+17
These next four, I've seen em all 🥳 - None from my list
They're all pretty good, and I like them to varying degrees
88. Sunshine : I saw this film for the first time around a year ago, and enjoyed it - rewatching it again the other night lifted it in my appreciation. It is a first-rate science fiction film, and a realistic one at that - the filmmakers took what scientists had to say to heart, so what at first sounds a little far-fetched isn't as much as you'd think straight away. Delivering a bomb to restart our dying sun sounded drop-dead silly to me at first. Now, out of all the problems the crew of this space mission run into, it's one of the very last that seems to have rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. It didn't bother me too much, for it doesn't derail either the thrust or direction of the plot a great deal. I'm not overly fond of it either, but I can live with it, especially considering how good this movie is. If I were compiling my list of 100, rather than 25, there's a chance this would slip into the lower 50.
87. Watchmen : Out of these four films, Watchmen is my least favourite. That tends to happen with these graphic novel adaptations - though I find it a solid watch, and might even pop it on again soon and enjoy it. My friends, who had all read the novel, were gung-ho, and of course I had no idea what this was until I'd seen it, and borrowed Watchmen to read sometime later. Existing in an alternate universe, and a somewhat satirical one with Nixon enjoying an everlasting presidency, it nevertheless makes itself accessible for people who just go into it blind (thank goodness.) I remember that at the time, Jackie Earle Haley was really going to be the next big thing. Then along came that Nightmare on Elm Street reboot. If I had to guess without looking, I would have predicted this to have appeared previously on the Millennium countdown and Sunshine building an audience over the years to make a first appearance here - but the opposite seems to be true. I don't know if this would crack my top 100.
86. The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada : A good one this one. One of only 4 films directed by Tommy Lee Jones (with two of those being television films.) It always gives me pause when an actor like this directs something really good, and then hardly ever makes another film. Perhaps the ordeal puts them off. Based on a true story, this involves revenge of a kind and friendship - and a bit of a meditation on how Mexicans are viewed by people North of the border. I like Dwight Yoakam, but I can never get past the fact that Barry Pepper agreed to be the lead in Battlefield Earth. Every time I see that actor I think of the sheer madness of agreeing to star in that. It will take many more good roles before I see him as being anywhere close to sane.
85. Caché : I had to check my ballot again to be sure Caché didn't make my list, such was the lateness of leaving it out - so obviously I'm glad to see it here. Watched it again only a couple of months ago and think it's a truly great film. Has anyone else watched the last shot and just thought it to be pretty random? Because it's not - and I only realised this last viewing. Anyway, a great film about guilt and about things overall that go unseen under the surface - not to mention how an act of childish spite could effect people in a very damaging way far into adulthood and the future. There's a creepy menacing vibe that's expertly fostered through the whole film, and although it's not my favourite Michael Haneke film, it seems to be a lot of other people's pick as number one. Personally, I love Amour and The White Ribbon - but with this film I come close to love. This came in at around the same position on the Foreign Language countdown list.
So, I've seen 9/16 now, and from my list there's only been the 1-pointer.
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Remember - everything has an ending except hope, and sausages - they have two.
We miss you Takoma