This White Ribbon review continues to vex me. Hopefully inspiration will strike some time in the next 48 hours. In the mean time, normally I'd save this for Friday but it's such a strange list I just had to share my thoughts on it.
Entertainment Weekly online put up a list of their 50 greatest living directors (though they've only posted 25 so far) and you can check it out here. My thoughts are below. Please feel free to discuss in the comments.
Nancy Meyers-Hahahahaha no. There are great female directors (Kathryn Bigelow, Agnes Varda, Nicole Holofcener and Andrea Arnold) but there could always be more. However, a scarcity is no reason to give a spot on this list to an overrated lifestyle pornographer. She's as beige as beige can be.
Belongs on the list?: No
Michael Moore-Moore should be applauded for bringing documentaries into the mainstream. He makes galvanizing films and that is largely the point. That being said, I think he's limited audience knowledge of freeing the documentary form can be. I hope he's not the only documentary filmmaker on here.
Belongs on the list?: No
David Lynch-NOW we're talking. David Lynch is incapable of making a dull, impersonal film. Sure they may vex some audiences but he creates unforgettable film images and constantly pushes boundaries. The man lives, breathes and is constantly finding dynamic ways to push cinema forward.
Belongs on the list?: Yes.
Andrew Stanton-Hmm, interesting. Stanton has an innate sense of storytelling, invaluable for a director. Just check out the recording of his pitch and story boarding meetings on Nemo and Wall-E. I am extremely eager to see what he does in live action.
Belongs on the list?: Wait and see. Hopefully.
Wong Kar Wai: Wai paints in powerful sensual emotion and creates memorable images. He has a wonderful group of collaborators and his films get stuck in your draw. I've only see In the Mood for Love once, but my memory of it only becomes clearer over time.
Belongs on the list?: Yes.
Mira Nair: I've only seen two of her films (Monsoon Wedding and The Namesake) but I think she has an innate sense of how to capture family stories in film without having them descend into melodrama. That being said I've never revisited either film and don't give her much thought in terms of directors.
Belongs on the list?: Maybe eventually.
Mel Gibson: He makes big films that attract audiences but there is nothing special about them. I have no desire to revisit anything he's directed.
Belongs on the list?: No.
Spike Lee: Here's a very complex choice. I think for a long time Lee was on lists like this as a matter of tokenism. As his CV has filled out though I think he's proven to be powerful but completely inconsistent. For every Do the Right Thing there's a She Hate Me, for every 25th Hour there's a Miracle at St. Anna. In the end though I think the wins in his win column have a little more oomph than his failures.
Belongs on the list?: Yes.
Richard Linklater: Another largely inconsistent director. When he's on he can make incredibly moving, humanistic films. When he's off though it comes off as dishwater dull. The Before
movies are beautiful, Slacker and Waking Life have wonderful dreamlike qualities. But Bad News Bears, Fast Food Nation? Yeesh. In the end though, he remains one of those 90's guys who when he's on makes loving, personal films.
Belongs on the list?: Yes
Roman Polanski: Personal life aside (rough I know) new Polanski films are an event. He knows how to generate unforgettable images and nightmare material. You can definitely ignore his fallow period from the mid 80's to mid 90's as his 70's and 00's work more than makes up for it.
Belongs on the list?: Easy yes.
Oliver Stone: Man, talk about polarizing. Griffith's Birth of a Nation talks about writing history with lightning and I think Stone was doing that for a while. I think the sheen has worn off a bit. Actually, it's worn off a late. The fact that he's revisiting a past glory doesn't bode well.
Belongs on the list?: At one time yes, not anymore.
Judd Apatow: On a list of most influential directors absolutely. Same goes for writers and producers. What Apatow lacks as a technician he makes up for with an innate sense of character and dialogue. What I appreciate about him is that he's trying to grow and he's on the path. Funny People was a go for broke mess but he was clearly trying to push himself out of his comfort zone in terms of atmosphere and theme and largely succeeded.
Belongs on the list?: Not yet, but getting closer.
Jon Favreau: He's solid, but I think his success is more dictated by his material than the other way around. There are lots of things he does very well but if this is a list of the "greatest" I don't think he makes the cut. That being said, I certainly wouldn't mind him directing anything I wanted to see made.
Belongs on the list?: No, but still worthwhile.
Mike Leigh: He's not my favorite but lots of critics dig him. I for one have not yet found a film of his that connects with me or my experiences. He is a wonderful director of actors.
Belongs on the list?: No, not a list I'd make anyway.
Bryan Singer: Man, what happened? He got shoved into the super-hero ghetto os what happened. I'm not suggesting one can't only make super-hero movies and not be "serious" but I think what happened was that in an attempt to be so big and so portentous he actually dragged himself down. He does such marvelous action and can juggle multiple characters well but I haven't seen that Usual Suspects, X2 energy in a while.
Belongs on the list?: No.
David Cronenberg: Now we're talking again. His slide into the mainstream has not dulled his instincts or impact. Cronenberge remains a cunning stylist who manages to make personal films about prescient topics. He's also hugely underrated as a director of actors.
Belongs on the list?: Yes.
JJ Abrams: Wonderful producer but it's way too soon to call if he's a great film director. I think that MI:3 was about as good as a good episode of Alias. But Star Trek succeeds because of its casting and its direction. What Abrams does in the film is damn near alchemy. But one film does not a great director make.
Belongs on the list?: No. But time will tell.
Ron Howard: Nice guy and solid producer, but just entirely mediocre as a director. He gets the job d0ne and he's reliable but he rarely does more than is asked of him.
Belongs on the list?: No.
Sam Raimi: Long after he's gone Raimi is going to be influencing generations of new directors. The more you limit him the more he finds ways to innovate and push boundaries. He's changed independent films and he's changed blockbusters. I'm eager to see what he changes next.
Belongs on the list?: Yes.
Sam Mendes: Works well with actors but I've found the bulk of his output fairly disposable. He has a concrete vision but his material doesn't really connect with me.
Belongs on the list?: No.
Sofia Coppola: Off of three movies? She is a wonderful visual stylist but I need more to say for sure.
Belongs on the list?: Not yet. Could be.
Woody Allen: I think his track record ultimately has him winning the marathon. Individual sprints... not so much. He has his own voice, style and manner and it works, not for everyone, but it does for me.
Belongs on the list?: Yes.
