So, I loved and am loving these top 10 lists from everyone. As Brandon has been mentioning, they are a fascinating look into the interests and thoughts of others. For me, film has essentially been my life, so to share in it with friends (like this club), and to see the passion others have for it is amazing. I wouldn't begrudge the picks of any other person we've seen so far. It's just great to see what they love. And trust me, film club is all about love, even when there is intense bickering. We should all bask in the singular glory and communalism of film enjoyment. It's a beautiful thing.
I'll try to comment briefly on every list we've seen so far. Apologies if I miss some. There have been a lot, and more to come. I'll just steal Chris's format here and choose my favorite pick from each list so far. This doesn't mean it's my favorite film from your list, just the choice I liked the most for whatever reason.
Chris – Love the list, of course. It could easily be my own. For my favorite of your picks I'm going with THE EARRINGS OF MADAME DE... because it is a very shrewd choice and I'm glad it had such an impact on you. (Honorable mention: 2001. We saw it together for the first time. We knew it was an unbelievable masterpiece even may back when.) Also, EMPIRE is definitely the best of the series, even if JEDI seemed the best when we were kids. Why no love for ATTACK OF THE CLONES though?
Ben - Love the list. I'm a fan of everything on it (that I've seen). My favorite of your picks is BAND OF OUTSIDERS. For one, because I didn't know you were a fan, and two because I'm a big fan myself. Glad to see A.I. on the list as well.
Lisa - We miss you! Great to see your list though. Love it. For your pick I'm going to go with REAR WINDOW because I'm really high on it right now and am seriously considering it might be my favorite Hitch (it's really close on SHADOW OF A DOUBT's heals is all I'll say). I'm a big fan of everything on your list.
Adrienne - Love the list. Glad to see 2001 at number 1. I've never seen THE THIN BLUE LINE, I haven't seen STAND BY ME in a long time and I can't really remember TROPIC THUNDER but I love everything else on your list. My favorite of your picks is DOWN BY LAW because I worship Tom Waits.
Gentile - First, welcome to film club! Love having you with us and can't wait to have some back and forths with ya. I'm still a fan of SCREAM myself. I haven't seen ELECTION in years, but I remember liking it. Still have a soft spot in my heart for 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU (featuring BOTH Robin and the Joker). My favorite teen movie of all time is PRETTY IN PINK.
As for your top 10 list, loved it. All those picks are great. As I mentioned on FB though, HANNAH AND HER SISTERS is my favorite of your picks. That movie doesn't get enough love, and I'm glad you love it as much as me!
Arthur and Amy - Love your lists. For Arthur, I could go with MULHOLLAND DRIVE considering how much I love it, but for your favorite pick I'm going with FANNY AND ALEXANDER. Love the Bergman shout-out and love that film. For your wife, my favorite pick is MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO. I was just watching this the other day. I hadn't seen it since I was very little at a friends house (and had almost forgotten I had ever seen it). It's a great one.
John and Abby - Love both lists. John, I'm really happy to see THERE WILL BE BLOOD so high up on your list. But my favorite pick of yours is TERROR IN A TEXAS TOWN. We need to shame Brandon more for not having it on his top 10 of 1958 list. ;). And for Abby (stoked to see TREE OF LIFE and MR. AND MRS. SMITH on there), I'm going to go with IVAN'S CHILDHOOD because it's one of my absolute favorite Tarkovsky films and war films period.
Jason, wife, and son - Love all the lists. Jason, stoked to see EMPIRE at number one. Also love seeing THE MISSION and IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE on there. For your pick, I gotta go with THE HOLY GRAIL though because I've seen it a hundred times yet as soon as I saw it on your list I felt like watching it again. For your wife, I'm really glad to see another TREE OF LIFE mention and to see MOONRISE so high up already. I gotta go with SCROOGE though here because Alastair Sim is probably the definitive incarnation of the character and I love Christmas movies. For your son (awesome list by the way! Much better than what mine would have been at 14), love the BILLY MADISON and HIDDEN FORTRESS mentions, but of course, you gotta go with MAKE WAY FOR TOMORROW. So cool of him to pick that.
