JOE'S TOP 10
Now, as promised, Joes half of the Top 10. Interesting to see some lap over between our two lists.
You’re Number One…
Difficult Decisions...
It didn’t take long to write down a list of my favorite films, it was whittling that 21 strong list down to 10. I wont lie and say these are the best films ever. Some of them aren’t, but this is my top 10 list *drum roll* in order (Including almost made it’s)…
No. 1
“Now I'm gonna show you what I already know” – R.J MacReady
The Thing
Yes, my number one film is the Thing. I love it. To me it is the perfect movie. Filled with paranoia and genuine scares the film mixes some great acting with some SFX that still stand tall today. John Carpenter is a fantastic Director, no doubt. But he and Kurt Russell have great chemistry and this has got to be the defining Kurt performance. The beautiful white Antarctic location is almost unbeatable. The story? The IMDB synopsis sums it up for you really.
“Scientists in the Antarctic are confronted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of the people that it kills”
Most of the scares however, come not from said shape shifting alien killing people, it’s the fact that none of the characters in this movie really have anyone they can trust. With the aliens victims slowly mounting the group have to figure out a way to deal with it and stay alive. Everyone in this movie rocks. I love Keith David as Child’s. Russell and him also have great chemistry and it makes for quite a few amusing encounters. One of my favorite scenes has got to be the blood testing scenes where everyone is tied up and Kurt Russell has a flamethrower. It even just sounds fantastic. The tension and pace of this scene really gets your heart flowing and when one is discovered to be an alien you get some impressive SFX. This also has to have my favorite ending ever. Really, I know it’s depressing and slightly open-ended, but it had to happen. The final dialogue is just a nice polish to what truly is a fine script.
The statement the movie apparently makes about AIDS is not what makes it so powerful. It’s the subtle looks the cast give each other. It’s the lingering shots of nothingness. It’s Kurt Russell. It’s everything. Brilliant for Sci-Fi and Horror fans, a must anyway for people who just love film,.
4.5/5
No. 2
“Let’s Talk!” – Doc Ock (Signaling for Spiderman to come closer)
Spiderman 2
The second installment to the Spiderman franchise is fantastic and rightfully deserves IMHO to be up here in my list. I’ve already written a few comments on my love for Sam Raimi and this is by far the best Spiderman, and one of his best films visually.
I disagree with the Tobey Maguire casting as Peter Parker but he plays it pretty low key in this installment. Not as geeky as the first, not as emotionally retarded as the third. Alfred Molina as Doctor Octopus gives an epic performance, perfectly capturing the essence from the comics. The scene where he first awakes after his arms kill an entire room of surgeons is really quite fantastic. It’s a toss up between that scene and the one where Flint Marko first turns into Sandman in the third film for the ‘Most Kick-Ass Villain intro in a Spiderman movie’ award. Maguire plays it cool, subtly reminding us of how un-cool he really is while never crossing the line into being a real nerd. He’s really someone you can root for in this movie. Kirsten Dunst however, continues to plod through my movies that she has no place being in. And it upsets me.
A great looking action movie with all the set pieces and drama you could ask for, Spiderman 2 is one your whole family can enjoy.
4/5
No.3
“I'm 56 years old. I can't blame anybody else for something I did.” – Max Cherry
Jackie Brown
Many will argue Reservoir Dogs and its stellar cast, brutal violence and what not is the better movie. Even more will shout from the rafters that Pulp Fiction and its non-linear narrative and arguably even more stellar cast should be here. But no, I argue that Quentin Tarantino’s homage to Blaxploitation is his best movie. Better than those before it, better than those that succeeded it.
I love the cast from Pam Grier, Robert Forster, Michael Keaton all the way down to a great (if minor) roll for Robert De Niro. I also think (although again, I think many will disagree) that Samuel L ‘Motherfuckin’ Jackson as Ordell Robbie is better than Samuel L ‘Motherfuckin’ Jackson as Jules Winnfield.
