What new films would you INSIST are masterpieces?

As long as we're on the maritime them, how about Master & Commander: Far Side Of The World?

The craftsmanship that went nto this film in all aspects of film making are top notch. But the film was not fully embraced due to - in my opinion - a well-executed but nonetheless languishing second act.

I think if Weir had trimmed the second act, and focused just a little less on the Aubrey/Maturin relationship element (though I know that's critical to the literary work), it would have been better received.

What do you think?

YES! I love Master & Commander! Criminally overlooked! Really wish it had done better box-office so we'd get some sequels.

At the Oscars it was nominated a bunch but lost out to Return of the King. Just bad timing.

(It makes for a great Star Trek film too.)
 
YES! I love Master & Commander! Criminally overlooked! Really wish it had done better box-office so we'd get some sequels.

At the Oscars it was nominated a bunch but lost out to Return of the King. Just bad timing.

(It makes for a great Star Trek film too.)

Truly PAINFUL to me that there weren't sequels... A true shame.
 
Re: What new films would you INSIST are masterpiec

Spirited Away
Pan's Labyrinth
Up
The Nightmare Before Christmas
District 9
Aliens
Coraline
Midnight in Paris (you wouldn't think Owen Wilson would make a good Woody Allen, but it works)

From a cinematography standpoint, The Fall (almost no CG was used in the making of the movie, and everything was shot on location)

I love Hong Kong movies too, and Reign of Assassins seems like a wuxia masterpiece to me.
 
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Re: What new films would you INSIST are masterpiec

Fight club
Shawshank
Being john malkovich
Amelie
Amadeus
Moon
 
I'll second
Nightmare Before Christmas
and
Pan's Labyrinth
and add
Finding Nemo
Little Big Man
Jeremiah Johnson

Of course, none of these are new...but oh well.
 
Another thing about a movie masterpiece (at least by my definition) is that there's something timeless about it. It gets at some sort of human truth that transcends technique. And it always gets better with age.

I totally agree with you and that's why I think the only XXIst century masterpiece so far is CHILDREN OF MEN.

It's political and cinematic dimensions have already rised it to the status of a Masterpiece, at least to my eyes...

Fred
 
Here is my list for films that are Masterpieces, (Relatively modern any way) in no particular order.
1. The Crow
2. The Watchmen
3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless mind
4. Soylent Green
5. Fight Club
6. Pulp Fiction
7. The Nightmare Before Christmas
8. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
9. Coraline
 
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Wow..I'm really surprised nobody's mentioned Matrix! Especially considering this is a sci-fi related forum! lol

I know Reloaded & Revolutions were far from decent...but the original Matrix was hands down THE single best movie I've ever seen ( & I'm certain it'll remain a masterpiece). I was so convinced that nothing would even come remotely close to its greatness 10 years from then...& nothing really has IMHO..

The best of the rest:

Anything Pixar (except Cars)
Anything Miyazaki/Ghibli
Pulp Fiction
Kill Bill
The Mummy
X-Men
LOTR
 
Well, Inception was a great mind F*&%^$!@#% film, but I have a hard time putting it in the category of being, "the greatest movie ever directed and brought onto the big screen". You would have to do some extrodinary convincing because there are a handful of extrodinary films that were made out there over the last 30 odd years. You could argue it was the "greatest film directed/brought to screen that summer" but not the greatest film ever directed and brought to the big screen. I think you are really stretching your luck with that statement.Spielberg has directed and brough to screen a small handful of extrodiary films,many of which were Oscar winners and/or nominees and Chris Nolan(while a talented director) only has a few commercially successful/popular films under his belt.I think he still has a long way to go.
 
No Country for Old Men
Inception
Kill Bill Vol. 1&2
There Will Be Blood
Batman Begins & TDK
Predators:love
Oh Yes: definitely Nightmare Before Christmas!
All of the Lone Wolf and Cub series!
Akira
Ghost in the Shell
Night of the Living Dead's(except for that 3D caca)
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
 
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