rank a director

[AB537]

Earlier this summer, I had the opportunity to see a few films by Jean Eustache at a retrospective in Toronto, which was quite exciting since I hadn't been able to find his films previously. I decided to focus on his best known (a relative term after The Mother and the Whore) and most highly rated films (by TSPDT), and it worked out very well. Hopefully there will be opportunities for the others in the future. Curious what others have managed to see, and what you thought.

Great

Very Good

1. La maman et la putain - The Mother and the Whore (1973)

Good

2. Mes petites amoureuses - My Little Loves (1974)
3. Une sale histoire - A Dirty Story (1977) ... allegedly based on a true story told by a friend of Eustache

Above Average

Okay

Not Good

Don't Remember Enough to Rate

[Fergenaprido]

Ah, I didn't hear of that retrospective. Was it at TIFF Lightbox?

I've yet to see a film by Eustache.

[AB537]

Ah, I didn't hear of that retrospective. Was it at TIFF Lightbox?

Yeah, TIFF Lightbox. They usually roll out new programming at 10 AM on Wednesdays - but tickets tend to go fast since films other than new releases are typically free for members.

[1SO]

Mike Leigh:

1. A Sense of History
2. Abigail’s Party
3. Naked
4. Nuts in May
5. Another Year
6. Vera Drake
7. Happy-Go-Lucky
8. Secrets & Lies
9. All or Nothing
10. Peterloo
11. Bleak Moments
12. High Hopes
13. Life is Sweet
14. Mr. Turner
15. Career Girls
16. Topsy Turvy
17. The Short and Curlies

[Onderhond]

Jean Eustache:

01. 0.5* - The Mother and the Whore

[Fergenaprido]

Ah, I didn't hear of that retrospective. Was it at TIFF Lightbox?

Yeah, TIFF Lightbox. They usually roll out new programming at 10 AM on Wednesdays - but tickets tend to go fast since films other than new releases are typically free for members.

Thanks. I got the email yesterday to sign up for membership before midnight to get early access to TIFF tickets... decided against it for now, but once I move into the city I might opt in and take advantage of what they have to offer. It's just too much of a hassle to go downtown regularly, and their digital rentals are still quite good.

[Caracortada]

Friedkin:

1. The Exorcist 10/10
2. The French Connection 7/10
3. The Birthday Party 6/10
4. To Live and Die in L.A. 6/10
5. Sorcerer 4/10

[Y U M E]

Jean Eustache

EYE did show the restorations of his two major works earlier this year, so I took the chance to rewatch LMELP on the silver screen and had a first time viewing of MPA

★★★¾ | 8.0
Mes Petites Amoureuses*

★★★½ | 7.6
La Maman et la Putain*

★★★¼ | 7.2
Une Sale Histoire

★★¾ | 6.4
Le Père Noël A les Yeux Bleus

[GruesomeTwosome]

How about we go with Jim Jarmusch next, a filmmaker largely credited with spearheading the modern independent film movement in America starting in the ‘80s. I’m sort of (inadvertently) working my way backwards through his filmography, as I actually haven’t seen Jarmusch’s ‘80s films yet, but I’ve watched all of his features from Night on Earth (1991) to present except for The Limits of Control. Of the eight films I’ve seen:

1. Dead Man - 9/10
2. Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai - 9/10
3. Night on Earth - 8/10
4. Only Lovers Left Alive - 8/10
5. Paterson - 7/10
6. Broken Flowers - 7/10
7. Coffee and Cigarettes - 6/10
8. The Dead Don’t Die - 6/10

[Silga]

Jim Jarmusch

1. Night on Earth - 8
2. Coffee and Cigarettes - 6
3. Only Lovers Left Alive - 5
4. The Limits of Control - 2

[msainy]

Jarmusch is one of my favorite "funny" directors and has the one of the highest average rating for me. Even his seemingly serious films are hilarious like The Limits of Control and Ghost Dog. He collabs with the best musicians (Tom Waits, Iggy Pop, Jack White, and Screamin' Jay Hawkins among others). He also has a thing for making side characters stand out like the ice cream guy in Ghost Dog, Tilda Swinton in The Limits of Control, or the whole Coffee and Cigarettes.

