All seen on video for the first time, none are current releases, except maybe “The War Tapes” because I can’t remember if it played theaters here or not.<\/p>\n
Top ten, in order:<\/p>\n
1. Celine and Julie Go Boating<\/a> (1974, Jacques Rivette) Next ten, alpha:<\/p>\n Cabin Fever<\/a> (2002, Eli Roth) Runners-up: honorable mention: happy auteur discoveries: five more great musicals: the better-than-it-should-be award: the most awesome cult \/ b-movie award: the “ahh, I get it now” award: the saddest movie award: the “child favorite that is, against all odds, still a favorite 20 years the “makes me feel cooler just for having seen it” award:
\n far exceeds its reputation, a truly amazing film, like candy on my TV
\n2. Muriel<\/a> (1963, Alain Resnais)
\n3. Dog’s Dialogue<\/a> (1977, Raoul Ruiz)
\n one of my favorite short films ever
\n4. Pennies from Heaven<\/a> (1981, Herbert Ross)
\n one of my favorite musicals ever
\n5. Three travel films by Chris Marker:
\n – Sunday In Peking<\/a> (1956 China)
\n – Description of a Struggle<\/a> (1960 Israel)
\n – The Koumiko Mystery<\/a> (1965 Japan)
\n6. Matinee<\/a> (1993, Joe Dante)
\n7. Miami Vice<\/a> (2006, Michael Mann)
\n a work of art unfairly lumped in with “dukes of hazzard” and other TV remakes
\n8. The War Tapes<\/a> (2006, Deborah Scranton)
\n I cried tears of pure sadness
\n9. Army of Shadows<\/a> (1969, Jean-Pierre Melville)
\n fewer tears, but still a shocking war story
\n10. Little Dieter Needs To Fly<\/a> (1997, Werner Herzog)
\n third war movie in a row, this one considerably happier<\/p>\n
\nThe Exterminating Angel<\/a> (Luis Bu\u00f1uel)
\nThe Face of Another<\/a> (1966, Hiroshi Teshigahara)
\nThe Girl Can’t Help It<\/a> (1956, Frank Tashlin)
\nGuys and Dolls<\/a> (1956, Joseph Mankiewicz)
\nThe Lady Eve<\/a> (1941, Preston Sturges)
\nLos Angeles Plays Itself<\/a> (2003, Thom Andersen)
\nThe Tales of Hoffmann (1951, Powell & Pressburger)
\nWaiting For Happiness<\/a> (2002, Abderrahmane Sissako)
\nWerckmeister Harmonies<\/a> (2000, B\u00e9la Tarr)<\/p>\n
\nLe Joli Mai<\/a> (1963), Zazie dans le m\u00e9tro<\/a> (1960), David Copperfield<\/a> (1935)<\/p>\n
\nA Brighter Summer Day<\/a> (1991, Edward Yang)
\n seemed like it lives up to its masterpiece reputation, but in the crummy version I watched, I think I lost a ton of plot details… will surely place higher when I see it again.<\/p>\n
\nJohn Ford (The Searchers<\/a>)
\nBilly Wilder (Some Like It Hot<\/a>)
\nShohei Imamura (Vengeance Is Mine<\/a>)
\nEric Rohmer (first two moral tales<\/a>)<\/p>\n
\nThe Young Girls of Rochefort<\/a> (1967, Jacques Demy)
\nThe Music Man<\/a> (1962, Morton DaCosta)
\nFiddler on the Roof<\/a> (1971, Norman Jewison)
\nMeet Me In St. Louis<\/a> (1944, Vincente Minnelli)
\nRed Garters<\/a> (1954, George Marshall)<\/p>\n
\n a tie between Hard Candy<\/a> & Lord of War<\/a> (both 2005)<\/p>\n
\n Brain Damage<\/a> (1988, Frank Henenlotter)<\/p>\n
\n L’Avventura<\/a> (1960, Michelangelo Antonioni)
\n runner-up: Hiroshima Mon Amour<\/a> (1959, Alain Resnais)<\/p>\n
\n The Road to Guant\u00e1namo<\/a> (Michael Winterbottom)<\/p>\n
\nlater” award: a three-way tie!
\n Gremlins 2: The New Batch<\/a> (1990, Joe Dante)
\n Night of the Creeps<\/a> (1986, Fred Dekker)
\n Little Shop of Horrors<\/a> (1986, Frank Oz)<\/p>\n
\n Pandora’s Box<\/a> (1929, G.W. Pabst)<\/p>\n