Thursday's Top 100 (2016)

I know you'll approve of at least one of my picks, MV, but it's not showing up just yet

I've found some new favorites thanks to you, so I'm looking forward to this.

I liked Days of Futures Past, but not nearly as much as my favorite of the series, First Class. I'd say it's my second favorite.

I thought Miller's Crossing was very good, but not close to a favorite.

Not a Lion in Winter fan; it's just not for me.

I haven't seen Gone With the Wind yet, I'm ashamed to say.

Never heard of Parked.

Days or Future Past is my fav X-Men film too! I also like Miller's Crossing, but I wouldn't say it's top-tier Coen bros.

I think Miller's Crossing maybe doesn't have some of the things some people like in a Coen Brothers film - but maybe that's why I do like it best!

#95

The Cook The Thief His Wife and Her Lover (1989)



Absolutely horrible and at the same time entirely compelling. I watched this after it appeared on the 80s Countdown on here. Helen Mirren plays the wife of a repulsive, violent, abusive gangster (Michael Gambon) who has an affair with another, kinder man. Food, sex, murder and eventually cannibalism, all played out in the bizarrely, brilliantly colour-coded restaurant. This is the only one of Peter Greenaway’s films I have seen that actually made sense to me. Beautiful but brutal, and probably not for everyone.

See also: There’s nothing quite like this, but it film reminded me of Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus, so Titus (1999) is also worth checking out. See also The Long Good Friday (1980) more gangsters, more Helen Mirren, another good film.

#94

Fanny and Alexander (1982)



An epic, masterful film detailing the lives of members of a large theatrical family at the start of the 20th Century, especially the changes which affect two young children when their mother remarries. Beautiful, funny, touching and frightening.

I’ve seen a few Bergman films now but there’s only two I really think are fantastic and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that they’re both in colour.

#93

The Crying Game (1992)



Brit thriller which deservedly won Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars. Superb performances from Stephen Rea, Miranda Richardson and Jaye Davidson (whose only other film was Stargate). IRA member Fergus (Rea) befriends a soldier, Jody (Forest Whittaker), who has been kidnapped by his fellow terrorists. He then decides he wants out and heads to London to seek out Jody’s girlfriend, Dil. Everybody has secrets and Fergus’ past comes back to haunt him. The power of this film doesn't at all lie with the supposed 'twist', it is the effect of the characters' secrets and revelations on each other that are important, not any kind of audience surprise.

Honourable Mentions: The End of the Affair and Interview With the Vampire are two other great Neil Jordan films I wanted to squeeze onto my list but had to cut, although if you’re looking for similar films to The Crying Game, Mona Lisa or Breakfast on Pluto would probably fit that bill best.

#92

Romeo + Juliet (1996)



This is an old favourite I have fond memories of. I first saw it when I was fifteen (on a double date, we missed the start because my friend showed up late). I know Baz Luhrmann is pretty much a love or hate director. Personally I love this colourful, kinetic version of Shakespeare. I like the way they updated the setting without losing the language. I love the pop soundtrack. It’s all about as crazy and romantic a vision of teenage love as you could ask for.

#91

Maurice (1987)



"England has always been disinclined to accept human nature."

There are several Merchant Ivory films of E.M. Forster books, but this is by far my favourite. Sadly it also seems to be the most overlooked. Of course it’s all about sex and love, class and Englishness in Edwardian society and how all of those things get in each other’s way. At university, Maurice (James Wilby) falls in love with upper class Clive (an early role for Hugh Grant) but he insists on their relationship remaining platonic. Eventually Maurice finds a freer expression of love with Clive’s gamekeeper (Rupert Graves). A really good romantic period drama.

The Cook... is a great choice, Romeo + Juliet too haven't seen it in years i really liked it at the time though. The Crying Game was spoiled for me so it only turned out ok, glad Interview With The Vampire got a mention, love that film. Never heard of Maurice sounds interesting.

I've not seen Maurice or Fanny And Alexander, but I repped them because you mentioned The Long Good Friday and Interview With The Vampire.

The others were repped because I like them.

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5-time MoFo Award winner.

Only seen The Crying Game and The Cook so far from this page-both excellent!

10 years is a long time. Looking forward to see the change up.

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"A laugh can be a very powerful thing. Why, sometimes in life, it's the only weapon we have."

Suspect's Reviews

Fanny and Alexander is awesome. I would have liked The Crying Game more if it had a different twist.

Of this latest set, I've seen only Romeo + Juliet and don't care for it at all.

I've been meaning to watch Fanny and Alexander and especially The Crying Game, which I blind bought probably a decade ago.

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The last five I have only seen 2. Fanny & Alexander is brilliant. Didn't care for Romeo +Julier. Shakespeare adaptations are definitely not my thing thus far in my film watching.

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Letterboxd

Miller's Crossing, Fanny and Alexander and The Cook... are all great films for me. Days of Future Past was decent, I probably agree it's the strongest entry in the series, but I'm not a fan of Romeo + Juliet or Gone With The Wind really either (Hides from you and Honeykid)

Looking forward to the rest of the list

Considering all the pointless crap you're impressed by in film, how can you not go for R+J?

And me

I love The Crying Game and Maurice.