Nov 30, 2007

Semi-stolen post

After ajooja's post earlier this week regarding the AFI top films of all time, I became inspired to write a similar post. Instead of using AFI's list, I decided to use the people's list aka the IMDB Top 100 films of all time. It's pretty ridiculous, in some ways. I love The Shawshank Redemption, but #2 all time? Get real kids! Anyway, Slyde and I compare how many films we have seen on various "best of" lists. I usually beat him only because of the number of foreign films on the list and the fact that he hates foreigners. Especially Canadians.

So here is the current IMDB Top 100 list. I've shown the films that I haven't seen in italic Red, and I've added a few notes where I thought applicable.

  1. The Godfather (1972). - Solid pick.
  2. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
  3. The Godfather: Part II (1974)
  4. Buono, il brutto, il cattivo, Il (1966) - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly for you non-Italian types.
  5. Pulp Fiction (1994) - not even my favorite Tarantino flick, but okay.
  6. Schindler's List (1993) - something about Holocaust films that I can't get into. Oh yeah, the horror of it all. One day.
  7. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) - the best of the bunch. Well done, kids!
  8. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
  9. Casablanca (1942)
  10. Shichinin no samurai (1954) - The Seven Samurai, by Akira Kurasawa. Awesome film!
  11. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) - Hard to prefer just one of these, but okay.
  12. Star Wars (1977)
  13. 12 Angry Men (1957) - wouldn't this have looked better in the #12 slot? Huh?
  14. Rear Window (1954)
  15. Goodfellas (1990) - certainly not my favorite Scorcese film.
  16. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
  17. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) - there we go.
  18. Cidade de Deus (2002) - the Brazilian "City of God". Been meaning to see this one for a while, but just haven't gotten around to it.
  19. C'era una volta il West (1968) - Once Upon a Time in the West.
  20. The Usual Suspects (1995)
  21. Psycho (1960)
  22. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) - Brilliant, brilliant Kubrick film.
  23. No Country for Old Men (2007) - plan on seeing it soon. Maybe tomorrow.
  24. Citizen Kane (1941) - Rosebud, my ass!
  25. The Silence of the Lambs (1991) - Nice!
  26. North by Northwest (1959)
  27. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) - and then there were three.
  28. Memento (2000)
  29. Fight Club (1999)
  30. Sunset Blvd. (1950) - Carol Burnett's spoof on it was funnier.
  31. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
  32. It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
  33. The Matrix (1999)
  34. Taxi Driver (1976)
  35. Se7en (1995)
  36. Apocalypse Now (1979) - Way too high on the list for my liking.
  37. American Beauty (1999)
  38. Vertigo (1958)
  39. Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain, Le (2001) - Nope, haven't seen it and dont' really want to.
  40. Léon (1994) - aka The Professional
  41. The Departed (2006) - only seen it about 20 times now.
  42. American History X (1998) - Great acting by Norton, but #42? C'mon!
  43. Paths of Glory (1957) - early great Kubrick film.
  44. Chinatown (1974)
  45. M (1931) - I've seen parts of it, but certainly not enough to say I've seen it. I'd love to see it, though.
  46. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
  47. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
  48. The Third Man (1949)
  49. A Clockwork Orange (1971) - Awesome!
  50. Laberinto del fauno, El (2006) - aka Pan's Labyrinth. I have it recorded, but still haven't been inspired to sit down and watch it.
  51. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
  52. Alien (1979)
  53. The Pianist (2002) - See my thoughts on Schindler's List.
  54. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) - Very nice!
  55. The Shining (1980) - Go Kubrick, go!
  56. Double Indemnity (1944)
  57. L.A. Confidential (1997)
  58. Leben der Anderen, Das (2006) - aka The Lives of Others. Never even heard of this one, to be honest.
  59. Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (2001) - the animated Spirited Away. I've seen bits and pieces, just not the whole thing.
  60. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
  61. Untergang, Der (2004) - aka Downfall. About the last days of Hitler in WWII. ???
  62. The Maltese Falcon (1941)
  63. Boot, Das (1981)
  64. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
  65. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
  66. Requiem for a Dream (2000) - Always been interested in seeing this, but it hasn't happened yet.
  67. Metropolis (1927) - saw it in film class, otherwise it would have been in italics.
  68. Forrest Gump (1994)
  69. Aliens (1986)
  70. Raging Bull (1980)
  71. Rashômon (1950) - another great Kurasawa film!
  72. Singin' in the Rain (1952)
  73. Rebecca (1940) - one of my favorite Hitchcock films.
  74. Hotel Rwanda (2004) - human suffering and films I haven't seen seem to go hand in hand.
  75. Sin City (2005)
  76. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
  77. Modern Times (1936)
  78. All About Eve (1950) - what about her?
  79. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) - Kubrick rules!
  80. Some Like It Hot (1959)
  81. The Great Escape (1963)
  82. Sjunde inseglet, Det (1957) - The Seventh Seal. Another film class entry.
  83. Amadeus (1984) - how great was Tom Hulce in this? Where the hell did he dissappear to?
  84. On the Waterfront (1954) - I coulda been a contender...
  85. Touch of Evil (1958) - have only seen the scenes from Get Shorty. "Your'e going down, Orson!"
  86. The Elephant Man (1980)
  87. The Prestige (2006) - Fine film, but not an all-time great.
  88. The Manchurian Candidate (1962) - haven't seen the remake yet, does that count.
  89. Jaws (1975)
  90. Vita è bella, La (1997) - Life is Beautiful. Hey! A WWII film about prison camps that I have seen.
  91. The Sting (1973)
  92. Strangers on a Train (1951) - hmm? A Hitchcock film I haven't really heard of.
  93. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
  94. Ratatouille (2007) - too new, but I will se it.
  95. The Apartment (1960)
  96. City Lights (1931) - people love Charlie Chapman.
  97. Braveheart (1995)
  98. Batman Begins (2005)
  99. The Big Sleep (1946)
  100. Nuovo cinema Paradiso (1988) - Damn! Another Foreign film I haven't seen.

