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Eric - 2007-01-02 17:16:20
Never heard of Dark Arc, and Cavite I missed, but I really did adore everything else on that list, except Old Joy. I really was completely bored to tears. Sunshine was easily my favorite of the year, and Pan was right along next to it. Piano Tuner was great to look at, but low on any story. Still admirable. Come to think of it, there were alot of adult fairy tales this year. Another one that comes to mind was Terry Gilliam's little seen "Tideland."
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Tom Ronca - 2007-01-02 17:33:33
If there was going to be a number 11 on this list, it would be "Tideland" -- it's really the best thing Gilliam's done in a long time, and a fine motion picture - but 3 "adult fairy tales" on one best of list? it seemed a bit much, and "Labyrinth" and "Piano Tuner" won out (for me at least). Yeah, the Quay bros. couldn't give a hoot about story -- it's just not where they're coming from. But I like 'em all the same.
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iwombat - 2007-01-02 18:33:46
I think I'm the only person who wasn't crazy about "'lil miss sunshine" I thought it leanded too much on "quirky types" in "quirky situations" I don't know, maybe I'm just cranky... but I'm trusting you anyway, just came home with "a scanner darkly"...
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jon - 2007-01-02 20:14:55
I love me them Quays; there's a disc of their short films on Netflix. I thought Crispin Glover made his film years ago. Tom and Eric's comments are the first positive words I've seen about "Tideland".
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Greg - 2007-01-02 20:24:53
I am really going to try to go out of my way to see a couple of them that might still be in a theater--Pan's Labyrinth being at the top of my list. Otherwise, I must sadly admit, I haven't seen a single one on the list.
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Tom Ronca - 2007-01-02 23:28:27
My understanding is that Criterion is going to release a remastered version of the Quay Bros. collected shorts in '07 (a good idea, since some of the transfers on the current release look like they were taken off a VHS tape that had been waved by a bulk-eraser one too many times). I actually got to see the Quay boys at a rare public appearance they made here in L.A. this past Fall. They are as least as quirky as you think they must be. At the very least. And Glover did make "What Is It?" years ago, but only completed editing and post-production last year. I think there was a shorter version you could see before this, but this year marks the debut of the feature version. And not many critics liked "Tideland", true, but I think most of them were just feeling squirmy re: the subject matter of the film. It's sort of wrapped up with issues of child abuse and not in a Saturday Afternoon Special kind of way, either. And, yes, if you see one movie on this list, make it "Pan's Labyrinth". Del Toro knows how to tell the story, as they say.
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Tom Ronca - 2007-01-02 23:49:14
Also, remember, it's not exactly a 10 best list -- more like a Ten-movies-made-in-'06-worth-seeing-list (that you probably haven't seen)
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Eric - 2007-01-03 00:56:07
The week of the 19th this month, the Film Forum is doing a special two hour programs all week of the Quay Brothers shorts. Perhaps that is the foundation for that Criterion disc mentioned.
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jon - 2007-01-03 20:11:02
When I try to imagine the Bros. Quay, I can only picture the twins played by Jeremy Irons in that icky Cronenberg film, Dead Ringers. Am I far off the mark, Tom?
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Tom Ronca - 2007-01-03 20:26:30
Jon: you're right on the money -- they do the whole identical twin schtick; they dress alike, have similar physical mannerisms, finish each other's sentences, etc. One wears a ponytail and one doesn't, as if that's any help in telling them apart. That's the only difference I noted. I cannot vouch if they're both diddling Genvieve Bujold, howver. It didn't seem like the right forum to bring that up.
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Tom Ronca - 2007-01-03 20:28:37
Also, "Dead Ringers" is not icky; it's actually one of my favorite films. It's one of the few films that has made me cry upon seeing it, but then again, I cry at all the wrong movies...
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jon - 2007-01-04 12:50:36
Dead Ringers was seriously icky, Tom. The most literal expression of Cronenberg's fetish for human orifices. I wish you could have seen the faces of the people exiting the theater the night I saw it.
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jon - 2007-01-04 12:54:32
I don't mean to question your taste (or your sanity) but I thought Dead Ringers was seriously icky, Tom. The most literal expression of Cronenberg's fetish for human orifices. I wish you could have seen the faces of the people exiting the theater the night I saw it. Have you made a list of your all-time favorite films? My list would have to include "City of Lost Children" and "Lord Love a Duck".
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jon - 2007-01-04 13:00:07
Oops, I thought I cancelled the first of those two posts. I want to second iWombat's opinion of "Little Miss Sunshine". I seem to be turning into a grumpy old man, but I honestly think that the films of the 70's and 80's that were about non-conformity (e.g., "Breaking Away" and "Harold and Maude") were much better than the current films about non-conformity (such as "Sunshine" and "Napoleon Dynamite", both of which substitute a dance number for a dramatic climax.) Bah humbug: I'm renting "The Great Yakao War" next. Who's up for making "Napoleon Dolemite"?
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jon - 2007-01-04 13:02:48
Also, I would like to see a list of "movies that made Tom cry". And how do you tell the Quays from the Wachowskis? Aside from their bank statements?
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Tom Ronca - 2007-01-04 14:25:27
Responding to your comments more or less in order; Re: Dead Ringers. What can I tell you? Apparently I just don't have issues regards human orifices -- or at least not the same issues that everyone else has. And sure, "Breaking Away" and especially "Harold and Maude" are great films -- maybe the recent examples in that mold aren't as great, but they're still worthy of attention. Also, yes, I would like to make "Napoleon Dolemite: The Human Tornado Returns!". The list of movies that make Tom cry would have to begin with "La Strada", which reduces me to human jello every time. The rest I'll save for another time.
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Paula - 2007-01-04 15:12:04
I cry at pretty much every movie, but I am a lame-ass. I cried at the end of School of Rock. I cry at subway ads where they advise you not to take drugs in front of your kids. I cried during Reese Witherspoon's Oscar acceptance speech.
On the other hand, the "don't shake your baby" subway ads make me laugh, so maybe there's hope for me after all.
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Tom Ronca - 2007-01-04 15:43:59
Jon: well, let me tell ya', one easy way to tell the Wachowskis from the Quays is that the former are now a brother and sister act, in case you didn't know -- look it up on the net if you don't believe me.
Paula: I never noticed no "lame-assed-ness" on your part.
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Dr. Spock - 2007-01-04 16:14:58
Shaken Baby Syndrome is definitely going to end up a band name, if it hasn't already. Shake Your Baby is a perfect album title for Millie Jackson... and maybe they could make a baby doll that pissed off parents could shake instead, or yell at instead of their own... or just place in front of a television in another room and ignore.
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jon - 2007-01-05 11:57:13
After watching Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, I cried like a baby. A shaken baby.
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