Cobpyth's Top 101 Favorite Feature Films

[honeykid]

I'm going to watch them again, as it's been so long, but as of this moment, I still maintain that Reservoir Dogs is his best film, with Jackie Brown, possibly, second, and I'm not convinced that Pulp Fiction beats out Death Proof for third.

[Lucas]

Reservoir Dogs is great. Tarantino's 3rd best film,behind Pulp Fiction and Inglorious Basterds of course. :)

[Masterman]

Reservoir Dogs is one of the greatest movies ever. Great pick.

[The Sci-Fi Slob]

Reservoir Dogs is great. Tarantino's 3rd best film,behind Pulp Fiction and Inglorious Basterds of course. :)

Reservoir Dogs is his second best in my opinion. I didn't like Basterds.

[cricket]

I love Reservoir Dogs, it's my favorite Tarantino.:cool:

I haven't seen any of the original 3 Star Wars in ages, but I always loved them.

[Cobpyth]

I'm going to watch them again, as it's been so long, but as of this moment, I still maintain that Reservoir Dogs is his best film, with Jackie Brown, possibly, second, and I'm not convinced that Pulp Fiction beats out Death Proof for third.

I know you once loved Pulp Fiction. You should keep that attitude! It's miles better than Death Proof and Jackie Brown, in my opinion, although I like the latter one a lot too.

[Daniel M]

As I said in my countdown thread which I am pretty sure you saw, Reservoir Dogs was the film that really got me into films, a couple of years ago now, so it will always have special meaning for me. A great film, and one that I desperately need to re watch as it has been too long since I last saw it.

[Cobpyth]

69. Bullets Over Broadway (1994)

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Another Woody Allen film!

There are three main reasons why I think this is one of Woody Allen's best films. First of all I think this is one of his funniest films, secondly I really like the twisty dark story and the inventive, absurd, but oddly relatable immoral situations that occur throughout this film, and thirdly, I absolutely ADORE its grim, but stylish atmosphere.
I always felt Allen had a great vision of the earlier ages of the 20th century and this is one of those films in which he absolutely nails it. The sets are wonderful, the music is perfect and the dialogue is witty even for Woody Allen standards.

I also love the performances in this film. John Cusack, Chazz Palminteri and Jennifer Tilly all do a very good job, but it's the always delightful Dianne Wiest that steals the show with an over the top, but comically extremely effective performance as fictitious Broadway star Helen Sinclair! She deservedly won an oscar for her performance.

I think this is a film that is very easy to like for everyone. So even if you're not a Woody Allen fan, I think you will probably enjoy it. It's hilarious, clever, full of dark and absurd surprises, but, like most Woody Allen films, still holds a certain dramatic value throughout all the comical wildness.

Check this out and I GUARANTEE that you'll have a good time. It's criminally underseen these days, but in its time, it was able to gather no less than 7 Oscar nominations! Among Woody fans, it's still considered as one of his best films and I am definitely part of that majority (I rank it even higher than most others).

Don't miss it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wvd85RrOAM

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[Cobpyth]

68. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

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This is my third favorite animated film of all time (so you can expect two more). It's a film from the legendary Isao Takahata, who co-founded Studio Ghibli together with his friend Hayao Miyazaki. While the latter one often likes to make exuberant fantasy films full of unique and visually impressive environments, Takahata stays more down to earth with his stories, while still holding a certain delightful spiritual atmosphere. I love how personal, truthful and emotionally touching Takahata makes his stories. For me and for many others, Grave of the Fireflies is his most resonating film.

This film tells a story about war. For me, a war film can be good for several 'reasons'. It can be sharply insightful in terms of war politics, like for example Dr. Strangelove; it can display the deeper psychology of soldiers and other war subjects in a profound manner, like for example Apocalypse Now or Full Metal Jacket; or it can work extremely well on an emotional level, like Schindler's List. This film contains a little bit of all these qualities, but for me, it's the emotional factor that made me fall in love with it. I'm not a person that easily sheds a tear, but this is one of those films that touched me so deeply that I couldn't withhold myself. It's an extremely powerful film.

I'm not the kind of person that condemns every kind of 'macro violence' (in some cases, it's simply inevitable if you want to defend your own people), but that doesn't mean that I can't be touched by a deeply humane story that shows the consequences on a more innocent, microscopic level. It's important to always keep individual suffering in mind when talking war politics. This is one of the best films when it comes to transferring that thought and ideal in an effective and satisfying way.

Grave of the Fireflies is one of the best anti-war films ever made and it uses the medium of animation in a tasteful and emotionally surreal manner that stays with the viewer for a very long time. A fantastic piece of tragically truthful cinema!

http://i771.photobucket.com/albums/xx357/marumura/Chinnamon/Chinnamon%20Episode1/Ep1_11.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QF_OEeUIOE

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[rauldc14]

Agree on The Grave of the Fireflies. Haven't seen Bullets Over Broadway

[The Gunslinger45]

I have not seen Grave of the Fireflies, but I really should. I also need to see Blow Out. Keep up the good work!

[nebbit]

keep them coming, great stuff :yup:

[Cobpyth]

67. Love Streams (1984)

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I've only seen three of Cassavetes' films yet at this point in time and this is BY FAR my favorite. It's an exceptional piece of film and it's very enjoyable to watch.

The story portrays the inner personal 'conditions' of two main characters that happen to be brother and sister, played by John Cassavetes himself and his wife Gena Rowlands. They both have very clear issues concerning love, care and life in general, but both in exact opposite ways!

Robert, the brother, is a writer who has difficulties to truly connect with people for more than one night. He leads a decadent life full of booze, cigarettes, gambling, hookers and short-time relationships, because he isn't able to experience anything more. When one of his former female conquests suddenly knocks at his door and wants him to care for his son for the weekend, it is clear that Robert has no idea how to be responsible and caring. His egocentrism stands in the way of every relationship possible (except perhaps the one with his sister).

http://iv1.lisimg.com/image/3469030/600full-poster.jpg

Sarah, the sister, is in the middle of a divorce and her obsessive and weird behavior scares away her daughter, who decides that she wants to live with her dad. Sarah is completely the opposite of her brother. Instead of not being able to connect with people, she finds herself being able to truly love and care for someone, but in an overly intense way, which causes people to be unable to connect with her (like her daughter and her former husband). She decides to go live with her brother for a while, so she can deal with her problems.

The chiastic chemistry between the two characters is great and Cassavetes observes them in a very empathic, interesting and sometimes strangely comic way.
This is a very eventful movie and the characters go through many different situations and emotions, which also makes this a very entertaining viewing, unlike some of Cassavetes' other films that sometimes tend to tire a little bit at some points, in my opinion. In this film the scenes never drag too long, though, and the pacing is absolutely perfect.
The film also looks amazing!

This is one of those criminally underseen films (although it has been labeled as a cult film) that deserves a much wider public. Make sure that you watch this inventive film about the human condition if the subject matter seems at all appealing to you. I don't think you will be disappointed!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPtOY-jODfY

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[The Gunslinger45]

Have not seen this movie.. And given my experiences with Faces IDK if Cassavetes is for me.

[donniedarko]

The last addition to this list I've seen is Reservoir Dogs, which is highly entertaining. I'd like to watch Bullets Over Broadway since it's Woody, but Grave of Fireflies and Love Streams I haven't had great experience with Ghilibi or Cassavates, but due to the low amount of films I've seen from either I'm not marking off either.

[Miss Vicky]

Reservoir Dogs and Grave of the Fireflies are both good, but I doubt I'll ever rewatch the latter.

Added Bullets Over Broadway to my watchlist. I need to see more Woody Allen and I love John Cusack.

[Frightened Inmate No. 2]

i really need to watch love streams again, although i'm probably gonna rewatch cassavette's 70s stuff first. i think i would appreciate it more now, especially a woman under the influence.

[Guaporense]

I feel asleep on Reservoir Dogs. Grave of the Fireflies is in my top 20 and is one of the top 5 most powerful emotional experiences for me with films.

[Cobpyth]

66. Out of Sight (1998)

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This is one of those films that came out in the wake of the succes of Pulp Fiction. Many filmmakers were attempting to recreate the coolness, structure and atmosphere of Tarantino's masterpiece, but a lot of them failed terribly.

There were however a few good films that came out of it, like for instance Get Shorty (which I also really like), but this romantic crime dramedy by Steven Soderbergh is by far my favorite of them all. It's very tastefully directed, it features some of the best chemistry ever depicted on film (in my opinion) between two very handsome stars and it is often cited as the "sexiest film of all time".

It tells the story of a bank robber (played by George Clooney) who has to kidnap a US Marshall (played by Jennifer Lopez) for a short while, while breaking out of jail. While they're in the trunk of a car together, they share a casual, but strangely romantic moment that they both can't let go off...

Despite its 'sexy reputation', the film is never obscene. Soderbergh was able to charm the audience with sexual tension and romantic atmosphere in the middle of an intriguing crime plot, rather than using more physical images. Everything always feels sophisticated and engaging, because of the atmosphere that is evoked by the script's tension, the sharp performances and the brilliant directing.
For me personally, Out of Sight features one of the most effective romances ever put on film.

Watch this if you're in the mood for something cool, entertaining, romantic and sexy! I also strongly recommend it to every Clooney fan out there. He's awesome in this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Te4G4EGjidM

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[seanc]

Good choice. Interesting that the two films you sight as successfully copying Tarantino are from Elmore Leonard novels.

[mark f]

Well, Tarantino copied Leonard first. :)

[Cobpyth]

Good choice. Interesting that the two films you sight as successfully copying Tarantino are from Elmore Leonard novels.

Yeah, the strenght of the stories probably has to do something with it.
There's something energetic and yet deeply interesting about Elmore's stories. Somehow I related the most to Out of Sight's storyline and characters, though, as it's my favorite Leonard film adaptation from what I've seen so far. (Yes, I like it even more than Jackie Brown :p)

[seanc]

Yeah, the strenght of the stories probably has to do something with it.
There's something energetic and yet deeply interesting about Elmore's stories. Somehow I related the most to Out of Sight's storyline and characters, though, as it's my favorite Leonard film adaptation from what I've seen so far. (Yes, I like it even more than Jackie Brown :p)

Dont disagree but where I think they succeed more than others is in the characters they create. Every movie you have mentioned I think is great. My fave Leonard adaptation is Shorty. My fave Tarantino is Pulp. As I am sure you are learning my tastes run with the crowd.

[cricket]

I liked Out of Sight a good deal, but I didn't love it like I hoped. It's one I'd like to try again.

[JayDee]

Another Woody Allen film!


That's why I've not been liking your list!!! I knew there was a reason but I just couldn't put my finger on it. :p

But you're doing a great job with the list Cob. You've clearly put a lot of time and effort into it. Keep it up. :up:

[honeykid]

I really like Out Of Sight the first time I saw it. Seen it twice since and have liked it less each time. I don't dislike it now, but I'm in no rush to watch it again.

[Miss Vicky]

66. Out of Sight (1998)


...it is often cited as the "sexiest film of all time".

I've not seen this movie, but no way could it possibly be "the sexiest film of all time."

Because:

It tells the story of a bank robber (played by George Clooney)

:sick:

[Pussy Galore]

Great list so far! I've not seen Love Streams, the Woody Allen movie and Out of Sight, but I add them to my watchlist

[Captain Spaulding]

Great list so far, Cobpyth. Nice write-ups, too. We share many favorites in common, and even the ones that wouldn't make my list are still good films. The few I haven't seen look interesting. Keep it up!

[nebbit]

I liked Out of Sight a good deal, but I didn't love it like I hoped. It's one I'd like to try again.
http://www.smileys4msn.com/displaysmiley.php?show=4572

[Cobpyth]

65. Blade Runner (1982)

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The reason why this famous cult film is one of my favorite movies of all time is mainly because it portrays one of the most imaginative and amazingly executed Sci-Fi worlds in cinema history. It looks absolutely STUNNING!
Most of you already know that I'm a big fan of film noir and that's also a reason why I love this film so much. This is probably the only Sci-Fi film that truly captivates the essence of the noir genre (or at least for me) and is also able to satisfy on a science fiction level.

Apart from all the brilliant visual stuff, this film also has a very philosophical, existential and piercing plot. I have to admit, though, that after my first viewing of this film, I did not really know what to make of it all. I was about 16 and my father showed it to me because it's one of his favorite films of all time, but while I appreciated the beauty of the film, the story kind of left me in the dark. It was only after a second and a third viewing that I truly started to love this film. Blade Runner is one of those very rewatchable cinematic art pieces that always makes you discover new details and layers with each new viewing.

Blade Runner is one of those films that makes it so easy for me to love cinema. I watch many new movies at this point of my life, as I'm still very much in the 'exploring phase' of my development as a true cinephile and I do it all to discover films like this, films that I can revisit again and again and that keep me smiling and thinking for weeks after I've seen it. I wouldn't be surprised if Blade Runner is one of those films that will climb on my list as time goes on, rather than fall. With every single new viewing, I love and admire it a little bit more...

P.S. I'm used to the director's cut, as that is the DVD version I own.

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

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[Lucas]

Cobpyth you are awesome! Blade Runner is my all-time favorite film, and I don't see any film ever surpassing it.

[Captain Spaulding]

I have to admit, though, that after my first viewing of this film, I did not really know what to make of it all . . .while I appreciated the beauty of the film, the story kind of left me in the dark. It was only after a second and a third viewing that I truly started to love this film.

I've only seen the film once, and although I admired it on an aesthetic level, I didn't exactly love it. Hopefully it will grow on me with repeated viewings as it did you.

[cricket]

It took me 3 viewings and 30 years, but I finally enjoyed Blade Runner. It will never be a favorite of mine but I can easily understand why it is to others.

[Pussy Galore]

Yep, I agree with you about Blade Runner. The first time I watched it I found it overrated and didn't liked it. After a second viewing I start to really enjoy it, and I'm sure I'll love it the third time I'll watch it

[Masterman]

Didn't enjoy Blade Runner at all.

[nebbit]

:love: :love: :love: Blade Runner :yup:

[Cobpyth]

64. Blue Velvet (1986)

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This is my favorite Lynch film from what I've seen from him so far. It has that typical Lynchian atmosphere and it portrays a mystery plot about suburbian paranoia and the darkness of the human soul in a surreal, neo-noir and still very meaningful and amenable manner.

What I like most about this film is its fluent, stylish and dark atmosphere. There are many weird and even absurd moments, but the film never seems shattered or 'random' because of its overarching mood. There's a lot of crazy stuff going on, but it's all very engaging and because of the beautiful cinematography, the brilliant use of colors and Lynch's skillful directing, the film always has a sort of 'sophisticated' feeling to it, even when it shows really vulgar stuff.

