When I started compiling a list of all the movies I should have seen - but haven't yet - the list started small and grew enormous.
So I broke it down into decades and I'll work my way backwards over the course of who knows how long, but I'll start it off tonight with the most recent misses, the 2000s.
For this category, I have eliminated 2007 since we're still in it. And as much as I regret missing Bug, Black Snake Moan, Waitress, Breach and Once thus far... I have plenty of time before the end of the year to rectify that.
These are the films that I missed, and the months dragged over to years and that I desperately need to take time out to go and visit. Especially since so many of them are so highly regarded.
So without further hesitation, the Top 7 Movies I Should Have Seen (2000-06 edition):
7. The Motorcycle Diaries
Gotta love road movies, especially on a motorcycle. Seeing the country. Experiencing life. Everyone wants to do it one time or another in their life and after the letdown that I felt Easy Rider was, The Motorcycle Diaries is the next best thing, right? Gael Garcia Bernal (Amores Perros) stars. Plus it's about Che way before Soderbergh started to plan his own two films on the man. It's peeked my interest, but somehow never found it's way into my DVD player. I hope to change that soon.
6. Masked & Anonymous
It has some of my favorite bit actors in Jeff Bridges and John Goodman. It's stars a rock God in Bob Dylan. Dylan also wrote the damn thing. Larry Charles, who has directed a handful of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" episodes and absolutely the most hilarious movie of the decade in Borat also directed it. Plus, my favorite film critic of all-time, Philadelphia Weekly's Sean Burns gave it an A. This film has GOTTA be great, in spite of it's mixed reviews. I'm saving it for a special occasion. Nothing could make this film suck, I guarantee it.
5. The Fountain
Mostly for it's scope and ambition. I'm not the biggest Darren Aronofsky fan. He seems more interested with elliciting a sense of feeling over emotion if that makes sense to you. He wants you to feel exactly what his characters are going through, but doesn't necessarily get you to empathasize with any of them. Requiem was like that. From what I saw of Pi it was the same way. He's stylistic and a little out of control in his methods. Still, this is a passion project, one Aronofsky was trying to get off the ground for years and was even the film responsible for Brad Pitt's heinous homeless-man getup a few years back. For just those reasons, it should be enough for me to give it a watch.
4. Gosford Park
I have good reason for this one. One weekend I went to go visit my dad and when I walked into his house he was slumped down in his recliner snoring. He was in a deep sleep and Gosford Park was in the DVD player.... then I glanced up and noticed it hadn't even reached the 20-minute-mark yet! Now, it's a Robert Altman film (something I could have guessed my dad should stay far, far away from but that I enjoy quite a bit). But that being said, my dad rarely falls asleep in front of a movie. If he doesn't like it, he turns it off. This one seemed to pin him to the recliner and knock him unconscious. Plus, outside of a few faces, there aren't a whole lot of names I recognize in the cast list. It's one I need to see, but not one I'm dying to.
3. The Science of Sleep
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind would probably top my favorite films of the decade, but to show my appreciation for that film I still haven't even seen Michel Gondry's whimsical follow-up? When this film was announced it was one of my most anticipated films. It still is. Yet for some reason I never have made room for it in my schedule? What's wrong with me? Maybe it's the lack of star power - even though I am a Gael Garcia Bernal fan? And what's with two Bernal films being in my Top 7? No offense to Bernal, but really, how is that possible?
2. Oldboy
Not only Oldboy but the whole "Vengeance Trilogy" from Chan-wook Park. The movie sounds entirely kickass. It's widely considered one of the best action films of the last decade. Chachi even beats me up over it in the comments section. What it amounts to is... I need to see this film. The film was even highlighted (in a negative way) during the tragic Virginia Tech massacre. When a movie starts inspiring serial killers, it's obviously engrained itself into the culture for better or worse. I should really get on it.
