Interesting thing with Margaret: after its general 'meh' reception in the US, it got released in the UK about 3 months later into a sum total of one screen in the entire country. However, around the same time, its US critical reception was starting to turn a corner upon re-appraisal and the UK film critics ended up falling head over heels for it, with most of the papers giving it five stars and everything. I was always going to see it because I loved You Can Count On Me and was, at the very least, curious about the long delay. What I hadn't anticipated was having to queue (for all the hype that had been created about it!) outside this shitty cinema that it had been dumped in, and being part of the first public screening - a sold out showing - for this 2.5 hour domestic drama that, ordinarily, I would have been the only one seeing. It was certainly an experience, I can give it that! I think the tremendous UK response ended up reaching back to the US and further around the world and letting more and more people seeing it.
I like your list a lot, 'predictable' as it may be. (I certainly don't think The Immigrant or Norte or even The Tree of Life would be in too many lists such as this.) And yeah, the holy trinity of A Separation, Margaret, and Holy Motors (although I'd add ISABD on a similar level to those three) are all complete masterpieces. So glad you agree!
For me, the only festival is the London one in October. While I'd love to go to Cannes or Berlin or Venice, I don't think they're going to be on my radar any time soon. The good thing with London is that it acts as a sort of 'best of' for most of the other festivals in the year, including the three above and Toronto/Telluride and all that. So I have no complaints if I only have to go to one a year!
I like your list a lot, 'predictable' as it may be. (I certainly don't think The Immigrant or Norte or even The Tree of Life would be in too many lists such as this.) And yeah, the holy trinity of A Separation, Margaret, and Holy Motors (although I'd add ISABD on a similar level to those three) are all complete masterpieces. So glad you agree!
For me, the only festival is the London one in October. While I'd love to go to Cannes or Berlin or Venice, I don't think they're going to be on my radar any time soon. The good thing with London is that it acts as a sort of 'best of' for most of the other festivals in the year, including the three above and Toronto/Telluride and all that. So I have no complaints if I only have to go to one a year!