Day 30 - Your Favorite Film This Time Last Year

My top 100 changes a lot over time.  I’m trying to watch all my top 100 films, plus others that could make my top 100, and make a definitive list.  But in another five years I’ll have to do it all over again because a top 100 is supposed to be flexible, moldable, especially for a film buff who is still going through his film education.

But my number one hasn’t shifted or moved an inch from the time I first saw Spirited Away.  It was like a revelation of cinema. It touched me as no other film had and, perhaps, never would.  I will get older and I know that my personality will change.  One day, a film will come along that will stun me like Spirited Away did.  But I don’t expect it to be soon.  For me, I have a rating system.  It is from 1-5.  If I give a film a one, then I despised that film.  A two means that I didn’t care for it.  I rarely give ones or twos.  A three means “Meh, it was okay, but don’t expect me to remember the plot next week.” A four means “I really liked this.  Maybe I’ll watch it again, someday.”  A five means that it is one of the finest film experiences I have ever had.  I just want to let you know, however: Only Spirited Away on my rating scale gets a ten.   That’s true love, folks.   The real thing.

Day 29 - Your Favorite Film As a Kid

As a young child, I had most of the songs from Mary Poppins memorized and I took joy from every scene. I still love that film and think that Julie Andrews is a remarkable performer.  There is so much to love about that film.  Dick Van Dyke is truly funny and three of the songs: "Sister Suffragette", "The Life I Lead", and "Fidelity Fiduciary Bank" are brilliant social satire, poking fun at the thinking in a lighthearted manner, yet still skewering the hypocrisy. And the theme of the film as the maturing of the head of household instead of the children is brilliant. Still one of the best films ever. 

As a young teen, my favorite film was the epic The Ten Commandments. While I still can appreciate the work involved, the film and story I appreciate much less.

Day 28 - The Most Obscure Film You've Ever Seen

Northfork is petty high on the list of obscure films.  But let me ask you: Have YOU seen it?  James Woods?  Yeah, I didn’t think so.  And if you did, did you remember it?  Did it strike you at all?

Northfork is about some angels.  And a flood.  And some people.  There’s a plot, but it’s pretty tricky to figure out.  A lot of people just shake their heads, not bothering to understand it.  But Northfork is a film you have to watch twice.  That’s what I did.  Right in a row.  I watched it, then started it up right again. Because it didn’t make sense, but there was something there… and the second time I got it.  Ah, what satisfaction to get the film the second time around.  Yeah… good times.

Day 27 - Your Favorite Independent Film

The definition of “independent” is a little tricky.  It means that it was produced out of the major studio systems, but doesn’t mean that it didn’t have help or distribution from major studios.   In looking at the list of independent films, you might be surprised at some of the major films with great special effects that are included.

One of the films that surprised me to be found “independent” is Memento, Christopher Nolan’s masterpiece.  Not only is the script one of the tightest, most surprising Hitchcockian thrillers ever, but the acting is fantastic and the camera work is excellent.  This year I watched for a second time and it was as wild a ride as the first.

Day 26 - Your Favorite Foreign Language Film

How do you know if it is a foreign language film or not?  Doesn’t it depend on which country you are in? If you are in Japan, Kurosawa isn’t a foreign language film and Jaws is.  The category, for me, should be called Any Film Not in English.  Perhaps it should be re-stated Your Favorite Film You Watched with Subtitles.  And why specifically have a category for foreign language film?  Are they inferior and need some help up, a separate category otherwise they wouldn’t be voted on at all?  Hey, I just want you to look at my Favorite Film.  Yep, Foreign Language.   Just prejudice, that’s all.  Okay, enough of my rant.

Apart from the many non-English films I’ve already mentioned in the 30 Day challenge comes my favorite film from the director Kieslowski: The Double Life of Veronique.  This film is a mood poem more than a cohesive narrative.  It is about two women with the same name: one Polish, one French.  But they share many characteristics.  I think this film is a spiritual and sensual masterpiece.  Difficult to understand, but in the end it just doesn’t matter.  Even if it cannot win you intellectually, it will win you with beauty of sight and spirit. 

Day 25 - Your Favorite Documentary Film

At the beginning of F is for Fake, Orson Welles tells you that everything in the film is true. That, of course, is a lie. But he says it with a wink and begins on orations of magicians and art and personal narrative and fictional biographies, all in that deep, resounding voice. Welles has always been a master storyteller and here is craft is more story than visual, but it is a supurb movie, nevertheless.  F is for Fake is the film that begins to subvert documentaries so that we do not know what is true and we begin to question all truth. Especially that which declares itself true.

