The Movies, Books, Theaters, Concerts, CDs Etc I've Seen/Read So Far in 2013

Updated April 25, 2013

MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES

1. Casque d'Or (1952) *** 1/2
2. On Dangerous Ground (1952) *** 1/2
3. Where The Sidewalk Ends (1950) ***/
4. Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957) * 1/2
5. A Generation (1954) *** 1/2
6. Premium Rush -- no stars
7. The Asphalt Jungle (1950) ***
8. Seven Up! (segment of documentary Granada TV series World In Action; directed by Paul Almond) (1964) ****
9. The Detective aka Father Brown (1954) ***\
10. Zero Dark Thirty **
11. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) ** 1/2
12. Seven Plus 7 (1970) *** 1/2
13. Kanal (1957) *** 1/2
14. Tales Of The Night *** 1/2
15. Secret Service Of The Air (1939) * 1/2
16. Ashes And Diamonds (1958) ****
17. Code Of The Secret Service (1939) * 1/2
18. Smashing The Money Ring (1939) **
19. Side By Side (2012) ** 1/2
20. French Can Can (1955) *** 1/2
21. Kiss Me Deadly (1955) ***/
22. Le Plaisir (1952) ***
23. In A Lonely Place (1950) *** 1/2
24. The Life Of Oharu (1952) ** 1/2
25, North Sea Texas ***
26. Bigger Than Life (1956) **
27. Keyhole (2012) ** 1/2
28. Two-Faced Woman (1941) * 1/2
29. Edward, My Son (1949) **
30. Torchy Blaine in Chinatown (1939) * 1/2
31. Torchy Blaine Runs For Mayor (1939) **
32. Wyoming Outlaw (1939) * 1/2
33. Each Dawn I Die (1939) ***
34. Fixer Dugan (1939) **
35. 5 Broken Cameras **
36. Searching For Sugar Man ** 1/2
37. A Late Quartet ** 1/2
38. Side By Side (Keanu Reeves docu on film v digital) ** 1/2
39. The Perks Of Being A Wallflower **
40. Wreck-It Ralph **
41. 21 Up! (Michael Apted documentary) *** 1/2
42. The Big Knife (1955) **



TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV TV

1. Call The Midwives Season One * 1/2
2. The Duchess of Duke Street Season One ** 1/2
3. Downton Abbey Season Three + Christmas Special ***
4. The Following Season One debut * 1/2
5. Game Of Thrones Season Two *** 1/2
6. Top Of The Lake miniseries (2013) **
7. Doc Martin Season One ** 1/2
8. The Duchess Of Duke Street Season Two ***
9. Ripper Street Season One ** 1/2



BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS

1. A Natural History Of Dragons by Marie Brennan ***/
2. Mother's Milk by Edward St. Aubyn *** 1/2
3. Junius And Albert's Adventures In The Confederacy: A Civil War Odyssey by Peter Carlson *** 1/2
4. Why Priests? by Garry Wills ** 1/2
5. The Black Country by Alex Grecian ***
6. Toms River by Dan Fagin ***/
7. Breakfast At Tiffany's by Truman Capote *** 1/2
8. The Art Of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Phillip Sendker ** 1/2
9. London Falling by Paul Cornell ***
10. Transatlantic by Colum McCann *** 1/2
11. Matilda by Roald Dahl **
12. Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner **
13. Great North Road by Peter F. Hamilton *** 1/2
14. A Dual Inheritance by Joanna Hershon *** 1/2
15. Little Green by Walter Mosley *** 1/2
16. Masqueraders by Georgette Hayer *** 1/2


THEATER CONCERTS THEATER CONCERTS THEATER CONCERTS THEATER CONCERTS THEATER CONCERTS

1. Opus No. 7 at St. Ann's Warehouse ** 1/2
2. The Other Place (on Broadway w Laurie Metcalf) ** 1/2
3. Picnic (at Roundabout) * 1/2
4. Deceit * 1/2
5. Life And Times Episodes 1-4 **
6. Cat On A Hot Tin Roof (w Scarlett Johansson) * 1/2
7. The Jammer ***
8. Blood Play (Under The Radar Festival at Public) ** 1/2
9. Women Of Will ** 1/2
10. All In The Timing ***
11. Isaac's Eyes ***
12. Bunnicula: A Rabbit Tale Of Musical Mystery ** 1/2
13. The Mnemonist Of Dutchess County * 1/2
14. Much Ado About Nothing ***
15. Really Really *
16. Parsifal at the Met *** 1/2
17. The Madrid * 1/2
18. The Wild Bride at St. Ann's ** 1/2
19. Passion at CSC *** 1/2
20. Carousel in concert at Lincoln Center ***
21. The Revisionist **
22. Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella ***
23. Rock Of Ages * 1/2
24. Ann ** 1/2
25. Old Hats ***
26. The Flick ***
27. Detroit '67 ** 12
28. Howling Hilda reading * (Mary Testa ***)
29. Hit The Wall *
30. Breakfast At Tiffany's * 1/2
31. The Mound Builders at Signature *
32. Vanya And Sonia And Masha And Spike *** 1/2
33. Cirque du Soleil's Totem ***
34. The Lying Lesson * 1/2
35. Hands On A Hardbody *
36. Kinky Boots **
37. Matilda The Musical *** 1/2
38. The Rascals: Once Upon A Dream ***
39. Motown: The Musical **
40. La Ruta ** 1/2
41. The Big Knife *
42. The Nance ***
43. The Assembled Parties ** 1/2
44. Jekyll & Hyde * 1/2
45. Thoroughly Modern Millie at Paper Mill ** 1/2
46. Macbeth w Alan Cumming *
47. Orphans w Alec Baldwin ** 1/2
48. The Testament Of Mary ** 1/2
49. The Drawer Boy **
50. Railroad at Signature ** 1/2
51. Belleville at NYTW **



CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS (Only the CDs I've listened to thoroughly and with a strong emphasis on the ones I like, so don't think I love everything I listen to -- I just don't bother really listening to the ones I don't like more than once and don't think it's fair to rate on a cursory listen)

