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All-time classic films of recent years

Started by JayzusB.Christ, 29 September, 2020, 08:45:23 PM

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CalHab

Of 2020 films, I'd have to say The Lighthouse. If that's not an all time cult classic, then I don't know what is.

JOE SOAP

Quote from: sheridan on 30 September, 2020, 09:51:12 AMAs for pop cultural memeage, the only film I could think of from this century (just) was Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring...

Speaking of memeage, the Star Wars Prequels are the undisputed kings.

JayzusB.Christ

Quote from: radiator on 30 September, 2020, 03:35:10 AM
I took the OP to be asking about truly iconic movies - ones that really permeate the culture, become household names, spawn countless imitators and lines of dialogue that are referenced, homaged, quoted (and misquoted) ad nauseum "Make him an offer he can't refuse"/"I love the smell of napalm in the morning") and have these incredible stand out scenes that transcend the medium and will get parodied and meme-ified til the end of time.

My take is that while many magnificent films still come out every year, they just don't reach the kind of audience and cultural saturation as in the days when films could run in the cinema for an entire calendar year. I'd also hazard a guess that most people tend to rewatch movies a lot less these days, as there's always something new and shiny to dig into. Media is generally more disposable nowadays, and I'd speculate that cinema's days as the dominant form of media are on the way out.

I think the kind of thing the op is specifically asking about died out at the tail end of the 90s, with films like Titanic, The Shawshank Redemption, Good Will Hunting, Jerry Maguire, Pulp Fiction and The Usual Suspects being among the last few I can think of that really fall into this category. With the possible exception of Titanic, those kinds of films either wouldn't get made today or would be made as indie movies only seen by a tiny audience. Parasite was great no doubt - and a moderate box office hit - but I doubt the average man on the street would have even heard of it.

The closest modern phenomenon that comes the closest to that kind of pre death of monoculture cultural footprint would be something like Game of Thrones, and that isn't a movie.

Yep, that's exactly what I meant.  I suppose I could have been a lot clearer now I look at my OP.  Not really the cult classics - Moon was brilliant but I really don't think it'll ever reach 2001 in terms of historical significance.  I loved Dredd and preferred it to The Shawshank Redemption, but the latter will be remembered in top 20 lists in 50 years from now.

And by 'recent' - well, I suppose I didn't really know exactly what I meant there, so let's go with 'this century'. 

Now you mention it, radiator, yeah, it's TV that's producing epic, classic stuff nowadays.  GoT, as you say, but also Breaking Bad.  The last series of Twin Peaks.  Even Watchmen (sorry, Alan.)  I've never seen The Wire but believe I really, really should. 

Not wishing to take away from past classics like the original Twin Peaks, The Powers of Matthew Star and of course Scarecrow and Mrs King, but TV seems to be in a golden age right now.
"Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest"

Funt Solo

Yes, you should see The Wire. It stands out as a unique insight into the problems plaguing a city, rather than being simply an entertaining cartoon fantasy like Breaking Bad, say.
++ A-Z ++  coma ++

Colin YNWA

Quote from: Funt Solo on 30 September, 2020, 02:39:09 PM
Yes, you should see The Wire. It stands out as a unique insight into the problems plaguing a city, rather than being simply an entertaining cartoon fantasy like Breaking Bad, say.

Yeah this absolutely - both superb in their own ways.

JayzusB.Christ

Quote from: Funt Solo on 30 September, 2020, 02:39:09 PM
Yes, you should see The Wire. It stands out as a unique insight into the problems plaguing a city, rather than being simply an entertaining cartoon fantasy like Breaking Bad, say.

Yep, everyone I know has seen it has said I need to watch it.  Next on the list it is, so.

Not sure if you're being serious about Breaking Bad, but that's not how I saw it at all.  For me it was psychodrama at its best - desperate situations driving minds to breaking point; intense pressure blasting out hidden natures like dynamite in a mine.  It wasn't so much the social effects of Walt's actions that fascinated me, but rather his character - an affable and intelligent underachiever breaking through years of social conditioning to uncover the ruthless criminal mastermind that has always been there.  Jesse, on the other hand, is just another wayward badboy who begins to realise that his badness doesn't hold a candle to Walt's.
"Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest"

Funt Solo

I get that they both have depth, but one is grounded in fantasy - so the depth is metaphorical. Which isn't to say it isn't worthwhile.

The weird thing about The Wire is that it upset my expectations of what a television show could be - the second season removes us from our comfortable set of characters and tells a story about a different aspect of the city - and slowly we come to realize that the show is about the city - not about us being entertained by a gang that unrealistically stays together just because they've been hired by a show.

Imagine Friends (this is a stretch) where it's actually about who lives in the apartment next, or that the coffee shop has to close down and is replaced by a laundromat. The gang have gone their separate ways and found new circles of friends.

