How big a CINEPHILE are you?

[TT]

How many of the greatest films have you seen?

EMPIRE MAGAZINE'S 500 GREATEST FILMS OF ALL TIME:

http://www.listchallenges.com/empire-magazines-500-greatest-films-of-all-time

I got 374/500 (top 2%)


----

And here's a bunch of genres, with some unconventional picks, imo...

Digital Dream Door's 100 Greatest HORROR Movies:

http://www.listchallenges.com/digital-dream-doors-100-greatest-horror-movies

I got 54/100 (top 22%)

-

Digital Dream Door's 100 Greatest ROMANCE Movies

http://www.listchallenges.com/digital-dream-doors-100-greatest-romance-movies/checklist/3

I got 65/100 (top 9%)

-

Digital Dream Door's 100 Greatest FILM NOIR Movies:

http://www.listchallenges.com/digital-dream-doors-100-greatest-film-noir-movies

I got 29/100 (top 21%)
(work in progress...)

-

Digital Dream Door's 100 Greatest WESTERN Movies

http://www.listchallenges.com/digital-dream-doors-100-greatest-western-movies

I got 52/100 (top 22%)

(Probably have seen some other Wayne and Stewart films from the list as
well but don't remember)

-

Digital Dream Door's 100 Greatest SCI-FI Movies:

http://www.listchallenges.com/digital-dream-doors-100-greatest-sci-fi-movies/checklist/3

I got 80/100 (top 8%).

[alvey]

On Tue, 6 Dec 2016 23:11:00 +0200, TT wrote:

> How many of the greatest films have you seen?
>
> EMPIRE MAGAZINE'S 500 GREATEST FILMS OF ALL TIME:
>
> http://www.listchallenges.com/empire-magazines-500-greatest-films-of-all-time
>

Whoever compiled that list is not someone I'd care to have sitting next to
me at dinner. Or even breakfast. I stopped at 'School of Rock'. Was there
an Adam Sandler after that?



alvey

[TT]

The point is having a list which you have not already tried to watch
through...
If I put up AFI's list then that doesn't tell much other than that you
have watched those exact films because they're on that exact list.
Perhaps same with Sight&Sound - which has some really exotic picks...

I think Empire Magazine's list is pretty good overall... don't know why
they picked School of Rock though. It's pretty funny actually but not
one of the very best. Obviously they wanted to include a "recent" comedy...

But if you wish, here's Sight & Sound top 250:

http://www.listchallenges.com/sight-and-sound-critics

I've seen 130/250, which equals top 14% of all who answered. You?

[poisoned rose]

TT <as...@dprk.kp> wrote:

> How many of the greatest films have you seen?
>
> EMPIRE MAGAZINE'S 500 GREATEST FILMS OF ALL TIME:
>
> http://www.listchallenges.com/empire-magazines-500-greatest-films-of-all-time
>
> I got 374/500 (top 2%)

There are some pretty dubious inclusions on that list, but I've seen
434, give or take a few that I'm not 100% sure about seeing.

Some of the films I haven't seen are pretty popular, such as The
Philadelphia Story, The Last of the Mohicans, My Darling Clementine,
Lethal Weapon, To Have & Have Not, X2, Harvey, Seven Brides for Seven
Brothers, Rio Bravo, On the Town, The Misfits, one of the Bourne films,
The Goonies, Heat, Carlito's Way, First Blood....

It doesn't affect my tally either way, but film #45 is the 1998 Psycho
remake and obviously should be the original 1960 film.

(I've never even heard of "Enduring Love" or "Dead Man's Shoes.")

[TT]

7.12.2016, 1:02, poisoned rose kirjoitti:
> TT <as...@dprk.kp> wrote:
>
>> How many of the greatest films have you seen?
>>
>> EMPIRE MAGAZINE'S 500 GREATEST FILMS OF ALL TIME:
>>
>> http://www.listchallenges.com/empire-magazines-500-greatest-films-of-all-time
>>
>> I got 374/500 (top 2%)
>
> There are some pretty dubious inclusions on that list, but I've seen
> 434, give or take a few that I'm not 100% sure about seeing.
>

That's a lot! Well done sir.

I highlighted myself only the titles I'm certain I've seen... and
finished too.

> Some of the films I haven't seen are pretty popular, such as The
> Philadelphia Story, The Last of the Mohicans, My Darling Clementine,
> Lethal Weapon, To Have & Have Not, X2, Harvey, Seven Brides for Seven
> Brothers, Rio Bravo, On the Town, The Misfits, one of the Bourne films,
> The Goonies, Heat, Carlito's Way, First Blood....
>

Goonies never say die!

