate for you.

BTW, that last set is just awful for me.

[Camo]

Some great movies so far Hitch :)

:up: for Jaws, A Clockwork Orange, The Third Man and North by Northwest. Wasn't a big fan of Boogie Nights, but it was about 5 or 6 years ago i saw it so it's long overdue a rewatch. Haven't seen the rest.

[Mr Minio]

You said it's decent and you didn't criticise it, so I don't really have any hate for you.
http://i2.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/380/373/03a.jpg

[HandyApe]

Great presentation for a great list. :)


I still haven't seen Le Cercle Rouge but I've heard a lot about it. Blowup in my favourite film you listed.

[Daniel M]

We want more films! :D

[The Gunslinger45]

I know seriously! I am shuddering with antici.... Pation. ;)

[Mr Minio]

When I saw new posts in this thread, I thought it's the new set of movies. HitchFan, don't disappoint us.

[HitchFan97]

Sorry for the wait guys, but I've spent the past day or two doing some film-related soul searching and this list is about to get crazier than ever. ;) You'll notice every film I've posted so far has gone down by one number ranking, so now it's more like a Top 51. The reason I've done this is because there's a film I saw recently (twice, actually) that I feel just has to be on the list. I realize this is pretty unorthodox, and anyone who has been following my posts in Movie Tab II can probably guess what it is, but I would not feel like this is an honest list of favorites if I were to exclude it. If you know what it is, don't spoil it! That being said, onto the next set...


#36: Short Cuts
Directed by Robert Altman
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Like I said, I love ensemble dramas, and few are as ambitious as Altman's late-career masterpiece. A jazz-fueled, mosaic view of broken relationships, Short Cuts allows its loosely connected storylines to come together in a grand statement about how we all might be a lot happier if we tried to see things from another's point of view. At times funny and sad, this is among its director's most grandly epic and fully realized work.


#35: Blade Runner
Directed by Ridley Scott
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http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Technology/Pix/pictures/2008/06/05/bladerunner.article.jpg

One of the most intelligent and imaginative science fiction films I've ever seen, Ridley Scott's finest hour might be a great movie if it was just a visually stunning blend of sci-fi and film noir with a kickass Vangelis soundtrack. Fortunately, it's even more: a complex meditation on free will and what it truly means to be human. Undoubtedly a visionary piece of work.


#34: Cries and Whispers
Directed by Ingmar Bergman
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As Bergman's most powerful film, this is by no means an easy watch, but it is a rewarding one. Rarely have I come across a movie where the director seems to have such complete, unwavering control over the proceedings; the camera glides and probes mercilessly in what is unquestionably the work of a grandmaster at the height of his powers. And for as painful as it is, Cries and Whispers is not a depressing film, either. It has one of my favorite endings of all time, a life-affirming realization that it is the good times we have with those who mean the most to us that really counts.

[donniedarko]

I watched Cries and Whispers as by your recommendation, and 100% agree. And extremely powerful excruciating films, and while it is by no means an easy watch, it's still beautiful, and essential

[Frightened Inmate No. 2]

Short Cuts is really great, and my second favorite Altman. I've wanted to see Blade Runner for a long time.

[HandyApe]

Great set. :)


Which version of Blade Runner is your favourite?

[The Gunslinger45]

I have not seen two of the last set. I have only seen Blade Runner. I need to watch more Bergman.

[Mr Minio]

I haven't seen Short Cuts, but two other films are masterworks!

[Daniel M]

Short Cuts and Blade Runner are great, although I want to re watch the first again. Not seen Cries and Whispers, but as with most films on the list, I need to.

[HitchFan97]

Great set. :)


Which version of Blade Runner is your favourite?

Probably the final cut.

[Skepsis93]

I like Blade Runner well enough, as far as Sci-Fi goes it's up there with the best in a genre I'm not that into.

Still need to see the other two. Short Cuts I imagine I'd like given the Magnolia comparisons, and I've liked what I've seen from Altman so far. Cries and Whispers is just one of many on my Bergman watchlist, who I'm much more inclined towards after seeing Fanny and Alexander. I was still on the fence a little after The Seventh Seal and Persona.

[Lucas]

Have not seen Cries and Whispers nor Short Cuts but Blade Runner is my all-time favorite film. +1

[HitchFan97]

#33: McCabe & Mrs. Miller
Directed by Robert Altman
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http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7020/6450158127_50d1cd9a27.jpg

Robert Altman's deliriously unconventional Western is easily my favorite film from one of my least favorite genres. He shows the West as it really was (something I think most other movies of its kind fail to do), but yet it seamlessly blends this melancholic sense of realism with an almost surrealistic touch. A fascinating tale of capitalism and the relationship between love and business, McCabe & Mrs. Miller is perhaps the pinnacle of Altman's genre revisionism.


#32: La Dolce Vita
Directed by Federico Fellini
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http://users.atw.hu/filmklubok/dolce.jpg

I've mentioned this before, but La Dolce Vita was the first foreign film I really fell in love with. I'm still not very well-versed on Fellini (this is one of only three movies from him that I've seen), but it's definitely my favorite. I can't tell you how much I'd love to live in the Rome of this film, but yet there's still a sadness about Marcello's existence; he's searching for meaning in a place that exists only for superficiality. Immensely entertaining and full of countless memorable set-pieces, I'd even recommend this one for people who don't love arthouse movies that much - they might just find themselves hooked.


#31: The Empire Strikes Back
Directed by Irvin Kershner
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http://cdn.mos.totalfilm.com/images/s/star-wars-episode-v-the-empire-strikes-back-01-645-75.jpg

This is, for me at least, the definitive Star Wars movie. I've been a fan of the series for about as long as I can remember, and in retrospect The Empire Strikes Back is clearly the best; which of the other five movies can claim as many memorable moments to its name? The Battle of Hoth, the introduction of the Emperor, Yoda, and Lando, Han being frozen in carbonite, and of course the reveal of Darth Vader as Luke's father. I hope I didn't need spoiler tags for that last one. ;)

[The Gunslinger45]

Empire! HELL YEAH!

[Guaporense]

ESB! Yeah.

I didn't get La Dolce Vita though.

[Camo]

I like Blade Runner well enough, as far as Sci-Fi goes it's up there with the best in a genre I'm not that into.

Still need to see the other two. Short Cuts I imagine I'd like given the Magnolia comparisons, and I've liked what I've seen from Altman so far. Cries and Whispers is just one of many on my Bergman watchlist, who I'm much more inclined towards after seeing Fanny and Alexander. I was still on the fence a little after The Seventh Seal and Persona.

Skepsis' first sentence, pretty much explains my opinion of Blade Runner, and i haven't seen the other two. Empire is my favourite of the Star Wars films, one of the few sci-fi films i enjoy.

[Daniel M]

McCabe & Mrs. Miller is absolutely brilliant, one of my favourite films and for me Altman's second best, just behind The Long Goodbye. The Empire Strikes Back is great too. Not seen La Dolce Vita, although it's next on my Fellini watchlist, I have seen 8½ which I think is a masterpiece, then La Strada and Amarcord which I thought were decent but not that great.

[Guaporense]

I think 8 1/2 is an absolute masterpiece but I didn't enjoy his other films that much.

