Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
List Updates - July 25, 2010
New List: Howard Deutch (director of Some Kind of Wonderful and The Replacements)
Saturday, July 24, 2010
List Updates - July 24, 2010
New List: Phillip Noyce (director of The Bone Collector and Patriot Games)
Monday, July 19, 2010
List Updates - July 19, 2010
New Lists: Robert Aldrich (director of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? and The Legend of Lylah Clare), Robert Greenwald (director of Outfoxed and Xanadu)
Friday, July 16, 2010
Christopher Nolan, Master of the Mind (Games)
Christopher Nolan's Films, Ranked (The link takes you to the simple version of the list on The Auteurs/MUBI.)
Christopher Nolan is quickly becoming one of my favorite modern directors, and his latest film, Inception, just hit theaters. He has crafted superior films that toy with the mind (Inception, The Prestige and Memento) and is the filmmaker behind the outstanding reinvention of the Batman franchise through Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, both of which also look a bit deeper into the psychological viewpoints of both Batman/Bruce Wayne and his rivals. To have such an amazing output with just seven feature films is quite astonishing, and it makes me look forward to the rest of his career.
1. The Dark Knight (2008) - "How about a magic trick?"
To steal a move from Memento, it might be best if you read the paragraph for Batman Begins before this one. I was so taken by Batman Begins that I thought it would be very hard for Nolan to top it. Obviously, I was wrong. Heath Ledger's amazingly transformative performance as The Joker is just one of the great things about The Dark Knight. The film managed to mold the gritty, more realistic vision that Nolan brought forward in Batman Begins with stories of essential supporting players in the Batman universe. Nolan also added more of a suspenseful plot, as he has become known for, into the mix. All of the actors - Ledger, Christian Bale (minus the silly Batman voice), Aaron Eckhart, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Maggie Gyllenhaal - do a terrific job of bringing incredible depth to the Batman universe.
2. The Prestige (2006) - "Maybe today you're more in love with magic."
Like that quote, somedays I love The Prestige more than The Dark Knight, and other days vice versa. In between the Batman films, Nolan, Bale and Caine reteamed alongside Hugh Jackman, Rebecca Hall, Scarlett Johansson, Andy Serkis and David Bowie to bring a superb mind-bending thriller to the screen.
3. Inception (2010) - "I'd hate to see out of control."
Having just seen Inception (for the first time), it would be easy for me to write volumes on how incredibly mind-blowing and breathtaking the film is. The whole hallway fight scene and the sequence of "defying gravity" (pictured above) could be enough to fill two volumes - one for its importance to the film in terms of plot and story, and another in terms of the technical filmmaking aspects that make it look amazing. Nolan continues his outstanding streak of outstanding storytelling, the film is perfectly cast, the score is perfect in assisting the pacing of the film, the look (through costumes, set design and cinematography) is flawless and, as hinted at above, the action sequences and special effects are quite awe-inspiring.
4. Memento (2001) - "I have this condition."
Memento is widely regarded as Nolan's masterpiece, and rightfully so. The amount of skill needed as a filmmaker to properly create and maneuver around in this story is quite high, and Nolan is definitely at that level.
5. Batman Begins (2005) - "Gotham isn't beyond saving."
I was a bit unsure of what to think going into the midnight screening of Batman Begins, but by the time the lights came up there was no doubt in my mind: they picked the right people for the job. Nolan ditched the camp that surrounded the earlier Batman films and went for something much more gritty and more realistic. (No nipple suits here.) As a fan of the Burton films and the TV show "Batman: The Animated Series," I was quite pleased with what Batman Begins did with my favorite superhero. It took Bruce Wayne and made him more human, more relatable; he wasn't simply a do-gooder. The film delved into his past and showed why he needed to become Batman, and it also managed to reveal why Gotham City needed Batman. There's one scene where Christian Bale, dressed as Batman, perches on top of a building, watching over Gotham City. It is one of the most iconic Batman images, and that moment encapsulates everything good about Nolan's reinvention of the series - Nolan stayed loyal to fans expecting certain things from Batman but still made it his own, a version of Batman that had never been seen before on the big screen. (Wally Pfister's cinematography didn't exactly hurt that scene either.)
6. Insomnia (2002) - "Small things, remember?"
Insomnia is actually the first Nolan film I saw. Needless to say, I was a bit underwhelmed and a bit puzzled when I heard he would be taking over the Batman franchise. The fact that this is the most disappointing of Nolan's films and it's still not entirely horrible is a testament to his talent and his increasing reputation as a modern master of filmmaking.
I still need to get around to seeing Nolan's feature directorial debut, Following. I realize I was a bit slight with some of these descriptions, but it's at least in part due to the fact that I think Nolan's films speak for themselves and I didn't want to give too much away about any of them.
