Nov 23 Reading

Hopefully I can use the Turkey Break to do better this month, but numbers-wise I might be hampered by the two long books I'm planning to read.

1. Cop Killer--One of the better Martin Becks, despite a crazy coincidence bringing two plot lines together. A pointedly ironic title, as the titular character was only along for the ride. You can tell the authors are getting ready to wrap up the series, as they're bringing a ton of past characters back for a walk-on (even the killer from book 1).
2. The Terrorists--the conclusion to the ten volume series. Some dark comedy, like the assassinated preseidente's head propelled through the hotel window into Gunvald Larson's new suit.
3. The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht. A workshop novel, with its liberal political stances, polished prose (including redundant descriptions, often in triplicate), and detachable (workshopable) chapters. Not bad, but that's what it is. 
4. 101 Books to Read Before You're Murdered. Not well-written and not really trustworthy. But with that title I couldn't stop. 
5. Time Regained. Not that long (552 pages), but one of the reasons for the same number of books read this month. 
6. Curtain. The final Poirot mystery by Agatha Christie. 

In the end I only read one of the two long books, so this was a very disappointing month by the numbers. But hey, I finished In Search of Lost Time for a second time, so that's something!

Oct 23 Reading

 Continuing the continuance...

1. Creepshow v1. 
2. NYer 9/25/23. Fashion issue
3. Ninefox Gambit. I'm thinking about this in relation to Gideon the Ninth (science-fantasy set up), A Memory Called Empire, and to a lesser extent  Ancillary Justice. 
4. The Abominable Man which is another Martin Beck. The AbMan is a cop, and one of the comic relief cops is killed by a rooftop sniper! Uncool!
5. The Locked Room which is yet another Martin Beck. Martin solves a crime, but the criminal is sent up for another one, which he did not commit. 
6. NYer 10/9/23. Hanif Abdurraquib makes his debut (maybe) as pop music critic, as does Jackson Arn (maybe again) in art
7. Halloween Party Poirot investigates a child murder with the help of author stand-in Ariadne Oliver. Some creepy filligree around the complicated plot.
8. NYer 9/11/23. George Eliot lived in sin.
9. Tomb of Dracula. Gene Colan and diverse hands. The first half is the color comic, while the second is the first part of the Dracula Lives magazine run. 
10. The Fugitive. Marcel Proust. 
11. NYer 10/16/23. McPhee on Bill Bradley. He shredded the Persian carpet with nervous energy while working on his thesis. 
12. The Writer's Library by Nancy Pearl and Jeff Schwager. I like reading what writers have to say about reading. I do so enough that it takes away from my reader. 
13. NYer 10/30/23. 4 in, 5 out. Profile on Jim Jordan. Review essay on Bill Waterson.

A disappointing month, but ended with an auspicious number and I did watch 31 horror movies, so...

Sep 23 Reading

 Continuing.

1. NYer 8/7/23. Long, pre-death feature on Prigozhin (and how he had seemed to have "gotten away with it")
2. NYer 8/14/23. Nice retrospective review of Steven Millhauser.
3. New Teen Titans v5. It's.. the human scenes. Like Donna walking in on the mess between Terry and his ex. Though Terry is terryble.
4. New Teen Titans v6. George Perez inking himself is... kind of messy. 
5. NYer 7/10&17/23. "[C]ontinued exercise of craft breeds competence in it, but in writing there are other things than competence. THere are certain organic values, such as intensity of feeling, freshness of perception, moral earnestness and conviction. These are virtues that may exist in beginning writers and unfortunately they may exist more in the beginning than in the later stages" Tennessee Williams. 
6. The Continuous Life of Katherine Martinhoe. Not sure what I think. The two novae (TV eyes and information overload sickness) go together, but I'm not sure of the overall point. Are we to think we got the continuous Katherine or not? Wasn't she changed utterly, multiple times in her life? Maybe even every day in her last week. 
7. Cannon by Wally Wood. Men's adventure with naked ladies on almost every page. Wood said something like "never draw what you can copy, never copy what you can trace, never trace what you can cut out, and go to town on the rest
8. NYer 9/4/23. An all archival issue with Thurber cover, articles by Nabokov, Mitchell, Grann, Orleans. Story by Murakami and poem by Oliver. 
9. Invincible v 10:  Includes issue 50 and the break with Cecil. Like with NTT, the best part is the people, like Ryan and Eve's love talk. 
10. New Teen Titans v8. Almost no Perez, but still kind of ok. The end of my initial time with the series. 
11. The Captive (Proust). Who is the captive, Marcel (just now named) or Albertine? There's an especially symphonic sequence where a ton of past themes--the "little phrase," pining for Mama, "inverts," more I'm forgetting, come together and intertwine at the party where Charlus is snubbed by Madame Verdurin. 
12. After the Funeral. Another Poirot, entertaining but based on a caprice as usual. He actually hires an agent for background information, which seems to be a variation of the formula. 
13. Invincible v 11. Still on his own, and back together with Eve. Cameo of Dr Venture and Brock Samson at the burger joint. 
14. NYer 8/28/23. 5 out this month; maybe only 3 in? There was a fashion issue?
15. The Bat Man of Gotham. Chip Zdarksy and some mostly bad artists. Is it funny? The skeleton im Gordon is. The straining after the Bat Shark Repellent is not. 

Aug 23 Reading

 The challenge is over, but this seems a more convenient way of tracking my reading. 

