Smith's Verdict

I love movies. Obviously.

I can’t just narrow them down to a list of a mere 100 personal favorite movies. (P.S. Here’s a link to that list: https://smithsverdict.com/2017/11/08/my-top-100-favorite-movies/) And often in my spare time, I enjoy making an even bigger list ranking the films I personally admire/enjoy watching the most… It was more difficult than I thought. That’s why I kept typing it out repeatedly and asking myself, “Am I sure I like this better than that, or vice versa?”

Hopefully, after this, I won’t be struggling too much. And also, don’t expect another list going past this number (with 100 favorites plus an additional 150, this is already a top 250) unless there’s an update, such as a new favorite that I need to include (which I will let you know about).

And I’m not going to lie. A few of these are pretty embarrassing. If you read my top-100 list and thought “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,” “Holes,” and especially “Phantom Town” were odd choices, you haven’t seen anything yet.

But that’s why I love movies. They’re subjective. No one can tell you what your favorites are. If we all had the same favorite movies, we’d be robots with no individual thought. And as before, at no point am I stating that these films are the “best.” They’re just my favorites.

So, let’s down the Next Top 150 Favorite Movies…which is essentially a continuation of the Top 100, and thus a Top 250…you know how it works. I’m counting from 250 to 101. Here goes…

250) GROUNDHOG DAY (1993)

Ok, we’re off to a good start. I doubt anyone’s going to look down on me for liking this sweet, funny 1993 Bill Murray dramedy as much as I do. This film is a gem, and its general concept (of a character repeating the same day over and over again until it meets satisfaction) has since been repeated (to good effect too), but none can be as funny or as moving as when Bill Murray uses his curse to pick up women or when he realizes he can’t repeat something genuinely nice until it’s genuine again. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/04/24/groundhog-day-1993/

249) OPERATION AVALANCHE (2016)

Now you can look down on me if you want. I made it no secret that I’m a fan of Canadian indie filmmaker Matt Johnson (whose debut feature “The Dirties” made it at #25 in my first top-100). Whether you like him or hate him, you can’t deny that he has guts. How do I mean this? He made “Operation Avalanche” totally in secret, on location in NASA (and with fair-use laws on his side), to create a faux-documentary in which the CIA fake the 1969 moon landing. That concept alone makes me want to congratulate Johnson for a job well done, but the film itself is a lot of fun. And what he and his crew did to reanimate a 1960s-era Stanley Kubrick…you’ll have to see for yourself. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2017/01/28/operation-avalanche-2016/

248) CASINO ROYALE (2006)

Yes, a Bond movie! I didn’t grow up with James Bond (and I haven’t seen that many of his movies either), but I’m glad I caught “Casino Royale” when I did. This is a damn good action film. Much of that has to do with two things: one is the action, which is handled splendidly with very little CGI (that constant car-flip looks real, it is real), and the other is Daniel Craig’s portrayal of Bond. He’s no mere super agent. We see another side to him that’s interesting and even tragic. But when the time comes for him to spring into action, he gets brutal. There’s more to James Bond than I would’ve thought, and I admire that about this film.

247) SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER (1977)

When I was a kid, my parents bought me the soundtrack to this film, complete with numerous exciting Bee Gees disco songs. I was not ready to see the film at that age. A few years later, I did finally see it and…didn’t think much of it. When I got older (closer to the age of the troubled main character played by John Travolta) was when I began to truly appreciate what it really was: a story about a thoroughly unlikable jerk (played effectively by Travolta) trapped in a bitter loop in life that can only be brightened by blowing off steam on the disco dance floor. When I realized that was the film’s true intention, I found it compelling. Gene Siskel’s favorite film? Kind of hard not to like it, isn’t it. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/12/11/saturday-night-fever-1977/

246) MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (2015)

“Oh what a day! WHAT A LOVELY DAY!” I didn’t review this one, because honestly…what can I say about it? It’s pure adrenaline rush all the way through, with nonstop action, thrilling stunts, gripping visuals, frantic editing…and every other clichéd critic blurb you can think of. I love it, it’s fantastic, I get excited every time I watch it…moving on!

245) SHATTERED GLASS (2003)

I didn’t think it was true. Several articles in the prestigious publication The OldRepublic printed several stories that were fabricated by the same reporter, Stephen Glass, and were ultimately found out when the Internet proved to be more useful in fact-checking. And yet, it was one of the things often discussed in several journalism courses I took in college. “Shattered Glass” is a good film that rings true to the story it’s based on, and it’s as disturbing as it is fascinating to watch, with a performance from Hayden Christensen as Glass that keeps me wondering when he’s sincere and when he’s lying. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2014/05/05/shattered-glass-2003/

244) ROOM (2015)

I made a documentary about someone who has spent years being held against her will before finally finding both freedom and reason to continue through life. “Room” reminds me of that emotion. It shows us two characters in imprisonment for a very long time before they’re finally able to escape. That’s the first half, which is gripping by itself. The second half is what made it truly special for me, in which they try to find ways to get by in the real world long after being away from it. Excellent acting and several memorably beautiful and/or heartbreaking moments are what I’ll never forget from “Room.” Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2016/01/08/room-2015/

243) MINORITY REPORT (2002)

No, I’m not done with Steven Spielberg. I’ve had several of his movies appear in my original Top 100, and there’s even more I appreciate that will appear on this list, including “Minority Report.” This is a terrific sci-fi entertainment—exciting, visually intriguing, suspenseful, and thought-provoking—and one that a master filmmaker like Spielberg can make more interesting than any other.

242) BULL DURHAM (1988)

I could easily just make a top-5 list for my favorite scenes in this film alone. The team meeting at the mound in the middle of a game. Susan Sarandon tying future-husband Tim Robbins to the bed…just to read him poetry all night. Kevin Costner listing without stutter the many things he believes in. Kevin Costner thinking about something other than baseball while at the plate. All four of those moments would make the cut, and there are many more scenes like that in this sometimes funny, sometimes romantic film that is filled with memorable dialogue in a great screenplay. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/04/23/bull-durham-1988/

241) JERRY MAGUIRE (1996)

I could also say the same thing about “Jerry Maguire” that I did about “Bull Durham.” It’s the same blend of comedy and romance (and sports), with the romance arguably given more focus and development. Yes, the “you-had-me-at-hello” scene is easy to gag at, but come on—Tom Cruise and Renee Zellweger are simply adorable together. This movie makes me laugh and makes me smile. And of all the stereotypical “Tom Cruise”-ish performances, this is my personal favorite of Tom Cruise’s, mainly because I think he became aware of his own persona at the time he was making the film. He’s fun to watch, and so is Cuba Gooding Jr (who won the Oscar for his performance as the excitable fame-seeking football player that becomes Cruise’s friend). “SHOW ME THE MONEY!” I should review this movie, because I think I have more to say about it.

240) RUTHLESS PEOPLE (1986)

As I decided I was going to add descriptions to these titles as I count down, I didn’t realize it was going to be so difficult to explain why I consider most of them to be my “favorites.” And with an outrageous comedy like “Ruthless People,” that can be even more difficult. To review a comedy is one of the hardest things to do, because there’s only so many times I can say “that’s so funny.” But it is true—“Ruthless People” made me laugh and laugh and laugh. And it’s only continued to do so with each viewing. In addition, this is my personal favorite performance work from Danny DeVito, who is so ruthless and despicable that’s hard to keep my eyes off him. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/02/11/ruthless-people-1986/

239) CHRONICLE (2012)

I can’t help it. I love “Chronicle.” The first-person camera perspective too much for you? Well, tough. That’s how the story is told. (Just be glad the camera doesn’t shake so much in this particular “found-footage movie.”) This tale of three teenage boys discovering and mastering superhuman abilities is fun to watch the first time around, and the second time around, it’s something deeper than I expected. And unlike most superhero stories, “Chronicle” didn’t feel the need to continue with additional stories about where to go next for these characters—instead, it tells the whole story, and I applaud it for that. Call it a “guilty pleasure,” but I won’t—I hold no guilt on this one. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/02/10/chronicle-2012/

238) THE INCREDIBLES (2004)

A superhero family in an action/adventure made by Disney/PIXAR? Count me in! Call “The Incredibles” the “Fantastic Four” movie we all wanted. With a neat blend of comedy and adventure, as well as a memorable team of heroes with distinct personalities and abilities, “The Incredibles” is just a ton of fun. (Don’t know why PIXAR waited so long to make a sequel while they were making three “Cars” movies, but hey, better late than never, right?) This is one of those childhood movies that got better and better as I got older. Any film that does that and sticks with me is worthy of praise from me.

237) THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE (2013)

How odd is it that I didn’t care so much for the “Catching Fire” novel in the “Hunger Games” book series and yet hold the film adaptation in such high regard? But that’s how I feel. I really liked the first “Hunger Games” movie, and I think “Catching Fire” (the movie) is even better, because it expanded the universe further and asked more questions about what it means to be famous and what it means to actually stand for something—that’s always been the strength of “The Hunger Games,” both the book series and the film series. There are no easy answers and there are even more tricky questions that need to be asked. Add an intriguing heroine (played wonderfully by Jennifer Lawrence) to the center of things, and I’m down for what this series has to offer. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/11/24/the-hunger-games-catching-fire-2013/

236) THOR: RAGNAROK (2017)

Ok, maybe I’m stretching things a bit too far. I finally saw this movie last month (having missed it in theaters) and saw it about five times since then. I can’t help it—this movie is just plain awesome! It’s the Thor movie I didn’t know I wanted, and more importantly, it’s a comedy. A comedy with MCU-esque (Marvel Cinematic Universe-esque) elements in it. It was nice to see the MCU (which usually has it the other way around, with comedy elements in it) let itself loose and give us one hilarious and/or exciting sequence after the other. What resulted is one of my favorite entries in the MCU by far (and don’t worry—there are two more to come on this list).

235) THE BORROWERS (1998)

Ugh. This list is getting more and more embarrassing the more I think about it. Actually, you know what? It’s my list of favorites, and I shouldn’t be embarrassed by anything. (Besides, I already listed “Phantom Town” in my previous Top 100. I can’t list anything more embarrassing…right?) I grew up with this movie, and it stayed with me as time went on, flaws and all. It’s fun, funny, features top-notch special effects, and is just a nice decent adventure involving miniature (about 3 inches) people trying to outsmart a brutish John Goodman…what’s wrong with that? It has very little to do with the “Borrowers” books it’s based upon, but it’s entertaining on its own. And I also admire the quick pace of it. Nothing seems slow, but nothing seems too rushed either. It’s just fine the way it is. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/02/15/the-borrowers-1998/

By the way, I ranked Studio Ghibli’s “The Secret World of Arrietty” (based on the same book series as this film) higher than this and yet I seem to enjoy this one more…man, I hate star-ratings. (For the record, “Arrietty” would’ve made the cut if the list expanded another 30-50…see what I mean about my love for movies and how hard it is to rank these things?)

234) LOST IN TRANSLATION (2003)

To say “Lost in Translation” is “charming” is not even close to enough. It’s a gentle, deep film that isn’t too sweet or too profound or even tragic while it’s also a film about getting away from routine and wondering if staying away from it is suitable enough. With effectively real characters played brilliantly by Bill Murray and Scarlett Johannsen, an intelligent script, and wonderful direction by Sofia Coppola, “Lost in Translation” is a nice little trip that I can’t help but take every now and again just to get away from my own routine.

233) SE7EN (1995)

“WHAT’S IN THE BOX?!” That ending… I’ll be honest, the rest of the film building up to it is tense and unnerving enough, but that ending… That’s it, I got nothing else. Next movie.

232) THE BLUES BROTHERS (1980)

This musical comedy has everything. It has a lot of laughs. It has a lot of action. It has a lot of music. It has a lot of heart… Ok, maybe it doesn’t have that much heart… Wait a minute, the main goal is to save an orphanage from closing down—how much more heart do you need? The Blues Brothers are “on a mission from God!” This movie is just one big ball of entertainment that I can’t just “watch” but “experience.”

231) THE NICE GUYS (2016)

Take some elements of film-noir, add in some 1970s flavor, bring in two mismatched detectives, and just for good measure, have it penned and directed by “Lethal Weapon” writer Shane Black, and you have “The Nice Guys.” This film gets funnier (and better) each time I see it, with all kinds of little touches thrown in here or there that I missed the first time. On top of that, Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling are a perfect duo, with Crowe as a depressed bounty hunter who’s tougher than he is smart and Gosling as a dim-witted private-eye who acts way before he thinks. To make up for Gosling’s incompetence is his precocious pre-teenage daughter, played wonderfully by Angourie Rice in a role that could’ve easily backfired. I would love to see another movie with these three people. If only it did better at the box-office…

230) CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (2014)

“Captain America: The Winter Soldier” represents some of the best the Marvel Cinematic Universe has to offer. It showed us that not only were we going to get something bigger from the Marvel comic-book superheroes most of us were familiar with, but we were going to get something deeper as well. With a hero as simple as boy-scout Captain America, it was surprising to see just how compelling his plight could be—that he wants to do the right thing in a modern-day world where nothing is so black-and-white. It’s as thought-provoking as it is entertaining. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2016/12/10/captain-america-the-winter-soldier-2014/

229) BADLANDS (1973)

Terrence Malick is sort of hit-or-miss for me. Sometimes, I find his work invigorating and moving. Other times, I find it pretentious and without substance. “Badlands” falls into the former category for me. It may be violent but it’s also something that hits something within me. The iconic soft music score is beautiful and adds to the lovely cinematography, particularly when it involves outdoor scenery. This is a film that takes advantage of all senses. Then there’s Martin Sheen, who was starting out back then as a rock-solid young actor. Here, he plays a psychotic killer who is strangely charismatic, and he’s somehow able to hit all the right notes in making us want to follow him even if we don’t identify with him. It’s strange the way this film works, but it’s one that I’m sure will always stick with me.

228) HER (2013)

What is love? What is a relationship? What is interaction? What is communication? What does it mean to connect? In Spike Jonze’s “Her,” all of these questions are asked, and while the answers aren’t entirely revealed, it’s difficult to argue with the conclusions, as vague as they may be. Simply put, this film “made me feel things,” as bluntly as I can put it. Whether it’s the bitterness/sweetness of Joaquin Phoenix’s performance or the odd yet charming relationship between him and the voice in his artificial-intelligence (voiced by Scarlett Johansson) or even the subtle music score that is layered all throughout the film, there is just something about this film that keeps me captivated from beginning to end. I love this film.

227) SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD (2010)

Well, enough of deep symbolic whimsy. Let’s talk about “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World!” Yes, it’s another one I gave three stars to on this blog, but…come on, it’s “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World!” But wait, its lead characters are so narcissistic that it’s hard to feel anything for them; but…come on, it’s “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World!” But wait, its “world” is difficult to figure out, as it seems to run on its own logic and rules; but…come on, it’s “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World!” You want something profound and thought-provoking? I got other films for that. There is only one “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.” And it’s quick, sharp, witty, funny, great to look at, filled with numerous in-jokes, has a unique flair about itself, and overall it’s just a ton of fun. (I seem to be saying that a lot in this list: “a ton of fun.” Sometimes, for my favorites, that’s exactly what I need.)

226) HUSH (2016)

I really like what director Mike Flanagan has been doing with the horror genre lately. With “Oculus” and “Gerald’s Game” and the surprisingly-good “Ouija: Origin of Evil,” Flanagan knows it takes more than simple tricks to scare/enthrall audiences. And my personal favorite of his works is none other than his intensely-creepy, wonderfully-made thriller “Hush,” a home-invasion chiller in which a sadistic killer stalks a lone woman in the middle of nowhere…and the woman is both deaf and mute. That alone has me hooked, and what follows is a nerve-racking series of scenarios in which she uses her wits to try and escape. The film is available on Netflix; check it out as soon as you can because I highly recommend it as one of my favorite horror films in an era of really good horror films. Hey, if Stephen King praised it on Twitter, it must be worth checking out! Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2016/05/11/hush-2016/

225) WAR OF THE WORLDS (2005)

A lot of people don’t particularly care for this one, and I can understand why. The ending is too fair. Tim Robbins’ survivalist character is a bit of a distraction. And while Tom Cruise’s lousy-father character is a fine protagonist, his children, played by Dakota Fanning and Justin Chatwin, can be really annoying. But I can never forget seeing it at age 13 on a big screen in the summer of 2005. It blew me away and kept me on the edge of my seat, and when it was over, I was glad to step outside the theater and feel like everything was OK again. An effect of the magic of Spielberg (yes, another Spielberg movie makes the list). Yes, those things I mentioned are bothersome, but the effects are top-notch, the aliens pose a legitimate threat, the sound design is amazing, and I like that the alien-invasion is only seen from the perspective of one family (much like “Signs,” #38 in my Top 100). I’d love to see it again on a big screen with surround sound if ever I get a chance. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/01/17/war-of-the-worlds-2005/

224) DONNIE DARKO (2001)

Do I get it? Well…I’m not entirely sure. But when I first saw this movie at age 17 (and I saw the director’s cut first), every strange little thing that was happening in this strange little film kept me in awe and kept me thinking. And I can’t forget it. I don’t think the film wants me to forget it! It’s wholly original, truly bizarre, and riveting all the way through. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/04/08/donnie-darko-the-directors-cut/

223) KING KONG (2005)

Any true movie buff would put the 1933 version on their “best” list. Well, this isn’t my “best” list; it’s my “favorites” list. So, the 2005 version, it is! And before anyone goes nuts, I do admire the 1933 version, mainly for its groundbreaking story & effects. As for the 2005 version, you could say it’s because I grew up with it and had an awesome theater-going experience with it (same as with “War of the Worlds”), but I really do like it better. Maybe it’s the 3-hour running time, but I felt more within the story and characters (including Kong himself) and was able to take in a lot more of what I was viewing. Naomi Watts is a very appealing lead, and I like that she has a developing connection with Kong, who’s rendered beautifully by Andy Serkis. And I like that there’s more adventure added to make life a living hell for a colorful group of supporting characters. And…I’ll say it again: it’s “a ton of fun.”

222) HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN (2004)

My third-favorite Harry Potter movie (with “The Chamber of Secrets” at #59 on my Top 100 and my second-favorite coming up on this list below), “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” took me by surprise when I first saw it as a kid. It had a different tone & style to it, which I had to get used to, having being used to the straightforwardness of the first two movies. Once I did, I couldn’t get enough of it. There was a darker edge to it that I enjoyed, the “magic” sequences were enjoyable, and I could see a change in Harry, turning from a wide-eyed innocent to somewhat of a snarky, cocky, even sinister hero—I could watch that scene where he blows up his rude relative like a balloon numerous times, it’s so damn funny. He’s still got a lot to learn, but then again, so do we. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/02/18/harry-potter-and-the-prisoner-of-azkaban-2004/

221) TROPIC THUNDER (2008)

Oh, the controversy that spawned from this silly action-packed comedic satire of the Hollywood system and the war-movie genre…with blackface…and an overly exaggerated stereotype of a mentally disabled person… Ok, I’m not going to act like the controversy wasn’t warranted. It’s tough territory to make a comedy with. If the satire within these elements didn’t work so well, it wouldn’t have worked so well with critics & audiences. It’s sharply written and uses the film’s problems to its advantage. All the cast members are game and good company, especially Robert Downey Jr., who is nearly (yeah, right) unrecognizable playing an Australian actor playing a black Army sergeant. Good stuff here. Forget what the fist-wavers say; let them actually see the movie. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/05/01/tropic-thunder-2008/

220) ALMOST FAMOUS (2000)

Well…maybe I should be more specific and say that it’s the director’s cut of “Almost Famous” that’s one of my favorites. (Or is it called “The Bootleg Edition”…or “Untitled”…the opening credits call it “Untitled”…?) It’s the film that filmmaker Cameron Crowe really wanted to make before it was cut down upon theatrical release. (Usually, that doesn’t work in his favor—look up “Elizabethtown” for an interesting festival/release story.) Whatever the version, I really like this movie. It’s a love letter to ‘70s rock, which I like, and it has colorful, memorable characters to follow on the road, including not-groupie (“band-aid,” as she prefers) Penny Lane (Kate Hudson), who’s the perfect Manic Pixie Dream Girl (before that phrase was even coined). Oh, and Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s music-critic character? One of the best representations of a critic I’ve ever seen in a movie! (Though, I disagree with him about The Doors. I like them fine.)

