A few days ago I did a meme of albums for each year I've been alive, which I found here at the A.V. Club. They've got another meme up here in which you do the same thing, but with movies. And me, always looking for something to kill time... well, I did one for meself.
I'm sure this list is probably incredibly ridiculous. I didn't make a list of, you know, the best movies from every year I've been up and breathing. Instead, a made a list of my favorites. Movies that have become a part of my personal canon, many of them trivial and lame, but movies I'll watch over and over again on cable or on DVD and suchlike. Is Rocky the best film of 1976? That's really debatable, I think. But the fact is, of all the films of 1976, it's my favorite to watch, and I've seen it over and over again.
So, you know, feel free to rip this list to shit, that's part of the fun of putting up a list like this. But keep in mind that I'm not arguing that these are the best movies I've ever seen. That's a whole different list.
1976: Rocky
* Well, like I said.
1977: Close Encounters of the Third Kind
* "I just want to know it's really happening." I'm not religious about UFOs at all, but I do get the escapism just fine.
1978: Superman
* Well, come on. Are you surprised?
1979: La Cage aux Folles
* One of the funniest movies I've ever seen, and it still makes me laugh hard every time I see it.
1980: The Empire Strikes Back
* Honestly, yeah. To this day, I can't pass it by on TV.
1981: Time Bandits
* To this day, those cages in the darkness are terrifying. Terry Gilliam and I both seem to have the same fearful fascination with lone objects in the enveloping dark, because he uses it in almost every film.
1982: Conan the Barbarian
* This was hard, because there were a number of others from the same year that I loved, but this one carries it because of the Basil Poledouris score. Hey, it's a subjective list, I can have subjective reasons. I love this movie.
1983: The Dark Crystal
* When single shines the triple sun what was sundered and undone shall be whole, the two made one, by Gelfling hand, or else by none. Still the most genuinely alien movie I've ever seen.
1984: Ghostbusters
* Back off, man, I'm a scientist.
1985: Return to Oz
* My favorite version of Oz. Having Muppets and Will Vinton helps.
1986: Labyrinth
* See the pattern here? Special effects, puppetry, and, well, in this case, Bowie.
1987: RoboCop
* I saw this in the theater when I was 10. Not a good decision. And now, one of my favorites, ever.
1988: A Fish Called Wanda
* Do you believe it was down to this and The Last Temptation of Christ? I chose the funny one.
1989: The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
* My favorite movie.
1990: Mountains of the Moon
* Please tell me someone out there has actually seen this for a change?
1991: Dead Again
* I used to love Kenneth Branagh. What happened?
1992: The Last of the Mohicans
* Fantastic adventure movie. I love adventure movies.
1993: Tombstone
* My favorite modern Western. It's not the best of the lot, but it's the most fun.
1994: Sirens
* To this day, it's the one movie that most encapsulates how I want to live my life.
1995: Babe
* I'm a sucker for a fairy tale.
1996: The Frighteners
* I still love every Peter Jackson movie. And it reminds me of a really good script Carl and I wrote that he hates for no rational reason...
1997: Boogie Nights
* I wish I could marry Rollergirl.
1998: Lost in Space
* Yes, I know, you hated it and I'm an idiot for even picking this. I don't care. I loved it. It's dumb, yes, but I love it.
1999: The 13th Warrior
* Finally, a good Viking movie.
2000: High Fidelity
* It reminds me so much of working at Barnes & Noble when I was 19. Just talking about music and making lists and stuff.
2001: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
* Lost count of how many times I've seen it.
2002: About a Boy
* Stuff like this, the outsider who gets invited in, hits with me. You know, I really hate Nick Hornby as a writer (except for High Fidelity), but they make great movies.
2003: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
* Cried, cried, cried.
2004: Shaun of the Dead
* It never gets old or unfunny to me.
2005: Brokeback Mountain
* This quickly became one of the movies I watched over and over on cable. I love it; it's one of the best romances I've ever seen.
