The Top 100 Movies of All Time (A Very Biased List): 20 & 19

20. Charade (1963)
Directed by Stanley Dohen
Screenplay by Marc Behm and Peter Stone
Starring Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn, Walter Matthau, and James Coburn
Oscar Nominations: 1

Charade is one of the most brilliant movies I have ever seen. Hepburn stars as a woman who's husband has turned up dead and she's trying to find answers. The mystery comes when we see the odd people at the funeral and find that the man who she met on vacation is somehow involved. What follows is one of the best screenplays on the list because you never know what turn the plot is going to take or who you can actually trust all the while getting some of the most kickass dialogue that you'll hear in quite a few movies. It also has something that is rather rare: an organic romance subplot. Usually movies that take place over a short period of time have fairly uninteresting romances that really come out of left-field. In Charade, you can see the attraction between the two characters and even though Hepburn can't really trust her suitor, she does grow visibly fond of him.

I don't talk enough about cinematography but I think I will right now by saying that this movie is eye porn. Actually, it's pron for the senses. You start out in the Swiss alps with a shot that just makes you feel chilly and then we're is Paris, the city of lights at it's most gorgeous. All the while, the score is there, pushing your emotions around, making you believe something is going on but you're not quite sure what. It does what good movie music does, heighten the tension, relieve it when necessary, and make the audience comfortable and uncomfortable where necessary. I'm sure the movie doesn't taste good but I haven't tried but it's at least a east for those two senses.

19. Spirited Away
Directed and Screenplay by Hayao Miyazaki
Starring the Voices of (Japanese) Rumi Hiiragi, Miyu Irino, and Mari Natsuki (English dub) Daveigh Chase, Jason Marsden, and Suzanne Pleshette
Oscar Nominations: 1 Oscar Wins: 1 (Best Animated Film)

Often called the Walt Disney of Japan, Hayao Miyazaki is perhaps one of the greatest people to ever work in the medium of animation. While in most Disney films, the story can often be a little manipulative, in a Miyazaki film, everyone acts in character, the plots are very natural, the heroines are never helpless. The plot, that of a young girl forced to work to save both her and her family, is often times moving and adventurous. Spirited Away does all this and more. It is a visually beautiful film, often times both gorgeous and stylish. The film takes place in a bathhouse for the spirits so it's filled with colorful characters. These are all things you find in Miyazaki films, all of which are worth watching. Next time, I'll probably put a few more on the list.

One of the reasons that the movie succeeds is the voices. Both in the original and dub versions, the character's voices are very real. One of the reasons I love the dub is that the translators took time to work with the original animators to get the words to fit the mouths, something that previous films have done at the expense of being true to the original work. The fact that it was Disney working with them is the icing on the cake. You might as well go with one of the leaders in animation, getting access to their stable of voice actors in the process. The reason why Chihiro, the main character works, is because she sounds like a scared little girl. The witch sounds like a witch without being ridiculous.

Next Time: "With enough courage, you can do without a reputation." "Now gentlemen, in this country our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men are created equal. I'm no idealist to believe firmly in the integrity of our courts and of our jury system. That's no ideal to me. That is a living, working reality. Now I am confident that you gentlemen will review without passion the evidence that you have heard, come to a decision, and restore this man to his family. In the name of God, do your duty. In the name of God, believe Tom Robinson."

The Top 100 Movies of All Time (A Very Biased List): 22 & 21

22. Shadow of a Doubt (1943)
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
Screenplay by Thornton Wilder, Sally Benson, and Alma Reville
Starring Teresa Wright, Joseph Cotten, Macdonald Carey, Patricia Collinge, and Henry Travers
Oscar Nominations: 1

I have to say that this might be Hitchcock's best film. The movie is about a woman and her uncle that she was named after. The uncle murders rich older women after romancing them. The movie, like anything Hitchcock, is suspenseful and the performance turned in by Wright as the niece is splendid. The character develops perfectly and organically. At first she's a naive small town girl but she slowly reveals herself to be the only person to see through her uncle's facade, ready to kill herself to stop him. The most notable thing is that while Hichcock female leads tend to meet bad ends or are mostly wooden, Charlie survives, finds love, and remains a strong woman up to the end.

My favorite part of the movie is how most of the people aren't quite right. Two of the supporting cast members discuss how to plan the perfect murder for much of the movie. It's funny but then disturbing when an actual murderer walks among them. The youngest daughter, Ann, is also kinda cool. She is older than her years and seems almost as wrong as her uncle. In addition, we have the use of tows. The uncle and niece are both names Charlie. There are two investigators, two church and garage scenes, and many other duets. By the way, Hitchcock's cameo is about fifteen minutes in, playing bridge with a winning hand.


21. Cabaret (1972)
Directed by Bob Fosse
Screenplay by Jay Allen from the play by Joe Masteroff
Music by John Kander and Lyrics by Fred Ebb
Starring Liza Minnelli, Michael York, and Joel Grey
Oscar Nominations: 10 Oscar Wins: 8 (Best Director, Best Actress Liza Minnelli, Best Supporting Actor Joel Grey, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Art Direction, Best Score, Best Sound)

A musical about the rise of Nazi Germany, alternatively cheery and depressing. Possibly one of the best musicals of all time, it deals with risque elements with dignity. The actors, doing their own singing thank god, are perfect. They realize the heaviness of the roles but also realize the need to have some jollity. Liza Minelli's Sally Bowles is sexy and funny. It's a powerhouse performance. Joel Grey's performance as the Master of Ceremonies isn't a big attribution to the plot but he serves to provide commentary and the scene at the end where he realizes that the air of change has come and he hasn't noticed is heartbreaking.

The songs are mostly performed in the titular cabaret. The sole exception is the most haunting. "Tomorrow Belongs to Me" is sung in a beer garden. At first, it seems like a pretty song sung by a blond headed youth. A crowd watches and then the camera pans back, first showing his brown shirt and then the swastika on his arm. A Hitler Youth. Then the crowd starts to sing along. What seemed like a hopeful song is revealed to be a song to incite. The other song, "Cabaret," is just as happy when you hear it but then you realize that Sally Bowles is singing it, not because she's happy, but because she's unsure of her future, she's just had an abortion, and she got rid of a man who loved her. Her life is in ruins and she has to cling to an ideal of a life that is gone.

Next Time: "I already know an awful lot of people and until one of them dies I couldn't possibly meet anyone else." "Once you've met someone, you won't really forget them. It just takes a while for your memory to return."

The Top 100 Movies of All Time (A Very Biased List): 24 & 23

24. Citizen Kane (1941)
Directed by Orson Welles

Screenplay by Orson Welles and Herman J. Mankiewicz
Starring Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Dorothy Comingore, Everett Sloane, and Ray Collins
Oscar Nominations: 9 Oscar Wins: 1 (Best Original Screenplay)

This movie appears on every top 10 list in creation if not the top pick, it is taught in almost all college film classes, and it has one of the first big surprise endings of all time. It only ranks 24 and that's only because of the huge plot hole but that's beside the point. It is a genuinely great film. The film is the retelling of one man's life, a thinly veiled critique of William Randolf Hearst, and a mystery all tied into one. A great film can be many things all at the same time. Great writing helps that along and makes sure that the audience can follow a multi-tiered story like this one.

My problem does come down to the huge plot hole which is that the titular character dies in a room alone, is described as dying alone, and yet everyone knows his dying words. It's kinda unforgivable but I let it slide for the fact that it does set up one of the first and greatest twist endings in film history. The thing most people know of this film is the line Rosebud. The mystery of the film what Rosebud truly meant. Most people by now know that, just like they know the big secret of Psycho. That said though, I still won't be giving it away and when you do find out in the context of the film, it's brilliant. Really, a good ending is built to while a crappy ending will sputter out and die.

