Fantaverse Top 100 Movies of All Time (Thread #1): 100-91

[Chienfantome]

Oho, I know this isn't the place, but...

... I've no problem with deviating from the truth in order to achieve dramatic effect. Every film does that. But my problem is that it's not a very good critique of society (and anyone who thinks it wasn't trying to do so needs to ask themselves why else would two of Hollywood's leading creatives make a film about Zuckerberg's court case), it's glib and unsophisticated (it ultimately boils down to: "look at these people, aren't they awful. And they created this society's most important social tool, so aren't we all part of their awfulness". It's like making a film about how awful the makers of TV were because they wanted to see more boobies). And ultimately it's boring. Take away some of the zippy dialogue and a few jokes, all of which is window dressing for me, and you have very little.

You're right it's not the place, but I feel very different from what you say. I do not see the film as boiling down to "look at these people, aren't they awful, and we're awful too". I think it's much more subtle and complicated than that. I know it did not make me feel that way. I think the film manages to throw the manicheism away, and create fascinating human beings. Anyway...

[silversurfer19]

Oho, I know this isn't the place, but...

... I've no problem with deviating from the truth in order to achieve dramatic effect. Every film does that. But my problem is that it's not a very good critique of society (and anyone who thinks it wasn't trying to do so needs to ask themselves why else would two of Hollywood's leading creatives make a film about Zuckerberg's court case), it's glib and unsophisticated (it ultimately boils down to: "look at these people, aren't they awful. And they created this society's most important social tool, so aren't we all part of their awfulness". It's like making a film about how awful the makers of TV were because they wanted to see more boobies). And ultimately it's boring. Take away some of the zippy dialogue and a few jokes, all of which is window dressing for me, and you have very little.

I'm not actually sure that was the direction Fincher was going with this. The article i read mentioned that Zuckerberg did not create Facebook to get into the Finals Club, but they inserted that for dramatic effect. I believe it was Fincher's intention not to illustrate Zuckerberg as an asshole (which many have assumed), but more a kid who thought he would be liked better if he appeared to be an asshole. They basically said as much in the last scene, while the first scene with his girlfriend proved this with his determination to act like an ass so that he would appear cool, and thus cool enough to make it into the Finals Club. Unfortunately for him it also got him dumped. I honestly believe that Zuckerberg was a good kid, and that despite being bright, he was also easily manipulated, and that he was manipulated by Shawn Fanning because he looked up to him as someone to aspire to.

I think that Fincher, therefore, was setting out to portray to us the lengths we will go to be accepted, to the extent of ruining friendships. The last scene with him constantly refreshing his friend request personified this perfectly for me. He had gone to all these lengths to appear an ass but, destroying frienships, where as all along he wanted to be friends. Kinda ironic I thought. This is kind of a metaphor for how social networking sites like Facebook work too. They simultaneously bring us together at the same time as causing friction between friends. You see it all the time through sniping comments on walls etc. These kind of themes have appeared over and over again over the years, and i think Fincher captured the notion well.

Other that that I was, and having spoken to others afterwards who agreed, very interested in how Facebook came to be so huge so quickly, and the film documented that quite well. It introduced some concepts of how the internet works, and considering how tedious that sounds, the fact he made it interesting should be applauded. So maybe for you it was more of a case of a lot of gloss hiding a fairly dull plot, but for me it was a fascinating insight into social networking as well as documenting just how we do react within those sorts of environments. Maybe without facebook we are aren't all assholes, but really, with the way it works, many people do become assholes on there.

[silversurfer19]

Shrykespeare: L.A. Confidential (1997) – I don't usually like many movies with Russell Crowe in, for some reason something about him grates on me. However, although I've only watched this once before, and even then it was a good 10 years or so ago, I do remember enjoying his performance in this. Scratch that, every actor in this upped their game and what resulted was a fascinating noir-esque movie which I really need to watch again. (7/10)

thegreenarrow: Oldboy (2003) – Very nice, certainly Park Chan Wook's best movie (though closely followed by Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance), stylistically you don't get much better, with brilliant action scenes and beautiful scenary, while the narrative has an twist Shyamalan would kill for. Brilliant narrative and exquistitly told. (10/10)

transformers: Meet The Parents (2000) - The best of the series so far, I guess, but it's more the best of a bad bunch scenario really. De Niro and Stiller are good, but the rest of the cast left things to be desired. (5/10)

englishozzy: Independence Day (1996) - Not a fan of Emmerich at all, but Smith improved my appreciation of the movie. Other than that, I've only watched it once and it contained pretty much every ridiculous scenario which are usually scattered throughout Emmerich's movies. (4/10)

Ron Burgundy: Gettin’ Square (2003) - Will get back to this when I have a chance to watch the trailer. (N/A)

