This list is a major undertaking. It's incredibly difficult to recall every movie I've seen and then have the task to rate them. I basically have two criteria: (1) emotional impact--the movie made me feel a certain way and (2) repeat viewing--I would see the movie over and over again. With that in mind, here are my top ten movies of all time.
Mel Brooks has made only three truly funny movies. The Producers is the best of the three (Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein are the other two). Gene Wilder and Zero Mostel play opposing roles as a nebbish accountant and a controlling producer. Their interaction is hilarious as they try to produce a failing play, Springtime for Hitler. It's the perfect movie of comedic character development.
Princess Bride is another comedy (you'll notice most of these movies are comedies). It's also a fairy tale and a romance. It's got everything going for it, especially Andre the Giant. Brilliantly written and wonderfully acted. I can't say more about this film, only that I happened to like 8 other film better.
Timing is everything. The Breakfast Club came out when I was in high school and it was just one of those movies that spoke to my generation. In fact, it spoke of my generation. There has been a proliferation of films that take place in the 80's (e.g. Wedding Singer, Romy and Michelle's), but this film was the 80's. It spoke to me where I was at in my life.
I saw this film last year. I have never really been a fan of the black and white film (you'll notice #1 is B/W). This is a marvelous tale of racism in America as seen through the eyes of a child. Robert Duvall was good in his first role, considering he shows up at the end of the film and says nothing. Another film to see along the same lines is "A Time to Kill."
Funny story about this one. There was a free preview weekend on Showtime. Everyone I know was telling me to see this. I video taped the movie, but I only set the VCR for 2 hours. I was watching the movie and at the moment when "Elvis" get killed (the only person who could prove Tim Robbins' innocence) the tape stops. My heart stopped and I questioned my manhood. I eventually did get to see the ending and now it rests at #6.
When my family first got cable, Showtime, I was in junior high. The way things worked was that movies of the month would be played over and over again. I remember seeing two movies over 20 times, Smokey and the Bandit and The Sting. Smokey was a bad movie, but The Sting was great. Redford and Newman and a great ending. If you like rag music, you'll especially love this one.
There's a debate that always come in selecting top movies. Singing in the Rain has great songs, great dancing, and a really lame plot. But you see the plot was never meant to be great. It was meant to be a means to string great songs with inventive dancing. Gene Kelly is to dancing what Jackie Chan is to fighting. It's one thing to dance, but to exploit your environment in dance is sheer brilliance. ***SEE THIS FILM***
Some of these films reach greatness only in the mind of the viewer. Stand By Me is one of those movies. It was entertaining but I saw pieces of myself in the characters. Surprisingly based on a Steven King short story, this tale of four boys trying to find a dead body, delves deeply into the lives of boys coming of age. I saw this and could not help but reminencse about my own childhood growing up.
I admit it. I love comedies and Airplane is the best comedy ever made. This movie is literally a laugh a minute. It nails you with a big laugh and then it gets you on a role with the silly stuff. Airplane basically set the stage for my own opinions of what's funny. See this movie.
Ingrid Bergman is a major babe. She's hot and with the soft-focus photography--she glows. Oh it's a great story too. Romance and the best ending of a film, I've ever seen. Please before you die--see Casablanca.
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