As the finishing touches were going on this list, I sent Matt Barnes a picture of my jumbled research with the caption, "You are the only person I know who would appreciate AND understand this." He responded, "Yep. So sad."
And yet here we are again, embarking on another journey centered around my favorite 100 movies.
Before I begin unveiling, let me give you a heads up on what to expect this time around.
- There are changes to my top ten - including the exclusive top five.
- We have 24 new additions to the list.
- Every film that was in the top forty in 2011 is present on the 2015 version.
- For the 76 films that originally appeared in 2011, I will re-post what I originally wrote with an "Update" section as to why the film jumped up or slid down. Be on the lookout for additional footnotes as well.1
- We will post ten movies a week until we reach the top twenty. From there we will unveil five movies a week until we reach the top ten. From there we will post one movie at a time.
- Yes, there will be recap posts on Matt Barnes' selections. One can only hope he keeps gems like Jungle 2 Jungle, One Fine Day, and Anaconda from his 2011 list.
- Yes, we will be keeping tabs on who my favorite actors and directors are based off this list. In 2011, my favorite actor was Tom Hanks, my favorite actress was Jennifer Connelly, and my favorite director was a tie between Christopher Nolan and Clint Eastwood.
- No, we will not be posting trailers to these films like we did in 2011. Sorry folks.
- However, by simply clicking on each film's title it will take you straight to Amazon. Feel free to buy me as many movies as you feel appropriate.
And without any further ado, here are the first batch of films to crack my favorite 100.
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Starring: George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon
Plot: "Danny Ocean and his eleven accomplices plan to rob three Las Vegas casinos simultaneously."
Stock: Down
Previous Ranking: #73
Ocean's Eleven shows up because it has a great cast, clever script, and an ever-moving plot. Kind of like a quality page-turning book that you can't put down, Ocean's Eleven never loses your interest.
Ocean's Eleven also has an ending that the first time through I did not see coming at all. I haven't seen either of the two sequels2 to this film for fear of it letting me down and possibly even ruining the original. It's happened before3 and I don't want it to happen again.
This is just a "fun" movie, one that creates a great a carefree movie-going experience.
UPDATE
Ocean's Eleven hung on and managed to grab the last spot in 2015. Do I expect to see it again whenever we do this for a third time? Absolutely not. Yes, it is a "fun" movie, but one that can get bypassed rather easily when you start to compare it side-by-side to others.
Director: Spike Lee
Starring: Denzel Washington, Clive Owen and Jodie Foster
Plot: "A cop has to talk down a bank robber after the criminal's perfect heist spirals into a hostage situation."
Stock: Down
Previous Ranking: #79
Matt Barnes posted Fight Club as his #100 favorite movie4, and while it is very good, it did not crack my list because I saw the ending coming before-hand. Same reason The Prestige does not make my top 100. I correctly predicted the twist. So when a movie completely stumps me I have to give it credit.
Inside Man has an unbelievable cast. Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster, and Willem Dafoe all give excellent performances.5 It also has a great story with an unpredictable finish. But the reasons for its' inclusion isn't just because of the twist, it's a film that stirs up discussion.
It's not a tale of simple right-and-wrong. The sides of good-and-evil are not clearly drawn. It's a film you need to watch more than once because it's not just a bank-robbery movie. It's much more - and better - than that.
UPDATE
Inside Man poses an excellent question, "Where do you rank an average film with a spectacular ending?" It appears my answer compares movies like Inside Man to shooting stars. They come, they shine and then they leave.
Don't get me wrong, I really like Inside Man and Ocean's Eleven, but it's difficult to watch films like these multiple times because that shock value is completely gone.
Director: Marc Foster
Starring: Will Ferrell, Emma Thompson and Dustin Hoffman
Plot: "An IRS auditor suddenly finds himself the subject of narration only he can hear: narration that begins to affect his entire life, from his work, to his love-interest, to his death."
Stock: Down
Previous Ranking: #21
"You have to die. It's a masterpiece."
Will Ferrell plays the role of Harold Crick, an IRS auditor who lives a rather mundane life. That is until he starts to hear a voice narrating his life. The voice turns out to be an author of a book starring none other than Harold. From there we see what an impact the author has on Harold and vice versa.
