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lizardman
Jun 30, 2007

by R. Guyovich

Franchescanado posted:

(Thanks for reading my overly-sappy write-up, but it's a little hard to avoid sentimentality when talking of absolute favorites.)

Hey if you're not choosing the sentimental pick you ain't doing it right, IMO.

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Tart Kitty
Dec 17, 2016

Oh, well, that's all water under the bridge, as I always say. Water under the bridge!

Lurdiak posted:

Hobo With a Shotgun

It's just kind of... perfectly made for me? It's essentially a comedy, because it takes the exploitation elements to such a degree that it's kind of comical and it has actual jokes in it as well, but it's all played straight. Rutger Hauer is amazing in it as well and delivers every insane line like he believes it. The look of the entire movie evokes the grimy aesthetic of action movies from the late 70s and early 80s, the violence is completely over the top and radical.... There's actual social commentary in this ludicrous mess of a film, too, which is kind of surprising. And last but not least, the score is phenomenal, with amazing synth tracks, musical score taken from other works used perfectly, Tarantino-style, and every track conveys the mood of the scene it's used in perfectly.

On a more personal level, the film-maker's influences with this film are obvious, and many of them are things I grew up loving. The characters of The Plague, Slick and Ivan are all named after River City Ransom characters, the look of several locations and some characters are directly inspired by the 1990 TMNT film, and the end credits theme is from a Canadian cartoon I watched religiously as a child. The film was basically made to please me and there's very little in it I don't love.

I'm glad you brought up the score, because it's a very overlooked part of the movie, and one of the things that really made it gel into a cohesive experience for me.

Samuel Clemens
Oct 4, 2013

I think we should call the Avengers.

Since this thread has made it to page two, I figured it might interesting to look at some stats.

Overall, 31 unique films have been mentioned. One was picked by three people (Alien) and another by two (Heat).

Of these 31 films, ...

...28 are in colour, 3 in black-and-white.

...30 are in English, 1 is in Japanese.

...22 are from the US, 5 from the UK, 1 is from France, 1 from Ireland, 1 from Japan, and 1 from New Zealand.

...2 are from the 1940s, 2 from the 1960s, 6 from the 1970s, 7 from the 1980s, 10 from the 1990s, 3 from the 2000s, and 1 is from the 2010s.

The year 1999 has three entries (Magnolia, Bringing Out the Dead, and The Matrix), making it officially the greatest year in film history™.

The Coen Brothers are the only directors with two different films mentioned (Fargo and No Country for Old Men).

Genre classifications are a bit more difficult, but there's definitely a preference towards war films, horror, and comedy. Relatively few straight dramas, no westerns or film noir (a few neo-noirs though), and one musical.

SA is an English-language site, and most of its users are from the US, so I expected American cinema to come out on top, but its sheer dominance still surprised me. There's nothing from Africa or South America, only one entry from Asia, and even Europe is represented almost exclusively by the UK.

I would greatly appreciate hearing some of your thoughts on why this is the case. Is it simply a preference for English-language cinema? A lack of exposure to international film? Or is it because picking favourites tends to occur at a younger age where your knowledge is mostly shaped by what's on TV and in theatres? Do you think the selection would look noticeably different if achtungnight had asked for the top ten instead of only a single film?

The release years are bit more diverse, though there is a clear preference for films from the late 70s to late 90s. Which makes sense when you consider the average age around here. It was also a great time for horror and comedy, potentially explaining the dominance of these genres.

Egbert Souse
Nov 6, 2008

I think some of it is that we're picking only one movie. If I were to post my top ten, I'd only have one American film, four French, three British, one Georgian/Russian, and one Canadian. Two silents (plus one with no dialogue), four in black and white, and the newest film being from 1980. I'd probably get into more recent ones with a top 20-25.

For that matter, I think my tastes are wide enough that I'd have to post a top 100 to really be fair. Anything less I'm just cutting off films that I'd rank just as high as what's on my top 10, 25, or 50.