[HitchFan97]

Amarcord I really love, and I have mixed feelings on 8 1/2. However, it's playing at a nearby theater this week so I'll have a great opportunity to reevaluate it. :)

[donniedarko]

McCabe & Mrs. Miller is a very one noted film, and while it has strong points like the score, color usage and scenery, it just felt like being in a car for to long. La Dolce Vita is an amazing film, my introduction to Fellini, and he hasn't matched it since. What an enjoyable surrounding to the film, even during the dark moments. When I watched Empire Strikes Back I liked it

[Cobpyth]

You have a brilliant taste, Hitchfan!

Short Cuts made my '90s list and is a very impressing piece of film with a great ensemble cast. Altman observes very different sides of the suburban L.A. society, but somehow finds a truthful connection. I think it has become my fourth favorite Altman film by now. I love it!

Blade Runner is just one of the most atmospherically beautiful films I've ever seen. Besides that there are also the interesting and indeed intelligent themes this movie exposes in a way that works very well.

McCabe & Mrs. Miller is my third favorite Altman film. The intense performances (and characters) from Beatty and Christie and the unique industrial western environment formed together a very poetic film about the deepest inner feelings, power, unfairness and of course society in general.

La Dolce Vita means exactly to me what you described there. It's about a man who seemingly lives the perfect life full of parties and glamour, but who is still lost and can't find anything that makes life really worthwile in the middle of what you describe very well as a place that exists only for superficiality. Brilliant picture and a must see for everyone!

The Empire Strikes Back is also my favorite Star Wars film. It has everything, including one of the greatest plot twists of all time and the start of one of the funniest, yet sweetest romances in film history (for me).
"I love you."
"I know."

[honeykid]

Empire is great and on my 100. La Dolce Vita bored me to death and I don't care for Westerns, so I've not seen McCabe & Mrs. Miller.

[mark f]

Altman was a major revisionist but sometimes he goes so far that he turns his films into something resembling shaggy-dog jokes. McCabe is probably too elegaic to go that far but some of his favorite films here do, I think. Shutting up so as not to hijack the thread. :)

[Deadite]

McCabe & Mrs. Miller, great film!

[HitchFan97]

Empire is great and on my 100. La Dolce Vita bored me to death and I don't care for Westerns, so I've not seen McCabe & Mrs. Miller.

I don't either, that's why I love McCabe & Mrs. Miller so much. :)

[seanc]

I have always had a soft spot for Jedi, but yeah Empire is clearly the best of the trilogy.

[edarsenal]

full agree on blade runner and while empire is not my absolute favorite (always enjoyed star wars a wee bit more)it is one helluva a good movie to be sure, been a decade or two since seeing McCabe, may need to do a rewatch on that one

[Mr Minio]

Star Wars is cool.
Looking forward to more Altman.
Call me ignorant, but after seeing 8 1/2 and La Strada and not liking neither I don't want to see more Felllini.

[HitchFan97]

#30: Opening Night
Directed by John Cassavetes
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It's hard to classify just one of John Cassavetes' films as his most personal, but surely Opening Night finds the maverick director at his most self-reflexive. Gena Rowlands' performance in this one rivals her work in A Woman Under the Influence, bringing to life humanity's universal fear of aging in an actress who stubbornly refuses to compromise her vision of artistic truth (not unlike her off-screen husband). Masterfully displaying the relationship between art and the need for both love and personal fulfillment, few films are as successful at bringing life and fiction crashing together.


#29: Pulp Fiction
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
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http://static.flickr.com/112/292492059_9bb52ecda1.jpg?v=0

Tarantino's sophomore feature never gets old, and nearly two decades later, it seems like he'll never top it. Quite simply one of the most entertaining movies you'll ever watch, Pulp Fiction is seamless in its construction of unconventional narrative sequences and has style to spare. Like much of its director's work, the film depicts people whose lives lack fulfillment, and gives them a shot at redemption - whether or not they find it is another story, but no doubt they're quite fascinating to watch regardless.


#28: Breathless
Directed by Jean-Luc Godard
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http://s3.amazonaws.com/criterion-production/stills/129729-dc88df1de0ad117daa77079692b0706d/Film_408w_Breathless_original.jpg

What's even cooler than Pulp Fiction? Breathless, whose breezy attitude and humanized brand of criminals had an enormous impact on countless movies made after it, Tarantino's work clearly being among them. I won't waste words on how the jump-cuts and improvisational style of Godard's debut revolutionized how films were made, because I wouldn't have room to talk about how much fun this movie is; it's one of the most honest love stories I've seen, and considerably more accessible than just about anything Godard made after it.

[The Gunslinger45]

Breathless is a damn good movie! Godard does film noir and Bogart!

[Guaporense]

Didn't like Breathless very much, loved Pulp Fiction though.

[Guaporense]

Didn't like Breathless very much, loved Pulp Fiction though.

[Daniel M]

Well you know I love Pulp Fiction, and I really like Breathless too, very cool and interesting film for the reasons you describe :)

[Mr Minio]

Didn't like Breathless very much, loved Pulp Fiction though. I love Breathless, but don't like Pulp Fiction that much.

[HitchFan97]

I'm surprised there aren't more people who love them both. ;)

[donniedarko]

I too think Pulp Fiction is excellent, and Breathless is by far the best Godard. Still haven't seen Opening Night

[Frightened Inmate No. 2]

I think McCabe & Mrs. Miller is slightly overrated in general, but I still really like it. Pretty much the same thing with Empire Strikes Back, but I like it more. I haven't seen any of the last three (yes, I haven't seen Pulp Fiction yet), but they're all from directors that are on my list to explore after I finish Altman.

[Skepsis93]

Cassavetes is on my list of directors whose work I need to explore. I love/like the other two, for very different reasons of course.

Great list so far, HF. :up:

[HitchFan97]

Cassavetes is on my list of directors whose work I need to explore. I love/like the other two, for very different reasons of course.

Great list so far, HF. :up:

Thanks! Hope you enjoy Cassavetes.

[Cobpyth]

I'm going to see Opening Night this week, I think. I really dig your taste and from the few previews I've seen from Cassavetes' films, he looks like a director I'd enjoy a lot.
Your #30 is the film of Cassavetes that speaks most to me at the moment, so I'm very excited to see it. Hopefully I enjoy it as much as you do!

Oh and PULP FICTION! :up:

[Pussy Galore]

From your last 3 set of movies I've only seen Blade Runner, Star Wars and Pulp Fiction. The 3 of them are fantastic.

I was wondering where do you find all these movies to watch? I'd love to watch Breathless, but i don't know where I can find it !

[mark f]

Here's Breathless (http://viooz.co/movies/1778-breathless-1960.html)

[Guaporense]

I'm surprised there aren't more people who love them both. ;)

You shouldn't be. Taste is highly subjective.

[Camo]

Here's Breathless (http://viooz.co/movies/1778-breathless-1960.html)

Thanks Mark, i'll watch it later.

[Yoda]

You shouldn't be. Taste is highly subjective.
That's a non-sequitur. Taste being subjective does not preclude people from having expectations about what other people's tastes may be. There are lots of broad consensuses about certain films and filmmakers that, while certainly not objective, are reasonable to use as a basis for expectation.

Also, even if the above were relevant, it's too obvious to be worth pointing out. Being a relatively thoughtful, intelligent person, you can assume he's already aware that taste is subjective. This is the sort of thing that has caused various people to think you are condescending to them, even though it may be unintentional.

[Brodinski]

Yoda regulatin'

http://succeedinyourpajamas.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/doakes.gif

[Yoda]

I don't think it's a big deal, but he's expressed bewilderment about why some people think he's condescending, so it seemed worth explaining in detail.

