Note: This Top 100, created in it's original form in 2007, had undergone quite a few changes from then until recently (say, a few mnths ago). One of the addotions I have been trying to implement is a full description of the films on the list, containing the reasons they are on my list, and why they are where they are ranking-wise. Obviously, for a Top 100 list this is a very big undertaking, and not all of the films present have these explanations. I plan on filling this out more in the upcoming months for as much as school and work will allow. For now, this is the current product. Enjoy.
My Top 100 Films
Introduction:
June 30th, 2007 - I present to you my first ever Top 100 list, of any kind. As difficult as it was to narrow down favorites and exclude films to the left and right of me, I finally was able to produce, after a good few months in trying, to represent fully the films which I valued most from my canon of viewed films (in the thousands). This wasn't easy. Alot of films, including a lot of drug films - Trainspotting and Requiem For A Dream, most specifically - were cut down, despite a personal preference to them. I wanted the films I put on this list to reflect my idea of a great, or at least a greatly interesting, film. This also means that they are my own personalchoices, so this is far from being an objective list. These films are not perfect, or universally regarded as classics; many could be copiously nitpicked in the same manner I could do to almost any personal list - perfection isn't the point nor is it the criteria. Certainly, a film like Planes, Trains, ands Automobiles has just as much a place on my list as a widely acknowledged masterpiece such as The Seventh Seal. My personal preference leans toward more cynical - occasionally even nihilist - films. There is alot of black comedy present on this list. There are some happier, lighter films on display, but my taste usually requires that most of the films have at the very least some kind of gravity to them (I even ask this of family oriented fare - a not altogether unfair request). Aside from having the neccessities of good acting and a seriously well-written screenplay, directorial inventiveness is a huge plus, though in the presence of great acting, I might leave it at competent directing. Again, I don't expect every person who reads this list to agree with the choices, or to know all of the films herein. However, I would recommend them to anyone in search of a film experience (whether or not it's pleasant in the conventional sense of the word), assuming they want a good film to watch and have some patience for such things as character development.
Enjoy.
Close Calls (Added 4.16.09) :
15. The Deer Hunter (1978)
14. There's Something About Mary (1998)
13. Lost In Translation (2003)
12. Cries And Whispers (1972)
11. Boogie Nights (1998)
10. Mystic River (2003)
9. Ran (1985)
8. Stop Making Sense (1984)
7. Pixote (1981)
6. Man Bites Dog (1992)
5. Jean De Florette/Manon Of The Spring (1985/6)
4. Happiness (1998)
3. Los Olvidados (1950)
2. Un Couer En Hiver (1992)
1. Time Out (2001)
The Top 100:
100. Cyclo (1995) - Some films have alternate methods to inspiring reponses from audiences than what would be considered the norm. Cyclo, which takes neo-realism and informs it with Tran Ahn Hung's inimitable visual style and pacing, is a film which is both haunting and mesmerizing to contemplate; much of what transpires onscreen will either confuse, repulse, or fascinate the viewer. By taking a minimalist approach to what is basically a standard 'innocence lost' parable, Hung creates visions of stunning beauty and ugliness. Leagues less popular than The Scent Of Green Papaya (Tran Ahn Hung's worldwide success from the previous year), Cyclo has gathered little moss since it's 1995 release, despite winning numerous awards; I hear it occasionly referred to as a beautiful bore. This could not be further from the truth; the film depicts violence and sexual cruelty with an unblinking, unflinching eye that recalls such stone cold stunners like The War Zone. The film follows a handful of characters as they fall deeper into the abyss of modern Vietnam, ranging from prostitution to murder and self-degradation (one scene in particular, which seems to come from nowhere, lays bare the disturbing and jarring effects of banal dehumanization). The film can be very hard to watch, but it is filled with memorable images and moments (one of the highlights being the best use of a Radiohead song I've seen in any film). Cyclo might not be suited to many people's personal tastes (I would bet on being in the vast minorty of people who think the film is a classic, if not having seen it altogether), it is nonetheless an impossible film to forget or dismiss, and that qualifies it for a firm position on my list.
99. Sweet Smell Of Success (1957) - Perhaps the best Billy Wilder film never made by the man himself, Sweet Smell Of Success is one of the ballsiest, nastiest, funniest, and scariest of all 50's comedies, a film with a biting wit and noir sensibilties which lend to it's incredible atmospehere and broodingly dark tone. The film's two main characters are instantly memorable, the first the pathetic Sidney Falco (played like true slime by Tony Curtis) and the horrific proto-Noah Cross demon from hell, J. J. Hunsecker (played marvelously - and surprisingly fatherly, by Burt Lancaster), a character so scary and unafraid of everything that he is a constant source of awe and contempt. Hunskecker is a natural winner, a man who takes the right chances, places himself in impossible situations and leaves them unscathed and perhaps even bettered, a real, merciless dog who will do anything to supply his personal needs (his professional needs only seem like an ugly extension of his real shameful desires). Sidney supplies him with information, among other services, and his new goal in aiding his horrible friend is keeping Hunsecker's sister Walda from falling in love with a local musician (if at all), Steve (referred to in most of the film as Dallas). Think of In The Company Of Men in the late 50's - unlike most films from it's era, this one holds up entirely as well a good 50 years later. I nearly got mortal shivers from this film, and it needed to be on here.
98. In The Company Of Men (1997) -
97. Scarface (1983) - How many films can you describe simultaneously (and accurately) as sleazy, campy, unevenly directed... and intense, powerful, and utterly compelling? Brian De Palma's 1983 remake of Howard Hawk's 1932 clasic, Scarface: Shame Of The Nation ranks as a classic itself, almost in spite of it's own intentions (or some mixture of them). It is an almost surreal experience, a film that simply had to exist in it's spectacular form and had to be made the exact way it was to be as memorable as it turned out to be, existing in some odd, perfect way that cannot be copied or faked. Of course, there are still those who believe that this film deserved it's initial Razzie bashing (never forget, The Shining got a few, too), but they are outweighed (vastly) by the film's dedicated legion of fans and an amazing number of critics who now hail it as a classic (if in uncertain terms). Personally, I can't imagine the film being any different than the final product, and I am thankful; this is a frantic, mesmerizing film that features a great performance from Al Pacino, an utterly memorable screenplay by Oliver Stone, and crazed, frenzied direction from Brian De Palma (not to mention a severely underrated supporting turn from Steven Bauer). It is a gangster classic which creates an epic, diseased world for it's anti-hero to thrive in; the storyline and it's fantastic conclusion are now a part of the cultural lexicon, as well as the film's most famous quote 'Say hello to my little friend!'. Though the influence of Scarface has been negligible at best, it's effect on me is one of consistent awe and trans fixation. This bloody, intense masterwork may not be to many people's tastes, but it is undeniably effective and backs up it's startling tastelessness with keen self-awareness and masterful panache. You may not even like Tony Montana (or the film) by the end of it's three hours, but you will be left with a load of unforgettable scenes and the searing sense of seeing a true film event.
