500 Movies Not To Miss...
These are the movies that I would probably put in my top 500. The order is by year of release.
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- DirectorFritz LangStarsBrigitte HelmAlfred AbelGustav FröhlichIn a futuristic city sharply divided between the working class and the city planners, the son of the city's mastermind falls in love with a working-class prophet who predicts the coming of a savior to mediate their differences.Probably the strongest sci-fi/political movie ever. A pure beauty. And it hasn't aged a bit.
- DirectorFritz LangStarsPeter LorreEllen WidmannInge LandgutWhen the police in a German city are unable to catch a child-murderer, other criminals join in the manhunt.A treasure, never equalled. Peter Lorre is probably one of the most frightening villains ever.
- DirectorCarl Theodor DreyerStarsJulian WestMaurice SchutzRena MandelA drifter obsessed with the supernatural stumbles upon an inn where a severely ill adolescent girl is slowly becoming a vampire.People talk a lot about "Nosferatu". But I always found this one superior to Murnau's. Maybe the treatment is more gothic, more "modern" than "Nosferatu". My favorite vampire movie.
- DirectorJames AlgarSamuel ArmstrongFord Beebe Jr.StarsLeopold StokowskiDeems TaylorThe Philadelphia OrchestraA series of eight famous pieces of classical music, conducted by Leopold Stokowski and interpreted in animation by Walt Disney's team of artists.Come on. We all dreamed hours and hours in front of this one, didn't we?
- DirectorMichael CurtizStarsHumphrey BogartIngrid BergmanPaul HenreidA cynical expatriate American cafe owner struggles to decide whether or not to help his former lover and her fugitive husband escape the Nazis in French Morocco.Do I really have to explain? :)
- DirectorMarcel CarnéStarsArlettyJean-Louis BarraultPierre BrasseurThe theatrical life of a beautiful courtesan in 1830s Paris and the four men who love her.Probably the best French movie ever. Still.
- DirectorRobert SiodmakStarsBurt LancasterAva GardnerEdmond O'BrienHit men kill an unresisting victim, and investigator Reardon uncovers his past involvement with beautiful, deadly Kitty Collins.A chef d'oeuvre in the film noir genre, with a wonderful pair Burt Lancaster/Ava Gardner. I hated the remake by Don Siegel with Ronald Reagan. It wasted all the beauty of this one. Not to be missed.
- DirectorFrank CapraStarsJames StewartDonna ReedLionel BarrymoreAn angel is sent from Heaven to help a desperately frustrated businessman by showing him what life would have been like if he had never existed.Is it possible not to fall in love with this Christmas tale, so light and ingenuous? Capra's universe can sometime be too much, but this one is just perfect, with a perfect James Stewart.
- DirectorJean CocteauStarsJean MaraisFrançois PérierMaría CasaresA poet in love with Death follows his unhappy wife into the underworld.Jean Cocteau is one of my favorite French authors, but he's one hell of a filmmaker too. I remember being mesmerized by "Orphee", with a unforgettable Jean Marais. The strange thing is Cocteau's vision hasn't aged a bit. Unbelievable.
- DirectorJules DassinStarsRichard WidmarkGene TierneyGoogie WithersA small-time grifter and nightclub tout takes advantage of some fortuitous circumstances and tries to become a big-time player as a wrestling promoter.A revelation. My favorite of Jule Dassin's movies, with an incredible performance by Richard Widmark.
- DirectorFred ZinnemannStarsGary CooperGrace KellyThomas MitchellA town Marshal, despite the disagreements of his newlywed bride and the townspeople around him, must face a gang of deadly killers alone at "high noon" when the gang leader, an outlaw he "sent up" years ago, arrives on the noon train.Probably the greatest western ever made. I saw this one at least three or four times, and found it stupendous each and every time...
- DirectorJohn FordStarsJohn WayneMaureen O'HaraBarry FitzgeraldA retired American boxer returns to the village of his birth in 1920s Ireland, where he falls for a spirited redhead whose brother is contemptuous of their union.The wonderful couple John Wayne/Maureen O'Hara in a great John Ford classic. Not to be missed.
- DirectorKenji MizoguchiStarsMasayuki MoriMachiko KyôKinuyo TanakaA tale of ambition, family, love, and war set in the midst of the Japanese Civil Wars of the sixteenth century.I completely fell in love with that one. It was so eerie and unlike anything I had ever seen. It was suggested to me by the owner of a videotheque in Achrafieh (Beirut/Lebanon) that was called La Cinetheque. This videotheque has disappeared since, back in the end of the '90's. I like the French title of this movie better: "Les Contes de la lune vague apres la pluie"... A poem. Just like the movie itself.
- DirectorAkira KurosawaStarsToshirô MifuneTakashi ShimuraKeiko TsushimaFarmers from a village exploited by bandits hire a veteran samurai for protection, who gathers six other samurai to join him.An extraordinary epic. It looks like a western, and it's unique in its genre.