219) LOVE & MERCY (2015)

“Love & Mercy” is basically two movies in one, each having to do with Brian Wilson from The Beach Boys. Movie 1 shows young Brian Wilson (Paul Dano) in his days making “Pet Sounds” & “Good Vibrations” while descending into depression & hopelessness, while Movie 2 shows older Brian Wilson (John Cusack) trying to overcome his inner demons. Personally, I enjoy Movie 1 better, but I feel like the film needs Movie 2 to bring it all full-circle. Based on the true life of Brian Wilson, “Love & Mercy” is sometimes disturbing, other times fun, and overall intriguing. I can never listen to a Beach Boys album the same way again. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2016/03/01/love-mercy-2015/

218) FRUITVALE STATION (2013)

This film…broke me. Based on the real-life murder of a young black man named Oscar Grant III, “Fruitvale Station” shows us the last few hours of a young man’s life before it’s suddenly taken away from him via misunderstanding and some really, really inept police officers who never should’ve had the uniform, let alone weaponry… Even after reading about the true story online, the ending of this film makes me so angry. That’s because I was so invested in this guy’s life and I felt so bad that he was soon going to die. When the inevitable resolution finally happened, the first time I saw the film, I had to be alone and think to myself for a while before I could endure the tearjerking ending. This is not an easy film to watch. But it’s one that definitely made an impact on me. And it’s well-made and well-acted, particularly by Michael B. Jordan as Oscar. “Where’s Daddy?” Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2014/01/25/fruitvale-station-2013/

217) THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN (2005)

Ok, how about something silly to get police brutality off my mind? Actually, “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” is more sophisticated than most “silly” comedies, because there is a romance in this film that is, as Roger Ebert eloquently put it, “too sweet to be funny.” Exactly—this is a romance that used humor to ease us in and set us up. Once it was settled, we already like Andy (the titular character, played by Steve Carell) and are glad when he finds somebody he can share something special with, that person being Trish (Catherine Keener), the hottest grandmother anyone could meet. They’re cute together, and so it’s easy to root for them to share a loving relationship together (oh, and of course, root for him to do the deed too). But in terms of the comedy, “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” has some of my favorite laugh-out-loud moments in movie history. In fact, the one scene that has me cackling loudly in any movie ever…is the chest-waxing scene. There’s some Smith’s Verdict trivia for you. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/02/14/the-40-year-old-virgin-2005/

216) DEADPOOL (2016)

It’s the ultra-meta anti-superhero movie that knows we’ve already seen many, many superhero movies, based on the ultra-meta comic-book anti-superhero that knows we’ve already read many, many comic books. “Deadpool” is the comic-book movie that we needed, whether we knew it or not. I like it for almost the same reasons I like “Thor: Ragnarok,” in that it hardly takes itself seriously and just has fun with conventions. (Except “Deadpool” does it while breaking the fourth wall and talking directly to us.) Nothing is left sacred, the energy is frantic, and nothing is played safe. And dare I say, it’s the best X-Men movie I think I’ll ever see, despite it only having a couple of X-Men. (Although, “Logan” came close to making this list. That film gets better each time I see it.) Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2016/05/18/deadpool-2016/

215) STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN (1982)

I haven’t watched that much of the “Star Trek” TV show in my life, but in the few episodes I’ve seen, I’ve noticed its strengths—lots of creative ideas and rich, memorable characters. I did see all of the movies, however, most of which stayed true to my impression of the series episodes I saw before. And “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” is the best of the movies that I’ve seen (I don’t think I’m alone in that either). It’s escapist entertainment, but it’s also dramatic when it needs to be. The blend of adventure, science-fiction, and drama truly fit together, and the themes of life and death prove effective here. And Ricardo Montalban makes a smooth, chilling villain. “Do you know the old Klingon proverb that states that revenge is a dish that is best served cold?” Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/02/13/star-trek-ii-the-wrath-of-khan-1982/

214) DAZED AND CONFUSED (1993)

If Steven Spielberg is my favorite director, then Richard Linklater is my second-favorite. In everything he makes, there’s always a group of people with something interesting to say, even when it seems they run in mundane circles. With “Dazed and Confused,” a movie about teenagers celebrating the last day of school, it’s no exception. Everything these kids say, whether it’s thinking about Presidents who secretly cropped pot or why jocks play sports and get laid or the reasoning of initiation into the upper campus classes, I’ll listen to them. Linklater always has a great ear for dialogue and a great feel for making the mundane into something more intriguing. And, of course, the soundtrack is pretty great too. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/03/08/dazed-and-confused-1993/

213) MUNICH (2005)

Yet another Spielberg film, and this one is one of his most accomplished works. “Munich” is Spielberg’s attempt at trying to understand the “War on Terror,” using the 1972 Olympic murders as a parallel to what was going on in the 2000s, when “Munich” was being made. A secret team of assassins is hired to take out the terrorists responsible for the killings. One of those men may be played by James Bond (Daniel Craig), but these are not action heroes. It’s sad but also true that no one knows what can truly stop terrorism from occurring, and as Eric Bana’s leading character puts it, “Every man we’ve killed has been replaced by worse!” In addition to that, “Munich” also represents some of Spielberg’s best filmmaking (and that’s saying a lot), with one nail-biting scene after another. There’s one scene that involves a bomb and a telephone—the architecture of that scene is astounding; it deserves to be analyzed in film-school. Spielberg isn’t afraid to take chances, and “Munich” represents one of his most risky yet most captivating films in his long resume.

212) INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (2009)

We move on from Jewish assassins taking out Palestinian terrorists to Jewish soldiers killing Nazis (or, “killin’ Nat-zees”). Filmmaker Quentin Tarantino has fun with this audacious WWII-set comedy/thriller/drama in which history is bent just for the sake of suspenseful/hilarious entertainment. One of the things I enjoy seeing in movies is when horrible characters get their comeuppances, especially when said-horrible characters are bigoted, racist trashbags of filth. When Nazis are involved, I tense up when I know something terrible is about to happen, and then I get excited because I know they’re going to get theirs soon enough. Who better to take them out than Brad Pitt and his troop of guerrilla fighters who take no prisoners except when they need to make a statement (like carve swastikas on Nazis’ foreheads, for example)? Also, Christoph Waltz may be one of the most deliciously evil antagonists I’ve ever seen in any movie, and he’s just so brilliant at playing this slimy, no-good, pathetic son-of-a-bitch who just soaks up every bit of evil that’s in him. He deserved the Oscar for his performance.

211) BREAKING AWAY (1979)

There are going to be people out there who think they’re better than you. When you show the slightest possibility that you might be able to beat them in something, they might (and/or will) try to unfairly cheat their way above you again. What can you do? Show them that you can take it or show them that you’re going to keep going? In “Breaking Away,” our main characters are underachieving young adults who are constantly reminded by college kids of what they don’t have. In the end, they have a chance to show them up and find their own self-respect in the process. When I saw this film as a kid, that was all I saw in it. I didn’t even pay attention to the other elements in the film, such as parents fearing their mistakes are being passed down to their children. That just shows that there’s more to “Breaking Away” than meets the eye, and I truly enjoy watching it. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/04/01/breaking-away-1979/

210) THE ARTIST (2011)

“The Artist” is cinematic magic—proof that visual storytelling can still be proven effective if handled correctly. And in this homage to the silent film era, this Best Picture Oscar winner is enthralling from beginning to end. Many moments in the film are intense and depressing, but those moments are earned by the time they occur. We’re roped into this silent world where everything is going into sound, and we feel bad for those who can’t make the transition. It’s a film that deserves to be seen by anyone who cares about films. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/02/24/the-artist-2011/

209) YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES (1985)

Sigh. Once again, I’m pushing it here. As with “The Borrowers,” there’s nothing that’s particularly high-class about “Young Sherlock Holmes” (except for, perhaps, the very first CGI character, seen on screen for a few seconds as a walking stained glass window). But it’s still (broken record here) “a ton of fun.” It’s a what-if scenario in which Sherlock Holmes and John Watson meet as schoolboys…in a Spielberg-produced movie that features Temple of Doom ripoffs. Ok, it’s not perfect. But it is fun, especially when it references Sir Arthur Conan Doyle lit elements in this particular setting. (And don’t think I haven’t thought of Harry Potter while watching this film with fantasy elements, set at a boarding school, with a bespectacled young hero at the center of an amazing adventure.) Nicholas Rowe is great as young Sherlock Holmes; it’s a shame his career didn’t really go anywhere, because he has such a charismatic presence in this movie. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/01/24/young-sherlock-holmes-1985/

208) CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD (1986)

I really don’t like that title. It sounds like a title “The Mission” should’ve had. It doesn’t sound like the sweet love story that it truly is. It stars William Hurt as a teacher for the deaf, as he meets a strong, stubborn, completely deaf woman (Marlee Matlin) whom he falls in love with and wants to help her get by better in the hearing world. But she would rather let him be more comfortable in her quiet world, and so while there’s romance, there’s also struggle for compromise. Matlin is deaf in real life; it’s good that a deaf actress was chosen rather than a hearing A-list actress who could play deaf for a role. (And it paid off—she won the Oscar for her performance here.) She and Hurt are great together, and that their relationship is a tricky one is one of the key elements to the film’s success. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/02/14/children-of-a-lesser-god-1986/

207) THE INDIAN IN THE CUPBOARD (1995)

Yet another childhood movie that got better for me as time went on. I first saw it when I was 8; I didn’t even know this was based on a British series of five books until I was 16. I read the first three, and while they’re fine reads, they didn’t grab me nearly as much as this American adaptation of the first book. (As with “Catching Fire,” this is another example of a film adaptation outlasting its source material.) This is a terrific family film that teaches responsibility to children and does so in an interesting way: by having its 9-year-old lead character be responsible for a magical cupboard that can turn inanimate action figures into real, living people. He learns soon enough that these are real lives he’s playing with, and his friendship with one of them (the titular Native American) becomes an interesting father-son-like relationship—he has one hard-hitting line of dialogue that stayed with me throughout the years: “You should not do magic you do not understand!” The visual effects are outstanding, the acting is good, and I also love that there’s no antagonist to make things worse for the characters for a dramatic climax—the film did well enough just by letting the danger of the situation speak for itself. It’s a terrific film that works just as well for adults as it does for kids. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/03/27/the-indian-in-the-cupboard-1995/

206) RESERVOIR DOGS (1992)

“Reservoir Dogs” was Quentin Tarantino’s first film, and boy, did it pave the way for what was to come. His brilliant dialogue crossed with his unique style of filmmaking became his trademark. This film showed the sloppiness of gangsters, as well as what they talk about when they aren’t conducting business (hello, “Pulp Fiction”—#21 on my Top 100). What “Pulp Fiction” didn’t show was this ridiculous large amount of people turning against each other after spending so much time arguing about who’s trustworthy in such a delicate time when anyone could either bail, kill, or be killed. It’s a tense thriller, an even more tense drama, and with a lot of biting dialogue that I can’t get out of my head, no matter how hard I try. (Actually, I take that back—why would I try?) “Are you gonna bark all day, little doggie…or are you gonna bite?” Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2015/05/30/reservoir-dogs-1992/

205) LADY BIRD (2017)

The day I first saw this film in a theater, I was going to see another film immediately after. But after seeing “Lady Bird,” I decided it wouldn’t be fair to the other film because I would just be thinking about how much I loved this one, and so I skipped the other one. My admiration for the film still grows. I love “Lady Bird.” I tried explaining this film to a friend, and it sounded like I was describing a different coming-of-age movie about a high-school girl, something more conventional. But I haven’t seen a film quite like this one. It covers certain familiar topics, but it does so in an unfamiliar way. I was so glad when the Oscars recognized this film, beautifully written and directed by Greta Gerwig, this past year. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2017/11/20/lady-bird-2017/

204) SOUNDER (1972)

Here’s another small film that was recognized by the Oscars. I didn’t know much about this movie. I had heard about a few times growing up and just assumed it was about a boy and his dog, like “Old Yeller.” Boy, was I way off.  (Hell, the dog is the least interesting thing about the movie, despite his name, Sounder, being the title.) Instead, it’s a quiet, gentle film about an African-American family trying to get by in the Depression-plagued South. It’s about how they live and how they persevere in times of trouble. With the right acting & script, you can make something great with that alone. As of now, I own this film as part of a multiple-DVD collection of ‘50s-‘70s family movies—“Sounder” sticks out like a sore thumb, and I mean that in the most positive way. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2015/03/23/sounder-1972/

203) THE END OF THE TOUR (2015)

There are many different kinds of movies that I truly admire, and I think that’s what I’m trying to get across with this list. I’m not entirely sure what it takes to strike a chord in me that will keep me coming back to a certain movie again and again. But what I do know is that sometimes, a movie doesn’t need any social commentary or visually intriguing sequences or even necessarily a plot in order to keep me invested. Sometimes, all it takes is to be in the company of some very interesting characters saying some equally interesting dialogue. And that’s exactly what I get from “The End of the Tour.” Directed by James Ponsoldt (who also made “The Spectacular Now”—#83 on my Top 100), this film is based on the week writer David Lipsky (here played by Jesse Eisenberg) spent with famed reclusive author David Foster Wallace (Jason Segel). Lipsky wants the attention that Wallace has, while Wallace wants something more than attention; the dynamic between these two is fascinating, almost like a big-brother/little-brother mentorship. And the conversations they share, whether it be about addiction or self-pity or even Alanis Morrisette, are plenty enough to make me wonder why in the world it wasn’t considered for the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar. “The End of the Tour” is a wonderful film about how the greatest pleasures in life involve a connection and communication. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2015/11/10/the-end-of-the-tour-2015/

202) ARGO (2012)

Here’s one that was definitely recognized by the Oscars (except Best Director—what the hell?). And for good reason—it’s really good! It’s executed perfectly, capturing the essence of the late 1970s, and fizzes with tension. It plays almost exactly like a thriller from the ‘70s, showing that director/actor Ben Affleck truly has affection for the genre, the era, and just filmmaking in general. It’s intriguing to watch and takes me on an intense journey each time I see it. “Argo f*** yourself!” Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/01/22/argo-2012/

201) SCHOOL OF ROCK (2003)

Here’s another film I grew up with. There’s nothing particularly profound about this movie. Jack Black’s lazy rocker character doesn’t learn anything, there are a lot of traditional tropes you could see in a similar prep-school film like “Dead Poets Society,” too many scenes of conflict/confrontation are resolved easily, and for a Richard Linklater film, I’m not even sure I learned anything from what the characters say. And yet…it rocks. This was the film that introduced me to Jack Black’s charisma, and I’ve been a fan of his ever since. Jack Black is this movie; he is what makes this movie a lot of fun to watch. You can tell he has this burning desire to create music and would sell his soul for rock and roll, and his energy practically bursts through the screen. He’s great, the kids are good comic actors, there are a lot of funny scenes I like to watch on repeat (like the scene where he auditions the kids that would be his lead band members), and if Linklater had to make a mainstream comedy, I’m glad it was this one. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/04/17/school-of-rock-2003/

200) THE MIGHTY (1998)

We’re making our way to the beginning of the countdown for the Top 200, with “The Mighty.” I grew up watching both this film and a film similar to it that came out the same year; that film was “Simon Birch.” But whereas “Simon Birch” got worse with time due to its cloying, manipulative artificiality, “The Mighty” got better and better with time due to its ability to evoke emotion by giving us real characters in a realistic setting. I like these characters (young boys played by Elden Henson and Kieran Culkin) because I feel like I was these characters one way or another, and I think a lot of other people who see this film feel the same way. They’re outcasts who don’t feel special and find ways to prove themselves worthy. This is a film that I treasure so much that it totally makes me forget that this is the same director of the “Hannah Montana” movie. “Freak the Mighty!” Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/07/02/the-mighty-1998/

199) SUNSET BOULEVARD (1950)

I like to look at “Sunset Boulevard” like a classic horror film, complete with an unpredictable antagonist, offbeat style of filmmaking, chilling music score, and shot in black-and-white. The best horror-film villains are the unpredictable ones, and truth be told, I am terrified by Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson). It’s bad enough she’s obsessed with the fame she used to have as a silent-movie queen, to the point where she’s having a nervous breakdown, but what she’ll do to ultimately gain the attention she craves sends shivers down my spine. But another reason I admire this film is because of the script. The dialogue, the construction, the use of narration—everything about it works. (How I first saw this film is when it was discussed in film-classes in college.) And the ending…yikes. I think I may like this film for the same reasons I’m frightened by “The Haunting” (#17).

198) LIVING IN OBLIVION (1995)

When I’m not writing about movies, I’m a struggling indie filmmaker trying to make them myself. It’s hard as hell trying to make them, but I enjoy making them nonetheless. “Living in Oblivion” is a film about an independent film crew trying to make a film, and so many obstacles keep getting in the way. I relate 100% to everyone and everything here. If that’s not reason enough to call this film one of my favorites, well then, that’s why I’m not making a list of “the best.” Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2015/12/16/living-in-oblivion-1995/

197) PARADISE ROAD (1997)

I mentioned that the reason “Room” stayed with me was because it reminded me of a documentary I made about how hopelessness can be replaced with optimism. What I didn’t mention was that the main focus of said-documentary was imprisoned in a Japanese prison camp when the Japanese Army took over the Dutch East Indies during WWII. At the time I was making it, I didn’t even know about it. And I wondered if there was a film based on any part of that time in history. Surely enough, as I was searching through Google for images relative to it to use for my film, I happened to come across an image of Glenn Close. Why was that? Because Glenn Close was in a 1997 film about women held prisoner in Japanese-occupied Sumatra. That film is called “Paradise Road.” And I’m just glad that it exists.

196) ALIENS (1986)

“Get away from her, you bitch!” This movie is one powerful rollercoaster. It eases you in nice and steady, and then it takes you on a wild ride that doesn’t let up until the final loop. And God bless director James Cameron for it—simply put, this movie is awesome! Badass Sigourney Weaver proves she can shoot with the men any day, the vicious aliens pose a legitimate threat, the action scenes are riveting, and I just have a freaking ball with this movie each time I watch it. When it comes to the theatrical cut and the Special Edition, I’m only slightly leaning towards the latter as superior, mostly because it makes the mother-daughter connection between Ripley and Newt a lot stronger. “Game over, man! Game over!” Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/03/31/aliens-1986/

195) REAL GENIUS (1985)

For all the dopey college comedies featuring all kinds of stereotypes, particularly the nerdy stereotype, “Real Genius” is the one I think people could learn from. It shows all portions of really smart people: the brilliant portion, the partying portion, the sociable portion, the not-so-sociable portion, the jerky portion, even the idiotic portion. Rather than being one-note dorky & nerdy, the characters in “Real Genius” feel real. Yes, amidst all the wacky antics scattered throughout the film (including one of the greatest comeuppances I’ve ever seen given to any comedy antagonist), it’s surprising to find that it’s happening with our titular “real geniuses” who feel as real as those you went to high-school or college with. It’s the best move to go with. That our main characters are likable on top of that makes it a charming movie for me to keep coming back to. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/02/06/real-genius-1985/

194) WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY (1971)

“Little surprises around every corner, but nothing dangerous!” Yeah, right. After four out of five kids visiting Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory end up with questionable fates due to those “little surprises,” Wonka (Gene Wilder) assures the remaining child, Charlie (Peter Ostrum), that “when they leave here, they’ll be complete restored to their normal, terrible old selves.” That was probably to assure the younger movie viewers that everything’s OK, but even today as an adult, I’m still not convinced. But it is a neat, effective way to warn children that there are consequences to being rude, crude, greedy, and addicted, and to get your reward is to be kind and true to your heart. And all it took was a unique trip into an odd, fascinating world of candy, wonder, and “little surprises around every corner,” with an odd, fascinating man like Willy Wonka to guide us through.

193) BEETLEJUICE (1988)

This is one of my favorites just for its sheer originality and weirdness. There’s nothing particularly profound I learned from it, except if a strange family wants to move into your home after you’ve died…just let them stay, I guess. But whatever, I really like Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice.” The production design is outstanding, it’s an interesting look at an afterlife, and all the characters are unique and fun to watch, particularly Catherine O’Hara’s sophisticatedly odd sculptress and of course Michael Keaton’s ghoulish trashmouth Beetlejuice. It’s weird to think I discovered this movie on the Disney Channel when I was 7 (no, really—this was shown on the Disney Channel!), but I’m glad I did. “Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice!”

192) PLATOON (1986)

I feel the most effective way to make a war film is to just put us in the action and show the audience what it feels like to go through something as harrowing as war. Writer/director Oliver Stone based this film off of his own experiences in the Vietnam War, and the result is one of the most realistic exhilarating war films I’ve ever seen. I first saw it on VHS tape when I was 13, and even though I didn’t quite understand what the Vietnam War was all about (it took several other movies and a couple history-class lectures to get some idea…some), the film still grabbed me. The battle scenes felt brutal and the struggles between the platoon felt intense. It made me wonder what I would’ve done if I were in that situation. And…not to sound rude, but it may have turned me away from the idea of enlisting altogether. (I’m sorry, but it’s just not for me.) Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/05/02/platoon-1986/

191) STOP MAKING SENSE (1984)

Jonathan Demme’s Talking Heads concert film “Stop Making Sense” is nothing but music. People have labeled it as the best concert film ever made, and I can’t argue with them—it’s a great experience. Before I saw it, I had only heard a couple Talking Heads songs. When I finally saw it, I not only listened to those same songs (plus about 10 more) but I developed more of an appreciation for the band as artists. They put on a great show and they perform lots of different styles of music, borrowing from their influences while making their music their own. I didn’t feel I knew much about the band members, but I didn’t care, because “Stop Making Sense” is an hour-and-a-half of stimulating, uninterrupted music that I can’t get enough of. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2015/09/18/stop-making-sense-1984/

190) NEAR DARK (1987)

If my #100 pick, “Let the Right One In” (and “Let Me In”), is my favorite vampire film, then “Near Dark” is my second-favorite. What do they have in common? Strangely, they have very little do with vampire conventions. Sure, the “vampires” (I use quotations because the word “vampire” is used either once or never in these movies) drink blood and avoid sunlight, but the styles their films are executed with are far from “Dracula” or “Nosferatu” or “The Lost Boys.” The vampires in “Near Dark” are represented as nomadic outlaws who travel from place to place and kill people…and drink their blood…and also have to avoid sunlight or die. The more grounded the supernatural aspect is, the more effective it is. Director Kathryn Bigelow (who’s certainly come a long way since making this film, eventually becoming the first female Best Director Oscar winner) shoots this film with a unique visual flair; she makes the night feel as bright as day, making the vampires’ outlook more efficient. And then there’s the vampires themselves, who are a unique, memorable, threatening, remarkable bunch (it helps that three of them are played by actors from “Aliens”). If I see these guys walk into a bar where I happen to be playing pool, I’m sneaking out the back (or throwing myself out the window) and running for my life. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/01/16/near-dark-1987/

189) (500) DAYS OF SUMMER (2009)

What do I like more than a romantic comedy? An anti-romantic comedy. “(500) Days of Summer” is a story about a lovesick guy who is smitten by an interesting woman, but it’s not a love story. Like “Ruby Sparks” (my #15 choice), this is a film about a hopeless romantic learning the sad truth that his ideal significant other does not exist. While Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) gets off easy in learning the lesson compared to the similar character in “Ruby Sparks,” it still hurts nonetheless. I like the way the film plays with tropes and also with linear storytelling, telling events non-chronologically and even pulling little tricks for comedic effect, such as testimonials from supporting characters about love, an homage to artistic French cinema, and even an outrageous dance sequence right after Tom gets lucky with the woman he thinks he loves. Its lack of cliché made me laugh out of unfamiliarity and its overall cleverness made me smile. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/02/14/500-days-of-summer-2009/

188) PINEAPPLE EXPRESS (2008)

Hands down, the best stoner comedy I’ve ever seen…mostly because I haven’t seen that many. Don’t get me wrong; I’ve seen my fair share of Cheech and Chong, Harold & Kumar, and Kevin Smith movies. But something about David Gordon Green’s “Pineapple Express” kept me coming back. This is not only one of the funnier movies I’ve seen in the past decade, but it’s also one of the most ambitious. It takes advantage of its moderate budget to give us some nicely-shot-&-edited action scenes that were both funny and thrilling. (What do you do when you can’t see through the windshield in a car chase? Kick through the glass, of course! “Hey I can see through my leg-hole!”) And this is probably a strange thing to point out in a comedy, but “Pineapple Express” is very well-made. (And I enjoy listening to Green & cast/crew talking in the DVD audio commentary about what they went through to create certain scenes.) All the characters are fun and likable, particularly James Franco as perpetually stoned but always friendly Saul, and the film overall is just…don’t make me say it again, because I lost count of how many times I’ve said it on this list…”a ton of fun.” I’m a writer—shouldn’t I have more things to say about some of the more “fun” choices on this list?

