Last night the American Film Institute (AFI) presented the 10th anniversary of their 100 Greatest Movies list. This time around they added films from the last 10 years and allowed Institute members a chance to revote. The result was a minor shuffling but overall the list remained the same. Now I’m not going to rip apart what ranked where. In truth, I couldn’t name my 100 favorite movies if you held a gun to my head especially if I had to place them in order. Hell I can’t even place my top 10 in any order. Anyway while I won’t pick apart the ranking I did find 20 films I don’t think belong on the list, some because they outright suck, some because they’re good but not great, and some simply because I haven’t seen them. Of course to keep things even I also came up with 21 films I thought should be on the list to replace them.
21 I’d Take Out
West Side Story- A classic but one that just doesn’t evoke enough passion from me. This was the last one I took off. (AFI Rank #51)
The Gold Rush- Haven’t seen it. (AFI Rank #58)
Sullivan’s Travels- A very good movie but again not “100 greatest ever” good. (AFI Rank #61)
Cabaret- Sucks so hard. I don’t care if it was a spectacular show on Broadway, it’s a craptacular film. (AFI Rank #63)
Unforgiven- One of the least deserving Best Picture winners ever. It exemplifies why Eastwood films are more often then not, tedious exercises in overstating the obvious with over the top performances. (AFI Rank #68)
Saving Private Ryan- The opening scene on the beach is incredible filmmaking but after that this picture bores and like later Spielberg works the artistry of quality filmmaking is tossed outside the window. (AFI Rank #71)
The Sixth Sense- Maybe I’ve got M Night burnout with his pretentious, self important films but even looking beyond the Signs and Villages of recent years I’ve got to admit that Sixth Sense does not age well. The movie got lost in the shadow of the plot twist something M Night masterfully avoided in his best film Unbreakable. (AFI Rank #89)
Swing Time- Never seen it. (AFI Rank #90)
Yankee Doodle Dandy- Seen it, forgot it. (AFI Rank #98)
Toy Story- I get why this is on the list since it’s the film that revolutionized the animated film but seriously we’ve had so many better films since then including the sequel to this one. (AFI Rank #99)
Singin’ In the Rain- Really… #5 all time. I could justify throwing this out just for the fact that it was ranked that high. In the end though it’s a cute musical but nothing great. Sure there’s that one scene in the rain but speaking as someone who wanted to love it when viewing it the first time, it’s just an average flick. (AFI Rank #5)
Schindler’s List- Never seen it. I know, I know, it’s a crime I haven’t seen it, but after missing it in the theaters there has never been a moment when I’m in a video store and think, “You know what I want to see tonight, I brutally heart wrenching portrayal of the holocaust.” (AFI Rank #8)
Psycho- A good film but when compared to all of Hitchcock’s works it comes in below some films that didn’t make this list like The Birds and Spellbound. (AFI Rank #14)
City Lights- Never seen it…I think. (AFI Rank #11)
The General- Never seen it. (AFI Rank #18)
Some Like it Hot- Funny but dated and remarkably forgettable. (AFI Rank #22)
The Grapes of Wrath- We get it, it’s dry and the crops won’t grow. Geez, move on or something. (AFI Rank #23)
ET- Aside from the fact that this movie led to years of personal taunting, and the fact that I have grown to despise Spielberg, this movie has no business on this list because its just not that good, not horrible but not good. (AFI Rank #24)
High Noon- Never seen it. (AFI Rank #27)
The Best Years of Our Lives- Never seen it. (AFI Rank #37)
Forest Gump- This list was orginally a neat and clean 20 films I'd take out and swap until a friend mentioned that they couldn't believe I left Forest Gump on the list. My apologies to every person reading this as I would never want to be considered a Gump backer. If I wanted to watch 3 hours of right wing propaganda I'd watch Fox News. If I wanted to watch Tom Hanks give a good performance I'd watch Splash. I'm so upset with myself for leaving this in the first time, I'm in my own personal hell. (AFI Rank #74)
21 I’d Put In
Usual Suspects- Perhaps one of the finest acted films of all time and that’s saying something when a Baldwin not named Alec is in the cast. A movie where the audience is prepared for a twist ending but when it finally comes it still blows you away.
Kill Bill Volume 1- I had a hard time choosing between the two Kill Bills but I went with 1 because the set pieces are just so staggeringly beautiful. Tarantino gets ripped a lot for his personality and antics but his films are truly love letters to cinema of the past.
Blazing Saddles- How can one of the greatest American comedies not make the list? It’s a commentary on the western and Hollywood itself. Mel Brooks and his muse Gene Wilder do their best work here….or do they…
Young Frankenstein- The black and white…genius. Wilder, Garr, Kahn and Boyle….hilarious. The jokes…timeless and perfect. Ok this is Brooks’ finest.
