The Top 100: 100-81

here it is. the list. the 100 films that mean the most to me as films. not on a pure entertainment value, but films that have made a legitimate impact on my life. my method: basically, i looked at a word document on my computer that has the list of all of the DVDs that i own, the IMDB 250 and the filmschoolreject top 100 to come up with a list of about 130 films that i was in love with. i then ordered and weeded this list down to the 100 you see here now. is it perfect? absolutely not, but i did what i could. i'm still tinkering the list, and may not agree with it as posted when all is said and done. however, you've got to quit somewhere. i chose to favor films that aim for the mind, rather than strictly entertainment for entertainment's sake. thus, i am de-valuing comedies and pure actioners for the sake of more serious fare, much like the academy. surely you've heard my two theories on film. 1.) that of the "blowjob movie", a "blowjob movie" being one that's great while it lasts, but it doesn't really have any impact on anyone, or substantially change anything. that said, there aren't too many blowjob movies on this list. that list is for another time. these are my favorite films, not my "favorite fucking movies", a list that is full of movies that are just really, really fun to watch. a lot of these films aren't really all that fun to watch, but they are significant for what they mean to me, and what i'm all about. if you're looking for the films that i've watched hundreds of times and can quote front to back (superbad, anchorman, grandma's boy, face/off, the rock, varsity blues, etc.), you'll find them on the "favorite fucking movie" list, not here. 2.) while this "art vs. entertainment" dichotomy is true, it's only true to an extent. many of you have also heard my: "if you want a good story, read the book", quip, because the visual medium is best equipped for certain things, and as far as things like characterization and exposition goes, those are INFINITELY better accomplished in a 4-500 page book than in a 2 hour movie. many of these films are chosen for the beauty of their filmmaking and the expressiveness of the filmmakers involved. it's no secret i'm a fan of hard-hitting, masculine filmmaking. the things i like about movies are the things that literature are unable to achieve to the same degree. mood, expressiveness, setting, inflection, location. a book can take a page to set up the locale, but a well-done establishing shot can do it all in a second. in addition, a book can have the world's best dialogue, but the mastery of a great actor can put those words over the top. so i don't go into movies expecting the brothers karamazov, i go into them expecting to be visually stimulated. not in a mindless, garbage way, *ahem* michael bay and star wars prequels (not that i don't enjoy some of these mindless films, but i recognize the vapidity of the enterprise when visual stimulation fails to be combined with the elements that make literature great), but in an artistic way. like maximus said: "are you not entertained?!? is this not why you are here?!" - entertained, yes, but in an artistic way, not in a monster truck rally kind of way. keep that in mind when evaluating my top 100.

this being said, some (but by no means all) of the factors i considered when evaluating films for inclusion are: cinematography, direction, soundtrack, acting, characterization, score, "heart", point of view, statement seeking to be made, emotionality, and what the film means to me as a person. are there some sentimental picks? absolutely, but i tried to be as impartial as possible. don't hold it against me.

another disclaimer, unlike my good friend and fellow 3L, Antonio Mazzaro , who is compiling his own list, my experience with film has, sadly, not expanded as far as it probably should have by now, and i honestly don't have a lot of experience with the "classics", so to speak. this is unfortunate, and i've got a list about 50 movies long that i simply must watch, and will watch, and this will undoubtedly drastically alter the makeup of this list. however, at the same time i recognize that i am a creature of my own time and place, and that i truly appreciate the here and now more than i do other eras. it just feels much more prescient and authentic to me. so perhaps viewing of the "classics" that i have yet to see will only increase my appreciation for those films on this list, or perhaps it will drastically alter the list. time will tell.

so, be sure to check out antonio's list, , and check out mine. i'm excited for this endeavor, because really, he and i have extremely similar tastes (for instance, we both quote the living shit out of the butcher), but generally approach things a little differently.

so without further ado, here's 100-81.

100. Hellboy (2004) - 80% on Rotten Tomatoes, 6.8 on IMDB

absurd premise, terrific execution. grounded by ron perlman's OUTSTANDING performance as the titular character. despite being 8 feet tall and 600 pounds, Hellboy manages to be more human than many of us. it's the film's heart more than anything else, that makes this a film worth watching. this film succeeds by virtue of its characterization and by not taking itself too seriously. it manages to strike the right balance between gravitas and silliness that so many similarly aimed films never even sniff. i never even saw this in theaters or on DVD, i watched it for the first time on FX and realized what a terrific little film this is. check it out with an open mind. you won't be disappointed.


