106. Tootsie
Tootsie tackled 1980s’ chauvanism by disguising a man as a woman. Hilarious as it was, the tradition can be traced as far back as Homer’s Illiad.
Tag Archives: Oscar
105. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Is this film about amnesia or is it about déjà vu? Either way, Charlie Kaufman’s script which focuses on memory is a true original.
104. The Grifters
Based on Jim Thompson’s grimey story about smalltime criminals, Stephen Frears’ film was robbed when it didn’t win a single Oscar from its four nominations.
103. The Talented Mr. Ripley
The 1960 adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel was already so revered, was Anthony Minghella wise to try a new version?
102. Movies about Movies
Most movies about moviemaking are little more than trite tributes. Are there any that go beyond the surface of the silver screen?
101. 12 Years a Slave
He has made only 3 feature films, but with each of them being a masterpieces Steve McQueen is now one of the world’s leading filmmakers.
99. Christopher Nolan’s Mementos
He may make blockbusters, but Christopher Nolan’s tastes lean more to art house cinema. So what are his films really about?
98. Peter Weir – Master and Commander
Peter Weir: 6 Oscar nominations, no wins. No other living director has been so denied the statuette. Does it matter?
97. The English Patient
Lyrical language and elliptical plotting can work in a novel, but not necessarily in cinema. Does The English Patient succeed?
96. The Social Network
Aaron Sorkin’s script is lauded as dazzling. But a script is more than just dialogue, and that’s why Sorkin’s is so great.
95. Shakespeare in Love
A lot of people don’t like this because it beat Saving Private Ryan to the Best Picture Oscar. Is the prejudice justified?
94. JFK
Oliver Stone’s JFK was lambasted by both the political left and right for its factual inaccuracies. But since very few can agree on the facts, is it a good movie?
93. The Deer Hunter
If it was originally called The Man Who Came To Play and took place in a Las Vegas casino, how did the story end up taking place in Vietnam during the war?
91. The Piano
Writer-director, Jane Campion made history in 1993 when she became the first woman to win the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
88. Bullitt
With Steve McQueen in the title role, a legendary car-chase and a score by Lalo Schifrin, Peter Yates’ Bullitt still oozes as much cool now as it did in 1968.
86. Michael Clayton
Akin to a 70s’ conspiracy thriller, Michael Clayton is also a character study with strong turns from George Clooney, Tilda Swinton and Tom Wilkinson.
85. The Untouchables
The studios didn’t like the script and no one wanted to play the heroic Treasury Agent, Eliot Ness. So how did The Untouchables turn out to be such a success?
84. Days of Heaven
Regarded as a poet of cinema, Terrence Malick’s films have rarely connected with audiences. Has he been ahead of his time or is he now running out of it?
83. The Hurt Locker
Kathryn Bigelow did not just make history when she became the first woman to win an Oscar for directing. She also made a landmark war film.
82. Roman Holiday
How do you cast a movie star in a story about a Princess who does not want to be a Princess? You cast an unknown. Ladies and Gentlemen, Audrey Hepburn.
81. Atonement
Ian McEwan’s novel was always going to be a tough nut to crack, but Joe Wright and Christopher Hampton delivered a modern classic of a tragic tale.
77. Barry Lyndon
Stanley Kubrick’s most awarded film is the one that Martin Scorsese says was his best. Ridley Scott worships it. So why is it so seldom seen?
75. The Military-Entertainment Complex
How much does the Pentagon help Hollywood? Is Hollywood just the Pentagon’s mouthpiece?
73. Who Framed Roger Rabbit
The very definition of ‘landmark film’, without it would there be no Beauty and the Beast, Toy Story or even Avatar.