Ferrell received a Golden Globe nomination6 for this performance and you are not going to hear one single complaint from me. Ferrell is excellent as is Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson and Maggie Gyllenhaal in supporting roles. The acting is solid but not what makes it my #21 favorite movie.
No, it's more about the story and how it's told. This is a film that tackles a variety of subjects including art, romance, and responsibility. Not to mention it focuses on writing, something you can tell intrigues me. I walked away from Stranger Than Fiction inspired to write.
Stranger Than Fiction takes you on a roller-coaster of emotions and will leave you wanting to discuss it with whomever you watched it with. It's an excellent film, one that just missed out on the top-20, but might just make it in there the second time around.
Yikes. In four years, one film goes from knocking on the doorsteps of the top-twenty to almost missing the list entirely. How does this happen?
Well, I clearly overvalued this film back in 2011. I was intoxicated with the fumes of a film designed around writing and I got sucked in. Mistakes happen, and this was one.
Will Ferrell plays the role of Harold Crick, an IRS auditor who lives a rather mundane life. That is until he starts to hear a voice narrating his life. The voice turns out to be an author of a book starring none other than Harold. From there we see what an impact the author has on Harold and vice versa.
Ferrell received a Golden Globe nomination6 for this performance and you are not going to hear one single complaint from me. Ferrell is excellent as is Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson and Maggie Gyllenhaal in supporting roles. The acting is solid but not what makes it my #21 favorite movie.
No, it's more about the story and how it's told. This is a film that tackles a variety of subjects including art, romance, and responsibility. Not to mention it focuses on writing, something you can tell intrigues me. I walked away from Stranger Than Fiction inspired to write.
Stranger Than Fiction takes you on a roller-coaster of emotions and will leave you wanting to discuss it with whomever you watched it with. It's an excellent film, one that just missed out on the top-20, but might just make it in there the second time around.
UPDATE
Yikes. In four years, one film goes from knocking on the doorsteps of the top-twenty to almost missing the list entirely. How does this happen?
Well, I clearly overvalued this film back in 2011. I was intoxicated with the fumes of a film designed around writing and I got sucked in. Mistakes happen, and this was one.
Director: The Farrelly Brothers (Peter & Bobby)
Starring: Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels and Lauren Holly
Plot: "The cross-country adventures of two good-hearted but incredibly stupid friends."
Stock: Holding
Previous Ranking: #87
Barnes and I rode up to Tiffin this past weekend for Huntfest '11 7 and as usual the conversation varied, but as you might expect, this movie list dominated certain sections of the 90-minute haul. One concern Barnes raised with my selections was the lack of comedies. It seemed as if he was worried I was choosing serious movies and not properly valuing the slap-stick genre. I tried to assure him that plenty of funny movies would appear and we get the ball rolling with Dumb and Dumber.
Barnes is right to a certain degree, I had a much easier time ranking dramas than I did with comedies. I found that my taste in funny films evolved more so than my preference for dramas. I still enjoy comedies, but I don't think I would enjoy Dumb and Dumber today as much as I did when I was 10 or 11. That being said, Dumb and Dumber is too funny and has too many one-liners to not make the cut.
Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels are absolutely perfect for the roles of Lloyd and Harry. Their on-screen chemistry is undeniable and their comedic timing only adds to the hilarity. This is a movie that I will always watch for at least a little bit when it is on television, and one I wouldn't mind owning8 (hint, hint).
"Hey guys. Woah, Big Gulps, huh? All right! Well, see ya later."
This list wouldn't feel complete without Dumb and Dumber. Even though the jokes still continually lose their punch with every showing, it still has too many lines like the one above that will always make me smile.
I tried watching the sequel and couldn't get through it. It was like watching Jordan play for the Wizards - it didn't need to happen, but I understand why it did.
Despite it dropping ten spots, it wouldn't surprise me at all if Dumb and Dumber made this list a third time.
