Wednesday, December 29, 2010
List Updates - December 29, 2010
Updated Lists: Joel & Ethan Coen (added True Grit), Paul Weitz (added Little Fockers)
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
List Updates - December 22, 2010
Updated Lists: Danny Boyle (added 127 Hours), Dennis Dugan (added Grown Ups), David O. Russell (added The Fighter)
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
List Updates - December 1, 2010
Updated Lists: Martin Scorsese (added Public Speaking), Edgar Wright (added Scott Pilgrim vs. the World), Edward Zwick (added Love and Other Drugs)
Sunday, November 21, 2010
List Updates - November 21, 2010
Updated Lists: Darren Aronofsky (added Black Swan), David Yates (added Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I)
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
Friday, November 5, 2010
Thursday, November 4, 2010
List Updates - November 4, 2010
List Updates: Blake Edwards (added Days of Wine and Roses), Nicole Holofcener (added Please Give), Robert Wise (added Two for the Seesaw)
Friday, October 29, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
List Updates - October 26, 2010
Updated Lists: Robert Altman (added Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson), Sam Raimi (added Evil Dead II), Kevin Smith (added Cop Out), Lars von Trier (added Occupations/To Each His Own Cinema), Orson Welles (added The Lady from Shanghai)
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
List Updates - October 19, 2010
Updated Lists: Clint Eastwood (added Hereafter), Alfred Hitchcock (added Stage Fright), Joseph L. Mankiewicz (added Suddenly, Last Summer), Michael Winterbottom (added The Killer Inside Me)
Thursday, October 14, 2010
List Updates - October 14, 2010
Updated Lists: Woody Allen (added Broadway Danny Rose), Robert Rodriguez (added Shorts)
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Saturday, October 9, 2010
List Updates - October 9, 2010
Updated Lists: Francis Ford Coppola (added The Cotton Club), Jay Roach (added Recount)
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Monday, October 4, 2010
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
List Updates - September 28, 2010
Updated Lists: Robert Altman (added Nashville), Werner Herzog (added My Son, My Son What Have Ye Done)
Sunday, September 26, 2010
List Updates - September 26, 2010
Updated Lists: John Ford (added 7 Women), Oliver Stone (added Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps)
Thursday, September 23, 2010
List Updates - September 23, 2010
Updated Lists: Robert Altman (added Brewster McCloud), Jonathan Demme (added Neil Young: Heart of Gold)
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
List Updates - September 21, 2010
Updated List: Pedro Almodóvar (added The Cannibalistic Councillor)
Monday, September 20, 2010
List Updates - September 20, 2010
New List: Terrence Malick (director of Days of Heaven and The Thin Red Line)
Sunday, September 19, 2010
List Updates - September 19, 2010
Updated Lists: Paul Weitz (added Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant), Billy Wilder (added Love in the Afternoon)
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
List Updates - September 14, 2010
Updated Lists: Sydney Pollack (added The Electric Horseman), George Sidney (added Bye Bye Birdie)
Saturday, September 11, 2010
List Updates - September 11, 2010
Updated List: John Huston (added The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean)
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Friday, September 3, 2010
List Updates - September 3, 2010
Updated Lists: Robert Altman (added Vincent & Theo), Stephen Frears (added My Beautiful Laundrette), Orson Welles (added The Stranger)
Thursday, September 2, 2010
List Updates - September 2, 2010
Updated Lists: Martin Scorsese (added Boxcar Bertha), Billy Wilder (added Witness for the Prosecution)
New List: Films Seen, September 2010
New List: Films Seen, September 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010
List Updates - August 28, 2010
Updated Lists: Jim Jarmusch (added Down by Law), John Schlesinger (added Far from the Madding Crowd)
Friday, August 27, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
List Updates - August 26, 2010
Updated Lists: Ang Lee (added The Wedding Banquet), John Sayles (added Casa de los babys)
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
List Updates - August 25, 2010
Updated Lists: Michael Curtiz (added Life with Father), David Lean (added Ryan's Daughter), George Stevens (added A Place in the Sun)
Sunday, August 22, 2010
List Updates - August 22, 2010
Updated List: Martin Ritt (added Hud), François Truffaut (added Shoot the Piano Player, The Wild Child and The Story of Adele H.)
