Top Ten Movies of All Time
Nov 25 '03 (Updated Feb 05 '08)
The Bottom Line Just 10 movies? It was tough... but I did it.
This is my Top Ten Movies of All Time - last updated 4th February 2008.
(These are not in any particular order, by the way - whittling down all the films I've ever seen to just ten was challenging enough, putting them in order would be impossible!)
Out of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, I enjoyed the last one, loved the first, but to me the clear winner is The Two Towers.
One of the finest pieces of fictional literature in existence really springs to life in the film version. Elijah Wood stars as the hobbit Frodo, with Ian McKellan stealing the honours with his performance as the wizard Gandalf. Andy Serkis turned into the CGI Gollum is brilliant, and brokenew ground in the use of computer-modelled characters. There are in fact many memorable characters and performances, but Sean Astin's portrayal of Samwise Gangee will forever hold a special place in my heart.
A Beautiful Mind is another film I really love. Russell Crowe truly excels in this film based on the true story of John Nash, a paranoid schizophrenic mathematician whose brilliance is hampered by his illness, but in the end manages to overcome his illness to win the Nobel Prize in economics – largely due to forming a mathematical theory that remains a cornerstone of modern economic theory today. Jennifer Conolly gives a fine performance as his wife, and the excellent supporting cast includes Adam Goldberg, who is brilliant here.
This is a film you have to see at least twice – the second time you know which characters and scenes are delusional, and the absolutely brilliant way it is filmed truly stands out.
To Have and Have Not is based on Ernest Hemmingway’s self-confessed worst book, and yes it isn't as critically acclaimed as The Maltese Falcon, “Cassablanca”, or “Key Largo” (all of which are well worth seeing – along with two of his comedies, “Sabrina” and We're No Angels). But I love this film. Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall are great in this, and the air practically sizzles with the obvious sexual chemistry between them that went far beyond the screen. Harry the alcoholic is a rather pathetic yet somehow very loveable character too. The plot involving a revolutionary group (apparently of complete incompetents) isn’t the best ever written, and many scenes have a really corny feel to them, but the whole film comes together to be a glorious experience.
There’re two of the best film stories behind this movie, too – Ernest Hemmingway had to be coaxed into allowing the film to be made (by the legendary Howard Hawk) because he thought his book was so bad, and the ending having to be changed because Bogart and Bacall had so obviously fallen in love – the planned ending just wouldn’t have been plausible!
I liekd all of the Star Wars Trilogy (the original, trilogy, that is), but my favourite has always been The Empire Strikes Back. Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, the walking carpet and the camp android are all back from their first adventure and better than ever. To me this had the best storyline, best action sequences, and a grumpy little green thing called Yoda. What more could you want?!?
Medicine Man
When Sean Connery claims to have found a cure for cancer in the depths of the jungle, Lorraine Bracco is sent to investigate and possibly validate his research. But other forces are on the move as well as forging ahead in medical treatment…
Great performances, an interesting plot, and fantastic surroundings make this a real winner.
All About Eve
Ann Baxter plays Eve, a seemingly sweet but actually completely ruthless young girl determined to get into theatre. Bette Davis is her mentor – initially willingly until she sees through Eve’s disguise – and George Sanders is absolutely fantastic as a reporter and the only person in the world who can see through to who Eve really is – and can use her rather than be used by her. A biting satire of the cutthroat nature of the entertainment industry, this is probably too subtle for many of the modern film-going populace but is brilliant all the same.
The Shawshank Redemption is a harrowing tale of institutional brutality in a high security prison, this is an uncomfortable to watch film to watch because of its realism but deserves its status as an all-time classic. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman are in tremendous form, and you just beg this film to have a happy ending. It’s not made clear whether the main character is guilty or not until near the end of the film, which was a superb decision by the screenwriters.
Well I wasn't quite sure whether to include this one or not, but in the end I concluded that The Negotiator is definitely among the best seat-of-your-pants thrillers I've ever seen. Two of the best actors in the business, Samuel L Jackson and Kevin Spacey star in this incredibly tense thriller about a negotiator (Jackson) who resorts to becoming a hostage taker when he is framed for the murder of his friend. Your nerves will need a week to recover after you’ve watched this. The twist at the end is good too, but I’m not going to tell you what it is…
Raising Arizona is one of the Cohen brothers first (and in my opinion best) film, this is one of the funniest films I've ever seen. Nicholas Cage is hysterical as an ex-con who marries cop Holly Hunter. They look to settle down for a quiet, law-abiding life, but maternal urges, a visit from escaped convict John Goodman, and a vision of death on a motorcyle ensure that the quiet life is not for them…
Manon de Sources is an incredibly powerful drama following on from the film Jean de Florette. Manon is a young goatherd who is just finding out what love is and what has happened to her family. The question is, how far will she go to get revenge? Yves Montand and Daniel Auteuil star in both films. Jean de Florette was certainly an excellent film - but Manon de Sources is just amazing. Though I don't much care for watching a film with subtitles it was utterly compelling, and dubbing it would probably have killed the effect anyway.
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There are so many other great films out there… have a look at other people’s top tens, I’m sure you’ll find many you agree with (and just as many that you don’t!), but will also have some excellent films you may never even have heard of brought to your attention.
Thanks for reading!
CaptainD
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My Other Top Ten Lists
Romantic Comedies
Science Fiction Films
Animated Movies
Top Ten Spoof Movies
Top Ten Musicals
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