This is the hardest batch by far because I really wanted to switch some of these around, and they very well could have been. But, I decided to remain true to how the list was prior to my starting the countdown.
65. The Skin I Live In (Pedro Almodovar, 2011)
What a trippy film. I didn't know what I was going to get prior to seeing this film. And all for the better since the twists are glorious. The cinematography and the soundtrack are perfect. I was left mouth agape at the end of the film.
64. Mr. Hulot's Holiday (Jacques Tati, 1953)
While my movie tastes tend to align with the dramatic, once in a while there comes a movie that is so simple, happy and comical that I fall heads over heel in love with it.
Mr. Hulot's Holiday is one such film. It just makes me so happy and in love with its gags and the colorful characters. No need to analyze anything else.
63. Wild Strawberries (Ingmar Bergman, 1957)
Hands down, Ingmar Bergman is the best discovery that I made last year. I cannot believe I missed out on nearly 20 years of such rightfully revered works. Wild Strawberries is, imo, the most beautifully shot film of all time. The story is touching and Bergman's actors nail their roles as usual. This is the film I'm most confident will climb up the list with a rewatch.
62. Alphaville (Jean-Luc Godard, 1965)
I was a Godard basher for three straight years now, having only seen Contempt and A Married Woman. Then, last year, I decided to give him another chance since Tyler from Southern Vision loved him so much. I ended up screening Alphaville. Now, while I still don't like Godard's politics, I fell in love with Alphaville. Such an odd film. I now want to/should check out the rest of Godard's filmography.
61. Vertigo (Alfred Hitchcock, 1958)
This was voted the best film of all time in
Sight & Sound's critics poll. While it is not amongst my top 50 films, I still find it to be a masterpiece (and yes, I am aware that many people dislike the usage of that word, especially given that it is not my favorite Hitchcock). But, I'm of the firm belief that an auteur can have more than one masterpiece. Vertigo's is one of Hitchcock's finest.
60. Juliet Of The Spirits (Federico Fellini, 1965)
I have no words for this film. Often viewed as Fellini's penultimate great film, this movie is still largely underrated. Fellini's first color film has sumptuous visuals, features the fantastic Giuletta Masina, and as usual has a cast of colorful characters now in actual color. This film is like Eyes Wide Shut, but focusing more on dreams and hallucinations.
59. Eyes Wide Shut (Stanley Kubrick, 1999)
Speaking of which. My first Kubrick, and what an amazing experience. This movie deserves far more love than it gets. Stanley Kubrick definitely went out with a bang on this one. This movie is elegant, even with the sexual nature of the material.
58. The Virgin Suicides (Sofia Coppola, 1999)
One of the saddest films ever and an earnest look into female adolescence through the eyes of the boys who don't understand it. Only Sofia Coppola could isolate her characters in such a way that it resonates with her audience. It also features all-around stellar performances, most of all Kirsten Dunst.
57. Shame (Steve McQueen, 2011)
The cinematography. The soundtrack. The story. The acting. Fassbender. Mulligan. This movie is perfect.
56. Synecdoche, New York (Charlie Kaufman, 2008)
I bought this film because my Barnes & Noble giftcard would still have 6 dollars left after the first few purchases. So, I grabbed the movie for four dollars and some change, having heard about it but not expecting much. One of the best impromptu decisions that I have ever made. Such a broad story/plot, but the film is so beautifully handled that it all works and fits, including the fantastic ending.
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