This is an epic tale of crime and double crossing with a knack for keeping you guessing. It’s different from Tarantino’s other movies, to say the least, and probably his least violent. But the relationships between the characters are well developed and explored, while the dialogue is on point the whole way through. Maybe it’s because this is an adaptation of a novel by Elmore Leonard, who knows. But you have to give Tarantino credit, because he is an excellent film maker who came into this film with an excellent resume. To hold it up and produce something as good as this is an achievement.
So forget about Kill Bill’s, hold some hope for the upcoming Inglorious Basterds, try to ignore Deathproof and then after watching Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs I ask you to settle down and watch a master class in film making. Settled, thoughtful and well handled considering its complexity
4/5
No. 4
“Canardo. Señor canardo.”- Said
La Haine
A foreign entry storms in at number 4 from France. I love this movie. The soundtrack is fantastic. The acting is awe inspiring. The scenes and locations are superb. A story about 3 immigrant young adults (Black, Arab and Jewish) in the days following some heavy rioting in Paris. I really cannot recommend this enough. The way it encapsulates the city and its general feeling around that period is entrancing. This also has a brilliant ending, incredibly tense and emotional that really pays off after a hardcore lead up. From start to finish this is a beautiful film, and a must see. I must say though, La Haine only just edged out City of God for my favorite foreign film. This however is everything Kidulthood tried and failed to be, a beautiful portrait of life and its troubles.
4/5
No. 5
“We really shook the pillars of heaven, didn't we, Wang?” – Jack Burton
Big Trouble in Little China
Another Russell/Carpenter team up, and classic bit of 80’s fun. There’s action, there’s comedy all mixed in with a little fantasy and sci-fi. It’s got some serious Mortal Kombat rip-off Ninjas (with mystical powers), Kim Cattrall before she became a whore on TV and another great performance from Kurt Russell as Jack Burton. I love this film, ever since the first time I saw it. In fact I was misled by a friend to believe that this film was Karate Kid 3, and so spent the next couple of years desperately looking for it. Again, much like the Thing, Carpenter manages to keep what could be a really silly movie from being…well, silly. Russell oozes coolness, dropping every sarcastic comment to perfection. The script itself (story aside) has some killer lines, and that allows the cast to breeze through it and really have some fun. That is important, because it translates well onto screen and makes for the perfect family adventure.
4/5
No. 6
“What, do you got me on a fuckin' pay-no-mind list kid?” – Tommy DeVito
Goodfellas
My favorite Scorsese film. Easily. It’s probably my favorite Gangster film as well. I love it more than the Godfather II. Ray Liotta is on top form as Henry Hill, our protagonist who becomes involved in and works his way up the ladder for the Mob. Another film filled with paranoia, the pace of this film matched with the performances really got me involved. Joe Pesci and Robert De Niro are both darkly funny in places, deeply scary everywhere else. I wont lie and say it’s one of my favorite genres, but this film is really easy to get into, interesting enough to stay with, and deep enough that you want to take another look.
4/5
No. 7
“So West, what kind of medicine are you involved in?” – Dan Cain (meeting Herbert West for the first time)
Re-Animator
Another bit of 80’s fun at number 7 with a movie that really is a fun watch. It still stands pretty tall today, and while it looks low budget to a lot of our generation, I’m assured by my dad that ‘back in the day’ it was groundbreaking. Take that how you will. I already did a little review of this the other day so I wont harp on too long, I’ll just repeat that this is the best of the trilogy, that Jeffrey Combs is creepy and awesome at the same time, and that if you haven’t seen this film then you are missing out.
