I'm always adding and subtracting to this list ... but some films will never be bumped off the list. Fearless, Running on Empty, Empire Strikes Back, On the Waterfront ... Others come and go in prominence.
Anyway. Here's my list.
1. Another Woman - my favorite Woody Allen film. It's one of his "serious" ones, which normally I find annoying. But this one haunts my dreams. It haunts my life. It stars Gena Rowlands. The woman is my idol. Too many great scenes to count. A brilliant story - like a poem, like a dream. Great acting by Sandy Dennis, Ian Holm, Gene Hackman - John Gielgud shows up for a couple of scenes and you think your heart might crack. Betty Buckley has one scene which is so painful I find it, frankly, unwatchable. And through it all, strolls Gena Rowlands - goddess of the independent film movement, one of the greatest American actresses ever. Thank God Woody Allen wrote this for her.
2. Running on Empty - This movie will always be in my Top 5 Films I Love. The scene between Christine Lahti and Steven Hill (now of Law & Order fame) is perhaps the best acting I have ever seen. Beautiful movie. Stays with you long long after it is over.
3. Fearless - I love Jeff Bridges. This film is one of the reasons why. A plane crashes into a corn field. There are only a couple of survivors. He is one of them. Because he escapes death - he begins to think he is immortal. If you haven't seen it - you really must.
4. Opening Night - A John Cassavetes film. Cassavetes created independent film-making, and did it before it was hip. Opening Night, while not his most famous (Woman under the Influence is his most famous - was nominated for Oscars) is his best. It stars his wife Gena Rowlands. It stars Ben Gazzara. I cannot tell you why this movie is so fantastic. I cannot defend my choice. All I know is - it grips my throat. Not a pleasant experience watching it. But DAMN. A film that is burned into my brain. It's about the fear of growing old, and it's also about choosing a life in the theatre.
5. Witness - Harrison Ford's best performance. I love this movie. It works on multiple levels. Also, if you see it now: look for a young Viggo Mortenson, as an Amish farmer (he has no lines in the film, but he is in the barn-raising scene, and many others.) Witness is evidence that you do not need to have one single sex scene to make an erotic movie.
6. Empire Strikes Back -My favorite of the Star Wars extravaganza. I saw it for the first time at age 11 or something like that, in a drive-in. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. A magical film.
7. Schindler's List - Not a movie I want to watch a million times, too painful - but I believe it is a work of art. The scenes between Ben Kingsley and Liam Neeson take my breath away. Ben Kingsley, with one single tear rolling down his face, but his features not moving: "I think I'd better have that drink now."
8. What's Up Doc? - One of the funniest movies ever made. Do not argue. Peter Bogdonavich, screenplay by Buck Henry - Ryan O'Neal and Barbra Streisand - and Madeline Kahn, in her screen debut ... It is a modern-day Bringing Up Baby. I can recite the film. "So how much is it without the Bufferin?"
9. Sense & Sensibility - This movie kills me. Great acting, great story - great realization of a project. The Jane Austen book is great. The film is better. If you want to see great acting, watch Emma Thompson's hysterical outburst that closes the film. She doesn't seem to be creating that. It seems to be HAPPENING to her. But more than just individual moments ... I think this is a perfect film, on every level.
10. On the Waterfront - Even just saying the name of this movie gives me the chills. I watch it now, and am still amazed at its relevance and at the power and timelessness of the acting.
11. Apollo 13 - This is what I call a "satisfying" movie. Every scene has its little arc, every scene accomplishes EXACTLY what Ron Howard wants it to ... and yet there is still a huge arc - the arc of the entire piece - and every scene fits into that arc. I have seen it, probably, 20 times. And it still gets me.
12. Some Like it Hot - the Billy Wilder classic. Another one of the funniest movies ever made. Jack Lemmon tangoing with the rose in his teeth, Marilyn Monroe's delicious-ness - I'll never get over being surprised by this film.
13. Ball of Fire - I know. It's a silly movie. Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck ... but what a delight. What a total DELIGHT is this film. Gary Cooper plays a bumbling English professor working on an encyclopedia with 6 other bumbling professors. (The 7 Dwarfs - which I believe was the original title for this film). Into this intellectual cloister, comes Sugarpuss O'Shea, a floozy showgirl - played by the unbeatable Barbara Stanwyck. She is so good you don't know whether to kiss her or kill her. The dialogue scintillates (Billy Wilder wrote it) - it has wit, eroticism, it's smart, it's funny - and the chemistry between the two leads is so strong you never want the film to end. Another one directed by Howard Hawks. Hmmm ... how many films of his are on this list? I think he is the most represented director here. And rightly so.
14. Bringing Up Baby - Howard Hawks. Again. Probably one of the funniest movies ever made. A classic of the screwball genre. How many times have I seen Cary Grant slip on the dropped olive and fall on his ass? And how many times have I GUFFAWED at that moment? Every single time, that's how many times. This movie is delicious.
15. Casablanca - One of the things that I think makes a movie great, and not only great but LAST, is that there is a mystery about it. It cannot be too easily explained, labeled, pinned down. The discussion about it, the debate it, will continue on. I guess you could say this about the great movie stars, too. They don't give it all away. They hold their cards close to their chest, in some way, and keep us guessing about them. Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman are perfect examples of this. We can never have all of them. In the same way, that we can never have all of ANYbody (at least anybody who is interesting.) There's an essential mystery about their screen presences. I will never get tired of this film.
16. To Have and Have Not - Sigh. This movie gets me hot. Makes me squirm about in my undies, if you know what I mean. But besides THAT, it has an absolutely electric pairing between Bogart and Bacall. You can make the mistake of taking them for granted, since the two of them as a couple are so engrained in our culture now (Bogie and Bacall, Bogie and Bacall, BogieandBacall...) - but when you're confronted with what they actually DID, and what that chemistry was actually LIKE - you'll never get over the freshness. I wish their scenes would go on forever.
17. Arizona Dream - You've probably never even heard of this film. It got no distribution here, and is out on video - but in a highly truncated version. I saw the director's cut (which is so much better than the edited version) at a little art film-house in Chicago with my friend Ted and we could not BELIEVE it. We still talk about this movie. Faye Dunaway, Lily Taylor, Johnny Depp ... it is an insane film. With flying machines, and wandering turtles, and a big house in the middle of the desert, and a crazy dinner party, and Lily Taylor plays an enraged depressed accordion-player (it is SUCH a funny performance. She strolls through the Arizona desert, playing her accordion like the Angel of Death)The title is a perfect description of how this movie worked on me - it's like a dream. One of those dreams that lingers, that persists in your subconscious, trying to tell you something.
18. The Sting - Words fail me. Great movie. Like a big box of candy corn or something. Every. Stinking. Moment. Works. I love it. It also has such a zest, such a joy to it ... the sheer joy of film-making. It's infectious.
