Fantaverse Top 100 Movies of All Time (Thread #5): 60-51

[Shrykespeare]

Attention all: I made a mistake with Ron Burgundy... my sincerest apologies... Mission Impossible should have been his #57. Apocalypse Now is, in fact, his #58. I've corrected it above. Sorry, my first FU of the countdown.

[Shrykespeare]

Boy, some people have some catching up to do.


MOVIE #57


Shrykespeare

Charlie Wilson’s War (2007) – Director: Mike Nichols; starring Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams. This is a based-on-true-events story of Charlie Wilson, a Texas congressman, almost single-handedly set in motion a chain of events that resulted in the breakup of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. Well-written and extremely well-acted, Tom Hanks has rarely been better, but it’s Hoffman’s brusque CIA official that gives the film its best moments, especially the one where he and Wilson first meet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHl-6uH8MUQ


silversurfer

Memento (2000) - Director: Christopher Nolan; starring Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss and Joe Pantoliano. One of the most mesmerizing movies of the last decade, Memento stunned me with it's originality in creating a fractured and complex mystery which kept me guessing right until the last frame. It was the movie which introduced me to the talent of Christopher Nolan, in which he breathed new life into the noir genre and creating an atmosphere which maintains your intrigue throughout. Some say it's a gimmick which quickly wears thin and without the reverse structure the movie would be dull, but I completely disagree with that argument. The narrative is fundamental to the movie, it creates a puzzle for the viewer, releasing fragments of information in each scene which also perfectly demonstrates the illness Guy Pearce's character is inflicted with. We are basically transported into the mind of Leonard and fully experience what it is like to suffer from short term memory loss. (2nd appearance)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vS0E9bBSL0


thegreenarrow

Delicatessen (1991) – Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet; starring Dominique Pinon, Jean-Claude Dreyfus and Karin Viard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYo_SkERMNI


transformers

Lucky Number Slevin (2006) - Director: Paul McGuigan; starring Josh Hartnett, Morgan Freeman, Ben Kingsley, Lucy Liu and Bruce Willis. One of the most underrated films of all time. It's smart, cool and thrilling. This is one of the very few movies of the last few years that had a great plot twist. The ending is very satisfying and surprising.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5hT1d46VyY


englishozzy

Batman Begins (2005) - Director: Christopher Nolan; starring Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson and Katie Holmes. Christopher Nolan is fast becoming one of my favorite directors of all time. He blew me away with Insomnia and Memento and his golden touch doesn't seem to be stopping anytime soon. Probably the first director to cotton on to the idea of reinventing an ageing franchise by going right back to the
beginning and starting again with an origin story. This was a masterstroke as Batman was tarnished over the years with some dodgy sequels, Nolan decided to recreate a more gritty, masculine Batman by recreating a very dark world in where the masked crusader resides and given the audience chance to get emotionally involved with the character by creating the road in which Wayne takes before he finally dons the black mask. A film that helped boost other franchises such as James Bond and I take my hat off to Nolan for attempting this. (3rd appearance)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eILWtra6AcU


Ron Burgundy

Mission Impossible (1996) - Director: Brian De Palma; starring: Tom Cruise, Jean Reno, Jon Voight, Ving Rhames, Henry Czerny, Emilio Estevez, Kristen Scott Thomas and Vanessa Redgrave. Some people say its too complicated, I say watch it again. Its truly is an impossible mission, the part where Ethan Hunt enters the computer room through the air vent is great. And Tom Cruise is perfectly cast as the rogue agent Ethan Hunt. This also where I first saw Jon Voight, and he had a stream of villain role after this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbg99ykA2bk


Buscemi

Gone Baby Gone (2007) - Director: Ben Affleck; starring Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan, Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris and Amy Ryan. In 2006, Ben Affleck's career was in shambles. After the Bennifer hysteria and a number of flops, no one wanted to be associated with the guy. However, two films helped stage a comeback for the guy. The first film was Hollywoodland, where he played George Reeves and won all sorts of acclaim for the performance (even winning an acting award at Venice). The second film was his directorial debut, Gone Baby Gone. Based on the book by Dennis Lehane, the film focuses on two Boston detectives put on a missing child case in which the daughter of a neglectful, substance addict Southie single woman has disappeared under strange circumstances. As the case goes deeper, things really start to spiral out of control into a multi-layered whodunit. Affleck here proves himself to be vastly more talented behind the camera than in front of it and shows more talent in one film and many top directors show in their entire careers. The film has one hell of a cast and Amy Ryan was robbed of an Oscar in her performance as the mother. Also despite Casey Affleck getting a Oscar nomination for The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford the same year this was released, his lead role here was far better than his performance in the other film. This film is proof that some debuts are still worthwhile and that the Academy can be wrong from time to time (Atonement, Juno and Michael Clayton had nothing on this film). (2nd appearance)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f99Ep0koG84