Barnes is right to a certain degree, I had a much easier time ranking dramas than I did with comedies. I found that my taste in funny films evolved more so than my preference for dramas. I still enjoy comedies, but I don't think I would enjoy Dumb and Dumber today as much as I did when I was 10 or 11. That being said, Dumb and Dumber is too funny and has too many one-liners to not make the cut.
Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels are absolutely perfect for the roles of Lloyd and Harry. Their on-screen chemistry is undeniable and their comedic timing only adds to the hilarity. This is a movie that I will always watch for at least a little bit when it is on television, and one I wouldn't mind owning8 (hint, hint).
"Hey guys. Woah, Big Gulps, huh? All right! Well, see ya later."
UPDATE
This list wouldn't feel complete without Dumb and Dumber. Even though the jokes still continually lose their punch with every showing, it still has too many lines like the one above that will always make me smile.
I tried watching the sequel and couldn't get through it. It was like watching Jordan play for the Wizards - it didn't need to happen, but I understand why it did.
Despite it dropping ten spots, it wouldn't surprise me at all if Dumb and Dumber made this list a third time.
Director: Alexander Payne
Starring: George Clooney, Shailene Woodley and Amara Miller
Academy Awards (1): Won Best Writing. Nominated four more times for Best Picture, Best Directing, Best Actor - Clooney, and Best Film Editing.
Plot: "A land baron tries to reconnect with his two daughters after his wife is seriously injured in a boating accident."
Stock: Up
Previous Ranking: NR
Hey, look at that!! A new movie!! And our second George Clooney addition!9
The first time I watched The Descendants I thought I had watched a top-twenty film. The second time I watched it, it was in the top-fifty. By the third time ... well, you get the point. And yet, The Descendants might stick around for a while as it finally found it's proper home in the nineties.
Even though George Clooney plays George Clooney I still enjoyed it because of the writing. It's no surprise it won an Oscar, because the film's script created the entire essence surrounding The Descendants.
This film has just the right combination of laughter, crying and raw emotion10. It tells a story about a father battling a teenage daughter, a wife who is on the verge of death, and a rather large legal fight with his entire family.
When Shailene Woodley goes on to win an Academy Award in the next couple of years, we should all look back to this movie as the one that launched her career. She nails every scene she is in and the film wouldn't be the same without her.
"My friends on the mainland think just because I live in Hawaii, I live in paradise. Like a permanent vacation. We're all just out here sipping Mai Tais, shaking our hips, and catching waves. Are they insane?"
Director: Paul Greengrass
Starring: Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi and Barkhad Abdirahman
Academy Awards: Nominated six times for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor - Abdi, Best Writing, Best Sound Editing, Best Film Editing and Best Sound Mixing.
Plot: "The true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years."
Stock: Holding
Previous Ranking: NR
If I could sum up Captain Phillips in one word, it would be without question, intense.
You are afraid to breathe while watching Captain Phillips as it spends the majority of its time entrenched in an intense ship-takeover turn hostage-crisis. Every second is excruciating. When it ends, you walk away from the theatre exhausted. It's as if you spent two hours not blinking. Sounds awful, but it's actually awesome.
The story is simple. Somali pirates hijack a ship. And yet as it plays out, the story doesn't get too much more complex. The reason it's successful is because of the acting.
In two words, Tom Hanks.
One of the bigger #FirstWorldProblems of recent memory is when Hanks failed to get nominated for his portrayal of Captain Phillips11. As the film goes on you forget you are watching Tom Hanks, which is one of the greatest compliments a well-known actor can receive.
No, I'm not going to touch on whether the movie accurately portrayed the events that happened in 2009. That's not important here. What is important is that Tom Hanks did it again. He gave us the opportunity to witness greatness. Much obliged Tom12.
Director: David Fincher
Starring: Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt and Kevin Spacey
Academy Awards: Nominated once for Best Film Editing.
Plot: "Two detectives, a rookie and a veteran, hunt a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as his modus operandi."
Stock: Down
Previous Ranking: #57
Before all the cop shows exploded where villains are glorified due to their creative kills, there was Se7en. Not necessarily a "Whodunit?" as much as a "Hedidwhat??"
Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt have excellent chemistry as the old vet and young rook respectively. Their contrasting morals and ideology blend well throughout this detective thriller. Morgan plays the gentle cerebral cop, while Pitt comes in as the hot-shot/hot-headed detective. They both have differing views on how to combat the new serial killer in town who is murdering one new victim every day, and centering his kills around the Seven Deadly Sins.
Se7en has one of the most-talked about, most-debated endings of recent memory. In my mind, they almost got it perfect, but added one scene too many. However, it's still a classic finish to a classic film.
And oh yeah, score another one for Kevin Spacey, he gives a terrific performance as the villain in this unforgettable movie.
When I decided I had twenty or so new films for this list, I easily trimmed up the bottom of the original. I won't be able to do that next time. While Se7en did drop in the rankings, don't consider it on it's way out.
Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt have excellent chemistry as the old vet and young rook respectively. Their contrasting morals and ideology blend well throughout this detective thriller. Morgan plays the gentle cerebral cop, while Pitt comes in as the hot-shot/hot-headed detective. They both have differing views on how to combat the new serial killer in town who is murdering one new victim every day, and centering his kills around the Seven Deadly Sins.
Se7en has one of the most-talked about, most-debated endings of recent memory. In my mind, they almost got it perfect, but added one scene too many. However, it's still a classic finish to a classic film.
And oh yeah, score another one for Kevin Spacey, he gives a terrific performance as the villain in this unforgettable movie.
UPDATE
When I decided I had twenty or so new films for this list, I easily trimmed up the bottom of the original. I won't be able to do that next time. While Se7en did drop in the rankings, don't consider it on it's way out.
Director: Ron Shelton
Starring: Kevin Costner, Rene Russo and Don Johnson
Plot: "A washed up golf pro working at a driving range tries to qualify for the US Open in order to win the heart of his successful rival's girlfriend."
Stock: Down
Previous Ranking: #56
Tin Cup centers around a down-on-his luck golf pro who decides to try and enter the United States Open. Roy McAvoy (I think of him every time I see Rory McIlroy's name) goes for it a little too often, but it's that mindset that creates a memorable character in my book.
Some people may see this film as a romantic-comedy13, but I'm not one of them. I see it as an underdog movie centered around an amateur golfer. The whole Kevin Costner-Rene Russo story-line is further down the list of importance.
There are so many outstanding scenes in this movie. From Roy playing an entire round with just his seven-iron, to Roy banking it off the port-a-john onto the green, to Roy making a bird fly off its' perch from the clubhouse. If you are a golfer you will find this movie enjoying. And even if you aren't, you will still find the characters compelling.
Cheech Marin embodies everything you could want in a caddy, both on-and-off the course. And let's just overlook Don Johnson shall we?? Even his presence doesn't take away from this film, which is a miracle in its' own right.
Go figure that Tin Cup lands one spot ahead of Se7en again. That was certainly not by design, but they are a pair of oldish movies that will be difficult to see leave.
Some people may see this film as a romantic-comedy13, but I'm not one of them. I see it as an underdog movie centered around an amateur golfer. The whole Kevin Costner-Rene Russo story-line is further down the list of importance.
There are so many outstanding scenes in this movie. From Roy playing an entire round with just his seven-iron, to Roy banking it off the port-a-john onto the green, to Roy making a bird fly off its' perch from the clubhouse. If you are a golfer you will find this movie enjoying. And even if you aren't, you will still find the characters compelling.
Cheech Marin embodies everything you could want in a caddy, both on-and-off the course. And let's just overlook Don Johnson shall we?? Even his presence doesn't take away from this film, which is a miracle in its' own right.
UPDATE
Go figure that Tin Cup lands one spot ahead of Se7en again. That was certainly not by design, but they are a pair of oldish movies that will be difficult to see leave.
Director: Jason Reitman
Starring: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick
Academy Awards: Nominated six times for Best Picture, Best Actor - Clooney, Best Supporting Actress - Farming, Best Supporting Actress - Kendrick, Best Director and Best Writing.
Plot: "With a job traveling around the country firing people, Ryan Bingham enjoys his life living out of a suitcase, but finds that lifestyle threatened by the presence of a new hire and a potential love interest."