1. City of God
I loved The Constant Gardner and I've only heard better things about City of God. It's currently listed at #17 on IMDB's Top 250 Films of All-Time. Yet, I haven't seen it. It's also the third foreign language film plaguing my Top 7, obviously a recurring theme - although I have seen all of Wong Kar Wai's recent films. I have no excuse, even owning a copy of the movie and being genuinely intrigued by the storyline of two boys in Rio de Janeiro growing up and becoming such starkly different people. By far, I'm the most ashamed for not having seen this than any other film on my Top 7. I may even watch it tomorrow night just to give it the rightful crossing out from this list that it deserves.
runners-up: Band of Brothers (Mini-Series), The Painted Veil, Bobby, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, The Machinist, Dogville, Manderlay, A Mighty Wind
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Film Script's Top 7 - Movies I Should Have Seen (2000s)
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18 comments:
Damn you Mulligan!
When you hinted previously that you were going to do this post, I went through all of the "1001 Movies to See Before you Die" just to compile a list of seven films I'm most embarrassed not to have seen in all of film history. But now you gotta go and divide it into decades. Well perhaps this is easier.
First let me urge you to see "City of God" now. Stop reading this and go watch it. It is probably in my top 20 of all time. Absolutely remarkable!
As for some of your others. I haven't seen "Motorcycle Diaries" either nor "Masked and Anonymous." I heard M&A was awful so I haven't once thought of renting it. You check it out first and let me know whether I should waste my time or not.
As I scrolled through all the movies released so far this decade, I realized that there were far more films I was embarrassed to have seen than those that I were embarrassed to have not seen. I guess this is not just a middling year, but a middling decade in general.
So without further ado, here is my list of seven:
7. Human Nature- I'm a huge Charlie Kaufmann fan. This was his first script since his breakout film "Being John Malkovich." It stars Rhys Ifans, whom I've liked in "Notting Hill" and "Replacements." Also Tim Robbins and Patricia Arquette, the only "dignified" Arquette. I've seen everything else written by Kaufman, so I don't know how I missed this one.
6. Prairie Home Companion- I'm not going to pretend I've seen even half of Robert Altman's films, but the fact I haven't seen his swan song is both embarrassing and kind of a slap-in-the-face to his glorious career.
5. Tristam Shandy/24 Hour Party People- Yes I cheated, but I group them together because they both are Michael Winterbottom films that I should already have seen. I've only seen "Road to Gunatanamo" from Winterbottom, but I'm really fascinated with him as a filmmaker. I tried to read Tristam Shandy long ago, but never finished and I couldn't wait to see the film when it finally was released. "24 Hr Party People" is also one I've heard only great things about and have always wished to check it out.
4. Thumbsucker/Chumscrubber- dysfunctional families... protagonists rejected by society...
rising young talent... indie cred...why have I not seen either of these.
3. The Kid Stays in the Picture- I loved Kid Notorious on Comedy Central. Robert Evans is one of the most fascinating and odd Hollywood players to have ever walked the Earth. The guy justs oozes sex, bravado, and cool. I have wanted to see this ever since I saw the poster for it in EW, but I still have yet to catch it. I don't know why.
2. A Very Long Engagement- I loved "Amelie" and here, I get another dose of Audrey Tautou. It is supposedly one of the most beautifully shot and designed films of the decade. It is directed by Jean Pierre Jeunet, whom while did "Alien Resurrection," also did "City of Lost Children" and "Amelie," so I know it will be a one of a kind experience. Yet still I haven't seen it.
1. Tsotsi- It won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. It tells a powerful story of redemption in South Africa as a young thug must care for an infant. It certainly has a "City of God" vibe to it. I've rented it twice and still I've yet to see it. I got it through Netflix and it sat on my TV for two plus months. I never found the time and eventually got tired of holding onto it. I than rented it from Blockbuster and returned it before I saw it in order to avoid a late fee. My own brother saw it before me and he didn't even know what he was watching. I'm most embarrassed having not seen this more than any other film of this decade mostly because of all the opportunities I've had to see it and never did.
Other films I'm not quite as embarrassed to having not seen but certainly should be are:
-In America
-Cache
-L'enfant
-Stay
-Lady Vengence/Sympathy for Mr. Vengence
-Mysterious Skin
-You Can Count on Me
-Monsoon Wedding
-Doogal (Kevin Smith voices in it!)