96. Blade Runner (1982 - Version: Final Cut) - A haunting, unparalleled vision into the bleak future of humanity, Ridley Scott's 1982 masterpiece 'Blade Runner' has reveled in a successful redemption from box office and critical failure to all-time film classic in less than a quarter of a century. It's not with a light touch that people apply the worlds 'ground-breaking', 'transcendent', or 'pioneering' with a film as late as the 1980's, but here it is wholly accurate; Scott fashioned, still early in his occasionally disappointing career, a meisterstroke that would influence hundreds of sci-fi films later on and still does so today. I've always appreciated the film's oppressive, overwhelming atmosphere and it's fantastic sense of restraint - it's not a typical science fiction film in any way - and the way that the plot manages to turn in on itself and lends itself beautifully to repeat viewings. There have been criticisms of the romance between the two leads, Harrison Ford and Sean Young, and until the Final Cut the number of replicants never quite made sense, but what the film does right is far more apparent than it's more minor flaws. Blade Runner manages to create an amazing, multi-dimensional villain in Roy Batty, who gives the film it's most achingly poignant scen. There is solid supporting work from Darryl Hannah, M. Emmet Walsh, a bizarrely convincing Edward James Olmos in an ominously ambiguous role, and Harrison Ford successfully sheds his image as Indiana Jones, giving a low-key portrait of a man with more feelings of doubt than duty . The film's main character, however, is it's unrivaled landscape, depicting an abandoned earth left for dead by off-world colonizers, littered with ads that form off the sides of buildings and aircraft and covered in perpetual darkness, punctuated by the numerous fissures of light. Add to this a beautifully distressing score, and a very appropriate ending that is fascinating as much for what it says as how it says it, and perhaps the single greatest scene of the 1980's (suffice to say, I've mentioned it already - and yes, doves are involved), and I'm confident in stating that Ridley Scott's initially maligned and startlingly prophetic film is a masterpiece.
95. Out Of Sight (1998) - Once in a great while, it's a real pleasure to see a thriller which, despite relating little to outside politics or 'important' issues, takes the audience seriously and devotes time to not only humor and suspense, but to create a real, believable love story for us to care about. Love stories in thrillers are usually dime-a-dozen, thrown-in last minute plot developments. Not so for Steven Soderbergh's Out Of Sight, which may be the perfect date movie; the film mixes satisfying, memorable dialogue (an early scene in the trunk containing the perhaps the best bit of cops-n'robbers dailogue ever written), fine acting (Clooney and Lopez have rarely been as magnetic, or as appealing), fine directing (this is the tightest Soderbergh film I've been privvy to), a 'hip' but balanced soundtrack, and a moving love story. The film's hidden trump card, however, is it's truly unpredictable plotline. I would be hard-pressed to guess how things turned out, who was going to do what to who, who was going to be where, or even how certain scenes were going to unfold, half-way through the scenes themselves. At one point, it becomes doubtful that the romance will last pragmatically, or even develop, and it even becomes doubtful as to whether Clooney's character survives (both would be givens in almost any other movie). This is a stellar example of a film taking advantage of viewer expectations and continually (yet organically) thwarting them. In a view I would expect to be chastised for, I find this to be the most complete of Soderbergh's efforts, lacking the rushed, disappointing final fourth of Sex, Lies, And Videotape, and actually ending (Traffic). In fact, as far as endings go - especially for thrillers - Out Of Sight's conclusion is near-perfect. Out Of Sight is one of the most satisfying cinematic experiences I can recall having, and easily has a right to be called one of the few best thrillers to reach the silver screen in recent years.
94. Dead Man Walking (1995)
93. Miller's Crossing (1990)
92. Audition (1999) - One word I find constantly overused in critical columns is the word 'disturbing'. It is so overused a term that when it is truly justified, it's a genuine shock. That's a huge reason why an otherwise forgettable film like Irreversible can be develop a cult following, or why Requiem For A Dream has become a phenomenon in film - people love a good, genuine shock; when we are so used to films placating our desires with shameless abandon, the fact that there are any films that can reach us on a gut level comes as a sort of surprise. One such surprise was an import to America, in 2001, when the 1999 Japanese horror film Audition recieved a limited release. The film, which starts out slowly but ends a Grand Guignol, is as unsettling a film experience as can be found - the ending is the most intense and unforgiving denounement I have encountered in a film to date. Imagine a modern Jigoku. That the film starts out as a strangely effecting romance in Ozu key is one of it's most underrated surprises. Not only is Audition a daunting film experience, but it is a consistently compelling film which builds towards it's conclusion instead of simply having a great third half (this was a chief problem for me with Aronofsky's film). The film's mysterious elements at the beginning begin to accumulate as the final third draws closer, and what seems like a simple faux courtship turns into a psychological and physical descent into hell. This is a fine film, but be warned; sleep is not expected afterwards, nor is it even encouraged (who knows what kind of nigthmares this film could give you?). This is one of the few genre efforts of recent that truly earned it's many accolades from critics and horror afficionados alike.
91. Patton (1970)
90. Naked (1993) - Unrelentingly nihilistic, angry, and unexpectedly hilarious, 'Naked' is a highlight in the career of one of cinema's most recent reliables, Mike Leigh (I argue it his best film - though I do acknowledge that Secrets & Lies is powerful, an outright comparison of the two films is ultimately pointless considering how differently their philosophies and techniques ultimately are). The film follows an anarchistic, philosphically complex individual, Jonny (played by David Thewliss in one of the best performances of the 90's - he should have won the Oscar for Best Actor, or at least been nominated) as he meanders through a hellish London, spewing his beliefs at any person who dare listen, and attaches himself like a leech to them until he is able to point out thier limits and the inevitable hopelessness of thier situations. He is unwilling to commit to love, unable to comfort, and ultimately impossible to follow in a way which merits meaning - and incorruptible corruption of humanity. If the film's portyrayal of him is dark, then it's comparison with Jeremy, a hedonistic monster who is capable of greater horror, is almost frighteningly shocking. Anyone who is looking for a lighter display of the human condition need not look here; there is no hope for anyone in this hellish freefall, and moments of catharsis are few and far between. The beautifully discordant score is icing on an already dark cake, and the script ultimately brings us to place which will strip many a viewer of too much of thier comfort zone. This film is meant to be endured, and for those who can stomach the emotional viscera, it is also to be treasured for its successful attempt at skewering both conventional plot requirements and our own sometimes fragile ideas of contentment.