187) KUNG FU PANDA (2008) – KUNG FU PANDA 2 (2011) – KUNG FU PANDA 3 (2016)

Yes, I’m cheating again. Just as with the three “Toy Story” movies at #46 on my Top 100, I’m placing all three “Kung Fu Panda” movies together for this list. These are the ultimate “don’t judge a book by its cover” movies. No one would have ever suspected that these “Kung Fu Panda” movies with Jack Black as the voice of an overweight panda learning kung fu would turn out to be something not only fun/humorous but also surprisingly heartfelt and deeply philosophical. They’re movies that kids can watch for the slapstick comedy and the neatly animated fight sequences, but they can also get something more out of them, such as discovering your true calling, finding your inner peace, and using your skills for something you didn’t even expect. Extremely clever storytelling help make these films into more than they had any right to be, and I enjoy them all thoroughly. Those are things that children can learn, but adults can gain something from them too. “Kung Fu Panda” is for DreamWorks Animation what “Toy Story” is for Disney/PIXAR.

186) MEAN CREEK (2004)

“Fruitvale Station” broke me when I was 21, “Mean Creek” broke me when I was 13. I caught this film on TV, and it was the most depressing thing I had ever seen at that time in my life. That it was about kids my age going through the biggest crisis of their lives hammered it even further into home. I wouldn’t have seen it again if it didn’t make me realize that I had to see it again, just to teach myself that the things that happen in this film probably do happen in real-life (and it became more clear to me as I got older that they do happen in real-life). Since then, I’ve seen other films that capture that particular mindset of scared kids who say/do irrational things because they don’t know what else to do (such as last year’s “Super Dark Times”). None of them had nearly as much of an impact as “Mean Creek” affected me a long time ago. Also, I have to mention Josh Peck’s performance—I saw this film around the same time I was a frequent viewer of Nickelodeon’s “Drake & Josh,” and to see “Josh” in this kind of role back then, as a lonely kid with a violent mean streak, was more than surprising to me. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/03/28/mean-creek-2004/

185) STRANGER THAN FICTION (2006)

It’s not that I didn’t like this movie when I first saw it in a theater at age 14; it’s that I didn’t understand it. I expected a wacky Will Ferrell comedy (give me some credit; it came out the same year as Will Ferrell’s smash comedy hit “Talladega Nights”), and instead, I got a deep drama about facing mortality…starring Will Ferrell. But as time went on, it stayed with me. And it kept me coming back to admire it for its rich characterization, its cunning use of storytelling, and its ability to make me feel for the main character and think about what it means to truly “live.” And Will Ferrell is very good in it; he’s a stronger actor than people give credit for. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/04/14/stranger-than-fiction-2006/

184) ALADDIN (1992)

So many of my favorite movies are movies that I grew up watching. (I think some day, I’ll make a list of childhood movies that did NOT hold up for me so well, just to prove to myself that there are some.) I grew up with many Disney movies, including Beauty and the Beast (#48) and The Lion King (#34) and Aladdin. And I like “Aladdin” for the same reason everyone else likes it. It’s not for Aladdin & Jasmine (though they’re fine protagonists) nor is it for the sinisterness of Jafar or his comedic foil Iago the parrot (though they’re fine villains) nor is it for the great soundtrack (though “A Whole New World” is a beautiful song—the lively version they use in the movie, definitely not the dull end-credits version) nor is it even for the beautiful animation (what’s to be expected of a Disney animated film?)—it’s for that big, blue, quick-witted, energetic Genie, voiced by the late Robin Williams. Williams was made for animation and was given the perfect character for him to play: a shapeshifting magical cartoon that can become anything and anyone, just as Williams liked to pretend he was in his stand-up and in his other movies. We should all face it: the movie could have been called “Genie” instead of “Aladdin,” and nobody would mind in the slightest. “You ain’t never had a friend like me!”

183) CHRISTINE (1983)

Just listen to this premise: an awkward teenage guy forms a special bond with his car, and the car has a supernatural presence within it that runs down his enemies and also becomes jealous of his girlfriend. But the way “Christine” is acted and directed (by John Carpenter) is handled with utmost seriousness. Even when it seems preposterous, I can’t help but stayed absorbed to what’s happening on the screen. I like the slow pace of the film, causing the supernatural occurrences to just happen naturally, rather than rush into the fantasy/horror aspects with no real buildup. I like the change that the main character, Arnie, goes through when he lets the car take over his soul and what it leads to in the end. And I like the showdown between the car and a bulldozer in a battle to the death. Maybe the whole film is silly, but I love the film for taking itself seriously without making me laugh too hard at it. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/03/07/christine-1983/

182) THE STANFORD PRISON EXPERIMENT (2015)

The low-key approach to something as psychologically drastic as the Stanford Prison Experiment for the film based on the experience works effectively in making the situations speak for themselves and tell you what to think. I recall seeing this film in a theater and taking a long drive immediately after. All I could think about was who might have been right and who might have been wrong in one scenario after another that was covered in this truly intense analysis of a psychological study that was supposed to last two weeks but ended after six days. Then I started to think of what I myself would have done if I were in one side of the experiment or in the other side. I was an observer, one of many people who had the opportunity to see the film and decide for myself what it truly meant. And to this day, I believe that there is no true answer. That’s what a great film of this sort can do—raise discussion, grab the thoughts of viewers, and keep you wondering for years to come. “The Stanford Prison Experiment” is a terrific study of an intriguing incident, with a great ensemble cast to lead us through. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2015/10/10/the-stanford-prison-experiment-2015/

181) LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE (2006)

I hate to admit, but…I was a P.A. on “Toddlers & Tiaras” for one day. It was one of the most miserable experiences of my life, and I consider myself lucky it didn’t continue for another day. The idea of innocent little girls being pressured by their parents (mostly their mothers—the mothers were horrid!) to be exploited for attention sickens me. For that reason, there are numerous parts of the final act of “Little Miss Sunshine” that brought back many unpleasant memories. Why is this film one of my favorites then? Because it all leads up to one of the biggest, most outrageously hilarious “f-you” endings I’ve ever seen in any movie. That said-“f-you” ending is directed at beauty pageants of this particular sort, but on a deeper level, it’s also directed at people who don’t see what they want to see in people whose failures shouldn’t be brought front-and-center. Before getting to that, there are numerous appealing characters, many memorable hilarious moments (such as the theft of a dead body and the unpredictable resolution of being pulled over by a trooper), and a big heart added for good measure. And it all leads to the message that you’re fine being who you are and no one can judge you otherwise…it just happens to deliver the message in one of the funniest ways possible. God bless this movie for being so devilishly clever. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/03/19/little-miss-sunshine-2006/

180) THE DISASTER ARTIST (2017)

I love films about filmmaking, and films about the makings of some of the most notoriously bad movies ever made are strangely the most interesting (see “Ed Wood”—#22). When “The Disaster Artist” came along just a few months ago, I knew I was in for a real treat—a film about the making of “The Room,” one of the most laughably bad movies ever to grace the screen. James Franco directed the film and starred as director Tommy Wiseau. He captures the bizarreness of Wiseau but also manages to add a sense of pathos to the character. Even when we don’t know the character’s true origins or even what he’s thinking half the time (he’s harder to figure out than Ed Wood), we still feel for the character and are at least proud of him for making his dream into a reality. He’s dead-on, and the whole film is dead-on. I can’t look at “The Room” the same way again. Just called it one of the worst movies ever made is to miss the point entirely. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2018/05/05/the-disaster-artist-2017/

179) IRON MAN (2008)

It’s the film that started the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which brought us many entertaining movies and is still going strong after 10 years! It began with “Iron Man,” which blew everybody away (including me) by being something more than a traditional action film. With the right blend of humor, social commentary, and thought-provoking questions (and of course, some action here or there), “Iron Man” didn’t give me what I wanted, but it gave it what I needed. (And like with everyone else, it prepared me for an even deeper, more harrowing summer-blockbuster journey with “The Dark Knight”—#31.) Much of what made the film special to audiences is the performance from Robert Downey, Jr., in a year where the actor made a major comeback. He is this movie; his cocky charisma gave us something we didn’t know we wanted in a “superhero.” Of course, future movies involving the character would give us more development (read my “Spider-Man: Homecoming” review for my thoughts on the character), but this is the film that introduced us to him. It’s a pretty solid one. And the ending—pitch-perfect. “I am Iron Man.” Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/05/06/iron-man-2008/

178) ATTACK THE BLOCK (2011)

Simply put, this film just kicks ass. It’s a fast-paced, exhilarating, urban sci-fi film about a tough gang of street kids fighting off a race of vicious invading aliens, and I must have seen it over a hundred times by now. As much as I hate critic’s similes, I’d say call it “Boyz ‘n the Hood” meets “Signs.” The characters are entertaining, the filmmaking is sharp, the editing is exceptionally terrific, the monstrous beasts are convincingly nasty, and the film just gives me one exciting sequence after another. I don’t even know what else to say about it; it’s just A TON OF FUN! I’ve used “a ton of fun” so many times; that might be the last (…for this list anyway). Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/01/16/attack-the-block-2011/

177) FIELD OF DREAMS (1989)

I can’t help it; “Field of Dreams” got me in the feels. Call it “Feels of Dreams.” Is it emotionally manipulative? Perhaps. But it works. I feel the magic, I feel the love of the game of baseball, and I feel the family connection. Adding a dose of magic to everyday realism is something that rarely works, but when it does, it can be one of the best feel-good movies you could ever see. I can say the same about “Big” (#63) and “Groundhog Day” and also “Field of Dreams.” “Hey, Dad…you want to have a catch?” Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/04/06/field-of-dreams-1989/

176) STRANGERS ON A TRAIN (1951)

Yes, have no fear, there is another Hitchcock film that I can call one of my favorites. (And if you’re wondering, “Vertigo” is not on this list. That’s a film I admire more than I like.) The funny thing is, I was introduced to “Strangers on a Train” via Danny DeVito’s “Throw Momma From the Train,” which is essentially a parody of the Hitchcock version. It is a neat, disturbing concept—swapping murders so that strangers kill someone for each other so that there are clear alibis for both murders, only for one stranger to not want to follow through. And Hitchcock uses it to great effect, with an uncompromising series of suspenseful scenarios. He’s also helped by a chilling performance by Robert Walker, as the one who comes up with the devious plan. His calm personality mixed with a sinister grin is both funny and chilling. On a side-note, as someone would either take or leave tennis, I have to give the film credit for the most suspenseful tennis match in the history of cinema.

175) MEMENTO (2001)

I still haven’t “Memento” in reverse order (which would chronological order, since the actual film is told in reverse order…man I love this film). Honestly, I don’t think I need to. Sure, it’s probably still an intriguing thriller if it were told chronologically. But telling the story this way creates opportunity for more thought, more suspense, and therefore, more investment. Simply put, “Memento” is a wonder. It’s a dizzying mystery given a unique approach that has more going for it than the way it was presented.

Now…let’s move on from one of the greatest movies ever made…wait, I can’t say that about any movie, because I’d get in trouble…even though I’m certain only a few people read my blog anyway…whatever, let’s move on from it to one of my biggest guilty pleasures:

174) HEAVYWEIGHTS (1995)

Oh, what do you want from me? I love “Heavyweights.” It’s cute. It’s funny. It’s entertaining. It’s likeable. And I thought I outgrew it…then I found the blu-ray with extensive bonus features, got excited, and realized, “Wait a minute! I love this movie!” That immediately made me rewrite my mixed review on this blog and bump up the rating from two-and-a-half stars to three-and-a-half. I like Ben Stiller’s zany performance, the kids are appealing and funny, there are numerous lines of dialogue that I like to repeat in public, and it just feels like the one summer-camp movie I grew up watching that still holds up to this day. I like it a lot. And you know what? I’m not alone. Critically acclaimed director Paul Thomas Anderson love this movie too, so HA! Actually…come to think of it, this means this is my favorite Judd Apatow-associated movie by default, now that I’ve already listed “Pineapple Express” and “The 40-Year-Old Virgin”…well, now I feel a little embarrassed. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2017/12/26/heavyweights-revised-review/

173) RAIN MAN (1988)

“Rain Man” is said to be one of the least deserving Best Picture Oscar winners. I disagree for two reasons. One is, the competition wasn’t that stiff. (…Though, “Mississippi Burning” probably would’ve come close.) The other is, I think it’s simply a great film. It’s a film about the brotherly relationship between an impatient jerk and his autistic brother. Sounds like Oscar bait, right? Well, “Rain Man” never takes the easy way out. Dustin Hoffman’s character, who is autistic and is in his own world more than half the time, stays exactly the same and doesn’t change. (It’s actually a pretty thankless role, but Hoffman did a great job portraying it.) That makes it all the more special when Tom Cruise’s character, who is cocky, irritated, and intolerant, does change. It’s an interesting dynamic these two actors share—Hoffman can’t change, Cruise doesn’t want to change, Cruise wants Hoffman to change, and as a result, Cruise changes, as he thinks more about someone other than himself and also learns patience. It’s an interesting development for the character that I thought was the best part of the film. It’s just strange that Tom Cruise didn’t get as much recognition as Dustin Hoffman…

172) SPEED (1994)

Pop quiz, hotshot! There’s a bomb on a bus. When the bus gets above 50 miles an hour, the bomb is armed. If it drops below 50, it blows up. What do you do… Do I even need to explain why this awesome action thriller is one of my favorites? I feel like I’d be wasting my fingers just typing out another mini-review… Actually, why am I reviewing these movies anyway? Most of them already have reviews! I’m supposed to be listing them! Let’s move on to a film I haven’t already reviewed… Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/04/22/speed-1994/

171) THE SWORD IN THE STONE (1963)

“The Sword in the Stone” was one of the last animated films supervised by Walt Disney himself and one of the most underrated. I get that it has flaws, such as certain repeats of animation and inconsistent voiceover work, not to mention a very rushed resolution. But it has memorably appealing characters and original ways of teaching lessons to children. Not to mention, it has several neatly animated moments, particularly the Wizard’s Duel, which is so much fun I remember watching it repeatedly as a child. The film isn’t perfect, but it’s still quite entertaining enough to treasure.

170) BAD BOYS (1983)

It’s hard to say that one of my favorite films is called “Bad Boys,” because I would have to explain that it’s not the ‘90s action-comedy starring Martin Lawrence & Will Smith. No, this “Bad Boys” (1983) is a drama starring Sean Penn as a street punk who is sent to juvenile prison where he learns harsh lessons about himself while awaiting an inevitable fatal fight with his enemy. This is one of those reviews I may have to revise in the future, because I’m skimming through my writing in my three-star review, and I hardly agree with my nitpicks I threw in. I mentioned that one of the characters should have known better than to commit harsh crimes…couldn’t I have understood that that’s the whole point? That none of these characters learn from their wrongdoings? That’s what makes it all tragic. This is a great film that got better and better for me with repeated viewings. I love Sean Penn’s performance, I was invested in his character, the direction is fantastic, the script is great and hardly strikes a false note, the side characters are memorable and very real, and I could name over a dozen good scenes in the film. Remember, I’m talking about the other “Bad Boys.” Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/03/01/bad-boys-1983/

169) FROST/NIXON (2008)

I love seeing people in power get their comeuppance and appear foolish when not owning up to their mistakes, which may be why I really got into Ron Howard’s “Frost/Nixon,” which is based on the true story of how small-time talk show host David Frost managed to get what the American people wanted from ridiculed resigned President Richard Nixon. “I’m saying that when the President does it, that means it’s not illegal!” The exchanging dialogue between Nixon & Frost in the final act of the film, I could listen to over and over again. It’s a great battle of wits acted perfectly by Frank Langella (Nixon) and Michael Sheen (Frost). I’m sort-of hit or miss on Ron Howard’s directorial work, but “Frost/Nixon” is my personal favorite of his. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2016/03/28/frostnixon-2008/

168) ALIEN (1979)

This film gave. Me. The. Creeps. I can’t exaggerate how I felt when I watched Ridley Scott’s “Alien” for the first time. Sure, I had heard about it before and so I thought I was prepared for what was to come. But nope. From the moment the Face-Hugger alien attached itself to John Hurt’s face out of nowhere, I was on-edge. It’s the chilling atmosphere, the feeling of claustrophobia, and the reminder of the tagline, “In space, no one can hear you scream,” that makes one of the most frightening horror films I’ve ever seen. And thankfully, I’m not alone on this, as it’s now achieved masterpiece status.

167) INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM (1984)

Ok, remember—this is a list of my favorites. While much of the second Indiana Jones chapter is unnecessarily unpleasant and lacks the uniqueness of the first movie, there’s still a lot to take in with the darkness in tone and the sense of adventure, from the opening chase to the climactic bridge showdown. And…yeah, Willie (Kate Capshaw) is annoying, but…eh, I don’t know, I’ve seen worse damsels in distress, I suppose. Well, there you go—I’ve placed “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” over “Alien,” “Memento,” “Sunset Boulevard,” and “Badlands.” Now, you can never take me seriously again.

166) TREMORS (1990)

I hold no guilt whatsoever on this one. “Tremors” is one of the most entertaining horror-comedies I’ve ever seen, and with every viewing comes a great sense of excitement that I can’t shake. It’s a fun ride involving a group of small-desert-town people battling/surviving a horde of gigantic monstrous subterranean worms (now known from later movies as “Graboids,” because they grab you from the ground and take you under with them). Sounds goofy, it is goofy, and that’s what makes it fun. The practical effects to bring the Graboids to life are most impressive; they become an imposing threat. And the characters are a likable bunch to follow, with Kevin Bacon & Fred Ward as our good-natured but dim-witted heroes and Michael Gross & Reba McEntire as extreme survivalists who unload a good portion of their arsenal into one of the worms. The fun characters and the goofy tone make this more than a traditional monster film; it’s a horror film with a sense of humor that I enjoy watching every now and then…which is a lot more than I can say for the sequels, however.

165) BEDKNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS (1971)

Is it sad to say that this Disney fantasy was my introduction to the Nazis? No…though it would be sad if I continued through life not learning about who they really were, as opposed to the buffoons that they are here. Now that I’m much older than when I first saw “Bedknobs and Broomsticks,” I could say that the climax, in which our heroes fight off Nazis in over-the-top comedic fashion, is somewhat in bad taste. I mean, they are portrayed as villains, but when I was a kid, I only saw them as conventional bad guys, because they don’t do anything that horrible here. That may actually make it worse, the more I think about it, and it’s making me wonder why the Disney studio thought it was ok to include Nazis in their lighthearted, magical Disney adventure that kids are definitely going to see. It’s not violent or bloody or anything like that; it’s just a goofy climax that helps serve the story, and so, whatever anyone’s sensitivity to it, it should be approached without thinking too much about it…which I guess I already did, even though I’m supposed to be listing these choices rather than reviewing them…actually, I haven’t even done that, because I’ve gone on and on about the ending to “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” without explaining why it’s one of my favorites! Ok, I need to move on, so I’ll just sum up—the rest of the movie is pure Disney magic. Wonderfully entertaining, uproariously funny, lovable characters, marvelous effects, great adventure going from one interesting place to another, and a delightful soundtrack filled with great memorable songs. That’s why I keep coming back to it, despite that controversial final act.

164) SING STREET (2016)

My favorite film of 2016. Why don’t I just quote from my 2016 Review? “It made me smile, it moved me in a way I didn’t expect, it delighted me in each direction it took, and there was hardly a moment when I wasn’t invested or didn’t have a smile on my face.” Yeah, that’ll do it. I love this film. Well, that was easy. Moving on. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2016/11/18/sing-street-2016/

163) RASHOMON (1950)

Finally, an Akira Kurosawa film! I have yet to see “Seven Samurai” and I’ve only seen “The Hidden Fortress” once a long time ago, but “Rashomon” is the one I’ve seen repeatedly and the one I find most enthralling. And even today, I still don’t know which of the four storytellers is telling the most accurate tale of what really happened. And I’ll never know. Truth is in the eye of the beholder. It’s a great way to tell a story, and it’s a gimmick that’s been used to great effect in other films as well, such as the great war-drama “Courage Under Fire” and the recently-released “I, Tonya.” It’s gripping, thrilling, and visually impressive. Now, I just need to see more Kurosawa films… Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2015/02/04/rashomon-1950/

162) RISKY BUSINESS (1983)

“Time of your life, huh, kid?” We were all at that age when we were unsure about our future while also unsure about our hormones. “Risky Business” captures that anxiety perfectly, while it also adds a few outrageous plot elements to make things even worse for the teenaged main character. While it’s insightful in the minds of American youth (and not just in the 1980s), it’s also very entertaining due to the ingenuity of the script and the light-heartedness surrounding the central couple, played by Tom Cruise and Rebecca De Mornay. It also has the best use of “In the Air Tonight” I’ve ever heard in a movie. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/05/04/risky-business/

161) THE DEPARTED (2006)

The film that finally won Scorsese the Oscar, “The Departed” may not be as revered as other Scorsese films such as “Taxi Driver” (#56), “Goodfellas” (#51), and “Raging Bull” (…coming soon on this list), but it is still a damn strong piece of cinema. It’s one of Scorsese’s most compelling films; proof that Scorsese is still one of the most exciting directors working today. By the way, I have not seen “Internal Affairs,” the Hong Kong gangster film “The Departed” is based on. Maybe I’ll check that out sometime. But until then, I’m going to treasure “The Departed” for the American epic that it is.