99. The 40 Year-Old Virgin (2005) - 84% on RT, 7.5 on IMDB

not quite a blowjob movie due to its oddly sweet rom-com moments that never decline to mindless nonsense like every movie kate hudson makes now. this film made possible knocked up and superbad, made steve carrell a star, and proved that judd apatow was a hollywood force to be reckoned with. the man is everywhere now, and his cronies are making people like me laugh constantly. delightfully raunchey... this movie just does it (pun intended), while feeling real all the while.


98. Animal House (1978) - 89% on RT, 7.6 on IMDB

While, technically this is a blowjob movie, it is also a very, very good blowjob movie, and one that is constantly imitated but never duplicated to boot. the definitive college party movie, and it introduced moviegoing audiences to the comedic tour de force that was John Belushi. national lampoons has been trying for decades to recapture this lightning in a bottle, and never even come close (yes offense, van wilder). the classic dichotomy of "us vs. them" and the idea that all of "them" are the biggest tools in the history of the earth (see: every college comedy ever) originates here. this has it all folks. don't go in expecting to be enlightened, do go in expecting to see something that's still hilarious, 30 years later.


97. Any Given Sunday (1999) - 49% on RT (ouch), 6.6 on IMDB

oliver stone, ever the controversial one, combined with al pacino (in a VASTLY underrated performance) , a young jamie foxx (who makes the film), LT, James Brown, T.O. (!), bill belamy, aaron eckhart, cameron diaz (in what i truly believe to be her best role as an actor), ann margaret, dennis quaid and jimmy woods. read the negative reviews. it's all about the "shaky camera". is that really enough to pan an entire film? there's a reason why the NFL didn't approve of this film, so they had to make up a league and fake teams. that reason is that everything hit too close to home. is the shit depicted a bit far fetched? sure, but read the sporting news sometime... there is an unbelievable amount of shit going on in the NFL. however, i do know that the interactions between teammates and players and coaches is a lot more believable given the shit we see on ESPN every day than half of the nonsense depicted in other forms of media. the growth and connection that develops between coach tony d'amato and willie beaman feels 100% authentic to me.


96. Die Hard (1988) - 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, 8.3 (#124) on IMDB

the. definitive. action. movie. in the 1980's, before Die Hard, action movies were about ridiculous indestructible caricatures of individuals with gigantic muscles, huge guns and little dialogue. after Die Hard, action movies were about regular people kicking ass, talking shit, and taking names. and, it's a damn good movie to boot. unlike the rest of the Die Hard series, this escapes "blowjob" status. before john mcclain was destroying cities and laying waste to highway superstructures, he was outmanned and outgunned in a single building, but found a way. a flawed man with a bag full of problems and a wife that hates him, he finds a way to stop the dastardly eastern europeans and come out on top, despite the active opposition of the FBI and the LAPD. god, i wish i could talk shit like john mcclain... yippee ki-ya motherfucker.


95. Miami Vice (2006) - 48% on RT, 6.0 on IMDB

WATCH THE DIRECTOR'S CUT - the 20 minutes added really brings a lot to the table. a lot of the criticism directed towards this film was misguided nonsense. sure, farrell and foxx didn't play grabass on screen and act like they were starsky and hutch, but would real partners do that? this movie is sleek, stylized and just really fucking cool. oh, and its michael fucking mann, someone sue him for making a movie aimed at people older than 16. it always seems odd to me that critics complain about how no films are geared towards adults, and then trash those that are for being "too serious". very underrated, intense performances all around, and just a solid crime story from the master. i've loved this film since the first time i saw it, but then again, i really like colin farrell.


94. Iron Man (2008) - 93% on RT, 8.0 on IMDB

witness the resurrection of robert downey jr. in the 2nd biggest comic movie of 2008. while not as brooding, philosophical, or dark as TDK, this film probably did more for its source material and was a bigger hit, relatively. i mean, in the grand scheme of things, iron man is middle of the road in marvel's pantheon, while Batman is DC's heavy hitter. growing up, iron man was always my favorite super hero... and this film ABSOLUTELY captured the essence of Tony Stark and Iron Man to a degree that no other comic book film has managed to do. the insanely talented Robert Downey Jr. brings tony stark to life in a way i'd never imagined possible. jeff "the dude" daniels brings a lot to the table as an adequately layered corporate villain, and iron man just does it for me. jon favreau is a rising talent, and we're going to hear quite a bit from him. hell, even my mom liked it, and she usually only likes period pieces.


