Jump to content

Peoples 10 favourite movies from all of the decades!


Quintus

Recommended Posts

 

17 hours ago, Glóin the Dark said:

1970s

 

Apocalypse Now (Francis Ford Coppola)
Barry Lyndon (Stanley Kubrick)
Death in Venice (Luchino Visconti)
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (Luis Bunuel)
Dog Day Afternoon (Sidney Lumet)
Don't Look Now (Nicholas Roeg)
The Godfather, Part II (Francis Ford Coppola)
Jaws (Steven Spielberg)
Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (Chantal Akerman)
La Maman et la putain (Jean Eustache)
Manhattan (Woody Allen)
MASH (Robert Altman)
Mean Streets (Martin Scorsese)
Monty Python's Life of Brian (Terry Jones)
Nashville (Robert Altman)
One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest (Milos Forman)
Picnic at Hanging Rock (Peter Weir)
Taxi Driver (Martin Scorsese)
The Wicker Man (Robin Hardy)
A Woman under the Influence (John Cassavetes)

 

To be honest, Gloin, there are no oddballs here that make your list more 'personal'. Don't you have any favorite movies that you won't easily find in 'best movies' lists? If I were to make a list, it would most likely be a mixture of widely and critically acclaimed movies (like the ones in your lists) but also movies that few critics would dare to put in a top 20 list (movies you know aren't the best ever made but that somehow touched your heart in ways the best never did).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Borodin said:

True story. What's the difference again between best movies and favorite movies, someone pls eggsplain.

Favorite and best are not the same. You may think a film is great and not have it among your favorites 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/26/2019 at 5:44 AM, JoeinAR said:

You may think a film is great and not have it among your favorites 

 

I could objectively call something a 'well accepted' movie by others. Based on study, this is "a commonly well-accepted film." That would not mean I think it's great. It would mean other people do. It would mean I think it's 'well-accepted.'

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I appreciate the Godfather and Citizen Kane for their greatness in filmmaking and the craft involved. They are among the best films every made. Neither film is my favorite. My favorite films do not have to be the best. I love B films and few could hardly be the best.

It is difficult to distinguish. Especially to an emotionally driven person like me. 

Best: The Shape of Water

Favorite: Creature from the Black Lagoon 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Alexcremers said:

To be honest, Gloin, there are no oddballs here that make your list more 'personal'.

 

Bear in mind that we're now into the period from which I've only seen the films retrospectively, usually decades after their release. This means that the ones which have come to my attention have already passed through the filter of time and survived. Of all the films that I've seen from that decade, I'd guess that a large majority (maybe 70-80%) are ones which you would consider too highly regarded in the critical consensus to count as an oddball choice.

 

From my point of view, what makes this list a "personal" one is the collection in aggregrate (even if none of the individual titles on it seems particularly unusual). This is defined as much by what is excluded from the list as by what is included. There are films that would undoubtedly be common entries on critics' top twenty lists of the decade but which I wouldn't consider even putting on the shortlist for mine.

 

6 hours ago, Alexcremers said:

(movies you know aren't the best ever made but that somehow touched your heart in ways the best never did).

 

The original article seems to use terms like "best", "favourite" and "top" interchangeably, and I've been choosing my lists interpreting "favourite" to mean something on the spectrum between pure affection and pure admiration. In any case, I don't think this has made a huge impact on my choices. I wouldn't include any film which had impressed me only on a detached, cerebral level. And if a film had "touched my heart" so much that I would include it in my top twenty of the decade, then I wouldn't shirk from calling it one of the best.

 

(Admittedly, I can't help thinking I should have tried harder to find room for The Sting for its sheer entertainment value - though even that would hardly count as an "oddball" choice...)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There's really no point in delineating very much. A favourite film is a film you consider great. If that sentiment is not shared by the established majority otherwise, well then you're free to call it underrated. Vice versa, you're free to dislike a film that is generally considered 'great' and call it overrated. Ultimately, it's all subjective. Unless you're charting film history through established classics, but where's the fun in that? Draws all personality out of it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Holko said:

I love The Room. I would be a complete idiot if I would call it great in any way.

 

The Tommy Wiseau or the Lenny Abrahamson?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, Brundlefly said:

Have you seen the other two movies of the Haneke Tetralogy?