19. Moulin Rouge - I don't know why this film GOT to me so much but it did. I bought it, hook line and sinker. I didn't find it too self-indulgent, or too garish, or too flashy - I thought that was the point. What kept it all going for me was the depth and power of Ewan McGregor's performance - In the midst of this operatic flourish, he played it all totally real. To me, love has felt like what it looks like in Moulin Rouge. To me, that movie felt real.
20. The Double Life of Veronique - another movie which I can't get out of my mind. A girl strolls through the streets of Krakow. Suddenly, a bus drives by, and through the windows of the bus, she sees a girl who looks EXACTLY like her. Is it a doppelganger? Who is it? This movie broke my heart. Great acting. Irene Jacob stars. A painful film. Makes you think. Makes you think about identity, and death, and human connection.
21. The Big Sleep - Er. I believe I have covered this one before. This is my favorite, actually, of the Bogart and Bacall pairings. Even more so than To Have and Have Not.
22. Postcards from the Edge - Dammit, this movie is FUNNY. Meryl Streep's best work. She is a comedic genius. This is another movie which is like a big box of candy. I cannot count how many times I have seen this one. I own it. I can recite it from beginning to end. Don't get me started.
23. The Producers - Uh. Do I need to say anything else? I didn't think so.
24. This is Spinal Tap - This has got to be one of the funniest movies ever made. I can't even STAND it. I love, too, the 2 second cameo by Anjelica Houston, who plays the person who designed the "Stone Henge" for their concert ... to tragic results.
25. North by Northwest - The pinnacle of the Hitchcock-Grant relationship. Hitchcock's envy of Grant's beauty comes out in full force in this film - where Roger Thornhill is made to suffer like almost no other movie hero. He is a man caught up in forces beyond his control. He must hide in corn fields, and scale Mount Rushmore ... No matter how many times I have seen this film, I always find something new to discover.
26. Dogfight - I hate River Phoenix for being a drug addict and checking out of this planet, thus depriving us of his amazing gift for years to come. This film stars River and Lily Taylor. River Phoenix plays a cocky asshole Marine, just about to ship out to Vietnam, in the early 60s, before anyone really knew what they were getting themselves into. He tells Lily's character where he is off to, and she asks, "Where's that?" He and his cocky buddies are on leave for 4 days in San Francisco and they host something called a "Dogfight" - The contest is: who can invite the UGLIEST girl to a party they host? So they scour the streets for "dogs" - none of the women are in on the joke, of course - They are all excited to have been approached by hot young soldiers. Anyway, River Phoenix's character asks Lily Taylor's character to come - she has a big bouffant, she's plump, she's a goof-ball who wants to be a folk singer, a la Joan Baez. Needless to say - they spend an epic night together. Where he learns some important lessons about himself - and she learns some important lessons about herself. They are SO GOOD together. I never want this movie to end.
27. Raiders of the Lost Ark - I still have not fully recovered from the first time I saw this movie when I was in high school.
28. Contact - Science vs. God. Pure research vs. Applied science. Faith vs. Knowledge. Do they have to be in opposition? All of this wrapped up in a gripping story - with Jodie Foster's best acting job yet. Her "I had an experience" monologue during the Congressional hearings is superb. It's one of those movies I wish I could step into. I want to hang out at her little cabin near the telescopes. I want to be a part of an event like that. My only complaint is putting clips of Clinton in the film. Huge mistake. It dates it. It was a cute little trick - to insert footage of Clinton into the action of the movie - but I didn't like it. If you read the book, too, the President is female. And no one makes a big deal out of it. What a missed opportunity by the filmmaker! But despite that flaw - I love this movie. It's one of my all-time favorites. A beautiful experience every time.
29. Reds - This movie is still unmatched, in terms of storytelling. Nobody is brave enough anymore to do what Warren Beatty did, in this movie. Scenes start in the middle, and cut off abruptly. You are suddenly thrust into an argument, and have to catch up, figuring out what they are talking about. Nothing is spelled out. It feels like a documentary (not to mention the brilliant touch of interviewing all of the real people from that time). The scene between Diane Keaton (as Louise Bryant) and Jack Nicholson (as Eugene O'Neill) in the beach house is one of the sexiest love scenes I have EVER seen, and they never touch each other. Beatty knows what to keep in, what to leave out. He obviously loves actors. They trust him implicitly. Movies are not made like this one anymore. It is gritty. It is raw. Things look like they are really happening, nothing seems simulated. I love that. I love that reality.
30. Streetcar Named Desire - This film is so good that you actually can feel the humidity of the air as you watch it. It works on a script level, an acting level, a dramatic level ... but it's that sensoral level that is truly extraordinary. You can count the films on one hand that can literally transport you, and make you feel the environment. Iconic. Performances that still take my breath away.
31. Taxi Driver - still one of the scariest films I have ever seen. Watch the scene again where he talks to himself in the mirror. It has been parodied so many times, that it is easy to forget how terrifying the original rendition is. It is not a joke. It is fucking scary.
32. The Full Monty - Yeah, I know, ha ha ha, a bunch of steel-workers take off their clothes for money, ha ha ... But I think there is something deeper going on in this film, and that is why it works. It has something to say about men today, it has something to say about the "plight" of men. It has something to say about the emasculation of men and how we cannot allow that to occur. Men can't let that happen, but women need to be invested in that struggle too. We should not want our men to be emasculated and domesticated. That, to me, is what that movie is about, and why it brings me to tears every time.
33. Breaking Away - I LOVE THIS MOVIE. I still can hear Paul Dooley's horrified voice, "REE-FUND?? REFUND? REFUND!!! REFUND!!" A coming-of-age story with a great twist. I fell in love with every single one of the characters. Dennis Quaid in his break-out part. It just WORKS. On every level it needs to work.
34. Philadelphia Story - Oh, for so many reasons. So many. Cary Grant putting his entire hand over Katherine Hepburn's face and pushing her down onto the ground. Jimmy Stewart's drunk hiccuping scene (one of the best drunk scenes ever). The theme of Hepburn's character: she must come down off the pedestal, and forgive other people's weaknesses. I find that very moving. And I love to see the 3 of them together. The repartee, the dialogue ... it's brilliant.
35. Notorious - I don't just think this is a great movie. I am actually personally addicted to this movie, and have a PROBLEM. Hitchcock was the only one who saw the dark underbelly to Cary Grant's charm and handsomeness (well, perhaps Grant saw it himself). And Hitchcock put him in this vehicle and showed us a Cary Grant we had never seen before. It's unsettling. He's a bit sadistic, he's cruel, he's also vulnerable, suspicious, tender ... it's a tour de force. And speaking of tour de forces: Ingrid Bergman gives one of the most tortured portrayals of her career (well, Gaslight might be the MOST tortured) - a drunken neurotic nymphomaniac ... who wishes Grant could trust her, but he doesn't trust women. And another tour de force is Claude Rain's performance. The whole movie is a masterpiece of tone, mood, writing, and suspense. But ultimately - it's the love story that grounds the thing - the tortured dark bitter love story. One of my favorite movies of all time.