4/5
No. 8
“Screws fall out all the time, the world is an imperfect place.” – John Bender
The Breakfast Club
I hate people who hate this movie. There is nothing wrong with it, in fact it is one of the better “bunch of misfits pushed together” movies that has ever been made. It has a group of teens from different factions around the school (‘The Geek, The Bully, The Popular Guy/Girl’) and an incompetent Principle they must band against to right his black and white views of them. Great soundtrack, some really good performances, dancing, anarchy and even a little bit of weed smoking to lighten the mood. Meeting and learning about all the characters and seeing them fight through the barriers presented through stereotypes and peer pressure is a pleasure from start to finish. Kids on a Saturday detention run riot around a school? I wish they still made movies like this.
4/5
No. 9
“Sometimes when you win, you really lose, and sometimes when you lose, you really win, and sometimes when you win or lose, you actually tie, and sometimes when you tie, you actually win or lose. Winning or losing is all one organic mechanism, from which one extracts what one needs.” – Gloria Clemente
White Men Can’t Jump
This is, by far, one of the best Buddy Comedy movies ever. It’s also one of the better basketball movies ever made. Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes have excellent chemistry, and it translates well on to the court and screen. Genuinely funny, this is more a film about racial divides and acceptance than the double crossing thriller it claims to be. Rosie Perez, no matter how annoying her voice is, is hot (and surprisingly funny). Fun times for all, even if you aren’t a hoops fan.
4/5
No. 10
“The Horseman comes. And tonight he comes for you.” – Lady Van Tassel
Sleepy Hollow
It’s funny, because when people usually ask me my favorite film I always say The Nightmare Before Christmas. But the more I thought about it the more I realize my love for that film comes from watching it so much as a child. Watching it as an adult, I know now that I cannot place it in this list without feeling bad for other great movies. So in comes Sleepy Hollow, visually and story wise Tim Burtons best work. It also has my favorite second favorite Johnny Depp performance (more on that later). I love the gothic look, the fearsome (and real) headless horseman. It’s also nice to see that Christina Ricci can be something other than a bitch (in the movies anyway).
4/5
And for the ones that almost made it (in no particular order)…
“A little guilt goes a long way.” – Trevor Reznik
The Machinist – I bought this film after reading some good reviews and was absolutely blown away. Great story, and some serious method acting from Christian Bale. The guy really sacrifices his body for this role.
4/5
“It was the greatest feeling I ever had. Followed abruptly by the worst feeling I ever had.” – George Jung
Blow – My favorite Depp performance. One of the better and more humane weed/cocaine industry based movies. Penelope Cruz rivals Bale for who can be the most skinny though.
4/5
“Fuckin’ A.” – Ajax
The Warriors – Kick back to the end of the 70’s and watch one of the coolest cult films you’ll ever see. Stylistic, funny and full of camp looking gang members beating on each other.
3.5/5
“You're an actor. Act, motherfucker.” – Nicholson
True Romance – Just a cool film, from start to finish. Tony Scott does well to calmly work his way through Tarantino’s sometimes overly ambitious script.
4/5
“Guy gets on the subway and dies. Think anybody'll notice?” – Vincent
Collateral – Proof that Tom Cruise, no matter how crazy he is, can still be cool. Great chemistry with Jamie Foxx, they play off each other well.
4/5
“I may be a bastard, but I'm not a fucking bastard.” – Seth Gecko
From Dusk Till Dawn – Gangsters, Vampires and an ex-Priest in Mexico. What, you need more than that? Brilliant cross-genre fun.
4/5
“What am I gonna do with 40 subscriptions to Vibe?” – Peter Gibbons
Office Space – One of my favorite slacker films. Very, very funny. Great look at the life of 9-5ers stuck in a cubicle.
4/5
“Total total total totally total total... total providence.” – James Barris
A Scanner Darkly – I’m a huge Richard Linklater fan and I think this film is more of an achievement than Waking Life. A hard surreal look at paranoia and drug use.
4/5
“You wake up one morning and say "World, I know you! From now on there are no more surprises!"” – Jill McBain
Once Upon a Time in The West – Don’t like Westerns, tolerant towards Spaghetti Westerns, absolutely loved this film. Picked it up so I could write an essay on it and I’ve seen it like 16 times since. Literally. Beautiful, dramatic and one of my favorite all time soundtracks.
