Lately, I've had time at night, and I've been watching selections from my library. The crazy thing is how often I watch one, and decide it might be the best movie ever made. Until I watch the next one, and think maybe that one is. I've seen them all many times.
It seems the recent string of those might, or might not, have started with "Big Fish." Sprinkled in there are movies like "Dogma," "The Sting," and "Chinatown." But I thought "Big Fish" was it, until I rewatched "Farinelli." Then, I wasn't entirely sure about "Big Fish." Tonight, it was "Moliere," which maybe shouldn't be in the running, because it's French with subtitles, but it's too magnificent not to be in the running.
And of course, there's always "The Brand New Testament." Also in French with subtitles, but 100%, or more, worth it. Everyone in it is fabulous, as is the story. Yolande Moreau is always perfect. I'm reminded of a conversation I had a couple of months or so ago with someone who referred to some young woman as "pretty." I said young women are pretty. Older women are beautiful. Catherine Deneuve is beautiful.
"Two For the Road" could be close. Maybe "The Dancer Upstairs" is even closer.
Two nights ago, Nancy Davis reminded me of some Japanese movies I loaned her, so that brings in "The Eel" and the jaw-dropping "Departures." (Congrats, by the way, to Mac Kennedy and Dan Schneiger.)
And when I cite "Dogma," I'm leaving aside the other Kevin Smith movies (all great, but "Dogma" is the best), and the Chris Guest movies (it's hard not to add "Best in Show" to the list, although as great as it is, it's not "Moliere").
As much as I love them, the Sherlock Holmes movies are not the best ever made. They're pretty great, though. And the same goes for "Inside Man," which has a ton going for it.
Recently re-watched, there was also "A Price Above Rubies." Yeah, OK, Renee Zellweger can be annoying to watch, but it was a magnificent movie. And what about "The Rose?" It's not a happy story to watch, but what's imperfect about it?
Even "Philomena" and "Mrs Henderson Presents" are noteworthy. I don't have a complaint about either of them. It's not just Judi Dench, either. Or Bob Hoskins, whose performance in "Mrs Henderson Presents" was even better than he usually is. It's everyone, and the writing, and the directing.
And of course, there's that sleepy sleeper, "Sling Blade." You can say what you like about Billy Bob Thornton, but show me an imperfection in that movie. He wrote it, directed it, and starred in it.
Then, you have the ones no one would say are the best movies ever, but it's not clear why not. The top of that list includes "Household Saints." Then, you have "Death to Smoochy," "Countryman," "The Sandlot," and you can take your pick of any of the Terry Gilliam movies. "If I Were King" is very dated, but it's so captivating that it gets a noteworthy boost.
It was my children many years ago who put me onto "The Sandlot" (my daughter always used to say "you're killing me, Smalls"), and maybe it's best appreciated by pre-adolescent boys -- that's the subject -- but what a movie.
If there's anything imperfect about "Chocolat," you can tell me what it is.
Yeah, I know about "The Wizard of Oz," "Citizen Kane," "Gone With the Wind," and many others that are said to be the best movies ever. They don't do it for me the way these others do. Although "The Music Man..." You know...?
Yikes! I forgot a few that shouldn't be omitted, even if they're not the greatest movies ever made. There are two music-focused ones -- "Tous Les Matins Du Monde," which I do own, and have only seen once, and "Red Violin," which I don't own, and have only seen once, -- the Neil Jordan movies -- "The Crying Game" (no, I'm not going to reveal) and "Butcher Boy" -- and a weird nod to "Micmacs." If you watch the original maybe 1950ish "Moulin Rouge," and you look for imperfections, you might not find any. OK, Jose Ferrer wasn't really very short with misshapen legs, and John Huston used camera angle to make it look that way, but that's the only imperfection you can find. I think Indian genre movies like "Monsoon Wedding" and "Slumdog Millionaire," not to mention "Bend it Like Beckham," wouldn't appeal to everyone, but they're very highly engaging movies. "Slumdog Millionaire" is a little rough for many people, anyway.
ReplyDeleteBut when all is said and done, I'm not sure I'm not still content with "Big Fish" and/or maybe "Farinelli."
Oh, and I forgot to mention "Snatch." (Get your head out of the gutter. It's the name of a Guy Ritchie movie.) It's way too quirky to be anyone's idea of the best movie ever made, but I will say this: early on after I got it, more than 20 years ago, I watched it every day for a week. I couldn't get enough. (Hey, out of the gutter!) I love this movie. It's "Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels" evolved, with some of the same actors, but it's much better. And a great soundtrack (which I also have). I was asking my late uncle, a retired doctor, about this once, and I asked him if he ever heard of "Snatch." He replied, with his characteristic smile, "My favorite part of the body." (I told you out of the gutter, and it has nothing to do with that.)
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