Top 200 Films...Why? Because I Can (Updated)Oct 28 '05 (Updated Aug 21 '08) Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line 200 films sure to cause debate, if not outright warfare, and probably severe RSI. I've gotta get out more often.
Well, I noticed another person had done a top 200 and list and few seemed to complain, so what the hell, I thought. Here’s mine, and I hope you don’t strain your eyes too much. I’ll keep the intro brief and although I’ve written something about most films, I haven’t on every film, so bear that in mind, and if you find my words brief, bear in mind that I didn’t want this to go on forever, either . You might want to try and detect patterns in my list to see what kinds of films I enjoy, but I doubt there are any patterns, I’m very diverse. Updated 18/08/08 I've added some films, removed others (say goodbye to "True Lies" , "The Kind Lady" , and "Signs" ,folks and hello to Charlie Kaufman!) moved some films up ( "The Great Escape" for instance), others down. Hey, a man's tastes change...sometimes daily. 1. The Misfits (1961) Dismissed by critics at the time as merely a sad footnote in Hollywood or a well-intentioned failure at best, this John Huston film from a script Arthur Miller wrote specifically for his wife at the time, Marilyn Monroe (sadly, she didn’t really get it, either) isn’t terribly well-known today. However, most who are aware of it find that it works better today in the post-“Unforgiven” era where deglamorising the Hollywood West isn’t exactly new or unheard of, and often a very popular theme. It’s also an eerily perfect marriage of actor and character, and if you can in any way identify with these sad and disillusioned people, it proves to be a profoundly moving, expertly-lensed film. One wonders what might’ve been had Marilyn actually listened to Gable’s (i.e. Miller’s) advice in the last scene, of what to do when one is lost. 2. Forrest Gump You either go for schmaltzy Americana, or you don’t (I’m a huge “Wonder Years” fan, for starters). Just call me Uncle Sam, then. Though its conservative view of American history has helped bring it down on my list from first to second place, the very fact that it’s still at number two and that it wasn’t until the third or fourth viewing that I even noticed a political agenda, this Robert Zemeckis comedy/drama sure must have some powerful movie magic. It’s a unique, charming film with superb acting, unforgettable characters, an unbeatable soundtrack, and the perfect blend of laughter and tears. It’s beautiful to look at, too. It’s Hollywood, but proof that Hollywood doesn’t always equal clichéd corn. And hey, clichéd corn can be quite acceptable if its done right. 3. The Star Wars Trilogy (1977, 1980, 1983) Three films you can watch again and again and never, ever get tired of them. For me, entertainment is cinema’s most important objective, though not the only one, and these films (among the most important in cinema over the last 30 years or so) are the perfect entertainment for young and old. Even those who don’t like sci-fi will perhaps latch onto the romance or comedy, those who don’t like the intellectually-minded, anti-septic-looking ?”/”Andromeda Strain” type of sci-fi, meanwhile, can enjoy the action-packed fantasy elements, and even religious folk might identify with the classic good vs. evil aspect (evil being chiefly represented by the Emperor, by the way. Contrary to popular belief Darth Vader is his second-in-command, followed by Peter Cushing’s Grand Moff Tarkin) of these films, not to mention using the ‘force’ (Me? I’m an atheist, so I guess it’s the other aspects that appeal to me- I’m a big sci-fi/fantasy buff from way back, particularly the fantasy or humorous side of things). Classic story telling, clearly-drawn characters (with especially fine performances from Harrison Ford, Peter Cushing, and Billy Dee Williams), lots of action and adventure, FX that whilst improved upon over time, work perfectly (there’s something so wonderful about lasers and models that CGI just doesn’t have, an indefinable quality). Best of all, these films, more than any other in cinematic history, give us uniquely and convincingly alien worlds and creatures, whilst still giving us things and people to identify with. 4. Star Wars Ep 1: The Phantom Menace A slight drop in quality from the original films, but impossible expectations probably have a lot to do with that. Pandering to the kiddie market in the form of Rastafarian amphibian Jar-Jar Binks isn’t all that offensive (what were the Ewoks, then?), but he doesn’t quite work, and is perhaps a tad racially insensitive too. But as much as I could very well nitpick, certainly of the other two prequels, I think it is mostly a sign of the jaded times we live in, and the fact that there have been so damn many “Star Wars” rip-offs and wannabes, that it’s hard to wow audiences like the original trilogy did. And above all, the film is still wonderfully entertaining, visually stimulating (for some reason, the senate sequence is the one that sticks out most in my mind, it’s a real jaw-dropper), and underrated in the story department, too. 5. The Blues Brothers John Landis’ best film, told in his usual big-is-funnier style, but it works tremendously for this outstanding, side-splitting comedy musical, the best-ever “SNL”-derived film. Celebrity cameos, top-notch, show-stopping musical numbers, and without question, the greatest car crash/pile-up in cinematic history, culminating with goofy lawman John Candy’s hilarious line; ‘This is car 55...uh...We’re in a truck!’. And then there’s hostile Good ‘ol Boy Charles Napier, threatening the boys with an unprintable line about corn on the cob. It’s a style of filmmaking that seldom works ( “The Great Race” still gives me nightmares), and Landis never equalled it before or since, but this is his masterwork. 6. Terminator 1 & 2 No, I won’t separate them. Deal with it. The first was an economical, fast-paced and totally effective sci-fi action/thriller with a terrific villain and an intriguing futuristic story. The second, despite following a fairly similar story pattern, was slicker, more expensive, more visually wondrous, sometimes more exciting, and not only sported a fantastic new villain, but a superb, tough-chick heroine, played by Linda Hamilton in a total contrast from her performance in the first film, and yet, the transition is not at all unlikely, given what the character went through the first time around. Basically, I can’t split the two, they’re both high-class entertainments and must-see films, the best of their type. Outstanding music score in both, too. 7. Citizen Kane It seems kind of uncool for anyone around my age or younger to love this film, but that’s their loss, not mine. It may not be as entertaining per se as the films above, but it’s a remarkable film that everyone should see at least once, if only to see what one young filmmaker did that so many other young first-timers dare not to. For me, there’s so much going on here that I really can’t understand why a lot of younger folk in particular don’t appreciate it (Oooh, it’s in Black and White…It doesn’t have Paul Walker in it...whatever). It’s risky (if you’re aware of its history and William Randolph Hearst, you know what I mean, not to mention the elements of the character that might resemble Welles himself), audacious (certain shots, edits, and camera angles are still amazing even today), powerful, extraordinarily well-shot in deep-focus by the great Gregg Toland, and above all, it tells one helluva great story, with intriguing characters. It’s also mostly brilliantly acted; Welles for me has always been as good an actor as filmmaker and he’s unforgettable as the all-powerful tycoon Charles Foster Kane who gains great wealth and power, but at what cost? Joseph Cotten is his usual charming self as his right-hand man of-sorts, whilst Everett Sloane and George Coulouris are also excellent in supporting parts. Unfortunately, the film isn’t entirely flawless, Dorothy Comingore is pretty awful as Kane’s melodramatic wife, admittedly playing the part as written, she’s extremely hammy and annoying. But there’s so much else to enjoy and admire here, a real American classic that mightn’t have been had Welles been afraid to touch such a daring subject. 8. Pinocchio (1940) 9. Monty Python and the Holy Grail 10. Stand By Me 11. Big Trouble in Little China A shock to some, perhaps, but not if you’ve read any of my other lists/reviews. This John Carpenter martial-arts/fantasy/ buddy movie/action/horror/comedy hybrid (in my view, it’s his best-ever, but “Halloween” fans need not fret, just look a little lower on the list) was about a decade before its time and essentially ignored by critics on first release. Ever since it has amassed a huge cult following, perhaps moreso than any other Carpenter film, and with good reason; It’s a whole lot of fun. In fact, it is perhaps the film I watch more often than any other, it’s endlessly entertaining on several different levels. Kurt Russell, sporting an oh-so 80s mullet and doing an hilarious John Wayne impersonation gives the most entertainingly boneheaded performance of his career. As tough-talking trucker Jack Burton, knee-deep in Chinese mysticism and kung-fu goings-on, he comes off more like a bragging but inept sidekick to Dennis Dun’s martial-arts expert Wang. He even knocks himself out during the climactic battle! James Hong is superb as the increasingly cranky and aging evil sorcerer Lo-Pan, who gets many of the best lines. Watch out for the stock-standard Talking Killer sequence in which there is an added twist- everyone’s in a wheelchair! Fast-paced, goofy, genre-hopping (and genre-bending) and pure entertainment, especially for HK movie fans, the action sequences are a hoot (especially early on). We’ll forget about that theme song… 12. The Omen (1976) 13. Platoon 14. Planet of the Apes (1968) 15. The Great Escape 16. Strangers on a Train Hitchcock’s best film in my view, a deliciously wicked and twisty crime-thriller from the Master of not only Suspense, but audience manipulation. And boy does Hitch play us like a piano (and then some). Robert Walker’s smooth-talking, slightly effeminate, but ultimately dangerous Bruno Antony is one of the most complex, fascinating and greatest villains of all-time (admittedly overshadowing the somewhat weak Farley Granger, but Granger probably plays it as written). It’s such a shame that he did not live much past this crowning acting achievement. At times, thanks to Hitch, we even find ourselves almost rooting for the bad guy (perhaps also due to Walker’s acting ability) when his scheme backfires on him (that search for the cigarette lighter is wonderfully excruciating). Terrific, insinuating dialogue, and brilliant Oscar-nominated Robert Burks cinematography. Some outstanding shots, especially one strangulation murder scene through a pair of discarded eye-glasses. Don’t miss this one if you’ve not seen it already. 17. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) 18. The Sting 19. Halloween 20. Aliens (1986) 21. Jaws 22. Sling Blade 23. Romeo and Juliet (1968) Forget Leo and Baz and their Tarantino-esque bastardisation of the Bard’s tale, this 60s version is the only one you need see. Leonard Whiting (who?) and Olivia Hussey might not be great thespians, but their youthful exuberance (and youthfulness in general, both were suitably young at the time) and passion gives them a leg-up over most other players of these parts. Michael York as Tybalt has perhaps never been better, John McEnery’s Mercutio is simultaneously hilarious and tragic. Oscar winning costumes and immortal Nino Rota music score are highlights. 24. The Untouchables 25. Lethal Weapon 26. When Harry Met Sally… 27. National Lampoon’s Vacation (1984) Would you lay of Chevy already? Yes, there was a time when Chevy Chase was actually funny, and this classic Harold Ramis film from a John Hughes script is his finest hour as the lovable but somewhat oblivious Clark W. Griswold. Many of the funniest moments are probably unable to be elaborated on here due to their risqué nature, such as a misguided venture into Harlem (featuring one of my all-time favourite replies to the question ‘Could you Please direct us back onto the highway?’), and most of the scenes involving Randy Quaid (one of the most underappreciated and versatile actors ever) as backwoods Cousin Eddie and his loopy family (including a young and randy Jane Krakowski- just wait until you hear who admires her artistry in French kissing!). 28. The NeverEnding Story One of my earliest childhood cinema-going experiences (along with crying my eyes out during “Return to Oz” and “The Goonies”). A pro-reading message, a classic fantasy tale of good and evil, impressive and imaginative visual scope, and a villain called The Nothing. Oh, sure, he turns out to be just a black panther, but he scared the bejesus out of me as a kid. And what kid didn’t cry at the plight of warrior Atreyu’s trusty steed in that quicksand? (Many people tend to cry in pain whenever they hear the 80s theme song from Limahl, but I genuinely love it, even if the lead singer looks kinda dorky). Perhaps the only film of this type, along with “Ladyhawke” that can hold a candle to, if not surpass, the more recent “Lord of the Rings” films. Wolfgang Petersen’s first English-language film and he hasn’t come close to topping it since. 