| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| GHcool |
Posted - 11/11/2013 : 20:19:02
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. |
| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| GHcool |
Posted - 12/12/2014 : 06:46:14
quote:
Originally posted by Sean
quote:
Originally posted by Sean
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)
I forgot to post earlier, but I watched all of these some time ago except HOUR OF THE STAR (I'll find it one day). I enjoyed them all, but will only comment on a couple...
SHOAH - This is a tough one. How to rate (and compare with others) a movie where scriptwriting, directing, acting, costumes, sound, cinematography etc are all rendered virtually obsolete? I have no idea how to score it. I think of this more as 'a job that absolutely needed to be done' and Lanzmann did an excellent job of it rather than 'a movie to compare with other movies'. Film just happens to be the end result of that job.
THE BURMESE HARP - Had never heard of it. I gave it 10/10 (which of course means it goes onto the next version of my Top 100) and recommend it to everyone.
I'm glad you appreciated both of these. I feel exactly the same way as you do about them both. |
| Sean |
Posted - 11/20/2014 : 23:37:51
quote:
Originally posted by Sean
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)
I forgot to post earlier, but I watched all of these some time ago except HOUR OF THE STAR (I'll find it one day). I enjoyed them all, but will only comment on a couple...
SHOAH - This is a tough one. How to rate (and compare with others) a movie where scriptwriting, directing, acting, costumes, sound, cinematography etc are all rendered virtually obsolete? I have no idea how to score it. I think of this more as 'a job that absolutely needed to be done' and Lanzmann did an excellent job of it rather than 'a movie to compare with other movies'. Film just happens to be the end result of that job.
THE BURMESE HARP - Had never heard of it. I gave it 10/10 (which of course means it goes onto the next version of my Top 100) and recommend it to everyone.
|
| GHcool |
Posted - 11/18/2013 : 19:10:10
Another slow day at work, I've compiled a list of 60 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, 2010.
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 3% 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.
Again, use the other lists before using this one for recommendations.
And now, without further ado, here is my 3rd list (in chronological order):
Dr. Jack (1922, silent)
The Circus (1928, silent)
Show People (1928, silent)
The African Queen (1951)
On the Waterfront (1954)
Lolita (1962)
Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
American Graffiti (1973)
Carrie (1976)
Ghostbusters (1984)
28 Up (1985, documentary)
The Great Mouse Detective (1986)
Parenthood (1989)
Strictly Ballroom (1992)
Wayne�s World (1992)
Interview With the Vampire (1994)
True Lies (1994)
Kingpin (1996)
The Nutty Professor (1996)
Jackie Brown (1997)
The Big Lebowski (1998)
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
There�s Something About Mary (1998)
Dogma (1999)
The Green Mile (1999)
Amores Perros (2000, Mexican)
Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport (2000, documentary)
The Patriot (2000)
Thirteen Days (2000)
In America (2002)
Whale Rider (2002)
Finding Nemo (2003)
Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004, documentary)
Howl�s Moving Castle (2004)
Batman Begins (2005)
The Greatest Game Ever Played (2005)
Dreamgirls (2006)
The Prestige (2006)
Sixty Six (2006)
Breach (2007)
Charlie Wilson�s War (2007)
Ratatouille (2007)
Transformers (2007)
Burn After Reading (2008)
John Adams (2008)
Ponyo (2008, Japanese)
Waltz with Bashir (2008, Israeli)
Avatar (2009)
Coraline (2009)
The Cove (2009, documentary)
Inglourious Bastards (2009)
Lebanon (2009, Israeli)
Mary and Max (2009)
The Secret in Their Eyes (2009, Argentine)
Up (2009)
Black Swan (2010)
Inception (2010)
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)
Shutter Island (2010)
Waiting for �Superman� (2010, documentary) |
| randall |
Posted - 11/17/2013 : 23:12:04
I hope you have been watching THE STORY OF FILM on TCM. It's a magnificent ten-week world film history class, after which you'll know more than even your snobbiest friends. I studied this stuff, even wrote a Master's thesis on it, yet I was still gobsmacked in each episode by what I hadn't already known. |
| Sean |
Posted - 11/15/2013 : 21:13:44
quote:
Originally posted by GHcool
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).
I have 253 movies (so far) that I've scored 9 or 10, so I'd have no problem finding 100 more. If I define 'great' as anything that I gave 9 or above then I wouldn't be scraping the bottom of the 'great' barrel until the third 100. I hate to think how many 8's I have...
BTW thanks for the next 100, I'll check back on it later. As a consequence of making my list I found I got sidetracked with Time Out's "50 Greatest Westerns", "100 Greatest Horrors" etc and am currently stacking my queue with some I'd missed from their lists. |
| randall |
Posted - 11/15/2013 : 21:00:28
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!
|
| GHcool |
Posted - 11/15/2013 : 19:38:59
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)
|
| TitanPa |
Posted - 11/15/2013 : 17:39:42
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 |
| Sean |
Posted - 11/14/2013 : 01:35:37
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. |
| randall |
Posted - 11/14/2013 : 00:31:55
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. |
| randall |
Posted - 11/13/2013 : 22:56:46
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! |
| Sean |
Posted - 11/13/2013 : 21:18:53
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
|
| GHcool |
Posted - 11/13/2013 : 19:51:33
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. |
| BaftaBaby |
Posted - 11/13/2013 : 17:27:30
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!
|
| Sean |
Posted - 11/13/2013 : 03:46:28
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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