I don't have a list, but I did almost take Sideways for my last pick.

.

Inglourious Basterds . . . is a World War Two film about an American soldier (Brad Pitt) leading a group of partisans sowing mayhem behind enemy lines. I thought Pitt slightly overacted his role, but Quentin Tarantino is an utter genius at creating cinematic tension. Two scenes in particular had my heart racing: the first is where a Gestapo office is hunting Jews and figures out that a farmer is hiding a Jewish family in his basement; the uncertainty about whether or not he will find them is palpable. And the second is where two undercover partisans are in a bar filled with Germans. One of the partisans speaks German and attempts to maintain his cover, but blows it by signaling the number "three" as an American would (by using the three large fingers on one hand) as opposed to via the German method (which I think is by using the pinky and two adjacent fingers) and things devolve into a gunfight. Both scenes are brilliantly directed and showcase Tarantino at his absolute best.

The Prestige . . . is a period piece involving a personal duel between two magicians. Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, and Scarlett Johansson star. The plot has some wild twists and turns and the film is eminently watchable.

I had forgotten that The Prestige is a Christopher Nolan piece, so my five picks are between just two directors: Nolan and Tarantino. I didn't think I was such a fanboi of both but apparently I am.

Inception
Kill Bill 1&2
Memento
Inglourious Basterds
The Prestige

I also filled in the spreadsheet for RBK, since I'm now on my laptop and it's easy to do.

I know, Xander, I changed my mind

So Kioshk is on the clock...I assume he was PMd

Posting on the Lounge is the closest you can come to being married without ever getting laid.

Kioshk is skipped! I will be making my pick shortly. First, my write up for round 4...

Dom's 4th pick:

Mad Max: Fury Road, 2015



This is an amazingly accomplished film. It succeeds on nearly every level: as a mythical fable, a classical story, and, of course, as an action movie.

The characterizations are wonderful; they manage to be both unique and archetypal. You've got the Hero, The Avenging Angel, The Innocent, The Redeemed, The Earth Mother, etc. Charlize Theron, Tom Hardy, and Nicholas Hoult all rise far above the demands of a mere action movie. The supporting roles all stand out out even with lesser screen time - Hoult's fellow War Boys, especially Slit, the band of Women Survivors, and of course, Immortality Joe.

The cinematography, production design, and costuming were all astounding. Gorgeous-looking film.

But what really stood out was the world-building and myth-making, with very little expository nonsense that explained everything. Miller just throws you right in the middle of this madness and you're supposed to make sense of it. I love that. The little touches are what makes a world seem real - and Fury Road has that in spades. From the Milking Mothers, to the scrambling rabble outside the Citadel with inexplicable structures on their shoulders and backs, to Max being used as a living blood bag (!), to the War Boys chrome paint fetish, to the ingenious motorized weaponry...all of it just works.

I especially loved how Immortality Joe has used bits and pieces of former religions to promise his followers a life after death that makes the War Boys yearn and shout and die for this magical "Valhalla." It makes sense.

Love this film beyond all reason.

****************************

Dom's Picks:

Mulholland Drive
Before Sunset
Punch Drunk Love
Mad Max: Fury Road

Dom's 5th pick:

Upstream Color, Shane Caruth, 2013



Shane Caruth's meditation on identity and free will, takes as its metaphor a science fiction-like parasite that can be passed between human, pig and orchid - through a worm.

Caruth wrote, produced, stars,co-edited, did the score, was the DP, and I'm sure he schlepped lots of equipment around. Hell, his parents are responsible for the craft services.

Just like with his first film, Primer, UC is a completely original and breathtaking movie. It's narrative is both straight-forward and maddeningly elliptical, and to try and rehash the plot would be an exercise in futility. This is like Terrance Mallick on acid.

It's also one of the most gorgeous digital films ever shot. Caruth is a master at framing and composition, and the editing of this film could be held up as the pinnacle of the art form. With it, he creates, in what some might call a nonsense plot, an amazing immediacy and tension that is as gripping as any thriller I've seen in recent years, yet still completely impressionistic. The mostly electronic score is also to be lauded, as it's both beautifully symbiotic and a major plot point in the film itself.

The film is also an affecting love story. The highlight for me is a montage of scenes that show the two lovers arguing over whose childhood memories they are telling one another, and how it's both frightening and exhilarating that they are apparently sharing memories.

The last third of the film is wordless, and is a brilliant collage of images, droning, ambient music, guiding the story to its deeply enigmatic, yet somehow satisfying and necessary conclusion.

Great, great movie.

**************

Dom's picks:

Mulholland Drive
Before Sunset
Punch Drunk Love
Mad Max: Fury Road
Upstream Color

John Cole on the clock!

I had a peanut butter and chocolate martini for dinner, so no writeup until tomorrow. Round five pick: Toni Erdmann.

still need to see that

Just one?! No matter, excellent choice and good to know you are branching out into more eclectic drinking habits.

I'm taking Django Unchained this round. I'll tell you a little more about it tomorrow morning after I go out disco dancing, it's Friday night you know, got tha fever.

Hot takes: I did not like No Country For Old Men. The Anton Chigur character was ridiculous and not credible, and his compressed-air plug gun was dumb.

Also: I’m running out of movies I really liked. One of my absolute favorites — LA Confidential — misses the time bar by a year or two.

Unpossible you're running out of movies!

ya i could easily come up with 50 movies off the top of my head and then would still realize i forgot something i loved.

I can too, but many of them predate 2000.

Pan's Labyrinth (El laberinto del fauno, 'The Labyrinth of the Faun') [2006] is a Spanish fantasy/ drama film written and directed by Guillermo del Toro. It takes place five years after the Spanish Civil War slacked off and when Pretty Boy Franco was consolidating his power.

Mythology is mixed with the real world of force and violence in Spain at the time; and tasks are requested of a young girl – thus pain and suffering and morality are intertwined and a mixture of a fairy tale and realism occurs. Consequences are grim, both real and imagined. On a side note: The assigning of tasks to complete is an ancient archetype of much mythology and storytelling.

I watched this film because of the prodding of an old friend and was pleasantly surprised by its originality – at least to me. I enjoyed the film very much so I pick it for inclusion here.

Picks so far:

The Dark Knight
No Country for Old Men
In Bruges
Pan’s Labyrinth

I loved Fury Road.

xander biscuits on the clock!

Sniped on Pan’s Labyrinth!

xander biscuits is skipped!

Zeno is on the clock and has been PMd

Pick 5

Dead Man's Shoes



I've got to tiptoe around this one because I don't want to spoil it too much, but Paddy Considine is an absolute force to be reckoned with in this movie. He's on the screen 90% of the time and he absolutely dominates. He's a great actor, acting really well and has been given a great character to play in this movie.

Talking around the plot this is a gritty revenge thriller with Considine wronged and getting his vengeance one step at a time. He's not rushing it, just methodically doing his thing as everyone around him falls apart.

If you've not seen it then here's a good clip that shows you a bit of Considine's character without spoiling the plot of the movie:



Owning Mahowney
The Royal Tennenbaums
Dancer in the Dark
Primer
Dead Man's Shoes