Blue Velvet is a memorable and dreamy psychosexual trip full of cinematically wonderful, but strange sequences. I personally love it and I know many people on this forum do too. A must watch!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmsrO8xpe-w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5VU8GJcg24

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[The Gunslinger45]

Oh HELL YA!

[Lucas]

Blue Velvet?


The Lynchmeister approves of your choice.

http://layogamagazine.com/content/images/stories/0708_pg40_img_0_200x314.jpg

[donniedarko]

One of the greatest choices on this list thus far, a true masterpiece from the genius of surrealism. From the opening scene you know you're in for a ride.

[Cobpyth]

63. Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

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This is the first Spaghetti western and also the first Sergio Leone (who is one of my favorite directors of all time) film I've ever watched. I instantly fell in love with it. The coolness, the underlying emotions, the poetic display of the wild west, the gorgeous music by Ennio Morricone (this film has some of the best film music of all time, in my opinion), the brilliant directing style, ... It was absolutely perfect! Because I was so impressed with this film, I saw the Dollar Trilogy in the next three days that followed. Needless to say, I also loved all of those. One of them is even going to appear a little bit further on my list.

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While Once Upon a Time in the West has some very similar elements to the Dollar Trilogy, it does capture a certain different mood, in my opinion. While the film still features some very cool shooting sequences and while the 'main character' is still a quiet loner, this film feels less raw. There's more emotion and sophistication to the story, there's an allround sadness to it all, something tragic. While the Dollar Trilogy was more playful (even though they also often feature dramatic stories), Once Upon a Time in the West has a certain gravitas to it that is lacking in the Clint Eastwood features. This film is less focused on sheer entertainment and its purpose is to move the audience in a different manner. For me, this epic western definitely did that.

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Let's also not forget the wonderful amount of characters that this film has. There is of course Henry Fonda's legendary villain, 'Frank'. He's so merciless and so full of evil that it's hard not to feel threatened by his appearance. Fonda really did a marvelous job playing him.
Then there is of course the wonderful Claudia Cardinale as Jill McBain. She's beautiful in this and perfectly captures the vulnerability and courage of her character.
Then there is Charles Bronson's Harmonica. He kind of is the 'man with no name' character in this film, but there's more to him than meets the eye at first. There's a reason why he is there.
Last but not least there is of course my favorite character of them all, Jason Robards' Cheyenne! He's not a typical good guy at all, but in this film, you can't help but absolutely adore him. He's cynical, tough, delightfully distasteful and obviously has done some bad things in his life, but there's still a certain kind of honor and loyalty to him. He may be rough, but he's undeniably good inside. There are many characters like that in cinema history of course, but Cheyenne is in my opinion one of the most effective of this kind.

Once Upon a Time in the West should be seen by every cinephile out there. It's one of the most impressive films of all time. It's grand in its ambition and it succeeds on all fronts. It captures the 'idea of the Wild West' perfectly and even transcends it.

It's a masterpiece.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3Q8h-fDfEI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MZw_Iv0wdU

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[cricket]

I haven't seen Once Upon a Time in the West yet, but I will.

Love Blue Velvet!

[Lucas]

Cobpyth you and your impeccable film taste just continues to impress. OUATITW is majestic.That godly Ennio Morricone score is pure ecstasy.

http://cdn3.whatculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/once-upon-a-time-in-the-west.gif

[Captain Spaulding]

Two excellent movies that would rank even higher on my personal list, especially Once Upon a Time in the West, which is one of my top-three favorite movies of all time. The western is my favorite genre, and I think Once Upon a Time in the West is the cream of the crop. Nice write-up.

[Pussy Galore]

I really like Blue Velvet and absolutely adore One Upon a time in the West so double thumbs up!

[Derek Vinyard]

once upon a time in the west !!!! big like and big fan of the movie so nice

[Cobpyth]

62. Mystery Train (1989)

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I discovered recently that certain people on this forum actually strongly dislike this film, but by putting it on my list, I hope some people out there will check it out and love it as much as I do. From the six Jarmusch films I've seen, this is definitely the one that speaks to me the most and I'm definitely not the only one who has that opinion. At its time, it received a very warm reception from critics (in general) and Roger Ebert later even added it to his list of 'great movies'. It also won Jim Jarmusch the prize for 'Best Artistic Attribution' at Cannes.

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I liked this film a lot after the first time I saw it, but I didn't immediately rank it amongst my absolute favorite films of all time. The film never really left my head, though, and I found myself thinking about it a lot and revisiting certain scenes. I decided to rewatch it and then I fell in love with it completely.

This film consists of three intertwined stories that all take place in a gritty Memphis hotel at the same time, but they are told one after another. The tight structure of the overall film and the scenes, the wonderful characters, the deadpan comedy and the extremely effective atmosphere that represents alienation, decay and coolness make this a very special film.

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I'm a big fan of Elvis Presley and his music and I thought the three stories of this film insightfully analyzed certain aspects of the Elvis legend. His heritage and his 'ghost' are never faraway in this film. Jarmusch uses small things like portraits on the wall, pop references, music (Elvis' cover of the song Blue Moon is very effectively used in this film, for instance), urban legends and even his actual ghost to symbolize the immortality of Elvis and more so, the human problems the King of Rock'n Roll had to deal with, even with his fame and wealth. Elvis is more like a symbol in this film instead of a person that actually existed. The film seems haunted by the ideas and thoughts that are provoked by the legend and the ultimate fate of Elvis' persona.
All of the characters in this film have issues (even when they are not always explicitly expressed) and somehow I found meaning in all of their struggles and experiences.

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Another reason why I love this film so much is because of the oddly comical moments between the night clerk and the bellboy at the Memphis hotel, played by Screamin' Jay Hawkins and Cinqué Lee. They are simply awesome!

If you're looking for a film with a classic plot and a typical conclusion, this is definitely not the film for you. If you're looking for an atmospheric experience that focuses on characters and small details and also has an interesting visual look, there's a fair chance you'll like this. Go see it and decide for yourself...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdFHSCqf3fQ

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[Daniel M]

Blade Runner is great, Once Upon a Time in the West and Blue Velvet are absolutely fantastic, and Mystery Train looks like something I'd like :)

[Mr Minio]

mark f dislikes it? Added to my watchlist.

[donniedarko]

Once Upon a time in the west is decent, too long though with to many false endings. I've had mixed experiences with Jarmusch, I haven't seen Mystery Train yet though.

[Pussy Galore]

I've seen Stranger Than Paradise and Down by Law, it was not bad, but nothing that good. I'll still check it out, I still have hope for Jarmusch

[Mr Minio]

Once Upon a time in the west is decent.

http://cdn3.whatculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/once-upon-a-time-in-the-west.gif

[Frightened Inmate No. 2]

mystery train is good, although i prefer down by law, broken flowers, and only lovers left alive.

[Cobpyth]

From what I've seen from Jarmusch so far, I'd rank his movies like this:

1. Mystery Train - My favorite of his so far. Read my former post for more info.

2. Dead Man - Intense and moody experience. Amazing score.

3. Night On Earth - Some of the tales I like better than the others, but they are all meaningful and interesting.

4. Broken Flowers - Starts off REALLY good, but kind of descends a little after the main character's first "visit", in my opinion. Still a good film, though.

5. Stranger Than Paradise - Simplistic, atmospheric and admirable achievement, but the low budget caused two or three frustating moments for me. Sometimes it felt a little too limited. I feel like a rewatch might help me appreciate it even more.

6. Coffee and Cigarettes - A few cool and funny sketches, but also a few lesser ones. Nothing truly great, but still worth a watch if you like Jarmusch.

They all have something that I like about them, but Mystery Train is my absolute favorite. I don't really see that changing, but I'm looking forward to see the rest of his work. Hopefully he can surprise me with another new favorite!

[rauldc14]

I liked Stranger than Paradise. That's all I've seen.

[donniedarko]

You should check out Limits of Control, really slow "action" movie with a sexy supporting actress

[Cobpyth]

You should check out Limits of Control, really slow "action" movie with a sexy supporting actress

Yeah, I'm planning on finishing his filmography this year. Don't really know what to expect from Limits of Control, but I'll let you know my opinion about it when I see it. ;)

[Captain Spaulding]

Mystery Train looks interesting. I need to see more Jarmusch. I've only seen three: Dead Man and Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai, both of which I loved, and Broken Flowers, which was decent.

[Guaporense]

Great list so far, all winners here. In fact, the ones I liked the least are the ones that don't fall into my tastes but I think that everything here is really top of the line stuff, objectively speaking. Though I would place movies like Blade Runner and Grave of the Fireflies much higher on my top 100.

[nebbit]

Great choices :yup: I :love: a spag western :yup:

[rauldc14]

Ready for the next one:)

[Cobpyth]

61. Full Metal Jacket (1987)

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http://ilarge.listal.com/image/1161536/968full-full-metal-jacket-screenshot.jpg

Full Metal Jacket is the first Kubrick film that appears on my list. Most of you will probably already know that I consider Stanley one of the most gifted directors and cinematic storytellers that ever lived on this planet, so it will come as no surprise that this is only the first of many of his films that will appear further in my list.

Exactly 30 years prior to this film, Kubrick made the very effective "anti-war" film, Paths of Glory. In that film he focused on the inhumanity of war ethics and a colonel's moral fight against a decision made by his higher officers to execute soldiers who dared to value their own lives above the good of their nation, when they refused to go further with a hopeless attack. A great and highly emotional WWI classic!

In Full Metal Jacket, Kubrick attempts to observe something more abstract and obscure. He makes the viewer experience the general 'psychology' of the young soldiers that get recruited and prepared for the Vietnam War in a boot camp training. He tries to apprehend the dehumanizing effects of war from the inside, the core, the actual soldiers and their training. Kubrick chooses one of the soldiers, Private "Joker", as the narrator and he does this in a very cynical, but effective way.

This film is famously divided in three acts. First we see the boot camp, after that we see the lives of the soldiers in Vietnam and then we see the actual 'war' at its most haunting and cruel. Many people claim that the first part is far superior to the other two parts, but although I agree that the first act is absolutely magnificent, I'm one of those people that also really appreciates and loves the scenes in Vietnam. It is in those scenes that we see the actual consummation and psychological consequences of the first act and they are also just very thrilling scenes on their own.

This film is directed by Stanley Kubrick, so it's needless to say that the film also is absolutely gorgeous to look at.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EKqDCFcIck

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmILOL55xP0

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[donniedarko]

I'm one of those people who thinks the first act is the greatest, I'd also rate the second act over the third. Paths of Glory > Full Metal Jacket, though.

[cricket]

Love FMJ, great pick. Repeat viewings made me appreciate the last two thirds of the movie much more.

[TheUsualSuspect]

Awesome list so far man. Props all around.

[Lucas]

Full Metal Jacket is a great film,although its one of my least favorite Kubrick films. I tend to prefer Paths of Glory

[Cobpyth]

60. Double Indemnity (1944)

http://www.nerospinto.it/nero/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/LaFiammaDelPeccato.jpg

Double Indemnity is yet another Billy Wilder favorite of mine! This film showcases many of my favorite aspects of the noir genre. It tells a realistic, intelligent and cruel story that exposes some of humanity's more evil sides, but it also shows the psychological consequences these immoral explorations can provoke.

Fred MacMurray is an insurance rep who is seduced by Barbara Stanwyck's femme fatale, Phyllis Dietrichson. Together they devise a plan to murder her husband and at the same time collect his life insurance (doubled). Edward G. Robinson's character, a sly insurance inspector and moreover a good friend of MacMurray's character, feels there's something wrong and subtly starts investigating the case. A thrilling, psychological game of cat and mouse unravels between the three main characters and everything slowly develops towards a poignant, climactic ending.

http://a398.idata.over-blog.com/500x376/3/20/70/51/txt-divers/Bld-du-crepuscule/DoubleIndemnity.jpg

The story alone is already very impressive to follow, but this film also presents it all in a very interesting way. The movie's structure makes everything all the more profound. The film is completely narrated by Fred MacMurray's character (who is clearly wounded) through a tape recorder in the office of Edward G. Robinson's character. It's a very effective way of telling this story. The audience already knows from the start that something cruel is going to happen, but they don't know when and where. They also don't know the final destiny of the main character yet, because he tells the whole story in the middle of the climax, right before his fate is sealed. Also, the voice-over device works extremely well in the noir genre and this is one of the first films that shows us why. The main character is not only showing us their feelings and emotions through his acting, but he's actually observing and explaining everything to us. In a noir film, where characters often make twisty decisions and immoral moves, it's all the more interesting and enriching to hear the motives explained by the characters themselves.

Double Indemnity is an indisputable noir classic by Billy Wilder and an absolute must-see for every cinephile out there!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJq1auJq_gc

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[kkl10]

Nice entry, I'll add this movie to my watchlist. Thanks!

[The Gunslinger45]

Double Indemnity is a true classic! Great choice!

[honeykid]

Great film. It's on my 100 and it's one of the few noirs that I really love.

[Rhys]

Double Indemnity is brilliant. It was one of our study films for my first year of Film studies.

[Daniel M]

Double Indemnity is a great film, now hurry up and reveal the other 59 films :p

[Lucas]

Double Indemnity is a masterpiece. Great pick. If Chinatown didn't exist, it'd be my favorite film-noir ever.

http://25.media.tumblr.com/54dac15040fda9b99e5dc0f580e780cd/tumblr_mzeatxiQ9m1sytwjuo1_500.gif

[honeykid]

Yep, I think I'm the same. :)

[rauldc14]

Double Indemnity is AWESOME!!!

[Cobpyth]

59. American Beauty (1999)

http://www.filarmonia.org/image.axd?picture=2011%2F11%2FBelleza+americana+2.jpg

This delightful dark dramedy is in my opinion still one of the most interesting and memorable representations of unsatisfying suburbian life.

