Best Film (cinematic) Aesthetically and by plot

[wafflecakee]

Death Wish 3

 

[Keith]

Ok ... I just thought of the ultimately watchable movie:

'Groundhog Day!'

😀

 

[CK Dexter Haven]

Plot: Lock, stock, and two smoking barrels

Ooh. I prefer SNATCH.

Which reminds me of CITY OF GOD. I saw that in Brazil, but in Portuguese, and it still worked. Fantastic film, but it owes a bit to Guy Ritchie.

re: Paris, Texas - I only saw it relatively recently. Maybe a year ago? I remember liking it, but not being overwhelmed by any of it. Except, i began to look for Kinski movies afterward. Didn't find any that were as special, though.

re: Memento.... Gosh, i hate Chris Nolan movies. Beginning with Memento and ending with that Batman thing that everyone else thought was so brilliant. Oh, and Inception. Gosh, i hate Chris Nolan movies. I guess it's just me, but they just seem to try so hard to be 'challenging,' and end up just being tedious. I begin with interest in the premise and treatment, but halfway through, i just want them to end.

 

[semilog]

Good idea for a thread. Visually, I'm a big fan of Diva. As a tour-de-force piece of overall film making, I can't readily think of a better film than The Godfather, Part II.

There are many, many, many others, of course. Lost in Translation is one.

 

[semilog]

I agree, one does not watch "The Big Sleep" one wrestles with it.

Don't do that. You'll lose. The damn thing doesn't make any sense at all. And it's my favorite Bogart (and Bacall) movie, too.

 

[semilog]

Aesthetics: "Le Samurai"
Plot (and damned good aesthetics too, I think): "The Man Who Would Be King"

Rob

That's a fun one for sure.

 

[semilog]

Editing: anything done by Erroll Morris.

 

[hteasley]

These can go in for both plot and cinematography:
Yojimbo
Sanjuro
High and Low
(Kurosawa rocks my world, basically.)
Dr. Strangelove

Right now, I'm watching another one of my favorite films, which doesn't rate on cinematography, but love the plot and dialogue: Pickup on South Street. Richard Widmark, Jean Peters, Thelma Ritter.

Can watch these over and over and over (and often do).

 

[stewmander]

CK: I think the Dark Knight is a good film made great by Heath Ledgers performance. It will be a classic film of its generation...on a similar note, i never understoon the hype for No Country for Old Men, guess im not "old" enough or something? I can see how Inception can be tideous (wait, are we in the 3rd dream level or the 2nd, I forgot)

 

[rbiemer]

Hmm, I am going to have to tweak my Netflix queue!
Lots of very good movies mentioned in this thread; many I have seen before and need to watch again, some I've not seen yet.

Three movies I haven't seen here that should be mentioned for aesthetic appeal:
A trilogy (that I can't recall the correct order for 🙁 ) "White" , "Blue" , and "Red".
I saw these a long time ago and the plots have faded for me but I still remember being impressed by the look and sound of each film.

One that works, for me, very well for both plot and aesthetics is "Far Away So Close".

And, one of the best action movies I've ever seen--really good choreography and a plot not geared to 12 year olds--is a Korean film: "The Man From Nowhere".

I've been working through the selections of 1960s Japanese movies from netflix and most are OK, some are awful, and a few I liked quite a lot.
Two I enjoyed quite a bit are "Pale Flower" (more for aesthetics but the plot isn't bad either) and "Branded To Kill".


Rob

 

[Harry S.]

...on a similar note, i never understoon the hype for No Country for Old Men, guess im not "old" enough or something?

I can see why this film isnt for everyone. Its a slow, lumbering film with a basic plot and a some-would-say anticlimactic ending. However the dialog, the acting and cinematography is as good as it gets for me. To take a slow paced story with not a whole heck of a lot going on or developing along the way, and make people hang on every word, that is masterful. Tommy Lee Jones' closing monolog is the perfect ending.