29. The Magnificent Seven 30. The Dirty Dozen 31. A Few Good Men My all-time favourite courtroom flick (apparently based on a play), from one of my favourite directors, Rob Reiner. The story is intriguing and twisty, the dialogue memorable (you want examples? You can’t handle examples!), the characters are fascinating and cast are pretty much flawless. Tom Cruise has one of his better roles as cocky (but supremely lazy and smart-alecky) lawyer Daniel Kaffe, still in his well-respected father’s shadow as he takes on the case of two marines who apparently killed an effete comrade. Kaffe thinks the marines were given a ‘Code Red’ order by Col. Jessup, played by a snarling, sometimes leering Jack Nicholson, having a high old time in one of his best and most memorable character turns. Demi Moore is surprisingly good (and, “Striptease” aside, has never looked better, perhaps it’s the uniform) as the other lawyer assigned to the young men’s’ case. Kevin Pollak didn’t deserve the flak he copped as the light-hearted member of the cast (though am I the only one hoping that at various points he’d shout ‘Your honour, I object!’ in the guise of William Shatner or Chris Walken? OK, it’s just me, then…), Cruise’s right-hand man. The supporting cast is top-notch, with the sorely-missed J.T. Walsh as the somewhat conflicted LT. Col who is Nicholson’s long-time friend, the always welcome Kevin Bacon (centre of the acting universe) as the friendly but competitive opposing attorney, and a seriously sour, wonderfully rigid Kiefer Sutherland as the humourless Lt. Jonathan Kendrick- they’re all great. A real rip-snorter from start to finish. 32. Raiders of the Lost Ark 33. Revenge of the Nerds I’m really serious about this one. Forget Porky’s and Animal House, this is the only raunchy teen sex comedy from the 80s you need see. An uproariously funny film but also delivering a fine message of empowerment for all of us who weren’t entirely popular, pretty, or co-ordinated at some point in our lives. Well, OK, so the nerds are seen in stereotypes, but who cares when its this funny? And you can’t go past a good panty raid, if you ask me. Other highlights include the sports carnival (with belching contest and a javelin throw like no other), a young (and angry) John Goodman as the bullying football coach (whose pronunciation of the word ‘whipped’ for some reason cracks me up every time), and some hilariously profane lines of dialogue I wish I could share with you (not that profanity is always funny, but some people- Billy Connolly for instance- can get away with it). About the only printable line that made me laugh was Ted McGinley (boy is this an 80s film. You’ve got everyone here- a seriously young Timothy Busfield, Anthony Edwards and Robert Carradine as Nerds, and the requisite role for Michelle Meyrink, who was to 80s teen films what Jack Elam was to westerns) as the head jock lamenting; ‘That’s MY pie!’, but you’d have to have seen the film to get that one. Did I mention the T&A? An amusing 80s soundtrack (think Devo, and early 80s Michael Jackson, as well as some song called ‘Are You Ready For the Sex Girls?’ that I wish I could get my hands on. And the Tri-Lamb’s Devo meets Jacko meets Springsteen musical performance is wonderfully outdated). Followed by several sequels, each one less raunchy (and less funny) than the last, but “Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise” has some very funny moments (and a young and snotty Bradley Whitford acting alongside future “West Wing” co-star Busfield) 34. ET: The Extra Terrestrial 35. Ghostbusters 36. The Goonies One from my fondly remembered childhood, and one that proves highly entertaining even with me now at age 28. If you were a kid when this came out and didn’t wanna be a Goonie too, I don’t ever want to know you. A great comic adventure romp that is much more than the Junior Indiana Jones film it tends to be labelled, and one with a great pedigree (Steven Spielberg as EP, Chris Columbus writing the script, and one of my favourite directors, Richard Donner at the helm). And what a cast of great characters, actors and faces! My favourites include Asian gizmo kid Data (played by Short-Round from “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom”, coincidentally), chubby loud-mouth scaredy-cat Chunk (whose response to the question ‘What is that?’ in relation to a broken statue is gut-bustingly funny, as is his pathetic wailing and babbling to the baddies at one point), and Corey Feldman in a riotously obnoxious performance as the smarmy, smart-alec aptly nicknamed Mouth. Of the villains, the late, great Anne Ramsey is the epitome of sour-looking, cantankerous Ma Barker-types, and it’s always great to see Joey Pants in an early role as her maniacally cackling son. It’s got pirates, treasure, profanity, girls, monsters in the basement, skeletons, booby traps (that’s what I said!), a cool Cyndi Lauper title song (‘Goonies R Good Enough’), and a young Samwise Gamgee in the lead. What more could you want? Oh to be 10 years old again… 37. Child’s Play (1988) I’ve probably said it before, but I generally go for two types of horror- Gothic chillers and comedy-horrors. This 80s item is fondly recalled by people around my age but no one seems to have the balls to put in a Favourite Films list. It’s hilarious, Brad Dourif’s malevolent and profane vocal interpretation of the serial killer trapped inside a toy doll (yeah, OK so the voodoo element takes a lot to believe, but so what?) is one of my all-time favourites, Chucky is probably my favourite horror movie icon aside from Dracula (which Dracula? More on that later). The fact that Chucky is not only a non-human but that he looks so innocent and child-like, makes him all the more freaking scary in my view. I hate clowns, men in innocent-looking masks, and yes, dolls. True, it does seem a tad predictable at times, but in putting a pint-sized killer doll at the centre, it sends up some of the classic stalk-and-slash conventions, such as an hysterically charred and seriously miffed Chucky springing back to life just when the characters (but not the audience) thought him finished. And who hasn’t wanted to see the insufferably preachy mother from the ghastly "7th Heaven" chased around by a serial killer trapped inside a cherubic-looking killer doll? 38. Braveheart 39. Goodfellas (1990) 40. The Last of the Mohicans (1992) 41. The Breakfast Club Gee, do you think I’m an 80s child? Although it ultimately deals with high school life in a heavily stereotyped, stagy, and easy manner (and nowadays Judd Nelson’s character would more than likely bust a cap in someone’s a** before the film is over), this quintessential John Hughes film deserves credit for even attempting to understand the issue and start people talking (Not that it has changed anything, kids still hang out in cliques and alienate people). Hughes and his popular cast help make us understand and sympathise with kids (Molly Ringwald as the ‘Princess’, Ally Sheedy as ‘The Basket Case’, Judd Nelson as ‘The Delinquent’, Anthony Michael Hall as ‘The Brain’, and Emilio Estevez as ‘The Jock’) from all corners of the schoolyard, which might not be the case in reality. It’s also a highly entertaining and often hilarious film forever burned into the psyches of audiences from this particular generation. It also has perhaps my favourite 80s movie song (next to ‘Flashdance (What a Feeling)’ of course), the film’s anthem from Simple Minds ‘Don’t You (Forget About Me)’. And you can’t not love a film with references to something called the ‘Hot Beef Injection’. Perceptive, funny, and cool, in that special 80s way (And no, I’m not including Debbie Gibson or The B52s in that category…) And in case you were wondering, in high school I was somewhere between The Brain and The Basket Case, with a little Gordy from “Stand By Me” and Kevin Arnold thrown in for good measure. 42. Vertigo Hitch’s most personal and thematically intriguing film might be a bit slow for the fans of his more ‘shocking’ films like “The Birds” or “Psycho” , but there’s still a lot of the Master’s usual technical flourishes (the bold use of the colour green is particularly striking). More than anything it’s Jimmy Stewart, in perhaps his finest, most complex and powerful performance that draws you in, even if you’re intimately familiar with the story. Jimmy was probably not allowed to be this obsessed, this wounded ever again, and you’re with him every step of the way. The late Barbara Bel Geddes, as Stewart’s pal Midge is one of Hitch’s most effective second-string females (along with Pat Hitchcock in “Strangers on a Train” , Thelma Ritter in the overrated “Rear Window” and Suzanne Pleshette, who was one of the only things I liked about “The Birds” ), and instantly likeable. Not my favourite, but it’s easy to see why the critics gravitate towards this one. 43. Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970) Female rockers, drugs, male prostitutes, lesbianism (To quote the late, great Walter Matthau; ‘Ooh, lesbians! Yummy!’), hermaphrodite music moguls, Mohammed Ali wannabes, Nazis, and more gargantuan-bosomed Amazonian women than you could ever dream of. This not-quite sequel/parody of “Valley of the Dolls” was the result of two geniuses coming together- skin flick maker Russ Meyer (R.I.P.) and a young critic named Roger Ebert. The result? The weirdest movie you’ll ever see. Wild, hilarious (both intentionally and unintentionally), raunchy, fascinating, and amazingly edited. Love that groovy soundtrack, too. Contains one of my all-time favourite lines from B-movie queen Edy Williams as man-eating porn star Ashley St. Ives; ‘You’re a groovy boy. I’d like to strap you on some time!’. 2nd prize would have to go to this corker from John LaZar as the frequently Shakespearean quoting, androgynous Z-Man; ‘You will drink the black sperm of my vengeance!’. You’ve just gotta see this one at least once in your life, you won’t look at Josie and the Pussycats the same way, after this. 44. The Grapes of Wrath A great adaptation of a great American novel that seemed to inspire a great American singer on one of his albums (Springsteen). An absolute American classic. Not only does it have a brilliant documentary-look to some scenes, but the story of an American family struggling valiantly through the Depression is profoundly moving. Jane Darwell as the worried but ultimately strong-willed Ma Joad gives one of the most memorable characterisations in cinematic history. John Carradine, before descending into Z-movie hell has his best ever role as a slightly batty preacher looking for his calling. And then there’s Mr. Henry Fonda, his usual dependable self, even if at first the idea of him playing a ne’er do well might sound a tad odd. He makes you believe every moment. Gotta love crotchety old Grandpa Joad, too. If you don’t shed a tear at least once during this film…you ain’t human! 45. Parenthood 46. Die Hard 47. The Karate Kid 48. Rocky (1976) 49. 12 Angry Men (1957) *** Up 21 places since last time! *** I’ve heard some talk of “All About Eve” having the greatest screenplay ever and some of the greatest characterisations ever committed to film. It’s a great film indeed, but in terms of screenplay and characterisation, I’d put this 1957 courtroom drama ahead. It’s not perfect- it’s stagy for starters, but it’s directed by one of the best in Sidney Lumet, and the screenplay by Reginald Rose (from his TV play) really is damn near perfect. The twists and turns are riveting, even when we know that Henry Fonda’s conscientious juror no. 8 is always going to be right. And what a cast! My favourites among the outstanding characterisations are Jack Warden’s Juror no. 7, a disinterested baseball enthusiast, Lee J. Cobb in a thunderous turn as bullying Juror no. 3, E.G. Marshall as Juror no. 4, a generally decent man who thinks his judgement is beyond reproach, and that most dependable of character actors, Martin Balsam as the put-upon jury foreman whom one suspects would rather not be in such a position. There are at least two particularly startling things about this film that make it for me the greatest film of its type; Even though we barely see him, the defendant, a frightened-looking young man, could be of practically any ethnicity- Italian, French, Arab, Jewish, Hispanic etc., and when some of the jurors start referring to ‘those people’ and are pulled up on it, one has to indeed wonder what ‘people’ they are referring to. Secondly, the jurors themselves are the kinds of people no one would want to have peoples’ lives in their hands. There’s two prejudiced folk (Lee J. Cobb and sour bigot Ed Begley) who drown everyone else’s views out, two disinterested types (Warden and Robert Webber as an ad man trying to tell everyone about his job), a foreman happy to go with the majority, and a meek little nerdy guy (John Fiedler) with absolutely no opinion of his own. Don’t you love the justice system? 50. Cool Hand Luke 51. Some Like it Hot If it weren’t for the non-comedic opening scenes depicting the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, this sometimes gut-busting Billy Wilder favourite might’ve even found its way further up the list. As it is, it soon becomes very funny and clever indeed (easily the best of its type), with Jack Lemmon seemingly having a whale of a time in drag, in one of the funniest performances I’ve ever seen. The scene where he’s trying to get drunk and intimate with Marilyn Monroe in the tiny train compartment is perhaps one of my five all-time favourite comedy moments ( “Tootsie” has got nothing on this film, Bill Murray or not). Tony Curtis’ impersonation of Cary Grant (a good but overrated one) and ensuing seduction of Marilyn Monroe provides some choice moments (you’ll especially appreciate these moments if you’re also a fan of 1988’s “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”). MM herself has seldom been funnier or sexier, even if ‘I Wanna Be Loved By You’ isn’t among my favourite songs (love that dress, though! Yowzah!). Terrific I.A.L. Diamond script, with wide-mouthed Joe E. Brown delivering the signature (and closing) line which I won’t spoil for the two or three of you ignorant folk out there who don’t already know and love this flick. 52. Peter Pan (1953) Disney is an evil, fascist organisation, but who among us doesn't want to be young again? Timeless stuff. 