It’s that time again. Time for me to update my Top 100 movies list. Unlike the last time I did this in 2018, I’m coming with a plan and reasoning for doing it now. The goal is, every time I see 1000 new movies, I’ll update the list. This edition marks my 4000th movie. That means, this is the top 2.5% of all movies I’ve seen. Every time I see 40 movies, only one can make the list. Here’s something insane to think about. I’ve seen one new movie every 3 days of my life. Considering that may parents weren’t introducing me to Kurosawa when I was 6 months old, that means for most of my conscious life, the number has been more like one new movie every other day. Since I’ve been tracking my viewing in 2015, it’s almost exactly one movie a day. If I ever get a life, this is going to be hard to maintain.
Before I get to the list itself, I’d like to cover a few things.
So, "favorite movie". What does that even mean? Luckily, it's my own personal list, so I don't have to answer to anyone at the end of the day. I can try though. For me I compare my life now with what my life would be like had I never seen the movie. Whichever movie has the greatest positive difference between those two things is the better movie. This impossible metric considers many things. Quality is certainly a large part of it. I want to think I like good movies. There's more to it though. Context matters. Do I have great memories about when I first saw it? Do I remember the delight of it surprising me and being much better than I expected? Is it a movie that got me through a hard time? I consider individual installments in a series separately on the list, but belonging to a series I love carries some additional weight. There are so many things I consider with each movie and each ranking. That's why I'm including an explanation for each pick. Hopefully, that clears things up some.
I didn't build this list to make myself look good. There are a lot of movies I'd put higher if I wanted to look more educated. Other movies I have no academic defense for how highly they rate. In order to stop myself from second-guessing and curating the list, I put it all together as blindly as I could, with a program that sorted things automatically after doing a bunch of head-to-heads. Once the program spit back out the list, I didn't movie anything around. I kept it as is.
There are two major disqualifiers on my list that I think are fair. The first is that I don’t consider movies that are super recent. In this case, that means movies from 2020 & 2021 aren’t being considered. I know my list is full of recency bias, but this is an attempt to shield myself from the worst of it. The second is that I have to have seen a movie at least twice to make the top 100. I don’t think that’s asking too much. I don’t see how I could call something a favorite movie if I can’t even watch it a second time. You’ll notice that I do include a # of Times Watched for each movie. I spent a summer getting those counts as accurate as I could, but know that if the numbers aren’t exact, then they are lowballs. Our natural impulse is to say we’ve watched a movie we love dozens of times. That’s more than people realize. I don’t like to credit myself for things I can’t be sure about. Just know that if seeing Raiders of the Lost Ark 6 times seems low, that’s because it probably is.
The big difference between this list and past versions is that I’ve created this second page to tell you what didn’t make the list. One thing I hate is when someone makes a list, and I have to guess about what was and wasn’t considered. Did Review not make this TV list because they didn’t like it or because no one saw it? How far away from making the list was it? I’m removing that question here. I go into excruciating detail on how I cut down the other 3900 movies. Feel free to check it out.
Lastly, let’s do some numbers for fun. As I said, this list marks me seeing 4000 movies. Because I’m insane, I’ve attempted to put together a timeline of when I’ve seen movies. Here is the timeline of each big benchmark I’ve hit:
1000th Movie: Beowulf (January 2009 – when I was 21.) [Best Guess]
2000th Movie: Ice Age: The Meltdown (January 2014 – when I was 26.) [Best Guess]
3000th Movie: Mother! (9/17/2017 – when I was 30.)
4000th Movie: My Octopus Teacher (4/4/21 – when I was 33)
So, I guess expect the next edition of this in about 3 years. I also did a breakdown of the list itself…
- The median year of the 100 movies is 2006.5. It was 2006 in my 2018 version of the list. Considering that list only allowed movies from 2016 and before, that means this list skews a little older.
- The average year of the 100 movies on my list is down from 2001 in 2018 to 2000 now. That means I’ve seen and appreciated some older movies, despite definitely having a modern-skewing list.
- The earliest movie on my list is from 1941. Every decade is represented except for the 1960s. I’m not sure what I have against that decade.
- Here’s a fun little chart. It’s a comparison of the years of the movies in my top 100 compared to the % of movies I’ve seen overall from that decade. As you’ll see, the 40s, 50s, 70s, and 80s are actually over-represented in the top 100. I just need to be better about seeing older movies. The 2010s get the lion’s share of the list. That’s not hugely surprising either.
|
Decade |
Top 100 count |
% of overall movies seen |
|
Pre 1940s |
0 |
1.3 |
|
1940s |
2 |
1 |
|
1950s |
4 |
1.5 |
|
1960s |
0 |
1.5 |
|
1970s |
5 |
2.7 |
|
1980s |
11 |
8.1 |
|
1990s |
13 |
18.5 |
|
2000s |
23 |
27 |
|
2010s |
42 |
34.5 |
|
2020s |
N/A |
4.1 |
- As far as distribution studios go, there aren’t many surprises. The majors all have the most. WB and Fox – 13 movies. Universal – 10 movies. Disney – 9 movies. Paramount – 8 movies. Sony is lagging a little behind with only 4 movies, but weirdly, 3 of those at in my top 4 overall ranking. Among smaller distributors, Magnolia (4), New Line (4), A24 (3), and Fox Searchlight (3) show up the most. That’s especially impressive (and not surprising) for the relatively new A24.
- The most represented year is 2015 with a whopping 9 movies. That’s insane. No single year should be that dominant, but I can’t find a movie to take off the list. It still bothers me to think that, at the time, people called it a weak year for movies.
- There are 22 movies that were not of my 2018 edition of the top 100. That lines up with the number of new movies I’ve seen since then.
Other Links:
OK. Enough of that. Onto the list.
100. Crazy, Stupid, Love. (Last Ranking: 46)
First Watched: 8/5/2011
Times Watched: 7
Why It’s Here: I'm a fan of RomComs and this cast, but the main thing that puts this on the list is the scene in the backyard at the end when all the stories converge in hilarious fashion. This took me by complete surprise the first time. I didn't realize things were going to converge. I wasn't looking for it at all. The way that things keep escalating and building on each other is hilarious. It is one of my favorite comedy scenes in any movie. The large drop in my rankings has more to do with appreciating other movies more than appreciating this movie less.
99. Fast Times at Ridgemont High (Last Ranking: Hadn’t Seen Twice)
First Watched: 2/17/2017
Times Watched: 2
Why It’s Here: One of the quickest ways to my heart is screenplay efficiency. This movie is only 90 minutes long, yet it contains more story and memorable characters than most 3-hour movies. I’ll be honest, I went into this movie just looking for the famous pool scene and to figure out why Spicoli was such a tough character for Sean Penn to get away from. I was shocked by how much I liked everything about the movie. It really shouldn’t be a surprise from a Cameron Crowe script directed by Amy Heckerling.
98. The Imposter (Last Ranking: 96)
First Watched: 2013
Times Watched: 3
Why It’s Here: The surprise factor helps this one a lot. It's a documentary that is told like a thriller. The twists are as good as any screenplay and the central character, a grown European man who successfully impersonates a kidnapped American teenager, is among the most interesting documentary subjects I've come across. I was surprised to realize that this is the only documentary in my top 100. A lot of that is because I have enjoyed rewatching it nearly as much as seeing it for the first time, despite losing the surprise factor.
97. Meet the Robinsons (Last Ranking: 64)
First Watched: August 2014
Times Watched: 3
Why It’s Here: Optimism is an increasingly scarce resource, which makes this hidden gem of the Disney Animation catalogue even more precious. When I was told to check this movie out by a friend, I wasn't excited. My opinion of Disney Animation 2000-2008 was pretty low. It's much higher now, entirely because of this sweet movie about family and positivity.
