“A Year at the Movies” Wrap-Up Part II

Well here it is … the final post in “A Year at the Movies”.  I’ve updated the “Lists of Movies Watched” tab so it has each monthly list (January-December) as well as my complete List of Movies Watched (alphabetical and chronological), Top 100 Movies and Top 50 Movies lists.

But here, for ease of reference, is that final long-awaited installment, my Top 50 Movies. I’ve fiddled around with it off and on all day. I’d review the list, move one movie up a notch, another down a couple spots.  And then come back a couple of hours later and put them back where they “belong”.  Enough is enough!

Top 50 Movies (in order of preference)

1. The Godfather and The Godfather Part II
2. Casablanca
3. Chinatown
4. The Shawshank Redemption
5. The Departed
6. Almost Famous
7. Gone with the Wind
8. The Social Network
9. Schindler’s List
10. The Third Man
11. Pulp Fiction
12. L.A. Confidential
13. An Education
14. 12 Angry Men
15. The Constant Gardener
16. On the Waterfront
17. Citizen Kane
18. Rear Window
19. In America
20. The Maltese Falcon
21. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
22. Goodfellas
23. House of Flying Daggers
24. Mulholland Drive
25. Taxi Driver
26. Lust, Caution
27. The Silence of the Lambs
28. Closer
29. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
30. Juno
31. All About Eve
32. The Lives of Others
33. Network
34. Michael Clayton
35. It’s a Wonderful Life
36. Up in the Air
37. Saving Private Ryan
38. 2046
39. In the Bedroom
40. Pan’s Labyrinth
41. Once
42. Brokeback Mountain
43. The Hurt Locker
44. All the President’s Men
45. Slumdog Millionaire
46. In the Mood for Love
47. The Dark Knight
48. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
49. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
50. Dr. Strangelove: or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

In some ways I am sorry to join the multitudes that have chosen The Godfather as their favourite movie, but after four separate viewings, it is what it is. I have done something somewhat unconventional in that I chose the combination of the first Godfather and its sequel as my favourite movie. It’s not that I think they are equally good (I think the first is better), it is that in combination they become the greatest movie ever. In my opinion, the second movie makes one’s enjoyment and understanding and appreciation of the first movie greater and, let’s face it, without the first film there couldn’t be a second. Many of my other favourites are pretty predictable as well but I hope there are some surprises. I do realize that as much as I like some of the most acclaimed and respected classics, I still have a greater affinity for newer movies. But that too is what it is.

In the Introduction to his book The Great Movies, Roger Ebert wrote: “We live in a box of space and time. Movies are windows in its walls. They allow us to enter other minds – not simply in the sense of identifying with the characters, although that is an important part of it, but by seeing the world as another person sees it.”

I have spent a year peering into those windows, entering others’ minds and seeing the world as another person (a screenwriter, a director …) sees it and have experienced a great deal of enjoyment. But it’s time to be more than a voyeur and, on that note, I hope you will join me on my next adventure at http://threethingsaday.com.

Favourite Movies of the 21st Century

I just realized that over the last two months I have been posting my favourite movies of each decade (and reviewing the Oscar winners) but that I didn’t do that for the 2000s. I’m not going to identify and critique the Oscar winners because I did a comprehensive review of Oscar nominees, winners, etc. from the 2000s back in February as a pre-Oscar countdown.

But here for your perusing pleasure are my Top 25 Movies of the 21^st Century: 

1. The Departed (2006) Martin Scorsese (director)
2. Almost Famous (2000) Cameron Crowe
3. The Social Network (2010) David Fincher
4. An Education (2009) Lone Scherfig
5. The Constant Gardener (2005) Fernando Meirelles
6. In America (2003) Jim Sheridan
7. House of Flying Daggers (2004) Yimou Zhang
8. Mulholland Drive (2001) David Lynch
9. Lust, Caution (2007) Ang Lee
10. Closer (2004) Mike Nichols
11. Juno (2007) Jason Reitman
12. The Lives of Others (2006) Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
13. Michael Clayton (2007) Tony Gilroy
14. Up in the Air (2009) Jason Reitman
15. 2046 (2004) Kar Wai Wong
16. In the Bedroom (2001) Todd Field
17. Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) Guillermo del Toro
18. Once (2006) John Carney
19. Brokeback Mountain (2005) Ang Lee
20. The Hurt Locker (2009) Kathryn Bigelow
21. Slumdog Millionaire (2008) Danny Boyle
22. In the Mood for Love (2000) Wong Kar Wai
23. The Dark Knight (2008) Christopher Nolan
24. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) Ang Lee
25. Minority Report (2002) Steven Spielberg

A few interesting statistics about this list:

• There are seven foreign films on the list although that increases to twelve if you include British/Irish made films as foreign (so almost a 50/50 split between American and non-American films).
• Five of the seven foreign films are from Hong Kong and/or China.
• Three directors appear more than once on the list, Ang Lee (3), Jason Reitman (2) and Wong Kar Wai (2).

This brings me one step closer to my Top 50.  Stay tuned!!!

“A Year at the Movies” Wrap-Up Part 1

Here it is. One of the things I’m sure you’ve all been waiting for. My Top 100 Movies list: a mix of the old and the new, classics and purely personal favourites, big budget and small independent, English and foreign. 

Top 100 Movies

I’ve almost completed ordering my Top 50 list and will post that shortly as well as a “good-bye to a year at the movies”. 

I’ll be back soon!  But in the meantime I’d love any feedback about the list.  What did I miss, what do you hate, any big surprises or omissions???