-Pluto Nash (as much as I rip on this film, I should probably see it to understand what I'm up against)
7. Hotel Rwanda: It won some awards and stuff. Why not?
6. Finding Neverland: It's on the top 250 and EVERYONE IN THE WHOLE FUCKING WORLD LOVES IT. Why not?
5. Rennaissance: It looked absolutely phenomenal.
4. The Velocity of Gary: Vincent D'Onofrio and Thomas Jane apparently make out VIOLENTLY in this movie. I am SO there.
3. Gladiator: Hold on, Hold on. I've seen a little bit of Gladiator...like...the beginning. And a part in the middle where a guard wakes up Maximus. So in totale...like less than four minutes. It's just that I hate Russel Crowe so damn much. But, I should give it a chance just to make sure that I was right that it was overrated and that he sucks at existing.
2. American Pie (all of 'em): They just didn't look funny. At all. Apparently they're the pinnacle of film making and I'm a charletan for not seeing them.
1. Traffic: Another one of those movies that everyone jizzes in their socks over that I just missed because of blind luck. It sounds good, and I'm sure it is. I've just never gotten around to it.
Secretly I think I was hoping to catch Chachi off guard with this list. But honestly, I just had way too many films to try to cram it into one Top 7 list. There would have been way too many left off that I'm genuinely horrified I haven't seen.
Well, that, and my obsession with lists compelled me to do it. The thought of having 1 list when I can break it down into roughly 10? Well it was just too much for me to pass up.
Besides, I love discussing films that others haven't seen, love to know what others have missed, and I plan on making a "Film Script's Watching Schedule" based on these films so we can catch up on one a week, a la the "Filmspotting" Marathons.
So, since you haven't seen Masked and Anonymous or The Motorcycle Diaries from my list, I'm adding them to the schedule. And from your list... I'm throwing on Human Nature, Tristram Shandy and A Very Long Engagement. There are others, like Tsotsi that I haven't seen... but for some reason I don't feel all that bad about it. But maybe further down the line.
Anyways, to comment on Chachi and Myth's lists:
I have seen A Prairie Home Companion and I can assure you it is a fitting send off for Altman. On top of which, it seems to be very death-centric, as if Altman could see the writing on the wall. Incredible cast too, and everyone - including Lohan - is very good in it. Definitely worth catching up with.
Thumbsucker I wasn't overly sold on. It's okay. It's not really worth beating yourself up over for having missed it. Although, Reeves zen-like doctor is worth the price of admission.
I've actually seen more of your runner-up films. Mysterious Skin you HAVE to see for Gordon-Levitt's starmaking turn in it. It's a hard movie to watch, but one you definitely should.
In America I'm shocked you haven't gotten around too either, simply because I think you'd love it so much. Definitely a crowd pleaser and pulls at the heart strings. Not my favorite film, but a very good one.
You Can Count on Me I need to watch again before I could comment. I enjoyed it, but I don't remember all that much of it. Saw it back before I really knew who Ruffalo was. Based on his dramatic career though, I need to revisit this one.
And Stay you can skip. McGregor is terrible and Gosling has little to do in it. It tries to hard to be Fight Club or something like it, but it fails. If you do see it, see it for the ideas it's trying to portray... and how off it seems to be.
And Myth, Hotel Rwanda should be #1 on your list. Remarkable film. Finding Neverland wasn't a good film, don't listen to the hype. Traffic is a must-see, but it's not my favorite Soderbergh, so I'll give you a pass for now. And Gladiator and American Pie are more need-to-see films solely because of their effect on the culture, not so much that they're all that good (although I think they're both worthwhile, just not spectacular).
Oh and Chachi, have you seen any/all of my runner-up films?
Of your runner ups Mulligan, Ive seen Bobby, Machinist, Harry Potter and Mighty Wind.
Bobby was just ok. It had too many story lines that didn't really do anything. And to be honest, I wasn't really feeling RFK's presence. The story is all about how he changed their lives, not just that day, but how he had brought hope and honesty in their lives. I just wasn't feeling the significance or importance of him. Oddly enough the best stories involved Lindsay Lohan, Sharon Stone and Freddy Rodriguez. Shia is a hoot, but the story isn't very powerful.
