AFI Top 100 movies

This is a copy/paste from my old website of the AFI top 100 movies. I want to archive it somewhere on the internet, so here it is.


The Movies

The date is for my most recent viewing. If there is no date, that means I don't know when I saw it. For the most part, I am going to start keeping track of the dates about... now. I have only given a short description of each movie. There are tons of descriptions of each movie all over the internet, so you don't need me to tell what it's about.



1. CITIZEN KANE (1941)

I watched this one about a year or two ago, when I first got on my "watch all the old movies" kick. That particular phase lasted about one weekend. I think it was a week or two after the list originally came out, but before I decided to watch them all.

Pretty good flick, I think. I didn't really get all of it until I saw the documentary that came with it. The documentary explained all the things that made Citizen Kane such a great movie for its time. Unfortunately, I already knew what "Rosebud" was before I saw it. This is definitely a movie that I will watch again, probably when I buy it on DVD.

But then again, I have to question how much I enjoyed it. Sure, it was a great influence at its time, but would it deserve to be on a list that I would make if I didn't enjoy it as much? Hmmm... I'll let you know after I watch it the second time.

January 12, 2002 - For the first time ever, I watched a movie twice back to back. Something about watching it made me want to watch again with the DVD commentary. The second time I watched that night, I watched with Roger Ebert's commentary. Not only does he show his love of this movie, but it blew me away. It's nice to actually "get it!" I have crossed the threshold.


2. CASABLANCA (1942)

March 25, 2000 - I really like this movie! It's a combination of the music and the great lines. I wish that I had Sam playing his piano in the back of my classroom. As Time Goes By is such an emotional song, and it is really brought to life in this movie. Here's looking at this movie, kid. You'll love it - maybe not today, and maybe not tomorrow. But this movie looks like the beginning of a beautiful list, and you can play it again and again.


3. GODFATHER, THE (1972)

October 20, 2001 - Very interesting that I was able to go so long without seeing it. I guess I never really knew that I should until a few years ago. By the time I figured out that I wanted to see it, everyone told me how great it was. I guess I was afraid of not enjoying it, so I put off seeing it. Finally, I decided that I was going to have to wait until I could enjoy it on DVD. The time finally came.

So for a three hour movie, it moves deceivingly quickly. Godfather is a very well paced movie. The slower scenes are perfectly placed. I also enjoyed the fact that I could understand what was going on the whole time. It seems as if too many "classic" movies that I have tried to watch recently have been difficult to follow for some reason or another. I didn't feel that at all with the Godfather. And of course, the characters and actors are amazing. There is a lot of talent in both the writing and the acting.

Now whenever I watch one of these movies, especially a top 10 movie, I always have to ask myself if it deserves to be where it is. Well, it's tough to say with this one. I can see why it is here. I have also heard that part 2 is better. Since I have the collection, I'm sure I will sit down to watch fairly soon and find out for myself. While the Godfather won't find itself in my top 10 anytime soon, I does certainly belong on this list.

August 13, 2003 - I just watched The Godfather for the second time. This time was rather different. The difference is that I just read the book a few days ago. So now, almost two years later, I have to take it back. The Godfather will definitely be in my top 10 if I should ever decide to make one. I almost found it moving too quickly for a three hour movie, since I knew all the back stories of every little character, which made the whole thing fit together perfectly. My advice: read the book (a GREAT read, btw), then watch.


4. GONE WITH THE WIND (1939)

February 10, 2002 - It took me quite a while to watch Gone With the Wind, and I blame that mostly on it's length. At almost four hours, I was anticipating a long ride. However, tax refund = surround sound. So it's finally time to watch a whole bunch of movies with the volume cranked up. And if they neighbors complain? Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn!

While it is a long film, it's filled with a lot of great things. Scarlet's character is extremely interesting. The people around her drop like flies and she still doesn't seem to really notice. The soundtrack is sweeping all the way through, really making you feel as if every scene is of the utmost importance. This is a movie that I will enjoy watching and deciphering in pieces many times.


5. LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962)

October 24-25, 2001 - So for this movie I had to break one of my rules. I intended to watch every movie on the list in one sitting. However, the sheer length of Lawrence, at almost 4 hours, made this impossible. Plus, I found out with some other long movies that it just didn't work. I think I enjoyed Ben-Hur less because I forced myself to sit through all of it.

Lawrence of Arabia is quite a spectacle to look at. Each shot is amazing. I have heard that you need to see Lawrence on the big screen to truly appreciate it, and I can see why. The desert shots are what make the movie. While there are some really good scenes, it just is too long for my taste. I hate it when the length comes into play, especially considering that many, many movies would be better if they were given more time to grow. But I think somewhere over the 3 hour mark you start to get absurdly tired. I would have appreciated this movie much less if I had sat through the whole thing at once.

The soundtrack, by the way, is awesome. It makes every big shot in the scene bigger. It sweeps through every scene adding to its size.


6. WIZARD OF OZ, THE (1939)

As close to a perfect movie as you can get. Every frame looks so good! The actors that brought the roles to life have given the characters such incredible life. I really realized this after watching a spoof of this on Mad TV. Didn't everyone see this movie as a child? It only gets better!