23. Double Indemnity (1944)
Directed by Billy Wilder
Screenplay by Billy Wilder and Raymond Chandler from the novel by James M. Cain

Starring Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, and Edward G. Robinson
Oscar Nominations: 7

Best. Film Noir. EVER! Seriously, this is what noir is. A dark story, people who's morals are kinda lax to say the least, some kick-ass music, perfect use of darkness. The best part is, it's all about insurance fraud. They make insurance fraud interesting! Dammit that's awesome. Anyway, the acting is top notch and Billy Wilder, like always, is one of my favorite directors. The man knows how to set up his shots so they get the maximum amount of shadow with a minimum amount of distractions.

I want to take notice of Barbara Stanwyck. She fills a trope of the Femme Fatale so perfectly. The character really is the definition of it and she fills her role so nicely. She is pure ex, manipulates people into doing things for her, and she never gets her hands dirty. Of course, she does pay for her sins, this is 1940s Hollywood after all, but she still gets away with them in such a way that it works for awhile.

Next Time: "My God! It's enough to drive a girl into a convent! Do they have Jewish nuns?" "We're not just an uncle and a niece. It's something else. I know you. I know you don't tell people a lot of things. I don't either. I have a feeling that inside you there's something nobody knows about... something secret and wonderful. I'll find it out."

The Top 100 Movies of All Time (A Very Biased List): 26 & 25

26. Funny Girl (1968)
Directed by William Wyler
Screenplay by Isobel Lenhart from her play
Music by Jule Styne lyrics by Bob Merrill
Starring Barbra Streisand, Omar Sharif, Kay Medford, and Anne Francis
Oscar Nominations: 8 Oscar Wins: 1 (Best Actress Barbra Streisand)

I am an unabashed Barbra fan. I really love the woman and her work and there is no way for me to be objective about it. I loved her in freaking Nuts people and even I know that was a terrible movie.  So, anything I say is going to come across as very biased but that's the point of this list, right? Anyway, Babs rocks in this movie and there is no other reason to watch it. Yeah, there are other actors but it's all Babs' show as famous stage actress Fanny Brice.  Her singing and humor are both awesome and she alternatively funny and sad playing to every emotion. The woman deserved her Oscar, now can someone give her her Oscar for Prince of Tides?

If I have to talk about something other than Babs, let's talk about the music with which I can still talk about the most awesome diva ever.  The songs are very memorable. People and Don't Rain on My Parade have both become standards of Babs. There aren't many songs that don't involve Babs singing but the supporting cast does carry what singing it needs. I'm sorry, I'm trying to challenge myself by not talking about Babs but it isn't quite working. Just go see the movie, see the glory of Babs, and realize how gay Will is to rave about her so much.

25. Fantasia (1940)
Directed and written by Quite a few people, really, just hit IMDB for this one people.
Starring Leopold Stokowski, Deems Taylor, The Philadelphia Orchestra, and Walt Disney
 
Fantasia is more than just a movie, it's an event. There is literally nothing quite like it, not even the rather lackluster Fantasia 2000. Fantasia is animation set to classical music. Some of the sequences have a plot and other don't.  They really don't. The animators were just allowed free imagination to do as they please and make it awesome and works. The choice of music is also impeccable and there isn't a sequence that doesn't stand out or not work. Let's talk about my favorite one.

Night on Bald Mountain and Ave Maria are probably the best sequences in the movie, even more so than The Sorcerer's Apprentice. It's basically Evil being vanquished by Good. First is Night on Bald Mountain in which a massive demon, possibly Satan himself, gathers his minions and forces them to dance for his amusement. The sequence is very terrifying, even as an adult. It then goes into the more quiet Ave Maria where pilgrims trek to a holy land. Really, just a brilliant sequence and the use of music is just so powerful in both. It's all rather hard to describe in words so go and rent it on DVD. It's all nice and restored.

Next Time: "You're right, I did lose a million dollars last year. I expect to lose a million dollars this year. I expect to lose a million dollars next year. You know, Mr. Thatcher, at the rate of a million dollars a year, I'll have to close this place in, 60 years." "Yes, I killed him. I killed him for money and for a woman. I didn't get the money and I didn't get the woman. Pretty, isn't it?'"

The Top 100 Movies of All Time (A Very Biased List): 28 & 27

28. Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003)
27. Kill Bill Vol. 2 (2004)
Directed and Written by Quentin Tarantino
Starring Uma Thurman, David Carradine, Daryl Hannah, Michael Madsen, and Lucy Liu


I know I'm kinda cheating here since these are technically supposed to be one film but there are enough stylistic differences for me to consider it otherwise. Besides, it would have been kinda hard to just talk about it in two paragraphs. This is, to me, Tarantino's masterpiece. We get a lot of the style, genre bending, witty dialogue, and gore that defines him as a director and writer. There is not a single actor who doesn't turn in a performance that is truly awesome. But, let's get into specifics, shall we.

I'm going to start out by talking about one of the best scenes, The House of Blue Leaves aka the scene where The Bride fights a lot of assassins at the same time. The fight choreography is just terrific. Every swing of the sword, the movement of each combatant, it's just so organic and realistic that it doesn't feel scripted. The music, when we get it in the scene, helps so much as well. There is a point where the film turns black and white. This was done to cover up some of the violence but I really think it works. It adds an extra sense of mood to the scene invokes classic kung-fu movies. Then there's the duel between Lucy Liu and Uma. It's probably the second best fight sequence in the movie.

Earlier I said there were some stylistic differences between these two films. This is true. Vol. 1 is much more of a straight forward action movie. We get some character development but it takes a back seat to the kung-fu homage that makes up the majority of part 1. Vol. 2, the movie kinda changes. It get a little bit more heavy into the Kung-fu feeling of Vol. 1 but it also becomes more personal, especially during the last half. The fight between Elle Driver and The Bride is white trash and thrilling at the same time. On one hand we have The Bride, a wronged woman, on the other hand we have Elle, unrepentant murderer who also killed The Bride's master. The raw emotions between the two women makes this scene ultra thrilling but it's nothing compared to the last scene between The Bride and Bill. We don't get much of a fight here but it is still very personal as The Bride is reunited with her daughter.

I enjoy this movie because it's fun but I also enjoy it because it feels like the director had passion doing it. So often, you watch an action movie and it's alright but you know the people were doing it for the cash, nothing more. With Kill Bill, it seems like the people had as much fun making it as the audience does. Uma Thurman is always great under Tarantino's watchful eye and it would be asking too much for her to be in all of his films like Helena Bonham Carter is in all of Tim Burton's these days but it would be nice. They make a great team and you know they enjoy working together. People who like working together make great cinema. Ben Affleck is really only good when he's working with Kevin Smith and they enjoy working together. Really, Kill Bill works because it's a labor of love and it's fun to watch and that is what counts.


Next Time: "Hello, gorgeous." "What you're going to see are the designs and pictures and stories that music inspired in the minds and imaginations of a group of artists. In other words, these are not going to be the interpretations of trained musicians, which I think is all to the good."

