(A Co-Production of The Nax-Diz Axis, reknowned Gadabouts...)
I'll start:
1) "Jacob's Ladder":
explores the same fears I've always nurtured, i.e. what if we're all already dead and THIS is Heaven? Postulates the comfy notion of a loving God.
Plus: Elizabeth Pena is a stone cold fox. Incredible editing and art direction.
2) "Blade Runner":
dystopian elan and ennui personified in cool ol' Harry Ford.
plus i was there for the filming long ago and have happy memories of those times.
3) "JungleBook":
dancing Balou the Bear! Menacing Shere Khan the tiger! I was five and it was my first movie. Growing up versus staying a "man-cub"--existential nuggets draped in optimistic primitivism, or something. Phil Silvers always makes me laugh!
Three movies is certainly not enough to describe the complexity that is the surlyboi, but at the moment these are the three that most readily come to mind...
1)"Ferris Beuller's Day Off":
Because no other movie summed up my highschool tenure better. Plus the music rocked.
2)"Casablanca":
Rick Blaine, the epitome of, "I don't give damn" is exposed to be a big ol' softy at heart. A great love story, a great war story, a great everything. Beautifully filmed too.
3)"North by Northwest":
Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, Hitchcock. 'nuff said. If I were ever to remake a movie, this would be the one.
Wasn't "Roquefort" directed by Besson and went straight to video, or am I thing of Fassbinder's "Berlin CheddarPlatzen"?
Blade Runner. For showing how human things are becoming, how inhuman we're becoming.
Brazil. Even while it keeps looking more and more like TV news.
And to balance the grim selection, three comic ones: Marx Bros' Duck Soup, Steve Martin's L.A. Story, and (again!) Martin's Pennies from Heaven. Well, that last one, so much as a happy one, well...
High Fidelity
-Awesome movie that explores relationships from the modern male perspective.
Lord of the Rings
-Cliche, but at least I'm the first to say it. Beautiful cinematics and a great story that I've loved since I was a teenager.
American Beauty
-Skewers the notion of the perfect suburban family and the perfect "american life"
I wouldn't say any of these movies really "define" me. But they are definitely memorable and speak to a part of me.
1) "Raising Arizona"
It makes me happy; it's got subversive humor, surreal fantasy, tight directing and editing, great music, and dizzying camerawork. It's the film I would make if I could.
2) "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan"
I'm a closet Trekker, and this is the best of the original series. When I was a teenager, I must have watched it 25 times. I know all the dialogue. KHAAAAANNNNN!!!!!
3) "Once Upon a Time in the West"
When I was younger, I thought I didn't like westerns. I was wrong; Sergio Leone showed me the light. Some say his best is "The Good, The Bad and the Ugly", but I think this is his best. The melodrama, the dust, those great sets! Henry Fonda is EVIL.
1. choose one from hal hartley's ouevre; i can't pick just one. any will do. i saw trust first, by accident, and as i learned more about hartley afterward i realized i HAD to see the others. surviving desire is maybe my favorite...or simple men...aaah, i can't choose. it's a type of realism that is so mundane yet also quirky somehow, and very austere yet emotionally layered. and hartley's dialogues kill me.
2. léon: the professional. who can resist those two? that's what i thought. :)
3. i was dazed after seeing clint eastwood's unforgiven, but hell, i could say the same for gene wilder in willy wonka or the cinematography in before sunrise...choosing movies is like plucking eyes out. ahem.
"Clockwork Orange"
"The Wizard of Oz"
Tarkovsky's "The Stalker"
Why? Just because...
1. Lawrence of Arabia: Probably my favorite movie of all time, beautiful camera work, exceptional character development, outstanding dialogue, objective racial profiling [by this i mean that the british and arabs seem equally ignorant and barbarous and equally honorable and enlightened.]
2. The Princess Bride: Because it is exactly what a live action children's movie should be.
3. The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Because it is exactly what subversive cinema should be.
Interestink!
1. Where The Buffalo Roam. The first of the Hunter Thompson biopics, starring Bill Murray as Thompson, Peter Boyle as Lazlo and an unsung Rene Auberjenois as "Harris from the Post." It shows a heady, glorious, decadent time through the rose-colored filter of the progenitor of Gonzo journalism. This was the movie that made me want to be a writer.
2. A Bridge Too Far. The finest war movie ever made, in part beause it shows the human cost on both sides, and the ethos of a generation gone. This movie shows the noble character of the human spirit as well as the best qualities of the national character, even as the horror of Market Garden unfolded. War is hell, but sometimes it brings out the finest aspects of men, and of nations.
