Movie Writings by Jake

   

Movie Blues: Jake’s Blog

Remembering Sam Peckinpah: 20 Years Later

Another Auteur Down: Chris Nolan’s Batman Begins

Dream Merchant: George Lucas’ Plastic Empire

The United States of Leland

Jake's 101 Best American Movies

 

Keith Gordon: Life on the Fringe

Purity of Impulse Notes on Fight Club

The Gods of Spin (sample from as-yet unpublished Hollywood novel)

The Matrix as Shamanic Journey

Thumbnail Movie Reviews from 2006

 

 

List-making is an infantile, anal pastime and some of us never get over it.

Here are some of mine, with something guaranteed to annoy everyone!

Just remember, in the immortal words of “Dirty” Harry Callaghan:

 

“Opinions are like assholes: everybody’s got one.”

 

But some stink more than others.

 

 

Most Overrated Film Directors

Most Underrated Film Directors

1. Stanley Kubrick

1. Keith Gordon

2. Coen Brothers

2. Brian De Palma

3. Steven Spielberg

3. Matthew Ryan Hoge

4. Quentin Tarantino

4. Steve Kloves

5. Mike Nichols (except Closer)

5. Hal Hartley

6. Peter Jackson

6. Sean Penn

7. James Cameron

7. Ethan Hawke

8. Peter Greenaway

8. Dave McKean

9. Ingmar Bergman

9. Tom DiCillo

10. John Cassavetes

10. Suggestions? Write to Jake

 

10 Most Overrated American Movies

10 Worst Movies By Gifted Directors

1. There Will Be Blood (P.T Anderson, 2007)

1. Eyes Wide Shut (Stanley Kubrick, 1999)

2. Reservoir Dogs (Quentin Tarantino, 1992)

2. Bitter Moon/9th Gate (Roman Polanski)

3. Unforgiven (Clint Eastwood, 1995)

3. King Kong (Peter Jackson, 2006)

4. The Graduate (Mike Nichols, 1967)

4. Vanilla Sky (Cameron Crowe, 2002)

5. Silence of the Lambs (Demme, 1994)

5. Fire Walk with Me (David Lynch, 1995)

6.American Beauty (Sam Mendes, 1999)

6. Convoy (Sam Peckinpah, 1977)

7. The Exorcist (William Friedkin, 1973)

7. Brothers Grimm (Terry Gilliam, 2005)

8. Barton Fink (Joel Coen, 1994)

8. Match Point (2005, Woody Allen)

9. Wild at Heart (David Lynch 1990)

9. The Passion of the Christ (Mel Gibson, 2004)

10. Chinatown (Roman Polanski, 1974)

10. Alexander (Oliver Stone, 2005)

 

 12 Most Underrated and/or Unseen 

12 Personal Favorites 

1. Flesh and Bone (Steve Kloves, 1995)

1. Blue Velvet (Lynch, 1986)

2. The United States of Leland (Hoge, 2004)

2. The Wild Bunch (Sam Peckinpah, 1969)

3. Casualties of War (Brian De Palma, 1989)

3. The Godfather 1 & 2 (Coppola, 1972/4)

4. The Libertine (Stephen Jeffreys, 2006)

4. Taxi Driver (Martin Scorsese, 1976)

5. The Crossing Guard (Sean Penn, 1994)

5. Vertigo (Alfred Hitchcock, 1958)

6. Where the Heart Is (John Boorman, 1988)

6. Don't Look Now (Nicholas Roeg, 1973)

7. Phone Booth (Joel Schumacher, 2003)

7. Annie Hall (Woody Allen, 1977)

8. Dream with the Fishes (Finn Taylor, 1999)

8. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (Leone, 66)

9. The Tenant (Polanski, 1976)

9. Badlands (Malick, 1973)

10. The Hottest State (Ethan Hawke, 2006)

10. Fight Club (David Fincher 1999)

11. Matchstick Men (Ridley Scott, 2002)

11. The Matrix (Wachowskis, 1999)

12. Sons (Alexandre Rockwell, 1988)

12. All About Eve (Joe Mankiewitcz 1950)

 

Th-th-that’s all folks

 

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