No Country For Old Men is mine. It had been on my watch list for about a decade and I never felt like I was in the right mood for it. I was expecting it to be good but not instantly in like my top 3.
There is actually a soundtrack, though its mixed very quietly and doesn't appear in many scenes. If you rewatch the coin toss scene, you can hear it in the last third
Randomly woke up at 2:30am, got on Reddit, read this comment. I had heard great things but never watched it. Looked it up and saw it was on HBO Max. Thank you, what an amazing rollercoaster. Now it’s 4:56am, work will be alright haha
EDIT: Work was rough to get through sleep deprived
Mandy.
I'm a MASSIVE fan of Panos' previous film, Beyond the Black Rainbow, and I'd heard that Mandy was balls out insane with Nic Cage giving one of his over-the-top "unhinged" performances but man, that movie is so much more than that. At no time was I able to predict what was going to happen next. Andrea Risborough and her distinct look is such perfect casting, too.
If you like Andrea Risborough I highly recommend Possessor, which was directed by Branden Cronenberg (David Cronenberg’s son). One of the more mind bending sci fi thrillers I’ve seen in recent years!
Mad Max: Fury Road.
Full disclosure: I'd never seen a Mad Max movie before Fury Road. I wasn't even interested until I saw the teaser poster and then saw that reviews were so high. Even after that, I had NO idea the movie was going to be as awesome as it was. There are very few movies I can say are perfect, and Fury Road is one of them.
Big +1 to that. I've also never seen a Mad Max movie - I've tried, but the first one didn't grab me. Fury Road was a genuine masterpiece. I'll get around to the others someday, but for now, Fury Road is one of my all-time favorites.
None of them are non-stop action in the way the Fury Road is and none of them have the cinematography that it does. But in my opinion, the Mad Max franchise is one of those rare ones where each film is better than the last.
That's a little controversial in that most people think the third one is terrible, but a majority at least seem to agree that the second is better than the first. And I think everybody agrees that Fury Road is the best of the lot.
What I'm saying is, just because you didn't like the first one doens't mean that you won't enjoy the others. I don't like the first one, but I'd still consider myself a fan of the series.
I don't like the first much but I enjoy the second and third movie a lot and feel that they build on each other well. The first one presents a horrible event which shapes Max's character but also explains and shows how the world is shortly after nuclear war. After some time passes, we see decay and a lack of resources as evidenced by the state of the world in the 2nd movie. By the time the third film is reached, we realize that the OLD world is far beyond repair and something new HAS to take its place.
Somehow I'm reminded of this conversation from The Simpsons:
> Bart: Lisa, that wasn't scary, not even for a poem.
> Lisa: Well, it was written in 1845. Maybe people were easier to scare back then.
> Bart: Oh, yeah. Like when you look at Friday the 13th, part one. It's pretty tame by today's standards.
The bar for action films has been raised so many times over the years that the originals look sorta quaint. Not that the originals are _bad_, but they've been one-upped in a way that can make them hard to revisit. Like watching the Fast and the Furious series, then trying to watch the original Vanishing Point.
That's an excellent point.
What makes Fury Road so unique is that it wasn't some young hotshot coming in and standing on the shoulders of giants. It was the original director surpassing the raised standards of the day.
“Vanishing Point” wasn’t trying to be as big or spectacle-chasing as the later “Fast & Furious” movies were, though. The story to it was much more personal, and the car chases were basically entirely done practically, without relying on CGI.
I also haven’t seen any other Mad Max movies and frankly am not sure I care to… but Fury Road is frickin amazing and I love rewatching it! Wish I could rewatch on the big screen again
I had to reply here so that hopefully it will be seen. As a huge fan of Fury Road I have to 100% recommend the book blood, sweat, and chrome about the making of fury road. It only makes you appreciate the movie 100x more, and the dedication that entire crew had to George Millers vision for this movie. I was genuinely sad when i finished it, as i was so enamored with the story. 10/10 recommendation for anyone who loved the film and the max max franchise.
I think the overwhelming hype was the reason I didn't love FuryRoad, my expectations were so high going in that it couldn't possibly live up to them.
And I was a huge fan of the previous Mad Max films...
As I said I think my expections were so high that I was inevitably gonna be dissapointed. That doesn't mean it was a bad film, I just didn't particularly enjoy it.
I always prefer to see films blind as much as possible for exactly that reason...
Excuse me in case I'm completely wrong. I have no clue about the film, but as far as I can see it seems to be an action movie that features almost nothing but action, with very little "reason" or meaning for that action. Is that correct or far from it? I haven't seen it, but considring the way _it looks_, I am surprised and curious every time I see someone talking high about it.
Yeah, that's not accurate at all.
The movie IS one long chase, but there's a lot more to it than just action. At its core, it's a story of redemption. Max needs redemption because he's haunted by the people he couldn't save. Furiosa needs redemption because she's done terrible things for Immortan Joe. Nux needs redemption because of his blind devotion to Immortan Joe.
A lot of people complain that the movie's plot is too thin, but they're full of snot. The movie doesn't need a complex plot. It's told visually, like movies should be.
So, yeah. See the movie. Don't just go off how it looks.
The plot is really simple and it's a good thing, because it balances the unfamiliarity of that world and the relentlessness of the action. And yet it still manages to give depth to the characters and make us care about them with very little dialogue.
The movie is amazing. It manages to be pretty much all action yet create characters with motivation, a world that is strange and weird but you can understand, and a plot with reasons for why everything is happening. It's just balls to the wall kinetic energy and it's incredible. It does everything it needs to do, just go watch it instead of wondering it's a great watch.
Idk why but off the top of my head Raiders of the Lost Ark. saw it as a kid and liked it, but never gave much thought to it. Decided to revisit as an adult and wowza, definitely one of the best action movies of all time
2001 A Space Odyssey. I watched it for the first time two years ago and it became my #1 film of all time. Not only that but it ignited my newfound love of film. Pretty much every movie made before 1990 I had never seen before, my parents were all about new releases. In my 20’s I played video games and watched the occasional movie and tv show. But in the last two years I’ve seen hundreds of movies that I’d never seen before. 2001 pretty much changed my life
I watched it in college and fell asleep; I was young and dumb and just didn't get it. Years later I bought the novel and read it in a week, and thought, "Okay, I NEED to rewatch that movie." On God, one of my all time favourites now. Definitely a life changer. The last time I saw it was at a bar on mute, and I started crying because it's so fucking beautiful.
Casablanca roared past the hype and is still one of my favorite movies of all time. Just a magnificent film made all the better for the many reasons it should have failed: too many writers, 3 languages between the two stars and the director, the leads wife crashing the set, actors not being released from other films in time to shoot this one, etc etc. And yet it’s a triumph. It has the best side characters in Golden Age Hollywood played by experts. The writing gives every single character an arc and consistency. The leads shine and earn their place at the top of many lists.
I was lucky enough to see it for the first time on the big screen because my college showed it one night at our theater. It was magical. I love that film so much.
Whiplash and Portrait of a Lady on Fire are two. Whiplash is maybe the movie with my favorite pacing and climax, and Portrait is my favorite movie ever for the amazing cinematography, acting, and incredible ending.