1. Permanent Vacation (1980) 4/10 (weak debut imo)
2. Stranger Than Paradise (1984) 9/10
3. Down by Law (1986) 9/10
4. Mystery Train (1989) 9/10
5. Night on Earth (1991) 8/10
6. Dead Man (1995) 10/10
7. Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999) 9/10
8. Coffee and Cigarettes (2003) 9/10
9. Broken Flowers (2005) 7/10
10. The Limits of Control (2009) 9/10
11. Only Lovers Left Alive (2013) 10/10
12. Paterson (2016) 9/10
13. The Dead Don't Die (2019) 8/10

[blocho]

I remember a time back in high school when I was at the video store (such things existed at the time) with a friend, trying to decide which movie we wanted to watch that night. He suggested Ghost Dog, and I said I had already seen it and had been unimpressed. Two minutes later, some stranger walked by us and said so softly I didn't even realize it until the man was out the door: "You do not know Jarmusch." Except he mispronounced the name: Yar-moosh. Anyway, that moment was more interesting than any Jarmusch movie I have seen.

Superlative

Very Good

Good
Only Lovers Left Alive

OK
Down by Law
Dead Man
Coffee and Cigarettes

Misfires
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
Broken Flowers
The Limits of Control

NB: I left Paterson off the list above because I quit after 30 stultifying minutes.

[Fergenaprido]

1. 7.4 - Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999) - This was actually part of the curriculum of one of my university courses. I think it was one of the English courses I took.

[Y U M E]

Jim Jarmusch


★★★★¼ | 8.8
01. Ghost Dog - The Way of the Samurai*

★★★★ | 8.4
02. Dead Man*
03. Permanent Vacation*

★★★¾ | 8.0
04. Broken Flowers*
05. Paterson*
06. Only Lovers Left Alive*
07. The Dead Don't Die*

★★★½ | 7.6
08. Mystery Train
09. Night on Earth*

★★★¼ | 7.2
10. The Limits of Control

★★★ | 6.8
11. Down by Law*
12. Gimme Danger* doc

★★½ | 6.0
13. Stranger than Paradise*

★★ | 5.0
14. Year of the Horse* doc

★¼ | 3.5
15. Coffee and Cigarettes

N/R
Coffee and Cigarettes* short
Coffee and Cigarettes - Memphis Version* short
Coffee and Cigarettes - Somewhere in California* short
Int. Trailer Night - segment from: Ten Minutes Older: The Trumpet

[Onderhond]

Still need to revisit Broken Flowers. Other than that, not a big fan. Also don't like Tom Waits.

1. 4.0* - Broken Flowers (2005)
2. 3.0* - Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999)
3. 3.0* - The Dead Don't Die (2019)
4. 2.5* - Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)
5. 2.5* - Stranger Than Paradise (1984)
6. 2.5* - Ten Minutes Older: The Trumpet (2002)
7. 1.0* - Coffee and Cigarettes (2003)
8. 1.0* - Dead Man (1995)

[beavis]

1. - 4,5 - Broken Flowers (2005)
2. - 4,5 - Paterson (2016)
3. - 4 - Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)
4. - 4 - Mystery Train (1989)
5. - 3,5 - The Limits of Control (2009)
6. - 3,5 - Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999)
7. - 3,5 - Permanent Vacation (1980)
8. - 3,5 - Dead Man (1995)
9. - 3,5 - Ten Minutes Older: The Trumpet (2002)
10. - 3,5 - The Dead Don't Die (2019)
11. - 3 - Night on Earth (1991)
12. - 3 - Stranger Than Paradise (1984)
13. - 3 - Coffee and Cigarettes (2003)
14. - 3 - Down by Law (1986)

Ratings out of 5 stars
I saw most of these a long time ago. He is one of the big US indie directors, but never became my most favorite. I like him better later in his career when his experiments get more stylish and his sensibilities more classic/European arthouse (although his style is also pretty consistent throughout... I should rewatch them closer together someday)

[OldAle1]

Oh I'm behind...

