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GHcool 
"Forever a curious character."
Los Angeles, CA, USA
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 Posted - 11/11/2013 : 20:19:02
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I'm utterly bored at work, so I decided to compile a list of my 100 favorite films of all time.
However, In the interest of creating a diverse list, there are rules!
Rule #1: No films that have a U.S. release date after December 31, 2003. The films on this list must pass the test of time.
Rule #2: At least 10% of the films on this list must be documentaries.
Rule #3: At least 10% of the films must be foreign language films.
Rule #4: At least 10% of the films must be silent films.
Rule #5: Film series will be treated as one entry (for example, the original Star Wars trilogy)
And now, without further ado, here is my list (in alphabetical chronological order):
The Kid (1921, silent)
Safety Last! (1923, silent)
Sherlock Jr. (1924, silent)
The Gold Rush (1925, silent)
Seven Chances (1925, silent)
Metropolis (1927, silent)
Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927, silent)
The Cameraman (1928, silent)
Lonesome (1928, silent)
City Lights (1931, silent)
A Night at the Opera (1935)
Gone With the Wind (1939)
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Fantasia (1940)
Pinocchio (1940)
Citizen Kane (1941)
Casablanca (1942)
Double Indemnity (1944)
Sunset Blvd. (1950)
Singin� in the Rain (1952)
The Burmese Harp (1956, Japanese)
Paths of Glory (1957)
Touch of Evil (1958)
Vertigo (1958)
The Music Man (1962)
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
Mary Poppins (1964)
The Sound of Music (1965)
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Planet of the Apes (1968)
Rosemary�s Baby (1968)
Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
The Godfather trilogy (1972-1990)
Chinatown (1974)
Saturday Night Fever (1977)
The original Star Wars trilogy (1977-1983)
Airplane! (1980)
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (1982)
Gandhi (1982)
Back to the Future (1985)
The Color Purple (1985)
Shoah (1985, French documentary)
Hour of the Star (1986, Brazilian)
Wings of Desire (1987, German)
Cinema Paradiso (1988, Italian)
Grave of the Fireflies (1988, Japanese)
Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)
Roger & Me (1989, documentary)
Goodfellas (1990)
Beauty and the Beast (1991)
Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)
In the Line of Fire (1993)
Matinee (1993)
Menace II Society (1993)
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Schindler's List (1993)
Wallace & Gromit in The Wrong Trousers (1993)
Forrest Gump (1994)
The Mask (1994)
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Speed (1994)
Casino (1995)
The Celluloid Closet (1995, documentary)
The Toy Story trilogy (1995-2010)
The Battle Over Citizen Kane (1996, documentary)
Fargo (1996)
Jerry Maguire (1996)
Microcosmos (1996, documentary)
L.A. Confidential (1997)
Life is Beautiful (1997, Italian)
Titanic (1997)
Trekkies (1997, documentary)
After Life (1998, Japanese)
Dark City (1998)
Pleasantville (1998)
The Truman Show (1998)
What Dreams May Come (1998)
Election (1999)
Genghis Blues (1999, documentary)
The Iron Giant (1999)
Man of the Century (1999)
Man on the Moon (1999)
Almost Famous (2000)
Chicken Run (2000)
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000, Chinese)
Memento (2000)
Requiem for a Dream (2000)
A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-2003)
Kandahar (2001, Iranian)
Monsters, Inc. (2001)
Shaolin Soccer (2001, Chinese)
About Schimdt (2002)
Bowling For Columbine (2002, documentary)
Chicago (2002)
Insomnia (2002)
Minority Report (2002)
American Splendor (2003)
Monster (2003)
My Flesh and Blood (2003, documentary)
Touching the Void (2003, documentary)
Of course, the list isn't set in stone, so gripe away and if I agree with the gripes, I'll amend the list.
EDIT: I forgot to add Dark City to the list. I removed Airplane to offset it. It was painful. I also switched out Life is Beautiful (which everyone already saw) with Kandahar, which few people have.
EDIT: I removed Matinee and put The Sound of Music in its place. Thanks Randall.
