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Go ahead: Agree or disagree with me. Perhaps watch something I've listed that you haven't seen before.
Send me a list of your top 15 films list that might consist of more or less than 15. I'm not picky.
1. To Kill A Mockingbird - Possibly the only film that contains the perfect combination of heart, soul and intelligence. It's not a coincidence that Atticus Finch was picked as Top Hero of all time by the American Film Institute. It's just too bad there are so few Atticus Finches in the world today.
2. Goodnight, and Good Luck - I have a rule I follow when it comes to films with George Clooney in them. If he's just an actor in it, don't see it (with the notable exception of "From Dusk til Dawn"). However, if he directed the film, run out to see it immediately. The rule especially applies to "Goodnight, and Good Luck." It's one of the few films that deserves to be called brilliant. Every school child in America should see this film -- and then every adult, as well.
3. Hud - A compelling character portrait with Paul Newman perfect as a sleazy Texan who'll probably never understand why he ended up alone - and probably will never care, either.
4. The Godfather (Part 1) - One of the few (VERY few) films that is as good as the book on which it's based. Marlon Brando shows why he was the top actor of the second half of the 20th Century.
5. The Gift - "To Kill a Mockingbird" meets "The X-Files." A top-notch cast, an excellent story co-written by Billy Bob Thornton and magnificent direction from Sam Raimi make this, in my opinion, the best film of the last 25 years. Forget "The Matrix." This is Keanu Reeves' best performance in a film.
6. Amadeus - Tom Hulce and F. Murray Abraham are excellent as opposite ends of the same coin. The film serves also as a great introduction to Mozart's music for those who've never heard it.
7. It's a Wonderful Life - It's a wonderful film! Panned when it was first released in 1946, it finally gained the recognition it deserves as a gentle and entertaining reminder to be thankful for what you have.
8. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid - An entertaining William Goldman screenplay and a catchy Burt Bacharach score combine with the formidable talents of Paul Newman and Robert Redford to create the best Western in filmdom.
9. The Great Santini - Robert Duvall gives a brilliant performance in this underrated film as a soldier whose biggest battle was understanding his family.
10. A Hard Day's Night - The Beatles proved they were more than just a group of mop tops who wrote catchy pop tunes in this, the only movie ever made solely to capitalize on a band's popularity that is actually good.
11. Duck Soup - the Marx Brothers at their zaniest - and that's saying something. Groucho turns sarcasm into an art form in this ubercomedy.
12. Memento - A man who can't make new memories is being held prisoner by those he can't forget. A nifty plot twist and the fact that the story is told in reverse chronological order make it a film to remember.
13. Frailty - Is religious fervor merely intensity of belief or is it just insanity? That's the compelling question asked in actor Bill Paxton's directorial debut. This highly over-looked film (by audiences, not by critics) lasts with you long after the lights have come up.
14. Planet of the Apes - Who'd have thought a movie that features Shakespearean actors in ape drag would work and work so well? Thank you, Charlton Heston, for your portrayal of a man who finds himself stuck in a hellish realm. I'd kiss you if you weren't so damned ugly.
15. The Sixth Sense - Its twist caught me off guard, enhancing my appreciation of M. Night Shyamalan's filmmaking expertise. Bruce Willis and Haley Joel Osment give fine performaces that make this required viewing for anyone who wants to see a Big Hollywood film that's not like a Big Hollywood film.
16. Fight Club - This film caught me by surprise because it's not at all about what it was promoted as being about - and that's A Good Thing (tm), as Martha would say. Great characters and an unforeseen twist make this one of my all-time faves.
17. Blazing Saddles - If you're PC, then forget watching this film. But, if you're human, watch it and be prepared to laugh. This film spoofs everything and everyone, and thank God - and Mel Brooks - it does.
18. Fargo - The characters in this Coen brothers film are a quirky treat for those who appreciate quirkiness and below-zero temps.
19. Spartacus - Do you like gladiator movies, little boy? I didn't, either, until I saw this classic. Made before Stanley Kubrick started using his stylized method of filmmaking, it's still a powerful drama about how one man can make a difference in the world.
20. Pulp Fiction - a celebration of non-linear storytelling and violence. Quentin Tarantino uses both to weave a film that showed he was the bastard son of Sam Peckinpah and Stanley Kubrick.
21. There's Something About Mary - There's something about a film that can make me laugh as hard as this one did. Quirky characters, outlandish humor, dogs in full-body casts and unique hair mousse. What more could you ask for?
22. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery - Speaking of laughing hard, this (or any of the Austin Powers franchise) is the film to rent when your spouse has left you and taken the pickup and your favorite hunting dog. Or perhaps it's the movie to watch if you've just married someone who owns a pickup and a hunting dog. Either way, it'll make you forget your troubles for 2 hours, and that's saying something.
You've seen my picks of the top 22 films. Now it's your turn to tell me yours. List your top films in my guestbook, which you can sign below. Come on! It won't hurt. Well, only for a little while. ;)
CHRIS MELONI'S MESSAGE TO LEE TERGESEN
On the 4th season Oz DVD, Lee Tergesen plays a message Chris Meloni
left on his cell phone. Tom Fontana introduces the message,
which is a bit
hard to hear at times because the audio from an Oz ep is playing in the background.
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What American accent do you have? Your Result: The West ? Your accent is the lowest common denominator of American speech. Unless you're a SoCal surfer, no one thinks you have an accent. And really, you may not even be from the West at all, you could easily be from Florida or one of those big Southern cities like Dallas or Atlanta. | |
| The Midland | ? |
| Boston |
? |
| North Central | ? |
| Philadelphia | ? |
| The Northeast | ?
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| The Inland North | ? |
| The South | ?
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| What American accent do you have?
Take More Quizzes | |
Your Linguistic Profile: |
| 65% General American English |
| 20% Yankee |
| 15% Dixie |
| 0% Midwestern |
| 0% Upper Midwestern |
 |
You scored as John Lennon.
Which member of the Fab Four (Beatles) are you??? created with QuizFarm.com |
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