Simple Top Tens (Shorts Only)

Ryan Swen Lists

Decades: 2020s, 2010s, 2000s, 1990s, 1980s, 1970s, 1960s, 1950s, 1940s, 1930s, 1920s, Pre-1920s

Main list.
A version of this without television episodes, YouTube material, music videos, and other non-film media objects.
A version of this with feature films only.
A version of this with mid-length films only.

Ten Favorite Films

  1. LA JETÉE (Chris Marker)
  2. DUCK AMUCK (Chuck Jones)
  3. WORKERS LEAVING THE LUMIÈRE FACTORY IN LYON (Louis & Auguste Lumière)
  4. (NOSTALGIA) (Hollis Frampton)
  5. ALL MY LIFE (Bruce Baillie)
  6. NIGHT AND FOG (Alain Resnais)
  7. OUTER SPACE (Peter Tscherkassky)
  8. THE HOUSE IS BLACK (Forough Farrokhzad)
  9. MESHES OF THE AFTERNOON (Maya Deren & Alexander Hammid)
  10. THE MUSKETEERS OF PIG ALLEY (D.W. Griffith)

—

2020s

Best of the Decade

  1. EARTHEARTHEARTH (Saïto Daïchi)
  2. IF YOU COULD GO BACK, I WOULD SEE HER. (Joshua R. Troxler)
  3. LABOR OF LOVE (Sylvia Schedelbauer)
  4. POINT AND LINE TO PLANE (Sofia Bohdanowicz)
  5. EVENTIDE (Sharon Lockhart)
  6. THE BIG TRIM (John Magary)
  7. VISIT (Jia Zhangke)
  8. AUTOFICCIÓN (Laida Lertxundi)
  9. WHILE CURSED BY SPECTERS (Burak Çevik)
  10. ALFRED (Esther Urlus)

—

2022

  1. EVENTIDE (Sharon Lockhart)
  2. STARFUCKERS (Antonio Marziale)
  3. THE HEADHUNTER’S DAUGHTER (Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan)

2021

  1. EARTHEARTHEARTH (Saïto Daïchi)
  2. THE CAPACITY FOR ADEQUATE ANGER (Vika Kirchenbauer)
  3. KICKING THE CLOUDS (Sky Hopinka)
  4. IMPERSONATOR (Andrew Norman Wilson)
  5. A WILD PATIENCE HAS TAKEN ME HERE (Érica Sarnet)
  6. SOFT ANIMALS (Renee Zhan)
  7. DEAR CHANTAL (Nicolás Pereda)
  8. INNER OUTER SPACE (Laida Lertxundi)

2020

  1. IF YOU COULD GO BACK, I WOULD SEE HER. (Joshua R. Troxler)
  2. LABOR OF LOVE (Sylvia Schedelbauer)
  3. POINT AND LINE TO PLANE (Sofia Bohdanowicz)
  4. THE BIG TRIM (John Magary)
  5. VISIT (Jia Zhangke)
  6. AUTOFICCIÓN (Laida Lertxundi)
  7. WHILE CURSED BY SPECTERS (Burak Çevik)
  8. ALFRED (Esther Urlus)
  9. “THE RED FILTER IS WITHDRAWN.” (Kim Min-jung)
  10. NEVER REST/UNREST (Tiffany Sia)

2010s

Best of the Decade

  1. NO NO SLEEP (Tsai Ming-liang)
  2. ENGRAM OF RETURNING (Saïto Daïchi)
  3. ARBORETUM CYCLE (Nathaniel Dorsky)
  4. TRANSFORMERS: THE PREMAKE (Kevin B. Lee)
  5. LIST (Hong Sang-soo)
  6. SHAKTI (Martín Rejtman)
  7. THE HEDONISTS (Jia Zhangke)
  8. REDEMPTION (Miguel Gomes)
  9. LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE (Jodie Mack)
  10. NIGHT WITHOUT DISTANCE (Lois Patiño)