The Top 100 Movies of All Time (A Very Biased List): 32 & 31

32. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Directed by Jonathan Demme
Screenplay by Ted Tally from the novel by Thomas Harris
Starring Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn, and Ted Levine
Oscar Nominations: 7 Oscar Wins: 5 (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actress Jodie Foster,  Best Actor Anthony Hopkins)

I'm going to start out by saying that Anthony Hopkins is in the film for only about 24 minutes. It seems like a lot more but it's true. That is why the role is so memorable and why some of the later Hannibal Lecter films fail, over-exposure. Hannibal Lecter is one of those film characters that makes the audience uncomfortable and yet he has an air amount him that you can't help but pay attention to. He's humanized but not to the point where you can start sympathizing with him. That would be almost unforgivable. No, it's only to the point where you know this monster is a human being and there's no getting around that. The terrific part of Silence is that everyone is so human and so obsessed. Lecter is obsessed with getting out or at least getting a window. Clarice is obsessed with getting into the FBI to the point where she does some pretty stupid stuff over the course of the film. I mean some really stupid stuff that's over-shadowed by some brilliant stuff.  Jack Crawford is obsessed with catching the serial killer. Chilton is obsessed with making himself look competent and failing in every way possible. The characters are so human that they work.

One of the things that I enjoy about The Silence of the Lambs is some of the suspense scenes. Any of Clarice's interviews with Lecter leave the audience breathless since you never know what the hell's going to happen. In fact, any of the scenes with Lecter do that since the character is so methodical that you don't know if he's running a massive Xanatos Gambit or if he's actually just messing with someone's head. For that matter, the ending scene between Clarice and Buffalo Bill is very intense. The kind of movie you've been watching, you seriously don't know if Clarice will live or die and that is what makes this movie grand, such delicious suspense that you can eat it up with a spoon.

31. Young Frankenstein (1974)
Directed by Mel Brooks
Screenplay by Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder
Starring Gene Wilder, Peter Boyle, Marty Feldman, Teri Garr, Madeline Kahn, Cloris Leachman, Kenneth Mars, and Gene Hackman
Oscar Nominations: 2

Mel Brooks is a comedy genius and no where is that more evident than in Young Frankenstein. While many of his later films were just parodies of various movies, Young Frankenstein was a parody of just one and it's a classic. One of the things that just makes this movie work well on so many levels is that the humor is often absurd but it's consistent in that but it also has some more grounded comedy to it as well. The writing is the best part of the film really. Dialogue, singing, everything. I dunno, the humor is often a natural reaction to what came before.

 The actor's must be given their dues as well. Cloris Leachmean, ah Cloris, you rock so hardcore. I mean, there is just so many reasons that you are awesome in this movie but let's look at one big one: Horses. The art of the running joke. Enough said. Madeline Khan continues to be awesome in anything she does. The Monster, Peter Doyle is so beautiful as the monster. I mean, a character who really just growls for like half the movie is one of the best. That's the earmark of a great actor and great writing. Gene Wilder as the Doctor is also a great but it's the mark of a great movie when the lead actor who is phenominal, is still not the best part of the movie.

Next time: "The whole book's gender-biased. A woman's responsible for original sin. A woman cuts Samson's coif of power. A woman asks for the head of John the Baptist. Read that book again sometime. Women are painted as bigger antagonists than the Egyptians and Romans combined." "Compared to Clouseau, this doomsday machine is a water pistol!"

The Top 100 Movies of all Time (A Very Biased List) 34 & 33

34. Pulp Fiction (1994)
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Screenplay by Quentin Tarantino & Roger Avary
Starring John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, Harvey Keitel, and Bruce Willis
Oscar Nominations: 7 Oscar Wins: 1 (Best Original Screenplay)

Say what you will about his film making, one can never accuse Tarantino of not having style. The man has it in spades. Down to the soundtrack choice, everything is just so cool. You go to a Tarantino film for the whole package. The visuals, the acting, the music, and most of all, the dialogue. Dear God is the man awesome with his dialogue. The way the characters speak, the dialogue coming out rapid fire, the little pop culture references. This is how I wish people talked. yes, a lot of it is profanity but it doesn't really matter. People are still witty. The structure of the film is also a plus. It's kinda disjointed and the best segment is the second with Uma Thurman and John Travolta but the entire movie is fun and great cinema.

A special note needs to be paid to the acting on this one. Having great dialogue is awesome but if your actors can't act, it means nothing. All of the actors strike it out of the park. Uma Thurman is one of my favorite actors but she is definitely in her element in any Tarantino film and this one especially. Her Mia Wallace is both sexy and someone who wants to have fun at the same time. She has excellent chemistry with John Travolta and their dancing scene is one of the best I've ever seen. Bruce Willis as well is great as a pugilist who has to escape a mobster. He has a surprising amount of honor and he meshes so well with the film as a whole. Finally, Sam Jackson. What is there not to love about Sam Jackson's part in the movie? Equal parts warrior and philosopher, he is the highlight of the film and the main reason to watch it. I could just watch his scene where he pontificates in the diner so many times and never get tired of it.

33. Psycho (1960)
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
Screenplay by Joseph Stefano & Samuel A. Taylor from a novel by Robert Bloch
Starring Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin, and Martin Balsam
Oscar Nominations: 4

It takes a lot of nerve to kill off your main character in the first hour of the film and that is just one of the reasons that Psycho works as well as it does. It shocks you. While we take for granted the twists in the movie now, back then this was a shocking movie and the ending was the king of all awesome endings. No one saw it coming and that is why the movie works. The death of Marion Ross is something that everyone expects but you see the plot at the beginning and you don't expect her to die. You expect something to happen with the suitcase of money that she stole from work. But nothing happens. It's like the movie actually changes half way through and takes you by surprise in the process.

Really, it's hard saying anything about Psycho that hasn't already been seen. The music is terrific, the acting is top notch, there is nothing wrong with this film at all. The only reason that it doesn't rank higher is that there are a few hokey moments and the movie does take a few minutes to get going and there are a few times that it stalls. Still, the suspense to perfect. By the way, the Hitchcock cameo is about seven minutes in. He in a window wearing a hat.

Next Time: "I'm having an old friend for dinner." "From that fateful day when stinking bits of slime first crawled from the sea and shouted to the cold stars, "I am man!", our greatest dread has always been the knowledge of our mortality. But tonight, we shall hurl the gauntlet of science into the frightful face of death itself. Tonight, we shall ascend into the heavens. We shall mock the earthquake. We shall command the thunders, and penetrate into the very womb of impervious nature herself."

The Top 100 Movies of All Time (A Very Biased List): 36 & 35

36. In the Heat of the Night (1967)
Directed by Norman Jewson
Screenplay by Stirling Silliphant from the novel by John Ball
Starring Sidney Poitier, Rod Steiger, and Lee Grant
Oscar Nominations: 7 Oscar Wins: 5 (Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor Rod Steiger, Best Editing, Best Sound)

A stunning movie about racial tensions in the south. A racist police chief arrests a black man passing through town on murder charges. The man is actually a respected homicide detective in Philly. What follows is a mystery, a movie about prejudice, and a cop film. The mystery is good. We see the murderer in the very first scene and it makes sense the second time around, especially with the clue we're given. However the motive takes some time and it's just so controversial and race was really just a red herring. But it also isn't.

The two main actors perfectly get across the main theme of the film. Rod Stiger's character growth is just stunning. At first, he's more than happy to put the black man away, thinking just because he has a fair amount of money that he killed the rich guy. He grows, asking Sidney Poitier's Vergil Tibbs for help. He even, by the end, learns to thanks him when he realizes they're not all that different. Tibbs also makes mistakes, going off of a prejudice against the rich white man on the hill. It shows that everyone is a little bit racist, that while you have to be taught to hate, you can learn not to as well.

