Snobbin: Beautiful Trash in the Pop Culture Gutter

9. Pather Panchali (1955), Satyajit Ray, Aurora Satyajit Ray's film is the first part in his Apu trilogy depicting the life of Apurba Roy (Subir Banerjee). This installment covers his childhood growing up in a poor family alongside his sister, Durga (Uma Dasqupta), who is accused of stealing, and his ever-suffering mother, Sarbajaya (Karuna Banerjee). His father, Harihar (Kanu Banerjee), works as a priest but desperately wants to be a poet and a playwright, so he travels to make better money and leaves his family for long periods of time. Ray captures the poverty and reality of life in a small, Bengali community. Shot on location with inexperienced actors and crew, the film is beautifully shot and maintains veracity through techniques similar to Italian neorealism. Its reputation as one of the greatest films ever made is well deserved as it captures a very specific time and place while stressing the importance of family. 8. Solaris (1972), Andrei Tarkovsky, Mosfilm While it...

17. Mur Murs -- Agnes Varda's documentary concerning the mural painters in Los Angeles in the 1970s is a visual joy to behold. She takes an esoteric subject and instills it with beauty and color that many might miss by not just exploring the murals but their creators. 16. Stalker -- Andrei Tarkovsky's film is a very different matter. It portrays the drab palette of a soviet landscape, mixing it with science fiction, and telling the story of a "stalker" who guides people to a forbidden zone in search of room filled with anything they might desire. On its surface, the film could seem dull and long to those only familiar with Hollywood blockbusters and short attention span theater, yet the characterization and performances make this film as great as critics rate it. 15. Limelight -- In one of his last films, Charlie Chaplin portrays a famous stage clown past his prime who has become a hopeless drunk. The film tracks his redemption as he puts on one of the last ...

279. Memento (2000), Christopher Nolan, Newmarket 280. Following (1998), Christopher Nolan, Momentum 281. Bulldog Drummond Escapes (1937), James P. Hogan, Paramount 282. Checking Out (1989), David Leland, Warner Bros. 283. Arrest Bulldog Drummond (1939), James P. Hogan, Paramount 284. Foreign Correspondent (1940), Alfred Hitchcock, United Artists 285. Stalker (1979), Andrei Tarkovsky, Mosfilm 286. Multiple Maniacs (1970), John Waters, New Line 287. Mur Murs (1981), Agnès Varda, DPI 288. Straight Time (1978), Ulu Grosbard, Warner Bros.