Buscemi: The Diving Bell and The Butterfly (2007) - I wasn't sure what to expect when I saw this, but I was mesmerised by how good this was. I've only watched it the once, as it isn't the easiest of films to watch due to its subject matter, but Schnabel's direction was impeccable and the lead was very convincing. A beautiful story which, if Helena let's me ever buy it on DVD (she doesn't like to buy DVDs that make her feel depressed), I'd like to watch again. (9/10)

Chienfantome: Zodiac (2007) – I was so close to placing this on my own list. It really is quite superb, and proved that Fincher can continue to work at the top of his game. Very well acted, a riveting plot which made me obsess over the true nature of the crimes for days afterwards. I'm with six though, I think the basement scene was a bit of a red herring used to lure us into a false sense of panic, it distracted from the rest of the plot and indicated a different kind of movie from what we actually were watching. Nevertheless, it wasn't enough to stifle my appreciation. Good to see it appear on somebody's list. (9.5/10)

Banks: O (2001) - I'll comment further on this when I get a chance to watch the trailer, but I always find it hard to appreciate Shakespeare on film. In fact I don't think I've ever really enjoyed an adaptation of his work. Maybe Kurosawa's loose adaptations with Ran or Throne Of Blood, or stylistically Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet, but that's about it. Maybe it's for six's reasons of it being made for the stage and it just doesn't translate that well. (N/A)

BarcaRulz: A Fish Called Wanda (1988) - Man, I haven't watched this movie for about 15 years. I seem to remember enjoying it at the time, but should really give it another watch one day. (7/10)

Geezer: Gone in 60 Seconds (2000) - I'm sure if this is your type of movie it would be great, however, i'm not a fan of the genre at all so it never really appealed to me. So in the end it was just a lot of flash cars speeding around which didn't really hold any appeal for me, but i can understand why you like it. (5/10)

JohnL: Anvil: The Story of Anvil (2008) - Haven't gotten round to seeing this yet, but it looks a really good documentary from what I have seen and heard. (N/A)

leestu: Purple Rain (1984) – Yeah, I've just never really been able to appreciate Prince really and this doesn't appeal to me. (N/A)

six/ W: The Shining (1980) - Great movie, classic lines, horrific and haunting scenes. one of Kubrick's best. Love the steadycam scene, technical genius too! And I remember reading somewhere recently about room 237, where the owners of the real hotel used for the movie didn't want people to be scared of Room 217 (which is the room in the book), so as there was no room 237 in the hotel they used that number. Now there are hotels around the world which deliberately skip room 237! Ironic...(10/10)

Again, a bit of a hit and miss round.

[Shrykespeare]

MOVIE #93

Today is, apparently, Paul Verhoeven day.


Shrykespeare

Flushed Away (2006) – Director: David Bowers and Sam Fell; starring Hugh Jackman, Kate Winslet, Ian McKellen, Jean Reno and Bill Nighy. A well-to-do, prissy pet rat gets flushed down his penthouse toilet and finds himself in the gritty underworld society of sewer rats. Winslet’s Cockney accent has never been sexier, McKellen’s delightfully OTT performance as the villainous Toad is awesome, and… who’d have thought you could make SLUGS cute?

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


silversurfer

Starship Troopers (1997) - Director: Paul Verhoeven; starring Casper Van Dien, Denise Richards and Neil Patrick Harris. While combining this list I had a difficult time making a decision over which Paul Verhoeven movie was my favourite, and which would eventually make the cut. In the end, despite my love for both RoboCop and Total Recall, this brilliantly fun B-Movie satire was the only movie which made it. The action and violence are insane, totally over the top but all the while completely tongue in cheek., while actors where chosen for their blatant inability to act! You may think, “how can a movie with actors who can't act make your top 100?”, but simply put, if decent actors attempted to play this, it wouldn't have turned out half as good, an not nearly half as fun. Essentially in doing so, Verhoeven created a brilliant comedy, but what makes it all the better is that it was totally intentional.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y07I_KER5fE


thegreenarrow

District 9 (2009) – Director: Neil Blomkamp; starring Sharlto Copley, David James and Vanessa Haywood. I love the look of this movie, it's like no other and the concept is amazing with a great twist midway through the movie when your perception of the aliens changes completely.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyLUwOcR5pk


transformers

Coach Carter (2005) - Director: Thomas Carter; starring Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Ri'chard and Rob Brown. Coach Carter was a film I had zero interest in seeing. The only reason I saw it was because my mom wanted to and I went with her. I ended up being beyond pleasantly surprised. It tells a great story about achieving not only on the basketball court, but in academics. Samuel L. Jackson gives his best performance since Pulp Fiction. It might be a tad bit cliché (but then, most sports underdog stories are), but it's still a great film.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOFhHEepF4s


englishozzy

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) - Director: Guy Ritchie; starring Jason Flemyng, Dexter Fletcher, Nick Moran and Jason Statham. A wonderful lead up to Snatch, Guy Ritchie's first foray into directing gave us an insight on what was about to come. A neat, gritty British gangster movie with a sharp script and hilarious performances. I love how violent the movie is and yet the humour running through it makes it funny watching Vinnie Jones smash a guy's head in a tanning salon with his young son watching over the violence.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylU0QffdGDE


