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Month: June 2018

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Best of 2007

The list looks at critics top ten films 2007 using approximately 585 lists. The lists come from published critics, either writing for a newspaper, magazine or TV/radio program. The Coen Brothers. No Country for Old Men came 1st with 358 spots on top 10. The top 50 are as follows:

50. Rescue Dawn (27 lists)
49. Charlie Wilson’s War (27 lists, 1 top spot)
48. The Kite Runner (27 lists, 2 top spots)
47. Lust, Caution (28 lists, 1 top spot)
46. Margot at the Wedding (30 lists)
45. In the Valley of Elah (31 lists)
44. La Vie en Rose (31 lists, 7 top spots)
42. Across the Universe (33 lists, 2 top spots)
42. Control (33 lists, 2 top spots)
41. Waitress (36 lists, 2 top spots)
40. Sicko (37 lists, 1 top spot)
39. Colossal Youth (37 lists, 7 top spots)
37. Offside (38 lists, 2 top spot)
37. Hairspray (38 lists, 2 top spot)
36. Lars and the Real Girl (45 lists, 1 top spot)
35. The King of Kong (45 lists, 2 top spot)
34. Black Book (45 lists, 4 top spots)
33. The Darjeeling Limited (49 lists, 5 top spots)
32. Hot Fuzz (50 lists)
31. American Gangster (54 lists, 3 top spots)
30. Killer of Sheep (55 lists, 10 top spot)
29. No End in Sight (59 lists, 3 top spot)
28. 3:10 to Yuma (62 lists, 2 top spots)
27. The Host (63 lists, 1 top spot)
26. The Savages (63 lists, 3 top spot)
25. Gone Baby Gone (65 lists)
24. Syndromes and a Century (65 lists, 9 top spot)
23. Superbad (67 lists)
22. Grindhouse (73 lists, 6 top spots)
21. The Lives of Others (73 lists, 12 top spots)
20. The Bourne Ultimatum (78 lists, 6 top spot)
19. Persepolis (81 lists)
18. Knocked Up (90 lists, 3 top spot)
17. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (105 lists, 13 top spots)
16. Away From Her (107 lists, 5 top spots)
15. Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (110 lists, 5 top spots)
14. Sweeney Todd (116 lists, 11 top spots)
13. Atonement (126 lists, 17 top spots)
12. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (127 lists, 11 top spots)
11. Michael Clayton (133 lists, 14 top spots)
10. Eastern Promises (134 lists, 3 top spot)
9. Into the Wild (138 lists, 13 top spots)
8. I’m Not There (141 lists, 18 top spots)
7. Once (157 lists, 11 top spots)
6. Ratatouille (158 lists, 10 top spots)
5. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (163 lists, 26 top spots)
4. Juno (178 lists, 19 top spots)
3. Zodiac (216 lists, 27 top spots)
2. There Will Be Blood (245 lists, 63 top spots)
1. No Country for Old Men (358 lists, 90 top spots)



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National Board of Review Awards 2007

On the 15th of January 2008, The National Board of Review held their 79th Awards, honouring the best in film for 2007. No Country for Old Men from the Coen brothers’ was the pick for best film of the year. Tim Burton was named the best director for his screen version of the Stephen Sondheim musical “Sweeney Todd.” Formed 98 years ago, the board is composed of film historians, students and educators.

Top 10 Films

  • No Country for Old Men (Best Film)
  • The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
  • Atonement
  • The Bourne Ultimatum
  • The Bucket List
  • Into the Wild
  • Juno
  • The Kite Runner
  • Lars and the Real Girl
  • Michael Clayton
  • Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Top Foreign Films

  • 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (4 luni, 3 saptamani si 2 zile)
  • The Band’s Visit (Bikur Ha-Tizmoret)
  • The Counterfeiters (Die Fälscher)
  • La Vie En Rose (La môme)
  • Lust, Caution (Se, jie)

Top Five Documentaries

  • Darfur Now
  • In the Shadow of the Moon
  • Nanking
  • Taxi to the Dark Side
  • Toots

Top Independent Films

  • Away from Her
  • Great World of Sound
  • Honeydripper
  • In the Valley of Elah
  • A Mighty Heart
  • The Namesake
  • Once
  • The Savages
  • Starting Out in the Evening
  • Waitress




