Why "favorite" and not "best" -- check here.
Here is my list; and I stand by it completely -- at least until I change my mind. If you disagree, feel free to comment... or start your own frickin' blog (www.blogger.com).
Here is my list; and I stand by it completely -- at least until I change my mind. If you disagree, feel free to comment... or start your own frickin' blog (www.blogger.com).
Warning boys and girls! I am not shy about my opinions or the information I use to back them up, so there are SPOILERS ON PARADE throughout this post. So if you see a movie title you don't want spoiled, stop reading and see the movie before you return.
All-time Favorite (with over 25 viewings) -- The Thin Blue Line (1988)
I could teach a full-semester course on The Thin Blue Line, its place in our culture, its effect on our legal system, its effect on movies, and the sights, sounds, and inside jokes that make it my favorite movie of all time.
But to explain it in brief, there are several kinds of movies at the tip-top of my favorites list. First, there are movies that dazzle, excite and entertain, that are plot-driven and have a message, a struggle, or a moral that speaks to me. Close Encounters of the Third Kind is a good example of that. Above those are the stunning visual acheivements that change the way you watch movies or make you reconsider what you think about culture and entertainment. Watching Apocalypse Now on a huge screen in downtown Boston is a decent example of that. And at the very tip top, above all of those, are the movies that change the way you interact with and exist in the world, that change your outlook on life itself and your place in it. The Thin Blue Line is the only movie that exists in all three categories for me.
Errol Morris' masterpiece changed what I thought of American culture and legal protections, changed what I thought about authority, changed how I conducted my life, and changed the way I listened to and understood people's frustrations, anxieties, and motives. It isn't for everyone (I know people who fell asleep halfway through), but for me, it was a world-shaking experience that shredded how I thought the world worked, leaving me to decide how to refill that void.
Morris' keen eye for detail and poignant visual imagery frame the story in the everyday -- in ways that should scare people more than they dare to consider. And to tell his story of justice turned upside-down, Morris turns the story's principles inside-out, leaving the viewer fully aware that someday it could all come crashing down on them for no good reason.
Morris' use of a soundtrack (by Philip Glass) and re-enactments seem quaintly dated to some. But given how often imitated the movie has been in news magazines and other documentaries, it's possible that The Thin Blue Line is the most influential movie in history. And rightly so -- it was a breakthrough in so many ways there just isn't time to list them all.
And just in case you think I'm alone in my opinion, The Thin Blue Line has been universally hailed. In fact, it received 100% positive reviews from critics when it was released (noted at rottentomatoes.com). And to see how difficult it is to get complete consensus about a movie, here are some movies that did *not* receive 100% positive reviews from the critics: Gone With the Wind, West Side Story, The Godfather Part II, and Schindler's List. There is almost always a party-pooper, but not with The Thin Blue Line.
And as one final proof of how deeply this movie affected to me, consider this: every time I go to the movies -- every single time -- when the lights go down... *just* before the main feature starts, I hear the haunting bars of Phillip Glass' soundtrack. For all that, and for many other things, I owe Errol Morris, Phillip Glass, and the main protagonist, Randall Dale Adams an eternal debt of gratitude. Thank you, guys.
But to explain it in brief, there are several kinds of movies at the tip-top of my favorites list. First, there are movies that dazzle, excite and entertain, that are plot-driven and have a message, a struggle, or a moral that speaks to me. Close Encounters of the Third Kind is a good example of that. Above those are the stunning visual acheivements that change the way you watch movies or make you reconsider what you think about culture and entertainment. Watching Apocalypse Now on a huge screen in downtown Boston is a decent example of that. And at the very tip top, above all of those, are the movies that change the way you interact with and exist in the world, that change your outlook on life itself and your place in it. The Thin Blue Line is the only movie that exists in all three categories for me.
Errol Morris' masterpiece changed what I thought of American culture and legal protections, changed what I thought about authority, changed how I conducted my life, and changed the way I listened to and understood people's frustrations, anxieties, and motives. It isn't for everyone (I know people who fell asleep halfway through), but for me, it was a world-shaking experience that shredded how I thought the world worked, leaving me to decide how to refill that void.