[HitchFan97]

I'm going to see Opening Night this week, I think. I really dig your taste and from the few previews I've seen from Cassavetes' films, he looks like a director I'd enjoy a lot.
Your #30 is the film of Cassavetes that speaks most to me at the moment, so I'm very excited to see it. Hopefully I enjoy it as much as you do!

Oh and PULP FICTION! :up:

I think you'll like him a lot. :) Opening Night is actually a great entry point into Cassavetes' career, but it's also a very multi-layered film that definitely rewards repeat viewings.

[HitchFan97]

#27: Eyes Wide Shut
Directed by Stanley Kubrick
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Stanley Kubrick's highly divisive and (until recently) criminally underrated final film is a surreal fever dream and the best movie I've seen about jealousy. I've always found Eyes Wide Shut to be a very engrossing film if only for all of its mysteries, but upon recent viewing I've found the best approach to it is by interpreting the majority of it as a dream. I consider everything from Bill and Alice's bedroom conversation to Bill's confession a cinematic representation of his dreams and fantasies, and Kubrick could scarcely have picked a better way to psychologically depict the emotions of his protagonist. A seductively great movie.


#26: Paris, Texas
Directed by Wim Wenders
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http://i50.tinypic.com/20uwg1l.jpg

It's one of the great ironies of cinema that the screen's greatest depiction of the American landscape would be brought to life by a German director. Aside from that, Paris, Texas is also a beautiful movie both visually and emotionally; its neon-tinged cinematography is absolutely stunning and its actors create some of the most honest, empathetic characters I've come across. A deeply moving film about finding connection, learning to face that which is often easier to run away from, and the healing power of love.


#25: Casablanca
Directed by Michael Curtiz
___________________________________________

http://blog.nola.com/entertainment_impact_tvfilm/2009/06/large_Casablanca2.JPG

A glistening gem of Old Hollywood perfection. Casablanca is one of those movies that really does have it all; great performances, solid direction, a quotable script, a fantastic sense of atmosphere, memorable characters, and a consistently enthralling story that offers both thrills and emotional resonance. Honestly, what doesn't this film have? It's flawless, and I think most people who have seen it will tend to agree.

[The Gunslinger45]

Casablanca! A classic and one of my all time favs! They just don't make them like they used too. :(

[Cobpyth]

Brilliant set.

Eyes Wide Shut is an atmospheric fantastical masterpiece.

Paris, Texas is a sweet, beautiful and heavy picture.

Casablanca is the greatest and most perfect film of all time.

[Guaporense]

That's a non-sequitur. Taste being subjective does not preclude people from having expectations about what other people's tastes may be. There are lots of broad consensuses about certain films and filmmakers that, while certainly not objective, are reasonable to use as a basis for expectation.

People have wildly different tastes. Anything can happen and there aren't very broad consensus about certain films and filmmakers. You can find many people who hated Breathless, many who loved, the same for Pulp Fiction. So it's only a matter of logical deduction to not expect for everybody to love films in pairs. Especially a 1990's American film and a 1960 French film that are wildly different in many ways.

This is the sort of thing that has caused various people to think you are condescending to them, even though it may be unintentional.

I am rather direct in posting what I think without thinking about rewording my statements in ways that don't damage people's feelings. That's all.

[HitchFan97]

People have wildly different tastes. Anything can happen and there aren't very broad consensus about certain films and filmmakers. You can find many people who hated Breathless, many who loved, the same for Pulp Fiction. So it's only a matter of logical deduction to not expect for everybody to love films in pairs. Especially a 1990's American film and a 1960 French film that are wildly different in many ways.

I just figured that a lot of people might love both films since Tarantino is a pretty big fan of Godard's, and certainly Breathless had a big influence on his work. Pop cultural referencing, breezy, effervescent attitude, criminals who seek to escape to a better life; these are all qualities shared by both Breathless and Pulp Fiction, and I'm sure there are more if I thought about it. So naturally I figured that people who loved one are likely to love the other, since they're very similar in many regards.

[jiraffejustin]

I watched Breathless because of Tarantino, and I loved it. For whatever it's worth in this discussion.

[Skepsis93]

Best set so far. :up:

[HitchFan97]

Best set so far. :up:

I figured you would like it. ;)

[donniedarko]

Indeed a really good set. I have you my two cents on Eyes Wode Shut in the 90s thread, but once again I do really like it as an erotic thriller. Paris, Texas has become wildly popular with the arthouse crowds here, I have it available to me, but am yet to watch it, looks good though. Casablanca is really classy, love the dialogue, strongly prefer the first half

[HitchFan97]

Indeed a really good set. I have you my two cents on Eyes Wode Shut in the 90s thread, but once again I do really like it as an erotic thriller. Paris, Texas has become wildly popular with the arthouse crowds here, I have it available to me, but am yet to watch it, looks good though. Casablanca is really classy, love the dialogue, strongly prefer the first half

Will it be your first Wenders? It's the only one of his movies I've seen, but I think you'll really enjoy it.

[Mmmm Donuts]

How many Hitchcock movies are in your list?

[HitchFan97]

How many Hitchcock movies are in your list?

You'll see. :D More to come, though.

[donniedarko]

Will it be your first Wenders? It's the only one of his movies I've seen, but I think you'll really enjoy it.

Ya it would be, maybe I should do him for my directors challenge, I also wanna get to Douglas Sirk though.

[HitchFan97]

Ya it would be, maybe I should do him for my directors challenge, I also wanna get to Douglas Sirk though.

Sirk is freaking awesome. A local theater did a retrospective of his 50s Hollywood work earlier this year; I've seen All That Heaven Allows, Written on the Wind, and Imitation of Life. They're all great.

[HandyApe]

Great set! I've not seen Paris, Texas but you've made me very interested :)

[Daniel M]

Casablanca is a great movie that should be on my next list :up: The other two I haven't seen, but it won't surprise you to know that I want to see them.

[Mr Minio]

Try Wenders' Wings of Desire.

[rauldc14]

Casablanca is a truly extraordinary film. You'll see it on my list obviously as we'll. I haven't seen Eyes Wide Shut but I may want to shortly.

[Camo]

Not really a fan of Eyes Wide Shut. Then again i haven't watched it in years, and i didn't enjoy A Clockwork Orange until i watched it a second time . I love Casablanca and haven't seen the other one.

[Lucas]

Love Casablanca. It just has that classic Hollywood "feel". Hard to describe what I mean, but it is one of the most perfect films of all-time definitely.

[cricket]

I thought Casablanca and Eyes Wide Shut were both very good.

[Cobpyth]

What a lovely page this is! All this love for Casablanca!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDybg9CNXcM

[HitchFan97]

Thanks for all the comments guys. :) I'll be doing just two films per post on the Top 20, so here's four on this one:


#24: Imitation of Life
Directed by Douglas Sirk
___________________________________________

http://www.movingimage.us/images/calendar/media/Imitation_of_Life_2_lowres-detail-main.jpg

I haven't yet seen a movie from Douglas Sirk that was anything less than exceptional, but for me, Imitation of Life is his most multi-layered film. Like most of his work, it features a great deal of social commentary, this time focusing on race relations and finding more success dealing with the topic than any other film I've seen. But it's also about finding what's important in life, and how blind ambition can lead to sacrifices that come at much too high a cost. Yet perhaps what really secures this for me as Sirk's masterpiece is how moving it is; I choked back tears at the end when I had the wonderful opportunity to first experience it on the big screen.