Stock: Up
Previous Ranking: NR
I was never a big George Clooney fan. Thought he only played himself14. But after watching films like The Descendants and Up In The Air I've come to gain a better appreciation for Clooney. He is the Vladimir Guerrero of acting. Someone who does such a good job for such a long time you almost take him for granted.
While Clooney is in films that rank higher on this list, this is my favorite performance of his. Playing Ryan Bingham, a man who spends the majority of his life traveling alone, Clooney does a masterful job of developing and growing on screen.
He has to deal with the changing landscape of his job, which he does begrudgingly. He unexpectedly finds a love connection, which causes him to embarrass himself in multiple ways. He begins to question everything he ever believed in. In summation, he is fantastic.
Up In The Air also introduced me to Anna Kendrick, and for that, I am thankful.
Director: David Fincher
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake
Academy Awards (3): Won Best Writing, Best Film Editing, and Best Original Score. Nominated five more times in Best Picture, Best Actor - Eisenberg, Best Directing, Best Cinematography and Best Sound Mixing.
Plot: "Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg creates the social networking site that would become known as Facebook, but is later sued by two brothers who claimed he stole their idea, and the cofounder who was later squeezed out of the business."
Stock: Holding
Previous Ranking: NR
Much like how I didn't used to be a big fan of George Clooney, the same can be said for David Fincher. I thought his films were unnecessarily dark and dreary. And wouldn't you know, here is the second Fincher film to crack the list. Don't look at me. I'm just as surprised as the rest of you.
Growing up in the generation that The15 Facebook was originally designed for I was pretty excited for this film, only to be disappointed when Fincher was tabbed to direct. I took that negative energy into my original viewing and allowed it to alter my initial opinion of The Social Network.
However, after giving the film a couple more chances, I began to put my pre-conceived notions of Fincher in the rear-view and saw The Social Network for what it was, an excellent movie. Jesse Eisenberg does a phenomenal job playing Mark Zuckerberg with the correct amount of arrogance and nerdiness. Not an easy thing to do.
What I love most about The Social Network is the music. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross team up to give what can only be described as one of the best scores in the history of cinema. Much like The Descendants writing encapsulated the entire film, that's what the music does for The Social Network.
And just like that we are off! Feel free to share you thoughts, comments and concerns on my Mailbag sidebar. Yes, there will be a Movie Mailbag Column16 right around the half-way point of this endeavor.
My next post will recap my thoughts on the first ten selections of Matt Barnes, and since it's no longer Black History Month I won't have to bite my tongue.
Until next time, "read it, roll it, hole it."
1 Yep, like this one!!↩
2 That fact remains true today. Strangely enough, I'm proud of this.↩
3 See Caddyshack II and The Godfather: Part Three.↩
4 Obviously this was back in 2011, where I had That Thing You Do as #100.↩
5 Owen does a solid job, but Washington and Foster completely mail it in. For those two, this film was a "Get Dem Checks" flick.↩
6 Ferrell lost to Borat ... yes, this actually happened.↩
7 Unless I'm missing something, this was the last time Barnes has made the trek to T-Town.↩
8 Took care of this on my own, but thanks for listening.↩
9 Clooney failed to crack my top-twenty actors back in 2011. He was beat out by the likes of Tim Robbins, Greg Kinnear and Ed Harris.↩
10 Basically, The Descendants is everything Alexander Payne unsuccessfully tried to do with Sideways.↩
11 Somehow Christian Bale was nominated for American Hustle. He played a fat, bald dude. Life doesn't always make sense.↩
12 If you can't tell, I really like Tom Hanks. He was my #1 actor back in 2011, and yet I don't like Forrest Gump. Again, life doesn't always make sense.↩
13 Take for instance, those who created that horrific movie poster. Can you even tell that Costner plays a golfer? "Golf pro. Love amateur." Did these people even see the film??↩
14 Kind of like Mark Wahlberg.↩
15 I was on Facebook when it was called "The Facebook." Back when it was slowly being rolled out to universities. It was a time when your mother or high school kids were not allowed access. Those will always be the glory days of Facebook.↩
16 Hopefully there will be real questions. Fingers crossed.↩
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