Winners

  • Best Actor:
    • George Clooney – Michael Clayton
  • Best Actress:
    • Julie Christie – Away from Her
  • Best Animated Film:
    • Ratatouille
  • Best Cast:
    • No Country for Old Men
  • Best Director:
    • Tim Burton – Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
  • Best Directorial Debut:
    • Ben Affleck – Gone Baby Gone
  • Best Documentary Film:
    • Body of War
  • Best Film:
    • No Country for Old Men (Academy Award for Best Picture)
  • Best Foreign Language Film:
    • The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Le scaphandre et le papillon) • France
  • Best Screenplay – Adapted:
    • No Country for Old Men – Joel and Ethan Coen
  • Best Screenplay – Original (tie):
    • Juno – Diablo Cody
    • Lars and the Real Girl – Nancy Oliver
  • Best Supporting Actor:
    • Casey Affleck – The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
  • Best Supporting Actress:
    • Amy Ryan – Gone Baby Gone
  • Breakthrough Male Performances:
    • Emile Hirsch – Into the Wild
  • Breakthrough Female Performances:
    • Ellen Page – Juno
  • Freedom of Expression Award (tie):
    • The Great Debaters
    • Persepolis
  • Career Achievement Award:
    • Michael Douglas
  • William K. Everson Award for Film History:
    • Robert Osborne
  • Career Award for Cinematography
    • Roger Deakins




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No Country for Old Men (2007)

Director: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen Cinematographer: Roger Deakins
No Country for Old Men (2007) on IMDb

Faithfully adapted from the Cormac McCarthy novel of the same name, No Country for Old Men tells the story of an ordinary man (Josh Brolin) who, while out hunting, stumbles across the aftermath of drug deal gone awry and walks away with two million dollars in a briefcase. Soon he is being pursued by those who want the money back, including psychopathic hitman Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem). While exploring similar ground, such as fate versus self determination, to their earlier crime films Blood Simple and particularly Fargo, the Coen Brothers move into even darker territory to deliver a landscaped based modern western with minimal dialogue and plenty of remorseless killing. Bardem’s chilling performance, the clever build up of suspense, stunning visual sequences and the serious tone (even with the marvellous deadpan humour) help make No Country for Old Men arguably the best of the Coens career so far.

Buy or Rent (watch online)
Blu-ray + Digital
DVD
Javier Bardem 3-Film Collection (No Country For Old Men / Biutiful / Mondays in the Sun) (DVD)
Inglourious Basterds / The Wrestler / No Country for Old Men (DVD)
No Country for Old Men: From Novel to Film (book/kindle)
POSTER Movie (27 x 40 Inches – 69cm x 102cm)

Lists:

CAST

  • Tommy Lee Jones as Ed Tom Bell
  • Javier Bardem as Anton Chigurh
  • Josh Brolin as Llewelyn Moss
  • Woody Harrelson as Carson Wells
  • Kelly Macdonald as Carla Jean Moss
  • Garret Dillahunt as Wendell
  • Tess Harper as Loretta Bell
  • Barry Corbin as Ellis
  • Stephen Root as Man who hires Wells
  • Beth Grant as Carla Jean’s Mother

Directed by Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Produced by Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Screenplay by Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Music by Carter Burwell
Cinematography Roger Deakins
Edited by Roderick Jaynes
Running time 122 minutes
Country United States
Language English



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The 100 Greatest Movies Ever Made

After a month of polling in 2015, Flicks received votes from 3,000 New Zealanders which were then compiled into the 100 favourite films of all time. The Shawshank Redemption, which was written and directed by Frank Darabont, took the top spot. Max Max: Fury Road was the most recent film to make the top 100.

  • 1. The Shawshank Redemption
  • 2. Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back
  • 3. The Godfather
  • 4. Pulp Fiction
  • 5. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
  • 6. The Dark Knight
  • 7. Forrest Gump
  • 8. Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope
  • 9. The Matrix
  • 10. Goodfellas
  • 11. 2001: A Space Odyssey
  • 12. Casablanca
  • 13. Gone with the Wind
  • 14. Fight Club
  • 15. Titanic
  • 16. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
  • 17. Blade Runner
  • 18. The Princess Bride
  • 19. Jurassic Park
  • 20. Saving Private Ryan
  • 21. Inception
  • 22. Avatar
  • 23. The Sound of Music
  • 24. The Avengers
  • 25. Alien
  • 26. Terminator 2: Judgment Day
  • 27. Back to the Future
  • 28. Raiders of the Lost Ark
  • 29. Up
  • 30. Schindler’s List
  • 31. Jaws
  • 32. Citizen Kane
  • 33. Aliens
  • 34. The Lion King
  • 35. The Godfather: Part II
  • 36. The Green Mile
  • 37. Braveheart
  • 38. The Wizard of Oz
  • 39. Interstellar
  • 40. Life is Beautiful
  • 41. Fargo
  • 42. Lawrence of Arabia
  • 43. Apocalypse Now
  • 44. Love Actually
  • 45. Mad Max: Fury Road
  • 46. Guardians of the Galaxy
  • 47. The Notebook
  • 48. Rear Window
  • 49. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
  • 50. Labyrinth



