I'm going to list my 100 favorite films in increments of 20 annually then re-publish the list in its entirety when I hit 100. #fun
I listed the top 20 movies ever here. The fun continues with 21-40 here:
40: Dom Hemingway (2013)
If anyone cared about this list I would take the most shit for the inclusion of this film on it. The most. But I don't care because it's the sort of testosterone-fueled dark comedy that I set out to make when I entered film school 5,000 years ago. The fact that I've had it on an almost continuous loop in my apartment since I discovered it in late 2014 probably says something-- that I'm insane or something. It exists almost entirely on attitude, much like...
39: Trainspotting (1996)
When I returned to college to study British literature at the University of Michigan we read this book and watched this movie. It was already one of my favorites long before the class started. I was 25, and I was blown away by the fact that most of the kids in the class (who were just a few years younger than I) had never seen it. Half of them loved it. Half of them thought that (and I quote), "these people are complete morons. I can't even watch them."
38: Some Came Running (1958)
In a previous blog entry I wrote a lengthy review about this film's great technical aspects and storytelling. It features Frank Sinatra's best acting. He is also very good in "The Man with the Golden Arm." Dean Martin was also excellent. Unlike most musicians who are shoehorned into films these days, those man could act.
37: Aliens (1986)
The original "Alien" had more tension and might have scared me more because I'm claustrophobic. But even this film's auxiliary crew acted its ass off, which is why I'm proud to have an "Aliens" poster that was signed by every actor who played a marine in it.... except Bill Paxton... if only I could meet Bill Paxton.
"GAME OVER, MAN. GAME OVER."
36: The Thing (1982)
My second-favorite horror movie. Most of its effects hold up and should cause every studio to rethink its heavy reliance on CG crap. Any movie that makes Kurt Russell seem like he is a good actor is a work of pure. genius.
35: The Departed (2006)
Another Martin Scorsese gem. Ironically, this film receives a lot of unfair criticism because it won an Oscar.
"REALLY? THE GUY WHO MADE TAXI DRIVER, RAGING BULL, GOODFELLAS, CASINO-- AND YOU THINK THAT-- THAT IS HIS BEST FILM?! REALLY?! PLEASE."
But I invite everyone to re-watch it carefully, and notice its outstanding acting and dialogue. As Scorsese said, "it's the first film that I made that had a script." Jack Nicholson's opening monologue is my favorite opening to a film ever.
34: Terminator 2 (1991)
Given the absolutely shitty quality of the last two films in this franchise and the fact that IT NEEDS TO DIE NOW, this film has lost some of its luster. But it's Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton's best work in anything and James Cameron's best film. Its CGI definitely holds up-- let's face it, folks: CGI hasn't evolved much during the last few decades.
33: The Usual Suspects (1995)
Speaking of a film that has lost some luster due to things that have occurred in the fullness of time, I feel bad that I even like this film, "Apt Pupil" and the last X Men film. Bryan Singer is undeniably creepy and fits every horrible stereotype about Hollywood. Some people have even openly wondered about the part that he played in the breakdown of the late, great Brad Renfro. But I can't get around the fact that this film has the best ending that I've ever seen and put Kevin Spacey on the map.
32: The Matrix (1998)
It's the third film in a row on this list that suffers from a ranking adjustment due to other events. I'm sure that many people would argue that it's not ranked low enough. Here is how I justify it being at #33: I try to pretend that this film had no sequels. None. When it ends it's over-- we don't know what happened to Neo after the credits roll.
31: Blade Runner (1982)
I was 19 when someone recommended this film to me. I thought that it was so-so. For whatever reason it has much more meaning to me now. I guess that in my older age I can appreciate a man who wants to hold onto a futile cause (even when he knows that it's futile) just because it makes him happy. It also features brilliant work by the criminally underrated Joseph Turkel, who I've met three times and is always a gentleman.
I'll have more about Turkel later.
30: The Getaway (1972)
Steve McQueen was called "The King of Cool" for a reason, and it's spotlighted here. Almost everything about this film is incredibly badass to me, aside from Ali MacGraw's occasionally shaky acting. The action sequences hold up very well-- I believe that young directors/producers should study them and try to emulate them instead of just vomiting CG onto a digital landscape. Check out Slim Pickens' badass cameo at the end.