Chienfantome

A Perfect World (1993) – Director: Clint Eastwood; starring Kevin Costner, Clint Eastwood, Laura Dern and Bradley Whitford. Kevin Costner had won it all with Dances With Wolves. Eastwood had won it all with Unforgiven. I don’t think A Perfect World has had the same success in the U.S. as it had in France. In France, this was Eastwood’s biggest success at the box-office until Million Dollar Baby came out. We all saw it back then. Costner was the biggest Hollywood star of the moment. And Eastwood proved he was also a damn fine actor. In any other hand, A Perfect World could have been a standard manhunt/road-movie with a tough ranger chasing a criminal on the run. But Eastwood made something else out of it. He blurred the lines of right and wrong. Of good and bad. The criminal portrayed by Costner is neither good nor bad. He’s a tough man with his own sense of justice. He’s an orphan despising the paternal figure, and at the same time idealizing it. A perfect world is a journey, a poetic journey. Eastwood and his screenwriter must have read Arthur Rimbaud, as the opening and final shot of the film is a clear homage to a poem of his that every little French pupil learn in his school. “Le dormeur du val”. A man lying in the grass, seemingly sleeping. Or maybe he’s just dying. Killing a man is not an act of justice, whichever side of the law you stand on. That’s what Eastwood says with his poetic film.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Qm-UhA3b4g


numbersix

Touch of Evil (1958) - Director: Orson Welles; starring Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh and Orson Welles. Considered to be the last American film noir, Welles ended it with a bang. It’s saddening to see that he died without making the best out of this film (the 1998 restoration is by far the best), as it is astounding cinema. It’s a film about corruption on the wrong side of the border, with Welles playing the heinous Quinlan against Heston’s eager narcotics cop Vargas. Welles turns what could be a merely average thriller into something special, with astounding tracking shots, intense framing that delves deep into the on-screen characters, and ensures a gripping pace with ideas as simple as actually filming a car driving on location (instead of a studio). Welles changed cinema with Citizen Kane, but I think he also influenced every thriller with Touch of Evil. Here’s a great scene: the introduction of Quinlan. (2nd appearance)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyNrgfBXWjQ


Banks

Out of Sight (1998) - Director: Steven Soderbergh; starring George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez and Ving Rhames. Easily the best thing Jennifer Lopez has been a part of, I think Out of Sight is a throwback to a kind of film that really doesn’t exist anymore: the sexy, adult thriller that is also intelligent and realistic. It’s very difficult to balance sexy and smart without straying too far into sexploitation or dulling the audience to death – Out of Sight makes it look easy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uxY8Wsygpw


BarcaRulz

La Haine (1995) - Director: Matthieu Kassovitz; starring Vincent Cassel, Hubert Kounde, and Said Taghmaoui. A great movie that is able to reflect different emotions felt by different people towards the one incident. It shows how hate is contagious, and how once the primal 'revenge' instinct kicks in, it's hard for anyone to focus on common sense. Very well directed, extremely well acted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yk77VrkxL88


Geezer

Beauty and the Beast (1991) - Director: Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise; starring Paige O' Hara, Robby Benson and Richard White. I remember asking my mom a few months ago which movie I watched most when I was a kid, because obviously I was little and couldn't remember. Beauty and the Beast was the answer she gave me, and the answer didn't exactly shock me. I loved a lot of Disney animated films when I was younger, and this is one that still sticks with me as one of my all time favorite films. Its a truly remarkable story, brilliantly written, wonderfully funny, and it has more heart than most any other film. I still love watching this one with the GF as its one of her favorites too. Disney really knew what they were doing didn't they?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRlzmyveDHE


leestu

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) – Director Jim Sharman; starring Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick and Meat Loaf. I’ll apologize now because there will be a few musicals on my list. Personally I love the storytelling through music, dance and theatrics. This is the cult classic kinky comedy musical horror send up. Not for everyone’s tastes but I love the campiness of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smRsvudqLPE


