thebtskink
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Post by thebtskink on Jan 26, 2022 16:33:48 GMT -5
I'm surprised to see Cinema Paradiso this low. The kid is amazing and the movie suffers immeasurably once they age him up |
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thebtskink
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Post by thebtskink on Jan 26, 2022 16:35:22 GMT -5
Your ranking is the only thing keeping Fifth Element from spot 100 |
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frankyt
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Post by frankyt on Jan 26, 2022 16:37:18 GMT -5
Good airplane deserves the spot.
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Doomsday
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Post by Doomsday on Jan 26, 2022 16:43:50 GMT -5
For once I'm not the curmudgeon. I love Cinema Paradiso, you guys are all broken men.
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PhantomKnight
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Post by PhantomKnight on Jan 26, 2022 16:49:20 GMT -5
For once I'm not the curmudgeon. I love Cinema Paradiso, you guys are all broken men. You shoulda made that clear beforehand, then. That way, it wouldn't have been represented by such a wishy-washy Dracula quote.  |
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Doomsday
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Post by Doomsday on Jan 26, 2022 16:51:54 GMT -5
Blast, I figured Cinema Paradiso would have been one of the movies with plenty of Letterboxd coverage. Time for me to take a deeper look at this list that need blurbs.
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Dracula
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Post by Dracula on Jan 26, 2022 16:53:49 GMT -5
For once I'm not the curmudgeon. I love Cinema Paradiso, you guys are all broken men. You shoulda made that clear beforehand, then. That way, it wouldn't have been represented by such a wishy-washy Dracula quote.  For context I wrote that in 2009 after watching the movie in a university Italian 3001 class. Probably not the ideal viewing experience. |
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PhantomKnight
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Post by PhantomKnight on Jan 26, 2022 16:58:54 GMT -5
Blast, I figured Cinema Paradiso would have been one of the movies with plenty of Letterboxd coverage. Time for me to take a deeper look at this list that need blurbs. Yeah, so if you guys don't want this list to turn into At The Movies with Dracula and PG Cooper with special guest PhantomKnight, I need more blurbs!!!!!! |
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PG Cooper
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Post by PG Cooper on Jan 26, 2022 17:01:57 GMT -5
Blast, I figured Cinema Paradiso would have been one of the movies with plenty of Letterboxd coverage. Time for me to take a deeper look at this list that need blurbs. Yeah, so if you guys don't want this list to turn into At The Movies with Dracula and PG Cooper with special guest PhantomKnight, I need more blurbs!!!!!! I'm fine with that  Cinema Paradiso is one I probably should have rewatched but alas did not get around to it. Love Morricone's music and the ending but it did not especially grab me the first go around. |
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PhantomKnight
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Post by PhantomKnight on Jan 26, 2022 17:08:45 GMT -5
I liked Cinema Paradiso well enough, but yeah...once the kid was aged up, it lost some of its magic for me. Still a good movie, though.
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thebtskink
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Post by thebtskink on Jan 26, 2022 17:19:13 GMT -5
For once I'm not the curmudgeon. I love Cinema Paradiso, you guys are all broken men. Just you wait. Everyone gets a chance in the barrel this time |
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IanTheCool
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Post by IanTheCool on Jan 26, 2022 20:26:05 GMT -5
For once I'm not the curmudgeon. I love Cinema Paradiso, you guys are all broken men. I love it too |
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PhantomKnight
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Post by PhantomKnight on Jan 27, 2022 12:06:37 GMT -5
90. Videodrome
A programmer at a TV station that specializes in adult entertainment searches for the producers of a dangerous and bizarre broadcast. CS! Voice: Watching Videodrome a second time, I think I have a somewhat stronger grasp on it. One can look at the film as being some sort of metaphor for how violent media makes people violent, but frankly, that's too simple and I don't think David Cronenberg believes that either based on the rest of his work. Rather, if Videodrome is meant to suggest anything, it's that the mindless violence that defines "Videodrome" is an extension of humanity's violence and perversion. Our media is like that because that is what we are like. It's not a totally straight-forward metaphor, but those elements are there.
Having said all that, I also think it can be problematic to get too caught up in trying to figure out what's really going on and just take the film in. Videodrome works very well as a conspiracy thriller, albeit one with a highly perverse edge. That perversion adds a layer of interest, and the Cronenbergian visuals like the lips on the TV, the organic tapes, the gun, and some of the violence are really awesome. Cronenberg would get more profound and technically proficient with later films, but his style and interests are all mapped out here and it's really rewarding to see. - PG Cooper
89. Scream
A year after the murder of her mother, a teenage girl is terrorized by a new killer, who targets the girl and her friends by using horror films as part of a deadly game.