Machinist was weird. Bale definitely gives it his all and the direction is certainly appropriate. Very trippy and certainly worth a visit, but it tries for a "Memento" vibe and its nowhere near as great as that film. Can't really remember a whole lot about the ending though which was its make-or-break moment.
Harry Potter in Christopher Columbus's hands is not must see entertainment. The first two are good, but not great. He is such a terrible filmmaker. What makes the movies are the stories themselves. I'm a big fan of the books, so I loved seeing them come to life. Cuaron made Columbus look like the hack he is though. I think if you've seen all the others, you might as well see it, but don't beat yourself up over it. The last two have been so much better than the first two. Can't wait for the next one in a month.
I love a Mighty Wind. It might be my favorite Christopher Guest film. Best in Show is funnier, but Mighty Wind is sweeter and more creatively written. The fact that Guest both made light and honored folk singing was brilliant in my opinion.
Saw the first segment of Band of Brothers. Never saw the rest. I want to eventually catch them, but I'm not in a rush. No one in the cast really makes it must see for me, plus it is like ten hours long. I've already got so many TV shows I'm trying to catch up with. Eventually I'll get it though, cuz that box set looks amazing.
Myth, get off your high horse a watch Gladiator. For someone that is such a fan of all films inc. the shitastic Fantastic Four, I'm sure you can find some sort of pleasure in watching Gladiator.
Also you've seen enough raunchy films, so you should realize that the American Pie trilogy is among the best. It does a great job. like Apatow flicks, of merging the raunchy with the sweet. I loved them all and really find they all have something worthwhile to say.
Hotel Rwanda is the best film you haven't seen yet. Cheadle is spectacular.
Finding Neverland I thought was really good. That damn kid brought me to tears at the end. I think they could have done more with the fantasy aspects to give it a more whimsy vibe, but otherwise I liked it.
Haven't seen Renaissance. Hear is is bad, but it certainly looks cool. I don't think it is on DVD yet, so it shouldn't bother you,
I only saw Velocity of Gary once and I can't really recall much about the story. I do remember liking it though for whatever reason. Probably because of D'Onofrio whom is the shit.
Also Traffic is great. I think it is the best Soderbergh film of this decade so far.
OK....I'm going to post comments on everyone else's lists while I construct my own with the help of IMDB. So we'll start with Mulligans:
The Motorcycle Diaries was good. Nothing spectacular. But damn good. Great performances from both leads.
I recognize Masked and Anonymous...but that's about it. Can't comment. Would like to hear your opinion though...as I do like most of the actors involved.
I loved The Fountain. You might hate it. Just one of those movies. But worth seeing just for the how absolutely breath-taking it looks.
I can't remember if I watched Gosford Park or not....I want to say I saw it on a plane and fell asleep...but it's rated R, so maybe not.
Still haven't seen Science of Sleep...this'll be on my list as well.
GO WATCH OLDBOY!!! NOW!!! Then watch Lady Vengeance....it's the opera to Oldboy's Springer episode (sounds like a bad thing....but it's not).
Dear lord....City of God...just amazing film-making. I'm sure you've heard it before...but seriously...gut-wrenching...heart-breaking...eye-opening...just spectacular.
Chachi:
Human Nature is easily his worst script...still worth watching of course....but easily his worst.
Haven't seen Prairie..would like to though....I loves me some Altman.
Haven't seen either of these...so...yeah...tell me how they are.
Thumbsucker...is ok. Great performance by Keanu (did I seriously just write that?). I preferred Chumscrubber despite that fact that most critics didn't. Really good cast...all doing a damn good job.
You know how I love Kid Notorious...I almost bought this used at Holllywood video or someplace....but didn't. Should have. I love Robert Evans. Sexiness.
I got Very Long Engagement from Netflix...never watched it...this'll be on my list too. Audrey Tatou is adorable.
Never saw Tsotsi...really should.
