The MoFo Top 100 of the 2000s Countdown

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My first ballot error and I see I'm not the only one who simply forgot to vote for Memento which is ironic.



In the Mood for Love is my #22.



Seen: 70/90
Ballot: 17/25

25. O Brother, Where Art Thou?
24. Snatch
23. 100%
22. In the Mood for Love
21.
20. Inglourious Bastardos
19. 100%
18. Sin City
17.
16.
15. Lost in Translation
14.
13.
12. The Pianist
11. Downfall
10. Master and Commander
09. Casino Royale
08. Kill Bill: Vol. 1
07. Ocean’s Eleven
06. 100%
05. City of God
04. Donnie Darko
03. Collateral
02. Gladiator
01. The Two Towers




That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
In the Mood for Love sits very confidently in my #15 spot. Just a beautifully shot movie.

Memento was fun the first time, still interesting the second time to piece things back together, but the novelty began to wear by then. I have the DVD somewhere, I think, but I've not bothered to watch it since. I think the only Nolan flick that had a chance for my list was Bowie. I mean The Prestige, and that didn't happen. I'm kind of shocked to see this. More so that it landed where it did. I can buy maybe wanting a Nolan representation and this maybe being the most innocent one to offer up. I suppose I'm just too jaded after Tenet, Dunkirk, Interstellar, Tenet, and uhm, Tenet.
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"My Dionne Warwick understanding of your dream indicates that you are ambivalent on how you want life to eventually screw you." - Joel

"Ever try to forcibly pin down a house cat? It's not easy." - Captain Steel

"I just can't get pass sticking a finger up a dog's butt." - John Dumbear





Memento was on my list. Way down at twenty-four, but I had to represent. Nolan's clever amnesiac revenge pic was a kick to the cinematic nuts when it hit the scene way back in the year 2000 (insert classic Conan O'Brien bit here). Following was a promising micro-budgeted debut but Memento left no doubt there was a new gunslinger in town. Eleven features in and I too am in the camp that Tenet was laboriously vacant, but nobody is perfect. Revisit Memento and know that there are still masterpieces to come.

Now that we are at the eve of the Top Ten I can say unreservedly that only four more of mine will be showing up, leaving six from my ballot that missed. Your loss, MoFos.

HOLDEN’S BALLOT
1. The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (#86)
2. Dancer in the Dark (#49)
7. Children of Men (#17)
8. Amélie (#16)
9. The Lives of Others (#41)
10. The Pianist (#31)
14. Synecdoche, New York (#46)
15. Moon (#48)
16. Fantastic Mr. Fox (#70)
17. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (#92)
18. A Serious Man (#66)
19. Adaptation. (#43)
20. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (#51)
21. Downfall (#28)
24. Memento (#11)
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"Film is a disease. When it infects your bloodstream it takes over as the number one hormone. It bosses the enzymes, directs the pineal gland, plays Iago to your psyche. As with heroin, the antidote to Film is more Film." - Frank Capra



Bright light. Bright light. Uh oh.
Wong Kar-wai's In the Mood For Love is a beautiful romance bordering on a mystery-thriller. Always interesting to watch but doesn't really affect me at all.

Memento is very entertaining and exciting in the moment with a twist in almost every scene, but it's still gimmicky. Close to making my ballot.
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in the year 2000 (insert classic Conan O'Brien bit here).

...in the year two thouuuussssaaaannndddddddddd...


Memento was my #6, watched it a few times during last year and had it in mind when I put my list together.


In the Mood for Love I liked enough to buy the criterion bluray but haven't watched it again yet. I liked pretty much all the Kar-Wi i have seen.



Memento as my number 6. Recenty rewatched it with my mom, and I picked up on some more of the foreshadowing. I adore the unique structure for its spot-on scripting.

In the Mood for Love was a beautiful romance tale, but I felt like it was missing something.

Sent-In Ballot:

#2. Oldboy (22)
#3. Sin City (47)
#5. Requiem for a Dream (26)
#6. Memento (11)
#7. Yi Yi (49)
#8. The Departed (19)
#10. Casino Royale (37)
#13. Million Dollar Baby (57)
#15. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (53)
#16. Let the Right One In (29)
#20. Iron Man (83)
#21. Inglourious Basterds (18)
#22. Pirates of the Caribbean (63)
#25. Hot Fuzz (30)

Post-Ballot:

#2. Oldboy (22)
#3. Sin City (47)
#5. Requiem for a Dream (26)
#6. Memento (11)
#7. Yi Yi (49)
#8. The Departed (19)
#10. Casino Royale (37)
#12. Snatch (71)
#14. Million Dollar Baby (57)
#16. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (53)
#17. Let the Right One In (29)
#18. Slumdog Millionaire (not placed but it made my new 25)
#19. Monsters, Inc. (74)
#22. Iron Man (83)
#23. Fantastic Mr. Fox (70)
#24. Inglourious Basterds (18)
#25. Pirates of the Caribbean (63)

Seen 52/90

Reached over half the whole of it!