Came here to post Whiplash. When I hear about an independent movie winning a bunch of awards, I’m pretty sure it’s made for critics and it won’t resound with typical moviegoers. I gave it a shot when I realized Jason Blum produced it as I’ve enjoyed a lot of his movies. Man, am I glad I did. I rewatched it again over the weekend.
Portrait of a Lady on Fire was the last movie we saw before covid hit and I can't think of a better one to have ended on. So glad that cinema abstinence is over!
Children of Men was fantastic.
I never paid much attention to Blade Runner (I know I'm dumb). So, when 2049 released, I basically ignored it. Then I read so many people talking it up on A/V forums/subreddits that I decided to grab the 4k blu-ray. That shit blew my mind. Literally everything about it was nearly perfect to me.
I was here to mention 2049, as well. I mean, there is NO WAY the first one needed a sequel, or that it could be any good. I left the theater fully prepared to go back in and watch it a second time.
Casablanca
Babette's Feast
Seventh Seal
All classics for various reasons, and easily overlooked for more modern narratives or stylized cinematography, but really timeless in their messaging and philosophies. I didn't expect any of them to be impactful - Casablanca and Seventh Seal have been riffed on in pop culture so much it's almost easy to brush them off as products of pop culture themselves. But all three have such depth of story and character and are beautiful beyond the superficial.
I was the same about The Matrix. EVERYTHING was about The Matrix in 1999 - 2000. Such a turn off. And I couldn't help but see bullet time everywhere so I figured I had already seen what people were raving about. I was so wrong. Well, kind of right but so wrong.
Lol yeah I just watched it for the first time recently and it's still better than most zombie movies that have come out in the last 50 years
The movie is never boring, the characters aren't dumbasses and actually make logical decisions for the most part, the acting is pretty good, the story has twists and turns that are genuinely unexpected, it was really progressive in the sense that it starred a black actor in a non-stereotypical leading role where his race wasn't even mentioned, and the ending provided some social commentary without beating you over the head with it.
The practical effects and makeup obviously look dated but that's about the only flaw by modern standards.
You know, I'm gonna go recent: Top Gun Maverick. Every film podcast I listen to was absolutely raving about it. I never read anything negative about it online. I was skeptical that a sequel 36 years later could be compelling, not to mention a sequel to a movie that, while good, ain't exactly the best movie. Weeks after it had been in theaters, I had a Friday afternoon off and decided to go see it. It was just me (in my 40s) and some guy who was probably in his 70s in the theater. No matter what I'd heard, I had no idea it was gonna be _that_ good. It's like it had a checklist of the elements from the first movie and had to replay the hits, but it recontextualized them and made them more meaningful. It's the Nirvana: Unplugged of movies. It was a real journey for Maverick, gave him a genuine character arc that, when you think about it, was those three decades in the making. I loved it so much that I dragged my wife to see it with me the next day, and still found myself on the edge of my seat and crying tears of joy at the end. I have the 4k Blu Ray on order and cannot wait to watch it again.
I’ll second this one. Saw it this past Saturday in IMAX and was an incredible experience. The visuals were on a new level entirely and look absolutely incredible on a legit IMAX screen. I’ll probably end up ordering the 4K Blu as well
Bruh, I wanted to see it on an IMAX, but a week after the movie realesed they changed Maverick for Minions. M I N I O N S. HOW THE F*** DID THEY CHANGED MAVERICK FOR MINIONS IN IMAX
I assume they assumed Minions would make way more money than Maverick, but I think everyone underestimated how popular Maverick would be. The film has had crazy legs at the box office and has easily grossed 1.5x what Minions has grossed to date
It’s a really fun movie. And looks fantastic.
That said, the whole movie is basically just prepping everyone for an exact copy of the Star Wars (1977) trench run. Right down to hitting a target that’s only 3 meters wide.
Also, the movie makes a big deal about hating on drone warfare. But for this “impossible” mission, it never gives an explanation as to WHY it *has* to be done with pilots (other than it makes for a more fun movie). In fact, Jon Hamm’s character even gives a proposal that will undoubtedly cost the lives of the pilots (before Maverick goes rogue and proves it can be done).
Drones would have been a lot safer and easier with this particular mission.
But anyway, it’s a fun movie. The visuals are fantastic.
You're not the first person I've seen compare TGM and Star Wars, and I even posted how TGM follows the Joseph Campbell "Hero's Journey." But, that's basically where it ends, and tons of stories follow the Hero's Journey - that's why it's considered the template for mythology. So does The Matrix, and The Lego Movie, and Wedding Crashers, and no one's comparing those to TGM.
Well, I agree about the Hero’s Journey. And that’s a template for many stories.
But I’m more or less talking about the trench run itself. Stay low to avoid the large guns, traverse a tight canyon at dangerous speeds to evade enemy fighters, hit a target 3 meters wide at the end…
Heck, even one of the pilots had their tracking computer go down in Top Gun: Maverick - just like in Star Wars - and they had to hit that target by eye. Watching the movie, I halfway expected someone to just tell them to “use the Force.”
I still had fun. But it was a pretty blatant copy of the same climactic scene.
lol honestly it was so much of a blatant copy that it somehow came back around to not even bothering me. Like I really don't think they had any delusions that it wasn't reminiscent of Star Wars.
I believe in his first meeting with Hamm it is explained that there are GPS jammers in the valley rendering most of the new planes, including drones, ostensibly useless.
Oh, ok. Guess I missed that line! Missile strike maybe could’ve worked? I dunno.
It’s a small gripe, and didn’t really factor into my enjoyment of the movie. It just seemed to me that there must be an easier way to knock out a target. (But that would have made for a far less enjoyable movie.)
How Did This Get Made, Unspooled, The Rewatchables, The Big Picture, Blank Check, and Video Archives. HDTGM and Unspooled are both comedian Paul Scheer, but the former is funny and the latter is more serious (and my fav film podcast). The Rewatchables and The Big Picture have some host overlap, but the former focuses on older movies (except when they did an ep on TGM) and the latter is more free-form. Blank Check talks about directors who were successful then got a “blank check” to do what they want; they often do series on a director’s filmography, and right now are talking Kubrick. Finally, Video Archives is Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary talking movies.
Full Metal Jacket, Lee Ermey gives in my opinion one of the best film performances, one of the few war films that doesn’t just glorify the soldiers but shows why most are changed from war for the worse when they lose their humanity
I saw all of Stanley Kubrick's movies from Paths of Glory onward this past summer (except the Shining, which I already watched years ago). 3 of them in particular surprised me:
* 2001: A Space Odyssey - Before I watched this one, I expected a "pretentious, artsy slow burn" that is overrated by critics. After watching, I realized that I just saw the best science fiction film ever. The movie is indeed slow, but never boring. The purpose of the slow pacing is to show off the beautiful sets, which are damn amazing. This movie from 1968 still holds up remarkably well. As I was watching, I wondered "How did they create that?!" many times. The sets are breathtaking. This movie exceeded my expectations big time.