3. Dawn of the Dead (original version). Apocalyptic, horrific, and mordantly funny all at once. Who can watch the zombie's head being taken off at the airfield by the helicopter blades and not guffaw both at the screen and in the face of nightmarish death down to their ice-rim'd soul? Not me.
and if I may?
4. Skin Deep. I never liked John Ritter, but in this movie he shows true comedic genius as the alcoholic writer on the downswing of a career, burrowing though the distaff side of LA with an intensity bordering on desperation. A story of hitting bottom, and rising up again, both figuratively and (seeing as Blake Edwards directed it) literally.
1)"Miller's Crossing"
It's the best film since "The Godfather" to explore themes of loyalty, friendship, and betrayal. Still the best film by the Coen bros. IMHO.
2)"Dr. Strangelove"
An absurdist classic. No one should die without seeing it.
3)"Amarcord"
A 1974 Fellini masterpiece of whimsy and pure joy.
* "Amateur," 1995, dir. Hal Hartley. Speaks to issues of identity and/or lack thereof, and following your gut instincts.
* "Fearless," 1993, dir. Peter Weir. How life after your life *should* have ended is actually more fulfilling than you could ever imagine.
* "Secretary," 2002, dir. Steven Shainberg. How giving over to your true self, even though that seems wrong and bad, is the only route to happiness.
1) Rio Bravo. John Wayne being stolid, honorable and world weary, Dean Martin as the washed out drunken ex-gunfighter with one last chance at redemption and respect, Ricky Nelson as the young turk who finds himself forced to choose whether he will use his considerable powers for good or for evil, Angie Dickinson as the Gambler looking for a way out and freaking Walter Brennan as good old Stumpy. Hot damn. So good.
2) Repo Man. If you've never seen it you have to watch it 4 or 5 times before it really starts to get to you. EVERY SINGLE LINE in this movie is quotable. Harry Dean Stanton. Punk Rock. Aliens. Time Travel. Drink. Chevy Malibu.
"Put it on a plate, dear, you'll enjoy it more."
3) Casablanca. There are so few movies that are as good as they are supposed to be. Casablanca is BETTER than it is supposed to be. There is not a single word, moment or nuance that is out of place. The whole is greater than the (formidable) sum of it's parts.
on preview: I heartily endorse Hal Hartley, though I'd go with Simple Men, I think, and if that is because of the "Kool Thing" scene I am sure you'll forgive me.
1) The Godfather
A classic, although I generally prefer the book. I always seem to find a new idea or theme in it.
2) Como Agua Para Chocolate
I had to read the book, then watch the film while I was learning Spanish. It's an example of a Mexican film genre called...argh, I can't remember, but it combines the normal and the fantasy seamlessly and feels like watching someone's dream.
3) Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
Funny, thoughtful, and it has Hugo Weaving wearing a dress (again). Adorable actors, great music and dancing, and some good analogies that I stole for a presentation on gender and sexuality at university. I recommend this movie to everyone I know.
"The Philadelphia Story" -- the epitome of wit, class, style, and great acting, to boot. How could anyone NOT love this movie? Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn, Jimmy Stewart...this movie is perfect.
"Kill Bill volume 1" -- there. I said it. I love this movie. It is absolutely stunning. There is no other movie like it.
"Airplane!" Duh. Funniest. Movie. EVER. Nothing else comes close. It is parody, satire, sight-gags, puns, and non-stop humor done to perfection.
Tracicle - "Realismo M
tracicle: it's realismo m
Slow. I'm slow today.
/flagpole goes out for coffee
Fight Club - Be true to one's own self.
Secretary - Love is funny sometimes.
The Game - Reality can be faked, don't trust anyone, and above all else, money doesn't make you safe, only your will to survive does.
Yes, two are David Fincher films. He seems to be the voice of my imagination at times.
Thank you both, Zemat and Flagpole. I haven't actually used any Spanish in a couple of years. :)
1. The Wizard of Oz
2. Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead
3. The Neverending Story
Can't think of any real reason for this particular list, they're the first 3 that came to mind.
Just 3 is really hard!
1. The Lion in Winter - disfunctional family on a royal scale, great cast with performances that play off each other, Peter O'Toole actually acting with gusto instead of twitching and tic-ing, a script with wit. And, I guess, having grown up in a sort of Happy Days family, sibling-rivalry envy.
2. Casablanca, maybe, though there are so many film noire classics, up through Blade Runner, that it's hard to pick. It's the glamour, man! Disillusioned guys in tuxes and serious hats falling for the frails who may be good at heart, but are probably dangerous (and they do dress really well.) Being a dangerous frail is my secret ambition.
3. The Disney Alice in Wonderland - I must have seen it 20 times when I was a kid, and I still get goose pimples when the theme music starts up. I think it was the dream-like surrealism that made it so important to me.