- DirectorAlfred HitchcockStarsJames StewartGrace KellyWendell CoreyA wheelchair-bound photographer spies on his neighbors from his Greenwich Village courtyard apartment window and, despite the skepticism of his fashion-model girlfriend, becomes convinced one of them has committed murder.Wonderful thriller that hasn't aged a bit. It shows how Hitchcock is really the master of suspense, and what a great actor James Stewart was. And Grace Kelly has never been more shining and beautiful. A perfect movie. It was a sacrilege from Hollywood to remake it as "Disturbia".
- DirectorElia KazanStarsMarlon BrandoKarl MaldenLee J. CobbAn ex-prize fighter turned New Jersey longshoreman struggles to stand up to his corrupt union bosses, including his older brother, as he starts to connect with the grieving sister of one of the syndicate's victims.Elia Kazan is my favorite director, and this is one of his best movies, with an exceptional performance by both Brando and Malden. They would reunite in another gem, "One-Eyed Jacks", years later.
- DirectorNicholas RayStarsJames DeanNatalie WoodSal MineoA rebellious young man with a troubled past comes to a new town, finding friends and enemies.Another punch in the face. Saw this one when I was 14 or 15 I guess. I have never seen so much despair in a performance. Or maybe in Dean's characters in East of Eden and Giant too. And there's Natalie Wood. And Sal Mineo. And Nicholas Ray's unique style. One of my favorite films.
- DirectorElia KazanStarsJames DeanRaymond MasseyJulie HarrisTwo brothers in 1910s California struggle to maintain their strict, Bible-toting father's favor as an old secret about their long-absent mother comes to light.I guess Elia Kazan is my all-time favorite director. And I think East of Eden is his masterpiece. And he also captured the best of James Dean...
- DirectorIngmar BergmanStarsMax von SydowGunnar BjörnstrandBengt EkerotA knight returning to Sweden after the Crusades seeks answers about life, death, and the existence of God as he plays chess against the Grim Reaper during the Black Plague.I think Bergman shook my world when I discovered him. "The Seventh Seal" was the first of his movies that I saw. The images are still marked deep in my mind. It's like a Flemish painting transformed into a picture. One of my top ten films, most probably.
- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsKirk DouglasRalph MeekerAdolphe MenjouAfter a failed attack on a German position, a general orders three soldiers, chosen at random, court-martialed for cowardice and their commanding officer must defend them.Perhaps the strongest war movie ever made - much more powerful than "Saving Private Ryan", for instance. And it's one of the best Kubrick movies, with an exceptional performance by Kirk Douglas.
- DirectorAlfred HitchcockStarsJames StewartKim NovakBarbara Bel GeddesA former San Francisco police detective juggles wrestling with his personal demons and becoming obsessed with the hauntingly beautiful woman he has been hired to trail, who may be deeply disturbed.Probably the best Hitchcock movie for me, with one of my all-time favorite actors James Stewart, and a very strange Kim Novak. I had never seen anything like that before.
- DirectorAlain ResnaisStarsEmmanuelle RivaEiji OkadaStella DassasA French actress filming an anti-war film in Hiroshima has an affair with a married Japanese architect as they share their differing perspectives on war.This was a very big revelation to me. As soon as the first pictures unroll, and you hear the first lines of Marguerite Duras' script, you know you're up for a different kind of adventure. And it is so, right until the end. A pure beauty.
- DirectorHoward HawksStarsJohn WayneDean MartinRicky NelsonA small-town sheriff in the American West enlists the help of a disabled man, a drunk, and a young gunfighter in his efforts to hold in jail the brother of the local bad guy.Another classic. I must have seen it at least 5 or 6 times since I was four. The best scene is definitely, for me, Dean Martin singing "My Rifle, my pony and me".
- DirectorJean-Luc GodardStarsJean-Paul BelmondoJean SebergVan DoudeA small-time crook, hunted by the authorities for a car theft and the murder a police officer, attempts to persuade a hip American journalism student to run away with him to Italy.Godard is definitely not my favorite director. But this is an all time winner.
- DirectorAlain ResnaisStarsDelphine SeyrigGiorgio AlbertazziSacha PitoëffIn a strange and isolated chateau, a man becomes acquainted with a woman and insists that they have met before.Not my Resnais favorite, but still a great movie, with unforgettable images. It works more like a poem or a dream.
- DirectorElia KazanStarsNatalie WoodWarren BeattyPat HingleThe love of high school sweethearts Deanie and Bud is weighed down by the oppressive expectations of their parents and society in smalltown Kansas in 1928, threatening the future of their relationship.Another Kazan movie. I must have seen this when I was 16. I found it so powerful and breathtaking back then, especially because of Natalie Wood's beauty and incredible performance. This is, I believe, one of the most perfect depiction of impossible love, passion and destruction.