I can't believe I'm comparing Friends to The Wire.
++ A-Z ++  coma ++

shaolin_monkey

I was only thinking about this the other day, but in terms of horror films. To me, there's nothing recent that even comes close to beating Carpenter's 'The Thing'. Maybe 'The Color from Outer Space' at a push, as it deals in a similar type of body horror.

I was watching 'Aliens' while I worked the other day, and it occurred to me there has not been a film since that so successfully combines such a superb ensemble of characters with sci-fi action and horror. Unless someone can remind me of something I may have missed?

Rately

I'll second the love for Children Of Men, and Fury Road. Absolute classics. Clive Owen is outstanding, and when i recently re-watched, i thought that there are so many people, at this moment in time, with Coronavirus etc. trudging about, unhappily like him. Ghosts.

For me, The Mist was a hell of a movie, with the most unbelievable, harrowing ending. I still think about what happens once the credits roll, and life returns to something resembling normal.

The Abyss is much maligned, but i think it is a masterclass in tension, and married with brilliant effects and amazing performances from a set of characters, some of whom you come to dislike, but still root for.

So many more, but i'll have to look at my collection once i'm home. No doubt be able to add a few more.

JayzusB.Christ

Children of Men, it would seem, is one for my list.
"Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest"

radiator

I'd say Children of Men, wonderful though it is, is firmly in the 'cult classic' box. It was a massive bomb when it came out and hardly anyone I know has seen it.

I think timing is a large part of the equation. If you think about it, what really crystallized all of these (predominantly) 70s, 80s and 90s movies as part of the classic canon was the advent of home video, and especially DVD.

A whole generation of budding film nerds were able to build up this huge back catalogue of Scorcese and Tarantino and Coppola, watch and rewatch them over and over and delve into the special features. We had a lot of choice back then, whereas today we arguably have too much choice, with streaming, reality TV, social media etc etc. Viewers tend to be more more fickle and attention spans are shorter so it's harder for stuff to really break through.

Re: the Marvel movies (and I'll probably catch a bit of flack for this) they're a lot of fun but they're almost their own genre unto themselves - a kind of hybrid of cinema, theme park ride and episodic TV. They're certainly very popular and the closest thing we have to classic golden era blockbusters in terms of cultural reach.... but to my mind there's something a bit generic and cookie cutter about them, and like most other modern blockbusters they're so fast-paced and so packed with visual effects and spectacle that few moments really stand out amongst all the noise. I'll concede that there are a handful, but I'd be really hard pressed to think of that many individual moments from all 20+ of them that come anywhere close to the pure movie magic of something as simple as Indy getting chased by the giant boulder in Raiders.

Ditto The Force Awakens. Are there any truly memorable/quotable scenes or set pieces in that entire movie? Or any of the modern SW or Jurassic Park films?

By contrast I think Breaking Bad is packed full of truly memorable images, quotes and dramatic moments.

Tiplodocus

Anchorman? Elf?

I know they are shit but people seem to love quoting them.
Be excellent to each other. And party on!

Definitely Not Mister Pops

Elf is certainly a Christmas Classic.

This does not mean it's very good.
You may quote me on that.

JamesC

I think there's plenty of animated stuff that counts as classic. Toy Story and the like.
There are certainly British films which are culturally resonant, such as Love Actually, The Full Monty, Trainspotting.

Also, and it might just be my group of friends, but potentially dangerous situations are often described as being like Final Destination (and it almost always gets mentioned at airports and on motorways).

Similarly, layered and complex situations or anecdotes are often described as being like Inception (that's one I've heard used in interviews too).

radiator

I'm gonna hold my hand up and say that I think Elf is actually pretty great. I avoided watching it for years because I thought it looked terrible from the trailer and I'm somewhat ambivalent about Will Ferrell, but when I finally watched it I loved it. Watch it every year now.

It's shame that cinematic comedies are pretty much dead - there's nothing quite like seeing a big comedy with a packed audience. I think the last one with any kind of broad appeal and enduring cultural relevance was probably Bridesmaids, which is nearly ten years old now. I think people get their comedy from other sources these days.

QuoteI think there's plenty of animated stuff that counts as classic. Toy Story and the like.
There are certainly British films which are culturally resonant, such as Love Actually, The Full Monty, Trainspotting.

Very true - however almost all of those you mention are well over twenty years old. Good shout with Pixar though - I think a lot of their films reach the bar for 'timeless classic', especially ones like Up and Wall-E.

Makes me wonder what the last really big, internationally successful British film was. Maybe Slumdog Millionaire? The King's Speech?

QuoteSimilarly, layered and complex situations or anecdotes are often described as being like Inception (that's one I've heard used in interviews too).

Yeah - I'd say Chris Nolan is one of the last few 'big name' directors who pretty much have a blank check with what they get to make and whose name is itself is enough to sell a big movie. As I said earlier I think The Dark Knight is easily the most iconic superhero of the modern era.