Paul Greengrass: Like Coppola I think its' too soon. He's been very influential on the blockbuster landscape but I'm curious to see what he does when not doing straight historical re-enactment or a Bourne movie. I've certainly enjoyed or been effected by all his films.
Belongs on the list?: Wait and see.
Alfonso Cuaron: The man is incapable of making a dull, uninteresting movie in any genre. Good sign. He finds wonderful collaborators and makes memorable, dynamic choices. It's been too long since Children of Men. Allons-y Alfonso!
Belongs on the list?: Yes.
Darren Aronofsky:I've criticized earlier directors on this list with short filmographies and taken a wait and see approach with them. Aronosfsky though pushes every one of my buttons and moves me to every extreme. I've come out of his films frightened, moved, crying my eyes out and filled with hope and love. True artists make us feel and that's what Aronofsky does for me.
Belongs on the list?: Yes.
10 out of 25 (with a few a maybes), not bad EW. This was fun, I'll do more when they do more.
Showing posts with label Lists. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lists. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Monday, February 1, 2010
The Best of the Worst
Empire Magazine posted a list of the "50 Worst Movies of All Time" and my friend Joel asked if I'd be interested on commenting on the list on the blog. I'm always happy to take requests (especially since they relieve me of the burden of original content) so lets do this.
50. Spider-Man 3-WRONG! While overstuffed and a bit too much helplessness from the protagonist the film is hardly a wash. Plenty of great moments and I LIKE the dancing. Why? Well because Peter Parker is inherently a dork and even if he was acting like a jerk, he WOULD be a goofy sort of jerk. There's just too much stuff in here that makes the film worthwhile to be considered a "worst." Most disappointing maybe.
49. Showgirls-Certainly a contender; bad acting, worse dialogue and beyond trashy aesthetics. Some of it's deliberate on the part of Paul Verhoeven (who has since gotten back on track) but some of it...yeesh.
48. Town & Country-Happy to say I missed this one. Warren Beatty was great in the 60's, 70's and 80's, but man know when to fold 'em.
47. Soul Plane-Soon to be advertised with "Oscar Winner Mo'Nique." Never seen it.
46. Howard the Duck-Good lord, yes completely belongs on this one.Awful, awful, awful. The movie that will make you wish for the time when Leah Thompson was creepily hitting on her own son as opposed to a DUCK.
45. Blade Trinity-Listen to enough interviews with Patton Oswalt and you might hear about the absolute crap storm that went down with Wesley Snipes behind the scenes in this one. With two such strong entries preceding it, Trinity is a pretty crappy come down.
44. Matrix Revolutions-Can anyone explain this to me? Can anyone explain this crappy Messiah parable to anyone? Definitely belongs.
43. Year One-Not great, not especially funny, but Oliver Platt's pretty solid. Bad but maybe not quite ready for "all-time."
42. Parting Shots-Never seen it (or even heard of it). Next.
41. Van Helsing-Yes. Stultifying action scenes abound as Universal whores out its legacy monster characters. Ugh, what a crap factory.
40. Superman IV-Jon Cryer as the incompetent nephew, the crappily named Mark Pillow as the Nuclear Man. Epic fail.
39. Dungeons and Dragons-Whatever happened to writer/director Corey Solomon? Who knows and who cares? This shoddy crapsterpiece nearly ended the fantasy genre on-screen before Rings and Potter saved it.
38. Son of the Mask-A sequel nobody ask for that arrived years after its sell-by date. Creepy dog, creepy baby and Alan Cumming as Loki for no reason. Frank put it perfectly "Fucking boo!" Definitely belongs on the list.
37. Max Payne-What I have seen of this looks pretty staggeringly bad. But I think it's just the sort of generic bad/boring as opposed to all-time bad.
36. Eragon-Hey look, the original idea train is coming...ooo no wait, we missed it.
35. House of the Dead-Any Uwe Boll film is a solid contender for a list of worst. Everything from technique to story is awful.
34. I Know Who Killed Me-But I don't know who saw this movie.
33. Ultraviolet-Kurt Wimmer's Equilibrium feels fresh (if occasionally heavy handed) but with a bigger budget Wimmer only made a mess. You don't care about the characters or situation one bit.
32. The Spirit-It's a mess but an entertaining mess. It appeals to a certain sensibility, a mad sensibility to be sure. I can understand why it's on the list but it definitely has vision. Crazy, crazy vision.
31. The Pink Panther 2-Too dumb and harmless to be on this list. Go pick on something truly terrible. The plot is actually kind of clever, just not well executed.
30. Scary Movie-Profane and obvious. It belongs on this list because you can certainly trace a line from this, to say, Epic Movie.
29. Southland Tales-Another mess but I don't fault its ambitions. There is definitely a lot of thought behind this but it's not especially well-executed. It's very frustrating to watch so I can understand.
28. The Sweetest Thing-An attempt to make a gross-out film "for girls" doesn't really work. More like a massive blow to the actresses' dignity than all-timer.
27. Street Fighter-Gloriously camp. Awful, yes, but lots of fun to watch.
26. Glitter-Oh yeah, definitely belongs on a worst of list.
25. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen-A fun, fun punching-bag. I don't know if what I hate is the movie, but what it represents. Getting closer to the future in Idiocracy, that's for sure.
24. Speed 2-Nice, solid choice.
23. Freddy Got Fingered-Points for insanity and boldness. Points off for absolutely crap execution.
22. Jaws: The Revenge-Silly, silly movie. But it's not the worst single on this list.
21. Alone in the Dark-Ha, yes, excellent choice.
20. Swept Away-Whining, obnoxious and damaged the good rep of an actual good movie. Damn skippy.
19. Gigli-"It's turkey time, gobble gobble" It sure is gang, it surrrrre is.
18. Dreamcatcher-Awful and belongs on the list, but funnnnn to watch.
17. White Chicks-Yes, definitely. Crap, crap, crap.
16. Plan 9 from Outer Space-It's not well made but it's made of love and vision. It's a special little movie for all its ineptitude.
15. Catwoman-Oooh yeah, totally belongs.
14. Disaster Movie-This one and all its ilk need to be burned.
13. The Avengers-"John Steed, what a horse's ass of a name", what a horse's ass of a movie.
12. Norbit-Ugh, each entry is starting to get more and more painful.
11. Meet the Spartans-Please make it stop.
10. The Room-Makes me both hope, and worry for, humanity. You're tearing me apart Lisa!!!! Wish I could watch this with a big group of friends so they too can know what I've suffered.