EDIT: I removed Memento and Crimes and Misdemeanors and put Dr. Strangelove and Shawshank Redemption in its place. Thanks Sean. |
Edited by - GHcool on 14/11/2013 23:27:43 |
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Sean
"Necrosphenisciform anthropophagist."
New Zealand
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Posted - 12/11/2013 : 00:13:53
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Additions to my queue
I've added pretty much everything on your list that I've not yet seen to my queue (that's my main interest in such lists, finding missed gems).  With one or two exceptions they passed my "shall I watch it or not" test. Here they are:-
The Celluloid Closet
Fiddler on the Roof
Man on the Moon
Menace II Society
Microcosmos (think I've seen it but not IMDb scored, will re-watch)
A Night at the Opera
Shaolin Soccer
Shoah
(those ones I've just 'netflixed', i.e., are available), and
After Life
The Burmese Harp
The Cameraman
Genghis Blues
Hour of the Star
Lonesome
Safety Last
Seven Chances
(those ones I'll have to illegally download  , a couple were already on my 'must watch' list)
Omissions
Plenty of my favourites are not on your list (and plenty are). I'll probably make a list like this myself, i.e., a Top 100 and you can see mine there. This one did stand out though:-
Beauty and the Beast (1946) - you preferred the 1991 version to this masterpiece? If you haven't seen it, then treat yourself.
Anyway, thanks for the list, my netflix queue has just improved.  |
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GHcool
"Forever a curious character."
Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Posted - 12/11/2013 : 05:31:13
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I've seen the 1946 version and love it, but I grew up with the Disney version. The French version's more poetic, but the Disney version has a tighter story.
I realize also that animation is over-represented on my list. That's my bias at work. I love animation and grew to love it even more ever since working in the field. The 1990s and 2000s are over-represented too since those were my formative years.
I'm glad you found my list helpful for recommendations. That was my intention with it. If I didn't make myself the documentary, foreign film, and silent rules, this list would probably have more of the films everyone's already seen and loves. |
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Chris C 
"Four words, never backwards."
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Posted - 12/11/2013 : 13:28:46
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Some I'd agree with, some not, and some I know nothing about.
From my own personal list, I would like to offer
The Blues Brothers.
The Matrix.
Some Like It Hot.
The Great Escape.
Unfortunately WALL-E doesn't make the list on Rule 1 
There's probably others, but I can't think of them right now.  |
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randall 
"I like to watch."
NYC, USA
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Posted - 13/11/2013 : 00:59:14
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A very fine list, though you have hobbled yourself with the equivalent of von Trier's Five Obstructions. More as I analyze it a bit closer.
EDIT: I had so much fun going through it! The great thing is, "my favorite 100 movies" can never be taken away from you, because that's how you feel, dammit!
We all have different tastes -- yours and mine have to be affected by our relative ages as well as the movies themselves -- but the best part of a list like this is filling in the blanks: for example, I'm going to seek out the four silents you cite that I haven't already seen. Maybe just below are a few for you, too.
I think I can tell a little bit about you from this list, even though you hamper yourself by forcing your rules upon it [meaning there may be some entries here that wouldn't make the list if you simply wrote down your favorite hundred, period]. For example, it's not clear how many feature-length silent flicks you've seen, or at least liked. INTOLERANCE and BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN would definitely be on my list [we're talking "most enjoyable" here, not "most important to cinema history"]. And if you enjoyed THE GOLD RUSH, you cannot miss MODERN TIMES. [THE GREAT DICTATOR, from the sound era, is also so much fun because it's brimming with catharsis.]
Likewise, there are a host of gripping films that came from Europe and Japan at midcentury which may not have been thrust upon you like they were on me. [I was in film school in the early 70s, just in time to actually see some of these titles I'd only heard about.] RASHOMON, THE RULES OF THE GAME, THE SEVEN SAMURAI, THE SEVENTH SEAL, LA STRADA, THE 400 BLOWS, WILD STRAWBERRIES, KNIFE IN THE WATER -- they're all hypnotic, once you can get into the rhythm of reading subtitles in monochrome. Actually, AKIRA KUROSAWA'S DREAMS, from much later and in color, is my favorite film of his...bet I've seen it ten times...but the critical community doesn't agree with me. Screw the critical community!
