What's your favourite film?

[Famous Mortimer]

Wild Strawberries

It's poignant, funny, warm, and it beats Proust at his own game. It's about age and memory but it's also about youth and the future. Even though it's the 'arty choice' compared to the other films I had in mind (North by Northwest, for example) it's hugely entertaining too.

You are my doppelganger and I claim my million pounds. I would have said exactly the same two, for the same reasons.

[Serge]

Julie Delpy sprawled on that bed is enough to bring tears to your eyes. One of the most beautiful things ever.

[pedant]Er, that's in 'White'[/pedant].....but Julie Delpy in anything pretty much evokes that reaction in me.

[Famous Mortimer]

[pedant]Er, that's in 'White'[/pedant].....but Julie Delpy in anything pretty much evokes that reaction in me.

*oops*

I haven't been sleeping well, and my memory is shot, is my excuse. Stupid film called "White" having a lovely scene full of red in it. I think on reflection, despite its weird ending, I like White the best of the three, although I know this thread isn't about that.

[The Masked Unit]

Hmmm, I do love A Clockwork Orange, The Shining, 2001, and The Godfather l & ll, but is my actual favourite film something a bit more populist (not that any of those are obscure choices or anything)? Robocop and T2 (yeah, T fucking 2, alright?)

Yeah, it's fucking Robocop, no doubt.

[Serge]

I think on reflection, despite its weird ending, I like White the best of the three, although I know this thread isn't about that.

It is a weird ending, isn't it? 'White' definitely has my favourite scene in any of the three, with Karol and Mikolaj skating across the lake

Spoiler alert

after Karol convinces Mikolaj that life is worth living

[close]

, but 'Red' edges it for me because I love Irène Jacob and (especially) Jean-Louis Trintignant's performances so much.

[clingfilm portent]

Network

I knew going in that this film was going to be clever, poignant and dark. But I didn't expect it to be as hilarious as it so often is, while perfectly portraying the ruthlessness of the hacks working in television, and ultimately the Godlike force in control of it. Superb. Should be watched by everyone.

[Johnny Townmouse]

Lumet is a fucking genius. Awesome director.

[clingfilm portent]

Yes. Dog Day Afternoon is probably my second favourite film, incidentally. I never realised just how much I loved watching actors perform until I saw Lumet.

[Famous Mortimer]

Network

I knew going in that this film was going to be clever, poignant and dark. But I didn't expect it to be as hilarious as it so often is, while perfectly portraying the ruthlessness of the hacks working in television, and ultimately the Godlike force in control of it. Superb. Should be watched by everyone.

The line about being too old for dick-measuring contests sticks with me. Amazing film.

[billtheburger]

Probably 12 Angry Men as a close third ?

[clingfilm portent]

Third, tied with The Verdict. I should really see some more. I've wrestled with Fail Safe and The Pawnbroker but they just don't grab me.

[Johnny Townmouse]

The Verdict, The Offence, 12 Angry Men, Network, Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, Deathtrap....and so many more. What a legacy he has left behind.

Does anyone not like Dog Day Afternoon?

[clingfilm portent]

Oooh Deathtrap! I've heard of this... I will check it now. Thanks :)

[billtheburger]

I'd give Equusa miss, though.
Jenny Agutter does the full frontal, but the whole equinophilia gets a bit much.

[Johnny Townmouse]

Deathtrap is one of those films I loved when I was a kid and only found out years later was a Lumet film. In fact, I only found out a couple of years ago.

It's the 80s so of a time and a bit dated but has a wonderful structure.

[Captain Crunch]

The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

[El Unicornio, mang]

The Hill is another good Lumet one.

[rjd2]

Into The Wild


Its beautiful, touching, has some superb performances, hirsch as the doomed idealistic lead is great as are the supporting cast, Vince Vaughan toned down for the first time ever but its stole by Hal Holbrook as the old men who befriends the lead. Sean penn's finest work and class soundtrack as well.

[poo]

Duel.

[Sam]

The Thin Red Line

I could pick almost any film by Malick, Tarkovsky or Herzog, whichever one of their major works I've just watched will feel like the best film ever made.

I picked TTROL because I think that the opening ten mins or so (the 'In Paradisum' prologue) is a miracle. The tone of it all just makes my soul swoon. The measured, meditative, hypnotic pacing, the drawled voice over, the gold and blue landscapes shot with exquisite beauty, the Melanesian choirs, the children plunging through the tropical water as Faure's Requiem surges, the gentle introduction to all the film's themes, the hug the mother and child share with the bird cage in the background, the soft murmuring of the islanders while Zimmer's score throbs ecstatically.

To start a large budget, large scale Second World War film in a tropical paradise, with almost nothing happening slowly is such an audacious move. Factor in that Malick hadn't shot anything for two decades, was given a massive project by a big studio with dozens of class actors and a handful of superstars, a complex piece of  source material and with all that he still made it utterly unique, utterly him, a complete work of art that's one of the best films ever made.

[Sal Vicuso]

Vote number 2 for this'un

[clingfilm portent]

I could have sworn he had two legs in that.

[dallasman]

I'd have to say "The Best Of Bergman".

[buttgammon]

Rushmore isn't far behind my other choices. Really good film and a soundtrack that fits brilliantly.

[zomgmouse]

For years, it was Sleeper.

Then it was displaced by Once Upon a Time in the West, which it probably still is.

But I think soon it's going to be displaced by The Red Shoes.

[Mini]

No one's said The Silence of the Lambs so I will to be different.

[Canted_Angle]

Has to be There Will Be Blood for me. The first thing I said after I saw the film was that Kubrick isn't dead.

[Nowhere Man]

Really predictable choice but i'll say Back To The Future, the entire trilogy is brilliant in fact.

Yes even the third film is bloody great.

Actually if I was asked on a different day I would probably pick one of these three Laurel & Hardy films.. Way Out West, Blockheads, Sons Of The Desert.

[Mildly Diverting]

Really predictable choice but i'll say Back To The Future, the entire trilogy is brilliant in fact.

Yes even the third film is bloody great.

I'd say that the second was the weak link.

Can't believe Citizen Kane hasn't come up yet, so there's mine.

[Doomy Dwyer]

'Raging Bull'. It's not about boxing you know.