Top 25 films of 1997 (Top two will be unveiled tonight) The final two revealed on page 12

[baumer]

As long as my internet connection holds up the top two will be revealed in about 12 hours after I'm done work.

[chasmmi]

You know,

 

The thing that confused me going through this list is how almost none of the films that made the top 25 won any Oscars. 

 

Then I slapped myself in the forehead as I remembered that one little thing.

 

 

[chasmmi]

1 hour ago, Christmas baumer said:

As long as my internet connection holds up the top two will be revealed in about 12 hours after I'm done work.

 

I'm sorry, I live in Korea. 

 

What is this concept of not having internet available. I am not familiar with it? 

 

 

[titanic2187]

after 20 years, the best film of 1997's race is still come down to titanic vs L.a confidential 

[titanic2187]

3 hours ago, chasmmi said:

You know,

 

The thing that confused me going through this list is how almost none of the films that made the top 25 won any Oscars. 

 

Then I slapped myself in the forehead as I remembered that one little thing.

 

 

there is 20 categories in oscar that eligible for a featured length in 1997, and titanic sweep across the board like no other movie existed, so i'm not surprised with that....at least bunch of them get nomination, only have one winner in oscar for each category after all

[MrGamer]

Regardless of what number one is, I'm glad L.A. Confidential is still getting the recognition it deserves. 

 

Spoiler

But I'm conceding to the likelihood that Titanic is going to be number one. 

 

[baumer]

You guys are assuming that both movies made the list. I'm not saying that they did or didn't buy assumptions sometimes can get you nowhere.

[Ms Lady Hawk]

Mark Wahlberg came fully equipped for Boogie Nights. Great visuals and film. Lol

[B D Joe]

Boogie Nights and Jackie Brown are the top two of 1997.

[DAR]

Boogie Nights is probably PTA's most accessible film.  Maybe that's why it's still my favorite film of his.

[DAR]

I still remember in LA Confidential  

Spoiler

when Captain Dudley killed Christopher Plummer's character.   There was an audible gasp in the audience.

 

[MrGamer]

3 minutes ago, DARth DAR said:

I still remember in LA Confidential  

  Reveal hidden contents

when Captain Dudley killed Christopher Plummer's character.   There was an audible gasp in the audience.

 

Oh you!

 

[baumer]

Spoiler

 

#2

 

Prefontaine

 

Written by:  Joe Pesci and Sally Field

Directed by:  Ricky Schroeder

Starring:  Jared Leto, R. Lee Ermey, Ed O'Neil

WW Gross:  1.5 million

 

 

 

 

Life and times of Steve Prefontaine, a young long-distance runner from Oregon who pursued the dream of Olympic gold in Munich and became one of the biggest, yet most tragic sport stars in America.  Jared Leto said in an interview with Stuff Magazine that he could have won the Oscar for best supporting actor in Dallas Buyer's Club if he had not been in Prefontaine.  The film and the arduous shoot prepared him for the rigours and challenges of playing a cross dressing drug addicted derelict.  Prefontaine was set in Dubai but they changed at the last minute to the frozen tundra of the Yukon.  This added to the budget and it ultimately won fans over as they fell in love with this film.  It wasn't reflected in the box office but it has gone on to be a cult favourite.

 

Number of first place votes:  5

 

Number of lists:  25

 

Academy Awards:  3 nominations and 2 wins.

 

Random critic comment:  The late Steve Prefontaine was one of the greatest runners produced in the United States, and one of the most abrasive. This film based on his life makes him seem fairly unlikable, and that's one of its best qualities: Here is a sports movie in the tradition of the best sportswriting, where athletes are portrayed warts and all. You do not have to be nice to win races, but you have to be good.  Roger Ebert

 

Forum member comment:  A beautiful film about the triumph of the human spirit.  @grim22

 

 

 

#1

 

Albino Alligator

 

Written by:  M. Night Shyamalan

Directed by:  Ton Shaloub

Starring:  Matt Dillon, Viggo Mortensen, Faye Dunaway, M.C Hammer

WW Box Office:  175 million

 

 

 

 

 

Three petty thieves who the police believe to be major criminals are chased into a basement bar where they take five hostages including all the bar employees. The rest of the movie deals with the cops lurking outside the bar while the trio try to get hold of the situation inside.