7. GRADUATE, THE (1967)

January 3, 2003 - This was the second time I have seen the Graduate. The first time was before I had really started the list. It was on T.V. one day. I do know that it was after the Simpsons episode in which Grandpa Simpson was courting Marge's mom, since I had recognized the ending of the movie as the influence for the parody. However, it was before I really started this list. While I think I kinda liked it at the time, I didn't really appreciate it. As I've grown older and wiser and have seen so many more great movies, I had a greater appreciation for the movie this time around. I'm not sure if I saw enough to justify being in the top 10 yet, but it certainly deserves to be high on the list. Perhaps repeated viewings will move my opinion even higher.


8. ON THE WATERFRONT (1954)

I watched this one the same weekend that I watched Citizen Kane. I found it to be... boring! I barely kept awake through it. The only thing that is going to drive me to watch it again is that it made it into the top 10. I'll watch it again, but only after I get through at least 3/4 of the rest.


9. SCHINDLER'S LIST (1993)

Coming... soon? I'll comment more on this one later - but it's a great film! WHERE IS THE DVD?????


10. SINGIN' IN THE RAIN (1952)

May 7, 2000 - THIS is what I have been hoping for ever since I started this list! I was hoping to find some incredible movies that make me saw "wow!" And I did. Being a musical, I was expecting to hate it. But each musical number was a true display of TALENT!! I was thinking during "Make 'Em Laugh" that if this movie came out today, I would have thought that there was come computer imagery helping Donald O'Conner to do the things he does. This is a movie that I will watch a quite a few more times - It's GREAT!


11. IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946)

Coming... soon? I think that I have only watched this one straight through once, and I wasn't really that impressed. However, I think I was in 7th or 8th grade at the time. Since then I have grown to really like Jimmy Stewart and all of his work. I will probably pick this up on DVD and watch again.


12. SUNSET BOULEVARD (1950)

February 1, 2002 - All right, Mr. De Mille, I'm ready for my review. Interesting film with some really good performances. I wasn't totally drawn into the movie, but I wasn't disinterested either. I have a feeling that I will enjoy this movie even more on multiple viewings. It has the feel like it will draw me in once I know what to expect. Where's the DVD???


13. BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI, THE (1957)

December 1, 2000 - Excellent! This is one of those long movies that flies by. In the first hour, with the conflict between Obi Wan and the Japanese military guy (I'm so precise) was extremely intense. Sir Alec Guiness was incredibly cool. Then the rest of the movie built up nicely to the final scene, as we learn what the final fate of the bridge will be. Really amazing.


14. SOME LIKE IT HOT (1959)

May 2001 - All right, so the AFI funniest list puts this movie as it's funniest, which I disagree with, I do agree with this placement of Some Like it Hot. It is an excellent movie. Sure, it is funny, but there is nothing really hilarious about it. I guess it's the fact that the movie actually has a punch line to it that The arms of its placement as the number one spot on that list.

The characters in this movie are really good, as well as the music, which is meant to be played by the characters. It helps to create a level of fun that makes the movie more enjoyable. I had a good time watching this movie and I think anybody would. Funniest? I'm not sure about that, but it's definitely worth watching.


15. STAR WARS (1977)

Yeah, I've seen it TONS of times! One of the first movies I remember seeing, it's always been a favorite.


16. ALL ABOUT EVE (1950)

June, 2001 - All About Eve has a very good cast. Is an extremely well acted movie which should be obvious to just that anybody that watches it, even a fool like me. In addition this movie is a pretty good plot. Unfortunately, it does get a bit slow at times. I feel this movie is a bit added the for that reason, but can still be enjoyed for its performances, and is a pretty good watch. Though when I do go back and watch this movie in the future, I will probably watch it and shocks instead of straight through. With my favorite movies I can always watched them straight through no matter the length. For me, that's what might cause me to move this movie further down on the list.


17. AFRICAN QUEEN, THE (1951)

July, 2001 - I have been on the jungle cruise ride at Disneyland many times. Apparently, this movie is based on the ride. The good news is that this movie is more fun than the ride. not that I want to badmouth the jungle cruise , but after you've heard their lame jokes seven or eight times, but it gets a bit old. the first saw this movie back in junior high. We had a substitute in our band class and watched this movie at that time. I remembered bits and pieces from when I first watched it, but mostly just the boat going down the river. I also remembered leeches. however since the movie stand by me it also has a scene with leeches, I wasn't sure if I was mixing at the two scenes. Now that I've rewatched the movie, but can't believe that I didn't remember a lot more. To considering how many cool things happen during this movie, I'm most of them messing around instead actually watching. African queen is a really fun movie was pretty cool performances and I really enjoyed watching it. I'm sure I will pick it up whenever it comes out on DVD.


18. PSYCHO (1960)

March 10, 2000 - I just saw this one all the way through for the first time. This was the first time that I have truly appreciated black and white. Seeing Anthony Perkins in the shadows with his face half darkened makes him that much scarier. I was told that the recent remake was like the High School play version. I'll skip that one, and watch the original again!


