I consider cinema to be both a form of artistic expression as well as a form of entertainment. This fact has been proven many times over the years by some of the greatest directors to grace the big screen such as Kubrick, Lynch, Tarkovsky, Tarantino and Goddard to name but a few. In order for a movie to make the top ten I believe a movie should meet the following criteria:
1. It should be entertaining to an audience that consists of a varied demographic but is at the same time challenging enough for the more cerebral viewer.
2. It should function on more than one level, even if the movie is a very straightforward tale it should resonate with the viewer on some level.
3. It should attempt to push the envelope of what is possible or allowable in cinematic or narrative terms (this is context dependent e.g. Citizen Kane is not ground breaking in today's terms but it was when it was originally released).
4. It should excel in one of the following categories: cinematography, sound design, acting, dialogue (screenwriting), editing.
Here are my pick for the top ten in no particular order (this is a personal top 10 that I feel fit the criteria and not necessarily an objective top 10):
1. Irreversible (by Gaspar Noe).
2. Lost Highway (by David Lynch).
3. 2001: A Space Odyssey (by Stanley Kubrick).
4. Fear X (by Nicholas Winding Refn).
5. Reservoir Dogs (by Quentin Tarantino).
6. Funny Games (by Michael Haneke).
7. Elephant (by Gus Van Sant).
8. Audition (by Miike Takashi).
9. The Big Lebowski (by The Coen Brothers).
10. Before Sunrise (by Richard Linklater ...one you can watch with a chick!).
Let me hear yours...
1. It should be entertaining to an audience that consists of a varied demographic but is at the same time challenging enough for the more cerebral viewer.
2. It should function on more than one level, even if the movie is a very straightforward tale it should resonate with the viewer on some level.
3. It should attempt to push the envelope of what is possible or allowable in cinematic or narrative terms (this is context dependent e.g. Citizen Kane is not ground breaking in today's terms but it was when it was originally released).
4. It should excel in one of the following categories: cinematography, sound design, acting, dialogue (screenwriting), editing.
Here are my pick for the top ten in no particular order (this is a personal top 10 that I feel fit the criteria and not necessarily an objective top 10):
1. Irreversible (by Gaspar Noe).
2. Lost Highway (by David Lynch).
3. 2001: A Space Odyssey (by Stanley Kubrick).
4. Fear X (by Nicholas Winding Refn).
5. Reservoir Dogs (by Quentin Tarantino).
6. Funny Games (by Michael Haneke).
7. Elephant (by Gus Van Sant).
8. Audition (by Miike Takashi).
9. The Big Lebowski (by The Coen Brothers).
10. Before Sunrise (by Richard Linklater ...one you can watch with a chick!).
Let me hear yours...