Ron Burgundy

Minority Report (2002) - Director: Steven Spielberg; starring Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell and Max Von Sydow. I liked this movie when it came out a lot more than I do now, I must admit. I picked up on the many inconsistencies in the story and that pegged it back 50 or so places. But some of the ideas in the flick like the eye scanning or the new style of computers are still great. It reminds you that this type future isn’t that far away and that is exciting. Also Colin Farrell’s first major movie in Hollywood, made this a treat to watch after he “made it”. Tom Cruise is a star when it comes to blockbusters too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2bmImPNKbM


Buscemi

RoboCop (1987) - Director: Paul Verhoeven; starring Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Kurtwood Smith, Ronny Cox and Dan O'Herlihy. A political allegory disguised as an ultra-violent action film, Paul Verhoeven's first American film is a pure crowd pleaser with equal parts of sci-fi, action and black comedy. RoboCop is a heroic, more human version of The Terminator played well by Peter Weller but my favorite things in it are the writing and the villains. Kurtwood Smith is such a great second in command villain, he makes Boba Fett look like a pussy. “Can you fly, Bobby?”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svsN-K9b2Ng


Chienfantome

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) – Director: Steven Spielberg; starring Richard Dreyfuss and François Truffaut. Should I be ashamed because I am French ? But I’m not into the New Wave, la Nouvelle Vague. Godard, Rohmer, Rivette, that’s not a cinema that excites me. Truffaut is the only one I truly admire, and I guess Spielberg admired him too, to offer the bad actor he was a big role in his beautiful tale of man meeting extraterrestrials. I’ve seen this one a couple of times in theaters, and the second time was when I really fell in love with the poetry of this film.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiQse9XibQw


numbersix

Naked (1993) - Director: Mike Leigh; starring David Thewlis, Lesley Sharp and Katrin Cartlidge. Mike Leigh is normally known for his working-class domestic dramas, traditionally known as “kitchen sink” dramas. But he tried something different for Naked, and it’s all the more fascinating. Workshopping with actors instead of using a written script as per usual, this is a film about a down-and-out man who traverses the streets of London after committing a crime in his own city. He encounters people of the night and gets philosophical about life. Meanwhile, his ex Louise and her friend Sophie encounter a psychotic that is almost the UK version of Patrick Bateman. David Thewlis is electric, spouting off arguments and insults at breakneck speeds, and ultimately I feel Leigh wanted to make Thewlis to be part of England, embodying its contradictory spirit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yzufbe3d8Ic


Banks

Slumdog Millionaire (2008) - Director: Danny Boyle; starring Dev Patel and Frieda Pinto. A love story, told through a series of questions on the Indian version of “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” – hardly a likely candidate to sweep the Oscars. It didn’t hurt their chances that Slumdog just happened to be one of the best love stories of the last decade. A last-ditch effort to win over his childhood sweetheart, Dev Patel’s Jamal goes on her favorite show to prove his love for her, while dodging the slimy host and his criminal brother. The scene where Jamal calls Latika as his last lifeline – it wholly embodies the spirit and heart of the movie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIzbwV7on6Q


BarcaRulz

Braveheart (1995) - Director: Mel Gibson; starring Mel Gibson, Sophie Marceau, and Patrick McGoohan. I remember watching and re-watching this when I was younger, and it always left a profound effect on me. No matter what you may think of him personally, Mel Gibson did brilliantly well in both directing this movie, and leading its cast to some fine performances.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBXBtORI7pE


Geezer

Miracle (2004) - Director: Gavin O'Connor; starring Kurt Russell, Eddie Cahill and Patrick O'Brien Demsey. Another of my favorite theater going experiences. I remember seeing this at a sneak preview the week before it came out. So damn inspiring. A story that needed to be told. The entire audience was cheering like we were at the game during the match with the Soviets. A truly moving experience.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp_pV-CH0wk


JohnL

What we Do Is Secret (2008) – Director: Roger Grossman; starring Shane West, Bijou Phillips and Rick Gonzalez. “People are always talking about politics and about whats going to work and whats not going work , but none of its going work. That's why you have to throw it all away and start over”(Darby Crash) This movie told the story of Darby Crash and his legendary LA band The Germs. The movie captured all of Darby from his anger and ferocity on stage to his more poetic and tame closet homosexual life off stage. Shane west impressed me in this film he went from being in a walk to remember to a notorious punk rocker with a serious drug problem, plus he actually got the tattoo Darby had. That's dedication!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zVJklX2XRs


leestu

The Castle (1997) – Director: Rob Sitch; starring Michael Caton, Stephen Curry and Eric Bana. An absolutely hilarious movie about a father fighting the government to save his home. A man’s home is his castle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJuXIq7OazQ


