"Must See" Films

[El Gordo]

M's away next weekend, and I've decided to use the time productively -- by catching up on some movies I should have seen. I just joined an online DVD rental service,and need an initial shortlist of 10.

So far I've got Neil Young's Heart of Gold, City of God (Cidade de Deus ) and A Mighty Wind. And Capote and the original In Cold Blood (1967)

In case you read this earlier when I asked for lists, I'm changing it. Just throw some recommendations this way please.

Thanks.

[glaconman]

Andy;

I recently recommended a couple of British films:
'My Summer Of Love'
and
'Dead Man's Shoes'

City Of God has a remarkable opening sequence. Munny (who is an aspiring film editor) made me watch it in slow-mo to appreciate all the cuts that went into it.

We also went to see 'Babel' at the weekend. Reading some of the reviews this morning it seems to have really polarised the critics and viewing public. Personally, I came out of the cinema thinking I'd seen a masterpeice. No less.

In fact I'd recommend the other 2 films by Alejandro González Iñárritu; in particular his first: Amores Perros.

'Volver' is Pedro Almodóvar at his best; or try another Spanish pic: 'Los Lunes al sol' (Mondays in the Sun) a wonderful bitter-sweet film.

[El Gordo]

I've not seen Babel but you're right about the divergence of views. Mark Kermode is in the anti- camp. I'll see it at some point.

Thanks for the reminder about your previous recommendations - I've now ordered them. Can't remember what you said about them but I'll just watch them and see what happens. Will report back.

I rewatched A History Of Violence last night. I meant to see just the opening minute because I missed it when I first caught the film on Sky a few weeks ago. Ended up watching the whole thing again. Highly recommended David Cronenberg film. Kermode's Film of the Year for last year apparently. Genuine tension all the way through, but beautifully controlled.

[Nigel]

Capote. You're going to just love Capote.

[Sweder]

Second that emotion on History of Violence - powerful stuff.
I watched Little Miss Sunshine last night with my family. This film had a fairly widespread thumbs up and I have to say it has a good heart and ultimately an upbeat message. Not my usual cuppa, but worth a watch. The finale had us all - wife, mother-in-law (late 70's), son (18) and daughter (11) - slack-jawed.

I've mentioned Pan's Labyrinth before - as has Mr Kermode. Not on DVD yet, but get to see it if you can. Another powerfully emotional experience.

[El Gordo]

I'm off to see Pan's Labrynth in about half an hour from now, though we have to drive more than 15 miles to see it in this cultural desert.

[El Gordo]

Good film. Very good film.

My expectations were uncontrollably sky-high after hearing great film critics of our age like Kermode and Sweder lavish praise on it. In the circumstances it was almost certain to be a slight anticlimax, but it just about managed to avoid that fate. One of those films that didn't immediately get me, but now, an hour or two later, has started to sink in a bit.

It's almost unbearably painful to watch, and a pretty uncomfortable juxtaposition of brutality and innocence. Set in Spain in 1944, two main characters, one a vivid portrayal of sadism in the shape of an inhumane pro-Franco army captain, the other an orphaned child lost in a world of fantasy and fairytale, compete for our attention. We know from the opening scene that it's all destined to end in terrible tragedy, but there's just a flash of hope at the end to send us home satisfied.

Visually, it's wonderful. I can see why Kermode loved it. He often harps on about the need for films to be 'cinematic', to exploit the medium to the full. This film does exactly that. Great music too.

Not everyone will like it, but it's definitely worth seeing -- if possible on the big screen. The visuals are important, and I don't know how well they'll come over on a DVD player.

[glaconman]

I'd echo that sentiment about seeing 'cinematic' films at the cinema and waiting to see others in your living room. If you're going to see 'Babel' then you need to catch it at the cinema. But given the reverence towards The Word of Kermode around here, that seems unlikely.

I'm guessing you've seen everything by the Coen Bros.

[El Gordo]

I'm guessing you've seen everything by the Coen Bros.

No! Funnily enough I'd already decided to see all their stuff in chronological order, and have ordered the first 2 - Blood Simple and Raising Arizona.

Really like Hudsucker Proxy and The Man Who Wasn't There. I think they're the only ones I've seen.

I find Mark Kermode hugely entertaining but I certainly don't agree with everything he says. I mean, his favourite film of all time is The Exorcist...

[glaconman]

Thank God for that. I think he has undiluted enthusiasm for cinema and a breadth of knowledge bordering on uberGeek. But he has spent most of his life watching horror films.

There are 3 films that I watch repeatedly: 'Billy Liar', 'Withnail & I' and 'The Big Lebowski'. So you're in for a treat with the last one.

[Sweder]

You'll love Raising Arizona, too.
But hands off Holly Hunter - she's mine, all mine I tell you!
Speaking (by association) of Nicolas Cage, have you seen Wild at Heart? Laura Dern, Willem DeFoe, Harry Dean Stanton (why is he in so many fabulous movies?), Diane Ladd, Isabella Rossellini and the unmistakably sinister hand of David Lynch on the tiller. Madness in the heart of the Southern United States with all the magnificent backdrops you'd expect, great set pieces and in my view Cage's definitive Big Screen performance.
It's popcorn heaven I tell ya.

[El Gordo]

Speaking (by association) of Nicolas Cage, have you seen Wild at Heart?

No, but I've just added it to my rental list.

