+11
Foreign language movies are being so well represented. Very glad to see.
22. Oldboy : This is very much due another viewing from me. A really dark film with an interesting plot which sets up a mystery after our protagonist has been held against his will for an extraordinary long time without knowing why or who is doing it. The violence in this film is nothing compared to the final reveal near the end and what happens after that. I've never seen the more recent remake as nothing can compare to director Park Chan-wook's vision and version of this story. It's really my kind of film, and perhaps it would have made my list if I'd watched it again in preparation for this countdown. After rearing it's head in the Foreign Language Countdown I really should have done that by now. I was shown this film by a friend who really isn't into violent and horrific films, but is a fan of Asian cinema. That made some scenes more unexpected for me - it can be confronting at times, but despite it's hard edge there's a compelling story with depth and substance. Despite that I'm still really surprised at the lofty position this film has shown up in.
21. O Brother, Where Art Thou? : This is one Coen Bros film that I've very slowly warmed up to - and if I say it's one of my least favourite of theirs it's not because I hold this in particularly low regard, but because the rest of their output has been so great. Something that puts me off quite a bit is the twangy old-time singing that the escaped convicts in this start making their name (The Soggy Bottom Boys?) with. I watched this some time last year, once again with a view that I'd finally have more of an appreciation for it. I did, slightly. I think George Clooney is great in it - and I never miss and opportunity to enjoy anything John Turturro does, especially in relation with the Coen Bros. This is another big surprise for me - I would have been expecting A Serious Man to place around here, and for O Brother, Where Art Thou? to place around about where the former did. Then again, that's mainly because I pretty much expect everybody else's taste to align exactly with mine.
Seen 67/80
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