Celloloid Geniuses (Bollywood and Tollywood keep out)

[azazel]

I think I should justify MY list. GBU is my all time favourite. Godfather - I don't think I need to explain. Scarface(1980) is a masterpiece. If you think Godfather trilogy is Al Pacino's best, go watch Scarface. Specially, the final scenes where he shouts "I'm Tony Montana, You F**k with me, you f**kin' with the best" is brilliantly crafted by Brian DePalma. Die Hard - best action flick ever made. Still leaves my adrenalin pumping. Indy and Last Crusade is one of the few movies which got comedy/action/sentiment excellently poured in. Goodfellas is not the best gangster movie, but it's worth watching, given, you can bear the cursings of Joe Pesci. Raging Bull, the story of boxer Jake LaMotta, is undoubtedly Scorsese's best. I bet you won't recognize a 60 pound heavier DeNiro. Outlaw Josey Wales is one hell of a cowboy movie by the great Clint Eastwood(I'm a biiig Clint fan). Rocky - inspirational. Saving Private Ryan - best warmovie ever....

Discussions/criticism welcomed!!!

OK..since u asked for a discussion...

first up, nuthin bad in the list u got there... ill start from the beginning..

GBU, definitely one of the best westerns ever made.. Sergio Leone at his striking best.. gritty,witty,the quintessential western..

The Godfather..what can be said that hasnt been said before?? for me it has to be Parts 1 n 2 together.. awesome..

n now comes the bad part..

Scarface?? definitely not in the same league..Al Pacino was totally over-the-top all with that not-so-convinving Cuban accent..Brian De Palma made a good movie but it worked more for the shock value with the 182 'F' words [Blink 182 ne1?] n inspirin a desi version Agnipath with a very caricaturish Big B..havent seen Serpico but IMHO Al Pacino was the best as Michael Corleone, esp. in Part 2

Die Hard is a very well made action entertainer..but the best? uh uh.. lotsa action flicks out there that keep ur pulse racin n adrenaline pumpin!

Indiana Jones...mmm..havent seen ne of those..no comment

Goodfellas will always be in my top 3 gangster movies of all time...much better than Scarface in every department...well acted,directed[Oscars suck for not handin the trophy to Scorsese for this one], immensely entertaining..n Joe Pesci, curses n all...earned that Oscar..one question, was he Funny??

Raging Bull..Robert De Niro rox in every movie but here he gives one of the best demos of his method acting prowess..from the lean, mean fightin machine to the older n 40 pound heavier retired boxer..he is just amazing..Scorsese' best? dun think so..U were very vocal abt Scorsese being absent from my pal' list..dunno how u missed Taxi Driver n The Last Temptation of Christ...

Outlaw...whatever..havent seen it

Rocky..i agree with jasz, totally unnecessary sequels..but $$ is more imp. i guess...

ok, till here, i would've said ok..good 'nuff..n then Saving Pvt. Ryan comes in n spoils the fun...+ u praise it by sayin best-war movie ever!

biggest mistake ..'cept for the exteremely well-shot close combat sequences..the movie's got nuthin goin for it..everythin else had been done before n in a much better way..its a pity that ppl didnt go n see The Thin Red Line, which was unfortunately released at the same time... infinitely BETTER..Terrence Mallick is a genius..too bad only made 2 movies in 3 decades..

but, the botton line is they are ur personal favourites..n vry1's got an opinion..if u had posted em has top 10 movies..i'd have kicked ur arse or died laughing..hehe

Ciao.

[jaszalcatraz]

Although I agree with Azazel on the Saving Private Ryan thing......although SPR is my fav movie of all time.

Please note that fav movie doesnt mean that I call it great.

So anyways. i want ppl who post here (please do so in hordes) to tell me what their fav flick in every genre is. Like I said, fav, not greatest.

So here are my 2 cents.



