Favorite Films
Tyler Williams calls attention to 50 Fims to See Before You Die published by the Sunday Mail, noting that this list leaves much to be desired -- none, after all, overlap with his own list of 14 Essential Films for Theologians. I am rather nonplussed by this list myself, but that's no surprise. I have rather idiosyncratic tastes.
Here are my personal favorites: the 25 films I would take to the moon with me. I include Tomatometer ratings next to them. Only one of my picks (#11) is a rotten tomato, so I guess that says something for me.
1. Lord of the Rings. 95%
2. The Exorcist. 88%
3. Blue Velvet. 89%
4. Hard Candy. 66%
5. The Silence of the Lambs. 97%
6. The Wall. 71%
7. Seven. 84%
8. Pulp Fiction. 95%
9. Alien. 98%
10. Taxi Driver. 100%
11. Palindromes. 41%
12. Twelve Angry Men. 100%
13. The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover. 93%
14. Mulholland Drive. 80%
15. Shadowlands. 95%
16. United 93. 90%
17. Requiem for a Dream. 77%
18. Heavenly Creatures. 93%
19. Eyes Wide Shut. 80%
20. Jesus of Montreal. 92%
21. Clerks. 86%
22. The Ice Storm. 79%
23. Pleasantville. 86%
24. Goodfellas. 98%
25. From Dusk Till Dawn. 61%
posted by Loren Rosson III @ 7/30/2006
5 Comments:
Hey Loren,
Nice list. I have seen all on your list except two which I haven't seen yet (The Wall and United 73). I'm not sure I would rank them the same, however. Have you seen Clerks II yet?
Interesting list.
Among the ones you don't list, I would take to moon in my top 25: The Godfather I, Brazil, Twelve Monkeys, and Memento.
My Peter Greenaway pick would be Prospero's Books rather than The Cook, The Thief, etc.
For pure fun, I'd take a Jackie Chan movie, maybe Super Cop. (Nothing with Owen Wilson, though)
I'm definitely not taking 2001: A Space Odyssey to moon (not that you are either).
Tyler, I can't believe you haven't seen The Wall -- do so before you're a year older! I still haven't seen Clerks II but may this week-end. What did you think of Hard Candy? Perhaps you can review this, and I'll interact with my own review in another month and a half.
I forgot my honorable mentions, one of which Stephen likes. Here they are:
A History of Violence, Memento, The Shining, City of God, The Bear, The Passion of the Christ, Bound.
I actually like 2001 despite, or perhaps even because of, the snail's pacing and minimalist dialogue.
Eyes Wide Shut for a Kubrick choice!?!
I must disagree. I found Eyes Wide Shut to be too overt, it lacks the subtleties that made Full Metal Jacket or A Clockwork Orange such brilliant films. Heck, even the dated-but-still-relevant Doctor Strangelove tops Eyes Wide Shut in my list!
Others you don't list, following Stephen's lead, I'd take The Godfather for sure, The Wizard of Oz, My Fair Lady (a guilty pleasure!), Raging Bull (but only if I don't have to bump one of your Scorcese picks for it) and The Shawshank Redemption.
And Tyler, Loren's right, you must see The Wall. But pay attention! Don't treat it like a music video--the number of people who have watched it and missed the story is astounding to me.
Yes, I know. Every Kubrick fan thinks I'm crazy for liking Eyes Wide Shut the best. Objectively speaking I wouldn't rate it the best -- not in terms of directorial vision; Clockwork Orange wins in that case -- but it's definitely my personal favorite, followed by The Shining. As I said, I have idiosyncratic tastes.
Likewise, many Solondz fans would crucify me for daring to prefer Palindromes over any of his other three -- Welcome to the Dollhouse, Happiness, and Storytelling. But there you have it.
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