W

Big Daddy (1999) - Director: Dennis Dugan; starring Adam Sandler, Jon Stewart and Leslie Mann. One of the better Sandler films, this one has a ton of quotable lines which I love in a comedy or any favorite film. Such quotes are “Play the Kangaroo song!”, “I wipe my own ass”, and “Can someone get this kid a Happy Meal!?!” (link).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5glmc8_COM

[numbersix]

Shrykespeare: Flushed Away (2006) – Never got round to seeing this, even though it's Aardman. Somehow I suspect this isn't the only rat-based amination that will feature in your Top 100

silversurfer: Starship Troopers (1997) - An undeniably entertaining film, that's definitely made better with the satire on the gung-ho attitude of the US and its military. You can't help but feel sorry for the creature in the final scene.

thegreenarrow: District 9 (2009) – Better than most Hollywood action movies, but this just isn't as great as everyone said it was. Great lead performance, but the action relied on some cliches (the bad guy hesitating too long in killing the good guy, only to be rescued by an ally. This happens about 3 times in the movie!), and there's an unintentional irony in creating an aparteid allegory yet the film demonises Nigerians. But nevertheless it's still fun.

transformers: Coach Carter (2005) - I'm not much into sports movies or sport-related movies, especially since they all rely on the most obvious of cliches and do nothing for me. I'm pretty sure I've seen parts of this on TV but turned it off.

englishozzy: Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) - I don't like Ritchie as a director. Sure, his movies often have witty dialogue but they're very little beyond that. Just cool characters saying and doing cool things. It's all too self-absorbed and smug for me, and ultimately it's a tad vacuous. This is definitely his best, and the only one I derived any enjoyment from. It also introduced me to The Stooges' I Wanna Be Your Dog, so bonus points for that.

Ron Burgundy: Minority Report (2002) - I have to confess that while I enjoyed it, this film never blew me away in the manner of a lot of Spielberg's films. It's entertaining (I love the scene where Cruise is still blind and the little eye-scanning spiders raid his building), although the twist is a tad predictable (and it doesn't make sense that Farrell's character could be so stupid about it....), but a good blockbuster overall.

Buscemi: RoboCop (1987) - They just don't make them like this anymore, do they? Just thinking about seeing this film when I was 8 or so I was shocked by how nasty it was (just think of the acid bath scene). But I appreciated it too, because it ensured that it wasn't so much PG13 fun that I felt nothing when finishing it. It's exaggerations got to you. These days it's all so sanitary that you have to wonder if any morality is getting through to people. Anyway, I love this film,liked the second, and the rest doens't exist as far as I'm concerned. I wonder what Aronofsky planned to do with it?

Chienfantome: Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) – Now this is more like the great Spielberg who can make a heartfelt, passionate, exciting, and scary story, all at the same time. The characters are so well portrayed that the sci-fi elements are made all the more intense. I'm also glad that Truffaut is the only French Nouvelle Vauger that you like. I'm the same, as Godard bore me. It's funny how generations will recognise him only as the actor in the film, rather than the maker of great films.

Banks: Slumdog Millionaire (2008) - I've only watched this once, and loved it when I saw it but time has detracted from my appreciation a little. I think it's because I loved the first half, but the second half became a little too self-conscious for me. The scene with the brother in the bath-tub feels so consciously poised that it took me out of the experience, and the dance scene at the end really ruined it for me, as no longer did I feel I was watching real characters I care about, but rather the automatons of a musical. I do like the energy of the direction, though, and look forward to 127 Hours.

BarcaRulz: Braveheart (1995) - I've watched this film several times this year as I had to research the locations in Ireland in which it was filmed. And I don't like it. It's just another self-righteous story from Mel Gibson, who I didn't like even before his racist and misogynist phone calls to his ex wife. The film is just far too black-and-white for me. And while historically it's of course awful that England could rule over Scotland like that (I mena, they were even worse with us Irish!), I felt there's no depth to the Wallace character. He's so unequivocally good it's sickening, especially when the film is 3 bloody hours long. The only enjoyment I get is from the first major battle scene, and the great supporting performances from Brendan Gleeson and Patrick McGoohan.

Geezer: Miracle (2004) - I couldn't even make it through the trailer let alone the full film (I turned off at the "I play for the United State of America" bit). It just seems like another cliched sports movie about facing the odds and triumphing. In fact it has the smae beats as the Mighty Ducks films!

