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My top 100 movies: #1: E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (1 Viewer)

Andy Dufresne

Andy Dufresne

Footballguy
Up until recently, I was unabashedly biased in favor of blockbuster era (beginning with Jaws) movies. So most of the top of this list will feature that kind of movie.

As of late, however, I have branched out to the "classics" and have found quite a few worthy of the label. They haven't had the time to move up the list into the upper echelon of MY favorites, but they are likely to.

Then there are the films that get the benefit of recency bias. These are shoes I really enjoyed but could either move up or down (or completely out of) the list.

Anyway. These are the ones I have chosen. So, so be it.

Getcha popcorn ready!

#100 - On The Waterfront

#99 - High Noon

#98 - Strangers on a Train

#97 - All The King's Men

#96 - Shadow of a Doubt

#95 - Once Upon A Time In The West

#94 - A Streetcar Named Desire

#93 - Notorious

#92 - Double Indemnity

#91 - The Great Dictator

#90 - Chinatown

#89 - 12 Angry Men

#88 - Metropolis

#87 - Edge Of Tomorrow

#86 - X-Men: First Class/Days of Futures Past

#85 - Tron: Legacy

#84 - Captain America: The Winter Soldier

#83 - Man of Steel

#82 - Inception

#81 - In The Line Of Fire

#80 - Batman Begins

#79 - Revenge of the Sith

#78 - Saving Private Ryan

#77 - Rudy

#76 - American Beauty

#75 - Hero

#74 - Tucker: The Man and His Dream

#73 - Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story

#72 - Titanic

#71 - Contact

#70 - Dr Strangelove

#69 - A Few Good Men

#68 - The Hunt For Red October

#67 - Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl

#66 - Kill Bill 1 & 2

#65 - The Bourne Trilogy

#64 - True Lies

#63 - Cinderella Man

#62 - Seabiscuit

#61 - Cast Away

#60 - We Were Soldiers

#59 - Donnie Darko

#58 - Memento

#57 - Psycho

#56 - Run Lola, Run

#55 - The Emperor's New Groove

#54 - The Shining

#53 - Airplane!

#52 - Apocalypse Now

#51 - Hoosiers

#50 - Predator

#49 - Army of Darkness

#48 - Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

#47 - The Last Starfighter

#46 - Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

#45 - Monty Python and the Holy Grail

#44 - Blade Runner

#43 - Miracle

#42 - Vanilla Sky

#41: Moulin Rouge

#40 - Braveheart

#39 - The Karate Kid

#38 - The Princess Bride

#37 - The Orphanage

#36 - Downfall

#35 - Fargo

#34 - Robocop

#33 - Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade

#32 - Glory

#31 - The Neverending Story

#30 - Spider-Man 2

#29 - The Matrix

#28 - Fight Club

#27 - Gladiator

#26 - The Shawshank Redemption

#25 - The Terminator

#24 - Gettysburg

#23 - Apollo 13

#22 - Last of the Mohicans

#21 - Jurassic Park

#20 - Black Hawk Down

#19 - Tombstone

#18 - The Iron Giant

#17 - Return of the Jedi

#16 - Christine

#15 - A Christmas Story

#14 - Beauty & The Beast/The Little Mermaid/Aladdin

#13 - The Incredibles/Finding Nemo/Toy Story

#12 - The Abyss

#11 - Aliens

#10 - Die Hard

#9 - Jaws

#8 - Miller's Crossing

#7 - Back To The Future

#6 - The Empire Strikes Back

#5 - Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

#4 - T2: Judgement Day

#3 - Star Wars: A New Hope

#2 - Raiders of the Lost Ark

#1 - E.T. The Extra Terrestrial

 
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Delighted to see you do this. No need to rip my list, though. One question: is this list comprised of your personal favorite films, or the of the movies that in your opinion are the best movies of all time? It's an important distinction. My own list is the former.

 
wikkidpissah said:
could someone 'splain this esoteric gobblede#### to me?!
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Take the first letter of every third word in my post. Then reverse their order. Then make sure you're standing in pentagram drawn on the ground in human blood; otherwise your prayer to Satan won't do any good.

 
Let's start with the first of the set of movies that are rightfully called classics, but since they're new to me haven't had time to climb my list yet.

#100 - On The Waterfront

An allegory for Hollywood blacklisting, Elia Kazan's tale of standing up to bullies features a rightfully recognized performance by Brando.

By the way, McCarthy was right even if his methods were all wrong.

Trivia: 

Most of the solo shots of Rod Steiger during the famous taxicab scene were done after Marlon Brando had left for the day. It was in Brando's contract that he be allowed to leave at 4:00 PM each day.