I'll throw out a guess for the order of the Top Ten...

1. LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring
2. No Country for Old Men
3. There Will Be Blood
4. Spirited Away
5. Mulholland Dr.
6. LOTR: The Return of the King
7. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
8. Pan's Labyrinth
9. Zodiac
10. The Dark Knight



Funny thing with Memento is I know I once watched the option to play it in chronological order but I genuinely don't remember anything about my feelings for that viewing



2022 Mofo Fantasy Football Champ
My prediction
1. No Country
2. Fellowship
3. There Will Be Blood
4. Return of the King
5. Pans Labyrinth
6. Dark Knight
7. Spirited Away
8. Mulholland
9. Eternal Sunshine
10. Zodiac



It'll be 15/24 and a Spanish entry for me.



In the Mood for Love is very good, but not on my list. Like others have said/implied, Memento (my #8) was about where Nolan peaked--I'd like to see him to do more scaled-down films again.



Yes! finally another from my ballot. In the Mood for Love was my #15...I have Thursday Next to thank for this movie as I seen it in the 15th HoF where it was her nomination.


I previously wrote this about In the Mood for Love in the 15th HoF:

In the Mood For Love (2000)

Ascetics and Aesthetics

The ascetics of a relationship built on unconsummated love, wrapped in gorgeous haute couture du jour. The aesthetics of 1963 Hong Kong were in abundance and Mrs. Chan was quite the fashion plate in all those high collared, form fitting dresses with the bold prints.

I'd give the movie 5 popcorn ratings just for the way she walked! Her hip swaying was part of the film's sub-context, and the cinematographer framed her in a way that we can see her curvy attributes from the mind set of Mr. Chow. That's not just wolf whistles for a hot babe...the film does indeed present her as a sexy, but not obvious woman of taste and class. Her walk clues us in on how Mr. Chow sees her.

I loved the art production of the film, the sets were so intricate so balanced. I'd say each room, each hallway and every scene is designed with feng shui in mind. That is if I understood what feng shui is all about. At any rate I thought it looked real cool. From the first shot of Mrs Chan's room with the painting of the red apples on the wall and a bowl of red apples resting on the table below...I knew someone had taken great care to make visual art out of the story.




Most shots had a 'closed in' feeling and we never get broader shots of the building they live in, all we see is a narrow corridor and a few rooms. Even when we enter their rooms the director chooses to limit the information there by not showing us much. I liked that! Especially as it put the focus on the two people as if they existed outside of the everyday world. That's focused directing.





I forgot to include In the Mood for Love on my ballot. That was a huge oversight; I definitely would have placed it high with somewhere between 18 - 22 points.

This film has breathtaking sound design and the wonderful temporal device of Maggie Cheung’s dresses. In a restaurant scene, the camera will pan to him then back to her and she’s wearing a new dress, then pan to him then return to her in another dress. Making that not one supper but three consecutive date nights.

Their circle of friends and acquaintances are decidedly tawdry, every morning Chow Wo-wan has to listen to his best friend tell him about his nocturnal festivities and Maggie manages her boss’s extra-marital affairs, supplying gifts for his wife and his current girlfriend.

This is a great subversive romance. This may actually be a fantasy relationship with them as surrogates only imagining their spouses passionate love affair. Notice how many times Maggie Cheung is placed in front of or behind bars.



That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
  1. prolly
  2. Shaun of the Dead (2004)
  3. nope
  4. nope
  5. nope
  6. The Departed (2006)
  7. Michael Clayton (2007)
  8. Let the Right One In (2008)
  9. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
  10. Dark horse possibility
  11. nope
  12. nope
  13. nope
  14. prolly
  15. In the Mood for Love (2000)
  16. Collateral (2004)
  17. prolly
  18. Moon (2009)
  19. nope
  20. nope
  21. Catch Me If You Can (2002)
  22. tragically, nope
  23. nope
  24. nope
  25. Kung Pow: Enter the Fist (2002)

Figuring 11/24 + a one-pointer.