IONCINEPHILE of the Month: Logan Sandler’s Top Ten Films of All Time List

Have you ever wondered what are the films that inspire the next generation of visionary filmmakers? As part of our monthly IONCINEPHILE profile, we ask the filmmaker (this month: American indie filmmaker Logan Sandler) to identify their all time top ten favorite films. Sandler’s Live Cargo received it’s theatrical release via Gunpowder & Sky Distribution on March 31st (NYC’s Cinema Village and L.A.’s Arena Cinelounge). In no particular order, here is his top ten as of March 2017.

Apocalypse Now – Francis Ford Coppola (1979)
“My favorite opening sequence of all time, with Jim Morrison and Francis Ford Coppola in perfect unity. This film is a masterpiece. I’ll limit myself to one word more about the film: epic.“

The Fog – John Carpenter (1980)
“Carpenter’s maritime zombie slasher horror classic is stylish genre fun. This film never gets old. I love the eerie atmosphere and Carpenter’s ghostly synthesized score. Carpenter capitalizes on each ounce of scare potential that his film’s setting could offer. The Fog’s final scene culminating with Father Malone giving away the gold cross is totally weird, crazy and amazing. How can one not love Hal Holbrook as Father Malone!?“

Heat – Michael Mann (1995)
“Sleek. Cool. Technical perfection. Complex characters. Impeccable dialogue. Quite possibly the best shootout scene ever. Who can forget Robert De Niro’s line to Al Pacino in the diner: “A guy told me one time, “Don’t let yourself get attached to anything you are not willing to walk out on in 30 seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner.” The mastery of Michael Mann is on full display for the entire 170 minutes.”

High and Low – Akira Kurosawa (1963)
“The setup of this film is truly perfect. For the film’s first hour Kurosawa keeps all of the action in one room, and does so with brilliance. I would call it a masterclass in blocking. Most importantly, the themes explored within the film are never muddled. He achieves a level of clarity in his vision that is rarely seen. The title of the film says it all.”

Le Mepris – Jean Luc Godard (1963)
“This was the film that made me want to be a director. Whenever I hear the song, “Theme de Camille,” I’m instantly transported to that moment when I first saw it in college at 19. The is the quintessential self-reflexive film.”

Red Desert – Michelangelo Antonioni (1964)
“Michelangelo Antonioni’s first color film. It’s simply astonishing. Each frame is impeccably designed and artfully reflects Monica Vitti’s evolving psychological landscape. One of the most striking sequences involves a story Vitti tells to her sick son. It’s a beautiful yet haunting tale about a young girl living alone on a gorgeous beach. Also, I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen anything like the toxic yellow smoke that we see at the film’s end. With this the film comes to a close, as Vitti’s character explains to her son that the birds have learned to fly away from the yellow smoke being emitted from the plant’s smokestacks. A perfect end to this existential opus of industrialization.“

Stranger Than Paradise – Jim Jarmusch (1984)
“67 shots. 67 scenes. Each unique, and special in their own specific way. This is my favorite Jim Jarmusch film. Deadpan humor and minimalism at it’s finest. I will never forget when Richard Edson’s character says, “You know it’s funny. You come to someplace new, and everything looks just the same.”“

Tabu – Miguel Gomes (2012)
“Gomes’ film is pure magic. The second part of the film is all voice over and it works flawlessly. Most definitely one of the most original pieces of cinema that I can recall. The film washes over and hypnotizes you. Transcendent work.“

Vertigo – Alfred Hitchcock (1958)
“The color green. It’s everywhere. To this day, I can’t stop thinking about the green light from the hotel’s sign illuminating Kim Novak’s room. This film is pure brilliance at every level. It’s dark, disturbing, beautiful, suspenseful, and full of twists. His use of symbols – perfect. Not to mention, the score, and the title sequences. A landmark achievement.“

White Material – Claire Denis (2009)
“Powerful. Terrifying. Beautiful. Oneiric. Isabelle Huppert’s performance is remarkable. Claire Denis is a fearless legend and this film is one of the many reasons why.”

Bonus Pick:

My Cousin Vinny – Jonathan Lynn (1992)
“This was a childhood favorite. I must of watched this film over 100 times. I had the whole thing memorized. “Yeah, two yutes.”“