 
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timschochet said:
Delighted to see you do this. No need to rip my list, though. One question: is this list comprised of your personal favorite films, or the of the movies that in your opinion are the best movies of all time? It's an important distinction. My own list is the former.
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I'm not ripping your list. I'm just saying "me too!" in a teasing way.

This is MY list.

 
From Ebert's review

This was the film made in 1954 by Elia Kazan after he agreed to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee, named former associates who were involved with the Communist Party and became a pariah in left-wing circles.

“On the Waterfront” was, among other things, Kazan's justification for his decision to testify. In the film, when a union boss shouts, “You ratted on us, Terry,” the Brando character shouts back: “I'm standing over here now. I was rattin' on myself all those years. I didn't even know it.” That reflects Kazan's belief that communism was an evil that temporarily seduced him, and had to be opposed. Brando's line finds a dramatic echo in A Life, Kazan's 1988 autobiography, where he writes of his feelings after the film won eight Oscars, including best picture, actor, actress and director: “I was tasting vengeance that night and enjoying it. `On the Waterfront' is my own story; every day I worked on that film, I was telling the world where I stood and my critics to go and - - - - themselves.”

 
Andy Dufresne said:
From Ebert's review

This was the film made in 1954 by Elia Kazan after he agreed to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee, named former associates who were involved with the Communist Party and became a pariah in left-wing circles.

“On the Waterfront” was, among other things, Kazan's justification for his decision to testify. In the film, when a union boss shouts, “You ratted on us, Terry,” the Brando character shouts back: “I'm standing over here now. I was rattin' on myself all those years. I didn't even know it.” That reflects Kazan's belief that communism was an evil that temporarily seduced him, and had to be opposed. Brando's line finds a dramatic echo in A Life, Kazan's 1988 autobiography, where he writes of his feelings after the film won eight Oscars, including best picture, actor, actress and director: “I was tasting vengeance that night and enjoying it. `On the Waterfront' is my own story; every day I worked on that film, I was telling the world where I stood and my critics to go and - - - - themselves.”
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still a snitch

 
Andy Dufresne said:
From Ebert's review

This was the film made in 1954 by Elia Kazan after he agreed to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee, named former associates who were involved with the Communist Party and became a pariah in left-wing circles.

“On the Waterfront” was, among other things, Kazan's justification for his decision to testify. In the film, when a union boss shouts, “You ratted on us, Terry,” the Brando character shouts back: “I'm standing over here now. I was rattin' on myself all those years. I didn't even know it.” That reflects Kazan's belief that communism was an evil that temporarily seduced him, and had to be opposed. Brando's line finds a dramatic echo in A Life, Kazan's 1988 autobiography, where he writes of his feelings after the film won eight Oscars, including best picture, actor, actress and director: “I was tasting vengeance that night and enjoying it. `On the Waterfront' is my own story; every day I worked on that film, I was telling the world where I stood and my critics to go and - - - - themselves.”
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big fan of the movie- and had no idea about it's HUAAC connection, particularly those lines. 

 
timschochet said:
Delighted to see you do this. No need to rip my list, though. One question: is this list comprised of your personal favorite films, or the of the movies that in your opinion are the best movies of all time? It's an important distinction. My own list is the former.
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so you're saying the need to rip your list will be greater as you progress through it. got it- thanks.

 
One of the best scenes in any movie when Brando  was talking to his brother something to the effect:

you were my brother, you were supposed to take care of me.  I could of been a contender, instead of the bum I am.

 
On the Waterfront is obviously one of the great movies of all time. It didn't make my list, but there are dozens of great movies that didn't make my list.

Eva Marie Saint was a joy to look at.

 
irishidiot said:
One of the best scenes in any movie when Brando  was talking to his brother something to the effect:

you were my brother, you were supposed to take care of me.  I could of been a contender, instead of the bum I am.
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Interesting about that scene...

Producer Sam Spiegel forgot to pay for rear-projection equipment, hence the reason why the cab where Marlon Brando and Rod Steiger play out the film's most famous scene has blinds.

 
timschochet said:
On the Waterfront is obviously one of the great movies of all time. It didn't make my list, but there are dozens of great movies that didn't make my list.

Eva Marie Saint was a joy to look at.
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I glanced at your book list, and it was clearly the same m.o. as what you're saying for your film list (haven't glanced yet). 

are you intentionally not including books/movies that are critically or otherwise considered "classics"- or do you just not like those as much?

 
Andy Dufresne said:
Let's start with the first of the set of movies that are rightfully called classics, but since they're new to me haven't had time to climb my list yet.