19. CHINATOWN (1974)

February 2, 2002 - I was supposed to watch Chinatown back when I was at SDSU. It was a California politics class, and we were discussing the whole water situation and the history behind that. Being the night-shift working student that I was, I never got around to it. I liked it. It's interesting to follow along, and I always kept guessing. Jake Gittes reminded me a bit of Sam Spade from the Maltese Falcon in that he always seemed to be a step ahead everyone else, until the end when they were in Chinatown.


20. ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST (1975)

April 16, 2000 - Amazing movie!! There are so many emotions that this movie makes you feel. You laugh at the right time. You are sad at the right time. You are pissed at the right time. Nurse Ratched is one of the most evil villains ever, because she really is ignorant to what is going on. She thinks she is the hero and thinks that she knows what she is doing. There is an amazing cast in this movie, as well.


21. GRAPES OF WRATH, THE (1940)

March 16, 2002 - I watched The Grapes of Wrath on the same day that I watched Easy Rider. In comparison of Fonda road trip movies, this one was much better. Perhaps it is because I understand it. I haven't read the book, but I did read In Dubious Battle, which is considered to be like a sequel. It expands on the ideas of Communism and labor unions. This movie is filled with some good performances, and is interesting to watch. I have been told that the book drags on like you wouldn't believe. Perhaps two hours is the right length for this story.


22. 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (1968)

Coming... soon? I watched this one a long time ago. I think I might be ready for another look. Will it happen in 2001??

December 31, 2001 - I caught it just in time. I would have felt bad if I didn't watch in 2001. 2001 is visually a masterpiece. If you really want to enjoy the movie, think of it as spending two hours in an art museum. Enjoy the view and the background music. It really is Seinfeld as a space-age drama.


23. MALTESE FALCON, THE (1941)

Coming... soon? This was the other one I saw the same weekend as Citizen Kane. I liked it!! Lots of fun. Sam Spade is a really fun character. Bogart is a blast in this one, and I think I will give it a second look for this list.


24. RAGING BULL (1980)

June, 2001 - I'm not really sure what to think of this movie. The fight scenes are really really neat, and DeNiro obviously did a great job. But still, I found myself to be rather bored with the movie. Perhaps this is the type of movie in which she finds the reward on multiple viewings. I think that it's the complexity of the character, one that should be quite simple, that makes the movie interesting. But I didn't know to look for that the first time I watched it. That's my theory, and I'm sticking to it. At least until I watch this movie again, but that won't be for a little while.


25. E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL (1982)

Spring, 2002 - I watched this in the theaters when it was re-released in 2002 and loved it again. Unfortunately I forgot to do a write up for this after I saw it. It's out on DVD soon, and I'm sure I'll buy it and watch it again. I thought the new special effects really added to the movie. The guns to walkie-talkie thing was silly, and changing terrorist to hippie was unnecessary, but the rest of the effects were great. E.T. running near the beginning was a great improvement. It's still such a great movie and hasn't aged much either.


26. DR. STRANGELOVE (1964)

May 21, 2000 - Dr. Strangelove lived up to its expectations - yay! I love it when a movie does that! It was clever, satirical, and funny. The performances in the movie were great. I have a feeling that I missed a few things, so I think I'm going to do a little internet investigating to see what was really going on, and I'm sure I'll watch Dr. Strangelove again.


27. BONNIE & CLYDE (1967)

August 8, 2002 - While Bonnie and Clyde is certainly a watchable movie, and it is good, I don't know what puts it on this list. I didn't really feel that anything stood out that would make it one of the best of all time, and certainly up at number 27. A good movie, worth watching, but not great.


28. APOCALYPSE NOW (1979)

April 6, 2002 - I will have to say that this is probably my favorite Vietnam movie, but that doesn't say much. I don't typically enjoy war movies. They usually don't do it for me. If they have good action and cool characters, I enjoy them more, such as Saving Private Ryan and Blackhawk Down, to name a couple. I was able to watch most of Apocalypse Now with interest, and I think it had a pretty interesting story. Plus, how can you beat surfing in the middle of a battle?


29. MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON (1939)

March 11, 2000 - I first saw Mr. Smith - in Washington DC. Could it have been any more perfect? We watched it in some old theater that had table instead of just rows of chairs. I was born in 1974, and lived in California just about my whole life - you don't see things like that!

I think I am going to start showing this one to my class at the end of the Constitution unit. I might show it this year right before we head to DC. Jimmy Stewart is fantastic (I liked him in this better than Wonderful Life!) And it makes me feel like an American, dammit!!!


30. TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE (1948)

March 19, 2000 - Fun movie! It's billed as an action/adventure, but it is such a psychological thriller. While watching it, you get a good look at the real characters. I was guessing until the end. Several scenes were really tense - a blast. Besides, "Badges? We ain't got no badges! We don't need no badges! I don't have to show you any stinkin' badges!"


31. ANNIE HALL (1977)

July 1, 2002 - This movie is too high on the list. While I was watching, I couldn't remember where it was on the list. I was thinking that it should have been in the 60s or 70s. However, rearranging the list was not my intention when I made this. I liked the movie, but I think that 25 years later it is outdated and I am the wrong audience for it. Now that I have seen it, I can finally turn my nose up at its Oscar win while believing that a different movie should have won (and 16 places higher on the list, too!)


