RSS
Hollywood Nights
As promised in my April 5 column deriding blowhard Bill O'Reilly for boycotting Sean Penn films on spec, I'm am pleased to re-release an updated list of my Top 10 films of all-time.
First a note: Lists like these are an important mental exercise to sort stuff out. It's easy to say you like so many movies that it's impossible to cull a list together. I'll give you part of that. I like so many movies that a list of, say, my Top 75 -- in order -- would be impossible.
But a Top 10 should be virtually etched in stone. These aren't the movies you like. They are the ones you love. The ones that shaped who you are.
If, for some strange reason, you have not seen at least half of the following films -- or do not have at least one on your list -- I'm going to make you an offer you can't refuse:
1) The Godfather -- Guess I kind of gave it away, huh? No real mystery. Best of the best. When they made it, they threw away the mold. Hard to believe that many great actors were together under one roof. Then again, some -- like Al Pacino and James Caan -- were relative unknowns at the time.
2) Rocky -- "Rocky" is all Philadelphia and Philadelphia is all "Rocky." The litany of sequels, save the half-decent last one, were all Hollyweird. Enough said. As bad as the sequels were, they cannot sully the classic original.
3) The Godfather II -- Welcome to the exception to the rule that sequels usually fall short. Some respected critics have gone so far as to say that this was better than No. 1. Not quite, but very close. Get it up for Bobby D.!
4) JFK -- Don't start with this "historically inaccurate" baloney. I'm as well-read on the JFK turkey shoot as almost anyone and a lot of nails were hit dead on the head by Oliver Stone. Plus, whoever said other "history" movies were 100 percent accurate? Show me one and I'll show you the pin number to my secret bank account in Lichtenstein. Bottom line, this was film-making at its best. For those of you who are easily bored, my advice would be to fast-forward whenever you see Sissy Spacek. It'll cut out about 20 minutes and the plot won't be affected.
5) The Shawshank Redemption -- Like a fine wine, it keeps getting better with age. The true test of a great film is being able to watch it over and over and still enjoy it. Overlooked for Best Picture in favor of the inferior "Forrest Gump," studies have shown that this is rightfully ranked higher on most lists of viewers and critics -- including this one.
6) Serpico -- Al Pacino is the best (although Sean Penn is about to take the baton ... sorry Mr. O'Reilly) and this was Al Pacino at his best. With a lesser actor in the lead role, it could have been a just a half-decent movie and not a G2 all-timer.
7) Annie Hall -- Note to my female fans: If you want to know what it would have been like to date me, check out Woody Allen's character, Alvy Singer, in this one and stop eating your hearts out. Woody has had many classics, but this remains his departure effort.
8) Scarface -- This Pacino film was so perfect through the first two-thirds of it that I'll overlook the borderline silly final third of the script and keep it on the luminous list.
9) Schindler's List -- Just as "The Godfather" is the ultimate mob movie, this was the supreme "Holocaust" film. All that keeps it out of the Top Five is that is hard to sit through, although one time per year is suggested just to remind you that we are all humans in the human race.
10) Driving Miss Daisy -- Someone explain to me how Morgan Freeman did not win an Academy Awofard for Best Supporting actor? Nonetheless, Best Picture honors were on the money. Just pro that big budgets don't guarantee anything. It's all in the writing, directing and acting. Special kudos to Dan Akroyd, who reportedly deferred his salary until after the movie was made. He believed in the project that much. It's enough to restore your faith in humanity -- and maybe even forgive misguided blowhards on the Fox News Network.
