My Top 100 Movies – Part 6: #50 – #41

Alright, moving on to the second half of the list!

About the list

Please note that these are my favourite films, and as such some choices will be based on a personal sense of nostalgia (especially the top 5, once we eventually get there).  There are movies that I have connections to that may rank them higher than you might expect.  That being said, if there are films here you disagree with, don’t hesitate to argue them in the comments, and if there are choices you do agree with, feel free to show your support.  If you think something it too high or too low, let me know.  I’m not going to resort to the “well its my opinion” argument.

Keep in mind that this list is not made in stone, and some films in the future may go up or down in my estimation, as is wont to happen.  Also, there may be films that I haven’t seen yet which may take a spot on the list later.  I guess what I’m saying is that this is my 100 at the present time, though its a pretty good indicator of my taste in films.

50. Gone With The Wind

Alright, lets get this out of the way first.  Yes, this movie is long  Like, 4 hours.  But you know what?  I’m okay with that, because the length stays true to the nature of the film.  This is a cinematic saga in the true sense.  It is sprawling, vast, and covers a long period of time.  Not to mention Scarlett O’Hara is a very interesting character to studying throughout that time.  Great classic.

 

49. City of God

There is a perception that movies from other countries are usually slower, more boring, pretentious, and a chore to get through.  And I get that, I’ve sat through my share of films like that.  But trust me, City of God is not one of those films.  It is a high energy movie with tons of colourful characters that doesn’t stop until its all over.  There are a bunch of inter-connecting stories, all of which tie into each other at some point or another.  Yet it never feels confusing, because the story is told so well.  Great flick.

 

48. Minority Report

Over the last decade or so it sure feels like Tom Cruise has done a lot of science fiction, but his first foray is still the best.  Pairing up with Spielberg, they made a great film about a cop who arrests people who they know will commit murder in the future.  Its an interesting premise which asks a lot of ethical questions, and the movie takes its time to explore those.  It also looks stunning, with great set pieces like the robot spiders.  I think this is going to be one of those movies that seems under appreciated now but will find new life with movie fans years from now.

 

47. Apollo 13

Damn I love Apollo 13.  Its just great drama.  An awesome story of people pulling together to work their way out of a crisis.  Its well-acted, looks great, and has some awesome moments, especially the climax.  Oh did I also mention that James Horner’s score is brilliant and right on the money?  I never get tired of this movie.

 

46. The Exorcist

The ultimate horror movie.  The first time I saw this was in the theaters during some sort of rerelease promotion on Halloween night.  Awesome way to see it for the first time.  Very freaky.

 

45. Back to the Future

Brilliant cinematic entertainment and the prototype of all other time travel movie tropes.  Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly and Christopher Lloyd as Doc Brown have made those characters cultural icons.  This movie is filled with nostalgia but even apart from that I believe it holds up as truly great.

 

44. Forrest Gump

Its funny, its heartfelt, and its a really odd documentation of American history in the late 20th century.  And it works.  The main character of Forrest does have a mental handicap, but the movie really isn’t about that.  Its just…. part of who he is.  But the movie is really about the impact that people can have during their lives, even though his is a massively exaggerated case.  Not to mention that the Forrest-Jenny love story is one of the few movie romances which really gets me every time I watch it.

 

43. Terminator 2: Judgement Day

How many times did my friends and I rent this when we were kids?  Who knows, a lot.  We hadn’t even seen the first Terminator, but this was awesome enough just to watch over and over on its own.  Now when I look at it, I see why.  The villain T-1000 is just cool with all of his liquid metal tricks.  The ending is surprisingly powerful.  And the tone and atmosphere that James Cameron crates just feels really unique.  and the ending just wraps things up so nicely, I just ignore the fact that they made two more sequels.

 

42. Princess Mononoke

What a wonderful film.  This is simply one of the best animated films I have ever seen.  Its wildly imaginative and it feels like it has deep mythology  behind it.  I remember Roger Ebert calling this the animated Star Wars, and I see why.  Great characters, a weird but interesting story, and just a movie I love to watch.

 

41. Wayne’s World

Zang!