MOVIE #42
Shrykespeare
Braveheart (1995) – Director: Mel Gibson; starring Mel Gibson, Patrick McGoohan, Brendan Gleeson and Sophie Marceau. A terrific historical drama, with some of the most realistic and brutal battle sequences ever shot. Gibson is magnificent as Scottish hero William Wallace, and McGoohan is equally fantastic as the evil and ruthless Edward Longshanks. Filled with action, romance, and a welcome amount of humor,
Braveheart is easily the best “epic” historical saga I’ve ever seen.
(3rd appearance)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBXBtORI7pE
silversurfer
Early Summer (1951) - Director. Yazujiro Ozu; starring Setsuko Hara, Chishu Ryu and Chikage Awashima. I remember we picked this up in our local DVD store a few years ago as we read this was by the same guy who had directed Tokyo Story (which we also wanted to see but was too expensive) but at a much better price. We decided we'd check it out, and found it to be one of the most poignantly beautiful tales which deals with the culture clashes of traditional and contemporary Japan. It's so delicately directed with lush landscapes and the quietness of the movie only makes it all the more breathtaking. We were captivated by the style and Setsuko Hara's stunning beauty (Yes, guys, I'm feeling the love for the Asian ladies here...), it is such a stunning tale and one of the greatest dramatizations of everyday life I have ever seen. I recently got the chance to watch Tokyo Story too and was just as amazed by that too, and with time I have no doubt that too will rank in my top 100, and I look forward to seeing the remaining of this trilogy with An Autumn Afternoon and Late Spring, but for now this is the Ozu masterpiece which has made my list, it's subtleness and tragic beauty, relieved with some delightful comic dialogue is without doubt on of the most inspiring movies I've seen in recent years and reaffirmed my belief in the beauty of cinema.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCrlBOH-72I
thegreenarrow
The Orphanage (2007) - Director: Juan Antonio Bayona; starring Belen Rueda, Fernando Cayo and Roger Princep. I first heard about this when I saw it was produced by Guillermo Del Toro, and within the first five minutes I knew we were getting something of that high standard. It's a classic ghost story (much in line with the likes of The Innocents and other classics), I can't see it ever dating, but with a little of a chilling Del Toro-esque style to it. I really enjoyed the acting in the movie, especially the lead character Laura, she provided such a profoundly honest performance as the mother of her missing son, and the eventual reveal is heartbreaking.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jA6pPzh6Bd4
transformers
Transformers (2007) – Director: Michael Bay; starring Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, John Turturro and Tyrese Gibson.
Transformers may get a lot of shit, but I love this film. It's story line isn't the greatest, but it's not a piece of high art, it's a movie about giant robots bashing the shit out of each other and it does that exceptionally well. The effects are stunning and the action sequences are jaw-dropping. This is one of the most entertaining films ever made, it's just a flat out fun film to watch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnwmUZuF5OY
englishozzy
District 9 (2009) - Director: Neill Blomkamp; starring Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, Nathalie Boltt, Sylvaine Strike, David James and Vanessa Haywood. Every year there is always one film that stands out due to its originality as we struggle for new ides and can guarantee Hollywood will ruin it by doing countless sequels and re-imagining's. On the upside,
District 9 is one of the standouts of 2009, Blomkamp has done extremely well with the money given to him and Copley is one of the breakout stars of recent years.
District 9 has a profound message running through its veins on tolerance towards other races, but for all the political jargon you have an explosive and exciting sci-fi that grips you until the end.
(5th appearance)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVmfv2AlLhs
Ron Burgundy
Gladiator (2000) - Director: Ridley Scott; starring Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Richard Harris, Oliver Reed, Connie Nielson, Djimon Honsou and Derek Jacobi. My favourite Aussie actor is Russell Crowe, and this is my second fave movie from him as Maximus Decimus Meridius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife, and he will have his vengeance, along with some help from the late Oliver Reed and a hostile Djimon Honsou. Joaquin Phoenix also plays his role as the villainous son of the emperor really well, and before I knew who he was I always hated his character here which is what a good actor can do. Some great gladiatorial scenes with crisp direction from legendary director Ridley Scott make this a worthy top 50 selection for me. All I can say is that if you haven’t watched this already make sure you bloody well do!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvTT29cavKo
Buscemi
A Clockwork Orange (1971) - Director: Stanley Kubrick; starring Malcolm McDowell, Godfrey Quigley, Anthony Sharp, Patrick Magee and Warren Clarke. The life and fall of a teenage gang leader becomes the basis for one of the most harrowing and out-there science fiction films in cinematic history. The film is brutal, bleak and hard to watch at times but it's one of those films where you cannot look away. However, that's only part of what makes it so damn good. McDowell's acting (his finest performance, which makes it sad that he's gone from this to making crap on a daily basis) is natural and just plain terrifying. Kubrick's direction hits the mark and makes something designed to scare you from engaging into this type of behavior. The madness of Kubrick and the creepiness of the source material creates something so insane that it becomes his crowning achievement.
(3rd appearance)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5n2NXuQ5ako
Chienfantome
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) – Director : Michel Gondry; starring Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Elijah Wood, Mark Ruffalo, Tom Wilkinson and Kirsten Dunst. If I had had to make a Top 100 back in 2004 or 2005, this is a film that would have probably appeared much higher than #42. Because when I first saw it, it instantly became one of my favourite films, thinking it was one of the very very very best films I had ever seen in my entire life (lol). A few years have passed, the excitement had time to cool down, and a second viewing confirmed me that this is indeed an immense film, but maybe a 42nd spot in a Top 100 fits it better than a place in the Top 30. Which is already an amazing place. But afterall, what an amazing film. What an amazing symbiosis between a director and a screenwriter. Kaufman needed not only a crazy filmmaker to put his screenplay on the big screen, he also needed one with a high sense of creativity and a talent to master any kind of visual idea. Gondry is that man, a director for whom impossible is a word that does not exist. Eternal Sunshine is that rare kind of film where absolutely anything can happen, both narratively and visually. And the minds and hands behind it make it seem natural. It’s a beautiful and fucked up tale of how difficult it can be to live with your past. It’s a love story like no other. Sometimes beautiful. Sometimes bitter. Sometimes optimistic. Crazily unique.