36. Citizen Kane - All the special effects in the world cannot hold a candle to what Orson Welles was able to achieve manually. This film is a huge visual accomplishment, yes - but like with all the movies on my list - why it's a success in MY book is because you care about the characters. Or - perhaps that's too simple. Tommy Lee Jones said, when he did a seminar at my school, "I don't think I, as an actor, need to like the characters I play. But I do think that you should want to watch the character." The characters in Citizen Kane are all flawed, all interesting, all highly watch-able. And I can recite the monologue about the woman in white seen through the fog on the ferry from memory.
37. The Misfits - Clark Gable's last film. Directed by John Huston. Screenplay by Arthur Miller. He wrote it for his wife at the time, Marilyn Monroe. Montgomery Clift is in it. Eli Wallach. The stories about the nightmares of this shooting (Clark Gable died of a heart attack soon after wrap) are legendary. A book has been written about it. Regardless: this is the kind of movie I love. With complex characters, all in highly stressful situations ... We, as audience members, can see them better than they can see themselves. All of the acting is top-notch, particularly Clift.
38. The Fisher King - Jeff Bridges is one of my all-time faves. For whatever reason, I absolutely adore this operatic mess (at times) of a movie. In it, Bridges plays a shock-jock who makes a terrible mistake: one of his casual comments on the air ends up having tragic consequences. He loses everything. Directed by Terry Gilliam - this movie is more allegory, more myth and legend than reality. And Mercedes Ruehl as Jeff Bridges's girlfriend (she won the Oscar, I think, or at least was nominated, and rightly so) is fantastic. I loved their relationship, the two of them together. The kind of relationship that can only exist between ADULTS. Where you are scarred, you are damaged by life, you have lost much - but you don't particularly want to talk about your past ... you just want a warm body beside you in the night. I love this movie.
39. The Wizard of Oz - I hadn't put this film on here originally - which was just an oversight. Nothing conscious. It's almost like my entire childhood is wrapped up in this film - its yearly showing on television was an event. The film still works. It never gets old. And Judy Garland is a wunderkind. Her close-up as she watches the sand drip through the hourglass is pretty much as good as it gets, in terms of film acting. A magic movie. Truly profound.
40. It Happened One Night - Clark Gable. Claudette Colbert. If you want to see what my friend Mitchell would call 'sheer liquid joy' - rent this movie. I laugh out loud every time I see it.
41. Lion in Winter - "Well, what family doesn't have its problems..." muses Katherine Hepburn, as Eleanor of Aquitaine. Classic.
42. Children of Heaven - absolute gem of a film from Iran. A lower-class family in Tehran, with 2 small children. The little boy inadvertently loses his little sister's shoes, her school shoes. They are afraid to tell their parents. So they set up an elaborate scheme - he goes to school in the mornings, then races home, gives her his shoes, and she galumphs to school wearing his sneakers (underneath her chador). She, of course, as any little 8 year old girl would be, is MORTIFIED at wearing her brother's sneakers. She is MAD. He sees that a running race is going to be held - and second prize is a pair of nice little shoes. So he decides: I am going to run in this race, and although I am a very good runner, the best runner in my school, I have to somehow come in second so that I can win the shoes. Oh shit, just rent it. It's absolutely exhilarating.
43. Titanic I will not apologize. This is not a guilty pleasure for me. I think that this is the most expensive art-house film ever made. Don't berate me. Make your own list. I loved this movie. Every stinking minute.
44. In a Lonely Place -One of Humphrey Bogart's lesser known films, but it might be my favorite Bogart performance. He plays a bitter screenwriter in Hollywood - I think it is some of his deepest and best acting. I can't count how many times I've seen it. I have some favorite moments. It's one of those movies that works on multiple levels, and which only gets better with repeated viewings. See it.
45. Sunset Boulevard - The best behind-the-scenes Hollywood film ever made. There are times when I watch it and all I can do is marvel at William Holden. There are times when I watch it when Gloria Swanson's performance is the thing that blows me out of the water. Billy Wilder at his sicko cynical best.
46. Roman Holiday - I almost forgot to put this one on the list. Audrey Hepburn - Gregory Peck - an escaped princess, a journalist - in Rome - somehow they hook up - and ... of course ... magic happens. It is a love story but in the greatest sense. This movie is the forerunner to so many other great love stories, only it does it better, with more grace. I love Gregory Peck. His expression when she says, ringingly, and with deep deep love: "Rome ..." It just gets you right in the throat.
47. Searching for Bobby Fischer - This one's in the pantheon, for me. I own it, I never get tired of it - and that is the mark of a film that just plain old WORKS. Ben Kingsley is heartbreaking and infuriating. Joe Mantegna is phenomenal. The little kid is so real that it feels like a documentary. And Larry Fishburne gives one of his best and most likable performances. It's a film that makes chess as exciting as basketball or football. It also rips your heart out. Beautiful movie. One of my favorites.
48. Stand By Me - The only word that really comes up for me when I think about this movie is "magic". It's just magic. That's all.
49. His Girl Friday - It's a perfect movie in every way. You never stop to catch your breath, Rosalind Russell is a force of nature (it's one of my favorite performances by an actress, ever) - and Cary Grant is brilliantly comedic - never makes a false move, never looks false... A non-stop pleasure-ride, this one. And it's executed with such skill, such knowing certainty. Great movie. And funny as all hell.
50. Only Angels Have Wings - What the hell is that, you might ask? Only one of the best movies ever made ... a forgotten genius piece of art. My thanks to CW, pilot, aviation-history expert and film-buff, for calling this movie to my attention. I can never thank him enough. Directed by Howard Hawks - starring Cary Grant and Jean Arthur - it is a story of the early days of aviation - and it's got everything. Gripping action sequences (revolutionary at the time), a sizzlingly erotic love story (in the true Howard Hawks fashion) - and one of Grant's best performances. I have seen this movie more times than I can count and I only just discovered it. I watch it to relax. I watch it to lose myself in fantasies. I watch it to marvel at Grant's work. I watch it to be entertained. Cary Grant plays the crankiest leading man in film history. And he's sexier than he's ever been because of it.
two comments:
one, i concur on arizona dream. and the amazing thing is that you forgot to list two other cast members...jerry lewis and vincent gallo. i mean, can you believe it?
second:
contact. respectfully disagree. and have come to realize that i don't believe a word of what jodie foster says. but that is not what i didn't like the most about this movie. matthew mccona-whatever keeps getting cast as these SMART people. can we please give the guy a break? he IS NOT an intellectual. he pauses thoughtfully to inidcate some giant thought and you know he's recalling some stoner "what's blue to you might not be blue to me" moment. the guy is TOTALLY bogus.
or "bongus".
unintentional comedy? the wedding planner. ohmigod. the badness is unchartable.
but i love your list.
