Hello loyal readers. I felt like posting today but I didn't feel like doing a full on review. Instead, I thought I'd have some fun and create a list of my top 25 favorite films of all time. Now this list is highly tentative and will most likely change soon. But right at this moment, as I type this, what I have now is what I truly feel. You will see a wide array of movie genres here and some of the films may surprise you. My top 5 favorite films were judged based on entertainment value, lasting power, and technical achievement. Movies 25-6 are based more on entertainment value and lasting power. I didn't judge them all based on technical stuff like directing and writing and things of that nature. So when you see that Anchorman is rated higher than Paths of Glory on my list, it is obviously because I just find Anchorman to be more enjoyable to watch. If I had based that decision on direction, obviously Stanley Kubrick would blow Adam McKay out of the water. I decided that to stretch this experience out and to keep you from having to read one super long post, I will just list numbers 25-16 today.
25) Paths Of Glory (1957)- Stanley Kubrick's second major film about the cruelty of man is not just thought provoking but a thrill to watch.
24) The Birdcage (1996)- Two words: Agador Spartacus. Hank Azaria's famous supporting role is just the icing on the cake of this hilarious movie that has had me laughing since I was a little boy.
23) Secret Window (2004)- It's not the most original psychological thriller, but even after numerous viewings I find myself more than satisfied by the resolution. Revenge is a sweet, sweet thing.
22) Iron Man (2008)- One of the biggest blockbusters of 2008, Iron Man was one of the greatest superhero films ever made. It proved that a big budget action flick could be both intelligent and unabashedly fun. It also helped revive Robert Downey Jr's career...big time.
21) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)- Michel Gondry's exploration into the agonizing world of love is engaging throughout and filled with top notch performances. Jim Carrey at his absolute finest.
20) Ghostbusters (1984)- Ah Ghostbusters, my first love. Well, the first movie I ever loved. My big brother groomed me to like this movie when I was extremely young and it just stuck. I used to have the outfit and a proton pack and everything. I miss childhood. Nevertheless, the movie is still hilarious. Don't worry about the sequel. Even Bill Murray said he didn't like the sequel.
19) The Big Lebowski (1998)- "That rug really tied the room together". Enough said.
18) Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)- Another Kubrick gem, this satire garnered 4 Oscar nominations including Best Writing, Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Picture. You are guaranteed to laugh at at least one of Peter Sellers' 3 great performances. Dr. Strangelove is also the movie that brought the famous line "Gentleman you can't fight in here, this is the war room!"
17) Fight Club (1999)- I can't believe I went 10 years without seeing this movie. After the first time I watched Fight Club, I was mildly impressed, but I didn't get the hype. I watched it again the following day and I realized that "wait a minute, this movie is friggin GREAT!".
16) Clue (1985)- This could probably classify as a "guilty pleasure" of mine, although I don't feel guilty about it. I've seen this movie about 9 times and I still love every minute of it. If you love the game like I do, this movie is going to be in your list as well.
Check back tomorrow (probably) for numbers 15-6!
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13 years ago
I won't say too much about Strangelove, since we'll probably watch it later this semester. When I had favorite films, it was certainly one of mine. You might be amused to hear that I was strolling through the halls the other day when I heard Ms. Kirschbaum talking about fluoridation of water. It was an Economics class in progress. I poked my head in and asked if I heard right about fluoridation. She said that I had. I then proceeded to quote General Ripper's speech almost word for word. "1946, how does that tie in with your Commie conspiracy? Did you know that fluoridation of water represents the most monstrously concieved Communist plot to contaminate our precioius bodily fluids?" The entire class, Ms. K included gazed at me in stupefaction. Clearly I had gone insane. I realized that I was speaking to an entire room full of people utterly ignorant of that great film.
ReplyDeleteI liked the Big Lebowski too, dude. And Paths of Glory, until I read the book, and realized that they had utterly diluted the original message, changing an existential work into something rather tame. Try it. Humphrey Cobb is the author.
I haven't seen most of the rest. You may find that these other films diminish over time. Or you will change, or both.
That is really funny about Ms Kirschbaum's class. I remember the first time I saw the movie and I was listening to Ripper's little speech and couldn't keep myself from laughing. I could only imagine what they were thinking hearing it out of context. And yes you are right that most of these films will diminish over time, but for now, I like them.
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