Wednesday, 23 July 2008
Movie Lists Are No Fun...
posted @12:44 p.m. by Richard Kelly
... if they run to 250 entries, IMHO. The Internet Movie Database offers a running tally of the Great Movies based on readers' submitted scores, and it's great that they get so much feedback. But then there's something so panoramic about a Top 250 that it sort of defies understanding or coherence. Is Grindhouse (averaging 8.0 from 50,000 ratings) deservedly higher than Klimov's Come and See (7.9 from 5000)? Or is it fair that Seven Samurai and Star Wars are locked together near the top at 8.8. when three times as many voters have expressed an opinion on the Lucas picture? I don't know. You tell me. For the moment we welcome back guest poster RAVI HOLY who offers his list of 10 favourite titles not even placing in that Top 250 - at least not today, anyway...
My Top 10 that are not on the IMDB Top 250
By Ravi Holy
1. The Godfather Part III
Is it as good as Part 1 or Part 2? Of course not. But it's still fantastic.
2. Mulholland Drive
If seeing the Godfather for the first time was my BA, this was my MA - I wonder what my PHD will be...?
3: Hannah and her Sisters
Even if Annie Hall and Manhattan weren't in the 250, this would still my favourite Allen film (today at least)
4: The Blues Brothers
We're on a mission from God.
5. My Fair Lady
And what I say is, them that pinched it, done her in...
6: When Harry met Sally
The best Woody Allen film Woody Allen didn't make (apart from Play it Again, Sam).
7: The Last Temptation of Christ
The last 30 mins of this film is pure cinematic transcendence.
8: The Long Good Friday
A great British gangster film: the final scene with Bob Hoskins in the taxi is as good a piece of acting as I have ever seen.
9: Interview with the Vampire
Underrated; visually stunning; superbly atmospheric; great performance from Tom Cruise; pure rock n roll.
10: True Romance
Sometimes I prefer this to Pulp or Dogs. The standoff between Walken and Hopper is the stuff that dreams are made of. My wife walked up the aisle to the main theme from this ('You're So Cool' by Hans Zimmer).
Comments
Good list Ravi. They are all films which get a good score on IMDB however with the lowest at 7.3 -
1. The Godfather Part III 7.5
2. Mulholland Drive 8
3: Hannah and her Sisters 7.8
4: The Blues Brothers 7.9
5. My Fair Lady 7.8
6: When Harry met Sally 7.6
7: The Last Temptation of Christ 7.5
8: The Long Good Friday 7.8
9: Interview with the Vampire 7.3
10: True Romance 7.8
How about your favourite films with low scores (5 or less?)
PS Richard - Whilst the top 250 is a bit odd (Ratatouille at 115!) it does adjust the straight score to try to take account of the number of votes.
Well, I tried but only had one film under 5. That was Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows which I loved (and I hated BW1!)
There were only 7 other films that scored less than 6.5 and 4 of them were also horror sequels: Omens 2 and 3 and Final Destination 2 and 3. So there seems to be a pattern here...
The other three are Sister Act (which, I admit, is not Citizen Kane), the Fourth Protocol (which, to me, is better than the Ipcress File et al) and Tim Roth's The War Zone (for which he should have got a nobel prize as well as an oscar afaic). Suspect that the latter don't score highly cos they're Britsh not American.
Well, to return to my usual much-maligned faves, ISHTAR is on 3.6, and MARY REILLY 5.4, which is 0.2 ahead of HUDSON HAWK but 0.1 behind WATERWORLD... Even HEAVEN'S GATE manages 6.4, and BITTER MOON 6.7. But to my delight Friedkin's SORCERER is on 7.4: now there's a picture of which precisely no mention was made in this week's many tributes to the late Roy Scheider.
GREAT LISTS IF DEBATEABLE NON THE LESS MR HOLY! I HAVE REAL ISSUE WITH CONTRIEVED MOVIE SOURCES SUCH AS THE IMDB, THERE SCORES ARE USUALLY FAVOURED STUDIO PROJECTS OVER LESSER KNOWN, QUIRKIER, BETTER VISUAL FANFARE. I WILL BE ADDING SOME LISTS MYSELF SOON OR YOU CAN VISIT MY FACEBOOK PAGE TO SEE SOME OF MY 642 REVIEWS DONE, AND COMMENT BACK. THE ADDRESS IS:
http://apps.facebook.com/flixster/u/799440365
KEEP WATCHING THOSE MOVIES AND ANALYSING!
GODFATHER 3......FANTASTIC.....NO COMMENT!
P.S. hAVE YOU ALL SEEN THE NEW iNDIANA jONES TRAILER?....sTART GETTING EXCITED, junior!
Yep, saw the Indy trailer, liked it. ('You're a teacher?' 'Part-time...') But why no Karen Allen? Hmm... maybe time for a Jones-related list. Or a Karen Allen one...
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