Gonna answer out of turn as it comes to me... of course I am interested to see the rest of those films that I have not yet experienced (which probably accounts for ~20 films to place in my queue). I like lists and the thoughts in which they convey.
Also, thanks for posting this. I have tons of stuff in my notes and queue I still have yet to post (even look at twice!) so I about dalyying around until some fateful rummaging helps spring something back up.
Question: is the list done in any kind of hierarchical format, ascending / descending in terms of "impact" for the author and their point, or is this just a collection of "one-blow" tearjerkers? Doesn't matter really if it's one or the other, but I can foresee a stray comment about
"why is ___ film ranked at #12? It should be #1 easy!" and I'm not sure if that's even warranted if that wasn't the intention in the first place.
Furthermore, I'm real glad I wasn't the first one to reply to this, and seeing as how noodle has set a very good model, I think I'll adopt it.
just thought to make this known: I'll only be commenting upon the films in which I've actually seen:
Requiem for a Dream - when I first saw this film, I didn't quite understand the message which was being conveyed, other than
darkness. I don't agree with this film being in the listing, if only because in my experience, the second and third viewings of this film helped reveal undertones of which I was not aware the first time through, and it was that much more powerful in subsequent viewings.
La passion de Jeanne d'Arc - I'm really speechless about this film right now. I caught this late-night some years, maybe decades, ago on TCM, and throughout the whole thing, it felt as though I had an invisible hand clasping my throat, unflinching. Superb film.
Hotaru no Haka (Grave of the Fireflies) - despite being produced (not directed, though) by master animated filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, and even being cheerful in pockets of scenes, one needs to keep in mind that this film is set in post-war-torn Japan, just days after the end of WWII, and is being seen through the experiences of two orphaned siblings. It's really one of the most impactful, "everlasting" achievements in film storytelling, not just in animation, not just being credited to Miyazaki, but this is a truly GREAT film, no caveats or genre-specific annotations needed.
Million Dollar Baby - I saw this film from beginning to end, expecting it to be something altogether different than where the story was leading me, and I'm still not sure how I feel about it. Is it sad; I don't know. Empowering? I don't really think so, but I could be wrong. I still don't get why this was such a "powerful" film, and I altogether can't really remember how the protagonist ended up in her pummeled state. I watched it once; I don't really care to watch it again (but only because I don't think I understood, or will ever understand why this film touches people).
United 93 - As much as I'm probably in the very, very, small, miniscule minority of persons who didn't view 9-11 as the world-changing event that America portrays it to be, I do realize its significance on policy, and on people whensoever you make mention of it (if pushed, I'll say it was grandly-resonating, but also temper it to say maybe a tad bit overrated). Besides that, the film, which was speculative dramatic fiction at best, I still found moving. It's an okay film, I don't think may would say it was 'flat', but one which I'd rather not watch again. This film may best define the author's point, in my opinion.
Lastly, I believe this would be a real good addition to the
List-All topic, but seeing as that thread doesn't foster much cues for discussion, if you feel you'd like to add it there, I wouldn't mind if you do so whenever you think the timing is right.