 

M.C. Hammer was coming off a world tour and was exhausted and initially refused the role of Reggie Hammond the IV, who is a cousin of Reggie Hammond the III from 48 hours.  But when Executive Producer Michael Mann approached him at a lawn bowling tournament and pitched him the idea, he simply couldn't say no.  This would eventually earn him an academy award nomination for best supporting actor.  Matt Dillon and Faye Dunaway were lovers in real life and this helped with their movie relationship.  The infamous oral sex scene was a closed set but they eventually just did the real thing, to lend to the authenticity of the deed.

 

Number of First place votes:  4

 

Number of lists:  2

 

Academy Awards:  5

 

Critic Comment:  A brilliant portrayal of two star crossed lovers who will do anything to get each other naked and sweaty.  Peter Cirelli:  The Boston Globe

 

Forum Member Comment:  I had a boner the whole time.  Dunaway is hot as fuck.  @Ethan Hunt

 

 

[baumer]

Here you go guys.  Kind of surprised m but not shocked at the number one.  Number two was a bit surprising.  Didn't make my top 25.  

[That One Girl]

 

[baumer]

Well, we had some fun....here is your real number two film:

 

Spoiler

 

#2

 

LA Confidential

 

Written by:  Brian Helgeland, James Elroy

Directed by Curtis Hanson

Starring:  Kevin Spacey, Kim Basinger, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce

WW Box office:  126 Million

 

 

 

 

 

1950's Los Angeles is the seedy backdrop for this intricate noir-ish tale of police corruption and Hollywood sleaze. Three very different cops are all after the truth, each in their own style: Ed Exley, the golden boy of the police force, willing to do almost anything to get ahead, except sell out; Bud White, ready to break the rules to seek justice, but barely able to keep his raging violence under control; and Jack Vincennes, always looking for celebrity and a quick buck until his conscience drives him to join Exley and White down the one-way path to find the truth behind the dark world of L.A. crime.

 

According to Guy Pearce on the DVD commentary, he attended a James Ellroy one-man show in his native Melbourne, Australia while the film was in pre-production. Pearce notes that during a Q&A session following Ellroy's performance, an audience member asked if any of Ellroy's books would ever be adapted into film. Ellroy replied that not only was L.A. Confidential in pre-production, but two Australian natives (Pearce and Russell Crowe) were cast in the film. The audience erupted into laughter, thinking that Ellroy was playing a wry joke on the audience by randomly naming two local actors and claiming they were cast in a big-budget Hollywood film. Pearce, who was sitting in the audience, was mortified. It was only a year later, that the audience learned that Ellroy was, in fact, telling the truth.

 

Basinger turned down the role that would win her the Oscar, three times.  She was Director Curtis Hanson's only choice.

 

Number of first place votes:  1

 

Number of Lists:  20

 

Academy Awards:  2 wins and 9 nominations

 

Critic Comment:  Curtis Hanson has directed one of the best ensemble casts and he has one of the best films of the year.  Gene Siskel

 

Forum Member Comment:  L.A. Confidential is a masterpiece @Tower

 

 

 

[That One Girl]

Titanic at #1 <3

[WrathOfHan]

#KevinSpaceyKilledLAConfidentialsChancesAtFirst

[4815162342]

3 minutes ago, Christmas baumer said:

Well, we had some fun....here is your real number two film:

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

#2

 

LA Confidential

 

Written by:  Brian Helgeland, James Elroy

Directed by Curtis Hanson

Starring:  Kevin Spacey, Kim Basinger, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce

WW Box office:  126 Million

 

 

 

 

 

1950's Los Angeles is the seedy backdrop for this intricate noir-ish tale of police corruption and Hollywood sleaze. Three very different cops are all after the truth, each in their own style: Ed Exley, the golden boy of the police force, willing to do almost anything to get ahead, except sell out; Bud White, ready to break the rules to seek justice, but barely able to keep his raging violence under control; and Jack Vincennes, always looking for celebrity and a quick buck until his conscience drives him to join Exley and White down the one-way path to find the truth behind the dark world of L.A. crime.