—

2019

  1. SHAKTI (Martín Rejtman)
  2. CITYSCAPE (Michael Snow)
  3. FOREIGN POWERS (Bingham Bryant)
  4. Z = |Z/Z•Z-1 MOD 2|-1: LAVENDER TOWN SYNDROME (Andrew Norman Wilson)
  5. THE SKY IS CLEAR AND BLUE TODAY (Ricky D’Ambrose)
  6. CATERINA (Dan Sallitt)
  7. BILLY (Zachary Epcar)
  8. Z = |Z/Z•Z-1 MOD 2|-1: THE OLD VICTROLA (Andrew Norman Wilson)
  9. SUBJECT TO REVIEW (Theo Anthony)
  10. I SHOT ANTOINE DOINEL (Nicolás Prividera)

2018

  1. PARSI (Eduardo Williams)
  2. CALYX (Nathaniel Dorsky)
  3. ROUND SEVEN (Kevin Jerome Everson)
  4. COLOPHON (Nathaniel Dorsky)
  5. FAINTING SPELLS (Sky Hopinka)
  6. DER KLANG, DIE WELT… (Robert Beavers)
  7. VESLEMØY’S SONG (Sofia Bohdanowicz)
  8. BLUE (Apichatpong Weerasethakul)
  9. LA CARTOGRAPHE (Nathan Douglas)
  10. ADA KALEH (Helena Wittmann)

2017

  1. ARBORETUM CYCLE (Nathaniel Dorsky)
  2. ANOTHER MOVIE (Morgan Fisher)
  3. SPIRAL JETTY (Ricky D’Ambrose)
  4. WATCHING THE DETECTIVES (Chris Kennedy)
  5. ROSE GOLD (Sara Cwynar)
  6. LA BOUCHE (Camilo Restrepo)
  7. AMONG THE EUCALYPTUSES (Robert Beavers)
  8. RAMS 23 BLUE BEARS 21 (Kevin Jerome Everson)
  9. WHAT DID JACK DO? (David Lynch)
  10. WASTELAND NO. 1: ARDENT, VERDANT (Jodie Mack)

2016

  1. THE HEDONISTS (Jia Zhangke)
  2. INDEFINITE PITCH (James N. Kienitz Wilkins)
  3. SECRET GOLDFISH (Bi Gan)
  4. HEAVEN IS STILL FAR AWAY (Hamaguchi Ryūsuke)
  5. EARS, NOSE AND THROAT (Kevin Jerome Everson)
  6. FOYER (Ismaïl Bahri)
  7. CILAOS (Camilo Restrepo)
  8. AUTUMN (Nathaniel Dorsky)
  9. ODE TO SEEKERS 2012 (Andrew Norman Wilson)
  10. THE TREMBLING GIANT (Patrick Tarrant)

2015

  1. NO NO SLEEP (Tsai Ming-liang)
  2. ENGRAM OF RETURNING (Saïto Daïchi)
  3. NIGHT WITHOUT DISTANCE (Lois Patiño)
  4. WORLD OF TOMORROW (Don Hertzfeldt)
  5. BAD AT DANCING (Joanna Arnow)
  6. SIX CENTS IN THE POCKET (Ricky D’Ambrose)
  7. INTIMATIONS (Nathaniel Dorsky)
  8. SOMETHING BETWEEN US (Jodie Mack)

2014

  1. TRANSFORMERS: THE PREMAKE (Kevin B. Lee)
  2. SPECTRUM REVERSE SPECTRUM (Margaret Honda)
  3. CAMERA FALLS FROM AIRPLANE AND LANDS IN PIG PEN–MUST WATCH END!! (Mia Munselle)
  4. SINGLE STREAM (Paweł Wojtasik & Toby Kim Lee & Ernst Karel)
  5. OCCIDENTE (Ana Vaz)
  6. TWELVE TALES TOLD (Johann Lurf)
  7. TAPROBANA (Gabriel Abrantes)
  8. JANUARY (Jhon Hernandez)
  9. CYCLOPS OBSERVES THE CELESTIAL BODIES (Ken Jacobs)

2013

  1. REDEMPTION (Miguel Gomes)
  2. LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE (Jodie Mack)
  3. BROUILLARD: PASSAGE #14 (Alexandre Larose)
  4. 50:50 (Hong Sang-soo)
  5. LISTENING TO THE SPACE IN MY ROOM (Robert Beavers)
  6. JG (Tacita Dean)
  7. PINBALL (Suzan Pitt)