89. Se7en (1995) - The unexpected smah hit of 1995, Se7en is willfully unlike any thriller I've ever seen, a surprisingly deep and powerful film which packs both visceral thrills, genuine horror scares (Sloth, anyone?), an intelligent, biting script, and the best work-to-date of Morgan Freeman, who imbues his William Somerset with a haunting complexity. Rarely has a film, nonetheless a genre film, ever seemed so singular in retrospect. I remember my first viewing of the film vividly; I was 16, a completely casual film watcher, turning to TBS out of boredom, where 'Se7en' was currently unspooling. In two short hours, I was totally blown away by what was being shown on screen. Even today, hundreds of films later, Se7en remains an extremely satisfying viewing, and it's most (in)famous scene retains it's unsettling power after several views (the first time I saw it I felt like turning off the TV). There have been sour grapes about Brad Pitt's acting in the film, but the importance of his character to the film's unexpectedly bleak finale is incalculable; I started to feel and understand, after a number of views (and some added film perspective here or there), that Fincher's ultimate view of Detective Mills was not of that of the sidekick, but as the catalyst of the investigation's downfall (Mill's main flaws are generously hinted at in one scene. You'll know which scene I mean the instant you see William Somerset look at his partner with a mysterious disgust). Such a choice would be unthinkable in today's routine cop dramas. Coupled with a truly loathesome and intelligent killer, the best freak editing you've ever seen, and a chilling moral regarding apathy in our society, Se7en is a film that is fresh in audience's minds nearly 13 years later, and with good reason.
88. Five Easy Pieces (1970)
87. Talk To Her (2002)
86. Some Like It Hot (1959) - Has there ever been a funnier, more perceptive film about masculinity? Billy Wilder's comic gem stands as one of the best films of his career, a compliment none too light or small. The film's ability to wring laughter - and I mean boatloads of it - from it's characters and their horribly pathetic situations makes Some Like It Hot an irresistable treat which, despite possessing Wilder's trademark cynical humor, has a lighthearted edge to it. Think The Apartment with Jack Lemmon in drag and a pair of twisted romances thrown in for good measure. The most obvious virtue of the film, besides it's incredibly imaginative script (which makes today's gender switcheroos look unforgivably stale and lazy in comparison) and Wilder's pin-point comic accuracy, is the woman in the middle of it all (the real woman, that is); Marilyn Monroe. Her blissfully unaware flirtiness, which is almost too much to bear in certain sequences (the climax being an all-too-intimate secret party with Lemmon's Daphne), sizzles the screen like only a true sex icon could. We can understand anyone going crazy for her, and also jealous contempt for the lucky bastard (in this cae, Curtis) who manages to pull it off, which allows the comical standoffs between Curtis and Lemmon to be absolutely sibe-burtsing and incredibly intense (one sequence in particular has Tony Curtis looking like he REALLY wants to tear Jack's head off). Add to this some of the most hilariously misinformed mafiosos in screen history, Tony Curtis giving us his best millionaire swine screwjob (bless him), Marilyn Monroes consistently revealing dresses, and a finale which will lead to a funny kind of horrific reaction from any straight males in the audience, Some Like It Hot is one of many good reasons why Billy Wilder may have been the best director of his time.
85. Battle Royale (2000)
84. The Lost Weekend (1945)
83. The Departed (2006)
82. JFK (1991)
81. Clerks (1994) - Sometimes, films don't need to achieve technical perfection to be considered 'classics'. Films like The Breakfast Club, Escape From New York, Scarface, and Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert aren't masterpieces, but have enormous followings nonetheless. Clerks, which may be the most popular comedy of the 90's, belongs in that niche, since it certainly isn't perfect; much of the acting is amateurish, and it's camerawork isn't masterful (it never really moves). Even so, it's appeal is undeniable - it displays American adolescence in an honest, painfully funny manner in a way that rings of truth even while it searches for laughs. Kevin Smith's script creates characters that are believable and memorable, and imbues them with an ironic dignity; they all range from simple clerks to drug dealers, yet they are interesting people capable of commanding our attention without forced manipulation from Smith. A drama unfolds, albeit an understated and nearly non-existant one, and a moral about adolescent alienation develops throughout the film (amazingly, this was claimed to be entirely unintentional) that ultimately brings the events within to another level. The original finale, in which Smith killed off Dante, was thankfully removed; it solidified the concept that Smith truly cared about his characters and was interested in their futures (something he would return to quite often). Clerks established Smith's career, which has had other successes - Chasing Amy, most specifically - but he has never been able to top the remarkable achievement of his debut, even in it's more deliberate and high-budget sequel twelve years later. This is movie magic, and a genuine triumph of independent filmmaking.
80. No Country For Old Men (2007)
79. Finding Nemo (2003)
78. A Christmas Story (1983)
77. Psycho (1960)
76. The Freshman (1925)
75. Raging Bull (1980) - An impossible film to ignore for any list, I would certainly expect to be chastised for putting Martin Scorsese' widely accepted masterpiece (caveat; I disagree with that entirely) at number 72 on a 100 film chart. It is not a decision I would apologize for; I've always seen the film as cold, with a main character who defies sympathy, lacking the sweep and hypnotic suction of Taxi Driver and Goodfellas (it's worthy of note to mention that it's more insular and uncompromised character study elements are a few reasons as to why people prefer it to the other two films, which are more plot-driven than reflective). This does not, however, keep me from becoming hooked every time I see the film; this is a blistering, visceral experience with a great script and one of the screen's best performances by Robert DeNiro as the pitiless and plain frightening Jake La Motta, who is so scary that the film builds off simple things as conversations and stand-offs between him and the people he loves, if love is indeed the right word (if the term even exists on his planet). Scorsese shoots the film in the timeless black and white scheme of genre classics from the 50's (the film is, at it's heart, a boxing genre film), and evokes the spirit of not only love for the fight, but also injects the boxing matches La Motta has with a guilt-ridding system of justice. The last fight with Sugar Ray Robinson, in particular, is notable for it's placement in La Molta's personal life as much as it is for it's incredible brutality. Cathy Moriarty is amazing (at age 19!) as La Motta's horribly battered wife, and Joe Pesci turns his first great performance for Scorsese as Jake's brother, who serves as both a catalyst for his rage when he provides support and a victim when he offends his brother's unreasonable and unforgiving code of honor. With a memorable score and the usual fantastic editing by Thelma Schoonmaker (who won one of the film's only two Oscars - damn, the academy sucks), Raging Bull is more than above the sports films it is often associated with - films like Hoosiers and Rocky are fine films, but have no place in the same ballpark as this film - it is one of the best films of the 80's and as much testament to the terribly self-destructive power of musculinity as it is to Scorsese's ageless ability to craft superior films on a highly personal level, regardless of what they are about.