> It doesn't affect my tally either way, but film #45 is the 1998 Psycho
> remake and obviously should be the original 1960 film.
>

Of course. Sometimes this site (or the one who posted the list) mixes up
titles with same name.

> (I've never even heard of "Enduring Love" or "Dead Man's Shoes.")
>

Me neither. The problem with "best" lists is often the "new" titles,
status of which have not yet been established by passage of time...

[gtr]

Most lists like this--what's the point? What are they worth. It's
interesting enough if musing on a century or more of film, but when the
10th best movie "of all time" if "Fight Club" and the 15th is "Dark
Knight", how much credibility can you give it?

The first non-American movie (that I note) is Andrei Rublev, though I
may have overlooked an Aussie or Brit sci-fi/thriller. In fact the
whole list is overbloated with sci-fi/thriller/gangster movies. I can
maintain enough interest to make it past 50 or 60 listed items.

[gtr]

On 2016-12-06 23:17:54 +0000, TT said:

> Me neither. The problem with "best" lists is often the "new" titles,
> status of which have not yet been established by passage of time...

And this list seems to concentrate itself there.

[alvey]

That's a more interesting list than Empires', which looked suspiciously
like it was based on US box-office with a few token, acknowledged
'foreigner' classics thrown in. Without knowing many of the Euro/Asian
titles in the S & S list I suspect that there's a bit of elitism & snobby
involved by one notable ommission. Spielbergs' work may have been
commercially Whoopee, but that's no reason why it can't be "great".
F'rinstance, I can't calibrate on how the 1933 King Kong beats out Jaws.
Unless KK is considered a great comedy.

>
> I've seen 130/250, which equals top 14% of all who answered. You?

Dunno. I don't care if my taste matches someone elses.

But thanks for the S & S list, there's things on it that I'll put on The
Big List.



alvey

[poisoned rose]

gtr <x...@yyy.zzz> wrote:

> Most lists like this--what's the point? What are they worth.

I have some others saved that (IMO) are far better quality. There are
several "all-time best 1000" lists around that are a lot more "adult"
than that Empire list.

My favorite lists to comb include the "They Shoot Pictures, Don't They?"
list (http://www.theyshootpictures.com/gf1000_all1000films_table.php),
its ancillary "Doubling the Canon" list (1000 *more* films), Jonathan
Rosenbaum's Essential Films, the Criterion Collection catalog
(https://www.criterion.com/library/list_view?b=Criterion&p=1&pp=all&s=spi
ne) and the films endorsed at http://366weirdmovies.com.

I've seen a lot of so-so stuff lately, but I did enjoy The Hospital
(1971), Wild Boys of the Road (1933) and Killer Joe (2011) within the
past week-ish.

[TT]

7.12.2016, 2:12, alvey kirjoitti:

>> http://www.listchallenges.com/sight-and-sound-critics
>
> That's a more interesting list than Empires', which looked suspiciously
> like it was based on US box-office with a few token, acknowledged
> 'foreigner' classics thrown in. Without knowing many of the Euro/Asian
> titles in the S & S list I suspect that there's a bit of elitism & snobby
> involved by one notable ommission. Spielbergs' work may have been
> commercially Whoopee, but that's no reason why it can't be "great".
> F'rinstance, I can't calibrate on how the 1933 King Kong beats out Jaws.
> Unless KK is considered a great comedy.

"Every decade, Sight & Sound asks an international group of film
professionals to vote for their ten greatest films of all time."

I suspect many of those people see historical value in King Kong.
It's hard to find a "perfect" list... I feel S&S overvalues older
titles, and is a bit snobbish... while for example IMDB's top 250
overvalues new titles and is too little snobbish.

No Schindler in the list but at #186 there's E.T.
...which I like as a pick - it's not snobbish at all. In perfect world
they'd have Breakfast Club and Wargames too. Why "The Hustler" didn't
make the list beats me, it's damn perfect film.

The Hustler and Breakfast Club did make Empire's list, although the
latter only at #369. Also Empire included "I am Cuba", which tells me
that they're not entirely clueless. They also have "The Great Silence",
which earns massive street cred from Italo Western fans. But I ramble...

[alvey]

On Wed, 7 Dec 2016 03:47:51 +0200, TT wrote:

> Why "The Hustler" didn't
> make the list beats me, it's damn perfect film.