#23: Goodfellas
Directed by Martin Scorsese
___________________________________________

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2010/9/23/1285231498814/Ray-Liotta-and-Lorraine-B-006.jpg

Scorsese's gangster classic is perhaps the finest expression of its director's technical mastery of his craft. It's also a ton of fun; the film retains its sense of exuberance and dark humor even during its most dire passages, which are rare in their refusal to glamorize the gangster lifestyle like so many other movies. Scorsese encloses us in the world of his characters and refuses to compromise, so we see these people as they really are, moral faults and all. It also recreates the time period wonderfully, helped in part by an excellent soundtrack.


#22: Rear Window
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
___________________________________________

http://www.lassothemovies.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Rear-Blog4.jpg

Possibly Hitchcock's most flawlessly constructed film, Rear Window is also one of his most intriguing movies story-wise. So it's a testament to Hitchcock's supreme talent as a director that this one remains endlessly fascinating on repeat viewings, even once the initial mystery is revealed. The decision to portray Stewart's voyeurism from his point of view was a devilish stroke of genius on Hitchcock's part, implicating the viewer in the proceedings and transforming Rear Window into not just a great thriller, but a commentary on the morality of movie-watching itself.


#21: Belle de Jour
Directed by Luis Bunuel
___________________________________________

http://s3.amazonaws.com/criterion-production/stills/131425-f0730a8c2312537cf4c2fbb0bffd9513/Film_593w_BelleDeJour_original.jpg

Not only is Belle de Jour one of the most fascinating character studies I've come across, but it also narrowly edges out Eyes Wide Shut as the greatest cinematic exploration of sexuality that I know of. Deneuve's performance is a master-class in restraint and subtlety, and as her character finds herself increasingly unable to distinguish between fantasy and reality, Bunuel blends the two with a dexterity that is virtually unparalleled. Fiendishly entertaining and wickedly subversive.

[The Gunslinger45]

Goodfellas and Rear Window are great films! And Belle de Jour was a pretty good movie! Great set Hitch!

[Daniel M]

Another generic Daniel comment: two great films in Goodfellas and Rear Window, and two other films that I want to see :cool:

[Miss Vicky]

+rep for Rear Window

[Cobpyth]

Another generic Daniel comment: two great films in Goodfellas and Rear Window, and two other films that I want to see :cool:

Too lazy to write my own generic comment. I fully agree with Daniel.

[HitchFan97]

Another generic Daniel comment: two great films in Goodfellas and Rear Window, and two other films that I want to see :cool:

You'll love Belle de Jour. It's one of the most Lynchian films on my list. :)

[Skepsis93]

I like but don't love Goodfellas and Rear Window. Need to rewatch both.

[HandyApe]

Great set Hitch! Love all these films. :)

[donniedarko]

Great set! Have been eager to see Imitation of Life. Goodfellas is an awesome gangster movie, Rear Window is my favorite Hitchcock, probably my number 11 favorite film. Belle De Jour, well it's an INTERESTING erotic film, which I'm still not sure what to make of. Certainly awkward to watch with the mom

[The Gunslinger45]

The first few minutes of Belle de Jour I thought it was going to be a French version of I Spit on Your Grave!

[Daniel M]

Great set! Have been eager to see Imitation of Life. Goodfellas is an awesome gangster movie, Rear Window is my favorite Hitchcock, probably my number 11 favorite film. Belle De Jour, well it's an INTERESTING erotic film, which I'm still not sure what to make of. Certainly awkward to watch with the mom

Rule Number 1 of watching foreign/arthouse films, don't watch with parents :p

[HitchFan97]

Rule Number 1 of watching foreign/arthouse films, don't watch with parents :p

Persona with my dad was an interesting experience. :D

[Skepsis93]

rule number 1 of watching films, don't watch with parents :p

ftfy

[cricket]

Goodfellas is my favorite film and Rear Window is greatness. I haven't seen the other 2 but they sound interesting.

[rauldc14]

Rear Window should have been higher! But glad to see it on here. The same with Goodfellas

[HitchFan97]

The Top 20 begins...


#20: Chinatown
Directed by Roman Polanski
___________________________________________

http://www.audioshocker.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/chinatown-500.jpg

Polanski's finest hour is a towering achievement of New Hollywood genre revisionism. I can name few, if any, films that so meticulously recreate their time period, and Polanski's control of atmosphere is stunning - right down to Jerry Goldsmith's wonderfully evocative score. With a labyrinthine plot full of twists and turns, Chinatown rewards countless repeat viewings. It's my favorite noir and a striking indictment of corruption in all of its forms. Robert Towne's screenplay is rightfully regarded as one of the best ever written.


#19: A Woman Under the Influence
Directed by John Cassavetes
___________________________________________

http://snoreandguzzle.com/images/gena.jpg

Cassavetes' most harrowing film boasts what is, in my opinion, the greatest female performance of all time. Gena Rowlands is a force of nature in this incredibly wise and complex movie about how society forces us to sustain normality and conform to its idea of what this even means. Cassavetes, as an artist and a human being, was never about conformity in any way, and neither is this film; his harshly realistic style of shooting makes watching this domestic drama unfold all the more intense. Nick and Mabel refuse to conform to the other's concept of ideal marriage, and A Woman Under the Influence begs a difficult yet essential question: can two people with totally contrasting views of reality remain in love? Watch and see (or decide) for yourself.

[The Gunslinger45]

Chinatown. I really need to see this movie again. A good movie worthy of praise.

[Skepsis93]

Cool. I love Chinatown even though I still haven't rewatched it. You've also convinced me to finally check out some of Cassavetes' work. I have Opening Night, Shadows and A Woman Under the Influence available, where do I start?

[Lucas]

Chinatown is fantastic! Truly a noir masterpiece.

[donniedarko]

Bitter sweet. Chinatow may just be the greatest film I've ever seen, A Woman under the influence was over the top

[HitchFan97]

Cool. I love Chinatown even though I still haven't rewatched it. You've also convinced me to finally check out some of Cassavetes' work. I have Opening Night, Shadows and A Woman Under the Influence available, where do I start?

Awesome! They're actually all ideal places to begin. I started with Woman and was hooked, but it's very intense so I can imagine some people being turned off by it if they've never experienced Cassavetes before. Shadows would be a good choice because then you can watch his major films in order right from the beginning. And I think Opening Night is the most accessible of the three, so that might actually be the best place to start in my opinion.

[Daniel M]

Well you know that I think Chinatown is brilliant, it's in my top 10 :up:

[Cobpyth]

Bitter sweet. Chinatown may just be the greatest film I've ever seen.

This.


I also had my first Cassavetes experience last night, by the way. I watched Husbands. I finally found a good full length version of it and I just had to see it, because the concept seemed so extremely interesting to me (even more than Opening Night, wich will be the second Cassavetes film I'll watch).

It was an interesting film. I really liked the concept and there were some very good scenes like the bar scene with the song contest and the casino sequence, but sometimes the lack of content and volume in the dialogue was a little troublesome for me. I'm sure he did that in the context of 'cinema verité', but I thought it was a little bit overdone here in quite a few moments.

