matrixschmatrix wrote:Goodness, I should have fought harder for my babies- it always seems to have a noticeable effect on how they place when I do.
2. F for Fake (Placed #167)
This is the one that hurts the most. This movie is high in the running for my favorite Welles, and my favorite films overall- and not only did it not make the list, but it dropped precipitously from the last list. Is it a matter of timing, since it was a relatively recent release then, and has had no updates since?
At any rate, this is a brilliant movie, cleverly playing with form without ever being tiresomely metafictional, and raising philosophical questions about the meaning of realness and authenticity as forcefully (and with rather more humor, to my eyes) as any Kiarostami film. I was assuming everyone was familiar with it, but if you're not, seriously go seek it out- I've never met anyone to whom I recommended this that didn't enjoy it.
12. The Muppet Movie (Orphan)
I suppose that I have only myself to blame for this one, though- I imagine it's one a lot of people have watched, but few have thought of as potentially great. It's a film I'd have a soft spot for regardless, but (not unlike F for Fake) it is also a movie where the fake real and the real fake collide in really interesting ways, plus also it's got a really funny Steve Martin cameo.
19. The Last Waltz (Placed #206)
I suppose concert movies are always going to be a hard bet- even if people have seen it, they have to like both the moviemaking and the actual music, which is sort of a bonus layer of contention. Nonetheless, this is pretty well the gold standard of concert movies (along with Stop Making Sense, which had damned well better not be an also ran) and Scorsese makes something larger than life about a bunch of coked up dadrockers (I love them so) and shapes the material make it feel like a Scorsese movie, a movie wherein desperate and perhaps unlikable people find a certain measure of grace. And I love the music, so what the hell.
26. The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (Placed #277)
27. The Man Who Would Be King (Placed #108)
I think I may value movies that are wonderful entertainment and not necessarily a lot beyond that more than some of the other members of the board, which is fine, I think. Pelham is one of the innumerable super New York-y movies this decade- Taxi Driver, Manhattan, Dog Day Afternoon and so on- but it makes a joke of that quality, out of racial tension, bad cops, good cops, and terrorism, without ever being flip about any of them, or losing any of its tightness as a thriller. The Man Who Would Be King is a movie that takes two really entertaining actors and a situation that inherently has some super regressive political implications and just sort of has them go for it- and because the performances are from a couple of very silly (though loveable) people, and doesn't try any special pleading, the result feels far less racist than some movies that try their best to be progressive. And it's fun as hell.
33. Foxy Brown (Orphan)
Here, I thought the Arrow blu would give it some notability. Arrgh. Well, anyone who hasn't seen this, it's a real delight, and my favorite of its subgenre. It's hard to describe the pleasures of blaxploitation without being repetitive, but at any rate, this one moves really well, and doesn't have a lot of elements that stick out as problematic (aside from some unpleasant sexual menacing towards Grier, but she does at least come out of the situation well.) Again, though, I also just seem to value terrific entertainment that doesn't necessarily do much more than that more than others, which is still fine.
35. The Friends of Eddie Coyle (Placed #288)
A hard, quiet movie about a hard, quiet man. It's worth watching.
39. New York, New York (Placed #266)
It's a flawed movie, but a very alive one, and I really love Liza Minelli in it. I guess I can't argue with people who didn't care for this one too hard, but what the hell, I like it.
40. Grey Gardens (Placed #123)
Huh, this one's definitely a surprise. I assume people know about this one, but I can see where it's not to everyone's taste. If you're not familiar with it- it's one of the Maysles best, and they do a wonderful job of allowing us to see the humanity of people that might otherwise seem like campy old cat lady types, without necessarily pressing us to like them.
42. The Outlaw Josey Wales (Placed #184)
43. A New Leaf (Placed #187)
45. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (Orphan)
49. Trafic (Orphan)
I'm going to try and edit in some writeups for these later, but good Lord I did not do well in my lower reaches.
I'm a huge Welles fan but
'F for Fake' is more one to admire than love; perhaps more due to its structure than anything; but the Criterion has an awesome collection of extras.
Of course
'The Muppets Show' was essential Sunday-afternoon viewing for me and my brother in the gloomy late 70s - Waldorf and Statler rules - but I'm not even sure I saw the movie.
I still have the vinyl album box-set which I bought asap after viewing
The Last Waltz' on the big-screen; and now also have the CD, and DVD.
'The Band' album is one of my Desert Island Discs.
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three' was one of the very first films I saw after coming to Dublin - and I also read the paperback. Its fun - especially Matthau, but I don't think I ever considered it for my 50.
The Man Who Would Be King' is a wonderful movie, which probably belongs to an earlier age. Probably Connery's best performance.
33.
Foxy Brown (Orphan)
I probably saw every blaxploitation movie that screened in Dublin following my 'migration'; and the 'whitey's pseudo-blaxploitation movie - although some of them were quite good, also. Foxy was great - as was Pam Grier; but now I'm sorry I didn't even shortlist 'Truck Turner' (even though it shattered my boyhood Nichelle Nichols (Lt Uhuru) illusions).
Spot on about
'Eddie Coyle'
Grey Gardens' was on my shortlist and it's a great documentary, but it's almost pornographic in its uncomfortable intrusion into the life of a sad, deluded, woman.
Kudos for including 42,43, and 49.
With
'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy' I've just never included tv mini-series, but for me this is Guinness' finest hour, and its among the finest of tv drama - of any format or genre.