CS! Voice: It's been nearly ten years since I last/first saw Scream, and I picked up all four movies on Blu Ray this past October, so I figured it was high time to revisit them. I remember liking this first film well enough initially, but found myself surprised at just how massively entertained I was by it this second time. Back then, I remember thinking that it worked good as a meta commentary on horror films more than it did an actual horror film, but upon this re-watch, I changed my tune on that. Not only does Scream succeed to rewarding effect as a meta commentary on the genre, it's also a well-constructed and very fun horror movie in and of itself. I'm still not sure if I'd go so far as to call it scary, but director Wes Craven brings an undeniable degree of skill and just outright enthusiasm to the proceedings that proves quite infectious. From that great opening sequence, the movie does maintain a strong energy and makes sure its protagonists are charming. I still have a complaint when it comes to the overacting of a certain somebody in the Third Act and how that takes away from the intended portrayal of that character the movie is going for, but other than that, this first Scream is honestly a blast and worthy of its status in the horror genre. - PhantomKnight
88. The Vanishing (Spoorloos)
Rex and Saskia, a young couple in love, are on vacation. They stop at a busy service station and Saskia is abducted. After three years and no sign of Saskia, Rex begins receiving letters from the abductor. CS! Voice: An eerie Hitchcockian thriller that can get under your skin. Maybe not what one would call a ‘Horror’ film, at least in some of the trademark ways, it at times still feels like one, due to the nature of the story. There are countless films centered on kidnappers/murderers, but The Vanishing really sets its self apart by really taking its time and getting inside the mind of the kidnapper. Structurally, it’s genius in the way the story is told as well. It tricks you into thinking what you're watching is chronological in the present tense, when it really isn’t, and emotionally that throws you through a loop. - donny87. Ed Wood
Ambitious but troubled movie director Edward D. Wood Jr. tries his best to fulfill his dreams, despite his lack of talent. CS! Voice: One of my favorite unsung sub-genres of movies is the 'movie about making movies.' They're usually pretty enjoyable and most of them settle for being entertaining glimpses into the behind the scenes workings of Hollywood. Movies such as Hitchcock and The Disaster Artist do a good job of delivering the goods but every once in a while you get something that stands apart and above. Who would have thought Ed Wood, a movie about one of the greatest hacks in all of cinema, would be that movie? Who also would have thought that Tim Burton's best movie would be an R-rated black comedy such as this? Johnny Depp gives probably the best performance of his career (eat it Jack Sparrow) as Edward D. Wood Jr., a filmmaker who with the help of Bela Lugosi (an Oscar-winning turn by Marin Landau) tries to make his mark on Hollywood and culminates at the premiere of his magnum opus, Plan 9 From Outer Space. This is my favorite type of movie, the one that gets better with each and every viewing. It's hilarious, heartwarming and you can see the passion that Ed Wood has for the art of filmmaking, the quality of his work be damned. Tim Burton and Johnny Depp have many big, successful movies between them and this is possibly (in my opinion 'easily') their best. - Doomsday
86. Blow Out
A movie sound recordist accidentally records the evidence that proves that a car accident was actually murder and consequently finds himself in danger.
CS! Voices: Frantic paranoia creeping throughout, De Palma is often at his best here. The dizzying overhead shot of Travolta searching through his destroyed tape room is a clear highlight. - thebtskinkBlow Out is an earlier effort from Brian De Palma which shares a lot of similarities with Francis Ford Coppola's The Conversation, but still feels distinct enough to stand on its own as a very entertaining thriller. As is typical with a De Palma film, Blow Out is loaded with atmosphere. Once the story kicks in -- in a really compelling and largely dialogue-free sequence -- it hardly lets up, if ever, and not boring in the slightest. Setting the story sort of within part of the movie industry that doesn't get highlighted often also gives the film another bit of unique flair, and building off that, John Travolta gives a very strong performance and the same goes for John Lithgow as the film's main antagonist. De Palma, as always, stages some well-executed suspense sequences, particularly the climax, which culminates in very effective fashion. The other main star here is Nancy Allen, who...I can't tell if it was the way the character is written or Allen's acting, but let's just say I didn't respond to her as well as De Palma maybe hoped. But overall, Blow Out is an engaging movie in many regards and further proof of Brian De Palma's skill as a storyteller behind the camera. - PhantomKnight
85. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
An oddball journalist and his psychopathic lawyer travel to Las Vegas for a series of psychedelic escapades. CS! Voice: Hilarious and mesmerizing. I wonder if part of the reason Gilliam has floundered since then is that he's never been able to find material as perfectly attuned to his dark comedy, visual sensibilities, and perspective on America as he found in Hunter S. Thompson. - PG Cooper
84. Speed
A young police officer must prevent a bomb exploding aboard a city bus by keeping its speed above 50 mph.