160) SOUTH PARK: BIGGER, LONGER & UNCUT (1999)

I’m a “South Park” fan, and so it’s inevitable that the only “South Park” feature-length spinoff, “Bigger, Longer & Uncut,” would make this list. It has that lowbrow “South Park” absurdity that works like a charm while fitting in great doses of social commentary. And it’s a musical, with many memorable, funny, catchy tunes such as “Blame Canada” and “Up There.” It’s also the film that made me aware of how odd the methods of the MPAA can be, as summed up in one phrase, “Horrific, deplorable violence is fine, as long as no one says any naughty words.” It made me realize the only reason films like “Stand By Me” and “Almost Famous” got R ratings by the MPAA is because of the multiple uses of the “F” word. Words. And soon as I found out this little piece of trivia, I wanted to applaud “South Park” creators Trey Parker & Matt Stone—when it takes over 400 profanity uses to warrant an NC-17 rating (according to the MPAA), this film…contains 399. Thus, the film was granted an R….right…because one more would’ve pushed it too far? Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2014/07/01/south-park-bigger-longer-uncut-1999/

159) SHORT TERM 12 (2013)

This is a wonderful feel-good film that is “feel-good” without succumbing to oversentimentality. It’s “feel-good” because it shows realistic characters going through real issues, we follow them in the film’s documentary-like gritty fashion, we see how bad things can get, and then we’re able to see how good they can get too. Thus, by the end of the film, we hope for the best for all of these people and are glad to find that things already have gotten better for some of them. Its emotional authenticity is balanced with the power of the acting, especially from Brie Larson and John Gallagher, Jr. “Look into my eyes so you know what it’s like to live a life not knowing what a normal life’s like!” Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/10/15/short-term-12-2013/

158) 25^TH HOUR (2002)

I love Spike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing” (#68), but I have to admit, a lot of his other works don’t really do anything for me. But “25^th Hour” is the film that reminds me of exactly how good of a filmmaker he can be. A film about the last 24 hours of freedom for a convicted drug dealer (played brilliantly by Edward Norton) before going to prison for eight years, this is a film about the finer things in life and how they should be appreciated before it’s too late. Everyone in the cast is great—not just Norton but also Phillip Seymour Hoffman & Barry Pepper as Norton’s friends, Rosario Dawson as his girlfriend, and Brian Cox as his father. Each of these characters deserve their own film. There are also three key scenes that amaze me with how well-done they are—one is the infamous “f-you” monologue, one is a conversation between Norton’s friends about how limited their friend’s choices are (while looking over the aftermath of the 9/11 Twin Towers destruction…yikes), and a shared fantasy between Norton and Cox about a possible escape plan. These scenes are nothing short of brilliant, and the overall film is compelling.

157) 50/50 (2011)

As I mentioned with “Planes, Trains & Automobiles” in my Top 100 post, there’s something more important than a comedy that can make you laugh: a comedy that can make you feel. I certainly laugh at Seth Rogen’s antics in attempting to cheer up his cancer-diagnosed friend (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who is going through enough pains without having someone make things worse. But I also certainly feel for the Gordon-Levitt character, who is likable and has so much piling on top of him, such as an overbearing mother, a cheating girlfriend, and of course, everything that cancer can use to try and destroy him inside. This is a great mix of comedy and drama, and the comedy doesn’t distract from the situation. It instead takes the situation and finds the humor within it. That’s how it goes with the real world anyway; you have to laugh every now and then, because what’s the point in staying miserable? It’s how we cope with our personal problems. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/02/07/5050-2011/

156) WHEN I WALK (2013)

And speaking of finding ways to cope with personal problems, here’s a documentary about an independent filmmaker using his art/work to help cope with going through the quiet disease known as multiple sclerosis (MS). Ever since he fell one time and had trouble getting back up, filmmaker Jason DaSilva started taking his diagnosis more seriously, chronicling the following progressions of MS as it slowly but surely affected his abilities to move and other things along the road. This biographical documentary follows him in years of his life, as his condition develops. At times, it plays like a horror film, but it ends on an ambiguously hopeful note that suggests that DaSilva is finding more ways to get by with what he has and counting his blessings in the process. And I especially relate to it because…I have MS too. I never talked about it on this blog before, but I was diagnosed almost a year ago. I’m taking medication for it, and I’m mostly fine, but there are times when MS does become a hassle to deal with. That’s why I need this film in my life.

155) THE GREAT MOUSE DETECTIVE (1986)

More Disney animated fun. “The Great Mouse Detective” is the animated-mouse equivalent of Sherlock Holmes, with just as much mystery, energy, and excitement. With a deliciously dastardly villain in Vincent Price’s Ratigan and a wittingly intelligent hero in Basil (the titular mouse detective), “The Great Mouse Detective” is as fun as it is impressively animated. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/02/24/the-great-mouse-detective-1986/

154) FIRSTBORN (1984)

Let’s just get this out of the way: the final act of Michael Apted’s “Firstborn,” which consists of a chase scene, doesn’t fit with the rest of the film. The fist fight that follows it, maybe. But not the chase scene. But with that said, the rest of the film is still great. It shows wonderfully the effects of a family in crisis. Somewhere in “Firstborn” lies an effective social drama, with great acting and a family dilemma that’s difficult for any family to go through. I feel for these characters and I want things to turn out ok for them. Maybe the chase and the fight are a bit much, but the very last shot sort of makes up for it. It’s a quiet moment that ends the film ambiguously with a hopeful note that things will return to normal for this family sooner or later. It’s to the credit of director Apted (responsible for the “Up” series—#12 on my list) and actors Teri Garr & Christopher Collet (and also Corey Haim, in one of his earliest movie roles) that I embrace this film, flaws and all. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/01/15/firstborn-1984/

153) THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST (1988)

This is a tough one for me… My fiancée hates it. She finds it offensive to portray Jesus Christ in a negative light. I, on the other hand, don’t see it as “negative.” I think it’s an efficient parable that shows what Jesus might have been going through inside, being the son of both God and man. If he didn’t feel the same temptations as man, then what did he die for? It was His message that was delivered, and I feel it was a good way to show it by showing the struggles that Jesus must have gone through in order to accomplish His mission. I thought it was well-done and something intriguing to truly consider. I can see why my fiancée (along with other religious groups who denounced the film upon original release…though most of them did without even seeing it) doesn’t particularly care for it. Hopefully, she sees why I particularly do. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2016/03/27/the-last-temptation-of-christ-1988/

152) A SHORT FILM ABOUT LOVE (1989)

I originally saw this film when it was 60 minutes long and called “Decalogue VI,” as part of Krzysztof Kieslowski’s “Dekalog” 10-film series, each chapter based on one of the Ten Commandments. The source Commandment for this one was “thou shalt not covet.” “Decalogue VI” was a powerful, emotionally involving, tragic film about unrequited love and questioning the very meaning of love. It had a downbeat ending that hit too close to home for a lot of people who saw it. Its alternate cut, titled “A Short Film About Love,” is about 30 minutes longer and has a more optimistic ending. It’s only slightly better, but I’d feel like I was cheating if I simply included “Decalogue VI,” one part of a 10-part series in a list of my favorite movies. But since one feature is still technically better than one short, I’m counting it anyway. (And yes, I notice the irony of that statement about “A Short Film About Love.”) Either way, it’s a film that deserves recognition.

151) DR. STRANGELOVE (1964)

I didn’t get this film. All the critics praise it as one of the funniest movies ever made, and at the age I saw it (around my late teens, I think). It was the same issue I had with “This is Spinal Tap,” which I had also started seeing around the same time. But as time went on, when I became more mature, I did catch on to the satirical elements of it, a lot of which were wickedly funny…the rest of which were pretty downright bleak. Then I realized that was the point of it all—to be one of the edgiest, most outrageous black comedies anyone could ever see. It’s a cautionary tale about how far things can go if the people that are supposed to protect our country aren’t careful enough with it, and the satirized targets are skewered mercilessly. What results is a comedy that is both hilarious and disturbing, and one of Stanley Kubrick’s best.

150) TRUE GRIT (2010)

I really like the 1969 version of “True Grit,” which won John Wayne an Oscar. But I like it for being a typical rousing John Wayne Western. This 2010 update, I enjoy more, mainly because there’s more to be said about the hunger for vengeance. The cold performance of Hailee Steinfeld as a bloodthirsty teenage girl adds a layer of uneasiness to this quest for vigilantism, and the epilogue, showing that girl all grown up as a bitter, cold, unpleasant, unhappy stick-in-the-mud brings it full-circle. It’s not a happy ending or a sad ending; it’s not even an ending I would’ve expected. But that’s what made it memorable. And the more I watched “True Grit,” the more I began to notice just what something like this can do to a character like her. And of course, Jeff Bridges is perfect as the drunken, pursuant US Marshal, and the Coen Brothers’ script/direction is of course sharp, witty, and unforgettable. All of that and more make this enjoyably deep Western.

149) HOT ROD (2007)

Look…I’m a human being, ok? I can’t control what I like/love and what I dislike/hate. And again, this is a list of my favorites, not the best! With that said, “Hot Rod” makes me laugh…and laugh…and laugh. I can’t help it. Maybe I still have that juvenile sense of humor that had me laughing out loud in the theater at age 15. Let’s move on to something a little more sophisticated, like…

148) WAYNE’S WORLD (1992)

I said “a little more sophisticated.” And come on, “Wayne’s World” has more on its mind than juvenile humor and ‘90s pop-culture references. It has much to say about rock music, about guys with too much time on their hands, about fame, about public access television, and more. It’s both funny and smart—you can be a popular piece of entertainment and be both things, after all. Among my favorite moments include Wayne (Mike Myers) and Garth (Dana Carvey) playing hockey in their neighborhood street, the multiple different movie-endings, and definitely the best use of blatant product placement I’ve ever seen in any movie. “Contract or no, I will not bow to any sponsor.” Excellent! Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/02/20/waynes-world/

147) DELIVERANCE (1972)

“This was the weekend they decided not to play golf.” Mess with an unfamiliar place simply for the sake of doing so, and there will be consequences. It’s a terrific man-vs-wild scenario in which four city men take a canoe trip down in the wilderness, come across a great deal of trouble, and find themselves hunted by someone that won’t let them get out alive. The great outdoors doesn’t become so great, the way it’s presented here. If anything, it feels like a scary new world from which there’s no escape. (Why do I get the feeling camping-gear sales went downhill for a while after this film was released in theaters?) The filmmaking at work here is excellent. I’m always a fan of lingering camera shots in which the actors are forced to stay in character for about a minute or two at a time. I’d seen it many times before, but here, particularly when they realize the danger they’re in and they have to make a decision quickly, it works brilliantly. Great stuff here.

146) PINOCCHIO (1940)

This Disney-presented animated film holds up much better than “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” in my opinion. I loved watching it as a kid, I love watching it as an adult…provided that I get over the childhood traumas that resulted from the scenes involving children transforming into donkeys. (Seriously, I watched that one particular scene recently with my fiancée—you know the one I’m talking about. I needed her to hold my hand!)

145) IT (2017)

One of the strongest aspects of Stephen King’s “It” was that it showed the importance of friendship as a way of overcoming personal trauma. I only got a pinch of that in the 1990 TV miniseries based on the book, which is entertaining in its own right, and I get even more of that in the 2017 theatrical re-adaptation. The gang of kids, the Losers’ Club, in “It” feel like real kids, which helps a lot in establishing the things they go through and eventually have to overcome, whether it’s loss, guilt, bullies, or horrid parenting. And being a horror film, “It” has some genuinely frightening moments (especially the opening scene) and a chilling villain in It, who can become anything/anyone and take shape of what the kids are afraid of. There are moments of terror amongst It and moments of camaraderie amongst the Losers’ Club, and they fit together very well. I’ve seen this film about 20 times since its release just a few months ago; it’s one of the best horror films I’ve seen in a while. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2017/09/08/it-2017/

144) HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX (2007)

My second-favorite Harry Potter movie. It’s tightly paced and simple, which means it doesn’t rush or drag in telling a compelling story. And the story is indeed compelling, about Harry coming to terms with himself and trying to find what makes him different from his enemy and how he can use that to better himself. There are a lot of captivating elements that help support it, and it makes the overall film wonderful. My favorite scene is the ultimate payoff, in which Harry is forced to confront his inner demons and comes to a conclusion that sends shivers down my spine with how well it’s handled. This used to be my least favorite Harry Potter movie. It’s amazing how time changes the way you see things. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2018/05/16/harry-potter-and-the-order-of-the-phoenix-revised-review/

143) MONSTER HOUSE (2006)

I saw this dark, exciting, animated family-horror movie three times in a theater when I was 14 years old. I was such a fan of this movie, I even played the video game that tied in with it. I rooted for it to win the Best Animated Feature Oscar and was upset that it didn’t win. (That was the first time I watched the Oscars, btw.) All these years later, I’ll still take “Monster House” over “Happy Feet” (the Oscar winner) any day. Take some elements of “Amityville Horror” and “Evil Dead,” add a dose of family-friendly horror like “Goosebumps,” make it animated, and what do you get? One of the most original animated films I’ve ever seen.

142) RAGING BULL (1980)

Maybe I admire Scorsese’s “Raging Bull” more than I like it. Siskel and Ebert called it the best film of the 1980s, and maybe it is. In terms of “favorites,” however, there’s a reason it’s not in my personal Top 100. That’s because the character of Jake La Motta is a little too much for me to handle at times, making me wonder if the film could have been trimmed from two hours to an hour-and-a-half. But it is still a film I admire greatly, because it is a scathing portrait of a man in raging animal form, snapping out at people irrationally, seeing his woman as a possession rather than a companion, and ultimately losing his fame (as a champion boxer) and also losing his closest ones as well. It’s a cautionary tale that is brilliantly acted by Robert De Niro and equally brilliant in its execution. Shooting it in black-and-white makes it feel like a movie of the time in which it’s based (the ‘40s-‘50s) and there are other little things I didn’t notice the first time I watched it, such as the boxing ring getting bigger and La Motta getting smaller the more times he enters the ring, thus symbolizing his developing insignificance. Best film of the 1980s? Kind of hard not to like it, isn’t it. (P.S. Yes, I know La Motta was based on a real person, and I’m sure he was portrayed accurately. But there’s so much jackass-ery I can handle in one movie.)

141) THE CLIENT (1994)

Ever since I saw Joel Schumacher’s “The Client” at age 11, I was absorbed by the filmmaking involved. The cinematography, the editing, the numerous ways of keeping viewers’ attention toward something that seems unimportant at first, the use of closeups, everything about it just grabbed me and captivated me from beginning to end. The opening scene is one of my favorite moments of movie suspense; a scene I’ll never forget. Maybe the rest of the film doesn’t top it, but it’s still entertaining, especially with the introductions/developments of Susan Sarandon as a lawyer with a rough past and Tommy Lee Jones hamming it up as a US attorney who quotes Scripture in court. Brad Renfro, in an impressive debut, is rock-solid in the role of the boy who knew too much. The antagonists are dull typical mobsters and the final act digs a little deep into “Hardy Boys” territory rather than John Grisham waters, but the strengths of “The Client” outweigh its weaknesses. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/01/23/the-client-1994/

140) SCREAM (1996)

“What’s your favorite scary movie?” I feel like a lot of horror-movie spoofs don’t respect the horror-film genre too much. But Wes Craven’s “Scream” is both a witty sendup as well as an effective horror/murder-mystery on its own. That lets you know that a lot of respect was given to the set and that the makers genuinely love scary movies. It’s amusing to watch these characters talk about horror movies when they’re in their own horror movie with a serial killer on the loose. It’s ‘90s meta-horror at its absolute finest…though I don’t think there was much competition. I wonder what would happen if the same treatment was given to today’s horror films, seeing as how we’re a bit more savvy nowadays and we now have more original horror films than we like to think. Something could be done with that, I think… Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/04/07/scream-1996/

139) SPOTLIGHT (2015)

“Spotlight” didn’t make my Top 10 in my 2015 Review (though it did receive an Honorable Mention). I must have been in a bad mood when I saw it in theaters, because I didn’t appreciate it as much as other critics did until I saw a few more times on DVD. Don’t ask why, because I don’t know myself. But if I were to redo my 2015 Review, I would’ve placed this film as #2, right behind “Inside Out.” Based on the priest scandal of the early 2000s, “Spotlight” is a silently captivating drama about newspaper reporters going through many lengths to expose a lot of covered-up wrongdoings in their hometown of Boston. It’s a film that reminds us not only that people can’t get away horrific deeds (or even knowing about said-horrific deeds and standing by) and that the power of the press is powerful indeed. And as someone who worked in journalism before, I can say that this is my personal favorite film on the subject. It deserves the Best Picture Oscar win. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2016/11/13/spotlight-2015/

138) BATMAN (1989)

There are many interpretations of Batman that have been brought to the big screen, two of which are in my Top 100—Christopher Nolan’s (#31) and the animated series’ (#95). And now here’s another for my top 140: Tim Burton’s interpretation. It’s strange how different these Batmans are and yet how similar they are. Michael Keaton’s Batman is quieter as Bruce Wayne, which makes his louder moments as Batman the more interesting. It made me wonder what truly makes Bruce Wayne tick, especially when he does lose control. (“You wanna get nuts?! Let’s get nuts!”) That’s why I never understood the criticisms critics/audiences gave towards this portrayal, about how we don’t know as much about the character. I like that we had to fill in the blanks ourselves and what we saw was what we got. We also got a beautifully realized Gotham City, which is visually enthralling, and stellar production design, as well as a neat villain in Jack Nicholson as The Joker. Maybe it’s not The Joker we’re used to, but it’s still Nicholson displaying his slick, devious charm that he’s best known for. I enjoyed this version of Batman. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/05/23/batman-1989/

137) ON GOLDEN POND (1981)

This film feels like the cinematic equivalent of a nice summer vacation. You come to a nice quiet place to relax, you do some swimming on the lake, you do some fishing, you talk with loved ones, you enjoy some company, and you leave with vivid memories to look back on. That’s what this film feels like to me, and maybe that’s why I like it so much. I actually might like it even more than the theatrical play it was based on (though, to be fair, I saw the play performed only once), because with film, it was able to expand upon it and give us more atmosphere to take in. “On Golden Pond” is among a series of movies I like to personally refer to as “Summertime” movies, along with “The Flamingo Kid” & “The Way, Way Back” (two movies that just barely missed this list) and “The Sandlot” (which is coming up on this list). They’re movies that live, feel, and breathe the essence of summer in such a way that I feel like going outside and doing some summer activities instead of sitting at home watching movies. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/02/04/on-golden-pond-1981/

136) EXPLORERS (1985)

Welcome back, Joe Dante. This was the first of his movies I ever saw, at age 7. Soon after that, I saw “Gremlins” (#97) and “Matinee” (#93) and a few others, like “Innerspace” and “Gremlins 2,” before I learned who made them and became a fan of Dante’s ever since. And yes, I know there are many things wrong with “Explorers,” such as the incomplete feel of it. And I did complain in my review that the payoff wasn’t the slightest bit interesting compared to the excellent setup. But, on the other hand, I feel like it’s better than the payoff I would’ve expected. It’s more like a punchline, which may be taken the wrong way, but it’s still amusing. I like the characters, I like the time it takes in developing their discovery moment by moment, I like the little in-jokes from other sci-fi movies thrown in for good measure, and I even like the music score by Jerry Goldsmith; it’s a beautifully composed score. “Explorers” is a flawed but hugely entertaining sci-fi ride that I’m glad to take even as an adult. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/01/31/explorers-1985/

135) THE TERMINATOR (1984)

“Terminator 2: Judgment Day” is #14 on my Top 100; it’s my all-time favorite action film. But I can’t leave its predecessor, 1984’s “The Terminator,” out to dry, because it itself is a great, solidly-entertaining action/sci-fi thriller on a smaller budget. Sure, the effects, particularly the ones that involve stop-motion animation, don’t hold up so well anymore. But that terrible sense of being hunted still runs through the film and leaves me with suspense, because the very idea of a killer robot with no other priority than to come after you and kill you is a frightening one that still works today. Especially if said-robot is played by the ever-imposing Arnold Schwarzenegger. This leaves way for one edgy, nerve-wracking sequence after another with a lot of nicely-done action. “I’ll be back.”

