2013-2015: TOP 250 FILM CHALLENGE

FROM THE TOP 250 FILMS - Time for us to view them again?

Maybe it is time to revisit the TOP 250 films from the IMBD - and to begin to view them again for further insight and cultural entertainment - while we plunge ahead into 2013 and 2015 and beyond.

Style has always been a part of film - so much so that it even drives fashion, as in the recent James Bond films and how the Internet is buzzing about the production tailors. Period pieces in films may also play a part in how classic men's shoes and boot styles may show signs of a resurgence.

I named this 2013 to 2015 because many times we have to reserve serious book reading in our weekly routine, as well as other disciplines which give us a balanced life. But given the time frame is 3 years, that amounts to 156 weeks - which at once a week would amount to a good sizable amount out of the 250 film titles presented. This is not a contest in numbers, but simply a process to get us back into the story of what made these films notable.

Many of you may already have a vast personal library of DVDs, films, or personal favorites saved on Netflix and other devices. That would not be my point of in presenting why we should revisit these great films - but rather, to watch them again for messages and inspiration (and flat out just good entertainment too) which may have not been as easily available to our senses when we first viewed them. (This list may be expanded to include all time classic films, such as It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (one of the great comedies of the 1960's) - and others. But for now, I believe the list is a good starter - and we need to enjoy the journey.

So I ask you to begin by choosing from the following list - and post how you felt about your selection, either in a simple line, a few sentences, or great detail - depending on what moves you.

The numbers below represent:

