So, I thought it might be interesting to get a feel for what people's film interests are, because we certainly have been sharing our tastes in music and books for a while...so, let 'er rip folks, I want to know what your favourites are. What movies transport you? Make you cry? Laugh? Fall in love?

Oh, and heck..throw in any movie gossip you've got going, because I'm always up for interesting little nuggets that no one else knows..

So...I guess I'll start:
I feel as though I know Baz Luhrmann personally because I did a project on him a couple of years ago, and I just recently saw the Chanel commercial that he directed, starring Nicole Kidman, and the man who shall be referred to as 'the hot man from Love, Actually'. I wasn't really surprised with the commercial, or film as Baz likes to call it (because it's quite the production), because it's true to form. It's somewhat random, but still captivating.

I'm also a sucker for Cameron Crowe films...he's so clever and loves to manipulate language. I don't know if anyone has ever listened to one of his director commentaries, but he is so passionate about his films. I find myself wanting to start sending things into Rolling Stone so that I can become him...and then write a screenplay about my life to the tune of Almost Famous...

Anyway, that's enough of MY ranting...movies save me from the drone of everyday existence. So...share, my pretties, share...

Hmmm�nice topic Spiff, methinks it�ll get some serious hits.

And not necessarily an easy one either.

Restricting myself to one choice, I�d have to go with the Coen Bros.

Although I was a bit disappointed with their latest offering (The Ladykillers), their movies are unfailingly brilliantly written, intelligent and funny as hell.

The Big Lebowski has got to be among the funniest movies ever made. Oh, and speaking of the �dude�, Jeff Bridges has put a string of pretty damn fine performances together over the years. Met him once in a line-up @ LAX � very cool and friendly guy too.

Fargo and O Brother, Where Art Thou are also brilliant and their first film, Blood Simple has a commentary on the DVD that is more entertaining than most movies. It was literally the first, and only, time I�ve listened to an entire commentary track from start to finish. It was a captivating and brilliant tongue-in-cheek take on the entire �director�s commentaries� phenomenon.

�jim

I was too disappointed with LadyKillers...I wasn't sure whether or not to laugh at Tom Hanks or not...quite an odd character he played, and played it oddly also, so I wasn't quite sure what reaction to give...
Fargo is a fav of mine as well...didn't they do Intolerable Cruelty also? I thought that was quite amusing...I shall have to check out Blood Simple, since I do enjoy a good commentary...

I literally just finished watching [b:5e0f41b5e0]Garden State[/b:5e0f41b5e0] and I fell in love with the film. Particularly this sequence...

[i:5e0f41b5e0]Earlier in the film...Andrew and Sam are in a pool in the shallow end because Andrew cannot swim.[/i:5e0f41b5e0]

[b:5e0f41b5e0]Andrew[/b:5e0f41b5e0]: You know that point in your life when you realize that the house that you grew up in isn't really your home anymore? All of the sudden even though you have some place where you can put your stuff that idea of home is gone.
[b:5e0f41b5e0]Sam[/b:5e0f41b5e0]: I still feel at home in my house.
[b:5e0f41b5e0]Andrew[/b:5e0f41b5e0]: You'll see when you move out it just sort of happens one day one day and it's just gone. And you can never get it back. It's like you get homesick for a place that doesn't exist. I mean it's like this right of passage, you know. You won't have this feeling again until you create a new idea of home for yourself, you know, for you kids, for the family you start, it's like a cycle or something. I miss the idea of it. Maybe that's all family really is. A group of people who miss the same imaginary place.

[i:5e0f41b5e0]Later in the film Andrew and Sam are in an empty bathtub (the bathtub that his mother drowned in) in his house hugging...one of the most beautiful scenes in a movie...[/i:5e0f41b5e0]

[b:5e0f41b5e0]Sam[/b:5e0f41b5e0]: How do you feel?
[b:5e0f41b5e0]Andrew[/b:5e0f41b5e0]: Safe. (cue Iron & Wine music) When I'm with you I feel so safe. Like I'm home.
Anyone else see the interesting relationship between where they are (pool vs. empty bathtup) and what they are saying? Great movie. I am going to have to watch it again.