W

American History X (1998) - Director: Tony Kaye; starring Edward Norton, Edward Furlong and Beverly D’Angelo. Edward Norton is great in this. People really focus on the scene that ultimately puts his character in jail, but the film is really about redemption and not senseless violence... It's anti-violence, really.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXaZENPQrsw



Batman Begins jumps into the Fantaverse Top Ten, which now looks like this:

10. The Big Lebowski
9. District 9
8. LOTR: The Two Towers
7. Batman Begins
6. Saw
5. V For Vendetta
4. Heat
3. Office Space
2. Sin City
1. Jurassic Park

I think it’s interesting that we haven’t seen Star Wars, The Dark Knight, Shawshank or Ghostbusters appear yet. I’m betting they’ll be high up on at least a few lists.

[silversurfer19]

I'll catch up over the next couple of days, this weekend's been crazy as the last weekend before Xmas so haven't had time to contribute yet.

[numbersix]

MOVIE #57


Shrykespeare: Charlie Wilson’s War (2007) – E njoyable in parts. There's definite wit to the scrip and Hoffman is indeed brilliant. Sorkin is good at satirising bureaucracy but once he goes outside of that zone the script loses its power a little. Plus, there should have been more of a connection made at the end in terms of the consequences of Wilson's actions, considering it was his money that trained a young Osama Bin Laden.

silversurfer: Memento (2000) - Yep, it was on my list so obviously I love it. I think the gimmick argument only doesn't work because there's a few key moments where we're given insight to his character, giving the film depth and empathy.

thegreenarrow: Delicatessen (1991) – A very odd, grotesque movie but it's definitely imaginative.

transformers: Lucky Number Slevin (2006) - This seems like quite the cult film, as I've heard a lot about it but haven't seen it. Must give it a go one of these days.

englishozzy: Batman Begins (2005) - A tad over-rated but I respect Nolan's vision and ambition.

Ron Burgundy: Mission Impossible-See my previous post. Nice pick with Apocalypse Now also.

Buscemi: Gone Baby Gone (2007) - Over-rated, but unlike Batman Begins I don't respect Ben Affleck. Sure it's gritty, but it's gimmicky gritty, especially when you take the ridiculous plot into context. Amy Ryan was good, but Casey Afleck was far, far better in The Assassination of Jesse James.

Chienfantome: A Perfect World (1993) – Haven't seen it. I should, just to see if everything he made after Unforgiven really does suck or not.

Banks: Out of Sight (1998) - I liked the pace and the witty script, but I haven't had the desire to watch it since it was out in the cinemas.

BarcaRulz: La Haine (1995) - This came close to making my list. A brilliant, edgy, gritty movie.

Geezer: Beauty and the Beast (1991) - Been a long, long time since I watched this so it's hard to comment. I doubt it could surpass the brilliance of Cocteau's La Belle et la Bete though.

leestu: The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) – I've never fully seen this, as I'm not into musicals and The Time Warp is so overplayed each Halloween that it's like Christmas music to me. But about a month ago it was on TV and I half-watched it, and was surprised by how risqué it was. I mean it has a scene where Curry seduces the wife first, and then the husband, an idea that threatents the sexual solidity of the married couple. Brilliantly subversive (especially when you think about how popular it is), though the campness is a bit too much for me.

W: American History X (1998) - I don't know, my problems with Crash can almost be applied to this movie. Norton is good but there's something I don't buy about a racist white supremist going to jail, meeting a nice Afro-American, and suddenly realising he's wrong. Sadly racism goes far deeper than that, and this film's simplification of racial tension ultimately renders it a bit useless.