JohnL : What we Do Is Secret (2008) – I was never a huge fan of The Germs. For me, they seemed more about style and shock tactics than the music (just like the Sex Pistols), this this movie doesn't interet me much. I was surprised about him being secretely homosexual, so that is admittedly a layer that adds to the story.

leestu: The Castle (1997) – You're a proud Australian, Leetsu . There's not one Irish movie in my Top 100, sadly. This film got well reviewed over here but I never got to see it.

W: Big Daddy (1999) - Another Sandler movie I've seen bits of but never wanted to watch it all. It's hard to take them seriously after the mock trailers for Sandler's character in Funny People.

[numbersix]

I'm not actually sure that was the direction Fincher was going with this. The article i read mentioned that Zuckerberg did not create Facebook to get into the Finals Club, but they inserted that for dramatic effect. I believe it was Fincher's intention not to illustrate Zuckerberg as an asshole (which many have assumed), but more a kid who thought he would be liked better if he appeared to be an asshole. They basically said as much in the last scene, while the first scene with his girlfriend proved this with his determination to act like an ass so that he would appear cool, and thus cool enough to make it into the Finals Club. Unfortunately for him it also got him dumped. I honestly believe that Zuckerberg was a good kid, and that despite being bright, he was also easily manipulated, and that he was manipulated by Shawn Fanning because he looked up to him as someone to aspire to.

Well if that is the case then the movie is an even bigger failure because it certainly doesn't protray that very well. If that was the intention surely we'd see the "good kid" side and the struggle between that and the persona he feels he has to adopt. We just don't get enough of that, or any at all (and there's beats where that could have been established, like when Eduardo first comes to California). So we're left with an asshole that we have to assume that's good inside even though we get no indications? As for the last scene, it was a nice idea but rather than indicate that he's a nice guy who is pretending to be a jerk, to me it just says he's a selfish and arrogant man who's desperate for attention and can't face rejection. IT's pathetic than sympathetic, especially in light of his arrogance and self-absorption throughout the entire movie.

I think that Fincher, therefore, was setting out to portray to us the lengths we will go to be accepted, to the extent of ruining friendships. The last scene with him constantly refreshing his friend request personified this perfectly for me. He had gone to all these lengths to appear an ass but, destroying frienships, where as all along he wanted to be friends. Kinda ironic I thought. This is kind of a metaphor for how social networking sites like Facebook work too. They simultaneously bring us together at the same time as causing friction between friends. You see it all the time through sniping comments on walls etc. These kind of themes have appeared over and over again over the years, and i think Fincher captured the notion well. Other that that I was, and having spoken to others afterwards who agreed, very interested in how Facebook came to be so huge so quickly, and the film documented that quite well. It introduced some concepts of how the internet works, and considering how tedious that sounds, the fact he made it interesting should be applauded. So maybe for you it was more of a case of a lot of gloss hiding a fairly dull plot, but for me it was a fascinating insight into social networking as well as documenting just how we do react within those sorts of environments. Maybe without facebook we are aren't all assholes, but really, with the way it works, many people do become assholes on there.

Ah, but my problem is that that while I agree this story is a microcosm for social networking and this generation as a whole, it only portrays one side: the negative side. It's like criticising the internet in general by makign a movie about the jerks who spend their time bickering in Rotten Tomatoes and IMDB forums, een though there's groups like us who can engage in interesting debates. The film wants to show the destructive side of social networking, which is of course undeniable, but any film that takes on something so huge, so important in modern life, needs to acknowledge its sophisication. And this film doesn't (unsurprisingly, neither writer nor director have Facebook pages, so I suspect neither "gets" it). It was in dire need of a subplot, like the Amelia Warner one in Quills, that at least acknowledges that it's bigger than it's creators and thus not a part of the latent narcissism and arrogance present in all character.

[Leestu]

leestu: The Castle (1997) – You're a proud Australian, Leetsu . There's not one Irish movie in my Top 100, sadly. This film got well reviewed over here but I never got to see it.

Yes I am, and I am rather fond of our movie industry. But I think I only have one more to come on my list. But no Irish movies on your list? I don't think there is on mine either, but surely same came close? There are some good ones out there.

[numbersix]

Yeah My Left Foot and In the Name of the Father are great. The Field is also pretty good and has one of Richard Harris's best performances. The Butcher Boy is also up there. 'Adam and Paul' and 'Garage' are both excellent films from the country's best new director: Lenny Abrahamson. But if I out them in my Top 100 it would be from national pride more than objective judgement.

