NDBT

Okay – MY list: My list only includes things I’ve seen all the way through. So yes, there are lots of great films (well, I assume great) omitted: (Citizen Kane, Third man, Apocalypse now, All about Eve, His Girl Friday, greed, It Happened One Night, Mr. Smith goes to Washington, Midnight Cowboy, Modern Times, On the Waterfront, Streetcar, Sunset Boulevard, Taxi Driver, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Deer Hunter, French Connection, Last Picture Show, Amadeus, the Kid, etc. etc.), and my list skews towards the last 3 decades. And in my defense before I get any snarky “YOU haven’t seen…” comments, I’ve seen lots more old movies than most people my age and a lot of the ones listed above are at the top of my netflix queue for when I get home.

And only films I enjoyed. Some films might be influential or widely considered to be the best, but if I didn’t enjoy them, I’m not including them (the African Queen comes to mind).

Starred movies come from my Brother’s list (therefore I kept his comments). 2 stars comes from my dad.

I think there are about 90 films, plus about 12 honorable mentions.

1930’s

(I’d personally put in a Buster Keaton film rather than a Marx bro.s, but I don’t remember which of his films is which, so I’ve left him out for now.)

All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) One of the best anti-war films ever.
Grand Hotel (1932)
*King Kong (1933)
The fun thriller that still is a good watch, even if the graphics aren’t fantastic, Kong entertains in the classic scenes.
**The Thin Man (1934)
*Bringing Up Baby (1938)
Hepburn and Grant have to take care of an unruly leopard in an amusing romantic comedy.

The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

I’m a sucker for swashbuckling.
*The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Flying monkeys, a cowardly lion and great songs in an engaging plot of Dorothy’s quest to find the Wonderful Wizard.

1940’s

*Fantasia (1940)
One of Disney’s best cinematic pieces, brilliant animation of mushrooms, dinosaurs, and a Night on Bald Mountain compliments the classical music.
*The Philadelphia Story (1940)
Hepburn, Grant and Stewart co-star in this witty romantic comedy, Hepburn and Stewart’s chemistry can’t be beat.
*The Maltese Falcon (1941)
Sam Spade was written as a lean, blonde wolf of a man, and Bogart pulled him off perfectly in this caper chock-full of great lines and suspense.

Double Indemnity (1944)

A brilliant film noir (even if I don’t personally think Barbara Stanwyck was that brilliant)

**Beauty and the Beast (1946)

Visuals stay with you all your life. (Okay – I haven’t quite seen the whole thing, but the visuals are incredible).
Key Largo (1948)

For being the best Bogey and Bacall. (The Big Sleep gets an honorable mention)

1950’s
*An American in Paris (1951)
Gene Kelley takes the title role in a romantic musical comedy featuring great dance sequences and Oscar Levant’s masterful piano pieces. (Singin’ in the Rain, ’52, get an honorable mention)
*12 Angry Men (1957)
Suspenseful film shot all in a jury room where twelve men have to decide if a kid lives or dies.
*Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
Alec Guiness’ best role as the British officer holding on to his principles in a Japanese POW camp that is trying to break his spirit.

Vertigo (1958)

I prefer Vertigo to Rear Window, although both along with the following are brilliant.
*North by Northwest (1959)
Thrilling mystery with Hitchcock’s great cinematography and Grant’s battle of wits against James Mason.
*Sleeping Beauty (1959)
The only thing more captivating than the level of art in this animation is rooting for Malificent, Diseny’s most frightening and best villain.

1960’s
*West Side Story (1961)
With Bernstein’s score and the dramatic dance scenes the Romeo and Juliet in New York plot is escalated to theatrical heights.
*To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
Growing up in the South, Scout looks to her father Atticus, played superbly by Gregory Peck, as a moral compass surrounded by inequality.
*The Great Escape (1963)
Steve McQueen and Richard Attenburrough team up with other prison inmates in a WWII German POW camp with one aim: escape, and get everyone out with them.
*The Pink Panther (1963)
Peter Sellers is the bumbling Inspector Clouseau battling against the sharp wits of the renowned ‘Phantom’, resulting in brilliant comedic acting and dialogue.
*Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
Sellers plays three roles in Kubrick’s black comedy: a British officer, President of the United States, and his advisor, the eponymous Strangelove as the world may be ending.
*Goldfinger (1964)
Connerey is everyone’s favorite 007, and in this film he gives his best performance, says some of his best lines, and has to fight off Oddjob handcuffed to an atomic bomb.
*My Fair Lady (1964)
Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison co-star in a romantic comedy musical with fast wit and great numbers complementing the two actors’ performances.