Posted by: brendan at January 14, 2006 2:09 PMVincent Gallo was so good in Arizona Dream - what the hell happened??? And yes - Jerry Lewis. Amazing!
I remember having a very interesting conversation with you about Matthew in that film - and actually, I agree. But for whatever reason, it doesn't ruin the experience for me. I just love the spirit and the ideas of the film, I guess.
"Bongus" hahahahahaha
Posted by: red at January 14, 2006 2:14 PMwell, it certainly is a much better movie than "the astronaut's wife".
see, the real drawback of arizona dream is that there are no 18 minute shots of motorcycles going around a track and none of vincent's old girlfriends were willing to give him a blowjob on film yet.
Posted by: brendan at January 14, 2006 2:21 PMAw- Breaking Away! I love that movie. The guy who plays the lead role looks exactly like Beck, doesn't he?
Posted by: Jen at January 14, 2006 2:22 PMBren - I will never ever forget watching The Astronaut's Wife with you. That was one of the funniest nights ever. We could not BELIEVE the badness that we were seeing.
member: "He nevah evah evah talks about it ... What happened out there in space? He just nevah evah evah evah talks about it!"
And you were like: "Uhm - didn't he just get back, like yesterday? What's all this 'nevah evah evah' stuff?"
Posted by: red at January 14, 2006 2:23 PMi might have to buy that movie just to truly examine the stench.
Posted by: brendan at January 14, 2006 2:24 PMJen - you're right! he does. I hope he isn't a Scientologist like Beck is, though. hahaha
I wonder what happened to that actor - Dennis Christopher. He was so wonderful. And Barbara Barrie as the mother - man. She was amazing.
i just love that film.
Posted by: red at January 14, 2006 2:24 PMHo......ly......Christ.
GREAT list!!! GREAT, GREAT, GREAT!!!!
I mean, ofcourse the obvious, Wizard, Postcards, His Girl. Naturally. Obviously.
But I LOVE that you went to Contact (shut up Brendan), Bobby Fisher, and Fearless. Great films with great performances.
I would like to say a word for Contact. I agree with Brendan about Matthew, he's not one of my favorite actors either, and I know other people have problems with Foster, but like you, I absolutely love this movie. I ove what it says, and it challenged me in a way I hadn't been before. I love movies that take me somewhere and make me think. This film did that for me.
Great list Sheila. My God.
Posted by: Alex at January 14, 2006 2:24 PMon a sidenote, jean sang the barnum song for cash this morning and he laughed and laughed. so funny.
Posted by: brendan at January 14, 2006 2:25 PMAlex - hahahahahaha
i totally agree about the Matthew thing - I really do - It's just that the film itself didn't seem to ride on his performance - and I actually really liked their love story. I thought it was perfectly played - I really did. But yes - having Matthew be suddenly a spiritual intellectual who advises the presidents wasn't really convincing.
I loved James Woods' performance, too - in that film. He's so funny. I just love the guy.
Posted by: red at January 14, 2006 2:26 PMbren -
the quite a lotta roman terracotta song???
Ohhhhh. Cash-man!!
Posted by: red at January 14, 2006 2:27 PMNo comment on the list itself, really, but how in the world to you convey your excitement for 50 different movies in 50 unique ways???? I'd be like, "This one was AWESOME!" for about half of them.
Good job, Red!
Posted by: Jon F. at January 14, 2006 2:29 PMy'all been brainwashed! contact blows!
ooh, i go all across the universe and my daddy loves me! that's what i found out! computer animation can create happy memories for me while i grimace in a fake compression chamber!
matthew mcconadingadonga is too stupid to realize that i'm a lesbian!
(here's what i imagine matthew thinking to himself as he prepares for this role...)
Now, big dog, you gotta remember...this dude is smart with a captiol washington do you see what i mean? what was i talking about? oh yeah, there are some big things goin thru his MIND, man, so he...I GOT IT! HE'LL TALK REALLY SLOW AND LEAVE HIS MOUTH PARTIALLY OPEN ALL THE TIME!
oh yeah, and he gotta wear glasses coz smart dudes don't see too good. i better call the director. where the hell am i? why is it so dark in here? oh yeah, i forgot, i got all freaked out when the pizza kid knocked on my door. is he still here? oh, damn, i stuffed myself in the lazy susan again. wait'll i tell linklater about this. that dude hasn't called me since i did "a time to kill" WASSUP with that?
oh no, he did call me after "a time to kill" coz somebody blackmailed him into doing that bankrobber movie with me where i played the mastermind who had ideas that he said really slowly like, "here's what we're gonna do...we're gonna blow up the big door in front of where all the money is!" and all the other dudes were, like totally impressed that he came up with that.
oops, what is that? oh, shit, my bong's up my butt again...damn, that jodie foster is fine!
alex, i will destroy every opinion you've ever had that doesn't coincide with my own!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: brendan at January 14, 2006 2:36 PMThat is so damn true that he left his mouth partially open all the time in Contact. That is so fucking funny.
Posted by: red at January 14, 2006 2:38 PMI loved The Full Monty too! My favorite scene is when they're supposed to watch Flashdance to learn how to dance but instead, they spend the time dissecting Jennifer Beals's welding technique. Ha ha ha!
What a great list. I'm going to add some of these to my Netflix queue based on your recommendation. Like Jon F, I love the way you can provide insightful commentary for each and every one.
Posted by: curly mcdimple at January 14, 2006 2:39 PMi just felt like scott stapp for a second.
"311, i am ready to fight!"
Posted by: brendan at January 14, 2006 2:40 PMcurly - hahahahahahaha I love that too!!
And the last scene between Dave (the heavy guy) and his wife ... before they go to the show ... is just perfect ... and exactly why I think the movie works. Because he needs to feel like a man again. He needs to feel strong again. She has spent the whole movie nitpicking at him, and pressuring him ... and in that moment ... she gives all that up, and stands by her man.
He looks down at her and says, with such sadness on his face, "Jeanie ... who'd want to see this ..." (gesturing at his own body) "dance?"
And her FACE. Looking up at him! She just stares up at him and states flatly, "Me, Dave. I do."
GOD. SO GOOD.
Posted by: red at January 14, 2006 2:41 PMsuch a great movie. how good is robert carlyle all the time? has he ever done anything that wasn't great? he turned a bond villain into a shakespeare play. the guy rules.
Posted by: brendan at January 14, 2006 2:43 PMYeah, he's just wonderful. Trainspotting? Dude is terrifying - wonderful actor.
Posted by: red at January 14, 2006 2:43 PMTitanic I will not apologize. This is not a guilty pleasure for me. I think that this is the most expensive art-house film ever made. Don't berate me. Make your own list. I loved this movie. Every stinking minute.
