These used to be my 20 favorite movies
Submitted by jenhowel on Tue, 02/20/2001 - 09:19
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- 20. Romancing the Stone (on the list mainly for rewatchability, this movie never fails to evoke a mood of adventure and romance and put a smile on my face. Also, saw it with my mom at 9 and immediately got a crush on Jack T. Colton.)
- 19. Lolita ('97) (I have NEVER seen a better book to movie translation. And Lolita being one of the finest novels ever written, the movie is one of the finest movies. Dominique Swain WAS Lolita.)
- 18. Return of the Jedi (rewatchability, plus the best opening half hour in any movie I know. You can just watch the escape from Jabba's palace over and over again and still be perfectly satisfied. Plus the speeders in the woods scene.)
- 17. Cyrano de Bergerac '9? (the Gerard Depardieu version of this play is achingly romantic, wonderfully witty and evocative of another time and place as the best movies should be.)
- 16. A Room with a View (Rewatchable and intelligent this Merchant-Ivory picture reveals new layers of wit upon each new view. It also possesses an immensely good heart and sense of humor. And who doesn't want to escape to Italy for some English class struggle every once in a while?)
- 15. The Pillow Book (the most visually stunning movie I have ever seen, this is also Greenaway's perhaps most cohesive work in terms of plot {thought that's not saying much}. It creates a lush creative mood in the viewer and features the lush nude Ewan Macgregor in all his glory. Hey, that's not why it's on the list!)
- 14. Raise the Red Lantern (my favorite foreign film, this Zhang Yimou masterpiece builds inexorably to a tragic climax featuring the amazing Gong Li as the fourth mistress of a wealthy Chinese man.)
- 13. Pulp Fiction (I can't say much that hasn't been said about Quentin Tarantino's breakout film, but I'll add that each separate section of this movie could easily inspire a whole spin-off movie. How about "Fox Force Five" for the big screen instead of this warmed-over "Charlie's Angels" bullshit?)
- 12. Out of Africa (If this movie had been about a man struggling against the elements in Africa, it probably would've garnered more respect as a "serious" movie. As it is, Out of Africa is often dismissed as a chick flick. Really it's about humanity against nature, the evils of colonialism, and the development of a truly great storyteller Isaak Dinesen. The label chick flick be damned!)
- 11. 12 Monkeys (Just to prove I'm not pretentious the least confusing of Gilliam's films is my favorite and I don't prefer La Jetee. This vision of the future truly frightened me, and suspense can still carry me hoping against hope through the whole film that things will turn out differently... this time. Also Madeleine Stowe gets a good role for a change. She is truly underrated.)
- 10. Fight Club (I feel that this film will be moving higher up on the list in the future, but first it must stand a couple more re-viewings. In any case this knockout '99 film inspired me revitalized me, and was just excellently crafted and acted. A call to arms against the stagnancy of our materialistic society that couldn't have come at a better time.)
- 9. Labyrinth (The best kids' film EVER, adults should rent this immediately rather than feed their kids the sort of putrescent pap marketed towards them today. Imaginative, weird, vaguely perverse, with a great, fun Bowie soundtrack and wonderful Jim Henson muppets.)
- 8. Reservoir Dogs (WAY better than Pulp Fiction, I challenge people to look beyond the violence, to the amazing characters presented in this film. Each time you watch this movie, a new fold of characterization reveals itself. Each of the main actors sorely deserved an Oscar. Plus the dialogue's great. And the storyline inevitable yet complex. The sequence where Mr. Orange (Tim Roth) tells his anecdote is one of I think the best sequences ever put on film.)
- 7. Passion Fish (an amazing character study of two women both overcoming incredible difficulties and managing to make the best of life without easy answers. Mary McDonnell and Alfre Woodard are amazing, and John Sayles is one of my gods for always writing such realistic yet witty and funny dialogue.)
- 6. Henry and June (it may seem like an odd choice, but not if your favorite author is Anais Nin, which mine is. The more you read by Anais, the more this movie seems like a documentary, not so much in facts as in the essences of Anais, and the people in her life. Though its interpretation of husband Hugo is a bit lacking and dad Joaquin is not addressed, this film does a fantastic job bringing to life one of the most underrated figures in American literature. And I DON'T mean f-ing Henry Miller.
- 5. Impromptu (seen by few, this film is an endlessly rewatchable absolutely delightful romantic comedy costume drama that never fails to enchant anyone who sees it. Even diehard football fans should find something to like in this picture if they merely pay attention for more than five minutes. This story of Georges Sand/Frederic Chopin's romance and artistic circle is probably the most intelligent romantic comedy ever made.)
- 4. The Empire Strikes Back (I have had a series of dreams spawned by this movie. And any movie that can haunt your dreams and live in your fantasies deserves just as much {if not more respect} than a less lively piece of art which most people put on their favorites list, "Serious" or not. And quite frankly this edition of the Star Wars series does get rather serious at points. The down ending appreciated in "Clerks" was a truly bold move for a major studio picture and the characterizations in this edition add flesh to what would be amazing anyway as a pure space fairytale for the ages. Long after they've forgotten those "serious" films, Empire will live on in the hearts and minds of millions.)