35. Fargo (1996)
Directed and screenplay by Joel and Ethan Coen
Starring William H. Macy, Frances McDormand, Steve Buscemi, Peter Stormare, and Harve Presnell
Oscar Nominations: 7 Oscar Wins: 2 (Best Actress Frances McDormand, Best Original Screenplay)

Fargo is quirky and possibly one of the best written movies I have seen from the nineties. It just has so many things going for it. Its main theme is just this haunting tune that undertones the seriousness of the film. Yet it's not completely serious. It does switch between the two so easily that it's natural. You almost don't notice. The dialogue is just so smart as well. It feels like how people talk, there's the awkwardness there, and it just does millions of bits of good for the movie. Another major point to the movie is the cinematography. It captures the spirit of a northern Midwest Winter so perfectly, the cold, the underlying cold to it's beauty.

There are two performances that I have to highlight here. The first is going to be William H. Macy as a car dealer who sets up the kidnapping of his wife to make some extra money. The desperation and nervousness of the character causes a fair amount of comedy but it also adds that extra bit of drama that makes the movie rock. It's a serious role that highlights a terrific actor. The other is Frances McDormand.  The role is kinda hokey but it's also so true. Like Macy's, it's serious but funny at the same time. It also has the extra dimension in that the character is pregnant so McDormand has to to add an extra element to her movement as well. This is what good acting is made of: becoming a character, doing more than add an accent, add a movement to it as well. I love character actors.

Next Time: "A Big Mac's a Big Mac, but they call it 'Le Big Mac'." "We all go a little mad sometimes. Haven't you?"

The Top 100 Movies of All Time (A Very Biased List): 38 & 37

38. The Exorcist (1973)
Directed by William Friedkin
Written by William Peter Blattly from his novel
Starring Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair, Max von Sydow, and Jason Miller
Oscar Nominations: 10 Oscar Wins: 2 (Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Sound)

There are so many things to love about The Exorcist. Let's talk about the story. Based on a supposedly true story, it's about a little girl possessed by a demon. However, the story is so much more than that. In addition to a number of scenes that are just down right creepy, there are the other plots. The buildup to the climatic exorcism scene is where much of the drama happens. From the first time that Regan mentions her imaginary friend, Captain Howdy, you know something is wrong. The nightmarish imagery that follows pulls the audience in, making them believe that this little girl is, in fact, possessed by something that should exist.The people around her react the only way that one should and that's where this movie gets truly scary. It's really psychological, most of the people think that Regan is just insane. I don't think any of us would seriously think someone we know could be possessed. That's where the movie gets scary.

The performances and their subplots are where the movie shine. I've already kinda touched on Linda Blair performance as a little girl possessed. Father Karras, played by Jason Miller, is a young priest doubting his faith. The scenes with his mother where he is racked with guilt for having to put her in a nursing home where she dies alone is sad, so very sad. Max Van Sydow's Father Merrin is truly terrific. Equal parts mystic and human, every one of his scenes rocks. The music, in particular the signature Tubular Bells, the song most people associate with the movie, is beautiful and creepy and helps convey an otherworldiness that the movie would otherwise be missing. Then there's the exorcism scene at the end. There really isn't a good way to describe it. It's one of the most famous scenes in film history and must be seen to be appreciated.

37. West Side Story (1961)
Directed by Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise
Screenplay by Ernest Lehman from the play by Arthur Laurents
Music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Starring Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Rita Moreno, and George Chakiris
Oscar Nominations: 11 Oscar Wins: 10 (Best Picture, Best Director Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise, Best Supporting Actress Rita Moreno, Best Supporting Actor George Chakiris,  Best Color Cinematography, Best Color Costumes, Best Editing, Best Set Direction Color, Best Score, Best Sound)

I'll get my one beef out of the way. Natalie Wood doesn't do her own singing. There, with that out of the way, God this movie is good. Let's start with the choreography. This is perhaps some of the best I have ever seen in a musical. It almost puts Fosse to shame. One needs to only look at Mambo to know this.  Yes, a lot of the fight are just dancing but at the same time, it's a musical. Get over it. Besides, most fights scenes in movies are a series of choreographed moves, these ones are just more stylized. The use of color is another plus of the movie. It looks nice, feels natural, and adds a brightness when necessary to the film. The acting as well brilliant. The teenagers actually feel like teenagers. Rita Moreno, while not nearly as good as Chita Rivera, still puts in a good performance.

That said, let's talk about the music. This is the reason to watch West Side Story. The Leonard Bernstein score is perhaps one of the best in cinema history. It's iconic, beautiful, and resonating all at the same time. While a lot of films use their music a crutch for emotion, West Side Story embraces the music, says, "Yeah, I'm going to use the music to manipulate you and you're going to enjoy it." and you do. I can't say much about the voices since most of them are over-dubbed by other actors. I mean, seriously, of the four leads, only one did their own singing. Oh well, it happens. Can't help it. Just remember actors of today though, that will not be tolerated. Don't accept a role in a musical if you can't freaking sing. That is all.

Next Time: "I got the motive which is money, and the body which is dead." "There's more to life than a little money, you know. Don't you know that?"

The Top 100 Movies of All Time (A Very Biased List): 40 & 39

Format Change! I'm moving to two movies at a time but I'm going to get more in depth on them so who wins? You win!

40. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
Directed by Tim Burton
Screenplay by John Logan from the Musical by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler
Music by Stephen Sondheim
Starring Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, and Timothy Spall
Oscar Nominations: 3 Oscar Wins: 1 (Best Art Direction)

I know I say this a lot but this movie is a fine, four course meal for the senses, hopefully none of those courses being meat pie. I don't think anyone could have brought justice to Sondheim's masterpiece quite like Tim Burton. The man just knows how to capture the dark brilliance of Sondheim's piece just perfectly. The black humor is heightened by the dark and moody cinematography. The couple of bright scenes just look equally as disturbing.Really, the visual and musical effects work well in concert. This isn't even getting into the costumes. Carter's dresses really just accentuate her character's attributes. That wasn't supposed to sound dirty. Sorry. But anyway, it helps get across she's on hard times as the beginning and also later that she is in good times as well.

The performances are just top of the notch. Let me get my favorite out of the way: Helena Bonham Carter. Yes, she got the part because she's Tim Burton's lover. That doesn't change that she is a great Mrs. Lovett. You can believe that she loves this man and is willing to take advantage of and feed his psychosis to make great food. Her voice also works for the part and she still looks lovely much of the time. Depp is also stunning in this role. He does his own singing and it works very well. He really gets through Sweeney's sadness and desperation while also making us believe that he would commit murder without a second thought as long as it served his purpose. Finally, Alan Rickman, he just gets the sliminess that Turpin has to display just perfect. These three roles, if miscast or done incorrectly, would have killed the whole of the film. As is, they work well and in spades. Really, the only thing that doesn't work in this movie are the young lovers but even they can be overlooked since they're mainly around to help the plot move and to show the corruption of London and that there is no innocence there.

39. The Music Man (1962)
Directed by Morton DaCosta
Written by Meredith Willson and Marion Hargrove from the Musical by Meredith Willson
Music by Meredith Willson
Starring Robert Preston, Shirley Jones, Buddy Hackett, and Ron Howard
Oscar Nominations: 6 Oscar Wins: 1 (Best Scoring, adaptation)

As a warning, there are going to be a fair amount of musicals at this point. Thank you. That said, wow. The Music Man. Filled with some of the most freaking catchy music ever written. That alone is enough to praise this movie. However, there is so much else. Let's start with the acting. I'm not normally a fan of "Talk-Singing" but I let it pass in this one for Robert Preston's performance as con-man Harold Hill. He gets a wonderful bit of wit and romance in there. Buddy Hackett fills the standard sidekick role perfectly as well. I know most people are familiar with Shipoopi mainly because Seth McFarlane sang it on Family Guy but this is the best guy possible singing it. However, the real stars of this movie as Shirley Jones and Ron Howard.