134) DARBY O’GILL AND THE LITTLE PEOPLE (1959)

“Darby O’Gill and the Little People” is yet another fantastic Disney film that has stayed with me through time. It’s just so downright pleasant and enjoyable, with a lot of interesting Irish folklore (…though, how much of that folklore is accurate, I’ll leave that up to Irish people). For a fantasy film made in the 1950s, the forced-perspective effects in which human-sized people interact with foot-tall Leprechauns still hold up marvelously, especially when Darby enters the Leprechauns’ lair. (Though, not every effect holds up today—the blue-screen shot of Darby falling down a deep well is hilariously awful.) The film even features a young Sean Connery singing! How often do you see that? Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/06/08/darby-ogill-and-the-little-people-1959/

133) AT CLOSE RANGE (1986)

The first time I saw “At Close Range,” I only kind of liked it. The second time, I liked it even more (and wrote the review). Third time, loved it. Fourth time, called it one of my top 200 favorite movies. I guess it’s just one of those movies. This isn’t a pleasant movie. In fact, some people may argue that it glorifies violence. I don’t think so—I think the anti-gun/anti-violence message is very clear, and if it seems a little too pretty to look at, that’s just spreading the message even further because it shows how extreme the situations are. This is a film that shows the dark side of human nature, which we can see through the ruthlessness of Christopher Walken’s character and the impressionable minds of his young son and his friends. “At Close Range” may be cruel and sometimes quite sad, but I find it fascinating each time I watch it. I see more than the cruelty and sadness and violence; I see an interesting, investing portrait of the nature of these characters and how some people can get out of a certain lifestyle, others can not, and one simply doesn’t want to. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/02/04/at-close-range-1986/

132) THE SANDLOT (1993)

When I was a little kid hanging out with friends at the local park, we often had our own legends—horror stories we thought were true or wanted to believe were true, whether to make each other more nervous or just to add more excitement into our lives. Maybe that’s why “The Sandlot” connected with me. This is a film about a group of small-town kids who go on their own little adventures surrounding a mythical beast, because they have no doubt that the neighborhood dog is a man-eating monster. (Come on, we’ve all been there, right?) People love this movie for the same reason they love “A Christmas Story” (#36)—we all recognize the emotions portrayed in these movies from some points of our youth. On top of that, “The Sandlot” has the perfect feel of the summertime—spending time with friends, playing baseball, watching the fireworks on the 4^th of July, and going to the pool when it’s too hot to play. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/01/30/the-sandlot-1993/

131) THE EXORCIST (1973)

Yes, with as many horror films on my lists, would it really surprise you that one of the popular horror films of all time is among them? I like “The Exorcist” for the same reasons as everyone else who likes it—it’s scary because it feels real. It takes skill to ground a supernatural element into a realistic setting, but when it happens, it can be one of the most effective horror films ever made, which “The Exorcist” certainly is. To sum up my thoughts on the sequels, I don’t think “Exorcist II: The Heretic” is one of the worst films ever made (and I posted a review that brought up some bright spots in the story) but it’s still not very good; but “Exorcist III” (or “Legion”) is a pretty solid psychological thriller. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/04/19/the-exorcist-1973/

130) THE WAR OF THE ROSES (1989)

It’s a sad truth that a lot of marriages don’t last. Some of them even end terribly. But I don’t think any have ended quite like the Roses in “The War of the Roses,” an outstanding black comedy that takes this real-life concept and uses it in the most outrageous ways possible. We have a married couple who are sick and tired of each other to the point where each one would rather see the other one dead than have to endure another several years together. A simple divorce is not so simple since neither of them will give each other anything in return, and they are far too stubborn for any sort of compromise. The more time they reside in the same house, the worse things get, ultimately leading to a battle to the death. One of the joys of this film is watching everything go completely down the drain, and the climax is over-the-top is wildly (and darkly) entertaining.

129) THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN (1957)

I guess I just never got into the whole ‘50s-atomic-monster era of movies, as there’s only one on this list. But by God, it’s a great one—“The Incredible Shrinking Man,” about a man who gets physically smaller day by day by day and wonders if there’s anything that will become of him when he shrinks too much. It’s like a feature-length “Twilight Zone” episode with bigger production value. From a 2018 perspective, the effects hold up well (…for the most part, anyway) and the themes of existence and survival stay strong. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/02/10/the-incredible-shrinking-man-1957/ And with that said…let’s move on to another movie about shrinking characters that is hardly deep and is just flat-out fun to watch. That would be…

128) HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS (1989)

Yes, I am aware of its flaws. But come on—it’s a dopey effects-driven comedy from Disney that’s been with me since childhood. It’s a great, fun adventure that I enjoy watching from time to time. I like the kids and the treacherous jungle trek that they embark on in their own backyard (pun definitely intended), and I like the comedy surrounding the adult characters played by Rick Moranis and Matt Frewer. It’s a film that works so well for me that I give up trying to find the answer to the question, “Where in the world did that scorpion that those kids had to fight off come from?” Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2016/12/18/honey-i-shrunk-the-kids-1989/

127) FORREST GUMP (1994)

Some people hate this Best Picture winner nowadays…hell if I know why. At least with “Titanic” (#54), I have some idea as to why that film was seen as “overrated” over time. But with “Forrest Gump”…OK, maybe “Pulp Fiction” or “The Shawshank Redemption” should have received the Oscar instead, but what if one of those did win…and then that one got the backlash? That’s an argument for another time, but I really do love “Forrest Gump.” It’s a pleasant, well-executed, sometimes-brutal portrait of the seekers of the American Dream, with great performances that anchor it.

126) MUD (2013)

Yes, another Jeff Nichols film finally! You thought it would be “Loving” or “Midnight Special” if you thought there was going to be another one alongside his two first films in the Top 126 (“Shotgun Stories,” #49; “Take Shelter,” #84), but nope—it’s “Mud.” It’s a wonderful ensemble piece set in the South, telling the different stages of “love,” through a child’s point of view—the good, the bad, and the ugly. Those elements actually went over my head the first time I saw it, because I simply saw the film as an intriguing journey with the heart of Mark Twain and the aesthetic of Terrence Malick. With more viewings, however, I got even more out of it. Jeff Nichols is one of the smartest filmmakers working today; I always look forward to seeing his next film. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/05/05/mud-2013/

125) AMERICAN SPLENDOR (2003)

I didn’t know anything about Harvey Pekar (but I knew a little bit about his friend/collaborator R. Crumb, thanks to Siskel and Ebert reviewing the documentary about Crumb). After seeing his biopic, “American Splendor,” starring Paul Giamatti as Pekar, I grew a fascination with his work. His work in comic books is unlike a lot of things that make comics popular; it’s about the little things that bug him or confuse him in life, like if Jerry Seinfeld did a comic book series. His “American Splendor” series is great stuff! And the “American Splendor” film, based on his life and career, is practically perfect, with a bleak sense of humor about itself and great homage to Pekar’s work, right down to using Pekar’s comic caricature actually entering the frame and talking to Giamatti as Pekar. What makes it even better? The filmmakers got the real Harvey Pekar to narrate the story! Part documentary, part comedy, part drama, “American Splendor” is a wonderful treasure.

124) SERENITY (2005)

I like “Star Trek,” but the more lighthearted comic elements of Joss Whedon’s “Firefly” entertains me more, personally. “Firefly” and its cinematic spinoff, “Serenity,” have grown a cult following; I think I can consider myself a member of that cult. I wish this got the same pull and drive as “Star Trek,” because “Serenity” is my idea of “fun” science-fiction, ranking right up there with “Star Wars: A New Hope” (#61). Both films have a strange new universe to explore, appealing characters to share the journey with, bombastic space battles, compelling themes and issues to get through in the sublayers, and upbeat comedy thrown in to humanize the characters and/or to make the audience breathe. I really like the “Star Wars” sequel series (so far) for taking new directions and using comedy to balance things out, but “Serenity” is the film I’m always going to compare them to. And that goes for any other new “Star Trek” film too. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2017/03/09/serenity-2005/

123) THE PRINCE OF EGYPT (1998)

Hey! Wanna see an animated musical based on the Moses story just to save you an extra hour or two if you were thinking of seeing Cecil Demille’s “The Ten Commandments”? No? Well, too bad, we got “The Prince of Egypt!” This shouldn’t have worked as well as it did, but it is simply beautiful. The animation is striking with the parting of the Red Sea becoming a startlingly gorgeous image; the songs are actually quite memorable and help move the story along (and the music score is wonderful too); and, in my opinion, it has the better portrayal of Moses’ brother, Ramses, played here as a more tragic figure. “The Prince of Egypt” is a great film, and I have no reservations in saying that I personally prefer it over “The Ten Commandments.”

122) THE BREAKFAST CLUB (1985)

I don’t like “Sixteen Candles.” I read a lot of critics’ 1984 reviews of that film, praising it for being the gamechanging mainstream comedy about teenagers that treated its characters with utmost respect…I just don’t see it. (That’s an argument for another time.) With director John Hughes’ follow-up film “The Breakfast Club,” however, I definitely see it. This was a film that addressed the issues that teens faced head-on, by having its five central teenage characters of different high-school cliques talk about them to each other. The conversations they share comprise of some of the most hard-hitting dialogue I ever heard in a movie of this sort. Though…I doubt most teenagers would talk the way half of these kids do. But seeing it as a way of adults trying to understand the mindset truly counts for something. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/01/22/the-breakfast-club-1985/

121) HOME ALONE (1990)

Oh leave me alone, I love “Home Alone!” It’s funny and surprisingly more heartfelt than you might expect. But what about the bratty behavior of the Macaulay Culkin character? Yes, that’s called character development—he changes throughout the film when he becomes more independent. But what about the slapstick comedy with the burglars and stuff? You don’t find that stuff funny, we got nothing to say to each other. But what about the oversentimentality about family and stuff? It’s Christmas; why would a kid need to spend it alone? You could throw in any sort of criticism at “Home Alone” (and I know I have, in my three-star review for the film—what was I thinking?), and I wouldn’t care in the slightest. And that, dear reader, is what counts as a “favorite.” Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/03/15/home-alone-1990/

120) SUPER SIZE ME (2004)

When it comes to personal documentaries addressing big issues in American society, a lot of people turn to Michael Moore’s work. But as for me, I turn to Morgan Spurlock. He’s more charismatic and has more entertaining ways of getting his points across. He even puts himself in the middle of his tests within his topics. 28-day diet of everything McDonald’s to see what it does to his body? You gotta admire his dedication, especially when it gets results…such as McDonald’s discontinuing their “Super Size” option…even though McDonald’s claims the film had nothing to do with that…yeah I don’t believe that either. “Super Size Me” ranks among my favorite type of documentary: documentary used as “performance art.” Really good stuff here.

119) STREETWISE (1985)

If “performance art” is my favorite use of the documentary genre, then “cinematic non-fiction” is my second-favorite. The filmmakers for “Streetwise” simply got to know some homeless, streetwise kids, earned their trust, miked them up, and followed them around with cameras. No interviews, no manipulation—just simply seeing what they do and making a film out of how they live. It’s interesting and yet heartbreaking that what we see is real. It’s a compelling film that let me know at a young age that documentaries can be some of the most important films we see in our lives. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2014/08/24/streetwise-1985/

118) COLLATERAL (2004)

For a high-school graduation present, a friend bought me a “Film Art” book, much of which covers the filmmaking behind Michael Mann’s “Collateral.” (Coincidentally enough, that same book became a source of material for a Cinema History course I took at the University of Central Arkansas.) I had heard about “Collateral” in passing, but it was when I received this book that I rented the DVD, watched it, and found a deep appreciation for it. Reading about the filmmaking involved (and also watching the DVD extras) made me realize everything that went into “Collateral” and what it means inside and out. And it truly is a classic. It has my favorite Jamie Foxx performance (nominated for Best Supporting Actor instead of Best Actor because he was already nominated in the latter category for “Ray”…it’s still a leading performance, Academy!) and one of my absolute favorite Tom Cruise performances, in which Cruise plays a cold-blooded killer who puts the hits first and human affection…I dunno, third or fourth—he’s essentially Daniel Craig’s James Bond in a sense. “Collateral” is an excellent film. “Yo homie…is that my briefcase?” Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/04/13/collateral-2004/

117) HAMLET (1996)

Yes, a Shakespeare adaptation! And if there’s a better one than Kenneth Branagh’s “Hamlet,” I haven’t heard of it. I’ve seen quite a few, some of which were made by Branagh. But I haven’t seen one with this much scope, this much passion, and this much power; it’s like Branagh put his soul into this production, and it paid off so spectacularly that he was able to buy it back. And the “may my thoughts be bloody” monologue that usually closes out the first act of the “Hamlet” play? I’ve yet to see it better-presented than in this film.

116) INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE (1989)

My second-favorite “Indiana Jones” sequel. (I already mentioned “Temple of Doom,” and you didn’t really think I was going to mention “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” did you?) It has it all—great action (the train chase, the boat chase, the tank chase—good chases here), great suspense (the final confrontation to find the Holy Grail), great comedy (“No ticket!”), and best of all, a great amount of heart, thanks to the relationship between Indy and his father (played by Sean Connery—yes, Indiana Jones and James Bond together!). This is the “Indiana Jones” sequel that “Indiana Jones 5” has to live up to, if it can’t live up to “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (after all, few films can).

115) THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1991)

The tense, horrifying psychological thriller that swept the Oscars, “The Silence of the Lambs” is a Best Picture winner that hardly anyone bats an eye over because they think it’s overrated. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/11/01/the-silence-of-the-lambs-1991/ Almost everyone loves it, and I love it too…but could there possibly be another film featuring Hannibal “the Cannibal” Lecter that I might like just a little bit more? And I mean a real little bit more? Well…

114) RED DRAGON (2002)

Yes, Brett Ratner’s “Red Dragon.” I can’t help it, I love this film. I think the only reason I enjoy it more than “The Silence of the Lambs” (again, a real little bit) is the protagonist. Will Graham is a great hero to follow; he’s more of an anti-hero, someone who understands the mindset of a psychopath in order to understand/capture one, while he himself seems to be closer and closer to the dark side. It makes it all the more interesting when he has to get help from Lecter. Because they have a mutual hatred but also a mutual respect for each other, the scenes featuring Graham and Lecter together include a great sense of tension and an intriguing battle of wits. I love the scenes between Starling and Lecter in “Silence,” which cause Starling to search deep within herself, but to me, there’s something more interesting and frightening about the interactions in which one would surely like to kill the other. I could go on and on about it, but for the sake of this list, I’ll just say that’s the reason I enjoy “Red Dragon” so much. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/02/05/red-dragon-2002/

113) MARY POPPINS (1964)

“Mary Poppins”—love it as a kid for the Disney magic, love it as an adult for the filmmaking…and the magic that takes me back to when I was a kid. This was apparently Walt Disney’s big passion project and it shows. There is a whole lot to admire here, from the joyous excitement of the “Step in Time” sequence to the dark, emotional weight of Mr. Banks’ long walk in the night. Everything about the film works, and I love it. A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down in the most delightful way, indeed.

112) SPIRITED AWAY (2002)

What?! A Miyazaki anime film on the list, finally?! Well, if I had to pick one, it’d have to be everyone else’s favorite: “Spirited Away,” a beautiful film soaked in originality. I don’t think I’ve seen a film with so many ideas that blend perfectly, and I don’t think I’ve seen this film’s before or since. If you’re wondering if there are any other Miyazaki films I hold in high regard, here are a few titles: “Castle in the Sky,” “Kiki’s Delivery Service,” and “The Wind Rises,” in particular. I like “Princess Mononoke” fine…just not as much as everyone else. But I love “Spirited Away.”

111) THE IRON GIANT (1999)

I’m not going to lie…this ending gets me a little teary-eyed. Everything the film was building up to, what the Giant was meant to do for the people, “you are who you choose to be,” etc. led to the perfect moment of truth. What came before it was already terrific, with great animation, memorably appealing characters, and some great comedy having to do with the atomic age and society’s reaction to it (“duck and cover”—THAT’s what was being taught in schools back then?). All of that plus the ending make “The Iron Giant” a tremendous experience that keeps me coming back time and time again. And yes, the ending…he’s Superman! I can’t help but feel feelings! Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/02/04/the-iron-giant-1999/

110) THE SHINING (1980)

It’s rumored that when Alfred Hitchcock thought about making “Psycho,” with so many people being against it, he pondered, “What if someone really good made a horror film?” And then twenty years later, along came Stanley Kubrick, master filmmaking perfectionist, to make a horror film only loosely based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name (and yes, King has stated his disappointment for that numerous times). If anyone could pull off making a polarizing horror film that would be remembered for years and years to come, it was Kubrick. Do I understand everything about Kubrick’s version of “The Shining?” Not quite. But the beauty of this film is that it makes me want to understand it more. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/02/17/the-shining-1980/

109) ROCKY (1976)

“Rocky” inspires me each time I see it. Here’s a guy who comes from nothing, aspires to be something, gets his chance and takes it. The result isn’t quite what he expected, but what’s important is that he gains self-respect and the woman he loves. What inspires me more than the film’s story is the story of the writer-actor Sylvester Stallone in trying to get the story out there. He, like his character of Rocky Balboa, was going against incredible odds, and not only did he beat them but he also gained more than he expected, for better or for worse. I was already a big fan of this movie before I learned of its history; it made me appreciate it even more. The sequels that barely missed the list: “Rocky II” and “Creed.” Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/02/24/rocky-1976/

108) BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN (2005)

Going to school where a lot of the punk kids I hung around with were homophobic, meaning being gay was either disgusting or a punchline to us, I avoided “Brokeback Mountain” like the plague. But as I went on to community college, and tolerance grew when I became acquainted with a few LGBT members, I decided I might as well check out this film that won several awards (and critics’ hearts). And I have to say, it blew me away. Whatever the sexual orientation of the main characters, “Brokeback Mountain” is a tragic romance about two people (played excellently by Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal) who share a secret affair in a time and place that wouldn’t accept them if it wasn’t private. When one of them finally realizes what he wanted in the 20 years he’s known the other one, it’s too late. “Brokeback Mountain” deserved the Best Picture Oscar; it should have received it.

107) CASABLANCA (1942)

I need to see this film more. It’s celebrated as one of the greatest romances of all time (and one of the best films of all time, period), and it’s hard to argue with anyone about it. There are many classic films from the ‘30s and ‘40s that don’t hold up well by today’s standards; “Casablanca” is not one of them. Its “classic” status is no fluke, as it’s every bit as enjoyable now as it could’ve been back in the day. Why is it not in the Top 100 then? Well…I haven’t seen it enough times for that. It’s the best excuse I can come up with… Maybe this is why I don’t have a job writing for a major publication.

106) THE GODFATHER (1972)

Yep, another classic that didn’t make the Top 100. I don’t know, maybe I could’ve made room for this masterpiece. But then again, this is a list of my favorites, not my list of the best. And I can’t make a list of the best, because that would indicate that I’ve seen every damn movie ever made. But “The Godfather” is great. It’s very powerful in its tragic story, of a man protecting his family even though it means selling his soul in order to do so, ultimately resulting in becoming the very thing he said he never wanted to be. Maybe I still prefer “Goodfellas” (#51) simply because of how ruthless it is in portraying the Mafia as downright scum, but “The Godfather” is still excellent in its tragic tale.

105) UNBREAKABLE (2000)

It hurt me that while I included M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Sixth Sense” (#20) and “Signs” (#38) in the Top 100, I couldn’t find enough room for “Unbreakable,” which is every bit as good as those other two. This film takes the superhero/supervillain concept and uses it with utmost seriousness that really works, thanks to Shyamalan finding the right tone and mood for the material. What if Superman didn’t know he was Superman? That’s the question that’s asked in this film, with a seemingly invincible character wondering if he’s meant to do something more than what he already does with his life. What follows is a deeply fascinating mystery that is delightful in the answers given to the many questions being asked in the story. And it only gets better and better as it goes along, with brilliant writing, top-notch filmmaking, and great acting from Bruce Willis as the hero in question and Samuel L. Jackson as the mysterious ally that strives to know more about him. And the ending twist is excellent—I don’t know why critics complained about it, because it makes perfect sense to me. That’s all I’ll say about it. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/03/07/unbreakable-2000/

104) SPIELBERG (2017)

Just as “Life Itself” is one of my favorite documentaries because it goes in-depth in the biography of one of my heroes (Roger Ebert), “Spielberg,” which just came out a few months ago, is one of my favorites for telling me more about another one of my heroes (Steven Spielberg) that I didn’t even know before. I’ve seen this documentary about ten times now; I could listen Spielberg talk for hours, he has so many interesting things to say. I don’t know if I can watch a traditional Spielberg film the same way again without thinking about what his familiar elements truly mean to him. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2017/12/26/spielberg-2017/

103) 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (1968)

The only reason I didn’t put “2001: A Space Odyssey” in the Top 100 is because I had no idea where to place it. There’s simply no other film like it. I felt like it didn’t belong in a list with so many “lesser” films, favorites or not. The first time I saw it, I felt like I was hypnotized. I didn’t know what I was seeing, I didn’t even know what I was feeling…but it mesmerized me from beginning to end. And that, dear reader, is the power of Stanley Kubrick.

Because of my inner conflict in ranking this film, I put it at #101 for a while. But wait, you may ask, then why is it #103? What are #102 and #101? Well…#102 and #101 are films that would have made it in the Top 100, had I thought more about it. What are they? Let’s see…

102) FRANCES HA (2013)

This film got better and better with time. I didn’t see it as something that “special” at first (though I still really liked it). But it stayed with me. I love Noah Baumbach’s “Frances Ha”—wonderfully droll dialogue written by Baumbach and actress/writer Greta Gerwig (one of my favorite people working today; read my reviews for “Mistress America” and “Lady Bird”), and simply an all-around great mix of comedy and drama. I mentioned in my Top 100 post that I feel humor is the best way to reach the audience; if you can make the audience laugh at the characters before laughing with them, then the audience has found a way to connect with them and feel sorry for them when something tragic happens in the story. I laugh at how loony and unusual Frances Halliday (a would-be dancer, played wonderfully by Gerwig) can be in early parts of the film, then I smile when she’s aware of her behavior and tries to use it to her advantage, and then I feel bad for her when she feels like she’s running in no direction toward her dream of becoming a success. By the end of the film (which perfectly explains the meaning of the film’s title), I want to cry because I feel like she’s accomplished something in life, finally. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/06/30/frances-ha-2013/

And finally…

101) WHIPLASH (2014)

I’ve written reviews for “Frances Ha” and for “Whiplash” upon first viewings, but none of them prepared me for my sheer admiration that would grow with repeated viewings. (And that’s basically the story with how films to which I previously awarded three stars would end up on my Top 100 Favorite Movies list in time—the good movies can get better…or worse, but that’s another story.) I truly love “Whiplash”—the filmmaking is utterly superb, the acting is excellent (especially from J.K. Simmons in an Oscar-winning performance), the ending is brilliantly ambiguous, and I fully related to the main character (played by Miles Teller) in how he has trouble conveying his passion for the arts to the people around him. Sometimes, it’s funny; other times, it’s dramatic; other times, it’s scary as hell; and overall, it’s 100% relatable and brilliantly made. For those reasons and so much more, Damien Chazelle’s “Whiplash” is one of my all-time personal favorite films. Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2014/11/27/whiplash-2014/

“Whiplash” and “Frances Ha” are films that have been praised by critics and arthouse audiences, and I’m certain that in time, they’ll be remembered as indie-film classics. They’re certainly two of my absolute favorites.

Whew! That took a long time to sort out. There are undoubtedly going to be more movies that will inspire/influence me, probably even more than those in my Top 100. But I’m just going to state this in conclusion of this list: it will probably be five years before I decide to make another one of these long lists.

Man I love movies!

From a 2017 perspective, I present to you…MY TOP 100 FAVORITE MOVIES!