[Shrykespeare]

MOVIE #93

silversurfer - Starship Troopers (1997) - Well, Nico'd be proud of you! Violently campy in a way that only Verhoeven can bring, it satisfied your action itch while making you laugh, unintentionally as well as intentionally. Examples: Patrick Muldoon's character actually getting his brain sucked out, and Denise Richards happily walking off smiling and laughing with CVD and NPH after being pierced straight through her body by an alien claw not minutes earlier. Clancy Brown was awesome too. "Is this your signature? Doesn't look like it to me." (Rip) (8/10)

thegreenarrow - District 9 (2009) - One of five movies from last year to make my list. Coming up a little bit later. (9/10)

transformers - Coach Carter (2005) - I, too, like cliched sports underdog stories, if they're done well. This one was. (8/10)

Ron Burgundy - Minority Report (2002)[/b] - An excellent choice, just missed my list. Loved Peter Stormare's part as the doctor. (9/10)

Buscemi - RoboCop (1987) - My second-favorite PV movie, after Total Recall. Great hero, so, so many great bad guys. From the moment the ED-209 blows away that poor exec by mistake to the end, just one great actionfest. "I'd buy that for a dollar!" (9/10)

Chienfantome - Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) - Only saw this once, and I was too young to truly appreciate it. Maybe I'll get around to watching it again someday.

Banks - Slumdog Millionaire (2008) - If I had to rank the 26 Best-Picture winners that I've seen in order, this would probably be in the Top 5. Two are coming later on in my list (including Braveheart). I honestly did not expect to like this film as much as I did. A true testament to Boyle's genius. (9/10)

BarcaRulz - Braveheart (1995) - Gibson's magnum opus. A terrific story, well-done battle scenes (with full realism), a tremendously ruthless villain in McGoohan, and even more than a few humorous parts. I love the look on McGoohan's face when Longshanks' Irish contingent charges the Scots, only to slow down and shake hands with them. "Irish..." (That's for you, Six!) (10/10)

Geezer - Miracle (2004) - One of my favorite sports movies, about one of my favorite sports moments of all time. Russell was phenomenal. Loved it. (9/10)

[numbersix]

Braveheart (1995) - Gibson's magnum opus. A terrific story, well-done battle scenes (with full realism), a tremendously ruthless villain in McGoohan, and even more than a few humorous parts. I love the look on McGoohan's face when Longshanks' Irish contingent charges the Scots, only to slow down and shake hands with them. "Irish..." (That's for you, Six!) (10/10)

Haha! That gives me a good idea. I need to start compiling derogatory/generalising quotes about the Irish from TV and film (like McGoohan [who is Irish himself] in Bravheart, like Nicholson's paraphrasing of Freud in the Depaaated, or Ned Flanders whispering "We don't like to use the I word here").

[transformers2]

Shrykespeare: Flushed Away (2006) – Never seen it.

silversurfer: Starship Troopers (1997) -I completely agree surfer, I couldn't put it any better myself (9/10)

thegreenarrow: District 9 (2009) –One of the best sc-fi films of the past decade. It's tense,brutal and the message behind worked really well. Sharlto Copley does a wonderful job and the action sequences are absoultely top notch. One of the best films of 2009. (8.5/10)

englishozzy: Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) -An absolutely brillant movie. I am a huge fan of Ritchie's work

Ron Burgundy: Minority Report (2002) -It's a decent sc-fi flick. I did find to be way too overly complicated though (6/10)

Buscemi: RoboCop (1987) -Just missed my list. Not many films out due it in the campy yet badass department(9/10)

Chienfantome: Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) –Never seen it, but it's on my to see list

six: Naked(2003)-Never seen it.

Banks: Slumdog Millionaire (2008) -Personally, I think this one of the most overrated films of the past decade. Don't get wrong, it's not bad at all, but I found to be overhyped and nothing really that special. I didn't find it to be Best Picture worthy.(7/10)

BarcaRulz: Braveheart (1995) -Awesome pick, one of the best epic films ever made. Mel Gibson's best movie. (9/10)

Geezer: Miracle (2004) -Like I said in my explanation for Coach Carter, I love inspirational sports films. That being said, Miracle never clicked with me. I found it to be pretty average. (5/10)

JohnL : What We Do Is Secret (2008) –Never seen it.

leestu: The Castle (1997) –Never seen it.

W: Big Daddy (1999) -Outside of Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison, this is my favorite Sandler flick. Really funny and even a tad bit heartwarming.(8/10)

[silversurfer19]

Well if that is the case then the movie is an even bigger failure because it certainly doesn't protray that very well. If that was the intention surely we'd see the "good kid" side and the struggle between that and the persona he feels he has to adopt. We just don't get enough of that, or any at all (and there's beats where that could have been established, like when Eduardo first comes to California). So we're left with an asshole that we have to assume that's good inside even though we get no indications? As for the last scene, it was a nice idea but rather than indicate that he's a nice guy who is pretending to be a jerk, to me it just says he's a selfish and arrogant man who's desperate for attention and can't face rejection. IT's pathetic than sympathetic, especially in light of his arrogance and self-absorption throughout the entire movie.