Amen.
I just watched it again this week.
Posted by: Patrick at January 14, 2006 3:01 PMOK, I admit it--I think I love you a little. This is a post that I will enjoy reading and re-reading. This is what has made you one of my favorite resting places on the internet. Not surprising that I don't agree with all of it, but I enjoyed EVERY word.
One other thing--Gena Rowlands is a wonder.
Posted by: DBW at January 14, 2006 3:03 PMShut up Brendan.
Posted by: Alex at January 14, 2006 3:03 PMI also loved that you put Titanic on your list. I've obly watched that movie once. I could barely make it through the last scene where everyone's in the water and screaming and asking for help. I can't do it.
I can't do it.
Posted by: Alex at January 14, 2006 3:05 PMAlex, I think that is one of the scenes that makes me love the movie so much.
Posted by: Patrick at January 14, 2006 3:07 PMDBW
GENA FREAKING ROWLANDS!!!!!
Can we just talk about her for a second???? Holy crimoney. There's no one like her. Her ability to make absolutely everything she says be completely believable AND completely interesting is amazing. Her speech pattern, her gestures, she is a remarkable actor.
If the Pscars need a tribute to someone, they should pick her. Fascinating.
Posted by: Alex at January 14, 2006 3:08 PMOscars, not Pscars.
"PH!"
Posted by: Alex at January 14, 2006 3:10 PMShe's the best. She flat out gives me goosebumps. Her acting is unforgivably real.
Posted by: red at January 14, 2006 3:13 PMSheila
What was that movie she was in where she plays the lady next door and she takes care of the kid? I think Marisa Tomei is in it. I didn't much care for the movie, but again, it literally proved to me that EVERYthing she does, she does brilliantly.
Do you know what I'm talking about?
Posted by: Alex at January 14, 2006 3:15 PMOk, Alex, we can talk Gena anytime. Not only is here acting incredible, I just love the way she and Cassavetes created their own lives. Not just a niche, or a shtick created to make a living, but a whole different way of embracing their art and their lives. Their approach to subect matter and movie emotion is still miles beyond what anyone else is doing(with perhaps a few exceptions). I wish more people in the film industry took their art and craft half as seriously. Anyway, Gena stands on the mountaintop for me.
Posted by: DBW at January 14, 2006 3:17 PMI'm sure she would appreciate me calling her just "Gena," as if I knew her personally, or something. HA!
Unhook the stars?
Posted by: red at January 14, 2006 3:19 PMDBW
The movie she did with Bette Davis about the Mother and Daughter is one of my favorite moments in television. When Gena rsuhes into Davis' bedroom, slaps her acorss the face and says:
"How DARE you make me come back here and CARE about you again!"
No one like her.
The two of them together, I'm telling you, I think I had a little bit of an orgasm.
Posted by: Alex at January 14, 2006 3:22 PMHow about Hysterical Blindness on HBO? I thought it was fantastic, actually. Uma Thurman was amazing, Juliette Lewis (Scientologist though she is) was terrific - and to watch the old friends - Gena Rowlands and Ben Gazzara - act together - made me want to cry. They've been friends since they were 25 years old ... and here they are ... in their 60s ... playing love scenes together. It just killed me.
Unhook the Damn Stars! YES!!!!
And yeah Sheila, I LOVED Hysterical Blindness. LOVED it! I thought it was a great movie, and Rowlands was again, soooo interesting. I always want to know what she's thinking. You know? Like, what's behind what she's saying?
Brilliant.
I like Lewis too. Even though, well, the Eyes of Xenu are always watching.
Posted by: Alex at January 14, 2006 3:26 PMDBW - some day, I promise you, I will do an entire series on Cassavetes and Rowlands - it's just one of those things I really need to gear up for!!
Posted by: red at January 14, 2006 3:28 PMI loved Titanic, too, although I do think the running-through-the-cleanest-ocean-water-EVER scene could have been cut by about 30 minutes and the film wouldn't have lost ANYTHING.
I disagree, however, that Kate Winslet and Leo should have won the Oscars that year. The story and the boat were the stars of that movie, not the actors. You could have inserted any young stars into those roles and the movie would still be just as good.
JMHO.
Posted by: Lisa at January 14, 2006 4:06 PMP.S. I'm not saying YOU said Kate and Leo should have won the Oscars, just that all my friends were OFFENDED when they didn't. Helen Hunt (shut up, Brendan) and Jack Nicholson (shut up, me) won that year for As Good As It Gets Which is the only movie of Jack's I actually kinda sorta liked.
But only for Greg Kinnear.
Posted by: Lisa at January 14, 2006 4:10 PMI agree with some, disagree with others. My list would include Local Hero, Father Goose, L.A. Confidential, Sorcerer (One of the best movies nobody's ever seen), Almost Famous, Man in the Moon, Field of Dreams, and the guilty pleasure Kelly's Heroes.
Posted by: Rob at January 14, 2006 4:27 PMLisa - honestly, the fact that you remember that my brother hates Helen Hunt is truly genius. You're amazing!!!!
I think Kate Winslet wuz robbed, but that's just me!
I actually loved As Good as it Gets - and yeah - mainly cause of Greg Kinnear - I thought he was fantastic.
Posted by: red at January 14, 2006 4:42 PMWhy Kate Winslet has been nominated, what? four times now? and hasn't won is beyond me.
Posted by: Jen at January 14, 2006 4:52 PMRob - I adore Man in the Moon - actually, Field of Dreams should probably also be on my list. Argh. Too late. I'll put it on next time round.
Posted by: red at January 14, 2006 4:57 PMNo Daniel Day Lewis? I love Last of the Mohicans.
Posted by: Mary at January 14, 2006 4:58 PMhmmm...must comment on titanic. and really, the whole negative vibe i'm getting is totally uncalled for. don't know what i did to deserve it. (awkward coughing, clearing of throat, etc.)
HATED titanic. impressed, yes. an achievement? yes. but entertainment? wow. bad bad bad. i guess the most famous accident of all time isn't enoug so we have to think of a way for billy zane to run around brandishing a gun and chewing the scenery before it all gets waterlogged. give me a break.
and i can't help it but hate jim cameron. ever notice how NONE of the actors he works with will EVER work with him again? i think ed harris put out a contract on his life after the abyss.
hate this movie and everything it stands for. but i love you guys!!!
Posted by: brendan at January 14, 2006 5:05 PMMary,
Last of the Mohicans. Yes.
"Frontier land's the only land affordable to poor people. So after seven years indentured service in Virginia, they headed out here where they are beholden to none and not livin' by another's leave. Their name was Cameron. John & Alexandria."
Hawkeye (Daniel Day Lewis)
Posted by: Rob at January 14, 2006 5:14 PMAt long last! Someone else loves "Double Life of Veronika!" I became a Kieslawski (and Irene Jacob) nut when Three Colors came out, saw Double Life, and was entranced.