2012

  1. WALKER (Tsai Ming-liang)
  2. THE POET AND SINGER (Bi Gan)
  3. RELEASING HUMAN ENERGIES (Mark Toscano)

2011

  1. LIST (Hong Sang-soo)
  2. VISITATION (Suzan Pitt)

2010

  1. LADY BLUE SHANGHAI (David Lynch)
  2. 607 (Liu Jiayin)
  3. CRY WHEN IT HAPPENS (Laida Lertxundi)
  4. INFINITE DOORS (Takeshi Murata)
  5. THE SUPPLIANT (Robert Beavers)

2000s

Best of the Decade

  1. THE HEART OF THE WORLD (Guy Maddin)
  2. TREES OF SYNTAX, LEAVES OF AXIS (Saïto Daïchi)
  3. ORIGINS OF THE 21ST CENTURY (Jean-Luc Godard)
  4. THE FOLLOW (Wong Kar-wai)
  5. THE SKYWALK IS GONE (Tsai Ming-liang)
  6. LOST IN THE MOUNTAINS (Hong Sang-soo)
  7. ( ) (Morgan Fisher)
  8. CRY ME A RIVER (Jia Zhangke)
  9. TEXTISM (Hirabayashi Isamu)
  10. GREEN FUSE (Saïto Daïchi)

—

2009

  1. TREES OF SYNTAX, LEAVES OF AXIS (Saïto Daïchi)
  2. LOST IN THE MOUNTAINS (Hong Sang-soo)

2008

  1. CRY ME A RIVER (Jia Zhangke)
  2. GREEN FUSE (Saïto Daïchi)
  3. FILM PERDUTO (Angela Ricci Lucchi & Yervant Giankian)

2007

  1. ARTIFICES #1 (Alexandre Larose)
  2. THE SECOND LINE (John Magary)

2006

  1. TEMPLE OF TORMENT (George Kuchar)
  2. CHINA GIRLS (Michelle Silva)

2003

  1. ( ) (Morgan Fisher)
  2. TEXTISM (Hirabayashi Isamu)
  3. EL DOCTOR (Suzan Pitt)

2002

  1. THE SKYWALK IS GONE (Tsai Ming-liang)

2001

  1. THE FOLLOW (Wong Kar-wai)
  2. DANS LE NOIR DU TEMPS (Jean-Luc Godard)

2000

  1. THE HEART OF THE WORLD (Guy Maddin)
  2. ORIGINS OF THE 21ST CENTURY (Jean-Luc Godard)

1990s

Best of the Decade

  1. OUTER SPACE (Peter Tscherkassky)
  2. JE VOUS SALUE, SARAJEVO (Jean-Luc Godard)
  3. PREMONITIONS FOLLOWING AN EVIL DEED (David Lynch)
  4. WHEN IT RAINS (Charles Burnett)
  5. AMBITION (Hal Hartley)
  6. BLACK ICE (Stan Brakhage)
  7. AM MEER (Ute Aurand)
  8. THE MAMMALS OF VICTORIA (Stan Brakhage)
  9. THEORY OF ACHIEVEMENT (Hal Hartley)
  10. JOY STREET (Suzan Pitt)

—

1999

  1. OUTER SPACE (Peter Tscherkassky)

1998

  1. VASSOURINHA: THE VOICE AND THE VOID (Carlos Adriano)
  2. THE STRANGER IN APARTMENT 9F (Mike Kuchar)

1997

  1. COMINGLED CONTAINERS (Stan Brakhage)
  2. YGGDRASILL: WHOSE ROOTS ARE STARS IN THE HUMAN MIND (Stan Brakhage)

1995

  1. PREMONITIONS FOLLOWING AN EVIL DEED (David Lynch)
  2. WHEN IT RAINS (Charles Burnett)
  3. AM MEER (Ute Aurand)
  4. JOY STREET (Suzan Pitt)

