In these modern times it’s as important to be well-viewed as well-read. There are 46 films on This List I’ve seen and recall well enough to rank and comment on. Interesting as it contains no definite clunkers, and ignores several genres and acclaimed directors.
1 8 Blade Runner Gorgeous Sci-Noir cinematography.
2 64 The Graduate My favourite comedy. Cringe with a tinge of fremdschämen.
3 13 Godfather Trilogy The Epic Mafia Masterpiece.
4 19 Sideways Dark comedy that glamorizes oenophilia.
5 99 Bourne Trilogy Handily outpaces other action flicks.
6 67 Planet of the Apes Still awesome despite the terrible costumes.
7 21 Rounders Damon just can’t lose. Malkovitch sparkles.
8 17 Truman Show Jim Carry escaped the Dumber with this fine flick.
9 26 Princess Bride Inconceivably sharp family film.
10 112 Matrix Top-notch stop-action film technique. High-bar for cool.
11 35 Napoleon Dynamite Delightful genre bender. Love it or Hate it.
12 42 Pulp Fiction Hello Quentin. Have a Best Screenplay Oscar.
13 87 Goodwill Hunting Damon shines. Screenplay Oscar. R. Williams isn’t Mork.
14 31 Avatar James Cameron goes overboard again.
15 75 Lean on Me Oops. Thought this was the deserving Stand by Me.
16 22 Groundhog Day Quirky déjà vu film manages to embed itself into pop-culture.
17 24 Independence Day Great Theatre Film. Will Smith’s break-out.
18 57 Lord of the Rings Trilogy Epic Tolkien. Hours of middle-earthen slaughter.
19 25 Life of Brian Typical Python irreverence (Meaning of Life, Holy Grail)
20 4 Forrest Gump Never go full retard.
21 30 Rocky I, II, III, V, VI Original won the Oscar but I prefer Mr. T (III)
22 168 Harry Potter Read the Books. See the Films. Ride the…ride I guess.
23 108 The Invention of Lying Ricky Gervais takes it to the big screen.
24 53 Arsenic and Old Lace Carey Grant in screwball comedy.
25 151 Fargo Great but for the woodchipper.
26 44 Scarface Thugs love to emulate this film and lifestyle.
27 72 Searching for Bobby Fischer Genius, Obsession and Madness.
28 14 The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly A classic Eastwood Spaghetti Western.
29 140 Chariots of Fire Soundtrack required for pop-culture in-jokes. Redundant?
30 83 Titanic James Cameron sells the crap out of classic disaster.
31 101 I, Robot Stylish. No idea if I watched it all.
32 68 True Grit Great throwback if you like westerns.
33 104 Saving Private Ryan Brutal opening scene in the theatre
34 103 Karate Kid I & II Everyone who’s seen it has done the Crane-Kick.
35 2 Gone With The Wind Fell asleep as a kid. Awoke to civil war atrocities.
36 158 Gangs of New York Working class old-timey gangs.
37 86 Superman Returns The entire series smells of 80′s cheap.
38 116 My Cousin Vinny Perky Tomei can’t save this court disaster.
39 56 Scent of a Woman Court is the easy way to end a movie.
40 52 It’s a Wonderful Life I’m jaded by this verified classic.
41 91 Up Downer
42 93 The Ten Commandments What Big-Budget used to look like.
44 137 Talladega Nights Lowest-brow on the list satirizes the low fruit of NASCAR.
45 7 Star Trek II, III, and IV Typo? No Star Wars?
46 60 Mask Diaz Gams can’t save shlock.
REWIND