#100 - On The Waterfront

An allegory for Hollywood blacklisting, Elia Kazan's tale of standing up to bullies features a rightfully recognized performance by Brando.

By the way, McCarthy was right even if his methods were all wrong.

Trivia: 

Most of the solo shots of Rod Steiger during the famous taxicab scene were done after Marlon Brando had left for the day. It was in Brando's contract that he be allowed to leave at 4:00 PM each day.
Click to expand...
On a scale from 'What are movies? = 1' to 'I've seen every movie ever = 10', I'm about a 6.5. What sense of urgency should I place on watching this film if I've never seen it? 

 
I lived in Hoboken for a number of years so enjoy seeing some of the scenes that were actually filmed there. Great movie all around.

 
El Floppo said:
I glanced at your book list, and it was clearly the same m.o. as what you're saying for your film list (haven't glanced yet). 

are you intentionally not including books/movies that are critically or otherwise considered "classics"- or do you just not like those as much?
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Neither. For me everything is solely based on personal entertainment value. 

 
Dondante said:
On a scale from 'What are movies? = 1' to 'I've seen every movie ever = 10', I'm about a 6.5. What sense of urgency should I place on watching this film if I've never seen it? 
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I'd say about an 8.5.

If you haven't seen many older movies you may want to do so before this one as the pacing and acting technique is different than today.

But even given the time of its release, I think this is a movie that deserves the descriptor of "it crackles".

And Brando's Terry is an exemplar of American idealism.

All the elements put together make it a truly awesome movie.

 
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Dondante said:
On a scale from 'What are movies? = 1' to 'I've seen every movie ever = 10', I'm about a 6.5. What sense of urgency should I place on watching this film if I've never seen it? 
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I'd give it a 10, but keep in mind this is back & white & an older film.  If you are expecting Jaws Revisited  forget it.  It is a classic, great story, good action & unsurpassed acting.  It really has a little bit of great all the way through.  You would be doing yourself a favor to watch it.   Been trying to make references to "Casablanca" but I'd be getting ahead of Andy so I won't.

 
Andy Dufresne said:
I'd say about an 8.5.

If you haven't seen many older movies you may want to do so before this one as the pacing and acting technique is different than today.

But even given the time of its release, I think this is a movie that deserves the descriptor of "it crackles".

And Brando's Terry is an exemplar of American idealism.
Click to expand...


irishidiot said:
I'd give it a 10, but keep in mind this is back & white & an older film.  If you are expecting Jaws Revisited  forget it.  It is a classic, great story, good action & unsurpassed acting.  It really has a little bit of great all the way through.  You would be doing yourself a favor to watch it.   Been trying to make references to "Casablanca" but I'd be getting ahead of Andy so I won't.
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Thanks, fellas. I'll get on it. Great work in here already and there's 99 to go. Nice distraction from the NYC situation. 

 
It looks like filming in black and white was a conscious decision by the director.  I'm pretty sure color movies was no big deal by '54.  I think it the black and white enhances the 'feel' of it, sort of like The Hustler probably wouldn't have worked as well had it been in color. 

 
Charlie Steiner said:
It looks like filming in black and white was a conscious decision by the director.  I'm pretty sure color movies was no big deal by '54.  I think it the black and white enhances the 'feel' of it, sort of like The Hustler probably wouldn't have worked as well had it been in color. 
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I'm sure it was. Good vs evil in black and white. But the grayness over it all (like the Communist threat) and the things "done in the shadows" wouldn't have worked in color.

 
Charlie Steiner said:
It looks like filming in black and white was a conscious decision by the director.  I'm pretty sure color movies was no big deal by '54.  I think it the black and white enhances the 'feel' of it, sort of like The Hustler probably wouldn't have worked as well had it been in color. 
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The use of color film expanded in the 1950s because one-strip color eliminated the need for special equipment that three-strip Technicolor required. 

About 12% of US feature films were shot in color in 1950.  This expanded to around half in 1955.  Use of black and white became more of a conscious artistic decision in the 60s but when On the Waterfront was filmed, it was still largely an economic one because color stock was more expensive.

 
Andy Dufresne said:
Let's start with the first of the set of movies that are rightfully called classics, but since they're new to me haven't had time to climb my list yet.

#100 - On The Waterfront

An allegory for Hollywood blacklisting, Elia Kazan's tale of standing up to bullies features a rightfully recognized performance by Brando.

By the way, McCarthy was right even if his methods were all wrong.

Trivia: 

Most of the solo shots of Rod Steiger during the famous taxicab scene were done after Marlon Brando had left for the day. It was in Brando's contract that he be allowed to leave at 4:00 PM each day.
Click to expand...
Too low

 
Too low for what? This is movies that I have enjoyed.