JARMUSCH

Strangely, despite my extreme passion for my top film here - which I've seen about 20 times, including 10 in the cinema - , and liking or loving most of the rest, I haven't really made an effort to re-watch or re-evaluate anything else. I really should, especially the earlier ones. Oh well, someday.

* seen in cinema + seen multiple times

DIAMOND (top 10 all-time)
1. Dead Man *+

PLATINUM
2. Paterson *+
3. The Limits of Control

GOLD
4. Only Lovers Left Alive

SILVER
5. Ghost Dog*
6. Stranger Than Paradise
7. Down by Law
8. Coffee and Cigarettes*
9. Broken Flowers*

BRONZE
10. Mystery Train
11. The Dead Don't Die*

COPPER
12. Night on Earth*
13. Year of the Horse*

TIN
14. Permanent Vacation



EUSTACHE

I've only seen La maman et la putain, once, in the cinema, about 30 years ago. I loved it then and it's on my top list but I really need to see it again, and check out some of his other work.


FRIEDKIN

I never noticed this until it came up, but I have the few films I've seen by this guy all rated the same, all in the SILVER (very good) category. Nothing, at the moment, stands out as "great" or something that would go on my top list - but all of them have some value for sure. Just never made a point of going through his films or anything. Probably should see some of these again and... well you know the drill.

1. The Exorcist +
2. Sorcerer *
3. To Live and Die in L.A. +
4. The French Connection
5. Killer Joe

[gunnar]

Jarmusch

Dead Man - 7.5/10
Down By Law - 7/10
Stranger Than Paradise - 6/10
Broken Flowers - 6/10

[pitchorneirda]

1. Paterson - 7/10
2. Dead Man
3. Down by Law
4. Broken Flowers
5. Stranger Than Paradise - no recollection at all but apparently I gave it a 3/10 at the time

[prodigalgodson]

I was a big fan 10-15 years ago, but I rewatched Dead Man recently and was a little disappointed (for a previous 10/10, top 100 status flick) -- curious how some of these would hold up.

Stranger Than Paradise 10
Only Lovers Left Alive 9
The Limits of Control
Down by Law 8
Night on Earth
Broken Flowers
Dead Man
Ghost Dog
Coffee and Cigarettes 7
Permanent Vacation
Paterson 6
Mystery Train 5

[AB537]

Not really a favourite of mine, unfortunately, albeit with a couple of films I moderately liked, and none of these viewings are recent. Dead Man is probably the one that has the most potential to improve upon rewatch, with Down by Law likely the closest to moving up a category based on my memory of it. Also changing most of my category names to reflect what they actually mean in my head.

Top Tier

Great

Good

Night on Earth (1991)
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999)

Fine

Down by Law (1986)
Mystery Train (1989)
Dead Man (1995)
Broken Flowers (2005)
Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)
Paterson (2016)

Not Great

Stranger Than Paradise (1984)
The Limits of Control (2009)
The Dead Don't Die (2019)

Dislike

[Good_Will_Harding]

I've got a suggestion, and this concludes what's apparently been a months-long odyssey to try and re-watch one of this man's earlier works. I'd mentioned in the Film Lounge thread months ago how it was quite literally impossible to find The Abyss streaming anywhere online (legally, anyway), which struck me as especially odd considering the director's newest aquatic themed sci-fi blockbuster was right around the corner and I wanted a refresher on what appeared like a similar work from his back catalogue. Alas, it was my local library - a mere fifteen-minute-long drive from the very home I was posting on here about not being able to find what I was looking for - which finally came through and brought this extremely first-world problem of mine to a close.

Anyhow, all of these irrelevant personal anecdotes are just here to set up the next nominee for this thread...