1. Betty LaVette -- Thankful N' Thoughtful *** 1/2
2. ZZ Top -- La Futura ***
3. Fiona Apple -- The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than The Driver Of The Screw And Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Ever Will *** 1/2
4. Bonnie Raitt -- Slipstream ***/
5. Bobby Bare -- Darker Than Light ** 1/2
6. Boy And Bear -- Moonfire *** 1/2
7. Wreckless Eric And Amy Rigby -- A Working Museum ** 1/2
8. Wild Nothing -- Nocturne ** 1/2
9. Ty Segall -- Twins ** 1/2
10. The Robert Glasper Experiment -- Black Radio ***/
11. John Hiatt - Mystic Pinball ***/
12. John Mayer -- Born and Raised *** 1/2
13. Rufus Wainwright -- Out Of The Game ** 1/2
14. Tim Maia -- The Essential Soul Of Tim Maia ** 1/2
15. Michael Kiwanuka -- Home Again *** 1/2
16. Michele Stodardt -- Wide-Eyed Crossing ***/
17. Of Monsters And Men -- My Head Is An Animal ***
18. Brian Eno -- Lux *** 1/2
19. Damien Jurado -- Maraqopa *** 1/2
20. Alt-J -- An Awesome Wave **
21. Branford Marsalis - Just Four MFs' Playin' Their Tunes ****
22. A.C. Newman -- Shut Down The Streets **
23. Brad Mehldau -- Where Do You Start *** 1/2
24. Actress -- R.I.P. **
25. Anais Mitchell -- Young Man In America **
26. The Lumineers -- The Lumineers *** 1/2 ("The opposite of love is indifference")
27. Alberta Cross -- Songs Of Patience **
28. Aimee Mann -- Charmer ***
29. Alex Clare -- The Lateness Of The Hour **
30. Diana Krall -- Glad Rag Doll *** 1/2
31. Ken Stringfellow -- Danzig In The Moonlight ***
32. Allo Darlin' -- Europe * 1/2
33. Kathy Mattea -- Calling Me Home ***
34. Dr. John -- Locked Down *** 1/2
35. David Byrne And St. Vincent -- Love This Giant *** 1/2
36. Norah Jones -- Little Broken Hearts ***/
37. Richard Thompson -- Electric *** 1/2
38. Josephine -- Portrait *** 1/2
39. Various Artists -- Mercyland: Hymns For The Rest Of Us *** 1/2
40. Jack White -- Blunderbuss *** 1/2
41. Marina and the Diamonds -- Electra Heart ** 1/2
42. Jamey Johnson -- Living For A Song: A Tribute To Hank Cochrane *** 1/2
43. Japandroids -- Celebration Rock *** 1/2
44. Jeff Lyne -- Long Wave *** ("She" is pop perfection)
45. Kris Kristofferson -- Feeling Mortal *** 1/2
46. Vijay Ayer Trio -- Accelerando *** 1/2
47. Bill Charlap and Sandy Stewart -- Something To Remember ***
48. Doughboys -- Shakin' Our Souls *** 1/2
49. The Rascals -- The Young Rascals *** 1/2
50. The Rascals -- Collections ***
51. The Rascals -- Groovin' *** 1/2
52. The Rascals -- Once Upon A Dream **
53. The Rascals -- See ***
54. The Rascals -- TimePeace ****
55. The Mavericks -- In Time *** 1/2



Updated April 25, 2013

The 38th Annual IRA Film Awards -- Best Of 2012

THE 38TH ANNUAL IRA FILM AWARDS



THE BEST MOVIES OF 2012


BEST PICTURE

Once Upon A Time In Anatolia --- By Acclamation
(won a majority of the ballots on the first round)

1. Once Upon A Time In Anatolia – 28 pts.
2. (tie) The Deep Blue Sea – 13 pts.
                                    and
               The Loneliest Planet – 13 pts.
    4. The Kid With A Bike – 12 pts.
    5. Django Unchained – 9 pts.


BEST DIRECTOR

1. Nuri Bilge Ceylan for Once Upon A Time In Anatolia – 28 pts.
2. Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne for The Kid With A Bike – 15 pts.
3. Terence Davies for The Deep Blue Sea – 12 pts.
4. Quentin Tarantino for Django Unchained – 10 pts.
5. Julia Loktev for The Loneliest Planet – 9 pts.


BEST ACTOR

1. Jean-Louis Trintignant for Amour – 24 pts.
2. Jack Black for Bernie – 21 pts.
3. Lior Ashkenazi for Footnote – 18 pts.
4. Christoph Waltz for Django Unchained – 9 pts.
5. Joaquin Phoenix for The Master – 7 pts.

BEST ACTRESS

1. Rachel Weisz for The Deep Blue Sea – 27 pts.
2. Emmanuelle Riva for Amour – 26 pts.
3. Hani Furstenberg for The Loneliest Planet – 23 pts.
4. Ariane Labed for Attenberg – 19 pts.
5. Michelle Williams for Take This Waltz – 8 pts.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

1. Taner Birsel for Once Upon A Time In Anatolia – 21 pts.
2. Leonardo DiCaprio for Django Unchained – 12 pts.
3. Samuel L. Jackson for Django Unchained – 10 pts.
4. (tie) Zachary Booth for Keep The Lights On – 9 pts.
                                              and
               Robert De Niro for Silver Linings Playbook – 9 pts.
                                              and
               Dwight Henry for Beasts Of The Southern Wild – 9 pts.
                                              and
               Matthew McConaughey for Bernie, Killer Joe, Magic Mike and The Paperboy – 9 pts.


BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Cecile De France for The Kid With A Bike – By Acclamation
(won a majority of votes in first round balloting)

1. Cecile De France for The Kid With A Bike – 32 pts.
2. Shirley MacLaine for Bernie – 22 pts.
3. Sally Field for Lincoln – 11 pts.
4. Juliette Binoche for Cosmopolis – 8 pts.
5. Amy Adams for The Master – 6 pts.


BEST SCREENPLAY

1. Ebru Ceylan and Nuri Bilge Ceylan and Ercan Kesal for Once Upon A Time In Anatolia – 23 pts.
2. Joseph Cedar for Footnote – 19 pts.
3. Quentin Tarantino for Django Unchained – 18 pts.
4. Jeanne-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne for The Kid With A Bike – 13 pts.
5. (tie) Joe Carnahan and Ian McKenzie Jeffers for The Grey 10 pts.
                                                  and
              Tony Kushner for Lincoln – 10 pts.

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

1. Gokhan Tiryaki for Once Upon A Time In Anatolia – 25 pts.
2. Inti Briones for The Loneliest Planet – 22 pts.
3. Mihai Malaimare Jr. for The Master – 12 pts.
4. Florian Hoffmeister for The Deep Blue Sea – 10 pts.
5. Peter Suschitzky for Cosmopolis – 7 pts.

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

1. Arvinder Grewal for Cosmopolis – 20 pts.
2. James Merifield for The Deep Blue Sea – 17 pts.
3. Hugh Bateup and Uli Hanisch for Cloud Atlas – 14 pts.
4. Rick Carter for Lincoln – 12 pts.
5. (tie) David Crank and Jack Fisk for The Master – 8 pts.
                                            and
              Alex DiGerlando for Beasts Of The Southern Wild – 8 pts.

BEST SCORE

1. Dan Romer and Benh Zeitlin for Beasts Of The Southern Wild – 19 pts.
2. Jonny Greenwood for The Master and Norwegian Wood – 17 pts.
3. Johann Johannsson for The Miners’ Hymns – 15 pts.
4. (tie) Reinhold Heil and Johnny Klimek and Tom Tykwer for Cloud Atlas – 10 pts.
                                           and
               Samuel Barber for The Deep Blue Sea – 10 pts.

BEST EDITING

1. Todd Woody Richman and Tyler H. Walk for How To Survive A Plague – 20 pts.
2. Bora Goksingol for Once Upon A Time In Anatolia – 17 pts.
3. Bill Morrison for The Miners’ Hymns – 12 pts.
4. Wolfgang Widerhofer for Michael 10 pts.
5. Nicolas Chaudeurge for Wuthering Heights – 9 pts.

BEST COSTUME

1. Kari Perkins for Bernie – 22 pts.
2. Colleen Atwood for Snow White and the Huntsman and Dark Shadows –   12 pts.
3. Steven Noble for Wuthering Heights – 10 pts.
4. (tie) Ruth Myers for The Deep Blue Sea – 9 pts.
                             and
           Mark Bridges for The Master – 9 pts.

SOMINEX

1.  (tie) Les Miserables – 17 pts.

               and

        Beasts of The Southern Wild – 17 pts

3. The Turin Horse – 13 pts.

4. Prometheus – 12 pts.

5. (tie) Keyhole – 5 pts.

              and

         Life Of Pi – 5 pts.

              and

         2 Days In New York – 5 pts.

DRAMAMINE

1     1. The Intouchables – 30 pts.