96. Whiplash (Last Ranking: 89)
First Watched: 11/16/2014
Times Watched: 3
Why It’s Here: I don't particularly care if this is a realistic depiction of what music school is like. Damien Chazelle's film is a testament to blood, sweat, and tears. Few movies have ever depicted how much work goes into being great. It's the perfect use of J.K. Simmons, who is both terrifying and relatably human.
95. Ex Machina (Last Ranking: 38)
First Watched: 4/26/2015
Times Watched: 3
Why It’s Here: I already loved Domhnall Gleeson and Oscar Isaac. I was ready to fall for Alicia Vikander. So, this was an easy sell. It's one of those movies that's all about putting a few characters in a room together and seeing what happens. This is a strange and thought-provoking movie with a devastating ending.
94. Sleeping with Other People (Last Ranking: Outside Top 100)
First Watched: 3/30/2016
Times Watched: 3
Why It’s Here: I’m a big fan of the modern RomCom. They are more willing to go for an R-rating. They cast the movies for comedy background first and star wattage second. Alison Brie and Jason Sudeikis are still very attractive people, but they’re also ace comic performers. Frankly, the fact that Alison Brie didn’t get more leading roles in movies will always confuse me. Writer-director Leslye Headland is an expert at exploring the messy side of RomCom stories while still embracing what people love about them. This movie is funny, it’s sexy, and it’s got a little darkness. What’s not to love?
93. Hugo (Last Ranking: 66)
First Watched: 12/7/2011
Times Watched: 4
Why It’s Here: This is why I like seeing so many movies in theaters. I never would've considered this movie otherwise. I looked up nothing about it beforehand. I only saw it because I needed to see something that week and the start time lined up. So I watch it. I'm enjoying this little movie about an orphan boy in an eccentric Parisian train station. Then, out of nowhere, it turns into one of best love letters to film history I've seen. The fact that Scorsese could make a left turn like this is among the greatest evidence of his greatness.
92. (500) Days of Summer (Last Ranking: 37)
First Watched: January 2010
Times Watched: 14+
Why It’s Here: Context matters. This movie was in healthy rotation on HBO exactly as I was going through a breakup. It hit me at the perfect time. It helps that Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon Levitt are cute together and Chloe Grace Moretz is an all-time great "kid who swears". The screenplay is very clever. I'm aware of all the flaws of the film. I just don't care. It’s been dropping in my rankings the last few years. Perhaps I just need another breakup.
91. Mamma Mia! (Last Ranking: Outside Top 100)
First Watched: 2010
Times Watched: 4
Why It’s Here: This is actually on the list because of its sequel. The day I first saw Here We Go Again, it put me in such an amazing mood that I went home and immediately rewatched the first movie. That then unlocked how damn great this movie makes me feel too. The excellent cast is having a wonderful time. The ABBA music is as fun as ever. The movie knows that it’s silly and never takes itself too seriously. I’d really like to fit both movies on my list, but Mamma Mia! edges Here We Go Again out simply because the plot is a bit cleaner in structure. Both are great though for any day you’re feeling blue.
90. The Raid: Redemption (Last Ranking: Hadn’t Seen Twice)
First Watched: 2/20/2016
Times Watched: 2
Why It’s Here: It’s a simple idea: a police officer fights his way out of a building full of thugs. It’s kind of like Gareth Evans saw that one scene in Oldboy and thought, “Yeah. That’s an entire movie.” That really is what The Raid: Redemption is. Granted, it’s directed by one of the best action directors out there in Gareth Evans. It’s also a showcase of the Indonesian martial art of Pencak Silat with actors like Iko Uwais, Joe Taslim, and Yuyan Ruhian, performing some of the best fight choreography you’re even going to see. This movie is so much fun, and I die a little inside whenever I hear that Evans is working on another movie that doesn’t begin with “The Raid” in the title.
89. The Road Warrior (Last Ranking: 67)
First Watched: 5/29/2015
Times Watched: 3
Why It’s Here: So, I watched Fury Road when it first came out. I ate it up. At the same time, I kept hearing reviews that debated whether or not it was better than The Road Warrior. I assumed this was a case of older critics not being able to let go of nostalgic preferences. And, I was wrong. The final sequence in The Road Warrior is one of the great action sequences ever. In an age when CGI couldn't clean things up in post-production, they pull off all these crazy stunts. I may not prefer it over Fury Road, but The Road Warrior won me over entirely. I can't believe it's a nearly 40-year-old film.
88. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Last Ranking: 83)
First Watched: November 2013
Times Watched: 6+
Why It’s Here: Over the years, I've realized that while this movie has plenty of camp, it's not bad or even awesomely bad. It's just plain good. The music is incredible. The story is coherent despite how bizarre it is. The performances, not just Tim Curry's iconic Dr. Frank-n-Furter, are perfectly calibrated. It's a shame this is so often mentioned in the same breath as movies like The Room. It's so much better than that.
87. Gone Girl (Last Ranking: 71)
First Watched: 10/8/2014
Times Watched: 5
Why It’s Here: This is on the list because I keep watching the movie. When I saw it in theaters, I figured I was done. Then I saw it was on HBO and I watched it again. I saw it on sale and decided to buy it and have watched it more since. I find myself in the mood to watch this movie far more than I can justify. I just plain enjoy watching it. Fincher's ominous direction perfectly contrasts the dark humor of the film. And let's not ignore how impressive it is that this movie actually made me like Tyler Perry.
86. The Producers (2005) (Last Ranking: 50)
First Watched: 1/1/2006
Times Watched: 7+
Why It’s Here: This is another nostalgic pick. I realize that the movie is too long and it's Mel Brooks trying to keep a 40-year-old idea relevant with a first-time director. I don't care. I love the music. Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane return to the roles with aplomb. For me, I have such a strong association with how I bonded with my friends in college over this movie. I can't think of this movie without dozens of great memories flooding my brain. I will always love this movie because of that.
85. The Conversation (Last Ranking: Outside Top 100)
First Watched: 12/1/2013
Times Watched: 2
Why It’s Here: No, not a Godfather movie. Not Apocalypse Now. The Conversation is easily my favorite Francis Ford Coppola. It’s the best paranoid thriller I’ve seen with the way it slow plays everything. I love the way the it reveals everything piecemeal and tracks Gene Hackman’s descent into paranoia. It’s surprisingly forward-thinking about the potential outcome of a surveillance state while never patting itself on the back for making those observations. It’s incredible that Coppola came out with this and The Godfather: Part II in the same year.
84. Memento (Last Ranking: 30)
First Watched: Late 2005-Early 2006
Times Watched: 3+
Why It’s Here: While I love Christopher Nolan in mega-blockbuster mode, he's a damn good indie director too. The way this movie plays with time keeps it feeling fresh every time I watch it. It has one of my favorite screenplays.
83. Pitch Perfect (Last Ranking: 80)
First Watched: 10/26/2012
Times Watched: 5
Why It’s Here: We all need more room for joy in our lives, right? There isn't a single person in the cast I wouldn't describe as delightful. Before this, I didn't know I could like a cappella. I also didn't realize how funny Anna Kendrick, Brittany Snow, Rebel Wilson, Elizabeth Banks, and many others could be. Lesson learned.
82. Almost Famous (Last Ranking: 92)
First Watched: 2005-2006
Times Watched: 4
Why It’s Here: When a Cameron Crowe movie works, it's almost impossible to say why. Almost Famous is a great example of this. The performances are all unforced and relaxed. It's a large ensemble with someone new to notice every time I watch it. I don't know if I even care for the plot. I just like hanging out with these characters for a couple hours. And I don't mean to undersell the performances. This is career best work from Kate Hudson and Patrick Fugit if not Billy Crudup and several others.