1994

  1. BLACK ICE (Stan Brakhage)
  2. THE MAMMALS OF VICTORIA (Stan Brakhage)

1993

  1. JE VOUS SALUE, SARAJEVO (Jean-Luc Godard)
  2. STELLAR (Stan Brakhage)

1991

  1. AMBITION (Hal Hartley)
  2. THEORY OF ACHIEVEMENT (Hal Hartley)

1980s

Best of the Decade

  1. STANDARD GAUGE (Morgan Fisher)
  2. NIGHT MUSIC (Stan Brakhage)
  3. EXPECTATIONS (Edward Yang)
  4. ORDERLY OR DISORDERLY (Abbas Kiarostami)
  5. CAT LISTENING TO MUSIC (Chris Marker)
  6. EIN BILD (Harun Farocki)
  7. THE GARDEN OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS (Stan Brakhage)
  8. THE BIRTH OF MAGELLAN I: CADENZA I (Hollis Frampton)
  9. EN RACHÂCHANT (Jean-Marie Straub & Danièle Huillet)
  10. NEW YORK STORY (Jackie Raynal)

—

1988

  1. CAT LISTENING TO MUSIC (Chris Marker)

1986

  1. NIGHT MUSIC (Stan Brakhage)

1984

  1. STANDARD GAUGE (Morgan Fisher)

1983

  1. EIN BILD (Harun Farocki)
  2. CATTLE MUTILATIONS (George Kuchar)
  3. POSSIBLY IN MICHIGAN (Cecelia Condit)

1982

  1. EXPECTATIONS (Edward Yang)
  2. EN RACHÂCHANT (Jean-Marie Straub & Danièle Huillet)

1981

  1. ORDERLY OR DISORDERLY (Abbas Kiarostami)
  2. THE GARDEN OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS (Stan Brakhage)

1980

  1. THE BIRTH OF MAGELLAN: CADENZA I (Hollis Frampton)
  2. NEW YORK STORY (Jackie Raynal)
  3. AMOR (Robert Beavers)

1970s

Best of the Decade

  1. (NOSTALGIA) (Hollis Frampton)
  2. SERENE VELOCITY (Ernie Gehr)
  3. POETIC JUSTICE (Hollis Frampton)
  4. ASPARAGUS (Suzan Pitt)
  5. CRITICAL MASS (Hollis Frampton)
  6. ASSOCIATIONS (John Smith)
  7. INTRODUCTION TO ARNOLD SCHOENBERG’S “ACCOMPANIMENT TO A CINEMATOGRAPHIC SCENE” (Jean-Marie Straub & Danièle Huillet)
  8. PROJECTION INSTRUCTIONS (Morgan Fisher)
  9. LA SOUFRIÈRE (Werner Herzog)
  10. WONG SINSAANG (Eddie Wong)

—

1979

  1. ASPARAGUS (Suzan Pitt)

1977

  1. LA SOUFRIÈRE (Werner Herzog)

1976

  1. PROJECTION INSTRUCTIONS (Morgan Fisher)

1975

  1. ASSOCIATIONS (John Smith)

1974

  1. YUDIE (Mirra Bank)
  2. DYKETACTICS (Barbara Hammer)
  3. FROM THESE ROOTS (William Greaves)
  4. PASADENA FREEWAY STILLS (Gary Beydler)

1973

  1. INTRODUCTION TO ARNOLD SCHOENBERG’S “ACCOMPANIMENT TO A CINEMATOGRAPHIC SCENE” (Jean-Marie Straub & Danièle Huillet)
  2. JEFFERSON CIRCUS SONGS (Suzan Pitt)

1972

  1. POETIC JUSTICE (Hollis Frampton)
  2. THE WOLD SHADOW (Stan Brakhage)

1971

  1. (NOSTALGIA) (Hollis Frampton)
  2. CRITICAL MASS (Hollis Frampton)
  3. WONG SINSAANG (Eddie Wong)

1970

  1. SERENE VELOCITY (Ernie Gehr)
  2. PRODUCTION STILLS (Morgan Fisher)
  3. THE GRANDMOTHER (David Lynch)

1960s

Best of the Decade

  1. LA JETÉE (Chris Marker)
  2. ALL MY LIFE (Bruce Baillie)
  3. THE HOUSE IS BLACK (Forough Farrokhzad)
  4. MOTHLIGHT (Stan Brakhage)
  5. ALLURES (Jordan Belson)
  6. DOG STAR MAN (Stan Brakhage)
  7. ARNULF RAINER (Peter Kubelka)
  8. COSMIC RAY (Bruce Conner)
  9. THE NAIL CLIPPERS (Jean-Claude Carriére)
  10. CASTRO STREET (Bruce Baillie)