Just missing the cut ... Dead Man Walking (not worth boycotting, trust me), The Pope of Greenwich Village (a glimpse into the unfulfilled potential of Mickey Rourke and Eric Roberts), A Bronx Tale (almost too good to be true), Crimes and Misdemeanors (my wife's favorite movie, it's Woody Allen's second best), Braveheart (bumped from previous list, but not because of any Mel Gibson boycott ... further research shows the history is so inaccurate that Oliver Stone would be embarrassed), Glory (best war movie), Platoon (second best war movie), Marty (Ernest Borgnine's best), 12 Angry Men (give me great writing and 12 great actors and keep your special effects), Dog Day Afternoon (another Pacino classic), Matewan (the best from the best independent filmmaker, John Sayles), Hoosiers (best sports movie, followed by Miracle and Rudy), Tender Mercies (Robert Duvall's best effort). Goodfellas (note all the extras who ended up on The Sopranos), Mr. Saturday Night (see what I did there?), Carlito's Way (Sean Penn AND Al Pacino).
If I missed your favorite flicks, don't fret. I've seen thousands -- though none of this year's apparent standouts -- and hundreds are considered classics in Gordonville. You can't name them all and none should be boycotted.
First a note: Lists like these are an important mental exercise to sort stuff out. It's easy to say you like so many movies that it's impossible to cull a list together. I'll give you part of that. I like so many movies that a list of, say, my Top 75 -- in order -- would be impossible.
But a Top 10 should be virtually etched in stone. These aren't the movies you like. They are the ones you love. The ones that shaped who you are.
If, for some strange reason, you have not seen at least half of the following films -- or do not have at least one on your list -- I'm going to make you an offer you can't refuse:
1) The Godfather -- Guess I kind of gave it away, huh? No real mystery. Best of the best. When they made it, they threw away the mold. Hard to believe that many great actors were together under one roof. Then again, some -- like Al Pacino and James Caan -- were relative unknowns at the time.
2) Rocky -- "Rocky" is all Philadelphia and Philadelphia is all "Rocky." The litany of sequels, save the half-decent last one, were all Hollyweird. Enough said. As bad as the sequels were, they cannot sully the classic original.
3) The Godfather II -- Welcome to the exception to the rule that sequels usually fall short. Some respected critics have gone so far as to say that this was better than No. 1. Not quite, but very close. Get it up for Bobby D.!
4) JFK -- Don't start with this "historically inaccurate" baloney. I'm as well-read on the JFK turkey shoot as almost anyone and a lot of nails were hit dead on the head by Oliver Stone. Plus, whoever said other "history" movies were 100 percent accurate? Show me one and I'll show you the pin number to my secret bank account in Lichtenstein. Bottom line, this was film-making at its best. For those of you who are easily bored, my advice would be to fast-forward whenever you see Sissy Spacek. It'll cut out about 20 minutes and the plot won't be affected.
5) The Shawshank Redemption -- Like a fine wine, it keeps getting better with age. The true test of a great film is being able to watch it over and over and still enjoy it. Overlooked for Best Picture in favor of the inferior "Forrest Gump," studies have shown that this is rightfully ranked higher on most lists of viewers and critics -- including this one.
6) Serpico -- Al Pacino is the best (although Sean Penn is about to take the baton ... sorry Mr. O'Reilly) and this was Al Pacino at his best. With a lesser actor in the lead role, it could have been a just a half-decent movie and not a G2 all-timer.
7) Annie Hall -- Note to my female fans: If you want to know what it would have been like to date me, check out Woody Allen's character, Alvy Singer, in this one and stop eating your hearts out. Woody has had many classics, but this remains his departure effort.
8) Scarface -- This Pacino film was so perfect through the first two-thirds of it that I'll overlook the borderline silly final third of the script and keep it on the luminous list.
9) Schindler's List -- Just as "The Godfather" is the ultimate mob movie, this was the supreme "Holocaust" film. All that keeps it out of the Top Five is that is hard to sit through, although one time per year is suggested just to remind you that we are all humans in the human race.
10) Driving Miss Daisy -- Someone explain to me how Morgan Freeman did not win an Academy Awofard for Best Supporting actor? Nonetheless, Best Picture honors were on the money. Just pro that big budgets don't guarantee anything. It's all in the writing, directing and acting. Special kudos to Dan Akroyd, who reportedly deferred his salary until after the movie was made. He believed in the project that much. It's enough to restore your faith in humanity -- and maybe even forgive misguided blowhards on the Fox News Network.