I saw this movie for the first time way back when I was 8 or 9 years old. My parents had purchased the DVD and the sensual cover immediately intrigued me. One evening, when there was a party in the neighborhood that my parents attended, I was home alone and I decided to take the film up to my room and watch it (back then I had a television in my room, which was awesome). Needless to say, this was one of the more 'adult' films I'd seen at that period of my life. I was strangely captivated by this film's hypnotic atmosphere and story. I was obviously too young to understand all of the subtlety of what was going on and some things naturally came across as 'strange', but all in all the uniqueness and beauty of the film touched me. This film was a mystery that I didn't fully understand yet at that age, but the watching experience always stayed with me.

http://media.tumblr.com/940e6dd5b6e7e137d40d540c1e773378/tumblr_inline_mho2coQQja1qz4rgp.gif

Years later, when I was starting to profile myself as a cinephile, I suddenly came across American Beauty again. I took that same DVD of the shelf and rewatched it. The film's dark, but heartfelt magic enchanted me just as it did all those years ago and probably because of my prior viewing experience, it had a strangely nostalgic effect on me too. It always reminds me of that 'turn of the millennium' time period.
I don't know how to put this into words, but the bright sun on those white houses, the soft, but very noticeable cinematography, the girl lying in a bath of red rose petals and the hypnotizing music score somehow make me feel very 'aware' of reality. The film tackles a various string of dramatic topics, but it observes it all with a deep sense of beauty. It observes unhappiness in a nihilistic, provocative, venomous, but strangely optimistic manner. I love it.

American Beauty is a film that I will definitely revisit a couple more times during my lifetime, preferably alone on a summer night, somewhere in the middle of a suburbian neighborhood...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqUwDI_bV-U

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

[BlueLion]

A truly great film which imo gets way too much hate. Nice pick.

[Daniel M]

Very good film, I remember watching it when I was first getting into films, has been a while though.

[honeykid]

I've not seen this since it came out, but I remember really liking it.

[donniedarko]

Blue Velvet and American Beauty are probably the two greatest representations of a dark suburban setting. I love American Beauty, tons of great subtle symbolism. Also Spacey is hilarious in this, even in some of the darkest scenes I couldn't stop laughing at his perspective. Want to watch it again now...

[cricket]

American Beauty is in my top 10 and Lester Burnham is one of my top 5 favorite characters. My wife loves it too.

[moviefan1996]

Double Indemnity is one of the best film noir that I have seen and you are doing a great job on your list so far.

[nebbit]

I think this is one of the best lists so far :yup:

[Cobpyth]

58. O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)

http://www.encadenados.org/rdc/images/stories/paradiso/num_65/obrother06.jpg

If I'm not mistaken, this is the first Coen Brothers entry on my list. I can tell you already that it won't be the last and I can also tell you that many of their films were in the running for some of the lower spots on my list. There was never a doubt, however, that this film would make it. I simply adore it.

Studying classic roman languages like Greek or Latin is still a fairly common thing in my country. I personally attended Latin classes for six years in high school. I wasn't the very best at actually translating the texts we had to read, but the content of the stories, the history of the Roman empire, the philosophical studies and the extra cultural baggage were always interesting.
This film is based on one of the most famous Greek texts, called "The Oddysey" by Homer. It's an epic story about the tumultuous return of Greek king Oddyseus, after the Trojan War, to his home country. Naturally, this was one of the big stories we read in Latin class (even though it's actually a Greek story), so I am pretty familiar with the source material.

http://cdn.filmschoolrejects.com/images/O-Brother-Sirens-640x272.jpg

The coens did something very cool with it, in my opinion. They transformed the epic Greek legend into a comedy that's set in the environment of the South of the USA during the 1930s and Oddyseus' crew is reduced to three escaped prisoners, played by George Clooney, John Turturro and Tim Blake Nelson. The script is hilarious and is also a beautiful hommage to the classic literature it is based on. It uses certain story elements of the classic legend in a very fluent manner and it perfectly transfers some of the source material's original meanings, be it in a light and typically coenesque fashion.

http://listverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/o-brother-3.jpg

This is also the film that made me a huge fan of George Clooney. Beside his obvious charisma and star power, I think his comical timing is phenomenal in this. He carries this film brilliantly.

If you're in the mood for an entertaining, hilarious, visually stunning and adventurous ride through the old South with a delightful classical touch, you should definitely see this film. It's a great piece of modern cinema!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZtgZ5fHOuU
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[Daniel M]

One of the few Coen Brother films I haven't seen, and reading your post makes me desperately want to correct that.

[honeykid]

I liked it when it came out, but I've never felt the need to watch it again. That's not to say I wouldn't enjoy it or even that I think I wouldn't, I've just never felt like it.

[donniedarko]

I like Oh Brother, Where art Thou, a really interesting interpretation of the odyssey, and the usual hilarious Coen Brother characters. Interested to see what Coens you will rank higher than this. I feel that Millers Crossing will make this list, it should atleast!

[Lucas]

O Brother where art thou is pretty damn good. Not my favorite Coen Brothers film, but its very amusing and sweet. Shows how diverse and talented they are as filmmakers. They can make something like this one second, and then No Country For Old Men another.

[Godoggo]

Just caught up with your list. Most of these movies I really really like and there are quite a few that I absolutely love. In fact, you've only got two movies on your list so far that I don't care for that much.

[nebbit]

:love: Oh Brother Where art Thou :yup:

[JayDee]

I love O Brother, Where Art Thou?. While it might not be a common choice it's actually my favourite Coen Brothers film.

[Cobpyth]

57. McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971)

http://cinedhec.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/mccabe.jpg

Altman's famous (anti-) Western film, McCabe & Mrs. Miller is another showcase of the director's extraordinary talent to make a certain genre completely his own, while also giving it a very interesting, refreshing and often haunting atypical spin. He is one of those directors that could easily put many different important themes into one nicely flowing movie and he very much does that here.

The film starts with the image of a typical loner. Infamous cigar smoking gambler John McCabe (played perfectly by Warren Beatty) enters a town and visits a local saloon. He has come to the place with a vision, with a plan. He's determined to start a luxurious whorehouse.
Soon he starts the constructions, but the "whorehouse business" seems more complex than he thought at first. An experienced professional prostitute, called Constance Miller (played by the always gorgeous Julie Christie), passes by and she offers him her help in exchange for a share of the profits. McCabe accepts the business deal.
Everything starts going well for their business and we learn more about both of our main characters. A special chemistry starts to develop between them, but it's not at all the typical romantic chemistry one would expect. It's much more complex and dark and our characters suffer because of it. Meanwhile a major corporation offers to buy McCabe out, because they have their own plans with the town. When McCabe initially refuses and starts playing hard to get, the darker meanings of the uncontrolled and "free" West become clear...

http://screencrave.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/McCabe-Jaime-July-2012.png

The reason I like this film so much is because it's able to flawlessly balance poetry with brainy intelligence. The film shows emotions and portrays feelings, but it places them in a realistic and sometimes rather pessimistic environment. Human values and romanticism don't get a safe conduct in this film. Falling in love with a prostitute who has lost hope isn't matter of course and owning a thriving business isn't all that romantic, but at least it feels real and that's the strength of this film.

Now, some people would think that this sense of 'realism' would make a film rather boring, but that's definitely not the case here. Yes, it offers a more believable and intelligent take on the Old West, but it's still full with stuff that makes a film great! The characters are interesting, the script can be funny, tensive and haunting, the directing is Altman at his best, the film has a warm, heartfelt core and the story is very interesting and entertaining to follow.

So yeah, be sure to check this out before the '70s list starts. As you can see, for me, it's still one of the most satisfying film experiences I've ever had and I'm sure many of you will love it as well (or already love it).

http://www.mardecortesbaja.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/McCabeMillerOpium.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gt-r3QcegnU
3:40 - At the beginning of the film, there is a shot of McCabe lighting a cigarette before crossing the bridge. According to Robert Altman, Stanley Kubrick loved that shot and called him up asking him: "How did you know you had it?"
-------------------------------------------

[Frightened Inmate No. 2]

i need to rewatch mccabe for the 70s list, because i know i missed a lot of great stuff when i first watched it. great to see it get some recognition, because too many people overlook it, including me.

[seanc]

I'll be watching this soon. It's in my Netflix que because I really need to watch it before the 70's list.

[Daniel M]

McCabe & Mrs. Miller will undoubtedly be near the top of my 70s list, an absolutely fantastic film.

[seanc]

McCabe & Mrs. Miller will undoubtedly be near the top of my 70s list, an absolutely fantastic film.

I am hoping I like it as much as you guys. Mash, Nashville, and The Long Goodbye will all be on my 70's list.

[cricket]

I just saw McCabe and Ms. Miller and I was disappointed. Maybe I should watch it again, I was very sleepy.

[Yoda]

I just saw McCabe and Ms. Miller and I was disappointed. Maybe I should watch it again, I was very sleepy.
Same.

[rauldc14]

I still have to see McCabe and Mrs. miller too

[Pussy Galore]

It s a really good beautifully shot movie. Good review!

[mark f]

Minority opinion: another Altman shaggy dog story, sorta like noisy coitus interruptus. Considering I think that, it's OK. :)

[Cobpyth]

56. The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001)

http://www.nelsoncarro.com/archivos/img/elhombrequenuncaestuvo1.jpg

The Coens already showed interest in the noir genre in some of their films that preceded this one, but in The Man Who Wasn't There, they (finally) fully pressed the gas pedal! With its gorgeous black and white cinematography, engaging noirish plot and stellar cast portraying a whole list of interesting and obscure characters, this film is - for me - up to now THE summit of neo-noir films of the 21st century!

http://insanhaber.com/sites/default/files/unu_yildizdan_aci_haber_h16782.jpg

Of course the Coens wouldn't be the Coens if they didn't add their own twist to the typical genre elements and as you can expect, they very much do that here too. The most notable thing is the Coenesque subtle humor that is woven into the script. The film has the atmosphere of a film noir and everyone talks like they're in a film noir, but in essence this really is a deliciously cynical dark comedy (in the most subtle sense of the word). The Coens typically let banal situations cause severe consequences and some of the dialogues are just straight faced comedy gold!
The beauty of this film is that, even though it is undoubtedly comical, it never loses its seriousness and it never makes us less engaged with the actual plot. We still get genuine suspense and effective depressed voice overs, even though it's a story about a barber who blackmails his wife's boss and lover because he wants to invest in dry cleaning. It's a relatable story about a man who is probably as alienated from the world and his surroundings as one can be. He observes everything in an extremely apathetic, but passive manner.

Another main reason why I adore this film so much, is its fantastic cast! Frances McDormand is great as always, Scarlett Johansson is convincing in one of her younger roles and James Gandolfini is simply badass!
The true star of the film is Billy Bob Thornton, though. He was made to play the cynical, depressive, chain smoking guy who's out of luck! His voice and facial expressions are simply SPOT ON! He really IS that character. I'm also a huge fan of the film Bad Santa in which he plays a role with a similar tone (even though he also has a few other extreme character elements in that one).

http://nickbachan88.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/the-man-who-wasn-t-there-original.jpg?w=500

So, if you're in the mood for some pitch-black comedy with a delightful touch of melancholy and world-weariness (realised by the sadness of Beethoven's Piano Sonatas and Roger Deakins' deliciously somber cinematography), you should definitely watch this remarkably well crafted piece of cinema (it's one of the Coen Brothers' most visually impressive films, in my opinion).
The Man Who Wasn't There is one of those films that will stay a firm personal favorite of mine for a very long time!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5RvDorEnMc
A lawyer uses the quantum mechanical uncertainty principle (or Heisenberg principle) in a pretty cool way to explicate the essence of his case to his client.

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[Daniel M]

Are you watching the TV series Fargo? If you're not get on it right away, Billy Bob Thornton is at his best in my opinion and the whole thing is fantastic.

[Cobpyth]

Are you watching the TV series Fargo? If you're not get on it right away, Billy Bob Thornton is at his best in my opinion and the whole thing is fantastic.

I didn't even know BBT was in that series! :eek:
Just put it on my watchlist. Thanks for telling me!

[rauldc14]

I haven't seen that Coen film yet.

[Daniel M]

I didn't even know BBT was in that series! :eek:
Just put it on my watchlist. Thanks for telling me!

You idiot, how did you miss something like that! :p

But yeh watch it right away, there's been four episodes so far and I absolutely love all of them. Perfect film to tv adaptation in my eyes, similar settings and elements but fresh storyline and interesting subplots/characters, Billy Bob Thornton is absolutely brilliant and I guarantee you'll love it. The Coen Brothers are on board as exec producers and approved the script, the whole thing has a great Coen Brothers sensibility to it, the writer is clearly a fan, with many elements from lots of their films.

[Lucas]

The Man who wasn't There is a fantastic film, The Coen Brothers fully embracing their love of film-noir. One of my favorites of theirs.

[Cobpyth]

55. Django Unchained (2012)

http://www.filmweb.no/incoming/article1053911.ece/binary/o/Jamie%20Foxx%20og%20Christoph%20Waltz%20i%20Django%20Unchained

Django Unchained is the third Tarantino entry on my list. This epic modern western is in my opinion one of the most entertaining and memorable films of the current decade so far. It's plenty of cool moments and it contains a rich amount of well constructed characters, sharp dialogues and all the other stuff you would expect from Quentin Tarantino.

Django Unchained mainly is a film about slavery, although the theme is displayed in a twisted, Tarantinoesque manner. It shows the horrors of slavery in an exploitative way (which is fine by me) and it responds to those horrors very agressively. In the world of cinema, violence is a valid and often satisfying way to showcase emotions (in my opinion) and Tarantino is one of those directors who's able to transfer those emotions in his scenes very effectively. It doesn't matter if it's two black men fighting eachother to the death, Django killing one of his former abusers or a slave getting tattered by dogs, we always feel touched in a certain way.
In my extra classes of Moral philosophy (which is an optional subject that I attend in my university), I learn about violence and how it's always been part of human's moral instincts throughout history. It's a part of humanity that's been looked down upon during modern years (and with good reason), but I personally think it's still a very interesting aspect of ourselves to think about and to be confronted with. Tarantino very much does that in his films and I strongly appreciate that. His violence is not just mindless, even though it sometimes has very entertaining and even glorifying results. He obviously has fun with his action-based scenes and he has no problems with going severely over the top, but you can feel that there's still a certain 'gravitas' to them.

https://31.media.tumblr.com/7361b0ce80c9971f56fcd4876f6c3ef0/tumblr_inline_mz1aiv3bJU1qk6hey.png

Isolated from its themes and obvious social commentaries on history, this is also just a film with a very exciting and tensive plotline. A slave, called Django, gets freed by Dr. King Schultz, a very likable, sly German bounty hunter, to help him find three brothers that are wanted by the law and that he can earn money with. They start bonding and when Schultz hears about Django's wife, Broomhilda, still being captivated somewhere, he decides to help his new friend to free her. They come up with a plan and they approach her eccentric and notorious owner, Calvin Candie, and try to obtain Broomhilda from him with a con...

http://25.media.tumblr.com/515afca6bcafa125980225d5b8a2c176/tumblr_mq0196gatF1s5kl38o1_500.gif

The first two thirds of the film I personally like best.
In the first third, our two main characters meet and they travel together. We get some cool dialogues, we witness them realizing a few bounties and having a few adventures (one of them features an early form of the Ku Klux Klan). The pace is amusingly laid back (with the exception of a few more intense moments) and Tarantino creates a very effective atmosphere. He lets us absorb the environment of his film.
In the second part, we meet our main villain. Our two main characters throw themselves in a very risky plan. The dialogues are more cutting, the stakes are higher and the story gets darker. We are treated to some very entertaining and suspenseful moments and slowly move towards a major climax!
In the last third of the film, everything kind of gets reduced to a revenge plot. It's still entertaining and engaging, but it's not as subtle and perfectly toned as the first two thirds and everything makes place for more cliché and typically heroic plot developments. It's still a lot of fun to watch (and the very ending is just plain awesome), but it does lack the sophistication of what preceeds it. Still, as you can see, it was no reason for me to not enjoy the overall film immensely and add Django Unchained to my all time favorite films.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--qrGlYu_h-I/UOPC8_nb3vI/AAAAAAAAA3c/Paztq2vAtaY/s1600/samuel-l-jackson-in-django-unchained.jpeg

I could write about this film for ages and get into many other aspects of it, such as the cool hommages to other classic (spaghetti-western) films, the splendid sense of humor, the brilliant acting performances by Christoph Waltz, Samuel L. Jackson and Leonardo DiCaprio (whose villain is one of the most memorable and enjoyable villains in modern cinema, in my opinion) and a bunch of other stuff, but I've expressed my very positive feelings towards this film many times already on these forums, so I won't bother you people with it any further.