Of the Paul Newman 'H' films my favourite is Hombre. Don't know why it
never features in anyones' list as, to quote from The Cliche Book, it ticks
a lot of boxes.



alvey

[Lewis]

In message <BPF1A.27019$mN1....@uutiset.elisa.fi>

TT <as...@dprk.kp> wrote:
> How many of the greatest films have you seen?

> EMPIRE MAGAZINE'S 500 GREATEST FILMS OF ALL TIME:

> http://www.listchallenges.com/empire-magazines-500-greatest-films-of-all-time

There are some truly dreadful movies on that list (almost all of which I
saw) and some oddly obscure old movies (pre 1960), some of which I'd
seen.

> I got 374/500 (top 2%)

416/500 for me, ad I didn't count movies I knew I'd seen but could not
remember. Most the ones I didn't have where pretty obscure foreign
films, but a few well known one's I've never gotten around to.

Still, some real stinkers (Gremlins, The Phantom Menace) on that list,
so in no way shape or form the best 500 films.


--
She'd always tried to face towards the light. But the harder you stared into
the brightness the harsher it burned into you until, at last, the temptation
picked you up and bid you turn around to see how long, rich, strong and dark,
streaming away behind you, your shadow had become- --Carpe Jugulum

[Lewis]

In message <BPF1A.27019$mN1....@uutiset.elisa.fi>
TT <as...@dprk.kp> wrote:

> http://www.listchallenges.com/digital-dream-doors-100-greatest-sci-fi-movies/checklist/3

> I got 80/100 (top 8%).

95/100. Again, some not good movies and at least two that are not sci fi
in any way (Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein.)


--
"Thank you for sending me a copy of your book; I'll waste no time
reading it." - Moses Hadas

[Lewis]

In message <1fjphdfwnbtdg.1...@40tude.net>

Empire's "list" is simply the top 500 rated movies on rotten tomatoes.
that's why there are some terrible movies on the list.

--
And I just don't care what happens next / looks like freedom but it
feels like death / it's something in between, I guess

[moviePig]

On 12/7/2016 3:38 AM, Lewis wrote:
> In message <BPF1A.27019$mN1....@uutiset.elisa.fi>
> TT <as...@dprk.kp> wrote:
>> http://www.listchallenges.com/digital-dream-doors-100-greatest-sci-fi-movies/checklist/3
>
>> I got 80/100 (top 8%).
>
> 95/100. Again, some not good movies and at least two that are not sci fi
> in any way (Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein.)

Don't know why you'd say that. Sure, they're iconic as horror films,
but Mary Shelley's story, even if inspired by Greek mythology, certainly
has some enduring sci-fi aspects. (Fwiw, "Frankenstein's monster" is
still common enough as a reference in science discussion.)

--

- - - - - - - -
YOUR taste at work...
http://www.moviepig.com

[TT]

7.12.2016, 3:02, poisoned rose kirjoitti:
> gtr <x...@yyy.zzz> wrote:
>
>> Most lists like this--what's the point? What are they worth.
>
> I have some others saved that (IMO) are far better quality. There are
> several "all-time best 1000" lists around that are a lot more "adult"
> than that Empire list.
>

No doubt. Being sophisticated is often good - BUT I have to say that art
films are rather risky for the viewer... there are much greater odds for
an art film classic disappointing you big time than with so called main
stream classics.

That's at least my experience. For example watched a few days ago
HIROSHIMA MON AMOUR - my conclusion was that it's one of the most
pretentious and tedious films I have ever seen. It's sort of like LAST
YEAR AT MARIENBAD from the same director but without the "mystery"
angle. They talk a lot about separation, in bed, in cafe, in another
cafe - extremely repetitive and tedious. The dialogue is completely
detached from how people talk in real world, the conversation can only
happen in French "art"-film.

The visuals were good but nothing extraordinary really, although I think
the version I saw was not the restored version judging by the google
screenshots which look way better. Then again, I suspect that the
restored version might actually NOT look like the original... they may
have increased contrast too much which pretty much makes any flat
looking b/w film have more noirish look... but that's just my conspiracy
theory based on the version that I saw.

As for recent positive experience with art films... I also watched
IVAN'S CHILDHOOD, which impressed me much more visually, the
cinematography is very impressive. Also, Tarkovsky apparently wasn't as
self-absorbed film maker at that point and there was actual attempt on
telling a story. Tarkovsky in general is a visual director but seems to
lack almost entirely ability for gripping storytelling. But I felt this
was more accessible than his other films and overall very good.