53. Good Morning, Vietnam 54. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels I know the generation before me tends to despise the very comedic actors I love, but I really do think Ashton Kutcher, Seann William Scott, Rob Schneider, Seth Rogan, and Adam Sandler pale miserably in comparison to the likes of Bill Murray, the underrated Chevy Chase, and my personal favourite, Steve Martin. This remake of “Bedtime Story” is a wholly engaging (well, engaging for a film with that title) and very funny, brilliantly acted film about con artists. Brash American Martin and the more refined (but just as duplicitous) Michael Caine are perfectly matched in this game of one-upmanship set in Riviera resort of Beaumont-sur-Mer. Glenne Headly is also good in a fairly easy role as the girl they both try to con. Three scenes in particular stand out; The painfully funny bit where Caine tries to thwart the plans of Martin who is faking a disability. Hands down the funniest scene Martin has ever played, as a ‘special’ person named Ruprecht, who eats apple sauce with a cork on his fork. Then there’s the scene where wheelchair-bound Martin has to sit and watch a dancing Caine move in on his territory. Doesn’t sound funny, but a profane response by a cockney sailor is so gut-bustingly funny I’ve probably rewound this brief moment about a hundred times. 55. Superman (1978) The Best superhero movie ever, bar none. And although many consider the film gets better once Christopher Reeve turns up, I actually prefer the visually striking scenes on Krypton (even if Marlon Brando was overpaid, he’s still better here than usual, and I just freaking love anything with Harry Andrews. Guuiiilllttyyyy! Guuiiilllttyyyy!). The scenes with the adolescent Clark are also wonderful (and probably inspired the TV series “Smallville”, AKA “Super 7th Heaven”), with the always solid Glenn Ford in sturdy form as Clark’s adopted Dad. Reeve was always underrated (being disabled myself I’ve gotta say I was devastated when he died, I always thought he was going to get better) as an actor and he quite simply IS Superman and his mild-mannered human alter-ego Clark Kent. The comic romance between he and Margot Kidder’s Lois Lane is thoroughly charming. Gene Hackman, whom I tend to find a little too seriously sleazy when he plays villains ( “No Way Out” ) creates one of cinemas most enjoyable villains in Lex Luthor, a super villain with a super-inflated ego, he appears to be having a high-old time, even if his character is saddled with idiot henchmen (but lovable ones, played by a well-cast Ned Beatty and Valerie Perrine). Great fun, lots of action, romance, and comedy, and yes, awe. John Williams provides one of his most memorable music scores in a career full of ‘em. Sure, it’s long, but it’s worth it, and a helluva lot better than certainly the 2nd and third sequels spawned from it (The TV show “Lois and Clark” had its merits, though). 56. Barbarella No, I’m not kidding. Really, I’m not. Jane Fonda herself might find this film an embarrassment, but I personally find it a groovy, cheesy, mildly kinky delight. Best of all, it doesn’t take itself the slightest bit seriously. Fonda’s actually very loose and funny as the 41st century space adventurer searching for somebody called Duran Duran (hmm, that name sounds familiar…). In a cast full of eccentrics and oddballs (Famous mime Marcel Marceau even has a role!), the standout is Anita Pallenberg wonderfully vixenish as the bisexual Great Tyrant, who coos at Barbarella, her ‘pretty, pretty’. Shagadelic set design (fur interiors! Outta sight!- Er, sorry, a Greg Brady moment there) and trippy visuals are the best things in the film, along with the “Love Boat”-ish title song, which you’ll have a hard time getting out of your head (even if the lyrics make no sense whatsoever). And remember, an angel doesn’t make love ‘An Angel is love’! 57. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Peter Jackson’s fantastic epic series based on the works of the great J.R.R. Tolkien is probably the best in the genre, a genre I happen to love, even if good films are few and far between in the fantasy genre. This middle chapter is easily the best in the trilogy, with impressive visuals (including the wonderful New Zealand landscape, perfect for a fantasy world setting) and soundtrack, exciting battle sequences (some of the best-ever), and most of all, damn near perfect characterisations by a terrific cast. My personal favourites were Christopher Lee in his best role in years as the turncoat wizard Saruman the White (he’s the human-like face of evil), Viggo Mortensen’s classic romantic fantasy hero Aragorn, genre veteran Brad Dourif as the wonderfully snaky (and aptly named) Grima Wormtongue, servant to Saruman, and the wonderfully hammy John Rhys-Davies, who perfectly portrays Gimli, a dwarf (I was an avid fantasy reader in my youth, and Davies and even the effete-looking Orlando Bloom are spot-on in their roles). And then there’s the astonishing Andy Serkis and the FX crew, creating a most remarkable CGI-based character named Gollum, formerly Smeagol. He is at turns funny, frightening, weird, pathetic, hateful, and pitiful, sometimes all at once. You won’t believe how many different emotions this computer generated character can make you feel (George Lucas must’ve cried for weeks after seeing Gollum). A grand, sweeping epic adventure of good versus evil. 58. Repulsion 59. Spaceballs Yeah, that’s right, some of Mel Brooks' least regarded films are my favourites (My least favourites? The cheap and seemingly neutered “Robin Hood: Men in Tights” and “Silent Movie”, which just wasn’t my thing). This one’s a terrifically entertaining, often side-splitting parody of many sci-fi films, especial the “Star Wars” series. More ‘likeable’ than most of Brooks’ films (how could it not be, with lovable John Candy, let alone Rick Moranis as the villain, in a riotous performance as Dark Helmet). Lots of hilarious puns (‘What’s the matter, Col. Sanders, chicken?’) and sight gags (especially any scene with Moranis), a cameo by Michael Winslow (where the hell did he go?), and Mel Brooks in dual roles as the evil President Skroob (essentially the Emperor) and wise old sage (with a little huckster thrown in) Yogurt the Wise, who is a real scene-stealer. Funniest gags are at the end, an hysterical and bizarre parody of “Alien” (cue the John Hurt cameo) and a parody of “Planet of the Apes” that contains my favourite quote from the film, sadly unprintable here. 60. The Haunting (1963) A genuinely frightening film from an era where they didn’t need a whole lot of CGI crap. The power of suggestion is a wonderful thing, and the recently departed Robert Wise clearly had a command of it in this film, with some tremendous uses of sound. Some interesting characterisations too, with the astonishingly beautiful Claire Bloom as the slightly snobby lesbian and in a smaller role, the inimitable (God I hate that word) Rosalie Crutchley as the sour Mrs. Dudley. Admittedly Julie Harris’ narration is a little overdone (though I loved her line; ‘Whose hand was I holding?’) and Russ Tamblyn’s Eddie Haskell schtick becomes grating early on, but you’ll be too busy biting the skin around your nails (which will have already been eaten away before long). The greatest haunted house movie ever made. 61. Rain Man 62. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off 63. Commando (1985) I know, I know, this is a formulaic, cheesy 80s action film- but it’s one of the best, with one of the best action stars in the lead- Ahnuld. The Governator. Arnie. The Gropenator. Call him what you want, he was the King of the action genre in the 80s and into the 90s. He’s well-cast as formidable ex-Green Beret Col. John Matrix who is forced by a turncoat former comrade (Aussie Vernon Wells, in one of the most enjoyably over-the-top and underrated bad guy turns of the decade. I just don’t see the Freddie Mercury comparisons, folks) to kill a political leader for wannabe dictator Dan Hedaya (admittedly miscast). They’ve kidnapped his daughter, played by a young Alyssa Milano, and knowing she’ll die anyway, Arnie decides to head straight for her, aided by Rae Dawn Chong (not my favourite actress). This is my kind of action film- lots of guns (but never two guns at once, Mr. Woo. And certainly no freakin’ doves!), explosions (can you say rocket launcher?), nasty bad guys, and best of all, a screenplay by Steven E. de Souza that doesn’t take itself seriously. The dialogue contains some absolutely immortal lines for Arnie, particularly when squaring off against two of my favourite henchmen- slimy David Patrick Kelly (in his best role, as Sully) and hulking Bill Duke as another green beret. The best line, though, goes to a mall security guard who isn’t as macho as he boasts (Sadly, the line is unprintable here). Although the stunt work might have dated (some viewers have pointed out the use of trampolines, I haven’t tried to look for them, I’d rather enjoy the movie), I still love the scene where Arnie hides in a shed from some of Hedaya’s men and dispatches them with absolute precision, be it gunfire or chopping limbs off. It hardly gets any better than this, and James Horner’s throbbing score is another major plus. Stands head and shoulders above most of Chuck Norris’ similar films around the time. 64. Lucas This story of a geeky kid who meets and befriends a pretty new girl just before school starts, seems to impact me more every time I see it. In fact, it might just be the most perceptive film about teens ever made, and a worthy new entry to the list. The pain of first love, of unrequited love, the pressures of having to fit in and conform in high school- it's all captured perfectly. And even the dreaded football finale and 'slow clap' aren't as manipulative as they could've been. Most of all, the three leads (Corey Haim as Lucas, Charlie Sheen as the protective jock, and Kerri Green as the girl in the middle just trying to fit in) are all perfect, Green and Sheen especially, as they have the harder task of making their characters likeable, understandable and relatable to someone like me who knows the pain of a geek's unrequited love and failure to fit in, all too well. One of the best teen movies ever. 65. Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte Some prefer the campy melodrama “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?” but I much prefer this equally campy, but more macabre Southern Gothic thriller from the underrated Robert Aldrich. It also helps that I prefer Olivia De Havilland (surely one of the most underappreciated actresses from the Golden Era) to Joan Crawford, who has always seemed a pale imitation of Bette Davis to me. And boy is Bette great in this, going hell for leather as the supposedly mad, constantly yelling and abusive title character. It’s one of her best-ever performances (alongside “The Little Foxes” and “All About Eve”). She’s a mad old broad who won’t let foreman George Kennedy (when he was young) and his crew knock her big mansion down. But is Charlotte really mad? Or is someone driving her that way? With Charlotte, it’s hard to tell, right up until the climax. You see, Charlotte’s been having flashbacks to a dark family secret involving murder, her father (Victor Buono) and a young Bruce Dern. Meanwhile, Olivia De Havilland and Joseph Cotten turn up as Charlotte’s long-suffering cousin and the family doctor. The latter is especially good in the sort of old-charmer role he could play in his sleep. Agnes Moorehead is hilariously incomprehensible in an Oscar-nominated turn as the nosy, cantankerous housekeeper who stays with Charlotte through it all. Surprisingly gory and wonderfully filmed in black and white, the film has a slightly confusing narrative, though. Creepy title tune is sung by one of the characters at a crucial point. 66. History of the World Part 1 I appear to be the only person in the known universe who loves this film, or even likes it. Sure the Inquisition dance number is putrid, and the French Revolution segment, whilst hilarious to me now, made little impact on me until I became familiar with “Tale of Two Cities” (Cloris Leachman’s Madame Defarge is a laugh riot and Mel Brooks in multiple roles is great, with the immortal line, ‘It’s Good to be the King!’). But there’s so much else about this underrated Mel Brooks film (loved Orson Welles opening narration and that wonderfully juvenile ?” parody) that still has me rolling on the floor with laughter. The effeminate guy announcing Caesar’s arrival (‘Remember thou art mortal!’), an hilariously shrill Madeline Kahn as the extraordinarily horny Empress Nympho (‘Please step with the same foot at the same time!’), an hysterical discussion on various means of torture (‘No...But that’s very inventive!’), Harvey Korman perhaps besting his Hedley Lamarr schtick as the snooty aristocrat with a similarly mispronounced name, Count De Monet (and his very saucy attaché Béarnaise, who very nearly steals his every scene shamelessly), and yes, a hoofing, smiling and conning Gregory Hines guiding everyone to a stash of Smokus Dopus, (AKA Wacky Weed), as an Ethiopian slave in Ancient Rome. The best bits for me, however, are a brief moment in Roman Times with a guy spruiking a new invention called plumbing (the punchline is too dirty for this page, unfortunately), and a sketch on the Last Supper (John Hurt plays Christ!) that kills me every time, despite the jokes being actually pretty awful. But that’s Mel Brooks for you, and he can get away with it. I still don’t get why people are so down on this film. 67. Ladyhawke One of the most beautiful and haunting romantic medieval fantasy movies ever made, this terrific cult item from the underrated Richard Donner might’ve earned a higher place if it weren’t for some questionable decisions in casting and scoring. Rutger Hauer (who is still the best thing in everything he does these days, no matter how crap the films are) couldn’t be more perfectly cast and Michelle Pfeiffer is also well-chosen (I don’t find her delicate, angular beauty personally arousing but she’s right for the part) as the doomed lovers, victims of a cruel curse that has Pfeiffer turning into a hawk at sunrise and warrior Hauer a wolf at sundown. It’s such a beautiful premise (they only see each other in human form for a painful, fleeting moment. A shame the FX don’t quite bring as much to the party as the screenwriters and actors, a minor gripe). John Wood (not to be confused with long-serving Aussie TV actor of the same name) plays the evil priest who also acts as sorcerer. He’s a little underwhelming, but never mind. Leo McKern is in great form as a hermit-like priest with past misdeeds he is greatly ashamed of. Matthew Broderick takes some getting used to as a phony-accented, chatty thief who gets caught up in the middle of all this, he’s OK but a little “Dungeons & Dragons” fan meets Eugene Jerome. This is a gorgeous-looking, sweeping epic fantasy where a horrendous pop soundtrack by Andrew Powell isn’t enough to spoil a genuinely compelling story and lovely doomed romance. Fans of this sort of thing like me, will adore it, if they don’t already. 