Egbert Souse fucked around with this message at 15:31 on Jul 22, 2018

Magic Hate Ball
May 6, 2007

ha ha ha!
you've already paid for this
It's about as hard to pick a favorite movie as it is to pick a favorite memory but I'd probably go with Fanny & Alexander. I can't think of another film that has as much of what I want from a movie in it - it crosses genres repeatedly, features a detailed investigation of lives in one of my favorite literary eras and places, has some of the greatest actors ever in some of their greatest roles, features an all-time movie villain, and is unbelievably sumptuous. All of its little narrative cul-de-sacs add to the overall tapestry while being diverting in and of themselves - I've seen it like five times, and every time the story about the blind man in the forest comes up I think, uh oh, can I sit through this again? But I'm immediately engrossed by it and everything else that goes on.

edit: yeah I always feel bad trying to narrow it down to even just ten, because there are so many movies that say such different things and are great for different reasons.

Magic Hate Ball fucked around with this message at 15:45 on Jul 22, 2018

got any sevens
Feb 9, 2013

by Cyrano4747
It's mostly lack of exposure. Even if you want to seek out south american cinema, for example, there's simply less available, for many reasons, and what is available is usually less well kept too. And we had ~20 years of only american/brit cinema when we were kids and didnt have the internet.

Twin Cinema
Jun 1, 2006



Playoffs are no big deal,
don't have a crap attack.
I have had the same answer to this question since I was a child -- Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. As a film, it's perfect in every way. It features two of my favourite comedy actors who play their roles perfectly. It's a simple concept, and features a trope that is used often, but again, Martin & Candy elevate the material. John Candy is truly a one-of-a-kind comedic actor, mostly because he was able to balance being a wholesome, likeable person without ever sacrificing being funny. Steve Martin is a little darker, but tones down his typical over-the-top performance for something more subtle.

Besides the film, this film carries a lot of nostalgic feelings for me. Even though its a film about American Thanksgiving, our family used to watch it at Christmas. Other than Uncle Buck and Terminator 2, this is probably the film I have seen the most (and I have probably seen it more than the two aforementioned films).

The ending ALWAYS gets to me. I know its coming. I try to prepare myself. But it still gets me. That final shot of John in the doorway is an all-time favourite.

Did I mention that this film is incredibly funny?

bort
Mar 13, 2003

I love The Wild Bunch (1969). It's such a vividly shot movie, the colors and the scenery are unbelievably epic, taking you on a journey where you really have a sense of place. It starts with wonderful symbolism, the children toying with the scorpion, enjoying the torture as the fire starts to consume it and the ants attacking it. Although you inwardly recoil at their enjoyment of cruelty, by the end of the film, you are these children. You're left with a dilemma (should I have enjoyed that?), but wrung out with tension and extraordinary violence. The violence itself is so beautiful and horrifying at the same time.

The film builds tension so effectively, and the payoff scenes are jaw-dropping. This happens from the set piece at the very start. The opening robbery and the aftermath is completely over the top and mirrors the action the audience will see throughout the movie. The action scenes are effective and incredibly unsettling to this day. The breaks between the tense action scenes often have very raw humor: Freddie lambasting the Bunch for being duped at the beginning, the Bunch throwing the bottle of whiskey between them, or the bath scene in the whorehouse. These, and the panoramic scenery grant the audience brief respite before the tension ratchets up again. Few movies have the torsion between enjoyment of the action and horror at its aftermath that this film does.

The betrayal by Pike and pursuit by Deke is clearly set up from the outset, even though it deepens and gets more elaborate as the movie progresses. It's a compelling story, and a lot of it is left untold, but it permeates the film. Pike's Bunch would never be caught if not for Deke, but Deke doesn't have the resources to capture the Bunch. Both are ultimately doomed because of the other, and it's not clear who you want to root for. The actual villains in the film are both less and more formidable. Mapache is basically a child in uniform (saluted by a child during Villa's attack to emphasize this). His excesses, his cruelty, and his endless supply of weaponry and henchmen make him incredibly distasteful but formidable. It hurts to see the Bunch have to work with him. "The Railroad" and the Railroad Man -- almost completely not in the film, but also everywhere at once -- represent the encroachment of the modern world on the world of the Bunch. It's inexorable, unfeeling and evil. Sure, the Bunch can blow a railroad bridge and stop a train, but it will soon be rebuilt and operating despite their efforts. It hurts to see Deke in thrall to The Railroad Man.