And I'll second Mulligan's statement on Mysterious Skin. We've talked about it before...really a great performance.
Myth:
Hotel Rwanda...how the hell did you appreciate Primeval without having seen this film????
Finding Neverland was very very...ok. People loved it because it made them feel good inside. That's about it.
I remember Rennaissance's trailer...not much else.
I much watch The Velocity of Gary....right now.
You haven't seen Gladiator? Really? But you watched FF2 five times? Are you retarded?
I like the first and third American Pies...but I like dirty humor....and pie...mmm...pie...
Traffic is damn good. I love Benicio. He's tasty.
And now for my list (in no particular order):
7. The Science of Sleep: for all the reasons Mulligan said...plus I had the chance to see it in theaters but had to work.
6. Very Long Engagement: I love City of Lost Children and Amelie...so it would follow I would love this film. I'll get it on Netflix again and actually watch it.
5. Downfall: An interesting premise that was nominated for an Oscar. I've only read good things about this, and its about Hitler dying. So it must be a feel-good happy0time flick.
4. The Pianist: I'm just not a huge Adrien Brody fan...its the damn nose. Not sure why I never saw this...I should. I do Like Polanski...aside from the whole fugitive for having sex with a minor thing....and even then...I can sort of understand it.
3. Letters from Iwo Jima/Flags of Our Fathers: I love war movies. I love Clint Eastwood. How the hell both of these escaped me? No clue.
2. The Proposition: I love every actor involved. I love good Westerns. And it was written by Nick Cave. Nick fuckin' Cave!!!! Yeah...I'm upset about not having seen this one.
1. The Lives of Others: I know. It isn't even on DVD yet...but I had the chance to see it in an arthouse theater in New York...and didn't. We walked around in the freezing fucking cold instead. Went to the museum where Night at the Museum was shot....yeah. Anywho...this beat Pan's Labyrinth at the Oscars....so it better blow my damn mind.
ok i really don't have a list i have missed WAAAAAYYYY to many movies to even try to make one but i will say brian that the painted veil was something that i really enjoyed and you really should see it...some of the people i have talked said it was boring and didn't like it, but i thought i was good
and pengin you soo should watch downfall like tonight....and you as well brian...i loved this movie it kind of makes you feel a little bad for hitler as all of his "friends" run and leave him but then its over and you remember he killed millions of people and its ok to hate him lol the pianist as well is another really good world war ii film...flags of our fathers was great but i haven't seen letters from iwo jima and i soooo need to everyone has told me its alot better than flags so i'm excited lol
This is what I like to see... a little enthusiasm! Comment after comment after comment. All it took was another Top 7 list! Everyone loves a list!
To get right back into it...
It's good to see Carol pop up again. I wasn't sure you still checked the site. And just long enough to rub in the fact that I haven't watched Downfall yet again. Thank you VERY much for that Carol. Haha. Much appreciated! And now you've added The Painted Veil to the movies you can torture me for not having seen. Damn, I really gotta see that now and it didn't even make my damned list. Jeez. At least I can rub in you haven't seen Letters From Iwo Jima - which, as ridiculous as it may sound - I believe was the first foreign language film I watched in theaters. Brilliant stuff. Eastwood is a fuckin' God and anyone who bickers with me on this point is hereby banned. Hahaha.
And Pengin, great list. You're #1, and #'s 5-7 are ones I still have to see. But Letters, The Proposition and The Pianist are all pretty big misses. Some great, great films.
I, as well, am an Adrien Brody-hater... but honestly, The Pianist is the one film he deserved to win an Oscar for, and did. And I will bicker to the end that he sucked the life out of King Kong and The Jacket might have been something worth seeing had it not been for his awfully lame performance. He's dull. End of story. But somehow Polanski got a performance out of him that's really remarkable. But since that was his 'first' role to most people, they've deluded themselves into thinking he can act. He's proved it once. Prove it again.
Proposition as well, just a terrific film. Letters, well, I've already said Eastwood is God basically. Definitely catch up with all of them.