74. The Third Man (1949) - As it is widely considered a landmark of world cinema, there is little I can add to The Third Man's stature at this point, except to say that I, sometimes many generations younger than the critics who help it approach Sight & Sounds Top 10 polls on a consistent basis, find the film to be a defining experience in my time as a filmgoer. There are few, if any, thrillers who mix the white-knuckle elements of the genre with such a solid dramatic structure, from it's mysterious beginning to it's spellbinding conclusion, and fewer still which are as endlessly beautiful. This film really could, murder elements and medical atrocities aside, serve as a great promotional tool for the city of Vienna, casting it in a gaze-worthy gleam, doused in glorious black and white for greater effect. Indeed, between the film's extraordinary visuals, it's perfect script, dazzling score, and the great acting (especially by you-know-who playing you-know-who), The Third Man is one of the most complete entertainment packages in cinema; in it's own way, it is similar to 'M' in it's genre-bending transcendence (substituted with a much more articulate villain). The plot, which involves Holly Martin looking for his friend, Harry Lime, in post-war Vienna, and everything that could possibly happen between, is a masterpiece of both build-up and execution - we go from distant onlookers to participants, and in the climax, you can really feel Carol Reed twisting his knife in your back a full 360 degrees. Here is a film guaranteed to snag you. My advice; don't try to expand upon the plot details I've described before seeing the film. Staying purposely cold to much of the film's details helped me enjoy it's twists a bit more (something I really wish I could do with Psycho).
73. McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1972) - A Western which is wholly divorced of the term and everything it implies, McCabe & Mrs. Miller is a dream-like drama of untold power. Roger Ebert once described the film as being perfect, and it's difficult to disagree with his findings; this film is the most convincing period drama I have been privvy to, both of time and place as well as the events that occur. In fact, the film has such a powerfully construed sense of reality that the distance which forms between the audience and any character is entirely dissolved - these seem like real people, capable of creating both fascination and also a terrible unpredictability. The central story of Beatty's McCabe establishing a town (including a complimentary brothel) with the distant and unemotive Mrs. Miller (played sublimely caustically by Julie Christie) is secondary to Robert Altman's goal of creating an alternate reality, peppered with genuinely otherworldly imagery and a haunting score by Leonard Cohen. This lends to the film a great versimilitude, and as the events in the film (brought o n by a deal from Sears & Roebucks which McCabe foolishly challenges, and then denies outright) boil to a head, the dramatic effect of the film begins to sneak up and grasp the viewer. The finale, which is ambiguously triumphant and terribly depressing, is a sad ending to what is perhaps the best work of Robert Altman's career (a man known for his consistent achievments in the art of film, especially in developing believable characters and situations on a grander scale than a general audience is truly used to), with a tighter focus than any of his ensemble films, and a dramatic quotient which simply does not exist at it's level in any of his other works. As a personal zenith and fearless artistic endeavor for all involved, this film is not only Robert Altman's most fulfilling accomplishment, but as a viewing experience, McCabe & Mrs. Miller is one of the flat-out finest films of the 1970's.
72. Dead Ringers (1988) - As popular as David Cronenberg's films (especially his 80's films) are, there is a void between being a fan of his work and actually liking them on a more conventional level. Films like The Dead Zone, Shivers, and Videodrome are certainly impressive films in certain ways, but it wasn't until The Fly in 86' when Croneneberg was able to marry his inimitable style to a more conventional storyline (a tragedy). The film was the best success of his career at the time, and the finale packed a visceral punch that his other film did not possess. However, if The Fly was his stepping stone to greatness, then 1988's Dead Ringers is the lofty peak of his career - a film which manages to thrill, disturb, and intrigue the viewer from beginning to horrifying end. The effect Cronenberg achieves with the film is the most devastating of all his works; based on a true story, Dead Ringers follows two twins through a shared psychological descent into the abyss of drug addiction and madness. The famously unsettling gynecological instruments (which have reportedly caused great pain for members of the other sex viewing the film) and a sadomasochist relationship with a patient which alternately redeems and destroys them, simply act as icing on the cake. Much like The Fly, the ending has a terrible tragic dimension to it; Cronenberg never shies away from the flaws of his characters, and their final fate is both sadly inevitable and unflinching in it's presentation. I also believe Jeremy Iron's performance(s) as the twins (incalculably aided by Croneneberg's visual trickery) to be one of the best of the 80's - he creates two characters who earn distinction through thier actions rather than through gimmickry. It is a sin (to count with all the others) against the academy for ignoring him (though it is rumored his Best Actor win for Reversal Of Fortune may have been partially in debt to this snub). I've heard it said that Dead Ringers feels like a contemporary extension of Roman Polanski's horror films, and while that certainly explains the bleak nature of the film, the clinical approach championed by Cronenberg (with a suitably chilling score by Howard Shore) is all his own, and that ends up elevating this film to the level of psychological drama in tandem with that of effective thriller and horror film (think The Exorcist). Dead Ringers, above all, proves that, when he maintains focus, Cronenberg's talents are miles beyond that of any of his contemporaries, and though his surprisingly solid recent efforts have redeemed his pitiful 90's outings (excepting Naked Lunch), he has never approached the level of mastery he attained here, nor is he likely to again.
71. Paths Of Glory (1957)
70. In The Mood For Love (2000) - In the realm of on-screen romances, everyone has a favorite - contenders are as diverse as they are different. Not everyone who enjoys Before Sunrise will fall for When Harry Met Sally. Based on the previous sentence, In The Mood For Love might give these people a seizure. This is the oddest, most atmospheric and surreal romance in contemporary cinema, about a love story which never happens between two people who's significant others are romantically entwined with each other. The film is offbeat, but certain in it's approach to the relationship between in it's central characters and it's inner futility. The film feels, at times, like a Hong Kong version of Un Couer En Hiver (another fine film about a relationship which never materializes), and it's impact is similar. The film is uncompromised in it's finale, and when the dust has cleared, director Wong Kar Wai has brought us from emotional distance to painfully close contact with more exquisite skill and tenderness that I've ever seen in any film romance. It's at the very least well worth a look from any patient viewer.
