These are a few of my favorite things...
Films I Adore 101
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- DirectorIrvin KershnerStarsMark HamillHarrison FordCarrie FisherAfter the Rebel Alliance are overpowered by the Empire, Luke Skywalker begins his Jedi training with Yoda, while his friends are pursued across the galaxy by Darth Vader and bounty hunter Boba Fett.Quite possibly my all-time #1 favorite film! The strongest of the three, IMO. Re: The Triology, as Joseph Campbell has said, Star Wars is our new mythology. For multiple generations now it has provided those goal posts on the proper form of existence (power vs compassion, ego vs id, the will of the state vs the will of the soul) ...something we lost in abandoning our old mythologies. Star Wars provided a spiritual awakening and affirmation that 19th & 20th century religion failed to convey to it's pupils. Thank you, George! To quote Joseph, "God is an intelligible sphere, let's say a sphere known to the mind and not to the senses, whose center is everywhere & circumference is nowhere, and that center is right where you are sitting, and the other is right where I am sitting and each of us is a manifestation of that mystery." May the force be with you ;)
- DirectorDavid LynchStarsNaomi WattsLaura HarringJustin TherouxAfter a car wreck on Mulholland Drive renders a woman amnesiac, she and a Hollywood-hopeful search for clues and answers across Los Angeles in a twisting venture beyond dreams and reality.My favorite David Lynch film. This is not only Naomi Watts breakthrough Oscar worthy performance as an artist, but possibly one of THE BEST acted performances in all of cinema period. The camera LOVES her and her performance is simply golden. You can't get closer to perfection in this art as Naomi did in Mulholland Dr. A perfect example of an artist who's found their passion and embodies it 100%
- DirectorJim HensonFrank OzStarsJim HensonKathryn MullenFrank OzOn another planet in the distant past, a Gelfling embarks on a quest to find the missing shard of a magical crystal, and to restore order to his world.My favorite piece of Jim Henson art & one of my top favorite films of all time!
- DirectorGodfrey ReggioStarsEdward AsnerPat BenatarJerry BrownA collection of expertly photographed phenomena with no conventional plot. The footage focuses on the relationship between nature, humanity, and technology.WOW. A collaboration of extremely talented artists converged on a project and the final result is this magnificent work! This thing transcends the label of "film" & resides in a stature that I believe is worthy of being one of the most important products of man in this period of history.
- DirectorDavid CronenbergStarsJude LawJennifer Jason LeighIan HolmA game designer on the run from assassins must play her latest virtual reality creation with a marketing trainee to determine if the game has been damaged.Mind candy at it's finest! IMO the schizophrenic nature of the characters, the disillusionment the viewer feels as they consciously discern game character dialog from reality, the brooding dystopian atmosphere, & the subtle textures of the sets are far far more trippy than any lacking-substance-CGI-fest (ala The Matrix). Plus, Jennifer Jason Leigh is one of those actresses I can watch for hours & never tire of the charisma she exudes nor the joy of simply being here to experience this art.
- DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsWillem DafoeHarvey KeitelBarbara HersheyThe life of Jesus Christ, his journey through life as he faces the struggles all humans do, and his final temptation on the cross.IMO Martin Scorsese's magnum opus, enough said.
- DirectorDarren AronofskyStarsEllen BurstynJared LetoJennifer ConnellyThe drug-induced utopias of four Coney Island people are shattered when their addictions run deep..Although I've enjoyed everything Darren Aronofsky has done to date, this film has always spoken to me on so many levels. Up there in my top 10 list. The Fountain is arguably a "better" film, but I feel more viewers can relate to the cultural imminence of Requiem VS the existentialism of The Fountain.
- DirectorSofia CoppolaStarsKirsten DunstJosh HartnettJames WoodsA group of male friends become obsessed with five mysterious sisters who are sheltered by their strict, religious parents in suburban Detroit in the mid 1970s.Another film that goes straight to my soul. I get it ... and it gets me, every single time.
- DirectorDavid LynchStarsSheryl LeeRay WiseMädchen AmickLaura Palmer's harrowing final days are chronicled one year after the murder of Teresa Banks, a resident of Twin Peaks' neighboring town.Yeah, critics hate it but this "prequel series finale" is one of those films that I have watched & will continue to watch over & over & over again, and appreciate it as it's own piece of art and not the beginning or end of anything. 8)
- DirectorOliver StoneStarsVal KilmerMeg RyanKyle MacLachlanThe story of the famous and influential 1960s rock band The Doors and its lead singer and composer, Jim Morrison, from his days as a UCLA film student in Los Angeles, to his untimely death in Paris, France at age 27 in 1971.Val Kilmer completely embodies Jim Morrison. One of my favorite bands & one of my favorite movies, they both sparked my love affair with 60s counter culture!
- DirectorMark RobsonStarsBarbara ParkinsPatty DukePaul BurkeFilm version of Jacqueline Susann's best-selling novel chronicling the rise and fall of three young women in show business.I absolutely ADORE this cult classic! "I have to get up at five o'clock in the morning and SPARKLE, Neely, SPARKLE!"
- DirectorAlan ParkerStarsBob GeldofChristine HargreavesJames LaurensonA confined but troubled rock star descends into madness in the midst of his physical and social isolation from everyone.Psychedelic introspection at it's best.
