Baumer's Top 100 films you have probably heard of but more than likely haven't seen. #1: Cute Clever Mischievous, but don't feed them after midnight!

[narniadis]

Croc / Chariots and Bonnie & Clyde should be on anyone's list if they are respectable film lovers.... just saying...

 

I have seen a couple others of this latest batch but as usual its more miss than hit.

[baumer]

Number 68

You're Next (2013)

Directed by Adam Wingard

Starring Sharni Vinson, Nicholas Tucci

Box office:  18.5M

 

With the news that Adam Wingard and writer Simon Barrett are responsible for the new supposed scary as hell Blair Witch, it makes this entry all the more relevant.  Here's my original brief review:

 

I've had about 45 minutes to think about this film and the more it settles in the more I think this might be one of the best horror films I've ever seen.  This is what The Purge, Strangers and every other home invasion type film should have been like.  The thing about horror is that it's pretty much all be done now.  There are only so many boogie men stories to tell, only so many paranormal stories to tell and only so many slasher stories to tell. It's how you tell them and how you direct them that matters now.  And this film was told and directed brilliantly.  

 

Directed by Adam Wingard, who's most well known films are the V/H/S films, he knocks it out of the park here.  He kind of borrow some tricks from other horror films like Nightmare on Elm Street and Home Alone (kidding) but he has a style, that stands out.  He uses a lot of tight shots so that you can't see what's behind the person and then he uses a lot of Halloween style techniques where the killer is seen in the background or is blurred but obviously there.  This is incredibly effective in this film and it keeps the tension at a high level all throughout.  

 

And now we come to my favourite part of the film and that is that writer Simon Barrett has probably watched just as many horror movies as I have because he has made sure that his heroine, Erin, has also watched a lot of horror films.  When she kills someone, they don't get back up.  There will not be a Fatal Attraction kind of scene where Glenn Close pops up with a knife after she should be dead.  No no no.  When Erin kills, you are dead. She is vicious.  She makes sure that her victims are smashed and stabbed and bludgeoned about 856 times each.  They will not be getting back up.  This is one of the most brilliant parts of the film.  

 

I won't ruin much more but just know that if this wasn't perhaps 5 minutes too long, it would have gotten a 10/10.

 

 

[baumer]

Number 67

Return to Me

Directed by Bonnie Hunt

Starring:  David Duchovney, Minnie Driver, Bonnie Hunt, Robert Loggia, Carol O'Connor, James Belushi

Box office:  36M

 

When I saw the trailer for this film, I said out loud to no one in particular "this film is going to bomb." I also said that about THE MATRIX and look at what happened there. Now I am not a box office guru by any stretch but I usually have a pretty good gut about what is going to be good and what is going to really suck. In this case I was blinded by my complete and utter apathy towards David Duchovney. But I am happy to say that Return To Me is delightful and has it's heart in the right place. Bonnie Hunt has directed a beautiful story and she has told it with class and grace. This is one of the most romantic films I have seen and even though it may seem to be a bit sad and maudlin in its premise, give it a chance and you will be hooked.

It has to be said ( and this pains me to do so ) that the reason this film works so well is because of the story and the cast. Duchovney and Driver are so wonderful and believable here that I honestly wanted to cry along with them. There is one particularly powerful scene when Duchovney comes home after his wife has died and he slumps down on the floor of his house. As it always does, the family dog looks to the door to wait for his wife to come walking in. She doesn't and with his shirt collar still stained with blood, Rob ( Duchovney ) tells him that she is not coming home, ever. He then calls the dog over to him and they seem to share a cry together. The dog lets out a small moan and then Rob cries. And this is one of the most realistic moments of pain I have ever seen in any character in any movie. You can feel his pain and at that moment I forgot I was watching an actor that I generally don't like, and I felt that I was watching someone that I knew moarn the loss of his beloved. This is powerful stuff.

