'1917' and the Roger Deakins Hall of Fame (SPOILERS) | The Big Picture

'1917' (spoilers)Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins, Chris Ryan — full spoilers

1917 2019

Sam Mendes's one-take WWI movie, dedicated to his grandfather Alfred Mendes. Great filmmaking, thinner as a story: the hosts agree it 'foregrounds its presentation' and doesn't survive a rewatch once the cuts and coincidences are visible. Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) and Schofield (George MacKay) carry a message across no man's land, but the parade of British character actors along the way (Andrew Scott, Mark Strong, Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch, Richard Madden) pulls you out of the movie about as often as it pulls you in. Amanda liked it most, on a single viewing. The climactic running shot and the blackout at the halfway mark are the flashpoints. 10 Oscar nominations.

The Roger Deakins Hall of Famethe final 10, cut down from a 23-film long list

Sid and Nancy 1986

Alex Cox's punk biopic, the lock among his English features, kept to represent the early career. The 360-degree circling shot he'd reuse in '1917' is already here, 35 years earlier.

Barton Fink 1991

The first Coen collaboration. Cited for the shot of Barton on the beach with the woman on the towel as the waves come in.

The Shawshank Redemption 1994

Non-negotiable. Stayed on when nearly everything else got cut.

The Man Who Wasn't There 2001

The least-discussed Coen movie and, per Chris, arguably the most beautifully shot. Kept over Fargo for its black-and-white photography.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford 2007

Called a masterpiece outright, with the most-praised photography of any film on the list. Andrew Dominik's improvisatory 'move the sun six inches' set was the opposite of the storyboarded Coen process.

No Country for Old Men 2007

Total no-brainer. One of three Deakins films released in 2007.

A Serious Man 2009

One of Sean's favorite movies; survived several rounds of proposed cuts.

Skyfall 2012

The one Sean threatened to walk out over. Has to be on.

Sicario 2015

Chris's pick over Prisoners and Blade Runner 2049, a call the others called shameful. Survived to the end after Sean fought to keep it.

1917 2019

Almost certainly Deakins's second Oscar, after Blade Runner 2049. Kept as the reason for the episode; briefly 'punched in' for a cut before being reinstated.

Also mentioned raised along the way

Deakins films weighed for the Hall of Fame, then cut Nineteen Eighty-FourStormy MondayMountains of the MoonAir AmericaThe Long Walk HomeHomicideThunderheartPassion FishThe Secret GardenThe Hudsucker ProxyDead Man WalkingFargoCourage Under FireKundunThe Big LebowskiThe SiegeThe HurricaneAnywhere but HereO Brother, Where Art Thou?A Beautiful MindLevityIntolerable CrueltyHouse of Sand and FogThe LadykillersThe VillageJarheadIn the Valley of ElahRevolutionary RoadThe ReaderThe Company MenTrue GritIn TimePrisonersUnbrokenHail, Caesar!Blade Runner 2049The Goldfinch

Deakins as animation consultant WALL·EHow to Train Your DragonRangoRise of the GuardiansThe CroodsHow to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

War-movie canon DunkirkSaving Private RyanPaths of GloryAll Quiet on the Western FrontLawrence of ArabiaGrand IllusionWingsGallipoliHacksaw RidgeThey Shall Not Grow OldRegenerationWonder WomanPlatoonThe Deer HunterSchindler's ListBraveheartThe English PatientThe Hurt Locker

The 2019 Oscar field JokerParasiteOnce Upon a Time in HollywoodMarriage StoryThe IrishmanLittle WomenJojo RabbitGreen BookBohemian Rhapsody

Oners and other reference points BirdmanChildren of MenFord v FerrariSigns

Deakins's favorite and influence films The Wild BunchCome and SeeLa Dolce VitaDr. StrangeloveLe SamouraïArmy of ShadowsOnce Upon a Time in the WestRocco and His BrothersThe PassengerParis, TexasStalkerSeven Samurai

In passing The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the RingDoctor StrangeSpartacusRudySplashBackdraftApollo 13The Da Vinci CodeAngels & DemonsThe Adjustment BureauThe Tragedy of Macbeth

Not films filtered out: TV, games, ads

TV FleabagGame of ThronesMosaicDinner with Friends

Video games Call of Duty

Books The HobbitWatership DownThe Silmarillion

Cross-promo (The Rewatchables) King of New York