I dig talking film with you guys. People have a lot to say about it.
So, I thought Saturday & Sunday I'd post a movie related question. For today...
Top 3 favorite films. Gives us all a base of what we dig, so it puts our opinions into context.
For your boy, it goes a little something like this:
1 - Boogie Nights: It's an absolutely perfect film. Literally almost every scene is classic. A film that works like Goodfellas in that even after 2 & a half hours, I want more.
2 - Scream: My absolute favorite horror film. Contains the greatest opening in film history. Great killer, great story, great twist.
3 - The Expendables: Director's Cut: I'm the action movie guy, so trust me when I say this is the greatest action film ever. Stallone's true vision of what this film should be is incredible. There's more depth to each character, and the film is less of a "party" than the theatrical cut. Fantastic, beautiful film.
How say you?
So, I thought Saturday & Sunday I'd post a movie related question. For today...
Top 3 favorite films. Gives us all a base of what we dig, so it puts our opinions into context.
For your boy, it goes a little something like this:
1 - Boogie Nights: It's an absolutely perfect film. Literally almost every scene is classic. A film that works like Goodfellas in that even after 2 & a half hours, I want more.
2 - Scream: My absolute favorite horror film. Contains the greatest opening in film history. Great killer, great story, great twist.
3 - The Expendables: Director's Cut: I'm the action movie guy, so trust me when I say this is the greatest action film ever. Stallone's true vision of what this film should be is incredible. There's more depth to each character, and the film is less of a "party" than the theatrical cut. Fantastic, beautiful film.
How say you?
The Expendables is a 'beautiful' film? That is never a word I would've associate with it.
ReplyDelete1. Groundhog Day
ReplyDelete2. Shawshank Redemption
3. The Matrix
Don't know what that says about me.. LOL
I struggle to contain it to three, but the ones that jump to mind are:
ReplyDeleteSlither: Jam zombie, bodysnatcher, zombie and just flat-out horror genres into a blender and hit "Troma"
300: I never tire of watching this one. Such a feast for the senses.
Naked Gun 2 1/2: I've never seen 1 or 33 1/3, but this is still one of the funniest movies ever. I'd kill for a warehouse full of Leslie Nielson clones.
1. American Beauty. Just the raw honesty of it. Every time I watch it I just say wow.
ReplyDelete2. Major League. My favorite sports movie and comedy ever. Movie is so good I don't mind that the Yankees lose.
3. This is such a toss up between The Shawshank Redemption and Goodfellas. "Shine my shoes. I want the looking like mirrors" vs "Now go get your FUCKING shine box" if you will. I will go with Shawshank by a hair and does anyone else wish the Stephen King would write a prequel about Red?
2 1/2 is great, but Naked Gun 1 is awesome. Do yourself a favor and either watch that or the TV series it was adapted from.
ReplyDelete1. Goldfinger - Great lead actor, great villain, eminently quotable and fun as hell
ReplyDelete2. Monty Python and the Holy Grail - I'm sure if you got me and three friends together we could probably recite the whole thing
3. Hot Fuzz - Funniest film this century that doesn't rely on real-life ballshots or xenophobia.
Everyone keeps saying that, and I will someday.
ReplyDeleteWait, maybe "Pulp Fiction" should be in there. Or "The Wrath of Khan!"
ReplyDelete#3? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA.....wait what?
ReplyDeleteStallone's direction is awful. His shooting of the action sequences nearly kills the movie. As does Mickey Rourke scenes of rambling.
A fantastic beautiful film? What was beautiful about Stallone's saggy steroid body?
Again, during the fight scenes, it's often impossible to tell what's going on as he moves the camera way too much. That's why I liked that Simon West was brought in for the sequel, since he knows how to direct these type of movies.
I ranked Expendables 129th out of 322 films for 2010.
In (newest) order:
ReplyDelete1. Pulp Fiction: My undisputed choice. Probably the first movie I saw after I started college that made me just say "...whoa." Crazy script, great acting/casting choices, over-the-top hilarity, and Jules Winfield. I've seen it probably 20 times now, and I hope I never get tired of it, no matter how cited and cliche it's become.
2. The Big Lebowski: My #2 for well over 10 years, but I think time's been kinder to this one. Even the lead actors cite it as their personal favorites. Awesome story that more-or-less goes nowhere, sure, but the characters are amazing, and the quotes might as well be modern day legend.
3. Fight Club: Formerly #2, but mostly because this is one of those flicks that kinda bridged the gap for me. I saw it for the first time not long before I started college, and I was hooked. The bravado, the intensity, the quips, the rhetoric... this movie is too good. Some may feel it's overrated, but even though I haven't wanted to watch it again for a while, it still gets my high marks. Just so great.
Honorable mentions (may make top 3 some day): Clerks, Swingers, Snatch, American Beauty.
In Caliber's defense, he did call this "Your 3 favorite films," not "3 greatest films of all time."
ReplyDeleteHe also called it a "fantastic, beautiful film."
