I've always wanted to make a top ten list of my all time favorite movies. I've always wanted to be able to look at a sheet of paper numbered one to ten, and know in my heart of hearts that I've picked the ten films I favor the most.
In taking up this challenge, there are two inherent issues which prevent it from being an honest representation. One, I really, really, really want to look cool. I'd love to say that Godard made my favorite film of all time and that the greatest subgenre of all time is Nikkatsu Action Cinema, with Glass Johnny: Looks Like A Beast taking the coveted number eight position, but I can't honestly do that.
This brings us to issue two, which happily intertwines with issue one, basically dooming whatever that article would be to its place among the deceits I have perpetuated for one of many reasons. If I am able to cut through the bullshit, I look a) stupid or b) uneducated. What kind of film critic would have Ghostbusters on his top ten? And what about Citizen Kane -- how can that be on your list? That's on everyone's list!
So I'm not going to make a top ten list. I'm not a big fan of suicide missions, although I don't mind watching them on my TV (Mishima: A Life In Four Chapters, anyone?). What I am going to write, to save myself the humiliation, is a column on films I believe to be underrated, under-appreciated, or generally under-seen. Stop me if I mention something completely mainstream and something you've seen and appreciated, because it's important to know when someone on the Internet disagrees with me. Without further adieu I present the first of many posts on my favorite underrated films. Go out and see them as they appear on this list and then you can make them your top ten favorite films. I promise you'll look really cool if you do, to some people anyway.
The Proposition (2005)
On the album Murder Ballads, Nick Cave has a song called "O'Malley's Bar" that runs for 14 minutes and 28 seconds. It's essentially about a psychopath who kills ten people in a bar before shrugging off the idea of suicide. It's no secret that Nick Cave's at his best when he's telling stories, rather than being romantically contemplative, and to me he reaches his zenith here, in "O'Malley's Bar".
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