Tarantino's Top 20 Movies

Battle Royale, Anything Else, Audition, The Blade, Boogie Nights, Dazed & Confused, Dogville, Fight Club, Friday, The Host, The Insider, Joint Security Area, Lost In Translation, The Matrix, Memories of Murder, Police Story 3, Shaun of the Dead, Speed, Team America, and Unbreakable

My Top 20 Since 1992

Battle Royale

For those who still haven't seen Kinji Fukasaku's violent masterpiece--you really ought to. You're lucky, now it's on Netflix.  When I first wanted to see it, I had to head into Chinatown and seek out a Region 9 disc.  It's the Clockwork Orange of our generation.  You owe it to yourself to watch this.  Side note: skip the sequel.   

The Boondock Saints

Clueless

Alicia Silverstone was my childhood love.  Somehow, a very young Gringocito saw a couple Aerosmith music videos and his life was changed forever.  Then Clueless came out and any chance for my homosexuality was eradicated.   The hair, the clothes, the slang--the early 90s still hold a special place in my heart.  Anyone remember that "He-he-helloooo" line from Party Girl?  The point is that I do.  A recent home screening of Clueless proved that even though Silverstone's career didn't hold much staying power, her best film still does.  

Dazed and Confused

The Descent

I had no idea what The Descent was about when I stepped into the theater.  Didn't know I was walking into the the best horror film of the past decade.  From the claustrophobic sets to the frightening plot twists, there just aren't many movies that can touch its overall horror.  

El Crimen Del Padre Amaro

Just after high school, I worked at a one-screen art house theater in a mostly Latino part of town.  After the Catholic Church banned this film we had sold-out shows every night.  For those who've seen it, you know that there's an especially offensive scene about an hour in. Well, every night, about sixty minutes after the lighted dimmed, an angry mob would storm out of the theater--looking for whoever was responsible for the offensive content they had just been subjected to.  Apparently, that was me.  After a couple nights of being yelled at by angry Catholics, I decided that I'd actually watch the movie.  When I did, I was immediately blown away.  The narrative is entrancing, the acting is phenomenal, and the controversy is in full-effect.  It's definitely earned a spot in my Top 20 list.

The Fugitive

Hackers

I know...I know...I know.  There's just something about Hackers that won't let me go.  The music, the outdated technology, the ultra-cool underground nerd society.  Would you believe that this movie pushed Barton Fink off the list?  I debated about whether or not it deserved to be on the Top 20 but, if I'm being honest, it does, and not at the bottom either.

He Got Game

High Fidelity

Any He Shot Cyrus reader knows how much I adore High Fidelity.  I want to be Rob but I'm so afraid that I'll become Dick that I live my life as Barry.  Something like that.  It's my #2 film of all-time (right after The Warriors) mostly because it accurately describes my post-high school life.

Jurassic Park

Kill Bill Vol. 1

Matinee

I recently attended a screening of Matinee and got to meet Joe Dante, the man to thank for  Gremlins, Explorers, and The Howling.  We both agreed that Matinee hasn't received a fair shake since it's release.  This is a special film which honors a different age of filmgoing set against a tense time in American history.      

Old Boy

Reservoir Dogs

It's fitting that while filling out my own Top 20 list that two of QT's films have found slots on the order. Reservoir Dogs appeals to me for all the same reasons it appeals to everyone else.  The cast, the performances, the story (just as contained as I desire), the violence, and the music.  He's the only director to show up twice and as happy as that makes me, the fact that the Coen Bros. leaves me wishing for a 21st choice. 

The Sandlot

Superbad

If High Fidelity represents my post-high school life, then Superbad represents the four years before.  There won't ever be a character on-screen that more accurately portrays who I was during my teens than Seth (Jonah Hill).  We told the same jokes, wore the same awful clothes, and sported the same hairdo.  This kid was me, I was this kid.  It's a very cool experience to connect with a character like that.

The Truman Show

Unfaithful

Waiting for Guffman

Choosing my favorite Christopher Guest film proved to be much more difficult than I imagined. Eventually, Parker Posey giving praise to the DQ pushed Guffman to the top.

What are your Top 20 Films since 1992?