These are the movies that mean so much to me. Movies that strike a chord with me every time I watch them. Movies that maybe from a critic’s standpoint aren’t entirely great. (And some movies I previously gave “three stars” to are on the list too, because even if they aren’t great, I do enjoy them wholeheartedly.)

The thing is, no one can tell you what your favorite movies are. Only you can do that. And you can’t let anyone say you should like one movie better than another. That’s what it means to have “personal favorite movies.” If you disagree with or even hate some of these choices, that’s because they’re my choices, not yours. If I were making an opinion-based “best-movies-of-all-time,” then you might have a slim (*slim*) reason to argue. These are the movies that I personally enjoy.

There’s a lot to go over, so let’s get started…

100) LET THE RIGHT ONE IN (2008) – LET ME IN (2010)

Yes, both the Swedish arthouse original and the American mainstream remake are my favorite vampire movie. Both are different but also similar and terrific not only in getting the horror aspects across but also the dramatic aspects. That the focus is on a lonely 12-year-old boy makes it even more effective. That time in adolescence when you’re confused about where to go in life, everything’s changing, you develop new feelings toward certain people and things, you’re going through puberty…bringing a vampire into the mix just makes it all the more complicated, and that’s what makes both films truly fascinating. They both leave me with much to admire and think about after watching them.

99) 127 HOURS (2010)

Even though I love the film overall, I have a very hard time watching the most crucial, important part. If you heard of this film, you know I’m talking about the scene in which Aron Ralston, played by James Franco, does what he has to do in order to break free when his arm is stuck in a canyon. But this is not a film about a guy who cuts off his own arm. It’s a film about a guy who learns to appreciate life as he finds himself closer and closer to death. That the film is so effective is not only thanks to the unique direction by Danny Boyle but also the brilliant performance by James Franco, who makes us feel for him as he gets scared, angry, upset, and pretty much every emotion he can convey to keep us with his character every step of the way.

98) THE 400 BLOWS (1959)

I’m a big fan of coming-of-age films (and you’ll see plenty more on the list as it goes on), so why wouldn’t I appreciate this French film by Francois Truffaut as one of my favorites? It’s a neatly done, small gem about a schoolboy who’s trapped in an adult world that doesn’t understand him. We feel bad for this kid because we get to know him more than the adult characters do, even his ignorant parents. The ending of the film is brilliant—leaving it open to question where the kid’s future leads when he’s at the end of his road. I know there are sequels to the film (which I still haven’t seen yet) featuring the character of Antoine Doinel, but personally, I’d rather be left wondering what became of him.

97) GREMLINS (1984)

Many movies on this list are movies that I grew up with, and Gremlins is one of them. I loved it as a kid, and I love it even now. (Just ignore the original three-star rating in my review; I was trying to act like “a critic.”) It’s a fantastic concept—start off as a family fantasy involving a boy and his mysterious pet; then take a hard left turn into black-comedy/horror-film territory when the three important rules in caring for the little creature are broken, thus accidentally letting a bunch of little monsters run amok. I enjoy a good chunk of director Joe Dante’s work (and there’s another film of his coming soon on this list), and I always have a ball watching it every Christmas…and yes, I do consider Gremlins a Christmas movie. Why not?

96) BLUE VELVET (1986)

I was 16 when I saw this film for the first time on TV, and I saw it because I originally saw the infamous Siskel and Ebert debate about it and became fascinated. Ebert thought it was a mess that didn’t know what it wanted to be, while Siskel praised it as one of the best films of the year and admired that director David Lynch wanted to explore all these different, disturbing areas. Sorry, Ebert; I’m siding with Siskel. This is a film that disturbs me and makes me ponder and is just oddly fascinating to watch each time.

95) BATMAN: MASK OF THE PHANTASM (1993)

Mask of the Phantasm is one of the best Batman movies I’ve ever seen, it captures the characters of Batman and Joker perfectly, and with a tight 75-minute running time, it wastes no time giving us an intriguing story, an intense mystery with action and character development, and of course, Batman being Batman. It’s a wonderfully-done animated film that definitely deserves more attention.

94) FULL METAL JACKET (1987)

Yet another film I discovered because of Siskel and Ebert. And once again, it was a film they disagreed on, with Siskel praising it and Ebert not falling for it. Once again, I side with Siskel (but don’t worry, Ebert—we’ll get to something we both agreed with soon). Everyone loves the first half set at Marine training camp, with the intense performance by R. Lee Ermey (spouting off some of the greatest insults I’ve ever heard in a movie) and the brilliant performance by Vincent D’Onofrio as a private that is pushed way too far. But I can’t ignore the second half, which goes into the Vietnam War. It captures how horrific the war was but also inserts some light comedy as well. And I really admire that the character we follow is a cynical, wisecracking journalist who sees the horrificness firsthand and then is forced to make an ultimate decision in the end that questions his humanity. It makes it all the more interesting. It’s one of Kubrick’s best and my favorite film having to do with the Vietnam War.

93) MATINEE (1993)

Definitely my favorite Joe Dante film, and it astounds me that he was able to get away with so many story elements that by themselves would make their own movies—family drama, the premiere of a horror b-movie, teenage romance, and the Cuban Missile Crisis. It’s just impressive that the film didn’t turn out to be a tremendous mess and is actually quite funny and entertaining all the way through. It also features my favorite performance from John Goodman, an actor whom I’ve always enjoyed. Here, he plays a b-moviemaker who just wants to put on a show and takes many chances in giving his audience a great time. The scene in which he discusses with the main character the benefits of seeing a scary movie is one of my favorite scenes in a movie, period.

92) HALLOWEEN (1978)

What can I say about this horror classic that I haven’t already in a review (or what anyone else hasn’t said about it already)? It’s brilliant in its atmosphere and its portrayal of its evil essence, and it’s a great film to watch on Halloween to get into the right mood. It’s one of the best horror films I’ve ever seen and one of my personal favorites…I like to pretend the sequels don’t exist (well, for the most part).

91) THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER (2012)

I would probably enjoy the film if I saw it anytime (and I have, don’t get me wrong). But the first time I saw it in a theater (and I saw it three times in a theater) was a time when I needed to feel good about myself, and this high-school comedy-drama was just what I needed. But also, the characters are endearing, the actors are great (especially Ezra Miller who is a damn good actor), and it’s very powerful in the way it teaches us that we’re not worthless and we can find our own self-worth through soul searching and the friends you keep your heart close to. We are infinite.

90) SAY ANYTHING (1989)

Many people know the iconic moment of this ‘80s teenage romance film, in which John Cusack’s Lloyd Dobler holds a boombox over his head to let Peter Gabriel sing the things he wants to say to his lost love, Diane Court…many people also seem to forget that that didn’t quite work…or did it? Maybe it was the gesture that was Lloyd’s last desperate act to get her back; maybe it was what made Diane decide to come back to him. It’s something that a friend and I used to talk about whenever we heard the song “In Your Eyes” on the classic radio station in Little Rock. But overall, this is one of the best teenage romances I’ve ever seen, with two immensely interesting characters at the center, plus a compelling father figure you don’t see in many movies of this sort. But this isn’t even necessarily a “teen movie”; it’s a movie…with teens in it. And you see them grow and you wonder what happens to them in the future when they set off on their trip overseas. I, for one, am an optimist and I think that smoking-sign ding was a good omen.

89) THE LAST DETAIL (1973)

There are two big things about this movie that make it stand out to me in such a way that I’m putting it on the list. For one thing, it has hands-down my favorite Jack Nicholson performance as a rogue Navy lifer who does what he wants, gets away with everything, takes what he wants, and also possesses a moral center that makes him even more interesting. And the best part? His nickname…Bad Ass! That is awesome. The other thing I take away from it is the ending. This film doesn’t end the way conventional Hollywood movies might end. It’s a downbeat, realistic ending in which life goes on and the characters just have to deal with it because that’s just how it goes. And it was the first time I truly appreciated the “life-goes-on” ending. After entertaining me with some good laughs and neat misadventures with Nicholson and his two co-stars Randy Quaid and Otis Youngs, it gave me something that was worth discussing and inspired me upon seeing it for the first time.

88) THE CORNETTO TRILOGY (SHAUN OF THE DEAD (2004) – HOT FUZZ (2007) – THE WORLD’S END (2013))

I can’t choose between these three excellent, energetic, hilarious British comedies, all of which are directed by Edgar Wright, who has a great style in keeping the jokes going and hiding things from sight upon first viewing that you have to pay more attention to later, and all of which feature Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, who are always great whether they’re separate or together. They also have some of the best editing I’ve ever seen in a comedy, with many jokes coming quickly one after the other. If I had to pick one to favor over the other two, it’d be really difficult. Every time I see one of these treasures, I have a blast, and that’s why they’re part of a three-way tie on this list. “Anything from the shop?” “Cornetto.”

87) THANK YOU FOR SMOKING (2006)

Jason Reitman’s controversial film that makes me laugh and makes me think. A film that touches on all sorts of taboos, such as smoking, mass manipulation, even cholesterol, does it in such a fresh, fun way that also has something important to say about freedom of choice, in that we should learn the dangers of things in our lives and be allowed to decide for ourselves whether or not we want to keep them in our lives. Aaron Eckhart is very charismatic in getting that point across. This is a film that does what many other films about the dangers of many vices try and fail to do, and it does so in a unique, sharply funny way that gets me every time I watch it. “The great state of Vermont will not apologize for its cheese!”

86) DIE HARD (1988)

How can I not enjoy what many people describe as one of the best action films ever made, if not the absolute best? Well, there are some little things I don’t enjoy, like how many of the side characters are needlessly idiotic just to give Bruce Willis’ John McClane even more of a hard time. But the stuntwork, the action sequences, the performance by Bruce Willis as our badass hero, and the performance by Alan Rickman as the despicably smart but overall petty villain Hans Gruber are all top-notch. Yippee-kai-yay indeed! And yes, I see this as a Christmas movie too. At least this one ends with Let It Snow!

85) NAPOLEON DYNAMITE (2004)

When this movie was rising in popularity, I was right there on the bandwagon. I was always quoting the movie with my friends and I bought a bunch of merchandise including the final shooting script and a flipbook of Napoleon’s dance. As I got older, I still enjoyed the movie thoroughly. Because I see it as an anti-feel-good-high-school-movie, where everything feels off intentionally and nothing is as they seem in other movies about high school outcasts. That’s why it became so popular in the first place, and that’s why I enjoy it even now. Vote for Pedro!

84) TAKE SHELTER (2011)

I’m a fan of Jeff Nichols’ work, and around the time this was coming out, I fell in love with his first film Shotgun Stories (which will appear on this list later). So you better believe my parents and I drove all the way from Manila, Arkansas to Little Rock, Arkansas (the only place in Arkansas the film was showing) just to see it, and we were blown away. It’s a great blend of family drama and psychological thriller with a possible apocalyptic vibe running throughout. It’s also my favorite performance from Michael Shannon as a man who doesn’t know if he’s predicting a terrible storm coming to destroy everything he holds dear or if he’s going crazy. The actions he takes for the sake of caution make for an interesting character study—one that enthralls me each time I watch it.

83) THE SPECTACULAR NOW (2013)

Another high-school drama, and yet again, it all comes down to the characters. When I showed this film to a friend, the main character of Sutter Keely played by Miles Teller was a difficult one for him to understand until the very end when he felt empathy for him. That’s what makes him so interesting, and when he gets his development in the final act, you really feel it and it hits you hard. The final speech he gives about his change, which wasn’t in the book by the way, is one of the most heartbreaking I’ve ever heard in a movie of this sort.

82) MISERY (1990)

Definitely a classic; one of my favorite Stephen King adaptations and one of the most suspenseful films I’ve ever seen. I not only admire the work of Oscar-winning Kathy Bates for playing a psychotic presence whose mood switches from sweet to insane, but I also admire the work by James Caan who has to rely on his wits in order to survive this horrific ordeal, as an author being held against his will to write a new book that satisfies his self-proclaimed “number-one fan.” And of course…that hobbling scene…yikes.

81) GET OUT (2017)

This film isn’t even a year old as of the making of this list, and yet I think it’s definitely going to stay on it for years to come. This has everything I look for in a thriller and great entertainment—likable characters, neat atmosphere, social commentary, effective comic relief, and best of all, a feeling of nervousness as you wait on-edge for something you know is bound to happen…but you don’t know when it’s going to happen, how it’s going to happen, or when it’s going to happen. That it uses uncomfortable issues such as liberal guilt and jealous racism to craft its story and create a balance of comedy and terror makes for a film that is just flat-out entertaining while also delivering a subtle social message. I also love to watch the reactions of those who are seeing it for the first time and discussing it with them afterwards. 2017 is still here, but it’s going to take a damn impressive film to knock this one off my best-of-the-year list.

80) CAST AWAY (2000)

When I was younger, I didn’t appreciate the beginning and final acts of this film. I got into the entire middle portion in which Tom Hanks is stranded on a desert island for four years, finding the will to stay alive before he finally gets himself off the island and back to civilization. It’s great filmmaking. Lovely cinematography that helps you get the loneliness of Hanks’ situation, a top-notch performance by Hanks, and no music score telling you how to feel because the scenario tells you itself. But as I got older, I realized the beginning and final acts were absolutely necessary and even made the film better than what I made it out to be. It’s tragic and bitter but also intriguing and thought-provoking. What would you do if you had a second chance in life and started something entirely new?

79) GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK. (2005)

Maybe you see this film as leftist propaganda, which would make sense considering director George Clooney’s political activism. I see it as a battle against high-powered politicians that abuse their authority. It’s a simple film based on the time TV newscaster Edward R. Murrow took on Joseph McCarthy when everyone else was afraid to, and it led to a success in many ways. Sadly, McCarthyism still lives on today and there are many forms of news media that bring out the dumbest things that no one should care about. That’s why this film is still important today—to remind us that if we don’t learn from history, then we’re doomed to repeat it. The dialogue in this film, and there is a lot of it, is pitch-perfect in pushing the film forward.

78) THE SOCIAL NETWORK (2010)

Critics were praising this film left and right, but when I was among those talking about how great it is, I had a very difficult time convincing my friends about that. They saw it as “the Facebook movie,” nothing they were interested in (which is ironic, considering they live half their lives on Facebook). This is not about Facebook—that’s just on the surface. Beneath the surface is a story about envy, ego, dependability, betrayal, and control. Historical accuracy be damned. Amadeus didn’t need to be totally accurate to get its points across.

77) THE PRINCESS BRIDE (1987)

One of the sharpest satires I’ve ever seen, and it gets a laugh and a smile from me each time I watch it. and thankfully I’m not alone in this. Who doesn’t hear this line and think of The Princess Bride? “Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.” I love the fourth wall jokes, I love how they play with convention in fairy tales, I love the characters, and of course, I love the jokes. My favorite has to do with the battle of wits between Westley and Vicini—it’s Wallace Shawn at his most slimy.

76) THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939)

Yet another film that stayed with me since childhood, and strangely enough, I don’t think it’s a film that could work today. It’s like lightning in a bottle—such a thing just can’t be replicated. It’s visually striking, the symbolism is nicely handled, and the metaphors that got over my head as a kid fascinate me as an adult. And there’s just such a magic to it that is infectious and easily heartwarming. There’s no place like home, but for the movies, it’s a good try.

75) INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1978)

I like the original ‘50s classic based on the book fine, but the 1978 version starring Donald Sutherland and directed by Philip Kaufman is more impressive to me, because of its ever lingering and ultra realistic sense of dread. The slow build of something surely taking over the city with so few people even knowing it is chilling, and it makes the scares all the more impactful and frightening. And that feeling of being alone in a world that seems to be turning against you is captured perfectly here. It’s a scary film that cranks up the tension higher and higher as it goes on, and it continues to give me the creeps even to this day.

74) PLANES, TRAINS & AUTOMOBILES (1987)

If there’s anything more important than how much a comedy can make you laugh, it’s a how much a comedy can make you feel. There is a lot to laugh at in this film, such as Steve Martin and John Candy waking up in bed together or them going the wrong way on a freeway or Martin’s breakdown at a car dealership among others. But with the characters, particularly Candy’s character of Del Griffith, there’s something more. You like them, you feel for them, and the more you watch the film, the more you feel for them…and I have to admit, the ending gets me a little teary eyed. It’s a wonderful comedy that knows the right buttons to push to make me both laugh and feel.

73) PLEASANTVILLE (1998)

Two kids from the ‘90s are magically teleported into a television show set in “pleasant” ‘50s Americana, and the generation gap brings forth changes no one would have ever expected. This begs the question, How is our generation going to look to a generation 40something years from now? It’s an interesting thing to think about, and with Pleasantville, it’s even more interesting, now that we look back at the ‘90s trends and think about the way things are today. We’re in a different age, we notice the differences, and so we realize that some things change and some attitudes change, and as much as we like to think things were easier “way back when,” we forget how unpleasant things were too, because the utopia we all want doesn’t exist and we just have to make the best out of what we got. That’s what I mainly took away from Pleasantville, which is also funny, insightful, and beautiful to look at, especially in the way they blend color with black-and-white.

72) OLD YELLER (1957)

When I was a little boy, I learned about death from two movies: The Lion King and Old Yeller. (Thanks, Disney.) Old Yeller is a slice-of-life frontier family drama about the good times and the tough times surrounding a family and a dog, and chances are you probably know how it ends even if you haven’t seen it. But if that’s all you take from the film, then you miss the point entirely. This is a film that teaches kids not to waste the good moments in life feeling upset about the bad, because that makes it all bad. That’s something our young main character of Travis learns the hard way, and that makes for a great coming-of-age story that I’ve treasured since childhood…but I hate Arliss, the little brother. That kid was annoying.

71) GRAVITY (2013)

This film blew me away both times I saw it on the biggest screen in a theater. Space looked so realistic that I could’ve sworn it was shot right on location (and I would’ve believed it too; it’s that convincing). True, the film becomes less of an experience toward the end and becomes…well, a movie. But I didn’t mind so much, because by that point, I felt for the character played by Sandra Bullock as she’s stuck in the worst place you could ever possibly be and just hopes for another chance. Maybe I’m just a sucker for survival stories, seeing as how I’ve already mentioned Cast Away and 127 Hours on this list, and surviving space is quite a task indeed, to say the least.

70) BOYHOOD (2014)

The film that took 12 years to make, and it’s ingenious. I know a lot of you might be thinking, “Do you really like it that much or do you just admire it?” My answer is both. I admire the efforts of director Richard Linklater to make something unique and show a passage of time as a boy grows into a man and I love the film because it reminds me of the times I went through growing up and shows that the little moments are important in helping to shape your life for the future. Life is full of precious moments and film’s job is to capture that life. It inspires me with my craft and my life.

69) THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION (1994)

The highest voted movie on IMDb? Kinda hard not to like it, isn’t it. There’s just something about this amazing movie that really connects with film lovers and just people in general. Not your typical prison movie; it’s about much more than being locked up. It’s about finding a way to free yourself, both physically and mentally. It’s a lovely film and another Stephen King adaptation done wonderfully.

68) DO THE RIGHT THING (1989)

I didn’t quite get this film when I first saw it as a teenager, but as time went on and I watched it again, I was blown away by how profound and energetic it was while showing the harshness of racial tensions in a mostly black neighborhood. It starts out as a slice of life when you meet all these characters and see how they live and how they relate (or don’t relate) with each other, and then by the end of the film, a character has died, another character has started a riot, and there’s no clear answer to what really went down that night. The filmmaking is very lively here, with lots of neat little techniques thrown in to make it more active, such as when people are speaking right to the camera about someone or something. It’s a bitter message that is delivered at the end and we don’t know why racism exists, but to the film’s credit, I don’t think the racists know why it exists either. There’s a crucial scene in which Lee’s character Mookie talks to John Turturro’s character Pino about how little sense he doesn’t make when he makes racist remarks since his favorite actor and basketball player are black—Pino’s defense is one of the most pathetic things I ever heard. And I imagine other people like Pino saying the same thing.

67) PHANTOM TOWN (1999)

This may be the most embarrassing title I ever put on this list, and for a long time, I didn’t want to admit this straight-to-video late-90s family-horror cheesefest was one of my favorites. But I have to be totally honest here and say that despite its flaws, such as bad CGi and some inconsistencies here or there, this movie’s a lot of fun. I used to rent this movie a lot when I was a little kid (er, my parents rented it for me) and I thought it was both very scary and very fun. It was a family horror film but it was one that actually wanted to scare the kids. From the eerie music to the grotesque makeup to the ending that includes a little girl screaming in terror before the credits, I just thought the film was awesome! Even better than Goosebumps, which I also used to watch a lot as a kid. I found it at a used-dvd sale recently and revisited it for the first time in years, and the feelings I had as a kid, I still have to this day. Sure, I’m able to notice the numerous flaws, but I still appreciate the overall spirit of it.

No review available…because how can I defend this one more than I tried to already?

66) THE LORD OF THE RINGS (2001-2003)

In my opinion, you can’t have one Lord of the Rings movie without the others. They can be seen together as one long nine-plus-hour-long epic journey, because that’s really what it is. And this was released at a time when fantasy epics were box office poison, and so director Peter Jackson took a big chance that paid off big-time. A game changer to say the least. If I watch Fellowship of the Ring, I have to watch Two Towers. Then I have to watch Return of the King. And I have no problem with that. The characters are all fun and likable, Gollum is a great tragic figure, the visual effects are spectacular, and I don’t even mind the multiple endings of Return of the King. It had to tie up all loose ends after giving us one hell of an adventure with many twists and turns and characters and monsters and so on.

65) JURASSIC PARK (1993)

Steven Spielberg is my personal favorite director, and among the many films of his I watched over and over, Jurassic Park was among the most entertaining (and we’ll get to some others soon enough on the list). This is a great thrill ride: a monster movie mixed with family adventure and just lots of terror and fun. The special effects are spectacular with a great mix of CGI and practical effects. Props have to go to Stan Winston’s creations—reportedly, Winston didn’t set out to make “scary” dinosaurs but “real” dinosaurs. And it worked so well. Those raptors were scary…and real.

64) THE KARATE KID (1984)

Many of the sports kid movies I used to watch a lot as a kid just didn’t hold up well as time went on, but with The Karate Kid, I still feel this instant connection every time I turn it on. Much of that has to do with the characters. Daniel, Mr. Miyagi, Ali, Daniel’s mother, and even Johnny are all relatable in some way or another and they’re fleshed out perfectly. Kreese is the one that’s kind of off and a bit over-the-top but even then you could make an argument that he’s an insecure douche that feels the need for victory, but that is something that’s improved in the remake with Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith. Even so, here, I don’t mind so much. And another reason for its power is the execution. Much of it feels very real, like these actors are giving natural performances and delivering their lines as if we were eavesdropping on a real conversation. The quiet moments are excellent here. And with all that said, it gives me a real rooting interest in seeing Daniel find balance in life while gaining his self confidence and self worth.

63) BIG (1988)

When I was a kid, I loved this movie for the jokes and the feel-good spirit. But as an adult, I still find it funny but more importantly, I find it more insightful, in that this kid becomes an adult because he sees it as achieving the highest points in life, but he learns that most adults want to return to childhood and he should live those moments while he still can before facing adult responsibilities. It’s really well-done here, and I give props to director Penny Marshall, writers Gary Ross and Anne Spielberg (yes, Steven’s sister), and lead actor Tom Hanks for giving me a film I can treasure as a kid for one reason and still treasure as an adult for another reason.

62) THE OUTSIDERS (1983)

To be more specific, it’s the director’s cut of The Outsiders that’s one of my favorite films, called The Outsiders: The Complete Novel. I like the original cut fine, but the director’s cut just has more to offer in terms of character and environment, and I love it for the same reasons I love the book of the same name written by S.E. Hinton. The characters are memorable, the actors are great, the cinematography is gorgeous, and the tone makes it seem like a juvenile version of Gone With the Wind, which is mentioned here a few times. It’s a film that stayed with me since I was 14 years old when I read the book in 9^th grade English class and watched both versions of the movie.

61) STAR WARS (1977)

Oh what do I even need to say about this one? It’s Star Wars. It’s A New Hope. It’s a fun action-filled space opera that I love for the same reasons everyone else loves it. It’s fantastic and I love watching it. Enough said. It’s a classic for many reasons, it influenced a lot of filmmakers, and it’s still well regarded today and spawned even more chapters in its universe. Right on, George Lucas…just know your limitations if you decide to make any new ones yourself.

60) GHOSTBUSTERS (1984)

It’s strange that this movie is so great, because the story, when you really get down to it, is ridiculous and over complicated. But at the same time, most comedies over simplify their stories anyway, so why should I complain when I’m still laughing at the behavior and dialogue of the main characters? It’s just a real treat. “We came, we saw, we kicked its ass!”

59) HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS (2002)

I’m a big Harry Potter fan ever since my mom read me the first book as a bedtime story and the whole family & I saw the first movie in theaters twice. It’s a fantasy universe that still enthralls me even today. And while a lot of people see the later films as the best, it’s the second film, The Chamber of Secrets, that I’ve always admired for the sheer craftsmanship in further shaping the world, developing likable characters like Harry, Ron and Hermione, and giving us a riveting mystery-adventure to follow. And it’s always baffled me that most people think of this as the worst in the series. I still don’t get it.

58) UNITED 93 (2006)

I have to be honest…I only watch this film once a year. So why is it on my list of favorites? Because it’s a film that made a damn big impact on me and it’s one that I can never forget or ignore. The directing style behind a film that reenacts what most likely happened on the doomed Flight 93 on September 11, 2001, makes you feel like you are there seeing everything with your very eyes, experiencing the terror firsthand. You feel like you’re in the crowd watching the plane hit the Twin Towers or on the plane fearing for your life as it’s taken over by terrorists. And the last shot, I swear…when I first saw it, I couldn’t move for a long time. I was in a state of shock, not believing what I just saw, as the film totally stunned me.

57) FARGO (1996)

Yet another film I saw because of Siskel and Ebert’s review. In this one, they praised Fargo like it was the best thing they had seen all year, which it was, as they both called it the best film of 1996. And I definitely see what they mean. I love the way the film is crafted, starting out with the concoction of the scheme that sets everything up, introducing the main antagonists and giving us over a half-hour of everything starting to go very wrong, and then we’re introduced to our main character, a quirky cop played by Frances McDormand in a fabulous performance. And then it shows things getting worse and worse as the film’s message is gradually revealed to us as we realize what we know from watching McDormand and William H. Macy’s character and what we should know that most of us probably don’t want to acknowledge: that it’s the little things that make life worth living and not a load of money. It’s a wonderful film that is easily one of the Coen Brothers’ very best.

56) TAXI DRIVER (1976)

Who is Travis Bickle really? Is he a hero? Is he a psycho? Is he an anti-hero? I don’t know, he doesn’t know, and that’s what makes him a fascinating character. What goes through his mind as he drives through the city in his taxi cab and the conclusions he comes to in order to make things right in his eyes are not as simple as you might think from a similar character in most movies. It’s more complicated than that, which is the key to the success of Martin Scorsese’s ‘70s classic, on top of a great memorable performance by Robert De Niro. “You talkin’ to me?…You talkin’ to me? I’m the only one here.” His portrayal of the character is darkly funny, sad, and intensely disturbing. What’s even more disturbing yet fascinating is that it feels real.

55) HOLES (2003)

You’re probably thinking to yourself, “This guy’s tastes in movies are all over the place, and his favorite movies range from silly b-movies to notorious classics.” Well, that’s because I’m only human, I love movies, and my favorite movies don’t have to be yours. But anyway, here’s another movie I cherished since childhood, based on the popular kid’s novel by Louis Sachar, who also wrote the screenplay for the adaptation. I enjoy this movie for the same reason I enjoy Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets so dearly—it’s a mystery-adventure with so much going on with interesting characters, several hints and clues that lead to an ultimate payoff. And it’s done so well, with intriguing sideplots that add to the main story, that I never get bored despite all the things that happen in this movie. I also really like the kids in the movie; they feel like real kids, not unlike the acting in The Goonies. The way they interact and relate with each other is impressive. They feel more real than the adult villains, played by Jon Voight, Sigourney Weaver and Tim Blake Nelson, but I think that adds to the fantasy aspect of the movie that really works in its favor.

54) TITANIC (1997)

I can’t help it, it really got to me. This film has gotten a backlash since it swept the Oscars in its time, but I can’t take part in it; I love Titanic. I love how director James Cameron makes you feel the weight of one of the biggest disasters of the 20^th century, and that the climactic sinking of the great ship feels like it’s taking place in real time, which causes the dread and tragedy to escalate to the point where you really feel something. It’s quite an experience. I don’t think the characters played by Leonardo DiCaptrio and Kate Winslet really existed on the actual Titanic, but I like that we see the counterparts of the real-life passengers through their eyes. But something else I really admire about it from a filmmaking standpoint is how they build up the sinking by showing through computers, in an early scene set in the present, how it happened and how it was inevitable. And yes, I even like the Celine Dion song My Heart Will Go On. This film was popular for reasons, you know.

53) MASK (1985)

This is a film about a disfigured teenage boy and just how he and his messed-up mother live their life. And that’s it—it’s a slice of life that I was invested in from beginning to end. The actors are all fantastic, from Cher as the mother Rusty to Eric Stoltz who’s brilliant as the boy Rocky. They’re appealing, they feel real, and I felt as if I knew them, and I feel sorry for them when things don’t go their way. And the film works so well at establishing these characters and their relationships with other people that you didn’t really need the physical handicap at all. Put a normal face on this kid, and you still have a hell of a good film.

52) MAGNOLIA (1999)

It’s been almost three years since I first saw this three-hour P.T. Anderson ensemble character drama…I’m still not quite sure how to label it. It’s weird, it’s unusual, it has the climactic phenomenon at the end that took everyone off-guard—in fact, some people hated this movie when they first saw it because of that. But repeated viewings caused some naysayers to change their opinion because the film really is that impactful. I’m usually not all for movies with different characters and subplots because some are more interesting the rest, but strangely, with this one, I find myself interested in what’s going on with all of the characters, who are connected one way or another. The smart kid under pressure by his father on the game show, Tom Cruise as a misogynist who reconnects with his father on his deathbed, Melora Walters as the coke addict who hasn’t spoken to her parents in years, and many more. The characters are well developed, the themes of regret and loneliness, mainly brought on by failed relationships with parents and children, are fascinating, and that infamous climax? It’s strangely one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.

51) GOODFELLAS (1990)

As much as I admire The Godfather, personally, Goodfellas is the best gangster movie I’ve ever seen, brought on by the visionary director Martin Scorsese, who directs this film as a harsh slam against the Mafia. They’re scum, they profit off of violence, they betray their own, they do all sorts of bad things…and Scorsese isn’t afraid to show it’s like, through a character played by Ray Liotta who wants to do these things to get respect, falls in with the family, and even when stuff gets real bad in the end, he finds he still wants to do those things. And we get a clear inside perspective of what things are like as a gangster, and all the perks and downsides are brought to one particular character played by Joe Pesci who is nothing short of brilliant—funny but also very frightening. And that describes the whole movie itself.

50) NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (2007)

The film that won several Oscars for the Coen Brothers, and it’s real easy to see why. I admire this taut thriller for the simplicity and the meanings underneath the surface—that’s also why I don’t mind the ending like a lot of people do. This is more than just a guy on the run from a vicious sociopath, though there are some really neat close calls here and there—it’s a film with a demented philosophy about the balance between good and bad, and what makes it all the more chilling is the character who thinks he’s supposed to keep the balance intact: Anton Chigurh, played with sinister deliciousness by Javier Bardem, who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. And I admire the differences in the three main characters—an obvious hero in a cop played by Tommy Lee Jones, an obvious villain played by Bardem, and an anti-hero played by Josh Brolin. These differences make the overall piece all the more exciting.

49) SHOTGUN STORIES (2008)

And speaking of the Coen Brothers, we have something here that’s in a similar style. Shotgun Stories was Jeff Nichols’ first film, filmed on a small budget in Arkansas, and it’s a neat little drama/thriller about how a feud between two sets of half-brothers escalates to disaster when the father dies and the sons he abandoned years ago come to the funeral and say unpleasant things. The subtleties of both the developments and the performances really make the film, and it brings about the question of whether or not violence is the only way to fix true conflict. The result is unforgettable. And not only was it the film that introduced me to Jeff Nichols and made me excited to see Take Shelter (in fact, I even saw a public screening of this film followed by a q&a with Nichols and two clips of Take Shelter), but it was also my introduction to actor Michael Shannon, who is Nichols’ go-to actor nowadays, even right down to a cameo in his latest film Loving.

48) BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (1991)

Oddly enough, even though I grew up with many, many Disney movies, I didn’t grow up watching Beauty and the Beast so much. I actually began to truly admire and love it as I was turning 19. And it’s, for lack of a better word, “beautiful Disney magic.” The animation, the art design, the songs, the characters—everything about this movie is memorable and appealing. I love Belle, I love the Beast, and the romance between them is played perfectly. It’s just a treasure of a movie—a Disney animated film that appeals to both kids and adults.

47) THE MONSTER SQUAD (1987)

Oh boy, how am I going to explain this choice? Well, maybe like this—I grew up with this movie, it stayed with me over the years, and I still enjoy the hell out of it even to this day. I remember being in high school when the two-disc 20^th anniversary edition DVD was released and being really excited about it—the movie came on TV once when I was a kid, I wore out the tape after watching it so many times, and as soon as the DVD came out, my dad took me to the nearest Best Buy and bought it for me. It’s a totally fun ‘80s movie about a bunch of kids on a mission to take down Dracula, Wolfman and other Universal Monsters. They even get Frankenstein’s Monster to join them—how awesome is that?? This movie has its flaws, but it’s also just all sorts of fun. It stayed with me over the years, and I have no shame in calling it one of my absolute favorite movies.

46) TOY STORY (1995) – TOY STORY 2 (1999) – TOY STORY 3 (2010)

The Disney/PIXAR films that I grew up with. The toy characters of Woody the Cowboy, Buzz Lightyear the spaceman, Mr. Potato Head, Hamm the Piggy Bank, Rex the Dinosaur, they’re all fun company to spend movies with! They took these CG creations and these stories about toys that come alive when people aren’t looking and made them into fables of envy, of regret, of growing up, of growing apart, all these things that kids need to know in order to get by in life. That they’re also fun adventures helps a lot too. If I had to pick one as my favorite, I would say the second one just barely fits that spot. The stuff with Buzz and the toys racing to save Woody and encountering many things on the city street and in the toystore is a lot of fun, but also, the scenes with Woody and Jessie the Cowgirl are surprisingly heartwarming. That song sequence “When Somebody Loved Me” is one of those moments where I get a little teary-eyed. You heard right—Toy Story 2 made me cry!

45) THIS IS SPINAL TAP (1984)

When I first saw this as a young teenager, I didn’t see why everyone was saying it was one of the best comedies of all time and really inventive and stuff. As time went on, however, I grew more of a fascination with the art of documentary as well as rock music, and this mockumentary/rockumentary about a lousy rock band just hit all the wrong notes and I suddenly found it to be hilarious. The things director Rob Reiner and his crew and cast went through to make it all seem authentic alone makes it a pure joy to watch, and I laugh every time we get those interviews with the band talking about their pasts, their bad habits, and whatnot, particularly in the ways all their drummers keep dying. (“He choked on vomit… it was actually someone else’s vomit.”) It’s a film that’s gotten better with time—one of my favorite comedies and one of my favorite films, period. “These go to 11.”

44) REAR WINDOW (1954)

This Hitchcock classic was one of the first films that taught me that a lot can be done with very little, and in this case, you can make a film that takes place in one location, in one room, and go from there in keeping the suspense alive when you have nowhere else to go. It’s almost like a well-thought-out play. And I can also thank the similarly-themed 2007 film Disturbia for introducing me to this film, probably the best Disturbia had to offer. (OK, that’s not fair—Disturbia is a fine film on its own. But Rear Window will always be the truer classic.)

43) HOOP DREAMS (1994)

I mentioned with Spinal Tap that I was getting really into the art of documentary film, and I love documentaries, particularly because there’s a lot you can do with very little, shape the film however you want, make anything mundane fascinating, show the lives of real people and how interesting they can be especially in comparison to most characters in fiction movies. And one of my favorites is definitely Hoop Dreams, a documentary following the lives of two boys as they go through high school and try to make their dreams of playing pro basketball into a reality. It’s a lot tougher than it sounds, and we get a good nearly-three-hour-long tour into their lives and the lives of their families. And it’s easily identifiable because we all have dreams and ambitions and won’t stop until we achieve them, and so we root for these boys to make their dreams come true, even though it’s clear that they won’t. And there’s a very prominent line that closes out the movie—“People say ‘if you make it in the NBA, don’t forget about me.’ I like to say to them, ‘If I DON’T make it, YOU don’t forget about ME.’”

 

42) JAWS (1975)

My favorite director? Steven Spielberg. No question about it, not even a moment of blinking first. I’m gonna say my favorite director is Steven freaking Spielberg. And there’s more of his movies coming up higher on the list. But let’s begin with the very tense, very suspenseful shark movie Jaws. This is a fantastic thriller—wonderfully well-made, likable characters, and a great final hour out at sea fighting off a killer great white shark. Yeah, the shark looks a little fake toward the end, but the fear it generates building up to its ultimate appearance can’t be ignored. “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.” It created the term “summer blockbuster” and made Spielberg a household name, both for very good reason.

41) WITNESS (1985)

This film is just ripe with originality. The story, I don’t think anyone’s even tried to copycat. It goes like this—an Amish widow and her little son get mixed up in a murder case after the boy witnesses a murder in a Philadelphia train station; Harrison Ford is a cop on the case only to find that the murderer is a fellow cop, thus putting his own life as well as the lives of the woman and boy in absolute danger; so Ford hides out in the Amish country with them, and while he figures things out, he falls in with the villagepeople and even starts to fall in love with the woman; and that makes things even more tricky because they don’t belong with each other. Witness is a movie that has a lot to offer—it’s a tense thriller, it’s a tragic romance, it’s a fish-out-of-water story, and like Matinee, it takes all these different elements and blends surprisingly well together. I feel something when the relationship between Ford’s John Book and Kelly McGillis’ Rachel Lapp is threatened by the real world. And I feel scared when three men with rifles approach the country, bent on causing mayhem to kill someone. I love this movie so much that I actually am sort of jealous of it.

40) RUNAWAY TRAIN (1985)

This movie gets better and better every time I watch it. It also features my favorite performance by Jon Voight, as a lifer in a maximum security prison who breaks out and heads for freedom. But he and his cohort, played by Eric Roberts, end up stowing away on a train that turns into a runaway when the conductor dies of a heart attack and the brakes get blown off, and so now they have to fight to survive. What’s odd and quite fascinating to me about this movie is that it starts out as a standard prison picture and then works its way into an action film. But this is more about characterization than it is about action, though there are some pretty damn good stunts in this movie. Particularly, the Voight character of Manny is older and more insightful in life than the younger, more naïve Roberts character, and so he’s able to teach the “youngster” a thing or two. But due to a sick mind and serving a long sentence, he himself walks the fine line between “human” and “animal.” And the ending of Runaway Train is just great. Without giving it aqway, it involves Voight making a choice between life and death. I always get a little tense when I watch it. I just love it.

39) UP (2009)

I mentioned movies with moments that get me a little teary-eyed. You want to see me get really choked up? Just show me the first few minutes of Up! And then show me the rest of the film, and I’ll start to sob at the very last shot. What it means, what it symbolizes, what everything ultimately amounted to in this zany adventure film really gets to me. Who would think that an animated family movie that also features talking dogs that fly bomber planes would get me so emotional? But it really does. And Up is pretty much a movie that has everything—drama, comedy, fantasy, adventure, just a lot to make for a very entertaining film. That it means something due to the characters and their main emotional plight is a big plus.

38) SIGNS (2002)

This M. Night Shyamalan film has gotten a lot of backlash ever since its successful theatrical run in 2002, mainly having to do with the fact that the ominous threat is taken out so easily by a common element. And there are other things about it that don’t seem like a big deal to me but a VERY big deal to many others. I just don’t get it. And I will defend this movie until the day I die. I think it’s an excellent film with a strong subtext about faith, a solid family dilemma, and good chills and thrills, in this alien-invasion thriller told from the perspective of one family. And since some of you are probably more baffled that I have this on the list…even though I already mentioned Phantom Town and The Monster Squad with high regard…I’m just gonna say why it doesn’t bother me that the aliens came to our planet even though it’s mostly covered in water, which harms them. Well, I think I just answered my question with that very question: they’re ALIENS! You think they’ve even heard of water?

37) THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980)

“No…I am your father!” As if the Star Wars follow-up couldn’t get any more dark, complex and thought-provoking, we suddenly get the reveal that the main villain our heroes have been going up against this whole time…was the protagonist’s father. What does it mean, what does it say about interpretation and such, so many questions were brought up by this reveal and left audiences talking about it for hours and hours. And yes, it’s well known now, but that doesn’t make it any less great to comprehend. It actually makes it better if you know about it first, because watching the film while knowing the twist gives you more of an experience when Luke Skywalker is being taught by Yoda not to rush into things without thinking about them first, learning to put mind over matter when using the Force, and so forth. I showed it to my girlfriend, who already knew about it before seeing the movie, and she found a lot out of it.

36) A CHRISTMAS STORY (1983)

When I first saw it, I couldn’t even make it past the scene in which the kid gets his tongue stuck on a flagpole; it was a little too much for me at age 8 and I begged my mom to turn it off…after she got it for me as a Christmas gift. (Sorry, Mom.) But when I finally worked up the guts to watch it again, I enjoyed it just as much as everyone else does…well, mostly everyone. People are tired of it getting so much TV time every Christmas, including my dad. But not me. I always love watching it every year.

35) WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT (1988)

A part of me wishes I didn’t have so many classics on my list, because I keep thinking, “What can I say about them that no one else has already?” Well, here we have Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Shortest reasoning for why this is one of my favorite movies: it’s clever, imaginative, has brilliant usage of cartoon characters, is visually interesting, and I immensely enjoy watching it every time. Let’s move on… Smile, darn ya, smile!

34) THE LION KING (1994)

This was THE Disney movie I grew up with. It was the first movie I ever owned on video, so I watched it all the time, I know it inside and out…it still gets me to this day. This animated movie is glorious—the animation just pops right off the screen and makes the environment feel so epic. It’s beautiful to watch. And it makes me feel something too. Kind of an African safari fable that mixes Bambi and Hamlet, it uses adult themes in a way that actually speak to kids, and it’s for that reason among many more that I admire this film now as much as I did when I was a kid. Hakuna-matata—it means no worries.

33) INSIDE OUT (2015)

I did NOT think that Disney and PIXAR would find a way to top Toy Story and Up, but there is just something about Inside Out that, for me at least, makes it stand out among the rest. The way it uses personalized emotions to teach a very important lesson about the significance of sadness and what it means to grow up and adapt in life is just brilliant. I saw the movie once in a theater and fell in love with it, I saw it a second time in a theater and loved it even more, and it topped my best-of-2015 list with no competition whatsoever. It’s very clever in the way it visually represents a subconscious and what it means to lose certain things in it, it’s very funny in how you see what goes on in other people’s heads, and it’s all the more heartwarming when the emotions of this pre-teenage girl have to help her in facing the frightening changes of reality. And I think it was snubbed of a Best Picture Oscar nomination. Best Animated Feature is not enough for me.

32) RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981)

Yet another Spielberg classic; one with excitement and joy just leaping off the screen. When you really get down to it, the story is pretty silly. But the execution and Harrison Ford’s persona make it much more than what it could’ve been, and it’s one of the best adventure films of all time. I even see it on the big screen whenever it comes up as a “classic” screening.

31) THE DARK KNIGHT (2008)

They made Batman into a crime thriller and showed the world that the superhero movie is capable of much more than high-quality or just-plain-silly entertainment. Kudos to them. I was blown away when I first saw it on the big screen at age 16, and I felt like I was seeing something that was too good for me. The way the line between hero and villain becomes blurred is haunting and I’ll never forget it. And of course, there’s Heath Ledger’s unbelievable performance as The Joker. What else can I say but…I hate clowns.

30) AMADEUS (1984)

Funny story—I showed this to a friend who’s a big-time movie buff, like me. He hadn’t seen it before and he kept guessing out loud what was going to happen with Mozart and Salieri in this movie, and I kept having to tell him “no, that’s not what happens.” It’s just one source, but it shows that what Amadeus isn’t is “predictable.” What it is is one of my favorite films. I’m not even a big fan of classical music, which isn’t to say I don’t like it; I just don’t listen to it that often. But I still adore this movie both as a story about the creative process and a character study about an ingenious but immature artist and a mediocre but dedicated one who’s very envious of the other. Either way you look at it, it’s still an engrossing film—so engrossing that I often forget how long it is when I’m watching it. I haven’t seen the director’s cut, and truth be told, I don’t really want to. I got the one that swept the Oscars, and that’s the one I’m going to stick with.

29) FANTASIA (1940)

What an experience! And simply the best Disney offered in his early days of animation. Syncing visuals with great music worked out perfectly, especially in the final segments of The Night on Bald Mountain and Ave Maria. Twist my arm and ask me to choose between seeing this on the big screen, which my girlfriend Kelly and I did, and seeing a live performance of the same musical pieces, I’ll choose the big screen for the remarkable visuals and animation. It’s nothing short of amazing.

28) DAY FOR NIGHT (1973)

Being on many different film sets in Arkansas and being a filmmaker myself, I understand the ups and downs of filmmaking. Granted, in the case of Francois Truffaut’s Day For Night, it’s a little more complicated, seeing how it’s more high-profile than the indies I worked on. But I recognize many of the problems faced in this film about what it’s like to make a movie, such as actors having a hard time mastering their lines, schedules being turned around, crew members feuding with each other, or even getting the cat to do what needs to be done on camera. There’s a lot of truth in this film and that’s why I both enjoy and identify with it.

27) Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN (2002)

There’s something very special about this Spanish film directed by Alfonso Cuaron. It’s more than a coming-of-age film about two horny teenage boys who get a chance to score with an attractive older woman. Beneath the surface is a commentary on Mexican society, with an ever-present narrator giving background info at the places they visit. And also, without giving anything away for those who haven’t seen it, it’s about how to behave when facing death. Oh, and there’s a lot of sex…er, quite a bit of onscreen sex. But it’s not used for exploitation purposes; it’s more like a way of showing how meaningless it can be given the circumstances. There’s more to this film than that.

26) A SIMPLE PLAN (1998)

Yet another thriller that has me tense from beginning to end, brought on by Sam Raimi, who learned from the Coen Brothers about how to shoot in the snow, since they did it for Fargo. This is a fascinating, unbelievably effective portrait of good people doing evil things when faced with greed, such as Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton deciding to keep a duffel bag full of money they find in the woods. How far will working-class folks go to protect the secret of millions of dollars? There’s betrayal, jealousy, even murder. At what point do they draw the line? Add that to great acting, especially from Billy Bob Thornton giving his best performance as a mentally unstable person who feels the most guilt, and this is one hell of a film.

25) THE DIRTIES (2013)

I mentioned with Spinal Tap that much can be done when playing with the art of documentary in fiction and I mentioned with Rear Window that much can be done with very little, and now we come to an underrated independent gem called The Dirties. It’s a faux-documentary about the making of a movie that blends with the psychosis of an alienated teen that wants to take revenge on his hallway tormentors—like a found-footage movie, except it uses a more documentary approach in terms of editing, with music and clever edits among other little tricks here and there. It takes what it has in terms of resources and uses them to its advantage, and I highly respect filmmaker Matt Johnson, who also stars in the film, for pulling it off. I have so much to say about this film, I could do a whole commentary on it. And it has a lighthearted sense of humor about itself in how the hero sees his life as a movie and allows himself to be filmed as if it were such. But at the same time, there’s a looming sense of dread in the way it seems inevitable that what he’s thinking of doing is probably what he’ll end up doing. And what’s scary is we understand why, and it feels real, much like Taxi Driver. And it’s strange to me that this is so high up on the list, because when I first caught it on TV, I thought it was simply…OK. But the more I watched it, the more I noticed beneath the surface, and the more I became fascinated with what it was intended to be. And it got better and better with each viewing to the point where I look to Matt Johnson as the underrated master of the faux-documentary.

24) A CLOCKWORK ORANGE (1971)

Yet another film about teenage alienation, but this one goes a little darker. It’s a film about a young man who enjoys doing sick, dastardly things until he undergoes a program that turns him off from even the thought of doing such things. But on top of taking away his free will, his newfound pacifism makes him an outlet for everyone else’s frustrations. This is Kubrick at his best, getting under our skin with muted tones and scathing social commentary. Top it all off with an unnervingly good performance by Malcolm McDowell and you got a film that is so unpleasant to watch yet too captivating to look away from. And needless to say, I don’t think of Singin in the Rain the same way anymore.

23) PSYCHO (1960)

Psycho is my favorite of Hitchcock’s films. Maybe something like Rear Window or Vertigo is his best, but Psycho is my favorite, and much of it has to do with two things: one is how the story is told and how it teases you and lets you down when the supposed main character is out of the picture after the infamous shower scene; the other is the character of Norman Bates, played brilliantly by Anthony Perkins. The more I watch this film, the more I try to understand him, because I really want to. He’s such an interesting individual that he practically begs to be talked about. The only thing I don’t like about it is the ending, with the drawn out explanation given by the psychiatrist. Maybe it’s what audiences needed in the early ‘60s but not anymore. Still a pretty impressive film, though.

22) ED WOOD (1994)

As much as I love Day for Night and The Dirties, I’d say Ed Wood is my favorite film about filmmaking. It tells the tale of Edward D. Wood, Jr. who made some of the worst, most laughably bad movies of all time, such as Glen or Glenda and Plan 9 From Outer Space. And it’s just about what he loves doing and how he won’t let the critics or pessimists bring him down. I love how Johnny Depp portrays the character, as a constantly grinning optimist who simply loves what he does and is glad to share anything with anyone who will listen to him, and I enjoy the relationship he has with actor Bela Legosi, played marvelously by Martin Landau. It’s my favorite Tim Burton film, and it teaches me a very important lesson as a filmmaker: no matter how good I think my work is and no matter how bad others think it might be, I should always do it because I want to. That’s one I’ll remember for the rest of my life and career.

21) PULP FICTION (1994)

Whenever I think of great screenwriting, this is one of the movies that instantly come to mind. It doesn’t go for just the necessary lines of dialogue; it makes it somewhat relatable by adding more to it, like the moments in which John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson talk about a French McDonald’s restaurant or even foot massages. And the storytelling (in the way it uses parallels) makes it all the more fascinating. Memorable moments all around, much like writer-director Quentin Tarantino’s best work. Pulp Fiction is an unforgettable film that may be weird and talkative, but it definitely has a soul.

20) THE SIXTH SENSE (1999)

M. Night Shyamalan’s claim to fame, one of the highest grossing movies of all time, and dammit, it truly is beautiful. It’s far from a typical ghost story or horror film. It’s a winningly effective drama about redemption and relationships. It showed me when I first saw it at a young age that the horror genre can be used for much more than people give it credit for. Everything about it works, from the color scheme and clever use of the color red, to the great performances from Bruce Willis and Haley Joel Osment, to the scary moments when the kid “sees dead people,” to the dramatic moments when Willis tries to connect with his wife and the kid tries to connect with his mother. And the twist? I have to be honest; I didn’t even know it was a twist when I first saw it. Everyone had talked about it so much, I thought it was a plot point to know from the start. But the film still impressed me from beginning to end.

19) E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL (1982)

Yes, another Spielberg classic, and for a while, this was my favorite film. I still love it; it’s in the top 20 after all. Again, what can I say about this film that so many others haven’t already? It’s magical, it’s greatly developed, it’s a great fantasy, it has unique techniques in the director (like keeping the adults, except the mother character, obscure until much later on when they’re important), it’s pure movie-magic and just great Spielberg. And…yeah, I love this one. Moving on!

18) TEX (1982)

This is a Disney film that hardly anyone has even heard of, but it really is a gem. I like it for the same reason I love Mask; it’s a nicely done slice of life with engaging characters. It’s based on a novel by S.E. Hinton who also wrote The Outsiders, and it stars Matt Dillon and Jim Metzler as two teenage brothers who are left on their own and find ways to get by. And that’s pretty much it. It’s more about focusing on the lives of these two boys as they live with one another, and how the youngest brother, Tex, comes of age and realizes how much his older brother Mason is putting on the line for him. It’s amazing how insightful and true to life this film seems to be. It was released in the early ‘80s, a time when movies about teens were focused on losing virginity—this one, on the other hand, was about becoming a man, something the other films only claimed to be about. It tackles issues such as teenage sex, teenage parenting, even drug dealing—it’s an effective portrait of troubled teenagers, brought to us by Disney! How weird is it to say that…

17) THE HAUNTING (1963)

This is my personal favorite horror film. It’s a film that’s basically a haunted-house thriller, but it’s all psychological, and I truly love that. You don’t see the beast that’s lurking outside, and you don’t even know which of the haunting is real and which is just inside the head of the main character of Eleanor, who’s mentally stressed. It’s really clever that way. But overall, I do find the film truly frightening in how this haunting is portrayed. I watch this movie every Halloween night, with the lights turned off, and it always gives me the chills. The moment the final monologue is over and the movie ends, I want to step outside and see signs of life again. That’s how effective the movie is for me.

16) 12 ANGRY MEN (1957)

Yet another film that does a lot with very little, like Rear Window, but this one is actually based on a real play. How the film handles such a heavy situation such as what truly matters in a murder case when it seems just too easy to vote guilty makes for a film that lessons that are important even to this day. You can’t just rely on fact alone in a case that could send someone to death; you have to really talk about it, think about it, discuss it with your fellow jurors. It’s a more important job than people realize. The acting from all 12 actors playing the titular characters are top-notch, the cinematography is tight, making for a claustrophobic feeling as you’re stuck in that room with them, and the writing? Outstanding. The discussions these 12 people have about facts, ideas, etc. are fun to listen to. I could listen to this film as an audiobook, it’s that interesting.

15) RUBY SPARKS (2012)

This was the film that taught me to be the best I could possibly be in a relationship with a wonderful woman, and I owe the directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris and the writer Zoe Kazan so much for that. This is a film about a hopeless romantic who doesn’t know the first thing about women except what it comes up with in his own mind. Then his dream girl materializes out of nowhere and it’s just what he wants…until he realizes there’s more to her than what he wanted, and that frightens him. So he has to learn the hard way that his dream girl will never be real and if he loves someone, he has to accept her, flaws and all. I was much like this character, having my own idea of what the perfect woman for me should be like, only to realize down the road that she’s not real and there’s something better out there for me. And I give credit to this movie for showing me that. And I love my girlfriend, with whom I’ve been in a relationship for three years, for this very reason: she’s more than the girl of my dreams—she’s real.

14) TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY (1991)

This is my all-time favorite action movie. The stunt work is awesome, the action sequences are incredible, the heroes and villain are great, and even the dramatic moments, as well as the question of whether or not humanity is worth saving, are really, really impressive. This movie is just amazing, and it’s a sequel that improves upon everything set up by the original Terminator movie, which I also really like. The lighting, the action setpieces, the special effects—everything is an improvement. The villain is even scarier than Schwarzenegger’s Terminator of the first movie, because he proves more difficult to go up against because he seemingly can’t be destroyed. And it’s also welcoming to have an action movie in which Schwarzenegger has to learn not to kill people, and while keeping true to his word, he learns the value of human life. But of course, we also get his awesomest moments, such as the infamous “Hasta La Vista, Baby.” Oh and let’s not forget that kickass music score!

13) MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL (1975)

You don’t have to be familiar with Monty Python humor, such as the TV series Flying Circus (and I’ll admit I’m not), but whenever I watch Monty Python and the Holy Grail, I just laugh and laugh and laugh. I laugh at the absurdity of the production and the brilliant comic timing. For me, there was hardly a moment in the film when I wasn’t cracking up. I’m even cracking up just thinking of certain scenes from the movie, like the Black Knight duel, the witch-talk, the attack of a cartoon monster, and more. There are literally so many memorably funny moments that it’s hard to think of one that made me laugh the most. Every time I watch it, it’s just a delight.

12) THE UP SERIES (1964-2013)

As I’m making this list, I don’t know if there’s going to be a 63 Up or not, but I’d love to see one. This is like a growing project that continues to grow every seven years, catching up with the same people and seeing how they’re doing in their individual lives. This is one of the best uses of documentary film that I’ve ever seen, if not the absolute best. And it’s just these people sitting down and telling us about what changes and what doesn’t change as time goes by. My favorite subjects are Tony, Neil, and Suzy. Tony is very charismatic and is willing to share pretty much anything with the director, Michael Apted. Neil has had an interesting life, even being homeless at one point before finding a career in politics. And Suzy’s story just shows that life is stranger than fiction, because in 21 Up, she’s bitter and cynical, and in 28 Up, she’s happy and perky now that she found a husband—that’s just incredible; it doesn’t even seem like the same person. “Give me a child until he is seven, and I will give you the man.”

11) SCHINDLER’S LIST (1993)

This is another film I’ll only watch once or twice a year, but the reason it’s on this list is because of the major impact it had on me. I saw this at a Spielberg retrospective at a local theater in Conway, Arkansas one summer—it floored me. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing in its depiction of the Holocaust and how two halves of human nature were represented. It angered me, it terrified me, and it inspired me to do the best I can to help people whenever I get a chance. And it showed me what else Spielberg was capable of outside of fun entertainment, and it apparently showed everyone else too, as it was the first film that won him the Oscar for Best Director. It’s a film I’ve only seen about five times total, but it’s also one that I’ll never forget.

10) IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946)

Traditionally, I don’t watch this movie until around Christmastime, but when I do, it always gets me in a major way, hence its high position on the list. I love the narrative structure and how it sets up everything you don’t think will be important until much later when you realize you’re glad you paid attention. The whole movie has a magical feel to it, saddled with a heartfelt performance by James Stewart, an intelligently written screenplay, and a good touching resolution at the end. It’s one of those movies that just makes you feel good about yourself, even when things seem at their worst. Things are not all that bad and they can even be pretty good, and that’s what this movie wants you to remember.

9) TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1962)

By any standards, To Kill a Mockingbird is an astounding film. Whether it’s seen as a courtroom drama, a coming-of-age film, or a prejudice story, you can’t deny the power of the film’s structure. Probably the best move to tell this story was to do it from the perspective of the two kids who serve as the protagonists. Scout and Jem are typical children observing how the world works in strange and sometimes ineffective ways. The film also has the advantage of having one of the best characters ever created: Atticus Finch, played by Gregory Peck, Scout and Jem’s father who is a lawyer defending a black man in a case that is overseen by an all-white jury in a racially-tense Southern small town. He goes out of his way to see justice prevail, despite what people think of the case. He stands up for what he believes and has a strong confidence that he will succeed, which makes his question of the system near the end all the more insightful. Great acting, excellent storytelling, a faithful adaptation of the classic novel. I was practically raised by this movie by my parents (who named my sister Scout because of it). I’m glad they did because this movie gets to me always.

8) CITY LIGHTS (1931)

It was only about three years ago when I just randomly checked this movie out at the local library, and I hadn’t even seen a Charlie Chaplin film prior. So I didn’t really know what to expect other than classic silent-film comedy, which I was already a little familiar with. But I hadn’t seen one like City Lights. As soon as I watched it for the first time, I immediately posted about it on Facebook, praising it like it was one of the greatest things I’d ever seen in my life, which…yeah, it kind of was. This film was just so lively and energetic and very, very funny. The scene where the Tramp stops the rich guy from drowning himself and keeps ending up dragged by the weight into the water, and especially the boxing match where he tries to avoid being pummeled—just hilarious! And like I said with Planes, Trains & Automobiles, the comedy doesn’t mean a whole lot if you don’t care for the characters. And I cared for the Tramp, especially when he tries to help a blind girl he has a crush on. It leads to one of my favorite endings in a movie, in which the Tramp and the blind girl connect in a different way and also a heartwarming way. City Lights is still one of the greatest things I’ve ever seen in my life.

7) THE GOONIES (1985)

I can’t help it. I love this movie. I love love love love love this movie. Love it. (That’s an opposite to Roger Ebert’s infamous “hated hated hated” quote, if you didn’t know.) I loved it as a kid. I love it as an adult. I can’t watch it on DVD anymore without watching all the bonus features right after. That’s how much I love it. This “Indiana Jones for kids” is just a ton of fun, and I can’t see myself disliking it anytime soon.

6) LUCAS (1986)

This ‘80s teen movie got me through some tough times in high school. It knows what it’s like to be a teenage outcast and to fall in love for the first time. It’s a touching portrait of a unique 14-year-old who falls in love with an older girl, and then when he realizes he can’t have her, he tries everything to prove himself, including going out for the football team. I love the characters, including a football captain played by Charlie Sheen in a solid performance—you don’t see many jock characters like him in these movies. And it does have the slow-clap at the end, but you know what? It earned it. It also greatly delivers the message that things can work out, though in ways you never expected. Lucas doesn’t get the girl of his dreams, but he does get something more important: he gains his self-confidence.

5) BEFORE SUNRISE (1995) – BEFORE SUNSET (2004) – BEFORE MIDNIGHT (2013)

You know what happens in Before Sunrise? A man and woman meet and talk. That’s it. The whole film just shows them spending one magical night together talking about what they think is important, and they enjoy each other’s company. There’s no filler, no clichés, none of those standard romance elements. It just begins as they meet and ends as they separate. A film like this would be difficult to make interesting, but Richard Linklater and actors Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy completely made me care about this romance. Then we wait nine years later for them to meet again, in Before Sunset, and it seems to be a second chance with a great ambiguous ending that left us wanting more. And then nine years after that, we got Before Midnight, which shows them past the honeymoon stage and puts us in the middle of an important argument between them. I guess time will tell if there’s another Before film in the future with these two at the center, but I certainly hope there is, because I could listen to these two people talk for hours and never get tired of them.

4) LIFE ITSELF (2014)

Roger Ebert was an inspiration to me, and it pained me deeply when I heard he had died. That’s why when this documentary about the last days of his life and the legacy he left behind came to a local theater in Little Rock, Arkansas, I was one of the first people in line. Not only was I moved (I knew I would be), but I also knew things about Ebert through this film that I didn’t before, such as how he used to be an alcoholic, how far the feud between him and Siskel went before they finally acknowledged their mutual respect, and even just how bad Ebert had it when he was being treated for his illnesses. At times, it’s painful to watch, but mostly, it’s beautiful to watch, because you still see Ebert’s passion for film and film criticism, and it’s great to hear his friends and colleagues talk about who they saw him as. And any film that shows the man, the legend, the true hero for film buffs like me, earns a very special place in my heart.

3) BACK TO THE FUTURE (1985)

This movie rocked. My. World. I mean, every detail, every setup, every payoff, every comedic time-travel element, imaginative, enjoyable, creative, fun, funny, entertaining, even inspiring! I’m sorry, but that’s really the impact the movie left on me and it still leaves it on me with time. It’s a highly enjoyable, well thought out, fantastic movie that has probably one of the best screenplays ever executed to film. I can just imagine what it must’ve been like for Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale to write this script. They must’ve had smiles on their faces the entire time. And it makes for a fun, entertaining, very well-written, even deep-at-some-points movie that has so much to enjoy.

2) STAND BY ME (1986)

Stand by Me was the first R-rated movie I ever watched, at the early age of nine. My dad really wanted me to see it at that age, even though it had kids swearing and smoking and stuff, because he knew I would thank him someday. And I still watch it every now and again, the reason being very simple—I love every minute of it. When I was a kid, I just saw it as a quiet but fun movie about 4 twelve-year-old boys going along railroad tracks to find the lost body of a dead kid as they overcome many obstacles along the way. But as I got older and kept watching it again and again, I did notice there was more beneath the surface. There was actual character development, with all four leads portrayed in convincing, interesting ways as they come of age and find their self-worth. I like that Stand by Me uses an adventure for these boys to go through this development in life and that it just takes place in a couple days. By the end of this story, based on the novella by Stephen King, maybe half of these boys haven’t learned much, but the other half know where they stand in the future and feel there’s a possibility that things will turn out better. I have a real soft spot for this movie, and I thank my dad for introducing it to me.

And my number-one favorite movie is…

1. WAR EAGLE, ARKANSAS (2009)

I think I first saw this film at just the right time in my life. It was when I had just finished high school and I wasn’t ready to leave my small hometown with which I had become all too familiar, even though I knew I would eventually have to leave to try other things somewhere else down the road. I rented this film and instantly connected with it. Why? Because it’s about a kid just out of high school who’s being told about all the opportunities in life he would have outside of his small hometown, and he just isn’t ready to leave yet. I related every bit with this kid named Enoch. I grew up in a small town, and I didn’t feel as resentful towards it as others do, and like Enoch’s grandfather, played very well by Brian Dennehy, feels about his hometown. That’s not to say there weren’t times when I felt like it was slowing me down from my ambitions, but I got over it because when all was said and done, this was my home. And I’m so glad that special attention was given to this film to make it seem as real and genuine as it is. This easily could have been a deplorable, generic, wholesome film. But it’s not; it’s excellent. I love everything about this film. I love the characters and the friendship between Enoch and his best friend Wheels. I love the atmosphere of the town; you understand clearly why Enoch sees it as his home while Wheels sees it as his prison and why Pop, the grandfather, sees it as a place of regret. There’s just so much about this movie; I could do a whole commentary on it. It took me a while to admit that this is my favorite film, and it makes it awkward when I tell people the title and they go “huh?” More people should see this film; I’m not saying they’ll love it as much as I do, but I can almost guarantee they’ll get something really good from it.

Review: https://smithsverdict.com/2013/10/04/war-eagle-arkansas-revised-review/

And there you have it! Now please…don’t judge me.