The ultimate futility of the Bunch is palpable - the world has moved on without them. Although they are clearly the best and no fools, their antagonists are one undeserved step ahead. The enemies are incompetent, but the Bunch is so outnumbered that there is no way that their best schemes will save them. But their sense of honor to one another, the moral and ethical dilemmas they resolve in the only ways they can and the weight of leadership on Pike's shoulders are all so compelling. I care about the characters, and think about them when I'm not watching the movie. Even though I have seen it probably a dozen times, I still wonder whether the dynamite will blow the wagon in the canyon sky-high. I still don't want Pike and Dutch to make the "Let's go" decision they ultimately do.

I love all the Spaghetti Westerns a lot, but Peckinpah completely nailed this film. It's perfect.

china bot
Sep 7, 2014

you listen HERE pal
SAY GOODBYE TO TELEPHONE SEX
Plaster Town Cop

Samuel Clemens posted:

Since this thread has made it to page two, I figured it might interesting to look at some stats.

Overall, 31 unique films have been mentioned. One was picked by three people (Alien) and another by two (Heat).

Of these 31 films, ...

...28 are in colour, 3 in black-and-white.

...30 are in English, 1 is in Japanese.

...22 are from the US, 5 from the UK, 1 is from France, 1 from Ireland, 1 from Japan, and 1 from New Zealand.

...2 are from the 1940s, 2 from the 1960s, 6 from the 1970s, 7 from the 1980s, 10 from the 1990s, 3 from the 2000s, and 1 is from the 2010s.

The year 1999 has three entries (Magnolia, Bringing Out the Dead, and The Matrix), making it officially the greatest year in film history™.

The Coen Brothers are the only directors with two different films mentioned (Fargo and No Country for Old Men).

Genre classifications are a bit more difficult, but there's definitely a preference towards war films, horror, and comedy. Relatively few straight dramas, no westerns or film noir (a few neo-noirs though), and one musical.

SA is an English-language site, and most of its users are from the US, so I expected American cinema to come out on top, but its sheer dominance still surprised me. There's nothing from Africa or South America, only one entry from Asia, and even Europe is represented almost exclusively by the UK.

I would greatly appreciate hearing some of your thoughts on why this is the case. Is it simply a preference for English-language cinema? A lack of exposure to international film? Or is it because picking favourites tends to occur at a younger age where your knowledge is mostly shaped by what's on TV and in theatres? Do you think the selection would look noticeably different if achtungnight had asked for the top ten instead of only a single film?

The release years are bit more diverse, though there is a clear preference for films from the late 70s to late 90s. Which makes sense when you consider the average age around here. It was also a great time for horror and comedy, potentially explaining the dominance of these genres.

of the top 50 films in Sight and Sound's critics poll from 2012, only one could be argued to be an African film (The Battle of Algiers) and there were no films from South America at all. did you expect goons to have better tastes?

http://www.bfi.org.uk/news/50-greatest-films-all-time

china bot fucked around with this message at 20:31 on Jul 22, 2018

Egbert Souse
Nov 6, 2008

china bot posted:

of the top 50 films in Sight and Sound's critics poll from 2012, only one could be argued to be an African film (The Battle of Algiers) and there were no films from South America at all. do you really expect goons to have better tastes?

http://www.bfi.org.uk/news/50-greatest-films-all-time

South America and Africa have been overlooked since forever. Japan only got on the map thanks to Kurosawa - consider that Rashomon was one of the first Japanese films given a wide release in the US (albeit dubbed into English). Most Chinese cinema people have seen are Hong Kong kung-fu movies.

European films were accepted immediately for obvious reasons. I've only seen a few African films and really only one South American film. Plenty of Mexican. One Cuban.

One big problem with non-English films is the attention needed. I'll admit that I tend to watch many English-language films while doing other work. With silents and non-English, I have to give them my full attention. Even when dubs are an option, I prefer original languages whenever possible.

The first time I saw Mon oncle, I was "unimpressed" because I was working on homework while watching it. As if one can appreciate a Tati film without paying attention.

Wheat Loaf
Feb 13, 2012

by FactsAreUseless
I suppose my honourable mentions or runners-up are fairly generic choices: Sleuth; The Godfather (and Part II); Pulp Fiction; The Usual Suspects; Casino; that kind of thing. To me they're the kind of movies that were favourites with everyone who's trying to show off that they're a sophisticated cinephile even though they're all incredibly mainstream movies. I don't know, that's the kind of thing I like.

china bot
Sep 7, 2014

you listen HERE pal
SAY GOODBYE TO TELEPHONE SEX
Plaster Town Cop
just want to emphasize that I don't think English language films are better, just that goons are more likely to be watching mainstream films, and Africa & South America's film industries have yet to break into the mainstream (a bad thing). if you had this thread on CriterionForum.org, you'd possibly see Touki Bouki or No or something along those lines

Samuel Clemens
Oct 4, 2013

I think we should call the Avengers.

china bot posted:

did you expect goons to have better tastes?

