************************************************ * Dave Haugen's 100 Favorite Films of All Time * ************************************************ Ok, ok, This may not be erotic literature, however, I just thought I would post my 100 favorite films of all time. Why? Because I love films. I am a cinephile to the end. I also love discussing films with people, so if you want to chat film, or have any comments about the films below, let me know. Besides, life is more than just erotic literature right? And now...in order... 1. 2001: A Space Odyssey (Kubrick, 1968) "Jupiter...and beyond." This is perhaps the only film that I will ever watch over 100 times. I'm somewhere around 40 viewings and counting. And the chills I get running through my body as I watch this amazing film, always come back. 2. Magnolia (Anderson, 1999) "We may be through with the past, but the past aint through with us." I have a feeling that this film will eventually take over the number one spot on my list. I fall in love with it more and more over repeated viewings. BRILLIANT. 3. Modern Times (Chaplin, 1936) "You'll find that life is still worthwhile, if you'll just smile." Chaplin's masterpiece. The ultimate cinematic example of reminding us what it is to be a human being. I fell in love with Paulette Goddard when I first saw this movie at 10, and cried when after laughing so hard throughout the film as I wanted to meet Chaplin, and was told by my grandfather that he was dead. Well not all stories have happy endings. 4. Dr. Strangelove (Kubrick, 1964) "Precious bodily fluids." Sellers, Hayden, Sellers, Scott, Sellers. 5 of the greatest performances by 5 of the greatest actors around. This film helped me to stop worrying and love my mom. You never know when you will never be able to see your mom again. Have you sent her flowers lately? 5. La Strada (Fellini, 1954) "Do you still love me?" This remains to date, one of the only films that can actually bring tears to my eyes, without fail, every time. 6. The General (Keaton, 1927) "If you lose this war, don't blame me!" If you had to select one film that would guarantee laughter, this would be it. Keaton had to be the greatest stuntman that ever lived. Phenomenal. 7. Wings of Desire (Wenders, 1988) "I can't see you, but I know you're there." Oh my God. See this film!!! I cannot praise the great director Wim Wenders enough for his angelic masterpiece. Every time you sip a nice hot coffee on a cold winter's day, you'll appreciate it more following this life-altering cinematic experience. 8. Mr. Hulot's Holiday (Tati, 1953) "See you next year!" Surrealistic comedy. Watching this film once a year, for me, is like returning to a favorite vacation spot to renew acquaintances with old friends. Completely charming. 9. Rear Window (Hitchcock, 1956) "People ought to get outside their house and look inside for a change." Arguably Hitchcock's best film, it gets better and better on repeated viewings. Grace Kelly is a goddess. She enlightens every frame. 10. Taxi Driver (Scorsese, 1977) "Time to get organizized." Powerful stuff. The unofficial beginning of the Robert De Niro/Martin Scorsese collaboration. Everything about this film works; it's more than just a morality tale, it's a parable. 11. Wild Strawberries (Bergman, 1957) "A study on aging." Bergman's greatest, most accomplished film. Not the right film to start people off on the great Swedish director, but a powerful film nonetheless. 12. Do the Right Thing (Lee, 1989) "This is the story of Love and Hate." My favorite film to show impressionable teenagers. High school teachers across America should use this in their classrooms to initiate dialogue about morality and tolerance. Uncompromising power, and an outstanding, I repeat, OUTSTANDING cast. Ossie Davis is my hero. 13. The Birth of a Nation (Griffith, 1915) "Men in white." I feel guilty having this film sitting next to a Spike Lee joint. Racism aside, no one can deny that this is probably one of the most important films of all time, and although thematically questionable, Griffith was the pioneer of visual storytelling. 