Brandon and Tara - Love both lists. Brandon, like Chris, your list could have been my own (perhaps minus RIO RITA, which I still think is great). My favorite of your picks is GRAND ILLUSION because we both had it on our list and I'm glad we have our unconditional love for that film in common. For Tara, no need to worry about getting picked on. I think your list is great. Glad to see BIG FISH, ETERNAL SUNSHINE, and, of course, DUMB AND DUMBER on there. My favorite of your picks is THE TWO TOWERS though because it's also my favorite of the trilogy. The battle of Helm's deep!
The rest of Brandon's clan:
Poppa Musa - Great list as expected from this seasoned cinephile veteran. My favorite of his picks is THE QUIET MAN. God, I love that film. Among my very favorite of Ford's.
Mamma Musa - What an awesome list! ROMAN HOLIDAY obviously rules, but my favorite pick of hers is BAREFOOT IN THE PARK. A delightful film that I saw for the first time while I was home sick from middle school one day. Randomly starting watching it on tv and had a blast.
Alex Craver (AKA my father) - I should just mention that I've known Alex ever since 7th grade when we played soccer together and became fast friends. That entire season is one of the best times of my life. In 9th grade I joined Alex (and Graham)'s band Abandonship as their lead singer. I left the band in 11th grade to become a professional hermit (from which I haven't yet escaped). They continued into a new band, The Trip Wilsons, and eventually met up with Mr. Fire When Ready himself, Brandon Musa. If it weren't for Alex, I would have never met Brandon and wouldn't be in this club today. He's one of my favorite people ever. Anyway, I love his list and my favorite pick of his is DAZED AND CONFUSED because it's been his favorite movie ever since we were young.
Brother Justin - What a fantastic list. So stoked that THE BIG SLEEP is on there and that we have that overlap. My favorite pick of his though is SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS. I'm really smitten with that one right now. It's genius.
Brother Colin - I'm glad to say that I have met him once (very nice guy). He's got a great list too. My pick for him is THE DEFIANT ONES. It's such an enjoyable film.
Brother Darius - We have not met, but you can't go wrong with FRIDAY!
Uncle Jessie - Amazing list, as expected. Love all of his picks. It's tempting to go with CITY LIGHTS, but I'm so glad he picked THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY. That's gotta be in my top 20.
Aunt Becky - We have met several times (very nice gal!). What a great list, as well. I'm stoked to see THE FOUNTAIN on that list, but gotta go with BAMBI for my pick because hunting sucks and that movie rules.
Great-Uncle Peter - I've actually known Pete since the days of Abandonship. He was in another band called A Call to Arms at the time and we played a couple shows together. He's a great (and hilarious) guy. Love his List. Awesome to see JOSEY WALES and TWBB on there (and Mo Betta Blues!). I gotta go with DRIVE though. Partly to stick it to Ben, but mostly because I love it and am glad he does too.
Pete's gal Alex - We haven't met, but her list is really terrific. Love seeing MANHATTAN and A CLOCKWORK ORANGE on there. My favorite pick of hers is BLUE VELVET though because I was just watching it the other night. It's quintessential Lynch.
Steve - My fellow skinny! Another great list. I'm a fan of all those movies on there, but my favorite pick of his is KILLER'S KISS. Gotta love that early Kubrick shout-out. What a bold and interesting choice.
Justin Mann - I don't know him as well as I should. I've been often told that he and I are very similar and would get along very well. I was thankful enough to be at his surprise birthday bash this year though and got to talk to him a little bit more. He's a great guy and he loves collecting books just like me. He's got a wonderful list. I'm really stoked to see THE AFRICAN QUEEN on it, so that's my favorite pick of his. I recently acquired this baby on VHS from a library book sale, and boy does it look glorious. Fuck blu-ray.
All right, I think that does it for now. I'll have to comment on the rest of the lists that come out too.
Also, I've decided to join in the fun and ask my family and friends to provide their own lists. Excited to see what everyone picks. Already got a list from my pal Eric that puts mine to shame. Should have all those up soon!
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