1. Murder at the Savoy. Another Martin Beck. Though I complained about the bland characterizations last time, I'm starting to differentiate among the various cops. Some, like the two incompetent beat cops, are types, but others are more subtle (Larson and Kroll for instance.) This one was sharply anti-capitalist. 
2. NYer 9/5/22. I'll get through the stack yet!
3. NYer 7/24/23
4. Robert Anton Wilson Explains Everything (Or, Old Bob Exposes His Ignorance). Given the rise of conspiracy thinking, his final reckoning awaits. His diagnosis of Internet (which he uses without the definite article) as a counter-agent was typical of the early 21st century but way wrong. Still, he can speak fluidly on everything from general semantics to James Joyce (which is not as broad as it once seemed, perhaps).
5. NYer 9/26/22
6. NYer 7/31/23
7. Grindhouse: Doors Open at Midnight vol 2.
8. Red Mars. Less hip Neal Stephenson
9. Human Target. Palette, structure. Ending?
10. Blacksad: The Complete Stories Remarkable facial expressions on animals. Embarrassingly sexy animals. 
11. Manhattan Projects. Color palette. Multiple Oppenheimers. Boy Feynman. 
12. New Teen Titans v. 4. George Perez, people. There's a bottom role in the Runaways story where a kid is hit by a car. Everyone is facing the reader, except for the middle panel where the runaway is silhouetted by headlights. 
13. NYer 8/21/23. Five out, four in. I'll get through the pile somehow. 
14. We Have Always Lived In the Castle. Jackson's sheer command of storyteller: The awkward ballet of Helen Clarke in the living room, plotting Charle's progress against the last normal morning, the flow of time. 
15. Invincible v. 8: My Favorite Martian. It's actually Allen the Alien, not a Martian.
16. Invincible v. 9: Out of this World: I kind of think the relationship with Eve is handled well. The Dad stuff, I'm not so sure. 
17. Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck: Beautifully rendered, but really intended as a work of Duck scholarship, apparently collecting and accounting for previous Barksian references. 
18. Sodom and Gomorrah. Moving deeper into Proust. This is the one where Marcel notices everyone is gay. 
19. Green Mars. Green represents life, indigenous to Mars. Ends with a bunch of refugees walking out of Burroughs with simple rebreathers, the atmosphere almost breathable. 

Not a particularly impressive month, but 3 really long ones (Proust and two Robinsons). Plus I travelled and started back at school, so actually pretty good. 

July 23 Reading

 I have modified my book-a-day challenge to a book or old NYer challenge. Also, my paper notebook is used up so that's why "you" are seeing it here (as if there is a you).

The dates roughly correspond to the listed number. 

1. Rhialto the Magnificent by Jack Vance. I rather wish I hadn't stuck with this series, even though it has some pleasures. 
2. Sex and Rockets (John Parsons biography). Weird guy who was a self-taught rocket scientist and occultist (and apparently something of a libertarian icon), but not an especially well-done job.
3. The Laughing Policeman. Back to the Martin Beck books. They've all been good, and sort of the same, but I like the title scene(s) of this one in particular. 
4. Daredevil by Chip Zdarsky volume 2. Kingpin, Elektra, Bullseye, Typhoid Mary, and Catholic guilt are all trotted out as usual. Done well enough, especially the two issues drawn by... I forget who. 
5. June 19th New Yorker
6. June 26th New Yorker
7. JLI volume 3. This one is funny, and also obnoxious funny. It concludes the space capitalist storyline, ending with the human trafficking of Mr. Miracle to Apokolips. 
8. June 12th NYer
9. Spider-Man: Life Story
10. Dalkey Days by Steven Moore.
11. May 16th NYer
12. 12-26-22 NYer
13. JLI volume 4. I really noticed the pacing and the use of the page as a unit. Seldom does a segment last more than 4 pages, the lengths vary, and only when two storylines come together are they shared on a page. 
14. 8-1-22 NYer
15. 1/2-9/23 NYer.
16. 7/3/23 NYer.
17. 52 Volume 1 (again)
18. Love Everlasting- Expected to end, don't know why. I am into it, trying to figure it out alongside Joan. A little nervous about nature of mother and threat of father beyond.
19. New Teen Titans v. 2. The sumptuously rendered "Clash of the Titans" plus the quest for the Doom Patrol (replete with indelible jungle scenes). Some of Perez's best art. 
20. Grindhouse: Doors Open at Midnight. Alex DiCampi and others. One is a graphic rapey fairly tale (the sexual violence grindy, but not the fairy tale) and a summer camp monster movie. 
21. The Guermantes Way. Marcel finds his way into the Faubourg St. Germain, who strike me as the ultra-rich superconservatives among us today. Dreyfus all over the place. The Duke Guermantes sends out to find out if his ailing cousin has died yet, so that he can go to a party. He refuses to hear the news he doesn't want to hear. 
22. The Violent Bear It Away. The nephew writes about him in a schoolteacher magazine! The boy fails at everything--baptism, drowning, burying, and burning. 
23. Invincible vol. 7: Three's Company. Nice triangle stuff--cover of Mark, Amber, and Eve out of costume with Eve looking jealous, then next ish Eve and Mark in costume flying off with Amber looking on. Also, older other-dimensional Eve to Mark: "Tell her anything!"
24. Daredevil by Zdarsky v. 3. I'm done. Not terrible, but the premise of the super-hero as legal person is so stupid. Less stupid than the Venom invasion of the prison though. 
25. Gone to the Wolves by John Wray. A bad book with three incompatible metal scenes as successive back drops. 
26. JLI volume 5. Shifts focus to Justice League Europe including a legitimately funny issue with team taking French lessons with a stern teacher, alongside the incognito Injustice League and, we learn at the end, a handful of intelligent agents from various countries. 
27. High Weirdness: Drugs, Esoterica, and Visionary Experience in the 1970s. Erik Davis dives deeply into work and experiences of Dennis and Terence McKenna, RAW, and Philip K. Dick using theory of Sloterdijk, Latour, Agamben, and a passel of others. 
28. JLI volume 6. Still executing the formula, but even if this wasn't the last one available, I'd probably be done. 
29. Fast by Jorie Graham. New use of spacing (single vs double, blocks of texts vs. typical long lines0 dashes, arrows (vectors), bursts of internal rhyme. About life and death, of the parents, herself, the planet: "Manacled to a whelm. Asked the plancts to give me my small identity. No, the planets."
30. Grindhouse: Doors Open at Midnight vol 2
31. NYer 8/22/22
32. The Firetruck that Disappeared (Martin Beck). Mentions recent events (from Laughing Policeman) but characters remain generic. 

