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October 24, 2003

Twenty Films - Twenty Years

For each of these films with few exceptions, there is an alternative. So I'll cheat just a touch and throw in the category alternative. I've tried to pick my favorite by director. Joining in the blogmeme from Drezner, Simon, Tagorda and Greg at BTD, my list follows.

Ran - Kurosawa
It's almost not fair. This is my single favorite film of all time.

Do The Right Thing - Spike Lee
The most controversial film in the world. Never forget Public Enemy in the soundtrack. Also one of the last big black cast movies. Still quotable.

Titus - Judy Taymor
A most impressive work. A period film of Shakespeare's play all made for contemporary sensibilities. Magnificent acting, earthshattering drama.

Daughters of the Dust - Julie Dash
Stunningly beautiful lyrical mysterious film. You almost remember it as if it were slow motion. Family, tradition, food. A truly moving family history.

To Sleep With Anger - Charles Burnett
A story of a black family in Los Angeles, a vivid cast of characters. The Color Purple would go here but that would be a bit too cliche, wouldn't it?

True Romance - Tony Scott
I'm going to buck the trend and not put Tarantino into the top 20. I simply don't think you can have True Romance and Pulp Fiction in the same list. This film is such a romp, it makes us feel like a simple confused roughneck life might be alright, if we find love.

eXistenZ - David Cronenberg
While The Matrix easily the coolest sci-fi 'is this really reality' movie ever made, eXistenZ is the creepiest by far. The implications of what jacking into an artificial reality could mean are far more deliciously and dangerously rendered by Cronenberg.

Pi - Darren Aronofsky
Aronofsky captures the madness of genius, greed and faith. It is truly a great New York film.

House of Games - David Mamet
A lovely, twisty caper film. Brilliant from start to finish. Now that I think of it, I haven't watched it over and over quite enough times.

Lone Star - John Sayles
I'd have to say that this is Sayles' best work and probably one of the saddest stories on film, a multicultural manifesto.

Zelig - Woody Allen
This is for me, easily Woody Allen's funniest work. I laugh just thinking about it. Brilliant filmwork, and just hilarious. It shows off Allens intelligence, sensitivity and wit without the pretensions of some of his dramas.

Clerks - Kevin Smith
*The* American indie film.

Heat - Michael Mann
This is a tough one, because Ronin has the best car chase ever filmed, finally surpassing Bullit after n years. But how can you miss with DeNiro and Pacino? Heat inserted reality into gun battles not seen before and is brilliant in its capturing of Los Angeles.

Saving Private Ryan - Steven Spielberg
Between this film and Schindler's List I had to pick SPR. It's odd because both films are so great it almost sounds like a moral choice. In the end, however I am more drawn to stories of sacrifice rather than of heroism. SPR also destroyed all pretense in combat scenes forever on film.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon - Ang Lee
A beautiful epic work. Not many films have two great romances, and there has never been a romance with this much action. All that and a fine story.

Like Water for Chocolate
I've always thought that The English Patient was somewhat derivative of this. It doesn't really make sense but loving the wrong person and suffering... well this is a very fine romance.

From Hell - Albert Hughes
As much as I loved Dangerous Liasons, and Sleepy Hollow I'm going to give the nod to the Hughes Brothers for the best period piece of the last 20 years. I think they did a great job.

Unforgiven - Clint Eastwood
A great moral tale with a perfect cast of characters. A classic illustration of the American fascination with violence and a very thoughtful rumination on manhood.

Sea of Love
This is probably the sexiest film ever made. I don't care what people say about throwing chairs through plate glass windows or scummy apartments in Paris. Pacino and Barkin were IT.

Koyannisqatsi - Godfrey Reggio
Without a single word of dialog this film said so much. It's also one of my all time favorites. See more here.

Posted by mbowen at October 24, 2003 01:03 AM

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Comments

Posted by: djspicerack at October 24, 2003 12:33 PM

Posted by: Cobb at October 24, 2003 01:57 PM

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Posted by: Liz at October 25, 2003 06:15 AM