Morris' keen eye for detail and poignant visual imagery frame the story in the everyday -- in ways that should scare people more than they dare to consider. And to tell his story of justice turned upside-down, Morris turns the story's principles inside-out, leaving the viewer fully aware that someday it could all come crashing down on them for no good reason.
Morris' use of a soundtrack (by Philip Glass) and re-enactments seem quaintly dated to some. But given how often imitated the movie has been in news magazines and other documentaries, it's possible that The Thin Blue Line is the most influential movie in history. And rightly so -- it was a breakthrough in so many ways there just isn't time to list them all.
And just in case you think I'm alone in my opinion, The Thin Blue Line has been universally hailed. In fact, it received 100% positive reviews from critics when it was released (noted at rottentomatoes.com). And to see how difficult it is to get complete consensus about a movie, here are some movies that did *not* receive 100% positive reviews from the critics: Gone With the Wind, West Side Story, The Godfather Part II, and Schindler's List. There is almost always a party-pooper, but not with The Thin Blue Line.
And as one final proof of how deeply this movie affected to me, consider this: every time I go to the movies -- every single time -- when the lights go down... *just* before the main feature starts, I hear the haunting bars of Phillip Glass' soundtrack. For all that, and for many other things, I owe Errol Morris, Phillip Glass, and the main protagonist, Randall Dale Adams an eternal debt of gratitude. Thank you, guys.
Second Favorite (3 viewings) -- The Abyss: Special Edition (1993)
If you saw the original version of The Abyss and thought it was interesting but just okay, you are not alone. I went on opening night (even have the button they gave me to celebrate the movie's release), and that's how I felt. Turns out that the studio ordered director James Cameron to cut a half-hour before they would release it. The resultant neutered version of the director's vision lacked subtlety and felt rushed.
In 1993, Cameron released the full version, first in theaters and then on home video. I saw it at the movies, and the amount of tension and character development added by those 28 minutes will astound you.
In the original, the main players were under pressure from the physical depths at which they worked, their own past entanglements, and one person's growing instability. In the Special Edition, pile on pressure from geopolitics, a stunning reality at the bottom of the abyss itself, and an ending almost too nerve-wracking to consider, and you understand what those 28 minutes meant.
There are at least two bad scenes, which would normally have kicked the movie off the list. But the rest of it is amazingly intense, beautifully written/edited/directed/shot, and extremely well acted, and subtly poignant.
Easily my favorite of Director James Cameron's three movies set in and around the water (the other two are Piranha Part Two: The Spawning and some overblown schlockfest called Titanic).
Rarely will you see a performance with such range and power where the actor makes every moment a single step closer to the unbearable core of human frustration. Robert DeNiro is so good in this, I defy anyone to find a single frame where he is anything less than mesmerizing and authentic.
The movie also featured the knock-out combination of director Martin Scorsese and writer Paul Schrader -- both of whom have created some of the grittiest and most iconic movies in history. Truly an exception that proves the rule that movies with voice-overs are never any good.
Fourth Favorite (4 viewings) -- Blade Runner: The Director's Cut (1992)
And while Ford is very good, Rutger Hauer steals every scene as the often brutal but sometimes compassionate Roy Batty. His character arc proves that being born doesn't make you human, your humanity does. Unquestionably Ridley Scott's best movie, and the Director's Cut is more than just one cut above the original.
Fifth Favorite (25+ viewings) -- West Side Story (1961)
I know it was a rip-off of some guy named Shakespeare, but remember, the story was probably over 1,000 years old when Billy-boy from England put pen to paper. Classic stories go back further than we will ever know.
It is difficult to pass this movie on television and not stop to watch it the rest of the way. But even though I'd seen it a dozen or more times on the tube, I was absolutely blown away when I saw it at the Wang Center in downtown Boston (the screen there is probably as big as a drive-in screen). If it ever plays at a revival theater in your area, make your best effort to catch it. It beats the hell out of plunking down $10 to see the latest release.
It has some of the best movie music of all time, "Tonight" is my favorite song in musical history (just edging out Garland's "The Man Who Got Away" in A Star is Born), and the final scene is about a close as a movie can come to making me cry. And the list of wonderful scenes go on and on -- the opening credits and fights, the fight scene under the highway, Tony and Maria's pseudo-marriage, that final scene -- all wonderful all the time.