- DirectorBlake EdwardsStarsAudrey HepburnGeorge PeppardPatricia NealA young New York socialite becomes interested in a young man who has moved into her apartment building, but her past threatens to get in the way.A magnificent Audrey Hepburn in an unforgettable film...
- DirectorDavid LeanStarsPeter O'TooleAlec GuinnessAnthony QuinnThe story of T.E. Lawrence, the English officer who successfully united and led the diverse, often warring, Arab tribes during World War I in order to fight the Turks.Chef-d'oeuvre. Not a single word added to that description would mean a thing.
- DirectorChris MarkerStarsÉtienne BeckerJean NégroniHélène ChatelainThe story of a man forced to explore his memories in the wake of World War III's devastation, told through still images.Chris Marker's short film shouldn't be missed. "The Twelve Monkeys" doesn't do it justice. It's a pity it was remade, even by someone as respected and genius as Terry Gilliam. A real piece of art.
- 19641h 35mPG8.4 (519K)97MetascoreDirectorStanley KubrickStarsPeter SellersGeorge C. ScottSterling HaydenAn unhinged American general orders a bombing attack on the Soviet Union, triggering a path to nuclear holocaust that a war room full of politicians and generals frantically tries to stop.Probably my favorite Kubrick movie. Hilarious.
- DirectorAndrei TarkovskyStarsAnatoliy SolonitsynIvan LapikovNikolay GrinkoThe life, times and afflictions of the fifteenth-century Russian iconographer St. Andrei Rublev.A movie or an icon? Hard to tell. A unique experience.
- DirectorFrançois TruffautStarsOskar WernerJulie ChristieCyril CusackIn an oppressive future, a fireman whose duty is to destroy all books begins to question his task.My Truffaut favorite movie - most probably because it doesn't look like Truffaut. Is this a story about totalitarianism or just plain modernity? How many books are going to disappear with the e-book technology?
- DirectorRoman PolanskiStarsMia FarrowJohn CassavetesRuth GordonA young couple trying for a baby moves into an aging, ornate apartment building on Central Park West, where they find themselves surrounded by peculiar neighbors.Polanski is the master in the horror genre, be it with "Repulsion", or this one. I think this is far better than "The Exorcist" or anything made since about satanism/demonic possession. Because it's also not about that. It's also a movie about motherhood and the anguish it generates. And it's wonderful, and at the same time horrifying.
- DirectorIngmar BergmanStarsMax von SydowLiv UllmannGertrud FridhWhile vacationing on a remote German island with his younger pregnant wife, an artist has an emotional breakdown while confronting his repressed desires.A nightmare. A paintor's nightmare, and it creeps to you. This is a real horror movie, in every sense of the word. But it's more than this. It's a movie about the struggle of man to stay sane, to overcome his fears, and even to love. My favorite in all of Bergman's filmography.
- DirectorJohn CassavetesStarsJohn MarleyGena RowlandsLynn CarlinA middle-aged man leaves his wife for another woman. Shortly after, his ex-wife also begins a relationship with a younger partner. The film follows their struggles to find love amongst each other.John Cassavetes again, and another lesson of cinema, with four great actors yelling and laughing and crying and screaming at each other, just giving everything, transforming this into a unique experience. Wow !
- DirectorSydney PollackStarsJane FondaMichael SarrazinSusannah YorkThe lives of a disparate group of contestants intertwine in an inhumanely grueling dance marathon.Another dark movie, but yet quite sublime. This is one of the movies that punched me in the face. And they are very rare. Probably one of the most violent movies - psychologically speaking - in the history of cinema. But it shouldn't be missed.
- DirectorGeorge Roy HillStarsPaul NewmanRobert RedfordKatharine RossIn 1890s Wyoming, Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid lead a band of outlaws. When a train robbery goes wrong, they find themselves on the run with a posse hard on their heels. After considering their options, they escape to South America.Another great western with one of the best duo ever, Paul Newman and Robert Redford. Along with the Burt Bacharach song and the bicycle scene... Marvelous.
- DirectorFranklin J. SchaffnerStarsGeorge C. ScottKarl MaldenStephen YoungThe World War II phase of the career of controversial American general George S. Patton.Another chef-d'oeuvre with perhaps one of the best performances ever from an actor, given here by George C. Scott...
- DirectorArthur PennStarsDustin HoffmanFaye DunawayChief Dan GeorgeJack Crabb, looking back from extreme old age, tells of his life being raised by Native Americans and fighting with General Custer.One of my favorite westerns. Arthur Penn was a great director, and I don't think that he got the recognition he deserves. This movie is an epic, with a wonderful cast.
