Movies Watched -- Sister My Sister (1995)

Added on by C. Maoxian.

86 minute running time so a good length… this wasn’t bad, I’m glad I saw it, but it’s not good enough to get a green-go. John Farr recommended it. A tough movie to find given the themes of incest and lesbianism and murder … Actress Julie Walters steals the show though, had me falling out of my chair laughing.

Simply Sisterly Love [heavy handed foreshadowing with the bars]

Movies Watched -- Corsage (2022)

Added on by C. Maoxian.

In German. 114 minute running time so at least 14 minutes too long. I have no idea what this was about… life as a 19th century Austrian Empress, I guess… tough life, in its own way. This was a John Farr reco, but I wasn’t thrilled with it.

du Arschloch

Movies Watched -- The Conversation (1974)

Added on by C. Maoxian.

113 minute running time so about 13 minutes too long, but this is a classic, a green-go for sure. FIFTY years ago, this year, this film was made! Wiretapping, invasion of privacy, paranoia … talk about being ahead of its time. Fatty Ford Coppola was a great director. Gorgeous Harrison Ford in his early 30s and 29-year-old Teri Garr… Bobby Duval, uncredited. Of course John Farr recommends this movie too. Maybe cut out the smashing of the Virgin Mary figurine as a little too heavy handed? I might be able to cut this down to 100 minutes.

I just want a nice fat recording.

Best Thriller / Mystery Movies of the 2000s

Added on by C. Maoxian.

These are the best thriller / mystery movies of the 2000s according to John Farr. I’ve arranged them chronologically below:

English-language movies:

  1. Sexy Beast (2000)

  2. Snatch (2000)

  3. The Contender (2000)

  4. Traffic (2000)

  5. Gosford Park (2001)

  6. Memento (2001)

  7. Mullholland Drive (2001)

  8. The Deep End (2001)

  9. The Bourne Identity (2002)

  10. Bloody Sunday (2002)

  11. Dirty Pretty Things (2002)

  12. Insomnia (2002)

  13. One Hour Photo (2002)

  14. Road to Perdition (2002)

  15. Elephant (2003)

  16. Mystic River (2003)

  17. Shattered Glass (2003)

  18. Maria Full of Grace (2004)

  19. Omagh (2004)

  20. The Machinist (2004)

  21. The Staircase (2004)

  22. Brick (2005)

  23. The Constant Gardner (2005)

  24. The Illusionist (2006)

  25. The Last King of Scotland (2006)

  26. United 93 (2006)

  27. American Gangster (2007)

  28. Boy A (2007)

  29. Breach (2007)

  30. Michael Clayton (2007)

  31. No Country for Old Men (2007)

  32. Zodiac (2007)

  33. Frozen River (2008)

  34. Julia (2008)

  35. Man on Wire (2008)

  36. The Square (2008)

Foreign-language movies:

  1. A Matter of Taste (2000) (French)

  2. Lumumba (2000) (French)

  3. Under the Sand (2000) (French)

  4. With a Friend Like Harry (2000) (French)

  5. My Father and I (2001) (French)

  6. Nine Queens (2001) (Spanish)

  7. Safe Conduct (2001) (French)

  8. The Devil’s Backbone (2001) (Spanish)

  9. He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (2002) (French)

  10. A Tale of Two Sisters (2003) (Korean)

  11. Cautiva (2003) (Spanish)

  12. Crimson Gold (2003) (Persian)

  13. Good Morning, Night (2003) (Italian)

  14. I’m Not Scared (2003) (Italian)

  15. Memories of Murder (2003) (Korean)

  16. Osama (2003) (Dari)

  17. The CIty of No Limits (2003) (Spanish)

  18. The Return (2003) (Russian)

  19. A World Without Thieves (2004) (Mandarin)

  20. Bad Education (2004) (Spanish)

  21. Kontroll (2004) (Hungarian)

  22. Red Lights (2004) (French)

  23. Shutter (2004) (Thai)

  24. The Edukators (2004) (German)

  25. 13 Tzameti (2005) (French)