(But I think it's Warsaw, not Prague...)
Posted by: mitch at January 14, 2006 6:06 PMWoah.. that's some list.. and there's no way I can comment on the choices made with any clarity..
But I will agree that, among your other fine comments.. in re: The Sting - "Every. Stinking. Moment. Works." Indeed. Indeed. Indeed.
Some Like it Hot - Like jello.. love it.
and.. Bringing Up Baby - "Probably one of the funniest movies ever made."
Nothing more to say.
Posted by: peteb at January 14, 2006 7:12 PMmitch - any chance I get I evangelize about that film. It's great, great, great!!!!
The same with the Iranian film Children of Heaven - I know only a couple of people in this country saw that film, but I can't recommend it highly enough!! See it!
Posted by: red at January 14, 2006 8:11 PMOh, and I thought the choir went on a field trip to Prague ... but maybe I just imagined that. Maybe it was just that she had traveled to Warsaw and that's how she saw her doppelganger ... Hmmm. Should see it again.
Wonderful movie - and member the INCREDIBLE scene with the puppeteer? Those amazing living puppets? Out of control.
Posted by: red at January 14, 2006 8:41 PMOkay, a couple things:
1. Beck is a scientologist?!? NOOOO!
2. I'd swap out Titanic for Overboard with Goldie Hawn/Kurt Russell. Same general theme, but with a falsetto child.
3. Have you seen The Night of the Hunter? Robert Mitchum at his all-time creepiest.
4. Great list!
jenny - yup. Beck was born into the cult. He has no brain. It all belongs to Scientology.
Speaking of Night of the Hunter - I'm really sad about Shelley Winters - I will be posting about her passing shortly. A great actress has just passed.
Posted by: red at January 14, 2006 9:45 PMAnd I absolutely LOVE Overboard!!!!
Posted by: red at January 14, 2006 9:46 PMSorry I had to leave and miss some of the comments. Had a busy day. (This is way off topic)Went to an exhibition--my wife's great friend's husband is a potter who lives in Japan. He had an incredible showing today here. The two women who run the gallery told me they usually sell "3-4" pieces. Masa sold all but two pieces--maybe 80 or so. I have never seen better work. Any way, I hated to leave any conversation with Sheila and Red when it involves Gena Rowlands.
Alex--the two movies you mentioned are Gloria, and Strangers:The Story of a Mother and a Daughter--Bette Davis won an Emmy for it. As usual, Gena is so incredibly natural that no one recognized she is a genius. Except you, of course.
Love it that Sheila's brother does all the dirty work for me concerning Titanic--thanks Brendan.
Night of the Hunter--eerie, surreal, creative, unique, scary---just a great, great movie.
Posted by: DBW at January 14, 2006 11:06 PM"Sheila and Red"?
Sorry, went to an engagement party tonight. They had bottles and bottles of a Seavey Cabernet that is one of my favorite wines on Earth. Needless to say, I had my share.
I meant Sheila and ALEX.
Posted by: DBW at January 14, 2006 11:09 PMDBW - I actually am a split personality.
Red is Red and Sheila is Sheila and never the twain shall meet.
Hmmm, I am searching and searching in my list for these words: "What do you think, everyone? Is my list correct? Am I right? Can I take a vote?" Can't seem to find those little words, strangely enough.
Posted by: red at January 14, 2006 11:13 PMI think your list is great. It is "correct" for you at this instance. Making a list like this is much harder than most people think. The first 15-20 are pretty easy. After that, it gets harder. I didn't mean to criticize or demean any of your choices. I loved this post, a lot.
Posted by: DBW at January 14, 2006 11:20 PMI love people weighing in with their own choices - but some comments have a tone of "correction" that is obnoxious ("what about?" "why isn't this on there?" yadda yadda) - especially because, yeah, I worked my ass off on writing this post. Last of the Mohicans ain't on here because I disliked the movie, mkay?
However - I know how you feel about Titanic - I believe we have covered this before. hahahahahaha
Posted by: red at January 14, 2006 11:26 PMHey, I would never diminish the amount of time you spent putting such a great post together. At least, not on purpose. I still have never seen Titanic, and I meant my comments about your brother as a joke. As usual, my sense of humor seems to have been taken poorly. Please, take it as a given--I would never mean to offend you intentially.
Posted by: DBW at January 14, 2006 11:48 PM"Intentially"--aka intentionally
Posted by: DBW at January 14, 2006 11:50 PMOh God no, DBW - not you!!! no no, my tone didn't come out right - I was annoyed at the Last of the Mohicans comment - not yours.
"Oh God no"
That's reassuring. I thought I was the target of your animus. I am normally more discerning, but I am blitzed at the moment.
Posted by: DBW at January 15, 2006 12:34 AMHAHAHAHAHAHA
as a matter of fact, Alex and I were just talking on the phone, and we both said how much we liked you.
yup. We are geeky bloggers. And we gossip about our commenters.
hahahahaha
Posted by: red at January 15, 2006 12:35 AMMakes my week.
Well, night anyways.
Posted by: DBW at January 15, 2006 12:39 AMDamn, I am effusive when I am inebriated, aren't I? But I must say that I am roused when I think of Alex and Sheila discussing my attributes, or lack thereof.
Posted by: DBW at January 15, 2006 12:50 AMI absolutely love it when people show up drunk on my blog. It's AWESOME. :)
Posted by: red at January 15, 2006 1:06 AMI'm not just "showing up." I'm yelling a lot, banging in to things, and making your neighbors wish the didn't live next to you.
Posted by: DBW at January 15, 2006 1:08 AMYeah, my neighbor just banged on the wall, telling us to "keep it down".
Posted by: red at January 15, 2006 1:14 AMEvery time I look back at one of my comments, there is a misspelled word. That is probably a hint.
And your neighbor? She tried to kiss me one time when I was halfway decent to her. I recognized her from your building, and gave her 37 cents at the drugstore when she was short paying for her Cosmopolitan magazine. Now, she acts like she has never seen me.
Posted by: DBW at January 15, 2006 1:29 AMYou know, bravo on Titanic, Sheila.
Haters who talk shit about it are A) stupid, and B) liars because it is not possible to not become fully absorbed in the movie.
First of all, it's gorgeous. It's beautifully photographed and the digital effects are perfect...not the least bit distracting...and the sets and wardrobe perfectly convey the ship's opulence and "period" feel without seeming fake.
I don't find Leo annoying, nor do I share the opinion that some people have about the romance. It is fine, believable enough, and has its fair share of sweet moments in the film. To those looking for stupid and unconvincing romances in modern cinema, I direct you to Star Wars Episodes II and III. Thanks to DVD, I never have to endure that "romance" ever again. Oh Christ, Anakin and Padme...@^%!...better fast forward to Obi-Wan vs. Jango Fett...ahhhh, that's better...