This film has been at the top of my 2010s decade list since it came out, but after a third rewatch of another favorite film a few months ago, it has been surpassed (I guess most people will know by which film). Tarantino's Western epic still proudly ranks as my second personal favorite of this decade so far, though, and I strongly recommend it to every cinephile who hasn't seen it yet! It's truly a great piece of modern mainstream American filmmaking!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4PYRdb71_w
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[cricket]

Great write up on Django Unchained; I also thought it was an awesome film.

[Lucas]

I like Django, but Tarantino needs someone to tell him when enough is enough though. The final act really drags the film down.

[donniedarko]

Great write up on Django Unchained, and I agree with you that's it's a great film. McCabe & Mrs. Miller is ok, but like most Altman it drags on to much.

[Cobpyth]

54. All That Jazz (1979)

http://imgc.allpostersimages.com/images/P-473-488-90/67/6723/WKNA100Z/posters/all-that-jazz-jessica-lange-roy-scheider-1979.jpg

All That Jazz is one of the wildest and most provocative character studies I've ever seen. It's inspired by Fellini's 8 1/2 in the sense that it's mainly about a director/choreographer, his inner psychological troubles and his observations of life and existence in general.

Joe Gideon (played by Roy Scheider), our main character, is a chain smoking film director/choreographer who is addicted to drugs and sex and who's obsessed with death. The film projects his ideas and creativity on the screen making use of a bunch of fantastic and highly original musical numbers and a few surreal dream sequences containing his muse, Angelique (played by Jessica Lange).
Joe's wild lifestyle starts to keep up with him, though, and slowly he feels his health deteriorating. He feels life slipping away. He observes his past and his present situation, while starting to grasp the concept of mortality, but he is not able to change who he is or what his extreme way of living has made him become.

Despite its heavy themes, the film never goes into overly dramatical territory, though. Everything always has a darkly comic and sensational touch to it, which makes it much more entertaining to watch than pure dramas. We are still emotionally engaged with what's going on however, because of brilliantly focused cynicism and because All That Jazz, despite all the dark implications that are made throughout he movie, does have an effective and affective heart at its core, be it a very rotten and ravaged one. This all makes for a piece of art that's equally entertaining, hilarious and dramatically satisfying, which is very rare.

This wild motion picture deserves to be watched by every cinephile out there who isn't afraid of profound filmmaking. Your imagination will be tickled, your philosophical self will be provoked and you'll be entertained! This film presents show business at its most effective and self aware! What would you want more out of a movie?
Be sure to check this one out for the '70s list if you think it could be something for you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kroAQfDFR_U
The very last shot with that ending song is one of my favorite cynical final film moments of all time. DO NOT WATCH this when you haven't seen the whole movie yet!

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[cricket]

I'm watching All That Jazz this weekend and really looking forward to it. I've seen Star 80 and Cabaret from that director and think his movies have a great style about them.

[Cobpyth]

53. Short Cuts (1993)

http://wisequacks.org/wp2/wp-content/themes/NewsFlash/thumb.php?src=http://wisequacks.org/wp2/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/shortcut-clown-robbins.jpg&w=555&zc=1&q=80&bid=1

This is already the fourth Altman film on my list and the people who know me well enough will realize that this is not the last one yet either. Among the three that already appeared, there are two very clear ensemble pieces, Gosford Park and Nashville. While I obviously love those two films (otherwise they wouldn't have made this list), Short Cuts somehow became my favorite Altman ensemble piece over time. I feel like this is his most accomplished one in that area.
The film features a rich amount of interesting characters, Altman's directing is exceptionally great (there are a couple of really cool jokes, using some well timed cuts) and all the different plotlines are just very enjoyable and interesting to observe.

http://thisdistractedglobe.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Short-Cuts-1993-Julianne-Moore-Matthew-Modine-pic-5.jpg

Another notable thing about this film, is its AMAZING cast. There are way too many great actors in this to sum them all up, but when you give this film's line-up a quick look, you'll definitely see what I mean. They all play a small, but significant piece in Altman's ambitious puzzle of characters that are connected to eachother in one way or another.

http://www.lifo.gr/uploads/image/398669/tumblr_m4wft4ILqQ1qa5uzto1_500.jpg

The film is set in suburban L.A. As many of you will know already, the suburban way of living is a topic that intrigues me. The people who live there mostly don't have to worry about money or stuff like that anymore, so they are looking for something higher, something that gives their life more meaning. Good films about middle class people (subtly) observe that typical desire for value. This human quest and struggle can be presented in many different ways and this film does a great job at doing that. Because it's a big movie that features so many different characters, Altman has the time and space to deploy a rich palette of different situations and different kinds of "struggles" and that's what makes this film so extremely interesting to watch and rewatch again and again! This film is particularly good because, in my opinion, every single plotline in it works! The difficulty of making this kind of ensemble pieces is to make every plotline equally engaging and intresting and in Short Cuts that is VERY MUCH the case.

http://gomovie.ru/storage/public/images/person/7/4/7/0/_30747/32d915a40ab8612dce10a574709a22ed.jpg

The final result of all these quality components is a memorable film that is able to captivate a certain overarching mood, while provoking some valuable insights into the lives of its characters. It's an Altman film, so obviously he presents everything in a deliciously dark comical way, but as usual, he still spends enough time in more dramatic territory when necessary. The film doesn't attempt to make you feel particularly good or bad about what you're seeing, but it does make you feel more aware of things. There's an undeniable melancholic and dark edge to it all in the end, but in stead of shooting with it at the viewer, the film ultimately leaves it hanging somewhere in the air of suburban L.A. Exactly the way I like it best...

http://gormenghast.img.jugem.jp/20100321_1042366.jpg

Robert Altman truly was one of the best and most pleasantly free-spirited American directors of all time and he proved it again with this 1993 masterpiece.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA54HPoUtpM
---------------------------------

[honeykid]

I seem to remember struggling with Short Cuts, but I think that was the one and only time I watched it. All That Jazz, on the other hand... :nope:

[Captain Spaulding]

Django Unchained was my second favorite movie of 2012 (behind only The Master). It's a great movie, yet I can't help feeling disappointed by it. I think that's because my expectations were too high. QT is one of my favorite directors, and the western is possibly my favorite genre, so I went into it thinking I was about to watch one of my new favorite movies of all time, and that wasn't the case. As much as I enjoyed it, I also felt that it could've been so much better if QT had trimmed some of the fat.

Short Cuts is a favorite, however, so it's great to see you include it.

Your write-up may have finally convinced me to watch All That Jazz. I'm not generally a fan of musicals, so I wasn't planning on checking it out in preparation for the 70's countdown, but you've piqued my curiosity.

[cricket]

I've watched 4 Altman's recently; I liked Nashville, Mash, and The Long Goodbye, but couldn't get into McCabe and Mrs. Miller. I think I'd like Short Cuts.

[Cobpyth]

52. Barton Fink (1991)

http://cinema1544.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/nyc_playwright.jpg

Barton Fink represents the Coen Brothers' cynical and slightly surreal look on Hollywood. The film is both horrific and hilarious and in my opinion it's definitely one of the boldest pictures the Coens have ever done. I'm a big fan of boldness, so it shouldn't be a surprise that this is one of my favorites of theirs.
The Coens wrote this film while suffering writer's block during the writing of Miller's Crossing (which is also one of their very best films, in my opinion) and that's very apparent in this film's plot. They mock their own incapacity to come up with new stuff by writing about that incapacity. The result is a highly original film about a writer who is suddenly unable to perform and who slowly gets drained by the cruel reality that is Hollywood.

http://theadventuresoftransman.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/barton-fink-1991.jpeg?w=490&h=275

After Barton Fink's first New York play on Broadway is a succes, he is contacted by Universal Pictures. They get him a lugubrious hotel chamber where he has to write a screenplay for a film about wrestling. Fink doesn't seem to find the inspiration to get past the first few lines though, and because of his environment he is constantly distracted. While trying to find a solution for his problem, he gets to know the insurance guy who lives next to him in the hotel, he meets up with a famous Hollywood playwright who is constantly drunk and agressive and he gets involved with the writer's personal assistant.
At a certain moment the plot starts taking a few very strange twists. Everything kind of turns into a creepy, but darkly comical Kafkaesque farce, while still holding a haunting resonance. One could say that unexpected 'evil' suddenly starts taking over.
Personally the third act is my favorite part of the film. I like it when filmmakers just decide to do something different for once. Viewers may leave this movie with more questions than answers after a first watch, but after seeing it a few times, I've come up with some own ideas about what's going on and what it all "means". I personally discovered 'truths' in it about society's look on art and creativity, about human pretentiousness, about the harshness of business and life, about acceptance of fate and about "the life of the mind". :p

http://cinema1544.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/picture_of_girl_at_beach.jpeg
"Are you in pictures?"

The final scene of this film is one of my personal favorite cinematic moments of all time! I think I immediately rewatched it 10 times after I first saw this film. It's mainly a clever joke, but in the film's context it becomes so much more. It becomes both comforting and alarming. I love it! It's an extremely satisfying scene and it's proof of the Coen Brothers' genius. I would definitely rank it amongst my top 3 favorite moments in Coen films.

Don't miss the experience of watching this magnificent Palm D'Or winner!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdFmbTscRQc
Another fantastic scene of this film.

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

[the samoan lawyer]

Great review Cob, Barton Fink is easily one of the best of the Coen Brothers.

Geisler: Look, you confused? You need guidance? Talk to another writer.
Barton: Who?
Geisler: Jesus, throw a rock in here, you'll hit one. And do me a favor, Fink: throw it hard.



Legendary.;)

[Daniel M]

Awesome. Funnily enough I re watched most of this on Sky Movies yesterday, it was on so I thought I might as well. Great film, the Coen Brothers 90s work is incredible.

[cricket]

Barton Fink is another one on my to see list. I watched All that Jazz yesterday and O Brother, Where Art Thou? last week. I thought they were both good movies, but I couldn't really get into them unfortunately.

[Daniel M]

Oops, I missed Short Cuts. It's a film I like, probably give it a 3.5 now but it's in massive need of a re watch, which unfortunately won't be away due to running time and the fact I am focusing on 70s films and whatever I find on TV. I remember liking it, but I honestly can't remember much about it at all in terms of plot, and didn't fall in love it like you. However, I watched Nasvhille the other week and thought it was incredible, and it had a really powerful effect on me, hence why I feel I need to re watch Short Cuts.

[mark f]

I'm sure that everyone has noticed that in that scene at the beginning (Cob's first image) with Barton watching his play from the wings, when he's mouthing the on-stage actor's dialogue, the voice of the actor is that of John Turturro. :)

[Swan]

I watched Barton Fink just the other day. Good movie. :up:

[Lucas]

Honestly Barton Fink might be my favorite Coen Brothers film. I just adore how odd and clever it is. Great pick.

[Cobpyth]

Honestly Barton Fink might be my favorite Coen Brothers film. I just adore how odd and clever it is. Great pick.

It's always very difficult for me to say what my favorite Coen Brothers film is. From most directors, I have a clear favorite, but there are probably 6 or 7 Coen Brothers films that could qualify as my favorite of theirs when I'm in a certain mood. I'll say some more about The Coen Brothers in particular when I've mentioned their last film on this list, but you can already see that I appreciate their work immensely.

[Daniel M]

It's always very difficult for me to say what my favorite Coen Brothers film is. From most directors, I have a clear favorite, but there are probably 6 or 7 Coen Brothers films that could qualify as my favorite of theirs when I'm in a certain mood. I'll say some more about The Coen Brothers in particular when I've mentioned their last film on this list, but you can already see that I appreciate their work immensely.

Definitely true. Personally, I could choose between Miller's Crossing, Fargo, The Big Lebowski and No Country for Old Men as my favourite depending on mood. But then films like Barton Fink and True Grit are not far behind.

[rauldc14]

Barton Fink is in my top 100 too. One of my favorites from Coens. I need to buy this film.

[donniedarko]

Barton FInk is great surreal work from the Coens, one of my favorites from them. Beautiful

[honeykid]

Barton Fink's a good choice. :):up:

[Guaporense]

I like Django, but Tarantino needs someone to tell him when enough is enough though. The final act really drags the film down.

Indeed, it was a 4_5 movie until they killed colonel Hans.

[mark f]

???

[rauldc14]

I've only seen 4 Coen films, but liked them all.

[rauldc14]

So far my favorites:
Goldfinger
L.A. Confidential
Barton Fink
Gravity
Double Indemnity
Psycho

[Cobpyth]

51. All About Eve (1950)

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First of all I'd like to mention that (based on what I've seen from him so far) I think Joseph L. Mankiewicz was a great writer/director. His self-assured attitude is always very visible in his work. He knows how to write dialogue and he knows how to firmly and effectively put something on a screen. In All About Eve, his talent shines through the most, in my opinion.

