Hey everyone. This is the second half of my list of favorite movies of all time. I'd like to reiterate from the first post that this list is highly tentative and will most likely change over time. But at this moment, the list is correct.
15) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)- Perhaps the best adventure film of all time, this Indy flick is my favorite of the franchise. Perhaps it's Sean Connery's delightful accent.
14) American Psycho (2000)- Christian Bale is terrifying and hilarious in this satirical look at the world of yuppie businessmen.
13) American History X (1998)- The captivating performance by Edward Norton and the sensitive subject matter made American History X one of the most enjoyable movie watching experiences of my life. It also presents an answer to the question of how far people are willing to take racism before they realize it isn't helpling anyone. The first half of the film almost justifies the reasons for racism and actually convinces you that it is OK. But in the latter half of the film, after Norton gets out of prison, reason enters his mind and thus fills the movie sending a powerful message to the audience. If the ending doesn't leave you feeling like you just got punched in the gut, you are made of stone.
12) Hairspray (2007)- Yea that's right, you got a problem with that? I've seen this movie 10+ times and I still like it just as much as I did the first time. Shutup. I am not!
11) Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)- I dare you to watch Anchorman and not sprinkle some lines from it into your daily life. I remember when this first came out everybody and their mothers was speaking in a deep voice and saying things like "Milk was a bad choice!" It didn't even have to make sense in context, but we'd say it. It also marked the beginning of Judd Apatow's reign as the King of New Comedy.
10) Full Metal Jacket (1987)- This time Kubrick takes on the Vietnam War and, as usual, he delivers with something special. Taking you from the moment someone arrives at boot camp all the way into battle, the atrocities of war are evident throughout. Vincent D'Onofrio's final stand of insanity is heart stopping, and poor Matthew Modine never did anything worth watching again.
9) Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)- "Ni!"
8) The Shawshank Redemption (1994)- Talk about a fantastic ending. There is never a better feeling than when good overcomes evil and all in the world is put right. Probably because it never happens in real life, so when we see it in film, we eat it up like Thanksgiving dinner. If it wasn't for Forrest Gump, this movie would have won the Oscars it deserved. Don't get me wrong, I liked Forrest Gump, but only like the first 2 times I saw it. I've seen Shawshank about 8 times and I still love it.
7) One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)- I don't care if author Ken Kesey refused to watch this movie because it changed so much in the translation to film, I could watch this movie for him and let him know that it's fantastic. As a matter of fact, I found it to be an improvement on his book. Take that, Mr. Kesey. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest became the first film since It Happened One Night in 1934 to win the big five Academy Awards (Best Screenplay, Actress, Actor, Director, and Picture). And come on, you gotta love Jack.
6) The Dark Knight (2008)- Yea I know it's still early and that in a few years I will probably drop The Dark Knight on the list, but for now I'm still crushing like a school girl on it. Like Iron Man before it, The Dark Knight proved a superhero movie doesn't always have to be thought of as a mindless action flick. I find it to be one of the best crime epic's I've seen, and I am looking forward to hearing Heath Ledger's name announced as winner of the Best Supporting Actor Academy Award on February 22nd.
Come back tomorrow for the SUPER RIDICULOUS CRAZY CONLUSION OF MY LIST!! Nah it won't be that crazy, but come back anyway.
Blogger No More...
13 years ago
Am His X is a perennial favorite among smart, sophisticated 17 year olds. That's why it pains me somewhat to say that I did not like it. I thought it depended too much upon long-winded political speeches by the main character, and not enough on standard plot and character development. However, the fact that you are but the last in a long line of young people whose opinions I respect who love this film that I may watch it again to see if I missed something the first time around. Also, it may be that certain films speak to a certain audience, in this case a young one. This does not make it less authentic, rather, it gives yet more credence to the argument that art is hopelessly subjective. I enjoyed Cuckoo's nest, but Kesey was right and the book was vastly better. But, I do like Jack.
ReplyDeleteIt is possible that the novel Cuckoo's Nest is in fact better, but I am not a reader. I'm not good with judging books. I can usually tell if I don't like a book if I throw it across the room when I'm a few pages through it. I did like Cuckoo's Nest the novel but I can never tell what makes a book great. I prefer analyzing a film that will take less than 3 hours usually rather than a book that could take 3 weeks. And I'm very glad to hear that you value my opinion. I like knowing that my comments don't fall on deaf ears. Sometimes when I post a review on my blog and I don't get any comments my self-esteem takes a hit because I feel like nobody is listening, er, reading.
ReplyDeleteIt's very hard to develop a readership. People are just not terribly interested. Hopefully, this class will give you a chance to reach a larger audience. I am hopeful that the dialogue will move not just between you and me, but also between you and you and you, as it were. I'll make some attempt later to encourage that kind of interaction.
ReplyDeleteBut, it ain't easy. Take a look for yourself. My assignment was to create a blog and publish one post by Friday night. Well, here we are, and I have 16 blogs out of 31 students and several of the 16 are still empty.
As far as your work is concerned, I'm very impressed. Your writing style is excellent, fluid and easy to read. Your analysis is cogent and intelligent. I see that you are very knowledgable about film. This should be an interesting semester for both of us.