2     2.  (tie) Hitchcock – 8 pts.

                     and

             Best Exotic Marigold Hotel – 8 pts.

 4. Silver Linings Playbook – 7 pts.

 5. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey – 6 pts.

MECHANICAL ACTRESS

1     1. Anne Hathaway for Les Miserables – 32 pts.

2     2. Amanda Seyfried for Les Miserables – 20 pts.

3     3. Helena Bonham Carter for Les Miserables – 16 pts.

4     4. Judi Dench for The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Skyfall – 9 pts.

5     5. (tie) Isabelle Allen for Les Miserables

                              and

            Gina Carano for Haywire – 5 pts.

MECHANICAL ACTOR

1     1. Russell Crowe for Les Miserables – 18 pts.

2     2. Sacha Baron Cohen for Les Miserables – 16 pts.

3     3. Hugh Jackman for Les Miserables – 15 pts.

4     4. Taylor Kitsch for Battleship, John Carter and Savages – 8 pts.

5     5. Dev Patel for The Bext Exotic Marigold Hotel – 8 pts.

PAST IRA WINNERS


THE COMPLETE IRA MOVIE AWARD WINNERS

1975 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Barry Lyndon
Best Director: Claude Chabrol for La Rupture and Just Before Nightfall
Best Actor: Jack Nicholson in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest
Best Actress: Ellen Burstyn in Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore
Best Supporting Actor: François Perrier in Just Before Nightfall
Best Supporting Actress: Blythe Danner in Hearts Of The West
Best Screenplay: Tom Stoppard and Thomas Wiseman for The Romantic Englishwoman
Best Cinematography: John Alcott for Barry Lyndon



1976 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: (tie) Lipstick, and The Marquise Of O
Best Director: Eric Rohmer for The Marquise Of O
Best Actor: Sean Connery in Robin And Marian
Best Actress: Sissy Spacek in Carrie
Best Supporting Actor: Jason Robards in All The President’s Men
Best Supporting Actress: Anne Bancroft in Lipstick
Best Screenplay: Alain Tanner and John Berger for Jonah Who Will Be 25 In The Year 2000
Best Cinematography: Nestor Almendros for The Marquise Of O



1977 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Annie Hall
Best Director: Wim Wenders for The American Friend
Best Actor: John Gielgud in Providence
Best Actress: Dianne Keaton in Annie Hall and Looking For Mr. Goodbar
Best Supporting Actor: G. D. Spradlin in One On One
Best Supporting Actress: Vanessa Redgrave in Julia
Best Screenplay: Woody Allen and Marshall Brickman for Annie Hall
Best Cinematography: Robby Müller for The American Friend


1978 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Days Of Heaven
Best Director: Terence Malick for Days Of Heaven
Best Actor: Jon Voight in Coming Home
Best Actress: Jane Fonda in Coming Home
Best Supporting Actor: Dom DeLuise in The End
Best Supporting Actress: Stephane Audran in Violette
Best Screenplay: Eric Rohmer for Perceval
Best Cinematography: Nestor Almendros for Days Of Heaven


1979 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Fedora
Best Director: Blake Edwards for 10
Best Actor: Clint Eastwood in Escape From Alcatraz
Best Actress: Hanna Schygulla in The Marriage Of Maria Braun
Best Supporting Actor: Denholm Elliott in Cuba and Saint Jack
Best Supporting Actress: Frances Sternhagen in Fedora and Starting Over
Best Screenplay: Billy Wilder and I. A. L. Diamond for Fedora
Best Cinematography: Tak Fujimoto for Last Embrace and Remember My Name
Best Music: Miklos Rozsa for Fedora and Last Embrace
Best Production Design: Dean Edward Mitzner for 1941


1980 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: The Big Red One
Best Director: Sam Fuller for The Big Red One
Best Actor: Lee Marvin for The Big Red One
Best Actress: Jodie Foster for Carny and Foxes
Best Supporting Actor: (tie) Joe Pesci in Raging Bull and Harry Dean Stanton in The Black Marble, The Long Riders, Private Benjamin and Wise Blood
Best Supporting Actress: Pamela Reed in The Long Riders and Melvin And Howard
Best Screenplay: Sam Fuller for The Big Red One
Best Cinematography: Jordan Cronenweth for Altered States
Best Music: Dana Kaproff for The Big Red One
Best Production Design: Tambi Larsen for Heaven’s Gate


1981 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Cutter’s Way
Best Director: Ivan Passer for Cutter’s Way
Best Actor: Jeff Bridges in Cutter’s Way
Best Actress: Faye Dunaway in Mommie Dearest
Best Supporting Actor: Jack Nicholson in Reds
Best Supporting Actress: Mona Washbouurne in Stevie
Best Screenplay: John Guare for Atlantic City
Best Cinematography: Jordan Cronenweth for Cutter’s Way
Best Music: Georges DeLerue for The Last Metro, Rich and Famous, True Confessions and The Woman Next Door
Best Production Design: Ken Adam for Pennies From Heaven
Best Costume Design: Shirley Russell for Reds


1982 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Victor/Victoria
Best Director: Blake Edwards for Victor/Victoria
Best Actor: Jack Lemmon in Missing
Best Actress: (tie) Julie Andrews in Victor/Victoria and Jessica Lange in Frances
Best Supporting Actor: Robert Preston in Victor/Victoria
Best Supporting Actress: Lesley Ann Warren in Victor/Victoria
Best Screenplay: Blake Edwards for Victor/Victoria
Best Cinematography: Xaver Schwartzenberger for Lola and Veronika Voss
Best Music: Henry Mancini and Leslie Bricusse for Victor/Victoria
Best Production Design: Rodger Maus for Victor/Victoria
Best Costume Design: Patricia Norris for Victor/Victoria


1983 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Berlin Alexanderplatz
Best Director: Andrzej Wajda for Danton
Best Actor: Eric Roberts for Star ’80
Best Actress: Shirley MacLaine for Terms Of Endearment
Best Supporting Actor: Jerry Lewis for The King Of Comedy
Best Supporting Actress: Jamie Lee Curtis for Trading Places
Best Screenplay: Bill Forsyth for Local Hero
Best Cinematography: Sven Nykvist for Star ’80
Best Music: Peer Raben for Berlin Alexanderplatz
Best Production Design: Fernando Scarfiotti for Scarface
Best Costume Design: Yvonne Sassinot DeNestle for Danton


1984 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: (tie) L’Argent and Once Upon A Time In America
Best Director: Sergio Leone for Once Upon A Time In America
Best Actor: Clint Eastwood in Tightrope
Best Actress: Helen Mirren in Cal
Best Supporting Actor: Jean-Luc Godard in First Name: Carmen
Best Supporting Actress: Christine Lahti in Swing Shift
Best Screenplay: Franco Arcalli, Leonardo Benvenuti, Piero De Bernardi, Franco Ferrini, Sergio Leone, Enrico Medioli for Once Upon A Time In America
Best Cinematography: Robby Müller for Paris Texas and Repo Man
Best Music: Ennio Morricone for Once Upon A Time In America
Best Production Design: James Singelis for Once Upon A Time In America
Best Costume Design: Mic Cheminal for Entre Nous