Bonnie and Clyde (1967)

Just think, the forerunner paving the way for today’s hyper-violent Tarantino and Rodriguez films. 😉 All kidding aside, it crosses a lot of genre boundaries and was incredibly innovative.
The Graduate (1967)

One of the best films to portray disaffected youth.

Cool Hand Luke (1967)
(“What we have here…”)

1970’s
Cabaret (1972)

The best musical ever, ever made. And one of the best films.

The Godfather (1972)
*The Day of the Jackal (1973)
The Jackal has been hired for one last job, the job that leads to automatic retirement: assassinate Charles de Gaule before the inspector can catch you.

American Graffiti (1973)

Ok – Star Wars is probably more influential, but I prefer this one. Probably all those years of eating at Mel’s Drive through…

The Sting (1973)
*Blazing Saddles (1974)
Wilder and Cleavon Little co-star with Madeline Khan in the farsical depiction of life in the West, at least as it appears on the backlots.
*Chinatown (1974)
Jack Nicholson is trying to unravel a few mysteries at once, while keeping his nose out of trouble investigating conspiracy and murder.
*Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
For Arthur and his K-nig-its to find the Holy Grail leads to obstacles such as the Knights who say ‘Ni!’, murderous bunnies, and silly frenchmen.
*The Rocky Horror Picture SHow (1975)
Transexual transvestite aliens, lead by Tim Curry, abduct and corrupt the youths Brad and Janet, singing catchy tunes while doing so.

Jaws (1975)

Still brilliant and scary, even when you know the sharks going to jump out. Plus it paved the way for blockbuster marketing.

Nashville (1975)

Not my favorite Altman (see 2000s), but the expansive narrative is amazing.

Network (1976)

Still depressingly relevant.
*National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978)
“What is college like?” “Have you ever seen ‘Animal House?” “Yeah.” “It’s nothing like that.” Would that it were for the laughs alone.
*The Muppet Movie (1979)
Henson’s familiar Muppets join on a road trip to Hollywood to ‘make millions of people happy’, while avoiding Doc Hopper and encountering the greatest comedians of the decade.

1980’s

*The Dark Crystal (1982)
Henson’s high-fantasy story traces the characters of Jen and Kira, gelflings who have to defeat the vulturous Skeksis despotic rule of their planet.
*Koyaanisqatsi (1982)
With no conventional plot, or documentary theme, ‘kooyanisqatsi’ translates from Hopi as ‘life out of balance’, as exposed by the images and music.
*The Big Chill (1983)
A story of the lost hope of the generation, old friends, a particularly stunning cast, reunite and reevaluate their lives in the 80’s.
*Brazil (1985)
Gilliam’s masterful story of a man in the future, played by Jonathan Price, who needs to unravel a mystery and discovers the unpleasant underbelly of his society.
*Clue (1985)
All-star cast represents the characters of Miss Peacock, Col. Mustard, and Professor Plum in the comedic caper trying to discover who killed Mr. Body.

Out of Africa (1985)

**Labyrinth (1986)

David Bowie and music superb; great tale and wonderful visuals
*The Princess Bride (1987)
True love between Buttercup and Westley must overcome a pirate, a Spaniard, a giant, and a Sicilian, all before entering the Fire Swamp, joking along the way. [Please: Twue wuv]
*A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
Kevin Kline is the brilliant gem surrounded by Cleese, Palin, and Curtis in a romantic comedy caper that’s not safe for fish or small dogs.
*Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988)
Mixing animation and live action wasn’t new, but it also had never been so funny, or had a plot that actually draws you in for more than seven minutes amongst grown-up ‘toons’.
*Dead Poets Society (1989)
When all teachers are the same and don’t care about their students Keating, played by Robin Williams, is a breath of fresh air and inspiration.
*Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
Harrison Ford reprises his Indiana Jones role with ‘dad’, Connery, in a race for the Holy Grail itself against the Nazis. [Ed: I go back and forth between this and Raiders.]

Henry V (1989)

Not only is it probably the best of all Kenneth Branagh’s Shakespeare adaptations, it has Derek Jacobi as the Chorus! “O! For a muse of fire”

1990’s

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

So, so brilliant and really scary.

Thelma and Louise (1991)

The best friendship movie ever.
*Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Six men are needed to rob a diamond store, but only four come out unhurt after a police ambush leading to the rest to wonder who is the informant.

*Jurassic Park (1993)
Sam Neil and crew are trapped on an island where dinosaurs have been brought back to life, when things start to go suspensfully wrong.
*The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Claymation never looked so good: Skellington lives in Halloweentown, where the repitition bores him, leading to the desire to become St. Nick.

Schindler’s List (1993)

Deserves all of its accolades. Its still unbelievable to me that anyone was able to make a film that covered the Holocaust so well.
*The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman find themselves prisonmates in Shawshank, where they bond and lift each other up and out into hope.