- DirectorJoseph L. MankiewiczStarsLaurence OlivierMichael CaineAlec CawthorneA man who loves games and theater invites his wife's lover to meet him, setting up a battle of wits with potentially deadly results.Another brilliant movie that was recently sabotaged by a remake... and it's a pity that Michael Caine agreed to be part of that sabotage. I just think it has become impossible to make such clever movies today. Mainly because the actors are not as good as they used to be.
- DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsMarlon BrandoAl PacinoJames CaanThe aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son.Probably one of the five best movie of all times, with an unique performance by Marlon Brando. Not one of my most favorite in this top, I have to admit - on the very personal level I mean. But it remains a chef-d'oeuvre.
- DirectorWerner HerzogStarsKlaus KinskiRuy GuerraHelena RojoIn the 16th century, the ruthless and insane Don Lope de Aguirre leads a Spanish expedition in search of El Dorado.What can be said about this... It's a movie about decay. The decay of a man, slowly descending into madness. And Klaus Kinski was actually a little bit mad... but this is too much. A wonderful epic about man's vanity.
- DirectorJean EustacheStarsBernadette LafontJean-Pierre LéaudFrançoise LebrunThe chauvinist Alexandre balances relationships with several women in the post-1968 intellectual scene of Paris.A classical french movie, that I saw after because it was described as shocking for its time. "La Maman et la putain" is the archetype of the French movie of the 70's, and it may seem quite old today. But definitely worth seeing.
- DirectorLina WertmüllerStarsGiancarlo GianniniMariangela MelatoRiccardo SalvinoA trip into the Mediterranean sea becomes a trip into the discovery of how society's frameworks of the rich and poor are delicate and temporary.One of my top 20 movies. It is political, erotic, powerful, mean, and fascinating. Can't say more, you have to see it. And Madonna should be exiled on an island for a hundred years for starring in a silly remake of this extraordinary fresque.
- DirectorDino RisiStarsVittorio GassmanAlessandro MomoAgostina BelliA young private is assigned to accompany a blind captain. It soon becomes clear that they are both complex personalities.One of my favorite. I first saw the remake with Pacino when I was a kid, and was captured by his performance. I thought Martin Brest's film was awesome (I was 12)... until I saw Dino Risi's movie with the incredible Vittorio Gassman. Since then, I haven't been able to stare at the remake. This film - the original - is pure poetry.
- DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsAl PacinoRobert De NiroRobert DuvallThe early life and career of Vito Corleone in 1920s New York City is portrayed, while his son, Michael, expands and tightens his grip on the family crime syndicate.I oddly like this one better than the first. It is probably because of both Robert de Niro and Al Pacino's performances. The scenes shot in black and white are tremendous.
- DirectorJohn HustonStarsSean ConneryMichael CaineChristopher PlummerIn 1880s India, two former British soldiers decide to set themselves up as Kings in Kafiristan, a land where no white man has set foot since Alexander the Great.John Huston is one of my favorite directors, and Sean Connery one my favorite actors. I just love this movie. Grandiose.
- DirectorElia KazanStarsRobert De NiroTony CurtisRobert MitchumF. Scott Fitzgerald's novel is brought to life in this story of a movie producer slowly working himself to death.Strangely, one of my favorite De Niro movie. Even though it's not a grand classic, "The Last Tycoon" assembles a great cast. Another downfall epic, told with maestria by my favorite director, Elia Kazan.
- DirectorSidney LumetStarsFaye DunawayWilliam HoldenPeter FinchA television network cynically exploits a deranged former anchor's ravings and revelations about the news media for its own profit, but finds that his message may be difficult to control.This depiction of media is ageless. Lumet was a visionary. And the cast is just awesome, especially Faye Dunaway and the extraordinary Peter Finch. It reminds me of Leonard Cohen's song "Everybody Knows".
- DirectorJohn CassavetesStarsGena RowlandsJohn CassavetesBen GazzaraA renowned actress teeters on the edge of a breakdown as she counts down the days toward a big Broadway opening.Gena. Magnificent Gena. Cassavetes is another one of my favorite directors. "Opening Night" is one look at the life of an actress, its solitude and its slow descent into madness. Fascinating and terribly dark.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsKeith CarradineHarvey KeitelAlbert FinneyFrance, 1801. Due to a minor perceived slight, mild-mannered Lieutenant d'Hubert is forced into a duel with hot-headed irrational Lieutenant Feraud. The disagreement ultimately results in scores of duels spanning several years.Wow. I discovered Ridley Scott with this movie. How great ! It reminds me of Girard's theory about mimetism that eventually leads to violence... A wonderful movie, with two great actors.
- DirectorMichael CiminoStarsRobert De NiroChristopher WalkenJohn CazaleAn in-depth examination of the ways in which the Vietnam War impacts and disrupts the lives of several friends in a small steel mill town in Pennsylvania.The kind of movie that will never age, with one of the most powerful cast effort ever. And Christopher Walken is just tremendous, especially in the Russian roulette scene. A nightmare. Amazing.