1985 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Prizzi’s Honor
Best Director: Martin Scorsese for After Hours
Best Actor: Jack Nicholson in Prizzi’s Honor
Best Actress: Mia Farrow in The Purple Rose Of Cairo
Best Supporting Actor: William Hickey in Prizzi’s Honor
Best Supporting Actress: Anjelica Huston in Prizzi’s Honor
Best Screenplay: Joseph Minion for After Hours
Best Cinematography: Andrzej Bartkowiak for Prizzi’s Honor
Best Music: Brian Gascoigne and Junior Hamrich for The Emerald Forest
Best Production Design: Jeffrey Townsend for After Hours
Best Costume Design: Ann Roth for The Jagged Edge and Sweet Dreams


1986 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Eyes On The Prize
Best Director: David Lynch for Blue Velvet
Best Actor: (tie) Daniel Day-Lewis in My Beautiful Laundrette and Jeff Goldblum in The Fly
Best Actress: Laura Dern in Smooth Talk
Best Supporting Actor: Steve Buscemi in Parting Glances
Best Supporting Actress: Mary Stuart Masterson in At Close Range
Best Screenplay: Hanif Kureishi for My Beautiful Laundrette
Best Cinematography: Frederick Elmes for Blue Velvet
Best Music: (tie) George Delerue for Platoon and Herbie Hancock for Round Midnight
Best Production Design: Patricia Norris for Blue Velvet
Best Costume Design: Jenny Beaven and John Bright for A Room With A View



1987 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Housekeeping
Best Director: Bill Forsyth for Housekeeping
Best Actor: Gary Oldman in Prick Up Your Ears
Best Actress: Christine Lahti in Housekeeping
Best Supporting Actor: John Mahoney in Moonstruck and Tin Men
Best Supporting Actress: Vanessa Redgrave in Prick Up Your Ears
Best Screenplay: Bill Forsyth for Housekeeping
Best Cinematography: Phillippe Rousselot for Hope And Glory
Best Music: David Byrne, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Cong Su for The Last Emperor
Best Production Design: Santo Loquasto for Radio Days
Best Costume Design: Mary-Jane Reyner for Housekeeping


1988 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Dead Ringers
Best Director: David Cronenberg for Dead Ringers
Best Actor: Jeremy Irons in Dead Ringers
Best Actress: Jodie Foster in The Accused
Best Supporting Actor: Divine in Hairspray
Best Supporting Actress: Claudia Karvan in High Tide
Best Screenplay: Christopher Hampton for Dangerous Liaisons
Best Cinematography: Vittorio Storaro for Tucker: The Man And His Dream
Best Music: George Fenton for Dangerous Liaisons
Best Production Design: Dean Tavoularis for Tucker: The Man And His Dream
Best Costume Design: Van Smith for Hairspray


1989 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Story Of Women
Best Director: Claude Chabrol for Story
Of Women
Best Actor: John Hurt in Scandal
Best Actress: Isabelle Huppert in Story Of Women
Best Supporting Actor: Ethan Hawke in Dad and Dead Poets Society
Best Supporting Actress: Anjelica Huston in Enemies: A Love Story
Best Screenplay: Blake Edwards for Skin Deep
Best Cinematography: Jeff Preiss for Let’s Get Lost
Best Music: Michael Kamen for The Adventures Of Baron Munchausen
Best Production Design: Dante Ferretti for The Adventures Of Baron Munchausen
Best Costume Design: Jane Robinson for Scandal


1990 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: GoodFellas
Best Director: Martin Scorsese for GoodFellas
Best Actor: Michel Blanc in Monsieur Hire
Best Actress: Anjelica Huston in The Grifters
Best Supporting Actor: Joe Pesci in GoodFellas
Best Supporting Actress: Lorraine Bracco in GoodFellas
Best Screenplay: Craig Lucas for Longtime Companion
Best Cinematography: Oliver Stapleton for The Grifters
Best Music: Elmer Bernstein for The Grifters
Best Production Design: Dennis Gassner for The Grifters
Best Costume Design: Richard Bruno for The Grifters


1991 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: The Man In The Moon
Best Director: Robert Mulligan for The Man In The Moon
Best Actor: River Phoenix in Dogfight and My Own Private Idaho
Best Actress: Judy Davis in Barton Fink, Impromptu, and Naked Lunch
Best Supporting Actor: Harvey Keitel in Bugsy, Mortal Thoughts, and Thelma & Louise
Best Supporting Actress: Juliette Lewis in Cape Fear
Best Screenplay: Michael Tolkin for The Rapture
Best Cinematography: Freddie Francis for Cape Fear and The Man In The Moon
Best Music: Ennio Morricone for Bugsy
Best Production Design: Dennis Gassner for Barton Fink and Bugsy
Best Costume Design: Albert Wolsky for Bugsy


1992 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Raise The Red Lantern
Best Director: Robert Altman for The Player
Best Actor: Tim Robbins in Bob Roberts and The Player
Best Actress: Emma Thompson in Howards End
Best Supporting Actor: Jaye Davidson in The Crying Game
Best Supporting Actress: Judy Davis in Husbands And Wives
Best Screenplay: Michael Tolkin for The Player
Best Cinematography: Zhao Fei and Lun Yang for Raise The Red Lantern
Best Music: Lenny Niehaus for Unforgiven
Best Production Design: Marc Caro for Delicatessen
Best Costume Design: Alexander Julien for The Player
Sominex Award: A Few Good Men
Dramamine Award: Basic Instinct
Mechanical Actor: Michael Douglas in Basic Instinct
Mechanical Actress: ****


1993 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Six Degrees Of Separation
Best Director: Nancy Savoca for Household Saints
Best Actor: Dennis Quaid in Flesh And Bone
Best Actress: Stockard Channing in Six Degrees Of Separation
Best Supporting Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio in A Boy’s Life and What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?
Best Supporting Actress: Regina Tourney in Like Water For Chocolate
Best Screenplay: Mike Leigh for Naked
Best Cinematography: Michael Balhaus for The Age Of Innocence
Best Music: Elmer Bernstein for The Age Of Innocence and The Cemetery Club
Best Production Design: Dante Ferretti for The Age Of Innocence
Best Costume Design: Gabriella Pescucci for The Age Of Innocence
Sominex Award: Heaven And Earth
Dramamine Award: Falling Down
Mechanical Actor: Richard Gere in Sommersby
Mechanical Actress: Madonna in Body Of Evidence


1994 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Red
Best Director: Krzyzstof Kieslowski for Red and White
Best Actor: Terence Stamp in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
Best Actress: Linda Fiorentino in The Last Seduction
Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale in Little Women
Best Supporting Actress: Kristin Scott Thomas in Four Weddings and a Funeral
Best Screenplay: Steve Baranczek for The Last Seduction
Best Cinematography: Stephen Czapsky for Ed Wood
Best Music: Zbigniew Preissner for Red and White
Best Production Design: Dennis Gastner for The Hudsucker Proxy
Best Costume Design: Lizzie Gardiner and Tim Chappel for Priscilla, Queen of The Desert
Sominex Award: Wyatt Earp


1995 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Exotica
Best Director: Terry Zwigoff for Crumb
Best Actor: John Travolta in Get Shorty
Best Actress: (A three-way tie) Mia Kershner in Exotica; Alicia Silverstone in Clueless; Nicole Kidman in To Die For
Best Supporting Actor: Tim Roth in Rob Roy
Best Supporting Actress: Mare Winningham in Georgia
Best Screenplay: (tie) Atom Egoyan for Exotica and Buck Henry for To Die For
Best Cinematography: Newton Thomas Sigel for The Usual Suspects
Best Music: John Ottman for The Usual Suspects
Best Production Design: Dante Ferretti for Casino
Best Costumes: Mona May for Clueless
Sominex Award: The Brothers McMullen
Dramamine Award: Braveheart
Mechanical Actor: Dennis Miller in The Net and the cast of The Brothers McMullen
Mechanical Actress: Annette Bening in The American President