 

[malcD]

lord of the rings, avitar, toystory 3, and all of the above --- when ever i go to the movies and enjoy the film I think it's great till I see the next one. --- almost forgot sleeper and upin smoke

 

[sar-photo]

A bit off-topic but the mention of films based on Raymond Chandler's books (The Big Sleep etc) reminded me of my favourite line from a book. It's from 'The High Window'...

"From thirty feet away she looked like a lot of class. From ten feet away she looked like something made up to be seen from thirty feet away."

Getting back on topic, here's a few suggestions...

Titus - beautifully filmed, acted and directed (Julie Taymor). The plot? well... it's Shakespeare!

Three films that I enjoyed recently (excellent plots and very well filmed) were The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire and The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest.

Cheers
Simon

 

[Ezzie]

Ezzie, you and i have very similar tastes.
fonda played the meanest man in the world in once upon a time in the west, and i think his best role ever.

I agree Paul. I never understood the Fonda hype, but that movie put that straight.

I would also like to add Paris, Texas (to both categories). And Keith reminded me of Greenaway's burlesque classic The Cook, The thief, his wife and her lover. The Kieslowski Three colours trilogi is also a masterpiece (or three).

And yes Keith, Groundhog day is very watchable, can even watch it several times (I don't normally). But Bill Murray is so good its a new film every time.

And I'm surprised that no-one's mentioned Metropolis (or have they?)

 

[Keith]

I agree Paul. I never understood the Fonda hype, but that movie put that straight.

I would also like to add Paris, Texas (to both categories). And Keith reminded me of Greenaway's burlesque classic The Cook, The thief, his wife and her lover. The Kieslowski Three colours trilogi is also a masterpiece (or three).

And yes Keith, Groundhog day is very watchable, can even watch it several times (I don't normally). But Bill Murray is so good its a new film every time.

And I'm surprised that no-one's mentioned Metropolis (or have they?)

That was definitely on my list ... a true masterpiece!

 

[jbielikowski]

Blade Runner methinks. But there is also a czech film called Jízda (The Ride) and it has beautiful tones, such warm and nice, perfect match with the story.

 

[adeir]

No Country for Old Men

No Country for Old Men

I can see why this film isnt for everyone. Its a slow, lumbering film with a basic plot and a some-would-say anticlimactic ending. However the dialog, the acting and cinematography is as good as it gets for me. To take a slow paced story with not a whole heck of a lot going on or developing along the way, and make people hang on every word, that is masterful. Tommy Lee Jones' closing monolog is the perfect ending.

This one gets my vote, too. Quite a few of my friends who didn't like it complained that there was no climax because you didn't get to see the shoot-out. Too bad they missed the real climax -- Llewelyn's wife (I think her name's Norma something) confronting Chugar on his assurance of fatalism over free choice, where others simply cowered and accepted death.

Another one that comes to mind is "Man Bites Dog". While it's no longer novel for the crew on a mockumentary to become involved in the plot, I believe it was not exactly normal practice at the time. And what they end up becoming a part of is not exactly normal, either.

Andrew

 

[Ezzie]

Some mentioned 'Das Boot' before and it reminded me of what a fantastic film it is.

Speaking of foreign films I think my all time favourite has to be a Russian movie ... 'Burnt By The Sun.' The story and the cinematography are just amazing!

Crumbs Keith. I'd forgotten about that one. A fantastic movie in all respects. Das Boot is not bad either, I must admit.

 

[valdas]

have anybody mentioned "The Smoke" by Wayne Wang?

 

[porktaco]

It is impossible not to nominate Louis Malle's masterpiece, "Ascenseur pour l'échafaud" (Elevator to the Gallows).

It answers for everything I could ask of a film: Beautiful cinematographic work that became synonymous with the Film Noir genre, a tense, well-told story that involves a perfect crime and a camera (trying hard not to spoil, but a must-see for any film-buff), a pretty woman (Jeanne Moreau in her prime) in a fast car and, of course, the heart-melting soundtrack by Miles David.

"Ascenseur pour l'échafaud" gets my vote on both questions.


For colour-work, I'd have to say Almodovar's "Volver" gets my support.

without a doubt this is the greatest movie soundtrack of all time