  • 51. Dirty Dancing
  • 52. Top Gun
  • 53. E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial
  • 54. The Departed
  • 55. The Usual Suspects
  • 56. Amélie
  • 57. Pretty Woman
  • 58. Gladiator
  • 59. The Good, The Bad and the Ugly
  • 60. Vertigo
  • 61. Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi
  • 62. Se7en
  • 63. Seven Samurai
  • 64. There Will Be Blood
  • 65. Grease
  • 66. Ghost
  • 67. The Silence of the Lambs
  • 68. Pitch Perfect
  • 69. Die Hard
  • 70. Ben-Hur
  • 71. Reservoir Dogs
  • 72. Donnie Darko
  • 73. No Country For Old Men
  • 74. Memento
  • 75. Psycho
  • 76. Toy Story
  • 77. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
  • 78. A Clockwork Orange
  • 79. The Terminator
  • 80. Inglourious Basterds
  • 81. Spirited Away
  • 82. The Wolf of Wall Street
  • 83. Once Upon a Time in the West
  • 84. To Kill a Mockingbird
  • 85. Rocky
  • 86. The Shining
  • 87. Boy
  • 88. The Fifth Element
  • 89. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
  • 90. The Blues Brothers
  • 91. Armageddon
  • 92. The Great Escape
  • 93. Boyhood
  • 94. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
  • 95. Léon the Professional
  • 96. Monty Python and the Holy Grail
  • 97. Singin’ in the Rain
  • 98. Bridesmaids
  • 99. The Graduate
  • 100. Breakfast at Tiffany’s



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BBC’s 100 Greatest American Films

In July 2015 BBC Culture polled 62 film critics from around the world to determine the 100 greatest American movies ever made. There are some surprising results with Gone With the Wind which placed 6th on AFI’s 2007 list only 97th on the BBC poll. This maybe that AFI list comes from the choices of the US industry rather than foreign critics.

For the purposes of the poll, an American film is defined as any movie that received funding from a US source. The directors of these films did not have to be born in the United States nor did the films have to be shot in the US. Each critic who participated submitted a list of 10 films, with their pick for the greatest film receiving 10 points and their number 10 pick receiving one point. The points were added up to produce the final list. 