Judging from your list, it looks like you don't have much of a hankerin' for Westerns. Nevertheless, you should seek out RED RIVER, THE SEARCHERS, STAGECOACH, BUTCH CASSIDY, and UNFORGIVEN [the Clint Eastwood picture from the 90s]. They are all great stories about human nature that transcend their genre. Then there's THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY, which is sui generis, just as oddball as if a Martian made a Western after having the genre carefully explained to him. (The notorious...and accurate...comment about Tommy Wiseau's THE ROOM.)
Finally, there's just whatever floats your personal boat. Several movies on your list are what I'd consider amusing but minor: AIRPLANE!, MATINEE, THE MASK, FORREST GUMP, JERRY MAGUIRE, LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL, ELECTION, AMERICAN SPLENDOR, IN THE LINE OF FIRE and the CITIZEN KANE and STAR TREK docs. WHAT DREAMS MAY COME I just didn't care for at all. I thought the original TERMINATOR was more fun than TERMY 2, and that ROGER & ME runs circles around BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE -- in other words, the latter wouldn't make my list. But if you like 'em, then they deserve their places on yours!
Likewise, my list of "popular" favorites would probably include NORTH BY NORTHWEST, THE SOUND OF MUSIC, PSYCHO, M*A*S*H, PATTON, ALIEN and probably ALIENS too, A CLOCKWORK ORANGE, JAWS, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS, ANNIE HALL, NASHVILLE, APOCALYPSE NOW, THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, and PULP FICTION. If you have by chance missed one or two of these, I recommend them all highly. I think a movie is a movie no matter who directs it [the pre-auteur studio movies of the Thirties and Forties really force that theory into unnatural twists and turns as the powers that be grind them out as fast as they can].
Lastly, is ten years sufficient for the "test of time"? The glow does indeed fade -- who watches AMERICAN BEAUTY or A BEAUTIFUL MIND any more? -- but perhaps it will take a little longer before we really know whether or not LORD OF THE RINGS is a masterpiece. [I believe it is, and will hold up like THE WIZARD OF OZ, but only time will tell.]
Thanks for your list, and if things get too boring at work, give us the second hundred! |
Edited by - randall on 13/11/2013 18:58:41 |
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GHcool
"Forever a curious character."
Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Posted - 13/11/2013 : 01:33:54
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| Upon rereading the list, I wish I had made another rule that no single director will be given more than 3 films on the list. Spielberg has 6 entries! All of the films are deserving, but I was trying to create a diverse list. |
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Sean
"Necrosphenisciform anthropophagist."
New Zealand
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Posted - 13/11/2013 : 03:46:28
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| I've made a Top 100 (I won't post a thread on it for a few days, I'll let fwfr digest yours first), but I will say that I had no rules or restrictions, so the list contains 1 silent, 1 documentary, 1 short, and 43 are non-English-language. |
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BaftaBaby
"Always entranced by cinema."
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Posted - 13/11/2013 : 17:27:30
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I LOVE this whole thread ... and everyone's take so far. I'm truly tied up with several projects for a few weeks, but please keep this one open. I'll be working on my own favs when I get some stolen moments [no, that's not a hint!!!]
YAY!
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GHcool
"Forever a curious character."
Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Posted - 13/11/2013 : 19:51:33
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These are the films I haven't seen that might be on this list if/once I see them (all suggested by Randall: Intolerance, Rules of the Game, Wild Strawberries, Knife in the Water, Red River, The Searchers, Butch Cassidy, Patton, and Nashville.
Upon reading Randall's suggestions, I've decided to remove Airplane, Life is Beautiful, and Matinee and in their place add back Memento and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and add Sound of Music.
There are better documentaries out there than Trekkies and Battle Over Citizen Kane, but none that I've seen that were made before 2003. Man on Wire (2008) and The Cove (2009) come to mind.
Battleship Potemkin is a classic, but I cannot add it to the list. It has 2 or 3 great scenes surrounded by a lot of sleepy scenes. It doesn't feel like a cohesive whole. The Odessa Steps is shocking to this day.
Modern Times and Great Dictator are great films, but the 3 Chaplin films I already listed are greater films (in my opinion).