- DirectorIngmar BergmanStarsIngrid BergmanLiv UllmannLena NymanA devoted wife is visited by her mother, a successful concert pianist who had little time for her when she was young.A very strong movie to watch, with incredible performances by Ingrid Bergman and Liv Ullmann. Very intense.
- DirectorWoody AllenStarsWoody AllenDiane KeatonMariel HemingwayThe life of a divorced television writer dating a teenage girl is further complicated when he falls in love with his best friend's mistress.My favorite Woody Allen movie. Are there really words to express the feeling? I don't think so.
- DirectorNorman JewisonStarsAl PacinoJack WardenJohn ForsytheA lawyer is forced to defend a judge, while defending other clients, and trying to find punishment for the guilty and provide justice for the innocent.Great movie, with Pacino in his best years. A great, cynical depiction of law.
- DirectorNicholas RayWim WendersStarsGerry BammanRonee BlakleyPierre CottrellWim Wenders abandons the shoot of one of his own films in order to help his friend and fellow director Nicholas Ray create his swan song before he dies.I saw this one in Paris. I had heard about it, but I expected something else. This a wonderful homage to one of the greatest directors ever, Nicholas Ray. Very moving.
- DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsC. Thomas HowellMatt DillonRalph MacchioIn a small Oklahoma town in 1964, the rivalry between two gangs, the poor Greasers and the rich Socs, heats up when one gang member accidentally kills a member of the other.I was probably 6 or 7 when I saw The Outsiders for the first time. I remember crying for hour afterwards. I must have seen it ten times since. Coppola caught in one movie all the fragility of young actors in the process of becoming stars. Even if it's not recognized as a major picture, I think Outsiders is one of Coppola's best pictures.
If I love so much movies, it's mainly because of this movie I suppose. It hooked me to cinema. - DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsMatt DillonMickey RourkeDiane LaneAbsent-minded street thug Rusty James struggles to live up to his legendary older brother's reputation, and longs for the days of gang warfare.I felt I had to see "Rumble Fish" after "Outsiders". But it was very hard to find it in the country I live in back then. So I had to wait a long time before seeing it. I finally found it in France in 1989. I was not disappointed. It's another Coppola masterpiece.
- DirectorJohn CassavetesStarsGena RowlandsJohn CassavetesDiahnne AbbottTwo closely bound, emotionally wounded souls reunite after years apart.Chaos imprisoned in a movie. I never felt anything like this before. Again, this odd couple Gena Rowlands/John Cassavetes... A unique experience.
- DirectorWoody AllenStarsElaine StritchDenholm ElliottMia FarrowAt a summer house in Vermont, neighbor Howard falls in love with Lane, who's in a relationship with Peter, who's falling for Stephanie, who's married with children.When Woody Allen plays Ingmar Bergman. I saw this one on VHS in Paris at 17, and it shook my world. I've seen it a couple of times since, and I just find it perfect... but yet so sad...
- DirectorWim WendersStarsBruno GanzSolveig DommartinOtto SanderAn angel tires of his purely ethereal life of merely overseeing the human activity of Berlin's residents, and longs for the tangible joys of physical existence when he falls in love with a mortal.I saw this movie twice. First time, I was about ten. I was with my father, and it was during the war, in 1989. We had to leave the theatre and go to a demonstration, where we almost died, because we were shot at. I saw it again in the mid 90's. It was like a long, beautiful Rilke poem dwelling on my soul... I was captivated... One of my top ten movies, if not my top five.
- DirectorJohn HustonStarsAnjelica HustonDonal McCannHelena CarrollGabriel Conroy and wife Gretta attend an early January dinner with friends at the home of his spinster aunts, an evening which results in an epiphany for both of them.This movie left me frozen, somehow like the memory that closes the last scene. This movie is John Huston's testament. It feels like it - like the dusk of something. It made me feel how tremendous this director was. A true piece of art.
- DirectorNorman JewisonStarsCherNicolas CageOlympia DukakisLoretta Castorini, a bookkeeper from Brooklyn, New York, finds herself in a difficult situation when she falls for the brother of the man she has agreed to marry.Delightful comedy that I probably saw ten times. It's the kind of film that flows and unfolds, and even though you know it by heart, you can't change the channel. Like "When Harry Met Sally". They really knew how to make such films in the 1980's...
- DirectorBrian De PalmaStarsKevin CostnerSean ConneryRobert De NiroDuring Prohibition, Treasury agent Eliot Ness sets out to stop ruthless Chicago gangster Al Capone, and assembles a small, incorruptible team to help him.One of the films I have seen repeatedly over the years. I still can't find a single flaw. Excellent cast/acting/directing/music. It's just perfect.