I also am a fan of [b:5e0f41b5e0]Almost Famous[/b:5e0f41b5e0] (I love how authentic Cameron Crowe's movies are and how it is easy to fall in love with the characters...he's also great with picking the right music...which is another reason why Garden State was so great).

[quote:b1c45f086c="Lindsay"]I also am a fan of [b:b1c45f086c]Almost Famous[/b:b1c45f086c] (I love how authentic Cameron Crowe's movies are and how it is easy to fall in love with the characters...he's also great with picking the right music...which is another reason why Garden State was so great).[/quote:b1c45f086c]

So true Lindsay....the scene in Almost Famous when they start singing Tiny Dancer never fails to bring some moistness to my eyes.

Haven't had a chance to see Garden State yet, but its on the list for sure.

...jim

[quote:304be0992c="joleary"][quote:304be0992c="Lindsay"]I also am a fan of [b:304be0992c]Almost Famous[/b:304be0992c] (I love how authentic Cameron Crowe's movies are and how it is easy to fall in love with the characters...he's also great with picking the right music...which is another reason why Garden State was so great).[/quote:304be0992c]

So true Lindsay....the scene in Almost Famous when they start singing Tiny Dancer never fails to bring some moistness to my eyes.

Haven't had a chance to see Garden State yet, but its on the list for sure.

...jim[/quote:304be0992c]

Agreed. That is a wonderful scene.

My favourite part of Almost Famous is when William and Lester Bangs are talking over the phone and Lester says: "The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone when you are uncool."

I don't think he is referring to uncool as in someone who is not up with the current trends. I really think he is referring to someone who is uncool because they lack certainty. But what is certain? There are only two things that are certain in your life (birth and death) and I think uncertainty drives a lot of art. Hunger for knowledge and understanding. That's the way it is with me anyway. I'm rambling...

After watching [b:ec596cd2eb]Garden State[/b:ec596cd2eb] once, it became one of my favourite movies. After watching it twice, it became my favourite movie.

As for an explanation of the movies I tend to enjoy... it has to have some element of humour, even if it's a serious drama or a dark thriller. I like films that either leave me extremely happy at the end or extremely disjointed � two examples: [b:ec596cd2eb]Love, Actually[/b:ec596cd2eb] (unbelievably happy) and [b:ec596cd2eb]Se7en[/b:ec596cd2eb] (disjointed).

I like to have to do a bit of thinking during the movie (but not too much... I don't like to feel like I'm in a class or something). And I like interesting, thoroughly developed characters.

I see a heck of a lot of movies (related to my job) and I really do like much more than I dislike. I guess I'm easily pleased. But to be REMARKABLE, they have to have something special; some sort of combination of all the above things.

[quote:cb4acff4aa="metal2000"] I like films that either leave me extremely happy at the end or extremely disjointed � two examples: [b:cb4acff4aa]Love, Actually[/b:cb4acff4aa] (unbelievably happy) and [b:cb4acff4aa]Se7en[/b:cb4acff4aa] (disjointed).

[/quote:cb4acff4aa]
Interesting, "Love, Actually" made me bawl...I guess that's just the beauty of that film -- full gammit of emotions.

Ok, so apparently I REALLY need to see Garden State, because I adore the Soundtrack, and have yet to see the film...

over everything else I'd have to say science fiction/fantasy... but mainly only for 2 different trilogies of movies... Star Wars (old trilogy) and Lord of the Rings.

I really like Sergio Lenone's movies - The Man With No Name Trilogy, Once Upon a Time in the West/America.

I love a good World War movie - Shindler's List, Life is Beautiful, The Pianist, ect.

A lot of people are mentioning Cameron Crowe... he did Vanila Sky right? I enjoyed that much more than Almost Famous, although that was alright as well.

[color=darkblue:9d8233bd24]I don't like movies that I always have to be thinking. I do enough of that in school. The only movies that come to mind right now are Mallrats (I liked all the Kevin Smith movies),Life as a House and Dazed and Confused. Reqium for a Dream was another good movie but I would never watch it again because it is so depressing.
I'd pretty much watch anything that wasn't a "stupid" comdey, horror movie or an old western. [/color:9d8233bd24]

Trying to avoid explosions and T&As, There are films I admired by Kevin Smith (Clerks; Mallrats; Chasing Amy), Quentin Tarantino (Reservoir Dogs; Pulp Fiction), Christopher Nolan (Following; Momento), Jim Jarmusch (Dead Man; Year of the Horse), and the master of suspense himself: Alfred Hitchcock (Psycho; Rear Window; Vertigo; North By Northwest; Rope; etc.)