> My favorite lists to comb include the "They Shoot Pictures, Don't They?"
>

Thanks for bringing that up, I went through it and it seems like a gold
mine for people, such as I, who have seen lots of main stream classics.
I've seen the entire IMDB top 250 list (end of 2015) but only 400 titles
from this list. It also appears to be quite similar but slightly better
than "1001 movies you must see before you die".

Let's look at some of the titles it has or should have in my subjective
opinion, and compare it to more main stream plus half-the-sized Empire
Magazine's list...

The Hustler - yes
Repulsion - yes
The Innocents - yes

Very good. Empire doesn't have "Repulsion".

Cranes are flying - yes
I am cuba - yes
Come and see - yes

Brilliant. Empire doesn't have "Cranes".
No list ever has "Letter Never Sent" which is just as great as the other
two Kalatozov films.

The great silence - no
Once upon a time in America - yes

Empire has both.

Ran - yes
Woman in the Dunes - yes
Harakiri - yes

Empire misses the last two. Neither have likes of Onibaba/Kuroneko... I
guess "Empire" is too busy listing main stream titles and "They shoot"
too busy listing Kurosawa films - having 12 of his films on the list.

Marnie - yes
Dial M - No

Empire has neither, while "They shoot" has a total of 13 Hitchcock
films. I picked Dial M because it simply has great and smart script,
more so than many other Hitchcock films.
..."To make a great film you need three things – the script, the script,
and the script" — Alfred Hitchcock

In the mood for love - yes
2046 - no
Koyaanisqatsi - yes
Fantasia - yes
Fantastic Planet - no

Empire has none of those. Bad.

Kind hearts and coronets - yes
Airplane! - no

Empire has both. I know Airplane is not a cinematic masterpiece but still...

Breakfast Club - yes!
Terminator - yes
Terminator 2 - yes
The Conversation - yes

Both have all four. The Conversation always makes these kind of lists...
but my problem is: why don't either have "Three days of the condor" or
"The Spy who came in from the cold"? I'm sure both list some worse spy
films than those two great classics.

For that matter, how come likes of...

Birdman of Alcatraz
Days of Wine and Roses
Night of the iguana
Judgement at Nuremberg

...Make neither lists?

Are "School of Rock" and "Starship Troopers" really better than the
above? Hell no. Yes, "They shoot films..." actually has "Starship
Troopers" in its list. lol

Some fails for "They shoot films..."

Wavelength (1967)
Alphaville
Hiroshima Mon Amour

Those three shouldn't make any top 1000 list, imo. "Empire" has none
which is especially commendable when considering "Hiroshima" and its
reputation/status.

Also, "They shoot..." listing "The Arrival of a Train (1896)" seems a
bit wacky. If they wanted to make a gesture to history then the oldest
surviving film, "Roundhay Garden Scene (1888)" would have been more
appropriate pick. Besides they already did make that gesture with "A
Trip to the Moon (1902)"

And finally a few more comments on "They shoot films" list:

-Why no "Das Boot"?
-Why no "They Shoot Horses, Don't They"! ;)
-Nice to see Dark Knight at around #900

And... why these lists always have Truffaut's "Wild Child" but not
infinitely superior "The Miracle Worker"? I know... it's about the name
of the director, not the quality of the film...

My conclusion is that "They shoot films, don't they" has a great
goldmine of a list for cinephiles to find new titles, but is not equally
great on attempting to arrange films from best to worst.

That was kinda long post...

[TT]

I feel the same way about Wargames (1983) and Peckinpah's "Cross of
Iron". The former is just flawless fluid storytelling and the latter
simply a brilliant war film...

[TT]

7.12.2016, 10:38, Lewis kirjoitti:
> In message <BPF1A.27019$mN1....@uutiset.elisa.fi>
> TT <as...@dprk.kp> wrote:
>> http://www.listchallenges.com/digital-dream-doors-100-greatest-sci-fi-movies/checklist/3
>
>> I got 80/100 (top 8%).
>
> 95/100.

I'm impressed.

How about this one:

http://www.listchallenges.com/the-100-best-sci-fi-movies-ever

I got 88/100 (top 2%)

Note that "Dark City (1950)" actually refers to 1998 science fiction
film of the same name.