1996 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: La Ceremonie
Best Director: Claude Chabrol for La Ceremonie
Best Actor: Ewen McGregor in Trainspotting
Best Actress: (tie) Kristin Scott Thomas in The English Patient and Emily Watson in Breaking The Waves
Best Supporting Actor: Ian Holm in Big Night
Best Supporting Actress: Mary Kay Place in Citizen Ruth and Manny & Lo
Best Screenplay: John Sayles for Lone Star
Best Cinematography: (tie) Darius Khondji for Stealing Beauty and Oliver Stapleton for Kansas City
Best Music: Tiffany Anders, Burt Bacharach, David Baerwald, Carole Bayer Sager, Ed Berghoff, Elvis Costello, Gerry Goffin, Louise Goffin, Tonio K, Larry Klein, J. Mascis, Joni Mitchell, Boyd Rice, David A. Stewart, and J. Mayo Williams for Grace Of My Heart
Best Production Design: Harley Jessup for James And The Giant Peach
Best Costume Design: Dona Granata for Kansas City
Sominex Award: The English Patient
Dramamine Award: A Time To Kill
Mechanical Actor: All the men in She’s The One
Mechanical Actress: Maxine Bahns in She’s The One


1997 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: (tie) Crash and Grosse Pointe Blank
Best Director: David Cronenberg for Crash
Best Actor: John Cusack for Grosse Pointe Blank
Best Actress: Julie Christie in Afterglow
Best Supporting Actor: Kevin Spacey in L. A. Confidential
Best Supporting Actress: Christina Ricci in The Ice Storm
Best Screenplay: Neil LaBute for In The Company Of Men
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins for Kundun
Best Music: (tie) Eleni Karaindrou for Ulysses’ Gaze and Michael Nyman for Gattaca
Best Production Design: (tie) Dan Weil for The Fifth Element and Jan Roelfs for Gattaca
Best Costume Design: Denise Cronenberg for Crash
Sominex Award: The Pillow Book
Dramamine Award: Con Air
Mechanical Actor: Billy Zane in Titanic
Mechanical Actress: Elisabeth Shue in Deconstructing Harry and The Saint


1998 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Gods And Monsters
Best Director: (tie) Bill Condon for Gods And Monsters and Todd Solondz for Happiness
Best Actor: Ian McKellen in Gods And Monsters
Best Actress: Christina Ricci in The Opposite Of Sex
Best Supporting Actor: Dylan Baker in Happiness
Best Supporting Actress: Lisa Kudrow in The Opposite Of Sex
Best Screenplay: Bill Condon for Gods And Monsters
Best Cinematography: Maryse Alberti for Happiness and Velvet Goldmine
Best Music: Carter Burwell for Gods And Monsters
Best Production Design: Thérèse DePrez for Happiness
Best Costume Design: Bruce Finlayson for Gods And Monsters
Sominex Award: Dangerous Beauty
Dramamine Award: Stepmom
Mechanical Actor: Bruce Willis in Armageddon, The Siege and Mercury Rising
Mechanical Actress: Jena Malone in Stepmom


1999 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Fight Club
Best Director: (tie) David Fincher for Fight Club and Spike Jonze for Being John Malkovich
Best Actor: Terence Stamp in The Limey
Best Actress: (tie) Nicole Kidman in Eyes Wide Shut and Hillary Swank in Boys Don’t Cry
Best Supporting Actor: Philip Seymour Hoffman in Magnolia and The Talented Mr. Ripley
Best Supporting Actress: Catherine Keener in Being John Malkovich
Best Screenplay: Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor for Election
Best Cinematography: Robert Richardson for Bringing Out The Dead and Snow Falling On Cedars
Best Music: Trey Parker and Marc Shaiman for South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
Best Production Design: Owen Paterson for The Matrix
Best Costume Design: Michael Kaplan for Fight Club
Sominex Award: The World Is Not Enough
Dramamine Award: The Green Mile
Mechanical Actor: Kevin Spacey in American Beauty
Mechanical Actress: Annette Bening in American Beauty


2000 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: L’ Humanite
Best Director: (tie) Terence Davies for The House Of Mirth and Jim Jarmusch for Ghost Dog: Way Of The Samurai
Best Actor: Forrest Whitaker in Ghost Dog: Way Of The Samurai
Best Actress: (tie) Severine Caneele in L’ Humanite and Michelle Yeoh in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Best Supporting Actor: Jack Black in High Fidelity and Jesus’s Son
Best Supporting Actress: Lupe Ontiveros in Chuck And Buck
Best Screenplay: Kenneth Lonnergan for You Can Count On Me
Best Cinematography: Remi Adefarasin for The House Of Mirth
Best Music: RZA for Ghost Dog: Way Of The Samurai
Best Production Design: Gideon Ponte for American Psycho and Hamlet
Best Costume Design: Monica Howe for The House Of Mirth
Sominex Award: Mission Impossible 2
Dramamine Award: The Replacements (aka The Scabs)
Mechanical Actor: Ian Holm in Joe Gould’s Secret
Mechanical Actress: Charlize Theron in Reindeer Games


2001 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: The Werckmeister Harmonies
Best Director: Bela Tarr for The Werckmeister Harmonies
Best Actor: John Cameron Mitchell for Hedwig And The Angry Inch
Best Actress: Naomi Watts in Mulholland Drive
Best Supporting Actor: Steve Buscemi in Ghost World
Best Supporting Actress: Scarlett Johansson in Ghost World and The Man Who Wasn’t There
Best Screenplay: Daniel Clowes and Terry Zwigoff for Ghost World
Best Cinematography: (tie) Peter Deming for From Hell and Mulholland Drive and Christopher Doyle and Mark Lee Ping-bin for In The Mood For Love
Best Music: Mihály Vig for The Werckmeister Harmonies
Best Production Design: Edward T. McAvoy for Ghost World
Best Costume Design: Mary Zophres for Ghost World
Sominex Award:
Dramamine Award:
Mechanical Actor:
Mechanical Actress:


2002 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: (tie) Far From Heaven and The Son’s Room
Best Director: (tie) Todd Haynes for Far From Heaven and Aleksandr Sokurov for Russian Ark
Best Actor: Greg Kinnear in Auto Focus
Best Actress: (tie) Emmanuelle Devos in Read My Lips and Julianne Moore in Far From Heaven and Samantha Morton in Minority Report and Morvern Callar
Best Supporting Actor: Eddie Izzard in The Cat’s Meow
Best Supporting Actress: Patricia Clarkson in Far From Heaven
Best Screenplay: Bill Condon for Chicago
Best Cinematography: Tilman Büttner for Russian Ark
Best Music: Elmer Bernstein for Far From Heaven
Best Production Design: Mark Friedberg for Far From Heaven
Best Costume Design: Sandy Powell for Far From Heaven and Gangs Of New York
Sominex Award: Naqoyqatsi
Dramamine Award: Bowling For Dollars
Mechanical Actor: Anthony Hopkins in Red Dragon
Mechanical Actress: Catherine Keener in Lovely And Amazing