9. Highlander 2: The Quickening-Doesn't belong on the list, for the subtitle alone.
8. The Happening-May be too soon to call but definitely a contender.
7. Sex Lives of the Potato Men-Never saw it or heard of it. Must be a British thing.
6. Heaven's Gate-Dull and messy but not a worst of all time.
5. Epic Movie-Gahhhh this is terrible. Make it stop.
4. Raise the Titanic-Really? Is it THAT bad?
3. The Love Guru-Embarrassing and ego-driven, but more forgettable and unfunny then worst of all time material.
2. Battlefield Earth-Ah yes, right where it belongs.
1. Batman and Robin-And so endeth the lesson.
50. Spider-Man 3-WRONG! While overstuffed and a bit too much helplessness from the protagonist the film is hardly a wash. Plenty of great moments and I LIKE the dancing. Why? Well because Peter Parker is inherently a dork and even if he was acting like a jerk, he WOULD be a goofy sort of jerk. There's just too much stuff in here that makes the film worthwhile to be considered a "worst." Most disappointing maybe.
49. Showgirls-Certainly a contender; bad acting, worse dialogue and beyond trashy aesthetics. Some of it's deliberate on the part of Paul Verhoeven (who has since gotten back on track) but some of it...yeesh.
48. Town & Country-Happy to say I missed this one. Warren Beatty was great in the 60's, 70's and 80's, but man know when to fold 'em.
47. Soul Plane-Soon to be advertised with "Oscar Winner Mo'Nique." Never seen it.
46. Howard the Duck-Good lord, yes completely belongs on this one.Awful, awful, awful. The movie that will make you wish for the time when Leah Thompson was creepily hitting on her own son as opposed to a DUCK.
45. Blade Trinity-Listen to enough interviews with Patton Oswalt and you might hear about the absolute crap storm that went down with Wesley Snipes behind the scenes in this one. With two such strong entries preceding it, Trinity is a pretty crappy come down.
44. Matrix Revolutions-Can anyone explain this to me? Can anyone explain this crappy Messiah parable to anyone? Definitely belongs.
43. Year One-Not great, not especially funny, but Oliver Platt's pretty solid. Bad but maybe not quite ready for "all-time."
42. Parting Shots-Never seen it (or even heard of it). Next.
41. Van Helsing-Yes. Stultifying action scenes abound as Universal whores out its legacy monster characters. Ugh, what a crap factory.
40. Superman IV-Jon Cryer as the incompetent nephew, the crappily named Mark Pillow as the Nuclear Man. Epic fail.
39. Dungeons and Dragons-Whatever happened to writer/director Corey Solomon? Who knows and who cares? This shoddy crapsterpiece nearly ended the fantasy genre on-screen before Rings and Potter saved it.
38. Son of the Mask-A sequel nobody ask for that arrived years after its sell-by date. Creepy dog, creepy baby and Alan Cumming as Loki for no reason. Frank put it perfectly "Fucking boo!" Definitely belongs on the list.
37. Max Payne-What I have seen of this looks pretty staggeringly bad. But I think it's just the sort of generic bad/boring as opposed to all-time bad.
36. Eragon-Hey look, the original idea train is coming...ooo no wait, we missed it.
35. House of the Dead-Any Uwe Boll film is a solid contender for a list of worst. Everything from technique to story is awful.
34. I Know Who Killed Me-But I don't know who saw this movie.
33. Ultraviolet-Kurt Wimmer's Equilibrium feels fresh (if occasionally heavy handed) but with a bigger budget Wimmer only made a mess. You don't care about the characters or situation one bit.
32. The Spirit-It's a mess but an entertaining mess. It appeals to a certain sensibility, a mad sensibility to be sure. I can understand why it's on the list but it definitely has vision. Crazy, crazy vision.
31. The Pink Panther 2-Too dumb and harmless to be on this list. Go pick on something truly terrible. The plot is actually kind of clever, just not well executed.
30. Scary Movie-Profane and obvious. It belongs on this list because you can certainly trace a line from this, to say, Epic Movie.
29. Southland Tales-Another mess but I don't fault its ambitions. There is definitely a lot of thought behind this but it's not especially well-executed. It's very frustrating to watch so I can understand.
28. The Sweetest Thing-An attempt to make a gross-out film "for girls" doesn't really work. More like a massive blow to the actresses' dignity than all-timer.
27. Street Fighter-Gloriously camp. Awful, yes, but lots of fun to watch.
26. Glitter-Oh yeah, definitely belongs on a worst of list.
25. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen-A fun, fun punching-bag. I don't know if what I hate is the movie, but what it represents. Getting closer to the future in Idiocracy, that's for sure.
24. Speed 2-Nice, solid choice.
23. Freddy Got Fingered-Points for insanity and boldness. Points off for absolutely crap execution.
22. Jaws: The Revenge-Silly, silly movie. But it's not the worst single on this list.
21. Alone in the Dark-Ha, yes, excellent choice.
20. Swept Away-Whining, obnoxious and damaged the good rep of an actual good movie. Damn skippy.
19. Gigli-"It's turkey time, gobble gobble" It sure is gang, it surrrrre is.
18. Dreamcatcher-Awful and belongs on the list, but funnnnn to watch.
17. White Chicks-Yes, definitely. Crap, crap, crap.
16. Plan 9 from Outer Space-It's not well made but it's made of love and vision. It's a special little movie for all its ineptitude.
15. Catwoman-Oooh yeah, totally belongs.
14. Disaster Movie-This one and all its ilk need to be burned.
13. The Avengers-"John Steed, what a horse's ass of a name", what a horse's ass of a movie.
12. Norbit-Ugh, each entry is starting to get more and more painful.
11. Meet the Spartans-Please make it stop.
10. The Room-Makes me both hope, and worry for, humanity. You're tearing me apart Lisa!!!! Wish I could watch this with a big group of friends so they too can know what I've suffered.
