January 2012
19 posts
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AFI8WORDS: My Top 25... and Bottom 8 :)
Having completed watching all of AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Movies and blogged about each one, I figured it would be an appropriate ending to post my personal favourite 25 films on the list, and the few I didn’t enjoy too much :P Obviously my list doesn’t correlate directly with AFI’s list, because this list is my personal taste (and I’m not really considering historical significance or production...
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#3: The Godfather
An okay film but nothing compares to III.
JUST KIDDING. You really only need one word to sum up The Godfather: perfection.
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#86: Mutiny on the Bounty
Bligh is a cool villain. YOUNG Clark Gable!
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#87: Frankenstein
Outdated, but I loved the monster credited, “???”
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#16: All About Eve
Wannabe actress becomes very self absorbed. Also, Monroe.
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#61: Vertigo
Trippy title sequence, fitting soundtrack, & perfect filmography.
(as always, from Mr. Hitchcock)
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#79: The Deer Hunter
Much more than a war story, outstanding characterization.
Beautiful use of Chopin, too.
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#59: Rebel Without a Cause
Dean is a complete badass! Intense chicken race.
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#73: Wuthering Heights
HEATHCLIFFFF IT’S ME, CATHY I’VE COME HOME.
Why does she have to be such… uh.. a bitch?
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#32: The Godfather Part II
Intertwining dual storyline insanity! Lack of Brando, though :(
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#25: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Didn’t watch until age 22… it was cute…
Hahaha whatever, it was enjoyable. Would have liked it better as a kid, probably. Maybe not worthy of the upper 25% of this list but the robotics or whatever on E.T. were pretty amazing though for the early 80s!
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#46: A Clockwork Orange
Ultraviolence & a little of the Ludwig Van.
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#12: Sunset Boulevard
Mentally unstable ex-Hollywood film star loses control.
Creepy-ass movie, this is. And not in a shallow horror flick way.
All right, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up.
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#19: Chinatown
Detective’s case isn’t as simple as it seems…
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#9: Schindler's List
A horrifying yet artistic account of Nazi Germany.
This is an incredibly moving 3+ hour film on the Holocaust. I can’t say I “enjoyed” watching this, but I respect it’s filmography, plot, acting, and almost everything about it. It is terrific.
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#37: The Best Years of Our Lives
Three servicemen, three completely changed lives returning home.
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#50: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
An amazingly well executed cat-and-mouse chase.
Loved this western!!
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#35: It Happened One Night
Classic comedy romance of runaway heiress and reporter.
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#11: It's a Wonderful Life
One good person can have an incredible influence.
This sounds cheesy as anything but this movie really captures the Christmas spirit perfectly, without requiring the plot to center too much around the holiday season (besides the fact that it simply takes place around Christmastime). This is also Stewart’s role of his acting career.
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December 2011
8 posts
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#90: The Jazz Singer
(Mild spoiler alert?)
THAT WIMP GAVE IN TO HIS SLIMY PARENTS.
I seriously can’t believe it, and am slightly angered over this. He gave up his opening night performance on Broadway for his pushy asshole parents who were nothing but disappointed in him and kicked him out for singing jazz.
*Composes* Anyway… I am questionable on how much of a “talkie” this really is. I...
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#94: Goodfellas
Why is this movie so low on the list??
Such a great film, acting, characters, music, and execution!
If I had an additional 5 words, they would be: Eric Clapton freezer afro dude.
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#63: Stagecoach
Dull by comparison, but slack given for 1939.
“Chris” was hilarious. Yeah, you know you agree. :)
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#24: Raging Bull
Violent jerky boxer’s life falls apart before us.
Can we remake this with Christian Bale plz? That would be lols.
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#66: Network
MAD AS HELL THIS SATIRE ISN’T IMMENSELY KNOWN.
With incredible accuracy, it foresaw the future.
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#75: Dances With Wolves
I hate Indian movies but this was awesome.
Another I expected to hate due to subject material and length, but it was really, very touching… Thoroughly enjoyed by me!