The 100 greatest American films

100. Ace in the Hole (Billy Wilder, 1951)
99. 12 Years a Slave (Steve McQueen, 2013)
98. Heaven’s Gate (Michael Cimino, 1980)
97. Gone With the Wind (Victor Fleming, 1939)
96. The Dark Knight (Christopher Nolan, 2008)
95. Duck Soup (Leo McCarey, 1933)
94. 25th Hour (Spike Lee, 2002)
93. Mean Streets (Martin Scorsese, 1973)
92. The Night of the Hunter (Charles Laughton, 1955)
91. ET: The Extra-Terrestrial (Steven Spielberg, 1982)
90. Apocalypse Now (Francis Ford Coppola, 1979)
89. In a Lonely Place (Nicholas Ray, 1950)
88. West Side Story (Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins, 1961)
87. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Michel Gondry, 2004)
86. The Lion King (Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, 1994)
85. Night of the Living Dead (George A Romero, 1968)
84. Deliverance (John Boorman, 1972)
83. Bringing Up Baby (Howard Hawks, 1938)
82. Raiders of the Lost Ark (Steven Spielberg, 1981)
81. Thelma & Louise (Ridley Scott, 1991)
80. Meet Me in St Louis (Vincente Minnelli, 1944)
79. The Tree of Life (Terrence Malick, 2011)
78. Schindler’s List (Steven Spielberg, 1993)
77. Stagecoach (John Ford, 1939)
76. The Empire Strikes Back (Irvin Kershner, 1980)
75. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Steven Spielberg, 1977)
74. Forrest Gump (Robert Zemeckis, 1994)
73. Network (Sidney Lumet, 1976)
72. The Shanghai Gesture (Josef von Sternberg, 1941)
71. Groundhog Day (Harold Ramis, 1993)
70. The Band Wagon (Vincente Minnelli, 1953)
69. Koyaanisqatsi (Godfrey Reggio, 1982)
68. Notorious (Alfred Hitchcock, 1946)
67. Modern Times (Charlie Chaplin, 1936)
66. Red River (Howard Hawks, 1948)
65. The Right Stuff (Philip Kaufman, 1983)
64. Johnny Guitar (Nicholas Ray, 1954)
63. Love Streams (John Cassavetes, 1984)
62. The Shining (Stanley Kubrick, 1980)
61. Eyes Wide Shut (Stanley Kubrick, 1999)
60. Blue Velvet (David Lynch, 1986)
59. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Miloš Forman, 1975)
58. The Shop Around the Corner (Ernst Lubitsch, 1940)
57. Crimes and Misdemeanors (Woody Allen, 1989)
56. Back to the Future (Robert Zemeckis, 1985)
55. The Graduate (Mike Nichols, 1967)
54. Sunset Boulevard (Billy Wilder, 1950)
53. Grey Gardens (Albert and David Maysles, Ellen Hovde and Muffie Meyer, 1975)
52. The Wild Bunch (Sam Peckinpah, 1969)
51. Touch of Evil (Orson Welles, 1958)




50. His Girl Friday (Howard Hawks, 1940)
49. Days of Heaven (Terrence Malick, 1978)
48. A Place in the Sun (George Stevens, 1951)
47. Marnie (Alfred Hitchcock, 1964)
46. It’s a Wonderful Life (Frank Capra, 1946)
45. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (John Ford, 1962)
44. Sherlock Jr (Buster Keaton, 1924)
43. Letter from an Unknown Woman (Max Ophüls, 1948)
42. Dr Strangelove (Stanley Kubrick, 1964)
41. Rio Bravo (Howard Hawks, 1959)
40. Meshes of the Afternoon (Maya Deren and Alexander Hammid, 1943)
39. The Birth of a Nation (DW Griffith, 1915)
38. Jaws (Steven Spielberg, 1975)
37. Imitation of Life (Douglas Sirk, 1959)
36. Star Wars (George Lucas, 1977)
35. Double Indemnity (Billy Wilder, 1944)
34. The Wizard of Oz (Victor Fleming, 1939)
33. The Conversation (Francis Ford Coppola, 1974)
32. The Lady Eve (Preston Sturges, 1941)
31. A Woman Under the Influence (John Cassavetes, 1974)
30. Some Like It Hot (Billy Wilder, 1959)
29. Raging Bull (Martin Scorsese, 1980)
28. Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, 1994)
27. Barry Lyndon (Stanley Kubrick, 1975)
26. Killer of Sheep (Charles Burnett, 1978)
25. Do the Right Thing (Spike Lee, 1989)
24. The Apartment (Billy Wilder, 1960)
23. Annie Hall (Woody Allen, 1977)
22. Greed (Erich von Stroheim, 1924)
21. Mulholland Drive (David Lynch, 2001)
20. Goodfellas (Martin Scorsese, 1990)
19. Taxi Driver (Martin Scorsese, 1976)
18. City Lights (Charlie Chaplin, 1931)
17. The Gold Rush (Charlie Chaplin, 1925)
16. McCabe & Mrs Miller (Robert Altman, 1971)
15. The Best Years of Our Lives (William Wyler, 1946)
14. Nashville (Robert Altman, 1975)
13. North by Northwest (Alfred Hitchcock, 1959)
12. Chinatown (Roman Polanski, 1974)
11. The Magnificent Ambersons (Orson Welles, 1942)
10. The Godfather Part II (Francis Ford Coppola, 1974)
9. Casablanca (Michael Curtiz, 1942)
8. Psycho (Alfred Hitchcock, 1960)
7. Singin’ in the Rain (Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly, 1952)
6. Sunrise (FW Murnau, 1927)
5. The Searchers (John Ford, 1956)
4. 2001: A Space Odyssey (Stanley Kubrick, 1968)
3. Vertigo (Alfred Hitchcock, 1958)
2. The Godfather (Francis Ford Coppola, 1972)
1. Citizen Kane (Orson Welles, 1941)



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Time Out’s 100 Best Action Movies of All Time

In 2016 Time Out New York polled over 50 experts in the field, including TONY contributors, directors, actors and stunt actors, to list their top action films. The results were then compiled into the 100 best action movies of all time. The list includes Oscar winning classics, sci-fi masterpieces, foreign films and martial-arts movies. Those polled included Die Hard director John McTiernan and stunt woman Zoë Bell (who worked on the two Kill Bill movies). 