9. Highlander 2: The Quickening-Doesn't belong on the list, for the subtitle alone.
8. The Happening-May be too soon to call but definitely a contender.
7. Sex Lives of the Potato Men-Never saw it or heard of it. Must be a British thing.
6. Heaven's Gate-Dull and messy but not a worst of all time.
5. Epic Movie-Gahhhh this is terrible. Make it stop.
4. Raise the Titanic-Really? Is it THAT bad?
3. The Love Guru-Embarrassing and ego-driven, but more forgettable and unfunny then worst of all time material.
2. Battlefield Earth-Ah yes, right where it belongs.
1. Batman and Robin-And so endeth the lesson.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Universally Beloved
A preface: This blog isn't about to get populist or mainstream, but I want to foster a dialogue and be accessible to new readers so here we go.
In a recent discussion with a friend I was asked to name my top five movies. I did my usual hemming and hawing about how it was like choosing a favorite child and blah, blah, blah. Then I named my five and perhaps not so surprisingly, she'd seen none of them and heard of only two of them. It got me thinking about the gulf between popular and good and the list in this article is an attempt to bridge that gulf where the two meet.
So what are the movies that everyone, critics and civilians alike, can agree on? What are the movies that everyone loves? I started thinking about this and have narrowed it down to a master-list of five. Obviously with millions of films to choose from I'm going to be stepping on some toes but that's part of the fun (and what the comments section is for). Before I get started here are some that I'm intentionally leaving off the list.
Any Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter or Super-hero film didn't make the cut. By their very nature these films create very niche communities, some of these communities can be large but has your grandma seen them? Your girlfriend? Your cousin? Your teacher? The same goes for musicals (again, not my choice but some people can't get around the major conventions-namely people breaking out into song and dance). Same goes for horror, some people just refuse to be scared.
I think the real reason for this list is to try to find common ground in the movies that unite us. I will proceeed each title with some good follow-up films that you can recommend to the not as adventurous viewer.
Here's what I came up with.
Ghostbusters-Funny but not raunchy, scary but not too scary and at the end of the day just plain fun. Everyone who watches Ghostbusters loves it and the workmanlike attitude gives the outlandish premise a solid foundation that anyone can plug into.
Princess Bride-Its sweet, but never sentimental, the frame-story prevents that from ever happening. There's romance, there's adventure and lots of comedy. That's a full meal of cinema right there.
Wizard of Oz-Musical yes, but the sheer innovation and universality of the story makes this a sentimental favorite for just about everyone. Whether you want to read it as a critique of the antebellum South, a young woman's journey to maturation or an appreciation of home and hearth, Oz resonates across all lines. It taps into the child in us all.
Back to the Future-Perfectly structured, charming and ironically enough timeless. The story of Marty McFly resonates because it echoes within us our desire to know where we came from and the desire to shape our destiny.
Annie Hall-The perfect romantic comedy. Endlessly inventive and innovative, some things are just so in their perfection. Even Allen haters need to give it up for this one.
Ok so where did I go wrong? What do you think qualifies in the universally beloved cannon? Put it in the comments.
In a recent discussion with a friend I was asked to name my top five movies. I did my usual hemming and hawing about how it was like choosing a favorite child and blah, blah, blah. Then I named my five and perhaps not so surprisingly, she'd seen none of them and heard of only two of them. It got me thinking about the gulf between popular and good and the list in this article is an attempt to bridge that gulf where the two meet.
So what are the movies that everyone, critics and civilians alike, can agree on? What are the movies that everyone loves? I started thinking about this and have narrowed it down to a master-list of five. Obviously with millions of films to choose from I'm going to be stepping on some toes but that's part of the fun (and what the comments section is for). Before I get started here are some that I'm intentionally leaving off the list.
Any Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter or Super-hero film didn't make the cut. By their very nature these films create very niche communities, some of these communities can be large but has your grandma seen them? Your girlfriend? Your cousin? Your teacher? The same goes for musicals (again, not my choice but some people can't get around the major conventions-namely people breaking out into song and dance). Same goes for horror, some people just refuse to be scared.
I think the real reason for this list is to try to find common ground in the movies that unite us. I will proceeed each title with some good follow-up films that you can recommend to the not as adventurous viewer.
Here's what I came up with.
Ghostbusters-Funny but not raunchy, scary but not too scary and at the end of the day just plain fun. Everyone who watches Ghostbusters loves it and the workmanlike attitude gives the outlandish premise a solid foundation that anyone can plug into.
Princess Bride-Its sweet, but never sentimental, the frame-story prevents that from ever happening. There's romance, there's adventure and lots of comedy. That's a full meal of cinema right there.
Wizard of Oz-Musical yes, but the sheer innovation and universality of the story makes this a sentimental favorite for just about everyone. Whether you want to read it as a critique of the antebellum South, a young woman's journey to maturation or an appreciation of home and hearth, Oz resonates across all lines. It taps into the child in us all.
Back to the Future-Perfectly structured, charming and ironically enough timeless. The story of Marty McFly resonates because it echoes within us our desire to know where we came from and the desire to shape our destiny.
Annie Hall-The perfect romantic comedy. Endlessly inventive and innovative, some things are just so in their perfection. Even Allen haters need to give it up for this one.Ok so where did I go wrong? What do you think qualifies in the universally beloved cannon? Put it in the comments.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
I'd do anything/for you dear anything Part Two
Here is the second part of my look at the actors and actresses that EW called "The 50 Actors we'd watch in anything." Part One, in case you missed it and are too lazy to scroll down, is located here.
26. Amy Adams-YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS. Yes.
27. George Clonney-The male equivalent Amy Adams. A Man-Adams if you will? Yes, definitely yes. Our nation’s greatest movie-star/actor.
28. Tommy Lee Jones-You can tell when TeeJon doesn’t care and it makes him dull as dishwater. I’m looking at you Man of the House, MIB II and US Rangers. That said, his work in 2007 was perfect, especially that devastating closing monologue in No Country.
29. Mos Def-Def always brings it 100%. He always finds glorious, unconventional stuff to make his characters incredibly endearing like his greeting dance with Zaphod in Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy or his slow, stuttered speech in Be Kind Rewind.
30. Helen Mirren-The classiest, most awardiest Dame of them all. I’d watch this Silver Fox in, on or around anything. The fact that she appears naked in a ton of her old movies makes it just that much easier.
31. Sarah Polley-Spot on. Polley is very selective in making sure she appears in only the most thoughtful material (The Sweet Hereafter, My Life Without Me). Or fun (Dawn of the Dead, Slings & Arrows).