  26. Caché (2005) (French)

  27. L’Enfant (2005) (French)

  28. Paradise Now (2005) (Arabic)

  29. Sophie Scholl: The Final Days (2005) (German)

  30. The Method (2005) (Spanish)

  31. Black Book (2006) (Dutch)

  32. Paprika (2006) (Japanese)

  33. Tell No One (2006) (French)

  34. The Lives of Others (2006) (German)

  35. Cargo 200 (2007) (Russian)

  36. Katyn (2007) (Polish)

  37. Lust, Caution (2007) (Mandarin)

  38. Secret Sunshine (2007) (Korean)

  39. Under the Bombs (2007 (Arabic)

  40. Volver (2007) (Spanish)

  41. Gomorrah (2008) (Italian)

  42. Just Another Love Story (2008) (Danish)

  43. Let the Right One In (2008) (Swedish)

  44. Revanche (2008) (German)

  45. The Baader Meinhof Complex (2008) (German)

  46. A Prophet (2009) (French)

  47. Mother (2009) (Korean)

  48. Rapt (2009) (French)

  49. Sin Nombre (2009) (Spanish)

  50. The Double Hour (2009) (Italian)

  51. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009) (Swedish)

  52. The Secret in Their Eyes (2009) (Spanish)

  53. The White Ribbon (2009) (German)

  54. Troubled Water (2009) (Danish)

Movies Watched -- Klute (1971)

Added on by C. Maoxian.

118 minute running time so about 20 minutes too long, which is a shame … this isn’t terrible, I didn’t hate it. The squalor of 1971 New York City on full display as is a glimpse of the World Trade Center (under construction) … Roy Scheider with a bowl cut … Donald Sutherland playing a square but not really … Hanoi Jane wearing her corduroy jacket and no bra to see her therapist … It gets a solid yellow rating, though John Farr recommended it. There were a lot of decent 1971 movies (French Connection, Straw Dogs, etc.), and this one fits right in there to give a flavor of the times.

Jane not darning socks in Tuscarora

Best Thriller / Mystery Movies of the 1990s

Added on by C. Maoxian.

These are the best thriller / mystery movies of the 1990s according to John Farr. I’ve arranged them chronologically below:

English-language movies:

  1. Goodfellas (1990)

  2. Hidden Agenda (1990)

  3. Miller's Crossing (1990)

  4. Reversal of Fortune (1990)

  5. The Grifters (1990)

  6. The Hunt for Red October (1990)

  7. The Rapture (1991)

  8. Thelma and Louise (1991)

  9. A Few Good Men (1992)

  10. Let Him Have It (1992)

  11. Malcolm X (1992)

  12. One False Move (1992)

  13. Reservoir Dogs (1992)

  14. The Crying Game (1992)

  15. Carlito's Way (1993)

  16. The Fugitive (1993)

  17. True Romance (1993)

  18. Clean, Shaven (1994)

  19. Fresh (1994)

  20. Heavenly Creatures (1994)

  21. Pulp Fiction (1994)

  22. Speed (1994)

  23. The Last Seduction (1994)

  24. Apollo 13 (1995)

  25. Dead Man Walking (1995)

  26. Heat (1995)

  27. Seven (1995)

  28. Sister My Sister (1995)

  29. The Usual Suspects (1995)

  30. To Die For (1995)

  31. Bound (1996)

  32. Fargo (1996)

  33. Lone Star (1996)

  34. Primal Fear (1996)

  35. Cop Land (1997)

  36. Donnie Brasco (1997)

  37. Hard Eight (1997)

  38. Jackie Brown (1997)

  39. L.A. Confidential (1997)

  40. The Apostle (1997)

  41. A Simple Plan (1998)

  42. Croupier (1998)

  43. Following (1998)

  44. Out of Sight (1998)

  45. The Big Lebowski (1998)

  46. The Interview (1998)

  47. A Civil Action (1999)

  48. The Insider (1999)

  49. The Sixth Sense (1999)

  50. The War Zone (1999)

Foreign-language movies:

  1. Good Evening, Mr. Wallenberg (1990) (Swedish)

  2. Monsieur Hire (1990) (French)

  3. La Femme Nikita (1991) (French)

  4. Europa (1992) (German)

  5. Hard-Boiled (1992) (Cantonese)

  6. Man Bites Dog (1992) (French)

  7. 71 Fragments of a Chronology of Chance (1994) (German)

  8. The Kingdom (1994) (Danish)

  9. La Promesse (1996) (French)

  10. Zero Kelvin (1996) (Norwegian)

  11. Brother (1997) (Russian)

  12. Character (1997) (Dutch)

  13. Funny Games (1997) (German)

  14. Insomnia (1997) (Norwegian)

  15. Open Your Eyes (1997) (Spanish)

  16. Secrets of the Heart (1997) (Spanish)

  17. Seventh Heaven (1997) (French)

  18. Winter Sleepers (1997) (German)

  19. Run Lola Run (1998) (German)

  20. Secret Defense (1998) (French)

  21. In China They Eat Dogs (1999) (Danish)

  22. Running Out of Time (1999) (Cantonese)