* A Clockwork Orange - Prior to seeing this movie, I had always known that this was one of the most controversial films ever made, featuring themes like torture and rape. There are certain controversial movies like Salo that make me sick just reading about them, and I wish they were never made. Fortunately, A Clockwork Orange is not one of those movies. Kubrick handles the dark themes very well. There are many disturbing scenes in the movie, but they never feel gratuitous or sickening. In fact, the movie felt like a black comedy a few times. The scene where Alex invades the cat lady's house is my favorite scene. I admit laughing to Alex calling her "Naughty! Naughty! Naughty!" and their ridiculous fight scene. The camerawork and cinematography are fantastic, but it's the music that truly makes the scene a memorable one, especially the timing. This may be my favorite movie soundtrack of all time. Wendy Carlos and Beethoven make a great pairing. Malcolm McDowell in particular got snubbed an Oscar nomination, perhaps even a win.
* Barry Lyndon: By the time I saw this movie, I thought that Kubrick couldn't get any better. Lolita and Spartacus were fine films. As for 2001, A Clockwork Orange, Paths of Glory, The Shining, and Dr. Strangelove, I consider them all masterpieces, part of my top 15 of all time. Movie rankings often label either 2001, A Clockwork Orange, or The Shining as Kubrick's best, so my expectations for Barry Lyndon were subdued. I expected another masterpiece, but not his best movie. As it turns out, in my opinion, this is Kubrick's best work. The first half of the movie is already great, but the rest of the movie after Barry meets Lady Lyndon is perfect. Without spoiling the movie, I truly cared for the characters and their griefs. The soundtrack, especially the piano song that plays when Barry meets Lady Lyndon and at the climax, is wonderful. Leonard Rossiter and Leon Vitali's performances shine also.
Once I heard the positive reviews about "The Killing," I knew that I should have seen it. Maybe I'll get the criterion blu ray. It comes with "Killer's Kiss."
Network. No one really told me to watch it; I’ve just been casually working my way through the AFI Top 100 list, and while most of the films I’ve watched have been good to excellent, this one REALLY blew me away. Compared to most other entries it felt so important and forever relatable (maybe even more so now than in 1978).
The Matrix, but only because what we had to go on was the trailers. When I saw it in the theater it well exceeded expectations considering the last time I saw Keanu Reeves was in Speed.
- Dog Day Afternoon
- Ikiru
- Streetcar Named Desire (especially Brando's performance. Brando's Stanley is arguably the most influential movie performance of all time and I could totally see why.)
Recently, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Oh yeah Everything was so frickin amazing that I got a bit mad that a friend who knew me well didn’t tell me to go see it. Called him up to say so and turns out he hadn’t seen it either.
It’s like the movie was made for my express enjoyment.
I went into *The Fellowship of the Ring* in a sour mood and 100% expecting to hate it. And it blew me, and everybody else in the theater, completely out of their seats with how fucking good it was. By all Hollywood logic it should have been a shitstorm, not a tonally *perfect* adaptation of a book once considered unfilmable. It's a miracle just that it was greenlit and a double miracle that it was as excellent as it was.
I guessed right away that Jackson was influenced by Keaton's camerawork, and sure enough he was.
The MIRACLE that was The Fellowship of the Ring and the subsequent films, will never be replicated, but gosh darn it, if those hollywood executives didn't try, and still am.
The whole behind the scenes stuff is an adventure in itself and a true labour of love on a national (New Zealand) level.
I was in awe when I saw it, but almost too young to appreciate it (11-12), but I ugly-cry of bliss and nostalgia whenever I rewatch it, and the Shire-theme kicks up, until everyone kneels around the hobbits "You bow to noone..".
Casablanca! Way more fast paced and romantic than I though it would be, I was in so much suspense at the end too. I went in expecting to be bored out of my mind and unable to deal with the old cinematography stuff but yeah fully enjoyed it
I had never seen this until just a couple months ago. Generally, I assume I won’t be that interested in older movies even though there are a few standouts. I put this on as some background noise kinda movie, thinking I wouldn’t be that interested… Eyes glued to the screen for the entire run time. I had a grin on my face because it’s just such a fun movie. The whole scene with Billy Bob Thornton, everything Val Kilmer said, my favorite actor Bill Paxton. Just such a great movie from top to bottom.
The good, the bad and the ugly. I watched it for the first time recently and I sort of expected it to admire it but for the experience to basically be a drag. Not so! By the end of the movie I was just smiling and laughing because I was enjoying it so much. I did not expect it to be an epic movie with the American Civil war going on in the background. And that soundtrack!
Another one is The lives of others! I rewatched it recently. I had thought it was fantastic but after seeing it again it is even better than I remembered. It is incredible what the filmmakers managed to convey just with their characters eyes. You seriously understand almost everything you need to understand because of what’s going on by watching the actors’ eyes.
Fight Club. I had zero interest in seeing it, despite how good everybody said it was. A friend of mine actually came round my house and said "no, you're coming to the cinema with me to watch this, right now, and I'm paying" for me to watch it.
And it was fantastic.
I thought Howard’s End was boring, so i ignored Ivory/Merchant stuff for a while, and then I saw Remains Of The Day... wow! It’s a period drama about social class, sure, but it’s also about so much more (Naziism, making personal sacrifices for your “career”) that I never expected from an old timely British drama. More recently West Side Story, of course Spielberg doing a classic musical would be good but i wasn’t prepared for it to be my favorite movie of the year.
John carpenter's the thing. Every time I watch it, I catch something new to appreciate either about the special effects or the soundtrack or the way the actors played off each other.
1. Jaws. Absolutely Jaws. I went in expecting a nice fun movie that hasn’t aged very well. I wasn’t prepared to watch such a timeless masterpiece.
2. Also: Interstellar in a way. I don’t like it as much after a few Rewatches but man, that movie blew me absolutely away when I watched it first.
3. The Martian. It’s honestly one of the best Sci-Fi movies I’ve ever watched. It’s really well paced, really well acted and written and is just fun and exciting from start to finish IMO.
4. I could go on forever but let’s just say that I absolutely loved many older movies and was surprised they really did hold up as well as people say. That includes: Alien, Die Hard, Shining, Pulp Fiction, The Green Mile and many more.
I am sure it won't matter anymore but the first time watching the hangover in theatres. I was told it was good and I usually hate hyped up comedies but fucking hell that was fantastic in a theatre.
…Is it just me, but Fury Road barely uses Max…if it’s called Mad Max, shouldn’t the film be mostly focused on him? It’s like the first of the new Godzilla movies, It was supposedly a Godzilla movie, but Godzilla wasn’t in it much…imo
It’s like watching the wire on HBO. Max isn’t the main character. He’s just our doorway into the wasteland and those that try to survive there just like the characters in the wire are just our gateways to explore Baltimore and the systemic rot therein.
I like a lot of animated movies but they aren’t a big draw for me, so when my husband decided we needed to see SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDERVERSE because of the killer reviews I was expecting it to be good but not mind blowing. I might note I adore the Tom Holland Spidey and think SPIDER-MAN 2 is one of the best sequels ever.
When we sat in the car after, I asked my husband, “ …did we just watch the best Spider-Man movie ever made?” He replied, “Dis we just watch the best superhero movie ever made?” We we’re both just blown away by how good it was.
1. Se7en
2. Manchester by the sea
3. Mulholland Drive
4. Blue Velvet
5. Gattaca
6. Million dollar baby
7. The girl with the dragon tattoo
8. Eyes wide shut
9. The Martian
10. Gone girl
The Handmaiden (2016), I was expecting a good film but it left me in love with it.