(dirtdirt - have you seen Red River? Wayne's domineering father and Montgomery Clift's rebellious son are both great.)
path - I've never seen it, but I dig the hell out of Montgomery Clift. If this had been top 10 instead of 3 I might easily have included "From Here to Eternity".
I'll put Red River on my list.
Charulata, Satyajit Ray. Because what appears straightforward is in fact a peculiarly Bengali familial drama.
Blood of a Poet, Jean Cocteau. Because what appears to be a track forward to the Venus de Milo is actually Lee Miller being dragged towards the camera on a little trolley.
Mirror, Andrei Tarkovski. Because it's Mosfilm.
None of these would really be my three favorites. Nevertheless, they would made it into my 20th-or-some favorites.
-- The Truman Show: My paranoic egotist self indentified clearly the main character.
-- Ghost In The Shell: Excellent animation, good science fiction, not-so-good story. Still the best of it's type.
-- Madadayo: I don't know why, but I aslo identify a lot with the main character.
I wish I could boast about having between my favorites some classical, obscure or non-comercial movie, but I'm not so much of a movie fan and the ones I see are mostly because I catch them on cable.
And here I'm hoping I, Robot becomes my favorite SF movie... or I will have to break some rules.
Quickly, 'cuz I gotta run:
1. Star Wars - because of how much it meant to me as a kid
2. Breakfast Club - because of how much it meant to me as a highschool kid
3. Lost in Translation - because of how much it means to me as an adult kid
(I'm not saying these are the best movies, although I think LiT is pretty fanbananatastic.)
Wierd - a couple of hours ago I was thinking about posting a Curious George about the three films you hadn't seen but felt you ought to have done ... (there are hundreds of those on my list ... inc the Godfather, Blade Runner (the cinema was hot, I fell asleep) and Citizen Kane)
I don't know if any of these define me but:
1) Lone Star: about love and loyalty, strength and honour, about doing the right thing and being yourself even if it's not what others want you to be.
2) The Matrix: it's about wearing black and wearing shades. This is probably not an exact quote but: "Give me guns, lots of guns" alternatively Withnail and I "We want the finest wines available to humanity, we want them here, and we want them now" see Penrith Tearooms (Real Player files) or "I invented it in Camberwell and it looks like a carrot" (small wav file)
3) Subway: Christophe Lambert before Highlander: I want to crash a car into the Paris Metro, while being persued by heavies in a Mercedes. I want to wander round the Metro in a Tux. I want ..... Isabelle Adjani .... sigh ... Finest line: "iroquois"
and if I'm allowed a 4th (or 5th?) "Lost in Translation" about finding yourself, and not losing yourself while you do so. Also it's got The Hardest Walk by the Jesus and Mary Chain in it ...
certainsome1: great minds ... (?) !
Out of all the films that I've seen, two have had a serious, prolonged, profound effect on me. One was Apocalypse Now, the other was Taxi Driver.
Those two films really shook me up and made me see everything differently. Well, for a while. There's a lot of films that could compete for third place, like Lost in Translation, City of God, Pulp Fiction and Full Metal Jacket, but Taxi Driver and Apocalypse now are, to me, on another level. No other film has come close to fucking me up on so many levels.
What a great thread. I think we monkeys have excellent taste in movies. A lot of movies on this list I’ve loved and many that I haven’t seen yet I now want to watch.
Here are the movies I consider essential for myself. I’m sorry I can’t narrow it down to three.
1. Safe by Todd Haynes.
This is a masterpiece about alienation in the modern world. Dime a dozen, you say. But this movie ups the stakes by deceptively presenting itself as if it were merely a Lifetime disease-of-the-week flick. It is high art masquerading as no art and this just adds to its complexity and richness. It is astonishing to watch.
This film made me love Julianne Moore so much that I will probably forgive her for Laws of Attraction.
2. Eyes Wide Shut by Stanley Kubrick / O Fantasma by João Pedro Rodrigues.
These two films blend together for me and are great examples of me ignoring the primary point of something in preference for an idiosyncratic interpretation. I’m sure both films have a lot to say about this or that. When I watch them, however, I see confirmation of what I learned in college and spent the next decade exploring: that with the right combination of lonely wandering and dumb luck, you can stumble onto just about anything.
3. Maurice by James Ivory.
This is probably the movie I come closest to knowing by heart, although it only beats The Fellowship of the Ring in that regard because FOTR is so damn long and has two versions. It is laugh-out-loud funny; Rupert Graves is hot; and the last scene is so desperate, hopeful, and romantic, it will break your heart. Never watch this movie with a fuckbuddy.
4. Jesus of Montreal by Denys Arcand.
I've had very few religious moments as an adult. Most of them have been due to watching this film. If Christianity were even half as humane and beautiful as this movie, I would have never left the church.
