Favorite Movies???

[Jody Barsch*]

Wow!!! I just watched Bottle Rocket, I LOVED it!! I am a huge fan of Wes Anderson's films, and although I was slightly disappointed in Bottle Rocket's soundtrack in comparison to what we have come to expect from Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums, I thought this was an awesome film. It is hysterical and absurd and tells a wonderful love story. The girl is lovely, Luke Wilson reaches an unbelievable level of sexiness, and I was surprised to find myself really liking Owen in this film. Something I did miss in this film that appears in the later two Wilson/Anderson films that makes them so touching and charming is the affirmations: "I know you did" or "I know you do". Anyway, I'm adding this one to my list of favs.

Another film I recently saw for the first time from one of my other favorite directors, Alfonso Cuaron, was Y Tu Mama Tambien. I seriously cannot believe I waited this long to see it. It was magnificent, although I missed the green so prevalent in his other films. I loved how the trio's on-the-road story takes us down the side paths of other's stories. The energy and visual sensory of the film are almost intoxicating.

At a friend's request, I just re-screened Chungking Express after not seeing it for a few years. It's funny, all I remembered from it was the first story -- the chase scenes, the blonde wig, the canned pineapple, and all he remembered was the second story, which, after seeing it again, is ... really good. It is rare that films capture the madness that love sometimes drives us to, and even rarer that this madness is revealed in such an innocent and invigorating manner. I feel like I have gone beyond avoiding summary to abusing adjectives and broad general statements, at any rate, these are three great films that I have recently discovered or rediscovered. I love winter break!!

Go watch Elling and Chunyang.

I am looking forward to watching the French Umbrella... film and Cinema Paradiso, alas that there is only one week left.

[Jody Barsch*]

Okay, so as I was reading a new post I flipped by FX, that station that has that "DVD on TV" show where they show the special features and stuff, anyway, I caught a deleted scene from Say Anything with Lloyd driving in his car talking into his tape recorder – classic John Cusack, it was wonderful! Sample: “That’s her street. I don’t drive down that street anymore ... Yes I do.”
He also goes on about this thing she does with her arms, it’s great. I think I need to buy this special edition. In many ways this film is silly and melodramatic, but there is something so excellent in it – it’s a classic.

“Are you here ‘cause you need someone, or because you need me? Forget it, I don’t care.”

[dTheater]

Lost in Translation
Almost Famous
Office Space
Manhattan
Magnolia
Requiem for a Dream
Punch Drunk Love
Breakfast Club
Good Will Hunting
Shawshank Redemption
Ghost World
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Many of my absolute favorites all right there on your list. Ghost World, a movie I positively adore like nothing else; Lost In Translation, my favorite movie of 2003 (and I'm now *officially* obsessed with Scarlet Johansson); Manhattan (Woody's best, no question); Magnolia (or anything by PTA really). The only thing that would top any and all of those for me would be American Beauty. Now and probably forever my favorite movie.[/quote]

[Jody Barsch*]

The only thing that would top any and all of those for me would be American Beauty. Now and probably forever my favorite movie.

[/quote]
I first saw American Beauty in the theaters for a sneak preview, when all you knew about the film was a bare stomach and rose petals, I was blown away! I loved it! But when I saw it again, after all the hype, it seemed so lame -- the plastic bag part for instance. I really can't stand the blonde girl (I'm blanking on her name), and it bugs me that Kevin Spacey was still interested in her after he made the changes in his life. After all this though, I agree with you that it's a great film. Spacey, Benning, and Birch were all really good.

[sirhansirhan]

I first saw American Beauty in the theaters for a sneak preview, when all you knew about the film was a bare stomach and rose petals, I was blown away! I loved it! But when I saw it again, after all the hype, it seemed so lame -- the plastic bag part for instance. I really can't stand the blonde girl (I'm blanking on her name), and it bugs me that Kevin Spacey was still interested in her after he made the changes in his life. After all this though, I agree with you that it's a great film. Spacey, Benning, and Birch were all really good.

I too saw American Beauty before its official release date knowing nothing about it, and it was one of the most enjoyable moviegoing experiences of my life. Furthermore, I agree with you that on subsequent viewings it lost its lustre, and now every time I see it I like it less and less. I don't really think that this is because of all of the hype (as it was people like you (Jody) and I that created all that hype in the first place); I think it is more a matter of just being able to get everything that there is to get in that film the first time you see it. Some movies you need to see more than once, and a very small number of good movies are best seen less that twice. I think American Beauty fits in the latter category.

[Nostradamus]

A Beautiful Mind was like that for me. It's still a great movie, but knowing which parts are real and which are hallucinations takes some of the dramatic edge off.