Plus, the final third of the film, which showcases eye-popping sinking sequence, is exciting and horrifying (as Alex points out earlier in the comments). Titanic is a great film, as proven by its staggering profitability and dominant showing at the Oscars.
One of my favorite scenes is when Victor Garber, playing the ship's designer, Thomas Andrews, is just standing at a painting as the ship is going down. He checks his pocket watch, then adjusts the time on the mantle clock underneath the painting. It's clear he's at peace with his decision to stay with the ship and is one of those tiny (5 seconds, maybe), subtle little scenes that Cameron put in there that still packed a good bit of emotional heft. According to this resource, the scenes of Andrews in the lounge with the painting are based on anecdotal evidence from others who saw him there:
As for Thomas Andrews himself, he seemed to have no thoughts whatsoever of self-preservation, instead preferring to ensure the safety, indeed the very survival of other passengers. Around 2.10a.m., a steward making his way upto the boat deck, John Stewart, saw Thomas Andrews staring at Norman Wilkinson's painting 'The Approach To Plymouth Harbour', which hung proudly above the mantlepiece in the First Class Smoking Room. Stewart asked, "Aren't you even going to try for it Mr. Andrews?"
Andrews never replied, and his eyes remained fixed on the painting, his redundant lifejacket lay nearby on a table.
No one would ever see Thomas Andrews again, his body was never recovered, and the world had lost a true gentlemen.
Note that in the film, Cameron has Jack and Rose come across andrews as they're racing through the ship to get up on deck. In that scene, Andrews tells Rose, "I'm sorry I didn't build you a stronger ship, young Rose."
The last thing he does is hand her his "redundant lifejacket" described in the excerpt above.
Don't tell me Cameron wasn't fanatical about the details. He meshes known facts perfectly with the fiction he created to emotionally connect us to the actual tragic event.
Yeah, Titanic is a great film.
Posted by: Alex Nunez at January 15, 2006 6:04 AMOops, these two lines...
Andrews never replied, and his eyes remained fixed on the painting, his redundant lifejacket lay nearby on a table.
No one would ever see Thomas Andrews again, his body was never recovered, and the world had lost a true gentlemen.
...are also excerpted from that online resource. I meant to italicise them. This is what happens when you are a geek, commenting on blogs before 6AM. Good Lord.
Posted by: Alex Nunez at January 15, 2006 6:10 AMI thought Victor Garber was great - I thought he did a wonderful job portraying that character. I didn't know all that - but yes, that scene with him with his watch is wonderful.
I thought Billy Zane was terrible - I thought some of the characters were stock cliches - the guy who played the publicist? No - the one who wanted the boat to go faster, and then was pilloried because he survived? He snuck onto one of the lifeboats? I wasn't wacky about his acting either - but for me - it was all about what the hell happened out there that night - and also, the love story just killed me. And I'm not a real chick-flick kind of girl, but that story just kiiiiiiiiiiiiiilled me. It made the movie great - as opposed to good.
In my eyes - that movie had it all.
The priest saying prayers as the boat tips up into the air - and the flock huddled around him - and there's one moment where the incline gets so steep, that during his prayer - he has to reach back behind him, to grab hold of something - but he keep going with the prayer - His acting is AMAZING, and it's that level of detail plus emotion that I think is pretty much unparalleled.
Posted by: red at January 15, 2006 9:15 AMAfter seeing your list, I sat down to make mine. My first draft came up with 81 flicks, and when I re-read your list, I realized that I'd left Wizard of Oz off.
I think I'll have to do a cull...
Posted by: Tommy at January 15, 2006 9:25 AMTommy - argh! I know just what you mean - to be perfectly honest, Field of Dreams really should be on this list, as should Fargo and a couple of others.
I might have to do Top 50 Movies, Part II. hahahaha
Is your list up yet? I'm excited to see it.
Posted by: red at January 15, 2006 9:29 AMInstead of a cull, I may just make it a Top 81 (or 82, or 83, depending on what I realize I've forgotten) list, but I'd like to comment on everything. I think I'll try to do that while I'm watching football this afternoon.
Posted by: Tommy at January 15, 2006 9:32 AMI only see two Mohican comments and I made one of them. No disrespect for your hard work or your choices was intended.
Posted by: Rob at January 15, 2006 9:47 AM#23 - "We'll have to do something about that third act. It's so depressing - they're losing the war."
Posted by: Emily at January 15, 2006 9:54 AM"I'm WET ... and I'm still HYSTERICAL!"
Posted by: red at January 15, 2006 10:16 AMRob - no - it wasn't you. It was the first comment. Really, it's no big deal. It's just annoying to post a subjective list and have someone say: "Why no so and so???" But really - no big deal.
Posted by: red at January 15, 2006 10:27 AMEmily - I'm thinking Waiting for Guffman needs to be on here as well. argh. The choices torment me!!!!
Posted by: red at January 15, 2006 10:37 AM"Well, I don't have any swimming in my show."
Posted by: Emily at January 15, 2006 11:20 AMAlex N. - I didn't especially like Titanic and I'm no liar and only marginally stupid. I'm not one of those people who knee-jerk dismiss something just because it's massively popular or anything and I'm certainly not judging anyone here who loves the film. I just thought the love story was banal and cheesy and didn't care or hate the characters I was supposed to.
There was one little detail I did love, though. At the end, when the camera is panning over Rose's picture collection, you'll notice from the photographs she ended up doing everything her and Jack talked about - even flying. That was kind of cool.
Posted by: Emily at January 15, 2006 11:26 AMYes, let us declare a moritoriumon on the insults! I know people who I respect and love (ahem - my brother for one - Emily - DBW - others) who hated or disliked Titanic - and I happened to love it. Nobody NEEDS to love or hate the film. Enough said. I made the comment I did about this film in the list because the first time I did this Top Movie thing - I was yelled at throughout the comments for liking Titanic, the entire comments section became about Titanic, and one person said; "Your entire list has no validity because you included that film." I wanted to nip that kind of condescending bull crap in the bud.
So. Let's all be friends, Titanic lovers and haters!
Posted by: red at January 15, 2006 11:48 AMBTW - wasn't The Misfits Marilyn's last film as well?
Posted by: Emily at January 15, 2006 12:58 PMHer last completed film, yes. She was in the middle of filming something with Dean Martin (and she was fired) - so the film was never released, obviously.
The Misfits was her swan song. It's not a perfect film, but I love it. Clark Gable is great ... Clift is terrific ... and I really love John Huston's stuff, in general.
Posted by: red at January 15, 2006 1:01 PMSo sad. So tragic. I HATE the end of her life. She must have been in awful condition to be as huge of a star as she was and to get FIRED.
I haven't seen The Misfits in a long time and I was really young at the time and didn't like it very much, despite my deep love of Huston's films and all the actors involved. I'll have to watch it again.
