ash_is_the_gal's Top 100

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In a way, I know what you mean, often indie films get over-hyped by people who are just so proud of themselves for watching something that isn't a comic book sequel (these people keep Empire magazine in business... ). I'm guessing last years 'big American indie film' would be Juno. But just because they are all American indie films doesn't mean they have anything else in common. It's a bit like saying I saw a French film once and didn't like it so I won't be watching any more!
I love your comment about Empire magazine, I couldn't agree more. I haven't looked at a copy for about 10 years now which, coincidently, was the last time I remember seeing Drew Barrymore on the cover.

I'd just like to clarify, I don't dislike or hate American indie films. Hell, I introduced my Film Studies tutor to Slacker back in the 90's. It's just that, every year, there's one in particular (often a comedy) that 'you just have to see' and, invariably, I don't because they don't look good, let alone funny. Those are the films I meant when I used the term "Must See American Indie". I started with Rushmore because that was the first one that I really remember being pushed hard in that way, usually by the same people who tell you that Seinfeld is funny. I guess you could take it back to Pulp Fiction if you wanted to or even Reservoir Dogs or Slacker, but I think that'd be disingenuous.

Pres, I remember seeing Little Miss Sunshine on your list, after reading what you wrote about it, I thought that next time it's on, I may give it a look. The problem is, as I said, I have so many films on the shelves that I've yet to see, that watching something that I'm not up for seeing has been rare over the last few years.



i'm SUPER GOOD at Jewel karaoke
#45
Keeping the Faith (2000)


"May those who love us, love us. And those who don't love us - may God turn their hearts. And if He cannot turn their hearts, may he turn their ankles, so that we may know them by their limping."

#44
Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)
Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey (1991)


[i decided to group these two together because i love them both equally ]

"I said Plumb."

#43
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)


"Snosberry? Whoever heard of a snosberry?"

#42
A Christmas Story (1983)


"It was all over - I was dead. What would it be? The guillotine? Hanging? The chair? The rack? The Chinese water torture? Hmmph. Mere child's play compared to what surely awaited me."

#41
Out of Africa (1985)


"If I know a song of Africa, of the giraffe and the African new moon lying on her back, of the plows in the fields and the sweaty faces of the coffee pickers, does Africa know a song of me? Will the air over the plain quiver with a color that I have had on, or the children invent a game in which my name is, or the full moon throw a shadow over the gravel of the drive that was like me, or will the eagles of the Ngong Hills look out for me?"

#40
The Virgin Suicides (1999)


I’m a high school lover, and you’re my favorite flavor
Love is all, all my soul
You’re my playground love

[this isn't actually spoken dialogue in the movie but rather a song from Air - Playground love. Air is amazing, and several of their songs are featured in this film ]

#39
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

[had really wanted to get a picture of the last scene, because its probably one of my favorite all-time scenes in a horror movie ever, but i couldn't find one ]


"You could have dinner with us..."

#38
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)


"Well, ain't this place a geographical oddity. Two weeks from everywhere!"

#37
Before Sunset (2004)


"Baby... you are gonna miss that train."

#36
Citizen Kane (1941)



"You know, Mr. Bernstein, if I hadn't been very rich, I might have been a really great man."



Bright light. Bright light. Uh oh.
Beautiful list so far, but now you're causing me to ask you some personal questions. Feel free to ignore them if they seem too "wonka".

C'mon now. Which one do you like more? Excellent or Bogus?

Is Before Sunrise on your list yet, or has my brain farted too many times?

What is is about Citizen Kane that rocks your socks? Go ahead and knock yourself out!
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My IMDb page



i'm SUPER GOOD at Jewel karaoke
mark, i just responded to you, and i pray you didn't read it because i am an absolute moron, and i deleted it before anyone else could get a whiff of that. i basically misunderstood one of your questions, and answered it... oh, never mind. i'm confusing myself. but i will respond to your questions tomorrow. i promise. right now my feet are freezing, and i need to study! thanks mark.



i'm SUPER GOOD at Jewel karaoke
C'mon now. Which one do you like more? Excellent or Bogus?
okay, okay. Bogus. its not as happy as the first one, but it made me laugh more, and i liked the heaven/hell/death reaper bits a lot.

Is Before Sunrise on your list yet, or has my brain farted too many times?
your brain hasn't farted. it's actually not on my Top 100 at all. i almost grouped it in with Before Sunset, like i did with Bill & Ted, but i realized its really the second one i loved. i like the first one about average.

What is is about Citizen Kane that rocks your socks? Go ahead and knock yourself out!
i know i'm going to be really bad at this, but i'll do my best.

i love this movie on several different levels. the cinematography, even to the untrained eye, is superb. the use of light and shadow, camera angles and composition was exquisite. i wanted to post about ten pictures of this gorgeous movie on my list. unfortunately the one specific scene i wanted i had a hard time finding. another thing i loved about this film is that it is so ahead of its time. even sixty years later it has a very modern feel to it--and i can't think of any other film where that is the case.

all that said, i think out of all the movies on my list, Citizen Kane is probably the most difficult to talk about, in regards to why i love it so much and what about it is so freaking amazing. there are books that have been written on the complexities and genius of Orson's visionary epic, and i certainly can't argue the value in a historical sense--but its just a film that left me fascinated and dizzy.



i'm SUPER GOOD at Jewel karaoke
#35
The Descent (2005)



"I'm an English teacher, not ****ing Tomb Raider."