 

Yes, I've seen all of Haneke's films.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Honestly I didn't know people didn't differentiate between best and favorite, or consider it a pointless distinction. Though Joe and Holko already gave a good example, I'll add one of my own: if I were to do one of these lists and include the 70's, I would add Death Race 2000. Is it the apex of filmmaking from the time? Hell no. But I love the blunt and sheer sci-fi audacity it has, the on-the-nose visual and thematic symbols, and it tackles those aspects in a very fun and imaginative way. In other words, I genuinely like it and think it's well made for what it's doing--I don't just consider it campy trash or "so bad it's entertaining"--, and it resonates with me in a way that another film of that decade, such as The Godfather, doesn't, though it smokes Death Race's ass as a piece of filmmaking. 

 

Is this concept really such a weird one?

 

 

24 minutes ago, Holko said:

I love The Room. I would be a complete idiot if I would call it great in any way.

 

It's got its moments, but damn it can be so boring...I can't even watch it for laughs. For that I'll stick to Street Fighter or Crash.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Nick Parker said:

Honestly I didn't know people didn't differentiate between best and favorite, or consider it a pointless distinction. Though Joe and Holko already gave a good example, I'll add one of my own: if I were to do one of these lists and include the 70's, I would add Death Race 2000. Is it the apex of filmmaking from the time? Hell no. But I love the blunt and sheer sci-fi audacity it has, the on-the-nose visual and thematic symbols, and it tackles those aspects in a very fun and imaginative way. In other words, I genuinely like it and think it's well made for what it's doing--I don't just consider it campy trash or "so bad it's entertaining"--, and it resonates with me in a way that another film of that decade, such as The Godfather, doesn't, though it smokes Death Race's ass as a piece of filmmaking. 

 

Is this concept really such a weird one?

 

No, that's the 'guilty pleasure' thing. Slightly different.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Thor said:

There's really no point in delineating very much. A favourite film is a film you consider great. If that sentiment is not shared by the established majority otherwise, well then you're free to call it underrated. Vice versa, you're free to dislike a film that is generally considered 'great' and call it overrated. Ultimately, it's all subjective. Unless you're charting film history through established classics, but where's the fun in that? Draws all personality out of it.

I completely disagree 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Alexcremers said:

If I were to make a list, it would most likely be a mixture of widely and critically acclaimed movies (like the ones in your lists) but also movies that few critics would dare to put in a top 20 list...

 

Well, then, let's see it! Put your movie where your mouth is!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Alexcremers said:

Sometimes it's so bad that it's great. Just ask Tarantino. 

 

Again, even putting aside that angle, isn't it possible to prefer or have a movie closer to your heart than one you think is better on a filmmaking level? 

 

Another one I'd add is All That Jazz.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Nick Parker said:

 

Again, even putting aside that angle, isn't it possible to prefer or have a movie closer to your heart than one you think is better on a filmmaking level? 

 

 

Of course, anyone can see that the filmmaking skills in 2001: ASO are off the charts, and yet, when given the choice, more people would take ID4 to their deserted island. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, Nick Parker said:

Another one I'd add is All That Jazz.

 

All That Jazz is very highly regarded! In those videos that Criterion puts on YouTube where they give away their DVDs to various film-makers, I think I've seen more people fawning over All That Jazz than any other film. (I'm not a huge fan of it, personally.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Glóin the Dark said:

 

All That Jazz is very highly regarded! In those videos that Criterion puts on YouTube where they give away their DVDs to various film-makers, I think I've seen more people fawning over All That Jazz than any other film. (I'm not a huge fan of it, personally.)

 

Oh I know, what I meant was that there are films from the 70's that I think are --brace yourself--"objectively" better, but I prefer All That Jazz to some of those.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Thor said:

Yes, I've seen all of Haneke's films.

And I'm patiently waiting for a decent box set on the German market, having merely seen Funny Games. Every fucking country has a fucking Michael Haneke collection except we art idiots!

1 hour ago, Thor said:

No, that's the 'guilty pleasure' thing. Slightly different.

Best example for that is Total Recall.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Nick Parker said:

Total Recall is not a guilty pleasure! You gonna say The Thing is, next!?

 

To some people it's a guilty pleasure, others will cite it as a favourite. It depends on the person. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1930's

Frankenstein 

Dracula

The Invisible Man

The Mummy

The Bride of Frankenstein 

King King

The Werewolf of London

Son of Frankenstein 

The Secrets of the Blue Room

A Christmas Carol (Gene Lockhart version)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Alexcremers said:

To some people it's a guilty pleasure, others will cite it as a favourite. It depends on the person. 

