Recommend me movies you enjoy
 

Preferably not ones I've already seen, although I'm always happy to view a film again with a new perspective. Most times I'll actively welcome it, since a majority of my higher ratings are movies I haven't watched since my beleaguered year of film school. I like to think my taste has improved since then. I've been slacking in my film consumption lately and I would like to change that.
I'll likely throw blurbs of my own opinions in here after I watch films since Letterboxd is a cesspool. First person to recommend Bio-Dome gets ignored for the whole thread.

Re: Recommend me movies you enjoy
 

I'm not really a movies watcher, but right now I'm trying to go and watch some classics that everyone else has watched. Right now I'm watching The Dark Knight

In terms of movies... The Boy In Striped Pajamas?

Re: Recommend me movies you enjoy
 

Wow, you watch a lot of movies!! I might use your list if I ever need suggestions, as we seem to have compatible tastes. :) You have watched a lot more movies than me. I'm glad you gave Synecdoche New York such a high grade: it's also one of my faves.

I had to search deep, but here are notables films not already on your list (in the order than they came to mind):

- The Wizard of Oz
- PlayTime
- Mommy (2014)
- C.R.A.Z.Y.
- Braindead
- The Exorcist
- Possession
- Eraserhead
- Mulholland Drive
- Blue Velvet
- Le Dîner de cons
- Boyhood
- Lion


P.S. searching for movies in your list is a pain, is there a way to export your list in text form?

Re: Recommend me movies you enjoy
 

Easiest way to do this on letterboxd is to simply follow him and look up movies you like and see if he has a rating on it.

Here are some of my faves that I see you don't have a rating on:

Roma
Mary and Max
Come and See
The Handmaiden
The Act of Killing
Taste of Cherry
Le Samourai

Shameless plug for my own letterboxd if anyone wants to follow.

Re: Recommend me movies you enjoy
 

Amadeus. Up to you if you wish to see the original or director's cut. In my opinion a fantastic film, albeit fictional, about Antonio Salieri's jealousy and fixation with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Also wanted to acknowledge your 5 star rating for Birdman: Or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance. It's honestly one of my favorite films and it took me a couple of viewings to really appreciate it.

Re: Recommend me movies you enjoy
 

I appreciate that you took the time to give me those recs! I've been meaning to get around to some of those for a while. Most are in my watchlist, but since you have pointed those out I will prioritize them! I have been meaning to get around to Mommy for a while, and I am vastly disappointed at my lack of Lynch.
Regarding your spoilered films, I have had Climax at the top of my list for some time. I watched A Serbian Film a while back, but it's not rated and I have mostly forgotten it. In order to provide a true assessment, I'll have to rewatch it. It's not the sort of film with any rewatchability, but alas, I will do it for art. Salo will be one I watch with others. I'm not sure what viewing that alone would say about me.

Here's my diary, exported to csv and poorly converted into a Google Sheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing

Most of these are already in my watchlist, but again, I'll prioritize the ones you listed. I'll also add the ones that aren't already in there. I'm particularly attracted to Roma and The Handmaiden. Actually, I'll just get around to watching Roma tonight. I've been dying to watch it and simply have not for reasons I do not understand.
Also, thanks for following my worthless page! I have returned the gesture.

In my watchlist, but will be prioritized. I promise that means something and that I'm not simply stalling! Do you have a preference for the original or director's cut? I'd like to share the experience you had as much as possible. I'm pretty indifferent toward runtime if it's under five hours, especially if that length is justified.

It's definitely a masterpiece. Iñárritu's uncanny ability to pull such rich, genuine performances from his cast while also letting that masterful script unfold like the most effortless, organic play imaginable is a rather rewarding experience. The long-take execution is more meaningful than something like Victoria, where it plays a role in the story instead of just existing as a marketing ploy.

Re: Recommend me movies you enjoy
 

<3

you don't need to watch Serbian Film again btw lol

Re: Recommend me movies you enjoy
 

There's a difference of about 20 minutes between the two, making it nearly 3 hours long. I realized that one of the scenes removed from the theatrical cut makes a later scene moot without the full context. One or two more scenes in the director's cut give more context and depth to Salieri's character and one regarding Mozart giving private lessons. I would personally recommend the director's cut.