32. Bill Nighy-An excellent legitimate choice for the list. Damn good choice. The man can do drama, the man can do comedy and he has an eye for wonderful collaborators (he was one of the first big names to jump on the Edgar Wright bandwagon).
33. Christian Bale-They only way I could like Bale more is if every single article about him commented on his bulking up or weight loss before or after each role. Damnit I’m perpetuating the cycle…the Batcycle. I don’t thnk I’ve missed a thing he’s been in since Newsies.
34. Joan Cusack-Ah yes, where would Judy Greer be without trailblazers like Cusack setting-up the way for “the funny friend?” Cusack is spot on even when she’s playing, oh I don’t know-Kate Hudson’s kooky sister. She makes bad movies tolerable but she doesn’t get me into them.
35. Alan Rickman-Wow, once you get into British character actors you really hit a vein of actors worthy of the “we’d watch in anything” category. My model for teaching…JK…Rowling.
36. Javier Bardem-I wonder if he’d be on the list a year ago? Regardless of his “topicality” Bardem is always solid, he’s BECOME a must-see.
37. Alison Janney-Three words and this one is for WW fans. Black. Vera. Wang.
38. Viggo Mortensen-Peter MacNicol put it best “He is Viggo! You are like the buzzing of flies to him!”
39. Andre Braugher-I’ll watch him in any episode of Homicide but if you think my ass is seeing Fantastic Four 2…again…you’re crazy.
40. Regina King-There really should be a subset of this list called “They make crap better” list. I wouldn’t watch Regina in anything but she makes it better.
41. Steve Carell-Since I saw Evan Almighty and have Horton Hears a Who (whom?) on my Q yes, it’s true, I will watch him in anything. But please Steve no more Almightys.
42. Paul Giamatti-In addition to being the actor I’d most like to play me in a movie I’ve been madly in love with Pig Vomit since Private Parts.
43. Mary Louise Parker-MayLo, is guaranteed gold and her taste is discriminating enough to ensure she never ends up in crap.
44. Clive Owen-The complaint that they don’t make tough guy actors like Lee Marvin and John Wayne and Robert Mitchum anymore should be that they don’t make tough guys like Lee Marvin and John Wayne and Robert Mitchum in AMERICA anymore.
45. Jeffrey Wright-I won’t let the “anything” label stretch to Invasion, that is for damn sure.
46. Julianne Moore-Um, no. She’s amazing but she has something like a 2:1 bad to good movie ratio and I simply cannot see that many bad movies.
47. Neil Patrick Harris-Yeah I would, now. If NPH keeps up his high caliber of film, TV and stage work his career will be, dare I say it, LEGENDARY.
48. Colin Firth-Can I take back that thing I said about British actors? Naw, I like him but he hasn’t had THAT role that makes me fall in man-love yet.
49. Laura Linney-The venerable Ms. Linney has thus far stayed away from falling into the Moore trap, she’s gotten close, but if she keeps having 2007’s she’ll be fine.
50. Joseph Gordon-Levitt-I haven’t seen Stop-Loss yet but I plan to and his being in it has A LOT to do with it, so yes.
26. Amy Adams-YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS. Yes.
27. George Clonney-The male equivalent Amy Adams. A Man-Adams if you will? Yes, definitely yes. Our nation’s greatest movie-star/actor.
28. Tommy Lee Jones-You can tell when TeeJon doesn’t care and it makes him dull as dishwater. I’m looking at you Man of the House, MIB II and US Rangers. That said, his work in 2007 was perfect, especially that devastating closing monologue in No Country.
29. Mos Def-Def always brings it 100%. He always finds glorious, unconventional stuff to make his characters incredibly endearing like his greeting dance with Zaphod in Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy or his slow, stuttered speech in Be Kind Rewind.
30. Helen Mirren-The classiest, most awardiest Dame of them all. I’d watch this Silver Fox in, on or around anything. The fact that she appears naked in a ton of her old movies makes it just that much easier.
31. Sarah Polley-Spot on. Polley is very selective in making sure she appears in only the most thoughtful material (The Sweet Hereafter, My Life Without Me). Or fun (Dawn of the Dead, Slings & Arrows).
32. Bill Nighy-An excellent legitimate choice for the list. Damn good choice. The man can do drama, the man can do comedy and he has an eye for wonderful collaborators (he was one of the first big names to jump on the Edgar Wright bandwagon).
33. Christian Bale-They only way I could like Bale more is if every single article about him commented on his bulking up or weight loss before or after each role. Damnit I’m perpetuating the cycle…the Batcycle. I don’t thnk I’ve missed a thing he’s been in since Newsies.
34. Joan Cusack-Ah yes, where would Judy Greer be without trailblazers like Cusack setting-up the way for “the funny friend?” Cusack is spot on even when she’s playing, oh I don’t know-Kate Hudson’s kooky sister. She makes bad movies tolerable but she doesn’t get me into them.
35. Alan Rickman-Wow, once you get into British character actors you really hit a vein of actors worthy of the “we’d watch in anything” category. My model for teaching…JK…Rowling.
36. Javier Bardem-I wonder if he’d be on the list a year ago? Regardless of his “topicality” Bardem is always solid, he’s BECOME a must-see.
37. Alison Janney-Three words and this one is for WW fans. Black. Vera. Wang.
38. Viggo Mortensen-Peter MacNicol put it best “He is Viggo! You are like the buzzing of flies to him!”
39. Andre Braugher-I’ll watch him in any episode of Homicide but if you think my ass is seeing Fantastic Four 2…again…you’re crazy.
40. Regina King-There really should be a subset of this list called “They make crap better” list. I wouldn’t watch Regina in anything but she makes it better.
41. Steve Carell-Since I saw Evan Almighty and have Horton Hears a Who (whom?) on my Q yes, it’s true, I will watch him in anything. But please Steve no more Almightys.
42. Paul Giamatti-In addition to being the actor I’d most like to play me in a movie I’ve been madly in love with Pig Vomit since Private Parts.
43. Mary Louise Parker-MayLo, is guaranteed gold and her taste is discriminating enough to ensure she never ends up in crap.
44. Clive Owen-The complaint that they don’t make tough guy actors like Lee Marvin and John Wayne and Robert Mitchum anymore should be that they don’t make tough guys like Lee Marvin and John Wayne and Robert Mitchum in AMERICA anymore.