In the history of movies, of course this is a better movie than many/most that are to come.

It's just not so in MY book. Not yet anyway.

 
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#99 - High Noon

Gary Cooper, himself considered nearly washed up at this point in his career, plays old law dog Will Kane. Ready to settle down with his new bride (Grace Kelly!) Kane must instead stand between the apathetic townspeople he's sworn to protect and a man he put away years before and his gang.

I like the film's message. The right thing to do is the right thing to do even if there are things you'd rather do and the people for whom you're doing it don't care if it's done.

This is also on the opposite end of the HUAC issue from On The Waterfront - stating an opposition to blacklisting. It's an allegory for those in Hollywood that wouldn't stand up to McCarthy. It has many connections to black/gray listed actors and crew.

Trivia: Cooper and Kelly actually had a love affair during filming.

Kelly was an amorous little minx.

 
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I guess High Noon wasn't too compelling. How about some Hitchcock?

#98 - Strangers on a Train

Tennis star Guy Haines meets budding psychopath Bruno Anthony on a train. They discuss the advantages to killing off each other's problem (Haines' wife/Anthony's father). One thinks it's a joke. The other is deadly serious.

Not as well known as his masterpieces, I find this more enjoyable because it hasn't been dissected to pieces. 

Hitch was obsessed with the falsely accused having to overcome the unreasonable force of nature. This one works really well because the leads give terrific performances.

Also, some of the effects work required very clever tricks of the trade.

Trivia: The stunt where the man crawled under the carousel to disable it was not done with trick photography. Hitchcock said he'd never again do something so dangerous.

 
It's interesting to me that although Andy is correct that these two films were on opposite sides of the Communist issue at the time, they're both very similar movies in theme. In both films the lone guy stands bravely out from the crowd, willing to make a stand in the name of justice against all odds. Both Brando and Cooper are constantly told throughout the two films not to be stupid; it's much wiser to stay quiet, flee. They don't have to make the fight THEIR fight. Don't get involved. But in the end, both men bravely do get involved, and in both cases they are alone- nobody is willing to help.

This is a quintessential American theme: the rugged individualist who makes a stand. 

 
Andy Dufresne said:
I guess High Noon wasn't too compelling. How about some Hitchcock?

#98 - Strangers on a Train

Tennis star Guy Haines meets budding psychopath Bruno Anthony on a train. They discuss the advantages to killing off each other's problem (Haines' wife/Anthony's father). One thinks it's a joke. The other is deadly serious.

Not as well known as his masterpieces, I find this more enjoyable because it hasn't been dissected to pieces. 

Hitch was obsessed with the falsely accused having to overcome the unreasonable force of nature. This one works really well because the leads give terrific performances.

Also, some of the effects work required very clever tricks of the trade.

Trivia: The stunt where the man crawled under the carousel to disable it was not done with trick photography. Hitchcock said he'd never again do something so dangerous.
Click to expand...
OK, you know the scene on the ferris wheel? That's Hitchcock's daughter. According to the Hitchcock biography The Dark Side of Genius, she was snotty to Hitchcock on set. So he came up with a grim punishment. He placed her on the ferris wheel and said he needed more film to get it right. Then he ordered the ferris wheel stopped with her at the very top. Then he ordered everybody off the set. He left her there all night, alone, on top of the ferris wheel.

That was one ####ed up dude. 

 
This movie also presaged the horror movie trope of "if you're not chaste, you'll die".

Haines' wife is murdered after she goes on an amusement park ride with not one, but TWO men.

 
It's too bad that Hitchcock didn't adapt other Patricia Highsmith books to film.  They both specialized in suspense, compelling villains and repressed sexuality.

 
Man, now everyone has a top 100 countdown. I need to get going on my top 100 Buffy episodes. 

Good start, even though I have only seen 1/3 of your list.... 

 
Andy Dufresne said:
I guess High Noon wasn't too compelling. How about some Hitchcock?

#98 - Strangers on a Train

Tennis star Guy Haines meets budding psychopath Bruno Anthony on a train. They discuss the advantages to killing off each other's problem (Haines' wife/Anthony's father). One thinks it's a joke. The other is deadly serious.

Not as well known as his masterpieces, I find this more enjoyable because it hasn't been dissected to pieces. 

Hitch was obsessed with the falsely accused having to overcome the unreasonable force of nature. This one works really well because the leads give terrific performances.

Also, some of the effects work required very clever tricks of the trade.

Trivia: The stunt where the man crawled under the carousel to disable it was not done with trick photography. Hitchcock said he'd never again do something so dangerous.
Click to expand...
I've never seen this one. :blackdot:  

 
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