Well said! I can't get enough of that film, honestly. The choice to do long takes makes sense in the context of the Broadway plot. It is as ambitious as the choice to limit the score of the film to just a drum kit. Self-referential, comedic at times, depressing at other times. I especially love the scene between Riggan and the critic. There's a breathtaking audio transition with the pianist playing at the bar, cut by the close of the door and then hearing the cello with the piano along with the fitting MacBeth quote.

Re: Recommend me movies you enjoy
 

Spider Man into the Spider Verse :) :) :)

Re: Recommend me movies you enjoy
 

Roma (2018), dir. Alfonso Cuarón.
Recommended by Psychotik.
Unfolding as a series of vignettes rather than a traditionally cohesive feature film, Alfonso Cuarón's Roma is a visually striking and immaculately directed affair that suffers from narrative remoteness. While it's abundantly clear that every scene is staged with an incredible amount of foresight and choreography (Cuarón's trademark orchestrated chaos has never been more apparent), such visual theatrics usually take priority over emotional resonance. While the perambulating structure of the story isn't inherently bothersome, its refusal to get close to its protagonist eventually begins to weigh down the film.
Any wide tracking shot photographed from the side is a microcosm for this reality: Cuarón simultaneously wants to capture his subject and the carefully curated circus unfolding behind her, ultimately sacrificing most intimacy in favor of exhibiting his craft. If I were capable of composing scenes like this, however, I wouldn't choose to be humble about it, either.
Still, there is plenty of poignancy to be mined from this film, and much of it is quite compelling despite Cuarón the screenwriter's myriad attempts to sabotage Cuarón the director. I can't deny that some of it felt Machiavellian, however.
It's probably a hell of a lot better than Belfast.
7/10 (3.5/5)

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Well, then, I will seek out the director's cut. If it's not sitting on any streaming services or I can't find a torrent, I don't mind just buying a Blu-ray copy. It will likely make a nice addition to my collection!
Yes, the tonal shifts are handled with such aplomb, it's really quite astounding. The fact that Iñárritu was able to pull off such a tricky balancing act while juggling the quasi-long-take structure is really a testament to his skill as a filmmaker. Some could argue the execution is masturbatory (especially when contextualized with my criticisms of Roma), but when there's a richly textured and affecting story to back up the style, then I'm willing to excuse a little self-indulgence. I'm going to listen for that audio transition next time I watch the film, nice catch!
I actually watched this with my partner two winters ago. I don't remember being particularly moved by it, unfortunately, and I wasn't sure if the film was as clever as it thought it was. Maybe I'll have to revisit it.

Re: Recommend me movies you enjoy
 

Amadeus is a great movie. I have the director's cut. It's cool to see other people talk about it.

I had to watch this for my college film class. I watched it with a friend in one of the open conference rooms in my dorm and we got some strange looks from people at our initial reactions to it lol.

Re: Recommend me movies you enjoy
 

If you think you would enjoy an anime movie, I highly recommend the work of Satoshi Kon. Particularly Perfect Blue and Paprika. They are not "anime" films that have the tropes of anime, and are not associated with any series. They are regular films in the medium of animation so technically anime but they are very good

Afterward you could watch Black Swan and Inception which were inspired by the respective films

Re: Recommend me movies you enjoy
 

City of God by Fernando Meirelles
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie by Luis Buñuel
Man Bites Dog by Rémy Belvaux
Possession by Andrzej Żuławski
Snatch by Guy Ritchie
Stalker by Andrei Tarkovsky
The Black Tower by John Smith
The Taste of Tea by Katsuhito Ishii

My must sees from my screenwriting years, or at least the more modern and celebrated picks, with Tarkovsky and Zulawski being the obligatory film buff listens.

Re: Recommend me movies you enjoy
 

Added 2 titles to my first post.

