The MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown

AWARDS?


Collateral received several nominations and awards. These are some of the most notable:

• Six (6) BAFTA Film Award nominations, including a win for Best Cinematography (Dion Beebe and Paul Cameron)
• Five (5) Satellite Award nominations, including a win for Best Editing (Jim Miller and Paul Rubell)
• Four (4) Saturn Award nominations, including Best Actor (Tom Cruise)
• Two (2) Academy Award nominations, including Best Supporting Actor (Jamie Foxx)
• Two (2) Critics Choice Award nominations, including Best Picture
• One (1) Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor (Foxx)

__________________

Either forgot or didn't know Fincher had directed Gone Girl. Might watch it if I get the chance.

My ballot, and this specific countdown, are not on the same page at all!

36. Dog Day Afternoon - Another all-time favourite that simply didn't figure in the films I'd sorted into the neo noir pile. I'm wondering now if a lot of the ones I've picked weren't in contention for other people. Regardless, this 1975 classic is so good. I still remember watching it one afternoon in the mid-to-early 90s and getting absolutely blown away. It instantly became a movie I hold near and dear - based on a true story, which when you see the film itself is hard to believe. Truth is stranger than fiction, and of course the film plays everything up to the hilt - every little absurdity. Al Pacino was incredible as Sonny.

35. Who Framed Roger Rabbit - I saw this at the movies when it came out and didn't like it - I thought the mixing of cartoon and real world was incredibly silly, and I was at an age when silly irked me. It is so due a rewatch, which is something I've been wanting to do for ages. In the meantime, it's a film I saw decades ago. Thankfully it's obviously neo noir, although the fact that it's a comedy lightens the tone.

34. Gone Girl - I really liked this when I saw it on release, and it's another movie that I'm looking forward to seeing again. I have it on DVD, but so far I've been too busy with other films. It would have needed that second go to firm up as a possibility for my ballot. A really nice twisty neo noir film with a great (let's emphasise great) performances from Rosamund Pike and Ben Affleck.

33. Collateral - I really liked this more the second time I saw it, and gave it another go because of the repeated times I'd seen other people rave about Collateral. Standout performance from Tom Cruise. Great battle of wits in one scene between Jamie Foxx and Javier Bardem. Be as it may, I still have films on my ballot that I thought better of, and not many of them are showing up on this countdown!

Seen : 44/68

__________________

Collateral was my #14. Love the 'metropolis at night' vibes, ambiance, music and visual style by the great 'neon-noir innovator' Michael Mann.

SEEN: 62/68
MY BALLOT: 7/25


25. Mirage (1965)
22. In the Heat of the Night (1967)
17. The Driver (1978)
14. Collateral (2004)
11. Get Carter (1971)
08. The Hot Spot (1990)
04. One False Move (1992)

__________________
Entertainment Log
Letterboxd profile

For the weekend films, I have seen all four, but none of them made my ballot. I am most certainly due for another viewing of Dog Day Afternoon, as it has been quite some time since I last saw it. I remember liking it, though.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a fun and creative film, obviously riffing on classic noir tropes. I like it, but it didn't make my list.

Gone Girl is excellent, but I was really trying to but bona fide noirs on my ballot, and this seemed more like a straight up twisty crime thriller to me, so I left it off.

I liked Collateral, and I am a big Tom Cruise fan, but it didn't make my ballot.

__________________

There's also games for the neo-noir gang. Here's a little simple game of Fill in the Blanks.

Missing Word: Neo-Noir

Let us know how you do! As you'll see, neo-noir confusion is not exclusive to MoFo

Wow. Those are like old TV Guide crossword puzzle level difficulty. There you'd get clues like, "The Courtship __ Eddie's Father".

__________________
"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

20/20 1:58

__________________

......"in"?

Forgot to add that yesterday's entries were the second ones for both David Fincher and Michael Mann. Fincher had The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo back at #84 and Mann had Manhunter back at #77. Do you think they'll get any others?

There will definitely be at least two more Finchers. As for Mann, I'm not familiar enough with his work or with wtf Neo Noir is to answer that.

Fincher, yes (SE7EN and likely Zodiac, too). Mann, yes (Heat for sure and maybe still Thief, though that will have to show very soon).