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zedz wrote:

denti alligator wrote:Ok, I haven't had any time to watch anybody's faves or catch up on films I haven't seen and have been meaning to see, but I'm going to throw together a list of films tonight and my number one will be...

Institute Benjamenta, Or This Dream People Call Human Life
Vote for it!

(I knew you were going to say that.)

Well, it was, I think, my number one last time around.
I've revisited it extensively since, since I'm currently writing on it, and my appreciation and awe has only increased.

My list feels off, very off. No Hou (have only seen 80s and 00s), no Yang (my viewing of the shitty bootleg of Brighter Summer Day just does not allow for a full appreciation of that work), no de Oliviera, few of all of your recommendations (I did watch Dick, however: great fun, but not top 50 by a long shot). There is so much I wanted to catch up with and re-watch, but just couldn't (due to time restirctions). Maybe I'll do better for the noughties

Some more random and loosely articulated thoughts about the '90s:

The current quarrels in Iran inspired me to watch Close-Up (Kiarostami, 1990), and was particularly impressed by the neatly trimmed beard of the judge, among countless other things of course. An intelligent deeply moving film. Highest newcomer on my list, Top 20.

La Cérémonie (1995), a Chabrol on my '90s list after all. Chabrol masterfully builds up to an almost inevitable, and therefore maybe predictable climax, but somehow its impact is just as disturbing and Huppert is sensational (has she ever been a disapointment?)

Lawn Dogs (John Duigan, 1997), potentially cheesy story of the cute little girl versus the guy from the wrong side of the tracks evolves into a wonderful fairytale-like story, that easily avoids all clichés and false sentimentality, and a bulls-eye 'performance' by the young Mischa Barton. Long time favourite - just wonderful.

Dardenne's La promesse is great, if so many people hadn't mentioned it in this thread, I would have totally forgotten about it. Same thing for Fucking Amal. I love both films, but I've just seen them too many times (there's even a horrible Dutch remake after a 'screenwriting and acting 'contest' on Dutch national broadcasting, just ruined the whole original film for me) - just can't see those anymore for the time being. Schoolgirls with lesbian tendencies are not as fun as they used to be. Anyway, I plan to compile a list with films that I like now. Perhaps another shot in 2030.

Zusje / Little Sister (Robert-Jan Westdijk, 1995), not many Dutch films I'm considering, but this one is so fresh and original and the young Kim van Kooten (in her debut) is a real find (Westdijk cast hundreds, and almost gave up, but it was worth it). Some nostalgia, and pretty 'Amsterdams', so not sure if this will travel well.

Amsterdam Global Village (Johan van der Keuken, 1996), after a mere 13 years this becomes more and more a historical piece, but van der Keuken has a phenomenal eye for details and for the city itself. Some memorable images.

Rewatching Alex van Warmerdam. Liked De Noorderlingen/ The Northerners (1992) much better now. perhaps no 'great' films, but I just want to put some van Warmerdam on the list, perhaps De Jurk / The Dress (1996) or Kleine Teun / Little Tony (1998).

Bullet Ballet (Tsukamoto, 1998), gave it a go like three times now and it seems brilliant, but a little more than I can digest before the deadline. Thanks for the lengthy write-up, Colin0380. I'll give this a go some other time in order to grant the film the attention it clearly deserves.

Some other comedies I picked up (thanks for the tips!). I had a blast with Waiting for Guffman (1996), but I barely managed to sit through Freaked (1993), just did nothing for me, and that guy from Blossom annoyed the hell outta me - desperately unfunny, as was the rest of the cast, except for Randy Quaid. Not my cup of tea, I'm afraid.


Some Hollywood favs (or the fringes)

The Grifters (1990)
Miami Blues (1990)
Silence of the Lambs (1991)
The Player (1992)
Carlito's Way (1993)
Red Rock West (1993)
Heat (1995)
James and the Giant Peach (1996)
A Civil Action (1998)
Out of Sight (1998)
The Limey (1999)

John Dahl made some pretty great films - often 'small' genre films, but in what he does, he excels - not really getting the appreciation he deserves, is my impression.

'Greatest bad film': Color of Night (1994), quite entertaining, but that's for another topic, 'Ridiculous film trends from the '90s, retarded erotic thrillers'

Camera Obscura wrote: La Cérémonie (1995), a Chabrol on my '90s list after all. Chabrol masterfully builds up to an almost inevitable, and therefore maybe predictable climax, but somehow its impact is just as disturbing and Huppert is sensational (has she ever been a disapointment?)

