Daniel M's Top 100 - 2014

Boyz in the Hood is a film I would hope you would like, it doesn't get many plaudits but I think it's a great, honest American film.

I've only seen the five hour long version, I might watch the three hour version one day, I have them both on Blu-ray

And I'm really looking forward to exploring more Ozu and Bunuel, that's kind of why I wanted to do this list, so in years later I can look back and track the evolution of my tastes. Tokyo Story is my only Ozu so far.

Thanks, unfortunately Tokyo Story is my only Ozu so far, I watched it very recently. I'm really looking forward to watching more and hopefully more films making the lists and future years. And there may be more Bergman too come I haven't seen that many films of his yet either though

My favourite David Cronenberg film, it made me feel the most uncomfortable I have ever been watching a film, I am not completely sure what it was about the film, but I felt 'unclean' from start to finish, it is a film with crude and gritty imagery gets under your skin. The very mysterious plot is frustrating at times, but its distortion between reality and fantasy is what makes it such an unnerving.
Another great Bergman film, The Seventh Seal is one of the greatest religious films I have seen. It manages to provoke many questions about life and death, and as someone who is an atheist I do not understand similar people who complain they can not get in to a film because it is religious. It is universal in its message, no matter what you believe in. Bergman manages to bring such themes into the story through some of the most memorable imagery I have seen, most of you would have seen Max Von Sydow playing chess with death, and if that images interests you, then I am sure you will enjoy the film.
A recent viewing that blew me away, like Videodrome, Under The Skin has a strange atmosphere that lures you in (much like the main character) to something you do not quite understand, but fascinates you. Partly filmed with a hidden camera, picking up unaware locals who would later agree to appear in the film, the film is a great social critique of the way people work, our desires, especial in terms of sex. Scarlett Johansson is brilliant as the strange alien who lures men into a strange liquid that appears to be feeding something, it is brilliant that the attractive blonde actress was made to take on a different appearance and drive around Edinburgh in a white van, unrecognisable to the local people. Someone who starts off as the hunter, becomes hunted, falling victim to human ways.
One of my favourite films of the 21st century, No Country For Old Men is one of the Coen Brothers' finest works, a unforgettable portrayal of pure evil with a brilliantly dark performance from Javier Bardem. Brilliantly shot and edited, allowing for great suspense and letting the tale unravel like a poem, there's a great sense of 'perfection' about the film, and there is not anything that I think I would change about it. The story has lots of the usual Coen Brothers' sensibilities about it, unaware people in way over their heads, and an impending sense of doom as everything around the main protagonist falls around. I think there are a lot of parallels with another Coen Brother great, Fargo.
One of the greatest films that I have only seen once, I really ought to give this another viewing, because I loved it when I first saw it, and it could probably massively jump in my list if I saw it again. I used to include it as one of my very favourites, but it has been too long for me to rank it that high at the moment. Again a film that has a great sense of detail about its direction, a formal structure which a great sense of confidence, Polanski's attempt at a difficult 'genre' smashes the standard set by its noir predecessors. Everything is brilliant, the photography, the score, the lead performances by two of my favourite actors Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway, the supporting performance of John Huston, the screenplay and the unforgettable ending. I would not take offence by its ranking, the same goes for many of the films, as I have said before this list is more a compendium of 100 films I think are great with the order less important, I love them all.

Wow, never would have expected to see Videodrome in this list, and ranked above so many great films! I saw it recently myself and thought it was really weak. The premise is quite interesting but the overall execution leaves a lot to be desired, imo.

I probably need to rewatch both Seventh Seal and Chinatown one of these days. I have a feeling that on a second viewing I should love the former.

No Country for Old Men is terrific and top-tier Coen bros. As for Under The Skin, I just don't get the hype.

Holy f*cking sh*t, Under the Skin made your top 100? BRAVO DANIEL, BRAVO!

That's one of the best sets you've posted so far, those movies all range from great to masterpiece.

I've seen all five of these:

Videodrome is an intense, little horror thriller with a cool concept. It's a great, small film to watch late at night if you're in the mood for something completely twisted and powerful. Not one of my personal favorites, but a film I did enjoy quite a lot!

The Seventh Seal is on my own top 101, so you know I love that one.

I didn't love Under the Skin as much as you or Swan did, but most of it worked for me and the odd atmosphere did grab me during its whole running time. I think a couple of significant scenes are espcially very memorable (the scene with the disfigured man, the ending scene, the imploding man). Again, not particularly a favorite, but a unique film that deserves recognition!

No Country For Old Men is not one of my personal favorite Coen films, but it's undoubtedly a very impressive achievement with great meaning behind it. I've only seen it once actually, so I think it's probably time for a rewatch.

And well, you know Chinatown is one of my all time favorites. Easily top 10 material for me.

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Cobpyth's Movie Log ~ 2019

I didn't know The Seventh Seal was in your top 101, Cobpyth. Where's that internet fistbump picture.

+ rep for The Seventh Seal and, of course, Chinatown. Still only seen the first 40 minutes of No Country For Old Men.

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5-time MoFo Award winner.

Only seen Chinatown, but it's one of my favourites so hopefully that makes up for it. I think it's both glamorous and gritty.

I love the choice of Videodrome; it's a terrific movie, and the type of selection that makes these lists unique.

Chinatown and No Country for Old Men are enormous favorite of mine.

I haven't seen The Seventh Seal yet, but I have no doubt that I'll love it. I'm just recently getting into Bergman.

I don't necessarily dislike Under the Skin, but I don't like it either.