81. Thank You for Smoking (Last Ranking: 56)
First Watched: 4/14/2006
Times Watched: 5+
Why It’s Here: Some of the appeal of movies about awful people being awful is waning on me, but when it’s done well, I still like it a hell of a lot. Thank You for Smoking gets bonus points for shocking me with its kind of satire in 2006. I was a freshman in college and I didn’t realize that comedies can be like this. I’m not sure Aaron Eckhart will even find a role as well suited for his slick charisma that has you rooting for him even as you’re saying “fuck you”. The confidence of the performances, jokes, and story are why I’m at least a little curious every time Jason Reitman has a new movie coming out.
80. Inside Out (Last Ranking: 31)
First Watched: 6/19/2015
Times Watched: 3
Why It’s Here: When Pixar tries to be clever, they succeed. They took just about the most cerebral idea imaginable and turned it into a family-friendly film that's funny and packs an emotional punch (Bing Bong!). In Disney/Pixar fashion, this movie is overflowing with ideas and puts together a non-obvious, ideal voice-cast.
79. The Death of Stalin (Last Ranking: Released too Recently)
First Watched: 3/31/2018
Times Watched: 2
Why It’s Here: No one captures the ridiculousness of politics – and more specifically, of politicians – better than Armando Iannucci. In this, he moves from fictional politicians to an embellished account of the actual power struggle after the death of Stalin. It’s got everything I could want: a seasoned cast of comedic performers, clever dialogue, and the virtuoso swearing that is Iannucci’s calling card. Then it adds a little extra by occasionally pulling back to point out the real darkness of the situation. This is a wonderfully funny movie that also drives me down a Wikipedia rabbit hole afterwards.
78. Thoroughbreds (Last Ranking: Released too Recently)
First Watched: 3/13/2018
Times Watched: 3
Why It’s Here: This is a darkly comedic movie about a fucked-up friendship starring two of my favorite young actresses. Olivia Cooke and Anya Taylor-Joy both represent a kind of bored privilege that’s so fun to watch. Anton Yelchin is great and a little pathetic in one of his last roles. There’s even some eat the rich ethos if you’re into that. The bleakness of the ending is one of those things that stuck with me for weeks after I saw it. I doubt this movie is for most people, but it worked perfectly for me.
77. Free Fire (Last Ranking: Released too Recently)
First Watched: 4/22/2017
Times Watched: 3
Why It’s Here: The lasting memory of this movie in my head is when I saw it in the theater. You know that thing where you’re watching a movie and there’s this one guy in the theater who is reacting to everything so much that you spend a lot of the movie looking between him and the movie to figure out what you’re missing. I was that guy! I ate every second of this up. The jokes and silliness all worked on me. It was a movie that was completely dialed into what I wanted. So, naturally, the movie bombed. Regardless, there are few things I love more than putting a group of big characters in a confined space with high stakes and seeing how they bounce off each other. That’s exactly what this movie is.
76. 21 Jump Street (Last Ranking: 39)
First Watched: 3/17/2012
Times Watched: 5
Why It’s Here: I'm in awe of Lord & Miller's ability to make a bad idea into a good idea. A movie about a barely-remembered Fox series from the late 80s is a bad idea. They know that and have as much fun as humanly possible with the idea. This is the movie that also convinced me that Channing Tatum is awesome. He is a comedic force and I didn't expect that. One of the defining characteristics of my top movie list when compared to other "Best Movies" lists is that I appreciate comedies more. The difficulty with that is that comedy is more specific than drama. We can all recognize drama done well. Different things make us laugh though. I refuse to allow that to hurt comedy's place in my list. It's my favorite genre, after all.
75. Tomorrowland (Last Ranking: 54)
First Watched: 5/24/2015
Times Watched: 6
Why It’s Here: This is another film I love for its inherent optimism. Once I get past the fact that there isn't much actual Tomorrowland in the film, there's a lot to love. The dynamic between the three leads (George Clooney, Britt Robertson, and Raffey Cassidy) is unexpected and entertaining. Brad Bird builds inventive set pieces and, along with Damon Lindelof and Jeff Jensen, builds a great mythology that the film only scratches the surface of. It took a couple viewings to really figure out what I thought of the movie, and I like it that way. It means there's some meat on those bones.
74. The Legend of Tarzan (Last Ranking: Outside Top 100)
First Watched: 7/3/2016
Times Watched: 5
Why It’s Here: I don’t know what to say. I just really enjoy this movie. I thought it was fun when I saw it in theaters. I thought it was still fun when I watched it on HBO. I’ve found it just as fun the couple times I’ve watched my Blu-ray of it. I love how the movie is written like a sequel to a movie that doesn’t exist. David Yates spent all his studio goodwill on this expensive, pulpy action movie that works very hard to rewrite the Tarzan legend to work with a modern lens while still owning up to the fantastical parts of the story that have made it so indelible. Alexander Skarsgaard channels the same beastly energy that makes him a good villain in other projects toward a protagonist defined by his wild-nature (Also, that dude is ripped). Margot Robbie takes charge as Jane. Cristoph Waltz gets a character that encourages him to chew on every single bit of scenery. Maybe by the time my next edition of the top 100 comes out, I’ll be better able to explain why I rate this movie higher than you’ll ever see on this kind of list. For now, I’m fine with simply say, “I like watching it.”
73. American Animals (Last Ranking: Released too Recently)
First Watched: 7/1/2018
Times Watched: 2
Why It’s Here: This movie is a fascinating mix of scripted and documentary filmmaking. It’s a heist movie based on a true story of some college students who robbed the rare book collection of Transylvania University. Most of it is told like an Ocean’s Eleven gone wrong, but it’s mixed with the actual men who performed the robbery telling the story. It plays with unreliable narration, has fun with the silliness of the whole endeavor, and addresses the real consequences of their actions. After The Imposter then this, I’m on board with anything director Bart Layton wants to try next. This is probably the most unique movie in my top 100.
72. Amadeus (Last Ranking: Hadn’t Seen Twice)
First Watched: 4/1/2016
Times Watched: 2
Why It’s Here: This is perhaps the best way to lose an evening. Both times I’ve watched this movie, it breezes by like a 90s Disney movie only for me to realize that 3 hours have passed, the sun is down, and it’s time for bed. I simply can’t think of a better paced movie. F. Murray Abraham as the envious and obsessive Salieri and Tom Hulce’s deceptively care-free Mozart are wonderful frenemies. The 80s got a lot of Best Picture picks very wrong, but this one is inarguably correct as far as I’m concerned.
71. Searching (Last Ranking: Hadn’t Been Released Yet)
First Watched: 9/2/2018
Times Watched: 3
Why It’s Here: It’s hard to find a movie I was more certain I would like going in. The love the challenge of the filmmaking: telling a compelling mystery using nothing more than a computer screen. I’m so curious to see how this movie ages. Will the excellent structure and inventiveness hold up, or will the reliance on 2018 technology date it poorly? I don’t care either way, because I don’t mind a little time-travelling. Even upon rewatches, when I know how the mystery is solved, I’m still compelled by the story of a father coming to realize he doesn’t know his daughter as well as he thought.
70. The Princess Bride (Last Ranking: 62)
First Watched: Early 2000s
Times Watched: 5+
Why It’s Here: This might be the perfect movie. Really, there are a lot of my favorite movies that if you don't like them, I get it. However, if you don't like The Princess Bride, I sincerely wonder what is wrong with you. It's clever and funny while still being a sincere adventure movie. It's perfectly quotable from beginning to end and nearly impossible to get tired of watching. I literally don't have a bad thing to say about it and have no good explanation for why it's this low other than saying that it’s easy to take great things for granted.
69. Cloverfield (Last Ranking: 41)
First Watched: 1/25/2008
Times Watched: 5+
Why It’s Here: You know what? Marketing works. I remember the first teaser trailer for this before Transformers. I was intrigued and made sure to see this mystery movie on opening weekend. I wasn't disappointed. I love the use of the found footage style and how it doesn't try to answer every question. It's been fun seeing how much of the cast of then unknowns have found careers since then.
68. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (Last Ranking: 53)
First Watched: 6/27/2015
Times Watched: 3
Why It’s Here: I ate this movie up. It's a quirky Sundance coming-of-age dramedy, which to me is like giving Garfield lasagna on any day that's not a Monday. The ending of this movie devastates me every time. I love the eclectic cast. Honestly, the only negative thing I have to say about the movie is that I now question myself because I have a crush on "the dying girl". Is there any way to paint that as a good thing?
67. The Matrix (Last Ranking: 42)
First Watched: 1999-2000
Times Watched: 5+
Why It’s Here: This movie is so damn cool. The effects revolutionized filmmaking and inspired countless imitators. The language of the film has infiltrated our everyday speech. I stand by The Matrix Reloaded as also being really enjoyable, but nothing beats the original.
66. Broadcast News (Last Ranking: Outside Top 100)
First Watched: January 2012
Times Watched: 4
Why It’s Here: This one snuck up on me a bit. It wasn’t what I expected the first time. I ended up seeing it again to see what I missed after I kept hearing people raving about it, then again shortly after by chance with some friends. At this point, I fully get it. Holly Hunter is phenomenal. I still don’t get how she lost the Oscar to Cher in Moonlighting (a movie I also badly need to rewatch to figure out what I’m missing). William Hurt is so charmingly slimy that I hate that I kind of like him. Albert Brooks has that all-time scene with his sweating debacle hosting the evening news. The dynamics of this movie are simply perfect. In a lot of other movies, the complaints the movie has about the death of “real journalism” would bother me, but it never takes itself too seriously about it.
65. Take This Waltz (Last Ranking: 70)
First Watched: 2011-2012
Times Watched: 3
Why It’s Here: I guess I'm a masochist, because what I love about this movie is how unsatisfied I feel every time I watch it. Not in a bad way. It’s a movie about chasing something fleeting. When paired with Stories We Tell (the documentary about the true story of writer/director Sarah Polley's parents that inspired Take This Waltz), this is even more devastating. I already knew that Michelle Williams was great, but the performances from Seth Rogen and Sarah Silverman were surprises.
64. Jurassic Park (Last Ranking: Outside Top 100)
First Watched: 1994
Times Watched: 6+
Why It’s Here: Jurassic World must’ve soured me on the franchise the last time I did this list. Since then, I’ve had a great time rewatching the other movies in the series and appreciating just how good of a blockbuster Jurassic Park is. The practical effects hold up great without betraying the necessary sense of scale. It’s great having scene-stealers like Jeff Goldblum, Samuel L. Jackson, and Wayne Knight in there. This is a perfect John Williams score for capturing the grandeur and wonder of the movie. And that first T-Rex scene is a masterful bit of suspense.
63. Inside Llewyn Davis (Last Ranking: 32)
First Watched: 1/12/2014
Times Watched: 4
Why It’s Here: As much as I love the Coen brothers, their movies often leave me too cold to connect with them. The nihilism of their art is great, but I need something more to buy in fully. The music of Inside Llewyn Davis is that something more. It has one of my favorite film soundtracks. It introduced me to Oscar Isaac. Now he might be my favorite actor after Domhnall Gleeson. The rest of the cast is equally spectacular. But really, that soundtrack. So good.
62. Monty Python's Life of Brian (Last Ranking: 51)
First Watched: 2005-2006
Times Watched: 5+
Why It’s Here: Holy Grail is fine, but Life of Brian is my pick, all the way. This movie is hilarious and an insightful examination of religion to boot. Few movies in my top 100 are as smart or as funny as this. I suppose the only thing working against it is that "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" gets stuck in my head for a week every time I watch this.
61. Inception (Last Ranking: 22)
First Watched: 7/17/2010
Times Watched: 4+
Why It’s Here: I don't trust any director with a $100-million budget more than Christopher Nolan. Inception is his best marriage of ambition and imagination. The visuals in this movie are breathtaking. The cast is great. And, the end of the film is a litmus test for your view of the world.
60. The Blues Brothers (Last Ranking: Hadn’t Seen Twice)
First Watched: 4/22/2017
Times Watched: 2
Why It’s Here: This movie is bananas. It has an anarchy that every SNL movie since has been chasing and trying to match. Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi are perfect as the titular brothers. The cameos in this movie are insane. The random music performances are a blast. I love the often sly humor of it all. And that car chase at the end is incredible. It builds and builds and builds to a scale I can’t believe they were able to afford. I know Caddyshack and Airplane! are the comedy classics of 1980 that everyone references, but The Blue Brothers is absolutely in the same class (and in my opinion, even better).
59. Romy & Michele's High School Reunion (Last Ranking: 79)
First Watched: Early 2000s
Times Watched: 3
Why It’s Here: I don't know who let this movie get made. It got an R-rating in an era when that kind of movie would've gotten a PG-13 rating. A significant portion of the movie is a dream sequence. It bombed at the time but has grown a following ever since, because it's hilarious. In case you are wondering, this is why Lisa Kudrow will always have my vote as the best of the Friends cast.
58. Joe Versus the Volcano (Last Ranking: 63)
First Watched: 9/19/2015
Times Watched: 3
Why It’s Here: I love this movie, plain and simple. Tom Hanks gets to have amazing chemistry with three different Meg Ryan characters. Hanks is the ultimate everyman. Ryan has a blast playing characters with varying degrees of exaggeration. The story is wacky, and the movie is magic. So much so that I’m still trying to convince myself that writer/director John Patrick Shanley’s latest movie, Wild Mountain Thyme, is also a misunderstood classic. I’m not sure if I’ll ever get there, but it sure is true about Joe Versus the Volcano.
57. All About Eve (Last Ranking: Hadn’t Seen Twice)
First Watched: 6/23/2017
Times Watched: 2
Why It’s Here: This is one of the most dominant Oscar movies of all time and for good reason. It managed to get two lead actress nominations and it’s an upset that both lost. Bette Davis and Anne Baxter are devious in this send-up of Hollywood, despite being a quintessential studio film.
56. What If (2014) (Last Ranking: 100)
First Watched: 9/6/2017
Times Watched: 4
Why It’s Here: This jumped a surprising amount, and I’m OK with that. There’s nothing all that special about this movie other than it seeming like Canada discovered RomComs about a decade or two after Hollywood. I just really enjoy how Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan play off each other. I like sarcastic, bitter people. And there’s Adam Driver and McKenzie Davis going to town with supporting roles. Let’s be honest, all a RomCom really needs to work is actors I like playing characters I enjoy with a plot that holds together. This is a nice, straightforward movie that doesn’t try to outsmart the audience. It delivers exactly what I want in a 98-minute package that I’m happy to keep rewatching.
55. 10 Things I Hate About You (Last Ranking: 58)
First Watched: 2000-2001
Times Watched: 11+
Why It’s Here: Good luck finding 10 movies I've seen more times than this one. Thanks to a healthy presence on USA Network's schedule for years, I've seen this movie many times. And why wouldn't I? Heath Ledger, in his lifetime, was my favorite actor. He's at peak-charm here. Julia Stiles is delightful too in an aggressive, lone wolf way. It's got a baby Joseph Gordon Levitt, Larry Miller in goofball mode, and a scene-stealing Allison Janney. I have an age-appropriate affection for the high school comedies of this era, and this stands out as the best of them.
54. Paris, Texas (Last Ranking: Hadn’t Seen Yet)
First Watched: 3/2/2019
Times Watched: 2
Why It’s Here: It’s hard to find a movie I went into with fewer expectations for than Paris, Texas. I figured it was one of those arthouse movies that I needed to check off the list just to say I saw it. For much of the movie, it kind of was. It’s an odd little movie with Harry Dean Stanton as a man coming out of a long haze after his wife left him. I liked the stuff about him reconnecting with his young son well enough, but toward the end is when it fully won me over. The scene when he reveals himself to his ex-wife while she’s working for that peep show is one of the most hypnotic things I’ve seen. Those shots are just plain beautiful and Stanton’s delivery of that story, as his ex slowly pieces together who he is, is perfectly delivered. I’ll happily deal with a slow first half of a movie if that’s what’s waiting for me at the end.
