The MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown

Now, I'll have a healthy sleep, because I was confused earlier today.

Mostly because of the mystery appearance of Mickey Rourke, I saw the Sly version in the theatre when it came out,
40/100
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I just saw the original version with Michael Caine. (after been for years in my to watch list)
80/100

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"Population don't imitate art, population imitate bad television." W.A.
"You can't depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus." M.T.

You Were Never Really Here (2017)

A prime example of "stoner noir" this is one of those movies which, prior to watching, really requires a primer guide or plot summary in order to avoid being lost. The film is short on explanation and long on mood, so if one likes to understand plots as they’re watching them unfold, a little pre-knowledge is recommended.

The film has the feel of, and some similarities to, a modern day Taxi Driver; or perhaps a psychedelic version of The Big Sleep. Because the plot is semi-ridiculous, screen writer/director Ramsay has focused on the study of the protagonist, “Joe” (Joaquin Phoenix). And Phoenix turns in another excellent performance full of incoherence, neurosis, and pent up emotions --the type of character that no one does better-- while lumbering and mumbling through the film. He can play a stoner or a schizophrenic with equal authenticity.

I was reluctant to view the picture since it was reported to contain plenty of graphic violence and gore. But the majority of that was mostly shown at a distance. Or we’re shown the result rather than the process of the violence. There were a couple of brief scenes showing violence in real time, but not enough to nix the whole picture.

Not having read the book by Johnathan Ames, it’s unknown how closely Ramsay followed Ames’ story, but the emphasis was clearly on tone, style and interplay-- with its disorienting method
covering a thin plot.

In that regard, the impressive score by Johnny Greenwood was pitch perfect. His use of full spectrum sound and styles, along with percussion and electronic instruments compliments and magnifies the telling of the story. He’s a prodigious talent, scoring both “Here” and Phantom Thread in the same year. Film editor Joe Bini did a fine job as well, whose work was essential in order to piece together the action.

Judith Roberts does a first rate job as Joe's semi-senile mother. And Ekaterina Samsonov is perfectly cast as the kidnapped teenager Joe is tasked to rescue.

Being an indie or art house type of picture, it will not be a big money maker, however the high level of work involved makes it well worth experiencing.

WHAT DID YOU THINK OF... YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE


Sheila O'Malley, from RogerEbert.com, said:

BFI said:

@GrantD2 said:

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WHAT DID YOU THINK OF... GET CARTER


Roger Ebert said:

Liam Gaughan, from Collider, said:

@the samoan lawyer said:

AWARDS?


You Were Never Really Here received several nominations and awards. These are some of the most notable:

• Eight (8) British Independent Film Award nominations, including a win for Best Music (Jonny Greenwood)
• Three (3) Cannes Film Festival nominations, including a win for Best Actor (Joaquin Phoenix)
• One (1) BAFTA Film Award nomination for Outstanding British Film of the Year
• One (1) Odyssey Award nomination for Best Lead Actor (Phoenix)

AWARDS?


Get Carter only received one award nomination: a BAFTA Film Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor (Ian Hendry)

52. Oldboy - A friend of mine was a fan of Asian cinema when she introduced me to Oldboy, and while I didn't know her well enough at the time, looking back now I'm surprised she was a fan of this violent, and at times shocking, movie. I guess quality is quality, with Park Chan-wook's undeniable talent making Oldboy a fascinating and original film with an inventiveness that makes it a joy to watch. There's a lot of artistic expression existing side-by-side with the skull-splintering moments of bloodshed, and through it all we're teased with a mystery that made for an incredibly jaw-dropping finale to this film. Based on a Japanese manga of course, and remade in the United States - a crime really, when you consider how good this is and how bound to fail that remake would therefore be. This is up among by "best of all time" films, and I really ought to do a deeper dive into Park Chan-wook's work. I really like Decision to Leave as well. I had Oldboy at #11 on my list, and I'm not surprised it's this far down as I find it's a real 'love it or hate it' movie.

51. The Naked Kiss - I'm not at all familiar with this film, and I'm genuinely surprised that films I don't know about are appearing this high!

50. You Were Never Really Here - I've only seen this once but I rated it very highly and remember loving it. I remember that Joaquin Phoenix's character was extraordinarily violent and that he had an occupation that made the most of that character trait. I remember that someone kills his mother, which is obviously not a good thing to do considering what this guy is like, and that we take a psychological deep dive into the complexities inside of him. What makes a man more primal, and willing to hurt others if need be? I really need to see this again, as obviously my memory hasn't retained much more than those impressions - especially one scene where Phoenix holds the hand of a dying man who he killed, which has a beautiful sense of irony to it.

49. Get Carter - I've been meaning to see this one day, and I'm sure it'll come up in my rotation at some stage because I have a feeling I got the DVD at a discount price and it's in the queue. Not sure if I saw the remake.

Is that really the first entry on my ballot since Brick??? Wow - I wonder how things will finish up.

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Seen : 31/52
I'd never even heard of : 8/52
Movies that had been on my radar, but I haven't seen yet : 13/52
Films from my list : 2

#52 - My #11 - Oldboy (2003)
#81 - My #17 - Brick (2005)

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no votes. i really liked you were never really here and saw it twice in theatres. a welcome variation on the vigilante sub-genre that had been reinvigorated after the success of taken (do i have to wonder if that's liable to crack the list?), one that manages to be more than just a straightforward deconstruction of that film's particular brand of power fantasy and actually creates a solid psychological portrait of its wounded protagonist. get carter is one of those classics that is undeniably indelible but i haven't watched it in forever (as with many films on this list, i am circling a rewatch).

all three films have placed on the mofo top 100 directed-by-women list - you were never really here made the list at #69 (at the time, the newest film to make the list), strange days made the list at #9, and bound made the list at a surprisingly low #90 (then again, i remember there were users who considered the wachowskis' pre-transition work ineligible for a directed-by-women countdown so who knows how much of that influenced voting in that regard).

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Iro's Top 100 Movies v3.0

Yes! That's why I love it. It removes the power fantasy, but leaves all the pain and violence.