Match Cut Presents: Four Top Fifties

[Mal]

I found doing a list of 50 movies in this current climate extremely daunting. During times of COVID, I'm finding myself able to watch at least one movie a day guaranteed. I've got a number of streaming services teasing me with emails of recently added films, stuff I'll never watch or films I'm suddenly desperate to watch. And then there's the numerous sites- including MC and Twitter- talking about new stuff all the time that I'm suddenly excited to see. Film critics, some I even know personally, who see and review new things that sound fantastic, so I've gotta see it as soon as I can, right? My life as a film watcher has been constant, but ever evolving.
Back in the 90s as a kid, I watched Siskel and Ebert, and read my newspaper for the occasional arts section movie review. AT TOPS I learned of maybe 7 films a week? Life was so simple then! When I was 13, I got a job at a video store. It was still simple despite always having thousands of movies to pick from without cost to me. Nowadays, I'm truly overwhelmed, though always extremely grateful for the different ways we can all share and learn about movies.

But a list. 50 movies? I've seen thousands since I was a kid. 50 movies I like? I like a lot of things. I have movies on disc all over the house, more on digital and files on a number of hard drives. Its a lot, yet I welcome the feeling of always having film clutter, because it means I always have something to watch. Stories new and old, it really doesn't matter. All that matters is that I get something out of the 90-120 minutes (or whatever), and can move on to the next one without fail.

This is where I find myself right now: 50 movies that have been either some kind of personal favorite or something unforgettable that decided to stay in my mind for a long time. Maybe this helps you all understand me a little better? It's not the goal, though I feel like this list says something about me, where I've come from, what I've learned, etc. in the 35 years I've been around.






50. JESUS’ SON (2000)

Billy Crudup’s lead performance paints the portrait of a man drifting through the 70s who unfortunately leans into his odd, bad instincts at every turn. He finds himself given the name Fuckhead- a name that seems to stick regardless of his intentions. He falls for Michelle (Samantha Morton) a volatile presence who we know- like some of the characters we meet as the film rolls along- may run out of gas due to their drug use. The film embraces the varied experiences of its short-story roots through the script, bringing to light different facets of feeling and personality to Fuckhead though shifting moments of insanity, sadness, and empathy.

Director Alison Maclean takes us along the road with Fuckhead, changing scenarios with ease, often without much explanation. Fuckhead at one point gets a job in a hospital, despite being a messed-up addict. And remarkably he seems to be OK at what he’s tasked to do. This keeps the tone of the film fairly light- despite its darkness- able to give its lead character a chance for change in different settings. In my opinion, he’s never truly unlikable despite what these stories and characters may say about him. He discovers camaraderie, beauty, and his own path to redemption in an honest manner. Jesus’ Son may come off as one of those 90s-ish indie drug pictures that feels low budget and sprinkles poetic notions throughout. I find the film, regardless of setting and conflict, endearing as Fuckhead fucks up, meets a new friend, fucks up again. The formula may not work for some, but the way the film is about it definitely works for me.

(no current streaming option, available on torrents)