14. The Seventh Seal (Bergman, 1957) "Love is the blackest of all plagues." Deep, philosophical, existential, talky, grim, bleak. Quintessential Bergman. I melt into films like this. 15. Mon Oncle (Tati, 1958) "In life you find laughter and in laughter you find life; to laugh is to live!" Charming follow up to "Mr. Hulot's Holiday". It's a shame that Tati only made a half dozen films. Simply captivating. Music and color are used to perfection. 16. Sunset Boulevard (Wilder, 1950) "I am big, it's the pictures that got small." Oh how I love this film. Every little second, every character, every frame, every utterance of dialogue. Watch for the Buster Keaton cameo! 17. The Piano (Campion, 1993) "The heroic path of the romantic impulse should be treasured...it's a compulsive path of great courage that generally ends dangerously." A Jane Campion quote. Btw, have you ever noticed how many films Harvey Keitel cries in? And why do so many people seem to hate this film so much?? 18. Yojimbo (Kurosawa, 1960) "I'll be waiting for you at the entrance of hell." Better than any American western you'll ever find, this Samurai epic transcends so many levels and entertains all at once. Vastly superior than the vastly overrated films of Clint Eastwood, "Unforgiven" included. 19. L'Avventura (Antonioni, 1960) "I've looked everywhere, there's nothing to find." Film as metaphor. Every frame of this film is like an ambiguous painting, there are so many angles to view it. A cinematic masterpiece. 20. Blue Velvet (Lynch, 1986) "Yes, that's a human ear alright." Even in the sunniest, woodiest days in small town America, people start bringing out those chainsaws. Roy Orbison has never sounded the same after this one. Now it's dark. 21. The Sweet Hereafter (Egoyan, 1997) "And the Pied Piper led all the children away." Incredibly moving portrait of a small town that loses many of its children in a horrific bus accident. Great twists and emotional moments. Remember this name...Atom Egoyan. 22. M (Lang, 1931) "I have no control over this evil thing inside me." Dark, creepy, atmospheric, yet beautiful. Modern film rarely looks this good. 23. Amadeus (Forman, 1984) "Mediocrities of the world...I absolve you all!" One of my favorite conflicts in film is Man versus God. Especially when the protagonist believes that God has launched a diabolical plot against him, vendetta style. 24. Schindler's List (Spielberg, 1993) "Power is when you have every justification to kill, but you don't." This film transcends greatness at almost every level. On the surface the film is about the Holocaust, however, it speaks volumes about the human reaction to extreme circumstances. Powerful and moving. 25. City Lights (Chaplin, 1931) "I can see perfectly." Poignant and hilarious, this is the second of Chaplin's two masterpieces. The final shot of this film has to be one of my all time favorite moments in cinema. 26. Akira Kurosawa's Dreams (Kurosawa, 1990) "Starry starry night." Martin Scorsese as Vincent Van Gogh. Mt. Fuji erupting. I believe that every important filmmaker should make one completely introspective film on their most private, inner thoughts. 27. Requiem for a Dream (Aronofsky, 2000) "Purple in the morning, blue in the afternoon, orange in the evening." I'm going to force my kids to watch this when they turn 12. Ellen Burstyn is beyond belief. I defy you to tell me that her performance wasn't better than Julia Roberts in "Erin Brockovich". 28. Raging Bull (Scorsese, 1980) "Are you fucking my wife?" De Niro has to be the greatest actor in the past 30 years of film. Completely powerful, a true Scorsese masterpiece. 29. A.I. Artificial Intelligence (Spielberg, 2001) "Mommy, when will you die?" I call this the companion piece to 2001: A Space Odyssey. It has Kubrick's fingerprints all over it, and I'm satisfied with Spielberg's rendition. I think this film has been completely misunderstood and underestimated by most critics who watched it. Give it a quarter century before people begin to realize its depth. 30. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (Capra, 1936) "Great principles don't get lost once they come to light, you just have to see them again!" An American classic; should be required viewing for anyone who needs to be reminded about how great America really is. Jimmy Stewart's filibuster speech is phenomenal. 