Another strength of the film is the supporting cast. Bonnie Hunt has combined an ethnic melting pot of Irish and Italian characters that share a common bond. They share a pub called O'Reilley's Italian Pub. That is a delicious name all by itself. And heading the diametric scale of clashing cultures is Carol O'Connor and Robert Loggia. These are two proud old men that love their homeland but love their granddaughter and niece ( I think it is ) respectively. And that is the character played by Minnie Driver. This scenario is ripe for comedy and Hunt doesn't miss anything here.

Bonnie Hunt and James Belushi also share some funny moments together as the middle aged married couple and Belushi gets top points as he accepts humility gracefully and shows off his ample keg of a stomach for laughs. With his family consisting of three or four kids, there is very little time for him and the wife to have quality time. And again Hunt handles this with perfect elegance. 

This is a wonderful story of finding true love, knowing how lucky you are to have true love and the power of friendship and family. Return To Me is a wonderful romance and even though I still don't have a great admiration for David Duchovney, I have to admit that he was perfect in this role and I could not picture anyone else playing his character. He was sensitive and believable and the movie was good because of him, not just because of him, but he sure added to the flavour.

If you are a sucker for a good romance and you want a good cry, then this is the film for you.

 

 

 

[baumer]

Me Before You has made 182 million WW.  Wow.

[baumer]

And Tarzan just had a 45 million dollar weekend internationally!!

[baumer]

edit

[Eric the Fall Guy]

So I feel awful. The only one I've seen on this list so far is Pretty in Pink. But I guess I have some more movies to put under my never-ending watchlist.

[baumer]

Number 66

Deep Cover (1992)

Directed by Bill Duke

Starring:  Laurence Fishburne and Jeff Goldblum

Box office:  16.6M

 

Deep Cover stands out as a great example of how to make a good film and has something that is often missing from modern cinema. The cinematography, editing, and music are all outstanding. What's even better is how all those elements tie-in to a well thought out and communicated theme of duality. The two main characters Russel/John (Fishburne) and David (Goldblum) parallel each other nicely, and reinforce the theme perfectly.

On the one hand, there's Russel, the cop determined to make a difference in his community who is then taken advantage of by his superiors and used like a tool. Russel begins demonstrating more and more criminal traits as the film goes on, eventually "becoming" his undercover alter ego John. As a criminal, John is able to do exactly what he set out to do, all while commanding respect and receiving tons of money without any of the red tape he had as a cop. In the end, he has to make a choice, cop or criminal. Work with society and be dishonest to yourself, or work outside of society and be dishonest to "the system".

On the other hand, there's David, a lawyer with a nice wife, house, and kid, but also happens to be a major drug dealer. He too must make the same difficult choice, even stating in the film, "I want my cake and eat it too", which truthfully shows that it is a hard decision.

While Deep Cover is labeled by most as a "hood movie", it is quite different in it's themes from most films in that genre. Instead of simply presenting the inner cities' problems, the filmmakers here try to answer the question of why. Why do young people feel the need to become criminals? Perhaps it's because of the bureaucratic nature of a society that turns it's back on those with strong uncompromising individuality coupled with low income. Maybe not. But unlike most films that answer all the questions they present for their audiences, Deep Cover simply asks the questions, and leaves the answers up to its audience.

The filmmaking here is intelligent, the subject matter is interesting, and the audience is treated with an amount of respect that isn't easy to find in modern film. No, the film isn't perfect, but at least in my eyes, it's very close to being so.

 

Trivia:  During the ending scene when Russell Stevens was about to arrest David Jason, David smacked Russell and said, "wake up", a nod to Lawrence Fishburne's portrayal of Dap from Spike Lee's School Daze (1988).

 

 

 

[baumer]

I'm not even sure if anyone is reading any of this.  I know there's a few of you who come here from time to time.  But I started it so I guess I'd be remiss if I didn't finish it.