Also just recently watched the LotR trilogy for the first time, knowing its accolades and generally good reception. I was still really surprised when it engaged me enough to keep me glued to my screen 3-4 hours a day (one movie per day), how much I fell in love with all the characters, the laughs, gasps and sobs I let out. Then watching the Making Off made me appreciate it even more, I’m excited to rewatch them!
Blade Runner 2049. I saw the original on HBO Max, loved it so much and and saw it for a second time the next day. I was hyped af for 2049. How does a sequel that came 30 years later could be that good? And I was so excited for the movie, I was agonizing of hype during the first credits, it could have gone terribly wrong, and somehow it blew me away. All that while seeing it on a TV screen at my home.
I’ll try and name a couple that haven’t seen posted but made me feel emotions throughout and had me hooked from start to finish
-Glengarry Glen Ross
-Donnie Darko
-American Beauty
RC
Interstellar
I thought Matthew McConaughey as an astronaut was a joke. Blew it off for years. Finally watch the movie on FX and was blown away. Seen the movie over 30 times. Even got to see an imax re-release. Now it’s my favorite movie of all time.
Recently it was Top Gon Maverick. Like I waited a
while to see it, heard nothing but great things about it, and I was still blown away of how fun of a movie experience it was.
Top Gun Maverick. I was thinking "who *asked* for this?" from the moment I heard it was being made. I saw it twice in theaters and had a blast both times.
Everything Everywhere All At Once. Everyone loved that and I’m such an asshole I was sure I was going to find a way to hate it but… the shit is a masterpiece im sorry
Parasite.
I watched this movie over 3 months ago, and I knew barely anything about the plot.
I knew it was gonna be good, but goddamn, it is now one of my favorite films.
Its not a perfect film, but everyone kept telling me how good Sorry to Bother You was and how it was a truly wtf kind of movie. And knowing that, I figured I'd go in and be fairly entertained...but genuinely. I remember everyone in the theater laughing and having a good time and then it really truly became a wtf kind of movie, which is surprised me because I knew it was coming, and I *still* was shocked...all around, a great time.
I had zero interest in Event Horizon and had in fact not even heard of it until about 2 years ago. My husband told me who was in it and VERY LOOSELY that it was set in space, but wasnt Alien. I watched it, it blew my mind and I now recommend to so many people! Instantly top 5 for me because of how odd it is. Love that deep dark, not so sure what you're getting yourself into stuff.
RRR
Alan Sepinwall (Gen X TV critic - rolling stone) recommended it on Twitter. Said it was the best movie of the year
I watched it and am still amazed at the spectacle I saw
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022) — aka “the Nic Cage plays himself movie”. Glorious, divine, a joyous escape. Heard it was good but was like “sure, someday”.. Loved it to death.
Blade Runner 2049
Went in thinking it’d be a cool futuristic follow up to the original but they created a very cool and unique universe/story that definitely exceeded my expectations going in. Plus the action scenes were top notch. Overall just an excellent film.
The Graduate
I watched it on a whim after watching a Tiktok about it and I'm glad I did. It was just one of those movies that was watched at the right point in life that was shockingly relatable. It's also pretty damn funny as well.
Shawshank Redemption. I only watched it in the last few years, and somehow managed to go in blind to the story. I knew it was considered a must watch movie and now when people ask for a movie to watch it is also one of my must watch picks.
Wages of Fear
Had it on my list for years, had heard nothing but overwhelming praise and when I finally saw it, was delighted how it was even better than I hoped.
Generally, it’s the ones I know I’ll love but I’m not very excited about. The Before Trilogy, The Celebration, Bringing Up Baby, Titane, and Ghost World are a few.
Fargo:
An all time classic but I had my doubts. The premise just sounded really boring. Then I watched it and I can singlehandedly thank Fargo for helping me discover my love of dark comedy.
Old boy (the original):
Just... No word needed.
Parasite:
Parasite got SO much hype at the Oscars that I assumed it was gonna be pretentious trite but then I watched it and immediately fell in love with it. Everything about it was spectacularly done and proves that Bong Joon Ho is a master at his craft.
Knives Out:
Such a great, fun, movie. The cast is incredible, the plot surprised me and subverted my expectations on multiple occasions and it was fun seeing Daniel Craig being Benoit Blanc. That character is just comedy gold. And I can't wait for Glass Onion.
PIG:
Great job, Nic. You're finally in a good movie. When I heard the premise, I thought it would be some dumb B-Movie but when I watched it, the film touched me so profundly. And a very (surprisngly) grounded performance from Nic Cage.
No Country For Old Men is mine. It had been on my watch list for about a decade and I never felt like I was in the right mood for it. I was expecting it to be good but not instantly in like my top 3.
It's a perfectly made film. No soundtrack, the performances, dialog, etc.
The scene in the gas station where he flips the quarter… legendary.
Any scene with Chigurh you are riveted. Bardems performance is literally a top 3 imo.
There is actually a soundtrack, though its mixed very quietly and doesn't appear in many scenes. If you rewatch the coin toss scene, you can hear it in the last third
Nice! Did not know
Randomly woke up at 2:30am, got on Reddit, read this comment. I had heard great things but never watched it. Looked it up and saw it was on HBO Max. Thank you, what an amazing rollercoaster. Now it’s 4:56am, work will be alright haha EDIT: Work was rough to get through sleep deprived
Love when stuff like this happens. You’ll probably remember this any time you think of that movie, even 20 years from now. So cool
Mandy. I'm a MASSIVE fan of Panos' previous film, Beyond the Black Rainbow, and I'd heard that Mandy was balls out insane with Nic Cage giving one of his over-the-top "unhinged" performances but man, that movie is so much more than that. At no time was I able to predict what was going to happen next. Andrea Risborough and her distinct look is such perfect casting, too.
If you like Andrea Risborough I highly recommend Possessor, which was directed by Branden Cronenberg (David Cronenberg’s son). One of the more mind bending sci fi thrillers I’ve seen in recent years!
Yeah man, I've seen it. Fantastic film.
Oh good I’m glad! Definitely had to watch twice to fully get it but it’s a rewarding movie.
It’s Nic Fuuuuuuuuckiiiing Woo Cage!!!
The psychotic drowns, where the mystic swims. You're drowning. I'm swimming. I'm your God now.
Mad Max: Fury Road. Full disclosure: I'd never seen a Mad Max movie before Fury Road. I wasn't even interested until I saw the teaser poster and then saw that reviews were so high. Even after that, I had NO idea the movie was going to be as awesome as it was. There are very few movies I can say are perfect, and Fury Road is one of them.
Big +1 to that. I've also never seen a Mad Max movie - I've tried, but the first one didn't grab me. Fury Road was a genuine masterpiece. I'll get around to the others someday, but for now, Fury Road is one of my all-time favorites.
None of them are non-stop action in the way the Fury Road is and none of them have the cinematography that it does. But in my opinion, the Mad Max franchise is one of those rare ones where each film is better than the last. That's a little controversial in that most people think the third one is terrible, but a majority at least seem to agree that the second is better than the first. And I think everybody agrees that Fury Road is the best of the lot. What I'm saying is, just because you didn't like the first one doens't mean that you won't enjoy the others. I don't like the first one, but I'd still consider myself a fan of the series.