(Likely to make the list on a different day: Exotica, Beautiful Thing, Mulholland Drive, the last 40 minutes of Magnolia, The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Fellowship of the Ring.)
I don't know. I'll say Annie Hall, Rosemary's Baby, and Waiting for Guffman. It'll be different tomorrow.
Er... only three... good lord. Um. In no particular order:
1) OK. I wrote the other two below first. I left this blank for about half an hour. Even now, I'm slightly concerned about typing The Lord of the Rings; partly because including all three parts of a trilogy is cheating; partly because I react against saying that anything so recent is my numero uno, lacking as it does the test of time; partly because I actively dislike the books, or more specifically Tolkien's writing style; partly because Treebeard is a woody great twat. But the sheer inpirational, epic, [insert superlative] quality of Jackson's work just sets such incredible new standards for moviemaking and imagination, I can't ignore it; and it did manage to make me fall in love with a story I really couldn't have cared less about before. But still I worry that maybe it shouldn't be number one. Perhaps if I put a LoTR DVD inside the Donnie Darko DVD case, maybe that would be better? I really like Donnie Darko. Hmmm.
b) Being John Malkovitch. Kaufman has to be there; he just clicks perfectly with my way of thinking. Adaptation could have got the nod, especially on a day I've got writer's block, but I think Malkovitch is purer, and it had that astonishing surprise factor when it came out. Bear in mind, though, that it's still five days until we get Eternal Sunshine... over here, and I'm already jumping up and down like a kid who's heard an ice-cream van two streets away, but getting closer.
vole) Velvet Goldmine. For it is beautiful and weird.
The Maltese Falcon, High Fidelity, The Big Lebowski (or other Coen Brothers, maybe), Once Upon A Time In America, The Birds, Land and Freedom, Blade Runner, Annie Hall (or other Woody Allen, maybe), The Philadelphia Story and Spinal Tap can all be very proud of themselves. There are no losers here
In no particular order...
Blue Velvet The first movie I saw that was more than just entertainment. It was art...unsettling art.
Whale Music I can't explain. You just have to see it.
High Fidelity Saw it mentioned earlier, but I had to include it. It's like a chick flick for guys.
I like this thread...now I've got some great ideas when I go to the rental place. Some I've seen and the reminder makes me want to see them again. Some I've always wanted to see but forget about them when I'm in the rental store (Jesus of Montreal). Others I've never seen or heard of...but might check out just based on the recommendation.
Based on current recollection,
Apocalypse Now ...poetry...
Dr.Strangelove ...the doomsday machine, kept a secret. Of course, I like talking to you...
Deathtrap ...cat & mouse...
City of God ...in your face...
1 - tie between Star Wars and The Black Stallion - nothing defined my childhood like these two movies. There are very few movies (like these) that will ALWAYS make me happy when I see them.
2 - Donnie Darko - because this movie was made for me as a teenager (only it came several years too late). The music, the weirdness - gotta love it.
3 - Amelie - this movie was a beautiful gift.
Three Movies That Define Me (not my favorites, not the most entertaining, not the "best" in my book):
1. My Neighbor Totoro by Hayao Miyazaki
I thought a film where nothing of note happens couldn't hold my interest. I thought wrong. This film taught me that the simple, mild joy and contentment in life are the best of what it has to offer. Better than imagination and exhilaration (Spirited Away). Much better than noble causes and grand victories (Princess Mononoke, Nausicaä).
2. Swordsman II
I don't love this movie, but it revived the wuxia genre in Hong Kong and Taiwan. The revival really did change my life.
3. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Bad, and not in a good way. But it did spawn the TV series that hooked me on American pop culture. I owe much of my integration into North American society to the show, and therefore to the movie.
1. The Seventh Seal
2. Ghost World
3. the OG Star Wars
... and I'll second (third?) the shout-outs for Secretary; that film may have changed my life.
1. The Usual Suspects - the best denouement ever?
2. Die Hard - Come on, its fun
3. Things to do in Denver when your dead - because its not an action whitmar, its just a piece of work.
(in no particular order)
— High Fidelity. Agree with rocket88's characterization as a "chick flick for guys"—It's on my short list of things (like Penny Arcade) that perfectly (perfectly) capture the male psyche.
— North By Northwest. Could watch this a thousand times. Hitchcock's by far my favorite director (just got Rear Window on DVD and that's very exciting) and this does the most for me of all his films that I've seen.
— Spirited Away. A current fave, probably not to remain, but it's so perfect.