[Shrykespeare]

Movie #57

transformers - Lucky Number Slevin - Six, you absolutely check this out. If you liked The Usual Suspects at all, you'll like this as much. I sure did. Our ninth overlap. (10/10)

englishozzy - Batman Begins - Well, obviously I love this film. Our ninth overlap. (Three-way tie!) (10/10)

Ron B - Mission Impossible - I thought the MI3 was a better film, but this was very good too. (The second was an ungodly mess.) It was a little confusing the first couple of times I saw it, which is why it's not more highly ranked for me. It was an interesting twist taking Peter Graves' beloved TV character and turning him into a villain, but I would have liked a little more explanation than just the fact that he was disgruntled to turn rogue. (8/10)

leestu - Rocky Horror Picture Show - I was wondering if this was going to appear on someone's list! As campy as the day is long! I'm not a huge fan of musicals, but I'm a bigger fan of the movie's soundtrack than I am of the movie itself. That scene where Furter pulled back the tablecloth to reveal a hideously butchered Meat Loaf (in-joke, that) is an image burned into my brain forever. (7/10)

Geezer - Beauty and the Beast - Liked it, but not among my favorites at all. (6/10)

Buscemi - Gone Baby Gone - As I said before, something about it just felt really lacking to me. (6/10)

Chien - A Perfect World - Sorry, Chien, I didn't find this film to be exceptional in any way. The characters came off as two-dimensional and uninteresting, and the film's climax left me very disappointed. (4/10)

silversurfer - Memento - Would this film be as widely acclaimed if it weren't for the fact that it was "shot in reverse"? Yes, there's a mystery there whose details are only revealed the further back in time it goes, but I was completely underwhelmed by the film and everyone in it. Given what Nolan has achieved since then, I'm hoping this will be the one blight on his resume in perpetuity. (2/10)

[Geezer]

Funny enough Shryke, MI2 is by FAR my favorite of the trilogy, and I thought the third was an ungodly mess.

[silversurfer19]

MOVIE #60

Shrykespeare: Batman Begins (2005) – I agree with six in that I'd have loved to have seen more of Cillian Murphy as Scarecrow (and then we were threatened with as such in TDK, but again to no avail), and the ending was a little anticlimatic, but then I guess that was only to built up my sense of anticipation for what followed. Otherwise a very solid movie which made Batman cool again. And not a nipple in sight... (7.5/10)

silversurfer: The Wages of Fear (1953) - I didn't know Friedkin had remade this, I like The French Connection and a few of his other movies so I'd be interested in seeing it. What is the remake known as, Chien?

thegreenarrow: The Talented Mr Ripley (1999) – Absolutely adore this movie, didn't know a Ripley movie had been done before so I'll be catching Chien's pick when I can find it, but for the meantime this is just about the perfect adaptation of a great novel.

transformers: Iron Man (2008) - I loved the opening set up and RDJ was perfect as Stark/ Iron Man, but like six the final battle scene was a little underwhelming. Still it set up the franchise for The Avengers to be born and it was a thoroughly enjoyable movie too. Still, I preferred The Incredible Hulk as the favourite Marvel movie of that year. And IM2 was such a letdown, where did all the fun go? (7/10)

englishozzy: American Gangster (2007) - Watchable, as I watched it on tv for the first time last year, but it was never really that appealing in the first place and ultimately was a little tired and predictable. We've seen this type of movie over and over again over the years, it had nothing new to offer us. (5.5/10)

Ron Burgundy: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) - Deliciously detailed and maintaining all the hallmarks of what made Thompson's book so vividly awesome, great performances and some seriously surreal visuals. One of Gilliam's best, though I still prefer Brazil. By the way, if you get the chance to watch Gonzo, it's a fascinating documentary. (7.5/10)

Buscemi: Army of Darkness (1993) - Delightfully fun conclusion to the trilogy, just as it's predecessors had been. Not as chilling as the first two though, and I'd have liked to have seen a few more zombies than skeletons, but nevertheless, I guess Raimi was going for something a little different and it worked as a thoroughly entertaining, if not quite as scary follow up.(7/10)

Chienfantome: Singin’ In the Rain (1952) – I've seen glimpses of it over the years but never had the urge to fully immerse myself within the musical. Maybe I should give it a go, considering you generally hold the same view towards musicals as I do, but I don't see this being another The Red Shoes, unfortunately. (N/A)

Numbersix: Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade (1989) Should have stayed the last crusade. I'm with you, the best of all the Indy movies. (10/10)

Banks: Sin City (2005) - WoI'm not surprised it took a movie this good to convert you into a film fan, it is shockingly cool. (10/10)