Sci-Fi : Tuff one....T2:Judgment Day and Blade Runner

Action : Matrix

Comedy : Monty Python and Holy Grail

Gangter : Godfather 1 and 2

Drama : Shawshank Redemption

Fantasy : GroundHog Day

Indie : Pulp Fiction

Mystery : Any Jerry Bruckheimer....I can never find the story.

Seriously ...Usual Suspects

Romance : (I'm gonna get some serious flak for this, but this one is sorta a guilty pleasure) You've Got Mail

Thriller : Fight Club

War :SPR (as above)

I'm not gonna comment on horror and westerns and animation for the momet as I am undecided.

So all u fellas please post your fav movies acc. the the genre.....please feel free to add genres like Movies With Most Shagadelic Value etc

[Mayavi Morpheus]

One more category is Most Ridiculous movie ever made, Mullholland Drive fits the bill perfectly and I dont think anyone will disagree.

[azazel]

One more category is Most Ridiculous movie ever made, Mullholland Drive fits the bill perfectly and I dont think anyone will disagree.

Errr...dude, u on dope??

r u questioning the genius of David Lynch???

it was made to screw with ur head..n it most certainly has...

but, the point abt the Most Ridiculous movie ever...Boom comes to mind...

rest will follow..

[azazel]

ok, here comes the list as the doc ordered..naah as jasz ordered:

Sci-Fi - Alien

Action - Kill Bill Vol.1 for now

Comedy - too many

Gangster - The Godfather

Drama - Taxi Driver

Fantasy - A Clockwork Orange

Indie - Memento

Mystery - Psycho, Hitchcock ruleth

Romance - dont dig em

Thriller - Silence of the Lambs

War - Apocalypse Now

Horror - The Exorcist

Western - The Good , The Bad n The Ugly

Anime - doesnt interest me

Documentary - Bowling For Columbine

[Jaszalcatraz]

Agree with Azazel. Mullholland Dr. was odd at first viewing, but as I saw it again and again and understood it more and more, the genius of Lynch dawned on me.

The genius of Kaizad Gustad hasn't dawned on me yet....thankfully.

[Jaszalcatraz]

and btw Azazel



Time is on my side, yes it is

Now you always say

That you want to be free

But you'll come running back (said you would baby)

[azazel]

yes it is bro..

[Fungus]

Hey ok i know half the movies on my list were kinda not up there ... i just mentioned them coz i really like watching them coz they are quirky and it amazes me how ppl can think that way ... ok ok mebbe i'm just a too much wannabe comic ... but hey .. gimme me a break ! the first four movies in that list i am dead serious abt ! really .. does nobody like lock stock ! or anything that requires even half a brain is not ur cuppa?!



sorry .. no to anyone offence tho .

oh and i forgot to mention shawshank redemption

[azazel]

dude, i have nuthin against u or ne1 who likes his movies ..

i may not like them n they may not be great as such but what the hell..u like em n its ur taste that matters..u made yer point that we poor mortals can either agree with u or diss ur list n i just wrote what i thought of it..

u n vry1 else is welcome to trash my list ..but those r my perennial favs..

Also, i liked Lock,Stock And Two Smokin' Barrels very much..its a good movie..n certainly not one of those to watch with ur brain in the freezer..

+ Shawshank Redemption is one of the best movies ive seen..

[Jaszalcatraz]

I used to be a messed up reason for a movie fan until recently. I used to like movies just because someone said that it was good. Or hate it. But then a certain someone (you know who you are) told me that the most important thing abt being a "buff" is having a personal opinion.

So stick to wat you said no matter wat people say.

And btw Lock Stock was good and Shawshank is THE movie that I can watch whenever I'm bored.

All movie buffs reading this, I plan to have a Lord of the Rings movie marathon on friday or thursday nite (whichever draws the crowds) which will culminate with Return of The King in Skyline. All interested parties please contact me at jaszalcatraz@yahoo.com (add me on ur msngr or mail me). I have the DVD prints of the first two flicks, just need to find a decent place to watch em. If all else fails, my house is OK.

[azazel]

dude..