STL #129.3: First Draft of Personal Top 100 Canonical Films

 I'll do the rest in two bigger chunks and then see what I've got.

Chunk A:

• The Naked Kiss. Certainly great, but needs a rewatch.
• Near Dark. I enjoyed this on last rewatch. I tend to think badass vamps wrecking house to the accompaniment of John Parr's "Naughty Naughty" ain't enough
• Night at the Opera. That is an awfully small state room. Mingled in mind with Duck Soup, both of which I should watch again.
• Night of the Hunter. Yes. 80ish
• Night of the Living Dead. Yes. 70ish
• Nights fo Cabiria. Once, but no more. Pending a comprehensive Fellini rewatch that I might never get to, I'll satisfy myself with one on the list.
• Nosferatu. From a film history perspective, certainly. But I don't want to sit down and watch it. 
• Nosferatu the Vampire. What if this was the Herzog? Can I have a double feature with Aguirre?
• Nostalghia. Like Mirror, except a long time ago and I can't remember it.
• Ong Bok 2. Tony Jaa running up the stairs fighting is a great set piece. Is that enough?
• Once a Cop. Rewatch. I know I love it but don't quite know what constitutes it! (See also, Drunken Master.) Going with Yes, Madam instead
• Out of the Past. Rewatch.
• Out of Sight. Oh, yes. Top 50 to be sure. (I'm rationing my commentary not only to finish but since at some point I'm bound to elaborate on the successful ones.)
• Parasite. I like it, but no.
• Pather Pachali. I remember an impressive monsoon.
• Paths of Glory. No.
• Perfect Blue. No.
• Phantasm. BOY! Top 80.
• Philadelphia Story. Top 50.
• The Player. Rewatch this and Gosford Park.
• Pontypool. Good, but no.
• Princess Bride. I do always watch this when it's on (not that I watch that way). Shouldn't that count?
• Prospero’s Books. Maybe a whole Peter Greenaway rewatch? After the Fellini.
• Psycho. Top 50
• Pulp Fiction. Logically should go on, but weirdly, I don't feel it.
• Raging Bull. See above
• Raiders of the Lost Ark. See above.
• Ran. See above
• Rashomon. See above. I think I'm feeling the impending pressure of the century mark. 
• Rear Window. Top 30
• Roaring 20s. "He used to be a big shot." Certain for list of best gangster movies, but not for the overall.
• Rope. Top 80
• Rosemary’s Baby. Top 80
• Royal Tennebaums. Top 30
• Rules of the Game. Rewatch

I dropped Last Seduction and Fong Sai Yuk, since I don't see a chance for them, and so:

1. Godfather
2. His Girl Friday
3. Kill Bill
4. In the Mood for Love
5. All That Jazz
6. Lost in Translation
7. Halloween
8. Jackie Brown
9. Manhattan
10. Carrie
11. Deep Red
12. Mandy
13. Battle Royal
14. Hard Boiled
15. Double Indemnity
16. Don't Look Now
17. Gimme Shelter
18. Godfather II
19. Goodfellas
20. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
21. Royal Tennenbaums
22. My Best Friend's Wedding
23. Annie Hall
24. McCabe and Mrs. Miller
25. The Long Goodbye
26. Eyes Wide Shut
27. Days of Heaven
28. Jules and Jim
29. Jaws
30. It's a Wonderful Life
31. My Dinner with Andre
32. Rear Window.
33. The Big Lebowski
34. Big Sleep
35. Citizen Kane
36. Dumbo
37. Alice, Sweet Alice
38. Elevator to the Gallows
39. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
40. Almost Famous.
41. Out of Sight
42. Philadelphia Story
43. Psycho
44. Freaks
45. Hoop Dreams
46. Magnolia
47. I Am a Fugitive...
48. Cleo from 5 to 7
49. Meet My in St. Louis
50. Audition
51. American Movie
52. Enter the Dragon
53. Goodbye Dragon Inn
54. 8 ½
55. Fast Times and Ridgemont High
56. Last Waltz
57. Love Witch
58. Female Convict Scorpion
59. Heat
60. King Kong
61. Heathers
62. It Follows
63. The Conversation
64. Night of the Hunter
65. Blow Out
66. Barry Lyndon
67. Chinatown
68. Children of Men
69. The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
70. Night of the Living Dead
71. Faces Places
72. Bring Me the Head of Alfred Garcia
73. Amour
74. Down by Law
75. Glengarry Glen Ross
76. Phantasm
77. Strangers on a Train
78. Rosemary's Baby
79. Hannah and Her Sisters
80. Hud
81. House of the Devil
82. 2001: A Space Odyssey
83. Fanny and Alexander
84. Bride of Frankenstein
85. Clueless
86. Aguirre, Wrath of God
87. Nosferatu the Vampire. 
88. Forgetting Sarah Marshall
89. Grifters
90. Ms. 45
91. Princess Bride

I had this weird run I wanted to capture:

1. Pulp Fiction. Logically should go on, but weirdly, I don't feel it.
2. Raging Bull. See above
3. Raiders of the Lost Ark. See above.
4. Ran. See above
5. Rashomon. See above. I think I'm feeling the impending pressure of the century mark.
   