BarcaRulz: 28 Days Later (2002) - For me, Boyle's masterpiece, didn't put a foot wrong with it, from the astonishing scenes of a devastated London to the adrenhaline fuelled finale. Stunning in ever sense of the word. (10/10)

Geezer: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) - This could have been so great, but in all honesty it's my least favourite of the trilogy. The end that never ends just kills me each time. Seriously, was there no editor on set when they were finalising the movie? Other than that I don't think the battle scenes match Two Towers but it is nevertheless a beautifully crafted movie. (7/10)

leestu: Silverado (1985) – I've heard of the title before, but didn't have a clue what it was about. Sounds promising though with a good cast (N/A)

W: The Silence of the Lambs (1991) - Without doubt one of the finest thrillers of recent times (man, it's almost twenty years old now...), with great performances and great direction. And while the prison scene with the liver quote is chilling, the cage scene where he kills the cops is spine tingling. (7.5/10)

[silversurfer19]

MOVIE #59


Shrykespeare: Enemy Mine (1985) – Never even heard of it. Sounds intriguing though, will check out the trailer later. (N/A)

silversurfer: Trainspotting (1996) - Wait a minute Chien, you were old enough to see an R rated Shallow Grave two years before this, but not old enough to watch Trainspotting? I don't think I can comprehend that...

thegreenarrow: Girl, Interrupted (1999) – Ah, don't listen to them haters, brilliant acting which for me outdoes One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest and a beautifully talent Winona Ryder, you can't go wrong. (10/10)

transformers: Kick-Ass (2010) - Just recently got this on DVD, can't wait to watch it over the holidays. Is Mark Millar to become the most in demand comic book-movie writer? It was translated well to the big screen for the most part and was the second Vaughn movie in a row which I loved from start to finish. Still think it's a little premature to be on a list like this though, especially at such a lofty position. (8/10)

englishozzy: Office Space (1999) - Hurrah, the cult is growing! (10/10)

Ron Burgundy & leetsu: Saw (2004) - For the most part original and an interesting take on horror movies of late. What it spawned was almost as horrific unfortunately. (7/10)

Buscemi: Manhunter (1986) - Visually it's stunning, but the direction is so self important, and Peterson is pretty forgettable despite his title role. I can just never really find myself liking this. Much prefer Silence Of The Lambs. (6/10)

Chienfantome: The Great Escape (1963) – A film I've watched numerous times over the years, but has never really stood out as one of the best in it's genre despite it's billing. Always watchable, with a good cast, but just nothing that special. (6.5/10)

numbersix: Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) - Still a really funny movie, can't decide if my favourite Python movie is this or Brian. Probably Brian, just... (8/10)

Banks: Bad Boys (1995) - Haha, yeah, what's you're pick really? Oh... I love that Wright, Pegg and Frost lampoon this movie (and it's sequel) in Hot Fuzz, totally exposing how over the top it is. Not a movie for me. Ever. (3/10)

BarcaRulz: Cinema Paradiso (1988) - Been meaning to watch this for well over 15 years but have never gotten round to checking it out. Will do so ASAP. (N/A)

Geezer: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) - Remove Depp's character and there wouldn't be much of a movie though, six. It's like removing the ring from LOTR or Peter Parker's abilities in Spider-Man, Depp was the focus of the first movie, and it was all the better for it. Great pick, was a lot of fun the first time I watched it, and could watch it another 50 times again without dampening my impression. (9/10)

W: Walk the Line (2005) - I was largely surprised by how much I enjoyed this. Great central performances and a riveting plot, one of my favourite biopic movies and fully deserving of all it's praise. (7.5/10)

[Buscemi]

Is Mark Millar to become the most in demand comic book-movie writer?

Most in-demand? Probably not. But he's probably the most rewritten comic book writer in terms of adaptations (Wanted was heavily rewritten to remove the politics and less mainstream appeal moments, Kick-Ass was heavily rewritten to remove the politics and misogyny.) Example on Kick-Ass: Katie. The comic book gives such a negative depiction of the character (and women in general) that Vaughn and Goldman had no choice but to rewrite the character into being more sympathetic. Also, Goldman probably would have gotten some hate from feminists had she co-written a straight adaptation of Millar's female characters.