Christopher Nolan is quickly becoming one of my favorite modern directors, and his latest film, Inception, just hit theaters. He has crafted superior films that toy with the mind (Inception, The Prestige and Memento) and is the filmmaker behind the outstanding reinvention of the Batman franchise through Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, both of which also look a bit deeper into the psychological viewpoints of both Batman/Bruce Wayne and his rivals. To have such an amazing output with just seven feature films is quite astonishing, and it makes me look forward to the rest of his career.
1. The Dark Knight (2008) - "How about a magic trick?"
To steal a move from Memento, it might be best if you read the paragraph for Batman Begins before this one. I was so taken by Batman Begins that I thought it would be very hard for Nolan to top it. Obviously, I was wrong. Heath Ledger's amazingly transformative performance as The Joker is just one of the great things about The Dark Knight. The film managed to mold the gritty, more realistic vision that Nolan brought forward in Batman Begins with stories of essential supporting players in the Batman universe. Nolan also added more of a suspenseful plot, as he has become known for, into the mix. All of the actors - Ledger, Christian Bale (minus the silly Batman voice), Aaron Eckhart, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Maggie Gyllenhaal - do a terrific job of bringing incredible depth to the Batman universe.
2. The Prestige (2006) - "Maybe today you're more in love with magic."
Like that quote, somedays I love The Prestige more than The Dark Knight, and other days vice versa. In between the Batman films, Nolan, Bale and Caine reteamed alongside Hugh Jackman, Rebecca Hall, Scarlett Johansson, Andy Serkis and David Bowie to bring a superb mind-bending thriller to the screen.
3. Inception (2010) - "I'd hate to see out of control."
Having just seen Inception (for the first time), it would be easy for me to write volumes on how incredibly mind-blowing and breathtaking the film is. The whole hallway fight scene and the sequence of "defying gravity" (pictured above) could be enough to fill two volumes - one for its importance to the film in terms of plot and story, and another in terms of the technical filmmaking aspects that make it look amazing. Nolan continues his outstanding streak of outstanding storytelling, the film is perfectly cast, the score is perfect in assisting the pacing of the film, the look (through costumes, set design and cinematography) is flawless and, as hinted at above, the action sequences and special effects are quite awe-inspiring.
4. Memento (2001) - "I have this condition."
Memento is widely regarded as Nolan's masterpiece, and rightfully so. The amount of skill needed as a filmmaker to properly create and maneuver around in this story is quite high, and Nolan is definitely at that level.
5. Batman Begins (2005) - "Gotham isn't beyond saving."
I was a bit unsure of what to think going into the midnight screening of Batman Begins, but by the time the lights came up there was no doubt in my mind: they picked the right people for the job. Nolan ditched the camp that surrounded the earlier Batman films and went for something much more gritty and more realistic. (No nipple suits here.) As a fan of the Burton films and the TV show "Batman: The Animated Series," I was quite pleased with what Batman Begins did with my favorite superhero. It took Bruce Wayne and made him more human, more relatable; he wasn't simply a do-gooder. The film delved into his past and showed why he needed to become Batman, and it also managed to reveal why Gotham City needed Batman. There's one scene where Christian Bale, dressed as Batman, perches on top of a building, watching over Gotham City. It is one of the most iconic Batman images, and that moment encapsulates everything good about Nolan's reinvention of the series - Nolan stayed loyal to fans expecting certain things from Batman but still made it his own, a version of Batman that had never been seen before on the big screen. (Wally Pfister's cinematography didn't exactly hurt that scene either.)
6. Insomnia (2002) - "Small things, remember?"
Insomnia is actually the first Nolan film I saw. Needless to say, I was a bit underwhelmed and a bit puzzled when I heard he would be taking over the Batman franchise. The fact that this is the most disappointing of Nolan's films and it's still not entirely horrible is a testament to his talent and his increasing reputation as a modern master of filmmaking.
I still need to get around to seeing Nolan's feature directorial debut, Following. I realize I was a bit slight with some of these descriptions, but it's at least in part due to the fact that I think Nolan's films speak for themselves and I didn't want to give too much away about any of them.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
Sunday, July 11, 2010
List Updates - July 11, 2010
New Lists: Abel Ferrara (director of King of New York and Bad Lieutenant)
Updated Lists: John Ford (added My Darling Clementine)
Updated Lists: John Ford (added My Darling Clementine)
Saturday, July 10, 2010
My "Type"
I made a list of my 200 favorite movies a couple of weeks ago. It's something that will constantly be evolving, so I imagine I'll write about this particular list quite a few times on here. This time around, I've found myself in the mood to talk about the "type" or genre of film that I tend to like, because I don't know that it can be wholly classified.