ReplyDeleteIf he had said he loved for nostalgia, or it was cool seeing Stallone and others kick ass again, that's one thing and I can accept that.
Though I did find all The Expendables hype to be embarrassing. OMG THIS FILM PUTS HAIR ON YOUR CHEST shut up. The movie was still cool, but it ended up being kind of a letdown when I realised how Sly had no idea how to direct this type of movie.
First blood 1 and 2-Great action,Sly's best character.
ReplyDeleteThe crow-It's sad everyone remenbers being the film that lee died,Alex Proyas is really underrated as a a director,funny thing is that the first i watched it I hated it.
Die hard-Best christmas film of all time,best villain,best of willis and mctiernan,enough said.
I know he (allegedly) killed two people and all but OJ was fucking hilarious in the Naked Gun.
ReplyDelete1. The Shawshank Redemption. Pretty much the perfect film.
ReplyDelete2. The Truman Show. Lyrical, haunting, and eerily prescient.
3. Dogma. Hard-pressed to find a funnier Hollywood comedy with something as meaningful to say.
Dogma,the days where smith was good.
ReplyDeleteHaha yeah maybe "fantastic" and "beautiful" were overkill, but I'll leave that to others since I've never actually seen it.
ReplyDeleteIt's really for 80's action fans(like me).
ReplyDelete"I want him found now. Not after breakfast, not after CSI, Now"
ReplyDeleteI get that, and that's fine. But look at the hyperbole above. Or how it's the "directors' cut" that's the one. Come on.
ReplyDelete1 - Apocalypse Now - Mind-blowing stuff, the final hour at the Kurtz compound is just beyond creepy. I totally get that some people find it slow, but I love it. I personally prefer the original version to the Redux, I think it flows better.
ReplyDelete2 - The Godfather - Has any director had a better 8 year run than Coppola from 72-80? Godfather I + II, Apocalypse Now, and the forgotten but totally underrated The Conversation in between. I flip-flop on if I like II better than I, but today it's the original that wins out.
3 - The Big Lebowski - my favorite comedy by far, as mentioned below, just great characters all around.
In no particular order: The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, and Apocalypse Now Redux. I hate to give all three spots to Coppola, as I dearly love so much Kubrick, Hitchcock, Scorsese, etc., but these are the three I return to most often. Raging Bull almost snuck in there over Part II. Then again, there are times I prefer Part II to I--ahhhh, I'll just stop now.
ReplyDeleteI prefer Redux, if only because of the beautiful French plantation scene. Having seen it, I can't now un-see it and imagine the movie without it. And it was never what you'd call a tightly-paced movie, so I don't think the extra scenes hurt the pacing. If anything, it expands on that feeling of sinking even deeper into this dream/nightmare.
ReplyDeleteYou & me share similar tastes, those are amongst my favorites.
ReplyDelete1. Raiders of the Lost Ark-Great action scenes and Harrison Ford kicking all sorts of ass.
ReplyDelete2. Die Hard- I remember thinking the guy from Moonlighting was doing an action film and laughing. This film totally changed action films.Alan Rickman should have got an Oscar nom for his turn as Hans Gruber.
3. Hoosiers- My favorite sports film of all time with an awesome performance from Gene Hackman. Hoosiers edges out Seven and Heat to take the number three spot.
My favorite films are based on rewatchability. I can always find something new to like about them or something I never saw before.
ReplyDelete1) Usual Suspects
2) Goodfellas
3) Tie between Glory & Stand and Deliver. I have shown these so many times in my history classroom. Every year it's the same story. I show them at the end of the year during testing time (Stand and Deliver works as a testing movie) or right after the Civil War. The students are always skeptical at first. However, after 15 minutes the students get into it and by the end, the students have told me that they enjoyed it (and I can tell based on them paying attention or not).
Transformers Part 1
ReplyDeleteTransformers Part 2
Transformers Part 3
I feel like we should be able to put godfather 1 and 2 together as the same movie if someone makes you pick a top 3. Its only fair
ReplyDeleteUp vote for the conversation. great movie forgotten by time
ReplyDeleteI'll say my top 3 are some sort of the following:
ReplyDeleteLayer Cake: Movie that made Daniel Craig into James Bond. Great cast, great soundtrack, everything is really well done. Vaughn really took the Lock, Stock/Snatch genre and raised it to another level.
Predator: Arnold at his absolute zenith. Goes from action war movie to sci/fi hunt with a villain never before seen. Takes a backseat to Die Hard in the action movie annals, but it's my favorite Arnold movie.
Shawshank: There are so many movies that can fall into this spot: Midnight Run, Big Trouble in Little China, Braveheart, The Dark Knight, The Fugitive, Goodfellas, etc. Shawshank gets the spot for now, until I change my mind again.
Oh, Die Hard is a good choice. That's pretty much a perfect movie.
ReplyDelete1. Raiders of the Lost Ark
ReplyDelete2. The Good The Bad and The Ugly
3. The Godfather.
My favorite movies of all time.