1 Die Hard 1988 John McTiernan
2 Raiders of the Lost Ark 1981 Steven Spielberg
3 Terminator 2: Judgment Day 1991 James Cameron
4 Lat sau san taam 1992 John Woo
5 Mad Max 2 1981 George Miller
6 Enter the Dragon 1973 Robert Clouse
7 Ging chaat goo si 1985 Chi-Hwa Chen, Jackie Chan
8 The Wild Bunch 1969 Sam Peckinpah
9 Shichinin no samurai 1954 Akira Kurosawa
10 Aliens 1986 James Cameron
11 The Matrix 1999 Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski
12 RoboCop 1987 Paul Verhoeven
13 First Blood 1982 Ted Kotcheff
14 Wong Fei Hung II: Nam yee tung chi keung 1992 Hark Tsui
15 The Bourne Ultimatum 2007 Paul Greengrass
16 Predator 1987 John McTiernan
17 Ong-bak 2003 Prachya Pinkaew
18 The Terminator 1984 James Cameron
19 Face/Off 1997 John Woo
20 Kill Bill: Vol. 1 2003 Quentin Tarantino
21 The General 1926 Buster Keaton, Clyde Bruckman
22 Serbuan maut 2011 Gareth Evans
23 Bullitt 1968 Peter Yates
24 Dip huet seung hung 1989 John Woo
25 Lethal Weapon 1987 Richard Donner
26 ‘A’ gai wak 1983 Jackie Chan, Sammo Kam-Bo Hung
27 Jui kuen II 1994 Chia-Liang Liu
28 Heat 1995 Michael Mann
29 Shao Lin san shi liu fang 1978 Chia-Liang Liu
30 C’era una volta il West 1968 Sergio Leone
31 Point Break 1991 Kathryn Bigelow
32 Ying hung boon sik 1986 John Woo
33 Rambo: First Blood Part II 1985 George P. Cosmatos
34 Oldeuboi 2003 Chan-wook Park
35 Fei lung mang jeung 1988 Corey Yuen, Sammo Kam-Bo Hung
36 Wo hu cang long 2000 Ang Lee
37 Commando 1985 Mark L. Lester
38 The Adventures of Robin Hood 1938 Michael Curtiz, William Keighley
39 Wu Lang ba gua gun 1984 Chia-Liang Liu
40 The French Connection 1971 William Friedkin
41 The Bourne Identity 2002 Doug Liman
42 Léon 1994 Luc Besson
43 Dao 1995 Hark Tsui
44 True Lies 1994 James Cameron
45 Ben-Hur 1959 William Wyler
46 SPL: Sha po lang 2005 Wilson Yip
47 The Professionals 1966 Richard Brooks
48 Yip Man 2008 Wilson Yip
49 Mission: Impossible 1996 Brian De Palma
50 Kung fu 2004 Stephen Chow