I still had a lot of fun watching it and I was constantly drawn into the journey, so I'm very much looking forward to the director's other work. I also know that this was probably one of his most experimental movies, in terms of improvisation and dialogue, but I just couldn't help watching this one first. :p

[honeykid]

Chinatown. :cool: I love that film.

[Mmmm Donuts]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_98fDQM0sAo

[Mr Minio]

I'm not that hot on Chinatown. It's a 3 film to me, but I've seen it only once.

I'm dying to see A Woman Under the Influence! I already have it ready to be seen, so I just have to get around it.

[Sane]

A Woman Under the Influence is a brilliant film - one of my favourites. Don't love Chinatown as much as others but it was very good.

[HitchFan97]

This.


I also had my first Cassavetes experience last night, by the way. I watched Husbands. I finally found a good full length version of it and I just had to see it, because the concept seemed so extremely interesting to me (even more than Opening Night, wich will be the second Cassavetes film I'll watch).

It was an interesting film. I really liked the concept and there were some very good scenes like the bar scene with the song contest and the casino sequence, but sometimes the lack of content and volume in the dialogue was a little troublesome for me. I'm sure he did that in the context of 'cinema verité', but I thought it was a little bit overdone here in quite a few moments.

I still had a lot of fun watching it and I was constantly drawn into the journey, so I'm very much looking forward to the director's other work. I also know that this was probably one of his most experimental movies, in terms of improvisation and dialogue, but I just couldn't help watching this one first. :p

Yeah, I agree with you completely. Husbands does teeter on the edge of self-indulgence here and there, but if you enjoyed that one I'm sure you'll love his other stuff. Looking forward to your thoughts on Opening Night. :cool:

[cricket]

Chinatown is also in my top 20.

I'd like to see the other one.

[HitchFan97]

MoFos should love this next set. ;)


#18: The Shining
Directed by Stanley Kubrick
___________________________________________

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2321/2172104617_0cbff1e8a0.jpg

The Shining is, in my opinion, the scariest movie ever made. That's probably because it taps deep into the sacred concept of the nuclear family and transforms it into the ultimate horror catalyst; when I first saw this film over two years ago, I had to turn it off and resume the next day because I was so terrified. Kubrick understood that the idea of a man who goes insane and tries to kill his wife and son is much more disturbing than a man possessed by ghosts who tries to kill his wife and son, and it is this ambiguity that brings the film dangerously close to reality. And Kubrick's historical references only add to The Shining's profundity, a dark warning that we are all doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past if we are not careful.


#17: Mulholland Drive
Directed by David Lynch
___________________________________________

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_w6KwTmlxWcQ/S7KnvFQfK9I/AAAAAAAAARM/aMBGqGaXj0Y/s640/mulholland_drive07.png

My favorite film of the 21st century by a fairly wide margin, Mulholland Drive is David Lynch at the height of his twisted powers. Lynch has always sought to explore the dark side of seemingly idyllic surfaces, and here he turns his spotlight to Hollywood for the first time, and succeeds almost exclusively using dream logic. I won't try to explain all of the film's puzzles and hidden pieces, because that would require a full-blown analysis and ruin some of the fun, but there's another layer to Mulholland Drive that's revealed once the idealistic dream ends; a darkly tragic tale of unrequited love.

[Mr Minio]

Mulholland Drive is a masterpiece. I have to rewatch The Shining as I think I underrated it the first time I saw it.

[HitchFan97]

Mulholland Drive is a masterpiece. I have to rewatch The Shining as I think I underrated it the first time I saw it.

I'm sure you enjoyed the kinkiness of Mulholland Drive as well. ;)

[Mmmm Donuts]

+1 for the Shining, dude! The first time I saw it was in Grade 12 English class (yeah, the teacher was a badass like that), and you would think watching a scary movie in the middle of the day on a cheap school tv would be nothing, but when that intro music blared through the drive up the mountain, I was already freaking out. Great movie, great pick.

[Gabrielle947]

Chinatown and Mulholland Dr. are movies which I see as mediocre.Should rewatch Chinatown,maybe I'll change the opinion but I can't stand Lynch's way of making films.I really want to see Woman Under The Influence (it's in the 1001 book) so maybe I'll get to it sooner and Shining is the best horror film I've seen. :up:

[Guaporense]

I don't like the particular style of Chinatown which I find boring because it's overplayed and over-referenced. MD and The Shining are great though, haven't watched woman under the influence.

[Cobpyth]

I don't like the particular style of Chinatown which I find boring because it's overplayed and over-referenced. MD and The Shining are great though, haven't watched woman under the influence.

What do you mean with 'overplayed and over-referenced'?

[mark f]

Very personal list so far, Hitch. Those are the best. :)

I've lived with Kubrick's The Shining ever since seeing a sneak preview, and I've never found it scary. It's slow, overlong and contradictory, but due to an accumulation of detail (mostly visual), it is entertaining and funny (mostly due to Jack).

Mulholland Dr. is another film everybody seems to love, but I only slightly like. My favorite scene is when Naomi Watts "acts" with Chad Everett. That's "real" and doesn't need twists to make commentary about Hollywood vs. reality. I guess I'm just a wet blanket, sitting all alone in the corner at this big party Lynch is having with everyone else. I do think the film is interesting and leads to some thought-provoking ideas but I'm just not fully drawn in. Sometimes I find Lynch's atmosphere and "audacity" downright silly, but I do find this one better than most.

Sorry about the comments. They're not meant as a debate or a popularity contest because I'll lose that. Just think of it as the loyal opposition saying hello and telling you to have fun as much as you can because sometimes I apparently don't. :)

[Guaporense]

What do you mean with 'overplayed and over-referenced'?

Well, the whole feeling I got from that movie was familiar to me since I was a kid, so it felt a bit uninteresting. It's the classic Hollywood style, the single most influential and overplayed style in all of cinema. Even Hollywood had to abandon that style with Jaws and Star Wars to attract audiences.

Of course, some persons love the classical Hollywood style like you but for me it only feels boring and outdated in some way. It's a matter of personal taste.

[Daniel M]

I love The Shining, I don't think it's that scary but I think it's a fantastic film for a number of reasons, one of my favourite films in terms of cinematography and direction.

Mulholland Drive is very good, I don't love it as I once did, but it's one of Lynch's most interesting works and that is both weird and appealing to a wide audience.

[mark f]

Classical style is never outdated if done well, and the whole ironically witty point of Chinatown is that it isn't really "old-fashioned" since it's telling a very modern story which they could never have gotten away with just a few years earlier. What's outdated about political and moral corruption told with visual clarity and irony? Should it have been anime?

[Cobpyth]

Well, the whole feeling I got from that movie was familiar to me since I was a kid, so it felt a bit uninteresting. It's the classic Hollywood style, the single most influential and overplayed style in all of cinema. Even Hollywood had to abandon that style with Jaws and Star Wars to attract audiences.

Of course, some persons love the classical Hollywood style like you but for me it only feels boring and outdated in some way. It's a matter of personal taste.

You call Chinatown old-fashioned? I think we saw two different films then.

I am a big fan of the classical Hollywood style if done right, but I certainly don't think Chinatown can be considered a classical Hollywood film. Not at all, actually.

[Lucas]

Oh heck yeah! The Shining and Mulholland Drive are both masterpieces. +1

To those who are not the biggest fans of Lynch films, it's understandable. I recommend watching Twin Peaks. After viewing that show, you might end up liking Lynch's style a bit more.