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#40: North by Northwest
Textbook definition of “Mystery Thriller.” KILLAR CROP DUSTER!
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In my top 5 films. :)
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#21: The Grapes of Wrath
Dull and depressing early America. Great depression sux.
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November 2011
13 posts
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#26: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned something...
Polar feelings: few outstanding scenes… the rest… eh…
Really enjoyed about 15% of this movie, but couldn’t get into the rest. Sorry Mr. Kubrick!
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#76: City Lights
Beautiful silent film! Boxing bit was constant laughs.
Though overall, I think this was less funny than Modern Times or Gold Rush, but more dramatic (better plot, love story, & ending… awww).
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#68: An American In Paris
Gershwin plus Hollywood equals cheesy fun. Got rhythm?
Gershwin’s tune (by the same title as the movie) really carries the ballet scene! Great stuff.
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#31: Annie Hall
Hilarious, truly unique comedy. There’s nothing like it!
Plus, cameos from Paul Simon and a young Christopher Walken never hurt.
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#7: The Graduate
One word: PLASTICS. Here’s to you, Mrs. Robinson.
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#70: The French Connection
Plot: Gene Hackman walks around. Then drives around.
Spoiler alert!!
But seriously, lots of walking around. The train chase scene was pretty awesome, but I found this movie pretty entertaining for … different reasons.
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#98: Unforgiven
Modern western with Morgan Freeman. Pwn all-around.
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#30: The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
Interesting transformation of man from needy to greedy.
This one was slow-ish at times but twisty enough that it was enjoyable, for sure!
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#77: American Graffiti
Final pre-college fling! 60’s high school classic.
Well… filmed in ‘73 but set in the 60’s… you know what I mean :P
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#92: A Place In the Sun
Man gets pulled into a self-created tragedy.
Yet another twisted story of love! A great two hours.
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#56: MASH
Unfunny dark humor. Zero story. Didn’t get it…
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#48: Jaws
Gigantic shark attacks town. What’s not to like?
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#13: The Bridge on the River Kwai
Outstanding drama in war atmosphere. Colonel Bogeys March.
I appreciate the hell out of this movie because it’s a “war” film with an actual storyline. I can’t take these war movies that are like 98% battles and 2% story and dialogue. Not only is it a plot-based war film but the plot is intriguing from beginning to end.
*Whistles*
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October 2011
6 posts
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#36: Midnight Cowboy
An oddball of a plot. I’M WALKIN’ HERE!
…not sure the reason why “I’m walkin’ here” became so famous. Anyway, a great… strange film.
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#96: The Searchers
An okay western. Don’t agree with the hype.
I hate taking a negative stance on this one but I’d much rather recommend High Noon, Butch Cassidy, or Shane. It felt slow and simply mediocre in comparison to others on the list.
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#64: Close Encounters of the Third Kind
I never knew aliens communicated in tuba sounds.
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#18: Psycho
A heartwarming story of close mother-child love.
10/10
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#5: Lawrence of Arabia
Needless to say, it never ends. Amazing scenery.
I’m not a fan of the ‘epic’ genre, but this was probably my favourite in terms of the AFI list.
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#85: Duck Soup
Odd, cheesy, but funny. SO MANY INSULT JOKES.
Seriously! There had to be hundreds crammed into an hour. I definitely thought this movie was a little awkward though.
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September 2011
11 posts
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#72: Ben-Hur
Few movies have lost my attention like this.
Sorry, Ben-Hur fans. Not for me.
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#91: My Fair Lady
Annoying Eliza. Silly ‘iggins. Wonderful music …lengthy musical!
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#2: Casablanca
The greatest romantic drama film of all time!
And since I’m a musician and seem to often comment on soundtracks in this blog, I must say that this film immortalizes “As Time Goes By” by Herman Hupfeld.
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#33: High Noon
The “24” of westerns. Excellent real-time experience.
This one comes highly recommended, even if you don’t usually enjoy western movies! This is nothing like any other western I’ve seen.
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