51 L’arrivée d’un train à La Ciotat 1896 Auguste Lumière, Louis Lumière
52 Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo 1966 Sergio Leone
53 Kuai can che 1984 Sammo Kam-Bo Hung
54 Spartacus 1960 Stanley Kubrick
55 Rambo 2008 Sylvester Stallone
56 Dung fong tuk ying 1987 Sammo Kam-Bo Hung
57 Bai ga jai 1981 Sammo Kam-Bo Hung
58 300 2006 Zack Snyder
59 Dou fo sin 2007 Wilson Yip
60 Le salaire de la peur 1953 Henri-Georges Clouzot
61 Ging chaat goo si juk jaap 1988 Jackie Chan
62 The Dirty Dozen 1967 Robert Aldrich
63 North by Northwest 1959 Alfred Hitchcock
64 Runaway Train 1985 Andrey Konchalovskiy
65 Zatôichi 2003 Takeshi Kitano
66 Qun long xi feng 1989 Sammo Kam-Bo Hung
67 Star Wars 1977 George Lucas
68 Unleashed 2005 Louis Leterrier
69 From Russia with Love 1963 Terence Young
70 Vanishing Point 1971 Richard C. Sarafian
71 Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom 1984 Steven Spielberg
72 Ronin 1998 John Frankenheimer
73 Thunderball 1965 Terence Young
74 The Rock 1996 Michael Bay
75 Ging chaat goo si III: Chiu kup ging chaat 1992 Stanley Tong
76 The Bridge on the River Kwai 1957 David Lean
77 Ying xiong 2002 Yimou Zhang
78 Dirty Harry 1971 Don Siegel
79 Raging Bull 1980 Martin Scorsese
80 The Dark Knight 2008 Christopher Nolan
81 Lung hing foo dai 1986 Jackie Chan, Eric Tsang
82 The Long Kiss Goodnight 1996 Renny Harlin
83 The Avengers 2012 Joss Whedon
84 Fong sai yuk 1993 Corey Yuen
85 Machete 2010 Ethan Maniquis, Robert Rodriguez
86 Cheung foh 1999 Johnnie To
87 Scarface 1983 Brian De Palma
88 The Magnificent Seven 1960 John Sturges
89 Xia dao Gao Fei 1992 Ringo Lam
90 Breakdown 1997 Jonathan Mostow
91 Sorcerer 1977 William Friedkin
92 Xian si jue 1983 Siu-Tung Ching
93 Die xue jie tou 1990 John Woo
94 Jûsan-nin no shikaku 2010 Takashi Miike
95 Miami Vice 2006 Michael Mann
96 Swiri 1999 Je-kyu Kang
97 Romancing the Stone 1984 Robert Zemeckis
98 Kozure Ôkami: Sanzu no kawa no ubaguruma 1972 Kenji Misumi
99 War 2007 Philip G. Atwell
100 Gladiator 2000 Ridley Scott



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50 Best Movies Of Total Film Magazine’s Lifetime

In 2012, Total Film compiled a list of the most accomplished films made in the magazine’s lifetime, 1997-2012. Paul Thomas Anderson has two films listed in the top 10 while surprisingly Memento was the top ranked Christopher Nolan film and even more surprising is Shane Meadows’s revenge film Dead Man’s Shoes ranked 12th.

1 The Lord of the Rings Trilogy 2001-03 Peter Jackson
2 Memento 2000 Christopher Nolan
3 There Will Be Blood 2007 Paul Thomas Anderson
4 Magnolia 1999 Paul Thomas Anderson
5 Mulholland Dr. 2001 David Lynch
6 The Dark Knight 2008 Christopher Nolan
7 Fight Club 1999 David Fincher
8 Lost in Translation 2003 Sofia Coppola
9 El laberinto del fauno 2006 Guillermo del Toro
10 Oldeuboi 2003 Chan-wook Park
11 Das weiße Band – Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte 2009 Michael Haneke
12 Dead Man’s Shoes 2004 Shane Meadows
13 Zodiac 2007 David Fincher
14 The Matrix 1999 Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski
15 The Thin Red Line 1998 Terrence Malick
16 No Country for Old Men 2007 Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
17 Caché 2005 Michael Haneke
18 Kill Bill: Vol. 1 & 2 2003 Quentin Tarantino
19 Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind 2004 Michel Gondry
20 WALL·E 2008 Andrew Stanton
21 Rushmore 1998 Wes Anderson
22 Donnie Darko 2001 Richard Kelly
23 L.A. Confidential 1997 Curtis Hanson
24 Das Leben der Anderen 2006 Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
25 Cidade de Deus 2002 Kátia Lund, Fernando Meirelles
26 The Big Lebowski 1998 Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
27 Boogie Nights 1997 Paul Thomas Anderson
28 Brokeback Mountain 2005 Ang Lee
29 Gladiator 2000 Ridley Scott
30 Shaun of the Dead 2004 Edgar Wright
31 Faa yeung nin wa 2000 Kar-Wai Wong
32 Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi 2001 Kirk Wise, Hayao Miyazaki
33 The Social Network 2010 David Fincher
34 Out of Sight 1998 Steven Soderbergh
35 Låt den rätte komma in 2008 Tomas Alfredson
36 Sideways 2004 Alexander Payne
37 Before Sunset 2004 Richard Linklater
38 American Beauty 1999 Sam Mendes
39 Casino Royale 2006 Martin Campbell
40 The Truman Show 1998 Peter Weir
41 The New World 2005 Terrence Malick
42 Up 2009 Pete Docter, Bob Peterson
43 Y tu mamá también 2001 Alfonso Cuarón
44 Drive 2011 Nicolas Winding Refn
45 The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford 2007 Andrew Dominik
46 Blue Valentine 2010 Derek Cianfrance
47 Eyes Wide Shut 1999 Stanley Kubrick
48 Good Will Hunting 1997 Gus Van Sant
49 Children of Men 2006 Alfonso Cuarón
50 The Departed 2006 Martin Scorsese



