MC117 & MB801's Top 10 Thread(Yes, we need another)

[PG Cooper]

Originally Posted by Dracula

Nah, men are attracted to younger women because their tit**es don't sag.

Originally Posted by JBond

Big Lebowski's overrated. There, I said it.

You're about to find out what happens when you f**k a stranger in the ass.

[Ramplate]

Originally Posted by Dracula

Nah, men are attracted to younger women because their tit**es don't sag.

lol that's just one of the reasons, yet closer to reality than his clinical explanation

[MovieBuff801]

17. Bronson (Seen on 8/17/2012)



Bronson is one of the best bio films I've seen, chronicling the life of Charles Bronson (Tom Hardy), a.k.a. Michael Gordon Peterson. Tom Hardy's performance in this film is the kind that is so good, you eventually forget that you're watching an actor putting on a show. There were many moments in this film where Hardy had me entranced by what he was doing, and both anticipating and dreading what he'd do next. The film itself also adopts a kind of tone in telling the story that adequately represents its subject: one that's a mix between comedy and horror, which allows director Nicolas Winding Refn to elicit the most honest reaction from us as an audience that he can. For an hour and a half, I actually felt like I'd been in the company of the real Charles Bronson.

16. Frailty (Seen on 8/24/2012)



The directorial debut of actor Bill Paxton, Frailty is an engrossing psychological thriller following a father (Paxton) and his two sons after the father claims he's been contacted by God to kill demons "disguised in human form." But Frailty isn't about the blood and guts. Instead, it deals more with the moral and religious issues and implications behind the murders, painting an unsettling portrait of a man doing such horrible things. And that's the stuff I got really caught up in. Paxton gives an excellent performance and the film has a nice tension-filled atmosphere to it right from the very beginning. Also, it's always nice to see Matthew McConaughey in roles that aren't part of some lame-brained romantic comedy. Now, a few people have criticized the ending for being predictable (but I won't say in what sense). Well...personally, I was never trying to anticipate where the movie was going, nor did I want to, so when the ending came, to me, it was a nice little "added bonus." If you haven't seen Frailty yet, then definitely give it a watch.

15. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (Seen on 1/7/2012)



I know, I know. A lot of you didn't like this movie. But I loved it. Yes, it can be frustratingly complex, but I feel as if that was intentional, to mirror the way the whole thing appears to someone like Smiley. I think the filmmakers told the story this way to more effectively put us in Smiley's shoes, where he has to judge the whole situation dispassionately. So in that respect, I think the cold and impassive emotional tone of the film builds on that approach. And my favorite scenes in the film by far are the ones where Ricki Tarr recounts his experiences with the Russian woman to Smiley. Brilliant acting by Hardy there. But Gary Oldman is also great in the "less-is-more" way in which the character of George Smiley is portrayed. Moody, atmospheric, compelling, engrossing and most of all: underrated.

[PG Cooper]

I love Bronson, almost made my list.

[MovieBuff801]

Good to hear.

[FranklinTard]

bronson is about as true a story as platoon.

great movie, but not a great biopic, lots of liberties are taken.

[MovieBuff801]

14. The Descendants (Seen on 1/6/2012)



From earlier in this thread:

Not in quite some time have I seen a film as emotionally honest and moving as Alexander Payne’s The Descendants. What this movie wisely and expertly accomplishes is getting us to care about the characters and the situations they get put in without ever relying on techniques that can be considered emotionally manipulative; every scene and every pivotal emotional revelation flows naturally and never feels forced – such is the power of Payne’s writing and directing. I never felt as if I was watching a movie here, I felt like I was seeing an actual family going through a tragedy. George Clooney gives one of his best, if not THE best performance of his career as a father struggling to maintain family order as his wife lies in a coma with no chance of recovery. Shailene Woodley is also fantastic as Clooney’s estranged teenage daughter who not only reconnects with her family, but also steps up to help her father with everything she can; it’s such a beautifully rendered relationship. Veteran actor Robert Forster is also effective in a small role. But the real accomplishment of The Descendants is the way it deftly navigates back and forth from being a very funny comedy and a touching drama that can tug on your heart. You can be wiping away tears one moment, then shaking with laughter the next. The Descendants never hits a false or contrived note, with one beautifully crafted scene after the other. It just goes to show that most of the time, it’s the smaller stories that leave the biggest impact.

13. Buried (Seen on 2/4/2012)



Ryan Reynolds buried alive in a box for an hour and a half. That's what this movie is, and while it most likely will sound unappealing to all you Reynolds haters out there, then I'm here to tell you that the film completely works. The film never gets boring and is always gripping and suspenseful, as director Rodrigo Cortes puts you right in that box with Reynolds, but also because the script finds clever ways to keep the situation interesting. Cortes manages to find quite a few creative ways to move the camera around in such a confined space. Ryan Reynolds also captures the fear, desperation and frustration that someone in this situation would be bound to feel; it's a great performance. All in all, Buried is a teriffic thriller. Oh, and I LOVE the Hitchcockian opening credits.

