The MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown

I will admit, as much as I love Brick (half the points it got were from me alone, so you can blame me for it rating higher than the other 19 films so far) it's definitely style and dialog that makes it shine. The plot is a bit convoluted, especially if you try to take the high school aspect too seriously, but as I said, I'm a sucker for this type of film.

Blue Ruin has been on my watchlist for a while - I'll probably get around to seeing it one day soon, because from the moment I heard about it I was itching to give it a go.

81. Brick - The first film from my ballot to show! Brick could be considered a 'gimmick' movie, with it's typical noir storyline transposed to high school and kids instead of grimy old hardened private detectives and filthy crooks - but the execution is so on-point that this transferal works in the film's favour. It's a pretty tense and compelling case of murder, loss, regret and crime - with a young Joseph Gordon-Levitt doing a sterling job. Most of the credit went to Rian Johnson - and for a moment everyone was on his side (Star Wars would change all of that 12 years later) - this was his directorial debut. A real moody film that delves all the way back into the film noir classics of old - with the smart dialogue probably my favourite carryover. This one caught me by surprise, and was different enough to be very much worth seeking out. I had it at #17.

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Seen : 11/20
I'd never even heard of : 3/20
Movies that had been on my radar, but I haven't seen yet : 6/20
Films from my list : 1

#81 - My #17 - Brick (2005)

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9 points from you, and 23 points from me. That means the remaining 5 voters contributed a total of 14 points altogether.
I don't have a point here. I just like statistics and ranked lists. 🤓

I love Brick, & more so its utterly unique OST by Nathan Johnson. Such fascinating sounds, especially Emily & Laura's themes.

Dennis Hopper appeared in the list three times so far. Twice as actor and once as a director.

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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.

And he has two more coming for certain, drinking that Pabst Blue Ribbon, and I suppose enough of the Tarantino crowd will get the eggplant in, too. I guess Rumble Fish may make the cut? I wouldn't think much else Hopper was involved with has a chance, maybe an outside shot for Colors or The River's Edge, unless pure action movies like Speed got enough votes (which will be too bad).

Hopper blamed a lot of The Hot Spot's lack of initial success on Don Johnson, who apparently wasn't high on doing a lot of promotion for it. According to Hopper, Johnson was waiting to see if it was well received critically before he fully got behind it. Once the reviews were timid to bad...he bailed.

Oh, well. I love that flick.

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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