[silversurfer19]

Okay, maybe I worded that incorrectly, as both Wanted and Kick Ass were indeed both heavily edited from their gloriously over the top comic origins (I sometimes wonder if Wanted would have been a) as good , and b) as successful if it stuck with the original premise), but I do feel that Millar has become one of the most in demand comic book writers to have their ideas translated to movies. It appears like he may become a go to guy for generating ideas of comic movies in the future (I have a feeling he will be brought in for one of The Avengers or Superman, as he has history with both stories, and was surprised he didn't have anything to do with First Class).

[Shrykespeare]

MOVIE #56


Shrykespeare

Matchstick Men (2003) – Director: Ridley Scott; starring Nicolas Cage, Alison Lohman and Sam Rockwell. An incredibly small-scale departure for Scott, it featured a terrific performance by Cage as a con artist with OCD. Lohman is terrific as Cage’s long-lost “daughter”, and Rockwell is wonderfully snarky as Cage’s partner-in-crime. Just a very endearing, delightful little film that deserved a lot more kudos than it got.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NajOPhAf9MU


silversurfer

Citizen Kane (1941) - Director: Orson Welles; starring Orson Welles, Joseph Cotton and Agnes Moorhead. I remember first being able to watch this when I was about 12 years old, knowing it was supposed to be one of the greatest movies ever, but suspicious it could ever live up to such a statement. Oh how i was proved wrong, as this superbly written tale of a man's epic rise and fall within the publishing industry is a thoroughly entertaining movie filled with invention and playful characters, executed to perfection both on and off screen by Orson Welles. Welles succeeded in giving a towering performance as Charles Foster Kane, but to complement that he executed some breathtaking imagery (I can never get some of those angular shots out of me head, innovative even now, but I dare say shocking to the extreme when this was first released) which would have inspired even Hitchcock.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zKcddU8HKk


thegreenarrow

Brazil (1985) - Director: Terry Gilliam; starring Jonathan Pryce, Ian Holm, Robert De Niro and Katherine Helmond. (3rd appearance)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Wh2b1eZFUM


transformers

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983) - Director: Richard Marquand; starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Billy Dee Williams. While Return of the Jedi is no Empire Strikes Back, it's still a great film. It is a really solid conclusion to the story and I still think George Lucas should have stopped with this one. (3rd appearance)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woFkIziqbw4


englishozzy

Green Street Hooligans (2005) - Director: Lexi Alexander; starring Elijah Wood, Charlie Hunnam, Claire Forlani and David Alexander. An indie look at football (soccer) hooliganism in England, albeit with some touch up by Hollywood experts. Lexi Alexander does a good job in detailing the sort of world you can find yourself in while watching football matches over in Britain, a sort of underground fight club between rival clubs has threatened to overspill for a long time now. Elijah does OK as the American who is wrongly expelled from University in America and travels to London to be with his sister, but to end up falling in with the wrong crowd. The fight scenes are very brutal and you feel every punch and bruise, I really like this film as it feels very real to what actually goes on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVPmRqMNeFg


Ron Burgundy

Back to the Future 2 (1989) - Director: Robert Zemeckis; starring: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Elisabeth Shue and Thomas F. Wilson. My favourite of the the Back to the Future movies, where the time travelling continues between Marty McFly and the Doc. The first half of the movie is awesome, I loved it as a kid and always wanted a hoverboard, still do actually.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRrSp6Pqlz4


Buscemi

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) - Director: David Hand/William Cottrell/Wilfred Jackson/Larry Morey/Perce Pearce/Ben Sharpsteen; starring Adriana Caselotti, Lucille La Verne, Roy Atwell, Pinto Colvig and Otis Harlan. Before it was released, people called it "Disney's Folly" and expected it to flop. When it was released as the first American feature-length animated film, those people ate their words and it became the biggest film of all-time up to that night (basically 1937's Avatar). Sergei Eisenstein even called it the greatest film ever made. Today, the film still stands up well as a landmark of animation and holds up better than many of today's films (I'm looking at you, DreamWorks). The story is a simple one of a girl who stumbles upon a group of dwarves and becomes their friend, eventually helping each other. However, the way that it is told is what makes it so good (thanks to the hard work and determination of the animators and writers and voice actors at Walt Disney's company). Thanks to the film, we also had many other great Disney movies to watch. Had this film not been what it has become, I don't know what cinema would be like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MpdSysogxY


