Kieran Frost's "100 Greatest Films"
Back in 2005, while I was halfway through my university degree(s) I made a concerted effort to watch all the "greatest films" of cinema. I had grown frustrated at having directors or other actors reference a film, or say along the lines of "that amazing moment in [INSERT FILM]... do it like that." So I compiled numerous lists from numerous "100 Greatest Films", ranging from AFI, BFI, Sight and Sound, IMDB, Empire, SFX, the Guardian, etc; and have systematically 'crossed off' the films once I've seen them.
But along with seeing them, I also started to compile my own list of what I thought were the '100 Greatest Films'. You'd be amazed how quickly you run out of 100 slots! Now (of course) this is all subjective; but I try to use a gage of: where appreciation and enjoyment collide to a very high standard. We all have films we love, but truthfully we also know they are pretty worthless (artistically). Similarly we have all seen films we appreciate... but CHRIST we'd never want to sit through again. The only other "rule" I have in place is no actor can be the lead in more than 5 films, and no director can have more than 5 films in the list (this is purely because, at some point, it's obvious you just have a perchance for said actor or director, and therefore your objectivity has become clouded).
I've been meaning to do a thread like this for ages; and put "reviews" of the newest films I've seen that either go into my "100 Greatest Films" list, or I watched because other lists rank it as 'one of the greats'. Anyway, that's my thread. Enjoy, don't enjoy; entirely up to you. :)
[B][SIZE=3][COLOR="#008000"]Kieran Frost's "100 Greatest Films"[/COLOR][/SIZE][/B]
[LIST=1][*]12 angry men [SIZE=1](1957)[/SIZE][*]1917 [SIZE=1](2019)[/SIZE][*][SIZE=1]the [/SIZE]Adventures of Robin Hood [SIZE=1](1938)[/SIZE][*][SIZE=1]the[/SIZE] African Queen [SIZE=1](1951)[/SIZE][*]Андрей Рублёв [SIZE=1](1966) ~ [I]Andrei Rublev[/I] ~[/SIZE][*]Alien [SIZE=1](1979)[/SIZE][*][B]All About Eve[/B] [SIZE=1](1950)[/SIZE][*][B]All Quiet on the Western Front[/B] [SIZE=1](1930)[/SIZE][*][B]American Beauty[/B] [SIZE=1](1999)[/SIZE][*]Apocalypse Now! [SIZE=1](1979)[/SIZE][*]Beauty and the Beast [SIZE=1](1991)[/SIZE][*][B]BEN-HUR[/B] [SIZE=1](1959)[/SIZE][*]Billy Elliot [SIZE=1](2000)[/SIZE][*][B]Birdman[SIZE=1]; or [I](the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)[/B][/I][/SIZE] [SIZE=1](2014)[/SIZE][*][SIZE=1]the [/SIZE]Birds [SIZE=1](1963)[/SIZE][*]Blade Runner: [I][SIZE=1]the[/SIZE] Final Cut [/I][SIZE=1](1982)[/SIZE][*][SIZE=1]der[/SIZE] Blaue Engel [SIZE=1](1930) [I]~ the Blue Angel ~[/I][/SIZE][*][B][SIZE=1]the [/SIZE]Bridge on the River Kwai[/B] [SIZE=1](1957)[/SIZE][*]Brief Encounter [SIZE=1](1945)[/SIZE][*]Bringing Up Baby [SIZE=1](1938)[/SIZE][*]Brokeback Mountain [SIZE=1](2005)[/SIZE][*]Cabaret [SIZE=1](1972)[/SIZE][*][B]Casablanca[/B] [SIZE=1](1942)[/SIZE][*]C’era una volta il West [SIZE=1](1968) [I]~ Once Upon A Time in the West ~[/I][/SIZE][*][B]Chicago[/B] [SIZE=1](2002)[/SIZE][*]Chinatown [SIZE=1](1974)[/SIZE][*]Cidade de Deus [SIZE=1](2002) [I]~ City of God ~[/I][/SIZE][*][SIZE=1]A[/SIZE] Clockwork Orange [SIZE=1](1971)[/SIZE][*]Close Encounter of the