Saturday, August 21, 2010
List Updates - August 21, 2010
Updated Lists: Pedro Almodóvar (added Live Flesh), Elia Kazan (added The Sea of Grass), George Stevens (added Quality Street)
New List: David Lean (director of Doctor Zhivago, The Bridge on the River Kwai)
New List: David Lean (director of Doctor Zhivago, The Bridge on the River Kwai)
Friday, August 20, 2010
List Updates - August 20, 2010
Updated Lists: Alfred Hitchcock (added Frenzy), Steven Soderbergh (added King of the Hill), Gus Van Sant (added Drugstore Cowboy), William Wyler (added Mrs. Miniver)
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
List Updates - August 16, 2010
Updated Lists: Peter Bogdonavich (added The Last Picture Show), François Truffaut (added Stolen Kisses)
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Friday, August 13, 2010
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
List Updates - August 9, 2010
Updated Lists: François Truffaut (added The Last Metro), Orson Welles (added The Complete Mr. Arkadin)
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
List Updates - August 3, 2010
Updated Lists: Woody Allen (added Husbands and Wives), Spike Lee (added Miracle at St. Anna)
Monday, August 2, 2010
List Updates - August 2, 2010
Updated Lists: Woody Allen (added What's Up, Tiger Lily?), Alfred Hitchcock (added Foreign Correspondent)
Sunday, August 1, 2010
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
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
List Updates - June 30, 2010
Updated Lists: Hal Ashby (added 8 Million Ways to Die), George Cukor (added A Star Is Born), Elia Kazan (added Splendor in the Grass), Films Seen - June 2010 (list completed)
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
List Updates - June 26, 2010
New Lists: Stephen Daldry (director of The Hours and The Reader), Andrew Fleming (director of Hamlet 2 and The Craft), Mike Judge (director of Office Space and Extract), James Toback (director of The Pick-up Artist and Exposed), Chris Weitz (director of About a Boy and The Golden Compass), Paul Weitz (director of About a Boy and In Good Company), My Master List, X to Z
Updated Lists: My Master List (0 to ∞, A to D, E to H, I to L, M to P, Q to T, U to W - several films added)
I also added a few names to the Lists in Progress page.
Updated Lists: My Master List (0 to ∞, A to D, E to H, I to L, M to P, Q to T, U to W - several films added)
I also added a few names to the Lists in Progress page.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
List Updates - June 24, 2010
New Lists: My Criterion Collection
Updated Lists: George Cukor (added Susan and God), My Master List (Q to T, U to Z - several films added)
Updated Lists: George Cukor (added Susan and God), My Master List (Q to T, U to Z - several films added)
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
List Updates - June 22, 2010
New Lists: Films I Really Want to See
Updated Lists: My Master List (A to D, E to H - several movies added)
Updated Lists: My Master List (A to D, E to H - several movies added)
Sunday, June 20, 2010
List Updates - June 20, 2010
Updated Lists: James Mangold (added Knight and Day), My Master List (A to D - several films added)
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Friday, June 18, 2010
List Updates - June 18, 2010
New Lists: Lee Unkrich (Pixar director, films include Toy Story 2 & 3)
Updated Lists: My Master List (A to D; E to H; I to L; M to P - several movies added)
Updated Lists: My Master List (A to D; E to H; I to L; M to P - several movies added)
Lee Unkrich and the Men of Pixar
Lee Unkrich's Films, Ranked (The link goes to the simple version of the list on The Auteurs/MUBI.)
I really love Pixar - mostly because they make films for kids and grown-ups (mostly grown-ups who yearn to be kids again). They really do a great job of blending stories that appeal to children and still manage to bring depth for older viewers. I've decided to go with Unkrich as my first in-depth look at a Pixar director as I just attended the midnight screening of Toy Story 3.
1. Toy Story 2 (1999) AND 2. Toy Story 3 (2010) - "I think it's time you learned the true meaning of playtime."
I've really grown up with the Toy Story films. I was 9 when the first one came out, 13 when the second came out and I'm now 24 as the third film hits theaters. The way the films flawlessly blend the family, action-adventure, drama, comedy and coming-of-age genres makes them resonate whether you're watching them when you're 14 or 40. The introduction of Jessie in Toy Story 2 made me love the film even more - to have a female heroine join ranks with Woody and Buzz seemed pretty awesome to me. Toy Story 3 further develops the following of Andy and his toys without feeling overwrought or unnecessary. It tackles the whole idea of attempting to hold onto your childhood for as long as possible - the last third of the film contains perhaps some of the best moments in the series (no spoilers), and I'm not afraid to admit that a tear or two came to my eyes.
