The final round of cuts. Finally you shall see my top 10 films of all time. Exciting, isn't it? I said, EXCITING, ISN'T IT?!?!!?!? (It isn't.)

This is the link for the initial post where I talk at length about this project. http://atleastyouregettingsome.blogspot.com/2012/08/working-towards-top-10-part-1.html

 Beneath the Top 10 of all time, you will find the list of cuts from all the previous rounds.

I didn't write anything after these cuts. Why? I was lazy. I will say this, I added a film, ANGUS, to the list and decided on a criteria. These are ten films that saved my life at one point or another. Ultimately, I guess my criteria for what makes a work of art great is if it has the ability to save a life. I am deeply grateful that all these films exist. For those out there making films, I hope that in some way those are your aspirations... if not, what's the point?

All that said, I could do this exercise next month and find myself making many changes. I guarantee it. I'm starting to learn that I hate picking favorites.

Feel free to tell me what you would have added to this list and / or why I'm nuts for cutting something. I find that shit fascinating.


My top 10:

CASABLANCA
BREATHLESS
IN A LONELY PLACE
CERTIFIED COPY
THE LOVERS ON THE BRIDGE
CITY LIGHTS
LAST YEAR AT MARIENBAD
HUSBANDS
IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE
ANGUS


The cuts taking it from a top 25 to a top 10:
THE PHILADELPHIA STORY (the last one to be dropped from the top 10. ANGUS apologizes.)
THE MAN WITH THE MOVIE CAMERA
THE SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE
SABRINA
IRMA VEP
DOGVILLE
MANHATTAN
WERCKMEISTER HARMONIES
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
WHAT TIME IS IT THERE?
APOCALYPSE NOW
UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG
F FOR FAKE
VERTIGO
THE PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC
STALKER

The 15 cut to bring us to a final 25:
WINGS OF DESIRE
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE
ZERO DE CONDUITE
POETRY
SANS SOLEIL
THIS IS ENGLAND
FITZCARALDO
NIGHT MOVES
ALL THE REAL GIRLS
FOUR NIGHTS OF A DREAMER
HIS GIRL FRIDAY
MY NIGHT AT MAUD'S
RED DESERT
THE BIG LEBOWSKI
THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER

The third 10 that had to go:
THE DISCREET CHARM OF THE...
THE NAKED KISS
MORVERN CALLAR
JOHNNY GUITAR
THE DEVIL, PROBABLY
ANTICHRIST
SUNRISE
GILDA
FAT CITY
BADLANDS

The second 10 that had to go:
THE CONVERSATION (Impossible choice. Well, I guess not that impossible)
ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST
TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE (FAT CITY just sits deep in my bones, this one I just dig the fuck out of)
ANNIE HALL (This was a mood based pull... tomorrow I may regret not putting MANHATTAN in this spot)
SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE (I had to pull this as the cut that makes this list is the TV cut)
TWO-LANE BLACKTOP
CLAIRE'S KNEES (Same deal as ANNIE HALL)
SANSHO THE BAILIFF
NINOTCHKA (This was a painful pull... Basically, it just left because it isn't fresh in my mind)
THE THIN RED LINE (This left only because BADLANDS resonates with me emotionally on a much deeper level... I would not argue with you if you said TTRL is the better film)

The first 10 that had to go (Remember, these are all amazing films and it hurt me just a little bit to cut each one that I did. Especially you, Ms. Brooks.):
SHAUN OF THE DEAD
LE SAMOURAI
KINGS OF THE ROAD
HE WHO GETS SLAPPED
THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER
CHINATOWN
PANDORA'S BOX
TAXI DRIVER
THE PIANO TEACHER
IKIRU