31. The Green Ray (Rohmer, 1986) "I'm what you'd call, unoperational." I passionately love all of Eric Rohmer's films, but this stands out as my personal favorite. It's fascinating to watch our protagonist walk through life on her own tangent. 32. Amelie (Jeunet, 2001) "It's better to help people than garden gnomes." Light, fluffy, inspiring. This film is a breath of fresh air. One sitting gets me in a giddy mood for days. It is films like this that make me thank God I am not color blind. 33. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (Weine, 1920) "Hail Cesar." Might be responsible for influencing more filmmakers and filmmaking techniques than any film in history. Every shot is like a living nightmare. Brilliant. 34. The Graduate (Nichols, 1967) "Let me know that at least you'll try, or you'll never be a true love of mine." Best scene of the film: when Dustin Hoffman jumps into his swimming pool to escape into the sounds of silence. 35. Goodfellas (Scorsese, 1990) "Never rat on your friends." Scorsese is the modern day master of epic filmmaking. A great example of how an awesome soundtrack can elevate a film to its highest potential. 36. Ikiru (Kurosawa, 1952) "Life is so short, fall in love, for there will be no tomorrow." If you want to remind yourself why life is so beautiful, and "It's a Wonderful Life" has been already rented, rent this film! 37. Being John Malkovich (Jonze, 1999) "I'll meet you in Malkovich in an hour." Thank God for writers like Charlie Kaufman. Creative masterpieces like this are treasures that remind us of how magical films can be. Quirky and beautiful. 38. Our Hospitality (Keaton, 1927) "Let's play Family Feud." Hilarious comedy with typical Keaton stunts and visuals. The train segment alone has more laughs than most modern Hollywood comedies. 39. Vertigo (Hitchcock, 1958) "Dizzy yet?" Compelling suspenseful film, quite different from Hitchcock's usual formula. It took me a while to warm up to. Keeps you guessing on your first viewing, but somehow manages to get better over time. 40. An Angel at My Table (Campion, 1990) "I didn't even notice you were here." Compassion. It's a trait we often show too little of. Introversion has never been portrayed more beautifully than through the eyes of Jane Campion. 41. Roger and Me (Moore, 1989) "Where are the crime fighting chickens when you need them." The ultimate in satirical documentaries. Some people acuse Michael Moore of being a bleeding heart liberal. Wrong. He's simply a man who loves the USA so much, he's willing to expose its shortcomings. 42. A Clockwork Orange (Kubrick, 1971) "Lashings of the old ultra-violence." Kubrick's risks always seemed to work out. Gene Kelly musicals never feel quite the same after experiencing this. 43. Shadow of a Doubt (Hitchcock, 1943) "13 spades." Hitchcock repeatedly stated that this was his personal favorite of all his films. It certainly is the most accessible of his suspense films. Hooks you early and doesn't let go. 44. Dancer in the Dark (von Trier, 2001) "All walls are great if the roof doesn't fall." Stunning minimalistic filmmaking that attempts to shatter all conventions. Lars von Trier is perhaps one of the most promising directors of the next century. 45. True Romance (Scott, 1993) "The difference between eggplants and cantelopes." So many reasons to love this film. Hopper and Walken interchange, an insane Gary Oldman, an absolutely gorgeous Patricia Arquette, witty Tarantino dialogue, and the infamous Mexican standoff. So cool. So cool. 46. Lolita (Kubrick, 1962) "Cha cha cha." Sentimental and sardonic. Much better than most critics admit. Both Peter Sellers and Shelley Winters steal every scene they appears in. 47. Fargo (The Coen Brothers, 1996) "People don't have much use for the three cent stamp." Every once in a while, a film mesmerizes me from out of the blue, in a totally unexpected surprise, and stays with me for years. How the Academy ignored William H. Macy's performance is beyond me. 48. 8 1/2 (Fellini, 1963) "Visceral indulgences." A fascinating exploration into the subsconscious. It's as though the Superego and the Id took turns playing around with some 35mm film. Brilliant and mesmerizing. 