32. GODFATHER PART II, THE (1974)

January, 2002 - OK, so I did enjoy it more than the first one, but I'm not really hooked. I can see why people really like the movies, but they just don't hit me in the same way. I like Goodfellas and the Sopranos. I guess they are more my style. I will be interested to see how my viewpoint changes with multiple viewings of the trilogy.


33. HIGH NOON (1952)

February 15, 2002 - Nice and short and to the point. I enjoyed High Noon. The tension slowly built to a good solid conclusion. Gary Cooper says quite a bit without speaking. I think the Lloyd Bridges character picked a bad day to quit being deputy.


34. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1962)

Coming... soon? - Another one I read in high School. I'll have to watch again.

I recently saw the last half hour or so, and enjoyed it. But it might have been good enough to last me for awhile while I watch some more.


35. IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934)

April 1, 2001 - I think I finally understand what the critics are talking about. I found myself writing a review of this movie that sounded like someone else would write. It's a realistic escape from reality. Released during the Great Depression, the fantasy people at the time would have would be an ideal life. It isn't realistic, but maybe it could be. That's Frank Capra. Even watching it almost 70 years later, something about it feels right.


36. MIDNIGHT COWBOY (1969)

March 31, 2001 - Midnight Cowboy was a really interesting movie. There are a lot of things going on, and it definitely needs a second look. I'm still not sure if that means that I liked it or not, but it was surely interesting. Both of the main characters, Joe Buck and Ratso Rizzo, are interesting and unique characters. It's another display of how talented Dustin Hoffman really is.


37. BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES, THE (1946)

Fall 2001 - I guess I didn't write the review right after I watched. I thought I did, but probably didn't save it or something. This is a really interesting look at how the war affected several different people. It's their attempt to return to a normal life, but have grown to be more comfortable in the company of soldiers. I'll probably watch again soon to rewrite a review with it fresh in my head. It was certainly interesting a good enough to warrant a few more looks.


38. DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944)

February 2, 2002 - Great film. I really liked the whole story, and there were some great moments of tension. The movie sets up enough mysteries to keep you thinking through the whole movie. My only real introduction to film noir before this was on Whose Line is it Anyway? and Sunset Blvd., which I had seen the night before (with plans to watch Chinatown that evening.) Perhaps I'll enjoy the game even more next time it's on Whose Line. One of the more interesting things about Double Indemnity is that Walter, the main character, pulls into a drive-through - for a beer. Different times indeed.


39. DOCTOR ZHIVAGO (1965)

September 20, 2002 - We used to have a cuckoo clock. On the hour, the bird would stick out its head and announce the time. That was followed by tiny dancers (not Elton John related) that would spin around as a song played. That memory was hard to ignore while watching Doctor Zhivago, as Lara's Theme, the same song the clock played every hour, played throughout the movie, though it played much more often in the movie, possibly to a fault.

The major problem I have with this movie is the lack of peaks and valleys. Well, peaks, to be more precise. The entire movie was depressing from start to finish. It was one long valley. The last minute seemed to have a small glimmer of hope, but it felt more like a Hollywood ending than anything else. It was something to avoid the feel that everyone dies unhappy at the end, which is what did happen. The romances were rarely happy. Fading moments when people are reunited, but not lasting long. While I could tell it was a good movie in many other ways, it didn't grab me because of this. Tension needs the occasional release.


40. NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959)

May 27, 2000 - This is a really cool movie. I was interested from beginning to end. Quite a few years back I tried to watch this movie on TV. I don't know if it was the commercial breaks, a lack of my attention, or if I just have different tastes, but I didn't watch much more than 45 minutes of it then. This time I was glued to my chair (well, I was laying in bed, actually) through the entire movie. It also has some cool lines.


41. WEST SIDE STORY (1961)

September 14, 2002 - To watch West Side Story, you have to get past the gangs dancing in the streets. Beyond that, it is a remarkable movie. Leonard Bernstein's music is incredible, and this is a very effective version of R&J. In a musical, it's easy to dismiss people breaking into song as it seems to be something like a soliloquy in a play. Dancing goes along with music. I even accepted the dancing style of fighting, which was interesting. I just still question the dancing as they walked down the street for the first few minutes of the movie. I say get rid of that. However, I did really like the rest of the movie. Lots of good stuff happening throughout.


42. REAR WINDOW (1954)

March 24, 2001 - Jimmy Stewart rules. Alfred Hitchcock rules. Therefore, this movie rules. I think there are only a couple shots that are even taken outside of room of the apartment. They are almost always showing Stewart looking out his window or what he is seeing. That is what makes this film work. In most movies, we get to see more than a single character gets to see. But we are totally seeing everything from his POV. That's what creates the drama and suspense. Really cool.


43. KING KONG (1933)

January 25, 2004 - I am pretty sure that I had seen about 80% of King Kong in bits and pieces before I sat down to watch it. It is very good, and considering its 1933 date, well ahead of its time. I don't know if it has held up for me. I feel like I've seen everything in here in some form or another, but I realize that this is where it came from. At a little less than 90 minutes, it was the perfect length.