Third Kind [SIZE=1](1977)[/SIZE][*][SIZE=1]the [/SIZE]Devils [SIZE=1](1971)[/SIZE][*]Dirty Harry [SIZE=1](1971)[/SIZE][*]• [SIZE=1]the[/SIZE] • Elephant • Man • [SIZE=1](1980)[/SIZE][*] Everything Everywhere All at Once [SIZE=1](2022)[/SIZE][*][SIZE=1]the[/SIZE] Exorcist [SIZE=1](1973)[/SIZE][*]Fargo [SIZE=1](1996)[/SIZE][*]Four Weddings and a Funeral [SIZE=1](1994)[/SIZE][*]Full Metal Jacket [SIZE=1](1987)[/SIZE][*][SIZE=1]the[/SIZE] Full Monty [SIZE=1](1997)[/SIZE][*][B]Gladiator[/B] [SIZE=1](2000)[/SIZE][*][B][SIZE=1]the[/SIZE] Godfather[/B] [SIZE=1](1972)[/SIZE][*][B]Gone With the Wind[/B] [SIZE=1](1939)[/SIZE][*]Gosford Park [SIZE=1](2001)[/SIZE][*]Gravity [SIZE=1](2013)[/SIZE][*]Heat [SIZE=1](1995)[/SIZE][*][SIZE=1]the[/SIZE] Hustler [SIZE=1](1961)[/SIZE][*]In Bruges [SIZE=1](2008)[/SIZE][*][B]In the Heat of the Night[/B] [SIZE=1](1967)[/SIZE][*][B]It Happened One Night[/B] [SIZE=1](1934)[/SIZE][*]Jaws [SIZE=1](1975)[/SIZE][*][SIZE=1]the[/SIZE] King of Comedy [SIZE=1](1982)[/SIZE][*][SIZE=1]el[/SIZE] Laberinto del fauno [SIZE=1](2006) [I]~ Pan’s Labyrinth ~[/I][/SIZE][*][SIZE=1]the[/SIZE] Ladykillers [SIZE=1](1955)[/SIZE][*][SIZE=1]the[/SIZE] Lady Vanishes [SIZE=1](1938)[/SIZE][*][B]Lawrence of Arabia[/B] [SIZE=1](1962)[/SIZE][*][SIZE=1]the[/SIZE] Life and Death of Colonel Blimp [SIZE=1](1943)[/SIZE][*]Life of Pi [SIZE=1](2012)[/SIZE][*][SIZE=1]the[/SIZE] Lion In Winter [SIZE=1](1968)[/SIZE][*]Little Miss Sunshine [SIZE=1](2006)[/SIZE][*][B][SIZE=1]THE[/SIZE] LORD OF THE RINGS[/B] [SIZE=1](2001 - 2003)[/SIZE][*]M [SIZE=1](1931)[/SIZE][*][SIZE=1]the[/SIZE] Maltese Falcon [SIZE=1](1941)[/SIZE][*]Marriage Story [SIZE=1](2019)[/SIZE][*]M*A*S*H* [SIZE=1](1970)[/SIZE][*][SIZE=1]the[/SIZE] Matrix [SIZE=1](1999)[/SIZE][*][B]Mrs. Miniver[/B] [SIZE=1](1942)[/SIZE][*]Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios [SIZE=1](1988) [I]~ Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown ~[/I][/SIZE][*][B]My Fair Lady[/B] [SIZE=1](1964)[/SIZE][*]Network [SIZE=1](1976)[/SIZE][*]Nora Inu [SIZE=1](1949) [I]~ Stray Dog ~[/I][/SIZE][*][B]One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest[/B] [SIZE=1](1975)[/SIZE][*][B]On the Waterfront[/B] [SIZE=1](1954)[/SIZE][*]Ostre sledované vlaky [SIZE=1](1966) [I]~ Closely Observed Trains ~[/I][/SIZE][*]Raiders of the Lost Ark [SIZE=1](1981)[/SIZE][*][B]Rain Man[/B] [SIZE=1](1988)[/SIZE][*][B]Rebecca[/B] [SIZE=1](1940)[/SIZE][*]Road Warrior [SIZE=1](1981)[/SIZE][*]Secrets & Lies [SIZE=1](1996)[/SIZE][*]Sense and Sensibility [SIZE=1](1995)[/SIZE][*]Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi [SIZE=1](2001) [I]~ Spirited Away ~[/I][/SIZE][*]sex, lies and videotape [SIZE=1](1989)[/SIZE][*][B]Shakespeare In Love[/B] [SIZE=1](1998)[/SIZE][*][SIZE=1]the[/SIZE] Shawshank Redemption [SIZE=1](1993)[/SIZE][*]Shichinin no samurai [SIZE=1](1954) [I]~ Seven Samurai ~[/I][/SIZE][*]Short Cuts [SIZE=1](1993)[/SIZE][*][B][SIZE=1]the[/SIZE] Silence of the Lambs[/B] [SIZE=1](1991)[/SIZE][*]Singin’ in the Rain [SIZE=1](1952)[/SIZE][*][SIZE=1]det[/SIZE] Sjunde inseglet [SIZE=1](1957) [I]~ the Seventh Seal ~[/I][/SIZE][*][SIZE=1]the[/SIZE] Social Network [SIZE=1](2010)[/SIZE][*]Some Like It Hot [SIZE=1](1959)[/SIZE][*]Star Wars - Episode V: [I][SIZE=1]the[/SIZE] Empire Strikes Back[/I] [SIZE=1](1980)[/SIZE][*][SIZE=1]the[/SIZE] Terminator [SIZE=1](1984)[/SIZE][*]There Will Be Blood [SIZE=1](2007)[/SIZE][*][SIZE=1]the[/SIZE] Third Man [SIZE=1](1949)[/SIZE][*]Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri [SIZE=1](2017)[/SIZE][*]To Kill A Mockingbird [SIZE=1](1962)[/SIZE][*]Touch of Evil [SIZE=1](1958)[/SIZE][*][B]Unforgiven[/B] [SIZE=1](1992)[/SIZE][*]When Harry Met Sally [SIZE=1](1989)[/SIZE][*]Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? [SIZE=1](1966)[/SIZE][*]Wo hu cang long [SIZE=1](2000) [I]~ Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ~[/I][/SIZE][/LIST]
[SIZE=1][B]N.B.[/B] the ones in BOLD won Best Picture at the Oscars[/SIZE]
Another wonderful film from Almodóvar
[SIZE=4][B]TODO SOBRE MI MADRE[/B][/SIZE] (1999) [I][SIZE=1]~ All About My Mother ~[/SIZE][/I]
[I]director & writer[/I]. Pedro Almodóvar
[I]Starring:[/I] Cecilia Roth, Marisa Paredes, Antonia San Juan and Penélope Cruz
[I]One Sentence Synopsis[/I]: a grieving mother, Manuela (Roth) returns to Barcelona to locate the father of her recently deceased son; but soon discovers it is she who must repair the broken hearts and lives of everyone around her.
[I]Thoughts:[/I] Winner of the 1999 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, the title is inspired by [B]All About Eve[/B] [SIZE=1](1950)[/SIZE] which Manuela's son is watching at the start. An utterly beautiful film, with a power house performance by Cecilia Roth. The film is, in many ways, a homage to theatre. Much focus is given to stage actress Huma Rojo (Paredes), as well as Manuela's own experience of stage in [I]A Street Car Names Desire[/I]. LOVED the play at the end was [I]the House of Bernard Alba[/I], purely because I often compare Almodóvar to Lorca (the playwright of that particular piece). Not as incredible as [I]Woman on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown[/I] [SIZE=1](1988)[/SIZE]; but I found it more powerful and pleasing that [I]Volver[/I] [SIZE=1](2006)[/SIZE]; though all three are wonderful. Special praise should also be given to Antonia San Juan as the hilarious and strong transvestite Lola (San Juan herself being transsexual). Beautifully written, wonderful pace, strong performances across the board, and excellent Almodóvar flare. I'd recommend it to everyone.
~ [I]rating:[/I] [B]4 out of 5[/B] [SIZE=1][[I]grade:[/I] [B]A-[/B]][/SIZE]
[IMG]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oSePJlZVs3I/UYEQaaiXbUI/AAAAAAAABLg/Qayg9b-Wc7k/s1600/Todo-sobre-mi-madre.jpg[/IMG]
May all your days be circus days...
[B][SIZE=4]THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH[/SIZE][/B] (1952) [SIZE=1][OSCAR][/SIZE]
[I]director[/I]. Cecil B. deMille [SIZE=1][nom.][/SIZE]
[I]writer[/I]. Fredric M. Frank, Barré Lyndon & Theodore St. John [SIZE=1][OSCAR][/SIZE]
[I]Starring[/I]: Charlton Heston, Bette Hutton, Cornel Wilde and James Stewart
[I]One Sentence Synopsis:[/I] Brad Braden (Heston) is the "boss man" of the world's largest rail road circus, determined to fill a whole season despite dipping box-office numbers and a dangerous rivalry between his girlfriend Holly (Hutton) and his headliner, the Great Sebastian (Wilde).