I second this. That, or expand the field to top 5.
ReplyDeletePart one ALMOST had something. Part two is one of the only movies I had to turn off half way through watching. I was done after that.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite movie ever is Scarface. Not a masterpiece by any means goddamn it that movie entertains the shit out of me. I can watch normally, I can goof on it, I can quote lines with my buddies, I can change around lines to suit what I'm doing as a goof, you can get fucked up and watch it, you can fall asleep to it, and it has the best montages ever. I just love that movie despite all its silly flaws (Incredibly savvy drug dealers not noticing the 12 on the clock was missing???)
ReplyDeleteSecond is probably Goodfellas, what more can I really say about that great movie (although I wish I could just put every Scorsese movie in it because Raging Bull, Casino, and the rest of em are right there with it)
I'm cheating and saying godfather 1 and 2 are one movie and making it my third choice
1) Goodfellas. For a 150-minute movie, no scene is wasted and features something fascinating or awesome. I could watch this multiple times in a row.
ReplyDelete2) Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Right there with "Oz" as the best family film ever, but Gene Wilder's iconic, hilarious deadpan performance is one for the ages, as is the film's sly humor and endless inventiveness. If only there was a way to scrub that dreadfully boring "Cheer Up Charlie" song that breaks the film's momentum for a few minutes; THAT LAUNDRY ISN'T GOING TO DO ITSELF, MRS. BUCKET!
3) Raiders of the Lost Ark. If adventure has a name, it's Indiana Jones.
They suck so bad. I walked out on the third one, never saw the first one, and saw the 2nd one too many times back when it was always on HBO. Embarrassingly bad
ReplyDeleteI can't pick between one or the other, but I would watch them back to back like it was the same film anytime, anywhere!
ReplyDeleteHave you ever seen the Godfather Saga cut they'll sometimes play on TV around the holidays? It's all in chronological order as one long movie, with a few deleted scenes thrown in.
ReplyDeleteI think this acknowledgement alone warrants them both counting as one entry.
Nordberg was the greatest
ReplyDeleteTruman Show's amazing. The movie's a masterpiece in its own right, but the fact the subject matter is eerily prophetic of the years that have followed just cements it as something even more special.
ReplyDeleteIts not a favorite of mine but its crazy how much the Truman Show predicted the future.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you in that the sequel is far superior, mainly because you can see what's going on in the action (not to mention better pacing and more humor).
ReplyDeleteRule one of opinion based lists: Bitch about someones opinion.
ReplyDeleteWe'd each have fifty movies, minimum, and a giant wall of text if we had to fit all of our favorites. Choosing three feels like choosing children.
ReplyDeleteNo order.
ReplyDeleteGroundhog Day, Cool Hand Luke, Boyz in the Hood.
This was extremely hard because there's sooooo many movies I like and could watch at any time. I've never been real good at narrowing down my favorites of any medium (movies, TV, music, etc.)
ReplyDelete1. Lord of the Rings trilogy -- I just love everything about it; the acting, the cinematography, all the little details put into the costumes and the sets, and just knowing what a massive undertaking it was.
2. Point Break -- Swayze and Keanu in their primes? Bank robberies, surfing, and skydiving? Anthony Keidis with dreads?? Probably seen this movie 300 times. It's just fun!
3. Toy Story 2 -- My 4-year old went through a stretch where he watched this everyday for like 3 weeks straight and it never got old. I mean, I knew it was a great movie but the fact I could have it on TV for weeks on end and never tire of it made me realize how much I like it.
1. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Kind of a bummer ending, but the insanity in that setting lead to some very comedic and heartwarming moments. Chief busting the window with the water fountain and running away was an awesome moment.
ReplyDelete2. The Empire Strikes Back - Do I need to go into this?
3. I can't decide between Commando or The Running Man. I wanted to include a sentimental favorite, but I couldn't decide which one I liked more. Both typical 80's Schwarzenegger, both filled with so many one-liners, and both filled with over-the-top silly action.
He really killed every scene he was in, didn't he?
ReplyDeleteHow did you rank 322 films??
ReplyDeleteAgree with everything you said about Wonka.
ReplyDeleteI just wished Cuckoo hadn't stolen that window gag from the Simpsons. Kinda ruined the movie for me.
ReplyDeleteRunning Man.
ReplyDelete"Now, Regular Zero!"
Every 20 films I saw in 2010, I would update my rankings.
ReplyDeleteYea, Expendables 1 takes itself way too seriously. I love that Expendables 2 is completely in on the joke and just wants to have fun.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad someone else really liked The Adjustment Bureau.
ReplyDeleteI didn't care for Conan O'Brien Can't Stop. I thought it was funny, but as a documentary I didn't get any insight or really learn anything about Conan. Great, he needs to be performing and losing The Tonight Show sucked. I'm sure.
I can't imagine watching 322 films in a year.
ReplyDeleteI've done 397. It's fun.