I agree with the praise, and let's also remember Madame Bovary.

My number one film of the decade was/is Les Amants du Pont Neuf (Leos Carax).

Here are some of the fringe-dwellers on my list:
Highway Patrolman (Alex Cox in Mexican exile)
I Don't Hate Las Vegas Anymore (Caveh Zahedi)
Take Care Of Your Scarf Tatjana (Aki Kaurismaki)
Leolo (Jean-Claude Lauzon)
Simple Men (Hal Hartley)
Life Is Sweet (Mike Leigh)
Palookaville (Alan Taylor)
Mac (John Turturro)

and a few shorts:
World of Glory (Roy Andersson)
Sink Or Swim (Su Friedrich)--Thank you Zedz and Sevenarts!
Premonition Following An Evil Deed (David Lynch with Lumiere camera and one roll of film))

I'd also like to thank those who recommended Fucking Amal and Miami Blues, both of which made my cut.

Camera Obscura wrote:Some more random and loosely articulated thoughts about the '90s:

The current quarrels in Iran inspired me to watch Close-Up (Kiarostami, 1990), and was particularly impressed by the neatly trimmed beard of the judge, among countless other things of course. An intelligent deeply moving film. Highest newcomer on my list, Top 20.

If you haven't already, make time for Makhmalbaf's A Moment of Innocence, which at 74 minutes in length should be easy to do (tracking down a copy of the OOP DVD might take a little longer, though I can only speak for American audiences on that front). This film is even more prescient in capturing the zeitgeist of 2009 Iran in its tale of youthful radicalism and the scars it leaves decades later. This film hit the right balance of Kiarostami's reflexiveness and the accessibility of Panahi, Ghobadi and other Iranians making it to the west. I've seen Close-up once, about two or three years ago, but there was something impenetrable about it. It certainly demands a second viewing (if not more), and I've got it coming on Thursday from Netflix. Now I'm realizing I may not have time to check out Life and Nothing More... and Through the Olive Trees before the deadline hits . Eh, can't see 'em all I guess (and maybe I should have been more gung-ho on Iranian cinema before, oh, yesterday)

Not a fringe dweller for me....

AK's Tatiana made it into my top 10.

mikeohhh wrote:If you haven't already, make time for Makhmalbaf's A Moment of Innocence, which at 74 minutes in length should be easy to do (tracking down a copy of the OOP DVD might take a little longer, though I can only speak for American audiences on that front).

I just ordered A Moment of Innocence, along with some other Iranian titles. I probably won't get them before the deadline, but that's fine by me. That way I still have plenty to look forward to when our little list project is done.

I had a feeling I could count on you, Michael. It's such a little charmer of a film, but I'm concerned that few of the list creators have had a chance to see it. For the record, I have it at #7.

The AK film that I have yet to track down is I Hired A Contract Killer, and I'm especially keen to do so after hearing that it was inspired by Last Holiday.

carax09 wrote:I had a feeling I could count on you, Michael. It's such a little charmer of a film, but I'm concerned that few of the list creators have had a chance to see it. For the record, I have it at #7.

The AK film that I have yet to track down is I Hired A Contract Killer, and I'm especially keen to do so after hearing that it was inspired by Last Holiday.

As I recall, also MY no. 7. ;~}

I like Contract Killer -- but not as much as my very favorite Kaurismaki films.

Less than a week to go.

One more list has given us yet another provisional number one, our third, and I wouldn't have guessed any of them to date. It's by a American filmmaker who also topped the eighties list during the early stages, but whose support dropped off later on (maybe his fans tend to be well-organised early voters). The interloper at number 10 that I mentioned last time around (also by an 80s favourite) has now crashed the top five, but I think the most significant trend in the long run might be the inexorable rise of one particular film, from outside the top ten on first count, to number seven, to number three, to number two. Meanwhile, the film I'd pegged to beat it over the long haul has gracefully declined to number 8, having appeared on fewer than half the submitted lists.

Well, that new number one's gotta be GoodFellas

Nope. That's one of the other ones I was talking about. (The falling off of support from the new number one filmmaker's 1980s film was rather dramatic.)

zedz wrote:I think the most significant trend in the long run might be the inexorable rise of one particular film, from outside the top ten on first count, to number seven, to number three, to number two.

