Plainview's Top 50 films

I started watching Double Indemnity (on youtube) then realized there was a missing part so didn't even bother with it after that. And the only other possibly for me to see it is to buy it but it's $26 dollars at FYE. That's a bit steep for a 60+ year old movie (even more than a majority of new releases!)

The Maltese Falcon somehow did nothing for me, though maybe it needs a rewatch from me.

I still haven't seen Braveheart, but I could see that being a pretty decent one.

Keep them coming!

because she was gonna make him a sammich.

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"The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it." - Michelangelo.

44. Traffic (2000)

43. City Of God (2002)

42. Psycho (1960)

41. Requiem For A Dream (2000)

40. Menace II Society (1993)

I never really 'got' Traffic. I think it's hugely overrated, like every Soderberg film I've seen, but I love Psycho and City Of God. I really liked Requiem, too. For some reason, I've yet to see Menace II Society.

Agree with ya Honeykid. Not only do I think Traffic is overrated, I think it's bad. But one man's film trash is another man's treasure.

But on the bright side, Psycho fricken rules.

Loving the choice of City Of God, great film.

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"George, this is a little too much for me. Escaped convicts, fugitive sex... I've got a cockfight to focus on."

Why do you think it's a bad film? Be as specific as possible about direction, acting, plot, cinematography, dialogue, themes, ...

+1

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"Don't be so gloomy. After all it's not that awful. Like the fella says, in Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock."

For me, the direction of the film wasn't what it needed to be. Comparing it to Crash, Crash has the upper hand. The acting was a bit cheesy and just poor, not necessarily from the leads but the supporting cast could have been chosen better. Lastly, the plot itself to me was just a big jumbled mess and was all over the place.
Just my opinion.

Granted, I can not honestly be that specific about it since it also just seemed to plainly drag on, and I haven't seen it in about 2 years.

I agree with Plainview, Traffic is worthy of such a list. Keeping all the story-lines in the air while keeping the audience interested while the strands get tied together is impressive.

Stephen Gaghan turned the same trick with Syriana, another fave of mine.

Vast improvement over the mini-series which i suppose is to be expected.

See, that didn't happen with me and, I'm guessing, it didn't happen with Raul, either. Boring and drawn out is how it felt to me. There again, I didn't like the source material either, but it was better than this.

I seem to remember an annoying use of filters and lighting, too, but that's just a feeling I have, rather than actually remember the look.

The double dose of Sidney Lumet
39. 12 Angry Men (1957)

38. Network (1976)

37. Shaun Of The Dead (2004)

36. Vertigo (1958)

35. The Usual Suspects (1995)

Vertigo and 12 Angry Men, two great choices. Both are in my top 100

What I like about 12 Angry Man is the fact the film takes place in one room yet it still keeps you completely interested. The film in my opinion is brilliant. As for Vertigo I love Hitchcock and this is just another example of his excellence. Plus there is a ton of great camera work and Stewart is pretty much my favorite actor of all time.

I Network

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Buddha

I thought the overall direction and cinematography was a pinnacle achievement in Soderbergh's career. The adoption of a different colour palette for every storyline was innovative and extremely well-executed while also conveying the tone and mood of the story lines.

The screenplay is very well-written, bar a few puzzling events. All 3 story lines are interesting and kept me - and I guess I'm not the only one - engaged for the entire duration of the film. I thought Gaghan and Soderbergh expertly handled the tension that was being built up in each story line before switching to another, thus leaving you guessing what will happen next.

I don't know what was cheesy about the acting. Was it the delightful banter between Don Cheadle and Luis Guzman, who provide the film with some comical relief from time to time? Did you dislike Michael Douglas' portrayal of Robert Wakefield? Did Catherine Zeta Jones bother you as the mother turned drug empress? Or was it Benicio's performance that was cheesy?

Traffic is a film you can't watch if you're looking for easy entertainment. You have to pay close attention and watch it multiple times in order to fully grasp just how good it is.

Of your recent batch I have a lot of love for 12 Angry Men, Vertigo and Usual Suspects. All would perhaps make my top 100.

Not seen Network and found Shaun of the Dead to be decent but nothing special. Then again I don't really like either Simon Pegg or Nick Frost

I don't remember liking any of the performances in the film. Michael Douglas, CZJ and Benicio Del Toro in particular.

Yes! I have an ally!

Wait. What exactly am I high-fiving you for? An indifference for Shaun of the Dead or a general dislike of Pegg and Frost?

Both.

Pegg seems like a good bloke, but he ain't funny. Frost always comes across as a nerd who found a friend with better social skills than he has.