I don't know about better, but given that none of the S&S top 50 films showed up in this thread, our tastes certainly seem different. :v:

Though that might again come down to exposure. How many people ITT even had an opportunity to see Histoire(s) du Cinema?

MonsieurChoc
Oct 12, 2013

Every species can smell its own extinction.
I keep trying of a post to maike but I just lvoe too many movies to choose one. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly? Kagemusha? Blade Runner? Les Disparus de St-Agil? Le Roi et l'Oiseau?

poo poo, I'm gonna go with Le Roi et l'Oiseau. Not because it's my favorite movie of all time, but because I love the poo poo out of it and it's not well known enough. It's a french animated movie by Paul Grimault, with dialogues by world-renowned surrealist poet Jacques Prévert. The first version of the movie, La Bergère et le Ramoneur, directly inspired Studio Ghibli. Grimault wasn't happy with that version and eventually finished the movie decades later. It's imagery is great, the soundtrack is wonderful, and the dialogue is funny and touching.

I grew up with that movie, in a way. My father taped it when it was on Ciné-Cadeau, a showcase of movies on Radio-Québec (provincial tv network) back in the days. And I'd watch it every Christmas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elmI3vCCQQc

It's one of those films you have to see at least once if you love animation.

bort
Mar 13, 2003

This argument seems to be about “what's the best movie?” or “what’s a movie most worthy of regard?” This thread is about favorite movies. I don't think that The Wild Bunch is the best movie ever made. I just love it the most.

Also, this isn’t a fair fight, anyway. The amount of work in English and French is going to always dwarf other countries. They’re going to be more obscure and hence a majority American Internet forum is going to be mostly concerned with them, even if there’s a really great movie out of Tunisia or something.

Spatulater bro!
Aug 19, 2003

Punch! Punch! Punch!

bort posted:

I don't think that The Wild Bunch is the best movie ever made. I just love it the most.

These are the same thing.

bort
Mar 13, 2003

Spatulater bro! posted:

These are the same thing.

Not really. I think other movies had larger impact, have more innovative filmmakers, and I know that my film education is less than complete. I think other movies are more important works of art, I just don’t enjoy them to the same degree.

I would rather watch The Wild Bunch than The 400 Blows. I like it better. But The 400 Blows has had enormous impact on cinema and is widely renowned by people with more studied film backgrounds than I have. The 400 Blows is the better movie.

Is Airplane! funnier than The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie? Yep. Is it a more important comedy? No.

Spatulater bro!
Aug 19, 2003

Punch! Punch! Punch!

bort posted:

Not really. I think other movies had larger impact, have more innovative filmmakers, and I know that my film education is less than complete. I think other movies are more important works of art, I just don’t enjoy them to the same degree.

I would rather watch The Wild Bunch than The 400 Blows. I like it better. But The 400 Blows has had enormous impact on cinema and is widely renowned by people with more studied film backgrounds than I have. The 400 Blows is the better movie.

If you like it better, than it's better. Every single term we use to describe art like "best", "greatest" and "favorite" are all subjective. Even terms like "important" and "innovative" depend on a specific (and yes subjective) set of standards to base ones opinion on. And many people erroneously think consensus equals objectivity. If you didn't enjoy Citizen Kane, for example, it's not the best movie to you.

bort
Mar 13, 2003

Spatulater bro! posted:

If you like it better, than it's better. Every single term we use to describe art like "best", "greatest" and "favorite" are all subjective. Even terms like "important" and "innovative" depend on a specific (and yes subjective) set of standards to base ones opinion on. And many people erroneously think consensus equals objectivity. If you didn't enjoy Citizen Kane, for example, it's not the best movie to you.

I think you’re confusing subjectivity with critical thinking about art. One is how things make you feel, and the other is a more detached study in a larger context.

This isn't “post Vertigo itt” it's “tell us why you love that movie that hits your groove the best.”