IMO, if West Side Story had never been released and instead were discovered and released this year, it would be an Oscar contender for at *least* nine awards. Not bad for a 47 year-old movie.
Sixth Favorite (20+ viewings) -- The Matrix (1999)
Tough to believe that a movie about a bunch of geeks who turn to terrorism to save an imprisoned humanity could be so bloody good. But there's the plot in a nutshell.
What I love about the movie is the mystery of the first few weird twists, followed by the ginormity of the revealed mission, with the artistry of the fight scenes, augmented by the fact that they *always* seem to be fighting on at least two levels at the same time. Sure, the Christ symbolism is a little thick, but the action is fierce, the acting is spot on (Keanu Reeves, excepted), and the Wachowski brothers were never as good and will never be better -- guaranteed.
Besides, I could watch over and over the scenes from the moment Neo walks into the military building until the helicopter explodes. Probably my favorite sequence in any movie ever.
Seventh Favorite (7+ viewings) --Memento (2000)
So imagine this pitch in a Hollywood office: "A guy whose brain injury cost him the ability to make new memories tries to track down the man who killed his wife in the attack that caused his injury, all the while trying to decide who to trust and what to believe about the evidence he has and the world around him. Oh... right, right, right -- and we're going to tell the story *backwards.* Isn't that genius!" I imagine they got kicked out of a lot of offices with that one :(
But hey, can't argue with success. Director Christopher Nolan and his brother (screen writer Jonathan) made a unique, puzzling, and ultimately intriguing movie that absolutely can only be understood upon re-watching -- maybe five or six times (just kidding... well, maybe not kidding after all).
And for all the confusion and decoding that goes on, it's the little scenes I love. The one where Natalie (Carrie-Ann Moss) takes all her pens and leaves for five minutes so she can return to a Leonard with no memory of what just happened. The chase scene where neither you nor the character knows who is chasing whom. The one where he hires a prostitute to re-enact his last night before the attack, just so he can feel normal for the few seconds until he realizes she isn't his wife. A well-crafted, carefully considered, excellently acted, and immensely satisfying movie. I own it, and will enjoy it for years to come.
I do have one unanswered question -- who is Leonard talking to on the phone? If you've figured out the answer, please let me know.
Eighth Favorite (20+ viewings) -- The Terminator (1984)
No BS, no voice-over, no coddling, no prisoners, just plot-plot-and-more-plot. This movie might have the least fat of any movie I've ever seen. If he'd never released the Special Edition of the Abyss, this would be my absolute favorite James Cameron -- with no close second place. Perfect casting, and tension that just doesn't quit. The action was mind-blowing at the time and holds up well, and (this is rare) there isn't a single moment when you believe the heroes of the movie are safe.
Before The Terminator was released, I thought movies were all going in the direction of Steven Spielberg. But Cameron's plotting and style of direction ended up being more influential than Spielberg's. Oh, and both Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger are *much* better in this movie than the sequel. And of course, this one has a bunch more classic lines than the sequel.
Ninth Favorite (4 viewings) -- North By Northwest (1959)
Hitchcock sometimes overindulged (The Birds) or went far beyond believability (Vertigo) or was just too clever for himself (Rope). But N-by-NW is in a league all its own -- the most well conceived mistaken identity flick I have seen to date.
Cary Grant's clever escape plans and two of the most iconic scenes in movie history (the crop-duster chase scene and the climactic cliff-hanger on Mount Rushmore) make this one a joy to watch. Like The Terminator, it's all plot, but Grant pulls it off with panache and wit that only he possessed.
Tenth Favorite (10+ viewings) -- Glengarry Glenn Ross (1992)
It's not difficult to imagine why so many people haven't seen this movie. A film about real estate salesmen, based on a play, with a grand total of zero action and love scenes combined. A small budget movie with few sets and characters that don't fit the stereotypes we're used to.
Well, if you haven't seen it, here's a few reasons to rent the DVD. Jack Lemmon. Al Pacino. Kevin Spacey. Ed Harris. Alan Arkin. Jonathan Pryce. And it features probably the most entertaining 7-minute acting job around -- Alec Baldwin's "motivational" speech to the gathered crew. Also, the playwright is some guy named David Mamet, one of the most influential writers in Broadway history.
