I don’t watch many movies these days, so most of those on your list I haven’t seen. Of the five that I have seen, I enjoyed “The Butterfly Effect,” “The Holiday,” “Sideways,” and “Zelig.” Perhaps it’s my old age (80) that makes movie-watching a problem for me. I used to watch more of them than I do now. Deal-breakers for me (meaning that I immediately stop watching) are: gratuitous vehicle chases; gunfights during which thousands of rounds are expended and the hero never gets hurt; ridiculous physical feats performed by 60-year-old stars; sex scenes so passionate that the participants can’t make it to the bedroom and remove their clothing, but must copulate against a door or wall or on a desktop that has been cleared with a single sweep of an arm; any “comedy” involving bodily functions or fluids; an excessive amount of anti-social or juvenile behavior. In addition, I abandon ship when the profanity becomes gratuitous or excessive. (When I was a teenager, it was acceptable to say “n—–,” but not “f—ing” and “mother——.” This convention is now reversed.)
Don’t get me wrong. I’m far from a prude or a non-combatant, and I have many memories of romantic and fistic encounters I could relate were I challenged to document it (and were I indiscrete.) I could take all this silly movie stuff in occasional and small doses. But, it seems to me that physically and psychologically ridiculous behavior and absurd and debased dialog permeates entire movies, and most movies, these days.
A dozen of my all-time favorites, in no particular order: (1) My Fair Lady; (2) The Godfather series; (3) Casablanca; (4) Chinatown; (5) Patton; (6) Fargo; (7) Midway; (8) Inherit the Wind; (9) O Brother, Where Art Thou?; (10) All About Eve; (11) The Third Man; and (12) Dr. Strangelove. There are more, of course, but these come to mind.
Thanks for the comment. I seldom watch a feature-length film these days. I’ve turned mainly to the relatively few TV series and mini-series that feature clever plotting, sophisticated dialogue, and good acting. And I watch them via Netflix or Amazon Video, so that I don’t have to endure commercials. Most of them originally aired in Britain, which still seems to produce the best actors and script-writers, despite the sad decline of British civilization.
Politics and Prosperity 
I don’t watch many movies these days, so most of those on your list I haven’t seen. Of the five that I have seen, I enjoyed “The Butterfly Effect,” “The Holiday,” “Sideways,” and “Zelig.” Perhaps it’s my old age (80) that makes movie-watching a problem for me. I used to watch more of them than I do now. Deal-breakers for me (meaning that I immediately stop watching) are: gratuitous vehicle chases; gunfights during which thousands of rounds are expended and the hero never gets hurt; ridiculous physical feats performed by 60-year-old stars; sex scenes so passionate that the participants can’t make it to the bedroom and remove their clothing, but must copulate against a door or wall or on a desktop that has been cleared with a single sweep of an arm; any “comedy” involving bodily functions or fluids; an excessive amount of anti-social or juvenile behavior. In addition, I abandon ship when the profanity becomes gratuitous or excessive. (When I was a teenager, it was acceptable to say “n—–,” but not “f—ing” and “mother——.” This convention is now reversed.)
Don’t get me wrong. I’m far from a prude or a non-combatant, and I have many memories of romantic and fistic encounters I could relate were I challenged to document it (and were I indiscrete.) I could take all this silly movie stuff in occasional and small doses. But, it seems to me that physically and psychologically ridiculous behavior and absurd and debased dialog permeates entire movies, and most movies, these days.
A dozen of my all-time favorites, in no particular order: (1) My Fair Lady; (2) The Godfather series; (3) Casablanca; (4) Chinatown; (5) Patton; (6) Fargo; (7) Midway; (8) Inherit the Wind; (9) O Brother, Where Art Thou?; (10) All About Eve; (11) The Third Man; and (12) Dr. Strangelove. There are more, of course, but these come to mind.
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Thanks for the comment. I seldom watch a feature-length film these days. I’ve turned mainly to the relatively few TV series and mini-series that feature clever plotting, sophisticated dialogue, and good acting. And I watch them via Netflix or Amazon Video, so that I don’t have to endure commercials. Most of them originally aired in Britain, which still seems to produce the best actors and script-writers, despite the sad decline of British civilization.
LikeLiked by 1 person