Go Dead Man, go! We're almost there buddy!

My guess re: the '80s director: Lynch. Probably the Twin Peaks pilot or... Lost Highway?

To enter into the above conversation late, my FAVORITE Kiarostami film of the decade was actually Mahkmalbaf's Moment of Innocence. Somebody said it already on this board, but he definitely beat Abbas at his own game. It's sublime (and in my top ten).

domino harvey wrote:Well, that new number one's gotta be GoodFellas

I bet the Scorsese that wins the day will be Age of Innocence.

knives wrote:I bet the Scorsese that wins the day will be Age of Innocence.

That's where my Marty points went. It was between that and Goodfellas. I found his '90s output mostly dull.

Yet to submit (I want to rewatch The Garden and The Long Day Closes to determine how high up the list they will end up), but my top rated Scorsese of the decade is Kundun at 13 (at the moment), with Goodfellas some way below.

Age of Innocence I like - but I found the second half largely reprised the first. Another viewing might well have pushed it onto the list, but that will have to wait.

ptatler wrote:[Age of Innocence] is where my Marty points went. It was between that and Goodfellas. I found his '90s output mostly dull.

I agree on both counts, except that Goodfellas wasn't really in the running for me. It's an extremely lively and well made film, but it just doesn't have any significance for me. I've seen it two or three times over the years and always feel somewhat detached from it. Kundun struck me as simplistic and superficial in its characterization, idealization of the Dalai Lama within a lazy good-vs.-evil story, and its failure to give the viewer any insight into Tibetan Buddhism or the history the film purports to be about. Bringing Out the Dead was a disappointment, too, I'm afraid. Age of Innocence was outstanding. Cape Fear and Casino I haven't seen in about ten years, so I won't even try to say what I thought of them.

I'll say that I prefer Casino to Goodfellas. I know that sounds insane, but I have a passable reason. First off I find it a more enjoyable viewing experience. But more importantly it feels like a more personal film for Scorsese. It feels like he has something more important, to him, to tell. Just listen to his respective commentaries. He talks about the Eden thing in Casino but just talks about the history in Goodfellas.

ptatler wrote:

zedz wrote:I think the most significant trend in the long run might be the inexorable rise of one particular film, from outside the top ten on first count, to number seven, to number three, to number two.

Go Dead Man, go! We're almost there buddy!

My guess re: the '80s director: Lynch. Probably the Twin Peaks pilot or... Lost Highway?

To enter into the above conversation late, my FAVORITE Kiarostami film of the decade was actually Mahkmalbaf's Moment of Innocence. Somebody said it already on this board, but he definitely beat Abbas at his own game. It's sublime (and in my top ten).

'Dead Man' should certainly be in the Top 10, on merit.
Also agree about 'Moment of Innocence'

I'm more of a Night on Earth guy.

Just realised that I completely forgot to include a Scorsese film in my list. For what it is worth it would probably have been Casino (I haven't seen Age of Innocence in ten years, and still have not yet had a chance to see Kundun)!

Bringing Out the Dead was the only Scorsese to make my list, although it didn't rank very high due to certain misgivings I had about the film, but contrary to most I prefer it to Goodfellas.

As of now there's no Scorsese on my list, but that may change after I watch Tom Hagen's swapsie (Jesus which one of you coined this awful term)

ptatler wrote:

zedz wrote:I think the most significant trend in the long run might be the inexorable rise of one particular film, from outside the top ten on first count, to number seven, to number three, to number two.

Go Dead Man, go! We're almost there buddy!

My guess re: the '80s director: Lynch. Probably the Twin Peaks pilot or... Lost Highway?

Wrong again, on both counts. I wouldn't have guessed the way things are going either, and with the latest update we've ended up with our most diverse list so far, with eight different countries represented by the ten films (three Asian, three European, one American, one none of the above). The number one film that I keep thinking is going to drop down is hanging on in there (it's been mentioned already in the speculation, but not in connection with the correct clue).

And I must say that the recent discussion around Scorsese is in no way reflected in the voting so far, so you're all either fibbing or haven't got your lists in yet!

zedz wrote:we've ended up with our most diverse list so far, with eight different countries represented by the ten films (three Asian, three European, one American, one none of the above).

You people like The Piano that much? Hmph.