4/5
“Very good Chuck. I am pleasantly surprised, you're not like the other murderers.” – Patricia Watson
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind – Based on a book written by Chuck Barris in which he claims not only to have created many cult TV game shows but to also have worked as an assassin for the CIA during this time. Crazy. The film follows Chuck (the very underrated Sam Rockwell) and his duel lifestyle, trying to create Game shows while balancing that with his contract killing. Dark humor, mixed with documentary footage of Barris’s real friends and their thoughts on whether he really worked for the CIA, this is George Clooney’s directorial debut. Good movie.
4/5
And to the end we come…
There’s many other films I love that missed out on my list. Richard Linklater’s Waking Life and Tape for example and all the obvious ones that everyone would say (Terminator 2?). But either way I’ll probably review them or talk about them at some later date, and this list in itself will most likely be revised as time passes. One final note…
“A Little Blessing in Disguise…”
The Fall – I took a chance on this in HMV the other day and wow, am I glad I did. Another fantasy, but unlike the highly stylized La Antena, it begins to merge reality and fantasy to the point where you don’t know what’s what. Set in a 1920’s L.A Hospital where a young immigrant girl with a broken arm meets a recently paralyzed and severely depressed Stuntman. They slowly become friends and he promises to tell her an epic story, but only after she has stolen him some pills so he can commit suicide. It’s reality scenes are dark, but the relationship between the man and girl is touching. The bond they form as the story develops and they way this flows into the fantasy scenes is fantastic. Apparently it was filmed in 20 different countries (talk about transnational) and directed by a dude called only ‘Tarsem’. The fantasy scenes are beautiful, including a blue city and a blood stained giant sheet. The way they tie together the real story and the fantasy story is slick and flawless. And you know what, its epic, like fantasy stories should be. Not quite as good as La Antena, but a really good movie with some great performances.
4/5
Stay cool.
Joe
Now, as promised, Joes half of the Top 10. Interesting to see some lap over between our two lists.
You’re Number One…
Difficult Decisions...
It didn’t take long to write down a list of my favorite films, it was whittling that 21 strong list down to 10. I wont lie and say these are the best films ever. Some of them aren’t, but this is my top 10 list *drum roll* in order (Including almost made it’s)…
No. 1
“Now I'm gonna show you what I already know” – R.J MacReady
The Thing
Yes, my number one film is the Thing. I love it. To me it is the perfect movie. Filled with paranoia and genuine scares the film mixes some great acting with some SFX that still stand tall today. John Carpenter is a fantastic Director, no doubt. But he and Kurt Russell have great chemistry and this has got to be the defining Kurt performance. The beautiful white Antarctic location is almost unbeatable. The story? The IMDB synopsis sums it up for you really.
“Scientists in the Antarctic are confronted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of the people that it kills”
Most of the scares however, come not from said shape shifting alien killing people, it’s the fact that none of the characters in this movie really have anyone they can trust. With the aliens victims slowly mounting the group have to figure out a way to deal with it and stay alive. Everyone in this movie rocks. I love Keith David as Child’s. Russell and him also have great chemistry and it makes for quite a few amusing encounters. One of my favorite scenes has got to be the blood testing scenes where everyone is tied up and Kurt Russell has a flamethrower. It even just sounds fantastic. The tension and pace of this scene really gets your heart flowing and when one is discovered to be an alien you get some impressive SFX. This also has to have my favorite ending ever. Really, I know it’s depressing and slightly open-ended, but it had to happen. The final dialogue is just a nice polish to what truly is a fine script.
The statement the movie apparently makes about AIDS is not what makes it so powerful. It’s the subtle looks the cast give each other. It’s the lingering shots of nothingness. It’s Kurt Russell. It’s everything. Brilliant for Sci-Fi and Horror fans, a must anyway for people who just love film,.