All About Eve tells the story of many characters in the theater business. The most important ones are Margo Channing (brilliantly played by Bette Davis), an aging star of the theater, Eve Harrington (Anne Baxter), a seemingly innocent girl who starts working her way up into the business, and last but not least, one of my personal favorite film characters of all time, George Sanders' witty, but oh so deliciously malevolent theater critic, Addison DeWitt!
I am a huge fan of films that give the audience a view behind the curtains of a business or life that we don't usually come into contact with and show us new perspectives on certain things. This masterpiece is one of the best of that kind. It's clear from the opening scene (that takes place at a prestigious award show) that this film is going to show us the truth about what's behind all those fake smiles and empty praises. We're going behind the surface of the seemingly perfect and glide into a cynical cesspool of hypocrisy and emotions.

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Besides offering us a dark and refreshing look on the theater business, this film also features a few very interesting character studies. Spoilers may be ahead!
There's of course Bette Davis' aging star, who is starting to feel aware of her transiency and who gets drunk on her own house party as a result of that. She's a true showbizz diva and she certainly acts accordingly, but when her self-confidence starts fading away, she shows signs of being very sensitive. She becomes just another insecure woman. She's definitely not larger than life...
Then there's Eve, the title character. She's probably one of the most despicable characters that cinema ever created. She has a dream of being succesful and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, but the means she uses to reach her goal couldn't be more evil. She lies, deceives, manipulates and even blackmails people so she can become the dream image she envisions for herself. It's all about her...
Addison DeWitt is the only person in the room who truly knows how this whole business works, how life works. He realises that people are willing to do a lot for succes. People are willing to pay a big price to let their dreams come true, even sell their soul to the devil. And that's who Addison DeWitt is in my opinion, the devil! He has the gift to read people and once he found his female prey that is obsessed with fame, he gives her what she wants (or at least temporarily) and then takes full control of that person's life. In a strange sort of way, he's like a dark moral compass. He lets his victims explore the darkest sides of the business and makes them taste their dream, but after that he confronts them with their deeds, humiliates them and ultimately claims their souls...

http://blogs.whatsontv.co.uk/movietalk/files/2011/02/All_About_Eve_George_Sanders_Anne-Baxter1.jpg

This wonderfully dark and classic tale about obsession with fame, self-importance and the exploitation of false dreams will stay a favorite of mine for many years to come. Immorality is not the key to unlock the doors to selfish dreams, although it seems to be the quickest and easiest way to do things, but it may have to take an even more immoral and darker being, like Addison DeWitt, to make you realize this...
All About Eve is an immortal classic!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eg-ckMup6SI
Another great thing about this film is that it features one of Marilyn Monroe's early screen performances!

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

[The Gunslinger45]

All About Eve is BRILLIANT! A 5 easy!

[JayDee]

Oh my god you're only half way through!!! :eek: It's never going to end!!! :p

[cricket]

I've only seen All About Eve once, but I loved it.

[Pussy Galore]

I remember really liking All About Eve, but it's been a while since I saw it, I should rewatch it.

[honeykid]

All About Eve is great. I don't like a great deal from the 50's, but Eve is among the best.

[MovieBuffering]

Well I just went through all your choices just now and I must say very eclectic list so far, very enjoyable, maybe not quite my taste for most part. Older movies around 40s, 50s, 60s usually just don't do much for me. That's not to say I don't appreciate the path they paved for the films of today and that I would never watch them. I just don't connect with them like I do with more recent movies. The acting also just doesn't feel on par with today's films. They usually don't get much of a rise out of me however. I can appreciate them thou.

I repped you on my 3 favorite choices you made.

O Brother Where Art Thou- Absolutely adore the atmosphere of this film and I do like Greek mythology much like you, I think it's so cool. Admittedly not as proficient on it as you probably. Started my infatuation with Clooney, I put a lot more actors ahead of Clooney based on versatility and talent, but he has just made some of my favorite movies of all time.

Out Of Sight- Your sexiest movie of all time is definitely applicable here for me. J-Lo and Clooney's chemistry ranks at the top of any on screen chemistry for two actors I've seen in a movie. The sexiness is subtle and sophisticated as you said, but I think most of it stems from the sexual tension that they are not allowed to be attracted to each other. And that scene you shared is my favorite. Clooney just adding to my man crush with this one.

American Beauty - As I get older this movie gets better and better. You understand it the more experience you gain in life. If you don't like your life do something different. Kevin Spacey kills it and his character is my absolute hero in this film.

Anyways look forward to seeing the rest of your list, keep it up brother!

[donniedarko]

Top 50 time? :p

http://www.reactiongifs.us/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/cookie_monster_waiting.gif

[Cobpyth]

50. Inglourious Basterds (2009)

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Another Tarantino flick bites the dust! Unlike others, I'm also very much a fan of Tarantino's more recent films (you could already deduce that from the inclusions of Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and Django Unchained formerly). I like that his new films are tackling different genres, but still in a very Tarantinoesque manner. That's why I'm also one of those people that would like him to continue making other genre films (preferably genres that he hasn't tackled yet, of course)! I like seeing certain directors' visions of various kind of film universes. From Tarantino, I'd still LOVE to see a '30s gangster film or a Sci-Fi film for instance! I think he'd be able to add a very interesting twist to both of those genres. Let's hope he'll ever get to it when he's still in top form!

I've actually hesitated between Django Unchained and Inglourious Basterds as my second favorite Tarantino film for a long time, but ultimately I think the latter is Tarantino's best recently made film. Django Unchained is more 'free' and more 'breathing' in tone, which gives it a great deal of charm, but ultimately the excellent firmness, the more consistent quality and the more satisfying and bold climax of Inglourious Basterds makes it rise above the former. The circle is just perfectly round in Tarantino's World War II epic. The whole plot works.

http://img4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130826121745/inglouriousbasterds/images/thumb/1/10/Hans_Landa's_Calabash_pipe.jpg/500px-Hans_Landa's_Calabash_pipe.jpg

Tarantino really let himself loose in this film and did not shy away from showing off his awesome writing and directing skills. The dialogue in all the different languages (which I all understand, by the way, because German, English and French are all part of the Belgian education I got) is fantastic and Tarantino's directing is very solid and recognizable as usual! One thing that struck me is that Tarantino put a whole bunch of small details in the film to make the audience and his characters feel a certain way or even to make his plot suddenly move in an unexpected direction. Examples are the Sherlock Holmes pipe Christoph Waltz' Hans Landa is smoking in the beginning scene, the milk and food he shares with Mélanie Laurent's Shosanna in the restaurant, the napkin and the shoe of Diane Kruger's Bridget von Hammersmark that are left in the bar and of course the way Fassbender's Lt. Archie Hicox orders three drinks of Scotch. I love that kind of stuff! A seemingly very futile object, event or detail suddenly gets much more meaning to it.

http://i960.photobucket.com/albums/ae89/annaveirs/three.gif

I also love the pace of this film. There's a constant building of suspense (both in a microscopic and macroscopic manner) and the plot also contains a couple of very cool climaxes (the last one of course being the most notable of them all, which isn't the case in Django Unchained and that's probably why so many people think the third act of that film is less satisfying). We get slow moving, but meaningful scenes that mainly focus on small details and interesting, subtle dialogues, while there are other moments of very extreme violence (my bit about violence in Tarantino's films in my write-up on Django Unchained also very much fits in this movie's context). This variation in tempo makes every pay-off much more effective than usual action-based films. That perfect mix between action and build-up is one of the reasons why Tarantino's films are so exhilirating.

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There are many other aspects that make this film brilliant, like its excellent international cast, some very cool performances (Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz and Diane Kruger are my personal favorites in this film), the always extremely enjoyable dark humor that Quentin implants in most of his films also works wonderfully in the context of this story, there's a very bold and daring twist at the end of the movie and of course there's that irresistible Tarantinoesque style to it all!

Inglourious Basterds is in my opinion a modern masterpiece. It's the film that finally fully proved and confirmed that Tarantino is one of the greatest and most important directors of his generation (you have to keep in mind that this was only his second film that got him any serious recognition at the high profile award shows) and on top of that it also introduced the world to one of the finest actors of our times, the great Christoph Waltz!
This film simply is cinematic entertainment at its best!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYYYAeSWOlI
Major SPOILERS!!!

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

[Daniel M]

Fantastic film, definitely my second favourite Tarantino and it's very close to being my first. So many great things about it.

[rauldc14]

Is Tarantino your favorite director? Or do you not really have a favorite and like a bunch of them? I still haven't seen Basterds

[Yoda]

Fantastic film, definitely my second favourite Tarantino and it's very close to being my first. So many great things about it.
Ditto on both counts. I'll probably never put it ahead of Pulp Fiction, but it really gives it a run for its money. I was completely taken with it, and I've rewatched it at least a half a dozen times since. In some ways it might be his greatest achievement ("I think this just might be my masterpiece"), coming so long after Pulp and still reaching those same general heights, which based on the evidence seems to be a pretty hard thing to do. Just fantastic.

[seanc]

My second fave Tarantino as well. His scripts are genius pure and simple.

[Swan]

I like Inglourious Basterds, but it's not really the masterpiece the screenplay is. I've read most of Tarantino's screenplays and Inglourious Basterds takes the cake as his best. But in translating it to the screen he removed a lot of stuff that made it so good and would have made the film feel more like a film - as it is, it just feels like a bunch of great scenes to me, without feeling like a cohesive story.

This is a minor complaint though, I really do like the movie.

[Guaporense]

Inglorious Basterds is my favorite 2009 non-genre movie. Colonel Hans is a great character, my favorite character from Tarantino's movies.

[cricket]

Basterds is the only Tarantino I've missed. It's at the top of my list once the 70's countdown starts.

[Cobpyth]

Is Tarantino your favorite director? Or do you not really have a favorite and like a bunch of them? I still haven't seen Basterds

He'd definitely rank as one of my top 10 favorite directors of all time at this point and that says a lot, because he's probably at the peak of his career right now. I'd say Tarantino and PTA are my two absolute favorite modern directors at the moment. A new project from one of those two is probably the most exciting cinematic news possible for me.

If you'd ask me who my favorite director of ALL TIME is, though, I'd probably answer with Stanley Kubrick or Martin Scorsese (who's also still in good form) at this point in my life. There are a bunch of others who also come close to that title (Hitchcock, Altman, Wilder, Chaplin, Woody Allen, Coen Brothers, ...), but Kubrick and Scorsese truly are my two biggest favorites. I still have plenty of other directors to explore in a deeper sense before I'll feel confident to actually draft a top 10 list of my favorite directors, though. I'll get back to you in two or three years from now with a proper list, based on a much broader and richer experience of movie watching. ;)

[Guaporense]

I think that by this point in time I have can make up a list of top 10 favorite animation directors and 10 favorite live action directors.

[Pussy Galore]

Well, Inglourious Basterds is my favorite movie of all time so I can't approve more. What a masterpiece, it has everything I want in a movie. Intelligent dialogue, sarcasm and irony, absolutely fantastic dialogue, an ensemble of fantastic actors, Diane Kruger and Melanie Laurent that non only are absolutely gorgeous, but also give some incredible performances. I love that he changed history, not many director would have the courrage to do so and it perfectly works. We see 2 different kind of nazis in Landa and Zoller. One is just an horrible human being that uses the nazi because they're what is stronger at this point and the other is the typical nazi that was raised in that state of mind and actually think it's legitimate. What a great movie.

[Daniel M]

I think that by this point in time I have already made up a list of top 10 favorite animation directors and 10 favorite live action directors.

I can't understand this attitude and I feel sorry for anyone as a film watcher who has it.

[Guaporense]

I do not understand what do you mean. It's basically a joke saying that I have watched so much animation that I would do separate lists. It's a different art-form anyway, a different field. Though there are some movies that mix the two up (Avatar).

After I do my top 100 animated films list I will also do a top 100 live action films list (though not on a new thread, of course, just post it in my thread in one post). Of these CGI movies which mix up the two artforms I have none that I would put in a favorites list.

If you do not understand why do you feel sorry?

[donniedarko]

Great start to the top 50 with Inglourious Basterds , I like Django Unchained more, bit it's been a long time since I've seen the former.

[Daniel M]

I do not understand what do you mean. It's basically a joke saying that I have watched so much animation that I would do separate lists. It's a different art-form anyway, a different field. Though there are some movies that mix the two up (Avatar).

After I do my top 100 animated films list I will also do a top 100 live action films list (though not on a new thread, of course, just post it in my thread in one post). Of these CGI movies which mix up the two artforms I have none that I would put in a favorites list.

If you do not understand why do you feel sorry?

Maybe I misinterpreted your post, but coupled with your post in the 70s thread where you said you don't think any of the movies you haven't seen would displace any in your 25. I would hate to feel this way personally, I want to keep exploring and be continuously surprised by movies, and hope to keep finding movies that make me reconsider what I have already seen and become my favourites :)

[mark f]

That's good Daniel since you won't be able to keep from doing that. :)

[Captain Spaulding]

I prefer Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown and Kill Bill, mainly because they're more fun to re-watch over and over, but, quality wise, Inglorious Basterds is right up there.

It's not surprising that it's so beloved by many on here, since it's essentially about the power of cinema. Not only does the magic of movies allow QT to re-write history and kill off one of the most evil human beings to ever live, but, even within the movie itself, so much revolves around cinema: characters within the film who are actors and actresses playing an important part in the proceedings; the big finale within the burning theater; the Nazi propaganda films and how it exaggerates the German sniper's accomplishments, altering his history in much the same way that QT does with Inglorious Basterds.

It really is a great film and one of QT's most accomplished efforts. Pulp Fiction will probably always be his greatest film, but I can't fault Lt. Aldo Raine or anyone else who thinks that Inglorious Basterds "just might be (his) masterpiece."

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[Cobpyth]

49. Some Like It Hot (1959)

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Another Wilder film appears! This was one of the first classic films I watched when I started exploring the older decades of cinema. I watched it, because I just wanted to know if Marilyn Monroe really was that special. I had to see with my own eyes whether she deserved her status as probably the most famous sex icon of our modern age or not. The answer is of course "YES"! She's absolutely amazing. I've watched some other films of her (like Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and The Seven Year Itch) and time and time again, she steals the show with her charisma, her (seeming) innocence and her plain sensuality and femininity! She truly knew how to capture the cuteness, the helplessness, the hilarity, and above all, the sexappeal most of her roles required. The kind of characters she mostly played may not be as respectful or dramatically complex as the characters that were portrayed by screen legends like Bette Davis or Katharine Hepburn, but Monroe was absolutely fantastic in what she did, which was making audiences laugh, making them relate to her characters (even if there's not that much substance to them) and making men want to be with her. She was an absolute star!