2006: V for Vendetta
* Underrated as hell. It's The Count of Monte Cristo as a political statement, how could I not love that?
2007: Hot Fuzz
* Currently catching it quite often on HBO.
2008: WALL-E
* The film I've enjoyed the most so far this year. It might change but, since I'm making this list right now, there you go.
I'd love to see anyone else do this.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Octomemey
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MYSTERY CARROT AWARD
22 comments:
I did this for my birthday last year! Here. I won't point out the fact that you even commented on it... okay I just did. But I scarcely remember what I read yesterday, much less a year ago, in this day and age of constant bombardment, so I'll not judge. ;-)
Ahem. Anyway, fantastic list of your own there!
I'd forgotten about that; I'm surprised I didn't do it then. I like the way you did it with the pictures.
You used the ellipses, so I must respond.
I think "Hate" is too strong a word, although I have no idea what wording I might have used back then. Christ, I must have been an insufferable movie snob back then.
i was always a bit uncomfortable with the tonal changes that we always had. I think a few more drafts, and we might have gotten something.
It's funny you mentioned this, because I just recently went back to re-read it, and the one thing that strikes me is the pacing. It goes slap-bang from one scene to the next, and certain characters make decisions that run counter to their original opinions too quickly--contrivances needed for the plot. It's tough to have a completely rational person suddenly believe in ghosts, and if we ever went back to it, that's the part I'd like to tackle. That, and just varying up the pacing.
I also found it really interesting that you've kept your voice so consistent (but it's aged well) for so long, yet mine's altered considerably over the years.
And can we shoehorn a nude Denise Richards into it somewhere? She doesn't need a speaking part, just dance naked in the middle of the room for one scene. No one even mentions it--she's just... there.
That, and the whole thing needs to be translated into French, there needs to be more conversation about communism and destiny, and if anyone in the theater makes a noise during the premiere, I will beat them to death with a shovel.
Yeah, I was fun back then...
I loved Lost in Space. Unashamedly. People kept telling me how awful it was and I have no idea what movie they were talking about. I thought it was clever and cool and actually used stories adapted from the TV series in a neat way and I really liked most of the cast (Lacey was a real disappointment). Total fun. And my kids and wife loved it too and, honest, we're not fucking idiots. We barely like anything.
By the way, love the new banner. If you didn't have the creepy pin-ups, my wife would probably read your blog! I just skip past them and look for the stuff about Lost in Space.
1990: Mountains of the Moon
* Please tell me someone out there has actually seen this for a change?
Seen it, loved it, own a treasured VHS copy (never been able to find a DVD version). This movie kicked off a fascination for Sir Richard that culminated when I visited his tomb in England in '93. It's a life-sized Arab tent made of marble, now green with moss and age, located in a lovely little churchyard in a nondescript working-class suburb of London. I think Richard would've liked that... but then I'm a romantic.
I love Rocky. When people ask me what my favorite movie of all time is, I usually say that. Is it really? It's hard to pick a favorite anything, but I do love it and it's a good stock answer.
It makes for such a better list to list your favorites rather than the best movies anyway. As pointed out at the AV Club, the latter list will inevitably end up looking pretty orthodox. Everyone's going to pick Taxi Driver and The Godfather, and there's not much room for debate ... or interesting debate, anyway. But with a list of favorite movies, there isn't that critical unanimity, which allows for more interesting arguments.
For instance, while I agree with you on RoboCop, (although I'm a little surprised you picked it over The Princess Bride), there's a lot of people who don't realize what a great satire it is, and that opens up a fun debate. But what can you really say about the Best Picture winner that year, The Last Emperor, other than to agree that it's very good?
Carl: Ha! I was just seeing if you were paying attention!
Funnily enough, I was just re-reading it the other day, and that's why it was on my mind. I think some of the pacing is pretty good, and I always like movies where the first hour is set-up and then all hell breaks loose, but the inconsistency is problematic. I also forgot how much Terry just sort of guesses on everything and just pulls everything out of his ass (but it always right).