Shirley Jones is stunning. Like good looking but also a terrific actress also. She plays the cold intellectual well in the movie but also plays the concerned aunt and the lover well also. She comes across as someone who has been hurt but also warms up perfectly. The same goes for Ron Howard. Child actors are a dime a dozen but it's rare to find one that you can look at and say, "He's going to be great." That's what we got here. He would later enthrall us in Happy Days and become one the best directors of his generation as well as being a terrific narrator on Arrested Development. You can see that brilliance starting to shine here and that is part of makes this movie so remarkable.

Next Time: "There's not a day in my life that I don't feel like a fraud. Other priests, doctors, lawyers - I talk to them all. I don't know anyone who hasn't felt that." "Well, I can kill too because now I have hate!"

The Top 100 Movies of All Time (A Very Biased List): 43-41

First a note: Sorry about the lateness, I went Black Friday shopping and didn't have the energy to write this out. That said, 40 & 39 will be up either tonight or in the morning.

43. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
42. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
41. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Directed by Peter Jackson
Screenplay by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, and Peter Jackson from the Novel by J.R.R. Tolkien
Starring Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Sean Astin, Viggo Mortensen, and so many other people.
Oscar Nominations(Fellowship): 13 Oscar Wins: 4 (Best Original Score, Best Visual Effects, Best Makeup, Best Cinematography)
Oscar Nominations (Two Towers): 6 Oscar Wins: 2 (Best Sound Editing, Best Visual Effects)
Oscar Nominations: (Return): 11 Oscar Wins: 11 (Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Director, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Editing, Best Make-up, Best Original Song (Into the West), Best Original Score, Best Sound Mixing, Best Visual Effects)



I really don't consider these to be separate films. They just aren't. Even more than Star Wars, they are one large narrative. Each film has separate rising actions but they each are part of the same film and for the love of god, watch the extended editions.  You miss out on so much by watching the theatrical releases.

Lord of the Rings has made it hard for any fantasy franchise that gets set up these days. Gone is the day where some impressive special effects could get you through any problems with the plot. Now you have to have good acting, a good script, and believable characters. These are all things that this film had in spades. Gollum is and always will be one of films greatest characters to the point where parodies still show up in things 5 years after the fact. Among the things that are also worth noting are the visuals. Dear god is this movie a feast for the eyes. From the first shot of Bag's End to the first time we see Mount Doom, everything is just breathtakingly awesome. You could not ask for something better looking. You just get this huge tapestry of images that just blow you away, the epic score helping much of the time as well.

That said, the films do have problems. The Two Towers is the lesser of the three since it has some major slumps in the plot. It really feels like it's extended too much and The Battle of Helm's Deep goes on too long, especially when you consider that the Battle of Minas Tirith really was right next door. For that matter, there are some huge problems with Return of the King, namely the fact that there are six endings. You have to learn to compress these things down. Otherwise you end up like me with a full bladder needing to release but having to get up and sit down all those times. It's not a pleasant experience. Still, these are some awesome movies, like I said, watch the extended cuts since they give you so much more bang for your buck, and yeah, Ian McKellen rocks super hardcore!


Next Time: We switch up the format and Things get musical: "No, you see the trouble with Poet is how do you know it's deceased? Try the Priest." "Trouble. I'm talkin' 'bout trouble, with a capital 'T' and that rhymes with 'P' and that stands for pool."

The Top 100 Movies of All Time (A Very Biased List): 46-44

46. This is Spinal Tap (1984)
Directed by Rob Reiner
Written by and starring Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, and Rob Reiner

You will believe a man can burn up from the inside. The father of all mockumentaries and still one of the best. The deception is near total to the point where I forget it's not a documentary at times. The characters have the awkwardness that you often see in a documentary which helps the illusion. Another thing that helps the illusion is that the actors have done so much to help keep it going. They've released freaking albums since the movie came out. Like Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the movie has gone beyond film and become phenomenon. Much of the movie is also ad-libed and that is often what makes it hilarious. The songs also really help everything along and, yeah, sorry, I'm really all too in love with this movie. Oh well. It's one of these movies that's hard to talk about. Really, watch for the cameos, be prepared to laugh like mad, and make sure you have a drummer on tap, seriously, have one handy. You'll need it.

45. Minority Report (2002)
Directed by Stephen Spielberg
Written by Scott Frank and Jon Cohen from a short story by Phillip K. Dick
Starring Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton, and Max Von Sydow
Oscar Nominations: 1

Minority Report is one of those action movies that makes you think. It's all about free choice. In a world where you can get arrested for what you might do, you have no choice but to think happy thoughts. You won't hear me say this, but Tom Cruise was freaking spectacular in this movie. His role as Precrime Chief John Anderton has so many things going for it: tragedy in the form of dealing with the death of his son, drive to prove his innocence, and a desire to fight the system later.  The visuals are also just amazing. It captures a futuristic world but it also isn't too far forward where it's a world we can't recognize. The other thing that really rock in this movie is Samantha Morton's psychic character. She's a sad person alternatively with cryptic. My favorite moment is when she tells someone, just a random person, "Don't go home. He knows." You don't know what it means but it has potential and makes the movie larger than it is.

44. A Night at the Opera (1935)
Directed by Sam Wood

Story by James Kevin McGuinness Screenplay by  George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind
Starring Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, Harpo Marx, and Margaret Dumont

One of the smartest and Funniest of the Marx Brothers' films. We do have the thing that often drags down the Brother's movies (Romantic Couple) but it doesn't quite bother me here. The couple actually works and there isn't the focus on them to the point where they are the main focus of the plot like in a couple of other movies. Instead, we have a manic film, anarchy bound, captured, and forced to work. The problem with moth Marx Brothers films is finding that balance and why A Night At The Opera works is that it find it. There are also a number of great scenes. The Stateroom scene and the ending scene at the Opera are two of the best in the history of the Brothers. The problem with Marx Brothers movies is that it's hard to talk about them because so much is visual humor and quick witted one liners. I guess I'll settle for  really going in depth on them when I get to the Top 10.

Next Time: "All it was, was a bunch of people walking, three movies of people walking to a f***ing volcano."

The Top 100 Movies of All Time (A Very Biased List): 49-47

49. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
Directed by Elia Kazan
Written by Tennessee Williams from his Play
Starring Vivien Leigh, Marlon Brando, Kim Hunter, and Karl Malden
Oscar Nominations: 12 Oscar Wins: 4 (Best Actress Vivien Leigh, Best Supporting Actress Kim Hunter, Best Supporting Actor Karl Madden, Best Set Direction)

This movie is brutal. I say this with no irony whatsoever. For coming out in 1951, some of the scenes are very brutal and real. The movie is truly sad. The characters are the strongest part of this movie which should come as no surprise. Blanche is a flawed character but that doesn't change that she is sympathetic. Stanley isn't completely a monster but he's practically there and that one little sliver of humanity keeps him as a person that seems wholly real. Their interactions, the crumbling of Blanche's sanity, and that final act of cruelty ensure that there will be no happy ending. This is a true tragedy where everyone comes out shattered. Even Stella, who takes refuge from Stanley upstairs at the end, swearing never to go back, will have to come downstairs and the abuse will continue. It's a sad fact of a sad movie.