68. Big 69. The Days of Wine and Roses (1962) ***** Up 22 places! ***** Some prefer “Lost Weekend” , but for me, this harrowing account of alcohol addiction can’t be beaten. Being directed by the normally comedically-inclined Blake Edwards and starring that most likeable of neurotics Jack Lemmon in the lead, it packs more of an emotional wallop for me. It starts off as a typical Lemmon romantic-comedy with a meet cute with Lee Remick, both very likeable characters (even though the signs of addiction certainly are there), before belting the audience over the head without us even seeing it coming. Lemmon gives an admittedly showy performance (hey, if he were any less theatrical, we’d all want to slit our wrists because it’d be too frighteningly real) but one of enormous power that he seldom saw the heights of again in dramatic fare. The scenes of him in a strait-jacket and trashing a greenhouse might be more theatrical than realistic, but they are still enormously shattering and well-acted moments of cinema. One almost finds it too much to bear, listening to him wailing. Remick, meanwhile, earns kudos for going all-out with a pathetic, totally unglamorous turn as a woman who starts out as a chocoholic and ends up a skanky-looking boozer. Charles Bickford is perfectly cast in another of his firm but loving parental figure roles. Did I mention that I don't drink? 70. Beverly Hills Cop 71. Predator 72. The 39 Steps (1935) 73. The Naked Gun! 74. L.A. Story 75. From Here to Eternity 76. Blazing Saddles 77. Chinatown (1974) 78. Sweet Smell of Success Forget “Wall Street” , this is the one you ought to see, a shattering, irredeemably bleak view of people with too much power and little humanity. Oddly enough, for what is a very NYC film (cinematographer James Wong Howe captures the essentially cheap but alluring glitz of the New York nightlife perfectly in black and white), the director was famed Ealing Studios director Alexander Mackendrick (whose “The Ladykillers” was the best of the Ealing comedies). As important today as it was in the 50s, with two of the best performances you’ll ever see; Burt Lancaster’s J.J. Hunsecker is the perfect embodiment of all-powerful, unwavering megalomaniac with an unhealthy concern for his sister (you just know that there are a lotta guys out there like him), and Tony Curtis is frighteningly believable as the two-bit press agent who would kill for Lancaster if it’d get his crummy clients good exposure. Barbara Nichols is as pathetic as Curtis, playing a cigarette girl he schmoozes and uses. 79. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) Of all the versions of this alien invasion tale (and perhaps you could include “The Thing (From Another World)” and its remake), the 1970s Philip Kaufman version has always been my favourite. This is a bizarre, constantly unnerving film with some of the weirdest casting you’ll ever see in one film; Donald Sutherland, Veronica Cartwright, a scene-stealing Jeff Goldblum (as a conspiracy theory amateur writer), and even Mr. Spock, Leonard Nimoy as a Self-Help guru. The underlying theme is perhaps a little harder to grasp in this one, but that’s OK, I was too busy looking at whatever was lurking out of the edge of the frame. It’s almost a horror film, really. There was always someone with a slightly bent look in their eye (Robert Duvall has an inexplicable cameo as a priest on a swing!), who moved funny and whom came out of nowhere. And then there’s that dog…you’ve just got to see the dog, man. Scared the s**t outta me! 80. Dawn of the Dead (1978) Apocalyptic zombie classic stands head and shoulders above all others, even if it is a tad long and amateurish in the acting department (Ken Foree excepted). Thematically a still very relevant film (and yet, when they remade it, they all but removed the consumer society satire that makes this film so fascinating and long-lasting), wonderfully gory (in a somewhat comical way), and the beginning and end sections of the film in particular are terrific action-horror classics. I don’t necessarily believe in the Undead or anything, but it really wouldn’t surprise me if when Armageddon came, we all started killing each other off, fighting turf wars and such…oh, wait. We already do that, don’t we? 81. Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones 82. Groundhog Day 83. The Best Years of Our Lives Up 31 places! It’s astonishing just how tremendously affecting this postwar drama is when you consider how long ago it was made. The majority of the credit must go to the acting and emphasis on characters. The film feels so real that the audience can’t help but be affected by it. Fredric March, prone to acting histrionics (I despised his lauded work in “Inherit the Wind”, Spencer Tracy underacted circles around him) is nicely subdued here as a devoted family (slightly affluent) man returning from war and finding it hard to be the person he was before the war, and finding it even harder to go back to his job at the bank and have to refuse to give loans to some of his comrades. However, the real standouts are the other two fellas. Dana Andrews, an immovable object in some films, has never been better as the guy returning home to the wife he barely knew before marrying her, and finding that she (a truly despicable woman played to the hilt by a brave Virginia Mayo) has no interest in him out of uniform and out of work. Teresa Wright is yet again a shining light as March’s daughter who tenderly cares for Andrews in a very touching, gosh darned romantic moment that had me in tears (shhh! Don’t tell anyone). Harold Russell, a real-life amputee took home two Oscars (including a possibly patronising Special Award for bringing hope and courage to soldiers) for his heart-felt and totally believable performance as a wounded soldier who has adjusted to having mechanical limbs but finds it difficult to adjust to other people trying to adjust. The pair of scenes with his honestly and sweetly devoted fiancé seeing (and later helping) him get changed is both powerful (in perhaps a cornball way) and insightful. I can’t reiterate enough just how shocked I was at how real this film seemed to me, given the era in which it was made. Not to be missed. 84. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly 85. Johnny Belinda Although Jane Wyman deservingly won an Oscar for her thoroughly winning, sensitive turn as a deaf mute (who has lived a sheltered life in a fishing community), this wonderful Jean Negulesco drama has perhaps not become as well-regarded or remembered as it should. Personally, I tend to gravitate towards films where bad things happen to genuinely good people, and Wyman’s character sure has a hard time of it here, mostly thanks to one of cinema’s most despicable villains, a smarmy rapist played by Stephen (Horace) McNally. Charles Bickford and Agnes Moorehead are dead-on as her simple, firm but ultimately caring guardians, but it’s Wyman you’ll remember, whose luminous face (those eyes!) has never been more effectively shown on screen and which expresses so much, even though she says not a word. Too twee and teary for some, perhaps, but that’s their loss. 86. The Body Snatcher (1943) For me, the best of the Val Lewton chillers (oddly enough, the most highly regarded one “I Walked With a Zombie” bored me senseless), this fabulously atmospheric tale was also the final pairing of horror icons Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi, who has one of his only good roles as a foolishly opportunistic servant. Karloff gives the finest performance of his career as the outwardly genial (he’s kind to kids and horsies) cabman Gray, a grave-robber who is truly diabolical, murderous and sleazy just under the surface. Henry Daniell, that most excellent player of aristocratic villains (and a signature look that suggests sheer disdain for most of the human race), is in fine fettle as the cold and humourless doctor (just you ask him for a lollipop!) who regrets needing the blackmailing Gray to find appropriate specimens for his medical experiments. Lots of typical stylish flourish, like all these films (particularly the haunting murder of a street singer and a wonderful use of shadows in the pivotal scene between Karloff and Lugosi), but most of all, it’s the rich characterisations, notably Karloff as a human monster, that make this a classic. 87. The Day the Earth Stood Still 88. Gandhi I really don’t get the negative criticism thrown at this Sir Richard Attenborough epic. On the one hand, it’s the kind of film people refer to when talking about boring, bloated epics that won a lot of Oscars but have no relevancy for today’s audience. Poppycock, we can all learn something from this man and the film about him. Then there’s the critics who whilst sometimes lauding the film, just as often compare it unfavourably to “Lawrence of Arabia” . Granted, Martin Sheen’s American reporter is a blatant rip-off of Arthur Kennedy’s role in “Lawrence”, but Mahatma Gandhi is not T.E. Lawrence, and their stories are quite different. This is a truly moving motion picture about one of the finest men who ever lived. I mean, not only did he teach protest via non-violent means (something that wouldn’t work today, granted, but one can dream, right?) but even when he accosts his loving wife at one point, he apologises almost immediately. How many husbands would have the stones to do that? The guy is just amazing, one of the few truly and genuinely good people who have ever lived, and Ben Kingsley gives one of the finest lead performances in a biopic that I have ever seen. Noble, authoritative- but never domineering, and above all else, he was one helluva fascinating guy. 89. The Apartment 90. Bedknobs and Broomsticks Forget Mary Poppins (God, I hate Julie Andrews), this neglected Disney flick has always been a favourite of mine. Angela Lansbury is perfect as an amateur witch (but a good-hearted one!) taking in three youngsters during WWII and taking them on a wondrous adventure via a magical bed. Or something like that...it’s not a seedy as it sounds. David Tomlinson is terrific as the love interest who acts as referee in one of the weirdest and most magical (there’s that word again!) soccer games, in an unforgettable animated sequence that ranks up there with the best moments of Disney. Also worth noting is the outstanding finale involving Nazis and a Medieval-looking ghost army. I’ll never understand why this one doesn’t get its dues, it’s terrific family entertainment, even if it is partly a musical. 91. Misery 92. All About Eve 93. Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Return of the King Yes, it’s cheating, so sue me! 94. Battle Beyond the Stars (1980) I could just recommend this Roger Corman film simply for featuring a ship with boobs (!), but there’s so much more to this wonderfully entertaining B movie mixture of “The Seven Samurai” and “Star Wars” , so long as you are film-savvy enough to distinguish between a B movie that knows it isn’t A-grade, and a Z-grade film (for starters, at around $1m this was one of Corman’s bigger budgeted films and whilst not seamless, the FX look good for what they are- cool models and lasers). A planet named Akir (after the famous director Akira Kurosawa, of course) is being tormented by a nasty megalomaniac (John Saxon, one of the weaker elements to the film. He’s dull) and send young Shad (a very youthful-looking John-Boy Walton) to hire intergalactic mercenaries to help rid them of the dictator. These hired laser-guns include George Peppard (have I mentioned how much I love “The A-Team” ?) as Space Cowboy from Earth (he has one cracker of a scene where he looks like he’s set to duel at sundown like The Duke himself), the awesomely bodacious B-movie queen Sybil Danning plays the stubborn and aggressive (and apparently very sexually knowledgeable, despite the film’s PG rating) Valkyrie St. Exmin, who must have a helluva time fitting into her tiny ship, let alone her tight clothing. Wow is all I can say. Robert Vaughn essentially reprises his “Magnificent Seven” role of the assassin so well-known that he cannot venture out to spend the wealth he has amassed. And there’s several other bizarre creature here, including a fore-runner to “Star Trek” villains The Borg. If you like spaceships (designed by James Cameron, by the way, whilst James Horner composed the score and John Sayles wrote the smart script), lasers, and cleavage, this is Valhalla, folks. Endlessly entertaining for a particular segment of the film-viewing community. 