44. BIRTH OF A NATION, THE (1915)

August 8, 2002 - Cut this movie in half and it would be really interesting. The first hour was the longest four hours of my life. When I watch this movie again, I will start with part 2, where the plot really starts. The first part sets up some characters and tells the story of the Civil War. After that hour is the aftermath leading up to Reconstruction. The assassination of Lincoln is actually well done, and I might use it in class. The movie being silent, it will be easy to give my own play-by-play. I have watched very, very few silent movies. I could count them on half a hand, I'm sure. The plot is pretty straight forward, but I wasn't catching who all the characters were until near the end. It's an interesting piece of propaganda. If it wasn't so long and slow, I would consider showing it when I teach Reconstruction. Or better yet, it's a better commentary of the south in the early 20th century, much like the Pearl Harbor tells more about the year 2001 than the beginning of World War II. I still might show a scene or two. As far as teaching, I can at least take the main point of the movie to use as a springboard for discussion, and that was that the Civil War ended in 186, but the war didn't really end until the KKK freed the south and united the nation. Might give those punk kids something to think about.


45. STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, A (1951)

March 19, 2002 - While I'm pretty sure that this was a good movie, it was slightly ruined by two things. First, Karl Malden will always be the big-nosed American Express guy. Second is the Simpson's version. When the guy shows up to collect money for the paper, I could hear Apu singing. As Marlon Brando yells, "Stella!" I could hear Ned Flanders finish the line, "Can't you hear me yella; you're putting me through hella... Stella!"


46. CLOCKWORK ORANGE, A (1971)

March 21, 2002 - Definitely a Stanley Kubrick movie. I have no clue what was happening while I was watching. As it neared the end, I thought I had it all figured out. Once it's over, I know less that when it started. However I need to see it again, yet need time to digest it. Basically the same feeling I have after watching just about every Kubrick film. I think the guy was a freakin' bizarre, dirty old man.


47. TAXI DRIVER (1976)

April 7, 2000 - Well, I watched this one, and I'm not sure what to think. I do know that I want to watch it again. Robert DeNiro did such a great job with the role of Travis that I am really intrigued, and I want to watch it again to figure out what was really going on with the character. This is a movie that I am going to have to think about some more, and definitely watch again to really figure it out.


48. JAWS (1975)

Coming... soon? - I'll comment more on this one later - big shark, eats people. How much more fun can it be???


49. SNOW WHITE & THE SEVEN DWARFS (1937)

February 2, 2002 - No, this wasn't the first time I had seen it, but the first since making the list. There are some brilliant and infinitely creative parts to the movie, and it's also on the list because it was first. The floating logs in the haunted forest that look like crocodiles, the shadows of the dwarfs coming around the corner, and the turtle getting up the stairs are just three of the things that really stuck out when I watched this time. It's also a great musical. It's almost too bad that it set such a precedent that led to bad Disney musical numbers, but then again they did it right in Snow White. Musicals work if they are done right.


50. BUTCH CASSIDY & THE SUNDANCE KID (1969)

Coming... soon? - I saw this one a few years ago, and I thought it was boring. I'll watch again, but not yet...


51. PHILADELPHIA STORY, THE (1940)

April 5, 2002 - A pretty good movie. I really like the cast. I've enjoyed all of the Cary Grant movies that I've seen while watching the movies on this list and others, and Jimmy Stewart is always really good.


52. FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (1953)

May, 2001 - I believe that From Here to Eternity was shown on cable the same weekend that Pearl Harbor was released in the theaters. I didn't see Pearl Harbor; instead I watch this movie. Those really glad that I did. Since it is a ways down the list, and it isn't even out on DVD yet, I hadn't really thought about watching it. There too many fun things happening in this movie for it to be missed. I enjoyed all performances, any outcome was unexpected. (I mean the culmination of the plot, not the bombing of Pearl Harbor.)


53. AMADEUS (1984)

Coming... soon? A classic! I've seen it, and I'll watch again to review it here.


54. ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (1930)

October 8, 2002 There were a few interesting things about All Quiet. My first real observation was the soundtrack. Or should I say lack thereof. I liked that you hear the exact same things that the soldiers hear right up until the very end - very effective. There was an interesting scene where the main character Paul is caught in a trench with a man he had just killed. I felt that this was a revelation for the character, and I actually would have liked to have seen more of the scene. Finally, this movie had its message that war is hell. Over 70 years later, and events like 9/11, and people like George W. can't wait to rush off to war. I'm not sure if this film will warrant a repeat viewing anytime soon, but still interesting to see.


55. SOUND OF MUSIC, THE (1965)

October 19, 2002 - I was surprised again while watching an AFI movie at how much I did like this movie. Now that doesn't mean I really liked it a lot, but I didn't hate it. I was worried that at almost three hours it would drag on, but it moves at a good pace. This is a really cheesy movie with rather catchy tunes. Certainly worth watching.


56. M*A*S*H (1970)

January 16, 2002 - I have never liked the T.V. show, but I'm glad that I gave the movie a shot. While it starts a bit slow, there are some good laughs. I watched a documentary comparing Hollywood and history on the History Channel about M*A*S*H. It was pretty interesting, and I recommend you check it out after watching. It's on often.