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Pulp Fiction (1994)

Director: Quentin Tarantino Cinematographer: Andrzej Sekuła
Pulp Fiction (1994) on IMDb

Directed in a highly stylised manner and drawing on a mixture of cinematic sources (such as American B pictures and the French New Wave), Pulp Fiction joins the intersecting storylines of Los Angeles mobsters, fringe players, small-time criminals and a mysterious briefcase. The film reinvigorated the career of John Travolta and features a brilliant ensemble cast, particularly Samuel L. Jackson and Bruce Willis. Tarantino confidently deploys an ingenious structure, rapid fire rhetoric and graphic violence with a surprising playfullness and exceptional intelligence.

Buy or Rent (watch online)
DVD
Tarantino Triple Feature: Reservoir Dogs / Pulp Fiction / Jackie Brown (DVD)
Pulp Fiction / Jackie Brown (DVD)
Music From: Tarantino Movies…Pulp Fiction, Inglorious Basterds, Kill Bill and more
Music From The Motion Picture
Tarantino XX: 8-Film Collection (Reservoir Dogs / True Romance / Pulp Fiction / Jackie Brown / Kill Bill: Vol. 1 / Kill Bill: Vol. 2 / Death Proof / Inglourious Basterds) [Blu-ray]

Lists:

CAST

  • John Travolta as Vincent Vega: Jules’ partner-in-crime, working for Marsellus Wallace. 
  • Samuel L. Jackson as Jules Winnfield: Vincent’s partner in crime, working for Marsellus Wallace. Quentin Tarantino wrote the part of Jules with Jackson in mind, but his first audition was overshadowed by Paul Calderón as Jackson had assumed the audition was merely a reading. Producer Harvey Weinstein convinced him to audition a second time, and his performance of the final diner scene won over Tarantino. Jackson received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor and his “Ezekiel” recitation was voted the fourth greatest movie speech of all time in a 2004 poll.
  • Uma Thurman as Mia Wallace: Wallace’s wife and an aspiring actress.
  • Harvey Keitel as Winston Wolfe: A “cleaner” who aids Jules and Vincent. 
  • Tim Roth as Ringo/”Pumpkin”: A burglar and Yolanda’s boyfriend.
  • Amanda Plummer as Yolanda/”Honey Bunny”: Ringo’s girlfriend and partner in crime. 
  • Maria de Medeiros as Fabienne: Butch’s girlfriend.
  • Ving Rhames as Marsellus Wallace: A crime boss and employer of Jules and Vincent. 
  • Eric Stoltz as Lance: Vincent’s drug dealer.
  • Rosanna Arquette as Jody: Lance’s wife.
  • Christopher Walken as Captain Koons: A USAF veteran of the Vietnam War who delivers a young Butch his father’s coveted gold watch. 
  • Bruce Willis as Butch Coolidge: An aging boxer on the run from Marsellus having double-crossed him. 
  • Bronagh Gallagher plays Jody’s friend Trudi who does little but smoke a bong during the scene where Vincent revives Mia.
  • Phil LaMarr portrays Marvin, an associate of Jules and Vincent.
  • Frank Whaley portrays Brett, an associate of Jules and Vincent who has a briefcase requested by Marcellus.
  • Burr Steers appears as Roger, a friend of Brett’s nicknamed “Flock of Seagulls” by Jules. 
  • Angela Jones portrays Esmeralda Villalobos, a cab driver who aids Butch’s escape.
  • Duane Whitaker, Peter Greene, and Stephen Hibbert play Maynard, Zed, and the gimp.
  • Steve Buscemi makes a cameo appearance as a waiter at Jack Rabbit Slim’s, dressed as Buddy Holly.
  • Kathy Griffin appears as herself.




