Oh noes Brodie Fanns!
It's another installment of my top 100 list. Why is that "oh noes?" Because the more entries I post, the closer I get to the end.
And while I combed and laboured over my list for many years now (about 3, by my count), and I am ashamed to admit this. I left one off the list. It's one of my absolute favourite films from recent years because it's so real, and visceral, and has some of the finest dialog I've ever heard. And I can't believe I forgot it. So I guess this becomes a top 101 Favourite, with the inclusion of this film. The film is Closer from 2004, starring Natalie Portman, Jude Law, Clive Owen and Julia Roberts. I'll explain why I like later. But know that it throws stuff of, but I wanted to keep you abreast of the situation.
So here it is... 31-41:
41) Trainspotting
Such an intense look into the world of heroin addiction. It really is one of the more powerful, and likewise comedic, looks into drug culture, and that it takes place in Scotland of all places makes it even better. Because if I were to name 10 countries to set a powerful drug movie in, Scotland would be way down at like, number 180 or something. Danny Boyle makes his mark as a visionary filmmaker, and we get or first real glimpse at Ewan McGregor's talent.
40) Back to the Future Trilogy
I had to put this one on there as a franchise, because they are all co-dependent on each other. Robert Zemeckis wove such an intricate plot that he needed three movies to tell it. Each one can stand alone, and, yes the first is the strongest and the second is the weakest. But to get the full experience, to truly enjoy it, one must see the whole trilogy. Your brain will melt afterwards, but it's worth it. Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd both cemented their place in pop culture history with this set of films.
39) Se7en
What is so great about Se7en? Isn't it basically a two and a half hour C.S.I.? Kinda, yeah. But it's so much more. The brutality of John's murders. The acting prowess of a still relatively green Brad Pitt. Morgan Freeman still in the early days of being "Morgan Freeman". The twisted vision of David Fincher. Fincher was like, Tim Burton, only not on acid. He was dark, but completely serious, with a hint o' dementia. To this day this movie gives me the willies, because John Doe is such an eerie villain.
38) Mystic River
Clint Eastwood is a hit or miss director. This is one of the few that hit. Eastwood took Brian Helgeland's script adapted from Dennis Lehane's novel of the same name, and created a moody think piece. He was able to reach down inside each and every one of his actors and pull just some amazing performances. From the three leads (Sean Penn, Kevin Bacon and Tim Robbins) on down to Tom Guiry and Marcia Gay Harden. It was like this mutual agreement from all involved to give the best performances of their careers, and they all delivered. And Eastwood did some things as a director we hadn't really seen him, or most in mainstream cinema, do before, but I applaud him for being gutsier than he had been in the past. It's too bad he carbon copied it for his subsequent effort.
37) Reservoir Dogs
Brutal, witty, sharp, funny, intelligent and groundbreaking. With Reservoir Dogs, Quentin Tarantino basically revolutionized American independent AND mainstream cinema, making way for crowds of imitators, but never any duplicators. The story itself is such an interesting one to begin with, but then he twists it on it's head and ushers in a new era of the auteur. And where would it be without the conflicted Tim Roth, the fatherly Harvey Keitel or the downright insane Michael Madsen? No where. That's where.
36) The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
This, much like the aforementioned Back to the Future is presented here as it's entire trilogy. To get the full impact of any of the films, you must watch them all. Peter Jackson pulled out all the stops to adapt the most beloved fantasy book series in the world (screw you, Harry Potter) to produce a mostly faithful and eloquently beautiful film series that still has me gasping in amazement to this day. It's the perfect way to spend a day, watching all three beautiful films right in a row.
35) American Beauty
1999 was the year of suburban, white collar rebellion. From The Matrix to Office Space to Fight Club, all represented repressed aggression, resentment and disdain for the average middle-class life presented. But none explored the personal aspect more so than American Beauty. The change Kevin Spacey endures throughout the film, both professionally and personally, is the personification of what every bored business man wants to do. And the thematic occurrances of beauty ranging from flowers, to the perfect home, to the perfect body accentuate the drudgery of every day life, in it's demand for normalcy, and ones desire to escape it.
34) Closer
It's the most honest look at modern relationships I have ever seen. It's the anti-Love Actually. It's the anti-Julia Roberts movie. And guess what... it starred Julia Roberts. In general, romantic movies and movies about love tend to focus on the subject matter with Disney coated glasses. Everything's all lovey dovey, they end up together in the end where they're passionately in love and nothing could seperate them. Closer looks at the real aspects. The internal and external conflicts, the lying, the cheating, the arguing, the ugliness of love. Clive Owen and Natalie Portman were nominated for Oscars for their work in this film, and just watch it, you'll see why. It's not for the easily offended though. It's the most sexually graphic mainstream film to not show any sex or nudity what-so-ever. Wrap your head around that concept.
33) Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
I've been ranting and raving about this movie for the past year and a half, because it is quite honestly, that damn good. I never grow tired of it. It's a knowing satire of the classic noir flicks, but never descends to sophomoric parody. It knows all the rules of the genre, follows them, but breaks them at the same time. This movie marked the return of Robert Downey, Jr. It was Val Kilmer's statement that he hadn't gone anywhere. And it was Shane Black's proclamation that he wasn't just a guns and muscles actioner.
32) Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Clooney was already a well established and respected actor by the time he tried his hand at directing. And he actually showed some serious talent behind the camera. He constructs such a wacky world for the possibly factual true life of television producer/supposed CIA spook Chuck Barris, including near parody, archetypal characters. It's such a fun ride in the mold of the classic spy films of the 60's. It's fun to know that some of the more complex camera shots are done using old school trickery, rather than new school effec
31) Taxi Driver
Together, Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro created one of the most intriguing characters in film history. Travis Bickle is one of the more cynical, depraved and disillusioned men in the world and he's driven to the brink by his sheer misanthropy. De Niro recedes into the character creating a personality no one had seen before on film, but shares the spotlight with his comparably fascinating co-stars. A very young Jodie Foster and an early Harvey Keitel both serve as a springboard for Bickle's final descent, and it's a story that will shake you in it's contradictory violent innocence.
So there you have it folks... 31-41. Sorry for the late arrival of Closer, I know that throws things off, but what the hey, who doesn't love a little spontaneity?
Catch you all next week with some reviews, lists, commentary and whatever the hell ever I want.
Bong hits 4 Jesus!
-Brodie Mann
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