CS! Voice: Speed is a most-apt title for this film, because once the plot kicks into high gear, it rarely, if ever, takes a moment to catch its breath -- or to let us catch ours. It's a pure example of an entertainment value movie done absolutely right, sporting sensational action scenes a plenty while throwing in bursts of good humor and character interactions to make sure things don't get stale. It's also a reminder of just how good 80's/90's-era action films could be, and now twenty years after it was first released, Speed still manages to outdo a pretty vast majority of the action films these days which aim to scoot by on entertainment value alone and yet don't.
Because even when it appears easy to pull off a movie such as this, there are still certain "tricks of the trade" that have to be well-incorporated, and screenwriter Graham Yost clearly understands this. He finds clever, natural ways to complicate matters so that there's always a mini-crisis of some kind for the characters to deal with, as opposed to having them just stand around on the bus, beside the bus or in front of television screens with worried looks on their faces. For instance, Jack doesn't just stand by Annie and coax her and the other passengers through the situation. No, he's constantly trying to find ways of disarming the bomb or determining how to deal with, say, gaps in the highway. Yost also ensures that while the situation and structure of the film may limit the opportunities for proper character development somewhat, the characters still have enough personality to them so that we do end up caring about whether they make it out safe or not. - PhantomKnight
83. When Harry Met Sally…
Harry and Sally have known each other for years, and are very good friends, but they fear sex would ruin the friendship. CS! Voice: As wonderful and charming as I remembered. It's weird to me that I love When Harry Met Sally so much and yet Nora Ephron's subsequent movies never really did much for me. Certainly, Rob Reiner adds a lot and Billy Crystal is crucial. That man is so darn funny.
If anything made this viewing a little sad it's that every time Bruno Kirby and Carrie Fisher were on screen together I kept thinking "it's fucked up that they're both gone". But yeah, fun movie. One of Rob Reiner's best. - PG Cooper
82. Evil Dead II
The lone survivor of an onslaught of flesh-possessing spirits holes up in a cabin with a group of strangers while the demons continue their attack.
CS! Voice: Evil Dead II is one of the best movies to pull off style-over-substance. It’s wall-to-wall pure entertainment. It’s a cinematic rollercoaster ride. It has some of the most spectacular comedic set-pieces of all-time. And it’s perhaps the most inventive horror film ever made. This is the movie that made Sam Raimi a legend. But some of his collaborators share the credit. One of them is Bruce Campbell as Ash. This is essentially his one-man-show with Raimi behind the curtains. Campbell is one of the few actors that can be put in the most ridiculous situations and still manage to be cool and charming. How he never became an A-lister puzzles me to this day. -
81. Miller’s Crossing
Tom Reagan, an advisor to a Prohibition-era crime boss, tries to keep the peace between warring mobs but gets caught in divided loyalties. CS! Voice: Miller's Crossing is an unapologetic work of pure style, a movie based extensively on classic gangster movies and film noir and exists in a world of pure artifice. The movie looks and sounds great. The Coens do an excellent job capturing an old school aesthetic whilst still adapting those elements to a more modern filmmaking style and the cast is across the board incredibly strong. But it takes the story a while to really get cooking. Early scenes are these dialogue heavy information dumps that are a little overwhelming and not entirely gripping. At about the halfway mark though, things really start to come together. Part of this is simply John Turturro, who is mesmerizing as the slimy twerp trying to get ahead. Once his character comes to the fore the plot becomes a lot more interesting. The movie also spots a series of really exceptional scenes, ranging from comical action scenes like the attack on Leo, to highly dramatic like the two showdowns between Tom and Bernie. That first showdown in particular is the moment I tangibly shifted from "this movie is alright" to "this movie is pretty awesome". - PG Cooper |
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Neverending
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Post by Neverending on Jan 27, 2022 17:02:34 GMT -5
97. Cinema Paradiso
A filmmaker recalls his childhood when falling in love with the pictures at the cinema of his home village and forms a deep friendship with the cinema's projectionist. CS! Voice: This is a well beloved film that was an international sensation when it was first released, and I was pretty suspicious when I first saw it. I dismissed the film as sappy nostalgia at first, but watching it now I can set aside some of my snobbery and see the film’s good qualities. The film is actually fairly critical of a lot of the nostalgia that’s on its surface, I think an interesting study could be made comparing it to Peter Bogdonovich’s The Last Picture Show and Federico Fellini’s Amarcord. The film has an excellent score by Ennio Morricone and the acting is also pretty good. - DraculaFuck you. CINEMA PARADISO (1988)Been a year since we almost lost movie theatres for good. It reminds me of 2000 when I worked at a video store in Utah called