ROTTEN TOMATOES: Five Favourite Films with Ang Lee

Five Favourite Films with Ang Lee

The Oscar-winner explains his picks.

by Joe Utichi | November 12, 2009

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The rule that no two Ang Lee movies are ever the same is confidently kept intact with the release of his latest, Taking Woodstock, a comedy about the true story behind the Woodstock music festival in 1969. It follows romantic wartime drama Lust, Caution and the Oscar-winning Brokeback Mountain on the director's CV and arrives in UK cinemas this week.

As RT sits down with Lee to ask his five favourite films, he's keen to point out that if we'd asked him another day we'd have received an entirely different list. "It's a hard one to answer," he tells us. "I could give 50, or 100. I'll throw out 5 that come into my head."

Click on a thumbnail below.

Tokyo Story

The Bicycle Thief Persona

Persona

2001: A Space Odyssey Lebanon

Lebanon

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(1-20 of 32 posts) | Reply

John N. writes:
on Nov 12 2009 09:37 AM

What a list from a REAL DIRECTOR to contrast that garbage Emmerich just spewed out.

(Reply to this)

Superzone writes:
on Nov 12 2009 09:38 AM

Nice list.

(Reply to this)

Bigbrother writes:
on Nov 12 2009 09:42 AM

I've only seen 3 so this must be a classy list.

(Reply to this)

August M. writes:
on Nov 12 2009 10:00 AM

Love the Bicycle Thief!

(Reply to this)

uniform writes:
on Nov 12 2009 10:05 AM

No Godfather, Citizen Kane, Lawrence of Arabia? Could this be a real list of favorite films that wasn't found by googling "Best Films Ever".

I have only seen 3 on Mr. Lee's list, but I have respect for him.

(Reply to this)

Sammmy Jankis writes:
on Nov 12 2009 10:28 AM

In reply to this comment (#2560656)
He had some great films on his list. Just because they're tossed around constantly, doesn't mean they're "garbage".

Also, I'm surprised Ang Lee didn't mention The Virgin Spring, seeing how he had a little introduction for it on the DVD.

(Reply to this)

Gordon Franklin Terry Sr writes:
on Nov 12 2009 11:01 AM

Aside from CROUCHING TIGER, ANG LEE can't direct.

NO; that's not fair:

Crouching Tiger's a SUPERB film masterpiece. . . whatever zone Ang Lee was in while doing Crouching Tiger I want him to find it again.

2001 A SPACE ODYSSEY!!!!!!!!
I wrote a 20-page paper on 2001 my first year in college;

there is A LOT going on in 2001. Check out THE LOST WORLDS OF 2001 by Arthur C. Clarke.
It used to be a $100.00 rare book but now its $3.74 on amazon.

(Reply to this)

Cameron H. writes:
on Nov 12 2009 12:16 PM

What a list. I've seen Bicycle Thieves and 2001, and I'm seeing Persona in my film class in a few weeks. And yes, compared with Roland Emmerich (the poor German man's Steven Spielberg), this shows class and understanding of cinema. Bravo to Ang Lee, and I can't wait for Life of Pi.

(Reply to this)

Dave J. writes:
on Nov 12 2009 12:25 PM

Ang Lee was extremely elaborate and self explanatory, "Lebanon" is the only movie I haven't seen yet, and after reading what he says is really arising my curiousity what that film is like.

(Reply to this)

Robert K. writes:
on Nov 12 2009 12:25 PM

The first 30 minutes of 2001 put me to sleep.

(Reply to this)

Barnaby T. writes:
on Nov 12 2009 12:31 PM

Any list with 2001: A Space Odyssey on it is a great list, I don't care if the other four are Baby Geniuses, From Justin to Kelly, Son of the Mask, and Gigli.

(Reply to this)

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(Reply to this)

King Kubrick writes:
on Nov 12 2009 12:48 PM

Damn right Ang. Give Kubrick the worship he deserves. Excellent list.

(Reply to this)

dj Mark writes:
on Nov 12 2009 12:48 PM

In reply to this comment (#2560694)
Sorry, can't disagree more, GORDO. The Ice Storm, Sense & Sensibility, and Brokeback ALL prove he most certainly CAN DIRECT.

(Reply to this)

John N. writes:
on Nov 12 2009 01:50 PM

In reply to this comment (#2560686)
I didn't say the films he mentioned were garbage, I was trying to convey that he clearly put very little effort into both the choosing of his films and the descriptions of his feelings about them, in stark contrast to Lee who seemed to give a genuine faves list as well as well though out reasoning.

Agree with dj Mark. I would add Lust, Caution to his list of directorial excellence.

(Reply to this)

John N. writes:
on Nov 12 2009 02:00 PM

In reply to this comment (#2560686)
Also, it's a little strange that his work does not resemble his favorites whatsoever. If you ask Quentin Tarantino, Peter Jackson, GDT, Scorcese, or most any other *respectable* director to list their 5 faves, you are most certainly going to get an intelligent response, likely including films that obviously inspire the work of said director. Which of Emmerich's picks were the inspiration for the garbage that he churns out on a regular basis?

(Reply to this)

Escapefromalcatraz writes:
on Nov 12 2009 02:03 PM

Dj Mark - don't you better than to try and disagree with Gordo? :)
That being said... this is a great list. I have seen three of these films and they're stunning. Funny, they're not my top 5, but you know what? Brokeback Mountain IS on my top 10. So, I tip my hat to a true auteur.

(Reply to this)

Matanuki writes:
on Nov 12 2009 02:56 PM

In reply to this comment (#2560656)
Indeed, John. I absolutely love how he stated that on a different day we would have an entirely different list. Now THIS is the kind of response I can expect from a thinking man. :-)

(Reply to this)

Matanuki writes:
on Nov 12 2009 03:13 PM

In reply to this comment (#2560732)
Well goddamnit, let me just go ahead and state it again then. After Lust/ Caution, Sense & Sensibility, Brokeback Mountain, Ice Storm, and even Hulk to an extent, it's pretty silly at this point to suggest that Lee "can't direct".

(Reply to this)

Matanuki writes:
on Nov 12 2009 03:19 PM

In reply to this comment (#2560757)
John, directors are busy enough. U expect a treatise of some sort?...

(Reply to this)

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