So that's it folks. A grand total of 16 out of the top 100 that I haven't seen, and most of them for the same reason. No interest.

How many you got

Unsexy update - watched Ratatoulle over the weekend. Bam! Another one bites the dust!

10 comments:

Kat said...

I totally agree about Schindler's List. Sometimes there is no right mood to be in to watch a movie.

Verdant Earl said...

At least Jerry Seinfeld got to "make out" during the film. And honestly, I know that it's about overcoming horrific tragedy, but isn't there enough of that in the daily newspaper. Same for The Piano, Pan's Labyrinth (in a way), City of God and Hotel Rwanda.

I can bum myself out enough just trolling the internets rather than watch one of these films. Someday.

Mermaid Melanie said...

Schindlers List and Hotel Rowanda... those are both necessary "sees".

Here is irony (or maybe just confusing) you can go and see No Country for Old Men, with all that senseless killing and violence, but when its real life occurrence you squirm?

come on man. get some kahunas! :giggles:

Verdant Earl said...

Absolutely. I prefer my horror and violence to be fictional. Always will.

elizabeth said...

I hated Sin City. It was yucky and confusing.

Wot's wrong with Canadian's then EH?

elizabeth said...

Pan's Labyrinth was AMAZING.

Verdant Earl said...

I can see how one wouldn't like Sin City, but as a comic-book adaptation it has no equal. Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez did an amazing job. Certainly not to everyone's liking, though.

I'll see Pan's Labyrinth eventually. Guillermo del Toro is fantastic.

PS - Nothing wrong with Canadians a little humor can't diffuse, eh?

badgerdaddy said...

There's some right shit in there.

Braveheart, one of the 100 best movies ever? And how the hell did Godfather beat out Godfather II???

Leon shouldn't be in there either. Why Leon and not Nikita? Nikita is far more complete, more human. And it doesn't have that tacked-on ending.

American History X??? Fucking hell.

Earl, you should certainly see Hotel Rwanda and City of God. They're actually very uplifting in their own ways. Same with Schindler's - one person making a choice which makes a difference. Well, it inspires me.

One movie that should certainly be on there - United 93. Nowhere to be seen. Pah and gah.

Slyde said...

i only hate canadians who have blogs....

Verdant Earl said...

Badger - It's a user-community best of list, so it's safe to assume that there is gonna be some shit in there.

I loved Braveheart, I must say, and I did like the first Godfather better than the second. American History X is a ridiculous choice. Great acting job by Norton, and little else.

Slyde - hater