Chienfantome

Le père Noel est une ordure (1982) – Director: Jean-Marie Poiré; starring Thierry Lhermitte, Gérard Jugnot, Anémone, Josiane Balasko, Christian Clavier and Marie-Anne Chazel. Here’s a film I would be very surprised if anyone else but me had seen it. One of the greatest French comedies ever made, if not the greatest. It was created as a play, and the team behind the play turned it into a film, with the same cast. The bigger part of the film takes place in an apartment. It’s Christmas Eve. The apartment is where an association operates, an association helping people in distress. In moral distress. They get phone calls of depressed people, and try to give them hope again. Christmas Eve is a big night for them, and that night, everything is going to go wildly wrong. This is one of the most delightful film there is. It is delightful because, of course, it is frenetically funny, with some of the best lines ever written in French comedy, and it is delightful because it manages, slowly but surely, to go beyond the laugh, by small touches, and dress a bitter portrait of loneliness. But don’t get me wrong, it’s the immense fun that puts this film so high in my Top. I’m sorry but I don’t have anything subtitled to show you, so I have chosen a clip which speaks for itself because you don’t have to understand what is said to capture the comedy in it. Two guys dancing, one is a member of the association, the other is a transvestite looking for comfort on Christmas Eve…

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x82mso ... -ordur_fun


numbersix

Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991) - Director: James Cameron; starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong and Robert Patrick. With many films that were my favourites as a kid, time whittled them away from my attention, as ultimately they were merely distraction. But a sign of a good film is one that grows with you, that with each subsequent viewing every few years you see a new element, its meaning expanding and enriching. Terminator 2 is certainly one of those films. I still remember the first time I saw it, renting it from a video store (I was too young to catch it in the cinema). Cameron managed to better himself in some ways, flipping the human/robot dichotomy on its head. But he also flipped Spielberg’s themes too, instead of making a film about fatherhood, he made a film about motherhood in the absence of a father (which the T-800 manages to fill), and continuing his interest in strong leading female figures. With the new villain, the T-1000, Cameron embraced postmodernism by creating something with no identity, an amorphous machine that moves within roles of authority, (ironically) adding depth to what is far, far more than an action film. (3rd appearance)

Here’s the opening sequence that portrays a terrifying future:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcisPdJVNl8


Banks

Boyz N the Hood (1991) - Director: John Singleton; starring Ice Cube, Laurence Fishburne and Cuba Gooding Jr. Boyz N the Hood is an important film, just as much as it’s an enjoyable one. Something that should be shown to all inner-city young kids, it is probably the best portrayal of a somewhat normal life of being poor and black. It shows that in any poor and uneducated environment, people with morals, intelligence, and a helping nature can grow with the right guidance from their parents and friends. It also shows how quickly all of that can be snatched away by violence spurred by ignorance and stupidity. Career bests for everyone involved.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4sKiGkzKJo


BarcaRulz

Sunshine (2007) - Director: Danny Boyle; starring Cillian Murphy, Rose Byrne, Chris Evans, and Cliff Curtis. Another Boyle movie on my list, and IMO his best. I remember watching this during a movie marathon, and I remember loving every minute of it. The acting was fantastic by all involved (as is usual in Boyle films), the direction was amazing, and the soundtrack was immense. (2nd appearance)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZ2-xR54UDU


Geezer

Rocky II (1979) - Director: Sylvester Stallone; starring Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burgess Meredith, Carl Weathers and Burt Young. The Rematch between Rocky and Apollo is probably my favorite of all the fights. The simultaneous knockdown followed by Rocky beating the clock and the celebration, pure gold! He may have lost the first, but he won the second, and we see the building friendship that carries through the third movie. Won't be the last Rocky on my list.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOuDFsDTPzc


leestu

The Sixth Sense (1999) – Director. M Night Shyamalan; starring Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, and Toni Collette. (2nd appearance)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2sDw-XBuKc


W

Role Models (2008) - Director: David Wain; starring Paul Rudd, Seann William Scott, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Bobb'e J. Thompson. A really funny film with some great comedic lines. I'm at the point where I'll watch anything that Paul Rudd is in and he's really good as the straight(er) guy here compared to Seann William Scott's character.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sqnvu5QC2fQ




With three films appearing for the third time, the Top Ten has changed again. Big Lebowski is pushed down to #13 (for the moment), and Return of the Jedi is now #12. Here is the up-to-the-minute Top Ten:

10. Brazil
9. LOTR: The Two Towers
8. Batman Begins
7. Terminator 2: Judgment Day
6. Saw
5. V For Vendetta
4. Heat
3. Office Space
2. Sin City
1. Jurassic Park

Will it change again tomorrow? Hell yes!