29: Back to the Future (1985)
As I wrote in a previous blog entry, this movie's screenplay has no errors. It has setups, payoffs, an extremely solid first act turning point, a believable villain, midpoint setbacks, and it closes perfectly. Its director Zemeckis and producers (including Spielberg) recognized early that Eric Stoltz, who they cast originally as Marty McFly, was a bad casting choice. As Tom Wilson, who played Biff, revealed, Stoltz was so serious about the part and set on method acting ("except when he was trying to screw Lea Thompson- then he was being Eric Stoltz") that he hit Tom very hard in a fight scene. But Tom knew that he had an opportunity to retaliate later in the script when Biff wails on Marty. So when Michael J. Fox was re-cast as Marty, Tom was denied the opportunity for payback.
28: The Shining (1980)
If you haven't watched a special screening of this movie in a theater as part of a special anniversary showing or celebration or something then I urge you to do it whenever you can. Believe me when I write that the theater screening DOES NOT TRANSLATE WELL TO THE TV. I just realized it last year when I watched it in a huge cinema with a huge screen. My whole experience with the film changed. You bare witness to Kubrick's entire vision, and you actually feel fear.
Last week, Joseph Turkel, who played Lloyd the bartender, told me that when they were on set he talked to Kubrick about the Yankees. Suddenly Kubrick said, "you know, sound transcends time." Turkel and a few other guys looked at each other in bemusement. "Yeah, watch that scene in 'The Ten Commandments' in which Moses is leading the Hebrews out of slavery with the volume off. It's the dullest fucking thing you've ever seen-- just a bunch of old people stumbling around. Then turn up the volume. It brings the whole thing to life. Sound transcends time. ....So anyway, in Joe Dimaggio's rookie year he hit .323."
27: Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)
It's nowhere near my favorite Star Wars film mostly because I can't get past the clunky fight scene between Alec Guiness/Obi Wan and Dave Prowse/Darth Vader. But it's the film that started it all. Many people say that it gave birth to modern sci fi films, and other nerds say, "nooooo, because it's technically a SPACE OPERA." Well, nerd, space operas are a subgenre of science fiction, so it's science fiction (snort).
26: Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983)
Yeah, I've poked fun at George Lucas in the past, but I must admit that he nailed the landing on this one. I'm very excited for the new sequels, which is probably a fatal mistake.
25: The King of Comedy (1982)
Martin Scorsese's most underrated film. The incident in which Jerry Lewis walks past a woman who is on a payphone who requests in a polite voice for him to speak her daughter was based on a real event. In the real life event, the woman also actually said, "I HOPE YOU DIE OF CANCER!" Last week I heard those exact words from a homeless person when I ignored him.
I really, really hate to write this, but my life is beginning to mirror the protagonist Rupert Pupkin's life-- without the massive delusion and criminal aggressiveness.
24: The Great Escape (1963)
R.I.P. to the recently deceased Richard Attenborough and James Garner. If you've forgotten what made them great, just watch this film. Steve McQueen puts in his usual King of Cool badass routine, even though most of his motorcycle stunts were actually performed by his close friend.
It's all fairly closely based on a true story, including the fact that the escapees didn't dig their tunnel far enough.
23: Rocky (1976)
It introduced us to icons in American cinema-- the Rocky character and Sylvester Stallone. Unlike most film franchises (coughStarWarscough), this one is mostly solid except for the fifth installment, which is an outstanding achievement in itself.
22: Schindler's List (1993)
One of my friends recently asked me why I regard "Saving Private Ryan" as Spielberg's best work, not Schindler's List. Well, this film has moderate exaggerations of Oskar Schindler's true character. The man wasn't a saint, but this story is definitely worth telling.
21: The Godfather, Part 2 ((1974)
It's a slight click below the original. The most impressive feat: Michael Corleone's smooth transition from a fairly marginal player to a convincing don. It all relies on Al Pacino's best work ever.
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