[The Gunslinger45]

Kubrick and Lynch! Mulholland Drive is awesome and The Shining is a classic!

[donniedarko]

I absolutely adore both those films. Top 30 material for me, tremendous movies, and both scary in a similar surreal way

[HitchFan97]

Very personal list so far, Hitch. Those are the best. :)

I've lived with Kubrick's The Shining ever since seeing a sneak preview, and I've never found it scary. It's slow, overlong and contradictory, but due to an accumulation of detail (mostly visual), it is entertaining and funny (mostly due to Jack).

Mulholland Dr. is another film everybody seems to love, but I only slightly like. My favorite scene is when Naomi Watts "acts" with Chad Everett. That's "real" and doesn't need twists to make commentary about Hollywood vs. reality. I guess I'm just a wet blanket, sitting all alone in the corner at this big party Lynch is having with everyone else. I do think the film is interesting and leads to some thought-provoking ideas but I'm just not fully drawn in. Sometimes I find Lynch's atmosphere and "audacity" downright silly, but I do find this one better than most.

Sorry about the comments. They're not meant as a debate or a popularity contest because I'll lose that. Just think of it as the loyal opposition saying hello and telling you to have fun as much as you can because sometimes I apparently don't. :)

I'm always happy to hear your comments, Mark. :) I totally agree with you on that scene - one of the best moments in the film and further proof of the greatness of Naomi Watts' performance.

[honeykid]

Sorry, Hitch. Not this MoFo.

The Shining is so very boring. I've seen it a few times and, while I thought it was ok the first time, I've lost interest with each subsequent viewing until the last time when I was just bored throughout the entire film.

Still not seen Mulholland Dr., but I'm pretty sure I have a copy knocking around here somewhere. That or Lost Horizons, I can't remember which.

[Mmmm Donuts]

Sorry, Hitch. Not this MoFo.

The Shining is so very boring. I've seen it a few times and, while I thought it was ok the first time, I've lost interest with each subsequent viewing until the last time when I was just bored throughout the entire film.

Have you read about the many theories of symbolism in the movie that are floating around the internet? If you haven't, give them a read. I rewatched it after reading a few (some are just too far fetched haha), and it just added a whole new perspective for me. Especially the aboriginal stuff. Kubrick was truly the master of visual metaphors!

[mark f]

Especially ones he never thought of. :)

[HitchFan97]

Have you read about the many theories of symbolism in the movie that are floating around the internet? If you haven't, give them a read. I rewatched it after reading a few (some are just too far fetched haha), and it just added a whole new perspective for me. Especially the aboriginal stuff. Kubrick was truly the master of visual metaphors!

Room 237 definitely added to my appreciation of the film. A lot of the theories are far-fetched, but it's all still very interesting.

[honeykid]

Have you read about the many theories of symbolism in the movie that are floating around the internet?
I haven't, no.

Room 237 definitely added to my appreciation of the film. A lot of the theories are far-fetched, but it's all still very interesting.
I'm quite interested in seeing this film. I think it'll be far more interesting than The Shining. That said, lots of people taking stupid theories seriously? I'll probably just end up getting increasingly annoyed. Still, that's probably better than being bored.

[cricket]

The Shining is another favorite of mine; I think it'll rate high on the 80's list.

I thought Mulholland Dr. was great, but it's the type of movie I'll probably never watch again.

[Gabrielle947]

Let's go with 70s instead! :[

[honeykid]

The 70's will be much better, but it makes sense to hit the 80's first.

[HitchFan97]

#16: Blow Out
Directed by Brian De Palma
___________________________________________

http://parallelmadness.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/blow-out.jpg?w=940

Brian De Palma is one of my favorite directors, and for me, this is his finest achievement. Blow Out is quite simply one of the most atmospheric and entertaining thrillers I've ever seen, and it was the movie that proved John Travolta can act. Though it surely takes influence from both Antonioni's Blow-Up and, like most of De Palma's work, Hitchcock, this one is a completely different beast altogether; it's a chilling yet constantly enjoyable look at paranoia and conspiracies. It's also a sinister meditation on the dark side of the movies, featuring both a deliciously clever opening and one of the most beautifully tragic endings ever.


#15: Persona
Directed by Ingmar Bergman
___________________________________________

http://vonsamuel.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/persona1.jpg

Ingmar Bergman consistently kicked more ass in the '60s than any other director I can name, but Persona is the pinnacle of his achievements in this period by a landslide. An avant-garde masterpiece with more layers than an onion, I've come to love this one more and more on each viewing. And for a film that left me completely cold the first time I saw it, its high ranking here says quite a lot about its ability to get under my skin. It's a movie that means something different to me each time I watch it, but it is 'about', in no particular order, the relationship between artist and audience, particularly in regards to film, the nature of acting (in all of its forms) and the inability to communicate on an emotional level. Of course, with a film of this complexity, I'm probably just scratching the surface, but perhaps the greatest beauty of Persona is that there's always something more to discover.

[Daniel M]

Rather strangely, those exact films were side by side on my recent top 100 (http://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=895658) :) So obviously I love them too :)

[HitchFan97]

Rather strangely, those exact films were side by side on my recent top 100 (http://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=895658) :) So obviously I love them too :)

Aha, you're right! Goes to show how great they are ;)

[Cobpyth]

Blow Out is De Palma's masterpiece. It's entertaining, atmospheric, brilliantly directed and THAT ENDING! Haunting.

Persona is the next Bergman film I'm going to watch.

[Daniel M]

Aha, you're right! Goes to show how great they are ;)

Great minds think alike eh? ;) I am still actually yet to see a Da Palma film I think, but I do have Scarface on Blu-ray, and I have watched The Seventh Seal from Bergman, which I loved (although I think you're indifferent too it), and I have Fanny and Alexander on Blu-ray as you know. Both are directors I'm interested in watching more :)

[HitchFan97]

Great minds think alike eh? ;) I am still actually yet to see a Da Palma film I think, but I do have Scarface on Blu-ray, and I have watched The Seventh Seal from Bergman, which I loved (although I think you're indifferent too it), and I have Fanny and Alexander on Blu-ray as you know. Both are directors I'm interested in watching more :)

Yeah, I was lukewarm on The Seventh Seal but I suppose I ought to watch it again. I don't want to give anything away regarding Fanny and Alexander and its place on this list but I really, really do love it quite a lot.

[donniedarko]

Persona= :love:

Such a great film

[Frightened Inmate No. 2]

2 more movies that I really want to see from 2 directors I want to explore soon.

[HandyApe]

Great set. Persona is definitely one of Bergman's best films.

[mark f]

I don't know if I should say this, but the last time I watched Blow Out, I thought the actual ending was a bad joke, literally. :)

[honeykid]

The whole film is a bad joke. Maybe not as bad as the joke it's based on, but crap all the same.

[HitchFan97]

I don't know if I should say this, but the last time I watched Blow Out, I thought the actual ending was a bad joke, literally. :)

The whole film is a bad joke. Maybe not as bad as the joke it's based on, but crap all the same.

How so?

[cricket]

I loved Blow Out when I first saw it at the movies and still think it's a great film. I really like Brian De Palma.

I haven't seen Persona; I will try it when I come across it simply because of the praise it gets. But I don't expect to like it as it's not the type of film I usually enjoy.

[mark f]

The way the scream is used in a cheapo slasher flick.

