Thursday, July 12, 2007
Films Lists. So many films to see.
So I’ve been throwing a number of films lists out there that have films I need to work through so I thought I’d formally summarize what they currently are and in some general order of importance.
1. A personal list of 5 films I’m embarrassed to not have seen. This list is not really necessary since the 3 films left are all on the next couple of lists. However these 3 have a set of importance to finish before the summer is over.
2. The IMDB Top 250. I pretty much vote on everything I see on IMDB, at least I try when I can keep up with it. But the one good thing is you can do a power search and get a list of films you have not seen. It seems like I’ve been hovering between 8 to 15 left to see for the last 3 years and it’s time to attempt to complete the damn list. Well in the last week I knocked off few films that were currently on the list (The Lion King, Harakiri, & Live Free or Die Hard).
This leaves me with an even 10 films to complete the list:
3. The Guardian 1,000 Films to See Before You Die. As I stated before, I really like this list. It is a good mix of classics vs. not so much; U.S. vs. foreign; and historical significance vs. watch-ability. Something many other lists don’t seem to do. My current total is 352 films left to see, so this should take a while.
4. The Criterion Collection. This is the one list where I’m going to do re-watches. The point here is both the film and the Criterion extras. With some titles being out of print, I obviously can’t see every title but I’ll do my best and substitute only as a list resort to re-see the film. As there collection if over 400 and growing and I’m restarting and now only at 2 this will again take a while.
5. Personal IMDB 50. As finishing the official IMDB 250 is shortly a reachable goal, I put together a Top 50 using their rankings. The only requirement is the film must be on DVD or a new release. (This weeds out all those Turkish films with high ratings that I have no chance of seeing.) I used the IMDB standard of a minimum of 1,300 votes. This produced 50 films from #1 Sansho the Bailiff (8.8 with 1316 votes) to #50 Before the Rain (8.1 with 3169 votes). Obviously all of the Top 250 are on this list (actually Harry Potter isn’t since I made this list before it had enough votes). I also don’t see this as ever being completed. I plan on added new films to the list when I get down to about 20 films left to see.
So there you have it. 5 lists producing probably 600 films to watch. And I’m sure before I finish these, I’ll add more lists to the mix.
1. A personal list of 5 films I’m embarrassed to not have seen. This list is not really necessary since the 3 films left are all on the next couple of lists. However these 3 have a set of importance to finish before the summer is over.
2. The IMDB Top 250. I pretty much vote on everything I see on IMDB, at least I try when I can keep up with it. But the one good thing is you can do a power search and get a list of films you have not seen. It seems like I’ve been hovering between 8 to 15 left to see for the last 3 years and it’s time to attempt to complete the damn list. Well in the last week I knocked off few films that were currently on the list (The Lion King, Harakiri, & Live Free or Die Hard).
This leaves me with an even 10 films to complete the list:
- The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
- Come and See
- For a Few Dollars More
- La Haine
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- Knocked Up
- Nights of Cabiria
- Out of the Past (Build My Gallows High)
- Ratatouille
- Stalker
3. The Guardian 1,000 Films to See Before You Die. As I stated before, I really like this list. It is a good mix of classics vs. not so much; U.S. vs. foreign; and historical significance vs. watch-ability. Something many other lists don’t seem to do. My current total is 352 films left to see, so this should take a while.
4. The Criterion Collection. This is the one list where I’m going to do re-watches. The point here is both the film and the Criterion extras. With some titles being out of print, I obviously can’t see every title but I’ll do my best and substitute only as a list resort to re-see the film. As there collection if over 400 and growing and I’m restarting and now only at 2 this will again take a while.
