For several years, I've been compiling a list of my favorite movies and my reasoning. This isn't that post. Instead, it's about Right Wing News' John Hawkins' top movie list based on a poll of right-of-center bloggers. The top five are:
5) The Incredibles (2004)
4) The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
3) Star Wars (1977)
2) Casablanca (1942)
1) The Godfather (1972)
I was among the bloggers polled, but only two of those five made my (unranked) list: Mishima, Groundhog Day, Zulu, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Casablanca, To Have and Have Not, The Incredibles, We Were Soldiers, Captain Horatio Hornblower and Sleeper. Someday, I'll complete my explanation of these choices (and why most are action/adventure).
Meanwhile, surf over to Right Wing News for the complete results of the poll.
3 comments:
Some observations about the list, and the comments at RWN--
a) Whoever recommended "Inglourious Basterds" has no taste in movies at all. I might see someone liking it, lousy though it is (It's much more reminiscent to Jackie Brown than to his other, better pics), but to nominate it as a "best picture ever" is absurd.
b) Used Cars is a great little film. Probably one of the best Kurt Russell has ever done. Not best of but damned good.
As far as the full list itself:
18) The Terminator
I would have gone with T2 as much, much better. And I'd consider T2 in the list.
18) The Patriot
Eh. Not a bad movie and it does try hard, but not that great.
18) The Dark Knight
An impressive movie, to be sure, but not that phenomenal. As common with comic book movies (esp. Batman), it suffers from too many villains distracting from the focus of the drama.
18) Serenity
OK, I can get behind this one.
18) Saving Private Ryan
No way. Other than the landing scene it's just not that good a picture.
18) On the Waterfront
I need to see this one again. I remember it as good but not spectacular.
18) The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
This one really needs to be viewed as one long 3-part movie. And it's very, very good, but not best-ever class.
18) Groundhog Day
Very, very fun, but not "best ever" class again.
18) Blazing Saddles
Also excellent, but the rather chaotic and disjoint ending punishes it too much.
18) Animal House
OK, I can get behind this one.
18) 300
Hmmm. Need to rewatch it. Excellent, yes, but "best ever"? Hmmm.
13) Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back
I really don't grasp the love for this one (though I concur it's common). Like LotR, Staw Wars 4/5/6 needs to be viewed as a single 3-part movie, but this one never impressed me -- not then, not now -- it's more of a bridge between the other two than a great stand-alone -- much like The Two Towers.
13) Schindler's List
Powerful, excellent. Maybe. I've never liked Speilberg's inability to be historically accurate(SL and Amistad) and/or realistic(The re-release of ET) in favor of his liberal sensibilities in movies, and that's always bugged me. Schindler armed his Jews.
13) Patton
Doesn't stand up to modern standards to qualify for best ever, though it's excellent.
13) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
I'd go with this one, but it has the same problem as Blazing Saddles.
13) Gone with the Wind
Been too long since I've seen it.
8) The Godfather II
Ditto.
8) Jaws
NO WAY. Good but the effects have gotten really, really cheezy.
8) Raiders of the Lost Ark
Decent but no, I'd rate the third one as the best of the three, too.
8) Pulp Fiction
This one wins a place with the cultural memes it's got in it.
8) Braveheart
I'd go with this, though the historical accuracy suffers.
6) The Shawshank Redemption
Yeah, this one wins a spot, too.
6) The Princess Bride
Like Pulp Fiction, this one wins a place with the cultural memes it's got in it, as well as its quotability.
5) The Incredibles
Probably the best animated film ever made, and certainly one of the best. It has pretty much everything. I'd go with it.
4) The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
See earlier comments about Star Wars and LotRs.
3) Star Wars
See earlier comments about Star Wars and LotRs.
2) Casablanca
Indeed. No question.
1) The Godfather
I need to watch this one again, too.
Some other nominees, without any particular justification, and not in any particular order or likelihood of inclusion if you're limiting the size of the list:
The African Queen
The Caine Mutiny
You Can't Take It With You
The Philadelphia Story
Dark Passage (my personal favorite of Bogart's)
Suspicion
Rear Window
Rope
Dial 'M' for Murder
Other People's Money
Amadeus
Dangerous Liasons (about as close to a "perfect movie" as any I've seen)
Twelve Angry Men
Fight Club
American Beauty
The Matrix
Snatch
Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels
I think I'm now thinking mostly of excellent movies that aren't quite good enough to make a "The best" list, though.
Without being held to it... (order may vary from day to day, no particular order within block of five)
Top 5:
================
Rope
The Incredibles
Dangerous Liasons
Twelve Angry Men
The Matrix
Second 5:
===========
Other People's Money
Fight Club
American Beauty
You Can't Take It With You
Snatch (Yes, 1999-2000 was a VERY good year for movies)
Third 5:
===========
Terminator 2
Braveheart
Serenity
The Shawshank Redemption
Monty Python & The Holy Grail
Fourth 5:
============
Dark Passage
The Princess Bride
Animal House
Rear Window
Amadeus
And with that last five I'm starting to just pick them at random from the list so any ordering is largely ineffective.
P.S., the word verification is expressing an opinion of it's own: "books". No Sh**. LOL.
You got me watching "The Incredibles" again. What makes it work is the wonderful attention to detail.
For example, I just noticed this one: When his boss calls him in to fire him, he's sharpening pencils to line up in front of him. The side of the pencils have the company logo, "Your life is in our hands".
It's just great.
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