Jay DiPietro’s Top Ten Films of All Time

Have you ever wondered what are the films that inspire the next generation of filmmakers? As part of our monthly IONCINEPHILE profile, we ask the filmmaker the incredibly arduous task of identifying their top ten list of all time favorite films. This month we profile Jay DiPietro, helmer behind Peter & Vandy which receives its theatrical release via Strand Releasing on October.9th. He gave us his top ten (as of October 2009).

Midnight Run (1988) Martin Brest
An all time favorite. I could recite that movie at one point. “Are you doing the Litmus Configuration?”

Husbands (1970) John Cassavetes
I’m a big Casavettes guy. There is that scene with Casavettes and that tall blond English woman in that London hotel room… It’s like a battle for posession of her soul. There are a few scenes like that in the movie.

Scenes from a Marriage (1973) Ingmar Bergman
I remember seeing this years ago and thinking, “This is what truth looks and sounds like.”

The Bad News Bears (1976) Michael Ritchie
Kind of a perfect movie. A bunch of 12 year olds lose in the end – they tell the winning team to shove their trophy up their ass – and they pour beer on each other. It brings tears to my eyes every time.

The Godfather (1972) Francis Ford Coppola
You already know.

Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989) Woody Allen
I could put a bunch of Woody Allen on the list, but there’s something about this one. As heavy as it is – it has some gut-busting laughs. Like when Woody reacts to the story his sister is telling him about the blind date.

A Woman Under the Influence (1974) John Cassavetes
Gena Rowlands. I remember seeing this years ago and thinking, “That’s what someone’s soul looks like.”

The Ref (1994) Ted Demme
Underrated. Great performances. I’m noticing that all of the movies I pick have a lot of yelling in them.

What Happened Was… (1994) Tom Noonan
No yelling in this one. A date – told in real time – and you learn everything about them.

The Shining (1980) Stanley Kubrick
You can watch that movie with no sound and it would still work.