Into the final leg, with 9 or 4 spots open

• Safe. I felt a sense of discovery bringing this to a Literature and Illness seminar. But no.
• Shogun Assassin. Top 30
• The Searchers. Iconic. Not for me, ultimately
• Seventh Seal. One of the earliest art movies I watched on video. But no.
• The Shining. Top 80.
• Shoah. It feels stupid to rank this, so maybe I won't.
• Singing in the Rain. Been awhile, but better than Meet Me in St. Louis,
• Skinamarink. The newest film on the list, and I have too many doubts.
• Snake Eyes. The worst movie on this list, but nonetheless a must. It feels like low to mid 90s
• Some Like It Hot. Recently rewatched it. Good, but not for this list.
• Starship Troopers. Top 75
• Star Wars. Nah.
• Stranger Than Paradise. DbL instead
• Strangers on a Train. Better than Rope? Yes.
• Stop Making Sense. Nah.
• Sullivan’s Travels. Everyone should see this.
• Sunset Boulevard. Nah
• Suspiria. Does Argento get two slots? Would the second be this or Crystal Plummage?
• Sweet Smell of Success. Really, really good. But still, no.
• Switchblade Sisters. Need to rewatch.
• Taking of Pellham 123. Really like it. Maybe around 100 but probably bubbling under.
• Tampopo. Good but no.
• Taxi Driver. Number 72.
• Team America World Police. Upper 80s.
• Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Top 10
• The Thin Man. Sentimental favorite. Not great, but upper 90s maybe.
• The Third Man. 40s.
• This Is Spinal Tap. 79.
• Touch of Evil. Really good, but not alongside Kane and Third Man
• Unforgiven. Yeah, probably.
• Usual Suspects. No, probably not.
• Vanishing Point. Ugh. Really good, but is there room?
• Vertigo. "It can't matter to you!" Don't really like it all that much.
• WALL-E. The opening. 90s.
• Warriors. mid 50s.
• Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf. Great acting movie, if I know what I mean. 65.
• Wicker Man. Flawed, but mid 70s.
• The Wild Bunch. A lot of movies like this already.
• A Woman Under the Influence. 72.
• Yes Madam. Really need to rewatch, but I'll say 99.
• Yojimbo. Drop Rashomon. This is the shit.

Ok, so it needs to be trimmed and re-arranged, but I feel pretty good about this:

1. Godfather
2. His Girl Friday
3. Goodfellas
4. Kill Bill
5. In the Mood for Love
6. All That Jazz
7. Lost in Translation
8. Halloween
9. Jackie Brown
10. Manhattan
11. Texas Chainsaw
12. Carrie
13. Deep Red
14. Battle Royal
15. Hard Boiled
16. Double Indemnity
17. Don't Look Now
18. Gimme Shelter
19. Godfather II
20. Mandy
21. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
22. Royal Tennenbaums
23. My Best Friend's Wedding
24. Annie Hall
25. McCabe and Mrs. Miller*
26. The Long Goodbye
27. Eyes Wide Shut
28. Days of Heaven
29. Jules and Jim
30. Jaws
31. Shogun Assassin
32. It's a Wonderful Life
33. My Dinner with Andre
34. Rear Window.
35. The Big Lebowski
36. Big Sleep
37. Citizen Kane
38. Dumbo
39. Alice, Sweet Alice
40. Elevator to the Gallows
41. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
42. Third Man
43. Almost Famous
44. Out of Sight
45. Philadelphia Story
46. Psycho
47. Freaks
48. Hoop Dreams
49. I Am a Fugitive...*
50. Cleo from 5 to 7
51. Singing in the Rain
52. Meet Me in St. Louis
53. Warriors
54. Audition
55. American Movie
56. Enter the Dragon*
57. Goodbye Dragon Inn
58. 8 ½
59. Fast Times and Ridgemont High*
60. Love Witch*
61. Female Convict Scorpion
62. Heat
63. King Kong
64. Who's Afraid
65. Heathers
66. It Follows
67. The Conversation*
68. Night of the Hunter
69. Yojimbo
70. Blow Out
71. A Woman Under the Influence.
72. Wicker Man*
73. Barry Lyndon*
74. Chinatown
75. Children of Men
76. Taxi Driver
77. The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
78. Night of the Living Dead
79. Starship Troopers
80. Bring Me the Head of Alfred Garcia
81. Spinal Tap
82. Amour
83. Down by Law*
84. Glengarry Glen Ross*
85. Phantasm
86. Strangers on a Train
87. Rosemary's Baby
88. Team America
89. The Shining
90. Hud*
91. House of the Devil*
92. WALL E*
93. 2001: A Space Odyssey
94. Yes Madam*
95. Bride of Frankenstein
96. Clueless*
97. Snake Eyes
98. Aguirre, Wrath of God
99. Ms. 45
100. Princess Bride

STL #129.2: On Selectivity and Representativeness

 If I'm more selective-- for instance, one Fellini, a limit to kung fu and horror movies, and so on--I'll have more space. But I want the films to be representative of my aesthetic at the same time--and I like Fellini horror and kung fu. To balance the two, I'm going to try to state what the film represents to me, which seems like a loose criterion to follow. 