[Emeralduk]

Movies that i've been impressed with lately (it's unusual for films these days to impress me, who can relate?):

Panic Room - luved it, very tense, edge of ur seat stuff. simple concept, yet v.interesting.
Minority Report - thought i wud no way like as tom cruise was in it, and i'm not that much of a sci-fi fan, yet i was really hooked when watching it. a sort of cross between CSI & Back to the Future i reckon hehe.
X Men 2 - again, thought i wouldn't like, yet i did. the special effects (espec nightcrawler) were v.gd.

About to watch Gas Food Lodging on C4 in 10 mins, high hopes as i luv Fairuza Balk!

*~Emerald~*

[Twizm]

Here are 20 of my favorite movies (in alphabetical order)

American Beauty
Beauty and the Beast
Billy Elliot
Cries and Whispers
Dead Man Walking
The 400 Blows
La Grande Illusion
The Grapes of Wrath
JFK
The Last Picture Show
Lost in Translation
Notorious
On the Waterfront
Rebecca
Shame
A Streetcar Named Desire
The Third Man
To Kill a Mockingbird
2001: A Space Odyssey
Wit

[Guest]

About to watch Gas Food Lodging on C4 in 10 mins, high hopes as i luv Fairuza Balk! [/color][/quote]
What did you think about this film? My friend kept trying to get me to see it, but when I finally watched it I wasn't too impressed. Ione Skye, or her story line, just didn't do anything for me. I too like Fairuza Balk, "Does anybody remember laughter?"

[Emeralduk]

yeah i wasn't that impressed either. fairuza was cute in it, but it was a bit dull and uniteresting in parts. i might watch it again sum time to see if i like it any better, but yeah, not as good as i hoped.

*~Emerald~*

[Emeralduk]

also, i just watched kill bill for the first time-bought the dvd, i was really impressed! having seen all the other quentin tarantino movies (pulp fiction's the fav), i knew what to expect with all the blood and gore, but what i liked about kill bill was my 'rooting for uma thurman' feeling, that compelled me to keep watching. i luved the music when lucy lui and her gang were walking down the corridor.

*~Emerald~*

[foolishoptimist]

Ok, this is like barely the tip of a mount everest, so i'll have forgotten heaps, but here's what comes straight to mind.

Fight Club
The Usual Suspects
Rushmore
Ace Ventura Pet Detective
Jaws
In The Mouth Of Madness
The Thing(John Carpenter)
Schindler's List
Forust Gump
Pulp Fiction
Kill Bill
Dr Strangelove
2001 A Space Odyssey
Aliens
Scream
Spirited Away
Citizen X
Big Lebowski
Peter Pan(2004)
Unbreakable
Gattaca
Ring(Japan)

[Jody Barsch*]

Have to add another one: City of God. It is an incredible film. Truly superior story telling. I especially like the use of the split screen.

[Sascha]

Okay, I just saw a movie called Ghost World and I just had to mention it in this thread because it's maybe the best movie I've seen since Magnolia, and that was over 2 years ago. It's an indy film that came out in the summer of 2001, so if you're not constantly reading about new movie releases and whatnot, chances are you've never heard of it. Anyways, it stars Thora Birch (American Beauty) and Steve Buscemi (who doesn't like him?) and it's about 2 girls who've just graduated high school and are faced with the serious delimma of what to do next. But this is by no means you're typical "teen comedy" like American Pie or...American Pie 2. This is more along the lines of a very intelligent comedy about teenagers like Election. I related to all 3 of the major characters in a big way. I very strongly recommend this movie to anyone who likes music, or liked MSCL (I guess that's everyone here) or just has a bleak outlook on people. The lead character is kind of like Angela in a way. Anyway, just had to get this off my chest because I haven't liked a movie this much in a long time, and the last 2 years have been terrible movies years.

It's unbelievable that it took me so many years to discover "Ghost World" (the quote above is from page two of this thread, that's why I'm quoting it full text). And I fully agree with everything DTheater wrote. It's an amazing movie and a must-see for everyone who adores MSCL or movies like "Magnolia", "Lost In Translation" and "American Beauty", maybe even "Donnie Darko". Thora Birch steals the show in almost every scene and Steve Buscemi -- wow, that must be one of his best movies. He fits so perfectly into this character. And Scarlett Johansson - she was only 15 when she starred in this movie - just like Claire Danes in "My So-Called Life". I wonder if a tv drama series based on this script could work.

I can only repeat, go watch this movie, if you haven't yet! It's really worth it.

[Jody Barsch*]

I don't know about a TV show ... but the film is an adaptation of the graphic novel Ghost World. The stories vary some, but many of the characters are the same.

On another note, I finally saw The Secretary -- I love it, the story really draws you in, it is flawlessy acted, and the scenes, lighting, costumes, angles, framing, etc. are all incredible. It is really well made. Plus, it's never bad watching Maggie Gyllenhaal.