Joey Magidson
Gus Van Sant has a curiosity about him that all directors should aspire to. You never know what he’s doing to do next or what type of film interests him. So, when you sit down to watch a Van Sant movie, what you end up with is always a surprise, often pleasingly so. I recently spoke to him, and you’ll be able to enjoy that conversation soon, but with his first directorial effort in several years, Dead Man’s Wire, now in theaters, it’s a perfect time to pay tribute to the man. So, that’s exactly what I did.
In my review of Dead Man’s Wire (here), I said the following about Van Sant:
Director Gus Van Sant is relishing the opportunity to make a thriller from a bygone era here. Screenwriter Austin Kolodney provides a no-nonsense skeleton that Van Sant makes dance. He’s not shy about his period influences, though he never appears to be aping legends Sidney Lumet, Alan J. Pakula, and Sydney Pollack, but rather making this a loving homage. His control of pacing and tone, combined with the material provided to the cast by Kolodney, make this a flick that just flies by.
Below, you can see how Van Sant stacks up for me, minus his debut Mala Noche, which I haven’t seen. Good Will Hunting is his crowning achievement, with Milk next in line. Then, we get into a matter of taste and how you like the filmmaker’s various interests. For me, it’s Elephant, Finding Forrester, and Promised Land in the next Van Sant tier. Honestly, the only work of his that is a complete misfire is The Sea of Trees, since Psycho is at least an experiment, even if it really does have no other reason to exist. Where does Dead Man’s Wire debut on the list? You’ll be able to find out next.
Here now is my ranking of the films of Gus Van Sant. Behold:
17. The Sea of Trees
16. Psycho
15. Restless
14. Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot
13. Last Days
12. Paranoid Park
11. Gerry
10. Even Cowgirls Get the Blues
9. Drugstore Cowboy
8. To Die For
7. My Own Private Idaho
6. Promised Land
4. Finding Forrester
3. Elephant
2. Milk
1. Good Will Hunting
What are your favorite Gus Van Sant movies? Let us know!
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