• Election. Broderick's performance, the character of Tracy Flick. Like it, but maybe not.
• Elevator to the Gallows. Essence of cool. The score. Top 50
• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. The pleasure of the puzzle. Top 50. 
• The Enigma of Caspar Hauser. I love the main performance, but not enough. 
• Enter the Dragon. Not only Bruce Lee, but Jim Kelly and John Saxon. Top 100
• Everybody Says I Love You. No.
• The Exorcist. Scary but I think, ultimately, no. 
• Eyes Wide Shut. Crazy to say so, but possibly my favorite Kubrik. Top 30.
• Fallen Angels. Very cool, but not without a strong rewatch
• Fanny and Alexander. Probably not.
• Faces/Places. The dynamic of the tall and the small is heartening. Top 100
• Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Yes. Top 75.
• Female Convict Scorpion: Jailhouse 41. Yes. Top 80
• Fist in Pocket. Ultimately no.
• Flirt. Sorry Hal, but no. 
• Frances Ha. No
• Frankenstein. Less than Bride, so no.
• Freaks. I am one of them. Top 50. 
• Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Tough. Maybe 100 because of the puppet opera. 
• Gator Bait. A lot going for it, but no. 
• Gimme Shelter. Oh yes. Mick is the only one listening but he doesn't understand what they're saying. Top 20
• The Getaway. QT makes a strong case, but no
• Get Out. Good, but no.
• Glengarry Glen Ross. It's the script and performances more than the film per se, but I think top 80. 
• The Godfather Trilogy. Obvious cheating. Numbers 1, 20, and it's not that bad but no.
• Goodfellas. Top 20.
• Goodbye Dragon Inn. Top 80.
• Green Room. Great, but nothing special enough to argue. 
• The Grifters. Maybe special enough to argue.

At this point, we're about 42% of the way through. Let's take a look:

1. Godfather
2. All That Jazz
3. Battle Royal
4. Carrie
5. Deep Red
6. Double Indemnity
7. Don't Look Now
8. Gimme Shelter
9. Godfather II
10. Goodfellas
11. Annie Hall.
12. Eyes Wide Shut
13. Days of Heaven
14. The Big Lebowski
15. Big Sleep
16. Citizen Kane
17. Dumbo
18. Alice, Sweet Alice
19. Elevator to the Gallows
20. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
21. Almost Famous.
22. Freaks
23. Cleo from 5 to 7
24. Audition
25. American Movie
26. Enter the Dragon
27. Goodbye Dragon Inn
28. 8 ½
29. Fast Times and Ridgemont High
30. Female Convict Scorpion
31. The Conversation
32. Blow Out
33. Barry Lyndon
34. Chinatown
35. Children of Men
36. The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
37. Faces Places
38. Bring Me the Head of Alfred Garcia
39. Amour
40. Down by Law
41. Glengarry Glen Ross
42. 2001: A Space Odyssey
43. Fanny and Alexander
44. Bride of Frankenstein
45. Clueless
46. Aguirre, Wrath of God
47. Forgetting Sarah Marshall
48. Grifters

I took off La Dolce Vita. It hurt more to remove Crimes and Misdemeanors, but I did that too. I removed Black Christmas and Drunken Master.

One more chunk today:

• Hammet. I watch it when it comes around, but not that good.
• Hannah and Her Sisters. The only question is how many Woody Allens will there be. Put it at 100 for now.
• Halloween. Top 10. No, top 5. 
• Harikari. Good, but no.
• Hard Boiled. Top 20. 
• Heat. Top 50
• Heathers. Fuck me gently with a chain saw. Top 75
• High Noon. Really good, but would need strong rewatch. 
• His Girl Friday. Top 5. 
• Holy Motors. Recommended, but not in contention. 
• Hoop Dreams. The moment of maturity when the boy questions the coach's priority. Top 50.
• House of the Devil. This loves film and I love it. And Jocelin Donohue. 
• Hud. It's a lonely old night. Patricia Neal. 100?
• I am a Fugitive... I first saw it on TV and it made a real impression. Great final scene when the lights go out. Top 60.
• If. Worth watching, but no.
• In the Mood for Love. Top 5
• Interiors- Woody, sub Hannah, so no.
• Irma Vep- I'd love to watch this again. Not right now. 
• It Follows- Representing elevated horror of the past decade. Top 75.
• It’s a Wonderful Life- Top 30
• Jackie Brown- Top 10
• Jaws-Top 30
• Jules and Jim-Top 30
• Kill Bill- Top 5 (how many top 5's do I have)
• Kind Hearts and Coronets-funny movie, but not sure what it's doing here. 
• King Kong-I like to say this has the better special effects than anything around now. Top 75
• King of Comedy- Like it, but no.
• Kiss Me Deadly- Would need to rewatch. 