[honeykid]

How so?
Because Blow Up is an excruciatingly dull excuse for a film, though very much of its time which is possibly the only reason for it to've existed at all, while Blow Out is dull, but in a far more mainstream way and, therefore, easier to tolerate.

[HitchFan97]

The way the scream is used in a cheapo slasher flick.

I think that's what makes it so tragic - the most important thing in the world to him has been reduced to cheap, meaningless drivel. But then again, this cheap, meaningless drivel is a movie, and in reality the love he shared with Nancy Allen's character is just part of a movie, so there's a cruel irony at work there as well.

Because Blow Up is an excruciatingly dull excuse for a film, though very much of its time which is possibly the only reason for it to've existed at all, while Blow Out is dull, but in a far more mainstream way and, therefore, easier to tolerate.

To each their own. :p

[Guaporense]

Persona is very good, a very aggressive movie (different from the other Bergman films that a bit more subtle) which is good for younger viewers (I guess, I think it's among's Bergman least boring movies out of those I watched).

Haven't watched the other but given it's bad box office performance it appears to be one of those boring films that critics like to praise (and actually torture themselves watching them saying to themselves "I am a smart critic who likes movies that the public doesn't like like this"). Still there are good movies with bad box office performance like Castle in the Sky so I shouldn't be worried about that.

[mark f]

??

[Mr Minio]

Haven't watched the other but given it's bad box office performance it appears to be one of those boring films that critics like to praise (and actually torture themselves watching them saying to themselves "I am a smart critic who likes movies that the public doesn't like like this"). Still there are good movies with bad box office performance like Castle in the Sky so I shouldn't be worried about that.

http://i41.tinypic.com/14udz7q.jpg

[Daniel M]

Haven't watched the other but given it's bad box office performance it appears to be one of those boring films that critics like to praise (and actually torture themselves watching them saying to themselves "I am a smart critic who likes movies that the public doesn't like like this"). Still there are good movies with bad box office performance like Castle in the Sky so I shouldn't be worried about that.

One of the worst things I have ever read. There are tons of brilliant films that didn't do well in terms of box office. Box office is no indication of how good a film is. And I don't know why anyone would care about it when watching a film, or research it before watching.

[bluedeed]

Haven't watched the other but given it's bad box office performance it appears to be one of those boring films that critics like to praise (and actually torture themselves watching them saying to themselves "I am a smart critic who likes movies that the public doesn't like like this"). Still there are good movies with bad box office performance like Castle in the Sky so I shouldn't be worried about that.

Classic ignorant amateur film watcher's cliche: "I didn't like this movie and neither did the masses. Therefore critics and people who did are full of sh*t."

[Cobpyth]

:facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm:

http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/MMnEkt2TOGc/hqdefault.jpg

[jal90]

What the hell man.

About the box office failures...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/ce/Citizenkane.jpg/220px-Citizenkane.jpg

And Hitchcock's Vertigo didn't do really well in box office either.

[honeykid]

And Hitchcock's Vertigo didn't do really well in box office either.
Rightly so, too, because that's a pretty boring film. :yup:

[Daniel M]

Classic ignorant amateur film watcher's cliche: "I didn't like this movie and neither did the masses. Therefore critics and people who did are full of sh*t."

It's strange, because Guapo's film watching range is much wider than the average 'amateur moviegoer' and he watches a lot of critically acclaimed films and foreign films, many that have probably not done well at Box Office. He just seems to have this strange multi-personality thing where he randomly picks different strange arguments for different films to suit his argument, today he has decided that Blow Out is probably a poor film :p

[bluedeed]

It's strange, because Guapo's film watching range is much wider than the average 'amateur moviegoer' and he watches a lot of critically acclaimed films and foreign films, many that have probably not done well at Box Office. He just seems to have this strange multi-personality thing where he randomly picks different strange arguments for different films to suit his argument, today he has decided that Blow Out is probably a poor film :p

That would explain the whole PMMM thing with him

[HitchFan97]

There's nothing boring about Blow Out, anyways. Guapo, you should watch it for yourself and decide.

[LP Quagmire]

Rightly so, too, because that's a pretty boring film. :yup:

You didn't just go there...

[mark f]

You have to be careful about honey's nose placement. :)

[HandyApe]

Haven't watched the other but given it's bad box office performance it appears to be one of those boring films that critics like to praise (and actually torture themselves watching them saying to themselves "I am a smart critic who likes movies that the public doesn't like like this"). Still there are good movies with bad box office performance like Castle in the Sky so I shouldn't be worried about that.

There are loads of great movies that performed poorly at the box office.

Pluto Nash: Budget $100, 000, 000/Gross $7, 000, 000
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within: Budget $115, 000, 000/Gross $85, 000, 000
The Alamo: Budget $107, 000, 000/Gross $25, 000, 000


That's just to name a few...

[Gabrielle947]

Rightly so, too, because that's a pretty boring film.
maybe not boring but I certainly wasn't that impressed after first viewing.There wasn't a second one yet. :D

[Frightened Inmate No. 2]

Box office is always a good indicator of quality. That's why Michael Bay is one of the best directors of all time.

[honeykid]

You didn't just go there...

Sorry, but I'm not a Hitchcock fan. :nope: There are films of his I like, but they're not usually the ones everyone else does. :D I like Frenzy, Psycho, Rope, Lifeboat, Shadow Of A Doubt, The Trouble With Harry and Rebecca. I quite like Rear Window, but didn't care for it too much the last time I watched it and haven't seen it for nearly 20 years.

[Mmmm Donuts]

Hey Hitchfan, I'm still patiently waiting :D

[The Gunslinger45]

Srsly... More movies plz?

[HitchFan97]

Glad you guys are enjoying the list, thanks for all the comments. :) By popular demand, the next set...



#14: The Godfather Part II
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
___________________________________________

http://us.cdn283.fansshare.com/photos/thegodfatherpartii/the-godfather-part-ii-the-godfather-trilogy-455815092.jpg

Coppola expands upon his epic masterpiece with what is almost certainly the greatest sequel of all time. Here he masterfully intertwines parallel tales of corruption among two generations of the Corleone crime family, and with essentially the same ensemble cast assembled for the first film it goes without saying that all the performances are stunning. De Niro's scenes brilliantly capture the American immigrant experience like few other movies I've seen, but for me it's Pacino's scenes that form the backbone of the film. His story in Part II is arguably the highpoint of the trilogy in my opinion, expressing with great restraint and iciness what it is that makes Michael Corleone the most tragic of all movie protagonists; a man who gains the world but loses his soul.


#13: Rebel Without a Cause
Directed by Nicholas Ray
___________________________________________

http://i2.listal.com/image/4071895/600full-rebel-without-a-cause-screenshot.jpg

As a teenager myself, Rebel Without a Cause is one of those movies that I immediately connected with from the very first time I saw it. I can personally say that no other movie, from my point of view, better depicts the angst and confusion of growing up than this one. As a time capsule, Ray's film is great enough; his use of Technicolor is rivaled only by Douglas Sirk and he's clearly a master at contrasting the beauty of his images with the volatile emotions and brooding existential crises of his characters. Fortunately, though, this is more than just the cinematic manifesto of Eisenhower-era America. What it's truly immortal for is its deep wisdom and understanding of youth that was far beyond its time.

[Mmmm Donuts]

Good set, keep em coming!

[Lucas]

Godfather Part 2 is a triumphant film and how a sequel should be done. I've prolonged watching Rebel without a Cause, but I will now check it out asap. Great set.

