Movie lists

I decided to make 2 movie lists. One list consists of my top movies released in 2009 and the other includes my favourite films that were created in other years.


Released in 2009 (not in any particular order)

1. Up in the Air
2. State of Play (someone described this as a wet dream for journalists. I loved watching Helen Mirren yell at Russell Crowe)
3. District 9
4. Fantastic Mr. Fox
5. The Hurt Locker
6. An Education
7. 500 Days of Summer
8. Precious
9. Food Inc
10. Adventureland/Zombieland/I love you man

11. Cherry Blossoms (a German film by director Doris Dorrie released in January 2009. Watched on video at my parents' house. It's about life, death, grieving, family and identity. Brilliant and beautiful and sad.)

Mostly from the Great movies list-

I'm doing a project that involves watching all the movies mentioned on Roger Ebert's Great movies list. I have the book and refer to it (and other film criticism) after I watch the movies.

1. Ali, fear eat the soul- My first Fassbinder. A German film mainly about racism and love. Brilliant and disturbing.
2. Persona- Ingmar Bergman (Second Bergman) A short film about insanity and identity. Done in black and white, and like a stage play.
3. Woman under the Influence- Cassavetes' wife Gena Rowlands is perfect as a woman suffering from mental illness. This is hard to watch and so life like that I had to look away and take breaks while I was watching. You can also see how her illness affects her family.
4. Kiss of the Spiderwoman- (not on the Great movies list)- Two men, Raul Julia and William Hurt, are cell mates in a South American prison. Great dialogue and tension, mainly created by the 2 actors.
5. Who does she think she is?- An American documentary that Mari and I saw in the theatre. It's about women creating art, and the challenges of balancing art with motherhood.
6. Giant- An epic film about an oil, and rich families. I never really understood all the fuss about James Dean, but now I get it. Liz Taylor is also brilliant. This was the first film that featured young actors who were shown aging through the effects of makeup.

7. Pandora's Box- a German film starring Louise Brooks as a loose woman. She's so fun to watch that this one made my list.

8. Strangers on a Train (not on great movies list)- Another brilliant Hitchcock film.

9. The Last Picture show (not on great movies list)- Set in a small Texas town which is dying out. Starring a young Cybill Shepherd and Jeff Bridges in his first film role. Good dialogue, interesting story, etc.

(I am going to track all the movies I watch in 2010, as I did a piss poor job.)