Randall is right that westerns aren't really my thing. I've seen a few good ones like Stagecoach and Unforgiven, but nothing I'd put on the list. I do really admire The Shootist, John Wayne's last film. I also have a soft spot for Dances With Wolves.
I admire the films of Kurasawa and Bergman, but none of their films lit my fire in the way the other films on this list do. I'm glad to see Randall likes Dreams best of all of Kurasawa's films. I thought I was the only one! Sadly, I continue to be alone in my admiration for What Dreams May Come. |
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Sean
"Necrosphenisciform anthropophagist."
New Zealand
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Posted - 13/11/2013 : 21:18:53
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BTW I've never paid much attention to the 'stands the test of time' rule. If a movie makes me go "Wow!" on first viewing, then it's done its job. I seldom watch a movie twice (and of course the handful I can watch again at the same level of enjoyment are on my favourites list) but almost all movies (for me) aren't as good the second time around (particularly those that depend significantly on plot exposition).
tl;dr once is enough
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randall
"I like to watch."
NYC, USA
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Posted - 13/11/2013 : 22:56:46
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| Thanx, cool, for the most entertaining thread we've had here in a long time. I'm almost finished with my FIRST DRAFT of my top hundred, ending in 2003. I'll post that first draft and then start changing it, as you did, when other fwiffers pipe in! |
Edited by - randall on 15/11/2013 20:37:06 |
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randall
"I like to watch."
NYC, USA
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Posted - 14/11/2013 : 00:31:55
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quote:
Originally posted by Sean
BTW I've never paid much attention to the 'stands the test of time' rule. If a movie makes me go "Wow!" on first viewing, then it's done its job. I seldom watch a movie twice (and of course the handful I can watch again at the same level of enjoyment are on my favourites list) but almost all movies (for me) aren't as good the second time around (particularly those that depend significantly on plot exposition).
tl;dr once is enough
CLOUD ATLAS
THE USUAL SUSPECTS
PSYCHO
KOYAANISQATSI
2001
MEMENTO
all reward a second viewing imho. |
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Sean
"Necrosphenisciform anthropophagist."
New Zealand
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Posted - 14/11/2013 : 01:35:37
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quote:
Originally posted by randa14
quote:
Originally posted by Sean
BTW I've never paid much attention to the 'stands the test of time' rule. If a movie makes me go "Wow!" on first viewing, then it's done its job. I seldom watch a movie twice (and of course the handful I can watch again at the same level of enjoyment are on my favourites list) but almost all movies (for me) aren't as good the second time around (particularly those that depend significantly on plot exposition).
tl;dr once is enough
CLOUD ATLAS
THE USUAL SUSPECTS
PSYCHO
KOYAANISQATSI
2001
MEMENTO
all reward a second viewing imho.
Coincidentally (not!) 5/6 are on my 'rare movies that are as good on the second viewing' (haven't re-viewed Cloud Atlas) list! Movies that are audio/visual feasts of course can be rewatched and re-rewatched (2001, Koyaanisqatsi, Leone's Westerns etc). Movies with seriously elaborate plots (or subtle plot exposition) may require a second viewing (Usual Suspects, Memento, Identity, Angel Heart, Sixth Sense, Inception, Pulp Fiction etc).
IMHO most movies do not 'improve' on a second viewing (most are not as enjoyable the second time around), and I do not hold that against them. E.g., Crash, American Beauty, Life is Beautiful, Gladiator etc. These days if I love a movie - but believe I've got everything out of it first time around - then I won't see it again. I have no problem finding unwatched movies to watch. |
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TitanPa
"Here four more"
United States
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Posted - 15/11/2013 : 17:39:42
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| I love the list and hope to compile my own someday. Although I might have to bend the rules a little or make my own. I don't watch too many Silent films (unless Bambi vs. Godzilla is silent....oh wait...we do hear Godzilla roar at the end) and I don't watch too many foreign language films. I hate reading while watching music. I like to concentrate on the film, background, and the plot. I know I am ignorant that way, but I guess that just my preference. I am sure I have seen some. When I have time I will have to do a little research |
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GHcool
"Forever a curious character."
Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Posted - 15/11/2013 : 19:38:59
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Since this thing has gotten popular, and because things continue to be slow at work, I've compiled a list of 100 more recommended great films. There are rules for this list too though!
