AFI's top 100 films

[Palomar]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070621/ap_en_...FO2ggFbToFxFb8C

Citizen Kane tops list again. I've not seen that film; need to.

The Graduate is on the list...not surprising.

The Sixth Sense also made it --??! That's surprising. It was good, but not that good.

Didn't check the entire list (link within the article), but I'd be surprised if Stanley Kubrick's The Shining is not on it. That is a very good film, imo; he managed to capture the essence of Stephen King's best novel in under 2 hours. Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall's performances were top-notch; Wendy's character was especially portrayed in a manner very different from most film wives (not curvaceous; not glamorous; actually a bit dippy looking ... and especially her tearful snorting at various points). The sets, atmosphere, costumes, everything about it is a "must see again," imo. Even if Stephen King himself hated Kubrick's "interpretation."

[Damien Evans]

Glad to see Schindlers List so high, but the Wizard Of Oz?

I gotta say, i think that is one of the worst movies ever made

[farmerjumperdon]

I must not have normal or average tastes. The only 2 in the top 10 that make my top 10 are Casablanca and Schindler's List. I agree they are all, or mostly, good movies; just that my rankings would be in a radically different order. Sure, It's a Wonderful Life and Wizard of Oz are entertaining; but are they in the top 20 movies ever made? For me, a really great movie needs to grip me, reach me emotionally in an involuntary way. It has to wow me in a way I can not resist, not sell me as "Come on, this will be fun."

They seem to have a strong bias to older movies and to the big movie houses.

Some of the terribly underranked movies, just to take the 70's and 90's ranges as examples:

Saving Private Ryan at #71. Gimme a break - top 10 easy. The credibility of the entire list is at serious risk by this movie falling below stuff like Tootsie, Some Like it Hot, ET, etc.

Shawshank Redemption at #72?
Silence of the Lambs at #74?
Goodfellas at #92? This movie is done way better than The Godfather. Maybe they take into account when the movie was made, handicapping by age because they expect modern productions to be better. And if it is not enough of an "epic" then Once Upon A Time In America is the better gangster/mafia movie.
Pulp Fiction at #94? Maybe not fantastic, but certainly deserving of top 50 at the least. Easily better than half the stuff on the list. This is rated lower than American Graffiti?

[NASA Fan]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070621/ap_en_...FO2ggFbToFxFb8C

Citizen Kane tops list again. I've not seen that film; need to.

I would say don't waste your time. I saw it once, and the main reason I did not walk out of the theater, is that I was on an airplane.

You sit through two (or more) hours to find out about this miserable man's life, and the meaning of the word "rosebud."

[Palomar]

Tootsie

I've never watched that film in its entirety; 5 minutes of listening to Dustin Hoffman affect that weirdly distorted feminine voice is enough to make me late for the door 4-1/2 minutes prior. Ugh.

Hoffman's a fine actor, but I think phenomenal success ruined him; he's too confident and that took the edge off. He was spectacular in The Graduate and Midnight Cowboy, Kramer vs. Kramer. After that, I dunno...Dustin just leaves me dusted. ::shrugs:: He lost "it" somewhere along the line; I've not enjoyed any of his work since the 1980s on.

[Palomar]

I would say don't waste your time. I saw it once, and the main reason I did not walk out of the theater, is that I was on an airplane.

You sit through two (or more) hours to find out about this miserable man's life, and the meaning of the word "rosebud."

Thanks for the warning!

[OneHotJupiter]

C'mon!!!

Citizen Kane is a brilliant movie , Orson Welles was like 25 when he did that and it was more than loosely based on the life of Newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst , the acting and cinematography revolutionized motion pictures!

The tale of an eccentric billionaire national hero , slowly driven into seclusion and insanity only to die alone and one reporters obsession with his final words , The character was hardly a "Miserable man" He did become that , but that is half the movie , why he beacme that!

If you don't see the brilliance in Orson Welles masterpiece , I feel for you , maybe it's because NASA fan WAS on a plane that he didn't like it , granted it's black and white , but I bet if he were to give it another shot he might see the beauty of such a wonderful film!

I don't see how they could have left off American Beauty from that list , that's my complaint.

NASA fan Please try to see it again!

[Tucson_Tim]

I would say don't waste your time. I saw it once, and the main reason I did not walk out of the theater, is that I was on an airplane.

You sit through two (or more) hours to find out about this miserable man's life, and the meaning of the word "rosebud."

I have to agree and, thinking I must have missed something, I gave it second and third tries. Don't know what the attraction is. Maybe you had to be there?

[SeanF]

Citizen Cane is a brilliant movie , Orson Welles was like 25 when he did that and it was more than loosely based on the life of legendary avaiator Howard Hughes , the acting and cinematography revolutionized motion pictures!

You misspelled "Kane," as well as "newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst."

[Doodler]

Doodler's List:

Why is ET on that list?

Good to see Peter Jackson got a nod for Fellowship.

M*A*S*H should be MUCH higher on the list.

Titanic has no business on the list.

Yankee Doodle Dandy is LONG overdue to drop into the dustbin of history along with Singing In The Rain...

[farmerjumperdon]

I don't see how they could have left off American Beauty from that list , that's my complaint.

Agree. I see it as evidence of the bias I mentioned against more recent releases. That and their homage to the big houses. Some of my other favorites not on the list (at least not in my quick read through):

The Dunebar Boys
Light Sleeper
Sobibor
The Music of Chance
Bad Lieutenant
Sleepers
Niagra Niagra
The Field
Basketbal Diaries
After Dark My Sweet
Bodies, Rest & Motion
The Last Outlaw

Some of these are a bit obscure, or just forgotten by time. If you have an evening and don't have another in mind, try one.

[Noclevername]

All just a matter of opinion. Their list of "best" matters no more than yours or mine.