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Some Like It Hot is by far the best film Monroe was a major part of, in my opinion. It's actually one of my favorite comedies of all time! The reason for that is that Monroe's presence is merely one of the many things that makes this film so great. In fact, she's not even the best thing about it (which says a lot about how good this film really is)! It's an eventful, well constructed, well directed and perfectly written comedy (by the legendary Billy Wilder) and beside Marilyn Monroe's presence, we also get two awesome performances from Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon.
Marilyn Monroe plays the depressed, naive and adorable Sugar Kane Kowalczyk, who is the singer (and occasional ukulele player) of an all-girl band, and Lemmon and Curtis play Jerry and Joe, who are two musicians on the run for the mob, after they witnessed a massacre. They dress themselves as women and infiltrate into the all-girl band, which leads to a whole bunch of memorable comical and sexually tensive moments!

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The strengths of this film are its script and the performances (especially Jack Lemmon's comical face expressions throughout are unforgettable). This film has one of the highest laugh/minute ratios ever for me personally, but there's also a certain melancholy to it all. The film basically features a couple of very desperate people, who just don't care anymore about their ego after a while and take a run with all the conventions that are set by society. They have fallen so deep that they'll eventually do almost everything and accept pretty much everyone to get what they want (mostly love). In the end they accept and embrace eachother, which causes a genuine happy ending, although it shouldn't be taken too seriously of course (which is fine for a comedy). This desperation causes a bunch of funny, tensive and heartfelt moments along the way! The film may never truly leave its comical mood, but I still feel related to these characters every time I watch it.

http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lak497YQPi1qe6mn3o1_500.gif

All in all, this film is just a hell of a ride. As I said before, I absolutely LOVE eventful films and this is definitely one of those. The story is also set in the depression era and Wilder decided to give the picture a wonderful old-fashioned look and atmosphere (while also cleverly mocking the social and cultural standards of those times), which is another aspect that I really love about this film. Let's just say that everything about this film just clicks with me (and many other people). It never fails to make me happy during rewatches and I'm sure it never will.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eDHlgnRuaM

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

[Pussy Galore]

I am a little lazy right now to read the review haha, I will later. But one thing for sure is that it's a great movie and one of the funniest if not the funniest classic comedy I have seen.

[The Gunslinger45]

Love Some Like it Hot. But when I was watching Gentlemen Prefer Blondes I was leering at Jane Russell more then Marilyn. :p

[Lucas]

Some Like it Hot is a great flick.

"Nobody's Perfect"

[The Gunslinger45]

Some Like it Hot is a great flick.

"Nobody's Perfect"

On of the best final lines ever!

[Cobpyth]

Love Some Like it Hot. But when I was watching Gentlemen Prefer Blondes I was leering at Jane Russell more then Marilyn. :p

Jane Russell is also a very attractive lady, I have to admit. She can't beat Marilyn's 'Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend' number, though. :p

[The Gunslinger45]

Marilyn's version was better I admit. Then again I preferred the opening number myself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV4CMmlR1X0

[Captain Spaulding]

I think Some Like It Hot is the greatest comedy of all time. And Jack Lemmon gives perhaps the best comedic performance of all time too. One of my top-20 favorite movies. Like you said, it never gets old. If I'm having a bad day or if I'm feeling depressed, all I have to do is watch Some Like It Hot and I'll be in a better mood by the end of it.

[rauldc14]

Some like it Hot is also a top 20 film for me, but you already knew that. I was hoping it would be our 3rd HOF winner, but I'm scared of what the panel may do,with it in their rankings.

[honeykid]

It'd be alright if it was funny. :p

[Daniel M]

Not one of my favourite Wilders, but a very good film with some fantastic humour and memorable scenes :)

[rauldc14]

It is my favorite Wilder. I really think the writing and script is top notch, and the movie itself is pure entertainment.

[Cobpyth]

48. Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

http://filmklassiekersophettweedegezicht.nl/media/n_826.jpg

I feel like this is probably Kubrick's most underrated film, even though it still has its fair amount of supporters. I never fully grasped why that's the case, but it's probably because the film is ambiguous in tone, while also offering a quite textual, narrative closure at the same time. People mostly want the one or the other, but I personally don't mind it at all.

The main reason why I love this film so much is the extraordinary and masterful visual execution of it. Kubrick was such a perfectionist. Every single frame evokes a sense of sheer beauty and aside from that, the visuals also have a purpose. The erotic colors, the soft camera movements and the intriguing music are truly able to hypnotize the viewer. Kubrick makes sure that we are actually part of the dark psycho-sexual adventure that is being shown, by tickling our senses in very effective and piercing ways.

http://tropicsofmeta.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/87d0a-eyeswideshut3.jpg?w=504&h=332

This is the kind of film that tells an intriguing and mysterious story that keeps the viewer's attention, while at the same time making sure that people who are looking for meaning and deeper content will also be satisfied. Kubrick's films almost always have multiple layers that can be explored and this is definitely that kind of film. This substantive richness makes this film an ideal candidate for multiple rewatches. Eyes Wide Shut just gets better and better over time, because you'll always be able to find new truths and perspectives of various moments.

After a solid 2 to 3 years of serious film watching, I can conclude that so far, Kubrick has not been parallelled by any director yet, in terms of satisfying me both visually and content-wise. I just love watching and admiring his films. Kubrick knew how to make ambitious and refreshing films and his movies never lose my interest for one second. They're pieces of art that very much reward periodic revisits. His last movie is not an exception and the fact that, over time, the praise for this film only increases, is not a coincidence! It's just a very memorable film experience that doesn't easily escape the minds of the people who have witnessed it...

This film is just classic Kubrickian movie magic!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDKiyehma28
I posted this scene, because I'd like to demonstrate that Kubrick also knew that (both subtle and more excessive) sparkles of oddity and humor can help to retain a viewer's attention and to actually even strengthen the profoundness of the film experience. It's something that certain "serious" directors completely lack and that's why they're often perceived as much more boring by the mainstream public.

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

[cricket]

Not my favorite Kubrick but obviously that's no insult. I think it's a really excellent choice:up:

[Daniel M]

Very good film, I like to think of it as a more sex focused version of After Hours.

[The Gunslinger45]

I do not know about this being Kubrick's most underrated movie, but it certainly is the most polarizing. Some people hail it as a masterpiece, some say it is their favorite Kubrick movie, and more then a few people say it was bad.

I myself like the movie, but it is very far away from being my favorite Kubrick film. I never connected with the context or story, but I like the visual imagery, atmosphere, and the camera movements. And Tom Cruise does a damn good job in the movie so props there.

While I may not like it as much as Dr Strangelove, 2001, or The Shining; it is still worthwhile to see.

[donniedarko]

Some Like it Hot is a decent comedy, I really think Duck Soup should by #1 on the AFI laughs list, but SLiH isn't bad. Eyes Wide Shut is great, a stunning end note to Kubrick's career. Entertaining and intense throughout the whole run time, great inclusion.

[honeykid]

I've not seen this one. I've recorded it a couple of times, but I deleted it both times because I needed to space. I'll give it a crack at some point, though.

[Cobpyth]

47. The Swimmer (1968)

"When you talk about 'The Swimmer', will you talk about yourself?"

http://prettycleverfilms.com/files/2013/04/the-swimmer-1968-2.jpg

Every MoFo who knows me, knew that this film was going to appear somewhere on my list. When I first discovered this film, I was enchanted by its premise. I was actually almost certain that it would not be able to live up to my expectations. Surprisingly, it even exceeded them. I nominated it for the 3rd MoFo Hall of Fame for that reason and I'm glad that the response to it was mainly positive.

The Swimmer lets us experience a metaphorical journey through the life of a middle aged 'upper class' guy (played by Burt Lancaster). It's summer and we see him jogging through a forest and reach the house of some people that he seems to know. He notices that pools are spanning the valley and he decides to jog from pool to pool and to take a swim in all of them. He starts on top of the hill and slowly descends into the valley, which is filled with nice villas, big pools and also - we are told - the ultimate destination, his own home. His interactions with the environment and the people he meets, slowly reveal the man's life story... Because of the original and interesting premise, I immediately found myself being captivated with this film. I, myself, grew up and still live in the kind of social environment that this film is tackling and therefore the tale was very relatable for me.

http://cinepsy.com/images/The-Swimmer-1968-1-402x320.jpg

As the film develops, it becomes sort of an allegorical reliving of the main character's past experiences. Slowly, he's becoming aware of the personal mistakes and misjudgements he has made, because he had let himself become absorbed by the conceited, egotistical and materialistic shallowness that so many people become a prey of when they start realizing that they are (finally) part of the social elite. When people think they ARE living the (American) dream, that dream can very quickly turn into a disastrous nightmare, especially when you blindly give in to its immoral and self-destructive temptations. Our main character starts realizing that, but is it too late?

I will not say too much about the film's conclusion, but let's just say that it worked extremely well for me. My heart was bouncing. I was totally into it. The film is probably not telling something particularly new (although it did reach some new refreshing depths and meanings for me personally), but the original storytelling and the way it slowly builds up to an inevitable climax is simply magnificent. The film very much succeeded in delivering an emotionally and intellectually profound meditation about the human condition and a firm moral message that is particularly (but not exclusively) directed to those people who are facing the three top parts of Maslow's pyramid: "social needs", "esteem needs" and "self-actualization". When you're not (morally) cautious enough, you might fall down the pyramid much faster than you deem possible...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfPNTlg1lVI
------------------------------------------

[Daniel M]

Desperately need to watch that, you're constantly championing it and it looks like something I'd love.

[rauldc14]

The Swimmer is a film I wouldn't have seen without your recommendation. It is great and will be very high on my 60s list.

[Cobpyth]

Very glad to hear that, Raul! :)

@Daniel: Be sure to watch it for the '60s list!

[Cobpyth]

46. Millennium Actress (2001)

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cTnUj1yOwmU/UeJIxYbGiyI/AAAAAAAAN_U/gqGKTA2NdN8/s1600/Millenium+Actress15.jpeg

http://ailtonmonte.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/milenium.jpg

There's one more animated film coming up after this one and most people will probably know which one it is. I'll tell you about that movie when the time is there, but let me just get this on the record first: IF there's ever an animated film that can become my favorite animated film of all time instead of that one, it's definitely Millennium Actress! My first viewing of it (a year ago, I think) was simply one of the richest (animated) motion picture experiences I've ever had. The story is emotionally extremely resonant, the storytelling is refreshingly original and the visuals are simply FANTASTIC! The film touches on many truths about life and love, but it's how it presents those truths that makes it truly a spectacular and extremely effective piece of cinema!

The story seems quite simple at first. A TV interviewer and his cameraman visit a former famous actress who has kind of lived as a recluse for 30 years.The TV interviewer is a really big fan of hers and is really excited, while the cameraman is much more relaxed about it. Nothing prepares us yet for the sheer blast of originality that will come our way. The interview starts and suddenly Satoshi Kon makes one of the boldest and most refreshing moves I've ever seen. Instead of simply telling the actress' life story through flash backs, he uses the style and environment of the movies she has played in during her career to give us an insightful and wonderfully poetic look inside the soul of the actress. We're not merely getting an enumeration of facts, but in a surreal way, we're experiencing what she's going through psychologically.
We witness her quest for a man that gave her a strange key when she was young. She believes that he will give it all meaning and that he'll be able to bring it all together. She believes that finding him will finally bring her happiness and peace of mind...

Even if you're not into anime, you just have to check this film out. It's unlike anything I've ever seen before or since. The movie breathes love for the film medium, it breathes love for cinematic history and it's all the more fascinating, because this genuine love and passion is partnered with incredible animation, very skillful directing and a truly profound and existentially satisfying script. The creative genius behind this film, Satoshi Kon, has sadly died in 2010 at the young age of 46. He made a few other praised animated films, but for me, this one is his masterpiece.

http://nasen75.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/millennium-actress.jpeg?w=620

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

[rauldc14]

I haven't seen that, but it bugs me that I can't remember your favorite animated film.

[Kaplan]

A really great list so far. I've seen most, and love most. And the ones I haven't seen, like the last two, are now on my watchlist. The only film so far that I really dislike is American Beauty. I think there's too much Tarantino, but oh well, right? At least you had Inglourious Basterds ahead of Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill. Will Jackie Brown be even higher? That's my favorite of his, and one of my very favorite films ever.

[Pussy Galore]

Eyes Wide Shut pretty good, but I don't like it as much as you, The Swimmer as a great start, but went a little downhill for me.

Millenium Actress seems GREAT I have it on my watchlist and I intend to watch it soon!

[Godoggo]

I was really glad you nominated The Swimmer it was pretty high on my own list. I was most impressed with the way it told it's story. Reminded me a bit of Faulkner.

[cricket]

I've been looking forward to seeing The Swimmer since you first reported about it. I'll see it in the next month for sure.

Haven't heard of Millenium Actress

[Cobpyth]

45. Singin' in the Rain (1952)

http://cov.entertainment.in.gr/te/ter_2013_3_12_17_26_55_b.jpg

Is there anyone who doesn't (at least) like Singin' in the Rain? I know musicals are fairly unpopular around here, but even people who are not particularly into musicals seem to have a unanimous appreciation for this film. Why is that, you ask? Well, it's pretty simple. Singin' in the Rain is simply the best musical that has EVER been made! It looks absolutely stunning, it tells an interesting story, it stars probably the most ingenious musical movie star of all time (Gene Kelly), it features a couple of great songs, the dancing choreographies are incredibly spectacular and, probably most importantly, the film manages to truly touch the viewer's heart.

The film's plot is a classic tale about the decay of the silent motion pictures (and its stars) and the entrance of sound in movies. The film cleverly commentates on one of the most notorious eras in movie history, but ultimately knows how to turn it all into a very positive and classic feel-good ending. Meanwhile, we also get a satisfying bit of wonderful humor, a heartfelt love story and some classic drama. The film's story has been reproduced many times since (most notably in The Artist, be it with a few changements of course), but it's never quite done with so much flair as in Singin' in the Rain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RbG5hdMBHk
My second favorite scene of the film.

I myself am quite fond of a good, escapist movie musical now and then. Singin' in the Rain is probably the first film that truly introduced me to the more old-fashioned kind of musicals, which still focus a lot on dance choreographies. I absolutely adored it. To date, it's still my favorite movie musical of all time. It's a magnificent journey of pure top-notch entertainment! It's one of those rare films that, in terms of quality, has never been surpassed in its genre ever, before or since it was made.

Don't think that Singin' in the Rain is the only old-fashioned musical that's worthy of being seen, though! There are plenty of other fantastic musicals and some people would even disagree with me about Singin' in the Rain's authoritative status as the best film in its genre ever made.
If I, myself, would have to choose one old-fashioned musical film that does "approach" Singin' in the Rain's quality and mastery, I would go with Vincente Minnelli's amazing 1953 movie, Band Wagon. Be sure to check that one out if you're ever in the mood for a classic bit of musical entertainment and if you've already seen Singin' in the Rain, of course...