CleanFlicks. They specialized in censoring R-rated movies for family audiences. I didn't believe in it, but it was a living. One day, a snot-nosed 9-year-old named SnoBorderZero strolled in and rented Jim Cameron's Titanic. Didn't think much of it at the moment, but later found out he used the milk money to rent the movie and his mom beat the shit out of him for it. Let me tell ya, she was a real Karen. Stormed into the store, cursed me out and demanded her money back. I felt bad for the kid. He has to live with that. So I hooked him up with Kate Winslet's nude scene. Blew his mind. He then started bugging me at work, asking for all the naughty bits I was cutting out of movies. Kid was turning out to be a real pervert. But whatever. I needed an apprentice and he worked for no money. I taught him the trade and felt better about slacking off at work. Good times didn't last long though. One day, the 56K computers we used overheated and burned down the store. Owners built a new one, and since I could no longer be trusted to run the place, they hired SnoBorderZero as my replacement. He ran the place till Netflix made the business obsolete. Last I heard he had moved to Hollywood and worked on an indie film named Coming 2 America. Don't know if y'all heard of it. Supposed to be a real piece of shit. But whatever. At least he's no longer working for slave labor. Before we departed, I left him a gift. It was a DVD with a montage of all the naughty bits I cut from the movies in our store. I hope he saw it.  |
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PhantomKnight
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Post by PhantomKnight on Jan 27, 2022 17:18:15 GMT -5
97. Cinema Paradiso
A filmmaker recalls his childhood when falling in love with the pictures at the cinema of his home village and forms a deep friendship with the cinema's projectionist. CS! Voice: This is a well beloved film that was an international sensation when it was first released, and I was pretty suspicious when I first saw it. I dismissed the film as sappy nostalgia at first, but watching it now I can set aside some of my snobbery and see the film’s good qualities. The film is actually fairly critical of a lot of the nostalgia that’s on its surface, I think an interesting study could be made comparing it to Peter Bogdonovich’s The Last Picture Show and Federico Fellini’s Amarcord. The film has an excellent score by Ennio Morricone and the acting is also pretty good. - Dracula Fuck you. CINEMA PARADISO (1988)Been a year since we almost lost movie theatres for good. It reminds me of 2000 when I worked at a video store in Utah called CleanFlicks. They specialized in censoring R-rated movies for family audiences. I didn't believe in it, but it was a living. One day, a snot-nosed 9-year-old named SnoBorderZero strolled in and rented Jim Cameron's Titanic. Didn't think much of it at the moment, but later found out he used the milk money to rent the movie and his mom beat the shit out of him for it. Let me tell ya, she was a real Karen. Stormed into the store, cursed me out and demanded her money back. I felt bad for the kid. He has to live with that. So I hooked him up with Kate Winslet's nude scene. Blew his mind. He then started bugging me at work, asking for all the naughty bits I was cutting out of movies. Kid was turning out to be a real pervert. But whatever. I needed an apprentice and he worked for no money. I taught him the trade and felt better about slacking off at work. Good times didn't last long though. One day, the 56K computers we used overheated and burned down the store. Owners built a new one, and since I could no longer be trusted to run the place, they hired SnoBorderZero as my replacement. He ran the place till Netflix made the business obsolete. Last I heard he had moved to Hollywood and worked on an indie film named Coming 2 America. Don't know if y'all heard of it. Supposed to be a real piece of shit. But whatever. At least he's no longer working for slave labor. Before we departed, I left him a gift. It was a DVD with a montage of all the naughty bits I cut from the movies in our store. I hope he saw it.  |
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PhantomKnight
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Post by PhantomKnight on Jan 27, 2022 19:41:13 GMT -5
80. Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters
A fictionalized account in four chapters of the life of celebrated Japanese writer Yukio Mishima. CS! Voice: Here’s a rarity, a Japanese language film made on a relatively large budget by a high profile American director, and in the middle of the eighties long before people like Clint Eastwood or Mel Gibson were allowed to do things like that. I suppose it had to be an non Japanese person who made this, the man it’s about is just too controversial in his home country. This is a very creative film, an unconventional biopic which must have somewhat influenced Todd Haynes’ I’m Not There. The film takes place on the last day of Mishima’s life but is mainly told through B&W flashbacks and surrealistic adaptations of three of Mishima’s writings. The idea of telling a man’s story through his own writings is fascinating, and the whole thing fits in well with the themes of Paul Schrader like masculinity and sexual frustration, the life of Schrader’s Mishima really isn’t that far removed from Schrader’s Jake LaMotta. - Dracula
79. Predator
A team of commandos on a mission in a Central American jungle find themselves hunted by an extraterrestrial warrior.