48. A Christmas Story (1983)
Directed by Bob Clark
Written by Jean Shepherd, Leigh Brown, and Bob Clark
Starring  Peter Billingsley, Darren McGavin, and Melinda Dillon

So many of my thoughts about this, my second favorite Christmas movie of all time, can be found by reading hours 1 and 2 of the 2007 Christmas Experiment. I can wait. It's even tagged at the end of the post. Anyway, what I love about this movie is that it captures so much of the spirit of Christmas and family. I remember being a kid and getting the occasional cruddy gift. More than that, it captures a lot of what being a kid is. You do stupid things, you never quite get over being awkward, and you have really gay fantasies. If you had went and read Hour 1 and 2, then you know that I think Ralphie is gay. But beyond that, the story is a classic and one that endured to this day. Try watching it three or four times on Christmas and try denying it then.

47. The Sound of Music (1965)
Directed by Robert Wise
Written by Ernest Lehman from the stage play
Music by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II
Starring Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Eleanor Parker, and Richard Haydn
Oscar Nominations: 10 Oscar Wins: 5 (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Editing, Best Music, Best Sound)

I'm going to say it now: I root for the Baroness. Maria is perhaps one of the most saccharine film characters of all time but then you have this tart, snarky character like the Baroness and it makes it awesome. Really, if anyone but Julie Andrews had played Maria, I probably would run screaming when I saw her open her mouth. Regardless, this is one of the few Rodgers and Hammerstein films that I can stand and not just stand but enjoy. There are moments where the characters really just work. The scenery is also just majestic throughout. As I said about a prior film, this is the kind of movie that demands to be remastered into Blu-Ray because it would just be so enjoyable. I can't believe I haven't mentioned the music. The music is great here and some is just so beautiful like "Edelweiss." I just realized how many musicals are on this list.


Next Time: "He was the patron saint of quality footwear." "How can you avoid a man you've never met?" "Don't you see, you'll be a patron of the opera. You'll get into society. Then, you can marry me and they'll kick you out of society, and all you've lost is $200,000."

The Top 100 Movies of All Time (A Very Biased List): 52-50

52. Moulin Rouge (2001)
Directed by Baz Luhrmann
Written by Baz Luhrmann and Craig Pierce
Starring Ewan McGregor, Nicole Kidman, Jim Broadbent, Richard Roxburgh, and John Leguizamo
Oscar Nominations: 8 Oscar Wins: 2 (Best Costume Design, Best Set Direction)

The modern revival of the musical can all be traced back to Moulin Rogue. The film is often bombastic and overflowing with energy and it has a very beautiful love story to it. THe thing that really makes this movie for me is the music. It is completely and 100% apologetically anachronistic. That said, it's the moments like the Elephant Love Song Medley and Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend that the movie trully shines. Jim Broadbent probably puts in the best performance as Moulin Rouge owner, Harold Zidler. The character is conflicted between his role as a father figure to Nicole Kidman's Satine, and that as a business owner with the dream to open a theater. BTW, what is it with me and movies where a writer is a main character?

51. Strangers on a Train (1951)
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
Written by Raymond Chandler, Czenzi Ormonde, and Whitfield Cook from the novel by Patricia Highsmith
Starring Farley Granger, Ruth Roman, Kasey Rogers, and Robert Walker
Oscar Nominations: 1

I love suspense and that's something that Strangers on a Train delivers in spades. Hitchcock  gives us a film about the perfect murder: two unrelated people offer to kill the others intended victim. What follows is one believing it was a joke and the other being deadly serious. A lot can be said about Hitchcock's work. He is truly an auteur. Everyone of his films use certain themes and motifs to convey messages and meanings. In this case, its criss-crosses and doubles. It helps gets across that there are these two worlds: the good decent world and the world where people kill and that they're not that dissimilar. Those visuals alone make this movie worth viewing but then you get something else out of it upon the second or third viewing where you start noticing the theme everywhere and you start to doubt anyone is trully a double or anything. That's when you know that Hitchcock has you.

By the way, or those who want to know, the Hitchcock cameo is about ten minutes in. Look for the guy with the bass.

50. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992)
Directed by David Lynch
Written by David Lynch and David Engels
Starring Sheryl Lee, Moira Kelly, Chris Isaak, and Ray Wise

David Lynch is the master at creating messed up visuals. Nowhere is that more evident than in Twin Peaks Fire Walk With Me. Where else could you see someone eating creamed corn and make it into something so dark? The movie is a prequel to the popular tv series depicting the final week in the life of murdered Homecoming Queen Laura Palmer. Because we know she's going to die, the film takes on a tragic and depressing mood to it. Sheryl Lee's performance as Laura Palmer makes you wish she had appeared more in the show. She gets across this desperation in Laura to be accepted, to be herself, to be redeemed that carries much of the movie. Ray Wise as Laura's father is also another of the great performances. He's a man, mentally ill, also besieged by a supernatural force in himself that pushes dark urges on him. BOB, the evil inside of Leland Palmer, can be seen as a metaphor for the darkness inside us all and the mental torment for the evils we have done. The ending is my favorite part because it shows that for the tragedy that has befallen Laura, the evil that she herself has in her heart, she can be redeemed.

Next Time:  "Some things are not forgivable. Deliberate cruelty is not forgivable. It is the one unforgivable thing in my opinion and the one thing of which I have never, never been guilty." "Some men are Baptists, others Catholics; my father was an Oldsmobile man!" "Darling, haven't you ever heard of a delightful little thing called boarding school?"

The Top 100 Movies of All Time (A Very Biased List): 55-53

55. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Directed by Stanley Kubrick
Written by Stanley Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke
Starring Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood, and William Sylvester with the voice of Douglas Rain
Oscar Nominations: 4 Oscar Wins: 1 (Visual Effects)

Possibly the most parodied movie of all time and definitely one of the most iconic. The movie is visually stunning. Today it may look a little less but that's just taking it in that context. Then it was a work of art and it still is. I don't quite feel that the movie is perfect, there are many points where it is downright dull, but it still it worthy for showing that science fiction can be more than giant monsters attacking beautiful women. It can also be something that makes you think. Still, my main reason to watch this movie is for the visuals and the music. Worth tracking down a Blu-Ray copy of the film if you can.


54. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
Directed by David Hand, William Cottrell, Wilfred Jackson, Larry Morey, Perce Pearce, and Ben Sharpsteen
Written by Ted Sears, Richard Creedon, Otto Englander, Dick Rickard, Earl Hurd, Merrill De Maris, Dorothy Ann Blank, and Webb Smith
Starring the Voices of Adriana Caselotti, Lucille La Verne, Pinto Colvig, and Roy Atwell
Oscar Nominations: 1

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - Trailer 1937 | Movies & TV | SPIKE.com

The one that started it all. This was a huge technical achievement back in it's day. Today we take it for granted that something like this can be done. It was a huge undertaking and one that animation aficionados like myself will always be grateful. Because of it's historical significance, it's easy to overlook that character depiction is kinda two-dimensional but even that is negligible compared to it's beauty. It wouldn't be a few years before we get an animated picture half as good and it really is, more even then Mickey Mouse, the thing that built Disney.


53. The Philadelphia Story ( 1940)
Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Written by Donald Ogden Stewart from the play by Phillip Barry
Starring Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, James Stewart, and Ruth Hussey
Oscar Nominations: 6 Oscar Wins: 2 (Best Actor James Stewart, Best Adapted Screenplay)

I love movies from the forties. Everyone talked so fast, the dialogue was thrown like knives and no movie demonstrates this quite like The Philadelphia Story. A movie about a woman's remarriage, it's cast is just sublime. Hepburn was one of the golden stars in the heaven of Hollywood and Jimmy Stewart proves himself to be a perfect actor. The film does seem stagey at times but there are others that it breaks free of it's stage trappings. Special note should be paid to the fact that up until this point, Hepburn had been considered Box Office Poison. From this point on, she proved herself to be a star and no one would ever dispute that again.