I enjoy classic films and foreign films, but I tend to dislike using those terms as genre labels, as a "classic" films or a "foreign" film could be a drama, a comedy, a romance, an action film, a Western or any other genre. I like coming-of-age films, screwball comedies from the 1930s and '40s, film noir and musicals, but none of those four genres are really the dominant type on the list. Sure there are a few from each genre on there, but I would say that a lot of the films - perhaps the majority - are somewhat unclassifiable by the traditional genre standards. These films that dominate my list tend to cross genres and focus on relationships. I guess because that's what I've always found to be most compelling when I'm watching movies. I think all of the movies in my top 10 (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Philadelphia Story, The Royal Tenenbaums, Annie Hall, Amelie, Harold and Maude, Reality Bites, Stranger Than Fiction, Once and I'm Not There) could easily fall into that "type," although The Philadelphia Story could fall into the screwball comedy genre and Once is often referred to as a musical. I suppose Harold and Maude and Reality Bites could also fall into the coming-of-age genre, but really, at their core, they are just films about relationships. I suppose I should point out that when I use the word "relationships," I'm not just referring to ones of a romantic or sexual nature - I also include friendships, family relationships and human beings relating to each other in general through that one word.
In looking back over the entire list of 200, I suppose there's only a handful of films that would be stretching it as far as saying they fall into my "type." At their cores, I suppose most films are about relationships, but I think the ones I've deemed as favorites go a step or two further in delving into both character studies and how human beings relate to each other. Quite obviously, that's what I find most compelling when I take the time to watch a movie.
I enjoy classic films and foreign films, but I tend to dislike using those terms as genre labels, as a "classic" films or a "foreign" film could be a drama, a comedy, a romance, an action film, a Western or any other genre. I like coming-of-age films, screwball comedies from the 1930s and '40s, film noir and musicals, but none of those four genres are really the dominant type on the list. Sure there are a few from each genre on there, but I would say that a lot of the films - perhaps the majority - are somewhat unclassifiable by the traditional genre standards. These films that dominate my list tend to cross genres and focus on relationships. I guess because that's what I've always found to be most compelling when I'm watching movies. I think all of the movies in my top 10 (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Philadelphia Story, The Royal Tenenbaums, Annie Hall, Amelie, Harold and Maude, Reality Bites, Stranger Than Fiction, Once and I'm Not There) could easily fall into that "type," although The Philadelphia Story could fall into the screwball comedy genre and Once is often referred to as a musical. I suppose Harold and Maude and Reality Bites could also fall into the coming-of-age genre, but really, at their core, they are just films about relationships. I suppose I should point out that when I use the word "relationships," I'm not just referring to ones of a romantic or sexual nature - I also include friendships, family relationships and human beings relating to each other in general through that one word.
In looking back over the entire list of 200, I suppose there's only a handful of films that would be stretching it as far as saying they fall into my "type." At their cores, I suppose most films are about relationships, but I think the ones I've deemed as favorites go a step or two further in delving into both character studies and how human beings relate to each other. Quite obviously, that's what I find most compelling when I take the time to watch a movie.
Friday, July 9, 2010
List Updates - July 9, 2010
Updated Lists: Richard Attenborough (added Cry Freedom), Martin Ritt (added Stanley & Iris)
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
List Updates - July 6, 2010
Updated Lists: Kenneth Branagh (added Dead Again), Nicholas Hytner (added The Madness of King George), Ang Lee (added Eat Drink Man Woman), Spike Lee (added Jungle Fever)
Monday, July 5, 2010
List Updates - July 5, 2010
Updated Lists: John Huston (added Moby Dick), David Lynch (added Lost Highway)
Sunday, July 4, 2010
List Updates - July 4, 2010
Updated Lists: Francis Ford Coppola (added The Conversation), Stanley Donen (added On the Town)
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Friday, July 2, 2010
List Updates - July 2, 2010
New Lists: Roland Emmerich (director of Independence Day and 2012), Scott Hicks (director of Snow Falling on Cedars and The Boys Are Back), Arthur Hiller (director of The Americanization of Emily and Plaza Suite), Neil LaBute (director of Nurse Betty and The Wicker Man), Wolfgang Petersen (director of The NeverEnding Story and The Perfect Storm), George Sidney (director of The Harvey Girls and Viva Las Vegas), Franco Zeffirelli (director of Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet), David Zucker (director of Airplane! and The Naked Gun), Jerry Zucker (director of Ghost and Ruthless People)
Updated Lists: Robert Altman (added The Delinquents), W.S. Van Dyke (added San Francisco), Peter Weir (added Picnic at Hanging Rock)
Several names were also added to the Lists in Progress page.
Updated Lists: Robert Altman (added The Delinquents), W.S. Van Dyke (added San Francisco), Peter Weir (added Picnic at Hanging Rock)
Several names were also added to the Lists in Progress page.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
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