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Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

Director: Sergio Leone Cinematographer: Tonino Delli Colli
Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) on IMDb

To get his hands on prime railroad land in Sweetwater, crippled railroad baron Morton (Gabriele Ferzetti) hires killers, led by blue-eyed sadist Frank (Henry Fonda), who wipe out property owner Brett McBain (Frank Wolff) and his family. McBain’s newly arrived bride, Jill (Claudia Cardinale), however, inherits it instead. Both outlaw Cheyenne (Jason Robards) and lethally mysterious Harmonica (Charles Bronson) take it upon themselves to look after Jill and thwart Frank’s plans to seize her land. With Ennio Morricone’s notable melodic score, that’s in stark contrast to the brutality of the action, as well as great performances and masterful visual detail, Once Upon a Time in the West is an epic western masterpiece.

Buy or Rent (watch online) Starz (free trial followed by subscription)
Blu-ray
DVD
Hondo (John Wayne) & Once Upon a Time in the West (Cardinale/Fonda/Bronson) Double Feature DVD
Morricone conducts Morricone : The Sicilian Clan, Once Upon a Time in the West Buy or Rent (watch online)
The Original Soundtrack Recording

Lists:





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Vertigo (1958)

Director: Alfred Hitchcock Cinematographer: Robert Burks
Vertigo (1958) on IMDb

Alfred Hitchcock was at the peak of his powers when he made Vertigo, a psychological thriller, based on the French novel D’entre les morts (From Among the Dead) by Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac, that follows a retired police detective, Scottie Ferguson (James Stewart), who has acrophobia, and is hired as a private investigator to follow the wife of an acquaintance to uncover the mystery of her peculiar behaviour. Focusing on the romantic obsession that Scottie develops for the enigmatic woman (Kim Novak), Vertigo received mixed reviews upon release, particularly in Hitchcock’s native England, with some fans disappointed at the director departing from his earlier lighter romantic thrillers and a number of critics dismissing it as nothing more than a slowly paced murder mystery. However, it’s re-evaluation began in the following decade, when writers at the influential French magazine Cahiers du cinéma began to view Hitchcock as a serious cinematic artist rather than just a slick crowd pleaser and soon film scholars were singling the movie out as a work of hypnotic visual beauty and a profound meditation on love, loss and identity. Over sixty years on, Vertigo continues to fascinate and is now heralded, by many, as Hitchock’s most important contribution to cinema.

Buy or Rent (watch online)
Alfred Hitchcock: Essentials Collection (Rear Window / Vertigo / North By Northwest / Psycho / The Birds) DVD
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack [LP]
DVD
Blu-ray + DIGITAL HD with UltraViolet
Alfred Hitchcock The Masterpiece Collection – Psycho / The Trouble With Harry / The Man Who Knew Too Much / Vertigo (DVD)

Lists:

CAST

  • James Stewart as John “Scottie” Ferguson (pictured above). Stewart’s casting as the progressively disturbed and obsessive investigator was seen as particularly effective for the suspense given that he was previously known for warmhearted roles.
  • Kim Novak as Judy Barton (“Madeleine Elster”)
  • Barbara Bel Geddes as Marjorie “Midge” Wood
  • Tom Helmore as Gavin Elster
  • Henry Jones as the coroner
  • Raymond Bailey as Scottie’s doctor
  • Ellen Corby as the manager of the McKittrick Hotel
  • Konstantin Shayne as bookstore owner Pop Leibel
  • Lee Patrick as the car owner mistaken for Madeleine
  • Margaret Brayton as the Ransohoff’s saleslady
  • Paul Bryar as Capt. Hansen (accompanies Scottie to coroner’s inquest)
  • Dave McElhatton as the radio announcer (alternative ending)
  • Fred Graham as Scottie’s police partner (falls from rooftop)
  • Nina Shipman as the girl mistaken for Madeleine at the museum
  • Sara Taft as nun during closing scene
  • Alfred Hitchcock makes his customary cameo appearance walking in the street in a gray suit and carrying a trumpet case.

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
Produced by Alfred Hitchcock
Screenplay by Alec Coppel, Samuel Taylor
Music by Bernard Herrmann
Cinematography Robert Burks
Edited by George Tomasini
Running time 128 minutes
Country United States
Language English




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