Obviously the nude Denise Richards is a dream/flashback of one of the bank robbers, so it can have music and slow motion and Frenchiness. Hey, if Scorsese could do that kind of shit early on, so can we.
Yeah, you were an insufferable movie snob back then, but you hadn't detoxed from going to film school yet. It's a proximal hazard.
I really need to get back into actual writing again...
John: Finally, someone else who loved Lost in Space!
Someone went off on me for having "creepy pin-ups" on my site, so I had to sarcastically throw that in. They're all criticisms that have been lobbed at me, which proves how stable I am, he said darkly.
Jason: Great! It actually was on DVD, but I don't know if it still is. It was the second movie I bought on DVD when I bought my first player (which still works) back in '98.
I'm also fascinated by Sir Richard. How cool that you went to his tomb. I'd love to go.
Peter: You know, I was this close to picking The Princess Bride, but I haven't really seen it in a long time, and RoboCop is on Encore every couple of days. The thing about RoboCop is that I saw it when I was 10 and it scared the shit out of me, and I stayed away from it until I was about 16. Then I saw it again and got all of the satire and thought it was just brilliant. I watch that movie a LOT on cable.
Yeah, I'm glad I went with the favorites rather than the best. The Last Emperor is a great film but, yeah, what else can you say?
Great list! Of your picks, the only one I'd refuse to watch again is Labyrinth - love me some Bowie, but man, that's a cheesy film.
There are two types of film viewers: those that couldn't grasp what was happening the the 13th Warrior and mocked the scenes in which he acquires language, not understanding that it took place over time; and those who aren't idiots. Always nice to see one of the latter camp.
Hmm, I haven't commented on these before, and I have to say: you and I have very different opinions on a lot of films and music. But kudos for picking Tombstone. Best Western ever.
NJR: Good to be in the latter camp. The 13th Warrior was yet another movie I walked out of thinking, "What the hell are the critics on about?"
The Imaginary Reviewer: Infinite diversity in infinite combinations. That's what makes it interesting.
Seen "mountains of the moon"?????
I own 'mountains of the moon"...in pal. Got the soundtrack too.
Not a bad list... I'm gonna have to do one of those myself!
Flasputnik: Alright, that's two. I've never met a single other person who's seen that movie, and it's fantastic.
Rol: Thanks; it was surprisingly fun to do.
I'm working on mine right now. I fully expect you to razz me.
Cool, I can't wait to see it.
Linked from my sister's blog.
Her answers:
http://megancahalan.blogspot.com/2008/07/39-steps.html
Mine:
http://padraic2112.wordpress.com/2008/07/18/movie-meme-again/
Great lists; I think you and I are the only ones who haven't picked Lebowski for 1998 (although I came damn close). Good call on The Hobbit, by the way; you didn't wimp out like I did because it was made for TV.
It was tough not to take TBG, it is (in no particular order) eminently quotable, hilariously funny, a brilliant take on Los Angeles, and quite possibly the best of the Coen brothers films.
But it was going to be a hugely popular pick (much like Star Wars) so I decided to go outside the box a bit.
I'd say it's the best Coen Brothers movie, too.
Yeah, Lebowski ended up being the popular choice. It was my second choice, to be sure. I ended up with Lost in Space, but it did have Henson creatures and a robot, and that kind of stuff wins with me.
Oh dear... I'll probably be derided for my 1998 pick, then... I didn't pick Lebowski, but I didn't pick Lost In Space, either...
It was Blade all the way, for me, I'm afraid!
I love your list - you score extra points with me for being the only other person I've seen who picked "Time Bandits" for 81, and also for picking "Babe". I didn't, but I did almost go with the sequel in the year that it came out.
My list is here: http://nixsight.net/?p=586
(Although there's full on explanations etc on other posts - I link to them from there.)
I'd be interested to hear what you think!
Nah, I've been derided for my choices too often to do it to someone else. Blade's not a bad movie, at any rate.
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