RANK - POPULAR RATING - TITLE/YEAR - NUMBER OF IMDB VOTES RECEIVED

1. 9.2 The Shawshank Redemption (1994) 960,968

2. 9.2 The Godfather (1972) 684,978

3. 9.0 The Godfather: Part II (1974) 442,241

4. 8.9 Pulp Fiction (1994) 747,663

5. 8.9 The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) 291,668

6. 8.9 12 Angry Men (1957) 236,238

7. 8.9 The Dark Knight (2008) 934,807

8. 8.9 Schindler's List (1993) 492,874

9. 8.8 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) 686,326

10. 8.8 Fight Club (1999) 731,475

11. 8.8 Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) 470,916

12. 8.8 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) 711,171

13. 8.8 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) 401,596

14. 8.7 Inception (2010) 750,190

15. 8.7 Goodfellas (1990) 419,160

16. 8.7 Star Wars (1977) 527,683

17. 8.7 Seven Samurai (1954) 148,775

18. 8.7 Forrest Gump (1994) 631,882

19. 8.7 The Matrix (1999) 693,211

20. 8.7 The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) 616,206

21. 8.7 City of God (2002) 315,428

22. 8.6 Se7en (1995) 559,296

23. 8.6 The Silence of the Lambs (1991) 469,593

24. 8.6 Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) 131,829

25. 8.6 Casablanca (1942) 256,070

26. 8.6 The Usual Suspects (1995) 437,706

27. 8.6 Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) 399,922

28. 8.6 Rear Window (1954) 193,310

29. 8.6 It's a Wonderful Life (1946) 165,301

30. 8.6 Psycho (1960) 244,201

31. 8.6 Léon: The Professional (1994) 407,909

32. 8.5 Sunset Blvd. (1950) 86,957

33. 8.5 American History X (1998) 443,481

34. 8.5 Memento (2000) 504,191

35. 8.5 Apocalypse Now (1979) 281,097

36. 8.5 Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) 433,048

37. 8.5 Saving Private Ryan (1998) 491,418

38. 8.5 Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) 229,442

39. 8.5 City Lights (1931) 55,902

40. 8.5 Alien (1979) 325,271

41. 8.5 Spirited Away (2001) 216,392

42. 8.5 North by Northwest (1959) 141,405

43. 8.5 Modern Times (1936) 70,936

44. 8.5 Django Unchained (2012) 320,543

45. 8.5 Citizen Kane (1941) 199,702

46. 8.5 Back to the Future (1985) 385,558

47. 8.5 The Shining (1980) 340,405

48. 8.5 The Dark Knight Rises (2012) 586,406

49. 8.5 The Pianist (2002) 265,985

50. 8.4 Life Is Beautiful (1997) 211,177

51. 8.4 The Departed (2006) 487,150

52. 8.4 M (1931) 62,925

53. 8.4 Vertigo (1958) 147,641

54. 8.4 Paths of Glory (1957) 71,367

55. 8.4 American Beauty (1999) 504,936

56. 8.4 Taxi Driver (1976) 290,407

57. 8.4 Double Indemnity (1944) 60,094

58. 8.4 Aliens (1986) 294,715

59. 8.4 Toy Story 3 (2010) 284,523

60. 8.4 WALL·E (2008) 384,196

61. 8.4 The Lives of Others (2006) 150,638

62. 8.4 The Intouchables (2011) 177,325

63. 8.4 The Green Mile (1999) 399,182

64. 8.4 Gladiator (2000) 538,580

65. 8.4 A Clockwork Orange (1971) 323,834

66. 8.4 The Great Dictator (1940) 69,691

67. 8.4 Amélie (2001) 320,059

68. 8.4 The Prestige (2006) 441,749

69. 8.4 Lawrence of Arabia (1962) 119,579

70. 8.4 To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) 130,364

71. 8.4 Reservoir Dogs (1992) 376,389

72. 8.4 Das Boot (1981) 108,036

73. 8.4 Cinema Paradiso (1988) 83,179

74. 8.3 The Third Man (1949) 74,297

75. 8.3 Requiem for a Dream (2000) 343,031

76. 8.3 The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) 50,459

77. 8.3 The Lion King (1994) 321,317

78. 8.3 Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) 396,678

79. 8.3 Once Upon a Time in America (1984) 131,915

80. 8.3 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) 368,139

81. 8.3 Full Metal Jacket (1987) 275,829

82. 8.3 L.A. Confidential (1997) 268,653

83. 8.3 Braveheart (1995) 434,538

84. 8.3 Chinatown (1974) 133,248

85. 8.3 Oldboy (2003) 193,449

86. 8.3 Singin' in the Rain (1952) 90,510

87. 8.3 Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) 242,681

88. 8.3 Some Like It Hot (1959) 109,316

89. 8.3 Bicycle Thieves (1948) 51,272

90. 8.3 Metropolis (1927) 67,823

91. 8.3 Amadeus (1984) 165,747

92. 8.3 Rashomon (1950) 62,851

93. 8.3 Princess Mononoke (1997) 121,669

94. 8.3 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) 249,999

95. 8.3 All About Eve (1950) 52,388

96. 8.3 The Sting (1973) 106,548

97. 8.3 Unforgiven (1992) 172,179

98. 8.3 The Apartment (1960) 63,789

99. 8.3 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) 304,044

100. 8.3 Raging Bull (1980) 146,448

101. 8.3 The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) 93,318

102. 8.3 Witness for the Prosecution (1957) 32,196

103. 8.3 Grave of the Fireflies (1988) 66,900

104. 8.3 Die Hard (1988) 356,185

105. 8.3 Batman Begins (2005) 545,318

106. 8.3 A Separation (2011) 82,347

107. 8.3 Yojimbo (1961) 45,568

108. 8.3 Inglourious Basterds (2009) 447,492

109. 8.3 Snatch. (2000) 351,651

110. 8.3 For a Few Dollars More (1965) 85,305

111. 8.2 The Great Escape (1963) 100,356

112. 8.2 Downfall (2004) 152,369

113. 8.2 Pan's Labyrinth (2006) 282,993