(Runners up, other current favorites: Eternal Sunshine of the Sportless Mind, Snatch (my all-time fun movie), Don't Look Back, Donnie Darko, Amelie)
(Best movie I've seen in the past month: Mystic River)
(oh, and add Ghost World to my runners up)
Here are some of the films which have most profoundly made me wonder:
Groundhog Day (1993) - A study of the value of time. Profoundly interesting and wonderfully funny.
Labyrinth (1986) - A modern day Alice in Wonderland. It's also very right wing, to a certain extent, making it all the more interesting.
Fiddler on the Roof (1971) - Rather than affecting me directly, this movie consolidated the ideas I had been developing for a while about freedom and social complexities.
Other essentials include: Casablanca, Lord of the Rings, Brazil, Annie Hall, the Princess Bride, La Vita E Bella, To Sir With Love, Gosford Park, The Philadelphia Story, Amelie, Bringing Up Baby, The Graduate, Life of Brian, Harold and Maude, Beauty and the Beast, Ghandi, The Apartment, Lost In Translation, It's a Wonderful Life, Amadeus, Evita, Interestate 60, To Kill a Mockingbird, Dr. Strangelove, Twelve O' Clock High, Purple Rose of Cairo, West Side Story, Dogma, Arsenic and Old Lace, High Fidelity, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Stagecoach, and Twelve Angry Men.
I made a list once.
Skrik, for cheeses: Emmental, Red Leicester and Balderson Premium Aged Cheddar. Maybe Brie too.
niccolo, I'm very curious about what makes Labyrinth right-wing. Can't think of anything right now, and if you don't tell me, I'll just have to watch it. Right now. I'm ready.
I've tried and tried, but I can't weed it down to just three. Movies have been too deeply connected to some stage or turning point in my life to whittle it down, if we're talking about movies that define who we are.
So, I invoke my right as a newbie to be thoroughly unable to play by the rules this time. ;)
1. On the Town - One of four movie musicals shown during the pledge break of our local PBS channel. This was the first 40's musical I fell in love with, and paved the way for my love of the genre that lasts until this day. Three Navy men on a 24-hour pass in New York, with lots of fantastic songs and dance numbers.
2. Harvey - Jimmy Stuart and a giant, invisible rabbit named Harvey. What's not to love? Jimmy Stuart's performance as the kind, gentle Elwood P. Dowd was what won me over first, and the added element of the fantastic with his pooka friend kept me fascinated.
3. The Thin Man - My introduction to black and white films, and the start of my fascination with wisecracking detectives. Not to mention the beginning of my fascination with wire-haired fox terriers. The combination of the smart, funny, and light-hearted couple and the seriousness of a murder mystery bring me back to watch this movie at least once a year still.
4. Dirty Dancing - Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, lots of great dancing, and one scene that has got to be some of the best foreplay ever filmed.
5. Rashoman - Akira Kurosawa has been one of my favorite directors since I was a teen, and this was the first film of his I ever saw. It was the start of a tradition in my family of "reading" our movies once a month or so, since we always got the ones with subtitles. The story follows the investigation of a rape and murder, and each witness tells a different version of the events. A very stylish approach to the suggestion that the nature of truth is not always absolute.
There are more I could have added, the films that began my love of cliffhangers and the one that best exemplifies my absolute adoration of all things pirate, but I'll give you a break, this time. Hehehe
1. Akira
First full length anime that I saw. Taught me that cartoons are not always full of smart ass animals pretending to be people. Also started my obsessive interest in animation and movement.
2. Being John Malkovitch
It's simply an amazing story idea very well executed. It also works the way my brain does. Which would explain why I confuse people all the time.
3. Office Space
"I will put strictnine in the quacamole".
I use Lumbergh's lines all the time, esp when I'm in a meeting I don't want to be at.
__
I would add Ghost in the Shell, but the english translation is rubbish and a lot of the original concepts are lost on many crazy gwilo (sic).
Others would be Delicatessen, Starship Troopers and The Princess Bride. Maybe Baron Munchousen.
Dammit, now I have to go watch them again.
Accidental Tourist (1988 Lawrence Kasdan) - It's more than 15 years old now and was just released on DVD recently. I'm constantly amazed at how much this movie means to me. If you've ever lost someone you may find solace in the gentle grace of this story.
Cinema Paradiso (1989 Giuseppe Tornatore) - In 1990 I started working for Films, Inc. in Chicago. I saw this film in my first couple of weeks. I'd been a life long movie lover, and this film captured my love completely. It's magical.
Damage (1992, Louis Malle, AKA Fatale) - There is a line in this film that rang too true for me for years: Juliette Binoche's character tells her lover "Damaged people are dangerous. They know they can survive."
Honorable mention: The Fisher King, Philadelphia Story, and finally Broadcast News.