[Bastette]

I saw "Enduring Love" about 10 years ago. The film has an interesting
premise. (Note: contains spoilers. This description covers the first 10
minutes of the film. However, if you want to go in cold, don't read this.)

A man and woman are sitting in a meadow in a park having a picnic, when
suddenly a hot air balloon goes by, close to the ground, with only a child
inside the basket. The man, along with several other men in the area,
race over to the balloon to try to rescue the boy. But then some wind
lifts the balloon up, and all of the men are hanging off the sides of the
basket as they rise up. The main character (the guy who was picnicking
with his gf) realizes that if he doesn't let go right now, he will soon
be too high to fall safely. So he lets go. The loss of his weight as
ballast makes the balloon rise faster, so the rest of the guys, except
one, also let go and fall down. Then they all stand there and watch the
balloon go up in the sky, with the one guy still hanging onto the edge.
And then, from some distance, they see him fall from the balloon, which
by then is much too high for him to survive the fall.

The main character feels pretty guilty about what happened. If he hadn't
let go, their combined weight might have been able to eventually bring
the balloon back down. Or at least one of them might've been able to
climb inside and operate the controls to land the balloon. But when he
let go, the others were forced to let go, too.

Some time later, one of the men who was involved in the incident contacts
him and says, "I saw what happened. I think you know what I'm talking
about." (Paraphrased pretty liberally. I don't remember the exact words.)
The main character realizes that someone else in that group knows that
he was responsible for the one guy's death because of his own cowardice.

And that's when the main story gets going. I won't say any more about
the plot except that it goes in a direction I did not expect. And I was
disappointed. I thought the story was going to be about one thing, maybe
something along the lines of "Force Majeure," but it became something
else entirely, which was much less interesting. However, I did watch it
to the end.


Bastette

[alvey]

Crikey! It's been about 400 years since I've seen CoI. Must revise.

And in breaking war film news... Mel Gibson's Hacksaw Ridge has cleaned up
at the Australian version of the Academy Awards.



alvey

[poisoned rose]

TT <as...@dprk.kp> wrote:

> That's at least my experience. For example watched a few days ago
> HIROSHIMA MON AMOUR - my conclusion was that it's one of the most
> pretentious and tedious films I have ever seen.

Funny you mention this, because I had to see this during a college class
and found it pretty unbearable. Decided to watch it a second time only
in recent months and thought it was marvelous this time. I just wasn't
"ready" for it back then. On the other hand, I saw "Last Year at
Marienbad" in the same class and did enjoy that one then and now.

> As for recent positive experience with art films... I also watched
> IVAN'S CHILDHOOD, which impressed me much more visually, the
> cinematography is very impressive. Also, Tarkovsky apparently wasn't as
> self-absorbed film maker at that point and there was actual attempt on
> telling a story.

I liked this very much too. And yeah, a strong plot by Tarkovsky
standards.

> > My favorite lists to comb include the "They Shoot Pictures, Don't They?"
>
> Thanks for bringing that up, I went through it and it seems like a gold
> mine for people, such as I, who have seen lots of main stream classics.
> I've seen the entire IMDB top 250 list (end of 2015) but only 400 titles
> from this list.

I believe I've seen 736. The films I haven't seen from the top 200 are
Shoah, Rio Bravo, Gertrud, Journey to Italy, Satantango, A Brighter
Summer Day, Letter From an Unknown Woman, Yi Yi, My Darling Clementine,
Spring in a Small Town, The Life & Death of Colonel Blimp, Brief
Encounter, Stagecoach, Beau Travail, A City of Sadness, The Travelling
Players and The River. (This list seems to favor Chinese cinema a wee
bit.)

> It also appears to be quite similar but slightly better
> than "1001 movies you must see before you die".

I agree.

> The Hustler - yes
> Repulsion - yes
> The Innocents - yes

> Cranes are flying - yes
> I am cuba - yes
> Come and see - yes

> The great silence - no
> Once upon a time in America - yes

> Ran - yes
> Woman in the Dunes - yes
> Harakiri - yes

> Marnie - yes
> Dial M - No

> In the mood for love - yes
> 2046 - no
> Koyaanisqatsi - yes
> Fantasia - yes
> Fantastic Planet - no

> Kind hearts and coronets - yes
> Airplane! - no

I don't know much about "2046," but I'm game for all of those being in a
top 1000 except for "Marnie." I didn't like "In the Mood for Love" too
much, but I know many others do.

> Breakfast Club - yes!

I can't stand that movie. Or Bueller.