5. Personal IMDB 50. As finishing the official IMDB 250 is shortly a reachable goal, I put together a Top 50 using their rankings. The only requirement is the film must be on DVD or a new release. (This weeds out all those Turkish films with high ratings that I have no chance of seeing.) I used the IMDB standard of a minimum of 1,300 votes. This produced 50 films from #1 Sansho the Bailiff (8.8 with 1316 votes) to #50 Before the Rain (8.1 with 3169 votes). Obviously all of the Top 250 are on this list (actually Harry Potter isn’t since I made this list before it had enough votes). I also don’t see this as ever being completed. I plan on added new films to the list when I get down to about 20 films left to see.
So there you have it. 5 lists producing probably 600 films to watch. And I’m sure before I finish these, I’ll add more lists to the mix.
Labels: Film
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
The Lion King
Well it looks like I am working through the films I’m embarrassed to have never seen from 5 to 1. This last weekend I got around to seeing #4: The Lion King.
I don’t know why I had never seen this film before. It ended the Disney animation Renaissance that began with The Little Mermaid in 1989 when it seemed that they could do no wrong. I’ve seen Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast & Aladdin and while I enjoy the first two none of them lived up to the hype and greatness that people built them up to be. Another reason I have avoided seeing it is the love for the style over substance Broadway version. But that is another issue.
The Lion King lives up to its fanfare and then some. It belongs with a list of Disney’s truly great animation achievements. It is easily the only 2-D Disney animated film from the current generation I would like to own.
First, the animation looks wonderful. While computer animation is technically amazing I don’t think it will ever achieve the emotional responses that traditional animation can. This is a prime example to keep this look and a reason to mourn if it ever disappears. Disney is more than helped that the color pallet of Africa, all the reds and brown, are very pleasing to the eye.
However to be a great film it needs more than looks and here is where Disney gets about everything right. In almost every case then seem to make decisions of subtlety or to enhance the overall film, not just a single aspect. The story appeals to both adults and young people and never condescends to the audience. The songs never overpower the story. The comic elements also seem to fit without becoming juvenile or slapstick. And the voice actors are perfectly cast. My pet peeve is that many animated films pick “names” even if they don’t fit the role. This film might be the cause of much of that. There are many well-known actors in The Lion King, probably more than any previous Disney film, but here is seems to work and they were chosen because they fit the role and not because they are on a hit tv show.
I don’t know why I had never seen this film before. It ended the Disney animation Renaissance that began with The Little Mermaid in 1989 when it seemed that they could do no wrong. I’ve seen Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast & Aladdin and while I enjoy the first two none of them lived up to the hype and greatness that people built them up to be. Another reason I have avoided seeing it is the love for the style over substance Broadway version. But that is another issue.
The Lion King lives up to its fanfare and then some. It belongs with a list of Disney’s truly great animation achievements. It is easily the only 2-D Disney animated film from the current generation I would like to own.
First, the animation looks wonderful. While computer animation is technically amazing I don’t think it will ever achieve the emotional responses that traditional animation can. This is a prime example to keep this look and a reason to mourn if it ever disappears. Disney is more than helped that the color pallet of Africa, all the reds and brown, are very pleasing to the eye.
However to be a great film it needs more than looks and here is where Disney gets about everything right. In almost every case then seem to make decisions of subtlety or to enhance the overall film, not just a single aspect. The story appeals to both adults and young people and never condescends to the audience. The songs never overpower the story. The comic elements also seem to fit without becoming juvenile or slapstick. And the voice actors are perfectly cast. My pet peeve is that many animated films pick “names” even if they don’t fit the role. This film might be the cause of much of that. There are many well-known actors in The Lion King, probably more than any previous Disney film, but here is seems to work and they were chosen because they fit the role and not because they are on a hit tv show.
Labels: FilmReview
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Criterion #302: Harakiri
While looking through Premier Video to find a movie to rent with Life on Mars, I decided on a foreign language film, specifically a Criterion DVD. So I randomly chose Harakiri.
Regarding Criterion DVDs, at one time I thought I would try and collect them all. This has proven impractical with the pace that they are producing videos. So instead I will settle on watching as many as I can with all of the extras. I’ve already seen quite a few but I can’t remember how much of the extras I’ve seen so I’ll reset the counter back to zero. Number 1 on the list was Criterion #250a The Killing of a Chinese Bookie that I watched last month.