Rule #1: No films that have a U.S. release date after December 31, 2008.
Rule #2: At least 5% of the films on this list must be documentaries.
Rule #3: At least 5% of the films must be foreign language films.
Rule #4: At least 5% of the films must be silent films.
Rule #5: Film series will still be treated as one entry.
Rule #6: No film listed on either Sean's or Randall's lists may be included on this list.
My purpose for this whole thread was to create diverse recommendations (hence all the rules). I'd be honored if people would add the films on this list to their Netflix queue, but please parse the films on my first list and Randall's and Sean's list first! These are all great films, but I'm starting to scrape the bottom of the "great films" barrel (including a lot of movies nobody else loves but me).
And now, without further ado, here is my 2nd list (in chronological order):
Charlie Chaplin�s short films (1914-1921, silent)
Our Hospitality (1923, silent)
Grandma�s Boy (1922, silent)
The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928, silent)
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
The Sea Wolf (1941)
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
The Seven Year Itch (1955)
Some Like It Hot (1959)
The Tingler (1959)
Jason and the Argonauts (1963)
My Fair Lady (1964)
Doctor Zhivago (1965)
Batman (1966)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
Paper Moon (1973)
Young Frankenstein (1974)
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
Network (1976)
The Shootist (1976)
Silent Movie (1976, silent)
The Wiz (1978)
Airplane (1980)
Superman II (1980)
The Karate Kid (1984)
Top Secret! (1984)
Young Sherlock Holmes (1985)
Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
Do the Right Thing (1989)
Dances with Wolves (1990)
JFK (1991)
Aladdin (1992)
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
Matinee (1993)
The Lion King (1994)
Apollo 13 (1995)
Babe (1995)
Clueless (1995)
As Good As It Gets (1997)
Deconstructing Harry (1997)
The Full Monty (1997)
Wag the Dog (1997)
American History X (1998)
Antz (1998)
Shakespeare in Love (1998)
Being John Malkovich (1999)
The Matrix (1999)
Sleepy Hollow (1999)
Tarzan (1999)
Cheaters (2000)
Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)
The Harry Potter franchise (2001-2011)
Shrek (2001)
28 Days Later � (2002)
Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Nicholas Nickleby (2002)
Sam Raimi�s Spider-Man trilogy (2002-2007)
Cold Mountain (2003)
Holes (2003)
Shanghai Knights (2003)
The Assassination of Richard Nixon (2004)
Crash (2004)
Night Watch (2004, Russian) and Day Watch (2006, Russian)
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)
Super Size Me (2004)
Grizzly Man (2005, documentary)
Lord of War (2005)
Munich (2005)
Sin City (2005)
The Notebook (2004)
Star Wars: Episode III � Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)
The World�s Fastest Indian (2005)
Black Book (2006, Dutch)
Casino Royale (2006)
Children of Men (2006)
Crank (2006)
Fido (2006)
The Last King of Scotland (2006)
When the Levees Broke (2006, documentary)
Black Snake Moan (2007)
The Counterfeiters (2007, Austrian)
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007, French)
In the Shadow of the Moon (2007, documentary)
Juno (2007)
The King of Kong (2007, documentary)
Persepolis (2007, French)
Please Vote For Me (2007, Chinese, documentary)
Sunshine (2007)
The Dark Knight (2008)
God on Trial (2008)
Leatherheads (2008)
Man on Wire (2008, documentary)
Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
WALL E (2008)
Wanted (2008)
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Edited by - GHcool on 15/11/2013 21:38:48 |
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randall
"I like to watch."
NYC, USA
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Posted - 15/11/2013 : 21:00:28
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Now HERE's the one we all need, when we get down & dirty. THE TINGLER! Adam West's BATMAN! JASON & THE ARGONAUTS! Now you're digging down into some that we REALLY LOVE. [ME TOO!] I'm considering trying to see if I can get to 100 Guilty Pleasures: in other words, the critic-proof flicks I still love no matter who else does or doesn't.
By the way, cool, and Sean too, port some lists over to my Wordpress campfire and join in!
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GHcool's 100 Greatest Films of All Time