The LOTR marathon is a gr8 idea but lets do it when ROTK is comin out otherwise it wont be that fun..nxt week perhaps?

also, this topic is gettin stalled as no one else is postin their favs..so, i was thinkin abt advancin the discussion somehow..

since, this is abt Celluloid Geniuses, why not start off with one??

Stanley Kubrick, ladies n gentlemen??

[Monster]

Ahem, Hollywood movies are not really my passport to stardom; just came in to learn from the experts. But as someone who appreciates what he sees, without knowing if it's from a movie-great or not, i brave to put forward ten movies that i love (in random order):



Jerry McGuire

Fight Club

Matrix

Jurassic Park

The Godfather

Sound Of Music

The Gods Must Be Crazy (saw this as a kid - loved it!)

Aliens

Terminator

The Exorcist



There. But i still feel like i haven't mentioned so many others. Need some feedback on my list. Any givers?

[Jaszalcatraz]

Having watched quite a few of his best films (Spartacus, Dr. Strangelove, 2001, Clockwork Orange, Full Metal Jacket and Eyes Wide Shut), I can say only one thing about Kubrick. Either he's overtly pretentious or an absolute genius. Depends on how you see it.

2001: Space Odyssey is best seen after a joint. That way, you'll be too unstable for the movie to affect you any further. It's that spaced out.

Clockwork Orange ....wat can I say, you'll never listen to "Singing in the Rain" without looking out the window for some looneys anymore.

Dr. Strangelove: A fantastic black comedy. Superbly hilarous. Peter Sellers is amazing.

Spartacus......No real Kubrick touch but compelling nevertheless. Battle scenes are amazing.

Full Metal Jacket.....My favourite. Simple story. You 'll love the movie but in the end you'll feel like you did not understand it. That's the beauty of Kubrick.

Eyes Wide Shut......apparently, Kubrick's fav. if you like Nicole, will be your fav too.

So, like I was saying, Kubrick's movies will leave you feeling like a darn idiot. The hidden "meaning" might be obvious but you'll never quite put your finger on it. And what's worse, every Kubrick fan will say "You're stupid not to understand it".

So the next time you want some exercise for the brain along with spectacular visuals for the eye, pop in Kubrick. And if you dont understand it, you are very stupid.

[azazel]

dude..

im ashamed that i have seen only 3 movies by THE master but from what i have seen and noticed there is just brilliance which comes to mind!
A Clockwork Orange, Full Metal Jacket and Eyes Wide Shut..
ACO is at once strange, ultra-violent, stylish fantasy featurin one hell of a performance from Malcolm McDowell..and it also asks an important question..the use of modern science advancements to 'cure' criminals by depriving them of the quality that makes them human, Choice!
Full Metal Jacket, again conception and execution-wise perfect but the viewer cant put the finger on why was the movie made?! A soldier's jourey from the harrowing marine-training to the horrifying war.. the futility of war n the nightmare of it all..unjustified madness..and Kubrick class all-the-way..
Eyes Wide Shut..probably got more attention for the supposedly hot scenes between the then-married Kidman n Cruise..in reality the movie deals with jealousy n betrayal that haunts a couple with just a thought of infidelity..in true Kubrick fashion..
All aspects in a Kubrick movie just stun u with their visual impact, brilliant acting , watch Lee Ermey as the drill-instructer, stunning cinematography, superb use of psychological effects of various aspects, be it War, Relationships, Crime, Space..
just look at the various genres his movies have touched .. from Epic like Spartacus, sci-fi like 2001, fantasy like ACO, Horror with The Shining, War with Full Metal Jacket, Eroticism with Lolita n Eyes Wide Shut and stuff ive missed..
all in all..Stanley Kubrick [pronounced koo-brick not kue-brick] was a genius film-maker n no one is a true movie-buff unless uve seen a Kubrick movie..

[azazel]

Jerry McGuire
Fight Club
Matrix
Jurassic Park
The Godfather
Sound Of Music
The Gods Must Be Crazy (saw this as a kid - loved it!)
Aliens
Terminator
The Exorcist
Need some feedback on my list. Any givers?