2003 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Decasia
Best Director: Bill Morrison for Decasia
Best Actor: Johnny Depp in Pirates Of The Caribbean
Best Actress: Hope Davis in American Splendor and The Secret Lives Of Dentists
Best Supporting Actor: Max Pirkis in Master and Commander: The Far Side Of The World
Best Supporting Actress: Ludivine Sagnier in Swimming Pool
Best Screenplay: Shari Springer Bergman and Robert Pulcini for American Splendor
Best Cinematography: Peter Suschitzky for Spider
Best Music: Michael Gordon for Decasia
Best Production Design: Andrew Laws for Down With Love
Best Costume Design: Daniel Orlandi for Down With Love
Sominex Award:
Dramamine Award: In My Skin
Mechanical Actor: Anthony Hopkins in The Human Stain
Mechanical Actress: Nicole Kidman in The Human Stain


2004 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Kinsey
Best Director: Bill Condon for Kinsey
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in Before Sunset
Best Actress: Laura Linney in Kinsey and P.S.
Best Supporting Actor: Peter Sarsgaard in Kinsey
Best Supporting Actress: Kirsten Dunst in Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind
Best Screenplay: Bill Condon for Kinsey
Best Cinematography: Christopher Doyle for Hero, Last Life In The Universe and Days Of Being Wild
Best Music: Alberto Iglesias for Bad Education
Best Production Design: Dante Ferretti for The Aviator
Best Costume Design: Emi Wada for Hero and House Of The Flying Daggers
Sominex Award: The Village
Dramamine Award: The Passion Of The Christ
Mechanical Actor: Cate Blanchett in The Aviator
Mechanical Actress: Anthony Hopkins in Alexander


2005 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Mysterious Skin
Best Director: Gregg Araki for Mysterious Skin
Best Actor: Joseph Gordon-Leavitt in Mysterious Skin
Best Actress: Maria Bello in A History Of Violence
Best Supporting Actor: Paddy Constantine in My Summer Of Love
Best Supporting Actress: Catherine Keener in Capote
Best Screenplay: Gregg Araki for Mysterious Skin
Best Cinematography: Robert Elswit for Good Night And Good Luck and Syriana
Best Music: Howard Shore for A History Of Violence
Best Production Design: William Chang Suk Ping for 2046
Best Costume Design: William Chang Suk Ping for 2046
Sominex Award: Saraband
Dramamine Award: Crash
Mechanical Actor: Tom Cruise for War Of The Worlds
Mechanical Actress: Dakota Fanning for War Of The Worlds

2006 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: L’Enfant
Best Director: Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne for L’Enfant
Best Actor: Ryan Gosling in Half Nelson
Best Actress: Maggie Cheung in Clean
Best Supporting Actor: Anthony Mackie in Half Nelson
Best Supporting Actress: Carmen Maura in Volver
Best Screenplay: (tie) Guillermo Del Toro for Pan’s Labyrinth and Jean- Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne for L’Enfant
Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki for Children Of Men
Best Production Design: Eugenio Caballero for Pan’s Labyrinth
Best Music: Philip Glass for Notes On A Scandal and The Illusionist
Best Costume Design: Sharon Davis for Dreamgirls
Sominex Award: The Da Vinci Code
Dramamine Award: Babel
Mechanical Actor: Robert Downey, Jr. in Fur and A Scanner Darkly
Mechanical Actress: Julianne Moore in Children Of Men


2007 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford
Best Director: Andrew Dominik for The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford
Best Actor: Casey Affleck in The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford and Gone Baby Gone
Best Actress: Marina Hands in Lady Chatterley
Best Supporting Actor: Paul Schneider in The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford and Lars And The Real Girl
Best Supporting Actress: Amy Ryan in Gone Baby Gone
Best Screenplay: Corneliu Porumboiu for 12:08 East Of Bucharest
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins for The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford, In The Valley Of Elah and No Country For Old Men
Best Production Design: Patricia Norris for The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford
Best Music: Nick Cave and Warren Ellis for The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford
Best Costume Design: Patricia Norris for The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford
Sominex Award: Youth Without Youth
Dramamine Award: Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead
Mechanical Actor: John Travolta in Hairspray
Mechanical Actress: Meryl Streep in Lions For Lambs and Rendition


2008 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: The Edge Of Heaven
Best Director: Fatih Akin - The Edge Of Heaven
Best Actor: Michael Shannon - Shotgun Stories
Best Actress: Anamaria Marinca - 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
Best Supporting Actor: Emile Hirsch - Milk
Best Supporting Actress: Hanna Schygulla - The Edge Of Heaven
Best Screenplay: Fatih Akin - The Edge Of Heaven
Best Cinematography: Jody Shapiro - My Winnipeg
Best Production Design: Rejean Labrie - My Winnipeg
Best Music: Carter Burwell for In Bruges and Burn After Reading
Best Costumes: Danny Glicker - Milk
Sominex: The Happening
Dramamine: The Reader
Mechanical Actor: Mark Wahlberg for The Happening
Mechanical Actress: Meryl Streep for Doubt


2009 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Hunger
Best Director: Olivier Assayas - Summer Hours
Best Actor: Sharlto Copley - District 9
Best Actress: Catalina Saavedra - The Maid
Best Supporting Actor: Liam Cunningham - Hunger
Best Supporting Actress: Anna Faris - Observe & Report
Best Screenplay: Olivier Assayas - Summer Hours
Best Cinematography: Sean Bobbitt - Hunger
Best Production Design: Philip Ivey - District 9
Best Music: Marvin Hamlisch - The Informant!
Best Costumes: Janet Patterson - Bright Star
Sominex: Public Enemies
Dramamine: Anti-Christ
Mechanical Actor: Peter Sarsgaard for An Education
Mechanical Actress: Hilary Swank for Amelia


2010 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: A Prophet/Un Prophete
Best Director: Jacques Audiard - A Prophet/Un Prophete
Best Actor: Edgar Ramirez - Carlos
Best Actress: Tilda Swinton - I Am Love
Best Supporting Actor: Niels Arestrup - A Prophet/Un Prophete
Best Supporting Actress: Dale Dickey - Winter's Bone
Best Screenplay: Thomas Bidegain and Jacques Audiard - A Prophet/Un Prophete
Best Cinematography: Yorick Le Saux - I Am Love
Best Production Design: Francesca Balestra Di Mottola - I Am Love
Best Music: John Adams - I Am Love
Best Costumes: Antonella Cannarozzi - I Am Love
Sominex: Cairo Time
Dramamine: Black Swan
Mechanical Actor: Vincent Cassel for Black Swan
Mechanical Actress: Natalie Portman for Black Swan
The Governor Scott Walker Award For Achievement In Political Thuggery: Waiting For "Superman"

The Best Movies Of The 2000s (Voted in 2010)
1. The Son/Le Fils
2. Zodiac
3. Yi Yi
4. The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford
5. The Edge Of Heaven (tie)
    In The Mood For Love (tie)
7. The Heart Of The World (short by Guy Maddin)
8. Mysterious Skin (tie)
    Bus 174 (tie)
10. The Death Of Mr. Lazarescu (tie)
      Head-On (tie)
      Spirited Away (tie)