ReplyDelete1) Usual Suspects - just fucking awesome all the way around
ReplyDelete2) Training Day - Hawke and Denzel are gold in this
3) Remember the Titans - just solid sports flick
The Simpsons have done so many great things with Cuckoo's nest.
ReplyDeleteCool Hand Luke and Fight Club for sure. Last spot is a little more fluid. Last movie I saw that might contend for a spot would be Drive.
ReplyDelete1. The Godfather: Quite possibly the perfect movie. The funny thing is, as much as I really, really liked Part II, I've never loved it as much as the original. And now, thanks to The Dark Knight, I can't even call it the best sequel ever anymore.
ReplyDelete2. Goodfellas: Another movie I could watch every day of my life and never tire of it. What more needs to be said?
3. The Dark Knight: Normally, I'd hesitate to put a recent film this high up, because hype and media saturation can sometimes cloud one's judgment about how good a film really is. But years after all the hoopla surrounding Ledger's death and the Oscar and the billion-dollar box office take, TDK not only holds up, it actually gets BETTER with age.
It should also be noted that these three movies are the only ones where I will literally stop whatever I happen to be doing at the moment in order to watch, even if I tune in halfway through the film. Any other films I list are either extremely well-made (even if not my cup of tea, like Kane) or hold some special sentimental value, but these are the showstoppers.
I found out last week you're not allowed to say a film is well-made if you don't also love it. Prepare for war!
ReplyDeleteWell, I doubt anyone here is as crazy as the guy in my film studies who literally asked me to step outside (presumably for a fight) because I voiced some criticism about "the greatest film ever made". I remember sitting there thinking, "I thought this kind of thing only happened on bad sitcoms..."
ReplyDelete1. Apocalypse Now: Redux
ReplyDelete2. The Godfather: Part II
3. Raging Bull
The first two slots are written in stone for me. #3 could be a number of Scorsese movies (Goodfellas, The Aviator, Taxi Driver on the shortlist), or even something lighter like Catch Me If You Can or The Terminal - but Raging Bull is really the only masterpiece I can think of on par with Coppola's best work.
metropolis,godzilla vs. gigan,empire strikes back
ReplyDelete1. The Blues Brothers
ReplyDelete2. Shaun of the Dead
3. Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Chasing Amy used to be on the list, but I find my taste for Kevin Smith to be diminishing in old age. I still like his work, but it doesn't hold up as well as I'd have liked. Honorable mentions go to installments of a series that I don't feel right putting on a "single movies" list (Empire, Back to the Future II) and Cannibal: the Musical (the first film I saw that made me think "wow, ANYone can do this!")
Cool Hand Luke would make my top ten. First time I saw that movie I was quoting it for a month, nobody I knew had any idea what the fuck I was talking about.
ReplyDelete--Pulp Fiction. My all time favorite, and the movie that really turned me from a casual filmgoer to a voracious fan. Deep, artfully shot, and well acted, but also uproariously funny and great for quoting. I might be a little rusty in my old age but there was a time where I could quote every line from this entire near 3 hour movie, verbatim.
ReplyDelete--Dazed & Confused. One of the most fun movies ever made, and probably the most rewatchable. Every time I turn this on its like I'm at a party with an old group of friends. I first saw it in the summer before I entered high school, so I was about the same age as Mitch, and it was cool to grow along with the characters until now I'm in Wooderson territory.
--The Big Lebowski. But that's just, like, my opinion, man.
Honorable mentions to Superbad, Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas, A Scanner Darkly, O Brother Where Art Thou?, Taxi Driver, The Departed, Harsh Times, SLC Punk, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. And teenage me would be enraged if I didn't include Fight Club and Boondock Saints.
Big Trouble In Little China
ReplyDeleteTaxi Driver
Seven
I had a friend in high school who had this love of doing movie marathons at night. He'd be able to stay up, while the rest of us would fall asleep. At which point he'd start making a ton of noise to wake us up. Well, one of these times he fucking starts Apocalypse Now: REDUX at midnight. I mean, the original AN is already about 3 days long, with all the added footage it takes about a week to watch. At around 3am I remember thinking "Man, look at that river boat. I bet they have beds in that boat...and they get to sleep. How awesome"
ReplyDeleteI felt the opposite about The Dark Knight. I absolutely loved it when it first came out, but over time I find a good chunk of flaws. You could loose a good 45 minutes or so and be A-OK.
ReplyDeleteNo particular order:
ReplyDeleteThe Big Lebowski
Goodfellas
Shawshank Redemption
Well, do I know a certain e-book that's on amazon that's written by me that has your name all over it...
ReplyDeleteRemember when I promised to kill you last? I lied.
I make a distinction between my favorite films of all time and what I think are the greatest films of all time. My favorite list:
ReplyDelete1. Conan the Barbarian (original) - I watched this movie all the freakin' time when I was a kid, and I still watch it at least once a year. It's got swords, giant snakes, boobs, Arnold in his best role outside The Terminator, and one of the greatest film scores *ever*.