4.5/5
No. 2
“Let’s Talk!” – Doc Ock (Signaling for Spiderman to come closer)
Spiderman 2
The second installment to the Spiderman franchise is fantastic and rightfully deserves IMHO to be up here in my list. I’ve already written a few comments on my love for Sam Raimi and this is by far the best Spiderman, and one of his best films visually.
I disagree with the Tobey Maguire casting as Peter Parker but he plays it pretty low key in this installment. Not as geeky as the first, not as emotionally retarded as the third. Alfred Molina as Doctor Octopus gives an epic performance, perfectly capturing the essence from the comics. The scene where he first awakes after his arms kill an entire room of surgeons is really quite fantastic. It’s a toss up between that scene and the one where Flint Marko first turns into Sandman in the third film for the ‘Most Kick-Ass Villain intro in a Spiderman movie’ award. Maguire plays it cool, subtly reminding us of how un-cool he really is while never crossing the line into being a real nerd. He’s really someone you can root for in this movie. Kirsten Dunst however, continues to plod through my movies that she has no place being in. And it upsets me.
A great looking action movie with all the set pieces and drama you could ask for, Spiderman 2 is one your whole family can enjoy.
4/5
No.3
“I'm 56 years old. I can't blame anybody else for something I did.” – Max Cherry
Jackie Brown
Many will argue Reservoir Dogs and its stellar cast, brutal violence and what not is the better movie. Even more will shout from the rafters that Pulp Fiction and its non-linear narrative and arguably even more stellar cast should be here. But no, I argue that Quentin Tarantino’s homage to Blaxploitation is his best movie. Better than those before it, better than those that succeeded it.
I love the cast from Pam Grier, Robert Forster, Michael Keaton all the way down to a great (if minor) roll for Robert De Niro. I also think (although again, I think many will disagree) that Samuel L ‘Motherfuckin’ Jackson as Ordell Robbie is better than Samuel L ‘Motherfuckin’ Jackson as Jules Winnfield.
This is an epic tale of crime and double crossing with a knack for keeping you guessing. It’s different from Tarantino’s other movies, to say the least, and probably his least violent. But the relationships between the characters are well developed and explored, while the dialogue is on point the whole way through. Maybe it’s because this is an adaptation of a novel by Elmore Leonard, who knows. But you have to give Tarantino credit, because he is an excellent film maker who came into this film with an excellent resume. To hold it up and produce something as good as this is an achievement.
So forget about Kill Bill’s, hold some hope for the upcoming Inglorious Basterds, try to ignore Deathproof and then after watching Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs I ask you to settle down and watch a master class in film making. Settled, thoughtful and well handled considering its complexity
4/5
No. 4
“Canardo. Señor canardo.”- Said
La Haine
A foreign entry storms in at number 4 from France. I love this movie. The soundtrack is fantastic. The acting is awe inspiring. The scenes and locations are superb. A story about 3 immigrant young adults (Black, Arab and Jewish) in the days following some heavy rioting in Paris. I really cannot recommend this enough. The way it encapsulates the city and its general feeling around that period is entrancing. This also has a brilliant ending, incredibly tense and emotional that really pays off after a hardcore lead up. From start to finish this is a beautiful film, and a must see. I must say though, La Haine only just edged out City of God for my favorite foreign film. This however is everything Kidulthood tried and failed to be, a beautiful portrait of life and its troubles.
4/5
No. 5
“We really shook the pillars of heaven, didn't we, Wang?” – Jack Burton
Big Trouble in Little China
Another Russell/Carpenter team up, and classic bit of 80’s fun. There’s action, there’s comedy all mixed in with a little fantasy and sci-fi. It’s got some serious Mortal Kombat rip-off Ninjas (with mystical powers), Kim Cattrall before she became a whore on TV and another great performance from Kurt Russell as Jack Burton. I love this film, ever since the first time I saw it. In fact I was misled by a friend to believe that this film was Karate Kid 3, and so spent the next couple of years desperately looking for it. Again, much like the Thing, Carpenter manages to keep what could be a really silly movie from being…well, silly. Russell oozes coolness, dropping every sarcastic comment to perfection. The script itself (story aside) has some killer lines, and that allows the cast to breeze through it and really have some fun. That is important, because it translates well onto screen and makes for the perfect family adventure.