Just missing the cut ... Dead Man Walking (not worth boycotting, trust me), The Pope of Greenwich Village (a glimpse into the unfulfilled potential of Mickey Rourke and Eric Roberts), A Bronx Tale (almost too good to be true), Crimes and Misdemeanors (my wife's favorite movie, it's Woody Allen's second best), Braveheart (bumped from previous list, but not because of any Mel Gibson boycott ... further research shows the history is so inaccurate that Oliver Stone would be embarrassed), Glory (best war movie), Platoon (second best war movie), Marty (Ernest Borgnine's best), 12 Angry Men (give me great writing and 12 great actors and keep your special effects), Dog Day Afternoon (another Pacino classic), Matewan (the best from the best independent filmmaker, John Sayles), Hoosiers (best sports movie, followed by Miracle and Rudy), Tender Mercies (Robert Duvall's best effort). Goodfellas (note all the extras who ended up on The Sopranos), Mr. Saturday Night (see what I did there?), Carlito's Way (Sean Penn AND Al Pacino).
If I missed your favorite flicks, don't fret. I've seen thousands -- though none of this year's apparent standouts -- and hundreds are considered classics in Gordonville. You can't name them all and none should be boycotted.
posted by Gordon Glantz at
10:14 PM
12 Comments:
"See what I did there"? LOL! Good job remembering Mr. Saturday Night!
'Crimes' is definitely Woody's best. You should listen to your wife.
What is it with you men and your mafia and war movies? Really disgusting, all the violence and the way women are objectified. Learning more about you every day, Mr. Glantz. Like your writing, but I'm not sure I'm liking you. We do have one match however. It is Driving Daisy. Of course you mention Morgan Freeman and not Jessica Tandy, the woman who made the movie what it was!
Esther ... r u serious? Please tell me u r not!
Gordon,
One comedy on your list! I’ll take your “relationship” Woody Allen and raise you a Mel Brooks and Richard Pryor. How can you not put Blazing Saddles up there? (Camptown Races / I Get No Kick From Champaign --- Mongo knocking out the horse --- Baked beans around a fire) I’ll bet you are smiling now.
You can pick better, funnier Woody Allen films from Sleeper, Bananas, Take the Money and Run, Zelig, or What’s Up Tiger Lilly?
No Horror / Suspense films like the Sixth Sense or North by Northwest?
You want war movies – The Longest Day, Gallipoli, An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, or Saving Private Ryan?
No Westerns –The Searchers, Unforgiven.
It is a shame you didn’t throw a musical or two in there, like All That Jazz or West Side Story.
Matewan isn’t even Sayles best – Brother from Another Planet and Eight Men Out pass Matewan.
You missed a really good crime movie, M. Fritz Lang directs Peter Lorre as a psychopath on the run from both the cops and the mob. Lang’s method of directing in the 1930’s affects the way many crime shows are filmed today.
It wouldn’t be a bad thing to see some more movies from different eras, genre or points of view. Get yourself a Rashamon effect.
Add AMISTAD and INHERIT THE WIND to that list.
Hey Joe,
I think Gordo said the challenge was narrowing the list to 10, not just throwing a bunch movies out there willy nilly. You named like 18-20 movies, I lost count, you lost me.
My point was the list was from a very narrow list of genres.
Your point, Joe, is that you think you are smarter than everyone else. It's HIS list. The fact that it's all not just movies since 1980, given his age, is impressive to me.
Joe, who said that every genre under the sun has to be represented? You just like to be difficult, don't you? Better than Viagra!
LOL! How about a horror/slasher flick? "Joe The Nerd Gets His Throat Slit" - In 3-D.
Coming soon to The Colonial in Phoeniville.
Come on, let us try to be civilized here!
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home