2. Halloween (original) - In my opinion, the perfect horror film.
3. The Blues Brothers (thank god I don't have to put original in parentheses here because I would DDT anyone who tried to remake this) - Such a fun movie. Great comedy, great action, and it gave me my love for the blues and soul music.
Greatest films:
1. The Godfather Parts I & II - I can't separate the two.
2. Ikiru - Akira Kurosawa is my favorite director, and this is my favorite film of his (although Seven Samurai and Ran are pretty much equal to it in my eyes as well). Roger Ebert once wrote that Ikiru is one of those rare films that could change one's life.
3. The Rules of the Game - Jean Renoir's comedic, yet scathing critique of the French bourgeois lifestyle was hated by critics when it premiered in 1939 and the French government banned it, leading Renoir to severely edit the film. And then during WWII, the complete cut was thought to be lost, but it was reassembled in the 1950s. Sight & Sound has The Rules of the Game listed at number 4 on their list of top 250 movies of all time, and it deserves to be there.
http://scrublife.wordpress.com/2013/07/13/the-man-movie-encyclopedia-point-break/
ReplyDeleteYou might dig that
Dogma is one of the most incredible scripts of all time. It's insanely creative, and a hell of a film. I love that movie. Fantastic cast.
ReplyDeleteBefore Sunrise
ReplyDeleteThe Godfather Part II
Annie Hall
I'm not sure what it says about me that none of these movies have happy endings...
I got two links for you
ReplyDelete12 Reasons Why Die Hard Is The Best Christmas Movie - http://scrublife.wordpress.com/2012/12/29/12-reasons-why-die-hard-is-the-best-christmas-film-ever/
Man Movie Encyclopedia - My book about action films. The original Die Hard & Rambo trilogies are featured. http://www.amazon.com/The-Man-Movie-Encyclopedia-ebook/dp/B0089NPI20/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344542024&sr=8-1&keywords=man+movie+encyclopedia
Jesus, this is a tough one. I'm gonna leave out the classic accepted great films, like Godfather 1-2, Superman 1-2, Casablanca and Citizen Kane (all of which I love), and stick with movies I can watch over and over without question. Not all-time classics, maybe, but I really enjoy them. In no particular order:
ReplyDeleteUsual Suspects - first time I saw this flick it blew my mind, and started my love of Kevin Spacey movies.
Princess Bride - I just saw that PB Halloween costumes are being released this year, I can't wait for a Fezzik suit. "I can't help being the biggest or the strongest! I don't even exercise!"
Clue - Just a really funny movie where everyone gels perfectly, and even if they make a new Clue movie, there's no way I'm ever watching it.
Say what you want about Kevin Smith's ability as a filmmaker, especially after 1999, but his first four movies were very enjoyable and just stupid fun.
ReplyDeleteHave you seen the Extended Cut? And yeah, it is a fantastic & beautiful film.
ReplyDeleteThe beginning montage is incredible. The fitting lyrics of Sully's song Sinner's Prayer is perfect. "I am a sinner, heaven's closed for what I've done". While we go over and see these weathered men who've spent their lives cleaning up others messes, doing what others won't, or can't It's an incredible scene, and so much better than the Georgia Satellite's one we got in the theatrical version. Then we have the monologue from Tool about the girl who committed suicide, and how if he'd saved her, he may have saved a piece of his soul. It's fantastic.
Like I said, the extended version is much different than the theatrical version. You haven't even seen the film I'm talking about. So how you even know what you're talking about is beyond me.
You need to see the extended director's cut. It has a ton of different footage that makes it a different film. It fleshes out the characters a lot more, adding so many more layers than what the theatrical version had.
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU! Predator is one of my favourite action movies as well. I
ReplyDeleteremember being eight years old and watching it on TV with my mom and
blown away by how suspenseful it was.
The line is Plain Zero. But a great movie all around. Richard F'n Dawson.
ReplyDeleteIf there's a greater scene than Conan calling a couple chicks sluts and then punching a camel out cold, I've never seen it.
ReplyDeleteAny version of you should be enraged for not including Fight Club.
ReplyDeleteYou didn't think I was rolling out of here naked did you?......the whites.
1. Rocky
ReplyDelete2. Lars and the Real Girl
3. Howl's Moving Castle/Princess Mononoke/Spirited Away
Honourable Mentions: The Warriors, Attack The Block, Ninja Scroll.
Why would I watch the Extended Cut when I didn't think the original movie was that great.
ReplyDeleteDoes the extended cut film the action sequences in a different fashion so you actually see what's going on instead of just quick cuts and camera shaking that makes everything incomprehensible?
If it does not, than I do know what I'm talking about.
Red State is fantastic
ReplyDeleteThem's fighting words.
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, while I would have agreed that Batman Begins and TDKR could use some fat trimming/re-editing (most of the last act in the case of TDKR), I've never felt that way about TDK. At no point did I think, "well, that was gratuitous" or "what was the point of THAT"? Nor were there any unnecessary swerves or "I guessed your secret identity from a meaningful glance years ago" moments.