- DirectorBarry LevinsonStarsDustin HoffmanTom CruiseValeria GolinoAfter a selfish L.A. yuppie learns his estranged father left a fortune to an autistic-savant brother in Ohio that he didn't know existed, he absconds with his brother and sets out across the country, hoping to gain a larger inheritance.Saw this one in Paris in 1989. Probably focused on Tom Cruise, who was finally getting some serious roles. I was stunned by Hoffman's performance. Still am today. I also like the score a lot, as well as the cinematography. Levinson's movies always have this great cinematography and picture quality. Each time I see Rain Man, I seem to like it better.
- DirectorAndrzej ZulawskiStarsSophie MarceauJacques DutroncValérie LagrangeA story of doomed passion by two mortally ill people: he is physically, she is mentally.Very strange movie with two very difficult performances for Sophie Marceau and Jacques Dutronc. The trouble with Zulawski is that his universe is so absurd that it could take really nothing to fall into something quite ridiculous. My opinion is that this one was very powerful - if not for all tastes.
- DirectorAlejandro JodorowskyStarsAxel JodorowskyBlanca GuerraGuy StockwellA former circus artist escapes from a mental hospital to rejoin his armless mother - the leader of a strange religious cult - and is forced to enact brutal murders in her name as he becomes "her arms".I remember a gloomy movie theater in Paris. I was very curious to see this. I don't even recall why now. But it was like watching a dream and a nightmare at the same time. Something very powerful. It is like nothing I've ever seen. Pure witchcraft.
- DirectorRob ReinerStarsBilly CrystalMeg RyanCarrie FisherHarry and Sally have known each other for years, and are very good friends, but they fear sex would ruin the friendship.One of the best comedies of all time, with a cute couple and unforgettable scenes and jokes... A real delight.
- DirectorJim SheridanStarsDaniel Day-LewisBrenda FrickerAlison WhelanChristy Brown, born with cerebral palsy, learns to paint and write with his only controllable limb - his left foot.I was struck by Daniel Day-Lewis performance when I saw that movie. It probably was, for some time, the best performance that I had ever seen... Daniel got the Oscar and, after that, his career was boosted... I'm glad he kept on acting, even though he threatened to quit many times.
- DirectorLars von TrierStarsBarbara SukowaJean-Marc BarrUdo KierJust after World War II, an American takes a railway job in Germany, but finds his position politically sensitive with various people trying to use him.I discovered Lars Von Trier - and he became one of my favorite directors - through this one. I still think it's one of his two or three best movies. A film noir a la "Third Man", but with the Von Trier special treatment. Royal.
- DirectorTheodoros AngelopoulosStarsMarcello MastroianniJeanne MoreauGregory Patrick KarrA reporter stuck in a border town with an overcrowding of refugees sees a man he believes to be a long lost politician.How can I describe this? It's a long Greek poem, with unforgettable scenes.
- DirectorCyril CollardStarsCyril CollardRomane BohringerCarlos LópezJean is 30 years old. He lives with Laura, 17 years old, a violent and eventful love story. He learns that he is HIV positive.Probably one of the movies that had the biggest impact over me. It punched me right in the face. I was 13 or 14 when I saw this. Wow. It was like an injection of life and death at the same time. It made me want to live faster. Collard was a genius. Too bad he disappeared so early. But he left much of his energy and of his passion in this piece of art, that contains one of the best ending ever.
- DirectorRobert RedfordStarsCraig ShefferBrad PittTom SkerrittTwo sons of a stern minister - one reserved, one rebellious - grow up in rural 1920s Montana while devoted to fly fishing.I have this clear image in my head of Paul, the character played by Brad Pitt, fishing on a rock. I just love this movie, and the book by Norman McLean it was taken from. Redford can be a brilliant director.
- 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.Peter Jackson's masterpiece may indeed be The Lord of the Rings trilogy. But before that - and after making low budget cult horror movies - he managed to create this beautiful movie about the fantasy life of two girls. Mesmerizing.
- DirectorAtom EgoyanStarsBruce GreenwoodElias KoteasDon McKellarA man plagued by neuroses frequents the club Exotica in an attempt to find solace, but even there his past is never far away.This is a very special movie to me, because, through it, I discovered the music of Leonard Cohen, which has been somehow a mentor to me ever since. I have seen almost all of Egoyan's work, and I just think he's a genius. A great indie movie.
- DirectorKar-Wai WongStarsBrigitte LinTakeshi KaneshiroTony Leung Chiu-waiTwo melancholic Hong Kong policemen fall in love: one with a mysterious female underworld figure, the other with a beautiful and ethereal waitress at a late-night restaurant he frequents.Ok. In the Mood for Love... But still, I adore Chungking Express, a clever, funny, original movie that will always be linked to "California Dreamin'" in my head.