4/5
No. 6
“What, do you got me on a fuckin' pay-no-mind list kid?” – Tommy DeVito
Goodfellas
My favorite Scorsese film. Easily. It’s probably my favorite Gangster film as well. I love it more than the Godfather II. Ray Liotta is on top form as Henry Hill, our protagonist who becomes involved in and works his way up the ladder for the Mob. Another film filled with paranoia, the pace of this film matched with the performances really got me involved. Joe Pesci and Robert De Niro are both darkly funny in places, deeply scary everywhere else. I wont lie and say it’s one of my favorite genres, but this film is really easy to get into, interesting enough to stay with, and deep enough that you want to take another look.
4/5
No. 7
“So West, what kind of medicine are you involved in?” – Dan Cain (meeting Herbert West for the first time)
Re-Animator
Another bit of 80’s fun at number 7 with a movie that really is a fun watch. It still stands pretty tall today, and while it looks low budget to a lot of our generation, I’m assured by my dad that ‘back in the day’ it was groundbreaking. Take that how you will. I already did a little review of this the other day so I wont harp on too long, I’ll just repeat that this is the best of the trilogy, that Jeffrey Combs is creepy and awesome at the same time, and that if you haven’t seen this film then you are missing out.
4/5
No. 8
“Screws fall out all the time, the world is an imperfect place.” – John Bender
The Breakfast Club
I hate people who hate this movie. There is nothing wrong with it, in fact it is one of the better “bunch of misfits pushed together” movies that has ever been made. It has a group of teens from different factions around the school (‘The Geek, The Bully, The Popular Guy/Girl’) and an incompetent Principle they must band against to right his black and white views of them. Great soundtrack, some really good performances, dancing, anarchy and even a little bit of weed smoking to lighten the mood. Meeting and learning about all the characters and seeing them fight through the barriers presented through stereotypes and peer pressure is a pleasure from start to finish. Kids on a Saturday detention run riot around a school? I wish they still made movies like this.
4/5
No. 9
“Sometimes when you win, you really lose, and sometimes when you lose, you really win, and sometimes when you win or lose, you actually tie, and sometimes when you tie, you actually win or lose. Winning or losing is all one organic mechanism, from which one extracts what one needs.” – Gloria Clemente
White Men Can’t Jump
This is, by far, one of the best Buddy Comedy movies ever. It’s also one of the better basketball movies ever made. Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes have excellent chemistry, and it translates well on to the court and screen. Genuinely funny, this is more a film about racial divides and acceptance than the double crossing thriller it claims to be. Rosie Perez, no matter how annoying her voice is, is hot (and surprisingly funny). Fun times for all, even if you aren’t a hoops fan.
4/5
No. 10
“The Horseman comes. And tonight he comes for you.” – Lady Van Tassel
Sleepy Hollow
It’s funny, because when people usually ask me my favorite film I always say The Nightmare Before Christmas. But the more I thought about it the more I realize my love for that film comes from watching it so much as a child. Watching it as an adult, I know now that I cannot place it in this list without feeling bad for other great movies. So in comes Sleepy Hollow, visually and story wise Tim Burtons best work. It also has my favorite second favorite Johnny Depp performance (more on that later). I love the gothic look, the fearsome (and real) headless horseman. It’s also nice to see that Christina Ricci can be something other than a bitch (in the movies anyway).
4/5
And for the ones that almost made it (in no particular order)…
“A little guilt goes a long way.” – Trevor Reznik
The Machinist – I bought this film after reading some good reviews and was absolutely blown away. Great story, and some serious method acting from Christian Bale. The guy really sacrifices his body for this role.