At one point in time, I considered Videodrome the weirdest movie I'd ever seen. I'm not sure what movie claims that title now (The Holy Mountain and Eraserhead are the first two that spring to mind, although there's probably some other weird ass film that I'm forgetting at the moment). I haven't seen Videodrome in several years, so I don't know how much I'd like it on a re-watch. The imagery has stuck with me, though.

The Seventh Seal was my introduction to Bergman. I was just beginning to explore foreign cinema at that time, so I don't think I appreciated it as much as I would today, but I still enjoyed it quite a bit. Also, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey was one of my favorite movies when I was younger, so it was cool to see the film that they were parodying.

It seems a bit premature to put Under the Skin this high on a favorites list, but I haven't seen it, so I can't comment. Looking forward to watching it, though, since it sounds like something I'd enjoy.

I love No Country for Old Men. My favorite from the Coen Brothers.

I had forgotten just how damn good Chinatown is until I re-watched it a week or so ago. I should've put it higher on my 70's list than I did.

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Well I love Chinatown...

I really can't stand Videodrome, No Country for old men, and Under the Skin. I do agree with the uncomfortable feeling of Videodrome, did not expect all that when I rented it for a plane trip.

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I watched the start of Under The Skin a few weeks ago but was unable to finish it and haven't returned. Personally i don't like No Country at all, in theory i should love it but it has never worked for me. Love both Chinatown and The Seventh Seal and i've yet to watch Videodrom.

Glad to see some more love for Videodrome, cricket

Whilst it may be premature including Under The Skin, I think I shouldn't dismiss it just because it's a new film. A lot of other films on this list I have only seen once, and have done so very recently too, but because they're older titles, people don't ask many questions And I 100% agree on Chinatown, I watched it again yesterday and thought it was fantastic, I should have had it higher.

Despite my mum's telling me every year that I need to watch this for Christmas, and my love for James Stewart, it was not until late last year that I finally got around to watching this film. I twas everything that I expected it to be, one of the greatest feel good happy films I have seen, a real heartful human film that I do not see how anyone can dislike.
A film and director that divides opinion around here, but I knew as soon as I saw Breathless that I was going to like Jean-Luc Godard. Very stylish and cool, I instantly fell in love with its anti-noir style, its American culture obsessed character and story, and the overall tragic feel to it. It is not my favourite from the director, but it is a very good film and an important one for myself in terms of film watching.
A very different noir from the the titles that have already made my list, Touch of Evil is a much more darker 'sleazier' style of film, it's gritty and it's messy in a B film type way, it is about corruption and true evil. Beauitfully shot with deep composition and one of the greatest tracking shots of all time, Orson Welles is brilliant both in front and behind the camera.
I am a big David Bowie fan and watched this film as part of my Seventies exploration. I loved it and included it really high up on my list, Bowie is perfect in his weird role as an alien searching for water for his dying planet. The film is an effective critique of materialistic human society, our desires as Bowie's character becomes consumed by sex, alcohol and television, losing sight of his true needs.
One of the most heartbreaking films of all time, The Elephant Man is a powerful film that also critiques human beings, the way that the media treats people and the understanding of people in relation to those that are disabled in some way. We see a man who is bullied and treated as a circus act. Anthony Hopkins is great as the man who shows compassion and understanding towards him and tries to help him become a normal part of society. A really moving and powerful movie, one of the saddest I have seen.

Love It's a Wonderful Life. The Elephant Man is one of my least favourite Lynch films but then again it's Lynch the man has only made one bad film (Dune), and even that was brilliantly bad . The other three are on my watchlist.

Five excellent picks.

Not seen The Man Who Fell To Earth, but some really good choices there.

It's a Wonderful Life is a good film, though I'm not a big fan of the ending. Good to hear Breathless is not your favorite Godard, as he's made much better films. Touch of Evil is a noir masterpiece. Loved it from start to finish, intriguing story and sublime camerawork throughout.

The Elephant Man is visually stunning, but I am otherwise neutral when it comes to this film. One of those films I find difficult to simply rate.

Awesome set, I've seen all but It's a Wonderful Life, and I appreciate all the other four except The Man Who Fell From Earth, which I found weird, just weird not surreal. Actually had a very similar reaction as I did to Under the Skin. I adore Touch of Evil and Elephant Man, T.O.E is by far my favorite Welles film actually. Breathless is my favorite Godard, and from what I've seen the only one I truly like, and honestly doubt there will be any more.

Great picks. I love Breathless but have yet to watch The Man Who Fell From Earth.

And once again you illustrate your impeccable taste with five more excellent films.

It's a Wonderful Life isn't a personal favorite, but it's a great film. James Stewart is up there with Bogart as one of my favorite actors from the classic era, so it's cool to hear that you like him too.

If Breathless isn't your favorite Godard, I'll be curious to see what ranks higher. It's easily my favorite from the director, who tends to make films I either love or loathe, with seemingly very little in between.

Touch of Evil would rank inside my own top 100. Amazing film. It's too bad a lot of people nowadays can't look past the whole Charlton Heston as a Mexican thing.

I wanted to like The Man Who Fell to Earth more than I did. Bowie is one of my favorite musical artists, and his screen presence kept me interested, but despite a few interesting scenes and visual flourishes, I found the film way too long and too meandering. I still enjoyed it, but I had higher expectations. Check out Performance, if you haven't seen it, also directed by Roeg and starring another iconic rock star: Mick Jagger. It was on my 70' list.

You're spot on with your write-up about The Elephant Man. It's not my personal favorite from Lynch, but I might consider it his best. I watched it again a few weeks ago and once again found myself struggling not to cry. The Romeo & Juliet scene gets me every time.