95. The Bride of Frankenstein 96. A Patch of Blue Some of you mightn’t have even heard of this then-shocking interracial romance, despite featuring Sidney Poitier and one of the finest performances of Shelley Winters career (it’s my favourite of her performances and it earned her a second Academy Award). It’s the kind of film critics find to be OK but not great. This is a sweet, sensitive, yet sometimes quite unglamorous story (based on a terrific Elizabeth Kata novel) about a young blind woman (played by Elizabeth Hartman, who sadly had an unremarkable film career and met a tragic end when she jumped out of a window in 1987) who acts as slave to her monstrous, harridan mother (Winters- one of the most pathetic creations she’s ever essayed, and yet one can almost find her pitiful amidst one’s hatred of her) who barely lets her out and bullies her emotionally and physically. Veteran Wallace Ford (in one of his last films) is great as Hartman’s well-meaning but completely pathetic drunk grandfather, Ole Pa. Poitier is the mild-mannered and well-spoken young black man she meets one day who is shocked at the sheltered existence she’s been living and the two form a bond that might well see Hartman finally independent of her mother. The interracial romance aspect (he’s black, she’s blind...hmmm, in a sense that kinda reminds me of the Barbarella/Pygar relationship in “Barbarella” , in an odd way) actually is much ado about nothing (it’s more about Hartman’s independence) and is mostly used to set the hysterical Winters off when she finds out (It is, however, probably a better film than Poitier’s other interracial romance film, the well-meaning but stagy “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?” ). A touching and beautiful film, with one of Jerry Goldsmith’s most beautiful scores (he’s a favourite of mine, along with cinematographer Robert Burks, who is also present here) 97. Gunfight at the O.K. Corral 98. The Wicker Man Particularly in its extended form now widely available on DVD (which fleshes out the two main characters a little more), this British horror flick is one of the most unusual (everyone’s a bit of a weirdo here, not to mention the fact that there’s a whole lot of folk music in the film) and best films in the genre. Having one of my two or three favourite actors, Christopher Lee (in his favourite role and one of my favourites, too) in the cast helps, of course. Iconic ending is still stirring to this very day, and having Edward Woodward’s upstanding and deeply religious copper (on the trail of a missing girl who might’ve gotten mixed up with pagans) as the hero and Lee’s outwardly polite Lord Summerisle the villain (Lee’s perfect as the almost regal but obviously sinister figure), is a masterstroke. The guy’s a judgmental, bible-thumping, humourless fool, and not very likeable at all. But it’s hard not to feel something for him by the shocking climax, and even if you’ve seen it before, the story is still entirely gripping from start to finish. The supporting cast is full of unusual faces, but the most memorable impressions are made by Britt Ekland as a barmaid who tries to seduce Woodward (those are apparently her boobs but not her posterior), the always suspicious-looking Aubrey Morris is a seedy gravedigger (in a most disturbing scene or two, he has maniacal glee all over his face), and Hammer horror legend Ingrid Pitt, who appears nude in a bathtub at one point. It’s not for everyone, but a true cult classic. 99. Awakenings 100. Young Frankenstein 101. Shaft (1971) Two words: Damn right! (Shut ‘yo mouth!) 102. The Shining (1980) You either love or hate this Stephen King adaptation by filmmaker Stanley Kubrick, and I guess if you’ve read the book, you’ll more likely than not be in the latter camp. Instead of focusing on a family man who when isolated is driven so crazy that he kills his family, Kubrick has altered it into a film about a dangerous guy who becomes totally unhinged when he and his family are isolated and how the family are essentially trapped with this raving loon. As you can probably tell, I love this film and don’t care about the changes. I haven’t even read the damn book. Don’t want to. I like books, but I’m a film buff, thank you very much. Jack Nicholson gives a wild, crazy-eyed and go-for-broke performance as the deranged dad, and I loved every minute of his work here (especially his scenes with his kid, Danny. Hilariously evil). The less said about Shelley Duvall as the hysterical mother, the better. Although he is given a thankless role, Scatman Crothers’ kindly hotel chef with a psychic link to Nicholson’s son, is most memorable and the most likeable person in the film (Not too sure about those girly pictures, though). But this is Kubrick’s film (though the music damn near steals the spotlight from the opening scene!) and boy does this film have some freaky visuals; The bloody walls, the garden maze (I’ve always wanted one of those things), those weirdo twins, the old lady in the tub (arrghh! The nightmares!), and...just what the hell was up with those two guys in masks? Funny (‘Gimme the hair of the dog that bit me!’), horrifying, atmospheric (like most of the best horror films), superbly shot and scored, and Jack’s in great, leering form. A real horror classic. 103. The 7 Faces of Dr. Lao Perhaps another surprise entry, this is a wonderful George Pal fantasy film, just a little left of centre. Although perhaps playing an outdated stereotype, Tony Randall (who actually hated the film, according to some) is unforgettable as the title travelling circus owner who teaches a sleepy Western town a lesson or two, especially greedy businessman Arthur O’Connell. Randall escapes offensiveness by making Dr. Lao a unique individual and quite likeable, if a little untrustworthy at times. He’s also great fun to have around. He also plays five other roles in the film such as Merlin, Medusa (absolutely hilarious stuff there, with a great role for Minerva Urecal), and Apollonius of Tyana, and these are the most memorable moments in the film (unless you’re a fan of Barbara Eden or John Ericson who have a mild romance). Stop-motion FX and Oscar-winning makeup might look a little archaic to some, but I love the visuals, personally. Definitely an acquired taste and one that I acquired from a very young age. 104. The Running Man I swear I’m not on crack. I grew up in the 80s and Arnie Schwarzenegger was the Man, OK? More relevant now than in its day, this cool-looking sci-fi action/satire is great fun, especially in the reality TV era we’re currently in. Arnie plays soldier framed for mass murderer in the year 2019 and is forced to take part in a sadistic game show (it’s a typically bleak, militaristic future vision) where convicted criminals are hunted by ‘stalkers’, sadistic brutes with names like Dynamo and Buzzsaw. No contestant has ever survived ‘The Running Man’, but Arnie’s about to take his turn. Real-life smarmy game show host Richard Dawson is dead-on as the sleazy, corrupt host who looks set to have an apoplexy as Arnie starts changing the course of events. Think Monday Night Football meets "Blade Runner" meets "Survivor". Great cast too, with the underrated Yaphet Kotto, football legend (and blaxploitation favourite) Jim Brown, Jesse Ventura, Mick Fleetwood and Dweezil Zappa, among others. Only the inexplicably talentless Maria Conchita Alonso irritates as ‘the girl’. It’s action the way it should be- very 80s, bulging muscles (and I’m straight, by the way), and no one using two guns, sliding on the floor whilst accompanied by flames and doves bursting out of nowhere. 105. The Usual Suspects 106. Double Indemnity 107. The Asphalt Jungle Memorable characters, perfect casting and gripping story make this an all-time classic in the heist genre. Sterling Hayden is the big dumb hick who’s doing the job to by back the family ranch (Jean Hagen doesn’t bring much to the table as his dame). Sam Jaffe (who never turned in a bad performance) has perhaps his signature role as Doc Riedenschneider, the mastermind behind the jewellery heist. In probably my three favourite characterisations we have sweaty Marc Lawrence (born in 1910 and still going as of 2005, he always seemed to play gangsters and snitches) as Cobby, the epitome of seedy bookie characters, a hunchbacked James Whitmore as the straight-up getaway driver, and stealing every scene, the suave Louis Calhern as Alonzo D. Emmerich, a lawyer who seems to think he’s above everyone else. Marilyn Monroe has a great early role as his mistress. The focus on the planning and execution by the criminals (and their personal lives) might seem old hat by today’s standards, but it was never so grippingly done and vividly characterised. Classic dialogue runs throughout, but Calhern’s explanation of crime being a ‘left-handed form of human endeavour’, is tops. 108. Nosferatu 109. Serpico 110. In the Line of Fire 111. Shadow of a Doubt (1943) Hitchcock’s view of the perfect American family shaken up by one of its own being a wanted murderer makes for great entertainment some 50 or so years later. Joseph Cotten, a most underrated actor, provides one of Hitch’s best and most complex villains, with his Uncle Charlie’s special bond to his sweet, innocent namesake (played by Teresa Wright, easily one of the most likeable actresses to ever grace the screen and now sadly departed) fascinating stuff. Sure, the lukewarm romance between Wright and copper MacDonald Carey (yeah, the hourglass guy) never gets off the ground, but Cotten is so captivating in his mixture of charm, dangerousness and insanity, that you don’t care. The supporting cast also offers fine work by Hume Cronyn as a nosy neighbour who is an amateur sleuth, and everyone’s favourite wingless angel, Henry Travers, as the family patriarch (OK, so it’s not exactly a very American-sounding family, but hey, I thought for many years that Vincent Price was British and he was a Southerner!) Good sense of humour to go with the mounting tension, with Patricia Collinge’s mother character’s ineptitude with a newfangled telephone, a highlight. Not as gimmicky as some of Hitchcock’s other films, but it doesn’t need to be. The story and characters are more than enough, here. 112. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest 113. Born on the 4th of July 114. El Cid Charlton Heston is another actor whom gets a lot of bad press and is also a very underrated actor. Most importantly, the guy had presence and charisma and authority coming out of his ears. And nobody did historical epics like Chuck. For me, this was the best and most underappreciated of those films. In a storyline that has some eerie parallels to modern political conflicts, Heston is thoroughly convincing as the title 11th century warrior who drove the Moors from Spain. Sophia Loren has probably her finest hour in my view as his betrothed who gets all black-clad and scornful when Heston accidentally kills her father. Their scenes together are most underrated, especially once Loren’s father is out of the picture. Features some of the greatest battle scenes ever filmed, and terrific supporting performances from Herbert Lom (one of the few actors who could get away with playing several different ethnicities) as villainous Ben Yussef, Douglas Wilmer as the Cid’s dark-skinned ally Moutamin, a somewhat fruity-looking Frank Thring as another baddie (of course), and the always reliable Sir Michael Hordern as Heston’s father. Only Genevieve Page misses out in a badly underdeveloped part. Long, but thrilling and beautifully mounted, and featuring one of Miklos Rozsa’s best scores. Only complaint? A perplexingly inconsistent narration. 115. House of Wax (1953) 116. Shine 117. Little Shop of Horrors (1960) 118. The Fugitive 119. Tombstone 120. Once Upon a Time in the West 121. Raging Bull 122. The Horror of Dracula (1958) Forget Lugosi and Tod Browning, Coppolla and Gary Oldman, Christopher Lee’s aristocratic, fanged Count in Hammer’s best-regarded film is far and away the most satisfying marriage of performance and film in regards to Stoker’s tale. The film looks glorious, as all Hammer films do (and the music score by James Bernard is the high point in his career), and whilst Lee disappears for great lengths, his first scene alone is definitive stuff. Peter Cushing, simply is Van Helsing, just as he was Sherlock Holmes, or Moff Tarkin. These two horror titans working together seem to make it look damn easy. I can’t say much more than that I just plain prefer this (and most other Hammer Dracula films) to any other version of Stoker’s tale ( “Nosferatu” , the unofficial Dracula flick, notwithstanding). 