69. Amadeus (1984) - When seeing Amadeus for the first time a few years ago, I was of the opinion that classical music was annoying, overly pretentious fluff that appealed only to scholars and faux intellectuals (or as with the Monty character in Withnail & I, crazy gay millionaires). For the most part, my opinion wasn't changed by Amadeus, but I certainly could see what was so exciting about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's music, and also what was so daring and unique about it. One could be forgiven for mistaking Amadeus' tone before seeing the film - expecting a period drama and getting Amadeus can be a nasty surprise. On the other hand, if you want a deliciously overblown, visually decadent, musically proficient, and incredibly irreverent film with a tragic twist, then you will do no better than Milos Forman's second Oscar-winner for Best Picture, the film of Mozart's incredible talent and vision, and also of the man who saw his genius blossom when no one else could - and suffered for it eternally. Tom Hulce plays the genius titular character like a cartoonish freak attraction who happens to, horrifyingly, make some of the best music known to man (irony is not one of the film's more subtle elements). The best performance of the film, however, belongs to F. Murray Abraham as Salieri, who creates one of the most stunningly complex and sympathetic villain ever to grace the screens, a character who is tragically more relatable to the audience than Mozart (unless someone is under the illusion that they are a great composer themselves), and ultimately more forlorn by his respect for Mozart than his hatred for him. Here is a character whose motivations are earth-shattering and nakedly honest, real to the last detail, and totally, painfullly believable. The solid supporting work helps glue the film togther well enough, but much of the film concerns one or both main characters navigating life in the 1800s and the funny, and tragic, limitations of their times. The fate of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in the mortal world is ultimately wrenching and unusually poignant for the film's tone. A definite must-see for cinematic purposes alone, Amadeus is also the most respectful film towards the art of music I have ever encountered. In other words, recommended for all but the most hopelessly jaded/immature viewer.
68. Election (1999)
67. Glory (1989)
66. The Three Colors Trilogy (1993-4)
65. The Gold Rush (1925)
64. The Dark Knight (2008) - A pretty high debut, yes, but one that I feel is well-deserved - Christopher Nolan's latest success in a career littered with them, and is easily the finest super-hero film ever created, improving upon it's considerable predecessor (Batman Begins) in every way imaginable and delivering a shock to the system that will not be forgotten very easily. Yet, as difficult and complex the film is, it can still be consistently enjoyed as an actioner, and it's climactic scenario, which features two ferries forced to play judge, jury, and executioner, is as engrossing and exciting as it is harrowing. The acting, highlighted by an amazing perfrormance by the late Heath Ledger as the Joker, a surprisingly ferocious turn from Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent (and yes, Two-Face), and Christian Bale making the batsuit his for eternity, is front-to-back solid, and the film's score - which is superlative at creating tension and dread - is perhaps the most effective of any film in it's genre. At 2 1/2 hours, the film never drags, and the pacing is incredible - this film literally flies by on it's dark, visceral energy, and the emotional undercurrents that are created in the second half underscore the action incredibly well - a trait which improves upon repeat viewings. This is one title that is not only a sure purchase, but a stone-cold classic. There may never be a comic book adaptation like this ever again, and if there is, we are all the richer for such miracles.
63. Apocalypse Now (1979) - A slightly flawed yet immensely powerful and extremely well-aged film about the Vietnam experience, Apocalypse Now might not be the definitive film of the conflict (I believe this to be Platoon), but it is most certainly superior to most other wars films in it's thematic depth and in it's revelations of war - things that make the Russian roulette scenes in The Deer Hunter seem escapist by comparison. The issue of the film, the core, is that war is utmost an assault on the mind, on one's sanity, and that piercing of the flesh is only one of the real horrors of war. When the film reaches it's ending, which is mezmering yet shallow and misguided, Coppola uses his dirctorial sense to make the film as surrealistic as possible, and while this may not save the under-written and under-realized nature of Brando's Kurtz, he completes the film on the terms of mood and achieves at least in part his objective of deglamourizing war, and the scenes before it - including Kurt's air raid, which is one of the few truly perfect film scenes I can recall, a fabulous USO disaster, and one of the most amazing intros to any film, ever, redeem Apocalypse Now and supply it with a claim to greatness - it may not be perfect, but it is certainly the best at what it attempts to accomplish, and it's goals dwarf almost any war film I can remember. As both an epic and as an ambitious cap to the 70's, cited by critics as a film 'golden age', Apocalypse Now still satisifies a surprising amount of it's expectations.
62. Blue Velvet (1986)
61. Deliverance (1972) - The greatest of all 'man vs. nature' parables, Deliverance is the ultimate camping trip gone wrong; rape, murder, and broken limbs abound in what has to be the worst canoe trip in the history of cinema. Certainly, Deliverance has enough naive machoism, heroic spectacle and thrilling potent actionn sequences to secure any viewer's interest. The flip of this is that the director views their trip through a darker lense than that of the usual thrill ride; dark philosophies about nature and man's place inside of it are simply the beginning of the film's Nitzchean pie. This may be the first film I've seen that treats human characteristics such as masculinity as a sort of warped curse, and allows man's basic nature to rebel against itself. There are no monsters, no thrilling score (we get banjos instead), no heros (Burt Reyolds provides us with the perfect foil - until we find out even [i]he[/i] has no idea what to do), just the cool, deadly serenity of nature engulfing four naive cityboys alive. The film also contains one of the most effective, harrowing and graphic rape scenes in any film; this is visceral, sickening stuff, and has become somewhat iconic for it's squealing (much like the film's other famous sequence, 'Deuling Banjos', became iconic for it's literal presentation of the title). Excellently acted by every principal (even the designated guitarist, Ronny Cox, gets his due in an argument over what to do with a poor soul with an arrow stuck in him), and directed with a paranoid intensity by John Boorman (who makes the most convincing use of zooming since Hitchcock), Deliverance is one of the most recognizable and memorable films of the 1970's, a thrilling yet unnerving tale that implies that, perhaps, even innocence lost fables can occur after age 30.
60. The Princess Bride (1987) - Charming. If ever a film I have seen fits that description effortlessly, it's The Princess Bride. While perhaps not my favorite Reiner production, The Princess Bride nonetheless testifies to the genius he once displayed in the 80's as a director - indeed, his balance of the fairy tale elements and the satiricial humor is perfect, never sacrificing emotion for wit, and vice versa. We both laugh at and care about these characters - Inigo Montoya's (Mandy Patankin, in the film's best perfrormance) journey to avenge his father is one of the most fulfilling emotional experiences you are likely to find - and the cast (including none other than Andre The Giant!) is all game, with an especially enchanting couple in Robin Wright and Cary Elwes. If you find that films like The Wizard Of Oz are too flattering in their treatment of fairy tales and that Shrek is a little too unwilling to compensate it's edginess with genuine character development, then this should be a satisfying middle ground. Depsite being exposed it to it rather late (only in college), I have seen it at least 15 times, which is all too solid a testament to my fascination with the film - and evidence of the magic it's creator once possessed before his 90's and 00's flops. Guaranteed pleasure.