The movie itself is a great study in desperation, rebellion, guile, and power. And it's amazing how quickly each of those things can shift from person to person. Think you know whodunit? think you know who has the upper hand? Think again and wait about three minutes -- the whole thing will turn on its head.
The performances are deadly serious and exactly what you'd expect from a cast that good. And having seen it over ten times, I *think* I know exactly what happens. But I can't wait for the next time; just to be sure.
So that's the top ten. Here are the ten that just missed the cut:
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai features Forest Whitaker as a silent assassin taking on an aging mob. Much more interesting than that makes it sound, and I defy you to find an assassin better at his job in any other movie.
Twelve Angry Men might have the most impressive ensemble cast of all time. Twelve stars on the same screen, all working within the confines of a single room. My favorite adaptation of a play this side of Glengary Glenn Ross (or Stalag 17).
A Close Shave is my absolute favorite animated movie -- a classic from Aardman. How can you dislike a movie with a naked sheep called "Shorn"?
Top Secret! won't win any awards, but I think this Abrahams/Zucker/Zucker production is much tauter and funnier than their classic Airplane movies. The East German Swim Team, the scene shot backwards, the best use of the Jaws theme (outside of Jaws), making fun of Pac-Man, all in perhaps the best spoof of an Elvis movie ever -- what's not to love?
Pulp Fiction was a tour-de-force when it came out, and I'm still fascinated when it comes on the tube. Think Tarantino will ever tell us what was in the briefcase?
Jaws. Been there, seen that, about a hundred times! *Still* can't go into the water :(It's not difficult to imagine why so many people haven't seen this movie. A film about real estate salesmen, based on a play, with a grand total of zero action and love scenes combined. A small budget movie with few sets and characters that don't fit the stereotypes we're used to.
Well, if you haven't seen it, here's a few reasons to rent the DVD. Jack Lemmon. Al Pacino. Kevin Spacey. Ed Harris. Alan Arkin. Jonathan Pryce. And it features probably the most entertaining 7-minute acting job around -- Alec Baldwin's "motivational" speech to the gathered crew. Also, the playwright is some guy named David Mamet, one of the most influential writers in Broadway history.
The movie itself is a great study in desperation, rebellion, guile, and power. And it's amazing how quickly each of those things can shift from person to person. Think you know whodunit? think you know who has the upper hand? Think again and wait about three minutes -- the whole thing will turn on its head.
The performances are deadly serious and exactly what you'd expect from a cast that good. And having seen it over ten times, I *think* I know exactly what happens. But I can't wait for the next time; just to be sure.
So that's the top ten. Here are the ten that just missed the cut:
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai features Forest Whitaker as a silent assassin taking on an aging mob. Much more interesting than that makes it sound, and I defy you to find an assassin better at his job in any other movie.
Twelve Angry Men might have the most impressive ensemble cast of all time. Twelve stars on the same screen, all working within the confines of a single room. My favorite adaptation of a play this side of Glengary Glenn Ross (or Stalag 17).
A Close Shave is my absolute favorite animated movie -- a classic from Aardman. How can you dislike a movie with a naked sheep called "Shorn"?
Top Secret! won't win any awards, but I think this Abrahams/Zucker/Zucker production is much tauter and funnier than their classic Airplane movies. The East German Swim Team, the scene shot backwards, the best use of the Jaws theme (outside of Jaws), making fun of Pac-Man, all in perhaps the best spoof of an Elvis movie ever -- what's not to love?
Pulp Fiction was a tour-de-force when it came out, and I'm still fascinated when it comes on the tube. Think Tarantino will ever tell us what was in the briefcase?
The Elephant Man is my favorite David Lynch movie, and probably the only one I'd recommend to the un-Lynch-initiated. This was back when he still had people reigning him in -- maybe he'd be better off if that was still the case.
The Dark Knight is another effort by the Nolan brothers, and could well be in the top ten sometime soon. The more I see it, the better I like it.
Singin' in the Rain -- an interesting and funny story with great songs and a wonderful job by Donald O'Connor.
A Fish Called Wanda is what I want to watch when I need a more intelligent laugh than Top Secret! can give.
So that's the list. If you think you are getting this whole "favorite" thing, give me your favorites. And expect to see more favorite lists in the future -- this was a gas to put together.
- Scott