CS! Voice: I was actually kind of surprised by this movie. I sat down to watch Predator expecting just another cheesy-fun Schwarzenegger action flick -- which it still is -- but I wasn't expecting an action film with such a well-done sense of tension and suspense. This is owed to director John McTiernan, who wisely lets the movie gradually build to the big reveal of its titular monster, and what a build-up it is. He uses the jungle environment in a really clever and effective manner in those first 40 to 45 minutes and when the Predator finally starts picking off the mercenaries one by one, it makes for some really exciting stuff. Speaking of, all of the film's set pieces are really fun, starting with the big shootout about 25 minutes in and continuing on with all the various encounters with the Predator. I especially like the climax of this movie, which has, I think, just two lines of dialogue throughout the entire stretch of it and instead relies on action and suspense. Though I have to say, I think it's kind of dumb how Schwarzenegger was able to avoid the Predator during the Third Act, considering how advanced a killer the Predator is. But this movie is still a blast to watch and a good dose of 80's testosterone. - PhantomKnight
78. Hard Boiled
A tough-as-nails cop teams up with an undercover agent to shut down a sinister mobster and his crew.
CS! Voice: Hard Boiled is often acclaimed for its action sequences which has made it a must see for me for a long time. The plot looks at various cops trying to take down gun smugglers in Hong Kong. The story has some clichéd bits and can actually be kind of convoluted, but as a stylistic action movie? Holly fucking shit is this thing awesome. The shoot-outs here are technically accomplished, stylishly shot, and blood pumpingly awesome. They have a violent edge, and John Woo is able to stage all of these scenes in really visually interesting ways. The man also brings a really unique style to the film which applies to all of the scenes, but is especially effective in the various action sequences. The second half of the film is especially great as it is essentially a series of set-pieces of perfect execution set at a hospital. Chow Yun-fat and Tony Leung both have really cool screen presences and they play off each other well. Some of the bickering they had seemed a little tired and pointless, but they remain likable throughout.
Hard Boiled is flawed, but the action and style really elevate this to a modern classic. This isn't the case of loving a movie for good action or even great action, but for some of the most amazing action scenes I've ever seen. I genuinely believe John Woo set out to make the best shootouts ever committed to film and he might have succeeded. - PG Cooper
77. Dazed and Confused
The adventures of high school and junior high students on the last day of school in May 1976.
CS! Voice: This film is a slice-of-life picture of one night in the lives of a group of carefree teenagers living out their glory days. It stars Ron Howard as the star quarterback of the football team who tries to decide whether or not he wants to even be on the team next year, while he hangs out with his buddies trying to find a good place for a party.
Meanwhile, Richard Dreyfus spends much of the first part of the film hunting down freshmen to haze and knocking down mailboxes, while Cindy Williams takes care of hazing the freshman girls. We also see Harrison Ford in one of his earliest roles as the creepy older guy who is still hitting on high-schoolers. The movie even includes a bit part by Suzanne Somers, who would go on to star in the Resident Evil franchise. - IanTheCool
76. Trainspotting
Renton, deeply immersed in the Edinburgh drug scene, tries to clean up and get out, despite the allure of the drugs and influence of friends.
CS! Voice: Trainspotting is one of those movies that’s made for people aged about 16 – 25, it’s the ultimate movie to watch in a dorm room. It’s upbeat and kinetic in style and filled with swearing, sex, and general edginess but it also has some social relevance and comes from a foreign country (albeit one that won’t force you to, like, read subtitles) so you feel like you’re smart for watching it. I’m not saying this to put the movie down, just kind of making an observation about where it tends to sit in film culture. The movie is perhaps most notable for being one of the first movies to take influence from Quentin Tarantino and use that influence intelligently and in service of an actual interesting project with unique points to make. The film’s energy is undeniable, as is its use of music, and it’s also acted quite well and has a very witty screenplay. It also does a great job of making extremely unlikable characters engaging and interesting to watch. It does a whole lot right, and yet on this particular viewing I wasn’t quite as into it as I felt like I should have been. That might have had more to do with my mood that day than anything, I don’t know, I’m still pretty sure it’s a great movie. - Dracula
75. The Princess Bride
While homesick in bed, a young boy's grandfather reads him the story of a farmboy-turned-pirate who encounters numerous obstacles, enemies and allies in his quest to be reunited with his true love.
CS! Voice: Wow, this movie is awesome. Not only does it feel like a great fantasy tale, with amazing sets and costumes and the like, but it has a very unique sense of humour.
74. The Lion King
Lion prince Simba and his father are targeted by his bitter uncle, who wants to ascend the throne himself.
