Beyond Sight & Sound: An Alternative Canon
Friday, April 12, 2024 at 6:00PM 
Appearing on 77 ballots, Spike Jonze's HER was the most voted film.
Two years ago, Sight & Sound released the results of their polls, voted by critics and filmmakers, on the best pictures ever made. Chantal Akerman's Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles topped the former, causing various reactions that ranged from ecstatic to outraged. In total, the 2100 participants voted for 4366 unique titles. And yet, much great cinema was left without a single vote. In response, Ángel González devised another project for They Shoot Pictures, Don't They?, focusing on all those films the Sight & Sound voters ignored. A new list was devised based on the ballots of 839 critics and cinephiles. This time around, 4336 films received at least one vote - think of it as an alternative canon.
Nathaniel and I were among the lucky voters, with a few of our picks making the A-List of 1030 titles. Sometimes, our tastes even overlapped…
Overall, 50 of my choices made it to the A-List, while Nathaniel got 37 of his. Of those select few, nine titles got votes from both of us. Here they are, plus some info on where you can watch them.
MY MAN GODFREY (1936) Gregory La Cava
You can stream it at Amazon Prime Video, Tubi, Fandor, Frevee, Popcornflix, Film Box+, Flix Fling, Pure Flix, IndieFlix, Classix, Plex, Pluto TV, Cineverse, Shout! TV, the Roku Channel, and Public Domain Movies. Beyond all that, it's also available to rent and purchase on all the major platforms.
HUD (1963) Martin Ritt
It's streaming on Hoopla and Kanopy. Furthermore, you can rent and purchase it on Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, YouTube, VUDU, and the Microsoft Store.
DIVA (1981) Jean-Jacques Beineix
You can rent or purchase it at Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, YouTube, and VUDU.
THE LITTLE MERMAID (1989) Ron Clements & John Musker
It's streaming on Disney+. You can also find it on all major platforms, available to rent and purchase.
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (1991) Gary Trousdale & Kirk Wise
It's streaming on Disney+. You can also find it on most of the major platforms, available to rent and purchase.
BABE (1995) Chris Noonan
It's streaming on Starz. You can also rent and purchase it on most of the major platforms.
LATE MARRIAGE (2001) Dover Koshashvili
It's streaming on Plex, Klassiki, and ChaiFlicks.
HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH (2001) John Cameron Mitchell
You can rent and purchase it on Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, YouTube, VUDU, and the Microsoft Store.
I AM LOVE (2009) Luca Guadagnino
It's streaming on Hulu, Hoopla, Kanopy, and Plex. You can also rent and purchase it on Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, YouTube, and VUDU.
Go to They Shoot Pictures, Don't They? for more information, including our individual ballots. Also, share some of your favorites from this take on the cinematic canon.
Reader Comments (7)
I voted in this poll as well, and I also included Babe!
Ever since I've been aware of the poll I've had my Top 10 ready just in case they ask for my participation. My 2022 list contained no fewer than 3 films that received 0 votes total: Sons of the Desert, Fallen Angels and Lincoln. So Had I been asked to take part in this poll, I would have chosen 7 of the following to add to those three:
My Life as a Dog
Adam's Rib
China Is Near
Omar
A Women's Affair
I'm All Right, Jack
When Father Was Away on Business
My life as a Zucchini
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Touche pas au grisbi
Hope and Glory
You Can Count on Me
Starlet
Show Boat (1936)
My Winnipeg
Right now I'd be too rushed to tell you which ones.. Throw me in a cell for dithering and throw away the key. I love all of them.
Now I see that I could have named 100! I certainly would have been capable of that but I'll leave it at these.
Completely agree about "My Man Godfrey" and "Hud".
" I Am Love" is also a great movie.
You and Nathaniel both voted for Min and Bill (1930), also
Amy Camus -- We both voted on that and other titles. But I believe these nine are the only ones that got enough votes to crack the main list.
It was exciting to see the full list. I have a lot of watching to do.