10

Titanic
Aliens

9.5

Avatar: The Way of Water

**I almost never go with .5 ratings, but if ever there was something that for me warranted an intermediary between the two highest possible ratings, it's Cameron's latest blue space cat opus. Then again, I rounded it up to a 10 on IMDB, so my bean counting is probably pointless.**

9

Terminator 2: Judgement Day

8

The Abyss
The Terminator
Avatar

7

True Lies

Not to heap even more praise upon an already insanely successful and celebrated man, but it is somewhat heartening that there's still a filmmaker working exclusively in the area of gigantic effects driven blockbusters that hasn't completely lost touch with what made them so noteworthy in the first place. I mean, it's easy to say that about someone that's only released one film in the last fourteen years, but with directors like George Lucas, Peter Jackson, Robert Zemeckis, and even Steven Spielberg to a certain extent (at least when it comes to the blockbusters, since I'd argue his recent dramatic work is as strong as ever), after a certain point they either got complacent and let the technology overtake their newer works, or just simply lost their mojos (both of which I admit could be applied in this case, but I personally wouldn't agree). All of this to say that Jimmy still has the juice, at least when compared to his peers, and now I'm somewhat more interested in seeing at least one more, as Arnie calls them, "Abaduh" film than I was around this time last year.

Also...

Jim Jarmusch

10

Paterson
Dead Man

9

Mystery Train

8

Night on Earth
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
Broken Flowers
Only Lovers Left Alive

7

Stranger Than Paradise
Down By Law

6

The Limits of Control

5

The Dead Don't Die

His earlier stuff could use some re-watches from me, but the highest and lowest ranked ones I'm fairly confident in my ratings.

[gunnar]

Cameron

Aliens - 10/10

Titanic - 9/10
The Terminator - 9/10

Terminator 2 - 8.5/10
Avatar - 8.5/10

Avatar: The Way of Water - 8/10
The Abyss - 8/10
True Lies - 8/10

[blocho]

I don't like all of his movies, but yeah, Cameron is awesome. It seems that a lot of people he worked with feel the same way. He somehow manages to make action-driven, effects-stuffed mega blockbusters that also feel like intensely personal projects.

Superlative
Aliens
Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Very Good
The Terminator
The Abyss
True Lies

Good
Avatar

OK
Avatar: The Way of Water

Misfires
Titanic

[Fergenaprido]

1. 8.6 - Avatar (2009)

2. 8.2 - Terminator 2 (1991)

3. 7.8 - Aliens (1986)
4. 7.6 - Titanic (1997)
5. 7.6 - True Lies (1994)

6. 7.2 - Terminator (1984)

I saw Avatar (in 3D) and Titanic in theatres, the rest on video/digital. I have fond memories of True Lies and maybe it deserves a rewatch - I've seen it twice but the last time was 20 years ago and my rating system has changed a bit since then. Same with Titanic. Despite how much I enjoyed the first Avatar, I felt no enthusiasm to see the second in theatres; perhaps the long wait between the films is to blame. I guess I'll get around to it eventually, though I suppose I should try and watch it on as big a screen as possible when I do.

[blocho]

I should rewatch Titanic at some point. I haven't seen it since original release in 1997, when my feelings about it couldn't be unaffected by the fact that every girl in my eighth grade class was obsessed with the movie, to an unhealthy degree at times (one girl saw it once a week for 26 weeks in a row).

[gunnar]

I saw Titanic in the theater and then again on dvd a few years later. I don't have any real desire to watch it again, though I certainly liked it a lot. I've seen all of his films on my list in the theater. The first Terminator movie and Aliens are the only one that I've seen more than twice.

[Onderhond]

Some good, but mostly bad. Cheesy and kitsch blockbusters is what pops into my mind when I think of Cameron.

01. 4.0* - Aliens (1986) (#819)
02. 3.5* - Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
03. 3.5* - The Abyss (1989)
04. 2.0* - Aliens of the Deep (2005)
05. 2.0* - True Lies (1994)
06. 2.0* - The Terminator (1984)
07. 1.5* - Titanic (1997)
08. 1.0* - Avatar (2009)
09. 0.5* - Ghosts of the Abyss (2003)
10. 0.5* - Piranha II: The Spawning (1981)
11. 0.5* - Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

[prodigalgodson]

His style doesn't particularly resonate with me, but it's hard not to root for someone doing his own thing and absolutely crushing the global box office.

Titanic 9
The Terminator 7
Aliens 6
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Avatar: The Way of Water
Avatar 4
Ghosts of the Abyss

[beavis]

With me also a very high scoring blockbuster. He combines a strong love for both technology and character (interactions) to make his spectacle both cool and heartfelt, usually this type of film is lacking in one or the other.