CS! Voice: In many ways, The Lion King speaks for itself. The film was a gargantuan hit by every conceivable metric back in 1994 and remains a beloved modern classic, celebrated with the some sort of reverence as Disney's first few features. In many ways, last year's critically derided photo-realistic remake (which I admittedly didn't see) only served to reinforce how singular the animated original still is. And rewatching the film in the context of Disney's animation history...yeah, it's pretty awesome. There's some annoying stuff here with Timon and Pumbaa and I don't really care for all the songs, but I really can't deny the ambitions and grandeur on display, which are in many ways far beyond anything Disney has done before. And I don't just mean visually either, although The Lion King is certainly a gorgeous looking movie and probably the peak of this era in Disney Animation. Hell, if this came out today it would look amazing.
But just as a narrative, The Lion King is reaching for something more profound. Drawing liberally from Hamlet as well as the biblical tale of Moses, the film tells an epic story of large scale drama and emotions, with a hero reckoning with his own guilt and having to face the vastness of responsibility. These are simple, universal themes that the filmmakers render with real strength and emotion. Part of this comes from how expressive and sympathetic Simba is as a protagonist, as well as the grandeur of the visuals and Hans Zimmer's score. Scenes like Mufasa's death and especially the aftermath are crucial. It's shocking to see the dead body of a character in a Disney movie, but it's an important part of making the tragedy (and Simba's guilt) really resonate.
There's more to praise here, like the iconic voice cast, the deeply expressive character animation, the epic sweep of the story, the exciting set-pieces - really, the whole film is a pretty massive homerun for Disney. I may still prefer Fantasia, but if we're talking about traditional narrative films, The Lion King is the peak of Disney Animation so far, and I doubt I'll see it topped anytime soon. - PG Cooper
73. Menace II Society
A young street hustler attempts to escape the rigors and temptations of the ghetto in a quest for a better life.
CS! Voice: The thing that hit me the hardest about Menace II Society was the sheer craft and style of The Hughes Brothers. Given the film's reputation as one of the most violent and hard hitting hood movies to come out of the 90s, I was almost expecting a social realist picture about the dangers of "the inner city". But that isn't really the case. To be sure, the film presents the neighborhood of Watts, Los Angeles with an incredible attention to detail, particularly in regards to the social dynamics and opportunity (or lack thereof) for young Black man. And the portrait Albert and Allen Hughes draw is not a particularly hopeful one. This is a bleak story of how a life on the fringes of society gradually becomes more lost, one all the more complex given the filmmakers do not go out of their way to make Caine a likable protagonist. Rather than cheap appeals to sympathy, the film is more concerned with sitting in the realities of social, economic, and racial disparity and what those consequences are. - PG Cooper
72. Ghostbusters
Three parapsychologists forced out of their university funding set up shop as a unique ghost removal service in New York City, attracting frightened yet skeptical customers.
CS! Voice: I have a special affection for this film. Like most other films I'd call a "favorite," my first experience with 'Ghostbusters' dates back to my childhood. Call it nostalgia, but I still think it's a classic in every sense of the word. It's a very fun and funny film, Ivan Reitman did a tremendous job putting the story together here. Excellent dialogue and oddball humor, extending even beyond the film itself with the in-joke that Slimer is supposed to represent the ghost of John Belushi. Murray, Akyroyd, and Ramis are the perfect triumvirate of actors for a movie like this, especially Murray who filled in for Belushi after his untimely passing. Now in hindsight, I don't think the film would be the classic it is without Bill. He's the glue that keeps the film together and the source of a lot of the film's humor (both intentional and not). Weaver, Hudson, Moranis, Atherton, and Potts are all great as well, all seven actors bringing something unique in their contributions to the film.
It's one of the greatest Hollywood blockbusters ever crafted. - John
71. Hannah and her Sisters
Between two Thanksgivings two years apart, Hannah's husband falls in love with her sister Lee, while her hypochondriac ex-husband rekindles his relationship with her sister Holly.
CS! Voice: Allen's overall best decade of work may have been in the 1980's, with Hannah and Her Sisters being one of his top works. Told over the course of 24 months, beginning and ending with a Thanksgiving gathering, tells the story of the titular character Hannah, and her sisters Lee, and Holly. Told in 3 arcs, most of the characters and events in the story lead back to Hannah, and Allen finds a way to deftly balance the humor and heart into something that doesn't feel too forced. When Allen's films work, it's usually because of a strong script that compliments it's strong cast. The characters feel fully realized, and as with most of Allen's works, explore a multitude of topics, both funny and serious. - donny |
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thebtskink
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Post by thebtskink on Jan 27, 2022 23:44:09 GMT -5
franky singlehandedly propped up The Princess Bride by 18 spots and Ghostbusters 12 spots.