Just had an email saying that 3 DVDs are on their way. In Cold Blood (the 1967 film version of the Capote book), Capote, and for a bit of light relief, A Mighty Wind. Should be getting my widescreen laptop tomorrow too, so looks like I'm getting set up nicely for the weekend.

I've also got the entire boxed collection of 24 (Series One) to watch. I've never seen 24, but was told yet again Almeria that it's good, so have got hold of the first lot to check it out.

I'm still down for the Wokingham Half on Sunday but gawd knows if I'll get there at this rate.

(Oh yeah, I've also got a book to write )

[El Gordo]

Thank God for that. I think he has undiluted enthusiasm for cinema and a breadth of knowledge bordering on uberGeek. But he has spent most of his life watching horror films.

There are 3 films that I watch repeatedly: 'Billy Liar', 'Withnail & I' and 'The Big Lebowski'. So you're in for a treat with the last one.

Yep, the BL has escaped me somehow. But I'm on its tail...

[suzieq]

I've also got the entire boxed collection of 24 (Series One) to watch

I think you'll like this series. I'm into it again this year and it hasn't disappointed.

Another movie you should see is Blood Diamond. I found it quite emotional; mainly because parts of Africa are still going through the most horrific civil wars and African children are still being forced to fight. Very heart-wrenching.

Suzie

[El Gordo]

[i]
Another movie you should see is Blood Diamond. I found it quite emotional; mainly because parts of Africa are still going through the most horrific civil wars and African children are still being forced to fight. Very heart-wrenching.
Suzie

Yes, it's caused quite a stir here (opened only a couple of weeks ago). DiCaprio has had unusually good crits. Will probably wait till it appears on DVD, but no doubt will get to it, thanks.

[Ana]

I agree that “Capote” is a very good film, a little bit too dark for me and a pity that it only rules all about “In Cold Blood”, forgetting other nice aspects of Capote work like “Breakfast With Diamonds” … But,it is a “compulsory to see” film anyway.
Regarding Spanish recommendations, we have another very good director, Almodovar apart called “Amenabar”. Their three films are fantastic: “Tesis”, “Abre los ojos” (open the eyes) and “Los Otros”, (The others, well known because Nicole Kidman plays inside).
Perhaps too French for you, but I cannot avoid telling that I am an addicted to Truffaut films. Especially charmant are Antoine Doinel (director’s alter ego) histories. They must be seen following this order: "Les 400 cents coups", "baisers voles" (stolen kisses), "domicile conyugale" and “L’amour en fuite”.
I love as well any mafia and lawyer’s film, been my favourite Billy Wilder’s “Witness for the Prosecution”. What a great barrister!!!!
Now, time to remember other films that you can see at any time: Delicatessen, The piano, Love actually, Cinema Paradiso, Idiots’dinner, American Beauty…
Oh , there is also one wonderful film/documentary regarding a beautiful and sensitive love history. It is not played by pretty Hollywood faces; instead, film stars are penguins, so that its name is “March Of The Penguins”. Really a Must.

[Sweder]

Wow, what an incredible range of movies you've touched on Ana!
I agree Delicatessen is a great early movie from J-P Jeunet. He has an affection for Dominique Pinon, the rubber-faced frenchman who appears in such diverse Jeunet productions as Delicatessen, Alien Resurrection and the wonderful Amelie.

I went off Jeunet after Alien: Resurrection. I have an irrational passion for the Alien franchise; I feel (as many 'fans' often do) like I own part of the rights. The original film (1979, directed by Ridley Scott) is still the only movie which I have paid to see, watched (awestruck), left the cinema, stopped in the street and turned back to pay to see it again. It started an affair with the works of H.R.Giger and a long and unrequited love for the magnificent Sigourney Weaver (I did see her briefly jogging in Central Park once, but it's just not the same as her actually declaring her mutual affection). Jeunet opened the fourth film in the series with great promise. The premise (as ever) was far-fetched - it had to be when the main character was incinerated at the end of the previous film - but the cast (including Ron Pearlman and Winona Ryder) was 'interesting' and early reports promised great things. The action sequences showed imagination (the underwater chase scene is excellent, truly terrifying) and everything was rolling along nicely . . . and then, about an hour in, Ripley (Weaver) starts shagging an Alien and before you know it there's this hybrid snow-monkey-alien-thing shuffling around crying for its Mum and decapitating the cast. I felt like someone had crept into the cinema and stolen my wallet, or, for a more recent analogy, like Nigel must have felt when the barely-able-to-stand Stevie Mb€ smashed home the most improbable equaliser in FA Cup history last May.

Sorry, this is personal grief that perhaps should not see the light of day here. But whilst I'm having a good weep over the butchering of a promising franchise I may as well mention David Fincher's Alien 3, one of the first movie scripts to be mauled in pre-production over the internet and a film that Fincher (who went on to make Se7en - only his second movie and a meisterwerk) has since disowned, and of course the appalling video-game nonsense that was Alien versus Predator.

Jeunet redeemed himself with Amelie, an experience to warm the heart and send the spirits soaring, and gave us Audrey Tatou (gawd bless you, monsieur!). I loved American Beauty but confess I stood up and cheered at the end of The Piano - not because of the nature of the ending but because the whole thing had finally finished.
Vive la Différence!

[Seafront Plodder]

Ponse. :p

[Sweder]

Ponse. :p

Everyone's a critic

[Seafront Plodder]

Too true luvvie. :mmmwah: