The Zen Kitchen

In 2003 Roger Ebert published a book called simply, The Great Movies. I admire Ebert quite a bit. Not because I agree with him on everything he says, far from it, but because he is a witty writer who is excellent at getting across his points. I've been reading this book again lately, and its inspired me to start my own list of "Great Movies." First, though, I have to define exactly what a great movie is. Its not just one I enjoy. I love Buckaroo Banzai, and I would put Runaway Train as one of my top 5 movies of all time, but neither of those will likely make this list. No, a "Great Movie" has to be one that inspired me in some way. Something that made me see the world in a different light, or one that opened my eyes to a subject in a way I never thought before, or perhaps inspired a bit of writing.

So, I will start using Ebert's list as a jumping off point, then fill in the blanks with my own films, and looking at his list, mine will be quite, quite different.

The films we will share on our lists:
All About Eve
Apocalypse Now
Casablanca
Chinatown
Citizen Kane
Do the Right Thing
Double Indemnity
Dr. Strangelove
Fargo
Hoop Dreams
The Lady Eve
M
The Maltese Falcon
McCabe and Mrs. Miller
Network
The Seven Samurai
The Shawshank Redemption
Star Wars
Vertigo
The Wild Bunch

So, we agree on 20 out of 100. A good start. Now to begin my own list.

After Hours
Airplane!
Alien
All the King's Men
Back to the Future
Barton Fink
Blade Runner
Blazing Saddles
Brazil
A Clockwork Orange
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Ghostbusters
Jaws
The Life of Brian
The Lord of the Rings (the trilogy as one entry)
The Manchurian Candidate
Once Upon a Time in America
Once Upon a Time in the West
Princess Mononoke
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Ran
Rear Window
Reservoir Dogs
Robocop
Sullivan's Travels
The Terminator
This is Spinal Tap
Unforgiven
Young Frankenstein

And, that makes a good start with 50 films to write about. Yes, that is my project for the next few months. I am going to write about my own great movies, and probably make some commentary on why a few standards have been left off of my own list, as well as commentary on movies I really truly love, but just can't call great for some reason or another. Let's start with one of those.

Honorable mention but just didn't cut the mustard.

Runaway Train








When asked what my favorite films of all time are, I always list this one. Often, I'll say it is my favorite. I love the themes it explores, I love the dialogue, the characters, the intensity, there really is nothing shoddy about this film. My contention with calling it one of the greats, however, is that while everything about it is great, there is very little that is new or inspiring. Its exploration of faith has been done before, and when more focused has been done better. There is nary a bad performance in the film, but only Voight's is truly stand-out, and while the script works as I don't think the writer intended the dialogue to be realistic it also does tend to get preachy and hammy.

Why do I list it as a personal favorite, then? I just love this film. I like hamminess, the issue of faith has always been a very personal one to me and I love the way the movie looks at it in all its aspects whether it be faith in God, in man, in technology, or in one's self. Its intense, it isn't pat, it isn't an easy film to watch and decipher. But, it also isn't for everyone, and I recognize that.

That's enough said about a film that didn't quite cut the mustard. Next time we start in with After Hours, a film I'm sure will raise quite a few eyebrows as to appearing on this list.

"You're an animal!"
"No. Worse. Human."

posted by Shaun @ 2:48 AM