53. Nightcrawler (Last Ranking: 34)
First Watched: 11/5/2014
Times Watched: 3
Why It’s Here: The first time I watched this movie, my jaw was agape the entire time. Jake Gyllenhaal commits fully to this role. Louis Bloom is a singular character, unlike anyone I've seen before. I feel uneasy watching this from beginning to end. While I can't root for Bloom, I find myself respecting his tenacity, which leaves me questioning my own morality.
52. Margin Call (Last Ranking: 74)
First Watched: 4/28/2017
Times Watched: 2
Why It’s Here: A drama about the 2008 market crash sounds like the dullest thing imaginable, but somehow, Margin Call makes it work. Similar to Eye in the Sky, I love how the characters move further and further up the chain of command over the course of one night. This film gets bonus points too for taking characters who are millionaire Wall Street traders and making me empathize with them. I reward films for degree of difficulty, and it doesn't get much harder than that. This screenplay is so great.
51. The Handmaiden (Last Ranking: Hadn’t Seen Twice)
First Watched: 6/4/2017
Times Watched: 2
Why It’s Here: I hate talking about this movie, because I don’t want anyone who hasn’t seen it to know what they are getting into. This Korean period movie about a woman who ingratiates herself with a rich man and her beautiful niece by taking a job as the niece’s handmaiden sounds a lot like Parasite at first then goes in different but equally crazy directions. I love the way this movie repeatedly reveals itself and upends what happened before. It’s one of the most rewarding movies I’ve even gone into blind, yet it was just as good upon rewatch.
50. Before Sunset (Last Ranking: 49)
First Watched: March 2013
Times Watched: 2
Why It’s Here: I want you to know that I don't say this lightly: Best Ending Ever*. I love the entire Before trilogy, but none of the films carry the tension that this one does. Sunrise is a classic will they/won't they. In Midnight, they are already together and it's about maintaining the relationship. Sunset is a dance and we don't know where either Celine or Jesse stand. For the entire movie, we don't know where things are going. Then with one line, Julie Delpy says everything. Especially after seeing Before Midnight, the end of this is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.
*Please don't make me do an actual ranking. That would take a long time.
49. Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (Last Ranking: Outside Top 100)
First Watched: 12/23/2011
Times Watched: 5
Why It’s Here: I’ve fallen hard for the Mission: Impossible franchise in the last several years. I stand by my assertion that my favorite movie in the franchise tends to be whichever one I saw most recently. They are masterclasses in ambition and stunt work. There’s two decade of world-building that never gets in the way of the action sequences that people show up for. I’m fine with using Ghost Protocol as my stand-in for the entire franchise (although, make no mistake. Rogue Nation and Fallout nearly made it in too). Ghost Protocol is the movie that really made me fall in love with the franchise. Director Brad Bird is so damn good at building and filming action set pieces. It’s a shame that Tomorrowland halted his momentum as a live-action director, because I’m not sure how anyone watches the Burj Khalifa sequence and doesn’t immediately want him directing every big budget action movie.
48. Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (Last Ranking: 45)
First Watched: Mid 1990s
Times Watched: 10+
Why It’s Here: Prepare for a lot of Star Wars. I was a little late on the Star Wars bandwagon, but once I got on, I never got off. After A New Hope revolutionized film and The Empire Strikes Back gave one of the great movie twists, Return of the Jedi could never meet the expectations people had for it. All it could do was not mess things up, and that's what it did. It ended the trilogy in a satisfying manner. Seeing the Emperor in the flesh didn't disappoint. I'm even a fan of the Ewoks, as silly as they are. Mostly though, this is a Star Wars movie, and that comes with so many points built-in.
47. Suspiria (Last Ranking: Hadn’t Seen Twice)
First Watched: 9/23/2017
Times Watched: 2
Why It’s Here: With horror, I’m normally more about story than style, but Suspiria (and maybe Dario Argento as a filmmaker) is the exception. The first time I saw this, it blew me away. The bitchin’ music, the vibrant colors, and the big acting grabbed a hold of me and wouldn’t let go. My love for this movie gives me hope that I’ll evolve into less of a movie literalist eventually. I’m still not sure what exactly is going on with this movie or why different characters are killed win. I’m fine with that, because all I want to do is shut off the lights and absorb this movie.
46. Eye in the Sky (Last Ranking: 87)
First Watched: 4/3/2016
Times Watched: 3
Why It’s Here: Another thing I love in a movie is plate spinning: how much can a screenplay take on without letting anything fall? Eye in the Sky takes a simple premise - a British military officer decides if she should order a drone strike on a location with a known terrorist - and systematically expands it out to reveal all the complexities of that single decision. The more things expand out, the further up the line everything goes, the more impressed I am when it retracts and wraps everything up so the audience feels the weight of the decision.
45. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (Last Ranking: 88)
First Watched: Early 2000s
Times Watched: 4
Why It’s Here: In the broadest sense, my biggest sweet spot in film is when someone takes a single part or aspect of a movie and turns it into an entire film; when the filmmaker tries to drill things down to the purest essence. T2 is one big chase. That's all there is too it. There's some mythology thrown in there, sure, but the only thing driving the movie is Arnold Schwarzenegger trying to stay ahead of the new terminator. In hindsight, making Arnold into the good guy looks like the safe move. At the time, I'm not sure that's true. The Terminator from the first film is among the great movie villains ever. If anything, making him the good guy is a head-scratchingly risky decision for James Cameron to make. Even 30 years later, it's tough to find a more propulsive film experience than T2.
44. Singin' in the Rain (Last Ranking: 60)
First Watched: 7/24/2015
Times Watched: 3
Why It’s Here: Do I really need to defend Singin’ in the Rain on a great movie list? Singin' in the Rain is perhaps the most deliriously happy film ever made. I can't watch this without a smile across my face the entire time. Since my last edition of this list, I’ve only come to value movies that make me feel good even more.
43. Glengarry Glen Ross (Last Ranking: 76)
First Watched: 1/21/2013
Times Watched: 3
Why It’s Here: Yes, the all-male cast feels antiquated. Yes, this clearly is a play adapted to film. I don’t care though. David Mamet’s rapid rat-a-tat dialogue being delivered by the all-star cast is unbelievably watchable. For those who have seen it, this is among the easiest to quote films ever made. Coffee's for closers, after all.
42. The Shawshank Redemption (Last Ranking: 23)
First Watched: Mid 2000s
Times Watched: 6+
Why It’s Here: Is this movie over or underrated? It isn't a Best Picture winner. It's wasn't a massive box office success. It did get some Oscar nominations though and it's been the top movie in IMDB's top 250 for years. Few films have gained such a great reputation since their release. Like fellow 1994 release, Forrest Gump, this is a "bacon movie". People who love it are a little insufferable about it. Although, it did become so popular for a reason. It's insanely watchable and that Morgan Freeman narration is the gold standard.
41. Up (Last Ranking: 15)
First Watched: 5/29/2009
Times Watched: 4+
Why It’s Here: This movie has no business being this good. Before I saw it, I was convinced that this was the moment when Pixar finally ran out of ideas...and it turns out that I'm a fool. Those opening minutes of the movie have become infamous for a reason. It's the greatest short film Pixar has ever made. Even beyond that heartbreaking, brilliant sequence, this is a great movie. Dogs are my weak spot, so Dug is among my favorite Pixar characters. Curmudgeon Carl and dutiful Russell too.
40. Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (Last Ranking: Released too Recently)
First Watched: 12/14/2017
Times Watched: 4
Why It’s Here: I’m so tired of the debate about The Last Jedi. It has a few weird plot choices that I’m not crazy about, but it has some of the best sequences in any Star Wars movie. Rey and Kylo-Ren taking on the Praetorian Guard is awesome. The last stand on Crait with the red salt looks great. The Holdo maneuver is so striking that the sound mixing of it still throws me off. It’s such a shame that The Rise of Skywalker was so mediocre, because the first two installments of this recent trilogy sure set things up superbly.
39. The Ring (Last Ranking: 72)
First Watched: Early 2003
Times Watched: 7+
Why It’s Here: The higher up the list I get, the more films you'll see that I can't reasonably justify by quality alone. Nostalgia and the context of when I first saw it matter. This is my top 100 movie list, after all. The justifications don't have to be great. The Ring has its problems. I don't know that it would hold up if I saw it for the first time now, but it scared the bejesus out of me back in 2003. I've seen it countless times since (that 7+ is a lowball estimate). I love the idea of a tape spreading this curse. The mythology behind it is explained only enough to make sense (The sequel went too far and took all the fun out of that). Even as I watch it now, the ways that's it's over the top I find endearing.
38. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Last Ranking: 29)
First Watched: 12/18/2003
Times Watched: 11+
Why It’s Here: It's hard to blame Peter Jackson for not being able to end this movie simply. This trilogy was so massive that no single ending would fit the scale of it all. It's the epic conclusion that we all assumed they could pull off. It's hard to separate the three films. This one only suffers by comparison to the first two films, which were somehow even better.
37. The Martian (Last Ranking: 40)
First Watched: 10/4/2015
Times Watched: 6
Why It’s Here: Dammit this movie is a good time. It’s probably the most purely crowd-pleasing movie in my top 100. I have to stop myself from overwatching this movie. The jokes hit me every time. The setbacks deflate me every time. I even get nervous during the rescue attempt, even though I know how it’s going to turn out. This cast is huge and ridiculously stacked. Matt Damon in particular has never been more of a movie star.
36. Sunset Boulevard (Last Ranking: 75)
First Watched: 4/22/2016
Times Watched: 2
Why It’s Here: One of the first great examples of Hollywood commenting on the destructive nature of fame. Norma Desmond, as played by Gloria Swanson, is an incredible character. Another thing you'll see a lot in my list is that a great ending goes a long way with me, and this is one of the all-time great endings.
35. The Edge of Seventeen (Last Ranking: 82)
First Watched: 11/20/2016
Times Watched: 5
Why It’s Here: Another movie type you can add to my list of soft spots is "coming of age". Hailee Steinfeld carries this as the sarcastic, self-centered but ultimately lovable Nadine. She's supported by the likes of Woody Harrelson, Haley Lu Richardson, and Blake Jenner all doing great work. Nadine puts this in my top 100 though. I love that character and how this movie pulls no punches. And it's about good people. This doesn't try to force worse circumstances than it needs. Most of Nadine's problems are her own doing.
34. The Right Stuff (Last Ranking: Hadn’t Seen Twice)
First Watched: 2/26/2016
Times Watched: 3
Why It’s Here: This sure shot up the rankings quickly. I apologize for this, but The Right Stuff simply has the right stuff. It has a huge cast of standouts from Sam Shepard’s almost mythical Chuck Yeager to Ed Harris’ All-American John Glenn. It’s 3 hours that breeze by, in large part to Caleb Deschanel’s striking cinematography. This sure feels like a movie that’s going to keep sneaking up my list the more my hairline goes that way of Ed Harris.
33. Seabiscuit (Last Ranking: 43)
First Watched: 2004
Times Watched: 7+
Why It’s Here: I think I was introduced to this movie in just the right way. It was an HBO staple and I kept coming into it midway through. Each time I watched it, I started a little further back than the time before. It's a slow movie in the beginning, but the payoff is well worth it. Mostly, this is in the category of films that I find endlessly watchable. I've never gotten tired of watching it no matter how many times I've watched it. I always get caught up in the match race with War Admiral and the comeback win at the Santa Anita Handicap.
32. Spotlight (Last Ranking: 85)
First Watched: 11/27/2015
Times Watched: 6
Why It’s Here: I thought I was tapped out on stories about the priest scandal in the Catholic church. I grew up with it. I went to Catholic school when the worst of it was going down. I'm pretty tired of hearing about it. Then this came out to remind me that if something is executed well enough, there's always room for more. This is a great example of what I call "People doing their damn jobs" movies. Watching people being good at their job is interesting. The movie is all about the process of reporting, from beginning to end. With an ensemble cast as good as this one, that's engaging enough.
31. Raiders of the Lost Ark (Last Ranking: 36)
First Watched: Mid 1990s
Times Watched: 6+
Why It’s Here: The perfect adventure movie. I don't have much else to say about it. All adventure movies made since 1981 have tried to be this movie and all of them have failed. Indiana Jones is the perfect action hero. Harrison Ford is the perfect lead for this movie. The score is iconic. The only thing hurting this movie is that I don't have any particular emotional attachment to it. Like, it wasn’t a formative movie for me or I don’t associate it with memories with friends. I just remember it as a near perfect movie. And, once you get this high in the list, if I don't have a memory or emotion tied to the film, it's hard to move any higher.
30. Oculus (Last Ranking: 35)
First Watched: 4/12/2014
Times Watched: 5
Why It’s Here: I love the horror genre but I dislike most horror movies I see. Too often, the scare is the measure of the movie. The filmmakers think that if they get a rise out of an audience, that is all that matters. That isn't good enough for Oculus. The brilliance of this movie is that the main characters do everything right. They are among the smartest of any horror movie leads, but they run into a force that is too powerful for them to beat. When I watch this movie, it haunts me for days.
29. I Love You, Man (Last Ranking: 28)
First Watched: 3/21/2009
Times Watched: 5+
Why It’s Here: As with most comedies, the most I can really say about this is that it makes me laugh. It's the best showcase I've seen for either Paul Rudd or Jason Segel as comedic performers. The movie is full of odd casting choices that I love, like Lou Ferrigno, Joe Lo Truglio, and J.K. Simmons in complete goofball mode. When I watch the movie, I realize how many quotes I use come from it.
28. Citizen Kane (Last Ranking: 77)
First Watched: 3/5/2016
Times Watched: 3
Why It’s Here: Wow. This jumped a lot. I'm as surprised as anyone that I like this film so much. I was prepared to hate it and rant about how overrated it is; give it the Network treatment (I do hate that movie). I sincerely like this movie though. Structurally, it's so unique. I never know the reporter doing all the research on Charles Foster Kane. It reveals Kane's life story in overlapping chapters. Ultimately, the answer to the "Rosebud" question leaves the audience with as many questions as it does answers. Biopics are always trying to find the best way to cover a person's entire life in a single film. Even though Charles Foster Kane isn't technically real, Citizen Kane is arguably the most successful biopic ever made.
27. Clueless (Last Ranking: 47)
First Watched: 1996
Times Watched: 9+
Why It’s Here: I was 8 when this came out and I didn't get it at the time. My sister loved the movie and I tolerated it, because sitting around and watching it was still better than going outside and being an active and healthy child. Over the years, I've come to love the movie much more. Amy Heckerling's talent with dialogue is nearly unparalleled (I enjoy her work so much that I even love the generally disliked Loser). Alicia Silverstone couldn't've been more perfect for the trust fund princess, Cher.
26. Casablanca (Last Ranking: 21)
First Watched: Late 2005 – Early 2006
Times Watched: 2
Why It’s Here: I don't pretend to be more of a student of film history than I am. Not a lot of older films are in my top 100. I refuse to pad the numbers to make myself look more - I don't know - sophisticated. There are a few older films that I unabashedly adore though. Casablanca is almost too obvious. There's a reason for that. It's a great movie. The first time I watched it, I couldn't believe how many famous quotes came from the movie. Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman are electric together. This movie is impossible to deny.