> "Three days of the condor" or
> "The Spy who came in from the cold"

> Birdman of Alcatraz
> Days of Wine and Roses
> Night of the iguana
> Judgement at Nuremberg
>
> ...Make neither lists?

Not the sort of stuff I'm passionate about.

> Some fails for "They shoot films..."
>
> Wavelength (1967)
> Alphaville
> Hiroshima Mon Amour
>
> Those three shouldn't make any top 1000 list, imo. "Empire" has none
> which is especially commendable when considering "Hiroshima" and its
> reputation/status.

I get a kick out of "Wavelength." It's hard to confidentially proclaim
it being among the best 1000 films ever, but it's at least one of the
top avant-garde films.

I like some other Godard films more than "Alphaville."

If I was feeling kvetchy, I suppose I could cite plenty films that I've
seen and find overrated to be an all-time top 1000. Such as: Pink Floyd
- The Wall, The Breakfast Club, The Silence of the Lambs, The Blues
Brothers, Inland Empire, Finding Nemo, Fellini's Casanova, Exotica,
Dodes'ka-den, Ferris Bueller, Trainspotting, Code Unknown, Blow Out,
A.I., The Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach, The Nightmare Before
Christmas, Lost in Translation, Dazed & Confused, The Princess Bride,
The Matrix, Eyes Wide Shut, L'argent, Audition, Lancelot du Lac,
Videodrome, Rebecca, Rebel Without a Cause, Withnail & I, The Godfather
III, Punch-Drunk Love, Diary of a Country Priest, Uncle Boonmee, It's a
Wonderful Life, um....

Phooey.

> And finally a few more comments on "They shoot films" list:
>
> -Why no "Das Boot"?

It IS on the list. #867.

> And... why these lists always have Truffaut's "Wild Child" but not
> infinitely superior "The Miracle Worker"?

I'm not particularly crazy about Wild Child either. I think I saw The
Miracle Worker when I was a kid...too long ago to retain a strong
opinion about it.

[Lewis]

In message <ut%1A.27071$mN1....@uutiset.elisa.fi>

TT <as...@dprk.kp> wrote:
> 7.12.2016, 10:38, Lewis kirjoitti:
>> In message <BPF1A.27019$mN1....@uutiset.elisa.fi>
>> TT <as...@dprk.kp> wrote:
>>> http://www.listchallenges.com/digital-dream-doors-100-greatest-sci-fi-movies/checklist/3
>>
>>> I got 80/100 (top 8%).
>>
>> 95/100.

> I'm impressed.

> How about this one:

> http://www.listchallenges.com/the-100-best-sci-fi-movies-ever

> I got 88/100 (top 2%)

92/100

I have not seen: Eternal Sunshine, Solaris (1972), Splice, Sleep Dancer,
The Fountain, Stalker, Icarie XB-1, and Alphaville.

I MIGHT have seen Alphaville, it sounds familiar, but not enough to be
sure.

I've never heard of Splicer, Sleep Dancer, The Fountain, or Icarie XB-1.

--
I told you...<BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM> Don't call me Junior.

[TT]

8.12.2016, 6:08, poisoned rose kirjoitti:
> TT <as...@dprk.kp> wrote:
>

First, excuse me for late reply... been busy watching films... doing my
own top 250 list and there are still a few films I want to check before
it's "final". (of course it never is)

>> That's at least my experience. For example watched a few days ago
>> HIROSHIMA MON AMOUR - my conclusion was that it's one of the most
>> pretentious and tedious films I have ever seen.
>
> Funny you mention this, because I had to see this during a college class
> and found it pretty unbearable. Decided to watch it a second time only
> in recent months and thought it was marvelous this time. I just wasn't
> "ready" for it back then. On the other hand, I saw "Last Year at
> Marienbad" in the same class and did enjoy that one then and now.
>

You were correct the first time around, it's really emperor's new clothes.

I can see though how one would like it more on 2nd time, being prepared
for tedium and repetitiveness beforehand. I don't think I want to give
it a second chance though... and would be disappointed in myself if I
liked it since it simply lacks good dialogue and script. It managed to
create zero emotional connection with the characters.

>> I've seen the entire IMDB top 250 list (end of 2015) but only 400 titles
>> from this list.
>
> I believe I've seen 736.
> The films I haven't seen from the top 200 are
> Shoah,

Haven't seen. Should be interesting but I'm not sure if its place
actually is on a list like this, being a documentary.

