Cut Magazine's Top 150 Films (4)
OK, we got a little backed up with other things, but now back to the Cut Magazine's Movie Maniac's Top Movie Countdown!
(120-111)
120. Fargo (1996) I am an absolute sucker for the small-town crime genre. Clay Pigeons, A Simple Plan, The Pledge, A History of Violence, Insomnia, all great small-town crime thrillers made since Fargo, but never quite touch the way the Coen brothers can wrap evil and humor together so wisely, and really give a sence of the isolation (Insomnia gets pretty close) of the rural town life. This movie put them on the map, but make an effort to see all the Coen brothers' work. The ending of thier first film, Blood Simple, is one of the best.
119. Wallace and Gromit (2005) I guess I understand why people are into it, but just not quite my bag. (And I feel like I will be repeating myself for most of the youth-oriented movies).
118. Groundhog Day (1993) This is one of Bill Murray's great movies, when he was still in the "loud arrogant prick" mode of What About Bob and Scrooged, before the "quiet arrogant prick" mode of the modern Bill Murray era (Broken Flowers, Lost in Translation, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, which are three of my favorite movies of the last few years). Not many comedic actors are allowed to grow like Bill Murray has (maybe Sean Penn is the only one luckier). Groundhog Day is unique, sweet and actually funny without resorting to toilet humor, which is a worth find. This would be a great date rental.
117. The Thin Red Line (1998) I went with three friends when this movie came out, two of us loved it, two of us didn't. I was in the "didn't" column. Though, I think I like it more now, 8 years later, than at the time. I just can't muster the energy to see The New World.
116. Beauty and the Beast (1991) You know, I never saw Disney movies as a kid, and I have no desire to now.
115. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) I kind of missed the Monty Python train...all through junior high school I had no idea what my buddies were talking about, Knights that say Ni, and all that business. When I finally did see it, I enjoyed it, but it I had heard all the punchlines for years, so finally seeing the set-ups was a little anti-climatic. Without a doubt, absolute genius, though.
114. Brazil (1985) Monty Python alum, Terry Gilliam's bizzare classic. This is another love-it or hate-it pic. I can understand both opinions, but I get suspicious when people tell me they understand it.
113. The Graduate (1967) A bona-fide masterpiece. Dustin Hoffman is an unlikely romantic lead, but he is the most grounded part of the chaos which is normal suburban middle-upper class existence. I always recommend this to new grads, and try to watch it at least once a year. The humor and themes are timeless, especially the ambiguous final scene.
112. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) This was the OTHER space movie of the sci-fi crazy 1977. Instead of a galaxy far far away, however, these aliens were landing a little closer to home. It's the human factor that makes this movie so wonderful, and we don't see that kind of depth again in sci-fi alien movies until Spielberg brought us E.T.
111. The Unforgiven (1992) In a way, Clint Eastwood revived and killed the western genre in one fell-swoop with The Unforgiven. Nothing made since has come close, (except for maybe HBO's Deadwood series). You don't have to like westerns to appreciate the care and experience brought to this movie and helped make it fantastic.
(120-111)
120. Fargo (1996) I am an absolute sucker for the small-town crime genre. Clay Pigeons, A Simple Plan, The Pledge, A History of Violence, Insomnia, all great small-town crime thrillers made since Fargo, but never quite touch the way the Coen brothers can wrap evil and humor together so wisely, and really give a sence of the isolation (Insomnia gets pretty close) of the rural town life. This movie put them on the map, but make an effort to see all the Coen brothers' work. The ending of thier first film, Blood Simple, is one of the best.119. Wallace and Gromit (2005) I guess I understand why people are into it, but just not quite my bag. (And I feel like I will be repeating myself for most of the youth-oriented movies).
118. Groundhog Day (1993) This is one of Bill Murray's great movies, when he was still in the "loud arrogant prick" mode of What About Bob and Scrooged, before the "quiet arrogant prick" mode of the modern Bill Murray era (Broken Flowers, Lost in Translation, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, which are three of my favorite movies of the last few years). Not many comedic actors are allowed to grow like Bill Murray has (maybe Sean Penn is the only one luckier). Groundhog Day is unique, sweet and actually funny without resorting to toilet humor, which is a worth find. This would be a great date rental.
117. The Thin Red Line (1998) I went with three friends when this movie came out, two of us loved it, two of us didn't. I was in the "didn't" column. Though, I think I like it more now, 8 years later, than at the time. I just can't muster the energy to see The New World.116. Beauty and the Beast (1991) You know, I never saw Disney movies as a kid, and I have no desire to now.
115. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) I kind of missed the Monty Python train...all through junior high school I had no idea what my buddies were talking about, Knights that say Ni, and all that business. When I finally did see it, I enjoyed it, but it I had heard all the punchlines for years, so finally seeing the set-ups was a little anti-climatic. Without a doubt, absolute genius, though.
114. Brazil (1985) Monty Python alum, Terry Gilliam's bizzare classic. This is another love-it or hate-it pic. I can understand both opinions, but I get suspicious when people tell me they understand it.
113. The Graduate (1967) A bona-fide masterpiece. Dustin Hoffman is an unlikely romantic lead, but he is the most grounded part of the chaos which is normal suburban middle-upper class existence. I always recommend this to new grads, and try to watch it at least once a year. The humor and themes are timeless, especially the ambiguous final scene.112. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) This was the OTHER space movie of the sci-fi crazy 1977. Instead of a galaxy far far away, however, these aliens were landing a little closer to home. It's the human factor that makes this movie so wonderful, and we don't see that kind of depth again in sci-fi alien movies until Spielberg brought us E.T.
111. The Unforgiven (1992) In a way, Clint Eastwood revived and killed the western genre in one fell-swoop with The Unforgiven. Nothing made since has come close, (except for maybe HBO's Deadwood series). You don't have to like westerns to appreciate the care and experience brought to this movie and helped make it fantastic.
posted by John T at 5:37 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home