45. Jeffrey Wright-I won’t let the “anything” label stretch to Invasion, that is for damn sure.
46. Julianne Moore-Um, no. She’s amazing but she has something like a 2:1 bad to good movie ratio and I simply cannot see that many bad movies.
47. Neil Patrick Harris-Yeah I would, now. If NPH keeps up his high caliber of film, TV and stage work his career will be, dare I say it, LEGENDARY.
48. Colin Firth-Can I take back that thing I said about British actors? Naw, I like him but he hasn’t had THAT role that makes me fall in man-love yet.
49. Laura Linney-The venerable Ms. Linney has thus far stayed away from falling into the Moore trap, she’s gotten close, but if she keeps having 2007’s she’ll be fine.
50. Joseph Gordon-Levitt-I haven’t seen Stop-Loss yet but I plan to and his being in it has A LOT to do with it, so yes.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
I'd do anything/for you dear anything
EW put out a list of the “50 actors we’d watch in anything.” Hmph, if ever there was a list worth commenting on THIS would be one of them. Here’s the list with my usual snarky/lame commentary. I’ll be breaking these up into two easily digestible posts. Here are the first twenty-five.
1. Kate Winslet-Ok so we start off fairly strong. Even her silly looking outré sexy performance in the non-seen Romance and Cigarettes looks interesting.
2. Alec Baldwin-I wouldn’t say I’d watch him in anything, but when Jack Donaghy barges into a room I sit up and smile. Let me say though as much as I like this Baldwin I ain’t watching Cat in the Hat without getting paid…a lot.
3. Jude Law-I go back and forth on Jude. For every Gigolo Joe or Dickie Greenleaf level performance there is some suck-ass dull as dishwater nonsense like The Holiday or All the King’s Men.
4. Philip Seymour Hoffman-Like Baldwin he’s dependable good but I certainly don’t enjoy everything he’s in (especially the tiny, dour stuff). That being said he had a flawless 2007 (I am not referring to Flawaless though, that was ass).
5. Edie Falco-Like her but won’t go out of my way to see her. I will say that I was incredibly impressed with her work in Sopranos (obviously) and in 30 Rock (surprisingly funny).
6. Morgan Freeman-Categorically no. Freeman’s resume has been bogged down with absolute tripe and he’s dipped into the magical black-man/narrator well so much so that he’s become a joke. Come back Red, we miss you.
7. Meryl Streep-Perfect. The consummate actress and I will in fact watch her in anything. I may mock the Mama Mia trailer loudly and often but damn if I won’t be in the theater that weekend (right after Dark Knight).
8. Johnny Depp-He’s always dependable but he’s not so good as to make me want to see him in dreck (sorry Secret Window, or am I?).
9. Daniel Day-Lewis-I won’t say that line (because that joke is beyond dead) but I will say that a Daniel Day-Lewis movie isn’t just a pleasure, it’s an event.
10. Simon Pegg-I’d watch anything he’s in, eventually. Sorry box-office returns of Run Fatboy Run. It’s on my q, I swear.
11. Ryan Gosling-Eh, I’m yet to be impressed. Or to paraphrase Neil Diamond “I’m NOT a believer” Get it? Get it? I’ll stop now.
12. Rosario Dawson-A hottie who can act? I’m there, I’ve even seen Pluto Nash. Rosario is a good sport and TENDS to make good choices, it makes watching her in films much easier.
13. Don Cheadle-He has impeccable taste in directors (and he’s also worked with Paul Haggis-BURN) so it makes him a very accessible actor for me. I don’t seek him out, we just sort of find each other.
14. Kristen Bell-I suffered through season two of Heroes for you Kristen. Now that IS love.
15. Tony Leung-Haven’t seen enough of him (In the Mood for Love is the only one if you were wondering) to get excited about him. Nate over at filmexperience sings his praises almost daily and he’s almost never wrong.
16. Nathan Fillion-I’ve followed ole Captain Tight Pants into a lot of crummy TV shows and movies but I refuse to follow him to Wisteria Lane. Do you hear me FIllion? I won’t GO!
17. Emma Thompson-Yes, 100% Emma Thompson is to quote LPieks, “flawless.” I even watched Nanny McPhee when it was on HBO.
18. Denzel Washington-I will say that Washington is an exceptional leading man who commands attention and can carry a film and audiences will follow him anywhere. I won’t though, I think he pulls into the same dramatic bag of tricks too often. He did mention on “The Treatement” that he’d be interested in playing Superman and that is absolute favorite movie is Wizard of Oz, so can you please do movies in that vein Denzel? Please?
19. Cherry Jones- Easier to see on stage then film, plus you really have to look for her in most films. I will say that having her ina movie is like having SOMETHING on the top of a sundae, I can’t think of what is is though.
20. Brendan Gleeson-This guys representation/script acceptance is perfect. I don’t seek him out but I can’t think of ANYTHING I’ve seen him in that I didn’t like (except Troy). Also he gets killed in virtually every movie he’s been in.
21. Will Ferrell-Before Kicking and Screaming (the non-Baumbach one) I would’ve said yes, but since then it’s been way too many sports comedies.
22. Catherine Keener-Yes, yes, yes. I first laid eyes on this extraordinary lady in Being John Malkovich and since then exploring her older films and seeing her in new stuff is always a breeze and never a chore.
23. Tom Selleck-The man has the mustache of a titan. He does a lot of dreck though, so I stumble into Selleck material more then I look for it.
24. Patricia Clarkson-She’s never been bad in anything but damn Patty, if Nick Naylor can’t get me into No Reservations you sure as hell can’t either.
25. Paul Rudd-If I didn’t have a giant man-crush on Rudd would I have I Could Never Be Your Woman, the Oh in Ohio and the Chateau in my q? Hell no. No chance.
1. Kate Winslet-Ok so we start off fairly strong. Even her silly looking outré sexy performance in the non-seen Romance and Cigarettes looks interesting.
2. Alec Baldwin-I wouldn’t say I’d watch him in anything, but when Jack Donaghy barges into a room I sit up and smile. Let me say though as much as I like this Baldwin I ain’t watching Cat in the Hat without getting paid…a lot.
3. Jude Law-I go back and forth on Jude. For every Gigolo Joe or Dickie Greenleaf level performance there is some suck-ass dull as dishwater nonsense like The Holiday or All the King’s Men.
4. Philip Seymour Hoffman-Like Baldwin he’s dependable good but I certainly don’t enjoy everything he’s in (especially the tiny, dour stuff). That being said he had a flawless 2007 (I am not referring to Flawaless though, that was ass).
