BEST MOVIES OF 2010 -- so far

[oscar jubis]

"An old master at work, a classic-style thriller without special effects but fully supplied with excitement, suspense, and memorable scenes."(C.K.)
Not a classic but "classic-style".

[Chris Knipp]

I forgot I'd said "classic-style." I may be wrong, but I was arguing that THE GHOST WRITER won't be acknowledged to be as good as it is, so it won't become - to give the no. 1 meaning I get for "classic" on Google: "judged over a period of time to be of the highest quality and outstanding of its kind." Because it'll be forgotten.

[oscar jubis]

This feeling that a movie I love may be forgotten is what compels me to post, at least some of the time. I also like to keep in touch with you because you do such a good job and because I am quite aware of how time consuming it is to write well. This is especially true as I get older; I must tell you how much I admire your energy; I'm only 59 and I can tell you definitely that writing is slower and requires more effort for me than when we started writing here back in 2002. I agree that THE GHOST WRITER is less famous/popular than many others, even many others in the same genre, and this is a relative matter. Compare the degree to which this film has been forgotten to the case of "Losing Ground", the film directed by a black woman in 1982 which you wrote about today. In my TOP 10 of 2010 , there are a couple of films I consider masterpieces, or nearly so, that may be even more obscure for many reason including their origin. The best film I watched in 2010 is Brilliant Mendoza's "GRANDMOTHER" aka Lola, a film from the Phillipines about two grandmothers finding a way to resolve the violent confrontation between their grandsons when the justice system fails to serve them. There's also THE LAST SUMMER OF LA BOYITA, a coming-of-age from Argentina that deals with issues of gender and identity about as deeply as any film I've seen.

[Chris Knipp]

It was definitely easier to write when I was very young, 20-30, or earlier. However, we're wiser now, aren't we? Writing about films can contribute in some small way to preserving the memory of the films in question, I would also agree. Hopefully one has a fresh angle on some of them too, on occasion.

I reviewed a Brillante Mendoza film in the 2008 NYFF. I think that's all, but I cited a Mike D'Angelo tweet from Cannes 2016:

Mike D'Angelo ‏@gemko
Ma' Rosa (Mendoza): 43. Resisted the effort to push my empathy in one direction. Also, somebody please buy Mendoza a decent camera.

Didn't quite get how you're relating Kathleen Collins to Roman Polanski.

I appreciate your presence and wish other members would check in.

[oscar jubis]

Just saying that there's different degrees of "forgotten", one that may apply to Polanski's film and another that applies to a film directed by Ms. Collins which a lot less people have seen over the years and that you just happen to write about, and bring into my awareness. Thanks.

[Chris Knipp]

You're welcome, my pleasure.

Different types of forgotten, yes. LOSING GROUND is a lot more forgotten than THE GHOST WRITER. The latter is available on six different platforms, and you can watch it right now for free on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-16vKFCmylc
LOSING GROUND is only available on the Criterion Channel, and you have to join up, if only temporarily, to watch it.

Maybe THE GHOST WRITER isn't forgotten at all. It even got back its production cost, apparently. It's just not in the list of great films. Nobody saw LOSING GROUND. Very large difference.