93. Equilibrium (2002) - 36% (double ouch) on RT, 7.8 (thank you fanboys) on IMDB
watch... this... shit:
1984 + the matrix = equilibrium... + christian bale (!)+ one of the highest one-man death totals in any film = my vision got all colorful, and i came in my pants. derivative? sure. but the talent and vision involved allows it to rise above. a young and relatively unknown christian bale shines in the kind of role that he's since copyrighted and ridden to fame, sean bean, as always, is great.
Father: Prozium - The great nepenthe. Opiate of our masses. Glue of our great society. Salve and salvation, it has delivered us from pathos, from sorrow, the deepest chasms of melancholy and hate. With it, we anesthetize grief, annihilate jealousy, obliterate rage. Those sister impulses towards joy, love, and elation are anesthetized in stride, we accept as fair sacrifice. For we embrace Prozium in its unifying fullness and all that it has done to make us great.


92. The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) - 93% on RT, 8.2 (145) on IMDB

in my humble opinion, the best of the three. exquisitely made, and gripping from start to finish. like all the bourne films, regardless of how improbable what you're watching really is, it feels completely authentic and gritty from start to finish. basically as good as a film of the "spy" genre can possibly be. i highly recommend all three of these films, and generally, matt damon as an actor.


91. The Big Lebowski (1998) - 77% on RT, 8.2 (#152) on IMDB

the coen brothers make their entrance onto this list. this film is so fucking ridiculously clown its not even funny, but it completely works. this fucking movie is home to some (by some, i mean "a lot") of the most quotable shit on earth. what does it all mean? does it really matter? fantastical, absurd, and great.
"Walter: Nihilists! Fuck me. I mean, say what you like about the tenets of National Socialism, but dude, at least it's an ethos."


90. Sin City (2005) - 77% on RT, 8.4 (#92) on IMDB

Marv: Walk down the right back alley in Sin City, and you can find anything.
dark, twisted, ultra-violent, ultra-stylized... and dead-fucking-on. mickey rourke is perfect as marv, willis is perfect as hartigan. we have sin city to thank for the rash of ultra-faithful depictions of graphic novels, which, considering that before the trend was to bastardize and hollywood-ize them, i can't say that's a bad thing.


89. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) - 80% on RT, 7.6 on IMDB

quintessential wes anderson. surreal, silly, but at its core, sweet.. with its fair share of "laugh out loud" moments. all the regulars are here, bill murray, angelica huston, owen wilson, but the family dynamic and redemptive qualities are surprisingly endearing. witty banter, ridiculous characters, great atmosphere, mellow, perfect music and a heartfelt story that comes through it all. start here if you're interested in checking out wes anderson.


88. Minority Report (2002) - 92 % on RT, 7.7 on IMDB
steven spielberg makes his entrance to the list in a modern sci-fi classic that, for some reason, seems to have been completely forgotten. a master at the top of his game. is tom cruise batshit crazy? absolutely, but i think you'll find he's also one hell of an actor. yet another great film adopted from the classic work of the late, great philip k. dick, who single-handedly changed the face of science fiction. like all great sci-fi, this film is about so much more than robots, technology and flying cars. it also happens to be a sleek, taut thriller, that is also a commentary on serious issues facing the world today. what would you do for security, for order, what is the price? other than "munich", this is spielberg's best work since Schindler's List. the future depicted is rich, frightening and real. i feel like a few more re-watchings would push this one further up the list.








87. Snatch. (2000) - 71% on RT, 8.2 (#156) on IMDB

Guy Ritchie proving why everyone thinks he's such a cool fucking guy. similar to his previous film, the superior Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch. follows a group of characters involved in various shady london & uk underworld dealings. brad pitt is doing what he does best, playing loose cannons. jason statham as an actual actor and not just the 2000's jean-claude van dam. just all around cool. sharp, witty banter. cool characters. pikey's. sleek, stylized filmmaking. simply a good fucking time... snatch isn't going to change your life, but it will make for a fun afternoon/evening.