25. Forrest Gump (Last Ranking: 25)
First Watched: 1995
Times Watched: 9+
Why It’s Here: Forrest Gump is the bacon of movies. People who love it flip out if you don't also love it. The people who don't care for it feel the need to over-assert how much they don't like it. Personally, I love the movie, even if it is potentially about nothing. It's a fun, ground-level look at all the high points of Boomer nostalgia. The fact that it's so over-quoted obscures the fact the so many moments are worth quoting. Tom Hanks playing a somewhat mentally handicapped character has become a derided Oscar-bait move, which distracts from the fact that it's a terrific performance. Any movie this successful is going to have its fair share of haters, especially when it's a film that on paper shouldn't've been such a success. I'm here to say that I'm not one of those haters.
24. Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (Last Ranking: 18)
First Watched: Mid 1990s
Times Watched: 12+
Why It’s Here: The seismic shift in the film industry that followed the release of this can never be understated. I don't think I have to really defend this pick. At least five other picks in my list owe everything to the movie. That alone gives it a place. By itself, it's a rollicking space Opera that introduces so many great characters. Alec Guiness caps off a legendary career and Harrison Ford announces himself as the next great movie star.
23. V/H/S/2 (Last Ranking: 26)
First Watched: 2013
Times Watched: 8
Why It’s Here: There are few things I love more than a good horror anthology. Horror, I think, works best in smaller doses. Go in, get the scares, and get out. The longer it goes, the more need filmmakers feel to explain things, which only dulls the impact. The V/H/S movies are horror anthologies that experiment with different forms of found-footage. In short, it combines all my favorite horror elements together. Not every short in V/H/S 2 works, but the ones that do are tremendous. Gareth Evans' apocalyptic cult segment, "Safe Haven", is balls-out insanity. That part by itself would probably rank in my top 100.
22. Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (Last Ranking: 13)
First Watched: May 1999
Times Watched: 17+
Why It’s Here: Roll your eyes all you want. Before this movie came out, I wasn't much of a Star Wars fan. After the first time I watched this, I left the theater obsessed with the franchise. Yes, it is different than the original trilogy. Yes, Jar Jar Binks was a mistake. Midichlorions were a dumb idea. Most of the stuff with little orphan Anakin was stupid.
I just don't care.
I love this movie. I loved it the first time I saw it. I've loved it ever since and that hasn't waned. The Darth Maul light saber fight is a franchise best. "Duel of the Fates" is every bit as great as the original score or the Imperial March. Pod racing was an under-appreciated invention. If more fans could just accept that this isn't the original trilogy, there is a ton to love about it.
21. My Cousin Vinny (Last Ranking: 24)
First Watched: 2002
Times Watched: 7+
Why It’s Here: I'm here to tell everyone that My Cousin Vinny isn't a guilty pleasure movie. It isn't "better than it should be". It's not simply "very watchable". It is an excellent movie. Few movies have ever explained court proceedings more accurately or entertainingly. Often, with older movies, I find them funny in a way where I have to calibrate for the humor of the time. That's just the nature of comedy - it develops and changes over time. Punchlines that were once fresh, become known and built upon. So much of My Cousin Vinny's humor still feels new and makes me laugh though. Finally, everyone who references Marisa Tomei's Supporting Actress win as an Oscar miss can go fuck themselves. She's fantastic in this. Not only in the famous courtroom scene at the end but throughout the movie. Please, leave your anti-comedy bias to yourself.
20. Bridesmaids (Last Ranking: 17)
First Watched: 5/13/2011
Times Watched: 7+
Why It’s Here: I nearly shit with laughter watching this. This movie has several amazing set pieces. The sequence at the bridal shop is an all-timer. The parts on the airplane too. Watching that in the theater on opening night was so much fun. Kristen Wiig got a chance to prove herself as a star and screenwriter and she knocked it out of the park. Then there's Melissa McCarthy, who is nothing short of a revelation.
I don't know. I guess you could not like this movie. That's fine. Some people don't like laughing.
19. V/H/S (Last Ranking: 16)
First Watched: 2013
Times Watched: 8
Why It’s Here: In placing this higher than V/H/S 2 (DON'T SEE V/H/S: Viral), I'm picking consistency over peak. Nothing in V/H/S matches the cult sequence in V/H/S 2, but the six segments in this are all great. I rewatch this movie even though the scares barely have an effect anymore. The filmmakers in this are all on the top of their game.
18. Schindler's List (Last Ranking: 68)
First Watched: Late 2005
Times Watched: 4
Why It’s Here: You know, just because it's obvious doesn't mean it's wrong. This is an exceptional movie and a beautiful tribute to the victims of the Holocaust. The fact that I keep watching it and it keeps hitting just as hard is why it has jumped so much for me. It doesn’t even feel like an “eat your vegetables” movie to me. It’s just an excellent watch.
17. A Ghost Story (Last Ranking: Released too Recently)
First Watched: 7/29/2017
Times Watched: 6
Why It’s Here: This is by far the highest any new movie jumped on the list. This movie tapped into something in me that I can’t explain. It's more of a meditation than a movie, and I dig it. It's this beautiful detached story about loss and the passage of time that, if I'm being honest, should be insufferably pretentious. However, David Lowery’s film mesmerizes me. I could watch Rooney Mara eat an entire pie or Casey Affleck in a ghost sheet aimlessly walk around a house for hours.
16. Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Force Awakens (Last Ranking: 20)
First Watched: 12/17/2015
Times Watched: 6
Why It’s Here: You’d think the disappointment of The Rise of Skywalker would impact my opinion of this movie, but it hasn’t. I still think it’s a wonderful reintroduction to the series. The casting top-to-bottom is impeccable. It pays homage to the original trilogy while not short-changing the new cast members, which is a tough balancing act. J.J. Abrams may not have been any good at ending the trilogy, but he sure set it up as well as I could’ve hoped.
15. 12 Angry Men (Last Ranking: 19)
First Watched: Late 2005 – Early 2006
Times Watched: 3
Why It’s Here: It's such a simple movie. It's another one of those that involves putting a bunch of characters in a room together and seeing what happens. This movie is unabashedly idealistic and a testament to the best of the American spirit (if that's something you buy into). I know Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch gets credit as the greatest American hero. Personally, I'd take Henry Fonda's Juror #8 over him any day of the week. I do wish that it could be more than just 12 white dudes, but that much is a reflection of the time that can't be "fixed" now. Otherwise, it's an exceptional play put to screen.
14. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Last Ranking: 14)
First Watched: December 2001
Times Watched: 13+
Why It’s Here: This is one of the two movies that have had the most profound effect on my appreciation of movies. The first time I saw The Fellowship of the Ring, it broke my brain. I didn't know a movie could be that. The scale of the movie was epic. The world it built was incredible. There wasn't a trace of irony in it. I'm not sure I'd be the movie fan I am now had this movie never come along.
13. The Nice Guys (Last Ranking: 27)
First Watched: 5/22/2016
Times Watched: 7
Why It’s Here: Buddy cop movies are irresistible when done right. Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe are a comedic duo I never would've thought of, but it turns out they are brilliant together. The late 70s setting and the cynical humor of the movie pair together just as well. This is another movie I could watch at any time and never tire of. The number of times I’ve seen it would be double or triple its current amount if I watched it every time I thought “The Nice Guys would be good to watch right now.” This very well could break my top 10 by the next edition of this list.
12. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (Last Ranking: 11)
First Watched: Mid 1990s
Times Watched: 10+
Why It’s Here: It's among the greatest sequels ever. It managed the impossible challenge of improving on a film that rocked the world. The "I am your father" moment is the greatest movie twist ever. There are many other great ones, perhaps ones that were better foreshadowed or cleverer, but none had the cultural impact of The Empire Strikes Back. Even without that, this is the movie that introduces the coolest guy in the Galaxy, Lando Calrissian, adds Yoda to the mythology, and features Han Solo's ultimate badass moment ("I know"). On an overall note, I can't believe that no Star Wars movie broke into my top 10. I suppose I like the series more as a whole than in individual parts. Four in the top 25 is nothing to scoff at though.