1. Godfather
2. His Girl Friday
3. Kill Bill
4. In the Mood for Love
5. All That Jazz
6. Halloween
7. Battle Royal
8. Jackie Brown
9. Carrie
10. Deep Red
11. Hard Boiled
12. Double Indemnity
13. Don't Look Now
14. Gimme Shelter
15. Godfather II
16. Goodfellas
17. Annie Hall.
18. Eyes Wide Shut
19. Days of Heaven
20. Jules and Jim
21. Jaws
22. It's a Wonderful Life
23. The Big Lebowski
24. Big Sleep
25. Citizen Kane
26. Dumbo
27. Alice, Sweet Alice
28. Elevator to the Gallows
29. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
30. Almost Famous.
31. Freaks
32. Hoop Dreams
33. I Am a Fugitive...
34. Cleo from 5 to 7
35. Audition
36. American Movie
37. Enter the Dragon
38. Goodbye Dragon Inn
39. 8 ½
40. Fast Times and Ridgemont High
41. Female Convict Scorpion
42. Heat
43. King Kong
44. Heathers
45. It Follows
46. The Conversation
47. Blow Out
48. Barry Lyndon
49. Chinatown
50. Children of Men
51. The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
52. Faces Places
53. Bring Me the Head of Alfred Garcia
54. Amour
55. Down by Law
56. Glengarry Glen Ross
57. Hannah and Her Sisters
58. Hud
59. House of the Devil
60. 2001: A Space Odyssey
61. Fanny and Alexander
62. Bride of Frankenstein
63. Clueless
64. Aguirre, Wrath of God
65. Forgetting Sarah Marshall
66. Grifters

Ok, fine, one more batch:

• The Lady Vanishes: For Fan of Miss Froy's (FOMFs). NC
• Last Days of Disco. I really need to start that rewatch list.
• The Last Seduction. My type of movie, with my type of dame. Probably will bubble under.
• The Last Waltz. I watch it alot and get more out of it than you might think. Top 80
• Legend of Fong Sai Yuck. Josephine Siao makes this picture. That and Jet Li's horizontal pigtail in the footrace. I think no, but will put it at the end.
• Lolita. No
• Lone Star. Rewatch
• The Long Goodbye. Oh hell yes. Top 30
• Lost in Translation. Top 10, until I rewatch it and it dies.
• The Love Witch. Top 80 for art direction alone.
• Mad Max:Fury Road. So recent. Loved it in theaters and it has a bunch of critic love. But doesn't feel right.
• Magnolia. Weird this does feel right. Top 60.
• The Man Who Knew Too Much. Nope.
• Manhattan. Top 20
• Maniac- The gritty NY slasher, or is that Ms. 45
• Mandy-Top 20
• McCabe and Mrs. Miller- Top 20
• Mean Girls- So much fun, but no.
• Meet Me In St. Louis-Top 60
• Millenium Actress-Rewatch
• Mirror. Recently seen for first time. Absolutely beautiful to watch.
• Mr. Hulot’s Holiday. Rewatch.
• Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. I love Jean Arthur. Top 40
• Ms. 45- It's Ms. 45, which also covers Ferrera.
• My Best Friend’s Wedding. Top 40
• My Dinner With Andre. Top 40.
• My Winnipeg. When I watch this movie, I feel like I'm rolling around drowsing in a train leaving Winnipeg. Ann Savage though.

1. Godfather
2. His Girl Friday
3. Kill Bill
4. In the Mood for Love
5. All That Jazz
6. Lost in Translation
7. Halloween
8. Jackie Brown
9. Manhattan
10. Carrie
11. Deep Red
12. Mandy
13. Battle Royal
14. Hard Boiled
15. Double Indemnity
16. Don't Look Now
17. Gimme Shelter
18. Godfather II
19. Goodfellas
20. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
21. My Best Friend's Wedding
22. Annie Hall
23. McCabe and Mrs. Miller
24. The Long Goodbye
25. Eyes Wide Shut
26. Days of Heaven
27. Jules and Jim
28. Jaws
29. It's a Wonderful Life
30. My Dinner with Andre
31. The Big Lebowski
32. Big Sleep
33. Citizen Kane
34. Dumbo
35. Alice, Sweet Alice
36. Elevator to the Gallows
37. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
38. Almost Famous.
39. Freaks
40. Hoop Dreams
41. Magnolia
42. I Am a Fugitive...
43. Cleo from 5 to 7
44. Meet My in St. Louis
45. Audition
46. American Movie
47. Enter the Dragon
48. Goodbye Dragon Inn
49. 8 ½
50. Fast Times and Ridgemont High
51. Last Waltz
52. Love Witch
53. Female Convict Scorpion
54. Heat
55. King Kong
56. Heathers
57. It Follows
58. The Conversation
59. Blow Out
60. Barry Lyndon
61. Chinatown
62. Children of Men
63. The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
64. Faces Places
65. Bring Me the Head of Alfred Garcia
66. Amour
67. Down by Law
68. Glengarry Glen Ross
69. Hannah and Her Sisters
70. Hud
71. House of the Devil
72. 2001: A Space Odyssey
73. Fanny and Alexander
74. Bride of Frankenstein
75. Clueless
76. Aguirre, Wrath of God
77. Forgetting Sarah Marshall
78. Grifters
79. Ms. 45
80. Last Seduction
81. Legend of Fong Sai Yuk

Made some adjustments based on " feel"66% through the master list. Not looking good for Fong Sai Yuk &co.

Next time I'll finish the master list and do some thinking about final selections and the aesthetics of lists.

STL #129.1: Toward a New Top 100 Films (Process and Produce)

 Inspired by the latest installment of Sight and Sound's Greatest Movies of All Time list, I decided to take on the challenge for myself.  I tracked down my last top 100 films list from 20+ years ago, updated it until it bloated up to over 200 movies, and sat down to figure it out. Unfortunately, the dang thing is that an alphabetized list of my favorite 219 movies, which is not a lot of fun. My idea here is to work through that list and "process" it if you will (but you shouldn't put up with that). I will thus "produce" (ugh) a more manageable and ranked list.  This will take some time, but if you're reading this, then you've got time.