Three Scenes I Love: John Cusack

Say Anything - The Boombox Scene

Arguably John Cusack's most famous moment, the boom box scene is a staple in any discussion of great 80s movies. Knowing that I won't ever pull off anything as smooth, cool, and romantic as this is a difficult realization. And the song choice? Who knew that Peter Gabriel would have wooed a pen-giving A++ student into giving a kickboxing guy named Lloyd another chance?

High Fidelity - The Fantasy Scene

No explanation needed.

Better Off Dead - "I Want My Two Dollars"

I just love the lines Cusack comes up with. You have to wonder if they were scripted or improvised. "My brother got his arm stuck in the microwave." To those who haven't seen Better Off Dead yet, if 80s wackiness sounds like a worthwhile way to spend ninety minutes of your weekend, this is the film to devote those minutes to. There are parts of Dead that will have you shaking you head with a confused look on your face--guess what? Those are my favorite parts. Also, doesn't that foreign exchange student look like that fat guy from All That? If you know the two people I'm talking about, thank you for being the reason I made this site.

Three Scenes I Love: Deleted Scenes

High Fidelity

My life is [______this______] much better now.

I just found out that this scene even existed. Somehow, I skipped the deleted scenes but watched all the Making Of special features. It's my second favorite movie but apparently I've been less than interested in seeing the cutting room floor scraps. That is, until I absorbed Nick Hornby's book.

A betrayed wife attempts to screw over her cheating hubby by selling his lutra-rare record collection for fifty bucks. This was one of the best scenes in the book! How could this not make it into the movie? Well, it looks like it almost made it into movie. Not only did the scene get shot, it featured Beverly D'Angelo! I don't think the scene deserved to be cut -- you be the judge.

The Boondock Saints

This one's for my friend Laura (the one who made my amazing banner). She showed me this scene one night and we both larfed and larfed. The interesting thing about Laura is that her favorite movies include Pride & Prejudice, Little Women, Gosford Park, and Ever After. Then, from straight out of left-field, she also loved The Boondock Saints. One of the most violent, sin-packed 110 minutes ever films. I love it, but I was surprised that she did too.

I can understand why this scene was cut. It doesn't really move the story along and sorta takes the film in an unneeded direction as far as subplots go, but it's so damn funny. Really funny. I know it's long, but stick with it to the end, it's worth watching. I don't know who this woman is, but she cracks me up. Wonder if she'll be in the sequel...

The Warriors

I can't understand why the High Fidelity scene was cut. I understand why the Boondock Saints scene was cut but wish it wasn't. I love this scene because it's NOT in the movie. One of The Warriors' best qualities is how tight the film remains. As mentioned in my second-ever blog post, way back in April, the use of a limited time-frame (in this case, around twelve or so hours) greatly strengthens the suspense of heroes journey. They've got to make it home now. Every gang in the city is looking for them and they've got to move.

I was really disappointed when I read Sol Yurick's book for a number of reasons. It still used the limited time-frame, which made the suspense effective, but the way the movie just starts amist the action, creates a pace which doesn't slow down until the end of the film. Thie book starts off with talking. It's a "Here, let me explain everything to you and then we'll start the movie" sort of thing. This scene would have done the same thing to the movie. I'm always happy to find out more about my favorite movie but when I saw this scene, I knew right away that Walter Hill made the right choice. Actually, there are quite a few deleted scenes from The Warriors floating around the internet, and not one of them, in my opinion, belong in the movie. And that feels good.

And those are three scenes I love.

My Top 100 Favorite Movies (in Order!)