Next Time: " I AM THE EVIL MAHA RAJA! YOU WILL NOT ESCAPE!" "I still think it would be wonderful to have a man love you so much he'd kill for you." "When this kind of fire starts, it is very hard to put out. The tender boughs of innocence burn first, and the wind rises, and then all goodness is in jeopardy."

The Top 100 Movies of All Time (A Very Biased List): 58-56

58. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Directed by Stephen Spielberg
Written by Lawrence Kasdan from a story by George Lucas & Philip Kaufman
Starring Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Ronald Lacey, and John Rhys-Davies
Oscar Nominations: 8 Oscar Wins: 4 (Best Set Direction, Best Sound, Best Editing, Best Visual Effects)

A good adventure is hard to find. Raider of the Lost Ark is just that. The name alone is fun. It tells you that you're in for something awesome. When you pull back the wrapper, then you see the treasure you found. One of the things I love about this movie is Harrison Ford. He is what makes this film and there should be no excuses for not. While soe would point at Star Wars as being what made him a star, I point at Raiders just because of the sheer amount of charisma he displays. Quite frankly, I doubt anyone else could have had the combination of wonder and daring that Harrison shows off through out the film. The scene where the swordsmen, after doing that elaborate act of brandishing, just gets shot off-handily, that is a work of pure genius.

57. Finding Nemo (2003)
Directed by Andrew Stanton & Lee Unkrich
Written by Andrew Stanton, Bob Peterson, & David Reynolds
Starring the voices of  Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould, Willem Dafoe, & Brad Garrett
Oscar Nominations: 4 Oscar Wins: 1 (Best Animated Feature)

Ellen DeGeneres is what makes this movie for me. Dory is possibly one of my favorite characters from a Disney-Pixar film. The voice acting in incredible though, regardless of who it is though. I love this movie for so many reason though. The writing is top-notch, both funny and alternatively dramatic and sad. I admit, I may have teared up at the one scene where Dory gets left behind and Ellen's little line there. It really is a sad part of the movie. For that matter, the early scene where the big fish attacks the eggs and Nemo's Mother, that is just one heart-breaking scene. If I give Disney-Pixar anything, it's that they are not afraid to toy without emotions and I thank them for that, I really do.


56. Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)
Directed and written by George Lucas
Starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Alec Guinness
Oscar Nominations: 10 Oscar Wins: 6 (Best Editing, Best Visual Effect, best set Direction, Best Original Score, Best Costume Design, Best Sound)

The movie that started it all. Hello, and welcome back to Epic 101. In the Epic, you need a good first act, obviously. During the first act, you need to introduce all your major players. They don't need to get along at first but you also need to give them some unifying goal. As well, you must introduce the villain. Do something to play him up as a threat, whether that is a willingness to murder innocents or supernatural abilities far beyond humankind. A first act must also end with thing looking up for the heroes. After all, the second act needs things not to start out at their worst because then what are you going too do to make it all bad at the end of act 2? Do all this and you stand a pretty good chance at being as good as the Holy Trilogy. I mean seriously, this movie is a good introduction to the whole of Star Wars, as it should as the real first movie in the franchise. So much good tension and just a bit of romance that becomes a little creepy later on down the line. Good times.

Next Time: "I know everything hasn't been quite right with me, but I can assure you now, very confidently, that it's going to be all right again. I feel much better now. I really do." "Lips red as the rose. Hair black as ebony. Skin white as snow." "We just picked the wrong first husbands, that's all."

The Top 100 Movie List (A Very Biased List): 61-59

61. Chicago (2002)
Directed by Rob Marshall
Written by Bill Condon from the Play by Bob Fosse and Frank Ebb
Music by John Kander and Frank Ebb
Starring Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere, Queen Latifah, and John C. Reilly
Oscar Nominations: 13 Oscar Wins: 6 (Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, Best Sound, Best Editing, Best Costumes, Best Art Direction-Set Direction)

2002 was one of the best years for movies in recent history. 3 of the movies nominated for Best Picture appear on this list. Chicago is the best single one of them. It is a classic book musical and we all know how I love musicals. The movie is a delicious black comedy with great dancing as well. There is not a thing to love about Chicago really. The acting is sublime with Catherine Zeta-Jones' Velma Kelly being the stand out. There is not a moment she is on screen that you don't find yourself thinking something awesome is going to happen. The dialogue is also great. Often in musicals, dialogue takes a back set to the songs but in Cicago, both of them shine. The movie also brings forth a good precedent that all musicals have to follow now: Have the actors sing and do their own dancing, otherwise you end up like Minnie Driver in Phantom of the Opera.

60. Annie Hall (1977)
Directed by Woody Allen
Written by Woody Allen and Marshall Brickman

Starring Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Tony Roberts, Carol Kane, Paul Simon
Oscar Nominations: 5 Oscar Wins: 4 (Best Picture, Best Direction, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actress Diane Keaton)

I'm going to say it now: I am not a fan of Woody Allen. That said, the man is a terrific actor, writer, and director. The man gives his actor's such great characters to embody and no where is that more apparent than Annie Hall. There isn't anything not to love about this Romantic Comedy. Diane Keaton's title character is one of those people we all know, that we've all dated. They seem perfect at first but as it goes, you know it will end and yet you grasp at it. It is also a perfectly written film for one simple reason: it was intended to be a mystery movie. The studio didn't like it so that was scrapped and a quick rewrite during shooting allowed it to become the classic we have today. Seriously, whoever would have thought that Woody Allen would one day be a romantic lead.

59. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
Directed by Frank Capra
Written by Sydney Buchman from a story by Lewis R. Foster
Starring James Stewart, Jean Arthur, Harry Carey, and Claude Rains
Oscar Nominations: 11 Oscar Wins: 1 (Best Original Screenplay)

1939 is probably the best year for movies ever. Look up some of the movies that came out that year if you don't believe me. This is probably Jimmy Stewart's best role of his career. The story of a small scout master who gets sent to become a senator is classic for a reason and parts of it still ring true today. A large amount of the movie is about political corruption and what makes this country what it's supposed to be. It's a largely patriotic film and that is why I still love it. Stewart's big scene, the filibuster at the end, is still one of the best speeches ever given by an actor and it shows why Stewart will always be one of the greatest there ever was.

Next Time: "You wanna to talk to God? Let's go see him together, I've got nothing better to do." "I shall call him Squishy, and he shall be mine. And he shall be my Squishy." "I find your lack of faith disturbing."

The Top 100 Movie List (A Very Biased List): 64-62

64. The Departed (2006)
Directed by Martin Scorsese
Written by William Monahan from a screenplay by Felix Chong & Alan Mak
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, and Mark Wahlberg
Oscar Nominations: 5 Oscar Wins: 4 (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Adapted Screenplay)

I will say now, I do not believe this to be the best work of Martin Scorsese. Yes, I am tipping my hand a little but oh well. What we do have though is an excellent crime film about being undercover in the enemy's base. What makes this movie particularly remarkable is that everyone is at least somewhat sympathetic. You may not like a character but everything they do is pretty realistic. Also, Jack Nicholson feels like he's playing a character and not just himself and isn't that what life is all about?

