Steven SumegiSo I never really clarified what my favourite films are.
November 25th 2007 11:31
I meant to do this at least a month ago, but kind of forgot to, so for those interested, here's my top 5 movies, and two or three sentences about them.
Note: I said favourite, not 'best'. I suppose you could say these are the movies I've gotten the most out of. For the record, if I was pushed to give a best movie of all time, it would be the number 2 on this list.
5. Fight Club
David Fincher, 1999
In my opinion, leaps and bounds above the already excellent book- when author Chuck Palahniuk thinks the movie has a much better ending. It sticks with me not just because of its confronting plot and themes, or the way it popularized that particular brand of ending twist that is rarely replicated properly, but because of its thematic techniques. The way director Fincher messes around with his 4th wall is very inventive, and plants this movie very firmly at the top of the pile for me.
4. Pulp Fiction
Quentin Tarantino, 1994
List's been pretty unoriginal so far, hasn't it? Ah well. I think enough's been written about the pop-culture coolness and memorable dialogues, and I don't have a lot to add to the table that hasn't been done to death, so let's move on to some films that maybe you haven't already seen.
3:Ikiru
Akira Kurosawa, 1952
There's a review extract from the Chicago Sun-Times on the back of the DVD case to this Kurosawa classic that calls the movie "One of the few movies that might actually be able to inspire someone to lead their life a little differently." I absolutely, completely and utterly agree with this- it's an amazing, touching, brilliant film about a man who realises how little time he has to live and sets out to discover what he should do with his remaining days. Utterly mind-blowing stuff.
2: Seven Samurai
Akira Kurosawa, 1954
There is no doubt in my mind that Kurosawa was the greatest director of all time (and that Toshiro Mifune, who he worked with extensively for several years, was the greatest actor of all time), and this is definitely his best film. Honestly, I'm worried to start writing an update on Kurosawa, because I don't think I'd ever be able to stop writing. Suffice to say, this is the movie that got me truly interested, seriously invested, in cinema. The one movie that really made me stop and realise just how powerful and amazing cinema could be.
And so, this brings me to my absolute favourite film: one I love so much that I've convinced something like 40-50 friends and acquaintances to see it over the past few years. And that movie is:
1. This is Spinal Tap
Rob Reiner, 1982
In amongst my recent studying of cinema, writing movie reviews here and there and generally investing a lot of time in all kinds of cinema, this year I've forgotten to take the time to sit back and rediscover this, my absolute favourite film. But this is a stunning piece of parody, to the extent where I basically consider it a perfect film. The only way I can forsee this ever being topped is if they make an Arrested Development movie.
So now, people who have read this! What are your thoughts on my list? Any rabid Kurosawa or Tap fans reading this list? What appears in your own top 5s?
Note: I said favourite, not 'best'. I suppose you could say these are the movies I've gotten the most out of. For the record, if I was pushed to give a best movie of all time, it would be the number 2 on this list.
5. Fight Club
David Fincher, 1999
In my opinion, leaps and bounds above the already excellent book- when author Chuck Palahniuk thinks the movie has a much better ending. It sticks with me not just because of its confronting plot and themes, or the way it popularized that particular brand of ending twist that is rarely replicated properly, but because of its thematic techniques. The way director Fincher messes around with his 4th wall is very inventive, and plants this movie very firmly at the top of the pile for me.
4. Pulp Fiction
Quentin Tarantino, 1994
List's been pretty unoriginal so far, hasn't it? Ah well. I think enough's been written about the pop-culture coolness and memorable dialogues, and I don't have a lot to add to the table that hasn't been done to death, so let's move on to some films that maybe you haven't already seen.
3:Ikiru
Akira Kurosawa, 1952
There's a review extract from the Chicago Sun-Times on the back of the DVD case to this Kurosawa classic that calls the movie "One of the few movies that might actually be able to inspire someone to lead their life a little differently." I absolutely, completely and utterly agree with this- it's an amazing, touching, brilliant film about a man who realises how little time he has to live and sets out to discover what he should do with his remaining days. Utterly mind-blowing stuff.
2: Seven Samurai
Akira Kurosawa, 1954
There is no doubt in my mind that Kurosawa was the greatest director of all time (and that Toshiro Mifune, who he worked with extensively for several years, was the greatest actor of all time), and this is definitely his best film. Honestly, I'm worried to start writing an update on Kurosawa, because I don't think I'd ever be able to stop writing. Suffice to say, this is the movie that got me truly interested, seriously invested, in cinema. The one movie that really made me stop and realise just how powerful and amazing cinema could be.
And so, this brings me to my absolute favourite film: one I love so much that I've convinced something like 40-50 friends and acquaintances to see it over the past few years. And that movie is:
1. This is Spinal Tap
Rob Reiner, 1982
In amongst my recent studying of cinema, writing movie reviews here and there and generally investing a lot of time in all kinds of cinema, this year I've forgotten to take the time to sit back and rediscover this, my absolute favourite film. But this is a stunning piece of parody, to the extent where I basically consider it a perfect film. The only way I can forsee this ever being topped is if they make an Arrested Development movie.
So now, people who have read this! What are your thoughts on my list? Any rabid Kurosawa or Tap fans reading this list? What appears in your own top 5s?
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Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Comment by Jickle
Hes not in Ikiru, sadly. Takashi Shimura, who played Kambei in SS is though, and he's amazing.
Comment by Jickle
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
Michaelie
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I like all the movies you listed too..though I don't have a top 5 of my own, it's just to hard to have to cut certain films off the list.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Fight Club is Brad Pitt's finest moment on screen, and also David Fincher's best moment so far, although I think Fincher has got alot still up his sleeve.
I prefer Reservoir Dogs to Pulp Fiction, but still, I saw Pulp Fiction twice in one day which no other film before it had compelled me to do so ...
This is Spinal Tap is probably my third favourite comedy of all time, behind Down by Law and Withnail and I.
My top ten films of all time (which have remained the same for many years) are:
1. Blade Runner (1982) Ridley Scott
2. 8-and-a-half (1963) Federico Fellini
3. Apocalypse Now (1979) Francis Coppola
4. Withnail and I (1986) Bruce Robinson
5. Down By Law (1986) Jim Jarmusch
6. Alien (1979) Ridley Scott
7. Cul-de-Sac (1965) Roman Polanski
8. Goodfellas (1990) Martin Scorsese
9. Fallen Angels (1995) Wong Kar-wai
10. Blood Simple (1982) Joel Coen
Blood Simple was the movie - when I saw it on VHS back in the mid-80s - which made me want to become a filmmaker.