[I]Thoughts:[/I] voted by Empire magazine as the third biggest Best Picture travesties (behind [I]Braveheart[/I] [SIZE=1](1995)[/SIZE] and [I]A Beautiful Mind[/I] [SIZE=1](2001)[/SIZE]); I wasn't expecting much. And to be honest... I was pleasantly surprised how good it was. Firstly, let's just get this out the way: MY GOODNESS Cornel Wilde was hot! He was ALSO really good. Jimmy Stewart... I used to really dislike him as an actor, but since seeing [I]Harvey[/I] [SIZE=1](1950)[/SIZE], [I]the Philadelphia Story[/I] [SIZE=1](1940)[/SIZE] and now this... I have to admit he's really good. He was excellent in this as the loveable (but NOT over-the-top, as so often he can be) Buttons the Clown. Most impressive of all were the set pieces. Like the chariot race in [I]BEN-HUR[/I] [SIZE=1](1959)[/SIZE] all this is real; and from the elephants to the horse riding dogs, it was a true spectacle. Cecil B. deMille really did "bring the circus" into the cinema. At a few moments I think he languished on them (Jesus, how long did that parade of countries last?); but it had far more "delights" than dullities (I can make that a word, right?). My favourite moment was the trampolining between Holly and Buttons while everyone played music on their day off. It reminded me so much of the episodic novel [I]the Circus In Winter[/I]; which focuses on a travelling circus when they are not on tour. As wonderful as the spectacle of circus is, seeing them just 'be' ordinary people on their days off was lovely.
[spoil]Also Steven Spielberg often cites the climatic train crash as one of the major inspirations that led him into film. [/spoil] Is it a masterpiece? No, but it's still a very good film, visually stunning and well acted. A little slow, a little indulgent, but some killer segments; such as the "high fly off" between Holly and Sebastian, or Klaus' chilling revenge on Angel. Worth a look, but not "a must see".
~ [I]rating[/I]: [B]4 out of 5[/B] [SIZE=1][[I]grade[/I]: [B]B+[/B]][/SIZE]
[IMG]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uZkCl_RBy4o/ULf_GtSQvoI/AAAAAAAAE78/SVLC-NYPyo4/s1600/show2.jpg[/IMG]
I NEED to add this too my "Top 100"... but what to bump out???
[B][SIZE=4]SHORT CUTS[/SIZE][/B] (1993)
[I]director[/I]. Robert Altman [SIZE=1][nom.][/SIZE]
[I]writer.[/I] based on the short stories by Raymond Carver
[I]Starring:[/I] Anne Archer, Bruce Davidson, Robert Downey, Jr., Peter Gallagher, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jack Lemmon, Huey Lewis, Andie MacDowell, Frances McDormand, Matthew Modine, Julianne Moore, Tim Robbins, Lily Tomlin, Tom Waits and Fred Ward
[I]One Sentence Synopsis:[/I] the intersecting lives of various Californian suburbanites; where luck, death and infidelity rule their lives in equal measure.
[I]Thoughts:[/I] intersecting films is a genre of cinema so rare to get perfect. From [B]Crash[/B] [SIZE=1](2004)[/SIZE], [I]Magnolia[/I] [SIZE=1](1999)[/SIZE], [I]Love Actually[/I] [SIZE=1](2003)[/SIZE], [I]Babel[/I] [SIZE=1](2006)[/SIZE], even [I]Pulp Fiction[/I] [SIZE=1](1994);[/SIZE] I've never found one I can adore. Always one (or even two) of the stories let down the structure, or several of the performances let down an otherwise flawless ensemble. Short Cuts (for me) is the first time everything has worked, every story connects to me on some level. Firstly I adore that Altman DOESN'T try and have all the connections and overlaps be meaningful. Sometimes it's as meaningless as passing one another in a shop, or collecting photos at the same drive-in. They don't all end up having profound 'moments' as they overlap. And that's the second thing I love: there aren't really "profound conclusions". There is a very definite "climax" to the film, but the stories don't all conclude; they keep going (as it is in life). Thirdly I love how Altman can create so many beautiful (even fantastical) visuals, build in a very grounded world. From playing the cello as the garage fills with fumes, to the helicopters spray for medflies, or a body floating in the water, or a shot through a fish tank... it's all so stunning. I love the stories too, I love the clown obsessed with death, and the phone-sex worker picking her toes while she talks dirty to a client, I love the little doggie riding in the cop's bike, or Julianne Moore's amazing monologue while wearing only a blouse. Nudity is very prevalent in the film, but in all cases it was very "real." It wasn't to be sexy, it wasn't to be edgy, it was there to ground the film, to make nudity an everyday common thing (JUST as it is in life). I honestly have no complaints about the film, it was simply a masterpiece.
~ [I]rating:[/I] [B]5 out of 5[/B] [SIZE=1][grade: [B]A+[/B]][/SIZE]
[IMG]http://www.alucine.es/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/43.jpg[/IMG]
[B]N.B.[/B] on a somewhat odd side-note; Wikipedia's page on [I]Short Cuts[/I] has a link that says "incest in films"... ugh, am I being really thick here, I don't remember ANY of the stories having that as a catalyst???
[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_Cuts"]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_Cuts[/URL]