Of course, this is just my interpretation of the movie, and I guess it would have been better to tackle the good vs asshole struggle, but in all honesty I think that whenever he was alone, you could see the introverted self of Zuckerberg. It was really only whenever someone like Fanning was around that he acted like a jackass, and I guess this was to portray this kind of persona who didn't care about anything other than his own selfish ambitions. Maybe I'm barking completely up the wrong tree, and in fact he is just an asshole as you suspect, but I like the believe there is more to it than that, and that there is good in people, so maybe it's something I have to deal with....

And that last scene highlights exactly what I'm talking about, his desperation for acceptance and inability to face rejection as you mentioned merely emphasises to me that the arrogant, selfish persona he had portrayed throughout the movie was an act. Maybe that is pathetic, but I guess that's just the way the guy is.

Ah, but my problem is that that while I agree this story is a microcosm for social networking and this generation as a whole, it only portrays one side: the negative side. It's like criticising the internet in general by makign a movie about the jerks who spend their time bickering in Rotten Tomatoes and IMDB forums, een though there's groups like us who can engage in interesting debates. The film wants to show the destructive side of social networking, which is of course undeniable, but any film that takes on something so huge, so important in modern life, needs to acknowledge its sophisication. And this film doesn't (unsurprisingly, neither writer nor director have Facebook pages, so I suspect neither "gets" it). It was in dire need of a subplot, like the Amelia Warner one in Quills, that at least acknowledges that it's bigger than it's creators and thus not a part of the latent narcissism and arrogance present in all character.

I completely agree, a more balanced depiction would have been better, though maybe not as impactful as highlighting the problems of social networking. In order to make a movie more appealing I guess they realised it's better to only show one side of the story, and an attack on social networking stirs more than a positive light.

Anyway, we should probably continue this on another thread if you feel we need to discuss this further...

[Chienfantome]

#93

Shrykespeare - Flushed away
I think I have seen bits of this one on tv a couple of years ago. What i saw did not really make me want to see the whole thing...

Silversurfer - Starship Troopers
This is one film I could have put on my list. I remember how excited I was to go see it back when it was released in theaters. It was one of my most expected films of 98, and it delievered precisely what I expected. A subversive sci-fi adventure that blew away the 17 years-old I was. I have watched it a couple of times since then, and every time it has been a pure delight to see Verhoeven's work. For me it is without a doubt his best work in the US.

greenarrow - District 9
Another great sci-fi flick. With all the hype surrounding it, I was almost sure I would be disappointed by District 9, but I found myself astonished and enthusisastic about it. It's fresh,it's tense, it's perfectly acted. The Apartheid metaphor might seem a bit too forced, but in the end it melts perfectly with the tone and style of the film. Excellent film.

transformers - Coach Carter
I was ready to write "Never seen this" when I suddenly realized that no, in fact, I have seen it, I did go see it in theater when it was released. It was released at a time when I went to see everything. I was seeing more than 250 films a year in theater, good and bad stuff. It certainly was not the worst I've seen back then, but it sure ain't the best either !

englishozzy - Lock, Stock and Two smoking barrels
Probably the most watchable Guy Ritchie film, although like others over here, I have trouble liking Ritchie's work. This one is quite fun and silly in a good way, I guess.

Ron B - Minority Report
I've only seen it once, in theater. Although I wasn't blown away by it, it was a strong sci-fi film (damn, it's the round of science fiction !), fast-paced and interesting in its depiction of the future.

Buscemi - Robocop
yep, it's definitely the sci-fi round (the film I chose also tackles the genre). I have mixed feelings towards Robocop, as I had seen it as a kid, and probably loved it, but when I saw it back a few years ago, I thought it had not aged well. I definitely prefer Verhoeven's Starship Troopers.

Chienfantome - Close encounters of the third kind
So six, you're relieved to learn there won't be any Godard film in my Top ? Unfortunately there won't be any Truffaut either. I almost included "Day for Night", but in the end haven't.

numbersix - Naked
Here's one I haven't seen. I'm not a huuuuuge fan of Mike Leigh, although he has made some good films (and I'm curious to see his latest), but Naked is one I really want to see some day.

Banks - Slumdog Millionaire
Beurk. I'm excessive in my disliking of Danny Boyle's film, but I sincerely think this is one of the most overrated films of the last few years. I still cannot believe this overstylized unenticing "Who wants to be a millionaire" on the big screen won so many raves and awards.

Barcarulz - Braveheart
I haven't seen this one since I was a teen, on TV. I barely remember it, and I'm not really tempted to spend 3 hours again with Mel Gibson disguised as a Scotsman.