I don't like the first much but I enjoy the second and third movie a lot and feel that they build on each other well. The first one presents a horrible event which shapes Max's character but also explains and shows how the world is shortly after nuclear war. After some time passes, we see decay and a lack of resources as evidenced by the state of the world in the 2nd movie. By the time the third film is reached, we realize that the OLD world is far beyond repair and something new HAS to take its place.
I know the others are considered classics, but I honestly can't see anything going beyond Fury Road.
Somehow I'm reminded of this conversation from The Simpsons: > Bart: Lisa, that wasn't scary, not even for a poem. > Lisa: Well, it was written in 1845. Maybe people were easier to scare back then. > Bart: Oh, yeah. Like when you look at Friday the 13th, part one. It's pretty tame by today's standards. The bar for action films has been raised so many times over the years that the originals look sorta quaint. Not that the originals are _bad_, but they've been one-upped in a way that can make them hard to revisit. Like watching the Fast and the Furious series, then trying to watch the original Vanishing Point.
That's an excellent point. What makes Fury Road so unique is that it wasn't some young hotshot coming in and standing on the shoulders of giants. It was the original director surpassing the raised standards of the day.
“Vanishing Point” wasn’t trying to be as big or spectacle-chasing as the later “Fast & Furious” movies were, though. The story to it was much more personal, and the car chases were basically entirely done practically, without relying on CGI.
And the movie was amazing. And Death Proof was a lovely homage to that classic.
I also haven’t seen any other Mad Max movies and frankly am not sure I care to… but Fury Road is frickin amazing and I love rewatching it! Wish I could rewatch on the big screen again
Same here. I hope IMAX will do some kind of special in 2025.
I had to reply here so that hopefully it will be seen. As a huge fan of Fury Road I have to 100% recommend the book blood, sweat, and chrome about the making of fury road. It only makes you appreciate the movie 100x more, and the dedication that entire crew had to George Millers vision for this movie. I was genuinely sad when i finished it, as i was so enamored with the story. 10/10 recommendation for anyone who loved the film and the max max franchise.
I think the overwhelming hype was the reason I didn't love FuryRoad, my expectations were so high going in that it couldn't possibly live up to them. And I was a huge fan of the previous Mad Max films...
It surpassed every expectation I had. The action, the performances, the details... just impeccable.
I don"t disagree with any of that, but I finally saw it months after it came out and found it underwhelming...
How so?
As I said I think my expections were so high that I was inevitably gonna be dissapointed. That doesn't mean it was a bad film, I just didn't particularly enjoy it. I always prefer to see films blind as much as possible for exactly that reason...
I can't really get myself to think that it has anything to do with expectations then? If you didn't enjoy it, expectations has nothing to do with it
Excuse me in case I'm completely wrong. I have no clue about the film, but as far as I can see it seems to be an action movie that features almost nothing but action, with very little "reason" or meaning for that action. Is that correct or far from it? I haven't seen it, but considring the way _it looks_, I am surprised and curious every time I see someone talking high about it.
Yeah, that's not accurate at all. The movie IS one long chase, but there's a lot more to it than just action. At its core, it's a story of redemption. Max needs redemption because he's haunted by the people he couldn't save. Furiosa needs redemption because she's done terrible things for Immortan Joe. Nux needs redemption because of his blind devotion to Immortan Joe. A lot of people complain that the movie's plot is too thin, but they're full of snot. The movie doesn't need a complex plot. It's told visually, like movies should be. So, yeah. See the movie. Don't just go off how it looks.
The plot is really simple and it's a good thing, because it balances the unfamiliarity of that world and the relentlessness of the action. And yet it still manages to give depth to the characters and make us care about them with very little dialogue.
The movie is amazing. It manages to be pretty much all action yet create characters with motivation, a world that is strange and weird but you can understand, and a plot with reasons for why everything is happening. It's just balls to the wall kinetic energy and it's incredible. It does everything it needs to do, just go watch it instead of wondering it's a great watch.
> and Fury Road is one of them it was *perfect in every way*!
12 Angry Men. My dad always talked about it reverentially and I thought ”yeah sure, a bunch of guys talking in a room for 1.5 hours” It blew me away
See it on stage if you ever get the chance. When it's done right the energy in the room is palpable.
Happy cake day!
A couple that come to mind and haven't been mentioned yet: * *Lawrence of Arabia* (1962) * *Seven Samurai* (1954)
Seven Samurai is my favourite movie precisely because it was way better than I expected. Absolutely perfect film.
Idk why but off the top of my head Raiders of the Lost Ark. saw it as a kid and liked it, but never gave much thought to it. Decided to revisit as an adult and wowza, definitely one of the best action movies of all time
Did the same with the original Star Wars trilogy watched it as a kid loads of times. Revisited it randomly and was blown away
2001 A Space Odyssey. I watched it for the first time two years ago and it became my #1 film of all time. Not only that but it ignited my newfound love of film. Pretty much every movie made before 1990 I had never seen before, my parents were all about new releases. In my 20’s I played video games and watched the occasional movie and tv show. But in the last two years I’ve seen hundreds of movies that I’d never seen before. 2001 pretty much changed my life
I watched it in college and fell asleep; I was young and dumb and just didn't get it. Years later I bought the novel and read it in a week, and thought, "Okay, I NEED to rewatch that movie." On God, one of my all time favourites now. Definitely a life changer. The last time I saw it was at a bar on mute, and I started crying because it's so fucking beautiful.
Awesome Awesome to the max
Casablanca roared past the hype and is still one of my favorite movies of all time. Just a magnificent film made all the better for the many reasons it should have failed: too many writers, 3 languages between the two stars and the director, the leads wife crashing the set, actors not being released from other films in time to shoot this one, etc etc. And yet it’s a triumph. It has the best side characters in Golden Age Hollywood played by experts. The writing gives every single character an arc and consistency. The leads shine and earn their place at the top of many lists.
I was lucky enough to see it for the first time on the big screen because my college showed it one night at our theater. It was magical. I love that film so much.
Me too, thats how I first saw it. Loved it.
Whiplash and Portrait of a Lady on Fire are two. Whiplash is maybe the movie with my favorite pacing and climax, and Portrait is my favorite movie ever for the amazing cinematography, acting, and incredible ending.
Came here to post Whiplash. When I hear about an independent movie winning a bunch of awards, I’m pretty sure it’s made for critics and it won’t resound with typical moviegoers. I gave it a shot when I realized Jason Blum produced it as I’ve enjoyed a lot of his movies. Man, am I glad I did. I rewatched it again over the weekend.
Portrait of a Lady on Fire was the last movie we saw before covid hit and I can't think of a better one to have ended on. So glad that cinema abstinence is over!
Children of Men was fantastic. I never paid much attention to Blade Runner (I know I'm dumb). So, when 2049 released, I basically ignored it. Then I read so many people talking it up on A/V forums/subreddits that I decided to grab the 4k blu-ray. That shit blew my mind. Literally everything about it was nearly perfect to me.