114. 8.2 Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) 49,906

115. 8.2 Up (2009) 328,642

116. 8.2 On the Waterfront (1954) 62,928

117. 8.2 Toy Story (1995) 327,438

118. 8.2 The Elephant Man (1980) 100,572

119. 8.2 The Seventh Seal (1957) 67,165

120. 8.2 Heat (1995) 266,362

121. 8.2 The General (1926) 31,522

122. 8.2 The Maltese Falcon (1941) 74,195

123. 8.2 Blade Runner (1982) 298,036

124. 8.2 The Kid (1921) 30,820

125. 8.2 Rebecca (1940) 55,398

126. 8.2 Gran Torino (2008) 324,591

127. 8.2 Wild Strawberries (1957) 37,525

128. 8.2 Scarface (1983) 308,496

129. 8.2 Fargo (1996) 260,118

130. 8.2 Ran (1985) 50,662

131. 8.2 The Big Lebowski (1998) 313,891

132. 8.2 Touch of Evil (1958) 48,121

133. 8.2 The Deer Hunter (1978) 147,391

134. 8.2 Cool Hand Luke (1967) 76,903

135. 8.2 The Gold Rush (1925) 37,370

136. 8.1 Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) 249,271

137. 8.1 No Country for Old Men (2007) 360,364

138. 8.1 It Happened One Night (1934) 39,221

139. 8.1 Sin City (2005) 422,012

140. 8.1 Strangers on a Train (1951) 57,826

141. 8.1 Jaws (1975) 240,796

142. 8.1 Casino (1995) 195,650

143. 8.1 The Sixth Sense (1999) 429,888

144. 8.1 Platoon (1986) 183,767

145. 8.1 The Thing (1982) 158,372

146. 8.1 Trainspotting (1996) 279,802

147. 8.1 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) 93,405

148. 8.1 The Avengers (2012) 492,316

149. 8.1 The Wizard of Oz (1939) 173,055

150. 8.1 High Noon (1952) 51,758

151. 8.1 Good Will Hunting (1997) 321,159

152. 8.1 Hotel Rwanda (2004) 164,027

153. 8.1 Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) 427,654

154. 8.1 Warrior (2011) 165,475

155. 8.1 The Secret in Their Eyes (2009) 65,073

156. 8.1 Annie Hall (1977) 114,565

157. 8.1 Gone with the Wind (1939) 135,169

158. 8.1 The Grapes of Wrath (1940) 38,135

159. 8.1 My Neighbor Totoro (1988) 76,533

160. 8.1 Notorious (1946) 47,876

161. 8.1 Into the Wild (2007) 231,831

162. 8.1 V for Vendetta (2005) 454,600

163. 8.1 Finding Nemo (2003) 360,742

164. 8.1 Life of Brian (1979) 166,333

165. 8.1 How to Train Your Dragon (2010) 214,715

166. 8.1 Dial M for Murder (1954) 58,304

167. 8.1 The King's Speech (2010) 254,469

168. 8.1 There Will Be Blood (2007) 229,136

169. 8.1 The Big Sleep (1946) 42,939

170. 8.1 The Night of the Hunter (1955) 40,470

171. 8.1 Network (1976) 62,999

172. 8.1 The Terminator (1984) 340,598

173. 8.1 Ben-Hur (1959) 96,828

174. 8.1 Million Dollar Baby (2004) 273,256

175. 8.1 Stand by Me (1986) 163,206

176. 8.1 Groundhog Day (1993) 255,218

177. 8.1 Donnie Darko (2001) 363,667

178. 8.1 Twelve Monkeys (1995) 286,576

179. 8.1 Dog Day Afternoon (1975) 113,792

180. 8.1 Mary and Max (2009) 58,970

181. 8.1 The 400 Blows (1959) 41,344

182. 8.1 Amores Perros (2000) 110,110

183. 8.1 Black Swan (2010) 333,853

184. 8.1 The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) 290,892

185. 8.1 Persona (1966) 32,349

186. 8.1 Gandhi (1982) 98,557

187. 8.1 Howl's Moving Castle (2004) 107,009

188. 8.0 The Killing (1956) 40,265

189. 8.0 The Graduate (1967) 135,455

190. 8.0 A Beautiful Mind (2001) 303,782

191. 8.0 The Princess Bride (1987) 189,251

192. 8.0 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) 287,294

193. 8.0 Life of Pi (2012) 182,692

194. 8.0 8½ (1963) 49,589

195. 8.0 Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) 34,210

196. 8.0 The Hustler (1961) 39,469

197. 8.0 La Strada (1954) 29,177

198. 8.0 Slumdog Millionaire (2008) 381,983

199. 8.0 Rocky (1976) 197,407

200. 8.0 The Manchurian Candidate (1962) 49,252

201. 8.0 Anatomy of a Murder (1959) 28,646

202. 8.0 The Exorcist (1973) 192,222

203. 8.0 The Wild Bunch (1969) 46,737

204. 8.0 The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) 35,827

205. 8.0 Rope (1948) 58,714

206. 8.0 Barry Lyndon (1975) 63,203

207. 8.0 Stalag 17 (1953) 30,405

208. 8.0 The Artist (2011/I) 116,935

209. 8.0 Sleuth (1972) 27,374

210. 8.0 Stalker (1979) 39,162

211. 8.0 In the Name of the Father (1993) 56,445

212. 8.0 Infernal Affairs (2002) 58,054

213. 8.0 Roman Holiday (1953) 56,763

214. 8.0 The Truman Show (1998) 355,248

215. 8.0 Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) 466,888

216. 8.0 Memories of Murder (2003) 28,474

217. 8.0 Monsters, Inc. (2001) 284,636

218. 8.0 District 9 (2009) 340,428

219. 8.0 A Fistful of Dollars (1964) 72,589

220. 8.0 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) 264,619

221. 8.0 Ip Man (2008) 73,453

222. 8.0 The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007) 62,533

223. 8.0 Ratatouille (2007) 280,570

224. 8.0 Star Trek (2009) 299,754

225. 8.0 A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) 55,115

226. 8.0 La Haine (1995) 56,299

227. 8.0 Jurassic Park (1993) 302,722

228. 8.0 Shutter Island (2010) 380,825

229. 8.0 All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) 34,827

230. 8.0 Beauty and the Beast (1991) 167,505

231. 8.0 Incendies (2010) 30,489

232. 8.0 3 Idiots (2009) 66,934

233. 8.0 Rain Man (1988) 241,859