The only varying part here is "pleasure", but Total Recall is "guilty", no doubt.

1 hour ago, Nick Parker said:

Total Recall is not a guilty pleasure! You gonna say The Thing is, next!?

Yes, although it was not that pleasurable. Nevermind, it is not good filmmaking.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Brundlefly said:

Yes, although it was not that pleasurable. Nevermind, it is not good filmmaking.

 

The Thing isn't good filmmaking? 

 

3 minutes ago, Brundlefly said:

The only varying part here is "pleasure", but Total Recall is "guilty", no doubt.

 

Guilty of what, being a film based on a sci-fi premise that actually capitalizes on it, using its balls to the wall action story as a meta-narrative, and all the while has fun doing it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

34 minutes ago, Nick Parker said:

 

The Thing isn't good filmmaking? 

 

 

Guilty of what, being a film based on a sci-fi premise that actually capitalizes on it, using its balls to the wall action story as a meta-narrative, and all the while has fun doing it?

The Thing from Another World is better. All three Thing movies are good filmmaking

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, Nick Parker said:

 

By three are you including that one that came out like ten years ago? 

Yes it was a nice homage to Carpenter's gore fest

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Ghostbusters II said:

What's wrong with Total Recall?

Nothing wrong with it. One of my childhood films. I like it very much. But it is far away from being a masterpiece or a great film.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Moving on the 80s -- my childhood years:

 

1980s:

 

1980: THE SHINING
1981: RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK
1982: BLADE RUNNER
1983: NOSTALGHIA
1984: ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA
1985: BACK TO THE FUTURE
1986: ALIENS
1987: EMPIRE OF THE SUN
1988: GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES
1989: THE ABYSS

 

As expected, another Hollywood-heavy list. And that's AFTER having "killed off" at least another 100-150 superb films from Tinseltown. Also no room for great Scandinavian films like Sällskapsresan, Pelle Erobreren, Veiviseren, Dykket, Ronja Røverdatter, Fanny & Alexander, Mitt liv som hund, Tro, håp og kjærlighet, Zappa. Or other non-Hollywood masterpieces like Fitzcarraldo, Subway, Akira, Cinema Paradiso, My Neighbour Totoro, Dead Calm, The Bear, Dekalog, Ran, Nausicaa, The Seventh Continent, Public Enemy, Ghare Baire, 36 Chowringhee Lane, Masoom.

 

Oh, the pain....
 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

33 minutes ago, Thor said:

1984: ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA

:wub::wub::wub:

1 hour ago, JoeinAR said:

Why are you sorry for Hanson. He lost to a far better film.

It can't get far better than L.A. Confidential. It's just extreme bad-luck that it was released in the same year as Lost Highway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

40 minutes ago, Thor said:

 

1980s:


1987: EMPIRE OF THE SUN

 

 

(Y)

 

6 minutes ago, Brundlefly said:

:wub::wub::wub:

It can't get far better than L.A. Confidential. 

 

The blueprint of anything Nolan.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Curtis Hanson is no auteur, but he was a capable craftsman. LA CONFIDENTIAL is a slick film noir pastiche, but lacks a lot in terms of depth or complexity. CHINATOWN, it ain't. But unquestionably one of the better films in the last part of Goldsmith's career (although that bar isn't particularly high).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

28 minutes ago, Brundlefly said:

:wub::wub::wub:

It can't get far better than L.A. Confidential. It's just extreme bad-luck that it was released in the same year as Lost Highway.

He stood no chance against Titanic. Nor should he have.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

59 minutes ago, Thor said:

Curtis Hanson is no auteur, but he was a capable craftsman. LA CONFIDENTIAL is a slick film noir pastiche, but lacks a lot in terms of depth or complexity. CHINATOWN, it ain't. But unquestionably one of the better films in the last part of Goldsmith's career (although that bar isn't particularly high).

Sometimes I really wonder how you can call a film like Prometheus "bloody brilliant" and then say that L.A. Confidential "lacks a lot in terms of depth or complexity". If there is one Hollywood film that doesn't lack a thing, and certainly not depth and complexity, it's L.A. Confidential. It is a perfect film. Try searching for flaws elsewhere. There are no culms in this desert.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Guidelines.