Friday, January 1, 2016

The Best of 2015 The Best of the Best

These are the Best of the Best films and experiences for me in 2015. These are the ones that I never hesitated about or had second thoughts about being right here.

I loved every interview I did this year and this year I got to talk to some people I've admired and some who are just way cool.

The Quay Brothers interview was probably the top interview because I've loved their work for decades. Being able to sit down with them to talk and laugh for half an hour was just beyond cool because they are beyond cool

The Sabu interview was one of the weirder things I've done-doing it before the film and being the only one who didn't speak Japanese was beyond daunting, but Nobu from Yahoo helped me out (Thank you) and I still got to interact with one the best directors in the world today.

The Julian Richings interview was really amazing.For me a perfect example of when things click and just letting someone talk yields great things

The Bill Corbett Interview was one of the highlights of Tribeca. Just talking to him before the fact made it one of the best festivals ever. And I loved that I got to talk to him before the Fest when he wasn't on  and not being all out silly which I was told the Rifftax interviews at Tribeca were.

The Cosima Spender interview was fantastic. I loved doing this because I really got to understand the wondrous film PALIO even more.

The John Wildman/Justina Walford interview- the longest interview I've ever done was one of the best. Not only did I finally get to really talk to someone I've known for years but I got a handle on why and how horror means so much to both John and Justina. Its an interview that set the bar for all future interviews impossibly high because they didn't give easy answers and gave thought to everything they said. They challenged me to be better. Thank you.

I don't care where you're from discovering your work in a movie trailer is way cool and finding it in connection to films I love (SONG OF LAHORE and OPPOSITE FIELDS) made me smile for days.

Seeing Ringo Lam at NYAFF was one of the coolest things ever. Ringo Lam is one of the coolest guys ever and it was just beyond amazing to be in a room with him. Watching him get his Life Time Achievement Award was deeply moving.

Maggie Smith in LADY IN THE VAN gave one of the greatest performances I've ever seen even if no one else seems to think so.

The opening of MOUNTAINS MAY DEPART with the Pet Shop Boys Go West is just as good as film openings gets.

KING OF NERAC was a complete surprise. This wonderful portrait of David Breuer-Weil is a wonderful explanation of why we create

DELIMAN watching this history of Jewish Delis is a physical thing- it will make you hungry

ON BEAUTY- short film about the beauty in all of us.

PEGGY GUGGENHEIM ART ADDICT- wonderful portrait of a woman who shaped the art world and saved it during WW2 as well

MAD MAX FURY ROAD- one of the greatest action films ever

END OF THE TOUR- two guys talking for two hours. Brilliant

THE WITCHING HOUR- fantastic short film about the monsters coming out set to Danse Macabre

REUNION (Short)- deeply moving film about a dead girl in her old home town. Pure magic.

SONG OF LAHORE-How classical Pakistani musicians found new life in playing Jazz standards

WOMEN HE'S UNDRESSED- one of the best portraits of old Hollywood I've ever seen. An absolute delight

THEORY OF OBSCURITY- Story of the Residents and how sometimes going your own way is the only way to go. I love the film and I can't stop talking about it.

THE CLUB-Chile's Oscar entry has an opening 20 minutes as harrowing and disturbing as any film I've ever seen. To be honest those opening minutes so rocked my world I don't remember the rest of the film but they are strong enough to make this the late entry on the best of the year list (A review on Monday)

And last but not least seeing Danny Elfman TWICE at Lincoln Center singing the NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS songs was just - well- magical

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