I will admit that Flags is far inferior... but I'd almost recommend watching it beforehand. There's some crossover between the two films that will make you appreciate it more. And, honest to God, Ryan Phillipe really delivers a pretty great performance in it. It's the only reason I'm dying to sit down and watch Breach. Definitely, check them out.
Oh, and Chachi, if you haven't seen Downfall, I'll add it to the list. Let me know. Although I don't want "The Film Script's Watching Schedule" to turn into foreign language-fest. We'll see. I'm sure we'll add a bunch more films when I throw up my Top 7 misses in the 90s list in the next couple of days.
Loving the conversation guys, great stuff.
Let me quickly say that your guy's anti-Brody bashing will have to endure the wrath of Myth. As I'm sure he will say, Brody is God. But that is because they both have big Jew noses. I happen to really like the guy, but only in certain movies. Jacket was awful, but I don't think he was terrible in King Kong. I also liked him in Summer of Sam. But I don't think anyone will argue that his Oscar win was both very surprising and great entertainment to witness.
Anyways on to pengin's picks.
I'm telling you now to just go buy Proposition. It is terrific. I've told you enough about how brilliant it is, yet you still haven't seen it. I went and saw Shortbus as soon as you told me too. Hell I bought it right away. Just see it already.
I'm not surprised that you missed Iwo Jima. I'm more surprised you missed Flags since it had a wider release and you didn't even have to pay for it. I agree Iwo Jima kicks its ass though.
I wish I could urge you guys to see Science right now, but to be honest I was slighty disappointed in it. But than again, I had extremely high expectations. See must see though.
I can't wait to see Lives of Others.
Downfall- not only have I not seen it, I haven't even heard of it until ten minutes ago when I read these posts. Sympathy for Hitler. I've been preaching it all along. I mean really...our world is over populated enough. I think he was just trying to rectify that.
I think an angel just lost it's wings.
Brody is terribly inconsistent at best. While I have not seen Summer of Sam, I had previously heard good things about his performance in it. But when I go back and peruse his filmography, there are so many roadblocks that can't be avoided.
Hollywoodland. Another bad performance from Brody. Some may hate him, but Ben Affleck was the only reason to watch this film... and I didn't think his Golden Globe nomination was undeserved. Affleck's always been better in films that don't rely solely on him [Changing Lanes (co-starring with Samuel L.), Chasing Amy (starring, but far too small a movie to really be relying on him to sell it), Dogma, Reindeer Games (yes it's a good movie), Good Will Hunting].
Then there's The Village. An okay movie, below average for M. Night, but Brody's performance is flat-out terrible. One of the worst in recent memory. If M. Night wasn't trying so hard to compensate for him, Brody would have walked away with the Razzies for that one. Truly God awful.
However, I am holding out a lot of hope for The Darjeeling Limited, but if Brody single-handedly sinks a Wes Anderson film, I may have to write him off completely as a one performance fluke.
And Chachi, I can see you not having seen Downfall, but not even hearing about it? That kind of shocks me. They made a pretty big to-do out of it when it came out and it was one of the best reviewed films of the year. It's something we both should definitely check out. And we will when I really set up that "Film Script Watching Schedule" and post it on the main page (soon, promise, I think I want to post my 90s list before I post the schedule though and I'll do that this weekend).
Chachi, I've been putting some more thought into the "Watching Schedule" and was wondering if you want to group the films by category (a la "Filmspotting") or just have a random assortment of films with which we need to catch up on? With a grouping we could hit a bunch of our favorite directors whose films we may have missed some of (Woody Allen, Robert Altman, the more prolific ones most of the time).
But with a random assortment we pick out simply the cream of the crop to watch and we get some of the big omissions out of the way first. There are points for both... maybe we could have mini-marathons and then pick a random movie between them? I dunno, what are your thoughts (and if anyone else plans to participate, I'd like to hear your thoughts as well).
We've already got a handful for our "Contemporary Foreign Films List" with Motorcycle Diaries, Downfall and A Very Long Engagement. Plus, I've gotta get watching Oldboy and City of God but I'll do that before we start the watching schedule.
