Skip to main content
PopGap #22: My Shadow Top 20 Completed!

PopGap #22: My Shadow Top 20 Completed!

Written by dorrk
02 January 2017

Who knows what movies lurk in the hearts of men?

For the last two months of 2016, I let the movie recommendation engine MovieLens engine pick a "Shadow Top 20" for me to watch: movies I hadn't seen that it considered similar to my 20 favorite movies of all-time. While it spit out some inspired and quirky recommendations (and a few way wide of the mark), the aggregate results were no more positive than my randomized selections using the Movie Slot Machine.

While eight of the movies in my "Shadow Top 20" broke above 80th percentile of my Flickchart, the average across all 20 was a decent but not staggering 68%. I liked and/or respected a majority of the movies, but didn't love any of them.


Shadow Top 20 Watchlist Results<

Headhunters (2011)

Dir: Morten Tyldum

Similar to: Vertigo (1958)

Headhunters on my Flickchart: 435 (88%)
Vertigo on my Flickchart: 15 (100%)

Funny Games (1997)

Dir: Michael Haneke

Similar To: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

Funny Games on my Flickchart: #514 (86%)
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre on my Flickchart: #18 (100%)

The Chaser (2008)

Dir: Hong-jin Na

Similar To: Zodiac (2008)

The Chaser on my Flickchart: #571 (84%)
Zodiac on my Flickchart: #20 (99%)

Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001)

Dir: Ashutosh Gowariker

Similar To: West Side Story (1960)

Lagaan: Once Upon A Time In India on my Flickchart: #649 (82%)
West Side Story on my Flickchart: #3 (100%)

The Collector (1965)

Dir: William Wyler

Similar To: The Exorcist (1973)

The Collector on my Flickchart: #627 (83%)
The Exorcist on my Flickchart: #11 (100%)

My Dinner with Andre (1981)

Dir: Louis Malle

Similar To: Annie Hall (1977)

My Dinner With André on my Flickchart: #638 (83%)
Annie Hall on my Flickchart: #14 (100%)

The Verdict (1982)

Dir: Sidney Lumet

Similar to: The Godfather (1972)

The Verdict on my Flickchart: #685 (81%)
The Godfather on my Flickchart: #2 (100%)

13 Tzameti (2005)

Dir: Gela Babluani

Similar To: Taxi Driver (1976)

'13 Tzameti on my Flickchart: #693 (81%)
Taxi Driver on my Flickchart: #13 (100%)

Jules and Jim (1962)

Dir: François Truffaut

Similar to: Manhattan (1979)

Jules and Jim on my Flickchart: #1026 (72%)
Manhattan on my Flickchart: #4 (100%)

Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974)

Dir: Martin Scorsese

Similar To: The Graduate (1967)

Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore on my Flickchart: #1201 (67%)
The Graduate on my Flickchart: #5 (100%)

The Goodbye Girl (1977)

Dir: Herbert Ross

Similar To: Tootsie (1982)

The Goodbye Girl on my Flickchart: #1202 (67%)
Tootsie on my Flickchart: #6 (100%)

Conan the Barbarian (1982)

Dir: John Milius

Similar To: The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring (2001)

Conan The Barbarian on my Flickchart: #1221 (67%)
The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring on my Flickchart: #12 (100%)

Kon-Tiki (2012)

Dir: Joachim Rønning, Espen Sandberg

Similar To: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Kon-Tiki on my Flickchart: #1332 (63%)
The Empire Strikes Back on my Flickchart: #8 (100%)

Once Upon a Time in America (1984)

Dir: Sergio Leone

Similar to: The Godfather Part II (1974)

Once Upon a Time in America on my Flickchart: #1454 (60%)
The Godfather Part II on my Flickchart: #1 (100%)

A Christmas Carol (1951)

Dir: Brian Desmond Hurst

Similar To: It's A Wonderful Life (1946)

A Christmas Carol on my Flickchart: #1485 (59%)
It's A Wonderful Life on my Flickchart: #19 (99%)

Seven Psychopaths (2012)

Dir: Martin McDonagh

Similar to: Boogie Nights (1997)

Seven Psychopaths on my Flickchart: #1652 (54%)
Boogie Nights on my Flickchart: #17 (100%)

Highlander (1986)

Dir: Russell Mulcahy

Similar to: Star Wars (1977)

Highlander on my Flickchart: #1810 (50%) 
STAR WARS on my Flickchart: #10 (100%)

The Band Wagon (1953)

Dir: Vincente Minnelli

Similar to: Singin' in the Rain (1952)

The Band Wagon on my Flickchart: #1949 (47%)
Singin' In The Rain on my Flickchart: #9 (100%)

The Professional (1981)

Dir: Georges Lautner

Similar To: Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981)

The Professional on my Flickchart: #1997 (45%)
Raiders Of The Lost Ark on my Flickchart: #16 (100%)

A Very Long Engagement (2004)

Dir: Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Similar to: Apocalypse Now (1979)

A Very Long Engagement on my Flickchart: #2153 (41%)
Apocalypse Now on my Flickchart: #7 (100%)


Trailers for the Shadow Top 20 Watchlist


PopGap #22: My Shadow Top 20 Completed!

THE BEST MOVIES I HAVEN'T SEEN... YET!

More info

I'll post reviews for all the movies on this blog, and live-tweet most viewings here:
https://twitter.com/popgap

As movies are added to this list, I'll add them to Letterboxd, here:
https://letterboxd.com/dorrk/list/popgap-2016-11-12-my-shadow-top-20

You can keep track of my Flickchart here:
http://www.flickchart.com/Charts.aspx?user=dorrk


TL/DR

  • Movie:
    THE BEST MOVIES I HAVEN'T SEEN... YET!

Tags