 

According to Guy Pearce on the DVD commentary, he attended a James Ellroy one-man show in his native Melbourne, Australia while the film was in pre-production. Pearce notes that during a Q&A session following Ellroy's performance, an audience member asked if any of Ellroy's books would ever be adapted into film. Ellroy replied that not only was L.A. Confidential in pre-production, but two Australian natives (Pearce and Russell Crowe) were cast in the film. The audience erupted into laughter, thinking that Ellroy was playing a wry joke on the audience by randomly naming two local actors and claiming they were cast in a big-budget Hollywood film. Pearce, who was sitting in the audience, was mortified. It was only a year later, that the audience learned that Ellroy was, in fact, telling the truth.

 

Basinger turned down the role that would win her the Oscar, three times.  She was Director Curtis Hanson's only choice.

 

Number of first place votes:  1

 

Number of Lists:  20

 

Academy Awards:  2 wins and 9 nominations

 

Critic Comment:  Curtis Hanson has directed one of the best ensemble casts and he has one of the best films of the year.  Gene Siskel

 

Forum Member Comment:  L.A. Confidential is a masterpiece @Tower

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rollo Tomasi 

[baumer]

And to no one's surprise:

 

Spoiler

 

#1

 

Titanic

 

Written and Directed by James Cameron

Starring:  Leo, Kate, Bill, Billy, Kathy and Victor Newman

WW Box office:  Do you really have to ask?

 

 

 

 

 

 

A love story doomed by the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. Rose Calvert, now 101 reminiscences her experience of the Titanic, to American oceanic explorers, and her emotional connection with another passenger, Jack. Jack was an American starving artist who won a trip home on the Ship of Dreams to a lucky hand in poker. His luck unfortunately ran out on April 15, 1912 after colliding with an iceberg in the northern Mid-Atlantic. Four days before the unsinkable ship began to fill with ice cold sea water, Rose and Jack's love story began. Rose was suppose to marry her mother's pick of a fine gentlemen Cal Hockley, who was only attracted to Rose by her beauty and family fortune. Rose however felt she was in a crowded room screaming for help with no one to hear. Jack did hear her, with someone to finally listen, Rose couldn't deny her feelings for Jack anymore. Their love came to a new level, when Rose asked Jack to draw her like one of his "french girls" wearing only the rarest diamond, the Heart of the Ocean. A fun filled, romantic love affair between Jack and Rose couldn't be denied and Cal's pockets began to feel empty and he became jealous of Jack searching for a way to compromise Rose's love for Jack. The Titanic then collides with a large iceberg and begins to sink. As the ship lowers itself into the depths of the ocean, Jack and Rose must fight death of the freezing water and await a rescue ship. 84 years later Rose hears of the Titanic and the discovery of her drawing and meets with the explorers, her memories are where our story begins. The Titanic is a powerful story of survival, love and heroism. A love story that will never let go of the hearts of the people around the world.

 

The movie that shocked the world.  It set records in many countries, made more money than any film in history (up to that point) and took home a record tying 11 Oscars.  It's a film that will go on and on in the hearts of people near and far.  Titanic is unquestionably the best film of 1997, according to your votes.

 

Number of First Place Votes:  6

 

Number of Lists:  22

 

Academy Awards:  11 wins and 14 nominations

 

Critic Comment:  Titanic is an awesome achievement, a traditional Hollywood epic that dazzles your eyes, breaks your heart and shivers your soul.  Rod Dreher:  A Florida Newspaper

 

Forum member comments:  Greatest film of all time, without a single doubt in my mind. An utter classic that will live for the ages. The storytelling is just unbelievably captivating. I've seen this film countless times and I can never get bored of it. Also, best music in a film, period. The most moving soundtrack I've ever heard in my life .A+ @Noctis

 

Favourite film of all time. Everything about it is perfect in my eyes, and ears. A+ @Heretic

 

Technically it's a great film, storywise it's a little iffy for me. I'm not big on romance in movies. And the scene where Billy Zane is shooting at the them while the ship is sinking is laughable. Still I give it a B  @DARth DAR

 

The most emotionally galvanizing film I've ever seen or will see. The epitome of perfection. 10/10 baumer

 

If you want to see me cry, just pop in Titanic. @Jay Hollywood

 

Yes, even I, cold to the bone Tele, like Titanic.  But it's not in my top ten for the year.  It needed more mud and chickens.  @Lor San Tele

 

James Cameron knows how to make a grown man cry. 9/10 @darkelf