(2nd appearance)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnSgSe2GzDc
numbersix
Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979) - Director: Terry Jones; starring Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Michael Palin and Terry Jones. While
The Holy Grail is a brilliant film in itself, it suffered slightly from the episodic nature of the narrative, as if the guys couldn't shake off their
Flying Circus structure. That was all resolved in
Life of Brian, a daring and hilarious parody of the story of Christ. By mimicking the narrative, the crew could go much deeper than having a few superficially silly moments. They could combine such moments with biting satire at a time when religion was still sacrosanct. In fact it was banned in my own country for almost a decade. Not surprising, when they portray religions as stemming not from dedicated faith or historical accuracy, but from mass hysteria and gross misinterpretation. There's also an evident poke at the misguided guerrilla groups of the 1970's, which were oppositional without standing for anything at all. And all these deep ideas are represented with the Python's particular blend of surreal and hilarious humour.
(2nd appearance)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krb2OdQksMc
Banks
Saw (2004) - Director: James Wan; starring Cary Elwes, Tobin Bell, Danny Glover and Leigh Whannell. I know a few of you guys dismiss
Saw as an average horror film, but it blew my mind years ago – and even with the twist known, I still love it whenever I get a chance to watch. A strong first film in a trilogy (the storyline really ends after
Saw III), Saw presented a new type of villain – a serial killer that’s never killed anyone. Amanda says it all when she’s found after surviving one of Jigsaw’s traps: “He…helped me.” A morality tale wrapped in a horror film, with a great twist ending to boot.
(4th appearance)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKPy5RWuqNA
BarcaRulz
Lawrence of Arabia (1962) - Director: David Lean; starring Peter O'Toole, Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn, Omar Sharif. An excellent movie that I first watched when I was only 7. It obviously did not have that profound an affect then, but I remember enjoying it, which is why I re-watched it when I was 17 and I loved every second of it. The acting is brilliant by all involved, and the story is both powerful and riveting that you can't help but get sucked into it as it all unfolds. The cinematography and the script are both brilliant, and in my opinion that plays a huge role in how little this film has aged since its release.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQA_ldX0VI0
Geezer
The Lion King (1994) - Director: Rogers Allers and Rob Minkoff; starring: Matthew Broderick, Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane and Jonathan Taylor Thomas. My all time favorite amongst the Disney classics. It has just stuck with me more than any other. I love the music, I love the story, I love the characters, I just love it all. I still quote it all the time, and it’s still acceptable! That takes something special from an animated film.
The Lion King will never stop being cool for the whole family.
(3rd appearance)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sj1MT05lAA
leestu
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and her Lover (1989) - Director: Peter Greenaway; starring Richard Bohringer, Michael Gambon, Helen Mirren, Alan Howard and Tim Roth. This movie impressed me so much when I first saw it at the cinema that I went back and watched it two more times during its run; which is extremely rare for me. This dark tragic love and revenge story may not be to everyone’s taste (one of my friends walked out on it halfway through), but is a beautifully filmed visual treat to watch with fantastic use of colour and music; and great acting from the three leads.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXLRdeYFHss
W
Billy Madison (1995) - Director: Tamra Davis; starring Adam Sandler, Darren McGavin and Bridgette Wilson. The first Sandler starring role (not counting the never released in theaters
Going Overboard) is all over the map and at times incoherent. But a comedy (for me) doesn't have to be a great "film" (as you well know). It's a very funny, extremely quotable stupid comedy with great cameos from both Steve Buscemi and Chris Farley. There's so many great lines here like the old woman saying, "If peeing your pants is cool, consider me Miles Davis," or Chris Farley's "That is cor-rect!" and this one (link) to name a few.
(5th appearance)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7w64fbqYQY
NSpan
The Princess Bride (1987) – Director: Rob Reiner; starring Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, Billy Crystal, Andre the Giant, Peter Falk, Fred Savage and Carol Kane.
(4th appearance)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njZBYfNpWoE
undeadmonkey
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999) - Director: Jay Roach; starring Mike Myers, Heather Graham, Verne Troyer and Michael York. If you know me, I usually can’t stand this kind of stupid comedy film. They are filled with dirty jokes, one-dimensional characters, thin plots just thick enough to service the gags, boobies abound for no apparent reason (well cleavage in this film, as its only PG-13). And yet defying all odds, I laughed throughout this movie. Believe me, I tried not too. The film just worked for me, Austin Powers just felt more natural back in his original habitat the 1960s (to me he was just awkward in the first film), the story flowed fast enough not to have any downtime to think about the stupidity of the situations. So whenever I want a no-thinking comedy I turn this on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knNCtO7gf7g
JohnErle
Brazil (1985) – Director: Terry Gilliam; starring Jonathan Pryce, Robert DeNiro, Katherine Helmond and Michael Palin. Christopher Nolan may have watched a few Terry Gilliam movies to learn how to create a dream-like atmosphere.
(5th appearance)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Wh2b1eZFUM
Brazil moves back up to #4. Billy Madison, Princess Bride, Saw and District 9 all jump into the Top 20.