49. The Shawshank Redemption (Darabont, 1994) "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies." A brilliant film, unless of course, you're a republican. Some great ideals are explored about the evil that humans create and the redemption they seek. Inspired Tom Fontana's "Oz". 50. The Night of the Living Dead (Romero, 1968) "If you go out in the woods today, you're in for a big surprise." A seriously important film, and not just in the horror genre. It's all about atmosphere and mood. GREAT sequel too! 51. American Beauty (Mendes, 1999) "Sometimes I feel there's so much beauty in this world, I can't take it." Can Annette Bening be any sexier? Sometimes, you just have to view the world from different angles to truly appreciate it. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, don't worry, you will one day. 52. It's a Wonderful Life (Capra, 1946) "One man's life touches so many others." Totally inspiring, enduring and enlightening. To me, Jimmy Stewart symbolized what it meant to be a great human being. Sometimes we have to remember that we are that person to the ones who love us. 53. Rosemary's Baby (Polanski, 1968) "Is God dead?" Completely unnerving film. I can't imagine being a pregnant woman and having to watch this. Mia Farrow is a chameleon in this one, and Polanski has never been better. 54. Chasing Amy (Smith, 1997) "It's not who you love, it's how." Kevin Smith is one of the best dialogue writers in the business. And Jason Lee's Banky has to be the funniest character ever commited to celluloid. Funny as hell. 55. Secrets and Lies (Leigh, 1996) "We're all in pain." A great blend of comedy and drama with a fantastic performance by Brenda Blethyn. One of those films where you can't wait to find out what happens next. 56/57. Jean de Florette/Manon of the Spring (Berri, 1986) "What have I done?" A captivating filmgoing experience about comeuppance. Probably the least recognized films on my list, they have a way of drawing you in and keeping you riveted. 58. Citizen Kane (Welles, 1942) "Rosebud." In University, I took a film class, and for a week, we dissected this film piece by piece to its smallest detail. And from that moment on, my passion for film accelerated. Required viewing for anyone who loves film. 59. Malcolm X (Lee, 1992) "By any means necessary." No offense to Al Pacino, but Denzel was had. Denzel was took. Denzel was crucified. A powerful performance, the best of its year. Stunning. 60. Eraserhead (Lynch, 1977) "In heaven, everything is fine." I see this film once a year at a local art theatre's annual screening, get totally hammered discussing it, then proceed to suffer horrible nightmares. Bruce McCulloch summed it up nicely when he stated: "This behavior would disturb me if Eraserhead wasn't such a fine little film." 61. Manhattan (Allen, 1979) "You have to have a little faith in people, not everybody gets corrupted." Woody Allen's masterpiece. Plays out like a Gershwin melody; elegant, tragic, but beautiful. 62. Eyes Wide Shut (Kubrick, 1999) "At no time did he ever leave my mind." The most arousing aspect of this film is knowing that an artistic genius was able to do anything he wanted for nearly three hours. 63. My Dinner With Andre (1981) "Waiter, there is too much pepper in my paprikash." How incredibly supercilious to create a film where nothing happens but two men sharing dialogue over dinner, and how brilliant that this actually works. 64. Pulp Fiction (Tarantino, 1994) "This watch is your birthright." A dialogue smorgasbord. Witty and sharp. Also marks the beginning of the end of John Travolta's acting career. 65. Safety Last (Lloyd, 1923) "Hang on!!!" The last of the fearless silent comedians. The things Harold Lloyd does in this movie, especially the famous clock scene gets your adrenaline going. All despite missing three fingers! Shudder. 66. Ghost World (Zwigoff, 2001) "Waiting for a bus that never comes." From the opening credits, you just know you're in for one hell of a quirky film. Steve Buscemi was born to play Seymour. 67. Metropolis (Lang, 1927) "They built it with their own hands." Beautiful imagery and stunning visuals. A pioneer of the science fiction genre. Apparently this was Hitler's favorite film. Nietzsche would have been proud. 