Martyrofevil's top 100

#26. Barton Fink (1991)
Directed by: Ethan & Joel Coen

A fairly recent addition to the list, Barton Fink really caught me by surprise. I trust the Coen's to deliver a decent level of quality with each film but nobody really talked about it and the people I know who had seen it were just kind of indifferent towards it. The movie is extremely humorous but doesn't come off as a comedy regardless how goofy it gets. Great acting from John Turturro and John Goodman and everyone else really. It's distinctly Coen Brothers but it's the Coen's at their best.

#25. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Directed by: Stanley Kubrick

What really needs to be said about 2001. To this day it's still the most technically impressive film I've seen and so wildly ambitious even on today's standards. I've always loved this movie but I actually wouldn't have put it on the list if I didn't get the chance to see it in theatre. Seeing it on the big screen with booming sound really enhanced the experience while also reminding me how great of a movie it is in it's own right.

#24. Spring Breakers (2012)
Directed by: Harmony Korine

Controversial choice, I know. And to put it above 2001. I must be mad! What can I say, Spring Breakers just does it for me. The atmosphere is so rich and relaxing making it a super comfortable watch. It's really nicely shot and James Franco is great in it. And the Britney Spears scene is just beautiful. Definitely my favourite Harmony Korine film.

#23. The Fall (2006)
Directed by: Tarsem Singh

The 2nd movie on this list to make me cry like a bitch. The Fall is just beautiful emotionally and visually. All the "fairytale" sequences are breathtakingly gorgeous and the story in the hospital unravels perfectly. Catinca Untaru is freaking adorable as the little girl, Alexandria and Lee Pace does a great job as the hospitalized and suicidal stuntman.

#22. 5 Centimeters per Second (2007)
Directed by: Makoto Shinkai

The 3rd movie on this list to make me cry like a bitch. 5 Centimeters is a movie that has a lot of themes that just really hit home for me and has a sense of sentimentality and regret that always gets me. The film is only 63 minutes long and is broken into three, 20 minute "episodes", following the progression of a boy who has to move out of realistic travel range of his childhood friend/girlfriend and each episode follows him at a different point in his life and how the distance between them effects him. Beautifully told story and the animation is top notch.

#21. Strange Circus (2005)
Directed by: Sion Sono

This was a very high entry on the old list and while it has lost a little of it's luster over the years, it still has a comfortable spot on this top 30. Sion Sono is my favourite director and this stab at "psychological horror" is impressive. The sets are beautiful. The bright red walls everywhere in the first chunk of the film set the unsettling mood perfectly. The music is amazing. Any horror movie with this much accordion must be great. There's a lot of "disturbing" topics in the film including incest, child abuse, self-mutilation but I still find the film to be beautiful.

I loved 2001 and Spring Breakers, but 5CPS left me cold. If it wasn't for the masterful visuals, I would have said it's nothing more than another soppy melodrama.

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Look, I'm not judging you - after all, I'm posting here myself, but maybe, just maybe, if you spent less time here and more time watching films, maybe, and I stress, maybe your taste would be of some value. Just a thought, ya know.

#20. Visitor Q (2001)
Directed by: Takashi Miike

A lot of what I said about Strange Circus applies to Visitor Q. They're both visceral and disturbing Japanese films. Visitor Q features necrophilia, lactation and a lot of other pleasant things . That being said, I think the film is beautiful in it's own way dealing with the recovery of a broken family. It looks to be filmed on a home video camera (it's not a "found footage" film though) and it uses that to create some very real textures. I think Visitor Q is a great film with or without the shock value.

I agree 5cm is melodramatic, but when that stuff hits home you really feel it. Glad to see some love for Spring Breakers

#19. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
Directed by: Stanley Kubrick

Dr. Strangelove is comedy gold and that is greatly indebted to Peter Sellers' many roles in the film. I can't find the words to describe it. It's uniquely funny in an unfunny setting and it's just a joy to watch. That's all I got

#18. The Fountain (2006)
Directed by: Darren Aronofsky

The Fountain deals with the same themes every classic "fountain of youth" story does, "wasting your life searching for eternal life" or more directly "enjoying your time on Earth while you have it". The film is still pretty interesting though, telling the same story in 3 different time periods in a way that doesn't feel gimmicky. What really makes The Fountain special though are the music and visuals which make one of the most intense climaxes in film.

#17. 9 Souls (2003)
Directed by: Toshiaki Toyoda

9 Souls is about 9 escaped prisoners traveling on the road together, hoping to find where they can continue their lives in happiness. Great road movie, great comedy and very touching towards the back-half. It's just pleasant from start to finish.

#16. Why Don't You Play in Hell? (2013)
Directed by: Sion Sono

I just recently saw this at TIFF and boy were my socks, and various other articles of clothing, knocked off. "Why Don't You Play in Hell?" is essentially perfect and hits every note it's trying to. All you need to know is that it involves an amateur film crew stuck in the middle of a yakuza gang war to make their masterpiece. This is the one of the most, balls-out, over-the-top, ridiculous movies I've ever seen but gosh-darn is it entertaining. Think if Kill Bill vol. 1 was about film making and waaaaaaaaaay better.

#15. 4.6 Billion Years of Love (2006)
Directed by: Takashi Miike

I've loved this movie for years and I've seen it at least 10 times but I still can't really figure out what it's about. I know there's lots about science vs. religion but that's about all I got. I used to have some theories about it but I've long forgotten. Anyway, if you're OK with watching a movie you're not going fully understand on a narrative or symbolic level, you'll be treated to some uniquely beautiful and vibrant scenery and thick, haunting atmosphere. Just lovely.



That will be the last one for today. I'll hopefully finish it tomorrow sometime. Thanks for reading

Your thread is like a big watchlist for me. I'm a huge fan of Japanese culture and most of your top movies I haven't seen so keep em coming

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I do not speak english perfectly so expect some mistakes here and there in my messages

woah,looks interesting ^^

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"Anything less than immortality is a complete waste of time."

So many Miike. Have you seen The Bird People of China?

Sadly I have not. I binged on Miike films after seeing "Ichi the Killer" when I was 15 but never got around to that one.

Alright, time to finish this up.

#14. Band of Outsiders (1964)
Directed by: Jean-Luc Godard

Godard's style is hard to describe but the word I'd use to describe his early works is "charming". They just have a way of putting a smile on your face even if bad things are happening to people. This coupled with Anna Karina being the most charming actress I've ever seen, Band of Outsiders has charm coming out the behind. That dance scene. Perfect.

#13. Lost in Translation (2003)
Directed by: Sofia Coppola

Lost in Translation is pretty much everything I'm looking for in a film. It's quiet but rich atmosphere, sentimental mood, humorous and charming leads, if I were to make a request thread it would be for more movies like this. In my opinion I think this is the closest film on my list to being technically perfect.