Ten films scored 10/10

I know – the out-of-ten rating can be argued to be redundant, but it serves in this case to highlight my highest regard for these films.
Without further ado;

1. Tokyo.Sora (Tokyo.Sky)
Director: Hiroshi Ishikawa.
All I can say is that it’s beautiful. Long-time readers would have heard me go on and on about this Japanese film before, but it’s a wonderful, subtle, minimalist piece that is absolutely unmatched in western cinema. With hardly any dialogue and almost no background music at all, it will try the patience of those who do not connect with minimalist films that celebrate the ordinay everyday as truly beautiful.

2. Solaris (2002)
Director: Steven Soderbergh.
Almost a minimalist piece itself, Solaris is not a sci-fi film, nor is it true to the book. It takes some of the core ideologies of the book and uses them as a basis for something much deeper. This is not about science, it’s about love, intimacy, psychology and the realms of possibility. Beautifully shot and acted, every member of the cast is a joy to watch, and Cliff Martinez’ minimalist score is one of the absolute best ever created.

3. Kôkaku kidôtai (Ghost in the Shell)
Director: Mamoru Oshii.
The first animated feature to appear on the list. What can I say – Mamoru Oshii’s films are always spiritual journies for me. Again they have moments of minimalism that transcend the core themes of the films, and Ghost in the Shell is no exception. I’m fond of saying that the true meaning of the film is rooted in the montage in the middle of the film while Kenji Kawaii’s theme plays ghost-like in accompaniment. This film is about many things, some may like the action, some may like the themes of robotic sentience, but the true themes run much deeper. They have to do with what we perceive of our own awareness and sense of self, our perceptions of reality, how we relate to our experiences. This is a film that when you dig for more, there’s always more to be found.

4. Jin-Rô (Jin Roh)
Director: Hiroyuki Okiura, written by Mamoru Oshii.
The second animated film in the list. Minimalism is a word you’ll find often here, as I’m really showing my true minimalist colours. While the film does contain much dialogue at times, similar to Ghost in the Shell, like the previous film, this contains many moments of stillness and subtle movement. Jin Roh shares a few similarities with one of Mamoru Oshii’s other films, Patlabor 2, where what transpires between the core characters is a bit of a parallel for what transpires within a city or nation. I adore this kind of symbolism and representation, especially in the deft hands of a talented director. Jin Roh is a daunting tale and not for those who don’t like downwardly cast endings. Like Ghost in the Shell, regardless of the moments of violence and dialogue, the film remains overall a peaceful and quiet experience.

5. The Station Agent
Written and directed by Thomas McCarthy.
This was an absolute joy to find. Though I’m loathe to use the term it’s quite fitting for this film, a wonderfully peaceful slice-of-life film revolving around only three characters. The dialogue in this film is quite minimal, possibly more than the others with the exception of Tokyo.Sora, and there are many things that are left unsaid. I love this kind of film making, bringing three very different characters together and subtly revealing deep intimacies that they share together. Featuring a stunning performance by Peter Dinklage, this is one of the most lovingly crafted films I’ve ever seen.

6. Mulholland Dr. (Mulholland Drive)
Written and directed by David Lynch.
We wouldn’t get too far without bumping into a David Lynch film. Inland Empire just misses out by a point, garnering a 9 score from me. I wouldn’t say that Inland Empire is any lesser of a film, it’s just that I like Mulholland Dr. more. It’s difficult to describe Lynch’s work in words; Lynch fans often find themselves watching a film together, looking at each-other and smiling and nodding. David Lynch is a cinematic language that I feel people either naturally speak or they don’t. Those that don’t may find his films boring or confusing, but for those of us who connect with what’s on screen, his films are an absolute delight, filled with symbolism and multi-layered representation. Mulholland Dr. is simply gorgeous to look at, and has perhaps the best example of Lynch’s sense of brooding atmosphere and visual flair. He directs his cast with a deft touch, bringing out his themes in the subtlest of words and motions.

7. Siworae (Il Mare)
Director: Hyun-seung Lee.
Yes, this is one among a long list of foreign language films that have been poorly adapted into Hollywood rubbish. Il Mare tells the tale of two people separated by time, brought together by a house in which they both live, but of-course in diffrent times. This gem of a Korean film has much more to say though than its time-warping premise. I love the word minimal so much I think I’ll say it again; Il Mare is another Asian minimalist masterpiece. This film is all about its subtleties and the gentle atmosphere of the rooms and locations where it takes place, and I fell in love with the characters instantly.

8. Waking Life
Written and directed by Richard Linklater.
The renouned rotoscoping legend that is Waking Life is more than just a one-trick pony. It’s rare indeed that anything identified as a ‘special effect’ is actually made to great artistic use and relevance to the core themes, but Waking Life is an outstanding example. This is the most dialogue heavy film in the list, and indeed possibly in my entire collection with the exception of the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex series, which of-course is not a film. Waking Life is about a number of ideas that revolve around humanity, identity and the sense of self, but is charmingly accompanied by the rotoscoped animations. It’s amazing that such an information-heavy piece can have atmosphere, but every scene really does create its own mood. Some may find the film to be over dialogue-heavy and be overwhelmed, but anyone who is well read and has a decent vocabulary shouldn’t have any trouble with it.

9. The Fountain
Director: Darren Aronofsky.
The Darren Aronofsky film everyone loves to hate. I think the marketting for this film is partly to blame for the lukewarm reception of this film, nevertheless I still approached it with a totally open mind and was well rewarded. One of the themes that is recurrent in this list of films is the use of symbolism and representation, and The Fountain uses these themes in a very literal sense. The Fountain is also perhaps the most theatrical piece on the list with Waking Life chasing not far behind. The Fountain really is an intimate look at two people and the way they cope with illness and loss, furthermore it really is absolutely eye-bleedingly beautiful. Aronofsky has a talent with the colour palette that equals Lynch’s, yet in one moment takes the film from a grand theatrical climax to an intimate scene of isolation that is truly breathtaking.

10. Sunshine
Written and directed by István Szabó.
Let’s sing the symbolism song! This is the story of pre-revolutionist Hungary told through three generations of a ficticious family. What is great about this film is that like Oshii’s work, what happens between the characters is often mirrored in the events of the nation. Nevertheless, this is a film strongly centred around the intimacies of its characters, showing how their lives are effected in the turbulent poilitical turmoil that Hungary was burried in at the time. As much about Hungarian identity, we see the little nation spinning again and again in never-ending circles, struggling to find their own identity.

There it is. I have only rated ten films 10/10, meaning I find them perfect, without flaw and without any element that I would wish changed. These are my perfect films and in many ways reflect a lot about my character, so in a way I guess having watched them all and then interracting with me will give you some insight into some of the reasons why I am the way I am. Unless of-course you hate them all, which really doesn’t matter.
Many of the films I love still rate between 7 and 9, and they aren’t bad films by any measure, but these ten here are my absolute favourites at the top of the list, and if more films were made in their likeness, or at least with equal passion, dedication and deftness, then I would probably go out to the cinema more often.