Post by idioticbunny on Dec 5, 2017 21:30:51 GMT
I apologize for this year taking so damn long to get to. I'm back at work now and back to the long hours as before, so I don't really have much time to watch movies anymore except on my days off, but even then there are more pressing matters I usually need to attend to, so this took a backseat for a while. Hoping to get back into it again, at least to finish the decade by the end of the year - if possible.
So, It's a Wonderful Life and Notorious were old favorites of mine, but re-watched them anyway and they both hold up remarkably well. Notorious isn't as perfect as I once remember it, but it's still fantastic and aided by three incredible performances from Bergman, Grant, and Rains. But it's Hitchcock himself who's MVP. It's a Wonderful Life I've seen now for probably the third or fourth time, and it amazes me how each and every time I'm reduced to happy tears by the end of it (and maybe a few times during...). Possibly Stewart's best performance (not seen Harvey yet, though) and even more amazing to think of him dealing with PTSD during the filming of it as well. Like watching therapy on-screen, yet in the best and most expressive way possible. But still was an amazing performance even before knowing that. And just a lovely film all-around. Probably my favorite Capra film and my third 10/10 of the decade.
The biggest surprise, though, was Best Years of Our Lives. It honestly might be my fourth 10/10 with a re-watch down the road, but holy hell did this film utterly wreck me. Every single aspect just came together absolutely perfectly. Quite possibly the most deserving BP winner ever? Not just in terms of quality, but the timeliness and politics behind it as well. The performances are just incredible, but it's Wyler's incredibly delicate and personal touch that makes it the sweeping, moving film it is. That and Hugo Friedhofer's gorgeous score. Just an incredible movie, and quite possibly the best ensemble of the decade so far.
Other than those three films, the Powell/Pressburger duo continue to get better and better (I've already skipped ahead and watched Black Narcissus, and while I still think A Matter of Life and Death is their best so far, it still shows their ever-mounting ambitions and filmmaking skill perfectly). Same goes for David Lean, though I still prefer his beautiful Brief Encounter debut. Was pleasantly surprised by Ford's poorly-titled My Darling Clementine, too. Probably Fonda's best performance of this decade so far. Just effortlessly cool. The film noirs were decent, but they're mostly just really great parts that don't create a perfect whole.
Honestly, though, this might be the best year of the decade for me. It's contending with 1940, but it's entirely possible. Even Welles' The Stranger is a solid 6/10 which is only that way because the script itself felt far too tame and predictable, but Welles' direction and the acting all around is fantastic. A lot to love from this year.
Best Picture:
01. It's a Wonderful Life.
02. The Best Years of Our Lives.
03. Notorious.
04. A Matter of Life and Death.
05. Great Expectations.
06. My Darling Clementine.
07. The Killers.
08. Beauty and the Beast.
09. Gilda.
10. The Big Sleep.
-----------------
11. Paisan.
12. The Stranger.
Best Director:
01. William Wyler - The Best Years of Our Lives.
02. Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger - A Matter of Life and Death.
03. Frank Capra - It's a Wonderful Life.
04. Alfred Hitchcock - Notorious.
05. Jean Cocteau - Beauty and the Beast.
Best Actor:
01. James Stewart - It's a Wonderful Life.
02. Henry Fonda - My Darling Clementine.
03. Cary Grant - Notorious.
04. Humphrey Bogart - The Big Sleep.
05. David Niven - A Matter of Life and Death.
Best Actress:
01. Ingrid Bergman - Notorious.
02. Rita Hayworth - Gilda.
03. Josette Day - Beauty and the Beast.
Best Supporting Actor:
01. Harold Russell - The Best Years of Our Lives.
02. Dana Andrews - The Best Years of Our Lives.
03. Roger Livesey - A Matter of Life and Death.
04. Orson Welles - The Stranger.
05. Frederic March - The Best Years of Our Lives.
Best Supporting Actress:
01. Loretta Young - The Stranger.
02. Martita Hunt - Great Expectations.
03. Teresa Wright - The Best Years of Our Lives.
04. Donna Reed - It's a Wonderful Life.
05. Martha Vickers - The Big Sleep.
Best Original Screenplay:
01. A Matter of Life and Death.
02. It's a Wonderful Life.
03. Notorious.
04. Gilda.
05. Paisan.
Best Adapted Screenplay:
01. The Best Years of Our Lives.
02. Great Expectations.
03. The Killers.
04. The Big Sleep.
05. My Darling Clementine.
Best Ensemble:
01. The Best Years of Our Lives.
02. Great Expectations.
03. A Matter of Life and Death.
04. It's a Wonderful Life.
05. Notorious.
Best Editing:
A Matter of Life and Death.
Best Cinematography:
A Matter of Life and Death.
Best Art Direction:
Beauty and the Beast.
Best Costume Design:
Beauty and the Beast.
Best Makeup:
Beauty and the Beast.
Best Visual Effects:
A Matter of Life and Death.
Best Sound Design:
A Matter of Life and Death.
Best Original Score:
Hugo Friedhofer - The Best Years of Our Lives.
Best Original Song:
"Put the Blame on Mame" - Gilda.
Also, this might be my favorite Supporting Actor line-up for the decade. Any of those four would be a worthy winner and I constantly flip back and forth between those first three as my actual winner. Incredible. Especially considering the Supporting Actress line-up might be one of the weaker from the decade (still great performances there, but beyond those five, it's a lot of filler).
Anyway, as mentioned, I already watched Black Narcissus for next year, but looking to narrow down the rest of my list. Monsieur Verdoux, Germany Year Zero, and Miracle on 34th Street are must-sees, as well as Hitchcock's The Paradine Case to continue my marathon of his work, but the rest are up in the air. Especially looking to narrow down which film noirs to check out (i.e. Out of the Past, Ride the Pink Horse, Lady from Shanghai, etc.).