There are more, but I can't remember that much...

Life as a House is a good movie!

I really liked the movie Seven. I just watched it a few weeks ago and it was quite good. Dead Man Walking was pretty good too.

I liked Ghost World because it was quirky, and I'm a sucker for animated movies.

[quote:3d68dabb74="BoyWonder"]Life as a House is a good movie!

I really liked the movie Seven. I just watched it a few weeks ago and it was quite good. Dead Man Walking was pretty good too.

I liked Ghost World because it was quirky, and I'm a sucker for animated movies.[/quote:3d68dabb74]

I love Ghost World. It's so sarcastic and strange...and honest...

Anyone else have a strange love of [b:3d68dabb74]Disney[/b:3d68dabb74] movies? I love children's movies...

OOoooh, [b:3d68dabb74]Whale Rider[/b:3d68dabb74] -- by far the hardest I have cried while watching a movie. Never watch it on a gloomy Sunday afternoon -- you may not recover. My mother said "oh, it should be right up your alley, it's all about whales"...well, it's not all about whales, for those who don't know, it's the incredibly powerful story of a young girl in New Zealand who's destined to become leader of her tribe.

[quote:d9426111c7="spiffylike"]Anyone else have a strange love of [b:d9426111c7]Disney[/b:d9426111c7] movies? I love children's movies...[/quote:d9426111c7]

well, being a father of three, I'm well-versed in all things disney... :shock:

But there are some gems out there...

Alladin was funny as hell i thought
Shrek - both 1 and 2 were terrific
and I have to admit my daughter's all-time favourite movie is also in my top-10...The Princess Bride

...jim

I was just watching Princess Bride the other night! Oh, the cheesy synth soundtrack -- what a shame for such a clever movie...

[i:3848d793fe]"inconceivable!" "I do not think it means what you think it means..."[/i:3848d793fe]

Oh, and Spiffy's quite right. Whale Rider is brilliant. If you don't have a few tears welling up during that one, then I'd suggest seeking some professional help. :wink:

Yet another ostensibly "kids" movie that I enjoyed tremendously was Les Triplets de Belleville. My kids, and I, were completely captivated by this inventive, delightful and unexpected little gem.

Watch for the pet dog in this one....hilarious. :lol:

...jim

For me, it's [i:495c309781]The Shawshank Redemption, American Beauty[/i:495c309781] and [i:495c309781]Vanilla Sky[/i:495c309781] among others.

[quote:ebd7e70896="sourburger"]For me, it's [i:ebd7e70896]The Shawshank Redemption, American Beauty[/i:ebd7e70896] and [i:ebd7e70896]Vanilla Sky[/i:ebd7e70896] among others.[/quote:ebd7e70896]

Hmmm, yes...all excellent choices. Loved Shawshank and A. Beauty. I made the wise decision of watching American Beauty on my own instead of with my parents (that would have been interesting...) I found the ending of Vanilla Sky to be a bit drawn out, though. I almost wanted them not to explain every little detail. I was left in a daze the whole film (like in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind -- mind-spinning, wonderous daze), which was kind of destroyed at the end...I don't know...what do you think?

The thrill is not necessarily in watching it the first time, but in watching it again and again. And I swear, every time I've seen it since, I've noticed something new, some other clue I had missed the first time. I'd give examples, but I don't want to give spoilers.

Also: regarding Shawshank and A. Beauty, have any of you ever listened to the film composer Thomas Newman? He's a genius, in my opinion. He did the score to both those movies, as well ass Finding Nemo, Road to Perdition, I believe... and the theme song to [i:3ac6c0447f]Six Feet Under[/i:3ac6c0447f], which happens to be my favourite TV show.

My top movie of all time is a disney. Alice In Wonderland. I have no idea why, it just simply is.