2011 IRA FILM AWARD WINNERS
Best Picture: The Tree Of Life
Best Director: Terrence Malick - The Tree Of Life
Best Actor: Peyman Moadi - A Separation
Best Actress: Leila Hatami - A Separation
Best Supporting Actor: Hunter McCracken - The Tree Of Life
Best Supporting Actress: Sareh Bayet - A Separation
Best Screenplay: Ashgar Farhadi - A Separation
Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki - The Tree Of Life
Best Production Design: Dante Ferretti - Hugo
Best Score: Alberto Iglesias - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and The Skin I Live In
Best Editing: Hank Corwin, Jay Rabinowitz, Daniel Rezende, Billy Weber, Mark Yoshikawa - The Tree Of Life
Best Costumes: Jacqueline Durran - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Sominex Award (The Movie That Put Us To Sleep): Midnight In Paris
Dramamine Award (The Movie That Made Us Sick): The Help
Mechanical Actress: Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady
Mechanical Actor: Owen Wilson - Midnight In Paris


2012 IRA FILM AWARD WINNERS
Best Picture: Once Upon A Time In Anatolia

Best Director: Nuri Bilge Ceylan - Once Upon A Time In Anatolia

Best Actor: Jean-Louis Trintignant - Amour

Best Actress: Rachel Weisz - The Deep Blue Sea

Best Supporting Actor: Taner Birsel - Once Upon A Time In Anatolia

Best Supporting Actress: Cecile De France - The Kid With A Bike

Best Screenplay: Ebru Ceylan and Nuri Bilge Ceylan and Ercan Kesal - Once Upon A Time In Anatolia

Best Cinematography: Gokhan Tiryaki - Once Upon A Time In Anatolia

Best Production Design: Arvinder Grewal - Cosmopolis
Best Score: Dan Romer and Benh Zeitlin - Beasts Of The Southern Wild

Best Editing: Todd Woody Richman and Tyler H. Walk - How To Survive A Plague

Best Costumes: Kari Perkins - Bernie
Sominex Award (The Movie That Put Us To Sleep): (tie) Les Miserables and Beasts Of The Southern Wild

Dramamine Award (The Movie That Made Us Sick): The Intouchables

Mechanical Actress: Anne Hathaway - Les Miserables
Mechanical Actor: Russell Crowe - Les Miserables

The IRA Top 100 Films Of The 1950s

The IRAs are a mysterious but august film society that has voted on the best films of the year since 1976. More international and indie focused than the Oscars, more mercurial than the LA Film Critics, more loyal to their favorites than the Golden Globes, the IRAs have just had a weekend in Provincetown, Massachusetts where the winners for the Best Films of 2012 were voted on and announced. The IRAs also  followed up months of discussion and debate and balloting and re-watching of DVDs and DVRing of TCM to determine the best films of the 1950s. Below you'll find the list of the Best Films Of The 1950s, followed by our picks for the Top Films Of 2012.

The IRAs began when passionate film students complained about the annual awards shows, declared "We could do better" and had an all-night, knock-down, drag-out fight to establish the very first winners of the IRAs. (One of the members is named Ira but how his name became the name of the award is a story lost in the mist of time.) The rotating group of members have been profiled in the New Yorker and over the years have included Oscar-winning writers, major directors, top studio executives, best-selling and critically acclaimed authors on movies, critics and others. They have no more claim to pronounce the best films of the year than anyone else but they've been doing it for 37 years so hey, it's tradition.

If you're like me, the list will infuriate you -- some movies should be higher up, some should be lower down and some shouldn't be on the list at all. That's half the fun. If you're passionate about movies or TV or books or music or any art form, chances are you've bristled over awards season and known you and your friends have better taste. How come Archer doesn't win Best Comedy? And Breaking Bad Best Drama? Or Borgen? Or The Good Wife?

So why not form your own group? It's not just fun to hand out awards; it's the best way to make certain your youthful enthusiasm for TV or music or books or whatever doesn't lose focus when work and life intrude. When all your friends tell you you have to read such and such a book or listen to a certain CD before the annual get-together, guess what? You do! Sometimes homework can be fun.

IRAs: The Best Movies of 1950s

1. The Earrings of Madame de… (Max Ophüls, 1953) 1058 pts/81 pts

(See note at bottom for explanation of point totals.)

2. Touch of Evil (Orson Welles, 1958) 940/55
3. Vertigo (Alfred Hitchcock, 1958) 820/49
4. Rear Window (Alfred Hitchcock, 1954) 856/49
5. The Searchers (John Ford, 1956) 801/48
6. In a Lonely Place (Nicholas Ray, 1950) 776/45
7. Anatomy of a Murder (Otto Preminger, 1959) 787/44
8. Tokyo Story (Yasujiro Ozu, 1953) 885/44
9. North by Northwest (Alfred Hitchcock, 1959) 918/41
10. Pickpocket (Robert Bresson, 1959) 798/39

11. A Man Escaped (Robert Bresson, 1956) 738/61
12. Some Came Running (Vincente Minnelli, 1958) 773/55
13. Ordet (Carl Theodor Dreyer, 1955) 776/53
14. Pickup on South Street (Samuel Fuller, 1953) 732/52
15. Written on the Wind (Douglas Sirk, 1956) 766/50
16. The Big Heat (Fritz Lang, 1953) 732/50
17. Kiss Me Deadly (Robert Aldrich, 1955) 711/49
18. The River (Jean Renoir, 1951) 713/49
19. Sunset Blvd. (Billy Wilder, 1950) 725/44
20. Some Like It Hot (Billy Wilder, 1959)713/32

21. The Naked Spur (Anthony Mann, 1953) 693/67
22. Ugetsu (Kenji Mizoguchi, 1953) 681/55
23. Night and the City (Jules Dassin, 1950) 656/50
24. Rio Bravo (Howard Hawks, 1959) 651/48
25. The Band Wagon (Vincente Minnelli, 1953) 666/47
26. French Cancan (Jean Renoir, 1954) 681/47
27. Imitation of Life (Douglas Sirk, 1959) 672/47
28. Pather Panchali (Satyajit Ray, 1955) 702/47
29. Rebel Without a Cause (Nicholas Ray, 1955) 667/45
30. The Night of the Hunter (Charles Laughton, 1955) 660/42

31. Kanal (Andrzej Wajda, 1956) 608/62
32. On Dangerous Ground (Nicholas Ray, 1952) 600/56
33. Sansho the Bailiff (Kenji Mizoguchi, 1954) 649/54
34. Bigger Than Life (Nicholas Ray, 1956) 641/54
35. Early Summer (Yasujiro Ozu, 1951) 604/51
36. Diary of a Country Priest (Robert Bresson, 1951) 605/48
37. Floating Weeds (Yasujiro Ozu, 1959) 628/48
38. Smiles of a Summer Night (Ingmar Bergman, 1955) 607/45
39. All About Eve (Joseph L. Mankiewicz, 1950) 618/40
40. Sweet Smell of Success (Alexander Mackendrick, 1957) 600/37

41. Strangers on a Train (Alfred Hitchcock, 1951) 580/57
42. The Man From Laramie (Anthony Mann, 1955) 553/56
43. Johnny Guitar (Nicholas Ray, 1954) 595/56
44. Gun Crazy (Joseph H. Lewis, 1950) 564/54
45. All That Heaven Allows (Douglas Sirk, 1955) 566/51
46. The 400 Blows (François Truffaut, 1959) 559/49
47. Lola Montès (Max Ophüls, 1955) 560/49
48. Viaggio in Italia (Roberto Rossellini, 1953) 546/44
49. The Bad and the Beautiful (Vincente Minnelli, 1952) 558/42
50. Bob le Flambeur (Jean-Pierre Melville, 1956) 536/37

