BCB's Top films of 2000-2011 poll. (FULL RESULTS)

[beenieman]

Beenie, as much as I love Elephant and Morvern Callar, I really don't think either would be for you. I might be wrong, but both films' reliance on intensely long takes and frankly ambigious morality would probably lead you to turn them off after a few minutes. I found them both visually intoxicating and utterly stark, but you have to be "wired" for them. Incidentally, I saw both of those films at the same small cinema (based in a Church) in Dunedin, and with the same female friend. It was great, had some of my best conversations about film with her.

I think you have no idea whether they would be for me.

[The Write Profile]

Beenie, as much as I love Elephant and Morvern Callar, I really don't think either would be for you. I might be wrong, but both films' reliance on intensely long takes and frankly ambigious morality would probably lead you to turn them off after a few minutes. I found them both visually intoxicating and utterly stark, but you have to be "wired" for them. Incidentally, I saw both of those films at the same small cinema (based in a Church) in Dunedin, and with the same female friend. It was great, had some of my best conversations about film with her.

I think you have no idea whether they would be for me.

Well, you've previously resisted films that are opaque and "arty", for want of a better term- and both, especially, Elephant, are often aggressively slow (in fact Elephant almost exists in a vacuum)- but as I said, you might actually like that about them. Give them a go, I'd be interested in your take on them regardless.

[beenieman]

Beenie, as much as I love Elephant and Morvern Callar, I really don't think either would be for you. I might be wrong, but both films' reliance on intensely long takes and frankly ambigious morality would probably lead you to turn them off after a few minutes. I found them both visually intoxicating and utterly stark, but you have to be "wired" for them. Incidentally, I saw both of those films at the same small cinema (based in a Church) in Dunedin, and with the same female friend. It was great, had some of my best conversations about film with her.

I think you have no idea whether they would be for me.

Well, you've previously resisted films that are opaque and "arty", for want of a better term- and both, especially, Elephant, are often aggressively so (in fact Elephant almost exists in a vacuum)- but as I said, you might actually like that about them. Give them a go, but don't be too disappointed if they're not for you.

Well your comment certainly sounds patronising. There are many films which I have enjoyed which I imagine could be seen by you as opacque and arty.

When I have 'resisted' a film it means I thought I might enjoy it then tried it and found it wanting.

[The Write Profile]

When I have 'resisted' a film it means I thought I might enjoy it then tried it and found it wanting.

And that's what I meant. It wasn't meant to be a slight on you, just saying it mightn't be to your tastes.

[beenieman]

When I have 'resisted' a film it means I thought I might enjoy it then tried it and found it wanting.

And that's what I meant. It wasn't meant to be a slight on you, just saying it mightn't be to your tastes.

I never start to watch a movie that I don't think might be to my 'tastes'. Or that I think I may not be intelligent enough to handle.

I understand you meant no slight.

[Ghost of Harry Smith]

Hey Algroth, would it help if one of us gave you a hand with finishing this poll? I'm back from holidays and happy to give a couple of hours to it if needed, as I know you've had exams etc.

[algroth]

I finished today and should be updating more often this week. Tomorrow I'll have some more up.

[Ghost of Harry Smith]

I finished today and should be updating more often this week. Tomorrow I'll have some more up.

Excellent, look forward to it.

[algroth]

By the way Algroth -- my daughter is so sharp eyed that from across a room -- she bolted over here to see pikachu on your avatar. She loves it!

Glad to hear!

New batch up. I got my first two in, yay! On a personal note, the trailer to Spirited Away IN NO WAY does the film justice. The woeful English dubs, the voice-over, the cheesy title effects, just... bleugh. Still, fantastic film.

[beenieman]

Are there any Hollywood films to come? This batch is dominated by foreign films

[algroth]

High Fidelity and The Royal Tenenbaums are Hollywood productions.

As for what's upcoming, I can't say.

[beenieman]

High Fidelity and The Royal Tenenbaums are Hollywood productions.

I know. That's 2 out of 7. That's why i said dominated.

[the masked man]

So why should Hollywood 'dominate' in the first place? Anyway, you're a New Zealander, so Hollywood is a foreign industry to you, as it is to me.

[algroth]

So why should Hollywood 'dominate' in the first place? Anyway, you're a New Zealander, so Hollywood is a foreign industry to you, as it is to me.

I think it's interesting and kind of ties to what I was saying in an earlier thread about how non-American cinema has really grown this past decade and has really started infiltrating the mainstream as a major purveyor of quality cinema, like it was back in the 60's and early 70's. This very year saw a foreign film winning Best Picture at the Oscars (although it did take a massive love letter to Hollywood to achieve that) and an Iranian film topping the yearly charts at IMDb.

[the masked man]

Also, the type of 'foreign' films that are making this poll tend to be from the more accessible end of the spectrum. We're not generally getting the forbidding style of art cinema represented by, say, Béla Tarr, Abbas Kiarostami or Theo Angelopoulos here. Maybe it's the case that countries like Germany, Japan and, yes, Argentina are just making better mainstream films than the US at the moment.

[beenieman]

So why should Hollywood 'dominate' in the first place? Anyway, you're a New Zealander, so Hollywood is a foreign industry to you, as it is to me.

I pointed it out because it is interesting. Not to say it should not have happened. It reflects the votes of those voting which is as it should be.

[algroth]

Also, the type of 'foreign' films that are making this poll tend to be from the more accessible end of the spectrum. We're not generally getting the forbidding style of art cinema represented by, say, Béla Tarr, Abbas Kiarostami or Theo Angelopoulos here. Maybe it's the case that countries like Germany, Japan and, yes, Argentina are just making better mainstream films than the US at the moment.

It's a point to take into account, yes. I think France more importantly seems to have been really trying hard to compete against the image they have as an industry which specializes in "boring, slow, arty movies". Jeunet, Besson et al. are working on a much faster, snappier style more likened to the typical populist far of Hollywood than, say, Godard or Rohmer. Even Hollywood itself has started financing a number of French action directors like Louis Leterrier or Olivier Megaton (that's his name, I'm not kidding) as well.

[algroth]

Any guesses on how the top 10 will turn up?

[the masked man]

I'd like to think that Mulholland Drive will be number one. I doubt it, though I think it will be top ten. Either way, I think it's the most endlessly fascinating film of the modern age, and it seems to chime in with BCB taste. Maybe it will be number one....

[beenieman]

With Dodgeball gone it's hard to say