3. Finding Nemo (2003) - "Just keep swimming."
Finding Nemo, to me, combined the fairy tale aspects of talking animals with the heart of what I've previously described as Pixar's genre-crossing, for-all-audiences way of filmmaking. You root for the characters just as you would in a live-action film, even if it's filled with talking animals or talking toys. To me, that's the best aspect of Pixar films in general, they get you feeling compassion for and rooting for the lead characters just as if they were human beings. They bring humanity, in the form of emotions and mannerisms, to typical animated characters - animals, robots, toys, etc.
4. Monsters, Inc. (2001) - "And who will we be scaring today?"
Pixar even brought some humanity to the monsters hiding under the bed. They took the ordinary, somewhat mundane routines of human beings going to work and adapted them to the world of the monsters. Monsters, Inc. may not be my most favorite Pixar film, but that by no means makes it a horrible movie. It's not that I didn't like it - it's just I seemed to enjoy some of the other films more. The relationship that Sulley develops with Boo makes for quite a good movie.
The Other Men of Pixar's Lists: Brad Bird, John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton
As a bonus, I've made up my list of Pixar films, ranked (I only included the feature-length films):
1. Wall-E (2008)
2. Toy Story (1995)
3. Toy Story 2 (1999)
4. Up (2009)
5. The Incredibles (2004)
6. Toy Story 3 (2010)
7. Ratatouille (2007)
8. Finding Nemo (2003)
9. Monsters, Inc. (2001)
10. A Bug's Life (1998)
11. Cars (2006)
I really love Pixar - mostly because they make films for kids and grown-ups (mostly grown-ups who yearn to be kids again). They really do a great job of blending stories that appeal to children and still manage to bring depth for older viewers. I've decided to go with Unkrich as my first in-depth look at a Pixar director as I just attended the midnight screening of Toy Story 3.
1. Toy Story 2 (1999) AND 2. Toy Story 3 (2010) - "I think it's time you learned the true meaning of playtime."
I've really grown up with the Toy Story films. I was 9 when the first one came out, 13 when the second came out and I'm now 24 as the third film hits theaters. The way the films flawlessly blend the family, action-adventure, drama, comedy and coming-of-age genres makes them resonate whether you're watching them when you're 14 or 40. The introduction of Jessie in Toy Story 2 made me love the film even more - to have a female heroine join ranks with Woody and Buzz seemed pretty awesome to me. Toy Story 3 further develops the following of Andy and his toys without feeling overwrought or unnecessary. It tackles the whole idea of attempting to hold onto your childhood for as long as possible - the last third of the film contains perhaps some of the best moments in the series (no spoilers), and I'm not afraid to admit that a tear or two came to my eyes.
3. Finding Nemo (2003) - "Just keep swimming."
Finding Nemo, to me, combined the fairy tale aspects of talking animals with the heart of what I've previously described as Pixar's genre-crossing, for-all-audiences way of filmmaking. You root for the characters just as you would in a live-action film, even if it's filled with talking animals or talking toys. To me, that's the best aspect of Pixar films in general, they get you feeling compassion for and rooting for the lead characters just as if they were human beings. They bring humanity, in the form of emotions and mannerisms, to typical animated characters - animals, robots, toys, etc.
4. Monsters, Inc. (2001) - "And who will we be scaring today?"
Pixar even brought some humanity to the monsters hiding under the bed. They took the ordinary, somewhat mundane routines of human beings going to work and adapted them to the world of the monsters. Monsters, Inc. may not be my most favorite Pixar film, but that by no means makes it a horrible movie. It's not that I didn't like it - it's just I seemed to enjoy some of the other films more. The relationship that Sulley develops with Boo makes for quite a good movie.
