Kill Bill Vol. II was #2 on my ballot, one spot ahead of the first volume, which I expect to show up very soon. Love both equally, but the spaghetti western ambience and aesthetics of
Vol. II suit my sensibilities a tad more than the gonzo martial-arts extravaganza of its predecessor.
Vol. II slows things down, exchanges action for more dialogue, ups the emotional stakes. A five-point-palm-exploding-heart-punch, with QT's words serving a similar function as a Morricone score in a Sergio Leone stand-off. Individually, both films are excellent; as a whole, it's a masterwork. An exuberant, supersized love letter to the glorious grindhouse gems that molded QT's passion for cinema -- Bruce Lee, Sonny Chiba, Shaw Brothers, Leone, Corbucci,
Lady Snowblood,
Lone Wolf & Cub,
Death Rides a Horse, et al. -- all thrown into a pot and stewed to perfection with more than enough Tarantino flavoring to alter a familiar recipe into something distinct. QT was also nice enough to give me a small part as the barkeep:
28 Days Later was my #5. A much-needed shot in the arm to a flailing subgenre that has since grown stale again due to oversaturation and a hundred seasons of
The Walking Dead. Boyle's sprinting, snarling infected were a game-changer at the time. Suddenly zombies were interesting again, more threatening; the sense of urgency and aggression amplified by Boyle's kinetic direction. I regularly fantasize about
Cillian Murphy's flaccid penis waking to find everyone else has disappeared, so the quiet moments are my favorite scenes -- empty streets and countryside, a surrogate family trawling stores devoid of people; major wish-fulfillment for a misanthrope like myself. Also love the escalating intensity of the oft-criticized final act, and the film's cynical view of human nature. Venturing out in public in this post-Trump, post-COVID world feels a bit like living in a version of the film.
Requiem for a Dream was my #7. A seminal film in my cinematic upbringing. Aronofsky directs the hell out of this movie, emptying the bag of filmic tricks to visually convey the various stages of drug use, and I think he does it more effectively than any other film on the subject. I hope they dedicate an entire week in film schools to studying the expertly hypnotic editing. Clint Mansell's score is one of my favorites and the rare score that I'll listen to just for the hell of it. Addiction is the most intense, toxic, parasitic, abusive, self-destructive relationship possible. The ultimate tragic romance, and Aronofsky and crew capture every beautifully hideous moment to powerful perfection. I just don't understand why he portrays ass-to-ass through such a negative lens. Riding a double-sided dildo to the encouragement of onlookers is the highlight of all my family get-togethers.
The Wrestler was my #9. Another Aronofsky film that chronicles obsession, the major recurring theme in all his work. Here the drug is adulation, the rush inside the ring, living off the high of faded glories. Professional wrestling has been one of my biggest passions since I was in preschool. My best friend and I flew up to Minneapolis this past October just to attend AEW's Full Gear PPV, and we had planned to attend last weekend's Battle of the Belts in nearby Charlotte but backed out due to COVID concerns. To me, wrestling is the perfect marriage of sports and entertainment, storytelling and athleticism. I have a lot of respect and admiration for the men and women who dedicate their lives to the craft. It's an unforgiving, punishing lifestyle. The physical toil on the body, the mental grind, countless miles spent on the road, in the gym, away from families. Everything about
The Wrestler feels authentic. Rourke's Randy "The Ram" Robinson, that "old, broken down piece of meat," is one of the best, most naturalistic performances of the decade. A gritty, empathetic character study that humanizes the muscled-up, spandex-wearing, over-the-top characters of the squared circle. Hopefully the film gave audiences a newfound respect for something often dismissed as white-trash spectacle.
Several more have shown up from the lower half of my ballot but I've already surpassed my word quota for the day. Maybe I'll spotlight them tomorrow.