Jerry Maguire dude, neway..good movie..Cuba Gooding Jr. was damn good.. SHOW ME THE MONNNNEYYYYYYYY!

Jurassic Park..all sfx..but, good adventure..got borrred actually

Sound of Music + TGMBC ..havent seen..?!?!

Aliens n Terminator...James Cameron rox..still Alien was the better one!

The Exorcist..

Godfather, Fight Club, Matrix..already talked abt in earlier posts..

good stuff man..ciao

[Mayavi Morpheus]

Errr...dude, u on dope??
r u questioning the genius of David Lynch???

Sometimes I feel that there is a very thin line between creativity and crap expecially when it comes to movies. All the creativity of Mullholland drive drives you crazy by the time you reach the climax, you are thrown into an endless loop of thinking trying to figure out the story (unfortunately there is none). If you figured it out please let me know. I watched the movie three times back to back from evening 7.00 to mornign 5.00 with discussion sessions in between. Me and my friends came up with three stories after extensive discussions only to be proven wrong by the movie review on david lynch's home page.
Personally I think every movie should have a start and finish and some story in between no matter how its told - start to finish, finsih to start or in parts - but there should be a end and it should also make sense.
Did the movie fulfill its purpose of providing entertainment for 2 hrs? Yes.
Does it make sense? No.

Clockwork Orange ....wat can I say, you'll never listen to "Singing in the Rain" without looking out the window for some looneys anymore

30 minutes of the movie was enough to drive me crazy. I was on the edge of losing sanity.



BTW, anyone seen Open your eyes (spanish)?

[azazel]

k sir,

point taken..but lemme tell u, David Lynch movies are created in such a way to let the audience figure out for themselves what the hell happened!!

deliberately take u thru a maze n leave u in the middle to figure a way out..thats always been his style..as with figuring out what happened in the last 15 mins of M Dr..its yet to strike me..seen it once , waiting for the right mood to sit thru it again.. part of it has to do with maybe ensuring repeated viewing as to somewhat challenge the movie-goer..

whatever it may be, i loved it; u didnt.. PEACE!



A Clockwork Orange is brilliant n

[azazel]

BTW, anyone seen Open your eyes (spanish)?

Nope, havent seen it..Thats the inspiration for Crowe's Vanilla Sky aint it?

btw, game for trading movies dude?

[Jaszalcatraz]

To all the people who've seen the movie but inspite of repeated "post mortems" havent quite understood it, here goes......

http://www.innergrail.com/mulhollanddrive/

[Mayavi Morpheus]

[quote="azazel"] yet to strike me..[quote]



And it wont, 'cos there is nothing in it. No logic. Its all nonsense......but I enjoyed the movie.



As for trading, which ones do you want? Yuva ratna Bala Krishna movies or Megastar chirajeevi movies or Victory venkatesh movies

I have palnati Brahma Naidu, if you sit thru the end (it takes lot of courage) then you can appreciate the creativity of the director!

On a serious note, I just rent movies and return after watching. I dont buy 'em.

[Jaszalcatraz]

Just read that damn analysis again......draining.

[Jasz under the NBK spell]

After weeks of being too "pussy" to watch Natural Born Killers, I have fianlly woken up to the art that is within NBK. Oliver Stone and his amazing cinematography just made me wonder at the kind of vision that a person needs to have to make a movie like this. The window which mirrors the television is my fav inanimate object of this movie. So I ask you, favourite inanimate object in movies?

[Mayavi Morpheus]

duh

[Mayavi Morpheus]

Just read that damn analysis again......draining.

Jasz, probably you missed this line

The following is a personal interpretation of the David Lynch film, Mulholland Dr. I believe that there is no single interpretation of this film

After watching the movie my first thoughts were the same as that of the author of the above piece, but then you should be willing to overlook certain scenes.



Admins: I think edit function would have helped me a lot here. I am having to make multiple psots since I cannot edit my psots.