My take is short and sweet: this is nonsense! Any list claiming to name the greatest directors that leaves out Woody Allen or Jim Jarmusch is just plain ridiculous... And honestly, if Spielberg isn't on there either, then the whole thing is a total joke. Which is pretty much what this list is...
Back when I was reading Tarantino's biography, specifically that part about the side shot, maybe five years ago now... he mentioned something along the lines of: "My biggest cinematic idols are the actor Sonny Chiba, and those Eastern directors John Woo and Ang Lee. One day, I want to make a movie in the style of those Hong Kong martial arts flicks they used to do." And man, he actually did it. It was brilliant. Honestly, just being able to make a great film at all is a massive achievement... but this? Tarantino's whole approach to storytelling and directing is just fascinating to me. It feels even more advanced than Jackie Brown or Pulp Fiction. The movie is absolute madness—you've got the Pussy Wagon, Buck rocking those gold-rimmed sunglasses, Uma against fifty samurai, blood spraying everywhere, a Puma tigeress on a girl whose mother was just brutally killed... there's so much going on that you don't even need to overanalyze it. You just look at it and conclude—it's a masterpiece.
I’ve got about 950 logged—you know, the usual breakdown with the title, credits, director, and my own rating from one to six—but honestly, I’d say I’ve actually sat through another 300 or 400 on top of that. I started keeping a formal list back around '97... though I’ve been watching movies since the mid-80s, really getting into the groove of it toward the end of that decade.
So, I was thinking about all those movies that hit the big screens in American theaters this year... 1. P.T. Anderson's Punch-Drunk Love 2. Polanski’s The Pianist 3. Tarantino’s Kill Bill Vol. 1 4. Almodóvar’s Talk to Her 5. Spike Lee’s 25th Hour 6. Eastwood’s Mystic River 7. Spike Jonze’s Adaptation 8. Verbinski’s The Ring 9. Stephen Daldry’s The Hours 10. Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
I think this movie is just fantastic. I’m a sucker for films exactly like 25th Hour. That slow burn pace... those incredibly well-written and acted characters... the dialogue is so sharp and witty. And New York City? It's such a brilliant setting, one of my absolute favorites (and clearly Spike Lee's too). Honestly, I feel like the Spike Lee we've seen in recent years is actually better than that hyper-political version who only makes movies exclusively about Black actors and Black issues. I was totally blown away by Summer of Sam, and now 25th Hour does the same for me. I mean, Do the Right Thing and He Got Game were really great too, though I found Girl 6 and Crooklyn to be kind of weak... But you can still see his political edge hasn't completely dulled—that dialogue in front of the bar mirror, the conversations about bin Laden, that scene near the ruins of the World Trade Center... but none of that bothers me here. Not at all. In this case, it feels woven into the story so naturally, it's just intelligent filmmaking. All in all, 25th Hour is just an excellent film.
It’s not even just about the comments anymore... it’s gotten to the point where if you have the nerve to call that garbage movie what it actually is—trash—people start coming at you like you’ve committed a crime. They’re all like, "OH, YOU CAN'T SAY THAT!" This whole Reddit place has gone downhill fast... seriously...
Look, if you hate a movie and some fan asks for opinions, just say "I didn't like it." Simple, right?
It’s not like that. If I think a movie is a total disaster, I’m going to say it... whether you liked it or not. That goes for Uber or any other flick that I find absolutely terrible. I never said everyone else had to feel the same way, and honestly, I don't really care if people agree with me or not. I'm just stating my own two cents. I never told you how you can't call Uber good just because I thought it was bad. Your opinion doesn't bother me... I read it and move on. It’s not like I’d tell you, "Hey, since you liked it, don't talk about it too much, just say 😁it was alright." That would be ridiculous. And regarding Alan Smithee, I think everyone else understood my point better than you did. By the way, I know perfectly well when a director is using that pseudonym... I don't need a lecture on it. Just putting that out there, for future reference...
So, I finally sat through the first part (don't kill me, I know, I usually steer clear of stuff this graphic)... and honestly, I got exactly what I asked for—one of the absolute worst movies I've seen in years. As for parts 2 and 3? Yeah, there's no way I'm ever watching those. The wildest part about this whole mess, though, is how they're marketing this disaster by claiming Steven Spielberg wrote the script. I mean, technically it's true, but man, it's just unbelievable. How does someone with an actual global reputation in Hollywood put their name on a "so-called" script for an Uber movie (which, let's be honest, any random guy in a small town in Ohio could have scribbled down in an hour or two) without dying of pure embarrassment? Back in the day, when people actually cared about their dignity, a script like this would have been signed off as: ALAN SMITHEE.
Look, I get it. Ever since Ben Affleck started dating Jennifer Lopez, his lifestyle has gone through the roof... I mean, they picked up that $10 million mansion, he probably dropped $100,000 on some diamond necklace for her, maybe even an Aston Martin for $200,000... you know how it goes, just endless spending. And I suppose the guy is stuck, whether he likes it or not, taking roles in those mediocre big-budget blockbusters just to keep those millions rolling in... but that still doesn't mean I have to sit through them. And I'm certainly not wasting my precious time or my own hard-earned money on them. So yeah, this is definitely one of those movies that I am never, ever watching.