01. The Warriors
02. High Fidelity
03. Do the Right Thing
04. Dangerous Minds
05. The Karate Kid Part II
06. Matinee
07. Back to the Future
08. Born in East L.A.
09. Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme
10. The Birdcage11. Tootsie
12. Jurassic Park
13. The Truman Show
13a. The Seven-Up Series
(I wasn't sure a series could count)
14. Style Wars
15. Halloween
16. Unfaithful
17. Scratch
18. Superbad
19. Assault on Precinct 13
20. Dogtown and Z-Boys 21. Strangers on a Train
22. Imitation of Life
23. The Hudsucker Proxy
24. Escape to Witch Mountain
25. The Palm Beach Story
26. Say Anything
27. Kill Bill Vol. 1
28. Notting Hill
29. Marathon Man
30. Home Alone II: Lost in New York31. Old Boy
32. Hackers
33. Dark Days
34. Airplane!
35. Escape from Alcatraz
36. Waiting for Guffman
37. Dog Day Afternoon
38. Rear Window
39. Best in Show
40. Reservoir Dogs41. The Freshman
42. The 400 Blows
43. Clueless
44. Duck Soup
45. Dazed and Confused
46. Life Stinks
47. The Boondock Saints
48. Coming to America
49. Take the Money and Run
50. The Godfather51. For Love or Money
52. Return to Oz
53. Dirty Harry
54. Demolition Man
55. Boyz n the Hood
56. The Bicycle Thief
57. Matilda
58. Empire Records
59. The Wood
60. 18761. The Descent
62. 3 Ninjas
63. Cinemania
64. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Secret of the Ooze
65. Fast Times at Ridgemont High
66. Night of the Living Dead
67. Battle Royale
68. Manhattan Murder Mystery
69. The Sandlot
70. The Gauntlet
71. With Honors
72. The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
73. The Great Escape
74. Tortilla Soup
75. The Player
76. Hannah and Her Sisters
77. The Fugitive
78. The Orphanage
79. Rock the Bells
80. The Conversation81. Fargo
82. In America
83. Monster Camp
84. The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
85. Kramer vs. Kramer
86. The Brave Little Toaster
87. Groundhog Day
88. Stand by Me
89. The People Under the Stairs
90. El Crimen Del Padre Amaro91. All About My Mother
92. That Thing You Do
93. Stroszek
94. Taxi Driver
95. Love Actually
96. Labyrinth
97. Brown Sugar
98. Streets of Fire
99. Daddy's Little Girls
100. Meet the FeeblesThere you have it. My Top 100 Favorite Films of All-Time.
It took over a week to put the list together.
Even if you don't like my choices or my rankings,
you've got to give me props for putting them in order!

What do you think?

The 12 Movies Meme

Lazy Eye Theatre is hosting the 12 MOVIES MEME. I had the honor of being selected in the first group of writers. Here's the mission: Diablo Cody got to program 12 movies at the New Beverly Cinema. If she can do it, we can do it.

List your programming schedule. Which 12 movies and why. Then nominate 5 other writers to contribute their lists. My selections will be at the bottom of this blog. Read on to see if you made the cut.

Here's my schedule. Feedback and poll question voting is a must. One simple question: which nights would you attend and which ones would you skip? Thanks in advance for all your comments.

Monday-Tuesday
Peter Jackson Double-Feature
Meet the Feebles [Link] - Muppets on Crack creation starts this off.
Dead Alive [Link] - The most entertaining zombie film of all time.Wanna fight about it?



Wednesday-Thursday
Gael Garcia Bernal Double-Feature
The Motorcycle Diaries [Link] - A young Che Guevara, years before he led the Cuban Revolution, and his friend travel through South America.
El Crimen del Padre Amaro [Link] - A Catholic priest has an affair with a teenage girl. This one'll knock you on your ass.


Friday-Saturday
The Raddest Cult Films Ever Made Double Feature
Assault on Precinct 13 [Link] - Awesome premise, incredible synth music, and one of John Carpenter's best films.
The Warriors [Link] - My favorite movie of all time. The coolest, most quotable cult film to date.


Sunday-Monday
Bring Your Kids Double Feature
Escape to Witch Mountain [Link] - My favorite kids movie. Magical tweens outwit an evil millionaire and his bald henchman.
Rad [Link] - This one is CULT. The kiddies might not get through this one, but it's worth showing because it's so hard to get ahold of these days.


Tuesday-Wednesday
Hip-Hop Documentary Double Feature
Style Wars [Link] - Mind-blowingly amazing doc about the Golden Years of Graffiti.
Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme [Link] - The movie contains: Dope emcees spitting off the dome hotness. If that made any sense to you, watch this movie now.


Thursday-Friday
The Hottest Double Feature
High Fidelity [Link] - John Cusack.
Unfaithful [Link] - Diane Lane.

There's the schedule. Which nights would you attend?
Which ones would you skip? Why?

Also, my official selections for contributors are:
Whitney @ DearJesus
Daniel G. @ Get A Film
Ross Williams @ What I Watched Last Night
The Mad Hatter @ The Dark of the Matinee
Keith @ The Kinetoscope Parlor

1. When you finish your post, let me know so I can let Lazy Eye Theatre know.
2. If you don't want to do it, let me know so I can ask someone else.