> Rio Bravo,

How is that even possible?

It's sort of the best of "good old American westerns" and is only
eclipsed by couple spaghetti westerns really.

> Gertrud, Journey to Italy,Satantango, A Brighter

> Summer Day, Letter From an Unknown Woman, Yi Yi, My Darling Clementine,
> Spring in a Small Town, The Life & Death of Colonel Blimp, Brief
> Encounter, Stagecoach, Beau Travail, A City of Sadness, The Travelling
> Players and The River. (This list seems to favor Chinese cinema a wee
> bit.)
>

You seem to have missed a few essential westerns. Stagecoach and
Clementine are essential as well, although I'm not sure if they deserve
all the accolades.

Not sure if I want to watch Satantango all the way through. It was my
plan for it to be 3000th film I'd rate on IMDB, didn't happen. Have seen
"Turin Horse" from Tarr which I liked and planning to see Werckmeister
Harmonies before deciding if Satantango is worth the time... it's
probably more a film which you see for being able to brag you've seen
(and of course loved!) it rather than actually wanting to watch it all.

Watched "Letter from an unknown woman" recently and it was a really well
made fine film although not my cup of tea really. You'd probably like it
more if you liked "Hiroshima" (both have some "problems" with the pacing).

Brief Encounter is a fine little romance story and film. Safe bet I think.

>
>> The Hustler - yes
>> Repulsion - yes
>> The Innocents - yes
>> Cranes are flying - yes
>> I am cuba - yes
>> Come and see - yes
>> The great silence - no
>> Once upon a time in America - yes
>> Ran - yes
>> Woman in the Dunes - yes
>> Harakiri - yes
>> Marnie - yes
>> Dial M - No
>> In the mood for love - yes
>> 2046 - no
>> Koyaanisqatsi - yes
>> Fantasia - yes
>> Fantastic Planet - no
>> Kind hearts and coronets - yes
>> Airplane! - no
>
> I don't know much about "2046," but I'm game for all of those being in a
> top 1000 except for "Marnie." I didn't like "In the Mood for Love" too
> much, but I know many others do.
>

"2046" is a "sequel" to "In the Mood for Love", this time on futuristic
landscape. Cinematography and atmosphere is roughly a mix between Blade
Runner and In the Mood. Same guy having this time a series of
relationships, with pretty much all the most beautiful women in Hong
Kong cinema. So it's similarly moody, stylish and good looking but more
"story" to tell... I think there's a good chance that if you didn't like
In the Mood you'd still like this one.

Then there's "Days of Being Wild", which is sort of the first
installation of the trilogy... it's good as well but didn't live up to
the latter two (watched it last).

Marnie is one of my favourite Hitchcocks. Tippi and Connery in their
peaks with a very good psychological story.

>> Breakfast Club - yes!
>
> I can't stand that movie. Or Bueller.
>

Love both, especially Breakfast Club which is in my top ten...
It's pretty much like characters from my school class at the time, our
teacher told us that we were a class with most personality he had seen.

What don't you like about it?

The only thing I have criticized it in the past is that the discussion
between the teens gets a bit too adult for that age (obviously written
by adult), they are too open. Also the beginning might be a bit too much
comedy for some tastes - but it's a sort of a film that has some light
comedy and character building in the beginning but gets better and
better (& more serious) towards the end. The performances are of course
great.

>> "Three days of the condor" or
>> "The Spy who came in from the cold"
>> Birdman of Alcatraz
>> Days of Wine and Roses
>> Night of the iguana
>> Judgement at Nuremberg
>>
>> ...Make neither lists?
>
> Not the sort of stuff I'm passionate about.
>

What kind of stuff is that? They're all rather different types of films,
except the first two which are both spy thrillers. The connecting theme
with them is great acting and being brilliant films...

> I get a kick out of "Wavelength." It's hard to confidentially proclaim
> it being among the best 1000 films ever, but it's at least one of the
> top avant-garde films.
>

Totally pretentious pick to include it in the list I have to say.

Some of the experimental shorts in the list have enough avant garde and
are actually good, innovative cinematography.

> I like some other Godard films more than "Alphaville."
>

No wonder.

> If I was feeling kvetchy, I suppose I could cite plenty films that I've
> seen and find overrated to be an all-time top 1000. Such as: Pink Floyd
> - The Wall,

Haven't seen it I think, but the trailer looks interesting.

> The Silence of the Lambs,

Didn't include it in my top 250 so far but likely would for top 1000...