59. The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
58. Bonnie & Clyde (1967)
57. Leaving Las Vegas (1995)
56. The Producers (1968)
55. Singin' In The Rain (1954)
54. Floating Weeds (1959) - Late Japanese film director Yasujiro Ozu is regarded by many critics as a 'friend' (the one I'm paraphrasing most directly, however, is Roger Ebert). The reasoning for this is not entirely difficult to see; he has a way of making the mundane, sometimes bleak cycle of life seem endearing, and is able to wring messages of warmth and inspiration from the tiniest parts of the world. Floating Weeds' story only concerns a village, but Ozu's impact has a far broader scale. In this, my favorite of the films I've seen from him (the others include the amazing Tokyo Story, The original 1934 film Story Of Floating Weeds, and Late Spring), a village is riddled with dilemmas when an ill-fated dramatic troupe comes to town. The film basically builds off of the character's interactions, and, in the end, a sort of catastrophe has occured which has reshaped the village and it's inhabitants in various ways with varying effects. The one thing that truly marks the film as a different kind of experience is Ozu's warmth and respect for his characters, and most of all, his audience. It would be simple to liken Yasujiro Ozu to a Japanese Frank Capra, and the comparison is not without merit (both are, after all, directors of fantastic substance), but it is possible to say Ozu is a deeper, if not more consistent filmmaker than his predecessor. After a viewing of Floating Weeds, it is not entirely difficult, if only temporarily, to see people for what they perhaps really are; silly, foolhardy, yet oddly endearing creatures, capable of error, but also of great compassion and demanding of a greater sympathy.
53. Magnolia (1999)
52. The Shining (1980)
51. Lord Of The Rings Trilogy (2001 - 2003) - As overwhelming as some of it's supporters may be, The Lord Of The Rings was truly one of the most memorable motion picture events I can recall. When I watched Return Of The King, the last and best installment among near-equals, sweep the Academy Awards (including Best Picture and Director), I was surprised that a fantasy film actually won Best Picture - and that the best film of the year had been awarded as such (however good the academy has been lately). Although the first film, Fellowship Of The Ring, feels slightly weak in comparison to the others (it's obvious Jackson's vision wasn't fully formed at this point), the series went from good to great with the second installment, The Two Towers, which climaxed with the now-famous Helm's Deep battle. This turned to masterpiece with Return Of The King, which not only improved on it's predecessors' flaws, few they were, and created an achievement to go down in film history, the same as Star Wars did three decades ago (without the disappointing final film). I've heard this series compared to greats like Citizen Kane in terms of accomplishment, and although I am more thana little wary of doing that so early - even now - it's difficult to see this series as anything else but a cosmic meisterstroke, one that will perhaps never be bettered in the fantasy world.
50. City Of God (2002) - A visceral, daunting film masterpiece, City Of God is this decade's Goodfellas, and has an intense virtuosity that I've rarely seen in any film. This film is nearly filled to the brim with dynamite, ready to explode at any second, pummeling the viewer with powerful, occasionally haunting, images; it is an extremely distinct directorial effort by Fernando Meirelles, who displays all the elements of a veteran, and yet all the passion of a newcomer. The film is incredibly unpredictable and extremely ambiguous in it's treatment of it's screen criminals - they range from pathetic drug dealers to all-out monsters - displaying them as the warped youth of a doomed culture eating itself from the inside out. There have been numerous films about the street kids of Brazil (the fabulous 'Pixote' among them), but none of them are this fierce, or as involving, and although few of these kids are professional actors, there is fantastic work all around - the best being Lil' Ze, the monstrous yet all-too-human heavy of the picture. If you want a film with scope (it covers three decades in Brazilain culture), energy, and most of all, realism, then City Of God is one of the best choices available, and along with Aronofsky's flawed-but-powerful Requiem For A Dream, represents perhaps the decade's most technically nimble and inventive directorial effort.
49. The Seventh Seal (1957)
48. Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
47. Platoon (1986)
46. The Godfather (1972)
45. Reservior Dogs (1992)
44. Memento (2000)
43. The Sweet Hereafter (1997) - The personal nature of tragedy is explored in full in this truly miraculous drama, Atom Egoyan's finest hour (and a half), which seamlessly interweaves tragedies (a bus accident, a daughter lost to drug addiciton) to a greater cumulative effect. Indeed, everyone has reason to grieve here, and their reasons distort their decisions, eventually culminating in a fissure in the community when a lawyer, Mitchell Stevens, comes to town to look for blame where there is none. Relationships crumble, sins and sinners are exposed, and confusion descends upon the once healthy community. In the midst of the devastation, Egoyan searches for meaning, and asks questions; does there have to be a reason for a tragedy, or a cause? Do we look for blame to assauge our pain, or guilt? Is all of one person's life one tragedy waiting to happen, or a string of tragedies? Here, there are no easy answers, but thankfully, Egoyan has entrusted the finale with intelligence and heart, so that when the characters reach their final destinations, we are never cold or unresponsive to thier fates, nor are we able to be anything but grieving, hopeful participants. The Sweet Hereafter is a film with depths unseen by it's contemporaries, and although it didn't win Best Picture for 1997, it has more than earned it through merit. It would be a sin to pass a film with this much intelligence and insight up.
42. Unforgiven (1992) - Despite releasing three great-or-near-great films over this decade (2003's Mystic River, 2004's Best Picture winner Million Dollar Baby, and the underrated Letters From Iwo Jima in 2006), 1992's Unforgiven is still the shining pinnacle of Clint Eastwood's career as a director, as an actor, and as a gunslinger (worthy of note: deciding which of these three is the most impressive is a relatively tough feat). The film tears through Western cliches and mythos like a hot knife through butter, and it's revisionist philosophies towards violence, masculinity, and justice define this as a nearly nihilistic film; comparing Unfogiven in tone to Dances With Wolves is similar to likening The Princess Bride to The Name Of The Rose. In addition to Eastwood's fine performance, Gene Hackman creates a curiously normal villain that stands as perhaps the most human of the Western 'bad guys' - the extent which he is truly 'bad' is ambiguously displayed. None of this demystifying is unintentional, nor does it detract from the dramatic elements of the story; this a elegy for the old Westerns, all the while sending them up in an intelligent, always serious and reverent manner. Bleaker and more perceptive than even High Noon, Unforgiven stands as the ultimate dark Western - one where redemption is more an illusion than a possibility, legends are largely fallacies, and where the villain is only marginally more out of focus with morality than the film's hero (if at all). This is powerful, and always clever, food for thought, and it remains a compelling view well past the intial viewing.