123. The Magic Box (1951) 124. The Vikings 125. Gallipoli 126. Robin and Marian 127. A Bucket of Blood One of the greatest black comedies ever made, and one of schlockmeister Roger Corman’s finest hours as director, this was the precursor to his “Little Shop of Horrors” . Cult character actor Dick Miller in a rare lead performance is wonderful as the meek busboy (named Walter Paisley, of course) whose unique sculptures are embraced by fatuous beatniks like the hilarious pompous Julian Burton. But how long until people find out just how life-like those sculptures really are? Absolutely insane, very funny and over in a flash. Terrific Charles Griffith screenplay, this one’s highly recommended, so long as you’re as wacko as me. 128. Spies Like Us An underrated John Landis tribute to the Hope-Crosby vehicles with Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd perfect as the two dim- witted 'decoy' spies, sent into dangerous territory to divert the enemy away from the 'real' spies. The humour is all the more amusing because of its blatant stupidity. The exam sequence with Chase and Aykroyd along with Frank Oz, is comedy gold. You simply won't believe what they try and get away with- and it works! It's an hilariously dopey scene in a film full of them. Loads of cameos, too. 129. Se7en 130. The Wolf Man (1941) 131. Flying High/Airplane! (1980) 132. Cat People (1942) No, not the horribly over-the-top and explicit 80s remake, this is one of the finest Val Lewton thrillers, a masterpiece of simplicity but tremendous creepy effectiveness. Simone Simon and her cute widdle accent is thoroughly adorable yet slightly off-kilter as the shy Serbian girl who believes she is cursed to become a feline predator (no, really!), and her boyfriend Kent Smith (as the interestingly named Oliver Reed, but he doesn’t break out a huge jug of juice at any time, sadly) just laughs it off as ‘crazy superstitious nonsense’. Several sequences stand out among the greatest in horror cinema; a still-startling ‘boo’ moment involving a bus that seems to come out of nowhere, a quietly bizarre moment where a distraught feline-looking woman approaches Simon and starts talking in a foreign language, and a stalking scene in a swimming pool that is a masterpiece of light, shadow, sound, atmosphere, and tension. Perhaps Simon is the film’s strongest asset, we’re never sure if she really is a cat woman, totally innocent, innocent but somewhat nutty, or a murderous loon. Anyone who believes horror movies have to be in colour and feature blood and guts, really need to see this classic. 133. Rosemary's Baby 134. Dog Day Afternoon 135. Hud I hated Fast Eddie Felson and yet for some reason, I’ve never quite hated Hud. Probably because he and the film concerning him are so fascinating. This is one of Paul Newman’s finest ever performances (and let’s face it, Newman’s only given maybe three or four underwhelming performances in his career) as a sort-of local lothario who ain’t exactly the greatest human being in the world. Brandon de Wilde, the kid from “Shane” all grown up (sorta), plays Hud’s idolising kid brother. Veteran Melvyn Douglas as the ‘old man’, and Patricia Neal (in an outstanding, and actually pretty sexy performance) as the wise family housekeeper know better than to trust Hud. Newman has always seemed to want to play characters that made people forget them purdy baby blue’s of his, but for me this is the only one he did so successfully, aside from “Cool Hand Luke” (No, not “The Outrage” , I’m afraid, and both “Paris Blues” and “Harper” would’ve been fine even without him). It looks terrific too, in stunning black and white. 136. The Howling 137. Bonnie and Clyde It might be odd to compare this 30s-set gangster pic to “Days of Wine and Roses” , but the set-up and payoff are somewhat similar. This film starts off as a somewhat fun frolic with a couple of lovebird gangsters, but unlike the aforementioned film where a cute romance turned into alcoholic hell after about half an hour, we have to wait until the very end before things really slap us in the face. Oh, sure, a few people get shot on the way (and boy, do they ever), but there’s something likeably unscrupulous about Warren Beatty (in just about his only decent performance) as Clyde. It’s a still-startling and beautifully violent moment some 35 years later, even if you’re aware of the ending beforehand. Aside from that, the film is well-acted (Estelle Parsons is a bit much, but very funny at the same time), well-shot, poignant (particularly the scenes between Clyde and brother Buck, played exceptionally well by a young Gene Hackman), and occasionally very funny (Gene Wilder, in his debut, has in hysterically funny cameo). Not quite the all-time American classic its often reputed to be (perhaps too many imitators have emerged to tarnish its image), but certainly up there and a benchmark of its type. 138. The Hill (1965) I don’t want to go to war, I don’t want to go to prison, and I sure as hell don’t ever want to go to a military prison. The chief reason mightn’t be this 1965 film, but it sure is one helluva powerful film that despite a great cast and a brilliant director in Sidney Lumet, isn’t as well known as it should be. Some cite the poor sound quality (very true) and thick British accents (Americans in particular cite this. Oh, please! Mind you, I’ve seen American programs where Australians are subtitled! We speak English too, for cryin’ out loud!) It has enormous power, mostly emanating from the stark, harsh black and white cinematography by Oswald Morris, and an unforgettable array of gritty, powerful performances. Sean Connery has one of his two best non-007 roles, next to playing Robin Hood. He plays a hardened soldier in a military prison camp where the commanding officers are either brutal or useless, but he refuses to be broken. Harry Andrews gives one of the two most definitive performances in this type of role as RSM Wilson, forever barking orders and insults. But is he really in command? It’s an extraordinary performance from one of the great actors of British cinema. Ian Hendry plays his somewhat new colleague who is even more brutal and sadistic, with the title referring to the favourite punishment of the SO’s (the black and white photography captures the unpleasant, tough and blisteringly hot conditions perfectly in a way that a colour film might not be able to). Roy Kinnear plays the kind of guy that really should never have been allowed in the army to begin with, a snivelling, pathetic, whiny and somewhat grotesque fat man. African-American Ossie Davis has one of the lighter parts in the film (no pun intended. Really. I mean it!), as King, a Jamaican who has to suffer constant racist taunts (from both Officers and prisoners) in addition to the other hardships. The scene where he goes all Peter Finch on Norman Bird’s useless commandant is a classic. Ian Bannen is terrific as the only humane officer, but he seems too reticent to be of any use. Michael Redgrave’s medical officer, meanwhile, is totally clueless and entirely ineffectual. Lots of building tension and the final segment is harrowing stuff that you might not be able to shake immediately afterwards. 139. The Little Foxes Not having seen Tallulah Bankhead on stage, it is the immortal Bette Davis who is the definitive Regina Hubbard Giddens for me. And boy does Bette put on a show here! As a scheming and heartless family matriarch, the scene where she coldly ignores her clearly dying husband is a cinema classic. But Bette is just one in this family of vultures, the most despicable family I’ve ever encountered, aside from maybe the Manson Family. Charles Dingle, in a very Claude Rains role, is the quietly calculating Ben who along with Regina and his cruel brother Oscar (Carl Benton Reid, a dead-ringer for Fox News personality Cal Thomas. Very scary!) tries to get Regina’s weak husband Herbert Marshall (who has just recovered from a heart attack) to finance a business venture. When he refuses, Oscar coaxes his slimy, wimpy son Leo (Dan Duryea, in a superlatively revolting performance that should’ve earned him an Oscar nod) into stealing the money. On the sidelines, meanwhile, we have three characters, one useless (Richard Carlson, as a stand-up guy who at one point gives Duryea one of the girliest slaps I’ve ever seen), and the other two are the most likeable people around; Teresa Wright (who earned an Oscar nod for this, her first film. She in fact received three for her first three performances and won in 1942 for “Mrs. Miniver” . And yet, she’s nowhere near as well known as she should, and passed away relatively recently) in yet another fantastic performance as Regina’s sweet-natured daughter who is initially very naïve, and Patricia Collinge (who, along with Duryea, Dingle, Reid, and John Marriott repeat their stage roles. It was also the debut of Duryea, Collinge and Reid) as the dotty, hysterical but well-meaning Aunt Birdie, poorly treated by husband Oscar. Her best scene is perhaps the one where Oscar accosts her for making a ‘fool’ of herself and being an embarrassment. If you were a member of this family, you’d change your name and run far away. The Hogan's seem functional by comparison. 140. The Deer Hunter 141. Freaks 142. So, I Married an Axe Murderer 143. Sherlock Jr. Ha! Didn’t see this one coming, did you? A classic, extremely clever silent comedy with Buster Keaton. 144. The Godfather Part II Yeah, that’s right, it’s about twice as good as the overrated first film. No mush-mouthed, show-offy Marlon Brando here, and Al Pacino, normally too loud and hammy for my tastes, gives a superb, mostly low-key showing as the increasingly brooding Michael Corleone. John Cazale is once again fantastic as poor, pathetic Fredo (he, Talia Shire and James Caan were the best things in the first one), and Robert De Niro comes to prominence in a non-English speaking role as the young Vito Corleone. The characters are more vivid and interesting (Michael V. Gazzo and famed Actors Studio guy Lee Strasberg are awesome in shady supporting parts, guys who might be involved in a plot to get rid of Michael), the story more compelling, and despite epic length, this is a much better film overall. Still, it’s no “Goodfellas” , is it? 145. Play Misty For Me Forget the wholly overrated “Fatal Attraction” (What kind of idiot cheats on Anne Archer with the androgynous Glenn Close, anyway?), this directorial debut by Clint Eastwood is one of the first and easily the best ‘crazy, jilted lover’ movie ever made. Clint is quite good as the DJ who has a girlfriend but...every now and then a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do (Not me, though. I’ve first gotta GET a girlfriend). Enter Jessica Walter, in one of the most underrated female performances in a thriller I’ve seen. She’s Clint’s number 1 fan, and often rings his show to request ‘Misty’ and just happens to turn up at Clint’s favourite bar (tended by his buddy, director Don Siegel, I might add). Stupid Clint sleeps with one of his fans, a big no-no. The next morning she starts getting all up in his face about ‘us’. Then she gets insanely jealous when he tells her to cool off (hey, a guy needs his space, man!), he has a girlfriend after all (Uh-huh, you shoulda thought of that beforehand, Clint!). Then she just gets insane. And naked, at one point, but mostly just nuts. Walter really goes all-out for the role, but I have to say I believed every minute of it (and unlike Glenn Close, I at least saw what Clint might’ve originally saw in her), and although I can’t say I really liked Clint’s character, the more complex characters actually worked (Not too sure about the b*tchy gay guy though, Clint was still in his homophobic phase here). A model of its type. 146. Mask (1985) I like tearjerkers, OK? And this Peter Bogdanovich film is easily one of the best, despite featuring the generally acting-challenged diva Cher in the lead role. Thankfully she’s given a role she’s good at and she deserves praise for playing the role whole-heartedly, to the point where sometimes we don’t even like the character. She’s mother to Eric Stoltz’s Rocky Dennis, a likeable and highly intelligent kid with a rare disease that has caused severe facial deformity. Rocky’s sometimes bratty, mother Rusty’s a tempestuous, selfish, pill-popping motor-cycle chick, and this sets the film apart from most tear-jerkers. Sam Elliott, he of the great moustache and terrific drawl (despite being a Californian!) is Rusty’s sometime boyfriend, a biker who is seemingly more attentive and compassionate to Rocky than Rusty is. It’s one of Elliott’s warmest performances, you just plain like the guy (burly character player Dennis Berkeley also has his finest role as a not-so-smart, cuddly teddy bear of a biker). But really, this is Stoltz’s movie, he does an astounding job at helping us see the character behind the Hollywood makeup job. Rocky’s a normal kid who just happens to look a little funny. His romance with a young and blind Laura Dern (in just about the only performance of hers I’ve liked) is truly touching, if a little too schmaltzy for some. It’s worth seeing just for the scene where Cher tells off the school principal (Ben Piazza, who turns out to be not such a bad guy. You might remember him as the snooty family man in the restaurant scene in “The Blues Brothers” ) for being hesitant about admitting Rocky. Manipulative grandstanding, sure, but as disabled person myself, I recognised the scene as absolutely truthful as well. This one earns its tears in spades. 147. Creature From the Black Lagoon 148. Robocop (1987) Paul Verhoeven's violent, nihilistic, deceptively smart action/sci/ satire/comic book hybrid is a new entry to the list. It's sick, hilarious, and not your average Reagan-era action nonsense. Contains Kurtwood Smith's one and only good performance as the scummy, psycho baddie, who is a little sociopathic John Malkovich and a little giggling psycho Richard Widmark all rolled into one. 149. The Wizard of Oz (1939) I really do like it, I wouldn’t put it on the list simply because everyone else does, but my reasoning for positioning this family classic (with some of the least cringe-inducing songs I might add, with one exception) so low on the list is because I feel it runs out of steam in the home stretch. Also, I hate that freakin’ Lollipop Guild song. So sue me! But overall, this is wonderful entertainment that still works all these years later. Bert Lahr’s Cowardly Lion is a personal favourite, though Jack Haley’s Tin Man/Tin Woodsman is immensely likeable, too, and Margaret Hamilton’s Wicked Witch of the West is one of the all-time greats. Loved the blend of sepia tone and bright colour, too. It might seem archaic to some, but I think the primitive technology gives it an otherworldly/fantastic bent. And remember: Follow the Ho Chi Minh Trail!...er...no, wait...that’s not right... 