—

1969

  1. THE NAIL CLIPPERS (Jean-Claude Carriére)
  2. LEMON (Hollis Frampton)

1968

  1. THE BRIDEGROOM, THE ACTRESS, AND THE PIMP (Jean-Marie Straub & Danièle Huillet)

1967

  1. SURFACE TENSION (Hollis Frampton)
  2. THE BIG SHAVE (Martin Scorsese)
  3. SAILING WITH BUSHNELL KEELER (David Lynch)

1966

  1. ALL MY LIFE (Bruce Baillie)
  2. CASTRO STREET (Bruce Baillie)
  3. HOLD ME WHILE I’M NAKED (George Kuchar)
  4. MEET MARLON BRANDO (Albert & David Maysles)

1965

  1. LA MUETTE (Claude Chabrol)
  2. KUSTOM KAR KOMMANDOS (Kenneth Anger)

1964

  1. DOG STAR MAN (Stan Brakhage)

1963

  1. THE HOUSE IS BLACK (Forough Farrokhzad)
  2. MOTHLIGHT (Stan Brakhage)
  3. THE NEW WORLD (Jean-Luc Godard)
  4. THE BAKERY GIRL OF MONCEAU (Éric Rohmer)
  5. MACHORKA-MUFF (Jean-Marie Straub & Danièle Huillet)
  6. BOROM SARRET (Ousmane Sembène)
  7. …A VALPARAISO (Joris Ivens)
  8. JOSEPH KILIAN (Pavel Juráček & Jan Schmidt)

1962

  1. LA JETÉE (Chris Marker)
  2. COSMIC RAY (Bruce Conner)
  3. ANTOINE AND COLETTE (François Truffaut)

1961

  1. ALLURES (Jordan Belson)

1960

  1. ARNULF RAINER (Peter Kubelka)

1950s

Best of the Decade

  1. DUCK AMUCK (Chuck Jones)
  2. NIGHT AND FOG (Alain Resnais)
  3. LE CHANT DU STYRÈNE (Alain Resnais)
  4. DUCK DODGERS IN THE 24½TH CENTURY (Chuck Jones)
  5. RABBIT SEASONING (Chuck Jones)
  6. A MOVIE (Bruce Conner)
  7. RABBIT OF SEVILLE (Chuck Jones)
  8. PESCHERECCI (Vittorio De Seta)
  9. SURFARARA (Vittorio De Seta)
  10. OPERATION: RABBIT (Chuck Jones)

—

1959

  1. LE CHANT DU STYRÈNE (Alain Resnais)
  2. WINDOW WATER BABY MOVING (Stan Brakhage)
  3. I DIMENTICATI (Vittorio De Seta)

1958

  1. A MOVIE (Bruce Conner)
  2. PESCHERECCI (Vittorio De Seta)
  3. ROBIN HOOD DAFFY (Chuck Jones)
  4. UN GIORNO IN BARBAGIA (Vittorio De Seta)
  5. PASTORI DI ORGOSOLO (Vittorio De Seta)
  6. HARE-WAY TO THE STARS (Chuck Jones)

1957

  1. WHAT’S OPERA, DOC? (Chuck Jones)
  2. ALI BABA BUNNY (Chuck Jones)

1956

  1. NIGHT AND FOG (Alain Resnais)
  2. TOUTE LA MÉMOIRE DU MONDE (Alain Resnais)

1955

  1. SURFARARA (Vittorio De Seta)
  2. REFLECTIONS ON BLACK (Stan Brakhage)
  3. PARABOLA D’ORO (Vittorio De Seta)
  4. CONTADINI DEL MARE (Vittorio De Seta)
  5. PASQUA IN SICILIA (Vittorio De Seta)
  6. ONE FROGGY EVENING (Chuck Jones)

1954

  1. LU TEMPU DI LI PISCI SPATA (Vittorio De Seta)
  2. ISOLE DI FUOCO (Vittorio De Seta)

1953

  1. DUCK AMUCK (Chuck Jones)
  2. DUCK DODGERS IN THE 24½TH CENTURY (Chuck Jones)
  3. DUCK! RABBIT, DUCK! (Chuck Jones)
  4. BULLY FOR BUGS (Chuck Jones)
  5. STATUES ALSO DIE (Alain Resnais & Chris Marker & Ghislain Cloquet)