So this would be Criterion #302: Harakiri.
I knew nothing about this film but it is an amazing piece of work. It is written by the man who wrote a number of Kurosawa films such as Rashoman and The Seven Samurai and directed by Masaki Kobayashi. This is my introduction to this director’s work but reading the essays with the DVD he is know for films that question the establishment.
This is what makes this such an intriguing film. It is a samurai film but it does not romanticize the period. Many of these warriors are not honorable and are downright hypocritical. It is told in a non-linear manner that adds enhances the tension. The photography is wonderful and some of the scenes are quite bloody given the time (1962). I’m sure Tarantino was influenced by some of this film with the fight sequence and the theme of revenge.
The supplements are all well worth exploring. Anything by Donald Richie is welcome but it’s not really an introduction since you would not want to watch it before viewing the film. The interviews with the director, actor, and screenwriter give candid talks about their philosophy of work and their role with the crew.
Regarding Criterion DVDs, at one time I thought I would try and collect them all. This has proven impractical with the pace that they are producing videos. So instead I will settle on watching as many as I can with all of the extras. I’ve already seen quite a few but I can’t remember how much of the extras I’ve seen so I’ll reset the counter back to zero. Number 1 on the list was Criterion #250a The Killing of a Chinese Bookie that I watched last month.
So this would be Criterion #302: Harakiri.
I knew nothing about this film but it is an amazing piece of work. It is written by the man who wrote a number of Kurosawa films such as Rashoman and The Seven Samurai and directed by Masaki Kobayashi. This is my introduction to this director’s work but reading the essays with the DVD he is know for films that question the establishment.
This is what makes this such an intriguing film. It is a samurai film but it does not romanticize the period. Many of these warriors are not honorable and are downright hypocritical. It is told in a non-linear manner that adds enhances the tension. The photography is wonderful and some of the scenes are quite bloody given the time (1962). I’m sure Tarantino was influenced by some of this film with the fight sequence and the theme of revenge.
The supplements are all well worth exploring. Anything by Donald Richie is welcome but it’s not really an introduction since you would not want to watch it before viewing the film. The interviews with the director, actor, and screenwriter give candid talks about their philosophy of work and their role with the crew.
Labels: Criterion, FilmReview
Monday, July 09, 2007
Last Week Quick Hits
This is what I hope will be a regular weekly feature. I will mention any film, television show, theater, book or anything that happened in the last week that I experienced and want to mention but don't have enough to say for a single post.
Life on Mars (tv) I did a final 4-hour push to finish this last week. If you have the ability to watch this (it's only 16 hours) through a Region2 player or if BBCA re-runs this series. DO. This is one great series. I really dread the Americanized version this fall. I'm still a little unsure if I like the ending but there are a number of things to love about this show. Great concept; great look; wonderful acting from John Simm, Philip Glenister, & Liz White that give you characters to care about; and a wonderful soundtrack.
Predator. I found myself really liking this late 80s action film. Very tight, well thought-out fun. I actually stopping everything else I was doing to fully concentrate on the last half of the film I was so caught up in it.
A Mighty Heart. Average storytelling. Maybe I was expecting too much from Winterbottom or maybe I wasn't in the right frame of mind (I saw this after work on 3 July). I do plan on watching again as soon as it hits DVD. But it seems the real issue is not reviewing the movie but debating Angelina Jolie. So I'll go: I thought she was great, even Oscar worthly.
Sicko. It seems if you say anything negative about Michael Moore then you are a right-wing fascist. Well I might be branded but this is a great issue and average film at best. Everyone has commented how this is a dryer film than his previous and that seems to be because he has not gone crazy with his stunts in this film. I maintain that this film is actually less dry than say The Fog of War or Why We Fight you are just seeing the limitations of the documentarian.