Posted by: Emily at January 15, 2006 2:13 PMEmily - there's an interesting theory about Monroe being fired - something that is still controversial. Long story short: at the same time that her last movie was being filmed on the lot - Cleopatra was raging out of control in Rome - becoming the most expensive movie ever made - and Elizabeth Taylor being the primo expensive badly behaved diva. The stories are legendary. Since Cleopatra was so far gone, and Taylor (much more than Monroe did) had the studio by the balls - they had to let her get away with it. But they wanted to send a message that they were still in charge (this was the end of the studio system - it was collapsing at this time) - So they fired Monroe - she had missed a couple of days work because of a sinus infection - nothing as insane as the shit she pulled on The Misfits - Meanwhile, Taylor halted production in Rome and England for MONTHS - while she had her tracheotomy and her marriage broke up and she and Burton hooked up and the Vatican condemned the film because of the shenanigans of Burton and Taylor and blah blah blah ... Marilyn Monroe was punished for the excesses of Elizabeth Taylor. This is one theory anyway, and it's kind of compelling. Because at the end of Monroe's life, she was starting to get her act together - she fired her "team" of psychiatrists and acting coaches - all the leeches who depended on her being ill and dependent for their paychecks.
Not that Monroe wasn't a pain in the ass with a lot of issues - she was. It's a theory - there's a whole book about it, putting together all the memos flying around about Cleopatra, and what to do about Taylor ... and how the second Monroe took one day off, the studio had HAD it.
Yeah - Misfits has a kind of malaise hanging over it - you can feel the stress of the shoot IN the picture - But I think she's beautiful in it.
Posted by: red at January 15, 2006 2:23 PMDo you remember what the name of the book was called?
Posted by: Emily at January 15, 2006 2:28 PMMarilyn: The Last Take.
Posted by: red at January 15, 2006 2:33 PMSee - here's a good reason to do my daily book excerpt thing.
Posted by: red at January 15, 2006 2:34 PMThe book is also an indictment of the behavior of the Kennedy brothers as well as Peter Lawford. Peter Lawford, mostly. Those men were crap to her.
It's trashy true-crime stuff - but all the information on the downfall of the studios and the side-by-side productions of Cleopatra and Something's Gotta Give - is fascinating stuff. Taylor somehow had more respect, even though she was an Id out of control. In the industry, Monroe never shook the aura of the slut on the casting couch ... people treated her like a pair of tits who was lucky to have a job - which is SO unfair. The public LOVED her. It was the dirty-minded little men in power who hated her and wanted to see her degraded.
grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Sheila,
Thanks for mentioning Breaking Away. I can't understand why I don't own that movie. I love it, and it is so familiar to me, having gone to Indiana University at Bloomington as an undergrad. I think it is a great story independent of my familiarity with the setting of the film. But it is so nostalgic to see the beautiful campus, see scenes in the Indiana Memorial Union building where I would eat lunch most days, and to see the dedication and madness that surrounds the Little 500 bike race. Oh yeah, a great party weekend that is! Man, I miss that campus. I wish I could go back and play ball for three hours every day like I did in college, pre my three ACL surgeries.
Posted by: Jay at January 15, 2006 6:23 PMYou went there, Jay? Beautiful!! It looked gorgeous in the film - almost like Central Casting for a "college campus". Wonderful. I love everything about that movie.
Did you ever, on a weekend, go swimming at that quarry in the film? :) It looked so cool.
Posted by: red at January 15, 2006 6:39 PMSheila,
No, unfortunately I never made it to any of the quarries. There are quite a few in the area. The Bloomington - Bedford area is, or at least was, the main supplier of limestone for building. In fact, I believe quite a few buildings in NY city were made with Indiana limestone.
It seemed like every few years, someone would drown in the quarries or be paralyzed. Usually drunks cracking their heads when diving in and hitting rocks.
My activities usually revolved around playing ball in the HPER building, like I said two to three hours a day, six or seven days a week. And skipping most of my classes. And eating the best bar-B-Q ribs ever from the Bar-B-Q Train, or a Dagwoods Deli sandwich. I can't believe I'm making myself hungry again after stuffing my face while watching the Colts stink up the joint again in the playoffs.
Anyway, if you ever get a chance to visit the IU campus, do it. It truly is beautiful. And there is a great Irish pub in town right near the square, The Irish Lion. Great Irish stew made w/ lamb, and yards of beer to wash it down.
Posted by: Jay at January 15, 2006 7:02 PMIt;s hard to pick a favorite scene from that film, Jay - but I think if I HAD to pick I would pick the scene where he's biking on the highway - and the trucker, zooming along in his 18 wheeler - eggs him on to a faster speed.
I have goosebumps just thinking about it!!
Posted by: red at January 15, 2006 7:04 PMOoops - we overlapped.
So cool - I thought the film really captured the entire vibe of the town really well - I say that having never been there. hahaha
But that quarry scene was amazing - the collge kids and the cutters - it was scary.
Bloomington is okay by me now that I know there's a great Irish pub there! :)
Posted by: red at January 15, 2006 7:06 PMI would really like to mention one of my all time favorite films, The Unbelievable Lightness of Being. I just love that one with Lena Olin and her Charlie Chaplin hat.
Posted by: dick at January 15, 2006 10:32 PMdick - yay! I love that movie! My boyfriend and I went to see that film and he bought me a Charlie Chaplin derby afterwards. haha I still have it.
Wonderful film - Daniel Day Lewis was amazing and Juliette Binoche was just delicious.
Posted by: red at January 15, 2006 10:34 PMOne film that will always be my one of my favorites is "Lonely are the Brave" with Kirk Douglas. Saw it as a youngster and never ever forgot the ending. Obtained a copy a couple of years ago and it still hits me hard.
Red, ever seen it?
Regards, Hank
There should be a secret 'What's Up Doc?' society. Can you imagine how maddening that would be for an outsider? I am not A Eunice Burns, I am THE Eunice Burns...,
Posted by: David at January 19, 2006 1:55 PMObscure Russian films aside, Casablanca ranks high on my list. I agree with your take on most of the movies you have listed...
...except Pulp Fiction. Talented filmmaker. Sharp film, occasionally great dialogue. But style isn’t everything and there is something decidedly annoying about Quentin Tarantino films that puts me off.
May I suggest two films? Both are by Bill Forsyth:
- Local Hero
- Housekeeping
nightotter - strangely enough, this isn't a post where I care whether you think I got it right or not. I don't give a crap what your opinion is on Quentin Tarantino. Er ... thanks for sharing? Whatever.
Oh, and I saw the two films you mentioned. LOve them. Dude, I'm a film fanatic - I've seen five million movies. So recommend away, but just know I'm a movie nut.
Something about your tone pisses me off.
Especially since this is your first comment.
Posted by: red at January 22, 2006 2:31 AM