My Favorite Films (Part 7)

Please refer to http://goo.gl/Oe7tO5, which explains the criteria for this series and don't forget to check out Kyle's blog for his lists, too!

31. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest 

Year: 1975
Director: Milos Foreman

Besides Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher's Oscar winning performances, which I already discussed in my Favorite Lead Actor Performances and Favorite Lead Actress Performances lists, there are a multitude of reasons to love One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. The rest of the cast - including Danny DeVito, William Redfield, Christopher Llyod, Sydney Lassick, Scatman Crothers, Will Sampson, and especially Brad Dourif - is excellent and all create memorable characters that wonderfully support Nicholson and Fletcher. Lawrence Hauben and Bo Goldman deservedly won the Best Screenplay Oscar and, in my opinion, greatly improved upon the source material. Every single technical aspect, from the direction and editing to the cinematography and production design, is sublime. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is simply perfect and is, quite possibly, my favorite film from the 1970's.

32. The Pledge

Year: 2001
Director: Sean Penn

Another masterful Jack Nicholson performance, this time a quarter century after his work in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, highlights this small, intimate suspense drama from director Sean Penn. The Pledge has a somewhat cliche plot - a police detective vows to find a killer and then proceeds to devote his whole life to that pursuit - but that doesn't tell the whole story. The Pledge is a subtle and nuanced film and explores the depths of obsession, paranoia, and fear as well as any film I've seen. For anyone who thinks that Nicholson always plays himself (a complaint I've never understood), I dare them to watch this film and keep that opinion. Besides Nicholson, the cast boasts some excellent actors - Aaron Eckhart, Patricia Clarkson, Benicio Del Toro, Harry Dean Stanton, Robin Wright, Vanessa Redgrave, Helen Mirren, and Sam Sheppard all greatly add to the appeal of the film. It's Mickey Rourke, though, who shines the brightest among the supporting cast despite having only one scene. Penn has proven himself very talented behind the camera, capturing some great scenes and shots, and created one of the most haunting, sad, and memorable film endings in recent memory.

33. The Prestige 

Year: 2006
Director: Christopher Nolan

Christopher Nolan is discussed far too often on the internet already, so I kind of hate to contribute anything more, but I feel that his best work, The Prestige, isn't talked about enough. The Prestige is a wonderful film in nearly every regard. The writing, performances, set and costume designs, direction, editing, cinematography, and soundtrack are all excellent and add up to one of the best films of this millennium. The story, concerning two magicians in nineteenth century London who become enemies and constantly push each other to greater lengths, is interesting and suspenseful and features a fabulous 'twist' at the end. Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale, two actors who don't normally impress me, are perfectly suited to their roles and Michael Caine and Scarlett Johansson round out the main cast nicely. The recently deceased David Bowie has a great role as the famous inventor Nikola Tesla and is one of the first things I think about when discussing The Prestige. I've seen The Prestige three or four times and with each viewing, I like it a little bit more.

34. Pulp Fiction 

Year: 1994
Director: Quentin Tarantino

Pulp Fiction is a very unique film. Part neo noir, part dark comedy with a retro vibe and some of the most memorable characters assembled in a non-linear story frame with moments of intense and graphic violence. It can shock you into laughter, but also put you on the edge of your seat. Quentin Tarantino (one of my Favorite Directors) crafted a superb film, surpassing his wonderful debut, Reservoir Dogs, with ease. It's hard to pick a favorite moment, character, or line of dialogue, as the whole film is filled with such unbelievably great ones. I will say that Christopher Walken and Harvey Keitel are involved with some of my favorite moments and Bruce Willis gives on of the best performances of his career. With a film as famous and loved as Pulp Fiction, there's not a lot more to say. If you haven't seen it yet, get to it! If you've seen it, but only once a long time ago, see it again! If you've seen it multiple times and just recently, watch it again soon! It's a film that never gets old, no matter how many times I sit down to watch it.

35. Quills 

Year: 2000
Director: Philip Kaufman

Quills is easily one of the least talked about films on my list, but I think if more people had seen it, it would be among many people's favorites. The two most important aspects of a film, for me, are the writing (characters, dialogue, and plot) and performances (both main and supporting) and Quills features some of the best of both of those aspects. Doug Wright (what a name for a writer) adapted his own stage play for the screen and brought the legendary Marquis de Sade to life. As the Marquis, Geoffrey Rush gives the best performance of his career - which is saying quite a lot, given what he's done - and embodies the character with passion, lust, and a hilariously dark sense of humor as he's confined to an insane asylum in 18th century France for publishing his sexually explicit books. Kate Winslet, as the asylum's laundress who gets sucked into assisting the Marquis, is her usual, fantastic self. Michael Caine and Joaquin Phoenix play doctors with very different ideas on how to treat their imprisoned patients. Quills is a beautifully shot, sexy, and darkly funny film and I encourage anyone who hasn't seen it to make watching it a priority.

Well, there's part seven of this ten part series. I hope to have inspired at least one person to check out a film or two and I hope to read some comments down below. Do you like any of these films? Hate any of them? Let me know, please!

Coming up next Friday: My Favorite Supporting Actor Performances.