My Favorite Movies

Stunning, ageless and scary as hell.

An entirely new approach to excellence in filmmaking.

A haunting masterpiece to be watched over and over.

Far from being original for originality's sake, Andersson's idiosyncratic approach to film structure sets itself a clear goal: to denounce, with good humor and a refined sense of the surreal, how we, the living, zombie through our lives digging our own graves and denying ourselves any glimpse of true happiness. A stunning film.

Costa-Gavras proves once again that political thrillers can be vigorous, fresh and engaging.

Stylish, bizarre, often gross and totally marvelous. But not for the faint of heart. Or the subtle.

Truly, immensely original.

What doesn't kill you makes you kill them.

Perhaps Spike Lee's finest work.

A complex, intense and rewarding piece of cinema. Maybe my favorite Lynch film.

Few filmmakers are born ready. Mitchell is one of them.

Dark, profound and utterly scary. Ignore the American remake and dive deep into this disturbing essay on human isolation.

A specialist in the art of confining paranoid protagonists inside their own apartments, Polanski delivers one of the creepiest films ever made. The "mummy in the bathroom" sequence damaged my poor little mind forever.

I've always been fond of mixing horror with other genres, especially when these genres are pushed to their limit. This and more make "Beloved" one of my absolute favorites of all time: heavy drama, deep character study and, Jeez, a freakin' nightmare. If you haven't read the Morrison novel and watch it without knowing a thing about it, it'll compromise your sleep. I never understood why it wasn't a hit, but what the heck, taste can be an elusive thing.

Places Neil Jordan as one of today's most solid filmmakers.

Mr. Shindô's stunning images haunted my imagination for weeks on end.

A punch in the stomach followed by a kick in the mouth.

Fearless in its innovative approach to mixing genres.

An "Oldboy" level thriller.

Makes no concessions in its surgical analysis of a masochistic personality. Huppert is superb.

In a film in which there is so much to praise, Catherine Keener's humanistic approach to a character who would otherwise be qualified as a monster stands out as one of the best I've seen in recent years. But it's based on a true story, and the taste that lingers is very, very bitter.

More than merely a political film, this adaptation of Satrapi's graphic novel is about a young woman's bittersweet journey towards self-acceptance.

So vivid, so new, so underrated.

What a brat!

Highly recommended.

Tsukamoto's obsession with the human body crosses the final frontier: the skin. Sounds gross? It is, but in the end, it's the beauty that sticks with you. Go figure...

Araki's most mature work to date.

A tearjerker that does not evade itself from being creative, amounting to an utterly satisfying ending. I was shocked to see Nakamura, from "Neighbor No. 13", playing what could be the sweetest fellow on earth.

A small film with great moments. If the little girl haunted by her dead mother doesn't scare you, nothing else will.

An absolute MUST for horror fans. Period.

- 8:30 tomorrow evening, then?
- That's what I suggested.
- Will you be here too?
- I guess so. I usually am.
- Same chair, same perfume, same anklet?
- I wonder if I know what you mean.
- I wonder if you wonder...

Jeez!!!

Great concept, great story, great cast, great direction, great editing and, on top of all that, Robert Downey Jr. at his finest.

If you've missed this one for whatever reason... man, you better run!

Contrary to this weird tendency in American cinema to stay one step behind the audience, this action film turns out to be as creative, cool and subversive as some of the best Korean pictures. Always good to see how there are still some real brains in Hollywood...

Groundbreaking from its conception, this is perhaps the most misunderstood film in recent Brazilian cinematography. More than merely copying its direct approach to social issues, other Brazilian filmmakers should perhaps focus on mimicking its solid construction, its fresh originality, or its technical excellence.

Although very different from Almodóvar, Anderson shares two characteristics with the Spanish master: an amazing cinematic technique and the perception to see through appearances, showing that the humanity in the soul of the outcast is there for anyone who dares to see it.

Of all the documentaries I have seen about the impact of human activity on the environment, this is by far the most gripping. It is not the Discovey Channel approach. The images are so amazing you will probably never look at the sea the same way again.

Devoted performances and a very well built script help demolish myths and misunderstandings surrounding domestic violence.

I admit it, okay? I enjoyed it.

A lot.

No subtitles needed in this action-packed horror film in which the visuals tell it all.

In the beginning, it doesn't really look like it's gonna amount to much - you'll wonder why the rating. But things are definitely not what they seem in this well-plotted Turkish horror in which the director managed to extract the best from what he had in hands.

The cinematography alone would justify this weird little film, but the acting is pretty good, too!

A discreet, poignant little gem.

"The Matrix" owes so much to this movie it should actually pay Oshii royalties.

Bizarre is art!

Psycho-beauty Ji-hyun Jun perfects the technique of mopping the floor with her boyfriend's hair.

I have to confess that it's hard for me to judge this film properly - the sentimental connection is way too strong. I spent years of my childhood watching this thing on a loop, and even today I couldn't care less about the poor special effects or any other flaws it may have. This one owns a special place in my heart.

I've been in love with Melissa Leo since "21 Grams" and "Melquíades Estrada", and it's great to finally see her in a leading role. It also attests her great feeling for good scripts. One of the best American thrillers I've seen this year.

The apparent amorality in Almodóvar's work can be deceiving, and this is the best example. His refusal to to portray so-called monsters as such allows a clearer glimpse at what is, to me, his most transgressive characteristic: a bold, radically humanistic approach to character.

His best work so far.

What took me so long to watch this one?

Creeeeeepy!!!

For the psychological thriller fan, this is a jewel urging to be found: solid script, great atmosphere, engaged directing and some of the best dialog I've seen in ages make plenty of room for the cast to shine bright, really bright.

Still wildly entertaining to this day, with a killer performance by Jean Hagen as Lina Lamont.