[75Live]

Just now, Baumer said:

I'm not even sure if anyone is reading any of this.  I know there's a few of you who come here from time to time.  But I started it so I guess I'd be remiss if I didn't finish it.

 

I'm still reading it.  I was away most of the weekend so I really have been catching up on a lot of threads on here, including this one  

[baumer]

Number 65

Suspiria (1977)

Directed by Dario Argento

Starring:  Jessica Harper, Flavio Bucci

Box office:  unknown

 

American Suzy Bannion (Jessica Harper) arrives at a ballet school in Germany and finds things are creepy as hell right from the start as someone is killing teachers and students. Suzy starts looking into the school's past and discovers it is home to a coven of witches. 

Dario Argento is a horror legend and I enjoy most of his films. None more so than this atmospheric and frightening nightmare brought to life. There's an otherworldly fairy tale quality about it all. Argento uses lighting and color to create some very spooky visuals. The music score, by prog rock band Goblin, is insanely effective at building tension. There's a lot of violence but it's skillfully crafted. On the downside, the story doesn't always make sense and the performances are a little silly. Heavy on style but it's got plenty of scares, too. This is a really good one to watch late at night in a darkened room.

 

Trivia:  Dario Argento was inspired to make this film by stories of Daria Nicolodi's grandmother, who claimed to have fled from a German music academy because witchcraft was being secretly practiced there.

 

[baumer]

Number 64

Orca (1977)

Directed by Michael Anderson

Starring Richard Harris, Bo Derek, Charlotte Rampling

Box office:  14.7 million

I must disagree with those who called this a JAWS rip-off. It was anything but that. In JAWS, Police Chief Brody, Quint, and Matt Hooper were the heroes - the human element. In ORCA, the reverse is true - the whale is the hero of sorts, and Richard Harris' character is something of an enemy - much like the 'war' between Moby Dick & Captain Ahab. While real Orcas are unlikely to engage in destructive acts toward man, this movie depicts them as highly intelligent,on a par with man, and as such, just as capable of the most basic instincts as man - a desire for vengeance.

***WARNING! POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD***

The movie starts with an amazing scene showing two orcas mating, setting the stage for what's about to happen later. Rachel (Charlotte Rampling) is menaced by a shark, but the orca intervenes and kills the shark. After the giant whale's pregnant mate is maimed & killed by Captain Nolan (Harris), during a capture attempt, the angry male orca seeks revenge on Captain Nolan. It attacks & sinks boats in a fishing port harbor - save for that of Nolan, after pushing its dead mate to shore in a whale's apparent show of grieving for its lost mate & child. After the whale destroys a flammable liquid cannister, causing massive destruction by fire (a highly improbable event, admittedly), Nolan is forced by angry fishermen to leave the town and confront the whale on ITS terms - in an ice field. In a rare reversal of 'hero' roles, the whale triumphs - by throwing Nolan against an iceberg with its huge tail. Nolan is killed outright, but the whale leaves Rachel alone - as if he knows she never tried to harm his mate. Afterwards the orca quietly swims away into the Atlantic, his mission fulfilled.

The amazing scenes of the two orcas at the start of the film were very touching, especially when mixed with Ennio Morricone's terrific score - it adds so much to the movie. The theme played during this scene appears several times throughout the movie, accenting the male orca's grief over the death of his mate and offspring.

I DID NOT think that ORCA portrayed whales in a bad light - in order for that to make sense, you would have to apply the same logic to Moby Dick, which this story bears a resemblance to. Admittedly, some of the orca's destructive acts are unlikely, but if anything, they showed the whale's high intelligence, which no one has denied actually exists.

An underrated movie that does well on its own, and didn't have to imitate anything else.  