234. 8.0 Rosemary's Baby (1968) 93,268

235. 8.0 Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984) 47,005

236. 8.0 Harvey (1950) 33,963

237. 8.0 Like Stars on Earth (2007) 30,030

238. 8.0 Mystic River (2003) 230,133

239. 8.0 Papillon (1973) 54,517

240. 8.0 Manhattan (1979) 69,930

241. 8.0 The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) 117,248

242. 8.0 Nosferatu (1922) 48,473

243. 8.0 Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring (2003) 37,826

244. 8.0 The Help (2011) 157,475

245. 7.9 Three Colors: Red (1994) 38,838

246. 7.9 The Wrestler (2008) 190,943

247. 7.9 The Untouchables (1987) 149,868

248. 7.9 In the Mood for Love (2000) 44,774

249. 7.9 La Dolce Vita (1960) 29,861

250. 7.9 The Celebration (1998) 42,254

#6: 12 Angry Men (1957)
Styles for jurors in 1957: Suits, Shirts & Ties, dress shoes

I thought I would dig in on this "challenge" to start viewing some of the greatest films mentioned in the list - and for me, this is not the first time for 12 Angry Men. But watching it again reveals some of the modern day natures of "men" in their roles to pass judgment on another person, and how their prejudices (both good and bad) played out in this inspiring screen play.

Anger comes in many forms, and lack of anger - or even passive anger - reveals itself in this great film. How we interact with others, especially if they are our colleagues in some respect (whether temporary or long-term) - is essential to our own character, actions, and summary reputation.

I recommend to you another viewing. (Amazon Instant rents it for $2.99, or Netflix will ship it, unless you already own a copy)

That list is ****.

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES - 2007

With a more robust serious screen play this time around - The Dark Knight once again brought back my early childhood the seriousness of the famous character as originally portrayed in the original graphic novels. And although I enjoyed the Michael Keaton version in the 1980's, it appeared the franchise developed into a joke of sorts (IMHO).

The Dark Knight revisits the child from a stylish world losing his parents to a horrible murder - and is nurtured the remainder of his life without a mother. His education superb, and the use of his wealth, but still he fell victim to betrayals (as we all do).

Soon - another rendition of the current franchise will be released - and I will add it to my collection.

1. I loved Django- was surprised because I don't generally like Tarantino. Making me rethink that.

2. Saw One Flew Over the Cuckoo's over the wknd also. Just read the book, and of course the film doesn't do it justice. Mental Hospitals are a crime. Even today a lot of what happened in that film can still occur. The patients don't have enough rights.

Your credentials are?

You work as a film critic for?

I'm intrigued by this but I'm also reading the 1001 books to read before you die.

I think I will focus on watching the films I haven't seen- Top to Bottom if that's OK. Then I'll get through them by 2015.

Grand daughter, eh?

You must be as old as me.



Bhowie said:

That list is ****.

Click to expand...

+1

Also, David, you have one of the most pretentious and awful writing styles on SF. And this a site filled with pretentious and awful writing styles.

Exceptional . . .

" . . . reading the hearts and minds of others in order to present yourself as others may expect, but with an eye on the final outcome."

This film, in part, reminds me of my very young days of playing chess with Bobby Fischer - as some of the principles in this screenplay are portrayed. Moreover, this film extends the advance play in achieving an outcome through careful and precise planning, but arrives at . . . (spoiler).

Highly recommended for the serious thinker,

David

One needn't find all of said examples of the cinematic cannon as enjoyable as others.

I know mine own daughter selected one iteration at random, thoroughly enjoyed it, and would have refrained from using as foul a set of language as you, sir.

All my best,

edina

SILENCE OF THE LAMBS

Even after a fourth viewing of this great film with great actors - the story is still as gripping as when I first viewed it.

If you live in moderate to big size city - this one will be a continual reminder of how "professional" relationships can take a strange twist.

David

THE DARK KNIGHT - 2008

As a DC fan from an early childhood, Batman seemed to always have a dark side to him - until a few of the later films started making him look like a stooge.

So when I took a chance a few years ago and watched this version - I immediately went out and purchased it for my library.

Startling story, good structure, and finally a return to what the original DC authors had in mind.

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY

Another great film to revisit from time to time. Knowing how it all ends does not take away other new insights gained in the psychology of the story each time it is watched.

A keeper.