Ed Wood (1994)

My favorite Tim Burton outside of Nightmare. I watch Sleepy Hollow more, but the acting in this one is better.
*Twelve Monkeys (1995)
Bruce Willis is in a bleak future of disease and recurring nightmares, where he is chosen to go into the past and fix the future.
*The Usual Suspects (1995)
Verbal Kint tells the story of an explosion leaving 27 men dead due to five criminals and the unknown Kaiser Soze, criminal matermind and nemesis of NYC police.

Sense and Sensibility (1995)

Okay – I probably wouldn’t have thought of this if I hadn’t been looking up romantic comedies today, but it is one of my favorite period pieces. And Emma Thompson did a great job on the script.

Braveheart (1995)

FREEEEEEDOOOOOOOM!
*The Fifth Element (1997)
In the future the aliens responsible for the Pyramids revist Earth attempting to contain the balance of Good and Evil, but things go wrong and Bruce Willis needs to save humanity.

L.A. Confidential (1997)

Such a good noir film. I still get tense watching it, even when I know whodunit.

Shakespeare in Love (1998)

Really clever, funny, and gorgeous.
*Dogma (1999)
Banished to Wisconsin two fallen angels find a loophole in Catholic dogma that allows them to re-enter heaven; the consequences might lead to the end of the world. (Kevin Smith’s Best)
*Office Space (1999)
Perfect comedy of the Silicon Valley life at the end of the Millenium, Peter Gibbons hates his job and decides he doesn’t want to go anymore, with unexpected results.

The Matrix (1999)

Ok – pretend the sequels didn’t happen. This was one of the most mind-blowing experiences I’ve ever had in a movie. And I still love re-watching it.

American Beauty (1999)

I’m feeling a little less kind to this film recently, but for years it was one of my favorites. And Alan Ball’s screenplay is really touching and the acting is great (Annette Benning should’ve won…)

My honorable mentions for the 90s:

The Green Mile (1999)

Well, it isn’t as good as Shawshank, but… I need a Sam film on here somewhere! And this is one of his best (I don’t think Lawn Dogs, as an indie, can really be on here).

Titanic (1997)

It is really good.

Go (1997)/ Lola Rennt (1998)

2 of my favorite films, both with recurring narratives.

*The Big Lebowski (1998)
The Dude doesn’t want to do much but drink White Russians, listen to Creedance and go bowling with his buddies, but gets mixed-up in a kidnapping caper.

Chaplin (1992)

More a brilliant performance than all over movie, but still very good.

The Piano (1993)

2000’s

Gosford Park (2001)

My favorite Altman. A spin on upstairs/downstairs and the weekend party murder mystery.

Moulin Rouge (2001)

Heart-breaking, lush, and with dazzling visuals, Baz Luhrmann updates musicals.

Angels in America (2003)

Ok – not technically a movie, but it’s too brilliant to leave off. One of the finest pieces of art ever made (as a book, play, or miniseries)

Lost in Translation (2003)

A lovely tale of strangers forming a bond while feeling alienated in Tokyo.

*Triplets of Bellville (2003)
Near-silent French animation tells the story of a grandmother and her boy whose dream is to ride the Tour D’ France; his kidnap leads her to recruiting the odd triplets in her search for his rescue.

Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)

I prefer this one to Spirited Away. I can’t decide if I like this one or Princess Monoke better. I’m going with this one at the moment.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

Charlie Kaufman, the most brilliant screenwriter around, tops himself in an incredibly crazy, poignant take on relationships.

The New World (2005)

Ok – Colin Farrell isn’t brilliant, but the film itself is dreamy, impressionistic take on the colonization of America.

Good night and good luck (2005)

I’m torn between this one, with its relevant media warnings, and Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, with its off-kilter take on Chuck Barris. I’m choosing GNaGL because I’m biased towards Sam (no, really?).
Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Such an incredibly beautiful film.

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

The best “my family is crazy” family film.

Departed (2006)

Filled with brilliant performances (most of last year’s arguments over Oscar snubs came from this film); it’s thrilling and surprising.

Honorable mentions (‘00s):

American Psycho (2000)

Also a performance film, but it is darkly funny hysterical and its take on the 80s is brilliant.

Lord of the Rings; the Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

Finding Nemo (2003)

My favorite Pixar. I think it has the best story and graphics.

Children of Men (2006) 

It’s obviously too early for 2007, as most oscarbait holds off till at least now. But Zodiac could make my list in a few years (people often include se7en and Fight club, 2 of David Fincher’s other films, in these lists).

Good site: http://www.filmsite.org/200films.html They also have a 300 list.

More on the debate from my mom:

[We are SUCH Geeks.]

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