57. THIRD MAN, THE (1949)

August 5, 2002 - There are some really neat shots in the movie. Of course this includes the dramatic entrance of Harry Lime (a great name, by the way) as well as the ferris wheel and the sewer chase. I liked the story itself, though today it was fairly predictable. I will certainly return to The Third Man for more viewings.


58. FANTASIA (1940)

Coming... soon? I have seen all of it, but I find it incredibly boring to sit through all at once. I have wanted to review it after doing so, but I just might not be able to. I think this is another movie that I appreciate more than I like.


59. REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (1955)

Coming... soon? Yeah!! I'll happily watch this one again to review it here!


60. RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981)

Coming... soon? I'll comment more on this one later - ranks right up there with Star Wars for anyone in my generation!!!


61. VERTIGO (1958)

December 22, 2002 - I started watching this a few months back and fell asleep. This time I made sure that I didn't repeat that performance, but it was tough. This isn't one of my favorite Hitchcock films. While it had a good payoff, I found most of the movie to be a bit dull. I though that there were too many scenes of Jimmy Stewart following with a confused look on his face, all without dialogue and all going on too long. I was sure that Hitchcock and Stewart would be great yet again, but Vertigo just didn't do it for me.


62. TOOTSIE (1982)

June 28, 2003 - OK, so this movie is entertaining. It moves along quickly, had a few laughs, it's fun, and well done. But it just doesn't belong on the list. Good, but not great. And the soundtrack is really annoying, with that early 80s whimsical feel to it.


63. STAGECOACH (1939)

October 27, 2002 - I've watched two westerns this weekend (Shane being the other) and I think that I can now say that I'm not a really big fan of the genre. I guess this was OK, but if it had been any longer than its 97 minutes, I don't know if I would have made it. Of course there are exceptions. I like The Searchers more than this one, and High Noon was entertaining as well.


64. CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (1977)

July, 2001 - Wow. I actually remember being rather bored with this movie when I saw in the theaters over twenty years ago . However, when I recently watched it I couldn't keep my eyes off it. I think by today's standards, the last twenty minutes or so drags on just a bit. Since then, we've been treated to so many but aliens that seeing the little ones coming out of a spaceship in Close Encounters is not that exciting anymore. But it is certainly a very good payoff to the movie, which has obviously been copied and borrowed from since then . I know that this DVD and its features will be getting plenty of future use.


65. SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, THE (1991)

January 13, 2002 - It took me awhile to watch this one, and I'm not really sure what I was waiting for. While watching the documentary about the making, the people that worked on the movie got the idea that they were working on something better than most movies, and they were right. The performances by both Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins are instantly classic. It's also a really interesting story, and fun to watch the mystery unfold. Next time I'll watch it while eating fava beans and a nice chilled chianti.


66. NETWORK (1976)

October 11, 2002 - This is a pretty good movie. I have a feeling that I'll be watching Network again in the not too distant future. I would like to see what it's really about, as I'm still not too sure of that yet. But there are some great performances, and it's a good story.


67. MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE, THE (1962)

March 22, 2002 - Great story. It caught my attention early with the great flower club/brainwashing scene, and built to an exciting finish. And hey - it's Sinatra's world. We just live in it.


68. AMERICAN IN PARIS, AN (1951)

February 1, 2003 - I was unimpressed. So unimpressed that I forgot to even write my little blurb (it's now the middle of March and I'm finally getting around to it.) The musical number at the end went on far too long. The story was silly. The songs were good, since you can't beat Gershwin, but the performances were boring. Sorry, but it doesn't hold up to any of the other musicals on here.


69. SHANE (1953)

October 26, 2002 - I think that I was supposed to read the book in high school, and I think we even watched this movie in class. Nothing was familiar. I remember the "Shane! Come back!" from the end, but I think what I really remember is someone else making fun of it. I must have been doing something else at the time. And it's too bad, because then I wouldn't have had to watch it this time. Boring. This kid is tops on the list of kid characters that need a spankin'.


70. FRENCH CONNECTION, THE (1971)

October 6, 2001 - First of all, let's talk about the car chase. Before I saw the French Connection, all I knew about it was that it contained the "best car chase scene ever." I was disappointed. I will concede - there are some excellent and unique POV shots. However, it reached the point where the subway stopped. That was when I said to myself, "That was a good beginning!" I was expecting the bad guy to come out and jump in another car so that we could continue the chase, but alas. It was done. I don't even think that this was a case of having high expectations. It just didn't do it for me. A few car chases that I enjoyed more come to mind, including the Blues Brothers, Foul Play (with Chevy Chase and Goldie Hawn? What is he thinking?) and episodes of the Dukes of Hazzard. He speaks BLASPHEMY!! But with confidence...

The best part about this movie was Gene Hackman's name in the movie, Popeye Doyle. It certainly has a ring to it. However, I had trouble following several key pieces of plot. I wasn't sure where the clues were coming from, or what they were even looking for. I didn't know why these people were being watched. I couldn't figure out what was telling the police to select the guy they did to tail. Maybe the next time I watch I'll pay attention.