"Oh, Pierre! You shouldn't have come - we are flirting with danger!"

Doesn't get any funnier.

Great use of horror genre conventions for comedic purposes.

If an imminent disaster allowed me to save one and only one Woody Allen film, this would probably be it.

Another can't miss by Joon-ho Bong, with great performances and one of the most hilarious chase sequences ever shot.

An underrated jewel of Argentinean cinema in which nothing is what it seems and the truth is not an option.

Makes you wish you had six stars to rate it rather than just five.

Before moving on to major blockbusters, Peter Jackson delivered what could easily be considered the best movie of his career.

The first film of Almodóvar's most fabulous fase, which followed "Live Flesh", "All About My Mother" and "Talk to Her".

If "Requiem for a Dream" was the waiting room to hell, this is the radical opposite, showing you heaven in a handful of beauty.

Why did they even bother to shoot a remake?

Simple, unpretentious and deliciously hilarious.

Fresh and adorable in its infinite weirdness.

Absolutely unique in its approach to both photography and music. A must!

A teenage girl accuses her father of sexual abuse. Whatever the truth is, the consequences will be devastating. Top-class acting and an impressive script fuel this tense Danish drama.

Believe it or not, it's even better than "Head On".

Absolutely breathtaking - a masterpiece.

I'm neither a French cinema buff nor an enthusiast of gore for gore's sake, but "Martyrs", "Haute Tension" and "À L'intérieur" share more than the mere power to disturb: they add a certain sense of transgression to modern horror, taking it to new extremes.

That said, "Martyrs" is certainly the most accomplished of the three. Watch it without prejudice and your nightmares are guaranteed.

Great investigation drama/romance with a very well built ending. And my beloved Chris Cooper, in his mid-40's and bloody charming - what more could a girl ask?

Even if you are not into teen horror, you don't wanna miss this one. McKee's perfectly woven references include "Frankenstein", "Carrie", "Repulsion" and giallo, and the precise script allows Angela Bettis to make full use of her impressive acting resources.

Peter Mullan seems to be willing to join Charles Laughton and Tim Roth in the select group of British actors who decided to make a film of their own, did an incredible job and never directed anything again. Please reconsider!

Brilliant documentary about how viciously lame Hitler was in his perception of art.

Monochromatic redemption told in an utterly poetic style. Don't get me started on my Koji Yakusho drooling, I can barely stand how brilliant the guy is...

This marvelous debut by Joon-ho Bong ("The Host") is a must-see for lovers of great Asian cinema. Highly praised and recommended.

Got deep to my nerves, this one...

Absolutely brilliant! My favorite Bergman so far...

First things first: to me, this is the horror film of the year, and I mean that in more than one sense.

Zabattini says every content must find its own technique. Von Trier takes this statement to a completely different level by mixing all kinds of cinematic techniques, switching from Dogma to Hollywood not only from scene to scene, but sometimes within the same shot. And it's not a mannerism. It serves to create one of the most unsettling atmospheres I've seen since Roman Polanski.

Gainsbourg is superb. Often swallowed by stronger actresses other films (Charlotte Rampling in "Lemming" would be an example), she now finds the role she needed to make them look like puppy dogs. And Dafoe never ceases to astound me with his capacity to imply six lines of dialog with a look that lasts half a second. It's been a while I've been this impressed by a film.

Oh, and please don't come to me saying this movie is about how evil women are. Evil is triggered by human nature when confronting something we perceive as a weakness. In other words, this isn't a flick for those who live in the shell of political correctness, or for those who wish to discuss the limits of what art can or cannot show. Real life is beyond that, human evil is beyond that, and so is this film.

There's no such thing as "enough films about the Holocaust".

Following "Onibaba", Kaneto Shindô delivers another stunning, eerie masterpiece.

Top class!

Fantastic thriller, from start to finish. A lesson in storytelling, and To's most accomplished film so far.

An unbelievable, over the top, flawless masterpiece. I'd marry Linda Fiorentino this very minute.

Entertaining. Sarcastic. Unpredictable. Hilarious.

Sensational, simply put.

I didn't get it at first. Then I thought I knew where this was going because I had already read some Edogawa Rampo.

My ass. This, as Rampo, isn't just for your brain, it's for your senses.

The first piece is brief, silent, stunning, nearly Tarkovskian.

"Mirror Hell" is cold, distant and should be watched that way. It will bring up some of the many elements and superimposed moods that are to be constantly resignified throughout the film.

"Catterpillar" is barely survivable, even for those who know what it's about.

And the last piece... It is simply superb. The kind of thing Almodóvar would be doing if he were a Japanese horror filmmaker.

I think it'll take me a while to get over this one.

It's a good period for exotic, refreshing vampire stories, and this one teams up well with "Let the Right One in". Sublime, weird, funny, erotic and grotesque, the only thing on the way of this film are the high expectations created around it. Approach it with an open heart and you will not be disappointed.

I tried so hard to like other Sion Sono films, but I didn't have to blink to simply adore this one. I absolutely get the fuss. Impressive cast, sensational script, laughs, tears... No wonder I almost never watch Western cinema these days. Except for Charlie Kauffman, who else is going this far?

Just brilliant.

By far, my favorite Pixar film.

Another stunning work by Almodóvar - the final lines made me cry. I wonder where a filmmaker of this caliber is gonna end up, I really do...

Brilliant surrealistic adventure on acid! No excuse to miss this one - it's a short, and it's on YouTube.

This is the kind of moviemaking and atmosphere are not often available out there, a thrilling ride that reminds me of some of my favorite films, such as "The Taste of Tea". Highly praised and recommended!

Semiological horror that will blow you away.

The less you know, the better it gets.

A heart-stopping rendition to love - simple, precise, priceless.