1952

  1. RABBIT SEASONING (Chuck Jones)
  2. OPERATION: RABBIT (Chuck Jones)
  3. FEED THE KITTY (Chuck Jones)

1951

  1. RABBIT FIRE (Chuck Jones)

1950

  1. RABBIT OF SEVILLE (Chuck Jones)

1940s

Best of the Decade

  1. MESHES OF THE AFTERNOON (Maya Deren & Alexander Hammid)
  2. FIREWORKS (Kenneth Anger)
  3. RADIO DYNAMICS (Oskar Fischinger)

—

1947

  1. FIREWORKS (Kenneth Anger)

1943

  1. MESHES OF THE AFTERNOON (Maya Deren & Alexander Hammid)

1942

  1. RADIO DYNAMICS (Oskar Fischinger)

1930s

Best of the Decade

  1. ROSE HOBART (Joseph Cornell)

—

1936

  1. ROSE HOBART (Joseph Cornell)

1920s

Best of the Decade

  1. UN CHIEN ANDALOU (Luis Buñuel)
  2. RAIN (Joris Ivens & Mannus Franken)
  3. MÉNILMONTANT (Dimitri Kirshoff)
  4. BALLET MÉCHANIQUE (Fernand Léger & Dudley Murphy)
  5. THE LIFE AND DEATH OF 9413, A HOLLYWOOD EXTRA (Robert Florey & Slavko Vorkapich)
  6. LIBERTY (Leo McCarey)
  7. RECORD 957 (Germaine Dulac)
  8. BRUMES D’AUTOMNE (Dimitri Kirshoff)
  9. TOKYO MARCH (Kenji Mizoguchi)

—

1929

  1. UN CHIEN ANDALOU (Luis Buñuel)
  2. RAIN (Joris Ivens & Mannus Franken)
  3. LIBERTY (Leo McCarey)
  4. BRUMES D’AUTOMNE (Dimitri Kirshoff)
  5. TOKYO MARCH (Kenji Mizoguchi)

1928

  1. THE LIFE AND DEATH OF 9413, A HOLLYWOOD EXTRA (Robert Florey & Slavko Vorkapich)
  2. RECORD 957 (Germaine Dulac)

1924

  1. MÉNILMONTANT (Dimitri Kirshoff)
  2. BALLET MÉCHANIQUE (Fernand Léger & Dudley Murphy)

Pre-1920s

Best of the Decade

  1. WORKERS LEAVING THE LUMIÈRE FACTORY IN LYON (Louis & Auguste Lumière)
  2. THE MUSKETEERS OF PIG ALLEY (D.W. Griffith)
  3. THE ARRIVAL OF A TRAIN AT LA CIOTAT STATION (Louis & Auguste Lumière)
  4. THE SPRINKLER SPRINKLED (Louis & Auguste Lumière)
  5. TUNNELING THE ENGLISH CHANNEL (Georges Méliès)
  6. THE BLACK IMP (Georges Méliès)
  7. A TRIP TO THE MOON (Georges Méliès)
  8. THE BABY’S MEAL (Louis & Auguste Lumière)
  9. BOAT LEAVING THE PORT (Louis & Auguste Lumière)
  10. THE UNCHANGING SEA (D.W. Griffith)

—

1914

  1. KID AUTO RACES AT VENICE (Henry Lehrman)

1912

  1. THE MUSKETEERS OF PIG ALLEY (D.W. Griffith)

1910

  1. THE UNCHANGING SEA (D.W. Griffith)

1907

  1. TUNNELING THE ENGLISH CHANNEL (Georges Méliès)

1905

  1. THE BLACK IMP (Georges Méliès)

1904

  1. THE MERMAID (Georges Méliès)

1902

  1. A TRIP TO THE MOON (Georges Méliès)

1896

  1. THE ARRIVAL OF A TRAIN AT LA CIOTAT STATION (Louis & Auguste Lumière)

1895

  1. WORKERS LEAVING THE LUMIÈRE FACTORY IN LYON (Louis & Auguste Lumière)
  2. THE SPRINKLER SPRINKLED (Louis & Auguste Lumière)
  3. THE BABY’S MEAL (Louis & Auguste Lumière)
  4. BOAT LEAVING THE PORT (Louis & Auguste Lumière)