63. The Little Mermaid (1989)
Directed by Ron Clements and John Musker
Written by Roger Allens, Ron Clements, and John Musker from the fairy tale by Hans Christen Anderson
Music by Alan Menkin and Glenn Slater
Starring the voices of Rene Auberjonois, Christopher Daniel Barnes, Jodi Benson, Pat Carroll, and Buddy Hackett
Oscar Nominations: 3 Oscar Wins: 2 (Best Score, Best Song "Under the Sea")

All animated films right now have something to owe The Little Mermaid. Before The Little Mermaid, Disney was floundering (no pun intended) but since then, it has prospered. The Golden Age came from this picture, one that would create at least one film later on down the line of the list but that's something for later. Sure, it doesn't stick to it's source material at all but it is a great movie nonetheless. The music is fun and , as I have shown before, I love the villains. Ursula is another find Disney Villain and one that has a goal other than revenge for something petty. She also has one of the best songs showing Disney Villains really do have all the fun. Really, I very much appreciate the film and what it gave us: about ten years of pretty good animation followed by Tarzan. Ugh, Tarzan.

62. Mary Poppins (1964)
Directed by Robert Stevenson
Written by Bill Walsh and Don DaGradi from the Novel by P.L. Travers
Starring Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, Karen Dotrice, and Matthew Garber
Oscar Nominations: 13 Oscar Wins: 5 (Best Actress Julie Andrews, Best Editing, Best Score, Best Song "Chim-Chim-Cheree", Best Visual Effects)

This movie is almost perfect in every way. Julie Andrews is just terrific and is the best part of the film. Well, other than the colorful visuals and the such. It really is a splendid performance, one worthy of acclaim. Sorry, hard to say more right now.

Next Time: "In this town, murder's a form of entertainment." "A relationship I think, is like a shark. It has to constantly move forward or it dies. And I think what we got on our hands is a dead shark." "I wouldn't give you two cents for all your fancy rules if, behind them, they didn't have a little bit of plain, ordinary, everyday kindness and a little looking out for the other fella, too."

The Top 100 Movie List (A Very Biased List): 67-65

67. Shakespeare in Love (1998)
Directed by John Madden
Written By Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard
Starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Joseph Fiennes, Colin Firth, Judi Dench, Ben Affleck, & Geoffrey Rush
Oscar Nominations: 13 Oscar Wins: 7 (Best Picture, Best Actress Gwyneth Paltrow, Best Supporting Actress Judi Dench, Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Music, Best Costumes, Best Set Direction)


I love Shakespeare. The man was brilliant and his writing gorgeous. That said, since there isn't much known about his life, a good biopic is far and few between so I got to settle for fictional ones or episodes of Doctor Who. Whichever. This is a well acted film and quite funny and romantic at times. It is also a good depeiction of how Renaissance Theater worked. The acting is stellar and I got to say that there isn't too much that this movie misfires on.

66. Rosemary's Baby (1968)
Directed and written by Roman Polanski from the novel by Ira Levin
Starring  Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon, Sidney Blackmer
Oscar Nominations: 2 Oscar Wins: 1 (Best Supporting Actress Ruth Gordon)

There's a lot to love about Rosemary's Baby. The best part is the mood of the film. It really is a psychological horror film. Unlike The Omen where you knew there was something wrong with Damien right away, a fair amount of this film is Mia Farrow's Rosemary realizing that there's something not quite right going on here. From that point on throughout the movie, she finds herself trying to find out if she's going insane or if she is pregnant with the child of the Devil. The paranoia about the freaky neighbors in addition to some of the visuals is what dials up the creepiness factor. It doesn't hurt that Mia Farrow and Ruth Gordon both hit the ball out of the field in the acting.

65. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2005)

Directed by Michael Gondry
Wirtten by Charlie Kaufman
Starring Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Elijah Wood, Tom Wilkinson
Oscar Nominations: 2 Oscar Wins: 1 (Best Original Screenplay)

I'm going to start by saying that Charlie Kaufman has to be taking some good drugs because that's the only way to explain how trippy this movie is. That all said, it is freaking terrific and probably one of the best written movies of the new millennium. On one hand, it's a love story. On another, it's about a rather novel idea, deleting part of your memory so that you don't have to deal with the pain. From there, we get to be inside Jum Carrey's mind as he tries to wipe out the remains of his ex-girlfriend, played brilliantly by Kate Winslet, possibly the most gifted actress of her generation. She will surpass Meryl Streep someday, I bet it.That said, the highlight of this movie is the writing. In comedies, it's rare to capture the awkwardness of a person's life and that's what Charlie Kaufman accomplishes here. I really have nothing but good things to say about this movie.

Next Time: "You have an immaculate record. Some guys don't trust an immaculate record. I do. I have an immaculate record." "Come in. Come in, my child. We mustn't lurk in doorways. It's rude. One might question your upbringing." "Why do you always complicate things that are really quite simple?"

The Top 100 Movie List (A Very Biased List): 70-68

70. Sleeping Beauty (1959)
Directed by Clyde Geronimi
Written by Erdman Penner, Joe Rinaldi, Winston Hibler, Joe Peet, Ted Sears, Ralph Wright, and Milt Banta from the Fairy Tale
Starring the voices of Mary Costa, Eleanor Audley, and Marvin Miller
Oscar Nominations: 1

There are a number of reasons why this is one of the best films in the Walt Disney collection. A major reason for me is the music. A lot of it is taken directly from the score of Tchaikovsky's ballet of the same name. Another reason is the art. It looks like something taken directly from medieval art. It's a style that's distinct from any of the disney films that came before or after. Now, that all said, the major reason I love this movie is the villain, Maleficent, possibly my favorite of all the Disney villains. She definitely the most evil. She wants to kill a baby simply because she got slighted an invitation to a party. She has no problem ruining lives and she is unabashedly evil. While doing all this, she always has an air of elegance and style to her that makes it seem alright that she's terrorizing these people. That fact that she can turn into a huge dragon is completely arbitrary but still adds to her coolness.


69. Run Lola Run (1999)
Directed & Written by Tom Twyker
Starring Franka Potente, Moritz Bleibtreu, and Herbert Knaup

Run Lola Run, or Lola Rennt as it's known in it's native Germany, is a movie about cause and effect. In the film, Lola has 20 minutes to find 100,000 marks before her boyfriend holds up a grocery to get the money he needs to pay back a crime lord. What happens is Lola running through the streets of Berlin, trying to accomplish that. What makes the film novel is that we are shown three different versions of the events, all based off of an opening scene of her running down the stairs and encountering a dog. In each case it changes how the rest of the film goes for Lola and also changes the effect on the people she encounters. In three cases in each story, Lola interacts with a person for half a second and because of that, their life is shown for a moment showing how it turns out. Really, that is what I love about this movie. It basically says that every moment of every day counts and we need to live with that, running to make it work if necessary.

68. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
Directed by Terry Gilliam & Terry Jones
Written by Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Llama, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, & Michael Palin
Starring Many of the people in the above line.

What can I say about this movie that hasn't already been said?

Next time, "There's something about an anatomically correct rubber suit that puts fire in a girl's lips.." "I used to love Doggy Chow, too!" "Oh my god, they're eating her and  then they're going to eat me. Oh my god!"





Okay, fine, I'll talk Monty Python and The Holy Grail is a geek classic, I would probably be thrown out of geekdom if it wasn't on here. It is one of the most quotable movies of all time and the ending is infamous but very much in style. There really isn't a lot to say since this is a hard movie to describe, it really has to be seen. Go out and rent it. NOW!

The real Next Time: "Playwrights teach us nothing about love. They make it pretty or they make it comical or they make it lust." "They're his father's eyes." "Constantly talking isn't necessarily communicating."