71. FORREST GUMP (1994)

Coming... soon? I'll comment more on this one later - one of my all time favorites! If I ever teach 20th century US history, and enough time passes so that not everyone has seen this one, I'll show it in class. Finally on DVD, too!


72. BEN-HUR (1959)

July 2 2001 - I was really, really bored throughout the whole movie. I'm afraid that it's due to the fact that I've seen Gladiator and Spartacus within the last year or so; both of these are movies on similar topics, but yet are more exciting. There is one pretty good scene where slaves are being forced to row a boat at extreme speeds that pushes them to their limits. The scene does get rather intense. However, that intensity is not matched anywhere else in the movie. I know that Lance really enjoyed this movie, so I would love to include his review of it here to get a second opinion.


73. WUTHERING HEIGHTS (1939)

January 24, 2004 - I remember the book from my senior year of high school. I know that I liked it much more than I liked Sense and Sensibility (which I HATED - couldn't get through very much at all. Most boring book ever), but I didn't like it as much as I liked Great Expectations. It is a pretty good story, though. As far as tragic love stories go, it's right there at the top. Unfortunately for me, I don't especially like watching tragic love stories, so I guess that's as high as the praise can go.


74. GOLD RUSH, THE (1925)

March 22, 2002 - Just right. Lots of fun.


75. DANCES WITH WOLVES (1990)

Coming... soon? I've seen it. I liked it, but I haven't really had the urge to watch it since then. I'll get around to it eventually.


76. CITY LIGHTS (1931)

March 6, 2004 - Another Chaplin movie, so of course it is good. One thing I liked about it is that it moved around to many different kinds of scenes. This one wasn't a one trick pony. The boxing scene was especially funny.


77. AMERICAN GRAFFITI (1973)

June 12, 2000 - I showed this one to my class, since we were talking about the history of rock 'n' roll, but mostly because it's the last week of school, they don't want to learn, and I don't want to teach. It's a really fun movie not only to watch, but to listen to. It's got a great soundtrack and a lot of fun characters. One of my favorite DVDs.


78. ROCKY (1976)

June, 2001 - I had seen little bits and pieces of Rocky before, I'd seen Rocky (Mr. T) III, and parts of Rocky (I will break you) IV, so this was the first time I watched it all the way through. I really liked it. It really is a good story, and even those been copied in movies like the Karate Kid, Rocky does the much better job. It's hard to believe that Sylvester Stallone was once a actually a pretty good actor. He does a fine job in this movie, just don't go see Driven. It sucked.


79. DEER HUNTER, THE (1978)

November 10, 2002 - I guess the purpose of this movie was to show how messed up people got as a result of Vietnam and the varying degrees of that. I'm not so sure about the first 45 minutes. That wedding was even longer than the first 1/2 hour of the Godfather, and not nearly as interesting (something I thought to be impossible). An interesting movie.


80. WILD BUNCH, THE (1969)

August 28, 2002 - The first half hour was good, I almost fell asleep in the second half hour, and the rest was pretty good. I'm not a big fan of Westerns, but this was enjoyable. It was nice to see El Guapo from the ¡Three Amigos! I think this movie has the record for scenes ending in group laughs, culminating in the final montage. I found it to be rather eerie.


81. MODERN TIMES (1936)

August 5, 2003 - Fairly enjoyable, but nothing really jumped out at me. Overall, it was pretty good. It moved at a good pace, and none of the bits dragged on, but nothing stood out as being fairly awe-inspiring to me. Perhaps I have seen the schtick redone since then too many times to appreciate it.


82. GIANT (1956)

July 4, 2003 - This was pretty good. Even with its 3 1/2 hours, I didn't find it to be too boring. In some way, it seemed to be the Texas version of Gone With the Wind, though I'm not sure exactly how.


83. PLATOON (1986)

Coming... soon? I saw this a long time ago, and wasn't really in the mood for it. I'll try again.


84. FARGO (1996)

Coming... soon? I'm not sure what to say. I liked it, but not that much. I do like to repeat the Steve Buscemi line, "I thought we could take of this right here, in Brainard, " with accent and all. Maybe I'll watch again...

(Later...)After another viewing of the last half, I appreciated it more. I think it's growing on me.

(Even later...) I have since started watching a few Coen Brothers movies and really enjoying them. Maybe I have acquired the taste and will enjoy it more.


85. DUCK SOUP (1933)

April 1, 2000 - This was a great movie to watch on April Fool's Day. It went from ridiculous, to absurd, and back to ridiculous again! I found myself laughing over and over again. Groucho's lines are just plain hilarious. I really need to watch it again to catch everything that happened. It's short, only 70 minutes, so this is a good one to watch when you want to catch a quick movie.


86. MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY (1935)

March 28, 2004 - Mutiny marks movie #100 for me - the last movie to watch. I actually had the DVD for a couple weeks before watching. I had planned to watch it on the 19th to make it four years exactly since I officially started the list, but then I forgot. Overall a good movie. At over two hours, it moved along well enough without rushing to the mutiny itself. I think that if it were made today, the mutiny would have started about 45 minutes in - and then taken up another 45 minutes worth of special effects to actually do it.