Live Free or Die Hard. I recently just watched 2 and 3 for the first time to prepare for this since I wanted to see it in a theater. 2 was entertaining while I highly enjoyed 3. This film falls in-between. This film runs a little long at 130 minutes and the stupid level is quite high at times but it is a fun trill ride from beginning to end and Bruce Willis still has it.
Life on Mars (tv) I did a final 4-hour push to finish this last week. If you have the ability to watch this (it's only 16 hours) through a Region2 player or if BBCA re-runs this series. DO. This is one great series. I really dread the Americanized version this fall. I'm still a little unsure if I like the ending but there are a number of things to love about this show. Great concept; great look; wonderful acting from John Simm, Philip Glenister, & Liz White that give you characters to care about; and a wonderful soundtrack.
Predator. I found myself really liking this late 80s action film. Very tight, well thought-out fun. I actually stopping everything else I was doing to fully concentrate on the last half of the film I was so caught up in it.
A Mighty Heart. Average storytelling. Maybe I was expecting too much from Winterbottom or maybe I wasn't in the right frame of mind (I saw this after work on 3 July). I do plan on watching again as soon as it hits DVD. But it seems the real issue is not reviewing the movie but debating Angelina Jolie. So I'll go: I thought she was great, even Oscar worthly.
Sicko. It seems if you say anything negative about Michael Moore then you are a right-wing fascist. Well I might be branded but this is a great issue and average film at best. Everyone has commented how this is a dryer film than his previous and that seems to be because he has not gone crazy with his stunts in this film. I maintain that this film is actually less dry than say The Fog of War or Why We Fight you are just seeing the limitations of the documentarian.
Live Free or Die Hard. I recently just watched 2 and 3 for the first time to prepare for this since I wanted to see it in a theater. 2 was entertaining while I highly enjoyed 3. This film falls in-between. This film runs a little long at 130 minutes and the stupid level is quite high at times but it is a fun trill ride from beginning to end and Bruce Willis still has it.
Labels: QuickHits
Sunday, July 08, 2007
1,000 Films to See Before You Die
I am as OCD as anyone when it comes to making lists and organizing things. I'm sure most of you think, great not another greatest film list. But for some reason I really like this list that The Guardian put out. This is probably due to its British leaning. There are actually a number of film on the list that I have never heard of, such as: Asya's Happiness, Made in Britain & Wise Blood to name a few.
As with any list there are a number of specific films to argue about. But the goal is to open up new avenues of films to see. The AFI 100 is no use to me since I've seen 99 of the 100. And so what it The Godfather Part II didn't make the cut. I've seen it and it's been on enough lists already.
So I counted up the films I've seen and the grand total finished at 647. Since there are 999 records in this list (I won't say films since the 3 Lord of The Rings are 1 entry) that leaves 352 for me to work through. I think I will actually put a concerted effort into this. Plus it will give me something to write about as I work through the list.
If you want to do this yourself here are the links:
Link to The Guardian home page on the films:
A list of the films with director and year for reference (this pdf is 7 pages)
A list of all the info with summaries from The Guardian web site (59 pages)
An excel file with the columns for the films, director & year in separate columns to sort and a column to add up films you've seen.
As with any list there are a number of specific films to argue about. But the goal is to open up new avenues of films to see. The AFI 100 is no use to me since I've seen 99 of the 100. And so what it The Godfather Part II didn't make the cut. I've seen it and it's been on enough lists already.
So I counted up the films I've seen and the grand total finished at 647. Since there are 999 records in this list (I won't say films since the 3 Lord of The Rings are 1 entry) that leaves 352 for me to work through. I think I will actually put a concerted effort into this. Plus it will give me something to write about as I work through the list.
If you want to do this yourself here are the links:
Link to The Guardian home page on the films:
A list of the films with director and year for reference (this pdf is 7 pages)
A list of all the info with summaries from The Guardian web site (59 pages)
An excel file with the columns for the films, director & year in separate columns to sort and a column to add up films you've seen.
Labels: Film