Anyway, I don't think this is a very controversial choice, so I don't feel any further need to defend it either. It's a film that is loved by many and until today it gets praised by practically everyone who sees it or has seen it. I'm merely one of those humble admirers of this fantastic piece of cinema.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1ZYhVpdXbQ
My favorite scene of the film, of course!

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

[The Gunslinger45]

I love Singing in the Rain! One of my favorite musicals. I love the song of the same name. Problem is ever since A Clockwork Orange, if I start singing that song most people think of Malcolm McDowell more then Gene Kelly! :D

[Swan]

I posted this scene, because I'd like to demonstrate that Kubrick also knew that (both subtle and more excessive) sparkles of oddity and humor can help to retain a viewer's attention and to actually even strengthen the profoundness of the film experience. It's something that certain "serious" directors completely lack and that's why they're often perceived as much more boring by the mainstream public.

Who are you talking about there?

[cricket]

I'm one of those people you mentioned who aren't fond of musicals. I watched it for the first time a few months ago and absolutely loved it. It's like one of those songs that just puts you in a good mood. How can anyone not love it; too many good feelings there.

[Pussy Galore]

Great movie, I just bought it on blu ray I'll rewatch it soon.

[honeykid]

Don't like musicals. Love Singin' In The Rain. :cool:

[rauldc14]

I actually don't love it. I appreciate it though.

[Cobpyth]

44. Five Easy Pieces (1970)

https://scontent-a-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/t1.0-9/10482580_10152583226759346_8899237465638789970_n.jpg

This film contains all the wonderful elements that I love so much about the general attitude of the late sixties and the early seventies. It's unconventional, it's free-spirited and it shows the typical everyday frustrations and gives it a certain magnitude and gravitas. It projects them onto a bigger picture.
The film doesn't care about sending any positive messages, because that's not the style of that particular era. What this film does care about is transferring human feelings and telling a story about a man's dissatisfaction with this world and particularly with society. Five Easy Pieces is a film I can truly sink into when I'm in the right mood, because there's so much truth and atmosphere in this film.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wtfNE4z6a8
Jack wants his toast. It's an immortal scene full of meaning and poignant implications...

Because my feelings towards this film are so extremely strong, it's kind of odd for me to talk about its more "technical" sides, but let me just say that it's beautifully made. Everything just works. The acting, the writing, the directing in general, the music, etc... It's all top-notch! Some say it's also Jack Nicholson's best performance of all time and I wouldn't disagree. I think Jack himself could very much identify with this character and that's why it's probably such an amazingly believable performance. He's truly phenomenal in this film.

If you've ever felt lonely even though there were plenty of people that loved you, if you've ever lost the connection between yourself and society, if you've ever done stuff you shouldn't have done because your "weltschmerz" was leading you to a morally despicable path of egocentrism... Well, then this fim could be or become very special for you. Five Easy Pieces brilliantly touches on cores of truth about those specific conditions and if you can relate to the story it's telling, the film can be an incredibly intense and insightful experience that can open certain doors into your own psyche...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbUvLbgnxIQ
While Jack plays a classic bit of Chopin, the camera gently flows through a chamber full of memories...

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

[cricket]

Five Easy Pieces is a movie that I've watched a few times over the years, and I've never quite loved it the way I wanted to. I haven't watched it since being a member of this forum though. Since I joined this forum I've come to appreciate different qualities in movies that I hadn't before. I'm going to watch it again and see how it goes. Either way, that diner scene is gold.

[Lucas]

Five Easy Pieces has really grown on me since I saw it, to the point where I'd even call it great. Its a very good film and I could see myself revisiting it again, as there is alot of honest truth to it.

[BlueLion]

Sadly, Five Easy Pieces was a forgettable experience for me. I love Jack Nicholson and I like what the film is about, just not really a fan of its execution, and the ending left me somewhat disappointed, even though it's what probably sums up the film. But I can definitely see why it is loved by some.

[Daniel M]

Five Easy Pieces is a masterpiece. As you know by now Cobpyth, my brother originally watched it himself and recorded it for me to see, and I thought it was a great film straight away. Since then I have only thought about it more and more, and I have seen it again since too. It has an odd beauty about it that you don't get in films nowadays, Nicholson's character is brilliant and tragic, and it really is a brilliant character study. Obviously everyone talks about the sandwich scene, but I'm glad you included the 360 camera turn piano scene which might be my favourite, and I absolutely love the ending too.

[donniedarko]

Where you saw meaning, I saw the opposite- pointlessness. I really can't stand Five easy Pieces, and I too like the feel of films from the late 60s- early 70s, thank God they're not all as nauseating as Five easy Pieces.

[Daniel M]

Pointlessness is the meaning ;)

[mark f]

Well, I thought the meaning was awesomely-powerful entertainment. At least that's what I've been getting out of it for over 40 years. But donnie, I guess I'm like Woody Allen and love nauseousness too. :cool:

[WBadger]

I'm always thinking about the ending to Five Easy Pieces

[Cobpyth]

43. Carnal Knowledge (1971)

http://static.rogerebert.com/redactor_assets/pictures/far-flung-correspondents/the-art-of-sexual-belt-notching/carnal_knowledge_bimbo.jpg

Let's make it a Jack Nicholson double feature!

Carnal Knowledge came out a year after Jack Nicholson's great succes with Five Easy Pieces. The film is directed by one of the most promising young directors of that time, Mike Nichols (who had great succeses with The Graduate and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? before this).
Carnal Knowledge is not as highly regarded as Five Easy Pieces or Mike Nichols' two first feature films these days, but it's still a very respected movie. The reason why it's often overlooked is probably because the film feels less like a fluent "whole". This movie explores a larger time field. We have Jack and Art in college in the beginning and we slowly see them developing into middle-aged men. Another reason could be the "suspension of disbelief" aspect. We're not only asked to imagine Jack Nicholsons and Art Garfunkel as college boys, but we also have to believe that Jack Nicholson is a virgin at the beginning of the film! :p
Anyway, those minor issues didn't bother me at all. I kind of love them even. It does not stand in the way from enjoying the darkly profound and hugely entertaining story that's being told.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6222/6232338300_1524e1a678.jpg

As I already said, the film follows two young guys growing into mature men. Again, very much like Five Easy Pieces, the film is not trying to send some sort of message. The purpose of this film is showing us a cynical observation of certain aspects of the human condition. This film shows us some insightful stuff about the male psyche, about cruel sexual politics, about not being able to fully commit to someone and about the descent to meaningless, Epicurean and immoral behavior, caused by a man's utter frustration with himself and with the opposite sex he completely fails to fully understand.

http://i968.photobucket.com/albums/ae162/UliCain/carnalknowledge2.jpg

I'm also a big fan of Mike Nichols' directing. He's always so creative and playful (especially in his earlier days), but at the same time it's obvious that he's in complete control of what he's doing. At his best, he can be a true visual poet and this film definitely has moments that show him at the top of his game.
Besides my love for the visual aspect of this film, I also love the script and of course the brilliant performances. There are four main players in this film and a couple of minor characters and I think they all did a great job.
The two most notable performances are from Jack Nicholson and Ann-Margret (God, I love that woman). Jack simply goes "all-in" and shows off how well (and extreme) he can play the egotistical, screaming douchebag, while Ann-Margret pulls off being vulnerable, seductive, despicable, sweet and absolutely gorgeous all at the same time! They are both fantastic to look at in this film and it's no wonder that the most widely popular scene from this film is an explosive piece of hugely entertaining acting between the two of them in a bedroom.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBdx_aSfuKc
Acting doesn't get much more entertaining than in this long bedroom scene.

The most important factor of my love for this film, is something completely different, though. It's something that even the most perfectly constructed films very often lack. It's a very peculiar and above all, very personal quality that only a few films really have. The true reason why this film is one of my personal favorites is because I have the feeling that it's telling something sincere, something true. I really connected with this film's story and especially Jack Nicholson's character. I felt like a dark piece of my own mind was being exposed. The film doesn't particularly offer any satisfying answers concerning the character's issues and the different aspects of the human condition that are being observed, but that's not the point of this film anyway. The clever mocking of the issues that are being adressed and the cynical and darkly comical way the film tackles and explores its themes, are more than enough to make this a very enrichening and personal experience for me.
The combination of the self-awareness the story provokes and the sheer enjoyment I have when watching the film, makes for a very intense viewing every time I see it! I passionately LOVE this picture.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vys2K_18uk
Jonathan (Jack), a mysoginistic and rotten character showcases all the so-called female "ballbusters" of his past in a slideshow...

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

[rauldc14]

I did quite enjoy Carnal Knowledge, but I much preferred Five Easy Pieces. I'm also in the minority of liking The King of Marvin Gardens as well. Easy Rider is probably my least favorite Nicholson during that time, but Nicholson really isn't a central character.

[Daniel M]

I liked it quite a lot, and can definitely see why you love it, but I think Five Easy Pieces is much better personally. Your post makes me want to watch it again though :D

[Cobpyth]

I don't really prefer one over the other really. They're equally good, in my opinion. I just HAD to place one over the other for this list, so I decided to put the more "controversial" entry one position higher. ;)

[nebbit]

Nice choice :yup: one of my favourites :)

[cricket]

As you know, I wasn't crazy about Carnal Knowledge on my first viewing. I still liked it and can at least understand why someone else would love it.

[Guaporense]

Millenium Actress seems GREAT I have it on my watchlist and I intend to watch it soon!

It's pretty great, my favorite from the director and in my top 40 animated films.

[Guaporense]

After a solid 2 to 3 years of serious film watching, I can conclude that so far, Kubrick has not been parallelled by any director yet, in terms of satisfying me both visually and content-wise. I just love watching and admiring his films. Kubrick knew how to make ambitious and refreshing films and his movies never lose my interest for one second. They're pieces of art that very much reward periodic revisits. His last movie is not an exception and the fact that, over time, the praise for this film only increases, is not a coincidence! It's just a very memorable film experience that doesn't easily escape the minds of the people who have witnessed it...

It's my favorite American director as well. His work is extremely impressive in that regard and I agree that he is very top notch. I would guess he would be comparable to Kurosawa, Ozu and Tarkovsky in the "technical" live action film department.

I posted this scene, because I'd like to demonstrate that Kubrick also knew that (both subtle and more excessive) sparkles of oddity and humor can help to retain a viewer's attention and to actually even strengthen the profoundness of the film experience. It's something that certain "serious" directors completely lack and that's why they're often perceived as much more boring by the mainstream public.

Like Tarkovsky, Bresson and Tarr?

[Cobpyth]

42. The Long Goodbye (1973)

http://core0.staticworld.net/images/article/2014/03/now_streaming_longgoodbye-100249368-large.jpg

And yet another film appears that could be categorized under the (neo-)noir genre. This time it's Robert Altman's highly original, darkly comical '70s version of Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe detective story, The Long Goodbye!

There isn't really anything I don't love about this movie. I love every single quirk of it and I admire how everything it seems to do can be seen as some sort of clever commentary on the clichés of the classic noir genre or the '70s itself as a time period, which beautifully contrasts, but also at the same time brilliantly accompanies the main character (flawlessly played in a very unique way by Elliott Gould) who still kind of seems stuck in the '40s or '50s.

http://cinenthusiast.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/long-goodbye.jpg

Besides the fact that it's simply a very smart film conceptually, I also believe that you have to be a fan of all the small elements in it that make it so unique and the atmosphere it provokes. If you're not, then it will be much harder to love this film.
The different versions of the music score, Marlowe lighting a cigarette in every scene he's in, Marlowe's dry mumbling throughout the film ("It's okay with me"), the naked girls who live next door, all the great supporting characters and background characters (Arnold Schwarzenegger is in this film!), Marlowe trying to feed his cat, the guy imitating famous movie stars, etc. I love all of it! They make the film livelier, more realistic or more stylish. Every single moment or scene in this film somehow adds to its quality for me. It's a very rich film that offers much more than just a complex detective mystery with some cool dialogue (not that I have any problems with that kind of films). This film seems to aim for something higher and even more satisfying, both concept-wise and execution-wise. It totally worked for me (like most Altman films).

I'm very pleased to see that it seems to have gained a large popularity during the last few months around here and that it ranked so high on the '70s list. This film definitely deserves all that praise! I think it's very plausible that this film will rank even higher the next time I'll make a top 101 list (2 years from now or something), because it's one of those movies that only gets better and better for me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_u0uo0TxS-I
One of my favorite opening sequences of all time! It perfectly sets the tone for the film, it's effortlessly funny and you just know you're in for a unique treat!

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

[Daniel M]

You know I love The Long Goodbye, a brilliant film :)

[Jack1]

Still not seen this, even though I've been meaning to for a while. Will check it out soon.

[Swan]

The Long Goodbye is nearly a masterpiece if not definitely. Altman's second best film that I've seen. :up:

[cricket]

I watched The Long Goodbye for the 70's list; it's not quite a favorite, but I thought it was awfully good. It's one of those movies that I think could become a favorite with repeat viewings.

[The Gunslinger45]

No comment. :D

[Miss Vicky]

The Long Goodbye is an excellent movie! :up:

[Mr Minio]

I prefer the Big Sleep Marlowe, but Altman's take is good too.

[donniedarko]

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant, film :up:

[nebbit]

Big Fan of the Long Goodbye :yup: own it :yup:

[Camo]

Haven't watched The Long Goodbye yet. I think i'll take the time to read through this thread either later tonight or tommorow, it looks like you've put a ton of effort into it :up:. Also that pic of the guy in the supermarket will always be what Daniel M looks like in my head, i was half hoping that was an unexpected snapshot taking in Tesco of him :p.

[Captain Spaulding]

I think it's very plausible that this film will rank even higher the next time I'll make a top 101 list (2 years from now or something)

At this pace, it'll be two years before you even finish this one! :laugh:

I think The Long Goodbye is a very good movie, but the praise it gets on this forum is a little overboard, in my opinion.

Good write-up, though, as always.

[Derek Vinyard]

The Long Goodbye is one great movie of Altman that I actually really appreciate nice pick !

[Gideon58]

Love every word you said about Nashville...hands down, Altman's masterpiece.

Love Boogie Nights, Punch Drunk Love, and Magnolia, but I found this film a real chore to get through...Daniel Day Lewis is brilliant but the film is not worthy of its length. JMO.

So pleased to see Notorious on your list...the film features my personal favorite Ingrid Bergman performance.

[rauldc14]

I predict this list to be done in 2017 :p

[Godoggo]

Which reminds me that I still haven't finished mine. I don't think anyone has ever takin longer than me to finish.