4/5
“It was the greatest feeling I ever had. Followed abruptly by the worst feeling I ever had.” – George Jung
Blow – My favorite Depp performance. One of the better and more humane weed/cocaine industry based movies. Penelope Cruz rivals Bale for who can be the most skinny though.
4/5
“Fuckin’ A.” – Ajax
The Warriors – Kick back to the end of the 70’s and watch one of the coolest cult films you’ll ever see. Stylistic, funny and full of camp looking gang members beating on each other.
3.5/5
“You're an actor. Act, motherfucker.” – Nicholson
True Romance – Just a cool film, from start to finish. Tony Scott does well to calmly work his way through Tarantino’s sometimes overly ambitious script.
4/5
“Guy gets on the subway and dies. Think anybody'll notice?” – Vincent
Collateral – Proof that Tom Cruise, no matter how crazy he is, can still be cool. Great chemistry with Jamie Foxx, they play off each other well.
4/5
“I may be a bastard, but I'm not a fucking bastard.” – Seth Gecko
From Dusk Till Dawn – Gangsters, Vampires and an ex-Priest in Mexico. What, you need more than that? Brilliant cross-genre fun.
4/5
“What am I gonna do with 40 subscriptions to Vibe?” – Peter Gibbons
Office Space – One of my favorite slacker films. Very, very funny. Great look at the life of 9-5ers stuck in a cubicle.
4/5
“Total total total totally total total... total providence.” – James Barris
A Scanner Darkly – I’m a huge Richard Linklater fan and I think this film is more of an achievement than Waking Life. A hard surreal look at paranoia and drug use.
4/5
“You wake up one morning and say "World, I know you! From now on there are no more surprises!"” – Jill McBain
Once Upon a Time in The West – Don’t like Westerns, tolerant towards Spaghetti Westerns, absolutely loved this film. Picked it up so I could write an essay on it and I’ve seen it like 16 times since. Literally. Beautiful, dramatic and one of my favorite all time soundtracks.
4/5
“Very good Chuck. I am pleasantly surprised, you're not like the other murderers.” – Patricia Watson
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind – Based on a book written by Chuck Barris in which he claims not only to have created many cult TV game shows but to also have worked as an assassin for the CIA during this time. Crazy. The film follows Chuck (the very underrated Sam Rockwell) and his duel lifestyle, trying to create Game shows while balancing that with his contract killing. Dark humor, mixed with documentary footage of Barris’s real friends and their thoughts on whether he really worked for the CIA, this is George Clooney’s directorial debut. Good movie.
4/5
And to the end we come…
There’s many other films I love that missed out on my list. Richard Linklater’s Waking Life and Tape for example and all the obvious ones that everyone would say (Terminator 2?). But either way I’ll probably review them or talk about them at some later date, and this list in itself will most likely be revised as time passes. One final note…
“A Little Blessing in Disguise…”
The Fall – I took a chance on this in HMV the other day and wow, am I glad I did. Another fantasy, but unlike the highly stylized La Antena, it begins to merge reality and fantasy to the point where you don’t know what’s what. Set in a 1920’s L.A Hospital where a young immigrant girl with a broken arm meets a recently paralyzed and severely depressed Stuntman. They slowly become friends and he promises to tell her an epic story, but only after she has stolen him some pills so he can commit suicide. It’s reality scenes are dark, but the relationship between the man and girl is touching. The bond they form as the story develops and they way this flows into the fantasy scenes is fantastic. Apparently it was filmed in 20 different countries (talk about transnational) and directed by a dude called only ‘Tarsem’. The fantasy scenes are beautiful, including a blue city and a blood stained giant sheet. The way they tie together the real story and the fantasy story is slick and flawless. And you know what, its epic, like fantasy stories should be. Not quite as good as La Antena, but a really good movie with some great performances.
4/5
Stay cool.
Joe
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