12. The Insider (Seen on 4/1/2012)



Michael Mann's The Insider is based on the true story of whistleblower Jeffrey Wigand (Russell Crowe) and the controversey surrounding a 60 Minutes interview he gave in the 90's concerning the tobacco industry, an interview which was altered drastically by CBS because the then-owner of the network also controlled the Lorilland Tobacco Company. The film also follows the dynamic between Wigand and producer Lowell Bergman (Al Pacino). And that right there is the film's first strength. Both Pacino and Crowe give master-class performances, and the scenes that involve the two of them together especially spark. But the acting, on the whole, is fantastic and it helps carry us through the drier areas of the story. Mann directs the film with nice restraint and lets the characters and situations play out as realistically as possible, only overdramatizing the areas where it feels right. Overall, The Insider is a compelling drama about how cutthroat things can get behind-the-scenes.

[IanTheCool]

Was The Insider Russell Crowe's breakout role?

[MovieBuff801]

Originally Posted by IanTheCool

Was The Insider Russell Crowe's breakout role?

Before that, he was in Virtuosity and The Quick and the Dead, but I think his breakout role might've been this or L.A. Confidential.

[Dracula]

Originally Posted by IanTheCool

Was The Insider Russell Crowe's breakout role?

L.A. Confidential was two years earlier.

[Neverending]

Russell Crowe's breakout role was in the Australian film Romper Stompers where he played a neo-Nazi skinhead. The movie was released at a time when Mel Gibson and Nicole Kidman were at the peak of their careers, so Hollywood couldn't wait to work with the latest Aussie Sensation. And although L.A. Confidential and The Insider were critically acclaimed and won awards, it's safe to say that his true mainstream breakthrough was in Gladiator. The success of that film combined with his debut in the tabloids when he was caught having an affair with Meg Ryan, which destroyed her career, really put him on the map.

[Doomsday]

Wasn't huge on Frailty. I really enjoyed Bronson and Descendants though, I'm with you on those ones.

[Justin]

I didn't care much for Frailty either, nor did I like Bronson or The Descendants. Love The Insider though.

[JBond]

I liked The Descendants.

[Neverending]

I watched "Election" on TBS the other night. I miss when Alexander Payne actually made funny movies. I like "The Descendants" but it's probably his weakest movie.

[JBond]

Election. There's a weird one.

[MovieBuff801]

I'm tempted to go back and watch Election, but I've seen, like, the last 10 minutes of it twice on TBS when they've aired it in the past. So, I dunno, seems redundant.

[Neverending]

Originally Posted by JBond

Election. There's a weird one.

Why?

[Justin]

Election is a good movie.

[JBond]

Because it's a weird movie.

[MovieBuff801]

11. Hollywoodland (Seen on 3/22/2012)



Hollywoodland is a fictional account of the investigation into the death of George Reeves (Ben Affleck), who played TV's Superman in the 1950's, as the case is worked by private investigator Louis Simo (Adrien Brody). In a few ways, this film reminded me of David Fincher's Zodiac, but as I got deeper and deeper into the film, those subtle similarities ultimately didn't bug me that much, mainly because the film has its own identity, and also because the story gets more and more fascinating as it plays out. Ben Affleck does excellent work here as George Reeves, giving one of his best performances, and Adrien Brody is great here, too. Both actors embody their characters' descents impeccably. The mystery at the heart of the film is engaging, and while the film takes a few dramatic and historical liberties, the film makes it all work. An overlooked film.

10. 25th Hour (Seen on 11/16/2012)



25th Hour chronicles the final day of freedom for drug dealer Monty Brogan (Edward Norton) before he goes away on a prison sentence. Brogan spends these final 24 hours giving closure to all of the relationships in his life. The main strength of this film is how director Spike Lee so realistically portrays the whole New York environment, and that extends to the portrayal of the characters as well. Everybody, and everything, in this film feels authentic to the point where it feels as if we're looking through a window into real life. Lee manages to gain audience sympathy for Brogan without becoming emotionally manipulative. And I just love the ending and how it doesn't go down a path you sort of think it could go.

[JBond]

25th Hour is great.

[PG Cooper]

Yeah, love 25th Hour.

[Neverending]

Originally Posted by MovieBuff801

this film reminded me of David Fincher's Zodiac, but as I got deeper and deeper into the film, those subtle similarities ultimately didn't bug me that much, mainly because the film has its own identity

Hollywoodland was released like 6 months before Zodiac.

Originally Posted by JBond

25th Hour is great.

Originally Posted by PG Cooper

Yeah, love 25th Hour.

The last great Spike Lee movie.

[MovieBuff801]

Originally Posted by Neverending

Hollywoodland was released like 6 months before Zodiac.

And yet, I saw it after Zodiac, so it still reminded me of it in some ways.