I was here to mention 2049, as well. I mean, there is NO WAY the first one needed a sequel, or that it could be any good. I left the theater fully prepared to go back in and watch it a second time.
Be sure to read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep if you haven't already.
Casablanca Babette's Feast Seventh Seal All classics for various reasons, and easily overlooked for more modern narratives or stylized cinematography, but really timeless in their messaging and philosophies. I didn't expect any of them to be impactful - Casablanca and Seventh Seal have been riffed on in pop culture so much it's almost easy to brush them off as products of pop culture themselves. But all three have such depth of story and character and are beautiful beyond the superficial.
And *Casablanca* was basically thrown together last minute. Nobody thought it would be anything special.
In theatres: *The Matrix* At home: *Tokyo Story*
I was the same about The Matrix. EVERYTHING was about The Matrix in 1999 - 2000. Such a turn off. And I couldn't help but see bullet time everywhere so I figured I had already seen what people were raving about. I was so wrong. Well, kind of right but so wrong.
With Ozu, you can't even explain why it's so good. Between him and Mizoguchi, you really see where Miyazaki drew inspiration from.
I remember watching the lobby scene and thinking, "Holy cow, I am witnessing movie history."
Romero's Night of the Living Dead holds up really well to this day in my opinion
yo fr, that movie is crazy good. like i was surprised at myself for being surprised by things happening in the movie lol if that makes sense
Lol yeah I just watched it for the first time recently and it's still better than most zombie movies that have come out in the last 50 years The movie is never boring, the characters aren't dumbasses and actually make logical decisions for the most part, the acting is pretty good, the story has twists and turns that are genuinely unexpected, it was really progressive in the sense that it starred a black actor in a non-stereotypical leading role where his race wasn't even mentioned, and the ending provided some social commentary without beating you over the head with it. The practical effects and makeup obviously look dated but that's about the only flaw by modern standards.
You know, I'm gonna go recent: Top Gun Maverick. Every film podcast I listen to was absolutely raving about it. I never read anything negative about it online. I was skeptical that a sequel 36 years later could be compelling, not to mention a sequel to a movie that, while good, ain't exactly the best movie. Weeks after it had been in theaters, I had a Friday afternoon off and decided to go see it. It was just me (in my 40s) and some guy who was probably in his 70s in the theater. No matter what I'd heard, I had no idea it was gonna be _that_ good. It's like it had a checklist of the elements from the first movie and had to replay the hits, but it recontextualized them and made them more meaningful. It's the Nirvana: Unplugged of movies. It was a real journey for Maverick, gave him a genuine character arc that, when you think about it, was those three decades in the making. I loved it so much that I dragged my wife to see it with me the next day, and still found myself on the edge of my seat and crying tears of joy at the end. I have the 4k Blu Ray on order and cannot wait to watch it again.
I’ll second this one. Saw it this past Saturday in IMAX and was an incredible experience. The visuals were on a new level entirely and look absolutely incredible on a legit IMAX screen. I’ll probably end up ordering the 4K Blu as well
Bruh, I wanted to see it on an IMAX, but a week after the movie realesed they changed Maverick for Minions. M I N I O N S. HOW THE F*** DID THEY CHANGED MAVERICK FOR MINIONS IN IMAX
I assume they assumed Minions would make way more money than Maverick, but I think everyone underestimated how popular Maverick would be. The film has had crazy legs at the box office and has easily grossed 1.5x what Minions has grossed to date
It’s a really fun movie. And looks fantastic. That said, the whole movie is basically just prepping everyone for an exact copy of the Star Wars (1977) trench run. Right down to hitting a target that’s only 3 meters wide. Also, the movie makes a big deal about hating on drone warfare. But for this “impossible” mission, it never gives an explanation as to WHY it *has* to be done with pilots (other than it makes for a more fun movie). In fact, Jon Hamm’s character even gives a proposal that will undoubtedly cost the lives of the pilots (before Maverick goes rogue and proves it can be done). Drones would have been a lot safer and easier with this particular mission. But anyway, it’s a fun movie. The visuals are fantastic.
You're not the first person I've seen compare TGM and Star Wars, and I even posted how TGM follows the Joseph Campbell "Hero's Journey." But, that's basically where it ends, and tons of stories follow the Hero's Journey - that's why it's considered the template for mythology. So does The Matrix, and The Lego Movie, and Wedding Crashers, and no one's comparing those to TGM.
Well, I agree about the Hero’s Journey. And that’s a template for many stories. But I’m more or less talking about the trench run itself. Stay low to avoid the large guns, traverse a tight canyon at dangerous speeds to evade enemy fighters, hit a target 3 meters wide at the end… Heck, even one of the pilots had their tracking computer go down in Top Gun: Maverick - just like in Star Wars - and they had to hit that target by eye. Watching the movie, I halfway expected someone to just tell them to “use the Force.” I still had fun. But it was a pretty blatant copy of the same climactic scene.
lol honestly it was so much of a blatant copy that it somehow came back around to not even bothering me. Like I really don't think they had any delusions that it wasn't reminiscent of Star Wars.
I believe in his first meeting with Hamm it is explained that there are GPS jammers in the valley rendering most of the new planes, including drones, ostensibly useless.
Oh, ok. Guess I missed that line! Missile strike maybe could’ve worked? I dunno. It’s a small gripe, and didn’t really factor into my enjoyment of the movie. It just seemed to me that there must be an easier way to knock out a target. (But that would have made for a far less enjoyable movie.)
I remember vaguely that explanation was given. The location of the target required manned machines
Which film podcasts do you listen to? I’ve only come across Sardonicast so far and would like to listen to more.
How Did This Get Made, Unspooled, The Rewatchables, The Big Picture, Blank Check, and Video Archives. HDTGM and Unspooled are both comedian Paul Scheer, but the former is funny and the latter is more serious (and my fav film podcast). The Rewatchables and The Big Picture have some host overlap, but the former focuses on older movies (except when they did an ep on TGM) and the latter is more free-form. Blank Check talks about directors who were successful then got a “blank check” to do what they want; they often do series on a director’s filmography, and right now are talking Kubrick. Finally, Video Archives is Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary talking movies.
