In my honest opinion, these are the best 5 films to ever exist… ever. Hayao Miyazaki, Paul Thomas Anderson, and More! All were written by the director, although some had co-writers. No serious spoilers.
The Top 5 Films of All Time (in my opinion)
5. Birdman (or,) the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance (2014)
– written and directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu (+ cowriters)
On this list, you will find what I think regarding the greatest writing, acting, directing, and all-over mastery in film. And yes – Birdman has amazing writing, tremendous acting, inventive directing, and definitive masterstrokes. But what put this on top of several honorable mentions (Children of Men, Reservoir Dogs, Melancholia, Whiplash, Fight Club, and O Brother Where Art Thou?) was the original music, specifically percussion. As a drummer, this film is magic when it comes to rhythm. The maddening pace and unstable characters existing in a highly metaphysical space is held together by a drumbeat that, as the kids used to say, “slaps.” Hats off to Emma Stone, Edward Norton, Raymond Carver, and of course, Batman himself, Michael Keaton. Coincidentally, Catwoman is in the next movie on the list…
Featured Quote: “I’m nothing. I’m not even here.”
4. Mother! (2017) –
written and directed by Darren Aronofsky
Other than number one on this list, Mother! Is the only movie I wanted to watch again, and did, immediately after it was over. Once I got the whole bible analogy, I was all in. I might be biased because I was raised Catholic, and to me - this is the perfect movie for Atheists or Hindus who became disillusioned with the Abrahamic religions. Jennifer Lawrence and Michelle Pfeiffer put on a goddamn show as Mother Earth and Eve. The problem with this movie is that it is too full of analogy but it shows the power of analogy as well. Along with PI, Requiem for a Dream, Black Swan, and the Fountain, the Wrestler, and the Whale – Aronofsky is a cinematic genius that needs to be acknowledged here.
Featured Quote: “Your love. It’s still there, isn’t it?”
3. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) –
written by Arthur C. Clarke and Stanley Kubrick, directed by Kubrick
Kubrick, along with Lars Van Trier (Nymphomaniac, part 1 almost made this list) are two directors I’m fond of for the same reason. They take their time and don’t give two flying fucks about what the audience wants or thinks. The films they produced are, in the most noble sense, works of art. With 2001: A Space Odyssey, Kubrick wrote the script along with the author of the book, Arthur C. Clarke and both were written simultaneously which I think is the coolest thing ever. That’s a science fiction writer’s wet dream right there. The movie itself is a reflection on man’s place in the Cosmos, our relationship with technology, and the vastness of outer space. This is not a movie to entertain, but rather experience as part of the human experience. While A Clockwork Orange is almost as amazing, this one takes the Kubrick cake because it demands that you pay attention and doesn’t care if you don’t. Sexy as hell. (I’d also like to note here that HAL has “No Face”)
Featured Quote: “Just what do you think you’re doing, Dave?”
2. There Will Be Blood (2007) –
written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
Daniel Day Lewis is alone on the mountain of perfect actors, and he shows off this brilliance in this one. The way he plays the lonely devil named Daniel Plainview is like watching the Sistine Chapel getting painted. The subtly of the character, which is a product of Paul Thomas Anderson’s admirable writing and attention to detail in the director’s chair, is phenomenal. While I love Inherent Vice and Punch Drunk Love, Lewis is what puts this movie on a much higher tier than the other films Anderson has directed. Other than Thomas, I think the Coen Brothers write the best scripts. No Country for Old Men, O Brother Where Art Thou?, Fargo, or The Big Lebowski would’ve been in my top 100 probably, but the brothers just missed this list.
Featured Quote: “I’m going to bury you underground, Eli. Bury you underground.”
1. Spirited Away (2002) –
written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki
What makes ‘Spirited Away’ far and above the best of all other films is the absolute mastery that is on display during every second of its 2 hour runtime. From the visuals themselves to the characters and plot development to the magnificent score. The Bathhouse setting is also so perfect – haunting, beautiful, and intriguing all at the same time. Once the ‘stink spirit’ arrives, it takes the viewer on an intellectually stimulating, mind-bending trip. The core of the film, in my opinion, is about cleansing the spirit through the metaphor of a girl growing up – with Ichiro as the soul, Haku as Love personified, and No-Face as a fellow soul (or demon) that both needs help and inadvertently assists. If I start writing about No-Face – the greatest character to ever appear on a movie screen – this little paragraph would turn into several essays… While I’ve seen it in Japanese and think it is the way to go, I’ve watched the English version countless times.
Like my top 5 albums, which would’ve been mostly “TOOL” if not for a 1-artist-per-list rule, this list would likely be a list of Miyazaki movies - Spirited Away, The Boy and The Heron, and Porco Rosso, followed by There Will Be Blood and 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Featured Quote: “Finish what you started, human.”