86. A River Runs Through It (1992) - 78% on RT, 7.1 on IMDB
robert redford, one of the true giants of film, creates a sentimental modern classic about two brothers, their reverend father, fly fishing, love and coming of age in Montana in the 1920s-30s. while there are solid performances throughout (especially tom skerritt), this film is notable for its brilliant filmmaking. the scenes and shots of the montana scenery are truly gorgeous and a testament to the area's natural beauty. based on norman mcclean's autobiographical book of the same name, this film captures perfectly the undying, unspoken bond between brothers and the challenges and frustrations of finding yourself as a man. (and i don't even fish) this is easily redford's best work as a director.










85. The Dark Knight (2008) - 94% on RT, 9.0 (#6) on IMDB
THE film story of 2008, i've written entire blog posts about how i dislike the "snuff-film" type hysteria surrounding the film and heath ledger's performance, but that being said, i still feel it was probably one of the year's best films. it's a travesty that it wasn't nominated for best picture. (if anyone remembers "Benjamin Button" in 6 years, i'll jerk you off) an amazing character study of batman and the joker, two sides of the same coin and the issues that come with the mask. solid, even brilliant performances all around. aaron eckhart made himself a star. ledger lives up to the hype and delivers one of the truly great villain performances in cinematic history. bale, as usual, delivers time and time again, even if he takes a backseat for portions of this film. michael caine and gary oldman are solid, and truly make the film. Chris Nolan proves why he's one of the truly great directors working today. this film is lower b/c i feel like there are significant plot holes (how did the joker come up with these elaborate plots and manage to outgun the gotham PD?) and the fact that i feel like in order to make the most of ledger's performance, every possible scene that they shot was included, whether they added to the film or not, and they make the film feel disjointed at times. despite these criticisms, this film is absolutely great, and a complete game-changer for the genre. this much is certain... we're never going back to the kid shit again.



84. American History X (1998) - 83% on RT, 8.6 (#39) on IMDB
Edward Norton steps up to the A-List. his performance is, in a word, brilliant. Norton's cross to bear is the effect he had on his younger, high school brother, a smart, good kid who has crossed over to hate and white supremacy. the narrative never feels false or preachy, which is always a danger when dealing with these issues of hate, redemption, and the consequences felt by both sides as a result of misguided hate and mistrust. a story, told through flashbacks, tells the tale of the decline into hate and the healing process in changing your ways, as a brother races to save his younger brother from traveling the same road that derailed his life. powerful, gripping performances make this film special. edward "i was the kid in T2" furlong is brilliant as well. this film, along with requiem for a dream, should be required viewing in every american high school.








83. Aliens (1986) - 100% on RT, 8.5 (#63) on IMDB

A true American classic. James Cameron repeatedly brings the goods. every film he has made has consistently changed the game. forever. maybe the best thriller i've ever seen, and an amazing action movie. while the terrific "Alien" was basically a horror movie, Cameron ups the ante and the stakes in creating a tense, terrifying atmosphere featuring a hopeless battle against an (almost) unstoppable foe. this film is blessed with outstanding characterization and honestly, it's one of the more amazing films i've ever seen. that 100% up there is no fluke. once you see Aliens, you'll realize what a travesty the direction the franchise has gone really is. james cameron does the world a disservice when he waits so damn long in between films. once again, watch the director's cut.


82. Batman Begins (2005) - 84% on RT, 8.4 (#104) on IMDB

Chris Nolan, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, and Liam Neeson rewrite the book on origin stories. i rate this film higher than TDK for its first hour, which is stand-alone on of the best hours in cinema. christian bale brings a welcome and much-needed gravitas to bruce wayne and batman, a man determined to save his city from the corruption destroying it. beautifully done, beautifully acted. this film is one of the top 2 or 3 comic book films of all time. the must needed re-boot that batman, and the movie industry needed. brilliant, all around.


81. The Motorcycle Diaries (2004) - 83% on RT, 7.9 on IMDB.

the story of two argentine students and friends, one of whom happens to be che guevara, who decide to set out on a motorcycle and tour the continent of south america. based on the joint memoir published by the two, what they see on their travels changes their lives forever. whatever your political views or opinions on the conclusions drawn, this film is beautifully made, beautifully acted, and beautifully told. mesmorizing, intoxicating even... and simply a beautiful film.

films 80-61 will be posted sometime this week. try and keep up. check out Tone's list, and feel free to post your thoughts. even though i may completely dismiss them.