Spatulater bro!
Aug 19, 2003

Punch! Punch! Punch!

bort posted:

I think you’re confusing subjectivity with critical thinking about art. One is how things make you feel, and the other is a more detached study in a larger context.

This isn't “post Vertigo itt” it's “tell us why you love that movie that hits your groove the best.”

Critical study may provide someone with an appreciation of a piece of art, and that appreciation may (or may not) contribute to his general opinion of the art. But regardless of the basis for the opinion, it's still a purely subjective thing. The sentiment of "it's a great movie but I disliked it" is just asinine.

bort
Mar 13, 2003

Then I guess it's Vertigo. Sorry about what I posted above :sigh:

Spatulater bro!
Aug 19, 2003

Punch! Punch! Punch!

bort posted:

Then I guess it's Vertigo. Sorry about what I posted above :sigh:

No, Vertigo isn't my favorite movie just because a lot of people praise it for various reasons.

Spatulater bro!
Aug 19, 2003

Punch! Punch! Punch!

Dead Alive is a better movie than Vertigo.

bort
Mar 13, 2003

English language films are unequivocally better!

Spatulater bro!
Aug 19, 2003

Punch! Punch! Punch!

Hey if that's someone's opinion, that's their opinion. No one said opinions couldn't be stupid :)

Egbert Souse
Nov 6, 2008

MonsieurChoc posted:

I keep trying of a post to maike but I just lvoe too many movies to choose one. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly? Kagemusha? Blade Runner? Les Disparus de St-Agil? Le Roi et l'Oiseau?

poo poo, I'm gonna go with Le Roi et l'Oiseau. Not because it's my favorite movie of all time, but because I love the poo poo out of it and it's not well known enough. It's a french animated movie by Paul Grimault, with dialogues by world-renowned surrealist poet Jacques Prévert. The first version of the movie, La Bergère et le Ramoneur, directly inspired Studio Ghibli. Grimault wasn't happy with that version and eventually finished the movie decades later. It's imagery is great, the soundtrack is wonderful, and the dialogue is funny and touching.

I grew up with that movie, in a way. My father taped it when it was on Ciné-Cadeau, a showcase of movies on Radio-Québec (provincial tv network) back in the days. And I'd watch it every Christmas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elmI3vCCQQc

It's one of those films you have to see at least once if you love animation.

It’s a gorgeous film! Even the unfinished UK version is great, with voices by Peter Ustinov, Demholm Elliot, and Clare Bloom.

MonsieurChoc
Oct 12, 2013

Every species can smell its own extinction.

Egbert Souse posted:

It’s a gorgeous film! Even the unfinished UK version is great, with voices by Peter Ustinov, Demholm Elliot, and Clare Bloom.

I should watch that one too one day.

Also that soundtrack and soud design.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wZCZFYzaGU

(RLM are right, there should be an Oscar for sound design)

precision
May 7, 2006

by VideoGames
Probably half of my top 10 would be Japanese films, I think.

Franchescanado
Feb 23, 2013

If it wasn't for disappointment
I wouldn't have any appointment

Grimey Drawer

precision posted:

Probably half of my top 10 would be Japanese films, I think.

Well let's hear 'em.

Taintrunner
Apr 10, 2017

by Jeffrey of YOSPOS


Gonna have to be the millennial dorklord for a moment and argue for a more radical/modern pick and say Inception.



At it's core it's about a man getting over the loss of his wife, that he shares some fault in. To a degree that it affects his work to a near catastrophic level. Not only does the film look crisp in a way that I don't feel any other movie comes close to, aesthetically, there's so many shots that feel like you could have lazily done in CGI, they went out and built a physical loving set. Just looking at the monstrosity of a rotating hotel hallway from the outside compared to it's interior, it's frankly an impressive feat, in that it makes the dorklord from Third Rock of the Sun a convincing action hero. Again, the whole cast looks so loving crisp in a way that's hard to describe, and so many films since then have refused to come close to. The soundtrack does its THWOOOMMMM that is infamous now, but it has a rhythm and an emotional core that feels genuine.