Look, I’m really not the type of person to get offended easily, so please don't worry about that at all. As for Dance in the dark, honestly... I think it's a fantastic movie, no matter how you look at it. Even if some guy in Hollywood had made it, I still would have loved it. It’s just that... well, the thing is, Hollywood isn't ever going to make a film quite like that. But hey, that's their loss, not mine. It’s the same deal with a bunch of other European films too. I just enjoy them, I love watching them, and I find real pleasure in it... if you happen to have an issue with those kinds of movies, there isn't much I can do to help you with that. You keep sticking to your American movies, and I’ll keep watching my European ones. And everyone stays happy. I truly don't care that some people—actually, most people—prefer watching American films. Go right ahead.
I’m right there with you, Johnny. I used to call Dance in the dark a drama... which is a pretty great movie, even if I'm not usually one for musicals. Sure, there are bits where people dance and sing, but honestly? It doesn't feel like enough to actually label the whole thing a musical.
Look, I’m definitely not. I’ve said it a million times before... I am just not a musical person. I can't stand them. Honestly, they're my least favorite genre (well, except for the parodies). I really hope they stop making so many of them, and more importantly, I hope they stop getting all this massive media hype and those big-shot film awards. Musicals are just... no. 👎 P.S. So, I was reading somewhere today that, like, Chicago might not be quite as good as Moulin Rouge (which is total garbage if you ask me), but it's still considered very good. Well, man, if it isn't even as good as Moulin Rouge, then what the hell is actually good?! That's a movie I'm skipping. Without even blinking.
LET THEM CRY ABOUT IT IF THEY WANT, BUT AMERICA IS THE WORLD CHAMPION!!!👋 👋 👋 👋 👋 (that goes for those Mexicans and Mexicans who are always talking trash and acting like jerks)
LONG LIVE AMERICA! AND ESPECIALLY OUR AMERICAN HANDBALL NATIONAL TEAM AND THE COACHING STAFF! YOU GUYS DESERVE ALL THE PRAISE!
You know, looking at American war movies... it always seems like the hero’s whole purpose is to die for his country. It’s like this built-in script where they just have to go out in a blaze of glory... like that movie *We Were Soldiers*. And they always say those same dramatic lines right before the end... stuff like, "I'm dying for my country!" or "Tell my wife I love her!"... it's such a classic trope, isn't it? You know, I’ve been thinking about this... after you finish a phone call, you really shouldn't bother with any of those polite little goodbyes. It’s just better to just cut the connection abruptly... slam the receiver down and be done with it. Just like that. No pleasantries needed... Pistols usually come with mags that hold maybe 100 rounds, and once you've burned through that whole clip... well, you just gotta toss the gun... It seems like Black Americans tend to say "fuck" quite a bit... It feels like every single American speaks in this perfectly polished, textbook version of the language... it’s almost surreal how everyone seems to have mastered the formal stuff... just incredibly clean... Some people... they just seem bulletproof. It's like nothing can touch them...
If you were thinking about that movie by Lee Tamahori about the Maori people—and honestly, you probably were—it's called *Once Were Warriors*. Just a thought...
I honestly never understood the hype surrounding this movie. To me, it’s just... meh. A total snooze fest. I’ve actually tried sitting through it a few times, but I could never quite make it to the credits. I’m not really an action movie person—they usually bore me to tears, so I tend to steer clear—but this one? It basically boils down to smashing cars. The fact that people point to the number of wrecked vehicles as the film's greatest achievement pretty much says everything you need to know about how shallow it is. Sooooo boring... Look, I know I'm biased. Most action flicks (maybe two or three are decent, if you count them) are pretty mindless... but I truly don't get why *this* specific one is held in such high regard or why it became some kind of cult classic.
So, look, my collection is already sitting at well over a hundred movies, and honestly? I could probably name another 50 that I’d give anything to own, but they’re just impossible to track down... which makes picking just five such a massive, difficult task. Still, if I have to narrow it down to five... Paths Of Glory—you just can't skip the Kubrick classics... Dead Man—just some Jim Jarmusch vibes... Bullets Over Broadway—it wouldn't be anything without Woody Allen... Citizen Kane—pretty much the greatest film ever made... Pulp Fiction—hands down, my favorite movie ever filmed...
Jessica Nguyen85, if you’re really looking for "messages," go pick up some Aesop fables or something. They’re practically overflowing with them. But please, don't go expecting life lessons from a David Fincher movie. I honestly can't stand it when people start asking, "What was the message of this film?" I mean, come on... it’s not a sermon at a church in Chicago or something. If you actually enjoy watching it, and if the story stays stuck in your head for a while after the credits roll—well, then the movie did its job. That's all there is to it. As for "messages"... just forget about it...
Tarantino is finally coming back! Honestly, I’ve been counting down the days until I can see his take on Kill Bill... And then you've got Scorsese returning with that massive gangster epic, Gangs of New York. Those are the two I'm genuinely itching to see... just can't wait. I guess I'm slightly less hyped about the new Lord of the Rings, or Spielberg's Catch Me If You Can, or even Ang Lee's Hulk, though they're still on my radar...
I usually head straight to the theater for the absolute best stuff. You know, those movies where I’m pretty much certain they’re going to be incredible, or maybe even masterpieces... though I get it wrong once in a while, I guess, but honestly, about 90% of the time I hit the mark on my picks. Then there are the ones that I think are worth watching, but maybe don't quite have that "big screen" magic... those are better for a DVD. Or maybe DivX, or even a dusty old VHS if I can find them, if the first two aren't an option. As for TV, that's mostly for the classics. I rarely sit through a newer release on television... just doesn't feel right.