150. Dr. No OK, so despite a really cool lair, Joseph Wiseman’s title villain isn’t the best (that’d be Donald Pleasence as the definitive Ernst Stavro Blofeld), and the Bond songs (Under the Mango Tree and the insipid Three Blind Mice) aren’t great, but this calypso set Bond adventure is the first, simplest, and the best. Sean Connery quite simply is 007; suave, romantic when need be, tough when need be, humorous when need be...he has it all. And then there’s Ursula Andress as Honey Rider. OK, so her character might be a tad airhead-ish for some, but it’s Ursula Freakin’ Andress, one of the most stunningly attractive women to ever grace the silver screen. Not only that, but her superstitious island girl character gives off a somewhat mysterious vibe, too, which I liked. Not much in the way of gadgets or brilliantly complex plotting, but it doesn’t need any of that. Best of all, it’s only about 110 minutes long. 151. The Entertainer (1960) I’ve never been a Larry Olivier fan, but Lord Laurence sure as hell packs a wallop in this screen version of John Osborne’s play about a seedy vaudeville comedian named Archie Rice who keeps on going way past his used-by date and not caring whose life he ruins along the way, even his family. Olivier is brilliant as the philandering, pathetic old has-been with the ‘dead eyes’, who’s as crummy as the chintzy seaside resort town the film is set in. Joan Plowright has an early role as his loyal daughter, and she’d end up Mrs. Olivier (Albert Finney and Alan Bates are the other two siblings). Brenda de Banzie is excellent as Archie’s pathetic, whining, but poorly treated wife, and Roger Livesey plays Archie’s veteran vaudevillian father, who gets mixed up in Archie’s ‘ comeback’ schemes. Too bleak for some, but very strong stuff, and Olivier has been reported as saying that Archie is more like him than any other character he ever portrayed. I’ll leave you to ponder that one... 152. Night and the City (1950) 153. Edge of the City (1957) It’s “On the Waterfront” , only better. 154. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind The best of two Charlie Kaufman-scripted film on this list, and indeed a new entry. He's (Jim Carrey) repressed, she's (Kate Winslet) a flake, but they fall in love anyway. Until they don't. And so Winslet goes and gets her memories of Carrey erased via Doctor Tom Wilkinson. Heart-broken and depressed, Carrey (never better) decides to have the same procedure done to him. But is it really what he wants? This is an endlessly inventive, incredibly romantic, entirely original romantic comedy/drama that reminds us that our memories are precious and that love will always find a way, whether we like it or not. And yet, it's nothing like I've described! 155. Gremlins 156. Elmer Gantry 157. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith 158. Birdman of Alcatraz 159. Star Trek III: The Search for Spock Yup, I like the one with the Klingons best (even if Christopher Lloyd seems more appropriate for tempestuous henchman status rather than evil lead baddie). My favourite original Trek character also happens to be Bones, and since DeForest Kelley gets a bit more to do here (and, by the way, I’ve always preferred Robin Curtis as Saavik to the nutso Kirstie Alley- hey, have you seen those ads? Is losing your mind a side effect of weight loss?), it just added to the pleasure I received from this, the best of the Trek films. Screw the even-odd theory, even Shatner’s acting is better than usual in this one (‘Khhaaaannnnnn!’- Oh, please, spare me!), and for some reason I find this one more gripping on an emotional level. The tone is unlike anything in the rest of the series, quite sombre indeed. 160. Demolition Man Believe me when I tell you, I’m not on crack (Crack is whack!). This sci-fi action/comedy is one of my favourite Sly Stallone efforts (playing a brutal but effective 20th century cop framed for murder and sentenced to a cryogenic sleep. He’s resurrected when his old adversary is thawed and runs amok in a peaceful future unequipped to deal with...bad people), and is much smarter than many give it credit for (the issues of crime prevention, rehabilitation, non-violence and cryogenics are very well displayed). It’s generally overlooked in favour of his other film from 1993, the much more formulaic but fun “Cliffhanger” . Stallone is as Stallone does, only looser, whilst a peroxided Wesley Snipes creates one of the most hilariously insane and hyperactive villains I’ve ever seen. He’s a hoot, not something one would normally attribute to the generally glum Snipes. A wonderfully satiric action blockbuster with great supporting turns by Glenn Shadix (as the mincy Associate Bob), Rob Schneider (tolerably obnoxious for once), Denis Leary (in his element), and a likeably perky (and mildly annoying) Sandra Bullock. Look out for Jesse Ventura in a bit role and a now-spooky in-joke about Arnie Schwarzenegger’s political ambitions (not to mention the fact that Wesley Snipes plays a felon here! Oh, the unintended irony!). One of the best futuristic films out there and one not afraid to have a bit of a laugh at itself. In fact, it may be the old-school action movie’s last hurrah, before John Woo and co came along to stink up the joint and guys like Sly, Van Damme and Seagal made some very unfortunate cinematic decisions (Well, OK, so Sly made bad decisions early on like directing “Stayin’ Alive” and acting opposite Dolly Parton and Estelle Getty in a pair of truly pathetic comedies). 161. Black Caesar 162. It’s a Wonderful Life 163. Being John Malkovich This Spike Jonze-directed, Charlie Kaufman-scripted, dark and surreal comedy is perhaps the most original and bizarre film I have ever seen, and maybe ever will. Thus, I am happy to now include it on my list. It's got a greasy, pathetic John Cusack, a frumpy Cameron Diaz (never better), a cold and cynical Catherine Keener, and an extremely good sport in John Malkovich, playing a version of himself in a film about a loser puppeteer (Cusack) who stumbles upon a portal into the mind of John Malkovich! The film, as you can probably tell, is completely indescribable. Just see it, there's never been anything like it, and its some kind of insane genius. 164. The Cincinnati Kid I always found “The Hustler” to be a glum movie about a sport/game I didn’t care for and having a most unlikeable lead character in Fast Eddie. He was a louse and a jerk who deserved to have his backside kicked. Meanwhile, scene-stealers Jackie Gleason and George Scott provided occasional charm. This somewhat forgotten Norman Jewison film gives us Steve McQueen as a Fast Eddie sort, but slightly more agreeable. He’s not a jerk and a louse, he’s just focused and somewhat cold to his girlfriend. The film is about the poker playing scene in New Orleans, and being quite fond of the game, I really dig this stylish film (love the Ray Charles theme song, too). It also surrounds McQueen’s Kid with a gallery of wonderful and interesting people and faces; the classy Edward G. Robinson (oozing cool and slight egotism) is ‘The Man’, the poker king up-and-comer McQueen wants to beat. Karl Malden (one of the most underrated actors ever) is superb as Shooter, McQueen’s pal who never cheats. Enter a young and sour Rip Torn as a disgruntled rich man who uses Malden to fix a game and get revenge on Robinson, who beat him. Then there’s the women; kittenish Ann-Margret has never been better, as Malden’s vixenish wife who is becoming bored with him (the scene where she manipulates a jigsaw puzzle to Malden’s dismay is a classic). Tuesday Weld does what she can as McQueen’s loving but neglected girl, the film’s least well-written role. Sweaty and portly Jack Weston, and the coolest cat in New Orleans, Cab Calloway play other poker players, whilst Joan Blondell is pitch-perfect as sassy second dealer, Lady Fingers. The distinctive faces of Jeff Corey, Robert DoQui (King George from “Coffy” ) and Dub Taylor can also be seen in this wonderfully colourful look at one helluva card game. A must for McQueen fans and poker enthusiasts (many of whom see this as the best poker film ever). 165. How the West Was Won 166. In Cold Blood 167. Whose Life is it Anyway? (1981) He gets a bit of bad press for long-ago drug problems and being a prima donna over the years, but the fact of the matter is, Richard Dreyfuss could and can still act wonderfully well, and he made irritating characters somehow entirely likeable or empathetic. And boy did he need both of those abilities here in this powerful but blackly humorous film. He plays an artist who is severely paralysed after a car accident. With a blow to his self esteem and unable to do the very thing he loves and did for a living, he feels he has no life left and wants to end it. He even cuts ties with his loving wife because he can’t look at her looking at him in what he sees as pity. Hospital administrator John Cassavetes, a genuinely good man simply won’t allow someone to die in his care. Admittedly stagy (it’s based on a hit play), but Dreyfuss is so convincing and powerful that you won’t care. Christine Lahti, not a favourite of mine, is both stunningly beautiful here (it’s the uniform I think) and quietly affecting as the doctor who cares very much for him. Seeing her blush whenever he innocently flirts with her is quite amusing but with a sad undercurrent. Kaki Hunter, most well-known for the “Porky’s” films is wonderfully sweet and cute as a young trainee nurse and Kenneth McMillan has perhaps his best role as a judge trying his best to see both sides of a sensitive issue. Even more relevant today than it was back then, I probably wouldn’t recommend it to those folks who politically and morally lean to the right. Then again, I’m in a wheelchair myself so I should probably take more offense to the film than anyone (admittedly I’m a paraplegic and pro- euthanasia to boot, but still, it’s a touchy issue, even the more recent “Million Dollar Baby” had me a tad conflicted), and I love this underrated film. 168. For a Few Dollars More 169. Enchantment Terrific, mostly unheard of wartime romance with the odd POV of a house (!) recalling the inhabitants over time. David Niven is touching as an aging man (played as a child by Peter Miles) who recounts his story of missed opportunities of love to his niece, Evelyn Keyes and her sort-of boyfriend Farley Granger (his third film). In the earlier scenes, Teresa Wright, one of the most lovely of all actresses, plays Niven’s lady love (she perhaps never looked more luminous than here), a genuinely sweet girl who came to live with Niven’s family as a child (played perfectly by Gigi Perreau) and was horribly treated by Niven’s jealous siblings (played as adults by Philip Friend and the remarkably b*tchy Jayne Meadows) . Simple, sweet, romantic…and OK, it’s pretty cheesy (the narrative has enough logical flaws in it for Mr. Spock to have apoplexy). Romantics will love it, I’m sure, and fans of character actor Leo G. Carroll will not want to miss his excellent turn as Niven’s long-serving butler (the old-age makeup is mostly superior, by the way). I’m a softie, so sue me. Superb cinematography by the master of Deep Focus, Gregg Toland (His third film with Teresa Wright, by the way). Based on a Rumer Godden novel. 170. Theatre of Blood 171. Night of the Hunter 172. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Replacing the moving but admittedly minor "My Life" on the list, is this captivating, rivetingly performed film version of the famous Tennessee Williams play. Even though Paul Newman's character's sexual 'issues' are somewhat diluted here (it was 1958 after all), the power and impact are not lost- and let's face it, even an idiot can read between the lines. We all know why Newman is an impotent alcoholic. He's excellent, by the way, in a role unlike anything he has done before or since. Elizabeth Taylor's limited talents are tailored to here as well, and Burl Ives towers over all as the ailing but fiery patriarch Big Daddy. A shout-out too, to the magnificently ghastly Madeleine Sherwood as the vile 'Sister Woman', with her grotty little children, they manage to steal a few scenes. Terrific acting, characters and memorable dialogue, add up to major success. 173. War of the Worlds (2005) That's right, the highly entertaining 1953 George Pal film has been given the boot from my list, replaced by this extraordinarily unnerving Steven Spielberg remake. Tom Cruise is effective as the a-hole dad forced to be selfless for once in order to keep his family safe during a frightening alien invasion. Plays almost like a horror film, playing off 9-11 hysteria (Is it terrorists? Asks Cruise's daughter) with some truly unsettling visuals of destruction and widespread panic. The sound FX are especially unsettling. One of the best alien invasion flicks ever, and definitely the most 'realistic'. 