Also the whole concept of dreams, and the idea of breaking into loving dreams, in order to rob information, in some greater modern international corporate struggle. Say what you will about Nolan, but Inception is such a sharp loving film that feels so untouched since then, it's basically a high concept action blockbuster that feels so original I could watch it every day and never grow tired of it. As someone who has worked abroad in corporate espionage, gotten wrapped up in that sort of trouble, obviously to never a degree this exciting, after a relationship that went really bad, like gently caress, I feel so connected to this movie. It's gotten me through so much. The rules that Inception sets up are so interesting and exciting that I'm sad the Inception game never took off or there was nothing else in this universe, although at the same time I'm glad I could never get sick of this movie and the universe it set up, like the Matrix has.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBRftVH2pCs

Also are you loving kidding me? This movie is loving beautiful. It's a goddamn treat to the eyes.

Chili
Jan 23, 2004

college kids ain't shit


Fun Shoe
I was excited to see this thread because hell, who doesn’t like to rant about movies they love? But then, it started to dawn on me that my answer to this question has evolved. If you asked me this question ten years ago, my answer would’ve been The Great Escape. Five years ago? The Producers (the old and only one worth seeing).

But now? It’s 100% the Coen brother’s, A Serious Man.



If you’ve seen the movie, you’ll understand why, as the brothers were creating it over the years they referred to it as “the jewish movie”. As someone who was raised in the faith, and fell out of it hard, the film chronicles my feelings about Judaism and captures its beauty, complexity, and significant flaws in an utterly perfect fashion.

We follow Larry Gopnick, masterfully played by Michael Stuhlbarg (an actor, by the way, who has seriously not gotten his due yet) on his quest for meaning, understanding, and truth. All at once, he’s given answers to his questions, but finds none and continues on perhaps the most frustrating path in cinematic history. The film had so much to tell me that when I first saw it. I was, myself, transitioning out of the faith and just had no loving idea what to do with the film. It sat in mind, and I watched it nearly every month, out of sheer curiosity, not really knowing why.

It’s only been recently, as I reflect back on the film with a more empathic viewpoint on the world at large, that I see the film for what it was to me. I struggled with the film then for the same reason that I love it now: When I watched it, I felt naked.

Never before have I seen a film wear my very own heart on its sleeve, but watching A Serious Man for me is a celebration of who I am now, and who I’ve been in the past. It’s a film that stirs me, makes me feel alive, and rips me to pieces while culling laughter out of the deepest pit of my stomach.

I mentioned my other potential picks for this post and it kind of made me realize that both had to do with my faith as well. The Great Escape was a fun ride through WWII, which, due to overexposure of the holocaust in grade school, was quite literally a great escape for me. And then there was The Producers which taught me the value of humor in adversity.

But, A Serious Man is all of those things and more. It also boasts an outstanding ensemble cast, engaging side stories (the goy’s teeth may be my favorite 5 minutes of cinema) and the typical snappy editing of the brothers, and beautiful cinematic composition courtesy of the Deak.

Additionally, as someone who has become keen on writing their own stories, this film has inspired my own sensibility in story-telling. The sheer ambition and gall of the film, and what it sets out to say is staggering and it only accomplishes that by allowing the audience to see whatever they themselves need to see in it. I realize that that's somewhat of a vague/possibly pretentious read of the film, but gently caress it, that's how I feel. Just go watch the drat thing.

It’s gotten to the point now for me that if you’re an important person in my life, and you want to talk about anything that you identify as “heavy”, I almost insist that you go watch this movie, as it’s essentially a piece of cinematic shorthand for how I see the world.

precision
May 7, 2006

by VideoGames

Franchescanado posted:

Well let's hear 'em.

At a minimum, I'd say Cure, Noriko's Dinner Table, Audition, and Dreams would be in the top 10.

Wilhelm Scream
Apr 1, 2008

Spatulater bro! posted:

Dead Alive is a better movie than Vertigo.

And every other movie ever made!

Acht
Aug 13, 2012

WORLD'S BEST
E-DAD
The Big Lebowski
Political, satirical, hilarious, noire, bowling; it has it all and combines it flawlessly.
From incredible characters with great performances (Jesus, Walter, Brandt, the list goes on), to multiple readings, to simply being an hilarious comedy; it never grows old. I can watch the movie and enjoy the clash of decades (Walter, Donny, The Dude, the Nihilists), or I can simply watch Walter, through his nature, propell the story and the passive Dude forward; every review or reading I find, there is something new to discover. Even after all these years.

While there are many movies I hold in high regard, none has had such an impact on my love for movies as the Big Lebowski did.