11. The Dark Knight (Last Ranking: 10)
First Watched: 7/18/2008
Times Watched: 7+
Why It’s Here: I’ve cut some Christopher Nolan movies off my list, but of course The Dark Knight remains. This movie came with a wave of hype even before Heath Ledger's untimely death. His work as the Joker is one of the great villain performances ever. Nolan's work in IMAX is second to none. Everything from the bank robbery at the beginning to the armored car chase in the middle is the result of a master at work on a large scale. Mixing the anarchy of the Joker with the fall of Harvey Dent represented all the best the franchise had to offer.
10. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Last Ranking: 12)
First Watched: January 2009
Times Watched: 7+
Why It’s Here: Oh my god, Charlie Kaufman's screenplay is brilliant. So is the way that Michel Gondry visualizes it. Jim Carrey in dramatic mode is exceptional. I don't think anyone needed more proof that Kate Winslet was great at that point, yet she outdoes herself anyway. It's such a beautiful movie with an ending that's somehow romantic, depressing, and hopeful, all at the same time. It's an incredible movie. #10 feels too low.
9. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Last Ranking: 8)
First Watched: December 2002
Times Watched: 10+
Why It’s Here: The Battle of Helms Deep. That's it. I love The Fellowship of the Ring. I love The Return of the King. Neither has anything to compare to the grand scale of Helms Deep. It is the definitive epic sequence in any film.
8. Warrior (Last Ranking: 6)
First Watched: 9/13/2011
Times Watched: 12
Why It’s Here: I tend to couch my love of this movie in a lot of excuses, because I don’t really like MMA that much and the movie is so straightforward. I need to get out of that habit, because I just plain love this movie. I can watch it at any time. I don’t even know who I’m rooting for. The first half sets the stakes well, but I think the reason I keep coming back to this movie is because the matches in the tournament are shot so well. I care every single time. When Brendan taps out the mighty Koba, I stand up and cheer (not an exaggeration). When Tommy knocks out opponents with a single punch, I pump my fist in solidarity. This movie sucks me in every time. Frankly, I'm confused how this isn't on its way to being considered a classic.
7. Mad Max: Fury Road (Last Ranking: 7)
First Watched: 5/17/2015
Times Watched: 8
Why It’s Here: To quote one of my friends after seeing this, "I think I took two breaths the whole time". This is a masterclass in sustained, large-scale action. This movie is almost always in movement. The score is propulsive. The production design and costuming manage to take inspiration from the original films without veering into camp. This is perhaps the most perfect action movie ever made. I keep waiting for my excitement over it to wane and it hasn't happened.
6. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (Last Ranking: 9)
First Watched: July 2003
Times Watched: 14+
Why It’s Here: I love the happy accident of this movie. If it was just the story of the Disney Park attraction, that would've been an entertaining enough movie, full of large-scale pirate action with a supernatural twist. Captain Jack Sparrow sets it apart. What works so well about him is that he's essentially a supporting character who is allowed the freedom to take over the movie. Johnny Depp does inspired work, plain and simple. The sequels have veered too much into Capt. Jack. In The Curse of the Black Pearl, Jack is butting heads with the story. No one told him the movie is not about him. It is one of my favorite movies to quote, even beyond Jack's lines. It's hard to have more popcorn fun than in this movie
5. Ocean's Eleven (Last Ranking: 4)
First Watched: 2002
Times Watched: 14+
Why It’s Here: The way the plan comes together dazzled me the first time I watched this, and it still does. The confidence of both Stephen Soderbergh's direction and the cast's performances make it impossible to look away. No movie is as cool as this one and they make it look effortless. That ease is exactly what makes this so rewatchable. I've seen this movie two dozen times, if not more (ignore that “official” count above), and I'm still picking up new details that I never noticed before. It's such a dense movie in unexpected ways. I've always described this and its sequels as an excuse for a bunch of actor buddies to subsidize a vacation. When it delivers a film this slick and fun, I'm fine with that.
4. A Knight's Tale (Last Ranking: 5)
First Watched: May 2002
Times Watched: 17+
Why It’s Here: It's hard to break into my top 5 because four of the movies have been set for over a decade and are personal picks so much more than qualitative picks. I have watched this movie many, many times. It's the closest I've come to being able to quote an entire movie. Heath Ledger was my favorite actor until his death. I find him tirelessly watchable. Paul Bettany's Chaucer is a quote machine of the highest caliber. Roland and Wat are two of my favorite sidekicks in any movie. The 70's soundtrack is perfectly counter-intuitive. The movie doesn't want to be accurate. It has its own agenda and it's one I love.
3. Superbad (Last Ranking: 2)
First Watched: 8/18/2007
Times Watched: 15+
Why It’s Here: Of my favorite movies, this is the one I question the most. It has pretty well cemented itself this high though. Don’t read too much into its drop from 2 to 3. Over the years, I've gobbled up every bit of information I can about Superbad. I've watched all the extra features on the DVD and Blu-rays. I've listened to the commentary. I've downloaded the soundtrack. At one point I even put together a mix of all the music featured in the movie in any way. I bought the book collection of all the penis pictures. I threw a 21st birthday party that was Superbad themed. I love this movie. The love certainly started with seeing it opening weekend and having one of the best in-theater experiences watching that. I've since grown a love for the Seth Rogen/Evan Goldberg partnership. The fact that this screenplay is something those two began writing when they were 13 and completed over a decade later I find fascinating. You can see it in the screenplay too, how certain parts don't exactly line up and the type of humor have different levels of sophistication. People point out that musicians have their entire lives to make their first album and only a year or so to make the second album. That's how I feel about Superbad when compared to their later films. There is a lifetime of ideas in it. I shudder to think of all the drafts there were of the screenplay. I may not be able to convince anyone of the merit of the movie. I can only prove the sincerity of my love for this high school buddy comedy.
2. About Time (Last Ranking: 3)
First Watched: 11/17/2013
Times Watched: 16
Why It’s Here: I can’t deny it any longer. I’ve spent over a decade with Superbad cemented into my #2 slot, but my love for About Time just keeps getting stronger. This is a fundamentally good movie. It's normally sold as a RomCom. For a large chunk of it, that's what it is. There's so much more to it though. It's about living your best life. Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) is a decent person and having a power like time travel doesn't corrupt him. When given the opportunity to cheat, he doesn't. When given the chance to manipulate the lives of others, he only does so to help them out. Even when he does manipulate to run into Mary, it's only after their first genuine connection is derailed by him helping his playwright friend. I adore all the delightfully quirky characters like Kit Kat and Uncle Desmond. The end of the film is devastating in the best way. As corny as it may sound, watching this movie restores my faith in the decency of humanity. If you can find a movie like that for yourself, never let go of it.
1. Stranger Than Fiction (Last Ranking: 1)
First Watched: 11/11/2006
Times Watched: 19+
Why It’s Here: Yep. It’s still at the top by a lot. I'm never going to explain it better than in my essay about the movie from a few years ago. I like it more than I like most people; more than nearly anything. Will Ferrell uses his established persona to give an unexpectedly nuanced performance. The way the film plays with narrative and, more specifically, narration allows it to go in directions not immediately apparent. Like About Time, or many of my favorite films, it's fundamentally about living your best life. I don't think it's hard to psychoanalyze my thoughts and fears based on the movies in my list. None more than Stranger Than Fiction tells my story. I get something new out of it every time I watch it. I cannot imagine a film making me feel more deeply about it than Stranger Than Fiction, but I welcome any of them to try.
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