Niccolo and rustcellar, I'm interested in this right-wing Labyrinth thing, too. Would you care to explain a little more, niccolo, to satisfy our curiosity?
Edit: jacbo, I would have put Office Space down too, but I didn't even think of it. I'm a big fan of the Lumbergh lines, and yet another corny line in my house is, "Excuse me, I think you have my stapler."
I can't say that any three films really define me, and the list revolves and evolves all the time, but off the top of my head:
1. Usual Suspects - A film I can watch over and over and over and never tire of.
2. Pulp Fiction - Amanda Plummer goes apeshit, freezeframe, Dick Dale. I had never seen anything like it at the time.
3. Moulin Rouge - A true love it or hate it film. I adore it.
rustcellar, by 'right wing', what I meant to include in too few words, is how Labyrinth is a movie entrenched in the theme of power, and the understanding that some characters are 'better' or have 'blue blood'. This is never said outright, but there are very distinct groups of characters on different levels. The songs accentuate this even more. You could say it is Jane Austin meets Hitler with Muppets. Labyrinth is also a exceedingly intense movie, from the moment the owl flies across the opening titles, which is only ever relented by the bizarre.
I can sense a similarity to Triumph of the Will by Leni Riefenstahl.
It is a very open movie - hence, in part, my above reference to Alice in Wonderland - you can interpret it in many different ways: especially the last 20 minutes.
I'm gonna go highbrow to lowbrow on this one:
1> Apocalypse Now_The scene when Chef stumbles onto a tiger when he's wandering in the jungle, runs back onto the boat and absolutely flips out–and the Willard voiceover says "Never get out of the boat. Absolutely goddamn right...Kurtz got off the boat". Thats scene put ME on the boat. IMHO, best movie ever made...with extreme prejudice.
2> Stalker_Andrei Tarkovsky_This is the scifi that I love. I'd put Solaris here too, but if I have to pick one it would be Stalker. No special effects really. His camerawork, his characters/dialogue, and his sound immerse you in his world more than any effect ever could. He is one of the few who really deserves to be a called a cinematic genius. Once you get into him, you will see his influence everywhere. Can't do it justice in a few sentences, but for background check this site.
3> Jackass: The Movie_No movie has ever made me laugh harder, ever. The shot of Bam's father's bedroom window flashing with firecracker explosions in the middle of the night, followed by the same thing done to his van the next morning just made me lose my mind.
Grave of the Fireflies - The most devastating, gut-wrenching film I have ever seen.
Ghost World - I could identify -- maybe a little too much -- with Steve Buscemi's character.
Ghostbusters - "When someone asks you if you're a god, you say YES!!!"
Lawrence of Arabia - Stunning visuals, gorgeous soundtrack, sweeping epic, intimate character study, it is one of the great works of art of the 20th century. The scene where Lawrence waits for the Bedouin, staring out into that vast nothing, is the greatest achievement in film. I really, really like this movie.
Star Wars - Yeah, it's become a whipping boy in recent years, but I still have the action figures in my closet.
Once Upon a Time in the West - The western.
Well, that's six and we were supposed to do three. I didn't get to mention Casablanca, Ikiru, The Seven Samurai, Dreams (OK, let's just say Kurosawa movies), The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, Life of Brian, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (if only for the score; the drums during the first fight scene give me goosebumps, not to mention Yo-Yo Ma), Lord of the Rings, almost anything with Johnny Depp in it (btw, go rent Dead Man). OK, I'll stop now.
Oh, my lord, this is really difficult! A mere three can't really define but can give an idea of interests, I suppose. Here goes:
1) Apocalypse Now. Will now and forever be my all time favorite. I have seen it easily twenty times. Amazing on every level. Dead on with every actor choice. Perfect.
2) Kill Bill, vol.1. I haven't seen 2 yet, but I will assume it's fantastic. Actually, any Tarantino movie will do. Again, damn near perfect. And the soundtrack! Same with Apocalypse Now, amazing soundtrack.
3) Eraserhead. I have to go with this one because it's the first subversive movie I ever saw. I don't really count Rocky Horror Picture Show as subversive, it's got Susan Sarandon in it for cripes sake! David Lynch is brilliant, if disturbed.
Fantastic list by everyone above. I agree with most of them. Special mentions (just to name a very few); The Professional, Enchanted April, Spinal Tap, Princess Bride, Usual Suspects, Scarface, The Matrix (first one only), Python's Holy Grail, Silence of the Lambs, Reservoir Dogs, Dreams (Japanese), Dog Day Afternoon......well, I could go on and on.