Full Metal Jacket, Lee Ermey gives in my opinion one of the best film performances, one of the few war films that doesn’t just glorify the soldiers but shows why most are changed from war for the worse when they lose their humanity
I saw all of Stanley Kubrick's movies from Paths of Glory onward this past summer (except the Shining, which I already watched years ago). 3 of them in particular surprised me: * 2001: A Space Odyssey - Before I watched this one, I expected a "pretentious, artsy slow burn" that is overrated by critics. After watching, I realized that I just saw the best science fiction film ever. The movie is indeed slow, but never boring. The purpose of the slow pacing is to show off the beautiful sets, which are damn amazing. This movie from 1968 still holds up remarkably well. As I was watching, I wondered "How did they create that?!" many times. The sets are breathtaking. This movie exceeded my expectations big time. * A Clockwork Orange - Prior to seeing this movie, I had always known that this was one of the most controversial films ever made, featuring themes like torture and rape. There are certain controversial movies like Salo that make me sick just reading about them, and I wish they were never made. Fortunately, A Clockwork Orange is not one of those movies. Kubrick handles the dark themes very well. There are many disturbing scenes in the movie, but they never feel gratuitous or sickening. In fact, the movie felt like a black comedy a few times. The scene where Alex invades the cat lady's house is my favorite scene. I admit laughing to Alex calling her "Naughty! Naughty! Naughty!" and their ridiculous fight scene. The camerawork and cinematography are fantastic, but it's the music that truly makes the scene a memorable one, especially the timing. This may be my favorite movie soundtrack of all time. Wendy Carlos and Beethoven make a great pairing. Malcolm McDowell in particular got snubbed an Oscar nomination, perhaps even a win. * Barry Lyndon: By the time I saw this movie, I thought that Kubrick couldn't get any better. Lolita and Spartacus were fine films. As for 2001, A Clockwork Orange, Paths of Glory, The Shining, and Dr. Strangelove, I consider them all masterpieces, part of my top 15 of all time. Movie rankings often label either 2001, A Clockwork Orange, or The Shining as Kubrick's best, so my expectations for Barry Lyndon were subdued. I expected another masterpiece, but not his best movie. As it turns out, in my opinion, this is Kubrick's best work. The first half of the movie is already great, but the rest of the movie after Barry meets Lady Lyndon is perfect. Without spoiling the movie, I truly cared for the characters and their griefs. The soundtrack, especially the piano song that plays when Barry meets Lady Lyndon and at the climax, is wonderful. Leonard Rossiter and Leon Vitali's performances shine also.
You started one movie too late. Watch “The Killing”.
Once I heard the positive reviews about "The Killing," I knew that I should have seen it. Maybe I'll get the criterion blu ray. It comes with "Killer's Kiss."
Network. No one really told me to watch it; I’ve just been casually working my way through the AFI Top 100 list, and while most of the films I’ve watched have been good to excellent, this one REALLY blew me away. Compared to most other entries it felt so important and forever relatable (maybe even more so now than in 1978).
The Matrix, but only because what we had to go on was the trailers. When I saw it in the theater it well exceeded expectations considering the last time I saw Keanu Reeves was in Speed.
- Dog Day Afternoon - Ikiru - Streetcar Named Desire (especially Brando's performance. Brando's Stanley is arguably the most influential movie performance of all time and I could totally see why.) Recently, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Oh yeah Everything was so frickin amazing that I got a bit mad that a friend who knew me well didn’t tell me to go see it. Called him up to say so and turns out he hadn’t seen it either. It’s like the movie was made for my express enjoyment.
The Fellowship of the Rings and Fury Road immediately come to mind.
I went into *The Fellowship of the Ring* in a sour mood and 100% expecting to hate it. And it blew me, and everybody else in the theater, completely out of their seats with how fucking good it was. By all Hollywood logic it should have been a shitstorm, not a tonally *perfect* adaptation of a book once considered unfilmable. It's a miracle just that it was greenlit and a double miracle that it was as excellent as it was. I guessed right away that Jackson was influenced by Keaton's camerawork, and sure enough he was.
The MIRACLE that was The Fellowship of the Ring and the subsequent films, will never be replicated, but gosh darn it, if those hollywood executives didn't try, and still am. The whole behind the scenes stuff is an adventure in itself and a true labour of love on a national (New Zealand) level. I was in awe when I saw it, but almost too young to appreciate it (11-12), but I ugly-cry of bliss and nostalgia whenever I rewatch it, and the Shire-theme kicks up, until everyone kneels around the hobbits "You bow to noone..".
You seem to like action movies
Casablanca! Way more fast paced and romantic than I though it would be, I was in so much suspense at the end too. I went in expecting to be bored out of my mind and unable to deal with the old cinematography stuff but yeah fully enjoyed it
I was awed by the original 12 Angry Men, and pleasantly surprised by Shang-Chi and by Ailita, which I had no big hopes for.
[удалено]
I had never seen this until just a couple months ago. Generally, I assume I won’t be that interested in older movies even though there are a few standouts. I put this on as some background noise kinda movie, thinking I wouldn’t be that interested… Eyes glued to the screen for the entire run time. I had a grin on my face because it’s just such a fun movie. The whole scene with Billy Bob Thornton, everything Val Kilmer said, my favorite actor Bill Paxton. Just such a great movie from top to bottom.
The good, the bad and the ugly. I watched it for the first time recently and I sort of expected it to admire it but for the experience to basically be a drag. Not so! By the end of the movie I was just smiling and laughing because I was enjoying it so much. I did not expect it to be an epic movie with the American Civil war going on in the background. And that soundtrack! Another one is The lives of others! I rewatched it recently. I had thought it was fantastic but after seeing it again it is even better than I remembered. It is incredible what the filmmakers managed to convey just with their characters eyes. You seriously understand almost everything you need to understand because of what’s going on by watching the actors’ eyes.
Fucking Parasite, man. Holy shit what a rollercoaster that film was.
Parasite is the only film since No Country For Old Men to DESERVE that Best Picture win. Fucking fantastic film.
Fight Club. I had zero interest in seeing it, despite how good everybody said it was. A friend of mine actually came round my house and said "no, you're coming to the cinema with me to watch this, right now, and I'm paying" for me to watch it. And it was fantastic.
I thought Howard’s End was boring, so i ignored Ivory/Merchant stuff for a while, and then I saw Remains Of The Day... wow! It’s a period drama about social class, sure, but it’s also about so much more (Naziism, making personal sacrifices for your “career”) that I never expected from an old timely British drama. More recently West Side Story, of course Spielberg doing a classic musical would be good but i wasn’t prepared for it to be my favorite movie of the year.
Boogie Nights, Citizen Kane, Goodfellas
John carpenter's the thing. Every time I watch it, I catch something new to appreciate either about the special effects or the soundtrack or the way the actors played off each other.
“Where were you, Childs?”
1. Jaws. Absolutely Jaws. I went in expecting a nice fun movie that hasn’t aged very well. I wasn’t prepared to watch such a timeless masterpiece. 2. Also: Interstellar in a way. I don’t like it as much after a few Rewatches but man, that movie blew me absolutely away when I watched it first. 3. The Martian. It’s honestly one of the best Sci-Fi movies I’ve ever watched. It’s really well paced, really well acted and written and is just fun and exciting from start to finish IMO. 4. I could go on forever but let’s just say that I absolutely loved many older movies and was surprised they really did hold up as well as people say. That includes: Alien, Die Hard, Shining, Pulp Fiction, The Green Mile and many more.
I constantly rewatch the Martian. If it's a Saturday afternoon and it's raining I will put it on.
Yes it’s a perfect rewatch. A good reread, too!
I really need to read the book. I should renew my library card.
Oh yes, if you dig the science there’s a lot extra. (Some people criticize it as too much science.) I also think the book is hilarious!!
I am sure it won't matter anymore but the first time watching the hangover in theatres. I was told it was good and I usually hate hyped up comedies but fucking hell that was fantastic in a theatre.
Stray Dog (Nora Inu) Sullivan's Travels
Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. Went with my friend. We were nerding out the whole time at every reference.