41. Midnight Cowboy (1969)
40. Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981)
39. Yi Yi (2000)
38. Clean, Shaven (1993) - Despite having a relatively non-existant budget and having an occasional dry moment or two (as most low-budgets debuts are prone to), Lodge Kerrigan's debut effort, which was stalled in production purgatory for over 18 months due to the inlcusion of a scene so raw and unflinching you may have to cover your eyes, is a masterpiece of psychological tension. The film's unnerving, unwavering sound effects (which achieve perfection in juxtaposition with the film's visuals) are some of the best and most innovative ever used in a film, while Peter Greene's portrayal of a spectacularly disturbed individual is one of the most overlooked performances of the 90's; he helps Kerrigan dig deeper into the central schizophrenic more than we would like to think possible. What emerges is a visceral, harrowing, and undeniably brilliant examination of one man's hopeless attempts to reconcile with his long-lost daughter, all the while with a detective on his trail for a heinous crime which he may or may not have committed. The film's emotional effect is certainly not intended to be mistaken for escapsim; I would put it in the ranks of films like Irreversible or Audition in it's ability to scourge the viewers' senses (albeit with a more enlightened purpose than either film), and the ultimate conclusion of the film is unbearably depressing. One good reason for the film's impact is the unrelentingly ugly and suffocating aesthetic it provides in the background - the locations Kerrigan has chosen are all withered, rotting monuments of anguish, and the film is peppered with all kinds of off-beat visual choices (rotting fish-heads), not to mention the most disturbing autopsy footage I've ever seen in a motion picture (although it is much more appropriate than the unecessarily gratuitous images in Sean Penn's The Pledge). Whatever emotion you walk out of 'Clean, Shaven' with, from horror to vivid enlightenment (the film, after all, encourages afterthought at it's conclusion), this a motion picture you will never, ever forget.
37. A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
36. It's A Wonderful Life (1946)
35. Beauty And The Beast (1991) - The best of Disney's considerable animated canon, Beauty And The Beast is one of the best justifications of animation as legitimate entertainment available. Beauty And The Beast achieves a tone which not only allows satire (albeit in light) of former musicals, but allows the film to breathe and to establish it's situations more rewardingly. The relationship between Belle and The Beast is perfectly molded, and the eventual peril that they face is made all the more involving because of this. The songs which are inextricably linked the film's emotional success is perhaps the best in any animated picture - these are songs literally constucted of memorable hooks, one after the other, with incredibly clever, delightfully irreverent lyrics (the pinnacle of this would be 'Gaston', with it's hilarious 'I use antlers in all of my de-cor-at-ing!'). Almost as importantly is the heft given to the supporting players, who all give amazingly memorable turns and who all strike of both inventive visual design and light, tempered approaches to thier development; they are kind and selfless, yet they also share the motivations of the Beast as well (after all, who wants to live life as a candle?). It's rare than any family film, especially one made from Disney, to exhibit such a large amount of intelligence, and although it may have a slightly rushed ending which is blunted by a fantastical contrivance, the film is ultimately able to wrap it's storyline elements up in a satisfying way. This is the best animated film from any American studio, decade be damned.
34. Dances With Wolves (1990)
33. Rashomon (1950)
32. One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
31. Fight Club (1999) -
30. Planes, Trains, & Automobiles (1987) - In the careers of John Hughes, Steve Martin, and John Candy, none of them were given the chance to shine as brightly as they did in this film. This was not only Hughes' transition from teen fare to more general film-making, but his most mature film yet, without abandoning the charm of his earlier films in the process. 'Home Alone' hadn't yet destroyted his ambition with it's easy sasles and un-asked for sequels. Steve Martin and John Candy hadn't broken out just yet, and were still at the top of their games, and both in turn made thier characters genuinely their own - from the beginning that the film starts to it's surprisingly emotional ending, they both create memorable people that linger and stay with the viewer long after the film has ended. If there has to be a perfect film for the Thanksgiving season, then there is no better choice than 'Planes, Trains, and Automobiles', but it's just as valuable on it's own as top-flight, genuinely inspired joy. Enjoy.
29. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
28. Do The Right Thing (1989)
27. Sunset Boulevard (1950)
26. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
25. Casablanca (1942)
24. Chinatown (1974)
23. Ikiru (1952)
22. Remains Of The Day (1993)
21. The Usual Suspects (1995)
20. Clockwork Orange (1971)
19. Ugetsu (1953)
18. Taxi Driver (1976)
17. Citizen Kane (1941)
16. Silence Of The Lambs (1991)
15. Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb (1964) - One of the few American masterpieces that have held up decades after thier release (besting overrated, ticket-eating efforts like Gone With The Wind and The Exorcist), Dr. Strangelove has a satiric edge that has only gained momentum with time. The gleefully dark absurdities of the plot and it's infinitely quotable arsenal of lines ('Gentlemen, you can't fight here! This is the war room!) have not aged a day, and the inspired comic turns, including a triple-hat by Peter Sellers, a prophetic turn from George C. Scott (whose work here is almost a foreshadowing of his greatest role in 1970's Patton), a great nutbag performance by Sterling Hayden, and James Earl Jones' first ever role, are all perfectly pitched and endlessly inventive. The film's perfection reaches out even to it's smaller, less well-known moments, such as the battles between American soldiers to the background of 'Peace Is Our Profession' billboards, and a great unheard role by the Russian Prime Minister (whose laughable reaction to the events - an unintentional act of treason which unexpectedly may yield armageddon - leads to a great number of Sellers' best lines). The film's pace, slow and deliberate, allows the humor to unfold brilliantly, with the comicly dark plot's pulpit forcing the most intense, pathetic, and ultimately hilarious reactions you're likely to see in any American comedy. And don't forget to look out for the various msiaul clues which Kubrick throws in - some of which are only really obvious through repeat veiwings, which only adds to the film's replayability. Altogether, you have a masterpeice of startling accomplishment which will only get better as time goes on.
