[Brook K]

Picking up where Jim left off, I'm not sure how long I'll go with this. Depends on how much work it ends up being editing the IMBD lists.

Rank 'em, rate 'em, review 'em, whatever:

Volume #201 - John Sayles

Silver City (2004)
Casa de los babys (2003)
Sunshine State (2002)
Limbo (1999)
Men with Guns (1997)
Lone Star (1996)
The Secret of Roan Inish (1994)
Passion Fish (1992)
City of Hope (1991)
"Shannon's Deal" (1990) TV Series
Eight Men Out (1988)
Matewan (1987)
The Brother from Another Planet (1984)
Baby It's You (1983)
Lianna (1983)
Return of the Secaucus 7 (1980)

[Brook K]

He was indie, when indie wasn't cool. Sayles is a big personal favorite. I love his writing style and ability to create rich, memorable characters. He's one of the only American filmmakers willing to make films critiquing class and sociological issues and their historical underpinings. Unfortunately he seems to be in a bit of a slump lately.

*1. Limbo - A (a great film from a great year. Rare is the American film that has the deep and complex characterizations seen here)
*2. The Secret of Roan Inish - A (A wonderful, heartwarming fairy tale story with beautiful locations)
*3. Lone Star - A (Sayles' breakthrough film about a murder mystery in a racially conflicted Texas town)
*4. Sunshine State - A- (Often funny, but scathing look at the corporatization of small town America)
5. Men With Guns - A-
6. Passion Fish - A- (Sayles takes a tired concept and creates a fine romantic film with a trio of outstanding performances)
*7. Eight Men Out - B+ (An excellent period recreation and a pretty good baseball film, I have to take points off for Sayles slant of siding with the players who deserved their punishment)
8. Matewan - B (one I need to rewatch)
9. The Brother From Another Planet - B (excellent premise, but the film gets sidetracked and doesn't go as far as it should have.
10. Honeydripper - B
11. Casa de los Babys - B- (some nice character moments but a clunker politically and socially)
12. Silver City - C+ (some occasional humor but an all around disappointment that feels like Sayles rushed to get something out about the election)

Own: 5

Lianna and Secaucus 7 are out on DVD but I haven't gotten around to renting them. I've heard great things about City of Hope but it remains unreleased. Baby It's You occasionally shows up on Lifetime but isn't on DVD and I don't want to watch it in a non-OAR, possibly edited form with commercials.

[george kaplan]

I've seen none of his, and have no interest in seeing any.

[Bill McA]

Ratings from to


Honeydripper (2007)
Silver City (2004)
Casa de los babys (2003)
Sunshine State (2002) (Own the DVD)
Limbo (1999)
Men with Guns (1997)
Lone Star (1996)
The Secret of Roan Inish (1994)
Passion Fish (1992)
City of Hope (1991)
Eight Men Out (1988)
Matewan (1987)
The Brother from Another Planet (1984)
Baby It's You (1983) (Own the DVD)
Lianna (1983)
Return of the Secaucus 7 (1980)

Seen 15
Own 2

John Sayles is the 10th director in this series that I've seen/met in person. The first time I met him was at an invitational-only premiere screening of Limbo which I watched the film with Sayles sitting right next to me.
He wears this really strong soapy-smelling cologne, I could barely breathe!

It was funny watching his reaction to the audibly upset audience reaction to Limbo's ending...he just kinda leaned forward and scratched his chin a bit.

I've seen none of his, and have no interest in seeing any.

[Brook K]

George, I thought you were a hippie rabble-rouser who would fit in well with Sayles' populist leanings?

Kidding aside, I think you might like The Secret Of Roan Inish. It really is a good-hearted family film with a very positive view of children. Something of a grittier version of those 60's live action Disney movies, only better and without the terrifying Stepford kids. My children enjoyed it and they usually get antsy during talkier movies.

Fun story Bill, did you talk to Sayles at all?

[DavidBC]

Sunshine State (2002) - B
Limbo (1999) - A (quite simply one of the most extraordinary movies I've ever seen)

[george kaplan]

George, I thought you were a hippie rabble-rouser who would fit in well with Sayles' populist leanings?

Perhaps, and I might end up seeing his films someday. The fact that I have no interest in any of his films doesn't mean I won't one day watch them. I basically know nothing about his films except that:

He was indie, when indie wasn't cool. Sayles is a big personal favorite. I love his writing style and ability to create rich, memorable characters. He's one of the only American filmmakers willing to make films critiquing class and sociological issues and their historical underpinings. Unfortunately he seems to be in a bit of a slump lately.

Rare is the American film that has the deep and complex characterizations seen here

Those kind of statements certainly make him come across as the type of director I wouldn't like, which is all I was expressing when I so upset Bill.

[george kaplan]

I double-checked my to rent list and Lone Star is on there, so that's at least one Sayles film I'll eventually see (though there are 775 other films on that list at the moment).

[Bill McA]

Oh, I wasn't upset George.

I was just admiring your open-mindedness and your willingness to experience new cinematic pleasures, a trait that is very common amongst film lovers...which you once claimed to be?


Brook, I never said more than a few words to Sayles...