Day 24 - Your Favorite Animated or Children's Film

As a genre (although, in reality, animated/children’s film are TWO genres as there are many films that are one or the other, not both; Paprika anyone?)… ahem.  As a mismatched genre, this is (these are) easily my favorite(s). Animated films, especially. Some don’t care for voice acting, some don’t appreciate animation as an emotional art, but for me it is perfect. Disney, Miyazaki, Pixar, heck, even Dreamworks and WB on good days. 

But which one could I choose? We've already covered a lot of ground here on the 30 day challenge.  I already talked about Spirited Away.  And Finding Nemo. And Nausicaa. And The Emperor’s New Groove. And Princess Mononoke. And Wall-E. What is left? 

Let me pick another from among my favorite animated films: The Lion King. It is fantastic melodrama with excellent songs. Probably the most moving, most Shakespearean of all of Disney’s films. The voice acting is some of the best out there and the animation is, at points spectacular.

Just watch it again. 

Day 23 - Your Favorite Thriller/Mystery Film

Due to my father’s influence I am a fan of mysteries—both books and film.  It is said that an exegete’s favorite genre is mystery because they are people drawn to puzzles.  However, most puzzles that are presented on the screen bore me.  They are too easy to figure out, or they spell out too much, telling us what they should just be showing us (my biggest problem with the film Inception last year).  

Rear Window, however, is perfect.  Not only does it have my favorite actor (James Stewart), one of the most beautiful actresses of all time (Grace Kelly) and an amazing character actor (Thelma Ritter), but it is Hitchcock’s best directed film.  There are so many windows to distract us, so many questions, so many reasonable doubts, not only is it a great film, but it is a great mystery.  Such a joy to behold. 

Day 22 - Your Favorite Horror Film

I’m not a huge fan of the horror genre. Gushing blood and axes just aren’t my idea of entertainment. A Nightmare on Elm Street is clever and The Shining is brilliant, but long. But the only horror movie I can truly say I adore is Ghostbusters.  

Okay, now, stay with me, here. When Ghostbusters was released in 1984, it was advertised as a comedy/horror movie. Really, it was. Perhaps the “horror” elements weren’t that scary, but I remember jumping a couple times when I watched in the theatre.  The first time. Now we think of it as a family comedy classic, but it wasn’t originally intended that way.  Perhaps it isn’t the best horror film, but it is a great film. 

Remember, “Ray, when someone asks you if you are a god, say YES”. You gotta love it.

Day 21 - Your Favorite Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film

Fantasy is supposed to light and airy, filled with elves and fairies and men in tights.  But not Pan’s Labyrinth. Pan’s is as dark of a tale as we could endure in a fantasy. It takes place during the Spanish Civil War and is about despotism and hard decisions and torture and war and a girl forced to protect her unborn brother in the midst of forces she cannot control. It is also about spirits and belief and truth. Fantasy is full of symbolism, of truths that are not what they seem, but rarely does a fantasy make you think so much to force you to look in this world’s darkness straight in the face. 

Day 20: Your Favorite Romantic Film

Romances are a dime a dozen. It’s easy to throw up on screen a couple people whom everyone will fall in love (or at least in lust) with at first sight. But it takes real talent to make you feel for a lovelorn robot.

  Yep, Wall-E is probably the greatest romance for men ever created. When it comes to romance, men are out of their league. They don’t know what to say, so it is better to say nothing. The woman knows what she wants, but how can a clueless man fulfill her longings? Wall-E shows us the way. Remain silent, dance to Hello Dolly! and have a cockroach as your best friend. Oh, and when she becomes comatose in the rain, hold an umbrella over her. Sure, some see him as eccentric, but cuteness wins the day.

Yep.  The above is what I WAS going to write.  But this last week I saw The New World. 

 I don't think I have ever seen a more romantic film ever.  Wall-E is cute and I love it, but The New World is majestic and the emotions are powerful and it doesn't encapsulate the romance into a single sexual act, a wedding or long discussions about whether he's a good match (sorry Jane Austen fans).  Instead, the lovers spend time together, they flirt, they touch, they struggle with their social groups, they pine, they cry, they woo, they care.  And most of all, they commit.  Never have I seen a film that so captures and idealizes the different aspects of real love.  So, The New World wins it. 

Day 19 - Your Favorite Action Film

In a week’s time recently I watched three classic all-time-favorite action films: Terminator 2, Aliens and the original Die Hard. Then I struggled for two weeks trying to determine which of the three deserved the title of Greatest Action Film of all time.  It was difficult, but the winner is: Die Hard. 

Even if Bruce Willis isn’t the best action hero of all (which he arguably is) and the script wasn't the tightest, most fun action script ever (which it is), then it must be admitted that Die Hard has the greatest villain of all time: Alan Rickman. So cool and completely in control even when all hell breaks loose. And as important as the hero is, it is hard to be a superior villain. 