- DirectorKen LoachStarsIan HartRosana PastorIcíar BollaínDavid is an unemployed communist that comes to Spain in 1937 during the civil war to enroll the republicans and defend the democracy against the fascists. He makes friends between the soldiers.I cry each time I get to see this movie. It's a wonderful piece of art. Ken Loach is brilliant as a storyteller, especially when it comes to war and its absurdity.
- DirectorTheodoros AngelopoulosStarsHarvey KeitelMaia MorgensternErland JosephsonAn exiled filmmaker finally returns to his home country where former mysteries and afflictions of his early life come back to haunt him once more.Maybe a bit overlong, but a wonderful hymn to the Balkans. I like Angelopoulos' vision, but I can understand it's not for every taste. One thing: the scene depicting Sarajevo of the 90's could be anywhere. I thought of Beirut in the 80's. Magnificent.
- DirectorLars von TrierStarsEmily WatsonStellan SkarsgårdKatrin CartlidgeOilman Jan is paralyzed in an accident. His wife, who prayed for his return, feels guilty; even more, when Jan urges her to have sex with another.Fascinating and terrifying at the same time, a big epic with incredible pictures and a wonderful choice of songs. This is probably Von Trier's masterpiece.
- DirectorMichael WinterbottomStarsStephen DillaneWoody HarrelsonMarisa TomeiAmerican and British journalists Flynn and Michael Henderson, along with their respective news teams, meet at the beginning of the Bosnian war in Sarajevo. During their reports, the group find an orphanage run by the devoted Mrs. Savic near the frontline. Feeling sympathy, Henderson decides to take one of the children, Emira, illegally back to England.A very good Winterbottom movie about the Yougoslavian War. A great final that left me in tears.
- DirectorWoody AllenStarsWoody AllenJudy DavisJulia Louis-DreyfusSuffering from writer's block and eagerly awaiting his writing award, Harry Block remembers events from his past and scenes from his best-selling books as characters, real and fictional, come back to haunt him.Again Woody. I saw that one in Paris, and I felt like Woody's deconstruction of himself through Harry was mine. This is probably Woody Allen best movies in the last three decades, with maybe the exception of "Match Point". It's also the darkest comedy he has ever made. He almost carves in his own flesh to the bone, but always with that unique capacity to make you laugh, and cry, and cry, and laugh again...
- DirectorAtom EgoyanStarsIan HolmSarah PolleyCaerthan BanksA bus crash in a small town brings a lawyer to defend the families, but he discovers everything isn't what it seems.I was literally frozen by this movie. I remember getting out of the movie theater with tears in my eyes and a bloated pain I couldn't understand. Extraordinary.
- DirectorPatrice ChéreauStarsPascal GreggoryValeria Bruni TedeschiCharles BerlingFriends of a recently deceased minor painter Jean-Baptiste take a train in Paris for Limoges, where he wished to be buried, and all the people on the train have their problems.I found this one very touching and beautiful, with a great cast and a wonderful score. It really moved me. One of my favorite french movies.
- DirectorJulio MedemStarsNajwa NimriFele MartínezNancho NovoIn Lapland's cold Arctic Circle, under the eternal midnight sun, unfavourable circumstances reunite two kindred spirits. And governed by circular motifs woven by faith and love, they must answer a pivotal question. Can they deny destiny?My all time favorite movie? I saw it at least six times, after discovering it on tv and being totally stunned by it. I have been a faithful fan of Julio Medem since. It's tough to say anything about this movie. It is unspeakable, but so beautifully tragical...
- DirectorDavid LynchStarsRichard FarnsworthSissy SpacekJane Galloway HeitzAn old man makes a long journey by lawnmower to mend his relationship with an ill brother.David Lynch in a new experience, far away from his usual nightmarish craziness. The result is a sincere movie about life, death, and everything in between. Wonderful.
- DirectorDavid FincherStarsBrad PittEdward NortonMeat LoafAn insomniac office worker and a devil-may-care soap maker form an underground fight club that evolves into much more.I remember enjoying each and every second of it and seeing it at leat three times in theaters. The more I saw this movie, the more I felt it was revolutionary. Probably the best expression of the moment it was made in the course of history.
- DirectorKar-Wai WongStarsTony Leung Chiu-waiMaggie CheungSiu Ping-LamTwo neighbors form a strong bond after both suspect extramarital activities of their spouses. However, they agree to keep their bond platonic so as not to commit similar wrongs.I still have the same feeling of uncomparable sadness each time, when the last scene unrolls before my eyes. Wong Kar Wai has just made the perfect movie...
- DirectorJulio MedemStarsPaz VegaTristán UlloaNajwa NimriVarious lives converge on an isolated island, all connected by an author whose novel has become inextricably entwined with his own life.I saw this one in Paris. I remember crying all the way back in the subway. I was touched by this movie, just like by "Lovers of the Arctic Circle". Outstanding. And erotic.