68. The Wicker Man (Hardy, 1973) "All of them pagans." The best experience one can ever have with this film is to see it cold, without any prior knowledge of it. The second best experience one can have with this film is to screen it for unsuspecting viewers, preferable timid ones. It will lure them in slowly before going for the kill. 69. Sling Blade (Thornton, 1993) "You can take the man out of the institution..." Beautiful film with no whites or blacks, only varying shades of grey. Brought the name Billy Bob to my cinematic vocabulary. 70. Mulholland Drive (Lynch, 2001) "It's strange calling yourself." The ultimate mindfuck. It's incredibly entertaining watching others view it for their first time, particularly those who think that Pretty Woman and Grease are the greatest films ever made. Dream logic can be fun. 71. Psycho (Hitchcock, 1960) "A boy's best friend is his mother." Still stands up after all these years. Unsettling and ugly. And that's even before Anthony Perkins makes his first appearance. 72. Being There (Ashby, 1979) "First comes summer and spring, and then we have fall and winter." The power of understatement. The final scene of this amazing oddity is so ambiguous, it can spark entire conversations. 73. Sunrise (Murnau, 1927) "A story of a man and a woman." Totally absorbing film about love, hate, murder, betrayal, and eventually love. Great example of successful early film direction and cinematography. 74. Repulsion (Polanski, 1965) "Has the rabbit unthawed yet?" One of the creepiest films I've ever seen. Polanski is fantastic at capturing dementia through brutal imagery. It's fascinating to watch a character crumble so severely. 75. A Fish Called Wanda (Crichton, 1988) "The central message of Buddhism is NOT every man for himself." An intelligent comedy. Wow, how often does that happen? Great comic work by John Cleese, Kevin Kline, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Michael Palin. Now this is a movie you can quote from! 76. The Silence of the Lambs (Demme, 1991) "Tell me Clarice, have the lambs stopped screaming?" Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster own this film. Perfect chemistry between two fascinating characters. 77. Some Like It Hot (Wilder, 1959) "Always getting the fuzzy end of the lollipop." Classic sex comedy with Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis playing perfectly off of Marilyn Monroe and each other. Aging well, it's still fun after all those years. 78. The Virgin Spring (Bergman, 1960) "Middle Age crisis." Beautifully filmed fable of love, death, and everything else in between. Not as exhaustive and inaccessible as Bergman's heavier films. 79. When Harry Met Sally (Reiner, 1988) "Women need a reason to have sex, men just need a place." Brilliant and funny examination into the differences between men and women. Required viewing for any and every engaged couple before they take the final plunge into marriage. :) 80. Ordinary People (Redford, 1980) "Sorry seems to be the hardest word." Moving examination of a family being torn apart by internal circumstances and death. Painful to watch, but packs some great punches. 81. Stranger Than Paradise (Jarmusch, 1986) "I put a spell on you." More happens on Lake Erie in the middle of winter than in the plot of this film. Magnificently minimalist, and surprisingly entertaining. 82. The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover (Greenaway, 1990) "Try the cock, you know where it's been." Gynecology, scatology, cannibalism, rape, torture, vomit, maggots, urination, and French cuisine. Hmmm, must be a Greenaway film. 83. Annie Hall (Allen, 1977) "Seems like old times." The perfect couples movie. My wife and I rent this one together once every couple of years. Woody Allen speaks volumes about relationships, and of the challenges that need to be overcome to get them to work. 84. Aguirre: Wrath of God (Herzog, 1977) "Heaven help us." If this isn't the greatest, most realistic depiction of exploration ever filmed, I'll eat my boot. Oh wait...that's already been done. 85. Natural Born Killers (Stone, 1994) "I don't believe in murder, but, if I was a serial killer, I'd be Mickey and Mallory." Misunderstood satire, yes satire, by Oliver Stone about the media's seemingly insane behavior when it comes to turning murderers into celebrities. 