174. The Big Country (1958) Replacing the underrated "Firecreek" on this list is an even better western. Gregory Peck and Charlton Heston are without peer, as two very different kinds of 'man' in this socially conscious western with allusions to the Cold War, it may also be one of the great pacifist films of all-time. Charles Bickford and a towering Burl Ives are superb as the bitterly warring family patriarchs, whose feud Peck, Carroll Baker and Jean Simmons are in the middle of. An epic western, but an intelligent one with something to say, that might've been quite original for the time. 175. Last Train From Gun Hill 176. Three Amigos! Okay, so not even Chevy Chase seems to have a high regard for this film, and the critics hate it with a passion. But back in 1986, everyone around my age (then about 6 or 7) loved this film, and years later I’ve found a lot of people my age still have a fondness for this admittedly simplistic spoof of silent cinema and “The Magnificent Seven” . But it’s funny, and that’s what matters with a comedy, isn't it? I really like Chevy Chase, even if his last decent film was back in 1992. You either love him or hate him and can’t be converted to think otherwise. You may not find his mixture of somewhat laidback, smart-aleckyness (not a word but I don’t care), mild smarminess and bumbling idiot to be funny, but I find it damn hilarious. He has some of his best moments here, whether its impersonating a bandit (‘We...er...burn the hedges...of...many great...villages...), shooting the Invisible Swordsman (perhaps the first and funniest ‘un-sight’ gag I’ve ever seen) or his hilarious attempts at romance with a local girl, he’s in his element. Steve Martin, perhaps my favourite film comedian essentially plays the straight man and does so wonderfully (and he can still deliver the laughs, the scene where he’s chained and imprisoned and trying to escape is a great bit of physical comedy). Martin Short, who comes across as a nice guy (he’s the only one who seems to recall the film fondly and understand it’s popularity amongst the young) but an often unbearably weird comedian, is nicely subdued here. His best moments are a kissing scene towards the end and a hysterical bit where he’s telling a group of Mexican kids a story about his meeting with Dorothy Gish. It’s funny for two reasons; 1) Dorothy is nowhere near as well regarded as her sister Lillian (not to be confused with Annabeth Gish, the love of my life!), and 2) He pulls an Oprah and makes the story all about himself. Priceless. The supporting cast is interesting, even if a young Phil Hartman and Jon Lovitz are wasted. Joe Mantegna is the Amigos’ angry studio boss, Alfonso Arau from “The Wild Bunch” gets the Eli Wallach role of Mexican bandit El Guapo. His scenes with sycophantic offsider Jefe (Tona Plana, hilarious) are brilliant, especially a discussion about the word ‘plethora’. Best of all, the Randy Newman (who co-scripted with Martin and SNL’s Lorne Michaels) songs are an absolute scream, whether it’s the Frankie Laine-ish title song or a campfire sing-a-long involving animals which was just about the funniest damn thing I had seen or heard back in the day (the turtle, in particular is one to watch). And then there’s the outrageous scene where the Amigos performance a sissy song and dance routine of ‘My Little Buttercup’ to a bar full of foul, surly and presumably hostile Mexicans. Is it a one-joke film? Yes, the idea of silent film stars mistakenly thought to be real gunfighters is rather simplistic, but it’s a one-joke idea that for me lasted the distance. It helps if you’re a fan of 80s comedic actors, but this film really does deserve more respect, the under 18s will certainly like it. I just hope they don't remake it with Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider and Owen Wilson. Oops, better not give anyone ideas... 177. Flight of the Phoenix (1965) 178. The Innocents 179. The Ladykillers (1955) 180. Fall of the House of Usher/House of Usher (1960) Corman, Price, Poe. Any questions? 181. Psycho (1960) Not my favourite Hitchcock film, but even I have to admit this film is effective, right from the opening scenes that set-up Hitchcock’s first surprise involving leading lady Janet Leigh, with the legendary Bernard Herrmann score just as effective in the opening scenes as it is in the infamous shower scene. And you know what? The shower scene, whilst a wonderful marriage of discreet blood, superb editing and scoring, is not my favourite scene. My favourite scene shows the demise of Martin Balsam, as the nosy detective. It’s brilliantly done. Most memorable of all perhaps, is the truly remarkable performance by the otherwise underwhelming Anthony Perkins. He creates a truly disturbed, yet quiet-spoken and almost likeable character in Norman Bates. Sure, the psychobabble ending is irritating, but that doesn’t detract from an otherwise fabulous performance and well-made film (like “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and “Halloween” , you come away thinking you’ve seen more than you actually have, mostly due to editing. Not that I’m one of the fools who calls this a slasher film). I can’t really say there’s anything really wrong with this film (spell-it-all-out coda aside), it’s very effective, I merely think it wildly overrated. See it, marvel at it, and then shut the hell up and watch “Strangers on a Train” . 182. Fantastic Voyage A superbly entertaining mixture of sci-fi adventure and disaster movie that only occasionally bogs down in too much unconvincing awe and boring science/military talk, with somewhat wooden Stephen Boyd, and character actors Edmond O’Brien, Arthur O’Connell, and Arthur Kennedy having occasional ‘off’ moments (And speaking of ‘off’, if you ever saw that Simpsons episode set inside the human body where I think Marge was stripping down to a tiny suit to explore, this is the inspiration, with a similarly attired Raquel Welch, struggling valiantly to be taken seriously). However, for those who enjoy hokey 60s psychedelic FX and B-grade sci-fi (admittedly a top-tier B-movie) as much as I do, this film is a real trip in every sense of the word, I really love the whacked-out premise, and whilst the FX may not be realistic, they are great fun and they’re what you’ll remember most. The story itself is a wonderful, if unlikely, adventure and there’s so much tension and interesting visuals that you probably won’t notice too many of the shortcomings. Donald Pleasence deserves special mention for creating the archetype saboteur for all these sorts of films. Sure, he’s obvious, but that’s partly because he’s creepy-eyed Donald Pleasence, and partly because these sorts of films have been done to death since ( “The Core" and “Innerspace” are just two films clearly influenced by this one). 183. Spellbound (1945) Along with “Strangers on a Train” , which of course is my favourite, this Hitchcock psychobabble romance is probably considered by others to be one of the weaker of the top echelon of Hitchcock’s films. I actually think it’s even better than that, though if it isn’t, it’s surely not a bad place to be anyway. The romance between shrink Ingrid Bergman and shrink-turned patient Gregory Peck (handling one of his most complex roles wonderfully well) works quite well, we actually really like these two, and the supporting performances by Leo G. Carroll (one of cinema’s finest character players in one of his best roles) as Bergman’s retiring colleague and friend, Norman Lloyd as a patient, and especially a scene-stealing Michael Chekov as a genial and rather cluey shrink/mentor clearly modelled on Freud, are all top-notch. The key dream sequences by Dali (including a memorable solitary use of startling colour), the totally involving mystery (made especially involving thanks to characters we care about), and the superb Miklos Rosza score (you’ll probably recognise it) all help to create a fine romantic crime/thriller. 184. The Diary of Anne Frank Here's where you used to find the original "Cape Fear" , but instead, I've included this sorely underrated, profoundly moving Hollywood version of the famous real-life story of the little Jewish girl whose family hid from the Nazis, constantly fearing capture. Any story on this subject is worthy, but when it is told from an innocent POV, it is perhaps all the more shattering. Millie Perkins is, in my estimation, near-perfect, as the somewhat petulant, annoying, but utterly sympathetic child who behaves just as someone her age would (irritatingly), only half comprehending her ghastly, grave situation. Shelley Winters, Ed Wynn, and Diane Baker are also outstanding as the overbearing Mrs. Van Daan, insensitive Mr. Dussell, and Anne's older, sweet-natured sister Margot (the latter is perhaps even more appealing than Perkins, but that's mostly due to the more likeable nature of her character). Everyone needs to be exposed to this at some point in their life, whether in book or film form. The film may be inferior, but it's still a powerful experience, bringing an unimaginable horror very close to home, as we see the impact on families, and on children. 185. Oliver Twist (1948) 186. King Kong (1933) 187. Rocky III What? You think I’m joking? Out of all the Rocky sequels, this one has always been my favourite, and it’s a damn underrated film overall. Not only does it have one of the most kick-a*se movie songs (Survivor’s immortal “Eye of the Tiger”), but the story for me represents what boxing was beginning to become. I hate boxing anyway, but this film seemed to be all about the showmanship aspect of the sport, with Mr.T giving a terrifically mean performance as a less scrupulous version of Muhammad Ali, named Clubber Lang (The scene where he confronts Rocky and his wife at the unveiling of a Rocky statue is a classic). He’s like a mixture of Ali, Mr. T’s own scowling tough guy personality and a wrecking ball (The training montage alone is worth seeing, Mr. T in particular is highly amusing). Also, we have a wrestling v boxing charity match featuring Sly Stallone’s Rocky Balboa and a then rising star in Hulk Hogan, who here is called Thunder Lips, essentially a Rick Rude meets Ric Flair type, representing anything but Hulkamania. Boxing purists might scoff and most others probably think I’m nuts, but for me this is a highly entertaining film. Also features Burt Young’s best effort in the series as perennial loser Uncle Pauly and a memorable farewell to crusty scene-stealer Burgess Meredith’s aging trainer Mickey. 188. The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957) Another new entry (bye-bye, "Signs" ), this B-grade classic from the master Jack Arnold ( "Creature From the Black Lagoon" ) is one of the best sci-fi films of the 50s. It's the story of a poor guy who after contact with radioactive matter suffers the title side effect. There's much fun as the cheesy (but effective) FX see our miniscule hero being harrassed by the family cat and a terrifying spider, but ultimately, the film is surprisingly moving and thoughtful. A shame that it's populated by mostly no-name actors, though. 189. The Search The first half of this tremendously affecting Fred Zinnemann post-WWII drama has an almost documentary-like feel as we follow young Ivan Jandl as a concentration camp survivor wandering around in search of his mother (Jarmila Novotna), who has in turn been searching for him, not long after the war. He is taken under the wing of American soldier Montgomery Clift (one of the greatest actors who ever lived), whilst mother takes a job teaching kids at one of the Displaced Persons camps, run by sad-eyed Aline MacMahon (a veteran character actress active from the 30s until the early sixties (astonishingly, she lived until age 92!) Call it sappy, a sort-of “Shane” meets “The Diary of Anne Frank” , but I’ll be gosh darned if I don’t cry every darn time. 190. Frailty One of the best horror films in years and a superlative directorial debut by one of my favourite character actors, Bill Paxton. He gives an astonishingly believable performance as a decent, working class dad who wakes his kids up one night to tell them that God wants them to kill ‘demons’. Tough to sit through for some, but I found the Southern Gothic flavour (Paxton sure knows his way around a camera) irresistible. Sure, the final scene goes on a little past the point of effectiveness, but this is gripping stuff that deserved more attention at the time. 191. Destroy all Monsters! Yeah, that’s right, a Godzilla movie. THE Godzilla movie, an all-out monster bash directed by the Master, Ishiro Honda (What, you were expecting me to say Hitchcock?). Oh, sure, some of the monsters are barely glimpsed, but if you’re a fan of this sort of admittedly juvenile fantasy, this is Valhalla. Wonderful men in rubber suits action if you’re in a silly mood, this more than any Godzilla film is the one to see. 192. Bus Stop 193. Stranger Than Fiction Yet another new entry into the list. Will Ferrell plays the most boring man on Earth, an IRS man who happens to have an inner monologue running through his head. Literally. In more than one sense of the term. The voice is that of author Emma Thompson, and Ferrell is her character. Unfortunately, all of Thompson's main characters have a similar trait that poor Ferrell is not going to much like, and he needs to find Thompson before it's all too late. Will Ferrell's best and most ambitious film to date is a fascinating, cleverly written and designed film that will particularly delight literary buffs and writers. If you've ever wondered what would be the result of a joint venture between Charlie Kaufman and author Douglas Adams, this might be the closest thing to that (Neither has anything to do with the film, though). In addition to being clever and funny, it's one of the most appealing romances I've seen in a while. Ferrell is sweet, Maggie Gyllenhaal may be the sunniest cynic I've ever come across. The woman's a star. 194. Kill Baby, Kill Not Mario Bava’s best known film, but perhaps his best. It looks absolutely glorious in colour, and this spooky story involving murders, a curse, and a witch is wonderfully atmospheric stuff. Erika Blanc isn’t given as much to do here as in “The Devil’s Nightmare” , but that’s OK. Scene where a guy seems to be chasing a doppelganger is highlight. 195. Philadelphia 196. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Another new entry, this vicious, over-the-top emotionally draining, but ultimately powerful (in a campy way) and brilliant adaptation of a stage play is the most lasting effort to come out of the volatile relationship between Richard Burton (memorably embittered) and Liz Taylor (extraordinarily blowsy). And that's what the film is about; a once loving relationship reduced to bitter, petty, violent screaming matches and cruel head games. It may not be pretty, they may not be likeable, but this is a shocking and nearly unbearable experience even to this day. And that's a compliment! 197. Jane Eyre (1944) 198. Black Hawk Down 199. Frankenstein (1931) 200. The Crow  |
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