5. Edie Falco-Like her but won’t go out of my way to see her. I will say that I was incredibly impressed with her work in Sopranos (obviously) and in 30 Rock (surprisingly funny).
6. Morgan Freeman-Categorically no. Freeman’s resume has been bogged down with absolute tripe and he’s dipped into the magical black-man/narrator well so much so that he’s become a joke. Come back Red, we miss you.
7. Meryl Streep-Perfect. The consummate actress and I will in fact watch her in anything. I may mock the Mama Mia trailer loudly and often but damn if I won’t be in the theater that weekend (right after Dark Knight).
8. Johnny Depp-He’s always dependable but he’s not so good as to make me want to see him in dreck (sorry Secret Window, or am I?).
9. Daniel Day-Lewis-I won’t say that line (because that joke is beyond dead) but I will say that a Daniel Day-Lewis movie isn’t just a pleasure, it’s an event.
10. Simon Pegg-I’d watch anything he’s in, eventually. Sorry box-office returns of Run Fatboy Run. It’s on my q, I swear.
11. Ryan Gosling-Eh, I’m yet to be impressed. Or to paraphrase Neil Diamond “I’m NOT a believer” Get it? Get it? I’ll stop now.
12. Rosario Dawson-A hottie who can act? I’m there, I’ve even seen Pluto Nash. Rosario is a good sport and TENDS to make good choices, it makes watching her in films much easier.
13. Don Cheadle-He has impeccable taste in directors (and he’s also worked with Paul Haggis-BURN) so it makes him a very accessible actor for me. I don’t seek him out, we just sort of find each other.
14. Kristen Bell-I suffered through season two of Heroes for you Kristen. Now that IS love.
15. Tony Leung-Haven’t seen enough of him (In the Mood for Love is the only one if you were wondering) to get excited about him. Nate over at filmexperience sings his praises almost daily and he’s almost never wrong.
16. Nathan Fillion-I’ve followed ole Captain Tight Pants into a lot of crummy TV shows and movies but I refuse to follow him to Wisteria Lane. Do you hear me FIllion? I won’t GO!
17. Emma Thompson-Yes, 100% Emma Thompson is to quote LPieks, “flawless.” I even watched Nanny McPhee when it was on HBO.
18. Denzel Washington-I will say that Washington is an exceptional leading man who commands attention and can carry a film and audiences will follow him anywhere. I won’t though, I think he pulls into the same dramatic bag of tricks too often. He did mention on “The Treatement” that he’d be interested in playing Superman and that is absolute favorite movie is Wizard of Oz, so can you please do movies in that vein Denzel? Please?
19. Cherry Jones- Easier to see on stage then film, plus you really have to look for her in most films. I will say that having her ina movie is like having SOMETHING on the top of a sundae, I can’t think of what is is though.
20. Brendan Gleeson-This guys representation/script acceptance is perfect. I don’t seek him out but I can’t think of ANYTHING I’ve seen him in that I didn’t like (except Troy). Also he gets killed in virtually every movie he’s been in.
21. Will Ferrell-Before Kicking and Screaming (the non-Baumbach one) I would’ve said yes, but since then it’s been way too many sports comedies.
22. Catherine Keener-Yes, yes, yes. I first laid eyes on this extraordinary lady in Being John Malkovich and since then exploring her older films and seeing her in new stuff is always a breeze and never a chore.
23. Tom Selleck-The man has the mustache of a titan. He does a lot of dreck though, so I stumble into Selleck material more then I look for it.
24. Patricia Clarkson-She’s never been bad in anything but damn Patty, if Nick Naylor can’t get me into No Reservations you sure as hell can’t either.
25. Paul Rudd-If I didn’t have a giant man-crush on Rudd would I have I Could Never Be Your Woman, the Oh in Ohio and the Chateau in my q? Hell no. No chance.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Listing away
SamuraiFrog over at Electronic Cerebrectomy (still love a blog that names itself after an obscure Muppet Movie device) is spreading this pseudo meme that is a sort of checklist based off the imdb's top 250. Mind you the list being internet user generated has transformed over the years, there are fewer foreign films and films that pre-date the 1970's, still this list represents a pretty solid grouping of films. How many have I seen? I've bolded them.
1. The Godfather (1972)
2. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
3. The Godfather: Part II (1974)
4. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
5. Pulp Fiction (1994)
6. Schindler’s List (1993)
7. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
8. The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
9. Casablanca (1942)
10. Seven Samurai (1954)
11. Star Wars (1977)
12. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
13. 12 Angry Men (1957)
14. Rear Window (1954)
15. Goodfellas (1990)
16. City of God (2002)
17. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
18. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
19. Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
20. The Usual Suspects (1995)
21. Psycho (1960)
22. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
23. Fight Club (1999)
24. Citizen Kane (1941)
25. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
26. North by Northwest (1959)
27. Memento (2000)
28. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
29. Sunset Boulevard (1950)
30. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
31. The Matrix (1999)
32. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
33. There Will Be Blood (2007)
34. Se7en (1995)
35. Apocalypse Now (1979)
36. Taxi Driver (1976)
37. American Beauty (1999)
38. Léon (1994)
39. Vertigo (1958)
40. Amélie (2001)
41. American History X (1998)
42. The Departed (2006)
43. No Country for Old Men (2007)
44. Paths of Glory (1957)
45. M (1931)
46. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
47. Chinatown (1974)
48. The Third Man (1949)
49. The Lives of Others (2006)
50. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
51. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
52. Alien (1979)
53. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
54. Pan's Labyrinth (2006)
55. The Shining (1980)
56. Spirited Away (2001)
57. The Pianist (2002)
58. Double Indemnity (1944)
59. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
60. Forrest Gump (1994)
61. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
62. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
63. L.A. Confidential (1997)
64. Das Boot (1981)
65. Requiem for a Dream (2000)
66. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
67. Downfall (2004)
68. Aliens (1986)
69. The Maltese Falcon (1941)
70. Raging Bull (1980)
71. Metropolis (1927)
72. Rashômon (1950)
73. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
74. Modern Times (1936)
75. Hotel Rwanda (2004)
76. Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
77. Sin City (2005)
78. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
79. Rebecca (1940)
80. The Seventh Seal (1957)
81. All About Eve (1950)
82. Some Like It Hot (1959)
83. City Lights (1931)
84. Amadeus (1984)
85. On the Waterfront (1954)
86. Life Is Beautiful (1997)
87. The Great Escape (1963)
88. Touch of Evil (1958)
89. The Prestige (2006)
90. The Elephant Man (1980)
91. Jaws (1975)
92. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
93. The Sting (1973)
94. Cinema Paradiso (1988)
95. Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
96. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
97. The Apartment (1960)
98. Braveheart (1995)
99. The Great Dictator (1940)
100. Blade Runner (1982)
Hell yeah. That's right, 100 out of 100. Not that I don't have some problems with this list, there are couple that just flat-out do not belong on a 100 top list. Counting up from 100 I can see that The Prestige is a brilliantly constructed puzzle-box but it's too soon to call it an all-time classic. That's the problem with a lot of these, they've got their spots from recent enthusiasm. It's just too soon to tell. The same could be said for The Pianist, No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood. Time has shown Life is Beautiful to be a rather mawkish, manipulative and ultimately forgettable film (man did people get over Roberto Begnini fast). Sin City is a solid, nasty, b-movie for grown-ups but greatest of all-time? No. Downfall is an epic look at the last days of Hitler but for me didn't provide a lot of insight. I do think the film works well as a parable discussing the crumbling of a regime but I do not think it will endure. Hotel Rwanda has some moving performances and hopefully put some well-intentioned eyes on African genocide but is not particularly remarkable in it's film-making (though I did read an excellent article about the passionate production of the film in Premiere [back when such a thing existed]). Saving Private Ryan and Forest Gump present a thorny sent of problems, I think both get bumps of praise from Greatest Generation fans and Baby Boomers respectively. I'm not wild about either film but respect them for the advances both films made in forwarding HOW films are made.
