Monday, April 13, 2009

Eimer's 141 All-Time Favorite Films (so far)

Trying to figure out your favorite 141 movies is a very vexing experience.

First off, you have to rationalize why? Secondly, you are almost forced to knock out contenders who deservingly belong in the top 141 – but don't belong for reasons only to you.

For instance, some people will scream in outrage that I did not include Godfather 2 in my selection process. I liked Godfather 2 a lot but it didn’t move me enough to warrant a top 141 pick. For some reason Marlon Brando with an orange peel in his mouth having a heart attack moved me more. Same thing goes for the other two Lord of the Rings flicks.

I'm going to revisit this list often. But one thing strikes me as odd, out of the top 141 flicks - nine of them were made in 1982. In fact, a number of my favorite flicks were made in the 80's (53, I believe). Not sure why. Maybe, perhaps, I was between the ages of 7 and 18. Which are, as all teachers can attest, very formative years of one's life. Wouldn't you say?

So goes the top 141 list. It’s all subjective. However, if you want to get to know me better, take a look at my selections. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Oh yeah, besides Raiders of the Lost Ark - the rest of the list is in no particular order.

1. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
2. Creepshow (1982)
3. The Goonies (1985)
4. Evil Dead 2 (1987)
5. The Warriors (1979)
6. Time Bandits (1981)
7. Aliens (1986)
8. First Blood (1982)
9. The Thing (1982)
10. Pulp Fiction (1994)

11. Sunset Boulevard (1950)
12. A Place In the Sun (1951)
13. Paths of Glory (1957)
14. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
15. High Noon (1952)
16. Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (1971)
17. The Godfather (1972)
18. Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982)
19. The Fisher King (1991)
20. Friday the 13th Part 4: The Final Chapter (1984)

21. On Golden Pond (1981)
22. The Graduate (1967)
23. Heathers (1988)
24. Highlander (1986)
25. The History of the World Part 1 (1981)
26. Jurassic Park (1993)
27. The Karate Kid (1984)
28. The Last of the Mohicans (1992)
29. The Natural (1984)
30. Psycho (1960)

31. Road to Perdition (2002)
32. Requiem For a Dream (2000)
33. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
34. Risky Business (1983)
35. Unbreakable (2000)
36. Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)
37. The Terminator (1984)
38. The Truman Show (1998)
39. Unfaithful (2002)
40. The Untouchables (1987)

41. War of the Worlds (2005)
42. Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988)
43. Say Anything (1989)
44. Bowling For Columbine (2002)
45. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
46. The Secret of NIMH (1982)
47. The Dark Crystal (1982)
48. Dead Poets Society (1989)
49. The Deer Hunter (1978)
50. There’s Something About Mary (1998)

51. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
52. Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
53. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
54. Unforgiven (1992)
55. Searching for Bobby Fisher (1993)
56. Watership Down (1978)
57. 12 Monkeys (1995)
58. Blade Runner (1982)
59. Mississippi Burning (1988)
60. National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983)

61. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
62. The Mist (2007)
63. The Descent (2005)
64. A.I. (2001)
65. Adaptation (2002)
66. Amelie (2001)
67. American Beauty (1999)
68. An American Werewolf in London (1981)
69. Amores Perros (2000)
70. Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)

71. Black Hawk Down (2001)
72. Blazing Saddles (1974)
73. Braveheart (1995)
74. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
75. Citizens Kane (1941)
76. Closer (2004)
77. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
78. The Killing (1956)
79. Crumb (1994)
80. The Departed (2006)

81. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)
82. Do The Right Thing (1989)
83. E.T. (1982)
84. Ed Wood (1994)
85. Election (1999)
86. The Exorcist (1973)
87. Fargo (1996)
88. Fight Club (1999)
89. Finding Nemo (2003)
90. The Fly (1986)

91. Fright Night (1985)
92. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
93. Se7en (1995)
94. Ghostbusters (1984)
95. Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
96. Goodfellas (1990)
97. Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (1991)
98. Hoosiers (1986)
99. The Hustler (1961)
100. Into the Wild (2007)

101. Jaws (1975)
102. Lethal Weapon (1987)
103. Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
104. The Naked Gun (1988)
105. The Matrix (1999)
106. Pee-Wees Big Adventure (1985)
107. Platoon (1986)
108. Predator (1987)
109. The Princess Bride (1987)
110. Punch-Drunk Love (2002)

111. A River Runs Through It (1992)
112. Bottle Rocket (1996)
113. Schindler’s List (1993)

114. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
115. Sideways (2004)
116. The Shining (1980)
117. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

118. Stand By Me (1986)
119. Star Wars (1977)
120. The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

121. There Will Be Blood (2007)
122. True Romance (1993)
123. Wall-E (2008)
124. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)
125. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
126. The World According to Garp (1982)
127. Apocalypse Now (1979)
128. Back to the Future (1985)
129. Blue Velvet (1986)
130. The Lady and the Tramp (1955)

131. A Few Good Men (1992)
132. Trainspotting (1996)
133. Crimes & Misdemeanors (1989)
134. Weird Science (1985)
135. The General (1926)
136. Defending Your Life (1991)
137. Funny Farm (1988)
138. Oldboy (2003)
139. Halloween (1978)
140. Boogie Nights (1997)

141. Hustle and Flow (2005)
142. TBD

So what do you think? Did I move you with my choices? Were they better than Yahoo's?

5 comments:

cbrown said...

Pardon me sir, but why is Fargo both #31 and #87?

And no mention of Forrest Gump? Pffttt. I totally loved that movie....

Eimer Debris said...

Whoops. I meant to put in Road to Perdition. Thanks for the catch.

cbrown said...

just yankin' your chain. and I know you know I can't friggin' stand Forrest Gump...

Drew said...

Check out #33 and #55 you may have room for a close cut here. Real good list. I really have to be in the mood to watch a movie from the 50s or earlier. I generally agree with your picks, no suprise, I'll have to check a few out that I missed. Good Work.

Eimer Debris said...

Thanks, I meant to add Searching for Bobby Fisher in that spot.