The scene where Lawrence
Lawrence's servant
waits for the Bedouin
and Lawrence
Trying to select 3 favorites, if not most favorite, very difficult:
Hollywood category--
1.Key Largo, with Bacall, Bogart, Walter Brennan, and the inimitable Hoagy Carmichael! Bacall sings -- and whistles! Hoagland is, as always, laid-back devastating.
2.Joseph Papp's Pirates of Penzance, don't miss Kevin Kline as the Pirate King! And the pre-Keystone cops!
3.Blake Edwards' Victor/Victoria for the knock 'em dead performances of Robert Preston, and of Lesley Ann Warren as well as Julie Andrews camping it up.
British category --
Odd Man Out -- or almost any other film with the inimitable James Mason
Whisky Galore! aka Tight Little Island
Terry Gilliam's Erik the Viking
1. Police Academy.
A brilliant and subtle exposition of a man's relationship with authority - with dialogue and cinematography that broke new ground in a stale, tired medium.
2. Police Academy 2.
A brilliant and subtle exposition of a man's relationship with authority - with dialogue and cinematography that broke new ground in a stale, tired medium.
3. Police Academy 5 - Assignment: Miami Beach .
Quite funny, even without Mahoney.
The Blues Brothers - I don't have to explain it
Spinal Tap - "I'm really influenced by Mozart and Bach, and this is sort of a Mach piece - called, 'Lick My Love Pump'".
Amadeus - Genius is a bitch, innit?
Three movies that absolutely blew me away:
1. Secrets and Lies
2. American Splendor
3. Network
Great writing and fascinating characters.
Special mention to Office Space. Four years ago I was forced out of a job under incredibly shitty circumstances. Soon afterwards some friends sat me down in front of Office Space and fed me martinis all night. It was a religious experience.
Other favorites that haven't already been mentioned by other monkeys: Young Frankenstein, The Producers, Almost Famous, A Room With A View, Ninotchka, Pitch Black, American Movie, Three Colors trilogy...
I also love Jackie Chan movies. Didn't bother seeing the Tuxedo though. Looked awful.
Thunderball - Best. Bond. Ever.
Clerks - Portrayed my life as a mid-90's service industry slacker nicely.
Washington Interns Gone Bad - (self link) Spending a huge chunk of my time making my own feature length political comedy effected me in ways that watching other movies never could. It's an over-the-top, low budget political comedy based on the post-9/11 political scene in Washington with many things drawn from my life as a disgruntled hill staffer.
I can't do it. I love movies too much, and I like watching different movies for different reasons. There are comfort movies, and tear-inducing movies, and popcorn movies, and nostalgia movies, and girly movies, and OoOoO sweaty man in fast car movies. Also, my defining/favorite movies change all the time.
I will say that I love a lot of the movies listed in this thread, although I find it lacking in cheesy 80's movies (quid and pete excepted, of course).
Repo Man -required viewing for a healthy outlook on life.
Ichi the Killer - Vile, brillant meditation on the nature of violence and why we LOVE it.
3rd Man - One of kind location, bombed out Austria, great score and a legendary performance by Orson Welles. War is hell, but not in the way you think.
The Silence of the Lambs - I consider Clarice to be a great friend. But not so much in the sequel.
The Princess Bride - sciurus said it upthread.
Divine Intervention - It's always good to get a different perspective.
Not necessarily my favorites, but three personal essentials.
1. The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension - Perfect Tommy is my role model.
2. Fantasia - dialogue is unimportant, as are the details of plot, except as used to provide structure. Color and flavor are all.
3. Happiness - the world is full of wonderful people. Up, up with people!
In No order
Big Lebowski Just cause it is so awesome.
Big Fish Because I want to be a story teller when I grow up.
Memento I had forgoten you can tell stories in many ways.
goetter: Thanks for putting Happiness on your list. I loved that movie, but I wouldn't dare recommend it to anyone unless I was certain they liked their humor dark and strong (like I like my coffee). All of you who think you fit that description, go rent Happiness... but don't blame me if you think it's over the top!
Yep, world's funniest movie about child molestation. Really!
I must have had some extra rocks in my head here -- not Key Largo but To Have and To Hold, a Howard Hawks' film.
1. Nuovo cinema Paradiso [aka, "Cinema Paradiso"]
This movie gets me every time. Yes, my love for cinema wrapped in this beautiful package.
Wow, I have something in common with IgnorantSlut
2. Biruma no tategoto [aka, "The Burmese Harp"]
The spiritual journey and anti-war theme never fail to strike a deep chord within me.
3. Tetsuo [aka, "Iron Man"]
I feel more alive each time I watch this movie
And I may as well add just about any Kurosawa, Hitchcock, and Marx Brothers film...
Speaking of Cinema Paradiso, Philippe Noiret (Alfredo) died last month.