[Guaporense]

Classic ignorant amateur film watcher's cliche: "I didn't like this movie and neither did the masses. Therefore critics and people who did are full of sh*t."

There aren't objective constants in art and I have noticed that movies that are not popular with the masses tend to be less entertaining than those that are. For instance, I love Stalker but it is not as entertaining as Back to the Future, which is way more popular with the masses.

I have noticed, though, that most of my favorite movies are popular films. Films that attract large numbers of people are films that have a certain magic and certain artistic qualities that many critics fail to appreciate.

And this is not ignorance, this is wisdom.

[The Gunslinger45]

Godfather II is a classic! I have not seen Rebel without a Cause

[Guaporense]

What the hell man.

About the box office failures...

And Hitchcock's Vertigo didn't do really well in box office either.

Yeah? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1958_in_film

Vertigo was the 7th highest grossing film in 1958. Clearly a massive box office success and it was a critical failure at the time. Given that now it's considered a masterpiece it is another point to my argument that the opinion of the public shouldn't be ignored.

Citizen Kane was a box office failure due to external interference of the media mogul who is represented in the movie.

So, your examples are not valid counterexamples of my argument. Anyway, a statistical argument would be required to refute my argument and point data is not valid.

[Guaporense]

It's strange, because Guapo's film watching range is much wider than the average 'amateur moviegoer' and he watches a lot of critically acclaimed films and foreign films, many that have probably not done well at Box Office. He just seems to have this strange multi-personality thing where he randomly picks different strange arguments for different films to suit his argument, today he has decided that Blow Out is probably a poor film :p

Plain wrong.

Most of my favorites are very popular movies. Miyazaki rules the Japanese box office more than Spielberg and Cameron, combined, rule the US box office. Kurosawa ruled the Japanese box office in the 1950's boasting the highest grossing Japanese films of all time at the time, when Japan had a film market comparable to the US today and Ozu was also extremely popular. PMMM is also extremely popular, selling as many Blu-Rays in a month as Porco Rosso sold in several years. Of course, these movies may be obscure in the US but that doesn't imply they are not popular in the rest of the world.

Both the Classic Japanese cinema of the 1950's and the modern anime industries are industries similar to hollywood based on the production of films for profit and they employed/employ tens of thousands of workers directly producing stuff that people want to watch and pay for it. They are very similar to Hollywood.

Kubrick's 2001 was the highest grossing film of 1968 and Tarkovsky, while not well known in the US, had some popularity in the USSR, his films sold millions of tickets there, Stalker, for instance, sold 4.3 million tickets in 1979, and given the USSR in 1979 sold less tickets than the US today that's a lot in modern terms.

I was heavily disappointed many times by movies that are box office failures and critical successes at the time of release. Films such as The Tree of Life serve as an counterpoint to films such as Transformers 3: both films are trash but one is the type of trash that critics like (or pretend to like) and the other is the type of trash that the average film goer likes. Movies that combine box office success with critical success are the best ones according to my tastes: movies like Apocalypse Now, 2001, The Godfather, Seven Samurai, Spirited Away, Star Wars, PMMM, Lord of the Rings, etc.

[Guaporense]

There are loads of great movies that performed poorly at the box office.

Pluto Nash: Budget $100, 000, 000/Gross $7, 000, 000
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within: Budget $115, 000, 000/Gross $85, 000, 000
The Alamo: Budget $107, 000, 000/Gross $25, 000, 000


That's just to name a few...

You are actually supporting my argument there. :rolleyes: Movies that are box office failures are movies that most people did not enjoy, movies that most people don't enjoy are many times movies that I do not enjoy because I am a human and hence similar to most humans.

Critically acclaimed movies that were box office failures tend to be movies considered to be "inaccessible", but these types of movies may be just plain pseudo-artistic cr*p or maybe just great movies that are hard to watch (such as Satantango). Anyway, now that I don't have much free time and my energy is focused on my work I cannot afford watching hard stuff that may be actually bad, easy blockbuster stuff always was my favorite kind of stuff anyway.

[honeykid]

Don't confuse big box office with lots of people liking something. It means lots of people saw it. This is why the really big hits now don't drop off as much and have much longer runs in a countries top 10. This works in reverse, too. A film may be poorly seen, as it might not be on many screens for example, but most of those that see it might really love it. Certain films 'find' their audience on home viewing medias, for example.

[Cobpyth]

And this is not ignorance, this is wisdom.

Haven't watched the other but given it's bad box office performance it appears to be one of those boring films that critics like to praise

Nope, it was pure ignorance. ;)

----------------------------

I like The Godfather Part II, but not as much as the first one and although I'm not a huge fan of Rebel Without a Cause or James Dean for that matter, I still think the film has a few strong moments. It's flawed in many ways, though.

[The Gunslinger45]

More films plz! :)

[Daniel M]

I'll skip over some god awful posts by Guapo and reply to the last set. Not seen either unfortunately. For some reason I have delayed seeing The Godfather Part II and want to see both of them back to back when I finally do, although I think the first is great. Rebel Without a Cause looks great too, and I really enjoyed Ray's In a Lonely Place, he's a director who I want to see moer of.

[Skepsis93]

I'll skip over some god awful posts by Guapo and reply to the last set.

This is what I usually do but these caught my attention. He doesn't seem to realise that people buy the ticket before they see the movie (do we seriously need to point that out?) and keeps saying that there's no objectivity in film, yet keeps trying to dumb it down to absolutes and vacuous facts and figures. I don't understand it.

[HitchFan97]

You guys probably thought both of these next two would be in the top ten. So did I, actually ;) ...


#12: Psycho
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
___________________________________________

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BrXL-sKD_Ok/UI2d0LgIYwI/AAAAAAAAHwk/YLMYQmqHYBs/s1600/Psycho.jpeg

I'm crazier than Norman Bates to not put this one higher than #12, but with one Hitchcock already guaranteed to be way up high I figured I ought to leave room in my top ten for a greater variety of films and directors; at any rate, all films in the second half of the list are more than worthy candidates for my personal top ten. Needless to say, I can and have written quite a lot about Psycho, the film which began my serious love of movies. I could write again about all the reasons why this masterpiece is so technically brilliant, but I'd be repeating myself and others; above all else, it's a film about secrets. Just about every character here has quite a few of them, and it's a sinister commentary on how everything is not at all what it seems in squeaky-clean 1960 America. As Norman Bates so eloquently puts it, these secrets have left everyone "clamped in their own private traps." Will they ever get out? Bates says no, and the film offers no clear answers, but maybe just the revelation of them is a good enough start on the path to freedom.


#11: The Godfather
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
___________________________________________

http://cdn.mos.totalfilm.com/images/t/the-godfather-1972--28.jpg

Hollywood storytelling does not get any better than The Godfather, and I don't expect it ever will. There's little I can say about this film that has been said before, but it really is a well-oiled machine of flawless performances, writing, direction, music, cinematography, and period recreation. Art and entertainment have rarely been fused with such mastery, as The Godfather is not only extraordinarily captivating for the whole of its three-hour run time but is also a potent meditation on power, loyalty, and the inescapable ties to one's family done on absolutely Shakespearean proportions. And it just barely edges out Part II in my opinion because of the sheer weight of Brando's presence.


Up next: the top ten! Feel free to speculate and predict as you wish.

[The Gunslinger45]

Two absolute classics! Can't wait for the top ten Hitch!