14. Rear Window (1954)
13. Monty Python And The Holy Grail (1975)
12. City Lights (1931)
11. Withnail & I (1986)
10. The Decalogue (1988)
9. Pulp Fiction (1994)
8. Grave Of The Fireflies (1988) - One of the only films I've ever seen that truly deglamourizes war in a way that merits meditation, Grave Of The Fireflies is an uncompromised, devastating study of the effects of a country's foolish participation in a war it can't hope to win on it's unfortunate citizens. The film's impact rests mostly on the shoulders of it's two main characters, Seita and his little sister Setsuko, orphans trying to survive on the fringes of a beaten, apathetic society. With little more than genuine love for his little sister and decision-blinding pride driving him forward, Seita tries to be a mother to his sister, with terrible consequences. Of all of the films on this list, I had the hardest time watching this film, which is both soft and gentle with it's characters, yet grim and realistic. The horrors of war are not spared from the audience - the grisly fate of the character's mother is displayed in a surprisingly honest matter - and the plot never allows a convenient escape from their anguish throughout the running length. By the time the film is over, we have seen the death of an entire family, perpetuated by a senseless war, and our feelings are singed and battered, not because the film sensationalizes (it is, after all, based on a true story), but because Isao Takahata has asked us to look the truth straight in the eyes, and delivers it in a neo-realist fashion that refuses to let us go until the painful end. Many people have considered this anime (yes, folks, it's animated) to be the equal of Schindler's List, and in certain ways, they have a point. This would make a great double-billing with Spielberg's film as the ultimate World War II film package; don't expect to go home with anything less than tearfilled eyes and a broken heart.
7. This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
6. Fargo (1996)
5. Annie Hall (1977)
4. Schindler's List (1993) - If there is a better film about the Holocaust around, I would like to see it. Indeed, if there are more than a handful of films I've seen in my film which approach Schindler's List, I would be genuinely surprised. Detractors be damned; this is one of the best, most powerful, and most essential films ever created about any subject. That it's subject is the greatest tragedy of the 20th century is only icing on the cake. After seeing films like The Grey Zone, The Pianist, and even documentaries like Night And Fog, no film I have seen about the holocaust has approached the pinnacle which Spielberg has achieved; this film portrays the horror of the holocaust while slowly, unexpectedly finding hope in what appears to be nothing but ugliness. This means scenes of unimaginable brutality (watch closely when a Jewish man asks a nearby SS to aid his sickly wife) and emotional poetry, including a catharsis which wrenches tears from the eyes every time I watch it (this is decidedly rare for me). Liam Neeson certainly deserved recognition of some kind for his portrayal as the aspiring millionaire turned savior Schindler, but Ralph Fienne's work as Amon Goeth is nothing less than one of the best performances I've been privvy to in all my (21) years. The screenplay intelligently uses both stories to compliment one another (the horror of the camps and the magnitude of the actrocities heighten as Schindler becomes aware of his newly forming plan, creating indelible tension). And the directing by Spielberg is the best of his career (which is about as big a compliment as I'm likely to award in my lifetime) - the film remains fresh for nearly three hours and constantly builds towards it's amazing conclusion. Rarely has a filmmaker blurred the line between tragedy and victory so boldly and successfully, creating a scouring sense of enlightenment, but also one of hope. Perhaps one man really can save the world entire.
3. Goodfellas(1990)
2. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
1. "Raise The Red Lantern" (1991) - When I was 16 years old, I walked into the Nutley Blockbuster to search for a good foreign film. Looking for perhaps a good thriller here or there (the first floor was, as usual, devoid of any contenders), someone approached me and asked if I was loking for any film in particular. Having seen the anime film Metropolis on Encore for about an hour a week or so before and having liked it a bit, I decided that an Asian film would perhaps be the best idea. When the person recommended a Chinese drama from 1991, I can't admit to having been enthusiastic about their choice. Regardless, I decided to give the film a try. Blockbuster decided, after I had kept the VHS of Raise The Red Lantern a good five months, that I wasn't, indeed, returning it, and pulled the film sleeve from the shelves. To say that Raise The Red Lantern is simply a film to me would be horribly untrue; more than any other film or factor, it was the moviegoing experience which shaped my interest in film to degree that I was willing - and, for the first time, enthusiastic - to find other films and try them out. I essentially began by looking for similar contemporaries of the film (this included the fantastic films Farewell My Concubine and To Live, the flawed but somewhat wrenching Temptress Moon, and the sadly ordinary Chinese Box), but eventually, I decided to begin searching abroad as well. Despite being my first real favorite film of any kind (I had liked film before, but merely casually and for entertainment purposes solely), Raise The Red Lantern was a sure 1 spot on my list when I decided to compile one earlier this year. Fortunately, despite amassing a sizable collection of films, the movie was of such a high quality that I never tired of watching it, despite adding names like 'Ozu', 'Kurosawa', 'Bergman', and 'Linklater' (sorry, I was just looking for some variety) to my memory bank. The film's main strength is it's unerring ability to draw my interest, and then swiftly escalate it to the point of being ubearable - the film employs a static, vacuous silence which is ironically deafening in effect. The film's minimalist score, one of the best I've heard, is a raw but haunting hymn (once heard, it is never forgotten), the cinematography is austere and slowly menacing, the beautiful enviroment cast in an unflattering perspective (the castle in which the film is set is more of a prison than anything). The director, Zhang Yimou, is masterful both when developing situations or characters, and has an eye for visuals which hasn't been equalled since the technicolor days of Hollywood. His ability to let the film breathe - there are numerous moments when the camera seems to simply stare and allows us to absorb the events unfolding on screen - is ultimately important to the film's deliberately stark tone. The lead actress, Gong Li, who is also one of my favorite actress at this point (I've seen her in classics and dreck, and she acts movingly regardless), gives her best performance as the intelligent but tragically arrogant Songlian, who captures our sympathy, despite her coldness, in a situation which threatens to wholly consume her individuality and sanity. In addition, the plot is so carefully constructed (and executed) that you may very well end up breathless by the time the film has finished unspooling; without giving too much away, I'll say that the film ends up delivering an emotional punch that I've seldom experienced before or since. The film has had many failed attempts at a properly formatted DVD release (the most infamous being the unforgivable Razor production), but finally landed a spot on MGM's World Films list and was released in a fine - albeit barebones - DVD edition in late July of 2007 (anyone looking for alternatives to this release may like the Hong Kong ERA edition which, in addition to a fine print job, has the interesting - but very, very lame - trailer for the film). For anyone with the money and patience to see a drama which gradually unfolds and constantly resists compromising it's story arc or insulting the viewer's intelligence, Raise The Red Lantern is one of the most satisfying film experiences available from any country, and is undoubtedly the most honest and obvious choice for a number 1 spot I have, for any list of any kind.
Decade breakdown - Overall Total (How Many Made The Top 100)
20's: 2
30's: 1
40's: 5
50's: 10
60's: 7
70's: 12
80's: 21
90's: 31
00's: 11
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