ahwell's Top 100 Movies - 2020
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67. The Irishman (2019)
This was legitimately a heartbreaking and beautiful tale, even though it’s a crime story. It’s one of the best of the year for sure, and it should have done better at the Oscars.
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I haven't seen The Irishman and I probably won't unless it gets nominated in an HoF, which would be OK with me.
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68. Unforgiven (1992)
Wasn't expecting that. Unforgiven blew me away with it's fascinating characters, dark and gritty tone, and morally complex plot. The story is twisted and often disturbing, and we often switch between which characters we're rooting for.
Violence plays such a huge role in this movie, and Clint Eastwood handles it beautifully. Violence of all types is shown, often brutal, and Eastwood's messages about the dangerous cycle of it all are only too prevalent.
Because that is exactly what this movie is about. A cycle of never-ending violence in the Old West, and in our modern culture too. Not just violence, but toxicity. One prostitute's face is cut up, so the rest of the prostitutes offer a reward for killing the cowboys that did it. That sets off a whole new turn of bloodshed, ending in the loss of many innocent lives.
That ending scene is tragic and powerful. I don't think we're supposed to sympathize with any character in the movie, other than perhaps some of the prostitutes. Most of the male characters are toxic and evil, and Clint's character - while quiet and often contemplative - did kill many in his youth and in the end he goes on one last spree. What was it? Did he not feel redeemed for giving up violence? Had he had enough and just decided to shoot away, angry at the loss of his friend? His brutal murders at the end bring this epic tale to a close with more melancholy than I've ever seen in a Western.
And, yes this is totally "The Irishman" for Eastwood. Remember, this was the last Western he ever acted in. It brings an end to an era, and Clint knew his time as an actor was waning.
This movie I just think is way more relevant and important today than people give it credit for.
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Unforgiven was better on my recent rewatch, but there’s something about it that keeps me from loving it. I’m not the biggest fan of the plot nor the very cruel feel that the movie has, though of course intentional. I really like Eastwood a lot. Always enjoy him on screen and this is no exception. But it’s not one of my favorites of his...
I feel like I need to revisit The Irishman. It’s such a gigantic piece of work. It really does feel like everybody’s career just lead towards this film. It was meant to be. Scorsese always makes quality movies. And the star power here is unreal. But the story was so big it was hard to take it all in and the CGI threw me off BIG TIME. It just wasn’t good enough for a film that’s so reliant on CG. It’s clearly possible to do properly today though, because Gemini Man is absolutely stunning with that technology.
I feel like I need to revisit The Irishman. It’s such a gigantic piece of work. It really does feel like everybody’s career just lead towards this film. It was meant to be. Scorsese always makes quality movies. And the star power here is unreal. But the story was so big it was hard to take it all in and the CGI threw me off BIG TIME. It just wasn’t good enough for a film that’s so reliant on CG. It’s clearly possible to do properly today though, because Gemini Man is absolutely stunning with that technology.
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66. Trainspotting (1996)
I wasn't exactly looking forward to this movie, maybe because I had a bad experience with Yesterday, also directed by Danny Boyle, maybe because I wasn't interested in drug/crime movies.
However, this turned into an absolutely ****ing amazing experience. An hour-and-a-half ride through the hells of being a drug addict and the hole you can fall into from it. As our main character mentions from the very first couple minutes, heroin controls his life. When Dawn dies, it is an instant of remorse and then back to the old lifestyle. In fact, when anything happens to Renton or his friends they turn to drugs, and thus, crime.
This movie certainly feels Tarantino-esque, but it also does what a lot of Tarantino borrowers didn't - it still is entirely original and unique. The camera angles, lenses, and such make this film just look crazy cool and weird, like we are living inside an addict's mind. Faces are closer than they appear, and we get kind of a "jut" in the middle of some shots... sorry, I'm definitely not qualified to talk about this in technical terms.
Also, soundtrack is so perfect, it's like a never-ending drum beat, pulsing when the characters are having a good time and throbbing when they're in danger or trouble. Danny Boyle wastes no time with this movie, every shot is necessary. Right from the beginning we're put right in the middle of the action, almost like the much more innocent "A Hard Day's Night." The dialogue is so quirky and that's where I get the Tarantino feel. But it's totally unique, it's British class humor that is just delightful.
This movie works on an entertainment level, a class commentary level, a drug addiction commentary level. **** it, Trainspotting may be one of the 10 best movies of the 90s, it seamlessly combines its craft into a surging, pounding tour de force that keeps you on the edge of your seat for its entire running time.
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Trainspotting was a genuine phenomenom in the UK back in the 90's. You could not go outside without seeing the posters or hearing something from the soundtrack.
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5-time MoFo Award winner.
5-time MoFo Award winner.
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As honeykid rightfully states, Trainspotting was truly a phenomenon.
And that’s also where I feel that it is most strong. It really does feel like something completely unique and groundbreaking in cinema and when it came out people had never seen something quite like it. Watching the movie for the first time today, it’s still so highly energized and inventive that it still works really well. I liked it but probably admired it even more. Far from a favorite of mine, but it surely deserves to be talked highly about in cinema...
And that’s also where I feel that it is most strong. It really does feel like something completely unique and groundbreaking in cinema and when it came out people had never seen something quite like it. Watching the movie for the first time today, it’s still so highly energized and inventive that it still works really well. I liked it but probably admired it even more. Far from a favorite of mine, but it surely deserves to be talked highly about in cinema...
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I wonder if I'd like Trainspotting?
But yeah. Movie has a lot of hectic editing, Tarantinoesque dialogue, it’s really quirky, really against the rules of cinema etc etc
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It seems like something that’s completely opposite of what you would like. But as the past have showed we have no idea what the other one likes.
But yeah. Movie has a lot of hectic editing, Tarantinoesque dialogue, it’s really quirky, really against the rules of cinema etc etc
But yeah. Movie has a lot of hectic editing, Tarantinoesque dialogue, it’s really quirky, really against the rules of cinema etc etc
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65. Lady Bird (2017)
Astounding!
I love everything about it. The 2002 Sacramento setting, the soundtrack was good, and of course the script was excellent. Greta Gerwig has a perfect track record in my opinion, she did this and then Little Women, both amazing movies that are in my top twenty of the decade.
The acting is amazing, we get Beanie Feldstein, Saoirse Ronan, and Timothee Chalomet all in one movie!! Characters are so real, and it feels so relatable, all of it.
Just an excellent movie in every way.
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You're not going to believe this, but I tried watching Lady Bird a couple weeks ago, but shut it off after a few minutes. I guess I just don't gel with Greta
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I haven't seen Lady Bird and don't have any real desire to change that. I'd probably only watch it if it was nominated for a HOF or something.
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You're not going to believe this, but I tried watching Lady Bird a couple weeks ago, but shut it off after a few minutes. I guess I just don't gel with Greta
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