[Tucson_Tim]

As long as Easy Rider isn't on the list, I'll be happy.

[Parrothead]

As long as Easy Rider isn't on the list, I'll be happy.

Number 84

The Killers (1946), would have easily made the Top 100 on my list. I think TCM is airing it again, this weekend.

[Tucson_Tim]

Number 84

That immediately invalidates the list.

[Trantor]

I noticed that they dropped "All Quiet on the Western Front". I saw this years ago and it certainly deserves to be on the list. One of the oldest and best war movies ever made. It's depiction of the horrors of war will scare you.

Also, why is "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" not on the list, while many other less deserving films are there.

Oh well, I guess the people that put this list together have their opinion. I remember reading in Wiki that in most Best Film Polls by regular viewers, "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" was generally rated very high up on the lists of all time favorites. Top ten in many polls.

[Click Ticker]

They just need to change the name from "the top 100" to "The most significant 100". In that case, "The Wizard of Oz" makes sense with it's revolutionary use of color. Others also make sense for their commentary on the culture of the time.

[Swift]

Originally Posted by Palomar
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070621/...O2ggFbToFxFb8C

Citizen Kane tops list again. I've not seen that film; need to.

I would say don't waste your time. I saw it once, and the main reason I did not walk out of the theater, is that I was on an airplane.

You sit through two (or more) hours to find out about this miserable man's life, and the meaning of the word "rosebud."

I won't make it # 1 on my list, and maybe not even the top 10, but almost certainly the top 25. As my dad used to say, "That's what makes horse races, it wouldn't be interesting if everyone bet on the same horse".

[Tucson_Tim]

They just need to change the name from "the top 100" to "The most significant 100".

Great idea!

[Palomar]

36. "The Bridge on the River Kwai," 1957.

One of the best military movies ever, imo. I loved this film the first time I saw it around age 10 or 11 (Sunday afternoon TV) -- and I'm a girl! Sir Alec Guiness and William Holden are fabulous; solid performances. Its timing and pacing are impeccable.

I see Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? also made the list. Saw it once...don't care to see it again.

[Gillianren]

I won't make it # 1 on my list, and maybe not even the top 10, but almost certainly the top 25. As my dad used to say, "That's what makes horse races, it wouldn't be interesting if everyone bet on the same horse".

Ditto. I wouldn't even say I enjoyed it, but I did think it was fascinating, especially if you already know some of the real history. (For the record, Orson Welles was very sorry about how he portrayed the Marian Davies character, because there was one prominent distinction between the two women--a lot of minor ones, but one prominent one--Marian Davies had talent.)

I don't watch these lists because I agree with them. For one, I've only seen about half the movies, though I'm seeing more movies every day. (Today, I'm watching Zardoz!) And I don't know what their criteria are, so I can't make an informed decision about why they're wrong. (I loathe The Wizard of Oz, in no small part because I like the book so much.) I watch them for the interviews--many of which, this year, were with people who were interviewed ten years ago, when the first list came out, and are now dead.

Incidentally, the link doesn't work for me.

[Tucson_Tim]

(Today, I'm watching Zardoz!)

You just want to see Sean Connery naked.

[Larry Jacks]

The tale of an eccentric billionaire national hero , slowly driven into seclusion and insanity only to die alone and one reporters obsession with his final words , The character was hardly a "Miserable man" He did become that , but that is half the movie , why he beacme that!

When "Citizen Kane" came out in 1940, Hughes wasn't the reclusive figure he became in later years. The movie was more closely based on William Randolf Hearst than anyone else.

All of the "Top 100" ranking are pretty meaningless, IMO. Many of the movies on that list were very good, but who's to say how much one was better than another. It would've perhaps been more meaningful if they'd just listed their top 100 movies without ranking them.

[SeanF]

(Today, I'm watching Zardoz!)

You ruined my joke!

[farmerjumperdon]

I noticed that they dropped "All Quiet on the Western Front". I saw this years ago and it certainly deserves to be on the list. One of the oldest and best war movies ever made. It's depiction of the horrors of war will scare you.

Also, why is "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" not on the list, while many other less deserving films are there.

Oh well, I guess the people that put this list together have their opinion. I remember reading in Wiki that in most Best Film Polls by regular viewers, "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" was generally rated very high up on the lists of all time favorites. Top ten in many polls.

Now that would be interesting. A poll from a statistically valid sample that represents a cross section of the population, sliced and diced every which way. I'd personally like to know the top 10 movies of the average 30 to 39 year old white male plumber with some college that lives within 10 miles of a White Castle and enjoys rock climbing, disco and going bald.

That would be truly fascinating.

[R.A.F.]

The Sixth Sense also made it --??! That's surprising.

I'll say. I don't think it was that good at all. Like all of M. Night's movies, it relies on a "gimmick". It also relies on the audience not guessing the "gimmick" before the end of the movie.

Unfortunately, in The Sixth Sense the gimmick was, IMO, so broadly telegraphed, that I figured it out within the first 10 minutes of the movie...

...making the wait for the end of the movie quite boring.

[Noclevername]

Unfortunately, in The Sixth Sense the gimmick was, IMO, so broadly telegraphed, that I figured it out within the first 10 minutes of the movie...

...making the wait for the end of the movie quite boring.

I didn't, and I still found the film quite boring.

[R.A.F.]

[Lord Jubjub]

I figured out the gimmick halfway through because the movie was going at such a glacial pace. Unfortunately, I had forgotten what the opening scenes were and didn't think they would actually go through with what I thought would be the logical ending.

In other words, I guessed the ending correctly but was still surprised when it came.

[OneHotJupiter]

Whoops , I meant W.R. Hearst , Oh well!

Silll think "Kane" belongs in the top 10 Maybe not #1 , but I personally loved it.