So, It's a Wonderful Life and Notorious were old favorites of mine, but re-watched them anyway and they both hold up remarkably well. Notorious isn't as perfect as I once remember it, but it's still fantastic and aided by three incredible performances from Bergman, Grant, and Rains. But it's Hitchcock himself who's MVP. It's a Wonderful Life I've seen now for probably the third or fourth time, and it amazes me how each and every time I'm reduced to happy tears by the end of it (and maybe a few times during...). Possibly Stewart's best performance (not seen Harvey yet, though) and even more amazing to think of him dealing with PTSD during the filming of it as well. Like watching therapy on-screen, yet in the best and most expressive way possible. But still was an amazing performance even before knowing that. And just a lovely film all-around. Probably my favorite Capra film and my third 10/10 of the decade.
The biggest surprise, though, was Best Years of Our Lives. It honestly might be my fourth 10/10 with a re-watch down the road, but holy hell did this film utterly wreck me. Every single aspect just came together absolutely perfectly. Quite possibly the most deserving BP winner ever? Not just in terms of quality, but the timeliness and politics behind it as well. The performances are just incredible, but it's Wyler's incredibly delicate and personal touch that makes it the sweeping, moving film it is. That and Hugo Friedhofer's gorgeous score. Just an incredible movie, and quite possibly the best ensemble of the decade so far.
Other than those three films, the Powell/Pressburger duo continue to get better and better (I've already skipped ahead and watched Black Narcissus, and while I still think A Matter of Life and Death is their best so far, it still shows their ever-mounting ambitions and filmmaking skill perfectly). Same goes for David Lean, though I still prefer his beautiful Brief Encounter debut. Was pleasantly surprised by Ford's poorly-titled My Darling Clementine, too. Probably Fonda's best performance of this decade so far. Just effortlessly cool. The film noirs were decent, but they're mostly just really great parts that don't create a perfect whole.
Honestly, though, this might be the best year of the decade for me. It's contending with 1940, but it's entirely possible. Even Welles' The Stranger is a solid 6/10 which is only that way because the script itself felt far too tame and predictable, but Welles' direction and the acting all around is fantastic. A lot to love from this year.
Best Picture:
01. It's a Wonderful Life.
02. The Best Years of Our Lives.
03. Notorious.
04. A Matter of Life and Death.
05. Great Expectations.
06. My Darling Clementine.
07. The Killers.
08. Beauty and the Beast.
09. Gilda.
10. The Big Sleep.
-----------------
11. Paisan.
12. The Stranger.
Best Director:
01. William Wyler - The Best Years of Our Lives.
02. Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger - A Matter of Life and Death.
03. Frank Capra - It's a Wonderful Life.
04. Alfred Hitchcock - Notorious.
05. Jean Cocteau - Beauty and the Beast.
Best Actor:
01. James Stewart - It's a Wonderful Life.
02. Henry Fonda - My Darling Clementine.
03. Cary Grant - Notorious.
04. Humphrey Bogart - The Big Sleep.
05. David Niven - A Matter of Life and Death.
Best Actress:
01. Ingrid Bergman - Notorious.
02. Rita Hayworth - Gilda.
03. Josette Day - Beauty and the Beast.
Best Supporting Actor:
01. Harold Russell - The Best Years of Our Lives.
02. Dana Andrews - The Best Years of Our Lives.
03. Roger Livesey - A Matter of Life and Death.
04. Orson Welles - The Stranger.
05. Frederic March - The Best Years of Our Lives.
Best Supporting Actress:
01. Loretta Young - The Stranger.
02. Martita Hunt - Great Expectations.
03. Teresa Wright - The Best Years of Our Lives.
04. Donna Reed - It's a Wonderful Life.
05. Martha Vickers - The Big Sleep.
Best Original Screenplay:
01. A Matter of Life and Death.
02. It's a Wonderful Life.
03. Notorious.
04. Gilda.
05. Paisan.
Best Adapted Screenplay:
01. The Best Years of Our Lives.
02. Great Expectations.
03. The Killers.
04. The Big Sleep.
05. My Darling Clementine.
Best Ensemble:
01. The Best Years of Our Lives.
02. Great Expectations.
03. A Matter of Life and Death.
04. It's a Wonderful Life.
05. Notorious.
Best Editing:
A Matter of Life and Death.
Best Cinematography:
A Matter of Life and Death.
Best Art Direction:
Beauty and the Beast.
Best Costume Design:
Beauty and the Beast.
Best Makeup:
Beauty and the Beast.
Best Visual Effects:
A Matter of Life and Death.
Best Sound Design:
A Matter of Life and Death.
Best Original Score:
Hugo Friedhofer - The Best Years of Our Lives.
Best Original Song:
"Put the Blame on Mame" - Gilda.
Also, this might be my favorite Supporting Actor line-up for the decade. Any of those four would be a worthy winner and I constantly flip back and forth between those first three as my actual winner. Incredible. Especially considering the Supporting Actress line-up might be one of the weaker from the decade (still great performances there, but beyond those five, it's a lot of filler).
Anyway, as mentioned, I already watched Black Narcissus for next year, but looking to narrow down the rest of my list. Monsieur Verdoux, Germany Year Zero, and Miracle on 34th Street are must-sees, as well as Hitchcock's The Paradine Case to continue my marathon of his work, but the rest are up in the air. Especially looking to narrow down which film noirs to check out (i.e. Out of the Past, Ride the Pink Horse, Lady from Shanghai, etc.).