Top ten movies I have never seen

After reading a blog by Edgar Wright on the top ten movies he was embarrassed to admit he had never seen, I thought I would submit my own such list. Edgar's list (http://t.co/WmjeAZUL) Included several films I haven't seen, but many seemed rather obscure to me, which speaks to his cinema knowledge.

I actually had trouble thinking of titles for my own list, so I scoured the IMDB top 250 films (http://t.co/WmjeAZUL). In no particular order then,  here are my top ten films I should have seen by now but never have.

1.  The Lives Of Others.

#56 on the IMDB list (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0405094/).

I really don't know much about this film but it sounds a little like the Coppola Film 'The Conversation' (one I watched again very recently). But it seems highly regarded so I will check it out.

2. The Prestige

 ( http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0482571/)

I must admit this one didn't really intrigue much when it was first released so I just haven't caught up with it. But given it has scored so well on this list maybe its one I should make a point of seeing.

3. Full Metal Jacket

  (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093058/)

I'm a big Kubrick fan and have seen ALL his other films and own them all on DVD or Blu-ray; so it is odd that this one has escaped me so far. This is the first in this list I really am embarrassed to say I haven't seen yet. Something I will remedy very soon.

4. OldBoy

  (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0364569/)

I started to watch this one night a while back, but just wasn't in the mood I guess. So I need to give this another chance.

5. Downfall

 ( http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0363163/)

I've seen several of the satires using the 'Hitler raging at his staff scene' with different subtitles. but have not yet seen the entire film. Really want to, but it hasn't crossed my path yet. 

6. Grave of The Fireflies

  ( http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095327/)

I love Japanese Anime and especially the Ghibli studio films and those of course of Hayao Miyazaki. But I have yet to see this one. Some of these are hard to track down on disc. I am really hoping they do a Blu-ray collection of all these film in the near future.

7. Black Swan

  (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0947798/)

Another one I just haven't caught up with yet. Must see it soon.

8. Ikiru

  (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044741/)

Am also a big Kurosawa fan, but this and I must admit many more of his earlier film efforts I have yet to see. Another Director I am hoping to see a comprehensive Blu-Ray collection of his work come out soon. (There's an excellent Criterion DVD collection, but I am holding out for Blu-ray) 

9. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

  ( http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0401383/)

I bought this on DVD over a year ago and I still haven't watched it. I promise myself to do so within the next few weeks.

10. Peeping Tom

  (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054167/)

This is not on the IMDB top 250, but is a film that keep coming up lately as one I really must get. 

I am big fan of Michael Powell, and while I haven't seen everything he's directed (there's a lot) I've seen and have on DVD or Blu-ray  all the most notable - except this later film which has become something of a cult in retrospect. One I willl add to my collection very soon.

 

While there are a few other titles on the IMDB top 250 list I haven't seen, I am pleased to say I have seen almost all of them, and of course many more besides that one could argue deserve to be on the list.

  

The passing of a talent and dear friend

Was very sorry to hear this week of the passing of Pushkana Chan, who was Production Designer for my first feature film - Mortal Fools. 

Born in Burma and orphaned during a rebel incursion, Pushkana was taken in by the theatre community and overcame hysterical blindness to become the country’s most acclaimed set designer by the age of 18. Coming to Australia with a tour of Burmese culture and arts, he decided to stay and has been worked in theatre and film for the next ten years on productions ranging from Beckett to Shakespeare, the acclaimed ‘Military Must Die’ and ‘Beefcake Boys Revue’. Winner of the Theatre Arts Young Designer of the Year Award, Mortal Fools was his first and only feature film. 

Pushka, as he was affectionately known, made many friends in the local film and theatre industries and will be sadly missed.

Aussie films stop pulling their punches

Just watched two Australian films in a row - Tomorrow When The War Began, and The Loved Ones. And while I am coming to these films a bit late, both give me renewed hope for the Australian film industry.

"Tomorrow..." Is an action-adventure, and starts a bit slow with some rather cliched stereotype characters. It also has some very on-the-nose dialogue throughout. But despite all this, it has a strong performance from the lead (Caitlin Stasey) and a couple of very well done action set-pieces. But more importantly perhaps it doesn't suffer from the thing that has plagued so many Aussie films in my opinion - pulling it's punches. Too many films in the past simply don't take their story and their lead character as far as they could. They stop short of going all the way, which leaves one with a very unsatisfying result. "Tomorrow..." could have gone a bit further but given it's target audience (teenagers) it still went to places most Aussie teen flics avoid.

"The Loved Ones" was more full-on than I expected. It's a horror film that actually goes all the way. It doesn't pull it's punches. And by the end of it you are quite exhausted, and feel like you've really been on a harrowing journey. The script is taught and well-structured, simple and compelling. The performances are all excellent, and the cinematography and direction terrific. The music is also outstanding. I really didn't think I would like the film as much as I did, since I am not a huge horror fan, but I recognize a well-made film when I see it.

Both these film give me hope for the Aussie film industry. Especially as "Tomorrow..." did so well in the cinemas, and "Loved Ones" was financed by Screen Australia and Film Vic.

Congrats to all involved in both films. Keep it up.

SMPTE 2011 videos

Here is my coverage of the SMPTE show - in two parts.

Part 1-

Part 2 -

SMPTE 2011

Went to the first day of the SMPTE 2011 show yesterday. Shot some video interviews with some of the stallhollders and a lengthy one with Cinematographer and friend Pieter DeVries. Will get this video up as soon as I have something cut together, but it will also appear on the November PC User 2011 cover DVD.

First impressions of the show - lots of 3D. Both JVC and Sony were showing off very small professional quality 3D cameras. Small as in the-palm-of-your-hand small. JVC also had some impressive new 3D monitors, and a box that would convert 2D images into 3D on the fly. They were spruiking it more as a post-production tool where you could adjust the stereoscopic settings suitable for each scene or shot - but even just on a default setting converting The Fifth Element in real time it looked pretty impressive. Don't know how it would hold up on long-term viewing but I can imagine a possible consumer product there as a 3D conversion set-top box.

The two new top of the range cameras that most impressed were the Arri Alexa, and the prototype for the new Sony 8K digital camera - the F65 CineAlta. Both sport a simplified menu interface and button controls, solving the one of the biggest bugbears of DOPs that the camera are just getting too complicated. A DOP wants to shoot not mess with menus. 

The Lemac stand was very busy showing off the range of gear they have to offer - including the Red Epic, a Canon 5D with all attachments and peripheral looking like some digital Frankenstein monster; and the new Steadicam Tango - a jib arm that you wear with a vest which opens up a whole new range of fluid shots in awkward places. Intended for lightweight HD cameras around 3Kg. Wait till you see the video demo of that one!

Had a look at the new Newtek Tricaster, $49k for the full system, but this is a compelte production   studio in a box for 8 camera recording and streaming. This is the system that the new TWiT studios are going to use and it would be great is film schools started teaching this process - IP-TV - as this is where the future of broadcasting is.

On the lighter side we ran into a fellow showing off some old tech from his personal collection. Great stuff - Laser discs, old reel-to-reel VTRs, a microbee. Ahh the memories....