This meme has appeared on various blogs the past few days and I finally had the time to create mine. It was unbelievably challenging to think of movies for some letters (X, Q) and limit my choices for others (D, E, M). In the end, my list is very reflective my personal study of cinema — before, during and since college. My interests in classical Hollywood cinema, experimental cinema, Neorealism, and post 9/11 American independent cinema comes through.
Here it goes.
A - L'Avventura (dir. Michelangelo Antonioni, 1960)B - Bringing Up Baby (dir. Howard Hawks, 1939)C - Caché (dir. Michael Haneke, 2005)D - Dirty Dancing (dir. Emile Ardolino, 1987)E - The Exploding Girl (dir. Bradley Rust Gray, 2009)F - Fish Tank (dir. Andrea Arnold, 2009)G - Goodbye Solo (dir. Ramin Bahrani, 2008)H - Hoop Dreams (dir. Steven James, 1994)I - It Happened One Night (dir. Frank Capra, 1934)J - Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (dir. Chantal Akerman, 1975)K - Killer of Sheep (dir. Charles Burnett, 1977)L - Ladri di Biciclette (dir. Vittorio di Sica, 1948)M - Meshes of an Afternoon (dir. Maya Deren, 1943)N - Network (dir. Sidney Lumet, 1976)O - Orlando (dir. Sally Potter, 1992)P - The Passion of Joan of Arc (dir. Carl Theodor Dreyer, 1928)Q - Qing shao nian nuo zha (Rebels of a Neon God) (dir. Tsai Ming Liang, 1993)R - Rear Window (dir. Alfred Hitchcock, 1954) S - Sweet Smell of Success (dir. Alexander Mackendrick, 1957)T - Taste of Cherry (dir. Abbas Kiarostami, 1997)U - An Unmarried Woman (dir. Paul Mazursky, 1978)V - The Visitor (dir. Thomas McCarthy, 2007)W - Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (dir. Pedro Almodovar, 1988)X - Xala (dir. Ousmane Sembene, 1975)Y - You Can Count on Me (dir. Kenneth Lonergan, 2000)Z - Zodiac (dir. David Fincher, 2007)
Bonus!
# - 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days (dir Cristin Mungiu, 2007)
There you have it — 27 films that I adore. How do you think I did? Comment away!
@Cinefille 
ahh so many films I’ve yet to see! but lovely photo choices!
brilliant bloody list! I’m super impressed. it might be as pretentious as my list ;) haha I mean that as a compliment. great job.
Jeez, everyone’s going for Zodiac for Z (me included). Love love LOVE the inclusion of Sweet Smell of Success.
I love the list. Some of my favorites, too!
Thanks everyone! I had a lot of fun making it.
Lovely list. My favorites are the first and last: L’Avventura and 4 Months, 3Wees, 2 Days. :)
Wow. Brilliant list. I haven’t seen any X films, I don’t think.