For the list Mulligan, I think it best to somehow do them in groups relating to one another, be it the director, theme, etc.This will allow us to better judge the films amongst other similar films.
I'm really enjoying Filmspotting's film noir marathon, and because they are all similar in style and tone, I have an easier time figuring out those that got it and those that didn't.
And Mulligan...you lost a lot of credibility my friend when you claimed Reindeer Games to be a good movie. That was more shocking than obliviousness to Downfall. But I totally agree about Affleck though.
At work...so won't comment on everything. But seriously...Reindeer Games???????
I love Ben Affleck. I really do. Not only was his Globe nomination justified for Hollywoodland...but his performance was the best of the year. Period. In any category. But Reindeer Games?!? What the hell?
Alright, alright. Rip it all you want, but John Frankenheimer's Reindeer Games is very deceptive. The first time I saw it, I thought it was awful. The last time I saw it, I've almost convinced myself it's spectacular. Well, almost. I'll leave my statement that it's a good film.
See, there's definitely a twist or two too many. But the film is a gritty, dark comedy and in it's tone, I'd compare it mainly to the also unjustly underloved The Ice Harvest with John Cusack. They just play around in the genre, not trying to be anything necessarily great, but knowing the rhythms, the mood, the characters and having fun with it all.
C'mon, a group of Santa Claus's robbing an Indian reservation casino? Once you get past the initial off-putting ludicrous factor, it's good. And if I watch it again, maybe I'll even convince myself it's great.
But c'mon, it's Frankenheimer. And I find the film just as plainly enjoyable as another of his latter overlooked films with DeNiro, Ronin. Give it another shot.
Well I'm happy to say that in between finishing the entire series of "Undeclared" and watching the first 6 episodes of "Freaks and Geeks," I managed to throw in City of God and cross my #1 off of my "Movies I Should Have Seen (2000s)" List.
Good film. Maybe great even, but it wouldn't come close to my Top 20 All-Time (it'd probably have a tough time entering my Top 200). Now that's not to knock the film, because as it is it's pretty damned good. It created some real interesting characters in Rocket, Lil 'Ze, Carrot and Knockout Ned. It's an absolutely fascinating story. It's well told. It's even better acted.
But it loses a few points because I think it glances over Knockout Ned's story. His change from revenge-seeker to killer is dealt with in a pretty cursory fashion. This change is one of the most interesting aspects of the story, and it's pretty much glanced over. I also found some of the editing and stylistic choices over the top. This is a film that could have benefitted a lot from the grainy washed-out feel of something like Soderbergh's Traffic but instead is infused with quick-cutting, and cinematography that is picture-like in its beauty. Pretty to look at, but I think it misrepresents the region and the mood of the piece.
Altogether though, a wonderful movie with a helluva lot more going for it than going against it. But when it's placed at #17 on IMDB's list, I expect it to be flawless.
I forgot to mention that I have compiled my Top 7 List of "Movies I Should Have Seen (1990s)" and I'll post that later tonight. I know I said I'd post it over the weekend, but I'm habitually late so you can always expect it a day or two later than previously reported.
So everyone else, if you haven't already, start researching or brainstorming those movies that have alluded you. Be back later with the list.
wow umm the 90's well seeing as how i was 2 when 1990 came around um....is the care bear movie going to count?? nah i'm just kidding...i soooo saw that....ok but i really am going to try to come up with some kind of list...maybe....=)
Ah, I'm an ass. I'll try to get the post up sometime tonight or tomorrow. Warned you guys not to listen to me. I'm a constant procrastinator.
Yay procrastination.
Hey, I can't think of any films I'm embarrassed to not have seen, mainly because I make it a point to watch more than should be allowed. However, a word of warning to those out there talking about Thumbsucker= Prepare yourself for one of the most over-praised, very predictable, and quite boring coming of age films ever. But it did have good acting. And can someone explain to me why it won all those awrds and critical praise? The Chumscrubber is a millions times more original and entertaining.
In America was pointless in my opinion, and I never believed a second of it. And Doogal sucks. The rest of the films are good.
The only film listed anywhere on here I haven't seen is The Velocity of Gary, which I do want to.
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