Ok, let's start at the beginning and see how this goes:

• 2001: A Space Odyssey. The virtues of this film are obvious. Starting with the Dawn of Man is bold and brilliant and the edit between the bone flying up in the air and the space ship carries the whole meaning of the film. That's a grotesque overstatement, but I'll be shooting from the hip here. I don't feel any particular allegiance to it, but it is great. It would likely place in the top 100.
• The 39 Steps. A good early thriller I'd watch again. I remember a lot of running around and a newspaper that arrives before the train. Would not place in the top 100 however.
• 400 Blows. We'll see a lot of "heritage picks" from the list I made in 1999. This is one; I'm sure I found it powerful when I watched it but it is not in contention.
• 8 ½. Memory will be a theme in these write ups. I don't recollect it in detail, and some of what I remember might actually be from a different Fellini. However, Mastrioni is the essence of cool and I'm a sucker for metadiscourse, so even with a shaky recollection I might put this in the top 50.
• The 36th Chamber of Shaolin: My contention is that Hong Kong martial arts movies share a continuum with MGM musicals. The opening credits with Gordon Liu is a place to start. Top 100.
• Across 110th Street: Another relic of the past. I watched it because I loved Jackie Brown and the idea of great art found in overlooked commercial trash (part of QT's basic thesis). I watched it again recently; it has its charms but is not in contention. 
• Aguirre, Wrath of God. Similar to 2001, I admire this film a lot but don't feel particular loyalty to it. But Herzog should be in the Top 100, and this is a likely candidate.
• Ali: Fear Eats the Soul: I liked this a lot after seeing it but it hasn't stuck with me. NC.
• Alice, Sweet Alice: A recent discovery. A low budget historical that invents giallo in New Jersey. Top 50.
• All About My Mother. Great, obviously, but Almodovar never really resonated with me. Potential Top 100. 
• All That Jazz. I've mentioned movies that are clearly good but that I don't feel particular allegiance to. This is clearly good and it feels like it's "mine."  Top 10.
• Almost Famous. A sentimental favorite. Maybe a bit creaky in places, but the "Tiny Dancer" scene is transcendent. Likely top 50.
• Amateur. I really liked Hal Hartley in the 90s. He's more or less vanished from the discourse and the marketplace. I don't remember enough about this one to rank it. 
• Amelie. Charming, and a strong rewatch might put it in contention, but not as of now. 
• American Movie. Charming in a totally different way. I think of Mike Schenk almost every week. Easily belongs in the Top 100, maybe top 50
• Amour. Strong reaction watching this in the theatre. In opening, people in a theatre take their seats, facing us. We don't know who the film is about yet or what will happen. Wonderful moment that leads to some pretty dour stuff. Likely Top 100.
• Annie Hall. There's art, there's the artist, and there's the fact you just need the eggs. Potential Top 20.
• The Apartment. I'm sure it's great, but also would need a strong rewatch. 
• L’Atalante. A recent discovery. Great performance by Pere Jules, the old sailor, but not really in contention. 
• Audition. There are things in this movie that I will never forget and that is why I will never watch it again. I've become more inured to horror since watching this, but I have to imagine it would still be disturbing. Likely top 50.

And so, like 8% through, here's a beginning list:

1. All That Jazz (10)
2. Annie Hall (20)
3. Alice, Sweet Alice (50)
4. Almost Famous
5. 8 ½
6. Audition
7. American Movie
8. The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (100)
9. Amour
10. 2001: A Space Odyssey
11. Aguirre, Wrath of God (maybe 100)
12. All About My Mother

Not a bad set of movies, but at this rate it's too many. Let's keep going into the B's and see what happens.

• Bad Lieutenant. I recall a tumultuous performance by Harvey K (he shoots the radio because the Mets loose, right?) and some other harrowing scenes. Again, it's been so long, but the impression remains strong enough to warrant Top 100 contention.
• Badlands. I was a big Terrence Malick fan, but this is not as good as Days of Heaven. Beautiful with great lead performances, possible top 100.
• Barry Lyndon. This comes to mind as a contender of objectively the best movie ever made. There's scene on the road in the woods where a leaf falls that will knock your socks off. Recommended if you like boring 3 hour movies, which, guess what... Certain Top 100. 
• Battle Royale: My favorite action movie. Contender for Top 10. 
• Bicycle Thief: I remember it a little better than 400 Blows, so it is a possible Top 100. I feel a rewatch could push it way up.
• The Big Lebowski: Seen it so many times it doesn't even seem like a movie anymore. Not perfect, but top 50. 
• The Big Sleep. Bogart and Bacall, of course, but the book store clerk... likely top 50.
• Black Christmas. I really like Olivia Hussey in this. Probable Top 100.
• Bleu. Haven't seen it in a long time. Probably very good, but for now NC
• Blow Out. Great first scene, great fireworks. Certain Top 100
• Blow Up. Liked it, but no. 
• Breathless. Saw it fairly recently, and found last half frustrating and kind of boring. That would make it fall quite a bit to possible Top 100. 
• A Brighter Summer Day. Hey, did somebody say boring 3 hours movies? This is kind of great, but NC.
• Bonnie & Clyde. Certainly a great movie, but as it ages, it... ages. 
• Bride of Frankenstein. Elsa Lanchester, an iconic performance. Probable Top 100.
• Bride with White Hair. Loved it once upon a time. Possible Top 100. 
• Bring me the Head of Alfred Garcia. A violent scene by the water. Warren Oates loses his ties. Certain Top 100.
• Bringing Up Baby. Hilarious romp. Could get into top 100.
• Broadway Melody of 1935. Busby Berkely I presume? Due for a rewatch. 