That Dang Dad
Apr 23, 2003

Well I am
over-fucking-whelmed...
Young Orc

Chili posted:



But now? It’s 100% the Coen brother’s, A Serious Man.


This is a really strong contender for me but

Fart City posted:

Fargo

It’s the rare film that continues to reward in on repeat viewings, earning its highly regarded reputation multiple times over by revealing its levels in gradient.

has been my answer since I first saw it.

I think what's most important for Fargo for me is that I saw it when it first came to VHS when I was probably 13 or 14, I saw again when I was late teens, then early 20s, then late 20s, then again when I moved to Minnesota in my early 30s. No matter when I watch it, I get something out of it. Something speaks to me at like every life stage. The performances and the cinematography are luscious and beautiful, but to be honest, a LOT of movies have beautiful shots and great acting. For some reason Fargo's total package goes beyond craft and talent for me and gets into a story that just always has something important to say to me, whether it's about greed or sunk cost fallacies or the banality of evil or the banality of good or just what it means to live a happy life.

Kinda want to take the afternoon off work and go watch it again to see what it has to say to 35 year old me now.

That Dang Dad fucked around with this message at 18:31 on Jul 23, 2018

Franchescanado
Feb 23, 2013

If it wasn't for disappointment
I wouldn't have any appointment

Grimey Drawer
Fargo is a perfect script.

Edward Mass
Sep 14, 2011

𝅘𝅥𝅮 I wanna go home with the armadillo
Good country music from Amarillo and Abilene
Friendliest people and the prettiest women you've ever seen
𝅘𝅥𝅮
Fargo is BETTER in many factors than Back to the Future, but I like BTTF more for purely selfish reasons.

Basebf555
Feb 29, 2008

The greatest sensual pleasure there is is to know the desires of another!

Fun Shoe

Franchescanado posted:

Fargo is a perfect script.

It's probably the only time I'd say that an A++ Coens script was paired with an all-time great transcendent performance, which I think is why it's often regarded as THE quintessential Coens film.

Some of the other great performances in Coen Bros films are for scripts that I'd consider at least slightly flawed, but of course still excellent because it's the Coens we're talking about. Like The Big Lebowski and No Country for Old Men, they're endlessly rewatchable for the amazing performances but I think the scripts are a bit lacking in places. Then you have their debut, Blood Simple, which I think is basically a perfect script but there's no lead performance that really jumps out at you like Marge Gunderson or The Dude.

Philthy
Jan 28, 2003

Pillbug
Alien

I was nearly 5 years old, it was over 100 degrees out, and we didn't have AC. My mother decided we should see a movie in a nice cool theater for a few hours. Alien it was. I remember turning around in my chair and screaming into the cushioning as the blip of Dallas and the blip of the alien got closer and closer until his death. I had nightmares for weeks. It became my favorite movie at that moment as well, and also begin my love for scifi and horror. To this day the cinematography holds up. It looks so beautiful. The lighting, the coloring, the detail of everything is so close to perfect. The acting is fantastic. I've got signed autographs of everyone boxed away somewhere. I made my mom take me to see Aliens when it came to the theater, and even though she didn't really care to see it, she did. And I loved it, but it would still be #2.

I also cried during Star Wars in the theater when the floating ball with the syringe came on screen when Vader interrogates Leia.

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LadyPictureShow
Nov 18, 2005

Success!



The Thing

To me, it just has everything that amazes me in a horror movie, and the cast just blows me away, since aside from Kurt Russell, they’re all character actors.

The tenseness, The growing paranoia, the panic that starts to set in as the crew starts realizing how bad the situation really is, the first time I saw it I was goddamn riveted.

I’ll spoiler it, just in case, but toward the ending when the survivors realize the thing wants to freeze and go into hibernation, they settle on scorched earth; that they’ll stop it even at the cost of their own lives. That fatalistic decision just hit me, since most movies like that, the heroes at least have some sliver of hope.

And the ending doesn’t ease any of that unease and paranoia. In fact, if anything, it makes it worse. If it isn’t dead, there’s nothing they can do. If it is? They’re still dead.

I already mentioned the cast being stacked with character actors but to me that’s a huge plus because when there’s group argument scenes, it feels realistic. Some characters turn on one another through the story, others are constantly accused/scrutinized by others, there’s just enough points where you can’t really rule out anybody. And the points where everybody is so high strung that they just don’t care to try the benefit of the doubt is just nuts.

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