At least Hopkins has one of the most memorable performances ever.

> The Blues
> Brothers,

I agree. Maybe there for "cultural" reasons aka being a phenomenon back
when. In general there's a big flaw with these sort of lists and
basically film critic recommendations: they almost never change.

...For example if you have a film which was seen as great in 1941
because of technical reasons - it is still considered as one of the best
films of all time, its status not changing despite advances in filming
and it being very average technically with today's standards.

> Finding Nemo

Liked it a lot at the time. More deserving than horrible Toy Story films
I feel. In general many modern animations and Japanese anime are
overrated and don't compare well to Disney classics.

> Trainspotting,

Was fad of its time, felt rather original and different.

I agree that it has dated and doesn't really interest as much now.
Perhaps another case of "static cult status".

> Blow Out,

The Travolta film? I agree.

> A.I.

Was impressed with it the first time, the ending especially is really
cute. Had it at first at 9, now 8. (aka still great)
The early parts didn't impress as much the last time I saw it, although
still a bit bladerunnerish.

> The Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach,

Never heard.

> Lost in Translation,

I think great off-beat film. I was firmly in Oscar for Murray camp.

> The Princess Bride,

Nice film but not top films of all time.

> The Matrix,

That's almost like saying Alien and Predator don't belong...

> Eyes Wide Shut,

Pretty good.

> Audition

Totally agree. One of the worst films I have ever seen. Boring film with
violence inserted in the end for the sake of violence.

> Videodrome,

Never really understood its over the top cult status. Still, it's a bit
different and quite atmospheric... a type of film which film freaks love.

> Rebecca,

Disagree. Really moody and great cinematography and performances.

> Rebel Without a Cause,

A classic. Natalie Wood and James Dean ffs.

> Withnail & I

Never heard, at least the English name... but see it a lot on these
lists. Have to watch it soon.

Apparently some Brit cult film. Probably not the best example, but I see
many films which live their separate lives from reality on these lists -
films that are never shown on TV or heard of by the larger public.

...Likes of Hiroshima Mon Amour, Au Hazard Balthazar, Rules of the Game,
Sansho the Bailiff.

Watched Rules of the Game a couple days ago. It was just a bad film, not
even average on 1939 standards, while receiving horrible reception back
then by audience and the critics internationally. It's not better now
and is still a ridiculous mess of a movie - but somehow is listed on
many prestigious film lists inside top ten. Absurd.

I guess it's essential part of cinematic snobbery to claim a clearly
dated and uninteresting film as one of the greatest ever. Whatever.

Liked Sansho a lot and thought Balthazar was ok although overrated.

> It's a
> Wonderful Life, um....
>

I agree.

> Phooey.
>

Citizen Kane...

Hard to get all excited about a story on some unsympathetic tycoon, also
acted poorly by Welles with pretty bad script. Well there's the end
which reveals something different from Kane but then again I suspect it
was a dig at the real life character instead of honest observation. The
cinematography is good, but that alone can't save a film.

>> -Why no "Das Boot"?
>
> It IS on the list. #867.

Ah... I was searching for "Das Boot" while it was listed as "Boot, Das"...

>
>> And... why these lists always have Truffaut's "Wild Child" but not
>> infinitely superior "The Miracle Worker"?
>
> I'm not particularly crazy about Wild Child either. I think I saw The
> Miracle Worker when I was a kid...too long ago to retain a strong
> opinion about it.
>

Good script with rather important and interesting real life story behind
it, the teaching of Helen Keller made actual difference. Most
importantly it's acting tour de force by both leads.

[TT]

8.12.2016, 7:57, Lewis kirjoitti:
> I MIGHT have seen Alphaville, it sounds familiar, but not enough to be
> sure.
>

It was Big in Japan.

> I've never heard of Splicer, Sleep Dancer, The Fountain, or Icarie XB-1.

To my recollection Splice was pretty decent, The Fountain is a horrible
CGI mess with nonsensical story... and I recall finding Icarie XB-1 from
some website which claimed it as a great scifi classic - don't remember
it at all but watched it a couple years ago and rated it 6/10.

[TT]

16.12.2016, 17:01, TT kirjoitti:
> 8.12.2016, 7:57, Lewis kirjoitti:
>> I MIGHT have seen Alphaville, it sounds familiar, but not enough to be
>> sure.
>>
>
> It was Big in Japan.
>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOKQFTH5w5I

Ha-ha

The film is bad.