To each his own, though.
What was so loose about The Dark Knight?
ReplyDeleteWow.
You've never even seen the film, yet you try and tell me about it. You are very smart.
ReplyDeleteI have seen The Expendables. I posted my complaints about it.
ReplyDeleteDoes the Extended Cut fix the complaints I had about the cut that was released?
For me, it started losing steam with all the massive, grandiose ordeals. Like Batman going to Hong Kong and such. Then you've got The Joker, who's fantastic at first, but after a while you know what he's gonna do by just doing the opposite of what he says. You know if anyone on those boats had flipped the switch to blow up the other ship, it would have blown up theirs. The last sequence with the sonar, and the SWAT team just dragged on, and was far too out of reality. I don't have a problem with those sorts of thing in movies, but Nolan was so insistent on "THIS IS REALITY". Don't even get me started on the whole nuke deal with TDKR...
ReplyDeleteLet me also say how much I appreciate you being able to discuss conflicting views without acting like a complete prick. It's extremely refreshing.
I don't think I've seen 322 films over the course of my entire life.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Flickchart:
ReplyDelete1. The Shawshank Redemption
2. Back to the Future
3. Raiders of the Lost Ark
1. The Dark Knight - a crime this didn't get a best picture Oscar nomination
ReplyDelete2. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy - can't wait for the sequel in December
3. The Untouchables - Sean Connery at his finest
Like I said, it's a completely different film than the theatrical release. You can tell the studio wanted more of a Vin Diesel party-type action film. Stallone wanted to make an action film that was much deeper than what we usually get. His version goes far deeper with the characters, tons of different dialogue, extended scenes, scenes shot differently. It's honestly like 60-70% different.
ReplyDeleteI had absolutely no problem with the action, and thought it all looked fantastic. I've only seen the theatrical release once. So, I don't recall how the action scenes looked, outside of the broad strokes. All I know is that I've seen a lot of action films, literally wrote the book on them, and this is hands down the greatest I've seen.
I would say the trip to Hong Kong is the one part where the movie gets a little too draggy, but it helps move the story along. Bruce Wayne on the boat is awesome.
ReplyDeleteThe boat sequence is probably one of the key scenes in the movie and the sequence with the SWAT team is awesome.
TDK is almost the perfect movie, and it might well be perfection.
To be fair, I don't think Nolan ever said the trilogy was realistic but it was grounded in realism. I think that's a key difference.
ReplyDeleteGiven that the character exposition was some of the boring part of The Expendables, I definitely will pass. Mickey Rourke was awful. And yea, it sounds like the hard to follow action scenes go into the extended version. Pass again.
ReplyDeleteI'm not seeing The Expendables to go deep. I'm seeing The Expendables to see Sly Stallone and company kick some ass. And when they kick said ass, I'd like to see what's going on.
He should've had Simon West do Expendables as well.
The Fast and Furious movies own, particularly the last two, so I applaud Millennium and Lions Gate for wanting him to do a more "Vin Diesel party-type action film".
Action/thriller films better than Expendables released in 2010 alone:
Green Zone, The Girl Who Played With Fire, The Disappearance of Alice Creed, The Town, Unstoppable, Knight and Day, Kick Ass, Vengeance, From Paris With Love, Book of Eli, Lebanon, The American, Edge of Darkness, Harry Brown, Red, Iron Man 2 (not sure if I agree with that one looking back) and Salt.
In no particular order:
ReplyDelete1) Raiders of the Lost Ark
2) Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
3) Ghostbusters
And as of last year, finally saw all three on the big screen.
I think Toy Story 2 is my number 1. It's a perfect sequel and ties together with the first one so perfectly. It's very hard to find any flaws. I think Pixar films would make half of my top ten. The Incredibles was very well done.
ReplyDeletePulp Fiction, Dr. Strangelove, Back To The Future
ReplyDeleteGood God Lars and the Real Girl. Talk about a movie that was completely different from what I was expecting.
ReplyDeleteGood call. I got Usual Suspects as my favorite. People forget how good it was since its going on 20 years since its release.
ReplyDeleteCitizen Kane is tremoundous. Didnt think I'd ever really like an older movie like that but everything about it is superb. It's timeless
Awesome, eclectic list.
ReplyDeleteShawshank Redemption, Battle Royale, Rules of Attraction
ReplyDeleteCasablanca, Jaws, The Godfather.
ReplyDeleteI'm also a big 'movie marathon' kinda guy (less with other people sleeping, but in general), and even I agree Redux is long at three hours and fifteen minutes, but it certainly makes good use of them.
ReplyDeleteStill, absolutely one I have to have a good four hour block set aside if I want to rewatch - which is harder with a busy schedule. That's one reason I love a good 90 min comedy (see: Swingers, Young Adult) for late night rewatches.