[rauldc14]

Bump. Cmon man :p

[The Gunslinger45]

bump

[Cobpyth]

Alright. Time to finally finish this. Since the beginning of my list there have obviously been some changes and additions, but I'll first post the rest of my original list before I go into detail about those more recent entries.

The write-ups won't be that long anymore for most films as they used to be, so if you have some specific questions about certain choices, don't be afraid to ask them!

Next is number 41!

[Cobpyth]

41. Fargo (1996)

http://justcomedies.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/fargo3-1.jpg

After all this time, this might still be my favorite Coen Brothers movie. If you've followed the list so far, you can see that I'm a fan of many of their films, but this is the one that introduced me to them and ultimately convinced me to watch all of their work.

Some people say this film has one of the most perfect scripts ever written and I kind of agree. There's humor (which is practically always the fact with the Coens of course), there's an engaging and thrilling story (probably still their best) that also makes some subtle, interesting comments on our society as a whole, the characters are meticulously constructed and especially pregnant policewoman Marge Gunderson still stands as one of the best film characters in modern history.

http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lart98zvmQ1qe0eclo1_r1_500.gif

There's more to this film than just a great script, though. The Coens also put a lot of care in the visual aspect of the film (again as with most of their movies). There's some playful editing here and there and there's of course the fantastic snowy landscape in which this film is set, which adds an unsettling atmosphere to the film, while also giving it a strangely poetic feeling. The Coens cleverly use the environment to their advantage in several important scenes.

In the end, Fargo is simply a wonderful film that pretty much has it all. It cleverly mixes casual life with a very dark story and it's just a movie that I like returning to now and again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4Je2WxsqWA
Just look at how interesting the Coen Brothers can make a seemingly simple dialogue scene. Put good writing, great acting and smart editing in one scene and you have solid gold!

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

[Cobpyth]

40. Magnolia (1999)

https://38.media.tumblr.com/43f532e84f256bfd6eff4459ede7ac45/tumblr_ms1l3x37Ia1s79x3yo1_500.jpg

http://media.giphy.com/media/G5ObAHs5HrkoE/giphy.gif

As many people here already know, I am a HUGE fan of Paul Thomas Anderson. I absolutely adore the man. I think he's one of the greatest artists in the filmmaking business working today. One of the most interesting and curious things about his career, I think, is that he has very much changed as a filmmaker...

In his early days (Hard Eight, Boogie Nights, Magnolia), he became known as a director who wanted to be in full control of his picture and as a filmmaker who wasn't afraid to put a lot of noticeably exuberant camera work in his movies. I personally love that young and bold attitude he had back then. He wasn't afraid to do some extreme and out of the box stuff (he still isn't, but now he does it in different ways, which I'll talk about later). It's simply a joy to watch an extremely skilled and talented filmmaker do a lot of tricks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec51smvcsDY
PTA grabs the audience's attention right from the beginning with some stories about odd "coincidences". You immediately know you're in for something unusual.

Magnolia is a vibrant mosaic of intertwining stories that aren't afraid to explore the deeply emotional territories of its characters. The film is obviously heavily influenced by Altman's Short Cuts (which also appeared in this list), but it feels more compact, calculated and emotionally heavy than Altman's more meandering and subtle ensemble piece. I like both films an awful lot and I can only pick a favorite depending on the mood I'm in, so when I composed this list, I decided that Magnolia was the one that I would place a little higher (mainly also because I've seen it more times). Maybe that would've been different on another day. It doesn't really matter.

http://24.media.tumblr.com/9c54de63549d4dbcc2aad07538791cfb/tumblr_n0e1nn6nYv1r93jsro4_500.gif

The film is mostly famous because of its "froggy" climax. People tend to be kind of split about that specific sequence. I believe however that if you've truly "felt" and "lived" with the film for the whole ride until then, it makes complete sense. I don't know anyone who adored the film except for the ending. It's an inseparable total package of emotions and mystery. The film constantly hints at something hanging in the air. The whole movie is basically a build-up towards something "higher" and it can be strongly felt throughout because of the constantly present soundtrack, the "crescendo" development of the stories and of course the all around atmosphere that's being created (with the status of the weather being pointed out now and then and of course the brilliant opening sequence that immediately lets you know that you should be prepared for everything).

Magnolia is a film that totally works for me and just like Paul's other work, I think this will be a film that I'll gladly revisit many more times in the future!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnIJxcqSKgY
Anyone who still keeps saying that Tom Cruise can't act after watching his performance in this film is nuts. He's fantastic!

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[Mr Minio]

41. Fargo (2014) https://33.media.tumblr.com/2aa225a2df8c5cec34aa77ddb26470ea/tumblr_msxa9a9dU81qfn9wxo3_500.gif

[seanc]

Fargo and Magnolia, you know I am on board. Both in my top five, both my favorites of directors that I can't get enough of. Great write-ups. If I have a quibble it is that I don't think Fargo is a movie that has humor in it, I think Fargo is a comedy. I think that about a lot of movies that others don't though.

[BlueLion]

Fargo is a near-masterpiece and the chapter with John C. Reilly in Magnolia is the one I like the most.

[Cobpyth]

Fargo and Magnolia, you know I am on board. Both in my top five, both my favorites of directors that I can't get enough of. Great write-ups. If I have a quibble it is that I don't think Fargo is a movie that has humor in it, I think Fargo is a comedy. I think that about a lot of movies that others don't though.

I feel like it's more than a comedy. It's a drama with lots of humor in it. I get that after a few watches, it starts working as purely a comedy, though, because it's the comical moments that make you want to return to it again and again.

[BlueLion]

I think that Fargo, like most Coen brothers movies (if not ALL Coen brothers movies), is first and foremost a portrayal of extremely flawed and unfortunate characters who feel lost and as if they don't belong to the society they live in. If you look at the rest of their filmography, you'll find that many of their films revolve around these themes

[Gatsby]

I love Fargo. Currently my 10th favorite film of all time. The blend of violence and dark humor is pure genius and the acting is great from practically everyone. Also the snow landscape, as you mentioned gives it a certain atmosphere which doesn't really feel like it fits in, but ends up being the opposite of that.

[cricket]

I think Magnolia has faults, but there are few films that can compete with what it gets right. Overall, I think it's a spectacular film.

On the other hand, I think Fargo is pretty close to perfect.

[MovieMeditation]

Just caught up with your list and spammed the hell out of your notifications on the way! :p

Great list so far (though there's quite a few I haven't seen), can't wait to check in for more.

[Captain Spaulding]

So glad to see you finally continuing with this list, Cobpyth!

Fargo might be the first Coen Brothers film I ever watched. That was before my sensibilities as a viewer had changed and I wasn't yet accustomed to their trademark sense of humor, so I didn't get what all the fuss was about. Since then I've become a big fan of their films, but I think that first sour experience with Fargo has tainted it for me. I've enjoyed it more on re-watches, but nowhere near as much as you or most people do. In fact, I think the recent mini-series surpassed it in just about every aspect, from the dark humor to the storytelling to the central performances by Thornton, Freeman and Allison Tolman.

Magnolia is a great movie. I don't like it as much as There Will Be Blood, Boogie Nights or The Master, but everything PTA touches is gold. I especially love Tom Cruise's role in the film. Magnolia is certainly PTA's most Altmanesque. I watched Short Cuts afterward and I could easily see its profound influence on Magnolia. In terms of preference, I'd give Short Cuts the slight edge.

[Cobpyth]

39. Raging Bull (1980)

http://cfile5.uf.tistory.com/image/1502E837503D647B11C42A

Simply calling this a film about boxing or about sports doesn't do this masterpiece by Martin Scorsese justice. Scorsese follows a fictional version of real-life boxer Jake LaMotta (there are no words that can describe the brilliance of De Niro's acting performance in this film) and deeply analyzes the philosophy and psychology behind the character and his unusual environment.

It's interesting that I've just seen Wong Kar Wai's The Grandmaster two days ago (be sure to check out the 130 minutes long Chinese version, because it's a fantastic movie), because I think both films have a lot of thematical elements in common. Not only are some of the slow-motion action sequences very similar to eachother in style, but both films also elevate above their specific genres in identical fashion.
Scorsese and Wong Kar Wai are not really interested in the purely entertaining side of what they're portraying (even though both films are highly enjoyable to behold), but they want to say something more thoughtful and "true" about their subject.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2xD-HYTPPI

Scorsese finds truth in Raging Bull by truly giving us a look inside the psyche of his main character. We witness his everyday life, his specific rituals, the commitments he has to make and the aggression and lust for violence that lies within him. The film isn't afraid to be brutal sometimes, but at the same time Scorsese also didn't shy away from showing the epicness of it all, the phenomenal "larger than life" feeling that stardom (in the boxing ring) provokes. It's hypnotizing and addictive, but also oddly paranoic. LaMotta wasn't mentally prepared for the latter and therefore slowly grows into a monster. Scorsese lets us truly dive into the rich thematical kingdom of the dark side of the human mind and cleverly portrays it both seductively and repulsively (like he does in some of his other briliant films that are centered on the human evil).

Above all, the film is also the perfect example of a purely cinematic experience. Raging Bull makes us perceive things like we've never done before, often exclusively through the force and impact of moving images and sound...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b6L1uq_bik

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[The Gunslinger45]

I admit, Raging Bull I do not like as much as other Scorsese films, but it is still a good movie. Great choice.

[honeykid]

I've said it a few times before, but I think Raging Bull is a very good film, though not one I much enjoy. I've seen it three or four times, and while I'm open to seeing it again, I wouldn't mind if I didn't.

[Cobpyth]

38. Spirited Away (2001)

http://24.media.tumblr.com/de555ba2be8b529a937015a6da270ad9/tumblr_n2iaxxMncv1s2y1m1o5_500.jpg
Welcome to the bathhouse! I assure you that you won't regret your visit...

It was a warm night in spring, a couple of years ago. I was just starting out as a "serious" movie watcher and I was looking for something "out of the box". While scrolling through the IMDb top 250 list (which is a place where many young cinephiles begin nowadays, even though they later learn to condemn it), I clicked on this film's title. I had read about the huge acclaim it had, but I didn't really know what to expect. I decided to watch it...

Spirited Away ended up being a film that completely opened my mind for a whole new medium of filmmaking (anime). I was absolutely mesmerized by it. It was one of the most magical film experiences I'd ever had. I immediately considered it as my new favorite animated movie and while the film has been challenged by a few other great films since, it still holds that place today.

Miyazaki's surreal masterpiece about a girl who suddenly - while visiting an old, abandoned amusement park - gets caught up in a strange fantasy world where her parents are changed into pigs and where magical creatures run a giant bathhouse is an absolute wonder to behold. It's one of the few truly original cinematic visions of our postmillennial era. It fills my heart with joy that so many people seem to love and appreciate this film as much as I do. It's one of the most respected and popular animated films ever made (it also won the Oscar) and I hope it will be the number one film on our MoFo Top 100 list.

Just put it on, let yourself be overtaken by its highly imaginative world and interpret the rich adventure of Chichiro in any way you want (every watching experience is different), while enjoying the film's warm atmosphere and sheer beauty...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaWD_YR0aCo

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

[cricket]

Even though it's not in my top 100 favorites, I agree that Raging Bull is a total masterpiece.

Unfortunately, Spirited Away just didn't suit my taste. It's not the animation or the foreign language part; it's the fantasy part.

[Gatsby]

Felt the same way you did when I first saw Spirited Away, and ended up being one of my favorite films of all time (currently 9th). I was amazed by its imagination and the world filled with mysterious, exotic, and interesting creatures.

[Captain Spaulding]

In terms of technical brilliance and pure artistry, Raging Bull is probably Scorsese's crowning achievement, or at least right up there with Taxi Driver, but I rarely revisit it as often as some of Scorsese's other films. If ranking his films based on their greatness, it might be number one, but in terms of favorite Scorsese films I'm not even sure if it's top five for me. I do think it's De Niro's best performance, though, and that's saying something considering the long list of amazing performances he's given over the years.

Spirited Away is one of the few Miyazaki films I've seen. I admire its creativity and its limitless imagination. Aesthetically, it's one of the most impressive animated films I've seen, but even though I enjoyed it and I understand why it's so revered, it's not a film that inspired any sort of personal connection. I assume it's a lock for the top ten on the animated films countdown, and possibly top five.

[Cobpyth]

37. The Godfather (1972)

http://camerawork.de/typo3temp/yag/03/361x5405b744ecbc.jpg

It's time to praise one of the most popular and masterful films ever made. Like so many other people, I'm also a huge fan of Francis Ford Coppola's legendary gangster film, The Godfather. The sole reason for its relatively low placement, is that I haven't seen it in quite a while (except for a few bits and pieces here and there).

This film is arguably the epitome of epic American filmmaking. It tells a great story with many layers and the way it's told is visually effective and efficient, but at the same time also poetic and stunningly beautiful. Many people have called it the greatest film ever made and honestly, I can totally understand why. The scope of this story is so extremely large, but nevertheless Coppola was able to give every moment and detail in this film a certain meaning and depth. Every scene has a reason for being there, whether it's foreshadowing, plot exposition, showing a certain important emotion or feeling, offering new insights into a character or shedding light on an integral part of the gangster life. They all work very well as stand-alone moments, but at the same time they're also a significant part of the big picture that's being presented.
So, if you're the kind of person that looks for great individual moments in films, you'll find it here, but if you want a cohesive story that deeply analyzes the film's characters and the environment it's set in, The Godfather will also completely satisfy you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-AhOoJKjLQ
The professionalism and coldness of a gangster is shown through a legendary piece of black comedy.

One of the things that makes this film so extremely popular (even nowadays), is probably the fact that this extremely rich film has something in it for everyone. Intelligence and emotions, action and quietness, warmth and coolness, love and hate, good and evil, happiness and grief, power and defenselessness, friendship and betrayal... You can all find it here.

Apart from the visual experience and the epic story, there's another aspect of this film that is, in my opinion, just as important as the others. I'm talking of course about the famous soundtrack of the film. Seldom has music been used more effectively than in The Godfather. It's incredible how perfectly it fits and creates the mood of the picture. Genius.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aV9X2d-f5g

I feel like I've just repeated some clichés about this film's quality and simply pointed out the typical good things everyone always notices about this film (while not even speaking about the brilliant acting, etc.), but I don't really care. It's proof that this classic has become a part of the collective memory of film watchers around the world. Here's another scene that everyone always talks about:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfbYp9oaIT8
One of the most brilliant montages in the history of cinema.

and another one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC1_tdnZq1A

It's always fun to rewatch these great moments!

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