While scanning the web I came across the AFI top films list. Apparently it's the tenth list they've produced and it's allowed newer films the chance to make the top 100. I thought I'd go through and see if anything stuck out.
The list starts with the names I expected:
1. Citizen Kane
2. The Godfather
3. Casablanca
4. Raging Bull
5. Singing in the Rain
6. Gone with the Wind
7. Lawrence of Arabia
8. Schindler's List
9. Vertigo
10. The Wizard of Oz
The list goes on for 90 more titles. For the most part I expected to see the names that were on the list. Then I came across a few that I don't understand. I'm open to any opinions on the matter.
Strike One!
#66. Raiders of the Lost Ark
I love this movie. I just don't know that I would put it anywhere near the top 100. It's a great action film with typical dialogue and the occasional comedic moment. It's always felt like more of a guilty pleasure than a masterpiece of cinema. To top it off they ranked it above Silence of the Lambs and Easy Rider?!
Strike Two!
#69. Tootsie
I have no reason to accept this as a top 100 film. It was a fun movie but it's topping the likes of The Last Picture Show and Platoon!? Poor choice......
Strike Three!
#97 & 99 Blade Runner and Toy Story
These two films should never make the top 100 anything. I hated Blade Runner but I understand why some people might like it. Still, when you leave off titles like Laura and other incredible films this is a joke.
Toy Story, on the other hand, is a great family film but I feel like it made the list more for it's pioneering technology than anything. If we're ranking films on this basis we need to reevaluate the entire list.
Well, I suppose I would find a lot of people who like this list, I just think that AFI isn't really doing a good job of studying American film.
Here's the entire list link for you:
http://www.afi.com/100years/movies10.aspx
There are many problems with this list.
ReplyDelete1) Once again, Citizen Kane is #1. I really don't think it should be on the list at all. I know it's supposedly "before it's time" but it never fit into any time. I really, really, really want my time back for watching that movie.
2) Casablanca. You know how I feel about this movie. More time I'd like back.
3) Dr Strangelove. Not that I don't think it's a good movie, but Failsafe deserves the spot more.
4) Jaws. Really? That movie had so many problems it makes me angry to watch it.
5) Grapes of Wrath. Steinbeck. That should be enough. But it's really a bad idea to put a movie that's based on a book when it veers from the book too much. The exception would be To Kill A Mockingbird.
6) Star Wars. I love me some Star Wars, but it's really not very well acted. Mark Hamill. Enough said.
7) Titanic. Another mediocre cast. While I enjoy DiCaprio now, I did not enjoy him in this movie. Nor did I enjoy anyone else. And the scene where the boat splits in half? I thought it was meant to be a comedy.
8) The Sixth Sense. The reason I don't think this one deserves a spot on the list is that it's not a sustainable classic. It only works once. After one viewing, it's no longer as thrilling to watch. But Donnie Don did do an amazing job for such a small part.
But I usually have a problem with top film lists, especially from places like AFI. I'll finally respect a list when Citizen Kane isn't on it.