#34
Wall-E (2008)



#33
Network (1976)


I want you to go to the window, open it, stick your head out and yell: "I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore."

#32
Wolf Creek (2005)


"I always use a rubber with you c*nts... I just don't know where ya been!"

#31
The Mist (2007)


"Sure, as long as the machines are working and you can dial 911. But you take those things away, you throw people in the dark, you scare the **** out of them - no more rules."



Some good additions to your list ash. As I was looking through it, I saw that you had Before Sunset and I thought "Great, that means that Before Sunrise will be even higher" and then I read your reply to Mark... Oh, dear.

Still, great to see Kane and Network listed, especially Network as it's so often overlooked.

One question, have you only seen the American ending to The Descent? If not, which do you prefer?



Thank you, someone else on here that loves The Mist. What did you think of the ending? Because I know that's a reason why a lot of people didn't like it.



I loved The Mist also, it is not on my top 100, but I really did enjoy it. It has been a long time since I had a really good time at the movies with the whole family, and this film fit the bill. All of us left with a kinda quirky feeling, yet we all enjoyed it. I love films like this.
__________________
“The gladdest moment in human life, methinks, is a departure into unknown lands.” – Sir Richard Burton



I am half agony, half hope.
Love Out of Africa. When Denys washes Karen's hair, it's one of the sexiest movie scenes ever.
__________________
If God had wanted me otherwise, He would have created me otherwise.

Johann von Goethe



Wolf Creek and The Mist surprised me. I know you liked them, but not that much.

It's nice to see a lot of British films (The Descent) on there, too. To my mind, the best conventional horror film for years.



i'm SUPER GOOD at Jewel karaoke
All of us left with a kinda quirky feeling, yet we all enjoyed it. I love films like this.
that pretty much sums up my feelings on it. the Mist gave me that sort of weird feeling for several days after seeing it. at the time i saw it, it was one of the most intense movies i had seen in such a long time.

and to the person who asked about the ending, it really made the movie for me. i'm a pretty huge fan of unconventional, depressing endings. i've seen a lot of people call it ridiculous or irrational. those people don't know what they are talking about.

As I was looking through it, I saw that you had Before Sunset and I thought "Great, that means that Before Sunrise will be even higher" and then I read your reply to Mark... Oh, dear.
yeah, i know a lot of people feel that way. most people prefer the first one, right? don't get me wrong, i adore them both--but i think i 'connected' with the second one on a much deeper level, as it focused less on the love story, and focused more on their feelings regarding their regrets. both of them, despite their enormous accomplishments, i think felt a sense of 'life passing them by', and it was incredibly well-done. i think the end made me well up a bit.

One question, have you only seen the American ending to The Descent? If not, which do you prefer?
i think i saw the British version. the American version just cut's out a couple minutes at the end, right? that would have made the movie significantly less-good!



i'm SUPER GOOD at Jewel karaoke
#30
There Will Be Blood (2007)


"I don't want to talk about those things. I see the worst in people. I don't need to look past seeing them to get all I need. I've built my hatreds up over the years, little by little, Henry... to have you here gives me a second breath. I can't keep doing this on my own with these... people."

#29
Anne of Green Gables (1985)


"Ruby Gillis says when she grows up, she wants to have a line of beaus on a string and make them crazy for her. I'd rather have ONE in his rightful mind."

#28
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)


"I hate snakes, Jock! I hate 'em!"

#27
Alice in Wonderland (1951)


"Well, after this I should think nothing of falling down stairs."

#26
A Fish Called Wanda (1988)



"You spineless bimbo."



Bright light. Bright light. Uh oh.
I can certainly live with that set, but isn't that Anne of Green Gables a TV series? It's OK. It's your list. I like the old '30s version with "Anne Shirley', so your list is fine with me.



What a great list. I second the Fried Green Tomatoes to any ones must see list. Its just a damn good movie with three excellent performances to boot.

Keep em coming Ashes...
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We are both the source of the problem and the solution, yet we do not see ourselves in this light...



i think i saw the British version. the American version just cut's out a couple minutes at the end, right? that would have made the movie significantly less-good!
I've not seen the American version, but it does sound as if you've seen the British ending.



i'm SUPER GOOD at Jewel karaoke
#25
Shallow Grave (1995)


"I've never seen a dead body before. I saw my grandmother of course, but I don't think that counts. I mean, she was alive at the time."

#24
Paper Moon (1973)


"Let Miss Trixie sit up front... with her big ****."

#23
The Shining (1980)


"Wendy? Darling? Light, of my life. I'm not gonna hurt ya. You didn't let me finish my sentence. I said, I'm not gonna hurt ya. I'm just going to bash your brains in."

#22
Chinatown (1974)


"You're a very nosy fellow, kitty cat. Huh? You know what happens to nosy fellows? Huh? No? Wanna guess? Huh? No? Okay. They lose their noses."

#21
Secretary (2002)


"One scoop of creamed potatoes. A slice of butter. Four peas. And as much ice cream as you'd like to eat."