Ultimately there are a lot of great movies on this list but it's a popularity contest. A striaght-male heavy popularity contest. I still think it's a good foundation for start-up film fans, but if you really want to branch out check THIS site here. I will say this though, The Godfather is a worthy number one. Anything you think belongs on this list or absolutely does not? Anything you haven't seen you want a recommendation on? Put it in the comments.
1. The Godfather (1972)
2. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
3. The Godfather: Part II (1974)
4. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
5. Pulp Fiction (1994)
6. Schindler’s List (1993)
7. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
8. The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
9. Casablanca (1942)
10. Seven Samurai (1954)
11. Star Wars (1977)
12. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
13. 12 Angry Men (1957)
14. Rear Window (1954)
15. Goodfellas (1990)
16. City of God (2002)
17. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
18. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
19. Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
20. The Usual Suspects (1995)
21. Psycho (1960)
22. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
23. Fight Club (1999)
24. Citizen Kane (1941)
25. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
26. North by Northwest (1959)
27. Memento (2000)
28. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
29. Sunset Boulevard (1950)
30. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
31. The Matrix (1999)
32. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
33. There Will Be Blood (2007)
34. Se7en (1995)
35. Apocalypse Now (1979)
36. Taxi Driver (1976)
37. American Beauty (1999)
38. Léon (1994)
39. Vertigo (1958)
40. Amélie (2001)
41. American History X (1998)
42. The Departed (2006)
43. No Country for Old Men (2007)
44. Paths of Glory (1957)
45. M (1931)
46. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
47. Chinatown (1974)
48. The Third Man (1949)
49. The Lives of Others (2006)
50. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
51. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
52. Alien (1979)
53. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
54. Pan's Labyrinth (2006)
55. The Shining (1980)
56. Spirited Away (2001)
57. The Pianist (2002)
58. Double Indemnity (1944)
59. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
60. Forrest Gump (1994)
61. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
62. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
63. L.A. Confidential (1997)
64. Das Boot (1981)
65. Requiem for a Dream (2000)
66. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
67. Downfall (2004)
68. Aliens (1986)
69. The Maltese Falcon (1941)
70. Raging Bull (1980)
71. Metropolis (1927)
72. Rashômon (1950)
73. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
74. Modern Times (1936)
75. Hotel Rwanda (2004)
76. Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
77. Sin City (2005)
78. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
79. Rebecca (1940)
80. The Seventh Seal (1957)
81. All About Eve (1950)
82. Some Like It Hot (1959)
83. City Lights (1931)
84. Amadeus (1984)
85. On the Waterfront (1954)
86. Life Is Beautiful (1997)
87. The Great Escape (1963)
88. Touch of Evil (1958)
89. The Prestige (2006)
90. The Elephant Man (1980)
91. Jaws (1975)
92. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
93. The Sting (1973)
94. Cinema Paradiso (1988)
95. Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
96. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
97. The Apartment (1960)
98. Braveheart (1995)
99. The Great Dictator (1940)
100. Blade Runner (1982)
Hell yeah. That's right, 100 out of 100. Not that I don't have some problems with this list, there are couple that just flat-out do not belong on a 100 top list. Counting up from 100 I can see that The Prestige is a brilliantly constructed puzzle-box but it's too soon to call it an all-time classic. That's the problem with a lot of these, they've got their spots from recent enthusiasm. It's just too soon to tell. The same could be said for The Pianist, No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood. Time has shown Life is Beautiful to be a rather mawkish, manipulative and ultimately forgettable film (man did people get over Roberto Begnini fast). Sin City is a solid, nasty, b-movie for grown-ups but greatest of all-time? No. Downfall is an epic look at the last days of Hitler but for me didn't provide a lot of insight. I do think the film works well as a parable discussing the crumbling of a regime but I do not think it will endure. Hotel Rwanda has some moving performances and hopefully put some well-intentioned eyes on African genocide but is not particularly remarkable in it's film-making (though I did read an excellent article about the passionate production of the film in Premiere [back when such a thing existed]). Saving Private Ryan and Forest Gump present a thorny sent of problems, I think both get bumps of praise from Greatest Generation fans and Baby Boomers respectively. I'm not wild about either film but respect them for the advances both films made in forwarding HOW films are made.
Ultimately there are a lot of great movies on this list but it's a popularity contest. A striaght-male heavy popularity contest. I still think it's a good foundation for start-up film fans, but if you really want to branch out check THIS site here. I will say this though, The Godfather is a worthy number one. Anything you think belongs on this list or absolutely does not? Anything you haven't seen you want a recommendation on? Put it in the comments.
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