86. The Shining (Kubrick, 1980) "You've always been the caretaker." Love the story of Kubrick pushing Shelley Duvall to the brink of insanity by forcing her to walk through a doorway 127 times. Try watching this film late at night while isolated and alone in the country. 87. The Vanishing (Sluzier, 1988) "And you thought Dr. Lecter was evil?" Possibly the best depiction of pure evil I've ever seen. Chilling to the core, and wrapped up with a great twist. Avoid the horrible remake, also made by the same director. 88. The Sound of Music (Wise, 1965) "So long, farewell." I think I have every lyric completely memorized by now. I have no idea why I love this film so much, but it's a great pick me up. Maybe the fact that I am in love with Julie Andrews has something to do with that. :) 89. Koyaanisqatsi (Reggio, 1984) "Life out of balance." Philip Glass is one helluva great composer, and his music juxtaposes a fascinating blend of images, from nature to modern bustling cities. It's a great 90. The Gods Must Be Crazy (Uys, 1980) "Coca-Cola is the soft drink of the Gods." A great ridiculous romp that involves guerilla insurgencies, rhinoceroses that put out fires, and dedicated bushmen. A very strange, oddball of a film, but also extremely funny. *********************** * 10 Guilty Pleasures * *********************** Ok, these next 10 films would most likely not make too many top 100 lists. These are simply my guilty pleasures, the films that I probably wasn't supposed to like, but I'll hold my head up high and admit to liking them... 1. Pink Flamingos (Waters, 1977) "Can't help it, the girl can't help it." A masterpiece in excess, in filth, in trash, in pure abrasiveness. Divine is, well, divine, and the rest of the cast is just as creepy. You'll see many assholes in this film, one literally. 2. Titanic (Cameron, 1997) "A woman's heart is a deep ocean of secrets." It's epic. It's spectacular. It's massive. It's fun. I LOVED this film. Yes, I loved it. Why do I sound like I'm trying to appologize for that? No...must not buy into the negative hype...must not... 3. Batman Returns (Burton, 1992) "Just the pussy I've been looking for." I think the reason that I loved this film was that Tim Burton made a very dark, brooding adult film, intended for adults but marketed for children. In the theater I was at, at least 10 parents walked out with their children, and that gave me a nice tingly sensation in my stomach. Or was that Michelle Pfeiffer's latex cat costume? 4. Vixen (Meyer, 1968) "Dances with fishes." Roger Ebert liked it, why can't I? Watching this film is like eating cotton candy, it looks great, and goes in great, but it's not really good for you, and rather void of anything substantial. 5. The Postman (Costner, 1995) "Neither rain, nor sleet, nor hail..." Yes I liked this film. It recharged my patriotism and nationalism and entertained me throughout. I am actually clueless as to why this is considered to be one of the worst films of all time! 6. George of the Jungle (1996) "Watch out for that tree!" I had such a great time watching this, and that was coming into it with the worst of expectations. Maybe that was why I liked it so much, yet I keep coming back to it. I still laugh like an 8 year old when I see John Cleese's ape get nailed in the balls with a coconut. 7. On Golden Pond (Rydell, 1981) "The loons are saying goodbye." Henry Fonda and Katherine Hepburn are just perfect as octagenarians who help a young boy rediscover the joy of living, even as they ultimately face the realization that they are going to die. People actually LAUGH at me when I tell them I liked this film. 8. 9 to 5 (Higgins, 1980) "Rat poison looks just like sweet and low." I can't really stand Jane Fonda, Dolly Parton usually annoys me, and I've never found Lily Tomlin funny, so why in the hell does this film work for me?? 9. Dead Ringers (Cronenberg, 1988) "I'll share everything with you." This sickening film packs a real punch. Cronenberg has this horribly clinic scientific approach to filmmaking...cold and metallic, but it's effective in the horror genre." 10. Liquid Sky (Tsukerman) 1981 "I kill with my cunt." How can you not love a film that links psychotropic music to orgasms? Well apparently I am rather alone in my tastes.