That's one of the reasons I'm such a fan of 80's horror & action films. They're packed in at a cool 90 minutes, and they're just so much fun. They all have such re-watchability that it's ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteI will say though, I could watch Casino every day for a week and not be tired of it. I actually prefer it to Goodfellas.
Great list.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if either of you collect action figures, but they just released 4 versions of Dutch, an action figure I've been waiting YEARS for. They have him when they first enter the jungle, cigar and all, when he strips down to vest & tank top, when he's just vest, and finally, when he's covered in mud with the bow & arrow and such. They're absolutely incredible figures.
ReplyDeleteBut I think you NEED those "massive, grandiose ordeals", because grounded in reality or not, it's still a big-budget superhero movie. It wouldn't have been the same if Bats had just walked in the front door with a bunch of INTERPOL agents and arrested Lau (not that it would have worked anyhow, but still), so that was a sequence that actually demanded overblown special effects. As for the Joker, I felt the movie did a fine job shifting from "who is this madman" to "how is Batman going to deal with this madman?", because I agree that the Joker's M.O. was pretty clear less than halfway through the film. And that's why I thought the SWAT team sequence worked, because it showed that Batman was finally figuring out Joker's style and how to beat him, even as the rest of the police force was still treating the guy like a garden-variety criminal.
ReplyDeleteAnd the sonar stuff was more about a character moment between Bruce and Lucius than anything else, IMO.
Give me a civil discussion any day of the week and twice on Sunday...
Let me also say how much I appreciate you being able to discuss conflicting views without acting like a complete prick. It's extremely refreshing.
I actually haven't seen a Kevin Smith movie I didn't like, because I went in to each one without high expectations, but I was pleasantly surprised each time. I thought I would hate Clerks 2, but I really enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteI have Red State on my Instant Queue, I'm just waiting for a chance to see it.
Pulp Fiction
ReplyDeleteGoodfellas
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Honorable Mentions: Blues Brothers, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
Goddamn it, I never get that quote right. I always think "Oh, plain zero is just TOO lame". God knows why I think that.
ReplyDeleteI love Casino, but having been a Goodfellas mark first, it always felt like the 'poor mans version.' Not that it isn't great (and very rewatchable) though. So many memorable moments and quotes.
ReplyDelete1. The Godfather. Nuff said.
ReplyDelete2. Jurassic Park. Watched this movie a million times as a kid, was obsessed with dinosaurs, still love it.
3. The Lion King. I'm a Disney nut and this is my all time favorite.
This list could change 100 times in the next hour, but...
ReplyDelete1 - True Romance
2 - Casino
3 - Drive
Here goes....in no particular order
ReplyDelete1 - Remember the Titans. SOLID Sports flick (can't go wrong with football!) and an inspirational story.....one that - especially as a black man - I could relate to
2 - No holds Barred. Hulk Hogan gives an Academy Award winning....LOL just kidding
2 - The Hangover. If you just want to plain laugh your ass off, this is the movie. The kind of movie that makes you want to go to Vegas and just go all out no holds Barred
3 - Coming to America - same reason as #2, except on a different level - if for no other reason than the bathing scene at the palace...well that and I couldn't decide on an action movie lol
1. American Psycho
ReplyDelete2. The Big Lebowski
3. Blue Chips
Woah- Godzilla V Gogan! Nice
ReplyDeleteWell, Flickchart tells me my three favorite movies are
ReplyDelete1- Avengers
2- Return of the Jedi
3- Hoosiers
I have always much preferred "big" and "fun" over "deep" and "artistic"- I guess I like movies better than films. I think the Avengers embodies it and is everything I want from an enjoyable move experience- despite owning it, I will watch it pretty much anytime I see it on. RotJ is was my favorite movie from childhood and seeing it the first time is one of my fondest memories. Hoosiers is a perfect sports movie.
I actually really liked the first one, despite its flaws.... but the third one was just such a train wreck. I wanted every human in the movie to die shitting.
ReplyDeleteCan we do our three least favorite movies ever next?
ReplyDeleteMan, three films is TOUGH.
ReplyDeleteHonorable mentions: The Two Towers, Return of the King, The Big Lebowski, first two Godfather movies, Goodfellas, Reservior Dogs, Pulp Fiction, and umm, lots of others.
3. Se7en: Sometimes this is at #2, other times it's my #3. The grittiness and utter despair of this film is amazing, and not having a happy ending makes it really stand out. Incredible acting and story, and maybe my favorite movie ending ever.
2. Braveheart: I love everything about this film. Patrick McGoohan is wonderful as Edward Longshanks, and the battle sequences are insane.
1. The Dark Knight: Not much left to say about this one, since most everyone knows it.
Coming to America is so much fun to watch. McDowell's, Eddie and Arsenio playing the entire cast (and none of them are Klumps), and a wonderful "fish out of water" story.
ReplyDeleteI worked at various movie stores for years (either Jumbo or especially Blockbuster), so top movie lists are totally my thing! Keep in mind that my definition of "favourite" isn't necessarily what I think are "the best" because "favourite" is subjective.