Day 18 - Your Favorite Comedy Film

I do love quirk. The quirkier the Coens are, the better I like the film. Terry Giliam, Buckaroo Bonzai, Ferris Bueller—all favorites. But the queen of quirk is easily crowned: Amelie.  The only time I do not have a stupid smile on my face while watching this film is when I am laughing out loud. Her odd way of seeing the universe, her matter-of-fact narration, and the elaborately staged plans, as if life were a machine built by Wallace and Gromit, are all magical and wonderful to me. 

Day 17 - Your Favorite Drama Film

The term “drama” is pretty broad.  Aren’t most Westerns dramas? Science fiction? Thrillers? If we take the term “drama” in the most narrow sense—a film that takes itself seriously but isn’t included in one of these other genres—then my choice is not easy, but one film must be mentioned: In America. 

It is the story of an Irish family having moved to New York in order to make a better life. It certainly is not a film about immigration, but about family and tragedy and marriage and such wonderful, wonderful characters. You can laugh and cry in every scene, at the same time. 

Day 16 - A Film You Used to Love, But Now Hate

Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band.  Don’t ask. 

Well, look, when I was a kid I thought it was great. I bought the book. It had all these Beatles lyrics in it, which I dutifully memorized. Yeah, well, some films just don’t retain their pleasure. Nor should they.

If you thought Across The Universe was bad, check out Sgt. Peppers to see what a REALLY bad film based on Beatles songs would look like.

Day 15 - The Film That Depicts Your Life

I absolutely adore The Mission (1986). It is gorgeous. It is moralistic while still presenting different points of view.  It both upholds and tears down religion. All good things I like. The priest that Jeremy Irons plays is, more than anyone else, the movie character on which I have based my life. Like him, I jumped into a culture that is not well understood, embraced that culture, loved those people, built community among those people and stand up for them before authorities that try to tear it down. I might hope that my end would be different than Father Gabriel, but what comes is what comes. 

Day 14 - The Film That No One Expected You To Like

I’m a pastor and known to be of high moral fiber.  Whatever.  And often when discussing movies with people who do not know that I’m a movie nerd they would often warn me away from the film Sin City. “It is utterly devoid of any redeeming quality. It is dark and evil.” Well, I love that film. Yeah, it is dark and melodramatic. But like many great films, the ethical aspect is hidden behind a lot of evil deeds. Besides, Mickey Rourke is so cool.

Day 13 - A Guilty Pleasure

I am a secret Hugh Grant fan. He is so funny in everything he’s in, I love it. I am not a Julia Roberts fan. But the great thing about Notting Hill is that Julia Roberts says almost nothing. She’s mostly there for window dressing. But the wonderful eccentric neighbors and their adventures to help poor Hugh Grant finds love… it’s awesome. Laughs and fun characters. What more could I want?

Day 12: A Film By Your Least Favorite Director

I don’t have a “least favorite” director. Who thinks of these things? Who would want to spend time thinking of the people who make the worst movies? Sure, if one director specifically stood out…  

But for me, while there is no “worst” director, there are sadly overrated directors. And the prize for that—were I handing out awards for such a dubious honor—goes to Woody Allen. If I were a New Yorker, perhaps I’d like him better, but his humor mostly misses and his Bergman worship is overwrought. And the most overpraised film of this overpraised director is Annie Hall. 

Look, I can appreciate what Allen was trying.  There are excellent ideas there and a fun notion. The breaking down of the fourth wall was excellent.  But if someone is going to write a romantic comedy, there are two elements that, by definition, it should succeed in: it should have attractive characters and it should be funny.  Annie Hall fails in both of these areas. Frankly, since the mid-70's, Allen hasn't really made very funny movies.  Crimes and Misdemeanors was an excellent, thoughtful drama. But funny?  No. And Annie Hall adds injury to this insult by not having a single character that is likable. Finally, what is the point of the film?  It doesn't seem to go anywhere.  Annie has a character arc, but is that it?  

Well, I’d better shut up now because I’m going to get enough hate mail.

Day 11: A Film By Your Favorite Director

Hayao Miyazaki is the greatest living animation direction and he is possibly the best art director and script writer as well.  Almost every scene in every movie is art we could hang on the wall. But he also has an amazing way of allowing fresh, exciting characters come alive on the screen.  And his films are also infused with a religious and moral philosophy that could be studied for years. 

I’ve already mentioned two Miyazaki films in the 30 Day Challenge, (Spirited Away and Nausicaa) but another of his many great animated films is Princess Mononoke. The themes are so rich and the animation so beautiful and dramatic… every scene is heart stopping. This is his most adult film and most heartbreaking and cynical. Well, as cynical as he gets. A must-see.