87. FRANKENSTEIN (1931)

December 30, 2002 - I should start by saying that Frankenstein is an entertaining and watchable movie. Also, I should point out that I still have eight movies left to view. Having made those statements, I will now proclaim this to be the worst movie on the list. Yeah, it's entertaining, just not very good. Thank goodness for the length of the movie (less than 70 minutes) and the countless parodies and aftermath (Young Frankenstein, Phil Hartman's version...) And I hear that Bride of Frankenstein is a much better movie. The book is very different too. Same idea, different plot.


88. EASY RIDER (1969)

March 16, 2002 - I don't get it. It certainly shows a side of that time period, showing a couple hippies crossing the U.S. on their motorcycles, but I guess I don't really get the point. I don't see what made it so great.


89. PATTON (1970)

August 21, 2002 - This was a pretty good movie overall. Since I hate it when long movies drag, it was good to watch an almost three-hour movie that went by fairly quickly. The soundtrack was good, and the battle scenes were impressive without being overbearing.


90. JAZZ SINGER, THE (1927)

January 24, 2004 - I was very worried that it would be rather boring, but I enjoyed it. After watching some silent movies for this list, I can better imagine what it must have been like to hear "You ain't heard nothin yet!"


91. MY FAIR LADY (1964)

December 21, 2002 - *Yawn*. I thought it was rather boring. The music had two songs that I recognized: "I Could Have Danced All Night" and "On the Street Where You Live." Neither song really did anything for me. The only song that I actually liked felt more like a throw away song, "With a Little Bit of Luck." I think that the overall moral of the story was what Henry Higgins believed: Woman are irrational, unthinking creatures. Nuff said.


92. PLACE IN THE SUN, A (1951)

December 7, 2002 - The really bad thing about Netflix, even more then renting from the Wherehouse, is the number of scratched DVDs I get. I regularly have to stop movies and clean them off, and occasionally they are so bad that they can't continue. This was one of those, and I had to watch A Place in the Sun over two viewings, which I really dislike doing the first time I watch a movie. At least it died right about half way through, but it was many days before I could continue. I really liked the movie, and I do plan to watch it again. There seemed to be some interesting themes throughout, and I liked the use of the sound effects (barking dog, police siren) following George around in the second half of the movie. I am interested to read the book, An American Tragedy, as I have a feeling that it is quote different in its account.


93. APARTMENT, THE (1960)

May 13, 2000 - It's OK. The Apartment is billed as a comedy, but I would have called it a light-hearted drama. It's a pretty decent movie, but I was expecting a comedy, so it might have swayed my view of the movie. Any comments? Watch Duck Soup instead.

UPDATE 3/9/01 - I haven't watched it again, however... This is another one of those movies that didn't do anything for me when I watched it, but I have been thinking about is since. Certainly worth a second look...


94. GOODFELLAS (1990)

July, 2001 - The first time I saw this movie, I must not have been in the right mood for it. I watched it again not too long ago, and I really enjoyed it. Every performance is really neat, and this is one of those movies in which the soundtrack really makes the movie happen. Much like the next movie, Pulp Fiction, H. every song seems to have picked not only to create a mood but to move the movie forward. You don't always see that in a movie and really understand it as well.


95. PULP FICTION (1994)

October 13, 2001 - This was not the first time I had watched Pulp Fiction. I really enjoy both the movie and the soundtrack all the way through. I have read criticism that Tarantino's characters, like Kevin Smith's characters, talk about real things but don't talk like real people. That's what I do like. Their conversations about everyday things are interesting. It's still a movie - enjoy the fact that it's fiction. I would actually like to move Pulp Fiction higher on the list.


96. SEARCHERS, THE (1956)

September 21, 2002 - I think this was not only my first real Cowboys & Indians western, but the first John Wayne movie I've watched all the way through, though I'm not certain of either. Overall, an entertaining movie.


97. BRINGING UP BABY (1938)

March 23, 2002 - This is a silly film, but it provided a few real laughs. I'm not sure that I see the real appeal that put it on the list. There didn't seem to be anything especially groundbreaking or even really great about it. But I did enjoy it, so hey - free dummy.


98. UNFORGIVEN (1992)

Coming... soon? I did watch this a few years ago, but I thought it was boring. I'll watch again, eventually.


99. GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER (1967)

December 7, 2002 - As I started writing this review, I wasn't sure of the number, so I simply did a search for "guess." Looks like I write that word a lot, I guess. I really liked this movie. The two negatives I could see with it are that it is preachy and that there are no real characters. But either is forgivable and to change them would be to change what the movie is about. It should be preachy, and I think that's the point. All of the characters are really a mouthpiece for ideas. The entire movie is a discussion of how people would feel about them, and I liked that. I think it was a dramatization of a discussion of the ideas. I guess. I'm sure I'll watch it again.


100. YANKEE DOODLE DANDY (1942)

March 24, 2002 - There is no tension anywhere in this movie. It's all release. I think that made the movie a bit boring, but the performances are really good throughout. James Cagney is awesome. I think number 100 is a great spot for this movie.