Geezer - Miracle
This is exactly the kind of american film that never gets released in France. Haven't seen it, and honestly I don't mind

JohnL
Never heard of the film, never heard of the band.

leestu - The Castle
I have never heard of this one either. Unfortunately there are not that many Australian films released in France. I only see 2 or 3 each year, probably. This looks like it could be fun.

W - Big Daddy
Adam Sandler films are really popular it seems !! Another one ! And another one I have not seen I'm afraid. This is not the kind of sandler I'm tempted to see...

[silversurfer19]

Shrykespeare: Flushed Away (2006) – Yeah, I watched this a few years ago and I just didn't like it. it seemed to lose what I loved about Aardman (the physical aspect) and ultimately that dampened my affection for it. Added to that it just felt a little too polished, kind of like what the US do with a lot of British imports, and I just didn't really care for the characters. (5/10)

silversurfer: Starship Troopers (1997) - I've actually been surprised by the generally positive response for this. I honestly only ever remember myself and Nico defending this movie over on FM, so I was expecting a barrage of insults for it.

thegreenarrow: District 9 (2009) – I really enjoyed the movie, one of my favourites from last year which was refreshing in comparison to most other Hollywood fare. yes, there were a few points in the movie which could be questioned, but it was so much fun i honestly didn't care. Great use of the documentary style at the beginning too, which was seamlessly transitioned for the second half battle scenes. (9/10)

transformers: Coach Carter (2005) - i can't say I've ever watched this, it's just not something which would ever appeal to me. (N/A)

englishozzy: Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) - like six mentioned, it's full of cool scenarios and characters, but they have so little development, the plot is paper thin. I know it's just a cool movie, but I wished there was more substance to it. Richie just doesn't seem capable of that. (5/10)

Ron Burgundy: Minority Report (2002) - I've only watched this once, and while I think I remember enjoying it, it's not one of Spielberg's better movies. I think Cruise was good and there were some cool action scenes, as well as a bit of thought in it too. Ok, I think I actually liked it, maybe I should watch this again. (6.5/10)

Buscemi: RoboCop (1987) - Ah, good to see it included on the same day my Verhoeven movie was picked, as it was so hard to leave this out it seems kind of fitting that we both placed our Verhoeven picks at no.93. I remember this was huge when it was released, I even picked up an old platform game of Robocop for my Amiga 500 at the time, and I was totally obsessed with the whole concept. Great action movie which was very brutal when i remember first watching it. Seeing scenes such as Murphy being mutilated is something you don't see nowadays, like six mentioned, it's all too sanitised. So it's always good to see movies like this are still appreciated. (9/10)

Chienfantome: Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) – A movie which was also close to making my list but ultimately just missed the cut. It's a movie full of wonder and imagination, which is something I again find is missing a lot in modern cinema. Regarding the French New Wave, I like Breathless, but that is the only Godard movie I've ever really enjoyed, and other than that I don't really bother with the genre. I much prefer the works of Jean Pierre Melville and Henri Georges Clouzot. (8/10)

numbersix: Naked (1993) - I only watched this for the first time earlier on this year and I was amazed by it. Mike Leigh has a real ability for character dramas, and I think Naked may well be my favourite of his. I think you are absolutely correct with Thewlis' character, his rantings really get down to the underbelly of society and the grit of what it is to be English, and the dialogue is fantastic. Thewlis should have won an Oscar for his performance. With a couple more viewings I can see this making my top 100. (9/10)

Banks: Slumdog Millionaire (2008) - I noticed that the longer the film went on, the less I liked of it. It started so brilliantly, reminding me of City of God but with a great concept of using the flashback sequence of Millionaire, but by the end of the movie I just didn't care anymore. And don't get me started on the dancing. I'm hoping 127 Hours is more of the first half than the second. Interesting to see how far Boyle has come though, from his humble beginnings of Shallow Grave, to Trainspotting, 28 Days Later and Sunshine. He really is one of the best directors of our generation. (7/10)

BarcaRulz: Braveheart (1995) - Too long, glaringly, and annoyingly innacurate (what i would expect from Americans making a movie on a British story) and Gibson annoying the hell out of me. Never cared for this at all. (4/10)

Geezer: Miracle (2004) - I'll get back to this when I watch the trailer.

JohnL : What we Do Is Secret (2008) – Again, I'll get back to it following the trailer.

leestu: The Castle (1997) – I like a few Aussie movies, most recently The Square, and this is excellent. Overall though I prefer The Dish over this, but it is very well acted and hilarious at times. (7/10)

W: Big Daddy (1999) - There really aren't many Sandler movies I can bear. This is no different. Horrible comedy. (2/10)

[Shrykespeare]

silversurfer: Starship Troopers (1997) - I've actually been surprised by the generally positive response for this. I honestly only ever remember myself and Nico defending this movie over on FM, so I was expecting a barrage of insults for it.

Naaaaahhhhh.....