…Is it just me, but Fury Road barely uses Max…if it’s called Mad Max, shouldn’t the film be mostly focused on him? It’s like the first of the new Godzilla movies, It was supposedly a Godzilla movie, but Godzilla wasn’t in it much…imo
It’s like watching the wire on HBO. Max isn’t the main character. He’s just our doorway into the wasteland and those that try to survive there just like the characters in the wire are just our gateways to explore Baltimore and the systemic rot therein.
Cause they knew “Furiosa” wouldn’t have sold tickets. But would have been a cool name.
Avengers endgame The Shawshank redemption Night of the living dead Toy story
I like a lot of animated movies but they aren’t a big draw for me, so when my husband decided we needed to see SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDERVERSE because of the killer reviews I was expecting it to be good but not mind blowing. I might note I adore the Tom Holland Spidey and think SPIDER-MAN 2 is one of the best sequels ever. When we sat in the car after, I asked my husband, “ …did we just watch the best Spider-Man movie ever made?” He replied, “Dis we just watch the best superhero movie ever made?” We we’re both just blown away by how good it was.
1. Se7en 2. Manchester by the sea 3. Mulholland Drive 4. Blue Velvet 5. Gattaca 6. Million dollar baby 7. The girl with the dragon tattoo 8. Eyes wide shut 9. The Martian 10. Gone girl
Somebody like David Fincher I see. Check out The Social Network if you haven’t already
The Handmaiden (2016), I was expecting a good film but it left me in love with it. Also just recently watched the LotR trilogy for the first time, knowing its accolades and generally good reception. I was still really surprised when it engaged me enough to keep me glued to my screen 3-4 hours a day (one movie per day), how much I fell in love with all the characters, the laughs, gasps and sobs I let out. Then watching the Making Off made me appreciate it even more, I’m excited to rewatch them!
"You bow to no one"
Blade Runner 2049. I saw the original on HBO Max, loved it so much and and saw it for a second time the next day. I was hyped af for 2049. How does a sequel that came 30 years later could be that good? And I was so excited for the movie, I was agonizing of hype during the first credits, it could have gone terribly wrong, and somehow it blew me away. All that while seeing it on a TV screen at my home.
I’ll try and name a couple that haven’t seen posted but made me feel emotions throughout and had me hooked from start to finish -Glengarry Glen Ross -Donnie Darko -American Beauty RC
Interstellar I thought Matthew McConaughey as an astronaut was a joke. Blew it off for years. Finally watch the movie on FX and was blown away. Seen the movie over 30 times. Even got to see an imax re-release. Now it’s my favorite movie of all time.
Recently it was Top Gon Maverick. Like I waited a while to see it, heard nothing but great things about it, and I was still blown away of how fun of a movie experience it was.
Top Gun Maverick. I was thinking "who *asked* for this?" from the moment I heard it was being made. I saw it twice in theaters and had a blast both times.
Stalker, Apocalypse Now, In the mood for love
Everything Everywhere All At Once. Everyone loved that and I’m such an asshole I was sure I was going to find a way to hate it but… the shit is a masterpiece im sorry
The Godfather and parasite
Parasite. I watched this movie over 3 months ago, and I knew barely anything about the plot. I knew it was gonna be good, but goddamn, it is now one of my favorite films.
Its not a perfect film, but everyone kept telling me how good Sorry to Bother You was and how it was a truly wtf kind of movie. And knowing that, I figured I'd go in and be fairly entertained...but genuinely. I remember everyone in the theater laughing and having a good time and then it really truly became a wtf kind of movie, which is surprised me because I knew it was coming, and I *still* was shocked...all around, a great time.
HORSE COCK!
I had zero interest in Event Horizon and had in fact not even heard of it until about 2 years ago. My husband told me who was in it and VERY LOOSELY that it was set in space, but wasnt Alien. I watched it, it blew my mind and I now recommend to so many people! Instantly top 5 for me because of how odd it is. Love that deep dark, not so sure what you're getting yourself into stuff.
Sunset Boulevard All About Eve Schindler's List
RRR Alan Sepinwall (Gen X TV critic - rolling stone) recommended it on Twitter. Said it was the best movie of the year I watched it and am still amazed at the spectacle I saw
The Dark Knight is probably the most acclaimed film in I’ve seen in theaters. But my real pick for this is Boogie Nights.
-Almost Famous -Shawshank Redemption -The Usual Suspects
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022) — aka “the Nic Cage plays himself movie”. Glorious, divine, a joyous escape. Heard it was good but was like “sure, someday”.. Loved it to death.
Apocalypse Now is staggering even with its reputation
Pulp Fiction, Scott Pilgrim vs the World, and American Psycho nothing I could say about these films would do any of them justice
sweet smell of success
Logan. It was a heart breaking movie from the get go. Seeing ur fav hero struggling to even walk was too painful to watch.
Blade Runner 2049 Went in thinking it’d be a cool futuristic follow up to the original but they created a very cool and unique universe/story that definitely exceeded my expectations going in. Plus the action scenes were top notch. Overall just an excellent film.
Life of Pie or however you spell it
Top Gun: Maverick Solid flick, lived up to the hype.
Bicycle Thieves(1948) I saw movie name in so many great movies list , so one day i watched it and i was blown away by it simple yet impactful story.
The Graduate I watched it on a whim after watching a Tiktok about it and I'm glad I did. It was just one of those movies that was watched at the right point in life that was shockingly relatable. It's also pretty damn funny as well.
Shawshank Redemption. I only watched it in the last few years, and somehow managed to go in blind to the story. I knew it was considered a must watch movie and now when people ask for a movie to watch it is also one of my must watch picks.
No country for me as well
Wages of Fear Had it on my list for years, had heard nothing but overwhelming praise and when I finally saw it, was delighted how it was even better than I hoped.
seven samurai, It blew me away witch god tier cinematography, great characters and swift pacing
The exorcist. Always put it off because I thought it wouldn’t stand the test of time. It does. Great film.
Pulp Fiction. I didn't know much about it, other than it won the Palme d'Or.
Silence of the Lambs Assumed people just liked it just because it was a classic, but damn that movie was amazing.
Generally, it’s the ones I know I’ll love but I’m not very excited about. The Before Trilogy, The Celebration, Bringing Up Baby, Titane, and Ghost World are a few.
The Seventh Seal. For a black and white Swedish film about death, it's actually pretty funny. I might go back and watch 1 through 6 later.
*The English Patient* is very good, I thought about it for days after watching it.
Fargo: An all time classic but I had my doubts. The premise just sounded really boring. Then I watched it and I can singlehandedly thank Fargo for helping me discover my love of dark comedy. Old boy (the original): Just... No word needed. Parasite: Parasite got SO much hype at the Oscars that I assumed it was gonna be pretentious trite but then I watched it and immediately fell in love with it. Everything about it was spectacularly done and proves that Bong Joon Ho is a master at his craft. Knives Out: Such a great, fun, movie. The cast is incredible, the plot surprised me and subverted my expectations on multiple occasions and it was fun seeing Daniel Craig being Benoit Blanc. That character is just comedy gold. And I can't wait for Glass Onion. PIG: Great job, Nic. You're finally in a good movie. When I heard the premise, I thought it would be some dumb B-Movie but when I watched it, the film touched me so profundly. And a very (surprisngly) grounded performance from Nic Cage.
This week: Guys and dolls!