- 3. Howards End (Only connect to the ideals and struggles in this very underwatched Merchant-Ivory film and it will give you plenty of food for thought, and an introduction to characters you will not soon forget. This film deals with many difficult issues, yet still offers romance, humor, and drama without feeling scattered. And the acting, which was appreciated, is superb. Mainly though I remember feeling a sense of magic all around me as I stepped out of the theatre after seeing it with my mother so many years ago. And movies should evoke that magic.)
- 2) MOULIN ROUGE (I love musicals. I love Ewan Macgregor. I love Nicole Kidman. I love lavish production design. I love romance. I love tragedy. I love over-the-topness. I love Australian sensibilities. I love this film.)
- 1. BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA (Laugh if you must, but you know what I said about magic? That is what this film delivers to me EACH AND EVERY TIME I watch it, no matter where I am or what mood I'm in. This film is one of those rare few that can truly suck me into its world and not let me out until after the credits have rolled. Keanu Reeves aside, it is also a technical masterpiece, with beautiful old-fashioned effects, a gorgeous soundtrack, Oscar-winning costumes, and a truly unified vision. And Gary Oldman is the best Dracula ever. But really it comes down to the magic, and to the fact that "Bram Stoker's Dracula" was responsible for really renewing my love for the movies when I was 15 years old. Thank you, Francis Ford Coppola.
Author Comments:
Though many comments pervade this list, here's a summation of what makes a movie a "favorite" for me.
1. It doesn't matter if it's "respected" or on a critics' Top Ten List. I like what I like. I refuse to be sucked into pretentious, I have more refined taste battles.
2. In my opinion, the entertainment and magic value of the movies is often overlooked as an important factor in "greatness." Sure, Citizen Kane may be more artful, but will it really warm more hearts or affect more minds than "The Empire Strikes Back"? I like my movies to really affect me in an emotional way, not just an objective, intellectual level.
3. I also think characterization is underappreciated in film criticism. I have a strong tendency to prefer films with complex, interesting characters who come to life. Films that offer these will definitely be more emotionally effective, as well as psychologically instructive.
4. I tend to like movies that are brimming with life. So many of the "great" films seem to me emotionally and spiritually empty as well as lacking in any magic or entertainment level. TO me art should affect you on a visceral level. If I want intellectualism, I much prefer to read a book or engage in a philosophical argument.
5. The visual is underestimated in cinema, funny enough. Peter Greenaway made this statement in an interview with Film Comment, and I completely agree. We invented cinema, a medium primarily associated with sight and yet the majority of films may as well be books or radio shows for all they use this advancement. I really appreciate when a film is visually stunning or interesting.
6. Rewatchability matters. Who wants a favorite movie that you never want to see again?
CURRENTLY UNDER SOME THOUGHT AND CONSTRUCTION
I respect your views very much Jen. Ireally do. I feel maybe you look into some of these movies on your list with a closed view. This report will be far from abusive, I'm just curious about some of your choices.Truly, there are some wonderful films on your list. Bram Stoker's Dracula? I mean Coppola made another film with highly developed characters that weren't named Dracula.I think if I was to make a movie(and let's hope I don't) I could maybe come up with one that hasn;t been recycled 67,000 times. 1919 was a year with a Dracula movie starring Frank Langella as possibly the best screen adaptation of that mythical dude. I think that maybe because that movie made an impression on you at such a young age that it's sentimental value has swayed your judgement.The again I could be wrong. The most important things about movies is really what they mean to you.So,rock on girl!
1979 was the Dracula movie I was thinking about. If it was made in 1919 poor old frank would be about 136.
I would argue that _Labyrinth_ ought to be displaced by _The Dark Crystal_, which is just as magical, but does not struggle under the albatross of David Bowie and a young, unsalted Jennifer Connoly.
Just for kicks, here is my one and only Amazon list, which gives a taste of my taste in movies:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/listmania/list-browse/-/1CWELXDWZD366
Jen, I respect most of your choices here. No need to be defensive about your no.1 choice, it's easily one of the very best vampire movies. And no.17 does for Edmund Rostand what no.1 does for Bram Stoker and what no.19 does for Vladimir Nabokov, namely provides what is arguably the first truly respectable movie version of the book for which he is famous.
Also, I applaud the effort you've made here to exhibit your romantic philosophy of movie-watching, but I have to say that it seems to me you under-rate the capacity of the cinematic art form to embrace all intellectual levels, even the cold and rarefied.
glad to see someone who prizes enjoyment in movies over artfulness of execution.
hey, thanks for your comments on my "Movies I'd Like to See" list... very thorough, I loved 'em, and I'll try to take what I can to heart. Looking over these lists, I wish I had your helping in watching my movies, too... such is life. Take care!