- DirectorJonas ÅkerlundStarsJason SchwartzmanJohn LeguizamoPatrick FugitA drug dealer introduces one of his customers, a 'speed freak', to the man who runs the meth lab. A crazy three-day adventure ensues.Another counter culture favorite chock full of amazing performances & shot through the eyes of a tweaker. Not only is it outrageously entertaining, there is also so much truth & reality laced in this gem that bleeds through on repeated viewings.
- DirectorPeter JacksonStarsMelanie LynskeyKate WinsletSarah PeirseTwo teenage girls share a unique bond; their parents, concerned that the friendship is too intense, separate them, and the girls take revenge.IMO, Peter Jackson's finest.
- DirectorRichard KellyStarsJake GyllenhaalJena MaloneMary McDonnellAfter narrowly escaping a bizarre accident, a troubled teenager is plagued by visions of a man in a large rabbit suit who manipulates him to commit a series of crimes.A moment in time that I've watched a million times and will watch a million more.
- DirectorAdrian MabenStarsDavid GilmourRoger WatersRichard WrightLive versions of the songs, filmed in an old Pompeii amphitheater. Songs included are Echoes (split into 2 parts), Careful with that axe, Eugene, A saucerful of secrets, One of those days, Set the controls for the heart of the sun, Mademoiselle nobbs (Seamus, but with Rick's dog on vocals). "Careful" and "Set the controls" are shot at night with minimal lighting, setting a beautiful mood. And the live Saucerful just has to be seen, with Waters jumping around in the sunlight banging the huge gong. The 80-minute version features studio footage from the recordings of Dark side of the Moon, with alternate versions of Us and them, On the run and Brain Damage, as well as interviews with the band.EpiC ... That amazing natural amphitheater experience (which we now associate with places like Red Rocks) right around their creative peak ... Mind BL0WiNG
- DirectorDarren AronofskyStarsHugh JackmanRachel WeiszSean Patrick ThomasAs a modern-day scientist, Tommy is struggling with mortality, desperately searching for the medical breakthrough that will save the life of his cancer-stricken wife, Izzi.Although I've seen the film many times, I still do not think I made it through one entire continuous viewing. And that is SUCH a high compliment! I always find my brain over stimulated & pausing to read up on biotech or contemplate Xibalba. Or rolling around in the beauty & agony of the pain that is love. These performances are FTW! Poetry on the importance of impermanence.
- DirectorTerry HughesStarsAngela LansburyGeorge HearnCris GroenendaalBarber Sweeney Todd returns to London to uncover the past, along the way meeting pie shop owner Mrs. Nellie Lovett, and begins to start his life of crime.The George Hearn / Angela Lansbury classic shot on stage. A masterpiece that helped launch my passion for theatre!
- DirectorTerry GilliamStarsJohnny DeppBenicio Del ToroTobey MaguireAn oddball journalist and his psychopathic lawyer travel to Las Vegas for a series of psychedelic escapades."We can't stop here, this is bat country!" ;P
- DirectorBob RafelsonStarsPeter TorkDavy JonesMicky DolenzThe Monkees frolic their way through a series of musical set pieces and vignettes containing surreal humor and anti-establishment social commentary.A "must see" for any spunion! Witty, psychedelic & co-written by Jack Nicholson
- DirectorJoel CoenEthan CoenStarsJeff BridgesJohn GoodmanJulianne MooreJeff "The Dude" Lebowski, mistaken for a millionaire of the same name, seeks restitution for his ruined rug and enlists his bowling buddies to help get it.The Dude Abides
- DirectorPaul Thomas AndersonStarsMark WahlbergJulianne MooreBurt ReynoldsBack when sex was safe, pleasure was a business and business was booming, an idealistic porn producer aspires to elevate his craft to an art when he discovers a hot young talent.This film is *SOOO* much fun! Love it! The yayo scene between Julianne Moore & Heather Graham is to die for 8D
- DirectorJaco Van DormaelStarsJared LetoSarah PolleyDiane KrugerA boy stands on a station platform as a train is about to leave. Should he go with his mother or stay with his father? Infinite possibilities arise from this decision. As long as he doesn't choose, anything is possible.When I 1st screened this back in 2009, I remember going into it dismissively. "Hmmm, pretentious art house dribble. Just more hipsters w/all of time & too much $ doing another 'The Science of Sleep'" and I let it play ever so slightly in the peripheral while I multitasked. Then somewhere around the tract "Daydream" this thing just bit me like a rabid animal. Having seen it at least half a dozen times now, I can say it's got me hook, line & sinker. Theoretical quantum physics, eternal love, contentment with no fear, I mean what else can I say?
- DirectorPeter WeirStarsRachel RobertsAnne-Louise LambertVivean GrayDuring a rural summer picnic, a few students and a teacher from an Australian girls' school vanish without a trace. Their absence frustrates and haunts the people left behind.if someone said turn the word "yearning" into a 2hr film. here it is
- DirectorAdrian LyneStarsTim RobbinsElizabeth PeñaDanny AielloMourning his dead child, a haunted Vietnam War veteran attempts to uncover his past while suffering from a severe case of dissociation. To do so, he must decipher reality and life from his own dreams, delusions, and perceptions of death.Scary, psychedelic, & ultimately enlightening. This MK-Ultra-esque tale has kept me fascinated for over two decades!