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PhantomKnight
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Post by PhantomKnight on Jan 28, 2022 0:14:29 GMT -5
franky singlehandedly propped up The Princess Bride by 18 spots and Ghostbusters 12 spots. I'm sure there's a few folks on here grateful for that. |
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frankyt
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Post by frankyt on Jan 28, 2022 8:07:45 GMT -5
franky singlehandedly propped up The Princess Bride by 18 spots and Ghostbusters 12 spots. Someone's gotta do the heavy lifting. |
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PhantomKnight
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Post by PhantomKnight on Jan 28, 2022 11:53:20 GMT -5
70. The Sixth Sense
A frightened, withdrawn Philadelphia boy who communicates with spirits seeks the help of a disheartened child psychologist.
CS! Voice: What a superbly crafted thriller. It really takes its time, letting the paranormal aspects of the story sink in rather than appear out of nowhere. What sets Sixth Sense apart from most other thrillers of this era is its strong emotional core. I knocked on Osment's role in AI recently, but here he gives a genuine performance, very impressive for his age at the time. - IanTheCool
69. Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior
In the post-apocalyptic Australian wasteland, a cynical drifter agrees to help a small, gasoline-rich community escape a horde of bandits.
CS! Voice: I enjoyed the first Mad Max, though not without acknowledging the film's severe problems. Though a fun movie, George Miller was an amateur director and shows in a lot of places. Still, there was a clear talent at the core of that film, and it was clear both this series and this filmmaker had potential. That potential is realized in Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior. The biggest improvement here is that Miller really does create a dystopian future. The first film was supposed to be set in a dystopian future too, but there wasn't really a sense of that. Here however, this does feel like a desperate and desolate future where the violent roam and the weak can only hide or run. The lack of any sense of law, the costumes, and especially the wide shots of vast and empty deserts. This clearly had an influence on future media, notably the videogame series Fallout. The film also looks great, and while this can partly be attributed to a larger budget than the first film, it's also clear George Miller grew quite a bit as a filmmaker. - PG Cooper
68. Blue Velvet
The discovery of a severed human ear found in a field leads a young man on an investigation related to a beautiful, mysterious nightclub singer and a group of psychopathic criminals who have kidnapped her child.
CS! Voice: I honestly don't have the energy or ambition to write an in-depth review here so I will just say it's a complex and very well-made film. David Lynch is at the height of his powers here. It's a good film but not one I've spent a lot of time reading into more than what's on the surface. - John
67. Jackie Brown
A flight attendant with a criminal past gets nabbed by the FBI for smuggling. Under pressure to become an informant against the drug dealer she works for, she must find a way to secure her future without getting killed.
CS! Voice: A lot of filmmakers have tried to imitate Quentin Tarantino's witty, pop-culture heavy prose, his irreverent characters, and the general "coolness" of his style. However what most imitators miss is that these elements, though essential, are also surface. Beneath the profanity, bravado, and references are genuine characters, stories, emotions, and themes. Everyone talks about Jules' epic speech in Pulp Fiction, but people overlook his moment of peacemaking, philosophizing, and attempt at redemption. The Bride's quest for revenge may have been punctuated by several moments of glorious violence, but it was also the story of a mother finding her daughter and includes images like said mother crying alone on a bathroom floor. Everyone remembers Hitler's face being eviscerated by machine gun fire in Inglorious Basterds, but what about Shoshanna and Fredrick tragically dying alone? These moments are genuine and are crucial to what makes Tarantino's work so compelling.
Nowhere is this heart and conviction more clear than in Jackie Brown, far and away Tarantino's most stripped down and restrained effort. Though many of the characters are criminals and there is an engaging crime plot regarding dirty money, the film is really about two middle-aged people reflecting on their place and life and whether or not they are content. It's no coincidence that Tarantino liberally evokes The Graduate, another film about a character contemplating their own happiness. However while The Graduate focused on youth, Jackie Brown focuses on the middle-aged. This is also very clear in the performances from Pam Grier and Robert Forster, who are both excellent. Grier may have been known for her roles as a badass in films like Coffy and Foxy Brown and that does come through her, but her tenderness and vulnerability are what really shine. - PG Cooper
66. Scarface
In 1980 Miami, a determined Cuban immigrant takes over a drug cartel and succumbs to greed.
CS! Voice: Brian De Palma's crime opus Scarface isn't as quiet and nuanced as, say, Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather, but from start to finish, it's still one wild hell of a ride, and I loved every profanity-laced minute of it. Al Pacino shows exactly why he's such a great actor here; his performance as Tony Montanna is every bit as compelling as his one as Michael Corleone. He commands the screen whenever he's on it and it's hard to look away. And the best part is that Pacino's able to create a good amount of sympathy for Tony when need be, despite the character continually taking part in such heinous acts of criminality and violence. Here's a man who obtains everything, but still has nothing at the end of the day. There's also a good number of top-notch supporting performances from the likes of Robert Loggia, Michelle Pfiefer, Steven Bauer and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. Brian De Palma's direction is stylish, but not overly so, and it puts us right in the 80's with minimal effort. And for a film that's 10 minutes shy of 3 hours, it really does fly by, which can be attributed to the tightly-written script by Oliver Stone. Oh, and the climax does indeed live up to the hype. I'd rank Scarface among the greatest crime films ever, worthy of going toe-to-toe with some of the heavyweights. - PhantomKnight
65. The Insider
A research chemist comes under personal and professional attack when he decides to appear in a 60 Minutes exposé on Big Tobacco.
