+16
40. Gladiator : I finally sat down and watched Gladiator from start to finish, the way it was intended, just because this countdown was on it's way. It was one of those movies I'd seen in large chunks, in no particular order. When it came out, I was going through something of an obsession with the 1976 BBC production of I, Claudius, and the brilliance of that had always put me off watching the more spectacle-oriented Gladiator. Seeing it with new eyes, I could appreciate the performance by Joaquin Phoenix especially - and of course the shiny costumes, sets and sheer pageantry of Ridley Scott's film. I had special reason to enjoy the inclusion of Derek Jacobi in the cast. I've never been a great fan of Russel Crowe though, but I like him on the odd occasion as in the part he plays in The Nice Guys. So, considering that, and the fact it lacks the cerebral goodness of that other Roman epic, I consider Gladiator just an 'okay' movie and it was never going to seriously challenge for a place on my list. It shines it's brightest during battle scenes, or when Joaquin's poison emperor gets really nasty in that casual way he does.
39. Sideways : The first time I watched Sideways I didn't get what the fuss was all about - and there was a fuss when it came out. That's changed for me big time - years later while giving it another chance it gave me more pleasure than perhaps any other second viewing of a film I've ever had. Maybe it came from looking at Alexander Payne's work as a whole (though, I still can't bring myself to watch Downsizing.) Payne seems fascinated with small men living small lives, and with Miles (Paul Giamatti) and Jack (Thomas Haden Church) he found a couple of these guys to play off of each other and increase the melancholy madness that inhabits a lot of his films. Maybe it was the addition of a few years to my lifespan that had me relating to these characters - or maybe it was just that my expectations had been lowered to such an extent after my first viewing - but apart from laughing there was much that dug deeper, and it was a road trip that I never wanted to let up. I've always liked Paul Giamatti - I kind of see him like the Bud Cort that didn't go and wreck his entire career, but embraced the daggy type of character he often plays. I really took Sideways to heart - and it made my list at #17.
Films I've seen : 50
Films that have been on my radar : 6
Films I've never even heard of : 6
Films from my list : 11
#39 - My #17 - Sideways (2004)
#43 - My #2 - Adaptation (2002)
#49 - My #8 - Dancer in the Dark (2000)
#51 - My #6 - The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)
#56 - My #20 - In Bruges (2008)
#59 - My #16 - The Secret in Their Eyes (2009)
#66 - My #9 - A Serious Man (2009)
#71 - My #23 - Snatch (2000)
#78 - My #13 - The Death of Mr. Lazarescu (2005)
#84 - My #21 - The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
One pointer - World's Greatest Dad (2009)
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Remember - everything has an ending except hope, and sausages - they have two.
We miss you Takoma