1. 9,5 - 5 - Aliens (1986)
2. 9 - 4,5 - The Abyss (1989)
3. 9 - 4,5 - The Terminator (1984)
4. 9 - 4,5 - Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
5. 9 - 4,5 - Avatar (2009)
6. 8,5 - 4 - Titanic (1997)
7. 8 - 4 - True Lies (1994)
8. 8 - 4 - Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
9. 6 - 3 - Piranha Part Two: The Spawning (1981)

[Caracortada]

Cameron: Traumatic memories of being forced to see that trash...

1. Aliens 3/10
2. True Lies 3/10
3. Avatar 2/10
4. Avatar: The Way of Water 2/10
5. Titanic 1/10
6. The Terminator 1/10
7. Terminator 2: Judgment Day 1/10

Jarmusch:

1. Night on Earth 7
2. Down by Law 6
3. Stranger Than Paradise 5
4. Coffee and Cigarettes 5
5. Paterson 5
6. Only Lovers Left Alive 4

[AB537]

Top Tier

Great

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

Good

The Terminator (1984)
Titanic (1997) ... despite the ridiculous ending

Fine

Aliens (1986)
The Abyss (1989)
True Lies (1994)
Avatar (2009)

Not Great

Dislike

[Silga]

James Cameron

1. Terminator 2: Judgment Day - 9
2. Aliens - 8
3. The Terminator - 8
4. The Abyss - 6
5. Titanic - 6 (maybe 5)
6. Ghosts of the Abyss - 5
7. True Lies - 4
8. Piranha II: The Spawning - 2

I have no interest in Avatar films.

[Torgo]

I should rewatch Titanic at some point. (...) every girl in my eighth grade class was obsessed with the movie, to an unhealthy degree at times (one girl saw it once a week for 26 weeks in a row).

Titanic 9

I can't decide what's the bigger wtf for me now!

[prodigalgodson]

I should rewatch Titanic at some point. (...) every girl in my eighth grade class was obsessed with the movie, to an unhealthy degree at times (one girl saw it once a week for 26 weeks in a row).

Titanic 9

I can't decide what's the bigger wtf for me now!

What can I say, I'm a romantic

Haven't seen it in about a decade, during its brief theatrical re-release, but yeah, just an excellent classic Hollywood spectacle.

[GruesomeTwosome]

James Cameron:

1. The Terminator - 10
2. Terminator 2: Judgment Day - 8.5
3. Titanic - 8.5
4. Aliens - 7
5. The Abyss - 7
6. Avatar - 6.5
7. Avatar: The Way of Water - 6
8. True Lies - 5.5

[Y U M E]

James Cameron

★★★★½ | 9.2
01. The Terminator

★★★★ | 8.4
02. Terminator 2: Judgment Day

★★★½ | 7.6
03. Avatar
04. Avatar - The Way of Water

★★★¼ | 7.2
05. Titanic

★★★ | 6.8
06. True Lies

★★¾ | 6.4
07. The Abyss

★★ | 5.0
08. Aliens

★¼ | 3.5
09. Piranha II - Flying Killers


Aliens definitely needs a rewatch

[Arkantos]

James Cameron

5/5

Aliens
Terminator 2: Judgement Day
True Lies

4/5
The Terminator
Avatar
Avatar: The Way of Water

3/5
The Abyss

Saw most (all?) of Titanic a very long time ago, do need to revisit it to properly rate it.

[OldAle1]

He's really good at what he does I guess - but I'm no longer all that interested in it. Would like to see The Abyss again, and I never get tired of the original Terminator, but the rest, eh, I don't really need them anymore.

* seen in cinema + seen multiple times

PLATINUM
-

GOLD
1. The Terminator *+

SILVER
2. Titanic*+
3. Terminator 2*+
4. Aliens*+

BRONZE
5. Avatar*
6. True Lies*+

COPPER
7. The Abyss*

[Torgo]

Only 2 posters rank Avatar 2 higher than the original, and Cameron made us wait 13 years for it, dumping hundreds(!!) of millions dollar into the further-expanding world of galaxy smurfs.