The Other Men of Pixar's Lists: Brad Bird, John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton
As a bonus, I've made up my list of Pixar films, ranked (I only included the feature-length films):
1. Wall-E (2008)
2. Toy Story (1995)
3. Toy Story 2 (1999)
4. Up (2009)
5. The Incredibles (2004)
6. Toy Story 3 (2010)
7. Ratatouille (2007)
8. Finding Nemo (2003)
9. Monsters, Inc. (2001)
10. A Bug's Life (1998)
11. Cars (2006)
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
List Updates - June 14, 2010
Updated Lists: Alfred Hitchcock (added Downhill, Number Seventeen, The Skin Game and The Woman Alone a.k.a. Sabotage), My Master List (A to D - several movies added)
Sunday, June 13, 2010
List Updates - June 13, 2010
Updated Lists: Alfred Hitchcock (added Juno and the Paycock, The Paradine Case and Young and Innocent), My Master List (A to D; E to H; I to L; M to P - several movies added)
Saturday, June 12, 2010
List Updates - June 12, 2010
New Lists: My Master List, A to D; E to H; I to L; M to P; Q to T; U to Z; 0 to ∞
Updated Lists: Alfred Hitchcock (added Champagne, Easy Virtue, Jamaica Inn and The Ring)
Updated Lists: Alfred Hitchcock (added Champagne, Easy Virtue, Jamaica Inn and The Ring)
Friday, June 11, 2010
Thursday, June 10, 2010
List Updates - June 10, 2010
New Lists: Nick Park (director of the Wallace & Gromit stop-motion animated films), James Mangold (Girl, Interrupted and Walk the Line)
Updated Lists: Alfred Hitchcock (added The Manxman and Rich and Strange), Chuck Jones (added Now Hear This)
Updated Lists: Alfred Hitchcock (added The Manxman and Rich and Strange), Chuck Jones (added Now Hear This)
Alfred Hitchcock: The Legend Begins
"There is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it."
A couple of years ago, I came across a DVD box set at Wal-Mart titled "Alfred Hitchcock: The Legend Begins" for just $5. Of course I bought it, as the main area I'm missing in reaching my goal of watching all of Hitchcock's films is his early years. I've decided to make June my month of Hitchcock, and it all started two nights ago when I rewatched my DVD of Rear Window.
A couple of years ago, I came across a DVD box set at Wal-Mart titled "Alfred Hitchcock: The Legend Begins" for just $5. Of course I bought it, as the main area I'm missing in reaching my goal of watching all of Hitchcock's films is his early years. I've decided to make June my month of Hitchcock, and it all started two nights ago when I rewatched my DVD of Rear Window.
Starting in February or March, I also decided that I'm going to gradually go through all of my DVDs and watch all of the bonus features. Rear Window was no exception - the Collector's Edition DVD has a lengthy (in a good way) featurette on both the making of the film and its restoration. In addition, there's an interview with screenwriter John Michael Hayes and a slideshow of posters and stills from the film played to the soundtrack.
Last night, I busted out my "Legend Begins" box set, starting with the first disc - which contains The Lady Vanishes (the only film I'd previously seen from the disc), The Farmer's Wife, The Manxman and two episodes of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" ("The Chaney Vase" and "The Sorcerer's Apprentice"). I rewatched The Lady Vanishes and had my first viewing of The Farmer's Wife and the "AHP" episodes. I quite enjoyed the episodes, but let's just say that The Farmer's Wife isn't exactly my favorite Hitchcock film. (It's not my least favorite either.)
Tonight I plan on watching The Manxman and getting a glimpse of something from the second disc. After finishing the four discs, I imagine I'll venture back to the other Hitchcock films I own on DVD - The Birds, Vertigo and (saving the best for last) Notorious - to check out the bonus features. If any other Hitchcock films (especially ones I haven't seen) happen to come on TV, hopefully I'll be able to watch them. After finishing the box set, there will still be about a dozen of Hitchcock's films that I still haven't seen.
I will have more on Hitchcock and his films as I see more of them, but for now here's the list: Alfred Hitchcock's Films, Ranked. (The list will be updated as I watch more - the link remains the same.)
Welcome to The Listeur
Hello friends, cinephiles and anyone else who has come across this blog. I hope you enjoy my little project and feel free to share your lists in the comments (on here or on The Auteurs/MUBI). A full description of what The Listeur is about can be found here.
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