The Straight Story- A David Lynch film that on paper is unlike any other yet one that perfectly fits into his catalogue of work. Lynch captures the Midwest in a way I thought only people who grew up here could do. The story is so simple but the struggle of the journey is complicated in both physical and spiritual ways.
Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet- Definitely one of my favorite films of all time. It is the definition of flawless. The scope and grandeur take your breath away but the performances keep you close and intimate. The screenplay came from a pretty good writer too.
Children of Men- I’ve spent the last 6 months thinking of no film more then this one. The best film of 2006 and a film that I guarantee will be on everyone’s best list in another 100 years…that is if anyone’s still around to make a list.
Slap Shot- The greatest sports movie ever and no not just the greatest sports comedy ever, just greatest ever, period. Paul Newman gives the first of many performances where he plays a middle aged man turning the corner on the productive years of his life. The hockey is ridiculous but shot well and the film holds a constant place in our cultural lexicon some 30 years later.
Out of Sight- I love George Clooney and I love Steven Soderberg. The two of them together has proven to be the best actor/director combo of the last 15 years. Out of Sight starts from great source material by Elmore Leonard and then Soderberg crafts the film with a deftness and attitude we now take for granted in his films. From the changes in film stock and lighting in the different locales, to the masterful editing that plays with our inner clocks, he creates a film that’s entertaining as well as a piece of art.
Fight Club- David Fincher’s masterpiece. Brad Pitt and Ed Norton’s finest hour. Meatloaf’s man tits. I mean come on this film is freaking awesome in every way. It’s the rare case where both the book and the film stand as separate but equally great works of American fiction.
The Exorcist- A thinking person’s horror film that broke boundaries and scared the bejeezus out of all of us.
Touch of Evil- Ok this one is in my top five. Orson Welles may have made a perfect film in Citizen Kane but it’s his flawed work here that I hold dearest. Watching the obese Welles transform from a film icon into one of the vilest villains in cinematic history is a treat. Of course there’s the magnificent and often imitated opening tracking shot and the fact that Charlton Heston plays a Mexican but its Welles on screen performance that makes this film so wonderful.
The Third Man- Here’s a Welles film that’s not a Welles film in the sense that he did not direct it. Orson and his longtime acting buddy Joseph Cotton star in this espionage tale that has more red herrings then a Tony Snow press conference.
The Incredibles- Forget great animated film, this is a great film. Brad Bird followed up his stunning debut Iron Giant with this tale of a super family living in a world without heroes. Pixar does its best work to date and the visual stunners keep pace with the clever one liners that appeal to old and young audiences alike.
Rushmore- Wes Anderson’s second film is one that truly speaks to absurdity of growing up and growing old. Remembered by some for its catch phrases, Rushmore is an emotionally dark film that allows its characters to grow in a natural fashion that is rare in cinema.
Raising Arizona- It’s so hard to say which Cohen brothers’ film is my favorite so instead I’ll say this is my favorite Nick Cage movie. His standard overacting fits perfect in this Preston Sturgis style comedy that has you laughing with tears from the outset.
Ed Wood- One of the most beautiful black and white films I’ve ever seen. Tim Burton packs in enough crazy to make you believe in and cheer with all your heart for Ed and his misfits. A film that made me want to make films.
Moulin Rouge- Baz Luhrman’s surreal musical is a roller coaster ride that ends before you know it. The use of modern songs was a brilliant stroke and the cast performs them with equal brilliance.
Mullholland Drive- Hard to believe a film that started out as a TV pilot would turn out to be one of the 100 greatest films. However I think this is Lynch’s greatest work. A film with so many layers you’ll never be able to peel them all way and one where you’ll always find something new. Naomi Watts gave a debut performance for the ages.
Empire Strikes Back- Hey I love Star Wars and I’m glad its ranked #13 but we all know the greatest of the trilogy is Empire. The darkness that permeated the film was mind-blowing for me a child and even today I marvel at just how George and company where able to get the studio to ok it. Sure the acting’s not great but the dialogue is exponentially better then the other films. And talk about twist endings…really who saw that whole Vader/Luke thing coming.
Magnolia- Self indulgent filmaking is a negative term. I think I've even used it in a negative way on this very site. However this time I'm using it to compliment Paul Thomas Anderson and his flick Magnolia. The first time you watch the film you realize he had no filter or outside editing influence. he just lays everything right out there for you. In fact the brillance might be that we, the audience, become active editiors in a way chosing how the stories intertwine and what we will take from them. A love it or hate it film I can understand why it didn't make the list but it will always be near the top of mine.
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2 comments:
Slap Shot?!? Slap Shot?!? Are you joking? I almost stopped reading the rest of your blog because of that. Slap Shot?!? I just don't understand.
Okay, I had to get that off my chest. I hope we're still friends, because I agreed with practically everything else you said. Especially the "I haven't seen it" parts.... ha ha ha....
Old time hockey.
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