- DirectorJean-Pierre JeunetStarsAudrey TautouMathieu KassovitzRufusDespite being caught in her imaginative world, Amelie, a young waitress, decides to help people find happiness. Her quest to spread joy leads her on a journey where she finds true love.Witty and fresh comedy. I had a coup-de-coeur for it. The world doesn't really seems the same afterwards. It's like it gives you a key to look into things around differently, with a vivid perspective. How many things can pretend to make people more joyful? Not many, I suppose. "Amelie" definitely can.
- DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsLeonardo DiCaprioCameron DiazDaniel Day-LewisIn 1862, Amsterdam Vallon returns to the Five Points area of New York City seeking revenge against Bill the Butcher, his father's killer.Incredible movie with very strong performances, especially coming from Daniel Day Lewis. Very Hegelian movie. The end is truly fascinating.
- DirectorPeter JacksonStarsElijah WoodIan McKellenViggo MortensenWhile Frodo and Sam edge closer to Mordor with the help of the shifty Gollum, the divided fellowship makes a stand against Sauron's new ally, Saruman, and his hordes of Isengard.Even though this episode from the trilogy is underrated, I believe it's far better than the first one, and almost as good as the last one. I think this movie unlocks something that was still unreachable in "The Fellowship of the Ring".
- DirectorClint EastwoodStarsSean PennTim RobbinsKevin BaconThe tragic murder of a 19-year-old girl reunites three childhood friends still living in Boston--the victim's gangster father, a detective, and the disturbed man they both suspect of killing her.Aww. One of the darkest movie ever made, and certainly one of my all-time Eastwood favorite. I saw this one with a couple of friends after the death of my best friend, at 24, in October 2003. The lack of any kind of possible redemption made it almost unbearable. And Sean Penn is outstanding. Tim Robbins too.
- DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsUma ThurmanDavid CarradineDaryl HannahAfter awakening from a four-year coma, a former assassin wreaks vengeance on the team of assassins who betrayed her.Visually stunning movie. Tarantino is a great director because he knows how to play with images - to juggle with them. And the result is always fantastic. My favorite Tarantino movie (especially part 2), along with Pulp Fiction.
- DirectorPeter JacksonStarsElijah WoodViggo MortensenIan McKellenGandalf and Aragorn lead the World of Men against Sauron's army to draw his gaze from Frodo and Sam as they approach Mount Doom with the One Ring.When I saw "The Fellowship of the Ring", I wasn't really stunned by it. It was a nice story, but that's it. I knew I had to read the books to make a real judgment, so I did. I really liked "The Two Towers", after that. But "The Return of the King" is a true epic and deserves it place among the greatest films of our time.
- DirectorSofia CoppolaStarsBill MurrayScarlett JohanssonGiovanni RibisiA faded movie star and a neglected young woman form an unlikely bond after crossing paths in Tokyo.Another coup de foudre. A movie about love and failure to communicate, i.e. about our day-to-day life and suffering... Bad communication is probably the scourge of the XXIst century. The more we'll have means to communicate, the more it will get harder and harder...
- DirectorTim BurtonStarsEwan McGregorAlbert FinneyBilly CrudupA frustrated son tries to determine the fact from fiction in his dying father's life.My favorite Tim Burton movie. It is a work of art. A poem. A painting. A dream. A tale. An ode. It's a unique piece... extraordinary.
- DirectorLars von TrierStarsNicole KidmanPaul BettanyLauren BacallA woman on the run from the mob is reluctantly accepted in a small Colorado community in exchange for labor, but when a search visits the town she finds out that their support has a price.It's quite impossible to sum up what this movie is about. Ethics, violence, goodness, the corruption of human heart, evil... An extraordinary lesson by Lars Von Trier. One more.
- DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsUma ThurmanDavid CarradineMichael MadsenThe Bride continues her quest of vengeance against her former boss and lover Bill, the reclusive bouncer Budd, and the treacherous, one-eyed Elle.Even better than the first one. More powerful. And I think the dialogue at the end between David Carradine and Uma Thurman about comic books should be in the pantheon of the best moments in the history of cinema.
- DirectorMichel GondryStarsJim CarreyKate WinsletTom WilkinsonWhen their relationship turns sour, a couple undergoes a medical procedure to have each other erased from their memories forever.I saw this one not long after a break-up and I cried. I never could see it again. But it has been, ever since, one of my top ten favorite movies. Michel Gondry is a genius and this is truly a work of art.
- DirectorClint EastwoodStarsHilary SwankClint EastwoodMorgan FreemanFrankie, an ill-tempered old coach, reluctantly agrees to train aspiring boxer Maggie. Impressed with her determination and talent, he helps her become the best and the two soon form a close bond.A pretty harsh and dark movie that leaves you all shaken up when the credits start to roll... But what a incredible director Clint Eastwood is when it comes to explore the darkest places of the human heart...