CS! Voice: Of course, this a Michael Mann movie through and through, one which explores his usual obsession of highly organized professionals unraveling when placed under pressure. Along with Heat, The Insider fuses those themes and Mann's style in a more grounded universe. It's perhaps not surprising this is the Michael Mann movie the Academy went for given its narrative of the little guy squaring off against corporate corruption, but this isn't cornball sentiment. Michael Mann's take on Frank Capra is one where victory comes with real sacrifice and neither Lowell or Jeffrey can return to who they once were. - PG Cooper
64. Kagemusha
A petty thief with an utter resemblance to a samurai warlord is hired as the lord's double. When the warlord later dies the thief is forced to take up arms in his place.
CS! Voice: Making the most red faced general in Kagemusha almost always dressed in red is a great bit.
63. Chungking Express
Two melancholy Hong Kong policemen fall in love: one with a mysterious female underworld figure, the other with a beautiful and ethereal waitress at a late-night restaurant he frequents.
CS! Voice: The film has two stories, each one focused on a cop and his relationship dramas. Both stories are connected by a food stand, but the connection doesn't play out nearly as gimmicky as one might expect. Wong Kar-Wai's style is probably what stands out most here. Wai shoots the film somewhat aggressively at points, most notably during the film's frenetic intro, but at other points his touch is far more delicate. This is an often beautiful looking film, albeit with a somewhat melancholic colour palette which emphasizes blues and grays. Such an aesthetic perfectly suits the film's bitter-sweet tone. There are moments of bliss and moments of heartache, but the enduring theme of Chungking Express is the way in which we all pass through each other's lives. - PG Cooper
62. Toy Story
A cowboy doll is profoundly threatened and jealous when a new spaceman figure supplants him as top toy in a boy's room.
CS! Voice: I love the 'Toy Story' films. It's a series that I will never outgrow, and it's amazing that this film came out nearly 20 years ago now. Pixar was always a pioneer, attempting to always take the technology of the time to the next step. 'Toy Story', as many people know, was obviously the first feature-length CGI-animated film, and it's still one of the best. The film focuses so heavily the story, and the acting by Hanks and Allen and everybody else, and the music, and everything else that a non-animated movie would, and that's why this film succeeded to the extent that it did. Yes, the film is completely CGI-animated, but the film doesn't succeed because of that, it does so for the reasons any film does. And I think that was really Pixar's true achievement here. You can get so wrapped up in the story that you'll forget it's animated, because it doesn't matter. - John
61. Beauty and the Beast
A prince cursed to spend his days as a hideous monster sets out to regain his humanity by earning a young woman's love.
CS! Voice: The movie is just made with a whole lot of confidence and seems to be where a lot of strong decisions were made. You can tell right from the opening with the stained glass windows and the ominous music that the people making it were serious about taking the Disney fairy tale to the next level in terms of both animation and tone. Directors Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise do not shy away from some of the more dark and ominous imagery that this castle and this beast would seem to invite and the animation itself is clearly on some next level shit. - Dracula
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thebtskink
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Post by thebtskink on Jan 28, 2022 13:06:56 GMT -5
65-69 separated by 9 votes total if you sum up the 8 voters.
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PhantomKnight
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Post by PhantomKnight on Jan 28, 2022 13:23:16 GMT -5
But man, how cool would it have been if Sixth Sense landed at 66?
Also, I find it amusing that 66 and 65 are back-to-back Pacino.
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PG Cooper
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Post by PG Cooper on Jan 28, 2022 15:32:32 GMT -5
Was I the highest vote for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas? I only had it at 29, but I still see its placement at 85 as a war between PhantomKnight and I. |
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thebtskink
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Post by thebtskink on Jan 28, 2022 15:49:35 GMT -5
Was I the highest vote for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas? I only had it at 29, but I still see its placement at 85 as a war between PhantomKnight and I. Franky had it at 24. I had it at 98, phantomknight at 100 |
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PhantomKnight
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Post by PhantomKnight on Jan 28, 2022 16:05:38 GMT -5
Was I the highest vote for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas? I only had it at 29, but I still see its placement at 85 as a war between PhantomKnight and I. phantomknight at 100 Where it belongs. |
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