 

 

 

[baumer]

Number 63

The Cook the Thief His Wife and Her Lover (1989)

Directed by Peter Greenaway

Starring:  Hellen Mirren, Tim Roth, Michael Gambon

 

Gorgeous, insane and utterly brilliant. I'd seen a few Peter Greenaway films prior to this, but none of them have particularly worked for me. This one just blew me away. Michael Gambon plays a crook who has bought a share of a fancy French restaurant. This means he can spend every night sitting in the middle of the restaurant loudly barking his particular brand of rudeness at his minions (including Tim Roth and Ciaran Hinds) and his put-upon wife (Helen Mirren). Mirren is so sick of her life she wanders off to the bathroom to have anonymous sex with a book-reading customer (Alan Howard). After a few nights of this, Gambon catches on and, well, the results aren't that pretty. Two things in particular stand out in this one: first, Gambon. Holy crap, he is one of the most brazen bastards ever to be seen (and especially heard) in the cinema. The performance is utterly brilliant. I hate this guy, don't get me wrong, but I could listen to him yell for hours and I wouldn't stop laughing. Second: the production design. It's one of the neatest looking films I've ever seen. Shot on an elaborate sound stage, the restaurant (and its exterior) are color coded. It's brilliant. My favorite bit of it are the urinals in the men's room: a shoulder-high pillar in the very center of the bathroom with the urinals on each side, so the urinators have to stare right into their neighbors eyes as they pee. The story has an allegorical meaning, apparently about Thatcher, but at this point that's only a historical footnote. The film holds up great with all its nuttiness. And if you like twists or WTF moments, this has a few of them.

 

Trivia:  Included among the "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die", edited by Steven Schneider.

One of Roger Ebert's favourite films of 1989

 

 

 

[75Live]

I just saw Orca again about 10 days ago  

[75Live]

and I don't think I saw movie 63.  So that's at least two on the list I haven't seen  

[baumer]

Number 62

Battle Royale (2000)

Directed by Kinji Fukasaku

Starring:  Takeshi Katano, Tatsya Fujiwara

Box office:  unknown

 

This is the film Quentin Tarantino wishes he made.  It's Tarantinoesque in many ways.  IMO, it's also the film that the Hunger Games was based on.  Hunger Games is made for teenage girls who want sanitized violence.  Battle Royale is made for those interested in social commentary and don't mind seeing headless corpses and 15 year old kids killing each other.  This film carries one of the most extreme taglines I have ever heard of: "Could you kill your best friend?" This poses an extremely confronting and daunting question for many, including myself. I personally could never, ever do such a thing, but do my friends feel that way?? That's one of the many themes  situations that are brought up in this outstanding Japanese horror/black comedy. Kinji Fukasaku has made one of the best films of the 21st century. This movie is easily one of, if not THE most, daunting, confronting, disturbing and controversial movies made.

The Japanese society is becoming increasingly violent. Students are dropping out of school and becoming criminals. To put a stop to this, the government put a new Act into place, the Battle Royale Act. A Year 9 class are selected to participate. Basically, these bunch of students are pitted against each other in a battle to death. They have three days to kill each other, the last person standing gets to leave the island alive.  If you refuse to kill, there is a collar placed on your neck and at the end of the competition, if there is more than one person alive, everyone loses their head as there are explosives around their neck. It's a fantastic, violent, bloody, Dystopian film that asks a lot of tough questions.  Highly recommended and much better in every way than the Hunger Games.

 

 

 

[baumer]

Well, I figured on 5% of these films.  That's the over under for what you haven't seen @75live

 

Did you like Orca?

[75Live]

5 minutes ago, Baumer said:

Well, I figured on 5% of these films.  That's the over under for what you haven't seen @75live

 

Did you like Orca?

 

 yeah I liked Orca when I originally saw it decades ago

 

and great call with Battle Royale too and you are dead on with your last comment about it too  

Edited July 25, 2016 by 75live

[The Stingray]

Only thing I remember from Deep Cover is the Dre & Snoop song.

 

Love Suspiria. People should also check out:
 

 

[RandomCat]

Finally, a second movie I've seen. Battle Royale.