[numbersix]

MOVIE #56

Shrykespeare: Matchstick Men (2003) – Agreed that it deserves more praise than it got. It's a very watchable film, mostly due to Lohman and Rockwell. But fortunately Cage isn't too hammy. Not close to making a Top 100 for me, but definitely worth watching.

silversurfer: Citizen Kane (1941) - One of the few examples of a classic that deserves its status. And not just for its historical significance. It really is a moving story too, a rise to fame that highlights a tragic thirst for power in the face of a deep sense of loss.

thegreenarrow: Brazil (1985) - Good to see this excellent satirical sci-fi make it into another list.

transformers: Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983) - Bloody Ewoks. Still, it was good despite the transparent attempt to maximise merchendising.

englishozzy: Green Street Hooligans (2005) - In the UK it was just called Green St, which amuses me because the word hooligan is so English, and also very obsolete. Never seen it, and I recommend I.D. as a possibly superior football thug flick.

Ron Burgundy: Back to the Future 2 (1989) - A very clever sequel, especially when Marty goes back to the past and there's 2 versions of him (Part 1 version and Part 2 version). Pity Part 3 was such a let-down.

Buscemi: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) - It's been at least 20 years, so I've no idea what it's actually like.

Chienfantome: Le père Noel est une ordure (1982) – I HATED this film! Only, kidding, of course I haven't seen it!

Banks: Boyz N the Hood (1991) - From what I remember about this film, it was a tough put potent drama.

BarcaRulz: Sunshine (2007) - This film is getting a lot of love. Strange, as I saw it as a failure in light of what it could have been. Still enjoyted it though.

Geezer: Rocky II (1979) - Now you just know I haven't seen it.

leestu: The Sixth Sense (1999) – A very holy film. No, not religous, just so full of plot holes it's almost amusing. The frustrating about Shyamalan is that I can't entirely hate him because he usually gets good performances from his cast.

W: Role Models (2008) - expecting a typically predictable gross-out movie, I was surprised at how funny this was. Not exactly unforgettable, but I'm glad I watched it.

[numbersix]

Geezer: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) - Remove Depp's character and there wouldn't be much of a movie though, six. It's like removing the ring from LOTR or Peter Parker's abilities in Spider-Man, Depp was the focus of the first movie, and it was all the better for it. Great pick, was a lot of fun the first time I watched it, and could watch it another 50 times again without dampening my impression. (9/10)

Nah.... you see while most people enjoy the film for Depp (and I agree that he is funny), he's in no way the protagonist. He has no story, and no real character arc. That's for Knightley and Bloom, and because the film focuses on them it's ultimately a bore. Then again, Sparrow is a one-dimensional character so he couldn't hold it on its own. The reason why I like LOTR and Spiderman is because the protagonists are interesting, making me care about what happens in their fantastical world.

[Chienfantome]

silversurfer: The Wages of Fear (1953) - I didn't know Friedkin had remade this, I like The French Connection and a few of his other movies so I'd be interested in seeing it. What is the remake known as, Chien?

I have never seen it, but it's called "Sorcerer". Its stars Roy Scheider.

[Chienfantome]

silversurfer: Trainspotting (1996) - Wait a minute Chien, you were old enough to see an R rated Shallow Grave two years before this, but not old enough to watch Trainspotting? I don't think I can comprehend that...

Don't forget I'm french, Surfer. The restriction system is different here. It's generally more accessible, there are less films restricted than in english-speaking countries. So Trainspotting was "Interdit aux moins de 16 ans", "forbidden to the less than 16 years-old", so I could not see, but "Shallow Grave" was only forbidden to the less than 12 here, so I was able to see that one. Most films here are released without restrictions, some with not to the less than 12, and a fw ones with not to the less than 16.
For example, this week-end I have seen "Machete", and it was just "-12". So kids from 12 years-old can see it here, we must be the coolest country in the world for that !