51. Ashes and Diamonds (Andrzej Wajda, 1958) 524/68
52. Ride Lonesome (Budd Boetticher, 1959) 532/62
53. Late Chrysanthemums (Mikio Naruse, 1954) 523/55
54. The Asphalt Jungle (John Huston, 1950) 512/51
55. Senso (Luchino Visconti, 1954) 507/51
56. I Vitelloni (Federico Fellini, 1953) 498/48
57. Bend of the River (Anthony Mann, 1952) 497/47
58. The Quiet Man (John Ford, 1952) 495/43
59. A Star Is Born (George Cukor, 1954) 524/38
60. Pyaasa (Guru Dutt, 1957) 494/32

61. The Killing (Stanley Kubrick, 1955) 480/56
62. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (Don Siegel, 1956) 471/55
63. Winchester ’73 (Anthony Mann, 1950) 486/55
64. 99 River Street (Phil Karlson, 1953) 469/54
65. Bonjour Tristesse (Otto Preminger, 1958) 468/53
66. It’s Always Fair Weather (Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly,1955) 469/53
67. The Life of Oharu (Kenji Mizoguchi, 1952) 459/47
68. Seven Samurai (Akira Kurosawa, 1954) 492/41
69. Mr. Arkadin (Orson Welles, 1955) 474/41
70. Stalag 17 (Billy Wilder, 1953) 463/40

71. Where the Sidewalk Ends (Otto Preminger, 1950) 449/65
72. The Big Combo (Joseph H. Lewis, 1955) 458/62
73. Forty Guns (Samuel Fuller, 1957) 426/60
74. The Tall T (Budd Boetticher, 1957) 456/57
75. Touchez Pas au Grisbi (Jacques Becker, 1954) 436/49
76. Rashomon (Akira Kurosawa, 1950) 445/46
77. Wagon Master (John Ford, 1950) 408/45
78. The Girl Can't Help It (Frank Tashlin, 1956) 418/45
79. East of Eden (Elia Kazan, 1955) 405/40
80. Hiroshima, Mon Amour (Alain Resnais, 1959) 414/32

81. The Man Who Knew Too Much (Alfred Hitchcock, 1956) 396/59
82. Stars in My Crown (Jacques Tourneur, 1950) 402/58
83. Ace in the Hole (Billy Wilder, 1951) 363/53
84. The Phenix City Story (Phil Karlson, 1955) 362/51
85. Rififi (Jules Dassin, 1955) 393/48
86. Nights of Cabiria (Federico Fellini, 1957) 389/48
87. The Golden Coach (Jean Renoir, 1952) 361/47
88. Street of Shame (Kenji Mizoguchi, 1956) 402/46
89. 3:10 to Yuma (Delmer Daves, 1957) 370/45
90. The Flowers of St. Francis (Roberto Rossellini, 1950) 363/40

91. Wild Strawberries (Ingmar Bergman, 1957) 346/63
92. The Big Knife (Robert Aldrich, 1955) 315/58
93. The Cranes Are Flying (Mikhail Kalatozov, 359/57
94. The Wages of Fear (Henri-Georges Clouzot, 1953) 294/56
95. Paths of Glory (Stanley Kubrick, 1957) 341/54
96. Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (Frank Tashlin, 1957) 262/54
97. Mon Oncle (Jacques Tati, 1958) 276/42
98. Singin’ in the Rain (Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly, 1952) 328/40
99. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Howard Hawks, 1953) 297/39
100. M. Hulot’s Holiday (Jacques Tati, 1953) 255/36

Note: The first point total is overall points to establish the order on the list. (Many prior ballots determined the Top 100.) This point total determined what “group” it was in (eg. 91-100, 61-70 and so on.) The second point total is for position in that group (eg, among those ten films, which one should be ranked first, which second and so on). Some groups saw very little change in order; others saw substantial fluidity. When two or more films in a group received the same point total, we voted to break the tie. For example, “Ordet” and “In A Lonely Place” were tied for 10th place but the vote to break the tie placed “In A Lonely Place” in the Top 10 and “Ordet” in the #11-20 group. Even though it originally had the most points of any of those films, the final balloting placed “Ordet” at #13 instead of #11. On the other hand, “The Earrings of Madame de…” ranked #1 from beginning to end.


PREVIOUS IRA ALL-TIME BALLOTS


 THE IRA TOP 100 MOVIES OF ALL TIME

1. The Rules Of The Game
2. The Magnificent Ambersons
3. Citizen Kane
4. Vertigo
5. The Searchers
6. Letter From An Unknown Woman
7. The Big Sleep
8. Psycho
9. The Man Who Shot LIberty Valance
10. The Apartment

11. Shoah
12. The Earrings Of Madame de...
13. The Shop Around The Corner
14. Tokyo Story
15. Rear Window
16. Notorious
17. Touch Of Evil
18. North By Northwest
19. The Palm Beach Story
20. The General (1926)

21. Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles
22. The Big Heat
23. Sunset Blvd.
24. Red River
25. Chinatown
26. Sunrise
27. Double Indemnity
28. Laura
29. His Girl Friday
30. Ugetsu

31. Rio Bravo
32. Anatomy Of A Murder
33. The Miracle Of Morgan's Creek
34. Chimes At Midnight
35. All About Eve
36. The Decalogue
37. The Awful Truth
38. Some Like It Hot
39. Danton
40. Imitation Of Life

41. McCabe And Mrs. Miller
42. Sherlock Jr.
43. Once Upon A Time In The West
44. 2001: A Space Odyssey
45. Ordet
46. A Man Escaped
47. Man With A Movie Camera
48. Written On The Wind
49. The Philadelphia Story
50. Kiss Me Deadly

51. Out Of The Past
52. Force Of Evil
53. Advise And Consent
54. Home From The Hill
55. Sweet Smell Of Success
56. The Lady Eve
57. Make Way For Tomorrow
58. Breathless
59. The Third Man
60. Cluny Brown

61. Pickup On South Street
62. Shanghai Express
63. The Passion Of Joan Of Arc
64. The Naked Spur
65. White Heat
66. The Crowd
67. The Crime Of Monsieur Lange
68. Night Of The Hunter
69. The Band Wagon
70. The Scarlet Empress

71. Red (1994)
72. All That Heaven Allows
73. Victor/Victoria
74. Band Of Outsiders
75. Day Of Wrath
76. Rebel Without A Cause
77. In A Lonely Place
78. The Marriage Of Maria Braun
79. It's A Wonderful Life
80. The 400 Blows

81. Metropolis
82. Diary Of A Country Priest
83. Casablanca
84. Lola Montes
85. Raging Bull
86. The Last Picture Show
87. Shock Corridor
88. Meet Me In St. Louis
89. Fanny And Alexander
90. A Star Is Born (1954)

91. Ali: Fear Eats The Soul
92. The Leopard
93. Play Time
94. A Matter Of Life And Death
95. How Green Was My Valley
96. Mildred Pierce
97. What Ever Happened To Baby Jane
98. Travels With My Aunt
99. Days Of Heaven
100. In The Mood For Love

The Best Movies Of The Decade -- The 2000s (Voted in 2010)

1. The Son/Le Fils
2. Zodiac
3. Yi Yi
4. The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford
5. The Edge Of Heaven (tie)
    In The Mood For Love (tie)
7. The Heart Of The World (short by Guy Maddin)
8. Mysterious Skin (tie)
    Bus 174 (tie)
10. The Death Of Mr. Lazarescu (tie)
      Head-On (tie)

Spirited Away (tie)