OK -- I'll play. These three, for me, are like Mozart. Not a wrong step, nothing to be improved, and something new discovered each time.
Casablanca. As has been said enough times upthread. Such a rich film, with so much to be unpacked. And, well, Renault. Best character in all film, and I see so much of myself in him, occupying very similar stations among other people, and responding in the same way. But for all that, I've never really been able to figure out the wily little fuck.
Manhattan. For me, even more iconic than Casablanca. The shots, the dialogue, the music -- every single minute fraction of this film is spot on. Not that much of a story, sure, but who cares? The dialogue is an incredible mix of people listening and not listening, just as how we go through life ourselves, making poor decisions, jokes that aren't caught, chasing after something we aren't sure what it is... People prefer Annie Hall, which is great, probably just as great, but I gotta go with Manhattan. It's all magic, but from the tape-recorder on, it escalates up and up and up. Every single time.
Vertigo. Part of me is every one of these people.
Honourable Mentions: Lawrence, Dr. Zhivago, Hable Con Elle, Let's Get Lost, Alien, 2001, From Russia With Love, Strangelove, Black Robe, Airplane II, Parapluies de Cherbourg, Limelight, Being There, Breaking the Waves, Un Homme et Une Femme, Night at the Opera, Fanny and Alexander, Sherlock Jr...
Speaking of Cinema Paradiso, Philippe Noiret (Alfredo) died last month.
Nooooooo! But, no one told me!
*sobs*
He left you this reel of spliced film though ...
Aha! I knew you had a cruel streak in you, Koko!
Funny, in reading over this thread, I don't think anyone has mentioned any of the Monty Python movies... for which I can only say, THANK YOU, OH GOD, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! Not that I don't love me some Python, but sometimes it seems like no matter where you go, there's someone quoting the Holy Grail at you.
Anyways, if I had to pick three, in chronological order they would be:
1) Sherlock, Jr. People who know me in RealLife(tm) have had to bear the brunt of my pathological Buster Keaton obsession. This film is a work of unbelievable physical and engineering genius-- if you've ever seen the famous Looney Tunes short "Duck Amuck," well, they stole that idea from Sherlock, Jr. And if you're watching closely in the water tower scene, you can see poor Buster break his neck, yet still manage to get up and stagger away.
2) Damn, goetter, you beat me to Buckaroo Banzai!
3) Rough Magic No one saw this; it was in theaters for all of a week in 1997. But it's lovely-- Bridget Fonda and pre-obnoxious-fame Russell Crowe doing the Hepburn'n'Tracy banter thing while driving through the Mexican countryside in a giant 1940s convertible, seasoned with a healthy dash of magic realism. Yum yum!
I knew you had a cruel streak in you, Koko!
He really did die though ...
is it too late to add my vote?? /breathless eager grin
hmmm....
how 'bout
DragonSlayer
Heavenly Creatures
Frankenstein (the 1931 original)
Three films that define me. Not works of cinematic brilliance; not even my favourites, but three that contain bits of my soul.
1. Richard III, Laurence Olivier. This film made an actor of me.
2. Le Maître de Musique (The Music Teacher), an enormous lump of cheese starring Belgian baritone José van Dam. It's The Red Shoes for singers. This film made a singer of me.
3. The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I spent much of my high school years cavorting around a dark movie theatre doing the Time Warp. Elbow sex, anyone?
Not elbow sex, but I fucked up my ankle doing the Timewarp as a young man. Was on crutches for a couple of months. Definitely in the top three most embarassing events of my life.
"I don't like a man with too many muscles ..."
Chronological order:
(1) Born Free and Living Free about Elsa and her cubs. One of the first movies I remember watching in the cinema. Contributed to my life-long fascination with cats and sub-saharan Africa.
(2) The Breakfast Club unbeknownst to me, I was John Bender. I saw this movie after > 20 people told me I had to because one of the characters looked and dressed very like I did as a teenager. Spooky.
(3) Pulp Fiction again, my persona was ripped off to create the Vincent Vega character. Though I never had a heroin habit.
bobboggis--- I think for that, you get some kind of Purple Heart to wear on your garter belt!
Koko: "Just one big one! And Brad doesn't have it..."
In other movie news, I got a boxed set of Astaire/Rogers musicals for an early Christmas present. Heaven, I'm in Heaven...
Pallas Athena: I did get one, and I wear it with pride. Chafes a bit, though.
Oh, damn. Stomach hurts just recalling some of those films...
Another one, not so painful (or violent) but still beautifully heartwrenching: The Daydreams of Angels
Oh, damn. Stomach hurts just recalling some of those films...
Another one, not so painful (or violent) but still beautifully heartwrenching: The Daydreams of Angels
2. Bad Ronald
3. Rear Window