ReplyDeleteHonourable Mentions: The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, Gremlins 1 & 2, The Avengers, Killer Klowns From Outer Space, Out of the Past, Road to Perdition. Pacific Rim may become in my top 5, but it'll require repeated viewings to be sure.
3) What Dreams May Come - This is a VERY personal movie for me. I've struggled with depression most of my life, which has included some major dark periods in my life, like a complete mental breakdown and suicide attempt in 2000. I watch this movie every year on that anniversary. It was, in fact, the same day that Mick Foley had his "last" match against HHH in the Hell in the Cell. But this movie touches upon depression, suicide, and the afterlife in such a way that it really hits home for me. I bawl my eyes out every time i watch it.
2) Pan's Labyrinth - Just an absolutely gorgeous movie and a fantastic modern fairy tale, like an Alice in Wonderland for grown-ups. I love that the ending can be interpreted two ways: whether it was all real or if it was escapist fantasy from the horribleness of reality.
1) Shawshank Redemption - It's been my favourite movie since High School and will likely never change. It's set in my favourite time period, has some of my favourite actors (Morgan frigging Freeman!), and has a great story about how someone can get justice with a little bit of patience.
I too worked at Blockbuster. It could be a great job at times.
ReplyDelete3. Casablanca--best written, best characters, best lines, and best ending scene and final line of any movie ever.
ReplyDelete2. The Wizard of Oz--reminds me of childhood.
1. Back to the Future--I'll watch this movie any time it's on over and over again. I wish I could see it for the first time all over again. Which I think is the best you can say for any movie.
The Untouchables is awesome. I did not find Anchorman funny at all. And I'll never understand the fandom of this Dark Knight series.
ReplyDeleteCommando. As much as Richard Dawson owns TRM, Commando has the quintessential one-man-army Arnold scene at the end.
ReplyDeleteThe MST3K of Godzilla Vs. Gigan is one of the their best ever.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Flickchart: Kane; Goodfellas; Aliens. Top of head: Seven Samurai, Goodfellas, The Shining. Have to have a Kubrick in there.
ReplyDeleteWOW SCREAM FUCKING SUCKS.
ReplyDeleteUP IN SMOKE, BACK TO THE FUTURE, AND JURASSIC PARK
ReplyDeletegoing to a top
ReplyDelete1. The Lord of the Rings-great story of good vs. evil
2. Oringal Star Wars films-popcorn filming at it's finest
3.There will be blood-greatest drama of all time
4.The Dark Knight-the peak of comic book movies
5. Casablanca-my favorite black and white
Yeah....the barbershop scenes are awesome....and the soulglo song just gets stuck in your head
ReplyDeleteLol your list f-ing sucks also (just kidding dude)
ReplyDeleteLOL Grand Canyon would be #1
ReplyDeleteRaging Bull = Underrated classic....Jake Lamotta was one crazy mofo
ReplyDeleteGoodfellas has to be the most Overrated movie of all time......it has nothing on Scarface
ReplyDeleteThat's a damn good list. I've seen Jurassic Park so many times that I could direct a shot-by-shot remake from memory, same with Up in Smoke. I actually prefer BTTF2 to the original ("Cubs win the World Series... against Miami?"), but either way...
ReplyDeleteGrease, Saving Silverman, and I can't even think of another movie I hate so much that I'd lump it into a group with those two.
ReplyDeleteI saw Jurassic Park 14 times when it was still in theaters, and that's not an exaggeration. The Lion King is great too.
ReplyDeleteSnatch, Jurassic Park, and a tie between The Sandlot and Escape From L.A.
ReplyDeleteDazed and Confused is fucking awesome. "Reefer on 1, marijuana on 2! Hut, hut!"
ReplyDeleteNever cared for Fear and Loathing, I thought Where the Buffalo Roam (also about Hunter S. Thompson, with Bill Murray playing Hunter) was a far better movie.
Reminds me of Jack Black in "High Fidelity": Which version do you like better? .. I like the Righteous Brothers... BULLSHIT!!! Lol
ReplyDeleteNot sure how underrated it is. It was #4 on AFI's 100 greatest movies tenth anniversary list.
ReplyDeleteVery good taste, sir.
ReplyDeleteAlso, they got to fuck those girls.
ReplyDeleteNever get out the fuckin' boat.
ReplyDeleteCan't tell if trolling...
ReplyDeleteLet's whittle it down to comedies/funny movies:
ReplyDelete1. Big Lebowski
2. GoodFellas
3. Schindler's List
"Who are you?"
ReplyDelete"I'm next, ma'am."
I'm not really a collector but loved action figures as a kid. If they had Predator action figures in the mid to late 80s, I would have been all over them.
ReplyDeleteI still love it, but its been a while since I've watched it. But when I was a teenager that and Boondock saints were mandatory weekend viewing at my house while getting high.
ReplyDelete1. Back to the Future
ReplyDelete2. Jurassic Park
3. Jaws
Scream is my favorite horror movie.
ReplyDelete