And so, 18% through it looks like this:

1. All That Jazz (10)
2. Battle Royal
3. Annie Hall (20)
4. The Big Lebowski
5. Alice, Sweet Alice (50)
6. Big Sleep
7. Almost Famous
8. 8 ½
9. Audition
10. American Movie
11. Blow Out
12. Barry Lyndon
13. Black Christmas
14. The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (100)
15. Bring Me the Head of Alfred Garcia
16. Amour
17. 2001: A Space Odyssey
18. Bride of Frankenstein
19. Bad Lieutenant
20. Breathless
21. Aguirre, Wrath of God (maybe 100)
22. Bride with White Hair
23. Bicycle Thief
24. Bringing Up Baby
25. Badlands
26. All About My Mother

Still running over--proportionately would cut off after first Bride.

Here come the C's: 

• Call Me By Your Name. Good, but NC
• Carrie. Possible Top 20
• Casablanca. Such a classic that it doesn't feel like it belongs to me the way some others do. Top 100, maybe.
• Charley Varick. This one does belong to me, but not as good as Casablanca (not that it's at all similar). Don't think either would make in the end. 
• Children of Men. Certain top 100.
• Children of Paradise. Need to rewatch. NC
• Chinatown. Certain Top 100.
• Citizen Kane. Probably Top 50.
• City Lights. Is this the skating backwards at the edge movie. That's a good scene, but no. 
• Cleo from 5 to 7. Great management of space. And time. And mirrors. Top 100. 
• Climax. Great opening
• Clueless. I am currently trying to make fetch happen. Top 100
• The Conversation. Better than Blow Out
• Cries and Whispers. Can't remember enough about it.
• Crimes and Misdemeanors. I do love this movie. Top 50. 

Here's a reshuffle based on internal comparisons. I added a where I feel some space opening up . Since I'm a quarter a way through, that more or less tracks. I should be keeping another list of necessary rewatches. 

1. All That Jazz (10)
2. Battle Royal
3. Carrie
4. Annie Hall (20)
5. The Big Lebowski
6. Crimes and Misdemeanors
7. Big Sleep
8. Citizen Kane
9. Alice, Sweet Alice (50)
10. Almost Famous
11. Cleo from 5 to 7
12. Audition
13. American Movie
14. 8 ½
15. The Conversation
16. Blow Out
17. Barry Lyndon
18. Chinatown
19. Children of Men
20. Black Christmas
21. The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (100)
22. Bring Me the Head of Alfred Garcia
23. Amour
24. 2001: A Space Odyssey
25. Bride of Frankenstein
26. Clueless
27. Aguirre, Wrath of God (maybe 100)
28. Bad Lieutenant
29. Breathless
30. Bride with White Hair
31. Bicycle Thief
32. Bringing Up Baby
33. Badlands
34. All About My Mother

Gonna keep going into the D's and then break off for today:

• Days of Heaven: Awakened an appreciation for the golden hour. Potential Top 20
• Death of Stalin: Good and funny, but not really in contention
• Deep Red: Riveting. Top 20.
• Discrete Charm of the Bourgeouise. Would need a strong rewatch.
• Drunken Master: It's enough to know that Jackie Chan loves us, sometimes. Probably should break off a choppy-socky list, but I think top 100.
• Dr. Jekel and Mr. Hyde. No
• La Dolce Vita. Is it this or 8 1/2?
• Don't Look Now. Top 20
• Double Indemnity. Top 20
• Down by Law. Top 100
• Drowning by Numbers. Good but no.
• Drugstore Cowboy. Liked it when it came out. But I was an idiot then, so...
• Duck Soup: Hail Freedonia. Possible Top 100.
• Dumbo. This is the movie that makes me cry. Top 50

So another re-compilation, with a few annotations. 

1. All That Jazz
2. Battle Royal
3. Carrie
4. Deep Red
5. Double Indemnity
6. Don't Look Now
7. Annie Hall. Maybe a little high--Manhattan is better
8. Days of Heaven
9. The Big Lebowski
10. Crimes and Misdemeanors If I have director limits it would open things up
11. Big Sleep
12. Citizen Kane
13. Dumbo
14. Alice, Sweet Alice
15. Almost Famous. Proportionate cut off for Top 50, which feels right.
16. Cleo from 5 to 7 High?
17. Audition
18. American Movie
19. La Dolce Vita Against director limits in general, but one Fellini feels ok
20. 8 ½
21. The Conversation
22. Blow Out
23. Barry Lyndon
24. Chinatown
25. Children of Men
26. Black Christmas
27. Drunken Master A lot of kung fu conflation in my head.
28. The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
29. Bring Me the Head of Alfred Garcia
30. Amour. This is the proportionate cut off for Top 100. Feels about right.
31. Down by Law. Higher?
32. 2001: A Space Odyssey Really should be top 100
33. Bride of Frankenstein
34. Clueless
35. Aguirre, Wrath of God
36. Duck Soup
37. Bad Lieutenant
38. Breathless
39. Bride with White Hair
40. Bicycle Thief
41. Bringing Up Baby
42. Badlands
43. All About My Mother