Interesting that there's now 2 people suggestion Possession :)

Re: Recommend me movies you enjoy
 

There is a noticeable dearth of animation in my diary. I tend to be averse to 3D animated films, but I do need to get into more anime. I have seen a lot of Perfect Blue during my time on Letterboxd, so I'll add both to my watchlist. I also understand that I need to watch more Miyazaki. Or any Miyazaki, actually. I've seen a third of Howl's Moving Castle and that's all. Would I be incorrect in assuming you have some knowledge of Studio Ghibli, and would therefore be able to provide a recommendation or two?

Adding all of the ones that aren't already in my watchlist. I adored Solaris, and I have never heard anyone say anything negative about Stalker. I actually own City of God despite never having seen it, so that will certainly be easy to find!

Does Lion transcend traditional Oscar bait tropes? I've heard nothing but good things, but I'm usually wary of films that look tailor-made to win awards.
Also, one of my co-workers recommended Possession to me back in October, so there are actually three people that have told me to watch it.

Re: Recommend me movies you enjoy
 

Lion ticks all the bait boxes but I still think it's pretty good. Still worth seeing.

Re: Recommend me movies you enjoy
 

For Ghibli in particular, a specific recommendation beyond the generic ones is kind of impossible. That said, Castle in the Sky is my personal one I'd recommend.

But also I'd *strongly* recommend the A Silent Voice anime movie. It's extremely good if you're ok with some darker topics.

If you're looking for a hard avoid though, I'd say ignore the Your Name movie. I dunno why that gets the hype it does. I'd also say Weathering With You may or may not be a miss depending how the ending goes for you. (I saw it in a theater, and while I think it's animated super well, and I absolutely love the concept, I just don't really like the ending.)

Re: Recommend me movies you enjoy
 

a silent voice is probably the best anime movie i've watched, so i definitely second that if you haven't seen it yet.

Re: Recommend me movies you enjoy
 

Some recommendations that I think you'd like, from highest priority to lowest:
- Stalker (Andrei Tarkovsky)
- It's Such A Beautiful Day (Don Hertzfeldt)
- Koyaanisqatsi (Godfrey Reggio)
- Eureka (Shinji Aoyama)
- All About Lily Chou-Chou (Shunji Iwai)

Stalker seems like the most obvious recommendation given your thoughts on Solaris. I like Solaris a bit more than Stalker (8/10 vs. 7/10), but I enjoyed both films. I'd also suggest The Handmaiden (Park Chan-Wook) for a similar reason, but Oldboy was a much more visceral watch in comparison to Handmaiden for me... but you might find more merits in Handmaiden than I would, I feel like.

I find it hard-pressed to recommend anime films to you because you don't seem to be the type to enjoy in-your-face drama/melodrama, and a lot of my favourite anime movies tend to be quite saccharine. I do feel that a lot of canonical anime movies focus more on (melo)drama, and as a result I don't think a lot of Japanese animation for you. There are many clear seminal exceptions to this (mostly sci-fi ones like Akira or End of Evangelion), but most contemporary anime films that are received well tug more on the heart in explicit ways. I wouldn't recommend any of them (including Your Name and Weathering With You, even if the films came from my favourite director).

If you're looking for animation in particular, I feel that Howl's Moving Castle (Hayao Miyazaki) and Perfect Blue (Satoshi Kon) are best up your alley, though I wouldn't consider Perfect Blue my favourite film from Kon (Millennium Actress resonates more with me). Howl's Moving Castle in general feels like one of Miyazaki's most ambitious but also laser-focused given the motivations behind making the film, and I feel that Howl's Moving Castle also really shows what Miyazaki is like both as a director and person. I think Jin-Rou: The Wolf Brigade (Hiroyuki Okiura) is also a good shout.

Re: Recommend me movies you enjoy
 

I haven't really watched a movie in years but I will say I really enjoy Zombieland, and the Animal Crossing movie (Doubutsu no Mori) if you can find a fandub of it (that's what I did, anyway) or find a subbed version of it is worth a watch imo.

I have no idea how to navigate letterboxd and I can't ctrl+F to find titles so I have no idea if these are on there but I think 9 is definitely worth a watch. There's a few more I can't think of right offhand but I'll see if I can remember them